survey released by Jobvite, a company providing social recruiting and applicant tracking software, showed that 92% of current employers and HR departments are either using or planning on using social media for recruiting in the coming year. This number is up from last year’s survey which showed 89% were using social media in this way.

What HR Pros Should Be Looking For

Whether a prospective hire openly offers their social network profiles or not, HR pros should take it upon themselves to scrutinize the candidate’s online habits.  Look for any affiliations with professional organizations that illustrate a commitment and passion to the industry. Also keep an eye out for any mention of a prospect’s volunteerism efforts, as this shows a candidate who understands the importance of going above and beyond.

You should also take into account poor grammar or spelling mistakes on social pages. 54% of recently surveyed recruiters admitted that bad spelling and grammar had more of a negative impact on their decision making than did any mentions of drinking alcohol or engaging in other illicit behavior, and for good reason: poor spelling and grammar may indicate a lack of thoroughness.

Here are some specific ways the various social media channels can be used to help in recruiting employees:

LinkedIn

LinkedIn was created for recruiting and offers HR pros a complete suite of recruiting solutions. For instance, LinkedIn allows job candidates to set up

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