HR Professionals Have been Fast Adopters of Social Media

Consumption of social and user-generated content (blogs, podcasts, online communities, wikis, and profiles/social networking) continues to rise ahead of editorial media. Social Media has become critical to career advancement across IT, Finance, and HR professions, which continues to outpace editorial and vendor content consumption, leveling off at 4.59 hours per week from Wave IV (July 2009), compared to 3.05 hours of online vendor content and 3.35 hours of online editorial content, according to toolbox.

And social media represents 42% of total media consumption (compared to 31% for editorial and 27% for vendor content).

In recent survey of 900 human resources executives that conducted by Toolbox and PJA Advertising + Marketing toward social media usage among HR executives and professionals, it indicated that respondents used social media at a rate of 3.77 hours per week, compared to 2.77 hours of online editorial content and 2.13 hours of online vendor content.

The survey also shows that active participation in social media is seen as key to career advancement, both in building competitive edge as a job candidate and keeping it as a professional.

52% of HR professionals say social media is important in building their personal brand compare with 49% of Finance professionals, respectively. They believe that social media’s biggest impact on career is to increase their level of expertise.

Among HR and Finance professionals, responses were 78% and 73% for staying current and 71% and 62% for networking, respectively.

Additionally, more than half have responded to a question asked by a peer in an online community, while nearly 50 percent have built their personal knowledge network by making connections with peers.

If you are in the HR profession, but you have lots of doubts or feel the frustration when the topic turns towards social media and networking, or if you are still not sure how can social media going to help you do better job toward finding talented people work for you, and to help and improve your organization’s entire performance etc, you really need to wake up and it is time to look into the power of social media seriously.