One-third of Americans have looked for a new job in the past two years, and 79% of these job seekers used online resources in their most recent search for employment, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center.

The report was based on data from a survey conducted in June 2015 of 2,001 US adults.

More job seekers turned to the Internet as part of their search (79%) than the proportion who made use of close personal connections (66%) or professional contacts (63%), and more than twice the proportion of those who used employment agencies, print advertisements, or jobs fairs.

Some 34% of job seekers say the information they found online was the most important resource available to them in their recent job search.

Below, additional key findings from the report.

Social Media

Some 35% of US social network users have used social media to look for or research jobs, 21% have applied for a job they first found out about through social media, and 34% have used social media to inform their friends about available jobs at their own place of employment.

Moreover, 13% of social network users in the US say information that they have posted on social media has helped them get a job.

Smartphones

Some 41% of US smartphone owners have used their mobile phone in some aspect of a job search.

Young adults are especially likely to use their smartphones to look for work: 53% of 18-29-yearolds have used a smartphone as part of a search for employment.

Most smartphone job seekers have used their smartphone to browse opportunities online (94%) and email someone about a job they were applying for (74%).

Almost half (47%) of smartphone job seekers have had problems accessing job-related content because it didn't display properly on their phone.

About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in June 2015 of 2,001 US adults.


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How Americans Search for Jobs in the Digital Age

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of Ayaz Nanji

Ayaz Nanji is a writer, editor, and a content strategist. He is a co-founder of ICW Media and a research writer for MarketingProfs. He has worked for Google/YouTube, the Travel Channel, and the New York Times.

LinkedIn: Ayaz Nanji

Twitter: @ayaznanji