business
Physicians using social media for job hunting
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 27, 2010
A significant proportion of health care job seekers, including physicians, are using some form of social media to look for work, although the results are modest compared with more established means, according to a survey released Dec. 14 by the San Diego staffing company AMN Healthcare Services.
Researchers analyzed questionnaires completed by 1,248 health care professionals, including 98 physicians.
About 21% of those surveyed used social media to find a new position, with 15% of physicians doing so. The majority of job seekers used Facebook and LinkedIn, but only 5% of physicians were interviewed for a job as a result of using social media. About 4% received a job offer.
The survey also documented that physicians were using text message alerts sent to their mobile devices as part of a job search. About 9% were using mobile alerts, but 4% had been interviewed for a job because of them. None had received a job offer.
Referrals remain the most popular way of finding a job. A total of 80% of physicians use referrals, with 54% landing jobs because of them. About 49% used online job boards, with 12% getting jobs because of these types of listings.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/12/27/bibf1227.htm.
