77% of candidates prefer human interaction when searching for jobs

Even as workplaces become more digitised, three in four professionals still prefer human interaction when searching for a job.

This was according to the new American Staffing Association Workforce Monitor survey, conducted online by Harris Poll.

In line with that, word-of-mouth was found to be the most popular tool job seekers used when looking for work (63%).

Job board websites (62%) and employer websites (60%) also ranked within the top three.

Other popular tools included newspaper 'help wanted' ads or job listings (52%), and contacts or acquaintances at prospective employers (48%).

Four in ten job seekers reported using a staffing and recruiting company during the job search.

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"A combination of technology and personal contacts is the winning strategy while on the job hunt," said Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer.

"Even with all of the recent advances in web-based job sourcing, some things never change. Your network of friends, former colleagues, and family members still might be the key to your finding your ideal job."

The survey also found that of the top five ways job seekers actually land a job, three are "high touch".

Word-of-mouth was found to be the most popular means (43%) of securing a job, followed by job board websites (30%), employer websites (30%), contacts or acquaintances with prospective employers (30%), and staffing and recruiting companies (25%).

In addition, the survey found eight in ten job seekers enjoyed the visibility technology can offer when it comes to the sharing of resumes.

Plus, almost half of job seekers viewed the web as the most helpful resource when looking for work, despite 61% feeling uneasy about providing so much personal employment information to websites.

Check out the infographic for the full results.

Image: 123RF