Hiring Trends in 2011

According to a recent survey by CareerXroads, there were some interesting hiring trends in 2011.  The survey found that the participating companies filled 59 percent of their openings externally, as opposed to internal transfers and promotions.  This percentage is considerably higher than 2010, when almost 50 percent of hires were filled internally.  According to recruiting expert Gerry Crispin, these results suggest that the economy is recovering, and hiring is slowly returning to normal levels.  Based on the survey results, most hires were the result of referrals and job boards—apparently not as much on the decline as once thought—followed by career sites and recruiter efforts.  While social media made up for a mere 3.5 percent of hiring, the increase is significant compared to previous years.