Job Seekers Rely Heavily On Web Sites For Company Lowdown

More than 80% of graduating college students seeking corporate jobs check out companies' Web sites before sending in their resumes, says a recent survey by Web development and Internet marketing firm Hanrick Associates. And nearly 60% say recruiting-specific material on the Web influences them "probably a good deal" or "definitely quite a bit," says the study, titled E-Recruiting: Using the Internet to Get Top Talent. Web sites rate equal to friends and family as the top source for company information, found the study -- far ahead of paper brochures or on-campus information sessions. As for companies' individual Web sites, recruits liked simple features more than complicated ones. They rated basic company background, history, and news more important than softer material such as recent hires' testimonials and multimedia clips. They also strongly approved regular updating of material, which suggests many job seekers visit company Web sites repeatedly while in the recruiting process. The report is available by calling 800-689-9775 or visiting www.ehanrick.com.