The country's workforce system is continually in need of effective strategies to connect job seekers to job openings and to facilitate rapid entry into suitable employment. One promising tool is social media. In particular, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is examining social media strategies to improve Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants' access to employment services provided at its American Job Centers (AJCs) with support from the Wagner-Peyser and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs.

DOL sponsored an implementation study of the social media initiatives developed by the three grantees, which is being conducted by Abt Global in partnership with Capital Research Corporation and George Washington University. This report provides the results of the study, documenting the grantees’ experiences developing and launching social media strategies to improve employment outcomes for job seekers. The report also provides information for program administrators and policymakers interested in increasing their use of social media in workforce development activities. The study data was collected through in-person interviews with state-level program staff in summer 2014, the final year of the grant programs.

Read a companion report:
Strategies for Connecting Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claimants to the Workforce System: Findings from the Implementation Study of the UI Workforce Connectivity Grant Program