Data Daydreams

Job Seeking on Facebook:

• 48% of all job seekers (63% of those with a profile) have done at least one social job hunting activity on Facebook in the last year.
• One in five job seekers added professional information to their Facebook profile in the past year.
• 16% received a job referral from a Facebook friend.
• 18.4 Million Americans credit Facebook as a source that led to their current job.
• 56% of Facebook-using job seekers are male, 64% are under the age of 40, 36% earn more than $75,000 and 42% are college graduates.

Job Seeking on LinkedIn:

• 26% of all job seekers (88% of those with a profile) have used LinkedIn to hunt for work in the past year.
• 15% have updated LinkedIn with professional information.
• 9% received a job referral from a LinkedIn contact.
• 10.2 Million Americans credit LinkedIn as a source that led to their current job.
• 69% of LinkedIn-using job seekers are male, 53% are under the age of 40, 54% earn more than $75,000 and 58% are college graduates.

Job Seeking on Twitter:

• 23% of all job seekers (71% of those with a profile) have leveraged Twitter in their job hunt.
• 8% have updated Twitter with professional information.
• 6% received a job referral through Twitter.
• 8 Million Americans credit Twitter as a source that led to their current job
• 65% of Twitter-using job seekers are male, 69% are under the age of 40, 48% earn more than $75,000 and 49% are college graduates.

Since the dawn of the Internet, the demand for good design has continued to skyrocket. From Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and beyond, designers have remained on their toes as they define the trends and expectations of our online universe. The Internet is a great designer’s playground, and online businesses are growing more and more appreciative of what can be gained from a bit of well-executed eye candy. Over the past two years, this fact has become the backbone of a growing trend in online marketing: the infographic.

Infographics are visual representations of information, or “data viz” as the cool kids call it these days. The term “data viz” comes from “data visualization,” which implies that sets of data will be displayed in a unique way that can be seen, rather than read. This visualization should not be left up to interpretation, it should instead be designed in a way that provides a universal conclusion for all viewers. In the simplest terms, infographics are not too different than the charts and graphs that programs like Excel have been spitting out for years.

Of course, just as Web 2.0 changed 1.0, today’s infographics are far more eye-catching than simple pie charts and bar graphs. Today, infographics compile many different data visualizations into one cohesive piece of “eye candy.” They have evolved with design trends, received some creative facelifts, and the Internet is now getting filled with interesting information delivered in enthralling ways.

While some design trends come and go, infographics are here to stay. With brands like USA Today, The New York Times and Google and even President Obama getting behind them, infographics are becoming a powerful tool for disseminating huge amounts of information to the masses. Companies large and small are using infographics to build their brands, educate their audience and optimize their search engine ranking through link-building. This is why learning how to design a good infographic is a must, and avoiding the common pitfalls of infographic design could mean the difference between landing a big client and losing them entirely.