Only a decade ago, social media “wasn’t even on the hiring map,” HireRight leaders observed recently as the firm compared its initial employment screening benchmark report to today’s fast-changing hiring trends.

Its newest edition, HireRight’s 2017 Employment Screening Benchmark Report, takes stock of how much times have changed since people found jobs mainly through print newspaper ads and sent their resumes to prospective employers via snail mail.

HireRight, which provides background checks, drug testing and other pertinent authentication through proprietary software, noted that the firm’s 10th annual analysis reveals that along with a new generation of job seekers has come fluency in social media use, with social networking registering as the fastest-growing hiring tool.

The study found that 86 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 use at least one social media application for a variety of reasons — social communication, news and entertainment and even job hunting. Companies now court candidates via LinkedIn and Twitter; and statistics point to a 10 percent increase in those and similar sites in just one year.

With new technology comes new responsibility. HireRight pointed out that best practices have changed along with the new collective toolbox — advising companies to use a professional when hiring through social media; making sure to follow through initial contact by cultivating relationships, rather than relying on technology; and staying mindful of boundaries.

Additionally, HireRight advises applying analytics to understand the results of online hiring efforts; and finally, the firm recommends diversifying recruitment techniques, not relying exclusively on electronic media.

With U.S. headquarters in Irvine, California, HireRight delivers on-demand employment background checks, drug testing, Form I-9 and employment and education verifications, adaptable to organizations’ individual needs.