Did you know that 41 percent of the class of 2011 used social media in their job search?

250 million photos are now uploaded to platforms such as Twitter and Facebook every day, and four out of every five internet users now visit one or more social networks and blogs. Social media allows us to position ourselves right on the very edge of the information curve, sending and receiving news and content on a real-time basis.

All in all, Americans spent a heady 53.5 billion minutes on Facebook in 2011 – predominately so they could stay in touch with friends and family.

This and more can be found in this infographic from Schools.com, which takes a closer look at what Americans are getting out of social networks.

(Source: Schools.com. Top image credit: Cowpland via Shutterstock.)