UK job recruiters use search engines – a lot

This excellent article comes from the Times Online and discusses how online social networking can damage employment prospects in the UK. While we’ve touched upon this topic before – particularly how it pertains to job applicants in the US – the stats and information provided in this piece are noteworthy for job applicants in the UK. According to the article’s sources:

  • Checking social networking sites was routine for recruiters
  • Almost two thirds (62 per cent) of British executives were signed up to Facebook, MySpace or another social networking site
  • One in five employers admitted that they used the sites to search for information on candidates and looked at how they projected themselves.
  • Almost two thirds said the information they found there influenced a recruitment decision, while a quarter said that they had changed their mind and decided not to hire someone because of what was online.
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    1 comment so far ↓

    #1 Eric of International Careers on 07.15.09 at 1:19 am

    “One in five employers admitted that they used the sites to search for information on candidates and looked at how they projected themselves.”

    I think this number will continue to rise in the next 2-3 years in the recruitment industry as job seekers continue to be aware of the importance of personal branding.

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