SOCIAL networking sites are being increasingly used by employers as a recruitment tool.
One third of 208 employers across the UK said they use sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to find potential recruits, according to research by the Department for Work and Pensions and global recruitment consultant Harvey Nash.
It is seen as a way of reaching out to a wider pool of talent.
Half of employers believe that if candidates invest time in developing a strong online brand using social networks and networking online, they are more likely to be hired.
Almost one quarter of employers routinely use sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn as part of their recruitment processes.
Fifteen per cent said they would miss key recruits if they did not tap into social networks.
It is internet-savvy young jobseekers who could be missing out by failing to pick up on this trend. Although 92 per cent of online 18-24-year-olds are registered on a social networking site, only one in 10 (12 per cent) said they used these sites to get job leads or make useful career contacts.
More than 1,000 young people were polled by YouGov.
