UK job seekers want to be informed ... and fast!

According to the latest Monster Meter, over half of Brits want speed above all else in the recruitment process, and almost a quarter of them cite obtaining a well-rounded view of a company as most important.

The Monster Meter asked, When applying for a job, what do you expect from your potential employer?
1,435 votes were cast across on Monster.co.uk between 11th and 25th November, revealing:

57% (7,459 votes) said: Speedy response - whether positive or negative.
21% (3,233 votes) said: A true picture of life at their company.
11% (1,926 votes) said: Providing a detailed job description.
11% (1,012 votes) said: Honesty with regard to salary up front.

These results highlight that speed is vital for the UK job seeker and with the advent of the Internet and today's dynamic go-getter landscape, candidates' expectations have evolved. Previously, the norm was to wait several weeks before receiving correspondence from companies through the post, but now it's a different ball game.

Sophisticated Internet tools enable job seekers to track the progress of their applications online. Job sites like Monster allow candidates to post their CVs for employers to browse and to apply for jobs directly. In an environment where people can be called to interview in a matter of hours, candidates' expectations have evidently soared.

The second most popular expectation is access to accurate information on prospective companies. Candidates no longer need to rely solely on the company brochure as the main source of information, since the Internet allows candidates to carry out extensive research and get a true picture of the potential employer before deciding whether to make first contact. The fact that this research can be conducted in a matter of minutes and from the comfort of your own home will be more than appealing to the average job seeker. By using web-based tools, companies can even showcase their corporate culture, mission, and vacancies through interactive, virtual tours of the office. These can feature interviews with company heads and other key figures, so you can really get inside the company without even taking off your slippers!

Just as the Internet has speeded up the way employers and job seekers interact, candidate expectations have also risen, as the survey reflects, comments Joe Slavin, Managing Director, Monster.co.uk. The web has created an environment where people can expect information at their fingertips and when it comes to recruitment it's no different. The increasing competitiveness in the job market means that for both job seekers and employers it's a case of survival of the quickest.

The results of the current Monster Meter are based on votes cast by Monster users in the UK from 11h to 25th November. Only one vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation. The Monster Meter, a product of Monster.com, the leading global online careers site and flagship brand of TMP Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: TMPW), is a series of online polls that gauge users' opinions on a variety of topics relating to careers, the economy and the workplace. Anyone interested in voting in Monster's current online poll may do so by logging onto Monster.com at www.monster.com and selecting your local site.