A recent survey has revealed that two-thirds of UK recruiters have rejected candidates after checking their profiles on social media.  However, social media was also found to have accounted for more than 70 per cent of successful recruiter hires.

The survey was of more than 7,000 recruitment companies, HR managers and recruiters in the UK was carried out by Oilandgaspeople.com.  It found that LinkedIn was the most popular tool for recruitment and was used by 88 per cent of those surveyed.   Interestingly, 25 per cent had successfully recruited through Facebook which is typically a personal rather than professional platform.  Only eight per cent had been recruited via Twitter.

71 per cent of recruiters have successfully hired an employee or contractor through social media, highlighting the importance of this medium for prospective job candidates and getting their online profiles right.  It is also important for recruiters and job-seekers to build their online networks.

Alison Doyle, a job search expert at About.com has said, “For professional-level positions, applicants are expected to have a robust LinkedIn profile that will clearly show a prospective employer their qualifications and expertise,” emphasising the importance of accurate and positive information.

Kevin Forbes, CEO of Oilandgaspeople.com, noted that social media allows recruitment to happen “faster and cheaper than traditional forms of advertising, ” with 63 per cent favouring online over traditional print media as a recruitment tool.

77 per cent of recruiters felt that social media provided them with better and more direct access to candidates. 41 per cent said it gave them better insight into whether candidates were suitable.

It is also important that candidates and job-hunters are consistent in the information they supply to potential employers, both online and offline.  Any social media profiles should be reviewed and, where necessary, edited to present the candidate in the best possible light.  This might all sound like common sense, but experience has taught us that the quickly changing world of social media can catch people out, whatever the profession, age or experience.