Research from Harvey Nash and the Department for Work and Pensions shows just under a quarter of employers regularly use social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook as part of their recruitment processes. And 15% said they would miss key new recruits if they did not tap into social networks.
But 44% of employers still believe social networking will only become important for recruitment in the future.
And although 92% of 18 to 24 year-olds use social networking sites, only 12% use them to make career contacts.
Matthew Garratt, HR manager at online lingerie retailer figleaves.com, said: "Social networking sites have become absolutely critical [for us] in finding new hires. Not only do they give us access to people we might not find elsewhere, but they are also an excellent way to understand more about the candidate beyond just their CV.
"Certainly figleaves.com jobseekers that have a strong online presence stand out from the crowd and we would encourage more people to invest in their online ‘brand'."
Jobseekers who use Facebook and Twitter are more attractive to employers
Half of employers believe if candidates develop a strong online identity through social networking, they are more likely to be hired.
