Networking sites

Your Facebook profile could be stopping you from getting a job as the number of employers using social networking sites to screen job candidates is on the rise.

Currently 15 per cent of employers said they use social networking sites to check up on potential employees, and a further 12 per cent said they intend to start, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.co.uk.

If a candidate has demonstrated poor communication skills or posted images of themselves that are provocative or inappropriate online, employers are likely to rule them out.

Other reasons for not hiring include that the candidate posted information regarding drinking or taking drugs, bad-mouthed a previous employer or had an unprofessional screen name.

However, employers have also hired people based on what they have seen on social networking sites if the content has demonstrated the candidate to have excellent communication skills or had great references posted about them by others.

Tony Roy, managing director of CareerBuilder.co.uk, said: “Employers are not just using these sites to eliminate candidates, many are also viewing these tools as a way to get a more well-rounded view of a candidate. Social networking profiles can also give job seekers an edge over the competition.”