LONDON, October 13 /PRNewswire/ --

- Fifteen Per cent of Employers Use Social Networking Sites to Recruit
Candidates or Plan to by the End of the Year

Could your future boss be making a hiring decision based on your online
profile? According to a new survey from CareerBuilder.co.uk, 27 per cent of
employers in the UK said they either currently use social networking sites to
research potential job candidates or plan to start. Specifically, 15 per cent
of employers said they currently screen potential employees on social
networking sites and another 12 per cent said although they do not, they
intend to start.

Some of the content on social networking sites that employers have said

caused them not to hire candidates include:

-- Candidate had poor communication skills
    -- Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or
       information
    -- Candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs
    -- Candidate bad-mouthed their previous company or a fellow employee
    -- Candidate shared confidential information from previous employers
    -- Candidate lied about qualifications
    -- Candidate used discriminatory comments related to race, gender,
       religion, etc.
    -- Candidate had an unprofessional screen name
    -- Candidate was linked to criminal behavior



"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," said Tony Roy, Managing Director of CareerBuilder.co.uk. "Social
networking profiles can also give job seekers an edge over the competition.
Candidates can use their profiles to better position themselves, network and
provide additional information that cannot be found on a resume."

Hiring managers who said they researched job candidates via social
networking said the following content helped to solidify their decision to
hire a candidate:

-- Candidate's background supported their qualifications for the job
    -- Candidate had great communication skills
    -- Candidate was a good fit for the company's culture
    -- Candidate's site conveyed a professional image
    -- Candidate had great references posted about them by others
    -- Candidate showed a wide range of interests
    -- Candidate received awards and accolades
    -- Candidate's profile was creative



Employers Using Social Networking Sites to Recruit Candidates

Employers are not just using social networking sites to screen
candidates, many are also turning to these sites to help them find
candidates. Fifteen per cent of hiring managers in the UK said they either
currently use social networking sites to recruit potential job candidates or
plan to do so by the end of the year.

"Nearly half of employers say on average it takes them more than two
months to fill an open full-time position," said Roy. "Employers are
increasingly exploring new ways to connect with potential candidates."

Roy recommends the following tips to favorably position yourself on
social networking sites:

(1) Clean up digital dirt. Make sure to remove pictures, content and
        links that can send the wrong message to a potential employer before
        you start your job search.

    (2) Update your profile regularly. Make sure to include specific
        accomplishments, inside and outside of work.

    (3) Monitor comments. Since you can't control what other people say on
        your site, you may want to use the "block comments" feature.

    (4) Join groups selectively. While joining a group with a fun or silly
        name may seem harmless, it may not give the best impression to a
        hiring manager. Also be selective about who you accept as "friends."

    (5) Go private. Consider setting your profile to "private," so only
        designated friends can view it.



Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.K. by Harris Interactive on
behalf of CareerBuilder.co.uk among 289 hiring managers and human resource
professionals (employed full-time; not self-employed; with at least
significant involvement in hiring decisions) ages 18 and over between June 2
and June 13, 2008, respectively (percentages for some questions are based on
a subset of Employers, based on their responses to certain questions). With a
pure probability sample of 289 one could say with a 95 per cent probability
that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 5.76 percentage points.

About CareerBuilder.co.uk

CareerBuilder UK is one of the most visited online job sites in the
United Kingdom. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company, The
McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT),
CareerBuilder.co.uk powers the career centres for more than 160 individual UK
sites that reach national, local, industry and niche audiences. Job seekers
visit CareerBuilder.co.uk every month to search for opportunities by
industry, location, company and job type, sign up for automatic e-mail job
alerts, and get advice on job hunting and career management. For more
information about CareerBuilder products and services, visit
http://www.careerbuilder.co.uk.

Media Contact:
    CareerBuilder.co.uk
    Tanya Flynn
    +1-773-527-1164
    Tanya.Flynn@careerbuilder.com

Web site: http://www.careerbuilder.com