Online social networking sites are now being used by employers to recruit candidates, according to a new survey.
Around 27 per cent of employers said they use the sites, or plan to in the future, to research potential applicants according to the research by CareerBuilder.co.uk.
A further 15 per cent said they use the sites to screen applicants, onrec.com reports.
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."
Some of the reasons managers gave for hiring employees on the basis of their social networking profile were that their profile was creative, it demonstrated good communication skills and it showed a wide range of interests and qualifications.
Last month, the Irish Times reported that employers are now using sites such as Facebook to monitor whether their staff are really unwell when they call in sick.