ClickAJob News

Environmental issues are important to jobseekers, a new study has discovered, so much so that it can impact on which companies they apply for.

Conducted by jobs.ac.uk, the survey revealed that 67 per cent of job hunters will be influenced by a firm's environmental policies when they are decided to apply for a job.

In fact, green issues strongly affect 45 per cent of the jobseekers questioned.

"High-calibre job hunters want to work for an employer who is environmentally responsible, forward-thinking and who can offer further opportunities in the future," Andrew Gordon, director of jobs.ac.uk, stated.

He remarked that many jobseekers have clear ideas about the type of business they want to work for.

Businesses should be making "a tangible, positive contribution to improving the environment", he added.

ClickAJob chief executive Yngve Traberg points out that such highly personal issues reflect positively on jobseekers themselves, particularly their perceived attitude.

"Having a social conscience suggests other strengths as well," he says. "A sense of responsibility for example is often claimed by candidates but seldom visibly demonstrated."

He goes further, noting the influence that personal opinions and social background is beginning to exert through networking websites such as Facebook.

"Strong values are always an asset," he states. "As long as they're the right ones. Employers like to know their staff can stand up and be counted."