CorpComms Magazine

More than 25 per cent of Australian bosses are now using social networking sites to screen job candidates, according to new research from Australian telecommunications company Telstra.

The research also finds that nearly half of those that screen potential employees admit to turning away candidates based on something they have seen on Facebook or Twitter.

While inappropriate social networking behaviour was found to limit employment opportunities, Telstra's research also revealed that more than a third of Australian employers who screen social profiles have hired candidates based on positive things they have seen.

Among the biggest faux pas include candidates posting inappropriate pictures (with 31 per cent of employers saying this counts against applicants) and posting discriminatory comments (37 per cent). 

Nearly one in five employers use social networking connections to make sure employees aren't posting derogatory comments about themselves or the company and 15 per cent do so to keep an eye on employee productivity. One in five employers proactively 'friend' their staff on Facebook.

Facebook is the biggest social network screener says the company behind the research and more than half of bosses reject 'friend' requests.

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