More than half of employers have rejected an applicant due to social media posts, according to new research.
Conducted by CareerBuilder.co.uk, the study found 55% of employers who research job applicants on social media claim that they’ve seen something that caused them not to hire the candidate.
The research found that nearly half (48%) of recruiters currently use social networking sites to find information on potential job candidates. Of those who currently don’t use social media to vet candidates, 12% say they are planning on doing so in the near future.
However, it is not just social networking sites which employers are using as investigative tools. 50% of recruiters have admitted to using search engines such as Google in order to research potential job candidates, with 21% said they do so frequently or always.
Drinking and drug habits topped the list of what put recruiters off with 45% saying it had put candidates in a negative light while 39% have rejected applicants who have bad-mouthed their previous employers and employees online. Inappropriate photos (38%) was another factor that ruled out some candidates.
It’s not all bad news for people with Facebook and Twitter users – a third of those surveyed claimed they had found content that made them more likely to hire job seekers.