If you’re on the lookout for a new job, social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are a fantastic way to find employment – a recent study showed that 43% of Londoners are now using these platforms to hunt for work.

But it’s very much a two-way street, as employers are also increasingly using social media to screen prospective candidates during the hiring process.

Social media monitoring service Reppler conducted a study with Lab42 using a random sample of 300 individuals involved in the hiring process of a company, and the results are fascinating. A massive 91% of the employers polled use social networking sites to screen prospective employees. More worryingly for applicants, 69% say they have rejected a candidate because of something they saw on one of these social platforms.

Other key takeaways:

• 47% of employers check social networking sites to screen prospective employees immediately after receiving their job application
• Facebook is checked by 76% of employers, followed by Twitter (53%) and LinkedIn (48%)
• It’s not all bad news – 68% of employers have hired a candidate because of something they saw about them on a social networking site

(Source: Reppler.com. Top image credit: EDHAR via Shutterstock.)