More Hiring Managers Look at Online Networks

Nearly two-third of executives (62 percent) say online networking sites like LinkedIn will become useful in finding candidates in the next three years. (I'd argue they are already, but that's just me.) Thirty five percent say they'll use social networking sites, like MySpace or Facebook, to find candidates in the next three years. This all comes from a survey by Robert Half International.

There's nothing really new in these numbers, but the survey does reinforce a general trend that has online networking becoming more and more of a mainstream recruiting tool. It also reinforces the idea that you should remember potential employers may be looking at the pictures, thoughts and what have you that you post on these sites. Though some people maintain social networking sites should be, in effect, out of bounds when it comes to making work-related decisions, that's not reality.

Here's the whole press release, if you're interested.