Australia may be famous for being a surfing Mecca, but we could soon have a nation full of ego-surfers, too.
Australia may be famous for being a surfing Mecca, but we could soon have a nation full of ego-surfers, too.
Research by recruitment firm Robert Half in the US has found that more than two-thirds (69 per cent) of employees admit to entering their name in one or more search engines to see what results were displayed.
And according to Kevin Jarvis, director of Robert Half in Australia, the trend is just as significant on Australian shores.
“Not only are employees using search engines to look themselves up, but more and more employers are also utilising online networks in their everyday work,” Jarvis explained.
“While there is an element of vanity at play in doing an online search of yourself, it is actually a wise idea, especially for those on the job hunt given how many employers are engaging in the social media space.”
According to the 2010 Robert Half Australia Media Habits Survey, 86 per cent of Australian employees use social networking sites, with LinkedIn being the most common tool for professional use (29 per cent), and Facebook the most popular for personal use (68 per cent).
Employers are also responding to these trends, with over half (55 per cent) of Australian companies now providing access to social networking sites, according to the survey.
“In the beginning, social networking sites were seen by many employers as time-wasters. Now, as their prominence increases, it is vital for these companies to consider the impact of social networking in all parts of their business strategy, including human resources,” Jarvis said.
