Research shows that Australia lags behind some European countries in recruitment-based social networking. This is according to a survey conducted by Aquent, the leading global staffing firm specialising in marketing, communications and creative talent.

The Aquent Orange Book 2008-2009, a salary survey and industry monitor of key Asia Pacific and European markets, revealed a minimal uptake of social networking websites in Australia by candidates and employers for recruitment purposes.

“There has been a lot of noise about social networking as a recruitment tool in Australia during the last year,” said Aquent International CEO, Greg Savage. “However, our research now suggests that some employers in Europe are ahead of their Australian counterparts in extracting value from social networking recruitment tactics.”

But Savage warns that using social networking sites is not without risk.

“As a new tool for talent acquisition, social media has yet to be fully tested or quantified in Australia – and almost all feedback is anecdotal,” he said.

“For employers, it remains hugely labour intensive, can be frustrating, and poses very real risks of brand damage and internal misuse.

“Candidates, on the other hand, expose themselves to potential discrimination and can also damage their employment prospects because their online footprint may not come across very favourably at all.”

However, Savage believes that despite its flaws, social media may prove helpful in the ongoing access to quality talent, a factor critical to the competitiveness of Australian companies.

“The next wave of technology that supports talent acquisition is worth exploration and investment, especially as avenues like job boards and print media are becoming less effective and more expensive,” he said.

“I suspect employers, both recruiters and corporate, who can blend social networking into a fully integrated recruitment plan, will be the ultimate winners.”