Be careful what you leave online, recruitment expert says

Those on the search for a new job should be careful with what they post on social networking sites or similar forums, it has been advised. Steve Huxham is chairman of the Recruitment Society and recently commented on whether or not employers look at sites like MySpace and Facebook to check out an applicant. He said that his group of peers, the general feeling was that life and work are different, so there is no need to investigate people this way. However, it is crucial to be aware that what you upload on to the internet could stay around for years. "You've got to be prepared for anything you've put online to follow you around," he added. "That's not just down to employment - it's down to identity fraud and everything else, of course." Mr Huxham's comments follow a 2009 survey by DDI that found a quarter of companies looking for staff would check out their candidates on social networking sites.