Tina Perry, Director of Office Division, Rubicon Recruitment Group, answers your questions.

Q: Does what’s posted on social media really matter to employers?

Yes, it certainly does.  According to the REC (Recruitment Employment Confederation), the governing body for Recruiters and recruitment agencies, about 80% of recruiters and hiring managers in the UK use social media to look for and vet job candidates.

My colleagues and I, especially when considering candidates for office based, mid and senior level roles, always review social media pages to gain valuable current background information on people we are preparing to present to our clients.

Q: Are all the advertised jobs “real” vacancies?

There’s absolutely nothing to prevent businesses from advertising directly for a position that they’re 99% sure they’ll fill with an internal candidate.

Often there’s a requirement within HR departments of larger businesses, in particular, to advertise externally as well as internally whilst it’s understandable that a business seeks to provide people to benchmark their internal candidates against.

This can be understandably frustrating for external candidates but is just one of those things.  Job adverts posted by recruitment agencies, rather than the companies themselves, are less likely to be of this nature.

• Rubicon continue to support a wide range of businesses with their immediate recruitment needs as well as providing permanent staff, Contractors and Temps to a wide range of business in and around Dorset and Hampshire. If you need help, as an employer, a Temp worker, a Contractor and/or as a potential applicant for a permanent job, then please get in touch by calling 01202 680311 or emailing WeWork@RubiconPeople.co.uk