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SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES – GOOD FOR BUSINESS

A leading international recruitment expert visited Scotland today (13 June) to show how social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Myspace will become vital to UK businesses in their drive to remain competitive.

Albert Ellis, chief executive of global recruitment and IT company Harvey Nash, briefed Scottish financial services industry representatives on how ‘Generation Y’ is already abandoning traditional recruitment routes and using the internet, particularly social networking sites, to help make decisions on their future careers.

He discussed recent evidence from the US showing how companies can tap into this change in behaviour to attract skilled employees, saying:

“We have been predicting the increased corporate use of social networking sites for a year, encouraging employers to see its potential. The initial reaction was mostly cynical, but a recent US survey of undergraduates showed that one company, Ernst & Young, had successfully used web-based recruiting – particularly Facebook – to leap from 12th to 4th place in ranking as an ‘ideal’ employer. 

“Any employer who doesn’t embrace social networking is going to be at a serious disadvantage.”

Owen Kelly, chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, said:

““This is yet another example of how the internet is changing the way we do even the most basic things. Use of social networking sites is becoming the norm for many, and they can directly influence users’ attitudes to almost everything, including careers.

“In our industry, where the potential for recruiting from around the globe is high, making more use of the internet is a great way to get messages out about the advantages of working in Scotland.”

Mr Ellis also highlighted a new group – Generation A – the growing, aspirational middle classes of emerging markets including Asia, Latin America and Africa.  He talked about the stark contrast between the UK and Asia in terms of developing science and engineering skills in young people. He also discussed the huge shortage of IT skills predicted for the UK by 2012, and the increase in migration of talented people around the globe.

Notes to Editors
1. Generation ‘Y’ refers to people born from around 1982 to 1997. This group is generally very IT literate, with a recent US student survey showing 97% owned a computer, 94% owned a mobile, 75% had a Facebook account and 44% read blogs.

2. Harvey Nash, a global professional recruitment consultancy and IT outsourcing service provider, is committed to delivering the very best talent and IT solutions to a broad base of international clients. The Group is an advisor to some of the world’s leading business, governments and institutions. It operates from 35 offices covering the USA, Europe and Asia.

3. Scottish Financial Enterprise is SFE) is the independent organisation that supports and represents the interests of Scotland’s financial services industry.  The key focus of SFE’s work is: lobbying for improvements to the business environment that Scotland provides for the financial services industry; influencing government, regulators and other policy-makers, mainly in Scotland, Westminster and Brussels.
    
Mary Mowat
Scottish Financial Enterprise
0131 247 7700

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