A new survey from social job search engine Adzuna has revealed that more than half of UK jobseekers are now using social networks as part of the job hunting process.
With 2.5 million out of work and youth unemployment at a record high, Britons are turning to social networks such as Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter to get hired with a little help from their friends.
The survey, conducted in Q4 2012, shows the beginning of a 'Social Job Search Revolution', with more than a million job seekers in Britain now using social networks to find work.
Retail, design and IT professionals top the charts for the most social jobseekers, with 33% of people surveyed in these industries claiming to have used social networks to land their dream job.
Facebook is the preferred social network for job hunting in Scotland and the north of England, while southerners prefer to use Linked In.
And more than 90% of large UK employers are now using social media to find staff. Traditionally, big tech companies such as Google, Amazon and eBay used social media to find staff, but the last 12 months has seen an explosion in the number of other sectors' companies using social media to find staff.
Companies such as AstraZeneca, Saatchi and Saatchi and hotel chain Hilton have all launched Facebook groups to increase the rate of job referrals for potential candidates.
Adzuna's co-founder Andrew Hunter said in a statement: "It's clear that the way in which people look for work has changed dramatically in the last two to three years and it's hugely exciting to witness how social media has quickly become an integral part of the job hunting process."