Social networking sites offer IT job seekers the resources to find peers with similar skills and learn more about employers. But candidates should be aware that the online outlets also provide employees a glimpse into the personal lives of potential hires. That can be good or it can be very bad, according to Rona Borre, president and CEO of Instant Technology, an IT recruiting and staff augmentation firm in Chicago. Borre recently talked with Network World Senior Editor Denise Dubie about how new technologies can boost or torpedo job searches.

As an IT recruiter for some 15 years, what do you think has changed the most for high-tech job seekers

With today's unconventional recruiting methods such as social networking sites, there are so many ways now to really put yourself out there and get connected to people with the same interests as you. That has really changed the landscape of recruiting for IT talent.

See a slideshow of the 20 most useful career sites for IT professionals.

How has it changed the process for recruiters

It has allowed us to better match clients with candidates in a cultural way. We can search on Facebook and Google, for instance, and get just a glimpse or even deeper insight into their character. Interests outside of work such as music or art could lead an employer that is in a particular industry to one candidate over another. We can use social networking sites to find out more about an organization's culture as well. If employees are in clubs or groups listed online, that gives us a perspective on the people that already work there and helps us culturally match others.

What would be considered a bad cultural match

If you look at dot-com companies that are very fast-paced and work long hours, and someone coming from a structured financial institution and is accustomed to working set hours, such as 9 am to 5 pm -- that is not a good cultural fit.

Tags: Art Store Storage Container Usb Storage Adapter Online File Storage Extra Storage Sheds Storage Bin Plastic Storage Storage Solutions Self Storage

Eaton Intros Energy Saving Ups
PITTSBURGH -- Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation announced today the introduction of its new Pulsar M uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs). Responding to user's needs to maximize energy efficiency, the Pulsar M, sold under the MGE Office Protection Systems brand, features a high-efficiency design that saves energy and prevents excess heat when installed into a network rack.The Pulsar M is the first on-line ...

Sun Signs Exigen Outsourcing Deal
SAN FRANCISCO -- Exigen Services, the leading next generation application outsourcing provider, today has announced a multi-year application development and maintenance outsourcing deal with IT giant, Sun Microsystems Inc., (NASDAQ: JAVA). Under the terms of the agreement, Exigen Services will provide application development and maintenance services for a portfolio of products in ...

Rackable Systems Dumps Its Clustered Nas
Rackable Systems Inc. today said it hired an outside bank to help sell off its storage business so it can focus on its servers and modular data centers. Rackable is looking to sell the product line, patents and engineering team involved with the RapidScale clustered file system it acquired when it bought Terrascale Technologies Inc. in 2006.RapidScale ...