Employers have a new not-so-secret weapon in the hiring game: social networks. And they're increasingly using them to investigate potential employees. According to a new survey by Vault.com, 44 percent of employers use sites like MySpace and Facebook to research candidates, while 39 percent admit to looking up the profiles of current employees. If a behavior or attitude represented in the profile doesn't match their company's expectations, 82 percent say it would affect their decision to hire the applicant.

For job seekers, these statistics shouldn't come as a total shock. If they are concerned about questionable material in their profile, applicants using social networking sites can avoid humiliation by enforcing privacy controls or choosing to edit their profile when looking for a new job.

A new Monster survey reveals that businesses aren't satisfying their employees' need for work/life balance. In its 2007 Work/Life Balance Survey, Monster found that 89 percent of respondents look for work/life balance programs when evaluating a new job, but only half of HR professionals agreed on the importance of work/life balance. According to employees who participated in the online survey, only 29 percent think of their company's work/life balance programs as good or excellent. 58 percent complain their employer works them too much. "Developing and promoting a work/life balance program can be a key differentiator in today's challenging recruitment market where there are ample opportunities for job seekers. Thus, employers should look to improve their employment brand by creating and promoting a flexible, balanced work atmosphere as an effective means of improving recruitment and retention," said Jesse Harriott, vice president of research for Monster.

Harriott points out that work/life balance is especially important to younger workers. So, if you're looking to recruit from the Gen X or Gen Y talent pool, you may want to consider promoting programs like telecommuting and flextime.

Last week, we blogged about the growing popularity of gift cards during the holiday season. Now, a new Comdata-Stored Value Solutions study says Hispanic consumers spend more on gift cards than any other ethnic group. The research found that Hispanics purchase an average gift card value of $71, followed by blacks with about $60 and Caucasians with $41. "We have seen retailers going out of their way to market to Hispanics--by understanding their cultural ties to family, by adding Spanish-language cards to their lineup and by making the cards 'personal' to them, which is very important for this demographic," said Bob Skiba, general manager of CSVS.

Aside from gift giving, the study also showed that Hispanics use gift cards for other reasons, including easier shopping transactions and in place of an allowance or budgeting tool for their children. Hispanic consumers are also more likely to spend more than the value of the card, and to reload cards more often.