A temporary IT jobs specialist fears candidates are harming their prospects by sharing their gripes and groans online, even if their rant is nothing to do with the workplace.

Having polled 1,000 job-seekers, Computer People said it could be “career-limiting” if they post comments about receiving poor customer service from, say, an online retailer or call centre.

“Just as candidates are developing increased awareness of what’s on their social media profiles, it is now becoming routine for employers to vet potential candidates more widely online,” the agency said.

“Applying for a job is now about so much more than just the CV and a reference. Businesses want to absorb as much information as they can from potential hires and therefore they research candidates’ web activities in depth.”

According to the UK study, 18-24 year-olds are the most likely candidates to launch an online rant, with one in five admitting to regularly complaining on profiles or forums in an impolite, unmeasured fashion.

On a national basis, Welsh workers emerged as the most likely to vent via the web (17% ‘regularly’ complain), while only 5% of candidates in the South East of England did the same.

“The last thing a candidate wants is an off-the-cuff complaint to affect their professional reputation in an interview”, said Computer People’s executive director Sid Barnes.

“While [candidates] are becoming increasingly social-media savvy and utilising privacy settings, rude complaints on other sites could just slip though the net. It is always wise to think carefully before making a negative comment about an organisation or complaining in a space that it viewable to all.”