A new compilation of staffing trends from CareerBuilder suggests 37 percent of companies are now using social media to research and screen potential candidates.

The nationwide survey, conducted between February 9 and March 2, included the responses of more than 2,000 human resources professionals and hiring managers at companies of various sizes and industries.

Of the employers who said they did not research prospective employees via social media, 15 percent said it was against their firm’s policies, CareerBuilder noted. Another 11 percent said that while they are not currently engaged in social media screening, they plan to do so.

“Because social media is a dominant form of communication today, you can certainly learn a lot about a person by viewing their public, online personas,” Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, said in a release. “However, hiring managers and human resources departments have to make a careful, determined decision as to whether information found online is relevant to the candidates’ qualifications for the job.”

With so many companies utilizing social media to scan through the profiles of prospective workers, professionals should be sure to update their information as often as possible and actively participate in industry-related discussions.

With employment trends continuing to suggest an uncertain economic climate, 55 percent of the global professional workforce is considering changing careers, according to a new poll conducted by Monster.

The survey, which included more than 4,600 responses from professionals around the world, found that another 30 percent would consider such a move if they could find a better career. One of the most interesting findings was that responses were consistent among workers in Europe, North America and Asia.

From country to country, however, differences were seen. Only 9 percent of employees in the U.K. said their career was not impacted by the uncertain economy, compared to 15 percent of French workers.

"There are many types of career changes, with some people making a career ‘side-step,’ moving into a new kind of role within their current industry, while others may be making a more radical change," Charles Purdy, Monster.com’s career expert, said in a release. "Before considering a change, workers need to do thorough research, making sure they have realistic expectations and a concrete plan for filling their skills gaps."

One of the major things to consider when making a career change is that accepting a lower salary at first can be necessary, though opportunities to advance will exist.

Hiring trends indicate startup businesses are tasked with finding a small handful of employees who have the skills to do the job and can fit into the corporate culture. In a recent Forbes article, the CEO of mobile application GateGuru, Dan Gellert, shares some tips for recruiting success at a small company.

1. Take advantage of your personal network. Though job boards can attract a significant number of candidates, Gellert says a well-developed personal network often has higher rewards. Even if recommended individuals are not available, they will likely know others who would be.

2. Recruit, recruit, recruit. Recruiting should not be looked at as a one-time thing, but rather a process to be developed over a long period of time. Having a network of people who could fill positions when they open up is key.

3. Jump at the chance when you find the perfect candidate. "When you find someone you love, act quickly," Gellert tells Forbes. "One of the sells of a startup is quick decision making – show that to the recruit."

When hiring workers for startups, gauging candidates' self-motivation and ability to perform tasks with little supervision is also key, as they are likely to be thrown immediately into the fire. 

Revenue for temp agencies and other staffing firms rose 14 percent to $117.2 billion last year, according to the latest estimate from Staffing Industry Analysts.

Revenue for only temporary staffing also climbed 14 percent as demand for these workers increases and more companies begin to rely on staffing organizations.

Timothy Landhuis, a research associate at Staffing Industry Analysts and the author of the latest forecast, noted that the uptick in staffing demand is likely to continue moving forward.

"We project that U.S. staffing industry revenue will expand by 10 percent in 2012," Landhuis explained, "with the following industry segments reaching all-time high levels: industrial staffing, information technology staffing, locum tenens staffing, engineering staffing and PEO."

Though the U.S. temporary workforce lost 7,500 positions in March, February's hiring increase was revised upward by approximately 10,000 jobs to 55,000, Reuters reports. Joanie Ruge, an analyst with one staffing firm, told the media outlet that many of the temporary positions are being created in the professional sectors and are leading to permanent opportunities.