Almost half of UK job seekers will turn to the internet when applying for positions, according to a new survey from talent management propvider Taleo.

The survey, conducted by Taleo Research, showed that 43% of workers used online tools, such as applying online or sending a CV by email, to apply for their most recent job. Described by Taleo as "Internet Identifiers," the survey found this group leading the way in how today’s workers prefer to apply for jobs.

According to the study, job seekers can be broken down into three main groups, based on how they apply for jobs:

 Internet Identifiers  (43%) –  Internet savvy job-seekers who actively hunt for jobs by applying online,  sending their CV via email to prospects or signing up to an online job board  or business networking website.

 Hands Off Hunters  (38%) –  traditional job seekers who rely on head hunters, recruitment agencies and  personal contacts to find new jobs.

 Traditional  Targeters (19%) – more  traditional job seekers, who prefer to actively apply for jobs through the  post.

The Taleo study interviewed 120 employees of working age from a range of sectors including business, public services, sales and marketing, media, retail, tourism, IT and skilled trades people, asking them about their job application habits.

However, a recent white paper by Taleo Research, ‘Career Site Recruiting in the FTSE 100 Companies: A Missed Opportunity’, showed that just under half (49%) of FTSE 100 companies still rely on emailed or physical CV’s as the basis of their process.

"The prevalence of online recruitment shows that there is now little competitive edge in merely having a career section on your website," said Hudspith. "Companies need a fast, candidate-friendly online hiring process to gain an advantage over competitors. Clearly, this is still an area of improvement for many companies."