There is a trend towards using social networking sites for both job hunting and talent sourcing, observed Grossman. LinkedIn -- or as he describes it, "the gentleman's gentleman networking site" given the degree that it is conservative and business-minded -- has been used by recruiters for quite some time, but is now undergoing a "dramatic increase" by not only recruiters but potential candidates as well.

Twitter, too, has not been left out of the loop. The increase in interest in Twitter, said Grossman, is due to the fact that the platform allows members to build up a followership. "It's a trust network," he said.

The trusted network aspect is precisely the advantage of social networking sites as recruitment tools where quality recruiters are building strong followings of professionals, said Grossman. The sites, he continued, offer a high level of transparency on the part of the hiring organization. "The whole point of a social networking service is it's supposed to be one of the trusted networks of people that you are allowing into your network, so the quality theoretically is going to be somewhat higher particularly for the closed networks that you are fostering," said Grossman.

But a disadvantage to the overly-aggressive recruiter using social networking sites as recruitment tools is the professionals on the receiving end of job notifications could get put off, said Grossman, especially if they are the kind of passive candidate who isn't really job seeking but wants to keep a foot in the door.

While transparency works to the advantage of the hiring organization, Grossman agreed with Lokhandwala that transparency on the part of the candidate might not be such a good thing given personal photos and content are "there for everyone and God to see."

For organizations considering using social networking sites, Lokhandwala suggests using such platforms only to confirm social fit once a candidate has been hired, but not in the actual hiring decision itself. The risk, he acknowledged, is not recognizing the fine line that exists between those two.

More on ITWorldCanada.comHow to use Twitter to find a jobLokhandwala understands the allure of social networking sites given the immediacy of user expression that the world can be privy to, but the attention it attracts from recruiters and everyone else alike will eventually settle. He thinks such sites will become an always-available, constantly updated address book of sorts, but with contextual information.

"At end of the day, right now this is a fad," said Lokhandwala. "It's got fad status."