Launching a recruitment website in the middle of a downturn when unemployment levels are likely to reach record highs: Brave or stupid? On cursory inspection, certainly not the latter, but can it stand out in a crowd?

While jobs are scarce, interest in finding them is higher than ever, particularly among the generation of graduates likely to be disenfranchised by the effects of recession. That's where Brave New Talent claims to come in. The creation of 25-year-old Lucian Tarnowski, www.bravenewtalent.com promises a social networking platform to connect talent with employers of choice.

In layman's terms the idea is that the world's top talent will create a second, more professional, profile or 'CV' via Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and other social network applications. Using the apps users can create 'talent pools' under the banner of the large blue-chips and other companies they'd be interested in working for - and from there beautiful relationships should form.

Employers reach Generation Y through their medium of choice, have the opportunity to sift talent before they apply, and can communicate and ultimately hire more appropriate candidates without paying exorbitant recruitment fees. Candidates get the opportunity to put themselves on the recruiter's radar, audition, build a relationship and learn more about the business they want to join, before making the leap.

"People jump into bed with employers, but a one night stand doesn't always lead to marriage," points out Tarnowski. "Brave New Talent reverses the typical recruitment process. It's not the top down campus recruitment or job board push. It's not spamming. Instead it's interaction, not interruption." This is key, he adds, as even those companies in recruitment using social media are still taking a top down approach, which is why he believes it's not working for anybody.

It's very early days and sounds a grand plan, but the portents of success appear good. Tarnowski has already been pulling up trees. Accenture, Barclays Capital, Deloitte, ASDA, Abbey and BP among others are signed up employers and more than 3,000 talented individuals are using the site. The global leadership and talent initiative called One Young World (http://apps.facebook.com/oywcandidates/), which has Kofi Annan, Bob Geldof and Archbishop Desmond Tutu as councillors, is using Brave New Talent social network integration to source 1,500 future leaders from 192 countries.

And whatever you've heard about getting hold of loans via the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme, you might need to reappraise. Not only did Brave New Talent get a loan of £102,500, it happened to be the second company in the country to secure one. In addition, the business raised £122,500 from private investors, including serial entrepreneur Ben Way. And Tarnowski estimates he's had £250,000 of sweat equity out of a experienced team with decades of experience in branding and technology platform building.

Tarnowski knows there's competition in the space, but is comfortable that the likes of Wikijob.co.uk and RateMyPlacement.co.uk are taking a different approach. And, to date, Facebook, LinkedIn, NewsCorp and Monster are not moving to compete directly. April was the company's first profitable month. All of this will no doubt help secure the targeted £750,000 in two tranches from investors, helping to finance an enlarged team. "If we consistently generate revenue we'll soon be open to VC funding." It would seem there may have been a reason Tarnowski's siblings nicknamed him 'Moneyman' as a child.