FEATURE STORY:
- How Social Recruiting is revolutionizing the way we market ourselves and find a job.
SERIES STORIES:
- How to make the most of your online profile.
- The Talent War: The battle for the nation’s top talent.
- And the winner is…culture fit over experience.
- Get a job! A Recruiter’s perspective.
Social Networking is nothing new. As a matter of fact, in 2011 it became a primary tool for HR Departments and recruiters alike. As we head into the New Year, the social networks, as well as online recruitment apps, will be more important than ever when it comes to finding and recruiting for a job. So, here are a few things to learn to help you do it right.
Social networks — including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter — have become all the rage when it comes to building a solid recruitment strategy. As recruiters make plans for 2012, social recruiting and recruiting apps top the list of tools they plan to use.
But just because you’re connected on LinkedIn and tweeting on Twitter doesn’t mean you’re going to find the job of your dreams. Like any other network, the social network is just a first step in looking for a job. No matter how important social media becomes, you still have to talk with people. So, don’t just think that you can post your resume and forget about it. You must stay engaged.
Another fact of the times is that compliance managers, recruiters and hiring managers are turning to the Internet as a way to research a potential candidate. What this means is that every time you post online you should think twice about what you write. Ask yourself this simple question: is this something my mom could see? Today, “Being Googled” has become a catch phrase and chances are you will be Googled. So why not turn it into your own private PR agency.
HERE ARE A FEW THINGS ABOUT SOCIAL NETWORKING THAT RECRUITERS WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW:
KEEP UP WITH THE TRENDS.
The social media landscape changes fast and recruiters try and stay one step ahead of the latest trends. With that being said, you must also adapt or you risk being left behind. It seems that almost every day, one of the top three social networks introduces major updates that potentially can change your strategy completely. Often, these same updates can make your job search much more effective.
So, it is imperative that you keep up-to-date and take advantage of the latest trends. They could be the difference that sets you apart from the competition.
USE LINKEDIN TO ENHANCE YOUR BRAND AND IMPROVE YOUR JOB SEARCH.
Over the past twelve months, LinkedIn has become a major player in online recruiting. It is no longer just a place to conduct research, it has become the primary destination for recruiters to begin their search. Using the skill section, recruiters search the LinkedIn database for people with the relevant skills pertaining to their specific requirements.
As we say farewell to 2011 and welcome in 2012, it’s important to note that it has almost become unprofessional not to be on LinkedIn and with members associated with all 500 of the Fortune 500 companies in nearly 150 different industries, you can see why over 130,000 recruiters and hiring managers are members as well.
Take the time to search LinkedIn and you’ll find contacts that you’ve worked with over the years or maybe have gone to school with that have the potential to help you with your career. It is also a great place to source employee references. Or don’t just wait for a potential job to find you, use LinkedIn’s “Job Search” section to find a potential job opportunity by keyword or location.
Remember, it is important that you create a detailed personal profile including your job history (past and present), industry and education and also include keywords and job skills. Make sure you continue to build your network and ask for recommendations from people you have previously worked with. Post articles, join industry focus groups, become active in “The Answer” section by asking and responding to questions. All these activities are a great way to help you stand out and get noticed. Stay connected and be involved.
USE FACEBOOK’S VAST NETWORK TO MARKET YOURSELF.
As one of the most flexible platforms on the Internet, Facebook is one of the best sites for social recruiting. It’s also one of the easiest. Today, it is rare not to find a recruiting company on Facebook and by “liking” their page, you automatically become part of their network.
The same applies for many companies. A number of the top corporations and government organizations have added recruiting pages to their Facebook page. They also actively recruit by integrating job postings into their site.
But remember, as you are using Facebook to seek job opportunities, recruiters and hiring managers are using Facebook to conduct background research on you. So again, before you post anything online, it is critical that you make sure it is something that will not come back to haunt you.
DON’T JUST TWEET, HAVE A CONVERSATION.
Like you, both recruiters and hiring managers have turned to Twitter as the “go to” place to source. They’ve realized that more and more job seekers are using Twitter to find out the inside scoop on new job openings. That means you, as the job seeker, must once again engage the recruiter and take part in live online conversations where you connect with recruiters and directly respond to comments and questions.
Also, when you’re tweeting about your job search, use relevant keywords in your profile so recruiters can easily find you. Use specific words such as job titles, experience, location, etc. Think about which keywords recruiters might use to search for you, and keep it simple. Being clever or over-complicated can hurt your cause.
Always remember, Twitter is a vehicle for conversation and a great way to introduce you to potential recruiters and new career opportunities.
GOING MOBILE. RECRUITING ON THE GO.
If 2011 was the year of the Social Recruiter then 2012 will be the year of the Mobile Recruiter. Mobile or wireless technology has transformed the way we do business and stay connected. It is the future of social recruiting.
We are starting to see this technology being used by recruiters in a number of ways including text message campaigns, QR campaigns, audio clips, online videos, job apps, etc. Plus, with the prediction that mobile devices will overtake the PC as the preferred method of accessing the Internet you can see why mobile recruiting as become all the rage.
So the next time your mobile phone rings, beeps or buzzes, answer it. Who knows? It just might be the perfect career opportunity.
STAY CONNECTED AND BE INVOLVED.
Remember, when it comes too social networking, you get out what you put in. So take the time to think about your goals, stay actively engaged with your networks and be creative in finding new ways to use this ever-evolving resource to your advantage.
