If you are open to considering a new career or job offer in 2015 you need to make sure you can be easily found by recruiters. Social media is changing the way people look for and find new job opportunities and the days of having to trawl through the employment section of the local newspaper, regularly search online jobs boards or sit waiting on recruitment databases are diminishing.
And it’s for that reason that you need to ensure a recruiter can find you when they’re searching social media channels to find their ideal candidate.
Here’s how to make sure you can be found by a recruiter:
- Make sure your Linked In profile is complete – when using the search function in Linked In, profiles that are complete are listed first. To check you have an “All-Star” Profile Strength go to your profile and on the right hand side Linked In rates the strength of your profile.
- Do the right key words appear? The key words you use throughout your profile need to be the key words that a recruiter will be using for their searches, this is where you need to think a little differently. I see some pretty creative position titles these days but your position title on Linked In or Facebook doesn’t have to be the title that appears on your business card or employment contract. Keep it simple and easy for someone who doesn’t know you to be able to understand what it is you actually do
- Who are you really? The summary section of Linked In shouldn’t just be a re-cap of your career experience. In my opinion, this is your opportunity to tell whoever it is viewing your profile about why you do what you do. What is it that you are passionate about, what do you stand for and ultimately why do we want to recruit you. A great summary is the hook for getting a recruiter to take the next step and make contact with you.
- Get active! There is little point creating a profile and letting it just sit there online. You need to show you are active in the online space. Yes it takes times but this is the future of networking and recruitment. Invest the time you’d normally spend conducting online job board searches and put that time to better use by connecting, commenting and following people and organisations you know and who are of interest to you. Show that you have an opinion. And for some positions, such as sales and Business Development positions, we want to see how well connected you are.
- Endorsements vs Recommendations. I’m a bit sceptical of Endorsements, only because I receive endorsements daily and often think that person hasn’t even experienced or engaged me for that particular skill set. Again it’s only my opinion but if you genuinely want to acknowledge someone for their skills and expertise, write them a recommendation. Recommendations are much more genuine, take a little more time and effort to write but are much more valuable. They are a bit like the reference check stage of the recruitment process. Give and you will receive.
By maximising your profile on social media channels you’ll ensure that agency recruiters and internal recruiters have better success in finding you. And if you’re currently looking for opportunities and can make it public knowledge, put it in your profile! Let people know you are available. By being an active social media user you’ll also have exposure to a whole new world of vacancies. Many companies are moving to advertising their vacancies through their social media channels, either using paid adverts or simply through their news feeds. Make sure you are following the companies you’re interested in working for. It’s also not just about the direct connections you have through social media, the power of referrals and word of mouth is huge. Don’t underestimate it. Many of the positions we are filling at Inspire HQ come from candidates who have been referred to us through our connections, the successful candidates haven’t necessarily been directly connected to us. By being active, having a strong social media profile and having an opinion, you’ll be front of mind to your connections next time they see a vacancy advertised or are asked who do you know………… that’s where the magic begins!
Have you had success in finding your ideal job using social media? I’d love to hear about your experiences and the pros and cons you’ve found in using social media for job hunting. Feel free to leave me a comment and share you experience.
Got questions? If you’d like more info or advice on leveraging social media to find your ideal job or if you’re a recruiter and want to know how to find the hidden talent contact us today for further info.
