Job seekers know that networking is an important part of a job search. But just how important is it? The Salary Reporter and Jobvite, published this month, clearly demonstrates that networking is vital to your job search – and highlights some interesting networking possibilities you might not be fully taking advantage of. Read More
Help! I Have No Online Presence!
A job seeker asks “What is online presence and why do I need it to find a job?” In today’s job search, you can have great qualifications and excellent connections, but without online presence, you may be overlooked. Online presence is your value displayed and expressed online. It’s what people find when they search on your name. It’s how recruiters and hiring managers notice your expertise and how you show your value to others in your industry. Read More
Social Media and Your Career: Two Simple Rules
Today our guest blogger is Matt Youngquist. Matt is the President of Career Horizons, serving Northwest individuals and organizations dealing with the unique challenges of job hunting and employment transition. Matt is a recognized expert in the field of career coaching, job hunting, and professional employment counseling. You can follow him on Twitter @mattyoungquist.
So have we reached the tipping point yet? Have we arrived at the juncture where ALL professionals need to fully embrace social media and start using it, actively, if they hope to stay competitive in today’s employment marketplace?
5 Ways to Tweet Your Way to a New Job
Twitter can be a powerful and useful tool during your job search. With the recent social media recruiting trend showing that 45% of companies use Twitter to find talent in 2011, it shouldn’t be overlooked. Reaching 100 million active users this September, Twitter gives you a channel to make connections with people and companies that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Read More
Why Social Media Matters
Job boards may soon become a thing of the past. According to a recent report published by The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), only a third of companies used social media to locate passive candidates in 2008, compared to 56% in 2011. In addition, 63% recruiters have successfully hired candidates via social media. So, instead of using job boards, where are companies looking for talents? The answer is social media channels, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Read More
Social Media 101 for Job Seekers
Many job seekers, especially mature workers, struggle to understand the role social media can play in a successful job search. Back in the day, resumes were printed and sent by mail and jobs were found in the local paper. Today it’s Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Ignoring these “new fangled” methods can greatly hinder a job search. So, for those of us born before 1970 (and some of you born after) here’s a quick rundown of the most important social media channels for your job search.
Recruiting via Social Networks is Booming
Are you looking for recruiters who have an urgent need to hire now? The way to find them just may be through social media. A new survey shows recruiters are using social networks ahead of all other forms of recruiting and are most likely to increase use of it this year. More than a third of the recruiters surveyed say they need to make immediate hires. Recruiters reported finding higher quality candidates via social networking and rated job boards last for quality of candidates.
New Ways to Use Facebook in Your Job Search
Facebook is partnering with job board site SimplyHired. The integration allows you to see Facebook friends you have at a company, and locate friends inside a company when pursuing a job opening.
To use the new integration, you must go to SimplyHired and then login in to Facebook through SimplyHired. You can then research a company and see if you know someone who works there. Or you can locate a job and then find out if you know someone who works there.
What Makes a Good LinkedIn Contact?
During the sign up process, LinkedIn will ask for a peek at your e-mail contact list. This is one of the easiest ways to see the public profiles of everyone you know on LinkedIn and if you feel comfortable with their privacy statement, you should do it. It the fastest way to populate your network. It also brings up an important area for caution with LinkedIn: who you network with.
Using Facebook In Your Job Search
To use Facebook in your job search, you must first define your Facebook presence and page as personal, professional or both. Beyond that critical decision, there are several important ways you can use Facebook to advance your job search.
Your Friends, Your Network
If you are using Facebook as a personal social network, your Facebook friends are your inner-circle network. As such, they care about your success and are likely to want to help you. To use this resource in a respectful way: