How Employers Use Social Media for Talent Attraction [STUDY]

How Employers Use Social Media for Talent Attraction [STUDY] In a day and age where business has become predominantly digital, most business leaders understand the importance of integrating social media into their sales and marketing strategies, however, many fail to consider it when it comes to attracting the top candidates to their organisation. Recruitment is a two way process and it is just as essential for employers to sell their company and job vacancies to prospective employees as it is for the candidate to promote their skills and experience upon applying for a role. If you are going to attract the best talent available, organisations are going to have to sell themselves as a great  place to work and when checking out a company before applying for a role, social media is often the first point of call for candidates. Research  conducted by Universum,  looking at how the  top 400 largest companies in the US use social media, has indicated that a large percentage of organisations  are still struggling to achieve high levels of engagement within social media. The study investigated how social media can be used for talent attraction; exploring how much business leaders invest in social media, how they use it  for branding and recruiting and whether they measure the level of engagement they receive on social media. Here are some of the findings from the Universum  study: What is the top  channel for promoting employer brand? Senior executives were surveyed about what channel across digital, print and personal events they find the most important for promoting employer brand and a third of respondents (35%) said social media was the most important digital channel and in second place was the employer website, with 29% saying it is important. The top print channel is brochures (16%) and the top personal channel is career fairs (17%). Social media is one of the top tools used for job search these days and therefore a high number of candidates will already be present on the networks, especially millennials. For this reason it makes sense to optimise the brands use of social media, as it is likely that this is where candidates will build an idea of who the organisation are. Showing the human side of the brand is really beneficial for getting candidates on board and social media opens up this possibility. Jobvite recently conducted a study of more than 1,800 recruiting and HR professionals, which found that 93% of recruiters use of plan to use social media as a means of boosting their recruiting efforts, however 82% report that their social recruiting skills are proficient or less. This means that although  social media for recruiting is at an all-time high, the vast majority of professionals don’t feel that they are using it efficiently. This isnt entirely surprising, as there is a lot to learn in order to make the best use of social media channels, from carefully targeting passive candidates, to showcasing the brand, which require time and money to master. A different strategy may also be required for each social channel, for example Twitter posts can be kept brief but frequent, whereas less frequent but meatier content may work better on LinkedIn or Facebook. How much is invested in social media? The majority of organisations involved in the research reported that their spending will increase in the next five years, with 65% stating that they are likely to increase spending on social media in general and 63% increasing spending on social media advertising. Survey responses  varied with industry and the management consulting industry will reportedly see the highest increase in spending in the coming  years, with 84% saying spending will increase within the sector. On the other hand, only 65% of those in engineering and manufacturing said spending is likely to increase. It makes sense to see a variation by industry as certain industries are more digitally focused than others. It is important to know who your target audience are, as investment has to reflect the potential benefit of using social media to target candidates in the industry. Candidates working in marketing or journalism are almost certainly more likely to be accessed through social media than perhaps mechanics or bricklayers would be. How do the top companies use social media? The majority of executives have said that they plan on increasing their use of social media for employer branding; 38% of these said they will increase by a lot and 31% claimed they will increase a little. A further 8% said that they actually intend on decreasing their social media use for one reason or another however. Despite the importance of social recruiting for attracting Millennial candidates, the level of activity on social media was considerably low. When asked about their activity on social platforms, just 32% of those surveyed said that they work to maintain an active presence on a career account,  42% said that they have a moderate presence,  19 percent reported that their  social recruiting efforts  are fairly inactive and 11% report no activity at all.  In addition to this, only 20% of these organizations employ someone to manage their social media presence for career opportunities. These findings suggest that a large percentage of the companies involved in the study could benefit from an increase in investment, particularly for hiring an individual to manage the social media presence for the company and can put the time in to optimise social recruiting and employer branding for the best possible results. To what extent is  social media effectiveness measured? Despite the high percentage of those identifying social media as the most important channel for employer branding and for recruitment, only half (52%) of the survey respondents said that they measure the effectiveness of their social media activity, though 69% do plan to do so in the next five years. It would appear that they have missed a trick here, as social media requires monitoring to pinpoint  techniques that deliver optimum engagement with the audience. It is only possible to do this by observing the success of social media activity on a day to day basis, due to the immediate nature of it and evolving trends. Tools such as Klout, Hootsuite and Buffer can offer analytics to measure the success of your social media activity. More than half of the organizations in the study reported that they have a social media policy or guidelines for their employees (54%), which is a positive indication that they are on top of risk management and have a clear understanding of what they want to achieve with their social media presence, though for the other 46% it is important for them to develop a strategy in order to develop a consistent online presence and professional reputation. Who is accountable  for employer branding? Respondents were asked who they feel should be responsible for employer branding activities and the response demonstrated quite a difference in opinion amongst those involved in the study, with each functional area claiming a higher degree of  liability over it. The most popular  response was that HR are responsible, though this was still quite low at just 34%, so it would appear that organisations are unclear about their branding and talent attraction strategy and who should implement it. How can social media  be used for recruiting and employer branding? Marketing departments in large organisations will no doubt have the expertise  required for talent attraction professionals to build effective social media programs and if there were to be more collaboration between departments a more effective strategy could be developed. One particular option that generally receives positive results, is a Social Media Center of Excellence, which is a training and development program that educates teams on how to use social media efficiently in all areas of the business. Programs like this help to form a broader knowledge of marketing  across the organisation, improving the quality of social media use. In the next year it is important for HR and recruiting to focus on quality rather than quantity and one top accounting firm in the study posted 60% less than its competitors but scored highest in engagement, which suggests that perhaps less is more. It is also important for organisations to keep up with evolving social media trends, as what works one month may not work the next. Conclusion: The results from Universums study indicate that although the majority of large companies are aware of the necessity of social media for attracting the top talent to their organisation, they are not entirely knowledgable about how to go about it. Though plans are to increase investment of time and money into boosting social media use in the next five years, only a small percentage of the companies involved in the research follow a clear pre-decided strategy and have an assigned team member to manage social media accounts. For the best chance of attracting top talent to their organisations, I feel that business leaders need to invest more time and money  into building a consistent and thought out brand image. This  can be achieved by providing  thorough training on each of the social platforms, to build a clear understanding of what type of content will be the most engaging, where, and  by hiring dedicated staff  they can be sure that social media activity is consistent and responsive and in turn create a positive employer brand.

What to Look For in Resume Writing Services Reviews

What to Look For in Resume Writing Services ReviewsThe outsourcing industry has seen a surge in job openings and there are several companies that offer resume writing services. To be able to separate the real from the fake resume writing services, you must review all the options you have available. In this article, I will discuss what to look for when reviewing these services.There are many different resume writing services that you can use. However, it is important that you consider their qualifications and past accomplishments. If a company provides resumes and training materials that do not contain any of the following: education, work experience, skills, or professional background, then you should take a pass on their services. That is a definite red flag.Resume writing services that do not have experience in this area are simply untrustworthy. You should be able to learn if the professional has extensive knowledge in this area through their resume reviews. You should be able to determine if their resume writing services were able to find all the required information about the professional's educational background, work history, and skills.Resume reviews also include the number of employees that the resume services have. This will give you an idea of how they conduct business. If they are targeting individuals with little experience, you should definitely look elsewhere. Look for a company that provides quality resume writing services and understands what is necessary to produce a quality resume.When you are searching for a reputable company to submit your resume to, you need to check out their integrity. You do not want to waste your time or money on a resume that was written by a professional who had little to no experience or has been banned from their state. In addition, you should review their list of current clients. If they have a large list of clients and you have never heard of them, you should steer clear of their services.Resume writing services that are not well organized are definitely not worth your time. In order to be successful at writing a compelling resume, you need to know what information you want included and how to craft a resume that will persuade your prospective employer that you are the best person for the job. A resume that does not meet these standards is a total waste of time and effort.A resume should always include basic terms that cover the basics of your academic record, work history, skills, professional history, and professional affiliations. The ability to communicate these concepts to a potential employer is paramount to landing the position.One of the most important components of hiring a resume writing services is the quality of their work. Look for the following attributes in a resume writing service: consistency in writing, thoroughness, training, and experience.

Personal Branding Lessons from the Presidential Debates - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Lessons from the Presidential Debates - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Although we’re led to believe the presidential debates are simply a forum for candidates to express their beliefs and policy ideas, much of what you hear from the candidates is pre-planned and rehearsed. In short, a lot of what you see can be chalked up to branding. When it comes to personal branding, both verbal and nonverbal communication matters. Although you may not be campaigning for President of the United States, there are a few takeaways we can gather from the candidates’ performance to use in our own professional lives. After all, fostering credibility and trust is a huge part of any personal brand, no matter what your expertise. Here are a few personal branding lessons we can take away from the presidential debates: Proper articulation is important. During the debate on Oct. 16, an audience member asked Mitt Romney about equal pay for women in the workplace. He commented that his campaign brought him “whole binders full of women” during their search for qualified candidates. The comment instantly went viralâ€"there’s a Tumblr blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and countless images mocking the comment. In your personal brand, communication is the key to distributing your ideas and insights. Romney’s comment shows that failing to articulate carefully and clearly can damage your reputation or worseâ€"insult others. Facts matter. During each presidential debate, there are many calls from the public for fact checking. Because the candidates can essentially use their platform at the debates to say whatever they desire without having to provide sources, it’s up to the public to sift through their comments and search for places where their claims don’t add up to reality. Your personal brand is first and foremost about building credibility. Getting caught lying or even exaggerating the truthâ€"whether that be on your resume, in a tweet, or on your personal blogâ€"can undo your reputation in a snap. Pay attention to body language. The town-hall format of the Oct. 16 debate allowed the candidates to break free from their podiums and move about the stage freely. Many perceived both Obama and Romney’s movements as  tense. Some outlets even noted the candidates appeared as though they were about to start boxing. Your professional image can be greatly impacted by the way you interact with others. Portraying your best self is critical for preserving your reputation and establishing  likability. Pay attention to the way you interact with others, no matter who they areâ€"or how much you may disagree with them. Whether you’re a politician or an office worker, your personal brand matters if you want to maintain credibility. The presidential debates show that even the smallest elements, like articulation and body language, matter when it comes to promoting your best image. What other personal branding lessons have you taken from the presidential debates? Share in the comment section below! Author: Heather R. Huhman  is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of  Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of  Lies, Damned Lies Internships  (2011),  #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle  (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for  numerous outlets.

Building Relationships Organically - Part 1 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Building Relationships Organically - Part 1 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When we don’t need anything and simply interact with the people around usâ€"with the other students in our classroom, the other players on our sports team, the other professionals in our office, our neighbors next doorâ€"we build relationships organically. Proximity leads to conversation and shared experiences, which brings us closer and leads to more conversation and shared experiences. Over time strong bonds form, without force or fakery. Interaction not strategy The relationship you had with your best friend in college, for example, didn’t come about through a series of calculated moves and scripts, but through interaction, open communication and common goals. Even at work, the people we socialize with most are likely to be those in the surrounding cubicles or co-workers on the same project team. We all have a natural ability to build relationships organically, letting nature take its course without injecting anything artificial into the process to force them to blossom more quickly, or sprout in otherwise inhospitable terrain. If we didn’t have this natural ability, we wouldn’t have any friends or colleagues who like being around us. Here’s how it happens. First we connect, then we converse, and finally we convert. That’s it. We’ve done this hundreds and thousands of times “by accident” in our personal lives. We connected with those people who happened to be in the same place we were. We conversed with them, we learned about them and shared something about ourselves as well. Through conversation over time, the interaction converted into friendship. There are different degrees of friendship, of course, and every relationship settles into a natural level. One side might try to push it further, but without a mutual desire on the other side, it’s not likely to happen. Connect, converse and convert Yet, when it comes to trying to build relationships purposefully through “networking,” many people say that they just don’t know what to do. They think it’s a completely different process requiring different skills and talents. But it’s really the same, and holds true whether you’re building relationships online or face-to-face. Still, you do need to inject some thought and direction into how you network so the relationship can lead somewhere for both of you. Over the next few posts, we’ll dive deeper into the Connect, Converse and Convert formula. What’s important to know now is that if you’ve built any relationships at all in your life, even by accident, you can network successfully. It doesn’t take a certain personality, it doesn’t even take a certain number of hours, and it certainly doesnt have to feel fake. It’s about understanding that there is a process, knowing how and where to focus your efforts, and  getting more in tune with your innate ability. Thats the key to building lasting, productive relationships more easily and naturally. Author: Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Connect with Liz on Twitter at @liz_lynch and get your free Smart Networking Toolkit athttp://www.SmartNetworking.com.

Resume Posting Sites - Why Do They Actually Work?

Resume Posting Sites - Why Do They Actually Work?It has been said by a lot of people that resume posting sites are great places to post your resume, but it is always a bit of a struggle to actually land that one job you really want because it seems like there are tons of other people with just as many credentials as you. Why is that the case?There are two reasons that I can think of for this. The first reason is because they assume that you are putting your resume on the Internet in order to get it rejected.Let me tell you something... That is not going to happen at all. It is possible that you could end up being rejected, but it doesn't mean that there are not other opportunities out there for you.You need to realize that most of the people who are submitting resumes online are not really interested in getting a job. They are only after the recognition. Their resumes are all that they have, and they don't care about whether they get an interview or not.Let me explain the second reas on why they submit their resumes so often. When you send in your resume to a resume posting site, they will usually not even bother to send you a follow up email asking if you are still interested in the position. You will probably get no reply from them, so you must keep in mind that they are only trying to get recognition from you and make themselves look better.This is a very important factor because your resume is their best marketing tool to make themselves look more attractive to prospective employers. They are not interested in making you an offer because you are a qualified candidate.So how do you get their attention? Simply submit your resume to some of the best resume posting sites. They will definitely not reject your resume, and they will let you know when it is time to come back.It is a matter of doing your research and knowing what job openings are going on right now and where you should be submitting your resume. There are thousands of resume posting sites out there, so it is easier than ever to find the perfect place to post your resume for the right position. That is the secret.

Why A New Job Should = New Friends CareerMetis.com

Why A New Job Should = New Friends â€" CareerMetis.com So you’ve got a new job.New commute, new environment, new colleagues. How are you going to play it? Show up, concentrate in the work and your career, try not to get drawn into any conversations you can’t get out of? Or might you try to strike up some friendships in the workplace to help the time pass?Believe it or not, the second option may be best for your happiness, health, and career. It turns out that friendships in the workplace are actually a very good idea, and worth putting the ‘work’ into.evalThose difficult getting-to-know-you conversations and awkward moments by the office teapot are opportunities to exploit: not because you’re trying to make connections to advance your career, but because you work better and feel better when you consider the people with whom you share your workplace to be friends.They don’t have to become your BFF. You don’t even have to see them outside of the office. But there is a difference between a ‘work friend’ and ‘just somebod y you work with.’ Just by being there, the former can give you the confidence to rise to challenges and to rebound from setbacks.There’s actually researchto show this. Just by interacting with your colleagues on a social level, you’re more likely to have a good day and less likely to become stressed.Less stress and less loneliness mean better health. Your fibrinogen levelswill be lower, which means you’re less likely to have a heart attack or a stroke. Your cardiovascular system will run better. Less stress also means a better work performance, a clearer mind, better relationships outside of work.But how to turn those new colleagues into friends when you’re the fresher in the office?It’s a delicate balance of being keen without being intrusive or over familiar. But if you’re bold, kind, and open, nobody worth your time will hold it against you for making the effort. You might begin by asking one or two colleagues to lunch â€" or at least asking where they go or recomme nd, as a way in. It can be easier to talk informally once you spend time together outside of the office.For this reason, it’s also worth braving social affairs. Even if Friday night beers isn’t your thing, showing up to one or two can help you figure out who these people are â€" and if there’s anything else going on that you can be a part of. Even to have that shared experience of one evening out together can make the workplace dynamic more friendly.evalAnd you can always bond on a more formal, professional level. Remaining open to collaborate, assist, advise, or ask for advice can be a great way for colleagues to show trust and vulnerability. That way, you each start to open your shells and get to know each other more deeply.Some folk make it seem easy to make friends. But most people probably struggle more than you’d think. For those who do, there’s a handy new guide to making friends in the workplace.Check it out before clocking on for your first day in your new role.

3 Ways To Get Hired Using Social Media

3 Ways To Get Hired Using Social Media 3 Ways To Get Hired Using Social Media Barely a week goes by without news of someone getting fired over a post on social media. Some are truly horrific, like the bankers who were fired because they thought it would be fun to reenact a beheading. Others are merely stupid, like the Colorado teacher who was canned after posting racy tweets. But, what you may not realize is that inappropriate behavior on social media can also keep you from getting hired in the first place. Today 52 percent of employers are investigating candidates online as part of the hiring process, up from 43 percent in 2014, and 39 percent in 2013 according to a 2015 report from CareerBuilder.   In the study, 48 percent of employers who reported researching candidates on social media said that something they found caused them not to hire the candidate. What turns employers off? Provocative or inappropriate photographs Information about a candidate drinking or doing drugs Candidate bad-mouthing a previous employer or fellow employee Poor communication skills Discriminatory comments related to race, religion, gender, etc. Most recruiters, however, say they don’t go online looking for “bad behavior.” In fact, 60 percent said they are looking for information that supports the candidate’s “qualifications for the job.” However, 56 percent of recruiters say they want to see if a candidate has a “professional” online persona. So what can you do? Make sure that you not only eliminate blatantly bad behavior like posts that scream “Party Time” but that you also convey positive activities like volunteering and mentoring. These are the top three reasons employers gave for hiring a candidate based on their social media presence. Candidate’s background information supported job qualifications (42 percent) How you can make this work for you.  Make sure you have a consistent message across all of your social media channels. While your LinkedIn profile shouldn’t mirror your resume word-for-word, make sure there are no discrepancies. A common mistake is to list different jobs at the same company separately on LinkedIn and then clump these same positions under one title, the most current title, on a resume. Inconsistencies like this may make recruiters and hiring managers wonder what else they may find. Candidate’s personality came across as a good fit with the company culture (38 percent) How you can make this work for you.  Should you fake who you are? No. You shouldn’t try to be someone you are not. But you should be your “best self” online. Hiring managers are put off by constant negativity like snarky comments about your colleagues. They don’t want to see complaints about every, single, restaurant you’ve ever been to either. They’re hoping to find candidates who will get along with their coworkers. What they don’t want is someone who may be a potential problem. You don’t want to employers to look at your online presence and think “Who would want to work with this person?” Candidate’s site conveyed a professional image (38 percent) How you can make this work for you.  Think carefully about the photos you select as your profile pictures online. No you don’t need a professional headshot, however, having a LinkedIn profile picture of you in overly casual attire or a photo of you cocktail in hand on Twitter is not going to convey a professional image. If you need to let loose on Facebook at least make sure that your Privacy Settings are on high. Still, when it comes to the Internet there’s no privacy guarantee. While you can’t control everything in the job-search process, you can control what employers will find when they investigate you online. In a separate survey, CareerBuilder also found that “research” goes both ways. Savvy job seekers check employers out online too, with 15 percent saying they check hiring managers out on social media, and 38 percent try to directly interact with hiring managers.

The other side of the hiring desk, pt 6 How to turn a recruiter into a fan! -

The other side of the hiring desk, pt 6 How to turn a recruiter into a fan! - Youre looking for a job and youd like to impress the recruiter. In todays interview, learn some tips directly from a recruiters perspective! Its important to know what recruiters are thinking, what they do and what they do NOT do if you want to work with one successfully. So, here is another from my series of interviews with my friend and colleague Stephanie A. Lloyd, a Talent Strategies Consultant and Owner of Calibre Search Group in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a National Careers  + Workplace Columnist for Examiner.com and also blogs at Radiant Veracity. You can also follow Stephanie on Twitter. What should job seekers do to turn a recruiter into a fan? Turning a recruiter in to a fan shouldnt be all that difficult. Im contacted every day by people who impress me. Once you identify a recruiter you think is a good contact for you, I recommend a brief, courteous and professional phone call, email, LinkedIn message or Tweet if on Twitter, with a brief introduction, a bit about your background and a description of the opportunity youre seeking. I personally prefer a brief email with the candidates resume attached so that I can review it and determine whether I have anything for the candidate now or potentially down the road and if not, I can refer him or her to another recruiter and/or other resources that might be of help. What does not impress a recruiter? Do you have any real life memories of candidates who made you want to run the other direction? Sadlywhere to begin?!? This is precisely why I started @JobSnob on Twitter, which was inspired by a candidate that I recently phone interviewed. He yawned throughout the entire interview! That was obviously a non-starter. Another candidate whom I implored to wear a suit to his interview with our clientdid not. He called me ten minutes after the interview began and said it was over. Knowing that something must have gone wrong, my colleague and I spoke with the hiring manager who stated that he was incredibly annoyed and insulted that my candidate did not have the respect to wear a suit to interview with him. This not only reflected poorly on my candidate, but also on our firm! Because I clearly could not trust this candidate, I did not work with him again. The worst situation Ive encountered in my recruiting career to-date was with the very first candidate I placed. She interviewed well with me and the client, and they asked me to extend an offer to her. I called her with the offer and stated, This offer is contingent on a background check. You know your background better than I do, and if youd like to wait until the results come back before giving notice, thats perfectly fine. She said no; that she was so excited and was going to give notice right then. And she did. She went to work for my client before the background check came back (this was their decision). After theyd spent a week training her, they received the results. It turns out she was a convicted felon: forgery and writing bad checks. And she was an Accounting Manager! When they went to talk to her about it assuming it was a mistake and wanting to clear it up she gathered her things and said she wasnt planning to come back on Monday anyway. I did manage to save the account with my client and had to do a replacement search at no charge. Fortunately, I quickly found someone they liked even better and she worked out very well. However, I could have easily lost that client over that situation. Moral of the story: please be up front with recruiters you work with! If youre not, you may not only jeopardize your relationship with us, you risk our relationships with our clients, our reputation and ultimately our livelihood. Do you need help with your search? Follow this link to learn how I can help propel your job hunt!