The 8 Stages of a Social Recruiting Strategy

The 8 Stages of a Social Recruiting Strategy What is social recruiting and why should your company be doing it? To find out we recently had a chat with Andy Headworth who is the author of Social Media Recruitment, How to Successfully Integrate Social Media into Recruitment Strategy as well as the Managing Director of Sirona Consulting. Hes also an award-winning blogger and speaker on the  international recruiting conference circuit. You can listen to the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud (embed below) or keep reading for an abridged transcript of our conversation. Why  should you use social recruiting? There are  several aspects to this. The first thing that weve all seen over the last few years that existing recruitment methods are not being as effective as they could be to find the best talent. Theyre still driving people to sites, they are still driving candidates or applicants through job boards, through LinkedIn adverts etc. But companies are not necessarily finding the calibre of the people they would like just from doing that method. The other side to that is that we know from statistics that everyone has four to five social networks. Some a lot more, some a few less, which gives us all a digital footprint. Thats data that we can find as recruiters, thats data that we can engage with, communicate with which is becoming a very big part of social media. The ability to talk, chat, engage with anybody you can find across multiple channels which makes it a much more powerful way of reaching, Im going to use the word passive talent because thats the buzz word but reaching the talent that you wont necessarily get from just placing adverts and doing traditional recruitment methods. How do you craft a social media strategy? Ive got an eight stage process. Which has defined and I use this with clients regularly. Set Your Objectives. So, the first one is the most important thing, which is actually setting your objectives. So this is the thing that a lot of people dont do. So they dont actually know why they are doing it in the first place. So you and I being around this industry long enough to now and have the experience of the CEO that decides to do social media, because their son or daughter says they should do Twitter, weve both seen that. But so the first thing is, understand your objectives for each of the platforms that youve done your homework on and decide that youre going to use.  So LinkedIn is different to Twitter, it different to Facebook, is different to Pinterest so each will have a different objective. Define Your Audience. Number two then is, and probably combined with number one is to define your audience. So understand what your audience is, what youre recruiting for, what they look like, where they are based, what sites they are on, create your persona and map that. And that takes some time but that needs to be done effectively to get some proper results in social. Choose Your Platforms. Then its the question of choosing your platforms. As I said in one, then you set your objectives for those platforms. So most people default and go straight to LinkedIn without even thinking about it, especially in the IT and tech space. A lot of those candidates are no longer active on those platforms, theyre on other ones. So get rid of the assumptions and open your mind. Select Your People. Number four, make sure you choose the right people in your team that are best suited to and motivated to be involved with your social activities, whether thats sourcing on social, whether thats the community managers, whether its the recruiting team that are actually doing the engagement and pushing the content out. Provide Training. They then need to be provided with very, very good training and understanding so that they are using the platforms correctly. Define Your Content Strategy. Whats the content thats going to come out on those platforms, is it going to be your content is it going to be other peoples content, is it going to be created by the employees? Whatever that looks like and again with the objective to meet your objectives that you set in stage one so it might be branding, it might be attraction, it might be actually getting them to apply for jobs. Measurement.  You have to measure what you are doing on a weekly or monthly basis. It needs to be tweaked, changed to maintain what you are trying to achieve. Monitoring.  And on ongoing basis things need to be monitored and this is monitoring for your brand, your website, your people, campaigns and simple tools like Google Alerts and Mention are good starting for that. But a lot of the big brands now have Radian6 and Meltwater and all the other ones that are the big monitoring platforms in place. So thats the eight stages, each one in its one right can get quite complicated as you can appreciate but that the simple process that I use and it works. How does social media impact employer branding? A huge impact, in my opinion. I think the availability of social networks has given everybody a voice. So thats potential employees, existing employees, alumni from your company. And its a voice to express opinion, talk about the company, talk about anything to do with that brand as well as the company. So you add in the technology like mobile, the proliferation of video apps, image apps, mobile cameras, the ability to find or to share more content information about what its like to work in that particular company, its really helping employees now to get a feel for what its like to work there, so its a very powerful tool. And for me its no longer optional. Yeah, there is an expectancy now from a job seeker to go to a search engine whether thats Google, whether its a career site search engine and find information out about companies. Were seeing in America Glassdoor, for example, is a lot bigger than it is here in the UK and Europe but were seeing them expand here, as more and more people are looking to see what the brand is like online and what people are saying about them. So done well, it massively aids recruitment and retention, done badly or even not at all and I think we know how badly that can affect company. How do you measure social recruiting ROI? You could look at the exposure then of how big your  networks are to start engaging with people that can expand your exposure again based on your objectives and they are similar with influence. There is another simple but also very complex ROI which is on placements.  If you have a very good ATS, if you have a very good recruiting system or CRM system that you can track jobs, for example, or links and effectively tracks back in to the system when people apply or come in via that method, then thats a very straight forward way of determining an ROI because you can base it on direct applications, for example, from a link. The challenge with social comes in is, lets just say you as an organisation push some content out, start engaging people in January. That candidate sees that content in January, it registers for the first time, its your brand and thinks what a great place to work but they are a contract at the moment. But you stay in contact with them for three or four months and it might be LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and you start to build a relationship and eventually six months later they come to you. How are you going to track that initial contact, and what will that source of the initial engagement come from be? Would it be that first time they saw you on that social network or would it be the other ones subsequently? So Im not convinced thats the easiest part to track ROI, maybe you start looking at the ROI of the engagement piece and measuring that. But I think thats still the piece that we are probably missing in the industry, the long term tracking of initial contact. Connect with Andy on Twitter @AndyHeadworth.

How to Write a Cold Email Thatll Get You a Job Lead

How to Write a Cold Email Thatll Get You a Job Lead The following is a guest post by Laura Carter.  Her bio follows. Writing any cold email needs to be done with an objective of getting it read by your recipient. Therefore, nothing is to be left to chance right from the first sentence. Your initial sentence should trigger a desire for the reader to move on to the next sentence. That is the point. Ideally, each line in your cold email should persuade the reader to move on and read the next one until the close of the email. Some people find emailing people not in their contacts list a very hard thing to do especially when looking to expand their job search network. When looking for a job, the already existing network has been the focus for many. However, you will at times be compelled to send emails to contacts not covered in your network. The idea here is to fix a meeting with someone at a given company that you look forward to work for in order to help you find your way there. In this endeavor, there are two main things to tackle: the person you would consider reaching out to and developing a message that will trigger response from your recipient. These are things you must address in your efforts of writing a cold email that will get you a job lead. To get a positive response, consider doing the following:- Get the right person’s email address Make sure you have the email address of the most suitable person to contact. This will involve tracking down people working at your target companies. Use sources that can give you accurate information like Linked In or a reliable career office such as that of your University. The company’s website can also be a good place to get this email address. Some companies will at times list the positions and names of its members of staff and  you can easily get someone in the most relevant role to contact. In a case where this is becoming a problem, try such emails as [emailprotected] or [emailprotected]   Where names without emails are listed, try to use the first name of your target contact with the company extension such as [emailprotected] Succinct Subject Line Regardless of how good your email body may be, your email may not get opened if your subject line is wordy. It will be a complete waste of time if you don’t write a catchy subject line. It should be compelling and while you may find this obvious, many have fallen into this pit of poorly written subject lines. A good proof is the number of emails you have not opened from your mailbox. Check their subject lines and you will tell the reason why you didn’t open them. So how do you go about this? The first thing to consider is looking at what you want and narrow it down to between 5 and 7 words. Most importantly, these words must speak to what your recipient is looking forward to. Again, make sure you clearly state what you expect in that exchange of emails. The whole idea is to cause your recipient to open your email. For example, Simoninformation source for oil-market trends! Brevity is very vital! Concise email body You obviously do not want to paint a good picture at the door and disappoint with poorly written email content. This still is as important as your subject line. You can’t afford to write average content. However, you need to keep it short and precise. Follow this simple approach: make a one sentence introduction; in a short paragraph, talk about yourself and why you want to engage and then finally, enquire about the recipient’s availability. If you feel like you have some problems with that, contact good  writing service  to get some help. Being specific is very crucial to give your recipient a clear picture concerning your interest in talking to them. Your interests in that particular company should be well highlighted. List concrete skills that match the company needs and in the end say how you got the information of the recipient. Don’t make huge demands Very important â€" ask small. Your recipient will be willing to respond if he or she doesn’t feel like they are compelled to make big promises in order to reply. Remember you are initiating a conversation and it will not be wise to place a lot of demands from the start. Actually, it would be much easier to get a positive response if you can ask your recipient to meet for coffee to get to learn more about your targeted company than merely asking for a job. In the end, this will lead you to a job. However, don’t be desperate to ask everything in one email. Make your recipient feel at ease to respond to you. Present some Proof and relate with Results It is always important to be thorough with your email and that is why some social proof of engagement may be necessary. The use of high-level stats will give you a good standing and a high chance of getting a positive response. If you have spoken to someone concerning the company or even a colleague in their company, you can state it in your pitch. This is especially true if it is for a sales job hunt. It will yield a positive reply. In this instance, you can quote an interview with a firm that your prospective employer would consider a competitor or a peer. The chance of landing in this company would drastically increase if you show proof to the HR team that you had just interviewed a competitor in the same field. There you have it! Writing a cold email that will get you a job lead is a well calculated strategy. Get your facts right and arrange them in a manner that will please your recipient. Ask yourself if you would respond if the email was sent to you! Laura Carter Laura Carter is a former educator and now academic writing and higher education blogger. Laura’s passion is psychology and entrepreneurship. Laura Carter is a former educator and now academic writing and higher education blogger at dissertation writing service. Laura’s passion is psychology and entrepreneurship. . Images via pixabay.

Studying Abroad, Where International Students Go And Why

Studying Abroad, Where International Students Go And Why Where International Students Go And Why? International study is on the rise; latest figures show that around 3,500,000 people decided to study abroad in 2009, up over 200% from 1975! One in five of these students are from China or India, and 15% of all students in the UK are international students. Where International Students Go And Why? The rise can be attributed to a number of factors: the increased communication opportunities around the world, and the increase in global travel in general, to mention a few.  With the global economic turmoil, young people (who are hardest hit by unemployment) may see studying abroad as a way out of the situation in their home country and the opportunity to make a new start. As we witness the addition of other push-pull factors, such as the increased tuition fees in the UK, the popularity of studying abroad is only set to increase. Source: GlobalVisas.com 51

The Challenges and Strategies of Changing Industries - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Challenges and Strategies of Changing Industries - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Changing Industries Do you want to change industries but find that youre running into a lot of roadblocks? If so, you are not alone. A couple of years ago, I had a client who was a PMP certified project manager. He had a lot of project management experience managing IT projects, but he wanted to transition to the healthcare industry. I arranged for him to meet the COO of a rapidly-expanding healthcare provider. The COO told him that his credentials were impressive, but he had no healthcare experience. The COO said they really should not care that he had no healthcare experience, but that they would. Skill Sets Whether you are a project manager, product manager, business analyst, or any other position, you will likely have two sets of skills: Business skills Industry skills Which are the most important? Your business skills! Which will the hiring authorities care most about? Your industry skills! This is why changing industries is so difficult. You might be thinking that this is not fair. You are right! You might being saying, These folks are not any good at interviewing candidates! You would be correct! A good project manager should be able to manage any project. A good business analyst should be able to work in any industry. There should be peace on earth and good will towards men! There should be no wars! Well, there I go again. I am using the S wordâ€"should. Employers today are frequently looking for the purple cow candidateâ€"or a candidate that likely does not exist. They want a candidate that has both business and industry skills. If they have to compromise, most will lean on industry skills. Strategies for Changing Industries Whether you like it or not, when changing industries, you will need to show that you have some industry experience. You will need to study and then demonstrate this expertise. How can you do this? Create a blog and interview people in the target industry. I am going to profile someone who did exactly this on the Career Pivot blog in the coming weeks. Comment on blog posts and social media where you will be seen by others in the target industry. This is a slow, tedious process, and it will take a while to be noticed. Publish LinkedIn Publisher posts on topics related to the target industry. Write about relevant topics that you have researched thoroughly. Make sure you get someone in the target industry to review them before you publish. Attend industry conferences and make sure to interact with individuals from your target companies. Get as much face time with individuals who can either hire you or influence a hiring manager. The advantage of writing LinkedIn Publisher posts is they will be seen in your LinkedIn profile. When a recruiter or hiring manager finds your LinkedIn profile, they will see that you have published and, thus, have demonstrated your knowledge of the industry. When changing industries, it is a lot easier to develop the industry skills than the business skills. Most companies will focus on industry skills. It is not right, but It all comes down to how do we know that you know your stuff! You will need to demonstrate your expertise in the target industry. Marc Miller â€" Career Pivot Check out my book Repurpose Your Career â€" A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers Do not forget to follow me on Twitter or FaceBook

Writing Apartment Address on Resume For a Job

Writing Apartment Address on Resume For a JobThere are many who wonder why writing apartment address on resume is necessary? Though it may seem trivial, actually this task can help in getting better employment at an earlier stage of the game.Resume is the most important document that is used for an applicant's reference. If a prospective employer can't read it, he or she won't be able to make a quick decision on the application. Writing apartment address on resume helps in obtaining an interview on the spot.Writing apartment address on resume has different benefits. If you have a secure job, then you may not need to include apartment address. This can help you get all the advantages that you deserve. However, if you are a home maker, then the same rule applies as well.You don't need to put in as much effort to have your own house. You don't have to worry about renting a new house just so you can make your living space more comfortable. There are a lot of other benefits that can be ob tained from the apartment address.Another benefit is that writing apartment address on resume can act as a reflection of your skills. In most cases, your strengths and expertise in a certain field are the same as in your personal life. The benefit is you can let your skills shine through while applying for a job. This can help you win the job.It is also true that when you write apartment address on resume, you are able to improve your chances of landing a job. Many employers check the education level. They look for college graduates who know about the basics of their occupation. This is a mark of your intelligence and ability.While writing apartment address on resume, you need to keep yourself updated with the current situation in the market. That way, you will be able to make changes and improvements to your applications. Of course, it is possible that you won't be changing things. But if you change something, the rest of the things that you have written would also need to be chang ed.Writing apartment address on resume can give you great benefits. The key to it is to use different techniques and approaches to make it interesting and convincing. Then, your resume would be the best if you've written apartment address on resume.

31 Experts Share Predictions for Job Search in 2017

31 Experts Share Predictions for  Job Search in 2017 What do you need to know in order to manage your career and job search effectively in 2017? Never fear. See what these 31 experts include in their predictions for job search in 2017 I invited resume writers, recruiters and job search coaches to share their predictions for job search in 2017. The result 31 actionable tips you can use to modernize your job search. Overall, their predictions fell into the following categories: Workforce and workplace changes   Career management is  up to you Resumes and LinkedIn work together Enhancements to the  recruiting process Job search has changed, but dont overlook the basics Online visibility is imperative Expect more from interviews Let me also invite you to follow these professionals online through their websites  and/or social network sites. 31 Trends To Pay Attention To In 2017 According to the Pros WORKFORCE Micro-teams Focused On Solutions Mark Babbitt CEO Founder, YouTern   Twitter: @MarkSBabbitt   In 2017, we’ll start to see an end of the emphasis of “fit within company culture.” Instead, employers will stress the ability to work within mission-focused micro-teams. These small teams, with an established short-term goal, will be built for the sole purpose of solving a specific problem or meeting an immediate challenge. So rather than concentrating on individual task-based strengths, hiring will focus exclusively on subject matter expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the mission. Emotional intelligence and the ability to focus on solutions, rather than worshiping the problem, will be in high demand. Skilled Trades on the Rise Louise Kursmark President, Best Impression Career Services, Inc. LinkedIn: Louise Kursmark   I see an uptick in skilled trades jobs. Building is booming in many parts of the country and new infrastructure investments may be coming from federal and state governments. These jobs offer great opportunities for those without a college degree, workers not interested in behind-the-desk jobs, and people of all backgrounds looking for steady work that pays well. There has been so much emphasis on college that traditional vocational programs have been diminished, so the need has been building for decades. Builders and small manufacturers say they cant get good help. Some employers are willing to train, and union and trades apprentice programs offer other doorways to these opportunities. Side  Gigs Olivia Gamber Partner, Career Attraction Twitter: @TheOliviaGamber     As wages continue to stay flat, more people are relying on side gigs to earn more income. The gig economy is continuing to grow and I see this continuing into 2017 and beyond. Marketing yourself as a solution to a specific problem is the fastest way to grow your income. If you dont feel like you have the skills to earn money on the side of your job, then it has also become easier than ever to take courses and read books in order to learn skills that can immediately earn you extra income. Re-Training and Telecommuting/Remote Work Jacob Share Job Search Expert, JobMob Twitter: @jacobshare   Most years, nothing happens that dramatically impacts job search, trends continue and others begin. This year might be different because a few major countries have/will have new leaders (UK, USA, France, etc.) and new leaders mean promises to fill. In the US in particular, Trump has made some very big promises with regards to jobs and the economy and if he moves quickly on some of them, its possible that many jobs will be created (or vice-versa!). While its more realistic to think that the impact will be felt a little further down the road, I can imagine more people than usual requiring retraining. As for continuing trends, more people will continue the shift to telecommuting/remote work and freelancing, both part-time and full-time, which means the importance of personal branding and reputation management will continue to grow (even if both ideas were more hyped a few years ago). Optimism and Caution Marc Miller President, Career Pivot LinkedIn: Marc Miller   Hiring for baby boomers will continue to improve as the continued tight labor market will force employers to look to older workers to fill their needs. The dreaded applicant tracking systems (ATS) will continue to vex job seekers. The assimilation of LinkedIn into Microsoft will mean an acceleration of new features along with higher fees. Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud (SMAC) will continue to disrupt a variety of professions including IT, sales, marketing, and HR. Particularly hard hit will be B2B direct sales teams as multi-channel marketing automation efforts will eliminate or shrink B2B sales groups. CAREER MANAGEMENT Employ The New ABCs of Career Management-Avoid Being Complacent Lisa Rangel Managing Director, ChameleonResumes.com LinkedIn: Lisa Rangel   Embracing uncomfortability is another way to say avoid being complacent. We are in uncomfortable times. Those solely seeking comfort and maintaining the status quo in their career lives may find themselves blindsided when their company decides to insource, outsource, expand or contract, if they are on the wrong side of that corporate action. Proactively keep your network engaged. Help others reach their goals expecting nothing in return. Ensure your resume and LinkedIn profile are always passively selling your wins. Keep an active ear to what your industry, competitors and profession is doing to stay ahead of trends. Pretend you are fired today and always have your plan of action in motion and ready to take further action. The world belongs to those who embrace uncomfortability and avoid being complacent. Learn and Practice Intellectual Capitalism Jim Stroud Senior Director of Recruiting Strategies and Support, Randstad Sourceright RPO LinkedIn: Jim Stroud For 2017 and every year after, this is all you need to know. The robots are coming and indeed, are already here. Google the phrase robots taking jobs away from humans and you will see article after article attesting to that fact. Such being the case, any and all job seekers should research their industry and discern how long it will be before automation makes their present day skills obsolete and in the interim, they should be learning new skills that are less vulnerable to the great robot takeover. If you recognize the truth in what Im saying, allow me to save you some time. Overall, blue collar workers in the automotive and textile industry who perform repetitive tasks, will be obliterated in the next few years. However, police officers, HVAC technicians, construction workers and plumbers will thrive because robots do not have common sense, dont handle non-repetitive tasks well and have trouble with pattern recognition. (For example, they can see shapes, but do not always recognize what a cup is or a chair.) White collar workers are not exempt from the robotic uprising either. I speculate that low-level accountants, bookkeepers, tellers and the like will be displaced in a big way. Try this game, Google robot tellers and be amazed by the results. For that matter, change the job title in your Google search from tellers to whatever it is you do. The results may surprise you. For white-collar workers to thrive in this new era, they should be intimately acquainted with the term intellectual capitalism. In a nutshell, its how you use things like imagination, leadership, problem-solving and other such intangibles to bring value to a company. All of that to say, in 2017 and beyond, do not waste your time (or your money) pursuing a career that will be done by a robot. If you do, I predict with full confidence that in 2017 you will be left behind and every year afterward. RESUMES Resumes and LinkedIn Work Together Meg Guiseppi CEO/President, Executive Career Brand   LinkedIn: Meg Guiseppi   LinkedIn profiles and resumes will work more in tandem. Savvy job seekers accept the fact that, unless they have a personal website, their LinkedIn profile is their digital home base. People who can help them meet their career goals will probably find them there, before they find these people and send them their resume. LinkedIn profiles allow for much more content than resumes. Savvy job seekers will fully populate every applicable LinkedIn section, telling their whole personal brand and career story there. They will abbreviate the story on their resume, targeting it to a specific employer, or specific group of similar employers. To consolidate the resume Experience section, they will add a line at the end, referring readers to their LinkedIn profile, such as this â€" Please see LinkedIn profile for details â€" and they will add a hyperlink to their profile in that statement. Story Telling Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter Owner / Chief Career Writer, CareerTrend Twitter:  @ValueIntoWords   I predict resume strategies will continue to be framed around storytelling with a twist. While touching on culture will be imperative in 2017 resume development, it will be equally important to show that you care about an organizations real needs especially in the economic + social chaos we lately feel steeped in. While job seekers arent fortune tellers, and its not always possible to foresee an employers / hiring managers specific needs, you CAN express HOW you intelligently and solidly hammered out bottom-line (measurable) solutions to burning needs at your current company in a way that will resonate with a future employer (where you leave them vigorously nodding, in the been there, done that way). In other words, 2017 resumes must have stories that leap off the page and grab the reader, emotionally + intellectually. RECRUITING Embrace Mobile Sharlyn Lauby Author,  HR Bartender Twitter: @HRbartender   I believe we’re going to see more employers add mobile capabilities to their recruiting processes in 2017. Job seekers will want to understand how to search and apply for jobs using their mobile devices. So, dust off those outdated social profiles and start developing a routine to stay engaged. While it is a candidate’s job market, there’s still competition for the best jobs and great places to work. Once you find the job of your dreams, make sure your resume is optimized for submission â€" focus on accomplishments that will make your resume stand out. New Ways to Apply Online Chris Russell Founder, CareerCloud     Twitter: @ChrisRussell In 2017 job seekers may come in contact with chatbots while applying or engaging with a company. Already in use at a few employers across the country, chatbots will allow you apply from your mobile phone with a just a few clicks. It may include having you video yourself or by syncing your social media accounts. With recent changes by Facebook, you will also be allowed to apply via company facebook page and chat with the recruiter through their messenger app. Screening Assessments Hank Boyer CEO, Boyer Management Group LinkedIn: Hank Boyer   There will be an increase in the use of behavioral assessments as one of the hiring factors employers will use to make good hiring decisions. Employers are more aware today of the need for candidates to fit well with the organization’s culture, the new hire’s work team, and in customer-contact roles, customers. Poor fit continues to be the top reason new hires fail. Job seekers should not be surprised to have employers ask them to complete assessments in 2017. Historically, the use of behavioral assessments has increased each of the last two times the economy rebounded, so Id expect the same thing to happen in 2017. Technology Removes Unconscious Bias Mark Anthony Dyson Founder, The Voice of Job Seekers Twitter: @MarkADyson   The app to change the game is the Blendoor app. The founder of the app, Stephanie Lampkin, states this app will directly combats the myth diversity hiring means lowering the bar when it comes to hiring. Now in beta, the app presents an employer with an applicant profile without a photo or personally identifiable information. This initially removes unconscious bias from the hiring process and encourages merit to stand out from the beginning of the process. The Human Touch Steve Levy Principle, Recruiting Inferno   LinkedIn: Steve Levy   While automation tools including those of the AI variety will find their way into all aspects of recruiting and career advising, in 2017, I expect to see more human touches from the recruiting side (people are not passive, talent or human capital). Id like to say that bad recruiting will decline but Im just a prognosticator not a magician Awareness Will Thomson Founder President, Bulls Eye Recruiting LinkedIn: Will Thomson   2017 will be interesting for the job seeker and employers. Recruiting is changing and the way candidates look for jobs and how employers find candidates will continue to evolve. LinkedIns dominance is coming to an end. Employers and Job Seekers will continue to become more savvy. Employers will know more about the candidates and will use different techniques to contact and to attract candidates. The market will continue to be hot and even though Artificial Intelligence will be used, and social media will allow information to be readily available, both the employer and candidate will crave working with humans. The job seekers will want to work for organizations that have the unique culture that separates one company from the next and employment branding will continue to play an essential role in attracting those candidates. Companies are going to have to be aggressive in their hiring, as job seekers will have there pick of which organization they chose to work with. As candidates continue to check Glassdoor for reputations of organizations, employers will do  their due diligence also and candidates will begin to realize being less social may be advantageous. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time could prevent a candidate from getting hired. Expect More Real Conversations Rich Grant Career Advisor, Southern New Hampshire University   LinkedIn: Rich Grant   Twitter:  @RichCareer I joked several months ago that no matter who won the election, impeachment lawyers would be in demand. I also see a need for more fact checkers. As for serious predictions, I see a collision between two emerging trends: the need for employers to provide a better recruitment experience for job seekers versus the increase in systems approaches including the interest in artificial intelligence. In 2017, it will continue to shift to a job seekers market, so employers need to personalize their outreach; have real conversations to avoid making assumptions based on an algorithm. JOB SEARCH Mail Gets More Traction Chris Fields Owner/Chief Resume Writer, ResumeCrusade.com   Twitter: @resumecrusade I believe the most important trend will be getting offline and mailing (or handing) the resume and cover letter directly to the hiring manager. I think hiring managers/recruiter are overwhelmed with internet applications and if they receive a nice professional package in the mail, it will get more traction. Recruiting In A Transparent World Katrina Collier The Searchologist Twitter:  @KatrinaMCollier I teach HR Recruiters how to find their new employees on the Internet, and I warn them that scrutiny is no longer one-way; it’s a Google world. Companies and  recruiters need to share genuine insights into who they are and what they are doing if they are to standout in this noisy and candidate driven market. In 2017, I see job seekers becoming even more aware that they can gain direct access to the companies they want to work for and I see those companies who open the virtual door having more success hiring. Robust  Hiring Robin Ryan Robin Ryan Career Counselor Bestselling Author LinkedIn: Robin Ryan   According to the numerous HR executives I have spoken with, the election caused many companies to put hiring on hold until they knew who would be President. Organizations wanted clear direction on where the country was headed. I predict that Jan- May 2017 the hiring opportunities will be very robust. Internal promotions will also see a big bump in numbers too. In other words a perfect climate if you are a job hunter. Networking and tapping into the hidden job market will be more important than ever. Apply Agile Ingenuity Laura DeCarlo Executive Director, Career Directors International   LinkedIn: Laura DeCarlo   The most important trend for job seekers is to have “agile ingenuity” when approaching today’s job market. You cannot stay rooted in anything you think you know about job search, interviewing or resume writing. This is a game played on an invisible playing field that requires you to be resourceful, creative, and always on your toes. Expect to read and follow application instructions more closely, deeply customize resumes and communications, and move fluidly through a series of virtual, social media and in-person interviews. There is no second place in a job search, so take steps now to arm yourself to win. Focus on Job Search Fundamentals Tony Restell Founder, Social-Hire.com Twitter: Tony Restell   My biggest piece of candidate advice for 2017 is to make sure youve adapted to the changes that have already taken place in the jobs market. Companies today arent posting as many jobs online but are filling more roles through direct approaches to candidates and through employee referrals. When I talk to executive candidates, its shocking to uncover how many havent done a thorough job of writing a strong LinkedIn profile thats keyword and skills optimized. Meaning theyll never be found by the Recruiters looking to fill the exact roles they aspire to securing. Similarly, its shocking how many people arent proactively networking and building relationships in advance of needing them. Just think how many opportunities you could be being referred into as an ideal candidate, if only youd done the work to foster relationships over the last years. There are of course lots of new technologies that will continue to shake the jobs market up over the coming year, but addressing these fundamentals I believe is the single biggest thing candidates should be addressing in 2017. Job Seekers Market Jessica Hernandez President/CEO, Great Resumes Fast LinkedIn: Jessica H. Hernandez, Executive Resume Writer   I believe 2017 will be a year of hope and wonderful new opportunities for those searching. A new year, unemployment at its lowest in many years, job seeker optimism is high and 69% of recruiters are reporting a hiring increase with 86% saying no foreseeable layoffs. Its going to be a job seekers market (and choice) in 2017. **Stats from 2016 Jobvite Surveys. Conduct Due Diligence Laura Smith-Proulx CEO, An Expert Resume LinkedIn: Laura Smith-Proulx   Job seekers must do the legwork to assess new trends in company research, resume branding, and interviewing (via Job-Hunt.org, Glassdoor.com, LinkedIn, US News World Report, or other reputable resources). If you don’t conduct your due diligence and go into the search or interview unprepared, your competitors will blow you out of the water! Youll find, among other tips, that a touch of color helps showcase key skills on your resume, its a good idea to ask interviewers to define their ideal candidate, and your employer research should include annual reports, industry trends, and / or news from the firms website. Clear Unique Value Proposition Ed Han Twitter: @ed_han The most important, at least to my way of thinking, is clearly lay out and articulate your unique value proposition. This has been true for several years and yet the vast majority of resumes I see utterly fail in this respect. So youre a PM? Are you particularly adept at shepherding your projects to an on-budget and on-schedule completion? Master Job Search Basics Kirk Baumann Founder, Campus to Career Twitter: @kbaumann For job seekers, I dont think 2017 is going to be too different. Recruiting continues to shift towards the digital space, but before creating a new user profile on that fancy new job seeker website or abandoning the advice of traditionalists, keep this in mind: the basics remain the same. Research and prepare, seek internal and external guidance (mentorship.) Build out leadership skills through experience and make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete. Continue to connect and engage with recruiters, hiring managers, business contacts and colleagues in a professional setting via LinkedIn. In 2017, you can almost guarantee that part of the process will include a video interview. Build out your leadership skills with experiences outside of the classroom. Volunteer. Join a group on campus or in your community that provides you with an opportunity to work on something you’re passionate about (like empowering people, giving back.) Want to go an extra step? Take a new course via LinkedIn Learning or site like Coursera or Udemy to learn a new skill or build on one of your already established strengths. Never stop learning! ONLINE VISIBILITY Clear and Appropriate  Online Visibility Susan P. Joyce Publisher and Author, Job-Hunt.org LinkedIn: Susan Joyce   Employers and recruiters relentlessly search to find qualified candidates and also to vet job applicants. So, in 2017, job seekers with clear and appropriate online visibility, demonstrating their professional qualifications, will have their next jobs find them. In 2017, the most important job search/career requirements and skills for job seekers will be: a clear and coherent personal brand personal online reputation management supporting that brand personal SEO supporting that brand Without those 3 essential elements, people will be invisible. But, this means that they must be MUCH more careful about what they share, where they share, and how they share information, ideas, and opinions. What they make visible will be judged and will impact their careers as well as their job searches. LinkedIn is essential for most professionals, but I think that Facebook will grow in importance as more employers leverage it to post their jobs. Unfortunately, Facebook is the network which is most personal and also the least professional and trustworthy. Microsofts ownership of LinkedIn may generate some interesting developments there, too, though. Demonstrate Soft Skills Through Social Media Miriam Salpeter Job Search and Social Media Strategist, Keppie Careers Twitter: @Keppie_Careers Social media continues to play a big role in recruitment; LinkedIns U.S. Recruiting Trends says 44% of employers believe social professional networks are top sources of hire. Job seekers should create detailed online profiles to attract and impress hiring managers. Dont underestimate how important it is to engage in online groups to extend your network and connect with potential opportunities. Jobs in technology will continue to be in high demand, but trends suggest employers appreciate candidates who have strong soft skills, including problem solving, team leadership and the ability to communicate effectively. Use social media tools to feature and highlight these skills to distinguish yourself from others who may have a similar background to you. Rise In Online Website Platforms Ryan Rhoten Owner,  CareerBrand Twitter: @RyanRhoten   The career industry is ripe for technology to begin to drive efficiencies and real change in the job search/hiring process. As more people understand the need to manage their online presence, they will begin to seek out the quickest and easiest method to get their online house in order. This awareness will cause a rise in the number of online website platforms specifically designed to help people put their personal and career brands online. These new platforms will provide users with a way to tell their career story like never before and will finally begin to challenge the resume as the sole method for conveying value during the job search process. INTERVIEWING New Forms of Candidate Evaluation Donna Svei Avid Careerist LinkedIn: Donna Svei Watch for employers to start using candidate evaluation techniques other than interviews. While research has shown that assessment centers and behavior-based interviews provide the best  results, theyre expensive and time-consuming for employers to use. Thus, employers are looking for quicker, cheaper fixes and theres a small army of organizational psychologists and software developers trying to devise fast, low-cost alternatives. Many/most of these methods will fail the legal requirement that they predict job performance. However, that wont stop companies from offering them and employers from using them. Video Screening  To Replace Phone Screen Margo Wickersham Owner, Margo Wickersham Coaching MargoWickersham.com Facebook: Margo Wickersham     Ace the Video Interview 1. Practice ahead of time to get comfortable with this format 2. Test equipment â€" prior to interview to work out any kinks 3. Dress professionally 4. Remove distractions other apps, phone and environment 5. Good nonverbals â€" Make eye contact, look at camera, not yourself, smile, use some hand gestures 6. Conversational style â€" just like in person 7. Use notes â€" unlike in interview, you can use notes, but avoid looking at them too much 8. Take a second â€" nod when responding to questions from interviewer and wait a second before answering to avoid talking over interviewer Soft Skills/EQ â€" Hiring managers want to see examples of how you work effectively with colleagues and clients. 1. Work ethic 1. Dependability 2. Positive attitude 3. Self-motivation 4. Team-oriented 5. Multi-tasking 6. Work well under pressure 7. Good communication skills 8. Flexibility 9. Confidence If your soft skills aren’t up to par with your professional skills, invest in training or coaching to develop them. Otherwise, your limiting your career options. Salary Transparency Angela Copeland Career Coach, Copeland Coaching   Twitter: @CopelandCoach In 2017, one of the biggest trends that will help job seekers is a continued increase in transparency. In recent years, career websites have been releasing more information that helps to give job seekers the upper hand when interviewing, including company ranking, sample interview questions, and average salary. To learn if you are being paid fairly in your current job, check out the new Glassdoor.com Know Your Worth tool. Youll be asked to provide your employer name, employer location, job title, number of years experience, salary, education level, university, and major. Glassdoor will provide information about your market value in your city. Oh, youre still here! Super! Here are the 31 predictions all together in SlideShare. 31 Experts Share Predictions for Job Search in 2017 from Hannah Morgan

No One Will Ask for Your Elevator Pitch

No One Will Ask for Your “Elevator Pitch” There is no such thing as  an  Elevator Pitch! The  â€œelevator pitch,”  also known as a 30-second commercial,  comes from  the  idea  that you should be able to deliver it between floors on an elevator. What you say IS  an important part of your networking process.  Usually, job seekers are coached to prepare their elevator pitch  before they attend a networking event, career fair,  or  job  interview. Everyone  should be prepared  with  an  answer  whether they  are  attending  a formal networking event or  just  going about  their  daily life. You never know when you’ll meet someone who can point you to your next job opportunity.  It’s  just as  important on social media venues such as LinkedIn, where you are striving to make a positive first impression AND be concise  yet  impactful. But here’s the problem I have with  an  â€œelevator pitch,”  especially for job seekers.    Whether you are at a job fair or networking event,  no one is  going to ask, “What is your elevator pitch?” Yes, you need to prepare one, but you also need to listen  carefully,  so you provide the right type of answer.  And you avoid adding  irrelevant  â€œfluff” to  your  answers. In reality, you need to prepare  TWO  elevator pitches, one for each of these questions: #1  Tell me about yourself. #2  What are you looking for? #1:   TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF. Here’s an easy-to-remember framework for your answer: First  two  sentences:  You  and your  educational background summary The purpose is to  help them warm up to you,  so  let your  personality  show  even though you  may be  nervous. Start with something personal such as  how you first got passionate  about  technology, where you or your parents were born, or  what languages you speak. Summarize your educational background. Hello, my name is _______________________________optional: if you have already made introductions, then no need to state your name  again. I have been passionate about technology since tell a  short(!)  story  _________________________________________________________________. I received  my degree at school in subject and really excelled in relevant subject. Middle  two  sentences:  Your professional background summary Keep the details of your professional background relevant to your audience. Whenever possible, use  metrics  to describe the scope of your prior experiences. For example, how many people did you supervise? What was the scope of  your  responsibility in dollars, size, etc.? My professional experience includes X years in the  ____________, responsible for X, Y and Z Y years as  a  _____. Any other relevant item: ________________________________________ Last sentences:    Why you’re here today This is your chance to bring it home! Pretend the other person is thinking, “Yeah, yeah, but why should I be interested in you?” Your answer is tailored to the audience. If you are at a job interview, you want to highlight why you are excited  about  this role. However, if you are at a job fair, you want to share what type of position you are seeking in their company. Be personable, high-energy, and connect with the other person with a smile. I’m here today because I’m very passionate about your title position and want to share my skills and learn more! or I’m here today since I’m seeking a position as a title in a technology company. Ending options: You don’t need an end…  you can simply  pause,  and they will take over. At an interview  or when networking:  May I ask you a few questions? (Have your questions ready.) At a job fair:  Once I identify great positions at your company, may I contact you  for  help  to  arrange an interview? #2: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? People want to help you. But they can only engage if you are clear and precise about what you are  looking  for. Bad answers  to this question: “I’m flexible; I can do a lot of things.”  (Hmmm, and that says what about you?) “Well, my background is in __________________________ and ______________________”.    (Did they really  ask this?  And  so,  what if you were a shoe-repair person?  They are  interested in your  next  step forward  not your last.) “I’m looking for an exciting position that leverages my background and where I can work with great people.”  (Sorry, this is NOT about you!) Good answers  to this question: “I’m looking for a data analyst position in  Chicago  with a large corporation in the technology industry.” “I am very focused on two types of career opportunities. One is  as  a business intelligence analyst in a large company in  Tacoma, Washington. However, I’m  also looking at opportunities in database administration at large tech firms in Seattle. Here’s a simple framework to help you craft your answer: I’m looking for a title position in city with a size company in the industry. Ending ideas: Could  you  recommendation any great companies I should look at? Do you know any technical recruiters in my target companies:  _______, ______, and __________? Answer both questions proudly and with confidence!   Make eye contact,  share a smile, and show your pride and passion. Join Dana  Manciagli’s  Job Search Master Class ®  now  and get the most comprehensive job search system available!