Go Where the Hiring Managers and Recruiters Are
How do recruiters and hiring managers source candidates in today’s market? It's eye opening that 92% of hiring managers and recruiters today have a social media presence and they use these tools to source candidates, says the Jobvite Job Seeker Nation 2015 and 2016 Reports.
At the same time, 48% of recent job seekers surveyed used social media in their search for their most recent job, meaning 52% of seekers are leaving opportunities on the table. Of those who did use social media, 67% found their most recent job using Facebook, while 35% found it using Twitter.
The irony is that while job seekers are primarily using Facebook, most recruiters source candidates with LinkedIn (87%).
What’s the bottom line for you? Make sure you optimize your search tactics with a professional presence on all three platforms. Here’s how.
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LinkedIn Search Tactics
LinkedIn Search TacticsYour LinkedIn Profile
- Write an eye-catching headline. Make readers want to read more. Relevant keywords & phrases are the key.
- Grab attention with the first two lines of your summary. The first two lines are what shows on your profile without the reader clicking on “see more.” Write a short, first-person narrative. Add a list of new keywords and phrases and duplicate keywords from the headline to increase search hits on your profile.
- Make it easy for recruiters to contact you. List your e-mail address and phone number prominently in your profile so that it only takes one click to reach out to you when there is interest.
- Post a professional photo. Linked in reports that those who post a photo receive up to 21 times more profile views. You can’t afford to be without one.
Your LinkedIn Activity Feed
- Check your homepage several times per week. Don’t just lurk, get active. Like, comment, share and post articles, linking those from Facebook and Twitter, as well as those you note in your contact’s feeds. Your activity on LinkedIn is now very visible as it appears in the top portion of your profile. Active users position themselves for more profile views.
Your LinkedIn Network Connections and Groups
- Join groups and follow firms related to your industry or search target. Group members and network contacts can give you inside information about company culture, products and services and latest direction in the market. When you join a group, the option to let other group members contact you is the default option. Leave it that way, most group members do. This is how you can send messages to fellow group members with whom you are not otherwise connected without paying for a premium account.
- Use the Search bar to find connections. Click in the search bar to get the magnifying glass to appear. Then you’ll have a choice of searching groups, jobs, posts, companies, people or schools. To see groups in which your contacts are members, so that you might join a mutual group & communicate with them, go to their profiles and scroll to the section labeled, “Following”. Click on “See More” to see influencers, companies, groups and schools that the individual follows. Contacts are more apt to respond to other members of their group, than to a cold contact.
- View your fellow alumni, where they live, work, and what they do. Put your school in the search box and hit “See alumni”. Commonality opens doors.
LinkedIn Jobs
- Set your settings for optimum visibility. In settings, click the option that allows others to view your profile and that lets recruiters to know you are open to other opportunities.
- Uncover current leads by setting up job search agents. Agents deliver leads daily or weekly based on your own search criteria and preferences, including profession / job title, industry, and geography.
- Follow target companies to source the latest job leads. Search for job postings by clicking on the “Jobs” tab then using the search bar to specify a target firm.
- Apply to positions directly via LinkedIn. Most postings offer the option to apply via LinkedIn. Others route you directly to the firm’s applicant tracking site. LinkedIn tracks saved jobs and applications to help you manage your active search.
- Message the hiring manager or recruiter via InMail. Once you have applied for the position, search your contacts and groups for connections at the target firm. Reach out via InMail with a personal note, advising them of your interest in the position. Find common ground in your message. Your contacts via your network or groups may give your application the essential push to rise to the top of an applicant list.
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Facebook Search Tactics
Facebook Search Tactics- Ensure your Facebook (FB) profile is worthy of your search. 55% of recruiters use FB to post jobs and source candidates, so examine your pictures and posts on your feed. Complete your profile professionally and delete any questionable posts and pictures.
- Control your permissions in “settings”. Pay special attention to tagging permissions to avoid unwanted pictures showing up in your feed.
- Research target company profiles. Review the company pictures for dress code, presence, image and culture.
- Link your FB and Twitter accounts to your LinkedIn account to multiply your impact.
- Join FB Groups related to your targets and interests.
- Search for leads using the FB “Jobs” tab. Set job search agents and search for recent postings in your geography, industry or profession. Respond as indicated in the post.
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Twitter Search Tactics
Twitter Search Tactics- Establish your professional profile in 140 characters.
- Follow companies and influencers to keep up with the latest trends.
- Retweet articles of interest.
- Use the search bar to find leads. Search using “#Jobs in X” or "#Position title jobs in location" to uncover leads. Follow the posted links to determine how to apply.
Welcome to 21st Century Job Search
Nothing in job search beats connecting with an employer when they first determine they have a need, but before a job posting goes public. Using these social media tools and search tactics ups your chance of connecting to hiring managers and recruiters at that critical stage. Then, when you do apply to published postings, social media search tools ease the research process and open the contacts you need to amp up your visibility to these potential employers.
If you want to learn more about optimizing your job search and expanding your options through social media, the career transition experts at A. J. O’Connor can help. Would you or your employees benefit from learning how to apply these 21st century search techniques? If so, click here to learn about the available AJO Career Transition services, including career coaching, job search tools and learning resources.
Katie McGinty ia an AJO Career Coach and Social Media Expert. In addition to her work with AJO, she also teaches Career Management at Montclair State University to college seniors and is a guest lecturer in the Transitions course for college seniors at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.Topics: