Posts Tagged ‘social network’

Job Hunting Goes Social

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

Special thanks to Doug Lacombe of communicatto, for giving us permission to modify and republish his blog post.

Job-hunting has gone from door knocking and networking to apply now buttons to multimedia presentations of one’s self and portfolio. Not that door knocking and networking went away, social media has added a layer of presentation to the whole exercise. In her article “4 Digital Alternatives to the Traditional Resume” on Mashable.com, Sharlyn Lauby suggests video resumes, a visualCV, a social resume, or your LinkedIn.com profile as possible alternatives or companions to the old chronological resume.

Another Mashable article “How to Spruce Up a Boring Resume” features an infographic by Colorado Technical University that provides great tips on digital techniques to modernize your resume. From screen-friendly fonts to video, social media and hyperlinks, it’s a great at-a-glance guide to upgrading your resume for the digital age.

On the human resources side, recruiters need to convert from passive advertisers to publishers and syndicators of jobs, with strong search engine and social media skills, particularly on LinkedIn. The reliance on paid media will no longer cut it, especially in the age of owned media. HR folks accustomed to “renting eyeballs” now have to publish job posts in a way that attracts eyeballs - a brand new game.

With the labor shortage we have looming in Canada both sides need to adapt and get better at this. Our standard of living and way of life depend on it.

Doug Lacombe is president of Calgary social media agency communicatto. His resume is now a Google search of his name; just ignore the guy from Louisiana.

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Posted in Career building tips, Employment opportunities | No Comments »

Tweet, Tweet, Jumping onto Twitter

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

I’m on a learning curve but am excited to be venturing into the world of social media. From all I’ve been seeing and reading, it is becoming an essential part of an organization’s entire marketing approach. I know there is still much to learn but one of the things that really appeals to me about social media is the opportunity for virtual networking and dialogue in such an informal, easy way. My tweets are somewhat infrequent, but I am starting to post more regularly. If you’d like to follow me on Twitter, you can find me at http://twitter.com/sbowensmed. I’d love to hear from you and look forward to more chats in the future.

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Posted in General, HR Management | 3 Comments »

Get Linked In and Watch Your Network Grow!

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

There is no doubt that social networks can play a big role in a job search. While there are many great networking sites we have talked to the social media gurus and they tell us Linkedin is currently the best choice. That’s why our recruitment team at BOWEN is now on Linked In. We know that it’s a great place to find candidates and reach out to a talented pool of people, both locally and anywhere in the world. From a recruitment standpoint, you really can find the best person for the job!

Linked In is a good place to showcase your talents, achievements and past work history. Your profile becomes a friendlier version of your resume. One of the best things you can do is build your recommendations. Invite colleagues, clients and associates to recommend you. When a potential recruiter or employer sees these words of praise, it only builds credibility as to why you are a standout candidate.

Don’t forget to approach your Linked In network the way you would your personal network. Think of people you have encountered professionally, personally and through volunteer activities. Send out invitations, but remember to keep the tone and your network at a professional level. This is a place where potential employers will come so you need to make sure you “evaluate and screen” what you post, both for personal information and even your photo.

Take some time to research online how to truly leverage Linked In for your job search. It’s time well spent. Here are a few links to help get you started:

How to use LinkedIn in your Job Search

Use LinkedIn to Enhance Your Employment Options

Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job

Once you are on Linked In take moment to stop by BOWEN’s corporate page where you may find some familiar faces to connect with.

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Posted in Career building tips, Employment opportunities | No Comments »

Social media and your job search – help or hindrance?

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

There is no doubt that today’s digital world is both a help and a hindrance to a job search. On one hand, there is a world of opportunities at your finger tips. You can research specific companies, look at industry trends or visit a wealth of job sites all from the comfort of your own home, instead of pounding the pavement like the “old days”.

 

Yet potential employers can also learn more about you than ever before – and perhaps more than you would like them to! A simple Google search can be revealing and anything posted on the Internet is essentially public domain. When you post information online, be it through Twitter, Facebook, Linked In or on a blog, you are sharing personal info that perhaps would be better kept private. Make sure that you are aware of the privacy settings on these social media sites, and if you are in a job search, perhaps you need to edit your content and postings in the event that potential employers do their on research on you.

Here are a couple links that offer a bit more information on privacy, job searches and social media:

 

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchblogs/a/privacy.htm

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchblogs/a/jobsearchblog.htm

 

The bottom line is, when in doubt, don’t post. In today’s tough job market, it is better to err on the side of caution and be a strong candidate for that coveted job, instead of risking it all with photos and a recap of what you did on the weekend!

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Posted in Career building tips, Employment opportunities, Work / Life Balance | 1 Comment »