Social Media Recruitment Has Only Just Begun….

At the Connections Companies we have invested time and money into developing our knowledge and skills in, understanding new media.

Penny Scambler has been recruiting for 25 years; and during this quarter century of working closely, and often exclusively, with a range of organisations, within and outside of hospitality, some small high value, others reaching the masses. She has seen technology evolve and streamline recruitment practice.

The latest business process to be re-engineered is marketing, branding and communication.

What has this got to do with recruitment you may ask?

Successful brands with recognisable identity attract more people to their organisation. Customers employees and now ‘cyber noise’ (I hope I’m not loosing you at this point.) Traditional, tried, tested and trusted methods of advertising and marketing seem easier to understand because of our direct experiences.

So social media may seem alien to you, but it  has become what Penny and her team do every day. They have adapted their operation systems and operating style to embrace the online media channels to reach a more targeted audience.

This form of networking is reactive and merging rapidly into traditional forms of engagement. The phone still rings, but not as often. You’re inbox is mainly spam. The postman only delivers utility bills.

Everything is online and your phone is buzzing constantly with alerts, everything is HOT HOT HOT!!

So being social media literate or knowing someone who is becoming increasingly important. Keep on top of the change!

For more information on outsourcing your social recruitment to the Connections Companies; contact Penny Scambler – MD

Tel: 01827 897 665

Email: penny@management-conenctions.co.uk

Bring your personality to life.

Build a social media plan! – Get Better Connected

Google plus+

Your own blog

Create your own identity

Be clear and open about who you are

Bring your personality to life

Get Engaged!!! (no not to your other half..) become a part of the online community, share work!

• Dish of the day?

• Events?

Get people drooling over your latest creation.

Build connections that will last the test of time.

It’s important that you don’t underestimate the ‘social’ aspect of social media. Even though it is communication through the internet it is offering a piece of you and who you are to a very wide audience , and your vigilance to maintain the same profile and  professionalism online as you do in the workplace is important. If you wouldn’t say it to your boss’s face or feel happy for your mum to hear it, don’t write it!

The Facts

21% search blogs and social media for work.

26% fear social media, because it could negatively impact their career

33% censor their content

32% use linked in

33% use facebook

3% use twitter

Finding that Job

26% Job boards

22% word of mouth

17% recruitment company

50% from direct employee

1% social media

7% job advertisement

These are ‘the facts/ the stats’. Whether recruiting or job seeking, this is how your looking and this is how people are looking for you. Short, sweet and to the point.

http://goo.gl/8czxs

Job Hunting – Are you?

 

 Get Social - Get Hired –  Get Better Connected

Understanding the rules of social recruitment is key. At first glance, employers may seem to hold all the cards, but understanding their tactics can considerably improve your odds of getting noticed.

It’s not enough to simply push your CV up on the web and hope a company is going to come to you; the onus is on you to get out there and persuade.

Build your own work brand

To make yourself more visible, think about how you present and express skills and experience on a LinkedIn profile just as carefully as you would with a paper CV. Keep your summary and experience concise and to the point, incorporating key search terms.

And widen your appeal by linking out to blogposts or articles of professional relevance – even to your other social media profiles if you are confident they portray you in a good light.

Everybody is now in the jobs market for their career, and people should keep themselves open, Talent networks are a way to do that. They’re saying, one day you might be interested in working for IHG or whoever. Or if, for example, you work for Hilton, you might one day be interested in working for Marriot, so you can follow Marriot.”

Employers also take a keen interest in broader professional networks, perhaps based around chartered institutes or other industry-specific websites. Joining these not only lets you connect with others in your trade but also puts you in sight of many smaller employers who cannot afford to recruit through LinkedIn or maintain a serious Facebook presence. “Most jobs are in smaller businesses – and they’re not using that level of recruiting. This is where you need to be connected to some quality Employment companies like “The connections Companies”. Get better Connected with us.

 

Hook, Line & Sinker

 

Are you coming at “Talent Acquisition” from every angle?

Research conducted through various recruitment surveys over the past few years indicates that up to 78% of companies are now using social networking and social media to find and attract candidates.  Are you on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+?

At The Connections Companies we have been developing social media and social recruiting techniques to deliver targeted results.

Recent surveys of recruiters & HR executives found that over 50% of companies were spending more on business networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and employee-referral programs and less on Agency spend, print and traditional job boards. As part of our partnership program, we consult with our clients and candidates to ensure their social profile optimized.

Are the Candidates open to the idea of social networking as a recruitment tool?

Importantly, it’s not just employers who are keen to jump on the ‘networking bandwagon’ to revolutionize recruitment. Increasingly, both active job seekers and passive candidates are willing to publish career-based information about themselves on social networking sites, with a view to potential employment opportunities, either from friends or from head-hunters. A recent survey of computer users indicated that 87% of respondents think social networking sites are useful for business purposes including networking, exchanging ideas, getting advice, recruitment, research and selling.

The war for talent is still relevant in today’s market!

Although the economy has recently presented challenges for most employers, the war for talent continues to challenge recruitment initiatives. Employers are still struggling to find and attract candidates with t

Whilst formal recruitment costs are, in some cases, falling due to the current economic downturn, this tends to be offset by the increase in recruitment spending on temporary and contract workers, filling gaps for which permanent staff are no longer being hired or are deemed inappropriate because of headcount restrictions. If anything, then, the current economic climate indicates that there is an even more urgent need to identify economical ways to win the talent war, whilst simultaneously keeping recruitment costs down to a minimum.he necessary industry experience and expertise, and it is suggested that the problem had, if anything, worsened, with 86% of companies across a number of industries admitting to experiencing recruitment difficulties.Successful talent acquisition relies on speeding up the recruitment process

A survey of 300 companies  revealed that over 75% had missed out on recruiting high caliber candidates due to delays in the recruitment process. This resulted in an estimated revenue loss of £millions, due to projects that were delayed as a result of a lack of quality employees. “Good candidates have multiple offers and therefore have higher expectations. As a result organizations have to speed up the recruitment process so as not to lose these candidates.”

It pays to Get Better Connected with the Connections Companies

Working with the right recruitment company who understands your business and positioning on Social networks can be very valuable, as they can efficiently lead to candidates with the right skills and cultural fit for your business

In summary, the competitive market for talent shows no sign of abating. Keeping up with the current trends, understanding the needs and motivations of job seekers and ensuring ample incentives can lead to greater recruitment success.

Employer experience so far is that approximately 50% of the candidates are coming through recruitment agents like The Connections Companies, 30% are coming through referrals and networking and the remaining 20% are coming through job boards and direct.

You must review your reward offering, to ensure you secure the best candidate for the job”.  To do that,  it is advisable to have a multichannel recruitment strategy and to ensure that referrals and networking feature strongly in that strategy.

Penny Scambler is very knowledgeable about multi Channel recruitment strategy and is on hand to advise

clients large or small how to strengthen their channel and ensure a wide target pool is reached attracting the very best talent your business.For more information contact Penny directly on her mobile line 07855 764892 for a confidential discussion or contact her office on 01827 648920

Could you work for a liar?

You apply, interview and job OFFERED. But then something changes, the wage you were initially offered has been dropped. What would you do?

 

Something you might want to ask yourself is this: are you going to find it difficult to work for this employer even if you can negotiate a higher salary? For me, that would be a problem because I would feel that the employer’s tactics were deceptive. It’s one thing to take a pay cut—you aren’t alone in having to do that as you know—but it’s another to find out the salary is lower than what was advertised.

When going through a salary negotiation you aren’t likely to get the exact amount of money you want. You will probably have to compromise. The trick is to figure out how much you are willing to compromise and what you will do if your boss doesn’t offer you a salary you find acceptable.

 I guess your answer would depend on what your needs were at the time. If you were in the middle of a long job search, you might be more inclined to ignore the dishonesty. Unfortunately, I think there are some employers who are ready to take advantage of that situation. Keep in mind, though, if you do accept an offer in spite of your misgivings, you may find yourself looking for work again before too long. After all, how long could you work for someone you didn’t trust?

Should you differ greatly from your work persona, outside of work?

There will always be the debate about living to work or working to live, but regardless of personal agenda, your behaviour should always be of a high standard.

An individual’s bad behaviour outside of work may not get him fired, but it could cause his boss to view him differently, especially if what he did goes against the boss’s values or those of the company. Examples of bad behaviour include; disclose your employer’s secrets, badmouth your boss, co-workers or clients post harmful information about your employer on your blog, make racist, sexist or other statements that reflect your prejudices, get arrested and stalk or harass a colleague.

 If an employer learned something about a job candidate, perhaps he or she wouldn’t hire that person. What do you think? Should something a person does off the job affect his or her career? Please post your comments.

Paper Covers Rock, People Cover Paper

Here at Better Connected we found this illustration.

An informative gem for all our clients.

Bite Size Career Change Advice.How to do it successfully.

1.Self Assessment, it doesn’t have to be taxing.

 

Question your motives.

• What do you like doing?
• What are your past and present job attributes? (As oppose to title, allowing yourself to be freer if a greater change is something you’re looking for)
• What do you want from a new job?

 

Considering these questions you can outline your objectives for leaving/changing/choosing job specifically.

The most important thing you can be is confident in your decision and abilities. This will benefit you by having genuine peace of mind and also reassuring the person on the recipient of your CV or interviewer, that you are capable, confident and knowledgeable.

 

2. Research the Companies you want to work for.

 

The internet is a beautiful thing; it gives you access and information about pretty much anything you want to find out about.

In keeping with this enthusiasm, find as much out about the companies you’re targeting as possible, this can give you an advantage in knowing how to apply and what angle to use in your covering letter.

Also, if you know anybody that has worked in the company or still does, use them! Networking and talking to people is the best kind of research, don’t be afraid to pick up the phone!

 

3. Preparing documentation

 

Your CV; need to be readable, simple as well as attractive and targeting! The government have excellent advice for CV writing that can help any dead end.

http://goo.gl/wiewX

 

Cover Letter 

An effective cover letter can be the difference between your CV being acknowledged or ignored. A cover letter should complement, not duplicate, your resume. Effective cover letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your most relevant skills or experiences (remember, relevance is determined by the employer’s self-interest). They should express a high level of interest and knowledge about the position.

 

 

4. Interview Preparation

 

Consider this;

• Your appearance, clothes, hair, nails.

If you don’t look after your personal hygiene as well, and we’re not necessarily assuming that you are an unwashed homeless person, or someone who may have emerged from a cave with no idea about civilized society, we’re merely saying; brushing your teeth before hand and leaving enough time to clean behind your ears and such.

 

5. Leaving

 

Congratulations you have a new job, all the above has paid off!

 

BUT! Before you pack your bags and say, see ya later Boss. Don’t. Stay on good terms, work through your notice period and leave with the great relationship you intend to have with your new employer. After all you will need a decent reference!

 

Be good and be gracious!

 

Good Luck.

Personal Branding

You could be mistaken for thinking that treating yourself as a business would be wrong.

It isn’t.

The drive and ambition behind businesses should be in every person, as well as self respect and confidence.

As recruiters we want you too feel these things, and employers do too.

In order to be professional, you must project a professional personality. The concept of branding can be applied to a person in a very effective manor.

Establishing a personal brand allows you to differentiate and position yourself from the competition and claim your job.

What type of branding do you have?

• Personal Appearance – Including clothing, hygiene and attractiveness.
• Personality – Your values, goals, identity and behavior.
• Competencies – These are cognitive, business, communication and technical skills that enable you to perform your job responsibilities.
• The Differentiator – Offering a unique value proposition or benefit to your target audience.

Constructing a brand with a mixture of these elements will have a positive effect on the people around you and your future. After producing a personal brand, with these elements, you must weave them into a story or message that can be consumed by your audience.

Growing Your Brand

Personal Branding is an ongoing development that exists throughout an entire lifecycle. As your experience, competencies, physical and emotional attributes grow, your brand will enhance, much like in a product-lifecycle. Creating, maintaining and evolving your brand will help you command your prospective audience and positively communicate your perceived and unique message.

Corporate branding and personal branding are very well connected. The only apparent difference is that instead of marketing a product or service, a person is being promoted and sold to a recruiter.

Treat yourself as the product and sell it!