Social Job Search - The Advance Group

Why You Should be Recruiting More Passive Candidates

Raza Rauf on June 19, 2015

In the recruitment market, there is always a push for hiring the highest quality of candidates, and placing them in the jobs that are the best match. But this often poses as a huge challenge, because these great candidates are hard to find in high-demand industries. This is when recruiters turn to passive candidate recruitment methods to seek out professionals who may not be currently looking for a job right now, but whom have the right qualities for placement in an upcoming job order. Here are several reasons you should be recruiting more passive candidates for your organization.

What is it about passive candidates that is so appealing to recruiters?

You may be asking yourself, “Why would I want to put any energy out trying to recruit passive candidates, if they are already employed by someone else?” This is a valid question, but it goes much deeper than this. Passive candidates often represent the cream-of-the-crop in terms of the types of candidates you want to build a relationship with. They have several key advantages over active candidates, including:

They’ve already earned the experience and accolades that are desired by top companies, so their value is greatly elevated.
They have excellent references and backgrounds that are desired by companies, so you can leverage this for negotiating higher placement fees.
They are well connected with other leading candidates, so once you have won a passive candidate over, their colleagues will follow – making your job as a recruiter easier.

These are just a few advantages you will find when working with passive candidates. How can you start attracting and building a nice pipeline of passive candidates? Read on for some tips on finding and recruiting passive candidates.

3 ways to find and recruit passive candidates

Use these tips for finding those top passive candidates and getting them on board.

1. Use a personalized recruitment approach

Instead of sending out canned email messages that sound “salesy,” why not take a more personalized approach to meeting passive candidates? Connect with them on social networks and at local business networking events. Introduce yourself, what you do, and how you can help them reach their career goals. Then follow up in a non-threatening way, maybe over a cup of coffee.

2. Find out what passive candidates want

As early as possible, get to know what each passive candidate is looking for in terms of the next level of their career growth. Maybe they are already at the top of their game and are looking for a change? Be open and just ask them outright what they may be looking for in the next three-to-five years.

3. Offer passive candidates what they want

Now that you have an idea of what a passive candidate wants, stay in touch and offer them opportunities to get to know some of your best clients. Work out a strategy to get them a position that meets their needs with one of your companies. Go one step beyond what other recruiters are offering with a sweet compensation and career growth package they cannot resist.

Be Careful What You Tweet! Job Seeker Tips to Avoid Social Sabotage

Raza Rauf on June 16, 2015

It’s been said many times over – be careful what you share on social media sites. Social networks forever archive the comments and posts of people who own these accounts. What may appear to be a harmless post can land anyone in legal hot water later on.

But, people still think that it’s ok to vent on social networks about their bosses, their co-workers, and more. Before you open up that Twitter app to share the latest complaint, stop and think about how this could cost you a job.

Consider your image on social networking sites

When is the last time you checked out your social media profiles from an objective stance? Consider that in a recent workforce survey, some 93 percent of all recruiters polled said they turn to social networking sites to learn more about candidates before hiring them. This means, a recruiter for your dream company is going to be poking around your Twitter feeds, your Facebook timeline, your LinkedIn profile, and more before asking you to come in for an interview.

Never talk about drugs on social networks

The number one no-no that recruiters say they don’t ever want to see on a social media profile is a reference to drugs of any kind. Even if you live in a state that allows the legal use of some drugs, leave this off your profiles. Drugs, drinking, partying, and other juvenile behavior is not something that recruiters care to see in potential hires.

Don’t re-tweet or share offensive content

Just because a friend posts something you think is funny or cool means it should be shared. Much of the social media content out there today borders on illegal and offensive, so just pass it by. Imagine if you re-tweeted a post and then a recruiter saw this on your profile? Not a good idea at all.

Stop talking badly about your company

Everyone has heard a story about someone who has talked negatively or abusively on a social network and ended up getting fired over this. It’s a very real thing that happens all the time. If you are upset about something that has happened at work, take the time to talk offline with someone you trust or your HR department – but leave it off the social networks.

Eliminate negative and offensive content

While you are avoiding the sharing of offensive and negative content, do a quick audit of your past tweets and delete those that could paint you in a wrong light. These can include offensive imagery, references to drugs and drinking, photos of partying with friends, and anything that includes violence, illegal activities, and discrimination towards other people.

Never make threats on social media

If you have had a bad experience with someone in your circle of friends or co-workers, whatever you do – never ever make threats on social networks. Not only can this come back to haunt you in a job search, but you could face criminal charges from the targeted person.

If you are employed, be discreet

Many people search for jobs while they are currently employed, about 60 percent of all adults do. But you want to use discretion while using social networks for this purpose. Don’t announce you are available for work when you are working for someone else. Don’t use the company computer to search for jobs online. These activities raise red flags and you could wind up getting fired from your current job.

Unemployed? Job Seeking? Here’s What You Need to Know

Raza Rauf on June 9, 2015

Finding a job when currently employed is one thing; finding a job when unemployed is an entirely different experience. Studies have shown that it can be harder to find a job when unemployed, because some hiring managers view this as a negative mark for a candidate. An employed candidate is somehow more favorable than someone between jobs? It doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense.

Fortunately, these attitudes are changing. Today, hiring managers understand that sometimes people face periods of unemployment through no fault of their own. If you are currently in this predicament, take heart – there are some ways to make the most of this time in your career.

1. Don’t sit around waiting for a job offer – get out there and grab one!

As an unemployed person, you are actually in a unique position to be the master of your job search. Instead of having to sneak around a job trying to look for work and go to interviews, you can dedicate all your time to finding a great new job. Get up early every day and treat it like a job, searching for work, going to job fairs, volunteering in the community, heading to your local temporary staffing agency, and connecting with recruiters on social media accounts.

2. Good news – you can start working immediately.

The positive side of being unemployed while looking for a new job is that you can start immediately if an employer calls you up. Make sure to emphasize this at all interviews and when talking with the recruiters at your temporary agency. Check in frequently, and be sure to accept part-time and even one-day assignments while you look for something better.

3. Take on a temporary assignment in the meantime to stay active.

The best thing you can do for your career and spirits is to stay active in your career by taking on temporary assignments. Be open to trying assignments that may be somewhat outside your normal types of work tasks. Stay in good terms with local companies by accepting assignments, being punctual and professional at all times.

4. Make sure to get the support and guidance for your career.

Being unemployed, even for short periods of time, can be hard on the psyche. This means you will want to stay connected to others by attending unemployment benefit meetings, support groups, and remaining a part of the world. If you have a circle of friends and family around you, rooting you on, you will be better able to face the daily aspects of finding a job with a good outlook.

5. Try learning some new marketable skills or head back to school.

The other advantage you have as an unemployed job seeker is that now have the time to learn new marketable skills or to finally head back to school to earn that degree you’ve always dreamed of. Take careful inventory of the skills you have now, what’s lacking, and if training can close the gap so you can become more valuable in the workforce. Many states have workforce development programs that can include financial support for earning a certificate or degree in a certain industry that’s in need of skilled labor.

Use the above steps to launch your new career in a positive way. Do not despair. A new job is just around the corner.

3 Good Reasons to Turn Down a Job Offer

Raza Rauf on May 12, 2015

As a job seeker, it can be easy to jump at a job offer as soon as possible. After all, you’ve been applying and interviewing everywhere and it’s taking a long time to get one. However, not every job offer is lined in gold. Some may lead to disaster for your personal life and for your career.

It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of every job offer before you accept it. Why is this important? There are several reasons, and today we will talk about the three valid reasons you may want to turn down a job offer that you’ve received.

#1 – The company has a history of failing

A job offer may seem wonderful at first, until you dig a little deeper into the company itself. A huge red flag would be a company that has a history of failing in many ways. This could be a high turnover rate among employees due to no work life balance, or it could be a company that has a shoddy financial history of layoffs and being bought out by other companies. If the company has posted financial earnings and stock reports in the last quarter or two, you can review this to see how the company is performing. Take the time to review company ratings online and you may see a pattern of problems.

#2 – The money isn’t even close to being enough

If the job offer has come with a very disappointing salary attached to it, take the time to negotiate for a higher compensation now before you accept it. Failure to do so could lock you into a job that pays a lot less than you need to support yourself and your family. This will lead to resentment and financial stress. It’s possible to go online and research salaries before walking into an interview so that you can discuss this before the job offer comes. Follow your gut on this and do not accept a job offer that pays far below what you deserve. A better job that pays more is out there.

#3 – The job is another dead end road

When people get desperate for any job they often accept a job offer that does not offer much room for advancement. Don’t get caught in this trap. Find out from the recruiter what the career path looks like for this job. Get the job description in writing during an interview or when the offer is made. Let the recruiter know that you are looking for long-term career success and the opportunity to learn more in the industry. Find out how this job will enable you to grow in your career. If it looks like it will be a dead-end job, run in the other direction.

Perhaps one of the best ways to get a great job offer is to work through a staffing agency with caring representatives who will be focused on helping you land a job that is well matched to your skills and aspirations. Often times, a staffing agency can negotiate a much better job offer then if you tried to do this on your own. You can even work temporary assignments until a better job offer comes. So, never settle for a bad job offer – instead connect with Advance Staffing Solutions for career support.

A Short Work Experience Doesn’t Keep You Out of the Race!

Raza Rauf on May 5, 2015

Are you a new college grad with limited career experience? Have you been working a series of short term jobs with no real direction? Do not let a short work experience keep you from landing a new job. Short work experience should not prevent you from landing the job of your dreams in your industry, but it can hurt if you do not know how to sell that experience to potential employers.

Here, we will discuss how you can sell your skills and take the focus off the short work experience to employers so you can land a job.

Explain Your Skills Learned

One of the first things you need to do when interviewing for a job with a short work experience is to explain the skills learned in that short period. After explaining the skills learned, talk about how they will be useful to the company if you are hired. You should also talk about any training received while at previous companies or if you are planning to return to school for an advanced degree. You can also share other experience like volunteer work, special projects completed, and freelance work performed. All of this information will only help your case when interviewing for a job.

Discuss Your Responsibilities

Another good idea when trying to land a job with short work experience is to talk about the responsibilities you held at prior companies. Maybe you worked for one year or more as a department manager. Maybe you were put in charge of payroll at a smaller company. Both of these items will help you land a new job even if you have short work experience during your career. The more responsibilities you have to discuss, the better chance you have at the job.

Stress Your Educational Background

For most people with a short work background, many of them are just out of college or returning to the workforce after raising a family. Because of these two reasons, you must stress your education background. Be prepared to inform the company about the degree you earned, which classes were most important to your major, any internships you worked and any clubs you were involved in that would help you learn about your profession. By talking about your education, you show the employer how dedicated you were while in school to land a job such as the one you are interviewing for right now.

Explain the Short-Term Jobs

If your short work experience includes temporary jobs or a lot of job hopping, you need to disclose these positions to the employer. Instead of trying to hide these jobs, you must talk to the employer about them and explain why you worked temporary jobs or moved around a lot. Reasons could include you wanted to gain as much experience in a short period of time as possible or that you were laid off from your permanent job and wanted something to hold you over until a new full-time job came along.
The bottom line here is that having a short work experience should not hold you back from landing a new job so long as you take advantage of the tips outlined above. You can fast-track your way to career success by taking on temporary assignments through Advance Staffing and earning more career experience at the same time as getting paid.

Can LinkedIn Recommendations Help You Land a Job?

Raza Rauf on February 6, 2015

Millions of people are on LinkedIn these days in an effort to improve their reach within their industry and to find a new job in Sylvania OH. The best way to do this is by having a complete profile, which means that it must include recommendations from previous employers, co-workers, mentors or college professors. Recommendations from those who know you best will help you land a job.

Find out how to leverage LinkedIn to land a job sooner, with these tips below:

Identify Your People Who are the Best Fit to Recommend You

The first step in landing a job via a LinkedIn recommendation is by identifying the people within your network who are best fit to recommend you. Instead of sending out a mass email to the hundreds of people in your network, identify who knows you best from college, a previous job or a current job. Send out five recommendation requests per week until you receive a set number of recommendations you think is best for your profile.

Recommend First, Then Ask

Instead of directly asking a connection to recommend you, consider recommending them first. They will either reciprocate without having to be asked or will kindly write you a recommendation after you nudge them just a little bit. It is never a good idea to ask for a recommendation without offering something in return first.

Create a List of Accomplishments

Make sure your LinkedIn profile features the best accomplishments from your entire career. When you put all of this on one list you will make it easier for those recommending you to write their letter. It will not be generic or boring. Instead, it will be specific to your career and the accomplishments achieved with those who recommended you. Use the space near the top part of your profile page to include your best features and accomplishments.

Request Recommendations Early

It is a good idea to request the recommendation while still employed with a company that also employs your endorser or to do so not long after you have left that company. This will ensure that the endorser does not forget who you are or what it is you did for the company while employed. If the endorser does not respond right away, do not worry as everyone is busy. Wait a week or so and ask again, but this time send a personal email request or make a quick phone call.

Tell Endorsers What to Write

Many times, a connection wants to recommend someone on LinkedIn, but does not know how to ask or what to write. This is not a problem. Ask that person for the recommendation and then tell them what it is they should say. Many endorsers will ask what to say, whether it is the generic “He performed well,” or will ask if they should be very specific with the letter.

The bottom line here is that LinkedIn recommendations can go a long way towards helping you land a job in Sylvania OH or a new client. It is best to have at least one per client or employer that is featured on your profile.

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