Untapped Territory Social Recruiting with Instagram and Pinterest

Untapped Territory Social Recruiting with Instagram and Pinterest Well there’s no doubt about it, social recruiting has improved both the quantity and quality of candidates, and an online study by Jobvite suggests that one-third of human resource professionals tend to agree.  This is because social profiles are giving recruiters more confidence in not only the professional fit of a candidate but the cultural fit too. Employers and candidates both actively seek this fit and a shifting trend in working life and employer brand positioning means that brands are opening their doors to the public and using the workplace as a communication tool to share their cultural values â€" and they’re using social media to do it. The survey study suggests that a staggering 93% of recruiters are likely to look at a candidate’s social profile and 42% have reconsidered a candidate after viewing it. This lead to both positive and negative re-assessments, and funnily enough, it’s not awkward photos that are deterring potential employers â€" it’s often profanity, and grammar and punctuation errors that trigger negative reactions (over 60% of the time). This upward trend means that the hiring environment is getting increasingly more competitive and defining your social media strategy is evermore important. Recruiters with clear social media strategy are reaching beyond the predicted platforms and into social environments like Pinterest and Instagram, which are being considered as “specialised”, “localised” and “up-and-coming”. Pinterest and Instagram are not primarily designed to be recruiting sites, so unfortunately many recruiters fail to see the value in using them. But the fact is, plenty of desirable candidates and potential brands and clients use them, as much and sometimes more as other social sites.  There is a strategic opportunity here, and it’s based around the idea of this cultural fit both these sites offer users the opportunity to express themselves, their interests, their creativity, their skills â€" even insight into their current, past and future work life.  These platforms are being considered as an “innovators way of recruiting” â€" if you’re using it already, you’re one of the first to harness the opportunity. Dan Finnigan, President and CEO of Jobvite, rightly says Its no longer a question of are recruiters using social media?’, its a question of how. So how are you using it? Have you considered using Pinterest or Instragram? What is Pinterest? Popular sharing site launched in 2011 Simple user interface makes it widely used Sharing content is accomplished easily (photos can be pined to boards and then shared to Facebook and Twitter) Highly visual images go viral Videos can also be pinned to boards Over 48 million registered members 80% of all pins are re-pins What are the benefits of using Pinterest? Driving Traffic with SEO: Like many social networks, it drives traffic to job openings and talent communities by tagging in this case, with ‘pins’.  Recruiters are able to ‘pin’ pictures and information about a job or potential employment opportunities using photos and graphics. You can add links and other information either within the content of the image or in the description below it.  This search engine optimization approach relies on the use of organic search on the Pinterest site to drive candidates to your posts. Sourcing for Candidates: Pinterest is the perfect platform for our much-loved infographics. They are all over the social platform and are another reason to discuss the “death of the resume” and “rise of the infographic resume”. It’s a great idea and the trend is catching but at this stage, most applicant tracking systems are made to track down a graphic in lieu of a traditional resume format. Pinterest Strategies: Make the most important boards appear first. Add relevant keywords to your boards and pin descriptions. Reciprocal pinning: sharing only your own work will not encourage other pinners to share your content. Pin when users are most active (2pm-4pm and 8pm-1am). READ MORE: How to Recruit Using Pinterest [Top 3 Tips]  / How To Use Pinterest for Social Recruiting [Cool Example] What is Instagram? Popular for its photo-editing features Simplistic photo sharing ability allows users to upload images easily and quickly Photos can be shared to other networks: Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Flickr Tumblr Creative images receives comments and likes 40 million photos shared every day 8,500 likes per second 1,000 comments per seconds What are the benefits of using Instagram?   Employer brand image building: Being a photo-sharing app, Instagram certainly has the “cool factor” going for it. It draws trend leaders and allows brands an opportunity to outwardly portray its brand image to attract the right candidates. This reflects back on the idea of brands using their workplace as communication tool to express brand values. Instagram is one of the perfect places to do this. Hashtag search for candidates: The platform uses the most simple keyword search process â€" the hashtag. It’s as simple as searching “writer”, “engineering”, “PR”, and you will not only receive an abundance of results to filter through, but recommendations from Instagram. The ability to follow and communicate directly with other users via the comment feature is also a great way to engage. Instagram Strategies: Follow others in your field/industry and network. Post visually stimulating images that generate a significant amount of activity. Stay active: Instagram feeds can become very cluttered. Share images to other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. The rise in popularity of both these platforms gives more possibility in recruiting in terms of recruiting tools. There’s lots to be learnt, lots to be explored and there is no doubt that when both platforms realise their potential as recruitment tools, more recruitment-focused features will be added to support us too. These are both untapped potential candidate pipelines with little to no cost, of course with the exception of your time â€" definitely something to consider. READ MORE: How to Recruit Using Instagram [5 Simple Steps] Image: Shutterstock

Business Resume Writing Pricing - Making Your Choice

Business Resume Writing Pricing - Making Your ChoiceIf you want to go in a different direction when it comes to business resumes, then consider that there are a number of people who can help you with your resume writing pricing. You could even consider them as great partners if you are working in the same field. That is because they have already gone through the same experience.Your professionalism is the key factor that will have a positive impact on your career. Remember that you should always stick to your strengths and keep all the other factors aside.On the other hand, if you want to improve your skills and knowledge in an area, then focus your primary focus on that. It is important that you do not put too much focus on pricing. You should make sure that you get good job offers in addition to that.It is essential for you to think about the fees of getting a perfect resume in order to work with the right resume writing pricing service. Once you have decided that you want to use o ne, you should know how to pick the best one. Do not fall for scams or falling for those that are not the right fit for you. You should be able to evaluate first before you choose the right resume writing pricing company.It is also important for you to be aware of the claims of these companies so that you can assess whether they are reliable or not. Do not be pressured into buying a business resume. You can find out how you can get the cheapest prices for all the products that you need. The prices will vary according to the services you need and the type of services that you need.Resume writing pricing companies have no set salaries. You can choose to start with a lower price because you believe that the company is worth your time. Remember that the money that you spend will go towards the training and product that you will need.Getting the right resume writing pricing is really important for your career. A professional resume writer can help you get ahead in your current position o r can guide you to better opportunities for the future. You should never settle for the least priced one. They are actually the ones that can do a better job for you.The right pricing can help you get the right results and you should be able to get the results that you want. It will help you get what you are looking for. It will increase your chances of getting a good job offer, but you should never settle for low prices.

Its Not About You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Its Not About You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I hate to tell you this, I really do. The truth is that most people dont give a hoot about your personal brand. They dont care how great you are at what you do. They dont care that you are the perfect solution to their problem. They dont care about how many impressive clients youve had or what wildly successful projects youve led. And unless they went to the same college as you, they dont really care about that either. Obviously, this is a problem if youre trying to get your brand out there. Youre focused on telling the world about everything you can do and why youre the best person to do it. You want people to come by your website and spend time learning all about you. Shine the spotlight After all, personal branding is all about shining the spotlight on yourself, right? Sure. If you want people to avoid you. No one wants to hang-out with the braggart who is only interested in their own life! If you want your personal branding to actually be effective, it shouldnt be about you at all. Instead, your personal branding should be all about someone else. Yes, I actually wrote that. And Ill repeat it, just so you know its not a typo: When youre branding yourself, you need to stop writing about yourself and focus totally on your potential customer or employer. Why in the world do you want to do this? Isnt focusing on someone else the exact opposite of personal branding? Not at all. In fact, its the only way to get your brand heard. People are really busy right now. Theyre worrying about their own jobs and trying to get more done with less. Theyre buried in work and barely have time to focus on what they need to get done. Your potential employer or customer doesnt have time to listen to you babble on about yourself in hopes they might hear something useful. Instead, they want to know whats in this conversation for them. If you dont make that clear right away, theyll leave your website or tune out from your conversation. Theyre too busy to do anything else. So how do you know if youre focused on yourself or your target market? Take a look at your website and blog. Do you speak in the first person a lot? Does your website say I do this or Im great at that? Is it all an About page? Or do you talk about the issues and problems facing your potential customer/employer and focus on solutions? Are your examples all about the steps you took, or are they about the results that happened because of your work? What are they thinking about? When you come up with your personal branding strategy, are you asking yourself: What is my potential customer/employer thinking about? What is their day like? What issues are they facing? And the most important question of all: What can I do to make their life/work easier? If youre doing that already, youre on the right track. If youre not, you might be turning off the very people you want to reach. Once youve answered the questions above, you should focus your entire personal branding strategy around that final question. Everything you write should be focused on helping your potential customer/employer and showing them that you understand the problems they are facing and know how to solve them. Your goal should be to leverage your personal brand so that when someone from your target market visits your site, they think Wow, this person really understands me and can make my life easier. If you can do that, youve hooked them. Then, once theyre hooked, you can tell them all about you. But, in order to get their attention, it needs to be about them first. Thats why a successful personal brand is one thats all about someone else. Author: Katie Konrath writes about creativity, innovation and ideas so fresh they should be slapped! at www.getFreshMinds.com.

Personal Branding Interview Kit Yarrow - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Kit Yarrow - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Kit Yarrow, who is the co-author of Gen BuY: How Tweens, Teens and Twenty-Somethings are Revolutionizing Retail.   In this interview, Kit sizes up the typical Gen-Yer, explains how this group is different than other generations, illustrates how theyve influenced the workplace and buying, shares some highlights from her research, what motivates them and more. Can you size up what a typical Gen-Yer behavior is? How are they different from other generations? First and foremost they’re more confident than previous generations were at their age. They’re the product of a more child-centric society, the self-esteem movement and a culture that values youth. They’ve been appreciated and understood in a way that’s really unique. Add to that teamwork, and the ability to use technology to connect with others and circumvent traditional hierarchies and you’ve got an empowered and confident generation. How has Gen-Y influenced how businesses run, from a workplace and buying perspective? Obviously technology is a key factor. What I hear most often â€" that Gen Y’ers “embrace” technology is actually only a small part of why this is so important. More essential is the mentality that has resulted from having grown up with all that technology has to offer. Certainly Gen Y’ers get bored more easily than older generations and process surface information more quickly. They also have a fundamental appreciation for innovation and new ideas. And as mentioned earlier â€" they’re better at moving around obstacles and can call upon a pack of real or virtual friends for back up when they need it. Anywhere, anytime is part of it too. Marketers and retailers are not only using technology more effectively as a result, but also relying more on visual cues, rotating merchandise more quickly, tying in with causes and events and giving consumers more control over their messaging. During your research for this book, what were the top 3 most fascinating statistics you found? Some of the findings I found most interesting were actually contradictions that arose when comparing surveys â€" and the unique and inventive ways that Gen Y’ers responded to internal conflicts. For example, compared with other generations Gen Y’ers are more passionate supporters of sustainability. But they’re also relatively heavy purchasers of clothing. One of the ways that many of the Gen Yers I interviewed were dealing with this conflict was by shopping at second hand stores. Another source of conflict I saw in twenty-something Gen Y’ers was between the high standards they had for themselves and struggles feeling satisfied with life choices. They’d been told they could “do anything” and “not to settle” and so despite relatively high self-esteem many felt a lot of anxiety and doubt about their career (and even mate) selections. The solution for many was a dedication to continuously learning and trying new things. As for straight up numbers, according to our Gen BuY survey of 2,000 American consumers, Gen Y is enthusiastic about shopping. Of those under 30, 44% say they “love shopping” compared to 31% of those over 30. Add in “like shopping” and the numbers are 71% of Gen Y and 48% of those over 30. Another interesting statistic, according to Nielsen Online, time spent online by kids 2-11 has increased 63% in the past five years compared a 36% increase across all ages. What motivates a Gen-Yer? Generally speaking, Gen Y is motivated by innovation. They like new and different things, and stimulation.   They also appreciate and expect feedback more than other generations. And whether online or in-person, Gen Y is motivated by belonging and performs better when they feel part of a team. Can you spotlight a Gen-Yer you interviewed for your book and go over how they feel like they are different from other generations? One of the things I found most charming about the Gen Y’ers I interviewed â€" whether they were 10 to 29 was their awareness and appreciation of their parents. One 29 year-old woman I interviewed was in awe of the sacrifices her parents had made for her. For example, she commented that while she liked to dine out several times a week, her parents considered it a special occasion. And while neither had been able to afford college themselves, they insisted that she go and scrimped to pay for her education. There’s much discussion about Gen Y feeling “entitled.” While evidence of high expectations may surface in surveys, when you sit down and talk to Gen Y’ers, most seem to be very aware of the price attached to their expectations. They feel fortunate and grateful. That’s not the same as being entitled â€" entitlement includes ignorance. Kit Yarrow is co-author, with Jayne O’Donnell of USA Today, of Gen BuY: How Tweens, Teens and Twenty-Somethings are Revolutionizing Retail. Kit Yarrow chairs the psychology department of Golden Gate University, where she is professor of psychology and marketing. She is the universitys 2009 Outstanding Scholar for her research on consumer psychology. Kit has taught consumer behavior at universities around the world, from Slovenia to Malaysia, including the Helsinki School of Economics and U.C. Berkeley. Yarrow has appeared on ABC World News, Good Morning America, CNN and NPR, and has been quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and U.S. News World Report.   She blogs for SFGate.com and Psychology Today.   Visit www.genbuy.net to learn more about the psychology of Gen Y and shopping.

Resume Writing Workshop Near Me

Resume Writing Workshop Near MeIf you are looking for a resume writing workshop near me, make sure you check out my website. I have been in the advertising and sales field for years and I learned a lot about how to write a resume during that time. Now that I am retired, I have become even more successful as a writer.What should you look for in a workshop? Well, there are a few things that will help you make your resume stand out from the crowd. First of all, I recommend a workshop that focuses on creative resumes that use powerful words to communicate a strong message. Of course, if you need a resume for just a job opening, a creative resume might not be the best option.One great workshop is one that will show you how to apply the lessons learned while working in an ad agency to your work as a writer. This can be a great benefit when you are getting started. If you already have a resume and you want to give it a little sprucing up, a workshop like this will allow you to put together a polished, professional look.How do you find these workshops? The Internet is your friend. You can search for 'resume writing workshop near me' or simply type in 'resume writing workshop' in your favorite search engine and see what comes up.Then, decide what you want to learn and what you want to do. If you want to learn how to write a resume by yourself, find a workshop that teaches how to go about learning how to write a resume from scratch. This is a good first step because you do not want to be completely unprepared and have to redo all of your work before you start.If you want to learn how to apply what you learn to a specific kind of writing, try a workshop that focuses on SEO (search engine optimization). This is a major part of a successful job search, especially when you want to land a great position. In fact, it is almost mandatory. A good SEO resume will send the search engines to your resume.In addition to that, make sure the workshop you choose has a reputation for pro ducing great students. I prefer online forums and online reviews to attend these types of workshops. You never know who is going to be a regular attendee and how good their writing skills will be.If you are a freelance writer and looking for a workshop to help you develop the skills you need to make a living from your writing, I highly recommend one that trains you to write quality resumes. By taking advantage of all the tools available to writers, including online forums and online reviews, you can easily find a great workshop near you.

VisualCV What You Need To Know

VisualCV What You Need To Know You can never have enough online visibility! VisualCV is one more place on the web someone can learn about you! VisualCV is making it easier for you to update and share your resume! But quickly, in case you havent heard of it, VisualCV is a freemium service that allows you to create an online resume. With a free account, you can choose from many templates. For a small monthly fee, you have more template options to choose from. Updated Features Create multiple versions of your resume (and easily share the right one) Use your mobile device to update, edit or share your VisualCV You can learn more about the updates to VisualCV by reading the announcement here. Key Features Its not only your online resume, its your online portfolio (accepts multi-media uploads) You can track resume views and downloads Your resume is now available in multiple formats: web, mobile, and PDF. Spread the word and share the link to your VisualCV (in your social media profiles, email signature or as a link) I had the opportunity to ask James Clift,  CEO of VisualCV, some questions about VisualCV and this is what he had to say. What do you see as the main differentiator between VisualCV and LinkedIn? First off, I dont see LinkedIn as a competitor. LinkedIn is a valuable tool for professional networking. With LinkedIn youre essentially sending employers to a landing page that is not customized for the position, filled with ads and distracting content, and even links to more people competing for that job. That being said, here are the main differences between VisualCV and LinkedIn. Difference 1: Resume version control VisualCV is for when people need a professional, customized profile that shows off their unique skills. Whether its landing a new job, closing a new consulting client, or building their public speaking reputation VisualCV lets you create the right profile for the job.  The most obvious differentiator is version control in seconds a user can create a different version of their  VisualCV with a unique design, tailored to the career goal theyre trying to reach. LinkedIn is one ubiquitous profile peppered with ads, news, and distractions. Our user group is diverse from CEOs, executives, doctors, lawyers and business influencers to recent high school graduates. We want to be with you every step of your career with the right profile to help you get what you want. Difference 2: Multi-media and design   LinkedIns design is lacking. Along with more attractive and effective designs, we do a really good job at supporting various forms of multi-media uploads (videos, images, presentations, and PDFs). Difference 3: Privacy   You control your VisualCV. Users are in full control of their privacy and can choose either a public or private profile (or both). Well never sell your data to third parties and do not run ads or post jobs on the platform.  We only service one customer the individual professional. Do you recommend  people use their VisualCV to apply for jobs? As with any tool, its about how you use it. For jobs where youre not going through the traditional application process, sending over your online VisualCV is a good move that will help you differentiate from other job seekers. If youre applying the traditional way, we recommend creating a toned-down version of your VisualCV, exporting it to PDF to upload into the applicant tracking system, and linking to your online VisualCV from that PDF. And if applying via email, should someone insert a link to their VisualCV or  send a PDF? I would recommend both attach a PDF resume to that email along with a link. My strategy is always to play within the rules, but to stretch them when you can. What happens to the multi-media files that are embedded? Though theyll still display in a PDF, we recommend creating a separate toned-down version strictly for PDF exports for traditional applications. Link to your online VisualCV  from that PDF. Is a Word version available when employers specifically ask for one? PDF is the only export format currently available, but that is changing very soon! Were also working on some secret sauce that will make VisualCVs  the best format for applying to applicant tracking software. UPDATE: You can export your VisualCV to Google Doc which you can then download in almost any file format you want!   Will creating a VisualCV help improve a job seekers online search results? Definitely. A unique public VisualCV will help you own your Google results. Its important to have your Google results match your resume when an employer searches your name and they will search your name. Besides design layout, what do you recommend VisualCV users to inject their personality into their VisualCV? Work samples, work samples, and more work samples.  Show, dont tell. If youre a designer show off your best designs. An engineer your best 3D models. A professor your top published papers. If youre a marketing professional or salesperson video could be a valuable addition. If you were quoted in the New York Times add a link to the story. Your VisualCV should be your professional highlight reel, and its much easier to show that off with  visual content than words. The more proof you have, the better. Is an icon/link still available to include in an email signature? It is indeed! Another personal marketing method we highly recommend. Whats the difference between the free versus the paid plan? The free account allows for 2 versions of 1 free resume design. Besides kick-ass designs and advanced analytics, the Professional Plan includes unlimited resume versions and unlimited multi-media uploads. We also offer a resume review service for Pro users, as well as (for a limited time) our team will actually build your first  VisualCV! Do you have any success stories from users who have secured a job by using their VisualCV? Tons! Here are a few: Im In. I created mine many years ago and have recently updated it. You can see it by clicking here

Hosting - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Hosting - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Having just spent three days in Slovenia exploring the art of hosting, I thought Id write a little about what hosting means to me. Basically, every time you invite somebody to be a part of something, youre assuming the role of host. Whether its a meeting, a conference, a project, a party, a lecture or a night out with the boys: Any time you gather people, you assume the role of host. So what makes the concept of hosting so interesting? To me, the answer lies in freedom. I believe (as do many other schools of thought), that freedom is a basic condition of life. We are free to choose. This is explored in depth in the book Freedom and Accountability at work (which Ill review very soon), and if you havent seen Matrix Reloaded yet, that film has a lot to say on that subject to. Nobody can tell you what to do. Nobody can tell you what to think. Every time somebody gives you an order, you decide whether to do it or not. You make the choice. However it is also true, that people utilize their freedom differently. Some people are very aware of their own freedom to choose, while others constantly make their choices based on other considerations eg. based on social norms, peer pressure, orders, habits, etc. One quote states that Nobody is free to do someting they cant think of. Therefore, being free also means expanding your realm of whats possible what youre able to think of. So the goal should be to fully realize your own freedom, but also to enable others to do the same. Which of course carries a built in paradox, because you cant simply order people to be free. You can only invite them to participate, and the create circumstances which makes it easire for people to see and live their own essential freedom. This is the essence of hosting. Good hosting is: Carefully prepared Preparation is essential, and here the key is to prepare just enough. Do as little as possible to make it work, but leave as much as possible to the participants themselves. Every time you do something for them, you potentially take some of the responsibility and fun from them. Inclusive A good host lets everybody contribute, especially to the point of sharing the duties of host with the participants. Which brings to mind the old Lao Tzu quote about good leaders. Good hosts create good hosts every where they go. Focused If the gathering has a purpose, then keep that focus in mind. Allow people to stray, but a totally unfocused gathering is rarely a satisfying experience. Alive You cant control a gathering of people, and if you try, the results you get are not indicative of what the people really wanted, and in all probability the quality of the results will also suffer. The very best meetings flow in strange and unpredictable ways, according to the mood, energy level and will of the people present. To me, many roles in daily contain the role of the host at their core, and Id like to mention a few: Leaders are hosts If you accept, that people are free, and that nobody can give anybody orders, then any order becomes instead an invitation. Do this is then the same as I invite you to do this, but you choose whether or not to do it. And this means that the leader is now a host, whose invited somebody to work towards some goal. Facilitators are hosts This is so obvious it hardly needs stating, but a facilitators role is to shape a gathering towards some purpose. To me, that has hosting written all over it. Teachers are hosts You cannot order somebody to learn something. You can invite them to study, but they create their own learning. Therefore teaching and hosting are very close to each other. The reason why it is important to realize that these roles contain hosting at their core, is that in order to be a good leader, facilitator or teacher, you need to be good host. I believe hosting to be an essentil skill for any aspect of life. Many things happen, when people gather for a purpose, and every gathering requires hosts. Ive been talking to my good friend Carsten, who shares many of these beliefs, and well arrange a seminar in hosting at Arena soon. Stay tuned. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related