WHAT JOB SEARCH TRENDS WILL AFFECT YOUR JOB SEARCH IN 2015?
By Jane Jackson, Career Management Coach and Author of Navigating Career Crossroads (#1 Best Seller on Amazon Australia (Careers)
How are you going to stay ahead of the game when job hunting in 2015? If you plan to only stick to traditional methods to apply for jobs, you may end up without even a look in! I’ve done some research and here are some suggestions for you to consider if you’re on the market for a new role this year.
According to a 2014 Jobvite.com survey, 69% of recruiters expect competition for jobs to increase in 2015. 73% of employers are planning to increase their investment in social networking to find candidates. And in 2014 51% of recruiters planned to increase their investment in mobile recruiting. However, according to the same survey, recruiters say that 60% of their best candidates are found through referrals.
This research confirms that it is more important than ever to do your homework to understand all the methods that are used in recruitment in order to stay competitive when looking for a job.
YOUR NETWORK
Even though the research points strongly to online social networking for job search, It is still highly beneficial to gain a personal referral from someone who knows what you can do, can vouch for your work ethic and aptitude and make a strong recommendation that you are a strong contender for the role you are targeting. In a sea of seemingly identical candidates, the word of one trusted colleague to another is the best way for an applicant to get noticed. If you’re nervous about face-to-face networking find out how to become better at it here.
YOUR ONLINE BRAND ON SOCIAL MEDIA
While referrals are a great way to get your foot in the door, recruiters and employers are also turning to social media. Social recruiting has become an essential resource in the hunt for qualified job candidates. According to the 2014 Jobvite survey, 73% of recruiters have hired a candidate through social media. And 93% of recruiters review a candidate’s social profile before making a decision. The powerful professional networking site, LinkedIn, continues to be a recruiter’s network of choice and Facebook and Twitter are also gaining in popularity to find and vet candidates. (94% of recruiters currently use LinkedIn for recruiting, 66% use Facebook and 52% use Twitter.)
It is essential to manage your online brand effectively. Here are some suggestions to increase the effectiveness of your LinkedIn profile.
MOBILE RECRUITING
According to the Jobvite survey, recruiters use mobile devices to post jobs, search for and contact candidates, and forward resumes to colleagues. 51% of recruiters have plans to increase their investment in mobile recruiting.
So what does this mean for candidates and employers? Companies whose websites are optimised for mobile devices will be at an advantage. As for candidates, a survey by GlassDoor.com states that 90% of job seekers will use their mobile phones or tablets as one of their job search strategies in the next 12 months. That’s a 7% increase from last year.
So, to stay ahead of the competition when job hunting this year pay attention to the big shift to online recruitment via social media and mobile devices, where both companies and job candidates are relying on technology to boost their professional brands and reach out to each other. Balance this out with good old-fashioned face-to-face networking for referrals, advice and guidance and you will stay ahead of the game!
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