Last year, Bulls Eye Recruiting did a series on #globalrecruitment and talked to leaders from around the globe.  We talked to recruiters in Australia, Mexico, Dubai, Bulgaria, & South Africa on the differences in recruiting candidates in different countries.  The blogs are still some of the most read blogs on the Bulls Eye Recruiting site.  Like anything else, recruiting continues to evolve and it is important to revisit some of the practices so we can stay on top of current trends and the latest and greatest.  This year, I have partnered with Irene McConnell of Arielle Careers from Sydney, Australia to discuss a number of topics.  This is the first installment of a number of blogs with Irene.

1.  Is my resume still important in 2015?

Irene:  If you’re looking for a traditional job using job boards, direct applications, and recruiters, a well-written resume that highlights who you are, the value you add, and your core accomplishments is essential.

Many recruiters and hiring managers won’t consider your candidacy until they’ve seen your resume, and applicant tracking systems typically won’t accept your application without one.

If you’re working in consulting, freelancing, and less traditional industries, resumes aren’t always necessary, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have one. Consider this: a plumber doesn’t use every tool for every job, but that doesn’t make any one tool irrelevant. Your resume is one tool within a larger toolbox of personal branding documents.

Will:  Here is my view, Irene.  A person should ALWAYS have an updated resume.  I know that may sound crazy, but here in the US, you really don’t know what tomorrow brings.  The economy is red hot and potential candidates really can’t afford to NOT listen to opportunities.  I haven’t seen hiring like this since 1999 and you might as well take advantage of it.  It won’t be like this forever!  If a recruiter calls you about a job, then you should be ready to listen.

I have said this before, but in 2015, I think this is the year of the candidate.  Candidates have been mistreated for so many years.  They have taken pay cuts, they have done the job of three people for several years, and they have been laid off for economic reasons.  “Candidates Revenge” is warranted. The candidates need to look out for their best interests.  Get your resume updated!

2.  How is LinkedIn used by recruiters today?

Irene: Australian recruiters spend most of their time on LinkedIn either finding or vetting candidates.

When a recruiter is actively hunting to fill a role, they’ll plug keywords about job title, key skills, education and industry terms into LinkedIn’s advanced search feature, setting parameters around seniority, location, and other client requirements to build a list of people to call.

Once recruiters have a pool of potential hires, they use LinkedIn to vet individuals prior to inviting them for an interview. In that stage, they’ll review your LinkedIn profile for clues about seniority, depth and scope of experience, commercial acumen and fit.

Will:  As a recruiter, I am on LinkedIn every day.  I truthfully don’t know how you could successfully recruit without it.  I don’t know what the future of LinkedIn is, but I do know for now, it is the best tool for finding candidates TODAY.

The kinds of individuals I recruit which are primarily technology sales and marketing individuals almost always have a profile.  Some candidates are better about having a completed profile than others, but they DO have an account.  There are other lower income professions in which a LinkedIn account is not as helpful.

3.  Can LinkedIn be a copy of my resume/CV?

Irene:  This is akin to asking if a diet and nutrition article on a popular blog will work in an academic journal.

It won’t, because each is written for different audiences and with a different purpose. Your resume should be packed full of details, painting a crystal clear picture of what you did in each role and how it contributed to the business’ strategic priorities.  You shouldn’t share the same level of detail on your LinkedIn, which is available for clients, peers, and competitors to read.

Consider your LinkedIn profile a mission-critical piece of marketing content. Simply copying and pasting your CV is going to leave a gaping hole when it comes to personality, approach, and key motivators: all the things recruiters use to assess fit and gauge what you’re actually like to work with.

Will:  This is actually an interesting topic Irene.  So, to answer your question, you need a resume/CV.  BUT… I can’t tell you how many times I have submitted a LinkedIn URL instead of a resume because the resume was not ready.  Most of the candidates I recruit are passive.  As I said earlier, most candidates SHOULD have an updated resume, but there are a large majority who don’t listen to my advice.

The thing about hiring in the US this year is that it is all about speed.  Writing a resume takes time and time is not on your side as an employer this year.  Candidates are getting multiple offers this year and many of them are getting interviews just based on their LinkedIn profile.  If you don’t have an updated resume, make sure your LI profile looks top notch.

Nothing is good as a good ole fashioned resume/CV though.

4.  Do I need to invest in building a website and presence on other social media platforms?

Irene:  Absolutely. In 2015, businesses that resist digitisation are being left behind, and the same goes for candidates. From a job search perspective, Australian recruiters rely heavily on social media to source candidates. You could be the best candidate in the world, but if a recruiter can’t find you, you won’t get the job.

Looking at the same question from a big picture strategic perspective, companies want savvy, forward-looking leaders who are able to position their business for the future.

Having a hands-on understanding of the massive role digital tools and conversations play in shaping that future will be a key point of differentiation moving forward, parallel to learning how to email 20 years ago.

Will:  So, do you have to have a good online presence to get a job?  No.  Does it help, absolutely.  So, let’s take Bulls Eye Recruiting for example.  The reason my blog is now a business is because of my social media presence.  It does wonders for your career.

If you have a good social media presence, it increases the chances of being found and that will help your career drastically.  There are a few exceptions to this. Obviously if you are doctor or an FBI agent, you are not going to want to share your life history on social media.  My advice to most candidates is to optimize your social media presence.  My good friend Tony Restell will tell you thousands of success stories.

5.  Recently LinkedIn and Twitter stocks took a tumble – could this be the beginning of their decline?

Irene:  What recruiters and candidates need from LinkedIn and Twitter and what investors need are completely different, and the declining stock prices, largely a result of lower than expected display advertising revenues, are unlikely to change that.

Twitter still represents an incredible direct networking opportunity with more than 300 million active monthly users, and LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions hiring subsidiary, where recruiters are investing their dollars, is growing.

Will:  So many reading will laugh at my “tell it like it is” philosophy.  Truthfully I have no idea if they are going to decline.  Eventually I think people might get sick of LinkedIn and Twitter. I actually have found some great key hires from posting on Facebook lately which shows that social media outlets are continuing to evolve.  Who knows what tomorrow brings, but inevitably there will be something better out there.  Remember Monster?  Remember AOL?  It will happen.

IreneMcConnell Irene McConnell is the Founder & Director of Arielle Careers.  Arielle specializes in top-tier executive personal branding services that are a unique blend of experience-backed, in-step-with-the-times Human Resources and Digital Marketing capabilities.  They fuse both of those skill sets together to create a very special, unique variety of personal branding that you won’t find anywhere else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

@willrecruits

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