Black Sales Journal

The job search conundrum can definitely be a routine.  The problem is that it can also be one of the biggest wastes of time imaginable.  Why are you working so hard to find a suitable position when you’re the real power is in recruiters seeking you out?

___________________

I had an opportunity to review a compelling report called the Jobvite 20015 Recruiter Nation Survey. Jobvite (http://jobvite.com) is a forward-looking San Francisco company that specializes in recruiting software and applicant tracking software.  This organization is on the cutting edge in recruiting platforms.

I am going to share some of the Jobvite finding that may really help you in your job search.

Jobvite 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey –  A Few Important Points

Over 92% of recruiters will use social media to find you! – Of the major platforms out there, 87% use LinkedIn, 55% use Facebook, and 47% use Twitter.  There are looking you where you spend time.  This is a big deal!

Referrals are your most effective source of quality hires! - This is huge, and there is no easy way to say it, you need to have all of your professional contacts “looking” out for you when you are looking.  Recruiters regularly utilize social networks, internships, and outside recruiters, but having a network of people watching out for you is an extremely effective way to put yourself in contention for a position.

Recruiters face obstacles trying to find the right candidate! – 56% of recruiters are hurting for skilled or qualified candidates.  This is a big deal as well.  Be mobile if possible, and search your regions with knowledge that if you can have flexibility, you may land a job, the job, more quickly.  Help the recruiter help you, be up front about your flexibility and terms.

There are many other points in the survey.  I want to make sure that aspiring candidates understand the importance of social media, referrals, and flexibility.  Jobvite’s survey was well done in its scope, and I am even more convinced that building and focusing on a professional network, as opposed to “lobbing” out resumes is your key to success in finding a suitable position.

What is Most Important to a Recruiter?

Recruiters have to focus on something when attempting to fill a position.  As would be the case,  some things that seem important may be more important than others.

Some items that you have previously thought of as important aren’t! – 63% of recruiters ranked cover letters as a 1 or 2 on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest ranking.  Additionally, 57% of recruiters rank GPA as a 1 or 2 on the scale in terms of its importance.

Remember to showcase the most important items – 87% of recruiters think your previous job experience is more important as it ranks either 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.  Ranking even higher, 88% think the culture fit is definitely important.  An area that many take for granted, references shows up as well, with 51% of the recruiters believing that they are important.

Social Media Pitfalls Still Abound

The Jobvite 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey also ratifies what so many of us know about social media and your job search.

There are goods and bad about having a social media presence.

Put yourself in the best “Light” – 76% say you should share details regarding volunteer, professional, or social engagement work.  52% suggest that you engage with current events tastefully, and importantly, 72% suggest that you double-check your spelling and grammar!

Avoid the Negatives – 54% suggest that the picture of you and that little red cup is a negative, and 75% suggest that you with marijuana is a negative.  I would suggest to you that that number might even be higher.  Interestingly enough, 33% think that a limited social media presence might be negative.

More to Come

I will touch on some more salient points of the Jobvite 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey, and will also be touching on the important points of the Diversity Jobs Index and Report as put together by the fine people at Professional Diversity Network.

Many thanks to Jobvite for sharing this enlightening report.  Please feel free to share any comments with me.  I can be reached at Michael.Parker@BlackSalesJournal.com.