The job search climate is very different today than it was just a few years ago. Both internal and external recruiters are spending more time online sourcing passive candidates because using social media is quick and inexpensive. Recruiters can “Google” potential candidates to see if they have an online presence and, face it, if you’re not online in today’s digital media world, you simply don’t exist.
You might be able to overcome the lack of an online presence if you have a deep, productive network, but if you’re not participating in social media, you’ll remain at a distinct disadvantage, whatever your industry and your level on the organizational chart.
LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter—in that order—are imperatives for candidates that want to be visible to recruiters. If you can’t wrap your mind around current job search strategies, have invasion of privacy concerns or are uncomfortable with technology, I suggest you read Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson, MD. That will help you get a grip on what’s happening and what you need to do to remain viable or why you’ll fall by the wayside in favor of the candidate that reveals tech savvy. (This is particularly for candidates over age 40, because employers are often fearful that they are unwilling/reluctant to learn new things.)
Recruiters are leveraging the transparency and accessibility of social media to find talent, and that means that you can now reach out to recruiters as well, but doing so requires taking a risk!
Ellie Vargo, MRW, CCMC
ev@noteworthyresume.com