What a Difference a Couple of Decades Make

Employers were/are focused on the needs of the organization
A couple of decades ago, when the internet did not rule our lives with mass amounts of information, a recruiter (internal or external) could take the time to get to know a candidate. It was an employee market, where certifications, experience and knowledge were the key to place the individual in a “matching” position. Salaries soared.

Companies are still focused on their needs, but they are now inundated with resumes from all over the world. Competition for a single position is crazy. New developments in database heuristic filtering allow a single person to filter through hundreds of resumes, without reading any of them. The filtering algorithms search for the correct percentage of keywords in a resume focusing on keywords to deliver the “appropriate” number of applicants. Social Networks like LinkedIn have facilitated this by adding their own filtering mechanisms.

The moral of the story: If you want to get noticed, research job postings and descriptions for the right keywords and how to use them accurately.

Relationships First
With the recent geometric explosion of Social Networks, you no longer need to belong to exclusive/expensive networking groups. They may be important to you but they are not required. Facebook, LinkedIn and several others allow you to make connections. Profiles have replace resumes as introductory professional documents. This is the biggest reason your profile needs to be as clean as possible.

‘Personal Brand’ has almost become a household word. These days, even if you don’t know what it is, you still have one. However, many don’t take it seriously. Recruiters (internal and external) are looking for any reason to filter out more pre-qualified candidates. So you have to decide, are you going to take control of your online identity?

Background checks can be expensive, depending on how deep they go and calling your references can be a huge waste of time. Recruiters, like anyone else, want to bet on a sure thing, so scanning online profiles, testimonials and recommendations (or lack thereof) can reduce or increase the perceived risk of your candidacy. Using massive search engines like Google can influence whether or not they present you as a potential employee. The information is almost instantaneous and for the most part it is free.

Join online groups, it is a safe way to meet people and gain trust. After you have established yourself (asking questions, beginning discussions, contributing to discussions) ask a few to join your “inner” network. You can learn much about current trends and let people know you are what you say you are. It will make it much easier for them to recommend you as a future employee.

The moral of the story: If you want to get noticed, you have to play the game and play it better than your competition.