6 Tips to Ignite Your Instagram Recruiting

6 Tips to Ignite Your Instagram Recruiting Youve probably heard about  how lots of businesses are now using Instagram as a marketing tool, but have you ever thought about using it for recruiting? Social recruiting isnt really anything new, though its probably something you associate more with professional networks such as LinkedIn or even  Twitter. However, theres so much more to it than purely searching databases and advertising jobs and rather about selling yourself as an employer, which is where alternative networks such as Instagram can come in handy. If youre not familiar with Instagram, it is an image based social network that  allows users to edit and share photos/videos with their followers.  Similar to on other platforms  such as  Twitter and Facebook, users are able  to follow other accounts or search for images using relevant hashtags, as well as commenting or liking  posts. This makes it a great platform for building brand awareness and to complement your other social channels, which can be  easily synced with  your Instagram account. These days when searching for a new role, job seekers not only consider the position  itself, but also focus on finding a  company culture which they feel suits them as an individual and likewise for employers, who strive to hire people who are not only the right professional fit, but also the right cultural fit for their organisation. Social media can often be the answer to this, as it allows companies to build an accessible employer brand for themselves through story telling and exhibiting an insight into their company culture. Granted, Instagram attracts a certain demographic and it may not be effective for all age groups or industries, however if you are looking to hire tech savvy millennials, particularly in creative industries, Instagram is the perfect tool. If youre thinking about  introducing Instagram into your recruiting strategy, here are a few tips to help you on your way. 1. Build trust Instagram is great for showing the human side of your brand, which is an effective way to build trust with your followers, as they feel like they know you a bit better and can relate to the people who work at the company, rather than a faceless brand name. You can use  the platform to give potential employees an idea about what its like to work in the company, by sharing photographs of your team at work and giving insights into what a day in the life of one of your employees is like. If you demonstrate  a positive work environment and onlookers  like what they see, they are far more likely to apply for a role within the business, expanding your talent pool when hiring. Images and videos do not have to be high quality, its just important that they are authentic and capture fun or interesting moments within the company, such as events, celebrations, etc. that will represent  your company culture positively. View this post on Instagram Happy Friday! Our @JWSanAntonio associates are starting this weekend off with a SPLASH! #TGIF ???????? A post shared by Marriott Careers (@marriottcareers) on Jul 3, 2015 at 8:26am PDT By encouraging your employees to share work-related material from their own accounts, as well as the official company account it  not only broadens  the brands reach to each of their networks, but also demonstrates that they enjoy working to the organisation and are proud to share their experiences with others. 2. Use hashtags Just like on other social networks, hashtags can be used to furthers  the reach of your uploads by appearing in searches with other related material.  You can create unique brand specific hashtags to showcase your employer brand and utilise these across all of your social channels, so that your content can be easily found by people interested in the company. View this post on Instagram regram @ifoundfidoyouguys Microsoft interns celebrate Seattle Pride. Happy pride! #microsoftintern #microsoftlife A post shared by Microsoft Life (@microsoftlife) on Jun 29, 2015 at 10:24am PDT You can also use hashtags to search for other users with relevant interests and connect with potential employees. There are a number of frequently used hashtags on Instagram, so by adopting these and tagging on to current trends you will get your  material seen by anyone who happens to search them. 3. Share links Although links dont work in your account description or image captions, this doesnt mean you shouldnt include them. Instagram images are a good way to draw attention to any blog posts, jobs ads, etc. that you want to direct traffic to and you can do this by sharing the URL alongside other visually pleasing content that will capture peoples attention. https://instagram.com/p/4yXcDUu9YA/ There is one way that you can get around the non-clickable link issue and this is by placing a  link in the bio section and directing followers to it in your captions,  however you can only place one link there at a time. 4. Advertise jobs visually You dont want to bombard your followers with tonnes of job ads, however it can be an effective way to draw attention to your current vacancies. View this post on Instagram Hey San Francisco Evolution Fresh is opening soon were looking for great people to join the team #squeezelife visit evolutionfresh.com/careers =) A post shared by Starbucks Jobs (@starbucksjobs) on Sep 13, 2012 at 4:58pm PDT Identify the most  significant aspect  of a role, such as management, customer service, etc. and place your focus on that by sharing an image that visually portrays the role. Keep information about the role minimal on Instagram, but make sure  you let them know where they can find out more and apply. 5. Think quality not quantity Unlike on other networks where the more frequently you post the better, this isnt necessarily the case on Instagram. Keep your posts simple and high quality, with a clear focus and connection with your brand. Users dont want to be bombarded with dozens of poor quality updates that take up their newsfeed and dont really contribute any value. View this post on Instagram Just another busy day at our #London #Marriott Hotel Park Lane! ?????? A post shared by Marriott Careers (@marriottcareers) on Jun 25, 2015 at 1:28pm PDT 6. Seek out passive talent You can seek out passive candidates by searching for relevant hashtags and finding users who have interests in the area that you hiring in. Once you have identified users who could potentially be suitable  for a vacancy, you can then connect with them by either following their account or engaging with their content by liking/commenting on their posts. https://instagram.com/p/5LRzZiPs3-/ Engaging with other users content is also a great way to increase your followers and therefore expand your potential reach. [Main image: Shutterstock]

Networking how to make it work for you University of Manchester Careers Blog

Networking how to make it work for you University of Manchester Careers Blog Written by Callum McAvan, Student Communications and Marketing Assistant at the Careers Service Networking â€" it’s a scary word. For some it may come naturally, the conversation flows smoothly from the moment they are in the business environment, talking to someone new, they’re in their element. However, if you’re anything like me, that is certainly not the case. But, if one thing’s for sure, it’s that learning how to network can only help you get ahead in your career. It’s a valuable skill to have and, despite my reservations, I can honestly say it’s not as daunting as it may seem. What’s more, as a University of Manchester student there are plenty of ways you can start networking effectively right now. Here are our top tips for making networking work for you. Get involved on campus Networking doesn’t have to be done at an official event. It can be as simple as getting involved and the University campus is the perfect place to do this. For example, joining a society will allow you to meet new people that you otherwise may have never met, whilst pursuing an interest at the same time. What’s great about this is that you’ve got a conversation starter ready made from the moment you meet the other members â€" the topic of whichever society you join! From a capella to zoology, the University has a society for everyone and they’re a great place to meet new people and expand your network. If you’re thinking of trying something new, our Enterprise Club, Media Club and Third Sector Club also offer a fantastic way to broaden your network and gain some valuable insight into three interesting and diverse career paths. Join the Manchester Network The Manchester Network is the University’s mentoring and networking portal. Think LinkedIn, but exclusively for University of Manchester students and alumni. Setting up your account is quick, easy and it opens you up to forming professional connections with potentially hundreds of alumni who work across a plethora of sectors. No matter the career path you want to take, there will be somebody who can give you support. Our ‘Ask Me About’ feature is a great way to connect with a professional and gain some advice. Meet the Professionals At the Careers Service, we hold events all the time. Rarely does a day go by that there isn’t a careers event on, varying from workshops and advice sessions to employer specific events. The latter of those listed should be of particular interest to you if you’re looking to network, as the people who present are there specifically to meet University of Manchester students. There’s little to lose in approaching them and getting to know about not only them, but their company. Having a chat may keep you in their memory for future opportunities, or it may just be a pleasant way to spend five minutes â€" either way it’s a win. Similarly, our regular Meet the Professionals events are a great chance to connect with alumni who work in the sectors you’re interested in, from chemical engineering to the arts. Use your existing network So far, all of the advice given has been on how to make new connections, but some of your most valuable networking will have already been done! So, pat yourself on the back. It may not seem like your friends will give your career prospects a bump in the right direction, but as you both progress, their friendship could hold you in good stead. Just as you could potentially do for them, they may very well turn your attention to great opportunities. Their recommendation of you could be the thing that sets you apart from other applicants. It’s clichéd but quite true that it’s who you know that will get you ahead, and you likely already know people who will help you on your way in the future. Networking isn’t something that is ethereal, scary, or out of your grasp by any means. Chances are, you’ve already done much more of it than you give yourself credit for; if you take a few of the steps listed above then you’ll be in an even better position come the time you’re on the lookout for work. networking careers LinkedIn network networking

Why the Hiring Process Should be Gamified

Why the Hiring Process Should be Gamified Sponsored article by Criteria Corp. JobFlare. For years, the traditional hiring process has relied on the same basic model: collect resumes, request interviews, administer assessments, request work samples, check references. Out of all these staples of the hiring process, research continuously reaffirms that pre-employment assessments, and particularly cognitive aptitude tests, are the most predictive of job success. This is because pre-employment tests offer advantages that the other hiring factors lack. Reference checks are notorious for selection bias, because what applicant would list a bad reference? Similarly, resumes can present a false front, both positively and negatively. Resumes can be stacked with half-truths or they can be too limited, failing to tell the whole story about a candidate’s potential. Resumes also do a disservice to new college graduates or people who are switching fields, as they can’t fully demonstrate a candidate’s potential. But while pre-employment tests offer an objective solution to a common hiring problem, the hiring landscape is shifting. The internet age has transformed the way that people apply for jobs. Attention spans are shorter and applicants can be choosier â€" most hiring executives agree that it’s a candidate’s hiring market, making candidate experience a priority for any employer that wishes to attract the top candidates. Adding to the changing landscape, mobile is becoming more and more integral to the hiring process. One study found that 77% of job seekers use mobile job search apps, and 45% of job seekers said they use a mobile device to search for jobs at least once a day. Adapting to the modern hiring process requires innovative strategies for attracting and engaging the modern job seeker. And one answer may be more fun than you think: gamification. Bringing gamification to the hiring process Gamification is the idea of turning a process into competitive engagement to make a task feel more like a game. It has found its way into many different industries and activities in recent years, with games started to shift the way nearly every industry creates and consumes data. In health and wellness, fitness apps award trophies and send bragging rights to your friends. In business, gamification is used to motivate employees and increase engagement. In marketing, gamification comes in many forms, such as branded apps that offer promotional rewards based on how much you spend. The hiring and recruiting industry is no exception â€" it’s ripe for gamification as a quick and fun way to identify talent. In fact, the model already exists in the form of “brain game” apps. Popular services like Lumosity which currently has 70 million members â€" have demonstrated the popularity of brain games as an app category. For recruitment, games that test specific traits that are in demand from employersâ€"such as critical thinking, attention to detail, problem-solving, verbal and math skillscan be used to quickly take measure of a job seeker. Their scores can serve as talent signals to indicate their potential as an employee, regardless of what they may or may not be able to demonstrate on a resume. Even if the evaluation of someone’s ability based on these games may not be quite as reliable of a signal as you might get from traditional aptitude tests, they hold great promise as a preliminary means of finding, engaging and evaluating prospective talent. Gamificati on in this form could benefit the hiring industry in three key areas: A level playing field: A strong candidate can come in many proverbial shapes and sizes. Young, old, experienced, or new to the industry â€" a candidate with any of these backgrounds could be a potential star employee who can make a significant impact on your company. Resumes, however, can’t always capture what a candidate has to offer, especially for applicants who are new to the workforce and don’t have much experience. A gamified app that evaluates abilities, not depth of resume, creates a level playing field for everyone, allowing true skill to shine through rather than relying on a candidate’s background, connections, or educational pedigree, which can be so heavily influenced by socioeconomic factors. Their best selves: Some people don’t interview well. Others may not necessarily know what the ins and outs of a tip-top resume may look like. But playing a game? Anyone can do that, and in fact, research shows that people perform better when they’re having fun. With a gamified hiring app, not only can candidates relax and engage with the games in a familiar environment, they can actually have fun doing it! A broader reach: Even in the age of sophisticated hiring software, too many companies are relying on candidates finding them. There’s no easy way to reach a mass audience, or to go after candidates in nontraditional places. But with gamification, anyone can download the app and play. If the games are fun and rewarding, they can attract a wide range of candidates who may not have found out about a particular job opportunity on their own. In this way, gamification can serve as a talent surfacing engine, uncovering talent in unexpected places and helping both candidates and companies find each other in creative ways. A modern take on an age-old need Sifting through candidates and identifying potential will always be a part of the hiring process. But technology is changing the way job seekers are looking for jobs as well as the way employers are finding potential employees. Gamification can help to fill the gap by enabling both employers and job seekers to engage with each other in unique ways, getting us one step closer to a world where talent and opportunity are more perfectly aligned. Josh Millet is the CEO Founder of  Criteria Corp., a pre-employment testing company founded in 2006 that creates software for employers to gather objective data on job candidates with aptitude, personality, and skills tests. He is also the Founder of  JobFlare, a mobile app that helps job seekers get discovered based on their abilities rather than their resume.

Answer This Before Setting Your Financial Goals

Answer This Before Setting Your Financial Goals I’m a big fan of goal setting, vision boards, the law of attraction and taking focused actions in order to get where I want to be.   These things have worked wonders for me. It’s not magic, and I don’t feel that I’m “lucky.”   I don’t really believe in luck. I’m sure many of you are thinking about what you’d like to do better this year.   You probably want to: 1. Make more money 2. Have less debt 3. Save more, take a vacation, buy a Louis Vuitton, whatever. Before you set financial goals this year, ask yourself how you REALLY feel about having money. I took a self-evaluation by a company called Lifebook a while back.   Lifebook is a really cool company that you should check out.   They help people live their best lives.   Their offering starts with an evaluation that examines 12 areas of your life. After I took my evaluation, Lifebook sent me a 90-minute financial workshop led by the founder of the company.   It brought up some really interesting questions that I recommend you think about before you set your financial goals for 2012. What do YOU believe about money and wealth? Let’s back up and start with a founding principle of “the law of attraction.”   Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts determine your actions, and your actions become your reality. Beliefs - Thoughts - Actions - Reality We can all choose our beliefs regardless of how we’ve been programmed.   Are your beliefs empowering you? According to the founder of Lifebook, if you believe money is the root of all evil, you will always sabotage yourself from being financially successful.   If you believe people with money are evil, snobby, selfish, unhappy, self-righteous or shallow why in the world would you ever want to become anything like them?!  Or, if you believe that all people with money are just “lucky” or born into it, you’ll probably never take actions that will get you into a significantly better financial situation because you don’t believe wealth applies to normal people like you.   You’ve already told yourself you’re undeserving before you even started. You may not have realized it, but your beliefs about wealth may be stopping you from advancing your current financial situation. Most of us have been taught, “money can’t buy happiness.”   I disagree.   Well, kind of. Money can’t buy happiness in itself from the store, but money buys us flexibility, education, basic needs, stability, small joys, ways out of emergencies, and experiences which all give us opportunity to make the world a better place. According to the workshop, “prosperity wipes out human suffering.” It makes sense. If you feel undeserving of financial freedom and security, consider just a few of the ways that NOT having money affects peoples’ lives: Often times it means no health insurance. It could mean anxiety and depression over unpaid bills, which may lead to substance abuse or even suicide. It probably means fewer opportunities for your children and living in neighborhoods that aren’t as safe. Not having money means not being able to help other family and community members who need it. In many situations, not having money doesn’t bring anything good or happy!   So why are so many of us afraid of having lots of money?   Why do you think so many of us feel we “don’t deserve it”? Here are some other notes I took on the workshop worth pondering: Money flows to those who treat it well and away from those who don’t.   Nurturing, honoring respecting money will make it grow.   Squandering it on what you want at that moment is abuse, money won’t stick around those who abuse it, just like a relationship. Money is an effect, not a cause.   The cause is creating value for those around you.   If you want to earn more money, add more value.   Learn more skills, improve your work habits, etc.   The way to enrich yourself is to enrich the lives of those around you. The mastery of money is the mastery of service.   The more I serve others, the more I will attract money into my life. Money expands who you already are.   “Sports don’t build character, they reveal character,” says Vince Lombardi. Money is the same way: it reveals who you are and expands it.   If you’re already a happy person, more money will make you happier because it’s expanding who you already are.   If you’re an asshole, well, according to this theory money will only make that problem worse because you were always an ass. Before you set your goals, ask yourself the following questions and write down your answers: What you really want to achieve financially this year? Do you feel you deserve it? How will your life improve and the lives of others around you improve if you achieve your goals? Do you really believe you can achieve this? WHY do you want to achieve it?   What will happen if you don’t? What specific actions do you need to take to get there? Good luck and cheers to a year full of health, wealth and happiness. Nicole

Writing a Resume For a Highschool Student With No Experience

Writing a Resume For a Highschool Student With No ExperienceWriting a resume for a high school student with no experience can be a hassle, but it is important to have it done if you're in need of employment. There are a few tips that will help you create a resume that you can use.If you're a high school student who has been accepted into a good college or university, your first job will likely be at the college where you're going to be attending. You may be required to sign an employment contract with the college before you can start working there. Make sure you take this part of the employment contract seriously, because you will be committed to an employment relationship. You will need to follow the terms of the contract as it relates to deadlines and salary expectations.After you're done with your contract with the college, make sure you get started on your resume. Your resume needs to include all of the necessary information to make your college or university know about your abil ities. Include the names of your teachers and any papers you've written. Also include any other awards or recognition you've received. Write a brief summary of the courses you have taken and how you benefited from them.Any work you've done for a professional service, such as a lawyer or plumber, should also be included on your resume. The company you worked for will want to see evidence of your experience and skills. By including your experiences on your resume, you show potential employers that you have the knowledge and skills to do the job.When you've finished writing your resume, print it out and take it to a local printer. You can either use a computer printer or a regular printer. Make sure you look over the resume before you print it out. Make sure that it looks like a professional resume and that it clearly shows how you can contribute to the company.After printing out your resume, take it to a local printing shop. The printing shop can assist you with creating a professiona l resume cover. They can write the cover letter and add your personal touches, such as the date and place of birth, so that you are taken more seriously when you submit your resume.Send your resume and cover letter to the college or university you have been accepted to. Make sure that your resume has a clean and professional appearance, and send it back on time. If you send it too late, it can be rejected, especially if the college doesn't allow electronic submissions.Once you receive your resume back, you'll want to check it carefully. If there is anything wrong, you will need to fix it immediately. If you have any questions about your resume, be sure to ask your high school student's teacher.

Get Your (Career) Power Back

Get Your (Career) Power Back “Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power. SenecaToo many people are feeling powerless when it comes to their career choices.  They will say things like:I dont like my job but Im afraid I wont find anything better (with equal pay and benefits).Theres so much competition. I dont know how to  convince someone to hire me.Id love to have better work/life fit but my job (and my employer) are too demanding.At the root of these woes isnt a bad economy or a tough interview or a difficult boss, its a lack of knowing your true value, your core genius.  Understanding Your Core GeniusWe each possess a unique  package of skills, talents, interests,  experiences that makes us the perfect fit for the roles/careers we are here to play.  When you work from your core genius, people respect and value your efforts, youre paid well, opportunities find you.    Its simple but its not easy.  To get to your core genius, you need to Soul Search, Research and Job Search with the proper Min dset.  Taking the perspective that you were built this way for a reason and then making that approach the focus of your career is very powerful.  Ive seen several clients win recognition awards at their employers garnering raises and promotions and new opportunities when they realized their core genius and put it to use.  And they did this in the very same economy at the same type of employers everyone else complains about.Commanding Your ValueUnsure of their core genius, most people would never say during an interviewâ€" “[Mr/Ms. Employer], what makes you good enough for me?”  However, when that conversation doesn’t happen, it can set you off on a path of pleasing someone else, rather than pleasing yourself.  Many clients have come to me feeling resentful and unfulfilled after giving too many years to a job and employer they didn’t like in the first place.  Unfortunately, they can’t get back the lost time but they and you can command value starting today with three simple steps.3 Steps to Getting Your Career Power Back:Soul Search get clear on your core genius.  My new Soul Search workbook includes all the exercises I use along with my coaching commentary to help you see the value youre bringing to the world.Research to understand the match between your core genius and what the world needs.   My new Research workbook includes strategies for gathering information and testing out new career possibilities that better leverage your core genius and command better value for your time and talents.Job Search with confidence knowing that your core genius is the gift you’re here to give the world.  My new Job Search workbook includes exercises to define your ideal job description so you can have a more productive conversation during your next interview about the ways you can be of service to the employer and how they can be of service to you.Contact me to find out more or purchase my Soul Search, Research and Job Search workbooks.  Level the playi ng field.  You’re not at the whim of the world.  You’ve got an important, necessary and very valuable contribution to make with your career. Know in your heart that you have a core genius and know in your mind that the world needs you to put it to practical use now!If you like this, you might also like Does Your Elevator Pitch Have The Personal Touch?

Will Your Online Presence Scare Employers Away

Will Your Online Presence Scare Employers Away Will Your Online Presence Scare Employers Away? Increasing numbers of recruiters and employers are conducting online searches on job candidates. In response, many job seekers are completing their LinkedIn profiles and being a little more careful about what they post online. But, the truth is that’s not enough because what’s published online can stay there forever. It’s up to you to research your digital footprint and monitor your online presence going forward. Initial Search Before you begin your job search, make sure you know what is out there. Pretend you’re a recruiter and conduct your own online search. Try searching on your name and variations of you name. A search for my name gets different results depending on how I search. Searching “Annette Richmond” on Google gets one set of results, searching “Annette Richmond resume writer” turns up a few different entries. When taking the role of a recruiter you may be surprised what you find. During a training for resume writers, the presenter spoke about finding photos from a vacation cruise while doing a search on himself. Photos he didn’t want to be seen by his clients. What will you find that you don’t want potential employers to see? Regular Monitoring Once you’ve completed your initial research set up some Google alerts to stay on top of what’s posted online. Setting up alerts is easy and free. At least once a month do additional searches on your name. If you work primarily online like I do, you might want to conduct a search on your name more often. Online Privacy Despite the claims, nothing online is ever totally secure. If someone wants to view your Facebook posts they will find a way. That said, the higher your privacy settings the more difficult it will be. Still, a little self-policing when it comes to posting online will benefit you. Truly atrocious behavior, like racial slurs and illegal drug use, are not the only things that can cost you a job opportunity. Constant whining, like complaining about EVERY restaurant you visit, is frowned on as well. With the majority of recruiters and employers researching candidates online it’s best to be prepared. Research yourself online before you begin looking for a new opportunity. It’s a good way to prevent unpleasant surprises during the job search process.