32 JOB SEARCH TRENDS - a podcast by Jane Jackson : Career Management Coach | LinkedIn | Branding | Job Search | Resume | Job Interviews | Career Coach

from 2015-09-20T14:00

:: ::

Episode 32: When it comes to the job search process, many of my clients tell me they’ve found that things have changed over the years. What are the new trends that are affecting your job search? How are you going to stay ahead of the game? If you plan to only stick to traditional methods to apply for jobs, you may end up without even a look in!

According to a 2014 Jobvite.com survey, 69% of recruiters expect competition for jobs to increase in 2015. 73% of employers are planning to increase their investment in social networking to find candidates. And in 2014 51% of recruiters planned to increase their investment in mobile recruiting. However, according to the same survey, recruiters say that 60% of their best candidates are found through referrals.

This research confirms that it is more important than ever to do your homework to understand all the methods that are used in recruitment in order to stay competitive when looking for a job.

YOUR NETWORK

It is highly beneficial to gain a referral from someone who knows what you can do, can vouch for your work ethic and aptitude and make a strong recommendation that you are a strong contender for the role you are targeting. In a sea of seemingly identical candidates, the word of one trusted colleague to another is the best way for an applicant to get noticed.

YOUR ONLINE BRAND ON SOCIAL MEDIA

While referrals are a great way to get your foot in the door, recruiters and employers are also turning to social media. Social recruiting has become an essential resource in the hunt for qualified job candidates. According to the 2014 Jobvite survey, 73% of recruiters have hired a candidate through social media. And 93% of recruiters review a candidate’s social profile before making a decision. The powerful professional networking site, LinkedIn, continues to be a recruiter’s network of choice and Facebook and Twitter are also gaining in popularity to find and vet candidates. (94% of recruiters currently use LinkedIn for recruiting, 66% use Facebook and 52% use Twitter.)

It is essential to manage your online brand effectively. Listen to Episode 11 of this podcast, “The Top 3 Tips for a Stand Out LinkedIn profile’ to be sure that you are doing your online brand justice!

Mobile Recruiting

According to the Jobvite survey, recruiters use mobile devices to post jobs, search for and contact candidates, and forward resumes to colleagues. 51% of recruiters have plans to increase their investment in mobile recruiting.

So what does this mean for candidates and employers? Companies whose websites are optimised for mobile devices will be at an advantage. As for candidates, a survey by GlassDoor.com states that 90% of job seekers will use their mobile phones or tablets as one of their job search strategies in the next 12 months. That’s a 7% increase from last year.

So, to stay ahead of the competition when job hunting this year pay attention to the big shift to online recruitment via social media and mobile devices, where both companies and job candidates are relying on technology to boost their professional brands and reach out to each other. Balance this out with good old-fashioned face-to-face networking for referrals, advice and guidance and you will stay ahead of the game!

So that’s it for today. Connect with me on LinkedIn – just find me by typing in Jane Jackson Career Coach in the search field. Make sure you include a mention of this podcast when you send me a personal note. It’s all about relationship building after all! Until next time, believe in yourself and create magic! www.janejacksoncareers.com

Further episodes of Your Career Podcast with Jane Jackson