When judging this year’s employment outlook let’s look back to 2007 and then let’s look forward to 2015. In 2007 I was quoted in an article that was inspired by me sending a LinkedIn invitation to a reporter at the Raleigh News & Observer about a story she was writing about networking groups and LinkedIn. In her reply to me I remember the reporter, not knowing what LinkedIn was, asking me if it was a dating site and, well, “Uh, I don’t think it is a dating site and, you know, I am not sending out dating invitations…but I think LinkedIn is big and going to be bigger.” Embarrassed I scrambled to inform Sue Stock about my business-only intentions and ultimately I got to add the finishing touches to her article on LinkedIn and networking.
5 Most Important Trends Shaping the Future of Recruiting
- Social professional networks are increasingly impacting quality of hire
- Employer branding is both a competitive threat and a competitive advantage
- Data is used to make better hiring and branding decisions
- Companies are investing in hiring internally to stop top talent from walking out the door
- Companies are figuring out the mobile recruiting terrain
How LinkedIn has Grown Over the Years
Did it have potential? Did it only grow from July 2007? Let’s fast forward. Since then Sue has moved on and we have worked with Bridgette A. Lacy on some articles at the very same paper. What has changed on LinkedIn and what do you need to know?
With 235 million people connected on LinkedIn and growing worldwide it’s always time to find out what you can do on LinkedIn to develop your career and increase the odds in research. It may be able to provide the kind of business connections you need to do your job or get your connections that may help you get another job. Still the perception of you to your network is the most important aspect of LinkedIn.
In What Way is LinkedIn Powerful?
Just look at the power of SEO to Google. Have you Googled your name or someone who you are looking for next? What comes up first in the text of Linked In? The LinkedIn link comes up first in almost every case for a person’s name. It’s also first on the minds of professional recruiters worldwide because it is the fastest growing network in the world.
What do you need to know about this platform going from 2014 into 2015? What does the data say and what are recruiters thinking about as they approach hiring in 2014? This is important now. The fact is no matter how you calculate it, the employment outlook for hiring is on the rise and the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics general unemployment rate is going down. So how do you take advantage of the macro hiring uptrend in your personal micro job search economy?
LinkedIn has conducted its 3rd Annual Global Recruiting Trends survey in 19 countries. They surveyed over 3,300 talent acquisition leaders to capture their thoughts on what keeps them up at night, hiring and budget trends, and key sources for high-quality hires. They distilled all this and more into 5 key trends you need to know as a Strategic Talent Leader.
Employment Outlook Trends
At CareerPro Inc. we pay close attention to career transition issues and constantly evolving trends to be able to keep you up to date with recent employment outlook trends.
To access global and other country-specific reports and infographics, visit: http://lnkd.in/GlobalRecruitingTrends.
Testimonials from Job Seekers
So let’s look executives in current career transition who have just developed their brand on LinkedIn and and what they said about their impression of LinkedIn from today’s Triangle Executive Careers Group meetup:
“It helped me get links to some of the contractors and people that I lost track of for many years.” Robert – executive in commercial construction.
“Because of the focus with my company I never really thought about my ‘brand’ outside of the business I worked in. But now I have had a chance to power ahead of my competition in the job search because I now have a more powerful brand and LinkedIn habits.” Scott – operations leader in metal manufacturing
“The way I now manage my identity and brand is so different than I did when I just had my bio on the company’s website. I now have created a reputation in groups for insights, connections and information that has helped me find key, new and very helpful relationships.” Ken – Executive in finance and accounting
“I now know how to use LinkedIn as a business tool and not just ‘something I have to do’ so I use it as a business tool and I am getting into the more advanced features to power my career.” Rachel – executive in human resources
Feedback from Recruiting Firms
“It is the most powerful tool and candidates need to take it seriously at all levels. We look for key contact information on LinkedIn. Hiring managers will look at your LinkedIn pr0file and it should be clear and well-written. Recruiters and hiring managers from entry level to C-level will look at your profile and make determinations on your value to them. You should look at and study profiles of every recruiter, hiring manager and person you meet in the process of search as well.” –Art Burke, Partner with The Nautical Group
“LinkedIn and the new LinkedIn Talent Solutions are the best change to recruiting I’ve seen in my career. – Mathew Caldwell, Director of Talent Acquisition at Mozilla
“It’s by far our number one tool in our recruiting firm. Actually 50% of jobs are are posted and the rest are not advertised in this way. LinkedIn is the best tool so you can connect and build a network and that’s how we do it. About 5% of people get jobs from other sources than the job boards. Think about how you got your jobs and how you got your jobs in the past. The more senior you get the lower that number probably goes. On LinkedIn, you need to ask how I can laser focus my search to the companies and people I need to meet so I can build my network within the company so I can increase my odds.” – Keith Langbo of Kelaca
“Jobseekers at all levels must make LinkedIn a high priority research and connection tool. As we interact with executives in transition, jobseekers, recruiters (retained and contingency) and help build the brands of our CareerPro Inc. There is no denying the power of LinkedIn as a recruiting power tool.” –Jennifer Chin of Kelaca
What are some lessons we can learn from recruiter behavior and recruiter tactics on LinkedIn?
1. Leverage Your Existing Network – Who in your existing relationships do you know now and who do you need to reconnect with on the phone or in person? Yes, make a personal call. Do not neglect who you know because the idea of networking and LinkedIn is to leverage who you know to meet who you need to know. Don’t forget the fundamentals of your existing network connections. Make sure you create written recommendations from your existing network for your jobs. Langbo argues that an average of two per job helps with SEO on Linked In. Ensuring you have key recommendations under your current and more recent jobs is fundamental to almost every powerful profile.
2. Connect the Relationship Dots – How can you leverage your network and People You May Know? How are people you know connected to the people you want to know? Find out how some people you know know the people you need to know and learn how to be introduced through your network. Again, whether you are a paid member on LinkedIn or on the free side of the site it is your career management and career search duty to develop and work very diligently on the proper etiquette of making key person to person connections.
3. Focus Focus Focus and Don’t Spray – Many people in transition want to cast the widest net in order not to leave anyone out of their network or search. But What companies are you focused on and interested in? How do you develop key connections that can turn into relationships and how do you leverage that into possible referrals into those companies? You cannot do this with every focus company or organization but you must do it with your target companies. So find those target people and companies. Limit them to at least a Top Ten Focus Group at all times and focus on relationships with people first.
4. Use the Intel and Research – Who are my contacts connecting with and what is my network doing? Are these contacts connected to people I need to know? Now create a plan either through a connection of a connection on LinkedIn or through another networking connection. Use Boolean search tools on the paid or even the non-paid accounts on LinkedIn. Look at the companies posting jobs on LinkedIn and realize the company usually will have a job sections. You can always find out who is posting the lead, how you are connected to that recruiter and you can find out and link to the company’s website to find out other jobs that are posted on the company site.
Summary
Would you like more information on the latest Boolean search techniques on LinkedIn and how to power your brand openly or confidentially if you are in transition? Just Email Us your contact information and a request and we will be happy to guide you. 2015 looks promising for those who know how to play the online networking and connection game. The game of proper networking etiquette never stops.
We would love to hear your feedback and opinions from your experience over the years with LinkedIn throughout your job search or hiring.