Everyone seems to think that they are well aware of what not do to when being interviewed by a prospective employer, but you would be surprised how often recruiters receive feedback about qualified candidates who were disqualified for something they did in an interview.
A great example is using documentation, reports, presentations, or sharing printed documentation from your previous or past employers. Often people interviewing prefer to review some examples of work – like a portfolio, software code, samples of technical or project documentation. Presenting documentation from any prior employer is most likely a violation of most non-disclosures, employment contract, and client confidentially agreements an employee signed with that past organization.
Your career should have a strategy and your employment search should involve more than just submitting your resume. There are many ways to document your abilities without violating any prior employer agreement. Social networking venues can be a great place to build a professional career profile and attach examples of work, photographs, and documentation that will provide hiring principles with the information needed to make a decision on an interview. LinkedIn has a BOX.net add on that will allow you to post a copy of your chronological resume, PowerPoint presentations, a thesis, white papers, photographs of past events, business project analysis, Gant charts, Visio diagrams, graphical user interface examples, cascading style sheet (CSS) examples, and other types of “infographics” and documentation that will verify your qualifications and experience.
Websites like GitHut (www.github.com) provide a secure and always available location for software programmers to post copy of their code and provide access to hiring managers via a specific URL and password. Opensource projects and pro bono work can also be a great way to share code examples, exemplify project management experience, and demonstrate qualifications. Volunteering and contributing to social media discussion forums are also ways document abilities and business process experience.
Employer branding reflects an organization’s strategy to intentionally create a specific perception of employment at a company (SHRM.org, 9/14/2007.) Recruiters are searching for prospective candidates that have an internet brand associated with the skills, technology, and business experienced referenced in profiles, discussion posts, white papers, contributions to forums, and group moderation. Attending MeetUp, EventBrite, and LinkedIn events give you the opportunity to reinforce your brand by introducing yourself in-person; asking relevant questions of event speakers and hosts; and demonstrating your knowledge of current trends, technology, and growth potential by participating in presentations and one-on-one networking discussions.
Your communication and documentation abilities can be exemplified via blogging and Link-Baiting strategies that anyone should be able to find via an internet engine search. Link-baiting is used in search engine strategies (SES) and refers to encouraging unsolicited links from other website owners because of similar interests or values that compliment online discussions, branding, and website purpose. Link-baiting happens because there is something good, useful, entertaining or informative in a way that compliments websites and blog discussions through cross-postings, links, or RSS feeds. These same search engine marketing (SEM) strategies can be applied to employment search strategies and building an internet presence (Hoover, G., Hoover Web Design,2007).
Contributing to online discussions or asking intelligent questions can draw attention to you in specific forums and website, which should draw attention to your profile, resume, and LinkedIn profile. Recruiters are often using Boolean search strings to find resumes or lines of discussions on certain keywords (tags or meta-tags) in order to find subject experts, business consultants, and prospective employees. Seeding discussion forums and specific websites with your knowledge and business experience helps to give prospective employers an idea what you’re all about and how your past experience just might be ideal for an upcoming project, employment vacancy, or a new position within a new department or produce line.
If you build a social media profile and provide supplemental information on an industry specific website, it actually may help draw attention to your resume and provide some new venues for career prospects. Websites like Digital Point, Answers.com, Examiner.com, and JustAnswer.com allow bloggers and subject experts to build an online brand and internet presence, but also possibly a venue to generate supplemental revenue for their viewpoints, business perspective, and subject matter expert knowledge.
Social media and social networks are a very productive tool in sales and marketing. SEO/SEM strategies and analytics are used for significant business sales and marketing strategies. These same business principles and practices are being used to prove the ROI (return on investment) of recruiting strategies and employer branding. It is important that if employers are using these strategies to search for candidates, it makes sense that you’re using advertising and marketing strategies to make yourself known and show your interest in relevant career prospects.
References:
Hoover, G., “What is Link Baiting and How Can it Help Me?”; Hoover Web Design, Copyright 2007. Viewed via http://www.hooverwebdesign.com/articles/what-is-link-baiting.html
Kasteler, J., Blue Glass, “Link Building with Linkbait – Pubcon Dallas 2010 Presentation.” Viewed via http://www.jordankasteler.com/utah-seo-pro-blog/link-building-with-linkbait/; phone conversation with Jordan Kasteler – October, 2009.
Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM.org), “Branding: How can we develop an employment branding strategy?”;, 9/14/2007. Viewed via http://www.shrm.org/TemplatesTools/hrqa/Pages/CMS_023007.aspx
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