jobs

In these tough economic times, many of us have been forced to look for new jobs at unexpected points in our lives. So maybe we should look for those jobs in unexpected places?

Mashable.com’s recent article, “HOW TO: Find a Job on Twitter” can help with just that. Evolving from a micro-blogging way to find out what’s happening in the world, or your backyard, Twitter has moved into a social media site for recruiting and job searching. How to make the most of your Twitter presence to locate that dream job is as simple as making yourself “job friendly” – post a link to your online resume/CV, twitter about your job search and what you are specifically looking for, and by all means, use a professional avatar. There are more great tips in this article, so check it out.

The SSN Take: Some things haven’t changed and that is the importance of who you know. With Twitter, you can “know” more people that are important to know.

Melody K. Smith, April 30, 2010

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Career education and job search guide, gathering information from a variety of sources – all in one location online.

Job Opportunities & Career Information is a one-stop resource location for those currently looking for career development, a new job or just some valuable information regarding employers and employee relationships. Providing a source for job leads via Twitter accumulated into one daily report expedites the process of searching through Twitter for specific data. Career planning information all indexed into one location can make the experience much more positive. Even the warnings about “earn money from home” scams and what to be on the lookout for are valuable resources to find in one location.

The SSN Take: A good resource to bookmark and watch if you are in the job searching mode.

Melody K. Smith, April 26, 2010

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When it comes to using social media for recruiting, Deloitte—which provides auditing, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, and tax services through independent firms worldwide—deploys a full-court press.

“Deloitte is taking a multifaceted digital approach to recruiting by using a blend of social networking resources and multimedia elements. A versatile introduction to their company is available at the click of a button,” reports the T+D Blog in “Deloitte: The Future of Recruiting is Social Media.” Deloitte’s program integrates several interactive media outlets, including a micro-site, a Twitter feed, a Facebook page, a LinkedIn group and a YouTube channel.

The micro-site provides an in-depth look into the lives of the firm’s Gen Y workers through a series of profiles and short films. The Twitter feed, “Life at Deloitte,”features daily tweets designed to provide insight into the company’s different practice areas and the latest hot topics from a variety of business leaders. The “Your Future at Deloitte (U.S.)” Facebook page also has interactive message boards where potential job candidates can join the discussion. A campus-focused LinkedIn group helps connect college students with employees and recruiters.

Deloitte’s YouTube channel, “Your Future at Deloitte,” features video testimonies from employees about why they chose the company and what the work means to them.

Deloitte, which has about 169,000 employees worldwide, estimates it will hire about 4,800 full- and part-time employees during 2010.

Sodexo USA, the global food and facilities management services provider which was recently awarded ERE’s 2010 excellence in recruiting award, also makes use of a full social media arsenal. “Sodexo’s social media initiative is on the leading edge of best practices,” writes John Sullivan in “Best Practices in Recruiting” on ERE.net. “Its web presence effectively communicates Sodexo’s company culture, and opportunities across a Careers blog, Facebook page, LinkedIn group, YouTube channel, Twitter and Flickr.” The Society for New Communications Research has recognized Sodexo for its pioneering work in microblogging.

Employing a more one-dimensional social media recruiting campaign, Sears Holding Corp., recently posted 7,000 positions with TweetMyJOBS, a Twitter-based job board service. Writing for ReadWriteWeb , Sarah Perez says TweetMyJOBS president and founder Gary Zukowski claims the partnership makes Sears, which also includes the Kmart chain, one of the largest brands to embrace mobile recruiting. The service lets job seekers receive instant notification on their cell phones via Twitter when new jobs are posted online.

The partnership has a large potential to grow as Sears posted more than 500,000 job openings last year via traditional recruiting channels.

Another social media recruiting partnership features CareerBuilder.com and Facebook.

In “It’s time to update your Facebook status—recruitment strategies move toward social media in 2010” on examiner.com, Megan Munch notes that job postings from CareerBuilder now also post directly to Facebook. “The best matched candidates will be able to see the company’s job advertisement on the side of their Facebook page.”

Careerbuilder and Facebook also cooperate in helping the more than 700,000 local companies that have Facebook pages improve their image. CareerBuilder consultants work with clients, checking their Facebook pages weekly—blogging, posting updates, new hires and accomplishments—as well as monitoring site activity.

Munch offers one bit of advice to potential job seekers using social media, especially those fresh out of college. “I would advise taking down [photo] albums titled ‘The Hangover Album.’ Inappropriate behavior can and will affect job and internship opportunities.”

John Sniffen, April 14, 2010

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In a supply and demand world, this Gen Y personality should stop complaining and seize an opportunity.

In a recent TruthOut article, “The Social Networking Job” author Aaron Lake Smith pokes a lot of fun at the recent trend of successful companies, like Pizza Hut, employing twenty-something social networking gurus to help spread their product’s message. Lake Smith more or less blames baby boomers for taking advantage of these talents and not offering meaningful employment to his generation. While companies might not always have the warmest, fuzziest intentions of using social media, the author fails to realize many people have turned their generational expertise into that meaningful career. Ask anyone who was “taken advantage of” during the ’90s internet revolution or the rise of computers twenty years prior.

The SSN Take: Don’t complain when you have a marketable skill, use it to your advantage.

Patrick Roland, April 7, 2010

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If you are planning a second career, these trends and projections in jobs growth over the next eight years can help chart your course.

Realonlinedegrees.com’s recent article, “The Future Trends of the Job Market” shares a chart of future employment projections based on current trends and data, and with no surprise, technical/scientific jobs top the list of expected job growth over the next eight years.  The chart goes on to compare employment areas that are expected to grow with the education required to reach the level of income you wish to earn. This trifecta of data can certainly lay out a path for those considering their education options fresh out of high school, as well as those looking to start a second career as an adult.

The SSN Take: Whether at the beginning of your career or starting over, these trends can help you make tough career decisions.

Melody K. Smith, March 19, 2010

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Social media is fast becoming an unavoidable element in successful businesses, said a recent etravelblackboard article ”Social Media, the “must have” for any brand in 2010.” The overwhelming buzz at this year’s Social Media Marketing Conference in Hong Kong revolved around companies who not only increased their brand awareness, but also saw an 18-percent spike in revenue, thanks to social media. “The world has changed and [social media] is the underpin,” the article said, “brand trust in society is weaker than it’s ever been, we need to earn that back and social media channels do that.” Trends seem to suggest social media management is becoming an ever more important part of companies large and small. This is great news for clever job seekers, since companies will most likely need experts to utilize this new marketing realm. This is a great opportunity for employment hunters with a strong social media resume to get the upper hand.

Patrick Roland, Feb. 26, 2010

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Businesses are learning that to fully benefit from the social media marketing, a new approach with more of a time commitment is needed. This often results in a new position of “social media manager” who takes on the role of setting up profiles, maintaining them, and communicating with others. In Gwinnett Business Journal’s recent article, “Social media: Turn to the pros,” they recognize that a commitment to building relationships with customers is required to fully reach the potential social media can provide. This is a far cry from just maintaining a corporate web site. Some companies have even begun to outsource the responsibility to ensure enough attention is given to the task.  They offer advice for those organizations considering creating a position or outsourcing for social media management and it starts like all good communication or business plans – define your goals.

Melody K. Smith, February 26, 2010

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The “connections” feature in LinkedIn is one of the reasons the site stands apart from other social networking sites, and using it effectively will help job-seekers stand out in the sea of resumes that employers may wade through. “How to Use Linkedin Networking while applying for a Job” covers a step-by-step process in refining your resume before submitting it directly to the hiring manager. By locating an “insider” in the company with a professional connection, be it alumni status, a professional association, or even mutual friends, one can request an “informational interview” to determine 1) if the job is still available, 2) the name of the hiring manager, and 3) desirable characteristics of the potential employee. Once you know this, you can customize your resume and have the insider deliver it directly to the hiring manager. This personal touch should give you higher response rates than blindly applying for jobs.

Sam Hartman, Feb. 25, 2010

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It seems common-sense enough: using someone’s online profile as a screen for potential employment. After all, if the information is public, what’s the harm? But a recent Star Tribune article, “HR and Facebook: It’s complicated,” discusses employers coming dangerous close to violating anti-discrimination laws if they use what they find to deny employment to someone. While discrimination by race, gender, or religion is clearly illegal, other legal activities like drinking or union organizing should not enter into the decision-making process, even though they may be “undesirable.” Some companies use a third party to obtain information legally about the candidates. Still, social savvy job seekers: be careful what you leave visible online. Consider a personal and professional Facebook page, or use LinkedIn exclusively for professional contacts. In the age of social media, companies need to tactfully sift through the information legally, while employees should keep the personal online profiles private.

Sam Hartman, Feb. 21, 2010

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A recent article by hotelmarketing.com, “Email campaigns bloom with social media,” dissected the virtues of a new combination of e-mail and social networking. While intended to help create viral campaigns, it may be a job seeker’s best friend too. The story discusses a Social Sharing option that has become a popular addition to e-mail marketing campaigns. This allows information within an e-mail to easily be posted on social networking sites and shared with all the recipient’s friends. While this has clear advantages for a company trying to sell its products, it may also help spread the word about your job hunt. Many people already know that the word of mouth generated by telling friends and family you are seeking new employment is often the best way to land a job. By utilizing this Social Sharing technology you can not only make their job easier, but also spread your net even wider.

Patrick Roland, Feb. 21, 2010

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