Job Seekers: How To Stand Out Online

Job Seekers: How to stand out online

Online recruitment systems and social media have allowed organisations to target a wider pool of talent than ever before. This has created greater competition for jobs. So how do candidates stand out from the crowd in this online world?

1.      Mobile Revolution

With almost half of UK Internet users accessing the web from mobile, companies are rapidly adapting their recruitment process to be ‘mobile compatible’. It’s easier to search and apply for jobs on the go. But, when using mobile, job seekers must remember that they are applying for a job not texting their friends. Don’t let bad ‘mobile habits’ of sloppy grammar and slang slip onto any application or communication.

2.      Social Media

Social media has changed the recruitment process for organisations and applicants. LinkedIn acts as a shop window for potential employers, but companies will also check prospective employees on other social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Social media presence is a candidate’s own personal PR machine, providing the opportunity to show what kind of candidate you are before the employer meets you. Having the opportunity to shape someone’s opinion of you is a rare chance and certainly one to capitalise on.   

3.       Keywords

Think keyword. Analyse job postings for keywords and incorporate them into your résumé. Review at least six job postings in a specific field to find keywords that consistently appear. Keyword analysis also gives job seekers a good idea of the skills high on a hiring manager’s agenda. These are also likely to be the keywords that Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) search for when going through their database of résumés’. By incorporating these keywords into a CV, candidates increase the chances of you reaching the interview stage. 

“You only get one chance to make a first impression, make yours count!” says Cath Harrison, Founder of JobVacancyPortal.co.uk.

Source: Recruiter.  Published: 20 February 2014.