The Job Market and Its Ever Changing Landscape

Written by: Chane da Costa

Gone are the days of landing jobs via your personal network and newspapers. Embracing the digital era, we adjust our job search by applying electronically via email and job portals. There has been a substantial transformation in the landscape of the job market and what hiring managers look for in the digital era. Are you prepared?

Before the convenience of the World Wide Web (WWW), there weren’t as many job opportunities or means in which to apply for them. People used to get jobs at the same company a family member was working at, through a friend or acquaintance and by means of going to the company and having a chat to the manager for a possible position available. There also used to be job advertisements pinned up on community notice boards and advertised in the local newspaper. In 1989 when the WWW was invented we saw the beginning of the Digital Era, when CV’s were neatly created on a computer and faxed and emailed to hiring employers. A gap in the recruitment was then seen and online community and business job portals were then created. So all very well that we know the evolution of applying for jobs, but how does this affect us as individuals?

Advantages of the changed market landscape

•  It is convenient to apply on online job portals.
• It provides easy access to research the company’s information and background for interviews
• It grants you, as the candidate, the opportunity to establish yourself as a thought leader and ultimately build and maintain a robust network of contacts through establishing connections via social media. This also serves to reflect your personal brand and provides hiring managers with more insight into determining if you are the right fit for their company culture.
• It is part of the “Green Initiative” and does not waste paper.
•  It saves time, by uploading your CV onto the portal and applying for jobs that are suitable for you.
• You have access to markets/industries you never thought you would be able to be in.
• You are able to apply for positions across local and geographical borders. It also allows for electronic interviews to be conducted via Skype or other useful electronic platforms.
• There is a larger variety of positions that you gain access to.

Disadvantages of the changed market landscape:

• Your CV gets lost in the database because of the abundance of applications each role receives.
• The format of the CV may distort on the hiring managers computer and then be disposed of.
• There are many other candidates who are exposed to that position, which will be competition for you.
• Companies who have access to the databases may call you for a position that you may not be interested in which can be a nuisance.
•  Hiring managers may search your online personal reputation; this may assist or forfeit your chances of landing the position.
• It is easy to misrepresent yourself by creating an alternate online reputation that does not align in reality.
• You constantly have to update your CV on all the job and social media platforms for personal brand consistency. Just ensure that you are active on these platforms so that you can respond to hiring managers within time.

Having noted the advantages and disadvantages of the changed market landscape, you may ask the question – How do I use this to my advantage to land the perfect position? Well whether or not you are a graduate or someone who has been in the working world for a while, these tips will definitely differentiate you in this digital era. 

• Do not be afraid to start at the bottom in a career that you are passionate about. It is better to do what you love and love what you do, than to work in a job that you do half-heartedly because it is not where your interests are.
• Get involved in your community. Hiring employers like to see that their employees are well rounded individuals and are involved in activities outside work. By having a well-balanced life you show that you are able to apply the same practicality in the working environment.
• Ensure that your full profile is featured on top recruitment boards with a comprehensive and complete CV and portfolio if you have one.
• Ensure your social media is not thwarting your job search. Manage your online reputation with a complete LinkedIn profile for hiring managers to view your professional experience.
•  If you have a Facebook, Twitter and other social media or blog platforms make sure it is in line with employers expectations and that there is no explicit or inappropriate content exposed online for their viewing.
• Use these tools to your advantage. Create an online personal brand and position yourself as the person you would like others to view you as. Whether you’re a passionate foodie who knows how to code or a geek who works in hospitality, allow room for a balanced lifestyle and don’t be afraid to reflect those quirky aspects of yourself.

·         Remember hiring managers are also human, so whatever is on your social media platforms doesn’t necessarily have to be work orientated, but represent who you are and the values you would like to reflect. Hiring managers look to employ those with a bit more substance than the ‘sleep-eat-work routine’ type.

·         Make yourself available. If you aren’t able to answer your phone, email or social media platforms hiring managers will simply move on to the next available person.

These aren’t the only aspects that hiring managers are now taking into consideration in the changed job market landscape. Employers now want employees who aren’t programmed to complete certain tasks but look for future employees who are fast on their feet and out the box thinkers. People who are complex and individualistic and are proud to be different compared to the average Joe. These are also people who have interest in working in teams and present leadership potential. At the end of the day it all falls down to individuals who are hungry for success and seek more responsibility.

So do yourself a favour and Google yourself to see if the content that comes up with your name, represents and matches who you truly are in reality. The WWW is like a highway of content, your online representation is like a massive billboard – would you really like to see yourself posted on a an advertisement across the N1 with a duck-face pose and bathroom tiles in the background, while the caption read ‘hire me’?

Should you put social media links on your resume?

 Written by: Chane da Costa

Mashable reported that 10.9% of resumes have links to social media profiles, and this continues to grow. However there is a big debate amongst recruiters as to whether or not resumes should have links to social media profile.

Although social media profiles provide a sense of transparency and help potential employers become more comfortable when it comes to hiring you, it can however have a negative influence on your application if you have inappropriate posts that can be viewed.

This does not mean that if you don’t have links to your Facebook and Twitter page that potential employers won’t seek and view your profile. For those active job seekers, I cannot stress enough how important it is to monitor your profiles and ensure that your posts are decent and appropriate in case potential employers search your name.

There are 3 main social media platforms used on resumes. To determine whether or not you should use them, I have discussed each one with guidelines on how to use them.

1. Linked-In     

For those who don’t know what LinkedIn is, it is a social networking website for people with professional occupations.  It is mainly used for connecting with and growing a professional network as well as job searching. 

Linked In’s personal profile is in a similar format to that of a resume, which allows your networks and potential employers to view your qualifications and experience without requesting your resume. This will also allow potential employees to view your professional network, projects, skills and endorsements as well as recommendations from former colleagues and employers. It is however essential to constantly keep your profile updated so that it reflects all your recent information.

Often the LinkedIn profile URL’s are long and can make your resume look untidy. To shorten and personalise your URL, follow the steps below:

1.       Go to your profile

2.       Click the edit tab

3.       Under your name will show your URL, with an edit button next to it.

4.       Edit and  personalise your URL

2. Facebook 

Whilst Facebook is the most popular social media network in the world, whether or not to add your URL onto your resume is a difficult decision. Although it creates a sense of transparency for the potential employer, the purpose of your resume is to market yourself to the employer considering your applicant and Facebook might do the exact opposite. We generally use Facebook as a more personal platform to connect with family and friends about our comings and goings as well as our own personal thoughts and opinions. These thoughts and opinions could be contrary to that of what the potential employer associates with and could potentially intervene with your application.

So when deciding whether or not to add your Facebook URL, you can ask yourself if your Facebook page adds value to your job applications or not. If it would not add any professional value do not add a Facebook URL. However as stressed earlier this does not give you reason to relax and not monitor your profile, as potential employers can still do a search and view your profile.

3. Twitter

Twitter, like Facebook is an online social networking platform where users can send and read “tweets”. Twitter differs slightly to Facebook by being able to read and receive tweets about a specific professional industry. By tweeting with your industry specific influencers, you are able to get a foot in their network and this could show your potential employers your knowledge about the industry and your professional networking skills. This could create a good impression.

The correct way to put your Twitter handle on your resume: @ElectusRecruit - Never use the URL link.

The employee transparency subject that was brought up will come up again with Twitter. However, if you are not interacting with your industry/influencers of choice and are using Twitter for personal use this will have no benefit for your potential employers to view your Twitter profile.

As social media recruitment slowly becomes as an integral part of our lives, slowly the distinction between professional and personal social networking platforms will fade. It is of utmost importance for social media users to maintain a reputable online presence whether they are job seeking or not. Remember even if you do not include social media links this does not mean your potential employers won’t search your name.