Have you received a canned, almost robotic email from a recruiter telling you what they need? Or a message asking you to check out a great role, and you see no correlation to this great role and your background? On behalf of the entire recruiting industry, I am sorry for these negative experiences. One comment I hear consistently is, “You are unlike any recruiter I’ve ever spoken with.” My response to that is, “Thank you!”
What makes our SafeNet Consulting recruiting team different? We are connectors of people with experience and professionalism, knowing that recruiting starts with listening. Our team works to ask thoughtful questions to learn about each candidate’s background, motivations, career interests. We truly want to ensure we connect candidates with opportunities that fit on both sides. Whether you are actively in the job market or want to dip your toe in the water to see what’s out there, today’s job search is very different than it was years ago. Today, hiring managers and recruiters often reach out to candidates even if people haven’t applied to a job opening.
Make LinkedIn Work for You
LinkedIn is a powerful tool that both the job seeker and the recruiter or employer can utilize. How can you better use this robust professional networking site to work for you?
- Keep your work history up to date. Include aspects such as the company name, the title of the position(s) you held, and a brief description of responsibilities or the overall project initiative.
- Change your job preference status to “Open to Work.” This indicates to recruiters and hiring managers that you are approachable and does not necessarily mean you are actively in the job market.
- If you are currently unemployed or your contract is ending, add information into your headline that states you are available immediately.
- Add your skills. Think about it, recruiters and hiring managers look for candidates by building a search that includes keywords found within a job description. Within LinkedIn, you can take a skills quiz or simply add skills to ensure you show up when people are searching.
Resumes Are Still Important
Now, what about your resume? Opinions vary – some say keep it to one page while others suggest you write the novel of your life even if that results in a ten-plus page resume. Oh boy! Remember, you should design your resume to get you an interview.
- Create versions that position you for each type of role you’re interested in landing. It’s ok to have several versions of your resume.
- Add bullets to your resume for easy scanability and to ensure specific experiences jump out.
- Tailor your resume to the position you want. If you see a job description that suits your experience, strengths, and interests, take note of the required skills and tailor your resume to that job description.
- Pepper your resume with the skills/keywords listed as required in the job description.
About SafeNet Consulting
SafeNet Consulting is a technology consulting firm that exists to make our consultants and clients’ lives better and form genuine partnerships founded on trust and a shared desire to drive innovation. Learn more about our team.
Tina Johnson is a Sr. Talent Acquisition expert with over 20 years of recruiting experience. Tina is part of the SafeNet Consulting recruiting team and her passion is connecting technology professionals with staffing and solution assignments including Digital Transformation, BI/Analytics, Management Consulting, UX Design and Strategy, Custom Application Development and Quality Assurance.
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