2013 passed by too quickly this year. Still, despite its swift departure, 2013 left us with many lessons learned in recruiting. I thought a good way to reflect this past year is to highlight some of the hot trends that we’re betting will continue to increase in the coming year.
- Online Reputation: Managing your brand and online reputation is becoming increasingly important to individuals and companies. This year and in years past, we’ve seen brands and people be wonderfully praised or wrongfully attacked online. With all the research recruiters and individuals do via the web, maintaining a positive image with your personal or business brand can be the difference of attracting better talent (if you’re an employer) or getting the right offer (if you’re a candidate). Now is the time to become more proactive to monitor and protect the integrity of your brand. How do you do this? Be wary of anything you post online for personal or business purposes. For social networks, make sure your email settings can alert you when someone references you. Be diligent about reviewing all materials posted about you or your business and act accordingly. Forbes wrote an article recently on this hot topic (here) that highlights the importance of this in 2014.
- Social Media and Online Search: Social Media has been at the forefront of the recruiting industry. As companies and recruiters push to identify, attract and secure talent, Social Media will be imperative for companies and job seekers to master. The right social networks will depend on your industry and connecting the most effective way will depend on you. In one post we wrote some time ago, we bookmarked some online tips and links to other online social tools. Be sure and check it out.
- LinkedIn: This social network is its own bullet point because it’s essential in today’s business world. Buyer beware though. One can get lost in this network and easily spend hundreds of dollars in their system. Knowing the right tricks to grow your image and brand is essential. Building, sharing and communicating with people you’ve worked with or people in your industry doesn’t cost a thing. Dedicating enough time to cultivate relationships via LinkedIn is what’s costly. Our best recommendation is to network with those in your network that excel at networking via LinkedIn. Mirror what they do and then find your own voice to connect and share with others.
- Subscribe: There is so much information out there for companies and individuals to learn more. If you find a blog you like or a writer you prefer, subscribe to their post/blog so you get great ongoing content delivered to your email about your industry, recruiting or job opportunities. Forbes recently featured an excellent list of Recruiting Resources for people to tap into to help get you started.
- Referrals: As companies continue to demand better background checks and demand higher referrals, one area that continues to have a stronghold in 2013 and most likely in the coming years is referrals. Check out how we us referrals in our everyday business.
These are great trends in the recruiting world—some old tactics, some new. But in our opinion the best advice we provided job seekers and employers this year from lessons learned is to…always be recruiting.
