by Mike O'Brien, CEO, Climber.com
Think your online brand can't make or break you in today's super-competitive job market? Think again.
According to a recent survey of 100 executive recruiters conducted by ExecuNet, 77% of recruiters reported using search engines to find background data on candidates. Of that number, 35% eliminated a candidate because of what they found online (an increase over the prior year's total of 26%).
National news magazine BusinessWeek points to even more impressive numbers, with a recent poll indicating that 87% of recruiters use search engines and social networks to decide about candidates. Additionally, at Climber.com we have seen a 300% increase in recruiter traffic from the major search engines over the last three months.
So how do you make the most of your online career brand?
1. Get Visible -- the Right Way
To be noticed by today's tech savvy recruiters, you need to create a positive online presence for yourself, stat. And it's important to manage your message to control what recruiters see. Working with an Internet-savvy career company can help. At career management site Climber.com, proprietary software and search engine optimization tools are designed to present each candidate's skills and background in the best light. You will also want to review all of your online profiles to make sure that there is no evidence of CLMs (recruiter speak for "Career Limiting Move").
Free online tools -- such as social networking sites LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook -- can help contribute to your online presence as well. But while they are useful for a search on your name, they won't necessarily position you well on the specific search terms recruiters use.
2. Understand Why Recruiters Are Doing the Research
Let's face it -- the economy is tough, and recruiters have to be more resourceful than ever to find the perfect candidate. Search engines provide hundreds of free candidates, and companies such as Brownbag Recruiter and JobMachine now have classes to teach recruiters how to use search engines to source candidates. In addition, recruiters don't have time to waste on a candidate who's not a good fit since there are millions more people out there looking for work. Recent government data reported that there are 3.8 job seekers for every job in America today.
3. Turnabout Is Fair Play, Search Them!
If you're targeting specific employers, do your research. Based on their sites and company information, identify keywords that are likely to appeal to your ideal employer, and include these keywords in your online profile.
After studying the search terms that recruiters have used over the last four years, Climber.com can optimize user profiles to feature the top keywords that recruiters use when looking for candidates in their location, industry, and occupation.
4. Manage Your Online Brand Like a Rock Star
In today's heavily networked world, your online brand is the way you connect with your audience. So manage it faithfully. Anytime you post online, whether on your blog, your website, your social networking page, or as a contributor elsewhere on the Web, you're adding to your online brand. Review your information frequently, and look at your online presence through a recruiter's eyes. On the Internet, it's tough to "erase" unfavorable content once it's live -- so manage your brand up front to make the most of your career opportunities.
Think your online brand can't make or break you in today's super-competitive job market? Think again.
According to a recent survey of 100 executive recruiters conducted by ExecuNet, 77% of recruiters reported using search engines to find background data on candidates. Of that number, 35% eliminated a candidate because of what they found online (an increase over the prior year's total of 26%).
National news magazine BusinessWeek points to even more impressive numbers, with a recent poll indicating that 87% of recruiters use search engines and social networks to decide about candidates. Additionally, at Climber.com we have seen a 300% increase in recruiter traffic from the major search engines over the last three months.
So how do you make the most of your online career brand?
1. Get Visible -- the Right Way
To be noticed by today's tech savvy recruiters, you need to create a positive online presence for yourself, stat. And it's important to manage your message to control what recruiters see. Working with an Internet-savvy career company can help. At career management site Climber.com, proprietary software and search engine optimization tools are designed to present each candidate's skills and background in the best light. You will also want to review all of your online profiles to make sure that there is no evidence of CLMs (recruiter speak for "Career Limiting Move").
Free online tools -- such as social networking sites LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook -- can help contribute to your online presence as well. But while they are useful for a search on your name, they won't necessarily position you well on the specific search terms recruiters use.
2. Understand Why Recruiters Are Doing the Research
Let's face it -- the economy is tough, and recruiters have to be more resourceful than ever to find the perfect candidate. Search engines provide hundreds of free candidates, and companies such as Brownbag Recruiter and JobMachine now have classes to teach recruiters how to use search engines to source candidates. In addition, recruiters don't have time to waste on a candidate who's not a good fit since there are millions more people out there looking for work. Recent government data reported that there are 3.8 job seekers for every job in America today.
3. Turnabout Is Fair Play, Search Them!
If you're targeting specific employers, do your research. Based on their sites and company information, identify keywords that are likely to appeal to your ideal employer, and include these keywords in your online profile.
After studying the search terms that recruiters have used over the last four years, Climber.com can optimize user profiles to feature the top keywords that recruiters use when looking for candidates in their location, industry, and occupation.
4. Manage Your Online Brand Like a Rock Star
In today's heavily networked world, your online brand is the way you connect with your audience. So manage it faithfully. Anytime you post online, whether on your blog, your website, your social networking page, or as a contributor elsewhere on the Web, you're adding to your online brand. Review your information frequently, and look at your online presence through a recruiter's eyes. On the Internet, it's tough to "erase" unfavorable content once it's live -- so manage your brand up front to make the most of your career opportunities.
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