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3 Ways PR Job Seekers Can Enhance Their Digital Footprint

February 7, 2018

by Elissa Jannicelli Advertising Human Resources Public Relations Social Media

You’ve heard it again and again — when applying for jobs and internships, make sure your social media and is pristine and appropriate. (You don’t want your Instagram or your digital footprint to speak louder than your resume.) This is especially true for aspiring public relations professionals: if you can’t manage your own social media properly, how can an agency expect you to manage a client’s?

This is why so many internship and job seekers are told to go through and delete any unsavory content, ensure their profile pictures put their best self forward, and make their social profiles private if necessary. Cleaning up your social media is a must, but with public relations positions as competitive as they are, there may be another step needed.

Take charge and create your own digital footprint: an entirely new online identity that focuses not on your crazy nights out, but who you are and what you bring to the table as a professional. You may not want potential employers to find your personal content, so provide an opportunity for employers to get a sense of who you are professionally.

Create a job seeking / professional social media account

Creating a professional Twitter or Instagram to demonstrate your social abilities can set you above the competition. You may be protecting yourself by making all your accounts private, but you’re also missing an opportunity to show how you’re able to manage social media profiles, stay in the loop about industry trends, and engage with brands. If that’s something you want to highlight, consider creating an Instagram or Twitter account specifically for that purpose. Retweet articles about industry trends, show off your amazing graphic design/photography skills, and show that PR is more than just a career for you – it’s a passion.

Online Portfolio or Blog

The reason many hiring managers research candidates is because they want to get a sense of the person behind the resume. What’s their personality? What kind of energy would they bring to the role? If you provide everything a manager could possibly need to know upfront and demonstrate all the creative ways you could contribute, they won’t have to look you up. So create an online portfolio or blog to show off your writing skills, share information about yourself, articulate your ideas and perspectives, and outline all the great experience you’d bring to an employer.

Leveraging LinkedIn

Every young professional should have a LinkedIn account. This platform has so many opportunities for those who invest time in using it. You can connect with those in your dream role, post relevant articles, comment on industry leader’s posts, and write/publish your own content. Being able to share an impressive and engaging LinkedIn profile with a potential employer is a plus.

So, once you’ve made sure your social media content is appropriate, consider creating an entirely new digital footprint. How are you making yourself stand out?

Recruiting the “Baby Boomers” in the Digital Age

January 23, 2018

by Darlene Hannan Advertising Human Resources Recruitment Advertising

Yes, I admit to being a member of AARP. And as a member of their organization, I try to keep involved with the issues that affect us “mature workers”. Volunteer work, tech classes, social security updates, employment decisions, healthcare changes, financial strategies, etc. are important to me now and will be even more important to me in the future.

A few weeks ago, I attended a presentation on “Job Searching in the Digital Age”. Since several of my clients use digital, I was curious to see what AARP had to say about job sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, etc., as well as putting your resume out there, interviewing skills, follow-up, etc. Was the mature audience still working? Were they still being recruited?

Skills

I’ve been very fortunate in my career to keep up-to-date on digital changes and was happy to see that many of the attendees were also. As the majority of the presentation was done on an IPad mini, most individuals understood the use of it … the same with a provided stylus. Everyone owned and used laptops or PCs, and all, of course, had smart phones. Screen swipes, search engines, tapping, keywords, etc. were known by all. Computer skills were excellent, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, etc. There may be legitimate concerns about older workers when it comes to technology, but those skills are being used by us older workers in today’s workplace.

Experience

Customer service is one area in which mature workers tend to shine. You can count on them … you can find a maturity in decision-making you don’t generally find with younger people. In 2014, SHRM asked HR professionals what they considered the top advantages of older workers. Experience was No. 1, followed closely by maturity/professionalism and a stronger work ethic. Mature workers also play a vital role in providing skills to younger people … people with experience can share what has been tried in the past and hot it can be improved.

Loyalty

Workers older than age 50 may be more loyal. Younger workers may feel conflicted about how to split their time between work and family. For example, their commitment to finish a big project may be at odds with their commitment to take the kids to sports practice in the evening. By age 50, many workers no longer have to worry about those divided loyalties. Children are grown, or at least older, which means less time and energy needs to be devoted to home life. You may have more of a work focus when you’re not worried about the kids.

A few points of this blog have been sent to me by colleagues and/or re-emphasized from other sources. But what I’ve found is that all of us — young or old — need to keep the mind challenged and skills updated, especially in today’s changing world. And the older generation has years of experience and life lessons to be a valuable part of today’s workforce. So, let’s keep recruiting these “oldies but goodies” for today’s workforce … you’ll be glad you did!

5 Reasons 2018 Is Going To Be A Battleground For Talent

January 9, 2018

by Elissa Jannicelli Advertising Branding Community Awareness Human Resources Recruitment Advertising

If you’re a recruiter, you can already feel it. The demand to fill a growing number of job openings is already here. Complicating things for your recruiting efforts is the fact that job seekers have more opportunities from which to choose. In short, you’re not the only game in town. Additionally, the improved job market has employees feeling more comfortable to move from passive to active job seekers.

If you are not yet a believer in the changing job market ahead and its effect on recruiting, here are five statistical trends that should change your mind.

Job Openings Continuing to Rise

The job openings trend across the nation has been steadily increasing since July 2009. From that time through October 2017 the total number of job openings has grown nearly 3 times larger. That means job seekers are looking at 6 million opportunities today when back in 2009 their job search would include just over 2 million jobs. That really puts incredible pressure on recruiters to differentiate their company as an employer.

The Quit Rate is Up

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people feeling comfortable enough to quit their jobs has nearly doubled since 2009. These individuals are quitting to accept a new position or feeling confident enough to quit without a new job on the horizon since there are plenty of job openings (as shown above) out there for them.

A Lower Participation Rate

Part of the equation for creating a sufficient talent pool to meet your recruiting needs is the number of individuals who qualify as a potential candidate but for one reason or another have opted out of the job market. In just the last 6 years, that number has decreased from 63.7% to 62.7%. Sounds like a small movement, but in combination with all of the other statistics discussed here, this has a big impact.

Lower Number of Layoffs and Discharges

There are always a number of individuals who are forced into the job market through layoffs and discharges. As the economy improves, the number of individuals affected is reduced. Hence, less talent is available for hiring in the “active” job seeker category. Unfortunately, these are what you refer to as the lower hanging fruit. This is a group that is much easier to recruit and makes your job all the easier.

Tax Changes Will Spur Pay Increases

Sometimes it just takes more money to entice individuals to stay in their current position rather than jumping somewhere else. With the newly implemented corporate tax structure companies are going to have more money to use at their discretion. Many times, they may have an opportunity to save an employee with a raise thus keeping that individual from entering into the job market.

If you want to see most of the statistics above in greater detail, go to the JOLTS Home Page on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

If you want more details on the 2018 job market and how you can conquer its massive challenges, feel free to contact SCG Advertising & Public Relations.