Beyond Folders : hiring

Professional Networking on Facebook: Branching Out from Just Friends

Community Manager — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:09:00 GMT

Facebook, the go-to social networking site of a staggering 750 million users, now has an increasing number of third-party apps that allow for professional networking. BranchOut is perhaps the best known; others include the newer BeKnown, as well as Identified and Work4Labs.

Companies are increasingly using social networking to source high-quality candidates due to its ease and cheapness. Given that many top-tier companies are shifting from traditional hiring methods such as job boards and third-party recruiters, professional networking through social media channels is becoming ever more critical.

Here's an overview of some of the players:

BranchOut: BranchOut is an app that allows Facebook users to unlock massive amounts of career data on Facebook friends (and even friends of friends). Users can search on a company name and see which of your Facebook friends work there (or used to).

BranchOut also allows users to import their existing data from LinkedIn, making profiles a snap to create. The app also allows companies to post job listings.

For more, read:

BranchOut=Facebook Plus LinkedIn Divided by Job Search

BeKnown: Job search behemoth Monster.com launched BeKnown, allowing job hunters to search for and apply for jobs without leaving Facebook. The app is fully integrated with Facebook, but lets users keep their personal Facebook information private, a major plus.

Job seekers can not only view and apply for jobs, they can see company information, get endorsed, and apply for jobs directly from the app.

For more, read:

Monster.com Launches BeKnown: Professional Social Networking for Facebook

Identified: A professional network that builds candidate profiles using relevant Facebook biographical data; allows recruiters to search all candidates by a variety of requirements such as GPA or school attended; the service also keeps sensitive social data out of the hands of recruiters.

For more, read:

Identified to Challenge LinkedIn by Building Job Candidate Profiles from Facebook Data

Work 4 Labs: An app for recruiters and candidates. Companies can post jobs to their Facebook Page and advertise via Facebook Ads. The app also offers referral features. Work4 Labs also develops Jobs for Me, one of the largest networks of university career centers and vertical job boards on Facebook. According to the company, users include blue-chip names such as Citibank, Accenture, Oracle, Microsoft, KPMG and Intel to name a few.

For more, read:

Tools of the Trade - Work4Labs: Work 4 Us App

Finally, we leave you with a useful read for optimizing social media to land coveted gigs: 5 Clever Ways to Get a Job Using Social Media.

Good luck with the job search!

Why Aren't You Using LinkedIn?

Community Manager — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:34:00 GMT

More than 100 million people are using social media platform LinkedIn. Why aren't you?

In a tough job market, networking through social media is critical. LinkedIn allows job hunters, and even those not actively seeking work, to display their work and credentials to colleagues and recruiters alike.

Looking for a Job?

LinkedIn offers job hunters more than just terrific networking a click away. The service allows individuals to search geographically for contacts in HR departments and within specific industries. LinkedIn also allows users to follow what's happening at companies where a prospective candidate is looking. For more tips for optimizing LinkedIn, read Expert Tips For Using LinkedIn.

Making a Career Switch?

Career changers can use LinkedIn as a bridge to a new industry. The service lets users easily alert their network of a desired shift and the Group Directory and search features allows for research on the trends and job-openings in your desired field. For more, read Change is in the Air: 7 LinkedIn Tips for Career Changers.

Are You an Older Worker?

Don't let a job hunt fall prey to ageism. Demonstrate up-to-date tech skills with an active online personal brand. Many recruiters and career coaches view LinkedIn as the ultimate resource for job hunters. For the older worker, actively participating in LinkedIn shows relevancy and range.

Do you make effective use of LinkedIn? Have you had any networking or job hunting success with LinkedIn? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.

Ageism: Is It Hurting Your Career?

Community Manager — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:45:00 GMT

In a tight job market, every advantage counts. For some aging employees, plastic surgery, Botox and hair dye is seen as a necessary step to remain a viable job candidate according to a spate of recent articles.

While ageism, like its brethren -isms, sexism, racism, no doubt rears its ugly head in certain work environments, it should not be viewed as an insurmountable obstacle: sharp, savvy job seekers can always market themselves, no matter their age.

We'll leave the issue of whether or not to combat those grays to you and your hairdresser. We prefer to stick to the basics, work basics. Ideas to take the focus off your age and onto your abilities include:

Recent Results First: Resumes get brief attention so be sure to highlight recent accomplishments up top. Don't overwhelm the resume with every single job over a decades-long career. Consider a functional resume that emphasizes your well-honed areas of expertise and shows your work experience is current.

On Trend: Dispell notions that old means dated. Be sure to be current on technology and trends; you and your prospective boss may have generational differences in music but you should have the same current technology skills. Staying fresh is imperative.

Up Your Energy: Demonstrate your energy and vitality with attention to detail. Make sure your handshake and body language convey energy, not fatigue. Avoid dated looks, hairstyles and eye-glasses; consider wearing bright colors that communicate vitality. Don't go overboard by wearing inappropriately young styles. The look should say seasoned and stylish, not desperate.

Work that Network: An advantage to a long-running career should be a well-established network. By continuing to actively network, and to mentor younger colleagues, you will keep your sensibility fresh, generate job leads and remain up-to-date in your industry.

Do you see ageism at play in your industry? How do you combat ageism? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.

by Candie Harris

The Graying Workforce

Community Manager — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:43:00 GMT

Rumor has it Mick Jagger is starting a new band. Why not? He's only 67.

Mick's not alone in working well past what was once considered retirement age. Gray is the new color of the American workforce according to the Department of Labor which estimates the number of workers 55 and over will jump 36.5 percent from 2006 to 2016.

Where will all these folks be working? According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, certain sectors look rosy for aging boomers.

They include:

Health care (nursing, home health care, medical assistants)
Education (teachers, teacher assistants and child care workers)
Nonprofits and government (business operations specialists; general and operations managers; receptionists and information clerks)
Social services: (clergy and social and human service assistants)

U.S. News & World Report also recently looked at the issue of the aging workforce, finding that a quarter of Fortune 500 employees are 50 and older. Certain industries such as the airlines and insurance sector have more over 50 employees than other sectors such as hospitality and food.

A myriad of factors are contributing to the graying workforce: people are living longer and healthier lives, the financial turmoil of recent years has impacted retirement savings and technological advances are allowing older workers greater employment longevity.

Will retirement eventually, well, retire?

We want to hear your thoughts on retirement and the graying workforce. Has your retirement goal shifted to a later date? What keeps you in the workforce? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.

Onboarding New Hires

Community Manager — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:40:00 GMT

You've found the perfect candidate for that vacant position. Now what? Successfully onboarding new hires is as crucial as selecting the right candidate.

Hit the ground running with our round-up of advice from across the web.

Start Early

Onboarding begins before the offer letter even goes out according to the HBR post Get Immediate Value From Your New Hires. Hiring managers need to spell out company culture and the org chart during the hiring process. The greater the transparency during the interview process, the swifter the transition once aboard. Also, managers can shorten the learning curve by explaining the nuances of the "shadow" org chart such as what interpersonal dynamics are at play and who the key stakeholders are in each department or project.

Take Time to Make Time

Forget the sink or swim method and carve out time to help give a new hire their sea legs says The 10 Commandments of Employee Onboarding. Other tips include scheduling plenty of time during the early days and weeks to help new hires navigate their roles and following up with 90-day check-ins.

Details, Details

Be sure not to neglect the details while mapping out the "big picture" for new hires. The little things speak volumes and having all paperwork, email and phones at the ready ensures your new hire feels welcome. For an onboarding checklist, read How to Build an Onboarding Plan for a New Hire.

How does your company onboard new hires? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.

Hiring Overqualified Candidates: A Plus or Minus?

Community Manager — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:38:00 GMT

The uncertain economy is still creating an employment glut as job seekers continue to outnumber available roles. As more and more experienced workers pound the pavement, employers increasingly face a new problem: how to handle overqualified candidates coming through the doors in search of work.

Conventional wisdom says avoid hiring overqualified candidates. The rap on quote, unquote over-educated and experienced workers is that they will quickly grow dissatisfied with lesser roles, creating morale or managerial issues.

Not Necessarily a Negative

Not everyone agrees that seasoned candidates are a risk. A recent Harvard Business Review post, Should You Hire an Overqualified Candidate? cites a study that finds the risks of overqualified candidates becoming discontented and leaving are more perception than reality.

The post goes on to make the case that well-educated and experienced candidates actually present an opportunity for visionary companies and hiring managers to staff up on talent at a time when so many well-qualified candidates are ripe for the hiring.

Overqualified Can Equal Opportunity

Hiring managers can make good bets on overqualified candidates by keeping two factors in mind. First, prospective employers need to suss out why talented candidates are willing to take a lateral or lesser role. Is the worker looking to career shift? Gain a better work-life balance? Or perhaps the candidate is looking to return to the workforce after time at home? Discovering why candidates want a certain role can help employers determine if they are likely to succeed in a give position.

Second, employers can improve the odds of a successful fit by giving seasoned employees autonomy and challenging work. Empowering experienced workers to bring their A-game to a B-role can help turn a potential awkward fit into a workable proposition, creating a win-win for both employer and employee.

For more on how to best utilize seasoned job candidates, we like the advice in the New York Times article Overqualified? Yes, But Happy To Have the Job.

Does being overqualified rule a candidate out in your mind? Or have you had a successful hire with an overqualified employee? Share your thoughts here and at the Pendaflex Facebook page.