Beyond Folders : job search, 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.

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.