As a recruitment professional, I am always on the lookout for new ideas and articles. Social Media is one of the next frontiers for recruiting and there are always new articles that come up regarding ways to use this medium to bring on talent.

However – as with everything about recruiting on this blog, let turn the concepts on its head. Here are the Social Media concepts as noted by the website:

1)Pick the right job board
2)Be active in your industry
3)Screen Rigorously
4)Its still who you know
5)Its just the beginning stages

Ok, so how can this be applied to making your job search more strategic? Let’s look at “Pick the right job board”. You really need to assess your skills to address this issue. If you are a project manager, look at associations like PMI (Project Management Institute) that can host your resume. If you are an IT professional, you might want to consider Dice versus the generalist boards of Monster and Careerbuilder.

“Be active in your industry” also applies. I have said it before, but to really turbo charge your search, you need to be active in your industry. Think of it as an investment in your career. The more active you are in conferences, or writing about your work, the more chances you have of getting tweeted, facebooked, and eventually build up your online profile.

“Screen Rigorously” Think again about the hiring process. Screen the recruiters you are talking to over the phone. If you determine that they are only putting you through a preliminary screening then only give them the basic information that they will understand. Conversely if in your screening you find that they are technically proficient in your industry, then be sure to let them know of your knowledge. Rest assured, they are reviewing your online profile.You should also be doing the same to them.

“Its still who you know”
Follow the link below. NPR says it much better then I can.
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/08/135218180/help-wanted-references-fill-jobs-and-pockets

“Its just the beginning stages”. This is what I have been preaching all along. The recruitment process is a series of stages that any prospective candidate has to navigate through. Your social media profile is only the beginning and you will need to pull together all your resources in order to get through each one.

Related articles

• How Successful Companies Hire (mashable.com)