Identified

Identified’s Ranking System

We’ve been getting so many questions and comments over Twitter about how the ranking system of Identified works, and what factors go into the scores that people get. Since the 140 character limit on Twitter doesn’t allow for a very detailed explanation, we thought we’d address the question in a blog post.  Ranking candidates is not something that is new. Search engines and job boards have always ranked search results (Google has PageRank, Monster uses 6Sense). These technologies help match the person searching with the most relevant results. But let’s say someone is searching for YOU - wouldn’t you like to control what you were ranked for, see how you are ranked, and be able to change your ranking? Identified is pulling back the veil of secrecy to allow you to see how you compare to other people like you. For example, if you’re looking for work, you can see how you compare to candidates and current employees at the company at which you are applying for work. Being able to see your ranking gives you the opportunity to improve it by adding relevant work and education information, and by connecting to people you know at a given company. In short, an Identified score is based on three things: Your work history: Companies you’ve worked for, positions you’ve held, years of experience, and number of jobs held have always determined how you rank professionally, especially if you’re looking for a new job or if you’re up for a promotion at work. Your Education: Universities you’ve attended, your degree level, what you studied and when you graduated are also very important factors in determining your professional identity and, therefore, relevance in a search for professionals like you. Your Network: Your network score is based on the strength of your connections, the quality of your connections, the depth of your network and the breadth of your network. Your network is an important part of your personal brand because it can help you get job referrals, sales leads (if you’re in sales), and can otherwise help connect you with people with which you have a mutual connection. If you have any further questions about Identified, please email feedback@identified.com.

Don’t Let your Age Affect your Job Prospects

Many people who are looking for new jobs are worried about being either too young, or too old, for a position. What’s important to remember is not your age, but how to be appropriate when presenting yourself to a future employer. Here are a couple of things to remember... Updated contact information This doesn’t just mean having a current phone number listed. If you’re still using a hotmail or AOL account, now might be an excellent time to switch over to gmail. Believe it or not, potential employers will see you in a different light if you have an old email address listed. This becomes especially noticeable if someone applies to a job describing themselves as “tech savvy”. Along the same lines, if you are applying to jobs with an email address like “cUtIE_gUrL2000” it might be time to upgrade to something with your full name. No matter what age you are, it’s important to always keep a professional image.   When choosing employment dates - choose wisely This is more important for people who are older and have more experience. Remember to include the dates that you worked for previous companies, otherwise it will sound vague and potential employers will begin to question. It’s also important to only include fairly recent jobs on your resume, a good rule of thumb is to only go back about 10 years in work history.

 

How Facebook’s New Privacy Settings Can Be Beneficial

Facebook has recently made some big changes to its privacy settings. Researching and reading through all of them before they are in effect is a great idea, but in the mean time here are a couple changes that can help you monitor what is posted about you on your Facebook page.

Now you have the ability to approve all posts that you are tagged in. Instead of signing on to your page and seeing yourself tagged in some unflattering or inappropriate photos, you can now save yourself the embarrassment by monitoring tags before they’re posted. This feature will automatically be put in place, unless you change the settings to turn them off.

Although you may think that getting Facebook notifications about this every time you check your smart phone is obnoxious, consider the positive effects of this. From the time these privacy changes are put in place, you won’t have to go back and clean up your Facebook page to remove inappropriate content because you’ll be able to monitor it as it comes in. 

What do you think of Facebook's new privacy settings? Comment and let us know your thoughts!

How Your Alma Mater Can Help You

Organizations: Were you a member of a club or greek organization on campus? More than likely these groups have great resources for you to connect and network to find a great job. Did your advertising club have a great speaker from an agency that really inspired you? This might be a great introduction to a new and helpful contact in an industry that interests you.

Professors: If you’re currently in college, make sure to establish relationships with your professors in fields that you’re interested in because they will be valuable resources for advice post-graduation, and they also might have connections that they’d be happy to share with you. If you’re no longer in college, try to recall the professors that really stood out to you and reach out to them. More often than not, they’re happy to help out a former student.

Alumni Associations: Going to alumni sponsored events in your local area, or attending a homecoming event at your alma mater can be great ways to network and meet people who can help you find a job. Talk to people at these events about your time at school and your career options and you might come across somebody who can help answer some questions for you or lead you in the right direction toward a job opportunity. 

How have you used university organizations from your alma mater to your advantage? Do you have any other ideas? Let us know your thoughts!

How Previous Work Experience Contributes to Your Future

It’s more than likely that you have had a job over the years that you don’t want to make a career out of. For some this might mean working at the drive-thru of a fast food chain, or working at a construction site for some extra cash during one summer in high school. Although you might not see a future in either of these career paths, it’s important to remember the life skills you required by holding these positions.

When you reflect on your job history, think about the skills that you learned when you held those different jobs. Did you learn patience, organizational skills, or even another language in the time that you held that job? These are all great things that can shape your career in the future. Potential employers might not be interested in your ability to serve french fries to customers, but emphasizing the customer service skills you learned in that job could land you a great human resources position.

Go through some of the previous positions that you’ve held and think about some of the life skills that you learned while you had those jobs. Take these skills and consider what careers they might be useful in. You might have hated working as a babysitter for all those summers in high school, but when you consider the lessons you learned in responsibility and how to handle yourself under pressure, you might look back on those experiences with a little bit more appreciation. Your future employers might too. 

Top 5 Easy Ways to Build Your Personal Network

1)    Don’t underestimate the power of family and friends when it comes to making new contacts to add to your personal network. Family and friends are generally quick to help and make new introductions, and potentially help you make a contact that could lead to your dream job. Don’t be scared to ask for advice from an aunt or uncle, or a friend who works at a great company; more than likely they’d love to help.

2)    Learn to take advantage of the social media tools that are all around. You already have Facebook and Twitter accounts, so why not use them to interact with great companies and brands that you’re interested in. Join groups and interact with others who share the same interests as you.

3)    Look around for local conferences and other corporate events in your area to attend. Often these are free, or low cost ways to meet people who already work at companies that you are interested and are happy to answer any questions you have or exchange business cards. Always remember to come prepared and look professional at these events.

4)    Alumni associations are great resources to connect with people from your alma mater. Contact your school to find out information about local alumni groups and see if they have any events coming up in your area that you could attend. Meeting people from your school is a great way to build your network and connect with people who have shared similar experiences as you, and they are often likely to help out another alum.

5)    Don’t hesitate when a friend or family member asks you for a favor. You never know when you’re going to need one from them. If you can help someone you know make a contact that could lead to a job opportunity, it’s very likely that they will do the same for you in the future.