Identified

So You’ve Been Contacted by a Recruiter... Now What? (Part 1)

What should be your first move after you are contacted by a recruiter? This has happened to many job seekers, and we’re here to provide some advice. Here are some things you should consider after you’re contacted by a recruiter.

1) What company are they representing? Sometimes if they are from an outside recruiting company they aren’t allowed to tell you what company they are calling from. Think of a few things you’d like to know about that company, even if they can’t tell you the name. Are they well funded? What industry are they in? These questions might vary depending on what you’re interested in, but either way this is a good way to decide whether or not you’re interested in keeping contact with the recruiter.

2) Ask the recruiter where they found your information. If more than one person contacts you, this could provide you with some guidance as to where you should spend most of your time looking for a job. Have several recruiters told you that they found your profile on a job board? Or on Twitter or Facebook? Wherever it is, consider the possibility of spending more of your time on that site because of the success you experienced with it.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog post, and feel free to contribute any personal experiences or advice for job seekers who are confused about what steps to take after being contacted by a recruiter!

Occupy Your Time Between Jobs

So you’re looking for a full time job, but want to keep busy in the meantime? Here are a few ways to get out of the house, and boost your resume at the same time!

Volunteer: This is a great thing to add to a resume. Instead of sitting around on the couch, show future employers that you worked to help a cause that you’re enthusiastic about. Find an organization that inspires you!

Wait Tables: This is a quick way to make some money and add customer service skills to your resume. Customer service is a skill that’s valued by many employers, and many positions.

Start a blog: Pick an interest of yours and work to become an expert. Start a blog and network with others to build your connections and learn more about your chosen subject.

Take classes: Find a local community college and enroll in some night classes that are relevant to the industry that you ultimately want to end up in. This will give you something to talk about in interviews, and could give you better preparation for your future career. It will also allow you the opportunity to meet new connections who share similar interests, and they might be able to lead you in the right direction towards finding a great job.

Do you have any other ways to stay busy between jobs? Please share in the comments section!

Brand Pages: How do YOU Interact?

Since Google+ released brand pages last week, many people have been talking about the possibilities of those pages and how people will interact with them. Using your social networking profiles to connect with companies you admire or want to work for is a great way to connect with people who have similar interests.

If you’re looking for a job, many of these companies have career pages that you can connect with to get an inside look at what its like to work there. Liking a career page for a company also allows recruiters to see you and your interest in the company, and they may contact you for an open position.

Even if you’re not interacting directly with these companies and products, showing that you’re interested and starting conversations with friends and others in your networks can be a good way to connect with people. Give your contacts a reason to interact with you, and start conversations around brands that people will find interest in.

Everyone’s different, and some prefer to stay away from brand pages while others love to connect with them. How many brands do you choose to connect with, and how do you interact with them? Let us know with a comment, and feel free to connect with Identified's FB Career page for updates on jobs at Identified. We've also launched on Google+, so let us know what you'd like to see on these pages!

Networking: What NOT to Do

We’ve gone over some good tips for building your personal and professional networks (link to past blog post), but it’s also important to cover some networking mistakes which you might be making. Don’t worry, these are all easy problems to fix!

-DON’T forget to follow up with someone after you've met them. Meeting someone alone is not what makes them a contact. Give them a reason to remember you. If you’re new to networking, this might be an intimidating task but you’ll see results and your new contacts will appreciate your effort.

-DON’T expect everything to be handed to you on a silver platter. Provide new contacts with a reason to speak to you and add you to their networks. Show interest in what others have to say and provide relevant commentary to show your worth. Talking only about yourself is not what’s going to land you a job, try and consider what you can do to benefit those that you’re meeting.
One thing to remember is that in order for people to see the value in you, you need to show that you see value in them. Networking is not a one way street.

Do you have any other tips for new networkers about what to avoid when trying to build their networks?

What are the Benefits of Working at a Company That Allows Social Media Access?

There are many companies that do not allow their employees to access social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook, at work. While there are some benefits to this, like increased productivity, it seems like more and more people are using these sites to network professionally and interact with clients and coworkers in a new way, other than by email or phone. So why else would you want to work at a socially savvy company?

- Having the ability to access your Twitter or Facebook account at work allows you to network with clients and coworkers to share relevant information, connect on a personal level, and read news updates faster than you’d be able to almost anywhere else.

- Working for a company that actively uses social media allows for you to see a new and different way that companies are interacting with each other as well as their clients and fans. Even if you’re not an active social media user personally, starting out at a company that uses social media allows you to ease your way into the social world which is good experience to get.

- Companies that allow or encourage social media use are probably more likely to attract top young talent, who are social media experts and see the value in using it to connect. Inquiring about a company’s social media policy is a good way to get a sense for the company culture. If you’re someone who is on Twitter constantly getting news and sharing information, working at a company that doesn’t have a Twitter account for business and doesn’t allow access to the site from work computers might not be the job for you.

Working Remotely: The Good and The Bad

Cisco has just released a report showing data collected that says 7 out of 10 students believe that being in an office regularly is unnecessary. This increase in the number of people who believe that being in an office is unnecessary can be attributed to many things, including increasing use of email to communicate. Working remotely seems to be a controversial issue throughout all generations of workers, so in this blog post we will lay out a few good and bad aspects to working remotely.

Pros:

- For those who are not inspired by an office environment, working from home or a coffee shop might allow them to complete their work faster or with higher quality.
- For those in big cities, commuting can be stressful and tiring. Working remotely can eliminate that added stress and allow that person with more time to concentrate on their job responsibilities.

Cons:
- Working from home doesn’t allow a person to connect with their coworkers and bosses, and might decrease their chances of getting a promotion or better projects. There is a lot to be said for putting in the necessary face time at the office!
- Working remotely causes a disconnect from the job and company, and might not allow people working from home the ability to fully understand the company’s mission and corporate culture which is an important aspect of a job.

What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of working remotely? Do you think this is going to become a bigger trend in the coming years?

Social Media and Personal Branding

The rise of social media platforms is prompting individuals to manage their personal brands, which are increasingly visible online. Understanding the benefits of social media and its powerful tools is essential for professional and career developments. Given the ease at which the public can access social media platforms, it is essential individuals are aware of how they present themselves to the public online. Below are some tips for enhancing your personal brand when engaging in social media: 1.     Provide adequate information about yourself: instead of rushing to sign up for numerous social media sites, start your focus with the ones that you already have and make sure that the information you provide is adequate and appropriate enough to form a favorable perception of you. 2.     Consider your purpose of interacting online: are you using social media only for socializing? If that is the case, then you should keep in mind that your online presence, even if it were strictly for socializing, would be viewed in the context of your professional identity. 3.     Improve the quality of your networks: having quality connections as a part of your network increase your chances of being referred or recommended by them. 4.     Be explicit about your passions and interests: expressing your personal interests regarding a career or field helps build your professional identity and enables people to see your potential. 5.     Highlight your skills and talents: doing so will make you attractive for recruiters and potential employers. Perhaps the most important hint for managing one’s personal brand is to accept that your online presence will be used to evaluate your professional strengths and identity. It is therefore in your best interest to use social media wisely and effectively to enhance public perception of your personal brand.

What are Recruiters looking for on your Social Media Profiles?

How many times have you heard not to post pictures of your crazy weekend nights or swear words on your Facebook page because a potential employer might find it? This has left many people concerned over what to post on Facebook, so much so that they might be tempted to just not include any information at all. Here is a list of some of the things employers are looking for when they do a social background search, including both positive and negative information. Keep in mind this applies to all social network profiles, not just Facebook. Negative Information:  Drinking, inappropriate photos (as well as wall posts about similar subjects) Negative comments about previous employers or co-workers Poor grammar Ignorant comments that someone you don’t know might find offensive Racist comments Illegal activity, such as drug use   Positive Information: Education Work experience Insights into your interests and hobbies Good grammar and intelligent commentary Your network and how you interact with others   Can you think of any other information that you might want to share on your Facebook page that would be attractive to recruiters?