Skype has allowed candidates to meet with hiring managers with relatively little notice or inconvenience for either partySince job applications and CVs are now primarily electronic, there have been significant changes in the candidate market. Candidates must keep up if they wish to stay in the race. Here is a breakdown of some of the most important changes.
Social Media
Active social media profiles allow you to be seen by hiring managers and recruitment consultants and can make a valuable contribution to the screening process when shortlisting candidates. LinkedIn is the primary social network used by recruiters when searching for candidates. This is an ideal platform on which to determine a candidate’s credentials as well as to look for recommendations from others.
As a candidate, it is essential that you build your profile on LinkedIn, ensuring that you provide details of your employment and skills history. Connect with your colleagues and ask for recommendations from managers. A full, interesting and properly-connected profile will make sure that you stand out in your industry.
Your activity on other social platforms is also taken into account by recruiters. Make sure that your profiles have relevant content and remove any posts that are inappropriate. A sound presence on social media will add further credibility to your CV and application, thus increasing your chances of being called in for interviews.
Skype
Skype has allowed candidates to meet with hiring managers with relatively little notice or inconvenience for either party. Candidates, however, need to be aware of a few things before jumping into a Skype interview. You can be seen on Skype so dress as you would for an interview on site and remove any mess or inappropriate items from the background.
Remember to take into account your internet connection and audio quality; it won’t always be perfect so speak slowly and clearly at all times and allow time for the interviewer to ask questions. It will be hard to build rapport with the interviewer if the conversation is muffled and stilted.
Online Portfolios
Standing out in the market is becoming ever harder so many technology-minded candidates are turning to personal websites as a way in which to build a portfolio and showcase their talents. This works particularly well in creative industries and for younger candidates who cannot demonstrate extensive experience.
Personal websites allow candidates to express themselves beyond the confines of a CV so they can highlight other skills that would be desirable to an organisation. You don’t have to be an expert in code to have a website; there are a wide range of services that allow you to set one up easily.
Video CVs
Whilst video CVs are by no means commonplace, they are growing in popularity in the current market as candidates work to stand out from the crowd. Video CVs allow candidates to really showcase their personality, humour and pitching skills. Candidates in creative jobs and industries, in particular, may find that this is an effective way in which to demonstrate their creativity and flair.
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