How to Improve at Online Sourcing

How to Improve at Online Sourcing I train a lot of recruiters in how to improve at researching on the Internet. I constantly learn more about how to do this better. By far the most popular topics for training are Google Basics and Getting more out of LinkedIn. This training can look radically different for different groups of people, depending on how much they already know. Some recruiters get enormous returns for their new knowledge while others simply go back to “business as usual” and forget all about it. Some are not ready to learn, some are just not the sort of person that will enjoy searching the Internet and others are just too busy succeeding in their jobs already. Before you embark on the journey to learn more about Internet sourcing, you might want to ask yourself these three questions: Do you know your way around the Internet? Are you confused by the terms Browser, Search Engine and URL? Have you tried a Browser other than Internet Explorer? If the answer to these questions is “no” or “I don’t know” then you might need to spend a little more time getting comfortable online. Do you get a kick out of surfing the web? There seems to be two camps of people; those that really enjoy spending time online and those that simply see it as a tool for finding information or getting a chore done. People that fall in the latter category seem to have a harder time integrating some Internet sourcing time into their daily routines. If this sounds like you then you are might be better suited to sourcing names in real life at networking events or attracting candidates to apply by focusing on attraction strategies. Are you frustrated by the lack of great candidates accessible to you at the moment? If the answer is “no”, then you will have little motivation to integrate new sourcing methods into your daily activities. If “Business as usual” works then it is very tempting to stick with it. While I might think that every recruitment team could improve its performance by adding some Internet research skills to the mix, the reality is that it is tough to justify the time when you are already satisfied with the results you generate. If you think you are ready to start learning more about Internet sourcing then there is no need to wait. Don’t wait for your boss to sign off on some training, get started on your own with these suggestions: Read Blogs A lot of great recruiters and sourcers write their own blogs. Many of them write here on Undercover Recruiter. Check out: SourceCon blog by Lance Haun and many other talented sourcing professionals from around the world. UK Sourcers   by me and others Undercover Recruiter    All the posts in the sourcing category Just Do It By far the best way to learn is to JUST DO IT! Everyone has a different style of sourcing, we’re all sourcing for different kinds of candidates and what works for one person will be useless for another. So just get stuck in! If you want to hire nurses then start by Googling “Nurse” and see where you end up! I have definitely learned the most by joining Twitter and it still helps me learn new things most days. It’s a great place to ask questions as well as network with people in both the recruitment industry and the niche you are sourcing in. Feel free to follow me if you join. If I don’t follow back and welcome you â€" please bug me! Happy Sourcing! ??

Personality Traits You Should Develop to Get Your Dream Job

Personality Traits You Should Develop to Get Your Dream Job Your resume is riddled with facts: alma mater, leadership positions, awards received, relevant activities and coursework. All of these items are pretty objective, reflecting skills and experience you will bring to a job. Equally important, however, are the less-concrete things that will accompany you into the work world; your personality traits, believe it or not, can really make or break your chances at landing your dream job. So what are the “winning” characteristics one should possess in order to go far? Different jobs will emphasize different traits, of course, but there are some attributes that can carry almost anyone to a more successful career. For whatever your dream job â€" fashion designer, lawyer, restaurant owner, dog walker and everything in between â€" here are the best personality traits to have and how you can achieve them. 1. A Positive Attitude It’s a rare type of person who can wear a smile every single day. Strive to be that person. Maintaining a bright outlook is one of the best things you can do for your career. Whether you’re emitting positive energy in the lunchroom or tackling a project enthusiastically, what bad can it bring? Coworkers will enjoy you. You’ll have people to write you a glowing letter of recommendation, should you ever need one. People are more likely to hire a pleasant person than a grouch. In order to adopt a more positive attitude, practice being grateful multiple times each day. When you’re feeling your light starting to fade, remind yourself of all the good in your life. Not working? Treat yourself to something special every day, be it a bath, a special latte or a spa treatment. Be conscientious of your facial expression, too â€" studies show smiling alone can lift mood. 2. Be Hardworking You may be able to speak five languages and get along with everybody you meet, but if you’re not willing to work hard, you’re not going to get anywhere. Put your nose to the grind and do what you have to do to complete a job â€" no dream was ever accomplished without hard work and sacrifice. Could you afford to work harder? Make sure you’re always doing your absolute best, no matter how tired or overworked you feel. Ask your superior for more work and think of innovative ways to go above and beyond. 3. Be Confident Being confident is all about how you carry yourself; demonstrate that you believe in yourself. If you’re more self-assured, you’ll gain admiration from colleagues and have a greater likelihood of being hired and/or promoted. Practice a “don’t take ‘no’ for an answer” attitude, but don’t be too proud to ask for help when necessary. Don’t ever doubt what you’re capable of. 4. Be Communicative Do you struggle to convey your perspective? That’s unfortunate, because communication skills are necessary in every job. Think about it: setting up meetings, canceling said meetings, demonstrating disapproval, asking for a raise, complimenting a coworker and even talking about your weekend â€" all of these common workplace happenings require talking, writing or both. In fact, when it comes to landing a job, lack of communication skills could cancel out experience and other skills you bring to the table. If you can’t speak well in the interview, for example, you’re not going to get hired. Luckily, you can improve your communication skills with practice. If conversation makes you nervous, challenge yourself to engage with those around you. It might be ugly at first, but it’s worth your discomfort to really fine-tune those skills. Ask for feedback from those you talk to. Is writing your issue? Start keeping a daily journal so that you’re writing at least once every day. Write frequent emails to friends and family, too. Aim for perfect grammar and clear meaning. Ask for feedback. 5. Foster Your Creativity Creativity isn’t only applicable to designers and artists. When it comes to landing a dream job, everyone can benefit from an outside-of-the-box perspective. Take a look at these high paying salary statistics â€" you can see that there are lots of fun jobs that emphasize a creative edge. If you think you lack creativity, try participating in activities you’ve never done before. Try painting, knitting or photography. Appreciate the act of creating and putting your own spin on things. Also, next time you have a project or assignment, think of three different ways you could approach the problem at hand. 6. Be Punctual Punctuality comes naturally to some people, but not to all. Work to make promptness one of your strengths. It’s important in demonstrating professionalism and a respect for others’ time. If showing up on time or meeting deadlines is something you stink at, trick yourself. Trick yourself by turning your clocks ahead. Trick yourself by bumping deadlines up a day or two in your planner. Boosting the above traits, when combined with your existing skills and passions, will make you a much better candidate for the perfect job. It won’t happen overnight, but keep working at it to make your dreams come true. Images by Jeff Sheldon and  estall

Selling your social science degree!

Selling your social science degree! James Pritchard wrote this post after the recent Careers for Social Scientists event hosted by the Sociology Society; he joined a student panel to discuss his experiences in gaining a summer internship and what he had learnt from it. Contributors had experience across the law, finance and not-for-profit sectors. James  recognises how a degree in social science can boost employability and help applicants to stand out from other candidates. Attending the Careers for Social Scientists event gave me a lot of food for thought on selling the skills from my degree to potential employers. Claire Leslie’s  workshop on personal branding set the scene for lively discussions on the panel and inspired me to write this blog post! In a tough graduate job market, its down to students to portray themselves in a way that shows employers what they can add to the organisation. Gaining some kind of  work experience is increasingly essential, but understanding the skills and personal attributes which are developed by your degree studies  also plays a key role in building your overall profile! Graduate diversity In the context of the  recent economic downturn, social science in education generally has had quite a hard time. Sometimes it feels as if study in this area is not valued!  There are countless  statements in the media that the supply of graduates exceeds the demand in the labour market, and that insufficient students are opting to study science and technology subjects.   Clearly if you want to be a doctor or an engineer, your choice of degree is pretty crucial. However, the graduate labour market today is highly varied and many positions do not require a specific degree discipline. The majority of graduate jobs are open to students  from  all subject areas  and employers value the diversity of perspectives that graduates from a range of disciplines can offer. There are several ways in which we social science students can market ourselves and  ourr distinctive sets of skills  so that we stand out to  potential employers! It’s all about the evidence! When presented with a finding or a statement, social scientists don’t blindly accept these as true. We understand the importance of critically considering the source of the information, we look for potential bias and the need to establish the legitimacy of the claims. For example, social scientists may find themselves exploring public policy, and the political, economic and social motivations behind policy development.  This allows us to demonstrate  to potential employers that  we can really get to grips with complex information and think more deeply about broader concerns and implications. It’s important not to take these analytical skills for granted. In order to demonstrate breadth and depth in academic essays and presentations, social scientists must draw on a range of theories and perspectives to make reasoned conclusions and to offer solutions. We must be able to justify the points we make on the basis of the evidence available, and consider alternative interpretations. This methodical approach is attractive   to potential employers. We just need to  articulate how well use these skills in  the workplace. Were problem solvers. Employers need people like us! Real-world issues Social science degrees often have a strong focus on current issues and affairs. Whether it’s debates around the structure of the education system, the financial crisis and improving the economy, or jobs and employment trends, social scientists are engaging with the issues which affect many organisations. In applications, graduates are expected to show an understanding of not only the role and the specific organisation â€" but also an awareness of the sector more widely. Conveying a detailed understanding of industry trends and the conditions in which the organisation is operating helps to make a strong application. This puts social scientists in a good stead.    Our curriculum and studies are always related to ‘real-world’ issues. In addition, social science students often have scope for studying beyond the curriculum. Whether it’s a small-scale research project or a dissertation, social scientists have a sense of freedom with which to tailor their academic work towards the sector they’d like to work in. Presenting an active interest in this way can demonstrate a genuine passion for the sector, which will help you to make a unique impression on employers. Quantitative skills! You’ll more than likely be required to carry out some data analysis as part of your degree. Quantitative skills are a big selling point in the labour market. If you’ve had practical experience in using statistical software such as SPSS, you’ll demonstrate an ability to work with large data sets and you’ll appreciate whats meant by statistical significance. We can brand  ourselves in a way that highlights a complementary set of skills. Firstly, there are the critical and analytical skills required to understand the complex nature of social issues. Secondly, social scientists are able to analyse these issues  using large-scale data and numbers to produce ‘hard’ evidence â€" it’s the best of both worlds! The range of skills that social science graduates have to offer is vast, but intense competition in the labour market poses a difficult challenge. Around 70% of graduate employers report actively seeking to recruit from all degree disciplines, despite constant claims in the media of oversubscription to non-science subjects.  As  individual social science students we  can defy these claims by drawing on  our academic profile, personal attributes, and extra-curricular pursuits, to tell employers a unique story and land the job!

Brag Book ideas for job seekers

Here are some suggestions for key documents to be included in your very own brag book:Table of Contents â€" includes your name and the position and company you are interviewing along with page numbersResume â€" tailored to the job for which you are interviewingBio â€" Your one page bio see link above for more informationProfessional Organizations â€" demonstrates that you get involved in your function/industry, that you are aware of best practices, or can quickly find out about best practices in your area of expertise and may show your leadership skillsAwards â€" shows your level of expertise and, likely, your willingness to go above and beyondLetters of Recommendation â€" letters from former bosses, colleagues and mentors, etc. â€" powerful because what others say about you can be more impactful than what you say about yourselfEndorsements and Testimonials gather all of the great things that have been said about you â€" examples include “great job” emails and LinkedIn recommen dationsReferences â€" a list of key stakeholders who will vouch for you as an employee and person of characterClick Here to See an ExampleOnce assembled, you have a great leave behind to remind and reinforce to the interviewer who you are and what you bring to the party!   In summary, your brag book:Shows that there is substance behind your interview answersProvides a leave-behind to help the interviewer remember youDifferentiates you from the competitionDemonstrates by your effort that you are sincerely interested in the jobSo what does the finished document actually look like?   In order to provide you with a template and some ideas, I’ve uploaded a sample into my LinkedIn profile.  Comments, questions, suggestions and success stories are always welcome.   In the meantime, get out there and differentiate yourself with your own brag book!Lastly, if youd like to attract top employers to your LinkedIn profile, check out Joshuas LinkedIn Writing Service.