Can Recruiters Find YOU 5 Online Methods to Borrow

Can Recruiters Find YOU 5 Online Methods to BorrowCan Recruiters Find YOU 5 Online Methods to BorrowVeteran recruiter Joe Turner describes online routes to the short list when professional talent scouts are looking for candidates.I was a recruiter for more than 15 years, so job seekers often ask me for advice on how to meet recruiters and how to make working with recruiters a beneficial experience. My reply is not always what they want to hear Top recruiters dont want to meet you. They dont want you to call them, and they dont want you to send your resume to them.They are already wired into their own network of potential candidates in the fields they cover. If theyre doing their jobs correctly, they already know all the top candidates in their fields or know where to find them. In other words, if they want to meet you, theyll find you.But these are the people you want to meet These are the executive search firms that will introduce you to a company or corporate recruiters who want to fill open positions.There are ways you can increase the odds that they will find you. By making sure you are visible in the places recruiters look for new talent and by optimizing your profile to appear high in their search for candidates, you can increase the odds youll become one of those candidates recruiters in your field seek out.1. Build and update a LinkedIn profileIf youre not online, you dont exist. Thats the motto of many recruiters today. And for many of them, online means one place LinkedIn. According to a recent survey of U.S. hiring managers, 66 percent used LinkedIn to find job candidates for openings, 23 percent used Facebook, and 16 percent used Twitter.If you havent done so already, visit both LinkedIn and Facebook to establish a profile page that describes who you are. Keep it professional, but make it an expression of your professional personality. Whet the appetites of visitors to your page. Update it regularly.2. Advertise yourself with a Unique Selling Propos itionDescribe yourself with a brief sentence a Unique Selling Proposition. A USP is a one-sentence description that says who you are, what your biggest strength is and the greatest benefit you bring.For exampleHands-on Operations Manager with strong people and team-building skills who has helped produce revenues of $2.8 1000000 with a 22 percent margin for my previous employer.Place this sentence in your profile header as a starter to explain what distinguishes you from others in your field. Include your previous employers as well as the briefest descriptors about you.3. Add your LinkedIn profile URL to your resumeOnce youve built your profile, make sure you make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to find you on the Web. Add this link directly to your resume right under your contact information.4. Ask for LinkedIn recommendationsAmassing recommendations is like stockpiling referrals before you need them. Once again, you want to make it easy for recruiters and hiring manager s. A great way to provide them with good feedback about your work is with LinkedIn recommendations. A recommendation is merely someone saying something good about you. Make a list of your past (and present) bosses, supervisors, colleagues and clients. If theyre on LinkedIn as well, they can provide you with a recommendation. Dont be afraid to ask, since most will be more than glad to do this for you. When theyre done, youll have a number of professional recommendations easily seen by anyone who visits your profile page.5. Make yourself an expertYou can also employ tools like LinkedIn and Facebook to extend your network. Youll find hundreds of groups on LinkedIn beyond the obvious ones dedicated to alumni and job search. With a little searching youll also find groups of people dedicated to the advancement or discussion of their particular profession or industry as well as people seeking solutions to specific problems.Recruiters will often monitor groups relevant to the industries in which they specialize and keep an eye on outstanding members. Once youre a member, you can initiate new discussion threads for others to join. You can ask and answer questions if members of the group deem your answer the most relevant or helpful, you gain visibility within the group. Recruiters definitely notice these people, since they prove to be the movers and shakers within their profession. They make the short list for a check on your profile and a potential e-mail or LinkedIn direct homilie to your inbox.Start with LinkedIn as a tool to gain the attention that will merit a call. Then you can move to incorporate both Facebook and Twitter into your job-search marketing.