Especially in recent years, technology has made a tangible difference in the job searching and applications process. Did you know, for example, that 1 in 3 working Americans will ultimately turn down a job offer because of reviews they read online, posted by clients and former employees? The job market is growing rapidly in the world of technology, with the two spaces merging more and more each day. So, how can YOU take advantage of all the technology at your fingertips to benefit YOUR job search? Read on to find out!
Expanding Reach
When you’re just getting started with your job search, it can feel overwhelming and frustrating, like you’re hitting a wall no matter what direction you go. The companies you’ve been tracking for ages end up not needing your skill set. This is where technology comes in and plays a huge role in opening up a boatload more opportunities for you. Marketing, hiring, and applying via online portals opens up your job search beyond local, regional, and even national opportunities; it broadens your reach to a global scale.
On the recruiting end, this is very helpful for recruiters in marketing to a much wider diversity of candidates, which increases chances of finding candidates more well-suited to the position, as we discussed in detail in our post, “Using AI in Recruiting,” along with other blog posts. On the other end, YOUR end, it is also immensely helpful to job seekers—especially if your skill set isn’t needed nearby at the moment, you can easily find jobs elsewhere who do. This global outreach has been made much easier by online conferencing and communication platforms like Slack, Skype, Zoom, and more.
Working with a remote global team in general is also much easier now, with the help of business management softwares—read up on our past blog post, “Best Business Management Softwares for Company use,” for more details about using them in your company and bettering your team management and cohesion today!
Easy Hire, Easy Apply: Online Job Portals
Thanks to technology and job-posting platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed.com, and more, applying to jobs—and even tackling other steps in the job-seeking process, like interviewing—is simply a click away. These sites provide templates that make it easy for you to create and refine your resume, cover letter, and any additional skills and documents you’d like to advertise to potential employers. Many even allow you to customize the features of your ideal job, including preferred salary, location, job style and hours, and more. This way, when relevant job postings come through the site, they will automatically appear in your feed and be matched to your relevant skills so that you know exactly what you’re competitive for, as well as the finer details of positions you potentially would like to apply for.
With your resume and cover letter already built via the site, all you have to do in most instances is to click a simple “Apply” button, potentially answer some simple questions from the employer such as when you’d be free for an interview and your desired pay, and you’re on your way! Each time you apply to a new job, many of these sites will also give you the option of choosing to be notified when similar jobs are posted and available, so that with each new job application you can work on further smoothing out your desired career path and industry fit.
Reading & Leaving Reviews
Over the years, online reviews have become an integral part of the job search. These reviews allow you as a job seeker and potential candidate to find out more details about employee experiences, salary rates, and other facets of information important to your workplace experience. You’ll have the important ability of finding out a lot about the company before you decide to apply and/or accept a job offer, so that you won’t be blindsided once you begin work.
Reviews have indeed proven to play a core role in determining job seekers’ application decisions; today, 92% of working Americans will check out employer reviews as part of their job search and consideration process, and 1 in 3 Americans (and 47% of millennials) have turned down a job because of negative reviews. Client, employee, and employer reviews on Indeed.com, Glassdoor, Kununu, and more are tremendously helpful for potential job applicants to get a feel for what the workspace culture and environment are like, and what it would be like to work for the company, which is a very important aspect of a job application—one that, in the past, was often overlooked and undervalued because it was difficult to get such detailed insights. Of course, you can also play your part by leaving your own reviews for companies you’ve worked for, so that you can help out fellow job seekers who are looking to potentially work for your former employer!
Video CVs & Social Media
As we mentioned in our “Making the Most of LinkedIn” blog post, it’s important to grow your social media presence and personal “online brand” so that potential employers can take notice. A big part of this is keeping it professional and using keywords that are not only employer-friendly, but also search engine and job portal-friendly. After all, you want to be showing up as frequently as possible in the search results! For more information on this, you can also check out the aforementioned blog post for some helpful reading alongside this post.
One downside to the mass-marketing opportunities of technology and social media, however, is the risk of getting drowned out by all the voices. One way to stand out from your online competition is to create a video CV, which is sort of like an online interview and skills demo reel 2-in-1 that you have the ability to prepare, edit, and refine extensively before showing to anyone. Alongside the basics of introducing yourself and your experience, you can also take the time to delve into why YOU are the right person for the job, and to demonstrate any skills that would prove helpful and unique to the employer.
With a video CV, you have plenty of time to practice, and re-record if necessary. It will allow the employer to place a face to your name, and it helps you come to life beyond just being a few sheets of paper, whether physical or online; it shows the employer the more intimate side of yourself, along with the professional side. This is a chance to let your personality shine through and show the employer that you would be an excellent fit in their workplace culture, and bring a lot to the environment.
Websites, Websites, Websites
On the topic of social media and online branding, having your own website can be a key component to branding and marketing yourself to employers and your desired industry in general. While your space is often restricted on networking sites like LinkedIn, you have all the freedom and movement on your own website to fill it with keyword-rich text, publications and documents, and other relevant content that broadcasts your depth of skill and knowledge.
Your personal website isn’t the only online page that can be helpful to you, though; also be sure to take advantage of your desired company’s (or companies’) main page(s) to learn more about their professional goals, mission statement, workplace environment, and most importantly, their career options. Many companies will take advantage of their online presence to publicly post when they are hiring, exactly which positions they’re hiring for and the skills needed, and how to apply. This will help you not only follow along in industry trends, but in their hiring trends as well, and help you tackle the job application when the market is open and at its hottest.
While technology has certainly improved the job seeking process, it would also be unwise to ignore the potential risks and disadvantages, especially when one is careless with how they use technology. In terms of your online footprint, consider this a word to the wise: technology has also very much diminished the “private” aspect of our private personal lives, and now has the power to make or break us in many ways.
The online footprints you leave now also have the potential to cost you a job. LinkedIn and similar online networking platforms have drastically changed the way job seekers present themselves, format their resumes, follow industry trends and connect with potential employers, and so much more. Technology has also opened up a lot more room for job opportunities, but also for probing and public missteps. So, make sure to be responsible with your online presence, and to always maintain an air of professionalism and self-awareness.
Ultimately, one thing is for certain: technology has the power to bring you much farther in your career, so don’t wait—get started with it today!