Recruitment 2.0 – Since the advent of the internet and new technologies, which are becoming more and more important in everyday life, personal and professional relationships have changed.
The job market and techniques for recruitment have not escaped this trend. From professional networks like LinkedIn to virtual portfolios, and job search sites that let you apply directly online, the days of the paper CV submitted in person are over. But what about human contact? According to Julien-Pier Boisvert, recruitment specialist at ElementAI, looking for jobs in the digital age requires new tools, but is still focused on the individual and communication.
Recruitment 2.0 and perfecting your personal branding
At a time when any potential employer or recruiter has the opportunity to search for a candidate online, even before initiating a contact, to learn a little about him, it is not enough to rely on charisma on the phone or in an interview in order to stand out. Cultivating your cyberpresence is also important to make it attractive to people in the community.
“With LinkedIn, what is interesting is its social network side that lets us build an online identity and circulate your name even before applying anywhere,” says Julien-Pier Boisvert . Whether it’s following certain influencers in your field of expertise, contacting your mentors or simply sharing or commenting here and there on articles that interest you, you can make very good use of a site like LinkedIn for networking and carving out a place in a professional community.
Let your talent speak
Among the major trends in professional Positioning 2.0, we can see the growing presence of online portfolios and other personal websites dedicated to showcasing talents. Although mainly used in the fields of media, new technologies and artistic professions, Julien-Pier Boisvert says that all kinds of professionals could benefit from having their own virtual space. “I’m thinking of sites such as ArtStation, a must-have for digital artists, and also of personal blogs, design portfolios or sites such as GitHub or HackerRank,” he says. “Recruiters use these kinds of sites a lot when they are looking for new profiles.” By keeping them up to date, the chances of being noticed by a new employer are undeniably increased.
Daring to take the first steps
“We often believe that virtual communication tools deprive us of human contact,” explains Julien-Pier Boisvert. “But I believe it’s quite the contrary. What’s great about the internet is the ability to easily reach all kinds of people that you admire, that work in a place you dream of working or who could give useful information to help move your career forward. It also makes hiring abroad a lot easier.” So ahead of your job search we could have an interest in contacting people in our community whose careers inspire us to ask them for advice. “You should not be too insistent or directly contact the CEO, of course,” says the recruiting specialist. “But people who are passionate about their careers will often be very open to sharing their experiences with others. The communication channels must be kept open; you never know where it could lead!”
The most important thing, our expert stresses, is not to allow distance to make us forget that contacts, virtual or in person, are based on authenticity and common passions. By facilitating communication, new technologies make it more than ever possible to expand one’s job prospects.