How Can Social Media Make or Break an Interview

How Can Social Media Make or Break an Interview Social media has infiltrated every aspect of our lives and revolutionized the way we communicate. We can reunite with childhood friends, send messages to celebrities and share ideas, photos, and videos to anyone, anywhere. So, it’s no surprise that recruiters and employers are turning to social media to find talent. Nine out of 10 employers plan on using social media to recruit employees, and while this creates more opportunities to find jobs in a tough economy, this capability comes with new repercussions. We’re used to having our social media profiles stay in a personal, private space. We share photos and content with our friends, and we feel we can post and say what we want. But, with social recruiting comes a new context around Facebook and Twitter. These social media channels are no longer strictly personal our professional lives and reputation are entering the mix. Recruiters and employers are on social media channels, and job seekers can leverage their presence on such a personal network to find their perfect jobs. What better place to build your brand, network with hundreds of connections, and showcase personal accomplishments than Facebook and Twitter? But, without precautions in place, social media can ruin the job hunt. Here are four ways social media can affect the first step of finding a job â€" the interview: Two ways social media can give you a competitive advantage before the interview. 1) Networking heaven: Half or more of all jobs come through word of mouth with your connections â€" friends, families, and colleagues, according to a large body of academic research. Where else can you immediately reach hundreds of people in mere seconds? Social media, of course. In fact, 60% of employers cite Facebook’s networking abilities as important. Job seekers can use this pool of connections two ways: first, to land the interview. When you ask your network for possible leads, chances are they will consult their own network as well, dramatically increasing the reach of your request for job opportunities. Second, once you have an interview, look through your network (friends, and friends of friends), to see if you are connected to the organization (does your childhood friend’s brother know the CEO?). When you tap into your network for jobs, make sure to treat each and every Facebook or Twitter connection as a possible client, colleague, or manager. You don’t want to raise any concerns before you even start a job. Related: Why You MUST Complete Your Facebook Profile 2) Shows your personality: Employers hire people they like and want to spend time with they hire people who they think could be their friends. This makes sense, considering how much time we spend in the office. In a face-to-face interview, it is possible that your potential employer will ask about your hobbies and personal interests to get to know you at a more personal level. But, it may not be appropriate to go off on a tangent about your European backpacking trip or your love for Italian cuisine (although that is a great way to show your personality). Instead, get a leg up before the interview and use your Facebook profile to showcase your personal experiences. Post (appropriate) pictures of your last trip, of your soccer team, or your community involvement to show your out-of-the-office side. And two ways social media can risk your professional reputation. 3) You are instantly associated with your whole network: You may have the perfect social media profile â€" you don’t have any profanity, alcohol references, and your photos are clean and show who you are. But, what are your 400 friends posting and tagging you in? All it takes is one out-there friend tagging you in an offensive post to rip apart your credibility and professionalism. If a potential employer sees a questionable photo in which you’re tagged, he won’t care if it’s your photo or a friend’s photo the photo will raise eyebrows and question your professionalism. Read more: Why Your Facebook Friends Matter to Employers 4) The internet never forgets: Facebook has been around a long time, and in those nine years, we are all certainly allowed mistakes, embarrassing moments, and/or regrets. The problem is that while our friends may forgive and forget, Facebook does not. No one, not even the most perfect candidate, wants photos or posts of them from their teenage years. Be aware that recruiters and potential employers will look at your profile, and they will go back in time. And with the relatively new Facebook Timeline, it only takes a few swipes of the finger to view what you were doing in 2009. Social media recruiting is becoming more and more important â€" for employers, it is a cost effective, convenient way to find talent and to prescreen candidates. And for job seekers, once they understand the potential dangers of Facebook (one offensive post can scar your reputation), they can easily build a positive, personal brand that will make them an appealing candidate. An employer is more likely to interview a candidate that has a fun, interesting profile than someone who has maximum privacy filters turned on and doesn’t allow employers to get to know them. Author: Lee Sherman is founder and CEO of persona-co.com, a social media utility dedicated to helping Facebook and Twitter users protect their professional reputations on social media.

Finding work experience this summer

Finding work experience this summer A good degree from a good university is a  great  start but thats not the whole story. Emma from our Placement Learning Unit explains further. Employers tell us that they look for: Work experience, including part-time work through Unitemps, volunteering and placements. A record of achievement, including society involvement, volunteering and sport. The reflection and analysis tools to pull these together into a unique and personal “story” that can be versioned for different audiences. Year on year we get feedback from graduates telling us they regret not thinking about their career earlier in their degree studies. Students without work experience are at a particular disadvantage in any graduate application process. To internor not? It’s true that if you want a job with a  Times Top 100  employer, an internship is important; around a third of graduate jobs with these major employers were filled by former interns last year (The Graduate Market in 2012). You may feel that internships â€" particularly the formal, structured kind â€"are typically for students with a clear sense of career direction. This isnt always the case and internships can be a great way of gaining experience, even if you decide later on to switch focus, but its important to remember that internships are not the only source of work experience. If you are unsure what to do, or can’t find something that you think is relevant to your degree or career aspirations, remember that  doing something  is better than doing nothing, and a placement or period of work experience is certainly not tying you to a job for life! What difference can a few weeks over the summer make? What you gain is about much more than the placement itself. You’ll hone your application skills and experience the selection and interview process first hand. And afterwards, we can help you to think about what you learned, reflecting on your experience so you maximise the value you gain. The benefits are much more far-reaching than the placement itself. And, of course, employability skills like teamwork and communication â€" in tandem with a better understanding of yourself â€"will help bring your future applications to life, giving them real context and focus. Finding opportunities myAdvantage  lists jobs and internship vacancies targeted at Warwick students. Many employers target just a few University websites, so if you aren’t looking on myAdvantage youre missing a trick â€" being a Warwick student means you’ve already ticked one of their key requirements. Other useful places to look include: RateMyPlacement Target Jobs Inspiring Interns Placement UK Student Employment Services If youre an Arts student, why not follow our Arts Twitter feed (@ArtsCareers) for current information about placements, internships and work experience opportunities. Perhaps youre trying to source your own placement, in which case you may be eligible for a  work experience bursary. Finding work experience can seem really daunting, especially when youre not sure what you want to do! Dont let these barriers â€" perceived or real â€" stop you. Check out ourwork experience zone  for hints, tips and useful strategies to help you overcome these barriers. And remember, were open all summer so you can always drop in and talk to us once your exams are over.

NEWSFLASH! Your Lack of Mobile Recruiting is Hurting Your Brand!

NEWSFLASH! Your Lack of Mobile Recruiting is Hurting Your Brand! I want to let everyone in on a secret. Listen carefully because here it is We are in 2017. Pretty obvious, right? Well if you looked at some major company’s application process you would think we are still in 1998. I hold more data in my right pocket then I will ever at my desktop computer. My smart phone processes probably five times more data on a daily basis then said computer. And I have a strong suspicion that I am not the only one who can make that claim. So why are so many application processes and recruiting strategies in general so old-fashioned? Headache: First off, I want to let job seekers in on a truth echoed all throughout the recruiting industry: the application process is a headache. I know you probably feel like your resume is the best one out there and the search should start and end at your application. And while that may be true unfortunately you are getting smothered in between applications of ridiculously unqualified talent that retail worker who feels they handle enough cash transitions at the local supermarket to make them a CFO, or the recent grad who’s been told how great their college work has been, justifying themselves to be a senior level web developer. For as many qualified resumes recruiters look at, they probably look at twice as many unqualified. Application process: So that brings us to the application process itself. While it may be a headache at times, it also can present recruiters with some great candidates. I myself received a great job offer off of an application. But with so many of the things we do being mobile, it only makes sense that our application process should be as well. I have been a job seeker before. I know what it is like to look at jobs on my phone and get frustrated and give up on the application half way through. Some of you may be thinking “well if you are giving up so easy then maybe it is best you aren’t considered.” And while that is a valid point, I counter with the fact that I would not want to work for a company whose recruiting process is so archaic. And that is what mobile recruiting is like. It’s not just about ease of use for the end user, but it also conveys an image that your company is in the know and up to date. The same way a company’s web presence can persuade how the user feels about them. LinkedIn: With LinkedIn’s popularity increasing every day for job seekers, the “apply with your LinkedIn profile” option is becoming a major success. Within just a few clicks your application is created and you are on your way to a hiring manager’s desk. Or with services like Dropbox and Google Docs it is so much easier to store a fully formatted Word Processed version of your resume on your phone to import into an application. The Cloud is a beautiful thing! And Indeed.com has created an application process that couldn’t be more user friendly if you tried. No mobile is a major problem: Ultimately the company who has not adapted a mobile strategy is facing a major problem. By being behind in the hypothetical digital race you are losing out to your competitors who have embraced mobility by gaining access to more candidates because their process is user friendly to how the world operates. You wouldn’t ask someone to fax their resume to you right? Well mobile friendly applications are becoming the trend the same way email was almost 15 years ago. Conclusion: I feel it is important that companies look at their current recruiting strategy and dive deep into how the process can be improved. Believe it or not, I had a client who still relied on paper applications. Which is about as effective as putting up a “Now Hiring” sign. Not even the foot traffic on 5th Avenue would benefit from that process. The candidate experience does not begin on the first interview. It begins the minute the candidate has any sort of interaction with your company, whether that is your website or application process. You wouldn’t invite a candidate to interview in your storage room, why have them apply in the equivalent of a digital storage room.

What Companies Offer the Best Employee Perks

What Companies Offer the Best Employee Perks From team lunches to ping pong tables, many companies offer a range of employee perks to attract talent to their organisation and keep their team motivated. Though smaller companies can offer perks, such as clocking off early on a Friday or free parking; its the big dogs that can offer the fancy perks that get people talking! So what employers really go all out for their staff? Find out which companies offer the best employee perks in the infographic by Chair Office below. Google: An unlimited supply of tasty meals and snacks, so youre never hungry at work! Feel free to bring your dog into the office,  theyre always welcome at Google HQ.. When a Google employee passes away, their spouse is given half their salary for 10 years. Microsoft: Employees are given a free membership at ProSports Club. There is an on-campus health centre that staff are free to drop in at. A variety of entertainment in the office, including Xbox, pool tables and arcade machines. Apple: Provides financial assistance to the family of an Apple employee who has passed away. Mothers can take up to 18 weeks maternity leave, whereas fathers can take 6 weeks of paternity leave. Every few weeks they hold an event called Beer bash where they serve free beer and have live bands playing. McDonalds: There is a company car program which includes insurance, maintenance and repair. Whenever an employee reaches a work anniversary (5 years,10, 15, 20, etc.) they are rewarded with an extra week of holiday. After every 10 years of service to the company, employees are able to take an 8 week sabbatical. Starbucks: Employees can get a tuition fee reimbursement for Arizona State Universitys online program that covers two years of classes. A 30% in store discount and one pound of coffee or tea free each week. A sponsored retirement plan. Nestle: Discounts on nestle products, cinema tickets and mobile phones. Up to 90% of dining at a selection of locations. Air, hotel and car rentals. Marriott: Healthcare benefits for employees who work 30+ hours a week. Significant discounts on rooms at Marriott hotels for family and friends and once you have worked there for 25 years you get free Marriott accommodation for life. They frequently recruit and promote from within the company. SouthWest.com: Free flights with  SouthWest Airlines. Discounts and guest passes for family and friends. Annual employee events. Disney: Access to Mickeys Retreat, which is a place for employees to relax during downtime at work. A huge variety of discounts for the parks, hotel, dining, etc. Behind the scenes tours and talks. 3M: Weight management program reimbursement. Online health classes. Financial and legal consultation. Cisco: A baby gift program to welcome new additions to employees families. They have a fun fund for team celebrations and team building exercises. They also offer wellness programs for employees and their spouse. Mattel: Every Friday is a half day. In Italy they are allowed to take two half days a week to take part in English lessons. Employees are offered paid time off to attend school-related events and to participate in volunteering through Mattels Childrens Foundation. Do any of these take your fancy? Or does your company offer perks that can compete with those offered by the organisations below? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @UndercoverRec. Image: Shutterstock

5 ways to de-stress in ten minutes or less

5 ways to de-stress in ten minutes or less This post was written by an external contributor. Susannah Keogh gives us her top tips for de-stressing in super quick time. From meditating to just having a rant to your mum, dont forget to look after yourself, folks The new term is very definitely underway and with summer long gone, its a sad fact  of life that your stress levels are almost definitely going to rise. So if youre going to ride it out until Christmas, it’s a good idea to pick up some techniques for de-stressing quickly so you know how to calm yourself down when everything gets a bit much. Take a breather and read on to find out how to de-stress in ten minutes or less… Talk it out Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Grab a friend, housemate, parent, sister, brother â€" basically ANYONE â€" and just take ten minutes to chat through what’s stressing you out. Who knows, they might have some suggestions which could help you to tackle the situation. Or, if you’re like me, just go on a ten minute rant. You know you want to. A problem shared is a problem halved, as they say. Equally, if you find your stress levels are continuing to escalate and it’s having an impact on your daily life, it might be useful to talk to someone who’s professionally trained in mental health support. Get mindful A few years back, you might remember mindfulness becoming the next big thing. The hype surrounding mindfulness hasn’t gone away, however, and there’s quite literally 101 ways you can incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life. One of the best is taking a few minutes to meditate. Popular app Headspace teaches you the basics of meditation, and you can even do a super quick five minute session. The exercises help to really ground you and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the time passes. What’s not to like? If you prefer to have something to occupy you, try buying a mindfulness colouring book â€" trust us, they’re not just for kids. Prioritise If you’re finding that everything is beginning to overwhelm you, a quick way to get back on track is to grab a pen and paper, and write out everything you need to do, complete with realistic deadlines. Then re-order this list by how important each task is, and break down what you need to do for each one. By setting realistic goals, and taking whatever you’re stressing about out of your mind, and onto paper, you’re making them more manageable. Some people find writing in a journal, like the ever popular and very Instagram worthy bullet journals, helpful. If you find writing out your emotions helpful, then this could be one for you. Be with nature Seriously, this one really works. When deadline season hits at university, it can be so easy to just fall into the trap of spending all day at the library or in lectures…before you know it, it’s 6pm and you’ve barely been outside all day. Whilst it can be tempting to spend your ten minute study break scrolling through Facebook and grabbing an overpriced coffee, this probably won’t help your stress levels. Instead, pack up your books and go on a quick walk in the fresh air.   Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need. Listen to your happy song We all have one â€" that song that cheers you right up the second it comes on. I’d recommend September by Earth Wind and Fire but to be honest, any cheesy, upbeat tune will do.   In a medical study, it was found that patients showed better moods and lower blood pressure when they listened to music or worked with a music therapist â€" so who knows, maybe we’re on to something here? Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Secrets To Creating A Business Or Product That Appeals To Kids

Secrets To Creating A Business Or Product That Appeals To Kids If you have a passion for kids or you simply know that that’s where a lot of the money is, you could stand to create a business or product that is kid focused and appeals to a younger audience. However, creating a business such as this is a little different to creating a business focused on adults. Here are a few secrets that will help you to create something that appeals to kids: Knowing The Market Knowing the market that you want to appeal to is crucial when you’re talking about starting a kid based business. 4-to-12-year-olds spend more than $40 billion, while teenagers (ages 12 to 19) spend $155 billion of their own money. Kids now have more money of their own than ever and businesses have become more aware of this. Child psychologists estimate that the average child sees 40,000 advertisements each year, and that the average 3-year-old can identify 100 brand logos. That’s a lot of logos, and in turn a lot of opportunities to make children crazy about your brand and your products. However, you don’t simply have to create a product that appeals to kids you could create a business or place that kids are going to beg their parents to take them, such as the a play park or picnic area. Places like Park Warehouse offer supplies for these kinds of business, and you’ll need plenty of similar contacts in this area if you’re going to dominate the industry. What To Do Before Coming Up With Ideas Know the age range you want to market your product or business to and do your research. Ask kids questions. Kids you know, friend’s kids, any kids that you can speak to. Get a feel for what they want and what their problems may be what can you solve for them, or create a need for? Do lots of research on what’s already out there and get a feel for what the gaps in the market are, or how you can improve something that’s already out there. Have a look at some of the top keyword searches on google to see if you can create something that people are already looking for. Make sure you use appealing colors and fonts when it comes to your brand. Your idea might be great, but your brand needs to be amazing too. Allocate a large marketing budget TV adverts and radio adverts can be good ways to reach kids, but dont forget Facebook ads and similar ads either. Depending on your business, it may be the parents you’re trying to reach. Kids Business Ideas To give you a good idea of some of the most lucrative business ideas right now, have a look below. Kids Party Planning Kid’s party planning is a great option for you, as coming of age parties, graduation events, and even just birthday parties are something that more and more parents do for their children. Experts predict that the industry will continue to grow over time as parents provide not only a greater number of parties but also more expensive ones for their children. Kids Gift and Bath Products Kid’s gift and bath products can cover such a wide range of products, from books and music to fragrances, it is a very promising market to start a business in. Parents spend more than $80 million annually on things like baby soaps alone. American births are holding steady at approximately 4 million per year, so think of the sheer number of baby gifts that are bought.   Kids Educational Toys and Games The Toy Industry Association estimates that the traditional toy industry (which doesnt include electronics such as video games and handheld electronic games) is worth an estimated $22 billion in annual sales. If you can come up with an educational toy or game for children, you might just have a successful business on your hands. Parents are always coming up with new and exciting ways to offer enrichment activities to their kids. Kids Cooking Classes Kid’s cooking classes can help to transform kids into well-rounded and high-functioning adults. However, many parents simply don’t have the time to teach their kids these traditional skills. Cooking classes have become very popular over the last few years, with classes and demonstrations for kids cropping up all over the world.   Creating a product that appeals to kids can be tough, but with enough research and determination on your part you could come up with something that changes everything. Leave your thoughts below!

How to Write a Resume

How to Write a ResumeWriting a resume should be one of the most important tasks you do when you are looking for a job. Unfortunately, too many people give their resumes an awful look when they go out to get a job. You can avoid this and improve your chances of landing a new job by following these tips:o Always keep your title brief and to the point. In your cover letter and resume be sure to write your title in such a way that it will grab attention. Having a very long title will get your resume tossed into the trash. You want to grab the reader's attention and retain it with your qualifications.o Make sure your cover letter is professional. After all, you are writing an email to a potential employer. Do not send your cover letter on snail mail or hand deliver it. This is just asking for trouble. Put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager and really think about how much he or she would be able to relate to your letter.o Always include a few bullet points of follow-up information . Include this information in your cover letter and in your resume. Not only will it let the hiring manager know that you are serious about getting the job, but it will also show them that you have some idea of what you are doing. It also helps the reader understand that you are looking for a specific position that you may not have even considered before.o Make sure you do not go over the allotted time on your resume. Make sure that the resume you submit is professional quality. It should not be overwritten nor should it be missing important information.o Make sure you proofread your resume before submitting it. There are a number of mistakes that can be made that can ruin your chances of getting the job that you are applying for.o Make sure that your resume is not riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. Be sure that the information on your resume is precise and is clear.Follow these tips and you will not only give yourself a better chance of getting the job, but also a profes sional impression. Not only will you have a better chance of getting the job, but also a better chance of getting a job!