How Recruiters Should Write for Social Media [9 Useful Tips]

How Recruiters Should Write for Social Media [9 Useful Tips] This month’s Social Media London Meetup was “Sweet Retweets: How to Write for Social Media“ with Sue Keogh,  copywriter and an expert on writing for the web. We all know recruiters could do with some style tips on social media; the better it looks, the more it will attract clients and candidates. Some background information Facebook and Twitter were the main focus of this meetup, with a few other platforms as well.   The following topics were tackled as well: How to get likes, comments and shares on Facebook How to get your tweets retweeted How to write good titles for your blog posts and other content that will be shared on social media As part of the meetup, Sue shared 9 of her favourite tips on how to write for social media (for recruiters and anyone else): 1. Don’t be all “me me me” Remember: social media is all about being human, especially when you are a recruiter.  Keep in mind the “rule of thirds” â€" spend: A third of the time promoting yourself, talking about your products, service and what you have to offer; A third of the time talking about what’s going on in the industry, retweeting and sharing other people’s content; A third of the time just answering people’s questions and doing general admin tasks. 2. Don’t be afraid to be brief As Facebook doesn’t have the character count limitations that Twitter has, there’s the temptation to waffle on forgetting the fact that a lot of people view content on their mobile devices. People who view Facebook might be put off if they see lengthy content from you, so don’t try to be too dominant with your posts. With Twitter, make each tweet that you want to be shared retweetable: Keep your tweets under 150 characters, to leave  pace for the username of the person retweeting you and  pace for any comment that the user might add to your tweet You can use a link shortener, which is often built into a few Twitter clients Before you post the tweet, read it and ask yourself, “is there a way I can write this tweet to make it more concise?”. Try using synonyms for long words: for instance, instead of saying “attempted”, why not say “tried”? 3. Use extra punctuation Punctuation makes your tweets easier to read and easier to share as well, as they add extra clarity to your tweets (when used correctly).  This is statistically proven: Dan Zarrella, an award-winning social media scientist, has conducted a research on Twitter and retweets and he found that retweets are more likely to contain punctuation that tweets that aren’t retweeted. 4. Ask a question and say “you” If you want to engage the reader: Make use of the word “you”, Ask questions, Ask opinions, Use strong words like “why”, “what”, “who”, and “how”. 5. Avoid abstract titles Unfortunately this is sometimes that often goes overlooked in social media: coming up with a good and effective title for your content. This applies to blog posts, YouTube videos etc. When you use “abstract titles”, people can’t be 100% sure of what your content is about until they click on a link and finally see it. If users don’t feel compelled to open the link after reading the title, they won’t see your post, hence they won’t share it. 6. Tell people what to expect Tell your readers or viewers what to expect right from the title. You don’t need to give all the details away to do so. For instance, football writers will only hint at what the article is about in the title but they won’t give away all the details. This is a simple but effective way to invite readers to see and read your posts. Though people overlook this, update your bio on social networks. This will give people a chance to see what you and your blog/channels are about. 7. Check your spelling and grammar If you don’t use grammar properly, it reflects badly not only on you as a person but also on your brand. Candidates wont be impressed, same with clients. Don’t rely heavily on the spellchecker â€" they will detect incorrect spellings but they won’t check the semantics of your sentence (whether what you’ve written makes sense or not). Don’t rush â€" read your content through before you post it, whether it’s a tweet, a Facebook status, or a blog post. 8. Don’t forget your context Context is very important: once you post a tweet, you don’t have control over it â€" people will start retweeting and it’ll be shared with the world. Keep in mind what’s going on in the world â€" if your tweets are sent out in inappropriate moments, they might be retweeted and shared for the wrong reasons. 9. Don’t auto-post between context A lot of recruiters auto-post across platforms because it’s quick, efficient and very easy to do.  Sookios argument against auto-posting is that it looks lazy to your followers and readers, and you might come across as dismissive and too busy to cater for your audience on your various platforms. In addition, by using auto-post you don’t take full advantage of your social media platforms. For instance, on Twitter you might be limited to text, a link and/or a picture, but on Facebook you can make more use of multimedia and write more. Be very careful what channels you auto-post on, especially if you decide to push your tweets to your LinkedIn feed. Though you might have an amount of liberty to express yourself on Twitter, remember that LinkedIn is a place for professionals and they might not be particularly happy to see drunken tweets on their LinkedIn feed. Social Media London is a community and events featuring  expert social media speakers, proudly powered by Link Humans.

Best companies to work for

Best companies to work for The best companies to work for are those that understand that priorities among workers are changing. In fact, Laura Shelton and Charlotte Shelton conducted a nation-wide survey about worker priorities, published in Generation NeXt. The survey showed that for Generation X, Recognition scored very low, and power and prestige ranked dead last. Salary, a major preoccupation for boomers, came in third from the bottom. The companies that do the best job of keeping Gen Xers happy are companies accommodate life outside of work and that downplay hierarchy, since rank and seniority mean nothing to Generation Xers. The book is full of fascinating statistics which you would never know by looking at the dowdy cover. But anyway, when I interviewed Laura Shelton, who is an Xer herself, we talked about the difference between what women did twenty years ago (her mom and co-author, Charlotte Shelton) and what they do now. When Katrina hit, Laura, who is a newscaster in Louisiana, left with a few of her friends to take a break and regroup. Her mother said that when she was Lauras age the women would have been too nervous about getting ahead in their careers to think about leaving for a break during such an important time. Lauras final message: Forget about being nervous. Dont sit in a job with a baby boomer boss who doesnt get it. Vote with your feet.

4 X 4 Networking Challenge January Planning

4 X 4 Networking Challenge January Planning If you have been reading my blog, you  know that  my goal in 2011 is to knock down  my barriers to networking by  participating in the  2011 Networking Challenge.   I am excited to strengthen my current  relationships and meet new people in 2011!!   As promised, I am going to keep you updated on how I am doing in the challenge.   Also, there are quite a few other ambitious career girls who are joining me in the challenge for the new year.   Wont you? I have narrowed down the people that I would like to meet with in January and have contacted each of them.   Many of them have not gotten back to my yet which is making me a little nervous!    But, I think this is just because  people are still catching up from the  Holidays and hopefully I will be hearing back from them soon.   What I am realizing is that the most important thing is to plan ahead so I dont get stuck at the end of the month trying to fit in all the meetings!   I  hope that the  first month will actually be easy because there are plenty of people that I have been meaning to meet up with for the past few years. My first step was to make a list of everyone that I could think of that I wanted to have coffee with.   I was actually able to create a pretty long list so here are the people that I am choosing to contact this month for a meeting: 4 People I Know: A boss at a previous  internship (Date: Jan 14th) An  coworker at  a previous  job  (Date: Jan 21st) A friend I went to high school with (Date: TBD) Another coworker from a previous job (Date: TBD) 4 People I Dont Know: A Senior HR director at a Life Science Company (Date: TBD) An HR Manager at a technology company that a career counselor  recommended I contact (Date: Jan 4th) I will be attending an American Society For Training and Development  Association meeting  where I wont know anyone!      Getting involved in associations and membership groups is very important in networking and  I am  hoping to make many contacts at this meeting to do future  information interviews. (Jan. 26th) TBD: Still looking!! Who do you need to meet for coffee? If you would like to join me in this challenge for a month or a year, leave a comment below.

How Candidate Experience Affects Your Recruitment Marketing

How Candidate Experience Affects Your Recruitment Marketing Recruitment marketing is about attracting passive job seekers and making them want to search for openings at your company. What role does candidate experience (CX) play in that? Well, since CX refers to each and every touchpoint a potential applicant encounters on their way from audience member to employee, and those touchpoints are created by your recruitment marketing efforts, we’d say quite a bit, wouldn’t you? OK, so maybe it’s not quite as straightforward as all that. There is give and take, with a feedback loop developing where RM and CX interact and play off each other. Let’s look at a simplified example of a candidate’s journey from the audience to the employee, so we can get a better handle on those touchpoints and see this interaction at work: Your social media posts initially attract the person to your EB and EVP. They begin following your presence on several outlets and subscribe to your blog. Since they’re a passive job hunter, this may be the extent of the interaction for a while, but then one day they get the itch to check you out on review sites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn to see what people are saying. Now they’re hooked by your glowing reviews and the employee testimonial videos you post and decide it’s time to check out your openings on the company careers page. This stage may also last a while, during which time they’re still following your social media accounts, liking posts and commenting on blog articles. Then one day the right position pops up and they get an application in. Now they’re firmly in the applicant funnel. Each of these steps (and many more we left out for brevity) is a touchpoint where you and your RM team have the ability to affect the candidate’s experience, and in turn, their experience provides you with information about things you’re doing well, and areas where you can improve. There’s a lot of information mixed into each touchpoint, some of which you can discover simply by asking applicants what they thought of their experience. The rest is discoverable with some advanced planning and use of appropriate metrics. Some of the key areas to take into account when digging into how your candidate’s experiences can help you fine-tune your recruitment marketing efforts are wait times, the fact that people trust other people more than companies, and the fact that RM is a long game. Each of these concepts provides more room for development and ways to tweak your campaigns to better impact CX. Nobody likes waiting Yet in the recruiting world, waits are inevitable. Whether it’s the candidate waiting to hear back about an interview, or the recruiter waiting to hear back from a hiring manager about any number of things, there will be waiting. What can you be doing to ensure that your candidate doesn’t get fed up with all this waiting? Stay in constant contact. Use RM automation software to automatically send email updates and reach out on the candidate’s preferred channel to keep them up-to-date on their status. The emails don’t have to be directly related to this one candidate, they can be general company updates, interesting news stories that relate to your industry, anything that lets the person know that you remember them and want to stay in touch. In today’s candidate-focused job market, people report being willing to wait no longer than 2 weeks before they move on. If you don’t deliver something to let them know they matter and where things stand with their application, your quality candidates will walk. Right down the road to your competitor in all likelihood. So stay in touch. People trust people And people talk. On social media, on review sites, and on job boards. If someone has a negative experience with your application process, the first thing they’re going to do is let everyone they can think of know about it. That means they’ll be posting on Facebook and Twitter and leaving scathing reviews on Glassdoor. This should affect your RM in two main ways. First, tweak your process to eliminate the pain points that caused this person’s experience. If it was the length or complexity of the online application form, shorten it. If they got lost in the ATS black hole and just never heard back from anyone, find the process gap that they fell through and plug it. And second, respond to their comments, tweets, and reviews. Remember to stay in brand voice, but also remember that empathy rules the day when it comes to calming upset and working to ensure this person doesn’t harbor lasting bad feelings toward your company. Furthermore, social proof goes a long way in the battle for people’s trust. Remember, humans trust other humans. Post testimonials from current employees, bonus points for videos so viewers have a face to put to the words. And as for those reviews that may not be so stellar, respond with kindness, stay in voice, and remember the power of empathy. Recruitment marketing is a long game You already know you’re in it for the long haul, as RM can produce amazing results and help drive your company’s recruiting efforts well into the future. But those results don’t appear as if by magic overnight. Candidates who are sourced by RM or referrals are more likely to be happy with their jobs and are more likely to stick around longer. In fact, 47% stay longer than 3 years. Knowing this should help you adjust your content, better targeting those quality candidates you want to attract and who will stick around, and doing that will also impact the CX of your candidates as they become applicants. It’s the content you design for this long game that provides the first, and often second and third, of those all-important touchpoints that color people’s opinions of your recruiting department and by extension your company from the very beginning of their journey with you. And that’s the real bottom line here, the candidate experience affects your RM efforts by informing the decisions you make going forward. You can’t always undo past missteps or repair damage done when someone has a bad experience. What you can do is use your RM and your social media presence to reach out to those folks with empathy, then make changes and adjustments to your processes to avoid the same missteps with future candidates. About the author: Monica Cocian, is a digital marketing specialist at SmartDreamers, a platform that helps companies reach more, better candidates in record time by automating recruitment marketing activities to accelerate online talent acquisition. SmartDreamers was founded in 2014 and currently operates in Europe, the US and the APAC region.

How to Know Its Time to Quit - CareerMetis.com

How to Know It’s Time to Quit Source: PixabayAt some point, many of us have likely daydreamed about quitting and walking out on the job: throwing our hands in the air and making a final exit in front of everyone. For most of us with families, debt, and bills to pay, though, making a rash decision like that comes at a cost and can be irresponsible. So how do you know when it’s time to quit?The job may be stressful, yet rewarding or fulfilling, yet not paying the bills. You could merely feel unsatisfied and want more. Here are some things to consider before you put in your two weeks:eval1. Are You Being Harassed or Bullied?evalHarassment and bullying is no laughing matter. If you ever feel unsafe or threatened in a work environment, it’s time to contact HR. It’s understandable to want to leave a job for this issue, but remember it’s good to punish the bully, not yourself. Contacting HR or your supervisor regarding a harassment issue is essential. The perpetrator may be given a warning, moved to another depa rtment or just fired â€" but what matters first and foremost is that you feel safe in your working environment. Source: Pixabay2. Is the Workspace Safety Questionable?Workplace safety is a necessity, but it’s not always guaranteed. Depending on your profession, your safety could be in jeopardy. Jobs that require physical labor can be rewarding but may come with some risk.Luckily, there is workers’ compensation. It’s important to note that workers’ compensation laws vary from state to state and that you will not receive compensation if you fail to file a claim within 30 days. However, it exists for a reason and should be taken advantage of if you are injured on the job. But if you constantly feel unsafe with the work-related risks, perhaps it’s time to reconsider your position.eval3. Do You Have a Bad Boss?A good boss can make a job, where a bad one can break one. It’s important to identify what about your boss is frustrating â€" is it their work ethic, what they ask you to do, or do they have unrealistic expectations?As annoying as it can be, it’s also necessary to take a good look at your expectations and actions. Sometimes we may not like our boss, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fair and good at giving instructions. Some bosses may seem harsh, but perhaps they believe in you more than you do. Maybe they are pushing you to move past your comfort zone positively.Here are some quick tips you can use to tell if your boss is unfair:Pay attention to their managing style; it may be different from what you are used to, but that doesn’t mean it’s a problem.Pay attention to their frustrations. If they are always annoyed about employees not checking their emails, then be sure to keep your inbox tab open. Knowing their triggers can avoid unnecessary conflict.Ask for clarification when confused on instructions.Understand their strengths and weaknesses and act accordingly. Maybe they aren’t the best at one area, but all bosses have flaws.Giving your boss the benefit of the doubt is an excellent way to judge if they are indeed unreasonable. If, by the end of a week or two, you still feel that they are too difficult to work with after making excuses for them, then maybe it’s time to change departments or employers. At least you tried!evalSource: Pixabay4. Are You Stressed About Work When Not at Work?Stress can be a healthy thing â€" emphasis on can. A little bit of pressure can be motivating to reach a deadline or cross the finish line, however, in today’s hectic world, the pressure is more often than not something people are experiencing in unhealthy and unsustainable ways. In fact, the adverse health effects of stress are comparable to that smoking!If you feel like your work environment is unusually stressful, here are some things to watch out for:Identify your stressors by writing them down.Acknowledge if one co-worker, in particular, is stressful to be around and do what you can to minimize your time with them.Establ ish boundaries with co-workers and managers alikeBreathe. Again. Studies show meditation can help manage stress. You may not have the chance to meditate in the office, but even taking a few deep breaths can help lower your stress levels.Stay away from office gossip/drama.Keep your work calendar up to date.Keep an office plant.Decorate your workspace.Keep track of your time.Don’t make promises you can’t keep.Realize when it’s time to leave a toxic environment.5. Does Going to Work Give You Anxiety?evalDo you dread going into work on even “good days?” Everyone gets workplace anxiety now and then, but when you have anxiety driving to work because you know you’re unhappy at your job, maybe it’s time to look for a new job.Before you make any decisions though, give yourself some time to analyze what is giving you anxiety at work. Is it the people? The job? Unrealistic expectations you have to meet? Ultimately, is whatever is giving you apprehension something you can change o r influence, or is it beyond your control?6. Are the Office Politics Getting Out of Hand?Office politics are something most us are familiar with, although we do our best to avoid them. However, they are a given in any workplace. You may not want to play them but will inevitably have to at some point. What’s important to remember is that not all office politics are trouble, and getting involved with them can improve your job experience. What you need to know is when you should and shouldn’t get involved.evalHere’s when you should step in:Make a connection with a co-worker or manager about a project.Even if you don’t speak, keep your ears open to stay informed about possible promotions or corporate decisions.You can add positivity to the conversation.Here’s when you should steer clear:Avoid participating in gossip about another co-worker, especially if it involves their personal life.The person you’re talking to has trash-talked your peers before. Chances are if they did i t to someone else, they would do it to you too.Don’t overshare about your personal life; it’s in poor taste and can be unprofessional.So, Should You Quit?If, after reading this, you answered yes to all of the questions, then maybe the answer to whether or not you should resign is yes. Ultimately you decide to make, but what matters most is that you are safe and protected from harassment, bullies, and heard when you raise a concern. Feeling stressed, anxious or uncomfortable with the politics of the workplace are all indicators that it’s time to move on.

Yes, An Introvert Can Lead

Yes, An Introvert Can Lead In honor of World Introvert Day, lets take a look at the characteristics of introverts and why an introvert can lead. Introverts Are A Silent Majority If you are an introvert, you may feel you are outnumbered by your louder, more talkative counterparts. But according to Positive Psychology, the Myers-Briggs organization found that: Introverts make up 50.7% of the United States general population and extroverts make up 49.3%. And within this sample, 54.1% of men and 47.5% of women were introverted. (Myers, McCaulley, Quenk, Hammer (1998)) Introverts and Extroverts Its important to review the characteristics of introverts and extroverts. These are general tendencies. So what you may be thinking is it depends on the situation. Sometimes, in certain situations, you may find that you show some extroverted characteristics or vice versa. This is normal. In fact, ambiverts can be comfortable using characteristics from either type. There is no good or better type. Heres a quick overview: INTROVERTS Recharge by spending time aloneReflect before making decisionsListen moreEnjoy one-on-one conversationsIntrospectiveSelf-awareLearn through observationMore sociable with people they know EXTROVERTS Recharge by socializingMake decisions quicklySpeak moreOutgoingEasily distractedAction-orientedGregarious and expressiveExcellent communicatorsEnjoy being the center of attention From Positive Psychology Being An Introvert and Being A Leader It is possible for introverts to be leaders. However Only 39% of top leadership roles in the US are filled by introverts, despite the fact that about 56.8% of workers are introverts. (The Myers-Briggs Company) Introverts can make very strong leaders due to their characteristics. But unfortunately, some cultures tend not to value those qualities in leaders as much. What if there were more leaders who were self-aware, carefully weighed decisions and were strong listeners? Tips To Help Elevate Introverts These are three steps organizations and leaders can take to empower introverted team members: Introverts want and need time to prepare for meetings. Sending out detailed agendas ahead of time with clear expectations helpsAllow for breaks in discussion to give introverted team members an opportunity to contributeUtilize a range of communication formats including presentations, meetings, and written communications World Introvert Day 2020 [Infographic] The Myers-Briggs Company created this infographic to highlight the strengths of introverts for World Introvert Day 2020 World-Introvert-Day-Infographic-2020 Introverts and Job Search If you are an introvert and searching for a new job, learn about the strengths and weaknesses of your type and what you can do to make the most of being an introverted job seeker. Read Introverts Tap Into Your Strengths During Job Search

Resume Writing Tips For Media Students

Resume Writing Tips For Media StudentsMedia students have some major disadvantages when they try to get a job as a freelance writer. While you are competing with professionals who have at least 5 years of experience, your resume is not going to be noticed by the employer. Here are some resume writing tips for media students to overcome this drawback.First of all, media students should realize that their primary goal when creating resumes is to communicate with the employer. Your resume is a small piece of a very large puzzle. For example, your resume is going to provide the employer with information about your skills and qualifications, your educational background, the experience you have gained, and what you can bring to the company. The hiring manager will take this information and make a decision on whether to hire you or not.Media students have to be aware that their personality is something the employer is also taking into consideration. If you are overly formal, it will reflect in your resume as well. On the other hand, if you have a little more of a laid back approach to the work, it will actually make your resume look more professional. Also, there is no real set rule that says you cannot be overly formal.Another tip for media students when it comes to resumes is to be sure to use a consistent tone throughout. When you send your resume out, you want to make sure you follow up immediately. Try to do so using a different method every time. You want to show that you are responsive to your employer and that you care about them.If you are interested in internet marketing as a career path, you may be considering online journalism as your potential career choice. There are many great online journalism schools that allow you to get your diploma online. But, you may also be looking into other career paths like copywriting, website design, or SEO. The key to being able to show your potential employer that you are a versatile professional is to provide all of the resume writing tips for media students you can.Perhaps you will find yourself in the role of editorial intern or research assistant, which is one of the most in-demand positions in the media industry. You will need to make sure that you have a resume that portrays the type of work you will be doing in an engaging way. The first thing that you should do is outline what your skills and experience are. Once you have that information in place, you can start showing your creativity and individuality.When it comes to making your resume stand out from the rest, it is helpful for media students to consider who is reading it. For example, if you are a freelance writer and the requirements to get hired involve reviewing submissions and looking over examples, then your resume may need to reflect this as well. You want to show that you have a clear understanding of the needs of your current employer.Finally, while it is true that resumes are the first contact a potential employer has with a can didate, it is just as important for media students to write compellingly. If you want to stand out among the others, be sure to include yourself as a part of the hiring process. Use these resume writing tips for media students to get you in the right position.