While job search engines, like Indeed, Simply Hired, or even Monster may be expedient for job seekers interested in quickly surveying the existing employment landscape, a recent Wall Street Journal article indicates that recruiters have begun to curtail their use of such third party sites as means of advertising job vacancies. Although this news comes as no surprise—such sites cast too wide a net, often prompting unqualified applicants, who would not otherwise apply, to apply for positions—it could severely impact the ease with which job seekers are presently able to search for work.
Of this new change in recruitment strategy, Wall Street Journal contributor Joe Light recently commented that recruiters, still weary of economic aftershocks, are “throwing out their old playbooks.” According to a recent Corporate Executive Board Company report, “24% of companies [polled] plan to decrease their usage of third-party employment websites and job boards this year.” In place of third party sites and advertising open positions across the Web, recruiters plan to hire using a more concentrated, targeted approach—one which hopefully yields a greater number of qualified applicants. Light comments that such methods of recruitment will be replaced with an approach which relies more on professional networking sites—such as LinkedIn or Facebook—as well as referrals. That is, virtual networking (i.e. headhunting) and employee referrals seem to be two of the main recruiting tools on which recruiters (approximately 80% of those polled) will be relying moving forward. In light of this, it is important that job seekers adapt to this new recruitment strategy by frequently updating their LinkedIn and professional Facebook profiles (or create such) and make the most of their professional network. For additional information about social networking sites and building your professional network see Hot not to build a professional network with social network sites and How to keep Facebook from ruining your career.
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