There’s been a lot of market commentary in recent times about the changing nature of recruitment and how the power of digital technology, data science and personalised communications at scale have created a new job search model.
In essence, recruiters and employers now look to “find and engage” EAs and PAs rather than passively wait for the right person to apply for an advertised job.
The latter, more traditional approach, is the model of recruitment most of us are familiar with. But employers no longer find it effective in today’s digital world. Instead, they are turning to digital technology and data science analytics to reach deep into candidate pools to prepare shortlists of the most suitable people, which span far wider than those jobseekers actively looking for their next role at that point in time. They can then extrapolate meaningful patterns and gauge how open to new job opportunities a potential candidate is.
To stand out and be found, you should firstly update your LinkedIn profile (or create one if you haven’t already), and use the right keywords to ensure your profile appears in a recruiter’s search results.
Ask for endorsements and testimonials from former employers and colleagues, which will appear on your LinkedIn profile. Search for and join relevant LinkedIn groups – and participate. Start by liking relevant content then, once you are more confident, consider sharing or even contributing a post.
You’re then ready to search for and connect with relevant recruiters on LinkedIn – although given the power of digital technology and data science they may have already found you! And that’s the real power of “find and engage” – positioning yourself to be ‘found’ rather than applying for tens if not hundreds of roles throughout the course of your job search.
Remember, with a profile that establishes your expertise, a recruiter will want to engage with you (the second element of the “find and engage” equation) to build a trusted relationship and work on prospective new roles.
Recruitment truly has been remodelled since you were last in the market, and these tips will ensure your job search evolves appropriately in response for a successful outcome. Good luck.
