I appreciate statistics, but…

what do we really see?

While I appreciate statistics, I often question the numbers reported like current jobseekers and unemployment rates. How accurate are they? Are we counting those who have given up or who are no longer eligible for unemployment? Who is actually being polled or surveyed to come up with these stats? Personally, I think quoted percentages are often incorrect or made-up.

When I worked in-house as a corporate recruiter, I rarely used direct recruitment or cold calling.  85% of all my hires were a result of posting to a job board.  And do you know what?  I didn’t fill out one survey or receive one call asking me what I was doing or how I was filling my open requisitions. As a matter of fact, in all my years in the recruiting industry, I have never been polled.  Yes, I understand the concept of focus groups…, and with that said, I’d like to take a poll of who’s been polled.

If you have ever been asked how you are filling your open positions or how you are looking for a job, please tell me about it.  I question the precision, I wonder at the audacity and presumptiveness. I know that job board analysis and unemployment metrics contribute to our understanding of the some of the reported stats.  But merely quoting unemployment rates based on those that are receiving unemployment benefits doesn’t cut it and is inaccurate. Who isn’t reporting that they are unemployed? Who didn’t qualify for those benefits, thus being disqualified from inclusion in those numbers? Who worked part-time, became under-employed, because their hours were cut or they had to take “any old job”?

The percentage of jobseekers truly gaining employment as a result of job boards will be higher than those reported because most recruiters maintain a CRM or database rich with candidates they have inputted as the result of previous recruitments, previous job postings. Candidates sent resumes or filled out applications. You know, candidates who responded but were not quite the right fit for that particular requisition. Savvy recruiters do not throw resumes away.  That resume is either a future candidate or a future client.  No question.

How many times, when given an open requisition do you just start from scratch? A smart recruiter goes to the bull pen. A smart HR professional has been keeping records. Ever heard of an Applicant Tracking System? Job boards are dead, huh? Here’s some news…, interestingly enough, Monster is still big and still kicking, Careerbuilder is still building, theLadders is still being climbed, there’s no gamble at Dice, and Craigslist is making Craig rich.

No funeral here folks, just change. Evolution has always been a part of the plan.   This, I know.

Welcome to technology.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

Finito. Done. Over. Caput.  Resumes are so 2009.

It’s Friday night.  With the baby in bed early, Greg and I watched Angels & Demons on Pay per View while I added blog tags to old posts from 2007 & 2008 working to update and perfect my blog and website.  I’m the master of the multi-task.

And while I spent almost two hours of my life movie watching, tagging and saving, I was reminded again about the power personal branding using blogs as a resume alternative, I mean replacement.  In the next 12-18 months, resumes will no longer be an acceptable type of professional representation or profile.

Your Resume is Dead.

Blogs and professional websites are a great representation of a person’s interests both professional and personal, and in my opinion are a form of a more organic and fluid resume.  One can view my first ever blog post in September 2007 while also watching my professional progression as I made my way to entrepreneur.  You can see who my influences are by reading my posts or by visiting my blog roll.  Your blog is the way for employers, clients, and other professionals to learn more about you, your beliefs, and what is important to you.

Obviously someone who reads this blog post realizes how important it is for me to have my blog be professional, organized, and polished while on display to the world.  Especially since I spent my Friday night at home in front of the laptop crafting and updating my brand.  One might assume that I might also be the same in person as a professional who values things like work ethic, my personal and professional brand, and technology, gadgets, and information.  Depending on the position or contract, these type of things are important to a potential employer or client.

I recommend most all clients, businesses, and candidates develop some sort of organic online profile or resume to present to employers in addition to your resume and LinkedIn profile.  While hiring manager’s only spend 15 seconds viewing your resume to determine whether or not you receive an interview, employers will spend a substantial amount of time checking references, verifying employment, and viewing your online profiles to determine how you stack up to your competition.  This is certainly the case when the hiring decision comes down between you and another candidate.  Having a blog or other online profile, depending on your position and industry, is the future of how to stand out and differentiate yourself from the competition.

And for now, I still recommend maintaining a professionally crafted resume to use along with a blog and professional website as a way to expand on your skills, qualifications, interests, and experience.  I do, however, strongly encourage you to start crafting and developing your professional blog to find your angle, voice, and niche.

In the next next year to 18 months, blogs and other online profiles will become more important and will replace a traditional resumes.  I’ve already started to see this shift.  Your social influence both online and offline which includes your blog will become more powerful and representative that any piece of traditional personal or professional marketing we use today in the job search.

So RIP resume.  You will not be missed.

Photo Credit WaterMan99