If you’ve been looking for a job and aren’t having much luck in your search, it’s time to change what you’re doing.
SilkRoad, a provider of talent activation technology, released their “Top Sources of Hire 2017” report which lists the top seven sources of new hires. The results might surprise you — and help you understand why your job search strategy isn’t working.
Based on this data, let’s count down the best resources when looking for a new job.
No. 7: Use LinkedIn job postings
In case you didn’t know, LinkedIn has a job board. Employers pay to post jobs on LinkedIn as they would any other job board. There are two ways you can receive notifications about jobs through LinkedIn. First, you can set a job alert using specific criteria, from job title to geographic location and everything in between. The other way LinkedIn serves up jobs is through “jobs you may be interested in,” which uses data in your profile. You can modify the types of jobs you see by refining the “update career interests” link on your job home page. If you are actively and openly job searching, it’s a good idea to turn on “let recruiters know you’re open” to new opportunities. This will show people using LinkedIn’s “Recruiter” tool that you are open to new career opportunities. Viewing jobs posted on LinkedIn allows you to do some quick research on the company and employees who work there, and it can be a great networking tool.
[See: 10 Ways Social Media Can Help You Land a Job.]
No. 6: Use CareerBuilder
Jobs posted on CareerBuilder generated about 5 percent of new hires according to SilkRoad’s analysis. When comparing other brand name job boards, CareerBuilder outperformed Monster, CraigsList, Glassdoor and even LinkedIn for the number of new hires it produced. When applying to jobs posted online, take the time to thoroughly review the job requirements and research the company. If necessary, adapt your resume to include experience or skills mentioned in the job posting and make sure your resume is truthful and accurately represents your qualifications.
No. 5: Use the company’s career site
Even better than a job board is the company’s own career site. Companies now find it easier to use applicant tracking systems to host jobs on their own website. Think like a recruiter or hiring manager for a second. Would you be more likely to interview someone who applied for a job directly on your site or an applicant just trolling the job boards? Here’s your chance to impress the company and show your interest in working for them!
[See: 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.]
No. 4: Talk with recruiters
Whether it is a company recruiter or a third-party recruiter, these people are digging around to source the right job seekers for open positions. You don’t have to wait for a recruiter to find you. Instead, start asking your friends or colleagues for the names of recruiters they’ve successfully worked with. Remember, the recruiter doesn’t work for you, they work for the company with the opening. So keep your expectations in check. Also, always do your due diligence if you are being contacted by a recruiter and never provide personal information, like social security number, references or driver’s license number to anyone over the phone or through email. No reputable recruiter needs that information in the early stages of screening candidates.
No. 3: Look for opportunities within your company
Companies like to minimize their risk when hiring employees. One way to do this is by hiring a current employee. This is validated by the fact that current employees rate as a top source of hire. If you are employed, but ready for a new job, be sure to spend some time networking internally. Seek out people who work in other departments to get the inside scoop on jobs that may be coming up soon. This intel gathering will make you savvier and allow you to better present your qualifications when you apply for new jobs within your company.
[See: 10 Ways to Perfect Your Personal Brand.]
No. 2: Use Indeed
Indeed is known as an aggregator, not a job board. Indeed pulls jobs from many different sources, and provides a sort of one-stop shopping experience for job postings. It isn’t perfect, but it does rank second by employers as a source of newly hired employees. In fact, almost 30 percent of all new hires came from Indeed, according to SilkRoad’s survey.
No. 1: Always use an employee referral. Always.
Last, but not least. The top source of hire was employee referrals. Getting referred by an employee is the best way to gain an interview and land a job. According to SilkRoad, over 30 percent of all new hires came via an employee referral. The closer you are to a company, the better your odds of landing a job. As you can see, trolling for jobs on job boards is easy but not as effective as finding someone within an organization who can vouch for you.
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A Countdown of the Top 7 Ways to Get Hired originally appeared on usnews.com
