Recruiter Secrets What It Takes to Land Open Jobs

Recruiter Secrets What It Takes to Land Open Jobs Recruiter Secrets What It Takes to Land Open Jobs As you sit behind your computer screen, looking at yet another job posting, do you ever wonder what the hiring manager who wrote the posting was thinking? What would you give to read the minds of potential employers so you could know if you were a true fit for their open jobs? What are those recruiter secrets?   Well, wonder no longer. In the U.S. News Money story, “Here’s How Recruiters Really Fill Jobs,” you’ll learn the secrets about what it takes to land an open job- and what recruiters are really looking for! Here are four  recruiter secrets, detailing what it takes to land open jobs: 1. Your social media presence is super important. If you thought that recruiters were basing their decisions on who to call in for a job interview solely on resumes and cover letters, think again. Social media plays a very important role in whether a recruiter will reach out to you- or not. While you should pay particular importance to LinkedIn, you need to also cast a discerning eye over your other social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, etc. More than half (55 percent) of recruiters will look at FB profiles and status updates, and 47 percent are checking out what you’re posting in 140 characters or less on Twitter. The moral of the story: make sure that what you’re putting out there on social media is acceptable, G-rated, and above all, professional. 2. Interning isn’t a bad idea. One of the biggest sources for finding a new hire is by looking within the company. Hiring interns even ranks higher than direct job applications (46 percent), with over 55 percent of recruiters looking at the intern pool for the next best job candidate. So if you’re looking to potentially change careers or simply want to get your foot in the door at a desired company, accepting an adult internship (no matter what age you are) is a great way of getting hired permanently! 3. Keep your connections- or establish new ones. Of course, you know the phrase, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” This definitely holds true for the relationship between recruiters and job candidates. But by far, the top way in which hiring managers recruit for positions is by tapping those whom they already know for referrals. Since employee referrals count for the vast majority of job hires (at a whopping 78 percent), it makes good business sense to keep your connections with previous employers and colleagues- and forge new ones, too. If you’re dying to work with a particular brand (but don’t already know anyone who works there), you can always reach out and ask to meet with an employee for an informational interview. Offer to buy lunch, or if you’re not geographically close to each other, you can propose helping them with any projects they’re working on. Building a strong relationship with that person can potentially help you the next time a job opening becomes available with the company. 4. Be prepared to go the distance. Yes, job searching can be exhausting and soul crushing. But when you’re this close to getting a job, don’t balk if a recruiter asks you to do yet another interview with a company exec. Enthusiasm ranks high with recruiters (as does conversation skills and how you interact with them), so make sure that every interaction you have with the recruiter is pleasant, professional, and shows how much you want the position. It’s important to keep in mind that recruiters are people, too, who are just doing their job of matching qualified candidates with the companies they work for. Do your best to stand out by incorporating some of these tips into your job search, and you’ll be gainfully employed (and happy) in no time! Readers, what have you learned from these recruiter secrets? Are you using these techniques to help you when looking at open jobs currently hiring? Let us know in the comments!