Social media has become a popular way for recruiters to connect with candidates. Recruiters are looking beyond the traditional resume in order to discover who their candidates are and the types of qualities they possess. From using LinkedIn to contact candidates to searching Facebook profiles to learn about the their personality, recruiters are using social media to search for the best of the best.

Did you know 37 percent of recruiters are putting the traditional resume aside and researching your online presence? This means recruiters are searching for you throughout different social media platforms to learn about the type of professional you are. Hiring managers are also looking to see how you present yourself professionally, how you socialize with your networks, and if you meet their qualifications.

The key findings from this infographic by OnlineColleges display how job seekers must have a professional online presence. This is an important message for job seekers who haven’t spent much time transforming their social media accounts into job-friendly profiles. Sixty-five percent of recruiters check a candidate’s Facebook profile to determine what kind of candidate they are. This can be a downfall for job seekers who haven’t taken the time to clean up their content.

If you want to land a job, but you’re concerned about your social media profiles, check out this infographic to learn how you can create a recruiter-friendly and searchable online presence:

By creating a professional online presence, you will be able to be discovered by more recruiters. This is an opportunity for you to make a positive first impression on employers and market your skills and experience. This way, you will be able to stand out to recruiters and increase your chances of landing a job.

What ways do you think job seekers can improve their social media profiles to create a professional online presence?

While many people have the tendency to think Gen Y’ers are self-entitled, they actually have a lot to offer for the future of our job market and workforce.

Gen Y’ers are some of the most creative and innovative people the workforce has seen. This generation is a group of entrepreneurs and fresh thinkers who give the workforce hope for a brighter future, filled with more jobs and advancements in technology.

While older generations may think Gen Y’ers are only concerned about themselves, they actually want to make a difference in the way people live and work together. Still not convinced this generation can save the workforce? Here are five ways Gen Y’ers make a difference in our workforce:

They’re passionate people. Gen Y’ers were told from an early age to “dream big” and to pursue their dreams. Because of this, when many of them enter college, they study a profession that helps them accomplish those goals.

Not only do Gen Y’ers want to have a satisfying career, but also they pursue their work with passion. This is important for the future of the workforce because it will help create more opportunities in the job market to allow people to have rewarding careers.

They’re driven. Their drive for success motivates them to go above and beyond in their work, which is an important characteristic of employees in today’s workforce. Gen Y’ers understand the competition in the job market and want to do everything possible to rise to the top. Therefore, this attitude will help more people become motivated to achieve their career goals and create opportunities for growth.

They want to make a difference. As young children, society has told this generation they are “the future of America.” From dreams of being the President of the United States to ending world hunger, Gen Y’ers from the very beginning have wanted to make a difference in the world.

This passion for making a difference is what our job market needs. It will allow room for new ideas and advancements in technologies, which will help the world become a better place. Additionally, this generation has the drive and passion to make those changes a reality.

They’re innovative. Gen Y’ers are bright and creative thinkers. Because they were raised in the age of technology, they are constantly looking for new ways to be efficient at work. They also believe in working in a creative environment that allows them to utilize their skills and experience to their best potential.

They’re open-minded. Gen Y’ers welcome new ideas and embrace change. This is important because it will allow the workforce to keep moving forward. By discovering new ways to create jobs and make the workforce more efficient, Gen Y’ers will improve the job market and create a better future.

The future of the workforce and the economy is dependent on Gen Y’ers. Just because they have a strong desire to chase their dreams doesn’t mean they are a self-entitled generation. Remember — their dreams, passion, and creativity will drive the future of the workforce in a positive direction.

What ways do you think Gen Y’ers will save the future of our workforce?

The following is a guest post by Sarah Boisvert.

Living in an age of online information overload almost guarantees job seekers can easily research the digital business reputation of a company they are considering joining. The Internet is full of tools for a simple yet comprehensive search to determine if a firm has a good or bad web reputation that could impact your career’s future.

Here are a few to get you started looking into a company’s digital reputation:

Google

Almost all online searches these days start with the most popular search engine, Google. But beyond a keyword search, it’s also very easy to create a Google Alert that will let you know via email or an RSS feed if there is news about a particular company, industry, or any combination of keywords you choose. This guarantees you’ll have the most current information about a company’s digital business reputation.

If you have the time to track a company’s web reputation over a period of time, you will also see the level of online reputation management. Should mentions appear that imply a bad reputation, you may immediately see tactics aimed at reputation repair. These include corrections from webmasters or even removal of negative posts. Many companies use online reputation management services to stay on top of their business reputation.

Technorati.com



The blog post index Technorati is a great tool for finding a company’s business reputation since it will bring up all blogs that mention a company or its executives. Like Google, you can request alerts via an RSS feed to give you updates that apply to a company’s digital reputation.

Boardtracker.com

Boardtracker goes even farther to pull up mentions of a company in discussion threads. While companies with strong online reputation management programs will often get a webmaster to remove anything that hints at a bad reputation, they often overlook comments that are buried deeper.

Search.twitter.com

Image Credit: Flickr, mkhmarketing

It’s easy for a business reputation to be tarnished in the quick world of micro-blogging only 140 characters on Twitter. So many companies forget to include social media in their online reputation management programs. Conduct searches via www.search.twitter.com of the company names, as well as key executives who may be tweeting under their own names and unwittingly creating a bad reputation.

FriendFeed

For a company with strong online reputation management, you’ll find the real-time feed aggregation tool FriendFeed is a must. Firms on the offensive repairing a bad reputation will be active in multiple social media, blogging, micro-blogging, and other online forums combating negative comments. This website will help greatly in your company reputation search.

Trackur

If you aren’t getting satisfaction finding a company’s web reputation with these free tools, you may want to invest in the services of Trackur, a pay-as-you-go social media reputation tracking service. You will even receive neutral, good, or bad reputation ratings.

Of course, it isn’t quite that simple. Disgruntled employees, unhappy customers, or competitors may have undertaken blatant smear campaigns. That said, while some companies with strong online reputation management are well versed in reputation recovery tactics, others may not be aware there are remedies to a poor digital business reputation.

And keep in mind that companies can take steps to improve a poor image, even if it is true! So while an online search may be a good start, you still may have to do some digging to get to the truth behind a company’s web reputation.

About the Author:

Sarah Boisvert is a business writer who has extensive experience in marketing, public relations, and sales. She also covers topics in manufacturing such as 3D Printing and digital fabrication.

The following is a guest post by Arlene Chandler.

Image Credit: Wikicommons

It’s natural to feel stifled in the workplace from time to time; most people have bouts of feeling like their efforts go unnoticed or they’re not as far along in their career as they’d like to be, but it’s important to look at the ways your actions contribute to that frustration before you start blaming external sources.

Whether you feel overshadowed, under-appreciated, or unmotivated, it’s important to see if you’re guilty of practicing these three habits that hold you back and stifle your personal development:

Not Communicating Your Ideas and Suggestions

Even if you show up on time and deliver positive results on a consistent basis, it’s also important to show you’re thinking of the big picture. Employees who frequently suggest ideas on how to make the company run more efficiently — and even question the current way things are done — stand out to employers. If you’re under the impression your suggestions would be invaluable, you’re severely limiting the opportunities you have to make a strong impact. Most companies hire employees to start at a base level in hopes of building future leaders, and if you’re too afraid of putting your thoughts out there, your name won’t come to mind when your boss is thinking of who to promote.

The point is not to have something to say about every topic at every meeting but to simply voice your opinion when something does pop up in your mind. Don’t assume someone else’s ideas carry more merit than yours because they have been employed at the company longer than you have or because they are the outspoken type. Your ideas are worth sharing, and making your voice heard will set you up to have a better future with your occupation.

Being Afraid of Additional Responsibility

Many people stay in the same position for years because the thought of what advancement entails makes them nervous, and if this is why you’re not pushing yourself to inquire about promotions, it’s time to snap out of that mindset.

When you start any position, it’s nerve-wracking, but you eventually learn from the experience, grow from it, and adjust to what the daily responsibilities require. Just because a new position might involve more doesn’t mean you won’t transition to it the same as you would a lower one. It might be something you really flourish in, and going through life afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone will only set you up to miss many chances.

Feeling a Lack of Direction 

Often times, people hold themselves back by not knowing what they’re restricting themselves from. One of the biggest contributors stunting your personal development is feeling aimless in where you want your future to go, and that’s why it’s easy to want to stay in the same position. Going to work every day and knowing what to expect allows you to stay comfortably adrift, and it’s not until you make the effort to discover what direction you want your career to go that you’ll realize how long you’ve been floating in the same spot.

Think about where you want to see yourself in the company in the next year — or if you even want to stay with them at all. Understanding what direction will bring you closer to feeling content will help you decide what course of action is best for you.

It’s normal to reach a point of feeling stuck in the workplace, and while some of that feeling is circumstantial, other forms of it could be self-inflicted. If you’re afraid to speak up, nervous about handling increased responsibility, or unsure of what direction to take your career, then you’re partly responsible for those feelings of frustration. On a positive note, realizing you are capable of holding yourself back is the first step in realizing that you’re also capable of pushing yourself forward; you just have to gather the motivation to make the change.

About the Author:

Arlene Chandler is a freelance writer who loves helping people face the uncertainty of tomorrow. When she’s not enjoying the sun with her two yellow labs, she writes about finance tips, career advice, and income protection insurance (Suncorp).

Based on data from more than 20,000 companies with flexible work options, FlexJobs released the top 10 companies hiring the most flexible jobs. In April 2013, these 10 companies had the most job openings that included work-from-home jobs, flexible scheduling, part-time hours, and contract or freelance positions.

“Every month, we take a good look at our job listing data to find out the top industries hiring for flexible jobs,” Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs, said. “This month we decided to study the top companies who have the most positions available that offer some type of flexibility, and we are very excited to see such big name companies offering flexible work options. It really shows that, despite high-profile controversies over flexible work options like with Yahoo, that large companies are still embracing this way of working.”

Here are the top 10 companies hiring for flexible jobs:

1. ADP
2. Xerox
3. AT&T
4. Enterprise Contact Center
5. Sodexo
6. U-Haul
7. Ecolab
8. HealthFitness
9. HD Supply
10. Internet Brands, Inc.

Flexible jobs are great for people who want to fulfill personal obligations, be available for family responsibilities, reduce or eliminate commutes, or lower their stress levels. Whether you’re looking for flexible work options to compress your work days, flex your daily hours, or even to work from home, one of these companies might be the right fit for you.

Do you work for any of the companies on the list from FlexJobs? What other companies are hiring great flexible jobs?

Is your name hurting your chances at a larger salary? According to a recent study by TheLadders, this is actually a possibility. 

TheLadders set out to determine if names could impact success in the workplace. They analyzed data correlating the first names of about 6 million people based on industry, salary level, and location.

The results of the study showed that every additional letter added to your first name results in a $3,600 drop in annual salary. The only exception was males with seven-letter names, like Stephen. Additionally, when comparing full names to their nicknames, the nicknames almost always earned more.

Other findings from the study found the top C-level executive names for both genders and the top five highest paid names for both genders. Is your name on one of these lists?

Top five C-level female names: Christine, Denise, Cindy, Shannon, and Sarah.

Top five C-level male names: Bob, Lawrence, Bill, Marc, and Martin.

Top five highest-paid female names: Lynn, Melissa, Cathy, Dana, and Christine.

Top five highest-paid male names: Tom, Rob, Dale, Doug, and Wayne.

Highlights about these findings show that Christine is the only name to appear on both lists. The top 10 highest salary C-level executive names earn, on average, 10 percent more than other names. The top 25 most popular names make about $7,000 more than the rest of the list.

Is your name helping or hurting your annual salary? Maybe it’s time to switch to a nickname while you still can!

Congratulations, class of 2013! You are official college graduates and members of the real world. Does that mean the hard part is over? Of course not!

You, along with all of your fellow graduates are going to have quite a few post-grad problems.

Here are six post-grad problems in which you’re not alone:

1. Your friends have better jobs than you. There are plenty of reasons why your friends might end up with better jobs than the one you get. They might have looked in different places than you did. They might have better connections at the company they chose. Or they may just have gotten lucky. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with your skills.

Don’t let your friends’ jobs get you down. Instead, focus on how you can continue searching for your dream job while sharpening your skills in the job you have now. Don’t give up.

2. You’re stuck living at home. This is becoming the norm among college graduates. According to the Pew Research Center in 2011, as many as 45 percent of you move home after graduation. In 2001, this number was only at 31 percent. Use this time as an opportunity to build up your savings or pay off loans. Living at home is the least expensive housing you’re ever going to find.

3. You have to start paying off student loans. Chances are, you weren’t thinking about all of the loans you were wracking up while still in school. Now it’s time to pay them all back. Student loans are pretty overwhelming. Before you have to start paying for them, make a budget based on your new income and plan accordingly. Let the bank know how much you’re making and they often will change your monthly payment amount.

4. You decided to continue your education. Maybe you realized you couldn’t find the job you wanted. Maybe you just have goals requiring more school. Whatever the case, continuing your education can seem like a problem when many of your friends are moving on and getting jobs. Don’t let that bum you out. Instead, focus on your goals and remember why you decided to pursue another degree.

5. You started going to bed before 10. Real jobs usually require a work schedule from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every weekday. No more picking a schedule that suits you. Starting your day now involves dressing professionally and probably a bit of a commute. Save going out for the weekends and get the rest you need on the weekdays. Leave the weeknight parties in college. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.

6. You wish you were still in college. There are lots of things college graduates miss once they leave. Try not to focus on those things so much. Think about all the opportunities you have now that you have a degree. You can start earning money at the job you’ve been preparing for since you declared your major. No more time wasted in classes you don’t care about. Plus, you can always visit during alumni weekend because, guess what? You’re all alumni now!

Just remember. Don’t let your post-grad problems get you down. You’ve got plenty of time to fix them!

What are some of your post-grad problems?

Summer internships can be a life-changing experience. From gaining valuable hands-on experience to building lasting relationships with your coworkers, summer internships are a wonderful way for college students to make most of their time off from school.

If you’re wanting to make the most of your summer internship experience, here are some ideas to help you start your intern bucket list:

1. Attend a networking event. This is a great way for interns to start making a name for themselves in their industry. When your supervisor invites you to attend networking events, go! Your supervisor wants to help you be successful and this is a great way for you to meet professionals in your industry.

2. Meet your supervisor for coffee. Make sure you spend some time outside of the office with your supervisor. When you do this, you will be able to talk about your internship experience and learn more about your supervisor. It’s a great way to have “real talk” with your boss and express ideas and share stories with one another, without the office environment holding you back.

3. Make friends with your coworkers. Try to build a relationship with the people who work closely with in your office. Don’t spend all of your time hanging out with the other interns. Make sure you get to know some of the employees in your office because they will serve as valuable contacts in the future and can provide helpful career advice.

4. Document your experience. It’s important for you to spend time writing about your summer internship experience. This will allow you to reflect upon the lessons you learn and remember important events from your internship. Down the road, you will be thankful you can look back on your summer internship.

5. Develop your personal brand. If you’re not taking summer classes or working a part-time job in addition to your summer internship, use your free time to develop your personal brand. As you begin to learn valuable skills during your internship, you can market them in your brand. This will be a great way for you to get your name out there as a young professional and help you discover future opportunities.

6. Learn what it takes to get to the top. When you have the time to meet with your supervisor, ask them about their journey. Learn about the types of internships they did during college in order to be the successful professional they are today. This will help you become more excited about your future and learn about different avenues you can take with your career.

7. Develop your passion. If this internship confirms you are doing what you love, try to become an expert in your passion. Future employers look for candidates who are passionate about what they do — so spend time learning everything you can about your passion and work on areas that seek improvement.

8. Learn a new skill. Every internship provides great learning opportunities. Be sure you can learn at least one in-demand skill from your internship that will set you apart in the job market.

9. Surprise your boss. We’re not talking about surprising them with cookies or flowers (even though they would appreciate it!). Surprise them with a special project you worked on in your spare time that shows your creativity and dedication to the internship. Whether you developed a campaign or designed a logo for the company, share this with your boss at the internship to show them how passionate you were about the internship.

10. Earn a glowing letter of recommendation. This is the ultimate goal you will want to cross off of your summer internship bucket list. If you were a hard worker who showed initiative, dedication, and enthusiasm during your internship, your supervisor is bound to provide a letter of recommendation.

Start off your summer internship right by adding some of these ideas to your bucket list. Whether it’s your goal to learn a new skill or make connections in your industry, your summer internship is the perfect opportunity for you to launch your career. Who knows, by creating your bucket list, you might even end up accomplishing more than you thought you could!

What goal is on your summer internship bucket list? Share your ideas below!

Image Credit: Stretcher

Are you an employer who expects college graduates to have the in-demand skills and experience needed to be successful employees for your company?

According to the Accenture 2013 Graduate Employment Survey, nearly two-thirds of college graduates say they will need more training to land their desired job. Do you still expect college graduates to be prepared? These findings could mean, as an employer, you’ll have to make the choice to reconnect with these college graduates.

If you’re looking to hire recent college graduates, start thinking about reinventing the way you discover talented candidates. As an employer, you may want to consider offering opportunities for new employees to gain on-the-job training and learn in-demand skills. Employers will also need to pay attention to the skills college graduates gain from their degrees.

Looking for ways to help you tune in with today’s growing pool of recent college graduates? Here are four strategies to help you during your hiring process:

1. Have realistic expectations. Employers are struggling to find candidates with the skills and experience they require for open positions. If you expect entry-level candidates to meet every single requirement, it can make it more difficult for you to find the right candidate. Avoid creating the false belief that college graduates leave school as highly-skilled professionals. While many college graduates have the experience and skills needed to be successful, there will always be a need for additional training.

2. Commit to employee training. Ongoing employee training and development is essential to the success of your company. Because in-demand skills are rapidly changing, you must be willing to adapt and take the time to train your employees. By providing learning opportunities for your employees, you will be able to attract and retain more talent.

3. Work closely with universities. Reach out to colleges and universities to provide more information about job opportunities for college graduates. You can also inform college graduates about opportunities by attending job fairs and giving presentations. Companies need to strengthen their relationship with universities and colleges in order for college students to know what type of skills are needed in order to be successful employees.

4. Hire based on potential. College graduates are passionate, enthusiastic, and hard-working people. They have the ability to go above and beyond and excel in the work they do. Ask yourself: Do I want employees who have strong transferable skills and the ability to adapt to new opportunities? If so, start choosing candidates based on their character, and you will begin to attract talented college graduates.

Employers who consider these strategies will begin to more feel positive about hiring college graduates. During your hiring process, it’s important to remember that ongoing training for your employees is essential to the success of your company. If you hire a college graduate who needs training in a particular area, don’t feel discouraged! When it comes to hiring, it’s not about the quantity of experience or skills they have, it’s about the quality of their experience, their work ethic, and the passion they will bring to your company.

What strategies and suggestions do you have for companies that are hiring recent college graduates?

We all know internships serve as one of the best ways for college students to gain real-world job experience. For nearly a thousand years, people have had the opportunity to learn new skills from talented workers in their field. From the apprenticeship to the modern-day internship, hands-on experience has been a necessity for young job seekers.

Centuries ago, people would perform an apprenticeship if they wanted to improve their skills. An apprenticeship would involve a person working closely with a master craftsman in order to learn a skill, art, or trade that would turn them into a valuable worker. This served as an opportunity for under-skilled workers to gain practical, real-world experience.

Fast-forward into the 20th century, the apprenticeship evolved into the internship and soon became the way people could complement a professional education. By 1999, 80 percent of college students were completing internships by the time they graduated from college. Internship experience began the transformation of how students earned their education and became a necessity for college students wanting to find a job after college.

Today, the evolution of the internship has revolutionized the way college students prepare themselves for their career. College students have the opportunity to find paid internships and work from home through virtual internships. In addition, 70 percent of college students who complete an internship are more likely to be hired by the company because of their experience. Clearly, modern-day internships are much different from the very first apprenticeship, which took place thousands of years ago. The following infographic was compiled by InternMatch, an online platform that matches college students with employers.

How do you think internships have changed the way college students prepare for their careers?