As a recruiter, I am in the business of making assessments about people.
I read the words on their CV, I listen to their answers at interview, I evaluate their body language and try to pick up on any signals that I can to give me the most rounded picture of who they are and what makes them tick.
Keyword-led resumes and potted interview answers don’t do it for me. I want to be given the opportunity to peel back a few layers before I can recommend someone for my clients. I would like to think that all the consultants at Mansion House feel the same. It is a challenge to peel back the layers in a 45-minute interview, but there is another way.
A quick glance at someone’s social media footprint can tell you an awful lot – with one condition: they have to be genuine in their interactions.
The recent Paris atrocities have justifiably filled my feed with messages of condolence and solidarity. I wanted to write this blog to say that this is an entirely understandable and normal reaction. Who wants to keep their feelings of revulsion inside them if they can share them with the world? Social media is the place where you can (and should) be yourself in this way. The more genuine you are, the more like-minded people you will gather around you in your community.
Don’t be scared to post your views. Recruiters are people too you know. We share the same emotions, the same horror, the same sadness. Too many candidates have said to me that they don’t use social media much because they don’t want it to harm their employment prospects. I would tend to disagree. As long as you are not controversial or inappropriate, sharing your feelings and views on freely on social media is exactly what it is there for, a kind of psychologists couch for the 21st century.
Reading the thoughts and messages of the masses over the past few days has put another few bricks in the wall of my faith for humanity. In contrast to the horrific scenes of Saturday night, people are standing up for what they believe in, they are standing strong, together. Don’t be ashamed of becoming that little bit more active, of expressing your opinion.
From a recruitment point of view, it will show your future employer what sort of a person you are, what you believe in and what you will fight for. Everyone fights for something – why would you want to hide that?
If you feel strongly about something, share it. If you want to write a blog about something, write it. If you disagree with something, don’t sit passively by. A “vanilla” imprint on social media will imply a vanilla life to anyone checking you out. Don’t be scared to show a bit of personality.
Written by Alex Turner, Edited Paul Drury