LITTLE ROCK, AR – Looking for a new job? You might want to consider tossing your written resume and cover letter and instead use your smartphone.
That’s because more and more companies are connecting with potential employees via social media.
For Max Walker, getting an interview for an internship at an advertising agency was as easy as sending a snap.
“I found that they were doing this Snapchat campaign, and it just caught my eye. It was a creative way to express myself and apply to a position,” says Max Walker.
And having applicants express themselves is exactly what Sherri Anne Green was looking for when she set up the campaign to recruit interns.
“Snapchat really gave us an impression of people’s personalities and how they would engage with social media really early in the recruitment process,” says Sherri.
Experts say learning about a potential hire’s personality earlier in the process is key for more and more companies. Today, applicants are going beyond the typical written resume and cover letter, getting noticed on social media with Snapchat or by sending creative multimedia tweets to hiring managers.
Through taped video responses to interview questions, and even submitting video cover letters is something companies like Zappos encourage.
“No one can say my resume represents who I am. So that’s when it comes into video and other cool tools that empower people to tell their story,” says Mark Newman.
Mark Newman is the founder of Hirevue, a platform that lets companies have applicants complete recorded video interviews.
“We’re seeing massive adoption increases of almost 10 times year over year. We’re seeing organizations around the world using us for any type of role we could ever imagine,” says Newman.
Experts point out video can give candidates whose resumes and previous experience might not be a perfect fit a shot at the job.
That was the case for Landon Tracy who landed a business development positon.
“I had to either sell them on myself or I wouldn’t have been a great application for the job. So, I felt like the video response let them know kind of a little bit more about who I am and what I’m capable of,” Tracy says.
Elissa O’brien of the Society for Human Resource Management says these new recruiting tools are good for companies too.
“It gives us a more efficient, more effective and maybe a cost effective way of expanding our applicant pool. It will not be a fad. I think it’s going to be a part of how we do recruiting,” says Elissa.
While some companies may use these tools to target millennials, O’brien says it’s important for all job seekers to get on board.
“In order for you to get noticed and be seen as an innovator you have to embrace the technology that is really out there,” Elissa says.
As for Walker, his internship turned into a full time job. And, he’s glad that he was introduced to his employer through Snapchat.
“I would say this is a more personal way to connect with less pressure. You’re not a statistic, you’re more of a, you know, human voice and personality,” says Walker.
If you’re thinking of turning to one of these non-traditional routes to get noticed, Mark Newman of Hirevue says be sure to be yourself, tell your story, and demonstrate your ability to work.
That’s because more and more companies are connecting with potential employees via social media.
For Max Walker, getting an interview for an internship at an advertising agency was as easy as sending a snap.
“I found that they were doing this Snapchat campaign, and it just caught my eye. It was a creative way to express myself and apply to a position,” says Max Walker.
And having applicants express themselves is exactly what Sherri Anne Green was looking for when she set up the campaign to recruit interns.
“Snapchat really gave us an impression of people’s personalities and how they would engage with social media really early in the recruitment process,” says Sherri.
Experts say learning about a potential hire’s personality earlier in the process is key for more and more companies. Today, applicants are going beyond the typical written resume and cover letter, getting noticed on social media with Snapchat or by sending creative multimedia tweets to hiring managers.
Through taped video responses to interview questions, and even submitting video cover letters is something companies like Zappos encourage.
“No one can say my resume represents who I am. So that’s when it comes into video and other cool tools that empower people to tell their story,” says Mark Newman.
Mark Newman is the founder of Hirevue, a platform that lets companies have applicants complete recorded video interviews.
“We’re seeing massive adoption increases of almost 10 times year over year. We’re seeing organizations around the world using us for any type of role we could ever imagine,” says Newman.
Experts point out video can give candidates whose resumes and previous experience might not be a perfect fit a shot at the job.
That was the case for Landon Tracy who landed a business development positon.
“I had to either sell them on myself or I wouldn’t have been a great application for the job. So, I felt like the video response let them know kind of a little bit more about who I am and what I’m capable of,” Tracy says.
Elissa O’brien of the Society for Human Resource Management says these new recruiting tools are good for companies too.
“It gives us a more efficient, more effective and maybe a cost effective way of expanding our applicant pool. It will not be a fad. I think it’s going to be a part of how we do recruiting,” says Elissa.
While some companies may use these tools to target millennials, O’brien says it’s important for all job seekers to get on board.
“In order for you to get noticed and be seen as an innovator you have to embrace the technology that is really out there,” Elissa says.
As for Walker, his internship turned into a full time job. And, he’s glad that he was introduced to his employer through Snapchat.
“I would say this is a more personal way to connect with less pressure. You’re not a statistic, you’re more of a, you know, human voice and personality,” says Walker.
If you’re thinking of turning to one of these non-traditional routes to get noticed, Mark Newman of Hirevue says be sure to be yourself, tell your story, and demonstrate your ability to work.