No prizes for guessing what month it is when your Tweetdeck stream is overflowing with links to blogs reviewing the year that was, and previewing the year that will be. The HR and Recruitment communities have been in a flurry trying to hone in on the single biggest trend, for both sides of the Times Square Ball Drop.  There’s been no shortage of buzz words: social, video, infographics, mobile, candidate engagement and personal brand (to name a few). And the big question is how it all ties in with existing processes and tools, like the Applicant Tracking System. But one question: why do we feel compelled to choose only one trend? The companies that place top talent will utilize a strategy that takes advantage of all of the above – and more.  This was the message at July’s truBoston, a leg in the famous unconference organized by Bill Boorman, which attracted sorry people like me who think it’s actually exciting trying to make the recruitment process work better. The discussion was, well, awesome – no idea was wrong. We listened, we shared, and every one of us walked away with a richer knowledge base. Let’s address each hot-topic, and see how they’re continuing to gain traction in the coming year. Or not.                       ... Read more

This guest post was written by Christian Arno: Nowadays, LinkedIn is undoubtedly the best online platform to find a job. Not only can it boast 135 million members in more than 200 countries but, according to recent surveys, over 30% of its users have an income of over $100 000. This means that your chances of getting in touch with high-ranking executives and decision-makers are quite high. Unfortunately, in this case, the good news comes along with the bad. 135 million users mean a heck of a lot of competition. So, how can you stand out ... Read more

Originally posted on Bachelor Degrees Online: Twitter is like a window into the soul of America. It shows us faster and more accurately what is on our collective minds than any other medium currently in use. So it was only a matter of time, in a bad economy and a worse job market, that Twitter would be flooded with both job seekers and job offerers. The way they find each other is ... Read more

Originally posted on Tweetmyjobs.com The astounding growth in social media has revolutionized the way that people are connecting with each other, and forced companies to rethink how to find quality candidates. Industry specific stories, press releases, or infographics appear week in and week out claiming that social recruiting has arrived as the golden standard, and that companies not fully embracing social will lose talent to their innovative competitors. At TweetMyJobs, we believed an honest evaluation of the industry was necessary to determine whether or not job seekers and employers are “buying in” to the hype. So we went straight to the source. We decided to listen to what job seekers and employers think about using social media during their job search. After surveying over 2,000 job seekers and 400 company representatives, we transformed that data into a brief video to evaluate the state of social recruiting in 2012 and pose the question: “Is Social Recruiting Real?” The survey provided many interesting statistics, but a few caught our eye:

• 50% of job seekers still spend most their time searching on traditional job boards
• 29% of job seekers use social media as their primary tool for job searching
• 45% of companies plan to invest more in Social Recruiting in 2012

These stats portray an industry that is well publicized, but still in its early growth stage. There’s no denying that social recruiting will continue to grow. Job seekers are using social media to find work. Innovative, industry leading companies are embracing the technology. Smaller companies are investing more and getting involved… the answer to our question seems obvious to us. What about you? Do you believe social recruiting is real? Sound off in the comments below or follow the conversation at #Time2TMJ. ... Read more

Besides just Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, there are actually hundreds of social networks out there that can be used to beef up your career connections, find jobs, or just expand your circle of professional colleagues. With more and more employers and clients taking to the Internet to find deals, develop business relationships, and network with entrepreneurs, it’s more important than ever to be aware of what’s out there in your particular field. If you’re just looking for a job, ... Read more

This post was originally published on OnlineCollege.org. ... Read more

With unemployment on the rise and a generally uninviting job market, your resume is your most important tool for making a lasting impression on a company’s hiring manager. Lack of job opportunities means heightened competition for applicants everywhere, which is why it’s especially crucial that you upgrade your resume and make it clear, comprehensive and attractive. The goal is for it to stand out from the crowd. Don’t think this post applies to you? Think again. Here are the top five things that are wrong with your resume. ... Read more

One of the hardest parts of a job search is getting noticed, but now everyone has his or her own microphone in the form of social media. Building and maintaining a strong personal brand can help you land a job, keep it and thrive in it. Doing so takes time, but learning how to create your brand, and modify and maintain it after getting hired is worth the effort.  

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Sarah Fudin currently works in community relations for the University of Southern California’s Master of Arts in Teaching program, which provides aspiring teachers the opportunity to earn an online teaching degree and teaching credentials.  Outside of work Sarah enjoys running, reading and Pinkberry frozen yogurt. ... Read more

One of my favorite things I’ve ever heard Joshua say in the times I’ve had a chat with him is that “your resume is your obituary.” When you consider the fact that your resume is really nothing more than a series of all the things you’ve accomplished in your PAST it really is an obituary. With the rise of social media the resume is going to die a rather quick and painful death and unlikely to ever lead you to your dream job. I’ve gone so far as to write at the end of each cover letter “my resume is not going to tell you as much about me as my blog, podcast, and online presence.”          

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Guest post by Mona Abdel-Halim:

While holiday activities may be keeping you plenty busy this season, it is important that you stay dedicated to your job search. Businesses aren’t taking the whole season off, and neither should you. Lucky for you, there is good news for those individuals looking to job search this season. Not only will you have less competition this time of year, but employers are still hiring, just like any other season. Now, they just might have year-end goals to fulfill and job spots to fill for ... Read more