LinkedIn and Recruiting: Where We’re Going Wrong
When LinkedIn entered the social media scene back in early 2003, it was a very much stripped-down version of what we consider the best job platform today. For the first time, we had a social platform aimed solely for professionals at all career levels. It opened up the playing field for interaction and networking amongst people across the globe.
It has since blossomed into a networking and recruitment behemoth, although this is not always in the candidate’s favor. The new layers of the platform, including recruitment tools, endorsements, and messaging have enabled the space to turn into a lot of smoke in mirrors, if you will.
LinkedIn and Modern Recruiting Flaws
Here is the first issue that job seekers can encounter with LinkedIn. Endorsements do not equal actual ability. Oftentimes, there are exchanges that happen behind the scenes between connections. Endorsements for endorsements. Where is authenticity? This practice is largely unfair and can inflate profiles beyond what is actually true. When a recruiter is conducting their searches, a larger number of endorsements will help potential candidates rank higher in the results. Users with newer profiles or fewer connections get lost in the shuffle because of these algorithms.
The next pitfall for the user is having what LinkedIn deems to be a completed profile. If details are left out, this will cause their profile to rank lower in a search. Potential candidates are often missed this way. As a recruiter, time is valuable and there are deadlines to be met. Profiles that users have spent valuable time on are often skimmed for keywords. If the candidate has only included “content writing” and not “copywriting,” their profile can be skipped over.
Job Seekers and Passive Candidates
Most people on LinkedIn are there for professional reasons outside of looking for a job. Some are building their personal brand through frequent posting and articles. Others might be taking the courses to further their learning on a specific topic. These people are passive candidates. They’re either not seeking employment at all or have considered doing something new but have not taken action on it.
It’s not uncommon to feel bombarded and overwhelmed when recruiters send connection requests and a barrage of messages. While some of the roles presented are lucrative and interesting, others are barely a match to your interests.
The recruiter, as mentioned before, is skimming profiles for keywords and not looking at the bigger picture. Additionally, the messaging templates can feel impersonal and sound canned, further tarnishing the credibility of these outreaches.
Modern Job Hunting
The modern job search platform would remove all of these barriers and directly connect actual job seekers with recruiters. Instead of the recruiter blasting out 30 messages to people for a small return, the platform would only have people that are seeking new work. The profiles would place skills at the forefront instead of titles.
This format strips away the smoke in mirrors aspect of endorsements and recommendations that unfairly inflates certain profiles. Additionally, the profiles would be anonymous. Recruiters would not be able to glean any personal details from the profiles–details that often create bias.
SideSearch is a modern job search platform that is doing exactly this. It was started by seasoned recruiters and HR professionals that saw an opportunity to fix the flaws in the job hunting process. Accounting, finance, business development, human resources, and IT professionals can build a profile. Showcase what you love to do the most. No resumes, just skill-based matching.