Items to include on your employer profile to make the best impression on cleared candidates.
How does your employer profile look? Have you ever taken the time to consider the first impression it makes to job seekers who are visiting your profile? It’s currently a candidate’s market and the pool of cleared job seekers is both much smaller – and much more cautious.
The OPM breach has already made some candidates less likely to consider unsolicited job offers, and has increased a candidate’s weariness about connecting with anyone online. That makes your ClearanceJobs employer profile even more important.
“This is a big plus, because candidates need to trust who they’re giving their information to, and by having your picture, having your profile, saying who you are, that’s very helpful for them, and it’s very helpful to me,” said Constance Jewell, corporate technical recruiter with Tantus Technologies.
Your employer profile gives you the opportunity to create trust with candidates from the first connection. But if most of your profile is left blank, you’re doing the opposite – making a candidate wonder whether you’re someone they should connect with.
Follow these tips to get your profile in shape, and position yourself for success in today’s aggressive recruiting market.
1. HAVE A PROFILE PHOTO.
You really need a profile photo. We give this advice to candidates frequently, but it’s almost more important for employers – your employer profile photo is displayed everywhere you interact with candidates, as well as on the front page of your company profile. And a candidate is much more likely to connect with an employer with a photo than they are a blank space.
2. UPLOAD A COVER PHOTO.
A great cover photo is like a welcome mat to your employer profile – and a great opportunity for you to showcase yourself and your company to job seekers. If you’re struggling with what to include, feel free to use the same cover photo for both your employer profile and your company profile. A simple scan of your company website will likely reveal several images you can easily re-size to make a great cover photo, or use one from the library we provide within the upload tool. Remember, every part of your employer profile is a part of your personal brand. Visuals are a critical part of that, and a cover photo allows you to show off yourself and your company very quickly.
Having trouble uploading a cover or profile photo? Simply email your photos to photos@clearancejobs.com and we’ll do it for you!
3. ADD EVENTS AND HIRING NEEDS.
These are often overlooked – but very prominent – employer profile details. Don’t think your company has any relevant events? Consider interesting industry events you’ll have representatives attending, such as conferences and tradeshows. If your company exhibits at career fairs, you can include those details, as well. Hiring needs are also a great way to quickly signal what jobs are ‘hot’ for you right now, and they give passive candidates a way to engage with your company. Note who ‘likes’ your hiring needs, and consider adding those candidates to your pipeline – they’ve signaled they like what you have to offer, and they may be a great next hire.
4. SAY SOMETHING.
Give candidates a quick intro under your About Me section. It doesn’t have to be completely professional either. What’s your favorite food or hobby? What makes you tick? All of these give a glimpse into who you are and could be a fast way to feel relatable to your next connection- or even hire!
You should also create Status Updates. Why? The first thing candidates see upon logging into ClearanceJobs is a feed of updates from their connections known as Pulse. What will they see from you? It could be something as simple as an event you’re going to, or even what your plans are for the weekend.
5. GET YOUR COMPANY PROFILE IN SHAPE, TOO.
If you’ve gotten your employer profile to 80 percent complete or above, you may think your work is done. If your company profile is still nothing but blank space, you have some work left to do. The second thing a candidate is likely to do after clicking on your profile is clicking on your company. Make sure critical information is complete, from benefits to hiring needs. Nothing makes a better first impression to a job seeker than seeing an active, engaged, completed company and employer profile. It’s like rolling out the full welcome mat, and gives a great picture of why you’re a company they need to watch.