The days of the traditional paper resume are mostly over. The majority of recruiters and hiring managers use digital data to understand their potential employees, whether this digital profiling stands alone or is used in combination with more traditional means of recruitment.
Digital profiling involves creating a good picture of a potential hire, based on their online footprint. Nearly everyone in the job-seeking world uses LinkedIn, and of course this is a great tool for recruiters who want to better understand who they are looking at.
Sites like LinkedIn offer all of the traditional resume information, along with current research and projects a person is undertaking, their connections and networks within the industry, and other valuable details.
Using digital profiling, recruiters can get a better idea of what people are truly like, beyond their polished paper resume. A professional, motivated person will use sites like LinkedIn wisely, to create the best image of themselves that is appealing to prospective employers.
When Digital Profiling Goes Beyond LinkedIn
Both job seekers and recruiters/hirers should know that there is often more to a digital profile than what is available on LinkedIn. A quick internet search can reveal a lot about a person, making it worthwhile for hirers to do some easy background research. Job seekers should know this and strive to create a professional online presence across various social media platforms, knowing that some of their words and images may be public.
The Deeper Details of Digital Profiling
Digital profiling isn’t just about what one says and does online — it can also reveal hints about a potential hire’s productivity. If someone is posting on their blog at all hours of the day, it can possibly lead a recruiter to think that this person is not that invested in their job. Or, a recruiter may look at someone’s online activity and see that they are very dedicated to their job, using social media at appropriate times.
It is important for both hirers and job seekers to think about what their social media use and digital profile looks like from all angles.
Digital Profiling: A Hiring Consideration
With all of the information one can glean from digital profiles, this practice will surely fit into hiring decisions and recruitment in the future. There is a lot to be learned from a digital profile, for people on both sides of the desk.