TOO OFTEN OVER-FIFTY JOB SEEKERS SHY AWAY FROM INTERNET RESOURCES
Largest sector of the work force reluctant to market themselves online, observes MRINetwork
Philadelphia, PA -- Millions of Americans who lost jobs during the current recession are discovering that searching for a new one isn’t what it was even five years ago. Many of the recently unemployed – especially those over fifty – are frustrated by technology, says MRINetwork, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organizations.
“Their chief complaint, like that of all job seekers today, is the lack of communication between job seekers and employers,” says Tony McKinnon, president of MRINetwork. “Most businesses now insist that candidates apply online. Yet once they upload their resumes and hit ‘send,’ they never hear from the company again.”
McKinnon says the second-most-heard complaint is their inability to set themselves apart from other candidates amid the mass of online applications. His advice? “Get over it and get on with it.”
“The key is figuring out how to make the Internet work for you,” says McKinnon. “Research companies you’re unfamiliar with, reconnect online with former co-workers and find out if they know anyone in the companies you’ve targeted, and make sure you have a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Both recruiters and in-house HR professionals comb these sites looking for candidates.”
Many people over fifty who lose their jobs today have little idea what’s out there. “They have to develop a multi-pronged approach using Internet tools, as well as traditional networking,” McKinnon says. “They also have to put in about 30 hours a week working their strategy. It’s the hardest job they’ll every have – and it is truly a job.”
McKinnon offers some common-sense tips on what to do and not do when using the Internet:
DO join LinkedIn and build a network of 50 to 75 successful friends, family and former colleagues. “Ignore requests from people you don’t know,” McKinnon advises. “They could hurt your job hunt.”
DO keep two online versions of your resume – one in Word that you can attach to an email and another in a text file that you can copy into an online form.
DO check in on businesses you’re interested in with ConnectTweet on Twitter. It’s free and it allows you to read what people at a company are talking about.
DON’T launch your own website unless you know what you’re doing and are willing to update it frequently.
DON’T use your everyday email address if it has anything suggestive or odd in it. Open a free email account that you use exclusively for job hunting.
DON’T post anything about yourself online that you wouldn’t want an employer to see. “Recruiters routinely screen out job applicants based on what they find on the Web,” warns McKinnon.
DON’T accept every invitation you receive to LinkedIn or Facebook. “Recruiters also judge you by the company you keep,” says McKinnon.
McKinnon believes that over-fifty job seekers have reason to be optimistic about their searches. “Ten years ago it wasn’t popular to hire people in this age bracket, but it’s accepted today because many Gen X and Gen Y candidates don’t have the back fill or experience companies need,” he says.
One last piece of advice from McKinnon: Don’t forget to keep networking. “We’re seeing what amounts to an underground job market emerging,” he says. “Many companies are relying on word-of-mouth and business and social contacts to spread the word about job openings that are not advertised. So job seekers must continually touch base with the people in their networks.”
McKinnon points out that the Internet helps you get yourself noticed. He cautions, however, that “in the end it’s almost always a face-to-face interaction that gets you hired. The key is using tools that will win you that opportunity.”
About MRINetwork:
Management Recruiters International, Inc., branded as MRINetwork (www.mrinetwork.com), is one of the largest executive search and recruitment organizations in the world. A subsidiary of CDI Corp. (NYSE:CDI), a global provider of engineering & information technology outsourcing solutions and professional staffing, the MRINetwork has 950 franchised offices in more than 35 countries.
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