There was a time when having a professional looking recruiter profile may have been optional. But that was two years ago, when out-of-work cleared workers were more abundant, and the overall security posture was less cautious. Today the government is directly warning clearance holders to avoid sharing their details online, and everyone is more cautious about who they connect with.
For recruiters sourcing positions, that means a great employer profile is now a must-have. Wondering what details you should include? Here are the must-have data points.
1. Contact information.
You may be saying ‘no-brainer,’ but we regularly see employer profiles without a company web site clearly listed. Go the extra mile and include a direct phone number, as well. In today’s cautious market, many candidates say they call any company before they connect – they want to make sure any messages are legitimate. Your recruiter profile on the Cleared Network makes it easy for candidates to reach out quickly – your email address, phone number and a link to send a message are all clearly visible ‘above the scroll’ – make sure you have those data points complete.
2. List links.
This goes back to legitimacy, as well. In today’s security-conscious hiring environment, candidates are taking a ‘trust, but verify’ approach. Even on a secure site such as ClearanceJobs, expect candidates to do their homework. One of the ways they do that is by checking out company links. You could just leave a candidate to ‘Google’ you for relevant information, or you could be proactive and complete the ‘Links’ field on your Cleared Network profile. Which is more likely to create a great first impression? In addition to linking to your main company page, add relevant social media sites (Facebook, Twitter or company blogs), along with links to benefits information or HR data.
3. Profile photo.
And not just any photo – a good one. The updated Cleared Network profile makes it easier than ever to upload a great photo. Don’t waste this valuable space with a grainy shot or hasty selfie. Your image doesn’t have to be a professional headshot, but it should be a clear likeness. In an era where almost anyone can take a great headshot with a camera phone and a plain background, a good profile photo is a definite must-have feature for any online profile.
4. ‘About me.’
Think candidates don’t care about your background? Think again. Every hire is personal, and you can make yourself much more personable with an eye-catching ‘About me’ section. Army veteran? Let candidates know. Ten-years experience in defense recruiting? That’s another great ‘about me’ data point. Think about how you can use this 2-4 sentence space to make a candidate connect with you – before you ever get them on the phone. Being an employer a candidate wants to reach out to will certainly increase the likelihood that candidates will come to you before you have to search for them.
5. Hiring needs.
The ‘Hiring Needs’ section of your Cleared Network profile is the ultimate talent pipeline-building tool. You can list ongoing, future, and current needs. This is a great way to keep candidates informed about the arc of opportunities you have, from what’s active today to what you’re expecting in the future. And because candidates can ‘like’ hiring needs, you have added intel on who may be open to jobs in a particularly career field down the road.
6. Cover photo.
Want to leave a knock-your-socks off impression to candidates visiting your profile? Create a cover pic using relevant personal and company data. Sites like Canva.com make it easy to personalize an image. But even if you don’t have the time or interest in using a third-party site to create a custom image, uploading any pic is definitely better than no pic. Keep in mind that a cover photo is valuable space. If you don’t take the time to post anything, your profile just looks generic. Make your candidate experience more personalized with a cover photo.
All of the data points on your employer profile are important. But if you complete these six must-have spots, you’ll be making a better first impression than most recruiters, and be more likely to get feedback on your messages and job postings. Gone are the days when candidates only cared about the job. Now they care about who’s offering it, and that person’s individual reputation. A completed profile is a critical way to increase your trust factor, and your hiring success.
