Online involvement in professional groups, social media engagement, and even personal profiles provide valuable insight into a candidate, such as soft skills, passion, industry knowledge, social capacity, and much more.
In fact, of the 1,600 recruiters and HR professionals assessed in the 2016 Jobvite Recruiter Nation Report, 87 percent said they look at LinkedIn profiles first when they get an application. Others (67 percent) also scour Facebook profiles for questionable content.
These days, the absence of an online presence is nearly as damaging as negative content surfacing in a search. However, what you look for and where you search for that information is vitally important when sourcing top talent.
Here’s what medical sales recruiters are looking for online to place high-performing candidates and how you can use these tips to find similar success:
1. The “Real” Candidate
Most candidates use their social media profiles in a less professional way than how they present application materials. This means you can learn other details about who they are as a person beyond work skills and experience, including hobbies and interests outside the office.
By scouring online profiles, you will uncover important aspects of the candidate’s personality that cannot be seen on paper, such as how they interact with others. This information can help determine whether or not to reach out to a candidate.
This is one of many reasons why 76 percent of recruiters in our study, Here’s What Medical Sales Recruiters Want, said they first perform online research before making contact.
2. Character References
It’s important to learn how a job candidate presents themselves in their day-to-day life. Going beyond their professional background and discovering their true character also reveals useful insight.
One way to accomplish this is through LinkedIn recommendations. While it’s true the candidate has the final say whether or not the feedback appears on their profile, they are not able to edit any of the content. So, the recommendations are the actual sentiments of the people who wrote them.
Also search for consistency in their social media posts. For example, most job seekers take care to post only professional content to LinkedIn, but they might post questionable content on their other profiles, where they think recruiters aren’t looking.
Candidates who post inappropriate material are likely to transfer those sentiments to the workplace. This is not someone you want to place. In fact, our study found 88 percent of recruiters surveyed said they dismiss a candidate from consideration if they find negative content online.
3. Social Involvement
In an era where a positive company culture is at the heart of organizational success, it’s essential you place candidates who you’re confident will get along well with others.
When job candidates are involved in their communities, this not only demonstrates a willingness, but also a desire to interact with others.
Group membership and participation in networking functions aren’t the only ways professionals share their time and reveal their passions. For instance, if a candidate coaches a youth sports team or volunteers, such involvement demonstrates organization and time management skills. A willingness to get involved and make a positive impact in the lives of others reveals someone who would be a a true team player if brought on board.
While traditional application materials are an important means of assessing professional ability and experience, gleaning job seeker information through their online presence provides valuable insight into who they really are. This will help you better place well-rounded, top-quality candidates.
What candidate information do you look for online? Let us know in the comments!
BIO: Karyn Mullins is the Executive Vice President and General Manager at MedReps, a job board which gives members access to the most sought after medical sales jobs and pharmaceutical sales jobs on the Web.
