6: HOW PEOPLE FIND WORK
STAGE 1: RECRUITMENT Employers need an applicant pool to fill job openings. Employers who do extensive hiring may continuously recruit applicants even when they have no immediate need. They do this in order to always have a deep pool of applicants when a position opens up. Others may be planning a future expansion and want to know if they could fill their labor needs if their plan goes ahead. Actively recruiting does not always mean actual job openings. Employers who hire occasionally, or for very specialized positions, often recruit as needed. Companies get the word out on jobs in a variety of ways: employee referrals and other word of mouth outreach, social media, their website, help wanted signs, a range of advertising from digital ads on LinkedIn to sponsored job posts on Indeed, and by posting on the state or national labor exchange. Some employers also utilize staffing agencies. STAGE 2: SCREENING Once employers have an applicant pool, they narrow it down to the best qualified candidates. This means that dozens, or even hundreds, of applicants will be screened out of the pool. During the initial screening, employers usually spend a minimal amount of time on each application. They are looking for keywords on a person’s application that match the job posting. Larger companies often use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to efficiently screen large applicant pools. These systems are designed to select candidates who have the desired qualifications for the job. The resume section in Chapter 4 addresses the need to consider those tracking systems when writing your resume.
109 Creative Job Search | CareerForceMN.com/CreativeJobSearch
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