Jobs Ireland

Written by Yuki Noguchi, Correspondent, National Desk, NPR News

With the unemployment rate at 9.4 percent and ticking up, millions of Americans are in the job market for the first time in several years.

But the job market has changed in that short time. The paper resume is laughably passe, at least in some circles. Not having a profile on the social networking site LinkedIn is, for some employers, not only a major liability but a sign that the candidate is horribly out of touch.

“If someone sends us a paper resume folded in thirds, stuffed in an envelope, it’s hard to take it seriously,” says Glenn Kelman, chief executive of Redfin, an online real estate brokerage.

Kelman says he has friends in their 30s and 40s who just missed the social networking boat and now need coaching in how things have changed.

For example, he says blogs and Facebook pages have gone from mere kids’ play to essential for communicating with employers online. Someone applying for a job in marketing, for example, will do much better in an interview if he or she already commands an audience through a blog. People in sales look better if they can prove they have a broad network of contacts in their field.

These new rules especially hold true in the high-tech fields, where being up to the minute is considered essential. But even other industries are following suit.

Job applicants are required to submit their resumes digitally at UMB Financial, a bank based in Kansas City, Mo.

“We get very few paper resumes,” says Pat Cassady, the director of recruitment at UMB. Cassady says 10 to 12 percent of UMB hires come through LinkedIn, and she searches niche networking sites for active users who might be promising business leaders. She is even planning to use Twitter to reach out to new recruits.

Landing your Ideal Job – Interview Preparation Tips

I have talked to a lot of Job seekers over the past month and I have been amazed at how poorly many of them have been preparing for their interviews. In the current climate it hard enough to get to interview stage for a position, so when we do we need to impress the socks off the interviewers! We need to go into the interview confident, positive and prepared. Here are some key points you should consider prior to interview.

Do you know where you are going and how to get there?
I would suggest that you go out to the company a day before the interview, so you know exactly how to get there. I used to walk into the reception area to get a feel of the organisation prior to the interview.

Do you know the names and titles of who you are meeting?
Have you where possible researched those individuals? Use the internet or even your personal network to get as much information on your interviewers.

Have you researched the company?
Again the internet is a super place for learning about an organisation. However in addition to that – Do you know of any working or that has worked in the Company that you could talk to prior to your interview. You should know exactly what the company does, who their competitors are and what the company’s values are?

Do you fully understand the Job Description or do I have a detailed job description?
Always make sure you clarify any grey areas prior to interview. It will keep you from getting thrown at interview stage.

Did you write your CV?
Many people are getting their cv done up by Agencies or even CV services. Often the end result is that the CV is not written in your words and reads like a foreign document. So know your cv and make sure it represents you and not someone else.

Many interviews today are competency based interviews.
Practice answering competency based questions. Eg. Tell me a time you dealt with an awkward customer. Do “Mock” Interviews with friends or family prior to the interview and ask for constructive feedback.

I strongly believe good preparation will help quash nerves at interviews and ensure that you maximise your chances of excelling at your next interview. And who knows your next interview might be the last one you have to prepare for in a long time. Good Luck!!

A recent survey carried out by RecruitIreland.com shows that despite the prevailing doom and gloom, Irish jobseekers can see some positive outcomes from the recession.
Dublin, June 16, 2009 – A recent survey carried out by RecruitIreland.com into how the recession is impacting jobseekers shows that despite the prevailing doom and gloom, jobseekers can see some positive outcomes from the recession.

. 70% of survey respondents agreed that bargaining for services is now easier
. Over half said there is less pressure to “Keep up with the Joneses”
. Half of those surveyed are optimistic about the future and the majority of respondents feel that recovery will take place in early 2011

Commenting on the results Emma Henry, Marketing Manager RecruitIreland.com said;

“This survey shows how resilient we are as a nation. It is refreshing to see that people can see some positives”

However, it seems that very few can escape the impact of the recession, 81% of the jobseekers surveyed have seen their jobs impacted in some way and 33% of those surveyed have actually been made redundant.

Other key findings are as follows;

. 35% have had a reduction in salary and over half of those have also seen reduced working hours
. 31% feel that their careers are on hold for the moment, some even feel that their careers have taken a step back. According to one respondent;

“Yes, I was made redundant in my career. I had worked hard to get to where I was and now I have to take a step back about 5 years just so I can get a job!”

. 16% are taking the opportunity to invest in further training
. 14% have actually benefited from the recession through promotion as the result of a job freeze or are benefiting from increased experience through job sharing
. 8% are taking the opportunity to start their own business

“It is particularly heartening to see that our entrepreneurial spirit is still flourishing with over 8% of respondents setting up their own businesses” Commented Emma Henry

“Pressure to keep up with the Joneses, however, has been replaced with the pressure to get or keep a job and there is no downplaying the stress this can cause.

In an effort to help ease this stress a little RecruitIreland.com has been running a campaign offering free jobs advertising to all Irish employers until September. The objective is to provide a one stop shop online for jobseekers.

To date the campaign has been a great success and we now have over 450 employers supporting the campaign and advertising their job vacancies on the site.”

The Irish Recruitment Conference was a place where you could see Irish Jobs and LinkedIN together.

Jane and Patrick having a chat during a break of a Irish Recruiters Conference: “The Future of Recruitment – Part 1: The Road Ahead”

Jane Lorigan, CEO of IrishJobs.ie
Jane has been CEO of IrishJobs.ie for over 4 years and is also a board director of Saongroup which is an Irish company that is one of the fastest growing online recruitment companies in the world. The group has expanded quickly in the last 2 years and now has operations in the UK, USA, Canada, China, India, The Gulf, Caribbean, Central America and South Africa.

Patrick Traynor of LinkedIn
Patrick is sales manager for corporate solutions for LinkedIn. He has 15+ years experience in sales positions in a variety of online industries and is currently helping LinkedIn expanded its market share into Europe.