R.I.P print classifieds

Happy Halloween, Recruiter readers! Though I’m sure you’re eager to dress as your favorite celebrity, the stand-by Frankenstein’s monster or another creepy crawly of the night, let me tell you one place you don’t want to put a mask: over your Facebook picture.

That’s because Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites have surpassed print as the most useful place to find IT staff, says the Association of Technology Staffing Companies in a recent survey.

This is not to say that job boards, advertising and (of course) recruitment firms aren’t effective hiring methods. But the very nature of social networking—connecting with people of similar skills, backgrounds and interests—perfectly lends itself to targeted talent hunts.

It works in reverse, too. Job hunters can use social media to get in front of recruiters and prospective employers. Plus, it’s a great way to start dynamic conversations with industry peers, and gain competitive intelligence about job opportunities along the way.

Just make sure to keep your profile clean, professional and in line with your personal brand. That means getting rid of any inappropriate pictures and wall postings. Also, be completely accurate and factual in your previous job descriptions.

Above all, don’t write disparaging comments about your current company or boss. Such comments will come back to haunt you, and not because it’s Halloween.

That said, creating a profile that says “You want to hire me!” is just a few clicks away. And your new job might be mere steps beyond that. Now that’s not so scary, is it?

Posted by Roseanne D.