Job searching and hiring skills may be universal, but there are key distinctions between particular, unique locations. With over 20 years of experience in the Vancouver market, here are some top tips for both candidates and clients looking for new hires from Andrew D’Eca, Partner at Recruiting in Motion – Vancouver:
Candidates
- It’s who you know, not what you know
“Vancouver is actually a fairly small market when you look at it in comparison to some of the other markets in North America,” D’Eca explains. Vancouver is a strong networking city and D’Eca has seen a lot of candidates get jobs through referrals and the hidden job market (jobs that aren’t posted for the general public).
“Most of the placements that I make on a permanent basis are people that I know in my hidden network or people I sought out and brought into my network,” D’Eca says. Particularly in the Vancouver market, it is important to connect with the right headhunters and recruiters in your chosen industry.
- Use social media
It is important to be connected online and to build your online network. D’Eca recommends using LinkedIn and taking advantage of the filters available on social media sites to establish a targeted audience for your social media content.
“The downside to social media is only 37 per cent of working people and hiring managers are on there, so it leaves a large part of the marketplace open,” D’Eca says, adding that it is also critical to connect with recruiters and other professionals that have their own networks outside of social media.
D’Eca stresses that there has to be value in what you’re offering on social media. “You have to have really solid and succinct communication pieces. You have to be able to communicate quickly and accurately, who you are, what you want and what’s the value that you bring,” D’Eca says.
- Make sure you have a well written, plain text resume
D’Eca identifies that a clean, plain text resume is the way to go.
“Resumes with graphics just don’t parse well into ATS systems so it’s hard to evaluate you,” D’Eca says. “The harder you make it for someone to evaluate you, the easier it is for them to resist and move on.”
Resumes only need to go back 10 years, unless the previous experience is specifically relevant to the position for which you are applying. You should also make sure that your resume doesn’t exceed two pages.
“The common mistake that I see is people listing their duties not their accomplishment,” D’Eca says, identifying that you want to get to the heart of the matter and highlight your achievements.
Clients
- Find a great recruiter/head hunter
Clients are experts in their particularly industry but not experts in recruitment.
“A recruiter can really add value because of their network,” D’Eca says.
Recruiters, such as D’Eca, have access to hidden and passive candidates that clients would not otherwise be able to attract.
“I have the ability to strategically and professionally approach people for my client’s needs,” D’Eca says.
He also mentions that it is important to look at recruiters who have been in the business for a long time, who have experience in your industry and have a good reputation. Clients should also look for recruiters who take advantage of technology in the recruiting process, such as Recruiting in Motion’s visual advantage system.
“Whoever you pick as your recruiter or headhunter is actually representing your brand in the marketplace,” D’Eca explains.
How they engage with potential candidates is a direct reflection of your company and brand. You want to ensure that you work with a professional with a great reputation.
- Be careful where you are posting your jobs
It’s quite a detailed and labourious process to get to that end hire, so it’s important to evaluate if it is going to be time well spent or if it is more beneficial to put those funds towards hiring a recruiter. Companies need to evaluate if they are really going to get the exposure they are seeking.
D’Eca recommends that all hiring managers perform behavioural-based interviews and look into posting jobs in the right place to attract the right candidates in your industry.
Recruiting in Motion – Vancouver is a one-stop-shop for professional recruitment services, including permanent, contract and temporary staffing. Working with both small business and large multinational companies, and operated by a team of local business professionals in the Vancouver community, Recruiting in Motion – Vancouver customizes solutions to its clients and brings forward a hidden candidate market.
