Careerbuilder recently surveyed close to 3,000 hiring managers to see what the hiring trends for 2010 will be. The most interesting finding from my perspective is this one:
Replacing Lower-Performing Employees
Employers are taking advantage of the large number of top talent in the current labor pool to strengthen their work force. Thirty-seven percent of employers say they plan to replace lower-performing employees with higher-performers in 2010.
It may sound harsh, but frequently in a struggling economy, employers leverage the situation to move out their poor performers. And as a job seeker this could work to your advantage. But how do you prove that you were a top performer at your previous company? Here are a few suggestions.
- Build out your endorsements section on LinkedIn. Find previous colleagues to advocate on your behalf. Do it sooner rather than later as many companies are clamping down on social media and limiting employee’s ability to offer references.
- Craft a kick-butt resume. Forget about your job responsibilities…C performers have the same job responsibilities…focus on the impact you had on the employers you supported and the value you brought to the organization.
- Rally your references. Find people now who would be willing to serve as verbal references on your behalf. Even if you are at the beginning stages of your search, it’s never too early to start finding people to support you in your search.
- Publish your presentations and ideas. Consider creating a website, blog, Visual CV, YouTube video or Slideshare presentation to share your expertise with others. This could make the difference between being perceived as vanilla versus rocky road with a hiring manager.
- Tweet your knowledge and create a following. More and more companies are using social media to find great candidates. Showcase your expertise through targeted tweets about your key competencies and ideas. Here’s the story of a job seeker that found her job through Twitter.
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