Online Recruiting Tools

Even with high unemployment, finding the right talent for a company takes effort. The first step in filling an identified vacancy or new position is to get the word out to a population of potential candidates. Fortunately, the Internet creates opportunities to reach out to potential candidates

LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn has groups designed to bring like-minded people together. Hiring managers recruiting for talent have a good chance of being accepted into groups that are related to their industry. Once accepted, they can post jobs.

Social Media

Although social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are not optimized for it, they can work for recruiting. Facebook groups can help hiring managers connect with like-minded people, and wall posts and tweets to a social network propagate far and wide. Social networks are inefficient for finding recruits, but they are free and reach a large enough audience to work.

Job Sites

Professional job sites, such as Monster, the Ladders, and Career Builder, exist for the primary purpose of recruiting. Recruits flock to the sites seeking jobs, and the sites work, but hiring managers must pay to post jobs and connect with candidates.

Corporate Sites

Hiring managers can't actively reach out to recruits with their company's own site, but most candidates who become interested in working for a company will check out its website prior to initiating contact to apply for a job.

Read more: Online Recruiting Tools | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6545056_online-recruiting-tools.html#ixzz1CEiUN36W

Online Webinar Tools

Online webinars are useful for business communication, training and sales purposes. Desktop sharing and video-conferencing technology make it easy to hold meetings or training sessions with satellite offices or employees who telecommute. Some companies report expanding their client bases and increasing sales by using webinars to present product information and demonstrations. Webinars save time and money by being an efficient alternative to travel, which can include gas, airfare, car rental, hotels and meals. Business owners can use some online webinar tools for a monthly fee

GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar

Same company, two services. With GoToMeeting you can host a meeting for up to 15 people, instantly or prescheduled. Meetings also can be scheduled on a recurring basis. GoToMeeting features include full desktop sharing, recording, chat, audio conferencing via computer or phone, attendance reports and Outlook Calendar integration.



GoToWebinar includes everything GoToMeeting does, but allows for larger audiences, including three pricing tiers for up to 100, 500 and 1,000 participants. GoToWebinar also has more robust features, including the option for branded webinars and email templates, a post-webinar survey, automatic follow-up email to participants and a full registration service.



Both GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar offer a free, 14-day trial.

Cisco's WebEx

Cisco's WebEx is a popular webinar service which includes desktop sharing with phone and VoIP conferencing. Webinars also can be streamed with webcams.



There is no commitment when signing up for WebEx, but it will renew month to month. There is a flat rate per host, per month. The monthly fee includes training resources and support. Advanced features are available for an extra fee, including capacity for more participants. There is no software to install, and accounts can be be used on any computer anywhere. WebEx is also mobile compatible.

GatherPlace

GatherPlace is newer than established services such as GoToMeeting and WebEx, but is gaining ground in the small-business market. GatherPlace allows for hosting webinars on Mac or Windows. Integration is free, and users are not required to download any software to participate. One of the most useful features is the ability to record sessions, allowing for viewing later. The service offers a 14-day free trial.

Freebinar

Most won't argue with Freebinar's price tag; it's free for up to 150 attendees per meeting. Like many free online services, it is ad-supported. Freebinar allows users to host live, online meetings, sharing presentations and documents with participants. You can brand webinars and registration forms with a logo, and collect post-webinar survey data to measure its success. This service offers free support.

Read more: Online Webinar Tools | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7384923_online-webinar-tools.html#ixzz1CEcuHLyE

Computer Sytems for Marketing Careers

The explosion of the Internet and other technological communication tools have changed the business of marketing. Professionals who are building a career in the field must have a firm grasp on the tools of technology that allow companies to reach out to customers through their computers as well as phones and other hand-held devices. Marketers still need to have a grasp on traditional tools of the trade as well

Graphic Design Tools

Marketing professionals still need to produce printed products and pages that can be sent electronically, so page layout programs like Adobe InDesign and other graphic design programs like Photoshop, Acrobat and Illustrator are still required computer systems for the job. Marketing professionals should be able to work in both PC and Macintosh format to enhance their employability.

Content Management Systems

Marketers need to have a firm grasp on the preparation of content for the Internet. The tools to do this are typically customized content management solutions that allow users to select from pre-programmed options to display content online using templates that are designed into the system. Some of these content management solutions are basic off-the-shelf software, but many are designed as marketing executives meet with programmers to build solutions that meet a specific need. IBM's Lotus Web Content Management is one Java application that manages web content, and Sharepoint Server is an example of a proprietary solution that accomplishes the same goals.

Database Management Software

The goal of marketing to find and target individual customers with a message suited specifically to them is achieved through the use of increasingly sophisticated database tools. Marketers can store customer data in the system with as much or as little information as they choose. The more detailed the information, the more targeted the message. Systems that allow for complex demographic or regional sorting prior to standard mail or e-mail are critical to success in the marketing industry. Some companies customize software like Microsoft Access for this purpose, while Oracle has a number of higher end database solutions.

Search Engine Tools

The key to being found online is found in creating messages that are optimized for the search engines that are in wide use on the Internet. Google, Yahoo and the other tools that potential customers use to find information about companies are programmed to find things in a certain order. Tools that provide search engine optimization as marketers design websites are a major part of the business of finding the right customers with a marketing message. Marketing professionals need to learn how to use SEO technology as part of their daily duties. Google's AdWords and Microsoft's adCenter are two SEO tools with which marketers must be familiar.

Read more: Computer Sytems for Marketing Careers | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6831317_computer-sytems-marketing-careers.html#ixzz1CEaTpgRc

Professional Marketing Tools

Companies use many marketing tools to help them build sales and profits. Some marketing tools are used for promotional purposes, such as display ads and Internet search engines. Other marketing tools are used for customer feedback, including phone and mail surveys. Companies must decide which marketing tools are necessary for their businesses. For example, online companies are more likely to use Internet ads and search engines. Retail stores use point-of-purchases materials such as display cards.

Questionnaires

Marketing research professionals use questionnaires to procure important information from customers. For example, a marketing research manager might create a questionnaire to measure customers' satisfaction with their products and services. Questionnaires can vary in length. Questionnaires that are used for personal interviews can be several pages long. However, Internet questionnaires are usually short as online customers would not likely fill out lengthy questionnaires. Companies usually use both "fill-in-the-blank" and multiple choice questions on questionnaires. Multiple choice questions can be answered with a "yes" or "no," for example. "Fill-in-the-blank" questions allow customers to provide their own responses without being prompted.

Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs are designed to increase customer traffic and sales. For example, a movie rental store might use frequency cards to reward customers for their purchases. Customers may first fill out an application form, then receive a plastic card with a magnetic stripe or bar. The magnetic stripe records the customers' purchases through the cash register, which is computer-programmed to keep track of how much customers' buy. The movie rental company will then reward customers with coupons, popcorn or free movies after customers spend a certain dollar amount.

Direct Mail

Direct mail is both targeted and measurable, according to the United States Postal Service. For example, a real estate company can target people who live in apartments as potential home buyers. The real estate company will first need to purchase a mailing list of apartment dwellers. The Direct Marketing Association is one such purveyor of mailing lists. A direct mailing often includes a sales letter, brochure and an order form. The sales letter typically discusses the benefits of using a company's products or services. Products are then illustrated and described in the brochure, along with the prices. Order forms provide a convenient way for customers to place orders.

Databases

Companies use databases to store names, addresses and emails of their customers. Often, companies include additional details of their customers, such as their gender, ages, incomes, professions and the size of families, for example. The demographic data can help a company better discern its key customers. For example, a company's heaviest users might be customers in the 35- to 54-year-old age group. Companies can then target key customers with special promotions via email or direct mail.

Read more: Professional Marketing Tools | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7846086_professional-marketing-tools.html#ixzz1CEZbAjOj

Enterprise Planning: Linking Strategies, Plans, and Resources for Competitive Advantage

Source: Oracle | Hyperion
Learn more about Oracle | Hyperion

White Paper Description:

Planning is a crucial management discipline that enables organizations to optimally allocate their finite resources, and achieve maximum potential. The more intelligently these resources are allocated in response to changing conditions and objectives, the better the business will perform. Indeed, improved business performance is why so many companies are aggressively evolving their planning processes and embracing planning best practices.

http://whitepapers.technologyevaluation.com/view_document/6487/enterprise-planning-linking-strategies-plans-and-resources-for-competitive-advantage.html

HR Product Certification Report: Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0

Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 is now TEC Certified for online evaluation of human resources (HR) solutions in the Human Resource Management (HRM) Evaluation Center. The certification seal is a valuable indicator for organizations relying on the integrity of TEC research for assistance with their software selection projects. Download this report for product highlights, competitive analysis, product analysis, and in-depth analyst commentary.

http://whitepapers.technologyevaluation.com/view_document/21943/hr-product-certification-report-microsoft-dynamics-gp-10.0.html

Evaluate Yourself and Take Paid Surveys

Now, settle down and keep reading; this is not an attempt to say that you're not heading down the correct path. But, everyone might stand to make some positive changes in their life so as spend more time with family, portion your opinions and feel prefer you are being heard, and make a few extra bucks for a rainy day. Participating in purchased surveys is a cracking means to get a good begin on all these worthwhile goals.

If you are looking to spend more time with your family, having purchased surveys according to the time agenda that you select doesn't tie you down as much as punching a time clock. You pick and pick out the work you want to do - if you child would rather go to the park for a couple hrs, you have the plasticity to say "yes, allow's go!" and get back to your online survey later. Additionally, there are family-oriented surveys and mystery shops that your child or teen can participate in along with you, lending you a bang-up opportunity to spend quality time together while generating money.

Other worthwhile benefit of participating in market investigation projects such as on the web surveys, focus radicals and secret buying is that it validates your opinions. Everyone wants to feel that what they have to tell is fundamental and that customer want to listen. You improved consider that executives at major corporations are more that happy to hear your comments and concerns about their products and employment. When you take surveys, your occurrences as a consumer will be valued in many ways, especially as a means for company's to improved meet the needs of their target markets.

And last but not least, generating a little supplemental income is a cracking goal, however you evaluate it! It is not thoughts to consider that you can make a full-time gig out of having paid surveys; you can count on earning a few excess cash for socking back or spending however you delight. College students, stay-at-dwelling moms, retirees and folks just hunting for additional cash can sign up with online surveys sites and get surveys on a number of intriguing areas. Plus, there is no evaluating the bottom line - your wallet will thank you and you might just feel happier and more well-rounded.


Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/ask-an-expert-articles/evaluate-yourself-and-take-paid-surveys-3674571.html#ixzz19J461OqS
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Future of Open Source Survey 2010

Like last year, I'll be attending the Open Source Business Conference (OSBC) next month, on March 17-18 in San Francisco. Also like last year, I will participate in a panel discussion led by Michael Skok (Partner at North Bridge, Acquia Board Member and personal friend). This year, I'll be in a panel with Larry Augustin (CEO of SugarCRM, VA Linux, SourceForge), Jim Whitehurst (CEO of RedHat) and Tim Yeaton (CEO of Black Duck Software) to discuss the future of Open Source businesses. The panel discussion will draw on the 2010 Future of Open Source survey so make sure to weigh in and provide your perspective on a number of important Open Source business questions. Take the Future of Open Source Survey 2010. As a reference, here are the 2009 and 2008 results.
We've also built a Drupal Gardens site to promote the survey, share articles on the Future of Open Source and facilitate ongoing discussion on the topic: http://futureofopensource.drupalgardens.com/. There is also a Future of Open Source Survey twitter account that you can follow for updates.

OSBC 2009 panel discussion. From left to right: me, Ron Hovsepian (President and CEO of Novell), John Lilly (CEO of Mozilla), Marten Mickos (CEO of MySQL). For more information about OSBC 2009
http://buytaert.net/future-of-open-source-survey-2010

oracle HRMS

HRMS - Human Resources Management System

The Oracle E-Business Suite Human Resources Management System family of applications automates the entire recruit-to-retire process, so you can align your workforce with strategic objectives. A single integrated data model provides an up-to-the-instant accurate view of human resources-related activities, including recruiting, performance management, learning, compensation, benefits, payroll, time management, and real time analytics.

Seamless Integration, Complete Flexibility

Oracle Human Resources Management System is part of the Oracle E-Business Suite, integrating with other E-Business Suite applications, including Financials and Projects. Implement one or several application families — or implement the complete Oracle E-Business Suite for the fastest way to high-quality enterprise information.

Achieve Workforce Excellence

With people-related costs averaging over 60% of total corporate expenditures, leading firms are paying increased attention to the contribution made by their workers and are developing a new model for HR. This model includes programs to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity of the workforce and the ability to manage locally or globally. To be fully effective, these programs require new processes supported by leading technologies. Oracle calls this new model Workforce Excellence and believes it is the ultimate goal of HR, regardless of company size, industry segment, or geography. The model is composed of four main phases: comply, automate, measure, and align.

Oracle E-Business Suite HRMS 12

Available now, Oracle E-Business Suite Human Resources Management System 12 includes key enhancements such as global transfers, checklists, and an uplifted user interface including more efficient flows for absence and salary administration. Call an Oracle representative for more details.

HRMS Components and Modules

The Human Resources Management System is based on several modules which allow companies to build an entire end-to-end HR management infrastructure.

Several of these modules include:

• Oracle Human Resources
• Oracle Advanced Benefits
• Oracle Daily Business Intelligence for Human Resources
• Oracle Payroll
• Oracle Self Service HR
• Oracle Time and Labor
• Oracle Learning Management
• Oracle iRecruitment

http://wiki.oracle.com/page/HRMS

Oracle E-Business Suite

Within the overall rubric of Oracle Applications - Apps,^[1] Oracle Corporation's E-Business Suite (also known as Applications/Apps or EB-Suite/EBS) consists of a collection of enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and supply-chain management (SCM) computer applications either developed by or acquired by Oracle. The software utilizes Oracle's core Oracle relational database management system technology. The E-Business Suite (current version: 12.1^[2][3]) contains several product lines, including:

• Oracle CRM
• Oracle Financials
• Oracle HRMS
• Oracle Mobile Supply Chain Applications
• Oracle Order Management
• Oracle Procurement
• Oracle Project Portfolio Management
• Oracle Quotes
• Oracle Transportation Management
• Oracle Warehouse Management Systems
• Oracle Inventory
• Oracle Enterprise Asset Management

Each product comprises several modules, each separately licensed.
Significant technologies incorporated into the applications include the Oracle database technologies, (engines for RDBMS, PL/SQL, Java, .NET, HTML and XML), the "technology stack" (Oracle Forms Server, Oracle Reports Server, Apache Web Server, Oracle Discoverer, Jinitiator and Sun's Java).

A List of HR Software

1. Human resources managers have a variety of duties. They may be in charge of interviewing, hiring and training new employees, and keeping track of workers' salaries, hours, insurance and benefits. In the past, this required a great deal of paperwork, but much of the documentation needed for human resources can be aided by special computer software programs. There are many HR programs to choose from, several of which will let you download a free demo version before you buy.

HR Data Manager

2. HR Data Manager is a human resources program written in Microsoft Access. The software is customizable and has functions for tracking applicants, job information and employee records. Managers have access to applicant contact information, references, skills and a job-specific interview worksheet, as well as employee demographics, training information, certifications, attendance, leave accrual and performance evaluations. HR Data Manager can track invoices, track projects and organize job description data. The software comes in several different editions. The Basic Edition comes with applicant tracking, employee data and benefits management, performance tracking and job descriptions, with an unlimited amount of employee records. Professional Edition includes all these features, but adds training data management and the ability to import and export from and to Excel. Enterprise Edition also has project management and time tracking, and includes all source code. Enterprise Plus has all available features, 10 workstation licenses and two years of software support and updates. As of 2010, you can download a free, fully-functional 30-day trial from the HR Data Manager website.

Empower HRMS

3. Empower HRMS is software for small to midsize companies. The program handles three major areas: staff information, settings and employee self-service. The staff information system can store and search employee names, ID numbers, departments, job designations and supervisors. Administrators can create lists, pay grades, shift records and attendance reports, as well as make news reports and calendars. Self-service allows all staff to access some information. But only admin users have control over the software and can modify any section at any time. You can download Empower 2.0 with a free registration at the Empower website.

Visual Staff Scheduler

4. Visual Staff Scheduler is a Windows program specifically designed for the complexities of staff scheduling. It includes functions which allow you to easily see the number of hours an employee is scheduled, enter staffing requirements, copy schedule patterns and shift rotations and pre-set shifts and days off. The VSS Pro edition lets you create schedules or reports by time frame, department, location, time off, shift types or employee group. You can also assign attributes such as skills, certification or training and apply shift patterns onto future schedules. The VSS Premier edition allows HR managers to save popular staff schedules and perform "enterprise reporting" by creating documents for weekly and shift schedules, on-call schedules, time off and estimated cost for the entire company, by department or by individual employee. Both versions allow you to store and track employee photos, profiles and seniority.

Read more: A List of HR Software | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7305761_list-hr-software.html#ixzz16xRIkHgy

By Amber D. Walker

Free Video Editing Software For Your Computer

Free video editing software is an easy and convenient way to edit your videos, and is great for beginners. Most of the free video editing programs have limited editing features, so after a while you may want to look at the mid-level digital video software or the top professional video editing programs.

• iMovie
  iMovie comes free with new Macs. iMovie offers many options for editing video and audio, and adding photos, music and narration to your movies.
• Movie Maker
  Movie Maker is Window's free video editing software, which comes installed on new PCs. Use the program to create and share high-quality movies.
• Pinnacle Spin
  Video Spin, for PCs, is free video editing software from Pinnacle. Video Spin is specifically designed to take the complexity out of video editing, but it still includes tools, transitions and effects so you can easily jazz up your videos.
• Virtual Dub
  Virtual Dub offers simple editing capabilities. You can't get too creative with the software, but you can use it to make simple, clean edits in your video footage. Virtual Dub works with PCs only.
• Wax
  Wax is a bit dated-circa 2004-and the interface looks ancient, but the software comes with a very helpful guide and allows for a lot of creativity.
• Zwei-Stein
  This free editing software works with Macs, PCs and and Linux systems. It's easy to download, with a colorful, sparse interface.
• Jahshaka
  "Powering the New Hollywood," Jahshaka is a free, open source video editing software, that will give you powerful editing capabilities.
• HyperEngine-AV
  This is a popular free software for Macs. The "trackless" editing system makes it easy to combine video, audio and photos.
• Free Online Editing Software
  Several web applications are available that provide free video editing online. These services are great for re-editing and re-mixing web videos, and some even offer to produce DVDs of your edited videos.

By Gretchen Siegchrist

Cover Letter

The cover letter is the customized, business letter that accompanies the resume when a candidate applies for a position with your company. Job search experts tell applicants to target the cover letter contents to the position you have advertised. Applicants are also advised to match their skills and experience clearly to the stated requirements of the position you seek to fill.
The cover letter, which is much less frequently reviewed by job search professionals than the resume, provides a picture of the applicant’s ability to present his or her credentials. The cover letter tells you a lot about the applicant.
From the cover letter, you can assess the candidate’s writing skills and his or her ability to make a presentation in writing. You can observe their attention to detail by their avoidance of grammar mistakes, spelling errors and typos. You can assess the depth of their interest in the job and their belief in the “fit” of their qualifications for your advertised position.
The cover letter gives you an overall view of the applicant: attention to detail, knowledge and skills, personality, interests, and so forth, whatever the candidate is willing to reveal in the cover letter.
Significantly, the cover letter saves you time when the applicant has invested the time necessary to enumerate his or her skills and experience as they fulfill your requirements. The successful cover letter allows you to make a quick decision that the candidate's qualifications match your needs - or not. This attention to customization and detail may also elevate the candidate's application to your short list.
Finally, the cover letter is an ideal opportunity for the candidate to address issues that the resume may not handle to an employer’s satisfaction. The cover letter can explain such anomalies as employment gaps, incomplete degrees, and a long term history with one employer in the same job. The cover letter is the applicant’s opportunity to shine.
Courteous employers who seek a reputation as an employer of choice, send an application acknowledgement letter. The next step an applicant should expect is either an applicant rejection letter or a request for an interview or phone screen.

By Susan M. Heathfield

Why Employers Use an Employment Application

Smart employers use an employment application that is filled out by every candidate for a particular job. Employers world wide use the employment application to gather consistent data about prospective employees. While the format for resumes and cover letters changes from person-to-person, the employment application collects consistent information in a uniform format from every applicant.
The employment application provides a regular format with the same questions that must be answered by each person who applies for your open position. This allows employers to compare applicant credentials that are listed in the same order on a form, impartially. The employer is able to compare credentials without regard for formatting, presentation, exaggeration, and hyperbole.

Use an Online Employment Application

Online employment application systems are used by a large percentage of employers. In addition to the factual data that a written application collects, an online employment application allows the employer to pre-screen and pre-qualify applicants. The applicant tracking system allows employers to search employment applications for specific keywords, degrees, employment history, and other specifics to identify candidates who are qualified for the open position.

Why Use an Employment Application for All Applicants

These are the reasons why employers need to use an employment application for all job candidates. Employers want to:

• Consistently gather the same data in the same format from each prospective employee. With an employment application, employers gain standardization of information requested.
• Gather information about the applicant’s credentials that candidates would not usually include in a resume or cover letter. Examples include reasons why the applicant left the employ of a prior employer, felony or misdemeanor crime convictions, and names and contact information for immediate supervisors.
• Obtain the applicant’s signature attesting that all statements on the employment application are true. If you allow the applicant to state “see resume” (which I don’t advise that you do), the statement should also say resume.
• Obtain the applicant’s signature enabling the potential employer to check the veracity of all data provided on the employment application including employment history, education history, degrees earned, and so forth. Fraudulent claims and information on application materials, including fake degrees, exaggerated job descriptions, fake dates of employment, and other falsehoods are increasing. Employers need to verify all data provided by the candidate to ensure that you are hiring the qualified employee you expect. Potential employees who lie on application materials are not people who have the integrity and values you seek in employees.
• Get the applicant’s signature to attest that he or she has read and understands certain policies and procedures of the employer that are spelled out on the employment application. These frequently include the fact that the employer is an at will employer, that the employer is an equal opportunity, non-discriminating employer, and any other facts that the employer wants the applicant to read and understand on the employment application. When applicable, this includes information about the employer’s policy that the applicant must pass a drug test prior to hire.
• Obtain the applicant’s signature agreeing to background checking including criminal history, credit worthiness (for certain jobs), driving record (for certain jobs), and so forth as required by the job.
• Obtain voluntary self-identification data for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and to assure your own non-discriminatory hiring and diversity promotion practices and policies are followed.

Review Your Employment Application With an Attorney

Make certain that your employment application complies with employment law in your state. Various aspects of information requested on employment applications are not acceptable in some states, especially California. Ask an attorney to periodically review your complete employment application giving special attention to areas such as criminal history, credit reporting, any aspect of job capability related to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), and length of time the application is active.

By Susan M. Heathfield

How to Post Jobs Online

Are you convinced that the Internet is the most useful tool for employers recruiting qualified employees? You should be. You can post jobs online and use the Web for recruiting. Even a job posting in the classified section of your local newspaper is likely to produce mostly electronic resumes and applications these days.
Easily customizable, free, and paperless, why wouldn’t prospective employees apply online? You can post jobs online and reap the benefit of the many potential employees searching online for jobs. Make the online world your recruiting partner; these are the best ways to post jobs and recruit online.

• Post jobs on your company or organization website. Place the link prominently on your home page. Your job posting will attract candidates who are interested in your mission and vision as well as your open jobs. Make the recruiting portion of your website communicate your company culture, the reasons why a prospective employee will want to choose your firm, and specific instructions about how to successfully apply for your posted jobs. Your company website is your most significant online recruiting tool. Recognize its power to attract superior employees.
  
  Your company website jobs are also featured on online job search sites. Indeed.com, for example, is a search engine for jobs that drives job searchers directly to jobs on corporate career websites, employee recruiting job boards, online newspapers, blogs, and association websites.
  
  Opportunities for employers to post jobs online at social media sites are also growing daily. Don't miss the opportunity to place your stake in the ground where active and passive job searchers mingle. (See below.)
• Recruit through online social media sites. As the power and reach of sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter expand, so does their facility as an online resource to recruit employees. Each offers employers methods to recruit and hire employees, but the true power of their reach may rest in your ability to tap into the power of your satisfied employees and their online networks.
  
  I have written about how to recruit employees using LinkedIn. I am bombarded daily with job postings on Twitter. And, Facebook is beginning to reach its potential for recruiting employees online. With an involved population that exceeds the number of people residing in the US, Facebook postings about jobs and products by employees and customers reach millions in employee online networks (friends) on Facebook.
  
  Social Media Job Posting Opportunities Are Expanding: You can post jobs online at LinkedIn on your company page. Facebook also offers company pages where you can post jobs and focus on disseminating news about your company and your work environment. The apps available at Facebook, that automatically post jobs that are drawn from your website, increase daily. If you think you can't do it, look around you; you probably can. The innovations for employer job posting on social media sites are growing. Potential employees, who frequent these social media networks, can stay up-to-date on your job listings without ever leaving their favorite site. This is a key tool to attract employees who have identified your company as a place where they'd like to work.
  
  And, many additional social networking sites, based on causes, industries, interests, businesses, skill sets, and more, exist. Identify the social media and networking sites that cater to people in your industry, and that attract people with the skills you need, and participate. Each has its own protocals, which you can learn, to source great candidates online.
• Post jobs in the classified section of your local newspaper; the paper likely has an online partner. No, classified advertising in local newspapers is not dead. It has changed. Still an opportunity to fill many positions, especially local jobs requiring local candidates, your neighborhood newspaper recognizes the power and reach of the online world. When you purchase a classified ad, you automatically post the job online, at an often reasonable, additional cost. The Ann Arbor News, for example, has a cooperative online relationship with MLive – Everything Michigan. CareerBuilder.com powers the online job postings for more than 1,000 partners, including over 100 newspapers, America Online, and MSN.
• Post jobs on college and university boards that serve alumni. While these jobs are typically listed through the institution's main career services channel, the college may have special services for alumni job searchers and employer recruiters. Especially for jobs requiring degrees, you’ll locate qualified, often local, candidates. Almost all colleges and universities have some kind of career services office that allows you to post jobs online. They maintain contact with their alumni and are likely to assist alumni to job search over the course of their careers.
  
  Additionally, they may offer employer connection services that make recruiting their alums easier for employers. The institution from which you are recruiting, may also maintain an alumni LinkedIn group where you can post jobs for free.
  
  Focus your recruiting attention on colleges and universities that graduate candidates with the degrees and skills that your company needs. It may pay you back in excellent recruits to develop a relationship with the alumni career services staff.
• Post jobs through your local college or university student career center and maintain relationships with university departments that specialize in your needed skills. Many offer free job postings and feature local candidates, especially for beginning career positions and internships. Others have partnered with online services. You can focus on colleges and universities that offer degree programs that qualify their students for your available jobs. Or, focus on local campuses that have students who may want to remain in your area. Colleges are dedicated to helping their students obtain employment; often a deciding factor when students choose their college.
  
  Get to know and develop relationships with professors and others in the departments that graduate your desired candidates. Your insider relationships and information may allow you to attract the most desirable grads. They also assist you to land high quality interns - students who may eventually become your most treasured employees. And, you get to try them out before you purchase their long term services, an opportunity that savvy employers recognize is one of the key advantages of their internship programs.
• Use Job Search Engines to help job applicants notice your company and your online job postings. For example, Indeed.com offers opportunities for employers to pay to have their job listings stand out. Employers avoid the cost of posting jobs online on multiple sites that then must be monitored. Linkup indexes a company's website daily to offer applicants an opportunity to apply for your newest, often unadvertised jobs, directly through your company website. This enables employers to receive online job applications that meet your specific requirements.
  
  SimplyHired, the world's largest job search engine, lists employer jobs for free and offers a pay-per-click option that allows your jobs to stand out from the pack. Their relationships with all of the major social networking sites give your open jobs wide distribution.
  
  Stay in touch with the world of job search engines. New sites proliferate and, depending on your requirements, may help you meet your recruiting needs.
• Post jobs on commercial Job Boards such as Monster, CareerBuilder.com for general jobs, and CoolWorks.com for seasonal jobs. These job boards remain the big kahunas in the job search industry. While their massive reach will bring you quantities of resumes from unqualified candidates, the occasional applicant gem exists as well. (I once found a well-qualified CFO through Monster.com.) Because these job boards are known to all job searchers, and have a huge reach, they attract applications from most online job searchers.
  
  Their cited pricing is rarely the best price. Look for deals on the website or contact a sales agent. The sales agent will stay in touch with special offers for both posting jobs and searching the job site’s resume database. You can save hundreds of dollars over listed prices.
  
  More and more specialized job boards are entering the market. Depending on the qualifications required from the employees you seek, specialized job boards may be a better option for your online job posting than the big sisters in the online space. Specialized job boards, such as Dice.com, target key employee skill sets that your company may need. You may decrease the spam of hundreds of unqualified resumes in your inbox using more specialized job sites.
• Post jobs online at sites that provide employer-employee matching services and other services that employers may use to target specific candidates, and avoid the masses. Especially as online job searching becomes more sophisticated, employers find themselves dealing with hundreds of resumes from applicants for any desirable job. Employers can wade through the deluge by using online job sites that do the sifting for you. On a site, such as Realmatch.com, employers can post a job and reach 37 million candidates from over 1200 job sites. The special twist? The site matches the job posting to candidate credentials. The subsequent graded and ranked list of candidates saves employers time and energy. The employer pays only for the candidates they select to contact.
  
  The number and types of these sites, that provide additional services for employers, to enable them to easily identify qualified candidates, will grow. More and more specific, targeted services are required by employers who want to cut through the noise of online recruiting and job searching.
• Post jobs at professional association websites. The job postings are often low cost or free, especially for members. Your local chapters are almost all online and local candidates will view your job posting at the local association site before they will see it at the national website. Make spending decisions based on this recommendation. In the same vein, post jobs in industry-related or industry-serving online or email newsletters. The candidates you attract will generally have experience in your industry, but may be national and look for relocation expenses paid. Depending upon the ability of your region to attract job searchers, this may or may not be a good strategy for you.
• Post jobs with your state Workforce Development organization, through your state department of labor. They appreciate employer job postings. Click on the map to select a state or choose from the list for the Department of Labor/Employment Security Commission/Job Service Office in your state at About.com's Job Searching site. In Michigan, employers can post jobs with the Michigan Talent Bank through Michigan Works. You'll find multiple options for both posting jobs online and recruiting candidates.
• Post jobs on discussion boards that allow posting jobs online. The forum associated with this site allows you to post jobs in a special jobs folder, for example.
• Post jobs and job descriptions in emailed messages to business associates and colleagues. Seek candidates for your jobs. Referrals from people you know are usually good candidates because someone you know is vouching for them. Many employers maintain customized lists of personal and professional contacts, and when they have a job available for which they seek referrals, they contact their mailing list members.

Looking to the Future: Recruiting and Job Posting Online

Options for online job posting and recruiting change daily. Just researching and staying on top of employer options during the past five years has been a daunting task as the online recruiting world changes daily. I expect that online recruiting options will continue to multiply as opportunities to match employers with superior candidates is a never ending quest.

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By Susan M. Heathfield