The integration of technology into current hiring practices has brought about a critical change that every jobseeker (employed or not) must integrate into both short and long-term strategy.
I’ve been calling it your Gold Standard.
What is it?
When new positions open up or are created in a business, hiring professionals define the ideal candidate for the position. This description becomes the standard that will be used to both attract, screen and select candidates throughout the hiring process.
The hiring process, which includes selection, screening, and interviewing candidates, is accomplished by both software applications and human decision making.
What does it do?
The job assessment is usually defined through a joint effort between the hiring manager and an hiring professional (generally a Human Resource person or an internal or external recruiter). The assessment defines the ideal candidate as identified by his or her skill sets, attributes, core competencies and personality characteristics that the hiring community believes will attract the best candidates to the position.
The assessment becomes the foundation to create a job posting.
Why is the “gold standard” important?
The “gold standard” defines the ideal candidate. For every position there is a gold standard—even if it isn’t a formal identification. AND for every position, there is a gold standard candidate.
The gold standard as it is defined in the job description alerts jobseekers about the skills, attributes, and core competencies that he or she should emphasize on their resume, on every online profile (such as LinkedIn), as well as during the interview process.
Before applying for a position, every candidate should carefully study the gold standard that is represented in the job posting. The length of the resume can be reduced through this careful analysis. It should also bring clarity and definition on areas of focus during the interview process.
How does it work?
New hiring software utilizes algorithms to scout the internet and identify possible candidates for hiring companies. This practice is becoming popular and prevalent. In this new methodology, job postings are a thing of the past. The companies know what kind of person they want and they algorithms can identify them through the internet. This is where your personal gold standard becomes critical.
If you want to be found for jobs that are a good fit, then the gold standard that you present both online and on every social media platform (personal or professional), also where you work —ALL should present you in light of the gold standard that promotes your top attributes that align with the job market.
The message of your personal gold standard should be consistent.
The gold standard is dynamic and should change with your role and industry so that as the industry matures, grows, and adapts to new market needs, so does your gold standard. It is a working, living, dynamic definition of your values, attributes, skills, and the environment where you can make the optimum contribution.
Our newsletter is in development and we will be identifying short and long-term activities that will keep your gold standard fresh and relevant. It will also present economic changes to help you remain credible to hiring entities and ensure your future. Sign up today.
