How Candidate Reputation Becomes A Super Strength

The secret to having a strong candidate reputation is to earn it. There are no shortcuts to being seen as well thought of. If you are looking to present yourself as a diligent, considerate and responsible employee, then you have to be diligent, considerate and responsible.

Hannah Sills, head of permanent recruitment, recognises the importance of candidates having a demonstrable reputation. Hannah says, “Having a solid reputation is like having an online handshake before you have entered the interview process. When I look at reputation, I don’t mean what people post on social media, but how visible they are within a marketplace. A person who is involved, vocal and provides an element of value to others, can support the way they are perceived by potential employers.”

According to research from LinkedIn, 50% of hiring managers say data is the top trending impacting how they hire. This could include piecing together information that is available on candidates to provide an insight into their personality, career and background. Hannah says, “The networks that we build now starts to become even more visible to others. The virtual reputation that people build can deliver a wealth of information.”

Media channels are providing the means to build a professional reputation. For instance, during October LinkedIn Stories was launched, an opportunity for people to publish photos and short videos via the mobile app within a B2B slant. The reputation that is developed and built on and offline can become a way to elevate beyond the CV.

Hannah recognises the way that candidates conduct themselves in a professional and personal space is magnified when it comes to finding a new job. Hannah states, “Employers want team members to fit in well within their company culture. For instance, if they see a candidate as a person who makes sexist posts and comments, or remarks on former teammates, would they want to hire this person, perhaps not.”

When it comes to a reputation it comes down to being able to demonstrate the proof, show personality, deliver an opinion and back it up with fact or experience and behaving consistently. It takes time but can put you in the driving seat. Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos said, “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”

If you build a strong professional reputation it can stand the test of time and become a huge asset in your recruitment efforts.