Hiring behind profiles: Why social media is an ineffective platform in recruiting talents for employers

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Social media has broken barriers and opened the world of seamless communication by allowing users to share life updates and socialize on the platform. With its astronomical growth, it eventually offered many opportunities for businesses not only to promote their service but outsource potential employees.

However, social media can be a double-edged tool when used for business processes, particularly for recruitment. While social media can be a seemingly convenient tool to announce job vacancies, it doesn’t necessarily translate to quality applications.       

In line with their latest campaign “Hire Real Talent” dedicated to educating companies in seeking the right talents post-pandemic, the leading online job portal JobStreet Philippines advises companies to reconsider the use of social media in their recruitment processes.

Difficulty in finding skilled and quality candidates

On social media, recruiters may encounter various applicants but finding qualified candidates can be a challenge. Although social media accounts can be helpful in doing background checks, it can result in prejudice, and recruiters may be unable to find relevant information such as credentials, job experiences, and skillset as compared to an actual professional job platform.

Social media profiles exhibit more personal and non-professional activities or information about an individual—ergo, filtering of qualified applicants can be taxing for hirers.

Social media job ads may NOT be targeting active jobseekers

Targeted social media ads get promoted to a specific category of people and are also shown to the general audience. While ads can be specific, social media users who fall under the selected categories are not automatically active jobseekers because the platforms are mainly used for socializing or content streaming. Hence, the costs of boosting job ads on social media may not be as effective in targeting the right candidates and, therefore, could potentially be a waste of company resources.

Filipino workforce prefers online job platforms

According to a recent study by JobStreet, “What Jobseekers Wish Employers Knew: Unlocking the Future of Recruitment” when looking for a job, 28% of Filipinos prefer online recruitment platforms, corporate pages, and websites. This means many job seekers, from entry-level to skilled ones, go straight to the source of job postings when they are actively looking for opportunities.

Legitimate job platforms like JobStreet have specialized filtering capacities for hirers and recruiters to use when looking for a candidate that requires certain skills and experience. Through this, not only is it convenient for hirers but also reliable when looking for a legitimate candidate. Before applicants can post their resume, it is scanned and scored by an Artificial Intelligence tool built upon millions of data points from the JobStreet platform. The AI tool has been vetted by real HR professionals, employers, and corporate leaders.

Additionally, JobStreet offers a consumable budget-based model that allows hirers to set a budget for a certain period of time. With the candidates engaging on the platform specifically for job-hunting purposes, hirers are assured that their boosted job posts are shown to the relevant target audience and converted to legitimate applications.  

“As shown in our recent study, it is now a jobseekers’ market. With the changes in preferences and behaviors of our young workforce, we aim for our hirers to be fully equipped and future-ready when it comes to their recruitment practices, and that includes optimizing their resources and utilizing effective platforms that help them get quality talents,” said Kim Viray, JobStreet Philippines Head of Marketing.

JobStreet offers numerous benefits for employers to aid them through their recruitment process and lead them to make great hires. For newly registered hirers, JobStreet offers 30-day free job posting on their platform with access to over 14 million candidates, useful features on multiple channels (e.g. website and mobile app), easy-to-use job advertisement composer, powerful candidate management tools, and many more.

Under the campaign “Hire Real Talent”, the job platform also recently released a fun take on the use of social media in hiring candidates. Watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/JobStreetPhilippines/videos/1139168213385418/

To learn more on how you can maximize JobStreet for your hiring needs, visit https://www.jobstreet.com.ph/en/cms/employer/.

 

Journalist and now entrepreneur and farmer Ces Oreňa-Drilon: ‘It’s really passion that moves you forward.’

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Ces Oreňa-Drilon has never met a story she wasn’t passionate about pursuing or a challenge she didn’t face head-on with a positive spirit.

Ces Drilon leaves her comfort zone to try new things like digital, farming, \

and starting her own business.

When the former reporter and Bandila anchor lost her job when ABS-CBN’s franchise was not renewed at the height of the pandemic in 2020, Ces turned to farming and entrepreneurship to sustain her. Out of the newsroom, she also explored digital platforms to reach her audiences.

Ces, who was also former Content Acquisition Head of ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem Group, says, “Leaving the anchor’s chair was my own decision because I wanted to leave my comfort zone and try new things like digital. So, I took the plunge and tried my hand at livestreaming. I was very nervous at first because I was communicating to a younger audience, which I was not used to. But to my surprise it became one of the best things I did during the pandemic. I was so happy, and my fear of having dead air and talking to 20-year-olds was unfounded. It was also a new way of generating income during the pandemic.”

The award-winning broadcast journalist who, for over 30 years, was on our TV sets chasing hard news and feature stories found that there was a whole new world away from the newsroom. It may be a cliché but it’s true that when a door closes, a window opens.

For Ces, it was becoming an entrepreneur, content creator, and a farmer. She founded and launched Provenciana, which produces smudge sticks or bundles of dried herbs that you burn to produce a cleansing cloud of smoke for positive energy; soaps; and other natural home products.

“I learned to adapt and try new things because the road to success is never a straight line. For me the secret to success is enjoying what you do, and also to savor life’s little pleasures. Don’t forget to celebrate living.”

How Ces Drilon manifested her dreams

Ces began her journalism career in 1984. As a rookie reporter, she had to work long hours and be very diligent about the stories she was assigned to do to build credibility.

“I love the craft. I love the challenge of being able to combine words and video, and being able to distil a very complicated issue into two minutes.”

In the end, she says, all this paid off. “It’s really the passion that moves you forward because the job of being a field reporter is very demanding. If you begin early, you reap the benefits of what you sow. Your commitment, your dedication will bear fruit as a reporter, and consistency is key. In the beginning, I was open to a lot of opportunities and challenges without being so conscious about the pay knowing that payback would come later. Alam niyo, success doesn’t come overnight but over time.”

She took new challenges and explored new ground as she worked her way up the newsroom. “Learning new things and new skills is so fulfilling. And it’s good to leave one’s comfort zone.”

Ces Drilon believes FWD Life Insurance’s Manifest, an investment-linked insurance, 

is a wise plan to have.

Like many women, she successfully balanced a demanding career with her other role as a single parent to four young boys. This pushed her to think long and hard about her financial wellbeing.

“I started investing when I was a reporter. I bought insurance for myself and for my kids because I wanted to protect my family. When you have protection, you can take calculated risks with the hope of earning bigger returns. You know, after I lost my job of over 30 years, pivoting to a new venture like Provenciana was easier because I was financially prepared and had a back-up plan. Sound financial planning will grow and protect what you’ve built.”

For that she believes FWD Life Insurance’s Manifest, an investment-linked insurance, is a wise plan to have. “FWD Manifest gives you strong life protection and smart wealth investment. And because it has protection and investment components, you can manifest your dreams with more confidence and less worries,” she says.

Knowing that she’s protected and her family is secure also gives her the courage to venture and expand her new life as an entrepreneur.

“I will be giving greater focus to farming this second half of 2022 aside from growing all the things that Provenciana needs. I want to eventually live there (in the farm). The aim is really to be able to go back to basics and to tap the healing and nurturing properties of Philippine endemic plants.”

To Ces, success is being able to build something that will outlast her. “Success also means leaving the world a better place than when you found it. So, I dedicate this to my children.”

“I manifested my dreams and I know you can, too. Invest and manifest your future with FWD Manifest.”

To know more about FWD Manifest, schedule a free consultation with an FWD financial advisor.

Find future-ready jobs in JobStreet and CSC’s nationwide Government Online Career Fair 2022

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Leading online job portal JobStreet by SEEK, in partnership with the Philippine’s Civil Service Commission (CSC), encourages job seekers to join the Government Online Career Fair 2022 happening on September 19 to 23, 2022, in line with their commitment to providing future-ready government jobs for Filipinos, particularly fresh graduates.

Over 20,000 available government jobs both on the JobStreet platform and on the Government Online Career fair are up for grabs, comprised of various roles such as Guidance Counselor, Administrative Aide, Revenue Officer, Engineer, Planning Officer, Medical Officer, Nurse, etc.

Interested applicants can also explore other vacancies for Project Development Officer, Accountant, Auditor, Executive Assistant, and Information Technology Officer, among others.

The Government Online Career Fair is also in celebration of the 122nd anniversary of civil service in the Philippines and will be joined by more than 120 government agencies including the Department of Health (DOH)​, Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR)​, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Commission on Elections (COMELEC)​, Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)​, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and many more.

“For two years since the pandemic, JobStreet and the Civil Service Commission have successfully helped Filipinos find government jobs through online channels. With this year’s online career fair, we hope we’ll be able to empower more candidates with future-ready opportunities,” shared JobStreet Philippines Country Manager Philip Gioca.

With many government jobs open for candidates, JobStreet by SEEK underscores that this is an opportune time for candidates, including fresh graduates, to establish a steady career progression and networking opportunities while finding a sense of purpose through helping the nation. Furthermore, the job portal shares that many government job roles offer a work-life balance which is currently a top priority for most Filipino applicants.

Aside from convenient job applications, the event will also allow candidates to learn more from the webinars conducted by career experts throughout the duration of the job fair. Guest speakers will tackle topics related to working for a digital job, building a website, career in government, government job flexibility, among others,

Empowering the “lockdown generation”

In its third Government Online Career Fair with CSC, JobStreet by SEEK aims to help and empower fresh graduates who have been facing numerous labor market challenges due to the pandemic.

With more Filipinos still looking for jobs that fit their lifestyle and preference, stiff competition awaits fresh graduates as they enter the workforce, not to mention the returning experienced and even migrant workers. Moreover, young jobseekers in the Philippines face multiple labor market risks such as severe disruptions in education and training, low earnings, limited employment prospects, and magnified job search constraints—all on top of the need for digital tools and devices among employees to secure job opportunities.

“While digital tools and innovation can help continue education and upskilling and is an advantage for the youth, there's much more that is needed to be done for our country to catch up when it comes to internet access, speed, and affordability. The youth needs to be supported in their journey to having access to job opportunities,” shared JobStreet Philippines Head of Marketing Kim Viray.

JobStreet and CSC will be offering 2,000 on the GOCF platform, and roughly 20,000 on the JobStreet Philippines platform, open for fresh graduates nationwide.

Top roles include Engineers, Administrative Officers, Revenue Officers, Nurses, Executive Assistants, Accountants, Auditors, and IT officers.

Since 2020, JobStreet and CSC through the Government Online Career Fair have brought together over 200,000 participants and more than 120 government agencies.

Find future-ready government jobs and register to the Government Online Career Fair via http://jobstreet.com.ph/GOCF22/go.

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About JobStreet by SEEK

JobStreet is the leading employment platform in Southeast Asia, helping people live more fulfilling and productive working lives and helping organizations succeed. It is a subsidiary of SEEK, a diverse group of companies comprised of a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and has a strong presence across the APAC region, including six Asian markets – Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand – through the JobStreet and JobsDB brands. SEEK attracts over 500 million visits a year in Asia.

Shopee continues its pursuit of upskilling young tech talent through the Ultimate Case Challenge

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Innovative Filipino students can win up to ₱50,000 by joining the Shopee Ultimate Case Challenge

This August, Shopee Philippines will be launching its first ever Ultimate Case Challenge, a business case competition open to Filipino undergraduate students from across the globe. Finalists of the competition will get the chance to win up to ₱50,000. Throughout the duration of the case challenge, each team consisting of 3-4 members will be asked to pitch their own unique ideas and solutions to a real-world challenge included in a business case brief.

Karen Perez, Head of People at Shopee Philippines, said, “We’re thrilled to support Filipino tech talents from all over the world by providing them with opportunities to develop their skill set. Through the business case competition, we aim to hone their analytical and process improvement skills, preparing them to be proactive problem solvers in the fast-paced tech industry. We hope to inspire a new generation of talents who will continue to drive the tech industry forward.”

Apart from the opportunity to put their skills to the test, teams will also receive mentorship from leaders at Shopee and the chance to fast-track their careers in tech through Shopee’s career development programs: the Global Leaders Program, Shopee’s 2-year flagship graduate program for young professionals, and the Apprentice Program, Shopee’s specialized internship program.

The regional business case competition has already garnered over 4,000 participants across four other markets including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Shopee Ultimate Case Challenge’s pioneer run in the Philippines. Ready your teams and sign up at careers.shopee.ph/succ from August 22 to September 30.

Shopee launches Career Jumpstart Series to help accelerate tech careers of students, young Filipinos

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A curation of virtual open houses designed to equip young tech leaders with career-building skills

By 2025, the Philippine internet economy is expected to grow by 30% annually to reach USD28 billion . In order to sustain such sizable growth, developing young, tech-driven talents will be key. In fact, the DTI has recognized the increasing need to upskill and reskill Philippine talent as one of the main priorities for the 2022 Philippine E-commerce Roadmap. As a means to support the digital economy boom, this April 2022, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, is launching its first-ever Career Jumpstart Series, a curation of virtual open houses designed to train young tech leaders with career-building skills.

The Shopee Career Jumpstart Series aims to equip leaders of tomorrow with the necessary skills to find success in the tech industry’s workplace setting. The open house learning series will be spaced out across three seminars scheduled on April 5, 7 and 9. Penultimate and graduating students, as well as young professionals with less than two years of work experience, are invited to join this event.

Each seminar will be held virtually and focuses on relevant career-building topics such as effective resume writing, essential interview skills and case interview mastery. This presents the perfect opportunity for students and budding professionals to polish their skillsets before immersing themselves in a tech company setting.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said “We are committed to developing young talent - from the initial interview stage, all the way up to securing a job and furthering one’s career. Through the Shopee Career Jumpstart Series, we believe that we can not only help young talent fulfill their potential, but also help contribute to the Philippines’ growing digital economy. We look forward to creating even more opportunities to hone the skills of young Filipinos and support local digital growth.”

Apart from the Career Jumpstart Series, Shopee also offers other programs and initiatives centered on polishing the skills of young talent. Shopee’s Global Leaders Program, for example, is a 2-year graduate program consisting of four 6-month local and overseas rotations that is open to final-year students or young professionals with up to two years of working experience. On the other hand, the Shopee Apprentice Program is an internship program designed to expose interns to the e-commerce and digital finance industry and allow them to participate in the different end-to-end processes of large-scale projects and initiatives.

Registration for the Career Jumpstart Series will be open to all interested individuals. Registrants are not required to be applicants of Shopee’s other key talent programs such as the Shopee Apprentice Program or the Global Leaders Program.

Those interested in learning how to stand out among other applicants may apply for the Shopee Career Jumpstart Series here: https://shp.ee/yz3c5n3.