Can You "Zoom" Your Way to a New Job?

I was intrigued to learn in a recent Resume Writer’s Digest newsletter that a website called ZoomInfo is working hard to gain buy-in from recruiters for use of their site as a passive recruitment tool. ZoomInfo is a site that contains more than 35 million profiles of professionals and executives.

Although ZoomInfo is not a social networking tool per se, it is currently used by 20% of Fortune 500 employers for recruitment activities. It can be expected that this percentage will increase and that substantial numbers of smaller companies are also using the site. So it would be wise to make sure not only that you have a presence there, but also that it is a flattering one.

ZoomInfo creates profiles on individuals and on companies by aggregating information that it gathers from online sources. You can add a profile on yourself for free by registering, or “claim” and edit one that they may have already compiled for you. Since it is likely that a profile on you currently exists, it would be prudent to monitor what is there and verify its accuracy, as well as to insert your own information to flesh it out. If you have a relatively common name, it may also be necessary to distinguish yourself from others whose profiles will also come up on a search, and to see that information erroneously applied to you is edited out.

On another related note, the Resume Writer’s Digest article also pointed out some interesting facts regarding online social networks. There are currently in excess of 300 of these, with the most relevant to employment seekers being LinkedIn with its 10 million members in 130 industries and Ryze, which boasts 250,000 members in 200 countries.

While MySpace and Facebook target younger audiences (Facebook seems to be especially attractive to college students), the fastest growing demographic on these sites is the 35 and older group. Neither site is currently viewed as particularly suitable or relevant to those in the employment market, but they bear monitoring in case this should change. If you should decide to join MySpace’s 100 million member base, you’ll need to be prepared for tremendous quantities of spam.

Posted by: Laurie Jeanne Smith

Comments

[Colin Chisek]

I'm glad you posted this article on various networking websites and other job sites. Zoominfo is recommended as a must have tool for any job search, according to what I read in the "12 Days of Christmas Job Hunting," which is itself a great read. I decided to look up my own self on the site. It turns out I have two different profiles, because the site culled information from one outdated source and one updated source. I definitely plan to register with Zoominfo and create an updated profile. Doubt I will utilize MySpace or Facebook.

Great article. I'm on a public computer so it wouldn't let me bookmark it to one of my personal pages, but here's hoping it will let me e-mail it to myself.

Happy New Year in 2009, everyone.

Colin

[William Arruda]

Great post, Laurie.

If you are looking for a job, getting your ZoomInfo profile in order is a must-do. Using the other social networks is a great way to build your brand online and allow people to find you, but you will want to choose one (max two) networks to use for professional networking (I use LinkedIn and Facebook). Otherwise, it will become your full-time job!

A word of caution - do your personal branding work first. When you build your profiles on these web sites, you want to ensure they communicate your differentiated value - and don't look like 'me-too' profiles.

Best.
William
www.reachcc.com

[Canada Goose]

Prefer Canada Goose Jackets in Canada Goose Jacket online store, more experience for winter life ! With winter coming, the Goose Down Jacket Canada and Women Canada Goose Chiliwack Parka BLACK with authentic quality will be the best choice for you.
Winter coming, everyone is starting to shop around for a warm winter coat. But the big question is: which one will keep you the warmest without making you look like an abominable snowman? Today´s article highlights for you two coats that meet these important criteria: Canada Goose Men's Yorkville Bomber and Canada Goose Outlet Trillium by Canadian Goose.
From Canada Goose Sale, Canada Goose Parka inspired by the label´s iconic Canada Goose Women Expedition design. It´s fitted with plenty of internal and external pockets as well as a versatile removable down filled hood, secure Velcro collar and storm flap protection over the front zipper. The cut is a bit slimmer than we´re used to seeing on vests and outerwear pieces alike, which definitely works in your favor when traveling from work to play and vice versa.

[Belstaff Jackets]

Belstaff Leather is not only the motorcycle jacket, but also known as the stars jacket, we could see more famous stars wore them in the movies as well as other casual occasions. The Belstaff Outlet was designed with three separate components to allow the two adventurers to face all conditions they would be likely to experience on their journey. Back in the history of Belstaff UK, in 1924, Harry Grasberg and his father in law, Eli Belo itch, pooled their talents to produce, a cozy collection of waterproofs that all the foggy Albion inhabitances needed. Belstaff Clothing sturdily constructed and cleverly designed to combat the worst of the British weather, these prototypes of today’s wide range fashion collection soon caught the popular imagination.