Join a Talent Network!

I saw this article by Deanna Hartley of CareerBuilder in the Greenville News over the weekend, and found it a worthwhile read...

If you want to work for a company but can’t find open positions, or have been rejected for a position at your dream company, it doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. You may be the right candidate for the company you’re applying to, but not the best fit for any open positions right now. That means the right fit for you is still out there — and you can get closer to it by joining a talent network.

Talent networks are automated platforms where job seekers can enter their information into a company’s database with the goal of being notified of new job opportunities. It’s beneficial for the company because it allows employer! s to create a talent pipeline, and there are many ways job hunters can benefit from talent networks as well.

Here are a few:

1. It will give you a chance to understand the company better.

Companies today are increasingly leaning toward building and nurturing relationships with job seekers over time versus just looking to fill positions that may be open right now. Subscribing to a talent network opens the door to enabling employers to engage with you — and other candidates who have opted in to a talent network — more so than they would with other job seekers who don’t opt in. It will give you an opportunity to get to know the company, its culture and the expectations that are set for employees.

And you can leverage this additional insight when applying for future positions at the company.

2. It will save you time.

One pet peeve many job seekers complain about is that they’re forced to re-enter or resubmit the same information over and over again. With a talent network, you won’t need to re-enter your information because it already lives in the database.

Also, since you will be alerted to new relevant opportunities that will open up down the road, you won’t have to keep checking back in.

3. It will keep you top of mind for employers.

Even if your dream employer or employers don’t have any job openings at the moment, you don’t need to feel like you have to sit on the sidelines and wait. You can take a proactive step that could get you closer to landing that dream job when i! t becomes available. You’ll have a better chance of remaining on a company’s radar if you’re in their pipeline.

"It can’t hurt if it’s a company you’ve always wanted to work at," says Christy Hopkins, a human resources consultant and writer at Fit Small Business who also maintains an HR consulting and recruiting firm with small business clients. "If there are no open roles we are looking for that fit you, you can still submit your résumé to the general database. This is useful for us in that when a client comes to us for an urgent need — we can search our database and see if anyone fits their criteria by setting parameters around keywords and locations."

4. The talent network can do some of the work for you. 

We get it — you’re a motivated job seeker and you want to get out there and do the hard work of! finding the right job. But don’t be afraid to get a little help from! your friends — and in this case, a company’s talent network can be your best friend.

Some companies will go so far as to send you personalized alerts with jobs that best match your experience and interests. You will be able to make the most of tailored job recommendations and customized messages coming directly from the company itself.

Deanna Hartley is a writer for the Advice & Resources section on CareerBuilder.com.

She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.