Trojan Search has partnered with Women in Management (WIM) to present “Career Advancement Strategies” workshops, the first of which were held on August 13 and 14 at both campuses. A final workshop is scheduled for August 27 at the Health Sciences Campus (10-11:30 am; HSC NTT 7409; Norris Topping Tower, also check the WIM Calendar). Members of Trojan Search presented an overview of the job market, noting that the typical time from application to first interview averages one month, at minimum. They noted the key difference between recruiters and HR generalists as “the hunters and the gathers.” More specifically, recruiters actively seek top talent while general HR gathers submitted applications for specific jobs.
Top tools used by recruiters? You guessed, it: LinkedIn. Alby Bocanegra, Diversity Recruiter at USC Trojan Search, demonstrated the recruiter side of the industry giant. He showed how key terms narrowed the search on his end. For example, an executive, who is an accountant, with an MBA: each additional term narrowed down the search, from upwards of 500,000 to 100,000 to approximately 24,000. He said that that search is something that each and every job seeker needs to take into account. Those key terms matter. If you are lacking in a skill, take a course online, and note the course in your profile. Volunteer to do work to show that you have experience in a particular area that may not be present in your work history– and note it in your LinkedIn profile. In this way, the recruiter can mark you as a candidate with all the skills required of the position.
Alby Bocanegra and Whitney Warnes of USC HR. Whitney also graces the WIM Board as Treasurer this year.
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