These days most of us are using some form of social media for everything from news and information gathering… to self-branding and networking… to finding a great restaurant or gift.  These means of interaction have allowed us to become “citizens of the world”,  challenging self-imposed boundaries and airing our innermost thoughts and ideas.  We are connected to far-flung communities without leaving our homes and to people both within and outside our social circle.  Apps on our smartphones track our travels, health or expenses, as well as make us more productive in our work environment and fitness routines.  Many have found their perfect life partner via sites like eHarmony.com and zoosk.com.  So it should come as no surprise that social media is infiltrating sectors that were traditionally face-to-face, such as healthcare and staffing.  Early job boards like Monster.com were launched in the 1990’s as websites to post a broad spectrum of employment opportunities.  Flash forward to present day and we are seeing the emergence of a niche oriented approach to staffing.  LinkedIn and jobr employ the social connectiveness and matching techniques of Facebook and Match.com in their recruitment formats.  There is evidence that LinkedIn has certainly changed networking for professionals, the way Facebook changed social relations, but is that enough?

If you ask any reputable staffing agency, the answer will likely be “No”.  The truth is that successful employment outcomes require a multi-pronged/multi-layered approach that ultimately must include the “human touch.”  As with online dating, results are only as good as the data being inputted. We have all heard enough stories of misleading profiles, to be wary from both ends of the employment search. Job boards and mobile apps do however serve well as initial portals for such searches.  In addition, Centra’s job alerts system reduces your daily search time, eases online application process and sends regular real-time openings to give you a leg up on the competition.  But it is our industry experts, with over 25 years combined experience, truly refine that undertaking based on information gleaned from their conversations with you.  Our Centurions go beyond the surface data you inputted, to discover the personal and professional reasons behind the career move…something a job board is not designed to probe or uncover. So while social media tools have a role to play in the overall job hunt, they can not substitute for a person at the end of a phone line, Skype session or face-to-face discussion.  Want to put us to the test?  Call 800 535 0076 today!