New role? Cast your net widely

It's all about me.

As we hear about unemployment numbers rising, the "talent pool" increasing and a high percentage of candidates intending to search for a new role this year, we should all be considering how we present our brands.

But don't forget it is not just the employer brand we should be considering - if you are a candidate, you need to consider how you market yourself, too.

Some simple guidelines will help you build and protect your own brand in the long term. Once you've decided it is time for a move, you will need to start considering your approach carefully.

Most candidates will want to spread the net far and wide to ensure they are raising their profile. And you should ... discreetly.

Engaging your friends and your own networks, and using professional networking sites, websites, newspapers, journals and recruiters are all options.

It's a village out there. The old adage "it's not what you know, it's who you know" could not be truer. Equally, the chance of someone you know personally or having worked with previously being involved in a recruitment process for your next role is pretty high.

Consider the information you present, the way you position it and who sees it. You should always be in control of your own brand.

As a candidate, choosing a trusted and reliable recruitment partner is very important as you can work through their networks to increase your exposure to the right organisations. However, remember you are asking them to put their client relationships on the line for you, so be upfront and honest.

Your chosen consultant should be discussing potential clients with you, advising you on the clients' culture, their history and giving you as much background information as possible to allow you to make an informed decision. All this should be considered before your personal details are sent to the client, not after.

And always, no matter where you are, what you are doing or who you are with, keep in the back of your mind the fact that you may be with someone who will be involved in your next recruitment process; you may not necessarily be in an office when you meet them.

Quite often you won't meet the interviewer for the first time as you walk into the interview room.

Lifts, reception areas, bars and even bathrooms are all just as likely venues, so be prepared.

I will never forget the time I was on my way to the office and almost hit by another car that was clearly in a rush. The driver made it to my office car park just before I did, stuck at the gate and waiting to be let in.

That's when he realised I was the person he was on his way to meet for an interview. Not a great first impression.

Behaviour aside, make sure your CV is accurate and honest. It pays to have a good, clear, concise CV.

Everyone wants their CV to stand out from the crowd or "wow" the reader, but consider what might happen if a previous colleague or employee is asked to review your CV, only to find you have overinflated your responsibilities or achievements. What kind of a referral do you think they will give?

On the other side of the fence, as a manager, it is inevitable you will be involved in recruiting for your business at some point. Recruiting is not an easy experience, and you should consider your approach carefully, just as a candidate will consider their approach.

At the point the name of your business, or even your name, is being discussed with someone about a potential role, the recruitment process becomes a branding exercise. How candidates are treated, how succinct and organised your recruitment process is, how structured your interviews are, even the quality of your offices, are all under scrutiny. Candidates will remember (for a long time) how they were approached, how they were treated, what kind of feedback they were given and how long the process took. Therefore, it is important to get it right.

If you are planning to work with a recruitment consultant, ask how they will present your brand and how they will handle the process.

They will be providing a service to you, and it's more likely that the candidate will remember the name of your business if they are messed around, not the name of the recruiter. If the process is managed badly and your brand is compromised, the best candidate may not hang around.

This could be a loss on two counts: bad press for the brand and losing the ideal candidate.

However, as important as it is to find the right candidate, it is equally important to make sure that the unsuccessful candidates come away from the process with a positive feeling and a good, clear and honest understanding as to why they were not the right person for the role.

This is one element that is often, at best, an afterthought.

If you have invited a candidate in to interview them, they deserve feedback. Candidates will respect you and your brand more if you deliver concise, honest feedback about their interview, giving the candidate important tips to focus on at their next interview.

At the end of the day, whether you are representing your personal brand or a corporate brand, honesty is the best policy. It's a small world out there, and people talk.

HOW TO AVOID CONFUSION DURING YOUR JOB SEARCH

* Stay in control of your personal details.
* Keep track of your applications.
* If you are not sure if a role is right, ask for some time to undertake your own research about the company.
* Make sure you know when your CV has been sent to a particular client, the specific name of the role and the name of the people reviewing your details.
* Only allow one recruitment company to represent you to a particular client, but make sure they are doing what they have said they will.

FINDING THE RIGHT RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT

* Do they understand what I do?
* Are they a specialist in my market?
* Are they giving me useful advice?
* Do I feel comfortable working with them?
* Will they speak to or meet every candidate about this role before submitting their CV to you?
* How will we work together to handle direct applicants?
* Will they present my brand in the right way?

Simon Macfarlane is manager of the Procurement & Supply Chain Division of Robert Walters Auckland. simon.macfarlane@robertwalters.co.nz