Guest blog, from Keith Robinson.

Many thanks to Stephen for letting me write this article and doing such a great job with NORAuk.  I am a huge fan of recognizing and rewarding excellence in any sector. Having been shortlisted last year with my new launch Careersiteadvisor, I know the thrill and anticipation when you are at the event… you cannot beat it and Stephen “Thanks for setting these, up and continuing to run the NORAUK”.   Stephen asked me to write something on/about On-Line Recruitment so a short ramble;

I saw my first job board in the U.S in 1996 on a visit to my advertising agency partner in Chicago, Shaker. I was blown away with what I saw and the opportunities I foresaw with such a platform – “the internet”, and with the quick and easy ability to search a large volume of jobs from across wide geographical regions.

Only 15 years ago recruitment media was “print”; strong national, regional and trade newspapers dominated, and often had no or little competition. In reality they had local monopolies and charged accordingly.

To place a recruitment advertisement in two local newspapers Nott’s Evening Post and the Derby Evening Telegraph could cost £60 for a single column centimeter (hugely expensive), and yet your potential candidate lived in that broad geographical area.

The “job board” had the ability to go across newspaper boundaries, and to me the opportunities to “break monopolies”, deliver new and exciting channels to “passive” candidates were limitless.

My next enlightenment came a year latter when again in the U.S I saw a company careers site, wow awesome, and given at this time I worked for a Recruitment Advertising Agency again for me what opportunities, branding, jobs, interactivity, etc etc….. but as usual I got carried away with the “limitless technology capabilities” and forgot that less that 15% of UK home had internet, and those that did were on dial-up and a heavy page took hours to download.

BUT interest had been stimulated and now it was a matter of time…. Waiting for the consumer to catch up with the technology, and the infrastructure build out to lead the consumer.

By 1998/1999 we had our first print causality, Freelance Informer, a Reed Business owned trade magazine for IT Contractors which folded due to the migration of that audience to Robbie Cowling’s Jobserve.

In 2000 I joined Totaljobs.Com and my love of on-line recruitment just grew, understanding what “job seekers’ wanted (Real Jobs with Real Companies), how a poor “candidate experience” impacted on a company’s P&L. So much so, that in 2001 we decided to take the advice of an awesome strategist at Totaljobs, Andrew Findlater and share our findings.

We created the Totaljobs Seminar Program and over 3 years ran 70 plus roadshows across the UK and helped “educate” over 700 industry professional on the benefits of On-Line Recruitment, many of today’s “In-House Recruiters” attended and we shared our passion for a move towards more in-house recruiting.

Alan Whitford our regular Chairman shared is passion for the “time and cost” to hire matrices, and we even talked about “cybersleuthing” i.e. on-line sourcing. Yes, in 2001 we had Roy Everett (spiderman) talking on the subject.. we saw a bright future for recruitment, and it was on-line.

Today we are there, but it has been much slower than I ever expected. On-line has, or is just about to overtake print media, and a recession or two doesn’t help.

We now have social media, on-line referrals, ATS… a whole multi – billion pound/dollar industry has been built to support “On-Line” recruitment.

But finally I have some regrets, and I will share them.

- We have commoditized a key part of our industry – the job advertisement, and boy what a poor candidate experience most job postings give.

- We have seen great creativity, great copy writing, and great typography disappear.

- We have made it more difficult for a job seeker to find a job – search does not work, the future has to be matching.

- We have made it too easy for job seekers to apply for a job, and for a recruiter to delete a CV. My term is “the promiscuous digit”.

BUT job boards are not dead, more will launch and other versions of boards will evolve.

The future is bright, the future is On-line Recruitment… whatever that might look like.

Britons work longer hours than our European neighbours and we are told that looking for a new job is a full-time job in itself. But when do you have the time to look when you are spending over 40 hours a week at work, running errands and fulfilling family and social commitments in addition to stealing some time to sleep? The answer is: you do it at work.

However, you don’t want your current employer to know that you are looking elsewhere because if they find out, you could jeopardise both your current position and future references.

Here is our advice on keeping your job search a secret from your employer.

Email and internet: A recent survey found that 64 per cent of jobseekers have been caught by their boss searching the web for a new job. So don’t use your company email address on any job applications – most organisations have policies permitting them to monitor employee email activity. So, create a personal email account specifically for your job search, and access it from home or via a smartphone like a Blackberry or iPhone.

Don’t blindly go gung-ho copying and pasting your CV on every job board you find without first considering that your current employer may be using the web to search for new candidates – the last thing you want is for your boss to find your details. Make sure that you post it onto job boards such as Monster or TheLadders.co.uk that allow you to keep your employer and contact information confidential. You can also block your name, contact details and current employers name on your CV. Many of thse job boards also allows you to prohibit current and previous employers from finding your CV on the database search.

Be discreet: If you typically wear jeans to work but suddenly start dressing in a suit, questions will soon be asked. Don’t advertise the fact that you are looking for another job. Arrange interviews before or after normal business hours as much as possible. But, if it’s unavoidable then schedule them during lunchtimes or arrange annual leave for a day and schedule multiple interviews on one day.

Get your timing right: Lunchtimes, unsurprisingly, are the most common times for job seekers to be scanning the job ads. It is also the best time to return unanswered phone calls on your mobile to prospective employers. Visit an internet café or library to access your emails and search the job boards. Or if you have a laptop, find a coffee shop with wireless connection.

Play it safe: Avoid using the office fax machine, computer and telephones. It may be convenient but it is also risky – it’s too easy to accidentally leave a copy of your CV on the photocopier.

Never stop giving 100 per cent: You have resolved to find yourself a new job, but don’t shoot yourself in the foot by making colleagues and your boss suspicious if you start slacking. If you don’t land another job then you have to stay where you are for a while longer and you could be putting your existing position under threat.

Paul MacKenzie-Cummins

Hi, Russ here – Sales Manager at the Jobsite London Office. You know you’ve had a good night when you don’t remember getting home. You know you’ve had an even better night when you wake up cuddling several pounds of tempered-glass in the form of a very shiny award. That’s right, this morning I am proud to say that Jobsite are the holders of the NORA award for Best Generalist Job Board 2009. It was a tough category to be in – we were up against Monster, Reed, Totaljobs and CV Library -  so we were extremely pleased to win this one.

The NORA awards are an annual event held in conjunction with UK Recruiter, designed to recognise excellence in the recruitment industry – from technology providers to employment agencies. Now in its 9th year, the evening was held in the exclusive Orchid Bar in Piccadilly and was well attended by a wide range of people. Some were there as sponsors, some were nominated. Some were probably just there for the free drinks. The evening began with a Speed Networking event – described as “like Speed Dating without the sex”. After 20 minutes of meeting new people the awards properly began. It was a tense wait as the category we were in was last on the list. As the moment drew near, I wondered if it was bad luck to prepare a speech. And with such stiff competition I really had no idea how we would fare.

Our category was delivered (strangely) in Dutch, but despite some of the banter no doubt being lost in translation, when the envelope was opened the unmistakable name of Jobsite was announced. I took to the stage, smiled for the camera and managed to dispatch a few words of thanks on behalf of Jobsite.

Naturally, we celebrated the only way possible. And the hangover this morning was the only real downside to what was a fantastic night. I’d like to thank Stephen and the organizers and can’t wait for next year. And the opportunity to defend our title!

Russell Byrne, Jobsite Sales Manager, Blog

What is the difference between speed networking and speed dating?  After my unplanned social experiment at this media event, I’m not quite sure there is one…

So last night my compatriots and I hauled on our best suits and headed to London’s West-End for the eagerly-anticipatedNational Online Recruitment Awards (NORA) – the Oscar’s of the digital recruitment advertising world.

Due to a miss-judgement of the selection criteria our marketing jobs website was not in the running for ‘Best Newcomer’ and nor did it feature in ‘Best Niche’ but nonetheless we strode into the venue unbowed, though with a tinge of reserved repent.  ‘Next year’, we buoyed ourselves.  Next year.

To kick the evening off we headed to the bar to cash in on the beer tokens handed to us on arrival (nice touch, incidentally).  Once festooned with our alcoholic armour we decided to make the most of the speed networking section of the night so split-up to work the room, our syncronised watches determining a reconvening time of precisely one hour.

And so with pockets lined with business cards we waded into the throng of industry luminaries strewn across the floor.  Our mission: to seek new contacts, all the while diligently dodging familiar faces and antiquated acquaintances, for whilst we looked forward to catching up with them later, they would only hinder our immediate strategy.

Now it’s a funny old do, speed networking.  For it doesn’t matter how hard you try it is virtually impossible to unfasten the feeling that for all the business banter you are, ostensibly – and actually – speed dating.  And it makes no difference whether you are courting a male or female, either.  You stand there, plumes puffed promiscuously as you indulge each other’s story, all the while waiting for the opportunity to surreptitiously deliver your number.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge advocate of this dating game.  I just think it’s funny.

So the horn signalled another change in partners and my crew caught up at the bar over another beer.  We were doing well: collectively we’d found out about the 2010 Social Media in Recruitment Conference; understood more about perennial blogger,Andy Headworth’s recruitment consulting firm, Sirona; were enchanted by the enigmatic Lisa Scales and her video solutions for recruitment model; blown away by the magnitude of the JobSiteAdvisor emergence; and impressed by the innovation behind Bill Boorman’s Recruiting Unconference event.

From both the hub and peripheral, the evening was progressing well.  It was enlightening to know that every single person in the place was in some way empathetic to either my individual role as editor at Only Marketing Jobs or the business itself.  Having attended a number of events throughout 2009 this was beginning to rank as the most relevant, as well as being ludicrously entertaining.

As networking continued, presentation of the awards commenced.  Job boards and recruitment websites were competing for decorations in categories including: Best Generalist/Specialist; Best Regional/National; Best Newcomer; and Best Innovation.  The tension was, erm, palpable as Stephen O’Donnell, director of the NORA’s and founder of online recruitment directory, AlljobsUK.com took to the stage, his bonnie brogue booming amidst the chaos.

If I’m honest the awards bit could have done with being rather more placated.  Whilst half the room huddled to cheer the victors, the other half (I’m guessing those not nominated!) bellowed in the background.  Nothing wrong with it in principle – far be if for me to a party pooper – but I suspect the sponsors may have benefited from a little less din preceding their announcement.  That said, I should imagine career development toolbox Workthing+ were pleased not the whole audience heard them referred to as Worthing+, which as its marketing manager Sarah El-Dooricommented, neatly portrayed them as a ‘pretty Sussex seaside town’!

Now, at about 21:30 I sought solace in a slice of Sushi.  Topped with Horseradish it was the perfect compliment to the white wine I was now quaffing.  And it was during this self-imposed interval that I spotted a rather attractive girl scoffing chocolate brownies.  Although not usually attracted to such flagrant feasting we soon found ourselves perched at the same table.

This girl was beautiful and I was about to cross into unchartered territory.

Adding to my business card collection was far from my thoughts as I found myself regressing to bygone days, those ones before my liver had forced me into semi-retirement.  Forgotten was the patter of affiliate partnerships, reciprocal linking and social media strategies.  This was an altogether different engagement.  For now I was playing the long-game: wistful words and some playful tête-à-tête.

Another glass of wine passed and our conversation continued to flow.  However, now the dynamic had changed: we were back on topic – business.  But because of our developing ‘intimacy’ we now spoke freely, honestly.  I’d met some great people up until now and made some superb contacts, whilst cementing others.  This, though, was different.  We didn’t need need business cards, hash-tags or personal URL’s.  We had a deeper connection.

About an hour later a tap on my shoulder signalled the end to my fraternising.  Apparently my work was done, my co-conspirators needed some Asian scoff.  So we concluded our night of pitching, back-scratching and shoulder-rubbing with one-for-the-road and a series of sincere farewells.

I have no doubt that, as we did, more than the majority of last night’s attendees woke this morning with a sense of achievement as antidote to the undoubtedly sore head.  I suspect the award winners probably partied until dawn.  And fair play to them.  Job boards/hiring platforms have an awful lot to offer the recruitment industry and with so much murk shrouding the past eighteen months it was great to feel the energy of this event.

And you know what?  Whilst writing the ending to this piece I received an email entitled: ‘We should share more brownies’.

Maybe it was speed dating, after all..!

Big up to Louise Triance, Stephen O’Donnell and all their respective event partners who ensured the NORA on 5th November went off with a bang.

Simon Lewis | Editor | Only Marketing Jobs

View Simon’s blog here http://recruitmentwaters.com Follow Simon at http://twitter.com/SimonLewisOMJ

A friend of mine conducted this informal poll about what a person should do if she were asked to show a male interviewer her Facebook page. Only 12% said they would agree. Thirty-three percent said they would walk out of the interview or refuse. Fifty-five percent said they would ask why and then decide.

It’s time to “face” two facts: First, most organizations are either already looking at candidates’ Facebook profiles, or they are going to start soon. (How many business owners are doing this now?) Second, people who are worth hiring either have a social-networking profile on some service or will soon—indeed, recruiters may already think that a candidate who doesn’t have a profile is hiding something, disconnected, or clueless.

Given these two developments, the defensive advice that experts are pedaling to “be careful what you put on your Facebook profile because recruiters may look at it” is ass-backwards. Instead, you should assume that organizations are checking you out (in fact, I blogged about a more efficient way to do this here) and use this to your advantage.

That is, rather than cleanse profiles in order to escape rejection, enlightened candidates will use Facebook profiles to market themselves—perhaps even asking to show their Facebook profiles in interviews. Think about what companies are looking for: bright, diligent, honest, well-rounded, socially-responsible, green, and connected people. Now imagine that you were giving a tour of your Facebook profile to a recruiter. Would you be able to make these kinds of statements?

“This is my graduation picture. I completed a four-year program on time while working full time.”

“This is one of my favourite professors. I took ABC from him (where ABC is a subject area relevant to the job).”

“This is a photo essay of when I travelled throughout China. I was totally blown away by the entrepreneurial spirit of the Chinese, and I made many friendships that will help me in your position.”

“Here’s when my football/basketball/whatever team won the championship. I learned so much about hard work, discipline, and team play because of sports.”

“Here’s a group of my friends hanging out with me (this picture should contain people of multiple genders, ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations) right before we went on a mission to build schools in Guatemala.”

“This is the day that I got my iPhone/iTablet/iWhatever—I have to admit that I’m an early-adopter of technology.” Even better: “This is a picture of how I use what this company makes.”

“Here’s when I went to Demo/TechCrunch50/World Economic Forum/G8/whatever in order to learn about what’s happening in the industry.”

“This is the tweetup/meetup/faceup/whatever that I coordinated to help people network better.”

“Here’s where I volunteered to work at SXSW so that I could attend all the sessions for free. This is the most amazing conference—have you ever been to it?”

“Here’s when I met Robert Scoble/Mike Arrington/Charlene Li/Jeremiah Owyang/Chris Anderson/Steve Rubel/Ariana Huffington/Steve Ballmer/Steve Jobs/ Muhammad Yunus/David Pogue/Walt Mossberg/whoever.”

You don’t need to get all Forest Gump, but you get the point. Some folks might make the case that I’m missing the point of Facebook: It’s supposed to be one’s personal, “let my hair down,” silly world. Yes, you will lose some cred with your friends for selling out. Welcome to the real world—you have to make tradeoffs all the time.

As an entrepreneur, I would look at candidates who made this kind of a Facebook profile as people who are clever and “get it.” At least these candidates are clever enough to work the system—that shows cleverness and chutzpah.

Also as an entrepreneur, are you playing the defensive Facebook game? Because you shouldn’t—your Facebook profile should make people want to do business with you and work for you. It’s only a matter of time before customers and candidates are checking you out on Facebook, too.

For a while, people who work Facebook like this will stand out from the crowd. Then recruiters will figure out that you’re playing them. Still, I would look at it this way: “At least this candidate is clever enough to work the system.”

The irony is that if enough people start doing this, recruiters may tire of looking at Facebook profiles, and then you can go back to showing pictures of when you barfed your brains out at a party while wearing no clothes.

Guy Kawasaki, http://career.alltop.com and http://hr.alltop.com/

Does this sound weird? After all, why would some one want a couple of bits of paper about where you used to work.?  I’ll get straight to the point.  The way criminals operate has changed….

Vast amounts of crime now take place online.  It’s because the Internet is the equivalent of an open bank, with no guards, no cameras and no safe.  And here’s the bit that really gets my goat – its not the banks money that gets stolen – ITS YOURS.

So what has this got to do with my CV.  Simple.  Online thieves want your identity, so that they can take your money, use your credit cards, even get jobs using your identity, that their criminal record would prevent them from obtaining.  There are 15 bits of personal information that the online Identity Thief wants, in order to steal your identity. Just three of these is enough to start targeting you.  Recent research …has revealed that around 93% of CV’s contain at least three – some CV’s many more.   Do you know how many copies of your CV exist?  Can you remember who has them?  What information is on it?  I’m betting that you can’t be absolutely sure, and thus you are at risk.  If you are thinking that this won’t happen to you, and anyway I’d get it all back in the end you’re in for a shock.

This year alone, over 4 million peoples ID’s were stolen from one leading job site.  In the US, a recent study has shown that the current economic climate has increased this type of criminal activity by over 40%.  Oh, and by the way, ID theft already costs every individual in the UK £231 per year (through the ‘hidden cost’ – which is the increase in prices and banks charges to cover the loss that businesses make).

The crazy thing is that protecting yourself is fairly simple.  This 20 page  free guide, packed with tips, resources and information, which was put together with a leading cyber crime expert shows you how.

Here is an example of a typical CV, and what you can do to protect yourself.

Take action now before you become the next victim.

Andy Gooday MD