Now you can upload, share, and rate candidates that you receive from other sources.

Located on your “My Candidates” page in ZipRecruiter, the “Add Candidate” button lets you:

• Add candidates to any of your ZipRecruiter jobs
• Upload candidate resumes and important personal information
• Share and rate candidates
• Include candidate source for easy tracking (e.g. referral, recruiter, staffing firm)

To make tracking easy, a label identifying which team member uploaded the candidate is automatically created. The labels are a great way to filter candidates by those who were uploaded verses those who applied through Ziprecruiter.

Login to start uploading candidates today, and please let us know what you think!

“What do you love about your job?”

Below, some of the most greeting-card-worthy responses.

Collaboration

“I love my job because everyone shares the same vision and is dedicated to the mission. This truly creates a family environment where everybody is there for each other,” Philip George, Marketing and Communications at Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association

“I love my job because people care about me as a person and about my professional growth. There is a genuine spirit of cooperation and shared goals all revolving around helping the customer that I have not found at other corporations,” Beverly Butler, Vice President at Wells Fargo & Company

“What I love about my job is the collaborative environment. A lot of companies want to break down their silos, this company fights against silos as if they’re the Borg,” Shannon Mouton at Topaz Consulting

“I love having a voice. My boss listens to my ideas and the whole team works together to make them happen. We all support each other and work together to offer creative feedback and them made our ideas a reality. I love being appreciated and listened to,” Christine Crum, Public Relations at Veodin Software

Work-Life Balance

“I love that I have a great degree of control and freedom within my job. I work full-time on a flexible schedule, both in and out-of-office, and my boss trusts me to produce high quality work and results. I work hard to maintain that level of trust, which keeps me engaged and excited — but at the same time, I love that my job enables me to love and enjoy my other passions in life,” Kelsey Berry, Associate at Mom Corps NYC

“Being my own boss, I love that I have flexibility in my schedule. Even though I work a lot…I can arrange my time so as to pick up my kids from school, take them to karate and dance class, and even have lunch with my wife once a week,” Ian Aronovich, Cofounder & CEO at Government Auctions

Autonomy

“I like the autonomy I have because my bosses allow me to innovate. I also love the people I work with,” Naresh Vissa, Senior Producer & Special Correspondent at KFXR 1190 AM, Dallas-Fort Worth

“The ownership group has given me complete and *absolute autonomy* over my responsibilities. I select the time, tasks, team, and strategies. They supply the goals — Life has never been better!” Bob Shirilla, Marketing Director at Keepsakes Etc

Variety

“It is always changing — always evolving — and I get front row seats watching the process of a simple idea grow into a nationwide business. Every day is different and it is a constant adventure. I love my job!” Lydia del Rossi at StepnSoak

“The variability of my job is what gets me up in the morning. We provide professional services to trade associations and membership societies and I am able to contribute my experience and skills in marketing, social media, public relations, management, strategy and design to a wide variety of clients. Each project presents unique challenges,” Brian Reuwee, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at AMR Management Services

“The diversity of the work that I do ensures that no day is like any other, and I am always focused on bettering the community, which makes you feel good when the day is done!” Lori Harasem, Recreation and Culture Development Manager for City of Lethbridge

Culture

“I love our weekly foosball tournaments. A positive organizational culture is key to feeling motivated and inspired at work. It’s amazing how a table of tiny wooden dolls can turn serious, senior executives into high-fiving, air-pumping adolescents. It’s really a great bonding and team-building exercise,” Clea Baker, International PR Manager at Carpooling.com

“I’m a circus clown. In the average day at work I get to blow things up, throw pies, slap my co-workers, toss buckets of water on them and drop my pants. Not only does human resources NOT frown on this behavior, I’m actually given bonuses and raises for doing these things well!” Pat Chasin, Boss Clown at The Cashin Comedy Co.

“I love that wearing suits Mon.-Thu. is mandatory. These days, guys do not get many chances to rock a suit so it’s nice to have a reason to wear one. People treat you differently as well,” Eric Younan at UHY Advisors

“I now work for a busy but creative organization where everyone on the staff truly gets along and pitches in to get the job done — even if it’s not written in their job description. No egos, no politics, no gossip. After more than 30 years in the workplace, this is a first for me,” Lisa Hanock-Jasie, PR Manager at OneClub

Challenge

“I love how my boss constantly believes in me. She pushed me to endeavor on projects that I thought were way beyond my abilities for both my age and knowledge, and I am so grateful for her insistence. I’d be in a rut otherwise,” Sharon Rosenblatt at Accessibility Partners

“Feeling a sense of accomplishment when I am up against a deadline and we only have one shot to get it right and it turns out better than we could have imagined. Having a boss that appreciates the work I do and always thanks me for the hard work at the end of the day,” Dawn Wickwire, Production Assistant to the CEO at The Grocery Game

“I love the challenge of coming in everyday and trying to figure out how I am going to get more people around the world on my website today,” Raj Sheth, CEO of RecruiterBox

“It doesn’t require sitting in a cubicle all day long — always traveling to one city after another and always challenging my creative side to raise the bar on how our next event will top the last one,” Hillary Bessiere, Director of Business Development at Bishop Mccann

Helping Others

“I’m a Wedding Planner, Author and Speaker and what I love most about my job is helping to create (write and speak about) the most magical day of a couple’s life. I love the fact that it’s filled with the start of all their possibilities and in a small way I am part of that!”
Bláithín O’ Reilly Murphy, Wedding Consultant, Author & Speaker

“I have an opportunity every time I speak to an audience to help someone make a positive change in their company or life. It’s poetic justice that I now get paid to do what used to get me in trouble in school — speak!” Tim Richardson, Author & Certified Speaking Professional

What do you love most about your job?

What you hear about less is the other side of the story: people who were hired because of their online presence.

A study done in the fall found that 91% of hiring managers screen applicants on social networking sites. Of them, 69% have rejected a candidate based on their findings, while 68% have hired a candidate for the same reason.

Those stats tell us two things: 1) Remove inappropriate content from your social profiles, and 2) showcase flattering content.

Here are some tips for putting your best foot forward on Facebook and Twitter:

Facebook

Don’t hide yourself from Facebook’s search results and call it a day. There may still be ways to find you, and this is a missed opportunity to demonstrate how your talents, experiences, and personality are a great fit for the workplace.

• Profile Picture: Hiring managers understand that Facebook is a social network, so it’s not necessary to have a professional head shot for your profile picture (I would find that quite odd, actually). At the same time, there are better ways to show your great personality than with sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
• Other Photos:Remove anything that may be suggestive or offensive, whether it’s of you or anyone else (you don’t want to be guilty by association). If you have photos that make you an attractive candidate (i.e. attending a reputable conference, volunteering, etc.), make them public.
• Custom URL: Use common sense. Enough said.
• Education/Work Info: Keep these sections public, updated, and consistent with your resume.
• Likes/Subscriptions: Be tasteful with your personal interests and be strategic with your professional ones. “Like” the companies that you’re interested in and subscribe to the public feeds of their high-profile employees. When they post something interesting, make an informed and insightful comment.

Twitter

If you use it the right way, Twitter is a great platform to engage with and impress prospective employers. By following companies and people of interest, you can also learn what’s important to them and use it to your advantage when you apply.

• Username: If your Twitter handle is inappropriate or a little too cutesy (iLuvFluffyKittens), change it.
• Photo: You pretty much have free reign with your Twitter picture (many users have a graphic rather than a personal photo), so pick something fun and tasteful.
• Bio: Public to everyone, your 160-character Twitter bio should not be left blank or say anything that might alienate someone (avoid controversial topics like politics and religion). Consider this your personal elevator pitch — you have two to three sentences to market yourself.
• Tweets: Like the bio, don’t tweet about touchy subjects. Do tweet about things relevant to your industry and respond to tweets by the companies you’re interested in. You can also tweet them questions or links you think they’ll find interesting.

Delicious and healthy snacks from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market.

What are your favorite office snacks?

In just 10 minutes recruiters and staffing agencies can create a professional website to advertise their services, team, and job openings. Zero programming skills are required.

I recently looked through some of the several hundred ZipSites already created, and came up with a list of 6 best practices that I’d like to share with you.

1) Complete Every Section: Don’t leave your site with the default “Content goes here” text. It looks unprofessional and is a missed opportunity to establish yourself as a trustworthy and knowledgeable hiring source. Advertise your qualifications, mission statement, areas of expertise, and a testimonial or two.

2) Avoid Being Text-Heavy: Most people expect short, concise chunks of text when they’re reading online. Be concise to avoid losing your message and overwhelming your readers.

3) Incorporate Visuals: Visuals are a great way to reinforce your brand and make your ZipSite more aesthetically pleasing. Upload your logo (or a professional head shot) in the designated area, and include a photo or graphic on your home, services, and team pages.

4) Link Your Social Media Accounts: Encourage visitors to connect with you on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter by linking your accounts. If you’ve already added your social networks to your ZipRecruiter account, we’ll do this for you automatically.

5) Spell Check: Nothing brings your credibility into question quite like typos. You expect job applicants to polish their written work, and they expect the same from you. Take the time to spell check and have someone else proofread your content.

6) Promote Your ZipSite: Once you’ve created your ZipSite, don’t forget to share it. An easy way to start is by adding your custom link to your email signature and social network profiles.

Create a ZipSite now »

P.S. If at any point you need help with your ZipSite, contact us and we’ll be happy to assist you!

If you’re new to the working world or looking to take your professional life in a new direction, ask yourself these 5 questions.

What do I enjoy?

Have there been projects that really inspired you to go above and beyond? Were you inspired by the topic, by the type of work that was required, or both? What about topics or tasks that you dislike? Make a list.

What am I good at?

What are your natural strengths and weaknesses? What do people compliment you on? Make a list. Look for overlap of things you like and things you’re good at, then start your career search from there.

What sacrifices am I willing to make?

Some jobs involve regular overtime, extensive travel, irregular hours, and so on. Decide what trade-offs you’re willing to make. Would you rather work 70 hours per week for a larger paycheck, or would you prefer a smaller salary with a lot of flexibility and freedom?

What do my family & friends think about their jobs?

Find out what those closest to you like most (and least) about their jobs and organizations. Ask the “why” questions to gain deeper insight. Some good points to cover are day-to-day responsibilities, levels of autonomy and collaboration, organizational size and culture, etc.

What’s out there?

Head over to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) and the Career Guide to Industries (CCI). The OOH includes information on hundreds of jobs, including education requirements, typical earnings, job prospects, and sample job descriptions. The CCI includes similar info but is focused on industries rather than specific jobs. Next, compare job and industry data to the insights you gained from the questions above.

Once you determine which jobs and careers interest you, it’s time to job shadow. Reach out to your network for job shadowing opportunities. If no one in your network does what you’re interested in, ask to be put in touch with others in their company.

Best of luck with your job search!

The Downside of Applicant Tracking Systems

Aside from the high cost (the software runs anywhere from $5,000 to millions of dollars), applicant tracking systems are known for eliminating qualified job applicants who don’t take advantage of the system.

According to the Wall Street Journal, “One small error, such as listing the name of a former employer after the years worked there, instead of before, can ruin a great candidate’s chances.”

Conversely, unqualified candidates can shoot to the top of the list if they cram their resumes with the right keywords.

ZipRecruiter’s Alternative? Online Screening Interviews

When employers post a job with ZipRecruiter, they can include an online screening interview at no additional charge. Hiring managers can quickly assess applicant skills and knowledge via open-ended, multiple choice, and yes/no questions. Ask just a few questions and the best candidates jump out at you — even before you open a single resume.

We can certainly vouch for the tool: It helped us narrow down our own applicant pool from 114 applicants to just 9, and we did it without spending thousands of dollars on an ATS.

Already Have an Applicant Tracking System?

Get more out of your ATS when you integrate with ZipRecruiter. We’ll post your jobs to our 25+ job board partners and then automatically direct all applicants to your ATS application page using our custom apply URL feature.

Get started now.

Please join us in welcoming our newest job board partners, EmploymentPipeline.com and JobInventory.com.

Post a job on ZipRecruiter to advertise your listing on over 25 of the web’s best job boards.

Does adding this phrase into your job title increase candidate response rates?

Consider the click-through rates of these job titles:

Job Title                                                         Click-through

Physical Therapist  *Signing Bonus*                    1.10%
Physical Therapist — $79,000                                .21%
Physical Therapist                                                   .20%

The stats suggest a signing bonus is important to job seekers, so advertise it if you’ve got one, and get one if you don’t. Even something small should do the trick.

Remember that ZipRecruiter lets you edit your job postings as often as you’d like, so give this strategy a try today!

You’d think that an outlandish, avocado-colored piece of flooring accessory would stand out in an office building, but quite the contrary. I barely noticed it once my eyes were magnetically drawn to the matching green wall, no corner of it left unpainted in a shade of topiary-scaped green which above all else screamed vibrancy. Here was a creative space wherein any prior scruples were cannonballed out of mind by a dominantly assuring sense that productivity would no doubt flourish like the striking splashes of color within its enclosure.

This, I told myself, I could get used to.

Several weeks later, the green wall has become my backdrop. Coming from a freelance writing gig and a private tutoring one before that, attention to detail is somewhat of a personally explicit mandate that I require of myself in the workplace. I mention this because that’s the atmosphere I’ve been walking into for the past three days: a space full of meticulously focused intellects who are energetically wired into their specialties.

My concentration? I essentially assist in boosting ZipRecruiter’s online visibility, whether that involves advertising on a micro-market scale or writing copy & contributive content. And you can bet I’m approaching these responsibilities with nothing short of a fastidious mentality. This is what I’ve loved about my first week at ZipRecruiter; it’s the sort of unforgettably prominent attention au détail of every team member that seamlessly cogs together like the well-oiled engine of a classic Aston Martin DB series coupe.

An auspiciously avocado green one.