Total Staffing Optimization(TSO)

Total Staffing Optimization (TSO), is the optimization of job description, resume(were appropriate), website, and staff, so that they are easily found when doing internet searches. Basically it is Search Engine Optimization(SEO) for Staffing.

Definitions

SEO - Short for search engine optimization, the process of increasing the amount of visitors to a Web site by ranking high in the search results of a search engine.

TSO - Short for Total Staffing optimization, the process of increasing the amount of visitors to a staffing or company jobs page. Also a process by which we increase the likely hood of a job description or resume will be pulled in a typical internet, HRIS or ATS search.

Company Job Site: Obviously since a company's job site is very important to staffing it would need to be optimized. For this you can utilize standard SEO methodology. To do this many factors come into account(this is not all inclusive):

1. Key/Buzz words

2. Links

3. Tags, Metatags

4. URLs, Domains, Misc

To help you with this I am providing some links to tools I find very helpful. Some of them can help you with the other parts of TSO below.

http://www.webseoanalytics.com/free/

http://websitehelpers.com/seo/

http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/how-to-seo-your-site-in-less-than-60-minutes/593/

Now some of the things they talk about are advance. However if you focus on; Keywords, and tags you will accomplish allot.

Resume Optimization- The idea being to ensure your resume or the resume of the candidate, whether on the web, in an ATS/HRIS system or where ever, has the greatest chance of being pulled by a recruiter or company or the hiring manager. You do this by ensuring you have all the correct key words or as they are called "Buzz Words". There are several methods to make this happen:

1. Job Descriptions(JD)- look at the JD of the positions you are submitting for, make note of the key, job related words used. Make note of the words that are used allot. Look at other JDs of similar positions and do the same. Soon you will have a list of "Key or Buzz Words". Also ensure you pay attention to titles, as each company may call a particular job by a different title. I know a company that calls its PMs, Account Managers. You need to ensure the resume has as many of the relevant words and titles as you can to ensure you have the highest chance of being found.

2. Thesaurus- Yes that is right a thesaurus. Because so many companies use so many different words in describing a job or position you must be prepared for them all. A simple check in a thesaurus, can help you see if you missed anything. If you are a PM look it up in a thesaurus see what other words also mean PM, I can guarantee you some company or recruiter will use it.

3. Dictionaries- Technical and non technical. These come in handy, in that acronyms, and names of things change, get added to constantly. Be sure to use an online one, since they will be kept up to date the most and be cheaper.

4. Do research on the company, you find what is their culture and way of doing things and that will tell you the kinds of words and phrases they will look for

The key with a resume and the biggest tool, is the JD, this is the key as it says what that company wants. You may in fact have to perform this process multiple times for different jobs and JDs.

Job Description (JD)- This is where the rubber hits the pavement for staffing. A good JD means everything. ensure you JD takes into account all the varying words and phrases that might be being used by candidates who would be a fit. For example do not write and post a JD for a recruiter and not have the words staffing, sourcing, recruiting, etc.. in it. When candidates search they might miss your JD because they searched under staffing and your JD did not have it. If need be have at the bottom a tag area were you put such tags in. As I said in my blog posting " How to write a great job description", Buzz Words are key to a great JD.

Social Media- Now a day's everyone has a blog, or tweets, or whatever. when doing so and doing it in a staffing(work) capacity ensure your posts have the needed tags to get maximum visibility. It does you no good to post if no one can find your posts. If you have a professional social media persona, were you talk about your company, yourself as a staffing professional also ensure you use the right tags and buzz words. Make sure you are professional. Google yourself see what come up, ensure you add yourself to places like; wefollow, zoominfo etc.

Company News Propagating(CNP)- Big phrase. Basically it means setting up news feeds(RSS- Really Simple Syndication) from Google or other sources, that come to you in your inbox. Taking the ones that help you and your company and sending them and the link out via social media, utilizing the correct tags. I have set up numerous feeds, that come to me via email, coming form google and other such sites, about different companies I have worked for. I read the emails and send out, the good ones, via, twitter, LinkedIn, facebook, and other Social media, I use the right tags and buzzwords. This helps to bring your company and yourself into the forefront of people minds and this can lead to connections, and candidates, but most of all great PR for you and your company.

Staffing News Propagating(SNP)- Like CNP(but not company orientated) the idea is to get you as a staffing professional out there and known. This will lead to people following you and as a result lead to connections and candidates. You can set up feeds to you of staffing related events, news, tools, etc.. and then propagate them out. Ensure you are using the right tags, buzz/key words etc..This will help people see you, and by proxy your company, as in the know about things and worth keeping track of.

The key to remember is all these tricks, and tools work professionally and personally. Also remember while this sounds like allot of work to set up and maintain, there are tools out there that can make it automatic requiring little work or upkeep. Tools such as; Ping.fm, hootsuite, tweetdeck, yoono, twitterfeed etc..

Well there you have it. TSO, in all its glory. However if you re read it all you will notice the heart and soul of TSO or any internet or database optimization is; Key Words, tags, and Buzz Words. If you ensure you have enough of them and they are appropriate then you will be found.