What would a completely social recruitment model look like; one where we really helped each other get work?
At the moment the largest recruitment platform is probably LinkedIn (or Twitter or Facebook, depending on what kind of work you do). They all work in slightly different ways, but they're all pretty basic when it comes to genuine, social recruitment.
I say this because I was just having a Twitter conversation with someone and it immediately became obvious where the flaws in all the current models are. On one hand the process is messy and pretty random (finding work through Twitter perhaps). On the other hand it's competitive and self-serving (LinkedIn with its peacock feathers and scratch-my-back Endorsements).
Specifically I'm wondering what truly co-created recruitment would be. Co-created recruitment would move us away from a transactional model to more of a shared value, properly social one. Instead of our suitability for work being based on what we've previously done (and listed) or what we can think of that that we're good at (and also listed) it would present an opportunity for our skills and experience to emerge through social interaction.
In other words, we put up a starting point for what we can do but our social network helps us to build this into a more rich and accurate picture of what we're capable of. People who know us can add and suggest new things and this builds a better picture of us for people with work that needs to be done.
Obviously that's only part of the possibilities for a truly social model. The added advantages are that this co-creative activity is network-based which means that endorsements are more implied and emergent than simply traded. It also bridges people directly with work opportunities through the same network.
Most importantly a real social model could take away one of the hardest parts of parading ourselves online: knowing what to write. A more iterative, social model takes care of that.
Anyway, as in so many areas, the social recruitment models we have seem to be based on legacy architecture (online CVs) rather than the architecture we need to realise the full potential. What do you think the new models of social recruitment might look like?