Thanks to social media, it is no longer difficult to keep in touch with the world around you. But are you using it to your advantage? During these tough economic times, it’s important to remember that there are steps you can take to make yourself more hireable than usual.
Before you begin embarking on your job-seeking journey, consider keeping in touch with your former employers to see if they’re hiring or looking for someone to fill a role that you might be interested in.
Organizations enjoy hiring former employees. Employers and hiring executives now find value in hiring former employees. As a recruitment outsourcing agency in Singapore, we’ve definitely seen the value of rehiring former BGC Group candidates. But before you go knocking on your former employer’s front office. You need to take this self-assessment test to see if you’re someone your employer would rehire.
Do any of these apply to you?
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You left your previous company on a good note. No bridges were burnt and you’re still in communication with your ex-colleagues.
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You constantly received great performance reviews. Although they can be daunting, performance reviews are also a good measure for you to see if you mesh well with your company. They’re also a great way to help you identify and see if your current occupation suits you.
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Your exit interview was great. Did you do well with your exit interview? If things went well or you’ve brought up the fact that you’d return to work with your previous employer. Then your previous workplace might be a great place to apply for a job once again.
Whether you’re a job seeker looking for a new career opportunity. Or a hiring manager looking for the right job seeker, we believe that this could be the article for you. Ok, enough talk! Below are the 5 reasons why you should keep in touch with former employers.
1. You’re Already the Right Fit
If you’ve left your previous employer on a good note — good news! You’re already a great cultural fit for the company. Employers are aware of the many benefits of having a good cultural fit. But are you? Being a good fit for an organization can also bring great benefits to you, as a job seeker. Some of the perks of being a good cultural fit include increased productivity, as well as being less prone to job burnout.
Read: Best Company Culture Review Websites For Singaporean Job Seekers
2. Potential Job Offers
Keeping in touch with your former boss might also help you land a job in a totally different company. Here’s why. There might be a chance that your boss will switch to a different company in the future. See the connection? In fact, you should keep in touch with other ex-colleagues for more potential job offers. It’s pretty easy to do with social media anyways. Below are some popular social media websites to help you keep in touch with your colleagues:
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LinkedIn: This professional networking site is great for those looking to stay connected with someone and keep their professional distance. Click here to visit LinkedIn.
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Facebook/ Instagram/ Twitter: For those who are willing to keep close and personal contact with your ex-bosses and colleagues, these are great websites to try utilizing! Plus pretty much everyone is on these websites and they’re also relatively each to keep in touch with!
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Blogs: Perhaps you’re a working creative or someone who likes to write a lot. Blogs can be a great way to keep in touch if your colleagues blog in their free time too. Like LinkedIn, blogs are a great way for those looking to stay connected with someone and keep their professional distance at the same time. Wordpress, Wix, and Blogger are some great websites for those who choose to blog.
3. Build a Strong Reputation
One of the many reasons why many job seekers choose to keep in touch with their former employers and colleagues is for future reference. Nobody finds it weird when a former employee contacts them for future job references — when their former employee is an acquaintance that they keep in regular contact with. But it can be an odd request to receive from someone you haven’t heard from or seen in years. Choosing not to stay in touch with your employer might just be a way to self-sabotage your hireability chances in the future.
4. Personal Guidance
Just like life, the career path can be complicated to some. We might need some personal guidance and advice from time to time. And who better to give that advice to than a seasoned veteran and close confidant from the same industry? Keeping close tabs or even befriending an old boss might lead to a mentor-mentee relationship. Unlike family and friends who are not in the same industry, your former boss is someone who understands what the industry is like.
5. Returning Employees Help Companies Save Money
This might not sound like a direct benefit for you, but hear us out. Employers want to keep costs low especially in a declining economy. Returning employees are a great investment for these employers because they cost less in the long run. Former employees require less training and since they’re already a great culture fit, these employees might choose to stay for longer periods of time. When you recognise this, you realise that former employees have the upper hand. So, the next time your ex-employer has a position open, you could be the right choice for them.
Thankfully, with the help of social media, networking, and staying in touch with your former colleagues and bosses is easy. Remember that even the occasional conversation can remove any current and future awkwardness. And it might even lead to better opportunities in the future.
What are your thoughts? Share them with us in the comments section below!