tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486643381744712172024-03-13T11:52:52.889-07:00Jeff Taylor / Business InsightsFor the past 20 years, I have helped companies throughout the country isolate their challenges and grow their business. I have developed recruiting and strategic growth plans for small start-ups as well as large international organizations. The focus of this blog is to provide insights and ideas (especially from a recruiting perspective) to help your business and grow profits.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-70469330118705575142014-11-12T07:13:00.000-08:002014-11-12T08:04:47.195-08:00PLANNING FOR SIGNIFICANT 2015 GROWTH? YOU MAY WANT TO RETHINK YOUR SALES MANAGEMENT STRATEGY<div class="MsoNormal">
The recent announcement that the U.S. economy is on pace for
its sharpest year of labor expansion in 15 years, combined with the fact that
the unemployment rate dropped to the lowest rate in 6 years (5.8%) confirms what
many have already felt -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2014 was
good, but 2015 can be great. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now is the time of year when many leaders begin to project
revenues for 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you are
gazing into the revenue projection crystal ball you may want to take some time
to rethink how you manage your sales professionals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are using the same approach to sales leadership you
did 5 years ago, you may find it difficult to realize your maximum revenue
potential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s review some
critical elements of sales leadership:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
WHO YOU HIRE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gone are the days when you look for the most extroverted,
most able-to-work-a -room person that can charm anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for critical thinkers that can
carry on a difficult business conversation with the most difficult personality.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Understand that the difference between extroverted and
introverted largely hinges on how they recharge their batteries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The extroverted person recharges their batteries by being
around others, being social – drawing their energy from the energy of
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An extroverted person
would look forward to going out for a cocktail with coworkers after work or
basketball with friends to unwind. The introverted person recharges their
batteries by spending time with themselves – going for a run or a simple dinner
with their family.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Both of these types can do very well in sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a matter of fact, there have been a
number of recent studies that show introverted salespeople may actually do better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personality types that lean toward
introversion don’t feel the need for people to like them (or get
distracted/frustrated when they don’t) and can focus on calmly discussing
needs, goals and solutions with decision makers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When hiring, look for people who like to win and set goals
in order to be able to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask
about past failures and how they were handled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to hear how the failure frustrated the candidate
and the plan they put in place to get back on top.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Additionally, look for an independent person that has a
demonstrated ability to work well with a team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avoid the person who feels the need to run for help or
provide updates after every call.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
CONSIDER A REMOTE WORKFORCE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is a globally shrinking world and unless your business
really demands your sales staff be in a specific location, consider the
possibility that your sales professionals could be remote employees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may be out of state talent or
talent that simply works from home.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Long gone is the reality that “face time” means
productivity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having your sales
staff in the office can often result in lower performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are easier pulled into unplanned
meetings, distracted by office politics or general reindeer games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want salespeople who value every
minute and see some of the office games (official and unofficial) as distractions
and impediments to their productivity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HOW YOU MANAGE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Standards of Performance for revenue generating
professionals are the product of outdated thinking when it comes to managing
sales leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, if you are
training brand new salespeople you need to instill good habits as a part of the
training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have a seasoned
professional, SOP’s act as a micromanagement tool of a bygone age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead simply focus on the desired revenue
goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did the salesperson meet or
exceed the goal?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the only
important factor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they did meet
their goal, nothing else matters – leave them alone, brainstorm with them when
needed, congratulate often and ask them what they need to continue to be
challenged. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the goals were not achieved, meet often, brainstorm and
mutually set mini-goals to get back on track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an example, for my business I look at sales goals as a
quarterly number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a person did
not meet the quarterly goal, I may want to focus on a monthly mini-goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may also want to review their
approach and mutually set goals around activities that will get them back on
track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If those mini-goals are not
met then hold accountable – reset mini-goals with more brainstorming.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Brainstorming” is the critical word for both productive and
non-productive sales professionals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This partnership approach to tackling the challenges of sales is more
centered on how business can move forward, rather than what a person is or is
not doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if a
salesperson is simply not putting in the work then a discussion will need to be
had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the day, sales
is a numbers game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone
tries to tell you otherwise, be very careful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
TECHNOLOGY</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your sales staff should have the most up to date technology
in the organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your sales
team is client facing, make sure they have the latest model of laptop or tablet
– rotate their older models with non-sales staff if necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will maximize their productivity
(personally & in front of clients) as well present a solid professional
image with clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing
creates a less than desirable first impression during a client presentation
than the spinning rainbow wheel of frustration holding up the start of the
meeting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Make sure the CPU, RAM & drive speed are maximized so
that they can efficiently utilize the most up to date tools.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
HOW YOU SET GOALS</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be realistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Set two goals with the members of your team – the goal and a BHAG (Big
Hairy Audacious Goal).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Know what
you want to do, what you think you can do and what the expected percentage of
growth of your industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If what
you want to do and think you can do is significantly above or below the
expectations of your industry then you should be able to logically articulate
why your goals differ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There may
be a logical reason, and that reason needs to be understood and supported by
the sales team.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
WHAT YOU VALUE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Keep perspective- don’t be impressed with high activity for
activity sake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The frantic person
is not always the productive person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead value planning, results, and the ability to work effectively
with other members of the organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
HOW YOU REWARD</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Salespeople value 3 things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are not in any particular order and can vary based on
the person you have on your team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Realizing what is important to them will allow you to keep them a motivated
and a committed member of the team.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Compensation – It doesn’t need to be the top end for your
industry, but it does need to be a structure that provides unlimited potential
based on results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you try to under-compensate
your sales team you will lose revenue you never knew you could be bringing in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recognition – Winners want to be recognized as winners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell them often, personally and
publicly, that they are a critical part of the team and recognize their
results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they bring in a big
piece of business or meet goals be sure to make a big deal about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Publicly they may act like it is not
a big deal, internally they will thrive on the kudos.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Flexibility – Top performing sales staff must feel that they
can come & go and make their schedules based on their needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This control trade-off will pay huge
dividends in loyalty and results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As a side note, top performing sales professionals will not respect you
if you allow under performers to have this flexibility.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-74105248939905479102014-09-23T06:48:00.000-07:002014-09-29T08:07:34.147-07:00PICKING THE RIGHT OUTSOURCED RECRUITING PARTNER<div class="MsoNormal">
According to the RPO Association, three quarters of employers
plan to hire in the next year and half of them are considering RPO –
outsourcing all or part of the recruiting process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Choosing the right RPO partner is critical to successful
results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are number of
factors to consider when evaluating the right potential partner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">UNDERSTAND WHY YOU
WANT TO CONSIDER RPO</b> – You may need to decrease the time it takes to fill
positions, increase the quality of candidates or build a stronger employment
brand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reasons can be
numerous, but it is essential that you understand why so that you can set goals
accordingly and measure potential providers based on your needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Significant cost savings is often a result
of an RPO program, however it should not be one of the primary reasons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IS EVERYONE ON BOARD</b>
– Not only does you’re your management team need to be on board with the idea
of RPO, in order for the process to work they also need to be on board with the
vendor that is chosen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have key
managers sit in on some, or all, of the meetings or conference calls with
potential vendors and listen to their input.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHAT IS YOUR POTENTIAL
RPO PROVIDOR’S APPROACH TO RECRUITING</b> – Ask them what their method of
operation is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they first get
a requisition from a hiring manager what is their strategic approach?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will want to hear them talk about
how they will connect with the manager to find out what key skills &
experience are really needed as well as what personality fit will be best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen for them to describe
specifically how they would develop a recruiting plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they talk about a long list of the
places they will post the position…go speak to another vendor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to partner with a provider
that is an expert at sourcing and recruiting, not posting and praying.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
H<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OW WOULD THEY
SUPPORT YOUR NEEDS </b>– Once you have given prospective firms what your hiring
outlook is, ask them specifically how they will support your organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many people will they put on your
company to support you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What roll
would each person play?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who would
handle day to day direction of your account?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ASK WHAT THEIR CLIENT
ON-BOARDING PLAN WOULD BE</b> -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You want to find a business partner that will take the time to set up
the process, and relationship correctly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An experienced business partner will first want to take some time to
completely discuss your current hiring process and how they will integrate into
that process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If changes need to
be made in the hiring process an experienced partner will outline
recommendations with explanations of why the changes will enhance results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How will the provider get to know you
and your managers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are their
thoughts on taking over searches in process?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for a provider that has a well defined approach to
getting you set up for success.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHAT DO THEY
SPECIALIZE IN</b> – Does the potential provider specialize in any particular
type of searches?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they do, will
they be able to handle your needs outside of the specialty?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large number of outsourced recruiting
providers do not specialize, and there are a number of benefits to considering
a firm of general recruiting experts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In those cases ask specifically how they would recruit for your typical
needs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PRICE</b> – How does
the potential provider price their service?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some outsourced recruiting providers bill on an hourly basis
for their services allowing your costs to fluctuate with your needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Firms may also charge a flat monthly
fee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are also fee per hire
approaches as well as hybrid arrangements such as a flat monthly management fee
with a per hire cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What you
want to see out of a firm is one that will structure the pricing model in
whatever way makes the most sense for your organization and situation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHAT TRACKING &
METRICS DO THEY PROVIDE</b> – Ask how often you will receive reporting and
specifically what reporting will be provided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for an organization that will provide you with an
overall weekly report on activities as well as a review of the metrics
associated with the goals that have been set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These metrics should be provided and reviewed monthly,
quarterly and annually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Additionally, these metrics could be broken out by region, location,
department and even specific manager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You will also want to feel comfortable that firm can provide you with
solid guidance on what metrics should be measured to line up with your desired
expectations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOW THEY WOULD SELL
YOUR COMPANY & SELL RELOCATION TO YOUR LOCATIONS</b> – Based on what the
potential provider knows about your company, ask them specifically how they
would sell it to someone who has never heard of your firm and not expecting a
call about potentially working there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also ask them how they would sell relocating to your market(s).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for a provider that can articulate
why your company is strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have
they researched the local Chamber of Commerce,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Economic Development or school district sites to sell
someone on relocation?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">LOCATION OF THE STAFF</b>
– Are the recruiters domestic or offshore?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How will they adjust their recruiting style and hours to
accommodate supporting your locations in different times zones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some firms will work their normal
hours, however you will want a provider that is accustomed to having their
recruiters adjust their schedules to reflect the market and industry they are
recruiting for.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOW WILL THEY SOURCE
YOUR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES</b> – What would their sourcing strategy be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do they use technology and how will
they use social media?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beware of
firms that focus too much on posting positions to numerous sites.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ASK TO VIEW LINKEDIN
PROFILES OF MEMBERS OF THEIR RECRUITING TEAM</b>– This information is easily
out there to find, so beware of a provider that is hesitant to cooperate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to make sure the profiles show
true recruiting and sourcing experts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Look for solid tenure and how they sell themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A recruiter who can’t feature their own
experience in an exciting and sellable way will not be able to make your
positions exciting or sellable either.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHAT IS THEIR ABILITY
TO SCALE WITH YOU</b> – If you suddenly decide to grow, or pull back on hiring,
what is your potential providers ability to scale their support up and down
with you? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IS YOUR POTENTIAL
PROVIDER OPEN TO A TEST RUN</b> – Look for a partner that is open to proving
their capabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they are
open to a pilot program give them several different types of positions to
search on, or even one specific location.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DETERMINE IF THEY FIT
YOUR STYLE</b> - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are the players
involved enjoyable to work with?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Are they flexible and entrepreneurial enough to adjust to any of your
needs…or rigid in their approach? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Deciding to outsource all or part of your recruiting may
seem stressful, but if you take the time to pick the right partner it will be a
tremendously beneficial situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your positions will take less time to fill, you will have higher quality
of candidates to choose from, your employment brand will strengthen and your
managers and HR team will be able to accomplish more.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-37254226378617785802014-07-29T12:40:00.000-07:002014-08-21T14:03:35.981-07:00The Real Cost of a Recruiting DepartmentWhile outsourcing your entire recruiting operation may sound expensive, when you break down the costs of a highly functional internal recruiting team you may be surprised. There are also several factors beyond cost that should be evaluated when considering the benefit of an in-house recruiting function versus outsourcing this strategic element of your business.
The six critical areas of an internal recruiting operation are: Internal Labor Costs, External Labor Costs, Advertising, Administrative, Facility and Opportunity Costs. Lets take a look at each of these.<br />
<br />
LABOR COSTS:<br />
• Recruiting Manager – Someone has to be in charge of the overall direction of the recruiting team as well as manage the day-to-day operations of the department. This person is also responsible for hiring, training and developing the recruiting staff<br />
• Recruiters<br />
• Sourcing support – These are your internet, big data, find candidates under hard to find rocks members of your team<br />
• Administrative Support – The members of the team that help schedule interviews, coordinate background checks, generate reports and keep the team running smoothly<br />
• Labor Overhead – Employer paid taxes and benefits will run between 25% - 40% of your actual labor costs<br />
<br />
EXTERNAL LABOR COSTS:<br />
• Contract recruiter fees and expenses
• Contingency recruitment fees – these range from 20% - 30% per search<br />
<br />
ADVERTISING:<br />
• Annual subscription fees to sites like LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Dice, Indeed and Ladders can be has high as several thousand dollars per person utilizing the service<br />
• Unique website fees<br />
• Fees associated with employment websites specific to a geographic area<br />
• Print advertising<br />
• Career Fairs<br />
• Social media marketing expenses<br />
<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:<br />
• Applicant Tracking System expenses – These will be recurring monthly expenses as well as additional fees for specialized reporting or customization<br />
• Background Checks<br />
• Reference Checking<br />
<br />
FACILITIES:<br />
• Physical Space – Every employee tied to recruiting needs 225 – 250 square foot of physical space. Multiply this by your per square foot rental cost or building operational cost.<br />
• IT expenses – It is estimated that the average employee costs a company $7,000 per year in overall IT expenses. These expenses include: computers, phones, phone utilization, IT supplies and internet expenses.<br />
• Office Supplies – On average an employee uses $200 per year in miscellaneous office supplies.<br />
<br />
OPPORTUNITY COSTS:<br />
When Human Resources professionals analyze how much time they have to spend on recruiting activities, the result is often stunning. When a company is going through growth mode it can take up a significant amount of their time. HR professionals don’t always make the best recruiters. Direct recruiting passive candidates is a lot closer to Sales than traditional HR functions and it may not be a strength of some HR professionals. Personally doing the recruiting, or managing a recruiting team, can take away from an HR leaders ability to be a true business partner to the organization. Strategic initiatives, employee engagement and operational effectiveness can be greatly improved by having your talented HR professionals focus on what they do best.<br />
<br />
When a true review of the financial expense of running your own Recruiting Department is reviewed against the costs of outsourcing this function to the right vendor, it often becomes clear that outsourcing can provide significant cost savings. In addition to the financial savings, companies find that by utilizing a vendor that provides highly skilled recruiters, they can increase their quality of hires, decrease turn-over, improve time to fill, as well as make their HR team and department managers more productive and functional.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-62484177569950631822014-07-02T07:48:00.000-07:002014-07-02T07:48:17.644-07:00IS IT TIME TO SPLIT HR?Below is an article from the July / August Harvard Business Review. Interesting thoughts.
Jeff
IT'S TIME TO SPLIT HR
by Ram Charan
It’s time to say good-bye to the Department of Human Resources. Well, not the useful tasks it performs. But the department per se must go.
I talk with CEOs across the globe who are disappointed in their HR people. They would like to be able to use their chief human resource officers (CHROs) the way they use their CFOs—as sounding boards and trusted partners—and rely on their skills in linking people and numbers to diagnose weaknesses and strengths in the organization, find the right fit between employees and jobs, and advise on the talent implications of the company’s strategy.
But it’s a rare CHRO who can serve in such an active role. Most of them are process-oriented generalists who have expertise in personnel benefits, compensation, and labor relations. They are focused on internal matters such as engagement, empowerment, and managing cultural issues. What they can’t do very well is relate HR to real-world business needs. They don’t know how key decisions are made, and they have great difficulty analyzing why people—or whole parts of the organization—aren’t meeting the business’s performance goals.
Among the few CHROs who do know, I almost always find a common distinguishing quality: They have worked in line operations—such as sales, services, or manufacturing—or in finance. The celebrated former CHRO of GE, Bill Conaty, was a plant manager before Jack Welch brought him into HR. Conaty weighed in on key promotions and succession planning, working hand in glove with Welch in a sweeping overhaul of the company. Mary Anne Elliott, the CHRO of Marsh, had had several managerial roles outside HR. She is overhauling the HR pipeline to bring in other people with business experience. Santrupt Misra, who left Hindustan Unilever to join Aditya Birla Group in 1996, became a close partner of the chairman, Kumar Mangalam Birla, working on organization and restructuring and developing P&L managers. He runs a $2 billion business as well as heading HR at the $45 billion conglomerate.
Such people have inspired the solution I have in mind. It is radical, but it is grounded in practicality. My proposal is to eliminate the position of CHRO and split HR into two strands. One—we might call it HR-A (for administration)—would primarily manage compensation and benefits. It would report to the CFO, who would have to see compensation as a talent magnet, not just a major cost. The other, HR-LO (for leadership and organization), would focus on improving the people capabilities of the business and would report to the CEO.
HR-LO would be led by high potentials from operations or finance whose business expertise and people skills give them a strong chance of attaining the top two layers of the organization. Leading HR-LO would build their experience in judging and developing people, assessing the company’s inner workings, and linking its social system to its financial performance. They would also draw others from the business side into the HR-LO pipeline. After a few years these high potentials would move to either horizontal or higher-level line management jobs. In either case they would continue to rise, so their time in HR-LO would be seen as a developmental step rather than a ticket-punching exercise.
This proposal is just a bare outline. I expect to see plenty of opposition to it. But the problem with HR is real. One way or another, it will have to gain the business acumen needed to help organizations perform at their best.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-60485689693144732412014-06-10T06:02:00.001-07:002014-06-10T06:02:36.048-07:00Employee Handbooks - What to Include & Common PitfallsAllison Carter, a colleague of mine, wrote this article about Employee Handbooks.<br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Why are Employee
Handbooks Important?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An employee handbook serves as an important document that not
only informs employees of Company policies and expectations but also provides
the Company with protection against potential lawsuits and complaints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well-written handbooks can minimize
both litigation and liability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
your company changes, so do the federal, state, and local laws, therefore so
should your handbook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maintaining and updating your handbook is something that should be tended
to on a regular basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Important Policies to
Include</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Below are the top policies to update and/or add to your
Company handbook for 2014:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>At-Will Statement</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Equal Employment Opportunity Policy</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Anti-Harassment & Discrimination Policy
along with a Complaint Procedure</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Non-Violence in the Workplace Policy </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Progressive Discipline Policy </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Internet, E-mail, & Computer Use Policy</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Social Media Policy</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>FMLA (if applicable) and other Leave & Time
Off Policies</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Overtime & Attendance Policies</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Drug & Alcohol Abuse Policy</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Disclaimer stating that the employee handbook is
not intended to create a contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The last pages of your handbook should contain<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> an “At-Will Employment Agreement and Acknowledgement of
Receipt of Employee Handbook” page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Have the employee and their manager/human resources sign and date.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Common Pitfalls</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Below are the most common mistakes that employers make when
it comes to employee handbooks:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Using a
template or generic handbook</b> -Don’t take the risk by using a “one size fits
all” approach as form handbooks may include items that aren’t relevant and more
importantly may miss important items that you need to address.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Offering
too much information-</b>Employers cannot account for every situation that
might occur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being more vague allows
flexibility while dealing with unforeseen circumstances and situations. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Including
policies that conflict with other policies & company documents</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Not including
a disclaimer and/or employment at-will statement-</b>This keeps the handbook
from acting as a contract with an employee</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Including
items that conflict with federal, state & local laws-</b>Any statements
that contradict with federal, state, and local laws are invalid and also can
result in the company losing credibility <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Failing
to update the handbook on a consistent basis-</b>Companies, laws and guidelines
are ever changing and your handbook need to change right along with them to
avoid liability & litigation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not sure if your handbook is up to par?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have it reviewed by an expert in the
field to ensure that you have addressed important issues to reduce confusion
for your employees, contradiction in policy, and risk of litigation within your
organization. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-25077636661739329772014-05-22T10:08:00.001-07:002014-05-22T10:08:35.094-07:00Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions of 2014
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Do you have oddball questions you ask at your
organization?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, an
unexpected question can tell you a great deal about a candidate.</div>
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<br /></div>
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According to Glassdoor.com, here are the top 25 oddball
interview questions of 2014, and who asked them. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“If you could throw a parade of any caliber
through the Zappos office, what type of parade would it be?” …ZAPPOS!</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“How lucky are you and why?” …airbnb</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“If you were a pizza deliveryman, how would you
benefit from scissors?”…Apple</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“If you could sing a song on American Idol, what
would it be?”…Red Frog Events</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer?”…Dell</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“If you were on an island and could only bring 3
things, what would you bring?”…Yahoo</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“If you were a box of cereal, what would you be
and why?”…Bed Bath & Beyond</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Do you believe in Big Foot?”…Norwegian Cruise
Line</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Why is a tennis ball fuzzy?”…Xerox</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“What
is your least favorite thing about humanity?”…ZocDoc</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“How
would you use Yelp to find the number of businesses in the US?”…Factual</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“How
honest are you?”…Alied Telesis</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“How
many square feet of pizza is eaten in the US each year?”…Goldman Sachs</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“Can
you instruct someone how to make an origami “cootie catcher” with just
words?”…LivingSocial</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“If
you were 80 years old, what would you tell your children?”…Mckinsey &
Company</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“You’re
a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?”…Urban
Outfitters</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">17.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“How
does the internet work?”…Akamai</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“If
there was a movie produced about your live, who would play you and
why?”…SinglePlatform</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“What’s
the color of money?”…American Heart Association</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“What
was the last gift you gave someone?”…Gallup</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">21.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“What
is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?”…Applebees</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">22.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“How
many snow shovels sold in the US last year?”…Taser</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">23.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“It’s
Thursday, we’re staffing you on a telecommunications project in Calgary, Canada
on Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your flight and hotel
are booked; your visa is ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What are the top five things you do before you leave?”…Thoughtworks</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">24.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“Describe
to me the process and benefits of wearing a seatbelt.”…Active Network</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">25.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>“Have
you ever been on a boat?”…Applied Systems</div>
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<br /></div>
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To read some of the answers, and view more questions from
the above companies, click the link below:</div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.glassdoor.com/Top-25-Oddball-Interview-Questions-LST_KQ0,34.htm?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=ODDBL14&utm_content=list">http://www.glassdoor.com/Top-25-Oddball-Interview-Questions-LST_KQ0,34.htm?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=ODDBL14&utm_content=list</a></span>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-19785670922562858462014-03-05T07:20:00.001-08:002014-03-05T07:20:25.421-08:00Practical Time Management for RecruitersTurnover in the recruiting profession is higher than it should be. Part of the problem is who our industry hires, part of challenge is our industry's commitment to training and a part is recruiters holding themselves accountable to the best possible daily practices. Recruiters are social animals, which can lead to all kinds of daily distractions. Steve Finkel wrote a great article on Practical Time Management that recruiters - that anyone (not just recruiters) who wants to succeed should read.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
Jeff <br />
<br />
<b>Practical Time Management for Recruiters</b><br /> by: Steve Finkel<br /><br />What does it take to do well in a today's market?<br /><br /><br />Certainly skill improvement and perhaps changes in methodology, the manner in which you work a desk, are primary.<br /><br /><br />However, all the improved technique and methodology in the world will not be maximized if enhanced focus and time management does not accompany. As Larry Nobles, well-known speaker and author of the best foundational book ever written for our industry (see Amazon), wrote, "Stop trying to get $300K in production from $100K worth of work!"<br /><br /><br />In a strong market, it is easy to drift, getting good results from less and less time, concentration, and effort. In today's market, however, things are different. Enhanced focus on time management will yield more substantive impactful time on the phone...and that, combined with improved methodology, is the only way to survive and prosper.<br /><br /><br /><b>Eliminate Time Theft</b><br /><br />Wal-Mart, perhaps the most successful retailer in history, warns their employees of "Time Theft"; this refers to time taken during the working day which reduces accomplishment of the results for which they are paid. Wasting time in the office on totally non-productive activities is thus the equivalent of stealing from your own income, your own family, and your own future.<br /><br />How much time do you actually spend on the phone generating income? The facts are that when this is measured by monitoring equipment, the average recruiter spends less than two hours a day on the phone. And even top producers rarely hit three hours! Where does the rest of the time go? Let's look at some common answers.<br /><br /><b>Personal Calls</b><br /><br />For many, a major impediment to success is personal phone calls.<br /><br />If not stopped and stopped quickly, these will grow to excess. The difficulty and cost of this problem goes well beyond the quantitative amount of non-work-related time that is taken on the phone, though that could be considerable. It is the great reduction of intensity that happens as a result of these constant interruptions.<br /><br />Peter Drucker in his exceptional book "The Effective Executive" made reference to this when he mentioned the fact that every human activity has 3 facets; the beginning, the doing, and then the wind down. Regardless of the length of time one invests, the "beginning" and the "wind down" are pretty close to the same. Thus, according to Drucker, a one-hour block of uninterrupted time is worth not 4 but 10 15-minute blocks of time. Why? Because the doing time, the central portion that yields effectiveness, increases by a factor of 10, though the warm up and the wind down stay pretty much the same.<br /><br />What this means to us is that a constant stream of incoming non-business calls tend to interrupt and cause us to have to warm up all over again! But how do you eliminate these? You can't very well hang up on nice people. Still something must be done or business will suffer...and suffer badly.<br /><br />It is, of course, simple to say "But I have Caller ID. I'll just let the calls go to my answering machine". However, it may be a genuine emergency. And of course, many of us don't want to be rude and will automatically answer the phone from someone we know...only to be slightly regretful that we did. So what to do?<br /><br /><b>Try this ...</b><br /><br />Step 1<br /><br />When a call comes in, ask yourself, is this really critical? The reality is if a nurse calls from school indicating that your child's got a broken arm, you must deal with it immediately. But you won't get many such calls. An overwhelming percentage will not be critical, but just people "calling to talk". Once you figure that out, it is fairly easy to take it from there.<br /><br />Step 2<br /><br />Indicate that you do want to speak with this person. "Bob, I appreciate the call. I really do want to talk with you." You want to be polite and friendly to these people, quite obviously. They are probably friends or relatives. However, you have a business to run and things to accomplish.<br /><br />Step 3<br /><br />Claim an important conference coming up. "But I am right on the verge of a very important conference. I do want to talk with you, but I have got to get to this meeting. May I get back to you this evening?"<br /><br />Step 4<br /><br />Do return the phone call ... after working hours. Over a period of time, if you continue with this procedure whenever a non-critical personal call comes in, it will become clear to these "social" callers that you are busy with work, and can only take important calls. This will eventually stop the non-important ones that drain your time, energy, focus...and income.<br /><br />This is significant! Between hobbies or non-business interests or friends, many recruiters will get a constant stream of these. If you don't stop it, it will affect your business.<br /><br />Maybe in a strong market, you can afford these time wasters, but the reality is that in a less-than-good market, things change. Put a sign on the phone if you don't remember to do this to serve as an ongoing reminder. Slowly get them away from calling you - just like that.<br /><br /><b>Intra-Office Chat</b><br /><br />In many offices, there is a clear separation in the determination of the recruiters to succeed in a less-than-great market.<br /><br />Some recruiters will tighten up, become more focused, work both smarter and harder, and will ultimately fight their way to high production. Others will slow down, complain, become unwilling to make calls, and engage in pointless time-wasting conversation to avoid getting on the phone. Look around your office, and see these two camps. Which one are you?<br /><br />The difficulty is that the latter group will make a definite effort to interfere with their tough-minded co-workers. Conversation about personal matters, complaints about management and the market, irrevelant erroneous "questions","suggestions" and "ideas" will all increase dramatically. While it is indeed the job of the manager to weed out these bad apples, it is your job to ignore them and go to work with a renewed dedication. And that is not always easy.<br /><br />The best way to avoid these impediments to your success is simply to be busy. When they walk into your office/work area and attempt to engage you in pointless conversation, just say "_____, I'd love to talk with you, but I've got an assignment I've got to find people for. Let's talk after work" . Then pick up the phone and make a call. Repeat a modified version of the same thing when they try to side-track you away from your desk.<br /><br />These people may be nice, but your primary function other than improving skills is staying on the phone--regardless of well-meaning distractions.<br /><br /><b>The High-Tech Time Waster</b><br /><br />The internet as a means of identifying potential candidates and clients has merit.<br /><br />However, unrelated to the internet as a business tool, it is also a major handicap in achieving your financial goals. Even if you have avoided getting involved in playing actual computer games, there is a real probability that you have not escaped other addictions relative to the internet. Consider the following:<br /><br />· A Nielsen Survey found that the majority of on-line shopping, auctions, stock trading, chat room visits, news reading and, yes, porn traffic, take place during working hours.<br /><br />· A recent Robert Half International survey found that 60% of executives said that time spent accessing the web for non-business purposes was undermining their employees' effectiveness on the job.<br /><br />· A recent Men's Health magazine survey of 2,000 subscribers asked the question, "What interferes most with your productivity at work?". The #1 answer (74%)? The Internet!<br /><br />So what's the answer to this modern high-tech time waster? Easy; get the heck off it!<br /><br />First, change your computer so it does not automatically hook up to the internet. Then... don't access it until after 5 PM. If you feel you need to research to identify candidates or clients, clump that time together and do it all after 4:30 -- while you're planning....including emails! Barring a real anticipated necessity, open your emails twice a day -- morning and right before planning. Here's a test. Keep track of the emails you receive tomorrow and then ask yourself this question. "'If I didn't read these until the end of the day, how much business would I lose?" The answer? Probably none. But the interruptions? Substantial!l<br /><br />What do you think would happen without non-essential internet time during prime working hours .. including emails, barring a real anticipated necessity? Chances are, with all that extra time and reduced distraction on your hands, you'd pick up the phone and make phone calls--lots of phone calls... Maybe you should try it and see.<br /><b><br />Maximizing Your Commute</b><br /><br /><br />If you commute to work, you already know that it is not the most exciting time of the day. Yet there are benefits to doing so.<br /><br />Rather than listen to talk radio or top-40 music, take this opportunity to start the day with the right attitude or to improve your skills. Good-quality CD's will accomplish both.<br /><br />Nightingale-Conant out of Chicago or Success Motivation Insititute out of Waco, Texas, have a number of products you may wish to consider. Among the industry-specific CD products, the best in terms of both content and manner of presentation is the Larry Nobles product "Successful Search and Placement!". It consists of twenty-four 30-minute modules, one for every working day for an entire month, addressing every facet of the recruiting business. Visit Amazon.com or access www.larrynobles.com for complete information on his excellent CD series.<br /><br />A 30-minute morning commute amounts to a solid ten hours a month of time spent driving to work. A 15-minute commute equals 5 hours a month. The drive to work sets up your attitude for the business day. It is critical to "hit the ground running". If you don't commute, listen to a 30-minute module while you shower or eat breakfast. Concentrating on the material in a topflight CD will allow the morning drive to contribute to your maximizing the time spent in the office.<br /><br /><b>Early Start</b><br /><br />"Well begun", as the old saying goes, "is half done". Moreover, multiple sales surveys have shown that the majority of business sales are made before noon. This applies to us as well.<br /><br />If you're in the habit of arriving a few minutes late in the morning, reviewing and adding to your Daily Planner ( which wasn't quite completed the night before), organizing your desk, greeting your co-workers one by one with comments to each, having several cups of coffee and then picking up the phone-you're missing out of the best selling time of the day. In our current market, you just can't afford to do so.<br /><br />Look around your office at the formal starting times, and see who is at their desk and on the phone-and who is still wandering around. Which one are you?<br /><br />If you're not on the phone--or at least pushing buttons to get through--early, you'd better make some changes. Especially in today's market.<br /><br /><b>Planning</b><br /><br />In a forthcoming issue, we may cover planning in more detail, though it is addressed thoroughly in the previously-mentioned CD series and in my own book Breakthrough!. This newsletter is long enough as it is. But I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention that a specific complete written-out Daily Planner filled out at the end of the day is an absolute key to getting maximum results from the time spent in the office. Don't shortcut this!<br /><br /><b>More Information</b><br /><br />There are several great benefits to reading books on a specific subject. The first, of course, is that you will actually learn hard information and techniques. In our business, these will directly translate into increased production. The second benefit, however, is that simply by reading a serious book, you will concentrate on the subject. To get results, you must reinforce by underlining or highlighting relevant points and then putting signs on the phone to remind yourself to implement. By doing so, you will almost automatically pay more attention to the topics addressed.<br /><br />There are two books on time management that will expand your knowledge and focus on this subject. They are How to Get Control of Your Time and Life by Alan Lakein and Working Smart by Michael LeBoeuf. See Amazon.<br /><br />"Reading is to the mind", Joseph Addison wrote, "as exercise is to the body". Nobody ever said it better.<br /><br /><b>The Two-Front War</b><br /><br /><br />It is no exaggeration to view improving production as a (bloodless) war. And if you are to prevail, this war must be fought on two fronts.<br /><br /><br />First, of course, is changing and improving skills, techniques, methodology.<br /><br /><br />To do so, however, is only half the job. The other half is to work equally hard at improving your focus, your concentration, your work ethic, maximizing time on the phone. The reality is that to survive today, you must endure some pain by pushing yourself beyond the boundaries of what is comfortable for you. While there will be no injuries in this war, there will very definitely be a fight. And the fight will be with your own motivation and discipline.<br /><br /><br />By establishing the needed habit patterns and eliminating the bad ones addressed here, you will greatly enhance your results from the other improvements that must be the foundation of your strategy. Combined with this, your increased call volume will allow you to make the most of our current market.<br /><br /><br />This two-pronged approach of skill improvement plus increased focus on effective time management will guarantee you conspicuous success in the roaring boom market that is sure to follow!<br /><br /> Check out Steve's website for other solid tidbits of advice: www.stevefinkel.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-72759581156683120812014-02-28T06:33:00.002-08:002014-02-28T06:33:12.917-08:00MAYBE THE FACEBOOK RECRUITERS DID GET IT RIGHT<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week Facebook agreed to purchase WhatsApp for $19B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The real story from the purchase
was that in 2009 Brian Acton, Co-Founder of WhatsApp tried to get a job at
Facebook and was turned down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
of the headlines are talking about how Facebook’s recruiters “Blew it” or “Cost
the company $19B.”
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would argue that there is the very real possibility that
the Facebook recruiters didn’t blow it, but may have made the right
decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lets look at the
critical criteria in hiring a new employee:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>CULTURE: Every business has its own values and
way of operating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to hire
people that fit into your culture, or the culture you want to move your
business closer to.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>DRIVE: In all businesses, especially startups,
you want employees who <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">believe in
working hard to over-achieve a goal, and get upset when it is missed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believe that every hour…minute
worked is an opportunity to make a goal happen. Look for people who
believe that to make something cool happen - you go home exhausted at night
because you did your part for the greater good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for people who are excited about what you are trying to
accomplish.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>CONFIDENCE: Does the potential employee seem to
have the right level of confidence to get the job done or excel in your
organization?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>PERSONALITY: This is the first cousin to
“Culture.” Does the potential employee have the right personality to fit with
the company, or the specific team they will be joining?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this fit is off, then you may have
problems.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>SKILL SET:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Has this person had the experiences required to have the skills to excel
in the role?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t confuse this
with looking to see if they have done the job before – as that is rarely a good
gauge into future success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
really want to dig into the experiences they have had to make sure they match
with what you know will cause a person to excel in this job.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>CHARACTER: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the person have values that align with yours?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do they seem honest and above reproach?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>COMPENSATION: Is the compensation they are
looking for in line with your compensation structure?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some may argue that education is missing from the list. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Avoid focusing on education from the standpoint of making
sure the degree a person has matches what you are hiring for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Studies have shown that there is not
necessarily a correlation to being successful in a field because that is what
your degree is in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said,
there is a great deal of merit to valuing someone with a college degree over
someone without.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A great deal is
learned during those years of education beyond the education itself – maturity,
cooperation, critical thinking, etc.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the time of Brian Acton’s interview with Facebook, it is
entirely possible that one or all of the important criteria did not match with
what Facebook needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that were
the case, then the Facebook recruiters made the right decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hiring people that are off on any of
the above can be disastrous for the organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All it takes is a few bad hires to slow, or halt, the growth
of a company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few bad hires can
also cause your best people to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Great people want to be surrounded by equally great people.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Entrepreneurs have to be hired into the right roles, with
the right amount of freedoms to be successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Facebook were not in a place to be able to do that when
WhatsApp’s future leader was interviewed then that would have been a bad hiring
decision.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-810691665155362432013-12-20T07:01:00.003-08:002013-12-20T07:01:47.601-08:00Recruiting the Hunger Games Way<h1 class="entry-title-header">
<a class="entry-title" href="http://www.ere.net/2013/12/20/recruiting-the-hunger-games-way/" rel="bookmark" title="Recruiting the Hunger Games Way">Recruiting the Hunger Games Way</a>
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<blockquote>
<em><a href="http://www.ere.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Screen-Shot-2013-12-09-at-1.50.57-PM.png"><img alt="Screen Shot 2013-12-09 at 1.50.57 PM" class="size-full wp-image-35312 alignleft" height="129" src="http://www.ere.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Screen-Shot-2013-12-09-at-1.50.57-PM.png" width="156" /></a>May the odds be ever in your favor.</em></blockquote>
Ten million skilled labor jobs went unfilled in the U.S. last year
alone. 10,000 Baby Boomers retire each day. Do the math and something
needs to happen to put the odds in your favor if you are a recruiter.
Here are a few to consider.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Be Memorable<span id="more-35307"></span></strong></h3>
Advantages came to the contestants in The Hunger Games who were the
most memorable out of the 24 who were competing. You’re probably not
Google, Facebook, or Apple. You don’t have instant name recognition that
helps to sell your brand. But you do have a story to tell.
Psychologists have been studying the impact of sharing stories and how
they directly impact a person’s attitudes, values, hopes, and fears. But
somehow, in the recruiting world, we haven’t grasped that power yet.<br />
So much of recruiting today is creating a job description with an
unending list of bullet points and communicating what they company
demands of the candidate. Very little emphasis is placed on telling the
candidate about the company — what it does, why it does it, what impact
it makes, and the causes that company supports. Once a company can have
interested parties visualize themselves working there, the battle has
been won.<br />
In addition, an emphasis on that candidate’s experience is mandatory.
It’s a no-win situation to tell a remarkable story and have a candidate
envision themselves working there … and then totally disregard the
candidate through the rest of the recruitment process. Common human
courtesies will help to make your company memorable.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Alliances Get You Further</strong></h3>
As with any good movie, you have the good guys and the bad guys. The
Hunger Games was no different. As the battles began, individuals quickly
aligned with each other to try to defeat the others.<br />
In this battle for talent, new, fresh, innovative thinking is
required — a business alliance. For some, it might mean aligning with a
firm that can focuses on sourcing and driving candidates to your
recruitment team. For others, it might be a marketing ally that help you
to tell your story — online, print, video, social, etc. Some will
choose an ally that is focused on recruitment optimization — taking your
current strategies, processes, technology, and team and fine-tuning it
to make it run more effectively and efficiently. Or you might align
yourself with a totally outsourced recruitment partner that delivers on
your behalf.<br />
I have been warning recruitment leaders for the past few years that a
major transition was about to take place in the way that recruiting is
executed. This is mostly because of the generational shift of our
candidate base. Two main reasons why this change will take place:<br />
<ol>
<li>It is the first generation to grow up with the Internet accessible
to them every day of its lives. It has reshaped communication skills. It
has reshaped problem solving. It has reshaped how businesses operate.
It has reshaped just about every aspect of our lives. But somehow we
think we can still recruit with the same tired strategies and processes
that we used 5-10-15+ years ago.</li>
<li>This is also the generation where everyone got a trophy and we quit
keeping score. Candidates have a deep need for communication and
reassurance … and having an ATS with knockout questions that eliminate
the vast majority of applicants within 30 seconds of their application
being submitted doesn’t really feel good to these candidates.</li>
</ol>
The role of recruiter is changing to more of an influencer … and that
means alliances must be in place: Networking alliances. Campus
alliances. Referral alliances. Optimization alliances.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Your Mentor Changes Everything</strong></h3>
In the movie, each Tribute had a mentor assigned to them. One of the
most appealing things that a company can do to draw in new talent is
assign that new person to a mentor. Someone to show them the ropes,
answer their questions, and give the newly hired person a very personal
sense of dedication and appreciation. It will take some screening and
training on your part to find those who will truly embrace the role of
mentor, but this commitment is well-worth the extra effort when
competing for a candidate with a competitor.<br />
You may not be the biggest company. You may not have the most
resources. You can, however, put the odds in your favor by developing
and executing on a plan based around these ideas.<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-8877517628967999002013-12-02T08:27:00.001-08:002013-12-02T08:27:41.843-08:00What Does The Future of Hiring & Recruiting Look Like?<div id="article-header">
<h1 class="article-title">
The Future of Hiring and Recruiting, Circa 2020-2025</h1>
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<span class="article-date">by Lou Adler</span>
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<h4>
<img alt="" class="center" height="356" src="https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/p/8/005/02a/282/34ee2e8.jpg" width="498" /><em><strong>"Maximizing personal growth and job satisfaction in the short-term will maximize compensation in the long-term."</strong></em></h4>
In
1998 I took a snapshot of the hiring process used at most companies.
(It was a special camera.) The picture that emerged looked similar to
the image shown. With this past in mind, I’ve decided to take a picture
of the hiring landscape 10 years into the future. I’m pretty sure I’ll
be retired by then, so I’ll use this post to reminisce about the future
that could be.<br />
<ol>
<li><strong>Talent becomes a business strategy, not just a mission statement</strong>.
Company leaders will finally realize that if hiring great people is the
most important thing hiring managers need to do, they’ll actually be
measured on how well they do it.</li>
<li><strong>The elimination of skills-infested job descriptions. </strong>Skills,
academics and experiences don’t predict on-the-job performance. By
proving that candidates are competent and motivated to do the actual
work required under the actual circumstance, you’ll discover they have
the exact level of skills, experiences and academics required. This
shift will also open the pool of prospects to diverse candidates of all
types regardless of age, race, gender or physical challenges. (Here's<a href="http://budurl.com/Littlerform" target="_blank"> a legal brief you can download</a> describing this process as not only superior, but more legally defensible.)</li>
<li><strong>Performance-based matching becomes fully effective</strong>.
Rather than matching people on key words, the ability to use artificial
intelligence to match a person based on their past performance becomes
available. This allows anyone who has a track record of comparable
accomplishments to be considered. This will instantly open the door to
more top candidates in different industries, including and especially,
returning military veterans. Comparability will be based on job
complexity, types of decisions made, underlying business conditions and
job pressures, organizational structure and sophistication, and breadth
of team responsibility.</li>
<li><strong>Companies finally realize that the best people are not interested in lateral transfers. </strong>It’s
pretty obvious that if a company wants to hire a great person, they
need to offer a great career opportunity. The posting of traditional job
descriptions will be banned as archaic, and recruitment advertising
will be story-based, emphasizing what the person can do, learn and
become, not the skills they must have. <a href="http://budurl.com/AGcontAD" target="_blank">Here’s a sample of this type of futuristic ad</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Auto-engage high probability prospects with career opportunities</strong>. People give lots of clues whenever they’re thinking of switching jobs. For example, they <a href="http://budurl.com/EGFHp" target="_blank">buy this book on job-hunting secrets</a> or <a href="http://budurl.com/seekersecrets" target="_blank">watch this video</a>,
they update their LinkedIn profile, they expand their professional
network, they attend more industry events, they Google for jobs to see
what’s available, and they check out salary.com. Since their LinkedIn
profile is public, it’s pretty easy to push jobs directly to these
people when these job-hunting activities reach a certain level. They’ll
actually respond if these jobs represent career moves, not lateral
transfers.</li>
<li><strong>Assessment accuracy emerges from the dark ages</strong>.
Competency models and behavioral interviewing will be tossed out as far
better tools emerge. These outdated tools are as bad as relying on the
continued use of skills-infested job descriptions to attract people. I’m
going with <a href="http://budurl.com/LIMSA" target="_blank">Performance-based Interviewing,</a> <a href="http://budurl.com/LIdocs" target="_blank">objective evidence-based assessments</a> using <a href="http://budurl.com/QoHsample" target="_blank">talent scorecards</a>, <a href="http://budurl.com/Zone1" target="_blank">Career Zone analysis</a>, and AI-based fit assessments.</li>
<li><strong>People will become an investment to be nurtured, not a cost to be controlled</strong>.
Robust public and private knowledge databases will be available (think
LinkedIn on steroids), that fully describe a person’s performance and
potential. As new jobs open up, companies will be able to instantly
target their current and former employees who are best suited for these
roles. This will enable a company to finally leverage it’s human
capital.</li>
<li><strong>Hiring becomes a legitimate business process</strong>. If
the demand for top talent is greater than the supply, you can’t use a
process designed to weed out the weak, you need one designed to attract
the best. Real time feedback metrics will ensure the process is in
control and functioning properly. This shift is now underway at
companies in highly competitive talent markets, like Silicon Valley.
Some are using <a href="http://budurl.com/pbhh1" target="_blank">Performance-based Hiring</a> as the foundation.</li>
<li><strong>The emergence of the hiring manager self-service model driven by the ERP and VTC.</strong>
With all of the above taking place, it will become increasingly easier
for a hiring manager to tap into his or her company Employee Referral
Program (ERP) and instantly obtain a list of pre-qualified, warm
referrals. Candidate pipelines will become a thing of the past as
Virtual Talent Communities (VTC) became the primary means to connect
people with opportunities. VTCs are the sum total of a company's
employee's first degree connections.</li>
<li><strong>Candidates make rigorous and balanced career decisions</strong>. The <a href="http://budurl.com/Zone1" target="_blank">Career Zone model</a>
presented in an earlier post offers job-seekers a sophisticated means
to evaluate any career opportunity by considering all of the long- and
short-term factors in balance. It starts by figuring out where the
person is positioned on the career curve and selecting new opportunities
that maximize job stretch and job growth, not compensation. Maximizing
personal growth and job satisfaction in the short-term will maximize
compensation in the long-term.</li>
</ol>
Image, the impact of improved workforce mobility as described.
There'd be better jobs for everyone, more satisfied people, a more
productive economy and a big drop in unemployment as jobs are filled
more quickly and more accurately. But hold on. About 10 years ago, I put
together another list of hiring predications for circa 2010-2015.
Funny, they looked a lot like the above. I guess I’m not very good at
predicting.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-23764055219780638602013-11-26T07:28:00.003-08:002013-11-26T07:28:44.964-08:007 Stats about Candidate Sourcing in 2013<br />
<h3 class="title">
7 Incredible Stats about Candidate Sourcing in 2013</h3>
<div class="byline">
by <a href="http://resources.rpoassociation.org/blog/?Author=Allison+Reilly">Allison Reilly</a>
</div>
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<span class="IN-widget" style="display: inline-block; line-height: 1; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: inline-block ! important; font-size: 1px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important; text-indent: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1385479462702_0"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" id="li_ui_li_gen_1385479462702_0-link"><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1385479462702_0-logo">in</span><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1385479462702_0-title"><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1385479462702_0-mark"></span><span id="li_ui_li_gen_1385479462702_0-title-text">Share</span></span></a></span></span><span style="display: inline-block ! important; font-size: 1px ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important; text-indent: 0px ! important; vertical-align: baseline ! important;"><span class="IN-right IN-hidden" id="li_ui_li_gen_1385479462713_1-container"></span></span></span> </div>
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<img alt="sources of hire" border="0" class="alignRight" height="157" id="img-1376952711956" src="http://resources.rpoassociation.org/Portals/157743/images/7K0A0972-resized-600.JPG" style="float: right;" width="236" />Recruiting
has changed a lot over the past few years, and it's still changing. If
you're not changing with it, particularly your candidate sourcing, then
you're going to miss out on great talent by selecting your candidates
from such a small pool of the population. In fact, there is probably a
thing or two that you can do differently, as the following seven
incredible stats will illustrate. Candidate sourcing may not be what you
think it is.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Over 2.8 Million Jobs are Advertised on Craigslist</h2>
<img alt="publically available job ads resized 600" border="0" class="alignLeft" height="265" id="img-1376953921341" src="http://resources.rpoassociation.org/Portals/157743/images/publically%20available%20job%20ads-resized-600.jpg" style="float: left;" width="353" />Recruiters
like to scoff at Craigslist, citing it as a place that can't possibly
find white-collar jobs or serious professionals. Craigslist can be hit
or miss, but that doesn't mean you can count it out, especially since it
is the predominant player when it comes to publicly available job ads.
It's certainly not social media, where LinkedIn only has 256,000 job
ads. This chart is a snapshot of a four-year period, with the final
numbers representing April 2013.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Dice is the Best Source for Technology Hires, while Monsters is Great for Manufacturing</h2>
<img alt="best sources of hires by industry resized 600" border="0" class="alignRight" height="261" id="img-1376957894237" src="http://resources.rpoassociation.org/Portals/157743/images/best%20sources%20of%20hires%20by%20industry-resized-600.jpg" style="float: right;" width="352" />"What
we would recommend to any provider, or to any company looking at
[their] job marketing strategy, is that it's really more important to
look what are the type of positions you're hiring for and what is your
industry," said Ray Rike, chief operating officer at Accolo. "Then, you
get a little more granularity into what is the best place that
candidates are likely to see your job."<br />
LinkedIn doesn't even have half the tech industry jobs that Dice has,
while LinkedIn only has about two-thirds as much as Monster in
manufacturing. In the retail, financial services, and insurance
industry, Careerbuilder leads in all three. This is because the types of
jobs in these industries don't necessarily attract the people who are
going to be promoting their skills and resumes on LinkedIn.<br />
<h2>
Social Network Statistics are Compelling</h2>
The previous two statistics said that LinkedIn wasn't worth the time.
It doesn't have the market share and it's really not the place for
positions in certain industries. However, don't count out social media
recruiting quite yet. Below are a few compelling statistics that show it
is the recruiting strategy of the future.<br />
<ul>
<li>LinkedIn has 202 million members</li>
<li>36% of its members are in the US</li>
<li>It accounted for 40% of mobile job views</li>
<li>The site as 90% revenue growth in its talent solutions last year</li>
</ul>
Even so, LinkedIn isn't the only social network out there. The big
takeaway in social media recruiting is that Twitter, yes Twitter, is the
fastest-growing network for certain demographics (40,000 new members
per day) while being the most underused social network for recruiting.
In fact, this leads us to our next incredible statistic:<br />
<h2>
LinkedIn is the Slowest Growing Social Network for Those 25 to 44</h2>
<img alt="social media recruiting by demographic resized 600" border="0" class="alignLeft" id="img-1376959644701" src="http://resources.rpoassociation.org/Portals/157743/images/social%20media%20recruiting%20by%20demographic-resized-600.JPG" style="float: left;" />"For
those of you... who say that LinkedIn is dominating social network
growth, especially for hiring, I would ask you to challenge that bias,"
Rike said. "We were on the LinkedIn wagon five years ago, and although
we're seeing more jobs there, we're also seeing more candidate fatigue."<br />
Rike hypothesizes that if recruiters only focus on LinkedIn, they
risk continued and increased candidate fatigue, leading to increased
possibility of missing out on passive candidates who may be on the site.<br />
<br />
<em>If these incredible stats have changed how you think about your current sources of hire, then you need to view this webinar:<span class="TitleEditSpan "></span></em><br />
<em><span class="TitleEditSpan ">"<a href="http://resources.rpoassociation.org/amazing-charts--stats-about-candidate-sources-for-2013/" target="_self" title="Amazing Charts & Stats About Candidate Sources for 2013.">Amazing Charts & Stats About Candidate Sources for 2013.</a>"</span> </em><br />
<em>The 60-minute webinar features interesting hiring stats about job
board performance including CareerBuilder, Craig's List, DICE, Indeed,
Job Central, (The) Ladders, Monster, Simply Hired as well as compelling
hiring stats about social networks including LinkedIn, Facebook, and
Twitter.<a href="http://resources.rpoassociation.org/amazing-charts--stats-about-candidate-sources-for-2013/" target="_self" title=" Acccess webinar."> Access the webinar now.</a></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-49272088446186816442013-11-14T11:06:00.004-08:002013-11-14T11:06:54.194-08:00Could A RECRUITMENT PROCESS SUPPLEMENT (RPS) Solution Be The Answer To Your Recruiting Challenges?
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>2PM EST <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Are you having a challenge keeping up with your hiring needs,
finding the right talent or spending too much on recruiting fees? This
webinar will walk you through how a Recruitment Process Supplement solution may
be the right answer.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Recruitment Process Supplement is a fairly new but growing solution
where a RPS firm will partner with your organization to have one of, or team
of, their recruiters help you with whatever recruiting function you need
assistance. These firms not only provide you with experienced recruiting
support, but often these recruiters come with large databases, strong data
mining techniques, behind the scenes recruiting support and leadership.
Solutions can range from handling difficult searches, or simply
supporting your team with sourced and screened candidates to complete
recruiting outsourcing. Typically, the only fee you pay is an hourly fee.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">This webinar will talk about what kinds of companies and situations
benefit from this type of solution, how to choose the right firm, how to
determine the right support level, tips to maximize integration into your
process and ideas on how to structure the right deal for your organization.
No sales will be done in this webinar, only information for you to decide
if this solution can increase your organizations effectiveness in hiring,
reduce time to fill and recruiting costs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">To sign up, please email Jeff Taylor at <a href="mailto:jtaylor@skywalkgroup.com"><span style="color: #12399e;">jtaylor@skywalkgroup.com</span></a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-12003651457903027122013-11-12T10:08:00.000-08:002013-11-12T10:08:02.206-08:00Exit Interviews - A Missed Opportunity
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A colleague of of mine wrote this about Exit Interviews. ...a very good reminder for us all.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Exit Interviews- A
Missed Opportunity </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By: Sarah Hall</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first exposure to the idea of an exit interview was in a
college lecture about underutilized evaluation tools. My grad school professor
painted the picture of a generic survey completed and stashed away into a
termination file, never to be looked at again. The protocol of a human resources
generalist awkwardly asking an often disgruntled employee a series of questions
about how they feel about the organization, and if they would recommend a
friend to work there has caused us to undervalue the concept of the exit
interview for too long. In truth, the exit interview is a gem of a tool that,
if utilized correctly can serve as a powerful engagement resource. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s the question that counts</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If your exit interview form is an outdated photocopy of
generic questions with an accompanying 5-point Likert scale, throw it out. Exit
interview questions should provide insight into the true reasons employees want
to leave your organization. Starting a new job is often a painful process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New employees must adjust to a new
routine, team members and processes. Additionally, leaving a job to start a new
one is a gamble. There is no way to guarantee that what someone is walking into
is better than what they left…yet people choose the difficult unknown path over
their current jobs every day. There is a reason for this, and there is
incredible value in finding out why. When you have the opportunity to ask
someone why he or she chose the unknown over your organization, take it! Is it
about leadership, money, benefits or culture? You won’t know until you ask. A
few of my favorite go-to exit interview questions are: </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do you feel as though you were able to build
strong relationships with co-workers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Did your manager set you up to succeed? </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Were you given an accurate preview of what the
job would look like during the interview process? </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Was your decision to leave caused by a single
event? </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Did you receive timely and appropriate feedback
about your performance? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rather than ask a ton of questions, try to cover the basics
and dig in as deep as you can. For example, the information you gather by
asking: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Did you receive timely and
appropriate feedback about your performance? </i>May provide insight into the
performance review process, organizational leadership or any one specific
manager. The interview process should resemble a conversation, and the more
relaxed and engaging you are, the more valuable information you will be able to
collect from fewer questions. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Good information gone to waste</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s unfortunate that often times the completed exit
interview is reviewed by one person and stashed away into an employee
termination file. All of that glorious insight into your organization is
sitting untouched in a dark cabinet. Take every opportunity to share the
findings from an exit interview with your leadership team. If you have
significant turnover, look for patterns. You can only drive meaningful and
effective change if you have a grasp on what needs to be changed, and why. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sharing exit feedback is not enough to reap the full benefit
of their value. Save interview findings for a specified time period and use
that feedback as you formulate your strategic plan for the next year. Or better
yet, commit to a regular exit analysis with your senior leadership team on a
regular basis. What finer guidance than the honest, candid feedback from people
who chose leave your organization? Exit feedback is critical as you think about
leadership development, engagement and determining a compensation strategy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Turn the tables</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never understood why we often wait until employees are fed
up enough to leave the organization to ask about how things are going. Consider
talking to employees from a different perspective and facilitate a STAY
interview. Why do you choose to stay with our organization? What are we doing
well? What can we improve? The same caliber of valuable information is
collected in a stay interview- and we don’t have to backfill a position! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Exit interviews provide a wealth of insight into what is
going on in your organization. Consider implementing a robust strategy for
collecting information related to why people leave (or stay with) your
organization, and watch how quickly you will be able to align your exit process
with the strategic goals of your organization! </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-9506898456783569032013-11-01T07:04:00.000-07:002013-11-01T07:04:10.370-07:00How Online Dating Skills Can Improve Your Job Search...and interesting article from Good.co on the parallels of online dating and searching for a job.<br />
<br />
<em><strong>Ladies and Gentlemen:</strong> </em>you’ll be pleased to discover that those hours of your life you’ve wasted on OKCupid, e-Harmony and Match.com <em>may </em>come in handy – your online dating skills can help you improve your job search. How?<br />
Finding the perfect company is a little bit like online dating… minus
the fake names and creepy messages, of course. It can be overwhelming
at first. There are thousands of potential matches out there, many of
which you would probably enjoy – however, there’s a<strong><em> major</em> </strong>difference
between Mr. Right and the dude you let take you out to dinner because
you’re flat broke, desperate, and sick of eating ramen noodles with your
cat.<br />
If there’s one thing more important than finding a job you love, it’s <a href="http://www.good.co/companies" target="_blank">finding a <em>company</em></a> that you love. A job might make you happy in the short term, but being with a company that shares <a href="http://www.good.co/personal_personalities" target="_blank">your personality</a>, values and ideals will offer you opportunities that can keep you happy in the long term. Ready to improve your job search?<br />
<img alt="romance" class="size-full wp-image-1337 alignright" height="282" src="http://www.good.co/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/romance1.jpg" width="282" /><br />
<strong>Like online dating, you have to narrow down the pool. Why? Because you want to:</strong><br />
A) Ensure that you don’t waste your time<br />
B) Find a company in which you will flourish<br />
Your first step in the hunt for <a href="http://www.good.co/organizational_personalities" target="_blank">your ideal company</a> should be similar to how you’d proceed on an online dating site. Spend some time getting to the bottom of who you are. <a href="http://www.good.co/" target="_blank">What’s your personality?</a> Who are you and what’s important to you?<br />
<strong>IMPORTANT:</strong> absolute honesty is key here. If you’re
not upfront with yourself about your personality, you won’t be able to
narrow your search effectively. For example, maybe you’d feel warm and
fuzzy if you went to work for a non-profit that encourages volunteerism –
but if you don’t give a flip about volunteering, it’s not going to be a
good fit <em>(and let’s face it – you’ll seem like a total Bozo every
time your team gets excited about a trip to the soup kitchen while you
roll your eyes and go back to your spreadsheets.)</em><br />
<strong>So ask yourself – who are you?</strong><br />
<strong></strong>Are you an <a class="broken_link" href="http://blog.good.co/how-to-cope-as-an-introvert-in-an-extroverted-office/" target="_blank">introvert?</a>
If so, you should probably mark off the companies that put a big
emphasis on teamwork. Are you an extrovert that needs constant action?
If yes, then you’ve just marked through a big chunk of employers in the
government sector.<br />
<strong>Also, consider what is important to you.</strong><br />
What about your personal values? Do you value time off more than money?
Making that distinction will definitely narrow down your choices. What
about things like religion or politics? Could you work for a company
that politically supports an idea that you’re in strong opposition to?<br />
<strong>You should even consider your hobbies and recreational pursuits.</strong><br />
Do you absolutely love the arts? Sports? Accounting? <em>(Seriously. Some people do.)</em>
Maybe a company in one of those industries would be a perfect match. Or
maybe not – you might be the type who wants to keep work and play
separate. It’s just as important to know what will make you happy – and
what will make you <em>miserable. </em><br />
Once you’ve made a list of all the things that define your personality, spend some time <a href="http://www.good.co/companies" target="_blank">searching for a company that fits that profile</a>. Narrowing companies down based on <a href="http://www.good.co/personal_personalities" target="_blank">your personality type</a>
will not only make your job search faster and more relevant, but you’ll
be a much more attractive candidate when you do land that first date<em>…er… interview.</em><br />
No fake names required, of course.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-39291366093109739162013-10-23T11:35:00.000-07:002013-10-23T11:35:50.830-07:00When the salary request is a huge jumpEvery now and then you will be interviewing a candidate and they will indicate that they want a significant jump in compensation over what they are currently making. Presently, they are earning $45,000 but in their next position they only want to consider opportunities that are above $70,000.<br /><br />While your first reaction might be to politely tell them that they are out of their mind, I have always used the following question to broach the subject:<br /><br />“You are asking for a significant increase over what you are currently making. My client will ask me about that. Tell me, is their something that has changed in your world like an additional degree or specialized license that would warrant the such an increase?”<br /><br />Sometimes, you are surprised and learn something that really allows you to sell this candidate.<br /><br />When there is no justifiable reason for the increase you need to address it. <br /><br />“Without any significant increase in education or experience, it will be very difficult to get that kind of compensation. With that in mind, at what salary level would you not want me to reach out to discuss a possible opportunity?”<br /><br />You will often find that with the subtle reality check that you gave them, it brings the expectations back in line.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-7219473546510729002013-10-07T07:24:00.001-07:002013-10-07T07:24:19.395-07:004 Types of Interview Styles & How To Prepare Your Candidates For ThemThere are 4 main types of interview styles. By preparing your candidate for the interview style of the person they meet with you will increase their effectiveness in the interview. How do you know what kind of interviewer your client is? You get this information when you debrief the first candidate you send in to interview. They are your Guinea pig that sets you up to prepare everyone else extremely well.<br /><br />IN-DEPTH<br />This is the interviewer who will ask very detailed questions on what is on the candidate's resume as well as what is not on the resume. This is also the interviewer who asks detailed questions based on the answers to other questions. Behavioral Based interviewers fall into this category. They listen intently, don't miss much and quickly recognize conflicting information or answers that don't make sense. <br /><br />The way to prepare a candidate for them is to let them know to be prepared to talk specifics about their experience. Where there are accomplishments or awards noted on their resume, the candidate should be prepared to explain how they did what they did - in detail.<br /><br />CASUAL<br />This is the interviewer who may start off the interview with "So, tell me about yourself." They are very comfortable to talk to, are very friendly and open...and candidates will often find themselves opening up and sharing details that they never intended to or wanted to...it just seems like such an open conversation between friends.<br />
<br />The best way to prepare a candidate for this type of interview is to explain that they are very friendly and open and have a way of getting candidates to open up. Make sure that the candidate knows to make sure the details they are opening up about pertain to their career, accomplishments and experience.<br /><br />NEGATIVE<br />Negative interviewers feel that they need tell you about every possible negative thing you may encounter about the company and job. These people aren't always negative people, they just believe that if you are going to work there you should have full discloser on everything that could be negative. They will say things like: "So, how do you feel about working 80 hour work weeks with no feedback?" or "Here you will be exposed to a great deal of swearing and inappropriate behavior, are you OK with that?" or is could be a simple as constant comments like "We are slow to make decisions, are you a patient person?"<br /><br />The way to mitigate the impact of a negative interview is to let the candidate know this is what they will experience in advance. Failure to do this will cause the candidate to want to run out of the interview as quickly as possible. The approach can be as simple as "Timmy believes that he owes it to people he likes to tell them everything negative they might experience. He does this not to scare you but is in the spirit of telling you everything - don't let it scare you."<br /><br />UNSEASONED / UNPROFESSIONAL<br />This is the person who doesn't interview much, has never done one, or just doesn't care what is appropriate. They will ask inappropriate and sometime illegal questions. "So, got any kids....are you married?" It may be as simple as swearing in the interview or not knowing what questions to ask and they end up asking questions that never allow a candidate to explain their qualifications or experience.<br /><br />The best way to prepare a candidate for this type of interview is to let them know that the person doing the interview doesn't do them often and may spend their time asking questions that don't have anything to do with the job. Let the candidate know to quickly answer the interviewers question in as simple and appropriate way as possible THEN follow up with a comment about the job and how their experience will allow them to excel. It might sound something like this: "On the weekends, I like to ice fish. I notice on your job description that they main thing you are looking for is someone that can take care of your purchasing of raw materials, I have 100 years of experience doing this and have developed procedures that allow me to minimize the cost paid and maximize credit terms. What do you currently use for purchasing software?" Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-65427815010308930682013-10-02T07:00:00.001-07:002013-10-02T07:00:07.893-07:00Don't Think Positive Reinforcement is Important? Run A Marathon
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In 2000 I completed my first, and only, marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember limping across the finish
line bleeding, blistered, exhausted and very excited to see my wife and 2-year-old
son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I checked that item off my
bucket list, and hadn’t put on shoes for the purpose of running in nearly 12
years.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I put the medal they give you when you cross the finish line
in a shadow box on the wall in our basement along with many of the other family
accomplishments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years,
my sons and I have talked about running a marathon together someday.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast forward nearly 13 years and my eldest son and I are
training to run a half marathon with a full marathon soon to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We created a solid training plan and
have been sticking to it religiously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During a recent longer run my son had finished and I
was struggling a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After he
finished, he came back, gave me high five, said “You’re doing good dad, lets
finish this,” and we finished the run together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
His simple act of positive reinforcement helped me finish
and reminded me of my marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was around mile 22 and I was simply putting one foot in front of the other with
nothing left in the tank but determination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turning the corner, I saw one of those very long San
Francisco hills and my heart sank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I started the climb I noticed that there were a number of people who
had already finished the race who were walking the course backward to encourage
those still struggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that
point, even a complete stranger reminding me “you have almost made it, you’re
still moving forward and by pushing a bit more you will finish” – meant the
world to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That simple act of timely
positive reinforcement was enough to give me the mental strength needed to make
it up the hill and finish.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As business leaders, it is often too easy to fall into routines
or get hyper focused on a goal and forget the importance of positive
reinforcement for those on our team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Positive reinforcement not only reminds people that they have the skills
to complete the task, but that they also have the confidence of their mentors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When people know their leaders believe
in them they are empowered to push harder, take risks and often over-achieve
the goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People who receive
regular appropriate positive reinforcement are more excited to come to work,
will stay in their jobs longer and be more forward thinking in their ideas to
improve – because they know they have support behind them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are those leaders, and I have worked with a number
over the years, who believe positive reinforcement is over-rated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To them I would say – run a marathon,
see what that reinforcement does for you when you are wiped out and then
imagine what it could do for someone you work with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remind your people how talented they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The results are amazing.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-8973230874546302882013-09-24T05:40:00.000-07:002013-09-24T05:40:54.373-07:00What's Your 20 Seconds? ...Here's Mine
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I finished
a run the other day, I looked down and noticed that my time was 20 seconds off
from a personal record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>20
seconds!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">After grumbling
through my cool-down, I began to think through the why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could have been my slightly slower
start as I pondered if my recovering ankle was 100%, it could have been the
slow down because I started the wrong playlist and needed to adjust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was spacing out when my GPS informed
me of my time and pace when I had only a mile to go and I knew I still had
energy left in the tank when I was done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In short, my
head wasn’t in the game when I started, I didn’t prepare properly, didn’t pay
attention to the details while in the moment and didn’t give it all when I had
the opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A change in any
one of these details could have made the difference, if I had none of these
challenges I could have significantly broken my record.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">This same review
and lessons can have a tremendously positive impact on your business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">As a
salesperson, the extra effort of one more new prospect call per day can make a
huge difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping focused
and on pace all day decreases distractions and increases results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a leader, preparation for each day,
month, quarter, year is essential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pay attention to the details along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, when you commit to start something, be all in- with
maximum effort at all times!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The extra effort
doesn’t need to be elaborate to make a significant difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just need to recognize where you
can put that extra effort in, then commit and execute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The results can be the difference
between a strong result and a result you measure all future efforts against.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-67085286664364909462013-09-19T05:33:00.000-07:002013-09-19T05:33:23.513-07:0010 Things You Should Know About Every Candidate
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">10 THINGS YOU
SHOULD KNOW ABOUT EVERY CANDIDATE</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> </span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Complete compensation details.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">
Understand exactly how the candidate’s current compensation program is
structured. This means more than the candidate’s base salary; the base salary
is just part of the overall package. Be sure that you ask about bonuses; if,
how and when they are paid out, stock options or grants that have been awarded.
Compile a complete list of benefits and how they are structured and know when
the candidate is up for his or her next review, because this can alter cash
compensation.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Type of commute.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> Commute
is a quality-of-life issue and discussing it is important. If the commute
to their next job is worse for the candidate than it is in his or her existing
job, bring it up and see how the candidate responds. If the commute is better,
use it as a selling point. Be sure that you understand the candidate’s current
commute and how they feel about the new one.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The “what they want vs. what they have”
differential.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> Most candidates do not change jobs just for the
sake of changing jobs. They change jobs because there are certain things
missing in their current position that they believe can be satisfied by the
position your client is offering. This disparity is called the “position
differential” and it is the fundamental reason a person changes jobs. Know what
this position differential is and you will be able to know if you have what the
candidate is looking for. If so, you will be able to develop an intelligent
capture strategy when it comes time to close.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">How they work best.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> Some
candidates work best if left alone, while others work best as part of a team.
It is your job to know enough about the client’s philosophy and the way the
hiring manager works to see if the candidate will either mesh. Beware of
recommending hiring a candidate who does not fit into the current scheme,
because, at times, style can be just as important as substance.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Overall strengths and weaknesses.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> Be sure
to get some understanding of the candidate’s strong points and the candidate’s
limitations. All of us have strengths and weaknesses. Your role is to identify
them and be able to present them to the hiring manager. Hint: Ask what functions
the candidate does not enjoy performing. We are seldom good at things we don’t
like.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">What they want in a new position.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> Everyone
wants something. Find out what the candidate wants in a new position. Be sure
to do whatever is necessary to get this information. Feel free to pick away
during the interviewing process with open-ended questions until you have all of
your questions answered. It is difficult to determine whether a given hiring
situation has a good chance of working out if you do not know what the
candidate is looking for in a new position.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Is the candidate interviewing elsewhere?</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> This is
big; I don’t like surprises and neither do hiring managers. I always ask the
candidate what else they have for activity. If the candidate has three other
companies they are considering and two offers are arriving tomorrow, this is
absolute need-to-know information. If the hiring manager wants to make an
offer, it’s time to advise them as to what the competition looks like and move
this deal onto the express lane, fast.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">What it will take to close the deal.</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> This is
a first cousin of #6 above but it is more specific and flavored with a “closing
the deal” mentality. #6 relates to what the candidate wants in a new position,
but this one quantifies that want. For example, if the candidate wants more
money, this is where you will assess how much it will take to close the deal.
As another example, while #6 will let you know that the candidate wants to work
on different types of projects, this one will tell you exactly what types of
projects those are.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Can the candidate do the job?</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> Even
though, as the recruiter, you might not be able to determine if this is the
perfect candidate, you should exit the interview with an opinion as to whether
or not the candidate can perform the functions of the position. Furthermore,
that opinion must be based upon information that was unveiled during the
interviewing process and not just a gut feeling. It has to be based upon what
the candidate has successfully accomplished and how that aligns with the needs
of the current position. If you can’t offer a solid opinion on this one, you
need to dig deeper until you have a solid case for why the candidate can or
cannot do the job.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Will the candidate fit into the culture?</span></b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"> Predicting
the future is tricky business, but someone has to take a shot at evaluating a
candidate’s chance for success. Not everyone that is capable of doing the job
will have a successful run at the company, because culture does play a role in
candidate success. For example, the culture of a buttoned-down insurance
company in Chicago is very different than the garage culture of a software
startup in Silicon Valley. If you have a reason to believe that the person is
the wrong DNA for an organization, it is imperative that you raise the issue.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-87959402436553032862013-09-10T06:45:00.003-07:002013-09-10T06:45:48.760-07:00The Single Most Important Interview Question Is...
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<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a great deal of interviewing strategies,
techniques and methodologies out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of these techniques are good, some good only in theory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, interviewing doesn’t
need to be so complicated that it warrants books on the topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An interview is nothing more than a
conversation with a purpose – with that purpose being to learn if this person is
a good fit for the role and culture of the company.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is one question that will tell you a tremendous amount
about a candidate…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“What made you decide
to leave that position?”</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you ask this question about a candidate’s current
position and every position they list on their resume you will learn a
tremendous amount about how they process the world around them, their character
and what drives them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In order to make this question work for you, you must really
dig into the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t accept
anything vague or answers that don’t make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen to what they focus on, as that is what drives
their internal motivations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be
sure to look at trends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a
candidate left their last 3 jobs because of the same reason, there is likely
more to the story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think about these responses:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Personal” – Not good enough, ask for more
information about what was happening that made them decide to leave their
employment.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“It was time to make a change” - Why?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Wanted more money” – Was this not an option
where they currently work? What prevented you from getting a raise?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the candidate has only been there a
year ask: “If you were excited to take the job at this salary, what changed to
make you feel you need higher compensation at this time?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Layoff” – I like to ask how large the reduction
in force was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it was just them,
dig in a bit more.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“The company was going through changes and
everyone was leaving” – Not acceptable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You want independent thinkers.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Company could not make payroll” – You can’t
argue with that one.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“I outgrew the role” – First ask if there was
any opportunity at the company to grow in the direction they wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there was and it was not available to
them, dig in there may be a red flag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If there wasn’t, or there is a logical reason for that opportunity not
being available, then this is a valid reason.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“I am not a cultural fit” – Dig in more, but may
be valid and you have to applaud the candidate for being wise enough to
recognize it.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“I have learned I want to have challenges in…” –
If those challenges are not available where they are now, this is very valid.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The list of answers could go on and on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you really dig into the answers to
this single question, you will have a solid understanding of the candidate’s
drive, character and motivation by the end of your conversation.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-22068187743373626322013-09-06T08:40:00.000-07:002013-09-06T08:42:15.829-07:0013 Best Social Media Management ToolsSocial media management can be overwhelming. Adam Connell did a great job summarizing the pros and cons of the top tools used today.<br />
Jeff<br />
<div class="row pagetitle">
<h1>
<b>13 Best Social Media Management Tools</b></h1>
</div>
<div class="postmedia">
<img alt="13 Best Social Media Management Tools" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-tools-featured-image.jpg" /> </div>
<div class="date">
<div class="month">
1 Sep 2013
</div>
</div>
<div class="postinfo">
<div class="author">
by <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/author/adam-connell/" rel="author" title="Posts by Adam Connell">Adam Connell</a></div>
</div>
<div class="flare-horizontal flare-backgroundcolor-light enablehumbleflare flare-hidden countloadfinished" data-humbleflarecount="0">
<span class="loading"></span></div>
<i>In
the following post you’re going to discover some of the most powerful
social media tools on the market. These will help you save more time
managing your social accounts, pull out actionable insights about
influencers and ultimately help you get results.</i><br />
Social media has some huge benefits, you can use it to <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/content-marketing/">promote your content</a> and you can use it to <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/influencer-marketing/">connect with influencers</a>.<br />
That’s great, but when you’ve got various profiles across a number of
different social networks, managing them can become extremely time
consuming.<br />
What if you could find a way to save an incredible amount of time,
connect with more influencers than before and ultimately get more from
your social media marketing efforts?<br />
The collection of tools that I’ve put together for you are the answer
– all of them are extremely powerful and have some great features.<br />
Hold on to your hats …<br />
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<h2 align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #1d8cc3;">Top Social Media Management Tools</span></h2>
<br />
<h4>
Social Oomph (Free + $)</h4>
<img alt="Social Oomph - Management Tools" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2668" height="342" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-socialoomph.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Sure, it doesn’t look pretty but it doesn’t need to be. Social Oomph gets the job done.<br />
Social Oomph will take your productivity to the next level with
advanced scheduling, integrated timelines, click tracking, advanced
methods of combatting Twitter spam, support for Facebook and Linkedin
along with support for unlimited accounts.<br />
You can even manage multiple blogs right from your account which
means managing your blogs can be done easily. Social Oomph supports a
number of different platforms from <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/free-blogging-platforms/">free blogging platforms</a> to self-hosted WordPress installations.<br />
There are free and paid accounts available, but you really need the
paid account to make the most of it, pricing starts at around $26 per
month and you will never need to pay any more than that no matter how
many accounts you use.<br />
I have a paid account and it saves me loads of time, it’s an integral part of my social media toolbox.<br />
<b><a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/loves/social-oomph" target="_blank">Sign up for an account</a> | <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/social-oomph-review/">Read the review</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Buffer (Free + $)</h4>
<img alt="Manage Your Social Media With Buffer" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2672" height="331" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-tools-buffer.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Buffer makes scheduling status updates so easy.<br />
The annoying thing about pressing the tweet button or publishing an
update on most social platforms is that it goes out straight away, not
when you want.<br />
Sometimes you want to share a few posts but if you share them all at
the same time then chances are you’ll annoy your followers – Buffer
allows you to spread them out how you want.<br />
Just add an update to your Buffer and they will be published at pre-determined times which you can change to whatever you like.<br />
The great news here is that Buffer is now compatible with Google+ pages which isn’t supported by many platforms (yet).<br />
There’s also helpful analytics and the option to setup team members.<br />
The ‘Awesome’ account as they call it, starts at $10/month.<br />
<b><a href="http://bufferapp.com/" target="_blank">Sign up for an account</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Hootsuite (Free + $)</h4>
<img alt="Complete Social Media Management With Hootsuite" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2661" height="339" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-hootsuite.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Hootsuite is the tool that I use for my day to day management of my social media accounts.<br />
It makes responding and updating profiles really easy and their mobile app makes things pretty easy when I’m on the go.<br />
The free account limits you to 5 social profiles, gives you basic
scheduling and reporting but the real good stuff happens when you get on
the pro account.<br />
The pro account allows you to monitor and update over 50 social profiles along with some other helpful features.<br />
You can also import unlimited RSS feeds to your social profiles and
while you are better off doing things manually, this is a quick way to
keep your profiles updated if you are short on time.<br />
The free account may do what you need, but it’s well worth giving
their 30 day pro account free trial a go to see what you think, if you
like it then it’s only $8.99 a month.<br />
<b><a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/go/hootsuite-pro" target="_blank">Sign up for a 30 day pro account free trial</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Tweepi (Free + $)</h4>
<img alt="Clean Up Your Social Profiles With Tweepi" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2670" height="311" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-tweepi.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
The way that Tweepi can help you is by giving you the ability to
clean up your account and figure out who to follow, who to unfollow etc.<br />
The unfortunate part is that you can’t really do all that much with
the free account, all the good stuff is part of the premium account (as
you’d expect).<br />
Premium accounts start at $7.99 per month but the data you’ll be able to get back more than makes up for it.<br />
You’ll be able to make decisions based on Klout score, verified
accounts, protected, location, # followers, # statuses, follow ratio and
clean up all those accounts with the egg display picture.<br />
<b><a href="http://tweepi.com/" target="_blank">Sign up for an account</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Commun.it (Free + $)</h4>
<img alt="Get more social insights with Commun.It" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2673" height="333" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-tools-commun-it.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Commun.it is unlike any other Twitter management tool I have ever come across.<br />
It is geared towards helping you engage with influencers which is awesome because <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/influencer-marketing/">Influencer Marketing</a> is huge but what really makes this platform great is that it tells you what to do next.<br />
The free account is quite limited however, but it’s still incredibly useful.<br />
Pricing starts from around $30 if you’re paying monthly which allows
you to add 4 profiles and have unlimited engagements – if you need more
then there are a few other accounts that add other helpful features.<br />
<b><a href="http://commun.it/" target="_blank">Sign up for an account</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Manage Flitter (Free+ $)</h4>
<img alt="Manage Your Social Profiles More Effectively" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2662" height="248" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-manageflitter.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Manage Flitter is focused mostly on Twitter as opposed to the likes
of Social Oomph and Hootsuite that offer a more complete social media
management solution.<br />
That being said, Manage Flitter has some extremely useful features
that highlight who to follow and who to unfollow. For example, are you
following fake profiles? Manage Flitter will tell you.<br />
You can also use Manage Flitter to import your Google+ posts to Twitter.<br />
One feature that really jumps out at me is the ‘Power Post’ feature that allows you to post updates at the best times.<br />
You can add different pieces of data and overlay it on a time line so you can visually see when the best time to post is.<br />
Types of data you can add boils down to when particular segments of
people are on Twitter, you can add particular locations, people you
follow and the pro account allows you to add your followers which is
incredibly useful.<br />
<b><a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/go/manageflitter" target="_blank">Sign up for an account</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Market Me Suite (Free +$)</h4>
<img alt="Social Media Marketing At It's Best" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2663" height="262" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-marketmesuite.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
While Manage Flitter focuses more on Twitter, Market Me Suite is a
different kettle of fish (so to speak) it’s positioned as more of a
complete social media management tool.<br />
Plans start from free but you’re restricted to 1 profile and only a
few scheduled messages although if that’s enough for you then I’m sure
you’ll find some of the features interesting.<br />
The pro plan starts at $15 per month and lifts the limit on profiles and adds team members, analytics and other add ons.<br />
The way Market Me Suite works isn’t as much about ‘personal’ social
media use but using social media for generating business leads.<br />
<b><a href="http://marketmesuite.com/" target="_blank">Sign up for an account</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
TweetDeck (Free)</h4>
<img alt="Ultimate Twitter Management With Tweet Deck" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2671" height="289" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-tweetdeck.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
TweetDeck is pretty awesome and it’s completely free; providing you
an easy to use tool that you can use to monitor and manage unlimited
accounts, schedule tweets and more.<br />
There is a mobile app too so staying updated on the go is extremely easy.<br />
Despite this being a tool owned by Twitter it also integrates Facebook too.<br />
On a personal note, I do prefer the feel of Hootsuite (maybe that’s
because I’m so used to it) but TweetDeck does seem to deliver more data
in your Twitter feed, including who’s followed you etc.<br />
<b><a href="http://tweetdeck.com/" target="_blank">Learn more here</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Raven Tools ($)</h4>
<img alt="Your Complete Social Marketing Platform - Raven Tools" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2664" height="228" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-raven-tools.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Raven Tools comes in at a higher starting price point ($99 p/month)
but you get so much more because this is a complete marketing toolset
that includes in depth research tools, rank tracking, PPC management,
SEO and social media management tools.<br />
I won’t go too much into the other features here (please note, they are awesome) since we’re talking more about social media.<br />
Raven Tools is currently compatible with Twitter, Facebook and
YouTube – it includes a monitoring tool that pulls in mentions from
search results across a bunch of different platforms, so if you’re
looking for an alternative to Google Alerts too, then this is the tool
for you.<br />
There’s even some really useful reporting functionality that pull in metrics from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.<br />
Raven Tools is team friendly and also has a built in CRM and task
management system – the Swiss army knife of marketing platforms.<br />
<b><a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/go/raven" target="_blank">Sign up for the 30 day free trial</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Sprout Social ($)</h4>
<img alt="Social Media Management At It's Finest" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2669" height="236" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-sproutsocial.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Sprout Social is a comprehensive social media marketing platform that puts all of your social profiles in one place.<br />
There’s a task management system built in to make tracking what you’re doing easy, especially if you’re working with teams.<br />
Sprout Social has put a lot of thought into scheduling, similar to
Buffer there is a ‘Sprout Queue’ that you can add updates to that will
filter out whenever you like.<br />
You’ve got all the usual search and profile clean up options that a
lot of other social media management tools (especially those that focus
on Twitter) have these days.<br />
Supported social platforms include the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Twitter</li>
<li>Facebook</li>
<li>Google+ Pages</li>
<li>Linkedin</li>
</ul>
Along with integration for RSS feeds and Google Analytics.<br />
<b><a href="https://sproutsocial.com/" target="_blank">Sign up here</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Social Bro ($)</h4>
<img alt="Social Management with Social Bro" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2666" height="305" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-socialbro.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Social Bro currently just supports Twitter but it brings you the complete package that allows you to;<br />
<ul>
<li>Target the right people</li>
<li>Engage with the right people</li>
<li>Analytics and tracking</li>
<li>Twitter management</li>
</ul>
There is so much to this tool that you really need to sign up to their free trial to see exactly what it can do.<br />
A few other interesting features include Hootsuite integration and their ‘best time to tweet’ function.<br />
Overall, Social Bro starts at a lower price point than most tools, but it does have a few restrictions<br />
<b><a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/go/socialbro" target="_blank">Sign up for the 15 day free trial </a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Social Motus ($)</h4>
<img alt="Social Media Analytics and Tracking Tools" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2667" height="326" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-social-motus.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
Social Motus is a complete social marketing platform that will help you manage your Facebook and Twitter profiles.<br />
You’ll also be able to schedule posts, find highly targeted prospects and track the success of your marketing campaigns.<br />
You can also monitor your blog or brand name to see what is being said – great for reputation management.<br />
<b><a href="http://www.socialmotus.com/" target="_blank">Sign up for an account here</a></b><br />
<br />
<h4>
Sendible ($)</h4>
<img alt="Ultimate Social Media Management with Sendible" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2665" height="272" src="http://bloggingwizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/social-media-management-tools-sendible.jpg" title="" width="500" /><br />
The problem with a lot of social media management tools is that they
only support a few services, what If I could show you a tool that allows
you to manage a huge number of social platforms easily?<br />
It’d be great right?<br />
Well, say hello to Sendible!<br />
Here are a few of the social media sites that Sendible supports:<br />
<ul>
<li>Facebook</li>
<li>Google+</li>
<li>Linkedin</li>
<li>Twitter</li>
<li>Flickr</li>
<li>Ning</li>
<li>Instagram</li>
<li>Foursquare</li>
<li>Delicious</li>
<li>Diigo</li>
<li>Instapaper</li>
<li>Tumblr</li>
<li>Blogspot</li>
<li>WordPress</li>
<li>WordPress.com</li>
<li>Typepad</li>
</ul>
… The list continues.<br />
In addition to being able to manage the above platforms you can also
measure the success of everything you publish, monitor, respond and
more.<br />
There’s also built in support for an SMS auto responder and a number of free email services along with more cool stuff.<br />
Sounds good right?<br />
Pricing starts at around $15.<br />
<b><a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/go/sendible" target="_blank">Sign up for the 30 day free trial</a></b><br />
<br />
<h2 align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #1d8cc3;">Rounding up …</span></h2>
<br />
Now you’ve had a good look at what social media management tools are
available on the market, I hope you can come to a good decision to
really make your mark on social media.<br />
The tools I’ve listed incorporate a good mix of tools that do other awesome things, especially the likes of <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/go/raven" target="_blank">Raven Tools</a> that will turn you and your blog into a marketing powerhouse with all the tools you’ll need to succeed.<br />
And right down to straight up productivity tools that enable you to get more from social such as <a href="http://bloggingwizard.com/social-oomph-review/">Social Oomph</a>.<br />
So now my question to you is – what do you find difficult about managing your social media accounts? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-77298515018485692202013-09-04T10:05:00.000-07:002013-09-04T10:05:33.412-07:00Recruitment Ads Not Getting Results? Try Surprising Broca!AVOID SAYING THINGS IN THE USUAL WAY<br /><br /><i>I came home and my dog was bald. I then realized that in my rush to get to my new job - which I absolutely love - I left the electric razor on. It looks like Fido had as much fun at work today as I did. Are you looking for an opportunity where you too can have that kind of excitement to get to work each morning? Consider this…</i><br /><br />Okay, the above example is a bit over the top. The point is that when you post a position on your website, job board, social media, or anywhere else, the more interesting you make it, the more people will actually read it and be excited by it. Think of these job postings as if they are TV or radio commercials for the position you are recruiting for. The dull commercials are quickly forgotten (or you don’t know what they are trying to sell), the exciting commercials have you thinking about their message.<br /><br />There is an area of the brain called Broca’s Area. Broca’s Area is the area that filters what the brain will pay attention to, and what gets filtered out. You must surprise Broca in some way if you want to be remembered.<br /><br />When writing postings, think about what makes this job exciting or unique. Will your heading and intro be unique enough to draw them in and make them want to read more? It may be a simple as “30 seconds off the freeway with free parking!” (a big perk in a large market) or as grandiose as “Enjoy cook to order breakfasts & massages at work!”<br /><br /> You get the idea. The next time you have a job commercial to write, have some serious, but professional fun. You will be surprised by the results.<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-74189387569661780412013-08-28T11:15:00.001-07:002013-08-28T11:15:18.379-07:00What Is RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) And Is It Right For You?
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<br />
As an industry, our approach to recruiting has drastically
changed over the past 20 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With the development and advancement of social media, the emergence of
the millennial generation entering the workforce, and an increasingly
decentralized workforce, organizations are more transparent than ever, and
candidates expect more.
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 1993 recruiting resembled purchasing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Organizations had a position to fill
and candidates lined up to fill the position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today organizations strive to be an employer of choice as
they position themselves in the marketplace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty years ago companies used traditional sources like
newspapers to post positions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sites like Monster.com and CareerBuilder were just coming into
existence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In today’s market, the candidate has become more
sophisticated and demands more information about the company, leadership, and
direction than ever before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Additionally, the number of avenues that one can use to try to reach
these candidates can be overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Vehicles and tools that worked yesterday may not be adequate today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add to this that the cost to recruit
quality candidates has soared when you factor in the expense of hiring a
recruiter, working with temporary staffing firms or paying contingency recruitment
fees that can be as high as 30%.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Recent years, another option has been gaining
momentum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>RPO (Recruitment Process
Outsourcing) is a service where an outside firm manages all or part of the
recruitment function.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can be
for a single position, specific department or an entire company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can handle the entire search, or
only parts of the recruiting function like sourcing and screening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The RPO firm becomes a temporary
partner/expansion to your Human Resources Department equipped with the
knowledge, skills, tools, technologies to immediately improve recruiting
results!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This type of service is typically less expensive then hiring
an internal recruiter, and significantly cheaper than working with temporary
agencies or paying contingency fees – often saving as much as 60%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You own the product of all work done
for you by the RPO firm and can utilize sourced candidates for future needs at
no additional cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You set the
number of hours each week that they support you and most RPO firms will allow
you to stop and start the service at any time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another benefit of working with an RPO firm is that they
will have a team of seasoned recruiters that to support their clients. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These recruiters are well versed in how
to find candidates utilizing the most sophisticated technologies of today.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a number of situations where an RPO solution can
net you strong results:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>You have difficult to fill positions</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Anticipated increase in hiring activity</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Great variances in the volume of your hiring</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Internal resources are minimal or non-existent</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Need to reduce recruitment expenses</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>You presently have hiring manager
dissatisfaction in time-to-fill or quality</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Need to increase your employment brand over
competition</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The process to get started with this type of service is
simple, but there are a few critical areas you will want to cover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure the RPO provider conducts a
detailed Needs Analysis for each position and takes the time to understand the
unique characteristics of your company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Establish the process that you would like the RPO firm to follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, just like you would with an
internal employee, you will want to define performance goals, metrics to
measure success and understand the reports you will receive to analyze
progress.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Incorporating an RPO solution into your business plan can be
a powerful and flexible solution that you may want to draw upon many times in
the growth of your business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you have questions about this type of solution, shoot me an email at jtaylor@skywalkgroup.com<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-51980533123062060882009-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:002009-09-18T11:20:54.617-07:00Engage Your Customers in a Discussion!When speaking with your customers, don't just speak to them and give them information...engage them in the conversation! Discuss with them why they are interested, what impact it will in in their lives or how they will use it.<br /><br />Remember, people generally comprehend:<br />* 11 percent of what they hear.<br />* 32 percent of what they see.<br />* 73 percent of what they see and hear.<br />* 90 percent of what they see, hear and discuss.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1048664338174471217.post-73401533859381997522009-09-11T05:43:00.000-07:002009-09-11T05:45:42.781-07:00Encourage Participation With Your TeamWhen leading a sales meeting, do not do all the talking yourself. Salespeople (and most other people) hate to be lectured to. <br /><br />Ask questions and listen to the answers. Ask for opinions, and always question the reason for a particular opinion. Remember, people generally comprehend:<br />* 11 percent of what they hear.<br />* 32 percent of what they see.<br />* 73 percent of what they see and hear.<br />* 90 percent of what they see, hear and discuss.<br />Source: Business coach/consultant Jonathan FarringtonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0