tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372953792024-03-08T08:38:00.863-07:00RecruiterGuy.com BlogThe RecruiterGuy.com Blog is written for executives, corporate recruiters, third party recruiters, and candidates. Based on recruitment, recruitment consulting, and training since 1981 across many industries, Bill Humbert is an expert Contract Recruiter Consultant,Public Speaker, and Author of "RecruiterGuy's Guide to Finding a Job".RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-25464691903752137432016-05-22T15:00:00.000-06:002016-05-22T15:01:43.675-06:00Getting the Most Out of a Career Fair – Companies<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many companies attend and attempt to work Career Fairs
without the proper focus. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Remember your booth and staff are branding
your company as an employer.</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The purpose of this post is to guide company
recruiters to squeeze the very last great potential candidate out of the crowd.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My background has been in recruiting since 1981.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first contingent client was a very little
known (at that time) long distant firm, MCI.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 1992, my business began the recruiting model known as Contract
Recruitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Appropriately, my first
contract recruitment client was MCI.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Since 1992, I have worked over 100 Career Fairs nationwide for my
clients – and invited as a paid speaker to speak to groups of candidates at
many of them.</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Preparation</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Companies planning to participate in Career Fairs or
sponsoring their own Open House (internal Career Fair), need to plan at least 4
months ahead for their first organized participation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the best practice model is completed and
practiced, the preparation time will be cut in half.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Recruiting mirrors the sales process perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, the people participating in the
planning and at the event need to have a recruiting/sales mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are not used car sales people nor are
they long term enterprise sales professionals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Recruiters simply need to be nice relationship building people – who are
not afraid to close a candidate nor counter a counter offer.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The first step is to determine what materials your
company needs for its booth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you have
a trade show display?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending upon the
size of your booth and staffing, you may be able to simply use a table
cloth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if your marketing team has
a display, it is far better to use it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Does your company have a “toy box”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are giveaways with the company name and
website imprinted to attract people to your booth (I call them bait…).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending on the location of the Career Fair,
your company may use chap stick tubes, pens, stress balls, etc.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My client and I decided to attend the Comdex Career
Fair in Las Vegas in the 1990’s to attract engineers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a nice booth, decent giveaways, and
really cool jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
directly across the aisle from us was Gateway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were passing out their famous Holstein stress cows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw the backs of heads for 3 ½ days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did chat with the engineers – after they
received their stress cows. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes
you cannot control your environment, especially in someone else’s Career Fair. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did recruit a few special people.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Your preparation must include posting your available
positions at least on your website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too
often, the postings on the company website are not a priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would also be wise to promote your
attendance at the Career Fair on your website homepage for a week in advance,
at the very least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending upon your
needs for new employees, your company may purchase drive time radio spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, your potential employee may be
streaming music from SiriusXM, MP 3, or another source – But someone they know
is listening to the radio.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The final preparation is to select the staff to
represent your employment brand at the Career Fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the Career Fair is local, I try very hard
to bring a hiring manager or two with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More about that in a minute.</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Participation
at the Career Fair</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is important to arrive at the facility where the
Career Fair is being held at the earliest allowable time, find your company’s
space and set up your booth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a hiring
manager is attending, ask them to arrive 30 minutes prior to the Career Fair
start so you may prep them on the best way to work a Career Fair.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now a few <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RecruiterGuy
secrets</b>:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Set
your table at a right angle to the flow of traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This practice removes a barrier between you
and the candidates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More importantly
this gives you a “room” where candidates may pause without being jostled by the
crowd in the aisle.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Place
your “bait” at the back on your booth, next to the display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now candidates have to enter your space
instead of doing a “drive by” and grabbing a handful of toys/stocking
stuffers/bait. Then you may decide if they are the quality of candidate you
want to engage.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once
your booth is set, walk around the Career Fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Quickly you will recognize who read this article and understood the
importance of the information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
your direct competitors for the best candidates.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This is the reason you arrive early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, sometimes there is some food too…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Remember, the people staffing your booth represent,
and more importantly, may create your employment brand in candidates’
minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, they need to engage
with the candidates – not hand them a card and say, “Apply online.” (How many
thousands of times have I seen/heard that?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What kind of impression would that leave with you?</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Behavior
in the Booth</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Remember the importance of your brand as an
employer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone participating in the
booth needs to be coached on that importance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How many times have you seen “recruiters” sitting behind the table barrier
either sulking because they did not want to be there or looking at a computer
reading email or worse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once is too many
for that company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you feel a Career
Fair is a big waste of time, you will make it so.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Therefore, your booth should be welcoming and engaging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smiles all around, excitement about your
workplace, and focus on the candidate (each one) are all important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During slow times, learn more about your
hiring managers’ current and near future candidate needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always ask if while sourcing for their
current positions I came across a super candidate who does not fit their
current positions, what would that person look like?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That question has led to many hires of top
talent.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RecruiterGuy
secrets</b>:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why would you want managers to work the Career Fair
with you?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
word gets out quickly among the candidates that ABC Company (my client) has a
hiring manager in the booth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
attracts the best candidates quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even whisper to the organizers prior to the Career Fair that you have a hiring
manager or two attending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will sing
it to the world for you!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Coach
your managers why they are there:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">A)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Attract
the best candidates;</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">B)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Take
those candidates out of circulation from your competition by interviewing them
out of the hall immediately; and,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">C)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Possibly
filling their position immediately – or suggesting another opening and manager
where they should be directed.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">D)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Only
give their personal business cards to candidates who have their interest.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Candidates sweat blood trying to create the resume
that best represents their skills (you have too!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please respect that effort and accept their
resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may certainly ask an admin
to enter the resume into your applicant tracking system or do it yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank them for their resume and suggest they
may also want to apply online too.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More importantly, if the candidate is someone that may
interest you and introduce to the hiring manager, you NOW have talking points
in your hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, you will need
to hope they post and pray before you see their information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, many companies have
conditioned candidates that they will apply online and never hear from the
company again – so they have decided not to waste their time.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This is important – Never write on a candidate resume!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not even in code – or, especially not in
code.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone writes on a resume, shred
it after using the information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may
use a post-it or paper clip for notes but destroy them when you are done.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If I am working the same Career Fair as your company,
feel free to break down your booth early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Invariably someone who is working and arrives late finds the hall
starting to dismantle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recruiters are no
longer focused on the candidates, just getting out of there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My clients have hired some super candidates
because I welcomed them while other recruiters had their back to them, or
worse, had already left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously,
towards the end of the Career Fair is a great time to meet serious candidates
who already have jobs.</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
The Career Fair</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One priority is to retrieve the resumes that your
manager(s) snagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually had a
manager with a mischievous look show me his jacket inside pocket that contained
several resumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the Career Fair
was on Saturday, I told him to copy the resumes on Monday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would drop by his office to pick them
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That way we were co-conspirators; and
his trust in me grew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ensured they
were entered in our applicant tracking system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We hired two of those candidates.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next morning, call candidates that you are very
interested in interviewing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask if you
answered their questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guarantee
they will be excited to hear from you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask for their availability for either a phone
screen or onsite interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want
them to interview onsite, forward the link to your online application or send
them a paper application so that step is completed prior to the onsite visit.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why call the next morning? Remember, the other companies
who read this article and are your competition will do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My clients have interviewed those candidates
and received an acceptance from them before other companies bothered to get in
touch with them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are spending the
time preparing and attending a Career Fair, aggressively pursue the good
candidates that attend.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Being a little selfish, there are a few other Career
Fair secrets that I have saved for my clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, if your company follows these fundamental steps, your recruiting
experience at Career Fairs will improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Looking forward to seeing you there!</span></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> <strong>(Published with
permission from <a href="http://www.recruiterguy.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.RecruiterGuy.com</span></a>
RecruiterGuy Blog)</strong></span><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Bill Humbert is available
for speaking and training contracts.</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">RecruiterGuy@msn.com
435-714-4425</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/speaker/profile/23767/Bill-Humbert" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/speaker/profile/23767/Bill-Humbert</span></a>
</span></strong><br />
<br />
<em><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">©1999-2016 B.
Humbert – Provocative Thinking Consulting, Inc. – USA 01-435-714-4425
RecruiterGuy@msn.com The right to reprint is hereby granted, as long as the
copyright notice and contact information remain with the article.</span></em><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-31643316717589561422016-05-20T16:59:00.007-06:002016-05-20T17:09:06.607-06:00Getting the Most Out of a Career Fair - Candidates<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">People who are unemployed or simply looking for their next
position are often at a loss how to proceed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In many instances, they were never taught how to begin a successful job
search, not to mention the nuances of attending and participating in events
such as Career Fairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My recruiting experience began in 1981 as a contingent
recruiter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1992, I became a contract
recruiter for MCI.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a great 30-month
experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result of my strategy
and our teamwork, my hiring managers and I were able to recruit 143 IT
professionals to Cedar Rapids, IA in 12 months – not an easy feat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1993, I began to recruit at Career
Fairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since that time I have worked
over 100 Career Fairs for clients – and was paid to speak to groups of
candidates at many of them on how to successfully work a Career Fair.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What is your attitude as a candidate preparing to
attend a Career Fair?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is anything
less than to expect to meet great people and possibly find a job, you are
selling your opportunity short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
a great opportunity to network with these recruiters – and possibly to network
to an interview with a company not attending the Career Fair.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of you are involved in sales?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not necessarily as a job, but anywhere in
your life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Approximately 5% of you will
disagree with me, based on my speaking experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is Very Important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all are involved in sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be as simple as trying to convince a
child to finish their dinner, go to bed early, or finish homework.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be asking someone to go on a date (You
don’t think that is sales??).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could
be trying to convince a fellow employee to perform a task more efficiently.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Therefore, participating in a Career Fair is an
important sales opportunity for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t
let that discourage you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other
side of the table, the recruiters have more of an incentive to Sell You on
their opportunities – if they understand their role.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Think about this question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What truly makes you happy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In talking to thousands of candidates, I have
heard many answers to that question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Doesn’t it come down to 2 key elements?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Am
I making a positive, measurable impact? And,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Am
I having Fun?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If both elements are there, typically money takes care
of itself.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before
the Fair</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like all sales opportunities, working a Career Fair
requires preparation and practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
of the preparation is very simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
of the preparation takes more effort and time.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Know
the type of position that you want to target.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is very important!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a
recruiter with a line of potential candidates behind you, one of the last
things I want to hear you say is “What jobs do you have?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My thought immediately is, “NEXT!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I have heard candidates say that hundreds
of times.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Go
to the Career Fair website and see which companies are participating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One or more of your target companies may have
booths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check out their websites and
listings of jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember not all jobs
are posted on a company’s Careers posting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Typically, their director and other executive positions are not on the
website.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Look
closely at your targeted companies’ websites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In particular look at their press releases for tidbits of information
that you may be able to use during your conversation with the recruiter.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Look
at the ads in the paper and on the Internet prior to the Career Fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may see a pattern of needs that fits your
experience and skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be prepared to
address them in your conversation with the recruiter.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Prepare
your introduction to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/RecruiterGuys-Guide-Finding-Bill-Humbert-ebook/dp/B00DR4O8T0?ie=UTF8&keywords=recruiterguy%27s%20guide%20to%20finding%20a%20job&qid=1463784668&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2" target="_blank">RecruiterGuy’s Guide To Finding A Job</a></i> on
Kindle, I call it the “Here I Am” speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You may have heard it discussed as the “One Minute Commercial”, “Elevator
Speech”, or “Tell Me About Yourself”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Practice your introduction prior to the Career Fair.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Prepare
your Resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bring at least 10 more
copies than you believe you will need.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dress
professionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a sign of
respect to the people spending hours working the fair to potentially help you
find your dream job.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During one of the Career
Fairs that I worked in Iowa, a gentleman came in the door wearing a clown suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was overheard saying that companies were so
desperate to find workers, he would get a job dressed as a clown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately for the clown, he gave his
resume to a number of companies who networked with the rest of us to identify
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not good.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During
the Fair</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Each Career Fair is
organized differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some ask for
pre-registration with a resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others
simply look for walk-ins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a
recruiter, I prefer the pre-registration route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You may actually hear from me ahead of the Fair if I see and like your
resume.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If the organizers do not
print a layout of the booths the night prior to the Fair, ask for one at the
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will have them for the
companies who are participating with booths – or there would be absolute
chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try to get there a little early
and mark the companies that interest you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I suggest that you mark them as 1, 2, or 3 with most interest as #1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s a little
secret!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just between us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please do not tell anyone else!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you have any #1’s
furthest from the entrance, go to them first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is like Disney World!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get
away from the crowds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Typically, people
herd down the rows front to back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
may give you an opportunity to speak to a top potential before the line forms.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After you have spoken
with them, treat the balance of the Fair as you would if you were a
professional football general manager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pick the best available on your list as they are available or their
lines are short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes you just have
to wait in line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are simply trying to improve your odds of
talking to everyone on your list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the
same time, some company may not have made your list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While you are there look at all of them in
passing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A surprise company may attract
your attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One of my clients was De
La Rue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were a great British based company
(still are).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They used to print 60% of
the world’s currency (could be more or less now).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was working a Career Fair for them with De
La Rue all over my booth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young man
began to walk past me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since there were
no candidates in my booth, I asked him what he was looking for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said that he was looking for an
international company!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was going to
walk past me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sent his resume to
London.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At
The Company’s Booth</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This is important
news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some company recruiters do not
know how to properly work a Career Fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Generally, you can tell who they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They sit behind a table and look bored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then they tell candidates to send their resumes online where they also
have to complete an application prior to submitting an application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a recruiter, I love those recruiters
because I snag what could be great candidates from them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do frustrate great candidates.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you do find a great
recruiter, the temptation is to try to interview right there and then because
now you are getting a little desperate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unless they invite you to interview right now (and sometimes I do), let
them discuss culture, position, and ask you qualifying questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are interested, let them know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask if there is any additional information
they need now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, let them get on
with their afternoon or evening – and you proceed to your next company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you are not done with them.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Briefly – Give a firm
handshake but don’t break fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Practice good eye contact but it’s not a staring contest!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be succinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t just collect giveaways – they make terrible stocking
stuffers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be a good listener – if there
is not a match, simply accept that reality and move on.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Collect a manager’s card
if she/he will give one to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually
it is generic and leads to their online postings.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before you leave the
Fair, circle back to the companies where you had substantive discussions and quickly
reiterate your high level of interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank them for their time and leave.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
the Fair</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Send hand written Thank
You notes to recruiters or managers who spent time with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Include another copy of your resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is called marketing.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Keep good records of your
conversations with companies.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally, prior to an
interview with these companies, research them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Understand their history, their future direction (quarterly calls may
give some direction), anticipate any problems they may be experiencing and be
prepared to offer potential solutions if the topic arises.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Following these
directions will give you the potential to land your job from a Career
Fair!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good Luck! </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Bill Humbert is available for speaking and training contracts.</span></b><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">RecruiterGuy@msn.com</a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> 435-714-4425</span></b><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/speaker/profile/23767/Bill-Humbert"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/speaker/profile/23767/Bill-Humbert</span></a>
</span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">
<br />
</span><div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">©1999-2016 B. Humbert – Provocative Thinking Consulting, Inc. – USA
01-435-714-4425 RecruiterGuy@msn.com The right to reprint is hereby granted, as
long as the copyright notice and contact information remain with the article.</span></i></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">
</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-14815564550984642432016-05-13T11:04:00.000-06:002016-05-20T17:10:32.721-06:00Hiring Manager Interview Training Thought Leadership<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I applaud that
companies are developing interview training programs for their hiring
managers. If a hiring manager has not been taught how to effectively
interview, they certainly have not been taught how to select the best
candidate. Ever hear, “This person feels good in my gut”? When I
hear that statement, I respond, "Guts are great for storing and processing
food, not so great for evaluating candidate skills and experience."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In my
experience it is best to include job description writing as part of the
interview training. Job descriptions, even in the same company, change
every couple of years (or more often) in our world. New software is
introduced. Continuous process improvement changes processes and possibly
reporting duties. New hardware is introduced. Then there is the whole
world of Social Media that is constantly changing. Make sense?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Think
about this for a second - if the job description is <b>not</b> on target:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">1) Your
recruiters will source the <b>wrong candidates</b>;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">2) As a result
of the sourced talent pool, everyone will interview the available
candidates with the <b>wrong skills and experience</b>;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">3) Then
the hiring manager will be asked to choose among those candidates with the <b>wrong
skills</b> to extend an offer;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">4) The <b>wrong
person</b> will be selected - and will not work out; and,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">5) The <b>interviewing
process</b> will be blamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just
ponder that while you are creating an interview training program. The
process from opening a new or replacement requisition through engagement and
retention of employees is tied inextricably together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">With 35
years as a professional recruiter, and public speaker/trainer for 23 years, my
perspective may be a little different than most people. Sometimes I see things
differently…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bill Humbert is
available for speaking and training contracts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">RecruiterGuy@msn.com
435-714-4425<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/speaker/profile/23767/Bill-Humbert</span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></b> <br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">©1999-2016 B. Humbert – Provocative Thinking Consulting, Inc. – USA 01-435-714-4425 RecruiterGuy@msn.com The right to reprint is hereby granted, as long as the copyright notice and contact information remain with the article.</span></i></span></span></div>
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RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-16075942919061413412015-11-12T13:48:00.001-07:002016-05-20T17:07:22.030-06:001960's Recruiting in 2016!<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember the 1960’s? Well, there are two generations – and currently a third generation (who are becoming teenagers as we speak), who don’t.<br /><br /> If you were a candidate, there were three primary ways for you to find a job.<br /><br /> 1) Complete an application, drop it off with the Personnel Department, and hope the company called you.<br /> 2) Become known as a contributor in your current company and be recruited by a recruiter or someone within another company who knows your impacts.<br /> 3) Network with people who could help introduce you to another company – “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know!” became a mantra.<br /><br /> If you were the Personnel Department, you ran a newspaper ad and waited for responses, looked at them, decided if they were a potential fit and either interviewed them or filed their resume in a file drawer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You reached out to a trusted third party recruiter or opened the job up for every 3<sup>rd</sup> party recruiter to submit resumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you were lucky, a hiring manager would just call someone they knew and set up an interview.<br /><br /> In 2015, many companies have the same process, only today it is automated. The name “Personnel Department” has mostly become obsolete. Today, we have Human Resource Departments that have the responsibility for Talent Acquisition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of Recruiters, we have Talent Acquisition Specialists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of Human Resource Directors, we have Human Resource Business Partners.<br /><br /> How do many of those Human Resource Departments recruit today? They run an automated newspaper ad on one or more Job Boards. “Automated newspaper ad?” CareerBuilder was founded by two newspaper publishing companies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many companies post their positions on their websites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is very positive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately the positions are hidden under layers of marketing, almost as if to create the perception that talent acquisition is an afterthought. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If recruiting is a priority, it needs to reflect that priority on the company website.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the mid-2000’s Social Media Recruiting became all the rage!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, using the premise of Behavioral Interviewing (that people revert to their original behavior when under stress), many companies jumped into Social Media Recruiting prior to understanding the time and monetary cost, not to mention how to disengage from unqualified candidates who wanted to remain engaged (read <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embrace-social-media-recruiting-bill-humbert?trk=pulse_spock-articles" target="_blank">Embrace Social Media…?</a> ).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they jumped back out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span> When candidates reply, what are they required to do in many companies? Complete a six to seven (or more) page application prior to any conversation or mutual interest; and hope they receive a reply from the Talent Acquisition team. That process is called “Posting and Praying.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore in the model of 1960’s recruiting, instead of wandering to Personnel for an application, they wander to the website where they are forced to complete an application.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It is far better to attract or engage candidates prior to requiring them to complete an application.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a small tweak in process that may result in very positive results because the company is now engaging with the candidate and gaining their confirmed interest prior to asking for an application – the social part of social media.<br /><br /> Today instead of filing the resume/application in a file drawer, it is filed in an applicant tracking system (Thank Goodness! At least that way you may be able to find the resume in the future!).<br /><br /> The applicant tracking systems that promote that process are partially correct. Clerks should be able to run that process. Unfortunately recruitment is not a clerk process. It is a sales process and successful companies treat it as such.<br /><br /> Successful corporate recruiting professionals understand the psychology behind recruitment. They understand that candidates do not like to make big, life changing decisions. They help them make little decisions that lead to the obvious conclusion – offer acceptance and starting the new job.<br /><br /> As our economy slowly improves, companies will begin to open new positions for growth and to replace retiring Baby Boomers. The clerk based recruiting teams will suffer in that environment as their applications dwindle; and they won’t understand why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead they will ask “Where can we spend more money to post our positions?”<br /><br /> Meanwhile the successful corporate recruiting professionals will have the opportunity to choose and recruit the most promising candidates - who will no longer follow the 1960’s processes.<br /><br /> It is time to move recruitment to 2016. Utilize the tools available in the way that attract candidates. Beware of processes that repel candidates. It is important to tweak a recruiting process first, verify positive results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then tweak it more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Companies that try to change recruiting processes (while possibly needed) will meet resistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tweaking is easier and changing is harder.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bill Humbert is available for speaking and training contracts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/speaker/profile/23767/Bill-Humbert" target="_blank">eSpeakers Profile</a> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 9.0pt;">©1999-2016 B. Humbert – Provocative Thinking Consulting, Inc. – USA 01-435-714-4425 RecruiterGuy@msn.com The right to reprint is hereby granted, as long as the copyright notice and contact information remain with the article.</span></i></span></div>
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RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-1290836030301417972015-11-10T11:05:00.000-07:002015-11-10T11:05:35.921-07:00<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 16.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.recruiterguy.com/"><span style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Embrace Social Media Recruiting...?</span></a>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Some
consultants would tell me, “It’s about time you jumped on the bandwagon!”
Others would say, “That is so 30 seconds ago – now we are talking mobile
recruiting!” Other consultants would say, “Certainly you have begun offering
the new…!”<br />
<br />
It is interesting to have over 30 years of experience in any field. It gives
you a certain perspective that less seasoned (okay, younger) professionals do
not have. Over those years in recruitment, you learn about people and their
behavior, simply through observing and interacting with them.<br />
<br />
Wait a minute! How does this apply to Social Media Recruiting? Everything.<br />
<br />
If you understand how to interact with people, you are on the way to understand
the basic premise – and potential problem – with Social Media Recruiting.<br />
<br />
First, let’s define Social Media Recruiting. It is not “recruiting.” It is
simply a more engaged way to source candidates. Sourcing is only one step in
the recruiting process. Is it a good way to source candidates? It may be a
great way to source candidates depending on your budget and priorities. I am
going to use two words that guys are reputed to avoid – engagement and
commitment.<br />
<br />
Does “Social” mean we need to be sociable? In other words “friendly or
agreeable, esp. in an easy, informal way” (Webster’s New World Dictionary,
second college edition – sits right by me every day)? How many effective Human
Resource professionals are described as sociable? Most would probably prefer to
be described as a nice, effective business person.<br />
<br />
Let’s go back to engagement and commitment. Social Media Recruiting requires
engagement and commitment on a daily basis. People (mostly) are social beings
and love to communicate with friends (see Facebook). How much communication
with unqualified candidates will your company/department commit? Sure there
will be qualified candidates mixed in with the unqualified. How many ways can
you describe your corporate culture? How many times will managers agree to be
interviewed on YouTube to discuss their positions? When will your recruitment
marketing material begin to become dated when it is constantly put in front of
candidates? When does it become background noise? How do you let the
unqualified candidates know you are not going to be “sociable” with them any
longer – particularly if they just happen to be your customer also? If your
corporate recruiter says “I am developing my next communication in our social
media program”, instead of interviewing another candidate, is that an
acceptable response?<br />
<br />
If not, then what? Do you hire a social media marketing expert simply to
communicate with candidates on your Facebook, Twitter, and Corporate social
media sites? Then are they trained what they may and may not communicate to
candidates via social media?<br />
<br />
In my experience almost everyone likes to be on the cutting edge of anything
that appears to be really interesting and fun. Then when the darn “work,
engagement and commitment” words begin to demand our time, the glimmer tends to
wear off.<br />
<br />
Let’s go to the basic premise of behavioral interviewing. When people find a
successful way to deal with a situation, they revert back to it when under
pressure. This is why there is the challenge to maintain a LEAN manufacturing
environment when the consultant leaves; and why vestiges of social media
recruiting will continue after budget and time begin to exert pressure on the
social media program.<br />
<br />
There is no silver arrow in recruitment. Social media recruiting is an arrow
for your corporate quiver. It should not be your only arrow for sourcing. Every
company’s environment is different. Certainly social media recruiting works in
some environments. Unfortunately (or possibly fortunately) not every company
can or wants to afford the engagement and commitment that social media
recruiting requires.<br />
<br />
Most companies are more successful when they focus on their recruitment
strengths and improving all of their recruitment processes than spending the
money and time on the next sexy technology that appears on the horizon.
Remember the words engagement and commitment.<br />
<br />
My business is on Twitter and LinkedIn, my book “RecruiterGuy’s Guide To
Finding A Job” on Facebook, and my website has links to articles and videos of
TV appearances and my blog. I participate in social media recruitment but it is
only one source of candidates. May I consult with companies on social media as
a potential source for recruiting? Absolutely! After we answer the questions
above… </span></div>
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Bill Humbert is available to present to companies and associations on various Recruitment and Human Resource topics. He has a long history of speaking to students in High Schools and Colleges/Universities. You may contact him at recruiterguy@msn.com. Review his eSpeakers profile - </div>
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https://www.espeakers.com/marketplace/speaker/profile/23767/Bill-Humbert </span></span>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike> RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-74728988110937731172015-11-06T17:46:00.000-07:002015-11-06T17:46:12.745-07:00
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have
you ever sourced the Best Candidate; sold them on the opportunity with your
company or client; worked with them through the interview process, answering
their questions; helped the hiring manager determine the best compensation
package; extend the offer that they accepted; and then lost the candidate to a
counter offer? If you have been in the recruitment business for any amount of
time, you have experienced that sinking feeling when they stop returning your
calls.<br />
<br />
When should a recruiter begin to prepare a candidate for the counter offer? My
suggestion is to bring up the topic when you are setting up the onsite
interview. Why? You want them talking about it long before they experience the
counter offer. Why? You don’t want them to experience the natural ego boost
when they feel wanted, possibly for the first time in a long time at their
current company.<br />
<br />
A great way to bring up the topic is head on. “How do you plan on handling the
counter offer if my company/client extends you an offer that you accept?” Hate
to bring this up but some candidates use interviewing outside of their company
as leverage to get a raise. Obviously there is a lack of integrity, but they have
been successful squeezing what they wanted out of a company using that tactic
in the past. It’s best to begin to coach them now – and the best way to begin
coaching is to know their response to that question.<br />
<br />
Now is the time to ask the following question again, “Why are you considering a
job change now?” Many times the response I’ve received is “You intrigued me.
Otherwise I was not looking.” Then you may ask them, “What was it about this
position that intrigued you?” This response is very important to your success.
Write it down in your notes (all the better if you work with an applicant
tracking system!).<br />
While discussing the counter offer early on, I like to bring up the statistic
that depending on the economy and industry between 67% and 80% of those
employees who accept a counter offer leave in the next 6 months – and their
company knows that statistic.<br />
<br />
If that is true, why do companies extend counter offers? Typically to protect
themselves. The manager suddenly realizes they need that person that they have
either been ignoring or have not allowed them to move to a new project, area,
manager, etc. They realize they will lose important knowledge that the person
will take with them. They may have lost other members of their team and are
afraid how this departure will reflect on them. Sometimes they suddenly realize
they are under compensating their employee (but they still have a budget).<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the offer. Once the manager has decided to extend an offer,
typically they have already begun penciling the candidate into meetings (even
when the candidate has not accepted). By now the candidate and I have had
several conversations about the counter offer. They are now expecting one. Once
the candidate accepts the offer, I ask them to let me know how many of the
following statements they hear from various members of management:<br />
<br />
1) “I am shocked that you want to leave! I thought you were happy. As a matter
of fact, tomorrow we were going to discuss a (promotion, raise, new project,
etc.) with you.” (Call me a cynic but the timing is suspect…”)<br />
2) “You are a very valuable employee. We need to see what we can do to
encourage you to stay.”<br />
3) “I am happy that you came to me because I planned to chat with you about
moving to another organization/project within our company” (that was nixed in a
previous conversation).<br />
4) “I am very disappointed that you chose such a busy time to leave our
organization. Can’t you see the impact of your departure will have on everyone
else?” (RecruiterGuy loves that one. “The manager is trying to put a guilt trip
on the employee!”)<br />
5) “Your manager just came to me to discuss your resignation. I asked if I
could talk with you. You are a key person in our growth plans. I am sorry we
haven’t shared this with you sooner. Let’s sit down and discuss the needed
changes…” (generally an executive speaking)<br />
6) “What will it take for you to stay?” (At least that one is upfront in its
intent!)<br />
7) “As you know, we rarely make counter offers here. You are such a key person.
We will make an exception. What do you want to stay?”<br />
8) “Thank you for coming to me and discussing needed changes. Would you like to
lead those changes?” (Generally once you accept the counter offer, the desire
to make the immediate changes in the organization dissolves shortly after) Then
they will say, “Let’s just finish what you are working on first. Then we will
discuss the changes.” (Note – they won’t say “make the changes” again)<br />
<br />
One of my candidates called me after their resignation and proudly told me the
company hit 7 of the 8 statements during the day of his resignation. Then he
laughed and told me he was happy I warned him.<br />
<br />
Why is accepting a counter offer typically one of the worse things an employee
can do – and leads to so many leaving within the next 6 months?<br />
• The employee’s loyalty to their current company is now questioned. Subtly
they will begin to see changes in how management works with them if they accept
the counter offer. Fewer strategic conversations and more tactical
conversations as they begin the brain drain. Management also knows the employee
will most likely leave in 6 months. Therefore, management will begin to plan
who is going to replace the employee.<br />
• Remember the odds of further success at that company decline rapidly once the
employee accepts a counter offer. Management is now focused on “protecting
themselves” instead of future contributions from the employee. They know the
employee will only be in the position a short time before they have to go
through the expense and time of replacing them.<br />
• Usually accepting a counter offer will burn the bridge with the company where
the employee successfully interviewed and received an offer. Now the employee
who was excited by the company, the new position, the hiring manager and the
offer has to go to the offering company and give them the news they accepted a
counter offer. Generally that conversation does not go well. Once a manager
decides to extend an offer, they begin to plan for the new employee’s start and
begin penciling them in for meetings. They are very excited they have finally
found the right person for the position. Imagine the level of disappointment
when they are told the candidate accepted a counter offer.<br />
<br />
I recommend to candidates, “The best way to resign is to graciously thank the
manager for the experience working with them. Then firmly tell them that they
are very excited about the new opportunity and give the date of their departure
(generally 2 weeks’ notice). When a manager approaches to discuss the counter
offer, simply thank them and begin discussing the transition.”<br />
<br />
By discussing the counter offer early and often during the recruiting process,
you increase the probability of delivering your candidate to your company or
client. </span></div>
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RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-4208857449746593572015-10-27T19:50:00.000-06:002015-10-27T19:52:33.616-06:00<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Employee
Retention Equals Money</i></b></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We have documented that the recruiting process mirrors
the sales process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every step builds on
the previous step from creating a job description to the acceptance to
Onboarding and now the final step – “Keep them while you got them” Retention.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the sales process, this is the follow up to the
delivery and training for the product or service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Recruiting Process, this is the step
where you engage your new employees from the beginning – and keep them engaged.
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why does Employee Retention Equal Money?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ask any company where there is constant
turnover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They almost get the new
employee where they are productive, and they leave.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What are the costs of acquiring that first
candidate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are both hard and soft
costs, costs to the morale of employees having to pick up the slack, and the
additional lost productivity of the manager as they wade through the recruiting
and training processes yet again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of
these costs transfer directly to the bottom line.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Watch this short TV interview on Employee Retention
Equals Money - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3-T6s6y0xk&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3-T6s6y0xk&feature=youtu.be</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How long has employee engagement and
retention been on corporate priority lists?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Honestly, it depends on the company, doesn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does your company value its employees?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is employee engagement a priority for your
company?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sadly, many companies do not value their
employees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They pay dearly for that
decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s employees, especially
millennials want to be engaged and know they are making positive, measurable
impacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore those companies turn
over the employees who want to make a difference; and keep the ones who are
happy getting a pay check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that the
balance that you seek?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably not.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What is the best way to begin to engage
your employees?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask them what is
important to them in one on one conversations?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then listen…and listen some more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then give them honest feedback.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now you know what motivates them and what they really want to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep the door open for future conversations
because their needs and wants will change – and so will the company’s.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">People who feel their opinions and
contributions are important become engaged, if they were not prior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is supremely important that the listening
continues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, the damage will be
irreparable because the company will have lost trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Employee engagement is the foundation
of Toyota’s Lean Process Improvement (now sometimes referred to as Agile Process
Improvement).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The people who work on the
manufacturing lines suggest changes to the project leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are on the front line and know what
needs improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are making a
difference, one that made Toyota a global automobile manufacturer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must be working. Toyota’s profits in 2014
were $17,900,000,000 (fun writing that many zeros!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that’s engagement – and I’ll bet the
workers are proud of their accomplishments that led to the profitability.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Consistency is another key attribute in a
company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Build a process that works
consistently and then work the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Employees prefer stability over the plan of the month program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time and again you will hear them say, “Can we
just see if this works?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I once worked with a company where someone
read a book on management on a plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then decided to implement that plan without thinking about the
unintended consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case,
people leaving the company in droves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They made the book required reading for all employees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author suggested to the reader, “If you
don’t like your current company, find a company where you will like to work.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the employees took the author up on
that plan – and left the company.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Think about your plan prior to its
implementation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it make sense?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Should we discuss it with key people at all
levels?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they also feel they had a say in the
formulation of the plan.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Employee engagement and retention does not
happen with the shaking of a wand or sprinkling fairy dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It requires work and consistent commitment –
and many times reshaping a company’s culture.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What is the payback or Return on
Investment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A company with committed and
engaged employees wanting to make a difference – and doing so to increase
profits.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>I provide training for companies that want to tweak their culture to create a more engaged workforce. Bill Humbert recruiterguy@msn.com </i></span></div>
<b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-21300760794583926682013-03-31T17:06:00.000-06:002013-03-31T17:06:16.357-06:00April Fools and the Stunts Candidates Play
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Over the past 32 years of recruiting, candidates
have shown the wonderful ability to surprise clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It almost seems they are trying to find April
Fools jokes to play on companies where they are interviewing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">For instance, isn’t it amazing when they fail to
edit or proof their resumes prior to forwarding them in postings?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s face it, anyone can have a grammatical
error in their resume or confuse “it” and “at” or “is” and “as”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not uncommon to receive a resume where
the candidate was a “Manger” instead of “Manager”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you also picture hay coming out of their
sleeves?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Those careless mistakes are more understandable than
missing names and contact information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How can a candidate be that careless?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet, it is not uncommon to receive those resumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the recruiter supposed to call a company
and ask for the person who used to work at ABC Company 4 years ago?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Then you have candidates who feel the best way to
influence others is to be rude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently
a candidate that was being kept in the loop – contacted twice in a week with
updates, decided they were being forced to “chase a job”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their rude response created an immediate
disqualification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Over the years candidates have been very creative in
their ways to surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As NCAA
basketball coaches know better than anyone during March Madness, you can coach
people but they do not always accept the coaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would an accountant who was coached that
the rural client had a very conservative culture and everyone wore suits,
decide that business casual was an appropriate way to make a great first
impression?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Disqualified…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">How many times do you hear about researching a
company prior to an interview?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently
a candidate was interviewing with my client.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What possessed them to continually refer to my client’s products by the
name of their largest competitor?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Disqualified…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Of course, very occasionally a candidate will go out
of their way to demonstrate their creative ability to create an April Fools
stunt on potential employers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
candidate during the late 1990’s decided that they could dress as a clown and
still be hired because the job market was tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They picked a Career Fair to show up dressed
in a clown costume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told people
that companies were so desperate to find employees they could dress as a clown
and still find a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they wanted
maximum negative exposure?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately
the companies who met this person did not appreciate his arrogance and
disrespect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he shouldn’t have
dropped his resume at their booths. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
a coup of legendary proportions, he was disqualified by many companies within 2
hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Actually these people have saved companies time and possibly
money by disqualifying themselves prior to employment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">On the candidate side of these April Fools’ stunts
by others, learn from their mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Proofread resumes prior to forwarding them to a company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask someone who did not help with your resume
to proof it for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They generally are
more likely to see “Manger” instead of “Manager” and all of those other
potential mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is your name and
contact information easy to read?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not
put that information in a header because some applicant tracking systems cannot
read headers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Understand that you need to research companies prior
to submitting your resume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understand
their products and refer to them by their name, not their competition’s
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, learn that arrogance has no place during
the job search – or in the workplace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">From the corporate experience side, understand that
candidates have a wonderful capability to be creative and find new ways to
surprise – and disqualify themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-69053906067225944192013-01-04T18:41:00.001-07:002013-01-04T19:19:12.544-07:00Manufacturing Employment IS (not) Dead in the US!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are always going to be naysayers and those who
want us to believe the negative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
we were almost beginning to believe that all manufacturing has left or is
leaving the US, we are now seeing evidence of its return - or maybe some never
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is also a not so quiet
addition to the American manufacturing story – foreign manufacturers who are
successfully finding talent and building their products in the US.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">What is really interesting are the headquarters
locations of some of the companies that have experienced success manufacturing
their automobiles within the US for some time – BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Toyota,
Honda, and Nissan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With them are their
suppliers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over one third of all cars
produced in the US in 2008 were produced in US plants owned by foreign
manufacturers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now the folks who thought all of our manufacturing
was taking in place in China and India are complaining that there not enough
trained workers in the US to re-shore manufacturing here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are times we need to be careful what we say –
and what we ask for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If enough people
are fed that propaganda long enough, they will believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we may really have problems.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The evidence shows that there are manufacturing jobs
in every state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously there may be
states where there are more experienced manufacturing talent or states where
there is a greater need for experienced people for manufacturing jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not an unusual situation in other
industries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember Software Engineers
in Silicon Valley in 1999/2000?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
out there recruiting for a client then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a free for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did the
need for more software engineers end that growth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, more likely it was the fact that there
were more poor business plans than lack of experienced software engineers that
caused the Dot Bomb.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Where do we go from here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow Honda has found experienced workers
in Ohio since 1982.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They produce a
popular and quality Honda Accord there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Subaru
builds their quality Outback in a zero landfill manufacturing facility in
Indiana.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">We need to get manufacturers in high schools to
begin to discuss the new clean and well lit manufacturing facilities and whet
the students’ appetite for these jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let them know there is a future career in manufacturing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get into Community Colleges and make them
aware that manufacturing is alive in the US.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Recruit out of areas that have excess manufacturing
talent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People will move if they find
the right job and find housing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Work
with technical and community colleges to create training programs that train
both recent high school graduates and previously experienced workers for work
in production facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the
telecom boom in the 1990’s, Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland,
Kansas created such a quality telecom outside plant training program that there
were often more recruiters than graduates from their program (I usually got my
share!). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of their students were not
traditional students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were experienced
in other fields prior to attending Northwest Kansas Technical College.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Work with these schools to create manufacturing
training programs like the one I mentioned above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could become your own minor league
development location until other manufacturers learn about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your production facilities use Lean/Agile,
this training could include all aspects of eliminating waste and continuous
process improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possibly create a
certification program that enables workers to work and get paid while learning
new skills.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Take a look at this website </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm/%22target”_blank” "><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm/"target”_blank” </span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">As of December 31, 2012 BLS table U6 shows
that over 14% of all workers are unemployed or underemployed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are there potential manufacturing
professionals in those 23 million people out of work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that kind of potential source of
candidates, I would love to recruit production workers for a client with a
Lean/Agile production facility!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Work with your state’s economic development and workforce
development groups to create the training needed; and let’s get workers back to
work – and more manufacturing back in the US!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every time one person finds a new job, our economy improves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-5547661975130324112013-01-01T21:06:00.000-07:002013-01-01T21:12:35.484-07:00Let's Go Find The Wrong Person!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously companies do not intentionally, knowingly set out
to find the wrong person to fill a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other hand, if they do not seriously create meaningful job
descriptions, this is the path they are on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several months ago we discussed that every company has a
Recruitment Strategy whether they are aware of it or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some Recruitment Strategies are very simple –
“Just Recruit”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously those
strategies make it difficult to improve because there are no processes defined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This series of recruitment process improvement articles
continues with the most important fundamental of the Recruitment Process – the
Job Description.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the foundation of
the Recruitment Process, the Job Description determines: <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>The Sourcing Process; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>The Interviewing Process; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>The Selection Process; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>The Offer Process; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>The Final Candidate Due Diligence; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>And will positively impact the first year’s
retention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The job description is that important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How many times have you read job descriptions and wondered
really what the person was going to do on the job?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my almost 32 years of recruitment
experience, I have seen executives require that job descriptions intentionally
be vaguely written so it gives them the most latitude in selecting the person
they want to hire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have worked with
hiring managers who did not want to give important details because “I need
flexibility” in selecting the right candidate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of those managers selected a candidate that I suggested may not be
the best fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Six months later, they
came to me and told me “Your candidate is not working out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reminded them that we discussed the person
prior to the offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we had truly
specified the responsibilities and goals for the position prior to beginning
the recruitment process, the candidate/employee probably would not have been
among those selected for interviews.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Additionally candidates express frustration when job
descriptions are vague.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result,
many times companies and recruiting firms receive many more unqualified
candidates replying to their vague postings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Candidates feel that “maybe I am a fit for this job” and then apply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much time does these unwanted responses
cost your recruiting team?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of these
unqualified responses take time from considering candidates who may have the
right experience but not in your company’s search terms (and that is the
difficulty of allowing the applicant tracking system to “screen out”
candidates).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider that it is fine
for candidates to decide not to apply if the job is not one that truly
interests them or they determine they are not qualified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why attract candidates that you have no
desire to hire?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is the best way to structure a job description?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the person will report to a manager,
isn’t it best to train and guide the hiring manager how to create an effective
job description?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some positions like
call center and production line positions may be cookie cutter job
descriptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ensure they are up to
date to cover new technologies or processes that may have been introduced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously what should be the easiest task is to list the day
to day duties for the position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
list any special project responsibilities, for instance people who work for the
Sundance Institute probably have additional duties during the 10 days of the
Sundance Film Festival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Determine any
strategic planning or implementations the position is responsible and list
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What management responsibilities
are included in this position?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are
budget responsibilities included?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
many people will they manage directly and indirectly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What system of management does your company
embrace – matrix or line?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the responsibilities are listed and verified, it is
time to add the special sauce that really helps your company determine the best
qualified candidate and then retain them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now it is time to list the 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month goals
for the position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once these goals are
determined, the skills and experience necessary to be successful the first year
become crystal clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is important to ensure that the job description contains
management responsibilities if the person will be a manager; and conversely
that there are no management responsibilities if the person is a sole
contributor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is important to mention
that a job description does not contain all responsibilities related to the
position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Business requirements change as business
conditions change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The job description
should include any physical requirements for the position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also important to include EEO at the
end of the job description for public posting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point, your hiring manager and recruiter have a
clear picture of the ideal candidate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The recruiter and hiring manager should discuss the best method of
sourcing the qualified candidates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hiring managers need to be active in sourcing but that is another
conversation about engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smart recruiters create a phone screen based on the job
description and present it to the hiring manager for their comments and
participation in the search.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the
goals are listed, the phone screen becomes more relevant and focused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the hiring manager has the needed
information to create an interview that measures skills and experience plus the
opportunity to probe candidate responses in the phone screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do some hiring managers dread the interviewing
process?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They feel they do not have the
information needed to effectively interview and select the best qualified
candidate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is part of the value of
a well-structured job description with the goals included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Effective interviews are enormously important
in determining the best qualified candidate who is also the best cultural fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As candidates are reviewed after the
interview, the elements of the job description are the best way to determine
their fit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Companies do have a choice when they develop a job
description process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If an effective job
description is not a priority in a company, the recruitment process may be
“Let’s Go Find The Wrong Person!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the
effective job description becomes a priority for a company:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>The candidates will be more focused; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>Interviews will be more focused;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>Selection will be focused on the best qualified
candidate; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span>And, there is a stronger likelihood of retaining
the best employees</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-81383594064269333302012-12-02T18:19:00.000-07:002012-12-02T18:19:42.670-07:00The Unemployment Conundrum:<div align="center">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;">How
Can Business Benefit?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">High
unemployment has been with us for four years and economists say it will be with
us into 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The MainStream Management
Monthly Newsletter #21 states “The employment outlook for 2013 offers little
cause for New Year’s Eve celebration. Champagne bottles will have more fizz
than the U.S. economy in the near term, and the same unemployment headaches we
cited sixteen months ago will persist.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">The
government appears to settle on the same solutions while expecting different
results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since we are expecting more of
the same policies, will business react differently in order to grow their flat
revenues?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Which
businesses will benefit from the new “normal” workforce?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How will they change their way of doing
business in order to grow their revenues?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Many
business leaders point to the economy and say, “Look at the state of the
economy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wonder our revenues are
flat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore they are demonstrating
they are willing to continue to conduct business the same way while expecting
different results or at least accepting their current condition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">The
workforce is dynamic; and wise companies adopt new methods when the workforce
economy changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How may companies
benefit from the current conditions?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">The
official unemployment rate is table U3 in the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Household
Data, Table A.15 Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization (</span><a href="http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">)
.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In October 2012, the official unemployment
rate was 7.9%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Table U3 only measures
individuals receiving unemployment benefits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People who have dropped off of unemployment benefits are no longer
counted in Table U3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they fall into
table U6 where they are counted as unemployed or underutilized as a result of
the economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In October 2012, that
number was 14.6% of the available workforce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Table U6 translates roughly to 23 million workers either unemployed or
under employed as a result of the economy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Of
those 23 million workers, how many are spending money and contributing to our
economy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not many.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do we improve the economy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hire these people one at a time on a full
time or temporary basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even large
hiring efforts only hire one person at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The time between hires and the methods of sourcing are different.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">For
the sake of discussion, it is well documented that generally companies do not
track their high performers well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of the
23 million unemployed or under employed workers how many are Top Performers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My guess is there are only about 10% of those
people who are Top Performers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our
current economy roughly 2.3 million unemployed/under employed workers are Top
Performers, otherwise known as “A” Players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course that number causes people to further wonder about the wisdom
of only hiring people who have jobs, especially when you consider that 90% of
employed workers are not considered Top Performers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Why
would a company in need of new revenues want to attract a Top Performer
now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That person may be the person that
discovers the answer to revenue woes and change the business immediately while
cutting costs and adding profitable new revenues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result of their unemployment, they
generally are willing to accept less compensation than if they were employed
full time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now companies may attract the
smart, ingenious, seasoned performers with initiative at a time when they can
afford them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the additional
profitable revenues, the company comes out ahead financially.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">How
can companies with flat revenues attract these Top Performers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It depends on the business strategy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">If
the business only wants to hire full time employees, they need a recruiting process
that facilitates the attraction of “A” Players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes those individuals are driven away from companies that do not
understand that successful recruitment is a sales process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Of
course some companies’ revenues are so low now that as much as they would like
to hire someone new it would be unwise for all parties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These companies may want to consider hiring a
pre-screened interim executive from an established management consulting firm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">These
interim executives have proven talent growing revenues in companies where
revenue growth is stagnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Top
Performers give a fresh look at all aspects of a company – products, services,
pricing, profitability, talent, manufacturing, logistics, vendors, and
customers without shades with sacred cows looking in to protect their turf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">The
unemployment conundrum may benefit companies with the need for more aggressive profitable
revenue growth during a time when the best talent is readily available and
affordable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-25641486426867454232012-06-17T16:55:00.002-06:002012-06-17T17:10:47.618-06:00Post and Prey Recruitment – 3rd Party Recruiter Edition<div align="center"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since 1981 as a 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> party Recruiter (contingent and contract) and Recruiting Manager for a start up CLEC, I have seen our industry quickly evolve in our sourcing methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are probably the greatest number of changes the recruitment industry has seen since its founding.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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Within the 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> party recruitment industry, there have always been professional recruiters who treat the industry as a profession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have also been people who were in the business for the perceived quick money – typically when they decide that consistent successful recruitment requires commitment and hard smart work, they leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those are the people who send almost every resume they find with the right title to every company who may need a person with those skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some recruiters call that practice “wallpapering”. </span><br />
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Anyone who has been in the industry for over 10 years generally can spot these short cutters fairly easily – “Why should I spend the time to phone screen someone when I can just forward their resume and get a fee because I got there first?” is a good way to discern the quick money recruiters. </span><br />
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There is a third group of recruiters who are beginners in our industry with the intent of becoming a professional recruiter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have the “long view”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They realize the need to create a foundation and then build from that foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These recruiters are sponges and try to learn everything they can from seasoned recruiters. </span><br />
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Many corporate and 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> party recruiters use the Post and Pray Sourcing method.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the 1980’s and early 1990’s, almost all of us would run ads in different newspapers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retained recruiters would run ads in the Wall Street Journal for executives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contingent recruiters would run ads in the Sunday paper, with some of them choosing the Craig’s List version – the weekly county newspaper. </span><br />
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The was a huge difference in execution after finding a candidate who appeared qualified for an opening(s) in the industry we recruited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The professional recruiter would conduct a phone screen to learn more about the candidate and see if there were the right combination of skills and attributes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the mix was right, they would forward the resume to their client.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If not, and they liked the candidate, they would ask if they could stay in touch until the right position came along – in other words build a relationship with them and ask for references. </span><br />
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The short cutter simply forwarded the resume and hoped it would be “a hit” without any intention of building a relationship. </span><br />
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When it came to counter offer times whom do you feel would be more successful delivering the candidate – those who built relationships or those who did not? </span><br />
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Today’s equivalent of running ads in the newspaper is to post openings on job boards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then pray the right people respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the new version of “Post and Pray Recruitment”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fundamentally the same as the “old days” with the major difference that resumes fly around more quickly. </span><br />
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The very successful, seasoned third party recruiter is truly a hunter with a hunter’s focus and positive attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These professionals will probably have favorite places to post (because an occasional blue bird does fly through the window).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However their focus is to create new business relationships with new clients (while giving their tried and true clients the best service possible).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time, they work to increase the number of sharp candidates who will occasionally provide them with great referrals and eventually a successful introduction. </span><br />
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These are the people who employ “Post and Prey Recruitment”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the new dynamic for successful recruiting and is a combination of the old recruitment fundamentals with the speed of technology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It removes some of the time from the sourcing process to enable the wily recruitment sales professional to remain successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Post and Prey Recruitment is more fun because most candidates enjoy going home to say “someone tried to recruit me for a new position today.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new dynamic increases successful introductions and therefore increases income. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-56745642780221572542012-05-29T16:47:00.000-06:002012-05-29T16:51:46.618-06:00Hiring Managers Say The Craziest Things – Work Week!!<p>Since 1981, I have worked with over 3000 hiring managers across the United States. Most of whom have never been trained how to effectively interview. If they haven’t been taught how to interview, they certainly have not been taught how to select the best fit. Therefore, they bring their own unique interview techniques and questions to the interview party. Of course, the candidates bring their own special treats to the interviewing party; and I will share some of those also. Doesn’t it sometimes make you wonder how successful matches are ever made?</p>
<p><p>The setting was a nationally known fulfillment center where I contracted to help them find applications programmers. The manager was a well meaning manager who had never been taught how to effectively interview. The candidate was a very talented applications programmer who wanted to move out of the commotion of Baltimore into the quieter environs of small town Pennsylvania. </p>
<p><p>The manager wanted to portray the working environment as honestly as he could. When he was satisfied that the candidate had all of the technical skills he needed, he began to describe the work environment and the benefits of working there. </p>
<p><p>The candidate originally was very excited to interview with this company. When we debriefed after her interview, she said that she felt the interview went well while they discussed the technical environment. She felt she was a very good match for their technical needs. However when discussing the work environment, she said the manager asked a question that really concerned her. </p>
<p><p>When I asked her what the question was, she replied, “He asked me if I was willing to work 120 hour weeks?” She told him “I didn’t think so!” Shortly after that exchange, the interview was over without further explanation. </p>
<p><p>In my experience, sometimes candidates don’t really understand what is said by managers. I called the hiring manager and asked him how the interview went. He said that it went very well technically. Then suddenly the candidate seemed to lose interest. I asked him if that happened around the time that he asked her if she was willing to work 120 hour weeks? He replied that yes, it may have been around that time. </p>
<p><p>I asked if he could describe the structure of a 120 hour work week. His reply? “Well we do have to work some 80 hour weeks!” I said there was a week’s worth of time difference between 80 hours and 120 hours. It is far better to talk about the real environment than the perceived environment. He sometimes probably felt he was working 120 hours. </p>
<p><p>It also raised the question of his effectiveness as a manager if he had to schedule people regularly to work 80 or 120 hour weeks. </p>
<p><p>This is an example of a time when the lack of interview training cost the company a fine candidate. After he created the perception for her, she no longer was interested. All she could think of now was an environment where she would not be able to enjoy the satisfaction of working in a small town. </p>
<p><p>Recruiting is a sales process. The perceptions that we create are sometimes good impressions and sometimes bad impressions. It is important to remember that candidates are measuring us for fit while we are measuring them for fit. </p>
<p><p>Luck comes in two forms – good and bad. This time the bad luck raised its ugly head and the client lost a very qualified candidate who would have gladly relocated prior to picturing 120 hour weeks. </p>
<p><p>Don’t put your company at risk of losing well qualified candidates, especially when your company needs them to relocate. Teach your managers how to effectively interview and select the best candidate for each of their positions. </p>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-71153384554308950092012-05-28T12:51:00.000-06:002012-05-28T12:51:36.691-06:00Happy Memorial Day!<p>Please take time today to remember all of the people who have fought and are continuing to sacrifice themselves and sometimes their careers to keep the United States of America free. These include members of our armed forces and secret services who have died or were injured to keep us free.</p>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-42801497963440290912012-05-28T12:46:00.003-06:002012-05-28T12:47:50.944-06:00Every Company Has A Recruiting Strategy (some just don’t know it!)<p>“Plan your work. Work your plan.” I’ve seen those words attributed to the great Green Bay Packer Football Coach, Vince Lombardi. Trainers have applied those words to all sorts of training exercises, generally in business. Why are they universally understood? The quote applies to all areas of our lives. It especially applies to successful recruitment programs.</p>
<p><p>What is the basic premise of Behavioral Interviewing? Once we find a way to be successful accomplishing a task, we will continue to attempt to perform the task the same way forever – or until it becomes too painful. This premise applies to recruiting also.</p>
<p><p>When a small retail store needs to recruit full or part time help, what do they do? Stick a Help Wanted sign in the window and by the cash register. Then they wait for someone to apply. That becomes their recruiting strategy. As they grow and need more employees, they stick the Help Wanted sign up more often. Generally they have enough success to continue to do so. Finally as they grow into a large enterprise, how do they recruit new employees? Well some actually kept their well worn Help Wanted signs and now place them on the fence or front entrance. Or if they feel really adventuresome, they begin to place their Help Wanted sign online – on corporate websites, job boards, etc.</p>
<p><p>This is called the “Just Recruit” recruitment strategy. Obviously it is working well enough that no one gets fired (yet). Is their company hiring the best candidates or only people who respond to Help Wanted signs? I think we know the answer to that. Occasionally at SHRM Human Resource meetings I hear, “Everyone knows you can’t recruit for this location!” When I ask why not, their response generally is “It’s a fact!” If I ask them what their recruiting strategy is, they say they posted the positions online and no one replied. As long as their employer accepts that logic, they will receive the quality of candidate that their Help Wanted sign attracts. However, that is not recruiting. It is shuffling electronic and paper resumes.</p>
<p><p>How do you build a corporate recruitment strategy? Obviously it requires work and a couple of years of effort, especially if your company does not know its cost per hire or where the successful candidates/employees come from. It is also important to keep in mind that recruitment is a sales process. If the mindset is to screen out candidates from the beginning, the company will lose the attractive passive candidates. It is like throwing the baby out with the bath water.</p>
<p><p>The corporate recruitment strategy needs to be developed in conjunction with the corporate budget. While creating the strategy, it is important to keep in mind the employment market. Today in the United States, we have a market where companies feel they have many choices of candidates (and yet somehow still have difficulty attracting the right candidates). Therefore the supply of available candidates outstrips the need. This employment market will eventually change and there will be fewer qualified candidates to choose from. The employment market impacts a recruitment strategy that is dynamic. While developing a recruitment strategy it is important to have the same “long view” that a CFO has while working on the budget.</p>
<p><p>Working hand in hand with the executive staff and contributing to their efforts to become more profitable is the best way a Human Resource professional may be perceived to be a business partner. A recruitment budget that nearly always overspends is broken. Generally recruitment goes over budget either when the business decides it needs to add headcount mid-year or there was not enough thought in the recruitment strategy. If the strategy is the “Just Recruit” strategy, it will cost a company that valuable income.</p>
<p><p>While developing a recruitment strategy, review what worked well in recruiting for your company last year and so far this year. How is your qualified candidate flow? Does it appear to be trending up or down? Are you happy with the flow? What is your cost per hire (include job board fees, 3rd party recruitment fees, salary of staff recruiters, advertising, new Help Wanted signs, applicant tracking software, social media, relocation, promotion items for career fairs, office supplies, manager interview training, etc). Obviously if your company has a year where you are expanding your executive staff, your recruitment costs will be higher because of the relocation costs and potential retained search fees.</p>
<p><p>Working with your executive staff, determine what positions will be added in the coming year. Then look at current open positions to determine if they may carry over into the new year as open positions. Ask the following questions:</p><p>
1) How many of those candidates do you forecast will need to be relocated?</p><p>
2) How many of those candidates will be sourced through contingent or retained search?</p><p>
3) How many positions does your company currently have in a job board package? Will the package need to be renegotiated?</p><p>
4) Does your company have a .jobs Top Level Domain (www.goto.jobs) to draw candidates directly to your list of open positions?</p><p>
5) Based on your employee retention rate, how many employees will you have to replace in the next year and typically at what level? This enables you to better determine your resource allocation and costs.</p><p>
6) When during the year are the new positions planned to be filled? For instance, if the executives expect positions to be filled in the first month of the new fiscal year, you now know to begin recruiting for them during the last quarter. This question also helps in resource allocation and to determine if your company needs outside resources during peak recruiting periods. It’s better to include the costs in the budget now than surprise executives later.</p>
<p><p>Obviously budget discussions will help your company better determine a recruitment budget and strategy. As a result of those discussions, the executives may decide to postpone the targeted start date of one or more of the positions. Once the positions and targeted start dates are established (and they can very well change in the dynamic world of recruitment!), the Human Resource department may now determine how to allocate staff resources to best fill those positions.</p>
<p><p>If the enterprise has more than one recruiter, each recruiter should develop a proposed plan how they will recruit for each of the positions they are responsible to fill. It may be helpful to develop a template to simplify the process for them. This is a good career development exercise to help them think more strategically. In order to create a partnership with the hiring managers, it is important for the recruiters to meet with the hiring managers for their thoughts on sourcing these candidates.</p>
<p><p>While meeting with the hiring managers, it is critical to discuss the 3 month, 6 month, 9 month and 12 month goals for the position. If these goals are not required in the job description, they should be because they are the foundation to the successful recruitment process. Once those goals are determined, the skills and experience required to be successful the first year become crystal clear. Then the sourcing becomes more successful, interview creation is focused on the right skills and experience, and the selection of the best candidate is based on an important set of metrics. Once the new employee starts, the goals are discussed to ensure the manager and new employee are on the same page. During the employee/manager meetings through the year the goals are discussed. Now you have engaged managers and employees. At the end of the year, the goals are attained – or not. Most importantly, the annual review should not contain any surprises for either side.</p>
<p><p>After the meeting with the hiring manager, the recruiter completes their plan to recruit for that position. What sourcing or relocation costs are expected for each position? The costs are reviewed against the budget. Then the recruiter returns to the hiring manager to discuss the proposed recruitment plan and ask for any additional suggestions. Now the manager is a partner in the recruiting process.</p>
<p><p>Once the recruiter develops a plan for all of their responsible positions, the recruitment strategy begins to come together. Review expected costs against those projected in the budget. Add in the expected costs for replacement of employees who may leave during the year (and the expected recruitment staff resource). Now your company has a much more viable plan for your recruiting in the next year.</p>
<p><p>During the year, track and measure where sourcing worked and did not work as well. “Where did you learn about us?” should be a question asked of every candidate where it is not obvious (i.e. your corporate website). What were your recruiting costs? How many people did your company hire? Now you have a cost per hire.</p>
<p><p>This plan gives your company a strategy to recruit that is tied to your budget. It breaks down the silos between Management and Human Resources. The more effective job description and follow up should improve the quality of hire, employee/manager engagement and retention.</p>
<p><p>Maybe Coach Lombardi had a good idea – “Plan your work. Work your plan.”</p>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-85445799757409801402012-05-04T17:15:00.000-06:002012-05-04T17:21:04.715-06:00Let’s Call “Diversity” a Different Word - “Blending”<p>A whole industry has been built around diversity. Is that good or bad?</p>
<p><p>Obviously when the Diversity industry was formed inside and outside of recruitment, it was critically needed. Laws were written to make it illegal to discriminate against the protected classes of race, color, gender, religious beliefs, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy or veteran status. These laws need to stay in place because old habits are hard to break. However, isn’t it time we consider evolving to a different word? Since our world today is one where we focus on collaboration, wouldn’t a better name be “Blending”?</p>
<p>According to Dictionary.com the definition of Diversity is: “the state or quality of being different or varied.” Therefore the focus tends to be on the silos of difference. You see the following descriptions of: Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, even Italian Americans, Irish Americans, Jewish Americans, and the list goes on. Unfortunately when such descriptors are used, the focus tends to be on the difference not on the sameness. If we all live in the United States of America, shouldn’t we all be Americans? Isn’t it funny that I just described the people of one country? Possibly we should all be “Earthians”? Of course, yet to be introduced “aliens” (there’s that descriptor of difference again) may feel they are the best.
<p>It is natural for humans to feel that their cave/family/belief/school/country/planet is the best one. Sociologists and psychologists can probably address this tendency better than a Human Resource consultant. It may simply be hardwired in us in order for humans to succeed as a community since our early times as cavemen and cavewomen. Look at high school and college sports and the passion of the followers of their sports teams. Look at the concept of nationalism. Look at the passion of following a specific religion: Hebrew, Muslim, Christian, Buddhism, Atheism, Hare Krishna, Hinduism, and the list of great religions continues. The followers of each may be very passionate that their religion and set of beliefs are the one and only religion and set of beliefs. Then we may look at political beliefs: Democrats, Republicans, Communists, Socialists, Libertarians, etc. The people who only vote for candidates of their political party generally are not very interested in collaboration. They may even demonize good people who are members of another party. Men believe they are smarter and stronger; and women believe they are smarter and stronger. The young believe they are better (remember “Don’t trust anyone over 30”?). People who are seasoned believe their experience is more valuable (“What’s wrong with young people today?” – and members of every generation have asked that question).
<p>Therefore when people say “diversity” what happens? We naturally think “different”. It is the definition of the word. If we are trying to build a society where everyone lives and works in harmony, shouldn’t we think “blending?”
<p>Instead of focusing on the differences among us, would it not be better to focus on the sameness? Instead of driving wedges between us, shouldn’t we blend?
<p>Societies and companies that understand that every human being in their community may develop a unique and important contribution to their community are the societies and companies that evolve into stronger and more competitive societies and businesses. Those societies and businesses that attempt to only follow the conventions of one school of thought within that community are doomed to fall behind because everyone will think alike. The United States used to be called a melting pot because waves of immigrants seemed to come from one place at the same time. And that is continuing.
<p>Obviously we need to do a better job blending than we did even in the 1970’s; and I am guessing that we are doing a better job blending than many countries.
<p>Diversity is not limited to race but that gets most of the attention. There are companies and even industries that tend to be dominated by people of one religion or another. There are companies where most of the people are younger or older and seek people who look like them. Obviously professional sports teams tend to be “staffed” by younger professionals on the field, court or pool. There is something about age and physical ability. However, look who coaches them.
<p>When a company is trying to solve a problem and everyone comes from the same background, they all tend to look at the problem from the same angle. Can they solve the problem? Probably. However, when they have people from many different backgrounds, some older and some younger, can they find a better solution? Much more likely.
<p>Have you stopped to watch children play with children from other backgrounds? Are they concerned about anything other than their play? No. They are focused on their game of tag or hide and seek or video game. It is only as they grow older that they are taught that there are differences.
<p>Instead of being focused on our differences as the diversity industry tends to do, let’s focus on our sameness. Companies that blend employees will sprint forward. Companies that value only people who look like them will fall far behind.
<p>Let’s improve our blending and all become Americans again, without the differentiation.</p>RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-8681221797981572652012-04-09T20:04:00.001-06:002012-04-10T13:08:23.677-06:00Grocery Markets and Your Corporate Website<p>You may have noticed that I have an active imagination…Enjoy the ride!<br />
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Remember when you finished your last box of cereal and decided to stop quickly on the way home to replace it? Dinner will be ready soon and this was going to be a very quick stop. What would happen if your fictional experience at the Grocery store was the same as a group of candidates visiting your corporate website looking for your list of openings and desiring to simply submit their resume?<br />
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Picture yourself approaching the front of the store. When the doors open there is a crowd of people waiting for you! There are models from Maybelline, Revlon, L’Oreal and Cover Girl trying to get your attention. Mr. Whipple is trying to convince you to go down the paper aisle. The beef and pork councils are trying to attract you to their products. Is that Frank Perdue over there? The Gorton’s fisherman is all wet and standing in front of you urging you to buy fish! Orville is popping up and down trying to get you to his aisle. What are polar bears doing?? Oh, the soft drink aisle! There is some hand reaching out the orange juice refrigerator – scary! Someone from Wisconsin is trying to attract you to the dairy aisle for cheese. Wonder Bread is making you wonder if you will ever find the cereal aisle.<br />
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Finally you work your way over to the cereal aisle, and…You guessed it! You are met by the toucan from Fruit Loops! As you peek around him you are treated to a rush of cereal characters that just realized you were there! You stiff arm your way past a recent sports hero touting Wheaties. You are so close to the cereal that you seek! Then you run into Tony the Tiger saying “They’re Gre-e-e-e-at!” Then you are approached by the Lucky Charms Leprechaun. You thank him for his pot of gold offer and rush past him. Finally you found your cereal!!!<br />
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When you turn around, you see that you need to speak with every one of the representatives for all of the products above – and this was supposed to be a quick trip to the market! What I just described is what happens to candidates who visit many enterprise and some smaller corporate websites. The company was sold on the idea that using the applicant tracking system to screen candidates out was the best route.<br />
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Market research demonstrates that most people search for their next job while they are still working, and that is also when the passive candidate thinks, “I wonder what L-m-n-o-p Company is doing these days?” When they go to your website, do they have the same experience as above with one major exception? The exception above is that you will generally eventually buy your box of cereal. Companies have conditioned professional candidates that they will rarely, if ever, hear from them when they complete an application.<br />
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That very conditioning leads to other recruitment marketing research. Every time a group of candidates has to click on a website to find a list of openings, the company loses ½ of them. While writing this blog I will walk through an un-named company’s website to demonstrate my point.<br />
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When you arrive at their homepage, you see the typical business areas. Then your eye looks at the very bottom of the page and in 5 or 6 point font, you see Careers. Let’s say the company is beginning with four hundred candidates at this point. They do not see a list of open positions. So two hundred candidates click on Careers.<br />
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When they click on Careers, they see more of the same kinds of marketing people as in the grocery example. Now one hundred of the remaining candidates click on Search Careers. They see more of the same with a differentiation between divisions. So now fifty of the remaining candidates click on one of those divisions and finally see a list of open positions.<br />
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They pick out a position and find they now have to complete a talent questionnaire. Unless the software engineer is desperate – and to get this far they probably are, the company has lost the final marathon passive candidate in the original 400. Undoubtedly the talent questionnaire is followed by a multipage application – prior to any human sales interaction with recruitment staff. The “nice” feature of this process is that it successfully will voluntarily screen out passive candidates. It is a case of conflicting goals if the company is trying to attract Passive Candidates.<br />
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It is best to let the applicant tracking system perform the function it was first designed. Track candidates that have submitted their resumes. If the positions are hourly positions where candidates are conditioned to complete applications because they do not have resumes, allow them to complete the application while allowing professionals to simply submit a resume.<br />
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Going back to your quick trip to the grocery market above, would you return for a quick stop in the future? Probably not. Don’t let the website marketing and applicant tracking screening get in the way of your recruiting the passive candidate. Build a system that makes it easy to identify open positions and submit a resume – and the qualified candidates will come!RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-61501945119430444822012-04-05T22:50:00.000-06:002012-04-05T22:50:42.593-06:00Hiring Managers Say The Craziest Things – Okay, Everything!<p>Since 1981, I have worked with over 3000 hiring managers across the United States. Most of whom have never been trained how to interview. If they haven’t been taught how to interview, they certainly have not been taught how to select the best fit. Therefore, they bring their own unique interview techniques and questions to the interview party. Of course, the candidates bring their own special treats to the interviewing party; and I will share some of those also.<br />
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The setting – an internationally known company’s data center where I successfully almost singlehandedly recruited their technical staff. The manager – a well meaning manager who had never been taught how to effectively interview so he did almost all of the talking. The candidate – a very talented systems programmer.<br />
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Several days before the interview, the candidate called to tell me that she just came from the dentist. She needed to have her jaw broken and then wired shut the day before her interview. She felt that she would have to postpone her interview. I told her that she would probably be fine but I would check with the manager.<br />
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The manager was very interested in her technical skills and did not want to chance losing her. He replied if she felt like she could interview, he would be very happy to accommodate her during their interview. <br />
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I called the candidate back and said he was okay to interview and understood her situation. I suggested that she call me the evening prior and let me know how she felt.<br />
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She had the procedure and called me saying – and try to say the following with your mouth fixed shut – “He may not be able to understand me. I’ll keep the interview.”<br />
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I confirmed with the manager that she was set but understanding her may be tough.<br />
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The next afternoon following the interview I received a call from the manager. He said that he really liked her and felt she would be a great addition to his team. I thanked him and told him that I had not spoken with her yet.<br />
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She then called me. She said it was the strangest interview she ever had. He did all of the talking – for 2 hours!<br />
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They extended an offer that she accepted.<br />
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Luck comes in two forms – good and bad. This time the good luck raised its head and it worked out for both parties.<br />
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Don’t put your company at risk of the other form of luck – bad. Teach your managers how to effectively interview and select the best candidate for each of their positions.RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-10699176954535458122012-04-03T14:27:00.001-06:002012-04-03T14:33:11.403-06:00Hiring Managers Say The Craziest Things – Lunch Interview<p>Since 1981, I have worked with over 3000 hiring managers across the United States. Most of whom have never been trained how to interview. Therefore, they bring their own unique interview techniques and questions to the interview party.<br />
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This is the beginning of a series of quick stories that my candidates have experienced. The names have been changed - if there is even a name attached. Of course, the candidates bring their own special treats to the interviewing party and I will share some of those also.<br />
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Interestingly, in many cases these stories are males interviewing female candidates – must just bring out the worst/most interesting and creative approaches in the males…<br />
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The setting – An office before smoking was prohibited in the workplace. The manager headed a company and was interviewing a female programmer/analyst at lunch time.<br />
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This time I’ll choose the name, Joe, for the manager. It just sounds like a “Joe” story…<br />
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Joe invited the candidate into his office and offered her a seat across from his desk. He began the interview with the standard “tell me about yourself” lead. So far so good. Suddenly the interview took an interesting twist.<br />
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Joe reached into his lower right drawer and pulled out a brown paper bag. It looked like a lunch bag for one. It was. Joe looked at the candidate and said, “I hope you don’t mind if I eat my lunch during our interview? This is the only chance I will have today to eat.” She was startled but was gracious enough to allow him to eat during the interview.<br />
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He proceeded with “What is your current salary?” After she responded, he replied, “So you say…” <br />
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While he was interviewing her about her programming skills, he was downing his lunch. I can just picture Joe spraying during his questions. He actually seemed interested in her responses. After he finished eating, he appeared satisfied – not sure if it was her response to his most recent question or his lunch.<br />
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Not to be outdone by his previous actions/responses, he then reached into his top drawer and said, “I hope you don’t mind. I usually smoke a stogie after lunch.” Amazingly she remained for the entire interview.<br />
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She called me after her “lunch” interview and told me what happened. She was laughing when she said that the manager reminded her of Archie Bunker.<br />
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She did not accept the offer – that was lower than her current compensation…RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-24248052130066963212012-03-24T20:35:00.002-06:002012-03-24T20:43:50.557-06:00Diversity Recruitment Problems Over Analyzed<p>Yesterday when I presented the “Secrets of a Successful Job Search” at the University of Utah, I asked the participants “How many of you feel you have been discriminated because of your age?” About a third of the people raised their hands.<br />
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When you read about diversity recruitment most people discuss systems and solutions but I have yet to see anyone discuss the root problem. Possibly the reason that you do not see the root cause is that most people who write on the subject are outside of the trenches. <br />
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In my 30 plus years of professional recruitment, I have worked with thousands of hiring managers. Most hiring managers have never been trained how to effectively interview candidates. If they have not been taught how to effectively interview candidates, they certainly have not been taught how to select the best candidate. As a result, it is not unusual to hear a hiring manager comment after a series of interviews, “This person feels good in my gut!” Generally I caution them that guts are good for storing and processing food – not so good for selecting the best qualified candidate.<br />
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Using the premise of behavioral interviewing, I suggest that since most hiring managers have never been taught how to effectively interview, they do what is natural; and how they found success in the past. They choose the candidate that is most like them. Are they discriminating against protected classes? Possibly some are…but based on my experience I truly believe that most people are doing the best they can. They are selecting a new employee based on their prior successful behavior.<br />
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So who is responsible? Obviously it would be a great world if everyone did the right thing all of the time. May I suggest that companies take the time to train their hiring managers how to effectively interview and select top performers. Hiring managers do not have easy access to all of the vendors who can offer the best training. The Human Resource department does.<br />
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How to best motivate hiring managers to seek candidates with diverse experience? I like to show a problem as a cube. If everyone has the same life experience, they all look at the problem from the same direction. Can they solve the problem? Probably. Can they create the best solution? Maybe not. However, when people with different backgrounds look at the problem from different aspects, can they create a better solution? Probably.<br />
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What is the best way to encourage people to change their interviewing and selection behavior? Demonstrate how the new behavior is more beneficial. All it takes is a few early adopters who enthusiastically adopt the new process. Then demonstrate to other team members that the new interviewing process is the best way to select candidates. Once the new process becomes established, it becomes the way to conduct business.<br />
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If I were running a business, I would select sharp directors and certify them for interviewing candidates for their department. Train their hiring managers to effectively interview candidates. Then offer to help them in the selection process. This is a mentoring process that encourages desired behavior. Ask the hiring managers questions to help them through the selection process. Allow their hiring managers to select the best candidate after the due diligence and mentoring is complete. <br />
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Once managers are taught how to effectively interview and select the best qualified candidate, then companies can work on their attraction of people with diverse experience. Now we are touching on the areas that receive the most attention – sourcing diverse candidates.<br />
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When I am on a recruiting contract, if my client wants me to examine their process, I look to see if they perform the recruiting fundamentals well. Does their process attract candidates or is it designed to screen out candidates? If it is the latter, the company is losing better qualified candidates daily, quite probably well qualified diversity candidates.<br />
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Once a company sources diversity candidates, the job is only beginning. Many companies and many diversity writers confuse sourcing with recruiting. You may be interested in reading <a href="http://www.recruitingtrends.com/do-you-confuse-sourcing-with-recruiting">Do You Confuse Sourcing With Recruiting?</a> The recruiting is only beginning once you sourced the diversity candidates.<br />
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Now the company needs to begin selling the candidate while determining whether they have the skills and motivation to do the job – note I did not say cultural fit. Almost by definition a diversity candidate may not necessarily be a “cultural fit” if most of the current employees come from the same background.<br />
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Remember, if someone interviews at a company and they are the only person there who is “different”, recruiting is more difficult because they may need reassurance that they will be able to make the impacts necessary to have fun. Additionally the difficulty will be compounded if you have to relocate them and their family. In my experience, diversity candidates will want reassurance their family and children will continue to interact with others like them in the new town. The candidate and family are also interested in a cultural fit.<br />
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Recruiting diversity candidates is more difficult than simply deciding to do so. On the other hand, when successful there is much satisfaction in a job well done – and the company has attracted someone who will make a difference. Begin a successful diversity recruiting program by teaching your hiring managers how to effectively interview and select the best candidates.RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-68833727177068730782012-03-08T17:52:00.000-07:002012-03-08T17:52:57.585-07:00March Madness Basketball And Recruiting<p>Of course you are saying, “What? How are the two connected?”<br />
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More ways than you may think. Importantly, almost all of those players (candidates) were recruited by coaches (hiring managers) to create a cohesive team.<br />
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What does your recruiting team do? Obviously they are working to source, identify, and recruit the candidates who will create a team that will produce positive results for your company.<br />
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Now let’s look at the “game.” How is your team prepared to compete for the best candidates? Does your company attract the best players? Or is your company one of the larger companies that many of the best candidates ignore in favor of smaller, hungrier companies? <br />
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In order to be a successful basketball team it is important to perform the fundamentals well – dribble, pass, shoot, and defend. How strong is your recruiting team while performing the recruiting fundamentals? Do your job descriptions deliver a clear summary of the required skills and experience to be successful in that specific position during the critical first year? <br />
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Job descriptions are the foundation to the recruiting process. They are the equivalent of successful ball handling. Does your company include the 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 12 month goals in your job descriptions? With those goals stated, the skills and experience required to be successful the first year become crystal clear. Additionally, since I have been requesting hiring managers to list those goals, candidates and managers alike told me they like them. Why? The expectations for the first year are clear.<br />
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With these goals listed, sourcing is targeted. Candidates have the right skills and experience or they don’t. Instead of looking at reams of electronic resumes, hiring managers see candidates who should be on target. In basketball, do coaches recruit forwards when they need point guards? They are both basketball players.<br />
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With the goals set, interviews flow. It is like the effective defense in basketball. Only deserving and skilled candidates make it past the screen. Now managers have the tool that enables them to focus on the necessary skills and experience to be successful. Meaningful behavioral questions are easier to develop. The debriefing after the interview can target on whether the candidate has the skills and experience to be successful.<br />
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Does your company “protect the ball” and do the easy things well; or does it force candidates to jump through hoops? Go to your corporate website. Is your Careers page designed to Screen candidates out? Have you allowed your applicant tracking system to hijack your recruiting process? How many clicks does it take for candidates to find a list of openings? Remember, marketing research shows that your company loses one half of the remaining candidates with each click. Who are the first group of candidates your company loses in the first click? The passive candidates. Who are the people who survive through the application completion? The desperate candidates. Is that how you plan to win the game for the best talent? Remember, it is your advantage to have more resumes than fewer resumes.<br />
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If the opposing team scores 20 unanswered points, do you remain in your same defense without making changes? What did Einstein reputedly say about doing the same thing and expecting different results? What are you doing differently in your recruitment effort? Remember, there are over 20 million people out of work right now, some of whom are impact makers. How many openings does your company have? How patient is your management team?<br />
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What happens when your basketball team gets a little sloppy? They lose the ball. How long does your hiring manager hold the resume before committing to an interview? How long do they take before making a hiring decision? How long does it take for your company to extend an offer? The very qualified candidates do not remain on the market long. If a manager loses a sharp candidate because of indecision, your company may want to spend a little more time looking at their overall performance. Recognition of talent and acting on it is a sign of a good manager. Don’t be sloppy and lose candidates. It costs too much time and effort, especially if the candidate is lost well along in the process. And remember if your company takes too long, I am looking for top talent and will snatch them from your company’s hands for my client – and have done so many times. It’s like a steal in basketball.<br />
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When do you have a championship team in recruitment? I’ve seen some recruitment teams who thought they were top notch. Upon closer look, you can see where they are in their conference. They settle for the desperate candidates. How do they compare with the top performing recruitment teams? The top teams perform the fundamentals well. They understand that recruiting is a sales process. Their actions and attitude help them win the best talent.<br />
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Treat your company’s recruiting process as a sales process, not a screen out process. Screening has its place during the interview process. Most of the balance of the process needs to sell the candidate that this is the best company, position, and manager.<br />
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Remember, in our society stability is valued. Have you heard the expression “Don’t rock the boat?” People generally resist change. Your company’s recruiting process needs to encourage candidates to make changes in their lives. That requires sales abilities. <br />
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Change things up in recruitment. Put on a full court press and win the game for talent. Talent will help your company beat its competition and win the championship game of profits! Then your company wins the Big Dance!RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-46908883184620619162012-03-03T19:53:00.001-07:002012-03-05T21:57:44.348-07:00Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Recruiting?<p>Abraham Maslow developed his hierarchy of needs by studying successful people. How does your company’s recruiting process match up with our human needs?<br />
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Obviously the physiological needs are taken care of through compensation and benefits. Your company’s offers need to be competitive in order to attract the best candidates. Compensation and benefits are generally only the tip of the iceberg. Sometimes they are indicative of the company’s attitude toward its employees.<br />
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Companies condition candidates. How does your company condition candidates who complete applications? Do you contact them and reinforce engagement? Or do you abandon them, and they never hear from you again? How do candidates feel about your company after experiencing your recruitment process – safe and confident? Or do you let them down? The words “Black Hole” is used far too many times when referring to a company’s recruiting process.<br />
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One of the purposes of social media sourcing is to engage potential candidates. As candidates continue through your process do they feel your company is still engaged? Or does your company ignore them? Did your company allow the applicant tracking system vendor assume ownership of your company’s recruitment process?<br />
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Does your company’s recruiting process encourage candidates to feel they are important to your company? When candidates contact you are they confident that you will respond?<br />
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If your company’s brutally honest assessment is “No”, it is ignoring the hierarchy of needs during the recruiting process. Now let’s consider how candidates who somehow finally find their way through your recruiting process feel. What was their first impression?<br />
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If candidates have to work so hard to somehow make it through your recruitment process, does your company wonder when there is an engagement issue once they come on board?<br />
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It is important for companies to beware of conflicting goals in their recruiting process. Conflicting goals create conflict and opposing actions. For instance if your company’s use of the applicant tracking system is to screen out candidates, your company’s actions are opposing the goal of attracting the best candidates. Top candidates will come to companies that act like they want them, not companies that act like they want to screen them out.<br />
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How does a company change its recruitment direction? Unfortunately just as in sports teams, they may have to change team members and acquire professionals who understand that recruiting is a sales process, not a screening process. Recruiting is sales requires a proper sales attitude and the excitement that goes with trying to attract the best candidates. Between you and me? A lot more fun!<br />
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In the screening out process, candidates are not treated as important potential assets. They are treated as a metric, a number. They feel that the pervasive attitude within the company is where people are not valued.<br />
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“Wait a minute! We value our candidates!” is your response. You probably do. However, a candidate’s perception is their reality. When was the last time that your company examined its recruitment process? When was the last time that someone from your company put on the candidate hat with a fictitious name and resume and audited your company’s recruitment process?<br />
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In the Recruiting is Sales recruiting process, candidates feel they are important from the beginning of the process to its conclusion. Of course you screen candidates! They are prescreened and know after the prescreening if they are still a viable candidate. Then they experience the interviewing process. If they no longer are the best candidate, respect them by telling them. If it was a really close call, keep in touch. You may want to recruit them for the next position that requires the same skills and experience. I’ve done that in the past. It’s fun to hear their voice when I’ve contacted them to interview again.<br />
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When a company follows a person’s basic needs through the entire recruiting process, the process flows and the company improves the quality of hire.RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-77849328866128699182012-03-02T12:51:00.001-07:002012-03-02T12:57:13.094-07:00Recruitment Sourcing Magic – Proper Attitude<p>When I listen to recruiters discuss sourcing some have an amazing attitude. They are like Labrador Retrievers on the search – pant, pant, pant, There! Other recruiters act almost like sourcing is an imposition. They want to try to find the easiest way to “screen out” candidates.<br />
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What is the correct attitude? Well, recruiters who understand that recruiting is a sales process, enjoy the hunt for the perfect candidate. Why is their attitude important?<br />
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What is one of the most important functions in Human Resources? The sourcing and attraction of the talent that will propel the company forward. These are candidates who feel they are happy in their current position until a talented recruiter contacts them – and by the way, that recruiter may be a corporate recruiter or a contingent/retained/contract (third party) recruiter. <br />
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The recruiter with the best attitude “knows” they will succeed finding the best qualified candidate that is also the best fit. Why? Their motivation is intrinsic. They know they will succeed because they EXPECT to succeed. Then they follow their proven sourcing process to find the best candidates.<br />
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Remember the recruiter (could also be corporate or third party) who wants to “screen” candidates? They are saying they will not look beyond supplied resumes – and hope they don’t have to look through many of them. These are the same people who expect their applicant tracking system to screen out unqualified candidates. What they do not understand is that those applicant tracking systems also screen out passive candidates who refuse to complete an application before contact from the company.<br />
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A Hall of Fame basketball coach, Morgan Wootten, once told my class that people live up to your expectations. If you expect they will succeed, they will. If you expect they will fail, they will also meet your expectations.<br />
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Therefore recruiters who expect to succeed generally will do everything they can to meet that expectation. They are driven to succeed.<br />
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Which recruiter will make a bigger impact on their company/client? Probably not the one you expect. Can you imagine the damage inflicted on companies by recruiters who are not interested in searching for the best candidates? The cost of a poor hire may even cost a small business its financial success.<br />
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How does a company turn around their recruiting effort? <br />
1) Make it easy for candidates to submit their resume – no, Really Easy! Applicant Tracking Systems are built to handle many resumes. Let them accept the resumes and give your recruiters a larger choice of potentially qualified candidates.<br />
2) Move the online application after a phone screen and prior to the onsite interview. Candidates are then motivated to complete the application.<br />
3) Provide your recruiting staff tools such as Broadlook’s Internet research tools that help identify new candidates.<br />
4) Provide your recruiters with “recruiting is sales” training.<br />
5) Consider bringing in temporary recruitment support to recruit and train your recruiters.<br />
6) Provide your recruiters with advanced interview training. This is where screening is important.<br />
7) Expect your recruiters will succeed finding the best candidates for your company.RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-82226038145282884242012-02-20T18:28:00.001-07:002012-02-20T18:32:23.061-07:00Recruitment Sourcing Magic: What’s in a Title?<p>When you are sourcing candidates, do you source by title, skills, or both? When recruiters tell me they search by titles only, they may be attempting to recruit the wrong candidates. Why?<br />
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In the US we sometimes seem too concerned about titles and not enough about the work to be accomplished. Therefore, janitors become maintenance engineers. Then maintenance engineers in LEED Certified buildings become Directors of Green Facilities (I made that title up – I think!). Sales professionals become Business Developers, Account Representatives, Account Managers, etc. At Microsoft, recruiters become Staffing Consultants.<br />
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In the early 1990’s I worked on a recruitment consulting/recruiting contract with a large multinational telecom firm. Their IT Senior Managers many times had staffs of 100 to 200 fulltime employees and possibly another 100 to 200 contractors. Then I went to a pre-IPO start-up telecom firm with an IT organization of 10 employees and a Director of IT. Which person had more responsibility, the Director of IT at the start-up or the Senior Manager with the large group?<br />
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If you were sourcing IT Directors would you have skipped over the Senior Manager? In many cases the answer is yes. The reason is most candidates do a poor job describing their responsibilities; and many recruiters do a poor job reading between the lines – and are tired of hearing the hiring managers complain that the candidates do not have the correct titles or level of experience. Sometimes, recruiters simply need to hold on to the edge of the cliff with their toes. I’ve had managers raise their voice when I presented a candidate with the wrong title and the right experience. When we went through their experience based on my phone conversation, they sheepishly backed off and agreed to interview the candidate. More than once, after hiring one of those candidates, hiring managers thanked me for my persistence.<br />
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How may corporate recruiters determine whether someone has the right skills? In this world of Taleo, iRecruit, and other Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that require completed applications prior to resume submission, companies pretty much get the desperate candidates. Occasionally one of those candidates may be a great fit with a wrong title. It is important to quickly size up a candidate’s resume and search for accomplishments and impacts. Then phone screen them prior to showing the resume to the hiring manager. If they have the wrong title and the right experience, the recruiter may present to the manager with the evidence of the right experience.<br />
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Better yet, try something different. Direct recruit the right person with the right experience. Ignore the title. If it happens to be a lower title in a larger organization, the title may give your company an edge when recruiting them. Almost everyone would like to go home to their family and say, “I was recruited for a Director/VP/better position today!”<br />
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I understand that for some people, direct recruit sourcing means going to the job board or calling a contingent recruiter. Direct recruiting means sourcing that person through networking using LinkedIn, Google, calls to other people you know in the industry. Use your ATS to identify other people in the organizations that you are targeting. Call them and ask whom they know? If they don’t mention the person in their company, ask who that is. Believe it or not, prior to the Internet fifteen years ago many recruiters made a nice living “smiling and dialing.” Many old timers still do. That is the reason we are Old Timers!<br />
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Bottom line – <a href="http://www.recruitingtrends.com/building-an-effective-job-description"target="_blank">Build An Effective Job Description</a>. Try sourcing at least some of your candidates using Direct Sourcing. Then look at candidates’ experience, not their titles. Phone screen to ensure they have the right skills and experience. When confident the candidate is a viable candidate, present them to the manager with confidence. This is more fun than being a recruiting clerk – and the positive, measurable impacts are greater!RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37295379.post-68789054677005734912012-02-11T12:29:00.005-07:002012-02-11T13:00:02.157-07:00Do You Confuse “Sourcing” with “Recruiting?”<p>“I recruit using Dice.” “I recruit using social media.” “I recruit using LinkedIn.” “What is the best job board to recruit Sales (or IT or Marketing or Finance, etc) candidates?” These are all questions I have seen repeatedly in recruitment Yahoo! Groups or in LinkedIn Groups. <br />
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It appears that many companies confuse sourcing with recruiting, possibly since many sourcing tools try to sell themselves as recruiting tools. While sourcing is certainly important, it is the third step in the recruitment sales process. All seasoned recruiters, corporate and third party, may leave the room…<br />
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<b>The Recruitment Sales Process</b><br />
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1) Define a need – new or replacement employee<br />
2) Develop a solution - Effective Job Description <br />
3) Source available Qualified Candidates<br />
4) Needs analysis – the interview <br />
5) The Offer/Counter Offer conversation <br />
6) Compensation Negotiation<br />
7) Acceptance/Counter Offer conversation <br />
8) New Employee Start/On boarding process<br />
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If there are eight steps in the Recruitment Sales Process, is “Recruiting” only step 3? Of course not!<br />
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When a Lean consultant is looking at a process to clean up wasteful steps, they look at the entire process to determine where they need to direct their attention first. For many companies the first step to stop and examine is the Job Description step. When a company takes a shortcut with the job description, they place the entire process at risk. Why? The job description drives sourcing, interviewing, selecting, and the first year of the candidate’s employment. Read “Building An Effective Job Description” at Recruiting Trends <a href="http://www.recruitingtrends.com/building-an-effective-job-description"target="_blank"> “Building An Effective Job Description”</a>.<br />
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The second step to examine is the Sourcing step. Sourcing may be done actively and/or passively. I find it interesting when companies with great products and great brand loyalty do not capitalize on both when searching for candidates. The homepage is a great place to offer loyal customers the opportunity to work for them. Examine company websites. How difficult is it for potential candidates to find their list of open positions? Read <a href="http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/attracting-passive-candidates"target="_blank">Attracting Passive Candidates?</a> to develop an understanding how quickly passive candidates (who may be among your best customers) leave your web pages. Does it benefit your company to mostly have the desperate candidates applying? Too many steps to submit a resume drives qualified candidates away. Understanding candidate practices is important for corporate and third party recruiters alike.<br />
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Do you source by networking and convincing passive candidates “just to spend a little time with me to discuss a position”? Congratulations! Now you are recruiting! Simply scooping resumes/applications out of an applicant tracking system or going through the resumes received from third party recruiting firms is a recruiting clerk’s job. As I’ve demonstrated many times, true recruiting is a Sales Process.<br />
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Now the recruiting is just beginning! How finely tuned is your interviewing process? Do you pre-screen candidates or do you simply float resumes to hiring managers without a screen? If you pre-screen candidates by interviewing them (phone is fine), you are still in the recruiting process. If you simply float the resumes to the hiring manager without a conversation with the candidates (whether you are a third party or corporate recruiter), you are a recruiting clerk. During that pre-screening conversation with the candidate, you discover their motivations to leave (even if they think they want to stay), their skills, their potential fit, potential interest, and begin the discussion of counter offers. <br />
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All of this, while very important, is still only step 3 of an 8 step process. Yes, recruiting is more than receiving resumes and passing them along. Effective full lifecycle recruiters (whether third party or corporate) earn their money because talent acquisition is key to a company’s growth (or poorly done, its demise).<br />
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Assuming we have qualified candidates on board with some levels of interest, let’s examine step 4 – Needs Analysis. Both the hiring manager and the candidate are conducting needs analysis during the interview. <br />
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Are your hiring managers trained how to create an effective interview and then conduct an interview that probes their candidates’ skills? If not, hiring managers are determining the best fit by their guts – not really the best way to determine the best fit. Therefore a seasoned recruiter will step in and provide some interview training for that manager. With an effective job description many times experienced recruiters know better whether a candidate is qualified or not to do a job than the hiring manager. A manager who is not trained how to effectively interview and select the best candidate also has a negative impact on retention – and raises recruiting costs by continually recruiting to fill the same position over and over. Read <a href="http://www.recruitingtrends.com/critical-corporate-interviewing-improves-retention"target="_blank">Critical Corporate Interviewing Improves Retention</a>.<br />
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Meanwhile the candidates for the most part also do not know how to interview. Sometimes I wonder how the best matches ever happen! Effective recruiters prep their candidates on what to expect, how to highlight appropriate (not lie – highlight) skills and experience. The recruiter sells the candidate on the company, position, and the manager. Then they request that the candidate call them shortly after the interview for a debriefing.<br />
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Once the manager determines who they feel is the best fit, it is time to develop an offer. The seasoned recruiter already knows what the candidate is expecting for a compensation package and will coach the hiring manager how best to meet those expectations, especially if salary is an issue. By the way, once a manager has decided on a candidate – and before the recruiter has extended an offer – many will already begin to pencil that person into meetings. You better deliver! <br />
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The recruiter begins the offer process by reinforcing why the candidate is interested in the position. Once the recruiter has their interest again, it is time to extend the offer with the proper amount of enthusiasm. Sometimes the candidate will accept immediately. Sometimes they want more time to decide. Sometimes they receive a Counter Offer. Read <a href="http://community.ere.net/blogs/billhumbert/2011/07/countering-the-counter-offer"target="_blank">“Countering The Counter Offer”</a> on ere.net.<br />
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The recruiter’s job is not complete until the candidate starts and becomes an employee. Therefore, recruiting is much more important than simply forwarding resumes.RecruiterGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03314565525608004168noreply@blogger.com