Tag: recruitment trends

Education Versus Experience: Which Is More Important to Your Organization?

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The debate between education and experience is one of the oldest in the hiring book, and it’s still relevant today. According to Glassdoor’s U.S. Employment Confidence Survey, 82% of U.S. college graduates said their level of education has been an asset to their careers [1]. Instead of wrestling between absolutes, start asking different questions. Every position has its own unique needs, and the right person for the job could come from either end of the spectrum.

The Benefits of Less

Never discount an applicant simply because they lack either education or experience. Taking on candidates fresh out of school with little experience gives you all the benefits of a freshly educated, malleable mind that can grow to exemplify your organization’s values. A candidate with little education but a mountain of experience will bring intuition and insight only the battle-hardened can boast.

Think Specifics

Rather than treating education and experience as broad subjects, look at the details. An applicant whose qualifications are specialized in the field you need is invaluable to a team and is often a better choice than someone with a more extensive but non-specialized background. The specifics may also reveal unexpected perks, like training that would benefit a major project your organization is working on or alternative viewpoints that add extra value to a candidate.

Consider Your Current Team

If your applicants will be working closely with other people, identify the gaps or imbalances in your current team and look to fill them. If your current staff is heavy on experience, bring in someone with a more extensive education. If your staff is well educated but lacks experience in the type of project you are about to undertake, choose someone with the right practical skills.

Seek a Middle Ground

When it comes down to it, academics and practical skill are equally important, and having a balance of both is ideal. Remember that you can use seminars and other training programs to polish otherwise perfect candidates with a few gaps in their resume.

As applications come across your desk, give education and experience equal weight. Hone in on specific skills and think about the assets you are lacking. Striking a balance will always serve you well.

[1] http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/view/story.jhtml?id=534357362

 

Reasons to Hire Candidates With a Degree Unrelated to Your Industry

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image_013When you are sorting through the applications for a position in your organization, do not automatically exclude the people who have a degree that is unrelated to your industry. Educational and business researchers are increasingly finding that any type of college degree leads to better chances at success in the workplace because college-educated workers are more creative in their methods of thinking. There are many reasons to hire someone with a degree that is seemingly unrelated to the type of job openings you have.

Multiple Perspectives

College graduates with a liberal arts degree must take a variety of courses in order to complete the degree. These students may take everything from history and Asian studies to calculus, chemistry and communications. Hiring these graduates allows your organization to bring someone on board who has the ability to think about issues from multiple perspectives.

Range of Experience

Only 27 percent of college graduates work in an industry related to their degree, explains Outside the Beltway [1]. Today’s engineering majors must complete courses in written and oral communications while English majors are also taking classes in technical writing and computer programs. In dynamic workplaces, a range of experience is often needed in order to solve complex problems that have multiple facets of concern.

No Limits to Problem-solving Approaches

People with an arts degree can bring a creative approach to problem solving. While showing a respect for the scientific process, such people can also bring new ways of thinking about technical and data-oriented problems. Many arts majors learn about long-term planning and goal setting, which can help your organization see the forest through the trees.

Enthusiasm and Energy

Hiring someone with an unrelated degree can add energy to your workplace, explains Louis Catron [2]. These types of employees can be especially helpful during challenging times or times of crisis. A theater major can put on a brave face and deliver disappointing sales earnings to your board of directors while also showing the necessary enthusiasm and energy as part of motivating others to finish a difficult task. The confidence and can-do attitude of people with a range of degrees helps to boost your organization’s morale.

[1] http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/most-college-graduates-have-jobs-unrelated-to-their-major/

[2] http://lecatr.people.wm.edu/majorslearn.html

Effective Methods of Utilizing LinkedIn to Promote Hiring

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image_016The Internet is becoming a useful tool in hiring. More specifically, HR professionals are turning to LinkedIn to find and recruit top talent. Back in 2010, 78% of recruiters were using LinkedIn to find candidates, but five years later, that percentage has risen to 95% [1]. LinkedIn not only offers a platform for you to build your employer brand, but it also enables you to attract qualified job candidates and select the best match. It’s easy to get started:

Creating a Company Profile

Networking is a huge advantage to using LinkedIn. By creating a company profile and adding your staff, you have established connections to link you with potential candidates through your current employees. If you are looking for a graphic designer, it is easier to find a network of designers through someone you already have on your staff. According to a Nielsen study, the average number of connections for LinkedIn members is around 60 people [2].

Marketing Your Company

There are many companies on LinkedIn, which is why it is important to market your company and set yourself apart. LinkedIn is a social media outlet and has many of the same qualities you would see on Facebook. You can post status updates, share company announcements and even can set your current status as “hiring.” This lets people know that you’re an active, engaged company that others may be interested in working for.

Posting a Job

When you are ready to post a job on LinkedIn, make sure that you have researched the role. You can use this information to create a job description that will attract the ideal job candidate. A good job description will include the necessary skills, education and experience to carry out the duties of the job. LinkedIn will then send your job post to those who best meet the criteria.

LinkedIn also has a sponsored job option, which increases the likelihood of people applying for your position. Once your job has been posted, it will receive high placement in the “Jobs you may be interested in” section. Your company gets charged on a pay-per-click basis. This is a great way to increase the pool of potential candidates.

Because LinkedIn allows you to reach more job candidates with a pool of over 330 million professionals, it is a great way for you to find the right job candidate.

 

[1] http://www.socialtalent.co/blog/how-recruiters-and-job-seekers-use-social-media-in-2015

[2] http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242721

Can Facebook Help You Find Quality Talented Professionals?

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image_01When your business needs to find talented professionals to join your team, knowing where to look can be a challenge. In today’s social media-driven world, people are flocking to websites such as Facebook not only to share photos and status updates but also to find jobs. Putting your company on Facebook helps to get the word out fast to an audience of interested and skilled professionals.

A recent survey by Facebook found that 70% of respondents agreed that Facebook is an effective recruiting tool because it allows recruiters to cast a wide net and connect with more potential job seekers than other services because of the widespread use of Facebook [1]. With over 1 billion users, Facebook can be a valuable source for recruiting qualified professionals.

Paid Ads

One way to find talented professionals to recruit is through Facebook ads. You can choose how and when your ad appears, so if you are not offering relocation expenses, then you may wish to only have your ad show up when your physical location is within 60 miles of a user’s IP address. You can also try pay-per-click ads, for which you are only charged when someone clicks your advertisement. Facebook ads allow you to specifically target the type of candidates that you desire. For example, if you need someone familiar with Share Point, you would include that in your keywords. You may choose to run the ad constantly or only during specific hours of the day.

Facebook Pages

Facebook pages are a free resource that you can utilize to your benefit. Essentially a profile for your business, this page is public and allows you to update it with your job postings. You can also include pertinent links with information that the best candidates will want to know, such as the health care benefits, amount of paid time off and other perks of working at your company.

Facebook Marketplace

The Facebook Marketplace allows you to place free, basic ads for the job openings available at your business. In a marketplace ad, you are able to include the job description, location, reason why you need to fill the job and other basic information. You are also able to upload an image of the job’s location or any other image that you think would be useful in recruiting skilled employees.

Facebook’s enormous membership, combined with its precise targeting mechanisms, allow recruiters to pinpoint their ideal candidates and leverage them to build an online talent community. Facebook Ads average around $0.25 per 1,000, which is only 1% of the cost of TV advertising [2] – the result is a low-cost, but highly effective recruitment campaign.

 

[1] https://www.facebook.com/notes/social-jobs-partnership/recruiting-survey-social-media-helps-connect-job-seekers-with-employers/404484379619706/

[2] https://moz.com/blog/1-dollar-per-day-on-facebook-ads

Designing a Recruitment Page that Works Well on Mobile Devices

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image_11Recruiting top talent can be difficult in a competitive market. A solid recruitment strategy is very important in attracting the right candidates to your company. As technology continues to evolve, you should keep up with current trends.

With that in mind, it’s important to understand that smartphones have surpassed desktops regarding the primary method individuals use to access the Internet. Mobile platforms – smartphones and tablets – combined to account for 60% of total digital media time spent in 2014 according to research by comScore [1]. In addition, 86% of active candidates surveyed by Kelton Research use their smartphone to begin a job search, and 70% of active candidates want to apply via a mobile device [2].

When designing a recruitment page, the functionality of the website is critical to reaching users who are not only working from a desktop but also from a mobile device.

Utilizing new Technology

Recently, Google has developed an algorithm tailored specifically to mobile devices, making it easier for the user to find websites that are mobile compatible. This new algorithm introduced by Google rewards mobile-friendly websites by providing a boost in rankings, taking precedence over non-mobile optimized websites. In this ripe field of cutting-edge technology, incorporating a mobile- friendly recruitment website gives your company an advantage.

Design Time

Your IT team is your best friend when it comes to designing a website that is functional across a variety of platforms and devices. What works with an iPhone will not always work the same with an Android. However, you do not necessarily have to make two different versions of a website to make it mobile friendly. Small adjustments, such as changing the view from portrait to landscape and decreasing text size, can help make your website accessible from virtually any device.

Reaching out to More Prospects

Millennials, especially, have embraced technology to its fullest. Downloadable apps are available for almost every major website. Imagine a mobile app for your company that would allow prospective recruits to search and apply for jobs, upload their resumes, receive job alerts, join talent groups, and hear firsthand what it’s like to work at your company. As job seekers are using their smartphones more and more in the job search, it is your responsibility as an employer to adapt to these changes in technology. The results will be beneficial to potential employees and your company.

[1] https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Blog/Major-Mobile-Milestones-in-May-Apps-Now-Drive-Half-of-All-Time-Spent-on-Digital

[2] http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2015/01/19/2015-is-year-of-mobile-recruiting/

Using Social Media to Recruit the Best New Graduates

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image_01According to a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 8.3% of employers plan to add new graduates to their employee roster in 2015 [1]. Clearly, the combination of a solid college education and experience are coveted by most employers. While some recent graduates may not have obtained much work experience, their skills and freshness are still traits that most employers want in order to strengthen their companies. While recruiting and hiring recent college graduates is nothing new, there are new methods to ensure that you hire the best.

Waiting for prospective candidates to knock on your door is not one of those methods. Instead, you must think about how you can engage this young talent to build a strong foundation for your company. Employers in NACE’s survey are catching on to what it takes to use social media as a recruitment tool. You can avoid struggling with these methods of communication by utilizing the following tips to optimize your company’s social media presence and connect with young talent.

Build an Online Employer Brand

If you have not already done so, begin posting information about your company’s culture that features recent college graduates hanging out. Prominent social media platforms are excellent ways to introduce your company. Go beyond job listings and post company events and employee photos. Blogs written from the perspective of current employees can indirectly convey to college graduates why your company is the greatest place to work.

Make Personal Connections

Introduce the names of real people behind corporate HR social media accounts. For instance, @GreatCoJobs can include a line with names of people who update your Twitter account. Another example is for each person to have their own accounts, such as @StanAtGreatCo and @MaryAtGreatCo.

You can also humanize your company’s social media presence by granting people handling different accounts the freedom to interject their own observations and personality into updates.

Provide Exclusivity

Leave job postings listed on your corporate website and use social media to give followers something that is not readily available. Contests, impromptu virtual meetups and behind-the-scene peeks at your company are diverse ways to make meaningful connections.

Invest energy, time and strategic thought into recruiting the best new graduates. Your company could reap the payoff for years to come.

[1] https://www.naceweb.org/s11122014/job-outlook-hiring-2015.aspx

 

Boosting Productivity with Responsive Design on Your Company Website

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image_05Did you know that global mobile data usage increased by 80 percent from 2013 to 2014 [1]? It’s no secret that an unattractive company website is bad for business, but in today’s mobile age, even the most attractive design is worthless if it doesn’t look as good on a phone as it does on a computer. Responsive design, the practice of making a website easy to view and navigate across multiple platforms, is becoming critical to productivity, from hiring to employee satisfaction.

Keeping a Modern Image

Any company with an outdated image is going to have a harder time attracting new hires. Having a website that looks and reads perfectly on both desktop and mobile platforms shows new hires that you understand the needs of a changing market and are quick to adapt.

Increasing Exposure

With an increasing number of prospective hires job hunting from mobile platforms, job openings that can’t be viewed and researched from a tablet or smartphone are going to go unnoticed by tech-savvy talent. Maximize your impact by making your careers page and job listings easy to find regardless of the viewing platform. Highlight your company’s mission statement and show off the benefits of working for your company in a concise and attractive manner.

Perfect Forms

Counter-intuitive applications and post-hire forms are a quick way to frustrate good talent into procrastinating or worse, looking elsewhere. Make sure your resume submission system, applications and any forms you need after a job is offered can be viewed and filled out on each platform without frustration. Adding a way to save progress and return to it later is a nice touch that won’t go unnoticed.

Optimize Training and Employee Portals

Poor training and employee portals leave staff as dissatisfied as managers. Tidy and accessible materials, login and upload abilities make productivity possible whether an employee is in the office or waiting at the dentist’s office. As readability and search-friendliness are crucial for responsive design, it may make your materials more intuitive and effective overall.

While responsive design is a way to stand out today, it’s rapidly becoming essential for any company hoping to attract and retain top talent. Invest early, test extensively and watch your HR productivity soar.

[1] http://www.edelmandigital.com/2015/01/16/friday5

The Latest Trends In Recruitment Marketing

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image_30Recruiting top talent to your organization requires a lot more these days than an ad in a newspaper or a posting on a real or virtual bulletin board. Your organization must truly engage with past, present and future clients and employees to get word out about who you are and what you need. Staying on top of the latest trends for recruitment marketing will help to ensure that you get the tech-savvy, highly skilled and creative staff members you desire.

Taking to the Skies

One of the leading trends in recruitment marketing is the use of cloud services. Organizations like yours are using the cloud for activities related to hiring, recruitment and retaining of staff. Some ways you can use the cloud include storing of resumes and references.

Creating Online Communities

The creation of online communities allows you to directly engage with potential candidates. Applicants can post questions to be answered by members of your team. Your current staff can also use these forums as a way to engage with one another, especially if your organization has staff around the state, country or world.

Establishing Digital Recruitment Strategies

If you’re looking for new team members that are attuned to technology and communication, you need to market yourself digitally through social media. Today’s applicants are increasingly looking to websites such as Twitter, Facebook and others to find out about potential opportunities for employment. Make yourself known so that qualified candidates can easily find you.

Shifting to Mobile Marketing

Members of Generation Y, Generation X and even the Baby Boomers are trending away from the use of desktop and laptop computers. Instead, they are using tablets and smartphones to conduct their communications, Internet searches and quests for employment. Optimizing your website for use on mobile devices will help applicants navigate through your application process more easily.

Engaging through Social Media

Building an online community on social media is another must-do for recruitment. Above and beyond posting your job openings, you should also use social media to build a following of customers and add to your contingent of partners across many industries.

 

Boosting Productivity with Self-Predictive Analytics and Social Media

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image_05What Is Self-Predictive Analytics?

By analyzing known facts, predictive analytics makes assumptions about future events. Self-predictive analytics technology utilizes your company’s internal data to learn from your company’s experience and produce a predictive score for the organizational elements examined. Based on those scores, an organization can use that internal business intelligence to increase productivity.

Predictive analytics is much more than a data summary. The technology predicts future outcomes by finding relationships among variables from both inside the organization and data from outside. In the insurance industry, for example, a direct correlation was discovered between credit scores and auto claims — variables both internal and external to the industry. Exploring those relationships can increase a recruiter’s chances of identifying and targeting the right people for the job, even if they haven’t actually applied.

What Does Social Media Bring to the Table?

When you add the mining of social media to the mix, you’ve moved from predicting your organization’s productivity and performance to predicting changes in job-seeking behavior, the causes, locations and many other actionable analytics. Data is collected, analyzed for relationships and integrated as a component of predictive intelligence. With the right technology, you can turn an overwhelming amount of raw social media data into a sensor network that provides insights to help with workforce planning, talent attraction and employee attrition.

By mining social media data, businesses are provided with unfiltered conversations about not only their own brand but their competitors as well. Sentiment analysis technology sorts social mentions as positive, negative or neutral. These insights can be invaluable to a company’s brand and reputation among potential job candidates.

What Are the Applications of Predictive Analytics and Social Media?

Predictive analytics may be new to the recruiting sector, but weather forecasters, marketers and insurers have been using it for years. Analytics are superior to HR metrics, which can only tell you about the past. Analytics take into account all the data to reveal trends and patterns for future use.

In the competitive world of talent management, analytics provide your organization with a quantifiable advantage in both talent management and business decisions.

 

Using Technology to Streamline Your Interview Procedures

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image_018The interview is one of the most vital elements of the hiring process, and no new applicant should be signed without a face-to-face meeting. However, the traditional route of several office interviews is not the most time-effective or cost-effective option for a business. The following are key ways that technology can help to streamline your interview procedures.

Invest in Recruitment Software

According to Josh Gerbin, a writer for Forbes, corporate recruiting software is now a $1.5 billion industry [1]. That is because recruitment software can be an effective way to handle hundreds or even thousands of resumes without getting overwhelmed. Resumes and applications from sites like LinkedIn, Indeed.com and other similar job-hunt websites are automatically organized through the software, which highlights top candidates you should focus on. It also eliminates applicants who do not meet the minimum hiring requirements. Recruitment software is a departure from the idea of networking, but it is an exceptional way to pinpoint candidates who qualify for a video or in-person interview for the job.

One-Sided Video Interviews

Video interviews conducted over platforms like Skype are certainly not new in the recruitment industry. However, taking it one step further is the idea of a one-sided video interview [2]. Interviewers can send out an email with video questions of their choice. Then, the applicants who receive the email can respond with their recorded answers. This lets both parties conduct their interview when it best fits into their schedule and eliminates the problem of a poor or inconsistent Internet connection on either side.

Applicant Tracking Systems Ensure OFCCP Compliance

For companies large and small, a major concern is meeting hiring guidelines set by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance, a subset of the Department of Labor [3]. In order to guarantee equal opportunity employment, interviewers need to stick with the same questions from applicant to applicant. Rather than maintaining piles of paperwork and checklists for each person that steps into the office, an applicant tracking system helps you see which information has been gathered, which questions were asked and whether you are following federal regulations throughout the interview process.

 

[1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2014/05/06/workday-recruiting-will-it-disrupt-the-talent-acquisition-software-market/

[2] http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/04/how-to-master-a-one-way-interview

[3] http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/