Category: Focus on Recruitment

Search Engine Optimization for Jobs

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Your career site’s ranking on search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo is based on what the search engine considers most relevant to user. Our Talent2You Job Optimization SEO solution from Buyer Advertising delivers an automated way for recruiters to attract talent directly to your career site!

View our YouTube video which goes into detail about SEO and how our Talent2You Job Optimization platform can help you:

Learn more by clicking here, and contact us today to discover how our Talent2You Job Optimization SEO solution can help you!

Three Ways that the Recruitment Landscape is Changing as the Economy Rebounds in 2014

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After several years of economic depression and stagnation, the United States is seeing a rebound in 2014. While this affects businesses of all types in a variety of ways, it also plays a big role in the look of the recruitment landscape. Here are three of the key ways that recruitment is changing thanks to economic rebounding:

1. More Competitive Packages for Best Candidates

In 2009, there were six applicants vying for every single job opening. In 2014, that ratio has halved, leaving just three applications for every position, according to U.S. News & World Report[1]. While this still gives employees the upper hand in negotiations, the most highly qualified candidates will be harder to recruit. This creates the need for more competitive packages for applicants. These packages will focus on salary, but they may also include fringe benefits, like the option of working from home or flexible hours.

2. Faster Recruitment Process

Ken Sundheim writes that, “An improved economy means heightened opportunity costs (i.e. lost potential sales) when organizations don’t have the manpower to service clients.[2]” In a stronger economy, companies need to cut down on recruiting times in order to be fully employed on a consistent basis. Hiring managers may have to conduct fewer interviews and make faster decisions when recruiting in order to cut down on the time that positions stay vacant within a business.

3. Increased Use of Outside Recruitment Providers

Perhaps the biggest change in the recruitment landscape is that in a booming economy, companies are willing to spend more on the hiring process and pay outside companies to do it. As the recruiting process becomes more complex, Forbes reports that, “U.S. corporations spend nearly $72 billion each year on a variety of recruiting services, staff and products.[3]” Outside recruitment companies are the natural choice for selecting key applicants when time is of the essence for hiring managers.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in January 2014, unemployment had dropped to just 6.6 percent in the United States[4]. This along with other signs of a rebounding economy signal the three changes listed above, which will play a role in today’s recruitment landscape.

[1] http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/01/08/8-ways-the-economy-is-still-affecting-the-job-market

[2] http://www.ere.net/2013/12/18/how-an-improved-2014-economy-affects-recruiting/

[3] http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2013/05/23/corporate-recruitment-transformed-new-breed-of-service-providers/

[4] http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

The Top 5 Characteristics Potential Employees Want to See in Your Company

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As a hiring employer, it’s natural to become fixated on the qualities and skills that make for a great employee. However, building a successful team starts with what draws these potential employees to apply and consider your company in the first place. It’s important to recognize the best characteristics that make a company desirable in the eyes of potential applicants and, ultimately, a great company to work for.

1. Offer competitive pay and benefits that employees can live on

Committing to wages that reflect the cost of living of the local area and that are competitive to other employers tells potential employees that your company cares about their well-being. Although it may not seem cost-effective on the ledger, employees who are paid good wages tend to work harder and can be more productive. It also keeps the workplace morale high, negating the “our CEO makes” mentality, and cuts down on employee attrition, which alleviates training and staffing costs.

2. Enable career development and employee growth

A workplace that is centered around employee development tells potential applicants that even if they are not employed with your company for the long term, the experience they will gain while working there will be invaluable – which, in turn, could help them find larger opportunities later on during their career. Employers can encourage and offer employees an opportunity to better their own talents and skills through cross-training, ongoing training, classes and other seminars, paid for by the employer, and can then reap the benefits of a more developed staff. Additionally, identifying an internal career track for employees can motivate them to push the envelope and set higher goals within their work.

3. Recognize employees and provide open communication

Potential employees want to know that their work, thoughts and opinions matter to the company’s big picture. Allowing give-and-take communication between management and employees establishes trust and respect and can promote teamwork. When employees are given a voice that they know will be heard, they are more likely to suggest ideas for better efficiency and improvement of work processes.

4. Define success and be flexible with how to get it

It’s important to have clear goals for success because it keeps employees focused. But, it is also beneficial to be flexible with how those goals can be achieved. Doing so can alleviate stress in the workplace and can keep workers happy and motivated. Assuming goals are met, employees like to know that their bosses can be flexible when it comes to working autonomously, schedules, breaks, work location, etc.

5. Offer an appealing work environment

A positive and safe working environment allows employees to feel comfortable in their surroundings. Luxury perks like free food and snacks, casual dress codes and relaxing areas are always great selling points. But, providing a great working environment may be as simple as recognizing it as a place where employees can fulfill their needs to collaborate, hang out and have privacy.

How to Identify the Best Candidates for Open Positions

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These days, finding the right employee takes more than having the right credentials. Just because an employee is well-qualified does not necessarily mean that they will be a great fit for your business. Learning how to recognize top talent is a valuable skill that can save time and money. Here are some ways to identify the best candidates for an open position:

Figure Out What You Want

According to career giant Monster.com, creating a set of “success factors” before you begin the interview process is a very effective strategy – these factors include specific habits, traits, skills or motivations that the ideal candidate will possess[1]. Creating this list ensures that management and human resources are in agreement on what they are looking for. During each interview, be sure to carefully listen to the candidate’s responses to see if they meet these criteria.

Enlist Help

Filling a position is easy, but filling it with the right person will take some time and dedication. If you do not have the time to invest in the hiring process, or are not sure where to begin, consider enlisting the help of a recruiting firm. They can help you find or pre-screen candidates in order to find the best possible pick.

Prescreen Candidates

Many candidates will look good on paper; prescreening the applicants allows you to weed out the ones that may not be good for the job. This can save time for both the company and the applicant. Telephone or video chat interviews can be time-efficient and cost-effective ways to do this. Be prepared with a short list of questions that will help you identify whether the applicant meets the basic requirements you are looking for. If that interview goes well, an in-person interview can be scheduled to further discuss their qualifications.

Provide a Company Description

Along with a job description, consider providing applicants with a brief introduction to your company. While many candidates will still conduct their own research, this gives businesses a chance to communicate their culture, vision and values. In addition to basic company information, be sure to include details about the work environment, company mission and what role the company seeks to play in the community.

Finding the right candidate is about much more than simply filling a position. You want to find someone that will fit in well with the culture and goals of your company. Follow these tips, and you will be well on your way to selecting the perfect candidate.

[1] http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/acquiring-job-candidates/best-job-candidate.aspx

The Top Three Underrated Qualities That Recruiters Should Look for in Every Interview

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When preparing for an interview, applicants are often taught to highlight the attributes they believe hiring managers are most impressed by. According to Chicago Now, the most coveted qualities in an applicant are flexibility, listening  skills, confidence, enthusiasm and the ability to work well in a team[1]. While these may be enviable attributes for potential employees, they are not all that matters. Discover the top three underrated attributes that hiring managers should be looking for at every interview.

The Ability to Work Independently

There is a big emphasis in almost every work environment to hire candidates who get along well with others, can work as part of a team and can be diplomatic with their colleagues. However, it may be equally important to look for someone who is able to work independently. Before a deadline or when a project requires individual attention, your company may need an employee who can buckle down and work alone for hours at a time without constant monitoring or reinforcement. According to Workopolis, “It comes in handy to have a highly skilled employee that can just take the reins and produce results without too much instruction or supervision.[2]”

The Drive to Experiment – And Fail

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, has a number of interesting principles when it comes to creating an efficient and successful workplace. One of these keys, according to Bloomberg Business Week, is retaining an experimental attitude about everything. He says that Amazon, or any other company, should seek to “reduce the costs of experimentation so that thousands, not hundreds, of experiments take place.[3]” When seeking out new employees, an underrated quality to keep an eye out for is an experimental nature and the confidence to keep experimenting even when a few past ideas ultimately end up failing.

Inquisitive Nature

Hiring managers are often pleased with the candidate who shows up informed about the business and ready to answer all the tough questions. However, a better choice might end up being the candidate who asks serious questions about company growth, their place in the hierarchy and more. According to an article from the University of California, an interview should be a two-way street that involves both sides asking questions and learning more[4].

Some traits, such as a strong work ethic, enthusiasm and communication skills, are at the top of the list for hiring managers. By also including these underrated qualities, companies can benefit from having more diverse and well-rounded employees.

[1] http://www.chicagonow.com/get-employed/2013/02/top-5-attributes-hiring-managers-seek-in-a-job-candidate/

[2] http://www.workopolis.com/content/advice/article/6-underrated-qualities-of-truly-amazing-employees/

[3] http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-25/amazons-jeff-bezos-and-apollo-11-dot-hes-still-innovating

[4] http://www.law.berkeley.edu/1149.htm

Take Your Time When Hiring Someone New

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In the business world, finding and hiring the right people is critical to the overall success of a business. While there may be times when the workload necessitates finding an employee quickly, there are some major benefits to taking more time to find the right person. Here are 4 reasons to take your time when hiring someone new:

1. Preserve Your Company Culture

You and your team have worked hard at building a positive, productive work environment. Spending a little more time searching for the right person may allow you to find someone that fits into your already well-oiled machine. Patrick Hull, a contributor at Forbes, wrote that “It’s important to have managers and other team members involved in the interview process. They provide important perspectives and make sure that the new employee will fit with the existing culture.[i]” A longer hiring process would give you more time to involve other team members within your organization, whose opinions can help gauge whether a potential candidate is the right fit or not for your organization.

2. Find the Right Candidates

The beauty of using recruitment services is that you have a seemingly endless talent pool to choose from. Recruitment experts specialize in finding the best and brightest minds in your area. Investing a little more time to find the perfect candidate will be well worth the wait.

3. Check Credentials

Spending more time finding the right hire means that you have the opportunity to more closely screen your pool of candidates. Take advantage of this by contacting references, reviewing their work history and making sure that they are well-qualified for the job.

4. Interview More

When it comes to recruiting techniques, few are more effective than face-to-face interviews. A candidate may seem like a perfect fit on paper, but their personality may not be well-suited for your team. Likewise, there may be instances where a candidate lacks the experience or the education that you are looking for, but has a work ethic and attitude that makes them worth training.

When it comes to finding the right employees, there are no set rules on how long you should search. Depending on the size of your company and the type of vacancy you are looking to fill, this could take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Taking the time to really dive in and explore your potential talent pool is always time well spent.

[i] http://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickhull/2013/03/27/hire-slow-fire-fast/

The Most Important Warning Signs of a Bad Hire

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As leaders in the recruiting industry, we know how important it is to employ the right questions and techniques to find the jewels in your candidate pool. However, despite your best efforts, there will be times when a bad employee manages to slip through the screening process and land on your payroll. When this happens, the reduced morale and lost productivity can quickly become costly. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, a bad hire costs an average of 30 percent of the employee’s first-year salary[i]. For a new hire with an annual salary of $50,000, this can mean a $15,000 loss to your company.

Here are the most important warning signs of a bad hire:

Warning #1: Bad Attitude

Your new hire was smiling and friendly during the interview process but now does not get along well with others. This can be a huge sign that you may have a bad new hire on your hands. Additionally, behaviors like attendance problems or overuse of social media are also red flags.

If you have not observed this behavior yourself, do not rely on the rumor mill. Take some time to speak with the supervisors, managers and staff that work directly with the new hire. Once you have enough information to validate your concerns, it is time to initiate a neutral discussion with the employee.

Warning #2: Lack of Interest

New hires are often excited about their new positions and buzzing with questions. If you have a new hire that does not seem to ask any questions, this can mean they are not interested in the position or do not understand the job.

No matter which of these instances is the case, this situation should be monitored closely. If the employee is simply afraid to ask questions, take some time to make sure they feel comfortable coming to you or an immediate supervisor. Employees that do not communicate well may negatively affect productivity and morale. New hires that attempt to master their job on their own can create other issues.

A bad new hire will happen every now and then. Making sure to address this problem swiftly is key. Allowing a new hire to poison your work environment can lead to many more issues down the line.

[i] http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130716151946-2967511-the-high-costs-of-a-bad-hire-and-how-to-avoid-them

How to Hire People Away from Your Competition

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When the pool of applicants for any given position doesn’t meet your standards, the next step is to attract high-quality candidates away from your competition. While many in the recruitment industry call this “poaching,” it is a natural move that can benefit the potential candidate as well as the company willing to pay the most for the employee.

Ask Recent Hires Who They Admire Most in Other Companies

To find out which potential candidates are bringing the greatest amount of success, talent and leadership to your competitors, Venture Beat suggests asking recent hires for advice on who in their business network might be a good match for the company[i]. If enough people repeat the same names time and time again, you have a great target for a potential hire that would cripple the competition and put your business at a major advantage.

Start Out Subtly

If possible, hire a search firm or head-hunting group to initiate the idea of job prospects without being pushy or intrusive. Prospects who are interested will naturally follow up, and then your recruitment team can take over through direct communication with the potential employee. Brenda Snyder, quoted in an article from Inc.com, suggests “Using your professional network to spread the word that you’re hiring and approaching the candidate you’re interested in on neutral ground.[ii]”

Find Out What Candidates Really Want

Blindly making an offer is rarely the right way to attract top talent to your company. Instead, be upfront about your desire to work with the candidate, and have them explain what they need to make the move to your organization. This article from the Harvard Business Review reminds hiring managers to think beyond simply financial remuneration, such as allowing board members to sit on commercial boards as well, or perhaps including stock options for employees in lieu of a higher salary.[iii]

Don’t Ignore Any Legal Concerns

In many competitive industries, and especially when it comes to talent that’s working in research or development, there are some legal concerns to consider before poaching employees from competitors. According to attorney Stacy Bekman Radzit, “it is prudent for employers to ask potential new hires whether they are under a contract that would prevent them from working for that employer. Employers can request such information in a job application or in an addendum to an employment agreement, if one is to be executed.[iv]”

These tips can be vital when it comes to hiring away top talent from your competitors. Keep in mind, however, that you should also focus on nurturing your top performers because competitors may be reading this very same article.

[i] http://venturebeat.com/2011/09/02/how-to-hire-and-retain-talent-in-a-competitive-market/

[ii] http://www.inc.com/guides/201101/how-to-poach-an-employee-from-a-competitor.html

[iii] http://hbr.org/special-collections/insight/scaling-social-impact/how-to-hire-top-talent-when-you-cant-pay-top-dollar

[iv] http://www.ober.com/publications/608-potential-risks-hiring-competitors-employee

Tips for Finding New Recruits Who Fit in With Your Current Team

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Hiring employees is about more than just finding suitable stand-alone candidates. For a successful work environment, the perfect new hires will also fit in well with your current team and office culture. Brian Kropp, Managing Director at Corporate Executive Board, found in his studies that almost half of an employee’s success in the first 18 months on the job can be attributed to how the employee fits in with others in the organization while the rest of his success depends on whether he can do the job[1]. These tips, illustrated below, can help make it easier to find candidates and potential hires that will mesh well with existing employees.

Clearly Define Your Team’s Work Style and Culture

One of the first steps in hiring someone who fits in well with an existing team is to clearly define the work environment already in place. Organizational culture is dictated by the values, behaviors, beliefs and norms that permeate the group[2]. Once your company’s culture is fully realized, it will be easier to hire someone judging on whether they fit within your organization or not.

Ask Current Employees What They Look For in a New Candidate

When determining whether a prospective candidate is a good fit for your organization, sometimes the employees themselves are often the best people to decide what traits that ideal recruits would have. Mary Lorenz at The Hiring Site wrote that, “Who better to recommend candidates who fit the culture of your company than the very people who live it every day? Because your employees already know what it takes to be successful at your company, it’s no wonder employee referral programs have been linked to lower turnover rates, lower costs associated with recruiting and increased morale.[3]”

Ask Candidates To Detail Their Best and Worst Work Environments

An integral part of the interview process for any new employee should be the question, “What is your worst work environment to date?” The answers can be enlightening, and they will explain more about whether a candidate is the right fit. Have candidates detail their ideal work environment, and see if it matches up with the attributes written down in the first step of this guide.

Finding recruits with the right qualifications can be a challenge in and of itself, but hiring managers should also seek out those candidates who will fit in well with the current team.

[1] http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04/28/is-it-better-to-hire-for-cultural-fit-over-experience/

[2] http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/interview-preparation/assess-company-culture-best-fit/article.aspx

[3] http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2012/06/12/cultural-fit-vs-skills-whats-more-important-when-recruiting-candidates/

Keep Ideas Fresh by Periodically Bringing in New Employees

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Employees are the lifeblood of a successful business. From front-line customer service representatives to behind-the-scenes administrative workers, your employees have a huge impact on the way your business operates. Although retaining your current staff should always be a top priority, hiring fresh new talent from outside of the company can breathe new life into your business.

Here are a few advantages of periodically hiring external employees:

Fresh Ideas

When an employee leaves, particularly one that has been with the company for a while, they are making way for the fresh ideas and insights of a new employee. While the contributions of long-term employees are extremely valuable to a company, retirement, attrition and voluntary resignations provide an opportunity to bring in new perspectives. Phyllis Korkki, contributor at the New York Times, reinforces this idea: “Outsiders can bring fresh skills and ideas, along with a healthy skepticism about long-held practices.[1]” Not only can an external candidate bring a fresh approach to your business, they can also help your company find top talent from their industry.

Reinventing the Wheel

Another benefit of bringing in creative new talent is that they can help stimulate new thinking. Once the employee has been trained and is fully integrated into their new position, encourage them to make suggestions on ways to improve processes. “An organization that is content to only understand the ways it sees things and only operate in accordance with its own best practices misses the growth opportunities that come from a more diverse management team with a broader set of organizational and career experiences.[2]” For example, if your company has historically relied on print marketing materials, a new hire may be able to suggest ways that social media or social networking sites can help expand your business and reduce costs. Internet companies like Google and Facebook have attributed many successful projects to the creativity and innovation of their employees.

New Energy

New employees are vibrant and excited about their new responsibilities. This positive energy can quickly spread to fellow employees. Not only can this reduce the number of behavior-related occurrences, but it can also increase productivity. Also, their unique skills and fresh perspective can help a slow-moving company become competitive again.

Periodically hiring new external talent is a great way to generate new ideas in a company. From redeveloping processes to re-thinking certain aspects of a business, new hires can be a very valuable asset.

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/jobs/hiring-outsiders-has-pros-and-cons-for-employers.html?_r=0

[2] http://www.carterbaldwin.com/list/3/articles/16-top-10-reasons-to-consider-external-candidates