Tag: recruitment strategy

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

The Hiring Process: Which is More Important, Education or Experience?

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Whether hiring someone in the fields of healthcare, retail or finance, recruiters tend to focus on factors of education and experience. A minimum education level is often a requirement, and many companies simply won’t hire candidates without at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field. However, others focus more on experience in the field, which may be a more practical indicator of future success. Discover whether hiring managers should be focused on education or experience when interviewing potential new hires.

Book Smarts Won’t Translate to Career Success

Many applicants rely too heavily on their academic success when seeking out a new career. Having an advanced degree or a high grade point average at the undergraduate level can be a clear sign of knowledge, excellent study habits or intellect, but that doesn’t translate into career success every time. For example, someone with an MBA might have a firm grasp on managerial and leadership concepts, but they may be ineffective leaders once actually in the workplace. As a general rule, hiring managers should be wary of candidates who have yet to be proven in the workplace.

Even Unpaid Work Shows Dedication and Commitment

Unfortunately, hiring candidates with experience can pose a challenge when recruiting entry-level employees or fresh graduates from college. However, any work experience is better than an exclusive focus on education. Martin Birchall, of High Fliers Research, told the Huffington Post[1] that, “New graduates who’ve not had any work experience at all during their studies are increasingly unlikely to be offered a good graduate job after university.” Candidates who have volunteer or internship experience demonstrate commitment and an understanding of workplace culture, even if they have not been monetarily remunerated for their efforts.

Education and experience should go hand in hand during the recruitment process. Education, on its own, will not necessarily be an indicator of workplace success. Experience, while a better indicator, may not provide for long-term success and growth. Ideal candidates have a basic level of education and at least some workplace experience, even if not in the designated field.

[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brazen-life/why-gaining-work-experien_b_3750261.html

Generation Y: How to Find and Attract High-Quality Millennial Employees

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The Huffington Post[1] defines Generation Y, or those born between the late 1970s and the middle of the 1990s, as Millennials. Today, many of these young people are just entering the workforce, but their expectations are different from generations that have come before them. Millennials don’t mind working hard, but they want to pursue something that interests them, and they want to feel like they are making a difference. The following tips can help businesses find and attract high-quality Millennial employees.

Emphasize a Fun or Casual Workplace

One solid way to attract a potential Millennial employee is to emphasize the creativity or uniqueness of the office space. According to a recent study from CNN[2], Generation Y believes that having an engaging workspace is a top priority, but baby boomers put that towards the bottom of the list. Workplaces don’t have to be a messy hangout to be appealing, but creative touches or casual dress codes can go a long way in attracting high-quality hires.

Use Social Media To Advertise Jobs

Millennial employees are rarely going to read the classifieds in a newspaper to look for a job, but social media and other Internet-based resources are the best way for businesses to advertise employment positions. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn are effective and visible ways to attract Generation Y.

Detail Clear Deliverables…

A lot has been said about the desire of Generation Y to have fluid careers, but it is also important to have clear deliverables in place during the interview and when the job begins. Millennial employees will appreciate that they can clearly identify success in terms of objective goals, something that was not an issue for older employees.

…But Make Room For Personal Creativity

Although the guidelines stated above are helpful for retaining younger employees, it is also important to emphasize the potential for self-fulfillment and personal creativity during the interview phase. Hcareers[3] recommends asking candidates about how they feel they could best succeed in the company, which helps them feel personally fulfilled and helps the company utilize their strongest assets.

On the surface, attracting high-quality employees from Generation Y involves the same major factors as salary and potential for growth. However, there is also a heavy emphasis on personal fulfillment, creativity and positive reinforcement.

[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/generation-y-unhappy_b_3930620.html

[2] http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/20/business/generation-y-global-office-culture/index.html

[3] http://www.hcareers.com/us/resourcecenter/tabid/306/articleid/450/default.aspx

Tech Savvy: How To Tell if a Potential Hire is Ready For Work in the Digital Age

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The Necessary Tools

It’s hard to believe that less than a generation ago, many executives accepted the belief that touching a keyboard was beneath their position – that such business tools were meant for clerical and administrative staff only. Today, dexterity with the keyboard is only the beginning of the skills that are necessary to be a productive employee in many jobs and careers.

The importance of technical expertise and computer literacy in a candidate depends, of course, on the specific position being considered. For IT staff, the individual will have to show work experience, proper training, and certifications. However, for line operations, here are few tips to access some of the basic skills you may be seeking in an applicant:

  • Have them prepare a sample piece of work. For example, if the position is in market research, ask the potential candidate to create a simple spreadsheet similar to the work being done. Likewise, if it is a creative position, have the candidate produce a minor design project on a computer. Matching the sample work you request to the skills and technologies needed for the job may help decide which potential candidate is right for your company.
  • As an alternative, ask what specific projects have been completed in those areas of work. Let the candidate describe the software/hardware used and how they approached the task. If they can provide samples or online examples, it shows that a candidate is prepared, and technologically capable.
  • Explain the specific technical skills, software applications and technologies that are an integral part of the position being sought. Ask about the individual’s experience with those or similar products. Listen to whether they approach the issue with confidence or reservations.
  • Get the interviewee to talk about their non-work involvement with technology. Do they only reluctantly use digital tools and resources or is it second nature to their lifestyle?
  • Don’t confuse active participation in social media with technical expertise. Is it important for the job being discussed that the individual know what a “like” or “share” means to SEO issues?

It is an accepted fact that technology today is changing faster than most people and companies can track. Always interview candidates with the perspective that, in most cases, a person’s facility with technology and their ability to quickly adapt to new versions and tools is as important as competence with any given program or current hardware.

The Checklist: An Aid or a Crutch?

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The use of a standard checklist during an interview is a handy tool often used by managers that are tasked with evaluating potential new hires. However, here are just five of the ways that a checklist can defeat the very purpose of the interviewing process:

1. You may discourage real talent. One of the biggest mistakes a manager can make is the arrogance of thinking you’re the only one making a decision during the process. The best and most talented recruits always have other options. It’s easy to come across as dry and disinterested when using a checklist, without really listening or personalizing your questions to the candidate’s resume. To an astute candidate, this may indicate a less than desirable management environment compared to other opportunities.

2. Offensive questions may be asked. If you are using a checklist, it must be regularly updated to ensure compliance. There are frequent changes in the area of hiring and discriminatory inquiries, and any questions you ask must reflect these changes. For example, the documents used to verify eligibility to work in the U.S. for the Form I-9 were recently updated. Consequently, asking if a candidate has a certain form of identification may now be considered discriminatory and have compliance implications.

3. You may miss a unique skill or capability of the applicant. When seeking diversity and uniqueness, limiting your questions to those on a checklist may cause you to miss something fresh and valuable that a candidate offers. If the interviewee doesn’t volunteer some special aspect of their experience or qualifications, you may miss it by relying on your standard questions and checkpoints rather than personalizing your interview.

4. You can make it too easy. When interviewing candidates, your goal is to get to know the real individual. If the same questions are asked in a standard format of all recruits, sharp candidates could discover questions ahead of time, and help them to prepare an answer they think you want – instead of providing the real insights you are seeking.

5. You can miss important details. Simply relying on a checklist instead of your own judgment and instincts during an interview makes it easy to focus on standard questions and not follow-up on the details of an answer. Relating back to issue three, this creates the possibility of missing a valuable skill or experience that a candidate might possess due to the rigidity of a checklist.

Checklists can be helpful, but your judgment is the real critical factor in any effective interview.

Before the Interview: Screening a Candidate Through Social Media

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There are a range of different factors that might be taken into consideration when businesses look at  potential employees during the hiring process. A person’s education, past work history and references are all important, and how a person conducts themselves during an interview is also notable. However, even some of the most tech-savvy companies are forgetting about social media. A potential candidate almost certainly has a social media presence, and hiring managers can learn a lot through this.

Inappropriate Photos or Language

According to a recent survey from Career Builder[1], roughly 39 percent of companies are currently using social media as a way to screen potential hires. The largest reason to do this, according to many leaders in the HR field, is to weed out those candidates who feature inappropriate pictures, drug use or racist language in their profiles or online communication.

Great Communication Skills

While the presumption is that candidates can be taken out of the race through their social media presence, employers should also be looking for evidence of solid communication. Tweeting to a brand, linking friends in photos and even a solid LinkedIn profile with numerous endorsements can say a lot of great things about a potential employee. While some hiring managers will treat the social media screening as a kind of witch hunt, be sure to look for the positives as well.

Legal Issues For Pre-Employment Screening Online

Although the practice of screening employees before hire through their social media profiles is certainly a common practice, Fast Company[2] reminds managers and business owners that there are some legal issues that can come into play. By checking a candidate’s profile on Facebook, for example, you will come across details like their age, gender, religion and even pregnancy status. Although you might not let these details influence you, it can be hard to deny that in court. A safer approach is to let someone not associated with hiring conduct the social media searches and only bring relevant information to your attention.

There are clearly numerous benefits to looking a candidate’s social media presence before hiring them. However, care should be taken to avoid any legal issues surrounding this online screening.

[1] http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2013/07/01/two-in-five-employers-use-social-media-to-screen-candidates/

[2] http://www.fastcompany.com/1843142/using-facebook-screen-potential-hires-can-get-you-sued

5 Benefits of Hiring Part-Time Employees

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When it comes to choosing the right workforce, key concerns are hard costs, consumer demand and organizational structure. Part-time employees may be exactly what you need to help meet these demands. Although many companies gravitate towards full-time employees, hiring part-time employees can be quite advantageous.

With this in mind, here are five benefits of hiring part-time employees:

1. Cut Labor Costs

Hiring a part-time employee is very economical. Generally, these employees work for an hourly wage and can be scheduled based on the needs of the business. If your company needs more hands on deck during the holidays or a slimmer workforce during the summer, part-time employees may be exactly what you are looking for. Also, most part-time employees often do not receive benefits. This can result in significant cost savings.

2. Boost Employee Morale

Part-time employees allow you to boost morale by giving full-time employees a break. When employees are asked to work long hours with very little time off, morale can take a beating. By using part-time employees to fill gaps in the schedule, you can reduce the number of hours that full-time employees have to work. This will also save costs by reducing the amount of overtime wages.

3. Flexibility

Unlike full-time employees, part-time workers do not have to be scheduled for a set amount of hours. Many businesses find it useful to use part-time employees to fill shifts that are not covered by regular full-time employees. This may include night or weekend shifts. The ability to schedule these employees on an as-needed basis allows managers to maintain productivity levels without paying unnecessary wages.

4. Less Burnout

The burnout rate among part-time employees is very low. Since they work fewer hours, part-time employees are often refreshed and enthusiastic about the work they do.

5. Higher Quality Work

Another perk of hiring part-time employees is that they can be trained to specialize in a specific task. This allows them to produce higher quality work than employees that frequently have to rotate positions. This can be especially useful in administrative or manufacturing roles.

Part-time employees can be an asset to any company. This flexible type of employee allows businesses to maintain productivity while tightly managing labor costs. Part-time employees may be exactly what your business needs to maintain a unique, diversified workforce.

What to Look For When Conducting a Video Interview

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Over the past decade, the rise of video interviews has been impressive. Starting first with technology companies, video conferencing is now a common way for businesses to interview potential candidates. In fact, one survey from 2012 reports that 63 percent of companies use Internet-based video conferencing technology for the interview process[i]. In many ways, conducting a video interview is similar to a face-to-face meeting, thanks in large part to the rapid rate of technological improvements. However, there are some key differences. Here are the top things to look for when conducting a video interview:

Eye Contact

When using Skype technology to conduct an interview over the Internet, interviewees often make the mistake of looking at their own face on the screen rather than looking directly into the camera. While this can sometimes be attributed to using new technology, those individuals who maintain eye contact are typically those who are self-assured and confident. Those interviewees looking at their own picture may be nervous or uncomfortable about the interviewing process. Just as you would take eye contact in a traditional interview to be a strength, you should consider eye contact through the camera in a video interview.

Professional Appearance

Since video interviews typically only show the top half of a person’s body, some interviewees are only dressing professionally from the waist up. While the odds of you seeing their jeans or sweatpants on screen are slim, take note of their surroundings. Are the walls bare and the desk clean? Both the potential candidate and their workspace should come across as clean, professional and mature.

Predetermined Answers

Having great answers to all of your questions is an advantageous thing, but interviewers should be sure that potential job candidates are not simply reading predetermined or scripted answers. Preparing for an interview shows focus and organizational skills, but simply reading from a card can be seen as negative. Ask some unusual or completely unexpected questions to determine their ad lib communication skills.

With the cost of flying a candidate to a job interview being so high, an increasing number of companies are turning to online video conferencing interviews.

[i] http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-six-in-10-companies-conduct-video-job-interviews-167973406.html

How Have Virtual Staffing Platforms Changed the Recruitment Process?

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Technology has revolutionized the recruiting process. The days when newsprint ads were a primary component of the hiring process are long gone. Now, with technology changing by the nanosecond, virtual staffing platforms have taken center stage.

Virtual staffing platforms have positively changed the recruiting process in a variety of ways. Here are just a few of the benefits that it has brought to the table:

More Diversity

In the past few decades, diversity has been a hot topic in the recruiting industry. As companies begin to place an increasingly large emphasis on maintaining a diverse workforce, recruiters are challenged to find candidates that are not only talented, but also diverse. Virtual staffing platforms offer a solution to this problem by giving recruiters access to more candidates. As an example, positing a company vacancy online will likely yield a more diverse candidate pool than a classified ad in a newspaper.

Cost Effectiveness

Another benefit of virtual staffing platforms is that they help cut hiring costs. For instance, many recruiting portals now utilize some form of data mining software. This allows recruiters to save time by quickly identifying applicants with the most relevant skills. Also, video chatting software reduces travel expenses and minimizes the time constraints associated with scheduling an interview.

Larger Talent Pool

Virtual staffing platforms eliminate geographical boundaries. With just one click, you can connect with the brightest minds from across the globe. Before the virtual staffing platforms became integrated into the recruiting process, recruiters were often limited to the talent within their geographical area. Now, as the recruiting process is more virtual than ever, this is no longer the case.

When it comes to the recruiting process, virtual staffing platforms have changed it for the better. Recruiters now have access to a broader, more diverse talent pool without the added time and expenditures of manual recruiting. As technology continues to advance, the recruiting process will surely continue to take positive strides.