How to Improve the Candidate Experience

How to Improve the Candidate Experience If talent management and employee engagement are on your radar, then you’ll be aware that employer branding and the candidate experience are crucial to effective recruitment. Poor recruitment is costly in terms of impact on the bottom line.  The  CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) estimates the cost of recruiting a senior manager at £6,000. Additional costs resulting from a poor decision may include loss of productivity and deleterious effects on team morale. Personnel Today reported in 2012 that 74 percent of job seekers would talk to others about a negative experience with an organisation during the recruitment process. Given the potential impact on corporate reputation, getting the candidate experience right is a real priority. Look at your careers communications through the eyes of a candidate. Are the organisation’s culture and values clear? Do they demonstrate a strong employer brand and attract applicants who will be a good cultural fit? Research suggests that organisations that build a culture predicated on meaningful work, employee engagement, role and organisational fit, and strong leadership are outperforming their competitors and are likely to do better in attracting top talent. Improving the candidate experience: Involve the team Candidates will get a better feel for culture and climate at an employing organisation if they meet hiring managers rather than recruiters. This is particularly the case where the recruiter works for an external supplier, as that tends to increases disconnect between organisation and candidate. Communicate keep all candidates updated as to their progress throughout the recruitment process. Candidate experience and employer brand depend on consistent and clear communications to optimise engagement. Appreciate all candidates not just the successful ones. Research conducted across 3,000 candidates by recruitment experts, Talent Board, showed that 95% of unsuccessful candidates would reapply for another role with the company if the experience was positive. Feedback â€" this is the least you can do, provide candidates with a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. The organisation benefits from an enhanced candidate perception of the organisation (regardless of the hiring decision). Using social media Make the application process easier and faster, spread the word about job vacancies and allow candidates the ability to apply using mobile technology. Glassdoor found that about 90 percent of job seekers will use mobile during their job search process. So if you want to attract top talent ensure your website and career portals are optimised for mobile users. There is an added benefit in that adding social media to the hiring strategy gives current employees a route to share vacancies with their network. This advocacy is a real asset as employee referrals are an important source of high quality applicants and a very cost-effective recruitment strategy. Measure progress It is really useful to survey new employees for their perceptions of your hiring process. What better source of information could there be about the recruiting process? During the onboarding process ask new staff to complete a survey, preferably anonymous; ask about what the organisation did well and solicit suggestions for improvement. This allows the collation of up-to-the-minute data and the design of adjustments while sending the message to new hires that their feedback is valued. If you can make the recruitment process informative, intuitive and collaborative it affords candidates a real insight into the type of organisation you represent and shows you care about creating a great work environment. HR professionals should think about the candidate experience in the same way that marketing professionals think about the customer experience. Do it right and you will attract the best possible candidates and introduce them into the organisation as enthused and committed new employees.

Resume Writing Courses - How to Create a Powerful Resume That Gets You Interviews

Resume Writing Courses - How to Create a Powerful Resume That Gets You InterviewsIf you want to know how to create a resume that will be effective when applying for jobs online, you need to know how to take advantage of the many resume writing courses available. With all the skills required to find a job online, you will need a detailed and professional resume that can show prospective employers what you can do.Many people have tried to learn how to write a resume and most never really seem to get it right. They spend hours doing research and creating resumes, only to realize after a few interviews that they are not getting interviews. Why does this happen? Why do they spend so much time writing a resume that will not get them hired?The truth is, many people spend a lot of time researching how to write a resume. They spend countless hours learning all the information about the internet and they spend a ton of money on paid training programs that promise them instant results. But in t he end, they just end up wasting their time and money.For an online career, the very first thing you should do is sit down and write down all of your skills. Don't leave out your education or experience, but just put it all down one at a time. Make sure that all of your skills are listed because if you don't put them all down, you won't be able to list your qualifications.If you want to create a successful resume, you will also need to highlight the areas of expertise that you possess. Again, make sure that all of your abilities are listed so that people can easily see what you can do. When you think about how many hours you've spent researching your skills, you will understand why this is so important.Now that you have learned all of the basics, the next step is to start using the different resources available to you. You want to start by learning as much as you can about websites like Career Builder, Monster, etc. If you know that the most popular job sites are recruiting for you, you should definitely start there.You can also start with your resume on a regular basis and then slowly build your portfolio from there. When it comes to resume writing, this is the key to success. Using your resume each and every day to apply for new jobs is the best way to increase your chances of being hired.You might not think that making a formal resume is necessary, but the truth is that most people who have never even taken a formal course are still failing at some point. If you have never written a resume before, it is critical that you take advantage of all of the resources available to you today.

What DISC Style is Your Family and How to Make Them Happy

What DISC Style is Your Family and How to Make Them Happy Do you have family that lecture you about the correct way to do your job, or in-laws at family dinners who never stop talking? These are all indicators of the DISC style they exhibit. Over the Memorial Day weekend, I had several opportunities to sit down and reflect on just how unique each of my family members are. I realized, knowing their DISC styles really helps everyone get along and enjoy their time together. So, before we all start our summer vacations, I thought it would be nice to share a few scenarios families go through that demonstrate what DISC style your Dad, Mom, brother, or sister may have. If you are unfamiliar with DISC, we have a crash course you can skim here. Doing the Dishes The D gives the orders, makes sure the work is getting done, and isnt afraid to call you out if youre slacking. The I is happy doing the work as long as they are working with others as well.   Theyll turn it into a social thing. The S takes their time, soaks the dishes first and lets the soap do the work.   Theyre okay with the boys crashing on the couch to enjoy the game. The C will have a process for doing the dishes.   They will want the dishes washed a certain way, the dishwasher stacked in order, and the drying done to their standards. Going to the Movies The D will be very vocal as to which movies they are interested in.   If they are the only one in the group who doesnt want to see that chick flick, theyll let it be known. The Is are the ones who talk the group into seeing a movie.   Theyll be less picky about what the movie is as long as the company is good. The S is there for the ride.   Theyll likely keep their movie choice to themselves and go along with the majority.   Theyll be flexible to meet the familys needs for the location and time of the movie they are seeing. The C will want to know all the details ahead of time.   When is the movie, what theater, how many tickets for adults, children, students, is it the cheapest, closest, best value? Going Grocery Shopping Ds are notorious impulse shoppers.   They know what they like and just want to be in and out of the store. The I will try to convince you to fill your cart with the things they want.   Theyll talk and talk as you go down the isles and may just end up boring or annoying you with unnecessary details. The S brings a list with them.   They arent in a rush and will make sure the trip is done right to avoid accidentally missing anything. The C will go store to store if it means a better deal for their needed items.   Theyll carry coupons and double check pricing as they shop. Taking Family Road Trips The D may speed when the road is light.   They dont take many rest stops and are all about getting to the destination quickly. The I keeps the conversation going after everyone else is falling asleep.   Theyll sing out loud to the radio, play games, and bring energy to the trip. The S comes prepared for the trip.   Theyll have sandwiches packed, drinks in coolers, and plenty of entertainment the whole family can enjoy.   Theyll prefer a nice familiar route to their destination. The C dissects the map for any shortcuts.   Theyll have certain ideas about how people should eat in the car.   Theyll want the trip to follow the route exactly. Playing Board Games The D will be very competitive.   If they lose too much, it can make them upset.   They wont like waiting for people to take their turn. The I might get distracted in conversations instead of the game if it doesnt involve much talking.   Theyll like party games or games with lots of interaction. The S will not like being rushed when taking their turn.   They prefer being on a team then having to make decisions on their own. The C will analyze the rules ahead of time.   If someone does something remotely suspicious, theyll be the first to call them out for cheating. Understanding each others DISC style will help you adjust your behavior appropriately in order to keep them happy.   Stick to business when dealing with your Ds, be warm and conversational with your Is, dont rush an S, give the C the answers they are looking for. These are just a few examples of the behaviors demonstrated by the different DISC styles.   If you would like to find out which style you are, please call us at 1-877-523-0212 to speak with someone who can get you a DISC Assessment. image courtesy of Paul-W

How to Set Goals Like the Pros Just In Time For New Years

How to Set Goals Like the Pros Just In Time For New Years Instead of setting the same old, same old New Year’s Resolutions that will probably get chucked by the time mid-January rolls around, why not set strategic goals that you can actually achieve in 2012? Here are a few professional tips to help you set goals that you can realistically achieve within the next year. These goals can be used to further your career, improve your relationships, or even help you cross a few items off your bucket list. The sky’s the limit… BE HONEST. If you want to set realistic goals that you can achieve, you have to actually be interested in the goals you are setting. This may seem like a no-brainer, but don’t set goals because you feel like you “should” do something. If you feel like you should work harder to earn a promotion yet are completely content in your current job, that’s probably not the right goal for your New Year. DREAM BIG. Many people make the mistake of cutting themselves short. Yes, you do need to be realistic, but you also have to go after what you really want. If you have been dreaming of writing and publishing a novel, then make that your goal. The big picture may not  happen in the next year, but you can set small goals to publish articles, start your own blog, and write at least one short story per month. Baby steps. CREATE SMALLER MILESTONES. If you have a larger goal of owning your own company, that may take several years to achieve. But you can create smaller milestones to begin pursuing a career in a field you love, branch out into freelance work, and take on a few personal clients. These are all small milestones that you can use to build your credibility and learn more about what it takes to run your own company. DRAW A PLAN OF ACTION. Once you have smaller milestones broken down, write or diagram exactly what it will take to achieve these small goals within the year.   If you want to get promoted, chart out how much extra you will have to work, what type of projects you may need to take on, and who you need to speak to about new opportunities. If you want to get back in the dating game, explore memberships to online dating websites and check out community groups that you can join to expand your social circle. And last of all, dont forget to take action. Its one thing to plan, set goals, and brainstorm about your future, but putting your feet to the pavement is the only way to get sure results in changing your position in life. Classy Career Girl readers, have you set your goals for 2012 yet? Todays post is written by Bethany Ramos who is a full-time freelance writer and co-owns her own e-commerce website, The Coffee Bump. The Coffee Bump specializes in a wide variety of bunn coffee makers  and assorted coffee and espresso products.

Becoming Fearless In A Time Of Rises

Becoming Fearless In A Time Of RisesMFA Dramatic Writing Seminars have been helping people develop professionally to the point where they are up for a job interview and they want to land a job that is a job of excellence. What the speaker does is that he or she gives you information about the trends in the industry, how to make a resume, what should be on your resume, how to ask for a raise, and how to keep your ego in check while having a good conversation with a prospect. After listening to that, you will know what to say to your prospective employer if the opportunity presents itself. You'll be able to answer the question of what job it is you are looking for when an opportunity presents itself.I had a friend who was very involved in MFA in dramatic writing when she first moved out on her own. She didn't know what was available to her so she asked me for help. I told her that she should be prepared for the fact that she would have to ask for a raise. She was an excellent person an d now she works in a beautiful office and has amazing opportunities. It's very difficult to be very motivated when you know you are about to get a raise because you need the money.I used to work for a woman who wanted to open a salon. When I suggested that she should apply for a position with a reputable salon, she said, 'I don't want to work at a regular hair salon'. As I listened to her talk, I noticed that she made the same comment every time she was asked what type of salon she wanted to work in.I looked at her MFA Dramatic Writing, saw what she did, and realized that she is a trained writer, but she couldn't tell me why she didn't want to work at a regular hair salon. Then I went online and started reading the articles on Salon Hair and found out that one of the reasons that some people don't work in salons is that they are afraid to ask for a raise. So I asked, 'Why?'The answer was that she had a real life situation that she was experiencing at the time that made it impossible for her to work in a salon, which is what she wanted to do. The next day, I went over to her salon and gave her a copy of my seminar on MFA Dramatic Writing and the process of creating a resume. It turned out that the experience of working in a salon was actually more traumatic than what she was telling me about.She was very proud of the job she did at the salon, but her past experiences prevented her from doing something that she felt she should have done earlier. If she had been more vocal about her fear of asking for a raise, then she would have created the change in herself that she needed. The relationship between the recruiter and the applicant gets better with each passing day and there's more opportunity for the recruiter to be successful than when you're afraid to ask for a raise.Raises are a challenge that should be taken seriously, especially if you think that they are beyond your reach. You need to overcome your fears, and in order to do that, you need to take steps to improve your communication skills.You may need to take a course to learn how to communicate better with a prospect, but it's worth it. You can stop being afraid to ask for a raise.

Uncovering Womens Awesomeness (And Lessons In Advancing Your Career and Business Results)

Uncovering Womens Awesomeness (And Lessons In Advancing Your Career and Business Results) Photo credit: Brendan Bank via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND To say Im proud of my sister is an understatement. Although shes five years younger than me her drive and pursuit of excellence has always inspired me. Ive seen her competitive spirit as she played competitive sports (whether knocking bigger girls around in select and high school soccer, or breaking through womens barriers by taking on tougher competition playing as a girl on a boys basketball team, or taking over the coaching duties when she led a mutiny against an abusive coach).  You name it.  If the team needed her, she was there.  Or when he was valedictorian in her high school graduation class or getting her chemistry degree and then becoming a patent attorney.  Annie always drove to be the best.  Annie outlines some of that (along with some bumps along the way) in her inagural episode of her unraveling pink podcast. But today Im going to talk about her second episode.  A very eye-opening podcast with Joanna Bloor of the Amplify Lab. In this episode Annie and Joanna explore some of the differences between men and women in the workplace.  And how both sides can better their communication and get better results from their interactions.  Something that all businesses could learn from. Heres the 2nd podcast.  Joanna Bloor and the Blue Bandana.  Check it out.  Heres some things I learned that you can apply to your situation. Why Are You Awesome? My first takeaway was something that Joanna said about one of the first questions she asks out of the gate in an executive coaching session, Why are you awesome?  Or What do you want to be known for?  A key to personal branding. Men and women often view this differently. This question is tied to two separate questions Joanna asks. The first is about the company the person works for, What does your company do and why is it important? Men and women execs both seem to get this one (yes, their marketing departments have done their job).  But it is the next one where you get radically different responses. That question is, What do you do and why is it important? Men typically do fine (just dont say, Im strategic or Joanna will pounce on that too generic).  They have a vision for themselves and often how that ties in to their role in the company and creating a compelling future for themselves and their company. Women on the other hand often struggle with this question.  They typically respond with how they Get shit done. Or that they Connect with people. Well as Joanna says, thats table stakes.  Thats the thing that is a job requirement.  Not something that will help you get ahead.  Whether that is a promotion or a new job elsewhere,  you need a compelling vision for yourself and understand how that creates a better future for the company.  Without that youre just a hard worker and the go-to person (who in reality is often used and forced into remaining in that go-to role, because the company cant afford to lose you and they also wont allow you to progress in your career). So getting a handle on your personal value., your personal brand is critical.  Thats something I come across with the resume rewrites I do for my clients who are heading in a new direction in their career.  Often the resume is the end product of an intense conversation about their strengths, weaknesses, interests, frustrations, and vision (yes vision) for themselves and their future. Getting a handle on this is key for you and your career. Separate Yourself Articulate your awesomeness! #pinkbandanamoments @JoannaBloor @unravelingpink Click To Tweet This is the second part of the equation.  If you know what sets you apart from the competition (as your personal brand), then next step is to communicate it. Men typically come from the perspective of, I should already know how to do this.  And often that results in them often trying to go it alone or not ask enough questions, thinking it makes them look weak.  That is a key reason men often hide using a professional coach from others (especially their own company management).  Were taught as men that admitting you dont know something is a sign of weakness.  However if we cant do it as leaders then how can we expect others to do it?  Theyll take our lead by not asking questions and opportunities to improve the organization go by the wayside.   A vicious cycle. For the women, according to Joanna, it is more about society teaching women that self-promotion is bragging and that is bad.  Or that they shouldnt push that hard. Joanna brings up a key pink bandana moment that shaped her world view when she left England and came to America and went to high school at 15 in a Texas, a Friday Night Lights -style high school. You know, you should be careful about how many times you put your hand up.  Because you dont want to come across as too smart.  Or the boys wont ask you out on a date. WTF? Yes, things were still screwed up in those days.  Thankfully women have largely pushed past that and are now going to college in numbers greater than even men and have more women role models to look up to and guide them. So how do women get the message out without coming across as bragging or bitchy?  But as assertive, confident and awesome? Thats an area I probably dont have all the answers for but Joanna gives some clues further in the conversation.  Here are a few Take the initiative: Often men are just as insecure about effective communication with women as women are about men. Get to know people: Develop those relationships.  With solid relationship you can be open, honest, and share your successes without coming across as bragging just let it come out in normal conversation. Own your stuff: Be accountable.  Were not always right or perfect.  Accepting that and moving on anyway is part of the puzzle. Develop a foundation of mutual respect, trust and accountability: This is huge.  If you have these things much can be accomplished. Annies listener challenge:  What they can you do, thats not very hard, that will help create a conversation around gender-based assumptions or help reduce gender-based assumptions? Empathy is where it starts. And empathy requires having a conversation first.  Find out what theyre outside passions are.  You can ask questions such as, What are you into outside of work? If you dont know anything about it follow up with, Can we have lunch?  Id love to learn more about [whatever it is]? A special bonus concept (that will help you at work and with your significant other) Joanna commented, Women are more spacial and non-linear thinkers frequently.  And they talk things out.  Men are very, generally linear thinkers think something then say stuff. One of her clients commented in a group session, Hey, have you noticed how Joanna does that?   She thinks and talks at the same time.  And if you just let her go, by the end of it shell come out with something brilliant.  So just shut up and in a minute shell get there. When in a meeting with men, shell say, Im really sorry.  I think and talk at the same time.  And its my way of processing things.  He said, Oh, my God.  My wife does that. So guys, if you find the woman in your life talking as shes thinking, and it seems like it is going all over the board, recognize it could just be the way shes processing things. And shut up and listen for the cool, brilliant result.  Yes, you could learn something. To learn more about Annie Rogaski, a thought leader in unraveling gender-based assumptions so businesses can run better and achieve more by leveraging the talents of all their employees (both men and women), go see her blog unravelingpink.com And if you find yourself at a career crossroads and need to talk it through (whether you need a resume rewrite or just some direction on the next step in your career/life path), contact me.

Looking For a Smarter Way to Earn Money

Looking For a Smarter Way to Earn Money Throughout the world, the majority of people simply trade their time for money in a linear and transactional way; just with different dollar amounts attributed to each hour. This does, however, mean their income is restricted to the amount of hours they work, and a further limiting factor is that there’s a ceiling to how much a person can charge for a unit of their time.  Plus, there’s the consideration of having enough time to enjoy life rather than spend all of it working. This article encourages you to think a little differently about earning money, and suggests a smarter way. If we look at the career of a programmer, for example, typically, they can earn quite a lot of money each hour, yet they invest a large amount of time developing an app using a variety of CI/CD tools, meaning they come out with a decent compensation for their time at the end of a project, but, and it’s a big but… there’s no future return on all that effort and time they invested into the app or software. They have limited themselves, in financial terms, as a result of swapping their time for a fixed amount of money. Think of it this way, would you prefer to be paid $1,000 an hour for 100 hours work ($100,000) or would you prefer to work yourself silly and be paid zero for double the amount of work… but then share 50% of the profits of an app that uses a subscription model such as Spotify or Netflix to generate revenue long after you’ve finished working on the app?   There is of course the risk, of it not working, which is why most people would prefer to play it safe and continue trading units of time for units of money, but let’s say the app has a user base of just 10,000 people, who are all paying $10 per month that’s $100,000 per month! Furthermore, due to the scalable nature of apps, this 10,000 user base could quickly become 100,000 regular subscribers meaning you would be making half of $1,000,000 per month! This is the power of financial leverage, which is what happens when we stop trading our time for money and start leveraging systems and processes to generate money in an automated way. Admittedly, it takes some effort, but just like building a house or writing a book, once it’s build or written you have an asset for life.   The “average person” has never been in a better position to become a millionaire indeed, you could be a fifteen year old sat in your bedroom and come up with an app, or a new magazine that goes on to be successful and make you a heap of income in just a few years. Essentially, the only way to make a serious amount of money is to break free from the paradigm of swapping an hour of time for an amount of money, as time is your most precious and depleting resource.  After all, your time is probably worth a lot more than you are selling it for!