Well, there isn’t any precedence yet, according to this StarTribune article. Clearly the proper use of social networking sites during background checks for candidates is going to be a tremendously important legal topic soon. This topic has been percolating for some time. The article references an obvious starting point: “We can suggest to employers that they include in their application process some statement that says ‘we do reference checking including use of information in the public domain’ and to make it broad enough that if they discover something online it’s fair game,” Ridley said. I have always been one to note that the Internet IS a public domain so anything… Read More
Continue ReadingMonster HotJobs
Breaking news from the big job board world (via press release): Today, we are excited to announce that Monster has entered into an agreement to acquire HotJobs that will provide you with unprecedented access to job seekers and make Monster the leading site for job seekers in the U.S. Upon the close of the acquisition, Monster will also enter into a multi-year strategic agreement with Yahoo!, becoming the jobs and recruitment engine on Yahoo!’s homepage for both the U.S. and Canada. I’m not overly surprised by this news as I believe HotJobs has been fading fast over the past year or two. I still believe the consolidation of major job… Read More
Continue Reading5 to 1
That is the ratio of jobseekers for every advertised job opening in April of this year. The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics by way of the Career News newsletter (sorry, no link). …there were 5.4 job hunters for every advertised opening in April. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey said the April ratio was up from 4.8 in March, and up dramatically from 1.7 in December 2007, when the recession began. That is one tough market for jobseekers. You notice the reference to “advertised” openings? At some point, maybe already, networking will become the highest priority for jobseekers in their search for job openings. The fact… Read More
Continue ReadingGet ‘Er Done
You have probably read many “how to” articles that provide tips for jobseekers. One tip that almost always makes the list is to have a professional email address. Unfortunately, I was looking through resumes today and found one person who may not have read any of those articles. His email address: rednecktrucker@domain.com Next.
Continue ReadingMulti-Channel Sourcing
We preach to our clients that simply placing an onlie ad is not a sound sourcing strategy. Managesmarter.com has an article that gives 3 good, quick tips for leveraging the Internet to fill open positions. The only way to effectively recruit is to use multiple channels. You’re trying to find that one person who is exactly right, and that means exploring multiple avenues. This includes your offline efforts, by the way—don’t stop networking just because you’ve posted a job online. Work multiple sources (both online and real world) to get the word out about your opening. Make sure you’ve got an accurate, well-written, exciting job description. You need a posting that… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Negative Effect
We’ve been working through a fair amount of initial sourcing activities the past week or so and I’ve come across something that catches my attention. I’m seeing more and more posted resume/cover letters that state what a candidate is not looking for in their next position. No telemarketing positions. No work-at-home schemes. Not interested in travel. Must have benefit plan or not interested. I understand the desire to be focused in a job search, but I notice a negative effect when I read through these types of statements. Immediately, I start thinking about what other restrictions may be part of this candidate’s baggage. I suspect there are many companies out… Read More
Continue ReadingHiring Well Sounds Simple
CNNMoney.com’s quick-hitter advice article titled 7 ways to avoid employees from hell offers some simple advice. How about this one: Hire well Even the lowest-level prospect – the kind who is typically hired quickly – should be thoroughly vetted by at least two interviewers. Check references. Well, yes, “hiring well” is the key to strong employees. Eating well is also a key to losing weight…but that doesn’t make it easy to do. Two interviewers is a good start. Objective assessments are a better plan. Having a structured hiring process is the best plan.
Continue ReadingSome People Play Checkers, Others Play Chess
BusinessWeek.com offers up the Best Corporate Practices 2008 which is a fascinating slide show if you have time to view it. This is from the opening of the article: In fact, much of the gap between the best and worst management practices can be described by that word: trust. At one point as a corporate human resources leader during the dot-com boom, our company switchboard was bombarded with calls from recruiters, seeking to pull away our sharpest technical talent. Our hardworking phone operators did their best to deter search consultants looking to make contact with talent by any means possible, but it wasn’t always easy. … We said to our… Read More
Continue ReadingATS Sterilization
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are widely employed on corporate websites and by recruiting agencies. I understand the automated efficiency of a computer program in handling a large number of applicants. Yet, I don’t find them helpful for hiring salespeople. When we place an ad for a sales opportunity, we provide the option to email or call for response. We do not ask respondents to fill out an online form. First off, if they send a resume (the most common response these days), I get the opportunity to see how they present their experience and abilities. Formatting, presentation, flow…these are all pieces of information that can be gleaned from their resume. … Read More
Continue ReadingA Future Shift In Sourcing Candidates
Well, the future is now when it comes to this topic. The social network sites are going to have a dramatic impact on finding strong sales candidates. First, this may be slightly off topic, but MarketingProfs.com offers up this article – Facebook: Changing Advertising Forever: At the November 5 launch of Facebook’s new advertising platform, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, presented his vision for the future of advertising: “Once every hundred years media changes. The last hundred years have been defined by the mass media. The way to advertise was to get into the mass media and push out your content. That was the last hundred years. In the next… Read More
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