1. Always select talent and skills over experience. 2. Do not put the entire burden of the company on this hire. 3. Do not clone yourself. 4. Do not expect to hire perfection. 5. Do not start the process unless you can hire the right candidate today. 6. Do not run the process out of sequence. 7. Do not miss opportunities to see the candidate in action. 8. Do not change the compensation plan during the process. 9. Trust the instruments more than your gut. 10. Do not assume you are the candidates’ only option.
Continue ReadingCommunicate They Do Not
One of my favorite anecdotal websites is Killian Advertising’s Cover Letters From Hell. I promise you will laugh so check it out. In the meantime, here is a sample of the some “unique” writing: “It is my desire to develop and generate the revolving scheme to filter to the consuming public in.” “I’m looking for work because even though my company was profitable last year, this year they are expecting a large defecate.” “A flaw that I must point out because it even bothers me is that I am impatient. I hate waiting, but then again who does?”
Continue Reading2010 Unemployment
9.3 to 9.7% That’s right, that is the expectation for the 2010 unemployment rate from the Federal Reserve based on this abcnews.com story. I find that number shockingly high, but it is realistic. Then there is this bit of information from Reuters (emphasis mine): Speaking at American Economic Association’s mammoth yearly gathering, experts from a range of political leanings were in surprising agreement when it came to the chances for a robust and sustained expansion: They are slim. Many predicted U.S. gross domestic product would expand less than 2 percent per year over the next 10 years. The depressed economy combined with the high unemployment numbers has started to change… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Wrong Approach
I received an email recently from someone I presume to be a salesperson looking for work. Obviously this is a common occurrence these days, but here is the error in the delivery – the email had no writing. Yup, it was just a blank email with an MS Word attachment that appeared to be a resume. This approach is a wasted effort in today’s world. I never opened the attachment for fear it may be some malicious, virus-infested computer-killer. Dramatic, I know, but the point is valid. It is similar to a phone call that comes in on your home phone at night and lists nothing more than “Out of… Read More
Continue ReadingPink-Slip Parties
This is a new trend, I think: As unemployment numbers hit historic highs, “pink slip” parties are popping up in big cities around the country. Hundreds of axed employees are going to happy hour meet-and-greets, where one can enjoy a drink and discuss career prospects with eager recruiters. People are finding creative ways to stand out above the pack. In order to get a job in this economy, people have to get out there. And while there are no guarantees of gaining anything more than good conversations and a few contacts, some pink slip attendees have had success in finding new employment. Pink slip parties offer those on the prowl… Read More
Continue ReadingFind The 15%
CNNMoney.com provides this article regarding 2009 hiring. As you may expect, hiring is down and it appears more cuts are coming soon: Of the 31,800 employers surveyed, only 15% anticipate hiring more employees during the second quarter, down from 16% in the first quarter and 26% in the same period last year. About 14% expect a decrease in their payrolls, up from 13% last quarter and just 9% one year ago. Another 4% said they were undecided about their hiring intentions. The net employment outlook, or difference between employers who plan to add jobs and those who expect to cut them, was 1%, down from 3% in the previous quarter… Read More
Continue ReadingHiring A System
If you have noticed a decrease in hiring topics of late there is a reason why…few companies are hiring. We have seen it affect our business too. We had an early glimpse of it last year around Q2 as our assessment business started to decline gradually. That is a painful path to go down as you try to figure out a way to counteract the trend. At any rate, companies are still purchasing assessments and some are still hiring. Yes, it is true despite what you see in the media. As you might imagine, there is some serious talent available to companies that have the wherewithal to hire right now.… Read More
Continue ReadingMind Your Address
It just doesn’t seem so difficult to figure this out, but candidates keep using their personal email addresses that seem to date back to their college days. Of course, there wasn’t email when I was in college…different story. Here is one I came across today: shovelhead@yahoo.com Unbelievable. Instead of considering his candidacy, I am left with thoughts of the potentially peculiar shape of his head.
Continue ReadingJob Change Motivators
I like to say that people are the ultimate variable – there are almost limitless possibilities, variations, surprises, etc. One aspect of hiring that often gets overlooked is motivation. In sales, money is the common, assumed motivator. In many cases this is accurate, but money motivation can manifest itself in different forms. Our website illustrates some subtle differences between motivators. Selling Power has an article that speaks in slightly more general terms. I think these 4 are quite accurate in terms of my own interviewing of candidates. The second one is quite prevalent amongst Gen Y: Situations. This usually doesn’t have anything to do with the actual job, says Radin.… Read More
Continue ReadingHow To Size Up Candidates
ManageSmarter has a great article titled, The Ideal Job Candidate: Myth or Reality? that touches on a subject that we have posted on many times. I cannot begin to tell you how many conversations we have around this subject with clients and prospects. Jeff Schmitt has 3 points he writes about when it comes to hiring. As a a hiring manager, I would recommend that you keep these points in mind as you begin a hiring process: Examine yourself. Look at your recruiting effort. Are you still reposting that same job description after another fruitless round of interviews? Unfortunately, this doesn’t change one element: the problem is you haven’t adapted.… Read More
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