Recruiters and Headhunters Why You SUCK at Attracting Good People

Recruiters and Headhunters Why You SUCK at Attracting Good People Youre trying to find the right candidates but you suck at attracting the really good peoplebut, why? Here are three problems that need solving: 1) Your careers page: Too much corporate b*llocks, not enough visual content we need simpler more obvious information please!  The biggest problem with most company career pages is that there’s just too much corporate drivel to read through and most of it doesn’t have associated pictures or videos certainly not high-quality, engaging content. While some smart companies do feature a few videos (some even with  actual  employees), most places fail at this very simple innovation. Less corporate blurb, no bland job descriptions more employee insight and company information via video and visual content would increase applications, reduce cost per hire, reduce time for candidates to apply, and increase customer satisfaction. Funny thing: none of this even requires technology solutions! This is just common sense â€" shorter, simpler, more visual content! Why isn’t this widely adopted, even if offline? Well, probably because no one has systematically demonstrated improved business economics / candidate satisfaction that come from simpler, more visual career pages. However, we’ve seen it proven in other industries, seems likely high-quality pics of your office will convert better, same way that  high-quality pics of rentals convert better. Less stuff, more pictures. Seems obvious, right? But 99% of companies don’t do it. READ MORE:  A Good  Career Page  is Like a Tasty Burger 2) Not enough information: Not online, no compelling company story, no reviews, no friends, not personal. Most companies today have a website â€" though probably not a mobile website or app, a Facebook page, Pinterest page, LinkedIn page or Twitter handle â€" but probably no socially integrated ATS (applicant tracking system) or other methods of keeping in touch with future talent through social media.  Facebook likes and Twitter followers don’t equal interested candidates. In fact STOP tweeting your jobs to your followers or Facebook fans â€" you’re turning me off your brand! 99% of the time I follow you because I like you or think you’re mildly amusing, not because I want to work for you. Companies mostly have no way of keeping great candidates engaged in what they are doing as an employee culture (if they have a culture to speak of at all). (Note to reader: no one is reading your boring company posts on LinkedIn!) But let’s presume sometime in the next few years, companies figure out how to engage me in their vision and deliver great content to me a potential star candidate t hat is interested in joining your business. Well, what could we do with that? What problems would that solve? First, it would be great if the company knew something about my application history with them and my user profile data, and customised the job selection to my desired career path. Obviously if I’m looking to move functions or countries, it would be a high priority to match job opportunities with my specific lifestyle choices or development needs. This would again streamline choice, reduce time confusion, and increase customer/candidate satisfaction. Also, new jobs could be recommended that might broaden my horizons and like to interview for. Second, if there were any kind of online reviews, it would be great to combine this with the actual job itself so I can see whether other people loved or hated specific aspects to the role I’m applying for. Sites like  Glassdoor  and  The Job Crowd  can be useful (side note: I’ve  never  seen a company provide negative reviews on its own career page… although as a candidate occasionally if I ask the interviewer, they might tell me what they think sucks about the job or company. If/when this happens, I immediately establish a better relationship with the company and hiring manager. It builds such  tremendous  trust when someone tells me what they suck at, and invariably increases my engagement). Third, it would be even  better  if I could see if any of my friends had interviewed or worked at this company before, and whether  they  liked or hated anything in particular. My level of trust would go up even more, and likely our connection to the company and each other would increase frequency / retention, without even doing any active marketing on this subject. Fourth, by managing candidate application history, profile career ambitions, and social connectivity, it should be easy to implement a loyalty program and retention marketing program for candidates that could increase application quality, customer satisfaction, and frequency. Both individual and group incentives / referrals could provide strong motivation to candidates to think about applying more often; apply today and if you’re successful we’ll give you a nice £2,000 signing on bonus!! Why pay a recruiter £15,000 when you can reward your new recruit with a cheeky bonus of a tenth of the cost? And, by aggregating data across the entire candidate field, companies should be able to learn how to optimize their hiring strategy, salary ranges, and sourcing campaigns dramatically better than ever before. 3) Having to wait FOREVER.: Obviously, one of the biggest pains in the backside when you’re interviewing is waiting to hear back from the company, not knowing if your CV has been chucked in the bin or if they are just slow off the mark. Also if you’ve applied online you might: still need a Job spec or have a question about something in the Job Spec, or need some more company information, or want to tell them something that’s not on your CV, or I’m going on holiday next week can we move this along? or hey I’d like to know the salary, or hey I’d really like to know whether I’m still being considered or EXCUSE ME WILL YOU JUST LOOK AT MY GODDAMN CV AND COVER LETTER THAT I SPENT ALL NIGHT WRITING / I’M GETTING OFFERS ELSEWHERE AND YOUR GOING TO MISS OUT ON ME / I’M ACTUALLY THINKING I DON’T WANT TO WORK AT YOUR COMPANY ANYMORE!!!!! (ahem… sorry, lost the plot there for a sec… but you get the picture) In a world filled with instant messaging, real-time tweets, alerts notifications, we can’t seem to solve a basic attention/awareness problem â€" that is, getting some underpaid, overworked recruiter to pay attention to me and my annoying needs 24x7x365. Okay, so maybe it’s not that bad, but I’m sure you’ve been there and furthermore, the recruiter probably thinks you’re the most needy, annoying pain in the arse ever too, and probably aren’t going to even turn up anyway, so why should they bother? In any case, being able to message and connect with the recruiter / hiring manager, and being able to communicate safely online and whenever you want is likely to improve candidate satisfaction (and worker satisfaction!) dramatically, as well likely to reduce hiring time and streamline overall operations. Not to mention, having the ability to check and track progress of your application online and the ability to modify and add content as you go would be absolutely awesome. Again, being able to combine applications with prior history, social referrals, and customized material could be absolutely huge. Furthermore, the opportunity for the company to keep you engaged while you’re waiting to hear back or in between interview stages can be a great benefit. Whether this is sending you relevant content on the company culture or interview tips via clever video content whilst your application is being processed, the application never loses momentum. I’m confident many models will emerge that optimize candidate enjoyment as well as for company economics. This amount of engagement may not appeal to everyone, but for anyone who gets fidgety halfway through an application process, you know what a lifesaver regular communication can be when you’re about to pull out your hair or commit a mass murder. Hiring Good People is Mission-Critical Business. And It Can Be Done a LOT Better. Well, I hope I’ve enlightened you and piqued your imagination about the opportunity to make a regular experience like attracting and engaging talent MUCH better via the use of technology and online tools. As mentioned above, this is a HUGE market. All good companies need people to thrive, and many of us take a career move at least every 3-5 years. We waste  untold  amounts of time executing a very inefficient and highly unsatisfactory recruitment experience for candidates, when it could be a totally amazing, and AWESOME experience â€" which is what finding new talent should be in the first place. Author: Chris Platts is the founder of  Talent Rocket  a London based start up. He’s a former executive recruiter and current recruitment advisor to many startup companies and multi-national organizations. Chris shares charming stuff on the topics of career optimization, hiring talent, HR, social media, start-ups and technology.  

How Colorado Free Resume Writing Services Can Help

How Colorado Free Resume Writing Services Can HelpWhen you are applying for jobs, Colorado free resume writing services can provide you with a professional looking resume that will increase your chances of landing that job. Your resume will be an important part of your search for a new job and should be taken seriously.The writing of a resume can be difficult. The first question that usually comes to mind is, 'How do I make my resume stand out?' Resumes come in different styles and colors, lengths, and font styles. So how do you figure out what makes a good resume?Free resume writing services can help you get a professional looking resume that will increase your chances of landing that job. Your resume will be an important part of your search for a new job and should be taken seriously. A well written resume can have a big impact on whether or not you get the job and even if you are hired.Just like everything else in life, resumes should be judged by their content, so your own person al feelings should not play a role in how your resume is perceived. A recruiter's eyes are trained to see the whole person, not just their weaknesses. That is why it is important that you make sure you are presenting yourself in the best possible light. Remember, your resume is a first impression and there is no way to change that.Once you have your resume written, you will need to ensure that it is presented in the right way. You do not want to be a two edged sword. You want to stand out from the crowd but you do not want to do it in a way that detracts from your resume. Resumes should be professionally written, not your pet project. If you have not written a resume before, you may want to turn it over to a professional.Some resume writing services offer free resume writing. These services will do the leg work and create a resume for you that you can use at no cost. This saves you from having to hire someone to do this for you. It also makes sure that your resume reflects your best attributes and you will present yourself in the best possible light.Remember, the purpose of a resume is to get a prospective employer to contact you and get you the interview that you want. Your resume is not an opportunity to tell them about your flaws. It is not a place to say how great you think you are.You need to present yourself in the best possible light and a professional will be able to do this for you. If you are looking for a way to stand out from the crowd, these professional resume writing services are here to help.

When is Weve Always Done it that Way a Valid Excuse

When is “We’ve Always Done it that Way” a Valid Excuse When working in an office setting, there are certain themes or quotes that gain popularity, and suddenly you hear them over and over. Most are intended to be motivational or inspirational, and apply to everyone in a corporate environment in one way or another. One that I seem to hear a lot lately is, “The most dangerous thing you can say is, ‘We’ve always done it that way.’” I understand the point of the quote â€" those who are adverse to change get left behind. But the saying only looks at one side of the coin â€" sometimes, the reason it’s always been done that way is because other ways have been tried and proven ineffective. In my experience, there’s only one reason to implement change â€" to make things better than they used to be. It’s true that experimentation by creative minds leads to improved methodology. In a recent article on HR.com about the rewards of hiring risk-takers, it’s evident that employers who welcome change often see the most significant employee contributions. This is evidenced by 3M’s Post-it notes and Amazon’s Prime loyalty program â€" both unique and lucrative ideas introduced by employees. The problem lies in changes that are not for the better. Just because change can be implemented doesn’t necessarily mean it should. Let’s look at a few types of changes that may be counterproductive. The experiment: This is simply the “let’s try something new and see if it works” approach. Sometimes the gamble pays off; but if the research hasn’t been done and all possible outcomes thought through, the fallout can be catastrophic. Case in point â€" Ron Johnson’s decision to change J.C. Penney’s pricing strategy in early 2012. In an attempt to mirror Apple’s marketing plan, the retail chain’s CEO decided to eliminate sales and coupons, resorting instead to touting everyday low prices. The strategy failed to take into consideration their core customers’ love of sales, coupons and bargain hunting, and led to Johnson’s dismissal less than 17 months later. Not only has the change been considered one of the greatest marketing blunders in retail history, but J.C. Penney has struggled to regain their customer base ever since, proving that sometimes it’s better to do things “the way we’ve always done them.” The territory marker: This type of change can be seen when new leadership enters an organization. Once established, they begin making various changes simply to demonstrate authority. The changes serve no real purpose other than to let everyone know that there’s a new sheriff in town, and he’ll be calling the shots. After employees have adapted to the “out with the old, in with the new” mentality, management usually realizes that things were done the old way for a reason â€" because that’s what worked â€" and they gradually start changing things back to the way they were. Just because: These are changes simply made out of boredom. While I mentioned earlier that the only reason to change things is to make them better than the way they were, one exception would be to change them simply to keep the process from getting stale. The change may or may not yield better results than the old way, but at least it’s a change, and sometimes, as Bill Murray states in the movie Groundhog Day, “Anything different is good.” If the results of the change prove less effective, things can always be changed back, and the positive effects of a simple variation in procedure are doubled. I believe the overall point of the original quote is directed at employers who are not open to suggestions from employees. Hanging on to outdated processes out of tradition when forward-thinking employees’ ideas and innovations are systematically disregarded is not only ignorant, but is sure to kill both productivity and employee morale. But not all change is good and should be welcomed, and this may not be immediately evident by both employees and management. In the end, the consequences of any change must be weighed like any business decision. If the projected outcome isn’t favorable, and it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Indulge in The Mystical Mexican Retreat That Is Michoacán

Indulge in The Mystical Mexican Retreat That Is Michoacán The western Mexican state of Michoacán is steeped deep in history, culture and natural beauty. The state’s nomenclature originates from Nahuatl tradition.  Which means ‘place of the fishermen’, referring to the fisher folk residing by the Lake Patzcuaro. The state capital is Morelia, named after Jose Maria Morales, who is one of the most celebrated heroes of the Mexican War of Independence. Morelia was adjudged a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 for its importance in history and the preservation of Spanish Colonial architecture. Michoacán is also known for its large swathes of indigenous population and practices, with a sizable number of them classified as Purepecha people, who were said to have rivalled the Aztec Empire during the Spanish Inquisition. Along with the history, what can one expect while visiting this pristine state and all that it encompasses? What must one definitely include in their Michoacán itinerary planner? Enjoy the vibrant colours of this insect’s wings Monarch Butterfly, Michoacán by Luna sin estrellas. The El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary must be included in your Michoacán travel planner for Michoacán. The renowned Monarch butterfly species makes this ecosphere its home from the months of October to March, with many of them migrating from as far as Canada. It is a government-owned preservation hotspot on the eastern border of the state near a village called Angangueo. The butterflies arrive in millions, with the Mexican winter a relatively warmer alternative. Interestingly, they don’t use their wings much.  Instead, they tae the help of air currents to a large measure to reach their destination. Can’t miss out on the Magic Town Magic town in Michoacán Rob222 Aguilar. The Mexican government has deemed the town of Patzcuaro to be a Magic Town owing to all its wondrous and marvellous sights. The churches with their architecture are larger than life, with a magnificent city central square adorning its landscape. The Lake Patzcuaro, as mentioned earlier has a huge role in the state’s nomenclature, just as the town’s deep Purepecha roots have to do with its culture. The seafood in this town in most of its teeming restaurants is rated very highly. Also, a particular type of caramel ice-cream named Nieve de Pasta is said to have been created here. If you love avocado, you’ve lucked out here! Uruapan, Michoacán by Christian Hernandez. Believe it or not, Michoacán is home to the avocado capital of the world with the city of Uruapan boasting that distinction. Considered the second-most important city in the state, Uruapan must make it to your Michoacán trip planner for its comprehensiveness .   There are stunning churches and chapels, grandiose monuments and surreal natural beauty due to the fertile nature of this region. With the Cupatitzio River flowing through the city, you have a national heritage site and a nature park within the city’s confines. At this spot, one can see where the river begins, the waterfalls and all the surrounding flora. Some fresh lava? Paricutin Volcano, Michoacán by Thomassin Mickaël. The Paricutin Volcano in Michoacán is a major attraction.   It is the youngest volcano in the world, having buried two entire villages beneath its lava and ash when it erupted from a cornfield in 1943. The only visible establishment in those parts is the church tower at San Juan, peeking out of the rough sea of lava. The volcano has also been considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world by some. Live up The Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead celebrating in Michoacán by Bryan Crump. Dia de Los Muertos or the Day of the Dead is a customary South American tradition of honouring the dead and acknowledging the continuance of life. This festival is celebrated with the utmost vigour and pomp in the capital of Morelia.  Morelia has roots synonymous with a lot of those who lost their lives in the Mexican War of Independence. Interestingly, Morelia is informally also called the Spanish city in all of Mexico. Mexico can be enchanting with a lot of its contemporary culture intertwining and digressing from its past. Visit Michoacán to get an authentic taste of the past. Image credits. Main.

What Is Effective Resume Writing? What Does it Really Mean?

What Is Effective Resume Writing? What Does it Really Mean?The question 'what is effective resume writing?' can be answered very simply. It's going to focus on identifying certain things that you can do in order to be able to get the information on your resume written in a way that makes it appealing to employers, but at the same time it will go into the realm of what you need to consider when you are looking for a job and what can happen when you try to get that job.When you first start your job search, you might be very overwhelmed by all of the different ways that your resume can come across. Because of this, it's important that you take the time to really think about what it is that you want to say. In other words, it's important that you be careful with what you write on your resume, because it could be seen as offensive to someone who is reading it.There are plenty of people who try to make use of techniques that are known as grammatical searches online, or searches that can he lp them find a resume that has been passed around from employer to employer. These techniques are all great, but the fact is that they could be ineffective in terms of getting the information on your resume written properly. This is because it might be that someone has already had a chance to look at your resume before and passed it along to someone else who then went on to pass it along.When you're thinking about what is effective resume writing, there are a few things that you should consider. First of all, you want to make sure that you're thinking about what your goals are. If you have no clear understanding of what your goals are, then you're going to be completely confused when you try to go through the process of getting your resume written.Of course, if you're still working out the details on what your goals are, you might end up having to tackle this later on. It's okay to leave things like this until you actually feel like you have an idea about what you want your career t o look like once you get it off the ground. Once you've figured out exactly what you want out of your career, you'll be able to sit down and start brainstorming and creating a resume that represents your career.Another factor that can go into what is effective resume writing is the fact that you're going to want to identify the niche that you want to get into. The reason why is because if you've already had a chance to see your resume through, you'll be able to tell what it looks like without having to read it again. This is something that you're going to want to make sure that you do so that you don't have to go back and read it multiple times just to figure out what's wrong with it.You also want to remember that the main objective of writing a resume isn't to get a job. It's to represent your career in a way that makes it appealing. That means that it's important that you really consider how you're going to use this opportunity to help you get your career off the ground.All of the se factors are going to go into what is effective resume writing. By making sure that you understand how these things affect your chances of getting hired, you're going to be able to better find a good way to do this. In doing so, you're going to be able to make sure that you're getting the information on your resume written the right way and make sure that you're getting hired.

Improve Your Freelance Career Prospects With These 5 Professional Pointers - CareerMetis.com

Improve Your Freelance Career Prospects With These 5 Professional Pointers Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comThroughout your freelance career, you’re always looking to go from strength to strength. Not only do you want to make sure that your income is constantly creeping up, but you also want to grow, develop and flourish in your chosen field.Whether you’re a freelance writer or financial consultant, there are set ways that you can take yourself to the next level. You might want to focus on just one or two or give all of them a go. Just be sure that you’re making the right moves for your future and you should see a positive result.1. Get Better At SalesevalFor your freelance career to grow, you need to be comfortable with generating leads, landing sales and pushing your income. If you feel as if you’re never getting anywhere when it comes to sales, you may benefit from taking a class or two in the area â€" especially if sales have never really been your strong point in the first place.evalHowever, if you really feel as if you aren’t meant to excel in sal es, you might find that outsourcing your lead generation to a sales professional would be more suitable.2. Get Certified InsuredNext up, you might want to think about getting qualified and covered. When you first started freelancing, it may have been just you and a computer, doing your thing. But now that you’ve been in the game for a while, it might be time to add the necessary letters after your name.Whether you need to show that you’re certified in the right areas or to protect you from lawsuits, you’re going to want to look at getting your certifications in your field or Qdos professional indemnity insurance so that you can show you mean business.3. NetworkIf you always find yourself just getting the work done, you may not allocate a lot of time for promoting yourself and your particular skill set. It’s understandable, most of us try to focus on getting things done â€" and not talking about ourselves.But, to grow, you have to start selling yourself. So, get out there an d network. When you network, you can get your name out there a bit more and promote what you do to drum up freelance business and make valuable connections.4. Speak At EventsWhen you’re freelance, whether that means you’re a business consultant or a journalist, you should think about events a lot more. It might seem a little crazy and out of your depth to become a paid speaker, but you will have a lot of knowledge that others may find useful or even an interesting perspective. Not only can you diversify your income in this way, but you can also raise further your career prospects.5. Strengthen Your BrandevalAnother way to further your freelance career is to focus on your personal brand. After all, you are your work and a representation of the service that you offer. So create a strong image and personal profile for yourself and stick to it. Keep it consistent across your online channels and offline too. You want people to know who you are and what you do, and branding can help w ith that.

SteveO Show interview - Navigating Career Crossroads - Jane Jackson Career

SteveO Show interview - Navigating Career Crossroads - Jane Jackson Career I really enjoyed my interview on The SteveO Show discussing my new book, Navigating Career Crossroads How to Thrive when Changing Direction!   We chatted about what we need to do to make a successful career transition, what holds people back when it comes to progressing in their career, and how to build self confidence and clarity to make a successful career change.   Follow the 7 Steps CAREERS Program to secure the job of your dreams.   Here are the 7 essential steps for success: 1     Confidently manage change2   Assess what makes you tick3   Resumes and marketing communications4   Express your professional image and personal brand5   Explore all the job search strategies6   Relate your value at interviews7   Success strategies for career success (including negotiation skills and on-boarding into the new role)* * * * * * * * * *Listen to The SteveO Show on FM99.3 Northside Radio, Sydney!Click here to listen to all of his interviews with dozens of personalities and musicians from S uzy Quatro to Dr. Hook, Bill Oddie OBE to David Meyer, Bee Gees American Rock biographer!

Unemployed in a Tough Economy Part II - Hallie Crawford

Unemployed in a Tough Economy Part II Today we continue to look at tips for people unemployed during the tough economy. If you missed Part I, you can read that article here. Being laid off in any economy is hard. However, being laid off during a recession brings on new challenges. For example, there is more competition for the jobs that are available, only certain industries are hiring, and pay is often decreased for the jobs that are available.What do you do if you are unemployed in a tough economy? First of all don’t panic! There are jobs out there, but decisions made out of fear never have good results. Although you may have to work a little harder to find a job during a recession, here are tips 4-6 to help you: 4. Create a schedule. This is an extremely important step because it will keep your mind focused so you dont get depressed. Make a list of what you want to accomplish daily/weekly. Perhaps it’s writing your cover letter or updating your research. Maybe you will start researching potential jobs and looking at websites like CareerBuilder or Monster. Set realistic goals for yourself each day and stick to them! 5. Consider a temporary lower paying job. This may be a hard step for you to take, but it will give you the opportunity to get more work experience, will get you out of the house, boost your morale, and most importantly in a tough economy, it will offer some temporary financial assistance. Temp agencies are a great place to start. 6. Get support. Are you unsure of your ideal career path? Do you need help identifying values and goals? A career coach can help you find your ideal career path. If you need help contact me for a complimentary consultation. Heres to having a career you love,Certified Career Coach