Friendly Fire Kills Candidates Quickest

Friendly Fire Kills Candidates Quickest There is little more frustrating for an in-house recruiter than doing all the legwork for a key vacancy, and doing it well, only to see the hopes and dreams of everyone begin to evaporate as a couple of top-notch candidates bail after the initial interview. Frustration later morphs into depression when the remaining great-fit candidate declines to pick up the decent offer just made to them. Some organisations go through that experience a number of times. The pressure to fill the vacancy mounts, causing the danger of irrational decision-making to loom. Lowering the bar or upping the package are common responses, but these assume that the problem is an external one either the person-spec is too demanding and / or the salary package is just not attractive enough. Sadly, these are unlikely to be the problem and a closer look is needed, instead of a knee-jerk reaction. Review your processes Whilst your overall advertising and selection processes are probably proven, well-oiled and sound, its always worth a quick check to ensure that candidates arent being over-sold and misled. Take care to go back through communication trails. Reading these afresh can sometimes identify warning signs that werent obvious at the time. Gather feedback If you cant identify the cause of the problem, youre very unlikely to find a meaningful solution to it, so firstly try for hard evidence. Ex candidates may be reluctant to provide genuine feedback, but they may feel guilty and obligated, so a friendly off-the-record verbal chat will get you considerably further than a more formal request or conversation. Consider the quality and reliability of anything provided. If youre using external recruiters, check to see if they can shed any light. Recruiters can feel partly responsible, defensive even, so consider carefully whether any reasons are sensibly evidence-backed or just helpfully intuition-based. Both can be valuable, but beware the difference before acting hastily. Look at the candidate experience If a candidate walks away unexpectedly, and without reason, its something theyve experienced thats prompted them take that decision. its therefore odds-on that friendly fire from your own side is whats shooting them down. Promises are easy to make, so pragmatic candidates wonder: how sound is the company; are the job-challenges actually worth-while and is the line-manager professional? Candidates judge for themselves whether theyre being shown a beautiful beach where working life is a potential career-building opportunity or whether the horizons grey skies and tsunami of problems more likely indicate the presence of quicksands ahead. The good news is, if the source of the problem is at your end, you have the power to do something about it. When good candidates are scarce, they tend to be very aware that selection today is not just a two-way street, its a whole eight-lane motorway, so if solid candidates have applied, its a sure pointer that the package and prospects arent the root of the problem. The following are based on real examples of feedback from candidates. Culture Sofas, pool tables and exercise equipment look great, until theyre covered in an inch of dust, suggesting that no one has the time, or permission, to use them during working hours. Flexibility Its a major attraction, unless it appears that everyone works from 7.00 am till 8.00 pm every day in order to keep their jobs or get ahead. Social media can be such a grass. Respect Visiting candidates will clearly get respectful attention, but if they see subordinates, PAs, receptionists or cleaners being spoken to imperiously or treated poorly, it speaks volumes about the underlying quality of management. Growth Exciting technologies might point to a stellar growth opportunity, but if everyone is fire-fighting on interview day, that growth may be judged as just too optimistic. Vision Whilst that beautiful painting of the companys vision appears alluring as it stands at the end of a lively cocktail bar showing some ankle or muscle, candidates sober up quickly when they find the company is already on its third pivot. Dynamic team If people are slumped at their desks and struggle to raise themselves for a prospective team-mate, the candidate will wonder whether giving blood is less of a six-monthly occurrence and more of an everyday event. Communication Unplanned changes to the recruitment and selection process, or endless delays to interviews, meetings and decisions, speaks volumes about the organisation. The line manager The line managers comments, behavior and perceived organizational ability count more than any other factor. Candidates want to know whether their career can catch a boost from a go-getter, they dont want to end up feasting at their leisure on a dead duck. Honesty and integrity are key to managing a candidates experience. With so many people involved in a recruitment and selection process, its almost impossible to consistently maintain lies. Whatever the problems, being open about them, and presenting the real challenges, saves everyones time. If the line manager is a complete git, dont hide it, be honest and sell it as a plus. You might have to work hard at the presentation of that information, but there must be a plus, otherwise why do you employ them? Candidates who know the reality they’re facing join more positively, work harder, stay longer and deliver better results. Ensure that, on interview day, their expectations are met, or even exceeded. Reality is not what you and your team present to them, its what they actually see, hear and feel for themselves. About the author: Jon Gregory an experienced management consultant, re-organisation specialist and recruitment professional. He currently works with both organisations and individuals, helping to get the right people working effectively in the right jobs.. He’s also the editor of www.win-that- job.com.

Have a Talk with Yourself About Social Media Marla Gottschalk

Have a Talk with Yourself About Social Media Marla Gottschalk With all of the banter about whether CEOs should be active on Twitter â€" Ive realized that I might need to have a sit down with myself about social media. C-Suite executives must carefully consider how they invest and utilize their time on social platforms. So should the rest of us. Not that I fail to see the tremendous value of social networks, obviously I do. I simply would like to pause and reflect on how I am spending my time with social. Is the time spent valuable and productive? I would like to ensure that it absolutely is. With every innovation â€" whether a product or process â€" we search for ways to effectively integrate that change into our lives. It can take a bit of time to assess best fit, as the pendulum usually swings with great momentum toward the innovation, (often with a significant investment in time to master it) and then ultimately swings back in adjustment. In some cases, with any new piece of technology or system, there is a moment when you might suddenly discover that youve had too much of a good thing. (Not unlike the moment when you realized that youve had too much coffee or spent too much money.) At that moment, choices need to be made. Your investment needs to be reconsidered. In fact, you might need to become â€" for lack of a better descriptor â€"picky. How do we make those difficult choices, to ensure that the time you are devoting is well spent? A set of criteria will help. Of course, that set will vary from person to person. But, here is the start of one: What are the opportunity costs? This is an obvious, yet needed question. What would you be doing with your time, if you were not spending that hour with social media? This trade-off should work for you, not against you. Is your time with social meaningful? When you consider your personal goals, is social media helping you attain them? Are you able to reach the right contacts or customers? Does social help you raise awareness for a cause close to your heart? Does it solve a problem? Is the social platform addressing an issue or need that cannot otherwise be addressed? For example, if you have team members in the field, does a social platform improve communication or work flow? Are we adding value? Ultimately, what we add to the landscape should have value. Are we opening the door to a much needed conversation? Clarifying an issue? Bringing forward an entirely new perspective? Will it help to develop your role or organization? Can the perspective you gain through social, somehow be applied to the betterment of your job, career or current organization? For example, how a crowd sourcing platform, might bring ideas from customers into your organizations purview. What are your criteria for making decisions about spending time with social? How will you make these tough choices going forward? Id love to know.

How Leadership Brand Affects Talent Attraction

How Leadership Brand Affects Talent Attraction Ambitious employees want to develop into leaders at work. They want to grow and prosper in your business. So your reputation for developing employees into leaders, managers and more, is pivotal, and might just be the most important aspect of your employment brand. Were with Morgan Hoogvelt, the Global Director of Talent Acquisition at ESAB to dissect the importance of leadership and employer brand at his company. Have a listen to the episode below, keep reading for a summary and be sure to subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast. Listen on  Apple Podcasts,  Stitcher Radio,  Google Play  or  SoundCloud. In this episode youll learn: What Morgans definition of an employment brand is all about. What leadership brand is and how it fundamentally relates to employer brand. What Morgans take on Glassdoor and what role it has within the employer brand space. Why people choose or take a job, whether that be their people, their boss or something along those lines. What companies like yours can do to supplement their employment brand. How should employment brand change and whats next according to Morgans crystal ball! Connect with Morgan on LinkedIn!

Personal Brands are Todays Leaders, Not Tomorrows - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Brands are Today’s Leaders, Not Tomorrow’s - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Ouch. I keep reading about personal branding being a tool that sets you up to be tomorrow’s leaders. Why do old people always say this to young people? And, why do young people repeat it? Does anyone wake up in the morning and say, “I hope I’ll be tomorrow’s leader.” When they wake up the next day, they a) discover that hope is not a strategy, and b) that tomorrow is yet another day away. Only fools Don’t be fooled by anyone who says you can’t lead today. Truth is: if you’re not leading something today, someone else is. And, they aren’t waiting for you to wake up and say, “Thanks for keeping my spot warm, move over, I’m leading now.” They will look down at you from their perch of leadership (no matter how minor) and kick you back down among the crowd of followers. (They probably won’t actually kick you. What they will do is more covert: steal your ideas, not pass along a great concept you offered up or just talk you down to their leader.) Here today in the precious present Personal brands of earth: wake up. It’s today. Lead today. Whenever it turns out to be tomorrow, you just keep on leading. Don’t be fooled by that “tomorrow’s leader” ambition killer Kool Aid, even if it they say it’s good for you. It’s not. It’s good for them. Seth Godin famously says that you belong to a tribe (maybe several) and within that tribe you can step up and lead it. Maybe you’ll lead a particular sub-group or lead on a particular project. I’m sure you can think of something in every segment of your life, where you can initiate a plan, project or program and lead. Consider your work, social life, community, worship group, family, sports club, hobby… the places where you can exercise leadership is almost infinite. When leaders above you and around you see you leading by virtue of your own initiative, you’ll be promoted as a leader of greater and greater authority. Your sphere of influence and control will widen. You’ll meet other leaders. You’ll recommend each other for choice assignments. You’ll invent. Become CEO of your life and probably others. Study leadership, and make that part of your personal brand. Remember you take on responsibility for the people you lead, just as much as the outcome from their actions. The sooner you take leadership roles, the better. Right now would be good. Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.

5 Reasons Why Personal Branding is Important CareerMetis.com

5 Reasons Why Personal Branding is Important â€" CareerMetis.com Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comPersonal branding is an action in people’s lives where they take an active role. There are tons of benefits that people can get from creating their brand. Also, personal brand allows a person to self-manage their life without having to depend on others. A person’s brand is an important part of a person’s career. Here are some benefits that personal branding can give to people.1) Inputs TrustA personal brand explains the why in the what of a person. In short, these are the things that motivate and drive people to success. Building a personal brand makes people feel comfortable while working. It also establishes trusts to the colleagues. Having a personal brand also creates intentions that are clear and genuine, which are key in fostering trust.People will feel more comfortable when they can guess what a person can do. When people are aware of a person’s energy source, they will feel at ease in letting him or her be in charge of their needs. Even hand ing out business cardswouldn’t be a problem if people already put their trust in the person.2) Builds ConnectionsPhoto Credit â€" maxpixel.freegreatpicture.comevalPersonal branding helps a person build connections in different fields and their areas of specialty. There is no limit to personal branding. It can go beyond the digital world. Once a person builds his reputation, it will help them to get more exposure like speaking events. With the help of these events, he can start collecting low-cost business cards to work on possible leads and connections.3) Builds CredibilityPersonal branding aids a person in establishing his name as a thought leader and expert in his area of specialty. It helps in gaining recognition in their area of expertise. A person also builds a lasting impression and a self-reward for the individuality itself. Admiration, respect, and trust will come along with a person’s name.There are messages embedded in the awareness of the targeted market. People will perceive a person as an expert if he or she is more visible to their target audience. A brand will drive a person to the top of the chosen marketplace, even a person’s cheap printed cards can pass after establishing credibility. It is the ability that people are looking instead of physical things.4) Gains in ConfidencePhoto Credit â€" flickr.comIndividuals can also gain confidence while they are developing their brand. The gain of confidence will come from their positive qualities and strengths that they could share publicly. If people know that they have something which they can offer, their self-esteem will soar. A well done personal branding will emphasize the strengths of an individual and can give direction as to where he or she can use those strengths.5) Having AuthenticityA personal brand comes from passion, skills, goals, and values. It is a result of a person’s hunt for fulfillment and meaning. Personal branding helps a person grow from something that he or she believes . Personal branding is a person itself and no one else. Personal branding doesn’t allow individuals to create a contrived voice or a fake persona that is not genuinely them.Personal branding helps a person be authentic, which can also help him or her in fulfilling things in life easier. A person’s life will revolve around work while prioritizing strengths and taking advantage of the talents that brings him or her joy.Due to the authenticity, personal branding aids to minimize a person’s weaknesses. It helps in improving the weaknesses. Crafting the brand then assists in determining if there is a need to use the weakest skill.TakeawayevalPersonal branding offers numerous benefits to a person’s life and career. Also, it helps in building confidence while gaining trust, authenticity, and credibility. It is important that people know that building their branding is important and helpful.

Snappiest comeback ever - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Snappiest comeback ever - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Bert Bigelow tells the story of the snappiest comeback ever: On Wednesday, March 1st, 2006, in Annapolis at a hearing on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at AU, was requested to testify. At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said: Mr. Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a woman. What do you have to say about that? Raskin replied: Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible. The room erupted into applause. Via Pharyngula. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Resume Writing Service - How Can They Help Your First Job Hunt?

Resume Writing Service - How Can They Help Your First Job Hunt?Using a resume writing service in Perth Australia is one of the best ways to make your first job hunt successful. The cost of not having a professional resume writer around can be devastating, especially for first time job hunters.Many people find that they have a hard time finding a resume writer who can do the job right, or at all. However, using a resume writing service may help you. If you don't have someone else doing the work for you, hiring a professional service can help you get the job you want, faster than you could by yourself.Resumec has many successful resumes in use across the country, so if you haven't heard of them, you might have a hard time finding one that meets your needs. However, they can be used on several levels and can even help your resume to meet the standards of some more formal jobs. Before you know it, you will have a completely clean slate when you get to go interview for your first job.Some people may wonder if Resumec even exists. In fact, Resumec is a custom resume writing service, but unlike other services, it is designed for high profile positions. Their resume writers have extensive experience with the most prestigious companies and can tell you the best way to present yourself.Some resumes are suitable for just about any job. You just need to know which resumes are best to start with and which ones don't suit your personality. They can help you get your dream job and get it quickly.Resumes are like any other piece of writing and can be written well or poorly. So, this is an important part of the process and should be taken seriously. If you hire a resume writer that doesn't have experience or references, you might risk wasting time and money.A resume is important, but it is only the beginning. For the job search to be successful, you need to have a good network of contacts and future employers who can pass on your contact information. Some companies require that you have a Resume even apply for the job.Many individuals hire a resume writer to write their resume and include it with their application. This gives them a personal touch that makes them stand out from the crowd.