Is Your Recruitment Business Running Like Clockwork

Is Your Recruitment Business Running Like Clockwork Confidence in recruitment has increased due to the more positive economic outlook in the UK. This is great news for recruiters; however, it can be a double edged sword. As opportunities increase for candidate placement according to research more than a third of workers plan to change roles  this year recruitment companies need to ensure their business is running efficiently and have the resources and skills in place to manage more candidates and more roles. Social Media â€" Extending the Reach Social media has clearly become incredibly important in recent years, with growing numbers of consultants routinely sourcing candidates via networking sites. There is so much ‘social’ out there; so just how much effort should any agency â€" or individual consultant â€" allocate to social? The answer depends on the marketplace â€" for any recruitment agency focused on media or IT, social is an absolute necessity. No LinkedIn profile, Twitter account or Facebook page â€" no credibility. There is, however, probably no need to dabble with other sites such as Pinterest or Instagram. In other markets where social has yet to become such a driving force, the pressure is less intense. However, it would still be advisable to see if your business name is available as a Twitter handle, and be sure your company LinkedIn profile is created and accurate. Many of these sites allow a company profile to be created without proof of ownership, so check to see what might be already out there under your name. It is also important to remember that consultants will probably need their own social media presence â€" especially on LinkedIn â€" because candidates will be checking out the individual consultant as much as the agency. In addition to creating and building social profiles, switched on consultants will also encourage successfully placed candidates to share reviews on LinkedIn and/or Tweet their success, further reinforcing the online reputation. A social media policy should also encompass how the business will respond to any potentially negative comments. Ensuring that every consultant is aware of the right tone of voice and has clear guidance on the appropriate way to respond to any problems is essential to avoid costly, reputation damaging events. Speed â€" First to the Finish With an increase in available candidates and latest research showing that the recruitment process from start to finish is now on average 89 days, reacting to clients and candidates in real-time can make the difference between getting a placement or not. Clearly one of the key aspects of the recruitment process is search and we have seen sites introduce new search tools and techniques that provide real opportunities to improve search not only on internal systems but also on social media. The key here is that agencies cannot rely on consultants to discover all these tips and tricks themselves â€" with that approach the only result will be some highly expert consultants and the rest left frustrated and bemused. Providing a regular overview of search tools and techniques to consultants will ensure that consultants do not fall back into old â€" and slow â€" habits. The consultant that still only searches on job boards for new candidates is going to be beaten to the best by the competition again and again.   The candidate has so much choice today â€" in order to attract these individuals every consultant will need to be far more flexible and adventurous in searching to identify the best. Of course speed is not just about search â€" it is the entire process; and that means ensuring clients are engaged and recognise the need to respond within hours, not days, to avoid the best candidates being snapped up elsewhere.   Consultants need to be able to build upon client relationships in order to get a fast response and turnaround â€" and agencies need to ensure that everyone in the business has fast access to all candidate information at any time. Combining a strong CRM with slick admin processes leaves consultants more time to focus on relationships, improves the sharing of information and leads across the business and minimises the risk of delays or lost opportunities. Team Building the Skills There is no point in having these great tools if no one in the company is able to use them effectively.   And while a new generation of consultants may be arriving in the workforce having used Twitter and Facebook for years, many will have no idea of the difference between a personal and professional approach to social media.   For the older generation highly aware of the importance of professional attitudes, the need might be to encourage the use of social media â€" at least posting jobs online â€" and the value of building up both company and personal reputations online. To maximise the value of social, agencies need to create robust social media policies that address content and tone; the need for professional profiles to be kept completely separate from personal; and strategies for reinforcing reputation through encouraging recommendations, for example. In addition, it is important to ensure that staff understand how to use tools such as Skype or Google Hangouts. This is not just about training in using the technology, but also the way in which interviews are conducted via video. A consultant is unlikely to carry out a face to face interview in a room full of noisy individuals â€" so why attempt to do the same via Skype? Ensuring there are dedicated quiet rooms for video interviews; that the connection is good enough; and that staff know how to use the technology â€" such as recording the interview â€" is essential to avoid disengaging a potentially valuable candidate through a poor interview experience. The reality is that in this world, even the best, most experienced, consultant needs training on new technologies to support the evolving candidate demands. And that means agencies need to put in place good training processes and policies and ensure that every member of the team is comfortable and confident with the latest technologies, from social to search and beyond. Conclusion Sitting back and letting change carry on around the business is not going to go well. From an energetic and dynamic social media presence to efficient search and interview processes that can streamline the identification of the right candidates, the way in which recruitment is now being undertaken is changing fast. Of course, the core skills still apply. Consultants need to have great interview skills, the ability to read between the lines on CVs and the drive to build strong client relationships. But it is underpinning these skills with new technologies that will become increasingly key in the drive to both attract and place the right individuals in the Year of the Candidate.

10 Mistakes Keeping You Away from Your Dream Job

10 Mistakes Keeping You Away from Your Dream Job Being in the “unemployed” department for long can make one anxious and insecure. As more and more  days go by with you out of the workforce while people keep probing you about your job search, you  tend to become desperate for a good employment. However, “just another job” may not be the best  choice! People make countless mistakes during their job search process which costs them a lot of time, efforts,  and even money.  Here are some of the most common mistakes people make that should be avoided: 1.  Settling for something too low: You may be really eager to find your next new job,  but don’t just go for anything! Settling for a job that is not worth your qualifications is unwise.  Don’t be racing with your fellow grads in the “who can find a job first” race. It’s not worth it!  Learn to persevere until you can find the perfect fit. 2. Setting the bar too high: While you shouldn’t go for any job that is not “good enough”  for you. You shouldn’t keep trying to apply for one that you are not â€"in plain words good  enough for. Now, I don’t mean to sound cruel and callous. The point is that you shouldn’t apply  for a job that requires a lot more experience and qualifications than you can offer. Try to match  your skills and experience with something that makes more sense. Setting the bar too high will  only leave you disappointed with every rejection, in addition to wasting a considerable amount  of your time and energy. 3. Looking for job openings  only: Doing a bit of online research and looking for job  postings is necessary, but it is not the only method that should be used for your job search. The  best jobs are sometimes not even on the list of “vacancies”. Where do they go? Well, sometimes  the employer isn’t even thinking about a vacancy until you apply. Many applicants just apply and  if they have what the organization needs, and when they need it, they’re in! 4. Not using your networks: A Right Management survey that analyzed over 59,000  employees in 2010 concluded that 41% of the sample said they landed a job through  networking. This was the highest weightage among all other methods (online job boards, direct  approach, ads, etc). Whether you like it or not, word of mouth is still the most effective  marketing technique. That means you have to have a long list of people you know well enough  to refer you to their company.  Talk to anyone you meet everyday who could willing to help you  out (i.e. parent’s friends, relatives, friends, church members, etc). Spread the word about you  searching for a job in the particular industry you are interested in. 5. Being careless: Being sloppy when it comes to your documents is un-professional. Make  sure you have your resume, as well as cover letter, set and ready to be delivered. Using  inappropriate language or spelling mistakes will render your resume useless (and probably get  thrown away in the garbage). The biggest mistake applicants make while searching for jobs is  not ensuring that their resume is error-free.  Employers prefer the standard resume and cover letter format with appropriate information.  Trying to be cute or funny might make you stand out from the rest, but it won’t necessarily  leave a good impression on the interviewer. 6. One-size-fits-all documents: It may have worked in the past, but it doesn’t work  anymore. Contemporary hiring involves careful analysis and hiring a person who is just the right  fit for the job. This means you have to show each and every employer that you are the right fit. How do you do that? By coming up with targeted resumes. Don’t just send everyone the same  resume you made last month. Tailor your resume according to the organization and job  requirements. Omit any information that is useless or irrelevant to the job at hand. For example,  while applying to an ad agency for a designing job, you definitely want to include “creativity” as  a skill. On the other hand, skills such as “excellent communication” or “people person” are  better left for a sales job resume. 7. Not acting professionally: By: Sunblazer5 Employers may understand that you are a newbie with no  experience yet, but what they won’t understand is why after such an extensive education you  still haven’t learned to behave or act in a professional manner. Or, even if you don’t have an  extensive education, the current situation you are in, demands a high level of maturity and  professionalism. Professionalism includes everything from the way you behave at your  interview, the vocabulary you use in your documents, the way you dress, and even the email  addresses you use. An email address such as, coolbabenancy@ is utterly unimpressive.  Career advisors also warn against uploading silly pictures on LinkedIn and making them public.  Chances are, a prospective employer will go through your profile for background information,  and find something that questions you maturity and professionalism. 8. Not preparing for the interview: It doesn’t end with just getting shortlisted. The  interview should be given just as much, if not more, importance than the application. Be well  prepared for the interview once you get the call.  Learn about the company, talk to previous  employees, write down answers to possible questions, and rehearse. Extensive research may be  required to learn about the company, what they may ask, and who your interviewers may be. 9. Not having an online presence: The digital era and much of Googling has brought  about an increase in pretty much everything done â€" online. Expect your employers to look for  you online as well as other candidates who have applied for the job. Having an impressive  LinkedIn profile, blogs, or useful twitter accounts will weigh heavy against other candidates who  may not have all or any of those. It will also be a great way to highlight your skills (i.e. website  building, other qualifications, etc). 10. Having a negative attitude: Job searches can be very discouraging at times, but having a  negative attitude will not get you anywhere. You’re not in your school years anymore, but you  have become a full-fledged adult, right? So, quit whining and complaining!  Having that same negative attitude in your interview will also be hazardous because no one likes  an immature adult who complains about everything. Maybe you had an awful ex-boss who fired  you for no reason. Life’s tough and we have to deal with it ourselves. Try to keep this kind of  information to yourself, or just your close friends and family. Your interviewer won’t be  impressed when you say a mean thing or two about your ex-boss, because he’ll assume you’ll do  the same in future â€" when it comes to them. Being smart, using the right tactics, and avoiding the mistakes above the best way to deal with  the dreaded “job search” phase. Just remember to keep a positive attitude throughout.  Eventually, you will land a career that is both appropriate and fulfilling. Author:  Madeleine is an academic consultant and an author who mostly writes on  education, leadership and social sharing posts. She helps students who feel difficulty in choosing the  right field in university and help students regarding their essays at EssaySpot.co.uk.  Find her on Facebook to  get consultancy.

10 Things Management Can Do to Earn Trust

10 Things Management Can Do to Earn Trust You may have got into business because you care about people, but bad habits and the drive for profit can sometimes lead a person away from their original ideals. Heaven knows, most of us become entirely different people when we’re broke, stressed, or excited about a new idea. In our digitally-optimized world, it becomes all too easy to take the easy option: to send an email when face-to-face would be better, to expect employees to work overtime without asking, or to redeploy someone at short notice and with no consultation. As it happens, these actions may sound efficient, but they’re not just rude â€" they’re costly. The first cost is trust. And that loss of that trust hits your profits. Consider: Businesses where the employees trust the management are nearly three times as likely to achieve ‘high revenue.’ More than nine out of ten employees reckon having trust in their boss is vital to be satisfied at work. It can cost around £3,000 to replace an employee if they quit. So we agree that trust is a good thing. Now, how are you to go about cultivating trust in the workplace? Trust requires listening Trust is a very emotional trait. It’s connected to our survival instinct. It’s not something you can quantify, in fact, it’s entirely possible to distrust somebody despite heaps of evidence that they should be trusted, just because they give you that ‘feeling’ of being dodgy. For this reason, trust in the workplace should not be looked at as an asset that you can measure or ‘action.’ It has to come from the heart on both sides. So before you go about revolutionizing the culture of trust in your workplace, it is essential to get it straight with yourself: know your reasons, think about the people you work with, and reconsider your whole approach to empathy. You’re going to have to do a lot of listening. Trust between employees and their boss is an individual thing, which means you need to get to know your crew. Listen always, but also look out for opportunities to ask open questions such as: What are you working on today? How is it going? How do you feel the results will be? What do you need to make it work? Take your time responding in conversations, and learn to swallow your pride: you neither need to come up with nor take credit for, every idea. Let your colleagues finish their sentences and their thoughts. Sometimes there’s nothing like an extended silence to provoke the next development. Open up, professionally Trust-building begins as early as the recruitment stage. Being upfront about job requirements and expectations is essential. Even if you’re trying to sell a role to a high-quality candidate, it is crucial not to sugar-coat things. You can start to work towards gaining their trust by speaking frankly about work conditions. Be as open about your business as it is feasible to be. Let your crew know what your goals are and how you want to achieve them. Introduce them â€" or have them introduce each other â€" to the workings of different departments. Sometimes interdepartmental mistrust can be as damaging as not trusting the boss! Show that you trust your colleagues with the ins-and-outs of your strategy, and they will trust you in return. This comes with a commitment to work harder and smarter towards your shared goals. Make ‘friends’ with your employees But you can also open up about your response to what they bring. You don’t need every assessment to be a celebration or a dressing down; speak with your colleagues frankly about what they’re doing well, what they need to work on, and when they’ve surprised you with results or an idea. There’s nothing like trusting your colleagues if you want them to trust you in return. It all begins with a commitment to human individuals rather than numbers in a ledger. Are you ready to make that leap? About the author:  John Cole  writes on behalf of NeoMam Studios. A digital nomad specializing in leadership, digital media, and personal growth topics, his passions include world cinema and biscuits. A native Englishman, he is always on the move, but can most commonly be spotted in the UK, Norway, and the Balkans

Barbra Streisand Funny Girl Gets Serious

Barbra Streisand Funny Girl Gets Serious If you watched the Golden Globes, you heard Barbra Streisands declaration among many others.   Times up.   And if youre old enough to really know who Barbra Streisand is, you no doubt have pleasant memories of her music and movies.   But who is Barbra Streisand? I was lucky enough to see her live performance once.   That only served to cement my admiration for her artistic creations, and that sassy bad-assiness that seems to peek out from all of them. Barbra Unplugged Have you ever thought youd like to get to know a celebrity?   Find out about what makes them who they are?   Maybe some of their less-saucy secrets?   What if you could be a fly on the wall in their sessions with an analyst? Author Alma Bond has given us that opportunity with her On The Couch series, which include spotlights on Jackie O., Marilyn Monroe, Hillary Clinton, and now Barbra Streisand.   Its a delightfully cozy read, served up well with a glass of wine and a warm fire in the hearth. Meanwhile, heres a few of Barbras quips and quotes that are sure to leave you smiling.   And maybe putting a trip to the bookstore on tomorrows agenda. Nobody is just any one thing.   The major purpose of living is to grow. I think it takes obsession, takes searching for the details, for any artist to be good. Aesthetics are more important than exercise any day. When I look in the mirror, I do not see a sophisticated movie star or an academy award winner, I see the ugly face of little Barbra Streisand. To me, the excitement of life lies in striving for success rather than attaining it. So Who Is Barbra Streisand? After youve read the book, youll have a pretty good idea.   Until then, her short self-assessment is very telling: Im my own person.   But I really am a Brooklynite Jewish housewife at heart. Cheers to you, Barbra!

FREE Guide on Boomer Encore Careers - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

FREE Guide on Boomer Encore Careers In his introduction to the 28-page guide from encore.org, Looking for an encore career? The guide to finding work that matters, Marc Freedman, CEO and founder of Civic Ventures and designer of the Civic Ventures Encore Careers campaign, says: The largest generation in American history is in transition, moving beyond midlife to a new stage of life and work. Tens of millions of people between the ages of 44 and 70 say they want encore careers that combine personal meaning, continued income, and social impact. Contributors include Richard Nelson Bolles, Marc Freedman, Richard Lieder, and Hermina Ibarra, who answer questions such as: What do I need to know about job hunting these days? How can I update my job skills? How do I finance the transition to an encore career? How can I turn volunteering into a job? How do I transition from a corporate job to a nonprofit one? What is a green job, and how do I get one? What are the options for stiking out on my own? The guide also includes several real-life examples of adult job seekers experiences navigating a career transition, with their pitfalls and successes in landing new jobs. Each personal story is sidebarred with valuable resources. Loaded with practical, actionable tips on moving forward, the e-book is a must-read for anyone facing the challenge of a career transition in mid-life and beyond.   Related posts: Boomer Career Trends: The Graying of America’s Work Force Baby Boomer Career Reinvention: Moving Toward Working Your Passion Baby Boomer Executives Afraid of and Social Media 00 0

2018 - our most international year ever - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

2018 - our most international year ever - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog 2018 has been our awesomest year yet, not to mention our most international year ever :) Its pretty stunning to see the change that a small Danish company has been able to inspire in workplaces all over the world. Here are some highlights from our 2018 at Woohoo inc and let us just take this chance to wish you an incredibly happy 2019! 50 countries!!! In November I spoke to 1,000 government managers and executives at a conference in Ottawa. That was our first ever speech in Canada, and that means that we have now spoken in 50 countries around the world. You can see the whole list here. Partners in 29 countries We now have partner companies using our tools and methods in 29 countries! We could not be prouder of the AMAZING work they are doing all over the world, including: The first ever conference on Happiness at Work in Lebanon The first ever conference on Happiness at Work in Hong Kong The biggest conference on Happiness at Work yet with over 500 participants Vega IT Sourcing in Serbia?did?a charity relay race?where?83 teams participated on a sunny Sunday morning to help children without parental care. International survey on good days at work Together with our partners we conducted an international survey to find out how often people have a good day at work and what makes it a good day. We collected data from 2,500 workers?around the world and you can see the results here. New book: Leading With Happiness Our latest book Leading With Happiness is getting rave reviews and is currently being translated into Danish and Arabic. Conference In May we held our 9th Conference on Happiness at Work and it was truly our best one yet. You can see all the talks here. The audience favorite was Garry Ridge, the CEO of WD-40 Company, who shared how a happy culture has made his company a global success. Sold-out CHO Academy in Copenhagen Our most recent Chief Happiness Officer Academy in Copenhagen was a huge hit and completely sold out with a long waiting list. 15th company anniversary party Woohoo inc has been in business since 2003 and we celebrated our companys 15th birthday with an EPIC Great Gatsby themed party. 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

Tips For Writing First Resumes - What to Include

Tips For Writing First Resumes - What to IncludeFinding tips for writing first resumes is not an easy task. You are looking for advice and best practices to help you land a job in the career you want to pursue. However, there are many steps you need to take before you even get to those steps. And what are the steps that you need to take?The first step is to make sure that you have the proper space to write about yourself. Make sure that the space is large enough to allow you to put all the information that you would like to write about yourself. This information will be the first tip for writing first resumes. It is the most important.Another important tip is to never ever underestimate the importance of making sure that the cover letter is convincing. It must be very convincing to the potential employer and that is why the reader must see it in its best light. Once the reader sees that potential employer in the cover letter, it will be much easier for them to decide whether or not t hey should call you for an interview.Finally, make sure that you provide all the complete information that you want to include. Use the tips for writing first resumes to figure out the specific information that you need to include on your resume. This will save you a lot of time in the long run when your application gets through the hiring manager.Following the proper guidelines is crucial to getting the job you want. Make sure that the tips for writing first resumes that you choose are relevant to the position that you are applying for. It is also crucial to make sure that the tips for writing first resumes match the company that you are applying for.The tips for writing first resumes are very important because you need to know how to properly write one. Make sure that you include the proper spelling and grammar in your resume. If you mess up, it will be even harder for you to land the job that you want.The tips for writing first resumes are great for helping you create a resume th at will speak volumes about you and will land you the job that you want. The tips for writing first resumes will guide you through the steps that you need to take so that you can land the job that you want. It will also help you to fill in the blanks that will show the employer that you are interested in the position.Employers do not like people who will waste their time because they will do a great amount of thinking and searching before they actually hire someone. Your resume will set the tone for the entire hiring process because it will speak volumes about you. Find the tips for writing first resumes that are relevant to the job that you are trying to land so that you can land the job that you want.