Archive for the ‘Interviewing’ Category
Hiring Decisions Miss the Mark 50% of the Time
First of Its Kind Study Reveals Experiential-Based Selection Techniques Improve Recruiting Outcomes
Organizations or their new hires regret their hiring decisions 50% of the time, costing the average organization millions in the way of lower performance, less engaged new hires, and higher turnover. The Recruiting Roundtable, a division of the Corporate Executive Board publishes the first study of its kind in quantifying the negative impacts of poor selection decisions in hiring employees. The study details several contributing factors, including that 40% of new hires report the information they received about the job when they were applying was less than accurate. Overall, only half the time will organizations and new hires achieve a win-win outcome where both agree that they made the right decision.
The Kenexa Research Institute Explores What Makes Employees Feel That the Glass Is Half Empty
When It Comes to Employee Confidence — What Makes Employees “Unconfident?”
The Kenexa Research Institute (KRI) explored whatemployees around the world think about their organizations and theirmanagement, products, markets, including the odds of employment survival inthese uncertain times. Valuable insights can sometimes be gained by lookingat those who respond most negatively about their workplaces andenvironments. Looking at the negative responses, the results from a groupof more than 16,000 workers, from 12 countries, indicate that employees inJapan (23%) lack employee confidence the most, followed by those in Italy(17%) and the United Kingdom (16%).
College Admissions Offices Using Facebook as Recruiting Tool
A growing number of graduate school admissions and college officers are turning to Facebook for recruiting, communicating with potential students and providing up-to-date news on the school through the social networking site, instead of relying on more traditional recruiting methods like mass mailings or emails, according to an article in Business Week (“The Admissions Office Finds Facebook,” Sept. 28, 2008).
As end of summer rolls around the corner and back to displays are popping up at your favorite department stores, along with the backpacks, laptops and the latest gizmos and gadgets, students returning back to college this fall should start giving some thoughts to the upcoming campus recruiting season.
While there are many kinds of job and career fairs, ranging from industry specific to region specific, the one thing they will all have in common is the opportunity for firms to meet and screen (out) a very large number of candidates in a brief amount of time. And anyone who has been to a career fair knows how small the window of opportunity there is for students to make a favorable impression on perspective employers. So, as someone who is often on the other side of the table, casting the judgmental eye on candidates, here are some tips and suggestions for students to improve your chances of not being screened out at one of these events.
1. RESEARCH
No, the all upper case sub heading is not a typo. The most important part of a student’s job to prepare for a career fair is RESEARCH. As a recruiter I firmly believe there are 2 types of attendees at a career fair. Those that are either part of the crowd or those that stand out in the crowd. RESEARCH will give you a leg up on the crowd. How? Find out which companies are attending the event BEFORE the day of the career fair. Figure out which firms seem most interesting to you and read up on them. Today, there isn’t a single firm out there that isn’t on the web so there is absolutely no excuse to not do your RESEARCH.
2. Resumes
You never want to run out of copies of your resume at a career fair. And while you are making copies, go the extra mile and make a couple different versions that address specific areas of your interest. For example a resume catered to a sales opportunity and a slightly tweaked version for a financial analyst position. There are numerous resources on the web to help you create a professional resume. Remember, keep it simple & professional – no fancy fonts, graphics or scented paper.
3. Attire
There is no gray area in attire at a career fair. Just like your resume, it should be simple and professional. Business attire is absolutely necessary – even if it is Google, Microsoft or Abercrombie & Fitch that you are interested in. If in doubt, be conservative. Similarly, keep perfumes, colognes and jewelry simple.
4. Plan of action
Yes, it is always best to have a plan of action when attending a career fair. Always arrive early – that’s when the recruiters are fresh and attentive. While you have already researched the companies, stop by registration to see if there are any last minute cancellations or additions to the attendee list. Next, do a quick lap around the career fair floor to get a layout of the land. While there are different thoughts on which order you should visit the firms, with most recommending you visit your top choices first, keep your plan fluid – most likely your top choice will most probably be the top choice of others also.
5. The 60 second interaction
This is what it all comes down to! While you may think that you will have 2-5 minutes of face time with the recruiters/representatives from the firm, the reality is that when there are hundreds of perspective candidates, you will only get a small window to make an impression. So, prior to the event, develop a 60 second elevator speech that highlights your strengths, interest and how you could add value to the firm (this is where the research you did beforehand comes in handy). Remember to make good eye contact, offer a firm & confident handshake and show enthusiasm. Needless to say, don’t fidget or chew gum. Also be prepared to answer questions about you, your background and your resume just like you would at an interview. A common question recruiters often ask is, “Why are you here today?” Lastly, make sure you have questions you could ask the recruiters if you are given the opportunity. Ensure that your questions show your interest and enthusiasm in their firm. For example, “tell me more about the culture at your firm.” A great concluding question to ask is, “What steps do I need to take to take my candidacy to the next level?” Make note of their response and follow up accordingly.
6. Follow up
You will be surprised how few candidates actually follow up with me despite getting my business card. So, those that do take the time to send me a thank you email automatically move to the top of the list of candidates I will consider. While there are many people out there that recommend you call or send a thank you note via mail, in today’s blackberry driven, fast paced and busy environment, it is my opinion that neither are as effective as a simple thank you email. It is quick, easy and accessible immediately by most recruiters. It doesn’t hurt to attach another copy of your resume along with the thank you email.
Remember, career fairs are all about networking. The firm you are most interested in may not have an opening at the time of the career fair but if you establish a professional relationship with the recruiter, it will go a long way in being considered when an opportunity does come open. In the same light, don’t forget to network with other candidates as well. Share information about your interaction, recruiting styles and recommendations. You never know where your next job lead will come from.
Remember, at the end of the day, career fair interactions are just a small piece of your overall job search strategy and while these tips won’t guarantee you an offer on the spot, hopefully they will enhance your experience at your next event. In the meantime, good luck in your job search and I look forward to seeing you at a career fair this fall.
Submitted by Amod Damle for the August 2008 Talent Buzz blog contest.
Businesses shed 51,000 jobs in August; unemployment rate up to 5.7% and there is further softening in online advertised job vacancies in July, The Conference Board Reports.
The Myth of a Talent Shortage, by Kevin Wheeler.
Don’t ask illegal questions in job seeker’s interview.
Job Board of The Future: Interview Live Online
Posted by JasonComing this fall to an internet browser near you…
The internet has made the job posting and job hunting process in many ways more convenient and efficient, enabling companies and individuals to expand geographical reach and to have access to dramatically improved communication tools. With dozens of job boards available however, the level of service is broadly uneven.
“Candidates are looking for simplicity and employers are looking to reduce costs…” says InovaHire Co-Founder Tanya Willette. “We have researched what candidates and employers like about job boards and improved on them; found out what they didn’t like about job boards and developed solutions to them; looked into future trends and included them in our technology.”
InovaHire’s new patent-pending web technology will allow them to host a job board that has real-time interviewing, via a webcam, capabilities. This technology will help to pre-qualify candidates without the need for a pricy plane ticket or long drive into the city.
Candidates and employers will benefit from multiple features including: a database search engine which promises both ease and accuracy; convenient and private communication tools; the ability to interview live in the privacy of a home or office; and a true representation of preference and ability through the creation of a professional profile.
Alongside their patent-pending technology, InovaHire will be working with industry leaders to offer additional tools and resources necessary for the success of an individual and the growth of a company.
While InovaHire won’t be releasing all of their job board secrets yet, Tanya says, “We are working around the clock with Webby Award winning design firm MegaStar Media to have our final site launched this Fall.” MegaStar Media has built over 3500 websites for big names like the Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC, Patti LaBelle and Wrangler Jeans.
To be one of the first to learn of InovaHire’s features and test their Beta site, you can log onto their website and join their Update List. They also offer dozens of free job search, live interview and career articles.
Click here for more information about InovaHire.
Get Paid To Interview for Jobs
Posted by JasonNotchUp has been testing its’ career agent site for months, and today opens its service to all businesses.
Since January, NotchUp has been approached by more than 1,000 companies to test run its service. 12 were selected based on diverse criteria to take an up close look and give it a try.
NotchUp has received plenty of criticism. The most common reported was that people would say yes to any interview because they were offered money. That hasn’t been the case - about 40% of interview offers are accepted.
New features on the site include:
- When a user updates their professional profile or resume in Facebook, NotchUp automatically incorporates the changes.
- Resume importing
- Users can leverage the Facebook or OpenSocial messaging systems for NotchUp alerts.
- Users can invite friends to join NotchUp through Facebook or OpenSocial.
- Users can seamlessly import contacts from multiple address books.
- Privacy features
According to NotchUp, they are changing the way recruiting is done, one interview at a time.
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