While you were busy taking a shot every time someone mentioned “this amazing journey,” setting up the most unlikely partnership since…ever, or hitting the gym in preparation for your next plane trip, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
Anyone else looking forward to the day we can say that we’re actually out of the woods with the current financial crisis (if only so we can put a moratorium on the phrase “out of the woods”)?
Well, we might have to hold out a little while longer, because as the latest employment report indicates, we’re, um…well, you know. Today, the Labor Department released its Employment Situation report for the month of February, and, as is often the case lately, there’s both good news and bad news.
The good news is that the number of jobs in February fell far below analysts’ expectations and that the unemployment rate did not go up. Despite this fact, the bad news, of course, is that unemployment is still at a remarkably high 9.7 percent and that employers cut 36,000 jobs.
Among the highlights of the report:
Despite the up-and-down numbers over the last few months (36,000 jobs shed in February…26,000 shed in January…109,000 shed in December… 64,000 added in November, etc.), conditions are stabilizing overall.
“The large declines are behind us,” said Joel Naroff of Joel Naroff Economic Advisors in a podcast interview with MarketWatch today, in reference to the job loss numbers. Naroff added that the latest report gives a strong indication that, while we may not see strong job growth anytime soon, we will see positive growth.
In fact, employers are expected to add as many as 100,000 jobs a month later this year (and if President Obama okays the House’s new $15 billion plan to offer tax breaks to employers, it could further impact job growth in the coming months).
Thoughts?
Millenials. Comprised of those born after 1980, or those 18-29 years old, they’re America’s newest generation. (And it’d be more fun if they were called this, no?) But what else are we learning about them, particularly when it comes to the workplace? A new report aimed at Millenials attempts to answer some of our unanswered questions.
Who are Millenials?
Fifty million people currently fall into the “Millenials” category. Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world, has just released a report called “Millenials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.”
The report, conducted by Pew Research Center’s “Social & Demographic Trends Project,” compares the values, attitudes and behaviors of Millenials with those of older adults, and seeks to shed some light on which formative experiences Millenials will carry throughout their life cycle. Among other findings, the report found that personality-wise, Millenials are confident, self-expressive, liberal, and upbeat, and are open to change.
Dissatisfied With Work Now — But Optimistic for the Future
Interestingly, although Millenials’ careers have been derailed — or at least detoured — with a recession, they are more upbeat than their elders about both their own economic futures and the state of the nation.
Having a high-paying career is cited by only 15 percent of 18- to 29-year-old respondents as one of the most important things in their lives, while things like a successful marriage and being a good parent rank much higher — even though unemployment for this age group is higher now than it has been in more than three decades.
Unemployed Millenials
Employed Millenials
How They View Their Elders
They respect their elders. Surprised? According to the report:
“A majority say that the older generation is superior to the younger generation when it comes to moral values and work ethic.”
New Einsteins
This generation is also poised to become the most educated generation in American history — a trend which, according to the report, is driven largely by the demands of a modern knowledge-based economy, but also by the millions of 20-somethings enrolling in educational institutions like graduate school or community college due to lack of a job. A record share of 18- to 24-year-olds (39.6 percent) were enrolled in college in 2008, according to census data.
BlackBerrys in the Bed
As we’ve discussed on the blog before, the lines between work and personal lives are getting blurrier by the minute. And now, Millenials are being called the first “always-connected” generation in history. According to the report:
“Steeped in digital technology and social media, they treat their multi-tasking hand-held gadgets almost like a body part — for better and worse. More than eight-in-ten say they sleep with a cell phone glowing by the bed, poised to disgorge texts, phone calls, e-mails, songs, news, videos, games and wake-up jingles,” the report says.
Social Media? Yes Please!
A whopping 75 percent of 18- to 29-year-old respondents said they have a social networking profile. And although this generation is characterized as wary of human nature and many have their profile on lockdown, there are still great ways to c0nnect on public pages and forums.
If you’re an employer and you’re not involved in social networks, you’re missing an opportunity to get in front of a huge group of potential candidates.
Education
When ranked with older generations at comparable ages, Millenials are shown to be more highly educated (in the formal sense).
We’re Different
Like many of us (see what I did there?), sixty-seven percent of Millenials also see their age group as unique, according to the report. When asked why, the most popular response at 24 percent was “technology use.” Other responses included music, pop culture, and tolerance. And 6 percent say it’s because they’re smarter.
There’s much more to the report — you can read it in its entirety here.
Employers, what do you think, based on what you’ve experienced with Millenials in the workplace? And Millenials, do you agree with the report’s findings?
As a former Super Nintendo addict enthusiast, I was both excited and surprised to come across this recent Go magazine article about the growing number of companies using interactive software and video games as employee training and development tools.
Excited, of course, because it seems like a cool, fun way to engage employees (and brought back fond memories of watching Mario hop around in a Frog suit)…But also surprised by just how many companies are embracing this trend: A reported 70 percent of major domestic employers used these ”serious games” to train employees in 2008, according to the Entertainment Software Association. That figure is estimated to increase to 80 percent by 2013.
It’s encouraging to see employers move away from more traditional training methods like white papers, PowerPoint presentations and training calls - many of which seem as if they were designed to be tuned out (apologies if this is news to anyone) – and toward more engaging methods. According to the article, those who use these training techniques say that video games help employees build business skills by putting them in situations that require critical thinking and decision making.
Not to mention that being able to interact through computer simulation programs helps employees retain complicated information better than they would using other, more traditional training techniques.
Of course, the obvious downsides to using video gaming techniques to train is that the time and cost spent setting up and designing the customized software could be significant, depending on the complexity of the project. And then there’s the not-so-minor fact that simulations can’t completely replace actual human interaction…But none of this is to say this technology doesn’t hold value (so long as its viewed as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, real world training) – and many will argue that the business benefits ultimately outweigh the costs.
No Longer Just a Training Tool…
In addition to helping companies develop employees’ business skills, more companies are utilizing video games in their recruiting and branding efforts as well. Here are a few examples:
Where does your company fall among these other companies and their efforts? Does your company use interactive programs to engage current or potential employees? If so, feel free to share your experience in the comments section below…
Stop me if you’ve heard this one…Money problems continue to plague American workers.
The latest evidence comes from a new CareerBuilder survey out today, showing that financial restraints are now putting a crimp in many older workers’ retirement plans.
According to the survey, 72 percent of workers over the age of 60 who said they are putting off their retirement are doing so because they can’t afford to retire. When comparing genders, the survey found that three-quarters (76 percent) of female workers over the age of 60 who said they are putting off retirement are doing so because they can’t afford it, while 68 percent of males said the same.
It’s Not All About the Benjamins…
According to the release, financial reasons are not the only grounds for postponing retirement for workers over the age of 60.
Other reasons cited among those putting off retirement include:
If you work with or supervise mature workers, be ready in case they decide they want to stay aboard a little bit longer than originally planned. “Twenty-seven percent of hiring managers say they were approached about postponing retirements last year and were open to retaining mature workers,” sais Jason Ferrara, senior career advisor at CareerBuilder.
Employees wanting to postpone retirement could actually be good news for companies that are worried about losing or replacing some their most skilled, experienced and loyal workers during a time when they need them the most. If you’ve already replaced them, consider whether you can keep them on in another role or department, and see if they’d be open to that.
Help Yourself By Helping Your Employees Plan for Their Future
Whether postponed retirement is an issue at your company or not, right now might be a good time to check in with your employees – who are likely overwhelmed by the effects of the slow economy – and see if you can’t help ease their burdens. After all, if they’re focused on financial strains, they’re not focused on much else (as in, their work duties), and that doesn’t reflect well on you.
Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources at CareerBuilder, suggests setting up a meeting with your employees and members of your HR department, so employees can learn or be refreshed on what is available to help them save on monthly expenses. (It’s likely that your company offers a lot of benefits employees aren’t even aware of.) An informal meeting in which employees can ask questions and clear up uncertainties may be extremely helpful for them.
While you were busy pushing through your bloody nose, heading to the Apple store to get hitched, or wishing you’d bought theft protection when you opened your foursquare account, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
Can you spot a fake resume? Can’t blame you if the answer’s no…It’s becoming trickier than ever thanks to the rise in Web sites – like CareerExcuse.com and FakeResume.com – that make it even easier for job seekers to falsify information on their resumes. (Check out the recent CBS 2 video expose about CareerExcuse.com, featuring CareerBuilder’s own Jason Ferrara.)
Add to that the already strained resources hiring managers, HR professionals and recruiters have to verify these claims, and it’s even easier for unqualified job seekers to slip through the cracks.
In fact, a 2008 CareerBuilder survey on lies job seekers tell found that 38 percent of employees had embellished their job responsibilities at some point, while 18 percent had lied about their skill sets. Other common lies surrounded information about employees’ start and end dates of employment, academic degrees, previous employers and job titles.
6 Ways to Avoid a Hiring Mistake:
Here are some more steps you can take to protect yourself from being the victim of a fake resume (adapted from Workforce Trends and Volt.com):
Lesson Learned: Readers Share Their Own Fake Resume Stories
In the comments from a previous post on lies job seekers tell on resumes, many readers shared their own experiences in dealing with false resume information. Here are some of their stories:
What’s So Wrong with a Little White Lie?
I also want to mention, however, that a few readers of that post actually came to job seekers’ defenses – arguing the point that there’s little harm in embellishing resume information if experience and performance trump what’s on paper….Would you agree?
Or do you, like other readers, believe that if job seekers are willing to lie about one thing, they are probably willing to lie about other things, too?
What are your thoughts? Do you forgive “embellishments” on resumes, or is any white lie a deal breaker?
As a society, we are willing to quickly forgive (or at least forget) some mistakes, yet when it comes to others (cough Tiger Woods cough), we’re still unsure where we stand. In the world of candidate interviews, the balance between what is acceptable and what is not can often be shaky — particularly in our current economy, with competition and pressure for jobs is at a high. With that in mind, we’re a bit sympathetic to the “most unusual” and interview blunders listed below. Everyone makes mistakes, and by examining our weaknesses in interviews, maybe we can all learn something — and become more polished (candidates) and more prepared to handle tricky situations (employers).
The candidate interview anecdotes listed below are some of the results from a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers.
Candidates’ most unusual interview blunders:
On another note, while some of the behaviors listed below wouldn’t fly in any interview (like, clipping fingernails — unless you’re applying for a nail technician job!), some of the behaviors below, when examined more closely, actually may make sense for some types of jobs — or should at least be given the benefit of the doubt by an employee.
What can employers learn from these examples?
1. When possible, give candidates the benefit of the doubt.
Candidates applying to your jobs are human, and like anyone else, they may do things you deem “weird” or “unusual” but that they see as normal. If you’re interviewing a really strong candidate, and they suddenly break out into poetry or impromptu beat-boxing, think about the implications on your business. Could this be a really creative candidate who just needs the right role and mentoring to thrive and help take your business to the next level?
Or if a candidate’s looking at the ceiling, might he or she be thinking hard or simply very nervous during interviews? Again, depending on the role at hand, these behaviors may simply not be acceptable (outside sales, for example), but if the candidate seems like a great candidate otherwise, what about getting him or her in a different setting or on the company floor and observing the interactions or ideas that come about? The candidate may surprise you
2. Consider that a candidate may in fact know something you don’t.
Using Dungeons & Dragons as an example of teamwork, although mentioned by an employer in the survey results as an “unusual response,” is actually not that far-fetched. It’s been reported that playing video games may lead to a lucrative tech job, for example, and that playing games like World of Warcraft can be great breeding grounds for real-world leadership skills. Whether it’s an affinity for video games or something else, a candidate’s ability to relate subjects he or she is passionate about to their job role may be worth a listen. Don’t be so quick to write the candidate off — he or she could be your next star employee.
3. Candidates have personal lives, just like you — and sometimes situations happen that are out of a candidate’s control.
A candidate’s dog got loose from its leash while waiting in the parking lot, and Concerned Candidate #1 must attend to his or her pet. Hey, it happens. We all have families, pets, and other personal things to attend to, and sometimes those things unintentionally cross over into our personal lives. A situation like this is more about how the candidate handles it. Does he or she handle it with grace and humor, apologize, and try to make up for the blunder? If so, you may consider letting Concerned Candidate #1 — if not Fido — into your office on a more permanent basis.
4. Sometimes candidates are hungry.
That, however, does not excuse swiping food from the break room, as one candidate did, according to the survey. But candy at the reception desk may do the trick.
If Quiznos’ was hoping to boost its employment brand, the fast food chain’s new environmentally conscious “Eat Toasty, Be Green” campaign – which includes the use of new biodegradable packaging and employee uniforms made from recycled materials – could not have come out at a better time.
Job seekers seem to gravitate toward social responsible companies, according to a recent Kelly Services survey of nearly 100,000 people in 34 countries in North America, Europe and Asia.
The reason for this? “Employees gain a sense of fulfillment when their employer is focused on not only the bottom line but also on initiatives and practices [that] have a common connection with the communities in which they operate,” said George Corona, Kelly Services’ executive VP and COO, in an article for Staffing Industry Review Magazine.
(Perhaps this helps explain why companies like Whole Foods and Starbucks – both of whom are often acknowledged for Corporate Social Responsibility efforts – often find themselves on ‘best companies to work for’ lists.)
Among the survey’s other findings:
Quiznos is just the most recent in a long line of companies who have started tweaking their products to appeal to an increasingly environmentally conscious consumer base, and hopefully, other companies will follow suit.
While these initiatives are certainly good for branding purposes (and, of course, Mother Earth), employers should be aware that, in order to truly engage employees, they should also focus on internal initiatives, like letting employees work from home or investing in energy-saving technology.
Not only do these efforts reduce the strain on the environment, but also – and perhaps more enticingly – they help improve the bottom line by qualifying companies for tax incentives, boosting employee productivity and garner consumer support.
Do the above findings surprise you? What sort of environmentally-friendly initiatives is your company using to both reduce energy use (and how has it made an impact on your workplace)?
Thanks to everyone who – in response to last week’s “We Ask, You Win” contest – shared their company’s biggest challenges in recruiting and retaining workers. You gave us some great feedback, and I’d like to share some of those answers with the rest of our readers.
Challenge: “I have too many resumes to sort through.” The influx of resumes recruiters and hiring managers are receiving right now can be both a blessing and a curse. As one reader puts it, “It’s great to have lots of choices [as far as resumes go], but the burden of time spent on this can be touch to manage.” (Burden might be an understatement: One reader reported receiving as many as 800 resumes for a recently advertised job opening.)
Solution: “With the economy the way it is anyone and everyone applies for jobs regardless of title or description,” says reader Michelle, a source of frustration for many readers. Michelle gets around this challenge by pre-screening applicants by asking them to answer detailed and specific questions. Customized screening questions saves you time by enabling you to quickly distinguish between those applicants who actually meet the qualifications for the job and those who are simply “applying to anything and everything in hopes of the chance of just finding work,” as reader Shannon Crone put it.
(FYI, if you’re a CareerBuilder client, you should know that you can take advantage of free screeners – personalized questionnaires that job seekers fill out as part of the applciation process – to help weed out unqualified applicants.)
Challenge: “We can’t offer competitive compensation to retain and attract valuable employees.” Due to tighter budgets and fewer monetary resources, many companies (understandably) are wondering how they’re going to attract and retain valuable workers unless they can offer competitive rates.
Solution: First, make sure you’re aware of today’s going compensation rates. Many employers today are relying on old salary reports or historical data – which do not account for today’s economic situation and are therefore outdated. Utilizing third-party talent compensation reports to pull real-time data from industry and area competitors will give you a clearer idea of what your competitors are offering – and the results may surprise you.
Second, think about what you can offer them that won’t cost as much. Can you offer relocation fees? A signing bonus?
Third, realize that salary isn’t everything for today’s job seekers. They also want a place that respects their need for a work/life balance. Consider any unique benefits you offer – anything from flexible schedules to recognition programs to wellness benefits – and make sure you emphasize those anywhere you can – beginning with your job advertisement.
Kelly, a reader who says her company’s greatest challenge is competing to retain and attract employees at a time of reduced salaries and a frozen 401k match, says her company plans to stay competitive by communicating the value of the experience employees gain by working at the company and being part of a leading and growing company in its industry.
Not wanting to lose their top performers and well aware of the need to engage their employees, another reader, Angela, says her company recently implemented an employee recognition program to improve employee morale, engagement and retention.
Good call, Angela: Employee recognition programs effectively lead to lower turnover rates, according to The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent and Accelerate Performance, based on 10 years worth of data on 200,000 managers and employees. According to studies cited in the book 79 percent of employees who quit their jobs give “a lack of appreciation” as a key reason for leaving.
Challenge: “I can’t find the qualified candidates I need.” For some of you, it’s not that you can’t offer candidate the right price, it’s that you can’t get the candidates in the first place. This is especially true for those recruiting for candidates with highly specialized skills, which is the predicament one reader has found himself in when looking for a particular type of health care professional.
Solution: Frustrated by the current supply of candidates, he has started reviewing psychology industry publications to source candidates. (A tactic that isn’t unlike what Seattle-based Tableau Software recently did when it needed a Web developer with extensive knowledge of Drupal: the company’s recruiters began surfing niche social networking sites that catered to Drupal enthusiasts, where they eventually found their new hire.)
For reader Nick Tompkins, geographic location is an obstacle to finding qualified candidates, who are hesitant to consider relocating to his company’s rural location, where there is a limited availability housing market. To counter this challenge, Nick is working to change relocation benefits for professional hires, as well as partnering with the local chamber of commerce to build more affordable rental housing. Last but not least, the company is focusing on its stability and “strong industry position in the current economy” to sell itself as a desirable place to work.
Challenge: “We can’t respond to candidates the way we want to.” Reader Keil Werner says that, as a recruiter, his greatest challenge – bigger than sorting through the plethora of resumes he’s getting – is making the time to respond to these candidates in an effort to maintain good relationships with these candidates and build a network from which he can source qualified candidates in the future.
Solution: Keil brings up a good point about the importance of not only fulfilling the immediate need to hire, but also working to grow your talent pool so you’ll have an easier time filling positions that open up later on. Not to mention that maintaining ties with candidates can be good for both your employment brand and your business. One way to keep the lines of communication open with candidates is to set up automatic e-mail alerts that tell applicants that their resume has been received and where it is in the review process – either through your company’s internal careers site or with the help of a third party. If you use CareerBuilder’s Resume Database, for example, you can use the free ”My Letters” tool to create and save up to 20 different automatic response letters to send to job seekers after they submit an application to your job.
Care to add your two cents? Got any advice of your own to share?
While you were busy apologizing to Kevin Smith, apologizing to everyone else, or refusing to apologize to Sarah Palin, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
Today, CareerBuilder released its new eBook Will Tweet for Talent: A User’s Guide to Talent Recruitment through Social Media.
Why? Because using social media to recruit takes time…but reading about doing it doesn’t have to!
(Sorry – I couldn’t help myself with the cheesy tagline. Obviously, that’s not the one CareerBuilder ended up going with for the eBook.)
It’s true, though: A quick and easy read, this eBook is informative without getting too bogged down with details or technical language.
Not that details don’t matter…but the purpose of the eBook isn’t meant to turn anyone into a social media “expert,” but to provide a brief overview of social media as it relates to recruiting – with quick tips for getting started, including:
Did we also mention that it’s free and really easy to download? And free?
If you’re new to using social media – whether for recruitment purposes or altogether – let this eBook be your guide to getting started. Even if you’re not new to social media, this’ll serve as a good (painless) refresher.
Click here to download the eBook Will Tweet for Talent today.
No, I mean you’re kind of living In Good Company, the 2004 film where Dennis Quaid’s character finds himself working for a much younger boss, played by Topher Grace. Oh, and also, you actually are in good company…
According to a new survey by CareerBuilder, 43 percent of workers ages 35 and older said they currently work for someone younger than them. (Sorry…no data on how many of these workers’ daughters were also dating their younger bosses.)
That figure increases to 53 percent when looking at workers age 45 and older, and to 69 percent for workers 55 and up. Perhaps not surprisingly, the survey showed that the younger boss/older worker dynamic can be a source of friction in the workplace, with 41 percent of those who work for someone younger saying they had difficulty taking direction from a younger boss.
The reasons it’s so hard to work for someone younger? According to survey participants:
(What do you think about these findings? Are you on either side of a younger boss/older worker relationship? If so, does that dynamic affect your workplace? Tell us in the comments section below, or keep reading for tips on how to better manage these types of relationships.)
Despite the differences between you and your younger boss or older employee, if you can recognize that you each bring something different and valuable to the table, Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, says that will be the key to getting along and driving the business forward.
“By looking past their differences and focusing on their strengths, workers of any age can mutually benefit from those around them, creating a more cohesive workplace,” Haefner says in the press release.
PrimeCB.com, CareerBuilder’s job site for mature workers, offers the following tips for bridging generational differences at work:
Ever had to answer to someone younger or manage someone older? What advice would you give to others?
One of our colleagues over at CareerBuilder’s job seeker blog, The Work Buzz, recently wrote about whether writing “To Whom It May Concern” as the salutation to a prospective employer on a cover letter is the kiss of death for a potential employee.
I think what’s most interesting about this question is that, as evidenced in the post’s comments section, both those in the position of hiring and of being hired have quite a varied opinion on which salutations are acceptable on a candidate’s cover letter — and whether it even matters.
For instance, “promytius” said the resourcefulness of finding out the correct person to address a cover letter to can be construed as “nosy,” while “To whom” or “Dear Sir/Madam” reflected respect for the hiring manager and education of the individual who wrote it.
“Denine” made the point that sometimes employers list the company as confidential in their job advertisement — and in that case, it’s not only both undetermined and difficult to find out who the employer is, but it’s a red flag to the candidate that trying to find out and get in touch with a particular person at the company is not welcome.
“Mark” said there’s a reason employers use software applications and why job sites often give employers the ability to make contact information confidential — they don’t want to be directly contacted.
For “Lee,” heading formalities are not the issue, but that his company is really looking for proper spelling, ease of reading and proper grammar. And impressed with a candidate addressing him by name? Not so much: Lee said if a candidate finds out his name, he would assume the candidate knew someone within the company and was getting inside information.
“Dawn” said that oftentimes she feels at a disadvantage, because not only is a phone number or e-mail address not provided, but the company name is also kept private. With no information to go by, what is the correct way to address you, employers (assuming we are talking about situations in which cover letters are part of the application equation)?
With all the disagreement, how are candidates to know the correct way to address a cover letter — and avoid having it tossed into the nearest trash can?
How do you want to be addressed on a cover letter? Is there a difference between “To Whom it May Concern” or a candidate doing his or her research and addressing you by name? And does it even matter, or are you focused on other aspects of the candidate’s credentials?
While you were busy getting more intimate than you might’ve wanted with your Gmail contacts, apologizing for trying (and failing…so so much) to be clever, or sharing your Valentine’s Day horror stories, here’s what was going on in the world of talent management and recruiting this week:
We’ve discussed before the lies job seekers tell on their resumes, but what about the true-but-strange details job seekers include?
If you’ve ever come across a resume that falls under the “what were they thinking?” category, perhaps you can sympathize with the contributers to a recent article on MSN (from my colleagues over at The Work Buzz) detailing the often irrelevant – and sometimes inappropriate – things job seekers have included on their resumes…from ill-advised title abbreviations to special-in-the-broadest-sense-of-the-word skills, to dirt. Yes, dirt. Actual dirt.
Take a look at just a few of the bizarre inclusions hiring managers and recruiters reported seeing on job seeker resumes (…and stop me if you’ve heard these before):
If you think you can beat these stories (and I fear that some of you can), then you might want to check out this previous post on creating a more efficient recruiting process, which also includes information about how you can cut through some of the clutter by taking advantage of free resume screeners.
‘Course…there’s also always the ever-cathartic option of simply venting your own frustrations in the comments section below…
Reality-TV-addicted hearts were breaking all over the country Monday night as Ali Fedotowsky left ABC’s “The Bachelor” and its newest bachelor, Jake, in order to keep her job. While Ali’s two worlds were separate, however, the lines between work and love are often much blurrier. In fact, 37 percent of workers have dated a co-worker at some point in their careers, according to CareerBuilder’s annual office romance survey of more than 5,200 workers.
Would Aly and Jake’s problems have been solved if they had just been in love while sitting in cubicles next to each other from 9 to 5? It’s possible; 32 percent of workers surveyed said they went on to marry the person they dated at work. On the flip side, though, 5 percent of workers surveyed said they’ve left a job because of an office romance.
“Employees are working longer hours and under increased pressure, creating an environment that could cause relationships to bloom. Workers need to keep it professional under all circumstances, though, to ensure that the quality of their work is not negatively impacted,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.
Climbing the romantic ladder
Dating “above you” on the corporate ladder? You’re not alone — many respondents indicated they’ve dated a superior. More women than men indicated they’ve dated someone above them in their company’s hierarchy; almost a third of women (30 percent) said they have dated someone who holds a higher position in their organization, while only 19 percent of men report they have done the same.
Longing looks over the water cooler
Some co-workers may simply be pining for their co-worker from afar. Eight percent of workers currently work with someone whom they would like to date, with more men (11 percent) than women (4 percent) reporting they would like to take that next step.
Many of those who said they’ve dated a co-worker revealed that they didn’t actually meet that special someone at the workplace. So, when and where are co-workers finally giving that “Tweet Me” candy heart to their crush?
Workplace responsibility
“Workplace relationships are more accepted these days, with 67 percent of workers saying they aren’t keeping their romance a secret. However, it is the responsibility of the individuals to understand company policy and make sure they adhere to it,” Haefner said.
Extreme Casual Fridays are not the way to go when it comes to getting the attention of your co-worker crush. Haefner offers the following tips for workers who may want to spark a workplace romance:
Any workplace romance stories of your own to share?
How are you navigating your biggest recruitment challenge this year? Share with us for the chance to win a Garmin GPS Navigator! (See what we did there?)
With a new year comes new hope for improved economic conditions, but it also often comes with new challenges – as evidenced by CareerBuilder’s recent survey about the staffing challenges employers anticipate having this year. Among the challenges mentioned are the ability to provide competitive compensation, maintain productivity levels, and retain top talent. (Any of this sound familiar?)
In light of these results – and in an effort to help generate ideas to help others overcome these challenges, we’d love for you to weigh in with your biggest 2010 recruitment challenge your plans to navigate that challenge. One lucky participant will be chosen at random to win a brand new Garmin GPS Navigator.
The payoff (aside from the chance to win a helpful little gadget)? By sharing your experiences in the comments section below, you’ll gain more insight into the challenges your industry peers are facing, and in return, gain new ideas and insight into how to respond to your own biggest challenge.
How to enter:
Simply answer this question – “What do you foresee as your biggest recruitment challenge this year, and what are you doing to overcome it?”– in the comments section below, and you’ll automatically be entered to win a brand new Garmin GPS. (Feel free to post anonymously, too. It won’t hurt your chances to win – so long as you abide by the terms and conditions.)
Contest details:
Entries will be accepted from 12:00 a.m. CST on Monday, February 8, 2010 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, February 12, 2010. Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of February 15, 2010. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.
While you were busy trying to stake your claim on the phrase “Who Dat,” (prematurely?) accepting a scholarship to USC, or matching wits with Bill O’Reilly, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
Oh, Patti Stanger, once again, your wisdom has unwittingly transferred over to the world of recruitment and talent management…I’m referring of course to TV’s Millionaire Matchmaker, who I’ve once likened to a talent recruiter in how she is often challenged with finding a happy medium between giving her clients what they want and what they need – even when the two don’t always align.
In Tuesday night’s episode, however, Patti exhibited the qualities of a manager who understands the value in providing opportunities for employees to develop the skills that will not only help them succeed in their endeavors, but ultimately reflect well on her abilities as a leader.
During the episode, Patti coaxed her client, Michael, to take a class that would help the “painfully shy” bachelor to become more outgoing. While the scene already served as a great example of how managers should actively encourage their employees to improve their skill sets, Patti went one step further. She went the unconventional route by making Michael take an improv comedy class, which she recognized as a way to not only improve his confidence, his ability to engage his date in conversation, and ultimately his chances of closing the deal securing a second date…but also to help him have fun doing it.
What is improv comedy? If you’ve ever seen “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?” (or last night’s episode of Matchmaker) you’re already familiar with improv, or improvisational, comedy – that is, comedy that is made up on the spot by a group of actors, based on a suggestion from the audience.
How improv works in the business world. There’s a reason why companies like Pepsi, McDonald’s and United Way have utilized improv theaters like Second City and iO for their corporate training – and why several business schools include improv classes in their curriculum: The very skills that improv comedy teaches performers for use on stage (and, evidently, singles for use in the dating world), also transfer remarkably well to the business world. Among just a few of the business and presentation skills it helps students hone:
Improv is also a great team-building tool – not least of all, because it’s a unique experience employees get to share. But with its “Group Mind” mentality, improv also teaches groups to work together and agree on a uniform idea, while recognizing every person’s individual input. In fact, the first lesson taught in improv is to say “Yes, and…,” an exercise that helps others get along, and learn to accept others’ unique ideas.
For these reasons, improv is also great for developing your own management skills, as the “Yes, and…” aspect forces you to listen and explore the possibilities contained in new ideas, rather than rejecting them off the bat. You’ll gain trust and respect from employees by learning how to listen to others in a way that shows they are being understood, and learning to stay open to new ideas. It also forces you to pick up on nonverbal cues, such as body language and eye contact, helping you better understand what your employees are telling you, even when they don’t say it aloud.
Why now? At a time when employers are struggling to keep workers engaged and retain them, investing in this type of training can not only raise morale, but it also sends a clear message to your employees that you’re committed to providing learning and development opportunities (a lack of which is a major reason employees leave companies) – and that you care about their engagement in the company.
What about you? Have you ever used improv as a training tool at your organization? What was your experience?
Resilience is not only found among the Oceanic 815 survivors of “LOST” — who returned to TV last night after five seasons of battling hostile island dwellers, a mysterious smoke monster, and the bounds of space and time — but in taking a look at CareerBuilder’s updated survey among more than U.S. workers, it’s also evident among many workers who have been laid off in the last 12 months.
Although Bureau of Labor Statistics job loss numbers could be in the negative range for January, unemployed Americans continue to be steadfast in their job searches, and, according to CareerBuilder survey results, many workers laid off in the last 12 months have found new employment.
The Results
1. New Employment
Your company may even be among those who have brought on laid off workers this past year, as over half (58 percent) of those laid off in the last twelve months have found new jobs. Fifty-one percent have found full-time positions (up from 48 percent in June 2009) and 7 percent have found part-time positions (up from 3 percent in June 2009).
“Despite one of the most competitive job markets in decades, nine-in-ten workers say they have not given up on their job searches, and the amount of workers who have found work is evidence that their drive and determination are paying off,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “The number of laid-off workers who have found new full-time and part-time jobs rose in the last six months. Although this good news reflects a healing economy, it also shows that job seekers are exploring career options in new industries and locations.”
2. Higher Salaries
Of those workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and found new jobs, 61 percent reported they were able to negotiate comparable or higher pay for their new positions. Thirty-nine percent of workers took a pay cut.
3. Greener Grass
More than half (51 percent) of laid off workers who landed new jobs said they found work in a different field than where they were previously employed. One-third of workers said they really enjoy their new positions.
4. Movin’ Out
It appears from survey results that fewer unemployed workers would consider relocating for a job opportunity; on the other hand, the number of workers who actually took an out-of-area opportunity when it arose increased in comparison to June 2009 results.
5. Entrepreneurship
Consistent with June 2009 survey results, many job seekers, unable to find jobs, are considering creating their own job. Twenty-nine percent of workers who have not found jobs are considering starting their own business.
6. Expanding the Search
How did workers who were laid off in the last 12 months have since gained employment find their jobs?
You can read the full press release here.
Amid news of strides toward economic recovery and growth in 2010, organizations are still facing a myriad of staffing challenges this year, according to a new CareerBuilder survey conducted in November 2009 among more than 2,700 employers. Employers listed a number of factors with which they are struggling — covering everything from handling worker burnout to strengthening their employment brand. In looking at employers’ responses, it’s also evident that many of these challenges are interconnected.
What are survey respondents’ top five staffing concerns?
1. Providing competitive compensation (34 percent)
2. Maintaining productivity levels (33 percent)
3. Retaining top talent (31 percent)
4. Worker burnout (30 percent)
5. Providing employees opportunities for upward mobility (25 percent)
Ten percent of employers also expressed concern about the difficulty of strengthening their company’s employment brand after layoffs or cutbacks.
Despite these challenges, it appears that many employers are determined to find ways to keep talented employees on their payroll. Among them:
Only 6 percent of employers responded by saying they haven’t been able to hold on to top talent.
“Retention is just one area that companies will need to address to maintain and grow their businesses this year,” said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing for CareerBuilder. “Having the right people on board is a top concern. Our survey found that forty percent of companies are concerned about top workers leaving their organization in 2010 and that nearly one in five think morale at their company is poor. At the same time, companies have their eyes on future hiring challenges, especially as the economy moves into recovery.”
What do you anticipate as your biggest recruitment challenge this year?
While you were busy updating your Twitter account with what was surely a clever joke, changing your travel plans, or shopping for a new growler,here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
If you’ve snuck a peek at CareerBuilder’s Big Game ad winners, you’ve probably noticed a recurring theme: workers questioning their current jobs because of workplace behavior.
Say what you will about the bizarre premises of casual Fridays with everyone in their underwear or, um, flatulent colleagues, but the inspiration behind these ads is sure to resonate with employees across the nation, if CareerBuilder’s latest survey is any indication.
The survey of over 4,900 workers nationwide, released Tuesday, found that 39 percent of workers don’t feel that they fit in with their colleagues. When asked to name specific behaviors that have made co-workers feel as if they don’t fit in, workers reponded with the following:
I’ll be the first to admit that some of these complaints seem ridiculous, but they’re obviously not ridiculous to the people complaining. (And living with someone who has a proclivity for whistling, I can attest to that.)
And as a manager, you might want to be aware if your employees’ habits are causing tension in the office. According to the Center for Dispute Resolution, employees are less likely to do work while fuming, think more about quitting and become less committed to their work.
Not that you should be playing office mommy or daddy, either…in which case, try the following tips from Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder to help your employees get along:
Although the recession has been hard on many industries, the health care industry is one that has managed to thrive. Since the recession’s start, the health care industry has added 631,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and has consistently added headcount each month. CareerBuilder’s annual health care hiring forecast indicates that this hiring momentum will likely continue into 2010. The survey was conducted between November 5 and November 23, 2009, among more than 240 health care employers.
Hiring in 2010
“While most industries struggled with headcount since the start of the recession, health care was and continues to be one of the strongest industries for hiring,” said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing for CareerBuilder.
“Forty percent of health care employers, by far the highest among industries we surveyed, have open positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates. This shows that there is high demand for qualified health care workers across a variety of areas; everything from medical assistants to records specialists to nurses.”
Five Health Care Recruitment Trends for 2010
1. Replacing Low-Performing Employees
Health care employers are taking advantage of the current labor pool’s large number of highly qualified candidates to strengthen their work force. Forty-three percent of health care employers say they plan to replace low-performing employees with higher performers in 2010.
What do health care employers really think of their employees’ performance? When asked to grade their current work force, 18 percent rated their employees an “A”, 68 percent a “B”, 13 percent a “C”, and less than one percent a “D” or “F. Whew.
2. More Flexibility
Flexible work options continue to be important to health care employers. Over a third (37 percent) of health care employers said they will provide more flexible work arrangements for employees in 2010, including:
3. Recruitment Tools
As the demand for quality health care employees continues this year, health care employers will leverage a variety of recruitment tools to fill their open positions. But on what are they planning to spend more money, exactly?
4. Freelance Workers
Because of the great demand for qualified workers, many health care employers are seeking out freelance or contract health care workers to supplement their needs. In fact, 34 percent of health care employers are hiring contract or freelance workers in 2010.
5. Green Jobs
“Green jobs” are defined as jobs that contribute significantly to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Being “green” is a rapidly growing movement within the health care industry as companies seek ways to run more efficiently; 10 percent of health care employers plan to add “green” jobs in 2010.
If you missed it, read the full press release here.
It’s official: The Pope hearts social media.
This past weekend during World Communications Day, Pope Benedict XIV urged priests to start using social media to get their message across to followers. It seems the 82-year-old Pope has had somewhat of a change of heart over the use of social media, recognizing that trying to reach followers “amid today’s cultural shifts, to which young people are especially sensitive, necessarily involves using new communications technologies.”
In finally embracing social media, the Pope is setting an example not just for priests, but for anyone who wants his or her message to have a greater impact on and reach a wider audience – including employers.
Here are four ways employers and hiring managers can – and should – emulate the Pope’s actions (when it comes to social media, at least):
Amen.
What makes a company great to work for? Recently, we asked all of you what you think makes your company great — specifically, how you sell your company to your ideal candidates. Your answers covered everything from honesty in your candidate expectations to allowing dogs in the office, and now, FORTUNE has released its own list of 2010’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For the companies that made the cut, what makes them so great?
The answers include on-site child care, unlimited sick days, an absence of layoffs (some companies on the list have never had a layoff), time given to focus on creative projects, stock options, surfing lessons, the “no asshole” rule, high priorities on diversity — and that’s just a fraction of the amazing things some companies are doing to keep their employees happy and attract their ideal candidates.
What company strengths mentioned on FORTUNE’s list would be most appealing to your candidates and employees? Which do you share — and which are on your wish list?
While you were busy pre-ordering your Oprah tell-all, assessing the best and the worst of the red carpet, or trying-but-not-really to tear yourself away from the live puppy cam, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
Is the recent drama with Conan O’Brien over at NBC hitting a little too close to home? Perhaps you’ve seen this sort of thing before? Like, maybe…at your own office?
Today, NPR compared the recent high-profile contract disputes between the network and the soon-to-be-former “The Tonight Show” host to a ”surprisingly familiar workplace mess,” where NBC’s efforts to get around the contract it made with Conan six years ago - and more or less force Conan out – are not unlike what you might see in today’s workforce when poor management mistakes are made.
Additionally, where NBC has succeeded in alienated Conan fans (a.k.a. Team Conan) with its behavior, employers too risk alienating the entire staff when they do something that is seen as unfair (even if they insist on attributing it to “cost-cutting” measures).
Of course, NBC being the powerhouse it is, the risk of the company losing overall viewership over Conan backlash is probably slim to none. Any other employer, however, might not recover so easily – and risk losing the trust of the rest of the staff, consequently doing serious damage to both morale and its employment brand. After all, employees reason, if management is willing to treat one employee this way, who’s to say it won’t do the same to anyone else?
Additionally, NPR argues that Leno represents the loyal, high-performing worker who was hastily “pushed out for a new guy on the theory that he was too old,” and, now back, comes off looking to his staff like the guy who bullied the other guy out of his position – as a result of management’s mistakes, no less. That doesn’t bode well for morale, either.
What do you think? Does the NBC-Leno-Conan mess seem all too familiar to you? How would you have handled the situation?
There’s etiquette for many things in life, from bathroom use (put the toilet seat down after you use it), to public transportation (don’t clip your toenails or demonstrate your newest yoga moves on a crowded train), to, uh, fashion. However, we all have different opinions on what the proper etiquette is for any given situation (see toilet seat example).
Despite our differing opinions, it’s helpful to have a base of etiquette from which to start. As an employer, you need to know how to play nicely in the online space. Learning the difference between good online etiquette – and lack thereof – will help you avoid the backlash from candidates and even your own employees. With this in mind, we’re offering a few tips and guidelines to start your company on the right track in your social media interactions (or get you back on track).
Everyone’s Doing It
Well, yeah, that may be true – or at least it’s starting to seem that way. Even President Obama has (technically) sent his first “tweet,” via The American Red Cross Twitter account. If you’re still wondering how and when to jump into the social media waters, read our posts on Ten Steps to Getting Started with Social Media and our Top 10 Best Practices for Using Social Media as a Recruitment Tool.
11 Social Media Etiquette Guidelines to Keep in Mind:
1. Be aware.
Be cognizant of everything going on around you in the online space. Set up Google alerts about your company, stay on top of sites like Facebook and Twitter, and pay attention to blog comments. What is your company’s reputation in the online space? Do you know? You should know what people are saying about you as soon as it happens.
2. Own up to your mistakes — and address them.
Businesses make mistakes, but with news spreading on sites like Twitter mere seconds after an event occurs, more important than the mistakes themselves is often how a business handles the resolution — in other words, how they reach out and communicate the issue to the public.
After two Domino’s pizza employees were charged with delivering prohibited food after posting their actions on YouTube, the President of Domino’s USA, Patrick Doyle, responded quickly and spoke candidly with his own video. A temporary Twitter account, @dpzinfo, was created to address concerns, interact, thank customers, and help to rebuild the company’s reputation post-scandal. Currently, the new @dominos Twitter account is very active and engaged.
3. Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want broadcast to the universe.
Because by posting in the Internet, well, that’s essentially what you’re doing. Refrain from posting anything that you wouldn’t want your candidates, employees, mother, father, kids, or boss to read; remember, as an employee representing your company — or as someone communicating directly as your company spokesperson — everything you do and say reflects on the business. Employers may be more notorious for complaining about their employers, but there are plenty of things higher-ups can do to cause controversy and trouble in the online space.
4. Transparency is key.
Speaking of controversy in the online space, it’s vital to be up-front about your intentions and transparent about who you are when interacting via social media sites (or anywhere, for that matter). Take the example of Honda manager of product planning, Eddie Okubo, who wrote about the Honda Crosstour on Honda’s Facebook page as if he wasn’t involved with Honda himself. He not only suffered backlash from others, but he represented Honda unfairly, creating a negative situation for the company and forcing them to take action.
5. Play in your own sandbox.
The “write what you know” adage definitely applies here. Be current, relevant, and relay company news and ideas in a tone that’s comfortable for your business. Find your own voice, and speak to the things your business knows and is passionate about. The best way to be interesting and garner followers is to be interesting yourself. Offer original content, respond to others’ comments and questions, and share ideas. And hey — have fun while you’re at it! Social media is meant to encourage relationships — while you should use best judgment, it’s not a prison sentence.
6. Respect others.
It should go without saying, but don’t ever use racial or ethnic slurs, slam others with personal insults and obscenities or engage in conduct that would not be acceptable in the workplace or anywhere else. Remember to be considerate of other people’s sensitivities to certain topics like politics or religion, too.
7. Don’t talk about the competition.
Rather than be negative about your competitors, focus on your company’s positives and work on building relationships with candidates, employees, and customers by your own merits. There’s no need to bash another company; it only makes your company appear petty and defensive — and it may turn people off to your business.
8. Don’t pick fights.
If you see your company represented in an unfavorable light, disagree with someone’s opinion, or think a member of the media, an analyst or a blogger has misrepresented your company, do not get defensive. Check with your leadership to see what their response is, if any. If they choose not to respond, but give you the OK to do so, be factual and respectful in your response.
9. Keep private information private.
Keep internal e-mail, documents and information confidential. Include a disclaimer when necessary. Remember that public blogs are just that: public. Don’t use a public forum as an intranet.
10. Teach your own employees about social media. As Cristóbal Conde, president and CEO of SunGard, points out in a recent New York Times article, everyone in a company has access to information now; not just leadership. That shouldn’t stop at social media. After all, your employees are likely tweeting and Facebooking away anyway, so it makes sense to get everyone on the same page, encourage learnings and knowledge about best practices, and also make employees aware of any social media policies you have as a company.
“While the decision to post videos, pictures, thoughts, experiences, and observations to social networking sites is personal, a single act can create far-reaching ethical consequences for individuals as well as organizations,” said Sharon Allen of Deloitte. “Therefore, it is important for executives to be mindful of the implications and to elevate the discussion about the risks associated with it to the highest levels of leadership.”
11. Think before you hit “post.”
Bottom line: Before commenting in a public forum, remember that you are representing your company. Join online groups on social or professional networking sites with care, and use your head. The rest will fall into place.
Additional resources to check out:
Any social media etiquette tips to add to the list?
Are you among the 30 percent of employers who are still struggling to fill open positions (according to Manpower, Inc’s 2009 Talent Shortage Survey) – despite the millions of job seekers out there?
If so, maybe it’s time to reconsider your recruiting efforts – and see if there’s not something small but crucial that you’re overlooking.
Here are five surprising reasons you might not be getting those quality applications you need:
Last week, we discussed CareerBuilder’s new survey about small businesses’ challenges for 2010, including the struggle to access necessary credit. Here, in a video clip from First Business, Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, talks more about these challenges, CareerBuilder’s survey results, and the outlook for small businesses moving forward.
Watch the video:
[See post to watch Flash video]
Assuming you might need an excuse to tear yourself away from the coverage of Tuesday’s devastating earthquake, here’s a roundup of this week’s top stories from the world of talent management and recruitment:
Although there are signs that the economy is beginning to heal, small businesses are still feeling aches and pains caused by the recession. About a third (34 percent) of small businesses — organizations with 500 employees or fewer — are unsure if they will have access to necessary credit in 2010, according to a new CareerBuilder survey conducted between Nov. 5 and Nov. 23, 2009, among more than 1,450 small businesses. In addition, 15 percent of small businesses said that an inability to access credit this year will prevent them from adding headcount.
A Look Back at 2009
Credit was more difficult to obtain in 2009, and small businesses tried, yet were at times unable, to meet the challenge. Seventeen percent of small businesses reported they were unable to access the credit needed to support their businesses in 2009, and of those companies, 26 percent were unable to add employees. On a positive note, however, of those companies who were able to access credit last year, 73 percent were able to hire new employees.
“While small businesses were hit hard during this recession, they will play a vital role as the economy bounces back,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “After past recessions, small businesses re-energized the economy by driving innovation and putting people back to work. The majority of small businesses we talked to say they are confident they will not lose their businesses in 2010, and many are hopeful that they will be able to add staff to support their bottom lines and remain competitive.”
Looking Ahead -- Cautiously
While small businesses are cautiously optimistic as they begin this new year, they are still preparing to face some hurdles. When asked what their organization’s top challenges would be for 2010, small businesses reported the following:
What do you predict your business’s biggest challenges will be for 2010, and what is your strategy for attack?
Can’t wait until February 7th for an excuse to gorge on cheap beer and buffalo wings in the middle of the day to see the commercials that will air during the big game? Alrighty then…here’s one:
Or is it? The above clip is actually just one possibility for what CareerBuilder might air during the big game. This morning, CareerBuilder launched www.careerbuilder.com/tv, where you can not only see the three winners of its HireMyTVAd contest, but you can actually vote for which commercial you think should actually air on national TV during the 2010 big game.
In a departure from previous years’ commercials (perhaps you recall last year’s “It’s Time” commercial), CareerBuilder decided to go the user-generated route – sponsoring a contest that would allow the everyday consumer to submit an ad idea. According to the press release:
Close to 1,000 entries were submitted and while CareerBuilder originally set out to hire only one concept, in the end, three ideas were selected and each received a $100,000 prize.
All three winning concepts reinforce CareerBuilder’s tagline – START BUILDING. The entries also incorporate elements of CareerBuilder’s signature use of humor and focus on CareerBuilder as a powerful resource for job seekers.
If consumer response to this year’s commercial is anything like last year’s response, this means a huge surge in traffic to CareerBuilder and, therefore – more importantly – good news for employers who post jobs on the site, as they benefit from increased exposure to both their Job Postings and their organizations.
But I digress…Check out one of the finalists at www.careerbuilder.com/tv and vote for your favorite! Then watch the game on February 7th to see which one made the cut.
None of us likes getting rejected. In the past, many of you have cited “not enough time” as a reason you don’t send job rejection letters or e-mails. The reality is, we’re all under various types of constraints in our jobs, and while some things are prioritized, others fall by the wayside. Communicating with candidates, however, is a vital step in the recruitment process — and one that you should not be dismissing. But how can you achieve this important piece of communication without taking a chunk of time out of your work day?
The problem is twofold:
1) Candidates say there are not enough employers following up with them (particularly post-interview), which creates dissatisfaction among candidates.
2) Employers say there is not enough time to respond to all (or, in some cases, any) candidates whom they don’t choose to hire. So what gives?
Why should you care?
Who has the time? Yes, time is an issue. But with the right tools, you can spend as much time as you have (which likely isn’t much) to get your message out there. If you do have the luxury of time, you can go the extra mile with candidates — but in my experience, making even a small effort is better than making no effort at all.
“It’s important that employers not lose sight of communication with candidates, which is so necessary, particularly in our current economic environment,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.
“While employers are facing many challenges in the recruitment process, they must remember that candidates are facing a unique set of challenges as well. By facilitating candidates’ job search process, employers are not only making the process less cumbersome for the people applying to their jobs, but also building a strong reputation and a culture of respect.”
Options:
Tips for the best rejection letters or e-mails:
You can check out examples of rejection letters here and here.
For most companies, the answer is “yes,” according to a recent story on NPR.org. According to yesterday’s report, while diversity hiring practices have come a long way in recent years, most companies still have a long way to go with their diversity efforts, particularly when it comes to promoting minorities.
Even companies that have a good reputation for having great diversity programs still have difficulty mentoring and creating opportunities for minorities to advance in their organizations, says Debbie Atterberry, president of the multicultural nonprofit RESOURCE, in a recent blog post about her organization’s own diversity efforts. And even among the 60 organizations named as HispanicBusiness Magazine’s “Diversity Elite” this year, diversity in management positions lags far behind the makeup of the general population.
Why is Diversity So Hard for Organizations to Achieve?
A large part of the problem could be an unclear understanding of just what is meant by the term “workforce diversity.” According to SHRM’s 2007 Workplace Diversity Management Report, while most organizations tend to believe that diversity in the workplace is important, only 30 percent of organizations have an agreed definition of diversity.
(In fact, according to the roughly 1400 human resource professionals and diversity practitioners who participated in the survey, failing to have a well-defined or understood diversity program was one of the major hurdles to diversity management.)
So then perhaps the first step to becoming a more diverse, or inclusive, organization, is to define both what worplace diversity means to your organization, and your goals for achieving a more diverse workforce.
The next important step is to then make sure you communicate that message to everyone – at every level – of the organization. (At RESOURCE, for instance, each staff person is evaluated annually on his or her understanding of the organization’s diversity efforts, and each manager is assessed on his or her ability to develop and manage a diverse staff.)
Evaluating Your Organization’s Diversity Programs: 5 Questions to Ask
At the same time, it’s important that you evaluate your current diversity program, so you know which areas you need to improve. Start by asking yourself the following questions (based on the methodology Hispanic Business used to determine the Diversity Elite 2009):
The answer to these questions will provide the first clue as to which workplace diverstiy effort (or efforts) needs the most attention. What about you? What steps is your organization taking to increase diversity?
While you were busy addressing cancellation rumors, shopping for the e-reader that’s right for you, or helping Samantha Micelli raise money for clean water, here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
Just in time for the job market to start stabilizing, employers are getting something all-new to worry about: How to retain the very talent that helped them survive the downturn.
According to a new CareerBuilder survey on worker satisfaction, released today, nearly one-in-five workers (19 percent) plan to leave their current job this year to find a new one.
This should come as little surprise to employers who were forced to make tough business decisions last year, which often meant asking workers to take on heavier workloads with fewer resources and less pay. In fact, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s not unusual to see employees leave their companies following a downturn – when market conditions improve and more job opportunities open up. It seems all that cost-cutting eventually takes a toll on satisfaction levels.
The key to holding on to your most valuable employees, says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder, is constant and open communication. Haefner says, “Employers should take workers’ pulses early on in the new year. That way, they can be aware of the issues that may affect their staff’s performance, retention rates and overall happiness on the job in the coming months.”
The survey found that job satisfaction overall is down from last year. Only 61 percent of employees reported satisfaction with their jobs in 2009, compared with 70 percent who said the same in 2008.
Among the survey’s other key findings:
Workers want more advancement and training opportunities…or else:
A work/life balance? What is that?
Where have all the good leaders gone?
For more insight, read the full press release here.
In Part I of “How does your company sell itself to ensure you win over your ideal candidates?” we asked all of you what exactly you’re doing to snag the attention of your ideal candidates. There were many great responses, and in sifting through them, I realized that while many of the ways you compete for candidates you want are conceptual, many others are so tangible you can pet them (dogs in the office, anyone?)
How Are You Getting An Edge?
Some of you said your company keeps abreast of new technologies to get an edge over your competition, and that you utilize social media like Twitter and Facebook to engage with candidates and promote awareness of your brand. Others talked about the importance of your company’s longevity, stability and growth in light of our current economic climate. Some said they swear by their employee-written company blogs and employee video testimonials, and more than one person mentioned job shadowing as a great way to not only introduce candidates to the company culture, but also give employers a genuine feel for the candidate and potential for a fit.
But wait — Do you know where your competitors are? As we’ve mentioned before, while these are all excellent examples of how to set your company apart from your competition and reach your ideal candidates, it’s all for naught if you don’t first know who who and where your competitors are. Once you are armed with this knowledge, you can tackle your competitive gaps head-on and more effectively employ your candidate “sales” strategies. How do you find out this information, you ask? Check this out.
Perk Up
Unique perks that entice your ideal candidates range significantly, and include:
In your own words, a few of the ways you’re bringing unique back into the workplace:
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“There are usually one or two employee dogs roaming the office daily offering their own brand of therapy and if that doesn’t do it, we have free yoga classes. Great atmosphere, open and honest dialogue, and good benefits makes us a pretty easy sell.” ~Stacy
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“When we find the right candidate, we immediately send him/her a large box of Godiva chocolates (or special Hershey Kiss package if the candidate has kids)with a warm note telling the candidate how much we enjoyed meeting him/her and why we want him/her to join our team. As a result, we stand out in the crowd. Works every time.“ ~Julie
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We provide a full overview of the benefits that we offer, which are competitive. We also focus on work/life balance offering an alternative work schedule which is a very desirable benefit. ~Lauren
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Our company offers excellent benefit packages, continued training and advancement, and the ability to cross train in various divisions globally. ~Janine
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We post as many details about our jobs as possible. Careerbuilders job posts allow this detail. We include a link to our job board as well. At our website candidates can find complete information about our credit union as well as the benefits we offer. Our site lists all the charitable organizations we support. Any questions that applicants have can be discussed at the interview. ~Barb
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Our firm is on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to engage candidates with news about our company. Every external signature on email contains our links so ensure the word gets out. ~Laura
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We share our information with candidates on all the “little” benefits we offer (outside of health insurance, etc.) such as an employee referral program, gym on campus, holiday party, employee recognition dinner, perfect attendance awards, etc. We also have a very generous Paid Time Off program. We may not be able to pay the best but we try to make up for it in other ways. ~Nicole
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A simple tour of our state of the art facility will let any potential employee know we mean business and are serious about growth. ~Matt
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Environment! Fun! Opportunity! We place fun high on our priority list, and being on our staff is like being in the “A-List” crowd. We are all friends, and choose to spend time outside of work together because of our group dynamic.
Our patients “sense” the energetic camaraderie in our office and want to be here to simply bask in our warm, fun glow. As a result, we never have a problem hiring the “right people”, and no one ever quits. Even in 2009, we grew 6% over last year, and added staff. ~Melissa
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It is all about the candidate! What do they want, not what can I fit them into. Knowing their career goals and matching that with the clients needs creates a win/win/win for candidate/client/recruiter. ~Scott
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We are embracing social media! Twitter and Facebook for sure. ~Elizabeth
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We differentiate ourselves when it comes to hiring by really showing a prospective candidate the advantage to our products and technologies. We primarily recruit civil engineers and like to show the opportunities for them to really advance and get more out of this company than any other experience before. We have a uniquely open culture and we also like to talk on that as a good fit to any one looking for a progressive company. ~Chris
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We sell ourself through promotion of our excellent insurance benefits, safety record, corporate spirit/values, and job stability/security. Cash always talks too. If you want the best, you have to pay a little more. ~Josh
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We foster an entrepreneurial environment and make sure everyone enjoys a piece of the profits derived from their hardwork. ~Kelly
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We are always paying close attention to our candidates needs and concentrating on what will drive them once they become an employee: salary, benefits, work-life balance and career development. Several programs are inplace to ensure that once a candidate transitions into a new hire, they will want to stay until retirement. ~Trina
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And “Adam” quite possibly summed up the spirit and pride of many of you well with his statement:
-We are AWESOME
-We are FUN
-We have free drinks for everyone
-We are stable
-We have a great business model
-We have candy jars at the Receptionist’s desk
-We pretty much RULE THE WORLD. ~Adam
Do you want to see what other steps your peers and competitors alike are taking to attract candidates? I couldn’t mention all of the comments in this post, but many excellent minds contributed. Read all the comments here.
“There have been many signs over the past few months that point to the healing of the U.S. economy, especially the continued decrease in the number of jobs lost per month, a trend that will hopefully carry over into the new year,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. “Although 20 percent of employers plan to add headcount in 2010, up from 14 percent last year, they still remain cautious in regards to their hiring. We’re headed in the right direction but should not expect to see actual job growth until at least Q2 2010.”
The encouraging news regarding the economy may be easing hiring fears, as employers signal an increase in their plans to hire in the new year, according to CareerBuilder’s 2010 Job Forecast. While employers continue to closely monitor the progress of recovery for the U.S. economy, they are beginning to consider hiring strategies designed to preserve the health and growth of their businesses for the future. CareerBuilder surveyed more than 2,700 hiring managers and human resource professionals nationwide across industries.
Full time – Twenty percent of employers say they plan to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in 2010, up from 14 percent in 2009. Nine percent say they plan to decrease headcount in 2010, down sharply from 16 percent in 2009. Sixty-one percent don’t plan to change staff levels, while 10 percent say they are unsure.
Part time – Eleven percent of employers plan say they plan to add part-time employees in 2010, up slightly from 9 percent in 2009. Eight percent say they plan to decrease their part-time help in 2010, down from 14 percent in 2009. Sixty-nine percent plan no change in headcount, while 13 percent are unsure.
Hiring By Region – Employers in the West are planning to increase their headcounts more in 2010 than the other regions of the country. Nearly one-quarter of employers (24%) in the West say they plan to add full-time workers in 2010, compared to 21 percent in the Northeast, 20 percent in the South and 16 percent in the Midwest.
While plans to decrease headcounts in 2010 are down sharply across all regions, employers in the Northeast still plan to trim headcounts by 10 percent, followed by an 8 percent decrease in the South, Midwest and West.
Hiring By Industry – Comparing selected industries, hiring is expected to increase in information technology, manufacturing, financial services, professional and business services, and sales in the coming year. Thirty-two percent of IT, 27 percent of manufacturing, and 23 percent of financial services employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees in 2010, followed by 22 percent of employers in professional and business services and 21 percent in sales. Health care employers are also planning to expand staffs at 21 percent followed by 18 percent of transportation employers and 15 percent of Retail.
Hiring By Job Type – When asked which areas employers plan to hire for in 2010, one-third pointed to technology followed by 28 percent in customer service. Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) plan to add sales people, 18 percent will add research/development, 17 percent in business development, 15 percent in accounting/finance and 14 percent in marketing.
Compensation - Even as companies continue to watch their spending, they still plan slight increases to salaries in the coming year. Fifty-seven percent of employers report their companies will increase salaries for existing employees in 2010, down from 65 percent in 2009. Thirty-six percent expect to raise salaries of existing employees by 3 percent or more, while 11 percent anticipate increases of 5 percent or more.
Twenty-nine percent of employers plan to increase salaries on initial offers to new employees, down from 33 percent in 2009. Nearly one-in-five (18 percent) employers will raise salaries on initial offers by 3 percent or more while 7 percent anticipate increases of 5 percent or more.
Companies are looking to the future and making up for lost ground caused by the recession. The following are 10 trends for 2010:
1. Replacing Lower-Performing Employees
Employers are taking advantage of the large number of top talent in the current labor pool to strengthen their work force. Thirty-seven percent of employers say they plan to replace lower-performing employees with higher-performers in 2010. When asked to grade their current work force, 25 percent rated them an “A”, 60 percent a “B”, 15 percent a “C”, and 1 percent a “D.” Less than one-half of a percent felt their current staff was a failure.
2. Emphasis on Social Media to Strengthen Brand
The economy required companies to make some tough decisions about their businesses, which had a negative impact on their brands. Close to four-in-ten employers (37%) plan to put a greater emphasis on
social media in 2010 to create a more positive brand for their organization. One-in-five employers plan to add social media responsibilities to a current employee, while close to one-in-twelve (8 percent) plan to hire someone new to focus or partially focus on social media.
3. Rehiring Laid-off Workers
Companies needed to scale their businesses to market last year and four-in-ten employers say they were forced to lay off workers. Among those who had lay-offs in 2009, thirty-two percent of employers now say they plan to bring back workers with three-in-ten either doing it now or planning to do so in the first six months of 2010.
4. Flexible Work Arrangements
Companies plan to continue providing employees with greater flexibility in hopes of maintaining a better work-life balance. Thirty-five percent of employers say they plan to provide more flexible work arrangements in 2010, compared to 31 percent last year. These arrangements include:
5. Cutting Perks and Benefits
Even as companies look to the new year and toward growth opportunities for their businesses, many are still choosing to trim perks and benefits. Thirty-seven percent of employers say they will cut perks and benefits in 2010, up from 32 percent who said they trimmed in 2009. Perks and benefits employers plan to trim in the new year include bonuses, medical coverage, suspended 401k matching and office perks such as coffee, tea and condiments.
6. Rehiring Retirees and Postponing Retirement
Companies understand the intellectual capital mature workers bring to their organization and 27 percent say they are open to retaining their workers who are approaching retirement. Sixteen percent say they are likely to rehire retirees from other companies in 2010. Additionally, one-in-ten are likely to provide incentives for workers at or approaching retirement age to stay on with the company longer.
At the same time, workers have expressed interest in postponing retirement. Thirty percent of employers report they have received requests from workers approaching retirement age to stay on with their company, up from 22 percent last year.
7. Freelance or Contract Hiring
While employers still plan to be cautious regarding the number of full-time employees they add in the new year, many will turn to freelance or contract employees to help keep their businesses moving forward. Three-in-ten employers anticipate hiring freelancers or contractors in 2010, up slightly from 28
percent in 2009. Six percent expect to employ more freelance workers or contractors than last year, while 15 percent expect to hire the same amount and 10 percent plan to hire fewer.
8. Green Jobs
Employers will continue to turn some of their focus to the environment in the new year. Eleven percent of employers say they plan to add “green jobs” in 2010, the same amount who said they added them in 2009. “Green jobs” are positions that implement environmentally conscious design, policy and technology to improve conservation and sustainability.
9. Bilingual Recruitment
Employers have identified having a diverse work force as an important measure of success as they begin to rebuild their businesses after the economic downturn. One area they plan to focus on is building a bilingual team. Nearly four-in-ten employers (39%) said they plan to hire bilingual candidates in 2010 and half said that if they had two equally qualified candidates, they would be more inclined to hire the bilingual candidate.
10. Business Travel
While employers are inching away from cost containment and more into growth, one area they still plan to save money on is business travel. Forty-three percent of employers say that in their organizations there will be less business travel in 2010 than in 2009.
Our team of experts fields real-life everyday questions from HR managers and gives practical answers that can be applied by any HR pro in the same situation. Today’s question: We got a report about an employee’s drug-related arrest. What action should we take?
Question:
We learned through a local newspaper that one of our employees was arrested recently for DUI and drug possession. We’re concerned about workplace safety and other issues — his manager said there were suspicions that the employee had used drugs on the job.
What do we do now?
Answer:
Conduct an independent investigation, recommends employment-law attorney Roy Ginsburg.
First, talk to the employee about what happened. If you want to verify his version of the events, you could also get a copy of the police report.
Once you have the facts straight, speak with the employee and let him know you think he has a problem and that you want to help.
If he’s defensive, noncommittal or defiant, those are red flags. You might want to go to the next step, such as requiring that he take a drug test.
Often, when an employer gets sued, the first thing a company’s lawyer says is, “Let’s see your employee handbook.” If it’s old and unrevised, the next thing the lawyer often says is, “We have a problem.”
Outdated policies or the failure to properly inform employees about new policies can be a big black mark against employers defending themselves against a bias charge. So there’s no better way to kick off the New Year — in a business sense — than by making sure your handbook is up to date. The top-priority items to check:
E-mails are more often being viewed by judges as evidence in employment law cases. Managers should change their e-mailing habits accordingly.
In addition to the official performance review, a court may look at e-mails related to a fired employee’s performance. That could be both good and bad for companies.
If the content of the e-mails is consistent with the company’s decision to fire the employee, a court might look at that favorable. But if a manager repeatedly praised the employee through e-mail, that’s a different story.
The best bet? Managers should understand that e-mail creates a permanent record and that they shouldn’t write anything they wouldn’t want to print out and keep in the employee’s personnel file.
Personally, I wouldn’t even know him if I saw him. –Estragon, Waiting for Godot
Some years ago I was sitting in a product design meeting. The discussion kept circling around some particularly knotty issues that no one in the room actually knew much about.
In one sense, this wasn’t a serious problem given that the company was still actively hiring and there was a recognition that more people were needed. Someone finally commented that we’d have to make sure to hire someone with the particular expertise in question, and in one fell swoop, that task was assigned to a non-existent person. Again, this is not necessarily a problem … yet. It became a problem, however, as the meeting progressed:
“We don’t have anyone on the team who can handle […technology…] either.”
“That’ll be the next hire.”
“Wasn’t the next hire supposed to be […original problem…]?”
“We’ll need someone who can do both.”
And so it went, with each problem that came up being assigned to the same non-existent person. Each problem would be dealt with when the right person was hired. Unfortunately, each individual present had a very different idea of what that right person looked like and the necessary skills that he or she would possess. Those who have ever read a college catalog might have noticed the vast number of courses in a wide range of subjects taught by Staff. Well, by the end of that meeting, Dr. Staff was probably the only person who could have handled the job.
More recently, I was conducting a training exercise. The exercise was focused on leadership, negotiation, and creative problem-solving. Part of the structure involved people being given a problem and a list of names of people who might be able to help them. Only some of those people are actually present. The objective is to figure out alternate solutions that do not involve the missing people. What was particularly fascinating is that every time I’ve conducted this exercise, a significant number of participants become fixated on the missing people, convinced that if those people were present, all the problems would immediately evaporate. They spend the entire exercise waiting for help that never arrives.
When I ask at the end, “Why do you think that [missing] person will actually help you? What if they have their own agenda?” the participants are taken aback. They had never considered the fact that Godot might have his own wants and needs, even if he should happen to show up. I’ve run this exercise with managers, college students, psychologists, engineers, and so forth, and the same behaviors emerge every time. In each case, the person who is not present becomes the repository of the hopes and dreams of the rest of the group. In the end, that “person” has become a tool whose only purpose for existing is to solve the problems of the group.
The difficulty, of course, is that the longer this behavior persists, the harder it is for the organization to find anyone they are willing to hire. First, none of the people they are looking at actually fits the mental image that they’ve developed: a person with some of the desired skills is simply not recognized or passed over for a future someone who will have all the skills. Unfortunately, Dr. Staff is a very busy person, and is somewhat less likely to show up than Santa Claus. Also, Dr. Staff is not only expected to show up eventually, but to be totally and completely enthusiastic about working for the company. People who do not exhibit that mindless enthusiasm are deemed to be not serious candidates.
Hiring, however, is a two-way street: part of the job of the existing employees is to help get the candidate excited about the company. To be fair, the search rarely lasts forever. Eventually, people get tired of interviewing candidates and someone does get hired. Often, though, it’s the last person to walk through the door, as opposed to the most qualified of the people who came through.
Start by focusing on goals and objectives. What are you trying to accomplish? How will you know when you’ve succeeded? View the job from the perspective of goals, not skills. Quantify what you’re trying to do and figure out how you’ll recognize someone who can accomplish one or more of those major goals.
Second, look for people who have a track record of getting things done. Remember that there are often multiple solutions to any problem. The skills you see as necessary only represent one possible path. People who are good at solving problems in a particular field may well find other solutions that will be more effective. Good problem-solvers are also the most likely people to acquire skills when they need them, whereas people who just have skills might not be good at solving problems.
Next, look for passion and enthusiasm when they talk about the work they’ve done and the problems they’ve solved. Don’t worry about whether or not they’re enthusiastic about this company and this job. If you’re offering them the chance to do what they love doing, that’ll come quick enough.
Take the time to find out what they’re looking for. Don’t make the hiring process all about you; make it about them. After all, when you make someone an offer, you want them to accept it. Take the time to connect with the candidate and give them every opportunity to feel that they’ll enjoy working with you.
Finally, periodically check and evaluate your progress. Make sure you’re not looking for Dr. Staff or waiting for Godot.
And I keep thinking tomorrow is coming today. So I am endlessly waiting. – The Counting Crows
This paper focuses on how leadership behaviors as Activators and Consequences support or undermine an effective Safety Management System.
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One way to improve employees’ understanding of the benefits you provide them with:
Plan to meet with them one-on-one a few more times than usual this year.
Nearly 90% of company execs think one-on-one meetings between a benefits counselor and each employee would significantly improve workers’ understanding of their benefits, found a recent Colonial Life survey.
In addition, 92% of employers feel it’s very important to their business for employees to understand and appreciate their benefits.
Only 1 in 4 to increase efforts
But what’s surprising is that only 27% of businesses plan to increase benefits communication, found a separate Watson Wyatt study.
So conducting more face-to-face meetings between Benefits and individual employees could be a great way to set your company apart.
Social networking sites have made it easier for disgruntled customers to bash a company’s reputation online. And, as recent court cases show, it’s getting tough for employers to protect themselves.
According to a recent survey by Deloitte, 74% of employees say it’s easy to damage an employer’s reputation using social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.).
But just because employees are aware of the damage social networking slander can cause, it doesn’t mean they care.
In fact, the Deloitte study found that 61% of employees said they wouldn’t change what they do online — even if their activity was monitored by their employers. And half say an official company ban on negative comments wouldn’t change their behavior.
As these recent court decisions show, companies may have little recourse to respond after the damage is done:
1. Online comment wasn’t defamation
The owner of several restaurants was interviewed by his local newspaper, and the article appeared on the paper’s Web site. In response to one of the questions, the owner mentioned that he treats employees “with dignity and respect.”
Apparently the father of a former employee disagreed with him. He left a comment claiming his daughter was sexually harassed, and that the behavior was condoned by the owner. The company sued the commenter for defamation, but the case was thrown out. The judged ruled the comment was a matter of opinion and not subject to defamation laws.
2. Boss can’t read private forum
A group of employees had set up a private, invite-only group on Myspace. The purpose: “To vent about any BS” they had to deal with at work. Eventually, their boss got wind of the group, and needless to say, he wasn’t happy.
He asked an employee for the password, and she complied, afraid for her job. When he went to the site, the boss found disparaging comments directed at him and other managers. The two employees who started the group were fired.
They sued, claiming the company invaded their privacy. The court agreed — since the page was password-protected, the employees had a reasonable expectation that their comments would remain private. And company had no right to read the comments.
3. Confidential docs allowed to stay public
After a bank vice president was let go, he posted confidential company documents to a Web site. Allegedly, the documents exposed illegal activities.
The bank sued the owners of the Web site to force the removal of the documents. But the court ruled in favor of the site’s owners, saying they had a First Amendment right to keep the documents online. Also, the judge said taking them down would do little good, because they could have been copied and re-posted by other sites.
What can HR do?
That doesn’t mean you can’t fire any employee whose online activities hurt the company. Firing is OK in many cases — removing the damaging material is the hard part.
Your best bet? In your computer use policy, include a part banning conduct that damages the company’s reputation. Then monitor activity and discipline accordingly.
The year is almost over, which of course means it’s time for a completely unprecedented, unexpected-in-every-way “top 10 of 2009” list…
Here, I give you my list of the 10 biggest trends we saw this year in the world of workforce management. (Notice anything I missed? Let me know in the comments section below!)
What trends did you notice popping up this year? (And what do you anticipate we’ll see more or less of in 2010?)
We asked 346 HR managers whether their companies had increased employees’ contributions to healthcare insurance in 2009. Here what they said.
The question was: “Have you increased employees’ health-cost contribution rates in 2009?”
The answers:
A benefits study in 2009 found that the workers’ share for healthcare premiums went up by an average of 14.7%. And of course part of the debate about healthcare reform revolves around whether reform will increase or lower the costs for employees and their employers.
Does your company provide employees with cell phones or smartphones to use for business calls? If so, you may need to watch out for a big security concern.
A recent UK survey of companies and institutions revealed that 79% of employees conduct confidential conversations by cell phone, and 51% do so on a daily basis. However, only 18% of companies had security software in place on their phones.
Even businesses that carefully secure other communications may be unaware of the issue. Most people are used to making calls from standard, wired telephones, where security isn’t that big of an issue (unless the police or the FBI are wiretapping you). But cell phone signals can be picked up far more easily.
Cell phone service providers do provide some encryption with their services, but it is highly vulnerable.
What this means for your business is that such critical details as sales discounts, planned bids and sales leads, which are often discussed via cell phone, might fall into your rivals’ hands.
Problems could stem from a lack of communication between IT and management. If IT isn’t aware of what sort of calls are being made on the company-owned equipment, they may neglect to take proper security measures.
It’s important for IT to know what company-issued phones are being used for. That way, they can increase protection on the phone, if necessary.
Congress and President Obama have floated several ideas for creating jobs. Some of the ideas that probably will be funded are aimed at specific industries.
What’s not on Congress’ agenda yet: The president’s proposal to give tax credits to small businesses that hire new employees. None of the current proposals on Capitol Hill have that component. House Democratic leaders did pass a $100 billion job-creation bill, but the tax credit for hiring wasn’t in there.
What is in the bill and coming from the White House:
In any case, the Senate won’t consider or vote on the House bill — or a bill to give tax credits for hiring — until some time after the first of the year.
It’s hard to argue against the fact that 2009 has been a rough year for corporate recruiters. Budgets have been slashed, training has been all but eliminated, and even with reduced recruiting activity, requisition loads are still onerous.
Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but as it falls at the end of the year, it is an opportune time to take a minute and to thank those who have helped you throughout the year. While executive recruiters used to get huge paychecks and bonuses, corporate recruiters in most organizations can only be classified as under-appreciated.
Hiring managers, often busy trying to meet end-of-year deadlines, rarely find the time to send out a well-written thank you or take you to lunch to express their gratitude for all the work that you’ve done on their behalf.
New hires are acclimating to their job, which more often than not isn’t exactly what they thought it would be, so thanks are not on the top of their minds.
Every year come December, I start to envision what it would be like in a perfect world where the efforts of corporate recruiters were recognized with a real thank you. Recruiters may not get as many “thank yous” as they deserve, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that recruiters have a profound impact on people’s work and private lives.
A “thank you note” from a grateful new hire…
I just wanted you to know that you are my hero!
The Christmas season is an ideal time for me as a new employee to say thanks to the people who helped me get this new job in this competitive job market. Specifically, I want to thank you, “my recruiter” for:
I also wanted you to know that because of your professionalism and the information you provided me about the firm, I now go out of my way to tell colleagues at other firms that this firm is a great place to work, in no small part because of you and the way you treat applicants and employees. I hope to make several employee referrals during the next year as a result of the information you provided and the way you treated me. Thanks again for all that you’ve done; I’m proud to be your coworker!
* * * * * * * * * *
A “thank you note” from a grateful hiring manager …
I just wanted you to know how much you impacted my business success!
The end of the year is an ideal time for me to say thanks to the people who allowed both my team and I to be among the most productive and innovative within our organization. Specifically, I want to thank you, my recruiter, for all that you do to make me successful as a manager, including …
I also wanted to apologize for all the times during the last year that I might not have taken hiring as seriously as I should have. Thanks to your efforts, I now realize that in business, just like in sports, even a mediocre manager can succeed when they are provided with a recruiter and a hiring process that continually provides exceptional talent. I now confidently enter into new business and product areas knowing you will somehow find and land the exceptional talent I require in that field. Thanks again for making me look good.
During turbulent economic times, it’s easy to become disillusioned as a recruiter. Even though a few think of recruiters as little more than “requisition jockeys,” you and I know that the work we do makes a huge difference. If we get it right, we change people’s lives and our company’s results for the better.
However, if we get it wrong, we also realize that we can hurt not only candidates but also our organization’s shareholders. So, even if you don’t receive a single thank-you card like the ones illustrated above, take a step back as the year comes to a close and applaud yourself for a job well done.
Happy holidays and once again, thank you for making a difference!
The differences between the employee retirement benefits offered by large companies and those offered by small and mid-size companies are shrinking rapidly.
A recent Watson Wyatt study found 55% of companies in the Fortune 100 only offer their employees defined contribution (DC) plans — 401(k), etc. — as opposed to traditional defined benefit (DB) plans — like closed or frozen pension plans.
That’s a big jump from having 46% of employers who only offered DC plans a couple of years ago — and it marks the first time that a majority of Fortune 100 companies are only offering DC plans.
The study also found that an increasing number of Fortune 100 employers are offering hybrid pension plans — account-based cash balance plans, etc. — instead of traditional DB plans.
DNV invites you to join them for this first of a three-part series, Safety Management Barometer #1: Employee Feedback. During this session, they’ll discuss how the behaviors and comments from your employees can provide valuable input for improving your safety management system.
Register for this complimentary webinar
While you were busy crashing from too much celebration on National Cupcake Day, taking advantage of Free Shipping Day, or saying, “Who is doing what now?” here’s what was happening in the world of hiring and recruiting this week…
What are your peers’ plans for adding new technologies next year?
Due to increased budgets, most companies plan to make their HR tech operations more efficient in 2010, rather than making new purchases, according to a recent survey by the International Association for Human Resource Information Management (IHRIM). Of the companies surveyed:
The good news: For most companies, the HR tech budget won’t go down. More than half of respondents said they’re spending will remain the same, 30% said it will increase, and 19% expect a decrease.
Among companies who will increase spending, they said they plan to invest more in:
When HR manager Theresa Lane wanted to find out what employees liked and didn’t like about HR’s policies, she decided to do a survey. Problem: People weren’t responding — until she figured out an irresistible, and inexpensive, hook.
Her story:
Whenever we made changes in benefits and HR policies, we liked to get employee feedback to ensure everyone was on board with our ideas.
The typical way of doing that was to send out an employee survey and then tally and analyze the responses.
Problem: Before you can tally and analyze the responses, you have to have some responses. People either just weren’t filling out the surveys or were taking forever to get them back to us.
It was frustrating, but we understood that employees were busy and kept putting the surveys on the back burner. We had to give them a good reason to respond.
Let’s do a good deed
We got an idea when one of our employees talked about taking up a workplace collection for a local charity.
Our suggestion: The company will make a small donation to the charity for every completed employee survey.
That gave us a champion for the cause – the person who was collecting for the charity and would “talk up” taking part in the surveys – and gave employees another reason to complete and return their surveys to us.
And it worked. We got back more surveys than we’d ever gotten before, giving us valuable info on which to base decisions. Plus, we did a good deed by donating to the charity.
(Theresa Lane, HR manager, Cutler, ME)
Legal experts recommend that every every employer start the year with an six-part legal check up to ensure compliance with current employment laws.
Here’s the list from the law firm of Moore & Van Allen:
Maximizing your use of time is the key to hiring more top performers. In a recent webinar with Jobs2Web, I described the sourcing sweet-spot. This is the point just before and just after a fully employed person decides to consider looking for another position. This time-frame represents the window of opportunity to hire the best passive candidates and early-birds with less effort and salary premiums than any other point.
If you get to these top people first, you’ll have no competition, and they’ll be much easier to recruit since they’ve already made the decision to pursue a new job. However, it’s what you do when you first connect that will determine whether you’re successful or not in hiring them. This involves a number of critical recruiting key skills. These are described below.
If you’re a recruiting manager, evaluate your current crop of recruiters and any new hires to determine whether they have these skills or the ability to learn them. If you’re a recruiter and you want to hire more top performers, you need to be exceptional in these areas. As you’ll see, hiring top performers without paying unnecessary compensation premiums requires great recruiters, great opportunities, and great hiring managers. Without these, it just becomes a numbers game. But as Chicken Little, or some other similar authority, once said, “the early bird catches the worm, as long as you have a good fishing pole.”
Passive candidates and those just entering the job market — the early-birds — are a different breed of prospect. For one thing, they’re not desperate. This changes the game entirely from those who have been looking for more extended periods of time. More important, if they’re good, they’ll be very choosy and they will get multiple offers. But since you’re first, and if you play your cards well, you should be able to reel in these top performers in greater numbers than those recruiters who find them after you do. In this case, your competition has to play catch-up. This is a great position to be in. But to pull it off you have to be an exceptional recruiter. Here are the key recruiting skills needed to turn these top candidates and prospects into great hires.
You know you’re getting better at maximizing the use of time when top prospects tell you they just started looking or are not looking. If you’re determining interest, you can either then decide to move forward at a slow-but-steady pace, or obtain two to three great referrals if you decide they’re not qualified. Since you’re a partner with your hiring manager clients, 100% of your candidates will get interviewed. Since managers are using performance profiles, not job descriptions, to determine competency and fit, fewer candidates will be excluded for bad reasons or superficial interviews. Since you’re offering career moves, rather than non-descript jobs, fewer candidates will voluntarily opt-out of the process along the way.
On top of this, with a career move as the focus, fewer candidates will be screened out at the beginning and fewer offers will be rejected due to monetary reasons. Collectively, this is how you hire twice as many top performers in half the time. Of course, these are rules you must not break.
Last week, The Hiring Site ran a contest in which we asked you, “How does your company sell itself to ensure you win over your ideal candidates?“ Honesty, Family, Growth, Culture, Reputation, Respect, Listen, Communicate, Relationships, Understanding, Connect, and Fun — These are all words that, when reading through the near-600 comments to write this post, I came across more than once. In fact, you all talked about these concepts quite a bit when describing your companies — and that’s a good thing. This post focuses on the value-related responses I received; I’ll cover the more tangible ways you sell your company to candidates in Part II of this series.
You are fiercely proud of your companies — that is evident — and you have many ideas about how you’re getting an edge over your competitors, and what you think is important to candidates. Some of you even called out your competition in the comments themselves (we won’t mention any names).
There were so many great responses that it would be nearly impossible to talk about them all — but here are some highlights:
Honesty.
“We are honest with our candidates and don’t make outlandish promises. As one of my candidates said the other day, ‘You are the first recruiter to call me and actually tell me real information about a position.’ We also get to know our candidates, not as a candidate, but as a person. We want them coming back to us in the future.”
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“We use one on one conversations that are truthful and forthright to let our candidates know the true market they are facing.”
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“We make a point of being upfront and honest about our expectations for the position and who we are as a company. Starting with everyone on the same wavelength is absolutely vital.”
Family.
“Prior to a job offer, the candidate is invited to visit any of our six locations and talk with any crew members and/or manager, to experience our family oriented philosophy in action.”
Growth.
“Salary/benefits are black and white comparisons. It is the way a person perceives their place in the organization that will create a desire for them to be part of it.”
Culture.
“Our culture promotes a relaxed atmosphere that stimulates creative thinking, which leads to empowerment.”
Reputation.
“Even in times when we are not actively hiring, we continue to market ourselves in our community to keep the pipeline of interest open. Good community relations, name recognition, and good reputation are all very important in the efforts to continue to attract quality talent.”
Respect.
“We remember that all candidates have the potential to be or may already be customers. We treat all candidates in exactly the same way we treat customers – respect, gratitude and never taking them for granted.”
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“Every candidate receives a response to their job application – ALWAYS AND WITHOUT EXCEPTION.”
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“If we treat our candidates with respect and really listen to them — and find the right position for them — our company ’sells’ itself.”
Listen.
“We strive to change the negative image so many people have of the staffing industry. We are able to do this through creating a culture of responsiveness and empathy with our candidates and clients.”
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“Success begins by hearing the candidate first.”
Communicate:
“We’ve held several focus groups with diverse sorts of employees and engaged them in interactive discussions to understand what they like and dislike about our company, what keeps them here and what may cause them to leave. The information gathered was very consistent and defines our employment brand. We win over our ideal candidates because we have a very good self awareness and clearly communicate to candidates our strengths and weaknesses. It all adds up to new hires who are great cultural fits.”
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“We only use the internet and search engines for initial contact, after that we “go old-fashioned” and actually talk to our candidates. We build relationships as we’re in business for the long haul. You’d be surprised how many candidates make comments such as “I can’t believe I’m actually talking to a real person!”
Relationships.
“Simply stated, its about building a relationship with your candidate/customer.”
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“When we’re not hiring, we always conduct informational interviews to reference back to when a position opens up matching their skill set.”
Understanding.
“It is important to convey to the candidate that they are now your customer. In any good customer relation experience, the sales person/recruiter/etc. will seek to gain and understanding of what the customer wants and will seek to build a solution to satisfy that want.”
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“We’ve spent a lot of time and energy over the last couple years to understand our employment brand. The key here is to truly understand the brand – not what HR thinks we are, and not what we want to be, but what our current employees think we are.”
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“Most of us have been where our candidates are in terms of being out of a job. We can directly relate that to them if necessary.”
Connect.
“We win over ideal candidates by making sure the opportunities we present them with are a strong match for them technically and personally. It is one of the most basic expectations, yet is rarely done by most recruiting firms and wastes candidates’ time.”
Fun.
“We strive to keep our workplace a fun place to be. We constantly benchmark ourselves to other similar companies regarding benefits, compensation, and morale boosting activities. We actually do more “off-the-clock” get togethers than the norm to thank our employees and their families. One of my favorites is our annual truck rodeo. The winners go to the state competition. While they are competing, their bosses, including the President, is on the sidelines grilling and waiting on the employee’s family.”
Reality Check
While these are all excellent examples of how to set your company apart from your competition and reach your ideal candidates, it’s all for naught if you don’t first know who who and where your competitors are. Once you are armed with this knowledge, you can tackle your competitive gaps head-on and more effectively employ your candidate “sales” strategies. How do you find out this information, you ask? Check this out.
One Last Word…
I think this, from one commenter, really sums up the essence of a strong workplace — a workplace that cultivates candidate attraction from the ground up:
“No company can successfully run without happy employees.”
Agree with comments above? Disagree? What elements do you think are essential to win over your ideal candidates?
First-time unemployment filings rose last week, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Labor, surprising economists who had expected a decline to 465,000.
Initial jobless claims rose to 480,000 for the week ending Dec. 12, from 473,000 the previous week. It’s the second week in a row that new filings increased. However, the four-week moving average fell for the 15th week straight. The Labor Department says on average, in each of the last four weeks, 467,500 new claims for unemployment benefits were filed.
The Labor Department report says 5.186 million Americans filed a continuing claim during the week. That’s an increase of 5,000 from the previous week, but over the previous four weeks, the weekly average of continuing claims was down.
If your company doesn’t have the funds to provide nutrition counseling as a benefit, it can be done informally — for far less. How?
With signs, handouts and — the best way — healthier options in vending machines.
To help employees cure the mid-day munchies — and stay healthy — the American Dietetic Association recommends keeping these top 10 healthy noshes around the office:
While many companies are reluctant to completely ban social networking sites in the workplace, there are some steps employers can take to minimize legal risks.
The primary dangers of employees using the sites include:
One solution many companies have found to be effective: Let employees know they’re being monitored.
It’s not enough to have employees sign off a policy when they’re hired — experts say firms should send periodic reminders to employees to refresh their memories of the policy and the company’s monitoring practices.
It won’t stop all personal Web use — and it must be combined with a serious and consistent enforcement of the policy — but it should dissuade employees from using the Web inappropriately while at work.
A recent court case illustrates one more quirk to be aware of when classifying employees as exempt or nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
A loan underwriter for a New York bank sued under the FLSA, saying he should be paid for the overtime he regularly worked.
His employer argued that he qualified as exempt, since he was an “administrative” employee.
Under the FLSA, an employee qualifies for the administrative exemption if he or she does work that’s “directly related to management policies or general business operations” and “regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment.”
No discretion involved
The man claimed he reviewed loan applications using the bank’s Credit Guide – a detailed document setting strict parameters for lending. He simply followed procedures to come up with a yes-or-no decision. No discretion was exercised.
The judge sided with the employee. The man was engaged in the “production” of loans – the fundamental product offered by the bank. Thus, he wasn’t an exempt employee.
Cite: Davis v. J.P. Morgan Chase
What do you suppose ZoomInfo is up to?
The company launched Fresh Contacts a month ago offering participants two months free access to the ZoomInfo database just for uploading their personal contacts. Upload one or one thousand contacts, it’s all the same – two months’ access to the 45 million contacts and 5 million company profiles ZoomInfo claims.
Without a doubt, it’s a shot over the bow of competitor Jigsaw, which built its leads business on an early faith in crowdsourcing.
But as you’ll see shortly, there could be more afoot here than a front-on challenge to a competitor.
Enlisting users to provide content is not unknown at ZoomInfo, where the subjects of its machine-created profiles have long been able to correct and update them by “claiming” them.
But this wholesale pitch to users is a first for the company that built a business by aggregating personal and corporate information. Spiders quarry nuggets from all over the visible Web, which are then assembled into profiles.
“The center of our success is technology, and it always will be,” CEO Sam Zales told me at the outset of a GotoMeeting presentation Tuesday. “The secret sauce is really how we connect the dots.”
Even as he was saying that, he was introducing the company’s three-legged stool, which, besides the spidered, processed, and packaged profile content, and the “claimed” profiles, now includes the user-uploaded contacts.
The Fresh Contacts program is one of those win-wins. ZoomInfo gets fresh and updated contacts for its database. Participants, many of whom are expected to be job hunters, get free access to the database, which can make the difference between a resume in an ATS and one that goes directly to a hiring manager.
The contacts themselves get to say yea or nay to being included in the database.
This third leg of the stool is no doubt giving Jigsaw some indigestion. Founded in 2003 on a faith in crowdsourcing, Jigsaw built a community of loyal players who earn points by uploading or correcting contacts. You can buy contacts or trade your points for them.
Like ZoomInfo, it has company data, crowdsourced and presented in wiki style.
Both companies have their limitations. Jigsaw’s contacts are pretty good. The carrot-and-stick reward system tends to keep them fairly accurate. But voluntary contributions of business-card info means the bigger the company, the better the data. Smaller companies, where there are fewer players in the Jigsaw system, are less well-represented and what info there is tends to be staler.
ZoomInfo spiders keep its data fresh, especially the business intelligence. The downside, though, is that machines aren’t very good at telling one John Doe from another. And then there’s the matter of individuals and companies who make an effort to hide addresses and direct dial contact info from the search engines and the “leads” companies.
What if, though, you could combine the self-correcting mechanism of a Jigsaw, with the machine updating of ZoomInfo? And what if somehow you could convince everyone they just had to maintain a personal profile, the way LinkedIn has?
Sam Zales
I ran that scenario past Zales as we were talking. There’s no doubt, he said, that users can mediate spidered content to improve its accuracy. They do that on Wikipedia very effectively. And spiders more quickly can keep a profile fresh and current.
But building a social network such as LinkedIn’s is not easy. That may be why Zales was emphatic in saying, “I want to be clear that we don’t want to be called a social network.”
LinkedIn, he told me, is a complimentary service to ZoomInfo. You can research companies and individuals on ZoomInfo, then go to LinkedIn to see if there is someone in your network who can help open a door to the company or the contact.
Still, something Master Burnett joked about at the Social Recruiting Summit is germane here. Burnett, who’s managing director of John Sullivan’s consulting firm, was poking fun at the digitally illiterate executives who run America’s companies when he said that their LinkedIn profiles are stuck at around 12 percent complete.
That struck a chord when I mentioned it to Zales. ZoomInfo’s spiders could build those profiles and keep them fresh, while the execs would only have to police them.
They can do that with their ZoomInfo profile now, but few do. After three years, not quite a million profiles have been “claimed” by their owners. LinkedIn hit 50 million profiles this year, all of them created by their owners.
See the potential? Zales does. I asked him if my scenario was behind his curve or ahead of it. “You’re right there,” he said, somewhat ambiguously.
While ZoomInfo might not aspire to be a social networking site, there’s no reason it couldn’t partner with one.
If that’s the direction Zales is taking the company, he didn’t let on. In fact, the Fresh Contacts program, as it is currently structured, is all about growing the ZoomInfo contact database, rather than building a community. At the end of the two months of free access, users have to start paying if they want to continue. At $1,000 a year, the casual user and the job hunter will bow out.
But Zales is a savvy business executive with a background in marketing at American Express and B2B online sales. So he has not put an end date to the Fresh Contacts program and told me it could continue, perhaps with some changes.
Perhaps with something akin to a community?
Managers in your company may have had problems with employees focused on fantasy football leagues during time they should’ve spent working. But have any been fired just for belonging to a fantasy league?
That’s what happened to four Fidelity Investments employees recently. Management intercepted an e-mail discussing the activity, investigated and fired employees who had organized the pools.
You see, competing in a fantasy football league for money ($20, in this case) is technically gambling, which is technically illegal in most places.
Fidelity also has its own policy against gambling in the workplace. Cameron Pettigrew, one of the employees who was fired, was aware of the policy, but claimed it was never strictly enforced, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. He said he knew of several managers and execs who also played fantasy football.
In addition to the legality, the company said it also prohibits fantasy football because it’s a distraction. One recent study estimates a nationwide productivity loss of $275 to $435 million for each week of the football season.
But, many claim, it’s just one of many distractions — a list that includes social networking and holiday shopping. And we’d bet not many employees have been fired just for having a Facebook account.
Whatever your company’s policy, one thing’s clear: It needs to be enforced consistently. Letting execs do something that rank-and-file can’t sends the wrong message to employees (and, with a company of Fidelity’s stature, could send that message to the rest of the world, too).
What’s your opinion? Should Fidelity have fired the fantasy footballers? Let us know in the comments section below.
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(this is part of a larger feature on internships in the next Journal of Corporate Recruiting Leadership)
For the first time in years, there are new things to be said about the quality and quantity of internship programs. Interns should run social media campaigns. Employers should advertise for interns on Twitter. An entire unit of interns should be brought on to achieve A, B, and C.
Internship programs are on the rise. Take a look back before looking forward. Yes, many improvements can be made to any internship program. But, how is your company’s internship program to begin with? How does it run? Do the students enjoy it? What do they get out of it? Are employees properly using interns?
I question the current internship programs at companies across the United States. I question if all employees, from CEO to entry-level assistant, are really aware of their internship programs and how they run. Are clear goals defined within the company to outline the purpose of hosting interns? How are these students managed and used on a day-to-day basis?
With that in mind, here are some suggested quick fixes to your internship program:
We have all heard the recent statistics of rising unemployment rates, along with candidate-to-position ratios being the highest we have seen in decades. Almost every time I open the paper there is a depressing story of how one job posting attracted hundreds of applications. One story even told us of a job posting for a single position that attracted more than 14,000 applications in five business days — almost 3,000 applications a day!
What is even more interesting than the actual volume of candidates is the response I hear from business leaders as to how they are dealing with this issue.
The most common response is that corporate recruiters are now overwhelmed by the number of resumes they must review. ATS systems are bursting at the seams, with unqualified applicants who are taught to apply to every posting available in order to get their resume in front of a recruiter. Once again recruiters have to focus on the transaction of recruiting. They don’t have the time to develop the right relationships with the right candidates for the right time.
Speaking with the SVP of talent acquisition at a large financial institution, she indicated that her staff of more than 100 recruiters only review the first 30 to 40 applicants (on average) per requisition. They eliminate the remaining due to the sheet volume they must review. Whether organizations admit this openly or not, this is a common practice today that results in recruiters missing many exceptionally qualified candidates who did not happen to be one of the first 40 to apply to the position or posting.
Although a real issue, being overwhelmed can be dealt with by adding additional resources to properly review all the candidates who apply. Expensive? Yes. Possible? Also yes. Smart? Definitely yes.
A second theme currently pervasive among business leaders at all levels is the concept of over-hiring during poor economic times when candidates are plentiful. As I recently liste