Why Recruitment is NOT Dying

Why Recruitment is NOT Dying Recently there have been a fair few blog posts and articles published on various recruitment sites that discuss the changing nature of recruitment. In summary, what many of them are saying is that recruitment, as we know it, is dying. The cause is the growth of Web 2.0; the socialization of the web means that everyone has a digital footprint, whether its LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, blogs, specialist online communities, emails etc. As a result it is getting easier and easier to find people, so sourcing is simple and companies are increasingly doing it themselves. This viewpoint has three core arguments: that everyone is online; that companies are increasingly sourcing hires through direct applications; and that there is no longer any such thing as a ‘passive’ candidate. Whilst I broadly agree with this, I think it is worth injecting a note of caution. Web 2.0 has made huge changes to the way we do recruitment, just as Web 1.0 did, but I think that the role of the recruiter will continue for some time yet, and here’s why: Everyone’s online Facebook has over 1 billion users, Twitter has around 300 million ‘regular’ users, and LinkedIn over 500 million users. There’s many other social applications that can claim between 10 and 100 million users. This lends a strong argument to those who claim that everyone is online. LinkedIn is a useful example because its primary purpose is to be a professional networking tool; the number of UK LinkedIn accounts is around 12 million, and according to census data the “working population” of the UK is around 38 million. We can reasonably assume that most LinkedIn members are within the working population (i.e. between 16-59 for women, or 16-64 for men), suggesting that almost a third of the working population is visible on a professional, socialized service. For those not on LinkedIn, it seems inevitable that they have a presence somewhere else, e.g. Twitter and Facebook. However, this argument makes certain assumptions about how we use social media, e.g. a high level of engagement, and that we provide rich, useful data, such as a fully completed profile on LinkedIn, a Twitter bio that lists our occupation etc. Even a quick search shows this is not the case; having a profile or account is not the same as using it. I know several people on LinkedIn who haven’t updated their account in several years, even after switching jobs, and recently someone accepted a connection request I sent almost 2 years ago. Web 2.0 has made it easier to find people, but not everyone, and not everyone is easily visible online. Sourcing is not dead, it just needs new tactics. Companies are sourcing directly A key claim here is that organisations are able to source more and more candidates directly, thanks to increased visibility of vacancies. Recruiters know that, in general, there are plenty of direct applicants out there, which is why many agencies still use job boards as one way of advertising roles. But, as the old saying goes, quality is better than quantity. It is rare to get a great candidate from an advert. When recruiting for software developer roles, I found around 90% of respondents were non-EU without a Visa hoping to get sponsorship to come and work in the UK, and therefore ineligible to be considered (as few clients are legally able to sponsor). For contingency recruiting, job boards are worth the investment for the occasional strong applicant they bring in, but an agency cannot solely rely on them. As a result, direct applicants need to be sourced in different, more creative and flexible ways. Posting jobs on LinkedIn and Twitter is a great way to find good candidates, as is hosting events such as networking events, user group meetings, sponsoring conferences etc. Some large firms are able to do this to great effect; one of the most successful large companies I know in terms of recruitment strategies has brought most of their recruitment in-house by creating a specialist, 35-strong recruitment team. I recently spoke to one of the senior people in the team, who informed me that they now hire 90% directly, compared to less than 30% before the team was put in place. However, it is only large companies that can afford to do this. A 2011 UK government survey found that SMEs are the lifeblood of the country, representing 99.9% of all businesses, covering 59% of the workforce. 99% of companies have less than 50 employees. These are companies where, if there is an HR department, it is likely to be 1 or 2 HR generalists, with no specialist sourcing knowledge. Sure, some might be very good at recruiting, but a lot won’t be, and in my experience a lot aren’t. It’s easy to overestimate the changing nature of direct hires when looking at large companies, but bear in mind that they are a minority of companies with a minority of the workforce. There’s no such thing as passive This argument essentially relies on the old adage, ‘every man has his price’. Gone are the days of the career ladder, now it is almost expected that people change employers every 2-3 years. Even if someone hasn’t put their CV up somewhere, they will consider any new opportunity that is presented to them. This takes a somewhat unitarist approach to candidate motivation. Motivation is incredibly hard to define; whilst there are trends (e.g. money and ‘meaningful work’ tend to top motivators in surveys) an individual’s motivation for staying or leaving is just that â€" individual. You cannot assume that if you have a great, well-paid role, everyone will want it. I do agree that, if a ‘passive’ candidate pursues an opportunity, he is likely to start considering other options. However this perspective assumes that candidates ultimately have no loyalty and are solely motivated by self-interest, which simply isn’t true â€" we all know people who you couldn’t pry out of their job with a crowbar! To conclude, the way a Recruiter works is changing, and will continue to do so, just as is the case with every other job. However, if you look at the three arguments here, you can see that the core aspects of a recruiter’s role remain the same: Source candidates using innovative means â€" especially those who aren’t well-represented online, Filter and qualify candidates to find the ‘best’ â€" which becomes even more important the more candidates there are, Sell, sell, sell â€" the more opportunities a candidate has, the more likely it is he will take the one that is best sold to him. To me, that doesn’t look all that different to recruitment as I know it. Strategies and the external environment may change, but the fundamentals remain the same.

Why Good Employees Make Bad Decisions by Help Scout

Why Good Employees Make Bad Decisions by Help Scout I read the Help Scout blog as I am subscribed to their newsletter. Its a gem in customer service. Personally I am very customer focused, its an area of interest and one of the fundamentals of my work principle is that if a customer pays for it, he or she is entitled to nothing but the best service.   Anyhow, the new content on the Help Scout blog is really cool and worth sharing, it implores the question Why Good Employees Make Bad Decisions. 1. Employees Feel Like a  Cog in the Machine As the author on Help Scout writes Detachment from the goals at large leads to detached interest. Employees feel left behind or that they arent heading in the same direction as the organization. This is where  destructive  self-interest begins to interference. 2.  Time Pressure Puts Their Back Against a Wall OK, so for this one I guess there is a need for balance in business I am there to make my boss achieve  his goals and he is there to achieve the goals of the business. And sometimes time is not a commodity that we can afford. However, I know of times when for speed , quality is discussed. The point is quality should never be discussed, do little but do it well. The customer pays for top quality products and services. But I can understand that pressure can make some good employees take bad decisions. 3.  Employees Mirror Leadership and Unwritten Rules I absolutely love the story that Help Scout has shared, read the blog or point 3 of the blog for the story. I agree with this point: A psychological phenomenon known as negative social proof would argue that the right thing to do becomes questionable when people see the  right people  doing the wrong things. Statements like, We do things by the book around herehave been shown  to actively discourage creative thinking. Be careful about what sort of behavior that leadership, unwritten rules, and key team members project; people are very sharp in picking up on these subtleties, and it may affect their judgment. Love the article from Help Scout and I think you should have a read too. Generally, for customer service related stuff, I recommend reading the  Help Scout blog. Follow Help Scout on Twitter. Visit the  Help Scout blog. 8

Power lunch etiquette

Power lunch etiquette During my advertising agency days when I worked with Asian car companies, I had countless business meals with Asian men who had been schooled by experts in the art of American dining. Their training was evident; when faced with four forks at the first course of our meal, my companions were astute enough to know to take the second fork from the outside. (The rule, for dining idiots, is, when in doubt, use the utensil farthest from the plate, which in this case was the appetizer fork.) With every meal thereafter, I learned a little more about dining from them, and they learned a little more about server-side technology from me, until none of us needed each other anymore and a final Check, please was uttered. Since then, Ive gathered tips for business meals. Im not perfect in fact, I still dont know why people use chopsticks for sushi when it seems like finger food but I have learned a few things that can help keep meals moving smoothly. And I received a few e-mails last week suggesting that I write a column about table manners during business meals, so here goes. Dont dive for your food. I think the rule about not being the first to eat comes from the idea that you shouldnt dis the Queen by eating the good stuff before her. Or something like that. Then, I think, this rule came to mean, Dont look like youre starving as if we were living in Depression-era times. Now, I think, its more about being interested in the people at instead of the food thats on your table. Dont order soup. It splashes. Its hard not to slurp. If your soup is hot and everyone else has a cold appetizer, they will have to wait while your soup cools. And in case your mom never told you this when you tip the bowl to get the dregs of the soup, tip away from yourself, not toward. Also, spoon away from yourself, not toward, unless you want to drip-dry later. Dont sit facing a mirror. You will not be able to stop looking at yourself, which people might mistake for vanity or disinterest in the people around you. Both may be true, which would make things even worse. Dont sit facing the sun. You will squint, which is never attractive. You will see your dining partner as a silhouette and you will miss facial expressions, which are crucial to reading moods. Dont cross your legs under the table. Sitting this way tilts your body a little bit. The tilt looks fine to those who can see your sheer stockings with a seam running up the back, but when your companions see no legs, just body, the tilt makes you look like you have either bad posture or no equilibrium. In groups of more than five people, there is likely to be more than one conversation at a time. Sit near the person you want to talk to, but not next to her its so much easier to talk across the table. That said, you must say a few words to those on either side of you. No matter how large the party, it is rude to talk only to the person on one side of you. Drink. Im not saying go wild, but if everyone else is drinking, unless youre in a 12-step program, give in to peer pressure. Its like wearing a suit when everyone else wears a suit. This goes for dessert also. Im not saying you should initiate ordering the banana split flambe, because part of being a good executive is not being out of control, which means not being fat, which means not eating desserts. But if everyone else is getting one, dont ruin the fun. How hard is it to take a bite in a show of camaraderie? When in doubt, take your cue from those around you. For example, you probably dont know how to use a finger bowl. I, in fact, do. But when my grandma trotted them out for my sweet-16 birthday party, my friends ate the floating carrot-fish out of the bowl. Are others ordering an appetizer? In what price range are their entrees? By the way, fingertips are dipped daintily into the finger bowl then patted dry with the napkin. These tips may not land an account or close a deal, but Ive found they are extras I bring to the table.

9 Tips for Finding Your Brands Perfect Graphic Designer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

9 Tips for Finding Your Brands Perfect Graphic Designer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career What is one tip for recruiting a great graphic designer who really understands my brand? The following answers are provided by members of  Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched  BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Test Their Aesthetics There is no better way to decide if a graphic designer fits your brand than to have them test their skills on your product. It is crucial to see an example of what they could eventually do and if it aligns with your aesthetics. Find the problem areas and ask them to show you how they would improve them.   â€"  Jayna Cooke,  EVENTup 2. Have Them Build a Single Asset First We have done this, and the technique we employed was to ask the designer to freelance build one asset for us and get it really nailed down. This gives you an understanding of the designers skills and at the same time the designer gets a sense of your brand.   â€"  Ashu Dubey,  12 Labs 3. Use Design Contests Weve found that the best way to find the best designer is to run design contests on sites like 99designs with a large budget.  This way you can view the work from a large variety of designers and pick the one that is most responsive, most talented and most in-tune with your brand. Relying on referrals or hiring without seeing how they design your work is flying blind.   â€"  Marcela DeVivo,  National Debt Relief 4. Get a Referral An understanding of a brand takes time and dedication. You will need to train your designer to understand what you want from them. However, asking yourcolleagues who are in similar businesses for referrals will help you narrow down the search. Look for a portfolio that resonates with you to ensure compatibility.   â€"  Nicole Munoz,  Start Ranking Now 5. Look to Your Customers The best employees are former customers. If you can find a customer who loves your product that is also a designer, this can be a win win for your business. Ive found my last two designers from my customer lists. I email all my customers and see if there is someone looking for a job, and to email us if they are. There are a few amazing potential employees that will understand your product.   â€"  John Rampton,  Due 6. Hire Them to Freelance Give the designer a small project to take ownership over, from start to finish. You will not only get an understanding of their approach to design, but you’ll also gain insight into their work ethic, values and whether they really understand the heart and soul of your brand.   â€"  Shradha Agarwal,  ContextMedia 7. See What Questions They Ask The only way to understand a brand is to ask questions. If they arent asking questions, they are just making assumptions. Who are your customers? What are their demographics? What other brands do they like? Why do they come to you? The more thoughtful their questions, and the more relevant to your niche and unique selling proposition, the better the fit.   â€"  Alan Carniol,  Interview Success Formula 8. Look for Similar Work Experience Youve got an idea in your head about what you want your brand to look like. Find a designer whos done similar work, or who has designed for your industry or desired target customer. You have to judge a designer off the work theyve already done. He or she is  more likely to get the personality of your brand and express your ideas without too  much coaching.   â€"  Andy Karuza,  brandbuddee 9. Conduct a Design Audit Before hiring, consider asking the recruit  to conduct a design audit of your materials. Design audits can take many forms, but should include discussion around the look, feel, form and function of your product. The last section of the audit should include recommendations for how to improve your overall design, which will be an indication of what the candidate will do for your brand.   â€"  David Ciccarelli,  Voices.com

A day in the life of a Dyson graduate and how to excel

A day in the life of a Dyson graduate and how to excel A job at Dyson is unlike any other. You’ll be working on pioneering projects, helping to develop cutting-edge products in some of the most inspirational work environments imaginable. At their Malmesbury campus you can even eat lunch underneath an  iconic English Electric Lightning Jet suspended from the ceiling! You might know Dyson for their innovative vacuum cleaners and powerful hand dryers, but the company has involvement with all sorts, from lighting to electric vehicles. They have also recently branched out into the beauty industry, with the Dyson Supersonicâ„¢ hairdryer thats quickly become a must-have product. With a continuing commitment to expand and develop their early careers population, they have a broad range of programmes available but only for the most ambitious graduates. So what is it like to actually work at Dyson on a day-to-day basis as a graduate? We sat down with Maz Shar, Graduate Embedded Software Engineer, and Nish Singh, Graduate Software Engineer, to get the low down on their life at Dyson. Exciting and fast-paced days At Dyson, no two days are the same. Its a saying we hear time and again, but at this company it couldnt be more true. There’s a huge range of projects you could be involved with as a Dyson graduate and the work is often hugely varied either juggling a couple of projects at the same time or seeing one project all the way through to the end before you move on to the next. Maz told us how he was “assigned a project based on the interview I had with them. My manager advised that, based on our conversation in the interview, I would thrive in a role with a great level of responsibility. He also suggested that Id work best seeing a project all the way through to the end. That in itself was quite unique to me.” Its refreshing to see such a large organisation really taking into consideration individual graduates qualities and work preferences, creating a tailored work experience that allows them to excel. Responsibility on high stakes projects Maz and Nish were both keen to stress that you won’t be stuck doing basic tasks as a graduate at Dyson â€" you’ll be right at the heart of the business, working on some top secret product developments. Nish talked about how, “within my first few weeks I was thrown straight into the deep end with a high stakes project, and its been great because I’ve been given the resources and support I need to cope and do well.” For those who like to be challenged and pushed out of their comfort zone, this is an ideal type of role. Campus environment Everyone thinks of the transition from university to work as the big leap into scary adult life, but this wasn’t the experience that Nish had with Dyson. “For me, it feels like there are a lot of similarities between work and uni. “Like at uni, there are lots of like-minded people around you but from all sorts of backgrounds. There are clubs and societies going, Challenge Dyson events and they have recently introduced Dyson Talks, a similar principle to Ted Talks where you can learn things you’ve never even heard about before. That’s what attracted me most when I was looking at places to work. Somewhere to work which isnt mundane and corporate, and where you learn as fast as you do here at Dyson it’s a win-win!” If youre based at Dyson’s Malmesbury campus you’ll be working at one of the most state of the art facilities in the country, with an on-site gym, and large cafes run by Head Chef Joe Croan who was trained under Marco Pierre White. On top of this, Dyson have created work spaces designed to inspire you and allow for a more collaborative environment. Surrounded by passionate people At Dyson they foster a creative and inclusive atmosphere, where employees can get involved and ask questions at all stages of their career. As Maz explains: “It’s a very open and flat structure. There have been numerous occasions where I’ve been able to just have a chat with someone and they are really open to helping me out. It’s great that people are so open, without any barriers of Im too busy or Thats not my job. It allows us to work together effectively, and has enabled me to develop and learn at such pace.” Everyone is treated the same way and if youre bold enough to stand up and justify your views, youre given the opportunity to do so. Finding the perfect graduate role is a difficult task. There are countless different factors to take into consideration, and its difficult to know what a company is truly like until you actually work there, but doing as much research beforehand should help you learn about life at that company. Like the sound of Dyson? Head on over to the Debut app to apply to Dysons graduate programmes, placements and internships in areas including Software Development, Procurement, Project Management and Data Science. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Are You Prepared for the Interview - Jane Jackson Career

Are You Prepared for the Interview - Jane Jackson Career Are You Prepared for the Interview?How much time to you spend preparing for that all-important interview?   If it’s 10 minutes on the Internet looking at the company website to get a quick overview of what they do, then that is not enough!4 Fatal Flaws of intervieweesExecutive Search Firm Korn Ferry conducted a study of 450 recruiters a few years ago and asked them what they considered to be the fatal flaws of interviewees.   The results were: ·             Talking too much ·              Inappropriate attire/poor grooming ·              An over exaggerated sense of self importanceAnd, worst of all … ·             Lack of preparationConsider the following questions.   If you feel comfortable answering each of them then you are on your way to being well prepared.   If not, then it’s time to get serious about your preparation for the interview. ·             Tell Me About Yourself   (see how to prepare for this question) ·             Why have you applied for this role? ·             What do you know about our organization? ·             What are your relevant achievements to date? ·             What work related problems have you encountered and solved successfully? ·             What examples can you provide to demonstrate your leadership ability/initiative/work ethic/effective communication skills? ·             How does your past experience relate to this particular position? ·             How will your skills, experience and training benefit your potential employer? ·             What are your key strengths and competencies, what do you consider may be areas for improvement? ·             What are your short-term and long-term career goals?Also consider what will be appropriate attire for each interview.   Have you researched the corporate culture and dress code of the organization?   What you will wear that will make you look like you already belong in that role?Heres what will be going through the mind of the interviewer as you sit in front of them : ·           How much enthusiasm does this candidate have about our organisation? ·           How long will this person stay with us if they got the role? ·           Will we work well together; will this candidate fit in with the team? ·           How motivated is this candidate to perform this role and exceed expectations? ·           Can I rely on this candidate?Give yourself an interview check up â€" do you pass?   If not, you may need one-on-one interview practice. To book in for an interview preparation coaching session, click hereOr join  Kickstart Your Career Accountability Group  on Facebook for on-going support and a community of professionals who will also offer their insights and experiences.

A Professional Web Developer Resume

A Professional Web Developer ResumeA web developer resume has to be short and to the point. The points must be targeted towards the job requirement and the business goals of the organization. If you are applying for a position at a medium size company, the resume would need to be long and this would not only reflect poorly on your work ethics but also your ability to follow instructions.Any type of web developer requires a working knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other languages and technologies. Knowing these will help you in making presentations as well as writing and deploying code. If you are prepared with your knowledge of any of these basic codes, it would help in answering the interview questions. Therefore, it is important that you make a good first impression when you have prepared the best possible resume.When you prepare a professional resume, you must take the process seriously. The idea is to get a job in the organization at the highest level. It is a fact that mo st companies do not appreciate resumes that are less than two pages and in most cases, even one page resumes will not receive a call back for further interview.Your future employers will likely want to find out more about your experience and qualifications. They will also want to know about your special skills, education, and work history. Therefore, the resume needs to speak to these things in a clear and concise manner. You need to choose from among the templates available so that you can focus on the key points.One easy way to prepare a great resume is to use one of the free templates that are available online. These will allow you to quickly create a resume that you can modify to fit your unique requirements. The downside is that the design and layout are sometimes low quality and it may take a lot of time to completely customize it. You may find that the job market is not as competitive as it once was and that you will need to wait for other job applications before you get an i nterview.A professional resume may be your best option if you are working on your skills and not just hoping for an interview. Many job seekers lack the knowledge and skills needed to be hired. Even if you do have these qualifications, your resume will probably not catch the attention of the employer. It is vital that you take the time to prepare a great resume.If you take the time to prepare a professional resume, you are likely to be taken seriously and you will become more sought after. You will have more chances of getting a job. Many professionals will admit that the importance of preparing a great resume cannot be overemphasized.In conclusion, you should prepare a resume that reflects your talents and qualifications in a positive light. It is essential that you take this step seriously so that you may get the interview and become the next employee of the organization. You will benefit from a strong resume.