It’s normal to be nervous before any interview, but some job seekers are especially affected, and so are many of the recruiters who interview them. In fact, at many small companies where hiring exactly the right person is so important, interviewers fret for days before each meeting with a top candidate. Some people are so fearful and apprehensive before any interview that they become tongue-tied, talk too much or say the wrong things.
We spend an enormous amount of time and money branding ourselves to potential candidates. Yet for a lot of companies there is a syndrome in place that drastically affects the candidate’s experience with the brand. And in a down economy, your candidate engagement strategies don’t necessarily have to change, they just need to be firing on all cylinders.
Recently, I answered a question on Quora.com. You may not be familiar with this website, but it occupies a special place in my heart. People ask, and answer, questions there. Sometimes the questions are tough; sometimes they are touching. And sometimes when I am drawn to answer them, it is before I think through exactly how I came to know the answer I’m giving.
No matter the economic climate, the most important—and expensive— investment a company can make is in its people. For many companies that statement is a given, but just like any other money spent, there needs to be a return on that investment. A common misconception is that workforce effectiveness and productivity can only be measured qualitatively, but a more sophisticated—and prescriptive—measurement is possible. The problem is that all too often, evaluating workforce effectiveness can be difficult because productivity numbers are a one-dimensional metric and often assembled after a business process is complete.
Google+, +1 Button, Sparks, Circles… It is obvious that after a long delay and several unsuccessful attempts Google is very serious about extending its services into the social media space. It is more than likely that this time it will make a significant impact on the way people use social media but will it affect the recruiting strategies? I think it will and here is why.
With the proliferation of the smartphone, everyone and everything is “going mobile.” From checking email to booking flights or even ordering a pizza, everything can be done on-the-go. This doesn’t stop at job searching. While the national unemployment rate is gradually improving, there are still many people on the job hunt.
With unemployment numbers remaining high, you might think it’s easier to find qualified talent. Ironically, the exact opposite is true. Even though the number of people available for work has increased, the mismatch between qualified candidates and job openings remains extraordinary, contributing to a recruiting challenge for most organizations.
We understand that nepotism has existed for a very long time born from small family-run establishments with an interest in “keeping it in the family” to smaller independently-run businesses preferring and trusting family and relatives over outsiders. Traditionally, this has been an acceptable practice with an understanding that this is how it is and should be.
As more small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) look to limit expenses in a still recovering economy, one area that comes up for discussion involving finances is how much money should be spent on human resources management software.
While there is no, one set answer to that question, there are some parameters by which small and medium-sized businesses can go by in order to get the best buy possible for their money.
For SMBs looking for the proper HR management software, the goal is to find the right product to manage the team while still rewarding members when needed.
Fifteen years ago, my daughter worked for a company that was swallowed up in one of those ‘merger’ deals where the people on the upside of the power curve got to call all the shots. Her group was given the golden opportunity to pull up stakes and move halfway across the continent. At the time, she had only been in the workforce for a few years, and she had a lot more ability than had ever been exercised in that job anyway, so she opted out.