Nicole Antonio-Gadsdon's Posts - RecruitingBlogs2024-03-28T21:49:51ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPDhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1527005479?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=09x7xxrxt6ubq&xn_auth=noA Recruiter’s Insider Secrets to Graduate Interview Successtag:recruitingblogs.com,2017-07-11:502551:BlogPost:20278512017-07-11T20:54:15.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557621004?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="377" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557621004?profile=original" width="565"></img></a> <em>Image source: Pixabay</em></p>
<p>These <b>Insider Secrets to Graduate Interview Success</b> are not for your typical graduate job hunter.</p>
<p>But first let me congratulate you on obtaining your degree. Now with that out of the way let’s get down to real business.</p>
<p>The contents of this post are a departure from your typical graduate interview preparation…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557621004?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="565" height="377" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557621004?profile=original"/></a><em>Image source: Pixabay</em></p>
<p>These <b>Insider Secrets to Graduate Interview Success</b> are not for your typical graduate job hunter.</p>
<p>But first let me congratulate you on obtaining your degree. Now with that out of the way let’s get down to real business.</p>
<p>The contents of this post are a departure from your typical graduate interview preparation tips.</p>
<p>If you are looking for a list of typical graduate interview questions to revise or a list of clever hacks that guarantee that you will get a job, I must disappoint you.</p>
<p>What you will get in this post is a serving of insider recruiter secrets that your typical university careers advisor is unlikely to give you.</p>
<p>I want to help you separate from the herd of thousands of graduates hunting for a job. You need the inside scoop on how progressive organisations hire remarkable employees.</p>
<p>Want to learn how you can be remarkable in a graduate interview from your <i>Graduate Recruitment faerie godmother?</i></p>
<p><b><i>Who am I to call myself your graduate recruitment faerie godmother?</i></b></p>
<p>Once upon a time, I dodged becoming a lawyer <i>(sorry family</i>), skipped through a two year bank manager graduate trainee programme <i>(not my cup of tea)</i> before finding my happy HR home as a specialist graduate recruiter leading the annual hiring process that converted nearly 3,000 applications for 100 graduate jobs in top retail bank in the UK. Since then, I have always had a soft spot for graduate recruitment.</p>
<p>Read on to discover the real (often undisclosed) hiring criteria and interview process geared towards finding that rock star candidate and future remarkable employee.</p>
<p><strong>Game on.</strong></p>
<p>The graduate job hunting season is officially open. The competition to secure a coveted graduate job is fierce.</p>
<p>Times have changed. Being an exam-passing machine will not cut the mustard. The fact is, today’s progressive and creativity-biased companies are looking for different qualities from candidates during the hiring process.</p>
<p>Their recruiters are on a mission. They don't want to hire cookie-cutter applicants who lack personality, creativity and grit. Instead, recruiters are searching for exceptions to the rule – curious, fresh-thinking individuals willing and able to make a real contribution to help the organisation fulfill its purpose.</p>
<p align="center"><b>3 Secrets to Interview Success A Remarkable Graduate Needs to Know</b></p>
<p><b>1. Reviewing and shortlisting candidate applications: </b>Personally, I am looking for CVs / Resumes / Online Profiles / Personal web pages which remind me of my favourite sofa – an overstuffed, colourful, lived-in testament to interesting adventures and learning experiences beyond the boundaries of your chosen course of study and final degree.</p>
<p>Please let us be clear. I don’t mean the puffed up, over-fluffed, waffle-packed, windbag dossiers which clog up graduate recruiters’ and hiring managers’ inboxes.</p>
<p>I don’t mean the suspiciously paid-for-perfect profiles which blur the lines between storytelling and downright lies. They are damning evidence of the evil cookie-cutter CV design trend.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The interview is the chance for the recruiter to learn about YOU and what makes you tick. They are not interested in hearing you regurgitate the stock answers to interview questions.</p>
<p>Examples of a deep-dive into a subject area or a passion project combined with real world experience are highly sought after. These are glorious hints of an open mind and valuable skills that could be transferred into the right role within the organisation. They increase the likelihood of you being invited for an interview to tell the recruiter more.</p>
<p align="center"><b><i>It’s our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” ~ J.K. Rowling</i></b></p>
<p><b>2. The Interview: </b>Recruiters are interested in your values (<i>what do you stand for?)</i> as much as the value you can bring to the organisation. This is what creative, innovative, human-centric companies are looking for in their graduate hires.</p>
<p>Start with this. Know your UVC – <b>Unique Value Contribution</b>. It does not mean how fabulous you are or how prestigious your university is <i>(to be honest I don’t care to know)</i>.</p>
<p>UVC is all about your willingness to contribute and your ability to make a difference and an impact<b>.</b></p>
<p>Rock star candidates have thought deeply about their UVC and are able to explain it with clarity and conviction at interview.</p>
<p align="center"><b><i>“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision” ~ Neil Gaiman</i></b></p>
<p><b>3. Hit the ‘what’s in it for me’ button</b>. People are looking for 3 wishes to be fulfilled. Remember organisations are led by people.</p>
<p>Before the interview research the organisation, the market and their competitors. Savvy graduates get fresh ideas from other industries or disciplines. <b>Don’t skimp on this!</b></p>
<p>During your interview share your ideas of tangible ways <b><u>how</u></b> you can make a difference in these three areas. Be specific, <b>this is a NO-FLUFF zone!</b></p>
<p>First of all, <b>solve a painful problem</b> suffered by the business / team. Suggest ways to overcome a challenge or obstacle. <b>ROCK STAR</b> candidates have found a problem <i>(opportunity)</i> that the organisation is not aware of, can articulate it. Furthermore they can confidently describe how they can solve it or what role they would like to take in solving it!</p>
<p>Secondly, describe how you can <b>help</b> the organisation or team fulfill its mission or purpose.</p>
<p>Finally<b>, demonstrate</b> or explain how the company’s cause or mission resonate with their own ambitions, dreams and values.</p>
<p>Always keep these <b>‘3 magic beans’</b> at the forefront of your mind while you are applying for a job or preparing for your graduate interview. They will help you stand out from the herd of typical applicants and cookie-cutter, hack-loving candidates.</p>
<p>Here’s to your remarkable success with your graduate job interviews. Remember exceptional organisations want to hire the exceptions to the rule. Is that you?</p>
<p>Recruiters! Share these interviewing insider secrets with graduates you know who are willing and able to put in the extra work to be remarkable.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2017/05/22/insider-secrets-to-graduate-interview-success/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> blog . It has been condensed and tweaked by the author. Now it is freshly served to the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<div id="sab-description"><em>Nicole Antonio-Gadsdon is an advocate of Creative HR and an activist for putting the ‘human’ before the ‘resources’. She is particularly fond of ruffling Establishment feathers to help revolutionise HR as a valuable business discipline and to support HR pros transform from blah to cooking with gas.</em> <em>Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></div>Exposed! The Toxic Performance Improvement Plan Scandaltag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-07-25:502551:BlogPost:19785042016-07-25T19:20:17.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>5 Ways to Clean Up a Toxic Performance Management Practise For Good</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557593962?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="265" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557593962?profile=original" width="395"></img></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Extra! Extra! Read All About It…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">THE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN SCANDAL EXPOSÉ.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">When I read about this dirty (but not-so-secret) secret, I knew I had to…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>5 Ways to Clean Up a Toxic Performance Management Practise For Good</strong></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557593962?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557593962?profile=original" height="265" width="395"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Extra! Extra! Read All About It…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">THE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN SCANDAL EXPOSÉ.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">When I read about this dirty (but not-so-secret) secret, I knew I had to share it.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It blows the lid off a scandalous, sad, true tale of hazardous leadership behaviour and disgraceful management practice.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you find revelations of this kind too disturbing, stop reading now.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you prefer to remain in a sanitized bubble; this post is not for you.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you find it hard to be on the receiving end of criticism (<em>constructive</em>), you mightn’t want to proceed.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But if you are serious about human-centric and respectful leadership, genuine improvement, value creation through people and making opportunities for the remarkable to take root; <strong>then read on</strong>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>Are you ready?</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Hold on tight as this is ride is going to make your stomach drop and your brain rattle.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Before we press on, let us pause to reflect on a little performance improvement plan history. The noble performance management origins of the PIP.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">PIPs were intended as a useful and valuable tool for assisting a struggling employee to improve their performance to the standard required by the organisation.</p>
<blockquote><p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“A performance improvement plan (PIP), also known as a performance action plan, is a great way to give struggling employees the opportunity to succeed while still holding them accountable for past performance. It is not always clear why an employee has poor performance. Did he or she not receive appropriate training? Does the employee not understand the expectations of the job? Are there unforeseen roadblocks in the way?”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/how-to-guides/pages/performanceimprovementplan.aspx" target="_blank">'How to Establish a Performance Improvement Plan',</a> Society for Human Resource Managers (SHRM)</em><a href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/how-to-guides/pages/performanceimprovementplan.aspx" target="_blank"></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“Once the reasons for poor performance have been identified, a performance-improvement plan has to be put into place to clarify the improvement needed. The more precise and structured that plan is, the greater the safeguards for employer, manager and member of staff.”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/toolclicks/management/training-tools/performance-improvement/writing-improvement-plans/default.aspx" target="_blank">'Management Tools',</a> Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">We all know that a well crafted PIP is a way to track and assess an employee’s capability to perform the role for which they have been hired. If managed correctly, it can be used as supporting evidence and a criteria for a legally fair dismissal.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Sadly, this tool that was created to help and improve has been misused for lazy people management practise, C.Y.A trickery and other organisational hocus-pocusing.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The reality is that PIPs are the ancient tools of old-style performance management practice.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">PIPs are built on a negative situation. It is a plain and simple fact that the way in which PIPs are used often do little to improve skill, behaviour or over all employee performance.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">They have earned a solid a terrible reputation as the harbinger of doom, the messenger of failure and the emissary of bad employment endings.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">They have spawned a new creative discipline, practiced by savvy employees to game the system and survive the PIP trap. <a href="https://medium.com/@mryitch/surviving-performance-improvement-plans-950370a96cca#.wc77gwx22" target="_blank">Here’s an example.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In his usual no-holds-barred style, Ted Bauer rips back the corner of HR’s fancy rug. He shines a light on the dust, the detritus and <em>dirty little secrets</em> hidden there.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>“The goal of a performance improvement plan isn’t improvement. It’s managing threats and risk and moving the people you don’t like out the door.” </em></strong> <a href="http://thecontextofthings.com/2016/04/09/performance-improvement-plan/" target="_blank">Read more here.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Be honest, are you really surprised?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Get the full scoop in ‘Performance improvement plan: The dirty little secret’. Go on, I dare you!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Ted is not alone spilling the beans on this dodgy performance management practice, its root causes and toxic effects. Liz Ryan exposes ‘The Truth About Performance Improvement Plans’.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>“A manager only puts you on a Performance Improvement Plan when they want to get rid of you. Instead of a Performance Improvement Plan, it should be called ‘This is the First Step Toward Firing You Plan’, because that is what’s happening.” </em></strong>Liz Ryan.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Can you handle the truth?</strong> If you can, then <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2016/04/08/the-truth-about-performance-improvement-plans/#45a64bb33740" target="_blank">read Liz Ryan’s article for Forbes in full here</a>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Start Cleaning Up Toxic Performance Management Practises Right Now<br/></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">So does reading all of this so far make you feel appalled, incensed, bristling with outrage?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>Et tu, HR?</em></strong> HR must accept its role in betraying the original ‘improvement’ purpose of the PIP.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The situation doesn’t have to remain this way. You can contribute to the clean-up of HR’s reputation and stop employee performance improvement from being a farce. But only if you want to.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>What will you do HR? What will you do different and better as a Leader?</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Employees want to be supported and led in an honest, non-toxic way to their best work. And you can give it to them.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You know this desire. You wish this for yourself too.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The longer you let toxic practices linger unchecked in your organisation, the farther the hazard will spread, increasing the cost to clean up and correct. It will seep into your organisation’s culture and cause untold damage within your employee community.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Do you want to clean up this toxic spill?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You can make a start in creating a fresh, clean work environment here.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong> 5 Ways to Clean Up a Toxic Performance Management Practise For Good</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597693?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597693?profile=original" height="271" width="361"/></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. Say NO</strong> to any behaviour that breaks a law or compromises ethics or the positive values of your organisation. If you know that the manager’s request to put his/her team member on a PIP is bogus, expose it, don’t do it and don’t endorse it. <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/03/05/do-you-want-to-create-extraordinary-leading-hr-value-every-day/" target="_blank">Read more an HR professional’s untapped power of No here.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Speaking out or standing up for what is right takes you way out there on the edge. HR leaders must be first in line to defend the organisation from the infection of behaviours and values which do not serve employees, customers and by extension the business. HR is the guardian of the organisation’s values and positive work culture. Trading your silence and blind compliance for a seat at the senior leadership table shows you to be an untrustworthy chump.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. Trust</strong> is a critical asset HR cannot do without. Without it, you cannot begin to do great work. Trust begins and ends with behaviour. HR professionals must be ethically minded with a bias for action. <em>Do you do what you say – every time? Do you follow through and not flip-flop on your promises? Do you know when to enforce the law and break the rules? Do you do what is right even under difficult circumstances?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you do, you are on the way to earning respect for yourself and your HR function.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. Show and Tell</strong> the costs of actioning a toxic PIP. Sometimes appealing to good sense and decency is not enough. Calculate and show the monetary costs to the business (e.g. legal fees, unfair dismissal payout) and explain the adverse impact on the internal and external employer brand reputation. Speak the language of business intelligently.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. Co-Design:</strong> Ensure that job roles are clearly defined and are of value to the business. The best chance of success is when operational managers <strong><u>AND</u></strong> HR collaborate in the design and updating of job descriptions / role profiles to ensure role purpose accuracy and relevance of the work being carried out by employees in the roles.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Put a stop the travesty of square pegs stuck in round holes. You know what I mean. Those employees languishing in roles that do not suit their skills and talents nor add value to the organisation. These are the ‘ghosts in the machine’ – the ones that no one knows what they actually do and no one cares enough to find out.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5. Replace PIP with PEP</strong>: Shift the thinking from performance improvement to performance enhancement. Create a culture where regular positive conversations take place about building on an employee’s existing skills and strengths, not just ‘fixing’ problem areas in crisis-mode.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This is not a quick win but a focus on continuous development and growth for both the employee and the organisation. Performance enhancement activities must be aligned with wider long-term organisation talent and legacy/succession planning.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">So there you have it. Try these 5 ways to clean up and remove old toxic performance management practises from your organisation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>What other ways to clean up toxic performance management practises can you add?</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let’s start a different and better conversation about employee performance enhancement.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/blog-archive/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/07/16/exposed-the-toxic-performance-improvement-plan-scandal/" target="_blank">16th July 2016</a>. It has been tweaked only a little by the author and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Aquarius Human Resources Consulting. Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR,</a> breaking rules and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Why You Need to Stop Hiring with Cookie Cutter Competenciestag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-06-28:502551:BlogPost:19744782016-06-28T18:00:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557595958?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557595958?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="377"></img></a></p>
<p>This post is inspired by a chance meeting with a fellow HR practitioner and the conversation that followed.</p>
<p> It was a few Tuesdays ago, 10.30am. I was sitting in my favourite coffee shop, taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi and their not free, but delicious nonetheless, coffee.</p>
<p> I glanced up from my lap top to see ‘X’, whom I hadn’t seen for a…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557595958?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="377" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557595958?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="377" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p>This post is inspired by a chance meeting with a fellow HR practitioner and the conversation that followed.</p>
<p> It was a few Tuesdays ago, 10.30am. I was sitting in my favourite coffee shop, taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi and their not free, but delicious nonetheless, coffee.</p>
<p> I glanced up from my lap top to see ‘X’, whom I hadn’t seen for a while.</p>
<p> “<em>Hey</em>!” X said, “<em>I loved your blog post with the 25 Interview Questions</em>”. I beamed!</p>
<p> “But what competencies do I assess the responses against?”</p>
<p> ‘X’ had made an important point. A lively conversation followed over cups of coffee. I gladly paid for the coffees – grateful for the brainpoke.</p>
<p>Now down to business!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>How to Freshen Up Your Stale Hiring Criteria When You Lack Inspiration</b></p>
<p>I am a keen student and observer of the kind of gutsy hiring happening in thriving organisations.</p>
<p>These are the trends and actions I am keeping an eye on.</p>
<p>They recruit for stretch and actively seek out difference makers; not <i>‘more people like us’.</i> <a href="http://www.inc.com/lisa-calhoun/5-big-reasons-not-to-hire-for-culture-fit.html" target="_blank">Hiring for culture fit</a> has proved to be a slippery slope to sleepy complacency and sloth-like inertia in organisations.</p>
<p align="center"><b><i>“It’s wiser to follow the example from the design firm IDEO, and hire on cultural contribution. Instead of looking for people who fit the culture, ask what’s missing from your culture, and select people who can bring that to the table”.</i></b> <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2016/02/02/adam-grant-why-you-shouldnt-hire-for-cultural-fit/#55c649e56f5c" target="_blank">Adam Grant in a Forbes interview.</a></p>
<p>Gutsy, thriving organisations have long ago <b><i>(that is if they ever did this in the first place)</i></b> banished cookie cutter competencies from their recruitment process.</p>
<p>Yes, they do hire for job-related, functional skills needed to perform the critical tasks of a given role. But they go further.</p>
<p>For success in today’s fast changing business landscape, focusing talent and experience is simply not enough these days.</p>
<p>Relying on your list of stale old competencies and hiring criteria is a surefire way to lose your chance to positively contribute and build a dynamic employee community.</p>
<p align="center"><b> </b></p>
<p align="center"><b>How to Freshen Up Your Stale, Same Old Hiring Criteria</b></p>
<p><b><u>Answer these questions.</u></b></p>
<ul>
<li>Do you want to build a community of difference makers in your organisation?</li>
<li>Do you want to know the super skills and mind-sets that savvy HR, and Recruiters in gutsy thriving organisations look for in new hires?</li>
</ul>
<p>OK! Let’s go.</p>
<p>It’s time step beyond what you have been doing for ages. Replace your cookie cutter competency criteria with these <b>7 fresh mind-set / super skills criteria</b>.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557599198?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557599198?profile=original" height="197" width="351"/></a></p>
<p>Do this and you will be on your way to creating value through your recruitment process.</p>
<p><b>1. Bias for action and the remarkable</b>: They don’t wait to be ‘given’ opportunities but seek out chances to do the remarkable; even from dull and ordinary tasks. As if by magic they can turn the dull into a delight and deliver extraordinary from the ordinary.</p>
<p><b>2. Learn and Unlearn</b>: Willing and able to pursue self-directed learning with the ability to learn (new and different) and unlearn (the irrelevant and low value) simultaneously. Shares with colleagues and applies new learning in daily work and interactions.</p>
<p><b>3. Self-disrupt</b>. Consciously and deliberately choose to push to the known edge of their role and capabilities. They don’t allow themselves to get comfortable.</p>
<p><b>4. A Quitter and A Sticker:</b> Knows when to quit and when to stick because of a focus on creating value and making a difference. Values and purpose alignment is always a consideration and is used to inform decisions and action.</p>
<p><b>5. Relishes Responsibility:</b> Actively seeks out more responsibility for personal growth and/or to help grow the business.</p>
<p><b>6. Leading Up</b>: The ability to lead and influence to up. Watch this video of <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o76qx7ZzFs4" target="_blank">Seth Godin, ‘Thinking Backwards’</a></b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o76qx7ZzFs4" target="_blank">talk for Creative Mornings HQ.</a></p>
<p>An inspirational and thought-provoking talk on our new reality and the mind-sets needed in the post-industrial economy - no matter what industry you are in.</p>
<p><b>7. Dare to Care:</b> Involved in or doing a ‘passion project’ that is outside of their regular job. Work that fulfills personal purpose, values or engages interests or talents not being used in their regular job.</p>
<p><b>WARNING!</b> When you stop using cookie cutter competencies and start hiring with super skills / mind-set criteria, you will need to create the environment where this mind-set can thrive and bloom within your organisation. Remember difference-makers know when to stick and when to quit.</p>
<p>Now is a good time to go back to the 25 Unexpected Questions to Help you Interview for the Rare and the Remarkable, posted here in Recruiting Blogs or via <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/05/06/25-unexpected-questions-to-help-you-interview-for-rare-value/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole blog</a>.</p>
<p>Select appropriate questions to suit each of the new 7 mind-set criteria.</p>
<p><b>OR</b> Simply, choose to add your own questions and mind-set criteria to <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/11/15/rediscover-the-valuable-lost-art-of-recruitment-selection-design/" target="_blank">design your way to improved recruitment results.</a></p>
<p>I’ve said this before. I believe HR is Art. It may feel like a martial art discipline sometimes – but art it is nonetheless.</p>
<p>Practice <i>‘the Art of HR’.</i> Selection Design is an opportunity for HR to make a meaningful difference and contribute value to the business.</p>
<ul>
<li>What new hiring criteria are you using?</li>
<li>How are you creating fresh value through your recruitment process?</li>
</ul>
<p>Share in the comments. I would love to read them.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/blog-archive/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 19th June 2016. It has been tweaked only a little by the author and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR,</a> breaking rules and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>25 Unexpected Questions to Help You Interview for Rare Valuetag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-05-20:502551:BlogPost:19695352016-05-20T20:54:03.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597246?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="277" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597246?profile=original" width="388"></img></a> Still need convincing to break some rules and shake up your interview questions?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Here’s why you should.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Unicorns and Purple Squirrels</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">No I haven’t lost my marbles.…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597246?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597246?profile=original" height="277" width="388"/></a>Still need convincing to break some rules and shake up your interview questions?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable">Here’s why you should.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Unicorns and Purple Squirrels</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">No I haven’t lost my marbles.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Stick with me.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In today’s business world there are a confusing array of success criteria. In terms of perceived and accepted ‘value’, mythical creatures have captured the imagination.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The quest to own <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn_%28finance%29" target="_blank">a unicorn (business)</a> or to somehow share in the reflected magic does not seem to be disappearing anytime soon.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In employment space, the search continues for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_squirrel" target="_blank">the ‘perfect’ candidate – the elusive Purple Squirrel</a>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>B.O.L.O Alert:</strong> Be On The Look Out for the Rare and Remarkably Valuable Purple Squirrel.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597454?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557597454?profile=original" height="239" width="239"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You would be hard pressed to capture <strong>a Purple Squirrel</strong> with your trusty bank of old interview questions.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/common-job-interview-questions-2016-5" target="_blank">These comfortable questions have served you well in the past. </a> They have helped you to assess your candidate’s experience, qualifications and skills against the requirements of the job.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But common questions will only get you so far in this high-stakes game. For this odyssey, you need to shake up your interview questions and hiring process if you want to attract the remarkably rare.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You need to dig deep. You’ll want to get down to the nitty-gritty of what makes them tick.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I know your plate is full. Alright, it’s overflowing. You are juggling more nuts than a squirrel, trying to keep up with your regular responsibilities. Hunting for purple squirrels is more like wishful thinking right now.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>What if I show you a short cut to get started?</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/04/29/how-to-break-from-the-usual-and-revive-your-interview-process/" target="_blank"><strong>First go here.</strong> Take your pick from 7 story connector interviewing tips.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Come right back as I promised to open my own swipe file of <strong>story connector interview questions</strong>. They are carefully crafted to sniff out precious value; such as the promising qualities, willingness to contribute, passions, potential career paths and the authentic personality of your candidate.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>25 Unexpected Questions to Help You Interview for the Rare and the Remarkable</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>Before you dive in, here are a few words of caution.</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Remember, you want to engage in a meaningful conversation with your candidate. Practice the art of conversation. <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/04/29/how-to-break-from-the-usual-and-revive-your-interview-process/" target="_blank">Here’s a style tip from the podcasters. <strong>Pile and bundle your questions.</strong></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It’s OK to do this and here’s why.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Story connector questions are different to regular interview questions. Each question acts as a cue, to prompt the storyteller (candidate) to add layers to their response and share an authentic story.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Be careful as question stacking is like conversation starter lighter fuel. You need to restrict yourself to adding a few strategically placed story connector questions amongst your regular interview questions in the beginning. Then build on your conversation from there.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Draw inspiration from these 25 questions, customise to suit or design your own. Above all, create your own swipe file.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">To help get you started, here is a peek into mine.I have listed my non-traditional HR questions in no particular order of priority or preference.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. </strong> What’s your biggest dream / aspiration and what are you doing to make it happen?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. </strong> Do you find it easy to ask for help? When was the last time you did this? What was the situation? How did you feel?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. </strong> Please tell me about a change you made at home /work to make life easier for yourself / someone else? Why was it important for you to do this?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4.</strong> Please tell me about a change you made at home / work to make someone else happy? What made you do this?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5.</strong> What are you doing when you are at your best – in the zone? What talents, knowledge and values are you drawing on or using?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>6.</strong> Do you think you are remarkable? What makes you remarkable?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>7.</strong> What makes you different (standout) from other people?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>8.</strong> What can you offer the world that no one else can? <a href="http://chrisguillebeau.com/" target="_blank"><em>Source Chris Guillebeau, The Art of Non-Conformity.</em></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>9.</strong> What do you really want to get out of life? <a href="http://chrisguillebeau.com/" target="_blank"><em>Source Chris Guillebeau, The Art of Non-Conformity.</em> </a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>10.</strong> When was the last time you did something for the first time? What did you do?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>11.</strong> What was the last book (blog, article) you read? What was about it that made an impression on you?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>12.</strong> What do you understand by the phrase “lift as you climb”? How do you practice this?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>13.</strong> What would you do if you didn’t have to work?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>14.</strong> What character trait do you really appreciate in a colleague / leader?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>15.</strong> What character trait would you like to have? Why?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>16.</strong> What was your latest discovery?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>17.</strong> What is your greatest triumph?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>18.</strong> What can you not live without / throw away? What value or meaning does it hold for you?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>19.</strong> What do most people not know about you? <em>(hidden skill, talent, hope or dream?)</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>20.</strong> What criticism hurt you the most? Why?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>21.</strong> When did you last want the ground to swallow you up? How did you move past that feeling?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>22.</strong> Who are your mentors / teachers? How did they influence you? What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>23.</strong> Was there an “Aha!” moment when you realised you could or wanted to seriously pursue [XX]? <a href="https://thegreatdiscontent.com/digital-features" target="_blank"><em>Source: The Great Discontent.</em></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>24.</strong> What advice would you give to a young person starting out? <strong>OR</strong> What advice would you give your younger self? <a href="https://thegreatdiscontent.com/digital-features" target="_blank"><em>Source: The Great Discontent.</em></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>25.</strong> Tell me about your path to what you are doing now? <a href="https://thegreatdiscontent.com/digital-features" target="_blank"><em>Source: The Great Discontent. </em></a> What is next for you?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Swipe File Closed!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>WARNING!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You can’t start throwing story connector questions willy-nilly into your old interview process and expect a miraculous uplift in your hiring results.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Genuine conversations need both participants to connect with each other in a meaningful way.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">To be a skilled interviewer <strong><u>AND</u></strong> story connector, you need to be absolutely present in the moment with the candidate / story teller. <strong>No distractions.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Eye-contact, empathy and exceptional listening skills are a must. <strong>You cannot fake this.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Now this style of interviewing is not for everyone, and that’s OK.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But if you want to make a difference badly enough, you must be willing to rethink what you are currently doing and make some changes.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You might not need to ditch your complete hiring process. A few small tweaks here and there, might be all that is needed to move your interview process from regular to stellar.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Ready to add some pizazz to your interviewing style to create a value-rich interview experience?</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Season your old interview process with a few story connector interview questions and take a step closer to hiring remarkable individuals to join your employee community. Let me know how you get on.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>Before I sign off, here is my final word (for now).</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Be mindful and present in everything you do. Always make time to observe and listen keenly – conversations in the coffee shop or bus stop, at the gym, at the market, quality televised interviews, podcast, print or digital media interviews, any interaction with top notch customer experience. I keep a small note book close by ready to scribble down any unexpected great questions and interactions. Human interaction is the inspiration you cannot beat.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/blog-archive/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 6th May 2016. It has been tweaked only a little by the author and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Avoid these Ruinous Rookie HR Mistakes to Achieve Leadership Credibilitytag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-04-22:502551:BlogPost:19643112016-04-22T21:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557587807?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557587807?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="317"></img></a> <strong>Your Rookie HR Leader Guide to Surviving the First 60 Days On the Job Successfully</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Congratulations, freshly minted HR Leader.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your star has been rising as an individual contributor to the business’ HR function.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Perhaps, you…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557587807?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="317" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557587807?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="317" class="align-left"/></a><strong>Your Rookie HR Leader Guide to Surviving the First 60 Days On the Job Successfully</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Congratulations, freshly minted HR Leader.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your star has been rising as an individual contributor to the business’ HR function.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Perhaps, you ‘inherited’ the HR responsibility and function in a rapidly expanding start up.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">No matter how you got here; <strong>Congratulations!</strong> You have just landed your first HR leadership role.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your personal achievements and your individual style got you here. But now it is no longer about you. It is about <strong>YOU</strong> leading and facilitating others to achieve.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is your opportunity to impart meaning and value to the business, through and for your employee community.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Where is the best place to start?</strong></li>
<li><strong>What is a rookie HR Leader to do?</strong></li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">You want to be sure that your new mantle of leadership doesn’t turn into a poisoned chalice filled with disappointment and regret.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here is my top pick words of wisdom which were generously gifted to me when I was a rookie HR Leader.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I have mixed in some golden nuggets which, if I hadn’t stubbornly ignored, would have saved me some unnecessary pain through hard lessons. Of course you too are quite at liberty to ignore this advice.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here are some pitfalls to avoid and practical action you can take to win your HR Leader Credibility in the first 60 days of taking office.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>You Needn’t Sabotage Your New HR Leader Credibility Before You Even Start</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. ‘L’ is for?</strong> ‘L’ in these circumstances is <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">NOT</span></strong> for Learner; but for Leader. You will be leading whilst learning.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Not for you, the new HR Leader, the luxury of the first 100 days in post to set out your plan and make a positive impact. The period of one hundred days intense scrutiny is reserved for Presidents, Prime Ministers, minor Heads of State and Captains of Industry.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Not for you, the new HR Leader, a 90 day probation period to acclimatise to the role. That is reserved for members of the wider employee community and its leaders.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In HR you get 60 days maximum. <strong><em>“Sixty days!!”</em></strong> I hear you cry.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In the first 30 days you need to make an impressive first impression.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Thereafter, the next 30 days must be dedicated to doing and delivering tangible results and meaningful difference.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. Ignore your job title:</strong> Take extra care if your new title has words such as “Vice-President”, “Strategic”, “Chief” and “Director” etc. <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/03/05/do-you-want-to-create-extraordinary-leading-hr-value-every-day/" target="_blank">Preoccupation with prestige can be a seductive trap.</a> The more ostentatiously eye-catching the title, the increased risk of it being used to bamboozle and befuddle you from doing what actually matters to people and the business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I understand the traditional need to label and bestow titles. In reality, your job title is an occasionally glamourous, sometimes obsolete and often useless distraction from doing meaningful work.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. ‘Normal’ feelings:</strong> As with any new position, get ready for the emotional roller coaster ride. It will include exhilaration, feeling overwhelmed, and triumph washed with fearful waves of self-doubt. Add to all this, your inner critic is whispering that you may have bitten off more than you can chew. These are NORMAL feelings.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Showing a stressed, panicked or aggressive demeanour will hurt your leadership credibility. Be human. Find different ways and alternative places to channel your nerves positively.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Don’t be like the HR Leader so consumed by the crazy pressure to impress, they routinely answered emails from Corporate, at 2am in the morning in the bathroom. This is not only unhealthy but also insane. This is a true story!!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/04/13/dont-follow-the-herd-follow-the-leader/" target="_blank">Be a follow-worthy leader.</a> Don’t expect to have all the answers. Mistakes will happen and trying to cover them up will always make it worse. Set the tone and model the values of the culture you want to create or promote.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Do you want a transparent culture where everyone sees mistakes as learning opportunities to improve? Lead the way!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5. Objective 3<sup>rd</sup> Party:</strong> Don’t be a mouthpiece for senior management nor employees. There are no sides to choose. Don’t throw away your fledgling authority.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“People will always try to stop you from doing the right thing if it is unconventional.”</em></strong>Warren Buffett, Investor, Philanthropist.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Build on strong values and position your HR as a driver for what is right for the business and the employee community.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>6. Find out what your EX saying about you</strong>! No not that Ex; this EX.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">As a savvy HR professional, you know that it is business critical to have a clear understanding of what your EX <strong>(Employee Experience)</strong> is saying about you as an organisation at each state of the employment experience and across multiple media.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your business leaders may be all about the <strong>CX (Customer Experience)</strong>; but that is only one piece of the human puzzle that makes up a thriving business environment.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Until the robots completely take-over the business world, employee to customer connection, continues to drive business growth and brand reputation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I love this deliciously sacrilegious (<em>to some</em>) business focus. <a href="http://www.cx-journey.com/2015/09/treat-employees-better-than-customers.html" target="_blank"><strong><em>“Treat employees better than customers.”</em></strong> Annette Franz.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>7. HR is a value-centre not a cost-centre</strong>: It’s easy to say it. Now you have to live it and prove it.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You may inherit an HR strategic plan. If you are <strong>lucky</strong>, it is current and closely aligned with the organisation’s strategy. If you are <strong>unlucky,</strong> it is an outdated pile of unmentionables.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You need to move fast. There is little time to waste on creating an HR plan that can quickly become irrelevant almost before you can get it ring-bound and distributed.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Set your own agenda and anchor it to what is important to HR’s customers (employees’ needs and managers’ pain points) and the business’ priorities (growth, new products etc.)</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Speak to operational managers, understand the sales and marketing focus and get a grip on the financials at play. <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/11/29/5-smart-hr-audit-keys-to-unlock-premium-value/" target="_blank">Carry out a HR Value Audit.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">With this information create your 60+ day HR Action Plan, clarify expectations with your internal stakeholders, execute and deliver. Be sure to regularly communicate clear milestones and progress.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>8. Embrace complex challenges</strong>: Don’t shy away from complex challenges in your 60+ day HR Action Plan. This is where precious opportunities to make a meaningful difference and create value lie.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/01/17/why-you-need-to-wean-yourself-off-being-busy/" target="_blank">The easy pickings of low impact busywork must be avoided at all costs</a>, if you are to survive your first 60 days on the job successfully.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Now success in the first 60 days isn’t an automatic guarantee for success later. Early missteps, if handled correctly, will not condemn a new HR Leader to disaster or mediocrity.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In the first 60 days as a rookie HR Leader you will be like a bug under the microscope. But with courage, care and creativity, this is your opportunity to build your credibility and play a key role in leading the business to achieve its goals.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This is by no means an exhaustive list; but it is enough to get you safely on the path to becoming a savvy HR Leader.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">There are so many cautionary tales and inspiring stories about how to navigate the early days of your first HR Leadership role.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Experienced HR Leaders what other tips can you add?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">New HR Leaders what are your thoughts on this post?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Drop a note in the comment box.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/blog-archive/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 10th April 2016. It has been tweaked only a little by the author and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>3 Creative Ideas to Upgrade Your Bog-Standard New Employee Orientationtag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-03-23:502551:BlogPost:19535192016-03-23T17:00:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557590522?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557590522?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="328"></img></a> <strong>Do You Care Enough to Upgrade Your New Employee Orientation Experience?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The clock is ticking.<br></br> It’s been a while – months, likely years. You are afraid to check.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You know it is way past its consume-by date but you are still serving it cold to your unsuspecting…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557590522?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="328" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557590522?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="328" class="align-left"/></a><strong>Do You Care Enough to Upgrade Your New Employee Orientation Experience?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The clock is ticking.<br/> It’s been a while – months, likely years. You are afraid to check.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You know it is way past its consume-by date but you are still serving it cold to your unsuspecting audience.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You don’t need read the employee feedback comments or the expressions on the participant’s faces. You know. It is painfully passé.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You know that it is dull and dreary. Let’s be honest, it is an unbelievable unappetising mess.<br/> The sad state of affairs that is the company orientation programme is broadcasting your dereliction of duty ‘to’ care to your new employees.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Of course, the bog-standard orientation programme is the trusty vehicle used to communicate important company information; the organisation’s structure, vision, mission, core values, policies, payroll and performance expectations.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Sadly this is often delivered as a culture sheep-dip programme and a dry top-down, force-feeding of the company’s expectations and goals.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Yes the time has come to take decisive action.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>HR leaders, Recruiters, Business owners and leaders, Entrepreneurs;</strong> this one is for you.<br/> Think deep and answer these <strong>3 questions.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1.</strong> What kind of experience do you want to deliver to your customers (guests)?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><br/> <strong>2.</strong> What is the experience you want your customers (guests) to have at every connection point with your company and brand?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><br/> <strong>3.</strong> What is the experience of your brand you want your customers (guests) to share with the world?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Finally and this is the biggie – <strong>D</strong><strong>o you care enough to craft your new employee experience around what you want your customers to experience, spread and champion for you?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>Psst! This question also applies to your existing employees’ experience in work and around your organisation. But more on topic this another time.</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Bottom line.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><br/> <em><strong>“When a company cares about its staff, suppliers, customers and the way it shows up in and affects the world, that caring is reflected in the products and services the company creates.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;">Meaningful: The Story of Ideas That Fly, Bernadette Jiwa.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Design for Care, Not Control</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">A thoughtfully designed new employee orientation is a onetime opportunity in the employment relationship that you would be foolish to miss.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is a good way for new team members to learn about their new organisation and colleagues. But it is also the occasion where both the employer and employee confirm to each other that the decision to enter into the work agreement is and feels right for both parties.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This is an enormous opportunity for the organisation’s leaders to learn more about their employees. Don’t stop there! Hear their stories.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Invest the time and craft ways to connect their stories with the organisation’s story; and their personal goals with the business purpose. Sincerely show them that you see them as individuals to be cared about not as a ‘resource’ to be exploited.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">How you care about your employees will be reflected in the way they care about your customers (guests) and your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In return, you increase the likelihood that your employees will gift your organisation with the best of their talents and creativity, commitment to do great work and their energy to help your business fulfill its purpose.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your ideas, products and services can be copied or stolen.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your competitor can pay more and offer more generous perks to try to entice your employees to leave you.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But the way you genuinely care about your employees and show how you sincerely value their opinions, contributions, and lives are hard for your competitors to copy and steal.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">They may even be impossible to replicate and rip off if you care and value your employee community – consistently across all touch points of your employer brand. Zero in on HR-led processes from the start of the employment relationship to the end. E.g. recruitment, onboarding, orientation/induction, performance management, learning and development, compensation and exit.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“…giving a damn is seriously underrated and caring is competitive advantage.”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;">Meaningful: The Story of Ideas That Fly, Bernadette Jiwa</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let me share some ideas how you can upgrade your bog-standard new hire orientation programme to a stellar welcome experience infused with care and value.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>3 Creative Plugins for Your New Employee Orientation</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I have selected 3 of my favourite creative plugins to upgrade your orientation from standard to superior experience.<br/> Each plugin is a way to upgrade your existing dull and dreary orientation programme to a purpose-connecting and human-centric welcome.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plugin Option 1:</span> Thoughtful, considered and customised to suit idea from luxury hotels.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Luxury hotels invest serious time and energy in creating a complete dossier on their guests’ habits, preferences and desires way before they check in.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The purpose of this pre-emptive profiling ahead of time, is to craft a customised guest experience before, during and after the guest departs. The goal is to consistently deliver an experience so great and tailored, it feels as if the hotel employees are telepathic.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">A few years back, I reluctantly travelled 3,000 miles to attend an orientation at the corporate HQ of a collection of luxury properties. I was the new employee – just starting as the Director of Human Resources for a soon-to-be-opened hotel.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In the break, I was literally gobsmacked to discover my name on beautiful hand-written envelope, welcome note inside and placed on small plate of my favourite weakness.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557590620?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557590620?profile=original" height="174" width="263"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Another colleague found his envelope next to a tall elaborately decorated <a href="http://www.ice-cream-recipes.com/knickerbockerglory.htm" target="_blank">Knickerbocker Glory</a>. This treat was a personal trip down memory lane to childhood Saturday’s being spoilt by a beloved Uncle.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The company’s HR team had trawled through our recruitment selection notes and analysed our responses on our ‘pre-arrival’ questionnaire to create our own personalised welcome experience at the orientation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It also demonstrated better than any boring bullet points on a PowerPoint the company’s values and core behaviours. The same values and behaviours all employees were expected to demonstrate in every guest and colleague interaction. Their new employee orientation was a small but key part of a solid luxury hospitality strategy.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plugin Option 2:</span> Learn through playacting</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Often quoted and still completely true then and today.<br/> <strong><em>“I hear and I forget</em></strong><br/> <strong><em>I see and I understand</em></strong><br/> <strong><em>I do and I remember.”</em></strong> – Confucius circa 450 B.C</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Interactive multi-media presentations are great for engaging visual and aural communication.<br/> As in <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/11/15/rediscover-the-valuable-lost-art-of-recruitment-selection-design/" target="_blank">recruitment and selection assessment centres,</a> or training and development programmes; well-designed context relevant role plays or exercises are hard to beat in getting results in a fun and lively way.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you want to create the mind-set for extraordinary performance executed with the desired values and behaviours you need to get your new employees up on their feet and acting.<br/> If you are able to design material from scratch, great. Sometimes you may need some inspiration about what kind of material to design or customise to suit. I still keep my well used copy of Gary Kroehnert’s <em><strong>‘101 More Training Games’</strong></em> handy. This book has since been updated to include <a href="http://www.amazon.com/More-Training-Games-Gary-Kroehnert/dp/0074707493" target="_blank">More Training Games</a>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plugin Option 3:</span> Tell AND Show Steal-Worthy Ideas</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Free yourself and save your new employees from left-over sales and marketing brochures, plain old printed materials, and lacklustre media presentations.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Save some of your recruitment marketing budget, lobby marketing for some of their loot or ask a design-savvy friend, pay a quality design agency or freelancer to get your hands on employee communication / welcome material that rocks!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I am completely crushing on the design agency <a href="http://fuzzco.com/work/welcome-to-mailchimp/" target="_blank"><strong>Fuzzco’s crazy creative work for Mailchimp</strong></a> – the email marketing services company. I love the welcome kits – <em><strong>“will you be my co-worker?”</strong></em> cards.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Check out their lust-worthy portfolio of incredible work and be inspired.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here’s is my final question to you.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Why Aren’t You Upgrading Your New Employee Orientation from Standard to Superior Experience? </strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Don’t wait to get started.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>“The job of every single business on the planet is to do just one thing—to make people happy. When you find ways to do that, you win.”</strong></em> ― Bernadette Jiwa, Meaningful: The Story of Ideas That Fly.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Which creative idea will you try to upgrade your existing new employee orientation experience? Let me know how you get on.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">What do you think makes an authentic welcome in a new employee orientation? Share your experience. Pop me a note in the comment box. You may inspire someone to get started with their upgrade.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I appreciate you hitting the share buttons to help other readers enjoy this article.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/03/13/3-creative-ideas-to-upgrade-your-bog-standard-new-employee-orientation/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 13th March 2016. It has been tweaked only a little by the author and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Start Your Unusually Creative Journey to HR’s Edgetag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-02-26:502551:BlogPost:19500612016-02-26T16:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557581328?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557581328?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="381"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong><br></br></strong> Journey to the edge of HR.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">It is not a hysteria-inducing, stomach-churning helter-skelter ride.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is not <em><strong>Woooooahhhh!</strong></em> But more of a <strong><em>Wooooo-Aha!</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is a controlled…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557581328?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="381" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557581328?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="381" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong><br/></strong> Journey to the edge of HR.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">It is not a hysteria-inducing, stomach-churning helter-skelter ride.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is not <em><strong>Woooooahhhh!</strong></em> But more of a <strong><em>Wooooo-Aha!</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is a controlled slow-motion fall that brings all of your faculties to bear; not scatter them. <strong>Lewis Carroll</strong> describes it perfectly.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">“<em><strong>…she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her, and to wonder what was going to happen next….</strong></em><br/> <em><strong>…then she looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book shelves: here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs.”</strong></em> Chapter 1: Down the rabbit hole, Alice in wonderland.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The edge is uncomfortable but it is where new discoveries await.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Why should you go to the trouble to push yourself and your HR to <a href="http://www.suddenlymarketing.com/marketing-on-the-edges-%E2%80%93-where-interesting-stuff-happens/" target="_blank">the edge</a>?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Because it is where the disruptive, interesting and transformative stuff happens.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You must be willing to self-disrupt <strong>(regularly)</strong>, go cross-discipline adventuring and swim against the tide.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557581551?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557581551?profile=original" height="392" width="295"/></a></p>
<p class="wp-caption-text selectionShareable"><em><strong><a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/13902409/Only-Dead-Fish-Go-With-the-Flow" target="_blank">Image creator: André Barros</a></strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Travel to the edge of conventional wisdom.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Journey to the brim of what you believe you know. It's valuable for you and to those you serve too.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Teetering at that point, you will make discoveries which can thrill, and help you and your organisation grow from regular to remarkable performance. <strong>WARNING:</strong> Journeys to the edge are equally scary and slightly addictive.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let me give you a peek into one of my journeys to the edge on behalf of a client.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Are you ready to join me as I retrace the highlights of a recent journey down the rabbit hole?<br/> Good. Let’s get started.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Down, down, down”</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">It started with a seemingly simple client request. My client is a stylish yet understated luxury family-owned hotel.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">They wanted help to shakeup and breathe new life into a lacklustre, limp organisation purpose. You know type I mean. <strong>YAWN!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The kind of generic purpose statement that, when applied to HR, is a sure-fire way to communicate the wrong recruitment message and attract decidedly unsuitable candidates.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The sort of declaration that is jam-packed with unremarkable values that will fail to connect with both customer and employee communities.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The run of the mill variety from which you would struggle to find a core message to translate into meaningful learning, performance management and reward programmes.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">They needed some fresh ideas to create a compelling story.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">With a click of the mouse, here we go…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">My first thoughts are where <strong>NOT</strong> to go for the desired fresh ideas.<br/> <strong>CLICK:</strong> Corporate luxury hotels? NO!<br/> <strong>CLICK:</strong> Hotels? NO!<br/> <strong>CLICK:</strong> Luxury? YES!<br/> <strong>THINK:</strong> But independent, bespoke – tailored… YES!<br/> <strong>PONDER:</strong> Saville Row tailors. Perhaps, but not quite. Fabulous, but too well-known.<br/> <strong>SAVOUR</strong>: Shoes? Aha! Shirts.<br/> <strong>SMILE</strong>: I feel that I am on the right track.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>STOP</strong>: <strong><a href="http://imperialblack.com/imperial-black-heritage/" target="_blank">Imperial Black –</a></strong> makers not only of luxury men’s shirts; but adventurers and artisans of a discerning work-lifestyle.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I urge you to read their manifesto – <a href="http://imperialblack.com/imperial-black-heritage/" target="_blank"><strong>IMPERIAL BLACK HERITAGE</strong></a> – a masterful demonstration of art of copywriting and a purpose that pulls you in. Here are two snippets to whet your appetite.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>“What started as a determination to find just the right shirt became something else entirely. Along the way things went a bit potty as we became further and further immersed in the search. If you have heard about us and read this far then there is a good chance that you share a bit of the madness and recognise something special when you come across it.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>PURPOSE CHECKLIST:</strong> Compelling story. Provenance. Values. Character [who they are and what they do]. Customer tribe description. Call to Action.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>“Our shirts are not inexpensive- they are made with passion in a beautiful place by individuals with the truest of skills. It has been said that luxury cannot originate from unhappy people working in an unhappy environment. Our experiences have proven this to be as true. (Lee Wulf was also keenly aware of this…as we too have never caught a gorgeous trout in an ugly river).”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>EMPLOYER BRAND / ORGANISATION CULTURE CHECKLIST:</strong> Employee/Contributor tribe description. Character and skill-set required. Commitment to a ‘happy’ work culture.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>MY NOTES:</strong> Purpose. Luxury. Passion. Skill. Happy People in a Happy Environment. <em>Inspiring stuff!</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>PING:</strong> Distraction Alert!<br/> <strong>RESIST</strong> the siren call to click on the link to the <em><strong>“We Want Idris Elba for James Bond”</strong></em> Facebook page. This is diversion with wormhole properties. A quick 2 minute look is actually 40 minutes in real world time!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Get back on track.<br/> Another trail of breadcrumbs popped in my mind. It hinted at an exciting discovery at the end of the trail.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;">It beckoned. The bait dangled before my eyes as if on a thread.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I scurried after it with a click of the mouse.<br/> Now where is that podcast, I pondered.<br/> Here it is.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>CLICK</strong>: the Unmistakable Creative Podcast.<br/> <strong>LISTEN:</strong> <em><strong><a href="https://unmistakablecreative.com/podcast/the-keys-to-exponential-personal-and-professional-growth-with-salim-ismail?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Listen&utm_content=Salim%20Ismail&utm_campaign=Sunday%20Quiver" target="_blank">“The Keys to Exponential Personal and Professional Growth”</a> </strong></em> podcast in which Srini Rao interviews Salim Ismail, is a glimpse into the unfolding future.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Our new reality demands that businesses adapt to our new work-life-business landscape or face <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/jan/19/kodak-bankruptcy-protection" target="_blank">an extinction event à la Kodak</a>. This entire podcast is a <strong>must-listen</strong>, <strong>must-respond call to action</strong> for any business owner, leader and HR.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But for my client’s request to collect fresh ideas to breathe life into their listless organisation purpose; here are my top brainpoke picks.<br/> <strong>35 minutes 52 seconds</strong> into the recording: <em><strong>“If you try to do something disruptive, the immune system of the organisation will attack you. Because all our [current] organisation structures are built to withstand change and risk.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">These old organisation structures are built for command and control; not for the reaction and decision-making speed which the 21st century demands.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>From 55 minutes 05 seconds</strong> into the recording: Listen and learn about the new breed of organisations – <strong>the</strong> <strong>Exponential Organisations (EXOs). </strong>They are designed for speed, built on a business model to leverage abundance with a <strong>Massive Transformative Purpose (MTP)</strong> as their North Star.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">MTPs now replace the old-style Mission Statement in these EXOs.<strong>Think bold</strong>: <a href="http://history.nasa.gov/moondec.html" target="_blank">America's mission to put a man on the moon</a> under President Kennedy. <strong>Dream audacious:</strong> Dr. Martin Luther King Junior's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vDWWy4CMhE" target="_blank">"I Have a Dream" speech.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">At Singularity University their MTP is <strong>"Go Impact a billion people positively."</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">MTPs are designed to encourage you to dream big beyond the limits of your current reality and to create the culture focused on building the systems to achieve this lofty goal. When leveraged correctly, it will act as a magnet - attracting talented individuals to whom achieving this goal will appeal. <strong>Result:</strong> You increase your chances of actually achieving your stretching goal.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">An MTP could be just what my client needs.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Our journey down the rabbit hole to the edge of HR stops here for now.<br/> It is time to turn my discoveries into a practical and actionable plan for my client.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But please don’t stop your cross-discipline adventures.<br/> Deliberately step to known edge of your discipline and capabilities. The edge is uncomfortable. It is supposed to be.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Don’t look down. Look out to the new horizon.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Become an <strong>‘Edge Dweller’.</strong> It is where the interesting and transformative stuff can happen for you AND your organisation. But you must act on your new discoveries otherwise your journey will count for little.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>HR, the edge is where you can find Creative Credibility and Remarkable Results. Right there is the place HR can create meaningful value and make a positive difference.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You mustn’t get comfortable. In fact, it is not possible to get comfortable. The edge is a constantly moving horizon, not a destination. You will need to self-disrupt and move often to take advantage of dwelling on the edge.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR as ‘Edge Dweller’: this is a topic for another HR Rabbit Hole blog post, for another time.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/02/21/creative-credibility-and-remarkable-results-scoop/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 21st February 2016. It has been tweaked only a little by the author and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Why You Need to Wean Yourself Off Being Busytag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-02-09:502551:BlogPost:19478902016-02-09T19:00:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>7 Smart Reasons to Quit being Busy</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557584709?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="268" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557584709?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="353"></img></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I am curious. Are you happy with your work?<br></br> And by happy, I mean this.</p>
<ul>
<li>Are you getting the results you want or your business needs?</li>
<li>Are you sure that what you do adds value and has…</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>7 Smart Reasons to Quit being Busy</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557584709?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557584709?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="268" width="353"/></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I am curious. Are you happy with your work?<br/> And by happy, I mean this.</p>
<ul>
<li>Are you getting the results you want or your business needs?</li>
<li>Are you sure that what you do adds value and has meaning for you?</li>
<li>Are you making a contribution that makes a difference?</li>
<li>Are you fulfilling your responsibilities without stress?</li>
<li>Are you able to achieve deadlines, keep promises and complete projects?</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you are 'happy', fantastic! Heartfelt yet envious congratulations to you!<br/> <strong>PLEASE</strong> share your recipe for the secret happiness-at-work elixir with us in the comments box below.<br/>
Tips gratefully received.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Unhappy with your work?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Not necessarily unhappy but unfulfilled?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Then read on.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Feeling the pressure to get everything done seems to be the norm these days. Increasingly, we are feeling the burn – stressed out trying to get more done in less time.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">We are conscious of the need to have a powerful impact at work and socially.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Monday morning and Friday afternoon (late) often finds you staring down the abyss-like gloom of the to-do list with no end.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Oh and some of that seemingly mythical work/life balance would be marvellous too if it were not something else to add to my to-do list. Wishful thinking.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You are needed, important, busy, <strong>BUSY!</strong> You are the epicentre of stuff happening.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Hands up if you are busy.<br/> I’ve stopped typing. I have raised my left hand – actually both hands are in the air.<br/>
It’s a stick up.<br/>
NO, it’s a set up.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Being “busy” is…</strong><br/> <strong>1.</strong> A bubbling stew of misery seasoned with misplaced sense of self-importance.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2.</strong> Stressful; which can make you emotionally and physically sick. Burnout is no joke!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3.</strong> An emotional state. Check out <a href="http://marissabracke.com/why-i-stopped-working-with-busy-people" target="_blank"><strong><em>‘Why I Stopped Working With Busy People’</em></strong></a> by Marissa Bracke to understand the big difference between someone who feels busy and someone who has a lot going on in their business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4.</strong> An obstacle to you making a meaningful contribution to your work or business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5.</strong> Blocking you from being present in your life.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>6.</strong> Hiding from the real work that needs done to make a difference. The kind of work that throws up hard questions and demands you find solutions off the beaten path.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>7.</strong> <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3008263/busy-new-lazy" target="_blank">Lazy</a>. <em><strong>“Lazy people are always busy.”</strong></em> – Basque proverb.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">There you go. 7 reasons why you need to <strong>STOP</strong> being ‘busy’ right now.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let me share with you some of the busy-busting tips I discovered on my own quest to stop being busy.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>5 Smart Brainpokes to Cure Busy Minds</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2016/01/ten-questions-for-work-that-matters.html" target="_blank"><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Ten questions for work that matters</strong></a> by <strong>Seth Godin</strong> are a great place to start your treatment. (<strong>Psst</strong>…There are actually 11 questions – bonus brainpoke!)</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><br/> <em>“What are you doing that’s difficult?</em><br/>
<em>What are you doing that people believe only you can do?</em><br/>
<em>Who are you connecting?</em><br/>
<em>What do people say when they talk about you?</em><br/>
<em>What are you afraid of?</em><br/>
<em>What’s the scarce resource?</em><br/>
<em>Who are you trying to change?</em><br/>
<em>What does the change look like?</em><br/>
<em>Would we miss your work if you stopped making it?</em><br/>
<em>What do you stand for?</em><br/>
<em>What contribution are you making?</em><br/>
<em>Hints: Any question that’s difficult to answer deserves more thought. Any answers that are meandering, nuanced or complex are probably a symptom of something important.”</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2.</strong> Don’t believe in busyness as a badge of honour. Busyness means that you are physically present but NOT productive.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Leaders, take care that you are when promoting a culture of busyness. A ‘dynamic’ culture can quickly degenerate into a ‘manic’ toxic environment, if you take your eye off the ball.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>SOME HARD QUESTIONS: </strong> In a busy-centred organisation culture;</p>
<ul>
<li>How productive are your employees?</li>
<li>What value are they contributing?</li>
<li>What is the impact on their health and well-being in the long term?</li>
<li>Are they focused on contributing to the success of their team/business?</li>
<li>What does this say about the organisation culture?</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">Find new and different ways to direct attention and energy towards what’s important for the business and individual employees OR feel the pain and cost of a busy culture on your bottom line and brand.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">As <strong>Professor Cooper</strong> says in an article for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), <a href="http://www.cipd.co.uk/pm/peoplemanagement/b/weblog/archive/2015/11/04/annual-cost-of-presenteeism-is-twice-that-of-absenteeism-says-prof-cooper.aspx?utm_medium=email&utm_source=cipd&utm_campaign=pm_daily&utm_term=106657&utm_content=pm_daily_051115-3996-4107-13--20151107161120-Annual+cost+of+presenteeism+is+%E2%80%98twice+that+of+absenteeism%E2%80%99%2C+says+Prof+Cary+Cooper" target="_blank"><strong><em>“create workplaces that people want to go to”</em></strong> –</a> and are willing to contribute and gift their best talents.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><span><span class="UFICommentBody">The time is <strong>NOW.</strong> Invest in creating a culture that motivates, inspires, makes people want to do their best work and drives the business forward! Not easy, but necessary.</span></span></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3.</strong> This one is a biggie. How often have you skipped lunch, eaten at your desk, allowed your meal or break to be interrupted in the name of being busy?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You later find yourself frazzled, hungry, lacking in concentration with zero productivity.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The cure. Take heed of advice #2. <strong>Eat more consciously</strong> in <strong>Martha Roberts’</strong> article <a href="https://lifelabs.psychologies.co.uk/users/580-martha-roberts/posts/589-five-easy-to-achieve-slow-down-tips-for-busy-people" target="_blank"><strong><em>‘Five (easy-to-achieve) slow-down tips for busy people’</em></strong></a> resonated loudly with guilty me.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. Nourish your brain and boost your connectivity</strong>. You need to know about the current wisdom out there and connect with those are doing cool future-focused stuff that could inspire and help you and your business move forward.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you are committed to making valuable contribution you must keep up with the latest developments. Saying you can’t find the time just will not cut it. This is a sure-fire way to guarantee your ideas and thinking becoming stale.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Plan and budget to attend at least one conference or workshop away from your workplace per year. Pay for it early – it helps to increase the likelihood of you going and not wasting precious budget funds.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In between, snack on bite-sized brain power boosters. Set aside an hour per week to read something new, listen to a podcast from outside of your discipline or watch a how-to video.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5.</strong> Need more convincing to quit being busy? Try <a href="http://www.upworthy.com/9-comics-about-the-busyness-of-everyday-life-including-cat-advice-naturally?c=tpstream" target="_blank"><strong>9 comics about the busyness of everyday life, including cat advice (naturally)</strong></a>. <strong>Laura Willard’s</strong> article, with <strong>Gemma Correll’s</strong> illustrations, is scarily on point.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">My favourite illustration is <strong><em>The Awards for the Formerly “Busy”</em></strong> – so funny and real world true.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557584902?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557584902?profile=original" height="349" width="349"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">So if you are not able to quit being busy cold turkey, I recommend you try these 5 busyness cures to kick the habit. The antidote to frantic busyness is absolute focus on doing what has value and is meaningful.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you are a Leader or HR Lead in your organisation, start with yourself. Then lead the charge to eliminate busyness in your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><span class="text_exposed_show">Replace busyness with the healthy habit for consistently creating, connecting and contributing value.</span></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><span class="text_exposed_show">Creating value through humans - the new HR Habit!</span></p>
<p><span class="text_exposed_show"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557588604?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557588604?profile=original" height="366" width="288"/></a><strong><em>Art via @gapingvoid</em></strong><br/></span></p>
<ul>
<li>What tips can you share about how to stop being busy and start doing meaningful work?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Tell all about your experience and tips in the comments below.</li>
</ul>
<p>Thank you for stopping by. If you enjoyed this post, please share so other readers can enjoy it too.</p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/01/17/why-you-need-to-wean-yourself-off-being-busy/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 17th January 2016. It has been tweaked only a little and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Don’t Copy these Shockingly Lousy Leader Behaviours From Elite Footballtag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-01-14:502551:BlogPost:19430782016-01-14T22:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Leader Behaviours You Needn't Copy to Succeed</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557585339?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557585339?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">My next statement is considered sacrilegious by <a href="http://www.topendsports.com/world/lists/popular-sport/fans.htm" target="_blank">3.5 billion people</a>.…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Leader Behaviours You Needn't Copy to Succeed</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557585339?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557585339?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">My next statement is considered sacrilegious by <a href="http://www.topendsports.com/world/lists/popular-sport/fans.htm" target="_blank">3.5 billion people</a>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I am not a fan of football.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">I make no apologies; it’s not my cup of tea at all.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">But last month, whilst in London, I got hooked. Not by <em><strong>‘The Beautiful Game’</strong></em> but by the drama that unfolded around one of the biggest names in football.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Fascinated,</strong> I even ditched the lifestyle magazine in the newspaper in favour of the sports pages. Crazy right?<br/> <strong>Enthralled</strong> – that was me. I can’t deny it. Binge-watching TV news blasts and commentaries about the epic tale of a celebrated leader’s dramatic fall from grace became my <em>‘edutainment’</em> pastime.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">I gobbled up every twist and turn in the plot of the soap opera that was <em><strong>‘The Fall of the Special One’</strong></em> – <strong>A.K.A Chelsea Football Club’s Manager, José Mourinho.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">His descent from multiple championship winning Manager (he led Chelsea to 3 Premier League titles wins) to humiliating defeat and dismissal from his position is a tragedy of his own doing – worthy of Shakespeare.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Leadership Attraction</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">As human beings we never get tired of leadership stories; especially those with human triumphs against the odds, character exposés and sensational downfalls.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Despite all that has been written, researched, taught, observed and analysed – leadership remains a perplexing puzzle stubbornly refusing to be picked apart and decoded.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">So we continue our search for the Leadership Holy Grail.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The race is on to find the legendary <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/philosopher-s-stone?s=ts" target="_blank">Philosopher’s Stone</a> that could perhaps turn an ordinary human being into an extraordinary leader. Perhaps…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">New insight regularly promises to bring us one step closer to understanding the secret elixir of effective leadership. Like this recently published piece of research from <strong>McKinsey</strong> which hints at the discovery of <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/leading_in_the_21st_century/decoding_leadership_what_really_matters?cid=other-eml-ttn-mip-mck-oth-1512" target="_blank">4 types of behaviour</a> which could be the secret keys to developing effective leaders<a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/leading_in_the_21st_century/decoding_leadership_what_really_matters?cid=other-eml-ttn-mip-mck-oth-1512" target="_self"></a>. <strong><em>Eureka!</em></strong> Or is it?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>These 2 things I know for sure.</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><br/> <strong>1</strong>. We know when we are in the presence of inspirational, or motivational or transformational, or brave, or history-defining leaders.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2.</strong> We definitely know when we are in the presence of The Dark Force – malevolent, or unpredictable, or weak, or incompetent or megalomaniacal leaders.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I cannot tell you the secret ingredient(s) needed to develop an effective leader. If I knew I would tell you.<br/> But I have a clear idea of the behavioural ingredients that are <strong>NOT</strong> part of the secret leadership recipe.<br/> ‘The Special One’ – José Mourinho’s public fall from grace and his final humiliation of being sacked from the Club is a perfect reminder of <strong>Leader Behaviour You Needn’t Copy to Succeed.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let me share with you what I learnt from the media brouhaha.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>5 Shockingly Lousy Leadership Behaviours</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here are the Red Card behaviours that resonated a loud No way José!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. Unhealthy Addiction to Winning:</strong> Now don’t misunderstand me, I know we are talking about top level sport. Winning <strong>IS</strong> the goal. But <strong>HOW</strong> you win is the key.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The <strong><em>“kill to win, die to win”</em></strong> mind-set may bring in stellar results; but this road to success is paved with the enemies who lie in wait for their chance for retribution.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Much was made of Mourinho’s subtle yet revealing change in the way he referred to his team – the players – in the media.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">When Chelsea won, he called them <strong><em>“my players”.</em></strong><br/> When Chelsea lost and the losing streak continued unabated, he called them <em><strong>“the players”</strong></em>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In toxic organisational cultures, this play is a classic example of <em>‘throwing your team members under the bus’</em> – then reversing over them for good measure.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">A leadership style with this behaviour at its core cannot survive under the pressure of losing. The lousy behaviour which may be overlooked when you are winning is not tolerated when you are losing.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. It’s All About Me:</strong> A leader’s self-belief and clarity of vision are key in motivating the team to achieve a desired goal.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">However, the belief that the team is subservient to the leader, disturbs a hornets’ nest of troubles that can only end badly.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The reality is that the leader can only do so much, as in the end matches are won and lost by the players’ actions on the field, not the manager’s.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Alastair Campbell,</strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winners-And-How-They-Succeed/dp/0091958857" target="_blank">scholar of what it takes to win,</a> writes this nugget of wisdom in his article in the Sunday Times News Review:</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>“…winning organisations must have the holy trinity of strategy, leadership and teamship working in harmony. Teams without strategy fail. Teams without good leaders fail. Leaders without strategy fail. Leaders without teamship operating at every level of the organisation fail.”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. Leading without Positive Values:</strong> Where there is a values vacuum in the organisation, The Dark Force can enter.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In the absence of clearly defined values embedded in the organisation’s DNA, where little or no leadership accountability exists, something negative will fill the void. The obsession with winning by any means grows and egos run unchecked in a culture that becomes increasingly toxic.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>Is there an acceptable cost for this behaviour?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Mourinho’s public row and belittling of the team’s doctor Eva Carneiro during Chelsea v. Swansea City match is an example of leader power going dark. She rushed on field to do her job as the custodian of player welfare, against his directive.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/eva-carneiro-tribunal-doctor-to-fight-chelsea-another-day-after-failing-to-reach-settlement-a6800421.html" target="_blank">This event continues to play out in the courts</a> and already has negative implications for the reputation of the Club and all parties involved.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In the end, <strong><em>“people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.”</em></strong> Maya Angelou.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Values are needed to guide the leader and the team through the good times, but their importance as a steadying anchor really comes into play in the bad times.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. One Track Mind Leadership:</strong> For those leaders stubbornly holding on to an ego-led command and control leadership style as their only approach, the writing is on the wall.<br/> ‘My Way or the Highway’ no longer guarantees direct reports’ blind compliance.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Whether we want to accept it or not, leadership has been democratised.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Today’s leaders have to manage <strong>up</strong> (Boards, Executives, Shareholders), <strong>down</strong> (direct reports), and <strong>sideways</strong> (fans, customers, community).</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let’s not forget the ubiquitous presence of social media. It is here that anyone can instantly become an ‘expert’. Collectively these ‘experts’ voices have the power to negatively or positively impact the fortunes and reputation of leaders and the organisations which..</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">360 degree relationship management that is in tune with the needs and desires of all stakeholders, is a must-do for today’s effective leader.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5. No Remorse:</strong> As with many stories about a leader left out in the cold, Mourinho’s comeback from apparent relegation to <em>persona non grata</em> will depend on how he reacts to this set back, what lessons he learns and how he applies those lessons.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/connieguglielmo/2012/10/07/a-steve-jobs-moment-that-mattered-macworld-august-1997/" target="_blank">Not everyone can have a triumphant comeback like Steve Jobs’.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Will our obsession with winning at the cost of those who trust us to lead trump the need for effective values-led leaders?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Only time will tell.<br/> The world of elite sport is a valuable source of leadership lessons which can be applied to your organisation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">As a leader or HR responsible for leadership development you, have a responsibility to go all out to avoid or prevent these shockingly lousy leadership gaffes on your watch.</p>
<ul>
<li>What Red Card-worthy negative leader behaviour have you encountered?</li>
<li>What tips can you share about how to handle lousy leader behaviour?</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">Tell me about your experience and tips in the comments below.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here are my backstory sources for this blog post.</p>
<ul>
<li>TV sports news e.g. BBC, ITV, SKY Sports <em>(binge-watching).</em></li>
<li>“The New Era Was Doomed to End in Tears” by Rob Draper, Chief Football Writer, in The Mail on Sunday, December 20, 2015.</li>
<li>The Sunday Times’ Sport Section, pages 2-4, 20.12.2015.</li>
<li>The Sunday Times’ News Review, Section 4, “Downfall” stories by Alastair Campbell and various writers in pgs. 1-3, 20.12.2015.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/01/10/dont-copy-these-shockingly-lousy-leader-behaviours-from-elite-football/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 10th January 2016. It has been tweaked only a little and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Mind-shifting Ideas to Quickly Transcend HR Mediocritytag:recruitingblogs.com,2016-01-06:502551:BlogPost:19383112016-01-06T23:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580417?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580417?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Start Creating the HR Experience Your Business Needs Today</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I hope I’m not too late.<br></br> I wanted to reach you early – before the last year’s left over projects and workload complete their strangle-hold on your inbox and your attention.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I wanted to…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580417?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580417?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Start Creating the HR Experience Your Business Needs Today</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I hope I’m not too late.<br/> I wanted to reach you early – before the last year’s left over projects and workload complete their strangle-hold on your inbox and your attention.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I wanted to catch you before your dewy-eyed optimism and resolve to do marvels in the New Year dissipates into frustration and inertia. Sadly becoming the marvellous future that never will be.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I wanted to connect with you before your determination to do better and different slips from your grasp, defaulting to standardised samey HR once again.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I don’t believe I’m too late.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Mediocrity is calling. I’m just in time.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">There are four of them according to <strong>Seth Godin</strong> – and they are on horseback.<br/> <a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2014/01/the-four-horsemen-of-mediocrity.html" target="_blank"><strong>The four horsemen of mediocrity</strong>.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR’s Horsemen can look like this…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. Deniability:</strong> That policy was in place when I got here. It’s not my fault. The CEO/GM/EVP decided, commanded or blocked. Not my fault.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. Helplessness:</strong> The CEO/GM/EVP won’t let me make changes. Finance has cut HR’s budget so we can’t recruit/train/develop/reward our employees.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. Contempt:</strong> They don’t pay me enough to put up with the likes of these employees/managers/union representatives/government employment departments.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. Fear:</strong> It’s good enough, it’s not worth the risk, this might not work, let’s just download one from the internet, ignore it, I’m afraid to lose my job/position if I push too hard.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Don’t listen!<br/> Don’t answer!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Hold on. Focus on your breathing.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You got this covered. You have what it takes to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Put the ‘human’ before the ‘resources.</li>
<li>Reconnect with what matters to businesses and people.</li>
<li>Solve real problems.</li>
<li>Create meaning and make a difference.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">Take five deep breaths in and out. This calls for courage.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Of all the human qualities – joy of living, kindness, mercy – courage is the greatest. For without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency.”</strong> – Maya Angelou.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you are still inspired about the possibilities to create value through HR, here is what I want you to do right now.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Read these Mind-shifting Ideas to Quickly Transcend HR Mediocrity.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Find at least one that resonates with you most today.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Immediately put it into action to help you start creating the HR your business needs to grow and thrive.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Take heart friends, this is no goal setting, resolution making how-to guide. Instead we are going deep - deep into the mind. In the battle for the future of HR, the first front line is the mind. Winning or losing will be determined by the impact, meaning and value-making difference HR is able to contribute - <strong>consistently!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let’s begin. The New Year is already in motion…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Fear or courage?</strong> Which mind-set will you choose?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Yes, we live, work and do business in rapidly changing, uncertain and complex times. It’s enough to make your head spin and your breath catch in your throat. Playing possum will not save you or your business from discomfort. You must make a decision. No decision is not a decision by the way.</p>
<p>The war for talent still rages on, the lines between our personal and professional lives continue to blur, our business landscape and world-view is dynamic at best - volatile at its worst AND the future of HR is being written. Exciting times!</p>
<p>What will <em>'success'</em> mean? Who will be <em>'successful'</em>?</p>
<p>The ones to watch and follow - the ones from whom to steal-ideas are those individuals who can navigate this reality by crafting simplicity out of complexity. <strong>The new Alchemists!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>James Altucher</strong></em> nails it. The choice is between <strong><em>“fear-based decisions</em>”</strong> and <strong><em>“growth-based decisions”.</em></strong> Here’s what he means.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>“I’d make a fear-based decision out of insecurity. Out of a feeling of scarcity. Out of giving too much power to others so they would control my life.</strong></em><br/> <em><strong>[…]</strong></em><br/> <em><strong>The growth-based decisions all resulted in miracles I could not have imagined.</strong></em><br/> <em><strong>A growth-based decision becomes the story of your life later. A fear-based decision turns into regret.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Will you make fear-based decisions OR growth-based decisions for yourself and your organisation?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">What decision will you commit to?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">You can read his full article <a href="http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2015/12/make-fear-decisions-growth-decision/" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Ditch the emotional crutch:</strong> Policies and HR standards can be useful tools to help guide responsible and ethical behaviour in the workplace.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But churning out standard operating procedures to govern human behaviour creates a culture where HR becomes policy enforcer – the status quo police.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This can result in the business being run like a nanny state and stifle creativity.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Alternatively rule-heavy cultures can lead to negative creativity – an environment where employees find increasingly ingenious ways to circumvent and break the rules.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Stop policy proliferation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">When was the last time you removed obsolete HR policies and procedures from circulation?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR has a reputation of adding more policies but rarely making any redundant. Publishing copious policy documents is like an emotional crutch – a false validation of value.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Retire the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) blankie. Time to streamline and focus producing only those policies and procedures that are meaningful and valuable to the business.<br/> According to <strong>Jan Hills</strong>, HR’s future lies in <em><strong>“Creating simplicity to deal with complexity.”</strong></em> <br/> Read her article for a glimpse of a future where HR’s value lies in its leaders’ ability to provide simplicity in a complex world.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Take a look in her crystal ball <a href="http://www.hrzone.com/lead/future/future-of-hr-creating-simplicity-to-deal-with-complexity" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”</strong> — Hans Hoffman, Abstract Expressionist Painter<br/></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Declutter:</strong> I am sure it has been on your to-do list for eons.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Make the time to declutter. Schedule the time to do a little every day for 1 week or a massive all-day clear out.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Hang the Do Not Disturb notice on the office door. Make it happen.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Archive old or closed HR files.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Remove obsolete or shabby HR documents from circulation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Delete and shred as appropriate.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Replace with up to date and correctly branded material.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Free your mind from distractions and your work space from confusion. You will be surprised how decluttering can reduce your stress levels and sharpen your focus on what is truly important.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Achieve instant serenity:</strong> Turn off all email and Instant Message (IM) notifications on all your devices. You don’t need all the interruptions – you really don’t.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Go cold turkey and detox from the Pavlovian impulse to constantly check every vibration and ping from your smart phone, tablet or piece of technology in your possession.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Try checking and responding to email at 2-3 set times a day. The sky will not fall. I promise.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Use those moments of serenity to think, create and connect.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Connect with meaning:</strong> Strip unnecessary jargon ‘legalese’ from all employee communications. They are obstacles to comprehension and human connection.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/meaningful-content/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzEmail&utm_content=779131&utm_campaign=0" target="_blank"><em><strong>‘Are You Creating Meaningful Content?’</strong></em></a> Find out and learn how via Copyblogger.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>The HR-Writer</em>. You use <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/07/26/the-great-copywriter-heist-the-recruitment-ad-job/" target="_blank">copywriting skills</a></strong> to create job descriptions, policies & procedures, newsletters and employee communications.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You are a <strong>content marketer</strong> on a mission to inject purpose and communicate meaning about the work and the contributions made by the individual members of your employee community.<br/> Your written words must have the power to ignite the desire to act, follow, change and commit.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Open Mind:</strong> Be curious and go cross-discipline adventuring. Cultivate a mind open to trying new experiences.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Explore like HR Bohemians traveling through the worlds of art, marketing, HR, design, psychology, business etc. Collect new idea or a fresh perspective on old ones.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Beyond HR’s boundaries, <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/09/06/peculiar-business-combinations-that-you-think-mightnt-work-well-together-but-actually-do/" target="_blank">unlikely pairings and uncommon connections</a></strong> might be a source of inspiration to solve a problem or energise the dull or create a new opportunity to add value.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Practise presence every day:</strong> If you are committed to practising human-centric HR, you need to leave the confines of your office regularly and engage and connect with your employee community. But it is not only about maintaining high visibility in the operation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Disprove the skeptics by authentically modelling the desired behaviours and values desired. Do this consistently and to all levels of seniority. This is the foundation of building genuine trust.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">When I HR’ed in the hotel industry, I learnt that spending time with the ‘heart of house’ teams (e.g. maintenance, housekeeping, culinary) in their space every day revealed more about the culture, employee perception and what is really going on in the business than any employee engagement survey ever could.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Ditch the phone as you connect with individual team members – you will be amazed at the depth, context and value of the knowledge you gain about the real employee experience and workings of the operation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This knowledge is power – use it wisely as you lead the connection of the business’ head (senior leadership) and the heart (employee community) to help grow the business through human value creation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580529?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580529?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="192" width="383"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">So this year practice <strong><em>Mindful HR</em></strong>. Pick at least one idea that resonates with you most and take action today.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I am not making any New Year's resolutions. But after the roller coaster ride that was 2015, I do intend to take a Zen-like approach to doing business in 2016.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Now skeptics may dismiss this as <em>New Age HR 'woo-woo'</em> and that’s OK. Different ideas and approaches to making HR great are welcome. After all, as individuals we have different styles and tastes; just as our businesses have different cultures and goals.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let’s explore this subject some more. Do you have more suggestions of Mind-shifting Ideas to Quickly Transcend HR Mediocrity?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Pop a comment in the box below.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Additional sources of mind-shifting ideas: <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/work" target="_blank">http://www.lifehack.org/work.</a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Before I sign off – here’s to an HR year of meaningful impact and making a difference where it counts!</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2016/01/03/start-creating-the-hr-experience-your-business-needs-today/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 3rd January 2016. It has been tweaked only a little and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>2015’s Blogs from The HR Rabbit Holetag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-12-17:502551:BlogPost:19357382015-12-17T20:04:49.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580125?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580125?profile=original" width="252"></img></a></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.</i></b></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>You take the blue pill, the story ends.</i></b></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe.</i></b></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep…</i></b></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580125?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580125?profile=original" width="252"/></a></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.</i></b></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>You take the blue pill, the story ends.</i></b></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe.</i></b></p>
<p align="center"><b><i>You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”</i></b> – Morpheus to Neo, in the movie The Matrix</p>
<p>The Journey Started with Leap Down the HR Rabbit Hole.</p>
<p>Yes, I took the red pill.</p>
<p>It was Friday 13th – unlucky for some. But I was feeling elated and lucky.</p>
<p>If I were feeling superstitious about the number 13, my money would be on the lucky variety. Lucky 13 – a baker’s dozen.</p>
<p>I was finally going to do it. And I did!</p>
<p>This year, on Friday 13th February, I leapt, flew, soared and tumbled down my very own rabbit hole – THE HR RABBIT HOLE.</p>
<p>Starting my blog The HR Rabbit Hole has been a thrilling, mind expanding hold-on-to-your-knickers roller-coaster of a ride.</p>
<p>Your comments, thumbs-ups and hard questions encouraged me to push on deeper into the wilds of cross-discipline adventuring. Thank you.</p>
<p>42 posts later here we are today.</p>
<p>From that 42, here are the top picks of popular and uncommonly creative posts from The HR Rabbit Hole this year…</p>
<p>Let’s get started with this tall tale (cut short) of cross-discipline adventuring. <strong>Here we go!</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>We stole treasure from the copywriters and marketers. <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/07/26/the-great-copywriter-heist-the-recruitment-ad-job/"><b>Read Me.</b></a></p>
<p>We got our <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/10/25/how-to-boost-your-hr-credibility-and-restore-your-swagger-today/" target="_blank"><b>Swagger on</b></a> and partied with the <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/11/01/stop-sheep-like-compliance-and-start-breaking-the-rules-today/" target="_blank">HR Rule Breakers</a></b> as we explored the concept of HR as Art through Creative HR.</p>
<p>We helped entrepreneurs and HR leaders dodge the traps of the HR Horrors as they build wildly successful businesses. Whether you are a Pyjama-clad solopreneur or Niche Freelancer or Start-up Entrepreneur, this 5 part series was made for you.</p>
<p>How to Avoid the HR Horrors and Skyrocket Your Business Growth. <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/09/19/5-smart-strategies-used-by-savvy-independent-entrepreneurs-to-build-wildly-successful-businesses/" target="_blank">Part 1 of 5: Purpose Power</a></b></p>
<p>You Are Not Alone: Most People (in Business) Worry About Financial Horrors. <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/09/26/you-are-not-alone-most-people-in-business-worry-about-financial-horrors-part-2-of-5-pesky-hr-costs/" target="_blank">Part 2 of 5: Pesky HR Costs.</a></b></p>
<p>Discover When You Need to Exit a Deadwood Employee Pronto. <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/10/03/read-me-and-discover-when-you-need-to-exit-a-deadwood-employee-pronto-part-3-of-5-fire-fast-but-never-furious/" target="_blank">Part 3 of 5: End that Toxic Relationship.</a></b></p>
<p>Untrained Zombie Employees May be Leaving Your Valuable Customers Cold. <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/10/12/untrained-zombie-employees-may-be-leaving-your-valuable-customers-cold/" target="_blank">Part 4 of 5: The Cure.</a></b></p>
<p>Stop Stinky Communication Today to Leap from Ordinary to Extraordinary Results. <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/10/18/stop-stinky-communication-today-to-leap-from-ordinary-to-extraordinary-results/" target="_blank">Part 5 of 5: Communication Bloopers</a>.</b></p>
<p>We tarried a little here and there. At one rest stop we were compelled to throw some seasoning and pep into pot of <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/05/11/are-your-lackluster-training-sessions-in-need-of-cpr/" target="_blank">Lackluster Training.</a></b> Flavour and pizzazz restored, we moved on.</p>
<p>Oh yes, we discovered that <b>HR is Art</b>.</p>
<p>Along the way we met with storytellers and marveled at the magical way they hooked, engaged and made their audience the lead characters in their story.</p>
<p>We contemplated, “<i>Why do stories matter – particularly in business?”</i></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>“… there is always a story being told – especially in the mind of your audience [..] You don’t necessarily control it but if you don’t shape it – that narrative – in the way you want it to be; the story goes on in their heads. You may not like the story they are telling themselves about you.”</i></b></p>
<p><i>Brian Clark, founder, CEO of Copyblogger Media – interview podcast with Ryan Hanley. </i><b><a href="http://www.ryanhanley.com/unemployable-entrepreneur-brian-clark/" target="_blank">Listen more here.</a></b></p>
<p>We vowed that we would find authentic ways to craft our story and honour our audience (candidates and employee community) through the art of storytelling too.</p>
<p>You practise HR Art when:</p>
<ul>
<li>You tell your business’ story in your <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/07/12/the-powerfully-magnetic-anatomy-of-a-recruitment-campaign-that-rocks/" target="_blank">recruitment marketing.</a></b></li>
<li>You <b><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/11/15/rediscover-the-valuable-lost-art-of-recruitment-selection-design/" target="_blank">design candidate selection exercises</a></b> and write the script for your candidate interviews.</li>
<li>You collect candidate and employee stories, connecting them with the story of your business – building the plot with heroes and villains.</li>
<li>You use copywriting skills to create job descriptions, policies & procedures, newsletters and employee communications to inject meaning and purpose into work and the contributions made by your employee community.</li>
</ul>
<p>Make no mistake savvy Recruiter and HR; you are a content marketer, designer, author – an Artist.</p>
<p>And now I have come to the end. No! Not that; but this…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><i>“When you come to the end of yourself it is where all the interesting stuff starts.”</i></b> <i><a href="http://www.goodlifeproject.com/elizabeth-gilbert/?t=radio" target="_blank">Elizabeth Gilbert.</a></i></p>
<p>There is more to come. Much more.</p>
<p>But first, I’m pressing the pause to reflect on an amazing year.</p>
<p>To ponder and percolate ideas for continuing our journey down The HR Rabbit Hole, plan new projects and find new ways to serve clients better and more creatively.</p>
<p align="center"><b>Looking Forward to the New Year</b></p>
<p>So here we stand on the cusp of a New Year. Tis' the season to seek out answers in readiness to rock your professional HR-mojo next year. The community you serve sure will appreciate it.</p>
<p><strong>ASK!</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>How can we create value through people via HR in 2016?</li>
<li>Is HR finally pulling back from the brink of relegation to a bottom of the division business discipline?</li>
<li>What HR challenges are niggling or keeping you or your business leaders up at night?</li>
<li>Where are you HR-wise in your business now and where do you want to go?</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Tell me, I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.</p>
<p> Drop a comment in box below.</p>
<p>If you enjoyed this post, please hit the share buttons below so other readers can enjoy it too. The more the merrier – Cheers!</p>
<p> Until we meet again in the New Year on 4th January 2016 down The HR Rabbit Hole…</p>
<p> Have a wonderful Holiday Season.</p>
<p align="center"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557586661?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557586661?profile=original" width="236"/></a></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in full in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/12/13/hop-on-to-continue-your-journey-to-remarkable-results-for-2016/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 13th December 2015. It has been condensed, reworked and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a> and transforming HR. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>5 Smart HR Audit Keys to Unlock Premium Valuetag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-12-07:502551:BlogPost:19345212015-12-07T19:00:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557576324?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="329" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557576324?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="440"></img></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In this post, I will show you how to use your internal HR audit to unlock remarkable relevance and get recognised for results.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The Society for Human Resource Managers (SHRM) says this.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Value Creation Audits <em>"look more broadly at how HR's…</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557576324?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557576324?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="329" width="440"/></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In this post, I will show you how to use your internal HR audit to unlock remarkable relevance and get recognised for results.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The Society for Human Resource Managers (SHRM) says this.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Value Creation Audits <em>"look more broadly at how HR's activities correlate with business priorities and how these activities might be performed more effectively and efficiently."</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This type of audit focuses on where and how HR can add value and make a positive difference to the business and the employee community it serves.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>Sounds great right?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>Do you want in?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Good stuff! Let’s get started.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" class="selectionShareable"><strong>A Light Bulb Moment</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" class="selectionShareable"><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557579935?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557579935?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="90" width="67"/></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Doing your own HR Value Creation Audit is an opportunity to examine, ask questions, listen, learn and respond to the needs of your business and employees.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">An internal audit is your chance to identify the real the priorities, pain-points and aspirations of your employee community and organisation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Data gathered from the audit will provide you with reliable intelligence which you can use to target relevant response to those needs.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>The result?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Meaningful and resolute action on real priorities = <strong>Value Nirvana.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here’s where you can make a start…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Your Smart HR Audit Keys to Unlock Value</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Payroll:</strong> Most audits (external) centre on assessing payroll. It is an obvious zone on which to pay close attention as payroll is typically the single largest business expense.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Of course, it is critical to ensure that all your systems and processes are in top order. We know that exposure to financial risk is no laughing matter.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But we must not dilly dally here on the common place. There are golden nuggets of value to be found elsewhere.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let’s press on.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">We are guided on our quest to unlock HR Value Creation by the wise words of <strong><a href="http://www.druckerinstitute.com/peter-druckers-life-and-legacy/" target="_blank">Peter F. Drucker</a><br/></strong> at each of the 5 key stages – starting with Purpose.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Now I must tell you that embarking on a HR Value Creation Audit is not for everyone. In fact, doing this type of audit should come with a warning.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Once you start asking the hard questions, going beyond your usual activities; you will create more work. And that sucks!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">But this is not work.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Although it may feel like pure drudgery; it is your opportunity to make HR shine and add meaning to your activities.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Are you still with me? Good!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Collect your 5 smart value creation audit keys below.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>1. Purpose</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“Strategy is a commodity, execution is an art.”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your organisation’s purpose offers mega opportunities for HR to create value.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The purpose is the story of who you (the organisation) are, where you are going and why.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The story is made even richer if the plot is thickened with a humongous audacious goal.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">And now here comes the best bit.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR takes the lead by writing the employees’ roles in this story.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Here’s how.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>a)</strong> By preparing the HR strategic plan which details the way in which the organisation can achieve its purpose (build capacity and capability) with the skills and talents of its employees.<br/> <strong>b)</strong> By developing organisation structures and roles that will support the achievement of business goals.<br/> <strong>c)</strong> By designing job descriptions that tell each employee about their role and unique value in creating the business’ future and fulfilling the purpose.<br/> <strong>d</strong>) Implementing and executing <strong>(a)</strong> and <strong>(b).</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>2. Processes</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>“There is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency something that should not be done at all.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It pains me to admit it.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR has a terrible reputation for its infamous processes that often frustrate more than facilitate the flow of business or human connection.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Today, we place a premium value on products and services that remove friction from our lives.<br/> With this in mind, review all HR-led processes and test for friction.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here are some examples of pointed questions you can use to start friction testing in these 3 key HR areas.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Recruitment</strong><br/> <strong>a)</strong> Is the time, from receipt of the employee requisition to HR publishing the recruitment advertisement, working for the business and the hiring manager?<br/> <strong>b)</strong> Is your recruitment process all about the organisation’s needs and convenience or about creating an amazing candidate experience?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Learning and development</strong><br/> How easy is it for employees to access and receive learning and the professional development support they need?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Performance management</strong><br/> Are all the forms and documents in use for disciplinary matters or performance appraisals simple to understand, easy to use, evaluating behaviours and results important to the business?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>“while almost every large organization has an appraisal procedure, few of them actually use it.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>3. Policies and Procedures</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“Doing the right thing is more important than doing the thing right.”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Have I told you the one about the department manager who wanted to issue a written warning to a direct report for failing to comply with the absence reporting policy and procedure?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>SCENARIO SUMMARY:</strong> A department manager requests a meeting with the HR Manager. He wants to issue a written warning to a direct report for failure to follow company procedure in reporting their absence from work.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The Absence Reporting SOP states that an employee must first try to reach their manager via the manager’s company issued mobile phone. If unsuccessful, they are to call the main switchboard so the call may be transferred to the manager or to leave a message stating they are unable to report to work.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>DEPARTMENT MANAGER REPORTS:</strong> The employee did try to contact the manager via the company-issued mobile phone. This is evidenced by the 3 missed calls. However, the employee failed to follow Company procedure. They did not call the switchboard but instead sent a ‘Whatsapp’ message to their manager to report that they are sick and not able to report for work.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The manager was busy and did not check his phone or messages until 2 hours after the employee was due to start work. It was too late to make arrangements to cover the employee’s work.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Here’s where HR can ‘do the right thing’.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>HR VALUE RESPONSE</strong>: Thank you for bringing this outdated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to our attention. This policy urgently needs updating to include reporting absence via instant messaging. HR will amend and reissue within 24 hours.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">It’s time we take the burden of capturing employee calls and messages away from the main switchboard – especially now that all Department Managers have a company-issued smart phone. Be sure to check your phone regularly for messages from your team.<br/> We thank that employee for highlighting this outdated policy to us. A warning letter is not appropriate in this instance.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>MORE <del>WORK</del> VALUE:</strong> Review that restrictive Social Media policy and procedure. Build in flexibility to guide the use of Social Media to support the flow of the operation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>BE A HR RULE BREAKER</strong> on a Seek and Destroy Mission.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">To inject value in your HR, I am 100% encouraging you to actively seek out and break – actually make that smash – all rules, policies and standard operating procedures that,</p>
<ul>
<li>Are obsolete.</li>
<li>Are an insult to common sense.</li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show">Don’t contribute to the fulfillment of the organisation’s purpose</span></li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show">Discourages desired values and behaviours.</span></li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show">Suck the humanness, creativity, independent thinking out of the organisation.</span></li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show">Make HR look like a Dodo!</span></li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>4. Communication</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“Mutual understanding can never be attained by “communications down,” can never be created by talking. It can result only from “communications up.”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Your organisation is busy telling its story. And you are telling your organisation’s story – in recruitment, in training, internal communications.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">But are you communicating or are you broadcasting information?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Chris Rodgers points out a critical distinction and potential pitfalls in his post, ‘Ducker on Communications in Organizations'.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong><em><a href="http://informalcoalitions.typepad.com/informal_coalitions/2009/02/drucker-on-communication-in-organizations.html" target="_blank">"Communication and information are different and largely opposite -</a></em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong><em><a href="http://informalcoalitions.typepad.com/informal_coalitions/2009/02/drucker-on-communication-in-organizations.html" target="_blank">yet interdependent."</a></em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">In an organisation in which employees’ voices are not heard, employees quickly find ears that will listen elsewhere. Glassdoor? A competitor?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">HR’s chance to make a meaningful contribution lies in removing obstacles to communication flow, fostering a culture of transparent communication and implementing the tools to capture and action vital feedback.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>5. Action Plan</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“What gets measured gets improved.”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The results of a rigorous HR Value Creation audit are pure gold.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Following through on the recommendations on the action plan is the foundation for continuous improvement.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Continuous improvement in areas that matter is a sure step in the direction of relevance and HR value.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Over to you savvy HR. Go Create the HR value you want and the kind your business needs.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Use these 5 Smart Keys to unlock opportunities where you can add real value.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>How are you injecting value in your HR?</strong></li>
<li><strong>What other pointers and keys can you add for to create HR value?</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>What are your thoughts about internal HR audits for value creation? </p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Drop a comment in the box below.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>Peter F. Drucker quotes source</strong></em>: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/12008.Peter_F_Drucker?page=2" target="_blank">Goodreads.com</a></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/11/29/5-smart-hr-audit-keys-to-unlock-premium-value/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 29th November 2015. It has been condensed and now freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Don’t Dilly Dally, Start Critical HR Improvements Todaytag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-12-01:502551:BlogPost:19328162015-12-01T03:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575638?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575638?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Easy Internal HR Audit Tips to Reduce Risk and Create Top Value</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Take a moment to honestly answer these questions.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Are you ready?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>What’s the condition of your HR…</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a width="602" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575638?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575638?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Easy Internal HR Audit Tips to Reduce Risk and Create Top Value</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Take a moment to honestly answer these questions.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Are you ready?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>What’s the condition of your HR files?</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Is it a ready-for-the-wrecking-ball pile?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>OR</strong> Is it a Fixer-Upper ready to be transformed into a beautifully restored gem?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>How long has it been since you last checked the content of your employee files? Do you know what’s lurking inside your shiny water resistant, fire-retardant HR filing cabinets?</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">If we peek inside your cabinets, what will we find?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>This?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575917?profile=original"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575917?profile=original" height="204" width="365"/></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em>Gizmo</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Or this?</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557576161?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557576161?profile=original" height="213" width="377"/></a></strong></em><em>Gremlin</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>STOP!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557579976?profile=original"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557579976?profile=original" width="410"/></a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The 1984 comedy horror film ‘Gremlins’ is a lesson in why you must comply with certain laws and regulations.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The regulations of owning a Mogwai stated: No water <strong>(violated)</strong>, no food after midnight <strong>(violated)</strong>, and no bright light <strong>(violated – BIG TIME)</strong>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">These violations resulted in the cute cuddly Mogwai called Gizmo spawning Gremlins – small destructive, evil monsters – who ran amok terrorising the town.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Now when it comes to HR matters, there is a time and place for rebelliousness. This is neither the time nor the place.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">As a self-confessed HR Rule Breaker this is a bitter pill to swallow. But swallow it we must.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>D.I.Y Risk Reduction or Internal HR Audit<br/></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It’s tough to keep up with change.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>a)</strong> The ever-shifting business landscape.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>b)</strong> The rapidly evolving compliance regulations for your industry. E.g. legal, financial, health and safety.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>c)</strong> Your legal and statutory obligations towards your employee community.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If that’s not enough to get your mind around, don’t forget this one.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>d)</strong> The importance of ensuring that your HR strategy and activities are closely aligned to and support the achievement of your business goals.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you take your eye off the ball for one moment, the pace of change can quickly switch from a minor snowball to a destructive avalanche.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Carry out your own internal checks and corrections and you will remove some of the worry and fear of a visit from an External Auditor.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Starting now,</strong> get ready for lashings of practical actionable tips over two posts to help <strong>YOU</strong> protect your business against potential legal, financial, regulatory and brand reputation risks and create value with internal HR audits.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Types of Audit</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/editorialcontent/2011/0911/pages/0911krell.aspx" target="_blank">The Society for Human Resource Managers (SHRM)</a> zeros in on two main types.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Risk Mitigation Audits</strong> “are designed to ensure that existing policies and procedures are effective and followed.”</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">This type of audit focuses on compliance with requirements of national employment laws.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Value Creation Audits</strong> “look more broadly at how HR’s activities correlate with business priorities and how these activities might be performed more effectively and efficiently.”</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">This type of audit focuses on where and how HR can add value, impact and make a positive difference to the business and the employee community it serves.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This post will show you how <strong>YOU</strong> can use the principles of a <strong>Risk Mitigation Audit</strong> to prevent business pain and eliminate the gremlins skulking in your employee files.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The mandatory content for your employee files will vary depending on your national employment laws and any regulatory requirements for your industry.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It doesn’t matter if you have analogue paper-based files or e-files; this checklist can alleviate persistent pain through compliance and doing the right thing.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let’s get to work on this HR renovation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Fixer-Upper: Your Outdated Neglected Employee Files</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Use this <strong>19.5 Point Internal Audit Checklist</strong> to help you create employee files with compliant content.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. CVs / Resumés or</strong> <strong>Employment Application Form:</strong> Ensure that each employee file has a full CV or Resumé.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If your organisation uses employment application forms instead of CVs/Resumé, it is important that each applicable section is complete and the employee has signed and dated the form.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. Reference Checks:</strong> This is a <strong>HUMONGOUS</strong> area of risk. Close the yawing risk abyss by doing reference checks in the first instance. Get <strong>at least 3 references</strong> from;</p>
<ul>
<li>Recent employers or clients if your new employee has been freelancing (work).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>University, college or school tutors or teachers for recent graduates (academic).</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">But you must absolutely refuse to accept references from known family members. Side step that conflict of interest risk!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. Criminal Background Checks:</strong> Depending on the role for which your employee has been hired or nature of your business, it may be a legal requirement for you to carry out a criminal background check.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Even if this is not a compulsory requirement, I strongly recommend that you ask all new employees to provide a Police Certificate of Character (name of document will vary in each country)</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. Official Identification:</strong> Be sure to see original valid photo identification documents e.g. passport, drivers license, Social Security, National ID.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Make photocopies of the relevant pages and sections of the ID and record the date the original was seen before adding to the employee’s file.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5. Legal Authorisation to Work:</strong> It is critical to ensure that you have the correct documentation in place and within the set legal time frame. Work permits, evidence of residency etc.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Don’t fall foul of the law. Monitor expiry and renewal dates to ensure that the company and your employee takes the necessary action in good time.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>6. Academic and/or Professional Certificates or Licenses:</strong> If your recruitment marketing information, the role specification and/or regulatory body requires that that job holder have specific qualifications and/or professional licenses, be sure to collect verifiable evidence.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Make photocopies of original documents or, if needed, request notarised copies and place on the individual employee’s file.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>7. Emergency Contact Details:</strong> It is important to have up-to-date details of next of kin or individuals who the employee wants to be contacted in the event of an emergency.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>8. Recruitment Selection / Interview Records:</strong> Avoid the risk of breaking discrimination laws by rigorously vetting all records, interviewer notes and scores to ensure compliance.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Ensure that you take proactive steps to prevent discriminatory practises in your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>9. Formal Offer and Contract of Employment:</strong> Invest in the services of a competent employment lawyer or HR specialist to create legally compliant templates.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Ensure that you issue terms and conditions of employment to your employee within the period stipulated by law.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Double check that both the employee and the authorised representative of the business has signed the contract.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>10. Job Descriptions:</strong> You may not use a traditional Job Description in your business; but it is critical to give your employee a role profile or scope of role document.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It must accurately reflect the role which the employee has been recruited to perform and it must be signed by the employee.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>11. Employee Status Change Records:</strong> Be sure that you implement a process and culture that encourages employees to voluntarily update you about changes in their personal circumstances. E.g. marriage, children etc.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">These changes may have an impact on their eligibility for company or statutory benefits.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>12. Employee Handbook or other key policies:</strong> As you communicate and train key policies and standards (e.g. code of conducts, values) be sure to provide full access to to all policies and standards to each employee in your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your employees may need to sign copies of specific policies to indicate their understanding, acceptance and willingness to comply with the contents of the policy or standard.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>13. Company Assets:</strong> Keep accurate records of company assets or equipment issued to individual employees. Examples include, smart phones, laptops, tools, keys etc.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This information will be helpful to guide the replacement and return at the end of the employment relationship.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>14. Leave Records:</strong> Keep records of your employees’ statutory or company leave entitlement and any leave taken by the employee or owed to them by the business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Types of leave benefits include; sick, holiday/vacation, maternity, paternity etc which all have a financial cost to the business attached.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>15. Performance Evaluation Records:</strong> No matter the process, tool or method you use; ensure that performance evaluations measure the important and relevant contribution to your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Completed formal performance assessment documents must be signed and dated by the employee conducting the appraisal and the employee whose contribution is being evaluated.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>16. Professional Development Plans:</strong> Have you identified individual employees for leadership or specialist roles needed by your business soon or in the future?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Do you know which employees need an uplift in skills or know-how?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>What’s your plan of action?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">A professional development plan tailored to your individual employee’s needs and linked to your business goals will help to connect your employees’ contributions to your company’s purpose. This can help mitigate the risk of purpose drift and employee flight risk.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>17. Disciplinary Action:</strong> Ensure that you comply with national laws or applicable Union work agreements and company procedures as it relates to handling disciplinary matters and record keeping.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Scrutinise all documentation to ensure that investigations and disciplinary action documentation are fair, legally correct and do not present a legal, financial and brand reputation risk to your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>18. Recognition and Commendations:</strong> Keep records of your employees’ positive contributions to your business with the same diligence as you do the negative.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is important to keep a balanced perspective of your employee’s impact on your customers and their colleagues.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>19. Learning and Development Records:</strong> It is important to demonstrate that you have provided your employees with the necessary learning and development opportunities which allows them to perform their role to the expected standards and in a way which is in keeping with the culture of the business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Keep records of new recruit Orientation/Induction, internal and external training and ongoing skills coaching.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>19.5. File Style:</strong> Invest in good quality files – the ones with multiple divided sections. For easy reference and to avoid a disorganised mess, cluster your employee information. E.g. Recruitment, Performance Management, Compensation and Benefits, Employment Status Change.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Get busy with this 19.5 point checklist to help you renovate your HR, tackle the most challenging fixer-upper employee files and remove the Gremlins from your HR filing cabinets.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I am sure there’s a lot more to add to this important topic. </p>
<p class="selectionShareable">What other pointers can you provide to reduce financial, legal and brand reputation risk found in the content of Employee Files?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Drop a comment in the box below.</p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/11/22/dont-dilly-dally-start-critical-hr-improvements-today/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 22nd November 2015. Now it is freshly served for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Design Your Path to Improved Sticky Recruitment Resultstag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-11-19:502551:BlogPost:19310842015-11-19T15:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Rediscover the Valuable Lost Art of Recruitment Selection Design</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557577338?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="215" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557577338?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="392"></img></a> So here we are. You are at it again.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It never stops.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is a need that is never satisfied.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It continues to suck time and…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Rediscover the Valuable Lost Art of Recruitment Selection Design</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557577338?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557577338?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="215" width="392"/></a>So here we are. You are at it again.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It never stops.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is a need that is never satisfied.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It continues to suck time and energy.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is continuous – relentless.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You’ve had some success, but that success is inconsistent. <strong>Frustrated!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You have had some stellar results but the results didn’t convert or stick around. <strong>Annoyed!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>Heck!</strong></em> This quest is NOT noble; it’s stressful and quixotic. Let’s be frank, this <strong>SUCKS!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Quest to Find Talent is relentless</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Do you feel trapped on the recruitment hamster wheel?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Are you stuck in a non-productive repetitive hiring cycle?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Are you trying to crack the talent code?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Are you being out-foxed by this hiring conundrum? How to select individuals with <strong>the right skills S.E.T? (Smart, Enthusiastic, Talented).</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If that’s not enough to cope with; do you know that your trusty candidate interview process might be part of the problem?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Your blind faith in the good old interview might be undeserved. Let me explain why.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Often-Ignored Problems with Interviews</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">These are <strong>three main interview formats</strong> traditionally used by recruiters.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">• <strong>Unstructured</strong>, free-flow interviews.<br/> • <strong>Situational</strong> interviews in which candidates are asked what they ‘would’ do in a given situation.<br/> • <strong>Structured</strong> interviews in which candidates are asked carefully crafted questions against a predetermined criteria.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I listed them in descending order from weak to strong <strong>predictive validity –</strong> the effectiveness of the approach to predict on-the-job performance of the candidate.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Stephen Taylor,</strong> in his book <em>‘Employee Resourcing’</em> now revised and updated to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/People-Resourcing-Stephen-Taylor/dp/184398198X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447537147&sr=1-1&keywords=People+Resourcing" target="_blank">‘<em><strong>People Resourcing’</strong></em></a> gives 13 unlucky reasons to explain why interviews have been criticised for poor predictive validity.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Here are 5</strong> that jumped out at me. They have the power to derail the smooth flow of your recruitment process and stress you out.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. The Self-fulfilling prophesy effect</strong>: Interviewers ask questions designed to confirm initial impressions of candidates</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. The Halo and Horns effect:</strong> Interviewers rate candidates as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ across the board as a result of a first impression despite evidence to the contrary.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. The Personal liking effect:</strong> Interviewers make decisions on the basis of whether or not they personally like or dislike the candidate.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. The Similar-to-me effect:</strong> Interviewers give preference to candidates they perceive as having a similar background, career history, personality or attitudes to themselves.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5. The information overload effect:</strong> Interviewers form judgments based on only a fraction of the data available to them about each individual candidate.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Interviews are a nasty bubbling brew of subjectivity, bias and questionable results!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Shall we throw in the towel now?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>YES and NO!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The interview – specifically a well-designed structured competency-based interview – continues to be a useful, practical selection technique.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">However there is a <strong>pesky fly in the ointment – </strong>the skill and mind-set of the interviewer. The success and the validity of the interview relies heavily – perhaps too much – on the prowess of the interviewer.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Training and skills coaching can address the ability gap – but only to a point.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Take heart Recruiter, you can take action to reduce the risk of a rogue recruitment process.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here’s what you can do. Ready to get started?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Steal-worthy Techniques from the Assessment Centre</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">One of the best places to observe and experience the benefits of top notch selection design is in a well-crafted Assessment Centre.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I discovered this in my days as a Graduate Recruiter.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Let me tell you what I learnt.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Assessment Centres involve a combination of individual and group exercises. When you combine multiple selection techniques, each technique serves as one important piece of the jigsaw to build a complete picture of the candidate.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Some exercises are designed to mirror the role to be filled, while others zero in on the organisation’s desired competencies or values.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">And now comes the best part.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Assessment Centres allow recruiters to observe and test skills and the candidates’ social interactions that are tricky and difficult to experience in a traditional interview setting.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">According to the <a href="http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/selection.htm" target="_blank"><strong>University of Kent, Careers and Employability Service,</strong></a> Assessment Centres add <strong>Vitamin B – BOOST</strong> – to your recruitment process!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">• They are one of the most <strong>reliable</strong> methods of assessing candidates. Interviews or any other method, taken alone, may be as low as 15% accurate. However, when scores from a number of different selection exercises are combined, their accuracy can rise to over 60%.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">• They are generally accepted as a <strong>fair method of selection,</strong> providing equal opportunities for all candidates and selecting on merit.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">• They are designed to <strong>provide selectors with as much information as possible</strong> about candidates.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">• They <strong>assess what candidates will actually do</strong> if selected: not just how good they are at interview!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">• They offer <strong>a thorough, in-depth assessment</strong>: most candidates, even if rejected after a selection centre, feel that they have had a fair chance to show what they can do</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">With all these benefits, an Assessment Centre offers a clear path to improved recruitment results.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Wait!</strong> To get your hands on all this value, you will need to put in some <strong>extra effort.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>Assessment Centres:</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><br/> 1. Take a massive time investment to design and coordinate the format.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">2. Need bespoke-designed exercises to get maximum results.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">3. Are typically held over 1 – 3 days.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">4. Require access to resources. E.g. suitable venue, materials, people for the selection to run without glitches and hitches.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Click <a href="https://www.assessmentday.co.uk/assessmentcentre/index.html" target="_blank">here</a></strong> to learn even more about how to structure an Assessment Centre.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>Now this begs the question; should you make time to do an Assessment Centre-style selection process?</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Yes!</strong> The Assessment Centre approach can help you to:-</p>
<ul>
<li>Jump-start your chances of selecting candidates that stick.</li>
<li>Even the odds of recruiting individuals that uplift your organisation’s culture and click with the purpose.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/04/hire-like-google/" target="_blank"><strong>Check out Google’s Secret to Hiring the Best People</strong></a> and learn how you too can cherry-pick and mix some of the best features of the Assessment Centre to get stellar hiring results.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>3 More Reasons to Swipe Ideas from an Assessment Centre</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. Bespoke Design Benefits:</strong> Designing exercises for an Assessment Centre is all about customising or creating material that is specific to the context of your organisation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Like a beautiful handwritten note, a well-designed and executed Assessment Centre demonstrates care and the importance an organisation places on selecting the best candidates to join the company.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I am designing a mini Assessment Centre for a client.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">My first task is to identify the key criteria on which the assessment will be based. Here is a peek at my work in progress.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Next I will move on to creating the scripts and evaluation criteria for the different exercises.</p>
<p style="text-align: right;" class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557577677?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557577677?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="393" width="519"/></a><em>Work in progress at Aquarius HR</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. Cross-functional collaboration:</strong> Recruitment is everyone’s business. The Assessment Centre approach breaks down internal walls. It allows managers, peer-employees and HR to collaborate and share ownership in recruiting new employees and building the organisation’s culture.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. Tell your brand story:</strong> It provides the opportunity for your candidates to experience your brand first hand through their interaction with assessors / employees of the company.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">When candidates have a meaningful and rewarding experience in your selection process, they will share their positive experience, even if they are not hired.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This is authentic Marketing-karma and PR-mojo flowing back to your target talent community. Priceless!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Art of HR</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580830?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557580830?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="240" width="341"/></a></strong>HR is Art.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It may feel like a martial art discipline sometimes – but art it is nonetheless.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Selection Design is an opportunity for HR to <strong>make</strong> meaning, <strong>create</strong> a bespoke experience for the candidate/employee.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">So savvy HR/Recruiter, don’t stress. </p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You don’t need to create a full-on Assessment Centre.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Instead, add one ingredient to your recruitment process to design your path to improved sticky recruitment results.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Mix one exercise (e.g. a role play, or case study, or presentation) in to your standard interview process and <strong>increase the validity</strong> of your candidate selection process.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>What other ideas and techniques can you steal from the Assessment Centre approach to Design Your Path to Improved Sticky Recruitment Results?</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>How have you (re)discovered the lost art of recruitment selection design?</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>Share thoughts on art of HR. Drop a comment in the box below.</strong></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This post was originally posted in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/blog/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> on 15th November 2015. Now it is served up fresh for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>
<p></p>Turn your Recruitment Marketing Activities from Blah to Irresistibly Effectivetag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-11-11:502551:BlogPost:19300332015-11-11T22:36:56.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>5 Attention-Grabbing Candidate Attraction Tips</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570094?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="290" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570094?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="434"></img></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Does any of this sound familiar?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The recruiting Manager sends a recruitment request to HR. This is followed by an email expressing the dire need and urgency for the…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>5 Attention-Grabbing Candidate Attraction Tips</strong></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570094?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570094?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="290" width="434"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Does any of this sound familiar?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">The recruiting Manager sends a recruitment request to HR. This is followed by an email expressing the dire need and urgency for the position to be filled – like yesterday. <strong>Seriously! Really</strong>? <strong>Stress!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR checks the organisation chart to confirm vacancy. <strong>Vacancy confirmed.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR reviews manning guide to confirm compensation range for role and checks if there is any funds left in the budget to advertise.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Budget remains. Barely. It has been slashed and ear-marked for reallocation. <strong>Hurry, spend budget or lose it.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If no budget, an email plea from HR to Finance to open up the wallet swiftly follows.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Email response from Finance to HR contains phrases like; cost centre, budget rationale required, do more with less and the need for a creative approach.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Miniscule peanut-sized budget approved. <strong>Seriously! Really? Stress!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR checks the condition of the Job Description.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Good grief! An awful realisation dawns. <strong>More Stress!</strong> That logo was replaced 3 years ago in the last company rebranding campaign! Get new logo from Marketing.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Carry out a quick cosmetic update of JD<strong>.</strong> Send to recruiting Manager for input and sign off.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">No time – need a template. Cut and paste refreshed vacancy details into the last recruitment ad used. Recruitment ad is now ready to go live. <strong>Phew!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Now to keep fingers crossed and pray that some decent candidates apply.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>There has got to be a better way…</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Some Hard Questions to Answer If You Want to Get Noticed <br/></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Take a moment to ponder and ask yourself these 3 questions.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>A.</strong> Do you want to grab the attention of your desired candidate(s) who share the same <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/05/18/plug-in-values-and-supercharge-your-employee-engagement/" target="_blank">values</a> as your organisation and repel those that don’t?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>B.</strong> Do you need to find individuals who possess the skills and experience needed by your organisation?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>C.</strong> Are you serious about turning your recruitment marketing activities from blah to irresistibly effective?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you answered <span style="text-decoration: underline;">YES</span> to <strong>any</strong> of the questions, read on to get on the road to stellar hiring.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If you commit to following these steps you will be strutting your stuff, flashing your tail feathers and grabbing the attention of your target market in short order.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. Attract AND Fascinate:</strong> I took <a href="http://www.howtofascinate.com/the-fascinate-system/the-7-advantages-of-fascination/" target="_blank">The Fascination Advantage® assessment</a>. I was blown away! Check it out for yourself. Take the quick test and find out your ‘<em>Archetype’</em>. Fascinating stuff.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I have used personality tests (e.g. <a href="http://www.myersbriggs.org/myers-and-briggs-foundation/" target="_blank">Myers-Briggs</a> and <a href="http://ceb.shl.com/uk/solutions/talent-acquisition/" target="_blank">SHL</a>) many times in recruitment campaigns. I have also taken the tests myself. But this test demands you open your mind and move to a different headspace.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Sally Hogshead has turned personality testing inside out. <em>“<strong>This test doesn’t measure how you see the world… but how the world sees you.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Brainpoke Alert!</strong> This got me thinking.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Hiring processes typically focus on an <strong><em>inside-out</em></strong> approach. The organisation starts by reflecting its own understanding of its brand image onto its target (external) market. As a result, recruitment marketing material may contain <em>(potentially erroneous</em>) assumptions of ‘employer of choice’ status or similar aspired-to accolades.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Candidates don’t give a <strong>!HOOT!</strong> how your organisation sees itself.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your desired candidates’ (or individuals they trust and follow) perception and experience of your employer brand is <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">THE</span></strong> reality to which recruiters must pay attention.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Invest time, energy and budget to understand your target market’s feelings towards your employer brand. Then you will be able to strengthen the magnetic pull and relevance of your employment offer to 1<sup>st</sup> choice candidates. <strong>Start with the <em>outside-in</em> approach to attract and fascinate.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. Mind the Brand Perception – Reality Gap:</strong> Here are some more reasons to take an <em>outside-in</em> approach.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Without regular honest assessment of your brand’s perception and value amongst the target candidate market, you open your recruitment efforts to the risk of financial and reputational nightmares.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">I am sure you have either heard of or experienced disastrous recruitment campaigns. E.g.</p>
<ul>
<li>Question: “Who hired that psychopathic Narcissist?”</li>
<li>It cost US$5000 to hire and US$35,000 (and escalating) to exit the bad hire from the organisation.</li>
<li>Your last recruitment attracted the desperate and the inappropriate.</li>
<li>Your recruitment campaign launched with a bang! All you heard was the sound of crickets instead of the steady ping of fabulous candidate applications hitting your inbox.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">DONT WAIT! Set aside a budget to regularly carry out assessments to 'test the temperature' of your employee community.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><em>Inside-out</em></strong> <em>(e.g. Employee Engagement Surveys, Exit Interviews and Performance Evaluations etc.)</em></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i><strong><em>Outside-in</em></strong> <em>(surveying your target candidate’s feelings and opinions of your employer brand through focus groups, online perception questionnaires etc.)</em></i></li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>N.B. With the exception of performance evaluations, I recommend using a reputable third party to administer and report evaluation results. This will go some way in capturing more robust and useful data.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Allocate time <strong>(<em>don’t scrimp on this</em>)</strong> to address issues negatively impacting your organisation’s ability to hire and retain ‘right-fit’ talent.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable">Use this knowledge to craft benefits and create the employment experience relevant to your business and appealing to your employee community.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. Time: 0.10 second</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">What is the significance of this time? Why should you care?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">No, it is not Usain Bolt’s reaction time to the starter gun.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is <strong><em>“the amount of time it takes to form a first impression.”</em> BOOM!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This is according to <strong>‘<em>Playbook: View from the Top’</em></strong> in <strong><a href="http://www.inc.com/" target="_blank">Inc.</a></strong> magazine (June 2015). In this article successful business founders share their wisdom on building a great team.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Time to obsess but not stress. Fellow recruiters there is much more prep work to be done to make 0.10 second count.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Here’s the challenge. You have a mosquito-brain-sized window of opportunity through which to make and form an irresistible first impression.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4.</strong> <strong>Avoid the Peril of Confusing Benefits and Features:</strong> Hours of work, compensation, location, duties and responsibilities, free health checks, paid time off to do volunteer work in the community, no-cap on vacation leave.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">These are <strong>NOT</strong> benefits. Now hold on – it is a matter of context.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">They may be considered benefits on the HR-Finance compensation budget spreadsheet; but not in the recruitment marketing context. Without the marketing treatment they are merely bland <strong>features</strong> of the job role and employment offer.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>Psst!</em></strong> You need to focus on presenting authentic and relevant benefits to your target candidates (HR’s clients) at this stage of the hiring process.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">For easily digestible steal-worthy seduction tips, head over to <strong>Enchanting Marketing</strong>. Henneke Duistermaat’s blog post <a target="_blank">“A Simple Trick to Turn Features Into Benefits</a> (and Seduce Readers to Buy!)”.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It may be primarily written for copywriting and web marketing but the simple rules for seductive ‘client’ engagement are universal. Her nuggets of wisdom are easy to swallow and apply to the HR and recruitment marketing context.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Achieve recruitment alchemy by transforming features into <strong>benefits</strong> for maximum appeal by answering these questions.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong> </strong><strong>“<em>What do your clients really want to achieve? What are they dreaming of?</em></strong> Henneke</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><em> </em></strong> An irrefutable law of attraction…</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“You can only sell with real benefits if you know what your audience wishes, desires, and secretly dreams of.”</em></strong> Henneke.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Henneke’s straightforward approach will help you re-craft the features of the employment experience in your organisation into a compelling display of appealing benefits. This is your <strong>Employee Value Proposition (EVP)</strong>. Your peacock tail if you will.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5. EVP Power:</strong> Closely aligned with your Employer Brand, your EVP specifically describes the features and the appeal of working for your organisation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">It is the clear response to answer <strong>“WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?</strong>” as demanded by your preferred employee community. If you are serious about achieving stellar hiring success, you <strong>must</strong> answer this question.<strong> </strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your EVP must clearly outline both the <strong>tangible</strong> and <strong>psychological</strong> (<em>feeling</em>) benefits received in exchange for performing your organisation’s work and for becoming a member of your employee community.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong> </strong>If you want to win the attention and ultimate loyalty of your desired candidate and employee community needed by your organisation, you need to craft a distinctive EVP. Be artisan in your approach – craft it with the bespoke and the authentic in your mind and heart.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Remember there are other suitors in the game. To neutralise your competition’s seduction moves on your desired candidates, deploy your EVP and smooth your preferred candidates’ journey to your organisation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>Need more convincing about EVP Power?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Get it right, according to <strong><a href="http://talentsmoothie.com/employee-value-proposition/" target="_blank">talentsmoothie</a>™</strong> and a well-articulated EVP, can:</p>
<ul>
<li>Reduce new-hire salary costs by up to 50%</li>
<li>Improve the commitment of new hires by up to 29%</li>
<li>Increase the likelihood of employees acting as advocates from an average of 24% to 47%</li>
<li>Show a turnover rate up to 40% lower than companies with lower levels of engagement</li>
<li>Gain up to 18% higher levels of productivity</li>
<li>Gain up to 35% more efficiency</li>
<li>Be 59% more likely to innovate</li>
<li>Improve customer loyalty – 41% of customers are loyal because of good employee attitude</li>
<li>Improve customer experience – 70% of brand experience is determined by ‘people experience’.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">These are some statistics HR can get its teeth into to demonstrate value and relevance to the business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Don't worry this is most definitely not a seduction trick from the dodgy advertiser’s playbook – over-promising and under-delivering.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">So Recruiter, you have attracted and won the attention of your target candidates. Remember this is only the courtship stage. You now need to hold their attention for the long haul.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em><strong>How will you achieve that?</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">In the meantime,</p>
<ul>
<li>Strut your stuff and shake your jewelled-hued EVP tail feathers.</li>
<li>Mesmerise your target market and attract a tribe following.</li>
<li>Comment and share your candidate attraction tips.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Shake responsibly, savvy Recruiter / HR Marketer!</strong></p>
<p><em>This post is combination of two articles originally posted in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/blog/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole on</a></strong> 25 May 2015 and 31st May 2015. It has been tweaked and refreshed for the Recruiting Blogs community.<br/></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"></p>How to Boost your HR Credibility and Restore Your Swagger Todaytag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-11-04:502551:BlogPost:19275142015-11-04T00:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571464?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" height="311" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571464?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="407"></img></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Extra! Extra! Read All About It!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Have you read about HR in the media this year?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">In case you missed it. Here is a sample of some of this year’s headlines featuring Human…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571464?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571464?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="311" width="407"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Extra! Extra! Read All About It!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Have you read about HR in the media this year?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">In case you missed it. Here is a sample of some of this year’s headlines featuring Human Resources.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong><a href="http://laurieruettimann.com/this-is-why-people-hate-hr/" target="_blank">This is Why People Hate HR.</a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/06/05/why-does-everyone-hate-hr/" target="_blank">Why Does Everyone Hate HR?</a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong><a href="http://www.alternet.org/hr-hates-you-how-corporate-overseers-devalue-workers" target="_blank">Your HR Department Hates You: How Corporate Overseers Exploit Workers.</a></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">If we are to believe these headlines, the HR discipline is a dinosaur lumbering its way to extinction.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">If the headlines are true, HR Practitioners are sitting in their offices moldering away, grieving and in denial that it is game over.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">If the headlines could predict the future, HR will be edged out of its niche in the people business by its cousins in Marketing and Communications in the way that <a href="http://gizmodo.com/betamax-vs-vhs-how-sony-lost-the-original-home-video-1591900374" target="_blank">Betamax lost out to VHS</a> in the videotape format wars. <em>There’s a little ancient tech history for you.</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">If the headlines are accurate, there is a tsunami of “the sky is falling” hysteria threatening to engulf a beleaguered and careworn HR.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">I must be fair. Obviously, these headlines sensationally scream the story of a struggling HR function but they actually tell a different story.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">I urge you to go beyond the headlines and dive into the articles.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The authors do not hide from the problems (sometimes undeserved and sometimes self-inflicted) and the challenges shaking HR to the core.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Dig deeper and you will find they point to a way for HR to survive and thrive beyond the storm.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>3 Do or Die HR Take-Aways</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">HR must:</p>
<ol>
<li>Put the ‘human’ before the ‘resources.</li>
<li>Reconnect with what matters to businesses and people.</li>
<li>Solve real problems.</li>
</ol>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Now is the time for HR to take action. In an earlier post from The HR Rabbit Hole <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/07/05/the-savvy-hrs-guide-to-creating-remarkable-value/" target="_blank">(The Savvy HR’s Guide to Creating Remarkable Value),</a> I ended with this Call to Action.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“The next chapters of HR’s story are being written.</em></strong> <br/> <strong><em>What will you write?”</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">It is only right and fair that I respond to this question too.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Hidden inside the uncomfortable realisation that <a href="https://marketoonist.com/2014/07/safe-is-risky.html" target="_blank">sitting tight and playing safe is the high risk option;</a> lies opportunities for the taking.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">At Aquarius our quest is to transform HR’s relevance. It is an audacious grizzly-sized goal and we wouldn’t want it any tamer.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Our weapon of choice for our quest is <strong>Creative HR</strong>. <em>WHUUT?</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"> <strong>What is Creative HR?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">HR + Marketing = Creative HR</a></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Creative HR inhabits the sweet spot at the intersection of HR, Marketing and Communications; with a respectful hat tip to our friends in Public Relations.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Creative HR is a Mixologist’s delight of uncommon connections blended together in a cocktail of fresh ideas that tweak tradition and deliver results.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Creative HR is a collage of concepts and souvenirs from cross-discipline adventuring; brought together to form a one discipline approach for meaningful transformations and value through human connections.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>How to Identify the Creative HR Tribe</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">Imagine this. There is a noisy party happening next door.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkXh_rvU_tk" target="_blank">You hear the sound of dance music</a> and laughter drifting towards you – pulling you in.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The smell of unusual yet delicious food flows over the fence, advertising the lively gathering in your neighbour’s backyard.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">You leave the quiet stability of your house, marching out your door with righteous indignation. They are disturbing the peace.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">You bang on your neighbour’s front door.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">The door opens.<br/> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkXh_rvU_tk" target="_blank">The music is louder.</a> The party is in full swing.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;">You see a crowd of people focused on the serious business of talking and connecting. Oh my goodness, they are…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557574730?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557574730?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="235" width="357"/></a><em>Image source: Antigua Carnival 2015</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>…having fun!!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You have a choice. Either call the Status Quo Police or join the revelers in the party.<br/> What will you do?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Will You Join Us?</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1.</strong> We are the deliberate disturbers of the status quo, challengers of the ‘conventional’ and questioners of ‘accepted’ HR wisdom. <strong><em>“Rules should be questioned, tested, reviewed over time and broken if they are not law or commandment.”</em></strong> Jeffrey Hayzlett, Think Big, Act Bigger.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2.</strong> We are dedicated to finding solutions that tweak tradition, uplift and transform.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3.</strong> We are not ‘experts’ nor do we aspire to be – <em><strong>“an expert is a man [or woman] who has stopped thinking…”</strong></em> <a href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/06/08/frank-lloyd-wright-quotations-pomegranate/" target="_blank">Frank Lloyd Wright</a>, Architect, Interior Designer, Writer, and Educator,</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4.</strong> We see HR as community of difference makers that creatively crafts meaningful success through human value.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>5.</strong> We don’t take ourselves seriously; but we are serious about the business of human value creation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>6.</strong> We are recognisable by our <em><strong>“Devotion to Inquisitiveness… Curiosity is the truth and the way of creative living. Curiosity is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.”</strong></em> Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>7.</strong> What we create isn’t for everyone. That’s OK! Marmite Principle rules apply.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;" class="wp-caption-text selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557578171?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557578171?profile=original" width="300"/></a><em>“The Marmite Principle”</em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>8.</strong> We are cross-discipline adventurers, foraging in various subject areas and exploring other business disciplines in search of truffles of inspiration and interesting talented people with whom to collaborate.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>9.</strong> We are dot-connectors, knowledge-sharers, adaptive shape-shifters. Oh yes, shape-shifting is practically a mandatory requirement – occasionally <strong><a href="http://mmitii.mattballantine.com/2015/10/02/comb-shaped/" target="_blank">T-shaped and sometimes</a> <a href="http://mmitii.mattballantine.com/2015/10/02/comb-shaped/" target="_blank">Comb-shaped</a>.</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>10.</strong> We follow the path of the storytellers, collaborating beyond the transactional level – going out of our way to understand individuals, culture and brand personalities on an emotional level so we can better serve and make our work matter.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>11.</strong>We take an artisan approach to our work. Inspired by skilled crafts people, we reject the cookie cutter in favour of a bespoke style – customised to suit needs and help fulfill aspirations.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>12.</strong> You can find us in doing work in the gig-economy and in unexpected niches – corporate, social entrepreneurship, start up. You only need to look a little closer.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Over to You</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Go on give Creative HR a go and put some swagger in your HR. You might actually be surprised at the ‘Swaggerific’ powers of Creative HR.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><br/> The next chapters of HR’s story are being written. Where will it all end? I can’t say for sure. But the HR stew pot is bubbling and in it there is every ingredient for a rich and tasty experience.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">What HR recipe will you write?</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><em>How will you:</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Put the ‘human’ before the ‘resources?</li>
<li>Reconnect with what matters to businesses and people?</li>
<li>Solve real problems?</li>
<li>Create meaning and make a difference?</li>
</ul>
<p>So how fly is your HR Swagger?</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This article was originally posted in the blog <strong><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/10/25/how-to-boost-your-hr-credibility-and-restore-your-swagger-today/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a></strong> 25 October 2015.</em></p>
<p><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>Stop Untrained Zombie Employees Killing Your Successful Recruitment Processtag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-10-31:502551:BlogPost:19235092015-10-31T17:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571476?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571721?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="158"></img></a> <strong><em>“FEAR, that deadliest of all emotions clutching at your heart…”</em></strong><br></br> Night of the Living Dead – 1968 independent film.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>This is how the tale of the Terror begins.</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>First…</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571476?profile=original"><img width="158" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557571721?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="158"/></a><strong><em>“FEAR, that deadliest of all emotions clutching at your heart…”</em></strong><br/> Night of the Living Dead – 1968 independent film.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" class="selectionShareable"><strong><em>This is how the tale of the Terror begins.</em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>First contact:</strong> They wow you during the recruitment process with their strong desire to join your business. Brimming with relevant skills and smart ideas to enhance your customers’ experience, they are the perfect fit.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Month 1 on the job:</strong> They impress you by jumping straight in demonstrating their self-starter credentials like pros. Hungry to learn the ropes they busy themselves with figuring out how things work.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You thank your lucky stars because you don’t have the time to train them right now. You are crazy busy! After all, this the reason why you hired them.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>Month 2 on the job:</strong> They arrive to work on time every day. They just sit there – eyes dull, energy zapped beings sucking productivity and profits from your business as if it were a brain smoothie.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You are seriously disturbed. You notice that they are not even trying to look busy anymore. You swear they are spending more time on their own social media than on your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You feel paranoia creeping up your spine, steadily making its to your brain. <strong><em>“What are they thinking? What are they sharing – and with whom?” Is it with <a href="http://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Glassdoor</a>?<br/></em></strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Your customers are starting to complain that the service isn’t what it used to be.</p>
<ul>
<li>Promises are not being kept</li>
<li>Service glitches are popping up everywhere</li>
<li>Your employees don’t seem to know what is going on</li>
<li>The peppy and prompt customer experience is no longer being felt.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">You ask yourself what has happened to your plucky go-getter new employees.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>WARNING!</strong> You have <strong>Untrained Zombie Employees</strong> in your business. Zombie employees start life as lively warm-blooded engaged human employees. Lack of training turns them into vacant-eyed tribe members of the <em>‘Working Dead’</em>.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You are in danger of incurring a budget-busting, recklessly-ruinous hiring mistake.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">If left untreated it will sweep through your organisation, infecting other employees, scaring away your hard-won customers and eat through your profits and brand reputation.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">This virulent virus of disengagement is highly contagious. You need to take curative action now!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Here’s How You Can Fight Back Before It's Too Late</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>STOP…</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>1. <em>Being too busy</em></strong> to prepare your (new) employee for success and maximum engagement.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. <em>Killing your opportunity</em></strong> to increase your productivity.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. <em>Believing training to be a cost</em></strong> (your time and money) instead of an investment in your employee and business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>4. <em>Taking Short-cuts</em></strong><em> </em>in immediate post-hire training.</p>
<p></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>START…</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable" style="text-align: left;"><strong>1.</strong> <em><strong>Following the #1 horror movie survival tip.</strong></em> <strong>NEVER</strong> take a short-cut through the woods, graveyard, back road, abandoned building in the hopes of saving time or keeping yourself safe from the horror chasing you.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You know that taking the short-cut is almost always a fatal mistake that ends badly. Somebody will literally be ‘cut’ ‘short’.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Well folks, you get the same chilling result in your business when you ignore or take short-cuts with your employee induction (orientation) and early post-hire training.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Employee training is positively <strong>NOT</strong> the place to take short-cuts. As sure as night follows day;</p>
<ul>
<li>You will be leaving yourself exposed to emotional, reputational and financial pain.</li>
<li>You will be leaving your business and customers at the mercy of the Untrained Zombie Employees.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>2. <strong><em>Investing in the BIG WHY</em></strong>.</strong> Aim straight for the <strong>heart</strong> and the <strong>head</strong> when defending your organisation against the attack of the Working Dead zombies. You must communicate your <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/09/19/5-smart-strategies-used-by-savvy-independent-entrepreneurs-to-build-wildly-successful-businesses/">business’ purpose</a> with feeling. You need to make it explicitly clear how and why your employees’ work is important to the success of the business. Yes, I’m taking about mission and vision!</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Every employee needs to <strong>feel</strong> and <strong>know</strong> that they are doing work that matters, makes a difference and that their contribution adds value to the business. When you inject their work with genuine meaning, you increase the chances of fulfilling your business’ purpose <strong>AND</strong> their personal aspirations.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Employees who are engaged and locked in to the business purpose, create a tangible positive uplift in their interactions with each other and their/your customers.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Growing a learning culture and training your employees are activities to which you need to pay constant attention if you and your business are to survive and thrive.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>3. <strong><em>Feeding the hunger (to learn)</em></strong>.</strong> When you feed this hunger you are boosting your employees’ professional development and your business’ growth too.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Focus on creating learning opportunities and stress less about training. Exploit the difference between learning and training to your advantage. It is this difference that can help ease the squeeze on your time and finances.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Google <strong><em>“What is the difference between learning and training?”</em></strong> and you will get a whopping 165,000,000 results. For speed, here is my in-a-nutshell definition.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Training</strong> is a a transfer knowledge, skills and/or way of thinking via planned event or programme delivered to you.</li>
<li><strong>Learning</strong> is a a transfer of knowledge, skills and/or way of thinking via a process of (self) discovery by absorbing what you see, hear and do.</li>
</ul>
<p class="selectionShareable">With HR budgets increasingly being canabalised by our friends in Finance, the savvy Recruiter/HR focuses on optimising opportunities for <em>‘experiential’</em> learning and makes plans and budget provision for training.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">Proactively create learning opportunities for your employees and build the foundation for a learning culture. Mindfully set the tone for independent learning, knowledge sharing, openly learning from mistakes, the freedom to implement solutions and cross-discipline collaboration.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You will still need to follow-up on lessons learned frequently. This will help you ensure that the depth of the learning, the quality of the work output and level of transformation are of value and to the standard needed by the business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable">As you create learning experiences for your employees, apply the wisdom of <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/confucius-9254926" target="_blank"><strong>Confucius</strong></a>, <em><strong>“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”</strong></em></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">When your employees understand and embrace what they need to do, they will do more (quantity) and better (quality). This will have a positive impact on the productivity levels in your business.</p>
<p class="selectionShareable"></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575934?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557575934?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" height="205" width="274"/></a></p>
<p class="selectionShareable"><strong>IT’S YOUR TURN…</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">You now know how to tame the <strong>Terror –</strong> vanquish the Working-Dead, cure Untrained Employee Zombies and protect your business against the Untrained Zombie contagion. <strong>You’ve got this covered!</strong></p>
<p class="selectionShareable">So savvy HR / Recruiter what are your smart tips to save your recruitment process and protect your organisation against ‘Working Dead’ ?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Happy Halloween!</strong></p>
<p><em>This Halloween Special article for the Recruiting Blogs community has been created by blatantly canabalising and sucking the life-blood out of an original blog post from <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/10/12/untrained-zombie-employees-may-be-leaving-your-valuable-customers-cold/" target="_blank"><strong>The HR Rabbit Hole</strong></a> published 12th October 2015 - <strong><em>Part 4 of 5</em>: Smart Strategies Used by Savvy Independent Entrepreneurs to Build Wildly Successful Businesses.</strong></em> <strong><br/></strong> It was then put back together Frankenstein style and given a few thousand jolts of volts.<em><br/></em></p>
<p><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art</strong>, she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via Twitter <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">@AquariusHRLtd</a></em></p>8 Wildly Ingenious Ideas to Positively Transform your Hiring Processtag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-10-26:502551:BlogPost:19222562015-10-26T20:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Case Study: DreamJobbing for TOMS Recruitment</strong> <strong>Campaign</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570615?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570615?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></strong></p>
<p>Once in a while you encounter something that literally stops you in your tracks. Is recruitment campaign envy a legitimate emotional condition?</p>
<p>For me it meant a cup of tea paused mid-air, between my desk and my lips, as I…</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Case Study: DreamJobbing for TOMS Recruitment</strong> <strong>Campaign</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570615?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570615?profile=RESIZE_320x320" class="align-left" width="300"/></a></strong></p>
<p>Once in a while you encounter something that literally stops you in your tracks. Is recruitment campaign envy a legitimate emotional condition?</p>
<p>For me it meant a cup of tea paused mid-air, between my desk and my lips, as I gawped at <strong><a href="http://dreamjobbing.com/dreamjobs/TOMS" target="_blank">DreamJobbing™ partnership with TOMS® to launch their Dream Job: TOMS Global Giver.</a></strong></p>
<p>The recruitment campaign is closed but you can still experience the great content yourself. In this post I also include some screen grabs from the live campaign.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Anatomy a Recruitment Campaign that Rocks</strong></p>
<p>There are so many steal-worthy, snackable bites from which to choose. Each one guaranteed to give a Recruiter/HR Marketer much food for thought and plenty to chew over.</p>
<p>Here are <strong>my top 8 brainpokes</strong> which will be finding their way into my HR Marketer “Swipe File”.</p>
<p>I am sure when you delve deeper you will find even more ingenious swag-ideas to stash in your own “Swipe File”.</p>
<p><strong>1. Leverage Your Unfair Advantage</strong>: It starts with your brand. Outrageously compelling and successful recruitment marketing and hiring processes are built on consumer and employer brands with high <a href="http://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/brand-equity.html" target="_blank">brand equity</a> value.</p>
<p>TOMS’ ultra-cool brand style and values credentials are already well-established. This is the perfect leverage. The stage is now set for wildly ingenious recruitment marketing experience and <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">creative HR</a> hiring process, infused with the TOMS’ distinctive brand style and values.</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> <strong>Power Up your Call to Action with Show and Tell:</strong> Use multiple (social) media channels to appeal to as many of the senses as you possibly can.</p>
<p>Where appropriate get your leader in front of the camera, show images of real employees doing real work and provide snippets of what it is like to work in your organisation or on the project.<strong> </strong></p>
<p>Listen and watch the video presented by Blake Mycoskie himself – TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver. What do you think of his job title or better yet, tribe leader name?</p>
<p><strong><em>Here are a few snippets from my study notes. </em></strong></p>
<p>i) You need to have a story about who you are and the future you want to build.</p>
<p>ii) At the heart of the story there must be a quest that your audience (candidates) will believe in.</p>
<p>iii) At the centre of the quest there must be an audacious big idea that they believe will make a change for the better. It is a call to action to make a difference, crafted specially for the individuals to whom such a quest will appeal.</p>
<p><strong>3. Flip Your Point of View</strong>: Most recruitment marketing messages has the company as the star of the show. WRONG! The customer must be the hero of the story.</p>
<p>Here’s the recruitment riff on <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/meaningful-marketing-story/" target="_blank"><strong><em>“The Amazingly Simple Anatomy of a Meaningful Marketing Story”</em></strong> infographic</a> by Demian Farnworth over at Copyblogger.</p>
<p>The candidate is the hero of the story. Period!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“[She] is the hero who transforms as her journey unfolds. She goes from ordinary to extraordinary.”</em></strong></p>
<p>Don’t just pay lip service; ensure they feel like a hero at every stage of your hiring process.</p>
<p><strong>4. Be Emotively Tactile:</strong> No one wants to commune with a zombie brand; people want to communicate with living human beings.</p>
<p>Important HR-related information packed full with staid and unappealing HR-speak and employment <em>'legalese'</em> leaves your candidates cold.</p>
<p>Go all out to banish Marketing <em>‘fromage’</em> and HR jargon. Ensure feeling seeps through the pores of your recruitment messages and reinforce your organisation’s genuine values through the images and copy.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Have a closer look at the <strong>“DREAMJOB DESCRIPTION” section</strong>. The copy is inspiring, engaging and personalised. The information is written in a straightforward and easy-to-digest style. The candidate knows exactly what to expect and what to do next.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>5. Transparency is Mandatory</strong>: High praise for showing the benefits the chosen applicant will receive. But I love the countdown – “<strong><em>5 days left</em></strong>”. It does double duty of keeping the candidates and visitors to the site informed about critical deadlines <strong><u>and</u></strong> it adds a frisson of anticipation – like that for big event.</p>
<p>Boost your candidates’ excitement with a visible countdown. Need convincing? Think of the effect of a space shuttle launch or the annual global countdown to the New Year.</p>
<p><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Dream-Job-Description.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-519" alt="Dream Job Description" src="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Dream-Job-Description-300x225.jpg" height="329" width="439"/></a></p>
<p><strong>6. Involve your Tribe:</strong> Most HR and Marketers will be familiar with employee/customer referrals. This a simple yet under-utilised tool in these times of scarce talent and values match. Who better to help you overcome the values match hurdle but the people who are already aligned with your brand values and culture – your tribe?</p>
<p><strong><em>“Know someone who would be great for this DreamJob? Share now:”</em></strong> The key to a successful referral programme is to make it super easy for someone to refer the right candidate – check out the social media share buttons – and ensure you have a robust internal process to respond to the referrals.</p>
<p><strong>7.</strong><strong>Millennial-Minded Selection Process</strong>: The pièce de résistance! WOAH!! <strong> </strong>Is this the most ingeniously democratic tribe-led candidate selection process ever?</p>
<p>It cleverly combines all the ideas mentioned in the previous 6 points. There is no need to state the obvious HR shortlisting/selection criteria of values and competencies. But it is there – discreetly at every candidate call to action.</p>
<p><strong> </strong><strong><em>“Apply now by uploading a video application (1 minute or less) telling us your story, what the One for One® mission means to you, and why you would be the perfect person to be the next TOMS Global Giver!</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>TOMS will be choosing the applicant who lands this DreamJob based on the creativity of the applicant video, applicant background and the voice of the community (votes, likes, tweets, social comments and sharing).”</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Vote-your-favourite-entries.jpeg.png"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-521" alt="Vote your favourite entries.jpeg" src="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Vote-your-favourite-entries.jpeg-300x225.png" height="325" width="433"/></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>8. The campaign has closed but it's not over.</strong> The campaign project team continued to engage and communicate with their audience. The DreamJob 'winner' was announced and in the spirit of complete transparency, their name was posted on the campaign site page.</p>
<p>Is this the end of recruitment campaigns as we know them? Is this the dawn of a new era of multi-platform / multi-sensory recruitment campaigns?</p>
<p>I can’t say for sure. But I will say this much. The genie is well and truly out of the bottle.</p>
<p>Candidates <strong><u>will</u></strong> continue turn their nose up at staid and unappealing HR recruitment marketing activities and cold and uninviting hiring processes.</p>
<p>Candidates <strong><u>will</u></strong> expect, (make that ‘demand’), intelligent, transparent communication that engages their brains, heart and values.</p>
<p>Sleepy complacency and sheep-like compliance with the traditional recruitment marketing efforts and candidate selection processes is your one-way ticket to joining the tribe of The Left-behinds.</p>
<p>Savvy Recruiter / HR Marketer, what will your next recruitment campaign look like?</p>
<p>Staid and dull as dishwater?</p>
<p><strong>OR</strong> Irresistibly Magnetic and Rocking?</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This article has been tweaked and refreshed for this Recruiting Blogs post. It was originally posted in the blog <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/07/12/the-powerfully-magnetic-anatomy-of-a-recruitment-campaign-that-rocks/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a> on 12th July 2015.</em></p>
<p><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>The Great Copywriter Heist: The Recruitment Ad Jobtag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-10-12:502551:BlogPost:19207222015-10-12T17:00:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570933?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570933?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> <strong>Revealed: 1 Steal-Worthy Persuasive Writing Technique That Converts Browsers into Quality Applicants</strong></p>
<p>This article was inspired by vexed frustration. I was frustrated by a recruitment marketing campaign that failed to convert decent candidates and hobbled by a laughably minuscule recruitment budget. I realised I had to help myself do better under the…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570933?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557570933?profile=RESIZE_320x320" class="align-left" width="300"/></a><strong>Revealed: 1 Steal-Worthy Persuasive Writing Technique That Converts Browsers into Quality Applicants</strong></p>
<p>This article was inspired by vexed frustration. I was frustrated by a recruitment marketing campaign that failed to convert decent candidates and hobbled by a laughably minuscule recruitment budget. I realised I had to help myself do better under the circumstances with a little cross-discipline adventuring.</p>
<p><strong>Forget a Hack. This is a Heist!</strong></p>
<p>(<em>with a few dashes of creative license and a touch of humour thrown in for good measure).</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Target</strong></p>
<p>We are going to break into the Copywriters’ reinforced steel vault containing all their revered methods. After we get inside, we crack the safe that contains their persuasive copywriting techniques and the prized jewel - <strong>The C.T.A. or Call to Action.</strong></p>
<p><em>The what?</em></p>
<p>For the less ambitious among you with a desire to play safe, this job might not be for you. And that’s OK.</p>
<p>For the rest of you, we have a heist to execute.</p>
<p>Are you still with me? Good!</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong> </strong><strong>The Call to Action: A Priceless Jewel and Technique to Master</strong></p>
<p>Imagine you have created a beautifully branded recruitment ad. It’s gorgeously seductive and attention grabbing. As soon as it is published, prospect interest and candidate views skyrocket.</p>
<p>But the plot unravels here.</p>
<p>For some reason you are not converting this high interest and views into to actual applications – at least not to the level and the numbers expected. Your stats suck.</p>
<p>A likely cause is a wishy-washy <strong>Call to Action</strong> or worse no <strong>Call to Action.</strong> It is your nemesis to be thwarted.</p>
<p>The focus has been on grabbing attention but telling people what to do after you have hooked them has been overlooked. This is a common fixable mistake.</p>
<p>A CTA is a persuasive writing term, typically found in sales copy in either print or digital media that tells your audience or customers what to do or the next step to take.</p>
<p>You are familiar with CTAs like;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“CLICK HERE to try it FREE for 21 days”</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Subscribe NOW”</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“White Hot Summer Sale. Shop today and save a further 30%”</strong></p>
<p>Ginny Soskey writing in a <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-call-to-action-faqs-ht" target="_blank">Hubspot</a> blog post explains;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“a call-to-action (usually abbreviated as CTA) is an image or line of text that prompts your visitors, leads, and customers to take action. It is, quite literally, a “call” to take an “action.”</em></strong></p>
<p>Sonia Simone, <strong><a href="http://rainmaker.fm/audio/pink/ask/" target="_blank">The Pink-Haired Marketer’s podcast <em>‘Call to Action: The Awesome Power of Asking for What You Want’</em></a></strong> reveals this often overlooked marketing superpower. She sums up simply why creating an effective CTA is technique to master.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“If you don’t tell people what to do – people won’t do it.”</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Adapt or Get Caught (Out)</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>But a recruitment ad or campaign is not really sales, you may sniff.</em></p>
<p>Heck yes! Make no mistake a recruitment ad or marketing campaign are sales messages. They are a pitch – a proposition of employment to your candidate.</p>
<p><em>Is sales too low brow a pursuit for HR?</em></p>
<p>Shift your mind. You are selling.</p>
<p>Even more challenging, you are probably selling your organisation’s employment offer in a (over)-crowded market.</p>
<p><em>You are faced with a new reality.</em></p>
<p>Your target candidates are increasingly passive and comatose by the bombardment of obvious ‘join us’, ‘pick us’, ‘tell a friend’ or ‘apply’ messages every day.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <strong>5 Simple Tips to Creating an Effective CTA</strong></p>
<p>Use these 5 tips to help you create candidate specific CTA’s that convert interest into action.</p>
<p><strong>1. Swipe ideas from the winners:</strong> Be on the look out for any recruitment marketing awards and add to your <em>SWIPE FILE</em><a href="http://www.cipdrmas.co.uk/winners/" target="_blank"></a>. For example the UK's CIPD Recruitment Marketing Awards winners' <a href="http://www.cipdrmas.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/RMA-2015-Winners-Brochure_230x210_5.pdf" target="_blank">downloadable brochure</a> is in my file.</p>
<p><strong>2. Seek out Inspiration: </strong>I had a total fan crush on <a target="_blank" href="http://dreamjobbing.com/dreamjobs/TOMS">DreamJobbing™ for TOMS’® Dream Job Recruitment Campaign</a>. Head on over and be inspired by this master class of the purpose-packed recruitment campaign, peppered with compelling candidate specific CTAs.</p>
<p><strong>3. Be explicit:</strong> Tell your candidates what will happen next after they submit their application and what to do each stage of your recruitment process. Leave no room for guessing or assumption or error. Tell them their next move <strong>E-X-P-L-I-C-I-T-L-Y.</strong></p>
<p><strong>4. Watch your Language:</strong> You need to be direct but not rude or overpowering. Dust off your grammar notes and use the imperative form of the verb to give instructions your candidates will follow. Better yet follow this cheat-sheet.</p>
<p>To gently poke readers into action, pilfer <strong>Tip 3</strong> from Henneke Duistermaat’s <em><strong><a href="http://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-make-words-more-powerful/" target="_blank">‘5 Ways to Make Your Words More Powerful (and Get Readers to Listen, Act and Buy)’.</a></strong></em></p>
<p><strong>5. Create your Candidate Experience:</strong> An effective CTA is both <strong>transactional</strong> and <strong>emotional</strong>.</p>
<p>It is <strong>transactional</strong> as it tells the candidate what to do next; e.g. ‘subscribe’, ‘apply’ ‘post’.</p>
<p>It is <strong>emotional</strong> as it appeals to the candidate’s current or aspirational sense of self. E.g. the need and/or desire to make a difference, to change the world, to be seen as smart, to join a prestigious tribe etc.</p>
<p>It is also a CRAZY-IF-MISSED opportunity to continue the conversation with your candidates.</p>
<p>Expand the relationship to create a thriving community or active tribe via social media (‘join’). They may not be hired now but if you have successfully filtered in individuals who share your values you are well on the way to building an enviable community of advocates for your organisation as a business and a place to work.</p>
<p>So Savvy Recruiters/ HR Marketers, you have the loot in your possession – The C.T.A jewel the Copywriters’ (<em>now not so</em>) Super-Secret (<em>but still</em>) Savvy Technique.</p>
<p>Now over to you!</p>
<p>How will you apply these tips to boost the effectiveness of your next recruitment marketing and candidate selection campaign?</p>
<p>I hope you enjoyed this caper as much as I did.</p>
<p></p>
<p><em>This article has been tweaked and refreshed. It was originally posted in the blog <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/07/26/the-great-copywriter-heist-the-recruitment-ad-job/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a> on 26th July 2015. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank"></a></em></p>
<p><em><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></em></p>6 Shakespeare Inspired Quotes to Help You Improve your Interview Processtag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-10-05:502551:BlogPost:19197062015-10-05T15:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557574430?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557574430?profile=original" width="557"></img></a> <em>Image source: Shakespeare comparisons via Wikicommons</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Here is a Shakespearean riff on the recruitment process.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Bard: A Surprising Source of Hiring Wisdom</strong></p>
<p>To those who have been mentally scarred and tortured by studying Shakespeare at some point in their school or college…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557574430?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557574430?profile=original" width="557"/></a><em>Image source: Shakespeare comparisons via Wikicommons</em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Here is a Shakespearean riff on the recruitment process.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Bard: A Surprising Source of Hiring Wisdom</strong></p>
<p>To those who have been mentally scarred and tortured by studying Shakespeare at some point in their school or college life; I apologise for any unwelcome flashback to that traumatic time.</p>
<p>In an age where many businesses struggle to survive year on year, drawing on the wisdom of 451 years of meaningful advice, relevance and insight into the human condition can’t be a bad thing.</p>
<p>Your trauma accepted, not even you can deny the Bard’s astonishing contribution to the English language. His plays and sonnets reveal his canny understanding of emotions and the motivations of human beings.</p>
<p>These sound like some of the skills of a master HR practitioner to me.</p>
<p>The actual interview process is like theatre. So why not steal some staging tips from the master himself.</p>
<p>Here are <strong>10 tips inspired by 6 Quotes from Shakespeare’s plays</strong> to help you set the stage for an A-list interview process.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">“<strong><em>All the world’s a stage,</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>And all the men and women merely players</em></strong>;…” <em>As You Like it</em></p>
<p><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Set the stage</strong> by ensuring the interview takes place in a quiet setting with phones off or diverted. No interruptions. Don’t check your phone, tablet, or computer during the interview. It’s just plain rude.</p>
<p>If you offer water or other beverage, be sure to change the glass or cup between candidates! Oh yes, I am going there!</p>
<p><strong>2. Your furniture layout speaks volumes too</strong>. Are you conducting the interview with your desk between you and the candidate? Is your panel interview set up for interrogation? Is interviewing from the sofa brand appropriate? What’s your choice – lucky horse shoe or Berlin Wall furniture set up?</p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> Plan and divide <strong>the interview in 3 Acts.</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><em>Act 1:</em></strong> Welcome and putting the candidates at his/her ease. A relaxed candidate typically tells you more about their experiences, personality and qualities.</li>
<li><em><strong>Act 2:</strong></em> The main part or ‘meat’ of the interview. This is where you dive in with your prepared questions. I cover this in point 5.</li>
<li><em><strong>Act 3:</strong></em> Ensure you have answered the candidate’s questions and let them know what will happen next. For example. Will there be another stage of the selection? How will they be advised of the outcome of the interview? When will they hear from you again?</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“…better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”</em></strong> <em>Merry Wives of Windsor</em></p>
<p><strong>4. Timing is everything:</strong> Be respectful of your candidate’s time. Make sure you are on time and prepared for conducting the interview. It sets the perfect professional tone and scene.</p>
<p>Divide the time available for interviews equally between the candidates; but build in a little buffer of extra time between candidates. Some chatty candidates will go over their allotted time whilst others will be quick to exit.</p>
<p>It is the Recruiter’s responsibility to maintain control over the interview.</p>
<p><strong>5. Writing the Script</strong>: Ensure you pick questions that are directly related to the criteria required for the position advertised. Ask questions that relate specifically to the role – specific skills, behaviours, values, experience, qualifications etc.</p>
<p><em><strong>Open questions</strong></em> (How, When, Why, What) are best as they allow the candidate to demonstrate (or not) their skills, experience or abilities.</p>
<p>Avoid too many <strong><em>closed questions</em></strong> that prompt yes or no responses. E.g. do you enjoy meeting customers? These are dead-ends unless used to bring a long-winded response to a close or wrap up the interview.</p>
<p><strong>6. Casting:</strong> Hire for <strong>D.A.T.A</strong> – Desire, Attitude (<em>values</em>), Talent and Ability.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <strong><em>“Brevity is the soul of wit”</em></strong> <em>Hamlet</em></p>
<p><strong>7. The Actors and Roles:</strong> The candidate is the star of recruitment marketing campaign and the hero of the interview. The recruiter and the organisation’s benefits and features are the actor and props respectively.</p>
<p>In a successful interview, the candidate has 80% of the speaking parts and the Recruiter has 20%. Keep it brief Recruiter, and structure your questions and dialogue accordingly.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <strong>“Truth will out”</strong> – <em>The Merchant of Venice</em></p>
<p><strong>8. Everyone’s a critic:</strong> Know that your candidate will have thoroughly researched and investigated the company and even you (the Recruiter). Between LinkedIn, <a href="http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/index.htm" target="_blank">Glassdoor</a>, Peer references et al; information is power.</p>
<p>Be ready to answer some very pointed questions from your candidates.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind”</em></strong> <em>Merchant of Venice</em></p>
<p><strong>9. Be Ready to Sell, sell, sell!</strong> Know what makes your organisation great to work for – salary, perks, culture, study opportunities, professional training and development. What of these appeal to your target candidate? Remember it’s not always about salary!</p>
<p>Caution don’t over promise. Advertising spin must never trump the reality of the candidate/employee experience. If you allow spin to triumph, it is a road to ruin.</p>
<p><strong>10. The Final Word<em>:</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em> </em></strong><strong><em>“…no legacy is so rich as honesty.”</em></strong> <em>All’s Well that Ends Well.</em></p>
<p>So Savvy Recruiter/ HR Marketer, go set your stage for a stellar interview process. Happy and successful recruiting.</p>
<p><em>The full version of this article was originally posted in the blog <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/07/19/what-if-shakespeare-were-a-recruiter-today/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a> on19th July 2015. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank"></a></em></p>
<p><em><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></em></p>
<p></p>3 Ways to Lose Your Top Expat Candidate and Flatline Your Recruitment Resultstag:recruitingblogs.com,2015-09-14:502551:BlogPost:19160472015-09-14T16:30:00.000ZNicole Antonio-Gadsdonhttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/NicoleAntonioGadsdonMCIPD
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557564912?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557564912?profile=original" width="268"></img></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Recruiter’s Tale of Expat Hiring</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>Do you know this story?</em><br></br> Your vacancy called for a search for talent beyond national borders; demanding you widen your net regionally and then internationally.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The specialist skills sets needed by the business…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557564912?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1557564912?profile=original" width="268"/></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Recruiter’s Tale of Expat Hiring</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>Do you know this story?</em><br/> Your vacancy called for a search for talent beyond national borders; demanding you widen your net regionally and then internationally.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The specialist skills sets needed by the business meant you had to use a more targeted, bespoke approach. That meant partnering with an uber-networked headhunting firm with a badass, rock-solid reputation like the Canadian Mounties: –</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>“…they always get their man [or woman]!”</em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">They charge an eye-watering finder’s fee of 22% of the hired candidate’s total annual compensation.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Ouch!</strong> Your recruitment budget is threatening to collapse under the strain. You gulp, knowing that bespoke always costs more. But <strong>heh</strong>! It’s worth it to get the perfect candidate, right?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Your heart beat calms down a smidgen as top quality applications start pinging in your inbox. Not too many; you did pay for targeted and bespoke after all.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">You shortlist 2 stellar candidates. Your mojo is boosted by the quality.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">You screen by phone, interview by Skype video. <strong>WOW!</strong> You’re extremely impressed.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Only a face to face interview will truly determine the best candidate. You fly them in for 3 days.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Your recruitment budget is quivering. You ignored the email from Finance about the seismic activity on the recruitment budget just a little while longer. Confident that a successful hiring result will quash any concerns; you press on.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">After rounds of interviews, tours, meet and greets with the leadership team and colleagues, you have result. <strong>Eureka!</strong> You have found THE ONE!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Giddy with delight, you offer him or her the job.<br/> They accept. <strong>You do your happy dance.</strong> Then reply to that email from Finance. <strong>Smug!</strong></p>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_678" style="width: 289px;"><a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Minions-Happy-Dance-Imaage.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-678" alt="Minon" src="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Minions-Happy-Dance-Imaage.jpg" height="279" width="279"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text"><em>Minion</em></p>
</div>
<p>After completing their notice period with their current employer, they will start in 3 months.<br/> You get busy with the process of preparing their terms and conditions, onboarding, relocation and sending them the necessary documents and information.</p>
<p>Then, one month before they are due to start, you receive an email regretfully declining the position due to personal and family reasons.</p>
<p><strong>Nooooooooooo!</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>When a Great Hire Goes Horribly Wrong</strong></p>
<p>As a savvy Recruiter or HR, delivering a quality candidate experience is your top priority. You diligently focused on keeping your new hire engaged and interested in the company throughout the interview process and post offer.</p>
<p>You didn’t short change them on the human contact. There were lots of regular communication – Skype video updates, more detailed information about the company, the culture and life outside of work.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>What went wrong?</em></p>
<p>This is a great example of delivering a quality candidate experience – for a single contract or new employee on their own.</p>
<p>If there is a spouse/domestic partner or dependent children involved, there is more work to be done.</p>
<p>Even the savviest Recruiters can miss the mark. By not extending a tailored ‘candidate experience’ to the spouse/domestic partner or dependent children of the new employee, you risk torpedoing your hiring process.</p>
<p>If the new employee’s family has not received accurate information that explains what the assignment will mean for them, there is an extremely high risk that you will lose your top candidate within a few frustrating months.</p>
<p>I can share some real recruiting mistakes.</p>
<p>Some of these mistakes I have made during 12 years leading HR in recruiting senior and specialist expat talent for luxury hotels.</p>
<p>Some, I have sadly experienced first-hand during 3 years as an ‘expat family member’ accompanying my husband as he led a luxury property opening as a General Manager.</p>
<p>I present to you my top picks: <strong>3 Ways to Lose Your Top Expat Candidate and Flatline Your Recruitment Results.</strong><br/> You will want to avoid these recruiting bloopers and pitfalls.</p>
<p><strong>1. </strong> <strong>Not offering a FAM Trip.</strong></p>
<p>A familiarisation (FAM) trip for your candidate’s spouse/domestic partner is equally important as the candidate’s interview and selection process. For this reason it works best when combined with bringing a top quality candidate in for interview.</p>
<p>Whilst your candidate is being interviewed, meeting the team etc.; their accompanying family should have their own specially organised preview tour. Ideally this should include, visit to potential housing, schools, supermarket, tour of city/island and meeting other family members of employees on an expat assignment.</p>
<p><strong><em>“But my budget!”</em></strong> I hear your cry. This is not the place to cut corners to save money. Remember your offer of employment is not only extended to your candidate but to their family as well. If you haven’t budgeted for it, find the money to make it happen. Then make sure you include a budget provision for FAM trips in the future.</p>
<p>Being able to work and live in the new culture and company is critical for both the employee and his/her family members. New hires and their family who come in with a thorough knowledge of both the assignment, your company, the country and culture – the up-sides and the down-sides – are more likely to stay and successfully complete their assignment.</p>
<p>Discovering challenges to accepting and completing the assignment early is key to avoiding exorbitant emotional and financial costs needed to correct any missteps. This will save you from having to start your international talent search all over again.</p>
<p><strong>2. Not securing Work and Family Residence permits/visas prior to your new hire’s start date.</strong></p>
<p>Great, you have issued and completed the signing of employment contracts. However, engagement of the expat/international assignment is only truly confirmed after authorisation to work has been granted by the government of the country in which the job is based.</p>
<p>Application for family residence visa to match the duration of the government approved authorisation to work is the responsibility of the company.</p>
<p>It is critical to be completely transparent about the authorisation to work and family residence visa application process. <em>Note: Each country’s process will vary dependent on national laws.</em></p>
<p>Imagine the horrendous fallout, broken trust and damage to your employer brand reputation, if your new hire, family and belongings arrive, only to learn that authorisation to work or family residence visa has been denied.</p>
<p><strong>3. Not extending cross-cultural induction/orientation to new hires AND family members.</strong></p>
<p>Cross-cultural induction/orientation workshops for employees are common in many organisations who regularly recruit employees globally.</p>
<p>Supercharge your hiring success, employee retention and employer brand reputation by extending this programme to your new employee’s family.</p>
<p>The best and most valuable programmes I experienced included these elements:</p>
<ul>
<li>an expo of the many cultures within the organisation.</li>
<li>interaction with local artists, musicians and storytellers to learn more about the history and culture.</li>
<li>a chance to taste and experience local food.</li>
<li>a ‘how to’ guide to local customs.</li>
<li>the opportunity to learn the local language.</li>
</ul>
<p>The most vibrant programmes achieving maximum impact, were organised by HR and co-created and delivered by a collaboration of HR, existing employees and specialists from the host country.</p>
<p>As more companies continue to internationalise their reach, the search for talent continues to stretch globally. Expat recruitment is shedding its old image of extravagant salaries and relocation allowances whilst living in a privileged bubble. Finding and contracting top talent is still at the core of international recruitment; but the ultimate prize for businesses serious about talent is engaging individuals who are willing and skilled in working in diverse cultures.</p>
<p>Building the foundation for a successful international assignment will involve extending a great candidate experience to your new employee’s family too.</p>
<p>So savvy Recruiter or HR, take action to swiftly eliminate any risk of costly expat recruitment mistakes today.</p>
<p><em>This article was originally posted in the blog <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/2015/09/13/3-ways-to-lose-your-top-expat-candidate-and-flatline-your-recruitment-results/" target="_blank">The HR Rabbit Hole</a> 13 September 2015.</em> <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank"></a></p>
<p><em>Nicole is the Founder and Principal Consultant of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/about/" target="_blank">Aquarius Human Resources Consulting Ltd.</a> Passionate about <strong>HR as Art,</strong> she is an advocate of <a href="http://aquariushrconsulting.com/creative-hr/" target="_blank">Creative HR</a>. Connect via <a href="https://twitter.com/AquariusHRLtd" target="_blank">Twitter @AquariusHRLtd.</a></em></p>