Change.  It's a word that sparks both intrigue and delight, irritation and zest, as well puts on the table very interesting circumstances.  This week my work prepares for an office change, and with it comes intriguing moments that will test our courage as we accept the new, and let die the old.  The past is behind us, and we have a gift of now.  Here are some quotes that caught my eye on change this week:

"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to…

Recruitment consultants are Sales people. Full Stop. Sales people have their ups and downs and so do Recruitment consultants. Full Stop. The key difference is that Recruitment consultants hate being referred to as Sales people. Full Stop. Hence they do not overcome their ‘down time’ as efficiently as Sales people. Full Stop. Worse still, many recruitment managers do not believe their consultants should have down times. Full Stop.



Hence…

I recently had the unpleasant task of sorting through over 250 applicants who had applied to a job posting. Grant you, I did say the position was entry-level, so I knew that I'd get a lot of 'kids' who haven't had much experience job hunting. But I was still surprised at how poorly most of these candidates handled sending an email and their resume. So this blog is dedicated to the young and ignorant, and…

I’ve recently been thinking about the long-term effectiveness of job boards like Monster and TheLadders.

I am impressed with the way these two job boards have grown to dominate their marketplace. It took a lot of ingenuity, hard work, and marketing savvy. And ultimately, they both do what they claim to do: match up companies and…

Many consider Charlie Sheen a playboy, a genius, an addict, honest, an abuser, a top actor and in some circles, simply crazy.  Perhaps all may true…

Total volume added in the past 60 days and the percentage increase compared to the same period last year.

Data: WANTED Analytics | Analysis: StaffingU…

I answered this question on LinkedIN today, and thought our readers would appreciate the response: 

The times they are a-changin’ – and Mr. Zimmerman never even envisioned the internet, much less job boards. One way or another I end up looking at a lot of online recruitment sites – some aimed at employers, some at job seekers, some at who knows what. Examining sites is, in my opinion, extremely worthwhile – there are always ideas to ‘borrow’ and ideas to avoid. So, without further ado, let’s go on a

magical mystery job site tour:…

Take it from a HR Professional, HR and Staffing are one. How? Why? Because in order for your HR department to add its maximum value, you must realize that Staffing and HR are joined at the hip. HR Managers, and Directors need to be connected to their recruiters, and Hiring Managers need to partner as one in order to reduce time to fill, and increase the performance metrics that are needed to find great talent. It is so key to know each other, to keep that department chugging along at its…

One topic that seems to be a hot button for many is the lack of communication between applicants and employers.  Specifically, the communication (or lack there of) after an applicant submits a resume to an employer. 

When applicants submit resumes one of three basic things happen: 1) nothing, 2) an automated receipt, 3)  a call.

I won't give an automated receipt the time of day...it simply tells the applicant nothing other than their email works.  Of course…

I recently was asked by an executive level candidate if I had noticed a shift recently in employers’ preference for “less experienced” candidates.  I had to answer yes – since 2001, I have seen a noticeable shift in some industries, except for maybe engineering and highly technical positions.  Not only is there a bias towards hiring employees who have less experience on the…

Are doctor appointments still the standard?

Some of the most tenacious recruiters I know can get candidates to meet a clients whim, last minute, for what ever reason.

What has been the weirdest/best excuse you've heard of lately? (might have even recommended)

A recent blog by Tony Kontzer really got our attention here at Agile. And although the women who work at Agile were not pleased about the news, none…

I am currently one of the managers at a 25-person, primarily contingency-based search firm that does a lot of interoffice splits.  We have been in business since 1991, and have a long-standing company policy of our recruiters being able to “own” candidates in our database, ad infinitum, as long as they were the first person to bring in that particular candidate’s resume.  We have even gone as far to allow those that put in meaningful information on a candidate into the database without…

There is a lot of activity in the online recruiting industry now – more than I’ve seen in many years. Money is flowing in, startups are blossoming, and established players are branching out.

So why now? Part of it stems from the (slow) retreat of the recession – more people working means more interest in finding candidates. Part comes from the rise of social media and mobile, spurring innovation and new thinking about old recruiting…

Inside the Deluxe Corp recruiting department we are trying to put our best foot forward when it comes to our customers.  What seems standard and routine to us can be a mystery to them.  Let's admit it - when customers submit an application, they often feel like it went straight into a swirling vortex of the unknown.

In an attempt to give…

The candidate experience is getting more attention.  It can be, yet always is a differentiator in the candidate's mind.  A recent quote from a candidate highlights this.  "You should talk to COMPETITOR, their process is terrible, this is cool."  The nature of the candidate experience left a differentaited and brand positive impression.

How are you thinking about your candidate experience?  More importantly, what are you doing to use it to your advantage.  Effort to improve…