Featured Blog Posts – September 2009 Archive (54)

The Nice Guy

"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice" was a sign a colleague of mine used to keep on his desk.

What a crock!

I should know... I've been labeled as this. Nice! It's horrible, and normally comes with the word "too" in front of it!

Being known as "nice" doesn't do ANYTHING for you in your career. Apart from give… Continue

Added by Dan Nuroo on September 21, 2009 at 10:30am — 9 Comments

Creative ways to pimp your job description

If you write a lousy job description, chances are you'll get a lousy response rate. Having run my own local job boards for the past 10 years I cant tell you how many times I've seen bad job descriptions.

Job postings should inspire people to apply, not the opposite. The branding you place on these 'mini-stories' should mirror your corporate culture and promote your company as a great place to… Continue

Added by Chris Russell on September 21, 2009 at 7:00am — 10 Comments

This is your brain on HR

Image via Wikipedia

Bi-polar Functionality

Recently I have been working on an idea inspired by my attendance at the… Continue

Added by Michael VanDervort on September 20, 2009 at 9:40am — 4 Comments

I’m sorry; you’re just interviewing me wrong

Years ago I had an interesting interview experience. It was very early in my career and the guy who was going to hire me asked, "What's two plus two?"

I hesitated, but only for a millisecond trying in that brief moment to figure out why he had asked. Then, almost in a 'what kind of idiot do you think I am' tone I replied "Four". Since he did not respond or nod right away I added, "Unless this is the kind of place where if you say it's five, then it's five. Or if the customer says… Continue

Added by Randy Levinson on September 19, 2009 at 11:41am — 9 Comments

The Hardest Placement in Your Life

Making placements is hard and recruiters always have various theories for their anticipated success or failure on any given position search. Most typically it begins with such things as their depth of knowledge of the company, the hiring process, position requirements, their knowledge of the available talent pool, experience working with the hiring official and the preferred personality traits of the team in addition to many other moving parts. However, the hardest placement that you’re ever… Continue

Added by bill martineau on September 17, 2009 at 4:07pm — No Comments

No War for Talent

After attending ERE last week, I'm convinced that there will never be another "war for talent".

Having lived through the first war for talent of the mid to late 90's during the dot.com boom, I can tell you that we were hiring as fast and as furious as possible. Companies were offering 6 month leases on Ferrari's as signing bonuses and the "war" was on. As employers, we literally battled at offer time against one another - upping the ante' until one of us blinked and lost the… Continue

Added by Phil Haynes on September 17, 2009 at 3:17pm — 1 Comment

Serena Williams Episode during US Open; Talent vs. Values

It was US Open 2009 in Flushing Meadows a couple of weeks ago when I got to see Serena Williams yell and scream at the lines umpire for calling a foot fault. Serena threatened the lines umpire with profanity laced tirade waving her racquet and was eventually thrown out of the US Open for her behavior leaving Kim Clijsters to not only win the semis but also the finals against Wozniacki. What left me aghast was the attitude of a very talented world… Continue

Added by sundar vanchinathan on September 17, 2009 at 2:00pm — 1 Comment

Delivering the Bad News

It is not always a time to share all of what we know.

Good Recruiters give feedback both the good and the bad. Have you ever had a candidate tell you that they sent information or went on an interview and never got any feedback? If you are in a tight niche market you will certainly damage your reputation if you aren’t forthcoming…

But frankly in can be a minefield

What makes it a minefield?

1. Possible discrimination.

2. Negative information came… Continue

Added by Darrin Grella on September 16, 2009 at 12:36pm — 1 Comment

Recruiting for the Future

There are two types of companies – those that are growing and those that are slowly dying. This was a key lesson that I learnt some years ago from one of my mentors.

Trying to pick out a winner is not always easy, as some companies are suffering from the "boiling frog" syndrome, and it requires an alignment of the stars to get your selection perfect.

When we recruit for key roles, it is also vital to ensure we appoint candidates that have the potential for further personal… Continue

Added by Charles Van Heerden on September 16, 2009 at 3:59am — 2 Comments

Recruiting, Today!

The world is run by the ‘people’. Any firm, organization or business’ potential of successful growth or failure depends upon how efficient its employees are. From one point of view, who you employ and how, is the most important, if not the most sensitive step any employer has to take. With the recession at our doorsteps, most Businesses today are doing their best to employ less and only if need arises. But need does arise. The best and those occupying the higher offices in any Company though… Continue

Added by HDot on September 15, 2009 at 9:28pm — No Comments

My Social; Network

I am constantly being asked to join a “Mafia Family”. I regularly get invited to “Link into” someone’s network. And I know that “My Face and My Space” has been accepted as friend and network resource from old classmates at PS 104 to contacts of current Governors and past Presidents of the US.

Am I really popular? I don’t think so. Might I insightfully provide wisdom that will lead to a lottery’s monetary value of wealth? As the “Magic 8 Ball” would say, “It is very unlikely.” What is… Continue

Added by Jack Young on September 15, 2009 at 11:45am — No Comments

Is it Really About to Get Better?

I read several blog entries here that suggest that the worst is over, and perhaps it is, but the business has gone through some perhaps fundamental changes and it may be a long time until we discover "business as usual," if ever.

Yes, large numbers of recruiters have disappeared - the inevitable consequence that is Darwinian and healthy when the strong survive and the weak disappear there is more food left for the strong - but there is also less job creation, less growth, less… Continue

Added by Don Zinn on September 15, 2009 at 11:39am — 3 Comments

Depend on the Recruiter for Recruiting

As I waited at the traffic light on my way to the ERE recruitment conference in South Florida, I watched in amazement as a teenager rode a bicycle while texting on his cell phone. I immediately thought about the new multi-tasking skills that are being developed by the next generation of talent. It also made me wonder what I would learn from this ERE meet-up session; the last time I attended a recruiting conference was in 2000. As I recalled, Job boards and ATS were the talk of the town and… Continue

Added by Ken Forrester on September 14, 2009 at 8:30pm — 1 Comment

Interviews Slow as Molasses

I have noticed that it is taking forever for clients to make a decision on a candidate. The candidate might be the right fit, but they have to think about it. The economy is so slow companies know they can wait, and the candidate will most likely still be out there.

I was speaking with one of those candidates, and he forwarded me a clip from a letter he rec’d from a company after his interview. You won’t believe it!

"Dear Mr. Engineer,

With some luck, the interviewing… Continue

Added by Sherry Junker on September 14, 2009 at 7:49pm — 1 Comment

Caveman Recruiting | Social Media World

I had a terrific time making new friends at the "TalentNet Live!" Recruiting Conference yesterday (at the Frito-Lay campus in Plano, TX).

For all who asked, here's a copy of the ppt from my presentation: Caveman Recruiting | Social Media World. Actually - it's best watched on Slideshare as the video is built in...check it out here:… Continue

Added by Dennis Smith on September 12, 2009 at 11:30am — 5 Comments

The Missing Piece to ATS Prescreening Questions

It’s no surprise that the number of resumes stockpiling for HR and hiring managers has increased in the past year. Thus, it’s important now more than ever to have an applicant tracking system (ATS) that’s well optimized to organize candidates. Sure, there are basic search and filter components available; however, there’s one more key component that can really help you find the “shining star” in today’s more than likely flooded candidate pool. This is prescreening or custom… Continue

Added by Jake Stupak on September 11, 2009 at 2:46pm — 1 Comment

Corporate Social Responsibility Base Camp

I rarely ever hear of medium to large sized SMEs ever attempting to develop any kind of 'employment brand' or being bothered about their employer reputation. I also hardly ever see any evidence of it in any of the recruitment communications that these companies put out.

Amazingly, they then compound the problem by treating those applicants who do respond to their self-indulgent job announcements/Internet postings, with very little respect. These applicants are people who invariably… Continue

Added by Mitch Sullivan on September 10, 2009 at 11:01am — 1 Comment

"I need to Hire Someone, but Who?"

The market is slowly changing and more companies are looking to fill positions that have been on hold. They have realized that they no longer can run effectively without key positions being filled. The question becomes: 'What do I need from from this role in this changed economy?' Below are questions to help you create the best job description to give to your recruiter, and thus leading you to the ideal candidate.

1. What is the job's primary… Continue

Added by Kunin Associates on September 10, 2009 at 10:31am — 3 Comments

Do you sound credible?

A common request I receive from clients or prospective clients is to run a workshop on "client control".

Of course it's a ridiculous concept because you can no more "control" someone else (unless you have a gun to their head) than you can read their mind. Everyone chooses what control, or more accurately said, what influence they allow another person to have over them.

Observing a champion recruiter at work is to gain a lesson in masterful… Continue

Added by Ross Clennett on September 10, 2009 at 8:10am — 2 Comments

Job Forecast: Partly Cloudy With A Chance Of Showers …

Well it seems like we might experience a break in our job drought forecast. Visibility remains cloudy with an 80% chance of showers. What does that mean for your job search? Pack an umbrella and some rain gear, as there’s a good chance you’ll get wet with opportunities, well at least a sprinkle.

According to the “2009 Job Forecast Report” published by Careerbuilder.com, the highest areas for growth in new jobs in the coming months lists them in top order as, 1) Information… Continue

Added by Lisa Kaye on September 10, 2009 at 5:32am — 4 Comments