Move resumes onto the next step in the application process quickly. We all know that today it is common to receive hundreds of resumes for each opening you have posted. Quickly scan the resume, looking for key words, accomplishments and skills, to see if there is a good match. If it's not an appropriate fit, file it appropriately and immediately. Make it a rule to handle the resume once and only once. Get it off of your desk so that you don’t spend time looking at it multiple times. If you know you will not contact that person for an interview then there is no point in keeping it where you will have to review it again. File it or send it to someone else who might be interested in talking to that person.
Talent is abundant in our region! This is a great thing, but it can also make the hiring process more difficult. When you can speed up that process, everyone benefits. The result is you spend your precious time finding a terrific candidate who joins your company that much sooner.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
So Much Talent, So Little Time: part three
Use a Placement Agency. There are many benefits to using a placement firm for recruitment. Many firms will screen candidates before referring them to you. This can greatly reduce the administrative tasks associated with recruitment. By having a placement firm as the first point of contact for an applicant, you will review fewer resumes. Of those submitted, the resumes will be an appropriate match to your company’s needs. In many cases, the new hire is on the placement firm’s payroll for a period of time, meaning a fee is paid to the firm during that time. For a list of some of the placement firms in the Greater Rochester Area, please click here. There is also the option of paying a fee to have your job advertised and applicants pre-screened by a professional in the staffing industry. In this case, you will receive advice with recommendations on which candidates seem like the best fit for your needs. This saves you valuable time avoiding looking at resumes that are not qualified for the position. One local company that offers this service is Smart Start Hiring System.
If you plan to use a placement agency to find candidates, clear communication and solid relationships are very important. In order to get the best fit possible, be clear on exactly what you are looking for in a candidate. Talk to them about the skill set you need as well as what the culture of your company is like. This will help them make accurate recommendations that are more in-line with your needs. This process will get easier as you build a relationship with the agencies.
If you plan to use a placement agency to find candidates, clear communication and solid relationships are very important. In order to get the best fit possible, be clear on exactly what you are looking for in a candidate. Talk to them about the skill set you need as well as what the culture of your company is like. This will help them make accurate recommendations that are more in-line with your needs. This process will get easier as you build a relationship with the agencies.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
So Much Talent, So Little Time: part two
Use your local One-Stop. Located within your local One-Stop are representatives from different service providing agencies. These agencies work together with One-Stop staff to provide seamless workforce services to both job seekers and businesses. RochesterWorks is the One-Stop center for Monroe County.
The Business Services department of a One-Stop center can act as an extension of your Human Resource department. They can save you time and money. While services vary by center, some of these include: posting job opportunities, screening resumes, pre-employment assessments, making job-match referrals, scheduling interviews, hosting recruitment events and even help with training.
Most of the services provided by One-Stops are at no cost. These centers see job candiates of all backgrounds and skills levels. They have resources to help you recruit and train the workforce you need and are a wonderful source of information for both businesses and job seekers. To find a local One-Stop near you, visit: The Career One-Stop.
The Business Services department of a One-Stop center can act as an extension of your Human Resource department. They can save you time and money. While services vary by center, some of these include: posting job opportunities, screening resumes, pre-employment assessments, making job-match referrals, scheduling interviews, hosting recruitment events and even help with training.
Most of the services provided by One-Stops are at no cost. These centers see job candiates of all backgrounds and skills levels. They have resources to help you recruit and train the workforce you need and are a wonderful source of information for both businesses and job seekers. To find a local One-Stop near you, visit: The Career One-Stop.
Monday, May 11, 2009
So Much Talent, So Little Time!
Increased levels of unemployment, an experiencedand educated workforce, and quick access to job postings are creating a surge in the number of highly qualified individuals who are applying for job opportunities. The task of sorting through resumes, interviewing candidates, and making the right hiring decision may seem an unmanageable task. There are tools you can use to speed up the process.
Here is the first in a series of tips aimed at helping save time in your recruitment and hiring process:
Use assessments. By implementing assessments in your recruitment process, you can quickly and effectively ensure that a potential candidate has the skills and aptitude your company needs. This will also help you to weed-out those who would not be successful. Assessments help you do this in a fair and objective manner.
Save time, because you will know immediately if an individual has the skills you need. If they don’t, you can stop the process and focus on the next candidate. There are hundreds, if not thousands of pre-employment assessments available. Ideally you will want to use one that measures aptitude, competency and personality.
The WorkKeys System, measures a person’s trainability or aptitude. This assessment provides insight into whether or not an applicant has the aptitude to learn the job to be successful.
ProveIt is an online assessment that will determine the level of competency a candidate possesses within a job function. It should support the skills represented on their resume.
There are many pre-hire personality assessments available. These give you insight into a candidate’s job fit, attitude toward work, behavior, and more. The key to successfully utilizing assessments is choosing the appropriate one for both the position and corporate culture. There are companies that specialize in pre-employment assessments and they can guide you in finding those that address your company’s needs. You can do a simple Google search for more information on which assessments and tests are available.
Here is the first in a series of tips aimed at helping save time in your recruitment and hiring process:
Use assessments. By implementing assessments in your recruitment process, you can quickly and effectively ensure that a potential candidate has the skills and aptitude your company needs. This will also help you to weed-out those who would not be successful. Assessments help you do this in a fair and objective manner.
Save time, because you will know immediately if an individual has the skills you need. If they don’t, you can stop the process and focus on the next candidate. There are hundreds, if not thousands of pre-employment assessments available. Ideally you will want to use one that measures aptitude, competency and personality.
The WorkKeys System, measures a person’s trainability or aptitude. This assessment provides insight into whether or not an applicant has the aptitude to learn the job to be successful.
ProveIt is an online assessment that will determine the level of competency a candidate possesses within a job function. It should support the skills represented on their resume.
There are many pre-hire personality assessments available. These give you insight into a candidate’s job fit, attitude toward work, behavior, and more. The key to successfully utilizing assessments is choosing the appropriate one for both the position and corporate culture. There are companies that specialize in pre-employment assessments and they can guide you in finding those that address your company’s needs. You can do a simple Google search for more information on which assessments and tests are available.
Upcoming Series: So Much Talent, So Little Time!
We will be posting a series this week with tips to simplify navigating through the hiring process. Follow our Series: So Much Talent, So Little Time!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Maintaining a Positive Attitude When Business is Slow
How do you keep your chin up in a sluggish economy? The most successful entrepreneurs are resilient. They bounce back from a number of set backs that were unexpected and at times unavoidable. Being resilient means not letting what is happening distract you from your plan. Business has its ups and downs, but you must stay up if you are going to ride out the down times. Here are some tips to help you maintain a positive mindset in challenging times.
Get inspired!
Don’t let the world’s view depress you, find a mentor or role model that has a success story. Reaching out to someone who has picked themselves up and succeeded in spite of a challenge is the best way to be inspired. Read books like John C. Maxwell’s, Failing Forward ( http://www.johnmaxwell.com/) or Turning Points, by Randy Schuster (http://www.randychuster.com/). You can also listen to audio books by successful business leaders who motivate you.
Focus on the big picture.
Never underestimate the power of focus; it will help you rise above obstacles. When you lose sight of the big picture, the day to day distractions can sidetrack you. In your mind, create a vivid and exciting image of your successful business and focus on it daily for five minutes.
Surround yourself with uplifting people.
The topic of most conversations is how bad things are going and predicting how much worse it could get. Limit the amount of time you spend talking to people who are focused on doom and gloom. If you spend too much time around depressing people, you are going to be drained before you start the day. Spend your precious time with people who share your vision. http://www.linkedin.com/ is a good place to stay in touch with people.
Know your target market and what they need.
Be clear on your niche and what the trends are within your target market. You may need to redefine success, this is a historical event. Your target markets needs may be changing, take notice of these changes and be willing to respond quickly. You can find information about market research at: http://fingerlakes.natbic.org/index.php?id=15166&lang=en.
Create multiple sources of revenue.
The market is changing. Today’s successful business offers a number of products and services. Collectively all of the revenue streams create a profit. Look at your business structure, ask mentors for advice and notice what people are spending their money on. Is there an unmet need that you can fill serving your target market without any additional investment? For example, if you have a tax preparation business, perhaps some of your customers use QuickBooks. You could teach a class on using QuickBooks, charge a consulting fee to set it up for a small business or become a reseller of the product.
Have a back up plan.
In a perfect world, life happens exactly as we planned. We all know that isn’t the way things really are. If your current business offering is not going to generate the amount of money needed for expenses, have a plan B. Be proactive. Smart people have a plan A, plan B and a plan C.
Expect good things, get inspired, spend your time with optimistic people and have a back up plan. You are resilient! Remember that and let your entrepreneurial spirit guide you through even the toughest of times.
Get inspired!
Don’t let the world’s view depress you, find a mentor or role model that has a success story. Reaching out to someone who has picked themselves up and succeeded in spite of a challenge is the best way to be inspired. Read books like John C. Maxwell’s, Failing Forward ( http://www.johnmaxwell.com/) or Turning Points, by Randy Schuster (http://www.randychuster.com/). You can also listen to audio books by successful business leaders who motivate you.
Focus on the big picture.
Never underestimate the power of focus; it will help you rise above obstacles. When you lose sight of the big picture, the day to day distractions can sidetrack you. In your mind, create a vivid and exciting image of your successful business and focus on it daily for five minutes.
Surround yourself with uplifting people.
The topic of most conversations is how bad things are going and predicting how much worse it could get. Limit the amount of time you spend talking to people who are focused on doom and gloom. If you spend too much time around depressing people, you are going to be drained before you start the day. Spend your precious time with people who share your vision. http://www.linkedin.com/ is a good place to stay in touch with people.
Know your target market and what they need.
Be clear on your niche and what the trends are within your target market. You may need to redefine success, this is a historical event. Your target markets needs may be changing, take notice of these changes and be willing to respond quickly. You can find information about market research at: http://fingerlakes.natbic.org/index.php?id=15166&lang=en.
Create multiple sources of revenue.
The market is changing. Today’s successful business offers a number of products and services. Collectively all of the revenue streams create a profit. Look at your business structure, ask mentors for advice and notice what people are spending their money on. Is there an unmet need that you can fill serving your target market without any additional investment? For example, if you have a tax preparation business, perhaps some of your customers use QuickBooks. You could teach a class on using QuickBooks, charge a consulting fee to set it up for a small business or become a reseller of the product.
Have a back up plan.
In a perfect world, life happens exactly as we planned. We all know that isn’t the way things really are. If your current business offering is not going to generate the amount of money needed for expenses, have a plan B. Be proactive. Smart people have a plan A, plan B and a plan C.
Expect good things, get inspired, spend your time with optimistic people and have a back up plan. You are resilient! Remember that and let your entrepreneurial spirit guide you through even the toughest of times.
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