Hiring and Recruiting Tips for Employers and their potential Employees

"Surround Yourself with Motivated Individuals"

2010-06-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Even the most determined individuals can feel detered when surrounded by negativity. When the stress is on, people react and deal in different ways. When the work environment is competitive or overly busy, one could feel overwhelmed and understandably so! However stay away from the complaints and keep your mind on what you have to do. Team up with someone in the office that tends to keep positive, encourage one another and at the end of the week you will feel accomplished.

One up the situation and encourage the team to also rise above the obstacle and dive into whatever it is the task at hand; offer help and a way to get the team to work together. The less you complain the more time you have to move onto the next task at hand. The sooner the entire team gets this the better!

If you stay determined and motivated, it shows in your performance and to others.

Friendly Competition in the Workplace to Drive Success!!

2010-05-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

How to motivate a team to motivate themselves.... Start a friendly inner office competition of course! Dangling incentives such as monetary team and individual prizes usually can get the excitement moving! And if the company culture is competitive by nature? Well, then you just better watch out!

Staffing and recruitment takes a competitive and motivated team of individuals. The roller coaster that is this industry is not an easy ride by any means, but having an encouraging team of co-workers on your side gets you through the day, week, month and year.

Motivating employees to motivate themselves is the wanted result from a competition clearly. Another part is also the effect of team members pushing team members to do better. To make this work, you must have accurate record keeping displayed for the entire company to see. To track individual progress as well as overall team or company progress helps all to see the actual picture. Creating a clear picture of where each team member stands creates encouragement and congratulations.

Individually, it forces you to see your successes and losses and therefore it should hopefully want you to put in a bit of an extra effort. Individual successes lead to overall company success and therefore when the big picture is clearly documented, each team member can see how they attributed.

So as you can see friendly competition brings folks together when they are all working towards one goal.

Longevity and Loyalty - MY Story

2010-04-20T14:47:00.001-07:00

So this week I celebrated my 6th year anniversary with The Employment Store - some days it feels like just yesterday and others seem just a bit longer. Getting calls and emails from my co-workers and the owners allowed me to reflect on how much I have changed and grown over the last 6 years. It also made me think that I am contrary to mainstream, 6 years is now considered a LONG time to be with one company. Most people would be on their 3rd job by now.

So how did they do it?

How did my company not only attract, but retain me?

Planned or not (most of our success as a small, local and successful business is due to our flexibility) I was given opportunities to create opportunity. I have been able to come up with new ideas and see how I could impact the bottom line both positively and negatively. I have been allowed to learn, grow, make mistakes and have major wins! I have been able to teach, mentor and educate new and existing staff; all of these factors play in to what my company and the owners empowered me to be and try.

Interestingly enough, in a year that was tough for many, words such as "thank you" and "we appreciate you" go a long way in keeping people motivated. Knowing that the owners are working just as hard if not harder and just as long (usually longer) than I to keep our business growing that is what has kept me always striving to be better.

I have been able to join groups and community organizations that allow me to continue to grow not just professionally but personally, some of this happens "on company time" and this is looked at as a valuable use of my time. (some people I network with don't have this type of support at all)

Retention for me has been about all of these things, but it is also about trusting the organization you work for, trusting the people you work with and important for me is to be and feel trusted to make decisions; some call it empowerment, I am calling it trust.

Look at your team, yourself, what does longevity and loyalty mean to you?

New Media and Customer Engagement; Time to Jump on Board!

2010-04-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

As every employer and job seeker alike has come to realize, social media is the next wave in the future. It has grown tremendously impacting the culture of businesses and communcations across the board forcing us to jump on the bandwagon or get lost in dust. What is the true impact and results of this new mode of communication?

Social media by definition enables relationship growth and development as well as an outlet for two way conversations across multiple facets in a way never expected. To better explain just the impact of social media alone, there are roughly 200 million US internet users with 86% of those utilizing soical media sites, consequently spending 73% of their online time updating, researching, marketing, promoting or chatting these sites such as Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and the list goes on and on...This is a huge statistic especially as the number of internet users alone has jumped 86% in the past 7 years, making an increase of 883% logging onto social media sites.

The trend is apparent, social media is a necessity and spikes in usage is seen across all demographics. What is the result of this? Businesses are creating new jobs for experts within social media to promote their company, recruit and to provide customer service.

Ready to jump aboard yet? Where to start? Remember, social media has many outlets and there is not one particular site that works for all, really think about what you are trying to do and to who before you dive in.

When looking at your Social Media and Marketing strategies you want to incorporate your corporate brand into everything you do. You want to be sure you are involving the entire business so that you are engaging not only current employees but also potential prospects and customers. Some questions to really disect are: what's your goal, who's your audience, what is the best network for me to join - this is done by researching and commenting, how do I integrate with my existing network and lastly how do we measure this success.

Remember to keep it professional and business oriented, the internet can be a scary place so research, research, research.

HIRE Act Update and Tax Credits for You our Small Business Partners

2010-03-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

Many of our business partners have asked about the HIRE Act that was signed into law on 3/18 and its provisions. For those of you who need a refresher the info is below. Things to make not of the Social Security Tax Forgiveness is separate from the WOTC (work opportunity credit) so be sure and only take advantage of one; HOWEVER the Business Retention Credit can be received in combination with one of the above. Obviously consult with your accountant and IRS.gov for more information and there will be ongoing changes to the 941 tax form.

For those with more questions on how this will effect you and your hiring plan please let me know; I am more than happy to assist in taking calls or pointing you in the right direction.

These will be eligible at the end of your Q2 filings for those hired after 2/3/2010 the form should be out soon so be sure you are tracking the hire information.

Latest Legislation
The cornerstone of the HIRE Act is a federal program that will provide employers with incentives to hire and retain employees. HIRE will exempt an employer from paying the employer portion of Social Security taxes for the remainder of the year on new hires who are currently unemployed. If those workers stay on the payroll for at least a year, the employer would also get up to a $1,000 business tax credit per employee.
Social Security Tax Forgiveness
The 6.2% employer portion of the Social Security tax would be exempt for any qualified individual hired after February 3, 2010 and before January 1, 2011, for wages paid between March 19, 2010 and December 31, 2010 up to the $106,800 Social Security wage base.
A qualified individual meets the following requirements:
Begins employment with a qualified employer after February 3, 2010, but before January 1, 2011.
Has not been employed for more than 40 hours during the previous 60 days.
The individual must sign an affidavit attesting to the employer that he was not employed in the previous 60 days, or was employed for no more than 40 hours total.
Is not hired to replace another employee unless the previous employee was separated from employment voluntarily or for cause.
Is not a family member of the business owner.
An employer can save up to $6,622 in employer Social Security tax for each qualified hire. There is no limit to the total amount of tax benefits or hires during this period, so employers will receive greater tax benefits by hiring individuals earlier in the year.

Businesses, agricultural employers, tax-exempt organizations, and public colleges and universities all qualify to claim this tax benefit. Household employers cannot claim this tax benefit.

Note: The Social Security tax exemption can not be taken in conjunction with the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). In other words, if the employer chooses to take the WOTC on a qualified worker, they cannot also take the Social Security tax exemption.
Business Credit for Retention
A business tax credit can also be claimed by the employer for each qualified individual hired after February 3, 2010 who stays with the employer for 52 consecutive weeks. This business credit will be the lesser of $1,000 or 6.2 percent of the wages paid by the employer to the retained worker during the 52 consecutive week retention period.
For the employer to claim this additional credit, wages paid during the previous 26 weeks must equal at least 80% of wages during the first 26 weeks of employment.
IRS Guidance
The IRS is issuing guidance as quickly possible on the many tax deposit and reporting issues created by the Act. Here is what is known so far:
The credit is for eligible employees hired after February 3, 2010, but only wages paid between March 19, 2010 and December 31, 2010 are eligible.
A new Form 941will be updated to account for the tax credits beginning with the second quarter form. First quarter wages and credits will also be reported on the second quarter form.
Employers can reduce their federal deposit amounts throughout the quarter by the eligible employer Social Security tax amount, or they can wait to claim the credit on their 941 return.

This payroll tax relief applies only to wages paid with respect to employment during the period from March 19, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010. Employers may not claim a Social Security tax exemption on new hires who were first paid wages between Feb. 3, 2010 and March 18, 2010. The Social Security tax exemption will be reported by many employers on Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. The exemption earned for the period from March 19, 2010 to March 31, 2010 may not be claimed on the first quarter Form 941. The tax benefit that employers would have received in the first quarter of 2010 will be claimed on the second quarter Form 941 instead. The IRS has issued a draft version of a revised Form 941 that would be effective beginning with second quarter returns due on Aug. 2, 2010

Employers Turn to Temporary Help; Can this Strategy Help You?

2010-02-23T13:47:00.000-08:00

As jobs appear to be opening up, why are employers leaning towards staffing agencies and recruiters to find them temporary help when they could hire their own employees? The answer is that as companies are beginning again to grow, they like the option offered by the agencies; a "try-before-you-buy-strategy," allowing companies to avoid the extra costs of health care and retirement expenses while still reaping the benefits of the extra talent.

Temporary and Contract Staffing services has added 44,000 jobs since July 2009 and has seen the demand for contract employees climb significantly in the last year within such industries as manufacturing, IT/technology, tax accounting/Finance, compliance/quality and customer service. The needs for contract workers are increasing as companies are beginning to recover and looking down the road to convert contract staff to permanent hires.

In terms of the outcome of most placements, companies are more often than not bringing on the contract worker permanent after a specific amount of time. The contract period allows employers the opportunity to evaluate performance and cultural fit prior to making their actual hiring decision; a choice which is proving itself to be the most economically efficient one.

Education is Important Check out the Unemployment Numbers

2009-12-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

I saw a recent news story talking about the unemployment rate is 13+% but for people with a bachelors or higher it is under 5%. Based on a recent study put out by the NY Times based on Bureau of Labor Statistics the 12 month unemployment average is 8.6% for all men and women. This number jumps to 17.5% for all men & women who do not have a high school degree and down to 4.5% for all men & women who have a Bachelor's or higher - this is staggering. There are additional facts and figures that can be pulled out based on age, race and gender - here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/06/business/economy/unemployment-lines.html

These are interesting and somewhat tough figures to look at. I was discussing this last night with a friend who is an adjunct at a local college and we were discussing how current traditional students in liberal arts programs don't see the point in finishing because they are not sure what they want to do when they get out OR their friends are in jobs that have nothing to do with their degree, but we as employers know it isn't always what the degree is in as much as it is in the fact that they have a degree (obviously depending on the job, etc...). That degree shows reliability, responsibility, social skills, competitive abilities and an academic mind with an ability to learn new things.

We also were discussing that just under 1/2 of her students are non-traditional students who are looking to recareer or are unemployed and know that they need the degree to be competitive in the job market. To the employer looking to hire this individual we feel you are working hard to set yourself apart from the pack, you are investing in yourself and making a commitment to move to the next level. This is typically the middle managment person who worked hard to earn their position but didn't ever think about finishing thier degree until they were impacted.

So, what about the manufacturing person who isn't interested in getting to the next big career, they just want to work and work hard, go home? We have heard that many of the skilled and unskilled manufacturing jobs have gone away and to some degree this is true but there are still companies out there hiring for reliable individuals the issue we are seeing and others would agree is that the pay isn't where it used to be and people are having to start over in many different areas not just in the skilled labor/trades but in professional and mid level positions as well.

For HR and Hiring Managers this means that we will have to really understand the needs of these individuals, is it schedule, benefits, responsibility? What is going to motivate them and retain them so that they don't leave for just a little more money? These are questions that we may ask ourselves but are we implementing them? Better yet, are we talking about them?

If you have employees that might be interested in going back to school but not sure for what we have a tool that can help; feel free to pass this on, it is geared more toward the non-traditional student and many of the resources are free http://www.backtolearn.com/default.aspx?affiliateid=9

Are Employees Discontent and Considering Leaving? Studies say YES

2009-12-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

So here are some statistics to start out this conversation: employee engagement is down 9%. But among high performing professionals, that disengagement dropped to 25%

According to surveys released a few weeks ago, by Monster and Human Capital Institute, cynicism is on the rise:

57% of workers believe employers are exploiting the recession to drive longer hours and lower pay from their workforce.

58% believe employers are less concerned about employee retention, and 50% are more concerned about top performers leaving than before the recession.

43% of workers believe employers are now less tolerant of dissent and challenges to authority.

Only 26% excuse their employers for requiring layoffs and longer hours because they believe their employer’s hands were forced by the recession.

48% of workers say their productivity has been affected by a fear of being laid off.

The study concludes by recommending four strategies: communication, employee development, flexibility, and delegation/empowerment. In short, what they are recommending is to start paying closer attention to what the employee needs; not just squeezing harder to get more of what the company needs.

I recently discussed these employment trends with YNN news reporter Leah George at our Rochester Headquarters: http://rochester.ynn.com/all-regions-news-2134-content/all_news/rochester/488265/reports-put-hard-numbers-on-employee-discontent

Recruitment and Retention are at the cornerstone of what we do. How are you retaining your top talent?

Employers Accused of "Window Shopping" ... Look at the Other Side

2009-11-17T13:57:00.001-08:00

In one situation or another, we are all or have in the past been “window shopping” depending on the extreme – new position, bonus structure, title, manager, not to mention the personal aspect of our lives – house, car, etc… I would like to believe there is more to it.

Here is what I have seen, a mini step by step of the last year:

Company downsizes several positions into one or a few jobs or has put off hiring for quite some time just to wait and see (don’t want to hire just to lay off)
Finally the Company has ability and approval to hire posts job

***Critical Point: The executive team may or may not have critically reviewed the current people working, the positions that are filled and the ones that were eliminated. Then review and run assessments both of skill/talent gaps and overlaps to really understand what the needs are up front for the position they are hiring for. Why – let’s face it, most have been waiting for quite some time to get the opening and working short staffed already didn’t make the time.

Resume review/Application Overload
Referrals, LinkedIn, Networking Ensues as do opinions
Interviews Commence which is when the interviewer(s) & decision makers start to identify additional areas of need or existing skills/abilities that they have with current staff and the “wish list” changes

***Critical Point: Job Description Changes not on paper but within the confines of the organization

Mini recruitment happens whether word of mouth or otherwise; review of candidates that applied previously one more time
In this step one of 2 things happen
Someone gets hired (after a few more interviews)**
The position is put on hold because things have changed and must be re-evaluated

**Why so many interviews: Because employers have held on to underperforming employees and lost individuals to competitors more often than not in their hiring history so over the last 15 months there has been some down time to analyze what not to do in the future, they are going to take their time and make sure that the person they are hiring is in fact the perfect fit. They are who they say they are and can help solve the problems they are looking for the candidate to solve (have you uncovered them?)

Empowering your Team

2009-10-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how to fit more hours in the day? Have you ever gotten a great idea yet the implementation gets pushed to the side for the next urgent message or email? What about writing your blog... well as you can see by my inconsistent posts that this is a weak area for me personally.

I have a solution - I attend so many wonderful events and seminars, most recently 3 days at the American Staffing Association Conference in Florida, yet I am the only one with the knowledge when I return from these wonderful events. In my office we are going to be starting a once a month training session and it doesn't involve me presenting (I can't be the only one who is tired of hearing me present in my office). Here is the concept, once a month I am going to reach out to a new staff member and brainstorm possible topics, these could be from seminars I have attended or areas of expertise for them that may be deficiencies for others and have them do a mini presentation (about 45 minutes) on their topic over the lunch hour.

What an incredible way to create subject matter experts in your group! We have a very flat organization where everyone works very hard but not everyone understands the value of what one another does and this will help to solve that issue and allow me to continue to write and share with you!

... any other ideas - let's share them!

You Are Not Alone

2009-09-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

Whether you are a business owner, HR professional or hiring manager and you are in a new position or in a role that has been modified over the last few months due to restructuring, you are not alone if you are feeling like you can't keep up with all of the changes.

The business landscape continues to change and move at a rapid pace and laws have been changing too when it comes to things like employment, labor relations and health care. Take those and couple them with things likemonitoring your competition, looking at new avenues for marketing, branding and hiring, such as social media, and maintaining your corporate culture as a great place to work and you have a busy day AND you haven't even touched your regular work day!

You are not alone!

No, I don't have all of the answers or a quick fix, but the good news is you've made it this far and are determined to come out of this year better than you started it! Here are some tips on feeling more connected and a little less overwhelmed:

Network (yes, I know this takes time but choose wisely) -

Look for professionals in your area to share ideas with if you are a CEO check out an executive level group, HR check out NHRA, etc... don't recreate the wheel if you don't have to when it comes to forms, strategies, outlines, etc...
Have coffee with a consultant; bounce ideas off an expert you might need help with in the future; you can see if you are headed in the right direction without over committing
Meet early in the morning before your day really begins and your mind is fresh

2. Read what other people are doing

You may not want to write your own but reading others helps to keep you connected; there are blogs of all types, you might find your next new hire in a blog - http://mikelally.net/blog/ or if you want to learn something on a topic you don't know a lot about such as LinkedIn http://sirlinkedalot.com/blog/blog/
Check out your LinkedIn updates; are their events/seminars/webinars nationally or locally you can tap in to; are your competitors, potential new hires or customers at these events
Read discussions and respond - you know your industry, you have an opinion so start participating and soon you can be an expert too!

3. Keep the culture going - don't loose sight of the little things even in the busiest of times

Run a contest giving employees the option for a 1/2 day off rather than a big extravagant prize; time off is very valuable
Have a cook out where you are the grill master
Get tickets to a local sporting event or meet up at one of the great wine tastings that go on weekly around town http://drthemag.com/wine.php even if your employees buy their own ticket its still a fun meet up
Sign up for a charity walk together
It's football season have a jersey day

Take a half day or dare I say it an entire day off - NO EMAIL, NO CELL PHONES one person in your company gets your number and knows its for emergencies only

It's the little things that keep us all going in the busiest of times and as managers it is our job to ensure these stay on the forefront of our team, our day, our lives.

A sigh of relief, I am ready to hire; have things changed in the last few months?

2009-07-10T11:25:00.001-07:00

You've had job openings, they have been put on hold and opened back up a few times but this time its for real, have things changed in the last few months?

Simply stated Yes - so here are some tips:

If someone has been laid off ask them what they have been doing since being downsized? I have been meeting with and networking with some incredible candidates who have created blogs, taken classes, created mentoring partnerships with previous supervisors and colleagues, been reading all kinds of books to improve their skills, background, enhance their took kit if you will. These are the people you want to be looking at.

If someone is currently employed, they are much more hesitant to make a move so make sure you are sharing enough about your business and the teams within in. Talk about the dynamics, the company brand, mission, vision and goals. Also, be prepared and discuss up front during the offer stage or right before, what happens if your company makes a counter offer? You should both be prepared for this to happen.

Make sure you are checking references and doing your due diligence, don't skip this just because the person interviews well and you like them, ask for samples of their work, consider a partial job shadow day where they spend 2 hours in your office.

Don't over interview - define your process in the beginning and lay out the expectations with a candidate . Continuous call backs, if it is not communicated appropriately up front may be flags to your potential new hire that you just aren't sure of them, which may or may not be the case but can lead to mis-hire or worse, a candidate could decline just because they felt that the process was not organized enough.

Happy hiring! Feel free to call me or shoot me an email with questions -Danielle

Are you overworking your staff?

2009-06-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

before I get back to why you shouldn't offer lower salaries to new hires I wanted to comment and look for response on an article I just read about a recent Careerbuilder Survey http://tinyurl.com/nxnbrw: Here is a snip it:
Results of a new CareerBuilder survey of more than 4,400 workers nationwide have revealed that workers who have survived layoffs within their organizations are facing new challenges :
As a result of layoffs within their organization:
47 percent of workers reported taking on more responsibility
37 percent said they are handling the work of two people
34 percent are spending more time at the office
30 percent feel burned out
Workin’ on the weekend
So, how much time are workers now spending at the office to make up for their growing “To Do” lists? Well, nearly one-fifth of workers (17 percent) who have kept their jobs are putting in at least 10 hours per day. To add to that stress, twenty-two percent are working more weekends.

What does this all mean? Does it mean that employers and managers may have a false sense of retention where people are nervous to look or leave their current positions because they at least know what the ups and downs are of the business in the current economy? Look around at your current team, look at your own position and how your jobs may have changed. Is it time to revamp job descriptions and redistribute work now that people have been bearing the burden of 2 people and in some instances more?

Start with yourself and your own position and re-write your job description (I know ... another 10 maybe 12 hour day) and continue on down the line. Look to see who is being over/under utilized and look for processes you could write out that are more systematised and you could hand off to someone else.

Don't forget about team building and the power of bringing people together and maintaining your environment. Yes, there is work that needs to be done and yes things are hectic but if you have individuals doing the work of 2 or more people they won't survive for very long and soon your culture will deteriorate and you could be looking for 2 people to replace that one if you aren't careful, which would put you right back where you were.

Cheap and easy suggestion: pot luck lunch where everyone brings a dish to pass or if you want to bring departments together assign each department a country and they make dishes, beverages and even dress up with clothing from that area/region/country and have little contests for most creative, best overall, even a "better luck next time" category. $5 gift cards or free lunch in the cafeteria can go a long way...

Yes, we all have to work hard to get ahead and be the best at what we do, but if people are working hard out of fear or survival it won't last long.

Warning: do not offer a potential employee less then what they are worth YOU WON'T BE GETTING A DEAL

2009-05-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

It is a misconception for some employers right now who feel as though they can offer a potential employee less because of the "current economy." I have talked with managers, owners and candidates on this topic at length and here is my advice:

Set your budget for the position first and stick to it: Every position has some sort of budget or ROI attached to it and you always want to keep within those guidelines to be sure you are recruiting for the appropriate candidates. This way you have it set before you even meet with anyone and it keeps from putting a bulls eye on someones back down the road if you go over your budget.

Discussing salary history, earning expectations and salary requirements in the first interview is quite alright. Providing a realistic salary range is also appropriate to be sure everyone is on the same page and you are upfront contracting with candidates and they with you. Some people have made significantly more money in the past and are genuinely realigning their expectations based on prior bonuses received, etc... however everyone has a number including you and your department so be sure they line up with those people you are considering for a 2nd or 3rd interview.

If you have a few great candidates you are interested in rate them based on their overall background, references, any evaluations you may have done against the scope of the position you are recruiting for now and what you may want this person to take on in the future. Look at skill set and how this person will help continue to grow and groom your corporate culture. One candidate typically stands out against the rest and this is the person you should be considering offering the position to.

Sometimes hiring managers want to get the "best deal" which doesn't always equate to the right fit. Be as systematic as possible but be sure and do a gut check.

More to come on this topic in the coming weeks so stay tuned!

Tips to Assist you in Securing your Next Position

2009-05-04T11:45:00.001-07:00

Top 5 Tips to Assist in Securing your Next Great Position

Besides staying positive and focused here are some other things you should be doing every day! Make finding job your new full time job and just like anything it has its ups and downs, good days and bad days! So get started!

Define your Search
What business types, size, culture are you looking for
Recognize how your business search fits your personality and goals
Keep a list of what is of interest to you and what is not and use it as a working document as you search and network

Track your progress
Apply only for positions you are truly interested in
Keep a log of the when, how and who you applied to
Acknowledge the person you contacts you for the interview and reiterate your interest specifically in that position and company – make an impression!

Be the consummate professional at all times
Have a voicemail message and email that are generic and professional
If you are using a cell phone, do you have a ring back; is it appropriate
Review your resume for spelling and grammatical errors

Network
Submerse yourself in your desired field – join industry specific organizations, attend meetings and seminars where you can meet key players in your field
Join general business or social organizations or volunteer with a group you have been putting off joining because you just haven't made the time where you can make a difference in the Rochester community while making new connections
Research the companies and industries you are interested in; increase your knowledge base and show your next employer just how interested you truly are.

Stay Positive and Focused
Great things typically don’t happen over night
The harder you work at anything the better pay off you will receive
Continue to stay connected to your network and the community even after you’ve landed; this speaks volumes of who you are as a potential leader in this community!

Hiring Freeze... Now what?

2009-02-17T11:29:00.000-08:00

So you are a supervisor or hiring manager and you are under a hiring freeze but are short staffed...now what?

FIRST OFF - YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Be patient and positive and continue to inspire and motivate your team to get things done. Try and stay away from the "Have you read the news, don't you know you should be grateful to have a job" - listen I am guilty of thinking these exact same thoughts, but don't. You want your employees who you have to stay with you and keep your retention high because believe it or not, companies ARE hiring right now and quickly!

Try and automate and look to your team to be innovative in how things get done. Let them try and come up with new ways to do things; it may save you time and money and the tri-fecta, you have their buy in.

Look at local colleges for interns! BIG WIN here! Even if the co-op or internship is to be paid you are getting some serious work for your money. Bright, eager college students to help with IT, Accounting, HR or even general administrative work; I have spoken with several co-op leaders in the area and they have all said that students are really looking to build up their resumes and experience due to the current tightening in the labor market.

Try and get approval for a contractor. Our firm knows you are looking for that A level candidate even though you may only need them for a few months, but who knows you may like them so much that when the time is right you can hire them on permanently without additional costs involved.

Add additional tasks to under challenged employees whom you may not have given additional opportunities to in the past. Set up the expectations and know that you are really looking for them to succeed and take their position to the next level!

That's all for today but please send me your feedback!

Contrary to popular belief - the market for good employees is very tight... but why?

2009-01-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

The emphasis in the media lately has been that there are a lot of people unemployed currently and companies are slow to hire and although there is truth to both of these statements there is also another side to this coin.

What people aren't talking about is that employees are slow and reluctant to leave current positions they would have left easily 6 months ago; therefore the "passive candidate or applicant" has dwindled.

So what does this mean:

For those out of work this means what it has always meant - apply, research companies, and network - this is your full time job. Stay positive, focused and committed. In looking at our own trends we have more companies looking for employees now than we did at this same time last year - remember December and January are not big hiring months for companies no matter what is going on in the world.

For those of you we consider "passive job seekers" continue to be cautious but don't refuse an interview because you are nervous. Schedule your interviews early in the morning, after hours or on you lunch (at least the first interview) so you can learn more about the company. Ask smart questions regarding the company, the reason for the opening, their history and how they feel the "current economy" will effect their business.

Employers looking to hire - don't assume that because the news says there are a number of people unemployed that you will find your perfect new hire right away. Many companies I have spoken with recently have used the "current economic situation" as a way to RIGHT SIZE their company by laying off some people who were not performing at the levels they should have been however they did not have a true "cause" for termination - these may not be the people you are looking to hire right away.

On another note, you will be able to attract key talent that may be overqualified for your position but interested in your company at a lower salary than typical - this isn't always a bad idea however be sure that the employees motivators are in line with what you can offer, that the environment you have and culture you promote is in line with this person and discuss in advance the ideal position and environment might be and a possible exit strategy up front. If these are things you are comfortable with and you can gain some intellectual property and knowledge you wouldn't have otherwise had access to go for it, just watch they don't jump to your competition.

2009 is off to an incredible start - just be sure you take everything you are reading and hearing with a grain of salt. Review your 2008 and capitalize on your strengths!

Its all about Networking ... but how (a link to the "LinkedIn" guru!)

2009-01-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to link you to a person in my network who posted a great "to do" list for those of you out there looking for work right now, but just aren't sure where or how to start. So rather than rewrite what Steve has already written I thought I would share his ideas with my network:

http://www.linkedinpersonaltrainer.com/archives/four-essential-networking-components-for-every-business-professional/#more-151

If you check out his site you will also find ways to use Linkedin to assist in your job search as well as expanding your business network.

New Years Resolutions

2008-12-30T11:19:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a manager looking to hire, a professional looking to expand your career or an employee looking for that next opportunity I would guess that we all have something in common during this time of year and that is thinking about the year that has just flown by and how we can make the one we are about to enter into that much better!

Resolutions are guidelines to help us gather some reflection and focus not just so we can by a piece of excersise equiptment to hang our clothes on.

I am going to give you some of my resolutions in the hopes that you become inspired:

Write it down ... all of it... your goals, aspirations, your bucket list... put it on paper NOW

mine will be completed by the end of the month and be filled with goals and aspirations big and small but try to be detailed and quantitative so you can really see your results

Commit to something bigger than myself and be specific about it

Volunteer in a charity/not for profit (I am thinking Association for the Blind and Visual Impaired)
Become active in a career organization; more than just attending meetings but actually contributing to content and volunteering my time. (National Human Resource Association in Rochester)
Decreasing my carbon footpring (carpooling with a co-worker and completing our initiative to go paperless in our office)

Continue to be the best I can be at my job

Taking a continuing education course/seminar each quarter
Meet with all of my 2008 business partners to discuss areas of success and improvement for 2009
Act with integrity, honesty and have fun Every Day!
Share and delegate information and responsibilities to help my employees and teamlearn and grow as professionals

On a personal note - complete a 1/2 marathon and be diligent about going to the gym, connect with old friends and smile for no reason at all!

Cheers to a prosperous New Year!

Networking and Referrals - think about sharing

2008-12-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

Remember the "Plays well with others" portion of your elementary school report card?

When you are thinking about sharing your network or your referrals with others you may meet treat it as any other personal relationship in your life - as a connection of two like minded people who should get along, have things in common and learn from one another.

Think about it this way: no one in your network wants to be "sold to" and people aren't interested in potentially compromising great business relationships they have built just to "share a lead."

Too many times people get out of networking because they feel it is a waste of their time, real meaing: they didn't get anything out of it business wise so it's not worth it. If you approach networking as a means to an end people are going to read right through you and move on. However if you look at networking as a way to share ideas, learn about new products, services and even someone else's point of view you will be farther ahead personally and professional; you might even gain positive energy and momentum that can take you FAR!

So get out there and meet someone new! (I'll be sure and give you an A for effort!)

Being Thankful - what I am most thankful for (and interviewing tips)

2008-11-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

Tis the season to share what we are most thankful for and I would say my friends and family, my health are what I am most thankful for, but being in the business I am in and being the person that I am I must admit that my career falls not far behind in 3rd place (sometimes in 1st depending on the other categories). In all seriousness I am thankful for working in an environment that meets my needs for a fullfilling career; I have autonomy in my work, am allowed creativity and decision making power as well as mentoring and managing a great team. How did get here? I have to say I am one of those people who firmly believes in the power of positive thinking; that if you focus, write, think and work hard enough towards something it will come. The problem today with people and finding careers that motivate them and meet their motivations is that not everyone knows what they want, are willing to wait it out to get there or do everything it may take to get there.

I know, I know this coming from the person with the job that they love... but hear me out:
Knowing what you want and what motivates you: an employer can tell in an interview you you are answering questions that are being asked because of the formality and you need to work or if you are answering in a way that evokes emotion from the person sitting across from you - are they buying what you are selling more than the last person, do they see the value that you will bring to the table and do you truly believe that you can make a difference and a positive impact? Do your homework, be interested, act engaging and ask questions.

Be positive and know that sometimes less is more. Yes we can tell if you are having a bad day or if you are tired of searching, interviewing etc... so please treat every interview and networking moment as a new way to make your mark and your connection stronger with the person you are meeting with. This will make you memorable (in a good way), but don't forget to follow up with an email or note and be sure to refer back to something that came about in your interview or conversation.

the less is more part - if you have been terminated, let go, downsized or hated your boss and are happy you are out of there... remember less is more. please save the details for the dinner table (with family or friends).

Stay positive, focus on 3-5 things you are thankful for every day (it works for Oprah!)

Social Networking & Recruiting

2008-11-11T11:56:00.000-08:00

What does your social networking page say about you? Social Networking isn't just for "kids" on MySpace. The numbers are astounding and I don't want to discredit MySpace by not focusing on them because their community is enormous, where Facebook is climbing and comes in a far second with 100Million registered members and LinkedIn which started as a business network is growing rapidly with 1M new users ever 20 days (give or take). These are the more common household social networking sites where people can make friends, ask questions and passively and actively look for connections and jobs.

What does this have to do with Hiring and Recruiting - as a potential candidate passive or otherwise here is a tip - google yourself. Review your social networking sites and be sure that they represent you well. This doesn't mean set yours to private, although that is a definite option especially if you are in search mode, but it does mean keep anything that could be looked at as potentially inappropriate off your site. Don't be afraid to be yourself and show who you are because you want to fit into the company you are going to work for but you want to be viewed as reliable and professional too.

As recruiters and hiring managers - if you have social networking sites follow the above but also try and brand yourself and your company as the place of choice by adding some personality and flare. The market right now is actually tight when it comes to the good passive candidates and they are being even more selective in making a change and are looking to you as a recruiter to share all of the great details about your organization. Share team building photos, contests and company missing statements to name a few.

Use these sites as a way to build your network and gain trust with potential candidates to get yourself the edge on your competitors.

What are others seeing out there with social networking and recruiting?