talentline411

Just A Pulse? Not Good Enough This Time

2013-04-24T12:01:00.002-05:00

The last time the labor market got tight, and employers struggled to find the talent they needed, there was a popular joke that all a candidate needed to get a job was a pulse, and that was negotiable.

As we head into the "War For Talent" labor market, we're back where we were, with employers increasingly struggling to find qualified candidates. Yet there is a huge surplus of job seekers. The old "pulse" joke couldn't be farther from the current reality. As a recruiter, I regularly see employers who:

Are not willing to pay what jobs are worth (as dictated by market data)
Have very unrealistic requirements for the hires they are looking to make, such as wildly varied and rare skillsets
Are indifferent to their employer brand
Treat candidates poorly and/or fail to "sell" candidates on their company and the opportunity

It's an odd disconnect. Perhaps employers are lagging a little in adapting to the new reality. Those who embrace it more quickly will have a huge advantage!

Are You Listening, LinkedIn?

2013-02-15T06:53:00.001-06:00

Anyone who has followed LinkedIn for more than a couple of years knows that the company has gone through some deep strategic changes since its inception. After years of modest innovation and an uninspired business model, they seem to have thrown caution to the wind in the last few years, and not necessarily in a good way.

Some of their recent maneuvers have met with disfavor from most users. The Endorsements feature, for example, or the big spam campaign when they hit the *200 million user mark. (In case you missed that, congratulatory emails were sent to people who profiles were in the 1%, 5% & 10% most viewed percentiles.) This "popularity campaign" was compared to everything from Facebook to high school.

But the real issue here is that it's been a while since LinkedIn did anything remarkable for users. Yes, it gets better and better for recruiters, but as a recruiter, all I really want at this point is more users and better search tools. To get more users, LinkedIn really needs to focus on value-add functionality.

To be specific, what LinkedIn really needs is social search. Facebook stole all the thunder recently when they announced their upcoming "graph" search. Many recruiters can't wait for the Facebook version of social search. But I'm not holding my breath. No matter how awesome Facebook's social search functionality is, the work-related keywords I'd be searching for aren't on most Facebook user's profiles. Plus, the lack of extended networks on Facebook will create challenges.

LinkedIn's golden opportunity is social search. It has all the right content, as well as the power and reach of extended networks. As much as their Endorsements feature seems amateurish, I think it's the foundation they laid for social search. I would love to be able to source for a Ruby developer, for example, who is most endorsed for their Ruby skills by the people I know and trust (my connections). Or better yet, a Ruby developer who is most endorsed for Ruby by the other LinkedIn users who are most endorsed for Ruby.

*200 million users? Ya, right.

Where do companies find applicants?

2012-11-05T12:09:00.001-06:00

90% of applicants go online first. That's where you should be. Read the research from Hiring Solutions Company.

Recruiting on LinkedIn? Make sure your house is in order!

2012-10-12T14:42:00.003-05:00

If, like many recruiters, you have started using LinkedIn to source candidates you don't know and InMail to reach them, keep the following points in mind. When a stranger hears from you on LinkedIn regarding a job opportunity, most will do some quick homework to decide whether they want to respond:

They will check out your profile. Do you look credible? Trustworthy? Like someone they wish to enter into dialog with?
They will check out the employer's website. First, does it look like a legitimate business? Second, does it paint a compelling picture of why they'd want to work there?

Keep in mind that these are mostly passive candidates. The bar is extremely high. Make sure your house is in order -- that your efforts are supported by a great profile and website.

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: The Legalities of Social Media

2012-07-17T07:21:00.003-05:00

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: The Legalities of Social Media

Hosts Todd and George know a lot about social media, but they aren't attorneys. In this episode, they are joined by attorney John Kalter, widely recognized as an expert in the use of social media in the workplace. John has a gift for explaining even arcane legal issues in a clear, relevant manner. Topics include recruiting, corporate policy, the NLRB and a lot more.

listen to the podcast

About John Kalter
John J. Kalter is a shareholder in the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group in the Milwaukee and Waukesha offices of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. where he practices management-side employment and labor law. John counsels employers regarding all aspects of employment and labor law and litigates such matters in state and federal agencies and courts.

Zen & the Art of Recruiting: On Reference Checking

2012-05-18T09:18:00.002-05:00

Do you trust reference checking? You shouldn't!

In this episode, Todd and George cover the most problematic issues as well as leading practices to help ensure that you don't miss the good candidates and don't fail to flag the bad ones!

Listen to the podcast

Bad References? No Problem!

2012-05-10T12:50:00.001-05:00

Job seekers who lack references, or know that the only legitimate references they can provide are likely to provide negative feedback, now have the following option at their disposal:

http://thereferencestore.com/

It's worth a few minutes to explore this site. Initially for the entertainment value, which I largely chalk up to remarkable audacity. But that will fade as you realize (and have to be impressed with) the lengths this business will go to, to create references with "counter measures" to "defeat even the best hiring managers."

Job seekers, if you are reading this, the FAQ that assures you that "misinformation on a resume isn't a crime" -- that's true. But Yahoo's CEO Scott Thompson may have something to say about whether it's a good idea. He's not alone, and the story never ends well:

http://www.bschool.com/blog/2011/14-most-famous-resume-fibs/

Employee Referral Programs: The Cold, Hard Numbers

2012-05-08T08:10:00.001-05:00

If you have any lingering doubts about the quantifiable benefits of Employee Referral Programs...

http://www.ere.net/2012/05/07/10-compelling-numbers-that-reveal-the-power-of-employee-referrals/

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: Behavioral Interviewing

2012-03-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Steve Kessel

For most of us, "tell me about the time that you..." and the fact that we know we should do it is the extent of what we know about behavioral interviewing. In this episode, organizational development expert Steve Kessel explains why behavioral interviewing is so important, and shares advanced techniques. This episode will change how you approach job interviews.

Listen to the podcast

About Steve Kessel
In his more than 30 years in organizational development and HR management, Steve Kessel has helped corporate leaders, line managers and employees at all levels achieve organization success. He specializes in the areas of management and supervisory development and human resources management, and creates a unique learning environment for his clients.

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: Courting The Passive Candidate

2012-03-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

How does your organization court candidates?

We've all heard about the value of recruiting passive candidates, but why? Where do we find them? How do we court them? In this episode, co-host Todd Nilson starts with some helpful insights from a recent national survey. Drawing from years of working with passive candidates - who aren't all cut from the same cloth - Todd also shares a variety of useful techniques that can help you land this elusive talent.

Listen to the podcast

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: A Candidate's Perspective

2012-03-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Andy Marris

Andy Marris is an innovative marketing professional, who got creative in his recent job search. He's tech savvy, and while he isn't a millennial, he uses media like one. In this episode, Andy shares some of the unconventional resources he used to brand himself and promote his job hunt, as well as highlights (and dark spots) of his recent adventures in the job market.

Listen to the podcast

About Andy

Andy Marris is a new training specialist and marketing manager at MRA. He has 13 years in marketing for the financial services, healthcare, and IT industries. In addition, he teaches future MBAs business courses at Cardinal Stritch University. As a recent job hunter, Andy utilized several new technologies to land a career that fits his passion for teaching business and management principles to adult learners.

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting:

2012-03-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

Job seekers hate your career site!

How does your corporate website support your recruiting (or not)?

Most job seekers do a lot of web-based research, looking for jobs and checking out employers. Can they find you and your jobs? Will they like what they learn? Since many websites weren't even designed with this audience in mind, your website may be undermining your recruiting efforts. Based on many years of website audits, this episode explains how to evaluate your website.

Listen to the podcast

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: Employer Branding Part 2

2012-02-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

Leverage your employer brand!

In a previous session, we explored employer branding: what it is, why it matters, and who really drives yours. (Hint: it isn't you!)

In this episode, we get into more detail about how you can start to polish, tweak and leverage your employer brand.

Listen to the podcast

Recruitment: It's What I Do...

2012-02-24T12:02:00.001-06:00

No idea who created this image, but it was my smile of the day from a dear friend and colleague, Nancy Basile. Happy Friday, Interwebs.

Click to embiggen

(I would be happy to credit the image if anyone knows where it is from.)

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: Challenges Employers Face

2012-02-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

The rocky economy has kept many employers on the ropes for the past few years. As recovery begins, employers will have their hands full with a variety of recruiting-related challenges. From "War For Talent" demographic shifts to generational workforce issues and changes in recruiting and hiring technologies, the rules of the game have changed.

Listen to the podcast

Diversity Recruiting Explained Diversity Recruiting Explained

2012-02-22T11:09:00.000-06:00

Diversity Recruiting Explained

Posted on July 26, 2011

It always amazes me to hear an employer comment about not finding enough qualified candidates, and then tell me that diversity recruiting isn’t a priority for them. This article does an exceptional job of explaining the value of diversity recruiting!

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: Employer Branding, Part 1

2012-02-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

Employer branding may sound vague and squishy, but it is in fact one of the most important factors affecting your recruiting efforts. In this episode, we'll explore what employer branding is and what it isn't and why your company cannot afford to ignore it. Hosts Todd Nilson and George Blomgren will continue this topic in a second podcast, which will discuss how to implement leading employer branding practices.

Listen to the podcast

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: Highlights of the 2011 Recruiting Conference

2012-02-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

George recently attended The Recruiting Conference 2011 in Chicago and came back with valuable insights from experts in the recruiting field. In this episode, Todd and George cover the highlights of the conference, including social media, employer branding, candidate experience and... the end of the resume?

Listen to the podcast

Purple Squirrel Found!

2012-02-12T12:46:00.000-06:00

What is the deal with this purple squirrel?:

For those of us in the recruiting profession, the capture of this elusive beast is most certainly an omen.

The Only Job Interview Questions That Matter

2012-02-10T07:08:00.002-06:00

I have to agree (everything else is just details):

The only three true job interview questions are:
1. Can you do the job?
2. Will you love the job?
3. Can we tolerate working with you?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgebradt/2011/04/27/top-executive-recruiters-agree-there-are-only-three-key-job-interview-questions/

Flying Your Freak Flag

2012-01-18T08:41:00.002-06:00

This video was widely referenced at a recent recruiting conference. Todd & I have mentioned it on our podcasts more than a few times, mostly in regards to employer branding. It's well worth the five minutes it will take you to watch. It may sounds kinda wacky, but think "employee engagement."

Joe Gerstandt: freak flag-flying (what, why and how)

Zen & the Art of Recruiting: What Makes a Recruiter Great?

2012-01-13T17:51:00.002-06:00

While some of the core skills and personality traits that make recruiters effective haven't changed in the last twenty years, others are dramatically different. Today's "super recruiter" combines an amazing array of diverse skills. And it begins with personal qualities that enable someone to genuinely enjoy recruiting. So, what are these qualities, and the diverse skills, that make a recruiter great?

Hear George talk about them on the latest episode of Zen & the Art of Recruiting.

Human Decency in the Employment Process

2012-01-11T21:45:00.002-06:00

From the mind your manners gallery, this post from the Page Plane blog is worth reading. I've blogged about the importance of courtesy in the employment process before and agree that good manners like closing the loop with a candidate you interviewed is something that never goes out of style. It's just good business, especially these days when everyone can take their unhappiness about a company's unresponsiveness to the Web immediately.

Steroids For Your Employee Referral Program

2012-01-05T08:37:00.002-06:00

Can your employees use their social networks to drum up referrals for your employee referral program? More to the point, does your employee referral program explicitly answer that question? I can't imagine why you wouldn't allow employees to tap into their social networks ... it's like performance enhancing drugs for your referral program! But one way or another, you want to make sure your employees know whether it's OK or not.

Zen & The Art Of Recruiting: Leveraging The Disabled Talent Pool

2012-01-04T11:02:00.001-06:00

Patrick Maher, president of nAblement

George and I have released our latest MilwaukeeJobs-sponsored podcast with special guest Patrick Maher of nAblement. You can listen to it here.

As nAblement's managing director and subject matter expert on disability as a strategic factor of diversity in the workforce, Pat Maher has been at the forefront of exploring creative ways of engaging both employers and the disability community to optimize opportunity and value from this chronically overlooked – and misunderstood – segment of the labor force.

How does your organization hire to diversity and inclusion?