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GUEST POST: Zappos – Hiring for Culture and the Bizarre Things They Do..By Keith Tatley

2015-07-13T16:34:00.005-07:00

Hiring for Culture Fit

“Culture Fit” is something we hear a lot about these days in HR strategy discussions. But what exactly does culture fit mean? Organizational culture refers to the beliefs, ideologies, principles and values that the individuals of an organization share. And In short – culture fit simply means hiring someone who fits within the organizational culture of company.

The Importance of Organizational Culture:

While on the surface cultural fit may not seem like a critical factor in the hiring process it is arguably one of the most important selection criterion. Employees who do not fit-in with your culture negatively affect those around them. They can stifle the enthusiasm,motivation and dynamics of your team. And poor employee motivation diminishes the productivity and profitability of your organization.

In contrast, hiring for culture fit increases employee engagement. And an employee who embraces your company’s values, and finds purpose in the work that he or she does for your organization, is much more likely to add value as an individual team player. They’ll also energize those around them resulting in increased employee motivation and employee productivity.

That’s why culture fit has become ultra-important today for companies hiring new employees. For some culture fit is even more important than skills. Read about what Richard Branson has to say about hiring for cultural fit.

While the right skills are always preferred, they can also be taught. But it's very difficult to “teach” someone to fit into your corporate culture. That’s why companies like Zappos are going to great lengths to ensure that their new hires are a good culture fit.

The Zappos Hiring Philosophy

Zappos.com is a billion dollar, online shoe and clothing shop currently based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s also one of Fortune’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For.

But if you want to get hired at Zappos you need more than just the right skills. For Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh maintaining their corporate culture is an important part of their hiring plan. If job candidates are not a good fit with the Zappos Family Core Values then they just don’t make the cut.

“We’ve actually passed on a lot of really smart, talented people that we know can make an immediate impact on our top or bottom line, but if they’re not good for the company culture, we won’t hire them for that reason alone,” says Tony Hsieh.

The Value of Values

Why are company values important? Tony Hsieh highlights a very important aspect of hiring for culture fit in the above excerpt. It all hinges on finding job candidates who are a good fit with your company values. WHY? Because when you hire someone who is not right for the corporate culture they will not fit in with the team. They will not fit in with the way that people do things in the company. And worse case may end up negatively changing the culture or having to leave the company.

Even if your company already has a list of core company values your team will have different values. This is because the company values are aspirational but teams are made up of different individuals. To understand the actual values of the team you can do a values assessment of your team. To understand how a prospective hire would fit in with the team, compare their values assessment to the team. (Free Download: Values Assessment Link)

Now let’s take a look at the interview techniques Zappos uses to evaluate job candidates for culture fit.

The Weird, The Wonderful and The Bizarre…

That Zappos places such high value on culture fit is completely understandable. It’s how they go about hiring for the perfect culture fit that has raised eyebrows.

Interview Technique #1: The Social Test

According to Rebecca Henry, the former Director of Human Resources for Zappos, the recruitment process at Zappos is more like a courtship than a traditional recruitment.

Ms. Henry, for example, interacted with Zappos' employees in a variety of social settings for four months before they hired her.

While the social test may not be as demanding for every job, before making a hiring decision, job candidates will meet with multiple Zappos employees. This usually involves attending some type of department or company event enabling the employees who are not interviewing to meet the prospective employee informally.

Now this may sound like a really fun and creative way to evaluate job candidates but it’s also one interview technique that’s come under a lot of scrutiny.

One jaw-dropping comment comes from the now-head of human resources at Zappos, Rebecca Ratner. ‘‘I had three vodka shots with Tony (Hsieh) during my interview.’’

If this interview technique appeals to you then the lesson to be learned from Zappos is quite simple. Social testing is a great interview technique and a good way for employees and team members to evaluate job candidates. It’s also a great test for culture fit. But it’s also an interview technique that you can implement sensibly.

We definitely recommend that job candidates be interviewed by a broader audience – especially those that they will have a close working relationship with. In lieu of a formal interview, consider arranging for candidates to meet with other employees over coffee.

What we like about the technique is that Zappos acknowledges that how a person fits in with the rest of the team and the organization is important. Being liked by the boss doesn’t automatically mean the candidate will get on well with their peers and other important stakeholders. Too often bosses make autocratic hiring decisions that impact other people.

We also like the fact that Zappos takes so much care and attention to evaluate new hires. Making a bad hire has serious consequences. Zappos has their unconventional methods but there are other ways to achieve the same objectives.

Interview Technique #2: The “Nice Guy” Test

In a recent video interview with The Wall Street Journal, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh revealed a clever technique the company uses to make sure their new hires aren't only a good culture fit but also good people. The deciding factor - even if you make an amazing impression in the interview, if you're rude to your ride from the airport, you aren't getting the job.

"A lot of our job candidates are from out of town, and we'll pick them up from the airport in a Zappos shuttle, give them a tour, and then they'll spend the rest of the day interviewing," Hsieh says. "At the end of the day of interviews, the recruiter will circle back to the shuttle driver and ask how he or she was treated. It doesn't matter how well the day of interviews went, if our shuttle driver wasn't treated well, then we won't hire that person."

Such a clever yet simple interview technique and it gives you real-life insight to job candidates before you make any hiring decisions. Your job candidates won’t always arrive by company shuttle but they will always be greeted by a receptionist or personal assistant.

Interview Technique #3: The Service Test

A core value at Zappos is creating WOW customer service experiences. So if you are hired by Zappos, you can expect to spend the first 4 weeks in your new job manning phones in their call centre learning how to respond to customer needs.

In an interview with Christa Foley, recruiting manager at Zappos, the process “really immerses new hires into our culture, what our core values mean, how we live them, what our expectations are of each employee to help maintain and grow our culture.”

Now I really like this test. People make an organization but customers keep them afloat. What better way to get your new hires to buy into the philosophy of service excellence than by making them walk the talk. If customer service is key to your corporate culture then this is an excellent culture fit test. Four weeks may be a bit lengthy but a few days in customer service is a good way for new hires to learn about your products and services.

Interview Technique #4: The Ultimate Test

About one week into their call centre training, Zappos offers employees $3,000.00 to leave the company. No – we’re not making this up. $3,000.00 to leave – and this is around 4 weeks of pay for the employees.

If candidates haven't become Zappos insiders, committed to the values and culture, then the company really prefers that they leave. There is however one stipulation - take the money and you can never come back.

While this may sound like a very attractive offer, according to Tony Hsieh only 2% to 3% of people take the offer. The other 97% say no deal—they choose the job over the instant cash. Ingenious to say the least.

If you’re willing to take the company up on The Offer, you obviously don’t have the sense of commitment they are looking for. That’s why this tactic ensures that Zappos ends up with new hires who are committed, engaged employees who are a good culture fit. It’s also clearly and indication of how Zappos have earned their spot on Fortune’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Not every organization is in a financial position to reward uncommitted new hires to leave. But Considering the cost of having a bad hire, this program makes a lot of financial sense:

Zappos is able to quickly identify bad hires by their willingness to accept the $3,000 offer;

Bad hires then voluntarily leave at a relatively low cost and;

By removing an employee who doesn’t want to be a part of their organization, Zappos saves on future hassles, headaches and termination costs that far exceed the money paid to the employee.

(Unexpected costs of a bad hire article link here.)

Conclusion:

What Zappos has showed us is how important hiring for cultural fit is. Zappos uses many “unconventional” interview techniques but you as an everyday manager can achieve the same objectives. If you're looking for an easier way to test job candidates for culture fit why not use specific interview questions designed to test for culture fit.

But Zappos isn't the only company that going to extreme measures to hire the best employees:
This is how Richard Branson looks at the person behind the resume and,
This is how Steve Jobs built his team of A+ players by personally interviewing applicants and only hiring the best and,
This is why Google has opted for behavioral interview questions over brainteasers.

What's the take home value here for the everyday manager? Often employee performance problems stem from bad hires. But hiring is a skill that managers don't get to practice very often. That's why I've made the free www.boss.camp program. It shows you how to improve employee performance in just an hour a week, including how to hire the best employees for the job.

GUEST POST: Be the orange that get’s the job interview - By Keith Tatley

2014-11-02T18:18:00.002-08:00

Getting an interview with a recruitment consultant is easy but sometimes the process stalls there

If you’re frustrated because you’re not getting interviews or job offers then this article is for you. The funny thing is that recruitment consultants constantly complain about a lack of good quality candidates. To be the candidate that the recruitment agent wants to send to their clients requires that you improve your interview skills. This is how:

PS: Are you looking for a great new job? Use an interview coach to get you the job you want.

What do recruitment consultants say?

Candidates get frustrated with recruitment consultants when they feel they aren’t put forward for jobs. So I interviewed recruitment consultants to find out why this happens. I also wanted to find out what role recruitment consultants play in finding candidates jobs.

What orange you talking about?

Darren Saul Principal at Saul Recruitment came up with a great analogy: The job market is just like other markets. Darren compared candidates to oranges. Clients want high quality oranges and they hire recruitment consultants to find them. It’s not the recruitment consultant’s job to make high quality oranges. It’s not the recruitment consultant’s job to plant, water, nurture and grow good quality job candidates. The recruitment consultant’s job is to find quality job candidates who interview so well that they will easily get a job offer.

Why recruitment consultants can’t help you

It’s simple maths, as much as they’d like to help, recruiters get a multitude of applications for every job they list. Recruitment Consultants don’t get paid to fix your CV or train you how to interview. They just don’t have the time to help. Recruitment consultants have a sensitive relationship with their clients. And they have to be careful with what they share with candidates to remain impartial.

Where do interviewers fail?

It’s seldom a case of a lack of technical skills. Think about it: It’s rare that a candidate doesn’t have a technical qualification for the role they are looking for. Per Darren people don’t interview well when:

· They fail to convey their story well,

· They don’t sell themselves and

· They don’t display enthusiasm for the job

It’s more about presenting and personal skills. Having technical skills won’t get you a job; you also need to learn how to interview well.

What do recruitment consultants recommend?

It’s simple – to get a job offer, you need to interview well. It’s frustrating but years of university and job experience doesn’t mean that you will interview well. Interviewing is complex. Job candidates suck at interviews because they don’t get much practice or training. Darren says that a little personal development goes a long way. You will get more job offers with a little interview preparation. Or you can take your interviewing to the next level by using an interview coach. It’s a small investment compared to what it will do for your career.

Is it my CV / Resume / Cover letter / Phone manner?

You got your interview with a recruitment consultant by calling them, emailing them or sending in your resume. So whatever you did to get to this stage of the process is at least passably ok. But bear in mind that recruitment consultants have a lower standard to first meet with someone. So it’s no guarantee that your CV is good enough to get a job interview with a firm. How you would work this out is ask the recruiter directly: “With specific reference to my CV, does it need significant rework and what feedback are you able to provide?” Remember that recruitment consultants have years of experience but they don’t have the time to fix your CV. For proper help get a trusted friend to review your CV or better use a professional resume review service.

Is it my background or experience?

This can be a stumbling block. But it comes back to the way you present your skills and abilities. Per Darren: It’s about how you “articulate what you do to create confidence in the other person”. The reason why interviewers ask for background or experience is because they want to know that you are capable of doing the job. Background and experience is only one way of proving that. Being prepared for difficult interview questions is another way.

Conclusion:

Recruitment consultants are always looking for high quality job candidates for their clients. Qualifications and experience are important but the real skill that will get you a job offer is the ability to interview well. Interviewing is one of those important life skills that “school doesn’t teach you”. We invest a lot of time and money in University and developing our job skills. But the best career investment to improve our employability is a little interview skills coaching.

Helpful resources related to this article:

Timeless gems from the sages..

2014-07-24T00:14:00.001-07:00

GUEST POST: Which type of wine are you?..By Bettina M.

2014-03-19T02:38:00.002-07:00

Long and hard day at work? Been in interviews? In traffic? With the kids? When are we gonna be able to see relaxation no longer as an obscure concept but as a daily reality? And no need to specify “before my retirement age” when only the idea of standing up from my chair will already be painful.

Doctors advise yoga but are they gonna look after my kids when I finish my 15 hour working day? Friends recommend a massage, but until my bank account fills up as quickly as my laundry basket, spending more than 70 bucks for an hour is not an option for me. Taking a bath was a cheap and good option, maybe as long as I was not considered an abuser of the environment, and definitely before my bath was invaded by a non-skid mat, baby seat and plastic ducks..

No truly, I think we would all agree that having a glass of wine is the cheapest, quickest and easiest way to find relaxation at the end of the day. Wine also gives us a priceless outcome: it is adjusted to our own desire. When we buy wine, we choose our own flavour - Red, White, Rose, cold or warm, sweet or dry, sparkly or flat, delicate or spicy. And wine, just like us, also has a long history: the uniqueness of every bottle will depend on what happens to the grapes and their juices from the vine to the glass. At the end of the day, walking into a wine shop is like walking into a company office - at first glance every bottle looks the same. Companies are prepared to bet on our reputation as much as we are keen to spend huge amounts of money on a prestigious wine. They will squeeze us every day as much as we are still enjoying that very last drop of a great wine. In other words, as we all expect the best from our wine discovery of the day, we should naturally understand that challenge and pressure only exist when there is a talent to explore. Some people might think then..and if I fail does that mean that I should rethink my skills? If tomorrow someone brings me a glass of Petrus, I would, without any doubt, hate it. Does that mean that it’s not an amazing wine?

Are you looking for new opportunities, a promotion, an upgrade in your salary? The only advice I can give you is to strive only for the best because mediocrity doesn’t have the potential to build on itself.

GUEST POST: Motivation: What’s that again?..By Bettina M.

2014-02-28T23:59:00.003-08:00

Swimsuit and thongs or formal wear and heels…? We all can admit…enjoying the sun and shopping on rainy days sounds more glamorous than sitting 12 hours a day on an office chair… No more early mornings or dangerous flirting with the bus lane to avoid traffic. No more “rush hour human sandwiches” in the train, no more racing to get a car spot and no more needing to dream about having the whole shopping mall to yourself!

One of my friends was made redundant a few days ago after 10 years of loyal work. They told him that it was “a hard but unavoidable choice” and to really REALLY not take it personally. Yes that’s what people say; “work is work, nothing personal about it. I want you to forget any form of humanity before you enter the door of the company but here is a BlackBerry, your new partner in life, even better than a wife, keep it close to you at all times, it will never disturb you”. It reminds me a bit like playing sport at school; suddenly your best friend, captain of the basketball team, turns on you when she has to choose her team member and spits out the name of someone else. But she still looks at you and whispers “sorry it’s not personal” and then in the space of 30 seconds you are overwhelmed by 1000 different emotions; anger, shame, guilt…and so you smile. Smiling again…such a weird concept, everybody smiles but let’s be honest, most of the time it’s far from an honest and frank happy look. For example, when this guy who interviewed me last week smiled while saying “unfortunately we don’t have any suitable opportunities for you at the moment” he was just politely translating a kind of “no you didn’t make it today and don’t ever think that it will be the case if you come back tomorrow!” and in adding “but I will definitely get back to you if something comes up”, it was probably as much of a frank answer as when you meet this stunning guy at a party and then when you ask him for his number he takes yours and says “I’ll give you a call”…

Yes all of these are good reasons to loose motivation while job searching but at the end of the day who are you trying to impress and satisfy? A friend? An employer? Your parents? Or yourself? We are programmed by this world with one goal; making our parents happy and proud (and also sometimes making them mad but only to test their love unconsciously). Sometimes they gave us recognition for any help, good marks or good behaviour and sometimes didn’t. But in both cases, they made us chase it as a natural feeling nonetheless. And as much as people can repeat that work is work and none of your colleagues are your family, and that your boss is not your mum or dad, they are still asking you for the same outcome; satisfy a manager and spend most of your day next to colleagues that are, at the end of the day, still human just like you.

But in all of this there is one person that remains not heard and that’s you. Disappointment after loosing a job or an opportunity is natural but if you stop valuing yourself in terms of a role or organisation and start thinking of yourself as pure value (no substantiation necessary) maybe it would be the first step in the change you’re looking for.

Remember, nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day…”

Just believe.

Talent acquisition made easy!! By Darren Saul..

2013-10-30T17:58:00.001-07:00

What you have done for the last 10 (or 20) years will not work anymore..

Quality talent is only becoming harder and harder to find. Yes there are always plenty of mediocre candidates – but I’m talking about the true stars – those that you can confidently hang the future of your business on!

And I’m not only referring to technical skills and experience – I’m talking about attitude, ambition, drive, self-motivation, self-development, creativity, inspiration , pride, respect, loyalty, lateral thinking and team-playing.

Now that’s quite a shopping list..how do you find them?

Don’t think how it’s always been done – think how it needs to be done now and in the future!

Social Media is one of the most valuable tools we have today to build a reputation, establish a brand, attract and access a target audience. A sophisticated and integrated social media recruitment strategy is not optional – it is imperative! It is also so low cost it’s scary! PLEASE NOTE: along with this comes the need to acquire and exploit the latest in technology (mobile and other) to the best of your ability..

Build and maintain highly specific candidate networks to further increase your reach and speed – if you go to the supermarket to buy cereal you don’t take a stroll down the frozen section – you go straight to the speciality aisle..

Candidate Referral Programs – it has always been the case that quality individuals of any kind know and are in constant contact with other quality individuals. Use referral programs extensively to draw those stars to you!

Advertising – of course advertising is still extremely useful but it is not enough to hang the future of your business (your people) on anymore. It is now a complement strategy - not THE strategy!

Momentum! The biggest enthusiasm killer in this business is a lack of momentum ie. a long drawn out recruitment process. I still see this every day. Candidates waiting by the phone while hiring managers take too much time to negotiate their availability for interviews or make decisions. By that time the candidate has lost interest or has simply been offered another job. “Don’t worry – we’ll find another” – better think again..

Selling! – the balance of power has shifted. Super people have choice and you have to make sure they make it favour of you! You have to sell the role, company, culture, management style, team, career progression path and all the other benefits – otherwise your competition will..

Personal touch – nowadays (more than ever before) TRUST is king. Building trust with your potential star during the process is fundamental! Trust can only be built personally and this is your opportunity to go way way above and beyond. There are so many ways to do this – I’ll leave that to you to ponder. Example: building strong rapport based on mutual interest during the interview process before getting down to business. One more: for the potential manager to make a call to the chosen candidate (while waiting for a favourable response) to let him/her know how valuable they would be and how much they would love them to accept the role. Simple but very powerful!

Acquiring quality talent is not difficult when you take the time to build a strong, broad and rejection-proof recruitment strategy and process!!

The 15 most valuable strategies for retaining your key people! By Darren Saul..

2013-07-10T21:37:00.001-07:00

The recruitment industry is changing again (surprise, surprise!) and we must change with it. Quality candidates are more savvy, they are not as easily tempted and they are harder and harder to find using traditional methods. A whole new strategy for the acquisition of quality talent based on broad candidate reach is necessary but that is for another day..

RELEVANCE TO YOU: Make sure your people are inspired, proud and excited (not just content) - otherwise your competitors will..

The recruitment process doesn't stop when the candidate is hired. Retaining your key people is just as important (step 2) - otherwise you are back to step 1! More time, energy and money.

Here are in my view the 15 most valuable strategies for retaining your key people!

Treat your people better than you treat your customers!! Sounds simple but I interview people all day complaining about exactly the opposite..
Delegate wherever possible and empower them to build confidence, develop pride, take ownership and exceed expectations
Acknowledge all the great stuff as much as possible - in a genuine way
Implement a buddy system to help settle new staff into the new culture
Conduct frequent two-way reviews (not too formal) to build rapport and manage expectations
Create a friendly/collaborative/fun atmosphere where people are proud to work - it's called creating a "community"
Invest in training and development - internal and external
Understand that everyone's drivers are different and that all can be used favourably with a little creativity
Be approachable! Spend some quality time down in the trenches with your troops..
EARN respect - don't expect it
Reward them with small treats along the way
Choose your battles wisely
Pay them well!
Keep in regular contact with your chosen recruitment partner to ensure you are across what currently drives quality talent
Never think that there isn't any more to learn in this area - the economic and business environment is constantly changing and so are the people within..

Easier said than done to do all this all the time - however if you're not doing it you may risk losing your greatest asset!

Those "stand-out" candidates are becoming harder and harder to find. What you can do to find them and then make sure they say "yes"..By Darren Saul.

2012-11-11T21:46:00.000-08:00

Interviews: not suitable. More interviews: they don't accept. Even more interviews: counter-offers..why is this taking so long?

Yes it is very frustrating. Time wasted, energy wasted, money wasted. You have better things to do - like maybe have lunch!

Here are some simple insights to help you find what you need faster and then conduct a recruitment process that optimises your chances of the candidate saying "yes I do!".

Build a relationship with a recruitment specialist! One cannot be all things to all people. Find an agency that lives and breathes the area you are recruiting in. They understand exactly what you need and better still they are constantly meeting with (and may have already met with) the candidates you need.

Spend the time to brief your recruiter properly. Before, during and after the process. Details make all the difference. Recruitment is all about the subtleties.

Conduct at least 2 interviews as part of your recruitment process. 1 meeting is not enough to generate the emotional buy-in you need on the part of the candidate. How they feel is the single most important ingredient to ensure they accept the role. Everything else is secondary!

Let them meet with a couple of the other team members. The more the better. They need to know who they will be working with and feel that the "fit" is right.

Give candidates as much insight into the role and your expectations as possible. Give them feedback. Again, details make all the difference.

Sell the role, team, management style, culture, career progression and the company! The tables have turned -"stand-out" candidates are very much in demand and if you don't make the effort someone else will and you will be back to square one before you know it.

Keep the momentum flowing! One of the most common reasons for losing great people is a lack of momentum. I see it every day. Interviews weeks apart, taking too long to make decisions, thinking that great candidates grow on trees. They will either lose interest (emotional buy-in) or simply secure another job.

If you find that star - hire them! Sure take the time to conduct your due diligence process but don't wait to have a few to compare. You will lose them all. Sometimes it's all about timing and you only get one shot.

Start building a strong relationship based on honesty, trust and integrity during the process - not just at the end. This will go a long long way! You may need to leverage this relationship at the latter stages of the process.

Go the extra mile to add that special touch. Make them feel needed and wanted. Give them a call to let them know that you want them to accept the offer. If they have accepted, do the same and let them know how excited you are for them to start.

The world of the transactional and sterile recruitment process is over! To recruit in the new world you need to build strong relationships, trust and go that extra mile!

Recognising special talent when you see it!!..By Darren Saul

2012-04-27T17:38:00.001-07:00

Much easier said than done.

I have been interviewing for over 10 years and I am absolutely fascinated by people. In particular I am fascinated by the fact that many people are good while there is a small percentage that are simply extraordinary. You can meet 4 great people in a row and then as soon as that special number 5 walks in your energy level jumps up 10 notches, you build rapport super-fast and you automatically find yourself selling an opportunity instead of waiting for the candidate to sell him/herself to you. You smile, you laugh and you enjoy the interaction entirely. You come out of that meeting feeling like you are ready to just take off and run around the block (if only I actually did this more often but somehow the Thai lunch special down the road always seems to have a stronger lure).

We've all been there and I thought this might be a great opportunity to further explore 2 areas of interest here -

1. What are some of the traits and behaviours that extraordinary people share?

2. What are some of the signs (during and after the interview) that confirm you have indeed recognised quality talent and have not been swept away by salesmanship and false-perception?

I certainly don't have all the answers. It is a lifelong work in progress for me but here are some of my thoughts..

Common traits of quality individuals

They listen more than they speak - and when they speak they articulate their story with pinpoint accuracy and don't waste words (especially the big ones that nobody understands anyway..)
They ask loads of intelligent questions - prepared and spontaneous
You can't help but get drawn in by their enthusiasm - it's contagious
When they smile they sparkle - and they smile a lot!
They exude confidence and self-awareness - but they do so in a very humble way - never with arrogance
Their body language allows you to catch a glimpse of their character - are they poised and in control or are they clumsy and anxious?
They take pride in their appearance - it's a matter of self-respect and respect for others
They are always punctual - in fact they usually arrive a little early
They are open minded - always willing and able to discuss different options and welcome different schools of thought
They are positive and easy going - never abrasive

Checklist for confirming your hunch

They come prepared! They have done their research into the organisation and responsibilities of the role. They may have even spoken to a few people that currently work in the organisation. They are clear about what they can offer in the role
They don't tend to move from job to job every 6 months and tend to show a clear progression path within their work history
They have no issues openly discussing the reasons for why they left previous roles for others - and these reasons are sound, verifiable and intelligent
They have solid and meaningful reasons for wanting to explore other career options - money is sometimes part of the reason but it rarely the sole reason
They usually have a strong idea of where they want to be - not necessarily in terms of exact time frame but in terms of an identified and strategic career path
It is easy for them to talk in depth about their philosophies towards building strong rapport, providing strong customer service, managing expectations and priorities effectively
If asked to provide further information after the meeting they do so extensively and in a very prompt manner
They seem very willing to partner with you (the recruiter or hiring manager) to ensure a positive outcome ie. they give insightful feedback and they follow up as promised
Reference checks are very important - yes it may be true that most candidates provide referees that will be favourable but it is not always what the referees say about them that is the most important but HOW they say it..

Identifying quality talent is all about subtlety - actions tend to speak louder than words and it is often what is not said that is the most interesting and informative..

Enough with all the noise and empty promotion - it's time for "old school" Quality, Value and Service!! By Darren Saul

2012-01-24T03:30:00.000-08:00

Yes the title pretty much speaks for itself. I'm sure you know where this is going..

I look around me and see example after example of "lip service", empty promises and promotion. Instead of taking pride in under-promising and over-delivering there is too much of exactly the reverse. There are hidden agendas everywhere and the need to read (and understand) the "fine print" is more important than ever. And more time consuming! No-one trusts anymore - everyone is always looking for "the catch".

It's time to get back to basics and bring back the old ways of doing business and simply engaging with your fellow planet dweller in general..

Of course technology and social media are brilliant tools but that's all they are - tools.

Enough said!

So what's the answer to success in the new world??

Be authentic, be genuine, be yourself!

Choose face to face and phone over email where relevant

Return phone calls and emails promptly - a simple matter of respect

Make the time to invest in your employees, colleagues, service providers and strategic partners - build those relationships brick by brick!

Learn everything there is to learn in your field - become an invaluable resource of information - product knowledge is THE key

Listen much more - talk much less!

Less hype and noise - more quality and more strategy

Less production - more substance

Negotiate with the long term relationship in mind - now is not the time for short-term gains

"Make all decisions based on the person you would like to become" Dr. Paul Homoly (one of my favourite quotes!)

Critique everything you do - improve continuously

Give service like your life depended on it!

Take a genuine interest in other people

Be engaging and interesting

Be self-aware!

Allow others to "save face" - it builds pride, self-respect and that means results!

Keep things simple - become a pleasure to work with - make them look forward to dealing with you - create an "EXPERIENCE"!

Be friendly! Stiff, polished and professional are not only boring, they're counter-productive in most cases

"Smile - it confuses people!" I saw this the other day - love it!

Remember that you are part of the human race - treat people with respect (when they deserve it of course..)

Don't just adhere to the "industry standard" - DEFINE IT with unprecedented quality and service!

Think laterally - there is always a way..

Slow down the pace just a little

Maintain a work/life balance

Don't follow - INSPIRE!

This stuff pretty much applies to everyone regardless of what you do.

Build your name on Quality, Value and Service and you WILL shine!

That was then – this is now! How to RECRUIT, RETAIN and BE RECRUITED in this NEW year…By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:35:00.000-08:00

I want to thank all my clients and candidates VERY much for your support last year – yes it was a great year and I hope you (and I) have an even better one this year!

The world keeps changing. Industries keep evolving. And so do best practices. Including best practices governing how to recruit, how to retain and how to be recruited. What worked in the past won’t necessarily work in the future and those who are willing to keep an open mind and embrace new ideas will be those who ultimately will embrace the rewards as well!

I’m definitely no Nostradamus but I predict that recruitment activity will continue to steadily rise and good quality talent will be even harder to find AND keep!

So what do you do about it? Here are some of my thoughts…

Hiring managers –

Treat your people better than you treat your customers!
Delegate wherever possible and thus empower your employees to take ownership, build confidence and develop pride in what they do. RESULT: employee loyalty!
Be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise (Dale Carnegie - How to win friends and influence people)
Conduct frequent two-way reviews to build the lines of communication and confirm expectations (including career path management) – once/twice a year is just not enough!
Create a friendly, approachable and fun atmosphere where people are happy (better: proud) to work – this will passively attract other quality people to you and your organisation. RESULT: reduced recruitment spend for you…and more bus. dev. for me…
Invest in staff training and development
Pay employees well!
Offer referral fees for talent
Really partner with your niche recruitment specialists – this means carefully prepared job descriptions, prompt feedback and time invested in order to build a trusting, consultative relationship
Always be willing to receive resumes/and or meet with valuable talent – ie. a more proactive recruitment approach
Be open to candidates that may not have all the technical skills but more than make up for it in attitude
Realise that speed (without compromising quality) is going to be ever more important when recruiting!
Embrace new technologies as useful tools when recruiting ie. Skype video conferencing and social media
Understand generational differences – Gen X vs. Gen Y

Candidates looking for opportunities -

Strive to become a quality professional and build a reputation as a first class individual! (First Class or Economy – the choice is yours!)
Remember that your current place of employment may just well be able to offer you what you are looking for if you prove yourself to be worthy of it!!
Volunteer to take on those responsibilities that no one else wants
Work smarter AND harder which may mean longer hours
Differentiate yourself as a valuable leader/mentor to your peers - not just a participant
Establish yourself as a positive, enthusiastic and “can do” team member than can always be counted on in times of pressure
Take personal and professional development more seriously – if your organisation can’t fund it right now, fund it yourself – it’s an investment in YOUR future! There are plenty of low-cost/no-cost resources available – books, cds, the web, my blog…
Strive to “thrive” and not just “exist”!
Be healthy! Exercise. Eat well. A healthy body breeds a healthy mind and a valuable employee.
Last but definitely not least - BE DIFFERENT when it comes to job hunting. For a FREE 17 page doc. entitled “Being Different” – A job seeker’s guide to success in the NEW world! http://www.box.net/shared/8j79mu4j4h

"Let the water boil..." By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:34:00.000-08:00

OK I borrowed that phrase from Chin-Ning Chu who is another one of my favourite writers. Why? Because I love her very unique blend (or "balance") of busines savvy and spirituality.

Cost of living is rising, competition is more aggressive, patience is thinning (as is my hair) and it's real easy to lose sight of perspective in our lives. We come to work each day with more to achieve in less time and that can be a very dangerous carrot to chase - from a health, happiness and results point of view.

Sometimes you just have to know when to ease your grip and "let the water boil". Sometimes the more you push forward the more your customers and results push back!

What are the consequences of pushing too hard?

You ruin the quality of relationships you have worked SO hard to build
You don't create that all important "buying environment" so important to selling anything in this new world
You don't recognise buying signals when they are hitting you over the head with a sledgehammer
You don't recognise NEW opportunities
You don't get the results you desire
You inhibit your ability to process what's going on around you and hence you don't LEARN anything
You suffocate all the enjoyment out of what you do!

So let's remember to take a step back every now and then, take a lesson out of Chin's philosophy and "let the water boil".

Here are some easy strategies for keeping you "in balance" -

Read a couple of pages from your favourite self-development author/mentor (don't have one? maybe it's time to find one...)
Take a break every now and then to put things back into perspective - coffee, lunch, take a walk/drive, laugh, sing, dance, meditate, did I already say eat?
Keep your desks, files and brains as lean as possible - the more order you have in your world the calmer you will feel and the more efficient you will be!
Try to really get to know your customers/colleagues - the rest will flow naturally from there
Work smarter - there is always an improvement to be be made/bad habit to replace
Systemise as much as you can to save you re-inventing the wheel and prevent things from falling through the cracks
Try and focus on one thing at a time and be in that moment
Listen with the intent to understand rather than be formulating what you want to say next
Direct your attention to another valuable task that might not be directly related to the specific outcome you are waiting for
Expressing creativity in any form that will bring forth inspiration is always advantageous!

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant" - Robert Louis Stevenson

Three things recruiters won't tell you - Part One

2011-02-21T22:33:00.000-08:00

Three things recruiters won't tell you - Part Two

2011-02-21T22:32:00.000-08:00

"Are you always like this or did you get lucky last night?"...By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:29:00.002-08:00

People are always asking me that! Luck has nothing to do with it - it's all about attitude! And yes I'm referring to everyday business interaction - not the nocturnal kind...

Why are people so blown away when they see someone with a positive, enthusiastic and infectious attitude? Is that such a rarity? Is smiling and having fun that difficult??

Hell no! You just have to remember to actually do it!

Most people get up, get ready and head straight for the nearest cappuccino machine before they can even grunt out the most basic of pleasantries. Instead why don't they head for the mirror, put on a smile and remember why they are still breathing?

ANSWER: they have either never been taught or they simply forget.

Pathetic attitude is everywhere - we've all seen it:

Restaurant wait staff - the only thing they are waiting on is the end of their shift
Front office people - maybe they're all at the front because no-one wants to be around them at the back. The irony is that they are meant to be "customer focused"...
Lethargy while on the phone
Lethargy while not on the phone. You catch my drift...

Positive Attitude is a choice you NEED to make every second of the day. It's a way of thinking. It's about self-awareness. It's not just one way. It's THE way!

Sure it's not always easy and in my culture when the going gets tough we eat! That usually puts a smile on my face right away...

Revealed: the top 5 benefits of being positive

You might actually enjoy it
Others might enjoy it too
You will build rapport SUPER fast
You will get RESULTS
You will become an addict (of positive attitude)

Here are some tips GUARANTEED to help you get your PHD in Positive Attitude

Surround yourself with positive people
Surround yourself with positive things
Smile and show some teeth (if you have them)
Start each day with a positive message - a quote/a few pages from one of the greats - Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie, Jeffrey Gitomer, Darren Saul
Before you respond to anything take a moment and then respond in the positive!
Take a walk and balance your thoughts
Do something you LOVE
Listen to your favourite tune
Watch a Seinfeld episode
Phone a friend/family member
Eat!
Crack a joke
Take a risk - if you want to make an omelette you gotta crack a few eggs!
Perform a random act of kindness (donate to your favourite IT recruiter...)
Look at material things as "replaceable" things
Give without expectation
Substitute fear for curiosity
Get another dog!

"YOU BECOME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ALL DAY LONG" - Earl Nightingale

"DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY!" - Bobby McFerrin

You either sell the candidate on "yes" or the candidate sells you on "no"! By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:29:00.001-08:00

Jeffrey Gitomer is my idol. He has taught more about the science of selling and positive attitude than anyone else. With regards to any sale Jeffrey always says "you either sell them on yes or they sell you on no''. Adapting this ever so slightly to the recruitment industry (and particularly relevant to the interview process) my version is "you either sell the candidate on yes or the candidate sells you on no".

After close to 2 years of repressed hiring something major has just happened - the market has made a dramatic shift in the opposite direction and it's my view that we are heading into a period of serious candidate shortage.

How do I know?

More jobs appearing on job boards everyday
Less quality responses from job boards everyday
Increased need for networking and referral activities to source quality talent
"Market rates" climbing
Increased number of recruitment companies head-hunting and hiring recruiters to keep up with demands

And the most important one (well to me anyway) -

More jobs being turned down by my top quality candidates for other roles (and yes my recruitment peers are all singing the same song)

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MANAGERS AND RECRUITERS? It means we have to make sure that we sell our candidates on yes so they don't sell us on no!

BENEFITS: Shorter recruitment cycles, increased productivity and profit, more time for business as usual, more time for coffee and muffins...

HERE'S HOW -

Take time at the beginning of the interview to build strong rapport - always take the friendly approach, use humour and creativity, try to find common ground (you will definitely need it later on)
Ask insightful (prepared) questions that challenge and makes the candidate answer in terms of you, your organisation and the role - intelligent questioning is probably THE most valuable tool for creating rapport and credibility
Give them a very strong sense of the culture and management style of your organisation - offer details and examples (collaboration, regular two-way feedback, frisbee on Tuesdays, Karaoke in the parking lot on Fridays)
Paint an extensive picture of the role and daily responsibilities - they need to envision and "feel" what it would be like in the role day to day
Give them a clear outline of what you see as the progression path including any training and development - candidates love training nearly as much as they love $$!
Sell the BENEFITS (not features) of the culture, the organisation and the role
Outline the package/rates on offer in detail ie. base, super, car, parking, technology, training, bonus, gym, health insurance...(either to your recruiter or directly if all parties are comfortable with this)
Explain the "standard" working hours and how they will be compensated for overtime
Take them on a tour of the premises - do you have new plush offices with a great view? Show them! If not, the cappucino machine and candy dispenser will have to do...
Allow them to meet at least a few of the team members
Maintain a strong sense of positive MOMENTUM - give very prompt and detailed feedback. There is no bigger killer to the enthusiasm of a candidate than a long delay in the interview process - even no message sends a very clear message!

REMEMBER: A candidate's decision to "buy" (or in this case "accept") is formed in the heart first and then justified by the mind. It's an EMOTIONAL decision and we have to therefore push the right emotional buttons to ensure a positive outcome. The more buttons we push the less left for our competition!

Great - they have accepted - you have them!

Now you just need to keep them...

(Oh yes - and thank you Jeffrey!)

Professional or Friendly? (or both?)... By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:28:00.001-08:00

To get started let me reference a few definitions from the “Dictionary of Darren”:

Professional = stiff, polished, guarded, unapproachable, without soul.

Friendly = at ease, authentic, fun, engaging, relationship building.

Which would you like to be when you are in your next customer/prospect meeting? (or any interaction for that matter)

Walking into a client meeting in your swimmers may get you an initial laugh but you may be perceived as being without credibility. On the other hand, a 3-piece Armani suit, brief case and monotonic drone about YOU and YOUR SERVICES might also put your audience to sleep. The answer lies somewhere in the middle – a brief case packed with Minties maybe…

This is a topic that I am extremely passionate about as I have always loved to challenge convention (just for fun) and have always admired the success of those who lead their fields doing things THEIR WAY regardless of the critics. The majority may criticize but one cannot dispute their success. And the FUN they are having along the way!

But I digress – back to the point.

Too many of us get caught up in the “herd” mentality of doing “what should be done”, doing “the right thing” or simply doing “what most people do?” instead of acting from a place of authenticity and being who you want to be. Of course you always need to strike the correct balance between coming across as a clown or a hypnotist but you will judge each situation according to your audience.

The whole purpose is to allow you to break down barriers and build fantastic relationships, not the exact opposite.

SOME TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED:

Smile and show some teeth (only if you have some)
Raise your blood pressure a little (be positive, energetic and excited to be there)
Shake hands like you mean business!
Have fun!
Bring a little humour and creativity to the meeting
Ask millions of questions about them and their experiences BEFORE droning on about you and what you can do
Mirror their body language when necessary
Speak to them as if they were your closest friend and not the tax department (unless they were giving you a refund)
Use the volume and tone of your voice to engage your audience – that’s what it’s there for
Keep it interactive for them if possible
Always speak with honesty
Never be aggressive - let them have fun and they will come to you sooner or later
Remember and use their name (it’s one of the sweetest sounds to them)
Only provide info. when asked for it
Give value and awesome service wherever you can – where nothing is ever too much trouble
Don’t be scared to push boundaries a little – safety is mediocrity!
Believe in yourself and your service!
Be natural – be yourself!!

Professional or Friendly?

The answer is both!

FIRST CLASS or ECONOMY? What’s your reputation like?...By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:27:00.001-08:00

Whether you are selling, buying, motivating, influencing, coaching, liaising, servicing, promoting, marketing, managing, leading, teaching, supporting or simply just making friends (phew – glad that’s over!) there is one VERY important factor – in fact it’s THE MOST IMPORTANT factor. It is your Personal Brand or Reputation. It’s probably also the most neglected factor these days…

Regardless of the interaction, the other person buys YOU first and then whatever it is you are doing for them. Let me rephrase – if they LIKE you the rest will come almost automatically! You might not even need to ask for it.

“WOW” now there’s a concept to turn everything on its head!

You can ease up on all those old-school, antiquated and aggressive sales techniques and just conduct yourself in a way that makes it easy to become friends with you. Everything else will naturally follow. Of course this is so very obvious but until someone actually awakens you it’s easy to overlook. I can thank Jeffrey Gitomer for my awakening. He just puts it beautifully when he says “If you make a sale, you can earn a commission. If you make a friend, you can earn a fortune!” This of course doesn’t only refer to dollars and cents.

And here you are for the most part concentrating on everything else instead of what matters most – how you are perceived! And one other golden insight: Personal and Business – it’s all the same reputation!

“So what - give us something we can actually use Darren!” you demand.

OK then - I will.

Everything you say and do (in both the real and virtual internet worlds) affects your PERSONAL BRAND. Make sure it counts.

Here are some steps in the right direction:

"WOW" people! Everything you do has the potential to be “WOW” if you want it badly enough. “WOW” people are liked, remembered, respected, trusted and sought after.
Be different! What are you doing to stand out and be counted?
Always be that smiling, friendly, enthusiastic, passionate and approachable person where nothing is ever too much trouble (even at 2am on Sunday morning…)
Look presentable – look the part.
Act the part! As they say: “Perception is reality”.
Try to return phone calls and emails within 24 hrs. (Yes I did say “try”- this has the potential to really “WOW” people because so few actually do it)
ALWAYS follow through on what you have promised. Even if promised on a whim – this also has the potential to really “WOW” people because so few actually do this as well.
Position yourself as a person of value that can help other people.
Be known as a “doer” rather than a “this is what I want to doer”.
Don’t be afraid to be different from everybody else – in fact be proud of it – embrace it!
Be that trusted and trustworthy advisor to others in your circle of influence.
Be a leader, a participant - not a wall-flower.
Be someone who can listen instead of always talking! It’s amazing what you can discover…
Always be prepared - preparation is half the battle already won.
Be confident!
Have a great sense of timing - the correct action at the wrong time is close to useless.

You catch my drift…

Build a strong Personal Brand and you won't need to look for opportunities - OPPORTUNITIES WILL COME LOOKING FOR YOU!!

Do you make FRIENDS or simply CONTACTS? And what might you be missing out on?...By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:25:00.000-08:00

Regardless of what line of business you’re in this is definitely a question worth asking yourself. Over the years the term “contacts” has been widely used ie. “networking for business contacts” however I have realised that this is an extremely shallow, superficial and very limiting philosophy. Making “friends” on the other hand is a whole other ball game!

Let me explain what I’m babbling about:

One of my greatest mentors, Jeffrey Gitomer, puts it beautifully “When you earn a sale you make a commission, when you earn a friend you make a fortune”. How true Jeffrey! If you really take a moment to ponder this, it may so happen that it will force you to change your entire BUSINESS and LIFE strategy, for this statement holds the answers to so many questions. Once you recognise that business and life are finely interwoven you will look at every interaction differently, act very differently and will get SO much more out of them.

Like what?

You will earn trust and benefit from a much stronger relationship - LOADS more business
You will create an indestructible Personal Brand
You will discover how much you have in common – and will have more fun
You will LEARN so much from a business and life perspective – which will further help you in both!
You will earn the role of Trusted Advisor instead of just supplier – and what a difference that will make!
You will earn more testimonials and referrals – more business, more friends and more fun…
You will make create memories that you will treasure for a lifetime…in fact these moments are your life!

“Sounds too good to be true Darren – where do I sign-up, where do I begin?” you ask.

You can start here:

Increase your awareness levels – there are opportunities to make friends everywhere – be in the moment!
Look for areas of common ground
Blab less, listen more
Aim to give value with no expectations (real value!)
Prepare more, “wing-it” less
Don’t push – instead create a FRIENDLY environment where they will want to buy (ie. keep top of mind by providing value and let them come to you when they are ready)
Be interesting
Be different – a breath of fresh air!
Be friendly – less “professional”
Smile, laugh, joke
And for heaven’s sake - HAVE FUN – life’s too short!

Try it and see what happens...

7 SIMPLE STEPS TO JOB SEEKING SUCCESS!!...By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:24:00.001-08:00

If you are a JOB SEEKER today then I'll bet you are probably doing what everyone else is doing and it's NOT WORKING!!

It's NOT ENOUGH to just "put a resume together", send it to a job-board and wait for the response that never comes.

It’s a NEW WORLD with NEW RULES and it requires a NEW APPROACH - a HOLISTICapproach!

HERE'S HOW:

STEP 1: Take an HONEST look at your motivation. Do you get up every morning with a burning desire to go out into the world and excel in what you do? Or do you hit the snooze button repeatedly and finally drag yourself out of bed? If the latter rings true then maybe it's time for a change! We all know that when we are passionate about something time seems to fly, the task consumes us and we don’t feel like we have spent even one minute “working”. We enjoy every moment of what we are doing and very little can distract us from achieving our goal. Now you might argue that just being passionate about something doesn’t always mean that you are any good at it. This may be true, however I have generally noticed that people that "live and breath" what they love to do are usually very good at it!

STEP 2: Make certain that your personal brand (ie. reputation) is 100% first class. That applies to how you act towards others and how you are perceived by others – both in the real physical world and in the virtual world – social media sites, internet etc. Remember that when you walk through a door your reputation has already preceded you!

STEP 3: Make sure you have a resume that sells you properly (in terms of what you want to achieve) and that you know how to use it. It’s not enough to just email it around and wait. You have to be proactive, you have to open the doors for yourself just like a salesperson opens doors for his product. This time the product is YOU.

STEP 4: Network like crazy for opportunities. Ask EVERYONE you know (both in the real and virtual world) if they know of any suitable opportunities.

STEP 5: Prepare EXTENSIVELY for any interviews – enough said.

STEP 6: Be conscious of what engages people and what puts them to sleep! What you say, how you say it and how your body language reflects it - language, humour, creativity, verbal tone, body talk.

STEP 7: Put on a positive attitude every day. It’s just like make up – it requires effort and takes practice!

AND HAVE FUN!

SAUL RECRUITMENT - SUPPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIALISTS!!

“MARKET WATCH” – What’s happening in your IT world?...By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:14:00.001-08:00

While there are definite signs of improvement IT Recruitment spending still seems to be a little suppressed. To quote a good friend of mine management is holding on to the "more from less and faster" mentality and only spending on recruitment where it’s absolutely necessary. As a consequence quality individuals are more hesitant to move on (for now). Being a positive person that always looks to find the treasure within I can see many opportunities (for organisations, employees and recruiters) to implement strategies NOW that will ensure their position at the head of the food chain when things change in the near future…

“Don’t keep us in the dark any longer Darren, please go on” you say.

OK OK – I will.

Organisations can strive to ensure that they retain their most productive employees:

Treat your people better than you treat your customers
Delegate wherever possible and thus empower your employees to take ownership, build confidence and develop pride
Acknowledge them as much as possible without being fake (too much of anything can ruin your appetite)
Implement a staff mentoring/buddy system to train new staff with experienced members
Conduct frequent two-way reviews to build the lines of communication and confirm expectations (including career path management)
Create a friendly, approachable and fun atmosphere where people are happy (even better: proud) to work
Invest in training and development
Seek help with employee recruitment – recruiters are the specialists!
Pay employees well!

Employees can invest more time and effort now to be rewarded in the future:

Establish your reputation as a first class individual
Volunteer to take on those responsibilities that no one else wants
Work smarter and harder which may mean longer hours
Differentiate yourself as a valuable leader/mentor to your peers, not just a participant
Establish yourself as a positive, enthusiastic and “can do” team member than can always be counted on in times of pressure
Being that trusted and trustworthy advisor to others in your circle of influence
Take personal and professional development more seriously – if your organisation can’t fund it right now, fund it yourself – it’s an investment in YOUR future! There are plenty of low-cost and no-cost resources available – books, cds, the web…
Strive to “thrive” and not just “exist”!

Recruiters can concentrate on developing quality relationships based on value and trust rather than only looking to collect that “next fee”:

Take the time to slowly develop mature relationships with your clients and candidates. The days of the “traditional” cold call to hunt for current vacancies is WAY OVER!
Aim to provide your clients and candidates with VALUE (which can take many forms) during every interaction – phone, email, face to face
Always put yourself in the shoes of your clients and candidates
Position yourself in front of more quality individuals that you can work with in the future and do it on a regular basis
Specialise in a niche rather than be a generalist
More quality, less quantity!
Talk less, listen more!
Return ALL phone calls
Strive to give the BEST service FASTER and ALWAYS be available
REMEMBER: Slow and steady wins the race!

What are you doing in your IT world?...

RELEVANCE, RELEVANCE, RELEVANCE and your teeny, tiny window of opportunity!!...By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:12:00.001-08:00

Lately, more so than ever before, something has struck me. I receive hundreds of phone calls a week mainly from candidates applying to my roles (if they were from clients I would be writing this article from my yacht on Lake Como) and there seems to be a very common pattern which I feel is in URGENT need of addressing.

Let’s take a step back for just a second.

I am writing this article from the perspective of the Job Seeker/Recruiter phone interaction however one could definitely adapt it to just about any situation that requires 2 or more people to communicate for a particular reason ie. everyday work or life.

Nowadays we are all (recruiters as well) extremely message-rich and time-poor. We have more than our share of information (both requested and unsolicited) and thus if there is anything that we must think about during an interaction of any sort it would have to be RELEVANCE ie. please get straight to the point and stop rambling or you’ll lose me forever!

And that might be a terrible waste for both of us because you probably are a person of value - you just haven’t ENGAGED me enough initially for me to realise it and the window of opportunity has shut…probably for good because I have now perceived you inaccurately and have thus neatly placed you in the same box as all the others labeled “put off to a later date and maybe even after that!”

Now of course I am probably being a little harsh here but I do so to make a point.

SO WHAT IS THE POINT?

When candidates have a recruiter’s ear on the other end of the phone they MUST keep it simple and relevant to the role at hand (“KISS”).

I speak to dozens of candidates every day and I ask most of them to please give me a quick and relevant snapshot of their background – I usually receive the exact opposite!

MAJOR REASON: Lack of preparation ie. lack of forethought about what they actually want to achieve as a result of the call.

CONSEQUENCE: Rambling and a poor chance of progressing to the next stage!

RESULT: Frustrated candidate and frustrated recruiter.

Here’s what you can do to avoid this:

Think about the desired outcome of the call before you make it
Ask for permission to have a brief chat – VERY POWERFUL!!
Prepare a 30 sec. personal commercial that gives the recruiter a snapshot of who you are, what your specialty is and thus demonstrate how well you fit the role
Practice executing it! – keep in mind your voice tone and body language (which can be detected on the phone eg. a smile)
Use intelligent questioning to engage the recruiter and qualify the opportunity rather than rambling…(prepare the q’s)
When the opportunity arises (and it will) then elaborate and SELL!
Remember to “KISS” and you will achieve much more

NOTE: Always do the above BEFORE sending in your resume!!

And you wonder why recruiters never answer or call back...

JOB INTERVIEWS – The holy grail of CONDUCTING them and ACING them!…By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:10:00.000-08:00

Whether you are the interviewer or the interviewee the job interview is by far the most important spoke in the wheel we know as the recruitment process. YET, even though it has been around for decades, there are STILL so many interviewers not conducting them to yield the maximum benefit and so manyinterviewees not having the slightest idea how to perform during them.

REASON: It takes lots of work!

For both parties the objective of any interview is simple and the same: to facilitate the identification of the right candidate for the role. Realising that objective, however, is not as straight forward. Now interviews can be formal or casual. They can beprofessional or they can be friendly. They can be conducted in an office environment or at the cafe’ down the road (I do a mixture of both depending on my mood and need for caffeine). All these styles are absolutely fine and there are no rules, however there are a few fundamentals that must not be overlooked:

PREPARE
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
CREATE RAPPORT
QUESTION
SELL!

AND these apply equally to both the interviewer and interviewee.

“So how do we do this Darren?” you ask.

Easy, just apply these simple strategies and your interviews will be fun, exciting and effective. Who knows, they might even earn you a standing ovation!

PREPARE

Interviewers: Read through the candidate’s resume properly before you enter the room.
Interviewers: Identify which qualities (technical or non-technical) you are looking for prior to commencing.
Candidates: RESEARCH as much as possible. Studying the job add, job description and company website. Do a Google (and now Bing) search for any relevant information. Speak to people who might know of the organisation or even work there.
Candidates: Chelate and practice articulating behavioral based scenarios (ROLE PLAY) so that you can perform more confidently and give the interviewer as much useful insight as possible into your ethics, style, philosophy, attitude, skills and experience.

WARNING: The ease at which information can be accessed nowadays (especially on the web) makes it even more important to maintain a favourable personal, company AND web reputation – Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, Bing…

ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE

We all know what it’s like to be in a conversation with someone (or should I say be listening to someone) while being 100 miles away in our thoughts. Maybe we’re thinking about lunch, about the weekend or even how we are going to strategically escape from the conversation.

The same goes for an interview. If either party is not engaging their audience it’s a monologue NOT an effective interview!

SOLUTION:

Be funny and friendly (but still professional).
Be interesting.
Speak with your hands.
Articulate with passion.
Be creative.
Use the volume and tone of your voice to engage the audience.
Use your eyes (very powerful tool).
Sit or stand in different ways to keep the audience entertained.
Mirror the body language tone of your audience but you don’t have to mirror their exact posture.
Be enthusiastic.
Be natural.
Enjoy yourself.

CREATE RAPPORT

Spend a couple of minutes at the beginning of the interview creating rapport. It relaxes both parties and allows them to find their groove – allowing for a more insightful interview.

There are many ways to this and a little can go a long way:

Question to discover common ground – sports, family, food, coffee, culture, language, film, travel. Try and stay away from the weather and “Did you find the place OK?” Waste of a question! Always leave politics and religion to the professionals!
A little humour.
A friendly smile.
A gentle tone of voice.
Body language that RELAXES the other party, NOT INTIMIDATES them.

No need to be 100% professional – it’s not a court case!

QUESTION

Questioning is EVERYTHING. If your questions aren’t effective at drawing out what you need, how can you (interviewer or interviewee) gather insight and make an informed decision?

The key is preparing and practicing your questions in advance!

Fundamental topics to cover for the interviewer are:

Skills.
Past experiences/situations relevant to the role (the theory behind “behavioural interviewing” is that the best predictor of future performance is past performance).
What where the reasons for leaving previous job/s?
What motivates the candidate?
How do they like to be managed?
What expectations do they have around remuneration?
Candidate’s general life philosophy.

Fundamental topics to cover for the interviewee are:

Is it a newly created role or a replacement and why?
Career progression path.
Training.
Company stability.
Management style.
Company culture.
How long has the manager been with the company and in the role?

SELL!

REMEMBER: The interview is just as much about the hiring manager selling themselves and their company as it is about the candidate selling themselves and their skills.

After gathering the information needed both parties must sell their agendas to the max! Think in terms of what THEY want! Good roles are hard to find AND quality candidates are scarce. It’s not good enough to go through the motions without ENERGY, PREPARATION, ENTHUSIASM, PASSION AND CONFIDENCE. The hiring manager and the candidates must paint the absolute best picture possible to ensure that they DIFFERENTIATE themselves from the rest!

Are you really ENGAGING your team or JUST MANAGING them? TAKE THIS TEST AND FIND OUT!…By Darren Saul

2011-02-21T22:09:00.000-08:00

They turn up to work, they do what they are asked/told, they might even do a little work after hours. BUT ARE THEY INSPIRED? Better still: DO YOU INSPIRE THEM?

Inspiration needs no introduction nor excuse. An inspired person will hit you like a freight train with equal intensity at 8am or 6pm, work day or weekend, in the office or at the counter waiting impatiently for an espresso before racing back to his/her desk.

BIGGEST CLUE: The eyes!

The passion and energy just jumps right out at you through that committed gaze and it’s as contagious as hell. There is no stronger force to push someone through their comfort zone and get results.

SIGNS OF AN INSPIRED EMPLOYEE:

Confidence
Passion
Energy
Enthusiasm
Willingness to learn
Honesty
Team spirit
Pride
Uncompromising work ethic
Self-motivation

“How do you inspire your people?” You ask.

ANSWER: Good question! Read on.

One of the greatest gifts known to man is the ability to inspire and engage. It’s the difference between being GOOD or GREAT. The rewards are infinite. You will earn respect, trust and loyalty. You will benefit from increased productivity, profits and stronger team morale. You will evoke leadership and creativity!

TRY THESE:

Treat your people better than you treat your customers
Delegate wherever possible and thus empower your employees to take ownership, build confidence and develop pride
Consult your staff on issues
Acknowledge them as much as possible without being fake (too much of anything can ruin your appetite)
Implement a staff mentoring/buddy system to train new staff with experienced members
Conduct frequent two-way reviews to build the lines of communication and confirm expectations (including career path management)
Create a friendly/approachable/fun atmosphere where people are happy (even better: proud) to work
Invest in training and development
Seek help with employee recruitment – recruiters are specialists in the recognition of inspired individuals
Pay them well!!

Yes, easier said than done, however if you’re not doing it and your competition is you risk losing your greatest asset!

“TO INSPIRE OR NOT TO INSPIRE” THAT IS THE QUESTION…

What has been the REAL impact of the economic downturn on IT Managers and their teams? How can we (recruiters) help? Sydney IT Managers explain...

2011-02-21T22:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, we have seen it all over the past months – redundancies, recruitment freezes and frustration. HOWEVER it is not all doom and gloom! We can learn a great deal from times like these. In fact I would dare say that they are fundamental to our growth, both from a personal and a professional level. Before we can begin to seriously make positive changes in the name of development, though, we do need to understand the subtleties of the situation. How has the behaviour of IT Managers changed? What changes have their team members undergone? What would they like to see from Sydney’s finest (us recruiters of course)?

We asked and this is what we discovered...

There has been a definite swing towards contract hires when our managers have needed extra hands on deck. There has also been a strong tendency to recruit in-house (either directly or by outsourcing to their internal HR teams). Open communication with their teams has proven a fundamental ingredient to limiting any potential collateral damage brought about by uncertainty. In some cases redundancies have caused a period of decreased moral and disruption of daily activities, however frequent and open communication has paved the way to a rapid recovery. One very positive impact of the downturn has been the ability for managers to “catch-up” and “clean-up” and thus move into the realm of proactive management rather than purely reactive management.

Recruitment practices have definitely changed with an increase in “cowboy” tactics driven by desperation. But it doesn’t have to be so. Managers are looking to partner with their recruiters and thus we should be constantly striving to become those sought after TRUSTED ADVISORS to our clients providing them with invaluable insights into realistic salary/contract rate expectations, quality and availability of candidates, and realistic time-frames. I would say that niche specialisation is even more important than before! Managers are interested in flexible payment models that are better tailored to their needs. They want information on hiring trends in other sectors and they thirst for the provision of education and training for their teams.

Now is the time for re-innovation and renaissance! The beautiful thing about a downturn is the fact that it is always followed by an upturn. Let’s get ready!

SAUL RECRUITMENT - SUPPORT & INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIALISTS!!