Hawaii Recruiting | ERE Blog Network

Sneak Peek Clip from Help Wanted Hawaii TV

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:10:01 PST

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e4PLE_-ss4

Also on Vodpod on my blog at www.helpwantedhawaii.info

We shot this piece last year and since we are launching 8/7 on TV here in Hawaii I wanted to give everyone a sneak peek. We do have a new co-host Kolby Akamu who used to work broadcast news in Hawaii. This piece was edited by Andrew Magpoc who just came home after working at Harpo productions â€œOprahâ€� and he is very talented we have an excellent team and of course the filming was done by our creative director and producer Jeff DePonte who has worked TV here for over 25 years.

The show will have much much more than this, human interest stories, company profiles, reality clips, employment trends, tips, career advice with an entertaining feel. This is all we are showing for now but you will be able to go online starting August 7th 2008 and watch the show at www.oc16tv.com

for more show information contact mike.nale@thebrandmanagementgroup.com or visit www.thebrandmanagementgroup.com and click on the work tab to download a media package.

ALOHA

Beating Recession with Employment Branding

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:07:01 PST

When the smoke clears where do you want to be?

A colleague of mine Peter Sukonek, CEO of Big Gravity, a local branding firm recently wrote two articles on his blog about recession marketing. He refers to experts like Steve Abdalla and John Quelch about recession marketing. It is an excellent post and I recommend that you read it. Today I would like to expand on Peter’s article about recession marketing and how it applies to employment branding. Peter quotes John Quelch, a professor at Harvard Business School,

“It is well documented that brands that increase advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good times”

The same applies with respect to employment branding. While I clearly differentiate employment branding and branding as two different models, it has all the same principles, so how does this apply to employment branding and recruiting? Typically those cut backs on advertising are also felt on recruiting, example (hiring freeze, no employment ads). This may not be the best road for a company during these slowdowns. You can seize market share during this slowdown by capitalizing on recruiting top tier candidates to increase profit by increased productivity. If you are looking to re-brand your image as “The Best Place to Work”, now is the time. The image of security and sustainability during economic slowdowns can be a powerful tool to get the best people to work for you.

Peter also quotes Steve Abdalla, VR Business Brokers, Honolulu, Key thought: Recessions are exceptional opportunities to improve strategic position.

Do not to hold back right now. You have a unique opportunity and a small window to improve your strategic position through employment branding. Be the place to work, the top choice for job seekers, and capture market share. The strongest employer value proposition (EVP’s) you can make right now is to validate your actions by offering more when everyone else is offering less. This identity not only attracts job seekers but consumers as well. A lot of companies figure they can cure the headache by cutting off the head, it just does not work. You are going to need the best people to make it through this. We have seen lay off after lay off with larger brands and although they will survive any long term damage to their reputation or profit, smaller companies may not be as fortunate. A strategic workforce plan can be implemented with the right marketing plan during a downturn that will allow for growth and opportunity with the best people, but companies that get tunnel vision and focus on short term solutions will never reach their long term goals.

Re-branding with employment branding during a recession does not have to be costly, but it does have to be done in such a way that will separate you from everyone else. Create visual interpretation and identity, and validate it now before your competition does. This recession might be the opportunity you need to establish position, but only for the willing. Yesterday is gone, so planning for the future does not mean you have to walk on egg shells, be bold, compelling, make your mark, and come out of this not only as a survivor but as a pioneer, they will join you!

Help Wanted Hawaii TV information

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:25:01 PST

“Help Wanted Hawaii” is an exciting new television program premiering later this year on Oceanic Time Warner’s flagship channel, OC16. “Help Wanted Hawaii” is everything you need to know, working in Hawaii, and will feature company profiles, employment tips and trends, and stories about people in Hawaii’s workforce. “Help Wanted Hawaii” is entertaining and informative, and provides advertisers and sponsors a combination of television and web presence designed to attract employees and consumers.

Hawaii is a growing job market with a wealth of job seekers looking for opportunities. “Help Wanted Hawaii” offers a platform for businesses to attract new talent to their organization’s via a professionally produced and entertaining television segment that not only gives you visibility, but reaches out to consumers as well. This combination of product and employment branding maximizes your organization’s ability to reach a wide range of viewer’s, and offers a creative method to get your message out.

Our website is currently under construction. We will be up and running with episodes streaming on-line prior to airing

General or sponsor info please contact.

info@helpwantedhawaiitv.com

The Good with the Bad

Sat, 5 Apr 2008 01:54:01 PST

The national unemployment rate is going up, Aloha Airlines, and ATA closed their doors.

Should we be concerned when we see two airlines go belly up and a rising national unemployment rate, 5.1%? I think we should be concerned, but not to the point of making bad business decisions through a tragedy obsessed media.

This is undoubtedly the toughest economic challenges my generation has faced but when you look back on history we have faced tougher times. I would like to think that in most cases we have learned from our mistakes, so I doubt any of us will be visiting soup kitchens anytime soon. I do think that we will see more bad news but what about the good news? Where did that go? It seems that we have replaced day time soap with cable network news and poor reporting. I would be a hypocrite if I said I did not watch it myself. I think that Hawaii as well as the nation will continue to see a slight rise in the unemployment rate but here in Hawaii we are different than the rest of the nation. There are a lot of positive stories that don’t get reported. I speak with a lot of business owners and executives around the state that are having a good year, where did you read or hear about that? Sure, we will have some more bad news when it comes to our own economy, and the nation but we need to hear about the good as well.

Hawaii is going to continue growing as it should through hard work, innovation, and a little grit. Let me give you some good news. Spring break travelers boosted Hawaii hotel occupancy rates 5.5% percentage points to 78.7 percent for the week ending March 29.

The construction industry is going to see a boost in jobs with the Hawaii rail system project, and I just spoke with a business owner today who told me that his fish business is doing very well its first year. I am not trying to sell you on the notion that things are wonderful, but when you continually hear that they are not it programs the human spirit for failure. Hawaii does have good times ahead, and maybe that is all we need hear in order to keep things moving in the right direction. I want to hear about businesses doing great things in this rough economy, don’t you?

Article on ZoomInfo.com from Mike Nale

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:03:01 PST

This is something I wrote about last year. The article is updated so check it out if you wish.

http://www.zoominfo.com/About/resources/newsletter_article.aspx?month=March&year=2008&articleID=1

Hawaii, Your next job may be here.

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:41:01 PST

Despite all the talk about recession and lay offs on the mainland Hawaii still remains a strong bet for a new job with the new Hawaii rail project and a number of new retail outlets which opened recently at Ala Moana shopping center including the new Nordstrom. If you are in the construction industry we have plenty of job opportunities available not only with the Hawaii rail coming but a number of commercial projects as well. If you are looking for your next job why not hop on-line and check out some of the opportunities available here in the islands.

Here is a list of some local search companies and on-line services that may be able to help you out.

Inkinen and Associates

Olsten Staffing

Altres Staffing

Hawaii Jobs on Demand

KHNL Job Link 8 Hawaii

Hire Net Hawaii Department of Labor

Aloha!

Employment Branding What are you doing?

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:19:01 PST

Are you proud of where you work? Do you go home at the end of the day with a sense of pride and belonging? Employment branding is the image of an organization as “the great place to work”.

Are you representing that image? Are the benefits and career incentives being provided? The idea of changing your image into a positive one begins internally. You will never fix high attrition by hiring more people because your image has not changed. The mentality within your organization must be changed first. “The great place to work”. Once this has been accomplished you can start on the external branding strategy, reinforced by the internal attitude. As employers or corporations your single most valuable asset is the employee.The challenge of finding and retaining the right people is hard work but if you are having difficulty in your search, or if retention is low then perhaps you need to look at ways of changing the candidates and employees’ perception of your company. You cannot re-brand your image over night but with a little research and employer value propositions you will begin the process of change.

The talent management or recruiting team has an advantage in making the case. You speak with candidates all the time and through interviews or offers of employment you can see where your shortfalls are at. A good example would be candidates that are not entirely sold on your organizations’ ability to be competitive with the leading brand. Why is this? Do they have a better looking logo? Is the name well known? What are they providing their employees? All good questions but more importantly what are the common answers and solutions you will provide to change your course? If you are unhappy with your employment brand there is a solution but before we get to solutions you need to understand your value to the re-branding process. The information you need to create a successful employment brand has a lot to do with the recruiting process. You need to find out what and why before you get to how. The information you provide is critical in making changes.

Employment branding doesn’t have to be expensive. It can start with small changes that grow into bigger ones over time. How you ask? Productivity increases when you have high retention and recruiting costs go down. This offset naturally shifts money in different directions and in our case more money for better programs or benefits, hopefully. It is common business sense but how many companies are actually making an effort to create a better employment brand? Not as many as you would think. We could point fingers all day long but the simple fact is that your information has a lot of power and that power may be all that you need to get the ball rolling toward a better employer brand.

The solution to creating a positive employer brand is not a blueprint and in most cases simple tweaks over time can go along way. The internal solution can be answered by a survey and research in most cases. This is a huge morale boost because your employees will realize that bluer skies may lie ahead because you are actively looking for better ways to improve their lives and careers. What do they want? What are your competitors giving? How can you beat them by providing something better and different, exclusive to your brand? You will answer these questions and in time you will have an opportunity to make changes. As recruiters you may feel that your role has little significance or that no one cares when it comes to changes that affect your employment brand image. They will care when you understand that you have the ability to provide valuable information critical to the employment branding process and that image alone can make or break a company. Do you want to be the great place to work? If so then look no further than the recruiters, they have the guide to where you want to be and who you need to get there.

Most realistic plans can be as simple, for example, better working schedules, diversified benefit plans, or tuition assistance through continuing education. These programs do cost a lot of money if any at all and are usually stretched out over time, participation is also a factor. You could consider shifting some recruiting funds toward these programs to help cover the cost. It is a small sacrifice to fix a much larger problem. Your goal in creating a more attractive employer brand will benefit you in the long run with the right plan and organization in mind. We tend to lose sight of the bigger picture by focusing on the wrong problems. People make companies not the other way around. If you invest in your employees then they will invest in you. Sure, you are saying I know this. My question to you is, what are you going to do about it?

What Happened to the Hiring Manager

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 13:20:01 PST

Since when did a computer decide who is qualified and who isn’t? I remember a time when hiring managers could help make that choice or at least get a word in edgewise on the decision. We have become so dependent on other people and machines that the hiring manager seems to have all but left the process. I am sure you know why the hiring manager is important but do they? If they do then you need to capitalize on this and if they do not then you have some explaining to do. In any case your success rests on the synergy between the hiring manager and the candidate, what they are looking for, and why it is important in so many different areas that contribute to the success of the company. The hiring manager is one of the greatest assets, and if you become more engaged with them then it just makes your job as a recruiter or HR manager a whole lot easier.

Collaboration with hiring managers can be inconvenient and in some cases down right unpleasant but it could be that you are witnessing the residual effects of neglect. Maybe it is retaliation for what they might feel is ignorance or futility. Whatever the reasons are you have the ability to change this and let me tell you right now it is not going to be easy. The goal in reinstituting the hiring manager into the hiring process has three benefits, they are now important in the process (which they should be), they have more control over success in their department through selection, and their professional decision has value (which it should have). Be proactive with your hiring managers and get them involved in creating a profile that is based on their knowledge and advice, educate them on current branding initiatives, and creative ideas. You will see greater retention, higher productivity, and if you’re a recruiter higher placements.

I am not saying that technology in the selection process is bad but it should not replace the value of human decision.

http://helpwantedhawaii.blogspot.com/

Help Wanted Hawaii

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 19:44:01 PST

I just wanted to update everyone that the Help Wanted Hawaii TV show will be coming out this summer and our website is currently under construction. If you would like updates on the show please visit my blog at

http://helpwantedhawaii.blogspot.com/

Probing Effectively

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 13:50:01 PST

On reading the title you might think this is a blog post for proctologists. Open and closed probing is a technique that I learned while taking the Professional Selling Skills course through Achieve Global years ago. Why is it important to recruiters? The ability to ask questions effectively is important and through a series of open and closed probe questions you can gather important information on a specific candidate. I have a close friend who works downtown and she asks excellent open and closed probe questions without even knowing it. In PSS or (Professional Selling Skills) I learned it is important to build a clear, complete, and mutual understanding of the customers needs. The same applies in your job as a recruiter because the candidate is the customer as well as the client. The ability to probe in a certain way in order to facilitate an open exchange of information is your goal.

Open probes are general questions used to obtain information and yet open that exchange of information which will lead you to ask closed probe questions which will be more specific in nature. Recruiters should have a list of questions written down and these will be open probe questions which will lead you to ask closed probe questions. Why is it important to probe effectively? As recruiters we often get caught in the trap of becoming salesmen. When you become more engaged in finding out about the candidate then it gives you not only a better picture of them but it prepares you for those out of the blue questions from your client or hiring manager about the candidate. You can never go wrong by asking too many questions but you can have a disaster when you do not ask enough. This blog post is not going to make you the master of open and closed probes but it will get you to think about how and what you ask and why. In asking your questions relevance will direct whether to ask another closed probe question to investigate further or ask an open probe question to change direction. Now that I think about it maybe I should have titled this article” Mental Proctology”. If you ever wanted to become a better interviewer just think about open and closed probes and let the questions develop naturally through this technique.

Sally Raade " The Lighter Side of Recruiting Group"

Sat, 1 Mar 2008 23:18:01 PST

I wanted to let everyone know about Sally Raade and her new group ' The Lighter Side of Recruiting' I think it is a great idea to share funny stories and such. So check it out and join and share your funny story or chats.

Microsoft Office, Do you need to ask?

Sat, 1 Mar 2008 23:13:01 PST

How many times have you seen a job ad for a mid-level manager to a senior executive with a multitude of complex skill requirements only to see at the end, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel?

Do you really need to ask? The question can be answered usually by just looking at the job title or the job description. How many bookkeepers do you know today that can function without Microsoft Office? Do you know an office manager that can operate effectively without a program that has become such a part of our daily lives at work and at home? How many folks have you met that graduated from college in the last ten years who lack this knowledge? Why do we need to ask this question? You can leave it out and focus on the more important details of your performance profile.

Volunteering Benefits Everyone

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:46:01 PST

The benefits of volunteering are very gratifying. The organization that I volunteer with is Junior Achievement at www.ja.org which uses hands-on experiences to help young people understand the economics of life. In partnership with business and educators, Junior Achievement brings the real world to students, opening their minds to their potential. I am currently teaching a program called “Careers with a Purpose” in which students learn to use ethical decision-making skills to make career and life decisions. They discover that their career can have a noble purpose by reviewing their values and life maxims. I encourage anyone in our industry to do some form of volunteering. Aside from the many benefits to those recipients you are providing your time and service to there are also many networking opportunities that await you. Give it a try and seek out some local volunteer programs in your area.

Aloha.

Help Wanted Hawaii Blog

Fri, 1 Feb 2008 18:36:01 PST

I created an alternate blog on google feel free to check it out at

http://helpwantedhawaii.blogspot.com/

Hawaii Economic and Employment Concerns

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:16:01 PST

Does a slowing economy on the mainland mean a slowing economy in Hawaii? You might think so since Hawaiian Telcom laid off more than 50 employees yesterday and news came that more Hawaii workers will suffer the same fate at other companies with the announcement of other job cuts, NCL 1000 jobs by February due to the loss of the cruise ship “Pride of Hawaii”, CompUSA 100 jobs due to store closures, Hawaii Medical Center 20 jobs, and Star Markets 40 jobs. We also had a slight rise in the unemployment rate at 3.2%.

If you look at these numbers than you might think that darker day’s lie ahead due to all of the talk about recession however things are not as bad here as some may imply. We live in a state where tourism is a vital part of our economy and while you may not be taking too many vacations right now, folks abroad are doing just that and at a discount. We do not have the mortgage mess here like the mainland does either and Hawaii has the lowest default rate in the country for mortgages which allows local banks to keep issuing credit. If you drive around the island you will also see ongoing construction projects including two new Target stores which just broke ground and will create jobs.

We will always see growth and loss despite any economic conditions but if you look at the overall all picture we are still growing and things aren’t as bad as they seem. Hawaii’s unemployment rate is still below the national average of 5%. I continue to remain optimistic about our local economy and with more projects on the horizon who knows maybe we can stimulate are way through this without getting bushwhacked!

It's All About Dollars and Sense

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:21:01 PST

It is not rocket science and any candidate worth their weight in gold will simply tell you that your offer is not attractive and they aren’t buying. When you are trying to attract and retain top talent it is as simple as dollars and sense, let me give you a great example. We recently lost the University of Hawaii head football coach June Jones after 9 years to Southern Methodist University or SMU. June Jones the most successful college football coach in the history of the University of Hawaii and bringing the first WAC championship to UH and our state only weeks before was successfully recruited by SMU because of dollars and sense. They provided this highly sought after passive candidate with a very attractive salary and benefits package and provided him with a program that made sense, let me elaborate. The University of Hawaii lost their beloved coach because of three reasons, 1. They did not provide a lucrative enough offer despite the enormous amount of revenue his success brought to the school and the state. 2. The University of Hawaii could not meet requests that made sense to an obviously successful coach in order to further the success of not only the football program but to the school as well. 3. SMU and their recruiting team were able to identify and meet the needs of June Jones in a timely matter.

This story is not uncommon in the business world either. We have all seen it time and time again. A person feels that his or her current position is not providing overall satisfaction and if a better opportunity comes along (Sense) with a comparable or better salary and benefits package (Dollars) then chances are that they will accept that position despite other factors which also play a role. If you would like to attract and retain world class talent to your organization then you must first take a dollars and sense approach. The most successful organizations in the world whether it is business or sports are attracting and retaining top talent because they make an investment. They also provide a working environment that makes sense to that individual and his or her needs. If your company or clients are not prepared to make an investment in their talent than the question of why they are not attracting and retaining top talent is as simple as dollars and sense.

As talent management experts it behooves you to take an active role with your company or client to do the work necessary to give you that dollars and sense edge. The only way to do this of course is with market research that will provide you with information on your competitors and candidates which in turn will provide your company or client with the information necessary to attract and retain top talent. So what if your company or client cannot make that dollars and sense approach in order to give you the tools necessary for success? There could be a compromise such as a few more dollars and a lot more sense but what ever the case if your company or client cannot make these changes than your company or client may suffer the same loss as the University of Hawaii.

In today’s world of recruiting it is more important than ever that successful recruiting program’s and their companies make an investment in their future by saving now (Investment) and cashing in later with an ROI that pays dividends long after that investment is made. If you are not attracting and retaining top talent to your organization than I would take a look first at what you are offering. It sounds simple but rather than critique your ability to find and engage these candidates it could be that what you are offering is simply not good enough.

Hawaii Job Fair a Sign of Things to Come?

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:07:01 PST

In our first job fair of 2008 I was suprised to see a slower January than in years past. In 2007 the fair hosted over 200 employers and a steady large crowd all day. As I spoke with the organizer of the job fair that number fell short this year with just over 180 employers. Since Honolulu still maintains one of the lowest numbers in unemployment nationwide I am interested to see how this figure comes out from the Department of Labor in March. Is this a small sign of things to come?

Aloha

Hawaii KHNL Job Link 8 web site

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:35:01 PST

If you live in Hawaii then I am sure you have heard of KHNL news the NBC affiliate here in Honolulu. I have spent some time reviewing the Job Link 8 web site and I am very impressed with it's wealth of information for the job seeker and the job board itself. The site includes top searches, RSS feeds and articles from contributors both locally and abroad. The site is linked with www.careerjournal.com which provides a majority of the tips and information and the job postings themselves seem to cover a variety of industries at all levels.

They even have a Job Link 8 video player which provides video on certain companies as well. KHNL has put a lot of work into the site and with each day it seems to be growing while providing more relevant information to Hawaii job seekers.

Go to www.khnl.com and click the JOB LINK 8 tab to review.

Aloha

Mike Nale, Work Force Planning Advisor and Executive Search Consultant

Hawaii Recruiting 2007/2008

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:58:01 PST

Aloha

It has been a wonderful year joining ERE.net, I would like to thank Todd Raphael for all of his help this year and to all of my new friends here on the site! Hawaii has seen many changes in 2007 and with our continued growth we will see alot more in 2008. I am currently involved with some exciting projects here in Hawaii one of which you will be watching on TV in the upcoming year. I would like to wish all of you the very best in 2008 and please keep your emails coming with any questions, comments, or suggestions. MAHALO NUI LOA

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Initial Assessments

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:36:01 PST

As a consultant, work force planning advisor, recruiter, or human resources executive you may have been faced with a situation that required tough advice and one that requires more thought and a focused and clear plan that will inevitably turn this situation into a celebration. If you are using the same search methods with little or no results than perhaps you need to provide an assessment in order to change your current practices. This is not necessarily a bad thing that opens up pandora’s box but it can start the process of change that can affect your program and other department’s in a positive way.

Initial Assessment: The initial assessment should be your first course of action whether you are managing the recruitment process through HR or you are providing consultation to clients. I always use a 30-90- day snapshot to assess all feedback and candidate quality through the process that is currently in place. The important factor in your assessment should be identifying critical problem areas so that you can make necessary changes this is where your advisement through your initial assessment provides the added leverage to justify what may be an uncomfortable change in current the current program. An example of a particular situation would be a mid-size company that has had slow but steady growth over the past five years however, the past couple of years they have had difficulty attracting new talent and retaining some key executives. In examining your initial assessment you notice that the salary banding is on the low end or is not as attractive as the regional competitor’s salary and benefit packages and 80% of potential candidates contacted decided against you or your clients company due to lower salaries and standard benefits. In this case the choice would be a salary and benefit package that is equal to or greater than that of your competitors. However, you must approach this with a positive and beneficial solution to not only your company or client but to the overall success that builds their future and inevitably yours. There might also be other factors which could prevent or delay your solution be prepared to look at these factors too. The simple solution would call for a 12 month internal salary adjustment for current employees in the same position and a broad spectrum search package that can provide the right visibility and marketing so that desired future talent goals can be met.

This is a tall order that addresses many different issues but focuses on the most important ones that will impact talent management. Due to the complexity and dynamics of this initiative you need to be prepared to deliver this advisement in order to accomplish the smaller task of talent initiatives and the larger task of continued growth in the industry. It is more important than ever that senior company leader’s and owners realize the value of branding initiatives in conjunction with its own recruiting and or talent management efforts so that the goal of attracting top talent and retaining them is realized. The idea of accomplishing this goal is not so simple if you are not prepared to advise on the difficult tasks of getting it done. The best way to give this advice is through recruiting metrics and a simple presentation that is part of your initial assessment. It goes a long way in not only making your point but providing a solution that will affect other departments and the company as a whole in a positive way.

IA Metrics, When you create your initial assessment I would suggest that you input the following information in basic form and add any additional information to may need to fit your particular scenario.

Overall number of candidates contacted
Breakdown this number by responses
What, where, when, and why? Further breakdown the report on what specifically made them contact you and what site or sites, why they would like to consider this opportunity.
I include in the assessment at conclusion my recommendations in correcting or changing current strategies, plans, or policies.
KISS Method (Keep It Simple Strategy) make sure when you put together your initial assessment with metrics that it is simple with the most important changes highlighted.

Remember the goal of your initial assessment is two fold 1. You want to indentify shortfalls in the current talent management or recruiting program, 2. You are using your assessment to provide real solid information to add weight to your recommendations and start the process of changing the current program to a successful one. The initial assessment may be the key to changing a frustrated program, why not give it a shot! Good Luck.