The Hiring Site

The One Video You Need to See This Week: Will We All Be Wearing Our Technology Soon?

2013-05-24T22:33:51Z

“Having technology around you, on you, inside you, 24/7 is going to become totally commonplace.” –Becky Stern, Adafruit

We’ve been wearing technology, in a sense, since the birth of the wristwatch — and we’ve seen wearable technology advance to become more and more integrated with our bodies and movements in inventions like Google Glass and Nike Fuelband, and even our smartphones. But where is the future of wearable technology headed? And, as this video by PBS OffBook explores, what if everything we wore became part of a larger digital network?

Wearable technology, as defined here, is the concept of anything you wear on your body acting as a second skin and performing a technological function. We see DIY wearables with LEDs, fabrics with fibers that change their essence and function (and don’t need to be washed!), and headbands that detect sleep patterns.

See the video here:

This is all cool to watch, but as the video points out, the point of using big data in technology, wearable or not, is to help us inform our decisions, change our patterns, and make changes to better ourselves or others. How could you see wearable technology being used to better the economy (or even your own workplace) in the future and create more jobs or help people learn new skills? Is there potential?

7 Habits of Highly Successful Hiring Managers

2013-05-24T18:46:22Z

If Kermit the Frog thinks being green is hard, he should try being a hiring manager (amirite???). Faced with the challenge of finding qualified candidates in a labor market where the demand often outweighs the supply, hiring managers don’t have it easy these days. That’s not to say, however, that they can’t be ‘Master of the Universe’ as ERE CEO Ron Mester noted during this keynote speech at the recent ERE Recruiting Conference in San Diego, which focused on how hiring managers and recruiting leaders can maintain control in a rapidly changing workplace.

In a conference panel moderated by John Vlastelica, managing director at Recruiting Toolbox Inc., Yahoo’s Eric Stromberg, vice president of service engineering for search, and Groupon’s Julie Szudarek, vice president, spoke candidly about the tactics that enable them to successfully and consistently bring in top talent.

Based on what they had to say, I’ve assembled some of the best sound bites from the panel, and made a list of the following practices that have brought them success in their ability to attract, engage and retain top talent.

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Hiring Managers

They Understand That Interviews Are a Two-Way Street: “Candidates are interviewing us as much as we’re interviewing them.” It’s easy to forget that you, as the interviewer, are also in the hot seat, so be prepared to both sell your company and answer questions.
They Don’t Settle: “The cost of hiring someone bad is just so expensive. We can’t make mistakes in recruiting.” Indeed, research shows that bad hires cost companies as much as $50,000. So how do they avoid making hiring mistakes? One way is…
They Never Stop Recruiting: One of Yahoo!’s themes is “Always be recruiting,” according to Stromberg. Continuous recruiting has been shown to save companies time and money in the long-term. In a 2012 CareerBuilder survey, 72 percent of employers who recruit year-round said the practice reduced their time-to-hire, and 41 percent said it lowers their cost-per-hire.
They Focus On the Long-Term: “We go to classes and talk to students [about what we do and who we are]. We wanted to create awareness for students and bring our name out there,” says Szudarek. While this approach might not produce immediate results, it’s similar to the way some companies are taking a proactive approach to bridge the skills gap to ensure future success.
They Hire People Who Are Smarter Than Them: “Don’t be afraid to hire someone you think could be better than you.” Why? Not only does surrounding yourself with smarter people make you smarter, it’s also just like Vidal Sassoon says, “When you don’t look good, we don’t look good.” In other words, the smarter your employees are and the better they perform, the better you look.
They Hire Their Replacements: “You want someone who could have your job in the future, because that means you can move on in the future.” Not to mention that workforce planning (as hiring people who have the potential to take over higher roles essentially is) is crucial for long-term, sustainable growth.
They Know That Great Candidates Are More Than Their Resumes: “[We] won’t sacrifice hard work or emotional intelligence. Show us you can learn.” Certainly skills are important, but as more companies struggle to find candidates with the right skill sets, many companies are finding alternative solutions to find the candidates they need – including hiring for potential and then training on the job.

What would you add to this list?

Lying On a Resume: Is It Ever Okay?

2013-05-22T18:04:52Z

Little white lies. Exaggerations. Harmless untruths. Whatever you want to call them, lies are everywhere, and everyone lies, as Pamela Meyer notes in her recent TEDTalk. Reseach shows that a person may hear anywhere from 10 to 200 lies on a given day. Given that most of these lies are minor (and that we’re guilty of lying ourselves), we tend to accept this notion as part of our culture – so long as the lies we tell and are told don’t hurt anyone.

When it comes to the workplace, however, we might not be as tolerant. Specifically, when it comes to lying on one’s resume. A 2012 CareerBuilder survey found that 38 percent of employees have embellished their job responsibilities at some point, while 18 percent have lied about their skill sets.

As a hiring manager or a recruiter, you’ve likely come across a few resume lies yourself. Some may be blatant, while others may be less so – to the point, in fact, where they’re not discovered until after the candidate has been hired (if ever). What then?

While one can make the case that words on a resume aren’t as important as proven skills and abilities, at what point does a resume lie become a fireable offense?

Last year, in just the latest of several high-profile cases involving resume lies, then-Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson admitted that he didn’t actually have a computer science degree – as he’d claimed on his resume. While many were calling for Thompson’s dismissal, others, including Reuters’ John Abell, defended Thompson, who argued that Thompson’s lack of a degree didn’t add to or take away from his ability to perform his role:

“Sure, lying on your resume is not a good thing, and it shouldn’t be rewarded. But in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t rate.”

Do you agree? If you were to discover that a high performing employee lied on his/her resume, would you be willing to overlook such an offense? Even if the lie hasn’t compromised said employee’s ability to fulfill the role? Or are you of the school of thought that, as hrbartender says, “anything you put on your resume is attached to who you are as a person”?

Tell us: When it comes to lying on a resume, where do you draw the line?

Give Back, Win Big at SHRM 2013 in Chicago

2013-05-21T14:26:13Z

What’s better than learning about all the stuff CareerBuilder has planned during the SHRM 2013 Conference and Exposition next month? How about learning about it from an award-winning celebrity chef and cookbook author? I thought so.

Watch the video of celebrity chef Stephanie Izard discuss what’s in store for this year’s SHRM attendees:

Here’s a recap of what will be, ahem, ‘cooking’ at CareerBuilder booth #2250:

Eat Up! Cooking Demo with Celebrity Chef Stephanie Izard
Give Back! Join CareerBuilder’s Mission to Empower Employment
Play to Win! Enter CareerBuilder’s Photo Challenge
A Note About This Year’s Theme: Remembering the Chicago World’s Fair

Eat Up! Cooking demo with celebrity chef Stephanie Izard

When: Sunday, June 16, 2013 from 5 to 6 p.m.
Where: CareerBuilder Booth #2250
Kick off SHRM 2013 in style with a special cooking demo from award-winning chef and cookbook author Stephanie Izard and sample food from her world-famous restaurant, Girl & The Goat. Enjoy complimentary beverages while you’re there.

Want to get a photo with Stephanie and win an autographed copy of her cookbook and stay informed about other great prizes?

Sign up here for the chance to win a free copy of Izard’s acclaimed cookbook Girl in the Kitchen. (Winners will be notified in advance, but must be present at booth 2250 during the cooking demo on Sunday, June 16.)

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Give Back! Every Photo You Take Goes Toward Empowering Employment

At CareerBuilder, we believe both businesses and individuals have the power to contribute to a stronger economy, close the skills gap and decrease the unemployment rate. Every effort you make to promote job creation helps make a larger impact on the overall economy. At SHRM 2013, we invite you to join our mission to empower employment, give back and win big.

Here’s what we propose…

Starting now – and until the end of SHRM 2013 – every photo you share on Instagram or Twitter using the #SHRM13 and #EmpoweringEmployment hashtags…

CareerBuilder will donate $5 toward i.c.stars, a Chicago organization that provides business training for low-income adults. That’s right: simply by sharing photos, you’re donating money to help empower employment. Start now, and help us reach our goal of $10,000!

Oh, and did we mention you could win something for yourself in the process? Keep reading…

Play to Win! Enter CareerBuilder’s Photo Challenge

When you share photos on Instagram or Twitter using the #SHRM13 – the official SHRM hashtag – and #EmpoweringEmployment hashtags, you’re also entering for the chance to win fabulous prizes.

“But what kind of photo counts?” You ask…
Virtually anything goes (but let’s use our discretion, shall we?) – just make sure you use the #SHRM13 and #EmpoweringEmployment hashtags when you share your photos on Twitter or Instagram. Need some hints? Here are just a few photo ops…

Want to capture the moment in time when workplace brilliance happens? Snap photos at a team meeting!
Show us the view from your office and/or on the way to work.
Packing for SHRM? Take a pic of your conference must-haves!
Take a photo during Stephanie Izard’s cooking demo at booth 2250.
Loving a session you’re attending? Captivating keynote? Capture it on photo!
Take photos of Chicago sites and/or the view from your hotel room.

Start taking photos today for an additional chance to meet Stephanie Izard…CareerBuilder will select our favorite pre-show photo, awarding the lucky photographer entrance into our meet-and-greet session with Stephanie Izard on Sunday, June 16 and a copy of her book.

Keep taking photos for a chance at more prizes! There’s a new chance to win every day during SHRM 2013: At the end of each conference day – June 16th, 17th and 18th – CareerBuilder will choose one lucky participant as the winner of a prize package – including a pair of Converse All-Star shoes, a copy of Girl in the Kitchen, and more!

A Note About This Year’s Theme: The Chicago World’s Fair

Every year, CareerBuilder makes an effort to customize its booth to SHRM’s host city, and this year is no exception.

Come to CareerBuilder booth 2250 to see a re-imagining of the original Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, which introduced the world to countless innovations, including the Ferris Wheel, the telegraph, and several products we still use today – like Cracker Jacks, Wrigley’s Gum, and of course (everyone’s favorite two-dollar bar special) Pabst Blue Ribbon.

In hopes to recapture that same feeling of excitement and anticipation about “what the future holds”, CareerBuilder will also be presenting their newest product solutions – all of which have been generated from the most sophisticated recruitment technology available. While you’re there, you can also enjoy complimentary Chicago World’s Fair-themed food and beverages, including the above-mentioned Cracker Jacks, Juicy Fruit gum and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Don’t forget to stop by CareerBuilder booth 2250 June 16-18, 2013. See you at SHRM!

Americans Outnumber Jobs Two to One

2013-05-17T21:18:19Z

Recent findings from Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI) show that the U.S. lags behind the UK and Canada in terms of available jobs.

With a population of 315 million, EMSI found, the U.S. has only 138 million jobs available, which translates to 43.8 percent of the total population. Meanwhile, Canada has 15.6 million jobs for its 33 million people (47.3 percent of the population), and the UK has 27 million jobs for a population of 61 million (44.3 percent).

When looking at unemployment rates, however, the U.S., at 7.6 percent as of the first quarter of 2013, is slightly lower than the UK, with a rate of 7.7 percent, but higher than Canada, whose unemployment rate is 7.2 percent. When looking at year-over-year job change, however, all three countries – while experiencing various highs and lows from 2003 to 2012 – seem to have reached a point of economic stability.

Learn more about these findings here or see the infographic.

Want to receive Talent Factor by email? Subscribe here and get a brand new recruiting industry statistic delivered to your inbox every Monday. Join the conversation on Twitter: #TalentFactor.

The Working Dead: Survey Reveals Biggest Office Productivity Killers

2013-05-20T18:45:27Z

When it comes to office distractions, your employees worst enemies are…also your employees.

According to a new study on workplace productivity, 61 percent of workers say “noisy colleagues” are the number one reason they do not get work done. Additionally, 40 percent say impromptu meetings – as a result of coworkers stopping by their work spaces – as another major office distraction.

The findings are part of a recent Ask.com study that asked 2,060 adults nationwide about their ideal workplace environments. Below are the biggest findings and takeaways from the survey:

“Me” time is critical: The vast majority of respondents (86 percent) prefer to work alone to hit maximum productivity; however, team interaction is important as well…
Workplace preferences vary by age, gender and lifestyle: Over one quarter of workers (27 percent) prefer an “open room” or “newsroom” setting, with more younger adults (ages 18 to 34) saying they prefer this option than older adults (ages 45 and up). Furthermore, more men than women prefer to work in a cubicle setting (42 percent versus 28 percent), while a larger number of single/never married workers prefer cubicles over their married counterparts (43 percent, compared with 30 percent, respectively).
Some workers will do almost anything to avoid their bosses: Over a third of workers (38 percent) would rather do unpleasant activities than sit next to their boss, including opt for more work on their plates, sit next to someone who eats loudly, and take on a longer commute.
Work from home? No thanks: Despite complaining of noisy co-workers, most individuals would rather come into the office than work from home, with 63 percent of workers saying they prefer to spend “focus time” in their personal workspace. Only 29 percent of respondents said they preferred to work from home.
A little less conversation, a little more action, please: Nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of respondents complained of “meeting fatigue”, claiming they spend more time in meetings discussing work than actually doing it.

Of course, these findings do not speak to all companies, but they do provide some interesting insight into the preferences of the American worker in general. If nothing else, this survey serves as a good reminder for managers to make an effort to understand their own employees’ ideal working conditions and help them strike a balance between individual focus time and group collaboration.

Also remember that employees are not always likely to speak up if something (or someone) is distracting them and hindering them from doing their best work. Check in regularly with employees to find out what is – and isn’t – working about their working conditions, and what you can do to create a more productive work environment.

Job Applications are this Summer’s Juiciest Beach Reads (for Three in Ten Employers)

2013-05-20T18:46:40Z

It’s summer (supposedly), which means that it’s time for yet another intellectually stimulating Fast and Furious movie, the highly anticipated debut of the new Miller Lite bottle and, of course, CareerBuilder’s annual Summer Jobs Forecast.

According to this year’s survey of more than 2,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals nationwide, 29 percent of employers plan to hire seasonal workers this summer.

Although unchanged from 2012, the number of employers hiring seasonal workers is up significantly from an average of 21 percent from 2008 to 2011, indicating a positive but cautious hiring outlook.

Who’s Shopping for Summer Hires? It’s Not Just Retail Employers
While summer jobs are commonly associated with the retail and hospitality sectors, employers in leisure and hospitality (47 percent), manufacturing (34 percent), information technology (34 percent) and retail (33 percent) are the most likely to hire seasonal help this summer.

What’s in Fashion for Employers this Season
Among the survey’s other findings were the following trends:

Summer could last all year. The majority of employers (67 percent) hiring this summer said they’ll be considering some hires for permanent positions.
Paychecks are increasing. Two thirds of employers (66 percent) will pay their summer hires $10 or more per hour – up from 64 percent in 2012 and 58 percent in 2011.
Hiring is happening, and it’s happening now. More than half of all employers (53 percent) will complete their seasonal hiring in May or June. (In other words, if your company is among those hiring this summer, if you haven’t started your recruiting process yet, now is the time to start.)

Tell us: How do your hiring and compensation plans compare to the above findings?

Two Thirds of U.S. Employers Say Bad Hires Negatively Affected Business Last Year

2013-05-13T22:49:05Z

New research from CareerBuilder reveals that 66 percent of U.S. employers experienced losses in business last year due to bad hires.

But according to the survey of more than 6,000 hiring professionals worldwide, bad hires – individuals who turned out to be either poor cultural fits or poor performers – had a negative impact on businesses all over the world last year. Companies in the top 10 world economies reported lost revenue, productivity and business opportunities as a result of bad hires. When it comes to quantifying those losses, here’s what employers had to say…

27 percent of U.S. employers say a bad hire costs the company more than $50,000
29 percent of German employers say a bad hire costs 50,000 euros ($65,231)
27 percent of U.K. employers say a bad hire costs more than 50,000 British pounds
29 percent of Indian employers say a bad hire costs 2 million Indian rupees ($37,150)
48 percent of employers in China reported costs exceeding 300,000 CNY ($48,734).

Turning Data Into Action: What This Means for You
When it comes to avoiding hiring mistakes, employers said they were taking longer to extend offers while they assess whether a candidate really is the best fit for the job and their company culture: however, employers who want to expedite the hiring process – without sacrificing quality – may want to consider working with a staffing and recruiting firm. Even if resources are tight, working with a quality firm can eliminate the costs and labor-intensive hours of finding the right hire. Staffing and recruiting firms also offer freedom and flexibility to “try before you buy” candidates as contract, temporary or part-time workers before taking them on full-time.

If, on the other hand, you are a recruiter or staffing firm professional, make sure your clients are aware of the value of utilizing your services. Be able to show them how the costs associated with investing in your services are nothing compared to the costs associated with making a hasty, uninformed hiring decision.

What will a hiring mistake cost you (or your client)? Check out ADP‘s free online tool to help calculate the cost of a bad hire.

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Lawyers’ Downfall: Why Is the Appeal of Law School Diminishing?

2013-05-13T17:58:55Z

By Ioana Marinescu

According to the Law School Admissions Council, applications to law school were down 20 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, and down 38 percent if we take 2010 as the reference year. This is a very dramatic drop, and according to a recent New York Times article, this is likely to lead to the smallest graduating class since 1977.

Are prospective students justified in avoiding law schools? While it is hard to give a full analysis of the cost and benefit of law school, CareerBuilder’s Supply & Demand and Compensation Portals allow us to look at job and compensation trends from 2010-2012, which is precisely the period over which applications to law schools fell so dramatically.

Using the Supply & Demand Portal, we can see that the number of attorney jobs has been fairly stable over the past two years:

On the other hand, the supply of attorneys looking for jobs has been steadily increasing, as shown by the graph below:

When the supply of lawyers goes up and the demand stays pretty stable, the result is an increase in the labor pressure, meaning that there are more job seekers for each available job opening. This is illustrated by the graph below.

The increase in the labor pressure was particularly marked in the second half of 2011, and this may in part explain the 20 percent decline in law school applications seen between 2011 and 2012: As prospective students hear about the difficulty of finding jobs as an attorney, they are probably getting cold feet.

Basic economic theory also tells us that when labor pressure increases, compensation tends to decrease. When there are more job seekers competing for the same number of attorney jobs, they are at a disadvantage in negotiating over salary. Consistent with this story, when using the compensation portal, we find that while the average compensation of attorneys was $88,662 from 2010-2012, this drops to $83,489 if we focus on only the last six months of that period.

Using CareerBuilder data, we can show that the market for attorneys has deteriorated during this time period, with more candidates chasing roughly the same number of jobs. This has also likely led to a decrease in compensation. These trends make law school a less attractive proposition from a financial standpoint and can contribute to explain the spectacular drop in applications to law schools registered in the past two years.

Your thoughts?

Ioana Marinescu is an assistant professor in economics at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Her research focuses on understanding labor markets. She
has been collaborating on data and research projects with CareerBuilder and she is especially interested in how to get the right people to work in the right jobs. You can follow her on twitter @mioana and check out her research on her website, marinescu.eu.

Survey: One-Third of Working Moms are the Sole Financial Provider in Their Households

2013-05-20T18:47:31Z

Women now account for more than half of the U.S. workforce and many working moms are shouldering the full financial burden of their households, closing in on the number of men who carry this responsibility. Thirty-four percent of working moms reported that they are the sole financial provider for their households, not far from the 39 percent of working dads who currently report that they serve as the sole breadwinner.

CareerBuilder’s annual study also finds that working moms continue to struggle with finding a good balance between the office and home, and often have to compromise quality time with their families.

Shorter Maternity Leave

Demanding work environments have led to some women cutting their maternity leave short. Of women who have had a child in the last three years, 30 percent didn’t take the full maternity leave their company allowed. While 45 percent of women who have had a child in the last three years said they took more than eight weeks of maternity leave, 17 percent took four weeks or less and 12 percent took two weeks or less.

Work’s Impact on Family Relationships

Juggling professional and personal obligations is an ongoing challenge. More than one in four working moms (28 percent) said their children have asked them to work less. Twenty-four percent reported that they spend two hours or less with their children each day during the workweek.

17 percent of working moms said their jobs have negatively impacted their relationship with their children
12 percent said their jobs have negatively impacted their relationship with their spouse or significant other

Tips for Finding a Better Work/Life Balance

Explore other work arrangements – Six-in-ten working moms (60 percent) have taken advantage of flexible work arrangements, and the vast majority said it hasn’t negatively impacted their careers. Discuss options with your supervisor or HR department, armed with a game plan for how you can manage your workload, cover responsibilities, etc.
Learn to say no - Set boundaries, choose the activities that are the biggest priority for you and forget about the guilt.
Get organized – Keep one calendar for business and family commitments to avoid double-booking. Set up a schedule for chores, homework, dates with your significant other and family activities.
Remember quality over quantity – If you’re only able to spend a few hours with your children each day, make the most of that time. Wait until your children go to bed before checking email or finishing up that presentation.
Carve out “me time” – Moms need a break too. Schedule time for yourself to relax and recharge.