Are You Hiring the Best Talent Possible?

June 28, 2016June 29, 2016 / nancyrubin / 1 Comment

Running your business takes plenty of time and effort; two things you know can get the best of you. That said another important trait one has to have in overseeing a company is making the best hires possible.

Part of doing that revolves around analyzing each and every person coming through your doors for an interview.

You have to look at myriad of factors, including:

What does this person potentially bring to my company?
Will their personality mesh with the employees already here?
Is this an individual that has shown leadership skills at other jobs they have had over the years?
Do I see this individual being a major cog in my business five or even two years down the road?

Just answering those four questions can be challenging enough, especially since you do not know the individual other than the few minutes you have met with them.

So, how do you really know when all is said and done if you are hiring the best talent possible?

Education Can Never Be Taken for Granted

One of the keys in hiring and retaining sound employees is making sure they not only have a strong educational background, but the willingness to want to further their educational skills.

As many companies are demonstrating these days, the ability to further one’s education is as important as ever.

From learning the latest in technology skills to improving one’s understanding of financial or human resource talents, there is a never-ending list of job traits that employers want their workers to have and grow upon.

In demonstrating leadership with a masters degree, you want employees that can offer your business a number of important managerial skills. Some of these include:

Problem solver – No matter how much time and effort you deploy into making your business run as smoothly as possible, problems are going to arise from time to time. Instead of employees turning to others on how to lead your business through these challenges, you want people who will take the bull by the horns and lead. While some personalities are just not cut out to be leaders, you want to try and identify those individuals ahead of time, not putting someone in charge of a department or a major task with your business that simply doesn’t have the skillset to lead. Those employees willing to roll up their sleeves and solve problems are the ones you want in charge;
Understanding personalities – Face it; no workplace is ever going to be 100 percent perfect. Some personalities simply are not meant to be together, though that does not have to cause chaos in your workplace. Leaders know how to bring out the best in other employees, even if some of those workers don’t see eye-to-eye on everything. At the end of the day, everyone under your employ should be dedicated to doing what is best for the business, albeit personalities aside. Hiring leaders to get that very job done is another priority you need to focus on as a business owner;
New ideas – With running a business, there will always be a need to come up with new ideas in order to stay one step ahead of competitors. Having leaders on your team who understand this concept is critical. It can be very easy for employees to just show up for work on a daily basis, go through the motions for eight hours, and then head home for the day. Leaders come to work each day with the notion that you must always be willing to push the envelope. Sure, some ideas (whether they never make it to the table or are implemented and yet fail) will not prove to be the answer to your needs. The important fact, however, is that you have leaders who are willing to try and improve your brand, not be satisfied with just the status quo.

As you can see, these are but three of the numerous skills that your leaders must exhibit.

The next time you or someone in your company sits down for an interview with a prospective employee; get a feel for whether or not that individual could be a leader one day within your organization.

If they could be, he or she will be one of the best hires you will ever make.

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Job Boards Make Their Pitch for the Best Candidates

December 2, 2015December 2, 2015 / nancyrubin

Job boards continue to be a mainstay for both companies looking to hire, and candidates seeking employment.

With so much competition within the recruiting landscape, how is it that job boards are holding their place with more than 40% of hiring activity taking place on them?

Here are some of the reasons why job boards continue to lure some of the more qualified candidates and the employers who need them….

They Automate the Searching

Job boards are set up for automation.

When candidates input their information into fields and upload their digitized resumes, it makes it easy for the backend software to categorize and filter results for employers.

Recruiters can then input their own search terms and be presented with a list of matches that are actually rated for them.

Candidates may be rated as 100% matches, excellent matches or other, which results in a short list that happened almost virtually without any work by the hiring employer.

This is a great improvement over other hiring centers like social media, where the employer needs to make a great many decisions and filter candidates for them.

As the article, “4 Reasons Job Boards Continue to Lure Quality Candidates” notes, job boards have a major role in bringing in top-notch applicants.

They Remain Current

In the past, when a candidate dropped off their paper resume to an organization, the papers would have been filed until a job opening occurred.

When a vacancy did appear, the resumes would then be sifted through for qualified candidates, but by then, many of those job seekers would have already found employment.

Job boards, on the other hand, always remain current.

After a candidate uploads their resume, they usually have the option of reporting their status as “currently seeking,” “under contract,” or “no longer seeking.” This allows them to keep their information on record, but to no longer receive job offers that they won’t be interested in.

On the flip side, employers can keep their job offers current, taking down job postings that have been filled, or instantly uploading new vacancy notifications.

They Save on Footwork

Job candidates love job boards because they can actively and intensely search for jobs from the comfort of their own homes.

There’s no hunting down companies, knocking on doors or making awkward phone calls to friends asking if they know anyone who is hiring.

When times are tough and a person is unemployed, it’s comforting to know there are so many possibilities right at their fingertips.

Searches are Private

If a person becomes unemployed, they can rely on job boards to give them thousands of employment options; some of which may fall outside their career description.

A candidate may be willing to accept a lower paying job or one that they don’t necessarily want to advertise to friends or family, simply to get through a tough financial time.

Job board searches are private and they don’t discriminate against seekers who are willing to set aside higher career goals in order to keep the lights on.

About the Author: Kate Supino writes about recruiting and the job market.

What traits should you look for in a potential new hire?

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015 / nancyrubin / 1 Comment

What traits should you look for in a potential new hire?

Looking for the right person to join your team can be a daunting task. After all, you’ll be spending time and money on the hiring process, along with training and wages.

It’s vital that the person you choose is the right person for your business, bringing the right skills and attitude to help it thrive.

What should you look for in every potential new employee?

Here are eight traits you can’t afford to miss.

Attitude

Attitude really is everything. You can train your new employee in specific skills and school them in fitting into your company, but you can’t teach attitude. During the interview process, look for a positive and proactive attitude. Pay attention to what they say about problems they’ve encountered and how they’ve overcome them.

Integrity

Integrity is vital to the success of your business, so it’s important that your employees model it. If you tell a customer you’ll call them back by a certain time, you need to make sure that happens. That means you need people around you who have a similar sense of integrity, both towards your customers and to your business and the rest of your team.

Flexibility

As the article “Understanding the Mind of a Job Seeker” says, prioritizing activities is essential because time is money. Your new hire needs to be able to adapt to what needs doing, learn new things, and have a strong sense of how to prioritize and make the best use of their time.

Likability

Don’t overlook likability – no matter how well qualified a candidate is for the job, if you don’t like them the working environment will be strained and uncomfortable. Finding someone who gels well with you personally and is a good fit for your company culture will help them to fit in and make a valuable contribution to your business.

Passion

Passion and drive are a must in your new hire. Someone with enthusiasm for your business, your values, and their role will be pro-active and invested in your success. Passion also goes hand in hand with curiosity and the drive to learn all they need to learn to succeed in your business.

Initiative

A new hire with plenty of initiative will think of new ideas and approaches to problems, and apply themselves to their role with genuine enjoyment. Someone who can tackle problems head on and find better ways to do things will be an asset to your business.

Honesty

Honesty is a must in any new hire. An honest candidate will be up front about their experience and the skills they bring to the table, and will be honest with you during training and beyond. An honest employee makes it easier to build a good working relationship as you know you can trust what they say.

Responsibility

A sense of responsibility is vital in any employee. Responsible employees will take their job seriously, and be willing to own up to any mistakes or problems. Look for candid answers in the interview process and a willingness to admit mistakes. Hiring someone with a strong sense of responsibility means you will be able to rely on them.

Choosing the right employee can be a daunting task.

By keeping these key traits in mind you will be able to find someone who fits well with your company culture, and who can help your business to thrive.

As a business owner, what do you look for when hiring new employees?

About the Author: Tristan Anwyn is an author who writes on topics including social media, SEO that works, and how to hire the right employee for your business.

Are Job Boards Winning Over Applicants and Employers?

February 11, 2015April 1, 2015 / nancyrubin / 2 Comments

As an employer, have you ever wondered if job boards are worth the effort? As an employee, do you second guess yourself as to whether you should bother to upload your resume?

Here are the pros and cons of job boards and what value they hold for both employers and prospective employees….

Pros for Job Boards

Hub for Job Availability

Job boards provide a centralized location for job availability. If you’re looking for a job, it’s convenient to be able to log in to one centralized website, enter relevant keywords, and find open job positions in a short period of time.

Hub for Qualified Candidates

If you’re an employer looking for qualified candidates, job boards provide an excellent means to source those candidates and draw attention to openings you need filled. Quality job boards usually equal quality candidates, so be sure you choose wisely when it comes to job postings.

Centralized Location for Openings

Job posters know they can post a job once and receive tens or hundreds of qualified job applications for every job opening. Job boards provide a centralized location for openings that employers can use to minimize the work involved in hunting down candidates.

Easy Accessibility to Applications and Cover Letters

When busy employers want easy accessibility to applications and cover letters, job boards are the answer. Employers receive instant notification when applications and cover letters are submitted, as well as instant download status.

Cons of Job Boards

Generic

The generic feature of job boards is a negative when employers are looking for candidates to fill jobs that may not match traditional profiles. The one-size-fits-all approach to filling out job opening order forms may not actually be a good fit for some types of companies.

Lack of Personality

Both employers and employees may not necessarily like the lack of personality of job boards. The whole process removes the individual and personal approach to job hunting. In some instances, it’s impossible for a job hunter to contact the employer in any way but through the formal job board interface.

Quantity of Applicants

More is not necessarily better. Some job boards do a less than stellar job of filtering out applicants that don’t satisfy minimum job requirements. Since it’s easy to click on “apply” buttons, employers sometimes find their inboxes filled with hundreds of “junk” applicants that they wouldn’t otherwise have to be bothered with.

As the following article looks at, just how employers gauge the effectiveness of job boards has a lot in common with how job candidates view the job boards process.

Both viewpoints are valid, and both viewpoints are geared toward the same goal.

Employees want jobs that will fulfill career goals and employers want candidates who are qualified to complete the job skills necessary to drive the company profit margins up.

With that in mind, what do you think of job boards?

About the Author: Kate Supino writes extensively about best business practices.