Social Media: the Best Option for Finding the People You Need
In all likelihood, your organization's marketing strategy includes a hefty social media portion. Your marketing folks probably post about events and special deals on Facebook, blog about new products and services, and use Twitter to interact with customers and fans. Whenever you have something to promote, chances are social media is one of the channels you use. What about recruiting? Are you...
Read MoreWhat IT Professionals in the Health Care Industry Make [Infographic]
There are two kinds of people who should look at an infographic like this: Job seekers with IT credentials who are interested in entering the health care industry. Employers in the health care industry who need to hire IT professionals. For the first kind of person, this infographic can offer some very useful insights into that particular career path. And, if you're already working IT in...
Read MoreDo Away With Goals (Seriously) – Just Give Out Medals When Things Get Done!
Welcome to the end of 2015. Right now, goals and annual plans are being finalized for 2016. Employee performance reviews are being conducted. And whether your company does 360, 180, 90 44.5, 11.6, peer reviews, or uses the "latest and greatest" impersonal goal measurement software, it's time to understand one thing: most employees totally forget about the goal-setting process once it's...
Read MoreSearching for a Flexible Job? Here are 50 Roles You Haven't Even Thought of Yet
When you think "flexible job," what usually comes to mind? Probably some sort of telecommuting role, right? Something in content marketing, maybe – it's pretty easy to write some blog posts and run social media accounts from any laptop, isn't it? So, if you're in search of a flexible job opportunity, you may spend all your time looking for roles like this. As it turns out, in doing so,...
Read MoreProtecting Intellectual Property: From Big Ideas to Branding
Do you have an idea? Great. You can probably start a business with it. From crafty blogs to the latest apps, great ideas are spurring the creation of new businesses left and right. But once you start your new business, you have to consider how you're going to protect its most precious assets: intellectual property (IP). Most modern business have more than one type of IP that must be...
Read MoreHow to Give Your Freelance Business the Right Name
So you want to be a freelancer. You need to launch yourself as a brand and build a strong online presence. But what do you do first? Well, you're going to need a name – but what name do you pick? Naming your business is one of the most critical steps in building your brand. Your name will be your first introduction to many potential clients, and it has the potential to either draw them...
Read MoreThe Hidden Power of Storytelling and Why It Matters in Recruiting
What do Coca-Cola, Chase Bank, global RPO leader Cielo, Harvard, UCLA, and Brown University have in common (aside from huge brand equity)? All of them value storytelling in business. Storytelling is an ancient skill that is now in high demand in the workplace across industries. Today's global brand leaders bet their marketing strategies on storytelling, so it's no wonder that top MBA...
Read More9 Tips for Hiring Recent Grads
Welcome to Recruiter Q&A, where we pose employment-related questions to the experts and share their answers! Have a question you'd like to ask? Leave it in the comments, and you might just see it in the next installment of Recruiter Q&A! This Week's Question: Recent graduates comprise a large and valuable talent pool. Problem is, not all of these grads have work experience or...
Read MoreWhen It Comes to Hiring Efforts, HR May Be Its Own Worst Enemy
Vip Sandhir, founder and CEO of employee engagement platform HighGround, believes that company culture should come from the top. "When a company is established, or new leadership has come onboard, starts there," Sandhir says. Then, Sandhir says, it should be HR's job to act as the facilitator that spreads the culture from the C-level to the employees in the trenches. " should understand...
Read MoreLaunching a Startup? 4 Tough Questions You Need to Ask Yourself First
There's never been a better time to start your own business. No, really! Following the Great Recession – and all the corporate scandals that preceded it – consumers have grown increasingly wary of the big guys, and as a result, they are more willing to patronize small businesses and startups. If you've always dreamed of heading into business for yourself, now may be the time. In fact,...
Read MoreHow to Create a Better Candidate Experience Through Video Technology
During the hiring process, candidates aim to win over employers, while employers aim to win over (top) candidates. In other words, hiring is a two-way street – or, at least, it should be. Too often, however, employers forget that the interviewee isn't the only one being judged. Every time a candidate interacts with your company, they're judging your organization. From the career site itself...
Read MoreTurn Your Job Rejection Into a Learning Opportunity
Despite your brilliance, your thorough preparation, and your deep desire for the role, there will be times when you're not successful in the job hunt. As much as these rejections might make you want to yell and scream or curl into a ball and lick your wounds, there are better ways to handle the situation. Why People Get Rejected First, you need to know that the reasons why people get...
Read More5 Tips on Growth Hacking Your Way to Job-Hunting Success in 2016
The term "growth hacking" was coined about five years ago by marketing guru Sean Ellis, and it refers to a multi-step process used to create growth and increase sales for a company. As it turns out, though, growth hacking isn't just for organizations. The concepts behind growth hacking can actually be very useful for job seekers, too. For example, here are five ways you can growth hack your...
Read More7 Things Creative People Expect From Their Employers
Today, more than ever, organizations need creative and innovative employees to help them develop new ideas, products, and services if they are to succeed in the globalized, highly competitive marketplace. As a result, many organizations have set up "innovation departments" to create roadmaps, oversee innovation initiatives, and share best practices. Some companies have put in place assessment...
Read More4 Business Benefits of Using a Job Matching System
You keep hiring the candidate in the job market who looks great on paper and does very well in the interview. Sounds like the right way to go, doesn't it? But as soon as the hire begins their new role, you realize they were definitely not the right choice. What did you miss? How did this happen? What you need is a tool that can fill in the blanks for you so that right candidate – in...
Read More4 Common Resume Red Flags and How to Fix Them
Have you checked your resume for red flags lately? These are potential "question marks" on your resume that, at best, will cause employers to grow suspicious of you as a candidate – and research suggests that such suspicion is very hard to shake off. At worst, these red flags may even cause employers to immediately dismiss you as a candidate without even taking a second look. If your job...
Read MoreIs Swiping Your Competitors' Employees a Good Strategy?
Tired of working for your employer and making money for the company? Think you know what makes the business successful? Maybe it's time to try your hand at running your own business. After all, why should your boss make all of the money when you do all of the work, right? As market conditions continue to improve and business opportunities increase, the lure of becoming your own boss and...
Read MoreAre You Waging a War 'for' Talent – or a War 'on' Talent?
At the risk of stating the obvious, I edit a website about recruiting. At the risk of stating something even more obvious, this means I spend a fair portion of my day reading articles that people have written about recruiting. One subject that pops up quite often in these articles about recruiting is the "war for talent." If you're reading this article right now, you probably know what that...
Read MoreThere's a Good Chance You're Asking Illegal Interview Questions – and You Don't Even Know It
Interviewers have a lot to be proud of. Over the years, the humble interview process has grown into a sophisticated assessment, thanks to the development of tools like structured interviews, behavioral questioning, psychometric testing, and the like. And yet, there's one very important thing we haven't quite gotten a handle on yet: the legal basics of interview questions. According to a survey...
Read MoreDon't Let Fear Keep You From Making Your First Hire
When InstaNatural, an online retailer of natural health and beauty products, made its first sale in September 2013, the entire company was composed of one man: founder and current chairman AJ Patel. The company started with one product. Now, it has an inventory of 45 products, and there are many more in the pipeline. These days, InstaNatural pulls in seven figures of revenue every month, with...
Read More5 Bad Habits to Break on LinkedIn
I've written previously about some of the basic LinkedIn faux pas that I've noticed in the course of growing my professional network and building my business. In general, these were obvious things that people simply forget to do, like adding a picture or capitalizing their name. Now, I'd like to get into some deeper advice geared more toward those of you who are real LinkedIn...
Read More4 Reasons Why Hiring Managers and Recruiters Should Collaborate More
These days, work environments are growing increasingly collaborative. We tend to approach our jobs and our companies from a team-centric perspective. Departments are being redefined as cooperative groups, and employees are encouraged to reach out to their coworkers to accomplish projects and goals. It seems that great things happen when teamwork is the name of the game. So then, why is it...
Read More5 Ways to Hire the Best Candidate for Any Position
When you hire a new employee, you're investing in the future of your business. That investment can either pay off with a positive return, slowly fizzle out, or blow up in your face. Every employer hopes for the first option. The goal of the hiring process is the same as any investment: to maximize value and minimize risk. In this case, the value is what a new hire can add to your team, and...
Read MoreYour Veteran Hiring Initiative Is a Business Strategy; Don't Treat It Like a 'Community Service Project'
Here's the first thing you need to know about Chris Crace, the former Marine Corps captain whom PwC just named as its first ever U.S. veterans advocacy and recruiting leader: To him, veteran hiring is not an outreach effort. It's just a good business decision. " is not a community service project," Crace says. "The goal really is to make the firm and the clients you are supporting more...
Read MoreHow to Re-Enter the Workforce After a Lengthy Break
Raising children, going back to school, personal tragedy – no matter why you had to take a lengthy break from your career, the prospect of re-entering the workforce can be terribly intimidating. Many people who have taken long breaks from the workforce find themselves facing unique challenges when it comes to landing a new job. Luckily, there are ways to overcome many of these obstacles and...
Read MoreWinning the Talent War: 5 Ways to Improve the Candidate Experience
In today's ultra-competitive talent market, companies are examining every aspect of their employer brands in order to attract and retain the best candidates. Many have realized that creating an attractive employment package begins before a single job posting has hit the company website. Thanks to sites like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Indeed, today's job seekers are able to access unedited...
Read More7 Lessons in Efficiency From Small Business Owners [Infographic]
To get by in business, you have to be efficient. Unfortunately, this is something that many business owners often fail to realize. To ensure that your business remains a success, you need to take a careful look at how you can run things more effectively. Whether that involves putting more trust in the members of your team or making a few alterations to your own list of everyday tasks, even...
Read MoreHow Personal Tragedy Led Me to My Purpose
It's after 8 PM on a Thursday night, and although I left the office earlier than usual, I decided to head back and start my "second shift." The day didn't go as planned, and I felt the need to finish well. Over the course of my entrepreneurial journey, I've found that I'm wired a little bit differently from everyone else. I have been able to master myself and my emotions. There is a...
Read More4 Employers Perks and Practices That Millennials Love
One of the year's biggest headlines in the HR world was that millennials have officially become the largest generation in the workforce. For employers and HR professionals, this development signals the need to move away from a baby boomer-focused talent management strategy, in favor of an approach that centers on millennials. Many employers have already adapted to the new realities of the...
Read MoreProjected Direct-Hire Recruiting Agency Fees by Industry: Planning Your 2016 Budget
If all you have to consider is the information you're given in a cold call from a direct hire recruiting agency, then how do you know what you should really be paying for an agency's services? Your agency fees should be based on the value of the direct hire recruiting agency to your organization, the level of alignment an agency has with your overall talent acquisition goals, and the market...
Read MoreThe Most Common Question I Get Asked as a Certified Professional Resume Writer
I can wholeheartedly say that I love what I do. I love creating organized, polished documents from chaos and helping people present the best versions of themselves. I feel that people often sell themselves short. Having a third party look over your resume and help you craft the best one you possibly can is one way to make sure that you get the attention you deserve out there in the talent...
Read MoreWhy You Should Consider Taking a Sabbatical – and How to Get Your Boss to Agree
According to a white paper from SHRM, professionals who return from career sabbaticals are frequently reenergized, more focused, and more productive as a result of their time spent away from work. Even the most tired, jaded, and burnt-out employees were reinvigorated by sabbaticals, according to the paper. So, if you feel that you yourself are on the edge of sanity, why not take a...
Read MorePracticing Gratitude at Work: Bring Something to the Table Every Day!
Thanksgiving is upon us – but perhaps you're having trouble being thankful year-round? Here are some great things to focus on to help you maintain a mindset of gratitude no matter what time of year it is: You Have Job Skills Everyone brings something to the table. Know your value, and see the value in those around you. For example, sales, marketing, and finance departments don't always...
Read More5 Questions You Shouldn't Be Afraid to Ask Your Boss
There is a fine line between being too permissive and being too demanding – and this is especially true in the workplace. On the one hand, if you simply accept the status quo without questioning anything, you might skate past everyone's notice. Your contributions, concerns, desires, and ambitions could go unrecognized, especially in the corporate environments that often reward demanding,...
Read MoreThe 30 Companies That Hire the Most Freelancers
Whether you're an established freelancer or trying to get your self-employed career off the ground, chances are you're always on the lookout for new work opportunities. FlexJobs, a job board dedicated to flexible work opportunities, is here to make your life a little easier with its list of the top 30 companies hiring freelancers. The list, which is based on the number of open freelance jobs...
Read MoreDo Employees Truly Embrace Diversity at Work?
According toPwC's 18th Annual Global CEO Survey (released this year 2015), 85 percent of CEOs who have a diversity and inclusiveness strategy say the strategy has enhanced performance. That's great! However, many employees say they embrace and respect diversity at work, but I'm not so sure this is accurate. Why? Because of the counter-proof I've witnessed a lot lately. Here's a little...
Read More3 Simple Ways to Show Your Employees (or Coworkers) You Appreciate Them This Thanksgiving
It's that time of year again: With the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, countless media outlets will be giving us (maybe "bombarding us with" is the better phrase) suggestions about ways we can show our coworkers and bosses that we appreciate them. At times, "giving thanks" can begin to feel less like a choice and more like a requirement. This whirlwind of "thanks" can be a bit confusing and...
Read More6 Simple Things You Can Do to Improve the Success of Your Job Search
As a recruiter, I've looked at plenty of job candidate profiles, conducted extensive amounts of recruitment research, and experienced firsthand some of the best (and worst) applicant interviews throughout every phase of the hiring process and at all levels of employment. From the way in which candidates appear on LinkedIn, to how they have handled the unfortunate news that they weren't hired,...
Read More7 Reasons Your Company Shouldn't Work With Freelancers
Welcome to Recruiter Q&A, where we pose employment-related questions to the experts and share their answers! Have a question you'd like to ask? Leave it in the comments, and you might just see it in the next installment of Recruiter Q&A! This Week's Question: In our travels, we've spoken to many employers who love working with freelancers. Now, however, we want to know if there are...
Read MoreHot Trends and Tips for Candidates: Highlights From Trustly's Open Forum on Recruiting
On November 11, 2015, we at Trustly hosted "Ask Us Anything," a sold-out recruiting panel, at our new office space in Silicon Valley. The panel featured guest speakers from Uber, Dropbox, and Intuit -- all of whom were game to answer questions about hot topics in recruiting and hiring. Here are some of the most interesting answers from that evening, directly from today's power players in...
Read More4 Essential Personality Traits Every Startup Employee Needs
When you're the owner of a rapidly growing startup or small business, it's really easy to get swept up in the chase for talent, becoming as obsessed with the skills shortage as the rest of the media. This can be dangerous, because the talent-shortage hysteria is largely focused on technical skills. In the panic, employers often forget about the soft, social skills that are just as important to...
Read More5 Tips for Uniting a Multigenerational Workforce
The American workforce is more diverse than ever before. This is especially true when we consider the ages of today's workers. Four generations now sit side by side in our offices: baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z. Each generation is distinct from the others, and all four bring with them unique life experiences, expectations, and work styles that, if leveraged...
Read MoreThe Most Important Thing to Keep in Mind on the Job Hunt
Making a career change can bring up a lot of negative emotions. Most of us are not excited about looking for a new job, even when we know it's the best move for our careers and our sanity. When I was acting, every audition was like an interview for a new job, and I had to get used to a lot of rejection. The job market can be an unfriendly place, filled with rejection and waiting. I've had...
Read MoreLessons From the Field: a Conversation With Networking Expert Van Allen
When you are a networker, you meet a lot of other networkers. If you meet enough networkers, you tend to meet some that do it well -- and these people can definitely teach you a thing or two. If you're lucky, some of those connections will turn out to be more than just Rolodex fodder. Such is the case for me with Van Allen. I've known Van for well over a decade. He's a consummate networker --...
Read MoreTransform Your Recruiting Strategy By Taking a Look at the Numbers
Imagine you are in charge of global online toaster sales at Amazon.com. Your job is to sell as many toasters as possible. Do you sell more toasters when customers can buy with one click of a button, or when they have to fill out a long payment form? The answer is obvious, right? Customers buy more when you make it easy for them – when all they have to do is click a button. Recruiters...
Read More12 Ways Recruiters Are Like Great Salespeople
A few weeks ago, right after the HR Tech Conference, I teamed up with iCIMS and SmashFly on a #TChat to discuss the similarities between recruiting and sales. Then, just last week, I heard Stacy Zapar, reigning guru of social recruiting, share her tricks for using the social world to be a better recruiter. I'd heard most of these tips before, but in a different context. See, as a marketing...
Read MoreThe Entrepreneur's Path Is Rarely Straightforward
I had never heard the word "entrepreneur" until I went to college in California in the '80s. As a kid, I wanted a career in international business because I spoke French and thought jobs in finance sounded cool (my father and both grandfathers were commercial bankers). The only other career I seriously considered was being an ambassador or diplomat, which also seemed like a natural way to...
Read MoreIs Twitter DM the new InMail?
Twitter recently announced that it's getting rid of the character limit on direct messages, and this is pretty big news. The character limit was the one flaw preventing direct messages (DMs) from being a fully functioning form of communication between Twitter users. With that limit gone, Twitter is finally catching up with the likes of Facebook, email, and LinkedIn when it comes to connecting...
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