Finding a purple squirrel, part 2.

In the first installment  of this post,which can be read here, the top five things a company should know about recruiting were discussed. Today we will tell you the next five.

1.)    Be known as a great employer! If you want candidates to want to work for your company, you need to give them a reason to work for you. By creating a great work environment and company culture, you will establish your company as one that people want to work for. It is impossible to attract the highest quality candidates if no one wants to work for you.

2.)    Check references. This one should really go without saying, but many employers do not consistently check references. When you contact the references a candidate provides, you get to hear about the candidate from another perspective and learn more about them. The more you know about a candidate before you hire them, the better prepared you can be to meet their needs and create success for both parties.

3.)    Write GREAT job descriptions. The more information you can give about a job, the better-prepared candidates can be to tell you about experiences relevant to what you are looking for. If the job description is vague, you end up with applications from people who are not qualified and not at all what you are looking for. While poor applicants will never be fully eliminated, having specific job descriptions can help decrease the number you will have to go through. 

4.)    Quality > Quantity. In the last post, we told you to improve your candidate pool. That does not mean expand your pool. It is perfectly okay to only have a handful of candidates rather than an entire stack. You are looking to hire the best person for the job, so you need quality candidates instead of a large quantity. That being said, if you have a large number of qualified candidates, you should certainly look at them all.

5.)    Remember, they’re looking too. A lot of attention is focused on what you should look for in a candidate, but it is vital to remember that candidates are looking at the company as well. In the technological era we live in, access to information is at an all time high. Your company needs to make sure that potential candidates can find good, reliable information on the business.

Connor|Caitlin would be thrilled to help you with your recruiting needs. Contact us with any questions or items you need assistance with.

www.connorcaitlin.com

Human Resources in a Technology Driven World

The first human resources department started in 1901 with the title of “personnel”.   Throughout the centuries since then, changes in industry and hiring demands have constantly changed the demands of HR departments in companies and corporations.

 Everyone knows that our world is run by technology. Sometimes that is something to celebrate and other times it makes a person want to pull their hair out. The fact is that technology has given a major face-lift, and helping hand, to human resources.

With constant Internet availability, professionals have more access to job postings and professional development tools than ever before. This translates into finding better candidates for hiring and more ways for an employer to screen potential candidates.

Résumé stacks that used to take hours to go through can now be sorted in minutes with computer programs. The lower costs of pre-hire screening tests gives employers better tools to screen candidates and sort through the stack to find exactly what they are looking for. Using these tools allows an employer to find the perfect candidate for the job in order, and faster, to provide continuity in the workplace and harmonization of employees.

To learn more about how Connor | Caitlin Talent Solutions uses the latest and greatest hiring technologies to help businesses find the perfect match, please contact one of our experienced practice leaders.

www.connorcaitlin.com

Economic Recovery; Fact or Fiction?

Lately we have been talking about the strengths of top talent.  However, a large influencing factor that determines if top talent goes anywhere is the dark shadow.  The crow on our shoulder. The all-encompassing; state of the economy. 

The economic state is the catalyst that drives talent acquisition.  HR managers across every discipline have a unique view on employment trends. Since they hire, fire, measure engagement and perform other tasks that measure the health of the labor force, they know when there are signs of recovery in the economy.

The first indication of economic health is lowering unemployment rates.  Unemployment is at its lowest level since 2008, around 5.7%.  More people found work in 2014 than in any of the past 15 years.

A second indication of a healthy economy is; job creation is strong. There are around 5 million job openings currently.

The third sign is; in many industries, people are quitting.  While this may seem counter-intuitive, this means that workers are confident there are better opportunities available.

However, there is an important element missing.  Higher wages.  Rising wages have not kept pace with other economic and employment gains.  

All of these add up to the determination that HR managers need to return to people management practices.  Aggressively recruiting new talent, retaining best employees, and investing in our workforce will be crucial.  This is a talent driven market.

If you need help finding that top talent, contact Connor|Caitlin.