Finding a Purple Squirrel; find a squirrel, then dye it purple!

Thanks to the reliance on technology and a plethora of great programs, recruiting has changed a lot. However, there are still many “rules” of recruiting that will probably never change. Today’s post is part one of a two-part blog on how you can be the best at recruiting.

1.)    The Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”) is a universally known term, but in recruiting, business, and probably life in general, the Platinum Rule created by Dr. Tony Alessandra needs to be employed. The Platinum Rule is “Treat others the way they want to be treated.” The Platinum Rule requires that you know what a person wants and you provide it for them. It takes other’s feelings and thoughts and puts them ahead of your own.

2.)    Know what you want, what you need, and what you cannot live without. Once you know all of that, prioritize it. If you need a purple squirrel, you are not going to find one. You will have to settle for a squirrel and dye it purple. This analogy means that you can find a candidate with the qualities you cannot live without, then you can teach the candidate about what you need and want.

3.)    Improve your candidate pool. If you are not looking at the best candidates, you certainly will not be able to hire them. You already know you want to hire the best candidate out there, so it is vital to do everything you can to get that candidate into your hiring pool.

4.)    Hire for strengths. No matter what the position is, there will nearly always be multiple duties. The important thing is to figure out with the most important duty of a position is and find a candidate with the strengths to fulfill that duty better than anyone else could.

5.)    Hire the sure thing. Sometimes there is a rush to fill a position, and when it is a very important role the rush is understandable. However, rushing to fill an empty post can lead to hiring the wrong person. This is a huge headache because not only will the job not be done the way you need or want it to, but you will end up right back where you started: the beginning of the hiring process.

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

How to become a Marketing Sage

In any business, marketing strategies serve as one of the central objectives in the company’s success. Diversity is very important when it comes to marketing, because the more strategies, the better. 

One very common strategy would be partnering with allies. Marketing partnerships have a lot of benefits, such as: exposing your company to new audiences, partnerships are cheaper, and success is seen more quickly. With that being said, helping customers solve their problems is a vital approach as well. A business is intended to provide solutions by listening and responding to their clients, creating campaigns, and creating apps. Apps and campaigns are noble sources for clients to receive information and keep up to date on the company’s progress.

No matter the business, your customers are always interested in interacting with your company. Creating online tools, such as social media, are the more upcoming forms of communication. Once a company’s marketing strategies are becoming successful, it’s always a smart idea to create a more personal relationship with clients. When companies are willing to be actively involved with their customers it often creates a more comfortable environment. These marketing strategies are the building blocks of a prosperous company.

Contact Connor|Caitlin Talent Solutions at www.connorcaitlin.com for additional information on marketing strategies. 

My intern is...filing paperwork? Not today!

A summer internship can be the dream of both the student and the employer.  But how to really get the most out of the student that will be in your office for the next twelve weeks?  This will probably not include filing paperwork and getting coffee.  A great internship experience starts with the program.

Once an employer has decided they want to take on an intern, this is where the fun can begin.

Designing a program to use the full potential of the student is key.  Work with your intern's strengths.  If you decide you want a marketing major, then use their marketing knowledge, (even though it may be limited), to design new marketing pieces for the next quarter.  This allows the intern to actually learn what businesses expect in the real world, and also allows them to feel as though they are truly contributing to the success, therefore having a more positive overall experience.

Throughout the course of the internship, keep an eye on the young member of the team, to truly determine what they are excelling at, and then give them tasks that they will be sure to accomplish successfully.  While building their confidence, you are getting more out of the intern than just your daily cup of coffee.

A positive experience by an intern reflects well on your company.  This can be achieved by seeing the intern as a true member of the team, if even only for a short while.  Treat them as though they are valued, and they will bring value to you.

If you want career advice, such as how to set up an internship program, or where to look for internships, please contact Connor|Caitlin.

Bringing value to Coatings, not just through paint.

At Connor|Caitlin, we work exclusively in the Coatings industry.  With our 40 years of combined experience, we know our market and the major players.  However, we like to stay knowledgeable of the history of some of the top coatings companies.  Today I’m going to give a brief overview of The Valspar Corporation, to give an idea of why we value companies such as them. 

The Valspar Corporation is the sixth largest international paint and coating company in the world, currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Valspar stocks customers in over 100 countries with an extensive range of high quality coatings and paint products.  Valspar’s motto is, “If it matters, we’re on it”, what an ideal way to grab the attention of customers and investors.

Valspar is associated with many other brands, such as: Cabot, Guardsman, House of Kolor, De Beer, Inver, Huarun, Wattyl, Solver, PlastiKote, and more. With their wide range of investors, Valspar showcases integrity and stewardship. Beyond all, the most imperative ambition for Valspar is to maintain an accident-free work setting in order for their employees to stay safe.

Valspar’s leadership, commitment, and investment aspects ensure their potential customers nothing but success and high quality. This company explains how they are committed to creating a long-term relationship with customers, employees, and suppliers. As long as it’s important to you, it’s important to Valspar.

Companies like Valspar are what make our industry shine.  If you are a top company looking for top talent, or talent looking for the top companies, please contact a practice leader at Connor|Caitlin.

Facts courtesy of http://www.valspar.com 

Well...I just didn't like her.

Normally I like to touch on interviewing from a candidates perspective, but today I’m going to take a look at it from the other side of the table. Interviewers can be the first closed door that a great candidate may face, and in all reality, that closed door may be the result of a bias on the interviewers’ part.

We've always been told that your first impression means everything.  In this case, it’s very true. If you are an interviewer, or just someone meeting another for the first time, keep these things in mind.

Bring your bias to a conscious level.  This is the first step in neutralizing bias; recognition.  Even if you have an instant reaction, try to do the opposite of what you first feel, such as leading with a positive question if you have a negative feeling about a candidate. 

Measure your first impression at the end of a meeting.  Objectively use what you've learned within the interview to determine if the candidate would be a right fit.

Make sure to listen to all the evidence before making a conclusion. Then, use evidence, not emotions, to assess.  “I feel” and “I think” and “My gut tells me” are all statements using emotions and not hard evidence.  

Use your team to objectively study your candidate.  Have everyone share their evidence to help decrease the emotional bias of the hiring authority.

These few tips will help ensure that you are giving each candidate a complete and fair shot.  And who knows, it may even be helpful on a first date.

If you need help standardizing your hiring practices, or help finding top talent, contact Connor|Caitlin.

I got the interview...now what??

Congratulations, you landed the interview.

Now what?  You haven’t been to a job interview in fifteen years.  What has changed?  What do you need to do differently now with a new generation of hiring managers?  These are all valid concerns for someone who hasn't been actively searching for a job in years.  And unfortunately, seasoned professionals could be hurting their chances of getting hired by not interviewing properly.

While there is a myriad of interview tips on the web, there are just a few items that I want to point out.  Seasoned professionals are most likely going to be interviewing for higher level position, as well as leadership abilities.  Your best bet is giving examples of successes, but successes where you worked with a team and gives proper credit to those who worked with you.

Authority vs. Humility

Experience and skill level are always going to be selling points, but not as far as to get you that dream managerial position.  Showing that you are interdependent on your team and employer will win you big brownie points with the hiring manager.  Having confidence in your skills, as well as answering in a way that says that you are a team player and able to be flexible will get you farther than just throwing your co-workers under the bus.

If you need help learning some new interview tips and tricks, or want to find that person who can fit the bill for your company, contact Connor|Caitlin.

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.

Greatness is calling for you.

Five obstacles that stand in the way of a great workplace, and how to overcome them all. 

Every person desires a great workplace, an environment that is conducive to collaboration, teamwork and having fun. The following five issues are prominent in the workplace, but there are solutions to each.  In order for any change to be made, the pursuit of greatness must first become a priority, for both employees and managers.

1.       I don’t have time.

Even though the problem may seem complicated, as in we cannot have 25 hours in a day, the solution to lack of time can be quite simple. Leverage the systems you already have in place for change.  One approach could be eating lunch with one team member a day, or even the whole team, in order to get to know each other as people, not just a coworker. Another easy way is leaving ten minutes of every staff meeting to have an open discussion.  Let every person have their say.

2.       My workplace is different. “I’m all for it, but this would never work in my industry”

Many issues are not as unique to the industry as we might think.  Striving to maintain excellence in night shift employees is as universal as anything. It doesn't matter if you are in a manufacturing facility or at a suit-and-tie desk job, a great workplace is desired by all.

3.       It’s not the right time.

Change is never totally enjoyable, and presents its challenges.  However, a disruptive event can be the perfect catalyst for another important factor; trust.  Engaging employees in trust-building practices during the large change can create a sense of community, maintain sense and purpose, as well as promote safety and support throughout the process.  Research shows that when leaders take time to build trusting relationships with employees, it enables those employees to embrace changes faster.

4.       My employees are the problem.

Understanding a pattern of behavior, whether good or bad, is crucial to fostering a great workplace.  There are many factors that encourage employee behavior, from family and life situations to job roles and responsibilities.  When an employee does something once, it a fluke, twice is a coincidence and three times is a pattern.   Understand behaviors before setting goals is crucial.

5.       My boss isn't on board.

Even though you have the vision of a great workplace, unfortunately lack of leadership buy-in to the plan can be a formidable obstacle.  If you have the desire, you can have the ability to build trust-based relationships with employees. Reaching out can build trust, pride and camaraderie.  Stay focused on things that you can influence, and in time, your sphere of influence will increase and open doors that were once closed. 

Listening. A new fad.

We live in a world where most everyone is nose down in a smart phone or tablet with Wi-Fi available everywhere, even in seemingly the most remote of locations. It’s unfathomable to be disconnected from the “world”, yet ironically, this practice actually disconnects us from the people who are actually present in our space. It’s not just individuals who are guilty of this. Individuals bring this personal practice into their business and it trickles down to customers. Concurrently, much emphasis is focused on growth and staying ahead of the curve that it has taken away from the principal that many businesses were founded for their customers. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if companies put down the proverbial smart phone and dedicated time to really listen? Universally, customers want to feel a sense of reliability, responsiveness, empathy, competency, and last but not least being valued. All of these are achieved through active listening. So many customers feel discouraged from dialogue on their service experience because the service agents they interact with are not present.

Stella Service, Elite rated companies like Apple & Zappos are hitting the mark. Zappos recorded an epic 10 hour phone call with one customer! While that’s a bit extreme, it speaks volumes about their approach to service. These companies are successful largely because they understand that a customer centric outlook is paramount. They understand that one of the simplest (as well as incredibly cost efficient…) ways to achieve this is active listening and follow through. They take the time to liaise with customers to understand how they really feel.

TARP, research firm concluded that every 1 customer who has a complaint will share it with 10 others. These 10 will go on to further share with 5 others. A single complaint quickly impacts up to 50 people! The good news is, it’s entirely possible to avoid this by active listening. It may even be possible to detect concerns even if customers aren’t actively voicing them. TARP also concluded that for every customer who verbalizes a complaint, a whopping 26 more remain silent.

Getting back to basics – listening 101:

Ø  Be ready! How can you actively listen if you are searching for a notebook & pen, or texting?

Ø  Take notes. Details, details, details.

Ø  Be responsive. Let them know you are still present without taking over.

Ø  Match their emotion. If they are in a panic, show a sense of urgency.

Ø  Be positive or factual. Don’t color the dialogue with negative feelings. If you are negative, they will surely be too.

Ø  Be respectful. Don’t interrupt or assume you know what they are about to say.

Ø  Ask questions. Ensure you understand their needs.

Ø  Paraphrase. Demonstrating not just paying attention, but active thinking & reasoning.

Ø  Take action! The best way to show listening is to follow through on the customer’s needs. Actions always speak louder than words.

Active listening supports solid communication which leaves customers feeling appreciated and overall strengthens your long term relationship. It can often help resolve or avoid conflicts and misunderstandings entirely. The information we harvest by listening can even allow us to take a step further and not only resolve conflicts, but ensure that we are applying the right solution. Equally important to making the problem go away, is ensuring that we’ve solved it correctly. This might be an opportunity to think creatively about what the customer is saying to find a solution that works best for them and is also cost efficient for your business. 

“Listen. You don't learn anything by talking. Listening makes for good business and it makes for good friends.” — Liz Robbins

Are we talking about a job, or about a person?

A job description or a person?

Most people would think that these are two totally separate entities.  How could a job be a person?  I know I got confused at first with that statement.  The reality is, when a company is looking to hire, this is the first trap they fall into. 

When thinking about hiring a new person, the first thing a company does is write down the descriptors that seem to fit the position.  These can be the degree required, the number of years of experience, leadership skills, selling skills, and geographical location.  These are all great things to have in mind, but in truth, they are describing a person, not a job. 

If a hiring manager was asked, “In the next six months, what is the largest goal for this position to achieve?”  This will lead into the discussion about what the job will actually do on a day to day basis, not just what the person in the job needs to qualify for the position.  The hiring manager may answer that the position needs to develop a new three year plan for a particular product, so the talent acquisition team can now go forth and find candidates that have planning and product development skills along with their four year degree. 

A generic job description is the downfall of both recruiters and companies alike.  This leads to hiring challenges, such as diversity hiring trials, an artificial skills gap, and the reason why companies are finding it increasingly difficult to find talented people.  However, companies around the world are using generic job responsibilities to attract and screen new employees. 

If you are struggling finding the perfect candidate or the perfect job, contact Connor|Caitlin Talent Solutions. 

The 6 Not So Technical Needs, of Technical People

Leading people is a challenge in itself.  The needs and motivators vary from group to group; marketing people are motivated by a completely different set of values than accounting personnel. 

Trying to understand the motivators or needs of the various groups can be overwhelming at times, categorizing into one big pot is not anymore the solution than throwing your hands up. 

While much of what motivates an individual is within the individual, as leaders its important to understand the needs of technical professionals as you map your people strategy to get the most out of your people.

Autonomy:  To work without being micromanaged is part of the reason that technical professionals choose there given field.  The more you can offer them the freedom to accomplish the task with autonomy the more satisfaction they will find.  Of course, this is often easier said than done but even in small doses the positive mojo the technical professional will get from autonomy will pay off in spades.

Achievement:  While everyone wants to feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, the techie is even more motived by a sense of ‘done’ at some point.  An on-going project with no real end point will drive these folks crazy and serve as a major de-motivator at some point.  A great way to overcome this is setting milestone achievements that can be measured and tracked; this allows achievement to be real and validated for these folks.

Keeping Current:  Techies take great pride in their ability to stay on top of the latest whiz-bang process or advancement in their field.  Allowing them to keep current on their trade will not only add to their happiness at work but more times than not will help the organization get better. 

Professional Identification: While technical people enjoy their credentials more than most, they find meaning in their professional identification and association with the industry. This can be capitalized upon greatly by allowing them to actively participate within the industry events, conferences or learning and networking opportunities.

Participation in Mission and Goals:  This is great because while some folks like to hide in the weeds of the company mission, techies love to have a line of sight form their role and responsibilities to the company mission.  It is important to see their impact on the company mission. 

Collegial Support and Sharing:  Beyond water-cooler chat and company softball teams these individuals like to feel part of a bigger community.   Again, this is a great opportunity for companies and leaders to bring out the best in their people by developing and recruiting focus groups, crowdsourcing and group think.

In the end, technical professionals want to be included and actively participate in the company mission.  Developing an organization that meet these needs will fast track your group into bringing out the best in your technical workforce.

If you are building a world-class technical team, and need some help.  Contact one of the practice leaders at Connor|Caitlin.