Beware Hiring Managers Who Spew Nonsense

A few years ago I went on vacation with my family to Costa Rica. While we were there, we visited Arenal Volcano. Although the volcano is in a “resting” phase, there was plenty of smoke and some rocks shooting out of the top. Not sure I would want to be there for a full eruption (lava and burning alive does not really appeal to me). So what does this have to do with job search? Continue Reading

Five Red Flags for Job Seekers About Prospective Employers

In your job search, you may encounter a number of attractive opportunities.  However, there are signs that might make you think twice before pursuing and/or accepting particular jobs. Continue Reading

Majority of Employers Say 10 Minutes is Enough to Form Opinions of Interviewees

Are you getting ready for that next interview?  If so, you should know that it takes most employers a short time to get an idea of you as a candidate.

Job seekers don’t have much time to win over hiring managers, a new Accountemps survey suggests. The majority (60 percent) of human resources (HR) managers polled said they form a positive or negative opinion of candidates during interviews in 10 minutes or less. Continue Reading

The Type of Company You Want to Work For

Ken Sundheim, CEO of KAS Placement Recruitment

Running an executive search firm, many people ask me as to what to look for in a company that they are considering accepting a job at.  This is one of the better questions I receive from young job seekers as it is better to get it right earlier in one’s career as opposed to bouncing from job to job, thus appearing unreliable to potential employers.

With that being said, here are some aspects or traits you should seek out in the organizations which you are interviewing with. Continue Reading

The Bad Qualities of the American Job Seeker

Ken Sundheim, CEO of KAS Placement

I’ve been more involved in our company’s recruiting process as of late and this hands-on experience has given me insight regarding the American job seeker that is more valuable and definitely more interesting than most of the things that I’ve learned in my professional career.

Evolving labor market calls for evolving tactics

Livingstone Mukasa, Founder and CEO of Archability

Many of us can recall, rather recently, times when the majority of soon-to-be college graduates had secured two, maybe three job offers prior to donning the ceremonial gown and walking down the aisles to get their degrees.  In those days, recruiters were just about everywhere, many taking on new employees in droves and even throwing in signing bonuses and paid relocation expenses.  All that mattered was a college degree.  The rest simply fell into place on its own.

Seemingly overnight, this equation that had existed for generations was turned upside down.  Unbeknownst to many, market forces were at work chipping away at what had been the standard formula for job security.  The days of graduates finding jobs with minimal effort were coming to end as the very definition of job seeking and recruitment was undergoing a transformation that would set a new precedent in the sourcing and securing of employment. Continue Reading

Job Seekers: Do You Appear Determined … or Aggressive?

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

Conducting a job search over a period of weeks or months can make most people wonder why they haven’t been hired yet. Of course, over time, this feeling of wonder can change into one of desperation—especially if you’re not receiving so much as an interview callback.

It’s well known that in the process of job seeking, you must be very determined. Acquiring a job often requires dedicating as much time to it as you would a full-time job. But in the process of reaching out to employers, there can be a fine line between being determined and being a bit aggressive. To avoid the latter, here are some tips to consider. Continue Reading

Candidate Experience – How Candidates Want to Learn About Job Content, Part 5 of 6

Joe Murphy of Shaker Consulting Group

This is part of a series connected to the Candidate Experience Monograph.

We asked job seekers to rate the relative value of various forms of interaction for learning about the job. Specifically we wanted to have candidates direct us to formats for communicating job requirements that aligned with their learning preferences. Job seekers are decision makers in the process too. Creating a candidate experience that helps applicants learn about the job and prepare them to make a well informed career decision can differentiate your company in a positive way from other companies where the candidate may be applying. Continue Reading

Candidate Experience – Negative Impact of Technical Issues, Part 4 of 6

Joe Murphy of Shaker Consulting Group

This is part four of a series connected to the Candidate Experience Monograph.

We asked job seekers about the impact of career page technical difficulties. Specifically we wanted to know about the propensity to leave the application process, how much effort and time might be invested in resolving an issue and if the occurrence of technical difficulties created a negative brand impression.

Likelihood to Exit

Candidates want an easy to use experience.  And the data suggest there is limited tolerance for poorly functioning features.  They want simple and effective resume uploads, and links that work and are easy to understand.  59% of candidates are very likely or somewhat likely to exit before completing an application process if the encounter a page or process with frustrating or challenging functionality. Continue Reading

Candidate Experience – Communication Preferences, Part 3 of 6

Joe Murphy of Shaker Consulting Group

This is Part Three of a series connected to the Candidate Experience Monograph.

We asked job seekers about their preference for how they wanted to communicate with recruiters and hiring managers during the application process.  We wanted to see if there were strong preference one way or another, and in fact there are.

In order of preference:

1. Telephone
2. Email
3. Paper mail
4. Texting
5. Chat

You Know My Name, Look Up My Number

Job search is a personal endeavor through a largely impersonal maze or obstacle course.  Candidates want to make a connection on a personal level with another human being.   At the end of the day, each candidate knows the hiring decision will ultimately be made by another human being. As such, candidates have the highest preference for talking with recruiters on the phone.   A very common retort from unsuccessful candidates is the classic:“if only I could speak with someone, I could sell myself.”  The telephone was the communication vehicle of choice for 88% of respondents.

Everybody uses the phone somewhere in their recruiting process.  However, the personal connection of a phone call is reserved for the most highly qualified candidates.  And with the applicant-to-hire ratios common to high volume sourcing, this means that 50% to 98% of candidates will never hear the ring, never experience the type of interaction they prefer the most.  It creates a clear and pronounced expectation gap that will not be closed.  Even making the ‘No thanks’ call to the unsuccessful is impractical, given the number in the rejection pool. Continue Reading