Here are ten current trends in hiring and employment screening that recruiters and hiring professionals should track in the coming year.

1. Paperless Systems: With advances in technology, there is no longer a need for job applicants to sign a physical piece of paper or for employers to enter data on a background screening website. An "Applicant Generated Report" takes advantage of the federal electronic signature laws for a valid online signature, so that applicant fills out the screening authorization form online, then that applicant data goes directly into the background screening firm's system. There is also a trend towards integration with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
2. International Background Checks: With mobility of workers across international borders, due diligence is no longer limited to just what an applicant has done in the United States. Although there are numerous practical and legal challenges as well as data and privacy concerns, international background checks are becoming very accessible to employers.
3. Legal Compliance: Even though the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs background checks on the national level, there are a number of states passing their own laws. This underscores the trend that background checking requires legal compliance expertise in order to comply with complicated federal and state laws. A critical element of any screening program is giving pre-advise and post-adverse notification to job applicants if a background report is used in whole or in part to deny an employment opportunity.
4. Privacy Concerns and the Off-shoring of Data: Even though great strides have been made to fight identify theft and to protect personal data in the U.S., there is practically no legal protection once personal and identifiable information (PII) leaves the U.S. Employers need to very carefully establish whether a background firm is sending data off-shore for processing and, if so, employers need to know what country is being used, what information is going off-shore and what privacy protection is in place.

The concern for employers? If it gets out that you are using a screening firm that sends applicant data overseas, would applicants want to apply to your organization?

1. Accreditation of Screening Firms: For many employers, it is difficult to distinguish among screening vendors. The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) is in the process of developing accreditation standards. In the meantime, the following website has a helpful article and link to a sample Request for Services (RFP) that may help employers determine how to select a screening service.See: http://www.esrcheck.com/SelectingBackgroundScreeningFirm.php
2. Rights of Ex-offenders to Get Jobs: There is an active movement in the U.S. to help ex-offenders obtain gainful employment. Without a job, an ex-offender is likely to end up back in custody, and unless we as a society would rather build more prisons than schools and hospitals, a way is needed for ex-offenders to get back to work. In addition, there is a greater likelihood that an employer could be sued for discrimination if an ex-offender is denied employment without a business justification. A related issue is the use of credit reports in hiring, which is also coming under scrutiny as a form of discrimination if used improperly.
3. Increased Screening of Temps, Independent Contractors and Vendors: Some employers have well-thought out screening programs for their employees, but routinely allow temporary workers, independent contractors and vendors access to their premises, clients, or computer systems with no idea of who they are. Employers need to examine their practices for screening members of their extended workforce and vendors.
4. The Use of Search Engines and Social Networking Sites: Employers will increase their use of search engines and sites like Facebook and MySpace to screen applicants. However, there are a number of pitfalls, such as obtaining information that is potentially discriminatory or not authentic. In addition, the issue of whether applicants have a "reasonable expectation of privacy" in their social networking sites has yet to be determined, since there are strong arguments that not everything on the web is fair game for employers to use.
5. The Use of Criminal Databases: Although large criminal databases are a valuable secondary tool with millions of records, employers are beginning to understand that those databases are not a replacement for a county criminal search but rather a supplemental search that may lead to other counties to check.
6. Ongoing Screening Post-hire: New tools make it possible to screen employees periodically after they are hired. However, thought must be given to the type of screening and what to do with any negative information. Such screening also uses databases, which can have a high rate of "false positives" and "false negatives" when used as a standalone tool.

Article by Lester Rosen and courtesy of Kenndy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 29, 2008 at 9:14 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In the past few months I have seen a number of articles written and been in a number of discussions surrounding the idea of "Employee Referrals." Often times, the discussion focused on the importance of employee referrals and the true value they bring to a company. In addition, many of the articles and discussions focused around the "how-to" of building a program, implementing it, it ROI (return on investment), costs, and all of the other pieces of a "program."

My question is why employee referrals need to be a program at all? When looked at objectively, should this not be a lifestyle? I have heard time and time again that all employees need to be recruiters. I fully agree with the statement, but why is there the need for incentives for employees to act as recruiters, or incentives to speak to others positively about your company?

If it is focused on and supported by senior leadership, a company can transition from an employee referral program to a lifestyle of attracting top talent through referrals. Take a moment and think about the last time you purchased a car. When you were speaking with your friends, colleagues, family, etc, about what type of vehicle you should purchase, every person you spoke with had an opinion. In fact in a majority of cases their opinion probably reflected the type of vehicle they owned. Now think of almost any other decision you make or item you purchase - from a home, to what state to relocate to, to the type of furniture or type of TV you should buy. I bet that in almost every case, the people you spoke with had an opinion and generally influenced you either toward or against the type of product they own or use. In this same fashion we can transform our workforce to respond similarly when discussing job opportunities with their friends and family members.

What shapes a person's opinion?

There are several different factors that shape a person's opinion, but really it comes down to this. Do they like it or not. Sure, there are factors that contribute to their decision, but when asked about your home, neighborhood, job, car or any other tangible item you either have a favorable or a negative impression. Product-based companies spend fortunes on shaping the way customers view their products. Similarly, in our work environment, we need to view our employees as the consumers and the jobs as the product. We need to focus on job quality, our commitment to develop our employees professionally, recognizing employees for their good work, treating them fairly, rewarding workers for their contributions, and lastly, providing an environment where the employees are excited about their work, their peers, and their company.

There are several articles written about each of these points, and a lot of theory, but the bottom line is, are you doing it? Once you can confidently answer, yes, you have a solid product that you are excited about marketing, and your employees are excited about sharing as well. Many of the items discussed above take time and resources to implement, but there are a few very subtle things employers can do right now to turn employee referrals in to a lifestyle.

When we are out in the community we receive questions about our vehicles, apparel and a host of other items. Many of these questions begin with, "Where did you get that?" You can fill in the blank. Along these same lines we can put our employees in a position where they are asked, "What is it like to work at ...?"

Now you are asking yourself, how do I prompt people to ask me about my work? In order to tell others where you work, it is a matter of your employees becoming a brand for the company. In a couple of recent surveys employees indicated they did not want to be a walking sales board for their company. When they were asked why not, the number one answer was they wanted to separate personal time from work. The second most popular answer was that they didn't feel strongly enough about their employer to speak about it or show any loyalty. Several companies sell apparel with their logo on it, and I think this is great, but make the apparel a part of your recognition program. Base it on work and earning it with real measurable results. This way, only a select few get to wear the company jacket and it becomes an item they work for and are proud of when they get it.

There are literally hundreds of ways to make your employees ambassadors for your company, but if you take away nothing else remember these points:

• Make referrals a way of life for your employees
• Remember, your employees are the consumers and the company is the product
• Make it a privilege to wear the company brand.

If you work toward this goal as recruiters you will find you not only have more candidates, but more passive candidates as well, more quality and, in all honesty, a more exciting culture and atmosphere at your company.

Article by Ryan Loken and courtesy of Kenndy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 29, 2008 at 9:05 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The TSA recently announced new requirements for flyers. It is aimed at reducing the number of passengers inadvertently delayed or unable to fly just because their name is the same as someone on the list. Name, date of birth, gender, etc. will be collected by airlines and submitted to the TSA. This will speed up the process and ideally limit the number of people incorrectly stopped.

But how does this compare to your criminal records check? Faithful readers of our blog, newsletter, or podcast listeners know we often talk about identifiers and obligations to ensure the information we share is accurate and up to date. State and federal law, not to mention good ethics and overall business sense, demand it.

So how do we do it? We compare these identifiers to information on file in the courthouse. When we find a criminal record for John Smith, we use the date of birth, the SSN, the Driver's License, etc., to confirm if it's the John Smith you're hiring to be your next latex salesman. Just like the TSA. Similar processes and safeguards designed to serve the same purpose. More information ensures accuracy and reduces risk.

How do we think this will be perceived? Privacy advocates, likely unhappy. More information collected and stored in databases. Security advocates, probably happy. Families traveling with small children anticipating a shorter security line? Definitely happy.

Article by, Kevin Bachman and courtesy of EmployeescreenIQ

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 29, 2008 at 9:03 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The physician shortage in the United States is real and getting worse, according to a Jackson & Coker industry report. Although the physician shortfall has impacted hospitals and medical groups of all sizes, there are, nonetheless, steps being taken to address the problem in significant ways, with promising results.

Some alarming statistics

• According to the report, the physician shortage in the US is real and getting worse. Documented statistics show:
• Nearly one-third of practicing physicians are 55 years or older and likely to retire in the next decade.
• There is an estimated shortage of 60,000 primary care doctors nationwide.
• 56 million Americans--nearly a fifth of the entire U.S. population--do not have access to a doctor based upon current practice shortages.
• In fact, in the plains and panhandle areas of Texas, 27 counties do not have a single physician.
• The Dept. of Health & Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration projects a shortfall of at least 55,000 physicians by 2020, mainly in non-primary care specialties.
• The Health Policy Institute of the Medical College of Wisconsin predicts a more extensive shortage by that time--200,000 additional doctors needed.

Proposed solutions

• A number of steps are being taken to remedy the shortfall of practicing physicians, according to the report:
• The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has called for a 30% increase in medical school enrollments by 2015, an increase that would result in 5,000 new M.D. students annually.
• The AAMC also is looking more closely at new options for U.S. medical students to study abroad and return to the United States to complete their residency and begin practicing medicine.
• Since the American Medical Association (AMA) lifted the moratorium on medical school accreditation in 2003, four new medical colleges have been accredited, with six more slated for accreditation in the near future.
• At the federal level, the "United States Physician Shortage Elimination Act of 2007," though stalled in committee, recommends measures such as making grants to community health centers in order to establish either new or alternative-campus accredited medical residency training programs.
• Another recommendation is to increase the National Health Services Corps awards as a stimulus for physicians to care for underserved populations.

Some of these recommendations posit solutions that will come to fruition years from now. Meanwhile, how are hospitals and health organizations responding to the crisis? In light of the looming physician shortage, hospitals are adopting a more flexible staffing model, according to an accompanying survey in the Jackson & Coker Industry Report entitled, Addressing the Physician Shortage.

The survey was commissioned during August and targeted hospital administrators, including CEO's, and in-house physician recruiters. The hospital sizes varied from under 50 beds to over 200 beds. The service areas ranged from under 50,000 residents to well over 500,000. In terms of community type, 49% of hospitals were situated in rural areas, and almost 30% were located in urban areas. Three-fourths of the respondents were associated with not-for-profit hospitals, and 10% were affiliated with for-profit hospitals. Twenty percent indicated that their hospital was a teaching institution, versus 67% that said theirs was not a teaching facility.

What means are hospitals taking to address the physician shortage? Here are some significant survey findings:

• 26% of respondents noted that their facilities promote job sharing among doctors, with some programs involving 16 or more physicians.
• Using locum tenens (temporary) physicians provided helpful relief for 20% of hospitals represented.
• To achieve permanent hires, 40% of hospitals rely on regular visits to residency programs to source new physicians.
• 61% mentioned relying on professional referrals for sourcing candidates as being particularly beneficial.
• Increasingly popular with job seekers, web-based employment postings were favorably rated by 74% of survey respondents.
• According to 73% of hospital administrators and recruiters, using outside search firms is an effective tool in physician recruitment.

For most hospitals, meeting staffing goals in light of the physician shortage is no small task. Utilizing innovative sourcing techniques and recruitment strategies is certainly useful in achieving this objective. "A shortage of physicians means that communities are underserved and patients are not receiving adequate medical attention," says Sandra Garrett, president of Jackson & Coker. "Whatever means are useful in remedying the problem will certainly contribute to improving health care delivery across the board. It's encouraging that proposals have been made and steps taken to address this critical need."

Recruitment methods

What are the favored approaches of hospitals and healthcare facilities for sourcing candidates selected for permanent employment? Forty percent of respondents felt that visits to residency programs were somewhat effective, 18% believed they were generally effective, and five percent said they were very effective.

What about professional referrals as a recruitment strategy? Five percent of participants believed that professional referrals are not particularly effective. One-fifth felt that obtaining referrals was only somewhat effective. On the other hand, 61% indicated that this approach is generally effective or very effective.

Providing job notices to professional societies was viewed less favorably. Over one-third of respondents said that approach was not effective. Only 43% felt it was somewhat effective. And a mere 8% said it was effective or very effective.

A traditional means of recruiting permanent doctors is to rely on medical journal advertising. Over one-third of hospital administrators and recruiters indicated that this was not an effective means of sourcing qualified candidates. Forty percent said it was somewhat effective. However, only 12% maintained that this approach was effective to some degree.

Internet job postings have become more popular and effective, according to the survey results. A mere 14% believed web postings were not generally effective. However, 38% felt Internet recruitment was at least somewhat effective. According to 27% of respondents, web-based recruitment was viewed as effective, and nine percent considered this strategy as very effective.

Lastly, the survey focused on the place of recruitment firms as part of a comprehensive staffing plan. In the judgment of 15% of participants, using recruitment agencies appeared not to be generally effective. However, twenty-seven percent believed using outside recruiters was somewhat effective. Furthermore, 46% maintained that turning to recruitment firms was effective, at least to some extent.

Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 29, 2008 at 8:58 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Working in the Recruiting or HR Profession, you are judged on the caliber of talent you represent. People are the crown jewels of a company. For you personally, to become successful at presenting top talent, you need a bank full of human capital.

There is a shortage of Top Talent due to the aging baby-boomers who will cripple companies that are not able to attract top talent. Your job as a recruiter is to accumulate talent. Develop your skill as a talent scout, become an energetic recruiter, and help build a network and database of high performers. Recruitment must become a part of your everyday consciousness. Be on the lookout for talent all the time. Don't wait until you have a specific opportunity. Always be interviewing top talent.

Where can you go to find talent? On an airplane, in church, a soccer game, at some conference or business meeting - you name it. The secret is to never stop scanning the social landscape. Just watch people and pay attention to how they handle themselves. Who stands out? Who can be your next top referral source for top talent?

Scouting is only half the job. You also must craft your selling message. Nail down your organization's major points of appeal so you can romance those people who show promise. The idea is to make yourself a MAGNET FOR HIGH-QUALITY PERFORMERS.

Why should someone have you represent them as opposed to another recruiter? What really separates you from your competition is "YOU!" It's the level of commitment you make to this profession and the word-of-mouth advertising that is created by the excellent job you do.

When you know you can't place a candidate because they don't have the stability, experience or skill level that your clients want, do you provide this candidate with other sources they can utilize? Do you waste their time and YOURS conducting a thorough interview, or do you conduct a "courtesy interview" and tell them what they need to do to become more marketable.

Most recruiters waste an amazing amount of time conducting long interviews with candidates they will never place and then taking all the "status" phone calls they receive from these candidates. You need to stop doing that - TODAY! Identify alternative resources you can provide for these candidates.

If you want to DOUBLE YOUR CANDIDATE flow starting today... take out all of your application forms from the past six months and call the last two places of employment for all your candidates and ask for them (not their current employer). The person who has replaced them often has the same credentials as your candidate!

When you are making Recruiting Presentations, have a "blind list" ready to email to this person's home address that lists a sampling of your current opportunities. This will help you build a database of everyone you have contacted. You will be amazed how many referrals you will receive. Just think of how many people forward jokes on the Internet. That same type of Lateral Marketing takes place when you forward job opportunities.

Becoming a relentless talent scout also involves fine tuning your ability to ask for and receive referrals. When you ask someone, "Who do you know?" they think you are asking about their current co-workers. Often loyalty prevents them from giving you a name. If you ask them, "Who AT YOUR LAST PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT"... you will receive more referrals.

If you currently have an abundance of top talent and you are filling every opportunity you have available, you might not have to change the way you are attracting talent. If not, implement some of these ideas and always look for new talent to represent! It's important to use many different sources of talent and you need to also learn how to strategically utilize some of the Social Networks.

One of the most important decisions made by companies is the talent they hire. You play a very important part in that process. NEVER FORGET - it is the recruiter with the CANDIDATE who will win in the future! If you become a relentless talent scout, you will increase your effectiveness and success.

Article by Barbara Bruno and courtesy of Kenndy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 29, 2008 at 8:51 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Employers have revised original hiring projections and now expect their college hiring to stay even with last year's levels, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

In light of volatile financial markets this past month, NACE recently re-polled employers that had provided hiring projections in August. The result: Compared to their earlier projections, responding employers expect to decrease their hiring levels by 1.6 percent. However, in comparison to their actual hires from the Class of 2008, respondents expect to hire about 1.3 percent more graduates from the Class of 2009. (See Figure 1.)

"Overall, hiring looks flat for now and some employers are indicating some movement to cut back," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "In August, approximately one-third of employers said they were going to trim their college hiring; in our current poll, however, 52 percent said they were going to adjust their college hiring downward." (See Figure 2.)

The decreased expectation for college hiring that occurred between August and October was broadly felt across industries. Only government as a sector saw a significant increase in hiring expectations, while manufacturing and professional services remain essentially flat. All other industry categories decreased their hiring expectations for the Class of 2009. (See Figure 3.)

"Consequently, many of this year's graduates will find fewer openings available to them and may have to consider different types of opportunities, industries, and organizations than they planned. Most importantly, they need to use the resources available to them through their campus career center to help them identify and connect with potential employers," says Mackes.

NACE will continue to monitor the job outlook for the Class of 2009 and will report on hiring projections as they relate to changes in the economic environment. NACE's Salary Survey Winter report, scheduled for distribution in late January, will provide a first look at demand for new college graduates by specific discipline.

Since 1956, theNational Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 28, 2008 at 9:39 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The Daily Monitor, a Ugandan newspaper, has exposed a con taking place at the country's largest and oldest university. Makerere University has become the target of a degree fraud scam most likely perpetrated by members of its own staff and a contractor hired to speed up the degree issuance process. The newspaper was able obtain a fake transcript from the university and then receive verification from the Academic Registrar that the transcript was genuine.

This is a trend that I think will definitely increase over the next few years and criminals get smarter and technology becomes more advanced. Schools should conduct background checks on employees that will have access to confidential student information and important tasks such as issuing degrees and awarding financial aid. There are numerous opportunities to commit fraud in these areas. Schools need to recognize this and protect themselves as much as possible.

In addition, employers should always conduct education verifications on prospective employees whose position requires a certain level of education and/or a primary course of study. There is no question that fake degrees are being sold worldwide. The question is: Who's buying? Could it be your applicant?

Article by, Natalie Beck and courtesy of EmployeescreenIQ

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 28, 2008 at 8:56 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In many companies, strategic planning is an annual activity that involves whisking top executives off-site to discuss the future of the enterprise.

The goal is to create alignment around a well-thought-out strategy that will provide continued success for the organization.

The result is often a voluminous document filled with more tasks and initiatives than cannot reasonably be completed while still maintaining the current business operation. In other words - a select list of great ideas that may or may not come to fruition while dust gathers.

What are the key flaws in the traditional strategic planning process? How can we improve the process? Is deliberately seeding the corporate rumor mill the answer? Continue reading ...

Article by, Paul Plotczyk and courtesy of Work Systems Affiliates

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 27, 2008 at 5:53 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Often, people wonder how billionaires like Sam Walton, Carl Icahn and Warren Buffett not only amassed their wealth, but were also able to maintain it. Mark Stevens, founder of MSCO, in his book, "Rich is a Religion," says it's all about the way they view(ed) money. One definition of religion, according to Merriam-Webster, is a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith. It's that definition that Walton, Icahn, Buffett, and Stevens himself apply to money. They don't worship it as a false idol or horde it like misers. They enjoy their wealth without squandering it.

"Rich is a Religion" is filled with anecdotes, illustrating Stevens' point. Sam Walton, for example, bought a house in the suburbs on a street like any other. The only luxury was a tennis court because Walton loved to play tennis. Since he was getting older and the hard cement surface was hard on his knees, Walton didn't play tennis as often as he once had. When asked why he didn't get the court redone with clay or some other softer surface, it was Mrs. Walton who answered. She said that resurfacing the court would require hiring someone to maintain it and that, apparently, was not considered a practical way to spend their money.

Stevens' book isn't a how-to for getting rich. Instead, it's an explanation of what kind of behavior modification is necessary to amass the kind of wealth that will make a person totally financially independent. What's complete financial independence? It's being able to write a check for anything you want or need, he says. Stevens decided to practice the religion of the rich after watching his father literally stress himself to death, leaving his family almost penniless, because he didn't understand or practice the religion of the rich.

It's not impossible for everyone, recent college graduates starting their first entry-level jobs, college students working on paid internships, or anyone with the discipline to practice the religion that helped Stevens, Buffett and others to become financially independent. He points out that one reason most people today will never become rich is because they believe that the appearance of wealth is more important than actual wealth. Stevens begs to differ. The most important wealth you have, he says, is the wealth that no one else ever sees. Keeping up with the Joneses will keep you in the poor house, he warns.

It takes more than simply saving part of the wages from an entry-level job or internship. It takes the discipline to consistently put away a certain percentage of each paycheck, invest that money wisely (Stevens advises finding a reputable, trustworthy financial planner), never touch the money in a savings account for indulgences, and always live slightly below your means.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 26, 2008 at 7:29 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

You've conducted both rounds of interviews, narrowed the field to a single candidate and made a hiring offer; contingent, of course, on a reference and background check. Now it's time to get on the phone and check the references they've given you. Right? WRONG!

Timing is Everything

According to Yves Lermusi, CEO of online reference check service Checkster, it is best for hiring managers to conduct reference checks on candidates before the second round of interviews.

Rather than viewing reference checks as an administrative detail that only very rarely disqualifies a candidate who has already been selected, Lermusi recommends making them an integral part of the decision-making process. He says:

"Do not make the common mistake of confusing the reference check with the employment verification process. Reference checking is not about confirming, for instance, that your candidate, who claims to have reported directly to the CEO and worked for that company for two years, has done just that. Instead, reference checks serve to obtain information about a candidate's performance, as reviewed by their managers and peers. Performing the reference check at the end of the process ... is a waste of time." Continue reading about better reference checks ...

Article by George Lenard, the originator of George's Employment Blawg, has over twenty years of experience in all aspects of labor and employment law, including preventive law as well as litigation. His special interests include employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and noncompetition agreements. He is currently a managing partner with Harris, Dowell, Fisher & Harris, L.C., in St. Louis, Missouri, and lives in the suburb of University City with his wife and family.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 23, 2008 at 10:39 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I have been writing about utilizing social media and social networking to connect to candidates and build candidate communities here on EXCELER8ion for about 3 years, and in just the last 6 months, I have felt a very powerful wave of corporate acceptance and understanding that they need to have a social recruiting strategy. Large corporate clients are asking en masse to have their teams educated on social recruiting techniques and it is the number one topic that I am asked to speak about.

Does this mean that you should launch a blog (like my favorite MicroSpotting.com), start a facebook page or use Twitter to hold public chats with candidates like E&Y, or should you develop a YouTube channel to distribute video like Deloitte? Should you create widgets to distribute your jobs, events, and other career related content? Should you develop a social game or an employee social network where candidates can interact and ask questions to get the insider's perspective?

Maybe you should do all of this. But before you buy into the latest service trying to sell you a socket page or build you a community - Do you know the status of your Employer reputation online?

Are you regularly monitoring what people find in Google when they search for information about working for your company? (and they are searching - to the tune of hundreds of thousands of career related searches every month.) Do you know what people are talking about as it relates to working for your company? Do you know who is talking, where they are talking, if it is positive - negative - or just neutral, and why?

No, this isn't a test. Auditing, analyzing, understanding, and monitoring your online employer reputation should be the first step to developing a successful social recruiting strategy. Without first listening to and understanding what people are already saying about you as an employer, without knowing what issues exist or topics that are already being discussed - your company is in no position to begin effectively participating.

Launching social recruiting initiatives without understanding the state of your online reputation first can be a recipe for disaster. You may discover that launching a recruiting blog is the way to go, but you might also discover that there are issues that are actively being discussed that should be addressed as a first step.

So how do you gather this info about your online reputation? Google "Online Reputation Management" and you will find a myriad of resources from how to set up Google Alerts to full monitoring software packages such as Radian6 and SM2.

The information that candidates find online about you as an employer can be highly influential and considered more credible than the info they find on your corporate career site. I will cover these options, time needed, and how to tailor/focus your monitoring efforts to discussions that affect Employer Brand and candidate opinions specifically in the weeks to come.

Article by Julian E. Seery and Shannon M. Seery and courtesy of exceler8ion blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 23, 2008 at 10:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

iProfile.org, a free online CV, conducted an experiment during National Identity Fraud Protection Week (UK) which showed that job seekers are risking identity theft when sending their CV's to potential employers. iProfile placed an advertisement in the newspaper for a position with a fake company just to see how many applicants would forward their CV to the company without first checking that the company was legit. If certain keywords from the advertisement were searched online, it would take them to a web page which stated that the company was fake. According to Rick Bacon, CEO of iProfile, "We were shocked to find that 68% of people sent their CV into our fake job advert without doing any background checks first."

According to this article:

"Typically, criminals need just three out of fifteen key pieces of information to commit identity fraud - the average CV received as part of the experiment contained eight pieces of information. 61 CVs (57%) included a date of birth, despite this no longer being a requirement due to age discrimination laws, and 98 (91.5%) included a full address. A further 20 (19%) put others at risk by providing full details of references. One even included the applicant's passport number and national insurance details."

If this experiment tells us anything, it's that checking out the companies one is applying to is equally as important as companies checking out the applicants they are looking to hire. It's all about protecting oneself from a harm that could easily be avoided with a simple background check. Also, it wouldn't hurt to re-evaluate what information is included on the CV or resume. I really can't think of a good reason why any company would need your passport number...

Click here to read "iProfile.org warns job hunters to secure their CVs to protect against identity theft"

Article by, Natalie Beck and courtesy of EmployeescreenIQ

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 23, 2008 at 10:15 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

A recent survey of 1134 senior executives reveals a significant increase in the number of employers offering work-life balance programs - from 8% in 2006 to 25% today, according to BlueSteps, the career management service of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC). Perhaps as a result, the number of senior executives who feel their work-life balance has improved in the last five years has also risen - from 35% of respondents in 2006 to 40% today. In addition, fewer respondents of the survey report increased working hours in the last five years - from 59% in 2006 to 54% in 2008 - and fewer executives have been working longer hours due to a heavier workload - from 46% of respondents in 2006 to 39% today. In fact, when compared to the same poll conducted in 2006, key findings suggest that 66% would not consider working fewer hours if it meant a proportionate decrease in earnings, rising from 62% in 2006 and that 60% indicate that the 24/7 lifestyle brought about by globalization and technology, such as the Blackberry and omnipresent internet, has caused them to have less leisure time, with little change from 2006 (59%). "In the last two years, employers seem to have better grasped the delicate act of helping their employees to balance personal life and work," notes Peter Felix, President of the AESC. "This issue has become a genuine concern among senior executives and therefore needs to be addressed within corporate culture. The latest survey results suggest that the work-life gap is narrowing as companies begin to see the benefits of a healthy work-life balance," Felix adds.

Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 21, 2008 at 1:39 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

In today's recessionary economy and with the recent fall of corporate giants like Lehman Brothers, and Bear Stearns, many forward-thinking Global 2000 companies are briskly and strategically investing in recognition and rewards programs that help provide psychic income, igniting motivation and enhancing worker productivity. Experts agree that companies who find effective strategies designed to engage employees and enhance loyalty hold the promise of emerging out of this recession in a position of strength with their best talent focused and intact. "The only way organizations are going to survive an uncertain economy is with the willing and enthusiastic support of a focused, fired-up and capably led workforce," says Bill Catlette, co-author of 'Contented Cows Moove Faster', in the June 9, 2008 issue of Incentive magazine.

Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies are turning to on-demand strategic recognition solutions as a cost-effective and high impact means of recognizing employees with smaller rewards given year-round. This approach, according to Globoforce CEO, Eric Mosley, is the how of keeping your workforce fired-up during these trying times. Employee recognition initiatives are crucial in times like these as they help keep employees focused on key goals and dedicated to their jobs, as well as motivated and loyal, which can impact your company's performance and help it maintain or gain a competitive edge," says Mosley, a 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalist. "The key is deploying a cost-effective and strategic recognition effort that allows for smaller awards that can be given out frequently and are tied to company values and goals. These awards can do wonders to surprise and delight employees, as well as keep their minds from slipping into a psychological recession along with the economy."

Five Tips for Using Recognition to Manage Employee Engagement in Tough Economic Times, include:

1. See your employees as assets, not costs;
2. Let your employees know they and their work make a difference;
3. Counter employee confusion and discontent over actions such as layoffs or reorganizations with constant communication;
4. Boost performance through recognition when merit increases become cost prohibitive;
5. Optimize strategy execution through reinforcement of effective implementation.

Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 21, 2008 at 10:35 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

As a business owner or manager, it's important to take proactive steps toward making sure that your employees are ready and able to handle the technological and environmental changes that are likely to impact your business. It's important to remember that employee training doesn't stop with your new hire orientation procedures. Organizational training needs are ongoing, particularly in the rapidly changing 21st century workforce.

Needs Assessment for Strategic Planning
The best way to make sure that you are providing employees with the training needed to position your business for long term success is to engage in an ongoing needs assessment process at both the organizational and individual levels. The process of needs assessment involves developing an understanding of where your organization is now, in terms of employee skills, and where it needs to be in the future.

Individual needs assessment involves looking at your employees' current skill levels and identifying any gaps that exist between their current abilities and what they need to be able to do, now and in the future. At the organizational level, strategic needs assessment involves identifying gaps between the skills that exist across the organization and the skills that need to be in place to accomplish the company's long term strategic plans.

Targeted Training
Once you have conducted a thorough assessment of your organization's training needs, you can identify which gaps are actually training issues. You can begin implementing an employee development plan designed to make sure that your workforce is positioned to take your organization forward toward accomplishment of its long term strategic planning goals.

Depending on your organization's goals, and the market it which it operates, your workforce may need both technology and soft skills training. An important part of strategic planning is identifying the technological and environmental factors that will allow your organization to become or remain competitive now and in the future.

For example, leadership and management training can be an important component of succession planning. Additionally, providing employees with training on how to use software applications can enable companies to automate various aspects of production and delivery processes.

Workforce Development Benefits
By encouraging necessary employee skill development training, you are playing an important role in fulfilling your company's long term staffing needs. Companies that are committed to providing employees with training opportunities enjoy the benefits of improved employee satisfaction and retention. Keeping highly trained and motivated employees can help your organization continue

Article by, Randall Olson, the Director of Information Technology for Mobile Technical Institute & MTI Business Solutions (http://www.mobiletechwebsite.com). He oversees the firm's high stakes certification testing center, conducts computer application training, and manages MTI's online learning programs. MTI is a full service training and consulting firm, providing open enrollment and on-site employee development training, HR consulting, database development, and website solutions. For free career and business development tips and advice, see http://www.DailyCareerConnection.com and http://www.DailyBizSolutions.com.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 21, 2008 at 9:26 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Hi All,

I've been sick all week so my blogging came to a grinding halt. But I'm glad to say I'm on the mend!

So, here's something bound to cause some controversy. I came across this article on BNET.com blogs. Author Mark Bauerlein, a 49-year-old professor of English at Emory University and a former director of Research and Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts, thinks that Millennials could be the dumbest generation our world has ever seen.

Mark feels so strongly about this that he has written a book about it, aptly entitled: "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don't Trust Anyone Under 30)".

His website claims: "50 million minds diverted, distracted, devoured!" According to Bauerlein, Gen Y's insatiable media habit imperils the future as it instills a "brazen disregard of books and reading" that leads to a "neglect [of] enduring ideas." As a result, the kids are bound to a long adolescence, a semi-permanent immaturity.

Although short attention spans and a hunger for media certainly are key traits of Gen Y, I can't agree with him on his opinion of them being "dumb". I actually think they are a very bright generation who will do great things for our country and businesses. Plus, I'm a GenXer and I have a short attention span and I like new media...maybe I'm a Millennial trapped inside of a GenX body? He'd probably think I am stupid, too, just because I like "them".

Perhaps he has a couple of teenage children whom he doesn't like?? Hmmm. Maybe they don't like him??

I don't know the answer, but I found the topic of his book amusing. And I found the fact that he felt so passionately about this to write a book even more amusing.

If you read his book, or check out his website, I'm curious to know your thoughts about this!

I wonder what his Gen Y students think about this??

His website url is even: www.DumbestGeneration.com

Bye for now.

Article by Lisa Orrell, Millennial & Generation Relations Expert and courtesy of Lisa's Generation Relations Blog

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 21, 2008 at 9:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

With a host of projects to complete for clients, how do you capture your ideas?

A platform I use is software for mind mapping is Mindgenius as you can integrate your mind map into a Word document, a PowerPoint presentation,save as a PDF or even a web page.

But what if you have a limited budget or are not sure that mind mapping is right for you - are there free online tools that you can use?

Here are a few that I've found and have registered for:

Flowchart.com - an online multi-user, real-time collaboration flowchart software - at the time of writing this article I have applied for an access code as Flowchart is in Beta but have not received it as yet.

Spinscape.com - offers a free and paid for version (to collaborate with others you need to use the paid for version). I didn't find this the easiest of mind mapping software to be able to use though there are video's you can watch on how to use the service. I also did not seem to be able to export the test mind map I created in a format of a mind map (it printed as a list not a map) when I exported my mind map to PDF using the free version of Spinscape - this is a screen shot I took of the mind map I created.

Bubbl.us - definitely worth exploring as a free service. While the interface is not as sexy as some websites I've come across, the mind mapping was really intuitive and only took a few seconds to get started. You can email a link to a friend to ask them to collaborate on the mind map with you. You can export the mind map as a PDF or even access the embed code to add it to your blog or website. And it's easy to change the colours and print out your mind map.

So as you are planning your next project and have a team you are working with, why not consider mind maps as a way to outline the project. And with free online tools like Spinscape and Bubbl.us available you can even collaborate online wherever you are in the world and don't have to be tied to your own PC or laptop.

What free online mind mapping software do you recommend?

Article by Krishna De and courtesy of Biz Growth News blog

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 21, 2008 at 8:29 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Online training has a number of benefits for companies who deal with the challenges of providing effective training to their employees on an ongoing basis. Delivering high-quality, consistent training classes and programs to diverse populations of employees via traditional learning methods can be very challenging for a number of reasons.

Challenges of Traditional Training in Corporate SettingsScheduling time for a number of employees to attend instructor-lead training sessions at a particular time can be very difficult, particularly in smaller organizations and departments. It isn't always easy, or even possible to choose a time that will work for everyone who needs to attend.

No matter how carefully training sessions are planned, it seems that something always comes up at the last minute that keeps one or more of the employees from being able to attend a mandatory training session. When this happens, some of the employees get the training they need, and others do not.

While additional training sessions can always be scheduled at a later date, two instructor-led training sessions are never exactly the same. Even when the same training agenda is followed, there will likely be some inconsistency from one session to the next. When employees are going to be held to the same performance standards, it is vital to be sure that they all receive the same training.

Advantages of E-Learning in Corporate Training

With online training, there are benefits in terms of both scheduling convenience. Since e-learning is designed to be delivered on-demand, scheduling group training sessions is not an issue with this type of employee training. Employees can participate in online training as a group or individually, as allowed by their schedules.

With e-learning, content will remain consistent from one learner to the next, because of the manner in which online training is developed and delivered. The intervening variable of class composition and instructor personality is removed from the mix with online training. For training and human resources managers who are responsible for ensuring that all employees have equal access to training, this advantage is priceless.

An additional advantage of e-learning is the self-paced nature of the instruction. Those who require remediation can spend time acquiring the skills they need without being singled out in a classroom environment as being slower than their peers. Those with advanced skills can move quickly through the training materials, accomplishing the training objectives and goals at a pace that works for them.

Article by, Mary G. White, M.A., SPHR, the Training Coordinator for for Mobile Technical Institute & MTI Business Solutions, where she specializes in human resources, management, and marketing training. She teaches open enrollment classes for MTI, provides on-site corporate training, and frequently speaks at conferences and association meetings. MTI also provides a variety of consulting services, including IT Training, certification testing, HR consulting, custom database development and website solutions. For career and business development tips, see MTI's blogs, Daily Career Connection and Daily Biz Solutions.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 20, 2008 at 9:12 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

Current new college graduates and those who graduated in the early 1980s are remarkably similar, not only in the economic climate and job market they face as new graduates but also in their attitudes about work, according to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE compared the attitudes of the college Class of 2008 to those of the college Class of 1982, based on current survey results and those of a similar study conducted by the NACE Foundation in 1982.

"On work-life balance issues, the Class of 2008 and the Class of 1982 have nearly identical views," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "They share an expectation to work hard and make trade-offs for their job."

Highlights from the report show:

• Eighty-seven (87) percent of 2008 graduates expect to work more than 40 hours a week--as did 87 percent of Class of 1982 graduates.
• Forty (40) percent of 2008 graduates say they were willing to spend six or more nights away from home a month for their job; in 1982, 34 percent were willing to make the same trade-off.
• When asked about the importance of the job in relation to other aspects of life (family, health, community, free time, and so forth), 2008 respondents rated the job as more important or less important in the same pattern as did 1982 respondents.
• Graduates from both generations rated family, health, happiness, and ethics as more important than the job, while both groups said community, free time, and vacation were not more important than the job.

"Where we see differences between the generations are in the attributes they seek in employers," says Mackes. "Today's graduates are focused on security and stability: They are looking for an employer that offers opportunity for advancement, job security, and a good benefits package. Those who graduated in the early '80s were more focused on self-actualization. They looked for organizations to provide them with the opportunity to use their skills, the opportunity for personal development, and recognition."

Since 1956, theNational Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 20, 2008 at 8:50 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Unemployment is 6.1%. The market is being described in "storm of the century" language. Recession predictions of unemployment range upwards from 10%. Changing access to money all but guarantees that business expansion plans will slow down along with hiring activity on a broad, perhaps global, scale resulting in fewer hires.

Increased layoffs will mean that, for a time at least, the ability of your firm to cherry-pick qualified candidates with fewer recruiters is increasing - or is it? Have you issued a freeze on hiring yet?

The good news may be that if you are laying off, your remaining employees, nervous about their jobs, will be less likely to leave - resulting in fewer replacement hires. Then again, getting someone to jump to you will be that much harder.

A year ago we asked CXR Colloquium members if they had contingency plans for a slowdown in the economy. Few said yes and fewer cared. But consider this scenario: What happens to your staffing organization, budget and people if your leaders put a 6-month freeze on all hiring?

Now may be the time. Get some stakeholders together and ask:

• How will the current volatility in the US and Global markets impact staffing?
• Are there opportunities to protect some staff by proposing them as coaches in support of layoffs?

Is it time to reassign staff to metric, referral, branding, workforce planning or other initiatives in order protect the wealth of knowledge you've built internally and prepare for a more competitive approach to staffing once the down cycle shifts back to growth?
Propose CRM efforts to engage prospects 6- months to a year or more in advance?

Article courtesy of Career Xroads, the staffing strategy connection, bringing together corporate staffing professionals who "get it" to share best practices.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 20, 2008 at 8:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Many years ago, I worked part-time in a discount department store. During that time, I often listened to my coworkers talking about the mystery shoppers who would come in from time to time. We didn't know who they were, of course, but we knew they existed. If I ever encountered one, I don't know. What I do know is how fascinated I was by the idea of being a mystery shopper, getting paid to go shopping. There's more to it than that, though.

PremierShoppers.com is a Web site that connects recruiters - yes, I wrote recruiters - and mystery shopping candidates. There are many companies in need of people to either review their companies or check out their competition and report back. PremierShoppers.com makes it easy. It's like a specialized job board and they are serious about their business. They have a resume wizard, complete confidentiality for candidates, and a questionnaire to help applicants determine what companies would fit best with their skills.

If you want to earn a little extra money or you just like the idea of getting paid to shop, maybe a visit to PremierShoppers.com can help you find the secret shopping job of your dreams.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 17, 2008 at 8:04 AM | Leave a Comment (2)

This is not another article about how to recruit diverse candidates. It's not even about why diversity is important to your business. This article is much more about inclusion than diversity. Specifically, this article will provide practical pointers for helping you hire people likely to embrace and execute inclusive behaviors. It's these people who develop others and maximize their potential, and cultivate go-to performance in others.

Why inclusion matters

Let's first clarify the difference between diversity and inclusion. The two words have been used too interchangeably for a distinction between them to be clear. Yet, consider this simple explanation:

• Diversity: The extent to which an organization has employees with a variety of critical characteristics.
• Inclusion: The extent to which an organization embraces, utilizes, capitalizes on, and provides equal treatment to employees with a variety of critical characteristics.

Note that in neither case do we limit diversity to gender, race, and other dimensions that are the focus of traditional workplace diversity initiatives. We apply it to any characteristic on which people are likely to differ substantially - language, conflict-resolution style, people from sales versus people from operations, etc.

Having a diverse organization is not the same as actually engaging the diverse talent that it presents. An organization can be diverse without inclusively engaging everyone. All other things being equal, the inclusive organization wins.

But why? One reason is that the inclusive organization has more people using more skills. This will probably lead to better problem solving and execution. A second reason is that as more people participate in critical ways, their engagement is increased. This should in turn lead to better commitment and service to both internal and external customers. Third, as engagement increases, so should retention.

Examples of inclusive behaviors and why they are important

Inclusion is typically thought of in a context of diversity, and therefore addresses the extent to which all people are provided the same opportunities and assignments, not just at surface level, but down to the subtleties. Here is what inclusive behavior might look like:

• A manager spreads important assignments throughout her group and lets all staff members prove themselves equally. She assumes that all her direct reports can handle responsibility, regardless of demographic characteristics. She sets an expectation that becomes a positive self-fulfilling prophesy.
• A manager inherits a department that was realigned. He coaches his new team members with the same rigor as his own legacy employees, so that they can grow and contribute. He actively seeks to learn from them, since they had a different way of doing things than he was used to.

Yet, how many times have you seen a manager rely on one or two go-to people on a team? How many times have you observed legacy employees enjoying the inside track on choice assignments? That's not inclusion, and it holds the organization back. Inclusion is the subtle variable that converts diversity to productivity.

Hiring people likely to embrace inclusion

An organization that wants more go-to performers should hire people who demonstrably and inclusively see the capacity for everyone around them to achieve critical goals. Behavioral interviews have been shown repeatedly in organizational literature to be relatively valid gauges of subsequent performance. Therefore, if we can identify exactly how we want inclusion to be demonstrated, we can ask behavioral questions about how candidates have demonstrated such inclusion in the past.

Behavioral interview questions ask the candidate to provide a specific example of a time when they demonstrated a specific job-relevant skill - teamwork, getting results, attention to detail, planning and organization, using Excel, etc. For example: "Describe a situation where you had to meet a challenging deadline. How did you go about it?" Or, "Tell me about a time when you coached a staff member to embrace a difficult change. How did you do it, and how did it work out?"

The logic behind the approach is that candidates provide more in-depth information than they would with simple attitude questions. In the example about deadlines above, a candidate will provide much more revealing information by describing the specific steps taken than by generically saying, "I love a good challenge."

Behavioral interview questions that directly target inclusion

The behavioral method lends itself well to hiring for inclusive behavior. The following questions target a candidate's inclination to capitalize on the range of diverse talent and experience that others can offer.

• Describe something you've done that shows how you try to learn from people who approach things differently than you do.
• Tell me about a situation where you assigned a project to people with different styles or backgrounds so they could work together and learn from one another.
• Describe an example that shows how you mentor people from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

Perspectives of interviewers who've applied the approach

Let's look at a few actual examples where this was done. Peggy Davis, Bureau Chief of Policy and Programs for the State of Montana, asked the following question when interviewing for a Human Resource Specialist position: "Describe a specific time when you contributed to a team climate where differences are valued and supported." Explains Ms. Davis, "I was looking for the ability to describe how people brought different strengths to a team, and that through the course of them bringing different strengths, the whole of the group would be stronger."

Mary Noel, Chief of Medicaid Managed Care Bureau for the State of Montana, asked the following question when interviewing for a Care Management Supervisor position: "Describe a specific time when you sought out the diverse perspectives and talents of others to accomplish an objective." "I asked the question to .... see how adept they were at getting advice from other people and not just relying on their own knowledge and background," explains Ms. Noel, "and to make sure they are not just going to one person all the time, that they would get a variety of perspectives."

Cary Descoteaux, Manager of Claims Quality and Audit for Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, explains: "If you can't think of a time when you've actually applied a particular practice, it is not something that is going to be ingrained in you ... Our staff reflects the diverse demographics of the people we serve, so being able to recognize, appreciate, and work with differences is essential for success with both external and internal customers."

What your organization can do

Through behavioral interviewing for inclusion, the people you hire are more likely to work and/or manage inclusively. They will also likely pursue business practices that bolster inclusion. This leads to better organizational decisions, better support for decisions, and more engagement. These of course are stepping stones to better productivity.

To travel the inclusive path, your recruiters first would have to recognize that inclusion is a job skill worth hiring for. Second, recruiters would need to be trained in behavioral interviewing techniques. Third, they would need to know how to ask behavior-based questions that explore inclusion.

The most important take-away is that interviewing for an inclusion orientation is a potent step to enhancing an organization's inclusiveness. Many organizations focus on training toward this end, without capitalizing on the hiring potential. New employees who walk in the door with an inclusion orientation are more likely to be highly engaged from the start, more likely to support the engagement of their co-workers, and more likely to remain engaged until they walk out the door at the end of their careers.

Article by, Perry Alter and Greg Morris and courtesy of Kenndy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 16, 2008 at 8:28 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The new FTC Identity Theft "Red Flags" guidelines take affect on November 1, 2008. Are you aware of your obligations under these new provisions? If your organization conducts background checks, these regulations affect you. All users of consumer reports must implement procedures to deal with any notices of address discrepancies they receive from a nationwide consumer reporting agency (mainly credit bureaus such as Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). These policies and procedures must be designed to help the user confirm that the consumer report and the consumer match.

If you weren't aware of these guidelines or how to comply, you've come to the right place. We just produced a free webinar with Seyfarth Shaw labor and employment attorney, Pam Devata.

The webinar can be downloaded by clicking here. Simply fill out the information requested and you're good to go.

Article by, Nick Fishman and courtesy of EmployeescreenIQ

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 16, 2008 at 8:05 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Survey: International Experience Increasingly Important for Accounting Professionals

To get a good job at home, tomorrow's accounting professionals may first need to work abroad, a new survey suggests. Seven out of 10 (71 percent) chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed said international experience will be necessary for accounting and finance professionals five years from now. This is up from 56 percent in 2002, when the same question was asked of finance executives.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Management Resources and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CFOs across the United States.

CFOs were asked, "How necessary do you feel international experience will be for accounting and finance professionals five years from now?" Their responses:

"The accelerating pace of globalization and the impending U.S. adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards will continue to drive demand for accounting and finance professionals with international business experience," said Paul McDonald, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources. "Professionals who are bilingual and have had exposure to other countries' tax, compliance, legal and regulatory issues have a competitive advantage in the job market, particularly among the largest firms."

McDonald continued, "Job seekers who are unable to work in another country can still enhance their career prospects by gaining an understanding of different cultures, languages and business protocol to better serve their companies and clients around the globe."

About the Survey
The national study was developed by Robert Half Management Resources. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CFOs from a random sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees. For the study to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments are represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportion of employees within each region.

Article courtesy of Robert Half Management Resources has more than 150 locations worldwide and offers online job search services.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 15, 2008 at 10:56 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In all of our lives, there is a silent force at work. Every day, in almost every way, it distorts the truth and oddly, gives us pleasure in the process.

That force is the need to assign blame to others. To insist that they caused this or that, made us look bad, held us back, interfered with our would-be success, left us alone, prevented us from being alone, made our companies fail, drove us to bankruptcy, denied us of love, loved us too much. It goes on and on. The music of blame. The perpetual motion machine that saves us from fault, from sin, from responsibility.

From everything we don't want to face in ourselves.

From the fact that what we pretend is black and white - I'm right, they're wrong- is always grey. Worse than that:

It is always our fault. Mine. Yours. Not the other person's. Not the competing firm. Not the SOB who beat us to market or landed the promotion we wanted. Just us. Naked us. If we accept this, if we forego the urge to affix blame elsewhere, we have to stand alone, suck it up and move on.

Imagine a day when no one blamed anyone for anything. What a joyous, cleansing dose of self-reliance that would be. The blame game just sucks us into the black hole of escapism that absolves us from actually facing up to and dealing with our own shortcomings.

And it gets so absurd. In the Palin/Biden debate, the two people seeking to be a heartbeat away from the nuclear codes, were assigning blame for global warming. Biden on mankind. Palin on the cycles of nature. If there is a threat from global warming, what the hell is the good of holding a Salem witch hunt to find the imaginary culprits.

Similarly, a paralyzed and completely immoral Congress is about to go on a rampage of "Don't blame us" hearings on who caused the financial meltdown. Having someone to blame will feel so good because no one who actually caused the disaster will have to look in the mirror and admit, much less feel, responsibility. We all know life is lived in the grey area, but we revel in the fairy tale of black and white. When we fail, suddenly it all becomes so clear. They did it. It's his fault. She made it happen.

I'm innocent.

It may feel good to engage in this fantasy, but it is a charade that keeps us locked in a pattern of limitations that stunts our intellectual and spiritual growth.

There is one way to change this and it is a difficult pill to swallow. Admit that no one else is at fault. It is our doing. And our responsibility, our opportunity, our freedom to make it right.

Frightening as this may be, there is no greater form of liberation.

Article by, Mark Stevens, the bestselling author of "Your Marketing Sucks," "Your Management Sucks" and"God Is A Salesman." Stevens is CEO of MSCO, a global marketing firm, who has advised many clients over the years such as Estee Lauder, Virgin Atlantic, Guardian Insurance, MONY, Giorgio Armani, Starwood, Intrawest, etc. Stevens delivers more than 40 speeches annually and is a regularly featured media commentator, lending his insights and opinions on Fox Business Network, to the Associated Press, on CNN International, BBC Radio and Bloomberg TV.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 15, 2008 at 9:39 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

While unemployment rates continue to dominate headlines, IT employment posted a modest increase in September and delivered another all-time high during the month, according to the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB), which tracks monthly IT employment. The association reports that IT employment reached 3,925,600 in September, a record high. While the September gain of 3,600 (.1%) from the previous month was modest, IT employment continues to display surprising resilience. In fact, from September 2007 through the current month, IT employment was up 4.9%, far outpacing the general employment market. The broader job market continues to shed jobs, losing 159,000 jobs in September alone. While general unemployment held steady at 6.1% in September (up 1.4% since a year ago) after surging nearly half a percentage point in August, the unemployment rate for college educated workers actually receded from 2.7% in August to 2.5% in September. "While a number of my member companies report softening demand in certain geographic regions and among clients in certain sectors, the resilience of overall IT employment to-date remains heartening," comments Mark Roberts, CEO of NACCB. "While the long-term growth prospects of IT employment remain very strong, it is unclear how IT employment will continue to fare in the short-term and mid-term in the face of deteriorating conditions in the broader economy," adds Roberts. The IT employment index is published by the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB), the national trade association representing IT staffing and solutions firms.

Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 15, 2008 at 9:16 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The European Employment Strategy has paid off in terms of creating both more and better jobs, according to the new European Restructuring Monitor's (ERM) annual report 2008 from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound). The report, which examines patterns of employment expansion in Europe between the years of 1995-2006, concludes that women workers in particular have benefited from this period of stronger European employment growth. Most Member States of the European Union have generated both more and better jobs in the decade since 1995, especially in the EU 15 area. The proportion of working age population in active employment has risen from 60% to 66% in the EU 15, with total employment growing by more than 22 million jobs. "The overall picture is very positive.... More and better jobs, and more opportunities for women, are created in Europe, representing a shift towards the knowledge economy," says Jorma Karppinen, Eurofound's Director. "But the same progress has led to increasing difficulties for low-skilled workers or workers displaced in declining industries. Policymakers have to be wary about stagnating employment growth in low-paid jobs. This can mean fewer employment opportunities for low-skilled workers at a time when the decline of new medium-quality jobs creates an obstacle to upward mobility in the employment structure." The best performers in terms of job quantity and quality were Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg and Sweden, according to the ERM 2008 Report, More and better jobs: patterns of employment expansion in Europe. Most of the jobs were located in knowledge-intensive services, especially in the business services sector and the health and education sectors. In comparison, the report points out that other countries, including Spain, Greece and Italy also experienced a large expansion in employment, but this expansion was flatter in terms of quality and less concentrated in higher quality jobs. The Netherlands, France and Cyprus showed intense job creation at the top and at the bottom with a big gap in the middle. The report also concludes that low-paid jobs have become more atypical in the EU since 1995. In many countries, most employment created in low-paid jobs was part-time or fixed-term, whereas full-time permanent jobs in the low-paid segment were either destroyed or remained stagnant. Migrant workers from outside the EU tended to occupy the lowest-paid jobs. In Spain, Cyprus, Ireland and Greece, for example, the report points to the finding that most of the net jobs created in the two bottom job quality quintiles in these countries were taken up by non-EU nationals.

Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 15, 2008 at 9:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Running workshops for organisations about marketing and social media, I always take the time to read the feedback from delegates so that I can understand what has worked well and what I need to improve the next time.

With an increasing focus on value for money, I was not surprised to see some feedback from a recent workshop about the investment that people made in the workshop. For the first time ever, the organisation I was delivering a programme for received feedback that the cost of the event was too expensive - yet they have held their workshop pricing the same over several years.

The increasing number of training and workshops that are being provided for less than 100 euros or even free I am sure has altered peoples perceptions of what is value for money when it comes to events and workshops.

However this feedback did get me to reflect on how we as delegates evaluate how effective a programme has been in terms of the return on investment.

Is our view only taken as a snapshot in time at the end of the event when we are asked to complete an evaluation form?

Why don't we review the effectiveness of the workshop or training several weeks or even months later when we have implemented what we have learned and understood how that learning has made us more effective, able to deliver new solutions to clients, attract more clients or even charge more for our services and products?

I know one person who attended the workshop in question and within a week of the event they had attracted more business partners and more customers by implementing just one of the strategies covered - so of course their perception therefore was that the workshop was of great value.

Attending events, conferences and workshops which cost not just money but are an investment of our time can help us steer a course during times of uncertainty - but only if we take action and implement what we have learned then evaluate how effective that is.

So whether it be a free teleclass, a paid for workshop or an expensive conference, if you have attended an event in the last 90 days, what could you implement from what you learned that could bring you greater success in the year ahead? What support and resources do you need? When will you take action?

At the end of the 90 days, why not reflect then if the event was worth it when you truly know the return on your investment?

Article by Krishna De and courtesy of Biz Growth News blog

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 15, 2008 at 8:39 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Study of Corporate Diversity Initiatives

As corporate workforces start to resemble Olympic villages, and globalization intensifies trans-national and cross-cultural workplace interactions, diversity programs are becoming a mission-critical piece of most organizations.

According to a recent study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), nearly three-quarters of all responding companies, and a whopping 85% of firms with 10,000 or more workers, have either expanded the scope of their diversity strategies thanks to globalization or have plans to do so. Continue reading about diversity strategies ...

Article by George Lenard, the originator of George's Employment Blawg, has over twenty years of experience in all aspects of labor and employment law, including preventive law as well as litigation. His special interests include employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and noncompetition agreements. He is currently a managing partner with Harris, Dowell, Fisher & Harris, L.C., in St. Louis, Missouri, and lives in the suburb of University City with his wife and family.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 15, 2008 at 8:19 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In one of the most difficult economic environments on record, American workers are struggling to achieve career success with half their brain tied behind their backs. At least that's the provocative claim by Peter Weddle, the author of an innovative, new business fable entitled, Recognizing Richard Rabbit. "It's astonishing just how effective American workers have been, given that most are not using all of the talent with which they've been endowed," says Weddle. "If they're creative, they rely on the right hemisphere of their brain and ignore the left. If they're analytical, they turn to the left hemisphere of their brain and forget about the right. It's a natural propensity, but one with especially serious implications today." Weddle further adds, "In effect, America's working men and women are confronting the most challenging workplace and the most difficult job market in several generations, and doing so with just half of the insight and wisdom they possess." Weddle's new book, Recognizing Richard Rabbit is designed to correct that shortcoming, a fable which explores the secret to personal effectiveness. Says Weddle, it's a tale about some forest animals that learn just what it takes to find "the You of your dreams," the authentic person who represents the best of you that you can be. Unlike traditional fables, however, Recognizing Richard Rabbit empowers the reader to acquire this self-knowledge by using all of their brain. Weddle's book uses both the right hand and left hand side of the page to stimulate both sides of the brain: The right hand page of the book puts forth a fable which encourages readers to use the right hemisphere of their brain to tap their imagination and discover their own true self. The left hand page of the book offers a self-interview that parallels the fable and poses a series of probing questions that ask readers to use their logic to identify and overcome the impediments to being faithful to themselves. Together, says Weddle, these two pathways bring the reader to a more complete and wholesome recognition of their best self so that they can be the masters of their career.

Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 14, 2008 at 11:43 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

Stimulating the economy, keeping jobs in the U.S. and managing security risks are three of the biggest issues that America is facing today. Two studies released by the CGI Coalition for Mission Results, a public policy initiative formed earlier this year between CGI and major academic institutions, outline a multi-faceted strategic plan devised to address job creation and the IT workforce in the U.S.

With the economy in flux and the current unemployment rate at 6.1 %, new high-quality U.S. jobs are needed in rural communities as Americans struggle with continuing job loss. The studies suggest that the on-shoring business model, through public-private partnerships, can provide significant economic stimulus in rural communities through the creation of lasting, high quality jobs in America's rural hometowns and give young people the opportunity to work and stay in the communities where they grew up.

On-shore jobs enhance productivity and cost savings
"Information technology is our newest national resource. High quality jobs with proximity to clients create enhanced productivity and value for all of our stakeholders while supporting our rural communities across the country," says Donna Morea, President, CGI, U.S. On-shoring helps manage security risks in the world of global IT services delivery. When sensitive IT solutions and infrastructure are kept in the U.S, there is less risk of overseas exposure to national security issues, Morea adds.

While off-shore outsourcing can generate cost savings of 20-40% for applications projects compared to major U.S. cities, domestic on-shoring in mid-sized cities and rural areas can generate 30% savings, according a July 2007 report published by the Information Technology Association of America.

Responding to the challenge
The first study, Securing America's Future: Tools for Achieving U.S. Technology Independence and Job Growth, outlines the challenges facing the U.S. in achieving technology independence and job growth and recommends ways in which the government can respond to those challenges. "The past two decades have witnessed a significant outsourcing of not only low-skill production jobs, but more importantly the outsourcing of high-quality, skilled jobs in IT," says author Dr. Lester Salamon, founding director and principal research scientist, Institute for Policy Studies, at Johns Hopkins University. "This is not only an economic concern, but it has become a matter of special urgency in light of the security issues posed by having critical national intelligence and business information handled overseas."

U.S.-based IT companies average an ongoing inventory of 470 job openings for skilled positions, while technology companies focused on defense specifically average more than 1,200, according to the National Foundation for American Policy's March 2008 report, Talent Search: Job Openings and the Need for Skilled Labor in the U.S. By actively growing domestic IT capacity, the U.S. can stimulate rural growth and help to keep these jobs at home, and possibly even bring jobs back that had been sent overseas.

Case studies for creating jobs
The second study, Creating Jobs in America: Case Studies and Recommendations for Local Job Development, authored by Dr. Darrene Hackler, associate professor, Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University, examines case studies of how U.S. private sector companies are using on-shoring as an effective economic development tool in local communities.

Hackler addresses how localities can experience economic growth in terms of jobs and tax revenues with private sector investments from companies located in traditional urban centers that are considering low-cost domestic locations instead of global off-shoring. Additionally, the study examines economic development potential and impact of on-shoring in order for communities to experience sustainable development that leads to competitiveness and further upgrading of the local economy.

One case study describes how CGI invested in a U.S.-based technology center to foster a rural economic transformation. CGI's Southwest Virginia Center of Excellence in Lebanon is a model of how a public-private effort can help revitalize an economically depressed community while protecting sensitive data and technology, the report states. Opened in 2007, this facility is projected to generate in excess of $65 million in economic activity in the region by 2010. Hackler also makes recommendations to public officials at the local, state, and federal levels by detailing factors and policies that support the development of on-shoring opportunities.

Both studies are available online at www.coalitionformissionresults.org.

Article courtesy of Kennedy Information Recruiting Trends providing leading edge insights and strategies for the recruiting professional

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 13, 2008 at 11:37 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

From Wall Street to Main Street - the Ripple Effect

Homeowners who have had to default on subprime mortgages (and Wall Street executives who have had to leave their positions in disgrace hauling away their last millions of loot) are far from the only people being hurt during the current crisis. According to an article in the Sept. 15 edition of Crain's New York Business.com:

Before Lehman Brothers went bankrupt and Merrill Lynch was forced to sell itself, the deepening subprime mortgage crisis had prompted estimates of Wall Street job losses to soar from 2,000 to 33,000 during the current downtown.

According to the article, each securities job in New York City "creates two others," meaning employers from law firms to restaurants and luxury retailers will feel the pinch. And while the impact of the turmoil in financial markets might be biggest on Wall Street and around the Big Apple generally, it's now becoming obvious that as the credit crisis spreads Main Street companies and employees are also feeling pinched. Continue reading about how to stay afloat ...

Article by George Lenard, the originator of George's Employment Blawg, has over twenty years of experience in all aspects of labor and employment law, including preventive law as well as litigation. His special interests include employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and noncompetition agreements. He is currently a managing partner with Harris, Dowell, Fisher & Harris, L.C., in St. Louis, Missouri, and lives in the suburb of University City with his wife and family.

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 13, 2008 at 10:57 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

This comes from National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig.

A bruising partisan battle over an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws is expected to surface in the early days of the next Congress and new presidential administration, a clash that already has lawmakers, lobbyists and immigration advocates gearing up to fight. The stage was set in a little-noticed provision in the continuing resolution that Congress recently passed to keep the federal government functioning into March. The provision gives a short-term extension to the Homeland Security Department's E-Verify program, which offers employers an online tool to verify the legal status of workers. The extension ends March 6 -- a mere 45 days after either Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois or Republican candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona takes office. "Does a President McCain or Obama want to step in next March in the middle of a cat fight? Hell no," one congressional aide said. Some lawmakers, mostly Republicans, sought a long-term extension of E-Verify. Continue reading about E-Verify ...

Article by, Jason Morris and courtesy of EmployeescreenIQ

Posted by Candice Arnold on October 13, 2008 at 10:44 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Survey Shows Thank-You Notes Influence Hiring Decisions, But Only Half of Candidates Send Them

Your mother told you to do it, and now a new survey shows she was right: Sending a thank-you note not only displays impeccable manners but also may give job hopefuls an edge over other applicants. While nearly nine out of 10 of executives polled (88 percent) said sending a thank-you note following an interview can boost a job seeker's chances, they also estimate that half of applicants (49 percent) fail to do so. The good news: More candidates are following up post-interview today than five years ago.

The national poll included responses from 150 senior executives -- including those from human resources, finance and marketing departments -- with the nation's 1,000 largest companies. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps.

Eighty-eight percent of executives said they consider a post-interview thank-you note influential when evaluating candidates, a slight increase from when executives were asked this same question five years ago (86 percent in 2002).

Executives polled said half (51 percent) of the candidates they interview send thank-you notes afterward, compared with 39 percent five years ago.

Executives also were asked, "How do you prefer to receive thank-you messages from candidates following interviews?" Their responses:

"Regardless of how someone believes he or she performed during the interview, sending a short thank-you note afterward demonstrates initiative and courtesy," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). "Conveying appreciation in a well-written message is not only polite, it also can distinguish a job applicant from others vying for the same position."

Messmer added that the best strategy often is to send an e-mail shortly after the interview, followed by more formal correspondence. "E-mail ensures immediacy, but hiring managers still favor the personal touch of a handwritten note," he said.

According to Accountemps, thank-you notes should be just a few paragraphs in length and accomplish three objectives: Express your appreciation for the opportunity; reinforce your interest in the job; and restate the value you can bring to the organization.

Article courtesy of Accountemps with more than 350 offices throughout North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and offers online job search services.