Discover the "red flags" that can alert you to future problems from job applicants. … [Read more...]
What Jobs Should The U.S. Be Creating?
February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The news about jobs is getting better. The unemployment rate dipped for the fifth straight month to 8.3 percent. The number of jobs being created has been rising at a rate of 200,000 each month, topped by 243,000 jobs added in January alone. That is great news for the economy and fuel for a surge on Wall Street, where the Nasdaq hit an 11-year high and the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a peak not seen since 2008. Does this mean the U.S. economy has found a cure for the recession or a strategy to relieve and mask the symptoms of a deeper, more serious problem? The truth is that it's likely a little of both. Unfortunately that means that sooner than later the problem will resurface, much like an untreated cancer eventually … [Read more...]
Checking References – Instant Hiring Video Tip
February 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Learn a simple and quick technique that maximizes the quality and quantity of information that you get from job applicant references. … [Read more...]
Defining Job Expectations – Instant Hiring Video Tip
February 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Setting clear job expectations BEFORE you start recruiting ends up saving you a tremendous amount of time and hassles. … [Read more...]
How Many Job Applicants Does it Take to Find One Qualified Candidate?
February 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment
While the question sounds like the preamble to a funny punch line, the answer is no laughing matter. According to an article last week in the Wall Street Journal, it takes many more than most employers think (or at least want to accept.) I repeat - a lot more. The actual numbers are numbing. For example, an infographic presented in the article revealed that it takes approximately 1,000 online views by candidates to get 100 candidates to complete the application. Out of that, 25 applications are selected for review, then 4 to 6 candidates are recommended for an interview. When all is said and done, companies may find their one diamond in the rough only after 1,000 candidates view the job posting. If those numbers hold up, it is clear … [Read more...]
Hiring Administrative Assistants – Instant Hiring Video Tip
February 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Are you in the process of hiring an administrative assistant? Don't make that job offer until you watch this tip. This one suggestion could change the way you think about administrative assistant requirements forever! … [Read more...]
Why Employers Have It All Wrong About Employee Motivation.
February 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Employee engagement of American workers is pathetic. According to recent Gallup Employee Engagement Index survey, seventy-one (71) percent of American workers are "not engaged" or "actively disengaged" in their work, meaning they are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and are less likely to be productive. That leaves only one-third of American workers who are "engaged," or involved in and enthusiastic about their work. Part, if not most, of the reason why employee engagement is so bad is that employers go about motivating employees all wrong. The problem begins with a misunderstanding of the very basics of motivational theory. Most managers believe some people are motivated, and others are not. That's wrong - plain and … [Read more...]
DISCover How To Get People to Listen To You
January 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
When people communicate face to face, they deliver messages on three channels. You need to listen to all 3 channels if you want to hear what the other person is saying. Likewise, if you want to gain the attention of others, you must be able to identify and tune into the right channel of your audience. What are these three channels? Verbal - words. Most people believe it is the words you use that differentiate good from bad communication. While important, the words used are only one channel. In fact, some research says that less than 10 percent of effective communication is driven by the words you use. A majority of people tune you out and never hear your words when you don't first broadcast your message on the right channel. Visual - … [Read more...]
9 of the Best Workforce Predictions for 2012
January 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
1. Skills Gap -We not only face a quantitative shortage of skilled workers but an imbalance between needed and available skills is making hiring difficult. A study by SHRM and others in late 2010 showed that only 32 percent of U.S. college graduates have "excellent" skills as they enter the working world and only 16 percent of high-school graduates have such skills. Young people are less prepared than ever, forcing employers to adopt new online recruiting strategies, new employee screening processes, new hire training including basic reading and math literacy, improved apprenticeships and mentoring programs, and other on-the-job training and development programs to build skills. 2. Résumé Overload (the Resu-mess) - The number of job … [Read more...]
3 Reasons Companies Must Engage Workers
December 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The need to engage workers, not just pay them, is a popular topic. Just type "employee engagement" into Google and you'll quickly come up with nearly 6 million results. Type in "how to engage workers" and you'll get over 73 million responses. It's obvious a lot of people are seeking answers and even more offering help. But somewhere there is a disconnect between knowing what a company must do and what they do in practice. Why the gap? Engaging employees, especially top performers, is hard work. It requires managers to show sincere appreciation and continuous feedback to their workers. Management must create a culture of trust and hope. It's not easy in today's world of global competition and economic instability. But those companies that … [Read more...]
Why DISC Dosen’t Work for Employee Screening.
November 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
First of all, DISC has been around a long, long time. While the acronym DISC was adopted sometime in the mid-twentieth century, the four-style behavioral model was first described by Hippocrates somewhere around 400 B.C. If longevity has anything to do with credibility, the DISC assessment certainly has time on its side and centuries of endorsement. Another reason is that DISC is also one of the most user-friendly assessments available. Most DISC assessments require only 10 to 15 minutes to complete, the questions are very easy to understand, and face validity (which means the participant agrees with the results of the assessment) is extremely high. And while fees vary widely, the cost is generally below $100, often times significantly … [Read more...]
