I find it fascinating that candidates still hang up on recruiters. It happens rarely but the fact remains it happens. Those candidates don’t want to listen to us speak, or give us any information about what they do, and why is that? Candidates don’t listen to us unless they need us and that shouldn’t be the case. Everyone has a lawyer for hard times, everyone has a doctor when their sick and everyone has an accountant for tax season. Isn’t it just logical that candidates would have a recruiter for career advice and advancement? You only need a lawyer when you’re in court, a doctor when you’re sick or an accountant on April 15^th. Yet most candidates Monday-Friday 40+ hours a week are working a constant career. They must keep in contact with a recruiter they trust.

Most good recruiters can find out enough pertinent information about a candidate’s career background in just 15 minutes on the phone. That 15 minute call allows us to better understand the type of opportunity that candidate needs and wants as a next step. It’s the difference between calling them when that “right fit” opportunity comes and not calling them.

The point is listen, actively listen. Talk to a recruiter, ask for advice, and get honest opinions. If we don’t think you’re right for a job we will tell you why. If we think your perfect for a job, we’ll tell you why. We will give you unbiased career advice as your career advisor. So call a recruiter and open up to them. Your future career path may depend on it.

Strategic onboarding improves executive retention

In too many companies new managers experience a less-than-rewarding introduction to the job. Strategic onboarding programs are either non-existent or executed poorly.

Onboarding is a formal process for integrating new hires into their roles with the organization. The best programs include a high level of personal interaction and are customized to meet the needs of the individual and the position. “Taking this approach can increase the effectiveness of the new manager and help companies get a better return on their recruiting investment,” said answerQuest CEO Paul Silitsky.

“A good onboarding program is not to be confused with the new employee orientation approach that most of us have suffered through during the course of our careers,” he said. “It is based on clear and measurable goals that are communicated to everyone involved in the process and it involves much more than providing a work space, a computer password and office supplies.” Although he notes, these practical necessities shouldn’t be overlooked either.

The goals of the onboarding program, according to Silitsky, should be to:

• Support the company brand as a good place to work.
• Reduce the time it takes new employees to become productive.
• Determine how best to manage individual new hires.
• Keep new employees from changing their minds.

“The onboarding process should begin during the recruitment process and extend beyond the first few days the employee is on the job,” says Silitsky. “It should be treated as a partnership that includes the new hire, an HR professional and a manager who is either senior to or on the same reporting level as the new hire.”

Silitsky has found the elements that characterize an effective onboarding strategy include:

• Clear vision of the position.
• Defined deliverables.
• Participation of key constituents.
• Involvement in a peer group.

Most importantly, doing a good job of onboarding means that management keeps in touch with new hires as they integrate into the organization, says Silitsky. “The process should make it easy for them to ask questions and express their concerns. Otherwise these things may first come out during an exit interview six months into the job.”

By Lauren Cohen, Executive Recruiter Technology Sales

Today’s economic conditions have provided frustration for many sales professionals in the job market. While some view this economy as a “half-empty glass,” you can be assured there is plenty of opportunity for the “glass half-filled candidates” in this market. Now is a great time to find a new sales position!

The core values and traits quality sales professionals embody are of great value in today’s economy. Sales professionals are coached to be persistent, to have a strong work ethic, and to close clients on why their product would be the best. With the job market recovering, sales professionals can call upon their expertise and passion to further their own careers. When trying to land a job the persistent candidate thrives. Strong work ethic can easily be documented from past sales positions.  And the ability to close is another very useful skill when making the case that you are the right person for the position.  Sales people have all the essential expertise that hiring officials look for when finding a prime candidate in this job market.

The hiring process in today’s market is a lot like closing a deal for a sales person. Listen, instead of doing most of the talking. It shows you want to know the customer/ hiring official’s needs.  Close the hiring official, much like you would close a sales deal It shows you have the ability to close and be successful at it. And most importantly, have fun doing it! As a sales person, you have the ability to control your own destiny.

As the saying goes, “Pressure either bursts pipes or makes diamonds,” and in the sales professional’s interview process, it is a prime time to make diamonds and go out there and shine.

Direct from the answerQuest team: Why can a recruiter do a better job at gauging the viability of a candidate than my Director of HR?

Jeff Feibelman: Because a candidate has one goal in mind –that’s to interview with that company the HR director is working for… so they will say what needs to be said to get in the door only to find out they aren’t right.. With a recruiter, we gauge the candidate on all levels for any potential job thus learning who they are as a person… not just their qualifications for a specific role.

Martin Schwartz: Because ALL we do is recruit, we don’t have other jobs, tasks, etc. – we eat at night if we make a placement or we don’t!

Chris Levin: It’s simply this, HR has many other things on their plate other than just recruiting. Recruiters dedicate their time learning how to gauge the viability of a candidate…and then they go into practice of gauging the viability of candidates, on the phone, for 7 hours a day.

It boils down to time, and recruiters have dedicated more time to knowing the ins and outs of candidates.

Meredith Michaelson: A recruiter’s sole function is to search out top talent and identify and qualify candidates before presenting them to the hiring company. In addition a recruiter is totally objective and can really focus on the skills the candidate possess and focus on how they can be an asset to the organization.  Recruiters spend time going after candidates that are CURRENTLY employed and successful and do not wait for resumes to come to them.

Whereas an HR Director has multiple functions within the organization and does not have time to sift through the resumes that come in and also spend time qualifying them before passing them on to the hiring manager.  They are not able to go after the “A” players who are still employed and try to recruit them out.

Can you do your job on a part-time basis and give it the focus you do now? Contact a member of our experienced answerQuest team to discuss your recruiting needs.

by Tafari Alexander, Director Certified Career Coach
Healthcare Software Sales
Interactive Marketing Sales

The economy is picking up.  Every survey says CEO’s will be hiring. The market is making more jobs than a year ago. But are you better off than you were a year ago? Many articles are written daily from the point of view of what the masses need to do to be more employable, but very few are focused on what bosses need to do to have people want to work for them.

The best managers have a fundamentally different understanding of workplace, company, and team dynamics. See what they get right.

1. Business is an ecosystem, not a battlefield.

Average bosses see business as a conflict between companies, departments and groups. They build huge armies of “troops” to order about, demonize competitors as “enemies,” and treat customers as “territory” to be conquered.

Extraordinary bosses see business as a symbiosis where the most diverse firm is most likely to survive and thrive. They naturally create teams that adapt easily to new markets and can quickly form partnerships with other companies, customers … and even competitors.

2. A company is a community, not a machine.

Average bosses consider their company to be a machine with employees as cogs. They create rigid structures with rigid rules and then try to maintain control by “pulling levers” and “steering the ship.”

Extraordinary bosses see their company as a collection of individual hopes and dreams, all connected to a higher purpose. They inspire employees to dedicate themselves to the success of their peers and therefore to the community–and company–at large.

3. Management is service, not control.

Average bosses want employees to do exactly what they’re told. They’re hyper-aware of anything that smacks of insubordination and create environments where individual initiative is squelched by the “wait and see what the boss says” mentality.

Extraordinary bosses set a general direction and then commit themselves to obtaining the resources that their employees need to get the job done. They push decision making downward, allowing teams form their own rules and intervening only in emergencies.

4. My employees are my peers, not my children.

Average bosses see employees as inferior, immature beings who simply can’t be trusted if not overseen by a patriarchal management. Employees take their cues from this attitude, expend energy on looking busy and covering their behinds.

Extraordinary bosses treat every employee as if he or she were the most important person in the firm. Excellence is expected everywhere, from the loading dock to the boardroom. As a result, employees at all levels take charge of their own destinies.

5. Motivation comes from vision, not from fear.

Average bosses see fear–of getting fired, of ridicule, of loss of privilege–as a crucial way to motivate people. As a result, employees and managers alike become paralyzed and unable to make risky decisions.

Extraordinary bosses inspire people to see a better future and how they’ll be a part of it. As a result, employees work harder because they believe in the organization’s goals, truly enjoy what they’re doing and (of course) know they’ll share in the rewards.

6. Change equals growth, not pain.

Average bosses see change as both complicated and threatening, something to be endured only when a firm is in desperate shape. They subconsciously torpedo change … until it’s too late.

Extraordinary bosses see change as an inevitable part of life. While they don’t value change for its own sake, they know that success is only possible if employees and organization embrace new ideas and new ways of doing business.

7. Technology offers empowerment, not automation.

Average bosses adhere to the old IT-centric view that technology is primarily a way to strengthen management control and increase predictability. They install centralized computer systems that dehumanize and antagonize employees.

Extraordinary bosses see technology as a way to free human beings to be creative and to build better relationships. They adapt their back-office systems to the tools, like smartphones and tablets that people actually want to use.

8. Work should be fun, not mere toil.

Average bosses buy into the notion that work is, at best, a necessary evil. They fully expect employees to resent having to work, and therefore tend to subconsciously define themselves as oppressors and their employees as victims. Everyone then behaves accordingly.

Extraordinary bosses see work as something that should be inherently enjoyable–and believe therefore that the most important job of manager is, as far as possible, to put people in jobs that can and will make them truly happy.

As competition increase, the importance of hiring right for your team becomes increasingly important—hiring the best possible players is the key. Make sure you are an extraordinary boss!

Much of this post contributed by:   Geoffrey James

http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/8-core-beliefs-of-extraordinary-bosses.html

The purpose of a resume is to market a candidate by presenting their skills and achievements in the best possible light. But in difficult or static job markets there is more temptation than ever to bend the truth a little to get the job. This can leave the company with employees who can’t do the job they were hired for or worse, one whose mistakes cost money and undermine hard won customer relationships.

Identifying “red flags” will help you ensure that you can identify candidates with a depth of experience and expertise. Here are a few pointers:

• Before sorting through your pile of resumes, have a checklist of essential skills, qualifications or attributes that are the “benchmark” for finding the right person. These include education, general and specific job experience, as well as skill and performance requirements.
• Look for unexplained time periods that might indicate unemployment or a job the applicant doesn’t want you to know about. Date-stretching to cover gaps is not uncommon. Check references to detect this.
• Though employee mobility has increased, as a general rule more time in once place shows loyalty. You don’t want to be hiring again in six months. However, even the best employees can sometimes have a short period in a specific role due to unforeseen, personal or uncontrollable circumstances.
• Watch out for resume filled with vague responsibilities and claims. Enhancing job titles is common practice. Check for inconsistencies between title, responsibilities and salary. Look for very specific details of achievements and outcomes.
• At the same time, don’t be “dazzled” by an achievement-based style of resume. Go behind it to consider actual roles and responsibilities. Flag achievements and require the candidate to elaborate in the interview.
• Salary is a common area for embellishment. This can be hard to detect, especially when you can’t check with a present employer. Ask for evidence such as a contract, pay slip or bank statements. If you are suspicious, aim to uncover half truths in interviews by asking probing questions.
• Check references. Always! Flag specific items to check with referees.
• In today’s market place employees can be highly mobile — both domestically and internationally. The internet has made it even more tempting to lie on a resume. There is no substitute for thorough checks on every critical aspect of a resume.

by Noel Glacer, Senior Vice President, Security

Don’t take interviewing lightly.  After all it’s not your full time job.

If you are committed to the interview and the potential of the meeting, then be sure to take some time to prepare. It does not take a long time to prepare, but it can take you a long way.  There are several interviewing tips located at http://www.answerquest.net/refresh/templates/candidate_resources.php?id=51

Take the time to take a look and use the resource.  Listed are tips about types of interview styles, do’s and don’ts, and ways to impress a potential new employer.

Some of the biggest “misses” I hear about from clients is that a candidate did not do their homework on their company.  Today, with LinkedIn and other on-line resources, it’s easy to find plenty of information on any interviewer out there as well as the company and other folks at the company.  It’s easy to get enough information to sound informed, interested and knowledgeable on the company.

My favorite piece of information from the AQ website is http://www.answerquest.net/refresh/templates/candidate_resources.php?id=51

It’s a simple list of 30 common sense things to review before going on an interview.  I advise all my candidates to review the list not once but twice, there is always something on the list that will have any candidate think “glad I reviewed that.”

Somebody once said, “Nothing is more uncommon than common sense.” Accordingly, here are 30 things to review prior to the interview that common sense should dictate:

1. Leave for the interview with plenty of time to spare for the unexpected: traffic jam, car trouble, etc.
2. Never go to an interview with a full bladder.
3. Never chew gum, and obviously not tobacco.
4. Don’t allow the job title to influence your decision.
5. Wear conservative business attire. If the venue is very casual, overdress slightly. (Men: wear a sport jacket and tie. Women: wear tailored separates.)
6. Never consider moving anywhere your family has no desire to live.
7. Never ask to use the hiring authority’s phone.
8. Don’t look at your watch.
9. Remove your sunglasses.
10. Maintain eye contact, but don’t stare.
11. Listen intently, so you don’t have to keep repeating, “I’m sorry, but could you say that again?”
12. Don’t ask about perks.
13. Ask for the spelling of the interviewer’s name and write it down.
14. Don’t mention a salary range in your resume or during an interview.
15. Don’t tailor your personality in an attempt to charm your interviewer.
16. Remain silent about your personal problems.
17. Go to the interview unaccompanied.
18. Don’t park at a meter or in a tow zone.
19. Don’t drop names.
20. Schedule nothing around your interview that will create a time crunch.
21. Turn off your cell phone.
22. Keep your eyes off the interviewer’s desk.
23. Don’t handle anything, especially personal belongings.
24. Get a haircut and shave if you need one.
25. Avoid strong fragrances.
26. Never be sarcastic.
27. If required to drive others, perhaps to lunch, obey the law, exercise caution, and stay calm.
28. Never criticize anyone, especially an employer.
29. If asked to complete a form or application, fill in every space. Never write, “See resume.”
30. Don’t linger. A long farewell is annoying.

Follow these common sense suggestions and go land that new opportunity!

by Paul Silitsky,  CEO

One of our clients, Peer 1 Hosting for whom I have tremendous respect, has a Leadership Vision:

At PEER 1, leadership is an essence that exists in everyone, and our commitment is in creating an environment where each and every person can realize and express this potential.

PEER 1 leaders inspire and support people to do and be their best. Our people’s success is our highest priority. As leaders, it is both a privilege and responsibility to create an environment where every person thrives.

Through our actions, we are vigilant in upholding the values that define what we stand for. We are fiercely committed to protecting our culture. PEER 1 leaders are caring while driven, bold while humble, and courageous while curious. We are restless in our pursuit of growth—learning is fundamental to how we operate.

Leadership is a reflection of who we are—much more than a set of skills or a specific role. It is an innate quality, commitment, and desire to have a positive impact on people.

Isn’t that what really matters? Quality, commitment and having a positive impact on people—

We are currently working on several positions with Peer 1 and foster a similar message in answerQuest’s “Rules of Engagement”

creating quality placements, not just filling a role but have longevity for our clients. What is your company’s message?

by Josh Vaughan

One of the most common phrases across all job postings:  Do you really qualify?

“Must be a team player.”  More likely than not, the topic of working well with others will come up at some point during the interview process.  Maybe in the job posting itself. Maybe in a critical late stage interview.  No matter where it occurs, your ability to work well with others could very well play a major part in the decision-making process of a hiring official.  That said, it is best for any prospective candidate to have a well thought out answer ahead of time.

Evaluate yourself on the following characteristics, some of the most common traits generally possessed by a team player.  Do you have these qualities?

Do you have top quality communication skills?

Are you a good listener?

Are you non-judgmental and professional?

Are you accepting of others opinions/views?

Do you have a positive attitude?

Can you empathize with others?

Are you willing to offer/accept feedback in a professional manner?

Are you willing to work with the entire team to accomplish a common goal?

Are you Encouraging and not quick to ridicule/critique?

Are you willing to share/accept the knowledge or expertise of others?

Are you likeable?

Are YOU a Team Player?

The next time you are asked whether you are a team player, do not answer with a perfunctory, “Yes.”  Enumerate several of the above traits and discuss not only how you personified them in the past, but how you will continue to exude characteristics of a team player with the prospective employer.

But what if you do not consider yourself a team player?  Though most people do in fact consider themselves team players, there are those that work better in a solo environment.  Though it may be perceived as one, the desire to work alone is not always a death sentence.  Even if a potential employer is looking for a “team player,” it is best to be truthful from the beginning.  Approach this topic in the most positive and respectful way possible.  Explain that you are capable of working in a team environment, that you have succeeded in that environment in the past, and that you are willing to do so going forward. Discuss how you tend to see better results when working alone.  Point out the positives of working alone, such as an ability to easily track your progress, to work at your own pace, and to limit inter-personal clashes that could limit productivity.  But most of all, express a willingness to adapt and to learn in any office environment.

In the never ending push to better the bottom line, managers are often faced with difficult decisions concerning under performing employees. Many managers often look at precedents set by top performing companies to determine the best way to handle these types of situations. When searching for a proper business philosophy to model, look no further than the ideas set forth by former CEO of General Electric Jack Welch.

In 1981, Jack Welch became CEO of GE and immediately began implementing his philosophy and changing the face of the company. His revolutionary ideas allowed GE to thrive and earned Welch the honor of being named “Manager of the Century” by Fortune Magazine in 1999. In his book Straight from the Gut he describes exactly where he came from and how he got to where he is now.

One of the issues discussed in this book is the dilemma of dealing with under performing employees. Welch’s idea was to annually purge the company of the bottom 10% of the staff. This notion, however imposing as it may be, is an assured way of not only evaluating the company but also motivating the employees to perform better. It works so well because it forces employees to work harder in fear that they will lose their jobs. This fear can be incredibly motivating and in turn can increase the productivity of the company as a whole. However, eliminating the bottom 10% of the staff was not the only aspect of his plan. The other piece to the puzzle was allocating bonuses and stock options to the top 20% of the staff. Having both ends of the spectrum accounted for gives the employees two reasons to work harder.

The next question asked is “what is the best way to implement this system?” The answer to that question is simply to create a ranking system for the company. What this means is that on a yearly basis, the company will organize all the employees into groups congruent with level of productivity. Welch’s system created three groups: the top 20, the vital 70 and the bottom 10. At the end of the year, the three groups would be established and the bottom 10% purged from the company. Meanwhile, the groups at the top of the company will receive bonuses for their hard work. By creating these groups employees know exactly where they are positioned in the company and how well they are performing compared to their coworkers. When this system is implemented into a company, every single employee is obligated to demonstrate they not only want to work but also deserve to work with the company.

Some critics say that the system is cruel and companies should not engage in this approach. However, Welch’s ideas present the argument that it is cruel to keep the bottom 10% around and hold down the company. By only keeping the employees who are driven to perform well, the company itself will operate at a much higher level. The system is deliberate, straight forward, easy for anyone to understand and provides constant feedback to all employees. No employee is ever left in the dark; he or she always knows what level they are operating at and if they are in danger of being a part of the bottom 10. Possibly the critical point of this ideology is that it communicates to the remaining employees at the end of every year that they are doing a good job and should continue to do so in the subsequent year.

Another argument against the critics is that the bottom 10% who lose their jobs will actually benefit as well. Employees know that the reason why they no longer have a job is because of a lack of performance. Everyone in the bottom 10% now understands that they need to perform at a higher level in their next job. This lesson, however hard it may be to learn, is beneficial and will help those employees in the future. Also, many times both the employee and the employer don’t mesh and suffer. Therefore, a yearly purge of any employees that are not the right fit will result in a win–win situation in the long run.

Jack Welch has proven that his theories work and the results can be seen in the massive growth of GE over his tenure. An integral part of that growth was his method of eliminating the bottom 10%. Success comes from the ability to motivate employees to produce to their highest level. Welch’s advice proposes an immediate change that will certainly increase the performance level of any organization.

This article is courtesy of Careerbuilder.com