5 Ways You’re Scaring Off Job Applicants
5 Ways You’re Scaring Off Job Applicants
With so many options for job seekers these days, it’s no easy feat to get them interested in applying for your open positions, especially if you’re in an industry that requires highly specialized skills. If you’ve been having trouble attracting good talent, it could be that they’re just not that into you, or it could be that you’re scaring them away.
Here are five ways to take your company’s career offerings from scary to employee-friendly so you can increase the size and quality of your applicant pool…
1. Your Job Description Frightens Them
Your job postings look like it was written by an intern (and sometimes, that is actually the case). No one is going to apply to a job if the description doesn’t offer specific qualifications and responsibilities. Spelling and grammar errors are huge turnoffs as well.
Friendly tactic: Take the time to craft a description of the role you wish to fill. Be honest and upfront about unusual work hours, list any credentials that are required, and describe what you’re looking for in an ideal candidate.
2. Your Company Reviews Are Horryfing
If your company routinely gets bad reviews online (and offline), it could be that job seekers are steering clear of applying for positions being offered. Reputation counts when it comes to how your organization treats not only its employees, but its job applicants. Not getting back to someone who has been interviewed, or stringing someone along is not fair, but also bad for business.
Friendly tactic: To rebuild your reputation, start enacting some strong policies for your hiring process in which job seekers are treated well, and kept in the loop until a decision is made.
3. Zombie Interview Tactics
If your company’s interviewer seems like he or she doesn’t really know what the position requires, or can’t answer basic questions about working conditions, company policies, and compensation, that’s a scary scenario for any job seeker to face. This happens more often than you’d think, especially if lower-level staffers with little to no interview experiences are asked to screen candidates.
Friendly tactic: Whoever is conducting the job interview should be knowledgeable about the open position. It should either be someone who is the supervisor for that department, or a hiring manager for the company who’s intimately familiar with the role. It also helps to be clear when inviting a candidate in or setting up a phone interview as to the nature of the discussion and who they will be meeting so they can be prepared with questions.
4. The Atmosphere Is Somber
Your office staff creates a bad first impression. A job seeker might be taken aback if he or she walks through an office and hears yelling or foul language, or on the flip-side, sees a robot-like staff staring at their screens sitting amidst a drab office design.
Friendly tactic: Most employees today want to work in a vibrant environment with high-energy co-workers who collaborate and get along. Creating that vibe takes time, but employee morale and staff encouragement starts from the top. Think about how an outsider might perceive your company, and encourage staffers to be friendly and open to visitors.
5. Your Lack of “Ch-Ching” Gives Them the Chills
There’s nothing more frightening to a job applicant that a company that doesn’t offer a competitive salary. Job seekers are savvier than ever, and they have tools available to help them determine what a certain kind of job should pay. If what you can offer is way off base, it’s likely no one will apply or accept your offer of work.
Friendly tactic: Not every company has enough budget to offer the best salary, but there are other ways to woo potential candidates if money isn’t an option. Think about unique perks that might entice job seekers such as the opportunity for flex time, or lots of avenues for growth, and emphasize those aspects.
Whether you’re guilty of scaring away job applicants or not, improving your job postings, hiring methods, and company reputation can go a long way toward attracting more quality job candidates.
The 4 Interviewing Mistakes Messing Up Your Hiring Process
It’s hard enough to predict how a potential hire will perform once he or she is on the job, but if your interviewing technique is flawed or you don’t put enough energy and thought into the process, you might not have an accurate picture of your applicants to start with.
The interview, along with the resume and follow-up calls to references, can help you get a sense of the person’s work history, experience, and personal values. But that’s only if you’re asking the right questions in the right way.
Here are the top interviewing flubs that hiring managers make. If you’re guilty of these, no worries. With minor adjustments, you’ll be on your way to more effective interview sessions…
1. Rushing the interview. Asking candidates questions can be an awkward process for both parties, especially if you’re new to the exercise. Sometimes, the conversation will flow naturally (which could be a good omen for the applicant), and other times it can feel tense, like you’re struggling to think of something useful to ask. Wrapping things up early without getting to the heart of the matter – namely, if this person is a good fit for the position, and for the company – means you just wasted your time.
The fix: Have a list of questions written down in front of you so you have prompts ready to refer to if needed. Also, don’t be afraid to pause and give the interviewee a chance to elaborate or ask questions of their own, both of which can provide more insight into his/her personality and fit.
2. Winging it. Say you interview five people for the same position. If you conduct the interviews in different ways, such as having another person sit in for some and not others, asking different questions, doing one over the phone, etc., it might be more difficult to compare the candidates.
The fix: Most hiring managers get to a point in which they have their set of go-to questions, and that can help with consistency. The idea is you want to evaluate all of the candidates in the same way so that you can truly see who has the stronger skill set, who has potential and passion, and/or whose values are a good match with your company.
3. Forgetting the small details. Even if you get the big questions in, leaving out the small stuff could end up coming back to haunt you. For instance, an excellent candidate might seem like he or she fits the role perfectly, but you didn’t ask about their commute, which is close to two hours long. A few months down the line, that person might look for something that’s more convenient, and you’ll have to start all over.
The fix: Have a checklist of “small talk” items to go over that could affect job performance. Whether it’s commuting time, if the person is comfortable with addressing work issues after hours, or how they feel about travelling if that’s part of the job, you’ll want to know these things up front.
4. Getting the applicants confused. Not remembering who said and did what. If you’re interviewing a bunch of applicants, after a couple of weeks, it can all seem like a blur. Will you really remember who impressed you and who seemed like a poor fit for the company? If a couple of candidates were particularly strong, will you be able to remember who you liked more?
The fix: Take notes during the interview, and jot down additional reminders immediately after the person leaves. You can even use a rating system and score them on key areas that are important to you. That way, you’ll remember which applicant rudely looked at a text message during the interview, and who had a connection with one of your fraternity brothers that you wanted to follow up on.
By streamlining your interviewing, you can make a more informed hiring decision. And remember: If you’re not completely sure, you can always call the promising applicants back in for round two.
6 Ways to Brand Your Company as a Great Employer
What do you offer your employees that competitor companies don’t? If you haven’t considered that question before, you probably haven’t thought aboutbranding your company as employee-friendly. Doing so can be a worthwhile endeavor as it can help you attract top talent.
Here are six possible things to emphasize in your job listings, the careers section on your website, your LinkedIn company profile, and other content that’s geared toward job seekers.
“A family-like atmosphere”
People are attracted to company cultures that promote camaraderie, caring, and employee connections. Think of ways to show that your company cares about its employees. For instance, some organizations emphasis things like being family owned and operated or promoting their loyal employees from within.
“A hip workspace and team-building fun.”
Especially for the millennial generation and/or in the tech sector, you’ll find that many corporate offices are boasting features like coffee bars and ping-pong tables. You’ll also be able to check out company happy hours and other events on Instagram. If you’re looking to attract applicants who would enjoy this sort of co-worker connectivity, make sure you convey what a day in the office is really like.
“Hands-on opportunities to take on new projects.”
If you have a smaller business, it’s always wise to emphasize that staffers get to take on bigger roles than they would at a larger corporation. Often, candidates will seek work with employers that can really give them a chance to learn and grow, so highlight any on-the-job training opportunities or share success stories of hires that went on to big promotions.
Access to the higher ups.
Along the lines of the above, job seekers know that if they take a job with a big name corporation, they might never even see the CEO let along have the chance to meet with him or her. Showing your executives as down-to-earth professionals who enjoy mentoring younger employees can make your company worth applytng to.
Perks.
If there’s something special that your company offers, make sure applicants are aware of it. It could be anything from a tuition reimbursement program to a discounted gym membership to a great vacation policy. These perks can set your company apart even if you can’t match a salary offered at another company.
Work life balance.
With more companies open to flex time arrangements and telecommuting, job seekers may be more inclined to apply for positions in which the traditional 9-to-5 work hours aren’t set in stone.
More than anything, don’t let your job and company descriptions sound like everyone else’s. Find a way to stand out from other employers, just as your potential hires are trying to do with their fellow job hunters.
Gender Perceptions and the Workforce: Are You Guilty?
As much as we’d like to believe that an individual’s performance and personal skills are what will influence their career most, according to a new study by Bentley University, perceptions of workplace success could boil down to one main factor: gender.
As part of the “PreparedU Project” launched in the Fall of 2013, researchers at Bentley conducted a Preparedness Survey about the millennial generation’s challenges in the workplace. In one sense, the findings were good news for women who are looking to land their first job: 59 percent consider women better prepared than men for success in their first jobs. And, more than 8 in 10 respondents (82%) – including 76% of men – believe women are better suited for business success in terms of their communication and interpersonal skills.
Perhaps it’s because they feel younger female workers are more mature than their male counterparts. Apparently, things take a dramatic turn at some point, however, as 53 percent say that men are better suited to business success over the span of their career. Add to that, 64 percent of survey takers said men are ahead when it comes to leadership abilities.
These ideas are nothing new, when one considers the obvious disparity when it comes to equal wages for equal work, and the so-called glass ceiling. Still, it’s sending a negative message to women entering the workforce that even though their skills might be initially superior, they won’t be able to maintain the lead for long. Some might say it’s because women become more devoted to their family life at the very time that men are digging in their heels to get ahead in their careers.
While that could be true for some, human resources professionals and hiring managers shouldn’t make such blanket assumptions without considering the contributions of each individual. National campaigns such as Sheryl Sandberg’sLean In and #Banbossy are trying to change the mindset, but as this research shows, there’s still a long way to go.
How do these findings sync up with how you perceive new hires and current employees? Are women really coming into the workplace better prepared, but then falling behind their male co-workers who are naturally disposed to becoming leaders?
When an Employee Gives Notice, Should You Go All In With a Counter Offer?
Having one of your top employees come to you to let you know about another company’s job offer means you have a big decision to make. Think of it like a poker game in which your employee just raised the stakes.
Do you fold and wish your loyal staffer well, or do you go all in with a counter offer?
According to recently released research by The Creative Group, more companies are using counter offers to try to retain their top talent. Twenty percent of advertising and marketing executives surveyed said the number of counteroffers extended by their company has increased in the last six months, compared to just 5 percent who believe it has declined. Counter offering with a raise or some other sort of perk could not only help you keep a talented employee with your company, but it will cost less than it will to recruit and train a new staffer.
Of course, there’s another issue at play. Will making that offer come back to bite you? In other words, can you really trust that the employee won’t look to leave again in a few months? Almost a third of executives in the survey said that even if an employee accepted a counteroffer, they would question their loyalty, with another 21 percent saying they would worry that a new offer might not address whatever prompted the employee to look elsewhere in the first place.
Because every situation should be handled on a case-by-case basis, here are some of the factors to consider before giving someone a counter offer.
- Does the employee want you to make an offer? There’s a big difference between: “This is my two weeks notice,” and “I have an opportunity that’s too good to pass up, but I’d rather keep working for you. Convince me to stay.”
- Will a counter offer be a long-term solution that will satisfy the employee? If not, it might be better to cut your losses now.
- How will other employees who might know about the situation feel about the counter offer – happy you’re trying to retain a great member of the team, or resentful that they aren’t getting a similar raise?
- If the person wasn’t considering leaving, would he or she be worthy of a raise or promotion?
- Where is the person potentially headed? Did their job offer come from a competitor trying to poach your talent, or simply from a recruiter or someone in their network? Did the employee actively seek the offer, or was it presented to him or her?
- Will the person even be open to your counter offer? For instance, they may be leaving for a new type of challenge versus just a higher salary.
After thinking through some of these questions, if you still think your company will benefit from keeping this employee on board, then it’s important to find out what it would take to get him or her to stay, and prepare a counter offer based on those needs. According to the survey, 67 percent of respondents said it was common for an employee to accept their counter offer. Ultimately, if an employee comes to you, there’s a good chance he or she really wants a reason to stay; it’s up to you if you want to provide one.
Give Employees a Break: Paid Time Off Can Boost Retention
Vacations, mental health days, early closings, summer Fridays, unlimited sick time… whatever form it takes, employees appreciate paid time off, especially when it’s encouraged as part of a company’s culture.
As reported in HR Magazine, the PwC NextGen survey of 44,000 workers found flexibility is a key priority for both generations of workers, with 21% of female and 15% of male respondents saying they would give up some of their pay and delay a promotion in exchange for more workplace flexibility. What’s more is that Generation Y is largely unwilling to give up a good work/life balance.That’s not to say that today’s employees expect to work less than older generations; on the contrary, their connectivity to their work means they are probably working just as many if not more hours than those who regularly stay late at the office. What they expect in return is some flexibility so they don’t have to choose between work and having a social life or a family.
On the other hand, all the time off in the world won’t matter if employees feel they will be penalized or seen in a negative light for using it. When you consider that only 25 percent of employees surveyed for Glassdoor said they used all of their days last year, something’s got to give. Are Americans are workaholics, or is it because they feel they have to continually prove to their employers that they are so hard working, they don’t want to take time off?
Many organizations are recognizing that making employees feel like their work life balance is a priority can result in better productivity and higher morale. Encouraging staffers to take time to refuel and rejuvenate can make your company stand out as a great place to work, and ultimately help to recruit and retain talent
That could be why more and more employers are turning to flexible work policies, according to Zywave’s 2013 Paid Time Off Survey. “Of the 2,833 employers who participated, 28 percent offer flextime (up 2 percent from 2012’s findings), 20 percent allow for telecommuting and 11 percent offer compressed work weeks.”
While you might not be ready to start offering new hires and current employees unlimited vacation time as some companies like Netflix are doing, you can be more open minded to policies like compressed work weeks, negotiating work-from-home hours, and/or rewarding loyal employees (or those who meet certain goals) with extra time off. The occasional surprise early closing won’t go unnoticed either.
Want the Talent But Can’t Pay Up? Some Perks to Offer
Attraction the best talent to apply for your positions is only the first challenge. Next up: Making an offer they can’t refuse. Unfortunately, you may be limited by a budget when it comes to the salary you can offer, and the person you really want to hire might be asking for more.
While money may very well end up being the deciding factor, there are other, less expensive perks that may help sway a potential hire toward your organization. Here are some to consider:
Performance bonuses.
Especially for positions that are directly tied to revenue, the promise of a reward for a job well done up front could be just the incentive to convince a job seeker to accept their new role. You’ll want to be specific so as not to mislead the candidate, so spell out the details, such as when an evaluation of their performance will take place, and what the reward may be.
Tuition or education assistance.
For workers who are thinking of returning to school to advance their education, a tuition reimbursement program or on-the-job training is a great way to show that you’re willing to invest in them. Again, the fine print of such programs matter, so specify what types of education is covered, and how much.
Flex time.
With work-life balance a huge factor for those considering a new job, companies that are open to flexible working arrangements could stand out from their competitors. Whether it’s allowing some work-from-home days/hours, or offering an earlier schedule such as 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., for example, oftentimes not being bound to the 9-to-5 life can be a motivator for some.
Vacation time/personal days.
Paid time off is always a perk that workers appreciate. If your company offers things like floating holidays or a generous amount of vacation time, highlight that.
Transportation stipends.
Whether an employee will commute by car or public transportation, being able to offset some of that expense could be a super way to make them feel appreciated.
Memberships discounts and freebies.
Whether you offer a gym discount or free lunch, these perks are worth a mention. Any way that a new hire can save money is more money in his or her pocket.
Ultimately, the best way to recruit and retain talent is by creating the type of environment that people enjoy working in. As a recent PRWeek article stated: “A perk that may sound appealing in the short term, which aids an organization’s recruitment efforts, may backfire in the long run if the workplace lacks employee satisfaction.”
Which Job Interview Type is Best for Your Hiring Process?
There’s probably no other element of the hiring process that reveals more about potential candidates than the interview. In fact, in a recent survey by Accountemps, 43 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) polled said the job interview is where candidates made the most slip-ups that resulted in not being hired. Hiring the wrong candidate can be costly, which is why you should use the interview session to find the best fit for your open position.
Take a look at three interviewing styles to see which one (or more than one if you’re doing multiple interviews) can help you spot the best talent…
Phone Interviews
In order to save time and screen candidates, phone interview are a great first step to take when a resume and cover letter seem a good fit. Speaking to someone on the phone isn’t as telling as an in-person interview, but it can help you narrow down your pool of applicants so that you’re not spending too many hours in the interview room. Questions can be general at this point, just to make sure the person meets the basic qualifications and understands the position for which he or she is applying.
Behavioral Interviews
You’re probably familiar with this one, in which the questions revolve around your candidate’s past job experiences. Try to get some specific anecdotes about how they handled a challenge and try to gauge their productivity.
Virtual Interviews
Depending on where you’re recruiting, you may have to conduct a Skype or video chat interview. Even in this setting, the candidate should be dressed and ready for the occasion. If someone logs on in casual clothing in a noisy and messy setting, or shows a lack of technical prowess (which might be related to the future position), those could be red flags.
Panel Interviews
This tactic can put stress on the job candidate because he or she will be fielding questions from a number of people at one time. Ideally, you should use a panel interview if you’re hiring someone who needs to be able to make presentations, or speak to large groups as part of their job responsibilities. If he or she seems uncomfortable with just a few people in an interview room, they might not have the demeanor to handle the role.
Dining Interviews
While it might seem like having a meal while you discuss a job with a candidate is more laid back, it is a good way to gauge interpersonal skills. Can he or she carry on a casual conversation? Does he/she have basic table manners and communications skills in a public setting? These factors are important for any role in which a hire will work with clients in such social settings.
Stress Interviews
Not every job or organization should try out this tactic, but you’ve probably heard about candidates at Google or Microsoft being put through the ringer in order to land the job. The idea is to see how applicants handle questions and situations meant to unnerve them.
To determine the best interview tactics for your hiring needs, think about what you really want to know about your candidates before you make an offer; consider how many levels of screening you need, and who in the organization will want to meet the candidates; and frame your interview so that it is in line with what the position requires.
Three Hiring Trends to Improve Your Recruitment Efforts
Staying current with trends in hiring can help you vault past other employers when you’re vying for talented workers.
But it’s not enough to throw around buzzwords. You have to know how to use respond to or incorporate the trends in your recruiting, hiring, and retention processes.
These three trends identified by LinkedIn are worth watching – and implementing…
Internal Hiring
Hiring from within isn’t a new thing, but consider looking at this strategy in a different way today. Why?
You can save major dollars, even millions for some companies, with internal recruiting instead of looking on the outside. It’s also a time saver, since you could hire someone faster and they wouldn’t not need to get up to speed on your company and practices. You’re also sending a message to the entire workforce that there’s room for advancement and career opportunities within your company.
If you’re already doing internal hiring – or tried it and didn’t have success – consider these tips from Recruiter.com:
- Design an internal recruitment policy
- Promote, promote, promote
- Encourage employees to apply for jobs
- Don’t play favorites
- Get the right software
- Screen employees carefully
- Try video interviews
- Offer feedback
Talent Branding
Considering your brand isn’t just for consumers and clients. LinkedIn’s Talent Brand Index is a ratio that also relates to another buzzword – Big Data. The index takes the number of people interested in your company – who have looked at or applied for jobs, viewed career or company page or follow you – divided by the number of people who know about your company (from employees to those who have viewed your employee profiles).
The hotter your talent brand, according to Deloitte, the larger pool of qualified people you may have to choose from when you have an opening. Think folks like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, The Walt Disney Co., and The Coca-Cola Co.
Another brand-focused term in hiring is employment branding, which is “the perception people have about working for you,” writes Forbes contributor Josh Bersin. He adds:
“If you have a great employment brand, you get the best candidates. If you have a poor or weak employment brand you have to work extra hard, and often the best people go elsewhere. The value of a strong employment brand can be priceless. It not only helps you attract the best people, it helps you keep the people you have.”
Passive Candidate Recruitment
Think of someone you know who is in a job and not spending all of their hours hunting for a position. But even now and then, they’re putting out small feelers to learn about openings and possibly make a move. If they’re open to new opportunities (and aren’t most of us?), that’s the passive candidate. This group could be a large percentage of today’s workforce – one report says up to 75 percent – and one you may be missing out on.
As Liz Ryan writes in BusinessWeek.com: “We call them passive candidates, and we pursue them as if they were Moby Dick.”
To find those passive candidates, ask peers if they know of professionals with skills you are seeking, keep building those relationships, and either organize or be involved in networking and education events within your industry.
How to Look Beyond the Resume to Find Super Hires
Anyone who knows how to construct a resume or is in tune with what recruiters are looking for in terms of skills and experience can beat the system, so to speak. They might have their elevator speech perfected, provide quantitative examples of past successes, and have a good list of references. They might even know just how to answer the most common interview questions. The question is, what lies beneath their job seeking perfection?
Here’s how to discover the super job seeker attributes that a resume can’t convey…
Can they carry on a conversation?
There are all kinds of personalities, and depending on the role you’re trying to fill, some will fit better than others. However, being able to talk casually about general interest topics can help a candidate show he or she is confident, well-spoken, and comfortable in your work environment. Beyond normal feelings of nervousness, there shouldn’t be a tension, or an adversarial dynamic in the interview room.
Are they comfortable sharing an opinion?
You’ll find lots of job seekers who will give you the canned answers they think you want to hear, but someone who is willing to offer a suggestion, a solution, or feedback on an industry topic – or even about your company – is someone you want on your team. The last thing you want to do is inspire a Group Think mentality in your business, as some recent research suggests can happen when you hire conformists.
What have they learned from their past work history?
Ideally, you want to choose someone who has demonstrated an ability to learn, grow, and adapt to change over a period of time, whether it was during an internship, or over the course of a 10-year career. Are they willing to share a mistake they made, and what they learned from it? If they had a bad experience with a company, can they frame it in a positive way, rather than bad mouthing their old boss?
How do they measure up on the etiquette and politeness scale? During your contact and communication with a potential hire, take notice of anything that seems odd. For instance, perhaps they sent an informal email without punctuation, or one that didn’t seem courteous. Maybe they didn’t have the technical know-how to properly attach a file, and then tried to put the blame on your spam filter. Or, when they had to wait for your interview to begin because you ran five minutes late, the receptionist noticed some eye rolling and foot tapping. If a job seeker isn’t on his best behavior during the job search process, you shouldn’t expect any better once he’s on staff.
Don’t let a polished and prepped resume fool you into making the wrong hiring decision. Take some time to pick up on correspondence cues, and use the interview to learn more about the person behind the portfolio. It just may turn out that the guy with the understated resume is the best choice for the job.
How to Properly Prepare for the Hiring Process
The hiring process is just that – a process – and it starts with a clear plan for success. Top-notch candidates are out there, but you’ll never find them if you don’t lay the proper groundwork. Plus, putting in the work before you meet potential hires saves time, money, and unnecessary stress. Read on for tips to help you prepare for a successful hiring process.
Conduct stay interviews.
HR reps are often guilty of conducting job interviews and exit interviews, with nothing in between. Talk about a missed opportunity! Instead, make time to meet with your best employees before you hire anyone new. Find out what they like about working at the company, what would make them leave, and what you can do to make their job better. Use the inside information you garner from these “stay interviews” to make necessary changes and to promote the company more effectively to potential hires.
Nail the job description.
Don’t make the mistake of using the same job description you posted five years ago, or even a year ago. Talk to managers and their staff to find out how the job has changed since the last time you filled the position, and then update the description to reflect what the job really entails and how you’d like it to grow. The clearer you are about the job itself, the better you can communicate that vision to applicants – and weed out those who lack the skills your company needs for now and for the future.
Define your recruiting strategy.
It’s important to determine the best source of candidates for your open positions. While your recruiting strategy may vary according to the job, consider what methods have worked in the past and which ones have been less than effective. Let current employees know what you’re looking for, since they can be good sources for referrals. And consider working with cost-per-applicant recruiting sites, which vet all prospects for you so you only get applicants who meet your specified job requirements. CPA sites like FindTheRightJob.com help reduce your time-to-hire as well as employee turnover.
Determine key players.
Hiring is rarely a solo endeavor. In fact, it can be downright dangerous for one person to take sole responsibility for the hiring process. You may be the point person, but you need to figure out who else should be involved to help you make the best hiring decision. Key stakeholders, including someone who can assess any technical requirements for the position, should be included in the process. Don’t forget to provide these individuals with the job description and assessment criteria prior to the interviewing phase to make sure you’re all on the same page.
Prepare a script.
Even if you’re an old pro at conducting interviews, it’s unwise to wing it. You may go off script from time to time, but asking different questions of each candidate can hinder your ability to make valid comparisons. Prepare relevant questions based on the job description, along with questions that assess how the candidate will fit within the culture of your organization. Make sure most of your questions are open-ended, which will help you get a handle on how well candidates think on their feet.
Put in the work before interviews begin, and you’ll be prepared for a smooth hiring process that ends in success.
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