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#CareerAdvice : Four Things #Recruiters Look for to Size Up Candidates’ Potential… #HiringManagers Always need to #Assess candidates’ Ability to Grow, Especially #NewGrads with Little Experience. These are some Key Signs of Standout Traits.

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I’ve recruited countless graduates for roles in many organizations over the past decade, and I’m constantly asked what I look for. My answer is always the same: potential.

This is especially true for entry-level hires. Obviously, there’s no point in assessing recent grads the same way that you would more experienced candidates. Without much work experience or familiarity with the workplace, those candidates need to bring something else to the table–namely the ability to pick things up quickly and apply new ideas on their own. Here are a few concrete qualities that signal potential in entry-level (or any!) candidates–and what job seekers can do to show those traits off.

1. DETERMINATION

I currently work for a tech company called ThoughtWorks, which looks beyond traditional credentials like college majors and grades to make hiring decisions. To be a software developer you don’t necessarily have to have a computer science degree. Maybe you taught yourself to code in your free time, which tells me something much more powerful–that you’re committed to learning your craft and determined to succeed.

In fact, I’ve noticed recently that some of our most successful graduate hires in Australia have come to us through an intensive coding bootcamp, and what they sometimes lack in technical ability, they make up for with drive. Skills from elsewhere in their academic careers and previous work experience tend to be transferrable, as long as they’ve got grit and determination.

 

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2. PASSION

Passion and determination are close cousins but remain distinct. The former is about creativity and enthusiasm, and the latter is about strategy and ambition; both are strong predictors of potential.

To assess a candidate’s passion, I ask myself how excited they seem at the prospect of joining the team–and how excited I am at bringing them on board. Will they introduce new ideas or fresh energy? What will they bring to the table? Everyone on a team can learn from each other, whether they’ve got 10 months’ or 10 years’ experience, so I tend to look for candidates who demonstrate creative thinking and an eagerness to learn. I also ask myself whether I’d be happy coaching or mentoring them, since their passion and enthusiasm will drive them forward and fuel their growth–but without it, their potential to learn diminishes.

3. SELF-AWARENESS

Ideally, every new hire should be able to grow with the organization, adapting to larger changes. To do that, they need to be aware of themselves and how they fit into the overall company culture.

4. APTITUDE

Technical skills can be picked, and professional maturity comes with time and experience, but every new hire needs to be able to learn quickly in order to reach their full potential. And for that, there’s no substitute for good, old-fashioned aptitude.

Look for assessments and interview questions that let candidates demonstrate how inquisitive they are. You might even ask them to describe an experience when they had to learn something new on the fly. Some interviewers even devise exercises and practicums that give candidates a chance to collaborate on a shared outcome, and I’ve found this is often a great way to gauge potential: Don’t tell us what you can do, show us. There’s no better way to find out if someone has the ability to do something than by asking them to demonstrate it.

Keeping these attributes in mind can help you spot candidates with the most promise to grow into future leaders. And if you’re a job seeker, remember that recruiters and hiring managers are always assessing your potential, even if they haven’t devised a formal method for doing that. So when in doubt, take your own initiative and show off these four traits as best you can. They’ll never steer you wrong.

about the authors below: 

Yewande Ige is a global recruitment strategist at ThoughtWorks, which helps companies invent a new future and bring it to life with technology. In her 13 years at the company, Yewande has helped ThoughtWorks grow from several hundred progressive technologists to a diverse 4,000-person organization.

Will Philips is a graduate experience lead at ThoughtWorks. He has over 11 years of experience in campus recruiting across EMEA & APAC across a range of industries.

FastCompany.com | July 11, 2018

Your #Career : Use this One-Paragraph #CoverLetter to land your next #JobInterview …Most #Recruiters just Skim Cover Letters, so Here’s How to Craft a Short and Effective One that Can be Read in 60 Seconds or Less.

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Cover letters are dead, or so we’ve been told. Many recruiters and hiring managers don’t even bother to read them, opting to skim resumes instead. But however their influence might be waning, plenty of people who are faced with making hiring decisions still rely on cover letters in order to size up candidates and determine who might be worth calling in for an interview.

So how can you make your cover letter as effective as possible? Make it short. Emily Liou, career happiness coach at CultiVitae, says you can probably boil your full-page cover letter down to a single paragraph (or two), without rehashing your resume. Here’s how.

Related: I Had Career Experts Make Over My Crappy Cover Letter

WHAT TO CUT

That formulaic opening line. “A big mistake I see candidates make,” Liou says, “is they start off very cookie cutter with the, “It’s with the utmost enthusiasm that I apply for this position. I am a great fit because . . . I bring years of . . .’” Not only do these openers waste precious space (and the hiring manager’s time), they instantly make candidates blend into the pack, when the whole point is to stand out.

All those basic “job skills” that aren’t really skills.“It seems as if everyone is detail-oriented, has strong communication skills, and is a fast learner,” Liou points out. Those descriptors have no place in a short, compelling cover letter. Chances are if it’s a meaningless buzzword on your resume or LinkedIn, it’s just as useless in your cover letter, too.

A chronological recap of your entire work experience. Don’t feel obligated to squeeze in a mention of every job you’ve ever held in the order you held them–it won’t do you or recruiters any favors. “Your resume is going to be reviewed first,” Liou says. “If the recruiter sees potential in your background, then they will read your cover letter.” So write your cover letter based on the premise that the reader is already familiar with the general outlines of your career trajectory.

Related:How To Write A Cover Letter That Doesn’t Just Recap Your Resume

 

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WHAT TO INCLUDE

One great thing you’d be able to do the week you start. “When writing a cover letter, it’s really important to get into the mind of your reader,” Liou explains. “The job description’s summary and main responsibilities often highlight what this successful candidate will be doing on a daily basis. Try to picture the role and ask yourself, ‘Why would I be able to immediately contribute to their team?’ In other words, be sure to highlight what specifically about your entire background and experiences sets you apart from other candidates.” Focus on productive, positive actions you’ll be able to take right away based on your current skills.

Tell a story. It can even be about them, not you. “Aim to capture their attention by telling them what about their product, service, or mission really drew you to apply for this role out of all the other similar positions out there,” Liou advises. Otherwise get autobiographical and offer an anecdote, she says. “If you have an interesting story or way you learned about the company, share this! People connect with stories and it will make your application memorable and unique.”

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Can you fit all this into a single paragraph? Liou says it’s possible. She sketches it out like this, using a hypothetical job opening at Netflix by way of example (in her words):

  • Sentence 1: Strong opener that captures their attention: “Confession: I recently binged two full seasons of Narcos last weekend.”

  • Sentence 2: Explain why the company’s mission, product, service, etc. resonate with you so much: “As a film and TV enthusiast with a Netflix membership since 2013, I’m impressed with the user interface and features that are continuously released.”

  • Sentence 3: Share why you’re so passionate to see the company grow in the role: “I believe Netflix has disrupted the entire entertainment business, and I would appreciate an opportunity to provide bold recommendations backed with data in the data analyst opening.”

The next three to five sentences, Liou continues, “would then immediately dive into background and why you’re a match.” In her example, this is where you’d explain how you’d be able to start contributing to the organization right away–since you’ve already offered an anecdote in your first sentence.

You could hit “return” twice and start a new paragraph before sharing that, but you’ll still be left with a lean, clean cover letter that’s compelling to read. Which, of course, is exactly the point.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

FastCompany.com | May 23, 2018 | Rich Bellis

#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch -How To Impress #HiringManagers During A #PhoneInterview . #MustRead !

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Companies are increasingly using phone interviews at the early stages of screening candidates, before inviting them on-site for in-person interviews. This is a way to efficiently screen through large candidate pools, as the average job has over 250 applicants. Moreover, the phone screen is typically conducted by recruiters, many of whom may be remote so the phone-screen is a good medium to tap into remote talent and reduce the recruiting overhead for the hiring manager.

The recruiter has three main goals for a phone screen:

1. CONFIRM LEVEL OF INTEREST

Hiring managers have a limited amount of time, and a recruiter’s first filter is to make sure they are passing along candidates that are truly interested in the role. We are in the era where recruiters reach out to candidates more often than the other way around, and often prospective candidates will take a phone screen just to get interview practice and see what the market is willing to pay. As such, recruiters use the phone interview to ensure you have a genuine interest in the company and the role.

2. MATCH CORE SKILLS

A recruiter will not typically conduct a deep-dive on each of your core skills, but rather, they want to make sure you have general experience in the core requirements of the job. For example, if you are interviewing to be a digital marketing manager they are less likely to get into the specifics of how you measure the success of a marketing campaign, but they will want to ensure you have indeed run marketing campaigns of similar size and scope as theirs. This is more of a checklist approach rather than grading your skills in each category.

Related: This Former Tesla Recruiter’s Most Revealing Interview Question 

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3. ASSESS CULTURE FIT

Behavioral interviewing is how most companies comprehensively assess “culture fit” in later rounds. However, the phone screen is also meant to do a preliminary check on how well suited you are to the company’s culture. Key areas of interest for the recruiter is whether you have worked in similar environments (e.g., pace of work, level of collaboration), your overall demeanor (e.g., level of humility), and your mindset (e.g., growth orientation).

Here’s how to ace this stage of the interview process:

1. DEMONSTRATE SYNTHESIS

During a phone interview it is easy for the interviewer to get distracted (e.g., check email). This makes it even more important to be succinct and compelling to ensure you capture their attention. This can be applied to the first question the recruiter will ask–“Tell Me About Yourself.” Many candidates ramble and spend too much time on unimportant details, and miss out on highlighting the core aspects of their candidacy. A practical way to solve this and demonstrate synthesis is to focus on the themes of your career progression. For example, you might describe your career in three stages– your first role, your ascension into leadership roles, and your current job, instead of reciting everything on your resume.

You can also describe your career by functional themes especially when your career has breadth and a non-linear path. For example, you might frame your career as being a mix of bringing new products to market, developing and coaching teams, and partnering with cross-functional stakeholders.

2. BE PRECISE ABOUT WHY YOU WANT THE JOB

As mentioned earlier, often the recruiter has reached out to you, and it is important to show you are not passively taking a call, but rather have a clear interest in the role. This is why it is important to do your research on the company to understand them more deeply, and then weave that into why it fits with the career path you are charting. Specifically, you should have clarity on their mission, their ecosystem (e.g., customer segments, key competitors), and their products/services. Ideally, in your research, you will find something that truly connects with your experience and/or professional interests and speaking to that will show a deep interest in the opportunity.

Related: How You Should Answer The 10 Most Common Interview Questions 

3. SIMULATE A REAL INTERVIEW ENVIRONMENT

A common mistake candidates make is not recreating the environment that brings out their best, professional self. Often candidates will take a call from home, while reclining on their couch, and this casual attitude shows up in their communication style, dimming their professional energy.

Given this, it is important to find an environment that can simulate a professional aura (e.g., a home office, in front of a desk), and dress accordingly as your communication style will be more polished as your brain picks up on the subtle cues. The right posture will also ensure your voice projects well, as opposed to reclining on your couch and sounding muffled.

4. ASK THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS

The questions you ask towards the end of the phone screen serve as an indicator of what is important to you in the opportunity so avoid administrative questions such as vacation policy. Instead, focus on high-value questions that show you are thinking about things that really matter such as “What does success in the role look like?” These questions will also better prepare you to engage on a deeper level in the following rounds, especially when speaking with the hiring manager.

5. AVOID RECITING FROM PAPER

Some candidates use phone interviews as an opportunity to script their answers and read them word for word. This takes away from having an authentic conversation, and most interviewers can sense when you are reciting from a script. Instead, you can have a few bullet points written out that you want to make sure you cover in the conversation and also have your resume handy so you can speak to specifics when asked.

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FastCompany.com  March 28, 2018 | BY JEEVAN BALANI—GLASSDOOR 4 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : What #Recruiters Pay Attention To When They Look At Your #SocialMedia …Great REad!

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You probably already know recruiters are looking at your LinkedIn page, but what about your other social media platforms? You know, the ones where you post pictures of your latest vacation, share what you had for dinner and occasionally tag your friends in memes. Why, you might wonder, would a recruiter possibly be interested in viewing things like that?

As it turns out, those personal details are precisely why recruiters and hiring managers keep tabs on applicants’ social media accounts, says career coach Hallie Crawford. “It can help them get a more accurate idea about who you are outside of your resume–a more personal view into your life,” she explains. “A resume can tell them your qualifications, but your social media profile can help them determine your personality type and if you would be a good fit for company culture.”

Related:How To Tidy Up Your Digital Footprint Before Your First Job Search 

Plus, recruiters are looking for red flags–risqué photos, bad language, signs of drugs use–that would show them you’d be a less than ideal man or woman to have in their offices.

So now that you know why they’re looking, how about knowing what they’re looking at?

FACEBOOK

According to Crawford, recruiters and hiring managers are concentrating their efforts on two sections of your Facebook page–your “about me” section, and your photo albums.

About Me: “They will want to see how you describe yourself and if it matches up [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][with] how you have described yourself in your cover letter and resume,” Crawford says. Any discrepancies could cost you points pre-interview. What’s more, Crawford says, “they will also be looking for proper spelling and grammar” in this section, to see how seriously you take those skills.

Photos: When it comes to your photos albums, “a hiring manager will be checking not only your photos but also your descriptions,” Crawford warns. “A hiring manager wants to see if you represent yourself in a professional way.” To come off in the most positive pre-meeting light, “you will want to avoid using profanity, sexual or drug references,” Crawford says.

Related:Here’s How To Use Social Media At Every Stage Of Your Career 

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TWITTER

Who You’re Following: “Recruiters like to see if you have any mutual connections and if you are connected with others in your industry,” Crawford explains. Following others in your industry is a smart thing to do no matter what–watching their feeds can give you a scoop on a new job opening, company announcements, the latest tech and much more.

Tweets: “Recruiters will be checking to see if you share useful information, if you share information relevant to your trade or if you just use tweets to fight with others,” Crawford says. If you’re applying for a job, take a look at your tweeting history and consider deleting anything that won’t show your best–and most thoughtful self to a potential employer.

Related:This Is What Recruiters Look For On Your LinkedIn Profile

INSTAGRAM

Followers: Recruiters will check out the kind of followers you attract, Crawford says. Plus, they’ll want to see “how friendly and social you seem to be with your followers,” she says. What you say to them and what you say back, she explains, “can also give them insight [into] your personal relationships and if you would be a good cultural fit for the company.”

Pictures: You probably figured this, right? But recruiters are looking to see more than your photography skills (or lack thereof). “They will want to see how you represent yourself,” Crawford says. For example, “if you are at a party, do you represent yourself in a dignified way?” Crawford asks, or, “do you post things that others would consider inappropriate?”

This article originally appeared on Glassdoor and is reprinted with permission. 

 

 

FastCompany.com | March 26, 2018 | BY JILLIAN KRAMER—GLASSDOOR 3 MINUTE READ

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Your #Career : 7 Ways To Make It Easier For #Recruiters To Skim Your #Resume …Recruiters Rarely Read your Resume from Start to Finish. Follow these Tips in Order to Grab their Attention Right Away.

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It’s easy to think that after all the work you’ve put into perfecting your resume, recruiters will at least spend the time thoroughly reading it from start to finish. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case. Recruiters are generally very busy. 

Resume-writing blogger and long-time recruiter Steve Wang says, “During my more busy weeks, sometimes I have to fill as many as 15 positions at once, and when each position gets over 100 applicants, I can only afford to spend a minute or two on each resume.”

So, like anyone faced with a whole lot to do, recruiters take shortcuts. Instead of looking through every single application carefully, they’ll simply skim through each resume to see which ones might be worth taking a closer look at. Because of this, it’s crucial that even a quick glance at your resume will leave readers awestruck. With this in mind, here are some techniques you can dish out to make your resume super easy for recruiters to skim through and understand.

Related:Here’s Exactly What To Put On Your Resume To Land An Interview

USE STANDARD HEADINGS

I get it, you want to get fancy with your headings to stand out from the pack, but doing so can have the unintended consequence of making your resume way harder to skim. Recruiters are used to reading the same old headers over and over again. If you change “Work Experience” to “Work Background,” that can throw off a recruiter’s rhythm–even by just a little. So when it comes to resume headings, stick with what is tried and true.

DIGITIZE YOUR NUMBERS

When it’s time to decide whether to spell out numbers on your resume, you might find yourself in a dilemma where you’re unsure whether to use APA or MLA style rules to approach this common concern. While it’s great that you’re paying attention to this type of detail, it’s a lot simpler than you think. Just write your numbers as digits to make information like numerical achievements nice and easy to spot. Whether you follow APA or MLA protocol is the least of anyone’s concerns here.

Related:Exactly How To Format And Save Your Resume (And Why It Matters) 

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LIST ALL YOUR SKILLS SEPARATELY

Some job applicants like to intertwine their skills with their job experience. If they used skills A, B, and C while working for Job X, they’ll mention those skills in the same section of the resume that describes the job. While this is certainly a fine way to format your resume, it’s still important to have a separate section that lists out all your skills in their entirety.

USE SHORT BULLET POINTS

One to two lines is an okay length for bullet points. If they get any longer, not only will your resume become more difficult to understand, but it can also hint that you’re trying to get at too many different things at once. Instead, keep your bullet points short, sweet, and to the point.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEMPLATE

Some resume templates do a far better job than others at making your content aesthetically pleasing and easy to understand. Make sure that the template you use is taking full advantage of techniques like bolding, USING ALL CAPS, italics, underlining, and even colors to make information like job titles, company names, and dates more distinguishable from one another.

Here’s what I mean:

Job title, Company Name, New York, NY May 2016–Present

This would be considered hard to read. While everything is bolded and italicized to differentiate the entire line from the rest of the resume, individually, the job title, company name, location, and date are hard to distinguish.

Job title, Company Name, NEW YORK, NY May 2016–Present

Here the formatting is far superior. The job title, company name, location, and date all have their own unique style, which makes everything much easier to discern.

If you’re ever unsure about whether a particular resume template might be easier to skim than another, simply test them out by skimming them yourself.

ALIGN DATES TO THE RIGHT

Keeping all your dates to the right allows you to create a clear timeline of your resume. If a recruiter wants to check to see if you have any work gaps, all the recruiter needs to do is look over to the right and all the dates will be lined up as clear as day.

Related:Add This To Your Resume After Deleting Your “Objective” Statement

BEGIN EACH JOB DESCRIPTION WITH A SUMMARY

In some cases, even though each individual bullet point on a resume may be easy to comprehend, sometimes they don’t paint a clear picture of the job applicant collectively when put together. This difficulty is exacerbated when bullet points describe assorted one-off achievements at a particular job. To alleviate this issue, it’s often a good idea to use your first bullet point to give a short summary describing what the core of your job is all about. This way, recruiters can better contextualize how your later bullet points fit into the bigger picture of what you do.

Getting recruiters to thoroughly read your resume is a luxury you have to earn. By making your resume more skimmable for recruiters, you’ll position yourself as a strong candidate worthy of being taken seriously.

This post originally appeared on Glassdoor and is reprinted with permission.

 

 

FastCompany.com | March 22, 2018 | BY PETER YANG—GLASSDOOR 4 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : 4 Things Every #JobSeeker Worries About (And What To Do About Them)…Every #JobSearch is Different, but Most are Stressful for the same Reasons. Here’s How to Keep your Cool and Think Strategically No Matter What.

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Kicking off a job search? Or still slogging through one? Until you’ve got an offer in hand, you’ll probably be nursing a few worries and concerns. Dealing with uncertainty is one of the main challenges of any job search, and sometimes it can even derail one. Knowing how to cope with some of the most persistent sources of anxiety is crucial for making sure your job search goes well. 

Here’s how to handle these four common fears:

FEAR #1: YOU AREN’T SURE HOW TO POSITION YOURSELF

The most difficult person to market is yourself. Maybe you don’t understand what you bring to the table. Maybe you do, but you just aren’t certain how to formulate a compelling story about it. Or you just don’t like to brag. Whatever the reason is, you need to become an expert at crafting and articulating a career narrative that will interest employers.

Of course, that’s sometimes easier said than done. The best way to start this process is to find out from others what differentiates you. Get outside your own head. Ask a few coworkers what they think you’re good at. Ask some former colleagues for a coffee and get their opinion, too. Then use this information as the basis of your story–it’s more likely to be both compelling and truthful. But if you’re still stuck, consider hiring a recruiter or career coach to help you position yourself. They can often see your strengths in a light you can’t.

Related: These Methods Can Help You Finally Organize Your Job Search

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FEAR #2: YOUR RESUME WILL DISAPPEAR INTO A BLACK HOLE

Candidates like searching job sites because it’s easy to feel like they’re moving forward: You can sort by date posted and catch up on the latest openings that way. It’s after you apply to a listing, though, that the anxiety typically seeps in–with disappointment following in its wake when you don’t hear back.

The fact is that applying to openings on job sites does have value, but it’s only one part of a successful job search. If you only do that, you’re in for a long, demoralizing experience. Since many jobs are found by networking, one of the most productive ways to allay the fear that you’ll never hear back is by reconnecting with friends and work associates on social media. This might feel like a distraction from actually applying to jobs, but it isn’t.

Be just as specific and targeted in your outreach as you’d be about your fit for a role in a cover letter. Ask your network for referrals to people in similar roles to the ones you’re gunning for. Stick with it, and your path toward a new job will be speedier and shorter if you keep networking.

FEAR #3: TRYING TO CHANGE CAREERS MIGHT BE HOPELESS

After spending time in the job you have now, you may feel ready to move on but aren’t sure exactly how. Should you make a slight adjustment or a radical shift into a totally new industry? Try not to worry about how hard it might be to change careers dramatically. Your first step is to decide for sure what type of move you actually want, and to do that, ask yourself this simple question: Can you see yourself in your industry five years down the road?

Related: Changing Careers? Here’s Exactly What To Put On Your Resume

If the answer is a solid “yes,” stop entertaining thoughts about a dramatic career change–at least for right now. Focus your game plan on jumping to the next level at a better company in your industry. If the answer is “maybe,” that’s fine, too. You don’t have to know exactly what you want, but you still have to think just as strategically about your search: Take an inventory of what you like about your job and seek out positions–no matter the industry–where you can spend more time on the type of work you like. This approach will help you zero in on any “transferrable skills” that can help you make the leap into another field if it comes to that.

If you can’t see yourself in your current career path five years from now, it’s time to widen your lens even further. Consider going back to school or picking up some new training. These tips can help you handle the uncertainty plotting a new course.

FEAR #4: YOU’LL NEVER GET THE SALARY YOU WANT

Money is at the back of most folks’ heads even at the very start of a job search, and it can be a nagging source of concern. Your first step for dealing with it is to figure out what the market is paying for your current position, so you can use that as your base. (Yes, you’ll also want to determine market rates for the jobs you’re applying for, but that’s step two.) Check out the usual sites like PayScale and Glassdoor, and consult with a few recruiters in your field.

Related: How To Land Your Dream Job When You Feel “Overpriced” For It

Once you nail down a salary range for your current role–no matter what you’re actually earning right now–aim for any new offer to leave you with a 10–20% salary increase. Less than that just isn’t worth it unless the new job has really crucial benefits you desire. When it comes time to negotiate your salary, aim for the higher end of your target. This way you can make sure changing jobs is financially worthwhile.

But in the meantime, try not to worry too much about compensation. Once an employer has decided they want you enough to extend an offer, you’ll have more leverage than you did as an applicant.

 

 

FastCompany.com |March 20, 2018 |  BY DON RASKIN 4 MINUTE READ

 

Your #Career : 4 Signs That Your Job-Search Strategy Isn’t Working… IF you’re Not Getting Results, it’s Time to Change your #JobHunting Methods.

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Do you have the feeling that your job-search strategy could stand a few tweaks (or maybe even a substantial overhaul)? When you spot any of the following scenarios, consider them possible red flags worthy of investigation.

As Mathison succinctly points out, “Interviews are hard-won. Bring your best game.”

Here are four signs that it’s time to rethink your job-search strategy:

1. YOU’RE NOT GETTING ANY RESPONSES

Silence is actually a loud shout-out that something in your hunt needs adjusting. Perhaps you haven’t been putting much effort into tailoring cover letters to specific positions (or haven’t been composing them at all). Maybe your resume doesn’t grab the attention of hiring managers because it lacks action verbs and quantifiable examples of your accomplishments. Thoughtfully examining your material, preferably with help from another set of trusted eyes, may make a huge difference.

Another culprit could be relying too much on internet job boards. As noted by Megan Walls of Walls Career Coaching, “By only applying online, you limit your chances of getting a job. It’s estimated that 85% of jobs are filled through networking. So devote a good portion of your job search to contacting your network, such as family, friends, classmates, past employers, and LinkedIn connections.”

Consider too if you might need to up your efforts.

“It is time to rethink your strategy when you are looking for a full-time job with a part-time job search,” says Duncan Mathison, co-author of Unlock the Hidden Job Market. “And don’t confuse time spent worrying or waiting to hear back from an employer as ‘search time.’ Track your actual time in your job search.”

 

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2. YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING “GOOD” JOBS FOR WHICH TO APPLY

Congrats on being specific about what you want and not wasting time applying for any old thing. Now make sure you’re looking in the right places and reaching out appropriately.

“If you have targeted employers, you should apply directly to the website, through networking contacts, or even suspected managers in the functional area of your job,” Mathison says. “Trade and professional associations often have job boards. If you still draw a blank, your professional network may be able to give you insight on any hiring activity.”

3. RECRUITERS ARE REACHING OUT WITH IRRELEVANT JOBS

Hearing from a recruiter can be flattering, but it does no good when the opportunity presented bears little resemblance to what you desire.

Evaluate your resume to ensure clear objectives and eye-catching examples that support candidacy for the type of position you want. And if you haven’t visited your LinkedIn profile lately, be sure what’s there accurately reflects your current career aspirations.

4. YOU GET INTERVIEWS BUT NOT OFFERS

Perhaps the most frustrating of all situations is when employers do call you in but fail to offer a job. Though it can be difficult to decipher the reasons behind their decision, rethinking your interview preparation and presentation is necessary when rejection keeps happening.

Considerations include:

  • Are you dressing appropriately?
  • Have you done your homework on the company and the industry?
  • Are you smiling and using other positive body language? (Videotaping a mock interview with a friend can be revealing.)
  • Have you prepared a list of thoughtful questions?
  • Are you ready to answer standard questions, including ones about weaknesses?
  • Are your references enthusiastic about presenting you in the best possible light?

 

FastCompany.com | March 2, 2018 | BY BETH BRACCIO HERING—FLEXJOBS2 MINUTE READ

#Leadership : Do These Things To #ReduceTurnover Among Your #BestHires …It takes Work to #Retain #StarEmployees . Here are the Steps you Can take to Stop Losing them to “Better Offers.”

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If there’s anyone more hopeful than a new employee showing up to her first day on the job, it’s the hiring manager who offered it to her.

Call us hopeless romantics, but we think there’s something really special about a candidate and a company coming to an agreement and choosing to embark on a relationship together–albeit a business one.

But what happens when the relationship goes south and the employee decides to move on? There may not be actual tears, but it can still feel like heartbreak to the recruiter, hiring manager, and leadership team that had high hopes for the future.

So, what can you do when you’re tired of losing employees to “better offers”? Here’s what five recruiting and hiring pros would do to reduce churn and improve employee engagement and retention:

1. BE HONEST ABOUT THE DOWNSIDES OF A POSITION

It makes sense to try to put your best foot forward in the first stages of the interview process. After all, that’s what job candidates are doing, too. But Chuck Solomon, cofounder and COO of LineHire, says that it’s in the best interest of long-term employee retention to be upfront about what a job is really like without candy coating the truth or trying to ignore potential challenges within a job.

“It may sound quaint, but I believe authenticity is key to reducing churn and increasing employee retention,” says Solomon. “Recruiters should be honest and accurate in describing both the pros and cons of the job–after all, once on board, the candidate is going to learn firsthand themselves. I’m not suggesting you should ‘air the company’s dirty laundry,’ but there are ways to tell a candidate that this is a challenging position. That way you’re only bringing in staff members that are up for the challenges.”

Related: Why MailChimp Doesn’t Let New Hires Work For Their First Week On The Job 

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2. CLOSE THE LOOP ON NEW HIRE DATA

Find the best person, hire them, and move on. Sound familiar? If that’s your approach to most of the positions you fill and you want to reduce churn, Mikaela Kiner, CEO and Founder of uniquelyHR, wants you to think about following up and tracking how your candidates work out in the role.

“Recruiters always believe we’ve found the absolute best candidate for the job, says Kiner. “After all, that’s why we hired them! But too often, we don’t know what happens once that person joins the company. Did that person become a superstar, did they plateau, or were they eventually let go for poor performance? If recruiters can work with HR and hiring managers to get data on the quality of the people they’ve hired, they can spot trends and then use that data to improve the screening and recruiting process.”

“For example, what skills and qualities are common to the most successful hires?” continues Kiner. “Failures are also a good source of learning, because if you make a note of red flags during interviews of people who don’t succeed, you can be on the lookout for similar candidate qualities in the future.”

3. LISTEN TO AND REWARD EMPLOYEES BEFORE THERE’S A PROBLEM

Brianna Rooney, founder of software engineer recruiting company Techees, works in a high turnover industry placing software engineers at tech-focused companies in the Bay Area. In her line of work, it’s common for people to leave every year, and if someone has been with their company for three years, it’s a downright miracle. Why? Because most companies say they don’t have time to deal with employee retention or simply don’t want to know the bad things about their company.

“I can’t tell you how many times a company will try to give a raise or actually listen to an employee when it’s way too late,” says Rooney. “Everyone wants to save money. It’s hard to keep giving raises. Yet, think about how hard it is to find good people. People you trust to work hard, honestly, and efficiently.”

“If you don’t have the budget for a salary increase, make sure they understand that,” Rooney continues. “Talk to employees, make them know how important they are. Don’t just wait for quarterly or yearly meetings. You need to care before you ‘have to,’ and it has to come naturally.”

Related: 5 Red Flags That You Made A Bad Hire

4. RECRUIT QUALITIES THAT MAKE FOR GOOD OFFICE POLITICS

Are office politics always a bad thing? No, says CEO and The Compass Alliance author Tim Cole. They can be good or bad for an organization depending on how they are directed. But if you’re in a position where you need to reduce churn, your politics are likely unproductive. It’s critical that you start screening candidates for qualities that are conducive to healthy office politics.

“Bad office politics implies backstabbing and conspiring for personal gain,” says Cole. “An organization that tolerates that type of behavior faces the long-term effects that always follow, like low engagement, loss of productivity, and attrition.”

Cole adds: “Companies that recruit for collaboration skills and capacity for problem solving can often direct office politics in a more positive direction and use them to streamline workflow with behind-the-scenes discussions and gain consensus on critical job decisions away from the boardroom.”

Related: This Nordic Company’s Four Secrets To Hiring (And Keeping) Great Talent Anywhere 

5. RALLY YOUR TEAM AROUND A COMMON “WHY”

Low employee retention and low engagement go hand in hand, so if you’re struggling with a need to reduce churn, you are likely struggling with employee engagement, too. Zach Hendrix, cofounder of the lawn service app GreenPal, grew one business from 1 to 100 using a simple but profound engagement strategy: rally employees around the central “why” of their jobs and the business as a whole.

In his first business, much of Hendrix’s operating core was comprised of Guatemalan immigrants who would come to the United States for several consecutive lawn mowing seasons and save as much money as they could to improve the lives of their families back home by building homes, ranches, and setting up farms stocked with cattle.

To fuel his team through the tough times, including the economic recession of 2009, he rallied them around their “why.” At weekly meetings, they would give progress reports on how projects back home were coming along and display picture collages of homes, farms, and businesses in Guatemala in the office and shop.

There’s nothing more frustrating than waving farewell to an employee you had hoped would stick around long-term. And while there are many reasons you’ll need to say goodbye to employees over the years–relocations, promotions, and career changes among them–there’s a lot you can do to make sure that your company isn’t the reason employees leave. Consider how you can apply these tips to your recruiting and hiring process to reduce churn to help your candidates stick around.

 

FastCompany.com | February 26, 2018 | BY SARAH GREESONBACH—GLASSDOOR 5 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : Add This To Your Resume After Deleting Your “Objective” Statement…A “Performance Summary” Puts a Fresh (and Tech-Savvy) Spin on an Outmoded #Resume Feature.

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Since most resumes are written to cast a wide net, they basically just recite everything the writer has done, but this approach dilutes the all-important data density that makes your resume discoverable. In order for recruiters to find your resume in the vast databases they search through, you need to focus on a specific target job, then get the role’s relevant keywords front-and-center where ATS, or “applicant tracking systems,” will detect them.

And as it turns out, one of the best ways to do that is by resurrecting–but with a twist–the dusty old “objective” statement you’ve been told dozens of times to cut.

Related: How To Trick The Robots And Get Your Resume In Front Of Recruiters

WHY YOUR “OBJECTIVE” DOESN’T MATTER

No one reads resumes for fun–only when there’s a specific job to fill. That means recruiters and hiring managers are fixated on the skill requirements of the job openings they’re looking to fill. Consequently, a resume that starts with “Objective” and focuses on what you want out of your career as the opening paragraph does nothing to help you. After all, nobody really cares what you want at this point (save that for negotiating an offer), so putting that right up top wastes prime ad space.

Headlines of all kinds, including the one at the top of this article, act as signposts, telling the reader what’s ahead–and that holds true on your resume, too. So replace “Objective” with a more relevant and compelling heading: “Performance Summary” or “Career Summary” tends to work well. Right away it flags for the reader that you’re going to tell them what you can do or what you’ve already done, rather than what you want.

Under this heading, highlight your capabilities as they relate to the demands of the target job, using the words, phrases, and acronyms listed in job postings for the type of role you’re angling for. Make sure you include objective criteria for your customers’ needs, too. That helps your resume’s discoverability by ATS, and it grabs the reader’s attention.

Related: Try These Resume Templates For Every Stage Of Your Career

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WHAT GOES INTO YOUR SUMMARY

To write a good performance summary, you need to get inside the heads of your prospective employers’ customers to discover what they collectively want. Yes–think past the hiring managers and recruiters for a second, and consider the organization’s end goals instead: the people it’s trying to serve.

I’ve laid out some tips for doing this in one of my books, but for present purposes, the gist is just to think about your own capabilities as they relate to customer needs. How can what you do directly help them? The answer to that is the basis of your performance summary.

Here’s an example:

Performance Summary: 9-plus years of marcomm experience in new technologies executing high-impact, cost-efficient, media outreach for brand awareness, b2b marketing, and business and public-policy audiences. Expert in crisis communication and corporate reputation maintenance. Bilingual.

  • Five years managing disbursed internal and external communications teams.
  • Adept at developing marcomm strategy with teams spread across all EMEA cultures.

Note those keywords that are likely to get swept up by an ATS: “marcomm” for “marketing communications,” “b2b” for “business-to-business,” “EMEA” for “Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.” And the bullets help you quickly break out a couple of key highlights.

Using employers’ language to describe your capabilities, wherever you can, creates a tightly focused document that establishes a clear match between your skills and employer needs. That, after all, is your resume’s real objective.

Martin Yate is the author of  Knock ’em Dead: The Ultimate Job Search Guide.

Your #Career : Look Out For These Warning Signs Before You Take That #NewJob…As Much as you Want to Make a Change Right Now, Take the Time to Make Sure it’s the Right One.

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Think about it: Have you ever landed a coveted job only to feel miserable mere weeks later, lamenting at your cubicle that if only you had listened to your gut–to have seen your boss’s disheveled desk for the warning sign it was–you could have saved yourself a lot of trouble?

In other words, you ignored a red flag. “A work-related red flag is basically a warning sign, either overt or even a gut feeling you have, that the job won’t be a good fit for you,” explains career coach Hallie Crawford. “It can also be a possible issue you sense with the company, why the job is available, your prospective boss, or a team member you’d be working with.”

A work-related red flag can be something you witness during the interview, read about in a company review, or hear about through the industry grapevine. But no matter the source, listen to your reaction to the news. “Trust yourself,” Crawford encourages. “If you sense something might be off, listen to that gut instinct and ask about it during the interview.”

Related: How To Become Indispensable At Work This Year 

1. YOUR INTERVIEWER (OR HIS SPACE) LOOKS A MESS

Picture a disheveled desk, stacks of folders strewn about, a trash can overflowing with crumpled paper—in other words, an office or a person that screams anything but I’ve got it together. This is a red flag you can’t chalk up to a bad day or a sense of disorganization, warns millennial career expert Jill Jacinto. “How we choose to visually express ourselves is part of the interview process. That is why we wear a suit, blow out our hair, or get our shoes shined. We want to show that we have it together.” And trust us: You want your future employer to put in the same kind of effort. “A few loose papers is one thing,” Jacinto concedes, “but a desk covered in papers or garbage is another.”

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2. YOU GET OFFERED THE JOB DURING THE INTERVIEW

It may seem like a very good thing if you if get offered the job before you even leave your first interview–but in reality, “this could be a red flag because there could be underlying issues,” warns Crawford. Think about it: Why is the company so desperate to fill this role? “Perhaps they aren’t able to keep someone in this position for very long, or maybe they fire employees regularly,” Crawford says. Instead of saying yes in this situation, “ask them why the position is available, and listen carefully to their answer. Ask to meet your manager and ask him what his ideal employee would be. This will give you insight into their management style and anything that may be going on.”

Related: You Can Do More Of What You Like At Work And Less Of What You Hate

3. THE JOB DESCRIPTION IS NOT CLEARLY DEFINED

Leaving a job description loose-ended is a recipe for work disaster. Why? Because, as Crawford points out, if an employer can’t clearly define exactly what they want you to do, they may be keeping it vague so they can ask “employees to handle a variety of tasks for little pay” after they’re hired, says Crawford. Or, “They may be just trolling for possible employees to test the market versus actually really intending to hire someone.” If you’re still interested in the job, don’t leave the interview–and certainly don’t accept the position–until you “let the manager know you would like a clarification of the job description,” she says. If they can’t do it when asked, Crawford says, “beware.”

4. THE HIRING MANAGER SAYS HE WORKS 24/7–AND SO DOES THE STAFF

Recalls Jacinto, “I was advising a woman a few years ago who said she regrets not picking up on her current boss’s eccentric behavior. He had said during the interview that if he could, he would sleep at the office and spends all his time there. She agreed to come in on weekends for training–but the ‘training’ never stopped. She–and the rest of the staff–were expected to march into work over the weekend to have team meetings and catch-ups. Needless to say, she found a better job.” If you see similar red flags during the interview process, “run,” Jacinto warns. “If a boss all but sleeps at the office, he’ll expect you and your team to bunk down, too.”

Related:This New Site Lets You Try A Job For Six Months Before Committing

5. THE COMPANY LOWBALLS ITS OFFER

You know what you’re worth–and you know what others make who work in that same job–because you’ve used tools such as Glassdoor’s company salaries search tool to find out. And “if you are offered less than the salary listed in the posting or lower than what they said their range was, this could be a red flag,” says Crawford. If you find yourself faced with this red flag, “Ask about benefits, but if they aren’t offering benefits or can’t define them, they [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][may just be] trying to take advantage of you.”

FastCompany.com | January 3, 2018 | BY JILLIAN KRAMER—GLASSDOOR 4 MINUTE READ

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