The Guide to Hiring Passive Candidates

The Guide to Hiring Passive Candidates Passive candidates could be the answer for your most challenging recruitment activities. Passive candidates are those who are not actively looking for a job but have the suitable qualifications and experience, and may be interested in discussing opportunities if the right one comes along. It is often thought that the most skilled workers are happy with their job so to target the passive candidates would mean that youre tapping into the best potential  employees. Weve taken a look through this infographic by  Armstrong Appointments for our top tips for hiring passive candidates. The global workforce: Did you know that only 15% of the global workforce are satisfied at their current job? This leaves a whopping 85% of the workforce as  potential new employees, with only 12% of them actively looking out for new jobs and opportunities. Only 15% of employees are satisfied with their current jobs 12% are actively searching for a job 13% are casually looking for better opportunities 15% are thinking about changing jobs Why passive candidates? Theyre potential long-term, top quality candidates  If youre hiring a passive candidate, it obviously shows that they are willing to remain in a job long-term. This means youre probably hiring someone thats going to potentially stay with your company long term. Theyre the best when it comes to qualifying for a specific skill set  Theyve been doing a great job at their current role, which means they have the skill set youre looking for. Less competition as they wont be interviewing anywhere else.  A typical passive candidate will not be taking part in interviews anywhere else, so you dont have to be worried theyll be taking another job. Theyre unlikely to stretch the truth on their CVs.  If theyre coming from a similar role, you can count on the fact they havent  lied on their CV, They are valuable assets at their current employers. Benefits for candidates: So why would a candidate ever change jobs? If theyre content and satisfied with their current position then why on earth would they go elsewhere? One of the main reason is so that they can achieve a better work/life balance which is a top priority for many employees. Another reason is for the benefits and pay that a new job can bring. But its not all about money passive candidates also move for more challenging work. Theres nothing worse than being bored at work because youre not being challenged enough. Best ways to attract passive candidates: Through an internal reference Blogging, publishing articles and social media Refer a friend Totally off the grid Have you had experience in the past with passive candidates? Wed love to hear your experiences, so tweet us @UndercoverRec. RELATED: Passive Talent: Not as Passive as You Think

How Important Is Resume Skills?

How Important Is Resume Skills?Although having an excellent resume is a great tool to use in getting the best jobs, one should also keep in mind that not all resumes are created equal. There are a number of different things that one should consider when it comes to creating the perfect resume. A person should be able to have knowledge on the areas that they are qualified for in order to get hired the right way.The best way to ensure that your resume has all the information that you need is to make sure that it is well organized. There are a number of different factors that play into this and the ones that come up in the following paragraph. It is important to remember that it is not always necessary to have the most information on the first page of the resume.An impressive start on the resume is important because this is the first thing that a potential employer is going to see. Make sure that you do not skimp on this area as this is going to hurt your chances of getting hired. If yo u have not had any experience with certain companies, then this would be the time to mention this. It is not always necessary to list everything that you have done in the past, but this is often what most employers want to know.It is also important to not list all of your experiences on the resume. You should focus on mentioning the most important part about yourself. These are usually the most valuable things about you and can make the difference between you getting hired or not.Knowing what you can and cannot do for them is another thing that you should take into consideration. You should not be afraid to tell them what you are not qualified for. In this case, a professional resume writer can help you find some information that can be included here.The most necessary information on the resume is going to be your skills and qualifications. It is important to have a list of these on the first page of the resume. A few bullet points will give your reader an idea of what you are offer ing.The one good thing about a lot of job seekers is that they do not really care about qualifications. This means that they will not spend the time to write out all of the necessary information on the resume. This is okay because the important things to put in the resume are not going to be those things that they are not interested in.Having a good resume is not all that hard to do if you have a little bit of knowledge about how resumes work. Some employers may prefer a resume that contains all of the necessary information, but it is possible to get a high-quality resume without that information. When it comes to creating the perfect resume, one should take their time and pay attention to all of the small details.

The Fab 5 of Your Work Life Marla Gottschalk

The Fab 5 of Your Work Life Marla Gottschalk Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash You are the average of the five people that you spend the most time with. Jim Rohn Ive heard Jim Rohns incredibly insightful quote on a number of occasions. Every time I hear it I pause â€" as the message is simply that powerful. Those we surround ourselves with could easily be viewed as a critical life choice, as we absorb the moods, problems and the passions of those around us. Instinctively, we might first apply this concept to our personal lives â€" quickly completing a review of our inner circle of friends and family. But really we should also applying this mantra to our work lives. The same standard holds there. Those we surround ourselves with can affect our work lives tremendously, for the better or for the worse. I began to apply the Fab 5 to specific work goals. (For example, finding the right guide to become a better speaker). However, this seemed far too limiting. These 5 individuals should have robust relevance to all aspects of our work lives â€" a group of key people to serve as a   “catalyst”, encouraging both exploration and excellence. As such, the lineup should afford a broader application of the principle. Here are my recommendations for the Fab 5: A mentor. An individual with whom you feel entirely comfortable. They should have a working knowledge of your dream career direction or path. Trust is paramount and being candid is required. A sponsor. This individual knows how to help you position yourself to facilitate needed career progress. Theyll help you consider options such as a stretch assignment or a strategically placed team role. They are masters at career marketing and will push your career boundaries. A collaborator. We all need a co-conspirator who allows you to free-associate and helps you explore ideas. They are likely to be quite creative and open, and not overly critical. A devils advocate. This role should be filled by someone who can cut to the chase and expose any weaknesses in your career logic. They help you to reveal obstacles and keep things real.” An entrepreneur. Somehow you just cant replicate the mindset of an entrepreneur. They are the whole package. Quick. Creative. Above all, gutsy. They wont let you sit on the sidelines of your work life for very long. Dont limit your Fab 5 to those you can physically spend time with â€" connecting online works as well. Look to channels such as LinkedIn or Twitter as potential sources to fill these roles. (Those we connect with virtually can still have the power to change our perspective and drive us forward). Would you benefit from a Fab 5 in your work life? Who would you include? This post was originally published at Talent Zoo Dr. Marla Gottschalk is a Workplace Psychologist. You can also find her on Twitter and Linkedin.

Five Ways to Improve Your Companys Profitability

Five Ways to Improve Your Company’s Profitability Entrepreneurs often spend time talking about their revenue, but this isn’t always a relevant data point. What you should really be focused on is the profitability of your business. If you aren’t profitable, what’s the point? And if youre not the boss yet, your future, too, depends on your companys profitability.   Here are five ways to improve it. Boost Your Bottom Line This Year  Revenue figures are fun to look at, and can tell you a lot about growth and where your company is headed, but they shouldn’t be the primary focus. While top line numbers are sleek and sexy, stakeholders know (deep down) they don’t paint a clear picture of the company’s health and well-being. Bottom line numbers are much more indicative of where things stand. The good news is that you have more control over bottom line numbers than you think. Whereas any attempt to increase revenue requires you to implement fresh, aggressive sales strategies, there are more options available when it comes to bolstering the bottom line. You can implement new sales techniques, but you can also do the following:  Slash Expenses  If profitability is revenue less expenses, you can directly increase profits by reducing or eliminating superfluous expenses that don’t have a positive impact on the bottom line. Some options may include: Decreasing inventory and improving stock control Reconsidering suppliers and negotiating better prices to decrease direct costs Lowering overhead expenses by cutting back on wasteful practices Using lower cost marketing strategies Lowering expenses is a very personal issue that each business will have to sort through on their own. Meet with your finance department and look for ways your organization can start saving.  Manage Employee Time  If you run a service based business where your profitability is influenced by meeting deadlines and increasing billable hours, you need to make sure you’re strategically managing employee time. One way you can do this is through strategic resource planning. It’s important that you schedule time and cost against a budget, rather than just going in blind and hoping everything works out for the best. One thing you might try is a resource planning solution that automates this process, such as ClickTime. As they indicate, increasing your company’s utilization rate by just a few percentage points can lead to thousands (if not millions) of dollars in additional revenue money. It’s a no-brainer, yet few businesses take resource planning as seriously as they should.  Raise Prices (With Cause)  If you want to supercharge your profitability, you can also increase revenue figures by raising your prices. The key here is to justify price increases (otherwise, you’ll just lose customers). In order to raise prices with cause, you must indicate to your customer base that there’s additional value. This could involve something as tangible as a new feature, or as simple as new packaging or design options. It all depends on the products you’re selling and who you’re selling to.  Incentivize Employees  While you may have control over the big picture, it’s your employees that are actually going to execute on your desire to improve profitability. If they don’t feel like they have a vested interest, then you’ll face an uphill battle. “Ive found that sitting my staff down and explaining the  big-picture goals  I hope to achieve with a more profitable company helps give them a different perspective,” entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz writes. “They understand why its important for the business to be profitable, and it helps  keep  profit in the front of their minds.” By incentivizing your employees to chase after profitability, you’re showing them the value in it. You’re helping them experience some of the positive benefits of following through on your objectives.  Focus on Repeat Business  It’s far more expensive to sell a product to a new customer than it is to reengage an existing one. And not only are repeat customers easier to reach, but they also spend more per transaction. So, if you want to increase sales figures without a proportional increase in expenditures, your existing customer base is where you should be focusing.  Profits Over Revenue  Regardless of what you’ve been conditioned to believe over the years, profitability is more important than robust revenue figures. If you aren’t bringing in profits, you aren’t doing your stakeholders any favors. Thankfully, as this article shows, there are actionable steps you can take to see improvement in this area.

Writing an Executive Summary For Resume

Writing an Executive Summary For ResumeWriting an executive summary for resume is important. You want to be able to give a quick, succinct description of who you are and what your accomplishments are. It also can help you get the attention of the hiring manager if you can paint a picture of you that will make them want to interview you.So how do you write an executive summary for resume? Writing is all about finding a story to tell and it can be done in just about any manner you choose. However, there are a few things that you should avoid doing because they don't convey your message clearly.Don't use too many sentences to tell the reader too much. Use only one or two sentences to make your point. If you can break down the sections of your essay into smaller parts, it will make it easier to write an executive summary for resume.Keep in mind when writing an executive summary for resume, you want to explain in one sentence why you should hire you. Don't do it in a sentence or two but i nstead break it down into three main reasons. Then explain what those reasons are in an even more detailed manner. A good executive summary for resume is not going to just say 'I'm great!'When writing an executive summary for resume, never put in one paragraph why you were hired, then two paragraphs on why you should be hired. If you do this, you might as well have written a whole resume by yourself. Instead, place your two paragraphs within the first one, and then discuss what you did well in your one paragraph in the second one.Another thing to avoid is writing an executive summary for resume that goes on for more than half of the document. It can be tempting to write a long, drawn out description of your achievements and talents, but if you end up overdoing it, it will go against the purpose of an executive summary and it might come across as pointless.Finally, make sure you never simply compare your resume to another company's resume. Some people will do this to try to get you t o go to their employer.When writing an executive summary for resume, it doesn't have to be hard. It just takes a little thought and effort to make sure that you have the best information for the reader to make an informed decision.

Interview Conversion

Interview Conversion I met with an intelligent and accomplished job seeker the other day. When I asked how many interviews he had been on since beginning his search (approximately 6 months ago) he told me 4-5. I then asked how many of those interviews turned into second interviews with the company. His reply0. This is the interview conversion. Most companies will conduct 2 or more interviews with candidates. This is important to know. Your conversion rate, ideally, should be 1 for 1. In other words, each interview should result in a second interview. The job seeker said he had gotten a lot of good feedback on his interviewing abilities and that at least once he had heard that he was the companys second choice. While this is good information, it probably isnt 100% accurate. Or it may mean that technically he has good skills but he is lacking the certain something that would make him desirable. Passion? Enthusiasm? Drive? DO PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE GOOD AT INTERVIEWING? It isnt enough to have people blowing sunshine. You will want to ask for more specific information. But be careful who you ask this of. It is not the companys responsibility to provide you with feedback. Find a mentor or use a networking contact to review your interviewing style. Provide them with some good interview questions (heres a list). ASK FOR MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK Instead of asking, How did I do? or What did you think? Consider asking these questions. Remember, asking for feedback from the HR department or hiring manager after the interview is not what I am suggesting here. This feedback would be elicited from people you respect. Did I come across as sincerely interested in the position? Did the answers I provided make you want to learn more about me? Did the stories/examples I used seem relevant to what you know about the company I am interviewing with? Could you give me one example of something that stuck in your mind as memorable? Can you provide me with one suggestion of what would improve my interview? Practice, practice, practice. And definitely let your enthusiasm for the company show!

Do Professionals Need Resume Writing Services

Do Professionals Need Resume Writing Services When should you get your resume professionally written? Since we are an Austin-based career coaching firm, you might expect our answer to be always. Fair enough. So rather than give you our answers, here are some reasons our past clients have found value in getting our help with resume writing services: Need a Resume Fast Not only does it take time to write a good resume but it also takes regular fine tuning. Try our resume writing service if you want to eliminate the start-up time to having a quality resume ready to send out. Personalize for Different Job Descriptions We always advise that you cater your resume for each and every job you apply for. Professional resume writers not only have a systematic approach for addressing the items in a job description you have but also a healthy repertoire of ways to address items you dont have. Consultation and a Product Smart clients dont just want a finished product, they also want to understand how that product was made. A good resume service will walk clients through the entire process, educating them along the way. Flawless Writing It is one thing to understand the story you want to tell through your resume but another thing to be adept at writing it well. Professional resume writing may be most valuable for proper sentence structure, crisp efficient sentences, compelling content, and the ability to tell a story. Iron Out What the Client Needs Good resume writing services explain their process and exactly how the client will be billed upfront. This helps a client understand how involved they will be with the process and how much feedback is expected. That involvement can be used to help clients refine what they need a challenging process to go through solo. Clean, modern, eye-catching resume templates A good resume template is often one of the most valuable items professional resume writers deliver to clients. Styles change and the look and feel of a resume matters in a competitive job market. A good template can get your resume noticed and put on top of the stack! Consistent, Polished Formatting Working with Word Processors can be challenging. Add in the challenge of putting as much information as you can on a single sheet of paper and you will push your Word processors formatting functionality. Producing a resume with poor formatting will come back to bite you. Resume services take these challenges off your plate and deliver a beautiful, consistent, pleasing product that you can easily edit in the future. Deep Reflection and Insight In our opinion, a resume writer needs to put him/herself in the shoes of the client. This occurs through a detailed intake process. That process helps clients really think about their past in ways that will most impress hiring managers. Deep reflection will help your subsequent interviews also! Incorporate Trends and Best Practices Like any fashion, resumes go through trends in formatting and information. Should you include your full physical address? A QR code? What should your margins be? How should I use headlines? Addressing and incorporating the latest trends and best practices are the responsibility of your resume writer and something you wont have to worry about. Know What You Dont Know A big reason to invest in resume services is to identify areas of opportunity that you missed. Resume writers will interview you and find things that separate you from other resumes things that you didn’t know about such as community service, high profile projects or small but meaningful roles. Is Your Resume the Problem? Eliminate concerns over resume errors and “Is my resume the problem?” with a resume writer. Often times you are too close to your resume and arent able to step back and see a glaring hole or error. Another set of eyes catching an error that has been holding you back can easily pay for the service and then some! Relevant Experience Behind Your Resume Who is the best person to write your resume? Thats easy. Its the hiring manager for the position you are applying for! Put another way, you want a resume writer who has experience in your industry, has hired someone for your position or has many contacts in your industry. A resume writer with relevant real-world experience (entrepreneur, hi-tech, employee development, HR, etc.) and/or connections with recruiters and hiring managers can be invaluable. Positive Reinforcement and Encouragement Creating a resume can bring out some negative feelings, even bad memories. Your resume writer understands this and tactfully pushes forward, reaffirming the positive aspects of your experience and letting you know the finished product will be more than worth it! The biggest hurdle for using professional resume writing services is the cost. We are often asked how clients should justify the cost. Our response to prospective clients is to consider the risk and probabilities. If you lose a chance at your dream job what price would you be willing to pay to get that chance back? Often times the price of the resume is much less. If your resume isnt as effective as it could be, how many opportunities will pass you by? If there are lots of job opportunities or very few people applying then a less-than-perfect resume wont hurt your chances too much.