Background checks are still part of the fabric of the all-American hiring process. Many companies still require one before any job offer is valid. A typical background screening includes verification of employment, education, criminal check, and sometimes bankruptcy.
I’m willing to bet that the majority of people reading this have a red mark next to at least one of the following fouls:
Search projects are a lot of work in a market where human capital (candidates) are harder and harder to find and attract. As a Life Sciences recruiter, I am literally making phone calls all day, every day… My opening line is usually “Am I catching you at the right time? Am I interrupting you?” 90% of the time people stop what they are doing, and give me 5 minutes of their time, which turns into a 30 minute conversation, followed by a scheduled follow up call--all because they want to continue the conversation and learn more.
Headhunting is an art form-a practice of concentration, research, process, and communicating my reason as to why I'm disrupting someone’s day. Should I apologize in advance for 'interrupting' your day in order to help ‘disrupt’ your career and improve your life? I don’t think so! ...Here's why:
The biggest reason companies decide to work with recruiting firms is to get access to top talent to hire-people they cannot find on their own. As much as we (recruiters) may like a particular candidate, if our client can get the same quality person on their own, they would not need us. Therefore, our goal is to look for very specific professionals-people with direct industry experience and solid success, doing the same functions the clients need.
As a Life Sciences recruiter I hear all kinds of reasons why people want to move from the corporate world to a smaller company—most are bored, feeling underutilized, or want to have more influence over decisions. Some have previously worked for small sized organizations and some have not. If you too are thinking about making a move from a large(r) organization to a startup or smaller company, and haven’t done your research, you might be in for a culture shock. Here are some things to consider:
Companies are getting creative to attract top talent. While employee benefits such as health insurance are still valued the most and have a significant impact on staff retention, other "perks" can help differentiate your organization. Soft benefits such as flex time, on-site childcare, well-stocked pantries, nap rooms, free subscriptions, and classes are making a difference in today's workplace.
Research indicates that a growing number of executives are open to offering soft benefits.These types of extras can be a comparatively low-cost alternative to traditional benefits, helping companies attract and retain workers even if they are unable to provide or have had to scale back standard benefit packages.
There are words that have power and evoke an immediate reaction. Catastrophic, terminal and devastation are all words that command our attention, causing all else to fade into the background.
On the other hand, distraction is a word I would put right up there with “stuff”; in fact, if it had a color it would be beige. I recently heard myself give the excuse that I was “distracted” as a reason for not paying attention while doing some mundane task that I bungled. A few days later I was flipping through the TV channels as a diversion from a cruddy day at work, and came across the History Channel. The commentator, in a French accent, spoke of the grisly details of a torture method used centuries ago known as ‘distraction’- literally the pulling apart of someone by tying their arms and legs to horses who ran off in opposite directions. The word suddenly took on a whole new meaning, yielding the same power of catastrophic, terminal, and devastation. Nothing worse than literally being pulled apart. The color of this word, red.
What’s next for recruiting? If you were to ask any business what their top challenges are for the future, odds are high that retaining talent and recruiting are on the list. Smart companies know that they are only as good as their best employees, and make it a priority to seek out solutions to find the ‘best of the best’.
Another thing these companies know is that technology will continue to evolve and play an increasingly important role in how they recruit talent. Below are some important changes to business operations I predict are on the horizon:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Americans spend an average of 70 hours cleaning their homes each year. What about your company’s talent acquisition process? Here are some ‘spring cleaning’ tips to help you find, hire and keep the best new employees:
After recently surviving my son’s college football recruiting decision, it occurred to me how many similarities exist between that recruiting process and what I do daily, advising my job recruits on opportunities. Keep in mind this round of college recruiting wasn’t my first rodeo: I have an older son who is also playing D1 Football, so you would think I was better equipped to navigate the waters this time around. The truth is that while you are in it, it is hard to see through the “razzle dazzle”. Having an outside advocate by your side is a great key to success. We were lucky to have had several, and both my boys ended up with great opportunities. Some others going through the process were not as lucky.
According to a recent article by IndustryWeek.com, "Economists agree that the U.S. wouldn’t be the powerhouse of a country that is it today if not for the manufacturing sector."
We could not agree more. In lieu of a list of facts and statistics, we'll let the infographic below show you: