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My Infinite Thoughts on Learning

It used to be easy to think of the learning curve. One axis for knowledge and the other axis represented time. One hoped for a steep ascending line starting in the lower left corner and skyrocketing up. We like to be described as “quick studies” to show that we can learn at the speed of light.

Yet in the 21^st century, information bombards us day and night. Our attention spans are fed in 15-30 second increments. Texting has replaced writing and words are replaced by emojis and three letter acronyms.

With endless demands on our time, we should be aware that learning is not a curve. Learning is iterative. It can also be interactive, visual, tactile. We need to be aware of our collective differences in learning styles and appreciate that there is no right way to learn.

Here are some pointers to help you learn more effectively in today’s distractive information age:

Tell Me a Good Story…

We are in a marketplace that is dominated by candidates having so many options on where to work. Websites and job boards are constantly updated with new positions, endless InMails and voicemails are sent from recruiters about the latest and greatest opportunities… So, as an executive recruiter, the question for me is no longer “How do I find more jobs to fill?” but “How can I turn people’s heads to differentiate myself/the company I’m recruiting for from all the noise?”

A great way for companies to separate themselves and their value prop is by putting together a compelling story. According to neuroscience marketers, compelling stories with an emotional trigger alter our brain chemistry, making us more trusting and open to ideas. People are not only hardwired to love stories, but they innately want to follow what is brilliant and new – whatever STANDS out!

Check out the following tips to improve your own organization’s storytelling strategy:

Job Relocation: Everything you Need to Know

Let's face it- the best and brightest professionals don't all live in the same city or state. If companies want to hire candidates with the highest talent potential, from time to time, they'll need to convince some of them to relocate for a new opportunity.

It's not easy for people to give up their life outside the office to move across the country. By understanding why the employees who opt to relocate choose to do so in the first place, you can increase the chances that you'll be able to lure candidates with high talent potential to the city you're based in.

The following infographic by Allied gives some hard data on why employees are willing to move for a job and how companies are able to convince them to do it:

The Candidate Is Just Not That Into You

Hiring right now is not easy. We have been in a candidate-driven market for a few years, but I haven’t felt it as much as I have this past quarter. Hot jobs to recruit on, check. Great candidates, check. Interest from both sides, check… then the deals somehow fall apart. What is happening? Welcome to today’s candidate-dominated market!...

Tackling a Background Check Before You Get "Re-Accommodated"

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: 

Interrupt to Disrupt!

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:

Why Do Companies Use Recruiters?

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.

Is Working at a Small Company Right for You?

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:

Cost-Effective Perks to Attract Top Talent

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. 

Let's Have a Few Words

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.