How to Ensure Your Vacation Does Not Cost You Placements

How to Ensure Your Vacation Does Not Cost You Placements Productivity in recruitment is totally linked to activity. Don’t fool yourself into thinking anything else. Yes, the quality of that activity is key, and whom you actually do that activity with is important too. But if you don’t do enough ‘stuff’, you will fail. Take that as gospel. So, it is to maintain a pipeline of the key activities that drives success. Any fall-off in that pipeline, and a rapid decline in your placements and therefore revenue is as predictable as night following day. The activities that need to fill up your ‘pipeline’ could include a wide variety of things, but typically you need to meet quality talent and meet face to face with clients. Those are the metrics that drive the ultimate match. Think about it in the simplest way for a moment. If you are running a perm desk you only earn money: If people get hired And people only get hired if people get interviewed â€" by the client And Client/Candidate Interviews only happen if qualified job orders are secured And qualified job orders typically result from face to face meetings In addition, people get hired only if they accept job offers And job offers come to quality, qualified talent And of course, qualified talent are typically the result of a thorough interview with the recruiter. So if you believe the bullet points above, you must maintain a pipeline of consistent activity or the desired end result (placements, fees, and therefore fun and money) will not eventuate. But. What happens when you go on leave for 2 weeks? Does the pipeline abruptly dry up?   Typically, what happens is this: the recruiter pushes hard to get as much closed before she goes on leave (or she winds down, having started her leave mentally before it has begun physically). When she comes back the pipeline is as dry as a camels crotch. Demoralised, she shuffles paper for a while and clicks through her database, until eventually the penny drops and she starts to make sales calls and recruit talent. It takes 2 weeks to start to crank up momentum. It takes 4 weeks before the pipeline is flowing. It takes 8 weeks before the first placement, post-holiday, is made. A two week vacation  has ruined an entire quarter But it does not have to be so! Here is a simple strategy to keep that pipeline healthy â€" even if you do go away: 10 days out from your holiday starting, you set yourself a few simple goals. “Before I leave on holiday I will have arranged…” 10 sales visits for the first 10 days after I get back 10 talent interviews for the first 10 days after I get back That’s it. And you make it happen. Actually it’s a lot easier calling clients and prospects and arranging a meeting for 3 weeks time. It can be done quite quickly. Same with talent. Be honest: I will be away for a couple of weeks. But as soon as I get back lets get your situation moving. I will see you in two weeks time. How about 10 am on Tuesday the 12th? Sure, some meetings will be cancelled. But here is the point: Instead of getting back to a dead desk and weeks of grinding the activity wheel and maybe months before the $ flow, you hit the ground running. You get back from holiday and you have no orders to work on but you have 2 client meetings on day one. And another the next day. And two more the day after that. Plus you are seeing fresh candidates immediately. By the end of the week after your break, you are in full swing. Feeling busy, being busy. Yes you can take a vacation  and be a successful recruiter. But make sure a 2-week holiday costs you two weeks of down time. Not six weeks.

5 Tips to Make Employee Scheduling Easy - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

5 Tips to Make Employee Scheduling Easy - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everyone has 24 hours in a day, but sometimes as a manager or business owner, you feel like your time is like putting socks in washing machine. You know you started with 24, but somehow, two or three disappeared right before your eyes. Scheduling your employees, even if you only have a couple, can be a difficult task that is time-consuming and not pleasant. Optimizing your time is important, because, let’s be honest, you have better things to do than struggle with putting together the monthly schedule and figuring out who is available and who isn’t. The following tips can help you along when you’re at your wit’s end with scheduling.   Create a Process Everything works better when everyone is on the same page. When you establish a set way of creating and distributing your schedule, any employee, regardless of whether they are a ten-year veteran or a new hire, will be able to understand the scheduling process. Consider creating a set way to accept vacation submissions, paid time off and family leave, as well as developing an easy way to assign work to your employees. It can be as simple as asking your employees to use the same subject line in an email so their requests don’t get buried in the shuffle. To create a process that works for you, set specific times every week vacation requests have to be turned in. In a perfect world, being proactive would be all you would need, but emergencies occur. Make sure you have a set process in place for when an employee has an emergency and can’t come into work, and inform your employees of what they should do should their co-worker not be able to come in.   Play to Strengths and Weaknesses We all have our strengths and our weaknesses, and one of the best things you can do is learn to play to them. Some employees will excel at certain tasks while others struggle. If your business has busy seasons, try to schedule your employees in the positions where they do the best. You don’t need to experiment with having Joe learn how to operate the iced coffee machine on the hottest day of the year and you have a line of caffeine-hungry zombies out the door. However, during your slow season, you should allow employees to try something they want to learn, even if they don’t naturally excel at it. By giving your employees the time to dabble in something outside of their normal work day, they’ll learn new tasks, which is good for the employee AND your business. Keeping employees driven, engaged and invested in their work can be hard when they do the same thing every day, even if they are amazing at what they normally do. By scheduling them a few hours a week to learn something new, you keep them engaged and present. Your business will actually benefit, too. Here’s why: Say Susan who runs your iced coffee machine breaks her leg and can’t come to work. She might be the best iced coffee maker you’ve got, but that doesn’t help you if she isn’t able to come to work. If you let Joe learn the basics before a crisis occurs, he’ll be able to keep your business afloat even with zombies at the door, all while feeling great he mastered something new.   Use Technology to Your Advantage Depending on the size of your company, using technology to keep your scheduling process organized might just mean using a shared calendar, or it could mean investing in workforce management software. You can make the most detailed and beautiful schedule ever seen by mankind, but if you can’t share it with your workforce, it becomes utterly useless. Sometimes you can kill two birds with one stone. Some workforce management software offers the ability to not just schedule work time but actual tasks. This is helpful because you can track the things that need to get done daily but might be forgotten, such as mopping underneath the coffee machine, not just cleaning it after a shift.   Know the Facts Here’s a breakdown of facts in a very simple way: Poor Scheduling = Unhappy Employees and High Turnover. According to a recent CAP study, it costs about $3,328 to find, hire and train an employee paid $10 an hour for a retail position. After investing that money into an employee, most companies would want to keep them for a little while to maximize their profit. However, the Hay Group, which performed another study, found the average turnover rate for part-time retail employees was 67 percent. Ouch. One of the big reasons retail industries have such a high turnover is because of scheduling. Now, most people who work in retail know they’ll have to work weekends, and guess what. Most are okay with that. The reason people leave is because they are bored, and that’s in any industry, not just retail. There are various reasons for why you could experience high turnover, but chances are, if you’re hiring the right people, there’s something you could do better as an employer to keep employees happy and coming to work.   Bring Incentives on Board Who doesn’t love a good incentive? Even if you’re the boss at your company or in your department, you still probably love incentives. Want to know who else loves incentives? Employees. Positive reinforcements do wonders for a workplace. Creating a happy atmosphere or a positive culture in your workplace doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, for that matter. When it comes to scheduling and attendance, some companies struggle with employees being late to work, especially if it’s an early shift. When people are late, even by five minutes, it impacts the productivity of the company. To incentivize people to not hit snooze and to arrive at work on time, give everyone $25 monopoly money at the beginning of the month. For every two minutes they are late in the morning, they have to give you one dollar in monopoly money back. At the end of the month, if they kept all of their money, they receive a $25 bonus on their check. And while that may not seem like much, that’s basically a Planet Fitness gym membership AND Spotify for free. It’s the little things in life, really. Scheduling isn’t only about making sure you have warm bodies present. It’s about really honing in on what your employees can do, keeping them engaged, and letting them learn new things without getting burnt out.

Dont Become That Unemployed Graduate, Act Now

Don’t Become That Unemployed Graduate, Act Now It’s that time of the year again when graduates are frantically panicking, writing essays and revising for exams. Soon it will all be over and a new gaggle of students will be unleashed on the job market. I remember that moment when I finished my Sociology degree and thought to myself “what do I do now?” Whilst I was in university I hadn’t really given the topic of work much thought. Then before I knew it I had completed my last exam and after the brief relief that exams were over, came a wave of realisation, I had no idea what I was going to do! With rising graduate unemployment, it is becoming harder for graduates to make their mark. But don’t worry, with the right steps in place, a successful career could be just around the corner. Choose Your Target Carefully When applying for jobs it is important to choose your target carefully. It’s really easy to succumb to the temptation to apply for every job in sight. Resist this temptation and you could be on to a winner. Choose the jobs to apply for based on your experience and skills. Once you find a position that fits your skills and experience, take the time to perfect your application. The more effort you put into each application, the more chance you will have of getting a job! Do You Have the Right Experience? This is a crucial question to ask. Some graduate positions look for specific experience, whereas others are happy to take someone on with a good academic record that is aware of their transferable skills. If you are unsure what your transferable skills are, click here for a list to get you thinking. If you find you don’t have the right experience, now would be the perfect time to get some. You could work shadow or volunteer to get that much-needed experience that will help you to get your foot in the door! Get Your CV in Order If you haven’t done so already, you will need to develop a strong CV that is tailored to the role that you are going for. It needs to show the experience that you have and you need to provide evidence for the skills that you include. Use the job description and person specification as a guide to developing your CV to enable the employer to quickly see why you are the right person for the job. Get Networking! We’ve all heard it before, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”; and in many cases this can be true. Keep in touch with everyone off your course, people who you did your placement for, tutors, and just about anyone in your industry that you’ve met. Don’t forget to let everyone know what you are looking for, and remember some of your family members may know people who can help you out! In addition to the traditional networking techniques, there is a new weapon to add to your arsenal social media! Make sure you tailor your online social media presence towards the industry that you would like to get into. If you haven’t already, develop a LinkedIn profile as this can be a great way to reach out to employers. Join LinkedIn groups that relate to your interest area and get involved with discussions. This can help to boost your presence and give you the opportunity to talk to people who are already on the inside! Remember, don’t be scared to ask for advice. You often find that people like to help, or at least enjoy giving their ‘two penneth.’ 5

Approaching a Competing Company for a Job

Approaching a Competing Company for a Job There will be times in your career when approaching a competing company for a job is a good career move. It does not make you a bad person or disloyal employee. It can be that the job or company you work with is going in a direction that you disagree with.Maybe the competing company is using an exciting business strategy and you want to be a part of it.We all live in a world that is connected better than ever before. So, when approaching competitors for a job, keep these tips in mind.Make Sure It Is LegalCheck your current contract for non-compete clauses and NDA’s (non-disclosure agreement). Violating a non-compete agreement can result in unnecessary problems ranging from lawsuits to a damaged reputation. Companies also protect themselves by asking employees to sign an NDA.Check your current hiring agreement to make sure you won't get yourself into legal trouble by approaching a competing company for a job. This could mean changing some information on your resume.It is best not to reveal what you have been working on recently to a competitor!Never Bad Mouth Anything to Get an InterviewIf two competing companies grew alongside the other, it is likely the company leadership did, too. They could know each other. They could have similar business connections and backgrounds. Because they compete does not mean they do not talk.If you approach a competitor for an interview only to make negative comments about your current job, this may be communicated back to your present boss.A competing company will not hire someone who comes off as negative. You will be hired if it makes good business sense to hire a productive, trustworthy employee from a competitor.Make Sure You Know Who You Are ContactingIn cases of a direct solicitation, make sure the person who will receive your resume is safe.“Safe” meaning there is a mutual understanding no one is going to contact your current company.You should also be respectful and thankful for your competitor's contact. Whether yo u are hired or not, they are more likely to keep your job search quiet.Apply and Communicate With Your Own ToolsThe last thing you need is your name on a company email server to a competitor requesting an interview. Play it safe and use your computer at home.If you see a rival company is posting jobs online, apply on your own time and with your own devices.Applying through job boards for competitor companies can also help you protect your identity.Discretion and Timing Is the Better Part of ValorApproaching a competitor for a job can be a high-risk move. Some industries and geographic markets are well-connected.If for any reason you feel approaching a competitor can cost you your job, wait until the timing is right. Do not make any irrational decisions that could cost you your job or reputation.The perfect timing to work for a competitor is usually when they reach out to you, first. They know they are suffering without you on their team. If such a thing happens, keep it discreet.You are showing the competing company you can be trusted if you reach out to them in the future.

Best Resume Writing Resources - Reddit Is Not Your Only Choice

Best Resume Writing Resources - Reddit Is Not Your Only ChoiceIf you are looking for the best resources for resume writing, you should look no further than Reddit. There are hundreds of unique communities on the popular social media site, many of which provide excellent resources for learning the skills that will be needed to succeed in a modern job market. Since so many people find the opportunities they see on Reddit to be the most useful, it is important to find a resource to learn these skills.Free online forums are becoming a lot more common on the Internet, and this one is a great place to learn the skills that you need to have for getting a job today. Using the advanced search features of Reddit, it is possible to look for exactly what you are looking for in regards to resumes. The first community you can find is very user-friendly and provides a forum specifically for resumes.This forum is called Resumeprocurex, and the purpose of the forum is to help professionals get the re sume writing services they need to create a winning resume. It is easy to use, and you can read all about resume writing on the site. All you have to do is fill out the form on the right hand side of the page, and within a matter of minutes you will receive a free resume that has been customized for you.It is also possible to receive several different resumes from Resumeprocurex for a fee. The fee you pay covers the cost of the software used to gather the resumes, and all you have to do is have someone write you a cover letter. This can be a great way to start getting your resume into the hands of companies that need it, but is also great for starting new job searches.Since Resumeprocurex is an online forum dedicated to resumes, the members are looking for help with everything from grammar to company-specific training. In fact, if you are looking for a resume writing service for the first time, this is a great place to start. You can learn how to properly construct a resume, how to write a cover letter, and what techniques are currently in vogue.If you want to learn about resumes on a larger scale, there are many professional forums available that can help you learn the latest techniques. Whether you want to learn how to turn yourself into a candidate through resume writing or you are looking for support with an existing resume, you will find the answers you need on the web. There are plenty of free forums that you can take advantage of to help you learn how to better present yourself in the workplace.For many, it is simply easier to stay on top of resume writing and other job search efforts through the use of social media, and this is certainly true on the Internet. Using online forums is easy, convenient, and also saves time that could be spent networking with your colleagues. The information you need is at your fingertips if you need it, and with many people learning to use the tools available on the internet, your profile will be seen by employers much mor e quickly.With the help of the best resume writing resources, you can learn the skills necessary to keep your job-seeking skills current and up to date. Learning new methods is as simple as signing up for a free forum, and the information you learn can come in handy down the road. Many people have discovered that learning resume writing is not so difficult, and once you take advantage of the resume writing community on the Internet, you can learn exactly what you need to know to be successful.

An interview for your blog - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

An interview for your blog - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I will of course be promoting my book in many weird ways and one that Ive really been looking forward to is doing blog interviews. Heres the deal: If you have a blog, and would like to do an interview with me about happiness at work, just email me your questions. I promise to answer the same day and if you like the answers you can post them to your blog. How does that sound? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Job Search - Everyone has a Story to Tell - CareerAlley

Job Search - Everyone has a Story to Tell - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness. William Shakespeare So what is the most difficult environment youve ever worked in? Everyone has their horror stories. Some dont seem as bad when you compare them to someone elses sob story. One of mine (and I do have many) was early in my career when I was working for a company that was very competitive and believed in a competitive work environment (ironically, this company is no longer around). Every year, managers had to fire the bottom 25% of their staff (whether they were good or not) and replace them with better staff. As you can imagine, everyone looked for any advantage they could get. This meant highlighting all of the good things you did and trying to put your coworkers under the hot lights for anything they did that was not perfect. One night, someone apparently stayed late so that they could make copies of their resume. Unfortunately, they left a copy of the resume in the copier and whoever found it made copies and left a copy of the resume was on everyones desk (including the boss). Not ex actly the best place to work, but a great training ground for guerrilla warfare. For the poor guy who lost his job because he was not careful with his resume, Im sure this is not his favorite job search story. Whats yours? How I Got My Job Need some inspiration? This is a great place to start. As you may have guessed by the name, this site focuses on peoples success stories. Browse through all of the stories and take a look (actually, listen via mp3s, just click the link). The site presents success stories via podcasts and there is a new story every week. Visit the about page for some background. Do you have a success story you want to tell? You can do that too. There are lots of stories and lots of inspiration. Definitely take a look (listen). LinkedIn Success Stories Ive mentioned LinkedIn on quite a few of my posts and I do think it is one of the best internet tools for helping you land a job. This article, from About.com, lists four success stories. But the best part of the article follows the success stories. At the bottom of the page are several links for successfully using LinkedIn in your job search (like LinkedIn Mobile, LinkedIn Job Search and more). And, there is more. There are additional related links to get you on your way to finding a job through LinkedIn. Two More Guerrilla Job-Search Success Stories I mention Guerrilla warfare in my intro, and this article mentions a few guerrilla tactics to help you land your job. If you are not finding a job using your current tactics, there is no harm in trying these. There are related links at the bottom of the article as well as related topics to on the left hand side of the page as well as topic specific links on the right hand side to help with aspects of your job search. Job Search Horror Stories Just as important as what works is knowing what doesnt work (or maybe you just want to know you are not the only one with bad luck). Career expert Alison Doyle provides a number of topics for you to consider (like worst job search mistakes or worst resume mistakes). The article is definitely worth a read and you can share your stories as well. THE SEVEN SEARCH TECHNIQUES This article, from highlyeffectivejobsearch.com, provides some techniques that might work for you. The article is divided into several sections techniques that work for only a few people, those that work for 25% of people and one that works for everyone. From Cold Calling to Networking (and all of the stuff between), it is definitely worth a read. Good luck in your search.Visit me on Facebook