If data is not important...then I dont know what is!

Does anyone out there still keep manual spreadsheets? (My hand is raised btw)

Data is so important.. I know this, you know this and everyone else across the globe knows this. However, myself and a bunch of my corporate recruiting friends all have the same complaints - reporting!!! Now maybe it is because the group of people I know work at companies that have not made applicant tracking system reporting a priority or maybe there are more people out there with these same issues than I personally know?

In terms of fortune 500 level companies or companies with employees under 2500 (which I am most familiar with) they do not invest is systems that I drool over like Success Factors or Kenexa. We typically have Taleo business edition, PC Recruiter, Virtual Edge and even icims. What is frustrating is that a lot of  these ATS systems are not designed the same as the actual recruiters workflow. Maybe even the person who implemented the system didn't understand the workflow (which is more likely the culprit). Therefore, the data is not recorded in the same fashion. Most of the systems are customizable (which is one of the reasons it was purchased in the first place) but there are a ton of add-on costs in order to configure dashboard reporting. Instead of getting fancy dashboard reports that executives want to see (let's be honest we want to also see), you get raw data that you dump into Excel.

Mind-numbing raw, stinking-freaking RAW data. So, then you have to manipulate it to make it fancy but that is a lot of bloody mindless work.... when surely a system can do that, right?! 

I've been fortunate enough to see the before and after of what good HRIS consulting can do to configure Taleo. It still wasn't perfect, but you know your reports are only as good as the tracking of data in the system so...  Plus, improvement is good - perfection is unrealistic.

Any commiserate-rs? Any braggarts that want to share their awesome reporting (I am guaranteed to be jealous)?

The Job Hopper

Countless times this has been the road block for many talented individuals. Frankly, I've always wondered if this is a blessing or a curse. You are probably thinking... Blessing? How can she define it as such? Well the reality is you would have had to be hired for several jobs in order to be defined as a job hopper and that means you were chosen by the employer and embraced as part of their team. They saw potential and had hope in you. The fact is, there are many people out there that are not as interview savvy and did not get that frequent of opportunity to join. Isn't that sort of a blessing to have that type of skill? You also have to wonder if that skill translates to the important skills needed in this job!

Yeah, yeah US employers don't want to invest in a person's training and ramp to productivity, only to have to restart that process a year later. However, I have to wonder if they are leaving for a reason and don't actually have the intention of being a job hopper, but are instead being held back from their ambition, micro-managed to death, or avoided a lay-off (jumped ship).

So, how long is long enough? Say you were under the circumstances above, would you stay for the sake of longevity on your resume? A lot of people would... in fact I've heard that before so many times, "I at least have to hit the (#) mark before I consider leaving... I don't want to be perceived as a job hopper".

Don't get me wrong, I don't pick sides on this debate. I just think it is food for thought. So many employers disqualify a candidate based on resume alone because the candidate is perceived as a job hopper, but the reality is if you don't know their situation... how can you truly classify them as such and maybe, just maybe this person just had some bad luck?! The employer should use precaution for sure, but a flat out no seems rigid to me.

Maybe what we should be delving into is why they have made such poor employment decisions repeatedly and make them think hard about what they liked, didn't like and how your environment, managerial style and culture fit affect them in the role? Do they want the same things you are providing? Do their behaviors in past situations point to favorable future circumstances with you? AND... most importantly - Can you keep them?

Some risks are worth taking.... but you should also take the right precaution. Balance is key.

What sort of feelings do you have on the job hopper topic? Ever interviewed and hired someone who shocked you because they made the cut long-term?

Candidate Xperience

In my first post, I listed the candidate experience as one of the things that should be important to a Recruiter. This last week I had two examples of how this "Candidate Experience", at its basic element, is about being customer focused and your ability to build relationships - even if only for a week.

Case One: I referred my friend (let’s call him Ted for purposes of privacy) to a job posting by a professional acquaintance (Tiffany). Tiffany connects with Ted to discuss the details of the position and they move forward having Tiffany represent Ted for the role. During this process, Tiffany questions Ted’s integrity in his transparency of salary requirements. Ted takes offense because his integrity has never been questioned. In fact he is so adamant to prove his integrity, he is willing to prove himself through W2's and check stubs. While this is sometimes just part of the process; Tiffany back tracks realizing her delivery was poor and that she upset her candidate. Ted feels Tiffany does not have his best interest in mind, so he backs out of the process to interview for this job. Talk about LOSE/LOSE situation that could have been avoided!

Here’s the thing… if the recruiter had the candidates best interest in mind, as well as, her clients – she would not have approached the candidate in a way that was accusatory. If I were put in the same predicament as Tiffany, I would have asked the questions necessary for the client but also given the candidate the benefit of the doubt.

Suggestion: Emotional Intelligence is something that can be developed and it would have helped the recruiter with her delivery and her ability to understand her audience. Any business professional (HR or otherwise) should be developing their EQ quotient as it is a proven key indicator of success and even more so when your profession is with people! Daniel Goldman is a thought leader on this subject; you can follow him on LinkedIn!

Case Two: An old colleague (from a previous job) reached out to me. I maybe had 3 total interactions with him in 4 years, so it was a surprise to hear from him. He was looking for direction on his job search. I asked him, "why me"?  He said that all his past experiences with me were positive and he considered me trustworthy even though we were just barely acquainted. I was flattered to be chosen and happy to give him the direction he needed. I helped him narrow down the type of job he was looking for and the job titles he needed to search for. It felt good to give back - it was like chicken soup for my recruiter soul!

Here’s the thing….We should always treat the people we interact with respectfully and with a customer focus; no matter what their role or level. People remember when they have positive experiences and they are willing to be your internal and/or professional advocate. A sense of community is a huge advantage to a recruiter!

Suggestion: Give back what you know to others. You never know when that very person is helping you out in return. Karma is a beautiful thing!

In my opinion, The Candidate Experience is about being positive, helpful and focused on your customers’ satisfaction. In a Recruiters life, the customer is the hiring manager, the candidates (all in the pipeline) and the support professionals (inside your organization) that provide you the ability to successfully onboard a new hire. 

Look… I know we recruiters have large workloads and the whole life balance struggle.  However, I think the candidate experience also provides good recruiter karma! It not only proves your organization cares about your hire, but it helps before the hire with offer closing, networking/employee referrals and even helping an old colleague find a job. There is a great blog post on Smashfly about Candidate Experience, if your interested in a deeper dive, rather than my mumblings!

What examples do you have of The Candidate Experience either making or breaking the deal?

How to be a "Rock Star" Recruiter

In my career, I have heard others use the term rock star to describe that special person that just excels and shines in their role. This person is in their element and passionate about what they do, therefore it’s noticeable and magnetic to others. Being in recruiting for as long as I have and working with so many recruiters both collaboratively and competitively; I feel like I have a good definition of what a rock star recruiter is. Below are the key ingredients to rock star status:

Work with a sense of urgency. If you do work hard, people are more likely to respect you and you want respect over being popular first and foremost.  It’s respect that gets you through mistakes and often leads to promotion. With a sense of urgency you are exceeding your customers’ expectations. This is not always done, so when it is – it’s noticed!

Build relationships and always be networking. You just never know when you meet someone who knows someone perfect for your job. This is where social media becomes a recruiter’s best friend, because you build a network of likeminded networkers and helping becomes reciprocal. So, build that network and make time for small chat too. Recruiters build reputations in their market. Word of mouth that is negative can have a negative impact on your long term career goals. Be careful how you treat people because it is a small world after all.

Curiosity builds good business acumen. You should do an equal amount of listening to speaking. Ask open ended questions and probe. This is not just with applicants, but also with hiring managers. Be sure to narrow down hard and soft skills. What makes people successful in the department. What are the deal breakers? What are the prices of admission? Take a consultative business partner approach to their needs. Use those needs to guide your networking prowess and ability to find “the one”.

Be systematic and have a full and diverse calendar. Your calendar should include blocked times daily for sourcing, social media, phone interviews, in-office interviews, meetings when applicable and administrative time. Which brings me to….

Time management is key. There is a lot to juggle in this profession! Keeping to a calendar is vital to staying on top of it all. Always stagger your appointments so you have time for breaks and returning emails/calls. Staying busy means you are busy accomplishing things.

Work with transparency - it builds credibility and integrity. Another reference I have for Recruiting is to view it as a love relationship; each party has desires and needs. In the employment context you need to make sure there is a good match between the candidates career desires and the employers’ business needs. This helps with retention. If you inform the candidate of the good and the downsides of the job, you force them to make an unconscious commitment. When they continue to pursue the opportunity knowing the truth, they expect difficulties along the way.

The candidate experience matters, so it should matter to you! Whether you realize it or not, candidates are judging the company from the start of the process. If there are typos in  job descriptions and emails, lack of communication, poor offer processes – you question whether this is a sign of the companies culture. Are they outdated or close-minded? Are they not professional? Do they not value their employees? Do they hire sub-par talent and do I want to be in that pool? You can eliminate those concerns and assumptions by running a tight ship!

Onboarding is even more important than recruiting. Starting a new job and switching jobs and/or industries can be very stressful. The first day is important, so you want a smooth handling of paperwork, communications and overall welcoming by the team and manager. Additionally desk preparation, equipment access and training are also important. To be most effective you should also consider a structured 30/60/90 day schedule of expectations and feedback. No one enjoys being dumped in an unorganized desk, waiting on equipment and left to figure out everything on their own. Trust me; I’ve been there and it makes for second thoughts on taking the job!

View Recruiting as Sales. Selling employment opportunities, company culture and knowing your product are foundational. Recruiting has a parallel to Real Estate because the industry connects two parties, the buyer and seller or in this case, employer and employee.

Always be closing. It’s important to ask closing questions on the first call. You should always know the following things:

·         Time line for hire – are they employed and need to give notice? Are they available immediately?

·         What is their current compensation and what amount will close the deal? Knowing the rock bottom compensation needs help you save time and be the expert in the negotiation process.

·         What are their motivations for looking for a job and specifically the particular job in question?

·         How does their motivation meet the job, company culture and needs of the hiring manager?

 Keep Positive. Positivity and negativity rub off on others…it’s just a bad practice to put that energy out there. Recruiting is stressful enough without Negative Nancy in your ear. Leave that crap at home!

In closing, this is my professional perspective but I would love to learn from your experiences.

What do you think makes a rock star recruiter?

-Crystal