The 6 Most Common Hiring Mistakes

The 6 Most Common Hiring Mistakes A bad hire can result in a number of negative implications for a business and therefore its important to get it right. Though there may often be a sense of urgency to fill a position, employers should avoid rushing the hiring process or skipping important steps in order to get somebodys feet under the desk as soon as possible. Here are some of the most commonly made hiring mistakes that should be avoided, to prevent problems further down the line. 1) Rushing your hire If youre  man down, you may feel the pressure to act quickly to fill the position; but this doesnt mean you should settle for the first person who comes along. Some times it takes time to find the best candidate for the role, so be patient. It will be worth it to spend a bit longer looking for a star employee whos likely to stay with the company, rather than a mediocre one who may look elsewhere after just a short stint. 2) Not hiring for cultural fit Although you do need to look for the right skills and experience from a candidate, their resume is not the be all and end all. You also want to think about how they may fit in at your organisation and whether or not they would suit the company culture. The way that an employee is likely to interact with other colleagues, clients and customers could be crucial to the running of your business, so its important to consider their personality, as well as qualifications. 3) Skipping reference checks To build a thorough understanding about how a candidate is going to perform, its important to check their references to see what their previous employers have to say about them. If you are serious about specific candidate you may even want to perform a background check to make sure that their work history is accurate. 4) Vague job descriptions By keeping your job description very vague or general, you are inviting a huge number of candidates to apply who may only loosely fit the brief. Be specific about what you want, in order to find someone who possesses those attributes. Mention the qualities youre looking for in an employee, the details and responsibilities of the role and the level of performance expected of the individual. 5)  Relying on job ads If you post a job ad and just sit back and wait for people to come to you, then you are missing out on a huge number of potential employees who could be perfect for the role. Your ideal candidate may not be looking for a role at the time, so passive candidates should never be ruled out and may actually be more valuable to you than active job seekers. 6) Hiring someone for all the wrong reasons Whether youre    doing someone a favour or youve been wowed into hiring an individual when there isnt actually a role for them, hiring for the wrong reason can be damaging to a business. Creating a role when its not required can be costly; whereas hiring as a favour can cause a number of problems from poor cultural fit, to a lack of the required skills. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

How Data Helps Recruiters Achieve Better Results

How Data Helps Recruiters Achieve Better Results Sponsored by Perengo “What gets measured gets improved.” â€" Peter Drucker. Data analysis, or analytics, enables business managers and planners to capture and interpret large datasets to guide business decisions.  A correct implementation of analytics techniques and tools can boost business performance by putting useful information in front of decision-makers and thereby improve profitability. In the field of recruitment, data analytics offer essential benefits to HR practitioners, such as: Reviewing the hiring process performance in detail Analyzing conversion rates along the application funnel Identifying well-performing applicant profiles Uncovering areas for improvement It can be challenging to work with complex datasets, especially if there is no clear focus.  A fundamental concept is “Garbage In = Garbage Out” or GIGO: if the collected data or analytical model is incorrect, the information retrieved will be meaningless as well. It will also lead to false or no conclusions. Useful data for recruitment campaigns would be: Data: Number of users across the several steps of the recruitment funnel; time spent on those steps; drop-off rates across these steps; etc. Model: Proper tracking via  multi-touch attribution These are the kind of relevant recruitment data that give recruiters the capability to perform the right analyses, gain better insights, and make well-informed decisions during the talent acquisition process. Recruitment analytics should always produce actionable insights to improve campaign performance and optimize recruitment and hiring processes. The application funnel: a recruiter’s optimization problem The  purchase funnel  is a concept that has been in use in marketing since the late 19th century. It is used to model the different stages of customer interaction with a product; a process also called “the customer journey.” It was first proposed by Elias St. Elmo Lewis in 1898 and depicts these stages after what has been called the  â€œAIDA”  model: Awareness: Customers first learn about the product’s existence Interest: Customers express an initial interest in the product Desire: Customers actively want to buy the product Action: Customers finally take action and acquire the product A funnel usually has three sections: top, middle, bottom. The funnel-like shape of this model stems from the fact that often, at every stage â€" from top to bottom â€" there is a drop-off going from awareness to action, as not every customer will be interested. Then another set of these will not develop a desire to purchase it. Finally, yet another group of customers will drop off before buying the product. In the recruitment field there is the  application  (or  recruitment) funnel, which describes the candidate journey through the hiring process in five stages: Each one of these stages has relevant metrics  related to the different ratios of drop-off or churn between steps, such as visitors to applicants, applications to interviewees, interviews to offers, and offers to hires. As with other funnels, an important consideration when working through the application funnel is that friction needs to be minimized between stages. Friction is anything that keeps the user from making progress along the application process: Sourcing problems   Websites with poor branding   Usability issues   Ineffective hiring process Unattractive offers Both the  user experience  (UX) and the  candidate experience  need to be streamlined and optimized to increase effectiveness. The goal of the HR department is to achieve recruitment goals with the best possible ROI. This is done by obtaining the right volume of hires through an optimized funnel with reduced drop-off rates. In other words: by hiring the correct number of qualified candidates, which improves costs and optimizes the recruitment process. Hard data informs decision making Useful recruitment analytics require a proper data collection, an application funnel with a logical flow and optimized stages, as well as a focus on the right numbers. Not all metrics are equally valuable, some of them might be even misleading. Organizations need to focus on data that will let them make better decisions and improve ROI. The right tools can help manage data. A programmatic recruitment platform helps to analyze data to implement better buying decisions. These insights are leveraged to optimize  job ad  placements for the best performing recruitment channel mix for the particular organization. The following metrics can help improving results: Volume of applicants: Number of applicants entering the top-of-funnel stages. This will inform about the effectiveness of the application website, branding, and sourcing initiatives. Volume of applicants per funnel stage: Observing the number of candidates per stage will help to identify possible friction points and opportunities for optimization across the process. Volume of hires: Amount of hires starting to work. The ultimate goal of the recruitment process is to achieve an optimal volume of hires with a high retention rate. Cost per Lead (CPL): Cost of a job seeker landing in the application funnel Cost per Applicant (CPA): Cost of a job seeker performing some action within the application funnel (e.g., contact info submit; background check submit; etc.) Cost per Hire (CPH): Defined as the sum of all recruitment costs (internal and external), divided by the total number of hires during a specific period. Internal costs are all the costs of the recruitment process inside the company (HR staff, organization, capital), whereas external costs are all the expenses related to external vendors involved in recruitment. Lifetime Value (LTV): This metric is particular to each business as every organization has its definition of  quality of hire. However, some measurements are persistently used such as performance levels, time to productivity of new hire and retention rates, among others. By carefully tracking and optimizing these metrics, the recruitment process will continuously improve, helping organizations to meet their business goals. Bottom Line: Recruitment Analytics Is a Competitive Advantage HR professionals need to have a thorough understanding of their organization’s business goals. This will let them define their application funnel and optimize the recruitment process as a whole. Choosing a recruitment platform with  true programmatic recruitment  capabilities and a focus on the needs of recruiters (rather than the need of publishers) can give organizations a deeper understanding of data across the entire application funnel. The resulting insights can help to achieve recruitment goals while improving the bottom line. About the author:  Mike Kofi Okyere is founder and CEO of Perengo, a programmatic recruitment platform for performance-conscious recruiters working for high-growth businesses and Fortune 1000 companies. Mike is applying his years of experience in the world of e-commerce and adtech to improving the world of recruitment through algorithms and machine learning. Previously, he served as the head of performance advertising for AdMob (SEA/AU NZ), before its acquisition by Google in 2010. At Google, he drove the strategy and execution for mobile display advertising as head of mobile advertising for Australia/New Zealand, and then head of mobile display advertising for Google Asia. Follow Mike on his HR Technologist blog on Medium.

5 Tips and Tricks to Plan the Perfect Wedding for Your Big Day

5 Tips and Tricks to Plan the Perfect Wedding for Your Big Day The process of planning your wedding can be overwhelming. You have a lot of things to do, from choosing a catering service, enlisting professional vendors, to booking your venue. Fortunately, with the help of a wedding planning tool and a few tips and tricks, you can come up with a perfect wedding plan for a perfect wedding day. These are the following: Set Your Budget On average, a wedding can cost you up to $35,329 (and that doesn’t even include your honeymoon). Like any other event, you may have to include additional items in your master list as the event draws closer, and most of them might not be included in your budget. To successfully plan your wedding, set your budget and make sure to stick to it. If you think there are a few items that will pop up near your wedding day, its best to add them to your budget from the get-go. Make sure you never exceed the budget you set from day one. Plan Your Schedule Aside from the budget, your wedding schedule is the most important part of your wedding plan. You have to develop a reasonable timeline, make sure it fits your schedule, and choose the right date on the calendar. You can use a wedding planning tool to help you choose the right timeline for your big event. Set the Approximate Number of Guests Before you even decide on the venue, its ideal to consider the approximate number of guests you plan to invite. This will help you determine if theres enough space for everyone. As a rule of thumb, allocate 25 to 30 square feet per guest. Though this might seem too much, it actually makes sense given that you have to take the space required for the tables, chairs, and the center floor into account. Consider Planning at the Last Minute In some cases, last-minute planning can actually do wonders. The closer your date is, the greater bargaining power you have. Most couples book their wedding venues at least 6 months ahead. However, by booking your venue two months prior, you can save up to 25 percent! Also, weddings held on Friday and Sunday can cost 30 percent less compared to those held during Saturday. Pick the Right Vendors Your choice of vendors can make or break your wedding experience. As a rule of thumb, keep in mind that vendors are like corporate or tradeshow vendors, except that in your wedding, they may be a caterer, wedding photographer, lighting professional, florist, or a DJ. It’s a good idea to set an appointment with all vendors, conduct follow-up meetings, and consider them as your extension from the start. Final Thoughts Your wedding is one of the most special events you can ever have in your life. Although you can hire professional wedding planners, it’s also fun and enjoyable to do some planning on your own. Despite being overwhelming, it is nonetheless rewarding. By taking these tips into account, you can ensure a memorable wedding experience that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

What are the Best Online Recruitment Tools

What are the Best Online Recruitment Tools In this digital era, the internet plays a very important role in recruiting new staff. Online tools that were once a secret weapon of big recruitment firms are now available to anyone at a very affordable price or even free. A full recruitment cycle basically contains three main phrases: sourcing, selection, and retention. Below are some of the best online tools that will make recruitment easier, faster, and cheaper. Online tools for sourcing: LinkedIn On LinkedIn, you can post job ads, search for candidates, as well as promote your organization. LinkedIn is a good resource for actively recruiting talent, especially management positions. This online tool allows you to build your network of connections, and having a great professional network goes a long way when it comes to recruiting new talent. Features such as advanced search and LinkedIn groups make it really easy to find individuals working in your industry of focus and you can draw all the necessary information about the individuals from their profile, company pages and personal updates. Online Forums Nowadays, there is an online forum for almost any niche or industry. These forums allow people to exchange knowledge by asking and answering questions. You never know, some of these knowledgeable people may be interested in working for you, so its a great way to pinpoint and contact individuals who could be a good fit for your role. Meetups Meetups  allows people with similar interests to get together not only online but in person. If you are looking for someone with certain skills, chances are you can find a meetup for that. Why not go and meet up with some prospective candidates in person? Online tools for selection: Skype Skype allows you to conduct live video interviews online. This is great if a potential candidate live in a faraway city or  even country. Its free video chat function allows you to “meet” with them face-to-face regardless of where they live. Traditional in person interviews can take time to organise and  carry out, so Skype interviews are convenient way save time and costs when conducting the initial interviews.   CodeEval If you are recruiting technical staff, you may want to test a potential candidate to make sure that he or she is up to the task, before you even interview them. CodeEval  allows you to do just that. The site lets you create custom coding problems and challenges that you can issue applicants, to help you better sort through job candidates. Revelian Revelian  is another tool that allows you to assess the level of knowledge and skill of a potential candidate in a specific area. Unlike CodeEval, Revelian also offers non-technical skills tests, such as proofreading, data entry, cash handling, etc; as well as psychometric and personality tests that help you identify individuals who are a good fit for  your company culture and an insight into  how the candidate is likely to approach the role. Online tools for retention: Cornerstone Performance Performance tracking is an important process. The Cornerstone Performance tool  utilizes some powerful evaluation features  to measure employee competencies and performance. To make things fun, employees can collect special badges by meeting certain goals, and these badges are included in their performance reviews.   Wooboard Employee recognition is as important as performance tracking. WooBoard  allows you to target certain areas and motivate employees to excel in these areas by giving them public recognitions that are instant and meaningful.  WooBoard is a handy way to show appreciation to employees, connect teams and  keep your staff  engaged at work.

#96 - Career Expert Series - Justin Dux - CareerMetis.com

#96 - Career Expert Series - Justin Dux The Career Insider Podcast Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSSForEpisode 96of The CareerMetis Podcast, we will be hearing from Justin DuxThis interview is part of the “Career Expert Series“.evalGuest Introduction â€" Justin DuxevalJustin Dux is the Host of theCareer Cloud Radio, which was recently awarded by Mac’s List as one of the top career podcasts.Episode Summary1.Justin talks about the podcast, how he acquired it, and the winning of the award. He also shares why he was so interested in Career Cloud Radio, and how he’s using the podcast to create community, and a place to curate stories and experience for the audience in order to make their lives a little easier.2.Justin discusses the power of the ask, and how having success with asking leads to the confidence to ask more, and get more results.3. Justin also gets into body language, and facial expressions, and how they play into effective communication in order to better your cha nces of success. Taking the conversation offline can have a massive impact.4.Justin talks about gratitude, and why it’s the best place to come from when speaking to other people. Getting your purpose out there immediately is important, and gratitude can get through that barrier much more cleanly and quickly.5.Justin mentions that one of the things he struggles with when it comes to networking, and how he’s been able to rectify it in order to spend more time connecting, and less time tripping over schedules.eval6. Justin also spends some time discussing comfort zones, and the benefits of getting out of them and reaching for bigger goals.Quotes“A week later I had a podcast microphone on my desk that he’d sent me, and all I had done was ask for the privilege.”“The best mental state you want to be in during networking is gratitude”.“Now I know things that I wish I had known 15 years ago”“That established listenership is like a community for me”eval“They want to h ear these moments of change so they can resonate with themselves, and find the truth for themselves that works for them”“It takes very little to form a relationship”.Links ResourcesTo learn more about Justin Dux, you can visit hiscompany website. He can also be reached viaLinkedInorTwitter . He can also be reached via email.Intro Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€" Siren KickbackEnding Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€" No Need to Rush

How to Guarantee You are the First to Respond to Any Craigslist Job - CareerEnlightenment.com

5.                       Open a new browser tab or window, head to the Feed My Inbox website , paste in that long web address and your e-mail address, and then click on the green Submit buttom.You’ll soon receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your feed by clicking a link.6.                       Click on the link that appears in your confirmation e-mail.After you confirm the feed, craigslist sends you daily e-mails, providing information on any new job postings that match your criteria.The faster you respond to a craigslist posting, the more likely it is that someone will read your résumé. So while daily e-mails are helpful, they may not help you beat the competition. You need more instantaneous information. For about $5 per month, you can upgrade your Feed My Inbox account so you receive updates the instant a company posts a new job matching your criteria to craigslist. Consider this small investment to improve your chances of getting hired and speeding up your job search.

The Fee For Writing a Resume

The Fee For Writing a ResumeIt's an important question to ask when you are searching for employment. What is the fee for writing a resume and why is it necessary? It can be a daunting task to find the right information, but if you are careful, you will find the answers that you need.The fee for writing a resume is a charge that is taken by the employers. They are the ones who actually set up the company, they are the ones who hire the people, and they are the ones who pay for all the working costs. This fee can be one of the highest fees that you will encounter as a candidate for the job, but it can also be the most effective as well.Since this fee is usually a well-hidden secret, most candidates will try to find out how much is the fee for writing a resume online. It is not impossible to find, but it will take a little effort. If you want to get a fair fee estimate, you should make sure that you are paying for the exact same services as what you see on the resume that you will be su bmitting.Before you proceed, make sure that you have done your research, and that you know how important the submission of resumes really is. There are several reasons for this. If you do not submit your resume, you will not be getting the job that you applied for. Moreover, you will not be able to apply for other jobs in the future.Make sure that you are going to pay the fee in advance, at least three months ahead of time. You can do this if you want to avoid any surprises in the future. If you are required to submit the fee upfront, you may not be happy with the rate. However, if you do not pay, you will never get the chance to get a chance to apply for the position.Another thing that you need to know about the fee for writing a resume is that it is not only paid for the working costs, but also the final costs that are associated with the job. You will be spending a lot of money on tools that you will be using. And you will also be spending money on the knowledge that you will hav e on your resume.There are also companies that offer a certain application or tool that you will use in order to write your resume. These applications are sold separately and they are usually expensive. And you will not be able to get a good use out of them if you do not pay for them.If you think that these fees are not worth paying, you should try to get information on what will actually be the fee for writing a resume. You may find it more cost-effective to have a professional draft your resume. This way, you will not be spending money on anything except the information that you will be putting on your resume.