The Changing Landscape of Recruiting in 2014

The Changing Landscape of Recruiting in 2014The Changing Landscape of Recruiting in 2014The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, Change is the only constant in life. In looking back on the last 12 months, its obvious that 2014 was a banner year for change on both a global level and in the world of recruiting and HR.The rise of employer branding, advances in technology as well as changes in the structure of work, along with how employees approach work, are just a few of the trends we tracked at Simply Hired in 2014. Here are a few highlights, with links to relevant articles weve published.Employer BrandingIn a recent study the majority of employers surveyed said they have articulated an employer brand. No longer reserved for companies with big budgets, employer branding is top-of-mind for many companies, and it extends to the candidate experience. Our e-book Recruitment Strategy in the Age of Branding and Mobile offers specific recommendations on how to streamline your applicati on process so that it contributes to a positive employer brand.But how do you measure employer brand? This fall, Simply Hired announced the Employer Brand Index (EBI), which measures the level of preference a company generates from potential employees based on the rate at which they engage with job ads. Currently the EBI is available for retail brands and will be made available for brands in other industries in 2015.Technology Social, mobile, applicant tracking software, cloud storage- those are just a few of the ways technology has influenced recruitment. Change will accelerate as mora web besucherzahlen moves to mobile devices and creates the necessity of planning technology enhancements and putting new measurement tools in place. It also means that recruiters must become more comfortable with data. Letting data become your ally in your quest to solve business problems is a great way to demystify potentially boring charts and graphs.Flexible Work ModelsIn his HRE article How to Ad apt and Thrive in 2014, Simply Hired president and CEO James Beriker listed the rise of flexible work models as one of the key factors to pay attention to in 2014. In a series about alternative work models, we interviewed people in part-time and remote positions. Our conversations with recruiters about the best times to use contractors rounded out the series, creating a wholly positive view that offering part-time, temporary and remote work options is a great way to save on costs and keep employees happy.Career Change SeekersThe economic and cultural environment has led to more people seeking to change careers or enter new fields out of necessity or personal interest. We are now being given permission as a society to do what makes us happy, said Wendy Nolin of Change Agent Careers. For recruiters this means working with hiring managers more proactively and keeping an open mind when reviewing candidates.In Search of the American Dream JobTaking the career fulfillment question one ste p further, our Dream Job survey looked at attitudes toward employment. While the vast majority of Americans believe it is important to have a job that matches their personality and strengths, and to have a career rather than just a job, only 35 percent said their current job represents their preferred profession.With such a big disconnect between dreams and reality, it should become the task of career counselors, recruiters and managers alike to make sure that workers are guided and developed into roles that match both their strengths and desires. And with only 13 percent actively looking, its even more imperative for recruiters to attract passive candidates.The wisdom of the ancients tells us that we can expect more change in 2015. Whats on your plate? Let us know in the comments.Read Related ArticlesThe Changing WorkforceCharm Candidates With an Irresistible Company CultureBusiness Agility Meets Flexibility The Growth in Alternative Work Models

How to Answer What Do You Enjoy about Working Here

How to Answer What Do You Enjoy about Working HereHow to Answer What Do You Enjoy about Working HereFor several months weve been doing an interview question series that coaches job seekers on the best way to prepare an answer to some of the fruchtwein popular interview questions such as Tell me about yourself?and How do you stay organized?Along the way we realized that job seekers are not the only people who have to answer questions in an interview. Very often candidates arrive at an interview with questions prepared for the end of the meeting, and its important that employers be prepared to answer these questions in the most honest and strategic way possible. To kick off this series were going to start with one of the most common job seeker questions, What have you enjoyed most about working here?Put Yourself in Their Shoes When a candidate ask this question, he or she is trying to understand two things what motivates the people who work for this company and what the most valuable b enefits are. The best answer is an honest one that models what you look for in your new hires, and that will depend on your company cultureand company values. Heres a look at several different ways you might reflect on your company and your experience in order to answer this question If your company values honesty and integrity, you can discuss how this attitude makes it less stressful to work here and share an example of a time when your leadership team was particularly forthcoming or showed integrity. If your company values humor and a relaxed environment, you can discuss how much you look forward to coming into work every day because you know youll get a lot done but also have a pleasant experience while you work.You can also share an example of a good-natured prank or practical joke you were a part of and how it helped to develop a relationship with other coworkers. If your company values its elite reputation and its level of expertise, you can discuss how its high standards hav e contributed to your own notoriety within your field and how valuable you feel your accomplishments have been since you started here. Then you can highlight unique products or clients youve worked with as a result of the companys excellence. If your company values service to the community or the world, you can connect your own desires to make a difference with what youve been able to accomplish with the company. In this light, you can share your satisfaction for being a part of an organization that shares your values.This question is not just about your personal journey as a human resources professional or hiring manager. Its about what your company values and whether or not the people who work there are aligned with that message. By reflecting on your answer to this question youll be able to help the candidate assess whether or not the position will be a good fit in the long term.When a candidate asks this question, how do you answer?

Whats your biggest weakness How to answer the interview question

Whats your biggest weakness How to answer the interview questionWhats your biggest weakness How to answer the interview questionFor job seekers, interview questions require you to think quickly on your feet and respond to any curveball the interviewer throws your way - even when these questions veer away from the scripts you prepared. Do you knowwhat tree you would beor what animal best represents you? Although whats your biggest weakness? is a popular interview question that has endured, many candidates are still unprepared to discuss their failures. (As we learned from these cautionary tales of how not to answer this question.)Heres what you need to know about how to get this question right.The best way to talk about your weakness is to make your answer trueThe secret to answering this question is in recognizing that the weakness itself isnt what your hiring manager is most interested in hearing - its the story that comes with your answer. Hiring managers want to hear a story abo ut professional adversity, not personal failure. No need to blab about any moral mistakes youve made in your personal life while your hiring manager listens in mute horror.There is a formulaTheres no one-size-fits-all answer for you to copy, but there is a basic formula for you to adapt to your needs Acknowledge a real weakness, and then talk about what actions youre taking to overcome it.The best answers should be tailored to the company youre interviewing for and should include a weakness you actually possess.In other words, your answer needs to be authentic and honest, so that the recruiter can see you as a job candidate and as a real person.I believe the most effective answer is one that is true recruiting expertHarry Urschel advises in a Quora post. He cites being a bad public speaker as an example. You can tell your interviewer that giving presentations in front of crowds makes you freeze up and how youre taking courses to overcome this fear. By acknowledging the weakness, you show the interviewer that youre self-aware.Why you cant dodge, according to scienceThats the danger in dodging this question When you dont mention any real weakness, you come off as insincere - or incapable of self awareness.When 122 college students were asked, whats your biggest weakness? in a Harvard Business School experiment, the ones who answered being a perfectionist, working too hard, being too nice, or being too honest as weaknesses were seen as strategically insincere humblebraggers.On the other hand, the students who were honest about a weakness and said answers like Im not always the best at staying organized were seen as mora desirable hires by the research assistants who rated the interviews.Francesca Gino, the researcher behind the experiment, suggested that this is because, authentic people who are willing to show vulnerability are likely to be the type of candidates interviewers most want to hire.Dont be too honestOf course, your answer should own up to a shortcom ing, but it should also be calculated. Its best if your weakness is not central to the very success of the business,Urschel also notes. Avoid mentioning relevant skills to the job you want as a weakness. You want to show vulnerability you dont want to reveal that youre ill-equipped for the job.Same question, different wordsYou also need to be prepared to hear the biggest weakness question in a different form.Kelli Dragovich, the senior vice president of people atHired, told Refinery29 that she asks candidates the same core question with more specifics If I talked to 10 people from the past that youve either worked for, partnered with, or managed, what would they say about you as a whole? What would they say youre great at that you bring to the table? And what would they say you need more help with, or is an area you might need to grow and develop in?When youre being asked whats your biggest weakness, what youre really being asked is what are your biggest gaps in professional develop ment, and how are you addressing these gaps.As long as this question keeps being asked, youll need to prepare an answer for it.