Where the Most Time Is Wasted in the Recruiting Process

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Last year the average time-to-hire was 23.8 days, up from 13 days in 2010 according to Glassdoor findings. This lag time is a problem because it costs your company revenue, and makes for a bad candidate experience. Though a variety of factors play a role in the time-to-hire metric, including low unemployment and a lack of skilled workers, or just workers in general, there are steps your organization can take in order to reduce that time and stop costing themselves precious resources, not to mention their reputation.

Costs of protracted time-to-hire:

Loss of revenue: Every day a job goes unfilled you lose the revenue that employee would have generated.

Internal Resentment: Burning out current employees who have to cover the work of the open position.

Bad Candidate Experience: Candidates feel nervous, frustrated, or in the dark.

Opportunity Loss: Candidates may take your slowness as a sign of poor company communication, and take another offer.

To identify an action plan for more efficient recruiting we went to the numbers! Hiring is a multi-step process, involving many departments, so we looked at 30,000 hires to isolate each step and locate the problem area. Here’s what we found: There are four basic steps in the talent acquisition flow – view application, review candidates, interview, and offer. And it’s these two final steps that are causing TA teams to stall out.

So who did we survey?

We looked at 30,000 hires from SmartRecruiters last year from small, large or enterprise companies in Financial Services, Education Management, Health Care, Retail, and Information/Technology Services. In the interest of delivering the most relevant information, we omitted the extreme outlier cases. You may notice that our average time to hire is 4.8 days shorter than the average gleaned from Glassdoor, this is most likely because all our data comes from organizations using an applicant tracking system (ATS), whereas the above survey includes teams working without this technology

Let’s go to the numbers-

Average: 19 days

1 day to see an application
3 days in review
9 days to interview
6 days to make an offer

Fastest 25 percent: 5 days

Less than 1 day to see an application
Less than 1 day in review
3 days to interview
1 (next) day to make an offer

Slowest 10 percent: 85 days

11 days to see an application
18 days in review
30 days to interview
26 days to make an offer

Interviews are the slowest step no matter what type of company. Quicker alternatives to multiple in-person interviews could be phone screenings, video interviewing, and/or online assessments! A quick win for hiring managers using Smartrecruiters was making use of the mobile app, which cut the hiring process by an average of two days when compared to those using their desktop computer exclusively!

Surprising takeaways and expert commentary-

Lengthy hiring processes could be hurting more than helping when it comes to tech talent! As expected high-volume low-skill hiring, like retail, is done much faster than information/technology services, however, that time could be hurting you more than you think. Engagement expert from WilsonHCG, Paul Dodd says.

“In regards to tech, there are a ton of aptitudes, skills, and knowledge that needs to be verified, and depending on the latest & greatest profile, with things like java stack or hadoop, your talent pool is small. Any, one professional would possibly have two or three offers so if you aren’t fast enough, the opportunity cost for not having them on your team could be significant.”

Internal and referral candidates take longer to hire. Internal candidates spent an average of 14 days in the interview stage and referrals 17, while the offer stage took 8 days for internal candidates and 4 days (which is actually below average) for referrals.  Perhaps the familiar nature of these candidates make the time factor seem less urgent, but “This is a huge miss,” warns Katherine Moening, marketing manager for Click Boarding.

“Current employees can make, or break, your hiring game. Provide them with the same level of care and attention as new hires during the hiring and onboarding process – and they’ll become champions for your business and your brand. Treat them as less urgent, and they’ll go find someone that’ll treat them better.”

It takes more time to reject a qualified candidate, who was interviewed, than to make the hire by a factor of over 3 days. When you have your pick of qualified candidates it can be hard to tell one they didn’t make the cut, but remember timely communication is key to keeping rejected candidates in your candidate relationship management system (CRM) talent pool for the next position that opens up!

This article was sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Kaya Payseno

Giving Thanks for an Award-Winning Year

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November brings with it the essence of gratefulness and giving of thanks. We gather round tables laden with succulent foods. We enjoy the fellowship of family, friends, and sometimes the stranger. It’s a time to pause and reflect on all that is good.

As the management team at Award Staffing reflects on the year, we are thankful, oh-so-thankful for our staff of recruiters, our associates, our clients, and every candidate who has walked through these doors. This past year Award Staffing was honored with two amazing awards, and each of you played a role in this accomplishment.

Star Tribune’s Top 150 Minnesota workplaces –

Summer opened with Star Tribune’s announcement of their Top 150 Minnesota workplaces for 2018.

As Star Tribune Publisher Michael J. Klingensmith congratulated the recipients he commended each of the 150 recipients for “creating the very best work environments in the state of Minnesota.”  Award Staffing is proud to be named one of those recipients. Ranked 31 out of 70 small businesses was truly an honor.

American Staffing Association Genius Grand Awards –

The momentum carried to Summer’s end when Award Staffing received the top honor in the 2018 American Staffing Association Genius Grand Awards in the New Company Identification Brand Program, Print Recruiting Materials classes, and in the Externally Facing Company Website category. These national awards recognize the best and most innovative communications and marketing campaigns among ASA staffing agency members.

From a single office 30 years ago to six locations throughout the Twin Cities, Award Staffing has grown from a two-member team to many staff members working together to deliver the connections job seekers and clients are seeking. By using innovating technologies and processes, we have developed the quality of service that has made us a premier staffing company.

Through these awards, we are changing our perception from being a “staffing company” to pursuing the role of a “coach” or “cheerleader,” who provide helpful reminders that you are a person of tremendous value despite the challenges you’re currently facing. This campaign emphasizes the importance of creating real experiences, impressions, and interactions that shape how our customers and associates feel about Award Staffing.

In spite of tremendous growth – because of our growth – we continue to hold firm on our signature approach to service. Our mission is to reinforce connections between the people and the places we serve. Our role is to fulfill gainful employment by serving both job seekers and businesses alike.

We love serving our community, our clients, and our associates. It is with humble hearts and gratitude for each of you that we receive these awards. May each of you experiences a blessed Thanksgiving.

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

How to Have a Competitive Wage Advantage in Minnesota

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Regardless of the size of your company; and the amount of effort you do – or do not put into your brand; you have a brand. Whether you offer a service or a product, that brand is determined by how you treat your employees and how you treat your clients. The truth is – how you treat your employees determines how your clients are treated. And, while benefits, growth opportunities, culture, recognition, and appreciation are all part of the package, the wages you offer, play an essential role. Paying competitive wages is not an expense; it’s a wise investment in one of your most important assets. It’s a success marker.

The payoffs of offering competitive wages – from entry-level to your CEO.

Competitive wages –

• Build your brand – public favor is a powerful tool.
• Indicate that your care – and that’s a winner.
• Attract a higher level of talent.
• Increase employee satisfaction – which increases word-of-mouth recruiting
• Boost employee focus and productivity – and hence, your bottom-line.
• Create an incentive for employees to give their best.
• Foster a creative, innovative culture.
• Encourage company loyalty – increasing retention rates.
• Promote staff cohesiveness.

On the flip side, failure to keep up with the wage market can cost far more than the additional investment in employee pay. Consider the following:

Talent is tight:

Your competitors are always on the lookout for talent. They aren’t afraid to court- and then poach – your top talent. And if they succeed, that leaves you with delayed projects, disorganization where the river once flowed smoothly by, and now you must devote time and expense to hiring, onboarding, and training someone new to the company nuances. In upper-level positions, the costs tied with a departing professional can often be more than double their annual salary.

It works the same for entry-level and mid-level employees. When the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, they often jump. This leaves you searching for additional staff right and facing a loss of production.

Money talks:

While it’s true that workers are willing to settle for less pay if the benefits are superb and the culture is attractive, they still need to pay their bills. Remember, part of the formula for a winning culture is happy satisfied employees, and underpaid employees are less likely to be happy, satisfied employees. Furthermore, if you have the withal to offer superb benefits, then you can most likely put a priority on wages too.

You get what you pay for:

Grandpa said it, and it’s still true today. A flat iron steak doesn’t cost as much as porterhouse and . . . It doesn’t taste as good either. When you fail to pay competitive wages, your competitor who does attracts the higher quality employees, and you are stuck with the run of the mill brand.

Time for Wage Strategy in 4 Steps –

As Galen Emanuel points out,

“Every successful leader and organization know that in order to maximize profits, it’s absolutely imperative to hire and keep the best employees possible.”

Wages may be considered an operating expense – and therefore a potential area to prune, but like any sound investment, raising staff salaries can deliver healthy returns.

Zeynep Ton, the author of The Good Jobs Strategy, asks this question

“Are workers mostly costs that detract from profitability, or are the engines that drive revenue growth?” 

Her research for the book indicates that, counterintuitively, companies such as Costco are more profitable precisely because of relatively high employee wages— rather than despite them.

The Steps

1. Start viewing employees as an appreciating asset:

Your business may have a great product or service, but the strength behind that product or service is the employees who make it possible. And, satisfied employees who love what they do become more valuable over time as they accrue new skills, knowledge, and

2. Determine the value of the position:

Here’s where accurate job descriptions are invaluable. You can’t determine the market wage if you don’t understand what the job entails.

3. Get to know your market:

Study salary reports and compensation surveys. Get involved in industry groups. Compare similar positions in similar companies in your geographic area, but also pay attention to national averages. Pinpoint the median salary/wage. Obviously, an assembly-line wage is much easier to measure than an upper management position.

4. Create a benchmark:

Choosing to pay ahead of the median puts you ahead of your competitors. On the other hand, don’t go way above – this only creates a false sense of entitlement, and sets a standard you might not be able to keep. The key here is to be above average but remain in a sustainable position.

You may have to adjust your view of your employees but applying these strategies and setting an above average wage will create a brand to be proud of and ultimately build your strength as a business.

Whether you have already joined the ranks, or are just starting the move toward living wages, consider a partnership with Award Staffing. We value our community economy, workforce, and job seekers, as well as the ultimate success of our clients. For this reason, Award only works with companies whose pay rate begins at $12/hour. Which is one of the reasons, were named Star Tribune’s 2018 Top Workplace in Minnesota! Contact us today.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

4 Tactics Your Hiring Team Can Learn from Army Recruiters

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Though they may not be actively engaged in combat, Army recruiters have one of the toughest jobs in the military. In 2018, US Army recruiters were tasked with enlisting 70k new recruits by the end of the fiscal year. With the Pentagon working to boost the number of active service personnel to 500k by 2024—a five percent increase over current numbers—these quotas are will only increase in the coming years.

With unemployment at record lows, the US Army has revamped many of its traditional recruiting practices in order to hit these ambitious goals. Many of these same strategies can also be useful to recruiters hiring in the private sector, as the current talent shortage affecting industries from tech to healthcare present similar challenges. Here are four Army recruiting strategies that civilian recruiters can learn from.

1. Proactively Recruit through Community Engagement

Sergeant First Class Duggan Myron has a saying: “First contact, first contract.” It’s no secret that high schools are one of the top sourcing-channels for military recruiters, but Myron takes a more proactive approach to finding potential recruits. He contacts faculty, teachers, and guidance counselors ahead of the school year to build rapport, creating channels of communication so that students who have questions about joining the service, or perhaps need career advice, are directed to recruiters for more information.

An effective method for recruiters—military or otherwise—to reach the people they want to hire is by being actively involved in their communities. For Army recruiters, this means participating in community events, sports games, and school functions to demonstrate they aren’t simply robots looking to fill quotas. Perhaps your company would consider sponsoring a youth sports team, or throwing a block party.

Communities aren’t always geographical; it’s about identifying the places where your ideal hires come together—online forums or networks, colleges, professional groups—and nurturing them. CRM solutions top the list of 2019’s best recruiting tools for enhancing sourcing so that recruiters can attract and hire great talent ahead of demand.

2. Sell Your Organization’s Purpose

After the US Army switched over to a volunteer model in the wake of the Project VOLAR during the 1970s, they began promoting careers within the military. They currently offer 150 different career paths in fields like engineering, law, and medical, as well as unique roles like band officer or culinary specialist. For many, enlisting in the Army is a way to learn vocational skills, travel, and earn a steady income not available elsewhere.

When talking with potential recruits, Army recruiters spend time figuring out what motivates them, and how to tailor their message to best suit that. “You can’t just tell a recruit everything he or she wants to hear,” said Myron. “You’re more of a life coach.”

According to research from CECP, a coalition that promotes greater corporate social responsibility, organizations that care about social good retain employees 23 percent more than organizations who don’t. Greater employee retention means happier, more engaged, and more productive employees, with fewer open positions.

Get to know your candidates and find out what they want in their career path in order to best sell your organization’s benefits and purpose.

3. Be Honest and Upfront

“The best message to get through to somebody is harsh reality,” said Sergeant First Class Joshua Morrison, and with thousands of US troops currently deployed in conflict areas like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, the Army doesn’t want disillusioned soldiers or early washouts to find out after they enlist that this isn’t the right career path for them.

Managing expectations is a daily routine for recruiters, and is hugely important when speaking to candidates. Today’s workers have fewer qualms about leaving a job if they feel the responsibilities or culture was misrepresented. In fact, 17 percent of employees quitwithin their first three months of starting a new job, eating up company time, resources, and creating a poor company image.

4. Focus on Recruitment Marketing that Truly Resonates

Gone are the days of patriotic Army posters featuring a sincere Uncle Sam pointing at the reader. At the time, the call to serve one’s country in times of war were enough to drive new enlistment, but that strategy doesn’t work with today’s recruits.

In 2015, the Army Marketing and Research Group partnered with McCann Worldgroup to roll out “the Army team” campaign. These 60-second, black-and-white commercials focused on the many aspects of service and sacrifice, while highlighting the virtues of enlisting. No longer focused on the individual, the language used in these ads is more inclusive and pluralistic, and has since established a major presence on social media through hashtag and veteran outreach efforts.

“Research has shown that Gen Z is all about making a difference,” said James Ortiz, director of marketing at the Army Marketing and Research Group, “a difference for family, for community, for their country, for the world.”

Today, the US Army is heavily invested in employer branding, and its efforts to reach recruits goes beyond simply pointing a finger. Modern companies who want to attract and hire the best talent need to find ways of presenting compelling messaging accompanied by a candidate-facing brand that showcases why their organization is where today’s candidates want to work.

Sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Scott Wardell

What is a Living Wage? How Much is it in Minneapolis?

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In our tight labor market, many companies are raising their wages to attract and retain employees. The issue of wages, however, goes much deeper. Regardless of a low or high unemployment rate, what are ethical wages? Is complying with state-mandated minimum wages enough? Should companies consider living rather than wages minimum wages?

For example: in Minneapolis, the minimum wage, as of 1/1/18 is as follows

• $9.65/hour – Large employers (annual gross revenue $500,000+).
• $7.87/hour – Small employers (annual gross revenues <$500,000).

On the other hand: Minneapolis’ living wage ($/hour necessary for a worker to support themselves – and dependents, if any – a basic, but a decent lifestyle) is calculated from for $11.96/hour for one a one-working adult household to $19.88/hour for each adult in a two-working adults/3-children household.

At first glance, raising entry-level wages from minimum to living suggests a considerable cost for employers, but don’t jump to conclusions. Employers in many industries have discovered that paying the minimum wage is counter-productive while the ROI for upping their entry-level positions to a living wage is quite positive. They consider the cost of higher wages an investment in the health and success of their company, rather than an expense. Why?

A Higher Labor Budget

  • A Higher Labor Budget Leads to a »
  • High Quality & Quantity Labor Creating »
  • Smoother Organizational Operations Resulting in »
  • Stable Growth, Sales, & Profits

Consider these 5 benefits of paying a living wage-

1. Increased employee motivation:

When employees are paid fairly for their work (and anything less than a living wage falls short of fair), they have a heightened sense of self-worth in aligning with the company mission. Good pay says their job matters, which increases their motivation to do it well.

2. Increased attraction of skilled workers:

Job seekers take note of companies who pay entry workers in line with real-life expenses rather than the minimum requirement. It not only builds their confidence in the potential to move upward if hired, but it also increases their respect for a company and their desire to work there. The result is higher quality workers.

3. Higher retention rate:

A vital pillar of job satisfaction is the ability to support themselves and their families on their wages. Another essential is the self-respect that comes from employee valuation. Living wages are a significant contribution to both components. Yes, it costs more to pay higher, but the savings in lower turnover more than makes up for it.

4. Decreased negative employee issues:

From absenteeism to disciplinary problems, the amount of issues, as well as the need to monitor your employees’ actions and attitudes goes down. Satisfied employees are happy employees. Happy employees show up – on time – and get along with each other better. Production increases and the company is healthier overall.

5. Boosts the Economy:

When workers earn more money, they spend more money. This stimulates the “big picture” of both regional and national economy, which increases opportunities for everyone.

How does a company implement a living wage policy?

In an excellent consciouscompanymedia.com post by Irit Tamir, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Oxfam America, she offers the following steps.

• Benchmark your current wages against the living wage in states and localities where you operate.
• Determine if you are now paying a living wage to your employees and contracted workers.
• Be sure to assess conditions for contingent workers. While many employers take advantage of the convenience and cost-effectiveness of using firms, these contractors may leave workers with little security, low pay, and few benefits.
• Calculate the gap between CEO pay and the average pay of employees – match this gap against the company’s values.
• Consult employees (and, if appropriate, unions) -this is an opportunity for employees to engage, collaborate, and improve the organization.
• Engage your board and create both short-term and long-term plans.
• Commit to both transparency and consistent reviews.
• Look at sourcing strategy – giving preferential treatment, including long-term contracts, to suppliers who are also committed to living wages, overtime policies, and reasonable benefits.

Offering living wages to your entry-level employees is a business opportunity. It is ethical, makes business sense, and helps to build a thriving economy and society.

Whether you have already joined the ranks, or are just starting the move toward living wages, consider a partnership with Award Staffing. We value our community economy, workforce, and job seekers, as well as the ultimate success of our clients. For this reason, Award only works with companies whose pay rate begins at $12/hour. Which is one of the reasons, were named Star Tribune’s 2018 Top Workplace in Minnesota! Contact us today.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

3 Tips and Tricks to Sell Your Jobs Better

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Talent acquisition professionals who understand how top talent thinks are in the best possible position to recruit them to their organization. Today’s job candidates have more opportunities than ever before, and while the majority of them are passive, 90 percent are open to discussing new work opportunities.

With the war for talent at a fever pitch, how can recruiters distinguish their company from competitors? Exceptional hiring teams are beginning to think like marketers, and treating candidates like their customers. To that end, TA professionals are packing job opportunities in a way that puts more focus on candidates’ wants and needs.

Once the money is off the table, candidates are mainly interested in the type of work they will do, the impact it will have, and how it fits into the company’s overall mission. Keeping these factors in mind, recruiters must then frame discussions about new work opportunities around them.

Here’s how to discuss three selling points recruiters often miss in a way that resonates with today’s high-quality talent.

1. The Position

Sure, outlining the role’s responsibilities and expectations feels like a given, but positioning the role in a larger context than the day-to-day grind will help make any position become more attractive to candidates. Explain how the job makes an impact on the company, or potentially the industry as a whole, choosing to focus on purpose rather than compensation or benefits during the first few conversations.

Salary is often the single most deciding factor for candidates to switch jobs, but research suggests greater income brings more happiness only up to about $75,000 per year before it runs out. We quickly acclimatize to greater income, causing it to lose value, which is why intrinsic motivators like company fit and career growth opportunities are crucial.

2. The Company

Candidates want to see culture in action. Think about all the ways your Employer Branding is showcased across different channels. Does your company career page still have stock photos? Over half of all candidates look at company websites for their first line of research before applying, so including photos and video of actual employees sharing their experiences are powerful content. Does your organization’s social media presence and email messaging align with the values that you want to promote? How is the work-life balance among employees? Do the candidate’s interests align with the company’s values?

Top talent often has more than one offer to consider, so recruiters need to demonstrate what makes their company unique from competitors. As brand ambassadors, recruiters are tasked with explaining the company’s mission and vision in a compelling way, so they need to not only have a thorough understanding of what makes the organization’s core product or service it’s strongest selling point, but also how the candidate can directly impact it.

3. Career Growth

Flat hierarchies, project-based work, and the constant demand for new skills have caused many to rethink the traditional career ladder concept, but career growth remains one of the top three reasons why candidates accept offers. What’s more, over 56 percent of candidates choose to stay with their current employers because of opportunities to challenge or improve their skills.

For candidates, a job offer might be a huge life decision, so it’s crucial that they understand the company structure, and know how to locate the services and resources available to them for advancement. Giving new hires the opportunity for growth demonstrates that you want them to succeed in your organization.

Recruiters are increasingly turning to technology solutions to automate certain steps of the hiring process, freeing them up to spend more time on “human” functions like understanding what motivates candidates. When approaching candidates with work opportunities, it’s important that recruiters frame their discussions about the role, its responsibilities, the company, and the candidate’s future around their wants and needs. Not only does this give candidates the best possible experience, but it is the best way to set them up for success.

Sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Scott Wardell

The 5 Generations in the Workforce

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Today’s workforce is one of the most unique in history: as retirement age keeps getting pushed further and further back, it’s not uncommon to see members of four or even five generations working together professionally. There are businesses that have employees with more than 50 years of experience working alongside young adults fresh out of college, with more employees from larger generations sandwiched in-between.

Modern recruiters are faced with the complicated task of understanding each generation to attract, engage and hire top talent that fits their business needs. Navigating current workplace demographics and finding out what makes each generation tick are crucial to business success.

Here’s some information recruiters should know about each age demographic in the workforce:

Silent Generation (Born 1928 – 1945), 2 percent of the US workforce

The Silent Generation make up the oldest – and smallest – age demographic in the workforce. While most members of this generation have already retired, there are still a few that continue to work professionally. Some may work part-time in second careers or side jobs to supplement their retirement income, so it’s not likely that too many members of the Silent Generation still work in their main careers. One common characteristic of this generation, however, is that they tend to be the most technology-challenged group, which could cause tensions between them and members of other generations.

Baby Boomers (Born 1946 – 1964), 25 percent of the US workforce

Baby boomers find themselves in a different position now than years past: they are no longer the largest element of the workforce and retire at a rapid rate, yet still make up a full quarter of all US workers. Boomers have the most experience in the workforce, enjoying senior leadership and executive-level positions in companies throughout the country. Most boomers have become accustomed to working with Gen Xers and millennials, but many of them will be out of the workforce by the time Generation Y – their grandchildren’s generation – start their professional careers.

Generation X (Born 1965 – 1976), 33 percent of the US workforce

Until recently, Gen Xers made up the majority of the workforce. It wasn’t 2016 when millennials finally took over the top spot. That being said, there are still almost as many members of Generation X in the workforce as millennials – 53 million compared to 56 million, respectively. Gen Xers occupy many senior management levels in their companies and have learned how to work closely with millennials and baby boomers, but will now have to add Gen Zers to the list of those they manage.

Millennials (Born 1977 – 1994), 35 percent of the US workforce

For years now we’ve been talking about millennials transforming the workforce with a focus on social responsibility and an ingrained knowledge of technology. Millennials also introduced the trend of job-hopping, as they only stay at companies for shorter periods of time than other age demographics. Now, as they move into middle- and senior-management positions and age into their 30s and 40s, millennials must contend with the fact that they’re not the new kids on the block anymore.

Generation Z (Born 1995 – 2010), 5 percent of the US workforce

Generation Z began entering the workforce this past year, leading a demographic that numbers around 61 million – larger than both Generation X and millennials. Gen Z brings with them new attitudes towards work and technology, and this is where recruiters need to take the most notice. This is a generation that was born into texting and social media, so employers need to adopt new communication and branding strategies to attract top talent from this group.

Write Emails That Job Seekers Want to Read

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“Attention is the business currency of our age.” Says Hung Lee, recruiting influencer and Co-Founder of Workshape.io. “So how do we get that attention and keep it?”

For Hung, the answer is email. As the creator of recruiting brainfood, the talent acquisition newsletter eagerly awaited by over 9,000 people weekly, he knows the power of a successful campaign, unfortunately so does everyone else. According to a recent study from salesforce for every dollar spent, companies can expect $38 in ROI. So needless to say the competition for attention in the inbox is steep, which has to lead to a communication overload…

We all have an unconscious relationship with our email inbox, one that goes beyond our rational mind, deep into the reptilian center of our most basic instinct: stress!  Every message is an interruption, an ask, or a demand on our time, and for many, even opening the email app on our phones initiates an involuntary grown.

Any professional today is constantly at battle with their overloaded inbox. There are books of strategy, software solutions, sorting features, and virtual assistants all to help workers manage the incessant flow of information. Though the idea that it’s the recipient’s job to tackle the communication overload, seems a bit backward, maybe it’s time for those implementing outbound campaigns to check themselves before they wreck email for us all.

That’s what Hung Lee wanted to do in October of 2016 with the first recruiting brainfood. He decided that rather than making a ‘demand’ on the recipient he was going to ‘give’, and maybe – just maybe – with this approach, he could access the slow thinking part of the mind, that makes rational decisions, instead of the stress-induced reactive mind, that lashes out at every perceived threat.

He realized one day, that he was another voice in the inbox cacophony, and wanted to go from asking to give, here’s what we learned from this marketing maven during his session “What I learned from sending 250,000 Emails” at Social Recruiting Days 2018.

Make it about the mission!

“What is my value-add to the person I am contacting?” Should be the first question you ask yourself before sending an email. Make it clear, so the recipient can understand, right away, that you are there to help, not to take.

Consistency equals credibility.

Consistency is key to building audience trust, especially when it comes to both cadence and style. Stick to your schedule and your format so that people become familiar with your messaging, and learn to look forward to it!

Give-give-give.

In the immortal words of the spice girls “taking is too easy, that’s the way it is.” Taking/asking/demanding/pushing are quick ways to destroy your social credibility. The favors will come back around if you focus on giving value and building trust.

Have an opinion.

An audience will want some commentary and context about why you are sending them certain articles or information. It may feel uncomfortable to share your take, but authentic thoughts are what gives your campaign personality and helps your audience connect to your content on a deeper level. It shows you read what you are sending and you have a clear idea of why it’s important for them.

Separate scared and profane.

When it comes time for business, think about using a different channel. Your email is where you’ve created familiarity so now you can connect on LinkedIn or Slack without muddying your email mission.

Bonus point: Be human!  Some of the best engagement comes from when you make a mistake and say “whoops, my bad!”

This article was sourced from www.smartrecruiters.com by Kaya Payseno

9 Reasons Why to Participate in Social Media Recruiting

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In 8 Items to Consider with Social Media Recruiting and How to Make the Most of 5 Social Media Platforms, we discussed what social media recruiting involves, and how to do it, including specific tips for six different platforms. Today is the exciting part – how does your commitment to social media recruiting pay off? What are the benefits? Here’s a list of nine winners.

1. Build Your Brand Awareness-

Active participation on social media sites increases your brand awareness and build trust with industry talent. It’s an opportunity for you to reveal who your company really is on a daily basis. It provides candidates with a clear picture of who your company is, what you do, your culture, and whether you are the solution to their career goals. Showing your company’s personality and values through your posts and participation will capture the interest of the talent you need. In fact, according to Talent Works, nearly 60% of candidates use social media to research companies. This is your opportunity to showcase your company culture and brand.

2. Increase Visibility-

When taking into account the number of social media users – see the Hootsuite chart below – it only makes sense that sharing your vacancies on your social media pages will increase visibility.

Platform – Active Monthly Users
· LinkedIn – 260,000,000
· Facebook – 2,190,000,000
· Pinterest – 200,000,000
· Snapchat 187,000,000
· YouTube – 2,500,000,000

Social Networks create a platform for identifying and targeting the specific group of talent that you need, enabling you to put your position in front of the caliber of talent you’re seeking.

3. Trigger Engagement-

The more that candidates check out your job postings, the more engagement you experience on your social media networks. The more activity, the more people will share your post among their connections. These conversations not only keep your page alive, but they also open the door for you to engage with talent. This includes talent that would never have heard of your job opening if you hadn’t posted it on your social media.

4. Engage Passive Candidates-

According to a 2017 Jobvite survey, 82% of satisfied employees are still open to new opportunities. Recruiting via social media presents an opportunity to engage with these passive candidates. If a professional’s social media profile stands out, find your connection and take that first step – especially when recruiting for niche roles. After all, isn’t recruitment the sourcing of specific talent for specific positions? Social media recruiting opens the door for connection with the right talent.  And having a social media presence allows candidates to look for your company and your jobs.

5. Engage Higher Quality Candidates-

Professionals who are actively involved in social media posts, forums, and discussions tend to be a step ahead in tech savviness, business trends, market knowledge, etc. They know the skills in demand and often pursue them. If they have niche skills, they tend to participate in niche groups. For example, Developers hang out at Stack Overflow or GitHub, while Marketers love Moz or Warrior. Posting your jobs within specific circles opens the door to a higher level, specialized talent.

6. Boost Your Referral Success-

It’s the “friend of a friend” avenue. Social media is where “sharing” happens. It’s a great place to maximize your referral program. People connect within their industry – which means your employees know who is out there with the right skills. When they share job posts, it will be in the right talent pool. This personal element makes social media a fantastic way to expand your recruiting pool.

7. Screen Candidates Effectively-

Social media platforms give you a more in-depth view of the whole candidate – more than the face they bring to an interview. It provides an inside picture of how well a prospective candidate will fit into the company’s culture. It also provides insight into personality, lifestyle, and values. Take caution, however, to stay within the legal realm. Most professional candidates willingly include links to their social media networks in their resume and cv, but don’t step over privacy boundaries.

8. Shorten the time of each recruiting journey-

Social networking sites not only make it easy and fast to communicate with candidates, it also allows them to respond faster. As a result, excellent work relationships often emerge. Furthermore, when talent shares with talent, ties based on shared values, interest and work styles are strengthened and often accelerates the speed with which you will find that best-fit professional for the position.

9. Reduce Hiring Costs-

Last, but certainly not least. We all understand the high cost of the search – recruit – hire process. Recruiting via social media reduces the cost and broadens the talent pool at the same time. Of course, there are costs for some social media features, such as FB ads, LinkedIn Job Posts, Recruiters license, etc. but, the totals are lower than most other methods. Better yet, sharing a job post on FB, LinkedIn, or via Twitter is absolutely free as well as increasing your visibility – which is the next benefit.

Today’s social media users have an average of 8 social media accounts. Social recruiting is no longer a new trend that recruiters need to try. It has become a mainstream strategy that offers positive results. It pays to tap into this incredible source for high-quality talent while gaining multiple benefits. Award Staffing taps into social media every day. We use this and many other avenues to bring the best talent to your doorstep. Contact us today.

 

FINDING YOUR TALENT

Want to learn more about how Award Staffing can help your organization with your staffing and employment needs? Start by providing our team with a few pieces of information about yourself, and we will take care of the rest.

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The Best Prospecting Strategies Require a Human Touch

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Award Staffing sourced this article from: www.nomorecoldcalling.com

Buyers know everything about our companies, products, and solutions before they ever speak to a salesperson. Believe that? Far too many sales reps do. They think that digital rules. So, they spend most of their time staring at screens—doing demos, sending emails, and interacting on social media.

None of that would be bad, if reps were hitting quota. But most likely 57 percent of reps won’t make quota this year.

Perhaps if what you’re doing isn’t working, new sales techniques are in order? Or better yet, some old ones.

Why People Skills Still Matter in the Digital Age

New research from McKinsey finds that the digital world requires a human touch for salespeople to excel. They need to be masters of digital communication and analog communication, and just as importantly, they need to know when to use which.

McKinsey summarizes this challenge in “The secret to making it in the digital sales world: The human touch.” The researchers write:

There’s no doubt that digital is rocket fuel for sales organizations. B2B sales leaders using digital effectively enjoy five times the growth of their peers who are not at the cutting edge of digital adoption. But a recent McKinsey survey of B2B customers highlighted a more nuanced reality. What customers most desire is great digital interactions and the human touch.

The implication is that B2B sales companies have to use technology to power and optimize both digital and human interactions. Companies that add the human touch to digital sales consistently outperform their peers. They achieve five times more revenue, eight times more operating profit, and, for public companies, twice the return to shareholders. That data holds true over a four- to five-year period.

Many sales organizations, however, have trouble putting this human-digital program into practice. The truth is that there are no tried-and-true methods. Companies need to create the human-digital blend that is most appropriate for their business and their customers.

(Read the rest of the article.)

McKinsey also created a template of what this human/digital communication preference looks like throughout the buying cycle, based on their surveys of business buyers. But be warned: It won’t work for all businesses, in all industries, and with all clients. You need to know what your customers want from you, which means you need to ask.

What Sales PEOPLE Bring to the Table

Salespeople still have a role to play, and an important one. In fact, buyers might just need us now more than ever. Our clients don’t need information. They need help uncovering the best solutions to strengthen their businesses. This is done by an experienced salesperson who knows how to ask the right questions, who knows how to use new sales techniques and when to have a good old-fashioned conversation.

We will never replace real human engagement with tweets, status updates, “click here” buttons, or automated lead generation tools. As John Naisbitt writes in High Tech/High Touch: Technology and Our Search for Meaning, “The more high tech, the more high touch we desire.”

Well my friend, things are getting pretty high tech, so buyers are needing a lot more high touch right about now.