Tag Archive for: Hiring Talent

How to Have a Strong Employer Brand

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If someone were to ask you what it’s like to work at places like Facebook, Google, or Apple, you would likely tell them that it’s a fun and laid-back environment that is trendy and health conscious. And the interesting part is…you don’t even have to work there to know that. This is because all of these companies have a strong employer brand.

An employer brand is a company’s reputation as an employer and how they are viewed from an internal employee’s perspective.

Most companies don’t put much thought into this because there is already so much branding and marketing to be done for their products and services as well as advertising open positions. However, employers that have an amazing work culture and an innovate strategy to promote it have an easier time finding the right talent who stays with the company over the long-term.

Here are our top recommendations for creating a strong employer brand that will attract top talent.

1. Conduct a Culture Audit

A culture audit is an assessment of your organization’s workplace culture that helps you determine how your company culture is perceived by employees as well as clients and vendors. Doing so will give you a good idea of what is currently working, what your employees value, and what areas need improvement. Gather data by asking your employees to complete an anonymous survey. Some good foundational questions to ask are:

  • How would you describe our company’s leadership?
  • What is our office environment like to you?
  • Have you come across any obstacles that have gotten in the way of your work?

It’s also important that you give them the ability to offer feedback and suggestions.

2. Add a Company Culture Section to Your Website

In nearly every job posting, companies claim that they have a “great company culture”, but outside of a brief description, give prospective candidates no way to gage whether or not they see themselves as a culture fit. Since a company’s culture is such a big determining factor for whether or not someone chooses to apply and/or work for a place, having this will set you apart from your competitors. A few things to include are:

  • A video that shows what the office/worksite looks like
  • A list or photos of some of the perks and fun things your company offers
  • A link to some of the causes your company supports with facts and statistics about that social issue

3. Spotlight Your Employees

Your employees are what make your business possible, and they all want to feel recognized for their efforts and contributions. Whether it’s through your blog, social media posts, or bi-weekly newsletter, feature your employees with their picture, some personal fun facts, and a highlight of their accomplishments. This will make your employees feel valued and show anyone who visits your online platforms that you appreciate your team and the work that they do.

4. Showcase Your Company Culture Across Your Social Media Platforms

The lowest hanging fruit is to post all about your products and services and write blog posts about what’s current in your industry. While this is definitely a good use of your social media channels, it doesn’t need to be the only thing you ever post about. In fact, you will have much more traction if you do something outside of the norm. When people browse your online platforms, they want to be engaged and see your brand’s personality. Make your digital spaces a bit more personal by posting photos of company outings, projects, and events; and accompany them with a caption that tells the story behind the photo.

Additionally, it’s essential that what you advertise about your company online, translates to how it actually is to work there.

If your company is in need of employees, we at Award Staffing are here to help. Contact us with your staffing needs here.

8 Tactics for Attracting Talented Candidates

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In the current economy, it’s difficult to find quality employees for a variety of reasons. Not only do workforce trends, therefore employee expectations evolve on a regular basis; after the pandemic, many people’s lifestyles have changed drastically. This has influenced the way jobholders believe employment should work. While it can feel like it’s hit or miss when it comes to bringing in new talent, there are many tactics you can use to appeal to job seekers in your industry. Here are some of the factors that commonly get overlooked when companies are trying to draw in new talent:

1. Have a Detailed Job Post

When you’re trying to fill vacancies, you want to be as informational as possible without making the post too long (300-700 words is a good criteria). Remember, there are a ton of others trying to attract candidates as well, so the key is to stand out. Job seekers always want to know, “what’s in it for me?”, so believe it or not; a lot of companies are steering away from having a requirements and duties/responsibilities section in their job posts. Start by discussing why your company is a cut above the rest and what a day in the life of one of your employees looks like. Talk about desired perks like paid vacation, health & retirement benefits, and wellness programs. Then, towards the bottom, describe the job and what’s to be expected if hired. This will ensure the post is engaging and that applicants read it from top to bottom before moving on in their search.

 

2. Advertise Team Building and Company Ethos 

Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Not only will your company be more efficient and productive if you implement team building into your strategy, but employee retention will increase and people will be more apt to apply. Gone are the days that people want to work somewhere solely for a certain wage or as a status symbol. Now it’s about feeling like they are a part of something. Knowing that they will be entering an organization with positive employee morale and one where everyone works together will make job seekers feel more comfortable and will attract candidates who truly want to be there and are not just inquiring for the sake of a pay check.

 

3. Promote from Within

Employees want to know that they will have long-term careers with the companies they are currently working for, but only half of employees actually feel like they do. From an employee perspective, there is nothing more discouraging than seeing somebody from outside the company get the job that they are just as qualified for. In fact, in their mind they are more qualified because they have already paid their dues and contributed to the company. Promoting strictly from within will give your employees a bigger sense of security and shows that you appreciate them by being willing to advance them in their careers.

4. Have a Join Our Team page on the Company Website

If you want to bring in top candidates, simply having an “Apply here” button is not enough. An entire page dedicated to marketing the company as a great place to work will attract many more qualified applicants. Make the page as visually appealing and engaging as possible. This is the place to talk about the company culture, post photos of the office, post employee profiles & testimonials, and showcase awards that the company has won. A “join our team” page should essentially give prospective employees a taste of what it would actually feel and be like to work there.

 

5. Craft an Appealing Job Title

Since the title is the first thing that people see when perusing through job boards, making it eye-catching title will make all the difference in the amount of applicants you get. This is your first opportunity to make an impression on someone who could be the next MVP of your company. Don’t give them the chance to reject you by underestimating the importance of the job title. Call the job what it is and avoid using terms like “guru” or “rock star”, as this doesn’t give any insight on what the job entails. A quality title will use general vocabulary (not jargon that is only understood within your company). It can also be advantageous to add the location and mention some of the job perks or benefits you offer.

6. Treat a Job Posting as Marketing for Your Company

In order to bring in top talent, your company must be reputable as a place that current employees enjoy working. This means that your office practices should be highlighted in the job post. If your company has won awards for its culture or being a top place to work, be sure to include that. All too often, hiring managers only post “job requirements”; but applicants need to know what the environment and work-life balance looks like to decide if they can envision themselves being part of it. This is your chance to activate candidates by getting them excited about the possibility of working there. Use it to your advantage by having a section dedicated to discussing the collectively enjoyable aspects of the job/company. Nowadays people aren’t just looking for a prestigious job title and a paycheck. They want to know they have something to look forward to every day when they walk into work.

7. Consider Remote Employees

On account of team building and camaraderie, many company leaders prefer to only hire local talent so that they are able to come into the office every day. But with the new implementation of communication tools like Zoom and Slack over the past year, it has proven to be easy to connect and keep in touch no matter where someone is working from. In the current market, it is difficult to bring in new talent. However, work still needs to get done if you want your business to thrive. Being open up to remote employees for administrative and marketing tasks gives you the whole world as your candidate pool. Also, people are more likely to apply for and accept a position that gives them location freedom.

8. Offer/Promote Learning Programs

Despite what degrees or certifications one may have, many people are resistant to apply for positions because they don’t feel qualified enough for them. Job postings and descriptions only tell you so much; therefore, if someone feels that they don’t have the right experience, they will be too intimidated to apply. If you make it a point to let applicants know that you have programs and will train them, (not just in the beginning, but on a constant basis) you will see more applications coming in.

If your business is currently in need of more talent, we at Award Staffing are here to help you. Contact us here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP 4 WORKPLACE TRENDS OF 2021

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It is no surprise that after a pandemic, there are many changes that will inevitably occur in the working world. Although it’s normal for protocols to shift in a work environment as time goes on; due to the unprecedented hurdles over the past year, employees have begun to have higher expectations for their employers. For that reason, it is crucial that your company keep up with market progressions in order to recruit and retain top talent. Here are the top workplace trends you can expect to see emerging over the upcoming year:

 

Employee Wellbeing Support

After the global health crisis, it is now more important than ever that employees feel like their wellness is being looked after. While it used to be that work and personal lives were kept separate, multiple studies have shown that supporting employees through personal matters has helped them perform at a higher level. With technology advancing at a rapid rate, employees have struggled to disengage from their work even when off duty. This has led to burnout, job resentment, and even resignation. It is up to the employer to communicate that employees have the right to disengage and recuperate during their off time. It would also be of benefit to both parties that the company offer resources and programs for mental, physical, and possibly even financial health and wellness.

Upskilling and Reskilling Employees

For a number of reasons, there are many more positions in the current job market than there are people open and willing to fill them. Upskilling and reskilling employees could be a great solution to this. Upskilling is when an organization teaches an employee new skills with the intention of advancing them. Reskilling is when an organization teaches an employee new skills so they have the knowledge and tools to do a different job. Although this may cost more money, as promotions and additional skillsets mean higher wages; expanding employee skillsets will help your company get through employee shortages, call outs, employee vacations, etc. Especially if you are a smaller organization, having employees that are equipped to fill any role will be of massive benefit. In the long term this will increase productivity and profitability for your company on top of more skills and higher pay for current employees.

Hybrid Workplace Model

While many employers were resistant to the idea of employees working from home prior to the pandemic, many of them were surprised to find that this model actually benefitted them. Several companies found that by allowing employees to work remotely, they saved on rent and utilities by ending the lease on some of their offices. Though your company may not have the ability to go entirely remote, giving qualified employees an option to work part-time in the office and part-time remotely will without question boost both productivity and employee morale. Also, if you choose to reskill and cross train employees, this will give workers who wouldn’t have previously qualified to work remotely the ability to do so once in a while. The pandemic has most definitely resulted in lifestyle changes and shifts in how employees view their jobs. Now that so many have experienced the feeling of working from home, they have a new standard for what their work life must look like.

Scheduling Flexibility

It used to be that the only people with flexible schedules were gig workers and freelancers. Now, more and more companies are letting go of the rigid 9-5 schedule and are giving their employees more autonomy. While it sounds like a perk that solely benefits the employee, companies are noticing that by allowing their people to work when they feel they are most productive, they: attract top talent, have longer employee retention rates, and have a better reputation as a place to work. As time goes on, it is projected that there will be much more emphasis on employee output and less focus on the number of hours worked.

The three key components of scheduling flexibility are:

  1. Letting employees choose where they work from
  2. Letting employees create their own schedule
  3. Letting employees build their own work day

If your company is in search of new talent, we would be happy to help you here.

 

 

 

 

Don’t’ Throw Away Job Fairs: Part 2 – Companies

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In Part 1 – Candidates, we discussed the benefits of job fairs for candidates, as well as mapping out a program to success. In Part II, we do the same from the company’s perspective.

Companies – Job Fair Benefits

· While job fairs are not by any means the sole or even the top recruiting angle for companies, they can still play an essential role in recruiting. Job Fairs offer companies the opportunity to:
· Meet face-to-face with multiple candidates without specific appointments.
· Meet talent they might otherwise have missed.
· Target specific talent for specific positions.
· Solidify your brand with potential candidates – this is a key opportunity to shine in your industry; to educate job seekers about your company’s brand and culture.
· Increase your level of diversity among potential candidates.
· Network with other corporations.

Companies – Job Fair Success

Gaining a high return on your job fair investment takes strategic planning. From the initial decision to follow-up every step is crucial.

Planning

· Evaluate: What are your recruitment goals? What positions are you seeking to fill? Participate in the fair that best accommodates your hiring needs; that targets the right audience for your company.
· Be proactive in your participation: Where your booth is located will have an impact on how well you do. Negotiate with the job fair
· Choose your team wisely: Choose employees not only understand the job descriptions of your open positions but also will be friendly, confident, and capable communicators who exhibit the company brand and culture.
· Market your participation: Go mobile. Post on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. Encourage your current staff to get involved in spreading the word and inviting both active and passive talent to attend.
· Prepare your questions: Have a clear understanding of the open positions and prepare your questions ahead. Consistency will help you measure candidates.

At the Fair

· Design an attractive booth: Create a space that aligns with your company culture and attracts industry candidates. Prepare recruitment brochures to send with visitors. Have a generous supply of business cards. Create a space for impromptu interviews. Set up equipment for scanning and uploading resumes.
· Get involved: Conduct a mini-seminar or give a talk at a designated time during the fair.
· Give-a-ways: Pass out merchandise gifts. Consider having a drawing for a door prize.
· Be professional: Welcome everyone who stops and treat them with respect. Remember, they are here to learn about your company as much as you are learning about them. Keep communication going both ways. Don’t present a narrow window of requirements to potential candidates.
· Find a balance: You want to talk to as many candidates as possible. You also want to gain enough information from each “interview.” Set a time frame for interviews.
· Take notes: Write notes during each interview and attach them to the candidate’s resume and business card.

Post Fair

· Contact every potential candidate immediately and coordinate the next steps. They stopped at multiple booths – be the open they remember.
· If possible, contact every candidate who talked to one of your staff and left a resume/business card, etc. Even if it’s a standard “We don’t have a place for you” letter, connecting will strengthen your brand.
· Organize an office meeting to discuss the fair. Discuss what went well and what needs to change in the future. Measure your success against your cost. Christina Pavlou, writer and researcher at Workable, suggests you ask the following questions.
· How many candidates did we source during the event?
· How many of them were qualified?
· How many did we interview for our company?
· How many did we hire?
· What was the overall time-to-hire?

While some companies may decide against the Job Fair scene, most will find that with strategic planning, careful delivery, and prompt follow-up, job fairs are beneficial and a vital part of successful recruiting.  Learn how our Recruiting Specialist – Jared Fessler is being effective at Job Fair Recruiting.

If you’re looking to hire the best talent in the business, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the right employees for your unique business needs. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

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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Don’t Throw Away Job Fairs: Part 1 – Candidates

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There’s a lot of negative vibes concerning job fairs and other hiring events, and some of the reasoning behind those vibes carry a measure of truth. After all, how many companies can a candidate interact with, in a three to six-hour window? Who wants to put the time an effort into preparation and then travel only to be told to upload their resume online? But wait, maybe the issue isn’t whether to conduct job fairs, but rather how to gain the desired result. Job fairs, both traditional and virtual can be a powerful networking tool when companies and candidates approach them with the right attitude and apply commonsense networking principles.

Candidates – Benefits of Job Fairs

Whether you are looking for a job following college, returning to the workforce after an extended absence, wanting to move forward and upward in your career, or making a career change; networking with potential employers is beneficial. Job fairs are not only a networking event but also an opportunity to:

· Meet with several companies in one location – and compare what they have to offer.
· Learn more about your industry; how it’s changed, what skills are in demand, how industry players are presenting themselves, and the latest job market trends.
· Face-to-face communication and an opportunity to give your elevator speech to company representatives who are typically difficult to reach.
· Stand out as the person behind the resume – getting feedback on your resume, as well as a jumpstart on preliminary screening and interview.
· Interact with the company’s employees and gain insight into the company culture.
· Make connections with and collect contact information for relevant company personnel. (Sometimes these contacts result in a future career opportunity)
· Get the scoop on types of jobs the company offers, qualification requisites, and in some cases, typical salary and benefits.
· Learn about new opportunities for your skill set.
· Take mini-seminars and sit in on panel discussions and talks.

Candidates – Job Fair Success

Yes, there are multiple reasons to attend and benefits to gain, but success is up to you. Output depends on input – and that’s oh-so-true with job fairs. The following steps will help you to succeed.

Preparation

· Obtain a list of the participating companies and prioritize them in the order of importance to you and your career. Starting with the first company on your list, do your The more you know about a company going in, the more you will gain from your conversation with the company representatives. Make a list of the questions you want to ask. Customize your resume to the positions that interest you – and mark them, you certainly don’t want to hand a resume customized for company A to company B.
· Get ready for the job fair in the same way you get ready for an interview.
· Plan your route and leave in enough time to arrive early.
· Be well rested and eat a low carb, protein-rich breakfast.
· Dress professionally – choose cool and comfortable.
· Wear shoes that fit and support
· Keep your load light – a folder of resumes, pen, and paper for notes, your wallet . . . fill in the rest, but keep a short, light list.

At the Fair

· Be confident, professional, and friendly. Smile, keep eye contact and give a firm handshake. Be ready with your elevator pitch but listen to cues; the company representative will often “lead” the conversation.

· Give them your resume as quickly as possible. Communicate your interest and why your experience and skills are a prodigious fit for their company.
· Ask questions that show your knowledge of the company (this is where your research pays dividends) and your interest in working for them.
·  Pay attention to culture cues and share your personality via your communications.
· Treat your connection like a preliminary interview; ask them the next step. Ask for their business card and give them yours – if you have one.

Follow-up

· Follow-up begins immediately – when you leave a company’s booth, take a couple minutes to make notes about your conversation and your impressions. When you get home and try to write 6-10 thank you’s, these notes will be invaluable.
· When you get home – send your thanks immediately. Whether you take the time for handwritten or send emails, do it. This is rarely a time for texts. Thank them for their time, express your interest in going to the next step, and reiterate why you are the right fit for their position.
· Even if you are not interested, send a note of thanks for their time. You never know where your connection may lead to in the future. That’s the beauty of networking.

With committed preparation, focused participation, and swift follow-up, candidates can build their network, gain career advice, and either win a job opportunity or open the door to a future one via Job Fairs. Learn how our Recruiting Specialist – Jared Fessler is helping win with candidates at Job Fairs. In Part 2, we’ll discuss how job fairs are also beneficial for companies.

If you’re looking to hire the best talent in the business, contact Award Staffing. We will be able to help you find the right employees for your unique business needs. If you’re searching for more tips and trick on how to improve your company’s workforce, check out our hiring solutions blog.

 

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.