Covering Talent Issues: A Reporter’s Perspective
I sit on the Board of our local talent acquisition non-profit group, RecruitDC. And since the inception, we’ve been lucky enough to have exceptional keynote speakers at each of our sell-out conferences. This year, with so many economic and government factors affecting our local talent landscape, we’re taking a different approach. Washington Post reporter Sarah Halzack will lead a panel of executive HR leaders to address some of these issues. Halzack, a Capital Business Reporter and Web Editor for the Post, has ...
Tech Shoppers Beware: Don’t Buy Candidates From This Guy
As I head to InfluenceHR in two weeks to talk with HR vendors about how to sell into the space, I’m continually amazed by the tactics people use. I’m not a career salesperson, but I have spent quite a bit of time in the buyer’s seat, and now that I run a consulting firm, new business is constantly on my mind. So I understand quarterly goals, year-end stress and pressure to make numbers. But I’ll never understand why people think ...
How to Really Find the Best Talent: Meet the Author of The Rare Find
A recruiter’s job description can be narrowed down pretty simply: find the very best talent. And that’s what we all aim to do. We experiment with different search tools, search strings and partners day in and day out. And while technologies have changed, our methods really haven’t. We want that perfect fit.
Introducing “Social Evidence”
When Jamey Jeff and Scott Rothrock first reached out to get my feedback on their start-up, RemarkableHire, I was intrigued. After all, as a recruiter, talent acquisition leader and now consultant, I’ve lived and managed the same woes that drove Jamey and Scott to found the company–measuring talent by a traditional resume doesn’t work. Coining the term “social evidence,” Jamey and Scott have created a tool to help recruiters and hiring managers find and evaluate talent through the “collective voice of ...
Why You Should Care About the Jobs Report
Another day, another jobs report. That’s what it may feel like. In talent acquisition, we spend so much time thinking about jobs to fill and plans for our own organizations, that we don’t often pay much attention to the larger picture. Sure, we listen to the jobs reports, we grimace when the numbers aren’t what we think they should be, and we move on. What can you do? For starters, you can care.
QUIPS #2: Brand Ambassadors
exaqueo recently introduced QUIPS: QUIck Problem Solving. These are quick ways to begin to address and solve common talent challenges. You may not have the resources to hire a consultant or tackle the challenge holistically. But you can take some steps on your own. In our first QUIPS we talked about quick ways to address the candidate experience problem. Now, in QUIPS #2, we’re tackling brand ambassadors. Everyone knows they’re good for business, but you can’t just pick and choose who plays ...
A Gold Isn’t Guaranteed: Why Skills Are Only Half Of the Equation
As the London Olympics continue on, we’re glued to our televisions, mesmerized by feats of power, athleticism and raw skill. In particular, watching gymnastics always results in shock and awe: “did a fifteen-year old really do that?” Yesterday, the women competed in the individual vault event and American McKayla Maroney was the overwhelming favorite to win gold. So overwhelming, that the announcers couldn’t stop talking about the “inevitable” win. And then she didn’t.
Stop Looking Up
Companies worry about many things–including the lack of leaders and leadership skills. ‘Bring on the leadership development training’ they cry! Or so said this Wall Street Journal article from 2012. But it’s not that the talent isn’t there. Or that the talent is there but needs help bridging the gap. From where I sit, the problem seems to be sky-high.
QUIPS #1: Candidate Experience
Speaking and consulting with HR professionals, I often hear how hard it is to take best practices and actually implement them. The grand solutions shared at conferences and in whitepapers often come from companies with big staffs, big budgets and a supportive and forward-thinking HR team. What if that’s not you? What if you’re working exceptionally hard but starting from scratch? Maybe your company doesn’t have the money or the time and energy to focus on solving a problem in ...
The Future of Social Recruiting in a Nutshell
Where’s social recruiting really headed? Bullhorn Reach asked 20 recruiting thought leaders for their thoughts on the future of social recruiting. Here’s mine: “Marketers use social media to get instant feedback, engage with customers, and extend a brand in one click. The future of social recruiting is using social channels the same way marketers do. Savvy leaders will use social channels to learn more about their candidate base and turn that data into rich, powerful insights. Sourcers will tap into conversations for evidence of performance and ...