From supply chain disruptions to service shortages, the entire nation is feeling the impact of the talent shortfall. Employers are promoting promises of great pay, generous bonuses and previously unheard of perks like quick access to wages and flexible schedules. 

Indeed, the market belongs to the workers, particularly non-exempt employees in lower wage sectors like hospitality, health services and retail.

The escalating hourly worker shortage has consequences not only for business morale, productivity and profitability, but for the consumer experience as well.  

The Big Picture

It’s hard to ignore headlines about record numbers of people quitting their jobs, now known as “the Great Resignation,” and the existence of more open jobs this year than at any time in history.  

A recent article in CNBC demonstrates the urgency of the situation as employers go to new lengths with pay and perks to hire and retain employees. As workers become more discerning about the kind of jobs they take, the average wage of restaurant and supermarket workers rose above $15 an hour for the first time ever.  

In a recent NBC news report, the president of a Maryland steel product manufacturer characterized the current labor market as “crazy town,” noting that even after a 20% increase in wages, it’s still difficult to get people to send in resumes and applications, let alone show up for interviews.    

What Employers Overlook  

Throughout the last decade, more sophisticated employer branding and recruitment platforms, digital outreach and applicant tracking systems have largely targeted exempt and white-collar workers.

Alternatively, hourly workers have typically been marketed to via local in-person events such as walk-ins, job fairs and career days. Now that COVID has forced most recruiting efforts online, even for hourly roles, employers need to recognize that most lower wage hourly workers are online via their phones, not their computers.

To close the gap, campaigns and applications must be adequately optimized for mobile so workers can enter the process.

Many employers also fail to take into consideration the overall needs of non-exempt workers when crafting recruiting communications. For example, although pay is always a major consideration, employers tend to overlook the fact that non-exempt workers also care about working conditions, company culture, flexibility and advancement opportunities. 

When Salary Isn’t Enough  

Today, wage increases aren’t sufficient. Employers need to offer more flexibility and creativity to attract and retain hourly talent. Here are a few ideas to get you started: 

Know Your Talent Competitors: 

In addition to competing for talent with other companies within your industry, your greatest competition is likely those in your local market that hire for the same skillset, including your local Walmart, Target and Amazon distribution center.

Study the work environments of such talent competitors and offer more. Keep that promise at the forefront of your hiring communications.  

Invest in Advancement Opportunities

Invest in advancement opportunities that reward workers for skills learned.  This is particularly significant for non-exempt employees where training is often basic and only focuses on the employer’s immediate needs.

Instead, invest in an employee’s potential growth and longevity within the company.

Rethink Bonus Programs:

Most employers are paying sign-on bonuses that pay out over 90 days. But what happens if your new employee applies for a job down the street on day 91?

Sign-on bonuses are not enough in this market. Consider retention bonuses, performance bonuses and structured career growth with pay increases as the employee advances. 

Strengthen Your Employer Brand: 

Your image as an employer to current and previous workers is just as important as your public consumer brand. From culture, salary and benefits to flexible work schedules and advancement opportunities, your reputation for how you treat workers is often your best avenue for attracting new talent.

Social media makes it very difficult to control your reputation, so walking the talk is a sure strategy for getting more employees to encourage their friends and acquaintances to apply for jobs.

Holding open houses at plants and facilities is another way to get people in the door to see for themselves all that your company has to offer. 

Make it Simple to Apply and Reduce Barriers to Entry.

Persuading more non-exempt workers to apply may require you to adapt processes to align with applicant availability. Consider self-scheduling of interviews 24/7, and not requiring resumes or email addresses.

Other concessions to bring in talent more quickly might involve speeding up your onboarding process. New hires can easily be lost due to lengthy background and drug screening processes. 

Non-exempt workers make up over half of our workforce, yet almost every company is struggling to hire them. Improve your competitive positioning by taking the time to better understand the needs of hourly workers, making them feel extra welcomed and demonstrating how the benefits you offer have meaning to their unique situations. 

The post Recruiting Hourly Workers in ‘Crazy Town’ appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

In order to secure this extraordinary source of talent, organizations need to have the right blend of purpose, culture, and opportunity, and recruiters need to have a solid understanding of how the leadership experience acquired by JMOs during their service translates to different roles within the organization.  

While it’s always more difficult to assess leadership qualities than hard skillsets in all candidates, it becomes even more difficult to evaluate the leadership skills of former military officers.

The vast majority of corporate recruiters have never served in the military, and even those who have served can still find it confusing to understand the attributes and skills of officers who served in other branches.  

Getting to Know JMOs

JMOs are mature young leaders who represent a diverse cross-section of America. They’ve earned a BS or BA in technical or nontechnical areas from America’s top universities, and many have advanced degrees as well. 

Most JMOs have served in the military between four and 10 years, and all receive leadership, communications, legal, operational, and functional area training. Typically, JMOs have four to eight years of military leadership experience after graduating college, leading organizations from 20-200 people. 

JMOs are known to be ambitious problem solvers with a willingness to volunteer and help others. Eager to learn and prove themselves as valued team members, JMOs are able to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact on their organization’s bottom line.

They are highly adaptive, excellent developmental candidates, and are often promoted faster than their peers without military experience. JMOs tend to be resolute when it comes to integrity, and will not tolerate an individual or organization that compromises their ethics. 

What type of corporate roles are JMOs best suited for?

The military is a giant organization giving officers opportunities to lead in many areas including engineering, construction, cybersecurity, maintenance, and logistics. Most JMOs are well suited for mid-level leadership roles in operations, sales, and high-tech environments, and are trained for project management and balancing timelines, people, and technology. 

Branch of service too can come into play. For example, the Navy and Air Force teach a more Total Quality Management (TQM) style of leadership which is compatible with roles in engineering and technology.

The Army and Marine Corps provide leadership experience that is better suited for roles in areas such as sales, operations, and leadership development.

Best Practices to Win JMO Talent

Unfortunately many organizations look to hire JMOs only in order to meet regulatory and diversity requirements. If an organization wants to truly maximize this source of talent, it needs to view JMOs as fast trackers who can significantly contribute to company P&L performance.

Here are four practices we recommend to realize the full potential of your JMO hiring efforts:  

1. Buy-in and sponsorship from leadership

Company operational leaders, Talent Acquisition and HR need to work together in prioritizing the goals and strategy for the initiative.  Considerations should include prioritizing the hiring effort, identifying the best starting roles, creating programs that allow JMOs to learn multiple functional areas of the company’s business, and investing in veterans once they become employees. 

2. Mentorship, formal training, and Leadership Development Programs (LDP)

JMOs crave mentorship, purpose, and a leadership path, and it’s not uncommon for JMOs to relocate multiple times in order to move up within an organization.

Although there is no one-size-fits-all LDP, an effective program will expose JMOs to different areas of a company and provide opportunities to grow and lead through all segments.  

It is not unusual for JMOs to accept a position before they transition to civilian life, so consider interviewing military candidates six months before they leave the service, and always provide information on your upcoming developmental and training classes.

3. Educate recruiters on military occupations and skillsets

Matching a JMO to the right job is challenging, and most HR professionals lack relevant knowledge of military structure, operations, and ranks.  

Recruiters can educate themselves by conducting more in-depth face-to-face interviews (virtual or in-person) with veteran candidates, referring to past successes within the company or industry, and seeking out employees who may be veterans to serve as a resource.

Referencing the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is also helpful in learning about military roles, responsibilities, and kinds of training received in the service.

4. Make your brand more attractive to JMOs

While practices to attract JMOs are not a defined science, making the investment to build a military-friendly employer brand and widely promote leadership programs is a head start.

These future business leaders look for successful and purpose-driven companies with clearly defined missions, so be sure these messages come across on your website and in outreach communications.

The unemployment rate for JMOs falls well below that of the overall veteran unemployment rate, demonstrating that corporate America has a thirst for them.

Organizations that understand and embrace that JMOs seek recognition and leadership opportunities in organizations in which they take pride have the upper hand in winning over this exemplary group of individuals.

The post Why Corporate America Wants to Hire Junior Military Officers appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Why Hiring Good Mid-Level Managers Is Not Good Enough

The pandemic has been a stress test for managers of all levels. The most effective managers are learning to adapt through clear communication and effective utilization of technology. They instill optimism, promote collaboration and reward creativity, and trust among their teams is prevalent and evident. Middle managers, often cited as some of the unhappiest employees in the workplace, have had it particularly tough during the pandemic.

Feeling the pressure from above and below, they have to deal with the challenges of laying off employees and delivering bad news about pay cuts and reduced work schedules. They need to work harder to mentor, focus, and inspire individuals now working from home, and likely dealing with more of their own personal challenges.

Today’s added stresses and responsibilities have created a fight or flight moment for many middle managers – they are either spiraling downward or embracing the challenges and demonstrating their true value as leaders.  

As a result, middle managers are either searching for new jobs or using the pandemic as an opportunity for promotion to leadership positions. Either way, it has created a need to effectively fill this role in a way that has never before been more important to an organization. 

The economic uncertainty wrought by Covid-19 and the expiration of the CARES Act in July has flooded the market even further with candidates, making it harder for recruiters to identify qualified mid-and senior-level managers with the right mix of character and experience to effectively engage remote teams and help sustain business growth. 

Regardless of the impact the pandemic is having on an organization, hiring criteria for mid-level managers is changing. Here’s how:  

#1: Hiring profiles must start with strong leadership and communication skills.

Below average mid-level managers are struggling even more today because they lack the leadership skills to effectively support remote teams. Recruiters interviewing for mid-level roles must understand the subtle differences between good and great managers, and work these subtleties into their hiring profiles.

For example, good managers assign tasks, leverage employee strengths, and meet objectives. Great managers create a unifying vision, challenge their teams to solve problems and take calculated risks, and inspire them to exceed their own expectations.   

Great mid-level managers also know that operating in a remote environment requires them to have greater availability for their teams. This allows more time for having regular check-ins and providing the necessary feedback to build trust and maintain focused, connected teams.

#2: Promoting from within can backfire.

Promoting top company performers to management roles has long been an acceptable practice. While this may ensure industry experience, there is no guarantee these individuals have the creativity, flexibility and communication skills to lead −particularly during a crisis.

It’s a common challenge to find top performers who are both strong leaders and ready and willing to step up into positions of greater responsibility.  Average managers perpetuate problems and can have an immediate detrimental effect on the morale and productivity of the operation.

Companies and managers must recognize that when there is a lack of leadership potential from within, they need to seek the ideal blend of industry experience and leadership skills from outside the organization. 

#3: Candidates must demonstrate their ability to lead up and lead down.

Middle managers often feel pulled in different directions by the various stakeholder groups they serve.  In order to achieve results, they must be able to simultaneously understand the “why” from above while making it reasonable and actionable for their teams.

Recruiters should require clear examples of how a candidate has translated expectations from leadership and built broad consensus around a clear vision for their teams. Effectively motivating individuals and rallying teams around a common goal comes down to the ability to listen, understand, empathize, and hold people accountable.  

#4: Helping employees get to the next level is part of the job.

Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, once said: “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. (S/he) is the one that gets people to do the greatest things.”  

Such is the case for great mid-level managers. Not only are they role models for professional growth and development, they also recognize and proactively nurture leadership talent for next-level opportunities.  Managers who feel threatened by advancing others are in no position to lead. 

Management Beyond the Pandemic

Our current crisis mindset has driven many organizations to make long-overdue changes, become more innovative, better utilize technology, and communicate more effectively. It has also changed the way we think about management and that simply settling for good managers is no longer enough.

While everyone looks forward to getting back to “normal”, we’ve proven to ourselves that there are other ways to achieve success despite the challenges, and we are more capable than we once thought.

The post Why Hiring Good Mid-Level Managers Is Not Good Enough appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

As businesses attempt to return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, one question that continues to be asked in nearly every industry is whether we’re ready to resume in-person gatherings. 

During the initial full shutdown period of Covid-19, it was much easier to decide whether to organize or attend an in-person hiring event. Local stay-at-home mandates kicked in loud and clear, and we quickly pivoted to virtual events.  Now, seven months later, more companies are starting to look for ways to safely host face-to-face gatherings as they learn to adapt to changing local guidelines and other safety precautions. 

What We Learned From Our In-person Hiring Conference Survey

As a business that relies heavily on in-person events, we wanted to gain more insight into what our clients were thinking. What would keep them from attending events? What would make them feel comfortable? Were they limited by state restrictions, company restrictions, or personal comfort levels?

With unchartered territory ahead and no roadmap to follow, we dug deeper and surveyed recruiters, HR and Talent Acquisition leaders, and hiring managers from companies of varying sizes and geographic regions to help guide our planning for in-person hiring events. Here’s what we learned based on feedback from 125 respondents:

• While many factors can influence the decision to attend an in-person hiring conference, 24% of respondents stated they are ready to attend an event now. 12% preferred to wait for another 1 to 3 months; 15% of respondents wanted to wait for another 3 to 6 months; 27% planned to wait for 6 to 12 months; 11.3% projected they would want to wait over a year, and 10.5% were unsure.  

• When asked what would positively influence them to attend an in-person conference, over 50% of respondents said mask requirements, availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),  and modifications to ensure social distancing. Slightly less than 50% mentioned health screenings for attendees and the lifting of work-imposed travel restrictions. Other responses included assurances of a low number of attendees and the use of plexiglass table shields for candidate interviews. 
• 53.4% of respondents stated they would be most comfortable in a private interview setting,    while 44.9% felt that a more open setting, such as a hotel ballroom, would make them more likely to attend.
• Almost half of respondents (49.6%) said they would feel comfortable in groups of less than 24 attendees; 26.3% said that 25-50 people would be acceptable, and less than 20% would be comfortable in groups of 50 people or larger. 

Prioritizing Safety, Maintaining Candidate Quality

According to survey respondents, event organizers need to focus on the following areas to safeguard the well-being of their attendees.  

Venue Setting

Suite or ballroom? The choice of venue was top-of-mind for potential attendees. A private interview setting such as a hotel suite was acceptable to some respondents provided that the number of people in the room is closely monitored, 6-foot social distancing and mask requirements are maintained, and cleaning supplies are made available to wipe down areas between interviews.  Other respondents preferred a hotel ballroom setting for interviews with 8-10 foot tables set at least 12-ft apart, and defined traffic flow. It was also noted that indoor locations must have the proper environmental HVAC control equipment such as HEPA filters and UVC Emitters to manage airborne viral loads. 

Other respondents stated that they would only attend venues that can accommodate outdoor events with patios or open areas for tents. 

Safety Compliance

It’s no surprise that the predominant concern of respondents was the transmission of Covid-19 within groups in confined spaces. Respondents were also worried about asymptomatic applicants traveling to and from various states, and attendees not following safety guidelines.  

What might allay some of these fears?

Even though it might slow down the pace of an event agenda, respondents open to in-person events wanted to see strict monitoring of social distancing, use of masks, temperature checks, and the availability of hand sanitizers. Other safety precautions mentioned:   

• Event size limited to less than 25 people, and monitoring of those numbers
• Large tables and plexiglass barriers with follow-up meetings in more private settings 
• Limited group interaction activities and interactions
• Smaller groups for presentations and discussions, even if that means having more sessions 
• Individual meal options, rather than large group dining
• Robust contact tracing to alert attendees if someone at the event tested positive for Covid-19 within 14 days of the event
• Spaces sanitized between interviews

Another consideration is to communicate safety protocols to potential attendees.  These days most of us want to know ahead of time the kinds of safety guidelines that will be followed and how they will be enforced. 

Quality of candidates 

While safety was the top priority, survey respondents also raised concerns about the criticality of meeting and interviewing quality candidates. To address this, some respondents suggested virtually pre-screening candidates so recruiters could use their conference time more efficiently by doing in-person meetings with pre-qualified candidates.  Also suggested was viewing company presentations in a virtual format with candidates having a window of time to review the session prior to their interviews. These ideas decrease time spent in direct contact with others and can be another new best practice to emerge as we navigate our new reality.

Pandemic or not, companies need to keep hiring.  While the acceptance of new norms such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and venue sanitization may make in-person events more feasible, varying comfort levels and safety guidelines also necessitate the continued availability of virtual options. 

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for when the time is right to resume in-person hiring events. The best solution we have is to keep in close touch with the changing needs of our customers and stay informed, flexible, and patient as we work to keep ourselves and our current and future employees comfortable and safe. 

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of respondents to a survey conducted in July 2020, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Orion Talent. We recommend that conference organizers and attendees continue to assess, based on current guidelines from the Center for Disease Control for official event guidelines. 

The post Recruiters Weigh In: Are We Ready for In-person Hiring Events? appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Since COVID-19 sent workers home almost five months ago, one of the hardest parts of the hiring process to adapt virtually has been onboarding. However, it forced companies to adjust and create replicable solutions that work well digitally.

Take FTC Solar, a renewable energy company led by military veterans. FTC Solar is a growing company that needs to keep hiring, pandemic or not.

In early March – shortly before the virus escalated – several key new hires were made and others planned. This made it necessary to quickly develop a virtual onboarding program that kept new hires safe while making them feel welcomed and engaged from the start.   

No Time to Waste

With a very aggressive hiring plan already underway, FTC Solar’s HR team got creative fast.

In two weeks, they put together a five-day virtual onboarding experience that not only provided the necessary training but also served to get new hires connected to their teams and confident about their roles and value to the organization.

As new hires start, every consideration is made to onboard them together as a group to jump-start community and collaboration. With this in mind, here’s how the program works:

Pre-onboarding:

Once the hire is made, a laptop is shipped to the home, along with access to a 45-page employee handbook. The handbook includes all the information new hires need to get up to speed on company benefits, processes, and culture.

Day One:  

First on the agenda is a session with the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) to complete the remaining paperwork. The CHRO can answer any immediate questions and review the schedule for week #1 on the job.

Next is a meeting with the direct manager and a few select team members to welcome new employees and review the training plan. Then, a virtual meeting with a member of the IT team is scheduled to ensure the laptop is up and running, all passwords work properly, and company intranet sites and folders are accessible.

An informal mentor is also assigned at this time to field questions and prevent feelings of isolation.

Day Two:  

The next day features a 90-minute new hire orientation presented by the CEO and CHRO.  Casual and interactive in style, a Zoom presentation tells the history of FTC Solar and its technology, and also shares insight into customer strategy and the business model. 

New employees learn more about company purpose by watching a video that shows how products are built from the ground up, and the value they bring to the environment and economy. There is also time spent reviewing benefits, rewards, and recognition programs. 

Every effort is made to create a welcoming environment that makes new hires feel motivated and familiar with the reality of the FTC Solar workplace. Questions are encouraged throughout the presentation, and employee feedback offered during the session is frequently used to update orientation materials for future sessions.  

Days Three and Four:

The focus now shifts to on-the-job-training (OJT), a critical part of the ramp-up process that is much harder to achieve virtually. It is far more difficult to observe people remotely, and the lack of travel significantly impacts organizations that need to get their people to field or customer sites for OJT. 

FTC Solar utilizes Microsoft Teams for OJT, relying on its screen sharing capabilities for an efficient transfer of skills and knowledge.  Trainers share their computer screens to demonstrate exact processes, and new employees can share their screens and repeat actions while the trainers observe. 

They also utilize Microsoft Team’s recording feature to store training sessions on a shared drive so new employees can reference the training content at a later time. 

Day Five:

A virtual happy hour winds down the week. While some structure helps, the goal is to talk less about business and more about each other. Additionally, this is an opportunity for new hires to have fun and engage with their new colleagues and company leaders, share experiences, and tell stories about their wins.

A toast to the new employees at the end of the happy hour is a thoughtful and enjoyable way to close out a productive week.   

Taking a page from the book “First Break All the Rules,” the two most important questions to be addressed when someone first starts a new job are: 

• What are their expectations?
• Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work? 

Dale Herron, CHRO at FTC concurs, sums it up this way: “You only get one chance to make a first impression. Make onboarding your first thought and not an after-thought. Our new employees really appreciate the time we take with them to ensure they are well prepared as they join the company. 

Do everything you can to elevate their experience and ensure that each new employee gets the information, tools, and resources they need to be successful from the start.” 

The post Create a Virtual Onboarding Program that New Hires Rave About appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Over the years writing for Recruiting Daily, I have extolled the extraordinary skills and experience that veterans bring to the job, and for good reason. Most veterans develop sought-after skills during their years of service that translate well to a wide range of workplace scenarios. From entry-level to management roles, to blue-collar and white-collar work.

Regardless of industry and company size, veterans have proven themselves as disciplined, adaptable, and high-performing employees.

If you’re thinking that none of your open positions are suitable for veterans, you may be surprised at how many former service members meet your hiring requirements. The key is to understand how a military candidate’s background and qualifications translate to the requirements for the position you are searching to fill.

When the skills align and the match is right, there is no limiting the potential of a veteran new hire. In reality, too many veterans walk away from their first civilian jobs within the first year because they were inappropriately matched for a role.

Military to Civilian: Top Transferable Military Skills

Many of the resumes you see from transitioning veterans will probably include language you do not understand.  Experience as a “Nuclear Machinist’s Mate,” “Fire Control Technician,” or “Air Force Avionics Craftsman” may sound impressive. But they’re also confusing and may even cause you to question a veteran’s capacity to transition into the civilian workplace.

And once you get into the MOC (military occupation code) letter and number labels, it gets even worse! Some of the skills on a military resume are familiar and readily transfer to candidate profiles. But, it often requires a deeper understanding to assess opportunities for post-military careers. Especially for veterans who served in the infantry, artillery, as well as other combat arms backgrounds.

If you’re in any of the following industries, here’s a guide to improving your understanding of how to tap into this trained and transitioning talent pool.

Manufacturing

Many veterans flourish in this industry and can operate in a wide variety of industrial environments. From labor-intensive and low-tech, to highly sophisticated product development. They are accustomed to working in tough environments with little supervision. And have a keen ability to understand the relationship between quality, quantity, maintenance, safety, and the people they supervise.

Military technicians are highly skilled in electronic, electrical, and mechanical systems. They excel in roles such as Maintenance Technicians, Quality Engineering and Improvement, Logistics and Transportation, Production Supervisor, Maintenance Manager, Manufacturing Supervisor, and Manufacturing Engineer.

Look for military titles such as Navy Nuclear Trained Technicians: (Nuke ET, Nuke EM, Nuke MM). As well as those with electronics, electrical, and mechanical backgrounds from all branches of service: (Army, Navy, United States Marine Corps (USMC), Air Force, and Coast Guard). And finally, Junior Military Officers (JMO) from all branches.

Banking/Finance

Opportunities in finance make sense for JMOs and Noncommissioned Officers. Or, service members who obtain their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. Looking to leverage their communication, management and leadership skills to engage with clients and co-workers.

Appropriate roles for these veterans include but are not limited to the following. Mortgage Officer, Operations Manager, Business Analyst, Supply Chain Manager, Project Manager, Team Leader, Retail Operations, Assistant Branch Manager, Customer Service Manager, and Sales/Service.

Look for military titles such as 1st or 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Captain, Civil-Military Operations (CMO). Those with backgrounds in Finance, Supply, Logistics, and Administration. As well as combat arms service members with military occupations such as infantry, armor, artillery, air defense artillery, armored cavalry, and combat engineers.

Skilled Technicians

Enlisted Technicians serve in the military at least three years. They have world-class technical training and intensive hands-on experience, excelling in any situation regardless of difficulty. They are ideal for positions in electrical, electronics, mechanical, maintenance, field service, operations, and technical supervision.

Specific roles that are a potential match include but are not limited to the following. Maintenance Technician, Facilities Control Technician, Site Engineer, Data Center Technician, Data Center Operations Manager, Diesel Generator Mechanic, Mechanical Technician, and Maintenance Mechanic.

Look for military titles such as Navy Electronics Technician, USMC Technician, Navy Nuclear Electronics Technician, Nuclear Machinist’s Mate (Mechanics), Nuclear Electrician, as well as those with electronics, electrical, and mechanical backgrounds from all branches of service.

Sales

Military leaders excel in sales positions. Leveraging their management skills and work ethic to build client relationships. Motivated and competitive, veterans are known to quickly grow into leadership positions within the corporate sales hierarchy.

Consider these veterans for roles such as the following. Industrial Sales, Sales Engineer, Inside/Outside Sales Representative, Territory Manager, Sales Manager, Business Development Associate, Pharmaceutical/Medical Device Sales, and Financial Sales.

Look for military titles such as 1st or 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Captain. Plus, Noncommissioned Officers with or without a bachelor’s degree, depending on position requirements.

Medical Device and Pharmaceutical

Military officers have a practiced understanding of the link between leadership and production, quality, safety, maintenance, and procedural compliance. Veterans with a technical Military Occupational Specialty code (MOS) utilize their unmatched technical training and expertise. Along with proven communication and customer service skills. To install, calibrate, and service medical equipment while professionally representing your organization.

Consider veterans for roles in field service. As well as manufacturing equipment maintenance, FDA compliance, quality, sales, and marketing.

Look for military titles such as 1st or 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Captain, Navy Nuclear Trained Technician (Nuke ETs, Nuke EMs, Nuke MMs). As well as those with electronics, electrical, and mechanical backgrounds from all branches of service.

Construction

Attention to safety plays an important role in this industry. An issue that easily translates to the very nature of what many active-duty veterans do every day. Whether it’s about weapons, live ammunition, or simply the general mission of the military. There is ample opportunity in this industry for Class A mishaps and other safety issues.

This can be from home building to commercial to industrial construction. Veterans can also utilize their technical degrees and experience in driving timelines, resources, and manpower for a wide variety of roles in construction. Including Project Manager, Superintendent, Estimator, Project Foreman, Quality Inspector, Project Engineer, and Construction Manager.

Look for military titles such as 1st or 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Captain, Navy Nuclear Trained Technician (Nuke ETs, Nuke EMs, Nuke MMs). As well as those with backgrounds in Supply, Logistics and combat arms. Service members with military occupations such as infantry, armor, artillery, air defense artillery, armored cavalry, and combat engineers.

Don’t Forget the Soft Skills

Beyond the many sought-after hard skills veterans bring to the workplace, there are also the intangibles. The core soft skills not easily gleaned from a resume. Not only are veterans fast learners, self-disciplined, and have the ability to work autonomously. They are also adept at thinking on their feet to overcome obstacles in extraordinarily high stakes environments.

Do Your Homework. Get the Right Candidate for the Job!

I encourage all recruiters, regardless of industry, to understand the differences in terminology and phraseology between military skill sets and civilian job descriptions.

Not only will you identify more veterans who are well-matched for the job and improve retention, but you will also be rewarded with qualified, committed, and high-performing employees with bottom-line impact.

The post Military to Civilian: Top Transferable Military Skills appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

How to Ace Candidate Interviews in a Socially Distant World

While some companies rarely require onsite interviews due to security concerns, or because they are recruiting for remote positions, most recruiters are accustomed to bringing candidates into the office for interviews. That’s not currently possible, and recruiters are now dealing with yet another new norm: virtual candidate interviews.

This break-in process may at first feel like a disadvantage. You can have the same − or even better − access to candidates with video interviews and still make successful job offers.  In fact, virtual interviews have advantages well beyond helping us mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Not only do they make interviews easier to schedule and more budget-friendly for both job seekers and employers, but a recent survey also reports that virtual screening can reduce the time required for effective screening by 80% and time-to-fill by 57%. Virtual interviews can also make the hiring process more collaborative as multiple stakeholders can take part by joining the interview itself or reviewing the recordings.

As your team adapts to more virtual operations, you will quickly see that most of the practices you use for in-person interviews also work for conducting video interviews. Regardless of whether it is an initial interview or later in the hiring process. But, virtual interviews come with their own particular challenges. Especially when it comes to technology and the environment. Whether you are new to virtual interviewing or looking for ways to improve, here are some tips to set your team and your candidates up for success.

Keep candidates at ease

These are uncertain times. Don’t worry about overcommunicating when it comes to providing guidance to candidates in advance of the interview.

See our list below for some suggestions to share:

• Tell family members that you are interviewing, and ensure pets are taken care of so there are no embarrassing interruptions.
• Make sure the camera is at roughly the same level as your face, and look into the camera when you speak, not at the interviewer. Otherwise, it will appear like you are looking away, up, or down.
• Find a location free of people and clutter, and make sure the lighting is appropriate for the time of day the interview will take place.
• Dress the same way that you would if you were meeting the interviewer face-to-face. Default to appropriate business attire, unless the recruiting team tells you otherwise. Since you, the recruiter, will probably also be at home the same goes for you.

Get the technology together and do multiple test runs  

While Zoom is our primary video conferencing platform, many of the most popular tools are now being made available for free trials. Including Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts Meet, and Cisco Webex.  Other reliable videoconferencing apps that work well on both ends include Skype and Workplace by Facebook’s BlueJeans.  As you ramp-up to go virtual, here are some things that both recruiters and candidates need to keep in mind:

• Make sure your camera and microphone work, and you are comfortable using the video conferencing platform. Do a trial run at the same time of day that you’re going to be doing the interview so that you know exactly what the lighting is going to look like.
• Check your Internet speed. For a clear HD video connection, you’ll need to ensure you have the required bandwidth. Do a trial run in advance, and you can test your Internet speed at SpeedTest.net. Switching from Wi-Fi to a wired connection may improve speed.
• Manage noises like sirens and construction that may interrupt your video interview. Apologize for any interruptions and ask for a few moments until the noise has subsided. You may want to mute the microphone if the noise is severe.
• When considering platforms, keep in mind that those that are managed by your company may have restrictions for external personnel/non-employees based on IT settings and company network policies.  Google, too, may require the candidate to have a Google or G-Suite Account.

Create a virtual tour of your company

Since candidates will not be able to experience your company culture firsthand, consider other ways to illustrate your day-to-day workplace environment. Such as employee video testimonials, photos from memorable company events, or a video of the company workplace.  While it may require some extra resourcefulness and investment of time up front, these kinds of visuals can help candidates feel more comfortable about making a decision to accept a job from a video interview.

Make communication and engagement a priority

Considering the environment, candidates are very concerned about the job market and their ability to actually get a job interview, as well as the post-interview process. Send your candidates a thank you email the same day as the interview. Follow with a very detailed email containing information on next steps in the hiring process. Be clear that in many cases, delays are due to travel restrictions, not a hiring or need issue. This message may help build a stronger connection with qualified candidates and keep them engaged during the process.

In typical times, we want to meet candidates in person before making hiring decisions. But today it’s all about getting ourselves comfortable hiring someone we’ve only met virtually. Or, risk disrupting the hiring process even more.

Covid-19 has changed our personal and professional lives in ways that were unimaginable only a month ago. As those of us in talent management know, social and economic crises hit the workforce hard.  While it may take a while for us to comfortably navigate this new norm, we’ve adapted before. With togetherness and perseverance, we will emerge from this crisis a little wiser and more resourceful than we were before.

The post How to Ace Candidate Interviews in a Socially Distant World appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Almost every time we talk about RPO with c-level executives, the first thing they want to know is how AI fits into the solution. True, there’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to integrating AI into the recruiting process and even the C-suite is allured by its power and potential.

But this started me thinking – how much does the C-suite (and the recruiting team) really know about how AI is being used in the talent acquisition process? Would they be able to gauge team readiness to embrace new technology? Are they willing to invest in it? And just as important, do they understand where it falls short?

Let’s hit pause and unpack some of the latest ways AI powers the recruitment process and where the human factor still reigns.

AI Helps Recruiters Get More Stuff Done

From attracting passive candidates to conducting initial interviews, AI gives recruiters plenty of opportunities to improve quality of hires while reducing time and costs.

Before we get into the specifics of how AI is being used in the recruiting process, let’s talk about the differences between “AI” and “automation” – two technologies that most of us refer to interchangeably. But, they are different. Automation follows pre-programmed rules. You can be sure that every recruiting team now uses automation to handle the more tedious parts of the hiring process like collecting candidate data and scheduling interviews. Unlike automation, AI learns from data, similar to how humans process information to influence behavior and inform decision making.

As you will see below, automated processes can be informed and continuously improved through the use of AI, making automated workflow tasks even more intelligent and effective.  Here’s how:

• Candidate sourcing and attraction: Many recruiters now use AI to create more targeted talented pipelines. AI further automates sourcing, collecting online data from social profiles and resumes posted on job sites. AI analyzes language patterns to refine search criteria not only for obvious things like job titles, experience and hard skills but also for subtleties such as personal preferences and interests. Recruiters tap AI to write better job descriptions, replacing those dull, unexciting ones with language more relevant to targeted audiences.

Well-managed Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can also use AI to improve attraction models for both active and passive candidates. For example, an ATS can be used to uncover past candidates who may not be actively searching. Even candidates classified as “inactive” or “off the market” will be quickly recognized by the AI system as it searches the entire candidate database -regardless of status – to provide the best matches.  Oftentimes, those best matches are ‘underemployed’ individuals who become active again once contacted with the right opportunity.

• Candidate engagement: Much more than conversational chatbots that greet you when you land on a website, AI helps nurture candidate relationships with more intelligent automated updates, real-time feedback and quick assessments that can attract a candidate to apply. You can also use AI to create alert systems based upon candidate-generated parameters such as “alert me if the following job description conditions are met.”

Bots, too, play a role in quickly moving candidates through the screening and assessment process, advancing them through information gathering and adding them to a queue for recruiter review. If questions arise during an automated chat, bots can direct candidates to FAQs or provide contact information for the best person with whom to follow-up.

• Selection and hiring process: Use AI to inform and automate time-consuming process tasks such as scheduling interviews, assessment tests, background checks, drug testing and follow-up on previously sent materials. Bots can proactively send availability slots to the Hiring Manager for both phone and face-to-face interviews.

Some recruiting teams are even using AI to make contact and conduct initial interviews to assess for shortfalls and experience relevance.  Using AI in this part of the process – particularly with your most highly qualified candidates or passive candidates who you brought into the process – can prevent disengagement from candidates when the time to the first interview seems to drag on.

• Onboarding: Automated tools can help keep busy talent management teams in contact with recent hires by providing FAQs or other data to help ensure these new employees stay engaged. Intelligent bots can alert HR or Hiring Managers to potential problem issues and facilitate key phone calls to ensure things are moving forward.

Keeping the Human in Human Resources

Want to know how many times I’ve been disappointed after meeting candidates in person and comparing them to the perfect picture I built based on “paper?” Too many!  Then there are times when candidates I thought were weak on paper turn out to be completely the opposite after an in-person meeting. It still happens, AI or not.

AI is proving its merit throughout the recruiting process, but it cannot replace the intuition, insight and experience of practiced recruiters.  Simply put, AI still falls short when it comes to getting a read on key soft skills, body language, communication habits, preferences, and leadership styles.  AI is also not particularly useful when it comes to exploring alternative roles with a candidate, coaching a candidate on things to consider, or trying to figure out why a strong candidate did not return a call.

Bottom line: It still takes us humans to connect the dots and add it all up.

Is Your Organization Ready to Reap the Benefits?

We should all be excited about the value of AI.  But, as with any new technology, look before you leap. Make sure you can answer the big questions: Are you clear on the business goals you want to achieve with AI? Are you dipping a toe or jumping all in? Do you have the right expertise on board to manage the tools? Is the team excited and welcoming to the idea of learning how to use data? And last, but definitely not least, are all the stakeholders aligned on the commitment? Budget is always a top priority and AI success requires a willingness to risk hard-won revenue dollars on newer technologies that have yet to demonstrate tangible and repeatable benefits over the long term.

Once you have the answers, forge ahead. Willing and clever recruiters will find many ways to use AI to increase their productivity and provide powerful results to their Hiring Managers and customers.

The post AI Cheat Sheet for the C-Suite appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Even when talent is plentiful, bad hires happen.  Maybe the hiring process is rushed or sourcing is done incorrectly. Perhaps the team interviewing the candidate lacked the experience to determine fit.  But when talent is in short supply, even the most practiced recruiters can make bad hires as the pressure builds to fill positions that have been open far too long.

Now that we are in the tightest labor market in decades, is it time to open our doors a little wider and consider less perfectly matched candidates? If so, how wide – and can we still get the right talent in front of hiring managers?  The answer is yes – you can strike the right formula to relax qualifications as long as you stick to your sourcing and screening best practices.

Take a gradual approach to relaxing hiring criteria   

If you are recruiting for a tight profile, you may have to educate your hiring manager that “find me some more” may no longer be an option.  Work together to identify concessions that will have the least impact on a successful candidate match. This might mean moving from a strictly mechanical engineering degree to a wider variety of degrees but with applicable experience. It may be lessening the requirement on years of experience, the number of months unemployed, or offering more generous compensation or relocation packages.   

While most recruiters will quickly recognize where profiles or compensation bands can be relaxed, avoid loosening too many qualifications at one time so you can accurately gauge the impact of each adjustment.

Invest in upskilling less experienced hires

In a competitive market, it’s easier to justify relaxing requirements for degrees, certifications, and experience, as long as the candidate demonstrates some education and experience comparable to your bullseye qualification. Interestingly, there was a recent article in The Wall Street Journal that described how some employers are now taking it to an extreme with a “no experience necessary” approach or “downskilling”.

To compensate for these less experienced hires, more companies are investing in employee upskilling programs – particularly companies that are heavily reliant on skilled trades. Siemens USA, for example, offers apprenticeship programs in areas such as digital lifecycle management and computer-aided design, classroom training and access to hundreds of online training programs.  Cummins, another manufacturer, uses apprenticeship programs to partner with local institutions and organizations to develop local talent that benefits the company as well as the community. And just recently  Amazon announced it was investing $700 million to train 100,000 employees for higher-skilled jobs by 2025 in order to retain and attract more talent.

Understand how to leverage transferable skills from other industries

Receptiveness to candidates with relevant experience from other industries is another viable way to broaden the talent pool. Clearly articulate your willingness to accept applicable skillsets in job descriptions, and make sure recruiters understand precisely how these transferable skills will be leveraged in your organization.

Case in point: We frequently work with companies that recruit military veterans – a highly sought-after talent pool with the skills and attributes companies are looking for. However, veterans typically lack equivalent civilian experience and most recruiters do not understand how military expertise correlates with civilian skill sets. In these situations, we often recommend that recruiting teams tap into resources with greater military experience, including specialized recruiting firms, referral networks, and military job fairs.

Focus less on resume gaps and more on competencies     

While we are close to full unemployment, not everyone who wants a job is working.   According to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 1.4 million unemployed individuals who have been looking for work for six months or more. Hiring the long-term unemployed -as well as returnships and retired folks coming back to the workplace for part-time or project work -is not only a viable way to extend your reach to motivated talent but also a valuable retention tactic as these individuals are less likely to make a sudden departure.

Use language in your job posts and social media to encourage the long-term unemployed and returning workers. Make adjustments in your hiring process by removing filters that require dates of employment. Consider creating a dedicated microsite or even developing a returnship program that offers these workers the opportunity to develop new competencies or hone their skills. I’ve also seen companies create onboarding programs specifically designed for individuals who have been out of the workforce for months or years.

Get What You Need

Strict adherence to tight candidate profiles may have worked ten years ago when millions of workers were laid off after the Great Recession, but today’s competitive market requires a shift in mindset about how we qualify talent. While we might not always get the ideal combination of education, background, and expertise we want, we can certainly get the motivated, trainable talent we need.

The post Hire Like It’s 2019 appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Yes, you read that right. It’s been over 10 years since the Great Recession of 2008 and most U.S. economists are now predicting a recession by the end of 2020. Reports are starting to show downtrends in CEO confidence and slowdowns in manufacturing, energy, and high tech.  There are signs in the field, too, with less “high volume” job openings and a rising threshold on candidate qualifications.

In 2008 over 8.7 million people lost their jobs, flooding the market with job seekers.  Nearly every industry was hammered and some recruiting sectors got hurt badly: firms reliant on contingent hires topped the list, followed by staffing agencies without IT or healthcare verticals, and firms with considerable exposure to local and state government budgets. For the impending downturn, taking specific steps now can help reduce some of the pain that we all felt ten years ago.

Recruiters: Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem  

During a recession, the demand for talent becomes unpredictable as budget cutting, layoffs, canceled initiatives, and elimination of redundancies become more commonplace. You’ll probably start getting mixed signals as hiring managers start yelling for help and CEOs call for caution.

Whether you’re on the enterprise side or have external clients, a downturn almost always necessitates painful workforce decisions. Recruiters can be part of the solution by proactively preparing for the uncertainties ahead while staying competitive. Although every industry is different, I’m hopeful that some of the lessons I learned during the 2008 recession can help us all minimize some of the pain.

Four Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for the Next Recession

1. Create a plan to lessen the blow for your business:

As the economic outlook becomes more uncertain, there will be competition for internal shares of the budget – whether your own company’s or your client’s. If you are expected to achieve certain hiring goals and are concerned about whether there’s a large enough budget to pull it off, make sure you know your costs and the forecasted hiring needs of your clients or risk getting left out in the cold.  Additional ideas include:

• Land a wider array of customers. Over-investment in too few clients can really hurt if one of them goes dark.
• Work with verticals outside of cyclical industries like manufacturing, construction, and energy. Industries least affected by recession typically include discount retail, pharma and healthcare services.
• Firms with deeper customer entrenchment were hurt less in 2008, so consider moving up the recruiting food chain to more contractual staffing engagements or RPO. These kinds of relationships can delay lost revenue and provide more time to ride out a recession storm.
• Collect accounts receivable as quickly as possible; you can be profitable and still go out of business without enough cash on hand.
• Fix any disconnects you may have with HR or hiring managers now. As more difficult decisions need to be made, ongoing miscommunications are going to become magnified.

2. Optimize TA processes:

Use this time to sharpen your team and internal best practices. In the event of a budget cut, you are going to be asked to make difficult choices, so start asking tough questions now: Do you have redundant or low-performing employees? Do you know any outstanding recruiters who have been laid off elsewhere who may be a better fit for your team? Can your group afford to make any vendor, personnel, or other budget cuts and still deliver the same value?

Is your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) up to speed? During a downturn, there will be plenty of applicants to choose from, so having the right ATS will make it easier to quickly identify the most qualified candidates. A good ATS can also help compensate if your own team is operating lean.

You may also want to consider cheaper sources of labor.  Technology and automation can help here, but consider offshoring certain parts of the ATS process such as sourcing, administration/recording, and initial contact with candidates to lower labor costs. Parts of onboarding can also be offshored such as making sure forms are done, backgrounds and frequent contact to ensure the process is going smoothly.

3. Think beyond the recession; don’t let your best people evaporate:

Although it’s easy to get overly focused on budget cuts once you’re in the middle of a recession, managers need to watch for when the recession reaches its bottom, and shape employee headcount accordingly. Avoid laying off your best recruiters and salespeople so when the market bounces back, your firm will be better positioned to capture emerging new business. When the economy rebounded in 2010 and 2011, many companies had cut headcount so severely that their recruiting teams had evaporated and HR departments were drastically reduced. Desperate to hire, they turned to agencies of all types to fill openings, often failing to get their best recruiters back.

Remember, once the streamlining starts, your best-performing people will be taking up the slack.  Prioritize keeping them productive and happy, even if financial options are restrained.  Allowing remote workers can help keep costs low as well as improve flexibility to address hiring bursts as the rebound kicks in.

4. Build your own case as an indispensable recruiter for the day a layoff looms in your firm:

Many companies build their teams to compete for talent. Once a recession kicks in and the need for new hires thins out, we can expect HR and TA teams to get lean again. Recruiters should use this pre-recession time wisely:

• Work on your recruiting skills; become very adept at your profession, particularly at hunting passive candidates.
• Create very strong relationships with your customers and know them inside and out. The trust you build with them will keep whatever openings are available coming to you rather than someone else.
• Gain skills in IT or healthcare to help keep you employed since these verticals are less likely to be impacted by a recession.
• Show off your business acumen. Tracking your performance metrics and documenting your skills and certifications now can build your case if a layoff looms.

Stay Focused on Delivering Business Value

The Y2K scare, dot.com bust and 9/11 attack played key roles in the 2001 recession. In 2008-09, the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the housing and lending markets caused severe economic contraction.

This time? It’s been 10+ years since the last recession – a relatively long cycle of prosperity.  I’m not an economist, but I think it will take a significant geopolitical, social or cultural event to upend the economy. Regardless of the cause, it can take years to return to the growth we’ve experienced over the last few years.

But one thing is certain: as recession talk gets louder, CEOs will be closely managing budgets and headcount. Recruiters are well-served to start thinking about how to deal with the worries ahead while maintaining their ability to predictably deliver business value today.

The post Recruiters Preparing for the Recession of 2020 appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

About to Hire an Outside Recruiting Firm? Here’s How to Ace Your RFP (Request for Proposal)

Your company is growing and there is an urgent need to reduce time-to-hire. A decision has been made to engage an external talent acquisition firm and your team is tasked with creating the RFP. Vendor responses are needed quickly and the pressure is on to meet with key project stakeholders to define project requirements, scope, and goals, and write a clear, concise RFP.

Composing accurate RFPs are a constant challenge for busy recruiters, especially if you are seeking bids for more complex staffing or RPO project. After years of working with HR and recruiting teams in companies of all sizes, I’ve come up with a few basic ground rules — for both parties — to help convey all the information a potential vendor needs to know and get your deserved outcome: a highly capable partner who can deliver the value you need at a fair cost.

RULE #1: – Don’t give potential vendors only a day or two to respond

Pressuring a potential vendor to respond in an extremely condensed timeframe usually results in best guess responses and lowball cost estimates that they think you want to hear. Unless it’s a simple project for an executive search or the need for contingent staffing, there are too many variables that can influence your investment and require more time to work through. From the time the scope has been detailed sufficiently enough to present an initial proposed solution, potential vendors should have at least 30 days to properly produce a response. If a highly reputable and experienced vendor asks you for more time to deliver its proposals, be thankful.  If a vendor can turn around an RFP in a day or two, there’s a good chance that there is some due diligence lacking on their part and that their estimate will eventually change.

Rule #2 – Initiate work sessions

Since so much is at stake for your company, give prospective vendors the opportunity to interact with you and other project stakeholders in a proper work session.  These kinds of sessions let you engage in authentic dialog with potential vendors and create the kind of shared understanding of expectations that you would never get from a written response. Not only will you get a preview of the vendor’s work style, but your team also gains an opportunity to learn a great deal about the process, efficiencies, best practices, and where your areas of improvement could be.

Rule #3 – Make sure the manager of the process has relevant experience and credentials   

We frequently run across RFPs written by Procurement or an outside consultant who repurposes an RFP template. The RFP process is about much more than presenting a scope of work and getting a few questions answered about pricing. In order to successfully assess, select and work with a vendor, the creator and the manager of the document and process should be someone who has the experience and credentials to do so.  While repurposed templates might work for commoditized goods or services if you are looking to build a genuine working relationship, avoid canned questions that do not reflect your current business needs.

For smaller companies with limited resources, consider identifying two or three providers that you believe would be a fit based on size, industry focus, experience, and results.  Execute a short RFI (Request for Information), followed by work sessions with the folks who will influence and utilize their services and work to fill urgent openings. This can help you to learn about each other and further solidify a solid relationship built on demonstrated actions and success.

Rule #4 – Make sure your RFP addresses the “why?”

Your RFP should lead with business goals, objectives, and measurements, rather than a list of required features or services. A vendor that is sincerely interested in being a partner will ask thoughtful questions about your organization and central pain points, why this project is important, and project goals and timeline. The most accurate proposals are always based on a shared understanding of business goals and how project stakeholders define success.

When an RFP is written well, the selection process becomes much more efficient, faster, and successful. The RFP process is not about getting a “price check,” free advice with no intentions of selecting an outside partner, or a way to drive current provider costs down. Rather it’s about an opportunity to create a stellar partnership with innovative thinkers and doers who are invested in generating true business value for your company.

The post How to Ace Your Next Recruiting RFP appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

As Americans continue to take advantage of a tight labor market to search for better- paying jobs, retention has become a serious concern for all companies. With healthcare, financial services, transportation and warehousing leading the way, 3.5 million workers voluntarily left their jobs in April 2018, the highest quit rate since the dotcom boom peaked in 2000.    

The reasons behind the trend appear obvious: Good talent is in high demand and people are confident they can find a better job elsewhere. While most quit their jobs for better pay and benefits, today’s environment also makes it easier for employees to act on their desire to escape a bad boss, uninspiring environment, or work in a hotter industry.

Most economists blame the high quit rates on low wages – an apparent historical hiccup since wages tend to rise when unemployment falls. The reasons behind the low wages have also left economists debating, offering scenarios such as declining unionization, increased outsourcing and the rising costs of benefits.

As the quit rate movement gained serious momentum in 2017, management became increasingly concerned. In recent months we seemed to have hit a threshold and companies are becoming more resourceful in fending off attrition. Not only are employers starting to raise wages, but are also becoming more flexible in benefits, work schedules, or offering the ability to work remotely for a portion of time or all of the time.  Recruiters, too, are becoming more proactive as they search for replacement talent, turning to “headhunting” to lure passive talent.

High quit rates impact management, from front-line supervisors up to CEOs

While a high quit rate is often considered the sign of a healthy economy, it brings significant business consequences. Keeping critical jobs filled is an increased stressor on management or for anyone who is expected to grow their company, division, or segment. If you cannot keep your people, you cannot hit your budgeted revenue numbers.  Plus, turnover is expensive, further reducing profits. Employers need to invest more resources to retain staff. With more people departing or just getting started and ramping up, it becomes difficult to keep projects on track and morale positive.

It takes work to keep your best employees around  

The high cost of quit rates should compel HR and Talent Acquisition leaders to recommend new solutions to management, clearly explained in terms of P&L, rather than typical HR-speak. For example, is it possible to use new technology to replace labor? This would increase productivity of the existing workforce and pay could be increased accordingly. Should business units be realigned or re-organized to enable a better labor pool to draw from or to free up more revenue opportunities to increase pay? What are the benefits of moving to a more remote workplace?  Should there be a more concerted effort to understand the behavior of management as a contributing factor to attrition?

Take into consideration the training and upskilling opportunities your company offers.  According to a recent survey from McKinsey & Company, executives now see “investing in retraining and ‘upskilling’ existing workers as an urgent business priority that companies, not governments, must lead on.” On-the-job training and team development not only safeguard your ability to stay competitive as a business, it sends the message that you are dedicated to helping your employees achieve meaningful careers.

Do you have compelling and competitive long-term benefits? A recent Glassdoor survey says that “while perks, an easy commute and a high salary may be what gets employees in the door, they aren’t necessarily what keeps them around.” Employees also care about career growth within the company, long-term potential, and a commitment to matching 401ks. Pay attention to social media sites like Indeed, Glassdoor and Yelp to help keep a pulse on employee concerns that HR might not yet be aware of, and put a strategy in place to improve your employment brand.  

Finally, let’s not underestimate the role that meaningful work plays in retention. We spend a lot of time at work, and most people need to understand how their work provides social or economic value. Just as an employee may quit to escape an uninspiring environment, managers who care about providing motivating jobs earn loyalty. Whether through cross-functional teamwork or an opportunity to participate in a company-sponsored volunteer project, meaningful work inspires and makes even mundane activities uplifting.

A precaution for job hoppers

While I predict high quit rates will stick around until jobs get filled or openings get reduced for other reasons, here’s one message HR and recruiters need to get across: Taking the higher paying job in a ‘greener pasture’ can have consequences. If a company hits a rough spot and considers a reduction in workforce, the first people identified for cuts are typically the most recently hired people and, in particular, those with the highest pay. So, be careful what you ask for, it can bite back if things go south.

The post High quit-rate problem? You can fix that. appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

Tariffs and Talent Acquisition

The year started off great for hiring. Between the administration’s deregulation binge and tax reform, profitability estimates climbed for companies in power and energy, manufacturing,   financial services, retail and real estate, to name just a few. When tariff talk began generating headlines in March, enthusiasm quickly dampened in solar, semiconductors, and other industries caught up in the escalating trade war with China.  

Now, the trade wars are broadening. On June 1, the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminum. To retaliate, Mexico quickly slapped tariffs on $3 billion worth of U.S. goods targeting agriculture. Canada is digging in with tariffs on $13 billion dollars on U.S. imports including steel, aluminum, whiskey, washing machines … even peanut butter. China is imposing tariffs on $50 billion worth of U.S. imports and the EU, too, is planning tariffs on a  long list of products.  

Are we facing a jobs-killing trade war? Although tariff talk may ultimately be a negotiating tactic to get higher priority items fixed, we will be facing job losses for manufacturers downstream from steel and aluminum, assuming they are kept in place.  

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Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Remind you of your budgeting process?

Most Talent Acquisition (TA) teams have long suffered the consequences of working with unrealistic budgets, yet it’s still a tough pattern to break.  And while budget season is months away, why not take steps now to make your budget work for you throughout the year?

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The post How can talent acquisition budgeting be a better process? appeared first on RecruitingDaily.

As we begin 2018, I predict that most HR and Talent Acquisition teams will soon be feeling the effects of last year’s headlines.

For many recruiters, one of the key impacts you can expect from all this uncertainty is an insufficient recruiting budget — particularly in more cyclical industries like energy, construction, semi-conductors and other manufacturing segments.

Why recruiters get hit with recruiting budget problems

Remember the Great Recession of 2007, when big automakers needed bailouts, consumer confidence and credit crashed, and no one was buying cars? Auto manufacturers drastically cut head count. Then, within a few years, pent up demand left auto makers scrambling to rebuild HR/TA departments and forced to come up with hiring solutions on very tight budgets.

And now, the fulfillment center boom is causing disruption throughout the supply chain, forcing HR departments to quickly respond to unbudgeted head count growth. In these examples and others, we clearly see the disruptive influence market trends can have on hiring consistency and the recruiting budget.

There are two main reasons why this happens:

1. First, and more common, is internal attrition. Unexpected or more-than-expected turnover happens, the replacement hire is not an easy search, and the HR or TA team finds itself under-staffed or under-budgeted to replace that attrition.
2. The second reason is the impact of an unexpected market disruption or acceleration that was not baked into the current budget plan. If estimates are made too conservatively, most hiring managers have to jump through hoops to get approval for extra hires. Too often I have seen conservative budgets restrain growth despite highly favorable market conditions.

What recruiters everywhere can learn from oil & gas

In no other industry will the problem of unbudgeted head count growth be more troublesome than in Oil & Gas which has, until just recently, been impacted by very low prices, putting extreme pressure on budgets.

Over the past five years, a variety of disruptive factors contributed to the loss of over 440,000 jobs across this industry.

First, the hydraulic fracking boom led to an explosion of U.S. production. Then the U.S. lifted the ban on oil & gas exports. Next, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided to glut the market, driving down oil prices, only to reverse course in 2017.

As it would in any industry, HR and TA teams in the Oil & Gas sector were drastically impacted. Previous efforts to reduce costs and stay viable caused some companies to scale down recruiting teams and cut budgets so deeply that when oil prices began to rise last year and they needed crews, there was no budgeted money for hiring.

The result? Understaffed recruiting teams and companies unable to meet hiring demand.

So, what does 2018 hold for recruiters in Oil & Gas?

The industry is up and now hiring. But there are still problems: Labor has left the industry (and many are not coming back); companies are facing difficulties finding experienced talent; and hiring teams are still dealing with austere budgets.

How to make the most of a tight recruiting budget

While it’s a lot more fun to recruit when you actually have a decent budget, you still need to deliver results regardless of financial resources. In any industry, my first suggestion to recruiters dealing with budget constraints is to try and get more budget room.

It’s possible when you help educate and illustrate cost scenario analyses. For example:

• Help the Hiring Manager (HM) or executive who owns the budget to understand talent pool dynamics, market salaries for the positions, and time-to-fill for each position category. Offer your assistance to help identify bottlenecks before they happen. Show the HM the ultimate potential cost of not filling roles. Weigh that cost vs. the cost of a hiring solution, either internally or through an external agency.
• Stay informed of talent pool dynamics and keep the operations and sales teams apprised of what you learn. This can help HR leaders shape budgets (e.g. shift unused spend in one category to another, like recruiting!)

If there is no way to add budget, and you just have to make do:

• Suggest outsourcing the work and find ways to avoid the hire entirely. This can help shift the spend away from HR budget items.
• Optimize your existing recruiting budget on ads, email and social media campaigns. Get creative on adding “sizzle” to your campaigns to engage more qualified applicants.
• If recruiting for a tight profile, spend time with the HM to identify areas where the profile can be loosened up. This can help you identify candidates faster.
• Save time by optimizing your screening process. For instance, ask tougher questions earlier in the process (e.g. salary preferences) to drill down to the most viable candidates sooner. Minimize time spent on candidates who will not cross the finish line.
• Leverage existing employees for referrals with constant reminders of openings and internal bonuses.
• Obtain a seat at the table when the following year’s budgeting is being done!

One more thing: Keep on top of industry trends

Not long ago I worked with a manufacturer that was recruiting for a very specific type of engineer. This company was not used to doing much hiring and the search was difficult.

When a solid candidate was finally identified, one of the managers decided to “keep looking.” It ended up taking two months more to generate the offer to the original candidate who ultimately rejected it. In this case, both HR and the HM failed to grasp the scarcity of talent available — and it cost them valuable time.

Bottom line: My advice to HR and recruiters is to keep up with the trends that impact your industry. Take it on yourself to get a better handle on what’s ahead for your talent pool and keep your Hiring Managers and other executives informed.

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