Category Archives: Humanizing and Branding

Your Application Process Sucks! 3 Ways to a Much Better Approach

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Heinz_Sees_A_Huge_Stack_Of_PaperworkToday’s job application processes are insulting. You would think we are still in the 80’s. Some career sites take an applicant an hour to apply and are strategically created to do so, as to “weed” out the misfits. That’s absurd. And employers wonder why they can’t fill jobs?

80% of companies are using archaic software and processes from the dinosaur age – here’s what that looks like:

  • We waste 45 minutes having applicants fill out a cumbersome, 1999-vintage online application form.
  • They’re asked to remember and write down every hiring date (year AND month) and departure date (ditto) for every job they have ever held; AND remember every salary and every supervisor’s name plus their phone number (gross).
  • We want them to agree upfront to a background check, drug test, credit check, and reference check before they have even received so much as the courtesy of a return email message.
  • They’re required to send all their personal information into the abyss, on the off chance that the employer might stop to respond with a phone call, an email message or an off-handed auto-responder that says “Don’t call us; we’ll call you – or else we won’t.”

What self-respecting person is willing to put up with this demeaning routine? We’re treating potential candidates like  two-year-olds. If employers can’t show more respect to the talented people applying for work in their companies, why would any job seeker with other options sign up for this kind of treatment?

My suggestion would be that every recruiter or hiring manager take one day, put themselves in the shoes of the applicant and go through their own company’s application process to get a feel of what their applicants are experiencing.

So, what should the current hiring process look like? I don’t have that down pat but I do have a few suggestions. Here we go:

  1. Keep it simple, stupid. Stop asking dumb questions like “What is your greatest weakness?” or “How do you feel about working in a team environment?” Instead, allow the applicant to either upload their resume, answer a few questions related to the position and be done with it. Better yet, develop a mobile app that quickly allows candidates to find and apply from their mobile devices. Ain’t nobody got time for that other stuff.
  2. Stop requiring double work. If you ask for an attached resume and then have me type in the same information throughout the remainder of the online application process – you’re wasting my time. I’m gonna say “forget it – it’s not worth it” and hit the escape key. Don’t be redundant.
  3. Make it interesting. Get creative. Have your intern build a short game where your applicant can hit a green frog or a yellow umbrella in answer to a question. Okay, I kid (kinda) – but think outside the norm in ways you can get creative with your ATS. Is that possible? I think so. If this isn’t an option, how about incorporating social media into the mix? How cool would your company look if you were to do that?

Let’s review: Short, sweet, to the point, interesting, social, creative and non-redundant. How hard could that be?

For a few great tips on tools that could replace the interview check this post!

This post originally aired over at DiscoveringSocial.

Check out this hangout with the @Gozaik team discussing the new Twitter Resume and Job Posting product Gozaik

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gozaikA few weeks ago I came across a new product for both sides of the hiring line – job seekers looking to find jobs and connect with recruiters online and for the recruiter and companies looking for prime candidates! I’m talking about a new kind of Google filtering within Twitter that narrows the job search for the above mentioned folks.

I immediately connected with the founder Joe Budzienski and asked if he would join me in a hangout to discuss it further, which we did. Here is the recording – it’s only around 30 mins!

I love anything that has to do with social and new technology! Check out the cool ways this is going to help you as Employers, Recruiters and Hiring Managers:

Promote Your Job Tweets

  • Gozaik job search displays job tweets to job seekers. Sign up now to validate your Twitter handle and drive more traffic to your Twitter job posts.

Search Candidates (COMING SOON!)

  • Identify active job seekers that meet your criteria. Review rich multimedia resumes. Watch video introductions.

Spot Trending Talent (COMING SOON!)

  • We spotlight ‘trending’ job seekers. Individuals with the most activity trend within your dashboard, highlighting job seekers you may be interested in.

Tweet Job Announcements (COMING SOON!)

  • Increase your job tweet response by delivering your job announcements through our ‘Job Announcement’ service. We structure tweets to optimize candidate response.

If you’re a job seeker or someone wanting to hire the best talent – do yourself a favor and check out Gozaik. Make sure to connect with them online. Get in on the ground floor!

 

Social Media ROI – Perhaps it’s not what we Thought

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yomamaI recently came across a fantastic article titled “The New ROI for Social Media Recruiting” which not only gave great insight into this year’s ERE Recruiting Conference & Expo but shared a little of why folks still are not jumping on the social media bandwagaon, especially executives. Perhaps we are trying to measure the wrong things.

This article talks of discussions that took place at the Conference that even big named brand representatives are still having a hard time getting their senior corporate managers and leaders involved or even understanding the ROI of social media and how it affects their organizations. We’re still looking at it as an end all, cure all as opposed to a valuable tool and channel of influence to our overall efforts. Perhaps that’s because of how it’s been presented to us.

Social is a grand tool for getting your brand out there and as this article surmises you can’t not be there.

You can’t not be on social because candidates, potential candidates, and those whom you hope to attract and someday hire will see your absence from the social media landscape as a negative. Doing it poorly is equally negative.

When a company fails to post regularly, and especially when comments and questions go unanswered for days or never, or when a company indiscriminately dumps all its job postings into Facebook’s news feed, it says, in the words of one recruiter, “This is a lame company that has no idea what social media is all about. Who wants to work for a company people think is lame?

The great thing that social enables us to do, and especially for brands and organizations, is telling the employer story and building its brand. Things such as the culture of the organization and what to expect in the hiring process on through to the day to day “what it’s like to work there” kind of things. These are the very particulars potential candidates are looking for when deciding whether or not to even begin the hiring process.

We may never be able to obtain ROI in how many folks we’ve hired through Facebook or Twitter (social in general). Instead, we should be looking at the value in branding and reputation building.

What does your company brand look like online? Are you a ghost town?

If you’re looking into a few easy ways to start, check out Glassdoor’s free resources.

Yo! I’m firing my current and only employee, Myself!

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firing yourselfSome of you know that last summer (2012) or somewhere around there, my friend and cohort Sabrina Baker and I started Discovering Social. Our idea was to assists Job Seekers through Webinars, in person and online workshops, training classes, and whatever else we could do to help them incorporate social media into their job search strategy. We have seen amazing things happen in this endeavor and are running full-speed ahead.

After a few months of diving in and getting the word out we noticed that there were still a few Human Resource and Recruiting folk running  around still looking to learn more about how to build their personal and professional brand and online footprint and trying to determine how to use social themselves (in recruiting and other sorts).

We then began to serve both ends of the hiring spectrum in building our Linked In groups and focusing our training to assists both sides in their endeavor to use social media with work, finding jobs and in sourcing for potential job candidates.

We are seeing tremendous success in helping folks around the globe in this endeavor and it’s what’s keeping us up at night. We’re passionate (to overuse an overused word) about helping others in understanding the what, why’s and how’s of doing social and we’re making some headway.

Conundrum Ahead

That being said, I have found myself overworked and running in a million different directions between my usual HR Conferences, Speaking opportunities, Blogging both here and elsewhere, holding Webinars, training and workshops for Discovering Social and my own business > Social Buzz Concepts. Add to that all the social media management of not only these two companies but my clients as well, and to be honest my head is about to explode. I’m sure you’re exhausted just reading that. So….

I have taken the last few months to really seek out where I need to go and feel that I am to do away with my current company and business “Social Buzz Concepts” and migrate strictly over to Discovering Social as of today.

announcement

I will continue to blog here and over at Discovering Social, as well as SHRM We Know Next, and will continue to manage a  few client social media accounts as I can.

I am excited about where we are taking Discovering Social and I’m passionate about helping others incorporate social in their Job Search strategies, online networking and brand building and developing strategic planning into implementing social into their business initiatives.

Do Your Part

Now we sure could use your support so make sure to check out the NEW DESIGN on our Website, Follow us on the Twitters, Give us a “LIKE” on Facebook Page and join our LINKED IN groups to show your support!

I understand that this is a HUGE leap of faith for me and that thrills me – to no end. I’ve never been one to play it safe – and I’m cool with that!

We thank you for your support – you all are a fantastic community! Stay tuned for more updates.

Glassdoor’s New Social Recruiting Tools for Hiring and Employment Branding

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glassdoor logoI love discussing new technology especially as it relates to the world of work.

Just this week one of my favorite’s Glassdoor added some snazzy services to aid companies in their Employment Branding and Recruiting efforts with their Self Service Online Employer Center. These are FREE tools to assists companies in having a hand in their own company branding and if I do say so myself, a brilliant move by my friends at Glassdoor.

I’ve been singing the praises of Glassdoor for a few years now and just in case you missed it they are one of the main social job and career communities that are changing the way people find jobs and the way companies recruit top talent.

glassdoor ratings

These guys came on the scene in 2007 and here are a few of the items offered to job seekers:

  • Access to the latest job listings
  • The ability to see Inside Connections via their Facebook network
  • Access to company-specific salary reports, ratings and reviews of said company
  • CEO approval ratings
  • Interview questions to expect and what it’s like to work at said company (What to expect)

On the Employer End

Employers can also get involved in the conversation through Glassdoor’s suite of social recruiting solutions to reach target job candidates when they’re making career decisions

This new exciting add-on called the Employer Center is an easy-to-use self-service tool currently in beta that helps companies make social recruiting decisions based on job seeker activity and authentic workplace insights. Take a look at PepsiCo’s page:

Pepsi-Profile.-Short-Version-w.-highlights

With the Employer Center, companies can get access to information about job seeker engagement and demographics, understand what jobs attract the most candidates and when, track employee satisfaction ratings trends, and benchmark their brand’s reputation against competitors.

As a company representative with this account, you can:

  • Update your company’s profile with basic information (i.e. website address, headquarter location, employee count, year founded and more)
  • Provide a company description and mission statement
  • Respond to your company reviews and interview reviews
  • Add awards and photos
  • Request updates to your stock ticker, CEO and list of competitors
  • Flag reviews that may be inappropriate

The amount of insight and data a Brand Manager can obtain from this is unbelievable. I saw this in action in a private Webinar and was astounded!

I’m telling you, there’s no other jobs site or professional network that combines this level of employee feedback and job seeker activity to help companies make more informed recruiting decisions while allowing them to manage their employer brand.

Click HERE for a free Employer Account. If  you don’t check this you’re totally missing out!

Social Media Policies – Are they absolutely necessary?

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Social MediaYesterday, I had the privileged of hosting a LIVE Google+ hangout with two of my friends and employment attorneys in the HR space Heather Bussing and Mary Wright, discussing Social Media policies. It was a fantastic discussion on privacy, legalities and best practices of Social Media in the workplace.

Here are a few things we discussed:

  • Is incorporating social policies the cure all?
  • Who owns the social media accounts – the Employer or Employee?
  • The Applebee’s fiasco
  • BYOD (Bring your own device) Who has rights?
  • Monitoring Employees Social Media
  • Is anything really private once it’s on the internet?

Take a look:

I’m a huge advocate of incorporating social technology into our everyday workplace and these gals made valid points from both an Employer and Employee perspective.

We concluded that the best social media policy is simply “Be Professional.” I think we can all agree that’s something to keep in mind and that most of us should think before we post.

About my guests:

heatherHeather Bussing is an employment attorney and the Editorial Advisory Board editor at HR Examiner. Heather has practiced employment and business law for over 20 years. She has represented employers, unions and employees in every aspect of employment and labor law including contract negotiations, discrimination and wage hour issues. She regularly advises companies on personnel policies and how to navigate employment discipline and termination issues. You can connect with her on twitter @heatherbussing.

maryMary Wright is the editor of HR Gazette, a daily newspaper for HR Professionals and Employment Lawyers. She is an Employment Attorney who has been practicing law for 25 years. Mary is passionate about helping make sure Employers and HR professionals who struggle daily with all kinds of issues and wants to make sure they get a fair shake in the courtroom as well as the break room. Connect with her on twitter @hrgazette.

Photo Credit: Bizfest

Googling yourself won’t cause Blindness

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google yourself“If it can be Googled – it shall be Googled“ 

Last summer I wrote a post titled “Have You Googled Yourself Lately” which sparked a little conversation. It’s a catchy title and a pretty informative read that talks about the importance of your online trail – your brand. How you are perceived in the eyes of folks online. It also gives a few great social listening tools out there to see what folks are finding out about you through what you’ve allowed them to see online.

We joked about this on a recent Twitter Chat and someone stated “I hear that causes blindness.” And we all laughed.

Laughing aside, it’s important to understand that folks are using things like Google Search or other mediums to find out about you and what you’re sharing online. Whether it’s for a potential job to which you’ve applied, perhaps you’ve filed for FMLA and your manager actually wants to see if you’re in Cabo for the week, if you’ve recently applied for a loan and your bank wants to check you, or if you’ve filed an insurance claim for disability and you’re your insurance company wants to make sure you’re not off skiing somewhere – folks are starting to use the internet to look you up.

That being said, it’s important for all of us to see how others are viewing us and make sure that you are being represented properly and protecting yourself and your personal brand.

I’ve heard recently that because of Google’s algorithm, for example, there may be things that others see about you online that even you’re not seeing about yourself. But there are certain things you can do to protect your online personal brand whether you are in job search mode or simply concerned about how folks are judging you, online.

  •  If you have a Google account, you can set up Google Alerts where you can get daily or weekly email notifications when your brand name (or your name, etc) shows up online. This is a great way to see where you’re popping up online and it’s free!
  • Google yourself (or use another search engine) often to see what’s actually getting out there and what others are seeing.
  • You can make your social accounts (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) private and change your settings – but why not simply behave yourself online. Most folks these days want to see your personality, interests and other things to see your human side. And, Recruiters and Hiring Managers are looking on these very same sites to fill key positions at their companies. See this Infographic about how Recruiters are using Facebook’s new Graph Search.
  • Everything you say online can and may be held against you. Here’s a great Infographic on managing your online reputation and some key things you can do to protect yourself. Take them to heart.
  • There are a few settings within Facebook that will allow you to remain semi-private. Here’s some info on the new privacy changes and what you can do to protect those privacy’s. Don’t fully disclose your birthday, street address and other information that others may potential steal and ruin your online reputation.
  • Don’t allow third party apps (especially within Facebook and Twitter) access to your information. When using these games and third-party apps within these platforms you are allowing them free reign to inside information and this can be damaging.
  • Don’t look at porn. If you simply find that you must do this – use an alter ego (a different name) so that these trails can’t come back to you. I see folks all the time on Facebook looking at naughty things and it’s posting to their Facebook walls. Just don’t do it. Go to the Library or something and use their computers :)
  • Think before you post. Don’t post status updates or pictures when you’re not being responsible or when you’re mad at someone. This is always the best advice to live by. These things can come back to bite you on the butt later on.

In the end, if you’re using social media and being aware of what you’re showing, what your’e posting and not making bad judgement’s then you should have no worries about what’s being found about you.

Go ahead and try it, Google yourself right now (I know you want to) and see what comes up. You may be a little embarrassed but I promise you won’t go blind.

Photo Credit: Sodahead

Maybe it’s time to dumb down our Social HR presentations

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social 101When it comes to adoption of Social tools into our organizations some folks may be a little behind in adapting. That’s okay, because that was us at one time or other.

I have spoken at my share of events and conferences especially in regard to technology and social tools in the workplace. Something I have to keep in mind is that “Not everyone is on the same level playing field.” We’re all at different levels of adoption and knowledge of these things. And that’s okay.

At a few recent events we (those of us who have been involved in social and technology longer) seemed to have forgotten this and really seemed to have taken it over the top of the heads of the attendees.

Sometimes we talk to our audiences in our own language and they’re sitting out there looking at us like a young calf looking at a new gate.

I try to remember when presenting that it’s best to “keep it simple, stupid” – because you don’t want to lose your audience completely.

When holding social presentations there will probably always be a mixture in the crowd of the following:

  • Those that have no clue about social adoption (as it regards internal collaboration and social media at work)
  • Those that understand the need for adopting but have no idea how to begin
  • Those that think these tools should never be incorporated into the cubicles and spend tons of dollars on “how to block it” at work
  • Those that have jumped in and are getting their feet wet
  • Those that have fully adopted technology (mobile, internal tools, etc) and have seen great success

This will more than likely always be the case. That being said, it does make it difficult when presenting to this kind of crowd. Perhaps it’s best when planning our events to segment our presentations into (a) (b) and (c) groups instead of lumping them all together.

At one of my most recent events I had a few folks (ladies) come to me in the lady’s room afterward to tell me “Thanks for talking on a level we could understand. Most of us aren’t up to speed and you kept it simple and very easy to understand.”

HR is rapidly advancing in social technologies but we must remember to share on a level that folks can understand not only in the need for incorporating these tools, the benefits and ROI’s but also share the “Here’s how to do it” as well.

Cause let’s face it – we can pretty much Google stats and the “WHY you need to do Social” – am I right?

Photo Credit: JohnHaydon