How Recruiters Add Value to Your Hiring Process

How Recruiters Add Value to Your Hiring Process

March 12th, 2012 by Skywalk Group Categories: business, Employee Development, Human Resources Management, Job Listing, Management Development, Skywalk Group, Staffing and Employment

What’s so great about recruiting consultants? If you have never had the experience of sharing a search with an effective recruiting consultant, you are missing out!

A new search can be daunting- knowing what you’re looking for in candidates, and knowing how to recruit them, are sometimes two different things. Having a knowledgeable partner in the process (ok, maybe not really a superhero) can make a huge difference! Recruiters can turn the hefty task of your next great hire into an enjoyable experience.

Recruiters have dedicated their professional lives to being the best at identifying, qualifying, and placing the best talent. Sometimes this means employing tools of the trade that just aren’t in the toolkits of others.

What Can a Recruiter Do for You?

Recruiters can:

Help you find candidates that aren’t looking- the best candidates tend to be happy, productive workers- not necessarily actively applying to your company’s external job board. We know where they are, how to communicate with them, and how to make sure the qualified people we send you will be happy, productive workers for you too.

Conduct professional interviews – we do it every day and know how to dig into what makes a candidate tick. “Practice makes perfect” may not be completely true, but recruiters have built up vast experience interviewing various candidates. We can utilize interviews and candidate assessments to really get you the best match possible, not just the one that tells you what you want to hear.

Reduce search time – we can draw upon our strong local and national network to get referrals for the right person. We’ve worked with great people in all kinds of fields, all over the country. When one of our network asks “who do you know?” our ears perk up, and we recall that great professional we knew, and what would have been hours of searching becomes a quick phone call to an old friend.

Give guidance on what you really need to get the job done – experience is a great teacher, and knowing up front that a candidate with x years of experience, really isn’t going to cut it for that position will save time, resources, and the stress of having to learn those lessons on the fly. Industry, geographic region, and other market factors can make a big difference in a successful search, and when you start the search with realistic expectations, you’ll be more likely to be successful.

Recruiters know their markets, their region, and their area of expertise- so, while recruiting consultants may not be superheroes, they are super-helpful!

Why Women Should Love Technology

March 7th, 2012 by Skywalk Group Categories: business, Business Coaching, Company Training, Employee Development, Employee Retention, Human Resources Management, Management Development, Skywalk Group, Staffing and Employment, Supervisory Training

This week we are featuring a blog from Maureen Collins-Williams at MyEntre.net.

For decades, women have failed to thrive as much as men in the workforce. They’ve struggled to rise to management levels in top corporations, to have their voices heard in the boardroom and their efforts fairly compensated. Today, many women believe there’s another way. Perhaps women don’t have to follow traditional rules of business success—perhaps for the first time in history, they can bypass them altogether. How? Technology.

At the highest level of business management, women continue to find themselves boxed out. I had to laugh when I read about the ‘gains’ women are experiencing as CEO’s among Fortune 500 companies in 2011. There were exactly twelve women in CEO positions in 2011—that’s up from ten in 2006—and down by two from 2010! That, to me, sounds like a regression, not a gain. People explain this in a lot of ways; the most common reason offered is that women don’t stick to their career paths like men—they opt out—to raise kids, take care of parents, or any number of similar reasons. But then there is that pesky 2007 Catalyst report that found an enduring perception among very senior business executives in both the U.S. and Europe that women just can’t cut it. The spin? “Men take charge—women take care.” That’s a tough cultural perception for women to break, but maybe they don’t have to. Can women tackle business ventures in ways that allow them to circumvent this subordinate stereotype? I believe so. I think it’s possible for women to climb that corporate ladder their own way; using their own management styles and succeeding on their own terms.

We already know that women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men, but women tend to start companies in industries that are difficult to scale. As a result, most women-owned business start-ups are very small. Why do women do this? Because these difficult-to-scale industries are familiar: healthcare, education, retail and other familial services like daycare, housekeeping and tutoring are dominated by women. Couple that with the well-documented challenges women face in raising capital (both startup and expansion) and it becomes clear both how and why women struggle to grow their companies past the micro-enterprise stage. Technology, however, has changed the playing field.

Francine Rabinovich of New York is one such example of a woman owned business in a traditional industry. Before she started her business Denim Therapy, she graduated Cum Laud from Tufts University with a degree in Economics and International Trade. She started her career down the corporate path, working for a major New York ad agency serving Revlon, Palmolive and Speed Stick. Fast-forward to an afternoon in her New York apartment, when she bemoaned throwing away her favorite pair of jeans that were ripped. “I knew I could have a patch sewn in, but that changed the look and feel of my jeans, so I decided to find the solution that would make the jeans look almost as good as new,” she told an interviewer. Francine created a genuine reconstruction of the original denim material—not a patch, but a new cotton thread and stitch applied to the broken denim area. Before the Internet, that would have been the end of the story. Francine would have fixed her jeans and probably impressed her friends, yet it is hardly likely that a scalable business would have emerged from this mending innovation. But it did—thanks to the Internet. Denim Therapy is a global online service that mends blue jeans, converts favorite jeans into maternity jeans (and back) all for about $7 an inch. Francine is now hiring her own employees and experiencing great success in the cyber realm. She jumped off the corporate ladder and hasn’t looked back since.

The truth is, women don’t have to change the industries they pursue, or even adopt new management styles to mirror those of men in order to succeed in business today. They simply need the web. Check out Second Porch, a Facebook-based house-sharing-among-friends business; Wool and the Gang an online business selling complete knitting kits (yarn, needles, instructions and patterns); or BlessUs, a zippered outfit that can be ‘unzipped’ to make different clothes. These are just a few businesses that would never have scaled before the Internet but are global and growing because of it. Ten years from now, these businesses (and thousands of others like them) will have corporate nameplates. Their founders, CEO’s and CFO’s? Women. And it’s about time.

Thanks, Maureen, for allowing us to feature your article and empowering women. Skywalk Group is pleased to announce that we are continuing to offer our popular and successful Leadership & Development for Women Public Workshop. The next session starts May 11, 2012. Register now! And bring your friends too!

Organizational Behavior in Small Businesses

February 28th, 2012 by Skywalk Group Categories: business, Business Coaching, Company Training, Employee Development, Employee Retention, Human Resources Management, Job Analysis, Recruiting, Skywalk Group, Staffing and Employment, Supervisory Training, Time Management

In order to improve an organization’s effectiveness one must understand the role of organizational behavior within the workforce. It is important to understand how an organization’s behavior impacts key business drivers such as profitability, motivation and higher retention rates.

What is Organizational Behavior?

Organizational behavior is the study of human behavior within organizations. If people are an organizations most important asset then understanding how humans behave in organizations will lead to insights that can improve productivity, job satisfaction, employee relations, and more. Organizational behavior focuses on the impact that individuals, groups, and structures have on behavior within organizations. Below are just a few of the components that need to be taken into account:

The job itself. What kind or type of job is an employee doing, and what is the design of that job? How does the job fit in with other job’s employees are working on? Knowing the type of job an employee is working on can help determine how the employee will react with that job.
The nature of the work. This goes along with the job because if the nature of work is compatible with the employee then it is more likely that the work will get done well and in a timely manner.
Turnover. If a person is compatible with the work environment and likes their job, they will be more likely to stay and be high performers at the company. Organization’s rarely take a hard look at the cost associated with turnover. Therefore, cost savings associated with improving the recruiting, selection, on-boarding, and training processes are often ignored.
Productivity. If an employee is productive, they tend to be more motivated and more likely to enjoy the work that they are doing. This is a win-win for the organization and the employee!

Organizational Behavior Challenges and Opportunities

With everything in life, there are challenges and opportunities, and organizational behavior is no exception.

Economic pressures impact both individuals and organizations. Employees may have to fight to keep their job. This may encourage the employee to be more productive throughout the day and strive to do excellent work. Competitive pressures are tough in the business world. In a highly competitive society, every organization wants to be recognized as the best.
Workplace diversity is prevalent. Employees from all over the globe are applying for positions. Diversity is a good thing and can become a competitive advantage that inspires innovation. But it also creates individual and organization acceptance and appreciation challenges.

Ultimately, it is up to the employees in an organization to work with one another and to recognize the differences and skills that each other have. This is crucial within a workforce and a great reason as to why organizational behavior is an important tool to be aware about and understand.

–Annalise Bandel, Student, Loyola University

Your Management Style is Under Review

February 19th, 2012 by Skywalk Group Categories: business, Human Resources Management, Management Development, Recruiting, Skywalk Group, Staffing and Employment, Supervisory Training

As a great hiring manager, you always listen carefully to a job candidate’s interview answers, pay attention to their body language, and take note of all of the candidates interactions with your company, both in, and outside of, the interview.

What owners and hiring managers often overlook is that their management style is also under review during the hiring process. Potential new employees are reviewing the company culture and management style of a possible employer at each and every step of the interview process. While the recent economy has put more candidates on the market, there is still a shortage of outstanding A-level potential employees. Because of this, you need to make sure you are putting your best foot forward at each and every step of the process.

Here are some hiring process situations and how your candidates may view the situation.

DELAYS IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

FACT: There is a long delay in getting back to people after the initial conversation or, if working with a recruiter, you don’t provide feedback for a long period of time.

PERCEPTION: The candidate may view this as either you don’t operate with a sense of urgency, or you don’t value other’s time enough for a prompt response.

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS IS SCRIPTED

FACT: Every step of the interview process is scripted and the only questions asked are off of a printed, prepared question set.

PERCEPTION: The candidate will view this as a sign that you are overly formal and that your organization values process over free-flowing ideas.

THERE ARE TOO MANY INTERVIEWS

FACT: There are more than 2-3 interviews in the process.

PERCEPTION: The candidate will be concerned that either nothing moves quickly in the organization, you don’t believe they are the right fit, as a hiring manager you may be reluctant to make a decision, or that you don’t view the position as valuable.

TOO MUCH NEGATIVE INFORMATION IS SHARED

FACT: You have a negative interview style and ask questions like “Sometimes you need to work 100 hours per week, we will swear at you and your equipment won’t work – are you okay with that?”

PERCEPTION: You may think that you are doing people a favor by letting them know what they are getting into, but in reality you are telling people that this is the culture you support…and if this is the case, be prepared to lose A-level candidates in the process.

LOW BALL OFFERS

FACT: You present a low-ball offer…just to see if you can get the candidate to go for it, or feel that you have to negotiate anyway.

PERCEPTION: The candidate will feel that everything at your company will end up being a battle.

If you are serious about attracting top talent to work for you, take a minute and walk yourself through your own process and think about every step from the candidate’s perspective. The little details can make all the difference in creating the kind of experience that will make the best candidates want to work with you.

How to Run an Effective Meeting

November 15th, 2011 by Skywalk Group Categories: business, Company Training, Employee Development, Employee Retention, Human Resources Management, Management Development, Staffing and Employment, Supervisory Training, Time Management

Sometimes I would rather stick a fork in my eye and twist it than go to another meeting. In most corporate environments meetings are a vital element of life in the office. They dictate our days; form our schedules and consequently, we often find ourselves getting few things accomplished as a result of them. So why do we need ANOTHER meeting anyway?

Obviously, meetings are a necessary evil in running successful businesses. They bring people together by uniting creative minds and are vital in achieving the strategic goals of the company. Leaders who know how to run productive meetings can be the most valued employees of the organization.

Meetings can fail for a variety of reasons. Some of the most important are a lack preparation, agenda or goals. Lacking respect for participant’s time and failing to follow up on specific action items can result in frustrated participants and fewer results. Whether your meeting is at the office, via Skype or conference call, how do you lead an effective one? Reader’s Digest author, Graham Buck, recently gave a few tips:

Start and end strongly. Conduct every meeting with a purpose and close it with a plan for “going forward”. Denver based consultant Teri Schwartz noted that running a meeting is like “Flying a plane. Most crashes happen at takeoff and landing.”
Pick a leader. Assign someone to lead at the beginning of each meeting.
Think small. Be realistic about what you can accomplish and keep the number of attendees manageable to stimulate discussion.
Direct, don’t dominate. Encourage others to speak up and get involved, especially junior staffers.
Lay down the rules of engagement. Everyone should understand who will take notes and how decision will be made. Assign follow-up tasks during the final five to ten minutes and then reiterate them later in a group email.

A final tip that I’d like to add is to respect participant’s time. As an HR consultant, one of the biggest complaints that I hear is that employee’s never have enough time to complete their own projects because of all the meetings they are required to attend. Smart business leaders understand the value of participant’s time. If a meeting is scheduled for an hour, be respectful and end it on time!

Does your company struggle with leading successful meetings? Skywalk Group’s Employee Development and Training can help.

Overcoming Your Fears: A Practical Starting Point

October 12th, 2011 by Skywalk Group Categories: business, Employee Development, Human Resources Management, Management Development, Skywalk Group, Staffing and Employment, Supervisory Training

Last week we blogged about fear (Are Your Fears Holding You Back?) and its impact in the workplace. Fear, whether or rational or not, holds us back from experiencing all we are capable of doing or becoming.

Fear comes in many forms: fear of failure, the unknown, success, loss of self-image, and more. A fear infects multiple areas of our lives, especially at work where we are required to push beyond our comfort zone. Fear drives us to avoid volunteering for a project, confronting a problem, attending a social event, making a presentation, or giving our best effort. All because being safe is more comfortable.

Practical Steps to Overcoming Your Fears

While I don’t profess to have a PhD in how to overcome fears, here are a few practical steps to get started:

Acknowledge the fear. The next time you make a choice, stop to analyze your thought process. Did you make the choice or did fear? Once you acknowledge when fear forces your hand, you can take control to overcome the fear.Realize you are not alone.
Realize you are not alone. Everyone has fears. We just don’t talk about them. We’re told not to be afraid of monsters under our bed because that’s impossible. So, rather than overcoming the fear, we just stop talking about it. Start small.
Start small. Offer to assist with a portion of the project just slightly beyond your comfort zone rather than taking on the whole project. No one climbs a mountain with one giant step.Practice with friends.
Practice with friends. Start expanding your boundaries with people you trust. They’ll build you up in your success and give you feedback in a manner you can swallow.Talk yourself up.
Talk yourself up. It might sound silly, but your biggest enemy is that annoying voice in your head that says you can’t. Silence it by first telling it and then proving it wrong.

Let’s step back to our snake scenario. The next day after acknowledging my fear, and sharing my story with friends, I faced my fear head on. I now boldly (that might be a bit of an exaggeration) walk through the snake infested ped mall. My fear of snakes still exists, but I won’t let it control me today.

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