Welcome to the next decade!
If you’re anything at all like most people, you’ve taken at least a few moments to think about your resolutions for the new year. Maybe you’re going to finally use that gym membership you’ve been paying $79.95 a month for (for the past three years), or perhaps you’ve resolved to stop [...]
If there’s one upside to a recession, it’s the fact that great candidates abound.
Just twelve months ago, companies were scrambling to find people for skilled positions in sales, IT, and finance. Companies find themselves fishing in a much deeper pond these days, and I am increasingly hearing that the the problem is now no longer how to find great candidates, but how in the world to whittle that stack of 500 resumes down to the 3-5 people you actually want to spend time interviewing.
Where previously clients were hiring us to go out into the field and “pull” candidates into the hiring process, now they’re calling us to help process inbound applications because the sheer volume is overwhelming. I’m seeing ten times the applications per job than was the case in 2007. And, since most companies have scaled way back on internal HR staff, the “too many candidates” problem is amplified.
With unemployment figures estimated to top 10% in early 2010, I don’t see any end in sight to this massive shift from “I can’t find anyone” to “I can’t see over this pile of candidate resumes.” 3rd party recruiting providers who can’t adjust to that reality are in for an extremely painful year. And do-it-yourself Managers who don’t get help are going to end up making bad hiring choices.
Candidate frustration is on the rise, as well. The influx of resumes is overwhelming most internal HR organizations, and candidates simply never hear back from the companies to which they’ve applied. The easiest way to soil your name amongst top candidates is to have a poor candidate response mechanism in place. More and more I speak with people who tell me that it’s not uncommon for them to send our a hundred resumes before they get even one “thanks, but no thanks” letter. They’re not even getting a formal “no.” That’s atrocious customer service.
Bottom line: if you’re inundated with resumes, seek help. Your dream candidate just gave up trying to apply to your open job and is now working for a competitor.
For many managers, the most challenging aspect of creating a job profile is understanding the relationship between compensation and candidate ability. It’s an interesting paradox - nobody wants to overpay for work performed, but everyone wants an employee who’s at the top of their game. Entrepreneurs and business managers dream of a perfect world where employees [...]
Craigslist Syndrome (def) n. A time-sucking, emotionally draining, focus-killing condition that impacts small businesses; directly caused by posting job ads on Craigslist and subsequently receiving over 500 resumes within 24 hours, 10 of which are actually qualified for the job posted; also known as CLS.
Does your company suffer from Craigslist Syndrome? To self-diagnose this business-crippling [...]
This morning I fielded a question from Frank Riordan, Founder and President of DMC , regarding my use of LinkedIn. Frank is a client of mine as well as a friend and colleague from Entrepreneur’s Organization, and his company provides “high-caliber engineering and software development services for manufacturing, testing, and product development organizations in the [...]
In Part 1 of this series on hiring salespeople, we explored the various reasons why hiring salespeople is so difficult. Here, we’ll discuss some tips and tricks for properly reviewing the resume of a potential sales hire.
All managers have made a hiring mistake at one time or another. My experience in interviewing sales talent on [...]
I think I’ve finally found a “foolproof” way to size up a potential employee. Matter of fact, I think this is a sure-fire way to size up just about anyone. Several leading business thinkers have written on this topic, including the great Jim Collins - so I’m in no way claiming ownership of this process [...]
When it comes to recruiting, nearly every business manager I work with has two things in common. One, they understand the impact that great recruiting can have on their organization. Two, they all think that actually doing the recruiting work themselves is a royal pain in the ass.
The solution that many entrepreneurs and managers arrive [...]
Increasingly, it looks like we’re seeing consensus amongst the lettered financial forecasters that the United States is entering a prolonged period of economic decline. And while recessions are more certainly bad news for business, they do have some positive potential outcomes, particularly in the realm of hiring new employees and upgrading your staff. Start taking [...]
The first interview is all about the candidate’s job history. The second interview is where we attempt to poke around inside the candidate’s head and find out what makes them tick.
After completing the first round by interviewing a minimum of 3-5 candidates, you’re in a position to carry forward the best 2-3 candidates for the 2nd and final round. [...]