Taking the Driving Seat in a Candidate Driven Market

Taking the Driving Seat in a Candidate Driven Market Have you ever had a gut feeling that a candidate is not as good as you â€" and your client â€" think they are? As a recruiter, naturally eager to fill that position, especially if it’s a particularly challenging one that you have spent a lot of time and effort on already, how much time do you give to this feeling? How much do you allow yourself to consider its potential implications? Your candidate has performed well at interview, demonstrating that they have the skills and experience to do the job, that they will fit well culturally within the organization/team, and that this is the job they want. Essentially, they have done everything right to put themselves in strong consideration for the position. But something is somehow off. You look back on their behavior during the recruitment process itself. Not during the interviews, but the in-between bits. The email communications you have had with them weren’t quite as well presented or as timely as you would expect from the “perfect candidate”. Then there was that time they asked for a last-minute rescheduling of the second interview. Then there was a change in demands during the process â€" more flexible hours, a change in salary expectations, etc. And, looking back, it took you longer than it should have done to reach them when you were setting up the interviews, getting feedback, and doing follow-ups, etc, etc. (I’m sure this is starting to sound, at least in part, familiar.) So, suddenly you are questioning whether your candidate â€" who had convinced you, and your client, that this was their perfect job and they were the perfect candidate for it â€" is actually the person who showed up at interview. I would suggest that you should give serious recognition to those questions in your head, and here’s why. Candidate behavior during the recruitment process can tell you a lot more than you might give it credit for. If you think about it, the kinds of tasks, actions, and behaviors,   that the candidate engages in through the process â€" those things already mentioned above â€" are the kinds of things that they will be doing or using in any job they end up in. So if they can’t get the “simple” stuff right now, what’s to say they will get it right if they end up in your client’s role, no matter how well they have performed at the interview? In a way, the whole recruitment process itself is like the best kind of generic competency-based interview one could conjure, testing core skills and behaviors like written communication (accuracy/clarity and effectiveness thereof); verbal communication (ditto); following instructions; doing what you say you will do, and when; integrity and transparency; and an all-round “straightforwardness” in attitude and manner that, in my opinion, every great candidate possesses. My advice is, Listen to your gut. If something feels off, test it. You can do this either by direct questioning (if you have a decent relationship with your candidate and feel confident enough to do so) or by asking them to do something additional for you as part of the process â€" whatever seems most relevant to the doubts you have about them. And think about sharing your thoughts with your client â€" you should have the kind of relationship with them that makes this possible (and not too uncomfortable). If your spidey senses have kicked in before the end of the interview process perhaps you could work with your client to add an additional element into the next interview that will get to the heart of your suspicions? Just because we all live in a highly competitive, candidate-driven recruitment market that often requires us to make quick decisions, it does not mean that we should allow the candidate to drive the recruitment process in its entirety. Keep something back to make sure you, and your client, are still making solid judgments. No matter how much you want the “perfect candidate” to be just that, don’t be afraid of admitting that they might not be. In the end, no one wins if the perfect candidate turns out to be the wrong employee. About the author: Liz Arnold, is the Director of True Recruitment Solutions Ltd.

Harvey Weinstein, #MeToo and sexual harassment in the workplace

Harvey Weinstein, #MeToo and sexual harassment in the workplace This post was written by an external contributor. Following the #MeToo stories in response to the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault scandal, Louisa Wicks looks at how we can begin to challenge sexual harassment in the workplace   In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations, a huge number of women have been coming forward with their own stories to show just how endemic this problem is. What started with a number of high profile actresses coming forward and bravely sharing their own experiences of Weinsteins predatory behaviour, soon turned into a worldwide response. The sheer number of women sharing their stories, of all ages and from all walks of life, showed how the Harvey Weinstein story isnt unique, and sexual harassment is something which affects us all. And the supposed safety of the workplace, is one of the environments in which women are most vulnerable. If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet. pic.twitter.com/k2oeCiUf9n â€" Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 15, 2017 Sexual harassment in the workplace Sexual harassment in the workplace has always been a huge problem. A recent study found that one in three women aged between 18 and 34 have been sexually harassed at work, and nearly 90% of women have been harassed at some point in their lives. But what is particularly alarming is that over half of these women did not know who to contact after it had happened. Weinstein has been accused of around three decades of harassment, and many have been questioning why the women are only just speaking up now. In every news article detailing the latest allegations, there is always that one social media user who suggests that, by not speaking out earlier, the actresses were clearly putting their careers and monetary gain over the well-being of other actresses. Speaking out The reality is that most women are terrified of speaking out and dont know who to turn to. Especially in workplace environments, women often don’t speak up because usually their assaulter holds a huge amount of power, and could quite easily end their careers in seconds. When faced with someone with so much power and influence, many women know their story wouldnt be believed or just dismissed. Many also forget about just how much trauma and stress is involved in these situations. Kesha attempted to sue her former producer for sexual assault but ended up dropping the charges when the lawsuit started to take a toll on both her career and her mental health. But its important not to forget that this kind of sexual harassment doesnt just happen in the film and music industry; its happening all the time, whether in law, business, or public service, and women are often too afraid to speak up for fear of the repercussions. Time for change While #MeToo might suggest that weve finally reached a place where women feel comfortable speaking out about sexual harassment, the fact that many of the stories were still met with scepticism shows that more work needs to be done. In the workplace especially, we need to work harder to ensure the support networks are in place so women can speak out and seek the advice they need if necessary. The first step is making sure women are aware of who to contact if something happens. Speaking out is still incredibly difficult, but there should be  someone at the company who deals with complaints such as these. While this may help resolve the situation, in many industries women face not being taken seriously. Challenging the status quo We cant expect women to feel comfortable about speaking out, until we tackle the workplace culture that makes them feel uncomfortable speaking out in the first place. We need to create change in the way women are seen in a work environment. An obvious answer to this would be to push for more gender equality in senior management positions. I have lost count of the number of company photos I have seen with just one woman sitting at the senior table. We need more women in senior positions for a multitude of reasons, but crucially this will help challenge the male dominance that allows men such as Harvey Weinstein to act as they do. If men abuse their power, we need more women with the authority to call them out. This isnt going to happen overnight, but if were aware of the problem, talk about it openly, call out unacceptable behaviour when we see it and actively work towards creating a more equal and fair workplace environment, we can start to reduce the scale of  workplace harassment. Giving women a voice When #MeToo started trending on Twitter as a result of the Weinstein accusations, the sheer number of people finding the courage to share their stories was overwhelming, but highlighted the fact that attitudes are (slowly) starting to change. Women are speaking up in huge numbers for the first time, and supporting each other. Both male and female celebrities are commending the strength of survivors, which in turn has encouraged more people to speak up. Although more changes are needed in the workplace to tackle harassment, social media awareness is a good place to start. And while the accusations against him are truly horrific to read, the Harvey Weinstein case has given women a voice. After seeing high-profile, successful actresses find the courage to share a historical encounter, women like me and you are realising something so important. And even after the Weinstein case has left the headlines, we’ll still remember what it taught us: it taught us that we’re not alone. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

What Will You Do Differently This Week

What Will You Do Differently This Week We are creatures of habit. Many of us desire routines, rituals, stability. It is dangerous to be lulled into the complacency of habits. We need to continue to move forward and push ourselves out of our comfort zone. I write this primarily for myself. Fear of failure has long been the excuse I have provided for not trying new things or taking risks. When will I learn to let go of this excuse? There is certainly something I can do about it and I dont believe the answer lies in all of the sudden taking one large risk. Instead, it is about taking little risks daily. Almost like building up to running a marathon. My neighbor recently ran in the NY Marathon and he had been in training for many months. Did all that training prepare him for the physical and emotional strain of the full marathon, well, no.And he didnt win it either.Yet, he completed it. He will never forget the experience and he is a new person because of this experience. What can you do today, this week, this month, to begin training for your marathon? What small risk or one step can you take to push yourself out of your comfort zone? Heres what I am going to do.Instead of driving the known route to a destination, I am going to take a new route to each destination I made this week. Sounds simple or stupid, but as I think about how I am going to do that, it is developing something. I will not take anything for granted.

The Ultimate LinkedIn Tips to Bring Your Profile Up to Date

The Ultimate LinkedIn Tips to Bring Your Profile Up to Date Simply having an executive LinkedIn profile won’t do you much good. In fact, having an outdated profile is sometimes worse than not having one at all. If you aren’t sure how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, you aren’t alone. The good news is you can work with a professional LinkedIn profile writer (look no further!) to evaluate your current profile and help you strengthen it so you’re always prepared for the next opportunity that comes your way. Here are some basic tips to bring your profile up-to-date that people sometimes overlook. Create And Share Unique Content Creating unique and engaging content is invaluable today. People always look for an expert they can trust, and if you are that person then your personal branding will skyrocket. Brand yourself as an expert in your field and watch your reader engagement climb. Plus, consistently sharing your content on your executive LinkedIn profile shows you’re involved with your career and are a valuable resource for current information. You will also benefit from your profile ranking higher in the search results due to the amount of unique views your content receives. Build Your Number of Connections The more content you share, the more connections you will earn. An executive LinkedIn profile that’s up-to-date will always have a significant number of connections with new ones coming in every day. Your network can see when you make a new connection, depending on your privacy settings, so you’ll gain some credibility from that aspect as well. Never hesitate to target other professionals in your industry and reach out to them to connect. Be Active And Share Updates Once you’ve worked with a professional LinkedIn profile writer to complete your profile, be sure to stay active as much as you can. This could mean posting a new article every couple of days and sharing updates about your career, or making a new connection. These updates will help you remain on the radar to your connections, so your profile won’t turn stale. You could also consider being active in LinkedIn groups to promote your personal brand. Just be sure not to be overly active to the point where people get tired of seeing you post all the time. As with everything, balance is key. Professional Resume Services is here to help you when you aren’t sure how to optimize your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is such a valuable tool to have, whether you’re actively searching for a new job or not. Just having a profile that’s up-to-date will help you get recognized, and you can continue working on it to build your personal brand. If you need any help with your LinkedIn profile, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time for assistance.

Monster Resume Writing Services Reviews - Why to Choose Resume Writing Service to Ensure Your Perfect Resume

Monster Resume Writing Services Reviews - Why to Choose Resume Writing Service to Ensure Your Perfect ResumeMonster resume writing services reviews is the best way to get rid of your stress. It helps you to know the exact details of what to put on your resume to get your perfect job in a very short time.With this outsourcing model, the companies' resume writers can make sure that the resume written by them is as perfect as possible. To make sure, they take the help of outsourcing services to design the resumes.Resume writing service companies look for people who have good skills in writing resumes. The best thing about this type of outsourcing is that it lets you leave it all in the hands of the writers. All you have to do is to submit your resume to the companies and let them do the rest of the work.Resume writing service companies use their knowledge and experience to find the most suitable candidates for each resume. They will also consider your educational background, your recent work experience, and also the value you bring to the company. You will be able to submit your resume as per the particular expectations of the company and also according to the company's standards. After that, you can submit your resume and have a proof read by the writer.Then you will have to wait for the responses from the writers. They will be able to check your resume once they are done with their analysis of your resume. If they think that the resume is indeed suitable, they will send you your resume to your respective employers with a right signature line.You can also provide your resume after they have finished reading it. They will then add a few tweaks on your resume to make it more appealing to your prospective employer. After this, you are sure to get a reply within 24 hours.With the help of monster resume writing services reviews, you will be able to find out if these outsourcing services are really worth it. You should always try to stay away from a writer who promises you to make your resume look amazing. Instead, you should go for those companies who have the best resume writing services.

Sotp Procrastiing! Quotes on Procrastination

Sotp Procrastiing! Quotes on Procrastination Why do we procrastinate? It depends â€" not just on which expert you consult, but on the person doing the procrastinating. For some of us, there’s a thrill in creating a time crunch, while for others, it’s about fear of success or failure. We might even put things off in order to avoid having to make a decision, and in so doing, taking responsibility for our choices. The problem, of course, is that no choice is always secretly a choice. Bottom line, even if you’re a committed procrastinator, you probably know that your life would be easier and more satisfying if you could make yourself get stuff done right away, instead of borrowing from your future self’s schedule. Read More: 5 Things to Do Before You Get Out of Bed to Supercharge Your Day But, knowing and doing are two very different things. Maybe a little inspiration will help you bridge the gap: “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” â€" Karen Lamb “Procrastination is your body telling you you need to back off a bit and think more about what you are doing.” â€" James Altucher “The certainty that life cannot be long, and the probability that it will be much shorter than nature allows, ought to awaken every man to the active prosecution of whatever he is desirous to perform. It is true, that no diligence can ascertain success; death may intercept the swiftest career; but he who is cut off in the execution of an honest undertaking has at least the honour of falling in his rank, and has fought the battle, though he missed the victory.” â€" Samuel Johnson Read More: 44 Percent of Hiring Managers Say Writing Is the Hard Skill Grads Lack Most “If you put off everything till you’re sure of it, you’ll never get anything done.” â€" Norman Vincent Peale “The essence of procrastination lies in not doing what you think you should be doing, a mental contortion that surely accounts for the great psychic toll the habit takes on people. This is the perplexing thing about procrastination: although it seems to involve avoiding unpleasant tasks, indulging in it generally doesn’t make people happy.” â€" James Surowiecki “How we spend our days is how we live our lives.” â€" Annie Dillard Read More: 5 Ways to Make Wellness Practices a Part of Your Workday “I try to procrastinate, if I can, productively, like I’ll work on something else as procrastination. Or I take a walk. Because often I find, if you get out, more things come to you.” â€" Noah Baumbach “Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy, carries responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the ‘someday I’ll’ philosophy.” â€" Denis Waitley “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” â€" Martin Luther King, Jr. “There’s nothing wrong with procrastination. Or is there? I’ll leave it to you to decide, but only if you have the time.” â€" Craig Brown Sources: Brainyquote, Daring to Live Fully, The Life Coach

4 Communication Sins That Hurt Your Career [Part 3] - Work It Daily

4 Communication Sins That Hurt Your Career [Part 3] - Work It Daily Last week, I shared Communication Sin #2 with you. This week, I bring you #3! I met Eric when I was speaking to a group of job seekers recently. There were 200+ people in the room where I discussed personal branding and the 10 things you need to consider when developing your brand. Eric was sitting in the front row. He had a perma-smile from the moment I started talking. I remember mid-way through my presentation that my eye was drawn to activity in the front row. It was Eric. He was leaning forward and slightly rocking in his chair, clearly full of excitement at what I was talking about. It was like watching a child who was waiting impatiently for their turn to speak. Another One Of The Four Communication Sins As soon as I opened up the session to take questions, Eric’s hand shot up and a small, “Oooh!” literally came out of his mouth. It was hard not to smile a little as I focused on this man in his early 50s looking so eager to speak. I decided to put him out of his misery and took his question. Which I soon learned, was not a question at all. Eric Attempts To Steal The Show Eric stood, turned to the audience and said, “I too, and am somewhat of a personal branding expert and agree with all that Ms. O’Donnell has shared with us today. In fact, I’d like to add my own suggestions…” At which point, he went on and shared for five minutes his thoughts and personal experiences. Turns out, Eric had be studying personal branding while unemployed and had decided he was going to help others by sharing what he’d learned â€" whether they asked him to or not. As you can all imagine, the room became quite uncomfortable. Anyone with an ounce of emotional intelligence could see the audience’s reaction to Eric ranged from laughter to downright anger, the majority of which just looked annoyed. When he was done, I thanked him for his contribution and then got down to the business of answering questions. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of my dealings with Eric. When the session was over, I told the group I would stay to field any private questions that people didn’t feel like asking in a group setting. I should have known Eric would latch on to this. He immediately cornered me, literally standing in a manner that blocked other attendees from conversing with me. After conversing with him for five minutes (mostly him telling me what he’d done so far and looking for my approval), I finally said, “Eric, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I need to spend time with the other attendees now.” You should have seen the look on his face. It was as if I had popped his balloon with a pin. He sulked off, grumbling under his breath something about my lack of gratitude. The next ten people I met with all made comments about Eric. Eric Can’t Let It Go When the room was finally empty, I packed up my things and headed to the car. Guess who was waiting outside? Yep. Eric was there waiting to talk to me. He said, “J.T. I think it’s a shame you aren’t open to working with other experts.” To which I not-so-politely said, “Eric, I am open to other experts, but am partial to working with people who truly understand how to interact effectively with others.” Eric responded, “I work well with others â€" my entire focus is on helping others.” There seemed to be no way to remove myself from this conversation, so I decided to give it to Eric straight. So, I said: “Eric, you are and extreme Energizer. Your passion and excitement are very apparent. I realize you want to help others, but you are failing to look at how your Interaction Style is intimidating and even offending others. In your efforts to be helpful, you are being misinterpreted as conceited and self-serving. You need to change the way you present yourself if you want people to respect you as an expert.” I braced myself for the worst. I was sure Eric would launch into rant about how wrong I was. Instead, there was silence. His body language shifted and you could see I had hit a nerve. He quietly said, “I know I tend to alienate people. I don’t mean to. I just get so caught up in the moment, I can’t control my enthusiasm.” We spent the next half-hour in the parking lot talking about his situation and I coached him on ways he could work to temper his style so that he didn’t scare people away. Is YOUR Energy Pushing People Away? Energizers’ natural strengths are their energy level and ability to speak. They are wonderfully persuasive and engaging people who are quick-witted and can use humor effectively. However, when put in the wrong work environment, or when their style is too intense, their strength becomes their weakness. (You can take the ISAT Test HERE to learn if you are an Energizer.) Want to Learn How to Maximize Your Interaction Style in Your Career? Sign-up for This Webinar Now » J.T. O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM.com and CEO of CareerHMO.com, a web-based career development company. Image from Tom Poletek/Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!