Monthly Archives

February 2019

Feb 28
1
hiring

Recruiting – Candidates and Hiring Managers

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The dynamic between candidates and hiring managers
Hiring someone is just like a dance. In a firm, out of necessity, someone requests a new position to be filled at which point a recruiter steps in and starts the hiring process. A team is formed and the one in need is appointed as the hiring manager, meaning that he is the ultimate decision maker, the one who must give the stamp of approval about who is hired. This is the moment the dance begins. Because the hiring manager is the key member of the recruitment team, the recruitment choreography is structured according to his needs and wants. He is the initiator of the position and he becomes the center point of the employee selection team. The human resources team will cater to his needs with every step of the hiring process.

What hiring managers look at
Hiring managers are involved in every aspect of the employment process and they are the visionaries who set the tone (hopefully!) for the ideal candidate profile. It is an art to come up with the ideal candidate’s profile because one needs to know the ins and outs of the job. When a job order is created, the hiring manager gathers all the insight he has on a particular job and conveys that into specific details on not only what the job is like, but also what the ideal candidate would be like. At this moment, the recruiting team opens up for applications process. They select a group of well-suited candidates and give them the chance to show how they would synchronize their own combination of qualities and experience with the job’s requirements. The spotlight is on them and the hiring manager watches them perform with a scrutinizing eye.

First impression. The candidates put forth the best they have
The candidates step on the stage. Some are shy and some are bold and usually, all of them are prepared as they know that their future depends on their performance. They showcase their talents on that stage, but little do they know that their performance is watched before they start dancing. You see, the hiring manager is smart and wants to know how the candidate moves in his natural environment, in his day to day life. So, he does a background check. This involves every single digital record he can find from Facebook to public information. He might even ask the receptionist what kind of a first impression the candidate gave. You might find this to be quite sneaky but in the end, it’s the smart move to make. The hiring manager always acts in the best interest of the company.

An in-depth look – interviewing
At this point, the candidates made their first move before the hiring manager had the chance to demonstrate who they are and what they can do. And if the way they danced so far screamed “likable” they are validated for the next step in the hiring process: the interview. Up to this point, nonverbal communication was key. But from now on words are gold. At this stage, the candidates move forward with their words. If they master small talk, they are hired. You might be tempted to think that their technical skills are the most important, but, no. You see, they wouldn’t have gotten the chance to perform in front of the hiring manager if they wouldn’t have had the technical skills beforehand. By this point, the focus is on the interaction. The hiring manager wants to see if the candidate would be a fit for the job. By this, we mean that he needs to get the feeling that if he would make the hire, the new employee would not disrupt the job workflow. He will step in and through well-orchestrated questions, he himself will “dance” with the candidate in order to understand the candidate’s skills, attitudes, and perseverance.

The role that intuition plays after an interview
Now the stage is empty, but emotions run high. The candidates try to figure out what they did wrong and the hiring manager is left alone with his most trusted friend, his gut instinct. If he makes a good hiring decision, he will be fine with it but he wants to make the best choice so he will sleep on it. The hiring manager uses the knowledge he gathered along his years of working in a certain field and decides based on the way he feels about each candidate. Although his decision will be based on more of an implicit thinking pattern it will be a well-motivated one. He will assign the role to the best candidate from a technical perspective, as well as from the way he performed regarding his interpersonal skills.

Why SourceMatch?
Being in the recruiting business for more than twenty years, SourceMatch has an in-depth knowledge of the hiring process. We know every single building block pertaining to recruiting. We can assist with identifying the hiring needs, how to create job descriptions and how to post and promote these jobs. When it comes to screening candidates, SourceMatch has the best compliment ever: clients keep coming back for more. If it’s challenging to find and reach candidates at the right time and place to go through your hiring process, you are not alone! Most companies have difficulty in filling jobs, especially because of the skills gap. SourceMatch has a hiring choreography tailored to your needs. Let’s dance!

Feb 20
1
artificial intelligence in recruitment

Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment

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Artificial intelligence, known as AI, is progressing rapidly and we see it in many forms today.
Before thinking about implementing AI or machine learning in your organization’s processes, you have to make sure you understand completely the new technologies.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
As there are many definitions out there, we list 3 of them below.

1. According to Merriam Webster:
a: = a branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers
b: = the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior

2. According to Britannica:
= the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings.

3. According to English Oxford Living Dictionary
= the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.

How about machine learning?

SAS defines machine learning as “a method of data analysis that automates analytical model building. It is a branch of artificial intelligence based on the idea that systems can learn from data, identify patterns and make decisions with minimal human intervention”.

So how do these change the future of recruitment?

One of the greatest challenges businesses face today is recruiting in a market where suitable talent is scarce. It’s also critical for a business’ success to find and retain the best talent.

AI can make onboarding easier, and a first impression many times leads to a positive first impression of an organization’s processes. New hires are provided with the helpful information in order to make their work lives easier right on the first day of work, and then timed based on the various stages of integrating into the work environment.
According to Jill Hauwiller (Leadership Refinery), AI will revolutionize how companies screen resumes and candidates in their databases; also, building and maintaining authentic, professional relationships will help people stand out and land the interview.
Korn Ferry Global Survey’s results on nearly 800 talent acquisition professionals, show us that 63 percent of respondents say AI has changed the way recruiting is done in their organization, with 69 percent saying using AI as a sourcing tool garners higher-quality candidates.
Machine learning technology can automate processes like programmatic advertising (the process of purchasing ad space through software and relying on complex algorithms to deliver advertisements contextually).

One question still remains: are organizations ready for AI and machine learning? Does the labor force have the right skill sets in order to use new technologies and tools?

Let us know your experience by leaving a comment below.

 

Feb 14
0

Future of jobs Infographic Series – Industry Profile – Global Health & Healthcare

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Industries are ready to take diverse routes in the adoption of new technologies, and the distinctive nature of the work performed within each sector will result in disruption to jobs and skills that will demand industry-specific adaptation.

However, if we are referring at the relative level of education in the financial services industry, displaced roles can be easily balanced by assigning workers with an alternative, higher value-added functions. In contrast, the two largest job roles in the consumer industry, Cashiers and Sales Associates, accounting for no less than 45% of total industry employment, have a comparatively small share of workers with advanced education.
The interindustry analysis of the roles experiencing falling and rising demand suggests the possibility of using these industry-specific differences of displaced workers by expanding the search for new opportunities across the industry.

Although the changes in the labor market described in this data, are not foregone conclusions, they are reasonable forecasts arising from the actions and investments decisions taken by companies in response to global trends today.
With the adoption of this new technology, companies feel competitive pressures similar to the way they felt compelled to create global supply chains in the 1990s and 2000s.

As a result, these trends affecting business leaders’ decision environments determine a wide range of company responses that collectively shape the future nature of jobs.

Let’s start with a look at the following infographic and see how Global Health & Healthcare is influenced by this new technology adoption. A huge share of analysis of the respondents from the industry indicated that, by 2022, their company was “likely” or “very likely” (on a 5-point scale) to have adopted new technology as part of its growth strategy.

The following graphic underlines the major obstacles that were perceived by the survey participants as impediments to successful new technology adoption faced by their company.

Nonetheless, we would like to share this information about the expected impact of new technology adoption on the workforce. In this last graphic, you can see the percentages representing the share of survey respondents from the industry who expect their company to have adopted the stated measure(s) over the 2018–2022 period as part of their current growth strategy.

The expectation of this technological progress presents a real challenge to the existing business models and practices. At the same time, we hope for the next years that these dynamic changes, whether they are causing confusion or will be constructive will be the exact reason why new opportunities of growth appear.

 

Feb 13
1
recruiters and hiring managers

Recruiters and Hiring Managers. Connection and Disruption in the Recruiting Process

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Recruitment: a plus or a minus
One of the important functions of a solid business is the Human Resources department. It deals with aspects such as compensation, benefits, new employees, recruiting, training, organizational development, and culture. It is also meant to act as an adviser to senior staff, providing clarity regarding the impact of their operational, financial and performance planning on people. However, the topic of recruitment attracts considerable attention in most organizations. It is estimated that U.S employers spent in recent years no less than an average of $140 billion annually on recruitment activities. The recruiting process has a direct impact on an organization’s bottom line. Those organizations that excel at it, experience 3.5 times more revenue growth and twice the profit margin as opposed to all other employers who will rather see recruitment as an expense due to the lack of return on investment.

Recruitment is about one common objective
We know that hiring the right employee for the right job isn’t easy and hiring them at the right time can be even more challenging. Employers have the power to decide which type of people they want to hire and what strategic message they’re sending to reach the targeted professionals. Done poorly, an organization’s recruitment efforts will generate job applicants that are unqualified and will miss the highly qualified ones because they were unaware of a job opening. Whether we talk about an organization’s senior management, hiring managers, or recruiters, they all have different expectations when they think about recruiting. Senior management thinks in terms of strategy, growth, and bottom line. Hiring managers will focus on tactics and short to mid-term projects goals. Recruiters will think in terms of identifying possible candidates, assessing their skills, behavioral and cultural fit, as well as making the tight deadlines that come with growth. Despite their apparently different expectations, all stakeholders active in their organization’s recruitment process have one objective: getting the right people on board.

Do your homework
Among the most important factors influencing the recruiting process is the hiring manager’s perception of the candidates that are being presented by the recruiter. Even within the same organization, the hiring managers are the recruiter’s clients. This is why an evaluation of how well recruiters serve the hiring managers’ interests and needs is required.

Here are a few reasons that will lead to the failure of the recruiting process:
a) Recruiters don’t have a good understanding of the type of candidate that hiring managers require;
b) The recruitment process takes too long;
c) Recruiters forget to keep hiring managers updated on the status of the recruitment process;
d) The intense use of the e-mail by the recruiter;
e) No interaction with the hiring manager and lack of proactivity.

Some of these might be the result of poor communications between hiring managers and recruiters. Others may be caused by the fact that hiring managers are unclear about what they need in a new hire. A slow process can be caused by not acting quickly when it comes to reviewing job applications and scheduling interviews. To avoid all these obstacles, recruiters must work directly and closely with the hiring managers to develop a list with realistic expectations for each job opening. The recruiter should take time to understand what the hiring manager appreciates most about the people who are currently doing well in their team. Looking at the current team members and what made them a good fit is useful to determine both tangible and intangible factors influencing the recruitment and hiring processes.

Communication is key
It’s estimated that 80% of recruiters think they understand the requirements of the jobs for which they recruit, and only 39% of hiring managers agree with it. Such a disconnect is detrimental to all parties involved in the recruitment process and can lead to a loss of time and money.
Recruiters are responsible to educate the hiring managers on whether expectations are realistic when correlated with the labor market.
Recruiters should always keep the hiring manager updated about how things are progressing throughout the process and ask for information rather than wait for the hiring manager to contact them. On the contrary, recruiters ought to focus on creating a collaborative process in which all parties are aware of the hiring status, and can at any time connect to the company’s applicant tracking system for most recent updates. Technology has made communication much more accessible and streamlined through smart recruiting software applications that are synchronized across all available platforms.

Recruitment strategies and processes
By communicating the right values ​​in your job advertisements to properly on-board candidates, the recruitment strategies you use can make or break the hiring process. Here are some that you should try.

Your brand is important
Probably the most important element in attracting, hiring and retaining talent is Branding, and it’s the most difficult. In fact, 72% of recruiting leaders around the world agree that branding has a significant impact on employment.
Having a strong employer brand is a great way to attract great applicants. However, it is not easy, it requires a significant investment of time and money.

Introducing an employee recommendation system
Unlike employer branding, starting a program that helps identify potential new hires does not cost you much and can get you results pretty quickly. Here are some benefits that come with this kind of initiative: lower recruitment costs, reach professionals that otherwise might not have applied for your openings, shorter timeframes to fill positions, and in essence less money spent on hiring.

Don’t neglect the passive candidates
Passive candidates can be a real treasure if you take the right approach to reach out to them. Note that most of them don’t have an updated resume or aren’t motivated to apply. The good news is that an estimated 85% of the workforce would gladly change their job for better opportunities. It’s all about portraying them in a way that’s transparent and detailed enough to determine a response.

Focus on publishing an accurate job description
Make sure your job ads are proofread, double-checked and accurate. If you are trying to find the right candidates for your job offer, It’s important that their first impression of your organization and digital presence is a good one.

Improve your job interview
According to LinkedIn research, 83% of candidates had a negative experience during an interview and most wouldn’t have applied for the job had they known. To avoid bad interview experiences ensure that your candidates receive all the information they need about the role, that they’re asked meaningful questions, and that interviewers show genuine interest in understanding their career.

Conclusion
We all are aware of the fact that the world of recruiting is growing rapidly, and while these strategies are helpful this year, it’s very probable that in the years to come these might not be trending anymore. Keep learning, researching and adopting new ways to attract the best talent in the market, since people are key to a company’s ability to thrive among competitors! At the same time, not all these recruitment strategies will work the same for all companies. Our advice, in order to advance your hiring process, try, improve and customize them, and adjust them to your organization’s needs.