Why Workplace Perks Do Not Work

So many businesses look for ways to attract talent, that they implement benefits and perks that just do not seem to work.  Why?  While job candidates today are looking for businesses that have additional benefits and perks, most are not looking for the free lunches, in-house gyms, and unlimited coffee.  Why are these workplace perks not working? 

Today’s job candidates are looking to work for companies that have a good cultural fit with their needs.  Employees are more engaged and excited about working for a company that provides useful benefits, that will fit in with their lifestyle.  Here are some of the more common workplace perks job candidates are looking for today: 

• Social interaction – most employees want a social experience at work.  More than just a place to go and work, they want to develop relationships, friendships, and enjoy their time at work.  They are looking for social interaction.  Provide ways for your employees to interact socially, and you will have happier employees.  Instead of offering free food, host a social gathering once a month, where your employees can have their free food, but more importantly can interact with each other.  Also, make sure your employee lounge is comfortable, and encourage breaks be taken. 
• Flexibility – the number one request of employees today is flexibility.  Employees want flexibility with their work schedule so they can attend their child’s soccer game, support their spouse at a function, or even take a spa day.  Allowing your employees flexible time will attract top talent.  Consider allowing employees to set their hours, work remotely, or take extended lunch breaks.  Think outside the box when it comes to flexibility. 
• Open Office vs. Open-Door – while it may not be feasible to have multiple work environments, it is important to understand that every employee works differently in different environments.  One employee may excel in an open office/cubicle environment, where another may work best in a more closed office environment.  Offering a mixture of open office and open door spaces, will allow your employees to be more productive and thrive in their environment. 

It is best to get feedback from your current employees on the types of perks or benefits they feel are most important.  This will help you in determining which perks are best for your company, and which to offer when recruiting new talent.

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Stop Doing These on LinkedIn

LinkedIn has become one of the top social media platforms for those seeking a job, and hiring managers and recruiters search profiles, looking for their next top employee.  You probably think you are doing everything just right, but wonder why you are not getting called for open positions.  With so many articles available regarding the “right” things to do on LinkedIn, you might be confused about what you should NOT do.  Here are a few things you should never do on LinkedIn: 

• Posts – you are sabotaging yourself by thanking people every time they post and by hitting the like button every time.  This does not show that you are engaged, instead it comes across like you are stalking the person.  Every post you make, whether a click of the like button, or a response, should be thought out and meaningful.  This will show potential hiring managers that you care enough to think through your response, instead of just hitting the button. 
• Images – yes, it is important to have an image on your profile, but not one that is hurting your chances of being discovered.  Your image must be of you, and be a clear picture of your face.  A professional picture is best.  Save the icons and cartoon images for other social media platforms where that is appropriate.  Remember your LinkedIn profile is your professional portfolio, treat it as such. 
• Links – while everyone wants to have great associations and link with influential people in their industry, it may not be the best course of action.  You are best to connect with others in your industry that can provide some value to your expertise.  Remember, you not only want to network with others, but you might find a great mentor in the process.  Linking with the top LinkedIn’s may just bring you lots of spam and unwanted messages.  Choose your connections wisely. 
• Titles – using a clever title may not be to your advantage.  It is best that you use keywords in your title, as those are the words that potential hiring managers and recruiters will be searching for.  Keep your titles clean and to the point. 
• Messages – do not send mass messages.  This will make you look lazy and that you take shortcuts.  Take the time to write individual messages that pertain to that specific person. 

Your LinkedIn profile can help you land that dream job, but only if you stay away from these mistakes. 

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Are Assessments Still a Beneficial Hiring Tool?

As you probably know, the hiring process has grown substantially over the last few years.  Researching and vetting job candidates takes about 50% longer today than in the past.  While technology is helping many hiring managers find top talent, many are still wondering if the assessment is still a beneficial tool to use in their hiring arsenal.   

Assessments have shown to bring a level of objectivity to the hiring process, and have proved useful in many situations.  However, despite the positive look on assessments, many hiring managers place negative emotions regarding the use of these tools.  Misinformation surrounding the use of assessment tools is the number one reason a hiring manager will pass on using it.  Here are a few reasons why assessments are still beneficial and why you should use them: 

• Assessments are not just for entry-level positions.  In fact, there are a variety of assessment tools that will measure the specific characteristics you wish to look at in your candidate.  Often times, you will narrow down your candidates to the top two or three, but then how do you objectively choose the best fit for the job.  There are many assessment tests that will test a candidate’s character, skill level, and trustworthiness.  These tests may make your decision on who to hire, much easier. 
• Many businesses stay away from administering assessment tests because they believe it will scare away the “good” candidates.  This has been shown to be false.  A candidate that is capable of performing what is listed on their resume, will never shy away from an assessment.  They will appreciate the fact you are being thorough and are making an informed decision.  They would rather have their skills stand for them, versus emotion of a hiring manager. 
• While an assessment may seem one-sided, they were designed to provide additional information on a candidate.  Your hiring process is a two-way interaction, with the assessment just one tool to be used in gathering detailed information about the candidate and their skills. 

While technology is helping hiring managers identify and review job candidates, the assessment will always provide useful information.  Don’t dismiss these tools just yet, they will still help you find top talent! 

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Career Lessons Learned

While there is no blueprint or roadmap to career success, many job candidates have learned some hard lessons over the years.  Each person’s journey through their career is their own and unique to them.  In fact, what you want out of your career in your 20’s will be vastly different than what you will want in your 40’s or 50’s.  Here are some of the most common lessons learned in choosing a career/life path:

• Education – your education should never stop.  You will constantly be learning new techniques and new skills throughout your career.  What is important to remember as you transition through your career - make sure that your education will provide your path to any changes you wish to make.  Whether you attend a class, take an online class, or learn a new skill, it is important to always be learning something new.  This will allow you to keep your career fresh and interesting.
• Network – call them friends, colleagues, or acquaintances, it is critical that you network throughout your entire life/career.  Someone you meet in your 20’s may not become important until you are in your 40’s, but having meet them earlier and staying in touch will prove to be beneficial.  Take the time to build lasting relationships and mentorships with multiple people.
• Values – never give up your values.  Your goals and values make you who you are and will drive you to succeed in your career and life in general.  It is important that you stay true to your values and beliefs throughout your career.  Potential employers will see this as a great asset to their company.
• Goals – while your goals will shift and change over the years, it is important to constantly review your goals.  Make changes and adjustments, but always work towards your goals.  Working toward your goals will give you purpose and drive, and keep you on track to finding the job of your dreams.

Choosing a career path can be a challenge and may seem difficult to many, however, when you follow these simple lessons above, you will soon be on track to the career you have always dreamed of.

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Including Your Team in the Hiring Process

Today, culture is extremely important to the success of a business.  Hiring managers have learned that hiring for skill, as well as, cultural fit is beneficial in more than one way to a company.  In fact, most successful hiring managers have learned that involving the team in the hiring process is key to finding the right fit.

Including your team in the hiring process has multiple benefits.  When the team is involved in choosing their next teammate, they will look for someone that will be a cohesive fit, and will work towards the common goal.  Here are a few ways which you can involve the team in your next hire:

• Job Description – it is best to allow the team to draft the job description for the open position.  They know best the exact qualifications and skills that are needed, which will help improve the applicants you will receive for the position.
• Interviews – while many hiring managers will argue that interviewing is a skill, and should only be done by experienced hiring managers, other successful managers will tell you that conducting team interviews is most productive.  These people will be working with the hired individual, so who better to get a feel for the right fit than your team.
• Recommendations – allow the team to make recommendations.  This may be a recommendation they know for the position, or a recommendation from the interviews they participated in.  Take their recommendations seriously, as they will feel they have chosen the best fit.
• Onboarding – it is important that even after the hire, the team is involved in the on boarding of the new employee.  Allow them to help with the training schedule, and determine when and how to move the new hire through the training process.

Allowing your existing team to be a part of the hiring process can result in you finding the best employee.  Not only will this make your team happy, but will help in the retention of the new employee.  This will strengthen your company culture!

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Strengthen Your Resume Now

Job searchers are constantly looking for ways to improve their resume and stand out from the sea of candidates applying for jobs.  However, there is so much information available on how to write the perfect resume, how do you know what will work for you?  If you are looking for ways to strengthen your resume and help you find the perfect job, you should consider these things:

• Errors – the number one reason of having your resume immediately tossed aside, is typos and grammatical errors.  In today’s technological world, there is no reason to have either on your resume.  Make sure that you read through your entire resume, multiple times if needed, to make sure there are no errors.  In fact, if you know grammar is a weak area for you, have someone else proofread it for you.
• Headline – most hiring managers and recruiters spend an average of 8 seconds glancing over a resume before deciding to review further or toss aside.  Having a headline that will capture you and your skills could mean the difference of making it in the further review pile.  Your headline should change with each position you apply for, and clearly state the solution to the company’s vacancy.
• Format – make sure that your resume format is clean and easy to read.  The best received resumes are typically those that are simple, clean, and easy to read.  If your resume is cluttered, with small print, you should consider revising it.  If you are unsure if your resume is formatted cleanly, ask someone to look at it for you.
• Accomplishments – including your daily operational skills is one thing, but listing accomplishments you have in each skill is more valuable.  Include some of your best skills and the accomplishments you have achieved in those skills, such as you increased sales by 10%, or you implemented new processes.

These basics will help you stand above the rest when your resume is reviewed.  Stay away from the personal stuff and stick to the professional, clean resume to land the job of your dreams.

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Are you Wasting Time with the Wrong Candidates?

When asked, hiring managers often will admit their biggest time waster is the wrong candidate.  With competition so fierce in the job market today, hiring managers often find themselves spending countless hours, chasing after candidates, only to discover they are wrong for the job.  Are you wasting time with the wrong candidate?

Most likely, you answered yes to that question, but what can you do about it.  Consider adopting these techniques in your hiring process:

• Learning to focus your attention on the high probability candidate is often the best way to save time in your hiring process.  People who are advancing within their current job, typically take too much time to “woo,” and those that are beating down your door, are typically underperformers.  When you can identify these candidates, you can then focus your attention on the perfect candidate.  The one who is reasonable, a great performer, and will consider another position when asked.  
• Prequalifying candidates can save valuable time.  There are many ways in which you can accomplish this – assessment tests, pre-interview questions, and social media and reference checks.  When you complete the prequalification every time, you will suddenly find yourself spending time with the candidates that will be a fit, instead of wasting valuable time with those that are no fit.
• Track your resources used to attract candidates.  This is important, as it will help you determine which resources are most productive and successful.  This will allow you to devote your time and budget to the most appropriate areas.
• Similar to tracking your resources, develop ways to measure your hires.  Measuring the quality of your hire, will help you again determine which methods you have used work best.  Performance appraisals are often useful in seeing which candidates are producing the best results.

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By following these techniques, you will find less time wasted with the wrong candidate.  This will leave you more time to devote to candidates that are right for the job and your company.