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March 8th, 2012 by mgarciaWhy Can’t We Find the People We Want in New Product Development?
February 29th, 2012 by mnapierThe article here at Fast Company by Aaron Shapiro is aimed at “digital talent” (the new euphemism for web-based programmers and user experience designers at startups). The article could just as easily apply to anyone who develops any type of product. Are you having trouble attracting the talent you want? Having trouble retaining them? Perhaps what they are looking for is not what you think they want. How does your company culture compare to Shapiro’s list?
Take a look. Then, if you haven’t been getting the kind of product development or innovation team members that you want, ask yourself these questions:
- Are we portraying our company in the best light? What is best about working here? Are we really conveying this? Is it the same for an engineer as for a back office worker? Are you sure?
- Is our job description accurate? Do we look for one kind of person but seem to be getting another type of candidate we don’t like or want?
- Are our salary expectation, benefits package, and other forms of compensation really in line with the industry, or with what a candidate would expect for that position?
Innovative and creative individuals are a different breed than others in your organization. Their list of “wants” may be different than other types of people, and may not simply be a salary number or a shorter commute. And your organization may not be helping itself by simply posting a vague punch list of qualifications. A good recruiter can consult with you to craft a job description and screen candidates that will better fit in to your organization. A good, specialized recruiter can provide value far beyond simply finding resumes for you to review.
The Resume Black Hole: Not Gone Yet
January 31st, 2012 by mnapierEven though we have seen a number of articles recently calling for the end of the use of resume parsing software, we doubt that use of it has declined. Parsing programs are the notorious tools that HR departments use to accept your electronic resume online and then scan it for key words relevant to the job applied for. Don’t have the right keywords in your resume? Too bad. You are not considered for the position and your resume goes…somewhere. Judging from recent surveys like this one published at Dice.com, many still encounter this “black hole” of no response or feedback after submitting a resume.
How do you overcome this? Finding the hiring manager, or a sponsor within the company, and getting your resume in front of that person gets you ahead of the game. A good recruiter can help you do that. You should also tweak your resume to “parrot” the buzzwords or key phrases from the job description, whether you are submitting electronically or directly to a person. In either case, looking like the person already best suited for the job will put you ahead of the hoards submitting generic resumes.
Women in the Labor Force, Analysis by Bureau of Labor Statistics
January 4th, 2012 by kmorrissey“The past several decades have been marked by notable changes in women’s labor force activities. Women’s labor force participation is significantly higher today than it was in the 1970s, particularly among women with children under 18 years of age. A larger share of women work full time and year round than in the past. In addition, women have increasingly attained higher levels of education: Among women aged 25 to 64 who are in the labor force, the proportion with a college degree roughly tripled from 1970 to 2010. Women’s earnings as a proportion of men’s earnings also have grown over time. In 1979, women working full time earned 62 percent of what men did; in 2010, women’s earnings were 81 percent of men’s.”
Do you understand how unemployment benefits work?
January 4th, 2012 by kmorrisseyDo you understand how unemployment benefits work? Here’s a quick rundown from CNN Money:
Unemployment benefits extension: What’s at stake – Dec. 21, 2011.
