Best Practices – Quantilus Innovation http://testdev1.quantilus.com AI Driven Innovation Tue, 20 Feb 2024 18:36:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.6 http://testdev1.quantilus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Quantilus-FavIcon-1.svg Best Practices – Quantilus Innovation http://testdev1.quantilus.com 32 32 How Employers Can Attract Talent During The Great Resignation   http://testdev1.quantilus.com/uncategorized/how-employers-can-attract-talent-during-the-great-resignation/ Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:10:39 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4629

How Employers Can Attract Talent During The Great Resignation  

If you have logged into LinkedIn recently, you may have noticed the countless articles discussing the challenges employers are currently facing filling job openings. Likewise, maybe one of your coworkers recently quit their job, or perhaps a friend has been debating leaving their company. These instances might not be as coincidental as you think.

 

During the last few months, concern has developed surrounding a potential mass-quitting from employees around the globe. This is due to several factors that have caused workers to become unsatisfied with their current job situation and are searching for a positive change. This impending mass-quitting of employees has been dubbed The Great Resignation. 

 

What is The Great Resignation? 

The Great Resignation was coined by Texas A&M University business professor Anthony Klotz. Klotz states that since the COVID-19 pandemic ushered economic uncertainty for people around the globe, workers remained at their jobs even if they were unhappy with their position. Therefore, when the world starts to open again, COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen, and confidence in the labor market is restored, employees who have been clinging to jobs they are unsatisfied with will start to quit in droves.

 

Some employees may resign from their jobs with a new job lined up, while others may quit without the next step in place. Either way, employers are expected to face the typical operating challenges of offboarding and onboarding employees, except magnified on a much larger scale. The Great Resignation is causing a messy, expensive, and time-consuming process for companies trying to get back on their feet after the global recession.   

 

What Other Factors Are Causing The Great Resignation? 

There are other reasons The Great Resignation is gaining momentum. These include employees reevaluating priorities, not wanting to go back into the office after working remotely for more than a year, and the shift in demand that favors job candidates rather than employers. We discuss these in more detail below.  

 

 

1) Reevaluating Priorities 

The pandemic has encouraged people to appreciate aspects of their lives outside of work. This includes spending more time with friends and family, as well as pursuing hobbies. Consequently, some workers are now deciding that they would instead work for a company or hold a position that offers greater work-life balance. In some cases, people are opting to take a pay cut in order to have a less demanding job. Furthermore, some workers are deciding they would rather work in a new industry or obtain a different position based on their passions.  

 

2) Desire to Work from Home Permanently 

Some employees have been working from home throughout the entire pandemic and have grown to prefer remote work. The reasons for this vary, including work-life balance, higher productivity, and greater autonomy. As a result, companies are noticing that some employees prefer to search for a new, remote job rather than being forced to return to the office.  

 

3) Shift in Demand 

Throughout the pandemic, businesses from varying industries have been having difficulty finding enough workers to fill open positions for both white-collar and blue-collar jobs. Employees and job candidates now have the upper hand because there are countless job openings and not enough people to fill them. Therefore, workers are more confident they can find a new job and are not as likely to accept a job they do not want. Instead, employers have to put more effort into showing candidates why working for them is a good decision.  

 

Strategies for Companies to Retain and Attract Talent  

With The Great Resignation occurring, companies should proactively create strategies to successfully navigate the situation and minimize its impact. We researched methods that companies can implement to help retain their talent, along with attracting new candidates, and highlighted them below. 

 

1) Be Open to Applicants Making Career Switches 

Like we stated earlier, workers are reevaluating their priorities and jobs and are deciding to follow their passions. This means job candidates will be switching industries and positions. From a hiring perspective, candidates may not seem like a good fit if they do not have the exact experience a company is looking to hire. However, this can be an excellent opportunity for companies to hire motivated individuals who will be excited to take on new roles, challenges, and opportunities, all with a fresh perspective. Don’t disregard applicants just because they are not the norm.  

 

2) Offer Flexible Working Conditions 

This is a big factor. If your company approves it, remote work is a massive benefit for many job seekers. Remote working provides employees with numerous benefits, including erasing the commute, reducing transportation costs, not having to buy or pack lunch, and a better work-life balance. If being fully remote isn’t possible, alternatives such as the hybrid model might be a solid option. The hybrid work model might look something like three days in the office and two days working remotely per week. Companies such as Apple, Google, and Amazon have implemented the hybrid model.   

Additionally, flexible working allows employees to vary the hours they ‘clock-in’ and ‘clock-out for the day. For example, instead of working the typical 9 am-5 pm, an employee may choose to work 7 am-3 pm because they have to drive their kids to soccer practice after work. Overall, employees value the flexibility and autonomy these work models provide. 

 

3) Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

Lastly, companies should cultivate a company culture that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Employees are continuing to demand equal representation from employers as diversity in the workplace becomes non-negotiable. Employees value opinions from coworkers with different life experiences, education, work history, cultures, and more. Not only that, but diverse workplaces also encourage greater innovation and profit.  

Furthermore, employees and society are increasingly vigilant about companies that foster diversity and those who talk about the topic without action. As a result, companies that do publicize their DEI efforts should have initiatives in place that support these values. 

 

The possibility of The Great Resignation should be a wake-up call for employers. Due to workers now having more power in the labor market, companies will have a difficult time retaining and attracting new talent if they rely on dated policies. To stay competitive, businesses need to update their policies, cultures, and hiring practices to accommodate the modern workers’ evolving needs and wants. 

 If you have any questions or want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set up a consultation with one of our senior account managers. 

Share:

More Insights

]]> The Hiring Freeze Myth: Is the End of the Year a Great Time to Hire? http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/the-hiring-freeze-myth-is-the-end-of-the-year-a-great-time-to-hire/ Fri, 13 Nov 2020 16:41:04 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4520

The Hiring Freeze Myth: Is the End of the Year a Great Time to Hire?

The end of the year hiring freeze is a common theory among both hiring managers and candidates. It’s easy to understand why this perception exists. According to Monster, January continues to be the busiest month for job searches.

 

Between the holidays and budget planning ahead of the new fiscal year, both job seekers and companies might assume there’s a slowdown in the hiring process during the fourth quarter. However, based on his experience, John Jeltema, Head of New Business Development at eNamix declares this hypothesis is a myth: “It’s a great time to look…I’ve been doing this for 25 years and the fourth quarter is consistently the busiest and most successful every year.”

 

In a recent Innerview Podcast, both John Jeltema and Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Search, discussed why companies should maintain hiring momentum toward end of the year.

 

1. Strategically Spend End of Year Budget

The reality is that as much as the end of year may be focused on budget planning for the next year, a hiring manager’s focus remains on budget spending at the end of the year. The fourth quarter brings forward a dilemma, depending on a company’s policies, of “use them or lose them.” This policy places the hiring manager in the situation of needing to fill a vacant position by December 31, or that position simply gets dropped from the budget for the following year.

Though to be clear, this type of policy isn’t in place at every company. However, if it’s a reality at your company, it’s beneficial to fill the position to not only maintain budget for the following year but also to add human capital to further support your department or business goals.

 

2. New Year Resource Planning

Conversely, another reason why the fourth quarter is ideal is because hiring managers are also budgeting for the upcoming year’s headcount. Oftentimes, it makes sense to have a new employee start in the first quarter of the year. In this situation, companies should at minimum commence the hiring process in the fourth quarter of the previous year—posting the job, recruiting, screening, and interviewing. Finding the right candidate is a time-consuming process. Companies should plan accordingly so these positions can be filled and new employees ready to start at the beginning of January or shortly thereafter.

 

3. There Are Still Quality Applicants

An argument against end of year hiring is that the pool of qualified job seekers for a position drops at the end of year. The theory is that some job seekers may be on vacation, taking time off to be with family, or, ironically, the job seeker thinks companies just aren’t hiring in December.

This hypothesis is, once again, not always true. No matter the time of year, the right candidate can always be in the job market. Just like how the job seeker needs to be proactive when looking for their next position, the hiring manager and company need to be proactive as well. And there’s no reason to think that even if a job seeker did slow down their job search around the holidays that they would stop looking altogether. Furthermore, the candidate who is consistent and diligent about landing their next career opportunity demonstrates character, motivation, and commitment.

The recruiters at eNamix encourage job seekers to reach out and connect with their network and hiring companies toward the end of year, whether it be to share holiday greetings or actively network. It’s about maintaining momentum. So stay active as a company, even at the end of the year, and promote that you’re still hiring.

 

4. Demonstrate Efficiency and Initiative

Success doesn’t take a holiday break. That’s not to say the hiring process is easier in December, but keep in mind that, for example, your entire marketing team might not be in the office at the same time to interview a new marketing position candidate by the time December comes around.

Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Search at eNamix, believes this situation presents an opportunity for a company to demonstrate initiative to potential candidates. Companies that have the foresight to get ahead of roadblocks will attract quality candidates. Mark Bassett helps clients navigate any possible curveballs by often asking, “Do you have the bandwidth to get the deal closed… there’s three interviews, four people involved, two holidays, how do we work around that? From the company’s perspective, it’s about making a commitment to get this position filled.” Staying proactive and mindful of others’ schedules will help hiring managers avoid any year-end pitfalls as well as ensure the quality hires your company expects year-round.

 

What better way is there to be ready for the upcoming fiscal year and new start in January than to start taking action in November and December of the previous year? eNamix encourages candidates to keep looking in the fourth quarter because the hiring freeze myth creates an opportunity for less competition. And from the hiring manager’s perspective, the best way to get ahead of the next fiscal year is start preparing early.

 

eNamix is here to assist you with your end of year recruitment needs. If you have any questions or want to discuss a job requisition, contact info@enamix.com to set-up a consultation with one of our senior account managers.

Share:

More Insights

]]> Is the Fourth Quarter the Worst Time to Job Search? http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/is-the-fourth-quarter-the-worst-time-to-job-search-or-hire/ Thu, 12 Nov 2020 16:40:06 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4512

Is the Fourth Quarter the Worst Time to Job Search?

The fourth quarter of the calendar year is notoriously perceived as a bad time for job searching. The main arguments for this stance include companies already draining their yearly budgets by the fourth quarter, hiring managers having extended breaks from work due to the holiday season, and hiring managers being preoccupied with tasks that need to be completed before the end of the year.

 

However, is it merely a myth that the fourth quarter is a bad time to search for a job, or is it reality? The short answer is myth—and, in fact, the end of the year is an opportune time for job seekers looking to get hired or get an edge on their search. As long as jobs are being posted, companies will be hiring. Continue reading to discover why the fourth quarter is an excellent time to search for a job.

 

Less Competition

Job seekers may experience greater success during the fourth quarter because other job seekers have postponed or halted their search. This is possibly due to the end of year hiring freeze myth, and therefore job seekers decide not to look during this time. Thus, less competition equals a greater chance of landing the desired job.

 

Efficient Hiring Process

Another essential aspect to note is that if a job is posted in the fourth quarter, there is a high probability the company is committed to making a quick hire. The fourth quarter is usually busy for businesses, so if a company decides not to push back hiring until the next year, candidates may experience an efficient and responsive hiring process. Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Search at eNamix says, “In my experience, even if there are fewer job postings during the fourth quarter, the companies with open positions during this time are usually more serious about hiring…and hiring quickly.”

 

Companies Recruit for January Start Date

Many companies hire at the end of the year because they target the beginning of the new year for start dates. This results in a faster time-to-hire. If job seekers wait until January to begin their job search, it is too late to be considered for these roles. However, by starting in October and November, job seekers can find job positions looking for January or even first-quarter start dates.

 

Critical Roles for Business Continuity

When looking for jobs in the fourth quarter, some job roles might have more openings than others. These roles tend to be critical for companies, and the vacant position interrupts their daily operations. So whether they need additional help on the IT support team, a developer for a holiday-themed landing page, or a salesperson for a new product, a company will find the resources to hire a vital employee. Bassett says, “Companies can get creative. They can bring the new hire on as a consultant or contractor for the first month or two. Then convert the employee to a direct hire. That shows up as a different line item on a budget so, accountants can play with that.”

 

Opportunities for Passive Job Seekers

Lastly, as we covered in a previous post, passive job seekers consistently network, browse job openings, and research companies, because the best time for a job seeker to look for a job is when they do not need one. Therefore, passive job seekers should not stop their search because it is the fourth quarter. Professionals should continue hunting year-round because opportunities may arise when least expected and sometimes appear in obscure ways.

 

Recommendations for Targeted Job Searches

Job seekers and professionals tend to have a few companies they would be thrilled to work for one day. This could be due to the company having top-tier clients, being part of an exciting industry, offering great benefits, or a multitude of other reasons. So, what should a job seeker do if one of their dream companies does not have any job postings or a job posting in their desired department? Reach out!

 

Job seekers should feel encouraged to reach out to these companies and ask if they foresee any job vacancies appearing at the beginning of the next year. Job seekers can reach out to talent acquisition at the company, human resources, department heads, or other employees where it makes sense. By contacting these individuals when there are not any job postings, job seekers demonstrate their interest in the company because they went out of their way to connect with key individuals, even when there was no available job opening.

 

John Jeltema, Head of New Business Development at eNamix stresses the power of inquiring about future job opportunities, “Reaching out to these stakeholders is going to open doors and uncover those potential opportunities that never make it to the market. Again, those are the best ones to find. The ones that never get posted anywhere because they already thought of you for the role.” 

 

Stakeholders at these desired companies are usually excited to connect and talk with people interested in working at their company. Stakeholders may even provide employee referrals for the job seeker, or the job seeker may be able to skip the application process altogether if they connect with the right people, have fruitful conversations, and make genuine connections. If you need a topic to center your initial message around, Jeltema recommends wishing the stakeholder a successful end of the year or a happy holiday season.

 

Recap

The fourth quarter is still an opportune time to continue the job search. The end of the year might mean fewer companies are hiring, but the open jobs are usually hiring swiftly, and there may be less competition due to other job seekers hauling or delaying their search. There are also the benefits of beating all the new year’s resolution job seekers to the job search, and certain roles will always be hiring, regardless of the time of year.

  

If you have any questions on how eNamix can help your company find great candidates for your opening or you want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set-up a consultation with one of our senior account managers.

Share:

More Insights

]]> Negotiating Salary 101 for Job Seekers http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/negotiating-salary-101/ Fri, 16 Oct 2020 20:30:15 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4490

Negotiating Salary 101 for Job Seekers

Salary negotiations can be an intimidating aspect of the job interview process and landing a new job. Discussing money and benefits with a potential employer can leave job candidates feeling uncomfortable due to the lack of transparency and uniform agreement on handling the topic.

 

So whether you find yourself negotiating salary for the first time or you want a refresher on the subject because you are in the middle of the job hunt, continue reading to hone your negotiation skills to acquire the salary you deserve. 

 

Identifying Stakeholders

Identifying all the possible players in the negotiation process is the first step. There can be a slew of stakeholders in the process, including the job candidate, the hiring manager, human resources, a recruiter, department heads, and more. Determining the stakeholders is vital because it allows job seekers to focus their effort on the people who are most involved and impacted by the hire. Accordingly, job seekers can then highlight particular skills to each stakeholder depending on their role, especially since each stakeholder in the hiring process has their own goals and agenda.

 

Salary Research Resources

Researching salary ranges is an excellent method of forming a desired salary amount. Two popular resources to research salaries are Glassdoor and LinkedIn. These websites allow users to analyze salary data by company, job title, location, and years of experience.

 

Another available resource are salary surveys, which are usually compiled by staffing and consulting firms. As with Glassdoor and LinkedIn, these resources are created using data collected from volunteers and the public. Thus, all data should be taken with a grain of salt and used as a guide, not as a manual.

 

Negotiating Entry-Level vs. Senior-Level Salaries

Entry-level positions, which are more often team-oriented, tend to have less wiggle room than senior-level roles. This is because companies often solidify specific salary ranges for lower-level roles since the responsibilities are broader than higher-level positions. However, when a company is hiring an executive-level position, there is usually more room for the job seeker to negotiate because the company is searching for an individual to solve specific challenges the company is facing.

 

Negotiating Beyond Salary

Although job seekers tend to focus primarily on negotiating salary when starting a new role, there are other options employees and employers can negotiate. These include paid vacation days, a work from home schedule, transportation reimbursement, cell phone allowance, professional development opportunities, equity, and more. Although these options are not directly tied to your paycheck, they all contain a monetary value and should be considered during the negotiation as part of your full compensation package.

 

Choosing A Medium To Communicate Your Counteroffer

When communicating your counteroffer to a potential employee, it is essential to consider how it will be communicated. The most popular options are through a phone call or an email, both of which have pros and cons. 

 

Phone calls tend to allow job seekers more insight into the negotiation process. Job seekers can hold a conversation with the potential employer in real-time, thus allowing them to investigate which other items are negotiable, gauge their tone and voice, and explain. However, phone calls have no paper trail of the conversation so it is harder to use the call as a reference, and they require better communication skills since they are completed in real-time.

 

Email provides job seekers a straightforward method of asking, while also giving potential employers time to ruminate on their answer and provide a clear response. It is also beneficial for shy individuals and those intimidated by the negotiation process, as email is not real-time and it allows job seekers to formulate their responses. Conversely, email is more time-consuming, and there is less discovery in what is negotiable since email is less of a conversation and more of a statement. 

 

In the end, it is usually best to use the method of communication that the potential employer prefers. For example, if most communication throughout the interview process was done through email, it would make sense to communicate the counteroffer through email.

 

Supporting Your Counteroffer

When communicating a counteroffer to a potential employer, it is sometimes beneficial for the job seeker to support their proposed salary with reasons why they deserve the requested amount. Details that may be helpful to mention to prospective employers are years of experience, skills, competitive salary info, and accomplishments. Depending on where a job seeker is at in their career and if the role is highly specialized, supporting a counteroffer is situational. However, it is a good idea to be prepared with this information even if a job seeker does not plan on using it.

 

If They Decline Your Counteroffer

In the event a company does decline a counteroffer, there is an alternative option available for job seekers. Job seekers can propose moving up review periods. For example, if a job has a one-year review, a job seeker can suggest a six-month review. Therefore, job seekers can prove their value and skills to the potential employer and hopefully more quickly earn the higher salary they desired initially.

 

Conclusion.

Negotiating salary can be intimidating due to the lack of transparency in salaries, along with the sensitive and taboo nature of discussing finances and compensation. However, like most skills, negotiating salary becomes more comfortable with experience. Arming oneself with current data and reviewing negotiation best practices is a great method of preparing for a salary negotiation discussion.

 

If you have any questions or want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set-up a consultation with one of our senior account managers.

Share:

More Insights

]]> How to Manage the Negotiation Process with Candidates http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/how-to-manage-the-negotiation-process-with-candidates/ Fri, 16 Oct 2020 15:40:09 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4486

How to Manage the Negotiation Process with Candidates

Many articles are written with the intention of providing tips to job candidates on how to negotiate an offer they receive towards the end of the hiring process. And all these lessons and guides are without a doubt valuable as a Robert Half study found that only 39% of job seekers tried to negotiate their pay with their last job offer. However, to make the hiring process easier for everyone involved, there are also ways to leave all sides happy and avoid the negotiation process with candidates altogether.

 

1. Avoid Recruiter Bias

A common factor that impacts an employer’s mindset when working with recruiters throughout the hiring process is assuming the recruiter is adding on extra salary as a cushion for the potential candidate.

For example, a recruiter may approach the employer and say that, “Joe is expecting at least $85,000 in base salary.” An employer may sometimes believe the recruiter is trying to get the negotiation done as quickly as possible and, in turn, lower the recruiter’s suggested offer for Joe to $80,000, however that’s often not the case.

The issue with this line of thinking from the employer is that it risks tarnishing the relationship between the candidate and employer. Both sides at this point in the hiring process (after multiple rounds of interviews) want to get started as quickly as possible, but if the negotiation process starts to drag out, bad feelings or negative attitudes can come as a result of the negotiation.

 

2. Understand the Candidate’s Needs

Understanding the flexibilities and considerations a client or hiring manager has, such as a compensation package, at the beginning of the hiring process ultimately provides a better opportunity to align both sides. Trying to avoid surprises from any hot button issues will smooth out the negotiation process in the long run.

Some examples of hot button topics to keep in mind when understanding the candidate’s needs could be anything from medical coverage to 401k matching to vacation time to really anything that equates to financial aspects of the offer.

Addressing this part of the negotiation process can usually fall into the hands of the recruiter as it’s their job to know what a candidate’s hot buttons are. Emphasizing what the client is looking for can lead to the first offer being the best offer. Elongating this part of the negotiation process could impact any momentum gained between the employer and candidate.

 

3. Don’t Lose Momentum

According to a CareerBuilder study, over 60% of job seekers don’t finish a job application because the process is too long. This type of situation can also be replicated further down the hiring process during negotiations.

The reality is some negotiations can go on for months and with that comes the loss of any momentum that was gained between the candidate and employer, potentially tarnishing the relationship and excitement built at the beginning of the hiring process.

One solution to avoiding the loss of momentum is to make sure the hiring manager has a clear understanding of their own company’s hiring process. For example, a hiring manager prematurely saying they’ll have an offer ready for the candidate the following Monday could clash with the realistic timeline of when the first offer can be ready. Aspects such as background checks can push back any timeline for sending an initial offer or promising a start date.

While showing enthusiasm for a candidate is always a great sign to all parties involved, confusing potential candidates with wrong information can derail any momentum gained during the hiring process.

 

4. Make a Verbal Offer

Three numbers to keep in mind before sending an initial offer is understanding what number the candidate wants, what’s their minimum before they walk away, and is there a number in between that a recruiter can potentially verbally accept on their behalf.

Verbally accepting is enough of an intent to get a candidate excited when the conversation about money is had. This verbal offer also gives the recruiter confidence knowing that they have an assurance of what the candidate will ultimately agree to and sign off on.

This key part of the relationship building with the candidate optimizes the chance of getting the candidate to accept and start with the employer.

Overall, the negotiation process with candidates is an expected part of the hiring journey, but being prepped for a candidate’s needs and keeping the process simple will help avoid a long negotiation process that leaves both sides feeling exhausted or unenthusiastic.

 

For both the hiring manager and candidate, job seeking can be an uncomfortable place to navigate. Keep in mind recruiters are available to help effectively mediate this process and help candidates and hiring managers navigate the negotiation process. As part of their services, recruiters possess the expertise to offer professional interviewing and negotiating assistance as needed.

 

If you have any questions or want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set-up a 30-minute call with one of our senior account managers.

Share:

More Insights

]]> How to Find the Right Candidates for Any Position http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/how-to-find-the-right-candidates-for-any-position/ Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:12:59 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4459

How to Find the Right Candidates for Any Position

There’s no way to understate how important of a decision hiring can be for managers and recruiters. For all the success stories companies can tell about a new hire, there are plenty of stories out there of the mistakes companies made that proved costly. The U.S. Department of Labor even suggests a bad hiring decision could cost a company up to at least 30% of the hired individual’s first-year earnings.

 

However, this common dilemma is avoidable if companies strategically think about their hiring process, and that starts with making sure you’re choosing from a selected list of perfect candidates following the final round of interviews. Here are a few ways your company can consistently find the right candidates for any position.

 

Widen the Job Description

Many companies are guilty of just putting together a simple job description, posting the listing online, and then just wait for the right person to come to them. Don’t simply rely on those who will come to you and those who will apply to the job, widen your prospect pool.

 

The typical job description is usually a list of requirements, and while that description may excite those looking for a job, it’s also neglecting the passive job seeker. This employee already has a position and maybe isn’t keen on moving to another company, but they are open to discussing the possibility. In order to expand the attention to the passive candidates, your company needs to really ask itself, “why is our company more attractive to the best candidates out there?”

 

Beyond the typical requirements, maybe there’s a great company culture that will resonate with all candidates or amazing opportunities for career growth or advancement. Perhaps you don’t have the answer to this question, but there’s a simple way to get these answers.

 

Survey Current Employees

Assuming there are employees at your company who enjoy coming to work every day, it’s beneficial to try to understand why they prefer their current job rather than moving on to another opportunity. You’re not asking your employees ways to improve your mission statement, but rather asking them, “why do you come into work every day?”

 

With the answers you receive, you’ll start to build a better picture of the type of candidate and description you’re looking for. Use these stories and answers to build compelling pitches for the passive candidates that aren’t easily persuaded by the typical job description. Once you’re engaging with candidates in the interview process, they’re pitching themselves as the perfect candidate for you. When your company is finding the right candidates to hire, you are ultimately pitching yourselves to attract the widest and best pool of candidates as possible.

 

Create an Employee Referral Program

Another way to involve your current employees in the job search process is to put together a referral program. No one knows what it’s truly like working for your company more than your own employees. A referral program ultimately widens the pool of candidates that you may eventually want to engage with. These are candidates who are being sold on applying for a position by a close contact. These candidates are building trust with your company before even stepping into an interview because of conversations with one of your employees.

 

What this program also shows is the trust of company leadership in the employees for knowing A) who might be a great candidate for a position’s requirements and B) who would fit well into the company’s culture and values.

 

Consider Using a Recruiting Agency

The overall message to finding the right candidate is widening the pool of candidates to choose from. If there are resources in the budget, don’t spread your company’s recruiting department thin and invest in an agency or two, even if it’s just on a consulting basis.

 

Marketing and sales sometimes talk about their departments being a numbers game. A question they ask is, “How can we reach or generate more leads to create opportunities?” This should be the same approach recruiting departments take. Between initial job postings online, employee referral programs, and utilizing agencies, you should see a candidate pool that is generating value for your company and not a bad hire.

 

If you have any questions or want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set-up a 30-minute call with one of our senior account managers.

Share:

More Insights

]]> 3 Steps to Transform into a Passive Job Seeker http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/passive-job-seeker/ Mon, 17 Aug 2020 01:54:54 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4416

3 Steps to Transform into a Passive Job Seeker

Finding a job is a job within itself. Between researching companies, finding job openings, updating resumes, and sending applications, there is a substantial amount of time and effort that goes into the job hunt. One way to make the job hunt more successful is to transform from an active job seeker to a passive job seeker.

 

What is the Difference Between an Active Job Seeker and a Passive Job Seeker?

 

An active job seeker is defined by Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Search at eNamix, as, “People who need to find a job now. They are usually unemployed, so they are actively applying for jobs, networking, and posting their resumes on the appropriate job boards.”

 

Conversely, Bassett describes passive job seekers as, “Basically everyone else. They are gainfully employed and reasonably happy, but being career-minded, they are always open to the next step.” These are the individuals who do not have their resumes posted on job boards and are not applying to jobs; however, they can be convinced to consider a given opportunity if it aligns with their best professional interests.

 

Advice for Active Job Seekers

 

Before diving into the details of how to become a passive job seeker, we understand most people tend to find themselves as active job seekers for many reasons. Some may have been recently laid off while others currently may be employed but circumstances require a job transition. That said, the number of active job seekers has escalated enormously in recent months due to the extremely high unemployment rate resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. Read about why now is the best time for companies to hire here.

 

One tip for active job seekers is to save job description links in an organized manner, whether that means using an Excel document, Google Sheets, or a different central database that is easy to access. The reasoning for this is when applying to multiple jobs per day, it is extremely challenging to remember the details about various positions. Thus, when a job seeker hears back from a company, saving the job links allows them to find all the pertinent information regarding the particular job.

 

Active job seekers should also keep track of the jobs they apply to in the same location, including the company, position, date, industry, and which companies have reached out. This equips the job seeker with valuable insight into the quantity of jobs applied to, the longevity of their search, and which roles and industries they are receiving the most interest from. Archiving this data allows individuals to identify trends, as well as analyze what is working and what is not working. Therefore, active job seekers can optimize their job search to make it more efficient and successful. 

 

Benefits of a Passive Job Seeker

 

There are many advantages of being a passive job seeker, which come from planning ahead and laying the groundwork. By doing work in advance, individuals are preparing themselves for a more fruitful job search when it comes time to make a career move.

 

  • More Control Over Career Trajectory

One of the most significant benefits of becoming a passive job seeker is having more control of career trajectory. Active job seekers are in need of employment, and are therefore more likely to accept a job that does not correspond with their ideal career path. This is because they are not in a position to wait for a perfect position. However, when you are passively job seeking, there is more time to find the best possible opportunities.

 

  • More Trustworthy to Potential Employers

Another benefit, according to John Jeltema, Head of Business Development at eNamix, is passive job seekers are more attractive job candidates to employers. Jeltema states, “Hiring managers are taught that the best job candidates are the ones who are not looking.” This is because if an employer can convince a passive job seeker to leave their current job, which they enjoy for a new opportunity, it proves the candidate truly wants to be at the new company.

Mark Bassett adds, “We can more confidently trust the passive job seeker. Why would the passive job seeker accept a new job unless it was obviously the right fit for them and the next step in their ideal career path.”

 

  • Negotiating Salary

Negotiating salary is more likely to work in favor of someone who is currently employed. If a job applicant is presently employed, potential employers know the candidate has a job to fall back on, and they are in a position to turn down job offers. Therefore, potential employers are less likely to lowball passive job seekers and are more likely to offer the candidate’s desired salary.

 

How to Become a Passive Job Seeker 

 

Becoming a passive job seeker is not something that can be done with the flip of a switch. It takes time and consistency. However, this is not meant to deter individuals, but rather make it more manageable by breaking it into smaller pieces. By occasionally completing a different task, it makes the job search manageable yet comprehensive. 

 

1) Research Companies and Job Roles

One of the primary factors towards becoming a passive job seeker is continually researching companies and job roles. We suggest job seekers create an Excel document of 10-20 companies they are interested in working for, as well as building a list of job titles and responsibilities that appeal to them. Generating these lists help for a few reasons, including:

  •     Keeping abreast of trending businesses, industries, and job roles.
  •     Focuses time and energy on a curated list of companies and positions individuals genuinely want.

Passive job seekers should regularly update the lists with new companies and job roles to ensure they are always focusing their energy on what interests them most.

 

2) Network Without Alternative Motives

Once the lists are created, passive job seekers can begin fostering relationships with decision-makers at the selected companies. By starting to reach out to people before needing their help, such as wanting an employee referral, job seekers can build organic and meaningful connections based on information gathering and sharing. Thus, both sides are willing and able to help one another in their professional pursuits when an opportunity arises. This could be in the form of a recommendation, reference, introducing the other to a contact, and more.

 

3) Utilize LinkedIn

Along with networking and researching, working professionals should be using LinkedIn. Passive job seekers should use the platform to regularly update their profiles with their most recent work highlights, creating and engaging with posts, connecting with other professionals, acquiring recommendations, and staying abreast of industry news and trending articles.

Being active on LinkedIn illustrates to potential employers that the job seeker is invested and passionate about their career and professional development. For a complete breakdown of all the different ways to utilize LinkedIn effectively, check out this article from MindTools.

 

Final Thoughts 

It is okay to be an active job seeker, as most people fall into this category when looking for a job. However, by adopting a passive job search mindset, the strategy becomes more about managing your career as opposed to searching for employment. While it is a long-term strategy, the job opportunities flow more smoothly—and with more successful outcomes.

 

If you have any questions about additional best practices during the job hunt or the recruiting process, please reach out to info@enamix.com.

Share:

More Insights

]]> Interview Efficiency: 5 Questions to Keep in My Mind http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/interview-efficiency-5-questions-to-keep-in-my-mind/ Fri, 14 Aug 2020 20:26:58 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4410

Interview Efficiency: 5 Questions to Keep in My Mind

One of the tougher hurdles hiring managers have to address every year is preparing for an efficient hiring, interviewing, and onboarding process. In fact, according to a 2020 survey of nationwide recruiters, 60% say they regularly lose candidates before even being able to schedule an interview. This issue highlights interview efficiency in particular as many components will impact your company’s bottom-line, quickly increase your company’s average cost per hire, and possibly result in not hiring the perfect candidate you envisioned for a role.

 

Departments in charge of hiring tend to face a lack of planning and scheduling when finding new candidates to bring into their company. Time between interviews is crucial as deciding what to do next can ultimately result in a company losing a viable candidate or realizing later on in the hiring process that the desired candidate isn’t actually going to work out. These delays and abrupt shift in plans can be avoided when putting together an effective interview process.

 

Here are a few questions hiring managers should ask themselves when putting together a hiring process:

 

Do I Have a Viable Candidate?

 

First and foremost, deciding who should go through the interview process is crucial in order to save time of hiring managers and whatever department that is also conducting part of the interview. In addition, any expenses related to the company’s interview process would be negatively impacted if there’s no clear strategy in determining the requirements that a candidate must meet in order to advance in the hiring process.

 

Let’s say a company brings in three candidates for the first round of interviews after initial screening had been done and one of the candidates interviewed ultimately ended up not being what the company was looking for by a wide margin. This situation should make a company question its screening process.

 

Could it be possible that your internal recruiter, agency, or hiring manager needs more support in terms of knowing what to ask about a specific role? If a candidate is struggling with, for example, explaining necessary technical components of the role they’re interviewing for, spending more time on putting together thorough job descriptions and screening positions for each role will save time and resources.

 

Do I Have a Patterned Interview?

 

One aspect companies may overlook is trying to understand how their own interview process may be perceived by candidates. For example, if a company has four people separately interview a candidate and there’s a ton of overlap in questions asked, or if there’s really no structure or clear strategy that is apparent to the candidate, the candidate can very likely feel the company comes off as disorganized and look elsewhere for their next step in their career.

 

It’s crucial to strategize beforehand who asks about logistics, expectations, technical qualifications, and a candidate’s background. With this in mind, there’s no wasted time or crossover. Having this strategy in place also makes it easier to compare notes when interviewers reconcile over how the interview went. It also avoids wasting more time in the case of interviewers realizing none of them asked a crucial question for the role, and a follow-up needs to be done.

 

What Expectations Do I Set and When?

 

A Glassdoor survey found that 61% of employees say expectations set during their interview process differed from their new job. The importance of being honest and setting the realistic expectations for a role is necessary for not just building trust with a new employee, but also building interview efficiency. If the candidate isn’t on board with the expectations a company sets, the entire hiring process can be derailed and everyone at the company involved wastes time.

 

To avoid this, your interview process should include direct and clear communication about the specific role the candidate will be hired for, the job requirements, the type of hire will they be (contract, contract-to-hire, direct hire, etc.), if they need a background check and drug screening and when.

 

All of these typical onboarding tasks really integrate into interview efficiency as well since it’s about asking yourself as an HR department, “When do we initiate these items?” Overall, completing the interview process should lead to the eventual offer letter.

 

Am I Communicating Well With Candidates?

 

While this may be obvious, it’s crucial to keep a direct line of communication between the candidates and the hiring manager to avoid confusion or any miscommunications that may happen when multiple parties are involved. Whether communication is done completely through text or email, keeping information and updates within the same space avoids confusion for everyone involved.

 

Taking too long to respond and leaving dead time risks alienating top talent from a position. If a preferred candidate responds more quickly through text than an email, stick with text. Or perhaps get their communication preference during the screening process.

 

Checking in on candidates throughout the decision-making process will keep top talent engaged and hopefully bring that candidate closer to the culture of the company recruiting them. A little gesture like giving feedback on how an interview went is actually something 94% of respondents in a LinkedIn survey said they’d like to see. Simple, efficient forms of communication can go a long way into ultimately making the final hiring decision.

 

Who Is Making the Final Decision?

 

When a viable candidate or two stands out and a decision needs to be made, the last thing a company should do in this situation is stall and risk losing a candidate who’d be a great fit for another place of employment. The time taken between the last round of interviews and making the final decision should be planned beforehand, along with deciding who ultimately has the final say.

 

Asking yourself these questions in advance is going to help any hiring manager or HR department address interview efficiency and ultimately save time and resources, in addition to finding the perfect candidate for a role.

 

If you have any questions or want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set-up a 30-minute call with one of our senior account managers who can walk you through putting together your own efficient interviewing process.

Share:

More Insights

]]> 5 Tips for Finding the Right Staffing Expert http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/5-tips-for-finding-the-right-staffing-expert/ Thu, 16 Jul 2020 17:36:08 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4278

5 Tips for Finding the Right Staffing Expert

It’s easy to find a recruiter…you probably get 10 to 15 calls from them everyday. The challenge is finding one who can be the right partner and can open doors to untapped talent pools.

 

How does a company find a recruiter who will not simply post the job description on a job board and then send all the applications over to the hiring manager? Take the partnership mindset. Think of the staffing expert as an extension of your team, working to find talent that fulfills the job requirements and supports the company’s mission and values. One where the recruiters utilize their expertise and resources to discover the best candidates for a job, not to drop off a stack of resumes for the hiring manager to sift through. Discover five ways companies can ensure they select a staffing expert that will be an indispensable asset during the hiring process. 

 

Ask for References

 

Yes, asking recruiters for references is perfectly okay! Just like you would ask a potential employee to provide professional references, staffing experts should also be prepared with references. These references are not intended to be their managers and previous coworkers, but instead should be past clients they have worked alongside. The goal is to hear from the people who have hired the recruiter to decipher if they are indeed a great partner. 

  

A staffing expert will have references specific to the same industry and job role a company is looking to fill. For example, if a company is looking to fill a software developer position at a blockchain company, a staffing expert will tailor their references to align with that specific role and industry. If the recruiter is unable to provide references or the ones supplied do not appear legitimate, it is probably best to continue hunting for a staffing expert. 

 

 Do They Fully Grasp the Job Description? 

 

Job descriptions are the foundation of the job search; however, they often contain flaws. Job descriptions are also often vague, too short or lengthy, written by human resources (employees removed from the actual role), irrelevant to the actual functions of the position, and inaccurate. Staffing experts know this and will often probe to ensure they fully comprehend what to look for in a candidate.  

 

Staffing experts may work with a company to rewrite the job description entirely or ask a list of questions to

  1. Fully understand what the job position is responsible for (ex. data transfers, UX design)
  2. Recognize which skills are necessary, and which are more negotiable (ex. Python experience a must but Java is a plus)
  3. Identify specifics about the job (ex. location, hours, salary)

 

The reason staffing experts will always ask questions about the job role and description is because the majority of the time, there is valuable information to uncover and details to clarify. For help on spotting a staffing expert based on what type of questions they ask about the job description, check out our podcast episode about uncovering hidden secrets in the hiring process. 

 

Vet the Screening Process

 

Recruiters might guarantee candidates for your job, but that does not mean the candidates provided will be a good match for the role. It is now standard practice for staffing agencies to collect resumes and applications and pass them along to the company, without ever talking to a candidate. This leads to more work for the hiring manager, as well as a longer process. 

 

This is because if a company brings those candidates in for an interview, numerous issues may arise that could have been avoided if the recruiter had screened the candidates first. Examples include a candidate not being able to communicate or verbalize thoughts effectively during the interview, or finding out in the interview that the job role requires 50% travel. These examples occur frequently and therefore waste the time of the person being interviewed and the hiring manager, which ultimately leads to the company losing money due to a delay in the hiring process. 

 

Staffing experts will screen every candidate, ideally with a video or phone interview. This ensures “surprises,” like the examples above, are controlled and less likely to occur. Therefore, feel free to inquire about the screening process the recruiter has set in-place before they recommend candidates. 

 

Resourcing

 

One of the most common dilemmas when utilizing recruiters is receiving the same candidates repeatedly because recruiters are sourcing candidates from the same places, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Monster. Mark Bassett, Director of Executive Searches at eNamix, says, “Recruiting firms are often fishing in the same pond. Recruiters have access to the same job boards and networks. Therefore, if a company is working with multiple recruiters to fill a role, they are often sent the same candidates from the different recruiters.” This leads to a limited number of candidates that are genuinely fit for a position. 

 

eNamix differs because it has built and maintained a private network of working professionals. Its database contains thousands of professionals, and eNamix’s staffing experts can source candidates for clients that other recruiters do not possess access to. eNamix also engages with their secondary network, which Bassett explains as, “People you know, that know people.” Essentially referrals from trusted people. This allows every candidate eNamix sources to be unique and skillful. 

 

Inquiring about how recruiters source candidates prevents companies from receiving the same candidates repeatedly and illuminates if the recruiter has distinctive procedures in place to discover top tier talent. 

 

Utilize Two or Three Recruiters

 

When relationships between clients and recruiters are non-exclusive, it may be helpful to use two or three recruiters. This way, hiring managers can test the waters with different recruiters. Hiring managers may discover a staffing expert quicker this way since they are working with a few recruiters at once. Therefore, they can enter exclusive agreements with the particular staffing expert with which they had a phenomenal experience. 

 

However, using more than two or three staffing experts at one time may cause more stress for the hiring manager because they will have to communicate and work with multiple agencies. Lastly, if utilizing more than one recruiter at a time, it is crucial for hiring managers to still apply the tips above to ensure they acquire the right representation. 

 

The Purpose of a Staffing Expert

 

Staffing experts are there to make hiring easier for the client. They specialize in discovering top talent that fit flawlessly into your organization and job opening. This is done by having the experience, tools, and resources to find the best candidates. The next time you are deciding which recruiter to choose for filling a vacant position at your organization, do not be afraid to apply these tips to detect if they are a staffing expert and if they are going to make an excellent partner. 

 

As always, eNamix is here to answer any questions you have about the recruiting process. Feel free to reach out to info@enamix.com for more information or to speak with one of our staffing experts today!

Share:

More Insights

]]> How to Determine Your Company’s Average Cost Per Hire http://testdev1.quantilus.com/enamix/determine-your-average-cost-per-hire/ Thu, 16 Jul 2020 15:19:40 +0000 https://enamix.com/?p=4220

How to Determine Your Company’s Average Cost Per Hire

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the right hire has become an even more crucial decision invoking anxiety and ultimately can significantly impact a company’s bottom line in this current climate. Some industries have seen a reduction in headcount, however other industries have increased hiring since the beginning of the year. With that involves HR departments navigating a talent pool that has become extremely competitive as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 14.7% unemployment rate in May (up from 3.5% back in February). To help break through the unknown of hiring in this abnormal environment, our team has put together a guide to determine your company’s average cost per hire.

 

However, identifying the specific external costs (such as third-party agency fees, advertising costs, and travel fees) and internal costs (employee salary, benefits, and fixed real estate costs for example) can get murky and cause some confusion.

 

SHRM determined the average cost per hire across various industries was around $4,000; however, there are also variables to take into account for company size, industry, and what type of position is filled in this amount. For smaller companies, this amount could be closer to $7,000 and in some cases up to $20,000 depending on the level of positions that are hired in a fiscal year.

 

A larger company is more than likely using many external resources and has internal fixed costs that aren’t comparable to small or medium-sized companies, so we’ll focus more on small to medium-sized companies when trying to determine what to take into account for determining your average cost per hire.

 

External Costs

 

Advertising/Marketing

Aside from taking into account the obvious advertising costs on social media or through retargeting and paid search campaigns, one aspect to account for is the cost of materials created by your marketing team or agency used to attract candidates to your company.

 

Expenses to take into account: social advertising, SEO advertising, retargeting costs, job board expenses, job fair/recruiting event expenses, production of marketing material for recruiting.

 

Hiring Process

Any costs related to third-party agencies or RPO’s would fit in this category; however, if your company isn’t using an agency, also don’t forget to take into account the travel expenses. This includes expenses of candidates brought into the office and the travel expenses of recruiters for off-site interviews or job fairs.

 

Expenses to take into account: travel for the candidate and recruiters, technology costs, recruitment process outsourcing, third-party agencies

 

Onboarding

Once the candidate has been hired, be sure to include the candidate’s onboarding expenses in your average cost per hire assessment. This would also include the compensation for the employee referral is applicable.

 

Expenses to take into account: background checks, health screening, drug testing, employee referrals, candidate relocating, training/development

 

Internal Costs

 

Recruiting & Sourcing Staff

Keep in mind the salary, benefits, and bonuses of not just full-time employees in your recruiting and staffing departments, but also part-time employees and contractors. And any training or development costs (such as seminars, expos, etc.) for these teams would also be accounted for in this category.

 

Expenses to take into account: base salary, benefits, bonuses, training/development

 

Facilities

Office and capital expenses may be difficult to identify a hiring cost to, but a way to take into account this category is to take the percentage of the recruiting and staffing department headcount based on the overall office costs.

 

Expenses to take into account: the representative portion of office rent and capital

 

Time 

One area that is overlooked when determining a company’s average cost per hire is the investment of time put in by hiring managers and also the department that the hire would be joining. For example, a new digital marketing position is also going to involve members of the marketing team in the interview and selection process and take time from their day-to-day. A suggested way to determine this cost is to multiply the numbers of interviews done to an internal rate.

 

Reveal Your True Cost Per Hire

 

We’ve created an Excel worksheet to help calculate and determine your company’s average cost per hire. Gather the information and then simply enter the numbers to get your average cost per hire.

 

If you have any questions or want to learn more, visit enamix.com or contact info@enamix.com to set-up a 30-minute call with one of our senior account managers who can walk you through this process.

Share:

More Insights

]]>