Strengthen Your Employer Brand with a Compelling Origin Story
How did your company get started? Why? What problem was the owner or founders trying to solve or what need did they wanted to meet? Are there any unique or personal elements to the start up? These are all questions that can be answered via a company origin story. Mr. David Lee of recruiting news site Ere points to a compelling origin story as a key to strengthening your employer brand when recruiting. Mr Lee writes, “What is an Origin Story? It’s far more than a fact-filled documentary about how and when your organization got started. It’s not the workplace…
New Tactics for Better Manufacturing Recruiting
“Today’s high-tech manufacturing jobs require employees to be computer savvy, able to multi-task, and able to transfer seamlessly between production processes. Recruiters for these manufacturing jobs thus need to revamp their mentality and methods in attempting to fill these positions” writes Michelle Benjamin for ThomasNet News. The article gives several tips for reaching high-potential, qualified candidates. Where is your talent pool? Today’s manufacturing jobs are high-tech, STEM heavy. If you do not already have a relationship or partnership with local community colleges and technical programs, you should. This is a great opportunity to not only interact with potential candidates right…
Increasing Your Referrals: “Friends of the Firm”
How often have you been forwarded a new job opening from a friend asking if you “know of anyone good”? This is happening more often as leaders with positions to fill turn to trusted, well-respective professional and industry friends, family and vendors to help fill positions in today’s tight hiring environment. A recent article on recruiting resource site ERE by Dr. John Sullivan calls this “Friends of the Firm Referrals”. Employee referral programs have been a mainstay for years, but non-employees can also be a valuable source. Dr. Sullivan writes of the benefits of recognizing this recruiting channel and gives…
The Importance of an Applicant’s “Ability to Learn”
Making high-quality hires is always important but seldom more so than during “start-ups” when every hire will likely “define” the position for years to come. The most successful of these workplaces also put the highest premium on an applicant’s “ability to learn.” The best way to determine if someone actually can learn pertinent job skills and knowledge is to observe them in action (ex. watch them draw a straight bead using MIG or TIG welding). In addition, these companies instituted rigorous formal programs such as: pre-hire training, pay-for-knowledge programs, pay-for-skill programs, internships and apprenticeship programs (both external and internal). Such…
Perspectives: Fundamentals of Good Hiring
Costs associated with making a bad hire are considerable. Put the right person in the right place at the right time and your problems melt away. You can also quickly put your organization on track towards realizing its strategic objectives. Doing this well, however, requires building a customized plan and then deliberately executing that plan. Effective hiring should never be left to chance. Improve results by designing a series of activities and tools that collect and evaluate job-related information from individuals and can be used to extend an offer of employment. There are several hallmarks of good hiring plans. Include…
Keys to Retaining Good Employees
As we all look for ways to solve the growing qualified labor gap, retention of our best and most talent employees plays a crucial role. Erica Fener of Human Resources IQ shares these great tips: Ensure clear and consistent expectations. Just like in your employees’ personal lives, when confronted continually with unclear and ever-changing situations on the job, employee stress and insecurity can build resulting in worker unhappiness. Employee security and confidence increase when they know what to expect on the job and understand job performance goals and requirements. Ensure high quality supervision. Ms. Fener writes, “A…