INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND TIPS FOR EMPLOYERS - LANCE WINSAFT

Today Lance Winsaft is sharing interview tips for employers so that you can hone in on hiring the right candidates. 

We’ll also share some of the best interview questions to ask potential candidates.

We often hear from clients that it’s difficult to ensure they’re interviewing the right people with the right skillsets.

This can be even more challenging when a role has increasing levels of technical skills and requirements needed.

THINGS TO CONSIDER 

It can be easier to tell if somebody is a good cultural fit if you can have them interview with your team members.

You can tell if they would fit in with the culture or have the right personality if they do well with your team members.

It’s often difficult to determine if someone has the right skillset to be able to execute in the manner that you need.

We’ve heard many horror stories about candidates that interviewed really well, but weren’t a good fit.

Candidates can sell themselves and seem like they can do the job, when actually they don’t have what it takes.

However, when they start and get in the seat, it becomes clear that they are not the right fit.

Often they actually don’t have the skills or the experience needed to execute the job.

FINDING THE RIGHT CULTURAL FIT

Making a bad hire is a nightmare scenario for many companies and it’s a major waste of money and time.

It’s important that your process includes the right questions and steps needed to weed out the right hires.

READING AND SIFTING THROUGH RESUMES 

It all starts with making sure you have a good strategy for reviewing resumes.

Resumes come in many different forms and it’s important that not too much weight is put on them.

There’s likely a whole lot of someone’s experience that may not be on a resume.

Be careful not to lose out on people that could be good because you’re judging a book by its cover.

THE INTERVIEW STAGE

Once you get to the interview stage there are a lot of different strategies you can take.

This really depends on the type of role that you’re looking to fill.

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

You want to have some general questions that are open ended or generic questions.

You never want to lead to witness.

Don’t want to ask questions like, “do you consider yourself a hard worker?”

The answer is always going to be yes.

You also don’t want to ask;

“Do you have experience with this software?” Or “Do you have experience with this type of industry?”

It’s too easy of a yes or no question for a candid answer.

You’ll likely get yeses even if the person doesn’t have that experience.

They might not have the experience that you need, so you haven’t really learned anything in this situation.

Ask open ended questions like;

“Tell me about the client experience you have” or, “tell me about the different software you’ve used?”

These open ended questions leave them having to fill in the blanks versus just telling you what you want to hear.

You can also pose hypothetical situations and ask them what they would do in certain situations.

You want to know how they would handle if something happened or if they needed to produce an outcome.

There is a way to get into their head about their thought process and how they would deal with certain situations.

ASKING MORE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

You can start to get more technical with the role and hear how they would use certain technical things.

Another useful question is to ask about some major challenges that they have been faced with.

Listen to what someone considers a challenge and how they would deal with that challenge.

Knowing how they dealt with the challenge will give you a lot of insight into that person.

FINDING THE RIGHT SKILLSET 

At some point in your interview process, you should think about having a way to test their skills.

This is easy with technical type positions such as a developer, programmer or a coder.

You can easily devise a test that shows people’s coding or development capabilities, or lack thereof.

This becomes a little more challenging when you’re dealing with people on the marketing and sales side of things.

There are still ways to devise a simple project, case study, or presentation for them to do.

Think about what this person will be doing daily and what kind of skills they need to have.

Your process should allow them to demonstrate that they can do what you need, and how they would do it.

FINDING THE RIGHT PERSONALITY

Many companies are now integrating personality assessments in their hiring process which can be very useful.

A Disk Assessment, Talent Plus or the large variety of other talent assessment consulting companies are all resources.

These tests can tell you a lot about someone’s personality and how they may fit and work within your company.

The important thing is to take all the information from them with a grain of salt.

Don’t put too much weight on these tests as they’re standardized.

There is never a substitute for talking to people and feeling them out personally.

The level of usefulness of these assessments has a limit.

You need to make sure you’re responsible for how you use them.

IN CONCLUSION

At the end of the day there is a lot that can be done to design an effective interview process.

Your process should determine if a candidate is a fit culturally and for the hard and tactical skills needed.

There are different strategies to take depending on what kind of role you’re looking to fill.

Whether the role is technical, sales related, marketing, creative, etc., you want to be able to hone in on what you need.

It’s important to keep that in mind as you design whatever process you put those people through.

You want to design a process to be effective, as the impacts of making a bad hire can be severe and debilitating.

MEN GETTING PAID MORE THAN WOMEN – EVEN MILLENNIALS? - Lance Winsaft

THE GENDER PAY GAP

So it looks like the gender pay gap may not be changing any time soon, can Millennials make a difference?

The pay gap between men and woman has always had a significant gap between the two. In history, men have always been paid more than women. 

Some states are creating new laws to impact this problem.

Experts say though things may not be getting better.

MILLENNIALS 

Today, Millennials make up the largest generational group in the workforce in the US. Millennials are truly taking over!

Millennials face gender pay gap just like any other generation.

The gap unfortunately continues to widen especially in the Millennial generation.

Experts have reported that this pay gap will continue to widen as salaries rise.

Even though the gap is smaller than Generation X or Baby Boomers in history the gap is predicted to continue to widen as more of the workforce becomes primarily Millennial.

WHERE IS IT THE WORST?

The biggest example of the gap are in TV and Entertainment. Actors have been recorded to have been making much more in entertainment than women.

Wages for millennial men are growing at a rapid rate than for millennial women with comparable jobs.

WHAT ABOUT INDUSTRIES?

It has been found that millennial women earn less across every region and industry than their male coworkers.

The largest gap is found in educational and health services between men and woman. It is found that men are making more in a woman driven field. 

This truly highlights the problem.

STARBUCKS STEPPING UP

Starbucks came out and announced that the gender pay gap between men and women has been eliminated at their company.

Last Wednesday, Starbucks announced that the pay gap is closed and that it has achieved 100 percent  pay equality amongst it’s employees. 

Over 3,5000 people celebrated as Lucy Helm, EVP and Chief Partner Officer announced the pay gap elimination.

Across the nation the pay gap between men and women is about 20 percent. But among much more educated and accredited workers the pay gap is much larger and goes up to 34 percent.

What does this mean exactly? For every dollar males are paid woman get paid 66 cents with a graduate degree.

Starbucks also announced that they will be formulating and share pay equity principals that helped it close the gender gap pay to show other companies what they have to do to really follow their pay.

This is ground breaking work in history and really shows change in the making for companies like Starbucks. 

WHAT CAN WE DO?

We as recruiters want to make sure that everyone of our candidates are given the best rate of pay possible. 

Many laws are being passed in states around the country that prohibit recruiters and employers from asking people their salary.

The idea being that people will not get a new salary offered based on their current earnings, which may be unfair or under market.

This can be a double edged sword for candidates as many are now asking for salaries that are too high, and then pricing themselves out compare to the competition.

Be smart about this but also know your legal rights.

WHY DO WOMEN GET PAID LESS THAN MEN?

This is something that goes back in history. Before men were seen as the bread winners.

Things have significantly changed while women have become more and more empowered to become bread winners on their own and in families.

This is something that has escalated and become more known. Because pay wise women were paid less in the past, women have become more educated and earned degrees and have put their foot in the door to great companies holding high titles.

Women are really starting to make their print in the workforce in fields that are dominated by men. 

CONCLUSION

Things seem to not be changing too much even with the Millennial generation taking over the workforce. 

Trends show that in fact the gender gap pay gap may even widen as time goes on with men continuing to make more money than women.

Be sure to know the laws in your state. If you are an employer, don’t discriminate!

Here at Aldebaran Recruiting we will continue to do everything we can to negotiate the best and fair salary for all of our candidates.

HOW TO BE A POWERFUL LEADER, CONSCIOUS LEADERSHIP - Lance Winsaft

ARCHETYPE

Archetype concepts are intriguing to me and I believe them to be extremely powerful in creating new realities. I was first exposed to the concept of archetypes when I was a very young girl.

My father taught me that if I wanted to live the life of an extraordinary human being, it was useful to create the “archetype” of what an extraordinary human being looks like.

Then, when I was a teenager, he insisted that I create the archetype of the “ideal woman,” a blueprint if you will, of the kind of woman I could aspire to become.

There were many conversations about archetypes while I was growing up, including the archetype of the “ideal man,” designed to help me manifest a husband with “superior” qualities.

I wish I’d paid closer attention to these teachings when I was younger and put them into practice with more fervor.

Fortunately, I did eventually catch on and I’ve used the powerful tool of creating archetypes in many areas of my life, especially in creating my businesses.

Etymologically speaking, an archetype is an “original pattern from which copies are made,” and derives from the Latin noun archetypum.

The adjective form is archétupos, which means “first-molded,” a compound of archḗ, “beginning, origin,” and tupos, “pattern,” “model,” or “type.”

The word “archetype” has been written about and used by scientists, psychologists, philosophers, artists, writers and many others in different ways and with varying purposes.

This fascinates me!

ARCHETYPE AS A BLUEPRINT

The way I want to use it in this text is somewhat synonymous with the word “blueprint,” which is a design that serves as a mold, model or a template.

If you were going to build a house, you would not even attempt to do so without a blueprint.

Likewise, if we are going to design the model for entrepreneurial or corporate leadership in the 22nd Century, we need to start with a blueprint, a planned design.

I am calling this The 22nd Century Leadership ArchetypeTM.

Moments after I sat down to write this piece a knot formed in my throat.

MOVING TO CONSCIOUS LEADERSHIP

That is how moved I am about the concept of what conscious leadership could represent for humanity as a whole. I literally wanted to cry.

Tears actually did form at the edges of my eyes when I got present to how much work there is for us to do.

While I am inspired by the many corporations that are paving the way towards conscious leadership, as I observe our political landscape (where the solution to violence in our schools is arming teachers) and to what some companies are doing to make a profit no matter the cost to human dignity and life itself I can’t help but know in my heart that there must be a better way.

In just the last 2 decades we have made so many advances in science and technology that I do believe we are more connected than ever with what it will take for us as a “collective” to move into total homeostasis as a species…a species that thrives all the while bringing harmony, balance and serenity to all living beings sharing this beautiful planet with us.

With this in mind I am suggesting we, the community of small business leaders and entrepreneurs, come forth with an archetype for the corporate leadership we want our great grandchildren to experience.

If this is to be, we must begin to design the blueprint for it now, today.

THE 22ND CENTURY

The 22nd Century is only 82 years away. You and I will be gone. And so will our children, most likely. But our grandchildren will be here and our great grandchildren will definitely be here. What is the world we want them to inherit?

Think about this for a moment. What is the experience of our world that you want your grandchildren and great grandchildren to have?

Given that corporations pretty much run the world, doesn’t it make sense for them to be led by individuals that are highly aware and conscious?

Doesn’t it make sense for corporations to lead humanity into a world equipped to foster wellness for all human beings?

I believe wholeheartedly in the power of corporate leadership. And I am committed to playing a role in creating a world where corporations lead humanity to a higher state of consciousness, a world where we can all thrive, a world where no one is judged or discarded. What do you want?

The following is a starter list of qualities that comprise an archetype of the ideal corporate leader.

10 EXAMPLES OF THE 22ND CENTURY LEADERSHIP ARCHETYPETM:

1.  Discerns that which is not good or right for the whole of humanity and declines to engage in that which is not.

2.  Leads through example, no kidding, consistently and always.

3.  Emulates compassion, forgiveness and comprehension at all levels.

4.  Understands without reservation that we are all connected in every way; that without exception what we experience as an individual is experienced by all. Executes based on this principle.

5.  Courageous at a level where fear of personal retribution is non-existent and steps into full authenticity with zero regard for “looking good.”

6.  Complete trust in profitability through absolute integrity.

7.  Generates abundance and prosperity effortlessly and in alignment with good will for all.

8.  Replaces ego and personality based choices with those that arrive from an Inner Knowing that is clearly aligned with the higher purpose to serve all of humanity.

9.  Understands through clair cognizance that when a conflict shows up it does so to teach or remind us of something we need to recognize about ourselves so we can shift it and transform it within.

10.   Naturally sees, recognizes and deeply appreciates the inherent and profound value in all human beings regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, religious affiliation, country of origin, or any other “label” that might mask this truth.

WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING MY INTERVIEW - Lance Winsaft

So you are going to interview for that great job you found – but what are the best questions to ask to determine if it’s a fit for you? You may only get to ask a couple, so make them count! This is a major opportunity to interview the interviewer. You want to take advantage of whatever chance you can to determine early on if this is the right company for you.

Interviewing is a way to not only have employers ask questions to see if you are the right fit for their company, but also vice versa. It is always important to ask yourself if you can see yourself working for the company you are interviewing for. Asking a variety of questions that really gives you good insight on if the job opportunity is going to be a good match is vital. This is easier said than done, so we have some tips for you.

CULTURE IS CRITICAL

Your skill set may be a match but what about culture? Ask questions that really give you a good sense about what people at that company are like. Ask about company outings, dress code, benefits and wellness. These types of details are extremely important to see if you would be a good match to the company. 

You want to also already be clear about what YOU are looking for in culture. Do you value work life balance? Maybe a close knit culture is important to you. Work hard play hard may be up your alley. Perhaps a lot of structure, or a little structure is important. The point is that you have a good picture of what you value so you can compare what you hear.

Really honing in on what a person in the position you are interviewing for needs to address or do in the role in order to be successful are good questions to ask as well. Assuming you are talking to the direct hiring manager, find out what they expect a successful person in the role to accomplish. You will want to get in their head. Could you really do the job? Are their expectations realistic?

Below are three very good and important questions to ask during a interview that we read in an article called, “Three Interview Questions To Test If An Employer Is Right For You”. 

1.) WHAT CHARACTER TRAITS DO PEOPLE DEMONSTRATE THAT SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE AND COMPANY? 

A question like this really will give you insight on if this role is a good personality fit for you and if you will be capable of being successful by how your traits and habits are. You will know right away of those traits are describing you or not.

2.) WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT WORKING AT THIS COMPANY? 

Learning about why your interviewers like to work at the company you are interviewing for is a question that really determines the culture of the business. If you can gauge if they truly enjoy their job and work culture it will give you an idea of how everyone feels about the company. It is important to work somewhere that your co workers enjoy working at because it creates good relationships amongst each other.  You can even ask what are some of the things they dislike about the company. It’s natural and healthy for there to be likes and dislikes. No company is perfect and you should never expect that. What they dislike will still be very insightful.

3.) WHAT CHALLENGES HAS YOUR TEAM FACED IN THE LAST YEAR? WHAT ARE YOUR TEAM’S GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR? 

Asking a question in regards to what challenges the department or company you will work for gives you realistic goals that soon will be on your plate. Seeing what goals they are trying to accomplish will give you an overview of what your job will entail.

CONCLUSION

Asking the right questions at a job interview really will give you a good idea if it will be the right fit. Don’t take a job just because it looks good on your resume or because of money. We see way too many people get caught up in money and wanting to make a move try to get ahead. Chose a job that you will be a good fit for you both skill wise and personality. 

You have to be smart about making a move, your resume needs to show stability. Our clients are constantly turning down resumes because people look like job hoppers. Often times those people left their jobs because they ended up not being a good cultural fit. This is understandable. But if they had done a better job of looking at this before accepting an offer, they wouldn’t be stuck in this sticky situation. 

The last thing you want is to be stuck at a company because you didn’t do your due diligence. Or you have to jump from a couple jobs and now you look unstable. There is a lot of risk in not asking the right questions during your interview.

Make the most of your career and your life! Aldebaran Recruiting is here to coach our candidates throughout the entire recruitment process making sure our candidates and clients have the right fit. 

HOW TO HIRE THE BEST TALENT AND CANDIDATES - LANCE WINSAFT

The market is competitive and it’s critical you do whatever is needed to get a competitive edge. 

1) Clarity, 2) Culture, 3) Speed – The top 3 things you need to have FLAT if you are serious about hiring the best talent.

*CLARITY – You need to be clear about what you need in the role, what the person will do, what their personality will be like, and what you will expect of them.

*CULTURE – Your company and team should have a defined culture that you can speak to and get people excited about. Find out ways to interview for culture.

*SPEED – In this market, there is no time for drawn out interview processes. Don’t compromise on what you need to do to hire the right people and be sure to move fast with the people you like – they are most likely being courted by other companies! 

Are You Missing Out?

We see too many clients miss out on great talent because of missing one more of the above  items. When you miss out on that great candidate, guess what? They are going to your competition! That is usually not a good thing. Every industry and vertical is competitive, you can’t afford to lose talent to your competitors.

On this same note, the above points apply to current employees as well. Employees stay with companies that have a clear vision, companies that move fast, and companies with a well defined culture. 

If you are able to retain the talent you currently have while also attracting and retaining other top talent, you will have an undeniable edge over your competition. The slightest edge in any game is what separates the winners from the losers.

You Are Being Interviewed As Well!

Every candidate you interview is also interviewing you and your company – and remember, if they are good, they aren’t desperate, and someone else is likely after them as well!! It’s so critical you find ways to sell both the opportunity of the role and the opportunity of joining your team and company.  Putting even a little bit more effort into candidate experience can have big payoffs in terms of giving you a competitive edge.

Top talent must be hunted in this current market. If you are serious about adding the best people to your team, you can’t rely on them finding you in time. If you are unable to hire a headhunter, find a way to hunt the talent on your own. This can be tricky but must be done! The best talent is waiting for you to find them and court them.  

This holds true the most if you are hiring executives or upper management – especially if they are currently working with one of your competitors. It isn’t enough to “build it and they will come.” So you have a great product or service, a great future for the company ahead of you, that is great, but not enough to lure over the superstars.

Be Willing To Court Them

Superstars need a little coaxing. Add in a dinner as part of your interview process, make your interview process is slick with very high communication. Your internal HR teams should be on the spot with scheduling and communicating with these folks. Give them a great tour of the office, sell them on your vision the perks, etcetera. Find out what really matters to them, what are their motivations, why are they interested. More importantly, find out their concerns!

Too many employers avoid asking what the candidates concerns are and therefore they never get addressed. Only when you find out what they are concerned about can you dress it. This is a critical interview strategy that most employers miss. What happens then is the candidate has a concern, they make things up in their head about the concern, it never gets addressed, and then they make a decision based on the made up thoughts they have about the concern! Most of the time the concern was something easy to address that likely would have resulted in a positive outcome. Don’t fall in to this trap.

Never stop improving your process. The way you find talent and retain them should be ever evolving. Outside recruiters are an amazing resource because we work with many different clients and we see what works and what doesn’t work. We strive to be that sort of partner for our clients – not just a talent mill.

Recruiters also help to manage those communications and set expectations. The last thing you want is to leave a candidate “hanging” out there at any point in the process. This happens WAY too much! Especially if they are hot, you can’t leave them on hold. Recruiters are great for setting expectations and taking that load away from you.

Conclusion

There are many ways to give yourself a competitive edge to attract and retain the top talent in the market. You owe it to yourself to invest in HR and recruiters. Invest in have a great candidate experience that motivates and inspires candidates. Court the people you really like, make them feel special, make them feel wanted, and keep this up for all employees. Millennials especially want to contribute and be apart of something. Give your employees that chance! 

Feel free to reach out to us if you want to improve in any of these areas. We are a true business partner and can provide you with not only the top talent but also insight and advice into your process. To attract the best you have to be the best and work with the best. If you offer peanuts you get monkeys. or if you do the bare minimum with candidates and think they should be happy to be interviewing with you, you will get mediocre talent. You have an amazing company, an amazing product/service, now do whatever it takes to have the best people.

Happy Hunting!

LANCE WINSAFT ON FINDING YOUR IDEAL CAREER: WHERE DO YOU START?

Finding your ideal career is not easy, but the fact that you’re reading this article means that you’re a driven, motivated individual that’s willing to work hard for it. Good job! You’ve already gotten the first step down: To find the motivation.

So what’s next? Well, here are some essential steps to start finding your ideal career. It is recommended that you write your ideas down as you go to make it more concrete and easier to work with.

Define your passion

First, you need to do some self-assessment. What are some things that you like? What is it that drives you? It doesn’t have to be career- or industry-specific. Your motivation can be your simplest desires like “I like helping others” or “I like it when the numbers come together.” Landing a job that aligns with your passion will definitely boost your performance and leaves you feeling satisfied.

Define your strengths and weaknesses

Make a list of things that you’re good at and what you need to work on. You’ll more likely enjoy and succeed in a career that allows you to make use of your strengths. If you’re concerned that your ideal career path might not suit you because of your weakness, don’t be discouraged! In fact, good for you! Now you know what you need to work on and you’re one step closer to being in your ideal career.

Gain experience

You may have found it difficult to list your passion, strengths, and weaknesses. That’s ok! You’re not alone. You’ll need to give yourself some time to identify both your natural and learned skills. Take the time to understand your own potential. After gaining some experience, you’ll be better able to assess yourself and find a skill (or a combination of it) that you can capitalize on.

Define your priorities and career goals

Everyone has slightly different goals in life. Some will want to focus on their career growth, while others want to focus on learning new skills. If you’re focusing on your career growth, avoid the common mistake of prioritizing short-term improvements. What you want now may not be aligned with what you want five or ten years down the road. For example, don’t be swayed by a job promotion if it means that you’ll be stuck in a career path that you don’t want to be in.

Consider the work culture

Work culture may seem insignificant, but it actually matters more than some would think. Consider the work environment that would suit you best. What will your relationship with your coworkers look like? What style of company leadership do you look for? These things can contribute to whether you will enjoy a job or not. For example, some would enjoy working in a big corporate company while others thrive in smaller companies. Do your research. Find out if the work culture of the jobs in your career path would allow you to perform at your maximum potential.

Money is not everything

Yes, we all have to pay our bills. However, money shouldn’t be your primary goal. You’ll always want “a bit more.” You’ll never be content if your goal purely about gaining more money. Instead, think about what matters to you most. Do you want flexible work hours? What kind of lifestyle do you want to live? Revisit your values, life priorities, and career goals.

It’s always nice to be in your ideal career. But like everything nice, it will take time and effort. So put in those hours and don’t hold back on those sweat and tears! You might only land a decent job in the beginning, but rest assured, your efforts will pay off sooner or later. Best of luck!

LANCE WINSAFT ON WHAT TO DO WHEN A RECRUITER IS BEING UNRESPONSIVE

Did a recruiter suddenly stop responding to your emails? Are they not responding to you after you went to multiple interviews? Have you sent them polite emails and multiple phone calls for a month, but they’re still not getting back to you? Then you have been ‘ghosted.’

Ghosting is a pretty common occurrence not only in recruiting, but also in life. It’s when the other party ‘slowly fades away.’ If you find yourself being ghosted in the hiring process, here’s what you should do.

1. Mourn About It

Let it all out. Cry on your bed. Punch your pillows. It’s ok to feel upset. You have every right to feel that way. However, it’s important to do this privately. Share your pain and frustration with your closest friends and family, but don’t bring it to your social media. Venting through your social media is not the best option. It will demonstrate a lack of emotional control to your future employers and ruin your chances in the job hunt.

2a. Send a Firm Email Saying That This is Not Ok

Ghosting is an unprofessional business practice. Sending a firm email may not get you the job, but it might make you feel better. Recruiter Jane Ashen Turkewitz from .comrecruiting suggests sending an email like this:

“I would like to thank you for the opportunity to interview for the role of X. I was surprised, after my 7 rounds of interviews, to not hear anything regardless of my attempts to stay engaged.

Due to the lack of response, it’s a fair assumption that you have decided to move in another direction.  While I am disappointed, I certainly respect if someone more qualified entered the picture.

That said, isn’t it common courtesy to let a candidate know where he stands in the process, even if it’s a difficult conversation? A rejection is disappointing but ghosting shows a lack of leadership and empathy.

I hope one day, if you are in my shoes, interviewing for a new, exciting job, that you are not treated in such an unkind manner. Wishing you and yours continued success as I find success elsewhere.”

Be cautious about sending a firm email. Remember, send it only when you’re ready to move on from the job. Also, it’s best not to be too firm when you’ve only been to only one interview with them. Instead, you can them a small and polite note.

2b. You Can Also Not Do Anything

Please don’t go assuming that recruiters are evil. Not all of us are like this. Sometimes recruiters have no control over this. Sometimes being unresponsive can be a part of the recruiter’s job. Some companies have a “no feedback” policy. By not doing anything, you won’t be burning any bridges. It’s a good way to keep your options open with this company, especially if it’s a big company. 

3. Don’t Let It Affect Your Other Applications

Don’t start becoming impatient and keep asking questions to future recruiters. It’s best to always present your best self. Getting ghosted sucks, but it’s best to let it go. Yes, we realize that it’s much, much harder than it sounds. Every recruiting process is different. It’s best to simply learn from this experience to be prepared for when a recruiter ghosts you again.

Don’t be discouraged when you’re being ghosted. It happens more often than you’d think, but not all recruiters are like this. It doesn’t always mean that they’re not interested in you either. Getting ghosted can be very upsetting, but worst case scenario: You won’t end up in a company that lacks proper etiquette. If they’re treating you poorly from the start, who knows what else they would do to you.

LANCE WINSAFT - WHAT TO DO ABOUT JOB HOPPERS

Some recruiters do not like candidates who job hop. They believe that job hoppers only cause an unnecessary increase in their turnover expenses. However, that is not always true. 

There are plenty of benefits that job hoppers can bring to your company. 

Why they make good hires

Job hoppers may bring benefits that can more than make up for your turnover expenses.

• Fast learners

They are typically fast learners. Having had many jobs in a relatively short period of time, they have learned to be adaptable and adjust quickly to new environments. Since they’re easy to get onboard, they don’t require much time and effort to get up to speed.

• Diverse skill sets

Job hoppers often have a wide range of both technical and soft skills. Having worked in different industries, they can tackle problems from a different perspective. They may also be familiar with different technologies that your company might benefit from. Job hoppers have developed strong interpersonal skills by working with a wide range of people and companies.

• Bring new ideas

Job hoppers can bring new ideas. They can draw on their experiences from working with other companies to bring more innovative ideas and solutions to your company. This is something that loyal employees might lack. As a result, it prevents your company from being stale.

• Wide social network

Job hoppers are more than just a deep well of knowledge and ideas. They have most likely built a wide business network. Having more business connections can only benefit your company. This can be anything from recruiting more quality candidates and finding more clients.

How to hire them and get them to settle at your company

Job hoppers are naturally ambitious and eager to gain new experience and/or climb the ranks. Retaining them can be difficult, just as it is difficult to attract and retain any top talent. 

• Foster employee development

You can increase retention rates by implementing employee engagement programs. Talk and listen to your employees. Let them express their objectives. Then provide them with some strategic direction. Ambitious job hoppers are eager to learn. They seek guidance and will greatly appreciate your input. They will be more inclined to keep working with you if your company is a resourceful learning environment to them.

• Facilitate advancement in the company

All employees want to be valued for their hard work and commitment. Job hoppers are the same. They crave continuous recognition of their contributions to the company. Create a rewarding and appealing work environment by recognizing their years of service, high performance, and continued excellence. Again, you have to listen to them closely. Take the time to understand their interests to create a recognition program that will truly resonate with them. Job hoppers will be more inclined to stay at your company if they feel valued.

LANCE WINSAFT - WHAT TO NEGOTIATE WHEN SALARY IS NO LONGER AN OPTION

Your negotiation position depends on your alternatives. When all else fails, don’t be discouraged! Take ‘No’ as an answer and recognise that it’s part of the growth process. ‘No’ can also mean ‘Not yet’. There are still other alternatives to salary that you can negotiate.

Better Work Conditions
Take this opportunity to negotiate for better work conditions. For example, if you feel like you’re unable to work at your full potential, consider requesting for a better workspace that would best suit your style. If you feel suffocated because of work, maybe you should ask for a more flexible schedule to accommodate for your life outside of work. If your job requires a long commute or would require you to relocate in the near future, consider asking for the option to work remotely. Lastly, if you feel that your title doesn’t fully encompass the scope of your role, you may also request for a better title.

– Workspace
– Work schedule
– Remote work option
– Job title

More Benefits
If better work conditions are not your cup-of-tea, consider requesting for more benefits. For example, think about what you need to stay physically and mentally healthy and ask for more paid time off. If you often pay a visit to the doctor, consider upgrading your health insurance. If you travel a lot for work purposes, ask for travel reimbursements to lighten your load. Lastly, if you’re looking to improve your qualifications, consider requesting for tuition reimbursement or professional development support.

– Paid time off
– Health insurance
– Travel reimbursement
– Educational opportunities

When presenting your counter offer, never negotiate through written communication! You should always counter offer in person or over the phone. Negotiations must always be engaging to both parties. Remember, this is an opportunity for you to think outside the box, so you’re not limited to the options mentioned above. It’s best to counter only once, so choose wisely. Figure out what’s most important to you and what your superiors are most likely willing to accept.

For more information on how and what to negotiate, visit https://americannegotiationinstitute.com/ 

LANCE WINSAFT - WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN “INEXPERIENCED” CANDIDATE

Everyone is unique. Each one of us have our own strengths and weaknesses. We’ve all lead different paths in life. In truth, no one can be said to be actually “inexperienced.” Whether an applicant is fresh out of college or looking for a career change, you shouldn’t be worried about them being inexperienced. There are many opportunities for them to shine. So what should you look for in a good candidate?

Answer: Soft Skills

According to the Oxford Dictionary, soft skills are defined as the “Personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.” While technical ability can be taught, soft skills are much harder to instill in a person. Employees that lack soft skills can undermine your company’s success. On the other hand, soft skills that complement hard skills are what makes an applicant truly valuable.

Here are some skills that you should consider looking for in candidates:

• Communication skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Dependability and reliability
• Problem-solving and critical thinking
• Initiative
• Adaptability
• Good business ethics
• Innovative spirit
• Willingness to learn

Where to Look for Soft Skills

Now that we know what to look for in a candidate, there are several methods to assess whether a candidate will make a good employee.

Reviews from Contacts

What better way to assess a candidate’s personal qualities than to ask someone who knows them? Talk to their previous employers and find out about the candidate’s work ethics. Were they responsive? Were they able to communicate well with their coworkers? You can also give a call to their friends or relatives, but there’s a good chance that they have biased opinions. So communicating with a candidate’s previous work contacts is the best option.

Previous Experiences

Mark Murphy, the founder of Leadership IQ and a NY Times bestselling author, found that “high performers … are naturally wired to put others’ needs ahead of their own.” Whereas low performers will get their job done, they’re only doing it because they’re told to do so. On the other hand, high performers go above and beyond because they “find passion working toward something bigger than themselves.” They have what Mark calls the “helper” attitude. A good way for a candidate to demonstrate the “helper” attitude is if they find volunteer experiences truly rewarding.

Preparation in Recruiting Process

Lastly, a good way to judge a candidate’s personality is through how prepared they are during the application process. A candidate who’s not afraid to take the initiative to ask questions and comes well prepared to the interviews is very likely to help your company succeed.

LANCE WINSAFT - 3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD IMPROVE YOUR CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE

What is candidate experience?

Candidate experience is how a job seeker reacts to a company’s recruiting process. There are hundreds of articles out there on how to improve candidate experience. It’s a topic that’s been gaining much popularity in the recruiting world, but why does it matter? There are billions of people out there looking for jobs. Surely, companies will eventually find one that qualifies for the job, right? Not so fast! Here are 3 reasons why you should treat your candidates as valuable as your customers.

Candidate experience > Employment brand 

All companies strive to improve their brand reputation. However, your reputation as employers should not be overlooked. A company cannot build a strong brand reputation if the people, including your valued customers, learns that its employees and candidates are not treated right. A poor candidate experience will set back your efforts on building that solid brand reputation. Creating a strong reputation starts from giving a delightful candidate experience.

Attract top talent

Improving your candidate experience builds a strong employment brand. In turn, a strong employment brand attracts talented candidates. Candidates have worked very hard to earn their degrees and gain valuable work experiences. They don’t deserve to be left in the dark or given vague responses. Talented candidates know their value and want to be treated right. Giving candidates a pleasant experience allow them to shine. They’ll be better able to show their strengths and you’ll be better able to pick the right candidates.

Attract more customers

Yes, you read it right. Candidates who’ve enjoyed their application process will share their positive experiences. This is an opportunity to build a positive image for your company to attract more customers. Kevin W. Grossman, vice president of Talent Board, has spent many years in the world of talent management. He found that having a positive candidate experience can positively impact the direct revenue for consumer-based businesses.

Treating your candidates right will not only build a strong employment brand, it will also help you attract more valuable candidates. Furthermore, it helps you attract more customers, thus increasing your company’s revenue. Start improving your candidate experience. What’s there to lose?

LANCE WINSAFT - HOW TO RETAIN NEW EMPLOYEES BY GIVING ORIENTATIONS – ALDEBARAN RECRUITING

Retaining employees can have a huge impact on your company. Dr. John Sullivan from San Francisco State University have found that employee retention can lead to huge changes to your turnover. As we all know, turnover is a huge issue and the ability to impact turnover is a key to increase stability, growth, and success. However, few employers have invested enough time and effort into retaining their employees. 

Neglecting employee retention will result in numerous negative impacts. When an employee leaves a position vacant, their work is either pushed onto their coworkers or left uncompleted, which results in the loss of productivity within the company. This also costs employers a significant amount of time as there will be paperwork to finish, exit interviews to execute, and tasks to reallocate. Furthermore, if a key employee were to leave your company, others might follow. It is also difficult to replace key employees. Click on here to learn more about the effects of retaining employees on your company’s turnovers. 

One of the most neglected activities in companies is giving new employee orientations. However, did you know that giving orientations is the first step to increasing your employee retention rate? Day one orientation is your company’s first true impression on a new employee. They may have gotten to know you a bit via interviews but it is on Day one that they get a feel for your business the first time. 

New employee orientations will not only reduce their anxiety, it will also save supervisors valuable time. New employees who have been properly introduced to their new jobs will be less likely to seek help while still producing quality results. Orientations also help set proper expectations for new employees and introduce them to the values and culture of the organization. Most importantly, orientations will make employees feel more valued by their employers. Take advantage of this opportunity and it will go a long way!  Click here   to learn more on how to give effective employee orientations.

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