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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PLANTING THE SEEDS OF SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS BY LILY WINSAFT – ALDEBARAN RECRUITING

Small Business Seeds

Forrest Gump, the movie, greatly impacted me when it came out several years ago.

I still remember its many inspirational scenes and messages. Of course, there’s the very famous line, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

That expression has almost become an icon in our culture, and I’m sure it has helped those who resonate with it deal with what life has “given” them. Even so, I can’t say that I 100% agree with this message.

I like to believe that I’m gonna get from life what I put into it. To me, “Life is like a garden. You reap what you sow.” But my point is that expressions, positive or negative, go a long way in establishing patterns of thoughts and belief systems, many of which ultimately “run” our life.

What is the main belief system or thought pattern that you have about your small business? 

Is it something like, “Running a business is hard and only few succeed?” Or is it something like, “My business will prosper to the degree that I honor my vision?”

We consciously or unconsciously entertain many thoughts and beliefs, and for the most part we are not very aware that these thought patterns are impacting our reality. But they are literally giving birth to action and through these actions, our thoughts and belief systems create our reality!!

What if we related to thoughts and belief systems as the seeds with which we are planting the garden called our business? I’m sure you’ve come across this garden analogy many times.

Let’s dig into the weeds with this idea and discover how we can reap the kind of rewarding harvest from our efforts that we so desire.

Think about what allows the most accomplished gardeners to have an amazing harvest.

• Do you think they chose fertile ground in which to plant?
• Do you think they thought about what they wanted to grow and for what purpose before they tilled the soil?
• Do you think they pre-designed their garden and mapped it out?
• Do you think they selected their seeds and placed them in sections in the garden according to their need for more sun or more shade?
• Do you think they purchased seeds of high quality from reliable sources?
• Do you think they spent time pulling weeds and protecting their garden from pests?

I hope you answered yes to all these questions! And I hope you realize, too, that there do exist many gardens that have had no planning, no design and no purpose.

They have their own beauty and allure. What kind of garden is your small business?

If you expect your small business to succeed, you must plant within it the seeds of success. And you must maintain your garden by daily pulling the weeds (negative thoughts), watering it with fertilizing nourishment (positive thoughts) and finally, harvesting its bounty at the right time, when it is ripe for picking. 

Here are 3 tips to create a small business that thrives through actions nourished by high quality seeds that reap reward and lead to your success:

1.   Make an inventory of the virtues/qualities/attitudes that you want to bring into your small business, whether you believe you possess them or not.

On your list should appear attitudes such as “I honor and keep my word,”

• “I am committed to seeing a project through to the end,” “When I am unable to keep my word, I communicate a new promise,”
• “I hold myself and others accountable,”
• “I respect my clients and my vendors,”
• “I own my mistakes and do whatever it takes to correct them,” “I proudly stand for my principles,”
• “I courageously meet challenges,” and “I am flexible and forgiving with others.”

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