Category: Recruiting

Recruiting is changing at a rapid pace. Some organizations are abandoning traditional methods for social media; some think software can do a better job than people.

Job Descriptions Must Offer Steak, Not Pablum

The job description can be a great marketing tool and even “replace” the first interview, but not without a determined effort to put real meat on the job description bones. Most job descriptions offer “pablum,” says Irving H. Buchen. The dull boilerplate language doesn’t reveal very much about the job and isn’t going to enthuse […]

2 Words that Mean Interview Success—’Drill Deeper’

Yesterday’s Advisor covered two deadly sins of interviewers. Today, we’ll talk about a third sin—failing to drill down to the unvarnished truth—and a tip about a product specially designed for the small HR department. Any job candidate with an ounce of sense has prepared answers for the obvious questions about job qualifications. You still have […]

3 Deadly Sins of Interviewers—and How to Avoid Them

Interviewing and hiring the best “talent” for your organization is probably your most important task. And yet, time after time, there’s that sinking feeling after just one day—bad choice. Want to avoid that? Avoid these three deadly interviewing sins. Fortunately, it’s not that hard. Deadly Sin #1—Failure to Prepare Before you start recruiting you need […]

Making Referral Programs Pay–Tips and Sample Policy

Yesterday’s Advisor covered VistaPrint’s very successful employee referral program. Today we’ll look at program tips from The HR Red Book® and a sample policy. In planning your referral program, says The HR Red Book® (formally known as What to Do About Personnel Problems in [Your State]), keep these tips in mind: Incentives can include gift […]

Every Employee and Applicant Is a Talent Scout

Even with a 24-person recruiting team, VistaPrint is always looking for other sources to recruit top talent, so the company views each of its 900 employees—and each job applicant—as a talent scout. “The recruitment team is not the only team that is responsible for gathering talent here. Every person in this organization is asked to […]

Are ‘Stealth’ Violations Lurking in Your Selection Standards?

Employers with the best of intentions can get tripped up by “stealth” violations of testing discrimination laws, says Fay Hansen, blogging on the Workforce Management website. Fay Hansen points out several situations in which employers get into trouble with their testing. Jobs change The first stealth problem is simply that jobs change. In today’s work […]

Are Your ‘Impartial’ Tests Actually Discriminatory?

Even if your selection practices are purely objective and neutral, you’re not immune from liability for their “disparate impact.” Bottom line—it’s time to put your tests to the test. What’s considered a test in terms of hiring? Basically it’s any yardstick or evaluative tool you use to help you select employees. One of the theoretical […]

8 ‘Rookie’ Mistakes Hiring Managers Make

Most managers get thrown into hiring and interviewing without much guidance, and it shows—in poor performance and poor retention. Today’s expert shares the top eight mistakes managers make. Bad hires sap time, training resources, and psychic energy, says Susan M. Heathfield, blogging on About.com. Here are her top eight “rookie” mistakes (often made by experienced […]

8 Strategies for Retaining Techies (and the Rest of Us)

Recruiting techie talent is all about understanding what they are looking for—and that’s true for recruiting any type of talent. In yesterday’s Advisor, we learned how retention gives a boost to recruiting; today, “techie” retention tips and an introduction to a unique new way to manage the first step of recruiting–job descriptions. Here are techie […]

Recruiting Techie Talent (The Rules Work for ‘Other’ Talent, Too)

Recruiting techie talent is all about understanding what they are looking for—and that’s true for recruiting any type of talent. First, let’s look at a survey that recruiting firm Dice, which specializes in technology and engineering employees, recently conducted among more than 650 passive and active information technology (IT) candidates. What’s Missing from Job Postings? […]