Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom A New Way to Envision Onboarding

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom A New Way to Envision Onboarding The world of work is changing, and talent acquisition is no exception. At this yearsSilkRoad Connections conference,IDC Research Director Kyle Lagunas discussed the impact that social and mobile technologies have had on the candidate experience. Increasingly, candidates are our customers, hiring processes are collaborative, and talent acquisition and marketing are attracting top talent and managing company reputations via a powerful employer brand. We are part of one global economy, using one global talent pool, and leveraging a myriad of data sources to make decisions. However, recruiting has traditionally been a cost center and measures of success have been focused on efficiency. Those organizations that have embraced more modern recruiting practices are grappling with old metrics. Today’s most effective hiring organizations are leveraging talent analytics to optimize recruiting efforts for a competitive advantage. Moving Beyond the Administrative Onboarding is so much more than an administrative checklist. It’s a critical juncture in HCM between the talent acquisition and talent management processes. According to a recent IDC survey, 77 percent of organizations say that onboarding is at least “very important,” yet statistics on the level of sophistication of current efforts don’t bear this out. After the recruitment and offer phases, most organizations go into radio silence mode until a candidate’s first day. Lagunas said that 63 percent of new hires completed forms online prior to their first day, but only 37 percent received calls from their hiring managers and 25 percent received a detailed schedule for their first week. Only 15 percent of employers asked for candidate feedback prior to start date and 17 percent provided multiple communication channels (access to a new hire portal, etc.). In order to elevate onboarding, Lagunas suggested solidifying answers to the following questions: When will onboarding start? Don’t leave everything for Day 1. Pre-onboarding is now a best practice. How long will onboarding last? It often extends beyond the first day and even beyond the first month. What kind of impression will we make? How do we want employees to feel? Challenged, appreciated, amped up? Pre-hire and the first day or two are the ideal times to shape these emotions. How will we support socialization? We need to connect new hires to an organization’s mission and values, and foster meaningful connections with co-workers. What role does everyone play? In addition to HR, what should hiring managers, business unit leaders, and executives be doing to facilitate assimilation? For the rest of Kyles insights, head over to the SilkRoad blog.

The LinkedIn Green Dot A Job Seekers New Best Friend

The LinkedIn Green Dot â€" A Job Seekers New Best Friend By now, youve probably noticed the LinkedIn green dot on some of your connections LinkedIn profiles (see below). You might even have asked yourself, What does that green dot mean on LinkedIn?In a nutshell, the LinkedIn green dot is the easiest way you have to signal recruiters that youre active on LinkedIn right now. That matters because recruiters are much more likely to message you if they think you will see their outreach. How to Manage Active Status on LinkedInThus, if youre a job seeker on LinkedIn, it benefits you to turn on your Active status.To do this: Click your mini Me photo on the top, horizontal rail of your profile.Choose Settings Privacy.Scroll down to Manage active status and click.Choose All LinkedIn members.Within a few minutes, that turns on your active status and your green dot.As a bonus, it also lets you see other members active status (per their all members or connections selections). Thus, if you want to send someone a LinkedIn message, you will now have more information about whether or not theyre currently active on the site. Keep a LinkedIn Window Open on Your ComputerIf you arent currently active on LinkedIn (logged in with a LinkedIn window open), your green dot wont display. So, if youre open to recruiters messages, always keep a LinkedIn window open on your computer.The Green White Dot â€" Your Second Best FriendContinuing from above, I know you cant always keep a LinkedIn window open on your computer.However, you can activate a push notification on your smartphone that pings you whenever you get a LinkedIn message.When you do that, and youre not active on LinkedIn, your profile will display a green and white dot instead of a green dot (see above). It lets recruiters know that you will get a notification that you received a message. Thus, its also a good idea to have that push notification enabled. Enabling LinkedIn Push Notifications To turn your push notification on for messages, grab your phone and:Install the LinkedIn app if you havent already.Go to your profile on your phone.Tap the Settings gear in the upper-right corner of your screen.Choose Communications in the top, horizontal rail.Click Push.Click Conversations.Turn on Messages you have received.Whats Your LinkedIn Green Dot Preference?Would you rather say, Nobodys home, with no green dot:Or let recruiters know that their messages will reach you with a solid green dot or a green and white dot? I know what I advise my clients to do.Another Way to Help Recruiters Contact YouBTW, not all recruiters like to message potential candidates via the LinkedIn site. Because of that, its also a good idea to make it easy for them to find your email address on your profile.Let’s Connect on LinkedInPlease don’t hesitate toinvite me to connect on LinkedIn. The more I know about my readers, the more relevant I can make my blog. 2019, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.Donna SveiDonna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search c onsultant, and CPA, writes all of AvidCareerists posts. She has written for and been quoted by leading business, general, and career media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Lifehacker, Ask.com, Social Media Today, IT World, SmartBrief, Payscale, Business News Daily, and the Muse. Let her background and experience inform your job search strategy and decision making.Learn more about Donnas executive resume writing service or email Donna for more information. LinkedIn â€" Privacy Settings (4 Posts)

Office Etiquette What You Should Know About Friendships at Work

Office Etiquette What You Should Know About Friendships at Work A few months ago I guest posted over at the New Professional.   In case you missed it, I decided to repost it again today.   Here is everything you need to know about friendships at work. As young professionals, we spend at least 40 hours a week at work which is as much time as we spend with our families at home. We all hope to find a job and co-workers that we love but sometimes we don’t take the opportunity to really get to know the people we work with because we are so busy. Do you know how influential co-workers can be on your attitude and perception of work? I have had multiple jobs since college and the jobs I loved the most were when I had a lot of friends around. The jobs that I couldn’t wait to leave were those jobs where I felt like no one liked me and I was a complete outsider. So what should you do at work in order to maintain your professionalism, climb the corporate ladder and make some great friends for life? Tips for Managing Friendships at Work 1. Network Do whatever you can do to get to know as many people as possible where you work. This will not only help you get questions answered but it will also allow you to learn about different areas of the company. Maybe someday you will want to move into the marketing department. You will be very glad that you have a friend in marketing that you can ask for help. 2. Ask questions Ask your co-workers about their weekends and how their family and children are doing. It will make your working relationship so much better when you know personal things about each other. Make sure that you be yourself and that you are genuine. [Related Post:  How To Be Nice At Work Without Being a Doormat] 3. Say yes Always go to lunches and happy hours if you have the opportunity. These events are a great way to get to know the personalities of the people you work with. You can talk and laugh about things in a relaxed atmosphere and socialize about things you may not feel comfortable talking about in the office. 4. Watch out  Be very careful not to take part in gossip and whatever you do, don’t take sides. Make sure you set boundaries, especially in the beginning. Keep some distance when it comes to partying and sharing personal things about you. No one needs to know that illegal thing you did in high school because stories will quickly go around the office. Maintain your professionalism and keep a 1-2 drink limit. 5. Don’t bug Get to know how your co-workers work and when they enjoy socializing. When someone is working hard and right in the middle of an important deliverable, it’s probably not the best time to ask them how their weekend was. Be vigilant about where you are socializing and who else can hear. Don’t bug others who don’t want to hear about your amazing date last night and don’t get a reputation for socializing all the time. I hope you can see how work can be much better if you know and LIKE your co-workers. Now, go make some great work friends! What do you think? Do you think it is smart to have lots of friendships at work? (Photo by Flickr.com  Voka-Kamer)

Feeling Under Pressure Heres How to De-stress and Relax at this Time of Year

Feeling Under Pressure Here’s How to De-stress and Relax at this Time of Year This time of year is high pressure all round. We’re reaching the end of the working/tax year, and Christmas is looming, which we all know is one of the most expensive times of year. There’s also that constant pressure to feel jolly and enjoy the season with family and friends, which can be difficult to do if you’re feeling a little highly strung. The financial, emotional, and working pressure can, at times, feel overwhelming for people â€" and instead of being able to sit back and enjoy this time of year, they end up doing the polar opposite. If you’re feeling the pressure of the season and could do with unwinding a little, then here’s how you can ensure you de-stress and relax at this time of year. Look for the Hassle Free Way A lot of the time we feel so much pressure to get things done, that we forget to step back and look for an easier way.   If youre one of those who for whatever reason gets involved in a extra stressful situation, like selling your house during the holidays,   a prime example of doing this would be looking into using this service when selling a house. The problem with this, is that people tend to stigmatise the easy way of doing things, and refer to it as “lazy”, when in fact, it’s really just being efficient. Take Christmas shopping for example. Does the thought of traipsing around the shopping centre, weighed down by countless bags and the worrisome thought of an empty bank account fill you with dread? Yep, us too. Which is why looking for a hassle-free way is ALWAYS advisable. In this scenario, instead of going out to do your festive shopping, why not try going online this year? So many people do their regular shopping online nowadays, because it’s a fast and easy alternative to going out and doing so. Why should Christmas be any different, really? So long as you do it advance, you could actually save money by picking up the best bargains, AND have all of the goods delivered in time for the big day, with no hassle from required. Possibly the best part is you can do it from the comfort of your sofa, with a hot chocolate in hand and a Christmas film in the background. There’s really not a more relaxing way to get the shopping done. Forget being “Perfect” A lot of people feel under so much pressure at this time of year, because they feel as if they need to make sure it’s “perfect”. A lot of this emotional pressure can be blamed on marketing techniques and consumerism, where all adverts seemingly promote the most perfect festive season anyone could imagine. Basically if your dinner isn’t exquisite, the kids don’t love every gift and there isn’t an inch of snow outside â€" you’ve failed. The fact is, however, that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, you want to have a nice day, but forget perfect! When you think about it logically, Christmas is just another day in the calendar year â€" so why should you feel under pressure to make it anything but that? Sure, it’s a little different because of the traditional celebrations we all partake in, but if you burn the potatoes, so what? If your aunt gets too drunk and starts an argument about politics, so what? If you couldn’t afford to get your little one the latest iPad this year, so what? All of these things are small in the grand scheme of it all, and the most important thing to remember is to enjoy the company of those around you. It’s not what’s under the tree and on the table, and it’s not about being the picture perfect family. It’s about being real, and loving the people around you for who they are, and what they bring to your life. That’s what Christmas is all about. Avoid the Hangover Last of all, but not at all least, why not try skipping out on the hangover this year? Yes, we know Christmas is the time for over indulgence â€" and that also includes alcohol for a lot of people â€" but if you’re feeling stressed and are struggling to cope with the festive season, trying to do so on a hangover will just be even worse. No one is saying go T-total if you don’t want to â€" have a glass of bubbly with the family, or finish your night with a soothing Baileys if that makes you happy! All we’re saying is don’t feel under pressure to keep up with everybody else. Enjoy the festive season in your own way, and you’ll feel less stressed for it.

The Biggest Executive Job Search and Personal Branding Mistake - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

The Biggest Executive Job Search and Personal Branding Mistake Whats the first step when youre about to dive into a job search? Create your resume, or update your existing one, so you can hit the job boards hard right away? Nope. The biggest mistake too many job seekers make from the get-go is skipping over the critical first step â€" identifying target employers that are a mutual good fit. How can you expect to have a successful job search or a compelling personal brand without knowing who youre targeting and writing your personal marketing content for? How can you write about what makes you a good fit for a company, if you don’t know what challenges specific companies are facing right now, so you can align your qualifications with their pressing needs? How can you define your personal brand around differentiating the unique value you offer the employers you’ll be reaching out to â€" in terms of your driving personal attributes, strengths, passions and other good-fit qualities â€" if you don’t know anything about who they are, their needs and their corporate culture? You won’t be able to create brand messaging that will speak to your promise of value and resonate with specific employers, helping them picture you there at work for them, positively impacting their company. You can’t write a resume (or other career documents, profile, Google+ profile, other online profiles, etc.) that will accelerate your job search, if you jump right over that first step. Here’s what you need to do, to execute the targeting and researching part of your job search campaign: ? Compile a list of 15-20 (or more) target companies. ? Research each company and your industry. ? Look for well-written job descriptions (even if the geographical location isn’t right for you) that look like a good fit. They will be loaded with the relevant keywords that need to be in your resume, and will outline required qualifications and skill sets. ? Make a list of the keywords, areas of expertise, qualifications and skill sets that crop up consistently in your research. ? Write down specific examples, with metrics, of contributions and accomplishments you made in the past in those areas, to demonstrate your ROI value. ? Search for the hiring decision makers at each company, that youll work on networking towards, once you start your job search. If you don’t do these things, you’ll end up with generic personal marketing content â€" trying to cover too many bases and failing at differentiating your value. In all likelihood, none of it will hit home with anyone. Know where you want to go, what their needs are, and what makes you valuable to them, so you can focus all your job search efforts â€" including networking and job interviewing â€" and all your personal marketing in one direction. Make it very clear that you’re the right person, in every respect, for the job you’re targeting. If you’re not really a good fit, and you know it, then you’re probably wasting everyone’s time by reaching out to those people, no matter how great you think your marketing materials are. Related posts: Executive Job Search: Research Your Target Employers 10 Steps to an Authentic, Magnetic Personal Brand How to Write An Irresistible C-level Executive Resume in 10 Steps How to Use the New for Executive Personal Branding photo by Vizzzual.com 00 0

Dont End Up At The Back Of The Pack In January

Don’t End Up At The Back Of The Pack In January Don’t End Up At The Back Of The Pack In January Job Search / Resume Writing There are only a few weeks left to 2018. If you’re already looking or plan to start in the new year, there is no time to waste. Serious candidates are working a job search plan right now. If you’re taking time off to enjoy the holidays, you’re falling behind.  Here are a few ways to catch up. Target Employers First, create a list of target employers. These are your dream employers, the places you would work if you could work anywhere. Ten is a good place to start. Learn all you can about them. Make a note to visit their website periodically to check job openings. As a recruiter, it was rare to source a job that was not listed on the company website. The exception being a confidential search when the person didn’t know they were being replace. In addition to monitoring their site, set up a Google search. It’s a fast, easy, free way to know when they are in the news. (While you’re there, set up a search for you as well.) Finally, contact family and  friends to see who might know someone who works for your target employers. Resume Revamp Despite all the festivities, most of us have a little extra time off over the holidays. Use some of that time to get your resume recruiter ready. No one is going to be impresses with a boring list of responsibilities, instead focus on the impact that youve made on your previous employers. Think in terms of CAR stories: Challenge, Action, Result.  What was the challenge you faced? What were the actions taken? What was the result? If you were part of or working with a team, make sure to highlight what you contributed. LinkedIn Reboot Next, start working on your LinkedIn profile. Today LinkedIn is like Google for people. If you don’t have an optimized profile, you’ll come up at the bottom of a recruiter’s search even if he or she is looking for someone with your credentials. Make sure your headline is used as a headline. LinkedIn doesn’t refer to the top line on your profile as a headline for nothing. Use yours as a snapshot of what you bring to the table. The summary is a great place to give readers some insight in to who you are. Talk a little bit about why you do what you do, why you went into that field, what you love about your work, what makes you proud. Finally, provide information under each position. A skeleton profile, like a boring resume, it not going to inspire anyone to contact you. Network Socially During the holidays there are tons of places to network. Office parties and industry events to name two. But, dont discount who you might meet at your cousin’s annual holiday potluck. It may be that they’re dating the HR director at one of your target companies. Don’t go with the intention of asking everyone there if they know of a job for you. Just talk to people, get to know them. It’s OK to tell them you are looking for a job. Definitely bring business cards with you. But don’t push your card on them unless they ask. Always remember it’s a holiday party. Spend some time over the holiday season getting ready for next year. If you don’t spend your time wisely, you’ll find yourself at the back of the pack in January. 2019 is only a few weeks away.

Tips For Writing a Resume As a Teenager

Tips For Writing a Resume As a TeenagerTips for writing a resume as a teen are very important and it is important to be able to apply for the jobs that you want. There are many differences between the job hunt process for a teen and the adult.The first difference is that the job seeker in their teenage years has an increase of responsibility. Since the job seeker will be more responsible, they will not be as picky as the older job seeker. You do not have to worry about getting the job or not getting the job, since they are already looking for it.Teens are also starting to learn the value of time. While this may be very important for an adult, for a teenager, they will be just as busy and they will not be too concerned with time.When applying for jobs as a job seeker, it is a good idea to be very organized. Since the job seeker has a job now, they will need to make sure that they have all the required information in order for them to be successful.In addition, a job seeker should also have current address and phone number. There is nothing worse than applying for jobs and never being contacted after all the letters have been sent.You can write a professional resume in just a few minutes when you are a teen. The rules that apply to the job hunt apply to the resume, too.When it comes to the needs of the job seeker, you will need to be creative and put forth efforts to make yourself stand out from the rest of the candidates in your age group. The job hunters will not like being viewed as competition.To get the best possible job, you can help to reduce the youth unemployment rate in the United States by completing your resume properly. There are many tips for writing a resume as a teen to help you accomplish your goal of getting hired.