October 17, 2007
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Because it’s a buyers market, when looking to attract young talent, compensation and location will continue to be increasingly important. But, over the near term, so too will your ability to reach them using new media, creative interactivity, and old-fashioned word of mouth.
Compensation. A business professor once told our class “It’s all about the bottom line.” And in many ways, when it comes to hiring he was right. Cost of living differences aside, top candidates typically want to be paid top dollar. If you’re new to formalized recruiting and you’re looking to hire undergraduate or graduate students, contact career offices at core recruiting schools for up to the minute salary data.
Location. Not something most companies can easily change at the drop of a dime, mid- to large-sized companies have the capacity to open up satellite offices in the U.S. and abroad. As the competition for top talent becomes even more intense and job seekers become less flexible about where they work, companies that offer geographic options will have a competitive advantage. Companies that were once able to hang their hats on shorter commute times and the opportunity to live in the suburbs are finding that might not be enough. To land top talent, sometimes you need multiple locations.
And, as I mentioned in an earlier post, don’t overlook the importance of marketing your city. Whirlpool is one such company that does a great job of highlighting what their location has to offer prospective employees.
New media. This is the wild card. A lot has been written about companies using Facebook, MySpace and YouTube to do a little digging on applicants. Now, more and more companies are starting to jump on board using those same sites as a marketing vehicle to attract talent. This is quite possibly the single biggest opportunity to change the way job seekers interface with, and identify companies of interest. But because we’re talking about it now, it’s already old news. Challenge your recruiting team to think about the face of recruiting over the next few years. How will your organization use technology to attract and land great candidates? Chances are company websites, flashy videos, and huge job boards aren’t going to be enough.
Creative interactivity. Companies recruiting on campus have traditionally followed a standard model. First, play a flashy video that includes sound bites from senior executives and junior employees. Then, dive into an hour-long presentation with time for a few student questions at the end followed by a little mingling. The benefits of these presentations are likely short lived. What students often remember is creative interactivity--having a chance to learn about the company while also seeing first-hand what the job involves. For example, Lehman Brothers sets up a sales and trading simulation and Fidelity hosts a stock picking game for MBAs. Other companies sponsor tailgates or case competitions. The benefits of these activities are enormous. They create a huge buzz on campus and they also give companies a chance to evaluate candidates more than they would if they relied on a traditional hour-long run of the mill company presentation.
Word of mouth. The low-tech approach to wooing candidates, there’s no better marketing resource on a college campus than a returning intern. Long after a company presentation or career fair is over, a former intern will continue to interact with dozens of classmates every day. But, as is often the case, that can be a double-edged sword if the intern didn’t have a great summer experience. So, don’t over hire interns. Make sure you have enough projects to keep them busy and check in with them periodically (not just during a mid-summer review) to see how things are going. And before they head back to campus, if you don’t already do so, schedule an exit interview to get a feel for what worked and what didn’t.
Increased competition for candidates requires continuous improvement around recruiting strategies and methods. The companies that continue to be thought leaders in this space will continue to attract and yield young talent.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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October 8, 2007
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Friday was my boss’s last day on the job. Her departure got me thinking about the positive lessons I’ve learned from all of my former supervisors (there have been negative lessons learned as well, but I’ll save those for another blog). Here are a few of the memorable takeaways I’ve come up with, and which I hope will make me a better manager, leader, and co-worker:
Never underestimate the power of Silly Putty. When my most recent boss joined us, we were in the throes of an incredibly busy part of the year and the entire team was under a tremendous amount of stress. At our weekly staff meeting, she gave us each our own Silly Putty, and almost immediately, the group became more relaxed. That taught me two things. 1) Always keep your eyes open to see if your co-workers are struggling. Some people will ask for help, others won’t. Being able to pick up on the non-verbal cues that the team is under pressure is a must. 2) Don’t take things too seriously. The work we do is important, but it’s (rarely) a matter of life or death: keep things in perspective. As a reminder of these two tenets, you may want to bring in your own supply of Silly Putty. (Endorsement disclosure: neither I nor my former boss own stock in Silly Putty – though we wish we did).
Be a players’ coach. It’s easy to talk about caring for your co-workers, but doing it is often another story. I’ve been lucky enough to work for some players’ coaches who genuinely cared about each and every member of the team and would do whatever it took to support us professionally and personally.
The devil is in the details. When I worked for a home improvement chain, our Regional Manager repeatedly taught us the importance of noticing the little things (his enthusiasm for details often putting him at risk of an aneurism). He made sure we checked for everything from burned-out light bulbs to guaranteeing that we always had the right items in stock. Everything we do is about brand…our personal brand, our office brand, our company brand. Customers and clients will notice empty handout racks, not returning phone calls within 24 hours, and cigarette butts on the sidewalk. Don’t you?
My last important lesson learned: Be cool like Fonzie (for those of you who have read my other posts, you probably know by now that I’m a huge Fonzie fan). I’ve learned, from observing great bosses, that employees (myself included), look to leaders for cues on how to react to different situations. One of the hardest things about being a boss or a leader is you’re constantly being observed. When all eyes are on you, always keep your cool. Leather jacket is optional.
What zany lessons have you've learned from a current or former boss?
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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October 1, 2007
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Before you purchased your last auto, did you check out reviews and ratings from Consumer Reports or Kelley Blue Book? Or did you pull into the first dealership you came upon and flip a coin or buy the first vehicle that caught your eye? I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that most of us do our homework before making a major purchase. So I have to ask, is deciding on a job or company any different? After last week’s post, I’m amazed that some recruiters think it’s too much to ask to expect candidates to know how your company differs from its key competitors or for them to be able to tell you why they want to work for your company. Are you kidding me? Talk about setting the bar low…yikes.
I’ll be the first one to admit that even though companies see themselves as having vastly different cultures, missions, and values, from an outsider’s perspective they often appear very similar. Most organizations position themselves as industry leaders and extol their commitment to teamwork, customer service, and the community. But even when that’s the case, candidates should still be able to show that they know that’s what your company is about and know enough about your key competitors to highlight at least a few similarities or differences. If not, why are so many companies spending millions of dollars on marketing?
Back to the car example, if you ask most people why they purchased a certain make and model, they would be able to tell you, for example, that they purchased a multi-purpose vehicle because they are remodeling and they wanted something they could use to haul building materials. Notice I didn’t mention knowing everything there is to know about the vehicle, but at the very least being able to articulate why you purchased one instead of another. If a candidate can’t tell you how your company is different from your competitors or why he or she wants to work for your company, they don’t get it and probably never will. Recruiters can’t lower their standards on this one.
Some of the confusion can come from information overload. Slick brochures, company websites, videos, commercials, tag lines, brand promises, and, as one poster put it “companies wanting to be all things to all people.” I get that. But, if you’re looking to hire rock star candidates or diamonds in the rough, it’s up to them to sift through all of the information before the interview. At the very least, they should have checked out your website before the interview.
So, unless you’re looking to hire someone for the World Series of Limbo (something I’ve thought about pitching to the television networks), don’t lower the bar. With all of the information that’s available at the click of a mouse, our expectations of candidates should be getting higher, not lower.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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September 24, 2007
11:04 am | 0 recommendations | 4 comments
Sometimes the toughest interview questions seem like the ones that should be the easiest to answer. “Based on your research, what makes us uniquely different from our competitors?” Time and time again, it amazes me how many people get tripped up by this question. It’s easier to swallow when the candidate is a newly-minted undergrad or grad student, but candidates looking to make a mid-career move are just as likely to make the same mistake.
With links to thousands of articles, databases, and the treasure trove that is the web, you’d think that everyone would be able to answer it. But most can’t. And that led me to wonder…if interviewees can’t answer the question, should you automatically disqualify them? I have a hard time wrapping my mind around this one but I usually think it does because it’s a direct reflection of a candidate’s interview acumen or lack thereof.
What could not being able to answer that question say about an interviewee?
They’re not that into the company. If they were, they would have taken the time to do their homework. Thanks to Google, there’s really no excuse not to know a little bit about the company before an interview. Typically, candidates don’t have to know the middle names of the past five CEOs or what the stock is trading at on the day of their interview, but they should have a firm grasp of what products or services you offer, who some of your key leaders are, and how your company differentiates itself from some of your top competitors. If they’re not into your company, you don’t want to hire them. Simple as that.
They don’t “get it.” Show me a company that doesn’t value common sense, and I’ll show you a company that will soon be shutting its doors. They don’t have to be the most experienced interviewees in the world to realize that they should do a little research before the interview—it’s common sense in every shape of the word. If they don’t understand that, I suggest you show them the door 1) because they might not be able to find it on their own and 2) so you can avoid having them waste any more of your time.
They’re overconfident. Because of their background, they might think they’re a lock for the job so they decide not to do any research. Again, thinking someone is going to hand them a job on their laurels says a lot about where their collective heads are…and I’d fathom a guess it’s somewhere in the clouds. Not good. Even if they think they’ll be handed the job, they should still take the time to figure out if the company and job are a good fit. Overconfident now could mean big headaches later. Next!
Nerves. This is one you can almost always forgive. We’ve all been there. We know the answer, but we let our nerves get the best of us and we freeze up. This one is easy to identify if you just come back to the question later in the interview. In most cases, those who have done their due diligence will be able to knock the question out of the park. Within reason, there’s nothing wrong with being a little nervous. However, if you ask “why our company” and an interviewee starts to hyperventilate, it’s probably a good idea to consider other candidates.
Companies are made up of people and those people typically take pride in their companies and in their jobs. We want to know that the candidates we’re hiring to join our teams share the same passion for the company and the position as we do. I’m not saying you should reject candidates who can’t tell you what makes your company unique, but I am saying that should raise a SERIOUS red flag.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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September 19, 2007
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This weekend, I was scanning the radio when I landed on NPR and an interview with Josh Swiller, author of The Unheard: A Memoir of Deafness in Africa. The interviewer read an excerpt from the book; after only a few lines, I was hooked. The words he chose to paint the picture of his experiences working for the Peace Corps in Zambia were unlike anything I’d heard before. But, more than his descriptive language, there was one story from the book that got my wheels turning.
During the interview, Josh mentioned he got into quite a bit of trouble including a few fights during his time in Africa. Part of the cause was due to his deafness but often times the larger part was due to his lack of cultural awareness. He told a story of how his “in your face” approach to get things done often offended the locals. They preferred what they called “the snake in the grass”—not coming right out and saying or demanding what you want, rather slither around a bit before you go for the kill. His approach was all wrong. Has that ever happened to you on the job? Sure, the cultural differences within a company might not be as big of a chasm as the ones Josh faced in Zambia, but they can still undermine your ability to get the job done.
Josh was a “liger,” an animal made famous by the movie Napoleon Dynamite. Part lion and part tiger, a liger roars first and asks questions later. Instead of paying attention to their habitat, they often pound, or eat, the table until they get their way. But even though they get things done, they often create friction with coworkers, clients, and higher ups. If you’re going to be a liger, do so sparingly. If not, you might just growl your way out of a job.
When Josh told the story about the “snake in the grass,” it was the first time I’d heard the phrase used in a positive light. The phrase obviously has a completely different, and albeit negative, connotation in our culture. And you’ll get no arguments here. I’m not a huge fan of snakes, but especially not snakes in the grass. They’ve got to be the worst kind. As I think about how to approach situations in the workplace, the snake in the grass analogy holds water. Instead of going in for the kill, they move slowly about until they’re in a position to make their move. When was the last time you tried to persuade someone to adopt an idea? Did you go through a period of time building rapport and developing trust before you asked them to consider your proposal?
Continually improve your cultural awareness both of your work group and the company as a whole. But instead of using venom, learn what buttons to push with what people. And watch out for lawnmowers—the second leading killer of snakes in the grass.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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September 10, 2007
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This weekend, I had a chance to dive into Recruit or Die: How Any Business Can Beat the Big Guys in the War for Young Talent. Over the 7+ years I've worked in career services for a major university, I've had countless conversations with recruiters small and large about what it takes to develop a successful campus recruiting program.
Unlike other books I've read on the topic, Recruit or Die takes a comprehensive look at the entire campus recruiting process, from understanding what prospective hires want from their jobs and their careers, to how to write an effective job posting. If you're new to campus recruiting, or if you're looking for ways to continuously improve your efforts, check out Recruit or Die. I know it gave me a few new ideas that I will use when I work with companies on creative recruiting strategies.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (and who has actually ever lived or known anyone who has lived under a rock?), you know that there’s growing concern over the weakness in the economy beyond the housing and financial sectors. And Friday’s government employment report that the number of Americans with jobs fell last month for the first time in four years didn’t help allay those fears.
Historically, when the economy is hot, companies have over hired. When things start to cool off, they likewise overcompensate by brining hiring to a screeching halt. This boon or bust reactionist mentality might seem like a good idea at the time, but both create serious long-term implications when recruiting on college campuses.
Over hiring is probably the most visible and usually causes the most damage. You know the routine…when the good times are good, we get caught up in the hiring frenzy. But when things take a turn for the worst, companies are often left scrambling to reassign, layoff, or even fire staff causing a black eye for the organization and hurting its ability to hire talent down the road.
But even when the economy remains strong, over hiring can still have negative consequences. Bringing too many people on board can mean less individualized attention and training dedicated to each new hire. This “let’s throw a bunch of people against the wall and see who sticks” mentality will come back to bite you in the long run when dissatisfied former interns and employees share their dissatisfaction with others.
To avoid over hiring, develop a plan for smart growth. Project your staffing needs based on three scenarios 1) your current situation, 2) if things continue to grow at a similar pace, and 3) if the bottom falls out. Assess and reassess your hiring numbers; benchmark with some of your top competitors.
On the flip side, under hiring can be just as damaging to your organization’s reputation. I see this a lot with companies when the economy starts to cool down. Instead of maintaining a steady, albeit smaller, talent pipeline on college campuses, companies eliminate campus recruiting for full-time and intern candidates. This strategy can completely undermine any brand equity you were able to build up. As a result, it’s likely going to take you twice as much effort to convince prospective applicants that you are committed to hiring students from their campus. Instead of eliminating your campus recruiting efforts, revisit your hiring numbers and your list of core schools. Continuing with a smaller hiring class is a much better strategy then eliminating college recruiting altogether.
Also, if you’ve had to let recent hires go due to a merger or acquisition, realize doing so is going to really reflect negatively on you if you decide to return to campus just a few short weeks or months later. I’m not saying you shouldn’t continue to recruit, but I am saying it’s critical that you factor in the public relations aspect of telling students “We want to hire” when they know a few of their classmates were just let go. Look, they’ll understand that sometimes you have to let people go, but let the dust settle before you’re back hanging up your shingle on campus.
When you’re looking to develop a talent pipeline, remember that it’s a long-term play that shouldn’t be scrapped the first time the company stock takes a hit. Instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, look for creative ways that you can continue to attract, recruit, and retain the future leaders of your organization from colleges campuses.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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September 4, 2007
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I decided to celebrate Labor Day by looking back at some of the “oddest” jobs I’ve had over the years. I’ve been an apple salesperson, a cement hauler, a car wash “technician,” and a “runner” for a television station during a nationally televised basketball game. None of these positions made me rich, but as my friends will tell you, they’ve provided me with a lifetime of entertaining stories. But even beyond the comedic value, they also taught me a lot about business, being a good employee, and the importance of fitting in with your coworkers. So let’s take a look at some of my odd jobs and what I was able to take away from them.
My first official job was selling apples in front of my grandmother’s house. I grew up on a small apple farm in Pennsylvania and, as a budding entrepreneur at the age of 10, I asked my grandmother if I could pick and sell some apples. Not only did she agree to my first official business plan, she also let me keep 100% of the profits. Key takeaways: The apple stand drove home the importance of location, effective signage, and merchandising. The “cute factor” of being 10 and selling apples alongside the road didn’t hurt my business either.
From there, I moved on to manual labor. This job was without a doubt the most physically demanding I’ve had thus far. It was also the creepiest. When I was 15, I was hired by a tombstone company to haul wheel barrels full of cement from the cement truck to the grave site. Key takeaways: 1) Dress for the occasion--I showed up dressed to impress not knowing that I was going to be hauling cement all day in 90+ degree temperature; as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes dressing up for your first day of work isn’t such a good idea. Before you start a new job, have a pretty good idea of what you’ll be expected to wear; and 2) I also learned that it takes a lot of cement to create a foundation for a tombstone.
Up next, my shortest stint. When I was in college, I was looking for a summer job to bring in a little cash (who isn’t?) I wound up working in quality control for an aerosol can manufacturer. Wanting to make a great first impression, I meticulously scanned cans for an 8 hour shift until, by the time I was finished, the cans all looked the same. And to make matters worse, when I got up to leave I noticed the warehouse was full of more cans that needed to be inspected. That put me over the edge. I realized I couldn’t go back. I called to let them know that Day One was also my last. Key takeaway: the importance of pacing yourself. I was trying to push through stacks and stacks of cans, but finishing the task was impossible. I should have spent more time taking periodic breaks but instead, I drove myself out of a job. That would have been one of the only times taking a smoke break would have paid off. Too bad I wasn’t a smoker.
From there, I tried my hand at the car wash business. And I must admit, this was probably the best fit for me during my teen years. It didn’t hurt that one of my best friends, Bryan, worked with me at the car wash for part of two summers. Key takeaway: the importance of fitting in. Many of the people who worked there had been doing so for years. I was just passing through until I went back to college. I made a point of hanging out in the background until I got a feel for the way things operated. The crew slowly opened up to us, and before you knew it, Bryan and I were insiders. Plus, I learned how to detail a car with the best of them.
My coolest odd job was the time I worked as a runner for a major television station during a broadcast of a basketball game between the University of North Carolina and the University of Connecticut. Long story short, television stations often hire locals to do basic tasks during the broadcast. It just so happened that a guy I went to high school with was an executive producer for the station so, in addition to having a chance to catch up with him, I also got a chance to sit in the production trailer during the broadcast. And, as if that wasn’t enough, I also got to wear a headset and have my very own clipboard. My job was to be the backup to the producer in New York by keeping track of trends during the game, timeouts, etc. Key takeaway: the importance of being in the right place at the right time. Had I not connected with my buddy while he was in town, I never would have had a chance to see a behind the scenes look at how a nationally televised basketball game is produced. And I definitely wouldn’t have had a chance to wear a cool headset or carry a clipboard.
Often the early jobs we held helped form the workers we are today. Think back to some of the jobs you’ve had over the years: If the trip down memory lane isn’t enough, I think you’ll find any number of key takeaways you learned that you can, or do, apply to your current job. And, if you ever need any help with anything from selling apples to hauling cement, you know where to find me.
Post a comment about some of your favorite odd jobs.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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August 28, 2007
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About a year ago, I completed my first official 360 review, an assessment that collects feedback from a broad sampling of sources in addition to my manager. I put a lot of time into making sure I picked people that 1) would give honest and open feedback and 2) knew me well enough that they could speak to the quality of my work. Because it was part of a formal program offered by human resources, I was also lucky enough to have a chance to sit down with someone to review the results and to develop a strategy for addressing opportunities for improvement. After having a chance to address the feedback from my last review, I’m getting ready to go through the process again to see how far I’ve come. But before I do, I thought I’d share four keys to an effective 360.
1. If it doesn’t gather feedback from a sampling of everyone you work with, it’s not a 360. I hear a lot of people talk about using a 360, but it’s probably more like an 80 because it only gathers feedback from one of the many groups the person works with. If an 80 suits your needs, that’s fine, but you might not want to refer to it as a 360. To be effective, the review should gather feedback from your boss, peers, direct reports, and any clients you work with on a regular basis.
2. 360s should be used for professional development, not performance reviews. Depending on the set up, results may only be seen by human resources or they could also be seen by your manager. This one is open for debate, but the best way to ensure your employees are going to provide you with a random sample of names to complete the 360 is to make sure it isn’t tied to them being fired or missing out on a performance-based raise.
3. Different strokes for different folks. There are a ton of 360 tools out there. Be sure to evaluate which one you choose based on the needs of your employees. One that focuses on leading and managing won’t add a lot of value when the people you are reviewing don’t really lead or manage. Nothing says meaningless like a report that’s made up of “not applicable” responses.
As part of the management development program assessment, we used an assessment called a Leadership Mirror which was created by Development Dimensions International.
4. Schedule time to review the results. Without it, your employees won’t be able to talk through the results both good and bad. They won’t be able to identify where any negative perceptions might be coming from and what they can do to address them and that can make working in a tight-knit team a “little” awkward to say the least. Reviewing the results with a trained professional allows your employees to look at the good and the bad and to decipher what was legitimate and what wasn’t.
Without a doubt, completing a 360 was one of the single most important things I’ve done in my career. I learned about the importance of knowing your blind spots and how you are perceived by your coworkers. And, as part of the review process, I was able to use the feedback as an opportunity to open a dialog with my coworkers about how to work more effectively as a part of our team.
If you don’t already do so, I encourage you to provide an opportunity for every employee to complete a 360 as a part of their individualized professional development plan. The exercise can be the single best resource for their personal and professional growth.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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August 20, 2007
11:27 am | 0 recommendations | 6 comments
Last week a reader, Steve, responded to an issue I raised by drawing a parallel to the need for a better fax machine. Thanks, Steve. For a while I thought I was the only one who wondered why there hasn’t been one improvement to fax machines in 20 years. They still make that weird sound when the fax is being transmitted and it can still take forever for a fax to go through even though emails and phone calls are almost instantaneous. I don’t mean to call out folks working in product development, but come on people--it’s time to step up to the plate.
This week I want to talk about more than my love of fax machine enhancements. If there’s one thing I think we all enjoy, it’s the logistics of recruiting a new employee; posting job descriptions, screening resumes, interviewing, following up with candidates who weren’t selected. My department is looking to fill a newly created position and, as part of that process, we spent a considerable amount of time crafting and tweaking the job description. Because it’s one of the first touches we have with potential candidates, it’s important to think about how we’re going to market the job and our office. Based on what I’ve heard from job seekers and recruiters over the years, I’ve narrowed down what can make or break a job posting to the following:
The locationally challenged. I don’t care where you’re located, with the right marketing touch you can overcome any obstacle. For example, I grew up near Sharon, Pennsylvania—home of the world’s largest shoe store and the world’s largest candy store (am I the only one who ever wonders who verifies this stuff?) Whether your company is headquartered at the North Pole, Death Valley, or points in between, when you create your job description it’s important to focus on positive aspects of your location. For example, if you’re in an area where it snows year round, highlight how much new employees will save on air conditioning bills.
Too many/few requirements. Be specific. If you are looking for an MBA, say so. Many candidates pass over openings that don’t specify minimum educational requirements and also, on the flip side, those that list too many requirements. Take an honest look at the skills and experience candidates must possess to be successful in the position. Include nothing more or nothing less. If you’re job description is five pages long, you’re doing something wrong.
The “arbitrary years of experience” stipulation. This one always kills me. Minimum 11 years of experience required. So you’re saying someone with 10 years and 10 months of experience can’t do the job but in a mere 3 months they’ll be an expert? I know we have to set cut offs or else everyone under the sun will apply, but wouldn’t it be a better idea to focus on relevant experience and accomplishments instead of an arbitrary number?
Infinite deadlines. Candidates need a sense of urgency. Posting a position with an application deadline six months from now we’ll cost you strong candidates for two reasons; 1) because most people put off for five months what they can do today and in that time there’s a pretty good chance the opening will fall through the cracks, and 2) if they’re looking for something more immediate, the rolling application deadline will likely scare them away. Try two to four weeks.
Advertising. Depending on the scope of your search, posting openings through local media outlets might work but that should just be one part of an overall campaign. I’m becoming more and more of a fan of the job posting section of LinkedIn. A recruiter looking for referrals forwarded an opening to me last week and I was able to circulate it to colleagues in other departments quickly and easily.
Monster and CareerBuilder are okay, but most candidates I speak to feel as though applying to openings on job boards and company websites is like throwing your application into a black hole. Remember—this wouldn’t be the case if more companies would follow up with candidates to 1) acknowledge receipt of their application and 2) to let them know whether or not they were selected for an interview. Sorry, I’ll get off my soap box about the importance of following up with candidates.
Also, don’t forget about professional associations and alumni career offices at colleges and universities in your area. They generally offer low cost alternatives for advertising your openings. Plus, depending on what you’re looking for, you’re less likely to get bombarded by hundreds of applications from candidates without the right background that you would if you were posting on huge job boards.
The next time you have an opening in your organization, don’t just dust off the job description you used four years ago and throw it on a few websites. Take a subjective look at what you say from the eyes of a potential candidate and ask yourself, “if I were looking for a job right now, would this job description pique my interest?”
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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August 13, 2007
09:32 am | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment
My all-time longest-shortest trip had to be my stay in Boston last week. I flew in to meet with a few companies but ended up spending 15 hours at Logan Airport. Everything seemed good to go until, over the period of a few hours, fog completely enveloped the airport. One by one, flights were cancelled including both flights back to Raleigh. To make matters worse, all the hotels in the area were completely booked and there wasn’t a rental car to be found. Armed with my laptop and suitcase, I had to hunker down for my first ever all-nighter at an airport. This week, I thought I’d to share with you some survival tips and observations from the adventure.
Always pack long pants. Because it was a quick trip, I only packed a suit and some shorts. They had the air conditioning on full tilt (and I mean full tilt) and that made for a pretty uncomfortable night. At one point it got so cold, I thought I saw the Abominable Snowmonster and Yukon Cornelius from Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Dunkin Donuts is good. One of the benefits of being stranded at Logan was having a Dunkin Donuts in the terminal that was open 24 hours. I must say I was pretty excited at first as I don’t get a chance to eat donuts all that often, but by morning I never wanted to see another glazed donut again.
Handy hint: Pace yourself when eating glazed donuts and drinking coffee.
Fog will dissipate if the temperature rises or falls. I struck up a conversation about fog with the guy sitting next to me at the gate and we weren’t sure if it was better if it warmed up or cooled off. A pilot later told us either would work but unfortunately neither happened on that Tuesday night. And, if you’re a fan of Murphy’s Law, you’ll be happy to know that the fog completely cleared about by 8:00 pm but by that time the airport was almost completely shut down leaving most of us stranded.
Power outlets are a traveler’s best friend. When I knew I was going to be stuck there a while, I went on a scouting mission to find an outlet. It always amazes me how hard they are to come by at most airports. Once I found electricity, I set up camp for the night.
Handy hint: look high and low as some airports have outlets in the ceiling.
YouTube is the greatest invention ever!!!! I usually bring DVDs with me in case my flight is delayed but this trip I didn’t. So I had a ton of time on my hands with nothing to do. Thanks to YouTube, I was able to pass the overnight hours watching clips from some of my favorite movies. I also played “stump YouTube” by trying to search for clips from obscure movie and tv shows. Try it some time.
Sleep is overrated. Maybe it was the uncomfortable airport benches with 75 armrests that made it impossible to lie flat, or the comfortable cement floor, or people talking with their “outdoor voices” at 3:00 am when I was trying to sleep, but at some point I decided sleep was overrated. Later I realized that could have been the sleep depravation talking.
There’s a ban on liquids, gels, and aerosols. You might have heard something about this once if you have electricity, but that wasn’t the case for the woman behind me going through security. She had a 46 ounce jar of Heinz ketchup in her carryon. I don’t even know what to say about this one. The TSA screener threw it away (I hate to see good ketchup go to waste) but I had to wonder if there was another traveler with a hamburger in his or her carryon that is without ketchup as we speak.
Handy hint: If you love ketchup, bring a few of those packets you get from McDonald’s. I’m a Pittsburgh guy so I’m partial to Heinz, but even I know there’s no need to bring a year’s supply of ketchup in my carryon.
Always try standby. I was booked on the 10:40 am flight the next day. That flight was also cancelled. Because I slept at the airport, I was able to speak to the gate agent to get on standby for the 6:45 am flight and to get a confirmed seat on the 8:00 am flight. And that was good seeing the 10:40 flight had also been cancelled. Had I been at a hotel on the outskirts of town, there’s a good chance I would have missed the two earlier flights.
Watch what you say. Standing in line waiting to rebook my flight, I started chatting with the woman next to me. At the time, I had no idea she was a senior administrator for a major university. Good person to know and, because it’s a small world, also good that I didn’t say anything goofy.
I’m back in North Carolina no worse for the wear. I met some really cool people including a pharmaceutical consultant who does acting and voiceovers on the side, learned more than I ever wanted to know about fog, and got my donut fix through 2009.
Have other airport survival tips you’d like to share? Post a comment.
Shawn Graham is an Associate Director with the MBA Career Management Center at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School and author of Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job (courtingyourcareer.wordpress.com).
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