How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! ~Maya Angelou
Your company has a job opening with no interest from job seekers. Is it possible that your job ad could use some help? Here are some tips to writing effective ads for hiring the right person the first time:
Use an Informative Job Title
The job title really isn’t the place to get creative. The job title is the first piece of the puzzle that job seekers see and will make a quick decision on whether or not to read on. Use a title that best describes the position and utilizes common keywords (ex: sales, accounting, customer service).
Explain Your Company Culture
What makes your company so great to work for? Explain your company culture and highlight your signature attributes in your job ad. This job ad is, after all, an advertisement for your company. Highlight perks offered, unique benefits and why anyone would love to work for your company.
Give a Descriptive Job Summary
Represent a full scope of the functions the successful candidate will be completing as well as what their role will be within your company or organization. Don’t just list tasks, make it all encompassing and inviting.
Describe What Your Company Needs
While most applicants know that you are not going to find someone that meets all of your expectations in an employee, if you are clear about the skill set that is necessary to perform the job and which additional skills would be valuable, you will cut down on the time it takes to sift through resumes after you place your ad.
Group Information
There is a lot of information to include when posting a job, but a complicated posting can deter job seekers from reading or applying. Keep your information grouped in a logical manner using bullet points and breaks to make it easier to read and follow, as well as bold, italics and underlines to make it appear more interesting.
Make it Easy to Take Action
Once you have the attention of candidates, you want to present an easy to execute way to apply. This could be a direct link to an online application, an email to send a resume to, or use the CareerBum.com site for a one click application for job seekers.
Share the Job Posting
After you have finished writing your job post, share the information on your network. Post it to your social media sites, post it in your foyer, share it with your employees to re-post on their social networking sites and share it off of CareerBum.com’s page.
When you are ready to look for work, really ready, take the time to put your best self forward. There are many opportunities for error on a resume and in an interview, so here are a few tips to help you stand out in a positive manner.
Ensure the individuals you recruit as references for your resume: a) know that you are using them as a reference, b) know what position you are applying for and what your expectations are of them as a reference c) think highly of you as a professional. Too often job seekers list references without first checking with them. Put a lot of thought into the people you put down. Make sure they are articulate, think highly of you, and are professional on the phone.
Stay positive. When an interviewer asks you about a past employer, or why you are looking to leave your current position, it is important to not state the negatives about the job. It is easy to say that you don’t like the supervisor, or you have a co-worker that always calls in sick, or perhaps that you keep getting skipped over for a raise. But DON’T. Instead say that you have always been interested in the company you are applying to, or that you have been working toward this position. Refrain from saying anything negative about your past/current employer and turn the tables to where you are seeking out this position because it is the perfect fit for you and you are the perfect fit for the company.
One more piece of advice, when you arrive, shake your interviewers hand, firmly, while looking him or her in the eyes and smiling. Do not give the limp fish handshake. A firm handshake exudes confidence and power. That is the goal of the whole interview, to show that you are confident that you are the perfect fit for the company and position.
The interview is your ticket to the position. Research the company, know your stuff and be prepared and confident. Your future just started.
Make Your Employee Background Check Reasonable
Running an employee background check can not only be helpful in better understanding the applicant, but can also be useful in protecting a business from liability. Employers must still be very careful about what kind of information they ask for and look into, however. If an employer goes too far, he or she may face a lawsuit. Here are some things to keep in mind when performing an employee background check:
Records an Employer Can Likely Consider when Performing an Employee Background Check
Some of the records below, such as credit reports, drug tests and driving records, require the consent of the applicant, but are still considered routine records to be used when performing a background check. As discussed above, regardless of the record type, always make sure that such an inquiry is related to the job. Asking a pizza delivery man for his driving record makes sense, but asking a software engineer for his or her driving record may not be as relevant.
Here’s a list of the types of records routinely involved in an employee background check:
Records You May Not be Able to Consider when Performing an Employee Background Check
Source: Essential Screens, Running Employee Background Checks