Whats Your Best Tip for Employer Brand Managers

What’s Your Best Tip for Employer Brand Managers In todays recruitment and employment climate, it is more important than ever to be viewed as a desirable place to work. But even more so, it is important to actually BE a desirable place to work for your employees. So we ask our  favorite employer branding managers around the world to give us their best tips so that for some of you  newcomers have all the ammunition you need to cultivate a genuine employer brand for your business. Hannah Fleishman Create an employer brand DIY (Do-It-Yourself) program for employees. At HubSpot, our Inbound Recruiting program is robust; we run global employer branding efforts including our jobs website, HubSpot Life social media channels, recruitment events, careers blogging and content, paid strategy, and more. This wouldn’t be possible without the help of our employees. That’s why we do our best to make it as easy as possible for employees to do an Instagram takeover on HubSpot Life, write a blog post for our careers blog, or host a recruitment event by creating kits and guides for how to do just that. Whether you have a full-funnel inbound recruiting program or are focused on one employer branding channel, make it easy for employees to get involved with DIY resources. Hannah Fleishman, Inbound Recruiting Manager, HubSpot Jennifer Johnston Focus more on employee advocacy, employee reviews and employer awards. These are the decision points that todays candidates use to determine where they want to work what their friends or people in their networks have to say about you as an employer, what the crowd has to say, and how you compare to other companies they might be considering on best place to work lists. Jennifer Johnston, Senior Director of Global Employer Branding, Salesforce Estela Vazquez Perez Not all companies are ready for employer branding, assess the job before taking it. Even though the role may be called employer branding, you have to figure out if they are talking only recruitment, which is most of the times. Maybe they are talking engagement, that is a bit more developed thinking so you need to find who is leading the conversation and how far your role is from that team. Very few companies are doing employer branding for culture transformation. This is the real deal and it needs a big sponsor to make it happen because it is ultimately owned by your c-suite. Our EVP was approved by our CHRO and heavily socialized internally. Dont get frustrated if you are in level I employer branding, you can still create change and set up the foundation for a bigger conversation in the future. Estela Vazquez Perez,  Global Employment Brand Director, Royal Bank of Canada Ton Rodenburg Create an alliance and core network that enables you to build and communicate the brand. This alliance, or team if you will, should have the leaders in business, HR and communication at its core. This team should surround itself with a ring of great ‘disciples’, enthusiasts, inspiring people, formal leaders, networked, that can help spread the brand gospel. This network of brand ambassadors, ‘fire starters’ (thanks Benoy) then can become the core team to spread the virus of the employer brand. Internally, and in that ‘contaminating’ also more colleagues and outsiders to spread the word! Ton Rodenburg, Employer Branding Strategy Director, ARA M/V Human Resource Communications Jaclyn Campbell Employees are your strongest asset, use them to your advantage. Meet with employees from all different departments, roles, levels, backgrounds, and locations and get to know them. Use employee stories to bring your employer brand to life â€" it brings a humanised approach that talent can relate to. Jaclyn Campbell, Employer Brand Consultant, Optus Audra Knight I think the challenge with this type of role is that you have to be very creative/innovative but also be great with data/metrics. I think people often excel at one or the other. If you know your weaknesses than you can partner with other people on your team or other departments that can help fill in any gaps. Audra Knight, Recruitment Operations Manager, Tenable Sarang Brahme Align yourself with employees, their experiences and be authentic. The idea is not to attract everyone but to focus on the top relevant talent for your company who understand your culture and what it’s like working for you. Focus on extracting the essence of company culture and put employees at the forefront of your campaign. Sarang Brahme, Global Social Recruiting   Talent Brand Manager, Capgemini Shaunda Zilich The best advice I can give to Employer Brand Managers is to be transparent.   No one expects any company to be perfect. At the end of the day no one wants to work with a perfect company… they want to have room to make a difference, an impact.   Be sure to be transparent, real, and interactive with those you are looking to engage. Shaunda Zilich, Global Employment Brand Leader, GE Jörgen Sundberg My tip would be to begin with the end in mind. What does success look like? How can we measure this? What will the bottom line impact be? Reverse engineer your activities from there. Jörgen Sundberg, Employer Brand Consultant CEO, Link Humans Carmen Collins Your best source of employer branding content is the employees. A little bit of “trust” goes a long way if you let them do the talking for you, and you become the megaphone to amplify what they organically say. Carmen Collins, Social Media Lead Talent Brand, Cisco

A Good CV Do Candidates Really Need One

A Good CV Do Candidates Really Need One Why do we believe that CVs are so crucial â€" admittedly only at certain times of our life? When we feel that we need one (or that we need to update our own), there is an almost manic sense of it being “mission critical” the first thing that we ought to be doing. Whether you will feel like that having read this is your decision. We would just say â€" be careful! Whats a CV good for? What is your CV to you? What does it represent? Why is so used? Who uses it and for what reasons? Our experience of CVs and the answers to these questions make us sceptical. There are so many assumptions running about how important and useful CVs are. What do you believe? CVs have become a passport. If you want to travel, drive a car or buy an alcoholic drink you need evidence of who you are and your entitlement to do the thing that want to do. It is literally your entry ticket. Why do you need your CV to be your entry ticket to a job? Admission for one The first answer is that the recruitment brokers need it. Whether you deal with high street recruitment agencies, selectors handling newspaper/online advertisements or head-hunters working in the shadows, they all treat the CV as an entry ticket. If they haven’t got one, what can they do? It is their currency. These “brokers” work in a transactional way. Their job is to match a job spec from an employing organisation with the CV of an individual who can do the job. It is a paper marriage â€" imagine job specs flying through the air in search of the “ideal” CV. When you boil it down, that is what the recruitment process is. It is highly lucrative for the brokers. The more transactions that complete, the more % of the job holder income they can earn and they are happy. The organisation that is recruiting; has a job that needs filling is happy too. Send me over the CVs that you have got, they say to the brokers, and we’ll let you know who we want to see. In a situation where demand for jobs matched supply, this might be a satisfactory state. This situation rarely occurs. Right now, there are many more people searching for work than there are jobs available. Before the recession, and when we come out of it too, there will not be enough talented individuals in the market relative to the demand for them. On both sides of the job market equation, it appears to us warrant an examination of whether we use CVs in the same old way. What do recruiters do with it? So what happens to your CV if you give it to a broker? If you indicate to a recruiter that you are available, they will ask you for your CV. When they receive it, they scan it or copy it and it lands on their database. They will manipulate it for word search and it will appear on their search as and when a “relevant” role appears. Relevance is their definition and that is part of the issue. All of us know how tough it is to tell the story of our life in 2 pages. Every person that we ask to comment on our CV has a view. It is a difficult process. Now we have the added issue of recruitment brokers using our life story for their own ends â€" creating the transaction that turns the deal for them, whether it is ok or not for you. Needle in a haystack Many recruiters have hundreds of thousands of CVs sitting on their databases. The databases drive the broking process in a way that matches CV to job. It has to be at a pretty simplistic level. It can’t have depth. It can’t really understand if you, as a unique individual, really fit this role well. It is basic and quite elementary. It is also a lottery. When you allow your CV into this process, you join hundreds of others who, through the broking process, ping out as potential candidates. There is only the most basic consideration given to “soft” qualities, This process is driven by basic, measured data points â€" have you done a job that is titled similar to one that the recruiter is matching? No wonder the recruitment industry has the reputation as one of the most conservative in the business world. Bottom line Your CV is your own personal passport. It is part of a back story rich in variety, experience and skill and a great indicator of your potential. You should guard it and use it sparingly â€" only with those that you trust not to abuse it. Simon North is the founder of Position Ignition â€" a careers company dedicated to taking you to the next step in your career. Simon is a career and transition expert with over 25 years of experience in helping individuals with their personal and professional development. He is passionate about helping people whether it is to find a rewarding career, make a career change or identify the right career plan and direction. For more information visit @PosIgnition.

Pulling out of the Process

Pulling out of the Process I recently received an email from a jobseeker who asked whether it was appropriate to pull out of the interview process on her own initiative. While her question was about unemployment claim eligibility, I was curious to know why anyone would decline an interview in this competitive job market. Her response was that she was not comfortable with the job requirements. “I’m not sure it’s a good fit for me. It requires accounting experience, which I do not have. I did not realize it required an accounting background when I applied.” What interested me about her response was that the employer obviously thought she deserved a look. These days, companies are flooded with applicants, and they seldom waste time talking to candidates that don’t seem to be a match. My personal opinion is that you should never turn down an interview opportunity, unless you have knowledge that the company is unethical or otherwise not worthy of your consideration. In this way, your job search is like dating. You don’t have to be convinced that you’re destined to marry someone in order to agree to have dinner with him. It’s by getting to know someone that you figure out whether you’re a good match. There are plenty of happy couples out there who didn’t feel the chemistry from the first moment they met. Some jobseekers feel it’s somehow dishonest to agree to an interview when you have no interest in the job. If you knew everything about the job, the company, and your potential for advancement, it might be easy to know whether you are wasting the employer’s time â€" or yours. But you can’t possibly know enough to make a decision about a job until you have met and discussed these things. There are several great results that can come from an interview even if you or the employer decides you’re not the best match for this particular opportunity. You might impress the interviewer enough that she recommends you to another hiring manager in the company â€" or outside it. I have shared resumes with my peers when I found a great candidate that just wasn’t a match for me. You might wind up creating your own job; it’s happened before. If you make a compelling case for your ability to solve problems, you might get a chance to be part of a new project, or be offered a consulting opportunity. I strongly encouraged the jobseeker who wrote to me to go to the interview. The company may have her in mind for another position or a future opening. I hope she goes, and I hope she does a great job of selling herself. The absolute worst thing that can happen is that she doesn’t get called back.   She may not get an offer, but she certainly never will if she pulls herself out of the running.

How Can I Be There for People I Have to Let Go

How Can I Be There for People I Have to Let Go I had a client a while ago who was made redundant, at the time he was provided with outplacement support by his company but chose to also see me independently alongside this. When his next company was making redundancies a few years later, he chose to approach me again to assist these people. Our work together which included more bespoke effective and practical straight to the point assistance led to him wanting these people to have a similar experience. Letting people go is never easy. Being made redundant is often a challenging time but if the correct advice, support, and assistance is provided and a process is worked through by those that are leaving it could be viewed as an opportunity. Here are some additional (and mostly free) ways you could provide additional help to exiting employees. 1. Don’t Rush Can you offer some extra time? Time to reflect, analyze and think through what they are suited to and what they would like to be doing next. It is essential for people to take their time rather than rush into the next thing without thought and reflection. It is ideal if someone can go from one job whilst still employed in another can you offer this? 2. Try and keep positive Redundancy is a widespread occurrence in our changing economy. Reiterating this and asking them to depersonalize it, stay positive and to look after themselves is crucial. Can you offer a plan for them and some assistance and coaching? Possibly resilience coaching? This could be relevant for those leaving but also for those left behind. 3. Put the Work in Finding another job, ensuring all your marketing material (CV/LinkedIn) is impressive plus doing the investigative work on YOU can take time. The more effort and work they put into this the more focussed and ultimately more successful their career transition will be. Can you allow time for this and provide some feedback for example on their CV or LinkedIn profile or time to talk things through? 4. Network It has been documented that a high percentage of people get their next job through their network, can you assist with any introductions? Introductions to agencies, clients, competitors? 5. Build Their Experience Are you able to offer any freelance work or project work in different departments whilst they are looking? If possible adding to the experience they have in their next chosen field whilst limiting CV gaps. 6. Help them to present well on Social Media Can you connect with them on social media and provide them with a broader network? Can you assist them with endorsements or recommendations on LinkedIn for example? Are you able to provide a reference or act as their referee contact? 7. Help them look for clues Are there any insights that you have had with regards to their work and what you have observed them being very good at? Can you take out old appraisals and provide some feedback that they can use moving forward. 8. Be their mentor Can you or someone within the company offer some mentoring sessions that they have access to should they need it? 9. Be Clear Clearly communicate what they can expect, what support you will be providing and where you are going above and beyond to assist them.  Being as clear and transparent as you can with all employees. The above provides ways that you can help and if you want to extend this and offer them the best chance whilst avoiding expensive outplacement cost why not look online at our new offering Transition Peak. About the author: Charlotte Billington is a qualified Executive Career Coach with over 20 years experience and co-founders of Transition Peak. Transition Peak Limited is an online career coaching and training portal. We help companies and individuals move forward faster and more effectively at a reasonable cost following redundancy or career change situations.

Cash In On Your Skills Become A Virtual Assistant [Guest Post] - Career Pivot

Cash In On Your Skills Become A Virtual Assistant [Guest Post] - Career Pivot Virtual Assistant Copyright: vladstar / 123RF Stock Photo Have you thought about a career as a Virtual Assistant? What if there was a career that allowed you to: Work from home (and home can be anywhere in the world) Travel (did I mention you can work from anywhere in the world, even an RV?) Enjoy the freedom and flexibility of being your own boss and setting your own hours Earn as much as you want Cash in on skills you already have This is not a pipe dream. Let me tell you about this booming business that is perfect for your second-half-of-life career. Become A Virtual Assistant A Virtual Assistant, usually shortened to VA, provides support services to clients who may live around the corner or halfway around the world. As a VA, you work remotely using your computer, internet and phone to communicate with your clients. You offer administrative, technical or marketing support services to small business owners and entrepreneurs. Since just about any administrative, creative or techie task can be performed remotely (except personally bringing someone coffee, filing printed papers in folders or greeting people coming into the office) the field has a surprisingly large scope. Virtual Assistants work in a wide variety of roles: Executive Assistants Social Media Specialists Real Estate Assistants Bookkeepers Author Assistants Writers, Editors, Proofreaders Project Managers Businesses hiring VAs are as varied as the type of services provided by VAs: Internet Marketers Coaches Trainers Consultants Real Estate Agents Authors Professional Speakers Online Retail Businesses A Rapidly Growing Business Model Demand for Virtual Assistants is high and will continue to expand for as long as the internet is around. Small businesses and entrepreneurs desperately need support. They have discovered that Virtual Assistants can provide professional support more cost effectively and efficiently than employees. Listen to the most recent episode Virtual Assistants save businesses time and money by: Working out of their own offices. VAs provide their own office space, desks, computers, phones, and supplies. Charging only for work performed. Virtual Assistants get the work done as it comes in, without businesses paying overtime or holiday wages. Businesses also avoid paying employees for slow times, when they don’t have enough to keep them busy. Specializing. On their own time and at their own expense, VAs attend training and gain experience to become experts in their area of specialization. Businesses save the cost and time of training employees when they hire VAs. Operating as 1099 Independent Contractors. A VA is self-employed. Business owners do not pay social security taxes, FICA taxes, worker’s compensation, insurance, 401K, retirement plans, medical, dental, sick pay, holiday pay and other benefits. You Might Be A Great Virtual Assistant If the following scenarios describe you, you might be a great VA. You are a doer. Your superpower is getting stuff done. You love checking things off your to-do list. You know your way around a computer and the internet. A Virtual Assistant has to handle all her duties remotely. She needs to be able to use email and Skype to communicate, Microsoft Office (especially Microsoft Word) to provide services, and Google to find answers to questions that arise. You do not have to be a techie guru. Yes, there are VAs who love technology and specialize in all things tech. I’ll be the first to admit, that is NOT me. I’m Kathy Goughenour, a VA who earns 6-figures, and I panic at the thought of having to do anything more technical than send emails and create Microsoft Word documents. For the last 10 years, I’ve shown women worldwide how to make awesome money and have amazing freedom working from home as VAs … as tech gurus, administrative assistants, and everything in between. You enjoy supporting and helping others. Being in the background of a business and helping the owner get stuff done lights you up. But you can also lead a conversation with a business owner about what she needs done and negotiate a deadline. You’re good at juggling multiple clients and deadlines. As a VA, you’ll have multiple clients … and multiple deadlines. You might have a newsletter that has to go out for Client A on Wednesday, a blog post due for Client B on Thursday and a series of emails to write for Client C by Friday. If having something new to do daily sounds like fun, you’re going to love being a VA. You can manage your own time. You do not need (or want) a supervisor telling you what to do, how to do it and when to do it. You can keep yourself motivated and focused on a task and get it done by the deadline. You have an amazing work ethic. One of the many reasons I love working with women who are in the second half of their life is that they have the most incredible work ethic. They’re honest, personable, professional and organized. No Need For A Degree Or Experience As An Administrative Professional Before becoming a VA, I was a marketing manager at a Fortune 500 corporation. Successful VAs I’ve trained were once teachers, nurses, stay-at-home moms, human resources specialists, accountants, real estate agents, and hairdressers. There is no certification or degree required to work as a Virtual Assistant. In fact, you can use skills you already have to begin earning quickly. Cindy, formerly a real estate agent, became a real estate VA. Dawn, formerly an English teacher, become a ghostwriter. Tori, formerly an IT specialist, became a techie guru. Intrigued by this booming “remote” business you can run from anywhere and everywhere? Watch for the second article in this Virtual Assistant series. You’ll discover how much VAs really earn (it’s more than you think) and the top 7 benefits to building your own Virtual Assistant business. This post was written by Kathy Goughenour. After saying “bye-bye” to her corporate career, Kathy started her first business â€" as a Virtual Assistant. She went on to earn six-figures working from home â€" usually in her pajamas. After eight years as a VA, Kathy launched Expert VA Training. There she teaches VAs how to create a consistently high income while working remotely. Get your questions answered about starting a VA career during a free call with Kathy. Apply for your free call by clicking here and putting “Career Pivot Blog” as the answer to the last question “How did you hear about us?” Kathy can found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...