Via philly.com …
For thirty years as an employment counselor I spent a lot of time getting jobseekers to write résumés that would capture the attention of a human reader. Occasionally, companies would assign initial résumé screening to trainee fresh out of college. I taught 1970s jobseekers to write catchy résumés with impressive bullet points and bold print. The challenge I gave my charges: “Your job is to write a résumé that gets through to Bill, my mythical screener, in 15 seconds.”
Via CareerBuilder.com …
Employers throughout the world are increasingly struggling to keep pace with expanding hiring needs. A recent workforce planning study conducted by Aon Consulting for one of its clients showed that nearly 60 percent of its key knowledge workers and leaders would need to be replaced in the next five years.
But, demand for talented employees exceeds the supply, leaving many organizations wondering what strategies to adopt to retain and expand the workforce to maintain competitive advantage. Systematic workforce planning linked to key strategies and business challenges is a foundation for informed talent strategies and processes that will impact the bottom line favorably.
Via New York Times …
GETTING a rejection letter is a painful part of job hunting, but at least it means you’ve been noticed. These days, I’ve been hearing about more job hunters who respond to online job postings, only to hear nothing back from the company. Ever.
Was the position filled? Is the company just taking a long time to fill it? Did the hiring manager even see the application? You may never know.
Via Harvard Business Publishing …
A recession might seem like good news for employers looking to hire: with unemployment rates up, you’ve got more people to choose from and the opportunity to hire at a lower price.
While the current economic situation might make this a great time for you to expand your team, it can actually make hiring more expensive. Post a job ad and you’re likely to be swamped with potential applicants; and if budget is tight on your end, you’ve probably got limited capacity to screen a large pool.
Today’s job market has created a conundrum for growing companies. The landscape is rich with qualified candidates. But issue a want ad, and some statistics note that 200 applications are likely to respond.
How can any employer reasonably cope with that flood of candidates?
Those corporations, healthcare organizations and government departments using an applicant tracking system find they have a powerful, enterprise-wide job acquisition and talent management solution ideal for businesses in hiring mode – or even those that are fully staffed.
Today’s ATS provides web-based applicant tracking and candidate management systems that empower businesses with easy-to-acquire and easy-to-use tools to reduce costs and streamline business operations. They automate candidate application and resume management – and create an invaluable competitive advantage.
Via CollegeRecruiter.com …
There’s been an interesting discussion in the NACE JobPlace discussion list about the perception by many employers that students who do a more effective job of searching for employment opportunities will have a better chance of being hired.
I agree but caution those who believe that the best candidates are those who try the hardest to be hired.
Human resources research and information site Staffing.org has published an excellent report titled, “Internet Best Practices,” which details how candidates are finding and applying to job opportunities.
It is packed with interesting stats that most recruiters will find useful and informative, for example, “While the Internet is it not yet a universal tool, it approaches that in certain demographic groups. And as it continues to mature, usage patterns are continually changing. Three years ago, major job boards were all the rage. Then niche job boards started gaining ground. Now it’s all about Twitter, Facebook and social media.”
Here is a link to the report: http://staffing.org/library_ViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=450
Via MercuryNews.com …
A recruiter who left Google last year says that the company had maintained a “do not touch” list of companies including Genentech and Yahoo, whose employees were not to be wooed to the Internet search giant.
That revelation could be significant in light of this week’s disclosure that the U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Google, Yahoo, Apple, Genentech and other tech companies conspired to keep others from stealing their top talent.
Via Human Resources Leader …
The economic downturn is putting significant pressure on many organisations. In such times, CEOs usually turn to finance and operations to assist them in adapting to the times. However, HR can also make a valuable contribution at the executive table.
HR needs to play a pragmatic role in these times. However, this role may not necessarily fall under the banner of strategy, according to Justyn Sturrock, human capital management service line leader, A/NZ, IBM Global Business Services. “HR must have the skill set to drive operational efficiency and effectiveness. This is about creating an adaptable work force that can rapidly respond to changes in the market,” he says.
Via InformationWeek …
Blogger Vinnie Mirchandani says that while today’s duration for SaaS deals averages 1.5 years, “the secular trend is towards higher renewals…and multiyear deals. SaaS will likely become like outsourcing contracts — 3, 5, 7-year deals.” Sounds good in theory, but will CIOs go for it?
