How to Attract the Best Talent in 2017
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With low unemployment, getting the right people in the right places in your organization can be a challenge. This webinar looks at how the landscape has changed and how you can be ahead of recruiting the best talent.
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How to Attract the Best Talent in 2017
- 1. ZipRecruiter and BambooHR How to attract the best talent in 2017 Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com Images used by BambooHR are licensed from shutterstock.com
- 2. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Cassie Whitlock Director of HR Matt Plummer VP Product Meet our Presenters
- 3. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com In this webinar we are going to cover… • How technology and social media are changing recruiting • What applicants really expect • What you should consider changing in your o Application process o Interview questions o Offer decision The data presented is based on ZipRecruiter internal research unless mentioned otherwise
- 4. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com How Recruitment Has Changed
- 5. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Images used by BambooHR are licensed from shutterstock.com
- 6. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Images used by BambooHR are licensed from shutterstock.com
- 7. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com What do applicants really expect in 2017? Images used by BambooHR are licensed from shutterstock.com
- 8. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Right Communication Channel Targeted Job Information Interview Follow Through
- 9. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com 2/3 of job applications on ZipRecruiter are sent from mobile devices
- 10. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Only 1.5 percent of those who click on mobile job applications complete the application process. Source:Appcast: How to Improve Your Mobile Recruiting, 2015/
- 11. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Two Barriers: Questions Time
- 12. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Fewer than 25 questions: 10.6 percent completion More than 50 questions: 5.7 percent completion Source:Appcast: How to Improve Your Mobile Recruiting, 2015/
- 13. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Less than 5 minutes: 12.5 percent completion More than 15 minutes: 3.6 percent completion Source:Appcast: How to Improve Your Mobile Recruiting, 2015/
- 14. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com What do applicants really expect in 2017?
- 15. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com We asked thousands of job seekers: what’s most important for you in your next job?
- 16. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com The #1 Answer
- 17. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Salary
- 18. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Be realistic. Be honest. • Conduct market research on competitors’ salaries • Include the salary in your job posting - Jobs with a salary provided receive 58% more candidates than jobs with no salary provided Makesureto: Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 19. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com What if you can’t compete on salary?
- 20. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com • Performance bonuses • Equity positions • Healthcare • Childcare Benefitswithfinancialvalue • Train passes • Free parking • Subsidized lunch • Unlimited vacation • Paid sick days Perkscanbemorevaluable thansalary • Senior roles • Manage a team • Work internationally Opportunitiestogrowwiththe company
- 21. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Highlight benefits throughout the hiring process. • Health insurance • Dental insurance • Vision insurance • 401K Addingabenefitssectiontoyourjobposting increasesthenumberofapplicants.Ifyouoffer benefits,includetheminyourjobposting: Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 22. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Don’t forget about work-life balance and career growth.
- 23. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Work-life balance* matters, a lot. * When combining work-life balance, short commute, and flexible hours
- 24. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Emphasize work-life balance throughout the hiring process. • Flexible hours • Unlimited vacation • Working remotely • Baby bonding time • Access to public transportation Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 25. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Younger job seekers care most about career growth opportunities. * When combining work-life balance, short commute, and flexible hours
- 26. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com • Promotion opportunities • Personal development • Learning new skill sets • Gaining management experience • Pairing new hires with experienced mentors What does career growth mean? Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 27. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com • Growth opportunities within the company • Invest in the employees: training, new skills, certifications JobPosting • Career path within the organization • Introduce to colleagues who have grown within the organization and can share experience • Use internal tools and programs for growing your employees InterviewProcess InternalTools How can you demonstrate career growth opportunities?
- 28. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Social Media in the Application Process
- 29. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Be Responsive
- 30. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com • Respond to both positive and negative reviews • Gratitude counts • Clarify misconceptions • Address feelings over facts • Direct respondents to communicate further Images used by BambooHR are licensed from shutterstock.com
- 31. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com How to optimize your job posting
- 32. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com • Who is the potential audience? • What is the job seeker looking for? • What is the job level? JobTitle • Where is the job? • Where is the job seeker looking? • Company culture • Clearly describe role • Qualifications & reqs • Using the right keywords • Helping seekers self-select Location JobDescription
- 33. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com • What’s the seeker looking for? • Maximize potential audience • Utilize search engine best practices • Keywords, spacing, special characters Job Title Elements - Job Seeker Focus Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 34. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Job Title: Example 1 ✘ ✓
- 35. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Job Title: Example 2 ✓ ✘
- 36. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Location • Where’s the seeker looking? • Don’t geo-spam • Include actual office location within body Castthewidestnetpossible ✓ ✘
- 37. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Job Description & Call-to-action Besuretoinclude: 1. Position: a. Clear description of the role b. Qualifications / Requirements & Responsibilities 2. Company: What’s your story and how does this job make a difference? 3. Call to action: Add a statement to encourage qualified candidates to apply today! • Keep it simple • Use bullets where possible • Use job seeker-centric phrases Thingstoremember:
- 38. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Why gendered keywords are problematic
- 39. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com
- 40. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Removing Gendered Keywords Gets You More Applicants * When combining work-life balance, short commute, and flexible hours • We’re looking for strong… • Who thrive in a competitive atmosphere… • Candidates who are assertive… BiasedPhrasing • We’re looking for exceptional… • Who are motivated by high goals… • Candidates who are go-getters… BetterNeutralWording • We are a community of concerned… • Have a polite and pleasant style… • Nurture and connect with customers • We are a team focused on… • Are professional and courteous… • Provide great customer service
- 41. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Interviewing with Soul
- 42. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Online interview: How can it help? A. Eliminate unfit candidates B. Gather additional information for quick review prior to contact Aneasywaytogatheradditionalinformation thathelpsyouto: Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 43. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com 10 Top Online Interview Questions 1. What is your current salary, and expected salary? 2. What other sources of income do you currently have? 3. Do you have dependable transportation? 4. What are some of the things that could keep you from working full-time? LogisticalQuestions
- 44. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com 10 Top Online Interview Questions 5. Why do you want to make a change of employment? 6. If given the opportunity, what do you expect from your career with us? Understandwhereyouaregoing Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 45. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com 10 Top Online Interview Questions 7. What are some of your weaknesses, and what have you done to mitigate them? 8. If given the opportunity, what can I expect from you regarding your work ethic? 9. If you were the hiring manager, why would you hire you? 10. What motivates you? Personality Images used by ZipRecruiter are licensed from www.stocksy.com
- 46. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Images used by BambooHR are licensed from shutterstock.com
- 47. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com 1. How would your vision for the position be aligned with the company’s commitment to diversity? 2. Share how your exposure to new people, places and experiences has enriched your life and your capacity for this position. 3. Talk about how you respond to a coworker who makes an insensitive remark. Diversity Question Examples
- 48. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Questions for Culture
- 49. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Images used by BambooHR are licensed from shutterstock.com
- 50. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com ONE WORD?
- 51. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Considerations when Selecting a Candidate
- 52. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Existing Skills vs. Training
- 53. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Management Capacity
- 54. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Technical Skills vs. Soft Skills
- 55. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com • Make technology your ally • Give applicants an experience worth bragging about • Create targeted job ads • Design interview questions to gain relevant information • Always think about your company brand The Key to Effective Recruiting
- 56. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Follow BambooHR and ZipRecruiter on social media: bamboohr.com/blog | ziprecruiter.com/webinarBM Thankyou!
- 57. How toAttract the Best Talent in 2017 bamboohr.com ziprecruiter.com Q&A
Notes de l'éditeur
- Cassie - Thank you for joining us today, let’s start with some introductions At BambooHR, we’re focused on setting you free to do great work. We recognize the pain points and opportunities small and medium sized businesses face and we’re here to help. I’m Cassie Whitlock, the Director of Human Resources at BambooHR. In addition to my work in human resource management, I’ve held positions in finance and operations. With a background in both accounting and HR, I understand the importance of aligning HR priorities with business objectives. I’m passionate about developing individual talent and creating productive team About ZipRecruiter: ZipRecruiter is the fastest-growing online employment marketplace, connecting millions of employers and job seekers through innovative mobile, web, and email services. And co-presenting with me today is Matt Plummer, Vice President of Product, joined ZipRecruiter in December of 2013. He's using his 10 years of experience on the leading edge of ad technology, with companies like Overture, Yahoo!, and OpenX, to bring programmatic advertising and related disciplines to the recruitment marketing space.
- Cassie - Today we’re going to discuss how to maximize your recruiting opportunities by using technology and social media and we’ll also share tips and best practices for the application and interview process. We’d prefer to have you hold your questions for the end when we will have an open Q&A session. Please use the Q&A section on your webinar screen to submit your questions. Ok, now that the business of the webinar is addressed let’s jump right in and look at what’s changed in the world of recruiting.
- Cassie - It takes less than a minute for a candidate to decide whether or not to apply to your company! If your expectations of this process are off from what a candidate sees, it could mean losing great talent. With a strong economy, the job market is tilting further and further toward job seekers. But that hasn’t always been true.
- Cassie - In the past, technology was non-existent and location provided big barriers to the applicant pool. Getting a job often involved reading a classified ad, driving to the main office of the organization, giving the receptionist a firm handshake and plopping your résumé down on the counter. As an applicant, you were grateful if you heard back from the organization. Typically companies only responded if you qualified for an interview or, believe it or not, they were offering you a job, based only on your resume. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/search-job-newspaper-advertisments-glasses-phone-134935040?src=PYqvGDf3U1wYUGWan8oDEA-1-6
- Cassie - Later, people would browse job listings from their desktop computer, find one they liked, and email their Word doc resume to the head of HR. Applicants now had direct access to individuals who participate in the hiring decision. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-businessman-analyzing-resume-desk-office-402978217?src=IF1vvVvktsUwsiqdTomgmQ-1-11
- Cassie - But then technology shrunk the world even further. Now a good candidate can look anywhere for a job, and the only limit for an organization’s talent pool is their ability to incorporate mobile workers into their operations. In a strong economy, this gives job seekers the advantage, as it opens up their options while increasing your competition for top talent. When was the last time you used a desktop computer outside working hours? It has been 10 years since the iPhone was announced, and this decade changed not just how applicants interact with your company but it has required companies to adapt almost every element of the recruiting cycle. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/city-lifestyle-adult-woman-hand-digital-532565230?src=MnTd9NEKDBJzLpY7bq3Y8w-1-3
- Cassie - Because of this evolution in the job market, it’s no longer enough to just post a job description and hope that the right person applies. You have to use multiple communication channels if you want to be found. Yes, now it is your responsibility to go to the labor market. You have to target the information in your ad to what they’re looking for. Your job ad only has one chance to make the most of that first impression. And finally, you need to follow through with an excellent interview experience.
- Matt – Today’s reality, as Cassie just pointed out, is that most people use their smartphones to look for jobs. With our busy lives, we aren’t at a desk looking for our next job, we are on the bus, in an Uber, in the elevator, lying in bed, and occasionally, in the bathroom. So the reality is that mobile matters.
- Cassie - In a 2015 study from Appcast, they found that 8.25 percent of people who view a job posting across devices continued and submitted a job application, however, only 1.5 percent of those who click on mobile applications complete the application process. This leads to an incredible inefficiency in applicants per click, one that you’re actually paying for with every click. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9NIptPftA__bzJlQjU2UmhFOW8/view?usp=sharing
- Cassie - As a recruiter, part of your job is removing barriers to applications. The two that I feel are most important to look at are the questions you ask the applicant in the application step and the time involved in completing the oft dreaded job application.
- Cassie - The Appcast study showed that 10.6% of people complete a job application that asks fewer than 25 questions, but that only 5.7% apply when the application asks 50 questions or more. That’s a difference of 50%. You might be thinking, I don’t ask 50 questions in our online application. But you need to think of it as how many fields are required. Asking for a name, there’s a question, referred by, another one, desired salary, etc. In the recruiting world we’ve got to get the most out of every question we ask. I don’t know any employer who can afford to have only half the applicants for their open roles. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9NIptPftA__bzJlQjU2UmhFOW8/view
- Cassie - Not only do the questions you ask matter; the numbers get worse when we look at the amount of time spent completing an application. If the application takes less than five minutes to complete, it has an average of 12.6% completion rate. But this drops 365% when the application time is more than 15 minutes. Just as applicants carefully craft their resume to help you identify their qualifications, your application process communicates to the applicant a lot about your company. Are you bogged down with bureaucracy and red tape or does your company culture shine through? Use this opportunity wisely. ZipRecruiter – We are in a market where job seekers have options. So why would they jump through hoops to apply to a job when other very similar jobs require far less effort to apply?
- ZipRecruiter – Well, we decided to ask them. So what does a job seeker in 2017 expect in their job search?
- ZipRecruiter – We surveyed thousands of active job seekers to find out what is most important to them in their next job.
- ZipRecruiter - And the #1 answer should not surprise many of you…
- ZipRecruiter – Salary! Job seeker really want to understand their compensation. If you think about it, a person’s salary has a ton of implications: The value of their time The value of their career and education Their lifestyle: will it improve or will they have to cut back? Their financial standing: will their debt situations improve or worsen?
- ZipRecruiter - Eventually, the matter of pay is going to come up. We have a cultural stigma that often leaves a salary discussion until the very end of an interview process, and even then the discussions are often awkward. Providing a clear salary range ensures that both parties are reasonably aligned very early on in the process, and allows you to anchor potential negotiations against that range. Does the person fit the role but meet only the minimum requirements? Then you have a clear rationale for placing them at the lower end of the range. Does the person fit the role and meet all qualifications? Then you’ve already set expectations as to the upper range you are willing and able to pay. Cassie - When you publish compensation information you allow applicants to self select out or in. This keeps your applicant pipeline clean and focused on strong candidates. It also sends a message of respect to the applicant. When I first entered the workforce I remember how frustrating it was to invest time and effort only to find out the pay was ridiculous.
- ZipRecruiter - Most candidates will require a minimum salary to cover their basic costs of living. If the lower end of your stated range clears that, but the upper range doesn’t excite them, other factors can come into play. You really wouldn’t want to hire someone at a salary below their cost of living anyway, as they are either not likely to stay around long, or are very likely to be unhappy.
- ZipRecruiter – So let’s make sure to focus on the benefits. First off, the benefits that have direct financial value: bonus programs, equity in the company, healthcare programs, childcare, etc. Second, the perks. If you’ve seen enough Glassdoor reviews, you’ll know that perks can go a long way. Do you offer transportation options? Free meals? Flexible vacation and sick day policies? Finally, make sure you highlight opportunities to grow within the company.
- ZipRecruiter - You never know what a person’s personal / family / medical situation is, nor should you ask. Reinforcing the benefits your company offers will ensure that you maximize the inherent value in those benefits early on, instead of leaving them as a possible bonus later on.
- ZipRecruiter – That said, I cannot stress enough that you should never underestimate the value of work-life balance and career growth.
- ZipRecruiter - When you combine the various factors of work-life balance, our survey shows it could actually be the #1 factor in a candidate’s decision making. People want to enjoy their work, but ultimately their work supports their life. So emphasize how your company supports a healthy work-life balance, either through policy, schedule flexibility, or any other relevant means. -- [mp] WE SHOULD SKIP THE FOLLOWING COMMENT AS IT’S NOT VERY RELEVANT TO THE IDEA OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE FOR POTENTIAL HIRES -- Cassie - : We did a study on Reward and Recognition that showed that 94% of employees who receive daily recognition for their work report job satisfaction, compared to 40% of those who receive praise less frequently. https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/infographics/assets/RRInfographic.pdf
- ZipRecruiter – Be sure to emphasize work-life balance throughout the hiring process. You don’t’ want to robotically hammer out these points. You want the candidate to really feel that the company culture embraces these points. So be sure to weave these concepts in, being as specific as possible, without being overbearing. Cassie - Sometimes work-life balance is easier to say than to actually provide. I believe the managers and leaders of your organization are the key. For example, whether you have unlimited time off or an accrued time of policy, do employees feel they can freely use this time off? I’ve got two examples. The first one is subtle. What if your manager who never takes a day off. I guarantee you that every member of that team worries that asking for time off may be frowned upon despite how reassuring the manager is to their face. Another example, what if you have a team member who has family obligations that pull them away in spats and spurts. Do managers feel frustrated about the frequency or timing compared to another team member who takes the same total amount of time off in a year but does it in set blocks of time like a week long vacation? Even if managers don’t comment, if they are frustrated it shows.
- ZipRecruiter – When we broke our survey results down by age range, we saw some interesting trends. I’ll let you make some of your own observations, but I’ll also highlight a few: Make sure you have lower-experience jobs set up to support career growth, and highlight that in your job postings and during the interview process. Highlight the company culture and work-life balance benefits a bit more for jobs that require more experience. In other words, understand your target audience and make sure you identify what they are more likely to care about.
- ZipRecruiter – Let’s level set a bit on what career growth means. It doesn’t just mean more time in the saddle. Your employees and candidates really want to know that there are legitimate paths for promotions, personal development, and learning new skills.
- ZipRecruiter – And it’s one thing to talk about career growth, but it’s a very different thing to actually do it. You definitely want to highlight the “how” in your job postings and interview process, but the real demonstration of your commitment comes well after the hiring is done. Cassie - For internal tools, make sure you use the most of your formal management/performance program. We’ve all heard the buzz around the changing dynamics of the workforce and one point I continue to hear is how Millennials desire growth opportunities. According to data published by the Pew Research Center, Millennials are the largest generation in the US labor force. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/11/millennials-surpass-gen-xers-as-the-largest-generation-in-u-s-labor-force/ Communication is your strongest and often underutilized tool for motivating employees through growth opportunities. Whether you use informal 1:1s or more structured annual performance reviews, growth opportunities and talent utilization are powerful in increasing retention and employee engagement. As a recruiter, don’t miss your opportunities to differentiate during the interview process by exploring the career objectives of your candidates. This may require some work on your part. Do you know what opportunities currently exist or may exist in the near future for the role they have applied for? How many people have been promoted from that team in the past few years? What about lateral moves in the organization? At BambooHR we prefer a relatively flat organization so we take the time to share with candidates that opportunities may not include a traditional latter step/title change. Instead we talk about special projects and skill development opportunities and cross team contributions.
- Cassie - Now let’s take these ideas and look at the rise of social media in the recruiting process. You can say anything you want about growing your employees, work-life balance, or how great you company is. But with the rise of review sites like glassdoor.com, and the popularity of twitter and facebook, your job applicants don’t just have to take your word for it They can and will do their own research, and what they find will influence them in their decision to apply and they are likely to share their decision with others. Let’s go over some best practices for managing social media and applicant feedback.
- Cassie - You already know it’s important to be responsive to applicants in the application and interview process and the same is true for social media reviews. These reviews aren’t going to go away so be responsive. It’s essential that you get out there and define your organization before other people define it for you.
- Cassie - Now there’s a natural tendency to want to hit back when you feel like you’re being attacked. But sometimes punching back isn’t the best option when it comes to defining your organization online. For negative reviews, stay away from a debate that sounds defensive. Approach from the perspective of addressing how someone is feeling rather than focusing on facts. Feel free to correct inaccurate information. You should be just as thoughtful about responding to positive reviews and showing gratitude. Be authentic in each reply and make sure you give the respondent an opportunity to communicate directly with the company through additional channels or direct them to individuals within the organization. ZipRecruiter - segue into next slide (see next slide)
- ZipRecruiter – At this point we’ve covered a lot of the key points for how to position your company once a candidate has found your jobs. But let’s back up a bit and talk about how to make sure candidates are finding your jobs. In other words, how do you optimize your job postings to maximize visibility?
- ZipRecruiter - Each job ad element plays a role in influencing a candidate's decision. The better you can understand them, the better equipped you’ll be to develop job postings that make an impact. We’ll explore the 3 key elements to spend time on when optimizing your post: the job title, location and description (which includes your call-to-action). For each we are going to answer a few questions.
- ZipRecruiter - When deciding on the right title for a job, you need to put your job seeker hat on. They start by searching what they know. In many cases, that’s a very generic search that covers their perception of their core skills and strengths. So you need to make sure that your job title makes sense. Anecdotally, at ZipRecruiter, we had a position called “job seeker advocate.” At first, that was the job title of our job posting. But who actually searches for “job seeker advocate?” No one! So we had to optimize our own posting to make sure we identified the job as a customer service position. It’s important your job titles are: Simple Search friendly Clickable And provide a reasonable idea of what they’ll find in the job description
- ZipRecruiter - Simple titles are search friendly and clickable. They give job seeker a clear understanding of what they are about to read in the job details. They are honest and to-the-point
- ZipRecruiter – Speaking of honest, don’t go for clickbait. You don’t want candidates who only fall for clickbait. Keep the job title clear and concise. You can sell the virtues of your business in the description or on the intro call.
- ZipRecruiter - A lot of folks try to get really clever with job locations. Don’t. Be transparent about where the job is located. Be as specific as possible. This will make sure that your candidates are as well-informed as possible about where the job is actually located. Posting jobs in adjacent locations, where the job is not actually located, is a recipe for either confusion or poor expectation setting. Or possibly both. Only open up your job postings to broader locations if you are willing to accommodate flexible commuting schedules, work from home policies, and so forth.
- ZipRecruiter - There are 3 main components of a great job description: insight into the position, including expectations, qualifications, and responsibilities; company details; and the call to action. With the competition for talent only increasing, you can use the job description to differentiate your company and the role from all other jobs out there. Use the description to provide insights that differentiate your job and company from the rest. A great description also helps job seekers determine if they’re qualified for the job at hand. And as we’ve discussed, include salary ranges! Let’s break down the job description and go over some best practices: The company summary is an opportunity to let your employer brand shine. Give a brief overview of the company history and its culture. Are you a 120-year-old company built on family values? Are you a non-profit and committed to a cause? Now is your chance to say what really sets you apart. Remember, always think mobile first when writing, keep length in mind and be sure to keep it simple and conversational. Craft qualifications and responsibilities that aren’t just ‘Roles and Responsibilities’. When writing out this critical part of your job post, remember that it isn’t just about what the company needs; engage candidate by considering what they want and why this job matters. Here are some examples of good phrases that display key attributes job seekers often look for: Autonomy / Responsibility “The job will provide you with autonomy, as you will be required to complete tasks with minimal supervision.” Skill variety “You will have the opportunity to work on a variety of tasks and develop your skills in many areas.” Per our survey of job seekers, the #2 factor when choosing a job is Career growth opportunities. Make sure you convey it in the job description Task significance “You will have the opportunity to make a valuable contribution to the organization and by working on special projects through to completion.” Your call to action may be one of the most important components of a well write job ad. Often, many people rely on the apply button and overlook the call to action completely. However, the call to action plays an important role in provoking the job seeker to submit an application. Use short concise statements that tell the job seeking the action you want them to take. Here are some examples Apply today Submit an application Apply and Join us Today Apply Now Upload your resume and Apply
- ZipRecruiter – Let’s discuss a very specific issue with how job descriptions are crafted today. Gender-biased phrases.
- ZipRecruiter – Job postings that utilize gender-neutral phrases see up to 42% more applications than those of their gender-biased peers. But what does gender-biased mean? Subtle phrases like “affectionate” imply a feminine role. On the other hand, using “aggressive” often implies a more masculine role.
- ZipRecruiter – The data shows that using gender-neutral keywords makes a difference. Let’s look at a few examples. Instead of saying “we are looking for strong team members” you can say “we are looking for exceptional team members.” Same idea, but we are using a subtle-yet-important phrasing change. Similarly, instead of saying “nurture and connect with customers”, you might say “provide great customer service.” The concepts here are subtle, but we’ve shown they do make a differnce! Cassie - Thanks Matt, those tips are great!
- Cassie - In many ways, interviewing a job candidate is like listening to a musician’s audition. In music, there are three basic levels of competency. First, there’s basic competency: hitting the keys, plucking the strings, reading music. It takes one wrong note to ruin the whole song. Each position you’re looking to fill has its own basic competencies. These are the essentials that you just posted in the job description. And while there are lots of great and talented people out there in the labor pool, there are also a lot of tone-deaf applicants. The first matter of business is finding the people who can really play.
- Cassie - One of the easiest ways to start screening your applicants is through an online interview. So ZipRecruiter went through and found some good examples of questions that help eliminate unfit candidates and gather additional information on the people who should be moving forward in the interview process. ZipRecruiter – The online interview really is one of the most under-utilized tools in a recruiters’ toolbox. As we discussed before, you really want to be selective about how many questions you ask, which means asking the right questions is imperitive.
- ZipRecruiter – We looked at hundreds of thousands of jobs posted on ZipRecruiter and identified the job 10 online interview questions used. In no particular order, 4 of the 10 are basically logistical questions. The recruiter, or hiring manager, is trying to understand some basic things to ensure you can do the job.
- ZipRecruiter – Next, we have some questions that help the recruiter and/or hiring manager understand your desired career path. This is obviously more important for career-oriented companies and positions.
- ZipRecruiter – Finally, we have a set of personality questions. These would be used by managers looking for a longer-term hire where career growth is not just supported, but expected.
- Cassie - If we go back to the music metaphor, these questions and more help narrow down the field to the people who can actually play at the level you’re looking for. The next level of musical competency is synergistic competency: can the musician play with other musicians and create something better? In this case, as in the workplace, the right level of diversity is key. As an orchestral symphony is a richer experience than a 10-kazoo band, adding employees from a wide variety of backgrounds adds new perspective and insights to your organization. Just as we discussed in the example of gendered keywords, it’s important to make sure that your job posting appeals to a wide audience, and that you’re not unknowingly screening out candidates. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/geneva-november-30-antoine-marguier-conducts-177445016?src=Iyp98AJL9JbOrmXyPKPgGA-1-13
- Cassie - When it comes to questions about diversity, questions don’t always need to have the word diversity in them. You can be very direct and ask an applicant “How would your vision for the position be aligned with the company’s commitment to diversity?”, or perhaps an indirect question better matches your brand voice in the interview process. “Share how your exposure to new people, places and experiences has enriched your life and your capacity for this position”. This question lets your candidate express their experiences without leading them directly to questions of race, gender and cultural diversity. Behavioral questions help you understand how they might fit in your organization and impact your company culture. Ask how people respond to insensitive remarks.
- Cassie - So you’ve narrowed down the field to a group of qualified and diverse candidates. Now it’s time to look for culture. In music, the final step that elevates a performance is adding a personal touch: bringing your passion, your own emotions, to something bigger than yourself. It’s what we call playing with soul. You’re looking for applicants that can play with soul.
- Cassie - Your organization has a culture, and each of your teams has its own style. A methodical, classical-style personality might not be a great fit on a rockin’ marketing team, and vice versa. While you can hear soul in music, it’s not as easy to spot in other professions. If you want to see whether an applicant plays with soul, you have to do more than ask about the basic points listed in the job description. Don’t get me wrong, you have to ask those questions as well, or your applicant won’t have an opportunity to demonstrate their competency for the job. But you can make worthwhile discoveries by asking more abstract questions as well. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/musician-playing-piano-451057915?src=Jx6JDvEB6iRfsiuiTiVaPw-1-2 https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/guitar-370651148?src=02AU4-WAT-VLOul2G9JlmA-2-34
- Cassie - I like to ask a series of three questions: What one word would co-workers use to describe you? What one word would friends use to describe you? And what one word would family members use to describe you? This requires the candidate to be very thoughtful about choosing just one word and it's also interesting to see either a consistent thread or diversity based on those relationships. Obviously, there are no wrong answers to this question but you get a better peek into personality. Some candidates can't decide on just one word and the conversation about why more than one word matters to them also provides insight into what is important to them in discussing their talents and personal brand.
- Cassie - By the end of your interview process, you’ve been able to gain lots of valuable insights on your applicants. Hopefully you’re faced with the dilemma of too many great options. So what other factors can help you make the best selection?
- Cassie - Each candidate will come with his or her own set of skills. But even if their resume matches the job description point by point, they might not define those points in the same way that your organization does. Implementation, marketing, service, initiatives: It’s not enough to rely on words alone. In the equation of hiring, it’s essential to balance the cost and benefits of hiring existing skills against the costs and positives of training. This means considering issues like unlearning processes from previous employers vs. hiring someone with only the essential job competencies based on their willingness and ability to learn. Asking questions for culture pays off when making this hiring decision. You’ll know which candidates are willing and able to learn, and that will let you balance your new hire training resources, both in time spent and people involved.
- Cassie - In addition to considering candidate talents and skills, you can also look at your management team. Which candidate will flourish under the current management style? Is the hiring manager appropriately skilled to support the candidate based on unique constraints in the role?
- Cassie - Sometimes your organization needs a breath of fresh air. Can you bring that new energy to a team by hiring a specific technical skill that fills a gap or do you need someone who isn’t afraid of initiating healthy debate? Think of soft skills as a new factor of diversity in your organization. Be that organization that not only screens for an competes on technical skills but evaluate how to best use soft skills within your organization to generate greater team outputs than your competitors do. These choices also have a significant impact on the experience your employees have. Your brand is defined in the mind of each team member so make your hiring decisions that in mind. ZipRecruiter -
- ZipRecruiter - We’ve come a long way from the days of classified ads in the newspaper, where filling a position involved posting an ad and praying that the right person would walk through the door. We now have the technological know-how to fine-tune the entire application process, from first contact to hiring date and beyond. At the same time, our pool of applicants has more options than ever for reviewing and critiquing organizations based on how they interact with potential employees. If you leave an applicant hanging, word will get out, and you’ll see your pool of applicants shrink in the future. The key to effective recruiting is targeted communication: a job description targeted to the modern applicant pool, an interview targeted to reveal both skills and cultural fit, and a follow-up targeted to preserve and promote your organization’s reputation.