A Poor Employer Brand Can Hinder Talent Attraction

A Poor Employer Brand Can Hinder Talent Attraction LinkedIn have released the findings of their  Winning Talent report today, which looked  into the factors influencing people’s choices about where they want to work and central in their findings was the  significance of a good employer brand. Their  research has found that it is crucial that employers invest in their employer brand, as well as employee benefits, in order to attract the best talent and that a poor employer brand can actually cut the candidate pool in half. The study found that candidates are looking for much more than salary in a new job and therefore organisations need to pay just as much attention to how they are perceived as they do to the salary and benefits they offer potential employees. In fact, LinkedIn found that no amount of money could tempt half of UK workers to consider taking a role at a company with a poor employer brand. Fifty-three per cent of people surveyed, said they would entirely rule out accepting a job offer from a company with a reputation for having poor job security, dysfunctional teams, or poor leadership. Negative opinions from current or previous employees of the company in question and a poor reputation among industry peers rounding out the top five factors that put people off an employer. The importance of addressing employer brand issues: Issues such as professional development opportunities and salary are some of the most significant concerns that need to be addressed. Employers failing to invest in their reputation among potential candidates â€" their employer brand â€" could be paying an additional £2,720 per employee hired, compared to companies with a good reputation. The costs could add up to an additional wage bill of £4,080,000 per year for a company of 10,000 employees. This is in addition to the more restricted choice of staff created by a poor reputation. Further consequences of a poor employer brand: Chris Brown, director of LinkedIn Talent Solutions UK said: “LinkedIn’s Winning Talent research shows that a poor employer brand or reputation does not just make it harder to find the best staff, but also impacts a company’s bottom line. In addition to simply attracting better employees, a strong employer brand helps employee retention and engagement, so the true value is even greater than this data suggests.” He continued to say that: “Finding the best people remains the number one driver of success for any business. Better communicating the benefits and attractions of their business to potential recruits has to be top of the agenda for recruitment, resourcing and talent professionals.” What benefits  do employees look for from  an employer? LinkedIn’s research found that offering flexible benefits and perks is the most valued benefit that job seekers look for from an employer. More than a third (36 per cent) of employees said flexible working arrangements would persuade them to take a job with an employer, even if their friends and family might not approve of the company. Evidence of a positive internal culture was the next most important factor (34 per cent would be persuaded), while a good reputation within the relevant industry (28 per cent) would also trump the concerns of friends and family. Having a strong employer brand clearly benefits companies when recruiting. One in six UK workers (17 per cent) would take a new job with a company offering increased job security, greater professional development opportunities, and a higher calibre of internal team, even without the offer of a pay rise. 3  top tips for communicating your employer brand online from LinkedIn’s Chris Brown: Involve everyone â€" Your current employees are your best ambassadors and advocates, in the best position to give those on the outside an authentic idea of what it is like to work for your company. Involve them in developing your ‘story’, and encourage them to share it â€" and their activity and achievements â€" through their personal social media channels and your company pages Seize the social opportunity â€" It is important not to be just a passive observer on social media. By playing an active part in discussion groups and threads about issues relevant to your business you can build not only brand awareness but also the kind of two-way conversations with potential employees that creates good will and trust Show, don’t tell â€" It is all very saying that you have a great company culture, or that you are concerned with reducing your environmental impact, but in a competitive market in which everyone is making the same claims to prospective employees you need to back up what you say. Blogs, photos, graphics, and videos can provide a valuable insight into your company, and spark conversations. They don’t necessarily have to be slick, but they do have to be real. Image Credit: Shutterstock

My Perfect Resume Reviews Is More Than Free

My Perfect Resume Reviews Is More Than FreeYou may be thinking that you can't trust the free resume reviews on the internet to give you honest feedback on your resume. That is understandable, because you know that they are, in fact, paid reviews, right? But you are wrong.Actually, many of the free resume reviews that you will find online are not free at all. In fact, most of them actually have paid advertisements on them. They can't exist without an investment from a company or a person. These companies pay for the reviews to make a profit, and if you can help them reach their goal, they would definitely pay you for it.Although the reviews can be considered to be free to you, you don't get the full benefits when you go out there and use them to prepare your perfect resume. You still need to take the time to sift through the review, look at the actual contents, and read the writer's feedback. If the writer of the resume is not who they say they are, you might want to stay away from th em.The last thing you want to do is put yourself in a situation where you have to change your resume just because it was written by someone else. Not only will you spend time rewriting it from scratch, but your employer will not be happy with it either. It will make it seem like you didn't really do your research and you are just trying to pawn off a poorly written resume for a better one.So be sure to check out the actual content of the resume before you invest your time and effort into building a perfect resume. It should not just look good on paper, but it should look good when a reader sees it on paper too. You want to make sure that your resume will actually get you the job you applied for.What can you do to avoid scammers from telling you that they have written the perfect resume for you? First of all, try to be wary of anyone who seems desperate to sell you a solution to your problem. A scam artist will always use that desperation as a way to get your money out of your hands. You can tell these people by the way they write their letter.Some would be scam artists will actually write you letters asking you to send them money, and you can tell by the way they write the letter that they are eager to make a sale. When you see this, you should avoid that company right away. Another sign that you should be suspicious of is if you are sent a free resume review. Why would you want to send yourself a free resume review?Anybody can write a review, so it is best to look for reviews that are really not free, but rather a way to help you build your perfect resume. You can be sure that they will be honest in what they have to say, and that it will be worth your time and effort.

Mid-Life Entrepreneur Success Story - VocationVillage

Mid-Life Entrepreneur Success Story - VocationVillage Today’s blog post continues my series of interviews with people who launched businesses because they couldn’t find a job, with the happy outcome that their businesses became successful and they wouldn’t accept a salaried job offer now even if they were offered it. This interview is with Sydney Weisman, a partner at WHPR (Weisman Hamlin Public Relations). Ms. Weisman founded WHPR with her husband, David Hamlin. Sydney, what type of career did you have before you launched your business?My husband and I both had experience working in communications related to political campaigns. Prior to the political campaign work, we had been freelance writing and before that, back in Chicago, my husband had been an executive director for a non-profit and I had been a journalist and then retired from the profession to become an independent publicist.Describe the circumstances of your job loss, how long you looked for a job, and how your job search went.Following the end of the political campaigns in 1986, we began job searching in LA and across the country. We were in our 40s and we had no plan to open our own PR shop. Quite the contrary, we didn’t want to do so. I had done it in Chicago, with limited success on my own, we didn’t have a client base with which to launch our own agency, and we were relatively new to LA. All those factors were against our considering opening our own PR firm. By mid-’87, after landing interviews for entry level or receptionist type jobs at PR firms, given the depth of our experience, we had no option but to consider opening our own shop.How did you survive financially while you started your business?We worked as Kelly Girls to support our burgeoning PR firm, which we opened in our two bedroom apartment.How does your current income compare to your previous income?We have made a very comfortable living for ourselves and our family and I believe we are making more money with our PR business than we would have working for others.What skills and previous experience were you able to bring to your business that is helping you to succeed?My husband’s skill as a non-profit executive and mine as a journalist have been the basis of our success as a PR firm specializing in non-profit PR.What is the best part about running your business?Being “the boss of me,” and working with my husband.What is the most challenging part about running your company?Maintai ning our marketing edge and self-promotion. What new skills did you need to learn to be a successful entrepreneur?I had a skill set in place, i.e., the ability to stand in front of people and talk about myself (for networking purposes), but I had to hone each skill and adapt it to being an entrepreneur. Perhaps the most important skill I had to learn was how to be a business partner, even though my partner is my husband. When you work alone, it’s very easy to lose track of the need to collaborate and consult with someone else. I had worked alone in my own PR business prior to opening WHPR with my husband, so that was an important lesson to learn.What career advice do you have for job searchers who may be considering an entrepreneurial path?Be sure, if you become an entrepreneur, to give yourself lots of free time away from your business. If you open an office in your home and you’re by yourself, make dates to get out and meet people every day, or at least three times a week. Be sure to access networking opportunities. Join networking groups and remember it takes a good two years before most networking pays off.Anything else you would like to share?Have fun!WHPR specializes in non-profit public relations and marketing. The firm also has a reputation for working with law firms and they were part of an award-winning team on behalf of the 75th anniversary of the Original Farmers Market in LA, their longest and most enduring client.If you enjoyed this entrepreneur success story, please share it.

What is the State of Employment in the US in 2015

What is the State of Employment in the US in 2015 Unemployment in the US has reached its lowest since the beginning of the Great Recession in 2008, so are things looking up for the US workforce and economy? Jobvite have put together this infographic outlining the state of employment across the US in 2015. What is the unemployment rate? There is currently the lowest unemployment rate in the US since 2008. In March 2015 the unemployment rate was 5.5%, in comparison to 10% in October 2009. What is the economy looking like? The economy is looking healthy in 2015. Q1 growth  exceeded that of Q4 in 2014. 2.94 million jobs were added last year which is the highest in two decades. What is the state of the nation? The biggest job gains were in California, Ohio and Michigan. The biggest job losses were in Virginia, Louisiana and Maine. What industries are hot right now? Health care has an expected job growth of 48% by 2022. There are expected to be 46% more jobs as interpreters/translators by 2022. Large rises are also predicted in the energy/environment sector and cyber security. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

MyPerfectResume - Convert Your Resume Into a Resume That Fits You

MyPerfectResume - Convert Your Resume Into a Resume That Fits YouMyPerfectResume is a software application which can assist you in creating your resume that stands out. It was designed to help you create an impressive resume that is sure to get you hired on a regular basis. One of the most appealing aspects of this software is the ability to customize it by choosing certain keywords that will make it stand out in the vast ocean of resumes.The fact that you are looking for a perfect resume does not mean that you are only interested in applying for regular positions. You may be a college graduate who is looking for a college job or a graduate with just recently graduated who is looking for a different career path. Whatever your reason, MyPerfectResume has all the answers.You may have noticed that there are resume samples already available online. If you go to one of these sites, you will be provided with templates and a link to download your resume from your computer. MyPerfectResume i s a very easy to use application that makes it easy to customize and obtain a resume that will not only impress potential employers but will actually grab their attention. With MyPerfectResume, your resume will be instantly searchable by a search engine. Therefore, any employer looking for information about you will be able to quickly find your resume.One of the great qualities of this application is that you can choose how many columns or pages you want on your resume. You can have as few as three and as many as sixty. The result is a resume that is large enough to stand out when printed, yet small enough that it is easy to store. In order to maximize its usefulness, you will want to download the resume templates that come with the program.You will find that your personal and professional information is listed on a single page and the rest of the resume will be generated based on the information found on the single page. This allows you to create an updated resume without having to update the information found on the resume template itself. As long as you include your contact information, education and employment history, the results will be the same. When you download the templates, your resume will be personalized for you.There are no time limits as to when your resume needs to be sent out for review so you do not have to worry about whether or not you can send it out before a deadline or after a deadline. In addition, MyPerfectResume will also allow you to provide feedback on a particular resume from others. By taking the quiz you can rate the skills, qualifications and work experience of other applicants. Because you are taking the quiz with other applicants, the results will be accurate because of the input of other people.MyPerfectResume has helped me eliminate the stress I have been experiencing. It has provided me with an efficient way to produce my resume with only a few mouse clicks. When you download the resume templates, you can choose how many co lumns or pages you want on your resume.Personal and professional resume resources such as MyPerfectResume are increasing in popularity as more individuals try to search for a new career and position. Whether you need to get ahead of the competition or simply want to take some time to refresh yourself with a new career path, MyPerfectResume provides a creative solution to your problem.

Will Employment Gaps Hurt My Executive Job Search - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Will Employment Gaps Hurt My Executive Job Search With unemployment  at around 10% and job search frequently stretching out beyond 10 to 12 months, more and more executive job seekers are stuck figuring out how to deal with prolonged employment gaps on their resumes and other career marketing communications. How do you best deal with these gaps and not risk sending up all kinds of red flags? You cant lie and make up a job to fill the gap. You cant extend the length of employment for jobs on either side of the gap thats lying too. A new study by Recruiting Trends offers hope. The May 2010 survey of 111 national recruiters revealed that theyre thinking differently about screening and engaging talent: 81% of recruiters will lend leniency to time gaps on the resume 89% of recruiters will look favorably at volunteering as an alternative to career employment to fill in the gap 93% of recruiters were positive on temporary and consultative engagements as a bridge between positions 48% of recruiters would look toward individuals looking to make a significant career change Your takeaway Perhaps  recruiters and hiring authorities arent as concerned as they used to be about employment gaps. But play it safe.  Avoid gaps altogether  with a consulting gig or by volunteering. Both options provide a wealth of benefits and can, in themselves, lead to long-term job opportunities. More about the benefits of volunteer in my Executive Resume Branding post, Volunteering Powers Up Your Personal Brand, Network, and C-Level Executive Job Search. Other related posts: The Inside Story on Working With Executive Recruiters How to Write An Irresistible C-level Executive Brand Resume 16 Deadly Executive Job Search Mistakes How To Tap Into Hidden C-level Executive Jobs 00 0

Celebrate Your Independence by Doing Work You Love

Celebrate Your Independence by Doing Work You Love I love the fourth of July from barbecues to fireworks, its always a fun time. On our nations birthday, few people are focused on their careers. Rightfully so as this is a time to celebrate. But what if this 4th you not only celebrated our countrys independence from England but also your own independence from a boring dead-end job or career?For inspiration, you need look no further than our founding fathers and in particular Ben Franklin. A true renaissance soul, Ben Franklin was not only a statesman but an author, publisher and inventor. Did you know he was also an advocate for literacy and responsible for founding the first public library? You could even call him Americas first self-improvement guru with his catchy words of wisdom from his monthly tome, Poor Richards Almanac.With so many different careers, Ben Franklins resume would today be labeled scattered by experts in resume writing and recruiting. Who would want to hire such a flake? Choose one path and stick to it would be the advice today. I couldnt disagree more.In todays fast-paced, ever changing global economy, whats needed are more innovative renaissance souls like Ben Franklin people with ingenuity who are looking for new challenges to grow and learn and try new things. In her book The Renaissance SoulMargaret Lobenstine advocates this approach and encourages the Jacks and Janes of all trades. Margaret was a guest on my SIRIUSXM radio show when her book first appeared. Her advice, Dont choose and forsake all your interests for just one career but find a way to have it all. For example,I created what Margaret calls an umbrella career. Under the umbrella of career consulting, I do lots of things from coaching to training to radio to TV, all under the auspices of career development. Margaret has it all by taking a staged approach, opting for one career then the next. So prior tobecoming a career coach and author, Margaret enjoyed beinga Bed Breakfast owner.Shes probably onto her next renaissance career by now. Inspired to have it all? Learnmore about this multiple careers approach.If youve got lots of ideas on what youd love to do with your career, dont lament. Celebrate them and share them here on my live radio show! Call in and Ill help you combine your interests into a unique and rewarding career. Like Ben Franklin, Margaret, me and countless of my renaissance soul clients, you too can have it all! Take it from Poor Richard, You may delay but time will not and get started on your dream careers today. Happy 4th!(Photos courtesy of the 2010 Macys Fireworks display as viewed from my iPhone and Flikr user jepsculpture.)

Know Your Etiquette for Office Holiday Parties

Know Your Etiquette for Office Holiday Parties Yes, it’s that time of year again.   In just a few weeks, many corporate professionals will be attending holiday parties with their coworkers. Time to kick-off your heels and celebrate another year towards retirement, right? Wrong. Even though you are attending a “party” there is still etiquette you need to follow to ensure that your reputation and job are intact on Monday morning. Make sure your spouse or significant other is actually invited to the event before you show up with him or her on your arm. As many companies are scaling back their celebrations due to tough economic times, some are only having parties for their employees â€" no guests. If your party is at a colleague’s home, take a small gift with you for the host/hostess. A holiday bouquet or goody that can be shared at the party would be sufficient. Only take a bottle of wine or other alcoholic beverage if you know your host is serving alcohol during the party. Know the dress code for the evening…and then abide by it. Even at the office party, what you wear can affect your coworkers’ and bosses’ perception of you. Wearing clothes that are too low cut or revealing is a no-no at a business function. If there is a meal, whether sit-down or buffet, remember your table manners. If there is more food available at the buffet, make sure every table has already had their first trip to the food line before you make a second. Always take the time to thank the wait staff and others who are serving you during the party. While there may be alcohol served at the party, this is not the time to see how much “holiday cheer” you can consume in one evening. As you are happily mingling with others, be conscious of how much you are drinking. Too much drinking, leads to too much talking which leads to nothing good on Monday morning. If there is mistletoe at the party, steer clear. Although this is a holiday tradition that has been around for years, stealing a kiss from the wrong person under the mistletoe can lead to an awkward situation or even worse, a possible reprimand for sexual harassment (yes, we’ve heard of this!). Network, network, network! Very rarely is there a time where all levels of an organization are together at once and there may be many new faces to greet. Try to meet colleagues in other departments and if you have the chance to rub elbows with the CEO, simply introduce yourself, thank him/her for the party and move on. While networking is okay, cornering the CEO to give him a 5-minute version of your resume is not. Lastly, in today’s world of social media and smart phones, you can almost bet there will be a few pictures taken during the party. If you are asked to be in a picture, smile and keep it professional. Even though some of your coworkers may be your “friends” on social media sites, you don’t want inappropriate pictures of you being fed to others throughout the company. While the annual holiday party can be a great time to socialize with your colleagues, the bottom line is that you need to remember that an office party of any type is still about business. Don’t overindulge in alcohol, put lampshades on your head and pose for pictures, or stalk the CEO the entire evening â€" you don’t want to be the one with the red face at the water cooler on Monday morning.