Some of the most senior business leaders in the world believe skills shortages in the workplace are reaching crisis levels.

According to accountancy giant PWC’s annual CEO Survey, concerns over skills shortages have been rapidly growing. In 2009, just 46% of CEOs cited skills shortages as a concern, this year the number rose to 73%. Clearly it’s a growing problem, so how should your business attract the best talent?

Lack of active candidates in the market place coupled with growing numbers of businesses needing to overcome skills shortages in the workplace means re-thinking the traditional recruitment process.

Progressive employers have recognised for some time that attracting the best talent isn’t simply about following the traditional recruitment model of placing an advert or engaging with an agency and waiting for CVs to land on their desk.

Wait to recruit until the last minute and your already on back foot. By appointing an agency or indeed several agencies on a contingency (no placement, no fee) basis to scour the current available talent there is a clear onus upon finding individuals quickly but this can mean you are limiting your ability to really tap into the market place. After all, there’s a world of difference between the best candidate and the best available candidate.

It’s all about choices: Do you want the best available talent delivered to you as quickly as possible or would you rather employ an individual, who shares your company’s vision and values, but isn’t necessarily active in the jobs market?

Proactive talent pipelining is defined as the skill of identifying, channelling and engaging with candidates BEFORE a job has even become available. It’s an approach which is being increasingly embraced by organisations who want to attract and develop top performers for their teams.

Effective recruiters are capable of identifying and responding not only to existing immediate needs within the business but also ensuring future ones are met by working alongside you to develop and nurture your talent pipeline.

There are many advantages to employers when adopting this strategic approach; here are five factors you should consider when building a talent pool:

Identify your top talent.

What makes a superstar in your organisation? Where did they come from? How did you engage them? What keeps them motivated? All of this information will help you establish how to duplicate your recruitment process and start engaging likeminded applicants with a similar skill set.

Understand risk.

Is your business future proof? What potential gaps are likely to appear in the skills of your workforce? Do you have contingency plans if a top performer exits the business? Are you prepared for maternity, paternity or adoption leave? Look for all areas where your business may be exposed to risk and add those roles to your talent pipeline.

Developing the right strategy will reduce the time needed to fill positions

Developing a pipeline of talent means you should understand your long term business plans. Recruitment strategies should always reflect your business strategy, enabling your business to respond to future challenges and opportunities.

Working proactively means you don’t have to compromise on the quality of hire, meaning your team will continue to run smoothly even throughout the recruitment process.

Communication is king

A talent pool isn’t simply about having a fist full of candidate CVs which match your skills sets or needs, it’s ultimately about ensuring they match the culture and values of your business.

Spend time getting to know candidates outside of a formal recruitment process, it can help to assess whether they are aligned with the vision and values within with your existing workforce.  Once you have approached and forged lines of communication, you need to keep them engaged.

Place them on a mailing list for a company newsletter, add them to the Christmas e-card list, send them a vacancy update once per month. Give them a call once per quarter to gain an update on their skill set and situation. It doesn’t really matter how you engage them as long as you keep them engaged with your business and any future opportunities that may be coming available.

Think relationships, not transactions

Even if there isn’t a role available for them right now, the benefits of proactive talent sourcing far outweigh the ability to fill vacancies on time and within budget. Building a talent pool is about building confidence within your business and creating opportunities to attract the best possible candidates who are already engaged with your visions and values.

Recruitment is changing: From the way individuals look for work and discover potential opportunities to ultimately building and developing their careers within your business. Gone are the days when posting an advert resulted in a flurry of talented individuals flocking to your door. Your inbox may be full but is it full of the right applicants?

To help solve your Talent related headaches, Human has developed a new process to support you and your business to attract the best talent in your market place not just the best available talent, on time and in budget.

To learn more about the Human Approach to Recruitment, click here to book a free 15-minute consultation.

I hope you found this of value.
Amy

The post Think relationships, not transactions: Could talent pipe-lining solve your recruitment headaches appeared first on Human.

While historically HR and recruitment has tended to focus on skills and industry experience, it’s possible to train employees that show potential, but behaviour? Not so easy. Leopards may well be able to change their spots over time, but for the best outcome in the shortest time you should look for candidates that will fit in with your business culture, display essential key behaviours and quickly become a positive contributor to the team.

5 key staff values and attitudes to look for

Get your company and staff values aligned and everyone’s singing off the same hymn sheet, working together instead of pulling in opposite directions.

Every company is different, so specific values may alter depending on your internal culture, but here are our top 5 employee attitudes and behaviours to look for when recruiting for any kind of role…

  1. Professionalism and positivity – you want employees who will dress, speak and act in a professional manner at all times, are eager to do the job and do it right. Are they articulate and engaged? Can they evidence delivery of quality work, attention to detail and speak enthusiastically about the role and your company?

  2. Flexibility – work processes, systems and strategies are always being updated, so you want staff members who can adapt quickly, without getting stressed. Look for someone who’s willing to step-up or step-in when needed, and can demonstrate how they’ve handled change in previous roles.

  3. Self-motivation – employ motivated individuals and their managers will thank you. Someone who’s happy to ask questions to bridge gaps in their knowledge and who displays a desire to take on challenges will be a genuine asset to your business.

  4. Loyalty – it’s normal for people to move around in their career, but someone with lots of short-term roles behind them is less likely to stick around. Candidates who speak well of their current/previous employers, have spent several years (age allowing) with the same company and have secured a promotion or two in that time display a sense of loyalty that will be good for business.

  5. Ambitious – an ambitious employee will be driven to succeed, focused on their targets and prepared to go the extra mile in order to stand out. That said, you also need to make sure that they’re a true team player, otherwise they may be too set on their own individual success to work effectively with their colleagues.

Identifying employee behaviours  

Whatever your recruitment process, there are lots of ways to draw out the information you need to identify these values and behaviours. The right interview questions, assessment centre activities or even role-playing scenario will help you to see if the candidate has the right attitude to bring real value to your business.

Good luck, and if you need any help, you know where we are!

The post Employee behaviours and attitudes that can boost your business appeared first on Human.

Fascinating data – which leads me onto a question: how do you make sure you have a great LinkedIn profile and that it’s doing a great job for you when it comes to building your own career profile?

The power of a great LinkedIn profile

As a search consultant, I look at LinkedIn profiles every day of the week. It’s one of my first ports of call when it comes to identifying the best HR candidates for clients.

LinkedIn is THE business 2 business network with currently over 600 million active users globally and that latest data reports that the UK now has over 25 million members.

We have talked about the value of having a great CV in a previous post and a great LinkedIn profile is your equivalent online.

 How do you stand out?

The good news is that even though there are 27 million profiles on the UK LinkedIn platform there are some simple ways to stand out.

Add a photograph and contact details

The latest data from LinkedIn clearly states that profiles with a photograph get 14x more views. Leaving your picture blank or having a logo only doesn’t put you across in a professional way either.

A professional head and shoulders shot in business attire is the preferred option. Though a photo from your wedding with Mr or Mrs perfect or a recent night out might be your favourite, keep those for Facebook. You want to stand out as a professional – it’s easy to do, with most smartphones having amazing professional photographic capabilities.

Check if your email address is still fit for purpose. That original email address you grabbed on Yahoo all those years ago, might need a change – e.g. BatoutofhellJane@yahoo.com probably isn’t going to have the impact you want. It’s easy instead to grab a Gmail address like JaneSmith123@gmail.com that puts you across in a professional way.

Your title and heading

Though you can add your role title in your heading it’s also useful to have a sentence about how you help your customers. Hint: This is something potential candidates I work with rarely do and yet it will make you stand out head and shoulders above the crowd.

For Example:

“HR Manager specialising in implementing change management systematisation to enable organisations to grow.”

Your summary

Your LinkedIn summary is a great ‘selling’ piece for you and the value you can add to future employers. It’s common for many people to forget to fill this section out and yet it’s the first-place a search consultant or a potential employer will look. Remember LinkedIn is still a social network and though the subject is business you have free space here to say why you and your skill set would be a great value add to any organisation.

The key thing here is to understand your value and what you can offer a potential employer. Though on the surface a new employer buys you, importantly they buy your ability to solve their immediate problems.

Depending on your role and expertise listing your skill areas on your profile and in your summary, will make your profile jump out compared to others.

Fill it out in full!

I know it’s easy to scrimp on this part and don’t. If someone is interested in you for their next role they are going to read everything you have on your profile. Therefore, make sure you:

• Fill out your summary, highlighted how you help employers with your expertise
• List all your past roles that are related to your skills and the results you deliver
• List any specific projects you have been involved with
• List all your relevant qualifications
• List any volunteering and/or hobbies that you are involved with

Recommendations

Though it sometimes feels uncomfortable, ask past colleagues and contacts for recommendations. These can be added to your profile and certainly help in raising your profile.

f you act on the areas, we have listed above you will have a profile that will help you stand out from the crowd – guaranteed.

Would you like more help with building a great LinkedIn profile and carrying out your search? Then get in touch by filling out a contact form or calling directly at 01709717212.

The post How To Create A Great LinkedIn Profile appeared first on Human.

Yet there’s a problem. HR managers often struggle to find legitimacy within the senior executive team, and are sometimes accused of being overly inward-looking as a department, or even of unintentionally obstructing the wider business goals.

In truth, the HR department has a bad rap in many companies, and HR managers far too often find themselves battling these negative perceptions, or are simply not given the support they need to deliver the very outcomes the business requires of them.

According to a large global leadership study published on Harvard Business Review, HR leaders are ranked by their companies, on average, at 6% below leaders of other departments such as sales, accounting, or general management. Yet within this data, a narrow cohort of HR leaders was rated as exceptional by their companies.

So, what can you do to make sure that you’re one of these standout HR managers who are highly valued by their employers, and performing above the curve?

We’re not going to delve into the standard HR strengths here, such as developing others, functional expertise, building relationships, and leading by example. These are things that it is already expected that HR professionals will do well, so it’s entirely crucial that you already have these elements mastered; in truth, it would be surprising if you’d made it in HR without excelling in these areas.

The real gains in your performance and reputation will be gained when you make inroads on the things that HR leaders are not thought to do particularly well.

1.Build your expertise on the company.

HR managers are already expected to have an exceptional functional knowledge, (for example regarding employment law), but how well do you know the operational details, challenges, and customer profile of the company?

The better you know the company’s inner workings, the more you’ll be able to provide highly tailored HR advice, and know how your HR strategies will impact the company on a day-to-day basis.

2.Align yourself more closely with the wider business goals.

HR leaders are sometimes accused of not understanding strategic business goals, of not considering the impact of their strategies on the company or end customer. If you seek to be highly valued by the company, you’ll need to send a clear message to senior management that you have a strategic perspective and are there to provide positive HR solutions to move the workforce towards the goal.

3.Be outward-looking.

HR departments are perceived to be largely inward-looking and not thoroughly engaged with the company as a whole. Therefore, now is the time to start breaking down this reputation of being separate. You might want to represent the company at HR conferences, begin building your network in the company’s industry (not just in HR), or simply reach out more to the other senior managers so they increasingly see you as an informed and powerful player at the decision-making table, rather than an obstacle.

4.Learn to anticipate problems and respond to issues speedily.

Interestingly, slowness in forecasting or reacting to problems is a common complaint about HR leaders. We understand that there are many grey areas in HR and that motivating or bringing about change in a workforce is a long and complex process, but you need to create a reputation for anticipating problems and being quick to provide solutions.

The top-rated HR leaders in the HBR study showed that they performed stratospherically above the standard in the areas listed above. The competency gap between the top quartile of HR leaders and the rest was staggering, for example, they were rated in the 75^th percentile on ‘Developing Strategic Perspective’, where other HR leaders ranked in the 25^th percentile.

Real success in HR management (as perceived by the company) is not about becoming a better coach or building better relationships. Those things are a given. True success as an HR manager is about learning how to do the things brilliantly that HR is often perceived as doing rather badly. There’s so much room to impress here, so get going!

Until next time,

The post 4 Ways to Become a Standout HR manager appeared first on Human.

You are even considering saying yes. Let’s hang fire first and look at the longer-term implications of saying yes; there are a few- with many providing a less than rosy outcome.

1. You’ll have lingering doubts.

Let’s take the simplistic notion that you’re leaving only because the salary is too low. Even in this uncomplicated scenario, accepting a generous counter-offer can still leave you with some niggling doubts, such as ‘If they can afford it, why didn’t they pay me that all along? This is particularly the case if you’ve asked for a salary increment before and been denied. The figure they’re offering may show that they value you now, but why didn’t they make this offer before?

If, as is more likely, you’re quitting for varied reasons that aren’t all about money, maybe a lack of career progression, or a problem with the company culture, then no amount of money will dispel these doubts long-term.

2. They’ll have lingering doubts.

It’s not just you who’ll be wondering if you made the right decision to stay. As a HR professional, you know full well that once an employee has resigned then retracted their resignation, they’ve just marked themselves out as a potential risk employee, and from then on they’re under scrutiny to see that they’re delivering top quality work, and their loyalty and commitment is sometimes called into question.

Even worse, the person often isn’t offered the same level of trust for a while, and may not given the best projects. Do you really want to be in that position? In short, a working relationship is often tainted after a resignation— no matter what’s said on the surface, or the size of the check they wave at you to stay.
3. You’ll miss an opportunity.

You have gone to all the trouble to find another job- one that you’re presumably excited about. You’ve put yourself through the interview process and you’ve built up a rapport with this new company, to the extent where they’re excited about you coming onboard. Why not carry on with this new relationship you’ve built, when things are going so well.
You don’t want to accept the counteroffer, only to wake up in a few weeks thinking

‘I wonder how much I’d enjoy that other job. The people seemed really nice and I was excited about the opportunity.’

4. You may be self-sabotaging.

Often fear holds us back. You know the job you’re in back-to- front, whereas going to a challenging role full of new systems and new people can give us a bad case of the collywobbles. It’s therefore very easy to back down when one of the reasons for leaving is removed or reduced (i.e. salary dissatisfaction), because then you get to stay in your comfort zone. Many people also find it difficult to say no to their bosses- particularly if you respect them and don’t want to hurt their feelings by rejecting a flattering counter-offer. If you’re thinking that staying is an easier option, that’s a sign that fear might be getting in your way.

5. The job might not be yours for long.

One risk is that by resigning in the first place, you’ve metaphorically raised your hand to be the first person to be let go in times of downsizing or budget cuts. You may be offered a very attractive package to stay, but at the end of the next big project you might be managed out.

Before you get all excited about the size of the counter-offer, taking it to mean they think that you’re indispensable, take a cool-headed minute to assess how much it would cost in time and effort to hire and re-train someone into your role.  Then look back at that counter-offer figure.

Does it still seem like that much? While I don’t mean to rain on your parade, chances are that they’re offering that counteroffer to save themselves money time and inconvenience. This is not a criticism, this is business after all. Therefore, don’t get carried away reading something into the offer that may not necessarily be there.

If you are looking for support with your search for a new role, feel free to get in touch at hello@recruithuman.co.uk @recruithuman or on 01709 717212

The post Career Suicide: Why You Should Never Accept A Counter Offer appeared first on Human.

I love Christmas…but!

The festive break is an important event for all of us. One where we have an opportunity to meet up with our loved ones and have a good time.

A great opportunity for the world of retail and hospitality too, as people start to prepare for the 25^th with a round of spending and Christmas parties anytime from the middle of November. Now I know that this early start to the Christmas festivities has been creeping up on us for years so let’s step back a bit.

Families and holidays are one thing and building your successful and growing team is another.

The truth about recruiting great talent

Something it’s important to know: People are still looking to move onto the next rung of their career ladder in December; trust me as the owner of a busy recruitment company I know because I am speaking to them daily, especially at this time of year.

Yet why is it so many organisations put on hold their recruitment until January, when there are so many outstanding candidates ready, interested and available to talk and importantly attend your interview in December?

The truth is for many hiring managers recruiting is one part of their role and, no offence to them, what I am about to share might not be at the front of their mind.

Candidates are reviewing their year already

All the things I mentioned earlier do have an upside. The end of the year reflections usually start around the same time that we prepare for Christmas. Work is a major part of all our lives so it’s normal for us to think about career goals and aspirations as the year ends.

Usual working practices are often different in December. People who are normally totally focused and dedicated re-evaluate their work and life situation, meaning they are more likely to respond favourably to a job they might have otherwise dismissed.

I know when I worked for someone else, before I created Human, I was planning what I wanted for the following year from the start of November!

At the beginning of this week I had three calls from very employable candidates who have started their reflections already and want to set up interviews before the end of the year. Which leads me onto another point…

People are open and available

As managers in organisations, I am sure we have all experienced the flood of holiday applications as people use up their holiday entitlement. Though hopefully your employees aren’t attending interviews; on the flipside, when you recruit this month you will often find that juggling interview times and candidates availability becomes so much easier.

When they zig let’s zag

A well-known business premise is that there are upsides in going against the grain, especially when it comes to doing those extra things, like continuing to recruit in December.

Get the best talent before any of your competitors, who may think it’s better to leave recruitment until the New Year.

A story springs to mind from a couple of years ago, of a highly-qualified HR manager who had the choice of two, almost identical roles and packages.

One organisation wanted to wait until January. My candidate wanted closure and to know exactly what he was doing the following year. I guess you can work out which company got the outstanding hire?

I know it’s a different take for many and yet the next few weeks could be a bountiful time for your recruitment drive. While others are switching off, you are gearing up, and meeting with the top candidates and handling your recruitment needs to get 2017 off with a bang.

Wishing you all the best for a successful December!

P.S. Ready to recruit in December? At Human we are available with the candidates to boot. Call 01709 717212 or fill out the contact form here.

The post Truth: In December, The Best Candidates Are Waiting for Your Call! appeared first on Human.

You can read the full article here

Play video “23/06/14: We Need Powerhouse”

Video:
23/06/14: We Need Powerhouse

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We all have to be Super Human at times and deciding the Who, What, With, Why and When can be a tough choice to make but when the drive/support is passionate throughout the company it’s wonderful to know that you can make a difference with a couple of quid during business hours.

As both Amy and I are from South Yorkshire we love getting on with the day job helping both local businesses and candidates achieve their goals but at the same time having the opportunity of supporting local and national causes. From sponsoring the Rotherham Football Sunday League (Human League), running a Macmillan Coffee event raising an amazing £197.04 to our latest venture Soup-er Human, an event we held last week to support Rotherham Hospice. With the help of some amazing people Reece of Urban Pantry Deli in Sheffield, the team of Moorhead Savage (Pauls’ culinary skills showcased in his amazing Minestrone Soup) and Tesco in Rotherham to name but a few, through selling soup, rolls and cakes to occupiers and visitors to the Moorgate Crofts Business Centre we raised £140.00. We have also been proud to be involved with Grimm & Co and falling under their spell to encourage both children’s imagination & writing skills made volunteering to run their recruitment campaign for free an easy decision. We also attended LEAF 2015 which was held at Magna last month, presenting employability skills to teenagers and supporting job seekers find a direction and support in securing work.

To close the year of 2015 we are holding Afternoon Tea around the Tree on Monday 14^th December again in support of Rotherham Hospice but also, as we are a drop off point for Mission Christmas Cash for Kids this will be the final drop off day for unwrapped gifts for the HallamFM campaign before we magically become Christmas elf’s and deliver the gifts to Alan Ogle and his Super Human team.

As mentioned in my previous blog, time really does fly when you are having fun whilst doing a job you can’t wait to get into the office for but also having the opportunity and encouragement to be able to make a difference throughout the community (Miss World quotes finished J) Helping change doesn’t always have to be about giving money, an hour of your time a month or holding a sponsored dog walk all adds up. Stay tuned for more information about this, our February event.

I am proud of what we here at Human Recruitment do alongside the day job and long may it continue!

If you would like to know more about our Super Human approach or are a charity looking for support with recruitment please contact us: superhumans@recruithuman.co.uk 01709 717212 or 01143 990085

The post Charity begins at Human. appeared first on Human.

At Human we make a commitment to clients and candidates, we help individuals to stand out in the marketplace. Our aim is to always add value to your business to support growth and longevity. There are four ways we do this:

1. We want to save you money

Getting the right match first time will minimise your recruitment costs. Getting the right match first time, means that candidate will stay on and help develop your business meaning you will recruit to replace less, train less new starters, and have people on board who want to help develop the business. This in turn means increased retention of staff, staff who are motivated, engaged and working hard to achieve your organisational goals. We are proud to shout about our 99.9% candidate retention record. Only 1 client has ever had to utilise our rebate structure meaning your investment is not only protected but with Human but is almost guaranteed to add value to your business in the long term.

Why do we want to minimise your recruit costs?

Sounds like madness, doesn’t it? We want you to spend as little as possible on recruitment. This is not to say that we offer a bargain basement fee structure. We do not. What we do offer is a high quality service and a commitment to finding the right person for the right reason. If our candidates add value to your business and support your growth. Through that growth and a strong working partnership, we also grow.

2. We want to save you time

Our transparent process will keep you updated every step of the way. However, once we have a true picture of your organisation and its requirements all you need do is book out some time to interview and the rest can be left to us.

How do I know the candidate is suitable without reviewing their CV?

At Human we don’t work with CVs, we work with people. We don’t judge candidate suitability based solely on their CV, in much the same way you wouldn’t attract candidates to your business with just a balance sheet. Our clear and thorough process means that through conversations we have, job shadows and a long term partnership we will build a very clear picture of your business goals, culture and values which will enable us not only to find candidates who have the skills you are looking for but also have the vision and values to help your organisation grow. This is not to say we won’t provide you with a CV but we do ask that you don’t judge candidates based purely on their CV.

3. Raise and protect your brand profile in the marketplace

In a period of relatively high unemployment, the marketplace is saturated not necessarily with 1000’s of suitable candidates for your role but certainly 1000’s who will readily apply. If you do not have the time or resources to provide them with a positive recruitment experience, regardless of whether they join the business or not this could have a negative impact on your employer brand in the marketplace.

How do we raise and protect your employer brand?

Our process is clear and transparent for all concerned, meaning that your brand is protected in the marketplace. Candidates are kept updated and will be given constructive feedback meaning before you even offer them the role they are aligned with your vision and values and have a positive view of your organisation. This facilitates a successful on boarding process and in turn saves you both time and money.

4. Help your organisation thrive and survive in the marketplace

If you have the right people on board, adding value to the business from day one, not only will you save money on replacements but those candidates will be up and running and striving for your organisational goals much quicker than any candidate who joined your business to pay the bills. This is our ultimate goal, for you and for us. Without your success, we can’t achieve long term success.

If you would like to hear more about how we can help and why we do what we do, please feel free to contact us on 01143 990085 or 01709 717212

The post Why choose Human – a client guide appeared first on Human.