Today there is more to landing your ideal job than sending out your resume and highlighting your qualifications.  Networking is a vital part of the job search process.  Follow this simple job search tip: It is as important to network with your friends, acquaintances, and business contacts as it is to send your resume out to blind prospects.
(Source:The Importance of Career Networking, by Alison Doyle)

I’ve been reading Nadira Hira’s blog, The Gig, for a while because as a “Cusper” straddling the line between Gen X and Gen Y, I am fascinated in all the attention that generational differences get.  Also because Safari Solutions has been helping launch a new company, Slingshot, that specializes in helping Gen Y prepare for and land their dream jobs. 

Today she brings up a volatile topic among Gen Y and Cuspers like me, changing jobs frequently.  My husband and I are the only ones in our circle of friends who are still with the same company that we started with when we graduated college.  We are also more satisfied with our careers than most of our friends.  Not sure if we can say that one caused the other, but still an interesting coincidence.

 

As a recruiting specialist, I’m concerned about a candidate who has made so many poor major decisions in their life.  None of the positions that you found were a fit?  Are you not putting the time into your job search to truly discover what the opportunity is like? Or are you misrepresenting yourself and getting into situations that are not a fit? 

 

When you make a hiring decision how much do you consider job tenure?  What do you think about candidates who change jobs frequently?  Is it a sign that they are adventurous as Nadira points out?  Or do you prefer more traditional loyalty from your potential employees? 

After a long and tedious job search, you finally have your top candidate.  And you are itching to get that person in the door.  At this point, the final step in the hiring process would be to run a background check.  However, you are having doubts.  Is it really necessary?  The candidate seems trustworthy enough.  Furthermore, you consider the time and money you could save by forgoing the process.  What should you do?

 

According to a recent study by ADP Screening and Selection Services, 41% of employees have some discrepancy in information they report to their employers.  In addition, 5% of background checks revealed a criminal history within the last seven years.  For most positions, it is important to verify basic information including education, employment history, and criminal history.  While more specific titles may warrant a credit check, driving history, or license verification.

 

At Safari Solutions, we take employment screening seriously.  As part of our hiring practice, we run background checks on all hires.  This precautionary step is essential in protecting your company from costly negligent lawsuits.  The doctrine of “Negligent Hiring” states that your company may be liable for damages if the court decides that the employer "knew or should have known" negative facts of an employee's background.  Furthermore, knowledge of an applicant’s history can help protect your employees, customers, and business from fraud, theft, or harassment. 

 

Prior to running any background check, small businesses must check that they comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).  Under the FCRA, applicants must sign a disclosure form giving authorization to perform a background check.  And while it may seem convenient for business owners to handle their own background checks, professional background search groups take the headache out of the process by providing fast, effective reports that are easy to understand.

    The number one reason interviewers lose interest in candidates during an interview is not asking questions at the end, according to a survey of 150 employers and hiring professionals.  This is a time to show the employer you are well prepared, interested, and invested in the position. 
    Are you tired of interviewing and not moving on to the next step of the process?  Take advantage of the opportunity presented when the interviewer asks, "Do you have any questions for me?"  Many people are confused about what to ask or how to ask it, but don't let that keep you from asking anything!  Employers use this time to gauge your interest and knowledge of the company. Failure to ask any questions can make you look uninterested or uninformed.  Take a proactive step in your job search toward employment and learn the right things to ask with the following articles!

The many regulations that go along with government contracts can be overwhelming.  What advice can you give to small business going after government contracts? 

A quick job search tip is to always treat everyone you meet at an office with an equal amount of respect and kindness. The opinions of anyone who meets you can have an effect on the company's hiring decision; from the receptionist all the way to the CEO. This is especially important in a small office environment, where all level of employees have constant interaction.

A little thought of benefit to outsourcing your hiring is that candidates will tell third parties things they won’t tell you.  I tell candidates that they should think of me as a representative for the company, but for some reason that isn’t what they hear.  Outsourced hiring services not only save companies time and money, but can give you information about candidates that they work hard to hide. 

Often this results in stories about previous employers or coworkers that start off with, “Don’t tell anyone this, but…”  Sometimes the information we get from candidates is much more positive than what they shared with you.  “From the minute I walked in it seemed like the perfect fit!  I can see myself going to work there everyday and loving it!”

Either way, this extra information can be very valuable when you work to make your final hiring decision!

When at an interview, simply follow the interviewer's lead to set the tone of your conversation. Simply go along with their attitude and interview style, be it chatty, all-business, direct, humorous, or whatever the case may be. This is a simple job search tip that could vastly improve your results!

Do you use your career site to build your Employer Brand?  What have you tried that has been successful?

Have a list of three references ready at all times including name, job title, company, phone number and email address ready to give to prospective employers.

Stability

Smaller businesses are often perceived as less stable than larger corporations.  The impression of instability can be especially daunting to employees during economic downturns.  However, if your company is stable, being open and honest about the business’s financials can gain your employees confidence. If you know that your employer has consistently grown every year, it will help calm fears of downsizing. 

Even if the company has a "business casual" dress policy, you're better off over dressing than in risking to find that your idea of casual doesn't match that of your prospective employer.

Clarify your career goals. Use this time to evaluate what you want out of your career. What things would you like to be different at your new position? Write down a list of the issues that are important to you in a job, and keep these in mind during your search.

Stretch

As with owning your own company, when you work in a small business you often have to become an expert in marketing, accounting, mind reading, playful banter, and counseling.  Again, this is one of the best parts of working in a small business.  But remember that your employees are not super heroes.  While the best ones will seem to do the impossible, no one can do it all.

Everyone likes to feel important…

Status

For small business employees there can be a constant struggle to balance our inflated egos.  We tell ourselves, “If I am not there the world will crumble!  What will they do!”  And other times we say, “My job doesn’t really matter.  If I wasn’t doing this would anyone even notice?”

There is also the “Where do you work syndrome?”  I make important decisions that change lives and businesses everyday, but lots of people don’t take my career nearly as seriously as they would if I worked for “Fill in the Blank Big Corp.”  I personally know that my job is much more influential than it would be if I worked at a place like that, but I have an ego, like we all do!

A majority of people have experienced the afternoon slump at one time or another.  Low energy, lack of focus, and difficulty concentrating can impact your work output.  Check out the following articles for tips on avoiding the afternoon slump!

Avoiding the Afternoon Slump

10 Tips to Prevent the Afternoon Slump

Afternoon Energy Boosters

Business owners often believe that passive candidates are the best candidates.  Everyone wants to recruit them.  I hear over and over again from business owners, "Find me someone who is working for one of our competitors, who I don't have to train so they can hit the road running on day one!"

Sounds great, yes?  But, great passive candidates are just an illusion.  There is a reason why they are called "passive."  It's because they are "passive."  They generally do not move into action until someone pushes them to do so which is not a characteristic of an "A" player.

"A" players will do one of 2 things.  1.) They will never leave their current position because they are superstars and compensated handsomely.   They are loyal and passionate about the company they work for.  Or, 2.)  They are proactively looking for a better job so they can reach their potential.

There is nothing passive about "A" players.  "A" players are proactive.  Passive candidates are simply content to be average players  . . . waiting for recruiters to call to push them into action.

Is this the type of employee you want on your team?  My guess not.  Passive candidates are plentiful.  They just are not "A" players.

I know it isn't easy, but it is important!

Autonomy

When you hire someone, you are giving up a piece of your business.  If you aren’t ready for that then you aren’t ready to hire a top performing employee.  If they have to run everything by you then they will not be happy.  And isn’t the best situation for you either. 

Another potential pitfal...

Communication 

New employees don’t have anywhere to go to find out “the way things work here” and my guess is that very few small businesses have an FAQ up on their intranet about things like dress code, holidays, birthdays, and other seemingly unimportant things.  Be mindful of the fact that if you haven’t told them, no one else probably has either. 

Sometimes the things we love, can also cause issues…

 Lack of structure

Create processes where you can.  Even those of us who love to have the freedom and flexibility to do our own thing like to have some structure occasionally.