It is human nature to shy away from hard questions or those that make us uncomfortable or the ones we don’t really want to know the answer to.

As recruiters, we are in the business of placing candidates within organizations NOT just in jobs, we often look for the answer to be yes or positive and avoid all the reasons the answer is simply NO.

Saying NO can make you the best asset to both your clients and candidates, and they don’t even know it yet.

Remember, it is not just about filling the position, it is about working together as a trusted and committed partner with your clients and candidates to find the best fit for all involved.

Have you told your current employer you are unhappy? Seeking new employment? Discussed what it would take for you to stay?
Are you currently working with another recruiter? If so, who?
Are you currently interviewing with anyone else? If so, who?
Relocation? Is your spouse/partner on board? Why would you consider relocation? Children/School issues?
What is your current compensation vs. what will you accept and what do you want to be making?
Would you consider a counter offer? Why accepting a counter offer is the kiss of death.
Ability to complete and pass background, drug and credit checks?
Reasons you have left last few positions?
Gaps in employment?
Have you ever worked in a an environment like this before? If not, what makes you think this is a fit?
Finally, have the candidate write up in detail and describe why they think they are the perfect candidate for the position they are being considered for.

Remember, if you don’t ask, then you are left unprepared for the red flags that turn into deal breakers.

Definition: On-boarding is a strategic process of bringing a new employee into the organization and providing information, training, mentoring and coaching throughout the transition.

Purpose: Effective employee on-boarding serves three purposes. First, it ensures that the new hire feels welcomed, comfortable, prepared, and supported. This leads to the new hire’s ability to make an impact within the organization, both immediately and over time. Finally, employee success leads to satisfaction and retention, which allows the organization to continue to meet its mission.

Employee On-boarding Checklist
Pre-Arrival:
1. Confirm offer letter sent and returned signed
2. Call or email to officially welcome the new employee
3. Provide new employee with a contact in the event of a question or issue
4. Create an on-boarding schedule for new employee
5. Assign on-boarding mentor for new employee’s first 60 days
6. Order business cards, set up computer, phone, log in password and leave office supplies on desk
7. Provide the email account and password information to new employee
8. Send an announcement via email to all other employees
9. Address parking options if parking is designated/cost is involved
10. Make sure new employee information is added to all employee lists
Arrival:
1. Introduce to co-workers
2. Department/Company tour (restroom, vending machines, water/coffee)
3. Have new employee meet with HR Department to complete all necessary documentation
4. Distribute key and/or access card to office
5. Discuss procedures for scheduling time off, and unexpected illness
6. Review work schedule, pay schedule, overtime pay and dress code
7. Go over phones, fax, copier and how to obtain office supplies
8. Provide computer orientation at new employee’s desk
9. Take new employee to lunch or arrange a welcome lunch for them
10. Give logo/brand company items to new employee as a welcome gift

First Week:
1. Review job responsibilities and expectations
2. Review performance and appraisal process
3. Review company’s mission, strategy, values, functions, policies and procedures
4. Review emergency plan/exits
5. Provide health and safety training
6. Schedule one-on-one time with new employee, this is vital to their success, it gives you the ability to gauge how they’re doing, answer any questions, and give them feedback
First Month:
1. Schedule weekly/monthly meeting to touch base
2. Make sure all training has been completed or scheduled
3. Ensure that all benefit paperwork has been completed and submitted
4. Review and clarify performance objectives and expectations after the first month
5. Overview of budget and finance policies and procedures
6. Make sure employee has projects/tasks to complete
7. Complete 30 day on-boarding evaluation survey

Top 15 Busiest Social Media Sites

Social media usage is becoming a vital component within the business community and it changes frequently.
While Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin remain the most popular sites, others are gaining momentum.
For example, according to eBIZMBA, for the March rankings, Pinterest rose from #10 to #4 with an estimated 85.5 million monthly visitors.

15. Multiply – 4,000,000 monthly users (Sharing and shopping with your friends)
14. My Life – 5,400,000 monthly users (Connect with everyone in one place)
13. Meetup – 7,500,000 monthly users (Meetings in the US and internationally)
12. Ning – 12,000,000 monthly users (Social community)
11. Cafemom – 12,500,000 monthly users (Where Moms meet for advice, games, friends)
10. Orkut – 17,500,000 monthly users (Connect with friends, family or start conversation with new friends)
9. Tagged – 19,500,000 monthly users (Social network for meeting new people)
8. LiveJournal – 20,500,000 monthly users (Creative expressions, polls)
7. DeviantArt – 25,500,000 monthly users (Art at its best)
6. GooglePlus+ – 65,000,000 monthly users (Hangouts, events, photos, games)
5. MySpace – 70,500,000 monthly users (Rebuilt, Reinvented, Redesigned…the new MySpace.com)
4. Pinterest – 85,500,000 monthly users (Organize and share things you love)
3. Linkedin – 110,000,000 monthly users (Professional networking)
2. Twitter – 250,000,000 monthly users (A tweet can take you anywhere)
1. Facebook – 750,000,000 monthly users (Connect with old friends, make new ones)

(Source: eBIZMBA as of March 2013)

Have you ever been on a job interview, thought you rocked it and didn’t get the job knowing full well that you are qualified?
Wonder what went wrong?

There could be numerous reasons but first and foremost is “First Impressions Matter.”

Whether a company is looking at your resume for the first time, conducting a phone interview or interviewing you face to face,
you have about 10 seconds and the other person has an opinion of you before you ever even get started.

1. Appropriate clothing: Always dress your best! Women, stay away from revealing clothing, too much jewelry and too much perfume and make-up. The normal attire for an interview is a suit and guys, please don’t wear one from a decade ago. Know the culture of the company; and make sure you dress accordingly. Note to all: if you have any facial piercing…remove them before you arrive for your interview, including tongue piercing. And last but not least…your shoes…please make sure they are on the “newer” side, because there is nothing worse than looking like a million buck and your shoes looking like they cost $10.

2. Eye Contact, Smile and Handshake: I know, you are all rolling your eyes, thinking uh…that’s a given. Well, you would not believe how many nervous candidates fail to do one or all three. Looking directly in someone’s eyes shows respect as well as, you have my full attention. Many people relate someone not looking them in the eyes as being a sign that they have something to hide or maybe are not always truthful. Smiling is so simple…it enhances your appearance and says, “I am happy to be here and I am a people person.” As far as a handshake goes, weak is not good at all, firm is good and too firm can imply aggression. Practice.

3. Say their name and be personable: Greeting a person by their name and asking them a polite question, such as, “how are you today” has been proven to be two of the most influential acts to elicit a positive impression. People like to hear their name and feel as though you truly are interested in them. Keep it short…you are there to interview for a job.

4. Interaction with other employees: Talk to the receptionist, if other employees are coming in and out of the waiting room, smile and acknowledge them. Be engaging, it will make an impression on your potential co-workers and will show the interviewer that you are a people person who is confident and sociable. Turn off your cell phone before you arrive, so you are not tempted to play games, read email or have a conversation. If you need something to “do” while you are waiting, read an appropriate trade magazine. Remember the “other” employees are forming an opinion of you as well.

5. Would you like a drink: As a matter of fact, you do! Even if you don’t. This is a sign of hospitality and a refusal can be considered rude. Water is great…you don’t have to worry about it being too hot…and it won’t be obvious if you spill a drop and it can help you with your dry mouth during the interview. Whatever you do, do not roll up with your own beverage in hand.

Now all of these actions seem to be obvious but sometimes it’s the obvious things we forget. Good luck and go out there and make a stellar first impression!

If you are a recruiter or work in a HR Department, then you can definitely relate to my pain.

I review resumes, not once but probably twenty or more times a day. Quick glance; look at education, current company, title, progression of career…not bad…until I read the cover letter or qualifications and a stream of clichés start flying off the page.

Your resume is the first impression a potential employer has to go by when forming their opinion about your qualifications. I am old school, so there are some words like detail oriented and dependable that are some what acceptable. But in all honesty; who would put “always miss work on Monday” vs dependable or “makes typo’s regularly” vs detail oriented?

There are certain words that show a lack of imagination, the ability to think “big” and overall confidence and/or leadership. So with that being said; here are the words you should probably remove from your resume or never put on it to begin with.

1. Hopeful – Implies you are not sure… you need to be certain

2. Assist – Leaders are assisted… not assisting

3. Professional – Would you say you were/are anything but “professional”…it’s a given

4. Approximately – If you don’t know, then find out…if you do know, then in a humble way share what you have accomplished

5. Attempt – You need to use quantitative words…”increased” or “exceeded”

6. Implemented – Implemented is good if you are in a planning department but otherwise; tell me how you improved existing processes while still getting the job done

7.Team Player – This is where imagination comes in; relay how the people you managed were promoted or tell me what your company’s retention rate was/is…that screams “team player”, without using the word

So, take the time to review your resume and cover letter. Do you see any of the words mentioned above? If so, then use your imagination, be creative, have fun and spice it up…trust me…being unique can get you an interview just because it shows a certain confidence.

Recruiters manage the flow of several pipelines. These pipelines must always be active, current and overflowing if their business is to be successful. So they organize their day, centering it around certain basic activities to keep the pipelines going. If any one of these pipelines are out of sync it could cause the recruiter to be out of commission and consequently, they then earn no commission. A key part of a recruiters focus is on balancing these pipelines and increasing the flow in each of the following:

Searches: Searches are the heart of a recruiting organization. Without positions to fill, the recruiter is out of business. A recruiter is continually on the hunt for searches through all manners of marketing, cold calls to potential clients, calls to existing clients, referrals, networking and advertising.
Candidates: Now in order for the above mentioned searches to be filled, the recruiter must have qualified and preferably passive candidates. So a recruiter is always pursuing every avenue they can through cold calling, social media web sites, job postings and referrals. By continually sourcing candidates, a successful recruiter is managing and increasing the flow of contacts, relationships, and resumes.
Submissions: A submission is a qualified candidate that you submit to your client. If the recruiter is managing their searches and candidates, then the first hurdle of the placement process has been cleared by your submission. It is absolutely essential for the recruiter to have an ongoing flow in the first two pipelines in order to efficiently and effectively make their submissions. Hopefully your client will be interested in the candidate and want to interview them and the candidate thinks the company and opportunity are exciting enough to interview for…and when these two things come together…it is then time to coordinate the interview. Now it gets really exciting.
Placements: Placements are what a recruiter’s work life is all about. Recruiters are in the business of, and stay in business only by, making placements. A placement is that magical moment when everything clicks and all the bells and whistles go off. These placements require the experienced mediation, management, communication, and sales ability of a skilled recruiter. Making placements and closing deals is a recruiters reward for managing their all-encompassing pipeline activity.

What To Look For When Hiring a Search Firm

Hiring a quality search firm for your company is as critical and important as the actual employees you hire to work directly in your organization. We have all heard; “A bad hire is a costly hire.” So, how do you know if the search firm you’re interviewing has the right stuff to give you the advantage over your competition in finding and hiring the best candidates?
Process: Ask the prospective recruiter/search firm to walk you through their process for finding and hiring a candidate, from the moment a job order is received until the actual hire. This will give you insight into the recruiter’s thoroughness, network of contacts, and integrity.

Candidates: Ask the prospective recruiter/search firm, “Where do you find your candidates?” Do they have experience with only one source – online job boards, for instance? Or does the recruiter have experience with a wide range of networking sources? Good recruiters/search firms will have a strong network of contacts they can rely on to get your organization the best candidate. They will also be aggressive; and not reluctant to make COLD CALLS to find the passive candidate that every company would like to hire. If the recruiter/search firm can not give you a clear and direct answer regarding their sourcing tactics; beware. It is very important to learn what kind of candidates the recruiter/search firm have experience in placing. You certainly do not want to hire a firm who has never placed the type of candidate you are in need of. A good recruiter/search firm will bring knowledge, information, and value to your company.

Cost: Make sure you understand how search firms charge. Firms may charge as much as 40% of your new hires first year salary, but 20% to 30% is more the norm. A contingency agreement means the search firm only charges a fee if you hire a candidate they presented. A retained agreement requires a percentage of money to be paid before the search is started but your search will take priority over a contingency agreement. Many top-notch firms will not work on contingencies, and many will want a fee if you fill the position with them or without them. Make sure you understand the contract.

Performance: Verify a recruiter/search firms success rate. Check their references. Reputation in the recruiting industry is similar to water…without it a firm will not persevere. Make sure and verify who will be performing the search. Ask how long a typical search takes to complete. Inquire if there are companies they can not approach. Search firms will not recruit from their own clients; which is a benefit to you as well. Also, provide the search firm with a list of companies that you want them to approach and those you do not want them to approach. Be very detailed in your job description of requirements; telling the search firm that you need “An educated bubbly personality who would fit well with your culture” is a recipe for disaster. A better description would be, “We need a VP level individual from a Fortune 500 company with 5 years of experience handling all production for the company.” Bottom line; do your homework.

The best recruiters/search firms are motivated by the challenges of recruiting itself. Money is a factor for any recruiters, but the very best are those who love finding that needle in the hay stack.The best recruiters also love making good matches between candidates and companies. They get a charge out of getting to know people, both within their company and outside of it. They enjoy learning about candidates’ skills and personalities, and about the jobs they’re trying to fill—and they get satisfaction out of bringing the right candidate together with the right company. And finally, the best recruiters/search firms are those who can make the difficult hire and give you the best chance of retaining new hires.

You’re interviewing a candidate and get to the end and ask them, “Do you have any questions for me?”
Do you ever get that doe in the head-light look? Or do you feel like they are just asking questions to make themselves look interested or smart? Or do you ever get a short and simple “No?”
Basically, they do not hear a word you say when answering them, because they are thinking of the next question they can ask to look as bright as possible.
That is the difference between someone who is “just looking for a job” and someone who is well prepared, having done their homework and have a true interest in working for your organization. They are evaluating
you, if they want to work for you and your company.

Great Questions the Great Candidates Ask:

1. What are the common attributes of your top performers? Every company and culture are different, so the key qualities for any company are going to be different. These candidates want to find a home so they need to know if they will fit in and if they do fit, they want to be a top performer.
2. What are your expectations of me in the first 90 days? These candidates want to hit the ground running, They do not want to spend an excessive amount of time “getting to know the organization.” They want to make a difference immediately.
3. What drives results for your company? They are asking this because they know that when they help a company succeed, that means they succeed as well. Employees are an investment and they should want to generate a positive return on their salary.
4. What do your employees do in their spare time? This is a very telling question…it shows if the interviewer really knows the people they work with. This can be a tough question if the interviewer is with a large company…so they will probably speak in general terms. This question also lets a candidate know if they really have an opportunity to fit in.
5. How do you deal with…? Every organization faces major challenges and every employee wants growth and advancement so they don’t just want to know what you think, they want to know what you plan to do.

So be prepared for these questions because at the end of the day, it is about finding the right candidate because that results in higher retention rates, lower training costs and better overall productivity.

Happy Interviewing!

As some of you may know the Washington Division of M/I Homes suffered the loss of Rob Kilduff on Tuesday, March 26th. Rob was diagnosed with untreatable liver cancer on Thursday, March 14th.

Rob was with M/I Homes for 15 years. Rob was one of the most dedicated employees, never complained, was always willing to help and had an amazing work ethic. Working at MI was more than a job – he loved the company and did everything with their best interest in mind. Even days before his death he was worried about his site and who was going to be “taking care of his customers” until he returned to work. Rob was a fighter and was not willing to accept this sudden and tragic prognosis. All of this was driven from his commitment to his family and MI Homes.

Rob leaves behind his beautiful wife Karen, and his 2 adoring sons, Drew age 12 and Christopher age 9. Rob was a devoted husband and loved his boys deeply. In an effort to assist Karen and the boys a trust has been established to help with their current and future expenses.

In loving memory of Rob, M/I is asking that anyone who would like to make a donation can do so by sending a check:

Payable To: The Kilduff Family Trust

C/O Karen Kilduff

306 Roanoke Drive

Catonsville, Maryland 21228

On behalf of the Washington M/I team

Why is it that people don’t succeed using the most popular planning advice put out by productivity gurus?
Get it done now, One hour work flow, and Organized desks and folders…on and on they go.
Most of those strategies don’t work because they lack two key ingredients.
You don’t want to get more done and you’re afraid.
Yes, I said it, getting more done would mean exposing yourself to considerable risk,
to crossing bridges, to putting things into the world. Which means failure.and no one wants to fail.
You don’t need a plan…You need commitment.
You have to find a way to connect your passion to the business.
Trying to get yourself to do things that you don’t want to do, may work for the short term
but over all…it is not successful. You need to be excited about what you are doing, you
need to be in the zone and time will fly.
Best advice I ever got, “focus on what you are talented at and look forward to doing it.”
Here are some things that help me focus and add passion to my work:
I love the thrill of the hunt.
I love to help a candidate enhance their career path.
I love building relationships.
I love the construction industry…specifically home building.
I love making good money.

Bottom line…do what you love, or find a way to love what you do, and don’t forget to add desire and inspiration to your work and in time you will excel.