The Sofology Approach to Candidate Experience

The Sofology Approach to Candidate Experience Sofas.  Probably the last thing you would imagine to be at the forefront of candidate experience  but you’d be wrong. I recently caught up with Ben Gledhill who is the Talent Acquisition Manager at Sofology  and creator of a very interesting model for candidate experience (see below). They are on their way to becoming a fully digital omnichannel retailer and are doing lots of cool stuff with tech for their customers as well as for their candidates. You can listen to my interview with Ben below, or read on for a summary of our conversation. Also, be sure to subscribe to the Employer Branding Podcast. What is your definition of candidate experience? I guess, maybe five, six years ago it was just a case of you had an ATS, you had an application process and candidates would apply. You offer or reject them, and then you just go back to the beginning. Then you do that all over and over again. With the real emergence of employer branding, the kind of social media-heavy world that we live in now, things like a companys reputation, and more importantly, the impact that candidates and recruitment can actually have, can impact on the consumer brand as well. Its so, so important now. So I guess for me candidate experience isnt just about giving candidates good feedback. Its not just about making sure that the hiring manager has training. Its about the end-to-end process of building the basis of a good employee journey throughout the process but also, if you are a rejected candidate, making sure that they become brand advocates. So they dont only praise your recruitment function but they also praise your organization as a whole as well. Wh ich, if you are a consumer brand, it can have a huge impact on your profit or, potentially, loss. What inspired you to create a model for candidate experience? I guess my real inspiration for creating the model was I just couldnt find a template or a model to work from or use as almost like a term of reference. Im a big fan of the work that Gerry Crispin has done and the Candidate Experience Awards, both in Europe and the U.S. And so I took the feedback that we get from our own candidate surveys, some of the feedback that those guys have collated last year, and I looked at the real process that the candidate will go through. So, it starts off with the brand awareness what do they know about Sofology? what can they understand? what can they find? And actually, comparing that to, what do they want? Probably the biggest bugbear for a candidate, is not knowing what the process looks like. So very easily, when we remodeled our careers website last year, we created a couple of files which shows, very simple in a matrix form, what role goes against which assessment technique so they know exactly how they will be assessed, and what will happen through the process. So what does a pre-screen involve? what does a psychometric test involve? If they are successful, what does the onboarding process look like? Because for me, at one point or another, were all candidates and we all go through the process. So if we can give candidates as much information as we can, hopefully, that will not only inform them but it will alleviate our workload because youve given the candidate all the information that they need. So its just really about taking this gigantic journey that can look a bit, wow, this is a little bit scary! and just breaking it down to really easy, manageable chunks that people can go away, work on a project, come back, slot it in and it can work really well. Where should the typical company start? I always think that you cant really tell other people to do things if your own house is not in order. I think for us, it was very much around the careers website. I dont think it was up to date enough. I dont think there was enough information on there for the candidate to make a real conscious and objective decision to apply. I think that the interview and assessment process can be very mix-and-match to what youre looking for. So, for example, “why does a senior candidate need to go through very basic questions?” On the flipside of that, “why does a junior candidate have to go through a three or four stage interview process?” But I think the big one for me is the actual application process. Its the how do I submit a CV? how do I submit a LinkedIn profile? And I think at the moment our application process is around about five to seven minutes with about four or five clicks. We have taken that down a lot. So, for example, a lot of feedback was, I havent got my national insuran ce number, so we took it out. So its just the little tweaks like that because, for me, everything needs to mirror the consumer way of working. So I think last week, I ordered something off Amazon. It was two or three clicks. So theres no reason why an application process for a candidate should be any different. How can we measure candidate experience and make sure that we use the data well? Because everything that we try to do is as a people-team function, we try to mirror what the consumer business does. So we landed on an NPS survey that each candidate, regardless of role, will receive at the end of the process. And the reason why we did this was we wanted the most realistic image or results of the data thats possible. Because if we got the data after the interview, candidates might be a little bit happy and say, Yeah, its really, really cool and all the rest of it, but we wanted to get the survey data after theyve been told theyve either been successful or unsuccessful. So every candidate will get an email. They will get a text message informing that the email has been sent to them. And the questions that we ask, its a mix of both qualitative and quantitative data, which means that weve got some numbers to play around with but, more importantly, we have some data that we can actually take away in terms of text and actually look at. So, some of the questions are, How would you rate the feedback provided during the recruitment process? At the interview, what impression did the company representatives give? Quite simple questions, but the main one which is key is, Overall, how would you rate your experience during the recruitment process? zero is poor and 10 is excellent. So for me, thats a good little employer brand metric in terms of, What do you think of us as an employer assessing you? And when we first kicked off the process, we had a lot of negative comments because there was probably a lot to fix. But, as times gone on, weve managed to take away things and improve them. So I guess, for us, the two biggest things was the feedback. So now, every candidate that applies will get a notification. They will get feedback as to whether we will progress or not progress with a little bit of detail there. But after the actual face-to-face assessment, they will get full verbal feedback but theyll also get access to further feedback from the hiring manager if requested, just to help them in their next application, or job search or whatever. And the second one was around hiring manager capability. So we had a lot of negativity around the actual individual capability of our hiring managers so what we did, we created a very simple hiring manager training module as part of our learning academy. With things like interview, etiquette, how to structure a competency-based question, h ow to probe without being aggressive. And all of a sudden, you started to see the individuals scores for our assessors go up, and up and up. So, as with the process as a whole, its about taking a problem, breaking it down, looking at a sensible solution, and then moving forward and implementing it. Follow Ben on Twitter @RecruiterGuyNW and subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast.

How Can a Resume Writing Service Help Me?

How Can a Resume Writing Service Help Me?If you're looking for ways to increase your chances of getting a new job, then resume writing can be an easy way to start. Most people know that resumes can be used to get your resume writing service in front of the employers you are looking for. However, you should also know that there are a few things you need to know about how to get the most out of your resume writing service.First of all, you need to know that it's absolutely essential that you write the right information. The purpose of any resume is to get the right employer to see it. Your resume needs to be compelling enough to make it past the reviewer and into the employer's hands. Therefore, your resume writing service will need to know how to do this as well.You also need to know that there are certain things need to be included on your resume. If you have a solid degree, you will need to include that. If you have children, you will need to show that you are responsible and they c an grow with you.There are many different kinds of experiences that can be included. For example, if you have worked at a hotel, you might want to include details on the employment. Or you might want to show that you have traveled around the world.Of course, you need to know that there are certain things that you need to include. This includes some personal information as well. That includes things like your interests, your education, your love life, etc.You also need to know that there are certain areas that you need to focus on. Those include making sure that your resume is short and to the point. In fact, you need to be able to do it in less than a minute.You also need to know that you need to have a cover letter with you when you go to interview. Your cover letter will show your employer how much you know about your position. It is a way to get the attention of the interviewer and show them that you are serious about your new job.Finally, you need to know that you need to have s amples of your work. They will help to make you look more professional. However, you still need to take the time to have some samples to hand.

Stop Applying And Start Competing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Stop Applying And Start Competing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Are you still APPLYING for a job instead of COMPETING for one? In today’s hypercompetitive, brutal job market, where there are still many more job seekers than there are jobs, you had better be doing the latter or you’re going to end up missing the boat entirely! Still, many job seekers apparently either don’t want to believe this, or simply choose not to believe it! Its a   competition Reading comments across the Internet in blogs and news articles, quotes in the media, callers on talk radio, etc., the laments I regularly read/hear from many, though certainly not all, of today’s job seekers go something like this: • Hiring companies are no longer “playing fair.” • It’s almost impossible to contact a hiring manager or company directly about a job these days. • Hiring companies don’t really seem to care if you have a job or not. The only thing they want to know from you is, “What can you do for them!” • The whole job market seems to have been “turned upside down!” What worked just a few years ago when it came to getting a new job doesn’t seem to work at all anymore! What has happened? What can I do?! Does anybody care anymore?! • I am so desperate these days . . . why doesn’t somebody give me a job?! • And the one that was most interesting was a comment to one of my recent blogs: “Congress should make it illegal for companies to lay people off. All companies want to do is make money. They don’t care about people.” And, you know what? Such fears, anxieties and laments are hardly without foundation. You are NOT being paranoid! This is precisely what is happening in the job market today! This precisely describes today’s job market! And, to add insult to injury, there is little chance that things are going to change for the better in the job market anytime soonâ€"if ever. So, it seems to meâ€"and I hope it will also seem to you!â€"that today’s job seeker has essentially two choices: Revert to the “fetal position” and continue to obsess about the dismal state of affairs, blaming “them” for not “giving” you a job, or, learn how to adapt to changing circumstances, learn the NEW rules of the “hiring game”â€"and, yes, that’s what it is, a “game”â€"and then learn how to “play” by the NEW rules and effectively compete for the jobs that are available. Playing the game? In other words, you must COMPETE for a position in today’s job market, NOT just apply for jobs, and it all starts with proper BRANDING. Let’s go back to bullet point number three above: “Hiring companies don’t really seem to care if you have a job or not. The only thing they want to know from you is, “What can you do for them?” That is EXACTLY the case! Unless you can BRAND yourself as someone who can DO something for them, you won’t get hired in today’s job market. Simple as that. • You must BRAND yourself as SOMEONE WHO GETS RESULTS. • You must BRAND yourself as SOMEONE with the QUALITIES that will SATISFY A SPECIFIC NEED of an employer. • Employers don’t hire “generic” employees. They hire people who have clearly BRANDED themselves as SOMEONE WHO CAN MAKE AN EVER-INCREASING CONTRIBUTION to their organization. Let me illustrate by sharing with you two, very representative reader comments posted to an article that appeared on America Online about “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed Forever! Here is the first comment, obviously from a job seeker: “I miss the good old days. Today you have to jump through hoops for companies. Maybe its the red tape, maybe its just THEM, who knows. Im sick of stupid tests (I get the highest scores possible and STILL dont get the job!), drug tests, credit checks and providing my driving record for a lousy $8.00/hr job with no benefits. It is truly an employer’s market these days.” And here is the second comment, apparently from a hiring manager: “Getting a job is really not rocket science . . . As a former Hotel manager and now CEO, I can assure you that a hiring manager’s goal is simply to place the best candidate in to any position. This means that even when a company is not officially hiring they are always looking. This is especially true in industries (with) high turnover. This means that individuals need not focus on getting a job, but really on constantly improving and perfecting their skill and knowledge. If you approach an employer as a charity case they will direct you to the Red Cross . . . theyre in it (business) to make money and usually age, education and experience are associated with spending it. This does not mean that you should try to appear young, stupid and less experienced, it simply means that you must illustrate how these factors will translate into SAVING (emphasis mine) the additional money which they may have to spend on you.” The business of making money Contrary to popular opinionâ€"and as so well and succinctly expressed by the second person’s commentâ€"companies are NOT in the business of hiring people! They are in the business of MAKING MONEY! That means they are looking for potential employees who can either MAKE THEM MONEY or SAVE THEM MONEY, and ideally, be able to accomplish both of these things! One more thing: No company “owes” you (or anybody else) a job. A job is something that has always had to be earned in America, regardless of the state of the job market. So STOP APPLYING for jobs and START COMPETING for them! And, make sure you BRAND yourself not only as someone who has the necessary skills and background to actually DO the job, but equally important, as someone who can indeed MAKE ‘EM MONEY or SAVE ‘EM MONEY, or better yet, do both of these things! Author: Skip Freeman is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever! and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

Should you pursue mastery

Should you pursue mastery I am fascinated with mastery. I will not embark on anything unless I know I can become a master at it. I did not start Ashtanga yoga until I knew I could do it every day for a year. I did not start swing dancing lessons until I had enough money to take three lessons a day, with three different teachers. (Actually, its debatable as to whether I had enough money, but thats how I spent it.) I am not interested in just trying something. I find just trying totally unrewarding. The idea that mastery is a positive experience is well researched and not particularly controversial. The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, is actually an ode to mastery, but very controversial. The mom who wrote it is a Yale law professor and her kids are musicians and there is no room in that family for dilettantes. The book says that parents should force feed the self-discipline that mastery requires. The issue, of course, is whether mastery can come from such external motivation. She says yes. Im not sure. (Though just in case internal motivation is overrated, Im forcing my own kids to practice their instruments twice a day.) In my life there has been only a very fine line between obsessive interest and mastery. I think today about what Im trying to master, and honestly, I feel like Ive mastered the happiness stuff. I know what makes me happy. I appear to be unable to maintain a close bond with someone Im married to. Which is, by far, the most important thing we can do for our happiness. But I am able to derive happiness from intellectual and physical mastery. Im really drawn to this photo. Somehow, I immediately knew it was sexual. Maybe because power is sexual. Maybe because shes so pretty. I dont know. But it turns out, this is a photo of a blow up doll for having sex. The artist, Laurie Simmons ordered the doll in the mail and then took a series of photos. In this photo, the doll is dressed in the artists daughters clothing. Of course, the doll does not come with these clothes. The photo reminds me of how transformative physical mastery is. I want to feel strong. Right now I am focusing on the hill that leads up to the farm. I want to get so good at running up it that I can sprint. Four times. Thats my goal, and then Ill feel like Ive mastered the hill. It will take me running all summer, I think. But I dont want to do anything else. No gym, no pilates. I just want to do that hill. Every day. I have been reading Tim Ferriss new book, The 4-Hour Body. I cant stop myself from liking it because hes so obsessive. I couldnt put my finger on the draw until I saw an article by Ferriss in Mens Journal. The title is Rule the Pool. Im not swimming right now, but I read the article anyway. I read it because Tim is always a master of the topic hes writing about. And mastery is interesting. And his book is interesting because it follows his journey to master his body. (Forget the parts of that other post I wrote about how much I hate his book. I guess I am changing my mind. I still would never want to be friends with the guy. But part of my internal drive toward mastery is not caring at all if Im wrong.) Mastery is interesting. And now that Ive decided to focus on having an interesting life rather than a happy life, I have, by default chosen to focus on mastery. Which, no surprise, is what Ive been focusing on all along. I think I am mastering sex. Im not sure what part of it. Definitely not the doing part, because the farmer and I seem to be on sexual hiatus while he is refusing to talk with me. And my ex and I were able to get through the last six years of our marriage having sex only two times. So Im not the type of girl who is gaining mastery through first-hand experience. But the research part of sex is endlessly interesting to me. How other people do it. How people think about it. How people ruin it and fix it and ruin it again. Heres some stuff I learned recently: iPhone users have more sex than android users. Sex strikes are effective in a community of women because the men have nowhere to cross the proverbial picket line. Bats that lick sex organs are more successful at breeding than bats that dont lick. I am not good at knowing how people negotiate sex. Which is why you probably wouldnt have the patience to have sex with me, but its also what drives me to understand the rules and underpinnings of sex. My expertise includes incest. I love incest. I mean, I love reading books about it. (Heres a classic.) Im fascinated by what drives people to do it. Im fascinated by the girls so often hating it and loving it simultaneously. It is complicated but I think I can master itunderstanding it. I read the review of the book Tiger, Tiger by Margaux Fragoso, who was sexually abused for fifteen years, starting at age 7. Im fascinated by how she was seduced, and how she came to enjoy the sex in a way she says is like being a heroin addict. And I enjoy feeling nervous to read it but knowing Ill push myself to read it anyway. So I have been thinking about people who try a lot of stuffthose who are not driven to master what they do. Sometimes I think they are losers. I think of girls who do 1000 first dates but never have long-term relationships. At some point, all first dates become the same. The beginnings of relationships are all the same, but deeper connections require understanding more and more about yourself to keep going. Thats what I think of mastery. I worry that I should not be writing this blog. Its insane, really, that I spend hours and hours writing without really making any money from the work. I mean, I have basically the same traffic whether I post three times a week or once a weekno kidding. And I know Im not alone. Leo Babauta has said the same thing about his blog. Yet Im driven to post. Im obsessed with finding the right photo and the right topic and the right tone and putting it all together. Im obsessed with having a spot for the research I love. The blog is the ultimate act of going deeper and deeper because on the blog, there is nowhere else to go. It occurs to me that mastery is irrational. Pursuing it makes life more difficult and more interesting than people really need life to be. But people who are driven to mastery cant stop. Its either charming or boorish. Im not sure which.

Resume Skills For Retail Sales

Resume Skills For Retail SalesRetail sales are one of the most competitive and difficult jobs in the UK. Some people who want to make a living in the business are constantly struggling with the resume skills for retail. The reality is that, not everyone will get this opportunity.The best way to stand out from the crowd when applying for a retail job is to have an impressive resume. You do not need to be the most highly skilled. What you should aim for is to present yourself as someone who has been in the industry for some time. If you have not yet reached a certain point in your career, it would be beneficial to work on improving your CV as this will boost your chances of getting the job.Always have a career development plan, a general approach to the business. Get informed about your strengths and weaknesses and find out what opportunities will lead to a better position. Your life outside the work place is essential in your future.Save money on your application by registering for as many skills tests as possible. Take the tests before you apply and after. The most effective way to keep out the competition is to avoid mistakes that employers and recruiters look for in candidates. Some of the common mistakes include missing deadlines, putting off appointments to meet deadlines, making inappropriate queries, creating a confusing resume and so on.If you can, spend some time refining your resume skills before applying for a retail job. A strong idea about your strengths and weakness will get you to the top of the pile. You may also want to hire a professional to help you if you find the process of editing and writing your resume difficult.Do not become frustrated if you do not get the job you desire when starting your retail sales career. When applying for jobs, remember that most applicants are equally qualified, so it is important to know what the company wants from you. Many applicants think that they must be great and exceptional salespersons in order to get an interview, but the fact is that, most companies want competent people who have a solid record of past experience.Never give up trying to improve your resume skills when you first start out. There is no shame in getting some help. The money you can save using a professional for your job search is worth having some professional help.If you are planning to change jobs soon, take the time to check out retail sales in other countries before you make your choice. This can save you from making a big mistake in your resume skills for retail.

How to Handle Inappropriate Interview Questions

How to Handle Inappropriate Interview Questions Last night on Larry King Live, ex-beauty queen Carrie Prejean called Larry King inappropriate after being questioned as to why she dropped her claims of libel, slander, and religious discrimination against the Miss USA pageant. Ms. Prejean seems to have agreed to go on the show assuming her agenda, which focused on promoting her book, would be followed and neglected to take the interviewers agenda, uncovering new details about why she dropped her claims, into account. It seems to me that Prejean committed a fatal interview faux pas which was to become defensive about Kings questions. As a result, she lost credibility and raised questions that she is hiding something.I think the same problem sometimes exists in a job seekers interview strategy. I frequently hear stories from job seekers about inappropriate or illegal questions that they are asked during an interview. And I can understand why these questions would frustrate job seekers. But often hiring managers ask questions that are just plain wrong because of their agendabecause of a concern they have about your candidacy or a fear of finding something problematic about you after they have hired you. In many cases, the inappropriate question is asked without even realizing it is inappropriate or even illegal. So before you get defensive about a certain question, try to examine the hiring managers motive behind asking it. Below are a few inappropriate interview questions along with the potential motive for asking them and suggested responses.Are you married? Clearly this is an inappropriate question and martial status has nothing to do with your success in the position. But the motive behind asking the question may be the fear that if you are married you may be planning on starting a family soon which could mean an extended leave or even a decision to quit. But rather than getting defensive about the question, try answering it by acknowledging the motive. Respond by saying something like If you are concerned th at my marital status could effect my long term plans at the company, I can assure you that is not the case.Do you have children? Absolutely politically incorrect and illegal? Sure. But some managers ask this question because they are concerned that if you have kids, you are more likely to come in late or leave early, need more time off, or need a more flexible work schedule. Rather than getting defensive and saying that they are asking an illegal question, again try to assuage their fears by understanding their motive and say something like If you are concerned that my parental status will effect my ability to carry out all my work duties and be present at all work-related functions on a regular basis, I can assure you that my commitments to the company would not be compromised.You have an interesting name. Where are you from? Does this question reek of discrimination? Possibly. Or, the employer may be asking this question because they are not sure if you are authorized to work in t he U.S. and they cannot offer you a work Visa. You can respond by saying If you are concerned about my authorization to work in the U.S. I would be happy to provide you with proof of citizenship (or a green card).How old are you? Yes, Ive actually had clients who were asked this question during an interview. Offensive? Absolutely. But again, try to examine the underlying motive. Perhaps the hiring manager is concerned that your skills are not current or that they will not be able to afford someone with your level of experience. Rather than getting defensive say something like I can assure you that my age has no bearing on my ability to do the job. My skills are up to date and my salary requirements are flexible.Interviewing is about building a relationship and establishing rapport. Getting defensive never works well in an interview situation. If you later decide that the hiring manager is an absolute Neanderthal for asking you inappropriate or illegal interview questions, you can al ways decide not to pursue the position. But its a sounder interview strategy to address the motives behind the questions head on than take off your microphone and sit there stewing as Ms. Prejean did.

Summary Sunday Job Search Changes With The Times

Summary Sunday Job Search Changes With The Times When there are shifts in the world of work, your job search changes too!   This weeks roundup covers some of the good and bad job search changes based on work trends. From networking skills to communication skills, you will probably need to up your game and consider job search an on-going activity, not something you do only when you NEED a new job. I hope these articles help you stay current! Remember, if you like something youve read, be sure to subscribe to the site so you can get the scoop directly! SALARY Why Banning Questions About Salary History May Not Improve Pay Equity by Lydia Frank | Harvard Business Review New research by Payscale finds that women face a unique challenge when it comes to disclosing and negotiating salary- People react negatively when women negotiate for higher pay. The article also includes suggestions for job seekers and employers on how to be more sensitive to this issue. FACEBOOK 4 Ways to Increase Facebook Visibility for Your Job Search by Hannah Morgan | Job-Hunt.org Most people would never consider using Facebook for job search. But you can do these 4 things to pimp your profile! LINKEDIN The Secret LinkedIn Ingredient: Introductions by Bruce Johnston on LinkedIn The value of LinkedIn is in relationship building- not job hunting. Use the give to get philosophy and build your credibility. LinkedIn In Under 10 Minutes A Day by Jim Peacock, Peak Careers This 20 minute conversation will provide you will actionable ideas on how to get more from LinkedIn. Bob McIntosh, Sabrina Woods and I all share our tips! INTERVIEW: Using LinkedIn in Under 10 Minutes a Day I am Jim Peacock with Peak-Careers Consulting. We provide professional development for career practitioners ranging from the Facilitating Career Development (FCD) class for national certification, to online discussion-based seminars on a variety of career topics, workshops, and a newsletter. I also provide career coaching for individuals. FREELANCING LinkedIn ProFinder Reveals Brand New Findings on Freelance Economy by LinkedIn Even if you havent considered becoming a Freelancer, this information is interesting. PLUS, do you know about LinkedIns ProFinder? It helps you promote your freelance work and acquire leads and opportunities. CAREER I started as an econ major in college but knew writing skills were important. Eventually I switched to a humanities major. Ah, the beauty of a liberal arts education where you learn to think and write! It has served me well! Writing Skills Help Everyone Work Better and Make More Money [Infographic] by YouTern It is suggested that employers may consider good writers to be more detail oriented, attentive workers. Perhaps those who communicate well and clearly are simply better at their jobs. Whatever the case, the statistics clearly show that even in tech fields, better writers tend to make more money. But don’t worry, it’s not too late. by Grammarly PS: Im a huge fan of Grammarly  (affliliat link)! Its a freemium service and it catches typos and grammar mistake in emails and all my social media updates!