Largent & Associates

To Compensation and Beyond!

Largent — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 18:11:40 +0000

We are currently in a candidate-driven marketplace when it comes to hiring new employees, but meeting a candidate’s wants is easier said than done.

In the past, it is hasn’t been nearly as difficult to win the race in balancing the many factors of compensation. Employers are asking themselves what can the they afford, what is the value of the position they’re recruiting for, what is the compensation of current employees, and what is the market value for the combination of experience, proficiencies and education that are necessary to make a given position highly productive?

Meanwhile, candidates are seeing new recruiting trends splashed all over the news and social media. While employers are trying to adjust to these new trends and make it to the finish line, candidates are asking themselves what they want for compensation, what kind of flexibility they want from an employer, what kind of benefits they want, and what kind of culture do they want to work in every day.

Employers should be engaging potential candidates during every part of the hiring process. There’s no better time than the application and interview process to discuss a candidate’s expectations and wants as well as present non-compensation related aspects of working for their company such as culture, the importance of the work being done, the visibility of the position and opportunities to grow professionally and personally.

Employers can start by reviewing their descriptions for open jobs. Be honest, would you apply to that position? Also, are your job descriptions written with mobile technology in mind? If the answer is no, the position and more importantly the opportunity within your company aren’t being sold to potential candidates.

Applying some thought and effort in the hiring process will greatly improve a company’s adaptability to this changing market and help retain current employees.

Largent & Associates Executive Search and Work/Life Recruiting are your partners for growing your management team and hiring great talent. How can we help you grow? Contact us today to discuss your hiring needs.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Largent — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 20:48:22 +0000

Why do employers ask employees and interviewees about their goals?

Maybe we’re curious about what our team members want to achieve in the next twelve months. Perhaps we’re hoping to see how their personal and professional ambitions fit within the vision for our company or department. Sometimes we hear about detailed plans, other times a more general concept, and far too often an unclear or conflicted thought process.

But when’s the last time you’ve asked yourself about your personal goals? And more importantly, how do you define success? As is the case with our employees, there’s a path forward as long as our goal is defined and we are committed to that purpose. Here are some questions every small business should be asking themselves:

Are you seeking smart business risks, anticipating growth and opportunities that will allow you to pursue your personal dreams?

Do you need a stable, profitable and sustainable situation while you handle priorities outside the workplace?

Are you seeking to establish yourself, your company, or your commitment to a greater cause and make a real difference to those you serve?

People are the engine that drives an organization to its next goal. This engine constantly moves and shifts and changes. We’ve all seen how a group of passionate people with their own personal motives working together often achieve their goal.

If you know what success looks like to you, do you know the answer your people would give? If they know where you and your business are headed, do they have the skills and interest to go there with you?

Knowing your goal is the first step to achieving it and recruiting others to help you get there. You need a strong, efficient team to help you articulate and achieve that vision. Your company doesn’t need to have a big HR department to leverage effective and innovative human resources strategies and tactics. If you need help achieving your business dreams, the next step is discussing your goals and HR needs with a quality HR consulting firm.

It’s hard to be the person looking for a new job

Largent — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 20:45:36 +0000

It’s tough being a candidate! How do you get the most comprehensive information about opportunities relevant to your industry experience, functional experience, geographic preference(s) plus income?

It’s also tough being a candidate because, frequently when you respond to an opportunity, the company doesn’t acknowledge your interest. Maybe you have even experienced interviewing with a hiring company and then received no follow up information.

The search experience can be just as bad when working with many third party recruiters. They probably don’t acknowledge your interest. Or maybe they interview you one or more times, but they don’t disclose the hiring company. Maybe they never send any follow up information, such as notification the company isn’t interested in you or the company has already filled the position.

The recession impacted many people, including middle managers and executives. These people expect others to respond promptly to their phone calls and emails. At Largent & Associates, we have heard from many job-seeking middle managers and executives who complain about the lack of response of any kind. The absence of professional courtesy is a major source of job search frustration.

What happened to simple professional courtesy?

Courtesy costs virtually nothing, typically makes the recipient feel better and makes a positive statement about an organization. Frequently courtesy provides closure. It helps people move on.

If you are in Human Resources, are a hiring manager or an independent recruiter and receive applications from unqualified candidates, create a simple email template that says, “Thanks for your interest; however, after reviewing your resume, your experience doesn’t meet the hiring manager’s expectations for this position.” Or “Thanks for your interest; we have filled this position.” The recipient won’t like the message, but they will appreciate it.

Courtesy is genuinely appreciated! We know because this has been our procedure for more than 17 years, and we have received 1000’s of thank you messages from people notified that they aren’t qualified for one of our listed opportunities. A few of these people have subsequently hired us to fill positions for their companies. Why would they do that? They explain it’s because we were courteous to them during their job search. The simple act of courtesy has resulted in significant revenue for our firm.

What could courtesy mean to you and your firm?