Getting Back into the Recruiting Groove After Your Summer Vacation

Getting Back into the Recruiting Groove After Your Summer Vacation How can working parents refocus after the school summer holidays? With most schools having 6 weeks off over the summer, this has become a challenge facing many working parents across recruitment (and all employed sectors); it is likely your desk has “ticked over” as opposed to excelled and I would like to impart some tips to those who want to return in September with purpose, a plan and a strategy for success. It is likely that as a working parent, you will have had to utilise summer camps, clubs and grandparents to keep your desk active. My own summer has looked like this: Weeks 1 and 2 the girls were in summer school. I worked 9-3 daily and then tried my best to turn off. Week 3 they spend combination with family and friends and some days I had 10-5, others I managed 7-3. Weeks 4 and 6 we went on holiday and I didnt work at all. Week 5 they went away with their dad so I worked full time. Maybe my summer was the norm for many of you reading it? I have managed to create some great opportunities for my candidates during these weeks but there is no doubt that August is a tricky month anyway, navigating the availability of decision makers who are also spending time with their children also! How do you ensure you hit the ground running in September to maximise the effort you have put in over the summer? Like many, I always feel a little compromised that I am neither being a proper mum nor a proper recruiter. A charlatan to both camps but I do what I have to and my tip is to try and switch off the other brain when you are in that mode: so when you are with the kids, be mum/dad. When you are in work, be the recruiter. Here are a few returning to work tips. The week before: Text update with your live candidates to see where they are up to so you know who is ready to get going when you start back. Explain you are still off but want to prioritise their search on your return. Thank them for their patience. Email your clients to ensure you know whose jobs are a priority and ask for any updates on what has altered their side so you know exactly where you stand when you come in. Update your social media to say you are looking forward to coming back in on X date and share it a couple of times so people know when you are available again. It gets you back in peoples psyche and more importantly back on their timeline. The day before: Write your list of who you need to update in order of priority. Activity that has happened in your absence. New enquiries from candidates and clients respond and see when they are available to speak on your first day. Anything outstanding from before your absence, update. Set your goal for day 1. Get a good nights sleep ?? Remember: Do be firm with yourself of what is achievable when you get back in and stick to your goals. Do catch up with people and ask about their holidays but keep it succinct so you don’t bore your colleagues by hearing the same bungee jumping/crab catching/sunburn story too many times. Don’t beat yourself up if you missed out on placing someone whilst you are away. These things happen and you can’t work 52 weeks a year. Do make a note of what you have learned from this summer and transcribe it into your diary for next July so you can remind yourself of your own tips. Do enjoy the time you have had off and come back full of energy and enthusiasm to be the success you deserve to be Have you got any further tips to aid recruiters who are also working parents for how to be refocused after the long summer holidays? Do you take the whole summer off? What works best for you? Wishing you all luck for the autumn term!

How to Protect Yourself Before Resigning From a Job

How to Protect Yourself Before Resigning From a Job You have been with a company for several years.At one point, you were viewed as indispensable to the company.Co-workers feared the idea of you leaving. You were key to the company’s success. If you were gone, everything would fall apart!But lately, going to work seems more like getting the red carpet treatment. You show up, make a few calls, write a few emails, and all else runs like a well-oiled machine.There are no challenges left and no room for growth. You know in your heart it is time to resign and let someone new take over.And now, you have an incredible offer from another company that is too good to pass up.Here is how to protect yourself before resigning in order to preserve your reputation and positive relationships.1. Start to Talk Like a Person Who Is Interested in Exploring New OpportunitiesThe last thing you want to do is quit without a warning. Showing up, quitting, and leaving the same day is an unprofessional move that leaves a company scrambling to avoid issues.If you know you are going to leave the company or thinking strongly about it, let your boss know about your problem with not being given new challenges, salary increases, or growth opportunities.The boss can respond in two ways:Start making plans to replace you Make a solid effort to provide you with growth opportunitiesBe careful how you word this. If you break trust with your company by announcing, “I am leaving soon”, they will help you exit the company before you are prepared.Ultimately, by being transparent, when it comes time to leave, your decision will earn you respect.2. Proactively Plan Ahead to Help the Company When You Are GoneAll bosses are concerned with experiencing backfill after an employee resigns. They fear the possible workload and chaos that may follow with your departure.Create an exit strategy that helps the staff and boss deal with your workload after you leave.Try and finish up as much work as possible, too.Sitting around doing nothing for the last two week s of your job ends your time with the company on a sour note.You want to be seen as a respected professional from day one, all the way up to the week after you are gone. Leave the company wanting more of you after you are gone.Your positive reputation may even get you re-hired down the road if that’s what you want.3. Get Active on LinkedIn AgainTime to start inviting those 2nd-degree connections to chat. Time to start messaging your 1st-degree connections.And start reaching out to those 3rd-degree connections, too.Let them know what you have been up to and that you are going to be job searching soon.Never say anything negative about your current job. Only have good things to say, if connections start to ask about your current company.Show yourself as the model employee any company would find valuable.Be helpful. Pay it forward and see if you can help others in your job search situation.4. Avoid Keeping It Real or Getting Emotional About QuittingThere can be a temptation to “keep it real” when leaving a company, especially when you are not happy at work.Avoid revealing that true, dark side behind your decision to leave. Never get emotional and start pointing fingers at the company for doing wrong by you.You are on your way out of the company, but that does not mean your former company has lost its importance to your career growth. You will need references one day for future job interviews.The easy way out is to just quit and leave, but isn’t that just being lazy and avoiding confrontation?Go out like a professional, which is the same way you came in.Check out this comprehensive guide to resignation letters when you are ready to write yours.

How to Impress a Tech Recruiter in an Interview and Get the Job

How to Impress a Tech Recruiter in an Interview and Get the Job The tech industry is in need of a lot of talent. With the way technology is advancing, and the competition that is going on between companies, the competitors are always looking for the best and the brightest individuals who can come up with good ideas as well as polish those ideas and turn them into items that would be in demand. This competition has made the hiring of IT specialists a lot harder. The economy has not been of help either its just made companies more conscious of the cost.   This prompts them to make sure that every new hire will be worth their pay and so much more. These are people who know more than just the job description that they are hiring for they are knowledgeable regarding the technical aspect of the job, and are therefore able to ask harder questions in order to test whether or not an applicant has the basic knowledge needed to fulfil the job post. Each technical recruiter has his or her own way of conducting interviews. However, there are certain qualities that they are all looking for. Here are a few tips that would get you into the good graces of a technical recruiter: Do your own background research: Would you hire someone who knows nothing about the job that he is applying for? In fact, would you hire someone to join your team when they know nothing about the team theyre joining? A technical recruiter would be keen to ask about what you know about the job and would focus on your technical skills. If you are not able to answer their questions, then you might not score the points that would get you to the next interview.   Therefore, always do your homework! RELATED:  How Following  Industry News  Can Boost Your Career Pace yourself when answering: Technical recruiters take notes, and they would do this while you talk whether face to face or over the phone. Be considerate of this fact, and speak at a moderate pace. This will not just make it easy for them to take notes, but it will give you time to formulate your own thoughts. You will also not sound unsure whenever you take a few seconds before launching into your answer because the pause will sound normal, especially when you do it at the end of every question. Have your own questions: It is true that you would be on the receiving end when it comes to the interview, but it would help if you develop curiosity of your own.  Having curiosity regarding the job would be a good sign of interest. Perhaps you could ask what are the main challenges that this job faces on a daily basis, or when you would hear regarding the decision. Having a ready set of questions would help, and being able to ask them when appropriate would go a long way. READ MORE:  9 Killer  Questions  Candidates Ought  to Ask  the Interviewer Do remember that the technical recruiters are people too. They need to converse, and when they get into a good conversation with someone, that impression tends to stick with them until they make their recommendations. Impressing them with your resume is one thing, but getting on their good side during an interview would definitely put you in a much better position. Prepare for your interview, impress your recruiter, and get that dream job you have always wanted!

The Power of Your Own Mind

The Power of Your Own Mind In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill talks about the secret to success almost 70 years before the bestseller The Secret was published.   As millions around the world now know, The Secret teaches us that we create our lives, with every thought every minute of every day. Living The Secret offers tools and ideas to help you live The Secret and create the life of your dreams. In 1938, Hill also talked about the power of your mind to create the reality you want to live.   That include finding the job or starting the career that you imagine is the right one for you.   Hill says that if you have faith that you will achieve your goal, you can believe it into being.   Your mind, (experts tell us, and Hill agrees) cannot really tell the difference between what is real and what you tell it.   If you tell any story often enough, your brain begins to believe its true. Here is his formula for creating the life (job, or riches) you want (interpreted for my 21st century audience.) Close your eyes in a quiet place and imagine what you want to have.   Think hard and long enough that you can actually SEE the future or the condition in your mind.   Be sure to attach all the emotion you experience to this vision.   Feel proud, happy, and accomplished. Imagine that you  already own that job; its your already, just waiting to be claimed.   The idea, Hill says, is to trick your mind into thinking it owes you the job.   In essence, youre saying: Go get me that job it s mine!   EXPECT the job. Dont try to form a plan.   Just turn over the assignment to your imagination and let it go to work.   Do this often and mindfully.   Your imagination is  a good soldier; it will be working on its assignment even while you sleep. When the inspiration comes, and Hill assures you it will, it may come in the form of an inspiration; it may even come in a dream.   THats your faith meeting divine inspiration, Hill says.   Act on the plan your imagination gives you.   And keep believing. Today, psychologists are convinced   that your mental attitude plays a huge part in your success.   Put the power of your faith to work today what have you got to lose? Whether you believe you can, or you cant, you are right   Henry Ford

#39 - A Day in the Life of A Podcaster Scott Doucet

#39 - A Day in the Life of A Podcaster â€" Scott Doucet The Career Insider Podcast Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSSScott Doucet is a Podcast host, consultant and producer. With a background in radio, music, and sales, Scott is keen to help podcasters and aspiring podcasters make their shows stand out from the rest. Co-founder of the Facebook group, the Podcast Discovery Center, and host of Podcast Bay.evalScott spends the majority of his time educating himself and others about what makes a solid podcast.Episode Summaryeval1. Scott talks a little bit about who he is, what he does, and how he found podcasting.2. Scott gives an inside look at his day to day activities.3. He highlights what he loves and what he finds challenging within the world of podcasting.4. Scott talks about the best place to start with podcasting and discusses the level of education required.5. He talks about the importance of having multiple revenue streams and what careers are available in podcasting.eval6. Scott leaves off with a final piece of advice for all podcasters.Quotes“My biggest goal is just to build as many strong relationships as possible instead of just collecting people in a network”.“I noticed a pain point, I noticed people were willing to pay for it and I went ahead and said ‘ alright, let me take that off of your hands’”.“On any day you can meet one person or you can meet ten people and they’re all extremely amazing people and you don’t know their role, that pivotal moment they’re going to come in and change your entire life”.“You don’t need a fancy title or degree to get started”.eval“Take the time, learn the craft, get to know your listeners and then get them what they need”.LinksTo learn more about Scott Doucet visit his website Podcast Bay. You can also connect with him on Facebook on his pages â€" Scott Doucet Podcast Bay; and also his Twitter Page.Intro Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€" Siren KickbackEnding Music provided courtesy of Accelerated Ideas (www.accelerated-ideas.com). Soundtrack â€" No Need to Rush