6 Outdated Hiring Practices

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How effective are your current hiring strategies? Are you attracting top-quality talent? Or are you posting and reposting with very few submissions? Today’s hiring ecosystem is different. And what used to work as recently as one year ago won’t necessarily be effective today.

 

So, as you review your hiring and onboarding metrics, look to spot trends that might point to gaps in your current hiring practices. And keep reading to see if any of these outdated hiring practices represent techniques you’re still using. More efficent hiring practices and strategies first require the identification of poor-performing processes. See what you can eliminate and reform so you can get back to hiring incredible talent for your organization.

 

According to Forbes, the “Great Resignation” brought 47.8 million Americans to the decision to leave their jobs in 2021. And that movement shifted power away from the recruiter’s desk and back to the job seeker. While some nuances continue to shift, these are the current hiring practices you should consider eliminating.

1. Hiring Based on Resumes and CVs

There was a time when the candidate’s resume was all a hiring manager needed to make a hiring decision. However, the old CV isn’t carrying as much weight anymore. A surging number of companies are even considering hiring and interviewing applicants without a resume at all. Today’s leaders realize the best-fit candidates present qualifying experiences, applicable knowledge, and soft skills, all of which are hard to quantify in a one-page resume. Sure, some roles will require certification or technical proof of experience. But if you’re still relying on the resume alone to evaluate candidates, it’s an outdated hiring practice that could be costing you brilliant employees.

2. Attracting Candidates with Salary Alone

It also used to be considered a hiring best practice to rely on salaries alone to attract top talent. In theory, you’d pay more for more qualified candidates. But today’s best and most talented applicants are looking beyond the pay before making any offer-accepting decisions. Today’s workers are choosing to work with companies that offer creative benefits that speak to work-life balance. They’re looking for positive company cultures and potential for internal growth. And if your job descriptions or interview processes don’t speak to these points, you’re missing great candidates.

3. Hiring Based on Location

With the onset of remote working dynamics, today’s companies are throwing regional or location-based hiring practices out the window. Stop insisting on “local” when you seek to attract new candidates and open up your role to nationwide pools of incredibly qualified professionals. Of course, this also means you’ll have to adopt a remote or hybrid workforce. And being flexible as a return for productivity is a highly attractive element among top talent today.

4. Posting Vague, Fluffy, or Ambiguous Job Descriptions

Another outdated hiring practice you might not realize you’re using is the generic, vague, or ambiguous job description. Over the years, certain roles evolved to “feel” like templates outlining responsibilities and benefits. Today’s candidates are looking for descriptive, transparent, and precise descriptions. And if they sense any fluff content or gray areas, they’ll move on to the next job opportunity. When crafting your job descriptions, be unique about how you capture the responsibilities and requirements. Spell out what you’re looking for in a dynamic candidate. Additionally, create transparent lists of benefits, perks, and pay ranges that apply. It’s about setting realistic expectations and attracting the candidates who want to apply, not baiting applicants.

5. Requiring Lengthy and Time-Consuming Application Processes

To leverage the most effective and current hiring practices, you’ll need to look at the time it takes to apply to your job. If there are redundant steps in the process, including requirements for applicant logins or form completion steps in addition to resume uploads, you’re likely losing interest among your candidate pools. And even worse are those companies that take too long to move forward with the next steps in the applicant process. Today’s companies are adopting AI for improved communication and innovative software that streamlines every step. Eliminate unnecessary or time-consuming steps in your application procedures and start being more effective in hiring great candidates.

6. Implementing In-Person Interviews and Outdated Tech

If your recruiting and HR teams are still requiring in-person interviews, you’re missing out on pools of incredibly talented applicants and still practicing what is now an outdated hiring practice. Look to adopt all the technology you need to connect with, engage, evaluate, interview, and onboard new hires virtually. Even for those roles you have that DO require on-site work, take the flexible interview route with options for virtual meetings and calls. Use the tech to connect, and you’ll find you have broader applicant pools with which to work.

Is your company still using some of these outdated hiring practices? More importantly, do you need help developing and executing more effective hiring practices? Let ExactHire be your guide! We have all the resources and strategies you need to change your approach to hiring, including the best practices for today’s hiring environment.

4 Different Types of Compensation

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There are four different ways to demonstrate to your employees that you appreciate their work using compensation. Today’s HR professionals and company leaders need to leverage all four methods to be effective, too. The days of salary promises alone are long gone. Today’s top professionals are looking for custom compensation options and flexible earning potential. Here’s more about the four pillars of compensation in today’s workforce and how you can be tapping into them to attract and retain your best teams.

 

Direct and Indirect Compensation

Typically, when you look at forms and methods of employee compensation, you can separate your core offerings into two categories, direct and indirect. Direct compensation is monetary, usually providing a financial benefit. Indirect compensation is usually a combination of financial perks and non-monetary benefits. And your company likely uses both of these different compensation types.

Direct

These methods of compensation are a direct exchange of pay for work performed and include the four primary compensation types, hourly pay, salary, commissions, and bonuses.

Indirect

These types of compensation are benefits based and non-monetary, including equity packages, stock options, insurance benefits, and retirement plans.

Four Different Compensation Types

Start looking at how you’re currently compensating your teams. And separate your methods into one of four different compensation types. From there, you can consider improvements or more of a hybrid approach to pay to ensure you retain your best team members now and can continue to attract top talent into the future.

1. Hourly

As an employer, you may have different employee types, including temporary staff, part-time workers, and entry-level team members. Compensating these employee types with an hourly wage is common among employers. And it makes sense as a compensation strategy without investing in these types of employees beyond their direct work performance.

Pros: Hourly workers provide a cost-savings to employers. And workers expect guaranteed overtime pay should their hourly work exceed standard workweeks.

Cons: There is less job security for those in an hourly wage role, and these workers typically earn less than their salaried counterparts.

2. Salary

Salary pay, or an agreed-upon amount of annual compensation, is usually reserved for a full-time worker, often with more responsibility and skillsets. More technical positions, leadership positions, and highly educated staff typically earn a salary.

Pros: Salaried employees translate to simpler payroll processes for employers. And employees tend to enjoy a more flexible work schedule.

Cons: Overtime lines are blurred, and it can be more difficult to track salaried employees’ performances.

3. Commission

Another form of compensation is commission-based pay. And it’s most common in sales or performance-driven roles. This kind of pay usually represents a percentage of total goals met and serves as an incentive for employees to perform well. Commissions can also be based on profit margins.

Pros: Commission pay is ideal for businesses since it’s directly associated with revenue and performance. It’s an incentive, forward-rewarding method that also tends to drive improved sales.

Cons: Commission can lead to an overly aggressive sales team. And for some companies, it can lead to unpredictable expenses.

4. Bonuses

Bonuses are another form of variable pay and compensation, applicable as the name implies – a bonus. For salespeople or team members responsible for achieving company goals, bonuses are typically a percentage of a sum or established as a flat-rate payout.  Additionally some companies offer bonuses based on departmental performance, while others share bonus pay on a timeline of quarterly or annual results. Bonuses, however, don’t have to be incentive pay like commission. These can be associated with holidays and offered as a loyalty gift without any direct quantitative performance metric.

Pros: Bonuses are great for rewarding employees and fostering an environment of loyalty. It can be a motivating factor for teams to collaborate, too.

Cons: Bonuses represent an added company expense. And if mismanaged, it can lead to false expectations among employees.

Providing Transparent Compensation Statements

As an employer, you can change up how you structure your compensation efforts to create a more flexible, attractive, and results-driven employee engagement. Albeit you can develop a more effective compensation strategy that involves both direct and indirect pay, along with the four different types of compensation mentioned above. Additionally, from there, you can then create a transparent compensation statement, which is helpful for your teams to have a clear understanding of what to expect as compensation.

Today’s hiring and retention landscapes are vastly different. And to be more effective, you’ll want to look for ways to improve your methods of compensation. For more insights and all the support you need in transforming your employee engagement strategies, ExactHire can help! Connect with our team to learn more!

5 Best Practices for Pre-Employment Assessments Hiring Managers Should Be Tracking

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The hiring process is oftentimes littered with pink slips because of unreliable gut instincts about new hires.

Pre-employment assessments are excellent tools that provide a wealth of data, and much needed objectivity, when used correctly. But those same pre-employment tests can perpetuate bias if hiring managers aren’t paying attention to the whole story.

In this post, we’ll explain how employee assessment tests can help you make successful hiring decisions. We’ll also tell you how to measure an assessment’s validity and outcomes to prevent pre-employment assessment bias.

“one-quarter of the people hired by the traditional methods of interviewing and reviewing resumes will fail.”

Pre-Employment Assessment Tools for Better Hiring Decisions

According to Dianna Podmoroff, author of How to Hire, Train, and Keep the Best Employees for your Small Business, “one-quarter of the people hired by the traditional methods of interviewing and reviewing resumes will fail.”

According to Gallup, turnover costs businesses $1 trillion a year—and that’s just voluntary turnover. Clearly, businesses need to increase their employee retention, and the hiring process is the first place to start. Pre-employment assessments are excellent tools that can help you make more successful hiring decisions.

Pre-employment assessment tools are tests that can measure a variety of candidate attributes. Hiring managers can use pre-assessments to know if a candidate really has the job skills to perform well in the role. Leaders can use a hiring assessment test to reduce theft and increase workplace safety. Pre-employment assessments can help you hire people based personality traits that lead to innovation, teamwork, and a strong culture.

If you’re wondering if pre-employment assessments can really result in better hires, take a look at this article on the U.S. Bureau of Labor website. The article summarizes a 2017 study on the effectiveness of pre-employment assessments. The researchers found that hiring managers make better recruiting decisions when they relied on free pre-employment assessment tools.

Legally Using Employment Tests in the Hiring Process

Yet many hiring managers are reluctant to use an employment test in the selection process because they mistakenly believe they make companies more vulnerable to recruitment-related lawsuits. The fact is that any hiring decision made without objective examination of the candidate’s suitability for the role is vulnerable to litigation. And that, of course, includes your subjective gut instinct.

Pre-employment assessments supplement your gut instinct with an objective measure of a candidate’s characteristics. The 25% of new hires that ultimately fail in their roles interviewed just as well as the other 75%. Several types of employment tests can help you uncover traits that make a candidate unsuitable for your open position.

All that being said, employment tests can lead to discrimination litigation if they are not used properly.

Improper Use of Pre-Employment Assessment Example

Just because a test is standardized and has been around for a long time doesn’t mean it’s legal. In 2015, Target became the target of more than irresistible puns. Everybody’s favorite place for soy candles and rope baskets came under fire in a class-action employment discrimination lawsuit.

Target was using a psychiatric test called the MMPI to screen for security guards. The MMPI was first developed in the 1930s, had undergone countless updates, and had been used as a pre-employment test since World War II. But the MMPI contained several questions pertaining to religion and sexual orientation. These inappropriate questions should be red flags for any hiring manager.

Reduce Bias with Pre-Employment Assessments

Some companies are turning to pre-employment assessments to reduce bias and achieve their diversity goals. Forbes reports, “Some of America’s biggest companies… dropped college degree requirements from job postings” and “turned to skills-based hiring to provide an unbiased, fair and consistent basis for employee selection.”

Such a move is especially important for diversity since racial gaps in college degrees are widening. Removing the requirement for the degree while still ensuring candidates possess necessary skills can diversify your workforce. Skills-based testing can also circumvent a growing problem in recruitment: the growing number of applicants who lie during the hiring process.

Legal Yardstick for Pre-Employment Assessment Test

We’ve already seen the types of pre-employment tests can help you make better hiring decisions, increase productivity and lower turnover. Far from job assessments being a waste of time, there are many pros and few cons of skills tests.

How can you avoid a pre-employment testing lawsuit that sometimes arises from their irresponsible use? To ensure that you’re using pre-employment assessments legally, you must show that they are valid and don’t produce adverse outcomes.

Pre-Employment Assessments Must Be Valid

Your pre-employment tests need to be useful for predicting job performance. That means you can only test for skills and traits that lead to success in that particular role. For example, you can administer a personality test for sales candidates to gauge their extroversion. Or you can test typing skills for an administrative position responsible for data entry. But you can’t test for either of those characteristics when hiring for a manufacturing position.

Pre-Employments Assessments Must Not Have an Adverse Impact on Protected Groups

An otherwise neutral selection tool may nonetheless have an adverse impact on women or minorities. Adverse impact was actually the basis for the first discrimination case against employment testing. In 1971, Duke Power Company was sued when it required aptitude testing, along with a high school diploma, for employees wishing to transfer to high paying positions. The Supreme Court found that the requirements had an adverse impact on Duke’s African-American employees.

Best Practices for Skills Assessment Test

We have a list of best practices for using pre-employment assessments responsibly and successfully. Following these tips will help you get all the benefits of pre-employment assessments, like lower turnover and more successful employees.

  • Take your pre-employment assessments for a test drive. No one knows when anyone on Target’s executive team bothered to read the MMPI. But the moral of Target’s serious hiring gaff is that hiring managers should experience their recruiting process from the candidate’s perspective. At least once a year, hop onto your company’s careers site, fill out the application, and take the pre-employment tests. Doing so will not only alert you to potential legal issues, it will also give you insight on how to improve your candidate experience.
  • Perform your own adverse impact analysis. Track data surrounding your use of skills assessment test for employment. Most importantly, track changes to the diversity of your new hires as a result of the assessments. Applicant tracking software can track this data for you automatically.
  • Use your pre-employment assessment in addition to an unbiased, informal screening. Economic researchers at MIT found that companies using pre-employment assessments were able to improve their retention rates and productivity without impacting their diversity efforts when they hire the best scorers within groups. Don’t simply hire the highest scoring applicants. Instead, use pre-employment testing to improve your selection within minority groups as well.
  • Use more than one pre-employment assessment. There’s a wide variety of pre-employment assessments to help you make the best hiring decision. Some, however, are more likely than other to create an adverse impact. Pairing these with useful tests less likely to create an adverse impact can help you make a more informed, unbiased decision.
  • Provide accommodations for test takers. Providing extra time or providing a reader for pre-employment tests are reasonable accommodations under the ADA. Applicant tracking software that includes pre-employment testing makes providing these accommodations easy. Within the software, hiring managers can use text-to-speech or adjust the time allotted for completion.

Best Pre-Employment Testing Software

The traditional interview is beset with blind spots. And that’s why a quarter of all new hires ultimately fail. Pre-employment assessments are proven to help you make better hiring decisions. Don’t shy away from these vital tools just because you’re unsure how to handle them legally.

The fact is, without objective measures like the kind assessments provide, hiring teams are prone to all sorts of biases.  The ability to improve your hiring decisions and avoid costly litigation are examples of the benefits of pre-employment assessments.

The keys to using pre-employment tests are successfully are to understand how the results of pre-employment assessments can help ensure the new hire’s success, as well as how they can   and taking steps to avoid adverse effects are keys to using pre-employment tests successfully. The best practices we’ve provided here can help you achieve higher productivity and retention rates by using pre-employment assessments.

But you don’t have to go it alone. ExactHire’s pre-employment assessments are written to be effective and avoid adverse effects. Our applicant tracking system can help you analyze all of your hiring practices so you can avoid handing a pink slip to a quarter of your new hires.

Contact us today!

 

 

Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash

 

5 Stats to Know About the Labor Market for 2023

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There are some key thing you need to do to be an effective hiring manager in today’s job market. It’s best to keep up with the relevant statistics regarding employment and unemployment. In addition to those job growth, earnings, and hiring best practices are also important. Today, we’ll share some of the very latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, along with additional insights that will ensure you make the most informed hiring, interviewing, and onboarding decisions in 2023. Knowing the top five current labor market stats will only improve your ability to attract, hire, and retain the top talent professionals you need for your organization to grow.

The Top Five Stats in the Current Labor Market, 2023

The Bureau of Labor Statistics often shares insights and metrics that represent the current state of the labor market. But some of the most recent and interesting stats, as sought after by most of today’s business leaders, are these:

 

  1. The current labor force is growing at a rate of 0.5% annually. It is expected to continue at this pace over the next ten years. More precisely, the labor force grew to 161.2 million, an increase of 462,000, between 2020 and 2021. By 2031, the projections suggest the labor market will grow to 168.9 million.
  2. The aging population will contribute to a decline in labor force participation. Projections indicate a decline from 61.7% to 60.1% by 2031.
  3. Real gross domestic product, or GDP, is expected to continue to improve at a rate of 2.1% annually. This is slightly higher than the 1.8% rate in recent years.
  4. Healthcare-based and social assistance sectors are projected to create the most jobs through 2031. The biggest growth in employment is expected to be among the service sectors serving the aging population.
  5. One of the industry segments experiencing the fastest growth is leisure and hospitality. Rebounding from the economic impacts of the pandemic, these sectors, along with food consumption, accommodations, and public services, are expected to experience the most growth through 2031.

What Can Leaders Do with These Stats?

As a business leader or hiring manager, how can you take these latest labor market statistics and put them to use in your growth efforts? For starters, company leaders should recognize that the country’s experiencing its largest employment expansion ever. Coupled with record-low unemployment rates, these labor market conditions have made hiring ridiculously challenging.

But you probably already know that.

However, these latest stats point to continued growth. So, while many of these market dynamics were exacerbated by the pandemic rebound, it’s not expected to let up in the coming years. It means waiting for the market to “level out” or return to pre-pandemic conditions won’t be an option.

These five stats should also wave red flags to anyone running a business within the service sectors. Leisure, entertainment, hospitality, senior services, healthcare, and food services in particular. These particular markets are growing at higher rates. If your business model represents any of these services, employment is going to continue to be extremely competitive throughout the next eight to ten years.

Understanding these emerging trends and stats will help you strategize for improved applicant attraction methods and hiring best practices.

What Broader Trends Can Leaders Leverage?

Perhaps there is a bigger question for today’s business leaders. How can one capitalize on and leverage these labor market stats and trends? Here are some solutions worth considering as you look to improve how you attract, hire, and retain top talent in today’s employment landscape.

RippleMatch says many employers are relaxing their hiring requirements to broaden their talent pools. For example, opening positions up to potential candidates who don’t have college degrees or years of industry experience is proving successful.

Today’s hiring managers are seeking to improve their employee benefits and company culture initiatives at a much higher rate. The Great Resignation of 2021, where 47 million workers effectively quit their jobs, did so because of a growing need for flexibility and work-life balance.

A Different Approach to Hiring and Onboarding

What today’s current labor market trends really indicate is a need for a new playbook for company leaders looking to hire and retain top talent. Any business striving for growth will need the teams to execute those growth plans. And if you’re not changing the way you hire, you’re going to face hiring challenges ongoing for the next ten years.

Recognizing that you need a new approach might also mean you need a new hiring strategy partner. ExactHire fully embraces the emerging hiring trends and provides companies with the software solutions, hiring tools, and onboarding techniques needed for growth in this new labor market.

These top five labor market stats should inspire change and improvements within your company’s hiring practices. And ExactHire can be the partner you need to facilitate simplified applicant tracking and improved employee onboarding. Contact our team to talk about your challenges and growth goals for 2023!

 

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Powerful Questions to Ask During an Interview

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Recruiting the right team is every business leader’s top priority. More important than your products’ marketability or the size of your customer base, hiring first-rate talent will drive your company to the top of your industry. The opposite also holds true. A bad hiring decision can cost your company thousands in lost productivity and do irreparable harm to your company’s culture and reputation.

Making great hiring decisions is so important that it’s no wonder companies do all they can to get it right. As you’ve developed your own recruiting strategies, you’ve probably considered everything from offering competitive pay to improving your employer branding. But you’ll never be successful at recruiting top talent if you don’t know how to ask powerful interview questions.

The Importance of Interview Questions

Everybody wants a great job. And that’s why interview questions are so important. Your recruiting efforts will yield quality applicants, but also some not-so-great candidates. Powerful interview questions are your most effective tool to weed out undesirable candidates.

Job seekers have an overabundance of tools to help them during the application process. Professional resume writers, mock interviews, and even Google aid candidates trying to make a great impression. And while being prepared is a plus for any potential new hire, your job as the interviewer is to uncover shortcomings that would prevent the candidate from being successful in the role.

If you’re like most hiring managers, your interview process isn’t as effective as you think. In 1979, the University of Texas Medical School was compelled to admit an additional 50 students long after the admissions board had selected what they considered to be the best candidates. The additional 50 applicants were initially rejected largely based on their performance in unstructured interviews. Researchers later assessed the performance of these late-comers and found they performed just as well as the first round of accepted applicants. In other words, the interviewers’ impressions were wrong.

Researchers conducted a group of studies to find out how well volunteers could predict students’ GPA based, in part, on their interview performance. In each study, the researchers found that interviews were the least effective tool for predicting future performance. The interviewers were unable to tell when the students being interviewed were providing random or false answers. Furthermore, volunteers were more accurate when they made their predictions without interviews, relying on previous GPA and the student’s course schedule.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to hire someone you haven’t interviewed in person. But how can you conduct an effective interview that avoids the perils of poor judgement and gut instinct?

Good Interview Questions

Good questions to ask when interviewing someone begin with a thorough assessment of the qualities and skills required for the job. You already likely did a version of this assessment when you wrote the job description for the purposes of placing job ads. Revisit that assessment and dig deeper.

Evaluate the position and develop interview questions based on the following key competencies, according to the University of Portland.

Experience. Open-ended questions that ask applicants about their accomplishments, disappointments, or ongoing skill development will help you assess their current skills and their willingness to learn new skills.

Teamwork. Even employees that work independently need to see their contributions as part of the larger organization.

Communication. Teamwork is only possible if employees are able to communicate clearly and listen well.

Problem Solving. The whole team is more effective when employees take initiative to solve problems. But if they aren’t competent problem-solvers, their efforts could create even more complications.

Leadership. Not just for management, leadership skills include the abilities to motivate others, be assertive when necessary, and be self-disciplined.

Motivation. Employees motivated by an internal drive to do well will be more consistent than those motivated by pay or recognition.

Organization. The abilities to plan their time, prioritize their tasks, and organize their workspaces will help employees complete their work. A high level of organization will also help anyone who may need to step in if the employee is sick or on vacation.

Mission Alignment. Don’t overlook the importance of every employee working to promote your company’s mission. A company’s values, mission, and culture combine to create the standard for all of your employees’ behavior.

For each role, assess how these competencies are demonstrated. Then, create questions tailored to the open position to gauge the applicant’s mastery of these key qualities.

Fun Interview Questions

Weird and fun interview questions to ask an interviewee have been trending since reviewers on Glassdoor revealed that Google challenges its applicants to estimate how many piano tuners there are in the entire world. From there, it came to light that some of the biggest companies in the world use weird and fun questions in an attempt to reveal the applicant’s true self.

These questions attempt to circumvent the candidate’s research and preparation to elicit a candid response. Interviewers want insight into a candidate’s ability to think quickly, logically, or creatively. There is no right or wrong answer to these questions. But if interviewers are discerning enough, weird and fun questions can reveal personality traits that are otherwise difficult to spot in an interview.

The key is knowing why you are asking the fun interview question and what you are looking for in the response. While unusual interview questions can be useful, be careful to not give undue weight to applicants’ responses. Even Google admitted that their brainteasers weren’t a predictor of employee success.

Best Interview Questions

When it comes to predicting employee success, researchers and business leaders agree on a few best practices for creating powerful questions to ask during an interview.

The evidence supports using structured interviews. These interviews rely on a format and a pre-made list of open-ended questions focused on key qualities. And unlike an unstructured interview, the interviewer doesn’t improvise based on the candidate’s response.

Interviewers should use the same questions for each candidate, along with a scale to evaluate each response. By using the same questions, interviewers can compare all the candidates fairly. And by using a scale to measure their response, interviewers avoid relying on their intuition, memory, or even the candidate’s likability.

Questions should focus on the candidate’s past behavior. Experts agree that past behavior is a powerful indicator of future behavior. Ask the candidate to describe situations in which he or she demonstrated key qualities required for the job.

Interviews should be done by teams or panels, with the final decision resting on one person. By inviting more than one person to interview candidates, hiring managers get the benefit of multiple perspectives. Hiring team members should include at least the position’s immediate supervisor, a member of the new hire’s team, along with a final decision maker.

Final Round Interview Questions

Ideally, by the time candidates make the final round of interviews, they have already demonstrated they have the skills and experience to perform the job. At this point in the interview process, you’re looking for personality traits that will drive or hinder their success.

The knockout questions in the final round are behavioral questions. These questions seek to determine if the candidate has character weaknesses that would make her a poor fit. An inability to handle pressure or a tendency to become angry will make even the most qualified candidate difficult to work with. For these questions, use the same format which asks the candidate to describe how she overcame challenging situations in the past, but focus on character traits.

Supplement Interview Questions with Assessments

Interviews can be notoriously poor predictors of employee performance. By using proven strategies, interviewers can increase the likelihood of choosing the best candidate through the interview process alone. Using a structured format, a consistent scale to evaluate performance, and the input of a hiring team, companies can make the best use of powerful interview questions.

Employee assessments can fill the gaps that even powerful interview questions leave. Consider using assessments to objectively measure job skills, personality, and leadership potential. The team at Exact Hire can even help you develop a custom assessment specific to your industry.

By combining assessments with proven interview question techniques, you can further take the guesswork out of hiring. Avoid the costly headache of bad hires. Call us today to find out more about how assessments can improve your hiring decisions.

Photo by Emily Morter on Unsplash

 

4 Ways to Support Women in the Workforce

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Happy 2023!

Often, as the new year rolls in, people proclaim that the new year consists of 365 days of new opportunities, and that is a valid statement. Unfortunately for many women, the new year continues to pose workplace challenges that did not end on December 31st.

Let’s take a look at the new year from a mathematical view.

A typical calendar year is 365 days. The average full-time employee will work approximately 260 of those 365 days, or roughly 71% of the year.  According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, women earned 83.1% compared to men’s earnings in 2021. This is down 1% from data collected in 2020.

Looking at this wage differential, women would need to work almost 45 more days a year to earn what men do in a calendar year. Not so much of a happy new year.

So let’s take a better look at what your company can do to better support the women at your company.

Women would need to work almost 45 more days a year to earn what men do in a calendar year.

Women in the workforce are often held to superheroic, unrealistic standards of excellence. They are expected to be stellar employees who work constantly to earn “exceeds expectations” on their performance evaluations. Many do this while also being a logistics coordinator in their home, maintaining their households and providing care to their loved ones.

With these pressures and expectations, it is no surprise that burnout in women is rising faster than in men. The pandemic unfortunately exacerbated these factors. Many women were forced to make hard decisions that have impacted the global business market. Women are leaving the work world at a faster rate than men, and they are also less likely to fill leadership positions.

In October 2022, McKinsey and Company, in partnership with LeanIn.org, released its latest “Women in the Workplace” study. The report is a must-read for any organization. The findings spotlight challenges that organizations must identify and overcome to provide women with the resources for success.

Employers need to be vocal advocates for women in the workplace. They can do this by creating a supportive, mentoring environment. One that invests in opportunities for women to demonstrate their tenacity. This post will provide four key ways, for an organization to support women in the workforce.

1.) Focus on Leadership Opportunities

Women earn more than half of the college and advanced degrees awarded in the United States. Women hold 23% of executive positions, 29% of senior management positions, 37% of manager positions, 42% of professional positions, and 47% of support staff positions globally. Why are there not more women in leadership positions?

Multiple studies have yielded similar results. There is a predominant assumption that women are not interested in leadership roles. Often times, though, leadership and advancement are not discussed with women in employee/supervisor meetings. And unlike men, women are not as likely to apply for a role unless they feel they are completely qualified for it.

Nonlinear Career Paths

Data shows that it is getting harder for women to rejoin the workforce because employers are questioning gaps on women’s resumes. This leads to selecting individuals, often men, who do not have employment gaps. Employers should become open to employment opportunities with women who have nonlinear career paths. This will increase the talent pool dramatically, while also enhancing it with talent that is resilient, determined, and more than capable.

Entry-Level Management Roles

Organizational leaders need to create goals to recruit and promote women on all levels starting with a focus on entry-level management. McKinsey identified that for every 100 men who are promoted from entry-level roles to manager positions, only 87 women are promoted, and only 82 women of color are promoted. As a result, men significantly outnumber women at the manager level. As advancement continues, there is still a lack of women in the promotion queue eventually to the point where there are not enough women available for promotion to senior leadership positions.

Unconscious Bias

Jobs posted in an organization’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) should be gender neutral and evaluated to ensure there is no unconscious bias that implies a job is better suited for a specific gender. Make sure all employment applications use language that is non-discriminatory.

When an organization emphasizes recruitment, retention and promotion of women, it expands their talent pool, It also recognizes highly skilled contributors that personify talent in the workplace. Growing internal talent fosters a commitment between employees and the employer. This results in reduced training costs and quicker time to productivity as talent is already acclimated to the company’s culture. Implementing these changes can help to support women in the work place.

2.) Provide Support Resources

Since March 2021, 28% of women with children under 18 in the household have temporarily or permanently left the workforce to become a primary caregiver to children compared to 10% of men. The cost of childcare is one of the top reasons women leave the workplace. Approximately 55% of families report spending at least $10,000 annually on childcare. Organizations who offer childcare and elder care assistance are more likely to retain women. Providing extended leave time with the ability for the employee to return to a similar role helps eliminate concerns of unemployment.

DEI Initiatives

Women tend to be more involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and seek to foster an inclusive nature. McKinsey’s study revealed that approximately 50% of women say their manager regularly encourages respectful behavior on their team, and less than half say their manager shows interest in their career and helps them manage their workload. Organizations need to provide training and resources to managers so they can become stronger leaders instead of managers. Management needs to be cognizant of their team’s needs. Identify where challenges are manifesting and openly discuss internal and external resources to facilitate women’s evolution within their jobs.

Strengthen Relationships

Setting weekly or bi-weekly check-ins is a way to strengthen the professional relationship. Open communication with managers helps women convey concerns, proactively identify signs of burnout, and evaluate workload manageability. The past two years have lit the fuse to ignite a population of employees experiencing burnout. Providing managers with the skill set they need to identify ways to motivate, encourage and mentor their teams will benefit everyone. Women seek employers that support the whole employee, at and outside of work.

3.) Resolve Inequalities

Pay transparency increases trust among employees in an organization if men and women are earning parallel wages. This kind of equity shows a commitment to providing fair compensation to the individual regardless of any protected classification and that compensation is based on the responsibilities of the job and tenets of proven success. Pay equity validates that gender is irrelevant; pay is relative to performance and job duties. When a company provides transparency and equity in pay, it is more likely to retain top performers along with keeping and growing women with leadership potential.

Unconscious Bias

Create a work environment that is amicable, not adversarial, towards women. This will continue to support women at work. In the past two years, women have been 1.5 times as likely, compared to men in parallel roles, to leave a job to move to a company that was more committed to DEI initiatives. Ensure that employees understand conscious and unconscious bias, and provide resources to remove bias internally. Gender bias is defined as preferring one gender more than another. Women are often subject to various microaggressions such as being interrupted in meetings and decisions being questioned.

Micro-Aggressions

Women of color, disabled women, and LGBTQ+ individuals are more susceptible to being the recipient of micro-aggressions. Discrimination impedes productivity and prevents employees from demonstrating their full potential. Communicate and uphold policies that exclaim that discrimination will not be tolerated.

When teammates can appreciate others’ unique characteristics and talents, the work environment becomes more positive and productive resulting in an employer brand that radiates “this is the best place to work”. Eliminating discrimination will also aid in supporting women at work.

4.) Flexibility

Wearing that superhero cape can be daunting. When an organization instills a flexible work environment, the organization empowers employees to take ownership of tasks and responsibilities.  It also shows that they trust that the work can and will be done. Remote work is not just about removing commute times and providing convenience. McKinsey’s study showed that women who work remotely for part of their work schedule experience fewer micro-aggressions and higher levels of psychological safety.

Psychological Safety

According to Forbes, psychological safety is the ability to show and employ one’s self without fear of negative consequences of self-image, status or career. They feel more comfortable doing their tasks and can complete responsibilities. They don’t need to look over their shoulder or validate their decisions compared to working in-person.

Unfortunately, women who work remotely are at higher risk to be overlooked for promotions and to receive public praise for success. Mentorships are proven means to help employees grow professionally. These and are more often provided to onsite employees as compared to virtual employees. Being remote should not eliminate this professional development opportunity. Virtual female employees should have equal opportunity to establish and maintain professional mentorships.

Performance Reviews

Remote women employees have a higher risk of not receiving proper accolades for successful results. This is because of the “out of sight, out of mind” concept. Performance reviews are often a factor in evaluating current talent for promotions.  At performance evaluation time, it is essential that tasks and results are the items measured – not work location and gender. If managers favor onsite employees’ work compared to remote work, managers are succumbing to bias.

As the new year commences, organizations need to evaluate their strategies in place to assist women in the workforce. Companies that take a genuine interest in the professional development of the women work population will exude success through successful recruitment and higher retention of contributing talent to experience heightened productivity. Women seek a work environment that fuels their internal fire for their ambition. Let this fire burn!

ExactHire Full Service Hiring

At ExactHire, we have a proven process to help employers increase their volume of qualified candidates and quickly hire new employees. Our team takes care of writing and posting job ads, screening applicants, and interviewing candidates. Then we deliver you a list of qualified candidates from which to hire.

If you are a company that needs to grow, but don’t have the time or resources to hire, then allow ExactHire to help!

Contact us here to let us help you hire today!

How to Negotiate Salary

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There’s no denying that some people are not comfortable negotiating their salaries after the job search is over and they’ve already landed an opportunity. Some applicants find negotiating salary as a jeopardizing move to the opportunity they’ve gained.

A survey by Salary.com showed that 38% of people negotiate their salaries while 18% never do. Worse yet is that 44% of respondents acknowledged they have never brought up the topic of a salary raise during performance reviews and appraisal exercises.

When exploring the leading hindrance towards negotiating for a salary raise, we realized it was fear. Most people were afraid of losing the opportunities they worked for. Worse yet, most employees are afraid of getting embroiled in arguments and corporate politics that they’re bound to lose.

Regardless of the reason, failing to negotiate for a salary is bad, but fearing to do so is even worse.

Tips on How to Negotiate Salary

Below we list some strategies and best practices you can use to negotiate your salary.

1.) Know your value

Knowing your value is the first step in negotiating your salary or payment. Always ask for a fair salary for a fair effort. To get the salary you deserve, you need to identify the pay scale of your specific position, in a specific industry, and geographic area.

If you walk into a salary negotiation table without a specific number, you’ll be at the mercy of an experienced HR manager who’ll control the conversation.

So, it’s always advisable to do your due diligence and research keenly to know how much professionals in your specific sector and position earn before negotiating salary.

2.) Talk to recruiters

Another way to research salary negotiations is to pick calls from recruiters. Recruiters know how much people in your industry and position are worth. Recruiters work with a diverse network of professionals, applicants, and job seekers.

So, if someone engages you with a job offer, inquire about the duties, responsibilities, and pay for that position. While you may not obtain a specific number, a pay range is helpful.

3.) Build your case

It’s advisable to demonstrate why you need a specific salary or pay range than just simply quoting figures. That means that once you receive a salary offer, don’t just counter the offer with a higher amount.

Instead, let your research, inspiration, and reasons for a specific salary center on why you think you deserve a particular sum. List your strengths, experience, and qualifications. Build a solid case for why your salary should be reviewed to a higher figure.

4.) Set the bar higher

While negotiating salary, you may be tempted to pick an average offer that seems fiscally convenient or affordable to your employer and great for you as a starter. Don’t be afraid to ask for the best offer.

5.) Know the exact number

Researchers at Columbia Business School say you should ask for a specific number when negotiating your salary – say $75,667 instead of $75,000. It turns out that when job applicants or potential employees ask for a specific salary, they’re likely to get the final offer closer to what they’re hoping for.

That’s because the employer will think you’ve extensively researched salary and pay range to reach that specific figure. So, quoting salaries instead of offering particular ranges gives the impression that you’re aware of salary ranges for specific positions.

6.) Be willing to walk away

When negotiating your salary, set a quote that represents a minimum figure that you’re willing to forego the position if this figure is not attained. This salary figure could be based on market conditions, financial need, or even a desire to feel good about what you’re bringing home. While walking away from a seemingly lucrative offer may not be easy, it’s critical to know when to do it – and always feel powerful to say ‘no’

7.) Make sure you’re ready!

Ask yourself a few questions before asking for a salary raise.

Have you taken on a few responsibilities since employment? Have you been at work for a year? Do you have a culture of exceeding expectations rather than just meeting them? What special qualifications, skills, or experiences do you have that set you apart?

The answer to all these questions must be ‘yes’ when negotiating for higher pay.

8.) Plan right

It turns out that timing is the perfect thing to do. However, most employees wait until performance review seasons to ask for a pay raise, but by that time, your boss has already decided and outlined what raises will be doled out to specific employees.

Start talking to your boss about salary increments three or four months before appraisals. The bosses decide the budget three to four months before they dole out any pay increments.

9.) Perks and benefits

It’s advisable to factor in perks and benefits when negotiating your salary. That’s because salary negotiation often includes some give-and-take on employee benefits. It’s less costly for an employer to offer flexible work schedules, vacation days, and work-from-home benefits than higher salaries.

So, negotiating your salary goes beyond negotiating your financial or fiscal status. It involves identifying non-fiscal factors like schedules, plans, and programs that best fit your lifestyle, interests, hobbies, and continued professional development.

10.) Know when to wrap it up!

Lastly, know when to wrap it up during salary negotiations. While a reasonable employer or boss won’t withdraw an offer just because you tried to get a higher deal, dragging out the salary negotiation process may disgruntle the hiring manager and begin the relationship on a poor note.

So, if the company can’t meet your salary requirements after a few negotiations, it’s advisable to withdraw and seek better opportunities that meet your compensation expectations.

Otherwise, dragging out salary negotiations may prove counterproductive and potentially jeopardize your offer – no matter how lucrative.

 

ExactHire is a leading provider of  best-in-class hiring solutions. ExactHire provides robust and versatile hiring and onboarding software to help employers manage the recruitment and onboarding process easily.

ExactHire Full Service Hiring is a great option for employers who don’t have the time or resources to manage an internal hiring process–let our team advertise your open positions, manage applicant communications, screen candidates based on your criteria, and then deliver you qualified best-fit candidates.

 

 

How to Reach Passive Job Seekers

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At ExactHire, we help employers hire through the use of our software and our team of SHRM certified strategists.  Our solutions are effective for attracting both active and passive job seekers. However, in this post, we will discuss how employers can attract passive job seekers. We’ll do this by defining just who is a passive job seeker, then explore their characteristics and establish how employers can launch an effective recruiting initiative.

Who is a Passive Job Seeker?

Put simply, passive job seekers are individuals who already have a job, but would consider another opportunity if it arises.

Think of them as employees on the go–who can quickly hop to the next opportunity when it shows up. They are not totally satisfied with their current job and constantly have an eye out for new opportunities to grow their career. Research shows that the percentage of passive job seekers is continuing to rise, particularly following the storm of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Characteristics of Passive Job Seekers

Now that we’ve identified who a passive job seeker is,  let’s explore the characteristics and traits of these professionals

1.) Open for contact

As discussed earlier, passive candidates are open for new positions, although they may not actively seek these positions due to present work engagements.

They’re always open to learning about new job openings. They’re willing to hear about job offers–bonuses, packages, and new roles. However,  since they are not actively searching for new opportunities, their interest must be triggered by job ads or direct contact.

Therefore, if you’re looking for passive job seekers, consider being actively engaged in finding them. Inquire from colleagues or others in your network whether there are talented professionals who’d be open to working in a different set-up..

2.) Have individual ambition

Passive job seekers are in a better position than most job seekers. That’s because they already have a job; they’re just seeking new opportunities and greener pastures.

Because they’re in a good position, it’s critical to give them an offer they cannot turn down. Professional and personal development motivate some candidates. Others are inspired by a flexible work schedule that supports a positive work-life balance. Others also prefer better payments and better perks. Sometimes targeting passive job seekers is about a fit between personal and company culture.

According to research by Glassdoor, below are five main factors that make professionals likely to show interest in a job offer:

  • Better payments and perks – 48%
  • Better, convenient access or easy commute – 47%
  • High salaries – 46%
  • Work-life-balance – 43%
  • Work-from-home flexibility – 41%

3.) Long-term thinking

Passive job seekers have a long-term thinking mindset. They think of the future and aren’t satisfied with short-term gains over long-term rewards. Their desire to grow and eventually realize their careers. Sometimes realizing their long-term goals may constitute finishing their education first or gaining more experience.

Either way, employers targeting passive job seekers must consider their long-term strategy. The fact that they’re seeking better opportunities is a clear indication of their plans and futuristic mindset. Giving passive job seekers clear opportunities for career growth and recognizing their life-long priorities is a great way of reaching out to them.

4.) Need to be updated

Passive job seekers like to stay updated. And as you embark on reaching out to them, it’s critical to lay a foundation of close contact. Try to establish rapport with them by establishing avenues for contact and interaction – whether online or offline.

For instance, you may build rapport with someone who’s interested but not ready to switch up to a new role just yet. If this happens, it’s advisable to keep in close contact with the candidate for future openings.

By keeping in contact, the professional may be able to make a change when the time is right. Keeping in close contact helps monitor your target job seeker even as time changes.

Why would you want a passive job seeker over an active one?

There are many reasons why organizations and recruiters prefer passive job seekers over active ones:

  • They’re passionate about development and growth. Their passion for growth and professional development implies that your organization can grow with people with a ‘growth’ mindset.
  • Won’t come without a reason. Passive job seekers won’t come to your organization without a reason. These job candidates need incentives for them to consider alternative positions.
  • Choose your organization. Passive job seekers take the time to study your organization. They’re keen to learn the dynamics that make your organization stand out. Because they have a clear goal to achieve, passive job seekers are critical of your organization.
  • Less time pressure. Active job seekers are pressured by time and situation. That means they’re less likely to be critical about their job preferences, which will have long-term implications on job satisfaction levels. Passive job seekers have less time pressure, meaning they’re positioned to make good career decisions.
  • Strong relationship before hiring. When targeting passive job seekers, you’ll find competent candidates who are interested, but not ready to leave their current positions. That is an excellent opportunity for you to build rapport with them and establish a relationship.

Focusing attention on passive job seekers gained momentum in the early 2010’s. Changing job patterns and shifting workplace dynamics have shifted the focus, allowing recruiters to focus their efforts on both active and passive candidates.

ExactHire – Streamlining Your Search for Passive Job Seekers

Whether you’re looking for active or passive candidates, ExactHire provides customizable software solutions that help streamline your hiring. ExactHire provides applicant tracking software, employee onboarding software, and employee assessment software to improve your hiring outcomes.

Rather not implement software? ExactHire Full Service Hiring is a solution for employers who don’t have the time or resources to manage a hiring process. Our team will advertise your open positions, manage applicant communications, screen candidates based on your criteria, and then deliver you qualified best-fit candidates.

Holiday Employee Engagement Ideas

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As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season continues, and employees are trying to stay motivated with dreams of holidays and days off dancing in their heads, Human Resources professionals and management need to take some time to spread some holiday cheer. Connecting with each other, especially during the holiday season, is important to build trust and camaraderie among employees within an organization to elevate employee engagement. As employee engagement increases, productivity increases so it is a win-win for an organization.

Holiday Inclusivity

When planning for holiday themed engagement activities within an organization, be cognizant of the different beliefs and traditions that employees have. Not everyone celebrates the same holidays as others. Ensure that holiday engagement activities are inclusive for everyone to participate to facilitate a true “team” atmosphere. There are approximately 14 major holidays in the fall / winter timeframe so employers should keep that in mind as they start crafting ideas for happy holidays within the work environment. Find out beforehand as to what holidays and events employees do and do not celebrate to start the planning.

 

The holiday season often personifies happiness and cheer, but the holidays are not a time of celebration for many. Financial hardships, health issues, and personal loss can cause wrenching emotional distress, particularly during the holiday season. It is important that an organization promotes mental health for employees. Investing in employees’ mental health is a commitment to their well-being. Happy and motivated employees tend to stay longer with an employer, be more engaged and willing to accept new challenges. During the holiday season, make sure that employees understand they do not have to participate in activities nor will there be any repercussions if they do not. Declining to participate does not make an employee a Scrooge or a Grinch; it simply could be their holiday wish to make it through an emotionally challenging season.

Alternative Options

Customers are the driving force for an organization so show an attitude of gratitude. Mailing cards to customers is not as efficient as in the past. Many people work remotely, and it is possible that cards do not get channeled to onsite recipients in a timely manner. Show your thanks by sending a video thank you. Even if you are not a seasoned marketing guru, making a gratitude video with colleagues can be fun and simple. Once finished, send it to your customers, and even place it on your website so individuals can see your creativity and sincere appreciation for others. Videos can be used in many capacities: managers showing thanks to their team or to communicate organizational messages to new hires and current employees within onboarding software.

Ideas for Remote and Onsite Holiday Employee Engagement

Since many work environments have evolved into hybrid settings, here are some holiday fun ideas that can work for onsite and remote employees. While it can be a bit more challenging for remote teammates to stay engaged in seasonal festivities, it is definitely not impossible. Adapt these ideas to fit the culture of your company. By focusing on the goal of inclusion and excitement, these activities can generate positivity within the organization.

 

  • Sweet treats can bring an extra smile. While some organizations have evolved from employee pitch-ins to catered options due to COVID and convenience, fulfill your team’s sweet tooths by having a cookie decorating session. Many local bakers make cookie decorating packages that can be used by teams. By purchasing those, an organization supports local businesses while having fun with each other. For large companies, cookie vendor chains might be able to discount large orders and more easily ship nationally or internationally.  Cookie decorating kits can be sent to remote employees so set a time for remote and onsite teams to decorate together.
  • Choc – o – LOT! Have a lot of chocolatey goodness by hosting a hot chocolate bar. Smaller organizations can set up an onsite hot chocolate bar with a mix of marshmallows, whipped cream, and add-ins such as sprinkles, chocolate chips, caramels and other tasty treats. For larger organizations, Human Resources, management or other designated leaders can deliver drinks to employees using a mobile cart. Keep in mind dietary restrictions. Have sugar free and dairy free options available. For those who do not like hot chocolate, have coffee or water as alternatives. Send remote employees a make-it-yourself hot chocolate kit or a gift card to get a hot chocolate, coffee or other beverage to enjoy with the team.
  • Show your holiday style with a festive ugly holiday sweater or shirt contest. Have teammates vote anonymously for the best holiday sweater/shirt, and the person with the most votes wins a small prize such as a gift card or company swag.  This is a perfect photo op for your team so make sure you snap a team pic so you don’t say “Oh Snap” later by not having such a memorable photo.
  • Decorate your desk, cubicle or home office with festive decor. Tis the season so jingle all the way with tinsel, garland, stars and sparkles. Beware of bells if you are in a shared work area; those might put some people on the naughty list.
  • Create a cookbook. Some teammates could do a side gig as a chef using their extensive culinary talents while other people rely on the cooking of others. Solicit favorite recipes from employees, and share recipes as an e-book in your company’s onboarding software.
  • Celebrate your employees’ diversity by asking them to share holiday traditions about the holidays they celebrate. Share those stories within your company’s intranet or personally during a teambuilding event. This gives everyone a chance to learn more about each other and will foster a sense of belonging.
  • Serve others by helping individuals who are less fortunate. Partner with a local civic organization or church who have families in need and fulfill the wish list provided. Stock area pantries by hosting a food drive. Remote employees can assist others in their local area or contribute via distance.

Business is Business

While having a positive work environment that is fun and engaging is proven to enhance productivity, there are ways to discuss formal business and still have fun. Some work cultures do not promote holiday thematic events so it is important to still find ways to celebrate others.

 

  • The stars shine brightly! Acknowledge the successes of teammates. Ask for nominations of teammates who have gone above and beyond to demonstrate the company’s values and mission. Share those testimonials throughout the organization on a daily basis.
  • There is no I in Team. Managers can express thanks by sending personalized thank you notes or making a thank you phone call to show appreciation of individuals’ contributions. While an email can show appreciation, that extra effort of a personalized card or call can make a difference. .
  • Treat the team to a lunch or dinner, preferably outside the office, to recap successes. Establish goals for the next quarter or next year to strategically plan for enhanced productivity. Many restaurants have private rooms for use where technology can be used to include remote employees. Send a gift card to remote employees so they can order food while participating in the meeting.
  • Be flexible. Flexibility helps everyone feel not as stretched when balancing professional and personal commitments. Offering additional flex time or encouraging teammates to take PTO can reduce stress. The holidays are full of activities so allowing employees to take time for themselves by participating in their children’s school events, assisting aging family members or even taking time away for oneselves can be a gift itself. Physically and mentally healthy employees bring renewed spirits full of ideas and creativity that will benefit the organization.

 

Ultimately the holiday season is meant to be a time of hope and joy. When an organization focuses on the quality of life for its employees, a season of giving continues throughout the year. By including others and creating events and activities which generate appreciation for each others’ unique backgrounds, the spirit of giving, excitement and happiness is accentuated.

Photo by anncapictures on Pixabay