How to Interview Recruiters

How to Interview Recruiters Interviewing recruiters all day can provide you with plenty of anecdotes, as you can imagine. There are lots of benefits to meeting recruiters in person, not least, its a fantastic way to analyse what the specific trends are in each market, which sectors are performing well versus those which arent particularly. In addition to really getting that persons buy-in and trust. Hunt the Hunter? I often get asked whats the best way to interview a recruiter? Interviewing an interviewer has its own challenges a.k.a hunting the hunter?!- so what is the most effective technique to use? In setting the tone, I believe in being fairly relaxed, I want to see how the recruiter behaves- this is how they will behave in a real work scenario rather than being guarded or hyped up for a formal interview. I want to get to know them, their personal situation, their stresses away from work which can obviously influence them in work! I ask a very open question at the start. So, why recruitment?. Its deliberately ambiguous and enables me to really see broadly what someone is motivated by and what level of passion they have. I want to know how they win their clients, their candidates. What processes they use, the databases, job boards, techniques used to differentiate from their colleagues and competitors. Get the evidence Quantifying the achievements of a recruiter is essential as we could all say something which is fabricated to make ourselves sound better! So, with actual proof of billings in front of me, I get them to talk through not only WHAT they have achieved but HOW they actually did it. I get them to benchmark themselves versus others in the business. Am I talking to the top biller or the bottom of the leader boards? So what makes you tick? Lets talk about motivators and reasons for being on the move. Its never just about cash, really. Why would someone just move for more money? So probe their reasons, always bring up the fact of counteroffer as if they are good, their current employer wont want them to leave! A recruiter is used to asking these questions on a daily basis themselves but its so interesting to see how deeply they have thought about their actions/consequences until they are interviewed by me. It can be cathartic and I always suggest to candidates that they reflect on our interview before they meet one of my clients. To call or not to call, that is the question! Ask them who DO you want to work for and who DONT you want to work for. This not only gives you a potential target list to speak to (the Dos obviously!) but also provides you with proof of their commerciality and competitor knowledge. Finally, get commitment off them- ask them to call you the next day after they have researched the company/ies you have fully briefed them on. Its a key indicator whether someone follows up when they say they will. Trust yourself. The key to a successful interview is probing, being honest, showing integrity and building trust. When advising clients, there are companies who use pyschometric testing, competency based questions and assessment days to establish the right fit. A lot of the time, as interviewers, we use our instinct and judgment. This should never be ignored as even if someone is ticking the right boxes on a test or saying the right thing on a role play, if your gut is telling you this person isnt right, then learn to listen and trust yourself. Related:  How To Act When Headhunters Call You.

6 Essential Yoga Accessories Every Yoga Practitioner Must Have -

6 Essential Yoga Accessories Every Yoga Practitioner Must Have - To the casual onlooker or perhaps even a beginner, yoga may seem like a form of exercise that you don’t need all that much to get started with. For the most part, this is true, since yoga doesn’t really require any specialized equipment or tools for someone to be able to practice it. In fact, sometimes, you won’t even need a mat at allâ€"all that’s required is yourself, a quiet room, and enough time to focus mentally while going through the motions.   But some yoga accessories can enhance your experience. That being said, there are some essential yoga accessories that every yoga practitioner must have, especially if they want their yoga sessions to be a bit more immersive, comfortable, and convenient. While you can certainly go as spartan as you like with yoga, we find that having some of these accessories can really improve your yoga experience, especially if you’re just starting out. Definitely consider getting these if you’re just about to begin you yoga journey, or if you’ve got a yoga practitioner in your life that you want to treat to a useful gift or two. Proper yoga pants While it’s possible to do Yoga while wearing mostly anything, it will get quite uncomfortable really quickly, especially when it comes to pants. You need something that’s light and airy, while still having enough fabric strength to not rip, especially for postures that require a lot more flexibility. As such, we definitely advise buying clothes that are specifically designed and sold for the purpose of being worn while performing yoga. As for where to buy them, you can do so online, with so many online retailers to choose from these days! To check out some of these yoga clothing retailers, see the list here. A yoga towel No, this isn’t the towel that you wipe yourself off with after a sweaty yoga workout session. Rather, it’s a towel that you fit on top of your yoga mat to help absorb your sweat, especially during the more physically-demanding of routines or postures. By having a yoga towel on, you prevent your yoga mat from being a slippery slide that could compromise your balance or posture, which coud then result in a nasty injury. Definitely get one of these especially if you’re a beginner or a heavy sweater. A yoga block A yoga block is an indispensable tool for yoga practitioners of all levels. Made out of either cork, wood, or hard foam, this lightweight but chunky brick can add support and extension to certain parts of the body in order to stretch them out more fully in certain poses. They can also help beginners in practicing or refining poses that may be out of their skill or flexibility level at the time. A yoga strap A yoga strap is another accessory that, like the yoga block, allows yoga novices to practice poses and movements that may be out of their range of flexibility or skill for the time being. They also help with various other yoga stretching exercises or movements that require additional stability or support. Definitely consider one if you’re having problems with certain postures, or you just want to practice with a bit more confidence. A yoga mat cleaner Just like with any other piece of exercise equipment, your yoga mat will need cleaning every now and then. As it also absorbs some of your sweat, it won’t take too long for it to start smelling funky, or sporting stains here and there. As such, you should make sure to get a yoga mat cleaner during your first yoga mat purchase. Do take heed, though, that some mats may not need a yoga mat cleaner at all, and instead only require soap and warm water for a full cleaning. When in doubt, make sure to read your yoga mat’s cleaning instructions before purchasing any kind of cleaner. Incense sticks If you want a more immersive and meditative yoga experience, then you can’t go wrong with incense sticks. Having one burning during your postures and routines can really help you get into the yoga mood by making your surroundings smell different than usual. This is highly conducive to getting both your body and mind into the experience. If you don’t like the smell of incense, though, then you can always substitute it with your favorite essential oils or aromatherapy scents. Yoga accessories for a fuller yoga experience Like we said earlier, you don’t need to have all these yoga accessories to do yoga. However, having all of the above and using them properly can turn an okay yoga session into a wonderful and awe-inspiring one. Moreover, they can also help you perform the more challenging and difficult postures a bit more safely and reliably. We highly recommend considering these accessories for your next purchase if you really want to get the most out of yoga.  

5 Ways to Save More on Your Next Shopping Trip

5 Ways to Save More on Your Next Shopping Trip The risk of maxing out one’s credit card on shopping-online or physical- is greater than ever. Advertisements might make some deals sound good, but only tempt you into spending more than you save. If shoppers were a bit more savvy, they wouldn’t need coupons or exclusive sales to save money. Online retailers and competitive markets have opened several outlets for frugal consumers. Some of these opportunities come to those who alter their spending habits. Others are just sitting out there like a pair of red shoes ready to be taken home for half off. Here are 5 ways you can save more money on your next shopping trip. The 30-Day Rule There purchases that you need and others you can wait on. A new gadget can be tempting to own right away, but the cost might be more than you can afford. If the product is something that will be on shelves for sometime, then plan on waiting. Waiting 30-days can help you weigh your spending options. In the event of a limited time sale, try doing the math to see if you’re getting a good deal. Your desired buy could be more spur of the moment than necessity. Cash-Back When you’ve spent a heft amount on shopping, it helps to earn some of that money back. Get cash-back rewards on your next shopping trip every time you shop online. Shopping portals like Ebates and Swagbucks offer reward points for every purchase made through their sponsored links. If you’re credit rating is good, then cash-back credit cards can shave off up to 5% on purchases. Buy Gently Used What’s better than buying something you wanted? Getting it at a markdown price, of course. This doesn’t have to mean finding that item in lesser condition. Gently used items can be found through a variety of outlets. Garage sales, flea markets, online classifieds through ReferLocal. Your hunt for the best quality product might take some time. However, you’ll be broadening your shopping options while saving up to $50 or more. Discounted Gift Cards Gift cards make easy gifts and cover a wide variety of expenses at stores, restaurants, and other services. The idea of buying gift cards for less than their marked value seems like you’re getting a raw deal, but you’d be wrong. People often sell their unwanted gift cards for less than their balance. Websites like Cardpool and Gift Card Granny allow you to comparison shop for over a thousand valid gift cards for millions of locations. Join Mailing Lists Every time you buy a product online, the store might prompt you to sign up for their mailing list. These can be a nuisance, especially when online mailing lists will just clog your inbox with spam. A helpful trick is to set-up a secondary e-mail account for online shopping purposes. Now you can join the mailing lists for your favorite stores. This can help you keep track of receipts and receive e-newsletters advertising exclusive deals you won’t find on anywhere else.

How To Make The Employees Of Today The Leaders Of Tomorrow

How To Make The Employees Of Today The Leaders Of Tomorrow The main objective of business owners is profitability and this comes from the input of effective and productive employees. The success of any organization completely depends on the performance of its employees. But creating a well-organized and productive workforce is always easier said than done; it requires ongoing training with effective leadership to guide them on their way up. When employees are led by a good leader, it reflects in the success of the entire organization. With good leadership, a pleasant corporate culture can be developed, which makes the employees feel that they are an important part of it. Praising and recognizing employees for their efforts is essential for them to like being in the workplace. Every employee wants to be respected and valued for their contribution to the organization. With good leadership, you can make every employee more productive and also boost their morale. But, to make employees more productive and active it’s important to provide them with good training. Why Employees Need Ongoing Training Program? There are many reasons to provide ongoing training to your employees and these include increasing their productivity, improving efficiency and boosting morale. When it comes to employee productivity, effective communication plays a major role in their engagement. Sometimes even a simple misunderstanding can lead to errors, missed deadlines, arguments, and even lawsuits. So to eliminate all these things, it’s important to provide them with ongoing training. It has many benefits attached to it, some of which are mentioned below: Increases Employee Value: Effective training is essential to develop the “up-skill” and “multi-skill” of your employees. Developing up-skills involves extending an employee’s knowledge of an existing skill and providing more insight within a particular field. On the other hand, multi-skilling is a process of training employees in new or related work area to increase their usability within the organization. Employees with diverse skill sets can perform a variety of tasks and easily transit into other roles within the organization. Good Memory: A business always shares its important information with its employees. But there are very few chances that employees will remember every little detail for long. Conducting training sessions every few weeks is crucial to make sure that the employees are getting constant refreshers and thus be more likely to remember everything they need to know. Successful Planning: Regular training courses given to employees are helpful in increasing the availability of experienced and capable employees, which in turn supports in succession planning. Areas of training that support succession planning include leadership, strategic decision making, effective people management and role of specific skills. Enhances Efficiency: Training sessions can easily increase the efficiency and productivity of employees on completing their daily work tasks. It can also help an organization achieve greater consistency in process adherence, making it easier to project outcomes and meet organizational goals and targets. Simple Processes: For a business, it is always best to have business processes in place, especially in an office setting. A regular training should be a part of these processes in every organization. When there are training processes in place, there are more likely to be fewer surprises and easier adjustments to any news or changes. Creates Awareness: A lot of things happen in an organization and a lot of information is shared with employees. It’s very common for some employees to miss out on information, whether they weren’t in the office while it was being announced or they just never got around knowing it. When you provide ongoing training to employees, you’ll get to know who is aware of these things and who is not. Also, through regular training, you can create awareness about the information or other things that are going on in the office. Surmount Industry Standards: Providing training to employees can also assist you in building your reputation amongst others. It gives your competitors a run for their money. Many businesses operate in saturated markets, so these small things will set your business apart from the rest. Better Customer Service: Employee performance in an organization is directly related to customer service. If the employees are performing well, then they will provide better customer service resulting in more happy customers. The popularity of your service or product is based on the level of service your customers receive. When employees provide excellent customer service, they tend to exceed their job expectations. Employees who create an interpersonal relationship and communication with the customers are the ones you want to retain for your organization. Sustain Employee Qualifications: Maintaining and making use of employees’ qualifications is preferred instead of allowing them to expire and starting all over again. Regularly training your employees ensures that their hard-won qualifications remain up-to-date. When an employee’s credentials remain up-to-date, it makes them feel that the organization cares for them. Not to mention, it has a huge impact on their performance. Reduce Employee Turnover: By investing in your employees, you will give them an indication that you are interested in developing their skills. This will let them stay longer and contribute more towards your business. Hiring new staff and replacing them with the old ones can be expensive, time-consuming and risky. So it’s much better to train and retain your best people in the first place. These minor things can be easily eliminated by implementing regular training courses for your employees. A successful leader does a lot of things for his employees to make them more productive and train them to be good leaders in the future. How To Teach Your Employees To Be Good Leaders? Every organization in the world is struggling with the daily reality of developing their leadership strength. Leaders in an organization can make several important decisions about an issue within no time while others might take time to understand the question. The process of making such decisions comes from an accumulation of experiences. But the question that arises here is “how can you teach your employees to be good leaders?” Below, we have mentioned some points which can help you in moulding good leaders for your company. Encourage Employees To Build A Network: Networking is an essential aspect for personal growth and business development. So encourage your employees to network within the workplace during lunch hours or at after-work events. Networking teaches employees how to build powerful connections, initiate conversations with strangers and act with the confidence of a leader. Networking provides opportunities for businesses to share ideas and knowledge. Give Them New Responsibilities: Give your employees new work assignments, as it will expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills. Allow them to make decisions on their own and give additional responsibilities to make them feel that they can own a project or a big task. Create a learning environment in the office so employees can explore opportunities inside the company to learn something new, such as joining a cross-functional project, picking up another skill, or leading or participating in a lunch-and-learn program. Take Them Out Occasionally: Spending time with your employees outside office is great to boost their morale. Take your employees out for team building activities and spend quality time with them. Participate in thrilling and mind-blowing activities which can improve your employee’s leadership skills. Taking employees out for such events will ensure that all of them are on the same page. It will let them know that they are a part of a team which in turn can boost the company morale and productivity. Act As A Mentor: When you mentor your employees to equip them with good leadership skills, it automatically creates a mentor-mentee relationship between you and the said employee. This natural progression is a beneficial tool to continue honing their leadership skills. There is no better person to teach leadership skills to employees other than a mentor. To enhance their leadership skills, you can also create a membership program where employees can sharpen their skills with the help of more seasoned employees. Also, providing cross-training is an affordable way to boost employee and team performance as well as their morale. Praise Employees In Public: An efficient leader always appreciates his employees. An employee never seeks for expensive gifts from an employer, but he wants to know that his hard work and determination is being noticed and appreciated. So praise your employees’ work in public or in meetings. This will boost their confidence and allow them to work harder and smarter. Give Them A Purpose: Give your employees a purpose for working in your company; it will further motivate them to excel. When you provide training, coaching and mentoring opportunities, align them with job purpose, performance measures and the organization’s mission. Making your employees capable of leading is like making them a skilled doctor or a lawyer. It requires putting to use what they’ve learned and practice it to become a good leader. A person becomes a good leader by applying his learning and knowledge, and adding to his experience from his everyday life to be a better leader tomorrow.

How to Start a Resume Writing Business From Home?

How to Start a Resume Writing Business From Home?Some people are truly motivated and want to know how to start a resume writing business from home. In this article, I will show you how to do this.The first thing you need to do is write and revise your resume. Make sure you write it well and do not forget to leave your contact information so that you can be contacted later on.Your next step in learning how to start a resume writing business from home is to make a lot of samples. This will help you determine if your idea is a good one.Make sure you take all the samples and print them out. You can save them in Word file format, so you can open them anytime. Remember, it is just a matter of time before someone finds your samples and you will have to learn the hard way.Try to have at least 10 sample resumes for each category. This is to ensure that you will have enough samples to be able to get an estimate of how much work it will take to make a certain number of resumes. You also need so me samples of cover letters so that you can further show your skills as a writer.How to start a resume writing business from home is also dependent on the skills you will bring into the business. If you are good at writing, you can decide on the types of jobs you want to be able to do. Some of these include copywriting, editing, proofreading, translation, and even ghostwriting.How to start a resume writing business from home is not all about you alone. You need to make sure that the person you hire for your job understands the importance of quality work and the benefit of giving to clients. It is also important that you will not be wasting their time by using poor grammar or bad spelling.Going forward, if you want to be successful, you have to understand the importance of making this work for you. You will need to work hard and find the best people to get your job done. You will be surprised how this will make your life easier in the future.

Move Yourself Along

Move Yourself Along Are you stuck? Are you lingering? Is your job search stuck in a rut? Ive been thinking that job search is 90% mental and 10% physical. What is the real reason your search is not moving along? Is it because you arent doing it? Then what is it you arent doing? Why arent you doing it? Is it scary, frustrating, depressing? Are these the real reasons behind your being stuck? Finding an accountability partner is a great way to move yourself along. You just need to find someone you trust to provide honest feedback. Set a time to meet with them regularly and hold to it. Your meeting time with them should be productive. Use a weekly agenda to guide the conversation. The agenda may include: What did I accomplish this week? How much time did I put in? What were my challenges/obstacles this week? What are my three goals for next week? No complaining. Use the facts. Take the emotions out of it. If you begin to look objectively at your job search, you most likely will find a way out of the black hole. No problem is insurmountable. You will find a new job. It is just taking longer than you want and it is a lot more work. Make 2010 a year of no excuses. As Nike says: Just do it. Stop second guessing. Stop procrastinating.

10 tips to help 20-somethings reach their career goals

10 tips to help 20-somethings reach their career goals 10 tips to help 20-somethings reach their career goals Whether just starting college or looking for the next step in your career ladder, those in their 20s have some big opportunities ahead. This is the decade when particularly major events happen, so make the most of it with these tips on reaching your career and financial goals. 1. Get relevant summer internships on your résumé For college students, it’s time to think about your future and move your résumé from “kid” to professional. If you are interested in business, get retail, customer service or office experience. Start looking in January (at least five months before your summer break) for the best summer jobs or internships. 2. Look for work at big companies, even for entry-level jobs If youve already graduated from college, aim high. Yes, I know, startups are cool and there’s always the dream of making big money with the IPO. Those companies will always be there and you can start at a higher level in a startup after you have experience and credibility. Once you work for a company like GE, Nordstrom, Microsoft or any other Fortune 500 corporation (note: stay at least two years), nobody can take that away from you. Your résumé will show that you were hired by a selective company, learned world-class processes and teamed with other strong co-workers. 3. Move up or move out If you have been in your current position for at least two years without a salary increase, then it’s time to make a move. Your first step is to have a career discussion with your manager. Too many young people just quit without sharing their career goals or asking for a promotion. If your manager’s response is, “It’s not going to happen,” or, “Wait another year,” then stay in the job and look for another while working. 4. Know what “underemployed” means Before you jump to the conclusion that you are underemployed, do some research to find out what your peers are earning and the salaries for the next level up. A great tool is Glassdoor.com. It not only has a job board, but its also like Yelp for company reviews. Most importantly for you, it has salary information that can help you negotiate with your current manager, negotiate a future offer, or simply put your mind at ease that you are not underemployed. 5. Ask for more projects and be the best Too many twenty-somethings just do the job they are asked to do, and then jam out the door at the end of the day to enjoy their free time. Drive your career growth now and demonstrate you are a top performer, not an average one. Ask for more projects, work longer hours, offer to help others around you, read more about your industry and company so you are more informed, etc. Ask your manager who the top performers around you are, meet with them and mimic their work ethic. Step it up. 6. Address your skill gaps When you’re just starting out in the business world, you’ll have skill gaps. How are your written communications skills, public speaking skills, sales or analytic skills? If you’re not skilled in business communication, go out and fix it! Take courses on business writing, especially ones that focuse on business letters. Learn how to proof your writing and, when you’re at work, ask someone to give you feedback before you press “send” on your emails. 7. Brush up on your job-search skills Most twenty-somethings think they know how to job search. Unfortunately, they make all kinds of errors that sabotage their efforts. Just typing, “How to job search,” in Google or Bing is not enough! Put yourself on a step-by-step program that teaches you how to do it correctly, and accelerates your time to the right job. Get current with social media dos and don’ts, and become fluent in LinkedIn job searching. 8. Build a networking process Unfortunately, most people (not just twenty-somethings) think they are networking, but they are really “using” people. That gives networking a bad rap. Join industry groups and find events by reading your local Business Journal, available in 43 cities nationwide. Share your career goals (be concise, please) with others and ask for their recommendations. Look for ways you can help them. Take notes and send thank you e-mails to everybody you’ve met. Then stay in touch. 9. Start contributing to a 401k immediately Begin saving for retirement now, and take advantage the compounding effect from the money you invest in your early 20s. Also, learn the basics of investing, including the differences between Roth IRAs, 401ks , etc. Use Mint.com (or any other service like it) to track how much you are spending in different categories. That way, if you need to cut back, you have a full analysis of your spending and earning habits. 10. Stick with low cost mutual funds As my son 27-year-old son Shane said, “When you’re young, you’re going to make stupid decisions and lose a lot of money. In the long run, you’ll end up paying more in fees.” There are a few people who are very successful at a very young age, but they do a lot of research. When youre a twenty-something, youll naturally make a few mistakes. But youll also be taking on new challenges, and meeting the head on. So make the most of your opportunities!