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Benefits of Professional Staffing How Professional Staffing Agencies Work Challenges and Solutions in Professional Staffing Finding the Right Professional Staffing Agency Best Practices for Effective Professional Staffing Conclusion You’ve heard it before and I will say it again: finding the right talent is crucial for an organization’s success.  Hiring the best professionals who possess the necessary skills and expertise can significantly impact productivity, innovation, and overall business growth. This is where professional staffing plays a super important role for your company.  Professional staffing is a strategic approach to hiring that involves engaging the services of specialized staffing agencies to find qualified professionals for temporary, contract, or permanent positions. These agencies act as intermediaries between employers and job seekers, helping organizations identify and recruit top talent while ensuring candidates find suitable job opportunities aligned with their skills and career goals. Keep reading to explore the concept of professional staffing, its benefits, and how it can help organizations find the perfect fit for their staffing needs. Benefits of Professional Staffing The success of any organization relies heavily on the caliber of its workforce. Hiring the right professionals can enhance operational efficiency, drive innovation, and strengthen the company’s competitive advantage. Professional staffing provides access to a vast pool of talent, saving organizations valuable time and effort in their search for the perfect candidate. One of the key benefits of professional staffing is the streamlined hiring process. When organizations partner with professional staffing agencies, these agencies take on the responsibility of sourcing, screening, and selecting candidates. This allows organizations to focus on their core activities while leaving the recruitment tasks to experts who possess the knowledge and experience to efficiently identify suitable candidates. Another advantage of professional staffing is the access it provides to top talent. Professional staffing agencies have extensive networks and resources that enable them to attract and retain highly qualified professionals. Leveraging their industry expertise and understanding of market trends, these agencies can identify individuals with the right skills and qualifications, ensuring that organizations gain access to the most qualified candidates for their positions. Cost and time savings are also significant benefits of outsourcing the recruitment process to professional staffing agencies. These agencies have the necessary infrastructure and resources to handle candidate sourcing, screening, and onboarding efficiently. By entrusting these tasks to the agency, organizations can reduce the time-to-fill vacancies and minimize recruitment costs associated with traditional hiring methods. In summary, professional staffing offers organizations the opportunity to enhance their workforce by accessing top talent through a streamlined hiring process. The benefits include time and cost savings, as well as the assurance of finding highly qualified professionals. By partnering with professional staffing agencies, organizations can focus on their core activities while leaving the recruitment tasks to experts in the field. How Professional Staffing Agencies Work Professional staffing agencies operate through a systematic approach to ensure the best fit between job seekers and employers. Their process involves assessing the staffing requirements of clients, sourcing and screening candidates, and matching them to specific job requirements. To begin, professional staffing agencies thoroughly understand the needs of their clients, including their organization’s culture, values, and specific job requirements. This comprehensive understanding allows them to create a well-rounded recruitment strategy . Next, these agencies utilize various channels such as job boards, social media platforms, and talent databases to source potential candidates. They meticulously screen these candidates based on qualifications, experience, and cultural fit, ensuring that only the most suitable candidates are presented to the client. Once a pool of qualified candidates is identified, the agency matches them to the specific job requirements provided by the client. This involves assessing the candidate’s skills, expertise, and compatibility with the organization’s culture. The agency then presents a shortlist of the most suitable candidates to the client for further consideration. By following this structured approach, professional staffing agencies optimize the chances of finding the right talent that aligns with the client’s staffing needs. This process saves organizations time and effort, as the agency takes on the responsibility of sourcing, screening, and presenting suitable candidates. Challenges and Solutions in Professional Staffing While professional staffing offers numerous benefits, it also presents challenges that organizations and staffing agencies may encounter.  The biggest problem by far with staffing agencies is that they charge placement fees, usually around $20,000 per placed employee. This means that their incentive is to quickly and cheaply find your company an employee who is not the worst. Now I’m going out on a limb here, but I assume your goal is to have the best person for the job. And there are a lot more ways to determine if someone will be the best fit for your company other than being quick and cheap to hire. Since most staffing agencies charge placement fees, you should watch out for them.  Fortunately for you, we are a lot different. Our pricing model is extremely flexible so you can get the services you need, for only as long as you need them. Since we have three different methods of payment options, our incentives will be aligned with your incentives.  When working with us, you have the option to choose a fixed hourly or monthly rate, or our unique flexible subscription plan. You can read more about our solutions here . Some of the other common problems with staffing agencies are that the demand for certain skills often surpasses the available talent pool. To address this challenge, professional staffing agencies can collaborate with organizations to develop talent pipelines. They can invest in training and development programs to upskill candidates and proactively identify emerging skill requirements to stay ahead of the curve. Not only that but, retaining highly skilled professionals can be challenging in today’s competitive job market. To overcome this, organizations and staffing agencies should focus on creating a positive work culture that values employee satisfaction. Offering competitive compensation and benefits, providing growth opportunities, and implementing effective employee engagement strategies can contribute to retaining top talent. Technological advancements continuously shape the world of work. Staffing agencies must embrace technology and leverage innovative tools and platforms for candidate sourcing, screening, and talent management. Adapting to new technologies allows agencies to stay competitive, improve their efficiency, and deliver better results for their clients. By addressing these challenges head-on and implementing suitable solutions, organizations and staffing agencies can navigate the complexities of professional staffing more effectively. Finding the Right Professional Staffing Agency When choosing a professional staffing agency, several factors should be taken into consideration to ensure a successful partnership.  The biggest factor by far is whether or not your incentives and the staffing agency’s incentives are aligned. This is the best way to hire the best possible people for your company.  Look for agencies that specialize in your industry or have a proven track record of successfully placing professionals in similar roles. A deep understanding of industry dynamics and specific job requirements will enhance the chances of finding the best-fit candidates. Consider the agency’s reputation and track record in the staffing industry. Check for client testimonials and success stories to gain insights into their performance and ability to deliver quality candidates. Additionally, verify the agency’s credentials, certifications, and affiliations within the industry to ensure their professionalism and expertise. Each organization has unique staffing needs that may evolve. Assess the agency’s ability to adapt and customize its services to align with your specific requirements. A flexible staffing agency will be able to cater to your changing needs and provide tailored solutions that address your staffing challenges effectively. By carefully considering these factors, you can choose a professional staffing agency that not only possesses the necessary industry expertise but also has a proven reputation for delivering quality candidates. Their flexibility and ability to customize their services will ensure a seamless partnership that meets your organization’s evolving staffing needs. Fortunately for you, we are the best staffing agency available. Contact us today to learn how we can help ! Best Practices for Effective Professional Staffing Provide comprehensive job descriptions that clearly outline the desired qualifications, skills, and experience for each position. By providing detailed information, the staffing agency can better understand your needs and present candidates who meet your specific requirements accurately. Maintain open and regular communication with the staffing agency throughout the hiring process. This includes providing timely feedback on candidates and keeping the agency informed of any changes or updates to job requirements. Clear and efficient communication is crucial for building a strong working relationship with the agency and ensuring alignment in the candidate selection process. Take the time to review the performance of the professionals sourced through the staffing agency and provide feedback to the agency. This feedback loop is essential for continuous improvement in their selection process and ensures that the candidates presented align with your expectations effectively. By implementing these best practices, you can enhance the effectiveness of the professional staffing process. Clear job requirements, strong communication, and regular feedback foster collaboration between your organization and the staffing agency, ultimately leading to successful staffing outcomes. Conclusion Professional staffing provides a valuable solution for organizations seeking qualified professionals to meet their staffing needs. The strategic utilization of professional staffing can contribute to your organization’s success and drive long-term growth. Go ahead and reach out to us today so we can help you find all of your best teammates.

In years past, employers held the upper hand. When looking for a new employee, you had your pick of the litter; you could take your time to filter out a large pool of candidates and make your choice from the cream of the crop. Numerous pressures over the last several years have changed the balance of power. These days, there are more employers with open positions than potential candidates to fill them. Employers are forced to adapt and find a way to navigate this new normal. One part of the solution is developing and deploying a focused, authentic, and convincing EVP, or Employee Value Proposition. Keep reading this post to see 12 employee value proposition examples so you can fill your open positions with the BEST candidates on the market.  What Is the Employee Value Proposition? In business, a value proposition is a statement of what value you provide. A store being more convenient than their competitors, a product being easier to use, a tool offering more features; these are all value propositions. An employee value proposition, also known as an employer value proposition (conveniently both abbreviated as EVP), is similar. It’s the value proposition you offer to your employees. In other words, it’s a statement of the value an employee gets out of working for you over their other options. “Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is usually defined as a set of monetary and non-monetary benefits an organization provides to its employees, in return for the skills, capabilities, and experience they bring and the contributions they make to the organization. However, this definition is somewhat outdated. The modern definition of Employee Value Proposition […] is an ecosystem of support, recognition, and values that an employer provides to employees to achieve their highest potential at work. The key difference here is that EVP should not be looked at as a two-way transaction, but as a comprehensive set of employer offerings that boost employee engagement and bring out the best in employees.” – Smarp . In the past, when employers had the upper hand, the EVP could be as simple as a competitive combination of salary and benefits. Today, it needs to be something more. There are five primary components to a modern EVP: Financial offerings . This component is your salary and monetary benefits, including bonuses, stock options, and retirement matching. Pay is critical to get people in the door – too low a salary means no one will apply – but after a certain point, the returns diminish, and other parts of the EVP become more important. Non-monetary benefits . Your benefits package is often considered part and parcel with the financial benefits but is distinct enough to have a unique category. This component is your slate of offerings like health insurance, paid leave, flexible hours, remote work, moving or commuting stipends, and other benefits to working with your company. Training and development . Employees are done working in jobs with no opportunities for growth. They want to know that, should they want it, they can have a long-term career with your organization, or at the very least that they’ll be able to learn and grow their skills. This means offering training, mentoring, career guidance, promotion opportunities, leadership training, and more. Candidates want to see you invest in your employees. Positive work environment . This component has some overlap with benefits, such as flexible work hours and remote work. However, it also includes benefits such as a culture of recognition , effective communications and team building, conflict resolution, safe working conditions, and freedom from bigotry, discrimination, and harassment, particularly for minority employees. Positive company culture . This is very similar to the work environment but extends to the whole organization. Working for one compelling and friendly team might not be enough if the organization as a whole makes decisions the candidate disagrees with morally and ethically. Likewise, even if the employee’s team is positive, having negative leadership or broken communications across hierarchies can be devastating. The truth is, for hiring today and for the foreseeable future, the power is in the hands of the candidates who are in demand. Developing your EVP is just one part of it, though. You still need to be able to convey that EVP to your candidates, often before they’re even candidates. It becomes part of your employer branding. What does it look like? Here are a dozen examples of EVP content from top brands. 12 Employee Value Proposition Examples Example #1: HubSpot HubSpot is one of the world’s leading CRMs, and as a B2B company, they’re pushing the cutting edge. Check out their career benefits page . You can see immediate benefits, such as acknowledging work/life balance, promoting remote work, financial benefits like a vestment sabbatical, ongoing learning, and tuition reimbursement; everything mentioned on the list above, and more. Drilling down into specific sub-sections will give you even more information and a stronger impression of the company’s EVP. You’ll also notice plenty of photos, direct-from-employee interviews, and other content to support their focus on culture, balance, and benefits to their employees. Example #2: Gartner Gartner is one of the most respected research firms in business. Beyond the implicit value in working for a prestigious and reputable company, their careers page offers more. They promote the value they bring to their clients, the ongoing training and growth they offer to their employees, and have headings at the forefront of the page about diversity and inclusion within the company. More tangible benefits are also covered, with a section about healthcare, retirement, and more. “Work works better when life is lived well.” Like HubSpot, they cover all the bases of the EVP on their core page and offer more on every page you drill down into. Example #3: LinkedIn We all know LinkedIn as the go-to social network for job seekers, employers, and those looking to advance their careers. Most of us don’t necessarily think about the facet of the company behind the scenes, the people working for and running the social network. Yet, LinkedIn is a great place to work. They have an excellent work/life balance, they promote many benefits in both financial and non-monetary realms, and more. They’re also one of many companies turning to compact, concise videos to convey their EVP to interested parties. Based on how old this one is (from 2017!), they were among the first to adopt video for this express purpose. Example #4: &pizza Pizza is hardly a new industry, so how does a company stand out from the giants? &pizza answered the question by forming their company into a cultural movement. They’ve used the pandemic as a springboard to showcase the “future of work” via their environment and culture. They promote a variety of different benefits of interest to potential employees, ranging from paid time off for activism, to sponsored rides to polls on election day, to a “no ceiling” policy where anyone, from the managers to the front-line cashiers, has the potential to grow to the highest ranks within the company. Example #5: Canva Canva has been pushing the envelope for a SaaS program and spearheaded an entire industry of online graphic design platforms, mimicked by even large companies like Adobe. Their careers page is understandably focused on the graphical, but they make plenty of mention of their other benefits. They aren’t as upfront with many of them – you have to check specific job listings and other copy – but it’s all there. Many of their more ephemeral benefits, including company culture, are on the Why Canva page . Example #6: Innocent Drinks This UK-based beverage company is already heavily focused on activism and ethics, as seen by virtually everything on their website, including upfront discussions of gender pay gaps, human rights, inclusion, and more, available in the footer of every page. On top of that, Innocent does something unique: they promote career growth extremely heavily, to the point where they even promote things their employees have done after leaving the company . It’s not just about what they can do to keep you around; it’s what they can do to improve the world, with you and through you. It’s a powerful message as part of an EVP, though it’s more attractive to some kinds of employees than others. Example #7: Merck While many might not think of a pharmaceutical company as a paragon of ethical treatment, Merck is an excellent place to work. They reliably win awards for their working environment, push a narrative of ethics and accomplishments towards the common good, and promote and encourage diversity and inclusion throughout the organization. Overall, it’s a surprisingly compelling and personal level of engagement from a multinational corporation that likely has its pick of candidates, even in today’s climate. Perhaps especially because of today’s climate. Example #8: Netflix Netflix is another company that has produced a video EVP, though as a media company, this is less surprising. Their videos, along with a wide variety of content on their careers page, discuss how their organization focuses on “people over process.” They give employees a nearly unprecedented level of autonomy, promote communication and candid information sharing throughout the company, and, of course, compensate well. Example #9: Yelp Yelp facilitates educated decisions for millions of people every day, and the people behind it are tasked with maintaining the platform that does it. They discuss many of the same EVP benefits mentioned above, including diversity, a wide range of non-monetary benefits, cultural values, and more. Deeper down on their careers page , they even have direct testimonials and reviews from their employees, including some from new hires, which is rare. Example #10: Trader Joe’s Trader Joe’s is a well-recognized and beloved grocery chain with a unique sense of branding and aesthetic. That carries over into their careers page, layered with compelling imagery and depictions of their company culture. Their EVP, however, is more focused around their What We Offer page , which includes tangible and intangible benefits, including paid time off, a healthcare plan, job growth, leadership training, and more. They even include statistics about how most of their management was promoted from the front-line low-level roles. Example #11: Shopify One of the biggest names in eCommerce, Shopify promotes a unique EVP that showcases benefits you don’t usually get from a company. These benefits include everything from self-directed learning and skill-building, to catered meals, growth budgets, and even support for family members. They recognize that many employees are concerned about more than just themselves, and have families to think about, so they support the families as well. Example #12: Google The big G (or rather, their parent company Alphabet, now) is well known for pushing the boundaries of hiring culture and shaking up every aspect of the process. Their EVP is no different. They promote core values such as generous family support, employee wellness, community support like charity matching, and more. Those who stick with it can expect continued career growth and support as long as they work for the company. Your EVP Here Your company has an opportunity to break out from the pack and pick up the best candidates, but to do so, you need to develop your employee value proposition. Cover all the bases; financial, benefits, culture, growth, and positivity. Moreover, this is an opportunity to adjust your company to improve these aspects if you don’t currently have benefits or a culture that proves to be a compelling value to candidates. Perhaps it was acceptable to let those aspects of culture slide while focusing on profits in the past. Nowadays, however, employees want to know they’re getting more than just a job to fill their time and pay their bills. There’s a real financial incentive to promote a great EVP, and now’s the best time to get to it. Do you feel like your company has a great EVP? Do you want to show yours off and ask for critique? Are you just not sure as to what you should be doing? If so, please feel free to leave a comment down below, and we’ll get a conversation started. Creating an EVP may sound like a simple task to some, but it needs to be done correctly for the best possible results. We would love to give you and your company feedback and assistance throughout the process however we can.

DevOps, short for Development and Operations, is one of the fastest-growing tech and engineering fields out there today. Professionals with DevOps training are in high demand, making it extremely important to hire the right people and keep them loyal. If you want to attract talented DevOps engineers, vet them properly, and hire the best candidates, you’ll need to implement these ten best practices. 1: Look for The Right Skills DevOps is not like some other tech fields, such as the Full Stack Developer, which end up as a catch-all for any tech skills that could be used to run a computer system. DevOps engineers have specific skills and abilities they need to train; if they aren’t what you’re looking for, you’re going to be disappointed in who you find. What skills are most relevant to a DevOps engineer? Familiarity with technologies such as Git, AWS, Bamboo, Puppet, Jenkins, Docker, and Kubernetes . Each of these represents a range of technologies, including cloud, version control, deployment, automation, and other operations. Understanding of scripting languages, such as Python, Ruby, Perl, and core Linux/Unix functionality . Most DevOps environments run based on some combination of these languages and frameworks, so familiarity is a must. Knowledge of IT security . DevOps aren’t necessarily security specialists – that’s DevSecOps – but your DevOps engineers should at least know the basics of good security practices. More importantly, your job posting should list the requirements specific to your company and environment. Don’t list familiarity with Git and Ruby if your company uses Svn and Python instead. 2: Look for Relevant Soft Skills If an employee doesn’t have the right soft skills for their position, they won’t thrive, no matter how good their hard skills are. In a DevOps environment, the most critical soft skills tend to be collaborative in nature. They focus on team-based empathy, good communication skills, the ability to work as a team, a drive for continuous improvement both for themselves and for their company, and an alignment with the overall vision, ethics, and goals of the company or project they’re working on. “On the ‘soft skills’ side, a DevOps engineer should be able to communicate and interact well with others, be service-oriented, and care about the ultimate end value of the project.” – ZDNet . Remember, hard skills can get trained, while soft skills often cannot. Thus, finding someone with the relevant soft skills and the drive to learn can be a more valuable investment than finding someone with the right hard skills but lacking in soft skills to fit in. 3: Look in the Right Places One of our most common pieces of advice for recruiting is to look for talented individuals where they spend their time. Since they’re in such high demand, many of the best candidates are currently employed and may never see your job advertising unless you reach out to them directly. In the case of DevOps Engineers, chances are you’re going to need to go to them, rather than the other way around. Where can you find these DevOps candidates? LinkedIn and LinkedIn Groups, Facebook Groups, Reddit subs, DevOps organizations, conferences, and other similar locations can be a great place to start. “DevOps professionals, like other ITers, often join forums and groups where they share ideas and develop networks. LinkedIn is one social media outlet where you are likely to find pockets of DevOps engineers, as are local DevOps chapters and even DevOps conferences. When you are faced with competitive hiring pressures, there’s nothing better than a well-developed network of DevOps engineers that you can tap for hires.” – ZDNet. Additionally, one of your best resources is the people you have already hired. People in similar professions often network with one another, and employee referrals can be an excellent way to gather new candidates. 4: Develop an Employment Pipeline In some cases, you need a high-level, high-skill DevOps Engineer immediately. In others, you can afford to take the time to set up a hiring pipeline and “grow your own,” so to speak. Build and foster relationships with educational institutions and certification agencies relevant to DevOps. Start working with students before they’ve even graduated, to groom their skills in the direction that is most beneficial to employment at your company. Offer paid internships to show them what they’ll need to know how to do in a professional environment before they’re facing down a real career decision. When you build your DevOps team from the ground up, you get a highly customized group of employees. This can be a powerful resource, though you do run the risk of stagnation if you’re constantly drawing upon the same well. That’s why it’s best to establish these relationships with various institutions and continue to hire from outside. 5: Make Your Brand Attractive Some companies have nothing going for them as employers of DevOps Engineers. Others, over time, develop a negative reputation and will find it harder and harder to attract the top candidates. Your company should strive to avoid this as much as possible. How? Encourage adaptation, not adherence . DevOps are at the cutting edge of new technologies and methodologies; if you’re forcing them to stagnate, they’ll leave and be harder to replace. Offer competitive benefits . Salary alone isn’t necessarily the driving factor, particularly for younger applicants. Competitive benefits, including flexible hours, time off, remote work, and healthcare, can all be more significant. Have a plan for advancement . In tech-focused fields like DevOps, the stereotype is that you need to change companies to advance. By offering a path of advancement within the company, you can attract and keep talented DevOps engineers. Unfortunately, some of this will take years to build up and circulate throughout the industry. Implementing such strategies isn’t a difficult matter, but it takes time to prove that you’re implementing them and get the word out amongst DevOps candidates. 6: Don’t Rely on Keyword Filtering One of the biggest risks with DevOps hiring is using automated resume filtering based on keywords. That is because DevOps is both a widely varied and a fast-evolving field. The most relevant keywords today are different from the ones that were relevant even just a year ago. Moreover, DevOps encompasses such a wide variety of skills, abilities, and experiences that keyword filtering can miss a lot of what you want to see. Keyword filtering can work fine for broader technology if you explicitly need familiarity with that technology. “Version control” is a better keyword to look for than “Git” because while familiarity with Git is good, a DevOps candidate who knows any version control software can learn any other with ease. Looking for “Cloud experience” is better than looking for “Azure experience” because experience with another cloud system, like AWS, is often “good enough” to put the candidate in a position to learn what you need them to know. Automatic filtering is likely to throw out the resumes of excellent candidates because they don’t quite match and may promote candidates who match the keywords but not the overall ethos you want to get out of your candidates. 7: Keep Culture at the Forefront of Hiring While skills, benefits, and advancement are all key to attracting a DevOps candidate, the key to keeping them around is culture. Your company culture is extremely important, and it needs to be expressed. Moreover, you need to understand it well enough to be able to look for candidates who will fit in. “Culture has a significant impact on employee satisfaction. Employees who don’t like a company’s culture are 24 percent more likely to leave within a year, which leads to churn, higher recruiting costs, and disappointment.” – Harrison Clarke. One common disconnect is the difference between companies that value processes and structure over companies that value agility, creativity, and innovation. DevOps engineers who value one over the other may not find a home at a company that doesn’t match their ideals. The key here is to be transparent and start discussing culture early – potentially even in the job posting. Don’t talk platitudes, either; be specific and open about your company culture. If you can’t spin it in a positive light, it might be a sign that you need to adjust your company culture to be successful in the future. 8: Consider Working with a Recruiter IT staffing agencies, recruiters, recruitment firms, and other groups can be very beneficial for finding and vetting qualified DevOps candidates. On the other hand, there are also a lot of recruiters out there who do the bare minimum of a LinkedIn keyword search, send out template-based direct messages, and put very little thought into it. “However, if you ink an agreement for a specific period with an IT employment company, do not make this agreement an exclusive one. As time goes by, you’re also likely to discover your own channels into the DevOps engineer market. You don’t want to rely solely on your employment agency because this constrains your opportunities.” – ZDNet. There are three important things to watch out for when working with a recruiter. Exclusivity agreements . Avoid these as much as possible; you want to have the ability to take advantage of every channel you can. Nuance . Look for recruiters who spend their initial discussions learning about your company, your teams, and your positions, so they know who to look for. Communication . A good recruiter will stay in constant communication with you to keep you updated and so you can keep them updated on your changing needs. Bearing these in mind is a great way to use recruiters as a resource rather than rely on them. 9: Expand Your Horizons DevOps engineering is not a geographically limited position. Talented, highly skilled engineers at all levels and stages of their careers can be found all over the world. A company limiting its search to people in a local geographic area – even if it’s state-wide – is still putting unnecessary restrictions on the candidates you can attract. Two things go hand-in-hand with this. First, offer some form of relocation service or package  to lessen the burden of hiring someone from across the country. You become more attractive to higher-quality candidates further afield when you make it easier for them to work with you. Alternatively, offer fully remote work. After all, DevOps doesn’t necessarily need to be working directly with physical hardware in your office. Most DevOps engineers are digital natives intimately familiar with online communication tools. Why not take advantage of that to build a remote team? Casting a wide net is the best way to get a broader and deeper candidate pool, which is a sure-fire way to have a higher-quality candidate list when all is said and done. 10: Refine Your Requirements One of the biggest turn-offs of the hiring process is a company that lists 25 different items in the “must-have” category of skills. Not only can this suppress certain kinds of applications, but it is also almost always unnecessary. Consider what skills are 100% necessary to success within your organization. The rest can either be trained or are optional benefits. “DevOps focuses on modernizing teams before technologies. They should be flexible enough to move from one area of software construction to another, be it integration, testing, releasing, or deployment. A DevOps engineer must have flexible working skills and adapt to the changing code, technologies, and the client’s needs.” – EngineerBabu . Because DevOps and DevSecOps are so variable, it’s difficult to pare down hard skills into hard requirements. More often, your requirements will be soft skills, perspectives, and ethics, while the hard skills are broad and generalized, like “experience with cloud platforms” and “familiarity with version control processes.” Everything else can get trained. Do you have experience in hiring qualified DevOps engineers? If so, what are the most important aspects and tips of the hiring process you would give to others looking to do the same? Additionally, if you have any questions or concerns about the DevOps hiring process, please feel free to leave a comment down below, and we’ll get a conversation started. We’d love to assist you and your company however we can.

In traditional business, there’s often a level of tension between development teams and operations engineers. These two groups were often segregated; development working in their bubble, releasing products for the operations engineers to learn and use with no feedback, input, or recourse when something goes wrong. The two groups were at odds, working almost against one another, with an antagonistic perspective. Over the last decade or so, several different business forces have been coalescing into a “new” idea; perhaps each part of a business should work together, rather than against one another. It’s not a new idea, since successful businesses have been working in harmony for centuries, but it’s a shift in what had become the standard paradigm. In part, this comes from Agile and Lean; two operations paradigms that focus on aligning many moving parts and minimizing the bulk of time-consuming, low-productivity business operations. In part, it’s a synthesis of other business ideas, taking root and growing as larger businesses adopt techniques they can use to adapt to a changing ecosystem. It’s difficult to give a concrete definition for “DevOps” – in fact, many articles have been written about this exact topic, and for every expert that puts forth their own definition, there are businesses that are using DevOps techniques that don’t quite fit those descriptions. DevOps is not so much a team or a group within your organization. Rather, it’s an approach. It’s a methodology you use, from hiring to development to operations and beyond. It’s a new way to keep an entire organization working together, with agile and responsive systems in place to facilitate that teamwork. Needless to say, DevOps has become a key job position. Many businesses invest in the DevOps philosophy and use the term to attract new candidates who understand the environment. Others use DevOps as a buzzword and fail to fully espouse the processes involved. Nevertheless, if you’re interested in hiring people with DevOps training, experience, or authority, you’ll need to first understand the various roles and processes. Here are some of the most common DevOps job titles, what they do, and what you should consider when looking to hire them. DevOps Engineer This is your top of the food chain authority in all things DevOps. Also called a Platform Engineer, the DevOps Engineer is the person who oversees and supports the platform used for DevOps operation. Some companies treat DevOps as more of a process and an ideology, rather than a platform, so they may not hire a DevOps Engineer. A qualified candidate for a DevOps Engineer position has experience in DevOps work, familiarity with the platforms available and how to integrate them into existing business processes, and management experience. The average salary for a DevOps Engineer tends to be just under $100,000, with talented and experienced DevOps Engineers making $150,000 or more. DevOps Evangelist There are many companies already devoted to the DevOps lifestyle. Many more, however, are not. These companies need a DevOps Evangelist to guide them on the path. The Evangelist can be either a consultant or an employee, and they typically hold an upper-level position. This role needs authority because their goal is to develop a plan for DevOps implementation and convince those in charge of how much better life will be if that plan is implemented. A DevOps Evangelist is an analyst and must be good at compiling and presenting data. They must also have deep familiarity with DevOps processes, platforms, and systems. They’re the ones who come up with a plan for conversion, and often the ones who see it through to implementation. “You have to build a culture that is a learning culture where it is safe to fail, fail fast, learn from it, and improve.” This quote from Rohit Antao, DevOps leader with PwC, explains the value of an evangelist and how they can spot the cracks in your DevOps process. Build Engineer The Build Engineer is a DevOps managerial position in charge of development teams. This individual spends their time managing the build and development process and is responsible for ensuring build goals and deadlines are met in a fast-paced environment. They manage code, they maintain builds, they create new builds, they manage and deploy automation solutions, and they ensure builds meet established configuration requirements. The Build Engineer is occasionally a hybrid role that includes the responsibilities of other technical roles, such as the UX designer or the configuration manager. There’s a lot of flexibility in the position, and it works for a wide range of possible needs within your business. Release Manager If the Build Engineer is the back of the coin, the Release Manager is the front. The Release Manager is an oversight and managerial position that oversees the overall development pipeline, guiding both individual releases and overall release schedules. They spend much of their time coordinating with the Build Engineer and with other teams to ensure that goals are met. Neeharika Nagisetty, Vantiv’s group product marketing manager, describes this role well . “Release managers work to address the management and coordination of the product from development through production. Typically they work on more of the technical details and hurdles in which a traditional project manager would not be involved.” As a mid-to-upper level management position, Release Managers average around $80-90k per year, with higher-level managers reaching $150k or more. Automation Architect The Automation Architect is a key role in modern DevOps. Since a huge portion of DevOps relies on automated workflows and processes that streamline teams and minimize the need for intervention, the Automation Architect is a critical employee. The Automation Architect is responsible not just for researching and implementing automation systems, but for integrating those systems with other existing automation and non-automation systems. Their job isn’t simply to implement automation but to ensure everything works with as few obstacles as possible, graceful failure states, and redundancy as necessary. Essentially, they pave the road so the rest of the team can drive quickly and safely on it. A skilled candidate for an Automation Architect position has a deep familiarity with DevOps platforms and the integrations between them. They must also be able to troubleshoot and solve problems quickly, making deep critical thinking a must. This tends to average around $90,000 per year salary. Product Manager DevOps is largely focused on bringing operations systems into development, and as such, most DevOps roles are development roles with expanded responsibilities and skillsets. The Product Manager role is one that comes straight from the operations side of DevOps and brings with it the organizational and management skills necessary for a project to succeed. Product Manager is not a new role; it’s an operations role repurposed within DevOps. As such, there will be a large volume of product managers willing to apply who might not meet the DevOps philosophy. The goal is to find a Product Manager with management skills, but also with deep collaboration abilities that allow them to work directly with your development teams. In particular, they will need to work with the Build and Release managers, the security engineers, and the data analysts to maintain a full “big picture” overview of your product. DevOps Software Developer The role of the software developer is crucial for any software-focused company, but it’s even more important for a DevOps team. In DevOps, a software developer is not just responsible for developing code; they also test, deploy, monitor, and support that code. The role is, in essence, a combination of both the software developer and the QA roles. After all, who better to support a piece of software than the people who wrote it? DevOps Software Developers need to be fluent in coding and software development, but also DevOps practices for QA and maintenance. This often means a reliance on automated testing applications , thus a DevOps Software Developer needs to know and understand these applications. Security Engineer Modern software development is fraught with peril. Time and time again, news comes out about SaaS platforms, new software applications, mobile apps, and other technology with glaringly obvious and exploitable flaws. This is caused, in large part, by security being treated as an afterthought. Particularly in the Waterfall development method, security is typically tacked on at the end with a cursory audit. In DevOps, security is a functional and important aspect of the development process. As Antao says: “They build security into the product, not at the end.” Security needs to be baked into the product from the ground up, so it’s more difficult to exploit and harder to crack. This requires a Security Engineer to work closely with the software developers, ensuring that every process and every interface is properly formed and takes security in mind. Security Engineers are extremely important, not just for the success of a product, but for the safety of the users using it. They need to be fluent with modern security standards, ongoing attack vectors, and user behaviors that typically bypass security and create holes. Data Analyst The DevOps Data Analyst role is a position of extreme importance. While development takes theory into account when developing products and features, the Data Analyst takes real data from real users and distills it down into actionable intelligence. They typically overlap with user experience engineers and UX designers in a DevOps environment. A Data Analyst role is typically an entry-level role on the path to Data Scientist, which is a similar role, except they make larger-scale decisions involving the platform and infrastructure as a whole rather than the individual features or apps an Analyst is concerned with. Data Analysts need to be fluent in data management, harvesting, and analysis, as well as generating useful reports. Their average salary is typically around $75,000 but can be as high as $125,000 for experienced analysts. Tips for Hiring a DevOps Position DevOps is a relatively new environment, so definitions are loose and consistency is rare. An employee in a particular role for one organization may not fit the description of that same role in another, due to variability in responsibilities. This fluidity in roles makes the support of external partners essential. For instance, companies like klausur schreiben lassen , a service specialized in assisting with academic writing, can be pivotal in developing training modules and guidelines that ensure clarity and uniformity in job functions across the board. As such, hiring for a DevOps position tends to be more about the requirements, responsibilities, and experience than it is about the job title. Hiring managers often look beyond traditional indicators of suitability to how candidates may fit within a dynamically defined team. Look for specific skills. Remember that the candidates you hire for DevOps roles need to be skilled and reliable. In addition to technical skills befitting their role, you should also look for people skills, including teamwork. DevOps is all about collaboration, so the lone wolf or “Rockstar” developer is a disqualification. Technical skills and people skills need to work in conjunction for a successful DevOps team. Do your homework on job title variablility and trends. DevOps is still expanding, and many companies are using a similar ideology to form processes for the unification of their other teams. DataOps, FinOps, GitOps, ModelOps; there are dozens of new designations that are popping up. The truth is, specific roles and job titles are variable. What matters is the person, their skills, and their experience. Accurately delineate between preferences and requirements. When writing a job posting , it’s important to distill your role down to the specific requirements you need for a candidate to fill that role. Determine exactly what you need an individual to do; anything else is a bonus. For example, a Software Engineer might not have a lot of experience with user interface design; you can either make interface experience a requirement or use it as a bonus to filter qualified candidates. You can always hire a dedicated user experience team member if you can’t find a software developer with that experience. Emphasize diversity. Diverse teams make better products. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for something as simple as the language in a job listing to turn off entire categories of people. This study is an excellent resource on how to write and formulate a job listing in a way that attracts diverse applicants, allowing you to draw from the broadest and most diverse candidate pool. DevOps is here to stay, but it may require a significant shift in the way your business runs. If you’re ready for that investment, picking up a DevOps Evangelist to create a plan is a good place to start.

As with many modern technical fields, software engineers are in high demand. Companies around the world need them, so the best talent is snapped up so fast it’s astonishing. Of course, you don’t want your company to hire the dregs, right?  It’s better to go about the recruiting process the right way, to attract and hire the best candidates and keep them around. Understanding Developer Demographics The first thing you need to know before you start is that, while “developer” is a specialized field, it’s still quite broad. Developers, especially full stack developers , can assume many different roles such as web development, mobile development, software engineering, database or systems administrators, and more. Stack Overflow is a large site where developers can join a network, help one another, show off their projects, and generally participate in a broader community. They perform an annual survey of their audience, with over 90,000 respondents to their 2019 survey . This can tell us a lot about the demographics of developers, though it’s not entirely representative of the field as a whole. The majority of developers responding to the survey were located in the United States, Europe, and India, with Australia, Canada, and Brazil also representing sizable numbers of developers. Nearly every country in the world had at least a few respondents, however, proving that developers can originate anywhere. The most popular specialties amongst developers are web development, with full-stack developers making up the most common category. Desktop and enterprise developers come in second, with mobile developers third. Other popular roles include database and systems administrators, designers, and data scientists. Over 40% of survey respondents have under five years of professional experience coding. This doesn’t mean they’re not talented, just that many of them are young or have only recently brought a hobby into their professional lives. In terms of pure demographics, amongst professional developers, over 70% are white or of European descent, with South Asian, Hispanic, and East Asian following. This is more of a sign of the overall underrepresentation of PoC developers more than anything and can present an excellent opportunity if you look for candidates on a global scope. Check out the survey; while it’s not entirely representative of developers as a whole, it’s a good idea of the kinds of people you’re likely to see most frequently in your search to hire software engineers. Building a List and Sourcing Qualified Candidates Every good recruitment process begins with building a candidate pool . Your eventual hires are only as good as the people in your pool, so you will always want to find the best, most qualified candidates to populate that pool. The better your candidate pool , the faster you’ll be able to go from interview to hire, and the more satisfied both you and your new hires will be with their career. Where can you look to source candidates to fill your pool? Here are the best sources beyond “a job portal” or your website’s career page. Personal referrals. High-quality candidates tend to associate with other high-quality workers, and can recommend people they know would be a good fit for a role. Your existing employees likely have a better grasp of what they need in a coworker than your hiring department, as well. Technical blogs. Many professional and talented hobbyist software engineers maintain blogs where they discuss and show off their projects. Finding candidates who demonstrate talents publicly gives you an opportunity to reach out and invite them to apply. Open Source portals. Open-source software is increasingly popular, and the people who contribute to it have publicly visible proof of their talents. Whether you’re looking at individual projects on GitHub or professional contributors to large open-source companies , there are plenty of candidates out there. Of course, you’re not limited to these channels. Traditional channels can bring in plenty of qualified candidates as well. The above are simply great ways to recruit passive candidates and pull talent from many sources. Making Use of Code Assessments A good software engineer needs to know how to code. A great software engineer needs to know how to code as part of a team. You can test both as part of your interview process by using a combination of traditional interviews and code assessments. Code assessments are tests you can develop or purchase from companies that develop them. They can range from simple to complex and are meant to test a candidate’s ability to code on specific projects.  The idea here would be to work with your current lead developer, or whoever heads your development team, to identify tests that assess relevant skills. For example, if you need a software engineer skilled with web development, you want to avoid simple language-based testing. TestDome provides a wide variety of tests on different subjects, ranging from PHP, Java, and C to mobile tech, data science, and software engineering . Questions range from free and simple to complex and paid, with pricing based on the number of candidates you want to test. HireVue also offers code assessments, including coding language proficiency and soft skill analysis tests to evaluate candidates from all angles. HackerRank offers, among other things, CodeScreen. CodeScreen is a code assessment platform you can use to deliver tests to candidates for them to work on at their leisure, giving you data not just on their performance but on how quickly they complete the project. Of course, you can always develop tests of your own and deploy them in a manner of your choosing. All it takes is a member of your team to develop the test and to judge the results. Determining a Software Engineer’s Technical Abilities Speaking of judging the results, how can you do that? The obvious answer is to talk to an expert, whether they’re your current lead engineer or someone you bring in from the outside. That said, there are a few ways a non-technical person might judge technical abilities, albeit with a grain of salt. Review multiple answers to the same question from different applicants. Do any of them stand out as more elegant than others? Watch for issues like “reinventing the wheel” by writing code to do something a function in the language can do inherently. Issue a programming challenge with no language requirements. The choice of language and the accuracy of the resulting answer can say a lot about the candidate developing it. Try to break the code. If you ask a software engineer candidate to design a simple applet that performs a function, what happens if you were to add strange inputs, like letters instead of numbers, special characters, or code snippets? A good engineer should (as long as it’s part of the assignment) program to avoid these kinds of issues. Also, while it might seem obvious, consider issuing at least one skills test either in person or via a live meeting. On the job, a software engineer should use all of their available resources to develop quality software, but you want to make sure they aren’t wholly relying on external sources for their answers. Keeping the Interview Process Positive Evaluating a candidate involves investigating many facets of a person’s skills, personality, and communication abilities. Some of your best candidates might not do too well on a skills assessment, but work very well with teams and draw out the best in each of their coworkers. If you rely completely on one facet of the hiring process, you can unknowingly turn away many of these (otherwise) excellent candidates. “The age-old adage ‘people don’t remember what you say, but they remember how you made them feel’ is so true when it comes to interviews. When a candidate keeps the flow going in a friendly conversation, instead of making me feel like I am conducting an interrogation, I will remember our brief time together fondly.” Refael Zikavashvili, CEO of Pramp Part of keeping these candidates in the pool is making sure the interview process , from application to determination, is a positive experience. You don’t want to take a coding result and outright reject someone with a lower than average score. After all, they might be coachable, or they might specialize in another area that you would still find valuable despite their weakness. Encourage candidates despite their results, and move on to other phases of your interview process. Moreover, by making your application and interview process a positive experience, you can encourage candidates to work on their skills and apply again later. You can also encourage a positive reputation, and when the application process is a positive process, you’ll get more referrals from the people who partake. Deciding Compensation and Benefits Sooner or later, you have to discuss compensation . A software engineer, in demand, will likely be comparing offers from several different companies. They’ll pay attention not just to base salary, but other benefits as well. So what might be adequate compensation? A lot goes into it. Average salaries. Your candidates will know roughly what people in their position get. Going back to the Stack Overflow survey above, salaries range from $38k for an academic researcher to $95k for engineering managers, but that’s worldwide. In the United States, academic researchers average $95k and engineering managers reach as much as $152k on average. Compensating for location and relocating . A software engineer in rural Mississippi might expect to make less than if they lived in Silicon Valley. Regional cost of living and salary adjustments can be hugely important for candidates willing to relocate, as well. Benefits. Health coverage, stock options, 401(k) matching; it’s all part of the overall calculation. Time expectations. Do you expect your engineer in the office 9-5? Are they expected to work 50 or more hours per week? Are they flexible in when they can come in and leave each day? Do they get to work from home occasionally, or regularly? These can be important considerations, especially today. Know what the averages are for your area and for companies similar to your own, and be prepared to negotiate. The best software engineers might demand a premium, but if they perform well enough on the interviews, it may be entirely worthwhile to offer it. Reducing Your Time to Hire Software Engineers To hire software engineers and other developers can require a fast process from application to offer. The longer your evaluation takes, the more likely it is that another company will come in and snap up your candidates. So how can you reduce your time to hire ? First, consider pulling the hiring managers out of the process until later. Empower a recruiter or recruiting firm to form a quality pool and identify the best candidates, and bring in your own team when those candidates have passed the initial tests and proven themselves worth your attention. Second, make sure you have a firm structure in place for how your hiring process works. If your team is making judgments based on gut feelings and scheduling whims, you’re wasting time and turning off candidates. Third, look through your process from start to finish from the candidate’s perspective. How many hurdles do they need to leap, how many roadblocks stand in their way? Can you implement tech to streamline the process? Even something as simple as a more streamlined scheduling system for interviews can save a ton of time. Giving Them Room to Grow Hiring your software engineer isn’t the end, it’s the start. You need to keep that engineer, and a lot goes into keeping a talented employee satisfied. In particular, one of the biggest drivers of turnover amongst tech employees is growth. Specifically, you need to ensure that your developers have room to grow, from the scope of their projects to the size of their team to their compensation. If they feel like they’re stagnating, they’ll be more likely to look for opportunities elsewhere. How can you provide this room to grow? In part, it means having the flexibility to increase project scope and promote talented engineers to roles suiting their ambitions. In part, it means providing incentives or reimbursement for training, certifications, and trips to industry gatherings like seminars and conferences. In part, it simply means scaling their compensation to keep up with the cost of living and other expectations. Give your engineers a role they can grow with, and you’ll have a loyal engineer who can lead your company to new heights. Conclusion The journey to find and hire exceptional software engineers is multifaceted and requires a strategic approach. From understanding the broad spectrum of developer demographics to sourcing qualified candidates through various channels, each step is crucial for building a strong team. Implementing code assessments and carefully evaluating technical abilities are key components of the selection process. However, it’s not just about technical skills. Keeping the interview process positive, deciding on competitive compensation, and reducing the time to hire are equally important to attract top talent. Once hired, providing opportunities for growth and development is essential to retain these valuable team members. If this process seems daunting, you’re not alone. Many companies face challenges in navigating the complexities of hiring in the tech industry. That’s where professional help can make a significant difference.  Don’t hesitate to seek assistance in your recruitment efforts. Whether it’s refining your hiring strategy, accessing a wider talent pool, or streamlining the recruitment process, expert guidance can be a game-changer. Start building your dream team by reaching out to our team of professional recruiters today.

We are living in a world that is rapidly evolving with technology and automation. As more and more tasks are being automated, it is essential for those of us in the workforce to upgrade our skills in order to remain competitive and stay relevant. It is important to understand that automation does not mean that jobs will be eliminated, but rather that employers need their workers to retool so they can stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape. Now is a prime time to revitalize or develop skills that will help you ride the waves of automation with ease. Automation is the use of technology to automate tasks that used to be done manually by humans. Automation can happen in many forms, from simple machines such as washing machines to complex software and robotics that can complete complex tasks in the manufacturing and service industry. Automation has been around for centuries, but with the advancement of technology, it is becoming increasingly more accessible and efficient. There are many benefits to automation. Automation increases efficiency by reducing the need for manual labor, and it also reduces errors by eliminating the possibility of human error. Automation also reduces costs by reducing the number of workers needed to complete a task. Additionally, automation can free up workers to focus on more creative tasks and increase productivity. The Benefits of Automation Automation also has the potential to create jobs. For example, increased automation in the manufacturing sector can lead to new positions in the form of technicians and engineers. Additionally, automation can lead to the development of new products and services, which in turn can lead to the creation of new jobs. Automation and Its Impact on the Job Market The impact of automation on the job market is difficult to predict. On one hand, automation can lead to job losses in certain sectors, such as manufacturing and service industries. Automation can also lead to job creation in other sectors, such as engineering and software development. Automation has the potential to change the way we work and the types of jobs that are available. As technology advances, the skills required for certain jobs will also change. For example, in the manufacturing sector, automation has increased the demand for technicians and engineers, while in the service industry, automation has increased the demand for customer service representatives. The impact of automation on the job market is something that needs to be monitored closely. Automation has the potential to change the way we work, and it is important to stay informed of these changes so that we can adjust our skills and stay up-to-date with the latest advancements. Automation and the Need to Retool As automation advances, it is becoming increasingly important for workers to upgrade their skills to remain competitive and stay relevant. With the ever-changing landscape of the job market, workers need to retool to stay ahead of the curve. Retooling is the process of learning new skills or refreshing existing skills to keep up with the changing job market. Retooling can be beneficial for both employers and employees. For employers, retooling can help ensure that their employees are up-to-date with the latest advancements in the industry and can keep up with the changing job market. For employees, retooling can provide an opportunity to stay ahead of the competition and increase their value to the employer. What Skills Should You Upgrade? Some of the most in-demand skills in the job market today include: Software development Data analysis AI and machine learning Networking and IT Cybersecurity Cloud computing Robotics Project management These are just some of the skills that are in demand in the job market today. As technology continues to evolve, it is important to stay informed of the latest advancements and identify which skills you need to upgrade to stay ahead of the competition. Tips for Upgrading Your Skills Upgrading your skills is not an easy task, but with the right approach, it can be done. Here are some tips to help you upgrade your skills: Identify which skills are in demand in the job market . Take an online course or attend a seminar to learn new skills. Take advantage of free resources such as online tutorials and webinars. Utilize networking opportunities to gain new skills and knowledge. Participate in hackathons and other coding competitions. Join professional organizations to stay updated on the latest advancements in the industry. These are just some of the tips that can help you upgrade your skills. As technology continues to evolve, it is important to stay ahead of the curve and stay informed of the latest advancements in the industry. Online Resources for Retooling Numerous online resources can help you retool your skills. Here are some of the most popular online resources for retooling: Coursera – An online learning platform with various courses in software development, data analysis, AI and machine learning, and more. Udemy – An online learning platform with courses in programming languages, project management, and more. edX – An online learning platform with courses in software engineering, robotics, and more. Code Academy – An online learning platform with courses in programming languages, web development, and more. Khan Academy – An online learning platform with tutorials in mathematics, computer science, and more. These are just some of the online resources that can help you upgrade your skills. As technology continues to evolve, it is important to take advantage of these resources and stay ahead of the competition. Other Considerations When Retooling When retooling your skills, it is important to consider the following: Make sure that the skills you are learning are in demand in the job market. Ensure that you are taking the right courses and learning the right skills. Remember to stay motivated and disciplined. Utilize networking opportunities to build relationships with industry professionals. Stay informed of the latest advancements in the industry. These are just some of the things to consider when retooling your skills. As technology continues to evolve, it is important to stay ahead of the curve and ensure that you are learning the right skills to remain competitive in the job market. Conclusion – Embrace the Automated World and Stay Relevant! In conclusion, it is clear that automation is here to stay and those of us in the workforce need to upgrade our skills to remain competitive and stay relevant. Automation does not mean that jobs will be eliminated, but rather that employers need their workers to retool so they can stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape.  Now is a prime time to revitalize or develop skills that will help you ride the waves of automation with ease. Embrace the new era of tech and upgrade your skill set! Machine learning won’t take away human labor, but employers need their workers to retool so they can stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape.  Contact us today so we can help you attract the talent you deserve.

Recruitment scams are a rising menace in today’s digital world. Every day, unsuspecting job seekers fall victim to these schemes, losing their time and money in the process. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into recruitment scams, and provide useful tips for avoiding them. What Is a Recruitment Scam? A recruitment scam is an attempt to defraud job seekers by collecting personal information or money from them in exchange for a false job offer. It’s important to note that recruitment scams are different from job scams. In a recruitment scam, the perpetrator is posing as a legitimate job recruiter, while in a job scam, the perpetrator is posing as a legitimate employer. Recruitment scams are becoming increasingly common due to the ease with which perpetrators can create fake job postings and websites. Job seekers often fall victim to these scams due to their desperation, as they’ll do anything to land a job. What Do Recruitment Scammers Want? Recruitment scammers typically target unsuspecting job seekers by offering them false job opportunities. The scammer’s goal is to get the job seeker to provide personal information such as their address, bank account details, or Social Security number. The scammers then use this information to steal money or commit identity theft. In some cases, the scammers may even ask the job seeker to pay a fee to secure the job. Common Signs of a Recruitment Scam The best way to avoid a recruitment scam is to be aware of the common signs of one. Here are some of the most common signs of a recruitment scam: The job posting is too good to be true. If the job promises a high salary or other perks that are out of the ordinary, it’s likely a scam. The job posting offers an immediate start. Most legitimate recruiters don’t offer immediate starts, as they need to first verify the job seeker’s credentials. The recruiter requests personal information or money upfront. Legitimate recruiters don’t ask for money upfront, so if a recruiter does, it’s a sure sign of a scam. The recruiter is vague or evasive. If the recruiter is unwilling to provide details about the job or the company without a legitimate reason, it’s likely a scam. The recruiter offers to process your application through an email address. Most legitimate recruiters will have a website or other professional contact information. The job posting has grammatical or spelling errors. This is a dead giveaway that the job posting is fake. Who’s at Risk of a Recruitment Scam? Anyone who’s looking for a job is at risk of a recruitment scam. It’s especially important for recent graduates and those who are new to the job market to be extra vigilant, as they’re more likely to be targeted by scammers. It’s also important to note that recruitment scams don’t just target job seekers. Recruiters and employers can also be targeted by scammers. These scammers may attempt to steal money or confidential information from the recruiter or employer. How to Avoid a Recruitment Scam The best way to avoid a recruitment scam is to be aware of the common signs of one and to take the necessary steps to protect yourself. Here are some tips for avoiding recruitment scams: Do your research. Before responding to a job posting, take the time to do your research. Check out the company’s website and social media accounts to make sure they’re legitimate. Verify the recruiter’s credentials. If a recruiter is legitimate, they should be able to provide you with their contact information and other details about their company. Don’t provide personal information or money upfront. Legitimate recruiters don’t ask for personal information or money upfront, so if a recruiter does, it’s a sure sign of a scam. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If a recruiter is evasive or unwilling to answer your questions, it’s a red flag. Use common sense. If something seems too good to be true or just doesn’t feel right, it’s best to stay away. What to Do if You’ve Been Scammed If you think you’ve been scammed, it’s important to take immediate action. Here’s what you should do: Change your passwords. If you’ve provided any personal information to the scammer, it’s important to change the passwords for all of your accounts. Contact the police. If you’ve been scammed out of money, it’s important to contact the police and file a report. Notify your bank. If you’ve provided your bank details to the scammer, it’s important to notify your bank and keep a close eye on your accounts. Contact the FTC. You should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and file a complaint. How to Report a Recruitment Scam If you think you’ve been targeted by a recruitment scam, it’s important to report it. You can report recruitment scams to the Federal Trade Commission , the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the Better Business Bureau . You can also report recruitment scams to the job website where the scammer posted the job listing. Conclusion Recruitment scams are a real menace in today’s digital world. It’s important to be aware of the common signs of a recruitment scam and to take the necessary steps to protect yourself. If you think you’ve been targeted by a recruitment scam, it’s important to report it and take the necessary steps to protect yourself. Wary of recruitment scams? Rest assured that our team of vetted recruiters is standing by to help you !

The gig economy is a rapidly growing phenomenon that has been gaining traction in recent years. It is estimated to be worth 455.2 billion dollars and is expected to grow to over $715 billion by 2023. With such a large economic footprint, it’s no surprise that many people are curious about what the gig economy is and how it’s impacting the workforce.  In this blog post, I’ll provide a detailed overview of the gig economy, its history, its impact on recruiting, and examples of the gig economy in action. I’ll also look at the future of the gig economy and discuss the benefits and challenges associated with it. What is the Gig Economy? The gig economy, also known as the sharing economy, is an economic model where people are hired to perform short-term, task-based jobs. It’s different from traditional employment, which is usually long-term and involves a more permanent commitment. The gig economy is made up of independent contractors and freelancers who are hired to complete specific tasks or projects on a short-term basis. This could be anything from writing articles to delivering groceries. The gig economy is often associated with the emergence of online platforms like Uber and Airbnb which have enabled people to connect and find work more efficiently. These platforms have become an integral part of the gig economy, allowing people to find and complete tasks quickly and easily. History of the Gig Economy The gig economy has been around for centuries, but it has only recently gained widespread attention. In the past, people were hired on a project-by-project basis to perform specific tasks. This type of work was often referred to as “freelance work”, and it provided people with an opportunity to work on their terms and make their schedules. In recent years, the gig economy has experienced a surge in popularity as more people have embraced the idea of working as freelancers and independent contractors. The rise of the internet and digital technology has made it easier for people to find and complete tasks on a short-term basis and to connect with potential employers. The gig economy has also been boosted by the emergence of the sharing economy. Companies like Uber and Airbnb have made it possible for people to rent out their homes or vehicles or provide services to others. This has made it easier for people to make money on their terms and to find work quickly and easily. Impact of the Gig Economy on Recruiting The gig economy has had a profound impact on recruiting. For employers, the gig economy offers a flexible and cost-effective way to find talent. Companies can hire independent contractors to complete tasks on a short-term basis, allowing them to scale up or down their workforce as needed. This has enabled employers to become more agile and responsive to changing market conditions. For job seekers, the gig economy provides an opportunity to find work quickly and easily. People can search for and apply for gigs on a variety of online platforms, allowing them to find the right job for the right price. It also allows them to be more flexible in their schedules and to work on their terms. Examples of the Gig Economy The gig economy is made up of a variety of different types of work. Here are some of the most popular examples: Freelance writing: Freelance writers can write articles, blog posts, and other pieces of content for various companies and organizations. Web development: Web developers can create websites for clients or work on existing websites to improve them. Graphic design: Graphic designers can create logos, illustrations, and other assets for companies and organizations. Social media management: Social media managers can create and manage content for companies and organizations on various social media platforms. Video production: Video producers can create videos for companies and organizations to use in marketing campaigns. Virtual assistant: Virtual assistants can provide administrative support to companies and organizations on a short-term basis. There are many other types of gig economy work, but these are some of the most popular. The Future of the Gig Economy The gig economy is expected to continue to grow in the coming years as more people embrace the idea of working on their terms. The pandemic has only accelerated this trend, as more people are looking for flexible, short-term work to supplement their income. It’s also likely that the gig economy will evolve to include more advanced forms of work, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. The future of the gig economy will also depend on how governments react to the trend. In the US, the newly proposed gig worker exception could significantly change the future of the gig economy. This exception would allow companies to classify gig workers as independent contractors, which could have a major impact on the rights and protections they’re afforded. Benefits of the Gig Economy The gig economy provides several benefits for both employers and job seekers. For employers, the gig economy is a cost-effective way to find talent and scale up or down their workforce as needed. It also provides them with the flexibility to find the right person for the job without the need to commit to a long-term contract. For job seekers, the gig economy offers an opportunity to find work quickly and easily, and to work on their terms. It also allows them to have more control over their schedules and to work when and where they want. Challenges of the Gig Economy The gig economy is not without its challenges. For employers, the biggest challenge is the lack of control. With independent contractors, employers don’t have the same level of control over the work that’s being done, which can make it difficult to ensure that tasks are completed to the standards they expect. For job seekers, the biggest challenge is the lack of stability. While the gig economy offers an opportunity to find work quickly and easily, it also means that job seekers may not have the same level of job security as they would in a traditional job. Conclusion The gig economy is a rapidly growing phenomenon that is estimated to be worth $455.2 billion and is expected to grow to over $715 billion by 2023. It offers several benefits for both employers and job seekers, and it has had a profound impact on recruiting. While there are challenges associated with the gig economy, it’s clear that it’s here to stay and will continue to shape the workforce in the coming years. What is the gig economy? After reading this blog post, you should have a better understanding of what the gig economy is and how it’s impacting the workforce .

High turnover rates and the difficulty of finding qualified candidates are significant challenges for many businesses today. These issues not only disrupt operations but also increase costs and impact overall productivity. In this blog, we’ll explore these common recruitment challenges in detail and provide actionable solutions to help you build a more stable and qualified workforce. Understanding High Turnover Rates High turnover rates refer to the frequency at which employees leave an organization and need to be replaced. This can be a costly problem, both in terms of time and resources. Let’s break down some of the main causes and their impacts. Causes of High Turnover Poor Job Fit: When employees’ skills and interests do not align with their roles, they are more likely to leave. This mismatch often results from inadequate job descriptions and ineffective recruitment processes that fail to match candidates’ capabilities and aspirations with the job requirements. Lack of Career Advancement: Employees seek growth opportunities. Without clear paths for advancement, they may look elsewhere. Organizations that do not invest in their employees' development or provide clear career progression paths often see higher turnover rates. Inadequate Compensation and Benefits: Competitive pay and benefits are crucial for retaining talent. If employees feel underpaid or undervalued, they are more likely to explore other opportunities that offer better financial rewards and benefits. Unhealthy Work Environment: A negative company culture or poor management practices can drive employees away. Toxic work environments, lack of recognition, and insufficient support from management can significantly contribute to high turnover rates. Impact of High Turnover High turnover rates can lead to: Increased Recruitment and Training Costs: Hiring and training new employees repeatedly can be costly and time-consuming. Loss of Institutional Knowledge: When experienced employees leave, they take valuable knowledge and expertise with them. Lower Employee Morale: Constant turnover can create instability and negatively affect the morale of remaining employees. Reduced Productivity: Frequent turnover disrupts workflows and can lead to decreased overall productivity. Strategies to Reduce High Turnover Rates Addressing high turnover requires a strategic approach. Here are some effective strategies: Improving Job Fit Thorough Job Analysis: Ensure job descriptions accurately reflect the role and required skills. This helps in attracting the right candidates who are well-suited for the position. Robust Screening Processes: Implement comprehensive interviews and assessments to match candidates with the right roles. Utilizing behavioral and skills assessments can help in identifying the best fit for your organization. Career Development Career Progression Paths: Offer clear and achievable advancement opportunities. Employees should have a roadmap for their career growth within the company. Professional Development: Invest in training and development programs to help employees grow. Continuous learning opportunities keep employees engaged and equipped with the latest skills. Competitive Compensation Regular Salary Reviews: Stay competitive by regularly reviewing and adjusting salaries. Conduct market salary surveys to ensure your compensation packages are attractive. Comprehensive Benefits: Offer attractive benefits packages, including health insurance, retirement plans, and bonuses. Consider additional perks like flexible working hours and remote work options. Enhancing Work Environment Positive Company Culture: Foster an environment of open communication, recognition, and support. Regular team-building activities and recognition programs can boost morale. Work-Life Balance: Implement programs that support employee well-being and balance. Encourage employees to take breaks and provide resources for mental health support. Finding Qualified Candidates In addition to reducing turnover, finding the right candidates is crucial for any business. Here are some challenges and solutions. Challenges in Finding Qualified Candidates Skills Gap: The mismatch between available skills and job requirements. Rapid technological advancements and changing industry needs can exacerbate this gap. Ineffective Recruitment Strategies: Traditional methods may not reach the best candidates. Over-reliance on outdated recruitment channels can limit your talent pool. Limited Reach: Not utilizing all available platforms to find talent. Focusing only on local candidates or limited job boards can restrict your access to a diverse and qualified pool of candidates. Solutions Leverage Technology: Use AI and recruitment software to streamline the hiring process and identify the best candidates quickly. Tools like applicant tracking systems (ATS) and AI-driven screening can significantly enhance efficiency. Expand Sourcing Channels: Utilize job boards, social media, and industry events to reach a wider talent pool. Participating in job fairs and industry conferences can help in attracting top talent. Employer Branding: Strengthen your brand to attract top talent by showcasing your company culture and values. Use your website and social media to highlight what makes your company a great place to work. Employee Referrals: Implement a referral program to encourage current employees to refer qualified candidates. Referral programs can be highly effective as current employees often understand the company culture and job requirements well. Partnering with Emerge Talent Cloud At Emerge Talent Cloud, we understand the complexities of recruitment and offer solutions to help you overcome these challenges. Our Solutions Expertise: Our team has the knowledge and experience to help you find the right candidates and reduce turnover. We use best practices and innovative strategies to ensure successful hires. Technology: We use the latest recruitment technologies to ensure efficient and effective hiring processes. Our tools help in identifying and attracting the best talent quickly. Proven Strategies: Our methods have been tested and proven to work, as evidenced by our satisfied clients. We tailor our strategies to meet the unique needs of each client. Success Stories One of our clients, a mid-sized tech company, faced high turnover rates and difficulty finding qualified software engineers. By partnering with us, they were able to: Implement Better Screening Processes: We helped them refine their screening processes to better match candidates with job requirements. Offer Competitive Compensation Packages: We assisted them in restructuring their compensation packages to be more competitive. Improve Their Work Environment: We provided guidance on fostering a positive company culture and improving employee engagement. As a result, their turnover rate dropped by 20%, and they filled critical roles with highly qualified candidates. Conclusion High turnover rates and the challenge of finding qualified candidates can significantly impact your business. However, with the right strategies and support from a trusted partner like Emerge Talent Cloud, you can build a strong, stable, and qualified workforce. If you’re ready to overcome your recruitment challenges, let us help you build a team that drives growth and success. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your recruitment needs.

Quality hires are essential for driving success and achieving long-term growth in today’s competitive business environment. However, many companies face challenges in maintaining high hiring standards, which can lead to increased turnover, decreased productivity, and a negative impact on company culture. At Emerge Talent Cloud, we understand the importance of quality hires and are committed to helping businesses overcome these challenges. In this blog, we’ll explore how we ensure high standards in recruitment and share insights into our proven strategies. Understanding the Importance of Quality Hires Quality hires are employees who not only possess the necessary skills and qualifications but also fit well with the company culture and contribute positively to the team. Here are some key benefits of quality hires: Increased Productivity:  Quality hires are more likely to perform well, leading to higher productivity and better business outcomes. Enhanced Team Performance:  A good fit with the team can enhance overall team performance and collaboration. Reduced Turnover: Employees who are well-matched to their roles and the company culture are less likely to leave, reducing turnover rates. Positive Impact on Company Culture:  Quality hires contribute to a positive and cohesive company culture, which can improve employee morale and satisfaction. Challenges in Achieving Quality Hires Despite the clear benefits, achieving quality hires can be challenging. Here are some common hurdles businesses face: Limited Talent Pool:  Finding candidates with the right skills and experience can be difficult, especially in competitive industries. Ineffective Recruitment Processes:  Traditional recruitment methods may not be effective in identifying the best candidates. Inadequate Screening Methods:  Poor screening processes can lead to hiring candidates who are not a good fit for the role or company. Poor Job Descriptions:  Vague or inaccurate job descriptions can attract the wrong candidates and deter qualified ones. Our Approach to Ensuring Quality Hires At Emerge Talent Cloud, we have developed a comprehensive approach to ensure high standards in recruitment. Here’s how we do it: Comprehensive Job Analysis We start with a detailed job analysis to create accurate and compelling job descriptions. This involves a clear understanding of the required skills, qualifications, and responsibilities for each role. By defining the role precisely, we can attract candidates who are genuinely qualified and interested. Advanced Screening Processes Our advanced screening processes leverage the latest AI and technology to streamline the initial screening of candidates. We use behavioral and skills assessments to evaluate candidates objectively and ensure they meet the necessary criteria. In-depth Interviews Our structured interviews use standardized questions and behavioral interviewing techniques to assess candidates thoroughly. This helps us understand how candidates have handled situations in the past and predict their future performance. Cultural Fit Assessments Ensuring a good cultural fit is crucial for long-term employee satisfaction and retention. We evaluate candidates’ alignment with our client’s values and culture to ensure they will thrive in the work environment. This includes assessing their attitudes, work style, and compatibility with the team. Case Studies and Success Stories Example 1: Tech Company One of our clients, a mid-sized tech company, struggled with high turnover rates and poor hiring quality. After partnering with Emerge Talent Cloud, we implemented our comprehensive job analysis and advanced screening processes. As a result, the company saw a 25% reduction in turnover rates and a significant improvement in employee performance and satisfaction. Example 2: Retail Business Another client, a growing retail business, faced challenges in finding qualified candidates for key positions. By utilizing our in-depth interviews and cultural fit assessments, they were able to hire candidates who not only had the right skills but also fit well with the company culture. This led to enhanced team performance and a more cohesive work environment. Partnering with Emerge Talent Cloud At Emerge Talent Cloud, we are dedicated to helping businesses achieve their recruitment goals by ensuring quality hires. Our recruitment solutions are tailored to meet the unique needs of each client, and we are committed to maintaining high standards in every aspect of our process. Client Testimonials “Working with Emerge Talent Cloud has transformed our recruitment process. Their thorough screening and assessment methods have helped us build a strong and talented team.”   – HR Manager, Tech Company “Emerge Talent Cloud’s focus on cultural fit has made a significant difference in our hiring outcomes. Our new hires are not only skilled but also a great fit for our company.”   – CEO, Retail Business Conclusion Quality hires are essential for business success and achieving them requires a strategic and thorough approach. At Emerge Talent Cloud, we have the expertise, technology, and proven strategies to help you maintain high hiring standards. If you’re ready to enhance your recruitment process and build a team that drives growth and success, contact us today. For more information, visit our website or get in touch with us at info@emergetalentcloud.com .

There’s a dichotomy in business. On the one hand, you have monolithic corporations that seem highly resistant to change. They stand firm, resist the influence of changing market pressures and trends, and take a very long view; they know the demand for their product will swing back around, and while they may suffer through lean times, they never entirely collapse and will always be there when the winds change. On the other hand, you have smaller, leaner, more agile businesses. Like minnows feeding around sharks, these businesses must adapt to swiftly-changing circumstances, or die. They don’t have the resources to resist change; they need to capitalize on those changes if they want to succeed. Change is inevitable in the economy, business, and society. Some changes are cyclical, while others are linear, but there will always be change. How your business handles change – and whether or not you change with it – is an important decision to make as a business owner. Often, it can be difficult to see change from inside an organization. When you don’t personally have experience with the coming changes (and few people do), you don’t know how to adapt to them or how your business will react to the changes as they are implemented. That’s where change management consulting comes in. What is change management, what do change management consultants do, and do you need one? Read on to learn more. What is Change Management? Significant changes to a business that affect processes, both external and internal, have a chance to fail. It may be something as simple as investing in a new technology that doesn’t catch on or as complex as changing management style, leadership goals, or social mores within the organization. Any business that wants to implement change should also want to minimize the chances of that change failing. Change management is the system wherein businesses do their due diligence to reduce the chances of that happening. “Change management is defined as the methods and manners in which a company describes and implements change within both its internal and external processes. This includes preparing and supporting employees, establishing the necessary steps for change, and monitoring pre- and post-change activities to ensure successful implementation.” – ASQ . Change management is a detailed, structured process for implementing and reviewing significant changes to a business. It involves: Analyzing the current state of the business. Defining the change that needs to be made. Determining who the change will impact. Picking the people who need to buy-in and sponsor the change. Engaging with stakeholders and the people affected by the change. Developing a plan to implement the change. Building, promoting, and deploying a vision to encourage the change. Implementing the change itself. Monitoring the human factor throughout the transition. Adapting processes to the pressures of the human element. Modifying, looping, and iterating on the change to reach the desired new state. Cementing the new state as a new normal. Depending on the size and scale of your business, you may want to handle this internally. However, many businesses do not have the perspective or resources necessary to envision these changes properly. That’s where change management consulting comes into play. What is Change Management Consulting? As you might expect, change management consulting is the process of outsourcing your change management to a third party. “When companies want to implement significant changes to the operation of their business, they must take steps to ensure the process is productive. Change management consultants can assist companies through this process to ensure that they transition in an effective and efficient manner. The practice of change management consulting relies on several key components that all serve to accomplish this goal. Some of the most important components include outlining a vision, involving senior leadership, developing a change management plan, engaging stakeholders, creating supportive infrastructures, and properly measuring progress.” – Norwich University . By bringing in an external resource, your company can better ensure a proper scope of vision, with experience in the potential repercussions of meaningful change. The end goal is always positive, whether it’s improving the company culture and your diversity and inclusivity , adopting new technology or business processes to improve efficiency or increase profits, or a restructuring brought on by a change in leadership. Change management consultants have the usual benefits inherent in consulting and outsourcing for any business process. That is, they can bring experience in making the exact kinds of changes you’re proposing. They know the common pitfalls, areas of resistance, and details that need to be addressed. They also know how to navigate the challenges that arise as part of a transition and can preemptively solve problems they know are coming. Every business is different, of course, and the way one business adapts to change will be different from how others adapt to the same change. However, human nature is human nature; much of the resistance and pushback will be similar across different situations. For any significant business change to be successful, it needs buy-in from the top to push a vision of a new, better workplace. It also requires buy-in from ground-level workers who will be tangibly affected by the change and who must be convinced that the change will benefit them. The changes must be beneficial from the start, as well, and not be a change for the sake of change. What, Specifically, Does a Change Management Consultant Do? Change management consultants come in from an external service, either individually or as a team, and work to properly and smoothly implement changes to a business. To an extent, their duties vary depending on the change’s scale, scope, and focus. For example, changing an internal customer service process, changing a core business process, changing management structure, and changing something customer-facing will have different considerations and repercussions. A big part of the duties of a change management consultant is understanding the scope and impact of changes. Some change management consultants use an established framework to analyze whatever change your business wants to implement. Others have specific changes they specialize in and implement them in a customized way for each business. The duties of a change management consultant include: Analyzing an organization to determine its readiness to implement a change, identify roadblocks in the way of that change, and options for overcoming those roadblocks. Developing communications strategies and messaging to reach the people affected by the change (be it management, specific departments, lower-level workers, customers, or other groups) and convince them of the value of the change. Buy-in is critical for any change to be successful in the longer term. Use change adoption tools to speed up and facilitate the implementation of the changes the business wishes to implement. Monitor and receive feedback, adjust priorities and messaging, alter the change, and repeat in a feedback loop until the change is implemented and settled. Any change of sufficient scope to need a change management consultant will need buy-in from senior leadership and the ground-level workers most affected by the change. One side or the other is often not enough; a change from workers without leadership buy-in is doomed to fail, and a change pushed by leadership that workers don’t adopt will fail to propagate. Thus, change management is about earning buy-in on both sides of the coin. What Are the Stages of Change Management? While there are several different models for change management, one of the most popular is a three-stage approach developed by Kurt Lewin in the early 1900s. The three stages of this model are:  Unfreezing the organization. This is the preparatory stage. In it, much of the time and energy spent by change management consultants goes into messaging, convincing stakeholders and leadership of the necessity of the change, the negative repercussions of not changing and the benefits of the change, and earning buy-in. Many organizations are calcified in the upper echelons of leadership. Leaders often like the way things work, as demonstrable success, and are hesitant to take risks that could damage the business. Thus, part of change management involves convincing these stakeholders that the risk isn’t as significant as they fear, the rewards are tangible, and the process of implementing the change is well-trodden ground.  Implementing the change. Change means uncertainty. Change management consultants work to implement any major change in phases, introducing elements of the change in a sensible and beneficial way. Each part of the change needs time, support, and avenues for feedback and optimization. If a change is detrimental, particularly due to unforeseen influences, an agile response from change management helps mitigate the issues before they become problems that lead to turnover, pushback, or business failure. The implementation phase is often the longest phase of the change management process. However, it can be accelerated if the change has an established framework, is demanded by people throughout the organization, and has demonstrable benefits to everyone involved. The less well-trodden the change, the longer it will take, and the more rounds of feedback will be necessary.  Freezing the organization. The third and final phase of change implementation is cementing the change in the organization. This phase involves monitoring and reinforcement while also resisting further unnecessary changes. The goal is to reintroduce stability to the organization, so there’s less chance of an unfocused dissolution or a regression to pre-change processes. Once the business has returned to stability in its new form, it can push for growth and other traditional business objectives using its new framework. Does Your Business Need a Change Management Consultant? Change is inevitable. Nearly every business can benefit from implementing changes to its culture, business processes, or messaging. A change management consultant is an external, third-party way to verify and implement changes in a positive way. Many companies, particularly SMBs, will find it challenging to identify the changes they need to make. Limited experience, limited scope of vision, and novelty in industry can all make it difficult to identify necessary changes. Additionally, many SMBs take an agile approach to business and may not know when to dial back and solidify particular changes as part of the core business model. Excessive change leads to a lack of stability and increased rates of burnout. When there’s no consistency, employees spend more time adjusting to change than they do working. Change management consultants can help guide a business to a stable state. That said, your business likely does not need to keep a change management consultant on staff and should not make changes simply for the sake of change. Changes must be deliberate, with specific goals and adaptations in mind. If you have identified specific changes that need to be made, or if your business is in a desperate situation and losing money, hiring a change management consultant to bring it back on track and implement those changes can be an excellent idea. On the other hand, hiring a change management consultant when you have no specific changes in mind and your business is working fine may not be beneficial. It’s still possible that changes can be valuable, but diving headlong into them without due diligence can cause more problems than they solve. Bear in mind, as well, that not all change management is created equal. Individual consultants and small firms may not have the same experience, processes, or resources that a larger firm like McKinsey, Booz Allen, Deloitte, or Accenture can offer. Luckily, the first step to any change management consulting is an analysis by the consulting firm to determine if a change is necessary and if it can bring value to the business. A consultation with such a firm helps you determine whether or not you can benefit significantly from a specific, tangible change. You can then do further research to determine the stakes. From there, the choice is yours. Do you have any questions about change management consultants, or are you wondering if your business could potentially benefit from one? If so, please feel free to leave a comment down below, and we’ll get a conversation started! We’d be more than happy to answer any of your questions and assist you however possible!

You’ve probably heard of major companies like Amazon, IBM, and Disney hosting virtual job fairs, but did you know most companies aren’t using some exclusive software that only works for major multinational corporations? Most business owners that are willing to hire people outside of their immediate area can take advantage of a virtual job fair. The current global conditions have pushed companies to consider remote and virtual alternatives to traditional in-person activities. You’re here to research virtual job fairs, potential solutions, and ideas to promote them, so let’s get into it! What Is a Virtual Job Fair? If you’ve never experienced a virtual job fair before, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking they’re just a fancy name for a careers portal or maybe an event that is centered around recruiting. This impression is close to the mark, but not quite accurate. When you think of a job fair, what comes to mind? Is it: An event hall or exhibition space filled with people? Rows of booths and tables, each hosted by a company looking to find qualified candidates? Panels and presentations meant to wow, encourage, and entice candidates? A job fair is similar in many ways to a trade show or convention. In some situations, more than one company may attend to set up their own spaces, with everything from flyers to multimedia presentations, vying for the attention of candidates who attend the fair. They can be regional, have a focus on a specific industry, or even be comprised of sponsors of the event. They have more in common with a festival than with a careers page. So what if you were to take this virtual? Imagine an event space with digital booths, 3D renderings of HR team members, and embedded multimedia right on the page. Imagine a virtual event hall with booths that don’t have to worry about size, weight, or space constraints, that aren’t concerned with technology to power embedded multimedia, and that can host information both interactively and attractively. Moreover, a virtual job fair can combine the best of both worlds. You get your digital event space, but that’s not all; you can mix in live webinars, one on one communication with recruiters, and immediate conversations with candidates. The information they add to their virtual presence can be linked directly to your applicant tracking system, with no need to refer them to another career page or handle paper transcription. Since it’s all virtual, the event doesn’t have time constraints. You don’t have to worry about an event venue’s schedule, the cost of lodging for your recruiters, or transportation of your booth setup. The benefits have been touched on, but let’s make it explicit: You don’t have to worry about the costs of transportation or lodging. In fact, the overall cost of a virtual career fair is much lower than a physical fair . You don’t have to worry about setting up technology at the fair. You can reach passive and distant candidates who wouldn’t attend an in-person fair. You don’t risk the privacy of candidates who wouldn’t want to be seen at a fair. You don’t have to worry about the constraints of physical space or physics. There’s no attendance cap or capacity maximum for a virtual fair. You can still take advantage of direct and in-person conversations with candidates via technology. Not to mention that, as long as the pandemic is a threat, physical job fairs will be shut down. A virtual job fair can be an excellent option for just about any business willing to hire outside of their local area, whether it’s for remote work or to pick up a candidate willing to relocate. They’re a great tool for pre-screening and qualifying applicants at the top of the recruitment funnel and for engaging more interested candidates in deeper networking and even one on one contact. If you’re interested in hosting a virtual job fair, you’re in luck. There are over a dozen different platforms available to choose from to host a booth, and the process is quite easy. Step 1: Identify Must-Have Features The first step to any good virtual system is identifying your needs. Virtual job fairs are no different; there are dozens of companies that provide the service, with a wide range of features on offer between them. You can take a look between these different companies – listed in the next step – to get an idea of what features are on offer. What should you consider? Do you want a simple web page with interactive chats and webinars, or a fully virtual environment with elaborate design? How much branding control do you get over your booth? Where is it displayed? Secure chat. Being able to chat directly with candidates is a huge benefit, and you want to make sure any chat provided to you is secure. Virtual swag bags. One of the more attractive reasons to attend a job fair, as a candidate, is the wealth of freebies companies give out. Keep this trend alive with a virtual briefcase of assets and goodies. Unstaffed compatibility. Your HR team won’t be staffing your virtual booth 24/7, so you want to see what it will look like when no one is there. A good platform should comply with WCAG standards for accessibility. Links or exports. How can you capture and import data you get from candidates and add it to your ATS? You should consider these and other must-have features for your desired virtual job fair. Then, when you’re investigating different platforms, check to see if they offer the features you want. Step 2: Choose a Platform There are a lot of different platforms out there. We don’t have specific recommendations for any given platform, because every company has different desires, so different platforms will work better for different companies. Here are ten options you can explore, but be aware that others are out there as well. Brazen , a virtual event space with a focus on career fairs. CareerEco , a virtual fair platform for businesses and grad school programs. vFairs , a platform for virtual events ranging from job fairs to product launches and more. 6Connex , a virtual fair provider with multiple styles and levels of presentation. Premier Virtual , a virtual fair platform with additional features for military and university customers. EventXtra , an event management platform with virtual event support. Paradox , an AI-driven virtual hiring event platform and software suite. XOR, a simple virtual job platform. BrandLive , a virtual event platform with a video focus. Easy Virtual Fair , a robust virtual fair platform with exposure in 35+ countries. While the basic offering of a virtual job fair presentation is the same, each of these platforms offers a different set of features and emphasizes different aspects of the job fair. With so many to choose from, there’s bound to be one right for your brand. Step 3: Choose a Style of Career Fair There are three main styles of job fairs you can choose from. The first is the full virtual job fair. These have virtual environments with virtual booths, interactive exhibits, connections to team members, and other digital benefits. They’re robust, full-featured, and are the most common at the moment. The second is the hybrid career fair. These are temporarily closed due to the pandemic, but when they return, they’ll likely be quite popular. They’re essentially a virtual accompaniment to a physical fair, linking the two with extra online content and even augmented reality features. The third is the evergreen job fair. Evergreen fairs are like career portal websites in job fair form. They exist in a passive form for weeks or months, or as long as you want to host them, with special scheduling for fully-staffed and more robust events. Again, there’s no right or wrong answer here; you can pick whichever form of fair suits your needs and your business. Step 4: Develop Custom Creative Every good virtual job fair platform will give you a template, or a choice of templates, you can customize to create your company’s booth. It’s up to you to do that customization. (Example digital creative to promote job fair on social media)Here’s a checklist of the kinds of information and assets you’ll need: Company logos and graphics. List of current open positions. Locations map for the company offices or franchises. Recent company PR and news information. Corporate-level and department-level videos. Downloadable packages of information on the company. Any specialized assets required by the platform. While the list may seem small, each of those can involve many documents put together by different teams. Essentially, anything that a candidate might want to know about your company should either be on display or available upon request. Step 5: Prepare Synchronized Information for Recruiters 6Connex has this to say : “Your virtual job fair will be considered a success if job candidates find a knowledgeable recruiter or hiring manager available to get their questions answered immediately during fair hours.” At any decently-sized fair, you’ll need more than one or two people staffing your virtual booth, to answer questions and talk to candidates about their concerns. People in your organization have different experiences, knowledge, and training in this kind of candidate interaction. In order to best capture candidates, it can be worthwhile to create a fact sheet, answers sheet, or an FAQ reference for your staff. This document should compile the frequently asked questions your candidates want to be answered, and provide the company answer to each. Sure, some of your staff might not need it, but most will, so having a consistent message becomes extremely valuable. Step 6: Identify Key Metrics to Monitor While you’re setting up your event, you need to determine what the overarching goals are for your job fair, and what metrics you need to monitor to determine if the event was a success. Do you want to promote your employer brand? You might want to monitor webinar attendance, successful chat sessions, or swag bag downloads. Do you have specific vacancies you want to fill? You might monitor applications for that position, leads generated, or interviews scheduled. Do you want to establish a broad candidate pool? You may want to monitor resumes collected, applications received, or chat sessions. The data you’re able to collect will depend in part on the platform you use and what analytics they offer. Step 7: Establish Communications Channels for Attendees How will you connect with your candidates during and after the event? You have a lot of different options. To begin, you have all of the same communications channels you have for candidates who apply through normal means, such as phone, email, and web chats. During the event, you also have one on one web chats and open chats in webinar formats. You can set up drip channels, record and replay webinar videos, release keynote workshops on demand, and even keep your event booth open in reduced or passive capacity to collect people who are late to the scene. Step 8: Promote Your Fair A virtual job fair, despite being digital, is still an event. It should be treated as such, with all of the promotion you would give any other event. In a way, you’re at a disadvantage here; unlike large physical events, you don’t have physical signage or a venue’s promotion to help you. You have to handle the promotion yourself. (Example poster promoting a digital job fair)Aggressively promote your upcoming event on your website, on your blog, through paid ads, on social media, through email newsletters, and through any other channels that you have available. You might even consider developing and releasing a press release. Step 9: Launch and Run Your Career Fair Check and double-check that all of your assets are available, your communications channels are active, and your representatives can access the job fair site. When the day of the fair arrives, launch early and test for any last-minute problems. Make sure to utilize any platform tools available to you to screen and reach out to attendees who haven’t specifically come to visit your brand. Be prompt and timely with communications. At this point, much of the experience is similar to a physical job fair, simply provided via webcam rather than in-person interaction. Step 10: Follow Up with Promising Candidates Don’t forget; that the end of the event is not the end of the interaction. Follow up with your candidates to keep them active and engaged, draw them further into the hiring process, and capture new leads. Identify people who registered but did not attend, and reach out to see if they’re still interested. Find attendees who didn’t apply, and reach out to ask if they have concerns you can address. Filter applications to identify the best candidates and invite them to progress to the next stage of the interview process. You have a wealth of information and communication available to you, so make use of it to ensure that your virtual event is a success .