4 overrated recruiting concepts you need to ditch this year

4 overrated recruiting concepts you need to ditch this year Attention HR professionals: As 2018 continues to unfold, you’re undoubtedly focused on achieving your staffing and recruiting goals for the year, which likely means plenty of advanced planning and strategy sessions, all designed to help you and your company hit its predetermined targets.For successful companies, this is beyond important- it’s an absolutely essential business function. According to an article by Empxtrack, the recruitment and selection process is one of the most important of all HR functions and has a great impact on the revenue growth and profit margins of a company as compared to other tasks such as retention,  onboarding, leadership development, and managing talent.Effective recruiting requires careful planning- from the first steps to the last- under the watchful eye of a seasoned HR professional or team with business savvy, a deep knowledge of their company’s core needs, and an ability to plan for short-term and long-term growth and success .Strategic recruiting also requires a thorough understanding of what concepts don’t work or have become outdated to the point of irrelevance and belong in the HR recycling bin. The truth is, in today’s rapidly evolving professional landscape, concepts that may have once been proven sound may no longer hold up today. It’s the job of all HR professionals to stay on top of current trends, shifts, and forces that help shape the face of modern recruitment- or else they risk becoming outdated and irrelevant.That said, there is a prevailing conventional wisdom in the world of recruiting that helps determine which recruiting concepts should be embraced and which are overrated and should be left behind. LinkedIn recently published an article on recruiting concepts that should likely be reconsidered or shuttered for good. Use the following information to help you and your company strategize effectively.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});1. Culture fit is critical.We’re all aware of the omnipresence of â€Å"culture fit† and its perceived value in companies across industries. In fact, some organizations rank perceived culture fit at the very top of their determination criteria when making key hiring decisions. But what are we really getting here? Is a company that prides itself on having employees who are an excellent cultural fit denying itself a level of healthy diversity that could really help move the needle? Think about it, do game changing ideas that truly disrupt the status quo always come from those who fit neatly into the corporate mold, or do they often come from those oddball outliers with enough creative and perceptual distance to really effect change?Savvy, forward-thinking HR professionals know better when they weigh the value of culture fit, and recognize potential talent who may not fit the traditional corporate mold but who could potentially offer their organizations something far more v aluable- a fresh new way of approaching their business.2. The reference check is essential.The traditional HR process of performing a reference check on potential candidates is as old (and as time-consuming) as it gets, and if we stop and really take a close look at it, we may realize that it’s likely not worth the effort. Why? Because what the process really involves is reaching out (often, many times before getting a response) to a carefully curated list of individuals who have undoubtedly been told to expect a call from you, and who will invariably provide a glowing review of the candidate in question and go on and on about how they’re absolutely the ideal candidate in every conceivable way.Admittedly, there may be some value in some instances to performing this time-tested HR ritual, but if you’re waiting for a candidate to provide a reference that will offer a completely honest, unbiased, and critical review of a candidate, don’t hold your breath bec ause it’s not likely to happen anytime soon. Does this sound to you like an effective way to really get to evaluate a potential new employee?3. Traditional interviews are everything.It’s almost inconceivable to imagine a hiring process- at any company or for any position- that does not include some aspect of what we commonly refer to as a traditional interview, in which a meeting (often several) takes place between a potential candidate and the hiring personnel of a company and an exchange of pleasantries, questions, answers, and conversation takes place as each side evaluates the other for consideration.However, you might be shocked to learn that the level of correlation between how a candidate fares on an interview and how they do on the job is shockingly low. According to LinkedIn’s article:â€Å"Candidate interviews have been the single most important tool for recruiters since forever, but that doesn’t mean they’re all that great.  Googleâ⠂¬â„¢s Laszlo Bock spilled the beans in 2013 that their analytics showed that interviews were totally useless: ‘We looked at tens of thousands of interviews, and everyone who had done the interviews and what they scored the candidate, and how that person ultimately performed in their job. We found zero relationship.’†4. Purpose does not replace perks.It’s true, the idea of working for a company with a brand identity, mission, and purpose that resonates with potential candidates can really be an attractive and compelling notion- and many HR professionals work hard to cultivate and maintain their organization’s culture and brand identity and communicate them to prospective employees- but it does not completely replace the tried and true employee perks that lie at the heart of an individual’s decision regarding whether or not to sign on the dotted line when a job offer is made.Sure, your organization’s volunteer efforts, charitable pursuit s, dedication to the environment and desire to make positive and lasting change in the world will be of interest to candidates, but if it isn’t matched by competitive salaries, benefits packages, and employee perks, then don’t be surprised if the individuals you’re hoping to bring on board decide to take their talents elsewhere.There you have it- some overrated recruiting concepts that may have worked well in the past but may no longer hold water as we move through 2018. If you’re using any of these as part your professional recruitment strategy, consider making a change.

My First 7 Jobs

My First 7 Jobs You may have caught wind of a Twitter topic, â€Å"First 7 Jobs,† where celebrities and entrepreneurs have been sharing the list of †¦ obviously †¦ their first 7 jobs. What struck me about the lists I saw is that people didn’t seem to have as many â€Å"starter† jobs as I did. Buzz Aldrin’s third job was as a fighter pilot, and by his 4th job he was already an astronaut! I wonder if the following list shows a lack of focus on my part? Or perhaps on the bright side, a sense of curiosity? It’s possible that I started with my moment of fame and am only now rising back up to a position that meets my capabilities! Here’s the list: 1. Sesame Street My parents took my sister and me to audition for Sesame Street when I was 6 years old or so, and we both got the job. I learned that Oscar and Big Bird are the same person, and how to say Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers many times fast. I learned how to put my checks in the bank and start saving. I also learned that I was not very good at voice over reports on what animals were doing. It’s harder than it looks! 2. Baby Sitting How a mother would trust the safety of a 2-year-old or 7-year-old to me still baffles me. Thankfully there were no mishaps that I can remember. I learned to keep  emergency numbers on the fridge, and not to argue when someone wanted to give me extra money. I discovered that I like kids and am pretty good with them, in small doses. 3. Helping out at my dad’s real estate management office At my dads office,  I learned how to file, collate, and copy. These paper-focused skills are, well, not as useful as they once werebut sometimes I am still the one to figure out how to clear a paper jam. I’ve always been great in an office environment. 4. Cashier at Carrot Top Bakery I got this job because my dad was friends with the owner, and was introduced to the world of bulk baking. I learned that even though I can do math in my head, I need to punch the actual numbers into the cash register so the business has a record of what was purchased (see my blog, How I Messed Up On My First Job- and What You Can Learn From My Mistakes!). When the phone company across the street went on strike, I learned that when you depend on one client for most of your business, you are at great risk. Perhaps this insight sowed the seeds of my entrepreneurial bent. 5. Counselor, Lifeguard and Swim Instructor at a summer camp To explore my â€Å"crunchy granola† side, I went back to my old, favorite summer camp as a counselor. I learned that the place was just as magical as a counselor as it was as a camper. And how to stay out all night without my 12-year-old bunk of campers finding out. Later in life, I used my lifeguarding skills to get free gym memberships when my salary didn’t support that luxury. Later, I shifted to a preference for monthly payments and more free time. 6. Assistant to a Director at the Yale Alumni Association This was a pretty great part-time job when I was in college. I learned how to suck up, and that when you have a position of power, no one will bat an eyelash when you can ask your student employee to run to get your dry cleaning. I also learned how to pick up dry cleaning. This trick of squeezing personal tasks into the workday has served me well as an entrepreneur. 7. Naturalist at Glacier National Park I volunteered for a summer after my sophomore year of college with the Student Conservation Association. In the remote mountains of Montana, I learned that not everyone appreciates my New York attitude. More practically, I gained skills in how to tie food high up in a tree and   make a lot of noise in the woods to warn the bears; and lets not forget the upside-down map tours of the park from behind the visitor center desk. I learned what crampons are. I also learned how to survive for a summer on the food available in a Montana corner store. I liked this outdoorsy type of job, and it led to my 8th job as an environmental education instructor. After that I went back to office jobs. What do you think my first seven jobs say about me? What do yours say about you? I’m curious to hear!