Hiring Clients How to Recruit the Best Talent

Hiring Clients How to Recruit the Best Talent A guide to attracting and successfully recruiting the best talent for your business. You often see blogs giving advice to the candidate/job seekers- How to write a winning CV How to use LinkedIn to find yourself a new role How to get yourself headhunted How to get recruiters to call you How to use Job boards effectively The list is literally endless. Yet rarely do you see blogs or articles aimed at giving advice to the hiring client! I don’t suppose it is because people assume the clients won’t be reading the articles- of course they do! Lots of my client comments on my LinkedIn Pulse blogs and also share my guest blogs for Undercover Recruiter too. Most markets are skills short now and so the quest for talent attraction has become one of the single most important marketing strategies for most hiring companies. But how can YOU differentiate your message to the target market? I have decided to make a useful step by step guide for employers to use to ensure they are incorporating these simple but effective methods into their candidate attraction. 1. Invest in a dedicated talent manager/internal recruitment professional. The benefits of employing a dedicated person to focus on developing a constant talent pool of people are plentiful: Long term view is an advantage with senior hires- speaking to these people on a regular basis means that when they decide to come on the market, they will most likely call someone they have a previous dialogue with and the Talent manager should be making regular updates with those they see as ideal hires for the future Understanding of market trends- the constant brand ambassador means they get to know market knowledge before others will- if they are speaking to competitors and also active candidates in the market. Engage with third parties whom they trust and have a mutually respectful relationship with. This is not to duplicate the cost of hiring people. It means there is a central contact to manage all applications made- no more fighting over who introduced the candidate. 2. Employ an experienced social media professional. The reality is, most of our decisions are made via posts we have seen on social media and although I am not a fan of people publishing job ads on twitter, to have a focused employee dedicated to managing the various social media streams is vital. It corroborates the message your overall brand is setting out to achieve but having a dedicated person/team means if it a continual message not a “tweet when I remember to” campaign. Each social media channel has its own nuances, peaks/troughs, and your dedicated Social media guru will know what to share, how to share it and whom to engage it with. 3. Meet good people on a speculative basis. If you have previously spurned spec calls from recruiters, regardless of your market, you are possibly missing out on a) the recruiter wanting to act as your brand ambassador in the future, if you alienate the recruiter on this spec calls, they will probably spec said candidates out in future to your competitor. b) you are missing out on the right people even if it is not the right time for you. Don’t be pedantic about it. I would always suggest meeting people even if it is for pipelining purposes- as long as this is spelled out beforehand. It means then when you ARE ready to hire, you can speak to them with familiarity. 4. Manage your 3rd party recruiters. I challenge anyone of my readers to say “I don’t use agencies/recruiters”. If that is your response, I think you seriously need to move on from this rather rare stance! Your choice of recruiter(s) should be regarded as your partners- they are your external ambassadors in the market, they are your market knowledge- who is available, who is exclusive. They will work harder for you if you a) reward them with better than market average fees and b) you are honest in your feedback. Treat your recruiter like a true partner and I promise you, you will remember this tip and realise how easy they can make your “hiring” life! 5. Give prompt feedback. I am astounded when I hear from friends or colleagues that they never heard anything back from a prospective employer- this includes CVs sent as well as face to face interviews. It takes literally minutes to either pen an email rejection or even to use a template if you interview high volumes of people. This embodies part of your company’s customer service policy. Don’t leave customers waiting or wondering. I always advise constructive and candour if possible. Equally, be prepared to listen to feedback on your business, the process, your opportunity. 6. MAKE a decision. Please don’t dilly dally with people’s lives. Make a firm decision and communicate it as soon as you can. If someone isn’t a cert in your mind and gut, then they are not right for you. Use what benchmarks you can but don’t try to make the shoe fit! And always leave your door open for good people- as you would say this to the candidate- it is the same for you as the employer. People TALK and you would want potential hires to hear how efficient and professional your business is. 7. “Work for us” page. Create a page where your audience are engaged with you, participative candidates will want to follow your timelines and then when you post your live vacancies, will respond immediately. I know most companies have a “work for us” page on their own website. I think the most attractive companies will have a testimony page of their actual employees and have overview job specs rather than generic job ads which make you look like you are constantly hiring and therefore, possibly desperate. Make your “work for us” page stand out with clear benefits, unique selling points and examples of people who have done well in your business. 8. Internal referrals. Not one to do myself or fellow colleagues in recruitment an injustice, however, I often say I would prefer to lose a placement to someone going to work with a “no brainer” friend/ex-colleague (although, there is a peril with this from the candidate’s perspective, which I have written about before). A great reward scheme should be a good incentive to get your existing staff to think of who they know within their own social circle- these are people you would not necessarily attract through other means. 9. Always show empathy. Was it so long ago you were sat in the candidate’s chair/in their shoes? No? Then show them the respect and empathy that YOU desired. If it is memorable for you to know what they are feeling, communicate this to them! We are all humans and in certain situations, we share the same emotions regardless of our personality traits. It is likely you were also nervous (as well as excited, hopefully!) about coming for an interview. So, have a heart and be kind in the interview/process. Be normal. It will make the candidate feel very at ease. Show courage, patience and be brazen in your decisions. 10. Sell it to us! One final word from fellow business owner and recruiter of recruiters in the South coast, Louise Ogilvy of People Prospects. We are noticing a real change in the way that recruiters are viewing their next move. The emphasis seems to be moving away from purely the financials to now include the softer benefits. We have clients who are being really creative in terms of making themselves stand out from the crowd, a push on flexible working, a more grown up attitude towards working from home, the latest i-phones etc. More so than ever, before making a decision candidates are asking to see in black and white the full benefits package and we are certainly advising our clients where we feel that they need to be implementing changes or increasing what they can offer to attract the best in the market place. In conclusion. One of these methods in silo may get you results on an ad hoc basis. But as the battle/war for the best talent continues to get more competitive, only by incorporating ALL of these elements into your hiring strategy will you be certain to attract YOUR best talent pool in the current climate and beyond. I hope you have found this checklist useful. As you read it, you probably nod through most of it but are you doing ALL of these things? Have I missed anything glaringly obvious? If so, please comment and thanks in advance for RT, Likes and shares. Image: Shutterstock

Is It Time to Go A Look at the Psychological Contract Marla Gottschalk

Is It Time to Go A Look at the Psychological Contract Marla Gottschalk Weve all grappled with the decision to leave an organization. By any measure, this is a difficult impasse to consider â€" often involving an agonizing push and pull of emotions. One day we might feel momentarily energized to stick with it for the long haul, only to have core issues re-surface in an amplified form. Should we continue to hope for things to improve or cut our losses and begin the process of moving on? Previously weve discussed avoiding career regret and why we shouldnt give up too quickly. However, there are some situations where we need to realize that enough â€" is well â€" enough. One factor which is often a silent contributor to this decision, is the status of the psychological contract that exists between ourselves and our employer. Often, the inevitability of leaving, may have actually been cast long before the final decision to pull up roots has been made, as the very core of the employer-employee relationship has already been significantly damaged. The damage occurs when we have been let down in some way, or perceive that a promise has not been fulfilled. As such, it becomes increasingly difficult to remain committed, and we begin to lose focus and quietly disengage. In this regard, our physical departure only represents a ceremonial farewell. Truth be told, any further investment in the employment relationship has already been halted. The psychological contract that exists between employer and employee, plays a vital role throughout our work lives. Described in this research, this contract is an individual’s belief regarding the terms and conditions of a reciprocal exchange agreement between that focal person and another party. The health of this contract can affect the development of key workplace attitudes and behaviors (job satisfaction, trust, intention to turnover, etc.) While both parties contribute to thegive and take of the dynamic â€" the contract is re-calibrated over the course of an employees tenure. Ultimately, when either party perceives a problem with balance, a breakdown can occur. Let me offer an illustration. Recently I had a conversation with a highly competent marketing executive. Unfortunately, many obstacles had emerged in his current role, among these, the lack of a well-suited path for career growth and development. Over a period of time, he began to experience doubt that his employer had his best interests at heart. On the face of things he professed that he would remain committed â€" rock steady that he would continue to do his best to fulfill his role and make things work. But, in reality I observed that his psychological resources were waning as he was subtly disengaging. On a basic level, I believe he perceived that the psychological contract with his employer had been breached. (He did depart a short time later.) Overall, the on-going viability of this contract is critical to our work lives. When problems arise, the strength and tenor of contract can become stressed. Ultimately, it is often difficult to acknowledge that the contract has been irreparably broken and admit that it may be time to explore new horizons. What might be holding us back: Attribution of failure. We may delay a departure because on some level we feel personally responsible for the current state. In our minds, the failure of the relationship equals a personal failure â€" which is often not the case. So, we remain to seek resolution. Others seem happy. In some situations, the organization is just not the right environment for the specific employee, with a specific career need. Keep in mind that although opportunities might exist within your current organization, these opportunities may not be right for you. Separation anxiety. Often we develop strong bonds with our colleagues, making a departure even that much more traumatic. We stay for them â€" when we should really be leaving for ourselves. The one more try vice. If you have already done your best to bring core issues to the forefront without satisfactory resolution, it is difficult to find the energy to continue. Youve likely done your part. Offer yourself permission to move on. Often we have disengaged long before our physical departure from an organization or role. Have you ever experienced this? Tell us your story. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist.   Read more of her posts at LinkedIn.

6 Ways to Handle Irritating Colleagues - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

6 Ways to Handle Irritating Colleagues - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career We’ve probably all been there when it comes to having an annoying co-worker. You know â€" that one co-worker who is either overly arrogant, lazy, or talks your ear off? Even if you consider yourself an easy-going person to work with, you’ve probably encountered that one colleague who drives you up your cubicle walls. After all, what would work be without having a co-worker who drives you nuts? You’re probably familiar with the beloved co-worker we’ve all grown to love (or despise), Dwight Schrute from The Office. He’s that annoying co-worker who describes himself as a “hard-working, alpha male, jackhammer… merciless…insatiable…” and is probably a good example of the person in the office you can’t escape. So, let’s disarm the Dwight Schrutes of the world, shall we? Here are seven ways to handle your most irritating co-workers: 1. Maintain a positive attitude. Honestly, the best thing you can do in this situation is to let the annoying things your co-worker does to roll off your back. Sometimes when you only dwell on the negative, it can distract you from being productive at work. If your co-worker is truly a problem, then address the situation. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to stay focused on what you need to accomplish and to have a positive attitude at work. 2. Find a common interest. Sometimes, if you have a co-worker you continually butt heads with, you’re probably better off trying to find some common ground with them. Try to find at least find one thing you have in common, even if it’s the dislike of the coffee in the break room. This will help working together become more tolerable. 3. Try to ignore their flaws. If your co-worker is a slacker or super arrogant, just ignore them. If your boss is yet to catch on to the problem or simply lets it slide by, it’s not your problem to worry about. Even if it drives you nuts your co-worker is never prepared or brags all of the time about nothing, don’t feed into their flaw. This will only cause you to become more annoyed and frustrated with the situation. 4. Kill them with kindness. On the occasion you’re dealing with a workplace bully, a negative person, or gossiper, it’s important to remain calm and continue being kind towards them. Even if your co-worker is going out of your way to bring you down, don’t let them rain on your parade. Stay out of arguments or debates that would cause a negative impact on your work. All you have to do is continue smiling and going about your work as usual. 5. Politely reject their attention. Have that one co-worker who is constantly pestering you or asking you to go to lunch every day? Politely reject their invitations. Even if you consider yourself an extrovert and don’t mind conversation, there will be those co-workers who get under your skin. Whenever your annoying co-worker begins distracting you from your work, politely tell them to respect your space and to only speak to you if their question is work-related. 6. Be assertive. If the problem continues to persist with your annoying co-worker, you need to take charge. After you’ve done everything possible to find a solution, you need to stand up for yourself and your needs. Tell your co-worker he or she is a distraction and they’ve been negatively impacting your productivity. Of course, you want to be polite, but you also need to be assertive. If the annoying co-worker doesn’t get the picture, then your next step is to approach your manager for an intervention. Don’t let your annoying co-workers bring you down at work. If you have to cope with someone who drives you nuts, remember, it’s all about how you react the situation. Don’t let the Dwight Schrutes harm your success in the workplace. What advice do you have for dealing with irritating co-workers?

How Can We Encourage Employees to Talk About Their Mental Health

How Can We Encourage Employees to Talk About Their Mental Health Unlike a few years ago mental health is no longer seen as a taboo or an issue that is avoided. It has got celebrities and high-profile companies talking about the importance of discussing it. No one has to suffer in silence and one place where employees are being encouraged to be open about their mental health concerns is in the workplace. While some companies are leading by example, there are many who are still catching up. In our next series on corporate wellness our panelists tell us how to get the conversation started between employer and employee. Jill King When discussing mental wellbeing, emotional intelligence can help individuals empathise with those suffering and help them navigate through any emotional discussions. On an individual level, showing empathy can help employees feel more motivated to do their best at the job, but at a broader level, this devotion to the mental wellbeing of the staff will have far-reaching effects. For one, employees will feel more open to discussing problems with their managers â€" whether that be professional or personal. Managers will also be able to form a stronger bond with their employees and understand when their mental state is affecting their work and how to navigate around that barrier. Jill King,  Director of International Markets at VirginPulse. Alaana Linney Improving conversations about emotional wellbeing in the workplace is a priority as people still don’t feel able to open up to their employer in fear it will negatively impact their career, despite 1 in 4 of us experiencing a mental health issue. The responsibility lies with all of us, we all have emotional wellbeing needs that vary according to what’s going on around us. An open conversation needs to be had in workplaces, raising awareness about mental health and what’s on offer via public and private communication channels. There also needs to be a change in rhetoric away from “them” to “us” to avoid alienation and stigma. Alaana Linney, Director of Business Development at Nuffield Health. Joe Gaunt The culture of a company comes from the top and filters down.  The more that senior leaders talk and discuss these issues the more the employees will.  There are however several other challenges businesses face.   Geography and demographic variables.  An older workforce will be less likely to discuss mental health issues compared to a workforce made up of millennials and generation z workers.  And geography plays a part. Encouraging this open dialogue is easier in one central office compared to a network of field or home workers.   Effective and consistent one to ones, which allow individuals to open up in a private and safe environment will play a part in this.  If we are to truly see a shift change it must come from the culture of the company, with the directors and senior leader championing this. Joe Gaunt, CEO of Hero Wellbeing. Liz Walker A strong wellbeing strategy supports mental health just as much as physical health, and a culture of openness starts from the top. Start by implementing strong foundational policies which support and protect workers’ mental health, then regularly communicate your mental health strategy to raise awareness. Next, look at barriers to disclosure, perceived or actual. Employees may be fearful of discrimination or unaware of the resources and support you can provide. By understanding what barriers exist, you can work to correct possible issues or alleviate concerns.  Disclosure is important because it can enable people to find their way to calmer times without the need for health service involvement. Liz Walker, HR Director, Unum UK. Nick Patel An important consideration is who should employees be talking to about mental health.   Employers often expect employees to talk to them about the topic, but the stigma of mental health and concerns on what it may mean to professional development often creates barriers to dialog.   Employers committed to improving mental well-being need to provide diverse resources and outlets (external or internal) for employees to interact with.   Everyone in unique, and not everyone will feel comfortable talking with the same kind of resource.   Providing multiple resources will facilitate dialog on the topic and show employees the culture supports their needs. Nick Patel, CEO of Wellable. Lucy Tallick Sadly, with over 1 in 4 employees experiencing a mental health problem each year, the ability to support and care for our employee’s mental wellbeing has never been more important. But even with the increased awareness it doesn’t always make it easy to discuss in the work environment. To help support employees, you have to create a truly open and honest culture, arm your leaders and managers within the business with the tools to help to create an environment where it is “ok” to talk about mental health in the same way you can discuss physical health. This has to be embedded into your culture, mission and values and lived and breathed by all employees throughout the entire business. Lucy Tallick,   Head of Wellbeing at Reward Gateway. Ruth Tongue First and foremost its about creating a culture where its okay to talk and  be open about mental health conditions. Introducing awareness raising  and anti-stigma activities are a great way to do this. Then its about  ensuring all employees know what support is on offer and who they can  talk to perhaps training Mental Health First Aiders and ensuring they’re  known and visible to staff. Openness and honesty from the leadership team is essential for breaking down barriers and starting people talking. Ruth Tongue, Co-founder of Elevate. Shaun Bradley Organisations should think about proactively promoting wellbeing and indicating what resources are available. This signals to employees that it is seen as important and that wellbeing is taken seriously. The fact that there is support available will naturally encourage employees to begin to speak up. It is important that managers have a basic understanding of mental health, are trained to offer support without judgement. Employees need to trust management that they will provide guidance or at a minimum listen to issues. Managers should not be put in a position where they are offering treatment options, rather they should have information that points them towards experts whilst offering emotional support. Shaun Bradley, Director of People at  Perkbox. Sam Fromson Its all about trust. Your team need to trust that you will be there for them, uncritically and without judgement whatever they tell you. If you are having a conversation with the wider team or a training session then it can be helpful not to focus on the term “mental health”.  It’s a phrase likely to summon up images of severe psychosis, depression, anxiety or addiction. Benchmarked against these conditions people often overestimate their own levels of resilience and underestimate the impact their stress and fatigue have on their lives and those around them.  Talking in terms of mental wellbeing along with simple things like creating a culture where relaxation, ‘me time” and dedicated moments of stillness are the norm are effective ways of empowering your people to think about and manage their mental wellbeing. Sam Fromson, Co-founder of Yulife. Sammy Courtright We all go see a doctor when we feel sick, right? But when we’re feeling stressed, anxious, or down, it’s a lot tougher to talk about or seek help for our mental health. At Fitspot, we absolutely support employees taking care of their mental wellness. As part of our wellness plans, we offer many corporate stress-relief programs, such as meditation sessions, yoga classes, and chair massages, all of which can help employees reduce stress at work. We recently wrote a blog post on the importance of being mindful of your mental health, and how to address it at work if you feel overwhelmed. We suggest that people take time for self-careâ€"exercise, sleep, relaxation, whatever makes you feel good. Of course, talking about mental health issues at work is a personal decision. But if any issues begin to affect your job performance, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. To offset the cost, see if your company offers EAP assistance through your health insurance. Sammy Courtright, founder and CEO of Fitspot Wellness.

Richard Eisenberg of Next Avenue Interviews Career Design Expert, Marc Miller [Podcast] - Career Pivot

Richard Eisenberg of Next Avenue Interviews Career Design Expert, Marc Miller [Podcast] - Career Pivot Episode 73 â€" Marc guests on Next Avenue, where Richard Eisenberg interviews him about career pivots after 50. Description: In this episode, Marc is the guest and answers a variety of career questions by Richard Eisenberg on Next Avenue. Richard asks Marc about his pivots, his advice for potential first-time pivoters, and his future plans. Key Takeaways: [1:06] Marc welcomes you to episode 73 of the Repurpose Your Career podcast and invites you to share this episode with like-minded souls. Please subscribe wherever you listen to this podcast, share it on social media, and tell your neighbors and colleagues. [1:36] Next week, Marc will discuss some issues of being an introvert and a square peg and how they relate to his current experiences in Mexico. A lot of Marc’s experiences in Mexico directly relate to some of the challenges we all face in managing our careers in the second half of life. [1:55] This week, Marc plays an interview from the Next Avenue podcast. NextAvenue.org is the PBS website for the Baby Boomer generation, where grownups keep growing. Marc was interviewed on episode 3 about making career pivots after 50. Download Link |iTunes|Stitcher Radio|Google Podcast|Podbean|TuneIn|Overcast [2:15] Richard Eisenberg of Next Avenue introduces Marc Miller and asks Marc what a career pivot is. Marc talks about the need to maintain an income into the sixties. Marc is on his seventh career. He calls changing careers by half steps pivoting. In each new change he has carried something forward from an earlier job, including a relationship. [3:18] The idea is to make incremental changes to get to where you want. It’s much easier to make planned incremental changes. It’s really difficult to maintain that smoothness of income when you make radical changes. Most of us like incremental changes. [4:00] Marc talks about his pivots, starting at IBM in the late 1970s. He lists the variety of jobs he held at IBM. He left IBM in 2000 to work for a successful tech startup. Meanwhile, he was still consulting, and could go back to IBM if he wanted. [5:04] Richard comments that having a Plan B is a good idea for most people, in case the career pivot doesn’t work out as planned. Marc made three or four pivots within IBM. [5:22] On July 11, 2002, Marc had a near-fatal bicycle accident. In his recovery time he made the decision to go teach high school math. He considered that training engineers for 20 years in 40 countries had prepared him to teach math in an inner-city high school. After two years teaching two years, he needed to move on to another pivot. [6:16] After teaching, Marc felt lost. He wanted to do nonprofit fundraising. He ended up at the Jewish Community Center of Austin. What he learned was he can’t work for a nonprofit. [7:04] Marc went back to a tech startup in December of 2007. It was financially a good decision but personally a bad decision. He also served on the board of Launchpad Job Club. In 2009 he saw many people wiped out by the Great Recession, while his tech startup was fine. That’s when Marc started his research on career pivots. [7:46] Marc talks about his experiences with career pivoting. When he started CareerPivot it took him 18 months to stop waking up in the night worried about income. He kept reminding himself that being an entrepreneur is a marathon, not a sprint. [8:32] Marc discusses “Why Three Career Failures Were Good for Me,” a column he contributed to Next Avenue. Boomers were raised believing that failure was not an option. Millennials embrace failure, as long as they learn something from every failure. [9:12] Richard asks how to plan a career pivot. Marc says to first know thyself. Start talking to trusted advisors about what you think you might want to do. Get feedback from others about who you are and what you’re good at. Check with work associates and personal friends. There will be some words that will surprise you. [11:35] What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when they try to switch fields in the second half of life? Marc gives an example. [12:44] What if your current field is a disaster area? You are branded in your career both by your business acumen and by your industry. Career pivots come primarily by repurposing one of those areas. Marc discusses episode 20 for an example. [14:04] Figure out what your transferable skills are. Make incremental steps, using your network of support. [15:30] Marc explains weak ties and cultivating your tribe. People who know you socially also know people you don’t know. Ask for referrals. Marc mentions your kids’ friends parents. Marc shares a case study where a client landed a new job at age 59 through an old work associate after being laid off. [16:44] Marc describes your tribe as being up to 150 people that you can go to and expect a positive result when you ask for a favor. Make it an easy favor. If you want something, you need to ask for it. [17:28] Marc advises how to get the most from LinkedIn and other social media. You want to construct your LinkedIn profile so you are found. The more people you connect to, the better. Facebook lets people know how you are doing. [18:59] Marc and his wife are planning to move out of Austin, Texas to Mexico. He is being very methodical in his planning. He explains how he is doing it. Relocation and pivoting are inter-related. Marc is moving his business to an online model. [20:34] Marc talks about his partnership with NextAvenue.org, and invites you to visit their site and listen to their podcast. [46:03] Marc’s final thoughts: Look at yourself. Make sure you really know who you are. Get out of your own head. Work with a coach, spouse, or friend. Mentioned in This Episode: Careerpivot.com Your Next Avenue Podcast IBM Jewish Community Center Austin Launchpad Job Club Why Three Career Failures Were Good for Me Repurpose Your Career/Episode 20 with Elizabeth Rabaey Please pick up a copy of Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life, by Marc Miller and Susan Lahey. The paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats are available now. When you have completed reading the book, Marc would very much appreciate your leaving an honest review on Amazon.com. The audio version of the book is available on iTunes app, Audible, and Amazon. Marc has the paid membership community running on the CareerPivot.com website. The website is alive and in production. Marc is contacting people on the waitlist. Sign up for the waitlist at CareerPivot.com/Community. Marc has three initial cohorts of 10 members in the second half of life and they are guiding him on what to build. He is looking for individuals for the fourth cohort who are motivated to take action and give Marc input on what he should produce next. He’s currently working on LinkedIn, blogging, and book publishing training. Marc is bringing someone in to guide members on how to write a book. The next topic will be business formation and there will be lots of other things. Ask to be put on the waiting list to join a cohort. This is a unique paid membership community where Marc will offer group coaching, special content, and a community where you can seek help. CareerPivot.com/Episode-73 Show Notes for this episode. Please subscribe at CareerPivot.com to get updates on all the other happenings at Career Pivot. Marc publishes a blog with Show Notes every Tuesday morning. If you subscribe to the Career Pivots blog, every Sunday you will receive the Career Pivot Insights email, which includes a link to this podcast. Please take a moment â€" go to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify through the Spotify app. Give this podcast an honest review and subscribe! If you’re not sure how to leave a review, please go to CareerPivot.com/review, and read the detailed instructions there. Email Marc at Podcast@CareerPivot.com. Contact Marc, and ask questions at Careerpivot.com/contact-me You can find Show Notes at Careerpivot.com/repurpose-career-podcast. To subscribe from an iPhone: CareerPivot.com/iTunes To subscribe from an Android: CareerPivot.com/Android Careerpivot.com Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Why Your Marketing Message Isnt Reaching The Customers

Why Your Marketing Message Isnt Reaching The Customers It should be no surprise that marketing plays a huge role in the success of any business. You can have the most innovative, potentially valuable idea for a product or service but if the marketing misses its mark, you still won’t find an audience for it. So, what if it is missing that mark? Here, we’re going to look at a few of the most common reasons that might be the case and what you can do about it. The brand story isn’t right All marketing begins with one thing: the brand story. Or at least it should begin with that. If you haven’t created a brand story, now’s the time to do so. Otherwise, you need to reinvestigate it and ask if it’s truly the right one. The brand story should represent the mantra of the business, both for the team itself and the customers. Successful brand stories can be built from the endeavor to solve a certain problem your customers face, for instance. They can also be about a certain lifestyle or goal and how your business helps the market reach it. It can even about a certain niche in the market and how you help make certain solutions available to them when they’re otherwise underserved. Investigate your brand storytelling and ensure you have the mantra that’s most likely to resonate emotionally with the customers. It’s inconsistent Once you have that story, you have to make sure you stick to it. You can evolve a brand over time, but it needs to be close to its roots to maintain that emotional resonance. The same goes for the visuals your business uses, too. Weebly takes a look at brand style guides, also known as brand bibles, and how they can always ensure that your marketing and content stays consistent. Using the same colors, fonts, and style of visual elements establishes a branding core that makes it easier for customers to recognize at a moment’s notice. You’re not using the right platforms How you deliver that story and whatever offers you’re making can be just as important as the stories and offers themselves. If you’re not a marketing expert, you need to admit that. You have knowledge of your market and your services and marketing teams like Glenmont Consulting have knowledge of the different platforms and strategies. Those different skill sets and knowledge bases need to be combined. You might be missing certain platforms that your market is much more likely to be active on or a platform that is more suited to communicating the strengths of your brand. For instance, lifestyle industries like fashion and food benefit tremendously from using visual platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. Do your research and make sure you’re not missing the best possible platform for your message. You’re not developing relevant content Content marketing has become one of the hot-button topics in online branding as of late. Writing professional, informed content on topics related to your products or services that your audience cares about can be hugely valuable. It can be a great way to gather interest and direct traffic to your site or to keep existing customers returning time and time again. However, many businesses write content that’s relevant to themselves, but not necessarily their audience. Think of your market and think of what value every piece of new content adds to them. Is it informative? Is it newsworthy? Is it educational? Is it helpful? Ask these questions of every single piece of content you write. You’re not connecting with the community Perhaps you’re winning customers over but you’re just not able to keep them with your current marketing strategy. The online world, in particular, is a highly social one. Customers will not only support brands financially, but they will follow them and converse with them. You might already have social media accounts but if you’re not replying to customers and joining in conversations, you could be missing the opportunity to turn them into real brand fans. Tools like Hootsuite make it much easier to follow certain conversations, manage your replies, and keep a consistent stream of social media posts so that your audience doesn’t feel abandoned or like they’re not being given the time of day. You’re ignoring the problem children Every single business that sets foot in the online world is going to deal with complaints, negative reviews, and even a little scandal or outrage. Time and time again it has been proven that ignoring the problem only makes it worse. It makes customers believe that you’re not willing to respond even to feedback that could be legitimate. You need to have a strategy that addresses complaints online. Get in touch with problem customers directly and see whether or not their complaints are legitimate. If they leave a public complaint or negative review, let them know publicly that you’re addressing it then get in touch in private. If you’re in the wrong, admit fault and make amends. Customers are a lot more willing to show praise and support for a company that admits it did something wrong and takes steps to correct it than one that never made a single mistake. You’re marketing in a vacuum If you haven’t done your research on your competition, you could be in trouble. Infoentrepreneurs gives some sound advice on how to better follow your competitors and you should be doing so for a couple of reasons. For one, you could be missing out on key marketing messages that they have got right that you haven’t. You can also use them as a base to differentiate your branding enough that you stand out. Finally, if you fail to research your competitors, you might miss out on the fact that you could be using exactly the same kind of branding and marketing tactics of them. If they’re more established and well-known, this makes it look like you’re copying them because you have no ideas of your own. Don’t be afraid to start from the beginning if your branding and marketing have been a complete failure. Sometimes, re-branding and starting from the top can be easier than winning customers over to a brand that has been miscommunicated, misused, and misrepresented. Hopefully, the tips above can help you start off on better footing.

Writing a Professional Resume Using a Service Company

Writing a Professional Resume Using a Service CompanyIf you are planning to get a resume writing service in the near future, make sure that you are going for the right one. If you are having doubts as to which company to choose, then read on to discover some of the basic considerations to consider before choosing one.A good writer will have experience in writing resumes. You should ask for a sample if it is possible. Some companies charge for samples, but if you do not want to pay, then you can always check out the services offered by free online services. Sample should be able to show your future employer, how professional they are and what kind of experience they have.Professional service com should be able to make sure that you have an idea of how to structure your resume. Make sure that the writer has the ability to edit and summarize your resume so that it is easy to read. It is important that your resume be concise and focused. Make sure that the resume is able to convey all th e information about your qualifications and accomplishments.It is important that the writer uses his or her own individual style when you send it to the company. If they are comfortable with you, then it will be easier for them to understand your personality and what you bring to the job. Your resume should reflect your own individual style. To achieve this, you should try to write in a way that you would want your resume to appear.The other important aspect is that the writer should be able to finish it within a deadline. An average resume usually takes about six weeks to finish, so you do not want to end up with a half-finished piece that just looks like it is being read. A resume should take no more than a few days to be sent to the company. There are even some services that offer faster processing.If you have a different style and intend to have a unique style in your resume, you should not feel embarrassed about requesting for a different service com. This is also good for the companies, because it shows that you are a person who has the ability to write in a specific style, but is able to find the right balance between professionalism and personal expression.Resume writing service coms are available online at no cost, so it is important that you check out which one is reliable. Choose one that is dependable, has experience in writing resumes and the capability to make the required revisions. Write a short description of the job opening you are applying for. Explain the level of skills and experience that you have and the reason why you are applying for the position.In addition, a professional resume is important for any company's reputation. You want the person who writes your resume to convey the message to the company that you are the best person for the job.