Saturday, May 30, 2020

What Makes a Good Recruitment Trainer

What Makes a Good Recruitment Trainer Ive been a recruiter for fourteen years and entered the industry fairly fresh from graduation; first taking on a temp desk, then contingent perm recruitment and team leadership and for the last six years headhunting on a retained basis. During this time Ive experienced a great deal of good and bad recruitment training provided by both in-house and external providers and this has led me to form the following opinion  on what three key ingredients make a great recruitment trainer. They are: Personality Expert Knowledge Credibility Im going to illustrate my points with stories on three particular trainers that have lodged in my memory for good and bad reasons (and for obvious reasons Im keeping the individuals anonymous). Trainer No. 1 This guy had personality! This training session happened when I was quite new to the industry and running a team of temp and perm consultants. When the trainer turned up, to be honest, we were all a bit sceptical because of first impressions. For a start he was old; not just the old that 20 somethings use to describe 30-40 somethings (I know Im now in that category) but actually granddad old. And second he was dressed in a cardigan, comfortable trousers and soft shoes. We were all thinking what was this guy going to be able to teach us shiny young recruitment tyros in our suits, tan shoes, big ties  and stylish hair? Well let me tell you when he started talking we started listening because of his personality. He began his piece with some biographical detail he was American, hed fought in the Vietnam War and on his return to civilian life he struggled to find a job to support his family until he fell into a sales job that was 100% commission based if he didnt sell, he didnt eat. Quite an opening statement and he had us hooked both with his style of delivery, which was full of gravitas and sincerity, and his content, which was unique and engaging what soft young office worker  is not going to hang on to every word of a Vietnam vet who became a major success at selling health insurance door-to-door!? Once we were hooked he could basically take us by the nose and walk us through his key message (the  one our boss wanted us to nail)   contingent/temp recruitment is all about high sales activity and handling rejection. Crank the handle on sales calls, meetings, jobs in, CVs out and revenue will follow. Now Im not sure if the story he fed us about his life was true or if he had indeed become one of Americas greatest ever insurance salesmen but we didnt care because wed suspended our disbelief. We left that room energised, invigorated and focused on applying what hed taught us so we could emulate his success. He did this because he had the X factor personality that got us to buy into his narrative. Trainer No. 2 This guy had expert knowledge! A little later in my career I considered myself to be a pretty well-rounded recruiter. Id done most things required of me by bosses, clients and candidates and not only survived but thrived. At this stage I felt I had little need for any training because I knew it all. How wrong I was. Enter, stage left, a recruitment trainer who had proven himself first as recruiter with a major international recruitment group, then had headed their in-house  training at an eye-wateringly young age and had then moved on to establish a training business that could count a number of high performing recruitment companies as clientele. Funnily enough it was me that had arranged for him to come and deliver a programme as Id felt some of the less experienced in the team could use some support but in the end it was me that ended up getting so much out of the process. Heres why he knew his stuff about the industry and used his time with the group to show us how much we all knew already,  how much we had forgotten, how much we were no longer doing because wed got lazy taking shortcuts  and how much more we had to learn. Now lets be honest No recruitment trainer is ever going to give you some magic secret to success that is somehow known only by the very best in the industry but can be available to you by payment via credit card or monthly direct debit. I have a rule of thumb that any sales pitch or promotional material that contains the word Secret and Success I shun as if it has the plague. But this chap had the right industry knowledge to able to hold up a mirror to  a room of fairly experienced recruiters and  show us what steps we could take to push up our already good success rates to an even higher level. I pity the trainer trying to deliver such a session if they really havent been there,  done that and come away with the gold lamé T-shirt. which leads us nicely on to our next trainer. Trainer No. 3 This guy lacked credibility! Our industry, unfortunately, is not known for being populated by caring and accommodating types. Typically the industry is full of driven, ambitious and hard-working individuals putting themselves and others under pressure to perform. In the main we dont have time to waste and if we sense a training session is going to be a chore and not a pleasure we will soon turn-off and tune-out (and if we  can drop-out without being noticed). Add to this the fact that our jobs actually involve passing judgement on the merit and credibility of peoples career narrative and you can see how tough an audience we can be. My third example trainer was, Im afraid to say, a victim of not appearing to have the credibility to lead a training session and failed because of this. First of all the introductory professional biography was underwhelming. Secondly the material was old-hat (i.e. pretty average cod-NLP motivational waffle). Thirdly the delivery was shaky as slides didnt match music (yes thats right there was music sigh),  diagrams and graphics were nonsensical, pages in the workbook were skipped and we endured numerous monologues of a personal nature that were homely, over familiar and not particularly inspiring. Readers, it was painful. Bottom line: The reason Im highlighting all this is because the most effective recruitment trainers are able to combine what the first two examples had, personality and expert knowledge, to achieve a level of credibility that the third sorely lacked. So if youre booking a recruitment trainer perhaps take on  board what Ive learnt through experience seek out the trainer who can inspire a room (sit in for 30 mins on one of their sessions), who has the expert knowledge to be able to really talk to your recruiting team about life at the coal face (check their career history and background) and find the one who will have no problem with immediately establishing and maintaining  their credibility with an often critical, fickle  and unforgiving audience. Who was your best recruitment trainer and why? RELATED:  The Most Overused Recruiter Clichés Ever.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Resume Writing Services in Kansas City

Resume Writing Services in Kansas CityToday it is easier than ever to find a professional resume writing service in Kansas City. If you have a good resume, and you know how to use it, there are several opportunities available to you.Many companies have both a website and a computer that can do everything for you, including the process of submitting your resume online, and even managing it through word processing software. Your resume can be sent by e-mail, fax, or by mail. You can have it reviewed by someone you know and trust, or it can be sent directly to the company's personnel department.Whether you choose to submit your resume by phone, email, or snail mail, your decision will depend on how busy you are and how many things you have to do. Some employees prefer to send in their resumes via snail mail, which makes things easier on the person reviewing it. Others prefer to have a person on the other end of the line answering questions.There are many factors that go into creating a resume. It is not just a list of items, but a reflection of your skills, knowledge, and experience. The more you are able to talk about your accomplishments, the better your chances are of getting an interview.When you submit your resume to a company, they will provide you with an extensive quote. Some companies allow you to make changes to the resume before submitting it, so if you want to mention something new that you believe they need, you should take advantage of this.The best companies will have some people who are skilled professionals who specialize in writing resumes. These individuals will create the resume for you and then take a copy of your resume and work it into the overall strategy of the business.This means that once you submit your resume, you won't have to work too hard to keep it up to date and current. A resume is what your potential employer will review first. You want your resume to look like it was just written yesterday.Whether you choose to go with a local resume writing service or one online, your resume is going to be your chance to stand out from the rest. You want to impress your potential employer with the information and education you have on your resume.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Utter Madness

Utter Madness The 20s are a mad time but there is mad and there is mad. I’ll take you back to almost two months ago in February, which was one of the most difficult months of my post-grad experience and possibly of my life thus far. As we all know I had been a guest on my brother’s couch since graduation. Not ideal but it was affordable (a.k.a free). So you can imagine panic set in when my brother parted ways with his company at the end of January. Of course disappointments are a blessing in disguise but when you’re caught up in problems, the last thing you’re thinking is “wooptie doo, this is a blessing!” Being international, you have a limited amount of days to get a new job in your field of study (work visa restrictions and bla bla). Any by limited number of days, he had to get job by the end of February. So for most of February, I didn’t sleep, went through days where I didn’t eat anything and days where I ate everything. I had mini- anxiety attacks, and I was sleep walking, sleep talking, and over-exercising because it was the only thing that provided me with an escape.   To the few amount of people who knew what was going on, I played it cool but in reality, my body, mind and most importantly my spirit, felt broken. My brother had already accepted the possibility that he may have to go home to Nigeria, where we are originally from (but haven’t lived in since we were kids). Of course it put me in a difficult position too because my income wasn’t exactly stable or predictable enough to live on quite yet. On February 27th, I got a phone interview for a position (that I wasn’t quite sure of). February 28th, I went in for the interview and received an offer.  I recognized it would be one of those jobs that would drain me mentally during the day and quite possibly leave me miserable at night. Whatever. I accepted it; I was already pretty miserable. My brother was practically planning his trip back home, because although he has a large enough network that got him interviews weekly the hiring process is not a quick one generally, and especially not in this economy. We were also moving out of my brother’s condo because it was the financially prudent thing to do.   He was  going to stay with family friends that he had lived with in grad school and I was going to stay with none other than my friend/boss/mentor â€"yep, Nicole Crimaldi took this almost homeless girl in. On the night of February 28th, I remember feeling like I was having an out of body experience. Was this really my life? Nothing in the world prepared me for February 29th As we moved our stuff (and as I periodically went to the bathroom to cry because I was not about to let my brother see me cry because it would kill him), I still remember having a cluster of emotions utter denial yet still hoping against hope. That little corner of Lincoln Park was my refuge and though I have always prized myself on not being attached, I had become attached â€" it was my home and I was leaving it like this. Driving in the car with Nicole, I couldn’t hold the tears back anymore â€" WATER WORKS (actually, I’m tearing up a little bit as I write). No sooner did we load my stuff in Nicole’s spare bedroom did I get a call from my brother saying he had just received a job offer.   To say I was an emotional wreck after this, is an understatement. I was crying again â€" this time, tears of joy.   Let’s get something straight: I am not a crier, at least not a public one, but this day was an emotional roller coaster. Seriously. Three weeks later â€" a lot has happened. Moved into my first big girl apartment back in my little corner of Lincoln Park, MCG Media, Inc. is growing, rescinded my offer at the big downtown company,  AND I accepted a new PT position similar to MCG Media, Inc. at a great small business in the Chicago burbs. I will continue to reflect and reveal all but for right now all I have to say is:  Utter madness. So let’s talk â€" what madness have your 20s brought you? I know Im not alone.

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Signs of Hormonal Imbalance

Signs of Hormonal Imbalance Hormone levels shift throughout life during ovulation, periods, pregnancy and menopause and it is a natural phenomenon in females. Mostly the hormones get back to normal levels after these phases pass but many times these hormone imbalances may indicate something much more serious. Following are some signs of hormonal imbalance you should not ignore. Nine Signs of Hormonal Imbalance: Uncontrolled Weight Gain:   If you are gaining weight suddenly and finding it really hard to lose weight, it indicates a hormonal imbalance. If your thyroid glands are unable to control the release of hormones correctly, then it may result in an increase of weight gaining hormones such as cortisol which will put extra fat in your belly if you do not manage the hormone levels timely. Decreased Sex Drive: Hormonal dis-balance also can cause fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels which may affect the sex drive by lowering libido. Sweaty Skin: Hormonal imbalance can also result in excessive sweating due to excessive body heat. Balanced hormones help in controlling body temperature but if you are facing hormonal imbalance, then the body temperature may fluctuate, and you may sweat more. Hair Loss: Hair loss is natural but excessive hair loss may be an alarm of something wrong with your system. Thyroid imbalance can result in hair loss. Increase in cortisol can also cause hair loss. Increased Facial Hair: Most female experience an increase in hair on their face especially coarse hair on their chin area. This may be due to an increase in testosterone hormones which may result in this symptom. Also, it could be an indication of PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovaries Syndrome) and needs immediate attention. Persistent Acne: Acne is quite common in teenagers and in young adults as well. It is a phase which passes but if your acne issue is persistent, then there is a deeper reason behind it. Hormone imbalance may be one of the reasons why your pimple is persistent. Pimples may increase during periods as the body temperature rises during that time but if you feel that your acne does not clear up after your cycles gets over, it could be due to hormonal imbalance. Excessive Fatigue: Everyone gets tired sometimes but even after 8 hours sleep and not much hectic thing to do the entire day you feel tired; it means there is an issue with your thyroid glands. A thyroid imbalance may make you feel tired and fatigued the entire day hence get yourself tested. Infertility: Few females can easily conceive whereas others need to try harder, but if it seems to be more difficult than it should, visit a doctor. Hormonal imbalances may be one of the reasons why you are unable to conceive easily. Balancing the hormones may help you conceive faster. Insomnia: Anxiety or stress may be a reason why you are unable to sleep a few nights but if this is persistent then the reason might be something else. Dysfunctional thyroid or increased cortisol may be the reason for so many sleepless nights. If you face any of these symptoms, it is time to reach out to experts. There are many clinics out there who specialize in hormone imbalance treatment, reach out to them timely as in most cases these symptoms can easily be managed. The main reason most women face hormonal imbalance issues is due to increased stress or bad lifestyle choices. Focus on improving the way you live and keep yourself fit, more than half of your issues will get resolved by itself.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

How To Choose A Professional Resume Style

How To Choose A Professional Resume StyleIf you are about to begin writing a professional resume, one of the first things you need to know is which resume writing styles will get you a job, and that will be viewed as a mistake. There are many different types of resume writing styles out there and the one that works best for your situation is often something that you don't even know exists.When I was growing up, it was the job applicant who went through the strenuous process of writing a resume that got the job. That was the resume that got all the attention and landed the applicant the job. Today, we have the same old resume formats and people simply throw their resume in the trash because they find it boring and unappealing.When using a resume format, keep the following things in mind: determine what your goals are; go over it and make any corrections necessary; read through it several times to ensure it is correct; make sure you have proofread it thoroughly; and finally, have an ed itor proofread it. It's amazing how many people don't take the time to do this. They are not applying for jobs so they do not even need to read the resume or proofread it for grammar or spelling errors.When you are looking at a resume format, you want to first understand what it is. A resume is a letter that you send to potential employers informing them of your qualifications. It will give them a summary of your background and accomplishments and also highlight your areas of expertise and skills. It is a crucial document that should be well written and professionally done.The second thing you want to consider when looking at a resume is what you will put in it. It's often thought that you simply choose a resume format, but the truth is that there are hundreds of styles, all of which work best for a specific job or opportunity. When applying for a job, you need to write your resume in a way that shows your skills, talents, and abilities, but not in the way that other people might pr efer. They will often take that into consideration, and it can cause your resume to be overlooked.The third thing you need to consider when writing a resume is the format you will use. Your resume is not like a normal letter, where you can just list your accomplishments without proofreading it for spelling or grammar errors. When applying for a job, you need to be completely honest and professional.The last thing you want to consider when choosing a professional resume style is the person who will read it. Some people don't care what style you use, but some prefer the more formal style, while others prefer the informal style. You should therefore have an editor proofread it before you submit it to the employer. This way, you can edit it properly and ensure it is correct and ready for the employers to see.Remember, a professional resume format does not have to be as rigid as what you would find in a book or in a library. As long as you stay true to your goals and the needs of the job or opportunity, you will be able to enjoy yourself while writing your resume.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

2016, a year to be responsible, caring, and loving toward myself - Cubicle Chic

2016, a year to be responsible, caring, and loving toward myself - Cubicle Chic 2016, a year to be responsible, caring, and loving toward myself Home Life, Uncategorized February 3, 2016 0 CommentsThis is way late for a”how my 2015 went” post. That’s not what this is. This post has been cooking in my head for a while now, and it’s finally coming together more cohesively.In many ways, my 2015 was a year of changes and challenges. I turned 30. I moved out of my parents’ house and got a place on my own. I said goodbye to people that were dear to my heart. And,  I started a blog. Life definitely threw some curveballs at me amidst all of it but also created room, much room, for growth and development.Turning 30 leaves a lot of people anxious, lost, and directionless. I had been preparing myself to embrace these feelings and anxieties that people have told me about.  The weird thing is,  it didn’t happen for me. Being 30 feels mostly the same, minus the aging jokes I get to crack now. A part of me is even excited about this new decade that I get to start out anew, equipped with so much self awareness and mental clarity , at least compared to when I started my 20’s. It’s a big change that came in with such positive energy it almost surprised me.Moving out to live on my own is something that is long overdue according to societal standards. For me, this arrangement made a lot of sense previously because of financial/short commute reasons, and also because I am incredibly close with my parents.    And even given all of these reasons, sometimes you just know it’s the time to do move on. You go through with the the motion, and it feels just right. Moving out was one of those things.Starting a blog was something that I have always wanted to do, but never got around doing. My blog was born out of my desire to create something for myself, and being able to have something I can call my own;  tending to the builder within me, so to speak. It serendipitously also allows me to put a lot of things I practice at work, which is marketing communications,  into my approach to blogging. It’s a lot of fun and very rewarding; the best part it is that the reward comes in so many different ways. I recently teamed up with a group of amazing workwear/office fashion bloggers for a loop giveaway on Instagram and it was quite a success. Let me know if you’d like to hear more about that!All of these things,  and others, created a lot of space for me to think about who I am as a person, and who I really want to be. I’m not going to lie, every single one of the things I mentioned above has given me plenty to freak out about. But I ended up handling them, and in the process of handling them, no matter how clumsy I was, I gained confidence and faith in the end that I CAN handle them.I read this article on Career Contessa earlier this month. It talks about the difference between motivation and purpose in that most people look for ways to get “motivated” when they feel down or dejected. What they don’t realize is that motivation is transient in nature, it’s a “pick me up” that zaps us with temporary energy so we can keep going. It’s the byproduct of something else, something bigger, that can be constantly motivating. That something else, something bigger, is purpose.I think that is what 2016 is going to be for me â€" adhering to my purpose, and in some aspect of my life, finding my purpose. I spent my entire 20’s looking for self confidence, evidence and reasons to believe in myself. I know that’s no longer a something I search for, because I have it now. And in the next decade in my life, I am going to focus on loving and caring for my own well being, and being responsible for my own development and growth.

Friday, May 8, 2020

Facilities Management Is It A Job For You - CareerAlley

Facilities Management Is It A Job For You - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The Construction industry is forever expanding and many people are looking for jobs within this sector. Facilities management in particular is a dynamic and demanding field that requires a broad range of skills that are constantly evolving. If youre looking for a dynamic and challenging work environment that will bring you something new every day, a career in facilities management in this construction market might be for you. Facilities Management So what is facilities management? A facilities manager is responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of commercial buildings and properties. Their job is to keep the property running smoothly and safely. Facilities management is a cross-discipline job that requires wearing many different hats, from plumbing and electrical repair to landscaping, security and mechanical maintenance, and anything else the facility in question might require. You may think this is an easy job but facilities management is not always that easy. A facilities manager must be versatile and able to solve problems creatively and, since the job requires working with and coordinating others (construction workers, plumbers, etc.) one must have strong leadership skills and team building skills. How To Become A Facilities Manager image source Becoming a facilities manager is more than just having a broad range of applicable skills. Many universities and programs offer bachelors degrees in facility management, offering the basic groundwork one needs to break into the field. A facilities manager may also choose to take an exam to get certified with the International Facilities Management Association by getting CFM (Certified Facility Manager) credentials. Where does a facilities manager find work? Anywhere that requires regular maintenance and security. Resorts, hotels, corporate buildings, convention centers, and cruise ships are all examples of where a facilities manager might be needed. Wherever it is, it becomes the facility managers duty to make sure the place operates as it should whether that be in terms of security, maintenance and repair, or cleaning. Obviously, the requirements will vary by what kind of facility is being maintained. A Day In The Life Of A Facilities Manager image source A day in the life of a facilities manager will bring new challenges. In a typical day working at a hotel or resort, a facilities manager might be charged with making sure the guests are happy and have their needs met, meeting with maintenance to see what repairs might be needed and assigning personnel, making sure the area is clean and attractive for the guests and that security measures are in place. A facilities manager must also deal with administrative needs and paperwork to keep their venue well-supplied and running properly. more Tips for Finding a New Career Author: Jenny Beswick and the Telegraph Jobs team put together this article. The article was written to inform you of the construction industry and Careers in Construction. We hope you find the right field you would like to work in. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook