Your Talent Is Your Brand, So Why Do So Many Treat Talent So Badly?

Guest Blog:  Janine Truitt

A friend of mine posted this blurb on Facebook from an audio book he was listening to (note: I don’t know the name of said audio book):

Numerous studies have shown us that those given authority are more likely to lie, cheat and steal, while also being harsher in their judgments of others for doing these same things. Science tells us people with power feel less compassion for the suffering of others.

Previous experiments also show us that those who are obedient to authority are capable of the worst forms of murder, and tolerant of the worst forms of abuse. They will even chastise those of us who resist corrupt authority. They become facilitators of evil, believing that obedience to authority absolves them of personal responsibility. “

Why do we REALLY promote people?

This blurb above is an explanation of today’s cesspool management and hierarchy that permanently resides in many companies.

Although we speak very seriously and regularly about the importance of leadership development as HR practitioners, the truth is very rarely are managers chosen with care. In fact, I have personally observed companies who promote people to management or leadership roles based on their ability to be obedient and play the game.

What happens is the road to leadership then becomes a chess match played by cheaters. The rules are not static, but changed on an as-needed basis to suit the players.

People like myself and my colleagues never stand a chance in being promoted or even surviving as an employee, because we live and work by a code of conduct. The code of conduct isn’t some arbitrary manifesto we write down to make people believe we are responsible, discerning, fair individuals; but a construct that guides our work and how we treat others in and out of business.

When we say that employees don’t leave jobs they leave bosses, we really mean they leave regimes. Within the walls of some of your most beloved brands and products lies a regime that takes pride in beating its talent to a pulp daily with unkind words, unreasonable expectations, and in some cases bullying — just because they can.

Turnover and toxic environments

Recently, I read an article about the CEO of a company I used to work for. The author interviewed him about how he runs this large conglomerate, and of course, highlighted all of the philanthropic work he does for the community.

Great article, nice man, toxic company.

It’s his job to speak highly of his business, but what I know after working there in HR is that the leadership, from HR to the actual facilities (in many cases), are toxic, and a good three-quarters of the employees are disgusted but remain there out of necessity.

Turnover is directly linked to these toxic environments.

The age of obedience and subservience is dead. People want meaningful work and positive work environments. If they remain in your employ, it is purely out of necessity.

Necessity breeds a paycheck — which also means that they couldn’t care less about the success of the company.

It’s time to deal with the jerks

I’m not sure when it became cool to lead from a place of pure malice and fear, but it needs to stop. If the ultimate goal of talent management is to retain the right talent in organizations, it’s time we (HR and everyone else) took personal responsibility to be ethical, fair, equitable, and provide a workplace free of toxic leadership.

That may mean getting rid of a manager that has high turnover even in light of his or her considerable contributions to the company. It could also mean reprimanding a manager for being a jerk, even if he or she is your happy hour cohort.

A lack of personal responsibility, the inability to tell and own the truth, as well as unethical behavior, are among the many reasons why your turnover may be high.

Pay attention to your workforce. Don’t look the other way and cover your ears when it matters the most.

Needed: a little respect and humility

Your talent is your brand. Treat them with the same respect and humility you would want for yourself.

via Your Talent Is Your Brand, So Why Do So Many Treat Talent So Badly?.

Your Talent Is Your Brand, So Why Do So Many Treat Talent So Badly?

How to Attract Top Tech Talent [INFOGRAPHIC]

It’s widely reported in recruitment that there is a global tech talent shortage. Developers and engineers no longer need to apply for jobs; the sad reality is that 89% of Software Engineers have applied to less than 2 jobs in the past 5 years.

What does that mean to you as an employer?

It means you have to be very creative and innovative with what you have to offer these candidates. They are often passive candidates so you will need to be far more proactive in your approach. The biggest hints are job benefits, perks and career advancement.

Check out this infographic (by TalentPuzzle) for everything you need to know!

Takeaways:

• In 2013, 30% of companies lost tech staff.

• 69% of SME execs feel there’s a shortage of top tech talent.

• There are lots of companies, such as Yahoo and bit.ly that host hackathons.

• More than 40% of millennials learn about employers on social media.

• 1 in 3 recent applications by recent graduates are motivated by employer branding.

via How to Attract Top Tech Talent [INFOGRAPHIC] #TechTuesday.

How to Attract Top Tech Talent [INFOGRAPHIC]

Why There Is No Expiration Date On Talent

Lots of companies have an image in their minds regarding their ideal candidate. The problem is that their ideal candidate looks a lot like the same applicants that everyone else is seeking. That’s why I advise my clients to be open to all possibilities. Talent comes in all different sizes and shapes and dare I say ages.

Although it’s illegal to discriminate based on age, it certainly isn’t illegal to say you are looking for people with one to three years of experience, which in most cases eliminates the older job seeker. But is this really in your best interest? I don’t think so.  Here are some of the many benefits of giving mature workers a second look.

• Loyalty-Younger workers are in the beginning stages of their careers and are looking to accelerate their earnings as quickly as possible. How do I know this? Because at one point I was a younger worker too. Younger workers won’t think twice about moving on when they receive a better offer. Mature workers have either been laid off or know someone who  has lost their job. They know a good thing when they see it, which means they’ll  think twice and sometimes three times before giving notice.


• Reliability-Mature workers usually don’t call in sick after a long night of partying, which means you can rely on them to work the schedule they’ve been hired to work. Can you say the same about your entry-level workers?


• Smarts-Seasoned workers don’t lose their intelligence because they’ve lived to see another decade. If they were fairly intelligent when they were 20 years old, chances are they are at least as smart if not smarter than their younger selves. This means that you can train them to learn new computer programs. Yes, it could take them a bit longer to catch on, but in most cases it will be less time than you are currently spending retraining because people keep leaving.


• Work ethic-Today’s mature worker has a work ethic that is much different than the younger generation. In most situations, mom and dad won’t be supporting them if they mess up at work and they find themselves unemployed yet again. Nor will they be able to return to the nest to live on their parent’s couch until another job opportunity falls into their lap.


• Contentment-A lot of organizations are running lean these days which means that there are fewer opportunities for advancement. That’s not an issue for a lot of mature workers as they are content coming to work everyday and doing a good job without the promise of a promotion.


• Trustworthiness-Many business owners would not even consider leaving their businesses for more than an hour because they feel uncomfortable leaving their livelihood in the hands of someone who is young enough to be their child. But what if you had someone on your team that had a similar mindset as you? Someone that could easily keep the business going in your absence. Imagine what you could do with your new found freedom?

There is no expiration date on talent. Keep this in mind the next time you are tempted to compete for the same people with everyone else. Dare to be different.

via Why There Is No Expiration Date On Talent – Forbes.

Why There Is No Expiration Date On Talent

How to Compete With Big Firms for Talent

As a startup, you may not be able to compete with large companies on brand recognition or hiring reach. My startup NerdWallet definitely can’t be tossing up recruitment billboards along Silicon Valley’s Highway 101. But we managed to attract some amazing employees — without going crazy with recruitment costs.

Do not underestimate the value small companies can offer potential employees that larger companies simply can’t match. Opportunities like providing groundbreaking work or flexible environment will most likely not fly at larger firms.

For those entrepreneurs looking to nab top-tier talent for their startup, here are some tips on making your work environment standout:

The less is more perk. Fewer employees means larger responsibilities. At a small firm, workers wear more hats and get a much greater variety of experience than most larger companies can provide.

Small startups don’t pigeonhole employees — we simply can’t. Everyone has a specific, tactical job to do, but they are also integral in guiding the strategic whole. This gives startup employees a deeper dive into skill sets that will pay greater dividends down the line and attracts the kind of entrepreneurial talent a startup depends on.

And it’s the sort of experience for which young employees ache. A 2011 survey by Employers Insurance found nearly half (46 percent) of millennials want to start their own business in the next five years, compared to 35 percent of Gen Xers and 21 percent of baby boomers. There is no better place for them to gain experience than at a startup.

Ability to make a real difference. An employee can have more impact building and sustaining a corporate culture at a smaller company than a larger firm. You’re not a cog in the wheel — you have the freedom to run hard and make it happen.

At a startup, if you see an opportunity, you can pounce on it without thinking, “Well, that isn’t really my role.” Several of our employees have stretched into areas far beyond their original mandate: The only limit is their own imagination and audacity.

And you can see the impact your work has. If you’re an employee at Google — one of tens of thousands — your impact on the overall trajectory of the company will be minimal. But at a company like NerdWallet, employees can create their own products (often, really, creating their own jobs) and bring them to fruition. It’s like having your own personal startup experience within a startup.

Allowing for unlimited vacation. Let’s be fair: Not every startup offers this perk but many are jumping on this trend. (For people working at big corporations, this benefit will unlikely be in your compensation package.)

When I worked on Wall Street, there were people who would go for years without a vacation and just be miserable. Vacation policies are like handcuffs that tell you how many days you are allowed not to work. Having a policy of unlimited vacation signals you are creating an atmosphere where people want to come to work.

We have an honor system that allows employees to take all the vacation time they want, as long as work gets done. And we’ll watch your back while you’re away, just as you’ll watch mine when I’m taking time off. This isn’t some perk that employees are afraid to enjoy: NerdWallet CEO Tim Chen and I both love to take off and travel.

Get more personal attention. Millennials care most about being well trained and receiving strong professional development, according to a Hiscox eDNA small-business survey. While budgets may be too small at startup firms to bring in outside coaches and management consultants, the experience of learning on the ground cannot be replicated. Plus, because employees are helping pave the path for the startup’s future, they are given more one-on-one attention for career development.

Working from home and flexible hours. As I am writing this, I am sitting in my San Francisco home with my newborn twins. NerdWallet has employees at our San Francisco office, as well as colleagues working in home offices stretching from Washington, D.C., to Hong Kong.

Where work happens — whether between baby feedings, at the beach or in the office — doesn’t matter, as long as it gets done. And often employees will forego working at brand-name companies for this kind of flexibility.

via Startup HR: How to Compete With Big Firms for Talent | Entrepreneur.com.

How to Compete With Big Firms for Talent

How Do We Assess the Value of Superstar Talent?

…So Yahoo COO Henrique de Castro was recently fired after spending less than a year and a half on the job. It was an expensive severance even at a level where such things almost always are, and the fallout has spurred much discussion.

I don’t really have much to say about the hiring (or firing) itself. I’m not familiar with the data Yahoo had when it made the decision to hire de Castro, and I’m not going to armchair Quarterback. With that said, I bring the story up because executive comp expert Dan Walter has a great piece up on Performensation citing the firing as evidence that we should perhaps be rethinking how we compensate superstar talent. Would Yahoo have been better served hiring several talented people to do the work for which it hired one?

I’m not so sure. I fundamentally believe in the idea of leaders – among other reasons, holacracy usually doesn’t work because some of the toughest (and most important) business decisions can’t be handled by committee. Discussion within teams is critical, but if an organization waits to generate consensus on everything then it will sometimes be too slow to innovate: There are occasions where we all just need direction.

…But this is fundamentally a separate question from that of compensation. For while I would submit that in most cases leaders should certainly be paid a premium for their work, I think Walter was focusing not so much on the utility of leaders and managers (I shudder to think about a company with 100 COOs), but rather something more simple: Setting aside questions of organizational structure, how much more valuable is the most talented person in an organization than the median performer? And assuming the answer is “a great deal” (and the evidence we have supports this), how many median performers would it take to replace that person’s work? As we discussed the other day, most organizations don’t really know.

…This really goes to a question of job valuation. There are programmers and software developers that make millions of dollars a year and are worth every penny: They think of things no one else does, and going out into the market and hiring 10 other talented people willing to work at 10% of the salary would be unlikely to yield the same results of the singular “superstar”.

So this isn’t a bodies question… but I don’t think this is strictly a matter of paying at market either. I’ve written at length about executive compensation packages before, and have said that they’re fundamentally fair because they pay what the market dictates.

…But what if we’re using the wrong data in those cases (and others)?

via How Do We Assess the Value of Superstar Talent? | Something Different HR.

How Do We Assess the Value of Superstar Talent?

The Rise of Talent Networks Through Transparent Technology

The interesting thing about technologies — cloud computing is a good example — is that while they profoundly change the way we live our lives and operate day-to-day, nobody, outside of extreme technophiles, understands not only why these emerging tools are important, but also why the average consumer should care.

The ultimate test of any technology today is its transparency. Does it provide a positive user experience predicated instinct and intuition? Consumer technology, as a rule, is designed to operate in the background, enabling efficiencies and empowering users in significant, yet silent, ways. The more one has to think about the technology, the more it calls attention to itself, the greater challenges it faces in gaining user adoption and, consequently, mainstream success. User experience is the fundamental differentiator between a Mac and a mainframe, between 8 MM film and digital video.

When it comes to the social technologies in the talent acquisition tool box, the goals, and associated best practices, shift from creating transparency to increasing visibility. This is, after all, the entire point of engagement and employer branding. Getting top candidates to notice your company, the culture and available careers creates the competitive advantage in the war for talent.

Build Relationships Through Talent Networks

Companies should, in effect, employ a similar transparent network for current and soon-to-be employees through technologies. This also requires fundamentally rethinking many of the tenets of HR Technology as a whole. Applicant tracking systems are designed to drive applications, not to mention operational and reporting efficacy, by making the process as streamlined and intuitive as possible for both recruiter and applicant — how well they succeed is a different matter.

The most meaningful metrics here are tactical (days to fill, number of applicants, etc.), but for most organizations in this market, finding applicants quickly isn’t the challenge. While efficient technology is a plus, it’s not leading recruiters to their end goal — finding the best candidates. Who, as we know, have the kind of marketable skills that mean they probably aren’t actively looking. That’s where talent networks come in. In the new world of work, it’s not about selling jobs anymore — it’s about building relationships.

The Career Concierge

The transactional tools of driving applications and developing databases are giving way to strategic initiatives that transform recruiters — traditionally gatekeepers — into career concierges. Or, as they’re more commonly referred: brand ambassadors.

Talent networks have traditionally been called bucket reqs or candidate pipelines, but these concepts are quickly drowning because these relationships exist in private — on the phone or over e-mail, with everything tracked in a closed system: “Just calling to check in and see how everything’s going.” This one-on-one interaction can (and should) be scaled, and translated, into meaningful interactions that give insight and add value not only to the candidate who’s “right now,” but those who will be “right” in the future, showing the process and filling in the traditional black holes of transparent technology.

Of course, building talent networks takes time. But here’s the good news: they’re organic, and if managed properly, are self-sustaining, with the community of candidates driving the dialogue about what it’s like to work at your company — and why they might want to work there. And while that drives affinity, loyalty, and ultimately, increased applications and referrals for an employer, it also gives the recruiter a recruiter visibility into that most nebulous — but most important — consideration of all: organizational fit. And that’s something no applicant tracking system can determine.

via The Rise of Talent Networks Through Transparent Technology.

The Rise of Talent Networks Through Transparent Technology

Hiring: 6 Secrets to Attracting Top Talent

The success of your company depends entirely upon your ability to attract and hire great people. That’s why it’s absurd to depend upon the tired techniques of candidate searching that date from the mid 20th century.

Finding the best people and getting them to want to join your team should be akin to a major sales and marketing effort, according to John Younger, CEO of the candidate search service HireMojo.

Based on his experience helping over 25,000 unique jobs get filled, Younger suggests the following process to consistently find and hire great people across your company:

1. Define the exact criteria.

Before seeking candidates, ask yourself these essential questions:

a. What specifically needs to get done by when? You’re not filling a slot; you’re moving your business agenda forward.

b. How will success be quantitatively measured? If you don’t have reasonable metrics, you won’t know whether you have a top performer.

c. Why would the right person want this job? The best candidates can pick and choose, so you’d better figure out why they’d choose you.

d. What are the common attributes of your top performers? Define the hard skills, soft skills and personality that your top people share.

2. Develop a compelling recruitment plan.

Your recruitment plan consists of the job description and the initial interview questions. It should contain the following:

a. A function title. Example: “Java Engineer.”

b. A creative title. Example: “Java Engineer Who Loves Developing Gaming Software.” The creative title helps you focus on the person you’re looking for, rather than just the skill set.

c. A personal message to that ideal person. This is important. Rather than writing a dull-as-dishwater job description, pretend that you’re writing a personal note to the ideal person you’d like to hire. Use this personal message as your job description.

Wrong:

Software Engineer with 10 years of experience in a Java-centric software development environment. Must exhibit both innovative thinking, ability to work in a team and leadership skills, preferably in the research and development of medical devices.

Right:

This job is all about building software that helps doctors heal people and save lives. You’ll be part of a creative team that designs and implements the software that runs some of the most advanced medical devices on the planet. Your skills in Java programming will make those devices easier to use and thus able to help more people. You will be making a big difference to the lives of many people.

d. A keyword section. Since you want ideal job candidates to find your job description, add a string of keywords section at the bottom of the job description to get maximum Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

e. A short list of questions about the core of talent needed. What’s important here it focusing on the manifestation of the talent rather than the years of experience. Avoid the standard hypothetical interview questions; they’re useless. Well constructed questions will help attract the right people because they show a deep understanding of what success looks like and why the job will be of interest to them.

Wrong:

Why are manhole covers round?

What is your greatest strength?

How do you define the term “leadership”?

Right:

Walk me through your most recent Java development project.

How did the team handle differences in programming approach?

Why did you specialize in Java as opposed to some other language?

Once you’ve created your recruitment plan, have your current top performers read the description and answer the interview questions. This will tell you whether you questions are filtering out, rather than identifying, top performers.

3. Cast a wide net AND a targeted effort.

Starting with the easiest and least expensive methods (job postings and social networks, then resume/profile research, then target list generation). Based on the flow and quality of candidates, work up the pyramid toward the most expensive and labor intensive methods (dedicated recruiters and agencies).

4. Treat candidates like customers.

This is crucial. Treating candidates like supplicants not only alienates them, but gives your company a bad reputation. (Remember: every candidate has friends and colleagues!)

Instead, treat candidates like customers. Make sure that everyone who applies is given a genuinely fair shot at being considered, and that he or she receives follow-up and closure regardless of the outcome.

Think of it this way: the goal for each phone and in-person interview is to have the person enthusiastically interested in getting your job, even if they are not a good fit.

5. Limit the number of interviewers.

Having a candidate run a gamut of interviewers is wasting both the candidate’s time and your team’s productivity.

Some interviewers are simply gun shy and will say “No” to everyone because they are afraid of making a hiring mistake. Others say “Yes” even when it’s not the right fit because they don’t want to be “the bad guy.”

Identify the people within your company who interview well, and consider having these few people be on the interview teams for roles outside their domain of expertise.

6. Move quickly when you find the right person.

The tendency for some people is to wait until they have seen several candidates before making a decision, even if they have one who fits well. When you have someone that fits well, move quickly… before they get hired by someone else.

via Hiring: 6 Secrets to Attracting Top Talent | Inc.com.

Hiring: 6 Secrets to Attracting Top Talent

Talent Shortage or Recruiting Shortage?

Is there really a talent shortage, or is there such an ongoing lack of recruiting resources, creativity and effectiveness that most companies are now accepting long hiring cycles and mediocre hires?

It’s hard to reconcile the numbers – millions of Americans out of work or discouraged from even looking for a job and millions of unfilled positions.

Here’s where I think at least one of the problems is: Accepting slow hiring cycles and taking too long to make decisions on hires is an artificial way to slow down hiring and save money. The company says, “see, we have open jobs, things are great,” but they can’t get anyone onboard because they don’t have enough recruiters, won’t pay enough and/or it takes so long the person is no longer interested, gets another job, etc. Which is fine with management in our new wait-and-see economy.

I got some of this insight from a recent post on HR Examiner where John Sumser posits that there’s not really a talent shortage, it’s just that companies want to get people on the cheap and technology is moving too quickly. It’s a good read and food for thought on talent shortages, especially in STEM areas.

It reminds me of Einstein’s quote: “A new type of thinking is essential if mankind is to survive and move toward higher levels,” which was later paraphrased to the more commonly known, “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” He was probably talking about atomic energy, but as we all know, the right talent can create energy, solve problems and take us to a higher level.

Which means that if we accept that this is the way it’s going to be from now on, and we stop trying to improve, then we will not move forward – which appears to be the consequence many companies are facing today.

Did this type of thinking do in a company like Blackberry? It’s hard not to think that they didn’t have the right talent to keep the company moving forward. And once the slide started, it was hard to stop because I’m sure more than one job candidate got asked by friends, “Why are you interviewing there, you know they are going out of business, right?”

So the solution is to keep moving forward. And for most companies that likely means investing in recruiting resources. The question is: Are you willing to step up and say there’s a problem and fight to change the way your company is currently doing things?

I also have to tell you that now’s the time to get things moving. We are in the fourth quarter and companies are thinking about next year, next year’s projects and the talent they do or do not have. I guarantee there will be continued movement of top performers into next year.

Maybe the place to start is by looking at your recruiting resources and making management aware of the shortage there, instead of focusing on any perceived talent shortages. As long as we make excuses and accept mediocre recruiting efforts, we will continue to have this artificial talent shortage created by a shortage of good recruiting.

via Talent Shortage or Recruiting Shortage? | | The Seamless WorkforceThe Seamless Workforce.

Talent Shortage or Recruiting Shortage?