iCIMS Hire Expectations™

Striving to be the best at whatever you are involved with - whether it's a job, sport, or school - plays a major part in defining who you are. Accepting mediocrity now-a-days just isn’t good enough. It is a competitive world we live in, and in order to be the best and stand out, you must shine at what you do, with little to no mistakes. You know who has got this idea down perfectly? Derek Jeter. If Derek Jeter’s name was in the dictionary, this would be his definition:

Derek Jeter: Captain and Shortstop for the 27-time World Champion New York Yankees, is an influential, highly successful baseball player and role model for children and adults, within the sports and business world.

You may be asking yourself right about…now, “How does Derek Jeter relate to the HR world?” Well the answer is relatively simple. Jeter, as a top baseball player, indirectly drives profits and success within the sports and business world, just as the number one applicant tracking system can serve to power the success of an entire organization.

Jeter recently joined the elite 3,000 hit club in the Big Leagues, becoming a part of the small, yet immortal, group of 27 other remarkable players the sport of baseball has ever seen. In addition, Derek was the very first New York Yankee to ever reach this astonishing milestone. He has become the biggest, most recognized figure in all of professional sports! How did he do it? The same way you get to Carnegie Hall. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Oh, and little thing called good work ethic, and an electrifying team that has one goal in mind at all times, be the best of the best. And, at the end of the day, he became the best!

Now although Derek Jeter has been the Captain of the Yankees for 8 years, he couldn’t have won 5 World Championships without the help of his team or vice versa. Team is a very interesting concept. First off, there is no “I in team” (so cliché, I know). The Yankees' great teamwork and key players have directly contributed to their major success. The same thing can be applied to organizations.  Without a good team, the atmosphere of the work-place and performance can be greatly affected. When it comes time to hire new employees to add to your growing team it  is essential to find the right ones to facilitate team success. You can do this best by using a top applicant tracking system. With the proper HR software leading the way to a prosperous future, your business is on its way to winning some of its own championships. Did I just compare Derek Jeter and the Yankees to HR software? Yes, that just happened!

So the next time your company begins the recruitment process with the goal of hiring the best and the brightest, make sure you are being represented by a leader just like Derek Jeter. Work is always going to be filled with a whole bunch of bumps in the road, but there are a few software choices that can be there to help you along the way. Don’t let your business suffer with underperforming solutions. Recruit more efficiently with the best ATS on the market and be of the same caliber as the Yankees with Derek Jeter! Can you tell I like Derek Jeter??

Individual or team productivity is influenced by many factors that companies overlook day in and day out. In his recent article on ERE.net, Dr. John Sullivan explains, “Increasing productivity is one of the most critical goals in business.” Well, he is absolutely right. The goal of all business, big or small, should be to facilitate productivity, so that employees produce quality work on a consistent basis.

Dr. John Sullivan has compiled a list of 22 essential factors that have a huge impact on individual or team performance. He broke these factors down into six categories: Foundations of Productivity, Direction and Guidance Factors, Support Factors, Skills, Communications, and Information Factors, Resourcing Factors, and Miscellaneous Factors. There are two factors I would especially like to focus a bit on:

1. High performing and innovative employees are the foundation of productivity
2. Technology, tools, and equipment can limit or bolster productivity

 
So how do businesses implement these essential factors? For starters, some HR departments are choosing to use efficient software that will easily produce the best candidate fits through skill-matching for each position posted. When the right choice is made, the chances are higher that the employee will remain productive throughout his or her tenure at the company. Further, these companies are looking to technology to facilitate the number of tasks HR Professionals must complete, so HR staff can spend more time on employee engagement programs.

No matter where you read, critics all have the same opinion - hiring the right people is key to a successful business. Similarly, choosing the right technologies to feed the HR department and employee engagement is essential, as some can be entirely too cumbersome to use effectively. Technology solutions can facilitate the pre and post-hire process, automating the administrative work that HR professionals get bogged down with. As Bob Dylan once said, “The times they are a changin’.” We live in a technological world; we might as well embrace it. Make life easier and use the tools that are available to you!

Further, time is money, and flies by faster than any of us ever realize. Making the most out of time is essential to a productive business. For example, the less time it takes to recruit new and qualified talent, the better. Accomplishing weekly or monthly goals in a timely manner only leaves extra hours to get a head start on a new project. Keeping the ball rolling will ultimately increase productivity and open doors to new opportunities for company-wide success.

To wrap things up, always show your employees some recognition, your business will thank you. I guarantee that a little “Keep up the good work!” will make that employee feel like a million dollars. In the end, numbers don’t lie. If a company exhibits all of these qualities, productivity will flourish!

It may come as a surprise to many that the main goal of a college student isn’t to party every night and do all of the things they couldn’t do while living at home with their parents. Somewhere in between all of the fun and games, college offers help towards something known as a career. Yes that’s right, college helps students choose a career path to follow.

And, while college may try to prepare students for the application and interview process, there is only so much they can tell students. Why is this? Depending on the profession, the application process can be tedious and long-winded or short and sweet.

This is where recruiters need to step in. As a recruiter, it is essential to facilitate the application process for candidates. College can only prepare students so much. If recruiters can make the application easy-to-complete while still collecting all of a candidate's special accomplishments and talents, I think they will find an increase in the number of applicants to choose from.

While recruiters facilitate the process, it is also important for applicants to do their part. As I go into my final year as an undergraduate at Monmouth University, I have learned to go outside “the norm” and be creative with the resources that are available to me. Here are three fast and easy tips I have used to help me with the application and interview process – they even helped me get my internship here at iCIMS.

1. Say CHEESE!  This is my number one tip for success in applying for a job and landing it. Believe it or not, there are people that are willing to help you with your application process. Let’s be honest - when was the last time you just sat back, took a deep breath, and smiled? As you try to balance the stress in your life, attempting to find a summer internship or job may seem impossible to accomplish. I am here to say that with a positive mindset and a plan, getting a summer internship will be no problem. As Albert Einstein once said, “Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” 
2. Network…Network...Oh and…Network! I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have heard the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” There are people willing to help college students face their everyday challenges like applying for jobs. Don’t be afraid to open up and create new relationships with people that could potentially help you in the future. Strike up a conversation with someone you never spoke to before. It could lead to a whole new world of opportunities, and you might make a new friend as well!
3. Be a work of art!  Michelangelo didn’t paint the Sistine Chapel overnight! Understanding the concept of professionalism and what it takes to be perfect for the job is key. This means, be the part. Be on time for everything, keep that beast on your face you call a beard tamed, dress appropriately, and most importantly be personable. Walk into that interview with your head held high, shoulders back, and look as confident as possible. Sell yourself and what you have written on your application.