The Top 10 Pet Peeves Candidates Have About Recruiters

The Top 10 Pet Peeves Candidates Have About Recruiters So I covered the pet peeves that recruiters have about candidates, but what about the things that irritate candidates about recruiters? Well believe it or not, recruiters arent perfect and there are a few little habits that get on the nerves of those they are supposedly trying to place. So what could they possibly be? Here are a handful of the top annoyances from the candidates perspective. 1) Claiming a candidate is the perfect fit for a role, before knowing anything about them. The recruiter barely knows the candidates current job title, but claim theyve got the perfect role for them. Trying to sell roles to unqualified candidates isnt going to work on either side 2) Misleading job specs. A job might sound like the perfect fit in writing, then after completing the application and speaking to a consultant in more detail, it becomes clear that the job is nothing like how it has been described in the job advert  and is in no way suitable for the candidate. That was a nice waste of time. 3) Not identifying the employer in job postings. A lot of candidates  wont apply for a job if they dont know who the company is. After all it plays a pretty big factor in choosing a new role! 4) Leaving the candidate in the dark. Job seekers like to know whats going on throughout the hiring process and they count on recruiters to keep them filled in, so if they dont its a tad frustrating! 5) Not returning phone calls. They  fail to keep a candidate  updated, so they  give them a call. Straight to voice mail. No call back. 6) Leaving the office to meet clients, but not candidates. Relationships with candidates are just as important as with clients, but are often neglected. Yes the client is the one paying, but recruiters  need the candidates to fill the roles. 7) Not giving feedback after an unsuccessful interview. If a candidate is unsuccessful in an interview, they want to know why, so they know what to work on next time. Recruiters take note, candidates expect feedback, good or bad! 8) Asking for salary expectations before telling the candidate  anything about the job. Yes its an important factor, but should it really be the opening line? 9) Not informing a candidate when the role has been filled. Its only courteous to inform a candidate when they have been unsuccessful in the hiring process, otherwise they may have their hopes hanging on a role that is no longer available. 10) Sending out generic copypaste style messages on LinkedIn. This is something that a lot of recruiters do and it can be spotted a mile off. The worst offence is forgetting to change the name at the top of the InMail. It happens. Main Image Credit: Shutterstock

How to Build a List - Classy Career Girl

How to Build a List When I first started, I had no idea how to build a list. Maybe you dont either. You may be utilizing social media like a boss but did you know that all of your followers could go away in a heartbeat?  You dont own them. Did you know that Facebook or Instagram could completely change their way of doing business tomorrow so your followers dont actually see your posts and you have to pay instead? Oh waitthey already did that. If you are thinking about growing a business or already have a business, you cannot rely on social media to get the word out about your business. Your focus needs to daily be on getting those social media followers onto your email list.  The more people that are continually coming onto your list, the more people you have to help. List building needs to be a top priority. If you missed my article where I covered what email list system to start with, read that first. How to Build a List  in 4 Easy Steps 1. Give Away Free Resources The best way to grow your list is to constantly give away free resources and include your free optin link everywhere you can think of. This means on your email signatures, social media, guest posts, blog sidebar, business cards and the bottom of your blog’s posts. Here’s the secret though. Don’t just link to your blog on social media, link to your free optin page. If you do link to your blog, make sure you also provide a way for them to get onto your email list on the bottom of the article. You can also attend networking events and get permission to send people your free resource if they request it. Since you have worked so hard to make it something your audience needs and wants by surveying, you should have no problem getting people excited to sign-up. If excitement is low, switch it up and try something new or try to re-name it. The most important thing you can do is survey and make sure that your free lead magnet is something that your audience truly wants. 2. Live Online Event The second way to grow your list is to have a live event like a webinar or live challenge happening in a specific week or month. If youre wondering how to build a list, my list has grown the most when there is a specific day or week of an event. The signups skyrocket the day before the event because it inspires people  to take fast action. Also, they will get a chance to ask you questions live, which helps them get to know you better and creates a community. Growing your tribe is awesome! How can you turn your product or service into a mini-challenge? Maybe you could offer 5-7 days of free material to help them start getting some initial results? You can start a Facebook group around your challenge and build a community. Towards the end of those 7 days, many of them will be ready to join you in your next step. If you have thought of a webinar and havent done one yet because you are scared, get over that now. Set a date of your first webinar. Give yourself some time to test everything. This is a major way for you to get more comfortable sharing your message and it gives an opportunity for your audience to come ask you questions too! 3. Facebook Ad This is the simplest way to get eyes on your free optin. I know it’s hard to get over this hurdle of advertising but think about this. How do big companies get people into their stores? They advertise on television, newspaper, magazines, etc. Unfortunately, we don’t have the big budgets of the big companies but Facebook offers us a way that we can get ideal customers signing up for our lists for as little as $5 per day. [RELATED: Facebook Ads Strategies to Attract More Clients] As you get up and running in your business, I recommend that you spend at least 15% (more if you can) of your profits on marketing because new leads are worth it! Especially, if you can do this in the comfort of your own home (in your pajamas) and have new leads come to you automatically. You have to remember the lifetime value of the customer and as you start doing Facebook ads you will see that if you put a little money in and you can get a lot out. Facebook ads are also very easy to scale when you find one that is working too! Overall, Facebook ads will help you determine what copy, photos and lead magnets your target market wants to get so its like a mini-MBA in business building. I highly recommend it! 4. Set Goals Every time I set a goal, I am so much more motivated to reach it. I do everything in my power to make it happen even though it often seems unreachable. Even if I dont reach it by the deadline I wanted, I get so much closer. So, whats your deadline? Set a goal now. I would challenge you to  write down right now how many people are on your list now and how many you want to be on your list every single day. Youll want to set a goal for how many people you want to be added to your email list each day (for website visitors and FB Ads). Then, youll want to set a goal for how many people you want to add to your list during a specific live event that you have such as a webinar or challenge. We hope this helped give you some ideas of how to build a list! Which strategy will you use now to grow your list?

Get Your Resume Noticed Online

Get Your Resume Noticed Online This is a Re-Post from Jobseeker Weekly.com Barbara Warden, Marketing and Resume Writing Consultant, writes: Posting a successful online resume requires techniques most candidates just dont know. Resume search terms, resume SEO, data retrieval rules: These are key factors. Here are the top five tips to enhance resume performance both in online search engines and at organizations that store resumes in their own databases. 1. Keywords, Keywords If your resume doesnt repeat the right keywords (or search terms), numerous times, searchers are unlikely to find it. Its a sad fact, but resumes are ranked based on how many times they repeat the right keywords. And when recruiters search for financial analysts in New York, the list runs into thousands, but theyll scan only the top resumes: the best match resumes. And those are the resumes with the most keywords. If you wrote your own resume, one thing is certain: You need more keywords. No one puts enough keywords in their own resume.? For more details, read on. 2. Critical Keywords Job Titles/Job Descriptions When headhunters and hiring managers search for candidates, they use the major, definitive elements of the job. Keywords are not cross-functional, multi-tasking, interpersonal skills, or other nice-to-include descriptive jargon. Those are good to have somewhere (if relevant), but only once or twice at most. Instead, your resume should repeat basic, core search terms. Job titles creative director, business analyst, CFO. Job descriptions creative direction, business process analysis, corporate finance. These should be repeated in your resumes headline, opening section, every job description wherever you can fit them. 3. Synonyms You dont know exactly which keywords your dream employer uses. So to cover all the bases, you also need synonyms: comparable titles and parallel job descriptions. For example, for sales, your dream employer will certainly use sales, so your resume should repeat this word often. (Remember, no one puts enough keywords in their own resume.) But employers also use their own terms, so you have to squeeze others in, too: account manager, account executive, sales representative you get the idea. If you didnt hold these actual titles, use them in your job descriptions. So if youre a software developer, repeat that. Numerous times. But also squeeze in phrases like programmer, programmer analyst, software engineer, web developer, if possible. For example: List your title as Software Developer, but say, Served as software engineer and lead programmer analyst for . Dont go repeating company-specific titles like SW Spec B. This gets you nowhere. Heres a good, keyword-loaded job description opener: Promoted from Software Developer to Senior Software Developer to serve as lead programmer / analyst for major software development / software engineering projects. 4. Qualifications Summaries Another way to up your keyword count: opening summaries. These enable your resume to highlight your most relevant strengths immediately and also offer another opportunity to reiterate keywords. 5. Resume Keyword Lists Finally, list specific terms. Its a perfect way to showcase your diverse skills and add even more keywords. You dont have to name it a nerdy Keywords. Label your table Strengths or Expertise, listing 3-4 keywords per line in a professional, organized appearance. Here, you can cite general search terms (application development, software engineering, programming) and specialties (Web development, Web-based applications). Following these five resume rules will drastically boost your online resume hits. Good luck! Barbara Gail Warden is a former corporate marketing executive, now a marketing and resume writing consultant; she writes for ResumeEdge.com, the official resume partner of Yahoo! HotJobs.

Im Tempted to Believe Im Superwoman

Im Tempted to Believe Im Superwoman Ever been to a circus and seen those jugglers, riding a bicycle, doing cartwheels and still managing to effectively throw and catch oranges or apples, or whatever? Most of the time, that feels like me. I can definitely relate in my own little way. My story Life so far has taught me that with drive, determination and a positive attitude, anything is possible. I believe that if you are prepared to work hard, make sacrifices and accept support, you can achieve the unachievable. Id encourage anyone with a dream to pursue it, if thats what will make you happy. In 2007  I gained admission into the University of Leeds to study for a Master’s degree. It was then I packed up and  left my home country,  Nigeria, where I was born and raised. My first visit was in February of that same year, where I got my admission, and by September I was on the plane.  Here I am almost nine years later, and  my life has changed drastically in ways I never knew it could. I am a wife and mother of  2 lovely kids. I am a public servant and also run  my own business, helping to support young people from Africa in their integration into foreign studies and life in general. I imagine now the juggling analogy is starting to make more sense. Multi-tasking madness Its 4.50am and I am awake, ready to take on my day. Waking up any later is an absolute disaster. The kids have to get ready for nursery and the childminder. Of course, I also have to get myself ready  and prepare lunch for us all. While I make back and forth trips to the fridge,  my brain analyses and processes  50 different things at once. There are days everything overwhelms me and I am at my wit’s end. These tend to be the  days when I find myself in  another city for work. Occasionally  I find myself splintered in identity. Who am I? What am I prioritising? What should I be prioritising? Am I doing things right? On those days I miss my children. They have to be in bed by 7.00pm. When I come home late in the evening, theyre already in bed or well on their way to being tucked in for the night. Every now and then, when my mind is full and I cannot sleep,  I start wondering  whether Ive made the right decisions. When will I ever make time for myself? Learning and sharing In moving to the UK, I had to  face numerous challenges that came with  being from a  different cultural background. Im a Nigerian woman married to a white  British man. My husband has slowly learned to enjoy friend plantain, Nigerian fried rice and the very popular Nigerian jollof rice. I, on the other hand, have had to understand the basic British idiosyncrasies. Early on in our marriage, I had to explain to him the Nigerian habit of extended family members often visiting without prior notice even when they come from places as far away as Nigeria! Before marriage, I was not interested in cooking English meals.  But now, I am quite adept in the kitchen, be it preparing food my kids and husband love  which I don’t eat (ham, bacon, half boiled eggs and so on). I have learned to be more open-minded, flexible and patient while learning about this new culture. There has been issues on occasion. Were just like all other  married couples. Hard times bind people together; love is forged in fires. The colour of one’s skin doesn’t define a marriage. Love, trust, patience, loyalty and respect define a marriage. It’s been a learning curve, learning about each other. Sacrifice and support Late last year I travelled to Nigeria on a business trip. This was my first time of leaving my kids for more than a day. Leaving my family to travel was not easy. It broke my heart. My amazing mother-in-law and father -in-law, who I call Sheffield Mum and Sheffield Dad stepped in to take care of the children. So far, they have been a huge  support to me. Despite all the challenges I see every day, Insight Africa UK has been a labour of love and each time I make a positive break through, it gives me joy knowing that my labour yields positive fruits. Success for me means that my kids and  husband are  happy, while  I do what I love, enjoying my career. In my spare time, I tend to my garden. Its a big one half is made up of the lawn and the other half is made up of shrubs and flowers. Right now, we have two apple trees, two cherry trees, two pear trees, one peach tree and one plum tree. Success and Superwoman I believe as a woman I can have it all. I plan on taking my business into a different league, entering new markets, creating additional revenue streams and redefining relationships. I am constantly re-evaluating, re-prioritizing and re-connecting with the important things in my life. I try to get enough perspective so that I know I am intentionally making those choices instead of letting chance  happen  to me. I am a homemaker, a business woman, a public servant, a wife and a mother. And I love it. My name is Ral Parkin and I am tempted to believe I am a superwoman. About the author: Ral Parkin is  the Executive Director of Insight Africa UK LTD, helping support and encourage young people from Africa in further education.

This awesome Chrome App helps me get more done CareerMetis.com

This awesome Chrome App helps me get more done â€" CareerMetis.com I am a heavy user of Google Chrome, and I am always on the look out for applications and extensions that would make my Chrome experience more delightful.But one thing I always look for are apps and tools that would make me more productive â€" help me get more done It is a Personal Dashboard that shows up every time you open a new Google Chrome tab or window. It is free to install on Google Chrome.The Momentum app containsAn inspirational background 2. The Time â€" There is something about having to see the clock ticking right in your face. This reminds you that time is finite, and you have very little time to waste. Sometimes, I just take a moment to check my text messages and that moment actually ends up being 15 minutes. Distractions are very common in the workplace 4. A Motivational Quote â€" No need to subscribe by email to a Quotes Website or go to Twitter to get quick inspiration motivation â€" this app does it for you. Each day there is a new quote. Checking out Inspirationa l quotes day-to-day improves the motivation of an individual and assists them to take activity towards exactly what they want.5. A Cool Background â€" There is something soothing about looking at a gorgeous shot â€" especially a natural beauty â€" either a mountain or field of flowers. Research has proved that looking at nature shots can help reduce stress, alleviate the mood and also reduce pain.You can also add Links of your favourite sites right on the page. Also you can use the Search Tool on the top left hand corner, which will up the search results.I have been using The Momentum Dashboard for the past few weeks, and I can assure you that my productivity has skyrocketed. I am mostly focussed and this app keeps me accountable. I have completely got rid of paper for writing down my to-do lists, and also stopped checking my email for motivational quotes.I strongly encourage you to check this Chrome Extension out â€" install it for free , use it and see how it affects your work. I am convinced it will boost your productivity.Now install the app and get to work!!