Category: Hiring practices

Four Things to Know Before Hiring a Copywriter

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Photo courtesy of Pixabay

There will come a time in your business when you need to outsource certain professional services, such as bookkeeping or copy writing. I can’t speak about hiring bookkeepers, but as a writer, I do know a thing or two about hiring copywriters because I’ve been hired as one.

Not all writers are alike. Some have different areas of expertise, such as legal writing or advertising. Some have years of experience while others are new to the industry and are looking to gain experience. Finding someone to write your marketing copy is not for the faint of heart. How do you know that the person you hire has the skills and experience to get the job done? More important, how do you know that they are trustworthy?

A discussion among several writers on Facebook revealed their advice to businesses before hiring a professional copywriter. Here are a few of their suggestions.

1. Beware of cheap copy. If you think you can get good writing for a cheap price, guess again. The old adage, “You get what you pay for” is true here. Good copy writing is not cheap. Don’t expect to plunk down $10 for a 500-word blog post and expect a well-researched, well-written piece. Don’t be surprised if what you get is copy with poor grammar, misspelled words and other problems that will need to be fixed. Be prepared to pay a little more for better quality. Check sources like The Balance Small Business or the Editorial Freelancers Association to get an idea about pricing.

2. Ask for samples of the writer’s work. Their samples will demonstrate their ability to do research, their knowledge of the subject and the presentation. If they don’t have samples to show you, give them a writing test. Ask them to write about a topic of your choice covering specific points. Their final product will help you see their process. It will also show you if they are able to follow instructions.

3. Look for someone with whom you can work. What kind of personality do they have, and is that personality compatible with yours? Obviously, similar personalities can lead to a mutually productive and beneficial relationship.

4. Outline your expectations for the project and put it in writing. It will help the hired copywriter to see the details of the project up front. The more detail you can provide and the more clearly you present what you envision for the outcome, the more likely you will receive a fair and accurate quote. It’s important to be clear about what you want the writer to achieve. It can be frustrating to be sought out for a writing job only to learn that the person hiring you is unclear about what they want or they want too many things. Putting your expectations in writing can avoid any potential confusion.

These tips may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many businesses overlook these steps. Instead some business owners may rush into hiring a friend’s college kid out of loyalty.

If you want good, quality copy writing for your business, be willing to do a little leg work up front and pay a little more for their services. Professional writers might cost more, but they will produce better results and they’ll likely do it in less time. And that’s money in the bank.

How Do You Know If You Are a Good Fit for a Job?

~ The Regal Writer ~ 2 Comments

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It’s a tough job market these days. So many candidates for fewer jobs makes it tougher for anyone to stand out. Even if you possess top notch skills, there is no guarantee that hiring managers will be knocking at your door to hire you.

We’ve all been there before, mired in a job search that isn’t yielding many results. You send out hundreds of resumes for jobs you think you are interested in and are qualified for, but you never hear back from employers. The problem may not be you, and it may not be the employer. Instead, it may be that the hiring manager does not see you as a good fit for the job.

So how can you be sure that you do fit the job description? Staffing firm Careers in Nonprofits revealed a cheat sheet of questions job candidates can ask themselves when applying for jobs. I’ve outlined each of the four questions below.

  1. Does the job description match what you are currently doing? If the job description calls for someone with basic accounting skills and you currently do not have those skills in your current position, then that may one reason that hiring managers have dismissed your application. The more closely your current work matches the job you are applying for, the more likely a hiring manager will follow up with you.
  2. Is the job title similar to other job titles you’ve held in the past? If you held similar job titles in the past, that might make you more appealing for prospective employers. For example, if you have a history of working in administrative assistant jobs, it may be much easier to apply for a similar role. But what if you want to move up from an administrative position, perhaps into a managerial role? In that case, emphasizing your skills set would be critical, especially if you supervised other workers or managed a department or program. Those skills can be transferred to a bigger role elsewhere.
  3. Are you applying because you want THAT job or because you want A job? There’s a big difference between the two. It can be tempting to apply for any old job that comes along just because you’ve been out of work for a while and are desperate to find something, anything to pay the bills. But hiring managers aren’t interested in hiring someone who wants to collect a paycheck. They want someone who is committed to doing that particular job, do it well and do it for the long term. If you can’t commit to that, then you are likely not a good fit.
  4. Do you meet most of the qualifications? While you don’t have to meet every single requirement for a job, meeting most of them will help gain the hiring manager’s attention. CNP Senior Manager Kimmi Cantrell says being overqualified can be as problematic as being underqualified. Hiring managers tend to dismiss overqualified candidates believing that they are only interested in a short-term employment until something better comes along. However, if you really like a job, love the work you are currently doing and you meet most of the qualifications, then go ahead and apply.

While these questions are a great starting point for any job search, they don’t take into account career changers. What if someone worked as a teacher previously and now wants to move into nonprofit management? What if you’ve worked as an accountant for many years and are now switching gears to become a graphic designer? I imagine there are different sets of questions to ask yourself as you apply for those jobs.

As you investigate job opportunities in your own field, run through these questions and see where you stand. I think it’ll be easier to dismiss many jobs that are clearly not right for you. True, you will probably send out fewer resumes, but they will be more qualified applications. You will need to spend more time crafting your cover letter and customizing your resume so that you can properly showcase how your skills and experience match what is required in the job. But the extra effort can pay off.

Remember, it’s not how many jobs you apply for, it’s the quality of the applications you’re submitting. And that can result in more job interviews and ultimately, job offers.

 

Should You Reveal Your Salary History to Employers?

~ The Regal Writer ~ 2 Comments

equality-1245576_1280I’ve been completing a lot of job applications lately.  I am appalled whenever an employer asks for my salary history. I understand that the question is meant to weed out candidates who may be perceived as “too expensive” for the employer. But it seems that this outdated practice smacks of discrimination.

Attitudes appear to be changing, however. As many as eight states, jurisdictions and cities have banned questions about past salary from job applications, including the city of Chicago for its city employees, and more states and cities may follow suit. Many private-sector companies are doing it on their own without any legal mandate. The belief is that banning this question will help close the pay gap between men and women.

It’s a good move in a positive direction. Asking about salary history is meaningless in the current employment climate. There are too many career changers, too many stay-at-home moms trying to return to work, and too many professionals taking career breaks than ever before. How are these workers supposed to present their past salary when there are gaps in their work history? Does it really matter what a person earned in the past, and does that information have any bearing on their current or future employment? Maybe that worked in the past, but not anymore.

In a recent LA Times news article, employment attorney Jonathan Segal said older workers and those who have taken career breaks and are trying to re-enter the workforce at a lesser pay can benefit from the question’s ban because they are more likely to be subjected to bias. “Eliminating this question not only helps eliminate the pay gap for women but may help older employees who are being excluded because employers think they won’t be happy working for less,” he told the LA Times.

Other questions should also be eliminated from the hiring process, such as age, graduation dates, skills and experience. Hiring managers can still get a sense of candidates’ qualifications simply by asking performance-specific questions, says executive recruiter Lou Adler of The Adler Group. He says the banning the salary history question can open up the talent pool with candidates who would otherwise not have been considered for the job. Adler recommends that hiring managers ask candidates what they accomplished in their career that best matches the performance requirements of the job they are applying for. Their response often will reveal their level of experience, skill and knowledge without managers having to check off requirements from a skills list.

Think of this performance-based question as an essay question on an exam rather than multiple choice or true-false questions, which don’t always reveal how much a person knows about a subject. Adler adds that unqualified candidates will self-select out of the hiring process because they won’t be able to answer the performance-based question.

Age is another taboo question in the hiring process. I was surprised when a job application I completed recently did not ask my birth date. Only problem was they asked what year I graduated from college. It can be all too easy to calculate someone’s approximate age based on their graduation date.

So how should you handle these taboo questions during the hiring process? Employment experts suggest the following tactics:

1. On the application form, leave the salary history section blank or put in zeros.

2. Delay any discussions about salary until you’ve learned more about the job. Most likely that means waiting for the in-person interview. Example: “I prefer to table this discussion until I know more about this opportunity and determine if it’s right for me.”

3. Don’t ask about salary up front in initial conversations. Adler suggests candidates miss out on job prospects because they are so focused on salary that they disregard jobs that  don’t meet their own salary expectations. The best opportunity may offer less salary but also offer other perks such as education reimbursement, retirement savings plans or additional vacation time. When assessing a job opportunity, consider the entire package.

4. When asked about education, put only the school name and the degree received on your resume and application. Leave off the graduation date. If the online application form asks for a date, put in zeros. It’s far more important for employers to know that you did attend college and earn a degree, but they don’t need to know when you graduated.

Of course, there is always a chance that employers could disregard your application on the grounds that you are not revealing these details, but then you need to ask yourself if this is a company you’d want to work for anyway.

In today’s highly competitive job market, you want to create a level playing field. You don’t want to reveal more about yourself than employers need to know.

Can a ‘Returnship’ Help You Transition Back to Work?

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

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Mid-level professionals who have taken career breaks are gaining in popularity. So too are returnships, or sometimes called re-entry programs. Returnships sound a lot like internships, but they are geared toward mid-level professionals who want to return to the workplace after an extended leave of absence, whether to raise a family, care for an elderly parent, travel the world, pursue more education, or simply take time to rethink their career path.

The concept of returnships was developed in 2008 by Goldman Sachs’ execs when they found through their research how difficult it was for women to return to the workforce after a long break. Returnship programs offer short-term employment, usually 10 to 12 weeks, where returnees can become re-acclimated to the business world, update their skills and gain valuable real-world experience to close the employment gaps in their resumes. It’s especially difficult for mid-level professionals to return to work if they choose to pursue a different line of work or enter a new industry, and returnships can aid in that transition.

As I go through my own struggles to re-enter the workforce, the concept of returnships is intriguing. What I like about returnships is that they provide employers with a valuable recruiting tool to help them when hiring. Both the employer and employee can use the program to test out the working relationship to see if it can work for the long term.

But not everyone is sold on the idea and there are a few downsides. For starters, most re-entry programs seem to target financial and technical professionals and are sponsored by larger companies, such as GM, J.P. Morgan and Credit Suisse. If you’re not inclined to work for large firms or don’t have a background in finance, operations or tech, then these programs are probably not going to appeal to you. If more small and mid-sized firms offered these programs (and they probably do and I just haven’t heard about them), they might appeal to more people. (If you do know of a small or mid-sized business with a similar type of program, I’d love to hear about it.) The rest of us (including myself) may be better off pursuing temporary and contract gigs.

Some opponents suggest that returnships don’t always result in job offers at the sponsoring company, which puts you back to square one. But even if the program doesn’t result in a longer-term situation, returnships can open the door to other opportunities that you did not have before. With the new and updated skills you’ve acquired, an expanded professional network and valid work experience, you have more to offer future employers. Those are major pluses you did not have before. So in that sense, a returnship is not a total loss.

Another argument (see Working Mother blog) is that returnships are a waste of time, and you are better off skipping the temporary gig/internship route and pursue permanent placement right away. The theory is that you already have established skills and workplace experience, so a returnship isn’t necessary. But the truth is when you spend any length of time away from the workplace, there is always the risk that your skills may acquire a bit of rust. Also, not everyone has the confidence to leap back into the workplace after an extended break. Returnships allow returning workers the chance to get their feet wet, slowly at first, until they do gain confidence in their skills.

If you’ve been out of work for more than two years, it may be more difficult to convince potential employers to hire you. Perhaps too, your network of professional contacts isn’t producing the leads you had hoped, or you are trying to enter a new field. Returnships can ease the transition, but a lot depends on how comfortable you feel about returning to work in the first place, how much time you have spent away from the office, and how rusty your skills are.

If considering this path to a new career, here are a few additional things to keep in mind:

1. Do your homework. Just as you would research a potential employer, take time to research returnships. They are not all created equally. Find out what kind of work you’ll be doing, how long the returnships last, and what the pay would be. Also check out sites like iRelaunch.com which help  returnees navigate their way back to the working world and find an appropriate re-entry program.

2. Keep expectations low. Even if you are accepted into a returnship program, there is no guarantee that it will result in a job offer. You may very well have to start over with a new job search. See it for what it is – an opportunity to get re-acclimated to the workplace, update your skillset and gain valuable experience that may be a stepping stone to the next opportunity.

3. Have a Plan B. If you aren’t accepted into a returnship program or they don’t fit in with your career plans, consider other options. There’s always contract work and temporary gigs to help you transition back into the workplace.

Returnships are not for everyone, but they can be a viable away to return to the workplace and gain new experience.

What Do Your Job Postings Say About Your Company?

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

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I’m always browsing job ads, but I apply to very few of them, usually because  they are so poorly written that’s it’s difficult to understand exactly what they are looking for in a candidate. And I ask myself, “Why do I want to work for this company?”

Job ads are supposed to help you find qualified candidates for your open positions, but if they aren’t written clearly and succinctly, they may not bring the best-qualified prospects to your door. As Alison Green of AskaManager.com wrote in Inc. magazine recently,  job ads are a form of marketing. And it’s up to you to market your job openings to attract – and keep — the best candidates.

Here are five problem areas I’ve noted in job ads and what they may say about your company:

Problem 1: The ad is too vague, too general or lacking adequate detail. They contain phrases like “communications manager oversees the operations of the communications department,” which really doesn’t say anything, and candidates are left wondering what is expected of them.

What this says about your company is that you didn’t take the time to think through your hiring needs before committing those ideas to paper. How will this person spend their day? Will they supervise anyone? When you don’t have a clear idea what this job is to begin with, it will be difficult to explain it to anyone else.

Problem 2. The ad is heavy on technical language or industry jargon. In fact, there is so much jargon that it is difficult to know what the new hire will be expected to do. You have to ask yourself if all this heavy language is covering up a job that is actually quite thin, and are you making the job sound bigger and more important than it really is? Or are you more concerned with making a certain impression on candidates than clearly communicating your hiring needs?

What this says about your company is that your workplace may be more formal and structured, even more than you intend. Appearance may matter more than substance. If this is not true for your workplace, then it’s time to reevaluate and rewrite your job postings so they accurately reflect your company.

Problem 3. The ad is too lengthy and wordy. If your ad is presented as one long paragraph that runs on and on, it can show a lack of focus and a certain carelessness in the way you present your company. Perhaps you were running on a deadline or had too much work to do that you didn’t take the time to format the ad cleanly.

What this says is that your company is operating from the hip, so to speak. It gives the impression of messy, disorganized thinking. People are busy and don’t have time to read the small, fine print in your ad, so it is helpful to break up the copy in smaller paragraphs and use bullet points for key responsibilities, which is much easier to read. Take the time to edit down the copy too so you focus on the most important elements of the job description.

Problem 4. Too much emphasis on perks like free pizza for lunch every Friday and a game room, and not enough information about how the new employee will spend their day at work. While the perks may attract candidates to your company, are they the right candidates for the position? Why do they want to work for you – for the perks you offer or for the opportunity to contribute to your organization? The truth is, you can offer free pizza every week, but good, quality employees may still leave your company because they don’t get along with their boss, don’t feel they are doing meaningful work or they found a better job offer elsewhere.

What this says about your company is that you want to create the impression of having a fun, sociable place to work. But focusing primarily on the perks sends one of several possible messages. Perhaps there isn’t enough substance to the job itself, or employees work long hours so you feel a need to “reimburse” them with free lunches. Focusing on the fun, sociable aspect of the company is important, but don’t gloss over the details of the job, leaving candidates to wonder what the job is really about.

Problem 5. The ad asks for a salary history. This is the 21st century, yet it is surprising that some companies still ask for a candidate’s salary history.  You have to wonder what kind of work environment they have. Comparing salary history in today’s job market is difficult, if not impossible, because candidates may be coming from different locations or industries where salary levels are determined differently. Candidates may not have the same job title as the one they are applying for, so looking at what they made in previous jobs doesn’t give you a direct comparison. Asking for a salary history is not only obsolete, it is a wasteful, meaningless exercise.

What this says is that your company may be out of touch with current hiring trends. If you are not current with hiring practices, what other business practices are outdated at your company? You may need to rethink your hiring strategy and get yourself up to date on the newest recruiting tools.

For the record, here’s an example of a clearly written job description for an office manager/executive assistant. There is no doubt what this person will be doing. It is written in a friendly, conversational tone too.

When writing a posting for your next job opening, use your imagination and be creative. If you don’t have the desire or time to rewrite job descriptions, hire a professional writer to help you prepare something that will grab a candidate’s attention and make them want to work for your company.

Eight Reasons That Hiring Older Workers Makes Good Business Sense

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by the year 2020, one-fourth of the U.S. workforce will be over the age of 55.

Let that sink in for a minute.

One out of every four individuals working in the U.S. in the year 2020 will be over 55. Think about what that means for your business if you are an owner and employer. Are you prepared to hire older workers and have them become a viable part of your team? With so many 55-and-over individuals available for work, it would be a mistake to overlook them when it comes to hiring. They bring a lot of strong skills and business experience to the table, and they’re not about to retire any time soon. When you’re searching to hire the most qualified individuals for your business, don’t overlook the candidates over age 50 because they may have the skills that you need for your  business.
Still not convinced if older workers fit in with your organization? Consider these advantages:

1. Older workers bring loads of business experience. That means they can usually hit the ground running from Day One and make an immediate impact. They’re not shy about asking questions or get clarification about a project, and they’re eager and willing to learn.

According to a 2014 survey of the Society of Human Resource Management, 77 percent of HR managers surveyed cited work experience as the top advantage of hiring older workers, followed closely by maturity and professionalism (71 percent) and a strong work ethic (70 percent).

2. Older workers won’t break the bank. Although they bring a lot of work experience, they’re not expensive. In fact, in most situations, they’re not looking for a promotion or an office in the VIP suite. They’re more interested in finding a job with a steady income, one that allows them to contribute their talents. That desire for stability makes them attractive to employers who may tire of younger workers jumping ship after giving them on-the-job training.

3. Older workers are willing to learn new things and develop their skills. If they’ve lost a job or had an extended period of unemployment, some may have gone back to school for additional course work or taken computer classes to update their skills. So they return to the workforce well prepared and better educated to tackle today’s biggest business issues. And don’t worry about a lack of understanding of current technology either. Today’s 50+ workers are more technologically savvy than previous generations. These individuals have grown up with older versions of technology, so learning new technology shouldn’t be a problem.

4. Many older workers have a stronger work ethic than their younger peers. They understand what is expected of them, and you won’t find them standing idly in the break room gossiping with co-workers. They arrive on time, are willing to work overtime if necessary and they treat everyone with respect. In fact, their work ethic makes them excellent candidates for customer service positions, according to Over50JobBoard.com.

5. Older workers are loyal and reliable. They’re not looking to climb the corporate ladder or the next business opportunity for themselves. By age 50, they’ve already reached the pinnacle of success in their careers and are in the twilight of their careers, they simply want to contribute to a cause, be active in the community and stay relevant in the business world. You know you can count on them to arrive on time, be respectful of other workers and with clients, and perform their tasks efficiently and with little fuss or drama.

6. Older workers bring maturity and professionalism to the job.  Because of their experience, they have faced numerous business scenarios requiring good communication, clear thinking, problem-solving ability and an ability to look at a situation from different angles. As a result, there is a maturity in their decision-making that you won’t find in younger workers.

7. Older workers are ideal stress relievers. Because they have faced many high-pressured situations in the past, nothing fazes them. They can remain patient, calm and cool-headed in the most stressful situations.

8. Older workers have a positive attitude. They’re generally cheerful and are grateful to be working at all. Think of Robert DeNiro’s character in “The Intern,” who was always happy to help out his co-workers, do as he was asked without argument, and always had a smile on his face. He was just happy to belong to a group of dynamic professionals and contribute his insights and experience to the job.

The next time you need to hire someone for a job, don’t overlook the over-50 candidates. They have a lot to offer and may have just the skills you need to help your business thrive.