Hiring Millennials (And What that Means for your Organization)

January 29th, 2014

Certain generations come with stereotypical characteristics and misconceptions. The Millennials are one of the most misunderstood generations in the workforce today. They are categorized as lazy, entitled, and even media-obsessed but in reality, they are ambitious and want to leave a positive mark on the world. Millennials care about their work environment and making friends at work is important to them. Certain perks at work have a higher priority to this generation than to others. In the past, pay and benefits were the cornerstone for happy team members but this group prefers to enjoy their work and to be recognized for what they do.

Characteristics of Millennials
Is your organization interviewing and hiring Millennials? In order to understand the candidates and what they bring to your company, you should take the time to understand their viewpoints and their ideas.

  • They want to be part of a company, embrace the culture, and understand what makes it work. They may ask questions about the break room, lunchtime, and the social perks of the workplace; it’s not because they are selfish but rather this is an important factor.
  • This is an educated group of candidates. Many have some form of higher education and may even strive to complete more within the next several years.
  • Personal development is a factor in the final decision regarding the job acceptance.
  • They would prefer social media freedom, device flexibility, and work mobility over a higher salary. While this seems strange to the older generations who will work overtime to obtain more pay and the culture isn’t an issue, this is a necessary element to the hiring package for a millennial.
  • Recognition is important to these team members. They prefer to be praised in public rather than to be given a performance review at the end of a quarter. It is also important to have open lines of communication with your team either by email, text, or even a quick online chat hangout.
  • You don’t need to hand out large rewards to Millennials. A simple lunch, afternoon off, or even the ability to come in late after a big project is completed, will be motivation for them and convey your appreciation.
  • Millennials are ambitious and want to achieve personal success. Their own goals are something they work towards. Not only in their personal lives but also at work.

There are some companies who shy away from hiring this generation but without good cause. You can hire Millennials and have confidence in their ability to perform the functions you require and more. This generation doesn’t shy away from sharing their life with those at work and forming close bonds. Their desire to build morale and a team spirit can create a strong cornerstone for your company.

If you have further questions contact expert medical and healthcare recruiters Pinnacle Workforce today!

Why Didn’t You Hire Me? (Answering Tough Post Interview Questions)

January 24th, 2014

The interview process isn’t easy for the one being interviewed or the one performing the interview. Most hiring managers will tell you they have a feeling one way or the other within the first five minutes of the interview but many will continue the interview process to be considerate to the candidate. If the candidate isn’t hired, they may come back with questions. Those who truly want to improve in their job search can sometimes come back to the hiring manager with questions such as “why didn’t you hire me” or “what can I do to improve?”  Some hiring managers will reply with a generic statement but it can be beneficial to provide honest answers to the questions, in order to improve the overall job applicant pool.

Role Reversal
Put yourself in the shoes of the candidate and consider how it would help you to know the weak areas of an interview. It could be something simple but was a negative factor in the interview, yet it could be changed. When you’re given the opportunity to provide feedback, always do so in a tactful and gracious manner. Here are some guidelines to answering the tough question of why you chose one candidate over the other.

  1. Start the conversation with a positive tone. Provide them with information about their resume, experience, and interview techniques that they did right. If you are sending an email, start it off with something simple that builds them up as a person.
  2. Point out areas where the candidate can improve. If their education wasn’t up to company standards, explain how the company prefers to hire candidates with an advanced degree. This is something they can change and rather than stating they don’t have enough education, give them a way to remedy the problem.
  3. Tactfully explain the qualifications the hired candidate possessed that made them more desirable to the company. It can be helpful to explain the hired candidate had more experience in the field or a stronger educational background.
  4. If they were a viable candidate, when the problems could be remedied, invite them to re-interview in several months. Otherwise, wish them luck in their search.

No one likes to be rejected, especially for a promising new job, but as a hiring manager, you can provide insightful feedback to candidates when they ask and ease the rejection a bit. Be kind but also remember it won’t help if you are misleading with your answers. You have the chance to be a mentor to another person in their job hunt so take advantage of that by giving them constructive criticism and guidance on how they can improve.

Have additional questions on hiring in the new year? Contact the experts at Pinnacle Workforce!

Hiring a New Employee? Check Social Media

January 17th, 2014

In the past, an interview was based solely on what the person told you, what you could discover from their references, and their demeanor at the interview. As the hiring manager, it was easy to make a mistake based on the initial interview and a gut feeling but with the plethora of information now available online, it is easier to make an educated hiring decision. From social media pages to prior work experience, check leading social media platforms to find out pertinent information about the candidates you are interviewing.

Benefits of Social Media Profiles
The interview process will bring out the best in a candidate. They will show up polished, dressed in their best and ready to impress but it can be difficult to distinguish an act from the real deal. Using the internet can prove to be the right platform to find out the right kind of information. If you are like most people, you enjoy looking at others on social media platforms; it can give you a deeper understanding of who they are as people. Some of the major benefits of social media include:

  • Truth. You have a better chance of finding out the truth regarding a particular candidate. For example, they may have attended a certain college but didn’t graduate. Their social media page may clearly state this and you will know the exact information.
  • Motive. There are some candidates who will be interested in your company only to gain proprietary information. They may have friends at another company and plan to share some trade secrets with them, in spite of an employment agreement.
  • Motivation. Is this potential candidate motivated to work? Do you see a trend on their pages to laziness and a lax attitude or is there a good mix of fun and work? Every social media page will have some pictures and statements of the lighter side of life but there should be a balance.
  • Reputation. Social media pages tend to be a dumping ground for pictures, fights, and even the airing of grievances. Does this candidate seem to have a lot of drama on their pages? Are there embarrassing photos anywhere? If hired, this candidate will be part of the company and be part of the company front; would that be a positive or negative thing?

Not every candidate will have a full social media profile and they may only use the professional sites such as LinkedIn for the employment searches. It is wise to search for the candidate online in order to determine their impact on your organization. A strong social media presence isn’t always looking for the negative aspects as sometimes you may learn more about a candidate, creating a desire to hire them over the competition.

Have additional questions on how to properly screen candidates? Contact us today to learn about the advantages of partnering with us for your hiring needs.

What Unconventional Benefits Could You Provide Employees?

January 10th, 2014

As a manager, you want to treat your team members well but you don’t always have the ability to provide monetary incentives. Is there something else you can offer to show your appreciation? What does your team enjoy? You first have to understand what is important to them, as each person will be different but many times there will be a common currency that is not just money.

If you’re looking for some creative ways, here are just a couple unconventional benefits your staff might truly enjoy:

  1. Flex schedules.
    This is a growing trend with companies and while it may seem disorganized, it can be a great benefit. Not only does this give them time to complete personal tasks that are important to them but it can allow them to focus while they are at work. For example, if your team members have children in school, they won’t want to miss out on school programs, sports games, or other important events. Would you rather have an employee who leaves early but completes all their work or an employee who is not focused on their work but rather thinking about the missed performance?
  2. Break room snacks.
    This used to be a fairly standard benefit for employees but some companies did away with free waters, coffees, and snacks to help reduce costs. Not only does it hurt the health of the staff but the camaraderie that was built in the break room is now non-existent. Your team will benefit from staying hydrated, having healthy snacks, and even just getting up to walk around. Friendships and team building is cultivated in the casual conversations in the break room, hallways, and downtime throughout the day.
  3. Company catered lunches.
    This doesn’t have to happen daily but once or twice a month, providing lunch to your employees can be a huge morale booster. Even if they don’t like the food, the effort put into it will not be lost on them.
  4. Personal days.
    Do you have certain teams that have worked long hours to complete a project? Why not offer them an afternoon off? Let them take off early on a Friday after lunch. Not only can they relax earlier in the day but they may be able to spend time with their families, and that will help to keep them grounded during the busy weeks.

Make sure you know your team before requesting they participate in any type of benefit you design for them. They may not respond well and it will be seen as a negative aspect of work rather than as the positive action you intended. As a manager or business owner, you have the ability to improve the lives of your staff, without dipping too far into the company budget. Taking the time to demonstrate your appreciation will go far with your staff.

Have additional questions? Pinnacle Workforce expands on our mission to provide affordable staffing solutions, bringing proven experience and a reputation for excellence to the unique needs of the healthcare industry. Contact us today to learn how a partnership with our team can positively impact yours!

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