In addition to Lucy McGrealy's speech, read the speech by Audie McCarthy or view the Questions and Answers posed to the Panel of Experts.

Employers Perspective of Recruitment & Hiring

Delivered by Lucy McGreal

Today, I’ve been asked to share with you the employer’s perspective of the recruitment and hiring process, but just before I do, I thought I’d share a little of my personal journey in the workforce…having heard Carole speak the other day, I thought perhaps some of you may appreciate hearing my story …of course, in a much condensed version!

I started working straight out of high school at the age of 18. It was a time when jobs were plentiful and salaries were good. I married, started a family and decided that I didn’t want to work full-time while raising my children…so I stayed home and worked part-time, on call and did odd work assignments. During that time, I decided I wanted to go back to school and develop my knowledge and skills…I couldn’t do this full-time due to my young family and due to finances…so, I started by taking night courses in Human Resources...Life was hectic, raising 3 boys – all were active in competitive sports, working part-time and writing assignments and taking exams at a time in my life where I thought that was all behind me. Well, I found out that although it was stressful, I loved the learning and felt better about myself. I was constantly being asked why I didn’t work full-time, but the time just wasn’t right for me...After taking several courses, I knew I had to start working on gaining experiences in Human Resources so that I could develop the knowledge that I learned and put it into practice. I started taking on more and more responsibility at work...when the time was right I started applying to full-time positions in HR – The change was huge – I went from working part-time to full-time, in a totally new environment, with new technology, different than what I was accustomed to, a fast pace environment where you were expected to “hit the ground running”. It was an adjustment for me and my family …Needless to say, I lost a lot of weight trying to juggle everything, (that part wasn’t bad!) …but I found I grew and the more I accomplished, the more I felt confident that I could accomplish new things that came my way…. I continued with my studies, received my Human Resources Designation in 1999 and continue to work in Human Resources. I share this with you because, I had to learn to move out of my comfort zone, to take chances and really commit to learning and developing myself and if I hadn’t, I don’t know that I would be doing what I’m doing today…which I truly enjoy. I’m over 50 and I still have those inner talks with myself to push myself out of my comfort zone….

So, now I’m going to share with you what I was asked to speak to you about and that is the Employer’s Perspective – on Job Search.

How employers are recruiting in today’s labour market.

For most employers the recruitment process is a very expensive and labourious exercise. It can be a very costly gamble…….We have to be strategic in how and where we spend our limited advertising budget and we have to be creative in our attempts to lure the top talent to our organization. Most employers are meeting this challenge by developing career pages and on-line application processes on the company’s website. The City of Hamilton’s career pages and on line application system receives over 600,000 visits per year. Like a lot of other employers, the City of Hamilton is decreasing its use of newspapers for advertising jobs preferring to use specific job search sites and professional websites. Consequently, you are more likely to see a job advertisement for the City on Workopolis or Ontario Professional Society of Engineers than you would in the Hamilton Spectator. Employers are branding their company image and placing ads on popular social networking sites, hoping that you will be intrigued by the company and take a look at their website. They have spent lots of resources developing career pages explaining their company, the culture of their workplace and their employee value propositions. Employers are even looking at capturing the attention of their future workforce by establishing contact with them at a younger and younger age. More job fairs with local high schools and coop opportunities to entice tomorrow’s workers to seriously consider careers in their organization. So, my first tip to today’s job seekers is to concentrate your job search utilizing professional web sites and company sites to spot job opportunities where you have an interest and where you feel that you may have the skills and experience to apply.

What behaviours employers like to see in a job seeker and things that job seekers do that employers dislike:

Screening resumes has changed dramatically in the last 5 or 6 years. Most organizations have changed the way they screen resumes, particularly large companies. Often they have software packages that assist with the screening of resumes or they outsource their screening activities to an external agency – often the same agency they posted the position with. What this means is that a company unrelated to the business of the organization, or a Human Resource person is screening your application….again, it could be someone a little more familiar with the business activities, but not actually someone in that business – what this means is that the Line Managers are not reading your resume at this point so you can appreciate how important it is to craft your resume so that anyone reading it will understand it. - So, my next tip to you would be to ensure that your resume is crafted so that anyone reading it will understand it. For example drop all acronyms that are common in your field – or at a minimum include the long version….As a recruiter unrelated to that line of work I may not understand what it means and I won’t assume it either. It’s good practice as well if you take the time to indicate the nature of the business of your former employers…especially if their company name is an acronym or doesn’t reveal the nature of their business. For example, perhaps you previously worked at GEC - on your resume, in parentheses, beside the employer’s name, write that Greenfield Energy Centre is a combined cycle, natural gas fired power plant. This will ensure that whoever is reading your resume will have a good understanding of the information you’ve provided. One thing employers particularly dislike is an 8 page resume filled with irrelevant information. I recruit for hundreds of jobs and find that very few people need a resume that is longer than 3 pages. First and foremost, know that the goal of your resume is to get you the interview. It will not get you the job, only the interview. You are trying to get across enough information to get you an interview.

Focus on work experiences and education that is current and relevant to the position you are applying for. Play particular attention to the knowledge, experience and skills being sought and if you have these, ensure that you include this information clearly on your resume. Of course, it goes without saying that the information is valid. Where you have held positions that have no relevancy to the job that you are applying to, you could simply list the name of the company and the position you held there and the applicable dates. Always think of relevancy! Customize your resume for the job you are targeting. In other words, you do not use the same resume for each and every job. Focus on the Employer’s needs and not your own. In order to understand this start with the job posting and search the company’s site and if you know someone that works for the company use your personal network to find out more information about the needs of the company.

While we are still on the topic of resumes – you may or may not be surprised at some of the e-mail addresses applicants include in their resume. Now let me just say that some are such that I cannot even repeat here. You know how they say a picture paints a thousand words – the same is true for some e-mail addresses – and I’m not saying that in a positive sense. It can leave a perception that is difficult to erase while reviewing a resume…It could make the difference of whether one reviews a resume or not. Think professional, when you are including an e-mail address on your resume. Ideally use an email address that includes your name. The same applies to your voice mail. Ensure that any voice mail service you use includes a professional greeting and any phone number you use will be answered by you or go to your voice mail.

The importance of references – first and foremost, make sure the reference you give is alive! Believe it or not, I had someone give me a reference and when I contacted the number, they told me that the person was deceased… This made my task impossible! When you use someone as a reference, you need to let them know that you are using them. In most cases the references is a means of confirming information stated on a resume and obtained during the interview process as well as an opportunity to obtain additional information on such things as attendance, punctuality, the ability to work in a team and so on…and guess what else employers are doing? A little electronic snooping! Yes, employers are checking your electronic profile. So, my next tip to you is ONE, to never ever lie or embellish your resume and TWO, ensure you check out what electronic profile you have and ensure that you are not showing up on Face Book with your head in the toilet during a wild party or that your blog doesn’t contain ranting and ravings against your current or any previous employer, etc.

You have probably heard that many applicants embellish their resumes and a significant percentage blatantly lie on their resumes. So, what do you think employers are doing about that risk????? Well, they are asking to have your university or college transcripts sent directly to them for validation of your education. They are asking certifying bodies to validate your claims of certification. For example, in our Water and Wastewater Division of Public Works we have the Ministry of the Environment validate Operator’s Water and Wastewater certificates – we need to ensure that the employees treating our water are certified and therefore qualified to do so…..Honesty is perhaps the most valued characteristics employers look for. How many of you have been asked this question in an interview “Tell us of a time when you made a critical mistake at work. What was it and what did you do?” This is not a trick question. Employers ask these types of questions to see if you are honest. Do you own up to making mistakes, do you take responsibility and try to fix the mistake and ultimately did you learn anything from it? Honest employees add to the organization’s integrity and allow it to fix problems before they become disasters. Other highly valued characteristics employers are looking for in prospective employees….accountability, responsibility and being innovative. Make sure that your resume and how you answer interview questions clearly demonstrates how you are accountable, responsible and if applicable innovative. Passion - employers particularly want to see someone either passionate about the work that they do, the job they are applying for or the organization they are applying to. Candidates who demonstrate passion are intriguing, captivating and totally engaging. Employers particularly value passionate candidates because somehow we are reassured that they will be engaged and happy in their work. Passionate candidates are more likely to be in the know, immersed in their field, knowledgeable about trends and upcoming issues, determined and dedicated. The flip sides of passion are those job seekers who appear totally disinterested. You can appreciate that when a candidate shows no interest in the position they are applying to, the hiring panel does not get a sense that this person will be engaged or stay for the long haul. I have actually had candidates that have been called in for an interview and they didn’t know what position they were being considered for! …they had been applying to many positions, and hadn’t taken the time to prepare and at the very least know a little bit of the job they were being considered for. Needless to say, they didn’t get the job! On the flip side, I have also had Managers tell me how impressed they were with candidates who have done their homework and researched the City’s site and were very aware of some the programs and services that were in the works. Consequently, they were well equipped to respond to job related questions competently and demonstrated a high level of interest and capabilities in the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Besides the way in which you answer interview questions, lack of interest can be apparent by the manner in which you are dressed, little habits such as finger drumming or clicking your pen throughout an interview and by a dull and monotone voice. If you think that you have any one of these behaviors, correct it immediately.

Be careful about revealing too much personal information. Typically, employers will not be moved by hard luck stories, and in fact most of the time are very uncomfortable with them….The employer is focusing on your skills, knowledge and abilities as they relate to the job they need done. Consider yourself a sales person and you are the product. Demonstrate the skills, knowledge and abilities that you have to sell to them and the advantages they will gain if they hire you! …stay away from hard luck stories.

Finally, candidates will often use the last portion of the interview to say that they will do any kind of development asked of them if they would only be given a chance at doing the job. Or that they are confident they could learn the job, if given the chance. Employers view the hiring process as a business transaction. You are selling skills, abilities and knowledge enabling you to do the job we are filling and we are willing to pay for them. The employer is not a charitable organization. In today’s economic climate, most organizations have to do more with less so they are not interested in hiring someone who has to be trained to do the job. If you find yourself one who often says you want to be given a chance, drop it. It’s not going to happen. I’m sorry to be so blunt about it, but this attitude is detrimental to you. Focus on developing your skills, knowledge and abilities so that you can confidently sell yourself as the best person for the job.

What information should candidates ask in an interview?

Most interviews end with the opportunity for the candidate to ask questions of the employer. Although the interview is essentially over, so the opportunity to earn additional points is over, often times it is a part of the interview that managers talk about after the candidate leaves. Some candidates will lose their chance of success by:

1. talking about the benefits, conditions and perks of the job
2. name dropping
3. asking unsuitable questions

One, do not ask about salary, vacations, car allowances, etc….at this point. These are issues we expect to discuss when we make a job offer to you. Often times, you can find this type of information on the Company’s web site or by other means. Two, name dropping is also quite common and totally inappropriate. Some candidates feel that if they tell us that they know someone or someone recommended that they apply – they think it’s going to give them an edge. The reality is employers want to hire you for what you have to offer not who you know. Stay away from questions relating to controversy and politics – instead remember Passion! ….Ask questions that demonstrate your passion for the work…, such as

1. What do you see as the most critical tasks to master in the first six months of this job?
2. If I am the successful candidate in this job, what issues would you want me to make a priority?
3. Are there special projects or initiatives that I would need to focus on?

You’ve made it through the interview process and now some positions require police clearances - Why are police checks done for both paid and volunteer employment?

Employers are always keen to eliminate all risk associated in the hiring practice and so as I previously stated they are checking and verifying all the information they can relating to a prospective candidate. There are some positions, however, where employers are required to verify criminal records either dictated by legislation and/or where the performance of the position deals with groups of people deemed to be “vulnerable persons” such as children, the elderly or disabled persons who are dependent on others and at a greater risk than the general population. This would apply whether the position is paid, unpaid or volunteer. Generally this requirement is noted on the applicable job advertisement or volunteer opportunity and any offer of employment in this capacity, whether paid or not, would be conditional upon a clear criminal record check. Police clearances could also be asked for positions that have access to highly confidential and classified information. In many cases there are policies and procedures around the requirement of criminal record checks and the receiving, considering and safeguarding of the results of any submitted police background checks. It is critical that employers exercise due diligence in regards to criminal record checks.

I mentioned volunteer employment – How important are volunteer activities?

Volunteer work is a great way of honing some critical job skills especially if you haven’t had the opportunity of developing that skill in the workplace. Leadership skills are often developed by holding positions in volunteer organizations. Coaching and mentoring are skills that volunteers develop through coaching minor hockey, baseball, soccer. Although not all volunteer activities can help in your professional development, know that most employers are community minded and respect and encourage their employees to be as well.

Encouraging tips for the audience

Although there has been a lot of job loss, Manpower recently reported that “Global talent shortages persist despite recession – 30 % of employers have trouble filling positions” Many employers are having difficulty recruiting for specific skills as the work is getting more complex.

For the 2nd year in a row, vacancies were hardest to fill in skilled trades, which include electricians, plumbers and carpenters. Sales representatives ranked second followed by technicians, engineers and managers.

Employers are seriously strategizing about attracting talent to their organizations in an effort to deal with reported trends that point to a looming shortage of skilled workers or “talent shortage” that will emerge once the economy recovers - due to an aging population and continual lower birth rates

Employers are also serious about retaining talent. More money and resources are earmarked for the development of talent and other strategies to keep top performers in the workplace. So once we get you we want to keep you.

Now more than ever it pays to invest in your self development and be passionate - develop your capacity to learn and grow.

Failure to win a job is not a reflection of who you are. I’ve interviewed many candidates who were not successful to a particular job but they left an impression on me and I genuinely hope to see them at interviews for another posting I may have.

I believe that job seekers who are committed to continuous learning and growth, passionate about the work that they do and who can demonstrate that they are adaptable, flexible and accepting of change are the potential employees employers will work hard to attract to their organization.

In closing, I hope that at least some of the information that I have shared with you today will be of benefit to you. I truly wish you all luck and success in your job search and all your future endeavours.