As a job seeker, does it sometimes feel like you are lost in a sea of other job candidates? If you’ve been looking at the recent unemployment figures for your region, it’s not difficult to imagine the rising number of adults who are without adequate employment. On average, hiring managers receive anywhere from 50 to 200 applications for every single job opening, so that means a lot of resumes to review. Therefore, taking action to get noticed by the HR or recruitment manager is critical to getting called in for an interview, and getting a great job offer.

The good news is that you can stand out from other candidates by following these helpful tips!

Use the right resume format. When it comes to getting noticed by hiring managers, the format of your resume and your cover letter really do count. Take the time to utilize an updated resume template to organize your career objective, employment and educational history, which makes it more appealing for a recruiter to learn more about your qualifications. Keep cover letters concise and professional. Use the keywords found in job ads to increase the chance you will be found online by recruiters.

Create a compelling brand. Did you know that as a job seeker you need to develop a professional brand for yourself? The big marketing agencies do this all the time to get noticed by more consumers. Take the time to identify what you are most passionate about in your career, and then create a brand around this. For example, you may be a manager who loves everything about information technology. Create a brand that expresses your love for project management or new technology.

Develop your career networks. Your career networks are the most important way to get noticed by hiring managers. Take the time to focus on ways of getting involved with more career and professional associations and communities. LinkedIn and Facebook can provide excellent opportunities to reach out to these networks. Create content and engage with others through meaningful dialogue. Use these networks to connect with recruiters in your industry.

Head for job fairs. Another effective way to increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters is by attending local and online career fairs. By physically presenting your resume and skills to area recruiters, you can make a positive first impression that will get you called in for interviews with hiring companies. Remember to put your best foot forward by dressing for success and being proactive as you hand out your resume.

Work with recruiters. A professional recruiter can help take your career search to the next great level. In addition to having a large network of hiring companies, many of whom do not advertise job openings, you’ll have the expert support of a seasoned recruiter to help you get the right attention. By choosing a recruiter to represent you and negotiate for you to targeted companies in your industry, very often you will get more positive attention and a job offer that excels your current efforts alone. Consider the benefits of this relationship.

Come back often to The Rick Rice Report  for more advice on getting found by the right hiring managers and boosting your job search. Feel free to leave your comments below and be sure to follow Rick Rice on Twitter!

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Very slowly, but surely, companies are recovering from what has been a challenging last 5 years in the USA’s economy. Many are now carefully evaluating what their staffing and growth plans will be for the coming year as things are still somewhat uncertain. While it’s natural to be hesitant to go into a hiring spree, the experts are saying that the gross domestic product is projected to develop at a rate of 3.3 percent per year for the next five years, meaning new and existing business growth will flourish.

What recruitment goal is your business planning?

Depending on what industry your company is, you may or may not have an aggressive recruitment strategy planned. But, you do have to think about how and when you will start recruiting because business growth will come and it will come rapidly. How you manage this will be the determining factor for your successful business expansion and influence. The people you choose will decide how well you will be able to innovate and rise above the competition too.

If you are on the fence somewhat about your staffing needs for the upcoming years, here are some things you can do now to get you off on the right foot.

Evaluate your current staff skillets and abilities as part of a succession plan. The goal of any successful business is to groom talented employees into higher positions where they can shine. Take a careful inventory of the skills, talents, achievements, and aspirations of your current workforce to identify those who have the potential to be your top performers. Promote from within.

Uncover any weaknesses or key skill shortages in your employee population. Industries change, so too do the technologies and skillsets that your employees need to have. As part of your succession planning, make sure to also identify the skills and knowledge that is not present.  Give your employees the opportunity to learn new skills through employer sponsored education and certification programs.

Focus your recruitment efforts on staffing for critical shortage areas. While you may struggle with high turnover rates in some areas of your company, it’s important to remain focused on the critical skills your new hires need to be successful. Hire pre-screened, well-vetted candidates who have the potential to be high performers and innovators.

Increase employee retention with low cost perks and improved work environments. To help maintain adequate staffing, take a look at the current benefits you offer your workforce. Then add some inexpensive perks to give employees more incentive to remain loyal to your company. Health and wellness benefits, on-site services, child care support, and entertainment discounts can be very attractive.

Consider the advantages of partnering with a recruiting professional. To keep a handle on the costs and time of your recruitment and business growth strategy, a seasoned recruiter can help you develop a customized staffing plan. This plan can help you locate the right candidates for new assignments, and you will have access to staff as your business ebbs and flows.

Come back often to The Rick Rice Report  for more advice on staffing and business growth management. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow Rick Rice on Twitter!

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It’s that festive time of year again, when most people are spending time celebrating another happy holiday season with friends and family. But, before you grab another cookie or glass of eggnog, consider how you can use this time off to get the new year off to a great start and plan what goals or steps you must make to help reach your career objectives. Here are some things you should be doing as the year winds down to insure a successful year.

1. Write down all your accomplishments this year, both professional and personal. If you look back over the past twelve months, I’ll bet you will be amazed at all you’ve been able to accomplish and the goals you’ve met. Take the time to honor these achievements as fuel to motivate you in the coming year.
2. Update your professional resume with work related accomplishments. During this lull in work time, take a moment to update your resume to include all of the most relevant accomplishments. A way to do this is to simply include a bulleted list under your job description of your accomplishments and the impact or ROI they had towards your department or company’s business objectives. This is important for two reasons – it keeps your resume up to date when that special career opportunity presents its self and more importantly it helps prepare you for your annual review by having a list of your accomplishments for the year. It’s easy to forget all that you’ve accomplished if you don’t document it on a 6-month or yearly basis.
3. Schedule a meeting with your manager to go over your achievements and goals goals (if this is not a company policy). Now that you have a list of the things you accomplished last year, you will be better prepared for that annual review with your manager. You’ll want to be proactive and show your manager that you care about your career, how your efforts have benefited the company and that you are worth further investment and potentially more responsibilities.
4. Set at least 3 goals for your career in the coming year that are motivational. Only you know what helps you to be productive in your assigned tasks and what keeps you showing up at the office to work every day. Use this time to reflect on any goals you want to work on next year and any that you didn’t quite meet this year. Choose at least 3 big goals for yourself.
5. Take time to do something special to reward yourself for a job well done. Chances are, you’ve worked very hard all year long. Therefore, this is an opportune time to schedule some personal pampering to reward yourself. Take a few days off. Grab a ticket to paradise. Experience something new you’ve always wanted to try. This is your life – live it!
6. Celebrate the holidays by appreciating all that you have done and have. Take inventory of all the positives you’ve experienced throughout the year, as you celebrate the holiday season. There are so many things to be grateful for, but very easy to over look. Take time to write down the things you are grateful for about your health, your family, your life and your career that you may have forgotten to consider in the hustle and bustle of this time of year.

Rick Rice would like to personally wish each and every one of you a safe and happy holiday season! I appreciate that you take the time to visit the Rick Rice Report each month, including the feedback and comments you leave. As we head into 2013, I’d like to wish you all a prosperous and productive new year.

The holiday season is the opportune time for employers to thank their hardworking staff for a long year of goals met and revenues earned. However, offering cash bonuses can get very pricey when multiplied by the number of employees. That’s when the organization should consider holiday incentives that won’t break the bank. Here’s a look at some non-cash holiday perks you can offer to your employees this year.

10 Holiday Incentives that Don’t Involve Cash

1. Free Catered Meal – All employees like to eat, therefore you can make the holidays a fun time by offering a catered lunch that includes all the best fixings. As an alternative, pick a specific day each week to bring in baked goods and gourmet coffees for breakfast.
2. Entertainment Discounts – Chances are your employees will be entertaining holiday guests this time of year, therefore they will need ideas for a night out on the town. Why not make this easier for employees by offering discounts to local entertainment venues, like movies, plays and museums?
3. Corporate Gym – The holidays can be a stressful time and especially for those trying to lose weight or maintain health, therefore you can easily designate a special area in your building for a small in-house gym. Add a treadmill, exercise bikes, and some hand weights and benches for a great way to give the gift of health to your employees.
4. Special Parking Spot – The holidays can be a time when some employees feel dragged out. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a parking spot close by to ease this stress? Make a list of employees and each week designate a special parking spot near the front of the building that’s normally reserved for management.
5. Wall of Fame – All employees deserve some recognition, and the holiday season can be a great time to raise morale with an employee wall of fame poster. Add photos of your employees doing remarkable things and give them kudos at the weekly staff meetings. You can also create an online version of this.
6. Flexible Schedule – During the holiday season, many employees may find it difficult to experience work-life balance. Therefore, one of the best incentives you can offer is more flexibility with work hours. Give employees the option to work remotely at least once a week.
7. Floating Holiday – Giving employees the choice of when they would like to take a day off, no questions asked, is a valuable incentive for those who need some down-time once in a while. Announce  that you are adding one additional paid day off that must be used by the end of the year.
8. Updated Office  – A spiffy, improved work environment can be a nice incentive for employees during the holidays. Add some new soft seating and tables, and replace any worn out office equipment with more ergonomic work stations.
9. Onsite Massages – This non-cash incentive is easy to arrange and manage, plus it produces happier employees who are less stressed, and more productive.
10. Achievement Certificates – Although you should be giving praise to your employees all year long, the holiday season is a great time to start a recognition program with printed certificates of achievement in a holiday theme. Present printed certificates at staff meetings and make sure employees are recognized in front of their peers often.

Come back often to The Rick Rice Report often for more ways to provide perks and incentives for your employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

Recruiting today takes a combination of time tested methods and modern techniques. Very often, your current employees can be the best source of new hires in the form of referral programs and incentives. Why? Because your current employee base is likely made up of brand ambassadors who know how great your company is to work for. They also understand what it takes to be successful in your corporate culture and they generally have personal networks of professionals who would also fit well here.

So, how do you encourage your loyal employees to refer their colleagues to you for current and future work opportunities? Learn how to inspire your employees to bring their friends and partners on board.

Create a Great Corporate Culture

You want good people, right? Then your company must go the extra mile to entice the right people to your door. This includes your current employees who should become raving fans of your corporate culture and business brand. Once you accomplish this, your employees will be glad to refer their friends and colleagues to your door.

Provide Referral Incentives

Nothing gets in-house referrals better than a generous employee referral incentive plan. Offer a cash reward or a percentage of a new hire salary to your current employees, but stipulate that the new hire must stay on the job for at least 90 days from hire. Remind employees often of this way to earn more by referring more.

Launch Recruiting Events

Each year, focus on staffing efforts through scheduled recruiting events. Stimulate employee referrals by offering an added bonus for sending potential clients to you in advance of each event. This can give your business a boost as you’ll have more time to screen and evaluate these referrals, and your employees can help with the orientation process.

Hold Department Competitions

Want to give your team building an advantage? Create a little competition in your company by setting goals for each department to refer a specific number of candidates to your recruiting department. Put up a wall chart and track this progress. The winning department gets a special incentive at year end – cash or a celebration.

Remember, communicate to your employees often of the advantages of referring their best colleagues to your company. Make this an easy and confidential process for all employees. You’ll soon find that your teams are coming together in a meaningful and highly productive way as a result of direct employee referral efforts.

Come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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As the Thanksgiving season comes around once more, it’s a good time to pause for a moment and reflect on all of the many blessings we should be thankful for. For many folks, this includes being grateful for having a career in the first place, when so many others are unemployed or looking for something better. While every career has its challenges, having the ability to make a living doing something you are good at certainly has its rewards too.

5 Things to Be Thankful for at Work

To get you in the thankful frame of mind, here are some thoughts to ponder in terms of your career.

1. Your career is more stable than others.  The very fact that you have a current job is something to be very thankful for in this unstable world economy. With some 10 percent of the US working population out of work, it’s important to remember that your job is one that has held out for a long time because your company is well-managed.
2. You create your own career existence. The assignment you are in now has been made possible by the company you work for, but your day to day career experience is something you have control over. Despite the interruptions from co-workers, the phone ringing, and the occasional customer; your work day is what you make of it. This is something to be very thankful for.
3. Others wish they had your skills and career. Very often, working professionals dream of doing something vastly different from where they end up. Yet, for each person questioning if the grass is greener in another career path, there are those trying to break into yours. Value your unique skill set and the experiences you have earned on the job, and make the most of it.
4. The work you do is important and meaningful. Whether you think so or not, you are a very valuable member of the team you work with. In fact, your company could not accomplish what it has been able to do over the last year without your contribution. Sure, there are good and bad days in any career, but you are a piece of the puzzle which is something to be thankful for because you are important.
5. The corporate environment allows you to network and make friends. Can you imagine having a job where you could not interact with the people around you? In some places, this is a reality. And as a human being this is very depressing. Take a look around you and recognize the interesting people you get to work with each and every day.

Heading into 2013, it’s critical that you take a look back at all the events and experiences you’ve earned this year. Update your resume with your accomplishments, and do not take for granted the lessons you’ve learned. Your career and the ability to hold down a job is something to be thankful for every day.

For more career enlightenment, come back to The Rick Rice Report  for advice  and tips for making your career better. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

Want your job postings to stand out and attract the best candidates? Since many of today’s jobs are published on the Internet, in conjunction with standard newspaper advertisements, there are some specific methods you need to use when creating job postings. These best practices can help you to get in front of more suitable candidates, earn you more traction through search engines, and increase the likelihood of successful hiring.

6 Tips for Better Job Advertisements  

There are more effective ways you can publish better job postings, both online and through print advertisement methods. Follow these tips for enhanced recruiting.

#1 – Use Descriptive, Keyword Focused Job Titles

If there’s one thing you do right with a job ad, it’s to write an attention getting job title that includes relevant keywords for your industry. Make sure your job titles match with the actual duties and requirements of the job you are trying to place candidates in, as they will go looking for a job. Also include, the amount of time that is spent with each duty. Let the candidate know exactly what the position entails.

#2 – Write a Killer Company Introduction

Start your job ads not with a dull description of the job itself, but rather a well-developed description of your company and why it’s a great place to work. Include any awards or industry recognition, and your mission statement.

#3 – Create a Clear Job Description

The best job ads include a clear and concise job description in easy to read format. Start with a short paragraph of the general description, then bullet the duties and what the candidate can expect as a future employee.

#4 – Include Requirements for the Assignment

To reel in the best candidates, be sure to include the actual requirements for the job itself. These can include the skills, background, experience, industry knowledge, and educational level desired. Make sure the requirements comply with EEOC guidelines.

#5 – Leave out the Salary but Highlight Benefits

While some recruiters may disagree, you don’t want to include specific information about the salary because it only attracts those who want certain pay scales, not those who want to work for your company for other reasons. However, do include the benefits and perks that your company offers.

# 6 – Provide Access to a Corporate Career Portal / Application Form

A good job ad includes information so that the candidate can submit a resume or application for employment. Give a link to your corporate website career page, a link to the specific job posting,  and the online application form.

Finding time to write great job ads can pay off in the end. You will get better quality candidates to interview, and more leads as your job ads are shared online by a large number of career networks.

For more tips on how to recruit the best talent, come back to The Rick Rice Report  for advice on managing your most important resource – employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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Is your company’s branding sending the wrong message to potential applicants? If you consistently brand your business, you may improve the types of candidates you attract. Your employer brand, more specifically, is a critical point of interest to interested applicants. The best of the best will quickly move on if your company isn’t one they think highly of in terms of how they hire employees and keep them. Is it time for you to polish your message?

Do You Have a Brand Message?

Does your brand have a message when it comes to employees and hiring? Many companies hire professionals to create this type of brand for their organization, just as they would to launch their next product. It is that important. If you do have one, it is critical to carry that message in a consistent manner across all channels. No matter where you promote your business or how you do it, you need this level of consistency present.

Does Corporate Branding Really Matter?

It may seem that the job market, with the numerous people that are looking for work sending in applications daily, that you do not need to invest in this type of marketing any longer. The problem is, the quality you are getting could be suffering. Top professionals in the industry are always looking for the next big company to be a part of, but they will not work with a company that’s not attractive to them. More so, some experts believe that having positive employee branding will help you to bring in people for less money.

Check Your Social Media Campaigns

Many employers are using social media as a way to bring in key employees. Even if you are not actively hiring, you still may use social media networks to keep your ear to the ground to find the professionals that are best suited for your business. However, be sure that you are attracting the right employees in this manner. Every aspect of your business’s social media presence should focus on the same type of employee brand, everything from your posts to your pages.

Email Still Works

Even when you send out emails to potential candidates, this message needs to come through. Is the email you are sending to that top executive you hope to interview getting read? Does it have the same type of message that is consistent with your employee brand? If not, refocus it to achieve your goals.

Take a long look at what employees and prospective employees think of your business. What does your employee brand say about your company? You want applicants to know what you expect and what you provide to your employees. Is this clear? Why should they apply? It may be time to polish off that brand to make it better represent your company.

For more tips on how to recruit the best talent, come back to The Rick Rice Report  for advice on managing your most important resource – employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

Many employers use an annual review as a way to encourage employees to grow and develop into successful professionals. Yet, that is just one day out of the year. In the meantime, they could be making big mistakes (or even big improvements.) It is possible to encourage employees to grow and develop throughout the year. A coaching program, for example, allows for ongoing training and development. Not only does this contribute to the individual’s success, but it can also enable the company to grow sooner because of the improvements the individual is making.

How to Make It Happen

The following tips can help you to build a coaching mentality within your organization. By enabling your team to work on consistent improvement, you could see big things happen in a short amount of time.

• Build a good relationship of mutual trust with your team. The day-to-day relationship should be a good one so they can accept the information you provide easily.
• Host meetings that are on a more frequent basis to discuss the growth and development of the individual. Ensure this is not done to just one person, but as a part of the process of developing professionals.
• Discuss the good and the bad. Get agreement from the individual about what he or she is experiencing based on the points you have brought up. You want the individual to want to make changes to improve.
• Find alternatives to the issue. In short, you need to allow the individual and you to come to an agreement of what steps to take to fix the underlying problem. You want them to commit to the improvement in some way. They need verbally to agree with you.
• Deal with excuses and do not overlook them as potential hot points to resolving conflict. If there are excuses, find out what the underlying problem is and correct it.

In order for employees to respond to growth and coaching meetings like this, they need to be on the same page as you. This means this session needs to be a positive one. The goal should not be to bash the employee, but to work together to take the next step forward.

For more tips on how to develop your talent, come back to The Rick Rice Report  for advice on managing your most important resource – employees. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

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Once upon a time, small businesses had a hard time competing with the big salaries and benefits packages giant corporations had to offer. However, times are changing and even small businesses can still manage to attract the talented and dedicated staff they need in order to compete with the “big boys” in any industry. Your job is to present them in the right way to hit home with your prospects. Here are just a few of the nontraditional benefits you can offer that might make all the difference with job candidates.

Work-Life Balance

Family-friendly is a huge benefit today. Gone are the candidates who are willing to work 80-100 hours a week in a blind attempt to advance within the company. Today’s workers want to have a healthy family to work balance. They want to have it all and realize that’s simply not possible working for a company that demands every ounce of time, attention, and devotion.

Play up the fact that you offer a forty to fifty hour workweek rather than requiring every waking moment of effort from employees. Let them know that you offer some flexibility to work at home during family emergencies or when children are home sick from school (if possible) or even to take off portions of days rather than full days to handle important appointments and family commitments.

Family Atmosphere at Work

This is another “hidden” benefit that will appeal to a lot of job candidates—especially those who have worked for the big, impersonal corporations in the past. Not only does this make candidates feel confident that they will be judged for the work they do, but they also find it a refreshing change not to need a name tag to be recognized on company property.

There’s a lot to be said for not being “just another” corporate minion and treated as such. Candidates are sure to appreciate that. Many of them are specifically seeking that in their next employment situation—even if it means a cut in pay and/or benefits.

Flexible Work Arrangements

This is perhaps the most sought after work perk you can offer to perspective employees. The best thing to remember about this is that it doesn’t cost a lot to offer it either. While some businesses simply aren’t able to offer it because they need to be adequately staffed for each hour of the work day, there are just as many businesses that are able to offer it and it doesn’t cost them a lot of money to make it happen.

You can offer rolling start times, work from home, four ten-hour days, and countless other potential arrangements that will help employees feel as though they have an adequate balance of time between work and family commitments.

It’s not always the big moves that matter most to potential employees. Sometimes, it’s just about painting the things your company has to offer in the right light to get their attention.

For more tips on how to find the best candidates, come back to The Rick Rice Report often for business updates and advice. Feel free to leave your comments below and follow us on Twitter!

Photo Credit: Stuart Miles @ freedigitalimages.net