Employees Archives - The Resource Collaborative

TRC Giving Thanks with Holiday Cheer!

December 9, 2015 by Ellen Shepard

TRCollaborative Logo with Website Address

peanuts_xmas As we gather with friends and colleagues this holiday season, we take a moment to thank you for allowing us to support you and your teams throughout this past year. At TRC, we are an earnest growing team who prides ourselves in being an extension of our clients’ teams.

Being there for you when you are winning…

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And when there are challenges…

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Is what we are all about… because…

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Wishing you all the best this Holiday Season & Happy New Year!

Do not hesitate to give TRC a ring at 917-681-3041. We look forward to hearing from you!

5 Keys to Promoting your Company Brand to Prospective Employees

October 20, 2015 by Ellen Shepard

We have all seen the company ratings come out each year – top 50 places to work, best technology companies to work, and fastest growing companies in XXXX. AND, we always read these lists, almost as a guilty pleasure, to see who has made the list! Candidates are particularly interested in these ratings and as the millennials are demonstrating, the factors that make a company “a place I want to work” are changing…it is no longer about choosing a place to work for the next 10-20 years, it is about company culture, the learning experience, flexibility, growth potential and, oh, yes – who are my co-workers! These are top factors that are influencing job choices being made by candidates today.

How does your company promote itself?

1. A company that demonstrates “human interactions matter” will make certain the candidate experience throughout the hiring process is a thoughtful and useful one.

* Send information about the opportunity in advance of any interviews.

* Communicate about the “real” benefits through a brief summary.

* Provide useful information about the business of the company.

2. A company that demonstrates they “set their people up for success” will make certain that candidates have what they need to be successful during the hiring process.

* Explain the hiring process.

* Provide information that will be useful during the hiring process, like appropriate dress, eliminating surprises.

* Be certain interviewers explain what it will take to be successful in this position.

3. A company that has “employees who are happy to work there”, will demonstrate this directly.

* Be certain your website has videos and personal messages to candidates from employees.

* STEP OUT: During the hiring process, schedule current employees, in similar positions, to speak to candidates directly.

* Communicate about company social activities…”getting to know you”.

4. A company that offers flexibility, learning and growth, will demonstrate this through a brief look at “how people work” in the company.

* Do a walk-through of the workspace to show an open, collaborative work environment.

* Communicate the offerings of formal training for new skills.

* Highlight the career mentoring employees receive from seasoned managers.

5. A company that “embraces social media” as a means of communication will be certain it is being reflected in a positive light.

* Encourage your employees to positively communicate their work experience through social media.

* Be prepared to explain any negative information circulating on social media.

* Use innovation on social media to communicate that special something about your company.

For assistance in hiring talented professionals for your organization, please give TRC a call at 917-681-3041.

How to Hire the Perfect Employee

September 9, 2015 by Ellen Shepard

First, why would you want to? PERFECT is over-rated when compared with adjectives like innovative, curious, resourceful, humble, emotionally mature, positive, diverse and a host of others. So, ask yourself when you have listed all of the “hard” skills necessary to qualify for a particular opportunity, what are the “soft” attributes that will allow someone to be successful in this position at your company with their colleagues right now.

Rank your top performers across the organization and list the “soft” attributes they have in common – these are probably success factors for leaders in your company. This is a good way to round out the job description to make certain those assisting with this search go beyond the hard skills in sourcing the best candidates for you to meet.

Now, that you have a group of candidates, how do you conduct an interview to determine, beyond the “hard” skills who possesses these success factors? Here are some tips from team builders that may be useful to you:

1. Ask “why should I hire you?” A great candidate will have given thought to this question and knows how they can add value and how to express it.

2. Give a couple of “what if” or “can you tell me about a time when…” scenarios to see how the candidate thinks and also to see if they are willing to share their experiences – good and bad.

3. Ask for a candidate to explain a time when they felt they had failed or not done their best and what they learned. A good candidate will appreciate that success is often built on the shoulders of failures and will be honest in their reply.

4. Ask them to give you a pitch on what your company does in the world. Great candidates will have done their research.

5. Leave time for them to ask you questions. Great candidates will ask smart questions.

Remember that the formal hiring process is not something most managers participate in more than a couple of times a year and for candidates, even less so. Hiring does not come naturally…do not leave your “gut” at the door…how you feel in your gut about a candidate does matter. Steve Jobs said…”Recruiting is hard. It’s just finding the needle in the haystack. You cannot know enough in a one-hour interview. So, in the end, it’s ultimately based on your gut”.

ellen.shepard@trcollaborative.com