Why Pre-Screening Is a Must for Safe Hiring

Why Pre-Screening Is a Must for Safe Hiring The downturn of the economy has created an increase in personal stress levels both at home and in the workplace. Employees are consistently being asked to do more with less and corporations large and small continue to turn to layoffs as a means to remain viable. At the same time, the United States has continued to see an increase in workplace violence. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 564 work-related homicides occurred each year in the United States from 2004 to 2008. Now more than ever, employees want to feel safe and secure in the workplace and free from fear of their coworkers. Experts recommend using pre-employment screening as a workplace violence preventive measure, but many companies are still not committed. Companies cite delays in the hiring process as well as the cost of screening as the largest deterrents to pre-employment screening. Pre-employment screening company, HireRight, estimates the typical cost of a comprehensive pre-screening packages ranging anywhere from $30 to $100. The length to complete the screen and provide the results to the employer can take as little as a day to up to week (or more). Although the costs and delays may seem steep, the issues that arise from failure to pre-screen can be fatal. Here are four additional reasons pre-employment screening is a must: 1) Reduced potential for employee theft: Candidates with criminal backgrounds are less likely to apply to organizations with rigorous pre-employment screening processes. Those who do apply with criminal backgrounds will be discovered up front by the employer, providing the opportunity to re-evaluate if the candidate’s fit with the job and the company. 2) Discourage fraud: While only a small percentage of worker’s compensation claims are fraudulent, a much larger percentage (nearly 25 percent) are exaggerated. Worker’s Compensation records are public, thereby creating opportunities for potential to filter out potential fraudulent employees. Additionally, screening candidates allows an employer to ensure the validity of the information provided on the resume. 3) Reduce liability for negligent hiring: Organizations that fail to conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening, thereby failing to protect their employees, can be subject to costly lawsuits. In 2007, a truck driver for a hazardous waste company in Texas caused an accident leading to a man’s death. A jury awarded the man’s estate more than 20 million dollars because the company failed to adequately check the employee’s driving record. 4) To comply with applicable state laws: Many states have laws requiring employers in certain industries to complete pre-employment checks. Examples of industries may include: childcare facilities, healthcare organizations, transportation, and gaming. What incidents can you think of where conducting a pre-employment screen may have prevented a case of fraud, violence, or theft? For the jobseeker perspective, check out 7 Reasons Employers Will Hire You! Author: Robert Petti is the Founder and CEO of Resoomay, a cloud-based pre-screening tool that improves the job search process for recruiters and applicants. Connect with him and Resoomay on Twitter.  

How to Hire International Candidates - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Hire International Candidates - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career There are many educated and talented international job seekers in the US and companies can hire them easily with the right paperwork and this is not as costly as the employers think. Employers only need to file a work visa called H-1B in order to hire the international candidate. Especially, employers in STEM fields are having difficulty finding domestic candidates so it would be beneficial for them to start hiring international candidates. Now let’s take a look at the most frequently asked questions about H-1B visas by employers and job seekers. Does H-1B have a cost to the employer? This is the first question potential employers typically ask if they are not familiar with the H-1B process. Yes, H-1B has a cost to the employer, but this cost is very minimal compared with the value that the right candidate will bring to the employer. The costs associated with H-1B visas are fees that need to be paid to the government and to the attorneys for filing the application. Since an H-1B application is a complex process, generally attorneys fill out the application and submit it. When is best time to apply for H-1B? The H-1B fiscal year starts on October 1, and the application period for that fiscal year starts on April 1. For example, if you want the employee’s H-1B visa to start on October 1, then it is recommended for the employer to file the application by April 1. The reason for this is that there is a quota on the number of H-1B visas that can be issued per year. If the employer applies later, for example, on August, then the employee may not be able to get the H-1B visa for October 1, because all of the visas may already have been issued. How long is the H-1B visa valid? An H-1B visa is valid for three years, but it can be extended an additional three years, meaning that one can work for six years under an H-1B visa. Can someone change jobs while on an H-1B visa or relocate to a different office while on an H-1B visa? Yes, one can change jobs or relocate to a different office while on an H-1B visa, but if you are changing employers, you should get your new employer to petition for a new H-1B visa for you. The same goes with different job roles and different office locations. If you are changing to a completely new role or to a new office location under the same employer, then your current employer needs to submit a new H-1B visa petition for you. However, since you are already working under an H-1B visa, you are not subject to any date limitations or quotas this time.

Real World 101 What Every Graduate Should Know - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Real World 101 What Every Graduate Should Know - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As college students graduate from their degrees, they realize their expectations and the real world do not match. Although graduating from college is a great accomplishment which should be recognized, it is not the end. In fact, it is just the beginning of a totally new phase in life which the graduates are unfamiliar with. Below are some advices for the new graduates that are not thought in schools. Be Patient: You should learn to be patient. You cannot climb the corporate ladder overnight. Success takes time and effort and unfortunately, there is no shortcut to it. Make a career plan and write down your goals. If you stay focused and accomplish your goals, your employer will also notice the value you bring and promote you eventually. However, if you don’t like your first job, try to figure out what kind of work makes you happy and find another job in that field. Don’t forget that if you don’t like what you are doing, you cannot put all your energy into it. As a result, you can never be truly successful. Keep Learning: Learning doesn’t end when the school ends. You have to keep building your skills and continue to keep up with technology. Whether it is an on-the-job training program or a new certificate program, use every opportunity to keep improving yourself. School Friends and Work Friends are Different: There is a difference between your real friends, who will be there for you in your tough times, and your work friends whom you hang out with for lunch or happy hour because you happen to be in the same building every day. It is harder for new graduates to make this distinction because many of you become friends in school. You go to the class, meet new people and make friends. You may think it is similar in the office as well. Nevertheless, a work environment is much different than a school setting. It is more structured and has more rules. Only because you see the same people 40 hours a week don’t mean that they will be your new best friends. Compete with Yourself: Always compete with yourself and not with someone else. Every year, set yourself goals and at the end of the year, look back to see how much of these goals you achieved. It is ok if you don’t achieve all of your goals. Just be realistic with your goals and be the best you can be. Read my blog post “How to Set and Achieve Your Goals” for more information.

7 Efficiency Lessons from Small Business Leaders

7 Efficiency Lessons from Small Business Leaders Owning  and running a business is no easy feat. There are hundreds of factors you need to consider on a daily basis to make sure the business is running smoothly and efficiently. But what does running an efficient business actually mean? Efficiency is simply the reduction of wasted inputs whether that be money, training or employees. Building an efficient business can take years of practice, and can be difficult to get right. But before you get started on the road to efficiency, why not check out what some of the most seasoned small business owners have to say about efficiency  in the workplace. The infographic below by Make it Cheaper  has curated the most helpful tips from the experts! 1) Chuck Leavell,  co-founder of  Mother Nature Network: Leavell recommends every business should be readily prepared for change, no matter the circumstances. 2) Michael Ventura, founder of Sub Rosa: Avoid complacency by constantly setting new and more challenging goals for yourself, your team and the business itself. 3) Anisa Telwar, founder of Anisa International: Delegating tasks is an easy way to keep the business efficient. Dont think that you have all the answers, just make sure you hire people who do. 4) James Green, CEO of Magnetic: Dont make it personal. You should never treat your business like a child, be ruthless if you have to. 5) Jeff Platt, CEO of Sky Zone: Spend your time wisely. Dont think about whats immediately in front of you. Plan for the long term. 6) David Morken, Cofounder of Bandwidth: Spend your time wisely. Make sure you have an equal work/life balance and that you dont burn yourself out. 7) John Coleman, founder of The VIA Agency: Dont spread yourself too thin. Set achievable and realistic goals. Have any other efficiency advice you think is useful? Share it with us over on Twitter, @UndercoverRecruiter.

Professional Resume Writers Needed To Follow A Very Specific Set Of Guidelines

Professional Resume Writers Needed To Follow A Very Specific Set Of GuidelinesTo be able to grab the attention of an employer, a resume writer needs to follow a very strict set of guidelines. The criteria is a result of the fact that resumes are normally written in very short paragraphs that can often leave out important information.The purpose of the resume is to catch the attention of the prospective employer and create interest. By being concise, professional resumes are also sent in a variety of formats. What matters most is that the format gives it the best chance of being read. This means that there must be a balance between size and formatting.There must be something that grabs the reader's attention. For this reason, many professional resume writers also need to understand the basics of business writing. By writing in the form of a dialogue, or a narrative, the writer will get a better idea of what message to convey. So, they must also have a good grasp of how language should be used.The most important aspect of a professional resume writer is to know how to use the right grammar. It is imperative that the writer knows how to spell the name of the company they are representing accurately. Additionally, they must understand how to write the company's name correctly and properly capitalize it.A resume writer must be able to be convincing. Most of the information on the form should be relevant to the position they are seeking. On the other hand, the format should also be non-threatening and the tone should be upbeat.The second most important skill of a professional resume writer is to make sure the information on the form is as accurate as possible. However, in order to do this, the writer must first understand the format. Any time a potential employer has concerns, an applicant should have an answer for those questions.When writing a resume, the resume writer must not shy away from communicating his or her personality. It should be clear to the reader wha t type of person the writer is. This is done through the resume format.A resume writer can have a variety of skills. However, one of the most important attributes is communication. When hiring, you must find a resume writer who can communicate your message in the most effective way possible.

Understanding the Importance of Keywords in Your Job Search - CareerAlley

Understanding the Importance of Keywords in Your Job Search - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If you are like most people, youve spent countless hours working on perfecting your resume and building your network. We all know that your resume is the most important document in your job search and your network is one of your most valuable job search tools. The good news is that you are not alone in your focus and beliefs. The bad news is that your resume and network are only half of a successful job search. As Im sure you are well aware, the Internet has enabled job hunters to easily flood the market with their resume. Now imagine that you are a hiring manager or recruiter, sorting through tens of thousands of resumes trying to find a handful of qualified applicants. How can they sift through the mountain of resumes to find the perfect candidate? Of course you know the answer to the question above, the answer is keywords. But how much time do you spend focusing on the keywords in your resume to ensure that it includes the syntax that recruiters use for building keyword resume queries? Id venture to guess not much, at least not in the same terms as the tools used by recruiters. So while most of us spend countless hours picking action words that are an integral part of any successful resume, most of us do not spend the time to understand the keyword search process that recruiters use. Put yourself in the recruiters chair for a minute and take a look at how they approach the candidate search process and what you can do to get noticed. LinkedIn Recruiter LinkedIn has become one of the most important tools for both job seekers and recruiters. But did you know that there is a LinkedIn tool for recruiters? This tool helps recruiters focus their search by selecting the keywords that best define the job requirements. Make sure your LinkedIn headline has the keywords that best describe your industry and skill set. If you are actively seeking a new job, update your LinkedIn profile at least once per week, this will put your profile in the top searches (small tweaks are fine). Keywords not working? Everyones got keywords on their resume. How come some people seem to be extraordinarily successful in getting called for interviews while others dont seem to get any calls. There is a rule for keywords. Take a look at job descriptions for posted jobs that match your qualifications. What are the keywords that are used in the job postings? Are those words on your resume? Ensure your resume and cover letters include the keywords that are likely to appear on the job descriptions for your dream job. Industry Related Words Take a look at some trade publications for your industry. Pay attention to the titles of articles and the keywords used in the content. Are these words included in your resume and cover letters? Look at the industry related words used in job opportunities for your industry. If you use these words in your resume, your profile will come up more often in searches. To List or Not to List There are many ways to include keywords on your resume. You can have a skills section and list your keywords there. You should also include your keywords in your experience section. Describing your work experience with keywords is the best way to get noticed. Take a look at LinkedIn is a Great Resource You can leverage LinkedIn to find the best keywords for your resume. Take a look at the profiles of people who have the job you want (which should really be one level up from where you are today). What keywords do they include? Search through industry groups on LinkedIn to find resources that might help with keywords. Leverage Your Recruiter Your recruiter can (and should) help you with your resume. You shouldnt expect them to write it for you, but you can ask them for their advice on keywords and the overall structure of your resume. More than anyone else, they know what works and what doesnt work (and they know which resumes get the interviews). Other Resources So many resources, so little time! Take a look at some of the links below as you build and refine your resume: 5 Tips for Creating a Professional LinkedIn Profile 9 Ways to Create a Resume That Gets Results Job Search Lessons 5 Steps to a Great Resume Career Tip of the Day:8 Benefits of A Video Resume Suggested Reading:Best KeyWords for Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews: Powerful Communication Tools for Success We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to make a resume and cover letter that gets you hired. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

The early bird catches the worm - Sterling Career Concepts

The early bird catches the worm The early bird catches the worm Are you trying to call to follow up on any of yourprior resume submissions? A strong cover letter and resume are very important, but following up can sometimes be what makes a difference if you can get on the phone with a decision maker and sway them to call you in for an interview. Its not always easy some companies will be tough about screening calls but calling early or late sometimes helps to avoid gatekeepers with more traditional 9-5 hours. When I was in recruiting, if I made calls to hiring managers between 8-9 am, you catch the early birds before their assistants have arrived for the day (or, alternatively, after6:00 pm, the nights owls after their assistants have left). The early bird catches the worm The early bird catches the worm Are you trying to call to follow up on any of yourprior resume submissions? A strong cover letter and resume are very important, but following up can sometimes be what makes a difference if you can get on the phone with a decision maker and sway them to call you in for an interview. Its not always easy some companies will be tough about screening calls but calling early or late sometimes helps to avoid gatekeepers with more traditional 9-5 hours. When I was in recruiting, if I made calls to hiring managers between 8-9 am, you catch the early birds before their assistants have arrived for the day (or, alternatively, after6:00 pm, the nights owls after their assistants have left).