Improving Applicant Conversion Rates

We recently switched dentist offices. With three boys I always try to schedule their appointments at the same time and that normally means being handed a clipboard loaded with forms; one set for each child. To my surprise, when I walked up to the receptionist to sign in, she asked me to look at a computer screen on the counter and “fill out” their paperwork. On each screen, the information was pre-filled. All I had to do was make sure it was correct and click through the screens, then use an electronic signature pad to sign a few pages. It

4 Ways to Increase Your Candidate Pool

My LinkedIn Daily Rundown feed started out today with “Jobs are cutting experience requirements….” Reporting that, “an extra 1 million jobs were opened up to candidates last year with “no experience necessary.’” There is a lot of buzz about the hot job market now with the unemployment rate at a pre-recession low. But what do you do to fill jobs in this economy? As the Daily Rundown suggests you can: Lower requirements.Whether it be experience, education or skill requirements, lowering them can increase candidate pools. I often find that job descriptions have qualifications in them that really aren’t “required” to be successful

Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch: 9 Takeaways from Adam Grant at #SHRM18

“The work of culture building is never done.  It’s always a work in progress.” – Adam Grant People were excited about the concert Tuesday night at #SHRM18, but I was giddy about hearing Adam Grant speak that morning.  The organizational psychology nerd in me was so excited to hear Adam Grant speak, and his comments did not disappoint. Top takeaways from his presentation all centered around company culture: 1. What got you here won’t get you there. Hire for cultural contribution (if you are a big company).  Cultural fit is still important for startups. I think most people miss Adam’s

What Does a Candidates’ “Interview Experience” Say About Your Organization?

Interviews are tough – both for the interviewer and the interviewee. I’ve had the pleasure of facilitating both in-person and phone interviews and frequently coach clients to prepare them for interviews. Thinking back to my personal experiences in interviewing for jobs, two in particular stand out. One was with a large organization that was quite intimidating. In the waiting room, I sat along with several other candidates interviewing for the same position. When called into the conference room, I sat on one side of the table while 5 individuals in suits sat on the other. I was in my early

What is Diversity and Why Does it Matter?

I distinctly remember the first time I knew I lived in a bubble.   I was 17- a junior in high school.  I had two elective slots open.  For one, I decided to be a science lab assistant that didn’t require much work.  This allowed me to walk across the street one day a week to spend time with an at-risk elementary student as her mentor. Up until that point in my life, I thought most people lived like me.  Some had more and some had less but I didn’t think there were drastic differences.  As I got to know this