How to Build the Perfect Applicant Funnel

How to Build the Perfect Applicant Funnel Recruitment marketing is still in its infancy when compared to either its older sibling HR Recruiting, or its first cousin Marketing. There are plenty of ways you can streamline and improve your recruitment marketing tactics by borrowing from both of these related practices. Today we’re going to go over building the perfect applicant funnel, pulling when necessary from the marketing world for explanations. Think of this as a How-To Guide for building your applicant funnel. Applicant Funnel This is one of those ideas borrowed from the wider marketing world. There, they use something called the “buyer journey” to track incoming clients from first contact all the way through to the happy customer. The stages in this journey map to different stages in the marketing funnel: Awarenessâ€"Top of the Funnel. At this stage, the buyer knows they need a solution to their problem, and they begin looking for it. Considerationâ€"Middle of the Funnel. Here, the buyer knows exactly what their problem is, can articulate it clearly, and is searching for a specific type of solution. Decisionâ€"Bottom of the Funnel. And finally, the buyer has a firm hold on the solution they need and is considering several potential vendors. Now let’s look at the funnel model as it applies to recruitment marketing, in terms of what’s called the “candidate journey”: Awarenessâ€"Top of the Funnel. At this stage, the candidate is in one of two situations. They are either ready to apply and will go straight into your pipeline as an active applicant, or they may be passive job seekers who will stay in this stage for months or more. How you handle the two will obviously differ, however, this is your first touchpoint (we’ll have more to say on touchpoints shortly). Considerationâ€"Middle of the Funnel. Perhaps the most pivotal step in the candidate journey, this is where the potential candidate decides to become an active applicant. They’ve done their research, they like what they see in your content relating to employer brand and employee value proposition, and they’re ready to come onboard. Decisionâ€"Bottom of the Funnel. This is the final, and most stressful stage for the candidate. Don’t drop the ball by keeping them OUT of the loop here. Constant updates, check-in emails, etc will show your engagement and remind the new applicant of why they love your employer brand and company culture in the first place. Putting your applicant funnel into action The name of the game here is respect. Applicant experience matters, so you need to demonstrate that you respect your applicants time, energy, and abilities. In doing so, you’ll not only increase your stock in their eyes, but you’ll also see returns in higher quality of applicants, the dedication of employees, and in turn, ROI on your hiring process as a whole. And how do you demonstrate this respect? With touchpoints all the way through the process. Awareness The respect starts even before your applicant is an applicant, while they’re still a passive job seeker. At this stage you need to be aware of your presence on social media, interacting with your followers, responding to blog comments, and generally being alert and aware of these folks. Be sure your content is on point, describing your employer brand in detail, without getting bombastic or hype-y. This content will draw your potential applicants in, leaving comments, reposting, liking, and sharing it with their friends. How you respond to these interactions is your first touchpoint. Be respectful, thanking them for the shares, replying to the comments, and answering the questions. Be authentic in your voice. Don’t just say “thanks for the comment,” and leave it at that. Call out something constructive they said, or turn it around and ask them a question. Do this in a conversational tone and your audience is likely to respond in kind. This is also an opportunity to show people where your strengths are, and even some possible weaknesses where they can be of assistance if they come to work for you. Consideration As we mentioned above, this is perhaps the most important stage in the applicant funnel. At this point, your applicant has decided they like what you have to offer and is looking at openings, reading your company LinkedIn reviews, and pulling the trigger on applying. The key here is to stay in touch. These touchpoints ensure that these folks know what’s going on behind the scenes. As candidates, they deserve to know where their application stands. If there are delays, tell them what’s up. Set expectations early, that way the applicant will know what to expect. This also gives you the opportunity to alert them to any changes in those expectations should a problem arise, letting them know that you respect their time and won’t jerk them around. Decision There’s nothing worse in the application process than thinking an interview went well, only to not hear a single peep from the company forever. This continues the touchpoints from the middle of the funnel and lets applicants know that they still matter and that you respect the stress this process puts on them. The touchpoints are nearly duplicates of the last ones, if there are delays in a decision being made, tell them so. If it’s going to take an extra few days because someone is out of town, let them know that. If someone else wants to meet them, fill them in ASAP so they can get it on their calendar. Treat your applicants like the priority they are, and they’ll get a good feeling for how you’ll treat them once they are hired. As you can see, the funnel model is a great way to map your candidate journey from the first contact via your content marketing efforts, all the way through a happy new hire. The key is to respect your candidates time, energy, and abilities by staying in touch throughout the process. These touchpoints demonstrate that respect and let your applicants know that they will continue to be respected once they come on board with your company. About the author:  Adrian Cernat is CEO and co-founder of SmartDreamers, a Recruitment Marketing Automation platform that empowers recruitment teams to smartly advertise jobs across the web. Integrated with Facebook, Google Ads, YouTube, Snap, Instagram, publishers, and niche websites, SmartDreamers streamlines the recruitment marketing processes.

Empowering Women in Business Intercollegiate Business Convention Year 10

Empowering Women in Business Intercollegiate Business Convention Year 10 The Intercollegiate Business Convention is now on their 10th year and promises an empowering event for any entrepreneurial Career Girl aspiring to make her mark in the global business scene. One of the reasons I encourage aspiring career girls to attend networking events and conferences is because I believe that the success of one woman inspires the success of another. Going to conferences and networking events allows you to meet other women who can inspire you to follow in their footsteps. This year, the Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business is holding  the tenth annual Intercollegiate Business Convention (IBC), and it is not one to miss for young women who are pursuing big dreams in business. This years tenth annual Intercollegiate Business Convention (IBC) will take place on October 18, 2014 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.   The IBC.x  is a gathering of both big minds and bigger  ambitions. This year, the event will be having over 1200 registrants and over 100 professionals from a diverse range of industries, all coming together to learn from one another and inspire each other. The convention is entirely student-run, which guarantees  the most crucial and relevant topics to the challenges of being young women trying to make it in the business world today. Its attendees can expect a full day of workshops, networking sessions, and forums that zooms in on the emerging trends and sage advice of trailblazers who have made it big in their industries. The three key note speakers of the event are the following: Lyndsey Scott Model, Actress, and App Developer.  Catapulted into the international world of high fashion after becoming the first African-American model to be awarded an exclusive contract with Calvin Klein.  A rising app developer  programming iOS apps, several of which are currently available in the Apple app store. Maureen Chiquet   Chanels first ever Global CEO, and an established name in the fashion and beauty industry.  Recognized among  Fortunes International Power 50,Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women, The Wall Street Journals 50 Women to Watch and Glamour Magazines Women of the Year. Jill Abramson Mentor, author, and  journalist who spent the last 17 years in the most senior editorial positions at The New York Times, where she was the first woman to serve as Washington Bureau Chief, Managing Editor and Executive Editor. Ranked number five on Forbes list of most powerful women in 2012 and was also named as one of the 500 most powerful people in the world by Foreign Policy. For more about the IBC.x keynote speakers and activities, click here. Making the extra effort to develop your skills and get applicable advice now will pay dividends throughout your  own career girl journey. If you are looking for that motivational push or need information on how to get started towards achieving a thriving career in business, the IBC.x is a good place to start. To learn more you can visit their website at http://ibc.huwib.org/. You can also click here to register.

How To Overcome GRE Test Anxiety

How To Overcome GRE Test Anxiety Students who stress over tests might dread sitting for the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). However, the fact is that most students who prepare for an exam do experience some anxiety. It is only when this stress turns into panic that it can be a problem. Fortunately, if you are feeling anxious about taking the GRE, its important to come up with a GRE study plan, along with taking some practical steps to reduce your anxiety. 10 Steps to Prepare for the GRE With the help of academic counselors or personal tutors, you can develop excellent study habits and discover new learning strategies. Learn how to manage your time and set a firm study schedule. Stick to your study plans and try to avoid distractions and procrastination when it is time to sit down and study. Organize all the material that you need to study, and use a step-by-step plan so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Find ways to tone down the pressure that comes from outside forces like competitiveness, peer pressure, and scores. Do practice tests and don’t focus on your score. Instead, see what you need to learn. When you overcome your weak points, your scores will naturally go up. Use positive psychological techniques to approach the GRE with confidence. For instance, you can journal, study with a team, do numerous practical runs, talk to yourself, and visualize yourself being successful. Since anxiety arises from fear of failure, you can reduce this fear by being thoroughly prepared for the exam. Organize all the study material you will need for taking the GRE, make a checklist of all the things that you need to learn, and mark off all the things you have learned after you study. If organizing what you have to do is difficult for you because you are not sure what is required, then look for an  online GRE prep test, where everything has been laid out for you and all you have to do is follow along. Avoid cramming. Prepare many months ahead of the date of the exam On the Day of the GRE Before the day of the GRE, get some physical exercise to sharpen your brain, eat well throughout the day, avoid anything stressful, and get a good night’s sleep. Then on the day of the exam, get up early, go for a walk, and have a nutritious meal. Avoid any kind of junk food â€" packaged foods high in fats, salt, sugar, and loaded with artificial ingredients. Eat a light meal, like fresh fruits or vegetables so that you dont feel sleepy as your food digests. Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the place where the exam will be held. If you are allowed to pick your seat early, find a place where you will have good lighting and few distractions. Avoid doing what other students might be doingâ€"like cramming or complaining about how unprepared they are. Instead of associating with negative thinkers who will drain your emotional energy, make an effort to stay in a calm, relaxed, and confident mood. During the GRE Read all the instructions carefully. Calculate how much time you have to do the questions. Focus on doing all the easy questions first, then come back to tackle the more difficult ones. If your mind goes blank, breathe in and out a few times, and then think about the question in a relaxed way. If this does not help, then progressively tense and relax your muscles. Once you calm down, your brain will begin to work again. Use all the time you have available. There is no absolutely no benefit to getting done quicker than other people. If you do finish quickly, use the time to review all your answers. Talk to yourself in a positive way. Remind yourself that you studied hard and that you are calm and in control.  Keep your anxiety manageable by using relaxation techniques and positive self-talk.

Communication While in Transition - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Communication While in Transition - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Disclaimer: My professional background is not in the field of communication, but I still have some opinions. Certainly, the cliché “It’s not what you know but whom you know” is often true. However, when people are in transition, I would add “but while in transition, who knows you is more important” because you are the one who needs a job, and if people cannot find you, your job search will be unnecessarily prolonged. I categorize communication in general to occur on three levels: The lowest level is daily chitchat. We chitchat with people we know: family members, friends, and perhaps others we communicate with occasionally such as other job seekers. Communication with job seekers is superficial, though, because its only objective is to get connected. The second level of communication involves passing or receiving relevantâ€"or sometimes less relevantâ€"information. For example, the news on television. This type of information is intended to inform and is often given a spin to dramatize it and keep viewers glued to the TV, but when the excitement is at its peak, we hear, ”And now this commercial.” Of course, that’s how television stationsâ€"which, after all, are businessesâ€"generate revenues. In most cases, though, we commit this type of information only to short-term memory. Nobody remembers news from two weeks ago. The third level of communication has to do with ideas. This is what attracts me. I’m interested in other prominent people’s or experts’ ideas. It’s where we can learn about and understand the Big Picture. So, how is all of this relevant to people in transition? Well, you want to be viewed as an expert, and you want people to be attracted to you. When they check you out, you want potential employers to consider you an expert in your own professional field. The way to project that image is to communicateâ€"sporadicallyâ€"with those connected to you. Be aware, though, that every time you do communicate, your writing had better be of value to them. Given a little time, your connections will learn that when you send them a piece of communication, it is indeed worth their while to spend the time to read it. A good communicator while in transition knows to use social media to advantage. On one hand, certainly you should connect with many people; on the other hand, you must connect with prospects who could help you into your next job. Remember: What’s important when you connect with others is that they be willing to share their networks with you. The power of networking is not vested in the person you communicate with so much as it is in the person’s connections. You never know whom they know!

5 Questions to Ask at the End of Your Job Interview CareerMetis.com

5 Questions to Ask at the End of Your Job Interview â€" CareerMetis.com Job interview is undoubtedly one of the things that you remember most during our lives. There are fewer lucky people who get the job at their first attempt and many others keep trying again and again to get a job. It is a two way process which involves both the employer and the interviewer with their complete attention.Photo Credit â€" cheatsheet.comAn employee, while preparing himself ready to answer the questions of employer must keep an important point in his mind that two impressions matter a lot about his personality; his first impression and the last one.Everyone knows about how to put the first good impression both physically and mentally. But we are talking about the last impression, the end of the interview. When the interviewer is done with the questions and you got time to fold things up, you should have some valid questions set up in your mind and you must ask them before you leave. It will show your interest in the job you are going to get and leave a positive end note b ehind.evalHere are a few questions that are really valid, convincing and persuasive.1. Why is the existing employee leaving ?It is surely the boldest question you may ask, but it is your right to know that why he has left. There can be so many reason of a person leaving any place for example,He might get promoted.He has got a better job according to his requirements.He might have shifted to some other city or left for abroad.He can be annoyed because of his fellow’s behavior.May be the hours are too long for him.Possibly he is not satisfied for the package he is getting there.His salary hasn’t increased for a long period of time.The responses can be so many but there are a few which the employer can tell you honestly. He will never expose any shortcomings of his firm but if he is trying to hide something, his response and facial expression will tell you that there is something fishy. If he responses confidently and tells the reason then you can remove the doubts from your mind.P hoto Credit â€" huffpost.com2. How is the Corporate Environment over here?It is a must ask question for the person who is going to join the firm. There are so many people working around together and they must possess a variety of behaviors and response to the new comer. As time passes by, things get back to normal but there is a specific corporate culture which lingers.If there is some rule set for the employees and the violation is taken seriously, it might be favorable for you. You can ask for any unpleasant incident of backstabbing if it has already happened. As we have already discussed above that the interviewer may hide the negative factors of is firm but still you have to ask and observe the facial expressions of the interviewer deeply. If you feel something doubted, you might change your mind as the game is still in your hands.3. What are the major issues or challenges my department is facing today?This question will let you know about the intensity of work you have to handl e in your starting days. You can do homework before joining if you get a chance to win the seat. If your mind will be totally blank on the first day of your job, you will face so much difficult to get set over there.Another important point of asking this question is something closely related to your impression upon the interviewer. This question shows that you really want to get this job and you are eager to work with them. So in your question’s list, put this question after a few inquiring ones; this can satisfy you about this job. Once you are relaxed, come to the working lines and put the given question in front of him.4. What are the Qualities you expect to see in your best employee?evalThis also is about your job, if you get a seat over there, what your employer wants to have from you. This is a thing which they mostly describe themselves during the discussion but when you will ask this question, they will feel that you are willing to posses your best qualities for their firm and it will impress them much.You might get a very positive response of this question if you get this rely that ‘actually you have them all in you’. It shows that they have already picked you for the seat. Well, Say thanks pleasantly.5. Who is your biggest competitor?Every company has rivals, and there is nothing wrong with asking about them. There can be so many things the interviewer can tell about their competitors and you will have to play a trick here. If you know any of their competitors well, you can praise them nicely. If the interviewer gives a negative response or if he thinks that they are not worthy enough to be praised, it shows the narcissistic culture of company.A good employer, while competing with some specific rival, will never say bad things at their back. It doesn’t give a good impression about their company. He will say nice things and roll the discussion positively.Important Note:evalDon’t take too much time to question; don’t prepare a big list of q uestions. Remember one thing that you are the one who has applied for a job. Don’t inquire them too much or you will be showing a rude attitude to the interviewer.Just pick a few, most valid questions which can gather all the information you want to get. Be nice and polite while talking to them and don’t hit them with absurd queries.

How to ace a telephone interview - Sterling Career Concepts

How to ace a telephone interview How to ace a telephone interview Its smart to treat a phone interview as seriously as you would if attending a face-to-face interview. 1. Take the call in a private, quiet setting and dress in either professional or business casual attire. 2. Set yourself up for success by controlling your environment. Some people will be more comfortable sitting at a desk or table while others might prefer standing and the chance to walk around the room a bit as they answer. Do what makes you feel more confident. 3. When speaking over the phone, your tone and choice of words are how you convey yourself to the interviewer. Avoid the temptation to conduct the interview lounging on the couch in a t-shirt and sweats. If you dress and play the part, your voice and intonation will benefit greatly. Its a subtle difference, but one that will work to your advantage. Keep these three tips in mind to knock the ball out of the park during your next telephone interview. Not getting called for interviews? Perhaps your resume needs a refresh or update. Sterling Career Concepts can help! [photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net]

3 Reasons Job Rejection Can Be Good

3 Reasons Job Rejection Can Be Good Nobody likes to be told they didnt get the job. Rejection has a sting! But there can be some good things about it if you use that NO like a tool for making your job search better. There are more, but here are three reasons that job rejection can be good: It gives you a chance to find out where you can improve. Most interviewers will have no problem explaining why you did not get the job if you ask them respectfully without arguing. Think of it as free career counseling and use it to focus on what to work on in your job search. Sometimes they will tell you that theyd like to keep your name on file for future positions as they open up and the only reason you didnt get this job is because someone with more experience  or seniority applied. It gives you an opportunity to learn from any mistakes. Maybe you really didnt do that interview well, or you forgot to turn off your cell phone. Is your resume updated and appropriately designed for the job? Did you vent your frustrations with your previous job? Were you dressed like you cared about this position? It gives you motivation to keep looking if you change your perspective. To paraphrase a famous quote by Thomas Edison, now you know that job isnt right for you. Job rejections are like a search engine, narrowing down the choices by reducing the possible matches.     Its tempting to put all your hopes on getting a specific job, but that is surely going to disappoint you. The reality is that many more rejections will probably be part of your job search because we rarely get the first job we apply for. Most of us have applied for jobs more times than we like to think about. Use these rejections to improve your skills and your resume: this is your chance to polish things up and thats good!