What Does a Counter Offer REALLY Represent

What Does a Counter Offer REALLY Represent One of the most common reasons given for non-acceptance of job offers in modern-day hiring and  recruitment is undoubtedly the classic counter offer scenario. A counter offer is whereby a candidate is incentivized  to stay with his or her present employer after he or she has announced their intention to take a job  with another company. This usually takes the shape of one or a combination of the following actions: A significant salary increment. Greater flexibility on package, working hours or associated “hygiene” factors. The promise of greater levels of responsibility, autonomy, status or seniority. Emotional blackmail (“I thought we were friends” , “How could you do this in the middle of  our busiest quarter?” , “I thought you were better than that” etc) The candidate’s dilemma: Tempting as they may initially seem, acceptance of counter offers usually amounts to little short of  career suicide. If this initially sounds a little dramatic then here are several key factors to consider if  a counter offer has thrown an unexpected but nonetheless tasty spanner in the works of your career  move: Why are you worth £4,000 more today than you were yesterday? Why do you have to threaten to quit for this to happen? What sort of company does this make them? Where is this money COMING from anyway? Is your being “bought” at the eleventh hour not something of an insult to your intelligence  and integrity? Will your loyalty to the company and to your colleagues ever be truly seen in the same light  again? And most importantly of all What was the original reason that led to your seeking an employment move? Is it this or  your pride that the counter offer is addressing? Getting back to our original question then… What does a counter offer REALLY represent? To get to the bottom of this question, it is best to consider not what the counter offer represents  to the employee but, more importantly, what the counter offer represents to the employer. Nine  times out of ten the answers all invariably converge upon one central theme: damage limitation (and little besides). While there is clearly never a good time to learn that a competent employee is looking to move on,  most employers will be well aware that the counter offer is no permanent fix but more an exercise  in buying time while a replacement is found. Ideally a replacement that will not “try it on again for  another few grand next year”. More alarmingly still, statistics show that between 80% and 90% of people who have accepted  counter offers resign within 6 months anyway or are terminated between 6 and 12 months! Stick to your guns: Ultimately, this whole equation comes down to the fundamental difference between the two key  drivers of dissatisfaction and demotivation: Counter offers usually address dissatisfaction. However, it is usually demotivation that leads us to seek career moves in the first place. This glaring mismatch brings us back to what is really the ONLY question to ask oneself when  presented with a counter offer: What was the original reason for seeking a move? If you do accept a counter offer you will, almost without exception, find that this original reason for  leaving will still be there. It might be slightly more tolerable in the short term, but it will still be  there, and it will still be there in three months as it will still be there in six months, nine months, a  year or even longer. You too, employers! None of this is news to the best companies out there of course. Winning businesses will know full  well what counter offers really represent and, as such, good companies will NEVER counter offer.  EVER. Instead, they are managed fairly and correctly to begin with, recognizing individuals’ strengths,  motivations and aspirations and implementing robust recruitment policies (based as much upon  values as skills) to foster engagement, trust and a sense of unity in common purpose. They will NOT allow themselves to be coerced or blackmailed. Nor should you. Author:  Craig Leach is Business Manager at Poole Resourcing. You can contact him on LinkedIn.

Examples of Writing About Your Volunteering Experience on a Resume

Examples of Writing About Your Volunteering Experience on a ResumeYou can never make up for the experience you have in volunteering, but with examples of writing about your volunteering experience on a resume, you will have the words to work with. If you get a chance to talk to someone who is just getting started, this can be invaluable. Before you give any of your time away, take a minute to find out how you can get the word out about your activities. That could be your only shot at landing a job.On your volunteering experiences, there is more than just the days you took time off from work. What you did on the days you did not was just as important. One thing you do not want to leave out is the hours you worked. This number can include extra hours when the weather would have been too bad. You might have been the one to drive those patients to and from the emergency room and you know how much that means to those patients.You also need to count the hours when you were away from home a nd even with working weekends, the hours are still hours. Make sure you count all of these hours as well. It does not matter if you are traveling between points or staying with a friend and being cared for. Some people prefer to get away for a few days when they are getting their lives together, others like to stay in one place and come back to a familiar routine every day.As you are preparing your volunteer experience on a person's resume, you need to be sure you are highlighting the good things. For instance, you might not have had time to plan out the activities that you took part in. You may not have experienced the food you ate. You may not have had enough free time to go see the sights or take a walk around town.With all of the time you gave for a cause, you need to let your employer know you have something to offer. Your volunteering skills should be highlighted by writing your experiences. A volunteer is worth more than your time. If you took the time to learn about the volu nteer program, you will know what they are looking for. You might be able to convince them to offer you a position as a volunteer.You should be sure to write about the best of the best. Of course, if you are only willing to write about your experiences, you may miss out on some other valuable experience. At least, if you cover your tracks on your resume, you will be able to show potential employers you are professional, responsible and very organized.The above example is just an example of writing about your volunteering experience on a resume. Of course, you should be able to find examples of writing about your volunteering experience on a resume for all the different volunteer programs you have worked with. With a little research, you will be able to find exactly what you need on your own.If you are one of the many people who enjoy volunteering, then you should consider adding examples of writing about your volunteering experience on a resume to your resume. If you have done somet hing similar before, you might as well include it. Just make sure you put your efforts into researching the volunteer jobs you can get and the requirements you will have to meet. The more prepared you are for a volunteer opportunity, the better.

How to Use Social Media As a Candidate Magnet

How to Use Social Media As a Candidate Magnet Organisations are increasingly using social media as a recruitment tool to help promote job vacancies, and it can be particularly effective at reaching up-and-coming talent. This isn’t surprising when you consider that recent research showed that 86 per cent of people in the first 10 years of their career are likely to use social media in their job search. As recruitment consultants, we’ve adapted our approach to incorporate the powerful tools of social media. We also look to advise employers on how they can make full use of their digital presence to help to attract high calibre candidates, and those likely to be the best cultural fit. Create engaging brand social channels The business social channels which are likely to have the most impact on potential candidates are those which are engaging all of the time, not just when an organisation is recruiting. Just as employers are likely to have a look at any potential employee’s social media activity, they will be doing the same back. Social channels are some of the best platforms to really bring an organisation’s culture and values to life. Businesses which regularly keep their social media accounts updated are more likely to demonstrate how they are great employers and can show talented individuals how they could fit in. For organisations faced with a candidate short market, this could be the aspect which makes the company stand out from the competition. The are many ways in which an organisation can showcase its employer brand online. These include uploading ‘behind the scenes’ photos of the team at work and having fun, sharing interesting success stories, commenting on industry news and posting about corporate social responsibility activities. It’s worth investing time to engage online with those working in your industry, in the same way businesses would with customers, as you never know when that person could the ideal new recruit or be the one to recommend a vacancy to someone they know. Utilise your existing employees Current employees can also act as online ambassadors. This could include working with them to create a blog post on a ‘day in the life’ of their role or through a supervised ‘social media takeover’ for the day. Having content from a range of people at different levels and roles can help to paint a better picture of an organisation’s culture to the outside world. There’s also the option of asking staff to contribute to the organisation’s LinkedIn page by writing a short paragraph about their job, how they got it and what advice they’d give to someone else looking for a similar role. Promote your vacancies on social When it comes to promoting vacancies, social media can help organisations reach more passive candidates, as well as active job hunters. This could potentially increase the quality and quantity of applications received, and increase the chances of finding the right fit. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter all have the potential to help employers attract more applications. To help reach the best talent in your field, it’s worth considering what social media platform is most used by people in your industry. Where are your current employees most active for example? Instagram may not seem the most obvious place to further promote a career opportunity, but it is a platform which is especially popular with people in the creative sector. As a very visual platform, organisations can think creatively about images which showcase the role and then use appropriate hashtags to help increase views. Promoting vacancies by social media can also provide the chance to show more personality, if you feel it is appropriate. For example, the ‘running man’ recruitment video by New Zealand police was an internet hit, watched over 800,000 times. Follow, engage and add value It’s also worth following and engaging with the social media accounts of high quality recruitment companies.  Its important to  look to add value through social and digital content by providing advice on everything from CV tips through to interview skills. Its a good idea as well to put a  big focus on providing useful content for employers, sharing expert advice on HR, recruitment, talent retention and employee engagement.  We  aim to support local businesses, so part of this includes building an online community of best employers to help share best practice. However well an organisation uses social media, it may not always be the best way to find top talent. Sometimes it can be better to work directly with expert recruiters. We know that employers are likely to check out our social media channels when searching for the right consultants to work with, and we want to show our culture and expertise to the best effect.

How To Land Your Dream Job

How To Land Your Dream Job Does that job you’ve always dreamed of landing feel impossibly out of reach? As the rejection letters begin to pile up, it’s hard not to get discouraged, and you can end up feeling like you’re destined to spend the rest of your life working in a profession for which you have no real passion. Achieving professional success can be challenging, but it’s crucial to never give up hope. Here’s how to land your dream job. 1. Decide what your want How can you land your dream job if you haven’t even figured out what it is yet? Indecision can lead to hesitation, diminishing your chances of success in a professional setting. After all, if you aren’t entirely sure the job is right for you, what chance do you ever have of convincing a potential employer of your suitability for the role? Defining exactly what you want from your profession is the most logical step in securing a successful career. Considering the time and energy that goes into landing a dream job, you will need plenty of ambition to fuel your efforts. 2. Get the right qualifications Don’t let your lack of official qualifications prevent you from realising your professional ambitions. If your level of education can’t meet the required standard of your dream job, consider furthering your studies with an organisation such as Evocca College, where you can earn nationally recognised qualifications to suit a diverse range of industries. If you don’t think you have the time or resources to earn a degree, Evocca can customise a timetable to suit your lifestyle while providing ongoing support throughout the duration of your studies. Furthering your education is one of the most practical methods for enhancing your employability and is certain to greatly improve your chances of being chosen for that dream job. 3. Earn your stripes Without relevant experience, landing your dream job may never become a reality. Assuring a potential employer of your capacity to meet their expectations can be extremely difficult if you have no way of proving your skills. By striving to accumulate as much experience as possible in your chosen field, the probability of securing your dream job will only get stronger. Doing unpaid work is an easy way to gain experience, whether you choose to undertake an internship or volunteer with an organisation. 4. Put yourself out there Networking has become a vital part of job hunting and can have a significant impact on how employers regard your suitability as a future member of their team. By meeting with people who are already established in your chosen industry, you will have the opportunity to establish professional relationships that may one day lead to job opportunities. Networking isn’t just about face-to-face contact; social media applications such as LinkedIn and even Facebook can prove to be useful in expanding your list of professional contacts. Finding the perfect role takes time, not to mention hard work and determination. If you’ve managed to land your dream job, feel free to share any advice you might have in the comments below.

Writing a Resume For Dating Online is Not a Ridiculous Thing to Do

Writing a Resume For Dating Online is Not a Ridiculous Thing to DoIf you have not tried to write a resume for dating online yet, then you should. There are thousands of people who make more money through online dating websites than they do in their day job. The reason is that the skills they need to attract their dream date are right in front of them.One main reason why people do not pursue online dating is the fact that they lack the time to do so. A lot of us work full time jobs, which doesn't leave much time for anything else. So, this means we don't have the time to do online dating. We just sit around and wait for the one we are interested in contacting us.The internet has really caught on to this new internet craze. It is now possible to meet someone just by logging onto your computer. This can be frustrating, but it can also be quite fun.As part of your search for a partner, you will need to create an online personal profile. Your profile will include all of the information ab out yourself that is relevant to your online dating experience. This includes your hobbies, skills, education, and references. All of this information will help others find you.When it comes to your skills, be sure to put all of the important information that you can think of up front. Write about how many hours you spend watching TV, or when you eat out, or what activities you like to do outside of work. There are tons of things that can be included in your resume.Before your resume is finished, be sure to look through it and make sure that you have put all of the correct information on there. Don't be afraid to read other peoples resumes too. You can find tons of links to other people's resume on the internet.Be sure to list any past job experiences that you have held, and list all of your achievements in each of those jobs. Be sure to list all of your skills that you can think of, including things like cooking, being a sports fanatic, or being an amazing listener. Be sure to incl ude the hobbies that you have. This is where a lot of people run into trouble, because they can't think of something.When you are looking at a resume for dating online, it is important to get your online dating experience in order as well as a few other things, like your previous online date or your current online date. The time it takes to write a resume for dating online can be quite expensive, so take a few minutes and research a little bit.

How to Overcome Age Discrimination in Executive Job Search - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

How to Overcome Age Discrimination in Executive Job Search

Is Your Resume Cyber-Savvy - Hire Imaging

Is Your Resume Cyber-Savvy - Hire Imaging Part 2 of Passing the Black Hole Test In Part 1 of this three-part series, we explored the three kinds of readers you’ll be targeting when sending your resume out into cyberspace. Our focus is the third type: the computerinternet to database. A resume that looks great on paper but is garbled in transit won’t reach your online target audience. To avoid the internet black hole, be ready with an electronic resume as well. Here’s how to create one. First, convert your resume to ASCII format What is ASCII? It stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. ASCII is a form of data that can be understood by most computers worldwide. When you convert your resume to this format, you won’t have to worry about whether or not the recipient can open the file or read the format. Think about how many times you’ve gotten an email attachment that you couldn’t open. Unless it was something important, you probably deleted it. That is exactly what happens to resumes on the employer’s end. If a resume can’t be read, the job seeker won’t be selected for an interview. Employers will not email you to say that they were unable to read your resume. No second chances here! How to convert a resume to ASCII: Open the resume in your word processing program. Because it is commonly used, let’s take Word 97/2000. Open the resume; then select FileSave AsSave as Type, choose Text Only. You may then get a prompt that your document “may contain features that are not compatible with text only format” â€" choose Yes If you’re emailing your resume, also select the box that has “Insert Line Breaks.” To create a text resume to paste into an online form, leave this box blank Close the document and reopen it in a text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit (Mac OS X). Make sure that all of the characters have been converted correctly Now do any necessary cleanup to make the formatting more attractive and searchable. Left justify all text; this may include moving some text to the left margin by replacing tab stops with spaces. Be sure your margins are set no smaller than one inch. Change all fonts to 12-point size text and eliminate any formatting (e.g., bold, italics, underlining, etc.). Convert to a non-proportional font, such as Courier or Monaco. Some screens only read 60 characters across. Set your page width accordingly. If your resume is in a font size that is smaller than the standard 12, when it is copied and pasted to an email, it will convert to the standard size and throw off your layout. Change bullets to asterisks or dashes. If columns or tables were used in the original document, make sure the text is coherent. Add stylistic elements to the headers sections so that they stand out. Capitalize titles for various sections of your resume and insert extra spaces where necessary. Make sure the most important information is in the top third of the document. Hiring managers report that they often print the screen shot; not the complete resume. If a resume is longer than one page and contains contact information on the additional page(s), remove this information from the ASCII version. The ASCII resume is meant to be read on a computer screen, so there is no distinction between page numbers. Remove all tabs and where space is required, use the space bar. Again, this can throw off your layout. Use spaces to separate jobs and paragraphs â€" not a tab or return bar. You can use a consistent series of equal signs, dashes or asterisks to make dividers after your section titles. Use only keyboard symbols â€" No smart quotes or mathematical symbols. Remember: If it isn’t on your keyboard, don’t use it. Also be sure to save the email version under a different name so that you don’t overwrite your resume. To post your resume, open the ASCII file, use the copy command under edit on your toolbar, and then paste into your email. After you have completed the conversion, send an email to yourself to see how it looks. In Part 3, I’ll show you how to create a keyword-rich resume that will help put you stand out from the competitionâ€"with employers, recruiters and computer readers! Photo: jorel314

Inspirational Thought Celebrate What You Have Accomplished - Hallie Crawford

Inspirational Thought Celebrate What You Have Accomplished I find that for many of us when we accomplish something we typically take just the briefest moment to relish in it before quickly moving on to the next thing. While I believe forward movement and growth is important (it is one of my values), I also like to remind myself and my clients to consider where they’ve been, what they’ve accomplished and really celebrate what they’ve achieved so far this year. What have you accomplished? The holiday season can be stressful for many of us because were got a lot going on.holiday parties, shopping, and trying to meet our 2007 goals. And at the same time, were focusing on planning 2008. In our society, we are always going going going, and the pace seems to be picking up with each passing year. As we close in on 2007, take some time and truly savor your successes for this year! As you’re giving thanks this holiday season, I suggest you resist the temptation to rush through your “Holiday To Do List” and be sure to take some time to really celebrate what you have accomplished this year and the good things that are going on in your life. This month as part of giving thanks, when you find yourself dwelling on, or stressing about, future tasks and projects, consciously bring your focus back to the present, breathe and enjoy the moment. Have a great week! Happy Monday! Helping you find your life purpose