On average, it takes 4.6 weeks to fill an entry-level role.  So what should you do to ensure you don’t have an empty seek for a month?

1. Hire a temp
   Sure they won’t be perfect or know all the ins and outs of your company, but they can help pick up the slack. Having a good temp to ensure day-to-day operations continue to run smoothly will buy you time to find someone perfect to be permanent.
2. Use a recruiter
   Trained professionals who specialise in finding the right talent will be able to help you find the exact skills you need from a larger pool of candidates. They will save your time by narrowing it down to the best applicants for you to interview.  Focus on the business and help your team cover the empty seat so you aren’t out two people instead of one while you’re stuck in your office sorting through resumes.
3. Move quickly
   If you have found someone who is great for the role, waiting to long to make them an offer could leave you empty handed. Strong candidates will have other opportunities and often will take the one that moves the quickest.  A complex and lengthy interview and offer process could communicate to the candidate that they will need to jump through hoops to meet objectives within your company, where another opportunity may present as seamless and streamlined displaying efficiency.

If you are looking for career progression, job satisfaction, and a new and exciting challenge … then there is a big difference.  A career is a strategic step in the direction you are taking your life. What is your dream job and where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years? Remember, it doesn’t matter how fast you are going, if you are going in the wrong direction. So be clear on an end in mind.

When you are deciding if it is a career move you are making, you must think about the value proposition and alignment to your long-term goals.  What skills, experience, and connections will this job give you that will get you closer to your end goal. If you can’t think of any, then it might be just a job.

What should you look for in a career start employer? An organisation that values their employees, hires great people, and invests in their team. It is important for you to figure out what is important to you on an individual level and compare that with your career start organisation. Some suggestions: regular feedback from the direct report, goals and transparency, training and development, fair compensation and agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

If you do background research and are unable to answer all of the questions you have about your potential growth with the company… ask! The interviewer will be impressed that you have a long-term goal and plan to get there. If it is aligned with the organisation’s goals, they will see you as an investment. Detailed questions about your potential fit and progression show that you are looking to invest yourself in something that will contribute to your longer term plan, this increases engagement, and you will be better in your role that someone who is just doing it for the money!

• What are the organisations’ goals?
• How do they align with you personal goals?
• What is the manager’s vision and goal for the role?
• Does the organisation support internal promotions and movement within for career progression?
• Do they have an example of someone who has moved within the organisation?
• Are the manager and the organisation invested in employee development and how is it demonstrated?
• Are there training or development opportunities?
• What is a realistic timeframe for progression in your role?

You took our advice and swung by a Human Resources event for the sole purpose of getting a job.

Now that that’s out of the way, here’s what you do:

1. Dress appropriately
   Dress like you would for an interview when you go mingle. Sure, there will be people there who are very casual but most will be dressed corporate. It is easier to feel like you fit in when you don’t stand out like a sore thumb.
2. Stop texting
   I get that it can be incredibly awkward to be alone in a room full of people you don’t know when you haven’t had a drink and it isn’t 2am and dark.
   Put your phone in your pocket and a smile on your face, no security blankets allowed.
   The thing you might not know until you’ve been to a couple conferences yourself: most of the scary professionals are also at the conference alone. It looks like they are travelling in packs or pairs and everyone knows everyone, but the fact of the matter is more often than not they are just like you, alone. Sent to learn something new, network, and represent their company and when they got there in the morning they also had to begin with the introductions.
3. The approach
   Pick out a loner
   This can be a good approach when you are still new, it can be intimidating to approach a group of people. But a loner… well really you are doing them a favour by talking to them aren’t you?
   Confidently approach said loner and say something along the lines of “Hi (extend hand for confident handshake while maintaining eye contract in a not creepy way) I’m ________.”
   Interrupt
   This works very well if you are outgoing and charming. Walk up to a small group and say something along the lines of, “Hi, I’m just going to interrupt… so, what are we talking about?” This works well with a big smile so they know you aren’t trying to be rude, just wanting to say hello and join the conversation.
4. Make small talk
   Still scared and don’t know what to say to a stranger? Ask them how they are enjoying the conference? Which presentations really stood out for them? Are they from the area, or did they have to travel to attend the conference?
   People like to talk about themselves but don’t like impromptu interviews. Be genuinely interested in who they are and have a conversation before jumping straight into “Whom do you work for? Are you hiring? Do you want to hire me?”
5. Be transparent
   Don’t claim you’re a big deal and try to sound cool. Be honest. “I am just beginning my career and am actually here to meet with some HR Professionals to see if I can learn ________.” Or, “This is my first networking event, but I understand how important it is and I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet some experienced professionals and pick their brains.” People who are already on track in life have some great insights and generally like to try to help the newbies by sharing… it’s also a bit flattering and an ego boost to share your wealth of knowledge and experience.
6. Ask
   If you feel the conversation has gone well and you have found some common ground, thank them for taking the time to share with you. Let them know how truly appreciative you are that they have given up some of their networking time to give you that great advice/insight. Then just ask for it, “______ would you mind if I take your business card? I have really enjoyed this conversation and would like to add you to my professional network.”

- Erin Pfeiffer

When it comes to talent in the current employment market, there are many theories out there on what it takes to attract and retain the best. A common belief is that if a company has the most recognisable brand or the best product/service on the market, they will attract and retain the best people. No one leaves Google or Facebook right? In lieu of this level of grandeur, a company surely would need to pay the best, be the best, have the best technology, the best culture and/or the best career path. Right? Wrong.

There is no question that these things help, have helped in the past and will probably always help, especially in attracting quality candidates. But research has shown, time and time again, they are not the main factors which drive employee retention, engagement and performance. The most notably, in the largest study of over a million employees and 80,000 managers undertaken by Gallup and published in Markus Buckingham’s book “First, Break All the Rules”, a startling finding emerged:

Employees don’t leave companies, they leave Managers.

The book, first hitting physical bookshelves in 1999 and reproduced in various digital forms since, appeared on the New York Times’ Bestseller List for 93 weeks. It seemed destined to revolutionise the way managers manage forever. What happened? Not a whole lot. What changed? Not a whole lot. You’re still losing good talent, and you’re still the problem.

But hang on… this research is OLD! It can’t possibly apply to me today. Loyalty is dead! Isn’t that what they’ve been telling us?  It’s not us, it’s them! It’s those selfish, disloyal Millennials who only care about more money, a bigger brand, and the next promotion. They are the problem.  Sigh. What happened to the good old days? Let’s just hire someone new and get on with it, it’ll work out this time.

Yes, the hope that an employee will work for one company for life is an entirely unrealistic expectation. But surely you should be able to keep your talent for more than 2 years? Is that so much to ask? Gallup’s research might have been completed 10 years ago, but if you’re still losing top talent, keep looking for the common denominator.

So you’ve just put down your hand-held mirror (your hair looks great, by the way) and you’re thinking, “Ok smarty pants, what could I possibly do to keep top talent that will not have to be green-lighted by the powers-at-be, and not demand a substantial financial and/or (heaven forbid!) time investment?” Based around the original research, here are the 4 mistakes you’re still making that are costing you top talent and what you can do about them today. Pay attention – correcting them can save you time and money too!

1.     You’re still selecting on Education and Skill, and not on Talent

This is pretty standard practice, and it’s also a good strategy if you want standard people. But if you want talented people, you need to select on talent. Contrary to popular belief, education and skill and even experience are not always the best predictors of success. We’ve all met people who have all the education and skills they need, but who will never be considered as top talent in a certain role. Education and experience will only get you so far, and they are redundant if natural talent for the role is absent. So how do you select for Talent?

• Consider complementary skill sets and industries, rather than wait for the “perfect package” It may never materialise. How much does it cost you to have empty seats?
• Study your best people and identify the traits you’d like to replicate and the ones you’d like to avoid, and then ask behavioural questions around these key traits in interviews
• Plan your interview questions. Don’t just Google “best interview questions” 20 minutes before your first interview. Someone who can give clever answers to those sort of questions may not be the right fit for the role

Back yourself and your ability to teach raw, talented people how to be successful in your business. Unlike skills and knowledge, talent can’t be taught. If you don’t know how to teach, learn. Managers attract and retain the talent they deserve.

2.     You are still focused on process instead of outcome

If your expectations are focused on the steps leading to the results rather than the results themselves, there’s a good chance your talented people are feeling dissatisfied, unfulfilled and demotivated. Why can’t your top performer have flexible working hours or an alternate office location? If they are reaching your objectives without compromising anything tangible (this doesn’t include your feelings of discomfort) – what difference does it make? Shelve the safety blanket.

Maybe it means looking at approaching tasks, systems or processes in a new way, and (brace yourself) encouraging them challenge you on some thinking that may be archaic and in desperate need of revision. If you want to keep your top talent, be open-minded about the way in which they operate. They’ll work to their strengths and may reach new heights of performance. There’s every chance you might discover a better way of doing things too. Worst case scenario, it doesn’t work and you can go back to doing things the old way and repeatedly berate them with “I told you so!” at the next company meeting. Who wouldn’t love to do that?

3.     You’re still not motivating your Talent

To motivate your people, it makes sense to motivate your talent by letting them use and develop the talents they have, rather than trying to manage their weaknesses. Sounds simple right? It is. The more tasks and projects you allow your people to be involved with that exercise their talents, the happier and more productive they’ll be in your team. Make it your job to make sure they’re using their talents, and don’t be scared to think outside the box. Let this be clear – if you don’t know what motivates your top talent, there is no point in attempting to motivate them at all. Get to know what your talented people really want out of their time in your business, and discuss options accordingly.

Still at a loss? For an exciting, fresh take on motivation theory, check out Dan Pink’s Drive – the surprising truth about what motivates us available in most digital or physical libraries, and also succinctly conveyed with delightful animations.

4.     You’re still not discussing career development

If you’ve chosen to employ talented people with great attitudes, it should be no surprise that they will be ambitious, driven and have expectations career development. If a star performer is feeling dissatisfied with their current role and unsure about what other opportunities exist, they’ll probably look externally for opportunities under the assumption that if an opportunity existed internally, their manager would have told them about it. If you keep quiet, your loss is someone else’s gain.

Don’t avoid having a “career conversation” because you’re worried you won’t be able to meet their expectations. They might not be looking for a promotion – they might want more training, to go on a course, to move sideways into a different role or into another team internally. Sure, the latter outcomes suck for you, but it’s better than losing them to a competitor. Conduct quarterly goal planning sessions to understand what they want out of their role, and meet for a regular 1 on 1 to ensure they are on track with both your goals and theirs. If you do this religiously, not only will they feel heard, but you’ll be able to gauge their level of commitment and be able avoid the pain of replacing them.

So that’s it. 4 simple corrections, all very much within your control. As a manager, you will most likely have absolutely no control over what your company does, the products and services they provide, how recognisable they are or the influence of their street cred. The exciting and empowering news here is that you don’t need any of that to keep your top talent present and performing. It’s all you baby!

Already packing up your desk thinking that it’s all too hard? Good. You should get out of management, and you won’t be missed.

- Erin Pfeiffer

For many of us, the first time you meet with a prospective employer for a job you really want can induce the same emotions and behaviours as a first date with someone really hot. Sweaty palms, anxiety that can only be shaken off by a stiff drink (not recommended for interviews)… saying inappropriate things at inappropriate times, and generally wishing you’d just stayed home and watched American Idol auditions so you can laugh at someone else’s rejection like you’d planned.

Unfortunately for all of us, it is as true in life as it is in our careers that you simply cannot avoid meeting a potential suitor for the first time if you want the relationship to get to second base. Even if you have an amazing connection with someone inside the protective orb of the World Wide Web, there comes a point when you will need to stop tapping your keyboard, get dressed, and attend a meeting in the hopes you could be tapping something else… like your new keyboard at your awesome new job.

So, apart from having to physically attend an initial meeting, what other parallels between dating and interviewing can be drawn and utilised to improve your chances of success? When first impressions are everything and you’ve only got one chance to impress, how do you make an Employer fall in love with you?

Treat a first interview like a first date.

I won’t bore you with the basics. If you don’t know that you shouldn’t attend an interview (or a date) with bed-head, and talk about the time you went on a Contiki tour and ended up incarcerated in Mexico with the intention of sounding awesome and cool, there is no helping you. Please stop reading this and start watching Jersey Shore.

For everyone else: Based on consistent feedback we get from Hiring Managers – and from finishing the Sex and the City Box Set – we’ve identified 5 factors that can be the predictors of failure or success in both scenarios. Or, in more relevant and momentous terms: the difference between 1^st base and a Home Run.

1.   Dress appropriately to Impress the appropriate people

Wait a minute… this sounds like a basic! And you look bored!

Well, it’s not. You might have heard the term “dress to impress” and thought it’s pretty self-explanatory, but this concept is open to wild interpretation. Ever turned up to a date at the movies wearing a three piece suit? Result = Epic Fail. Similarly, overdressing for an interview at a company with a cool and funky culture can be just as bad for your chances as underdressing for an interview at a traditional corporate. You need to do research on the company and find out who they are so you can dress appropriately. Still no clue? Do a walk-by (without being creepy) or ask around.

In practical terms, if a company has a cool and funky feel about them… 

Men, wear suit pants with a business shirt. A good guideline for the jacket vs. tie vs. both dilemma: if you don’t wear a jacket wear a tie; and if you don’t wear a tie, wear a jacket. Ladies, team business pants or a skirt with a fashionable top and understated accessories. Dresses/skirts should be mid to knee length. Minis really have no place in an interview.

If you identify a company as a bit more corporate…

Men, it’s simple. Always go a full suit and tie, clean shaven and tamed hair. No excuses. Ladies, it’s similar to the funky approach, but replace your top with a business shirt and jacket. Minimize accessories. Makeup for both scenarios should be suitable for looking nice at a funeral, not a nightclub. Less is more!

Your presentation should empower you. If you make an effort, you’ll feel great and it will show.

2.   Know your Audience

Assumption is the mother of all… well, you know.

Just like talking to a diehard party girl about your standing date with your couch every Saturday night; if you want to be successful you need to know your audience and what they want. Miscommunication of experience, skills, goals, and ambition can occur if you don’t first seek to understand why an Employer is hiring and who are looking for. Don’t assume that you know what they’re looking for from their Ad or from a Recruiter. Ask!

• “What are you looking for in an ideal candidate for this role?”
•  “What are the behaviours and characteristics someone would need to demonstrate in order to be successful?”
•  “What type of person would fit your culture and the team?”

Tip: The sooner you can gather this Intel in the interview, the sooner you can show how you fit their criteria. Additional Tip: If you can’t demonstrate something they want to see yet, focus on your awesome attitude, your willingness to learn new skills, and your ability to learn them fast.

3.   Wow, I know what you mean! That was like the time when I… 

Not all experience can be gained through a workplace setting. You might have additional skills and life experience you can draw on to make you a more suitable suitor/candidate. Have a think about what experience/exposure/knowledge you’ve got in common with the company and the role, even if it is outside the parameters of traditional work experience. Some areas you can draw on are:

Sport: Use to identify leadership, tenacity, dedication, determination, achieving goals

University: Great for examples of teamwork, innovation, creativity, time management, working to deadlines

Travel: Draw on to demonstrate independence, adaptability, maturity, courage, risk-taking, street smarts

What’s the link to dating? Don’t make stuff up. If the relationship gets serious, it can come back to bite you.

4.   Close the Deal

Unless the night went badly, you want to see this person again. Whether it’s securing that second date or getting the green light then and there, there needs to be some agreement on the way to move forward. It is advisable to be a tad more eloquent than, “So, you and me, how ‘bout it?”, and a great question is:

 “Is there any reason you wouldn’t put me forward to the next round?

Don’t be scared about asking this. Ever heard the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. If you did indeed veer off course, and you don’t ask this question, you won’t get any insight about where you went wrong and there’s every chance you’ll do it again. Worst case scenario, you’ll get some direct feedback on why you’re not the right person this time, and you can use constructive feedback to perfect your strategy and delivery next time. There might be an area of concern they have that you can address on the spot and quash their concern, and don’t discount the possibility they will say “There’s no reason I wouldn’t put you forward, you were great!” too. Either way, you’ll show you are keen and taking the process seriously. Man up and do it. You’ll live.

5.   Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up 

It’s not advisable to wait 5 days so you don’t look desperate. Employers don’t subscribe to the “treat ‘em mean keep ‘em keen way of life – they love candidates who show they want to work for them. After they have conducted first round interviews, I often get asked by Employers which of the candidates have followed up with me regarding their application.

After your interview, follow up by calling the Recruiter or Hiring Manager the next business day to ask if there is any feedback from your interview and when you can expect to hear back by. If they don’t answer the first time you call, call again twice before you leave a message, and wait 24 hours after leaving the message to call again. There’s a fine balance between follow up and harassment, so make sure you respect people’s time and conflicting priorities. No one likes a stalker. Timely follow up shows you are keen and interested, not desperate. Possibly a strategy that could also save some time in the dating world too. Just saying.

If they say no, they seem unprepared and uninterested. If they say yes, how do you tell the difference between questions just for the sake of asking questions, and questions from genuine interest and preparation?

Here are 4 questions to listen for in your next interview:

1. What are you looking for in the candidate that will fill this role?

It is important for the candidate to be able to describe how they will be able to add value in the role. If they haven’t taken the time to get clear on your wants and needs in the beginning, it will be difficult for them to describe how they will meet your needs throughout the interview.

2. Can you give me an example of someone who has been a Superstar and how they got there?

This will demonstrate their motivation and potential goal alignment. If they are clear about objectives from the beginning there is a greater chance they will be able to get up to speed quickly. It also shows they are focused on demonstrating an ability to add value and contribute to the company’s growth and development.

3. How does this position support the Company achieving its goals?

It doesn’t matter how fast everyone is rowing if they aren’t rowing in the same direction. Ensuring the company is aligned with their personal goals means they will have a bigger end in mind to work towards and will be more motivated. This may also be an opportunity for them to clarify previous research they have done on the company and the role, to ensure they know what they are in for and the role will meet their expectations.

4. What are the next steps and is there any reason you wouldn’t put me forward to the next stage?

If you have an issue with something they have said or something they have missed, this question will allow them to clarify. By asking you if you have any concerns, it shows they are open to feedback and understand that there may be areas that they need to work on. Perhaps a miscommunication has occurred and can easily be cleared up. If you address something like a lack of experience, this may be an opportunity for them to explain how they will bridge that gap.

Hank Stringer

Talk your way into the job you choose….qualified or not!

Could you hear yourself saying….?

“Sir, my goal is to succeed. I plan to do that by working hard to provide value and service to our clients and my co-workers. I will fall and stumble at times, however I am determined to use these opportunities to learn and improve myself. I would be honored to work with your firm and hope I am blessed with the opportunity.”

Does reading this make you a little sick? Are you saying to yourself, no way I could say something like that? A lot of people moving into the workforce I have been exposed to do have that attitude. Instead, the thought has been, “If they want me they will come and get me or offer me a job when they meet me”. Well, that may be the way it works, but the reality is it is possible to talk your way in to a job of interest.

A person, especially a recent grad or one new in their career presenting themselves this way will get the attention of a hiring authority or a large company and particularly the owner of a small to medium sized company. Why? The attitude and desire of the talent is everything to a company hiring. Find someone willing who is honest, hardworking and wants to improve themselves in order to get ahead and a number of skills needed for the job can be learned. In fact, many companies may find that attitude is more important than one having the specific skills needed, combined with a questionable attitude.

• Attitude matters
• Present yourself as optimistic and positive
• Show you are willing to learn and improve
• Smile – everyone likes to work with happy people

Want that special job? Talk yourself into it with the right words and attitude.

One last point to make, this strategy can’t be faked for long – you have to live it.

This post originally appeared on Glassdoor.com

Guest Blogger Hank Stringer is a member of the Glassdoor.com, Clearview Collection and CEO of Stringer Executive Search and Chief Strategist to Novotus – a professional recruiting agency. In 2006 he co-authored Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business” (Prentice-Hall. 2006) with fellow Clearview contributor Rusty Rueff. Hank’s experience includes founding Hire.com, an early Internet recruitment solution acquired by Authoria in 2005. He has also served as a senior recruiter for Dell Inc. and Tandem Computers.

You know that interview question where they ask what you want to be doing 5 years from now? What do you say?

We hear a lot of “I don’t know.” That’s cool, we get it – you’re looking for your first “real” job now, and 5 years seems like a long time away. With no experience under your belt, and no definitive plan for how you are going to get your corner office, you don’t know how to answer that question.

Here’s what the employer is thinking when you say “I don’t know.”

• Are we just a stepping-stone for them?
• What’s going to motivate them to do well in this role?
• What makes them think they are going to like this job?
• They obviously don’t plan on staying with us long enough to work their way up. 

Doubt. That’s what that is. Do you want to go into an interview and have the interviewer doubt your abilities to do the job because you haven’t dedicated your life to laying out your career path? No, of course you don’t.

I’m not saying make it up, but have an answer based on what you like and don’t like now. If you are wrong and you decide 5 years from now that you don’t want to be Team Leader at McDonalds anymore, you want to do something more corporate… no one is going to hunt you down and say, “When I interviewed you 5 years ago to be a Cashier, that is not what you said you wanted to be doing.”

It is important to find a job that makes you happy. It helps if you are naturally aligned to be successful and on route to reaching a bigger goal. Having a goal doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind in a few years if you are off the mark when you set it. You can tinker with it if you were a little wrong, or overhaul if you were way off. Just have something bigger to work towards and challenge yourself!

Here’s the freaky part, that reaction is normal for my generation! So, how can Gen Y’s addiction to instant information benefit you?

1. Constant Learners
   We have spent our entire lives learning how to use new technologies and systems without consciously thinking about it. For example, I am confortable knowing that I can get music to my ears from a Walkman, Disman, MiniDisk, MP3 player, iPod classic, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, and iPhone, while on the go.This means, we will fly through your training program, pick up your computer system in no time, point out processes that could be updated to increase efficiency, and consequently, save your time and money.
2. Self Taught
   Ask us to do something and we’ll say, ‘Sure, no problem.’ Of course, we might not know how to do it just yet, but lucky for us, we know where we can find all the information we need to get it done. We have constant access to a wealth of information on the web, there is always a YouTube video, blog article, or forum post that will tell us how to get on top of what we have said wouldn’t be a problem. We save your valuable time by teaching ourselves. Take away our Google… we might be a bit stuck.
3. Increased Efficiency
   We aren’t lazy, we just know there is a better way, and we like to work smarter, not harder. We are naturally inclined to use technology to make things easier and more efficient. Our innovative streak makes us creative, keeping you on top of online trends and best practice. And, our passion for new technologies will save our time, and your money by increasing overall efficiency.