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Hiring: The Landscape Has Changed, But the Song Remains the Same

Well it’s officially official—the world has turned upside down.

What was white a month ago is now black, square, round, inside, outside, well, you get my drift.  This is (for the foreseeable future) the new normal.

In terms of Recruitment/Hiring/ Interviewing, one is left to wonder about the vast impact on this whole process.

Let’s look at the “interview process”.

“The interview process is also changing, going from in-person to video platforms like Zoom. Face-to-face interviews don’t exist anymore, and everybody’s fine with video interviews,” says Arran Stewart, co founder and chief visionary officer for the automated job-matching site Job.com.

So you’ve ACED your Video interview! Congrats!

As much as our work habits have changed, the employer must also adapt the terms of employment offered to new employees. In addition to standard salary and benefits, they should consider adding additional provisions relevant to our current situation.

Offer a paid subscription to a new wellness app, or complimentary meal/grocery delivery services; these offerings not only make a person feel valued; they are a constant reminder that they are part of a team and a company that cares for them.

This is critical at this time as they don’t have the luxury of natural team-building that comes when people come into the office daily. These little gems when they first join the team let new employees know they are valued and appreciated and improve employee attraction and retention metrics.

You must also keep the social aspect of work alive by arranging things like virtual lunches or happy hour, where food is on the company (it’s difficult to coordinate timely delivery so allow employees to claim back on expenses). This builds a break into the workday and gives people a chance to decompress, socialize and break the monotony and isolation inherent to working at home.

You should insist that your workers take part in this to make sure they feel included and most of all, keep a routine.

Although the landscape of the interview process has vastly changed, and the added benefits that employers should consider when acquiring a new client now differ, the fact remains, hiring new top talent is going no where.

For more information about the services offered at Rostie & Associates, feel free to visit our website www.rostie.com or call us toll-free 1-800-647-0780.

We look forward to finding your your next hire!

Time=Money: Video Conferencing saves you Both

Video Conferencing Group

From the rise of Youtube to the era of the Instagram vertical video, it’s hard to deny that video in general has become cheaper and more accessible. The technology has already been in place for remote video conferencing for years. But poor video quality and hard-to-hear audio made them fall out of favor.

In the modern business sphere, information has to be shared and traded immediately. Which is great if you’re sitting across from your team mate, but if your company is large enough to have offices in different parts of the world, then it might get more difficult.

Of course, E-mail has it’s uses. However, just like any piece of written work; “context is key”, and the message can be lost in translation. Nothing beat face-to-face communications, but it’s not always practical, or even possible to sit in the same room.

To be able to share the entire context of your vital business information, the solution is video conferencing.

Additionally, video conferencing allows for the reading of body language, share thoughts, ideas and information while allowing you to read your audience to ensure they’re receiving the information in the intended manner. It’s a tremendous tool for training purposes and makes remote working a breeze.

However, it’s not as simple as setting up a Skype account and letting everyone have the address. First of all, Skype is not very secure, and if you have information that you want to keep private, that may not be the best option.

And of course, being a free option, it’s likely to be monetized in other ways. Nothing is more embarrassing than meeting with a new client, and having an Ad pop up during your presentation.

Also, while the video quality is usually ok, it’s not reliable, and while that might be fine if you’re just chatting with a team mate, it’s not good enough if you’re speaking to a client, or giving a large board presentation.

So not only do you want to have video conferencing available, but you also need it to be private, and be clear and crisp.

The Rostie Group can provide for all of your video conferencing solutions!  Our rooms have video conferencing equipment that is secure and easy to use. And in case of trouble, we have on-site tech support ready to make sure you have the best experience.

Give it a try today! 

 

The Skype Interview

So, you submitted your resume, got past HR, and you’re moving on to the next steps in the interview process.

Now you can’t wait to meet the hiring manager, and you will, but not necessarily in person.

With remote work and de-centralization, it’s quite possible that you and the hiring manager don’t live in the same city – or even in the same country.

Skype/Video calls save a tremendous amount of time and money, but they do have their drawbacks.

Here’s some things to keep in mind…

Double-check your connection – make sure there are no technical issues on your end.

If you don’t have a home office, find a quiet corner where you won’t be disturbed and household noises won’t filter through.

Be conscious of your body language – you don’t want to appear too comfortable or laid back.

Dress for success still applies… no matter how tempting it is do not dress formally on the top half and casual on the bottom – just don’t do it!

Have everything you need ready at hand – pen, paper, your resume, list of questions for the hiring manager.

If you want water or coffee then use a proper mug or glass – no Disney themes, please.

Look them in the eye!

This is crucial to video interview success.

I’ve conducted a number of video interviews and it’s very disconcerting when someone doesn’t look you in the eye when you’re speaking with them. Even worse, you don’t feel like you’ve connected. A lot of people tend to look at the other person’s image on the screen but you need to look into the camera – not stare of course, you don’t want to freak them out(!), just natural eye contact.

Most of all, treat a video call as what it is, a formal interview, and act accordingly.

Best of Luck!

from the March edition of The Scoop
By: Pamela Inglis

The Scoop is out for June!

Summer is always bustling down by Toronto’s Waterfront! The Rostie Group has opened The Sales Hub – coworking for sales professionals! The first of its kind, this open workspace caters to high-energy deal closers looking for a place to be productive.  Come and check it out today!

Mark your calendar for the Rise & Shine Executive Breakfast on June 15th: Video Presenting for Business Professionals and Executives with film director Kunle Bristow! Video is the best way to build your brand and connect across a wide variety of platforms. Learn more about how you and your brand can utilise video on June 15th!

Canada Day is also around the corner, which means the Redpath Waterfront Festival is gearing up and putting their sails up! Tour international tall ships, visit the Royal Canadian Navy Cook Off, and celebrate with the Parade of Sail. Free and running July 1-3, this is the summer event you don’t want to miss.