Aurelia Butler

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  • 125 Shares189 Views

    in Career Hacks

    Don’t Go Into an Interview Without Doing These Key Steps

    You might be the perfect candidate, with a perfect resume, and exactly what a company is looking for. But, if you don’t know how to interview well, or conduct yourself in a professional manner don’t expect to land a job. 

    Over the years, the interview process has evolved into a digital landscape with new rules and codes of conduct. Although the platforms have changed, the importance of interviewing has only grown. As a job marketplace, our main focus is to get you hired. While you might think of us mainly as a place where you can find jobs, we are also dedicated to your success and are a resource that strives to help you every step of the way.

    This being the case, we hosted a Job Searching 101 event with recruiters from companies like Expedia, Discover, and CVS Health to identify a list of interview tips and ways to prepare for an interview in 2023.

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    Research Everything About a Job & Company

    First and foremost, before you even apply to a company, research must be done. While knowing all the ins and outs of the position you’re applying for is important, far more research is needed. 

    Learn about the company and its standing in the industry. What are some of the recent goals and expectations that the company has set for itself? Bonus points if you’re familiar with recent events that the company was involved in and you’re able to bring it up naturally in conversation. What are the company values, what is their mission and culture? Do you know their mission statement?

    However, as much as you want to be informed and well-researched going into an interview, you also want the dialogue to flow naturally. You’re not trying to prove your knowledge or solve a problem, so try not to overdo it! As Taiana Hale, a College Recruiter for CVS Health says, “research the company and understand their industry and goals as an organization. However, try not to overdo it. You’re not trying to prove your knowledge. We still want the interview to seem natural.”

    Understanding the Process

    When you get to the interview portion of a job application it is best to familiarize yourself with the process as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask your main point of contact, whether it is the recruiter or the employer, what the particular process is like. 

    Is there a behavioral part and a technical part? Is there a case study portion? Ask them what is to be expected and what some good ways to prepare are. Not only will you be able to prepare yourself better for the interview but you’ll demonstrate to the recruiter or employer that you’re taking the time and energy to make sure you do a good job and potentially get the job.

    Another great option is to reach out to someone who works at the company and ask them for tips! While you may not get a response 100% of the time, if you approach someone professionally and authentically they are more likely to help. At the end of the day, all processes are different, so don’t pull your hair out trying to memorize questions or certain steps of an interview.

    Reliable Technology

    The next thing you need to keep in mind when going into an interview is to have reliable technology that you have a firm grasp on. In this virtual age, a large percentage of job applications and interviews are done online through video chat or otherwise. This being the case, candidates need to make sure they have a good web connection, they’re testing the applications or platforms being used for the interview, and no technical difficulties will occur during the interview.

    “I had an interview and the candidate was 12 minutes late because they hadn’t loaded the application and couldn’t get into the system. I hope that they learn from that and take more preparation going into the interview process next time”
    Lane Garnett, Sr. Manager Recruiting Process and Engagement, Discover Financial Services

    You could be the ideal candidate for a company but if you’re lagging on the video interviewing aspect you could get nixed. While in-person interviews have not been done away with entirely, virtual interviews are becoming more and more common. One way or another, having your technology locked in will ensure that you don’t miss out on a job because of a technicality.

    Appearance and Aesthetic

    Your appearance, whether it’s during an in-person interview or a virtual one, is critical. For virtual interviews, you want to make sure your background is neat and orderly and there are no distractions or off-putting stimuli. Adding a blurred filter to your background on a video call may be a good idea to ensure you aren’t showing an unprofessional background.

    Always make sure you check how you look on camera before starting the interview. Glares from lighting, messy clothes in the background, and sound interference will all make you look unprofessional in the eyes of recruiters. So if you have roommates, make sure you let them know you’re going to be on an interview before they barge in asking about happy hour!

    “This one time I was interviewing this one candidate, and they had their background was all set up fine and dandy, but they didn’t tell their roommates they were interviewing this day, and the roommates kind of barged into the room and started talking about “a crazy bender” they had last night, and it was not the best impression.”
    Sean Bea, Early Careers Recruiting Expedia Group

    When it comes to what you wear, the more formal you are the better. However, it’s a great idea to take note of what the aesthetic of a company is before going into an interview. Is everyone buttoned up with a jacket and tie? Or are some people rocking more casual wear with sweaters and shirts? Don’t fake your appearance, but always look professional so the employer will see you as a fit for their company.

    The Question Part

    At the end of your interview, more often than not, the person on the other end will ask if you have any questions yourself. The worst thing you can do in this situation is say no. On the other hand, a well-thought-out and intellectual question will leave a very good impression on the interviewer.

    One great question is to ask the interviewers themselves about their own experience of the company. What do they like and enjoy about working there? What are some of the challenges they face and how can you support and assist them in some of those things? How do you measure success?

    The list of good questions you can say at this moment goes on. Just remember to keep it relevant to the job and to ask something that seems like you’re interested in the longevity of your contributions to the company. You want to show that you have been paying attention and are engaged in the conversation. 

    How Do You Follow Up After an Interview?

    This last interview tip is one that a lot of people tend to forget. Make sure to send the recruiter or whoever interviewed you a follow-up and thank you email. The first 24 hours after an interview is the best time to go ahead with a follow-up. 

    Use it as an opportunity to expand a little bit on what you discussed during the interview and points that resonated with you. If there was something that stood out to you or something you aligned with, whether it was one of the company’s core values, the direction they’re headed, or an attribute of the job, don’t be afraid to share that.

    The more interviews you do, the better you will get. While it may be a time to show yourself off and what you’re capable of, don’t forget to use the interview as a time to see if the employer is a right fit for you.

    The more you think about interviews as a conversation and an exchange of information the more at ease you will feel. Keep up with the WayUp community as we continue to share resume secrets, career tips, and professional information you can’t get anywhere else. 

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    For more career advice and tips on how to find a job, keep up with the WayUp community guide and look out for new Job Searching 101 virtual events! More

  • 138 Shares199 Views

    in Employer

    Top 3 Strategies to Nurture Your Tech & Sales Candidate Pipeline

    In the wake of the economic downturn and slow labor market, companies are focusing on talent engagement and outreach by developing talent pipelines and employer branding. According to Gem’s survey, anticipating the challenge of ‘uncompetitive offers,’ 71% of talent leaders plan to invest in employer brands. A strong brand can make up for a less competitive compensation or benefits package. 

    Engaging candidates in your talent pipeline must be strategic. Nurturing candidates in your talent pool is the litmus test of your overall talent acquisition strategy. Because candidates’ chances of dropping out are high at this stage, organizations must develop reliable methods to engage and nurture their candidates.

    How to engage and nurture your talent pipeline

    Remember the strategies should be relevant to the present market and the candidate’s wants and needs. While talking to candidates, take time to understand their expectations and needs, so you can incorporate those into your strategy. Also, talent acquisition is sometimes a long process, so identifying sustainable, adaptable, and efficient methods will go a long way. 

    1. Optimize your employer brand 

    It’s the candidate’s market, and how they perceive you impacts your overall employer brand and brand awareness profoundly. Despite that, there’s still a lot you can do to boost your employer brand. 

    Companies across the globe use employer branding to highlight their vision, values, company culture, and benefits. By highlighting in-demand policies and perks, companies place themselves as employers of choice, in turn attracting quality talent. It also helps convey authenticity and purpose, creating shared meaning and promoting employee engagement. So, how should you promote your employer brand?

    Tell a story 

    At the heart of great employer branding is the simplistic and authentic way of conveying your organizational story to your target audience. Keep it simple – with an influx of information from all channels, complicated messaging will leave your audience confused. Use your values as the north star to guide you in your storytelling journey. 

    Personalize your message

    Employer branding borrows its concepts from the world of marketing. Marketing campaigns use audience segmentation to personalize content and identify and segment target groups. Customize your messaging and content based on each group to deliver quality content that resonates. 

    Highlight your leaders 

    In organizations, change often trickles down from the top. For your messaging to be truly effective, it has to be owned and shared from the top. Having company leaders convey important messages is a great exercise in cultivating accountability and trust. 

    Related: 3 Ways You Should Use C-Suite to Recruit Tech Talent (+ Free Templates)

    Update your website

    The candidate experience begins at the first interaction, usually through your website. Emphasize creating a meaningful and easy-to-navigate website and careers page to tell the story about your organization. 

    Related: Learn what talent leaders have to say about strengthening the employer brand: 8 Ways to Hire Faster & Build a Better Employer Brand.

    2. Upgrade your tech stack

    It is impossible to imagine recruitment and talent acquisition without technology or data insights. With the emergence of recruiting tools, talent management platforms, and communication software, talent acquisition has become extremely data-driven.

    This is a welcome change, as the data-driven approach tackles bias, keeps the process objective, and predicts returns in advance. Simultaneously, tools like ATS, CRM, and more can automate administrative tasks, customize candidate communication, and provide real-time insights. 

    If you are planning your talent acquisition strategy, don’t forget to upgrade your tech stack. Here are some essential technologies you should include in your talent acquisition ecosystem. 

    AI-powered and Machine Learning tools 

    Artificial intelligence and machine learning are a powerful part of talent acquisition technology. Tools supported by AI and machine learning undertake a variety of functions including:

    Screening and shortlisting candidates

    Parsing through resumes

    Matching candidates to roles based on skills and keywords

    Removing identifying information to ensure fair screenings

    Evaluating candidate assessments

    Simulating conversations through chatbots

    Providing analytics, metrics, and trends about the recruiting process

    AI-powered tools perform manually cumbersome tasks like resume screenings and candidate assessments within a fraction of time, helping to reduce time-to-hire. 

    ATS or CRM tools

    An Applicant Tracking System allows you to monitor a candidate throughout the hiring process from a centralized application. It also provides information about candidate dropouts and problems in the hiring process. An ATS can perform additional tasks like resume screening or assessments, interviewing, scheduling, and shortlisting candidates.

    Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) tools allow you to navigate candidate relationships by automating personalization and scheduling content. 

    Candidate assessments 

    For tech candidates, technical skills assessments are central to the hiring process, but they are also time-consuming as engineers have to design, conduct, and evaluate them. With technical assessment tools, AI will create, distribute, and even score the evaluation as well as shortlist candidates to move them ahead in the pipeline. 

    You can also conduct screening measures to identify relevant candidates from within the pipeline. 

    3. Ramp up remote hiring 

    According to Hired, 93% of candidates indicated a preference for remote work. In another survey, Gartner found 52% of employees said flexible work policies will affect their decision to stay at their organizations in 2023.

    These trends point to the obvious: a digital hiring process is essential. The ability to publish jobs online, interview candidates remotely, and exchange digital documents safely will keep your organization and processes modernized. 

    When onboarding new talent, it is essential to provide a smooth experience. Ensuring you have the right technology to support employee onboarding should be a top priority when implementing a remote hiring process. 

    Related: How to Onboard Tech Engineers onto Your Team (Free 30/60/90 Template) 

    In addition, investing in technologies and programs to enable remote learning and training help to manage larger-scale remote teams. They’re also useful in aiding in the skill development process for your talent pipeline.

    Beyond hiring, your remote teams should be able to collaborate and work together regularly. You might consider teaming up with companies like Microsoft, Zoom, or Cisco to support video interviewing and remote teamwork. 

    Want to keep your talent pipeline engaged? 

    Overlooking your talent pipeline may lead to dropouts and a poor employer brand, while consistent engagement will improve hiring performance and help you meet your hiring goals. Highlight organizational values to tell your brand story, involve your leaders, and leverage social media to get your message out there. Lastly, updating your tech stack to promote efficiency and collaboration as well as focusing on remote hiring can help keep candidates engaged. 

    Hired’s range of features and services enables you to drive brand awareness and expand your talent pipeline. Get in touch with our team about hosting custom events to target relevant candidates. More

  • 125 Shares149 Views

    in Employer

    In it to Win It: How to Measure Recruitment ROI

    About this eBook

    With job roles to fill, employers continue talent acquisition efforts to onboard the best talent. Because of the market, though, recruiting costs are a more significant concern than usual, when long hiring times can drive them up. Building sustainable hiring practices means lowering costs while maximizing returns. Look at what return on investment (ROI) means for recruitment and how organizations may leverage and measure it.

    What You’ll Learn

    How to develop recruiting as a business strategy

    Why you should calculate recruitment return on investment and how to do it (formulas included!)

    Steps to optimize the hiring process and ensure maximum returns More

  • 138 Shares169 Views

    in Employer

    Talent Acquisition Week Edition: Talk Talent to Me February ’23 Recap

    Catch up on the February 2023 episodes of Hired’s Talk Talent to Me podcast featuring recruiting and talent acquisition leadership who share strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry. In this special edition, we’re featuring 4 episodes recorded live at Talent Acquisition (TA) Week, a leading event educating talent acquisition pros!

    AI tools in recruiting and values-based versus skills-based with April Venables, VP of TA at Moderna 

    TA challenges in healthcare and implementing high-level strategies with Matt Rimer,  Director of TA at Trinity Health

    Leveraging online chat forums to recruit with Brian Fink, Talent Partner at McAfee

    Embedding DEI into TA practices with Tara Turk-Haynes, VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Talent Management at Leaf Group

    The power of authenticity and human nature related to TA with Mike Cohen, Founder and Sourcer at Wayne Technologies 

    1. April Venables, VP of TA at Moderna 

    Historically, talent acquisition and recruiting have relied heavily on networking but how has the influence of technology, AI tools, and systems changed these roles? April discusses today’s recruiter and how the role and required skillset have changed over the course of her career. April also talks about the different AI tools she implements to help the recruiting process, values-based versus skills-based, and what makes for a bad (or good) hire.

    “The traditional TA model, or strategy, that has worked historically, and what has worked for us here at Moderna to grow so quickly in a short period of time, is not the same strategy that is going to make us successful, long-term.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    More on TA Week

    We recorded the episodes below in person at TA Week, which spotlights critical topics from recruiting, sourcing, and employer branding to talent data analytics and DEI.

    Each day highlighted a different talent attraction event: 

    Social Recruiting Strategies Conference 

    Employer Branding Strategies Conference

    Talent Sourcing Strategies Summit

    Attendees learned to leverage emerging recruiting practices with a look into the latest global recruiting trends, recruitment marketing, candidate engagement, tools, and technology. Thanks to expert best practices and panel discussions, they left with no shortage of insights. 

    Among other impressive exhibitors, Hired joined the floor to engage attendees with an inside look into its innovative talent acquisition and sourcing solution.

    Related: Hired helps Unite Us connect with & source high-quality tech talent

    2. Matt Rimer, Director of TA at Trinity Health

    Kicking off coverage from the floor of TA Week, Matt shares some of the biggest hiring challenges currently facing healthcare and why it’s an exciting time to be involved with healthcare talent acquisition. Matt discusses the strategies Trinity Health is implementing to attract more healthcare talent, particularly nurses. He also offers insight into the involvement of C-Suite in these initiatives and the launch of Trinity’s employee referral program (find out the percent of total hires that should come from referrals!). 

    “I think it’s a good opportunity for talent acquisition professionals: To not only put up the strategy but then show that they’ve got the delivery muscle to actually meet the objectives that they’re setting out to do.” 

    Listen to the full episode.

    3. Brian Fink, TA Partner at McAfee

    Brian discusses why conversations must be taken offline and delves into why he offers practice interviews and resume reviews. In addition to sharing how he “hacks Slack,” Brian shares a few tips and tricks. This includes how he recruits on Discord, why you should use your personal email address when joining those communities, how you can find them, and what mistakes to avoid. 

    He also mentions why professionals should not miss out on TA Week (be sure to attend next year!) and why he loves Hired.

    “I like to think of recruitment as tuning into the channel, WIIFM: what’s in it for me? When you tune into WIIFM, we’re able to have a genuine conversation not built around what we’re trying to serve and the interests that we’re trying to perpetuate but instead the mission that that candidate or that individual is trying to serve.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    4. Tara Turk-Haynes, VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Talent Management at Leaf Group

    During her third appearance on TT2M, Tara shares how she embedded DEI into Leaf Group’s talent management strategy and why she’s more likely to recruit ‘career changers.’ She explains why the industry should pay more attention to how they market to emerging talent and how she recruited Leaf Group’s new Director of Recruiting Operations on a platform that might surprise you. 

    Tara concludes the chat with an overview of the current state of DEI and urges companies to better tailor their DEI targets according to their own needs, instead of setting them based on law and societal pressures. 

    “My mission, and my own personal goal, is to talk about how we [can] embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into our practices, and not making them this separate thing that we talk about alongside talent.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    5. Mike Cohen, Founder and Sourcer at Wayne Technologies

    Mike starts off by sharing why he loves TA Week and how it provides authenticity, vulnerability, and acceptance in the talent world. He goes on to explain what DEI hiring is, why it is so important, and how people in talent acquisition need to take the safety of their employees seriously. 

    Looking deeper at safety, Mike explains that it is more complex than fire drills. It is about using vulnerability to go beyond the surface level. Finally, hear Mike’s thoughts on why there is no right way to do recruiting and what it means to be human.

    “There is no right way to do recruiting. There are a ton of wrong ways, but you’re never going to ‘get it’.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    Want more insights into recruiting tips and trends?

    Tune into Hired’s podcast, Talk Talent to Me, to learn about the strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry—straight from top experts themselves. More

  • 138 Shares169 Views

    in Employer

    Want High-Performing Pipelines & Sustainable Talent Acquisition? Here are 5 Steps

    Talent acquisition isn’t easy in the current job market. Companies cannot afford to post a job and simply hope for the best. For companies with slowed hiring, it is even more imperative to mindfully establish a quality candidate pipeline if they want to hit the ground running when hiring picks up again. 

    A talent pipeline is a pool of qualified, suitable candidates who could fill the open roles within the organization, either now or in the future. Usually, talent pipelines include both internal and external candidates that companies intend to promote or hire, respectively. 

    Establishing a network of professionals:

    Allows for a steady flow of candidates even when the market is down

    Reduces time and hiring cost

    Minimizes workflow and productivity disruptions

    Increases interview success rates

    Helps match talent more effectively

    How to build a robust talent pipeline 

    However, developing a talent pipeline is easier said than done. Companies need to find candidates and consistently engage with them to keep talent pipelines warm. Employee referrals, social media, and engaging with past candidates are great ways to add more people into your pipeline. Forward-thinking talent acquisition leaders and teams may also collaborate with companies who are sourcing and training early-career talent. 

    So, how do you develop a high-performing tech and sales talent pipeline?

    1. Plan: Identify your hiring goals and needs

    Like any other business decision, your talent acquisition strategy must align with your needs and goals. In terms of recruitment, this is where many organizations fall short. Without adopting a strategy for hiring, you’ll have more costs than benefits. 

    Spend time developing a complete understanding of your talent needs, including current positions needing to be filled, future positions or growth, and changes that might impact hiring. 

    This is known as talent mapping. It is a proactive approach to bridging the gap between business strategy and hiring to predict long-term hiring needs and cultivate support for the new roles. 

    Since talent acquisition is a long-term strategy, talent mapping can be a crucial exercise and helps put your best foot forward. While it looks simple, talent mapping is an extensive process and involves brainstorming and collaboration across departments, stakeholders, and leaders. To get started, begin with these questions: 

    Are you planning to expand your organization within the next year, two, or even five years? 

    Is your company anticipating any potential mergers, acquisitions, or other major changes?

    Do you plan to change locations, add one or more offices, or go remote/hybrid? 

    Where do you think the company needs the most support?

    Are there any departments that lack skills, structure, or support the most? 

    Is there a specific department that you plan to expand or restructure?

    What skill sets do you need to meet business goals and objectives? How do you plan to achieve that?

    How do you see the company (or a department) changing/growing to support new roles? 

    2. Source: Find quality candidates

    After brainstorming the above questions, you will have a fair idea of the type of roles you are (or will be) hiring for. By understanding the type of talent and skills required for your company, you will be able to identify the right candidates to fill up your pipeline. 

    Candidate sourcing to fill your pipeline means actively searching for candidates instead of waiting for them to apply to your organization. Here are some of the most essential sourcing methods for attracting top candidates: 

    Employee Referrals

    Organizations often ask their current employees to refer candidates and offer a reward in return. These popular programs are often successful in finding qualified candidates who are the right fit for the organization.  

    Job Fairs and Networking Events

    What better way to approach candidates than in-person events? Compared to typical online outreach methods like emails, offline networking is an opportunity to develop strong and fruitful connections. This is also a great option for engaging with passive candidates. In addition, campus events are effective for fostering early-career talent. 

    Recruitment Databases

    Applications like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Candidate Relationship Management (CRM), or other tools provide relevant data for talent acquisition. Partner with a data provider or talent sourcing company if you don’t have a candidate database. But, if you are planning to incorporate a talent strategy into your upcoming plans, it is an ideal time to embrace a data-driven policy. 

    Related: Browse Hired’s ATS partners

    Sourcing from Social Channels

    Job boards and applicant portals allow you to identify candidates based on skills and keyword searches related to your needs. While LinkedIn is one of the most popular sources, people also use social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to attract candidates. You might also target niche sources like Hired for tech candidates like developers and engineers. 

    3. Connect: Build relationships

    Once you’ve identified the candidates, it’s time to reach out and connect with them. Now, this is where it can get tricky. At this point, you are not offering a job or asking them to apply for an open role. Instead, your intention is to develop an authentic relationship over time. If done right, these relationships will be beneficial. However, candidates may lose interest if you appear overbearing and irrelevant. 

    Focus the initial conversation on understanding their goals, interests, experiences, and future plans. This will help you cultivate trust and build better relationships with passive candidates. 

    Remember that honest and consistent communication is fundamental to a candidate relationship. Inform the candidates if there are no open roles and engage with them about other valuable and relevant topics. Let them know about new projects, developments, and suitable roles, as they arise. 

    Related: 7 Ways to Message UVPs to Tech Candidates Now: Recruitment Marketing in 2023

    4. Assess: Align skills and goals

    As you connect with your candidates, assess if their skills and goals are in alignment with your company’s needs and goals. Identify appropriate candidates from your talent pipeline based on the need for specific skill sets. You can also tweak your sourcing strategy to bring in more specific talent. For instance, if your goal is to have more diverse candidates, you might target diversity job boards that have proven successful based on your talent pool assessment. 

    Related: Hired platform diversity features

    Consider these questions while assessing your talent pool: 

    Does the candidate possess the skills necessary to fulfill your business needs? Is there scope to develop those (and other) skills within the organization?

    How is the candidate adding value to your organization?

    Are the candidates’ past experiences applicable to any roles at your company?

    How can you support the candidate in fulfilling their goals?

    What opportunities for learning and development do you plan to provide? 

    Are your diversity goals reflected in your talent pool? If not, how do you plan to achieve those? What initiatives do you have in place to support diverse candidates? 

    Tip: Use Hired Asessments to evaluate talent and get insight into how you can improve your talent pipeline. 

    5. Nurture: Keep your candidates engaged

    Congratulations, you successfully built a talent pipeline! But your work doesn’t end there. Nurturing candidates in your pipeline is vital to maintaining their interest. In addition, passive candidates who might not be looking to switch jobs might require more time and effort.

    Nurturing candidates requires a delicate balance between building a solid relationship and not overdoing it and driving them away. Sending them a barrage of irrelevant job listings will likely irritate them and give them a bad impression of you and your company. 

    Focus on sharing relevant and interesting content tailored to their needs. Leverage your previous interactions to deliver personalized content to them. 

    Another way to engage candidates is to invest in their training and development. Research suggests that 26% of jobseekers want learning and development opportunities at their current workplace. This is true not only for your talent pipeline but also those hired from your channel. While training and development initiatives seem expensive, they are investments in the candidate’s and the company’s future.

    Related: How to Nurture Innovation, Strengthen Retention (Use Professional Development) 

    Start building your tech and sales talent pipeline

    Organizations can focus on curating a network of talented candidates to develop a sustainable talent acquisition strategy. Aligning your business goals with hiring needs to source and nurture relevant candidates ensures you have plenty of interested candidates when you are ready to hire.

    Ready to build your talent pipeline? Book a demo with Hired to get instant access to a curated pool of responsive top tech and sales talent actively seeking their next role. More

  • 100 Shares159 Views

    in Employer

    6 Reasons You Think You Don’t Need Hired

    Or, Why It Could Be Your Best Recruiting and Hiring Solution

    We meet a lot of people who think they understand what Hired is, and what we do. Truth is, there are a few misconceptions out there. We’re not a recruiting agency, a job board, or a social network. We work for employers, connecting them directly to qualified candidates for tech and sales roles. We focus on talent most in demand by employers, which are generally Software Engineers, DevOps, UX Designers, Product Managers, and Data Scientists. For sales, it’s mostly Candidate Experience and revenue-based roles, such as Sales Managers. 

    It’s free for candidates to submit a profile and interview requests from employers. We also have a dedicated Candidate Experience team to support them. Using sophisticated AI and transparency into compensation expectations and preferences, we surface matching talent to employers, saving both parties loads of time. Despite this, we know hiring managers, recruiters, talent acquisition professionals, and C-Suite executives have questions – even objections.

    So, is Hired the right fit for you and your hiring needs? Let’s see. If we are, super! Let’s continue the conversation. If not, keep visiting and enjoying our content for recruiters, hiring managers, and talent leaders. Maybe we’ll connect down the road. Here are some common reasons you may think you’re not the right fit. 

    1. “We’re under a hiring freeze.”

    If you’re on a hiring freeze, it’s likely attrition is a risk for retaining talent. Recent data from LinkedIn shows the typical attrition rate for tech and sales talent is between 10-12%. This only rises in times of uncertainty. If retention is a concern for you, we can help in several ways. 

    Our research shows that highly-rated aspects of an ideal company culture and work environment for software developers include opportunities for professional development and career growth. We work with several partners, who help our customers upskill and develop their tech and sales teams.

    Hired offers the most efficient solution for sourcing talent when you need it. Plus, our Customer Success team is happy to work with you to improve your hiring processes through an interview guide revamp or company profile page review. Then, once the freeze lifts, you’re ready to go while your competitors are just warming up. 

    2. “We’re in the midst of layoffs.”

    We know that’s a tough experience for everyone involved, and we’d like to support you and your colleagues with free resources during this difficult time. 

    If, however, you want to reduce the cost of vacancy, and you need to backfill crucial roles, but outreach or recruitment marketing is discouraged during layoffs, we can help.

    Working with Hired to discreetly source and screen candidates for immediate roles or to nurture your pipeline avoids the optics of “spray and pray” LinkedIn outreach or job postings on your site. If your hiring managers and sourcers are stretched thin, Hired offers services to act as an extension of your team.

    For individuals seeking a new role, we offer free career resources, including a Jobseeker’s Guide to Bounce Back Better than Ever, which may be useful to share in your networks. 

    If you want to earn new certifications and skills, or even want to attend an immersive bootcamp, we have partners to help. If you’re on the platform, earn badges to broadcast your skills using Hired Assessments. Candidates with badges earn more interview requests. 

    Keep in mind, Hired also has hundreds of companies continuing to interview and extend job offers. They know some pretty amazing talent suddenly becomes available after layoffs and it’s a prime opportunity to connect and establish a relationship with them. 

    If you’re already on the platform and need assistance – reach out to our Candidate Experience team. They’re there to help you be successful!

    3. “We’re focused on other initiatives during the hiring slowdown, like Employer Branding.”

    We understand, and we’re happy to help with that too! We also offer employer branding services such as co-marketing or events to participate in that would allow you to maintain a brand profile while hiring is on pause. 

    Need to rethink your funnel or customize them for specific roles or regions? Our team is available to assist by auditing your messaging and processes before making thoughtful recommendations. 

    Let’s create more productive experiences for your hiring teams in the future and optimize the candidate experience. Now could be an excellent time to tackle some big rocks or strengthen areas deprioritized during hypergrowth modes. Reconsider policies, rethink requirements, and redraw maps of how you attract, hire, and retain employees. 

    Check out these related resources: 

    4. “We’re not a ‘tech company,’” or “We don’t have many tech roles to fill.”

    Are you sure? Your company may have an industry focus on healthcare, consumer goods, or agriculture, but you probably employ tech workers. You may have one, two, or 10, compared to the hundreds employed by global household names like Amazon or Google. 

    Regardless, the tech roles you have may be challenging to fill, especially if your turnover is low, (congrats on your retention!). If you have a lean tech team, odds are the company is pretty dependent on them and needs open roles filled as soon as possible. Whether it’s moving projects forward or ongoing support for the business or its customers, chances are you need a specific skill set and you need it fast. 

    We can empower your internal team to efficiently source the precise subroles you need. Frontend, backend, full stack engineers? We’ve got them. DevOps, data analysts? You bet. UX designers and product managers? We have a lot of them, too. 

    We have a vertically-deep pool of pre-qualified, responsive candidates for a simple pay-per-hire rate with a dedicated Customer Success team at less than the cost of recruiting agencies.

    Eliminate the waiting game and move faster. How? Our candidates’ profiles with salary expectations and wishlists plus our system’s robust filters provide better matches and enable you to personalize your interview requests. This helps you connect with candidates at a deeper level immediately and generates amazing response rates. 

    5. “Hired is too expensive,” or “It won’t work with our current hiring tools budget.”

    Passive sourcing can bury your inbox. But, the candidate pool slows you down because of outdated profiles or the search functions don’t deliver the candidates with the skills you need.  Lockdowns changed the way many people regarded work/life balance and what they wanted from their job or career. The Great Resignation, or Reshuffling, had tech workers flexing their power in a competitive market. 

    A survey of technologists in October of 2022 indicated 74% are actively looking for or open to a new role. Despite the layoffs that thundered through the second half of 2022, the unemployment rate for the tech industry fell to 1.5% in January from 1.8% a month earlier. The national rate fell from 3.5% to 3.4%, for comparison. 

    There is no slowdown in the number of tech professionals who are looking for new opportunities at other companies.  

    So, when you do have open roles, they are more critical than ever and the competition for top-tier candidates is intense. We provide the most efficient solution as our candidates are fully vetted for experience, skills, and salary requirements so we connect you with the people you need quickly. 

     Plans

    We offer various models including a subscription-based scenario with a predictable flat fee and unlimited hiring. This level offers beta access to new features, more compensation data, and premium customer support. Data shows customers often average 50% savings on cost per hire using this model.

    If flexibility is more important for now, go Pay Per Hire. You get access to the same tools and features for DEI to surface more underrepresented candidates and eliminate bias, as well as compensation transparency, completed assessment scores, and third-party integrations like an ATS. Depending on your needs, this allows you to get started quickly and further evaluate before making a commitment. 

    Whichever works best for you, ensure you and your team benefit from the highest value-add tools to meet hiring needs, achieve DEI goals, support your brands through volatility, and deliver the strongest ROI.

    We found a lot of companies could use assistance in working with decision-makers to get support for hiring and recruiting tools. We created this to help – Get Internal Approval for Recruiting Tools: A Step-by-Step Playbook.

    6. “We don’t need Hired – our inbound pipeline is flush with candidates.”

    Perhaps. But who are they? Are they qualified? Are they willing to work in a hybrid environment? What’s their visa eligibility? What’s their preferred working time zone? How much time will you spend screening and are they legitimately a good fit for the open role(s)? 

    Hired brings you the right talent, right away. It’s likely your team is expected to do more with fewer resources. Take advantage of the widest pool of the most active and curated talent on the market and enable them to source in the most efficient way possible. 

    Lean on Hired Assessments and candidate-earned skills badges to quickly filter and vet your full pipeline of candidates. Using this asynchronous tool frees up your team from in-person proctoring, creates a better experience for candidates, and empowers your team to assess a greater volume of candidates across multiple time zones.

    Need temporary or ongoing help to source, screen, and manage communications with candidates? Use Hired Sourcer to shortlist and coordinate the back and forth between candidates and hiring managers. It protects your employer brand by providing a better experience for candidates and allows hiring managers to focus on their daily priorities.

    Want a customized report of time and cost savings estimates? Check out our Savings Calculator. 

    Conclusion: Hiring the right people has never been more important.

    Let’s talk. Let’s explore how Hired can help you with more than quickly attracting and hiring qualified and experienced tech and sales talent. 

    We’re eager to understand your needs today and down the road, so we may support you and your goals. We are happy to show you a demo of the platform and connect you with team members to learn more about sourcing, events, tech assessment tools, and more.  More

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    Data and Financial Technology: What it’s Like to Work at Bloomberg

    Finance and business professionals are faced with the challenge of navigating increasingly large volumes of data to make the most informed decisions possible.Bloomberg, a financial technology company, plays an important role in connecting the world’s decision-makers to accurate information about the financial markets. Through innovative tools such as the Bloomberg Terminal, the company provides access to financial data, news, and insights that help clients turn knowledge into action.Bloomberg’s Data team is responsible for the end-to-end intake and delivery of data behind the company’s products and services. The team processes billions of pieces of financial information daily and plays an integral role in ensuring the breadth, depth, and quality of financial data for which Bloomberg is known.In this article, we’ll learn more about the Data department and its ever-evolving role at Bloomberg and within the financial technology industry. Additionally, we interviewed James Hook, the Global Head of Data, about the latest industry trends, his career trajectory, and the traits and skills needed to succeed in Data roles today.Bloomberg’s Data Department At Bloomberg, data analysts combine both financial market knowledge and technical expertise to collect, analyze, and supply the most relevant content to clients operating across industries and asset classes. At its core, the team is primarily responsible for: 1) acquiring, modeling, and enriching proprietary and third-party data so that it can be used by clients, 2) providing support to client data queries, and 3) innovating workflow efficiencies that enhance the company’s systems, products, and processes.Data management is an emerging area that comprises many academic

    disciplines, including data modeling, artificial intelligence, data science, and data quality management. Individuals who focus on data at Bloomberg are given training and client exposure to better understand how data fits into the financial markets. As the data industry evolves, ample opportunities to expand one’s skill set and experience emerge across various domains.The rapid evolution of the industry also requires Bloomberg’s data team to adapt to the latest trends and practices to help clients solve their current business problems. The team proactively stewards data that addresses future client needs.

    The Career Trajectory of James Hook

    During his 18-year tenure at Bloomberg, James Hook has embodied what it means to be an effective team member and leader. At Bloomberg, James has demonstrated an ability to work across different disciplines, first as a software engineer and later as a Team Leader of the Structured Products team, where he developed both technical and financial market expertise to deliver valuable client solutions.That experience led him to the Data Technologies Engineering team, where he  managed the talented individuals who built the systems that on-board all the reference data that drive Bloomberg’s applications and enterprise systems. Now, as the head of the Data division, he focuses on combining domain expertise with innovative data management techniques to increase the overall value of our data products

    Through his intellectual curiosity, collaborative spirit, and diligence, James has grown his career at Bloomberg. While his path is unique, it speaks to the career possibilities available in Bloomberg’s Data Division. Global Opportunities in Data

    During our interview, James Hook described what Bloomberg – and the data industry in general – looks for in candidates, and the qualities it takes to succeed and make an impact as an employee.

    Successful Bloomberg data professionals can come from a variety of academic backgrounds and share two common traits – first, an aptitude to delve into specific data and financial domains, and second, an appetite for innovation and experimentation.

    In addition to developing subject matter expertise and technical skills, data analysts collaborate with a range of stakeholders around the globe, from Engineering to Sales, on product development.While most of Bloomberg’s employees work in major cities around the world, many data analysts work in Princeton, NJ, a suburban community about an hour from New York City. The Princeton location offers a research campus-like culture and boasts open, outdoor spaces that facilitate unique collaboration opportunities among the departments working there. This location also allows the team to build relationships with local universities and foster a continuous learning environment where new and bold ideas are developed, tested, and brought to life.With a diverse data team based around the globe in Princeton, New York City, and more than half working in Latin America, Europe, and Asia, James is focused on nurturing a culture of collaboration and inclusivity throughout the department and the broader organization as a whole. 

    Bloomberg runs on data. Thus, developing strong data management skills is critical for Bloomberg’s continued and sustained growth as a company. Positioned at the intersection of technology, finance, and data management, employees have a lot of range to explore their passions and pursue different projects throughout their careers with the firm.Not only is the culture and environment of Bloomberg special, but also the company’s philanthropic mission makes a real impact on the world and is incredibly motivating.If you’re interested in learning more about open roles at Bloomberg and taking a step further into the world of data and analytics, check out their current job listings. As the world of data grows, so do the opportunities, so don’t hesitate to make your move! More

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    How Citi is Paving the Way for HBCU Grads and Black Professionals in Finance

    Ever since Maggie Lena Walker established and presided over the first bank to service Black organizations, Black Americans have been shaping the history of finance. 100 years later, people of color (POC) are still making contributions that leave everlasting impacts on the industry. 

    Although a lot of progress has been made for POC in the banking and finance space, they are still at a disadvantage. The facts of the matter are that POC are disproportionately underrepresented in finance and face a harder time breaking into the industry than others. 

    As a company that emphasizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Citi identifies with these issues wholeheartedly. Citi also knows that if these trends continue, an entire legacy of future Maggie Walkers might cease to exist.  Even worse, the contributions and ideas that these POC would have contributed to the finance world would never see the light of day. This lack of input and improvement would slow down the finance world as we know it. 

     Citi has made sure to create a space where POC not only feel welcome but motivated to succeed as well, creating a virtuous cycle for individuals, Citi as an organization and the financial services industry more broadly. In order to create this space, Citi has rolled out a series of initiatives that are paving the way for POC in finance. The first of which has to do with their recruiting strategy. 

    HBCU Recruiting and Presence 

    To employ the brightest minds, first, you have to find them. That’s why Citi decided to set up an ambitious recruiting strategy at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). And we’re not just talking about free koozies and stickers. Citi is showing up on campuses, sometimes even with school alumni, to share background on their diversity and inclusion efforts, educate students about opportunities and show they are a company that values the success of their diverse employees.   

    Here is what one Global Banking Analyst had to say about the impression Citi left when they visited Howard University during her time as an undergraduate. 

    By continuing to establish meaningful relationships with students at HBCUs, Citi is building a workforce that includes incredibly talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. 

    HBCU Alumni Network 

    By creating groups and communities that allow people from similar backgrounds to come together and share thoughts, companies can create new environments to help their employees thrive. That’s why Citi established the HBCU Alumni Network. As you might be able to infer, the HBCU Alumni Network is a group at Citi that allows alumni from different HBCUs to connect, network, and help one another grow. Which, for a lot of people, helped them succeed and learn in a lot of ways.  

    My involvement with the HBCU Alumni Network has taught me the importance of being proactive when you’re on a team. I was tasked to work alongside another team member to initiate contact with 19 schools. I hesitated on whether I should wait for him to reach out first since he has been employed at Citi longer than me, but I ended up having the courage to set up the first meeting. He expressed how impressed he was that I took charge right away and set up a strong foundation for the work we’ll be completing together. That experience taught me to never doubt myself or my capabilities, even if I may be the youngest on the team, and if there is an opportunity to showcase your skills or leadership, you always jump at it!  
     Global Consumer Banking Analyst 

    Through her involvement with the HBCU Alumni Network, she not only gained more experience and confidence in herself, but she also made a good impression on her colleague. All around wins. 

    Black Heritage Network 

    Like the HBCU Alumni Network, there is the Black Heritage Inclusion Network at Citi. Within this group, Black professionals can come together, share their thoughts, seek out mentors, and essentially just share space with people who look like them.  

    After you graduate, the number of groups and organizations you can join to socialize, grow yourself, and feel welcome gets cut in half. When these groups are no longer available, especially in the corporate world, some individuals face issues that diminish their productivity and most importantly, their self-worth. That’s why establishing inclusion networks is so advantageous and why Citi chose to do it themselves. 

    POC in Leadership Positions 

    One very direct way to help POC succeed in financial services is to connect and grow them in leadership and management positions. By doing so, you not only diversify the leadership on your team, but you also create mentors, role models, and individuals who people from similar backgrounds can identify with. As a result, students and job-seeking individuals become more inclined to apply for positions at the company. 

    As he said, it’s comforting to grow and be trained by people who are like you. When you can relate to these people, it makes the relationship better on all ends.  

    One Corporate Banking Analyst had a similar experience with her mentor during her time at Howard.  

    When I was a Freshman at Howard, my mentor, who was a Senior, had a full-time offer in Investment Banking at Citi and was the Citi Campus Ambassador. She recommended me for the Freshman Discovery Program, and I ended up getting in. At the time I was not super familiar with Citi or Wall Street as a whole, so I did not really know what to expect. However, when I arrived, I was completely enamored with the experience and completely threw myself into it. At the end of the program, I was sad to leave and knew this is where I belonged. 
    Corporate Banking Analyst

    If it weren’t for Citi putting her mentor into that Campus Ambassador position, it’s possible that she may have never ended up at Citi. By creating this position and ones like it, Citi now has talent pipelines that will draw in some of the brightest minds in finance for years to come. Pipelines that might just end up finding you one day. 

    What’s Next for Citi? 

    While these initiatives may seem bold, Citi has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. Much like Citi’s Action for Racial Equity, a $1 billion+ commitment to help close the racial wealth gap and increase economic mobility in the United States, the ideas Citi is putting forth will have a substantial impact on the industry and the world for years to come.  

    If this is an endeavor that you would like to be a part of and contribute to, check out the positions Citi is currently hiring for. Who knows, in just a few years it could be you leading the change.  More