Is the Bonus Culture Handicapping the Recruitment Industry

Is the Bonus Culture Handicapping the Recruitment Industry I’ve worked in the recruitment industry a number of years and I’ve seen a whole range of different remuneration models and structures used by agencies to reward and incentivise their staff. But in the main they usually consisted of a low to medium base salary dependent upon experience and seniority and then a monthly, quarterly and yearly commission scheme on top. The variance tended to be how and when the commission was received. During this time in the industry I’ve also seen or heard my fair share of bad practice performed by individual recruiters in pursuit of their commission. Some first hand from within the companies I’ve worked in and some second-hand from clients and peers. This bad practice has included consultants raising and then getting paid commission for work not performed or not agreed with the client, fudging of costing proposals and then whamming the client with a hidden cost later explained by reference to the pressurising of clients to accept shortlists so a stage payment can be raised when even interviews are unlikely to produce a result. Luckily, taken as a whole, such incidents within the industry are rare. But there still pervades an often cited feeling from client organisations that recruiters are sometimes just too damn pushy and seem to be more focussed on achieving a sale and not a hire. And that is the difference between a so-so recruiter and a really good recruiter: the really good ones (and this translates into long term career success in the industry) know to focus on making a good sustainable hire and not a quick and easy sale. Clearly all the above malpractice can in theory be easily countered by the management within recruitment companies implementing the correct checks and balances on what individual recruiters are up to. But I wonder if there might be a fundamental flaw in the industry basing its reward structures so heavily on individual bonuses. Like the much criticised bankers bonuses which seemed to incentivise excessive risk taking and sometimes fraud perhaps the reason third-party agents seem to get up so many people’s noses is because the culture they operate in is created by being driven to achieve month-end targets rewarded by short-term bonus? The recruitment industry often bemoans the fact that they don’t achieve the same level of respect and status that other professional services partners such as accountants, solicitors, management consultants achieve. I sometimes think this is why we choose to name ourselves as recruitment “consultants” in a bid to align ourselves with the other guys we aspire to be peers with. This line of thought also leads me to wonder if this is why some many agencies use such archaic double-barrel surnames as company names so as to appear like an old-firm of solicitors and therefore achieve some sort of kudos and portmanteau of respectability. But that might be for another blog post another time. However, the other professional services partners used by our clients don’t pay their staff big monthly bonuses as a default industry setting do they? Of course some salary incentivisation goes on but it tends to be done on an annual basis and often based on a mixed economy of individual performance and company profit. Why should recruitment be different? If it was different and an agency decided to pay a little bit more on the base salaries, a little bit less on the individual commission and base reward on medium to long term profit would that create a more professional and consultative industry? For the record I’m not paid on an individual commission scheme and don’t have an individual sales target and I find it quite a release to be able to work with clients at a pace that suits them at a canter to meet my looming quarterly target. Would this method also work for you? Do you think the industry is focussed too much on bonus culture and sales?

The Psychology of the Job Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Psychology of the Job Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Very few people say they genuinely enjoy job interviews. That makes sense because in the same way that most people dislike taking tests, a job interview is a test. Even those who feel confident about their professional past, are up-to-date with job requirement skills, and do not possess many potential liabilities still fear facing the unknown. Not many people are good on their feet, and they know it; and therefore, each past failure adds another scar to the wound that never had a chance to heal in the first place. While trying to demonstrate the opposite, the job candidate is shrouded in negative emotions and fears. On the other side of the desk sits the interviewer, who in most cases is aware of not being very good at interviewing because of lack of interviewing experienceâ€"unless the person is, say, a recruiter or some part of the staffing function in the human resources department and who interviews routinely. Very few interviewers have taken formal courses about how to become better at interviewing. Typically, an interviewer is less prepared for, less interested in, and less eager about the interview that is about to take place than is the candidate sitting opposite. So, that’s the background to the candidate selection process, which is critical to each side: for the candidate, the issue is a career changer; for the employer, a crucial and important business decision. Categorically, you can improve interview performance by solid preparation for it and by gaining an understanding of the interviewer’s needs. Both sides assess each other within minutes, if not seconds; and everything thereafter serves only as validation of the initial impression. When the interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself,” you should not respond with, “Where would you like me to start?” That would be considered a weak answer. Rather, you should take control and summarize in two or three sentences your professional experience in your field, give a brief example of a success story, and end by engaging the interviewer in the form of a question about the interviewer’s priorities. That question should be framed to come across as a friendly yet professional dialogue and certainly shouldn’t put the interviewer on the spot. Keep the dialogue going. Try understanding what’s behind the question and project the positive and unique qualities about yourself that you can share through your success stories. Once the interview’s over, leave the interviewer with a memorable ending. Shake his hand and say, “Mr. Smith, thanks for your time. May I leave you with a final thought: I’m very enthusiastic about this opportunity and am very interested in this position.” Do you think he’ll remember you? The Psychology of the Job Interview - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Very few people say they genuinely enjoy job interviews. That makes sense because in the same way that most people dislike taking tests, a job interview is a test. Even those who feel confident about their professional past, are up-to-date with job requirement skills, and do not possess many potential liabilities still fear facing the unknown. Not many people are good on their feet, and they know it; and therefore, each past failure adds another scar to the wound that never had a chance to heal in the first place. While trying to demonstrate the opposite, the job candidate is shrouded in negative emotions and fears. On the other side of the desk sits the interviewer, who in most cases is aware of not being very good at interviewing because of lack of interviewing experienceâ€"unless the person is, say, a recruiter or some part of the staffing function in the human resources department and who interviews routinely. Very few interviewers have taken formal courses about how to become better at interviewing. Typically, an interviewer is less prepared for, less interested in, and less eager about the interview that is about to take place than is the candidate sitting opposite. So, that’s the background to the candidate selection process, which is critical to each side: for the candidate, the issue is a career changer; for the employer, a crucial and important business decision. Categorically, you can improve interview performance by solid preparation for it and by gaining an understanding of the interviewer’s needs. Both sides assess each other within minutes, if not seconds; and everything thereafter serves only as validation of the initial impression. When the interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself,” you should not respond with, “Where would you like me to start?” That would be considered a weak answer. Rather, you should take control and summarize in two or three sentences your professional experience in your field, give a brief example of a success story, and end by engaging the interviewer in the form of a question about the interviewer’s priorities. That question should be framed to come across as a friendly yet professional dialogue and certainly shouldn’t put the interviewer on the spot. Keep the dialogue going. Try understanding what’s behind the question and project the positive and unique qualities about yourself that you can share through your success stories. Once the interview’s over, leave the interviewer with a memorable ending. Shake his hand and say, “Mr. Smith, thanks for your time. May I leave you with a final thought: I’m very enthusiastic about this opportunity and am very interested in this position.” Do you think he’ll remember you?

10 Ways Tech Companies Can Recruit More Women

10 Ways Tech Companies Can Recruit More Women Women in technology â€" or the lack thereof â€" is a tricky subject, and one that isn’t easy to resolve. Reports of bias, unequal pay, and limited opportunities abound. Even in the face of numbers that show a direct correlation between more women in leadership and higher returns on invested capital and sales, the tech industry remains confounded when it comes to finding, hiring, and retaining women. If you want to increase diversity and take advantage of the creative contribution of the other half of the human race, there are some practical things you can do. Here are 10 things tech companies need to do if they want to recruit â€" and hold onto â€" top female talent. 1) Go Where the Women Are In order to find female candidates, companies need to advertise where women are looking. It’s not hard to find online forums and communities that cater to the ladies of technology. Many of these sites, including big hitters like the Anita Borg Institute and Girls in Tech, have career boards and job postings. You don’t have to drop your usual posting practices, but augmenting your traditional recruiting efforts with ads on sites where technically talented women hang out will likely increase the number of female candidates applying to open positions. 2) Speak Their Language This isn’t a riff on “Women are from Venus” â€" female candidates are often attracted to different things in a job listing than their male counterparts. The tech industry is known for being brash, casual, and having the best perks a techie could ask for, but a lot of the language and benefits are tailored to young males. To attract female tech savants, emphasize flex time and on-site massages instead of free beer and the latest gaming consoles. Look at the words you use to describe your ideal candidate. Terms like “rock star” and “ninja” have distinctive male leanings. The key to a more inclusive workplace very well may start with the words you use to describe it. 3) Become More Family-Friendly It doesn’t matter how hip or edgy a company is, people are still bound to start families eventually. Wired reported that “the Pew Research Center found that 51 percent of women said being a working mother made it harder to advance their careers, compared to 16 percent of fathers.” To keep awesome female employees, take a look at your family-friendly policies. Making moms feel valued and respected can be as easy as offering child care assistance, providing a room for nursing mothers, or providing generous parental leave. And don’t overlook a proactive transitional program that invites new parents to come back to a supportive workplace environment. 4) Provide Upward Mobility One thing that drives women out of the tech workforce is limited opportunity. You’ll go a long way to attracting and keeping talented women by focusing on their future. Mentorship programs are a great way to foster growth and longevity. It shows you are invested in the women who work for you and see opportunity for them to grow and excel professionally. Encourage them to take additional training and attend professional conferences â€" and provide financial support for such opportunities. Women will be a lot more likely to invest in your company if you’ve invested in them. 5) Equal Pay for Equal Work This should go without saying, but women in technical jobs should be paid the same as their male counterparts. Take a long, hard look at your payroll to see if there is inequity between male and female employees who are doing the same job. Implement a grading system that is tied to the job description, not the individual in the position. Evaluate your review processes and note trends in promotions and raises. Anywhere you see inequity, you need to start over. 6) Be Flexible The modern workplace is changing. People can now work from virtually anywhere, including a Caribbean beach chair. Flexibility is one of the most important things to today’s workers, especially women who are trying to balance their roles at home and in the office. Offering flexi time and remote work options can pique female employees’ interest in a job and increase their desire to stay on board. If your office embraces flexibility, emphasize that in job postings and recruiting information. 7) Start at the Top It can be difficult to inspire a new female recruit with her long-term prospects at your organization if there are no women in leadership. Provide female role models at every level of leadership, and actively encourage women to go after promotions and seek advancement. If women aren’t represented at the executive level, what motivation is there for a female candidate to join your team? Commit to diversity in leadership â€" and include at least one woman in the recruitment process. 8) Build the Right Pipelines Creating a more diverse tech workplace isn’t going to happen overnight. Companies that are truly dedicated to change need to play the long game. Start building relationships right now with technical programs, schools, and organizations. Set up internship or job-shadowing programs that give girls and women the opportunity to test out your company and the possibilities a tech career offers. Volunteer to speak to a high school STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) group and sponsor training programs or scholarships for female students. 9) Implement Diverse Hiring Strategies Leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding diverse, qualified talent to add to your organization. Be sure to include at least one female employee in the recruiting process, and regularly evaluate all job descriptions and postings for exclusionary language. Diversity associations like Women in Technology can help you create recruitment collateral with a diversity focus. Participate in career fairs that target diversity and partner with organizations focused on getting women into the workforce. 10) Teach Managers How to Manage Very few of us are naturally gifted managers, and in fast-moving tech companies and startups it’s easy for people to get promoted without any idea of what it means to manage. Managers that were thrust into leadership may be unwittingly sabotaging your efforts to increase the number of women on staff because women have been found to suffer more from poor managers than men. Provide managers with training to help them understand the psychology of leadership, what motivates employees, and how to recognize and combat bias. It’s undeniable that the lack of diversity in the tech world is damaging â€" for individuals and corporations. As with any real problem, it requires real solutions. That means companies need to do the hard work of scrubbing their practices for discrimination and bias and make the cultural changes necessary to entice, embrace, and hold on to female tech talent.

Five things you may not know about contraception

Five things you may not know about contraception Whether you’re new to contraception or have been using it for many years, thanks to the ever-evolving methods available, there’s always something new to learn about this subject. To prove our point, here are five lesser known facts about keeping babies at bay. You can get contraception online Gone are the days of sitting in your family doctor’s waiting room, flicking through magazines and thinking about whether or not to go on the pill or the patch. Okay, well they’re not exactly gone but, thanks to online doctor sites like onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com, you can get prescriptions for the contraception method of your choice without leaving the house. You don’t have to fret about your choice being unsuitable either; your contraception will be prescribed by a trained doctor who will assess your situation, offer advice and only prescribe contraceptives that are clinically appropriate for you. The combined contraceptive pill can be used to treat acne Not everyone takes the pill just to prevent pregnancy. Some women rely on a daily dose of hormones to help reduce acne. If you experience breakouts around, before or during your period, your acne may be caused, at least in part, by an excess of androgens. Androgens are hormones that stimulate the production of an oil called sebum, which clogs pores and can lead to acne. By taking a pill that that contains oestrogen and progesterone, you can reduce the amount of androgens in your body and, therefore, lower your risk of flare-up. Condoms haven’t always been made of latex Condoms are far from a modern invention. In fact, a cave painting dating back to 100-200 AD in Combarelles, France depicts what some historians claim to be condom use. This type of contraceptive has evolved a lot since antiquity, however. Throughout the ages, condoms have been made from linen, animal intestines, fish skin, leather and tortoise shell, among other things. Today, although most condoms are made of latex, you can also get ones that are made of synthetic rubber and lambskin. However, it must be stressed that lambskin condoms are not effective at protecting against STIs. Contraception may influence attraction According to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, women who meet their partners while on hormonal contraception may find their partners less attractive when they go off their birth control. However, the research shows that this phenomenon only occurs in couples where the male partner is considered less attractive than average by evolutionary standards. It’s thought that the effect may happen because the hormones in contraception mimic pregnancy and make a woman less likely to seek out “genetically fit” partners. In the future, men will take contraceptive pills too The number of contraceptive choices men have pale in comparison to the number of options women have. While a woman can choose between the pill, the patch, the intrauterine device (IUD), the intrauterine system (IUS), female condoms, caps, diaphragms and vaginal rings, men can only control pregnancy prevention by using condoms or getting a vasectomy which is usually a permanent solution. However, a lot or research projects are looking into the development of other reversible types of hormonal and non-hormonal male contraception. Although research is in the early stages, scientists believe that one day a male contraceptive pill will become a reality.