How to Attract the Perfect Employee

How to Attract the Perfect Employee Recruitment is not something that you can do with 50% effort you need to get it right, otherwise youll end up with a team filled with bad hires. However, it is also one of the hardest elements of running a business theres a lot more competition now-a-days and a greater amount of people applying for each position so how do you attract the perfect employee? Which sets and elements do you have to introduce? This infographic by BGL Group  outlines 8 things to get correct. Attractive salary: Salary tops a lot of lists for things that candidates look for in a job, with the UK average being £27,107. Make sure your salary mirrors the job requirements and how hard people will work for their money. Clear career path:  42% of finance professionals state that having clear opportunities for promotions is important for job satisfaction. If your employee is uncertain of where theyre headed, they may not excel as well as someone who is. Opportunities for promotion: Employees are always looking to learn and advance in their careers promoting within a company boosts morale and keeps productivity high. On site gym: Over 4.5 million UK adults have a gym membership and healthy employees are happy employees. If you exercise three times a week, more mood-elevating endorphins will be released, so why not allow them to do it on site? Development reviews:  If youve given employees a clear path to follow, its important to show that their performance will be recognised and rewarded regularly. 40% of those who receive poor job training leave the job within the first year. Company pension: As we work through the years, we all want to ensure that well be protected later in life so a good pension will make them feel valued. Flexible work hours: 83% of people state flexibility as an important factor when applying for a new role and 70% of managers report an improvement in productivity after a shift to flexi-working. Subsidised cafe and healthy food:  Having an area where staff can interact (such as a cafe) can lead to an increase in a morale and healthy options enforce the idea that the workforce is looked after and treated well. RELATED: 10 Reasons Why People Quit Their Jobs [Main image: Shutterstock]

Increase Your Brands Website Conversions With Less Friction - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Increase Your Brands Website Conversions With Less Friction - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career An attractive and mobile-friendly website is just the beginning to retaining visitors for your personal brand. The goal is to convert these subscribers through less confusion and a clear message that meets their needs. Is your landing page attracting or repelling visitors? A frustrating design can be the first problem, and following that is how your content is executed. In order to gain more subscribers your brand should be evaluating how your readers are reacting through analytics tools. A great landing page needs to capture the attention of your visitors right away in a simple and easy to understand format. Whether you are creating a new website or redesigning an existing one there are a few simple steps you can take to turn your subscribers into sales. Drive More Website Sales for Your Personal Brand Even if your business is on a budget you can turn your website into a lead generating machine: Quality of content Poor quality, and confusing pages and blog posts with too much text may cost you readers on both desktop and mobile platforms. Use a mix of eye-catching images, videos, and attention grabbing headlines that appeal to your markets needs. Answering their questions right away will encourage them to want to know more about your brand. Website speed Use online tools to evaluate the loading time when your visitors arrive at your brands website. Sometimes this could be an issue with your host provider, or a matter of images and video that are causing slow loading times. Other factors can include broken links, referral spam, or a website that has not been updated. Check with a web developer for any other issues that may causing this issue. Keep it simple If your brands landing page appears too cluttered with information this may cause confusion or friction, which is a leading factor in losing visitors. Condense your information into bite sized paragraphs and transfer longer descriptions to sub pages with the most important elements on the front end. Include testimonials Provide your readers with verified recommendations right from the start. Focus your call to action on answering your target markets pain points with a softer approach to attracting subscribers. This could include a free offer, great tips, an exclusive eBook offer, ect. Retaining more website visitors for your personal brand is as simple as evaluating your design, content, and the loading times. There are many responsive designs available today that doesnt require you to be a technical expert, and with the use of online tools you can quickly find out how and why your brands visitors are engaging when they arrive at your landing page.

7 Common Myths About Workplace Romances

7 Common Myths About Workplace Romances Have you noticed that we humans are really good at convincing ourselves to do things that a disinterested and sane person would say, oh, hell no! to?  Its usually around things like falling for a pitch that promises were going to make a pile of money, taking a job we really dont want, or . . .. wait for it . . . romance. Even though we may be fully conscious of all the potential negatives, we go deaf.  Or have a serious brain cramp, Im not sure which.  So while our rational self is whispering no, dont do that, our wishful self is enticing us with dont worry, itll all be fine.  Of course, you know as well as I do how many times it doesnt work out so fine. Its bad enough when someone else tells you that you should have known better.  Those people you can ignore.   But when your rational self goes into a constant chatter that reminds you that you should have listened?  It wont shut up until youve paid some unknown price of penitence.   Yup, hindsight is great and from that point of view you are surely your own worst critic. As I get older, I am learning that its a good idea to remind myself to stop, answer some of my own pre-determined questions, and then see if I really want to move ahead.  The questions are pretty simple: What are the possible and probable outcomes to my decision? Whats the worst and best that can happen? If I do this, am I going to like living with the consequences? This has kept me out of unknown amounts of trouble, I am sure.  And one of those is getting romantically involved at work.  Lets face it, the temptations are there.  Youre around the same people a lot,  and you get to know them well.  Its only natural that youre going to feel a connection or affection for some of them.  When that happens, its time to ask yourself the above questions. But even then, were good at self-deception when we really want something.  Thats when its time to get some reliable input to help your rational self win the battle.  Sharon Schweitzer, a cross-cultural consultant and  business etiquette expert, has assembled some reminders of reality vs. what your wishful self is trying to sell you on.  Here they are: Myth #1: your relationship is confidential. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The romance is obvious and your colleagues are keen observers. Be aware of how your actions not only affect you and your partner, but also your work community and environment.   Myth #2: there is not a power dynamic. There will always be a power dynamic involved, it comes with the territory. Whether the two potential lovers are peers at the time or not, someone is higher in the hierarchy. This adds politics, drama, and possibly harassment to the equation.   Myth #3: no one else is involved. Not the case my friend, not the case. Your colleagues are dramatically impacted by favoritism and a new angle on office politics. If even the slightest appearance of impropriety or preferential treatment seems to be occurring, the employer may be liable for a hostile work environment. The potential consequences of your working tryst are harsh.   Myth #4: it’s personal, not business. No, it’s not personal. This is a very slippery slope in office relationship dynamics. Generally,  follow the rule that if it happens in the workplace or is connected to a business relationship, it’s business. This helps to eliminate favoritism and also keeps your professional and personal lives separate.   Myth #5: there’s no reporting necessary. In most cases, this is wrong. Office relationships usually violate a company’s sexual harassment prevention policy. You may be required to report that you are dating or romantically involved. Knowing where you stand with your organization can help you make decisions.   Myth #6: all’s well that ends well. These relationships can end in a myriad of ways. From successful marriages, damaged personal brands and widespread catastrophe, office relationships are a dangerous cocktail for thirsty professionals.   Myth #7 Gender doesn’t matter. The United States ranks 28th out of 145 countries in the 2015  Global Gender Gap Index. In terms of wage equality, the United States is ranked 74th. Knowing that gender does matter, and that as a female engaged in a workplace affair, you have more to lose. Women may have another hurdle to leap, jeopardized job stability, and an altered career ladder. About Sharon Schweitzer A cross-cultural consultant, business etiquette expert and best-selling and international award-winning author, Sharon Schweitzer has built a career around understanding cultural differences and the tremendous role they play in building strong and successful international business relationships. With more than 20 years of practical business and legal experience, Sharon provides a depth of international business consulting and training services to highly-motivated individuals , attorneys and corporate executives in global corporations and law firms. Her work and travels have taken her to more than 60 countries on seven continents. She speaks French and some Czech. Sharon is certified to administer the GCI (Global Competencies Inventory) and the IES (Intercultural Effectiveness Scale) intercultural assessments. Image credits Main

Industry Wages What are Companies Paying in Salaries

Industry Wages What are Companies Paying in Salaries As a recruiter or hiring manager, it is important to know how much the role you are advertising pays on average, this not only helps keep you competitive in a busy market but allows you to fill roles quicker and avoid lengthy negotiating periods. To help employers and recruiters stay ahead of their competition, RS Components have used Office for National Statistics (ONS) data to analyze the salaries of 270 roles across the UK to reveal the highest and lowest paying jobs across the UK. Average earnings The initial analysis of the ONS data found the average worker in the UK will earn £569 per week or, in other words, £29,558 per year. However, it was also found that this could vary greatly based on the type of role, age, and even gender. Differences in occupations In the UK, CEOs are, somewhat, unsurprisingly the highest-paid occupation; with CEOs earning an average of £97,083 per annum £67,525 more than the national average and over £21,000 per year more than the second-highest profession, a medical practitioner. The analysis of UK wages found medical practitioners earn around £75,855 per year, closely followed by marketing sales directors who receive the third-highest salary, at around £75,126 per year. At the other end of the scale, bar staff receives the lowest pay in the UK, earning an average of just £15,072 per year, 6.4 times less than CEOs. Meanwhile, the second lowest-earning workers are waiters and waitresses who earn £14,104 less than the national average, being paid a gross yearly salary of £15,454 ( £297 per week). In their analysis, RS Components found 57% of the 270 occupations earned less than the national average. However, the analysis also found 94% of ‘professional’ roles such as legal professionals, journalists newspaper editors, architects and civil engineers earn more than the average salary. Differences in age According to the RS Components analysis of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), workers aged between 22 and 29 will earn £4,747 less than the UK’s national average per year, being paid an average of £24,840 per year. While the ASHE figure does sound like a healthy salary for someone in the graduate age range, Graduate Jobs estimates this could, in fact, be even less; with graduates earning somewhere between £19,000 and £22,000 per year. In comparison, the highest-earning age bracket is 40 to 49 years, where the average salary across the UK is £33,246, over £3,600 more than the nations average salary. Meanwhile, the second-highest age bracket is 30 to 39 years, with an average salary £1,744 higher than the national average, at £31,332 per year. Differences in gender While pay discrimination has long been outlawed, RS Components, in their analysis of the wages in the UK, noticed that, on average, men earnt £4,144 more than women per year. Highlighting the discrepancy that still plagues the workplace. The age group with the highest discrepancy of pay between the genders were those between 50 and 59, where men are paid £7,950 more per year than women. This is closely followed by 40 to 49-year-olds, where women in this age group earn £7,108 less than men of the same age per year. The closest age groups to equal pay are those under 30. Although this is something of a positive, there is still a difference of £1,840 per year between the salaries of men and women at the 22 to 29 age bracket. Even women under 21 earn £1,120 less than male counterparts. Overall, the analysis by RS Components indicates how different occupations are paid. While it isn’t too surprising to see CEOs come out on top, it is something of a surprise to see such a gap between them and the next highest salary. The additional analysis by RS Components reiterates the need for equal pay, with discrepancies between the genders reach as young as 16; when young adults are just entering the workforce often in part-time roles. About the author: RS Components is a trading brand of Electrocomponents PLC. With operations in 32 countries, we offer around 500,000 products through the internet, catalogues and at trade counters to over one million customers, shipping more than 44,000 parcels a day.

What to Focus on When Writing a Resume

What to Focus on When Writing a ResumeWhen writing a resume, the first thing you should focus on is what you want. If you've been laid off from your previous job, then your resume can be a guide for what you're looking for in a new job, but it's also a means of finding a job.Your resume is your first chance to tell potential employers who you are. In many cases, if you don't focus on the type of work you want, and how it fits into your future, you won't get that job. It's not enough to just say, 'I want a job,' because if that's all you've got to say, you may as well say, 'I'm tired of looking.'Even if you are able to find a job in your field and get in on your preferred position, your resume is a good way to get the ball rolling. You'll want to make your resume as focused as possible on what you do want and give it your best shot.In many cases, it's best to focus on what you already have rather than what you want. If you have been employed for years, your resume should show your wor k experience. But if you're just starting your career, try to show your previous knowledge of the industry, or accomplishments that come with your job title. That way, when employers see your resume, they'll know you've been working in that particular industry for quite some time.Not all your previous experiences should be on display though, because it's job search season, and companies want to hire from their current roster. If you were fired from your previous job, try to find a new employer. If you've ever applied for a job and didn't get a call back, it could mean that the company you'retrying to get hired by isn't in need of someone with your skills.If you have a good amount of previous work experience, you can always look for a job as a project manager. Since project managers take care of all the details when projects are complete, they tend to know exactly what employers are looking for.And, if you have a great deal of experience in a particular field, you can always look for the next step in your career by choosing to work as a vice president, or at the very least a consultant. Because those positions are somewhat of a stepping stone, and some people will want to take it further once they've gained enough experience.And because most employers look at job seekers as potential employees, you should not fail to emphasize that you're looking for the perfect job and will work as hard as you can to get there. A well-written resume can be your ticket to the top, so keep in mind your focus when writing your resume.

4 Interview Tips for Landing the Job - CareerAlley

4 Interview Tips for Landing the Job - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. So youve landed the interview for the job you want, but now youre nervous about actually getting through the interview. Not toworry, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure you interview successfully. Once your interview is scheduled, you need to figure out how to best get through the interview so that you leave a lasting impression and increase your chancesfor getting called back for a second round and, ultimately, getting an offer. You should take the following steps: Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash Do Your Research Without a doubt,your interviewer will ask you questions about the company and you will want to have answers prepared. Questions can include basic things like the companys history or its mission, but the more you know the better. Researching employers is one of the best ways to become a stand-out candidate during the hiring process. By putting on your detective hat and investigating potential employers, youll discover details about the employer that will better prepare you for any interview. Heather Huhman You should have a good understanding of the companys products and markets and how the role fits into the overall organization. While youre at it, try to find out as much as possible about your interviewers by looking them up on LinkedIn. By being well versed on the company, you will be able to convince the hiring manager whyyour skills and experience would be a good fit for the company. Photo by Li Yang on Unsplash Be Ready to Go into Depth The questions youll face at a job interview are anything but typical yes/no questions, so you want to make sure youre mentally ready to go into as much detail as possible about your experience and the industry. Remember to focus on the skills and experience that will convince the hiring manager you are the best one for the role.You may be asked about specific experiences from your prior jobsand, when you answer those questions, make sure you provide an answer that will satisfy the question. You need to let them know just why you would be a perfect fit for their company. Be Confident Confidence can go a long way toward ensuring you do well in your interview, so you want to be sure that you project that trait as strongly as possible.

Sharing Great Content on Social Media to Boost Your Profile - CareerEnlightenment.com

Sharing Great Content on Social Media to Boost Your Profile Wherever you choose to dig up great content online, from scrolling through RSS feeds and blogs to building Twitter lists or waiting for a savvy friend to send you useful URLs, by choosing to share it on social media, you could be helping your career.The content you share, and what you do with it, could enhance your social accounts and boost your credibility as a job candidate. Here’s how to get it right.When to post about great contentIf you’re currently in a job and looking for your next career move, be careful about when you post your content. Frequently posting during normal work hours will look suspicious to a potential employer â€" how do they know you won’t spend all day on Instagram instead of being productive?The key exceptions to ‘working hours’ posts are those connected to your job: for example, tweeting about an industry conference you attend, or Instagramming a traffic-stopping flashmob used to generate PR for your company. In these scenarios, you’d be a fool not to update your social media, as a future employer wants to see your enthusiasm and team spirit.Of course, sharing content during your lunch break or beyond office hours is understandable; nobody expects an employee to be chained to their desk 24/7. Just try to spread out your posts, especially on Instagram or Facebook, where even twice daily updates can seem a bit too keen. And use these findings from Sprout Social to pinpoint the best times to post on each channel â€" for example, Friday to Sunday is best for Pinterest.The etiquette of sharing great contentThe number one etiquette rule of sharing other people’s content is not to steal or plagiarise it. Admit that it’s not yours, and credit the creator, to maintain your own credibility, especially on Instagram, where people could easily assume the photos you post are your own work.The Content Marketing Academy has a nice summary of things you can do instead of copying someone else’s content â€" for example, they suggest w riting a piece on ‘six things we learned from this video’.To just direct people to an original video, you could simply copy the URL and @-mention the creator or company, telling them why you liked it, but it’s great to have ideas about where you could take that inspiration, too. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. If you stumbled across the content on a platform that lets you leave comments, why not leave your feedback there and then? Alternatively, when you’re blown away by a piece of content, such as a brilliant ad campaign, there’s nothing to stop you sending an email to the company and telling them directly. It never hurts to build a new industry contact!How content sharing can enhance your careerObviously, you don’t want your entire social media profiles to be dominated by glowing mentions of brands and businesses. You need to add personality, especially if you’re adding social accounts to your CV.Personality doesn’t mean telling everyone the minutiae of your day, or airing your dirty laundry on social media, but an image of the sunset from your commute home, or your sports team doing well, can easily be sprinkled into your timeline.Your overall social media presence, on the channels you make public to employers or recruiters, is a bit like a personality test that a hiring manager can check on. They know if you’re sloppy with spelling and grammar, if you’re indiscrete (such as constantly slating and ridiculing rival companies’ content), argumentative (engaging with trolls is best avoided, says the Guardian) or â€" in contrast you’re full of good ideas and keen to get involved in the industry.Think of content sharing as the backbone of your public-facing social media, and you’ll see how important it is to maintain.