How to Handle Hiring and Candidate Onboarding Virtually – Now and in the Future

Companies have used technology to conduct virtual interviews for a decade or more. With COVID-19 changing the work world, we are seeing the interview process, candidate onboarding, and new employee engagement go virtual in the last month. If your organization has been doing virtual interviewing sporadically, it is time to invest in the technology that will keep your recruiting and hiring processes going today and possibly as the preferred method to the more traditional process.

Charles Hipps of OLEEO recently shared the results of a recent informal poll of 70 Talent Acquisition leaders on the effect of COVID-19 on their recruiting:

  • 25% said COVID-19 had not impacted recruiting plans
  • 61% said it had slowed their pace of recruiting
  • 14% said they had paused recruiting

As social distancing becomes the norm, the multi-visit interview process is out. Now we are seeing recruitment “job fairs” via webinars, assessments and training, signing of hiring paperwork, and employee onboarding and introduction to the team – all conducted virtually.

Where to Find Candidates?

With unemployment quickly climbing, you would think that the candidate pool would be filled with job seekers. That might not be true, especially if candidates are unable to either work from home or perform a job in the public. Or, your typical criteria for a position is altered due to the current pandemic.

The first place to look is to tap into your current talent network, including current and past employees, friends, and family. Also, consider candidates who weren’t a perfect fit in the past whose skills are in line with your current needs.

One key aspect of virtual hiring and work-from-home practices is to ensure that the candidates you are interviewing will adapt easily to this new norm. Recruiting Daily advises to make the virtual interview process as comfortable as possible, advise candidates to be appropriately dressed and not to read from scripted answers, watch body language and vocal inflection, as well as non-verbal cues. Some companies are developing pre-interview questions that the candidate answers by recording, and then submit a video. This is just one way to automate the screening process before conducting the online interview.

“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

Hipps noted that “In today’s highly changeable economic environment, it’s time to rethink or even forget traditional recruiting tactics, and to adapt new techniques to turn difficulty into opportunity. This is a defining moment for talent acquisition teams.”

Our recruiting experts are available to assist you in all your hiring needs. Calls us today to discuss how to adapt your processes to hire the candidates that will fit well in this new normal.

4 Best Questions to Ask Professional References

To better understand whether a candidate may be an excellent fit for a role, you need to talk with their professional references. Because these people worked with the candidate, they can attest to the candidate’s work ethic, hard and soft skills, achievements, strengths, and other pertinent information. You can gain insight into projects they worked on, how they interacted with team members, and whether they would excel with your organization.

Here are four questions to ask a candidate’s professional references.

How Would You Describe the Candidate’s Reliability and Dependability?

Find out how strong the candidate’s reliability, dependability, and related soft skills are. Determine whether they prioritized activities, maintained a consistent schedule, and were relied on as a source of accurate information. Discover how well the candidate collaborated, made themselves available for help, and followed through with commitments.

What Was One of the Candidate’s Most Memorable Accomplishments While Working with You?

Determine which achievement made the candidate stand out for a previous employer. Perhaps the candidate took the initiative on a project or showed leadership in finishing an activity. Find out what the outcome was and how it benefitted the company.

Which Type of Work Environment Do You Think the Candidate Would Be Most Likely to Thrive in, and Why?

Uncover whether the candidate would thrive in your work environment. If the reference discusses an environment different from yours, talk further with the candidate about your culture. Assess whether they’d be comfortable working in an environment different from what they’re used to. If not, consider other candidates who may be a better fit.

Which Skills Would You Have Liked to See the Candidate Develop to Reach Their Full Potential?

Discover gaps in the candidate’s skill set that are relevant to the position. Ask whether the reference believes the candidate may be willing to develop the necessary skills. If so, use this information to help create a plan for the candidate’s professional development. If prior development of the missing skills is required for the role, consider looking for a more qualified candidate.

Always Check References

Always check a candidate’s professional references. Know whether their hard and soft skills will help them excel in the role and your organization. Be certain that the candidate’s previous accomplishments can be built on to attain successful outcomes for your company as well.

For help filling your accounting and finance roles, reach out to Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. We’ll identify six candidates for an opening, then narrow it down to three candidates for your interview and selection process. You choose which candidate to hire. Get started with us today.

How to Recruit Remote Workers to Your Accounting & Finance Positions

Hiring accounting and finance employees in a tight labor market isn’t easy. Since candidates expect a lot from their employers, you need to work hard to encourage them to join your team. One perk to attract accounting and finance candidates is offering remote work options. This widens your candidate pool to include significantly more candidates.

Here are four tips for recruiting remote workers to your accounting and finance positions.

Show Support for Remote Workers

Demonstrate throughout your recruiting process how you support remote workers. Highlight on your career page how you include remote accounting and finance workers in your company based on the role and team needs. Label your job openings as remote-eligible. Include in the job description details about what working remotely actually looks like. Mention questions to expect during an interview for a remote position. Share stories of how remote workers actively embrace your flexible work culture. Help candidates see themselves working remotely and being fully supported by your organization.

Be Authentic

Show candidates that the flexible culture they learn about during the recruiting process matches the reality of working remotely for your company. Describe specific ways remote workers are included in team activities and supported as valuable employees. Demonstrate how the messages you communicate through your employer brand match with how your business operates. This may include enforcing key policies, processes, and tools similar to those involving onsite employees. Mention a method such as Slack that remote workers use to communicate with their team. Provide targeted perks to support productivity and inclusion for remote workers. For instance, if onsite employees have a snack wall, offer remote workers a monthly subscription snack box.

Highlight Required Skills

Point out the necessary skills to work remotely. Strong communication, collaboration, and organization skills are required. Excellent time management, self-discipline, and accountability skills are essential. Use pre-employment tests to evaluate these skills. Determine candidates’ comfort level with video chatting, which many meetings and collaborations will require to connect remote team members. Find out whether candidates have an internet connection with a certain speed or a specific brand of laptop to complete their work. If not, you can provide the necessary items if those candidates get hired.

Offer a Paid Trial

Instead of extending a job offer to desired candidates, extend a contract for a trial period. Include how long the trial period is how the candidate will be compensated and other pre-agreed conditions. Assign actual work to see how skilled a candidate is, how well they learn, and how seamlessly they fit into your culture. When the trial period ends, decide whether to permanently hire the candidate.

Source Remote Accounting and Finance Workers

Source remote workers through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. As a leading Chicago employment agency, we reduce your time spent on recruiting, evaluating, screening, and interviewing candidates. Find out more today.

 

Coronavirus Update For Our Clients

March 12, 2020

Dear Valued Customer:

The coronavirus situation is highly fluid. As a valued client, we want to take this opportunity to inform you that we are staying abreast of public health information and guidelines and will continue to monitor and assess the actual and potential impact on our clients, temporary associates and contractors, and staff employees.

The well-being of our staffing community and neighbors is paramount to us. We will continue to share up-to-date developments, as necessary. We are following government and health organization web sites and we encourage you to review the same. Many of the most commonly suggested preventive measures are inexpensive and easy to obtain. These web sites include:

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

We trust you are advising your employees similarly and that you will apply the recommended safety policies outlined in the links above. We will stand together to navigate this public health challenge and further the well-being of everyone.

Should you wish to discuss this issue or have any questions, please let your local representative know, or feel free to contact our Director of Insurance and Risk Management, Anissa Wieck, at awieck@cssitalent.com.
As always, I am also a phone call away and welcome your direct input or suggestions.

Sincerely,
Steven R. Drexel
President & CEO

Coronavirus Update For Our Employees

March 12, 2020

Dear Employee:

The coronavirus situation is highly fluid. As a valued member of our team, we want to take this opportunity to inform you that we are staying abreast of public health information and guidelines and will continue to monitor and assess the actual and potential impact.

The well-being of our staffing community and neighbors is paramount to us. We will continue to share up-to-date developments, as necessary.
Please take a moment to update your contact information by going to www.cornerstone-staffing.com and clicking on My Cornerstone. You can update your contact information by clicking on “Personal Info” and then “Contact Method.”

We are following government and health organization web sites, and we encourage you to review the same. These web sites include:

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

World Health Organization (WHO) – https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/

Based on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we encourage you to:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick; Stay home when you are sick
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a household cleaning spray or wipe
  • Not wear a face mask unless you show symptoms of respiratory illness, including COVID-19
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing (if soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol)

We trust you are already following the guidance and will apply the recommended safety policies outlined in the links above. Many of the most commonly suggested preventive measures are inexpensive. We will stand together to navigate this public health challenge and further the well-being of everyone.

Should you wish to discuss this issue or have any questions, please let your local branch representative know.

Sincerely,
Steven R. Drexel
President & CEO

Hot Candidates – March 2020

Payroll Specialist – #166567:  

Strong ADP experience including Workforce Now and ADP Enterprise.  Has processed multi-state payroll for up to 5,000 employees.  Great personality!  Available for CONTRACT or DIRECT HIRE

 

Senior Accountant – #114220:

Strong mix of General Accounting and Cost Accounting experience within manufacturing industry.  Bachelor degree in Accounting. Available for CONTRACT or DIRECT HIRE

 

Accounting Manager – #152601:  

Hands-on manager with experience supervising a team of 5.   Strong analytical skills and experience implementing internal controls. DIRECT HIRE

Should I Stay, or Should I Go? Are Intentional Job Hoppers Good Hires?

There was a time when employees expected to work for one company for years, if not their entire career. It showed stability and loyalty and you were rewarded for spending your career providing value to that company. Likewise, HR valued loyal employees versus job hoppers. The stigma with job hoppers was they probably don’t get along with others, can’t meet the job requirements, are unfocused, and/or not committed to the company.

Is there still some value in the 20th century HR wisdom regarding job hoppers as taboo, or is there a strong case for considering the 21st-century intentional job hopper? If we told you that today’s job hoppers had excellent soft skills and expertise, were laser-focused, and committed to adding value to your company? Would that change your mind? Today’s intentional job hoppers are driven to succeed and switch jobs frequently to chart their career path. Not because the work isn’t interesting or they don’t perform well, but because the next opportunity offers growth potential, new responsibilities, better salary and incentives. Those are powerful motivators to consider a job move.

We all know that when unemployment numbers are low it’s a candidates’ market. They are in the driver’s seat, have more negotiating power and quite honestly, don’t need your job. On the other hand, you are trying to fill a key position in your organization and you’re actively seeking strong candidates to join the team. So, if a job hopper’s resume came across your desk today, would you give that candidate as much consideration as a non-job hopper? We say, “yes you should!”

With diverse experiences and a variety of skills accumulated, job hoppers are agile, ever evolving and can quickly adapt to your environment to bring immediate value. In this decade of the “roaring 20s” job hoppers may bring the best perspective you might need to edge out the competition.

Gen X (Millennials), Gen Y and Gen Z are the most likely generations to job hop. A recent Gallup report reveals that half of the millennial generation – born between 1980 and 1996 – are unattached to organizations meaning they do not see a future with a company. Only three in 10 are emotionally and behaviorally engaged in their job and company. As Gen Y enters the workforce, job-hopping is becoming the norm. Baby Boomers used to be the least likely generation to job hop but that, too, is changing.

What are Job Hoppers Seeking?

Besides an increase in earnings and growth opportunities, common reasons people quit include:

  • Poor management
  • Little or no employee recognition
  • Flexible work/life balance
  • No company culture, or a toxic culture

What Can You and Your Company Gain by Hiring Job Hoppers?

When considering the resume of a job hopper, ask yourself what you will gain by hiring this candidate:

  • They are often top performers.
  • They manage change well, are highly adaptable and ramp up quickly.
  • They are confident and risk-takers.
  • They bring useful perspectives from previous job experiences.
  • They have a strong network.

The business world keeps shifting. Generational changes in the workforce along with the gig economy are have hiring managers revising how they perceive job hoppers. Don’t overlook the benefits they might bring to your business development objectives.

Your HR department is instrumental in recruiting the strongest candidates for your open positions. Is hiring a job hopper a good idea? Casey Resources knows the right questions to ask to differentiate a star performer from a poor candidate. Call us today.

 

Easy Tips to Start an Employee Referral Program

Employee referrals are one of the most effective methods for sourcing employees. Your top employees have similarly qualified connections who blend with company culture. As a result, tapping into their networks is in your best interest.

Follow these tips to start an employee referral program for your company.

Determine Your Hiring Needs

Figure out your current staffing needs, employee motivation, and company culture. Focus on which types of positions you need to fill, including whether some are harder to fill than others. Find out what your employees like most about your company and the work they perform. Determine what motivates your team to finish their tasks. Ask how they would describe company culture, such as traditional or progressive, formal or casual. You need this information to showcase what you’re looking for and why candidates want to work for you.

Set Hiring Goals

Create specific, measurable, time-restricted hiring goals. You may want to bring in a specific percentage of qualified candidates or aim for a few candidates increased by a certain factor. Or, you could focus on reducing your hiring costs by a set percentage in a certain amount of time. Provide the staff, time, and monetary resources required to pursue these goals. Assign an employee to lead your employee referral program and delegate tasks. Track your success and make the required adjustments.

Explain Job Requirements

Let employees know exactly what you’re looking for in candidates so they can refer connections. This is especially important if the openings are in other job functions or departments. Provide links to job descriptions in emails asking for referrals. Highlight what you’re not looking for to narrow your requirements further.

Select Rewards

Decide how to reward employees for referring candidates who accept a job offer. Although you may choose to give cash, find out what motivates employees to refer connections. They might prefer additional vacation days, tickets to a concert or sporting event, a gift card, or gym membership.

Provide Regular Updates

Keep employees in the loop as to where referrals are in the recruitment process. They’ll be more inclined to refer candidates in the future. Even when a candidate isn’t chosen for an interview, send the employee a thank-you email. Encourage them to continue to refer candidates.

Maintain Simplicity

Keep your employee referral program simple. Use HR software to automate the process. You might use email templates with social media links for employees to share when you need an opening filled. When a connection applies for a position, the program tracks which employee referred the candidate. Create rules for what happens if more than one employee refers the same candidate, how long a new hire must remain for an employee to receive an award, and other pertinent information.

Find Accounting and Finance Candidates

Find qualified candidates through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. As a trusted employment agency, we reduce your time spent on recruiting, evaluating, screening, and interviewing candidates. Contact us for more information today.

 

Is Your Office in Need of a Little Bit of Love? 4 Signs Employee Morale is Low

Low morale reduces productivity and performance. When employees are not engaged, they often miss deadlines and turn in subpar work. Team members may show up for work less often or leave the company. As a result, you’re forced to spend more time hiring new employees. If you don’t improve the underlying causes of the situation, nothing will improve long-term. Here are three signs employee morale is low and what to do about it.

Increased Absenteeism

If employees call in sick more often or don’t show up for work, morale is low. They may perform the same tasks day after day and lose engagement. Staff might stop being inspired by their projects and view them as a series of to-dos before the weekend. Losing motivation behind work activities decreases productivity. Employees could be stressed and unsure of how to handle it. This can result in anger, depression, high blood pressure or poor immune function. To combat increased absenteeism, inspire your team to get back their motivation to complete their work. Remind them why they do what they do. Meet with each teammate every week to talk about their goals. Find out why those goals matter so you know how to keep your team engaged. If a team member needs help to reignite their passion for the company mission, determine outside projects they can work on. Allow team members to set their hours or work remotely as much as possible.

High Turnover

If you experience a substantial level of employee turnover, morale is low. Employees typically quit because something that used to keep them working no longer has the same effect. Perhaps they’re not having fun, are uninspired or aren’t developing relationships with coworkers. Keep in mind that when one staff member quits, it’s common for others to follow suit. To reduce high turnover, focus on collaboration. Implement tools and strategies to encourage colleagues to complete tasks together. Because people like to work with friends, they’ll get to know each other and have an increased reason to stay with your company.

Reduced Productivity

If employees are less productive than usual, morale is low. Perhaps you’ve been adding to team members’ workloads without providing the resources needed to fulfill the responsibilities. Maybe you’ve been micromanaging to ensure things get done on time. These actions make work less fulfilling and more of a chore, reducing interest in completing projects on time. To combat reduced productivity, provide your team autonomy. Placeless emphasis on how to do something as long as the goal is reached. Encourage teammates to be involved in making decisions. Remind your staff why their roles are important and the ways they add value to the organization.

Hire Motivated Accounting and Finance Professionals

Hire motivated accounting and finance professionals through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. As a trusted Schaumberg employment agency, we reduce your time spent on recruiting, evaluating, screening and interviewing employees. Contact us today.

Should I Hire Someone Who’s Always Been a Temporary Employee?

When you come across a resume from an accounting or finance professional who’s worked only temporary positions, you might dismiss the candidate as not being focused or serious about having a regular job. However, it’s in your company’s best interest to stop and consider what knowledge, skills, and experience the candidate may have gained from their time with each employer. Odds are the candidate has exactly what you need to fill your open role. Here are four reasons why.

They Fill Skills Gaps

Temporary employees can fill the skills gaps in your organization. These short-term workers deal with short-term problems while nurturing long-term solutions in practically every industry and field. Temporary employees can fill staffing needs that other workers cannot. This is especially important when you don’t have time to find qualified candidates to complete a project or fill a niche position. Because an experienced temp already demonstrated they have the skills and experience necessary to excel in a role, they’ll be able to add value to your organization.

They Enjoy Their Work

Temporary employees are passionate about what they do. They enjoy having opportunities to grow and build their career. Because temps have to prove themselves every time they start working at a new company, their motivation level and willingness to go the extra mile are high. Temporary employees know how to set and achieve individual and team goals that add value to an organization. Even if they don’t have the exact hard skills needed to excel in your open position, temps’ desire to learn can make them well-qualified to fill the role. You may be able to set a trial period to see how their passion translates into value for your company.

They Provide a Fresh Perspective

Temporary employees bring your organization ideas to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Because they worked at a variety of companies, temps may be able to take on additional projects while fulfilling their main responsibilities. For instance, temporary employees could use their downtime to update your website or filing system. Or, you could ask them to complete other tasks related to their strengths and interests. The extra help you receive will be a welcome bonus.

They Quickly Onboard

Temporary employees know how to begin producing when working at a new company quickly. Their agility to learn job responsibilities and blend with culture makes them well equipped to begin benefitting the organization in less time than other workers. Requiring less time for onboarding and training means increased productivity and reaching business objectives.

Hire Top Accounting and Finance Employees

Hire top accounting and finance employees through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. As a top Chicago area employment agency, our goal is to provide high-performance candidates who make strong contributions to your team. Get started with us today.