7 Reasons Recruiting Firms Help You Find the Best Talent – Including Millennials

Millennial employees are highly sought-after in today’s job market, for their technology expertise and above-average career drive. It’s no wonder that the competition is fierce among companies in the Chicago area. In order to recruit the best of the best from the millennial generation, there are multiple reasons recruitment firms can be beneficial to your business.

1. Recruitment agencies have a pipeline of millennial talent.

It can be highly efficient and cost-effective to hire millennials through a recruitment agency. They have a large pipeline of candidates who are ready to start work immediately. Candidates are prescreened and versed about your company before they start, which makes onboarding simple.

2. A recruitment firm can advise your company on starting packages.

Millennials are looking for the best starting salaries, benefits and workplace perks possible. A recruitment agency can help guide your company on setting up generous compensation packages that attract the best talent.

3. Recruitment agents have resources to find the best candidates.

Recruiters are great at networking and they have access to a large number of resources for finding candidates. By partnering with a professional recruitment firm, you have access to all their collective resources.

4. Recruiters are widely connected with colleges and social networks.

Not only are recruitment pros in touch with many resources, they also network with others through social media, college career centers, and other community groups where millennials are seeking work opportunities.

5. Millennials know that recruitment agencies are hiring them.

When they need a job, millennials understand that the fast track to getting hired by a leading company is to register with a staffing agency. There are many opportunities to hire employees directly through a staffing and recruitment agency like ours.

6. Recruitment agencies can handle all the pre-employment and payroll details.

Another key benefit of working with a recruitment firm is the ability to control staffing costs for upfront things like pre-employment screening, background checks. It’s also more cost-effective to let the recruitment firm handle employment paperwork, payroll and even benefits administration.

7. Finding millennials who have the best fit for your culture is made easier.

Recruitment agencies are able to use tools to evaluate the suitability of every candidate before placing them in jobs. Millennials are interested in a positive experience with an employer, therefore it can be helpful to have them work through the staffing agency for a more positive onboarding experience, including making sure they are a good fit for your company.

As a trusted staffing firm, Casey Accounting & Finance Resources reduces your time spent on recruiting, evaluating, screening and interviewing employees. Contact our award-winning recruiters today to get started on finding top candidates for finance careers in Chicago in 2016!

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How to Get Responses from Passive Candidates

To a recruiter, passive candidates may seem like a golden opportunity to attract a professional with a strong sense of loyalty and above-board skills. The hardest part is often connecting with the elusive candidate without being too “sales” oriented. While it is possible to accomplish this on social networking sites like LinkedIn, recruiters must still tread carefully so that they do not scare off, intimidate, or – worse yet – annoy a passive candidate.

Many recruiters have equated passive candidate attraction to the dating world. You may like what you see, but taking that first step and talking to the passive candidate is the hardest. Failure to take action could mean losing a valuable person. Coming on too strong could ruin any chance you had to begin with.

Try these suggestions for reaching out to passive candidates and getting them to respond in a positive way.

Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes

What is it that you’re actually sending to passive candidates? If you’re not sure of how your initial messages may appear to a candidate, take the time to send a message to yourself – wait 24 hours, and then read it to get an initial impression.  Remember: These are people who are not actively looking for work opportunities, however with the right offer they may consider at least talking with you. Your initial communication with a passive candidate must be respectful of their time, and not overly pushy.

Explain who you are

Getting a message from an unknown source can be creepy to anyone. Be sure to explain in a non-threatening way who you are and why you were contacting a passive candidate. Keep your message warm and friendly. Make sure all of your social profiles are up-to-date, including your cover photo profile information and any open positions you are recruiting for. Remember: A candidate will immediately start searching for you online, so you want to shine in the best light.

Be complementary and specific

When a passive job seeker reviews your message, they will be able to tell immediately if it is a form letter or if you wrote it specifically to them. Review the candidate’s background carefully and compliment specific achievements that they’ve made. Recognize their value to appeal to their ego. If you have a common connection, make sure you indicate this in the message. Keep the message concise and discreet. Include your direct contact information. Let the candidate know you will be checking back with them within a specified amount of time.

Invite the candidate to self-schedule

Thanks to modern scheduling calendar software, it’s possible to invite the candidate to select a time that is convenient for them to talk with you about the career opportunity. This call to action can be very effective in getting a passive candidate to respond to your request. Clearly state that you want to find out what their career goals are and how you can help them accomplish this. This should appeal to any passive candidate who may be thinking about a career change in the near future.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, can help your company meet all of its financial staffing needs.  From a recent survey, the feedback we received was: I am pleased with the professional service provided by Casey Accounting & Finance Resources.”  Contact our award-winning team of financial recruiters today to get started!

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With Fewer Job Candidates Comes Multiple Job Offers

After several years of a virtual dry spell of jobs in the Chicago region, now it seems there are not enough candidates to go around for the companies here. The unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest percentage in seven years. It’s a candidate-driven market by all expert accounts, which means active job seekers may be hit with multiple job offers at once.

What do you do if you happen to get more than one job offer? How do you choose the best company for your career? Here are some guidelines.

What is the company’s reputation in the industry?

Take a good look at the companies that are offering you jobs. Are they respected in the industry? Look for company reviews left by current and former employers for added insight. Check out industry publications and the Better Business Bureau site to see what clients are saying about the companies.

Also, talk to your own network. If you are staying in the same area, then there’s a good chance you know someone (or know someone who knows someone) who has a personal experience with the company. Making that connection can take some work, but it will pay off in the long run.

Is the company going in the same direction my career is?

If you can find a website portal, see what the company has been focusing on and where it’s headed. Press releases, new products and offerings, and the mission of the company should indicate this. How well does this fit with the goals you have for your own career? If there is a good match, then this may be the best offer to accept.

Considering the cultural fit is just as important. A high salary is great, but it won’t keep you happy every day. Do your potential co-workers focus on the same ideals that you value?

How is the company doing financially?

Review public financial records of each company you are considering to see if they are healthy financially. Did they offer you a basic salary and benefits package that seems a little low or is it just right? If you are not getting a good enough offer, go back to the negotiating table and ask for more. The right company will value you enough to consider adding more to sweeten the deal.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, always welcomes great job candidates and helps navigate the complicated job search. Contact us today, and we’ll help you find the best accounting Chicago careers!

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How Do you Use LinkedIn to Find Great Accounting & Finance Candidates

On the prowl for quality finance and accounting candidates for your business? If you are like most recruiters, you are tapped into social media on a regular basis. Recent studies have shown that nearly 90 percent of all recruiters look to social media networks like LinkedIn to produce high-quality candidates both passive and active. In other words, LinkedIn can be a gold mine for any hiring manager.

So what is the secret to finding the best finance and accounting employees using LinkedIn? In the following article we will talk about ways to make the best use of LinkedIn and the staffing agencies that have a strong presence on LinkedIn for finding outstanding finance and accounting candidates.

1. Set up a branded presence as an employer of choice

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to create an employer Web page and or the profile of your recruitment team on LinkedIn. You’ll want to make sure that it is well branded with a positive look and feel so that financial and accounting candidates will be interested in learning more about you.

2. Create a company page with the latest financial jobs

Once you have developed your brand as an employer of choice, it’s important to create a central company recruitment page that features the latest financial jobs at your company. You can do this within LinkedIn or you can set up a page on your main company website with links to your LinkedIn job postings. Enable candidates the ability to apply for jobs using LinkedIn recruitment tools.

3. Use the advanced search feature on LinkedIn

Just like many social media networks, LinkedIn has a special advanced search feature built right in. Use this to search for financial and accounting candidates who meet certain criteria that your company is looking for. For example, you may want accounting and financial candidates who have at least five years of experience in the industry. Type in the word ‘mid-level’ as you search for a candidate of this status.

4. Connect with the best financial candidates via groups

High-performance financial candidates will likely be participating in industry groups on LinkedIn. You can either create your own groups on LinkedIn or you can become a follower of the most popular LinkedIn financial and accounting groups. Connect with candidates by sharing valuable content, job leads, and in commenting on the content of other participants. You can also follow specific financial and accounting thought leaders and then connect with the people in their networks.

5. Join accounting and finance groups for a variety of benefits

LinkedIn has done a great job of creating groups to connect like-minded people. Those groups provide outlets to learn a number from industry thought leaders. With people sharing similar interests in one area, that’s an easy way to connect to potential job candidates – both active and passive jobseekers. On top of those connections, you also can learn about the current topics in the industry from people on a local, regional or national scale.

Remember, LinkedIn can be a powerful way to find the best financial and accounting candidates in the industry. Use common courtesy and respect the people who use LinkedIn for networking purposes. If you have questions about hiring financial and accounting candidates, be sure to contact our network of recruiters in this space.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, can help your company meet all of its financial staffing needs. Contact our award-winning team today to get started!