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Entering 2020 the US economy and job market was arguably in the best position it had ever been. Unemployment was at 3.6% and it was a candidate’s market with many receiving multiple job offers from competing clients. This drove up compensation rates and had companies bidding against each other to land top talent.

At Arrow Search Partners our primary focus are placements within Accounting, Finance, Operations and Corporate Services. As an organization we had a great 2019, working with a large array of clients to help them fill their most immediate and sometimes incredibly difficult needs. Moving into 2020 we were extremely well positioned to push our business forward externally by assisting all of our clients as they grew their teams and internally with launching new verticals and divisions so we can be even more all-encompassing for our clients.

However, this was all before COVID-19 struck. As the virus gathered momentum, in what seemed like the space of one week the entire world and its economy was shut down to fight the pandemic.

Of course, as a recruiter this has presented unique challenges to the normally very busy and bustling daily cycle of our lives. It’s been no different for Arrow Search. However, with any tough times there are certain things that can be done to continue success in your career and in your life, and the current pandemic is no different. Recruiting has always been a marathon, not a sprint and the same rules apply.

To help stay the course, here are some key pieces of advice for everyone trying to get through this challenging job market and run their marathon.

Warm up

For any recruiter, organization is key. Consider spending at least 30 minutes at the end of the day planning the next one. You should know:

1. What meetings you have (both internal and external)
2. What calls you need to make to candidates and clients
3. Which companies you want to approach
4. What jobs you’re going to work on

If you’re not organized before you start work, then you risk losing time procrastinating. Set yourself up for the day before it’s even begun and you can hit the ground running. Of course, don’t forget to plan in your breaks and exercise—it’s important to wind down also. 

Set your Goals

Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you can’t hit your usual goals. You can work with your manager to set obtainable, daily goals that will keep you moving and ready to hit the ground running when the pandemic lifts and you can even set some for yourself.

Whether it’s new conversations, video meetings, building out the company database or networking you should hold yourself accountable at the end of the day to see if you hit your goals and, more importantly, to keep developing as a recruiter.

Making placements and hitting deals is always the ultimate goal and that will never change but don’t get disheartened if that doesn’t happen during this time. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

Be Positive

There will be highs and lows. But there would also be highs and lows in the office. It’s important to navigate them in the same ways. You might not make a placement every day when you’re working from home, but you probably don’t every day at the office either.

If you bring the same positive energy to every virtual meeting that you do to an in-person meeting you’ll get better results and make better connections. You wouldn’t mope around someone’s office in a meeting, don’t do it to their Zoom.

Things haven’t changed at these times, we’re just running a slightly different path than expected. However, there’s lots we can be doing to prepare for the next phase and not lose any ground, both with clients and candidates and our own careers. The results will come, even if things are on pause for now.

Hopefully everybody will be able to get back to our new normal soon and we will be stronger for this whole experience as recruiters and as people. We are just on a detour on our marathon at the moment—we’ll be back on track and heading for the tape soon enough.  

You just graduated college and you are on your way to beginning a new career. You have internship experience in your pocket, but you always knew these jobs had an end date and you would be back to living the college life. Now it is time to start a real job with a real salary and real expectations. Life is about to change, what can you do to start off on the right foot in the workplace.

 

1. Take initiative- do not wait for work to be delegated to you. Of course, when you start a new job, there is a training process and it may be slow until your boss sees what you can handle. However, do not be afraid to ask for more work. Everyone loves a proactive employee; ask what you can do in times where work is not handed to you.
2. Proofread your work- This is one of the most important things to focus on when starting a new job. No one likes getting an email addressed to a different name, an email with spelling errors or reading work from an employee with grammar mistakes. Proofreading carefully will show your work ethic and the detail that you put into your work.
3. Build healthy relationships with your colleagues- It is important to show your team that you care about them and their success. Building a good dynamic with your boss, building trust and credibility should be a priority your first few months in a new job. It will lead to more opportunities and eventually a promotion.
4. Do not get discouraged by the learning curve- College is very different from the real world. There will be a lot to learn but try not to be intimidated by this new chapter. Let each day add value to your personal and professional growth.

Millennials make up about 50% of the workforce. And this number will continue to increase for years to come. So, what exactly do Millennials look for in the workplace and how can companies meet these needs?

The short answer is that millennials have most of the same career goals as older workers. Millennials are driven by making a positive impact at a Company, helping solve social challenges and doing work that they are passionate about.  However, there are a few things millennials look for in a job that firms should be aware of.

Millennials are always ready to learn. Most are always on the look-out for an opportunity to learn something new. In fact, one of the reasons millennials are leaving their jobs is a lack of training. To avoid this, Companies can add training for both new employees and first/ second year employees who are looking to increase their value.

Millennials are competitive and used to being in the public eye. They are used to everyone knowing everyone’s business and appreciate being recognized. Reward millennials for exceptional performance and celebrate their accomplishments. This will motivate other employees and will bring the millennials “friendly competition” mindset into the work place.

Millennials hate being called millennials. Many millennials feel they are judged based on stereotypes rather than their actual work. When criticizing an individual employee, make sure not to use the word millennial. Individuals want to feel they are being judged on their performance and work, not categorized into their generation.

If you were an employer, what would you think about your social media profiles? Are you posting appropriate pictures with friends and family on Facebook? Are you posting your last meal on Instagram? Are you posting relevant newsworthy articles on LinkedIn?  Are you posting controversial political posts to Twitter?

According to a CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates. In fact, social recruiting is now a huge part of the hiring process. Many employers have people working solely to comb through candidates social media.

So, what exactly are employers looking for on your social media?

Employers are looking for insight on your character and personal life.  Do you have an online following? Are you posting appropriate pictures? Are you up to date on modern social platforms? Is there anything about you on the internet that can damage a Company’s reputation? What are other people posting about you?

Now, let’s not be afraid of social media and instead use it to our advantage to seal the deal on your job process. When posting to Facebook and Instagram, use it as an opportunity to show your personality. Show things that make you original, use it as a place to make you stand out and show what you can add to a Company’s culture. When posting to LinkedIn, try to stay conservative. Post only work-related content and make sure your experiences line up with your resume you are applying with.

Going forward, pretend your future employer is going to see everything you put up. It will make you rethink what you post.

Some Companies do not understand the benefits of outsourcing recruitment. Hiring the right candidate is a long process with many steps and is one of the most essential parts of running a successful business. It is difficult to find a talented individual who is the right culture fit and has the required experience. Outsourcing recruitment takes a huge burden off a Company and its hiring managers allowing employees to focus their energy elsewhere. Here are a few other benefits of outsourcing recruitment.

1. Quality Candidates
   1. Outsourcing recruitment allows you to meet many people who you would not be able to find yourself. Recruiting agencies understand that a good candidate combines experience, education and personality. Outsourced candidates will have been sorted through, most likely interviewed before they are sent to you. This results in only top tier quality candidates being sent to companies to interview.
2. Time saver
   1. Interviewing people takes a lot of time and energy. Period
3. Scalable recruiting capacity
   1. If you are recruiting yourself, you are responsible for the entire process. Creating job specs, posting jobs, finding candidates, going through resumes, interviewing hundreds of people etc.
4. Company culture and employee satisfaction
   1. Everyone wants a smooth interviewing process. If you start on the right foot, it is much better then joining a Company after a negative hiring experience.
5. Lower Employee Turnover
   1. Many times companies do not spend enough time weeding out unqualified candidates. It is frustrating for hiring managers to train a new employee and then realize they are not qualified or capable of the job.

Surrounding yourself with the right people is the key to success. Consider outsourcing your recruitment process to ensure the best fit candidates for your Company.

When you finish an interview, what do you do? I know the first thing I usually do is call my parents and/or my spouse. I want to tell them right away how it went and I know they are impatiently waiting for an update. I then want to reward myself by binge watching my favorite show and most likely eating a burger from Shake Shack.

However, there a few other things to do when you finish an interview that can help determine your future:

Spend 10 minutes writing down how the interview went. You may want to include:

• The types of questions they asked
• The types of answers you gave
• Did you like the people who interviewed you? Could you see yourself working well with them?
• What did you answer well and what can you work on to better a future interview?
• Contact information of the people who interviewed you.
• Draft thank-you emails to each person who interviewed you.
• Write a thank-you note to show appreciation, do not write a thank-you note to impress someone or to ask for something.
• Make sure to write a separate and different thank-you note to each person that interviewed you.
• Try to include something specific that you discussed with each person to personalize the email.
• Let yourself sit on the email for an hour- do you have any follow up questions?
• Send thank-you notes before the end of the day.
• Ask your recruiter to follow up or set a reminder to follow up with the hiring manager.

A day or two later, send a LinkedIn request to the people who interviewed you. It is great to connect with everyone you meet, even if you do not get or accept the job. You never know what your future holds.

When preparing for a job interview, you spend a lot of time thinking about what you are going to say. You research the company, the person interviewing you, and you search for potential interview questions. Now what??

Now that you’ve spent a good amount of time preparing, here are a few items you do not want to forget to leave out of your plan:

Contact and Address

Who are you meeting with and where are you meeting with them?

ID 

Many bigger buildings ask guests for identification.

Resume (In a folder) 

Print out 10 copies of your updated resume- you never know how many people you are meeting with. Keep your resumes neat and together; the last thing you want to do is pull out a dirty, folded resume from your bag.

A notepad and a pen 

Bring a notepad and a pen to show that you are prepared and that you thought ahead. You may want to write down some notes during the interview to show that you are engaged and interested in the job.

Breath mints or gum 

Get rid of either before the interview.

Questions 

You will be asked if you have any questions at the end of the interview. Whether your questions are in your head or written down, make sure you have a few prepared.