4 ways to Fight Skilled Worker Shortage

4 ways to Fight Skilled Worker Shortage Taken at face value, there’s no shortage of people that you can employ. Headlines regularly bombard unsuspecting readers with statistics that suggest the UK is facing high unemployment rates and you would be forgiven for thinking that this means employers can very easily pick and chose who they recruit with very little effort. I’ve seen intelligent and respectable business owners writing off the unemployed as lazy when they’ve seen their vacancies for highly specialised roles unanswered for long periods of time, but the truth of the matter is that you might actually have a much smaller pool of people you can draw from than you might expect. The roles you are trying to fill may be more of a niche than you think and there has always been a shortage of skilled and experienced workers. Our modern climate is no real exception. Here are a few things that you can do to fight against the skilled worker shortage: 1. Give People the Chance to Prove Themselves There will be people out there that will be revolutionary at the job you’re advertising but you will be reluctant to give them a chance because they either lack the recommended qualifications for the role or more likely they lack that coveted five years of prior experience that you’re demanding. Speaking as someone who has been on the wrong side of the experience equation, there are people who would be more than capable of doing your advertised role, but you need to give them a break. There’s a risk that you’ll get someone incompetent or inappropriate, but essentially there’s the same risk when only accepting the most experienced candidates. You never really know what someone will be like until you give them a try for a week or two, so don’t be afraid of taking the occasional risk if you’re struggling. 2. Demand Less It’s tempting to demand a lot from your applicants. Requiring extensive prior experience and lots of qualifications tends to be a safer bet on paper, but many job listings end up with outrageous demands that are far in excess of what is actually needed. I was nearly put off applying for a very straight forward administration role several years ago that demanded an extensive knowledge of Microsoft Access, but the role only really needed you to be able to recognise the program’s icon on the desktop. If you are recruiting in a field where there might be a smaller talent pool, then downgrading some of the things on your list from requirements to “nice to haves” might yield a greater response. You might be surprised by what some people consider themselves to be not very good at when it comes to their skills and you might find yourself with an absolute genius that simply lacks confidence. Before you snap back with a declaration that you want people with confidence, just remember that confidence does not always equal competence. A few more humble employees might in actual fact be exactly what you need and high demands will attract an equal number of blaggards as it will ideal applicants. 3. Search in Similar Industries Think about asking for applicants in fields that are similar to yours and for people who might have transferable skills and may not even be looking for you in particular. Unless you have a big brand name behind your company, not many people will know you exist and there will be people appropriate for your vacant role working in industries that you don’t operate in that might be interested. In our modern age, people jump careers all the time and transfer from role to role on a regular basis. Some transitions might seem outrageous in principle, but the skills might be the same. It might also be that people simply want a change and have a completely justifiable skill set to do so. This almost goes back to the prior experience example â€" just because someone hasn’t had five plus years experience in your particular industry, it doesn’t mean they’ll be clueless morons driving your company into the ground. 4. Plan Ahead It pays to keep a very close eye on who is out there and employable at all times if you might struggle to fill any of your roles. I’ve heard rumours that a lot of companies that are recruiting at any one time don’t actually have any roles to fill and are just trying to find out who might be available at any one point, although this sounds suspiciously like a conspiracy theory passed around the frustrated and unemployed. You might not have the resources or budget to do anything as extravagant as this, but you can still keep an eye on the job market to see if similar roles to the ones you might need are coming up and being filled on a regular basis. Your staff can announce that they are leaving at any time. Although some roles might have a longer notice period than others, losing a key member of staff in a key area can be a nightmare if you’re unprepared. Conclusion Good employees can be hard to find, but there are plenty of smart adaptable people out there looking for work, either with jobs already or unattached to any other company. Maybe set your sights a little lower and have a little more faith in the talent pool, but whatever you do don’t give up hope â€" the ideal applicant for you does exist. David Hing is the blog editor of YOUR Insurance a broker specialising in public liability insurance for small businesses.

Success Story Laid Off Worker Is Hired Leveraging His Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Success Story Laid Off Worker Is Hired Leveraging His Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Ive written 267 posts on personal branding in just over a year and today I have yet another reason not to stop (dont worry this blog will last till I die). Ive started to get more and more emails telling me how my advice has helped others succeed. Bob Tarne emailed me last week to tell me that my advice has helped him get a new job, after being laid off. Realize that some, if not all, of your readers are incorporating your advice in their own lives. Stories like this, make me proud to be investing my soul in personal branding. If anyone has a similar story and would like to share it with me, please email me at dan.schawbel@gmail.com. Who is Bob Tarne? Bob is a consultant, writer, and speaker focusing on helping clients improve their business performance. He works for Lombardi software. He is also a certified project manager (PMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB). [Note: Im a certified Six Sigma Greenbelt and know how hard it is to become a black belt]. He has always worked in the technology field. Outside of work, he enjoys travel and meeting people from different cultures. He has even climbed Mt Fuji, completed an Ironman Triathlon and about a dozen marathons. Bob Tarnes Story Ive been blogging for about 2 years now, but at first I wasnt very consistent. After reading Dan Schawbels blog, I started to make the effort to post at least once/week since the start of the this year. I am also consistent in my profiles in Facebook, LinkedIn, Gantthead (an IT PM site) and on my blog, including the same picture. I have also made more of an effort to write for other project management sites, including Projects at Work and The Center for Business Practices. My message across all of these sites focuses on less traditional ideas in project management, such as combining project management and six sigma etc. My next article for Projects at Work (to be published this month) is about using virtual reality tools like Second Life in project management. I also Google myself to make sure I know whats out there about me. The company I had worked for was not getting any new business and so I started looking around for a new job at the start of the year. I really ramped up my search in April when I was put on temporary layoff. I landed my job with Lombardi software at the end of the month and started my new job this week. During my search, a number of companies I interviewed with indicated they had read my blog. I also know they looked at my profile in LinkedIn. Lombardi indicated that as they were considering candidates, the content of my blog was one of the things they considered when they decided to hire me. My advice to anyone would be to start working on your brand now, before you need it. If you find yourself looking for a job, its too late to build your brand (Note: its never too late, but it will just be more challenging). Its the same with networking; promote your brand now so people know who you are in case you need their help later. On a related note, I used tools like Google and LinkedIn to research people I was interviewing with, so that I knew something about them and could ask some questions that showed I did my research. I think this also impressed folks. It seems like an obvious step, but not everyone is doing it.

Whats Usually Negotiable in Typical Job Offer, Whats Not - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Whats Usually Negotiable in Typical Job Offer, Whats Not - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Great News! You’ve got a new job offer from a great company! Now comes the hard part . . . negotiating various elements of the offer to make sure you will be getting the best deal for yourself. (You can be absolutely assured that the hiring manager making the offer has already made sure that she and the hiring company are getting the best deal for them.) In this post I am going to address those elements of the typical job offer that usually  are open to negotiation, as well as a few things that usually are not negotiable. 4 THINGS USUALLY OPEN TO NEGOTIATION Here are FOUR elements of the typical job offer that usually, though certainly not always, are open for negotiation: 1. SALARY. Rare indeed is it that the hiring company and the successful candidate agree 100% on the amount of salary being offered for the position under consideration. You can bet that the hiring company has a very good handle on what the position is “worth” in the current job market. The candidate? Sometimes not so much. The solution to successful, realistic salary negotiation? Do your homework and know for sure what comparable positions are worth in today’s job marketâ€"not what you think the position should be worth, or what you hope it’s worth, but what it actually is  worth. A good place to start is Salary.com. Here is a fact that surprises many candidates: Most hiring managers and the companies they represent actually expect candidates to negotiate salary, at least to some reasonable extent. 2. STARTING DATE. Although there is at least some flexibility here, normal expectations are for the successful candidate to give two weeks’ notice to his/her current employer and begin the new position soon thereafter. Unless there is some  genuine emergency, e.g., death in the family, major illness, etc., or an important event that has been planned for some time, such as your wedding (but not a lengthy honeymoon!), it’s a good idea to keep within this expected time frame. 3. VACATION DAYS. This is a tricky element to negotiate because, if it’s not handled with care, the hiring manager may get the impression that you’re more concerned about time off from the job than diving right in and doing the job. Still, handled correctly and professionally, you can successfully negotiate additional vacation days, if necessary. Say, for example, that, at your current job, you have three weeks vacation, while the offer you are considering only allows for two weeks. Provided you have thoroughly sold the hiring manager on the significant value you will be bringing to the job, and if you have significant tenure in your current position/profession, most hiring managers will go the extra mile to get you the additional week of vacation. 4. RELOCATION EXPENSES. Not all that long ago, it used to be rather routine for companies to provide reasonable relocation expenses for professional-level positions. In recent years, however, with more and more companies keeping a more focused eye on the bottom line, this benefit has become far less liberal and commonplace. Typically, today, the larger companies can be expected to pay for movement of the successful candidate’s household possessions and perhaps provide for temporary living expenses for up to 90 days. Unless the position is in the top executive ranks, rare indeed is it for a company today to purchase the candidate’s home so that he or she doesn’t have to be bothered with selling it himself/herself before making the move to the new company. Best advice: Request a copy of the company’s relocation policy and make sure it meets your specific needs and desires before accepting the position. 3 THINGS USUALLY NOT  OPEN TO NEGOTIATION With the exception of executive compensation and benefits plans (for those companies having such plans), the following THREE elements of a job offer usually are NOT open to negotiation: 1. INSURANCE BENEFITS. Typical of these benefits are group health and life insurance and, oftentimes, short-term disability (for so-called non-exempt positions) and long-term disability (for professional-level positions). The primary reason these benefits are not negotiable is because employment laws and regulations mandate that all employees must be treated equally, insofar as benefits such as these are concerned. 2. COMPANY RETIREMENT PLAN (if offered). When it comes to company retirement plans, “one size” does indeed “fit all,” or at least it better! Again, because of employment laws and regulations. Same goes for a 401(k) plan, again, if offered. 3. PAID HOLIDAYS, SICK LEAVE. These employee benefits are also literally set in stone for ALL employees and are therefore not negotiable. IF YOU MUST NEGOTIATE, USE WIN-WIN APPROACH Maybe you will be one of those rare candidates who won’t feel it necessary to negotiate any aspect of a new job offer, but that isn’t usually the case. As I said at the top of this post, hiring managers usually expect at least some degree of  reasonable negotiation on such factors as salary. So, whenâ€" not “if”â€"you do negotiate, make sure you keep negotiations on a “win-win” basis! Never, never, never throw down the gauntlet on any issue being negotiated, or you could end up throwing the baby out with the bath water! Next Week’s Post: Negotiation Tips from an Expert in the Field _______________________________________ This post is an excerpt from Career Stalled? How to Get YOUR Career Back inHIGH Gear and Land the Job You DESERVEâ€"Your DREAM Job! _____________________________ Would you like to receive a FREE, evaluation copy (PDF format) of  Career Stalled?  via email?  Shoot an email to my editor and co-author, Michael Garee, at  mlgaree@headhunterhiringsecrets.com. (If not a hot link, copy paste email address into your email client.) All we ask in return is that, once you have had an opportunity to review the book, you go on Amazon.com and write an honest review of itâ€"good, bad or indifferent. Thank you! _____________________________ Going on a job interview soon? Know someone who is? Download Skip’s FREE “How to ACE the Job Interview!” publication by clicking HERE. Learn how to interview the way Superstars do!

5 Ways to make telecommuting better

5 Ways to make telecommuting better I have this idea that I am going to start working from home. I tried to go into the office. But the only alone time I have in my day is the time Im not with the kids, and if I spend my alone time with other people, then I dont have alone time and I start to panic, and I do things like tell the guy in the cube next to me that he cant talk to me. 1. Get a spot where you can concentrate. So I tried working from home, but then I started feeling like I am the most alone person in the world. So I thought Id change it up a little; Id work from home, but the farmers home. I call him to tell him Im coming to his house early. How early? he asks. Now. Dont you have to work today? Im not going to the office any more. I dont want to talk to people. There is a beat of silence, and I think the farmer is going to say something. Or maybe the silence is long enough that he is thinking I am going to talk. He has asked me to not talk over him, but I have a hard time telling if it is his turn to talk or mine. I start to panic because the rhythm of conversation is getting irregular, so I say, Okay. Bye. And I hang up before he can say anything else. I note to myself that this is the fourth conversation in a row that I did not talk over him. I stop at the gas station by his house. I have enough gas to get to his house, but not enough gas to get lost and get to his house, which shouldnt happen, but if it did, it would be bad because I still do not have a winter coat. I am not sure why I dont have a winter coat. I think it is because its so cold that I cant stand being outside for more than five or ten seconds. So if Im only going to be outside for a few seconds then I dont need a coat. The farmer keeps telling me how dangerous it is to travel without a winter coat. I show him Im paying attention to the dangers of the cold by being sure to not run out of gas on a remote country road. 2. Have close proximity to a coffee source. I get to his house. I put my stuff down in the kitchen and I make coffee. The farmer comes in. He kisses me hello. Then he wipes up where I spilled water by the coffee maker. At one point, we had an argument about his wiping up around me all the time. I never wipe the table at dinner where you spill, I said. What? he said. Are you kidding? I never spill. Yes, you do. No, I dont. You spill almost every time you do anything in the kitchen. That is not normal. I spill more than other people? Yes. Adults dont spill. Once he told me this, I noticed that I actually spill something every meal. Sometimes two or three times. I never noticed that other people dont do it until the farmer told me. So now, him wiping up the water on the counter feels intimate: he knows me so well. 3. Have good food, fast Internet, and a sofa for avoiding both. He tells me that he is in the middle of moving pigs, and hell come back to the house for lunch. I want to ask him if hes working on getting an Internet connection because if Im going to work from home from his home, I need Internet. But he always feels like Im pushing, and then he pushes back. So I decide to ask him while hes eating lunch. He is easier to talk to if hes walking or eating and its too cold to walk outside. I lie on the farmers sofa and think. The fields are white and rolling, with bits of old corn stalks poking out. The cattle are far off, almost at the horizon: brown dots moving slowly to yellow dots of hay. I stare out the window long enough that the farmer drives by on the tractor. Stops at the barn. Pets the donkey. Comes in for lunch. Since this is an impromptu visit, there is no food to eat except beef. Thats all he keeps in his house. Well, beef and Frosted Flakes and Dora the Explorer cookies, from the last time that I came here with my kids. He cooks hamburgers for us. He tells me he did not notch the pigs ears in the last litter because he was so distracted dealing with me. He tells me he has never had a litter of pigs unnotched. Ever. Unnotched is not his word. Its mine. I forget the word he uses. 4. Have a notebook for ideas that you save for when youre with people. Then he sits down to lunch and I try to not bring up difficult stuff to talk about because I can see that he is already unhinged that the pigs are unnotched. But after three bites I cannot hold back: I have a list of things we need to do so I can move into your house. He looks at me. Puts his fork down. Takes a deep breath. Lets see it. I have to read it to you. He looks. Its in shorthand. Not regular shorthand but the shorthand I invented to take notes at school because the way I got through school was by memorizing every lecture word for word and then regurgitating it to teachers on essay tests. I find that my shorthand is also good for writing private notes to myself. Now I can have my list out, at the table, but the farmer cannot read it so I can tell him only the amount of things I think he can handle without going nuts over how hard it is for me to move to his house. I tell him, Well. The Internet. Thats an easy one. He picks up his fork. Takes a bite. Okay. What else? The heating has to work. Okay. We have to talk about that. About what it means to you to be working. Okay. Lets talk about that now. First, tell me what else is on the list. Not that much. What do you mean not that much? I see you have crazy writing down the whole page. That looks long. Hes right. I tell him its a secret. He shakes his head and laughs. I tell myself I have to develop a shorthand sign for manure, because I need him to not put it so close to the house. I think its causing a problem with flies. Which I already have a shorthand sign for because I had a history professor who always used the phrase flies in the face of . . . . 5. Find balance: Calm/exciting, chatter/quiet, people/no people. After lunch we sit on the sofa and talk about grazing. He is thinking of grazing pigs with cattle this summer. People dont usually do it. He is not sure how he wants to manage it. He likes to have interesting projects on the farm. He is curious and likes the quirky edge of farm life. But he is always trying to figure out how to balance his curiosity with his need for stability. He says, Okay. I have to go back out now. I say, Five more minutes. He says, Youre having a hard time transitioning to work, arent you? He says, Do you want me to lie on top of you? I nod yes. So I lie on the sofa and he puts the cushions on top of me and then lies on top of the cushions, and the pressure from the cushions is like a big squeeze without the social input of feeling a person as well. The farmer discovered this trick by reading Temple Grandins technique for working with cattle. It works with me, too. Then he leaves and starts sorting pigs, and I sit down at the table and start writing.

How to Make Money as a Writer in 2018 CareerMetis.com

How to Make Money as a Writer in 2018 â€" CareerMetis.com Would you like to venture into the freelance writing world? Are you uncertain about how to go about it?After you read this, you will be reassured that the words “starving” and “writer” need not be intertwined like white on rice.Writers can make a decent hourly rate, and the average annual salary of writers and authors in the United States is $50,837.evalThere are many kinds of work for writers, including copywriting, copy editing, fact-checking, ghostwriting, proofreading, technical writing, content writing, and white paper writing.It literally pays to have skills in many different areas of writing, and the more diverse experience and expertise you have, the better equipped you will be for your next potential job.Are you passionate about certain subjects, and would love to write about them?You can find a home for your article in a publication and be paid for it. Having a byline in a good publication will be good for your portfolio as well. Some people have turned writing abou t what they are passionate about into full time jobs by maintaining a blog.Bloggers can generate revenue by placing ad networks, affiliate links, and private ads onto their blogs. Other ways to make money through a blog is by selling memberships to exclusive areas of the blog, and by selling digital products such as e books.When you build a large enough audience for your blog, you can generate sufficient traffic to earn you a decent income, and your blog can become your full time job.Copywriting is an area where writers can earn a lot of cash. If you have the knack for creating convincing, inspiring prose that can spur a reader to take an action, or at least to take an interest in something, you may have a career in copywriting.evalCopywriters are the ones who create material for websites, ad campaigns, billboards, brochures, pamphlets, catalogs, commercials, etc. As you can see, the need for good copywriting is out there, wherever someone is needing to sell something, or to get the word out.Have you considered working as an editor? Editors need to have not only excellent writing skills, but also interpersonal and communication skills. Online publications, magazines, newspapers, publishing houses, and periodicals employ editors, but editors can also work freelance. Some writers also freelance as editors.While artificial intelligence and robots are quickly replacing humans in many fields, writing just isn’t one of these fields. It takes flesh and blood to create the nuance, color, and emotion that makes reading so enjoyable.Infographic Credit â€" Global English Editing

How To Start Your Own Business Relocation Company - CareerAlley

How To Start Your Own Business Relocation Company - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience. Robert Fulghum Business refers to economic activities related to regular production and distribution of various goods or services, to appease human needs. People with great start up ideas, good discerning capabilities and complete knowledge of their respective fields can monetize their capabilities and be excellent businessmen. Are you one such budding entrepreneur wanting to experiment with something different and new? If yes, heres a great idea to begin your own business, why not start your own business relocation company! Entrepreneurs are always looking for new innovative ideas which can increase their profits and market shares, and carrying out a business move is definitely one such innovative idea implemented by most of them every year. Did you know that about 40 million Americans relocate every year, due to a number of business-related reasons? With business relocation becoming an important feature of todays economic scenario, starting your own business relocation company can really help you mint a good amount of money easily. Why do people carry out a business move? There is an old saying that the grass is always greener on the other side. This phrase is certainly true in relation to business relocation as many ingenious entrepreneurs perceive the change of location to be a promising path towards growth. As an entrepreneur catering to the needs of your own customers it is imperative for you to know about the needs of your clients, which is exactly why businesses decide to move move: 1. Availability Of Better Resources Sometimes after opening a business unit in a particular area an entrepreneur finds that quality of work force that is required for running projects is not available at that particular location, especially those requiring technical expertise. So in such a case, the business unit has to be shifted to an area where better human resources would be available. These moves are also made in search of better availability of raw materials, machinery, less expensive labor and transportation facilities. 2. Minimization of operating costs Premises expenses might be cheaper in other locations. Also some entrepreneurs who own their own business outlets might sell their outlets and buy cheaper outlets in other areas and invest the savings in their business with an intention to expand it. Similarly the machinery, labor costs, raw material and transportation might be cheaper at one place compared to another, which is another popular reason why people choose to move. 3. Business expansion Suppose a person has opened a small business outlet which has proved to be successful and has further potential of growth, and then in such a case the entrepreneur would look to relocate the business unit to a larger infrastructure where production could be increased and higher profits could be earned. Similarly a business unit might also be shifted to a place where it would find more customers due to more demand in that area or due to lack of competition in that area. Thus expansion of business is an underlying motive for planning outoffice movesin most cases. 4. Quality of living Various factors like accommodation costs, public transport, health, education, climate, crime rate and entertainment facilities are also taken in consideration while shifting business units. Why do People avail Professional help for their Business move? Very few entrepreneurs usually go about a business move by themselves, as they need to move bulky equipments and intricate technological devices. Besides, owing to their busy schedules, most entrepreneurs do not engage themselves or their employees during the move. These people look out for reliable professionals who specialize in moving fragile and intricate technological equipments. What do you need to begin your ownBusiness Relocation Services? Starting up your own business relocation services requires you to have valid license, a team of thoroughly trained professionals, and a good T1 connection or other internet service. You must work out a proper plan for starting up your business, and make sure you mention your tariff properly, in advance. It would be good to offer moving quotes, and provide insurance to your customers. It is important for you to win the trust of your customers, so that they rely on you and you can garner a strong customer base. You can look out for more information on beginning your own business relocation company on the Internet. Summary Business relocation is an important feature of todays economic scenario. Availability of adequate resources, quality of living, business expansion and minimization of operating costs are the main causes that lead to business relocation. Starting your own business relocation company can be a promising idea for business. The article discusses the scope of starting your own business relocation company. Author Bio: Gaurav Tandon works as freelance editor and writer for popular online business magazine. He regularly contributes write ups to business websites, blogs and magazines. In his free time he plays sports mainly cricket, soccer and chess. He is also passionate about reading fiction and traveling. Gaurav sees himself as a successful fiction writer in near future. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. For more work cartoons: http://academy.justjobs.com/cartoon-caption-contest Visit me on Facebook

Resume Writing Tips - Writing an Experience Resume Instead of a Job Resume

Resume Writing Tips - Writing an Experience Resume Instead of a Job ResumeWriting an experience resume instead of a job resume. This decision is not for everyone. It takes time and effort to find the right path to take when putting together your future. It takes a special kind of writing ability to make a resume stand out from a resume for most people.It's all about searching and finding what your real life experiences are like. Most people don't give themselves enough time to search out what their strengths and passions are.A resume doesn't focus on the top priorities of life. Your whole list needs to include them.One of the things that you want to highlight in your resume is what you've done with your past and what you've accomplished in your experiences. Write it as a whole instead of going over it in one paragraph. This will show more of the things that you have accomplished.Don't just write about the experiences that you've had. Show how you've learned from them. You need to be able to highlight what you've learned from your past experiences.Share what you did to achieve your previous experiences. It's important to talk about what you know about your abilities and experiences. Tell the hiring company that you've learned and applied what you've learned to better yourself.Make sure that you bring the company your own experiences, even if you've had a job that was different from the one that you're applying for. People like to see a good mix of job experiences, and they'll always find out what you've done in your career later.Putting togetheran experience resume is important if you're going to find the best job for you. You need to figure out what your true strengths are and take the time to put them into your resume.