AI, COMMUNITY PLATFORMS AND TECH GIANTS
AI, Community Platforms and Tech Giants, these are hot topics currently alive in HR and Recruitment, but are we really understanding how the game will change once these products go to market? AI and recruitment, as a mix, are not far off from our future. I recently attended a IBM Conference where I got some first-hand insight on AI, and other interesting products already in the market. With a smart Development team, you could basically have a system that takes/ receives specs or even generated well developed specs for you and place adverts on all job boards, especially on social media. In addition, this new system can shortlist candidates, tests candidates, personality profile candidates, choose the best option, negotiate the terms of the contract and salary, get the contract signed, and learn all your staff’s functions by monitoring everything they type, say, watch and do. The core key AI that will apply, is to learn your function, spot weaknesses and train you, learn strengths and share them with peers and basically develop super HR staff and eventually do their jobs better than them. AI includes factors such as emotions and feelings. It will be faster and will process data faster than that of a human. IBM already has these products available and with a smart Development team. You can put together a highly intelligent and smooth functioning solution to make it your own. Microsoft has just made it clear why they were so determined to beat Salesforce in the battle to acquire LinkedIn. Microsoft’s partnership with LinkedIn will see them launching a similar and intriguing system to utilise skills, anywhere in the world, at any time. Developing products like their very powerful CRM, LinkedIn Data base, AI and bots, they seem to be putting together a game changer. Microsoft pretty much has access to a 500 million-strong workforce to tap into. Not only can you find the best person for the jobs, based on LinkedIn testimonials and more, you can order them for the job and add it to their schedule. HoloLens might just offer the solution with someone around with good enough skills to be guided through the job. LinkedIn + HoloLens = Microsoft being able to make that happen for you. Microsoft has a colourful history with chatbots. In 2016 it launched a chatbot that turned into a genocidal racist, and another year later they called Windows 10 “spyware”. They seem to be getting chatbot’s right and I am sure a lot of the communication of the future on social sites will be with chatbots. It has been speculated that the giant Tech companies have their eyes on the other big platforms. It is not just a HR/Recruitment Solution. These sites plugged into the correct CRM with the correct AI and chat bots can and more likely will change the consumer market as we know it. The race is on. If you think I am talking the future, you are mistaken. All the newly developed tech is already present and companies like Microsoft are putting the dots together. Are HR departments and staff at risk? Is the recruitment industry at risk? What do you think?
HOW TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO YOUR BOSS
Whether it be about a project or something you are personally not happy with, it is important to give feedback to your boss. Otherwise, how else will they know what the issues are? We realise that its not an easy step to take, but, at the end of the day, we are all adults and talking about any problems we have should be easy. If your boss can give feedback to you, then you can reciprocate. Giving feedback should be valuable and insightful, to both your boss and yourself. You want to walk away feeling like you added value and that you have taken a step in the right direction. Feedback can build your relationship with your boss and even help you to help to grow your career. Here are the ways in which you can give feedback to your boss and ensure your feedback is constructive: 1. Have a Plan of Action Having a strategy on how you will give feedback to your boss is paramount. You simply cannot just waltz in there and blurb out a bunch of complaints, demands and accusations. List all that you need to talk about in a systematic fashion. Give examples as to how the issues or non-issues can either be resolved or improved. 2. Schedule the feedback session Do not just pop in, expecting your very busy boss or manager to just have a spare half an hour for you. Schedule the time in their diary and tell them what it is you are wanting the meeting for. 3. Think of your End Game Know why you are giving feedback and let the end to your session have a resolution, a way forward, an end game. You want to achieve something by giving feedback, no matter the topic. You want to get a result, so think about what you want following this meeting. 4. Have Solutions To present a bunch of problems is one thing, but to not have possible solutions or action plans to resolve them, is going to be your downfall. If the issues can be aided by fellow colleagues, then pull them into the meeting, explaining before hand what its about, and give them chance to come up with solutions. 5. Be respectful and polite Thinking things through beforehand should calm you somewhat, especially if the issues are emotive. Take time to get yourself to a calmness and then go in to discuss. No good things came from heated conversations. To give feedback to your boss is a necessary evil, but it can be handled in a professional and constructive manner.
DISMISSALS – A FEW WAYS TO HANDLE
Let this be clear. This cannot not be used as a tactic to get rid of employees. With handling dismissals, there are procedures to follow and they need to be fair. There needs to be actual poor work performance, incompatibility or ill health, to be able to start the negotiations for employment at a lower salary, a more junior role in the organization or to dismiss them based on incapacity. The employer must ascertain whether the employee is capable of performing the work that he was employed to do, and if not the extent to which he is unable to perform those duties. The employee is entitled to participate in this investigation, which may require further medical investigation, and the employee can also be asked to demonstrate his ability. Dismissal based on incapacity due to ill-health, incompatibility or poor work performance, depends on the question whether the employee can fairly be expected to continue in the employment relationship. One must bear in mind the interests of the employee, the employer and the equities of the case dismissal based on incapacity due to poor work performance. This needs to be documented, and the employee needs to receive guidance in the form of appraisal and training, if need be. Other factors to be considered when handling possible dismissals would include the nature and cause of the incapacity, the likelihood of recovery and improvement or recurrence. The period of absence and its effect on the employer’s operations must also be considered as well as the effect of the employee’s disability on other employees. If the employee’s duties cannot be adapted in such a way that the employee is able to fulfil those duties, and no alternative position is available, then dismissal may be justified. If the employee is offered a lower position and reduction in salary, then the lower salary will apply. Thus, it is obvious that the principles of procedural fairness and substantive fairness applies to such dismissals, as it applies to all types of dismissals. Should the employee not accept alternative employment at a lower salary the following factors need to be considered: When deciding whether a dismissal for incapacity was fair or not, the following must be considered: · whether the employee failed to work to a required standard · whether the employee was aware of the standards · whether the employee was given a fair chance to meet up to the standards · whether dismissal is the right punishment for failing to meet the standards Handling dismissals based on poor performance will only be fair if the employer: · has given the employee proper training, instructions, evaluation, guidance and advice · assessed the employees performance over a reasonable period of time · investigated the reasons for continued poor performance · investigated ways of solving the problem without resorting to dismissal · gave the worker a chance to be heard before deciding to dismiss Handling dismissals for (temporary/permanent) ill health or disability will only be fair if the employer: · investigated the degree and duration of the injury or incapacity · considered ways of avoiding dismissal, for example getting a temporary worker until the sick employee has recovered · tried to find alternative work for the employee to do · tried to adapt the work so that the employee could still do it · gave the employee a chance to be heard before deciding to dismiss How severely ill or disabled the worker is (degree of incapacity) and for how long he or she is likely to remain ill or disabled (duration of incapacity), as well as the reason for the incapacity, will be considered when deciding whether the dismissal is fair or not. More effort is expected of the employer if the employee was injured or became ill because of their job. Handling dismissals is a sensitive process and because the law is tight, one should approach a specialist if you are not sure.
WHY THE BOOLEAN SEARCH IS THE BOMB
What is Boolean Search? No, its not a weird, indie-style of searching the internet. Its, in fact, a brilliant and quite simple way of searching for possible candidates. By using a combination of a few main words (more on this later) and keywords, you can be assured of accurate results. What are these main words? · AND · OR · NOT Add to that these elements: · () · “” And, you have a powerful search method. So, in practice, you choose the keywords, such as receptionist, DTP Operator, Car Salesman, and add in one or more of these main words and symbols, and there you go. One can use these as often as you like and in various combos. This will save you a ton of time by literally filtering the results for you. Why AND? Say we take these two groups – RECRUITMENT / HR. We want to find people that have both of these words in their profile, and so using the Boolean string we type in: RECRUITMENT AND HR The system will now search for people who include the word “recruitment” and the word “HR” in their profile. This means we want to find candidates who are in the Venn diagram cross over, i.e. candidates who have both those keywords in their profile. By using the word AND in our search along with other keywords, we narrow our search, so we effectively will elimanite options that don’t suit our search criteria. Why OR? Sometimes a potential candidate may use words that are similar, such as RECRUITMENT / RECRUITING. Very similar but now by creating the Boolean string: RECRUITMENT OR RECRUITING the system will search for all people who have either of these words in their profile or even if they have used the words in a row in their profile. We are still looking for candidates who fall into the Venn Diagram cross over section, but with a different angle. By using OR we are now broadening our search, in stead of narrowing it. Why NOT? In order to eliminate a keyword, we would type in the Boolean string: RECRUITMENT NOT HR This way, the system will not look for HR. In effective, a candidate may have both words in their profile, but by using NOT in the search phrase, we eliminate that candidate, as we only want those with just RECRUITMENT in their profile. These are candidates who fall into the right wing side of the Venn Diagram. We are removing non-essential results and thereby narrow our search again. Why () Brackets? Computers are smart but we have to give them the correct instructions or the results will be warped and inaccurate. By using parentheses, we are then telling the computer what problem we want solved. Brackets play a big role here. Brackets give priority to a certain word or phrase. Example: We are to search for candidates that have the following words in their profile – TALENT – HR – RECRUITMENT But, I want to narrow it down further to or the computer will not know which of those words is the important one. We would type our search out like this: (talent OR hr) AND recruitment or talent OR (hr AND recruitment) thereby putting the emphasis on the words in brackets. Why “” Quotation Marks? Say you are searching for a particular vocation, but it consists of two words, example: Recruitment Specialist. Typing just: RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST will render a search that will have separateed the words, wasting your time. But, by putting the two words like this: “RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST” you have narrowed your search down, and now the system will search for those two words always together. Other examples would be: “INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY” or “ESTATE AGENT”. MORE EXAMPLES “HR Director” and (health or hospital) “Graphic Designer” and (DTP or cartoonist) Give the Boolean Search a try – it truly does work!
What to do when you and your partner are struggling with your careers
It would be so much easier if you both weren’t in the same boat. Partners often tag off each other. When the going is good with one, often it isn’t so good with each the other. But, then you can rely on your partner, whether its financial, stress-related, or personal. But, if you are both struggling with your careers, what can you do? TEAMWORK You may have different jobs completely, but working together, looking out for the other, can be very beneficial. Remember, it’s in both your best interests that you both succeed. When you out there looking for work, keep an eye out for something that would suit them too. If you have a great idea to solve a problem, share it. RESPECT THAT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT METHODS We all do things differently, and if you think you can paint their world with your brush, no matter how right you think you are, respect that they do it differently. From the way they word an email to the way they approach a problem, hear them out, listen, watch, and maybe you will learn something new. ASK FOR HELP While you are individuals, if you find that your way isn’t working, or your career issues are affecting your relationship, ask or help. It may be from a good friend, or it may be from a professional, like a life coach or psychiatrist. LISTEN Simple enough, but we often want to give advice. Some of us just want a willing ear. Find out what your partner wants and do that. If they just want to vent, sit there, show interest, and listen. You don’t need to solve everything. If they do ask for your advice or help, then give your opinion. If you cannot help, then tell them so. They may need a professional. When you are both struggling with your careers, just take a moment out to understand the others predicament and that it is totally separate from yours.
Are you in a dead-end job?
Do you need some motivation to get out of that dead-end job? Look no further, we have some right here for you … motivation that is … Staying in a job you hate can be bad for your health Stats show that those that keep on plodding day to day in a job that they don’t like, often get sick more often, have long-term health issues, and sometimes end up depressed. Now, that is enough to help you get your butt off that seat and move on! Waiting can make it just much harder to find a job It’s an obvious one, but the longer you hold out, the harder it will be to find a job. Employers want to know why you stayed there for so long in that dead-end job – while it’s not good to job hop, staying in a job that leads you nowhere, doesn’t look good on a CV. There are many avenues to help you find that right job Today, there are a vast array of platforms that you can take to applying for jobs. Online websites, apps, LinkedIn is a great one, and you don’t even have to get up for any of this … until the interview that is. Procrastination is not a value The world wants go-getters and the only person holding you back is YOU! Starting the process just takes one click, one phone call, one movement in the right direction. Once you start that ball rolling, the rest will follow. Don’t be that guy or gal that moans constantly about their dead-end job but does nothing about it. Your location, your travel arrangements, your expenses, your partner, your age, etc. etc. They all don’t mean a thing – there are ways to work it out. But, you have to take that first step. Speak to a friend who seems with it and a mover and shaker. Get advice from columns. Apply with a recruitment agency. Take an hour out of each day to surf the net for jobs that would suit your experience, your qualifications and culture.
How to ensure your employees stay loyal
No matter the size of your business, you want to ensure your employees stay loyal. The process of recruiting alone is a tedious one, so best get it right the first time and then work on keeping your employees happy. Some say loyalty doesn’t exist within a company but ask the guy that has worked for 40 years that question, and there are many like him out there. So, what can you do to keep your employees loyal? Building a relationship is key and we don’t mean become buddies with your staff. Showing genuine interest still goes a long way and finding out what makes your employees do what they do well – these can help you understand them better. Employee Freedom This can work itself out in flexible work hours, trust when dealing with clients, and delegating tasks that you would normally hold close. Show, don’t tell The age old – lead by example – stands true with employer/employee relationships. How can you expect them to stay true if you cannot show them just how things should be done? You may make mistakes and its good that they see that too – it will help them realise you are human too and bring them closer. Purposeful Purpose Help your staff understand why they do what they do. No matter your product or service, they have to get it – the WHY you have this business and why you are there in the first place. Give their duties purpose and you will definitely be able to help your employees stay loyal. Be there for them In good and bad times, don’t be that guy that drops them. You and your business will go through ups and downs, and so will they. Unless they are pulling the wool over your eyes, find out the genuine reason they are not managing, and try to help. Good staff are hard to find, but sometimes we don’t realise we had good staff till they are gone.
Contract vs. Probation
I often get asked to place a permanent employee with a company then receive a three-month contract as an offer of employment. I fully understand this, it minimises risk and makes it easier to get rid of the candidate after the would-be probation period. But, isn’t as risk free as people may think. Today, we discuss contract vs. probation, and which is the better way to go dependent on your circumstances. Here are the guidelines pertaining to the law: Section 83 A of the BCEA goes further in the definition of “employee.” It states that – A person who works for, or renders services to, another person, is presumed, until the contrary is proved, to be an employee, regardless of the form of the contract, if any one or more of the following factors is present: The way the person works is subject to the control or direction of another person; The person’s hours of work are subject to the control or direction of another person; In the case of a person who works for an organisation, the person is a part of that organisation; The person has worked for that other person for an average of at least 40 hours per month over the last three months; The person is economically dependent on the other person for whom that person works or renders services; The person is provided with tools of trade or work equipment by the other person; Or the person only works for or renders services to one person. There is not only the legal side to consider, but you also need to understand that the risk is high. A candidate could except a permanent position for security reasons, even if only on contract. This is “OK” if they are not a good match, but what if they are the perfect match and you lose them? While under contract candidates are also not entitled or eligible for membership of the company pension scheme or medical aid scheme, this also is risky for a contractor, and could sway them if offered a permanent job. So, what is better – contract vs. probation? My first question, when presented with a contract to test the candidate prior to permanent employment contract is, “Is this a contract because it is project or contract driven, or is it a contract because you are looking for a risk free option?” If the answer is risk related, then I advise the client to go the probation option. Use a Limited Duration Contract for a contractor and a Permanent Employment Contract, with a probation clause, for a permanent employee. When offering permanent employment with probation, please make sure there are performance appraisals recorded. Any issues that arise need to be recorded in these appraisals. The candidate needs to be informed of what they are doing wrong and guided on how to complete the task correctly. You can basically address all disciplinary issues in these appraisals. Should you not want to extend permanent employment after the trial period, you are within the rights of your administration. If you are not sure, you could consider extending the trial period. You cannot use this as a roll over strategy, but you can do it to give a candidate the benefit of the doubt to prove themselves. The main difference between employee and Independent Contractor is the nature of the contract itself. It must be determined what the intention was of the parties to the contract. Was the intention that it was supposed to be a contract of employment, or was the intention that it be an Independent Contractor relationship?
People Lie in Interviews
People lie in interviews. Fact! You’ve been looking to fill an important position in your business for months now, and after hundreds of resumes and dozens of interviews, you think you’ve finally found the perfect candidate. Their skills and experience are exactly what you’re looking for. He has got a great attitude and your team loves him. But are they maybe really too good to be true? People aren’t always the most truthful in interviews. When you really want to land the job, it can be easy to exaggerate, or stretch the truth a little bit. You’re in the hot seat and the pressure is on. People lie in interviews and say that they are very hardworking and never fail to always give exceptional work. This is so that they give the impression that they are perfectionists and never disappoint those who expect so much of them. Its estimated 38 percent of people have embellished their job responsibilities on a resume. So, rather contact prior employers (not just references) and get as many details as you can about the candidate’s job duties and descriptions. If employers won’t or can’t provide these, try tapping into LinkedIn to see if the candidate’s description of his or her past roles matches what’s on the resume. Candidates mislead you with current salary and salary expectations. Ask them for their last 3 pay slips and then decide on a reasonable increase. If the expectation is more than a 20% increase on current package, start asking questions like “what extra value are you bringing or offering to justify the increase been above market rate?”. Those who have leadership skills are always willing to try and salvage a problematic situation or they do their best to take control when things go wrong. That is why a big lie, which many people tell is that they say that they have exceptional leadership skills, even when they do not. People lie in interviews about their reasons for leaving. It is important you ask referees why they resigned. Its estimated 12 percent of candidates lie about dates of employment to cover gaps. You can contact previous employers to confirm dates. We also use the credit check to confirm dates. The credit checks we do list employment and employment dates. If someone omits a previous employer we also pick it up here. Companies believe that working in groups yields the best result and that is why so many people feel compelled to tell this big lie. At the extreme, candidates may purchase diplomas from online or falsify documentation by adding their names to a friend’s qualifications or even claim certification from people with the same name and surname as them. We check qualifications through a service provider, using the ID number matched to the qualification code to make sure it is the correct person. Candidates often say they are prepared to travel or relocate under pressure, but change their mind the next day. Relocation and commuting is a big issue and the candidate should have time to think and consider if the travel is manageable and realistic. Nowadays all employees are expected to be people-friendly, simply because they interact with a lot of clients. Keeping clients happy is one of the major task of employees and if employees are not approachable, they sooner than later will prove to be a real liability to the company. This is another big lie which many candidates tell during the interview, because they know that this is an ability which is truly sought after. Besides that people lie in interviews, there are many people who have the habit of gossiping. Such individuals just wait for an opportunity to talk ill of others and to spread vile rumors. Indulging in such gossip is very immature and childish, however sadly it is something which almost all of us take part in. This is certainly one of the biggest lies which people state in the course of the interview just so that the concerned recruiter gets the impression that the individual is someone who is mature and not interested in petty things such as gossip. On my social media history, you won’t find any racist, inflammatory, sexist or controversial remarks. Yeah, right! Millennials are quickly realizing that those offensive tweets they sent a couple of years ago or that rant they posted on Facebook about their ex-boss just last week, are coming to bite them in the butt. Check their social media profiles, the FB, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms. Everyone should conduct at least a five-minute research on the company to get a rudimentary grasp of the business, history, mission statement and so on. The interviewer will likely ask a follow-up question to ensure you actually did find out more about the firm. If you want to get away with the lie the best thing to do is to ask generic questions or say “I couldn’t find any information on (fill in the blank). Could you explain more?
Our Professional Connections
Our professional connections are very important to us. Take a look at who we are affiliated with. Every consultant has been a business manager/owner and comes with a wealth of industry knowledge and connections. As recruitment specialists we form part of The Linx Personnel group – an active network of reputable recruitment associates. We abide by the APSO Code of Ethical and Professional Practice. We are part of West Coast Network – Services you can rely on.