Moshin,

Thanks for showing me a demo of the software a few weeks back. I like the concept of candidate preparation and with EmployPrep you definitely have a product and software that is quite valuable to the staffing industry. i find we spend so much time with placement, searching and sourcing we forget about the importance of preparing and giving back to candidates. We are definitely interested and will get back to you.

I recommend taking a look at this software to all group members. A good software to add to your current day to day recruitment process.

We are constantly looking to improve our process with new technology and process improvement. Any other products out there that group members are using and can recommend?

Just thought this info could be helpful when preparing candidates for a telephone interview.

The "Five A's" of a Successful Phone Interview In today's world, the interview process is a multi-staged event. In the first stage, you put together a great resume that highlights your skills and experience. You apply to job postings and eagerly await a call. Your resume gets noticed and you get a call or email from the recruiter. Having convinced the recruiter that you are worthy of additional consideration, you are recommended for a phone interview. It used to be that most employment offers came down to a face-to-face interview. However, some times, especially when working with contracting situations or on a national basis, success is determined by the phone interview. Since your ability to manage this interview can be the make-or-break of getting you "in" or moving you "out", you need to maximize this short conversation opportunity so that it takes you to the next level. Here are the �??Five A's" that will highlight yourself from the rest of the pack: 1. Always be prepared. Do this interview like it's the one chance you have to "shine". It is. Dress comfortably. Set up in as "office-like" of a setting as you can. Avoid noisy areas and places full of distractions. Don't interview on your cell phone in the car if you can avoid it (it's amazing what all you can see and be distracted by when you are in a room surrounded by windows). Use the restroom beforehand and have a drink close by to keep your voice fresh. Have your TV and music turned off. Be someplace quiet. Have the kids someplace else, this is a business phone call. Make sure to have a notepad and writing surface available, you�??ll want to take notes. Imagine this is a sales call where you are selling a very important service to a stranger...you are! If your recruiter sent you review material to look over before the interview, then be sure to read and study that. The recruiter isn't here to waste your time; they are an experienced professional that knows what works in interview situations. Have a plan for the interview. Write it down and have it in front of you while the interview is going on. Check things off as you carry out your plan. Consider the plan to be a "cheat sheet" that nobody but you can see. You can even anticipate certain questions and have prepared and rehearsed answers (but make sure you don't sound like you are reading). Being prepared will make you come across confident and will set you apart from the crowd. 2. Always be patient. Wait your turn. Don't interrupt. Don't let your excitement about the job cause you to try talking over the hiring manager when they are talking. Consider this... the more the hiring manager is talking, the more comfortable they are with you. I know this because they are on a schedule and the more they talk, the less time they leave to learn more about you. So if they are doing the talking, that is a good sign indicating that they are feeling comfortable with what they already know about you. Trust me; they will leave plenty of time for you to speak as well. And never, ever, ever engage the hiring manager in an argument - now is not the time. Remember though, conversations involve two people talking ...and listening. "S-I-L-E-N-T" and "L-I-S-T-E-N" use the same letters. Before you can do anything to help your new employer, you will need to listen to instructions telling you what it is that they want you to do. Use the time that your interviewer is speaking to demonstrate that you are a good listener. When you get a chance to answer, be responsive to the question. Answer completely and also look for opportunity to use your answer to make another "selling" point as why you are the best candidate. At the same time, don't bore them with rambling - stay concise and to the point. 3. Always be enthusiastic. Smile! I don't know how many times I've said this to candidates..."Smile". Your smile sets your attitude �?? and your attitude permeates through the phone. You want your interview to come across as a conversational infomercial about yourself. Be outgoing and friendly. Pretend that you are speaking with someone who you've been waiting a lifetime to talk to. Invest your energy into the phone call, letting the hiring manager know that you are excited about the opportunity and their company. Let them know you see value in using and developing the skills that you bring to the job. 4. Always be proactive. Anticipate their questions, but don't answer them before they are asked. Do your research on the company. Impress them by knowing their product line, recent success, and corporate goals. Once you know these things, you can relate your abilities in terms of how you can help them achieve their goals. Have answers ready on your cheat sheet for questions such as: "Why do you want to move to our area?" and "What do you like about us?". Have two or three examples ready for "Tell me about a time when you did 'such and such'." Know how to answer the follow-up questions such as, "What challenges did you face?", "What was your role?", "What did you accomplish?", and "Why was this example important to you?" Think about the questions and write out the answers. Read them through prior to the interview. Read the answers out loud and try to make them sound conversational when practicing. Being conversational allows you to appear likeable and personable ...the kind of person that others like to work with. 5. Always be ready. Take notes during the interview. Be ready for the "close". Take particular notes of items that the hiring manager brings up as goals that they (or their team) are trying to accomplish. Ask for more detail about these goals if necessary, but what you are trying to find is three good, solid points of "where you can help". Once you have these 3 points, show that you can 'think on your feet'. By the end of the interview, you are ready to do what most candidates will never do ...a concise summary of why they need "you". It goes something like this... "So, if I heard right during our conversation, what you are really looking for is someone who can (a) _______; (b) _______; and (c) _______. Is this correct?" Now, wait and let them respond. If they redirect one of your points, that's fine. You will simply adjust one of your responses. Once they have made sure that you are both on the same page, then continue... "Well, based upon my understanding of your needs, this would be my specific plan of action: In order to take care of (a) ______, I would do ________. In order to take care of (b) _______, I would do _______. And finally, to really make life better, this is what I would do to take care of (c) ______. Is this kind of what you are looking to accomplish?" Again, give them time to respond. Finish it up with "I look forward to moving this process forward so that I can join the team and make these goals become reality!" Usually this is the point where they will explain the next step of the process (if they haven't already). If they don't, be sure to ask what you might expect their next step to be, and ask when to expect it. Always, be professional and remember to thank them for their time. It's really that simple. You have all the chips stacked in your favor. You have a job description. You have your resume and knowledge of what you can do. You prepared for their questions and answered with charisma. You demonstrated that you can listen. You have shown that you can plan. They've experienced that you can think on your feet. ...and you are now the one candidate who they can�??t live without.

Hello,

I hope everyone is doing well following a much-too-short summer! Having worked with 100's of staffing companies as a human resources professional, I am curious to know what staffing and recruitment companies are providing to candidates prior to submitting them to clients/employers? From my previous experience, I found that staffing and recruitment companies spend so much time recruiting and searching for qualified and experienced candidates, they do not have time to prepare candidates. Is preparation important to your company? What are some of the value-added services you provide to your candidates?

I believe Mr. Lou Adler touched upon this topic with one of his previous articles http://www.ere.net/2006/10/27/how-to-prep-a-candidate/

your feedback would be appreciated.

Have a fantastic day!

Moshin

Hello Group,

I am currently preparing a presentation for my owner and would like to know if anyone in the group uses or has looked at VCG's webpass product.

Also if you migrated from Cpass previously would like to know how it compares.

If you would like to take this conversaiton off line call me at 312-551-1983 ext 223.

Thanks

Jim

(ATS SALES PEOPLE IF YOU WANT REPLY PLEASE CALL ME DON"T POST)

wondering how many staffing companies out there are preparing for Joint Commission certification for staffing firms?

Hello,

Just wanted to ask questions in regards to your current staffing process. What are some of the challenges faced on a day to day process before submitting potential candidates to clients? What is your company doing to recognize and resolve these challenges?

Regards, Moshin

Hello,

When it comes to the RFP bidding process, how many recruitment and staffing companies send the same submission information to various employment contract bids? The RFP document can be a challenge, since its difficult to recognize what these companies look for in the document when evaluating. Over the past few years, I have been brought in by a company to help create and establish the RFP process. I have documented important information in the article below that employers may look for in your submission or bid document during the evaluation process

"Writing the Right RFP Document"

Best of luck to you all

Moshin Manji

Partner

HRinmotion.com, Candidate Preparation Software

"prepare your candidates, build your brand"

With a demand market and lack of qualified local resources, staffing companies are expanding the search for qualified candidates outside the usual state, provincial or country. With foreign resumes, there are many differences that may not be similar to resumes we find here in North America. Our company constantly receives resumes and requests for revision from overseas. Although many of the candidates are excellent and very skilled; the resumes do not sell them well. Many of the resumes are poorly formatted or do not sell a candidate?s knowledge, skills and abilities well. We also receive resumes that list a person's personal details or personal picture, something that is not required in North America.

In regards to foreign resumes, how do staffing companies handle such resumes? do staffing companies generally assist with revisions or suggest the candidate makes their own revisions following a simple template?

Moshin Manji

Partner

HRinmotion.com, Candidate Preparation Software

"prepare your candidates, build your brand"

Although most companies use swag for marketing, some companies need to learn about swag and the cost benefits of swag versus nothing. So here are my ideas about swag.

1. Swag is excellent; it stays on people's desks, in their offices. The more people that have their swag in their offices the more visibility you have. Pens or mugs are very effective.

3. T-shirts or polo shirts provide solid advertising while individuals are wearing it no matter where they go.

2. Swag that adds value and provides benefit to candidates as opposed to sitting in a cupboard or a drawer is the most effective. Items such as learning material, professional assistance etc.

What do some of you find beneficial from swag? Is it all positive? How does swag work to your advantage?

Moshin Manji

Partner

HRinmotion.com, Candidate Preparation Software

"prepare your candidates, build your brand"

Hello,

To get the discussions started, I thought I would discuss the interview-to-hire ratio. This is a useful indicator of process quality, a consultant?s understanding of job briefs and candidate quality. This is a common metric that should not be overlooked for all staffing companies. In my experience as a human resources consultant, I worked with 100's of staffing companies that seemed to focus on the hire aspect more then the interview. In my day to day dealings with companies, the vendors who tracked the interview-to-hire ratio seemed to place more candidates. Not only did they provide good candidates, but they focused on how they can improve and build a stronger relationship with the client. How many companies track their interview-to-hire ratio? If so, what are some techniques for improvement leading to more interviews and greater placements?

Moshin Manji

Partner

HRinmotion.com, Candidate Preparation Software

"prepare your candidates, build your brand"

I would like to welcome you all to this new group. I hope we can all learn from each other and share ideas for improving the recruitment process both in a company perspective and external value added services. If you know of any new methods, techniques or products/services; please share.

Best Regards,

Moshin Manji

Partner

HRinmotion.com, Candidate Preparation Software

"prepare your candidates, build your brand"

Please check my link and profile to see who I really am. I am also on Linkdin and look forward to sharing ideas and candidates up here in Canada.

Looks like I am the only Canuk so far!

Marnie Tod temp@houstongrp.com