Recruiting In Yoga Pants

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Month: December 2022

How Recruiters Use AI For Sourcing!

December 23, 2022 /

Well I started some shit on LinkedIn recently. 🙂

AI in Recruiting is such a hot topic. Some folks think that AI should do it all and recruiters are completely unnecessary. Weirdly, some of those same people get all salty about us using technologies to do our jobs more efficiently.

(I swear the Venn diagram of people who know nothing about recruiting and complain the most about recruiting is a damn circle).

Back in my day we had to put ads in newspapers, fliers on cars and call random strangers and ask if they want new jobs. It was total chaos. I remember checking the news for “business updates” and names of people getting promoted or moving to new companies. Then, the internet happened.

Suddenly we had access to information like never before! Once LinkedIn really picked up speed people (and their work history) was RIGHT THERE for us to read all about. Wild!

Fast forward several more years, technology continues to evolve and now we have AI, ML, decision trees, automation (to an extent) – it’s wild out there! But how is this stuff ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED?

For me, it’s about SEARCH.

There are many great AI sourcing tools out there, but a personal favorite of mine is HireEZ. I’ve used it for years at several companies, and it really is a recruiter’s best friend!

Note – this is a completely separate process from reviewing incoming applicants. Completely. Different. Process.

HireEZ (or any other AI search tool) is a 3rd party app that MAY integrate with an ATS. Big question mark there, as it does depend on the configuration and what security allows. I have always used it as a stand alone tool for outbound recruiting. I have two specific processes I follow when starting a search:

Labor Market Insights

Before starting a search I will upload the job description into HireEZ and run some analytics. The tool will parse my job description, separating the title, industry, must haves and nice to haves, and make suggestions on other keywords or drop downs I may want to consider. Once I have made all my adjustments, I can pull labor market data including how many available prospects there are, rough estimates of compensation, even geographic hotspots for the kind of talent I’m seeking. If I get too few results, that can be an indicator that our requirements are too stringent and we should rework the JD.

Sourcing

I LOVE the AI sourcing feature in HireEZ. I can use a job description (a described above), write a boolean string, or simply select my criteria to start a search. Once I’m ready, the tool will recommend some calibration profiles based on what I’ve asked for. I can give a thumbs up or down along with feedback to help the tool “learn” what I really want. Then I can set up recurring searches that will continue to add more prospects to my search project. Set it and forget it!

But what about bias?

Like any other system, the bias is in the user. It’s up to ME to make the right choices when filtering and selecting search criteria. I am in complete control of WHAT I’m searching for and just as importantly how I engage with people I find.

Ok, you found people – now what?

Again it’s important to reiterate these are NOT RESUMES. HireEZ (and tools like it) pull publicly available data, turn it into a profile, and presents it to people like me who are searching. That’s it. NOT a resume (unless you’ve got on uploaded on your social profiles). Merely data that has been aggregated from Al Gore’s internet. Once we have enough info to decide we want to learn more, we can also leverage these tools for contact info and make super targeted outreach to convince you to talk to us.

NOW we can talk about specific roles, applying to positions, and getting you into the ATS for further consideration, interviews, and hopefully offers.

More in this week’s video HERE.

What’s The RIGHT Number Of Interviews?

December 16, 2022 /

Ooooh people love to get mad about this topic.

Lots of people claim you only need ONE interview. Just the hiring manager, THAT’S IT! Others think anything beyond maybe three interviews borders on violating the Geneva Convention. What those folks neglect to understand is the most important question of all – what is the right amount of data needed to reach a hiring decision?

The reality – like so many things in recruiting – is IT DEPENDS.

Some roles can be quickly vetted in a couple of short conversations. Other roles need a deeper dive into multiple areas with different stakeholders. The missing piece (and what really sets job seekers off) is the lack of STRUCTURE AND CLARITY.

My number one piece of advice for any recruiters or hiring authorities wondering how to do this better? Establish your interview process before you ever start recruiting. Understanding exactly what you’re looking for in an interview process is the key to setting up a successful one.

Now that your interview process is created, share it! Candidates have the right to know EXACTLY what they’re signing up for when deciding to interview. Recruiters should be able to explain not only how many rounds but also a brief overview of the information that will be covered and how to best prepare.

Check out the video HERE

How To Request An Informational Interview!

December 9, 2022 /

Basically, networking. But networking with AN AGENDA!! My favorite kind!

So how do you do that exactly? Easy – four simple steps:

  1. Set Your Intentions! This is critical at the beginning of ANY job search but before you start asking people for help, make sure you know WHAT it is you want help with! Are you trying to pivot to a new industry? Relocate to a new area? Pick up a new skill? Now that you have an “ask” – put it out there! This can be a LinkedIn post, a tweet, wherever the people you want to reach are hanging out.
  2. Engage with experts! Once you make your request, folks will either start sharing THEIR expertise or recommend names for you to follow. GO DO THAT. Follow, connect, comment, share… Learn everything you can from what’s already available and what folks you’re being introduced to can offer you. You’ll probably find that many of your questions are already answered in existing content.
  3. Send targeted 1:1 requests! This does not HAVE to be a 15 minute “can I pick your brain” call. It can be a carefully written email asking for 3 specific things – make it easy to respond! If I know EXACTLY what you want, I can almost always pretty quickly write a response or drop a link that answers your questions.
  4. Show gratitude. That’s it. Lots of coaches and “experts” will claim that you MUST “build a relationship” or “show your value” before asking for anything in return. I don’t think so! Again, you’re seeking to learn something from folks who know what you don’t. It’s perfectly ok to not have anything to offer – yet. Simply showing gratitude and promising to pay it forward is all the thanks a lot of folks need (or expect).

Here’s a template you can use when you’re ready to hit step 3:

Hi (Name),

We recently connected/(name) recommended you as someone to talk with about (industry or topic). I am (quick intro) hoping to learn more about (topic).

I’m hoping you can give me some guidance on (bullet points).

If there is anyone else in your network you recommend I follow or other resources I should check into, I would be grateful! Thanks in advance for your guidance!

Me

Let’s say someone like me wanted to pivot to career coaching (bwhahahahaha wouldn’t that piss some people off). I’d write something like this, to coaches I admire or have been referred to me:

Hi (name),

We haven’t met, but your name came up in a conversation about coaching and I would love to understand a bit more about your industry. I’m a tenured recruiter in the Seattle market mostly focused on tech, and I am interested in exploring full time coaching. I recently read (something they shared/wrote) and was intrigued by (takeaway). Specifically, I’d love to learn more about:

  • recommended certifications / industry trainings
  • Workload balancing / how you structure your day
  • Business development / advertising of your services

I would welcome any other suggestions or topics you think I should research. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! Hope to hear from you soon.

Best,

Amy

Easy peasy! Not every informational HAS to be a phone call or video chat. You’re requesting information. That’s it. That’s the purpose of the informational!

Not try it for yourself and let me know how it goes!

Link to video HERE.

Can A Recruiter BLACKLIST A Candidate?

December 2, 2022 /

Y’all.

I’ve seen some recruiters say some pretty crazy stuff in the last couple of decades, but the idea that we (they) can actually BLACKLIST someone is… well. a bit out there for me.

Let me explain – but first let’s unpack the definition of “blacklist”

Alrighty! So CAN recruiters “blacklist”? Not necessarily… but what could happen:

Recruiters can record specific, actual conversations or communications that happen between recruiter/hm and candidate. So – if you cuss out a recruiter it’s quite likely that will be documented in the ATS and recorded for future recruiters to read.

Of course recruiters ALSO have the authority to decide who they want to work with and submit to hiring managers. It would be VERY UNETHICAL to not submit a candidate solely because you don’t like them. It would be REASONABLE to not submit a candidate because of repeated or highly problematic behaviors.

I don’t say any of this to freak people out. MOST recruiters are fair, realistic, and understand the difference between data points (had a bad day) and trends (consistently inappropriate or poor behavior).

Finally, if a recruiter is recording personal biases or making decisions based on anything OTHER than fit for the role / verifiable data points, it can reflect very badly on THEM.

Bottom line – NO – recruiters typically do not have the authority or influence to “blacklist” anyone for any reason – but they can definitely track factual data and let the actual hiring authority (typically hiring managers) decide for themselves.

The Golden Rule – treat others how you want to be treated – is always a best practice no matter what side of hiring you’re on.

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