Both processes – hiring and firing – are stressful for both parties involved.  They both require careful review and documentation.  Here are some pointers on what to document, and other thoughts on the process.  This information is gathered from various sites providing human resource management information.
First, documentation for that personnel file:  (this is an outline, not a legal list, as state & federal regulations change)
Employment application and resume
Letters of reference or other reference check documents
College transcripts
Job Descriptions (all, former and CURRENT)
Any other records related to hiring such as testing, statements of compensation rates and benefits
Record that Personnel Policy & Procedure Manual has been provided/reviewed
Education & training records during employment
Letters of recognition/disciplinary notices
Performance evaluations (should be at regular intervals)
Exit interviews
Termination records
If required, a current photo or copy of license

For more detailed information on legal aspects of employee file documentation check your state and federal Department of Labor sites.  Do not included medical or insurance records, immigration forms, safety training records, child support/garnishment notices, litigation documents, workers’ compensation claims, EEO forms.  These are maintained in separate employer files.

If the employee is to be terminated (and this event should only occur as a last resort or for legal violations) there are things you should review.  In addition to the above list, there should be current copies available of policies listing unacceptable employee behaviors, the company’s right to discipline and terminate employees, records of disciplinary counseling and formal disciplinary action, and written documentation of any internal investigation related to the termination.  These documents are all “discoverable” by the terminated employee, and therefore should be clearly written, accurate, and free of any inflammatory statements about the individual.
As mentioned above, the firing should not be done on the spur of the moment, and it certainly should not be a surprise to the employee.  One important step is an independent review of the termination involving someone else in management, to assure that the firing is justified and legal under all applicable laws.  On the other hand, if you have a problem employee and don’t deal with the issue, the end result is that your  best employees might leave in frustration.  A delicate balance, but important to consider.

Tags: For Employers, hiring process, job seeker

The hunt continues – for good jobs and for good candidates.  The rules for hunting have changed somewhat as companies downsize, but need qualified folks for the jobs they have left.  Candidates have a harder time making connections and getting noticed in the crowd of job seekers. 
There are all kinds of new social networking venues for both companies and candidates to use, including LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace and so many more. 
First important thing – don’t get too cute!  The resume/Facebook/LinkedIn information should fit the industry you are in and be appropriately professional.  Photos should look somewhat businesslike unless you are in the entertainment industry.  Likes and hobbies aren’t as relevant as past education and experience so keep that list under control.
Second important thing – if the company with job openings has a well-visited site, they may not post on the job boards, but just sort through the applicants that actually check out their company.  I have had some recruiters say that the big boards produce TOO many resumes, and many that aren’t applicable.  So – look for sites that are specific to the industry you are interested in.
Third important thing – it is worth keeping a resume active on  some of the niche sites (such as our site, www.nmtechjobs.org) as companies sometimes search in advance of a new contract or business expansion to see what types of candidates are available in their field.  It can serve as an introduction for you to companies you might not reach otherwise.
Good hunting!

Tags: applications, candidates, For Employers, hiring process, hiring talent, Hiring Trends, industry news, job seeker, job seeker attitudes

There is a major focus on jobs in the current economy – who is adding, why some are still laying off folks, and what is coming in the future.  There is a large pool of job seekers, some who have been looking for jobs for quite awhile.

The old standby methods are still used;  ads, job fairs, and listings on job sites.  There are some new twists, however.  Many companies, because of a flood of applicants, have set up online screening processes to find the candidates that most closely meet their needs.  This method does add time to the equation, as these systems can take awhile to sort through the information.  Companies may also set up their own private job fairs, looking for specific talent to meet a current need.  Some companies also participate in job fairs for the exposure and to “test the waters” to see who is looking for jobs and if they might meet a future need.  Many, when they are trying to find a specific person to fit an important position, use recruiters, or network through professional groups.

All this means that job seekers need to be more flexible and agile in their searching.  There are a few important things to be aware of, some of which I’ve mentioned before but bear repeating!

Showing up takes energy and effort you don’t always have, but it can pay off.  A recent job fair in Albuquerque paid off in some immediate job offers, and in other cases scheduling of follow up interviews at the company.  Note:  don’t show up in sweats or shorts!  You still need to appear professional, no matter what your occupation.  Business casual is most appropriate for these events.  Also it is good to have a polished resume with you – and have an email address they can access for followup.  Some applicants have put online resumes on Linked In or Facebook.  Do make sure these sites are done carefully and look professional.

For companies that require an online application, be patient – it may take awhile for them to get to your resume.  It never hurts to have a name to follow up with, just an email which lets them know you’ve applied and would appreciate their attention.  This may require some networking on your part. 

Finally, don’t apply unless you fit the requirements!  This just wastes everyone’s time, including  yours.  In the case where you are trying to make a career change, as I once did, you somehow need to present the resume as having experience and skills appropriate to the new field even though  they were learned in a different industry.  Your cover letter should explain why you are making the change and how you have prepared yourself for the new career.  

Good luck to both companies and job seekers.  Patience is the key.

Tags: applications, For Employers, hiring process, hiring talent, job fair, job seeker, job seeker attitudes

We live in interesting times!  Not necessarily fun, but interesting.  One of the casualties of the economic downturn seems to be a lack of opportunities for C-level candidates.  As companies downsize they also eliminate leadership positions, and so there are many very experienced executives looking for opportunities.
There is also an increase in CEO turnover as some take early retirement, some are removed by their boards and some are casualties of the economic times.  According to an article in Staffing Management magazine the government/non-profit sector led all industries in May with 19 CEO departures.  The budget shortfalls being experienced by this industry means it continues to struggle, even as job losses in the private sector have slowed.  The largest turnover for the year was experienced in health care with 98 executives leaving so far this year. 
In the technology industry, and particularly in companies just starting out, the CEO has a major impact on success.  One of the problems in this area is that many of the new companies are cutting edge and there is no established market, or the business has a disruptive technology that requires a new approach.  Tech companies with new ideas need leadership that can apply new tools to grow the company. 
So, there is opportunity for leaders to find positions in these tech startups – but they may have a very small office and no secretary!  They also may not be able to pay much of a salary up front.    Ownership in the company is sometimes offered in lieu of salary, but to collect, CEO’s have to get the company into the profit mode, and this could take awhile.  We need the talent that these executives possess, and our challenge is to provide an opportunity that  these leaders will find attractive. 

Tags: candidates, Executive jobs, For Employers, industry news

An article in the Society for Human Resource Management’s staffing publication  (Staffing Management) reviews the results of the Leading Indicators of National Employment Survey released May 7.  According to the article by Theresa Minton-Eversole  the unemployed might have a better chance of finding a job in the next few months . 
Overall the survey shows that the percentage of manufacturing companies that are hiring is the highest since fall of 2007 and in services the highest since summer of 2007.  Also the survey indicates that good workers are getting harder to find.
The LINE Employment Report surveys four key areas:  employer hiring expectation, new-hire compensation, recruiting difficulty for top level talent and job vacancies.  The survey covers HR departments at more than 500 manufacturing and 500 service sector companies, which employ more than 90% of the nation’s private sector workers.
Results include employment expectation increases of 48.7% in manufacturing and 37% in service sector.  This is the seventh straight month of predicted increases.  In recruiting difficulty, manufacturing indicated an 18.9% increase and services a 14.2% increase.  New hire compensation increased in April by 7.2% in manufacturing and 10.9% in services.
LINE survey results for job vacancies cover both exempt and non-exempt positions.  This indicator can be one of the early indicators of a shift in supply and demand in the labor market.  In the manufacturing sector 18.7% of respondents reported an increase in vacancies in April. 
The survey noted that most companies had held their salary levels through the period of high unemployment and are now increasing some compensation for the harder-to-fill positions.  Job seekers are still accepting lower wages and benefits than in the past overall.   Employers may have to change tactics as the pool of candidates for positions of strategic importance gets tighter. 

Tags: applications, candidates, Executive jobs, For Employers, hiring talent, Hiring Trends, industry news, job seeker