The Top 10 Mistakes: Using Job Boards
June 17th, 2010
- Relying exclusively on them. Competition is steep on job boards, with thousands of people applying to the same jobs. Don't rule them out completely, but be sure to spend time networking for leads.
- Not focusing your resume on keywords. Don't simply post your regular resume. Online resumes are searched and ranked based on nouns and keywords. Modify your resume accordingly so you don't needlessly disqualify yourself.
- Limiting your reach. Don't limit yourself to the popular job boards. Explore niche and regional job boards for opportunities. Also determine which companies you would like to work for and check out their corporate career sites.
- Applying to everything. Don't apply to jobs just because they sound "great". If you're clearly not qualified for a job, don't waste anyone's time - including yours. You may lose credibility when an appropriate opportunity arises.
- Not checking them regularly. Don't spend all your time on job boards, but be sure to schedule regular check-ins so you don't miss any suitable opportunities. If a job is newly posted, apply early to beat the rush of resumes that will flow in as the deadline approaches.
- Failing to follow instructions. Due to the volume of applicants, there is generally a strict process that you must follow when applying to jobs online. Don't ruin your chances by circumventing the process.
- Not using them as a research tool. There is much information to be gleaned from job boards. You can identify market trends as well as find out which companies are hiring and which recruiters are active in your area of interest.
- Having an outdated profile. You never know when a potential employer might be searching online for someone with your qualifications. Keep your information accurate and up to date so they don't pass you over.
- Being inflexible. Be open to considering opportunities slightly outside of your criteria. You don't want to broaden your search too much, but keep in mind that postings contain limited information, so don't discount a job prematurely.
- Not having an objective or experience profile on your resume. If you've submitted a cover letter, it may not be read. Therefore, be sure to clearly and succinctly state your objective and/ or include an experience profile in your resume.
Hiring for Passion
June 2nd, 2010
Hiring for Passion
I was speaking with an employer last week, and hearing that their success in hiring was less than stellar. The people they hired had done well in the interview process, however, once in the job their performance was often a disappointment. For most hiring managers, knowledge and training are generally the areas that are considered most important. Maybe it's time for a change.
Most peoplehire based on experience rather than passion. Many hiring managers use task and experience related job descriptions when recruiting. While skills and experience are important and certainly should be considered, hiring for talent and passion will give you a far greater employee success rate. You can teach a skill, but you cannot teach passion and talent.People do their best when they are doing things that they naturally do well and truly enjoy doing.
However, you need to understand what passions are important in the job. So, let's assume that you are a winery looking for tasting room staff, and your leading candidate is passionate about good wine! A perfect fit? Not so fast... The tasting room job isn't just about wine; it's about sales and hospitality. Is your candidate passionate about sales amd customer service? I recently watched a server at a wine bar have a long and passionate discussion about wine with one group, while the rest of the room sat around with empty glasses. I guarantee she was hired because of her passion for wine, when the job was really about customer service.
Of course, passion and experience are not mutually exclusive. Someone who has a long history of success and is still passionate about what they do, is of course your ideal candidate! However, if you have to chose between hiring someone who is passionate about what they do versus someone who has years of experience, I would choose passion every time.
So be sure to ask each of your candidates "What do you really love to do? What are you absolutely passionate about?" And make sure you listen to the answer...
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They're Talking About You... What' the Buzz About Your Business?
May 25th, 2010
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They're Talking About You... Who? Your customers of course! We all know that customers who have a poor experience talk about it to far more people than those who have a good experience, it's just human nature. And these days, they yelp about it as well! Social media has added a whole new dimension to 'spreading the word,' and often that word is damaging. And what's worse, most of the time you don't even realize that you had an unhappy customer. If you had known, then you would have had the opportunity to turn it around - before they started talking - or writing! - to anyone who would listen, or read. There are posts like this all over the various social networking sites:  And people don't just use review sites, but the word might be spreading other places as well, places where you won't be able to see it and comment, such as facebook:  "I tend to be non-confrontational, so I’m more likely to just never come back than to actually make a complaint unless I literally cannot eat the food." "...and I just didn’t bother to complain." "...we couldn’t even find someone to complain to." "Sometimes my order will be completely messed up and I won’t say anything about it. I don’t like confrontation." Personally, I don't care for customer feedback cards that are either placed on the table or given out with the check. In one restaurant,I were supposed to leave it with the server. What if it was the server I was unhappy with? Many people prefer not having to complain face to face, or may not wish to take the time if they are busy - or you are. On the other had, there is so much to be gained by doing online customer satisfaction surveys, including ease, cost and timeliness. A small business can gain extremely useful information; for example, a newly opened restaurant can find out how the customers found them, what they liked best, and whether they'll come back for more; perhaps saving them valuable advertising dollars. An analysis by Fred Reichheld, author of Loyalty Rules, found that even a 5% increase in customer retention rates will result in a 25% to 95% increase in profits (depending on the business). It definitely pays off to keep customers happy enough to return. Best to start asking your customers what they think, before you're confronted with a yelp such as this:
People are already talking. Your only option is to join the conversation. And to ask their opinion - before they share it with others. - Margie Do you need a custom guest satisfaction survey? Call me at 707-933-0687 or email me! Connect with me on WineAndHospitalityNetwork.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FourSquare or GoogleBuzz! |
When Good Ideas Become Bad Policy
May 13th, 2010Opt-in to receive our ezine
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When Good Ideas Become Bad Poilcy "I have a question. My daughter had dinner reservations to take me and my sister to dinner. My daughter and I were on time but my sister was running late. The restaurant would not seat us until my sister arrived. Is that normal? I can think of a million times when I show up to a restaurant and say, "there will be one more person joining us." We decided not to wait and instead went to another restaurant." I loved reading all the comments, that ran the gamut from "No way should a restaurant do that" to "Yes, it is reasonable and acceptable for a restaurant to do that." I thought it was fascinating, because to my thinking, everyone missed the point. The point wasn't whether the policy was good or bad, right or wrong, the point was that the customer left and went away (unhappily, and now posting for all the world to see, I might add). Sure, there might be good reasons for certain practices or policies, however if in implementing them you upset and/or lose your customers, is it really a good policy? Sometimes, in an effort to streamline or make things flow better, or easier on our staff, we forget the most important perception is the customers'; they are the reason your business exists. What are your thoughts? Would better staff training have given this story a different ending? Have you had an experience (either good or bad) with implementing a new policy? Let me know! - Margie
 Need a Customer Service or Employee Satisfaction Survey? all me at 707-933-0687 or email me! Connect with me on WineAndHospitalityNetwork.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FourSquareor GoogleBuzz!  Search jobs and apply online at WineAndHospitalityJobs.com. To post your jobs or get resume database access, visit us out online at WineAndHospitalityJobs.com, call us at 707-933-0687 or email mailto:margie@otlconsulting.com.
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Balancing Your Time on Social Media II - The Survey Results
April 15th, 2010
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