Posts Tagged ‘Recruiter Training’

What’s All This I Hear About Parsing Resumes?

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Article by John Sacerdote, CPC, CTS

Did you ever have a love/hate relationship…Can’t live with them…can’t live without them? Sure, most of us have. What makes this even more interesting is that I am talking about your ATS (Applicant Tracking System)?

On one hand, resume parsing is a miracle and saves us countless minutes of data entry time (which translates into more phone time). On the other hand, I often sit there and think, “Who does this system think it is? What does it know about my candidates!”

Let’s back up a step. What exactly is parsing? If you don’t know and you have an Applicant Tracking System, the 80’s are calling and they want your ATS back.” If you do know, you might be in for a surprise…in either case, read on and see if your system is worthy of going forward with your “relationship.”

Parsing – as it relates to computers – is defined as follows: to analyze (a string of characters) in order to associate groups of characters with the syntactic units of the underlying grammar [1]. Nice, very geek, but what does it mean to us – a recruiter? In English, the parsing of a resume means the “digesting” of all the words in the resume, figuring out which words are the education, the work history, the contact information (including email and phone numbers), and finally, the skills or “buzz words” that are contained in the resume and then putting them into the correct fields in the newly created candidate record. Think of all the data entry time we save! Parsing is a wonderful thing….I love resume parsing.

Great resume parsing engines all have some degree of artificial intelligence (aka: A.I.) to help them get these things done. It’s nothing more than a set of rules that, in the end, places certain data into certain fields in the candidate record. Here’s one example (this is the AI talking now): “If you see a 5-digit number, one or two spaces after a particular 2-letter abbreviation of any of these 51 following choices (the 50 states and DC), chances are the 5-digit number is a zip code, so put that 5-digit number in the zip code field in the record.” Whew! All of that just to recognize a zip code….it’s actually much worse than that, and there are tons of rules…..the better the AI, the more rules, but the better the results.

As recruiters, we don’t care about the rules, we just want it to work and we want it to work fast. And, herein lies the problem. We are an impatient group, that’s for sure. We, as recruiters, want everything now, or sooner! We would be happy if we just had one key on our keyboard that simply said “PLACE!”

The danger of resume parsing exists in not taking enough time to review or “screen” our candidate record that was just “parsed” into the system. As part of the standard parsing procedure, most systems will parse the buzz words found in the resume into the “SKILLS” section of the candidate record. That portion of the procedure creates problems…I hate resume parsing!

In very general terms, when in comes to the buzz words found in a resume, systems simply look at the resume and compare all of the words in the resume to your “skills list.” This “skills list” is either developed by you based upon your vertical niche(s) or is supplied by the ATS vendor as a skills library to get you started. Either way, all you are doing is comparing words in the resume to words stored in some way on your ATS. [note: some systems even recognize that certain words or phrases are “new” to the skills list and even alert the user to this fact…nice!]

This indeed saves you a ton of time….Every “Click” you can save on your ATS is a second of time that you could be spending on the phone. Save yourself 60 clicks and that’s another minute of phone time – another conversation! Based upon this theory, parsing will easily save you the equivalent of about 25-30 minutes a day, minimum…or will it?

It could actually cost you time, hundreds of minutes wasted, and over and over again to boot! The fact that some systems will help populate the skills area of your candidate files can – if not used properly - turn your ATS into nothing more than a huge rolodex. The short term answer is to TURN THIS PORTION OF YOUR SYSTEM PARSING OFF!

Allow me to explain. First, take this into consideration: All good systems allow the searching of buzz words in a resume…search resumes anytime you want for any buzz words. And, the best systems will even highlight those words in the resume, so that you can see the context in which those words were meant to be used.

So, why then do we want to take those same words out of the resume and put them into the candidate record “fields” that illustrates a person’s expertise? Actually, I am suggesting that we do not! The best use of a system is to reserve the skills, categories, sub skills area of the candidate record for “HOW YOU CAN PLACE A PERSON.” Put another way: “HOW YOU CAN MAKE MONEY FROM THIS PERSON’S SKILLS.”

Reserve these fields that are in the database for how YOU say a candidate can be placed. If you allow the buzz words in the resume to populate these fields, you have just allowed that candidate (more exactly, that candidate’s resume) to tell you how this person can be placed. Our world does not work this way. WE get to say how we can place a candidate, not the other way around.

While we are in love with the time savings, we hate the fact that those words are there (in the skills area) and now too many records come up in a search and most of these folks cannot really perform those skills listed.

But, it is our own fault. We never took the time to screen or double check the words listed in those fields. We never took the time to ask ourselves, “Can I really place this person with the skills listed here?” If you cannot place the person based upon those buzz words, you MUST REMOVE THOSE WORDS.

Just think if every single record in your candidate database had a field or two in them that said, “Here’s how you can place this person…here’s how you can, guaranteed, make money with regard to this person.” This is what you want to strive for….and if you perform this step every time you screen a candidate, your database will be worth that much more every time you search the candidate file. Don’t forget, be ruthless! You can always search the resumes for any buzz words you want….just remember to reserve the database portion of the record for the money items…how I can make a buck!

If you already are working this way, you are way ahead of the curve. If you agree with this concept but haven’t been doing this, what can you do about it? It’s actually not hard at all. Just begin. The first thing to do is turn that portion of the parsing off. Check with your ATS vendor and see if they can. If it cannot be turned off, it is not even close to being a problem, so don’t fret! Just remember that every time a candidate record is entered into your system, take the time to screen the record appropriately. Go to those fields that store “skills” information and make sure that you have “screened” a candidate correctly. This means that the only skills loaded into the record are the “money–makers.” Make a note in those records that it is done. Be consistent as to how and where you enter this note. As people see these records, they will see that this is one of the “updated” records. You may even be able to do a “sub-search” on just the “updated” records. Keep at it. Continue to update a record every time you talk to that person. Remember to remove those skills, titles and categories from a person’s record if there is no way that you will ever place that person with that item (Why would you ever want a skill in a record if you could never place that person with that skill?). Over time, your system will become incredibly accurate. You will save countless hours of reading and re-reading candidate records and associated resumes again and again. You will learn to trust the information in these fields, because you were the one that put them there, checked their accuracy, and know that they will save you time and make you money!

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No Nonsense Software for Today’s Recruiter

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

(And Guess What?…It’s not just for Recruiters anymore!)

Article by John Sacerdote, CPC, CTS

Recruiters are an amazing bunch to me. After “hanging around” with recruiters since 1977 (I was one for 3 years!), I have found that there is really no profession quite like this profession. You need to be aggressive, yet understanding. You have to want – and get – everything now and you have little patience for anything else. But, in turn, you live (and thrive) in a “what have you done for me lately” world.


So what’s all this nonsense about computers? Isn’t it just another tool for you to get your work done quicker, better, cheaper? Actually, that’s all it is. But, to be a bit more specific, it’s the software. That software may not even reside in your building anymore, not to mention minor details such as your data. Does that matter anymore? Not really. In fact, the chances are high that the company hosting your data actually takes better care of it than you do. They will make regular and frequent backups, make sure the server is always running, probably have tighter security/firewalls, etc. It does not matter where your data and software resides, it matters how well you use it and how many capabilities this software has versus what you need to get your job done.


Picture this: It’s 8:30 am, you walk in your office and notice two of your recruiters are already at their desks with their headphones on, busily “hammering” away on their keyboards (actually, they resemble telephone operators or airlines reservation staff, but, who cares, they just need their hands free to enter and retrieve data at their PCs). You sit down at your desk (you’re a working owner). The first task of the day is always the same – turn on your PC and log in; let the system know you’re there. “Good morning,” you’re told. “You have mail!” Various items include email from your staff recruiters at this office, your branch offices, your affiliates across the United States, and emails from client companies and candidates. Even your web site has let you know that there are new resumes waiting and some of them are matching your posted jobs! You glance through your mail marking those that are completed and those needing later attention. It’s prime calling time – you need to check your daily planner …now! A couple of mouse clicks and – zap – a listing of what’s happening today….


You’re off and running – dialing for dollars – your plan was set from the night before as well as from the normal course of doing your business each day. This is the new millennium. You cannot afford to waste a single minute of the day Gone are the days of looking through hundreds of folders (the best and most recent of which were scattered on different recruiter’s desks). Gone are the days of making that 5 minute, round trip to the fax machine and sending it over to your hiring official.


Computers and recruiters are a natural. The employment industry lends itself well to automation. Software as a recruiting tool has been around now for over 25 years. Most people (software vendors) have gotten the basics down, such as record storage, search capabilities, storing resumes, and tracking activity. However, there are some specifics – some areas of “concentration” – where automation will truly make a difference – giving you that competitive edge.


1. Basic design concepts


A “person” file is all you need. Gone are the days of a “Client Contact” file and a “Candidate” file. There is only the need for a person file. The system should have the capability to then “classify” people into what they are – a hiring official, a candidate, a lead, a source or whatever. This way you only have one place to look (especially when they call you on the phone and you can’t remember who they are!). Yes, you still need a company file and job order files. Most important is that they all “link” accordingly. But, these days, this is considered “it goes without saying” that your system should be configured that way. If it’s not, you’re being slowed down.


Also with regard to basic design, the MAJOR part of any system is how well you can track the hiring process. That means you better have an activity file of some type. And, it better be “relational” to everything. “Relational” is certainly a technical term, but to us it means “no menus please, I know what I want.” A recruiter does not need to be slowed down by a selection of choices to pick from when all they need to know is where a candidate has interviewed or how many job orders has this contact given me in the past 3 months. This must be only a click away. Anything more is a waste of time. And, I must be able to perform this task from any direction. That is, if I’m looking at a piece of activity such as a send-out, I may need to see the candidate record of the person on that send-out or the job order involved and/or some info on the client contact or the company itself, and all with just 1 click! Further, while looking at the candidate record that is linked to the activity, it may remind me to see where else that person has activity, and on and on. The point is that I will need to navigate from one point to another, endlessly if necessary. As long as they are “related,” I should be able to do it easily.


2. No administrative tasks (aka: Automated Office Support)


This will never approach zero, but the closer you can get to it, the better. Huge examples here are the ability to receive resumes electronically and get them into the system with little to no manual intervention. “Parsing of resumes” is the tech talk on the subject. While no system is perfect, the more a system can “pre-enter” data from the resume, the better off you will be. However, there must always be manual checks and balances here Verify that contact information, especially the email address. WARNING/DANGER! There is something that happens here that is usually the downfall to every recruiter who really doesn’t understand that this is “just another tool” to assist you. Stay away from systems that grab all the buzz words in the resumes and “store” them in your skills section of the record. If a system allows the searching of key words in the resume (I know of very few systems that do NOT do this) in a timely manner (aka: instantaneously), then why do you also need it in the skills area. Here’s the problem: The candidate’s resume is the vehicle that allows them to tell you their skills. What you need though, is an area for you – only for you – that tells you how you can make a buck off of this person. Don’t kid yourself. That’s what we do as recruiters: find people jobs and get paid for it. Let the resume tell me what the candidate thinks of him/herself. Let the “skills section” of my database tell me how I can place this person. That’s one of the biggest secrets of an effective use of ANY software package.


Other admin duties to be eliminated are the manual entry of a daily planner. I want my daily transactions that need to be followed up on, to “become” items in my daily planner. For those tasks that require new development or marketing or recruiting, I just want to point to the names or companies that I need and have them “appear” in my planner. Further, I want items in my planner that are unfinished or need follow up, to appear in my planner, again, but at a later date.


A library of emails and letters are needed so that I can just point to the template that I need and not re-type or re-write every email or letter sent. It would be great for me to be able to quickly put together newsletters, candidate marketing tools and email blasts without much effort as well.


I need all my job orders to be posted to my web site automatically and even other job boards outside of my site that are free and/or paid. The system can tell me how much it will be and keep track of all transactions. Further, I want some type of warning system or “auto-matching” capability that constantly compares jobs to candidates and vise versa. You see the pattern, all administrative tasks should be taken care of as much as possible.


3. Automated Desk Management


The major part of any system is its ability to automate desk management, or to track activity. Activity is defined as any interaction between a client contact and/or a candidate, whether there is a job order on file or not. Ask yourself one question: In the end, what is it that I want this software to do for me? The answer is easy. We want this software to organize our lives to the point that we have more phone time. After all, no matter what tools we have – it is our ability as recruiters to put candidates in front of hiring officials. The activity that is entered “on-the-fly” or in “real-time” is the basis of activity which in turn is the basis of our activity/follow-up/daily planner. Good software will organize all activity as they are logged by type, follow up, follow-up by whom, priority and even which time of the day follow up should occur. The ability to “present” these transactions to the recruiter, owner or manager in the appropriate manner (for each person) is the making of a great system.


4. Automated Office Management


There’s a theme that is beginning to develop here: in order to stay competitive, your agency will have to produce more effectively/efficiently than the next guy. Automated office management will allow an owner/manager to react to trends as they develop (“Bill, you’re 10 market calls off of your goal in the first 2 days of this week…you still have 3 days to get back on target by Friday of this week”) as opposed to (“Bill, your numbers were down last month!”). And in the event that a recruiter leaves, a great software package will make it much easier to “plug-in” a new or alternate recruiter, keeping start-up or down time to a minimum.


Reporting tools will be generated from activity. This business is a numbers game. It has always been a numbers game. If a recruiter comes to you and says they want to take home an additional $25,000.00 next year, you can tell them, to the day, what they need to do. How? The answers are in those transactions that they have entered…their activity. Specifically, the answers are in the totals of each activity type and the ratios of one type of activity to the other. Ratios such as resumes sent/emailed to send-outs (1st interviews) and interviews to offers and offers to placements. You can coach a recruiter in all these aspects of the hiring cycle, measuring performance along the way, insuring their success.


5. Web Integration


The new kid on the block to be sure! What goes hand-in-hand with a great software package is its ability to integrate to your web site. There are actually a couple of terms for this already. One that comes to mind is “bi-directional” software. Software that allows interaction from candidates and/or hiring officials is said to be “bi-directional.” In these days of “retention” and “competitive edge,” a great system will allow a candidate to check his/her own activity, leave a new resume, create a new candidate record or update their own contact information (back to that administrative item). A client company can leave a job order and even do a preliminary search for potential candidates. Or, a hiring official can check feedback and “next-step” items for a particular candidate or other hiring officials under his/her leadership. The portal or the mechanism that allows that to happen is your web site.


In closing, the no-nonsense software for today will organize your life and the lives of all your recruiters. It will not, however, make placements for you. This no-nonsense software list will point you in the right direction; assist you in the areas of research and tracking of activity, become your assistant allowing you to “close more deals” on the phone.


So, it’s 6:00 pm – you’re ready to go home. Before you leave, you request a report of activity for the entire office for today. Production is on target, calls have been made, goals have been met – wonderful! It’s time to log off. The software stops you and asks, “Do you want a list of tonight’s calls?” You respond with a verbal “Yes!” …what else?

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Metrics for Calling Back

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Hi Danny,
I have some numbers questions for you. How many voicemails, emails, texts, Linked-In requests, and so on do you suggest attempting before deciding to stop calling that same person? Do you increase the number of attempts depending on the method or are all counted equal? What is the spacing you suggest between attempts? Is the number of attempts or timing different for candidates versus employers? Do you suggest calling the same person twice in one day or possibly more? Is the suggested number of attempts different for a situational biz dav call versus an MPC call? I understand every situation is different, BUT what is the “general” principle here?

Danny’s response:
If I really understood the difference between harassment and tenacity, between entreaty and demand, between shining a light and bringing the heat, I would not have a divorce lawyer in my fave five…but let’s use this principle as our heuristic:

Better to be Forgiven than Forgotten

Everyone redlines at different RPM’s…your job is to push limits, then back down gracefully when you have crossed them. You can’t know this until you have gone too far. I always tell managers in seminars that I can teach a recruiter to throttle back once they have crossed lines, but I can’t teach someone to have the guts to cross the line.

As for metrics, I think you need to attempt contact via multiple channels. Voice, text, email and social networking, if they are in LinkedIn or Facebook. The rules are the same in my view.

1. One contact, per channel, every other day. (so a voice, a text and an email on one day is the limit)

2. Clients are pursued, with ever increasing rhetorical charm, for two weeks, then forget for a month, try again

3. Candidates take this more personally, and after one week of attempting to get a response, I will wait a month, with the exception of an occasional email informing them they have given me a complex. (or, or in my case, another complex)

This whole process is subjective, and the metrics are guidelines more than hard data points. Was Romeo the ultimate romantic or a stalker in tights talking iambic pentameter trash? Who is to say?

For the better part of two decades I have arrived at hotels with recruiters going in for conferences. After a few years I noticed something. The lower the producer, the more likely they were to go through the revolving doors at the entrance, the top producers opened the single door to the side of the revolving doors.. To the top person, forward isn’t forward unless you get to push.

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OBJECTIONS ARE BUYING SIGNS

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

By Barb Bruno, CPC, CTS

Recruiting is a sales profession, which of course ensures a high level of rejection. If you are to reach your potential as a recruiter, it is extremely important for you to realize that objections are actually buying signs; requests for more information.

You are in a sales profession and you should be able to overcome at least three objections in a successful presentation. Once you realize that objections are buying signs, they become less intimidating and easier to handle. There is only one type of objection you can’t overcome and that is silence.

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TAKE OWNERSHIP AND BE ACCOUNTABLE

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Barb Bruno, CPC, CTS  Brings You Tips For Preparing for the New Year 2010

You are in the best profession and in order to take ownership and hold yourself accountable, the topic of attitude needs to be addressed as part of your Recruiting Training.

In Recruiting your success depends:

• 10% on what happens to you
• 90% on how you react

You have 100% control over how you choose to react!

No one can upset you, disappoint you, ruin your day or month, or control your emotions unless you “Give Them Permission” to do so. No one can motivate you, it comes from within!

Do you know you deserve more, but settle for so much less?

Recruiting is a Sales Profession. Let’s discuss the meaning of sales?

The one-word meaning of sales: Work
The two-word meaning of sales: Work Harder

We all want to know the fastest, easiest best way to make a sale. One day I asked an audience of recruiters the following question:

“How many of you would like a list of Top Talent (100 names and contact information) in your most difficult area to find candidates?” Of course EVERYONE raised their hand. In reality, that list doesn’t exist. But don’t we all wish it did!

If you are going to take ownership of your career, you need to set achievable goals.

Ask yourself the following:

• Where will I be a year from now?
• What will I produce in sales?
• How will I achieve that goal?
• Are my real world goals established and written down?

The definition of a Goal: A dream with a plan and a deadline

Are you aware that 74% of adults don’t write down their goals!

If you tie in your Goals to your Dreams, you will hold yourself Accountable! Remember there are no limits in our profession!

There are steps to goal setting with an accountability factor:

STEP ONE: CLEARLY IDENTIFY WHAT YOU WANT
Write down exactly what you want to achieve, in as much detail as possible

STEP TWO: DATE YOUR GOALS
You need to indicate a start date and completion date for all goals. Unless you commit to a start and target end, your ability to hold yourself accountable is questionable.

STEP THREE: LIST THE OBSTACLES YOU WILL HAVE TO OVERCOME
We are in a sales profession and there will be obstacles along the way that try to prevent you from attaining the goals you have set. You need to identify them, up front.

STEP FOUR: LIST WHO WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL
This could be your co-workers, manager, clients, candidates…

STEP FIVE: MAKE A LIST OF THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED
Do you have these skills, or do you need to develop them? If you need to acquire new skills or knowledge, write down a specific plan to develop those areas – with a timeframe.

STEP SIX: COMPILE ACTION ITEMS
Write down exactly what actions you need to take for each goal. Know your:

• Numbers
• Ratios
• Minimum daily results you must achieve

Make a commitment to hit those numbers on a daily basis!

STEP SEVEN: LIST THE BENEFITS OF GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
This will address your WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) question if you achieve your goals. What is your incentive to do this? Is the incentive strong enough to ensure you will achieve this goal?

STEP EIGHT: TAKE ACTION EVERY DAY
Make a personal commitment to act on your goals, and live up to that commitment every single day.

ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:
What price are you paying and what price are the people you love paying for you not becoming as successful as you should be.

Hold yourself accountable to a certain level of results every single day – no exceptions!

HOW DO YOU DO YOUR BEST EVERY DAY?
I’ve interviewed hundreds of outstanding Recruiters who have set hiring records year after year, to get their answers. Their responses are listed:

• Start your day EARLY. If you started one our early every day – think of the impact!

• Love what you do. Think of how you are changing peoples’ lives daily!

• Dedicate yourself to being a life-long learner. Replace one hour you spend reading the newspaper or watching TV with learning every day. That would give you fifteen, 24 hour days of learning. What would benefit you more?

• Convert anger to resolve. Remember you have 100% control over how you react.

• Convert barriers to breakthroughs. You’re in Sales, and will face barriers, objections, and rejection on a daily basis. Learn from the experience and grow!

• Tell yourself “You’re the best!” Self Talk creates Self Image which creates Real Performance.

• Understand the importance of establishing strong relationships with the clients and candidates you represent. Rainmakers are great Relationships Builders!

• Surround yourself with positive people. To have the greatest impact on your life, change the 5 people you hang around with most!

Remember, if you take ownership and hold yourself accountable – You truly will turn your dreams into reality!

These Steps are just the “Tip of the Iceberg” of the Information included in the Premiere Coaching Club. If you want to Differentiate Yourself, Continue Learning New Techniques and Hire Barb as your Coach and Mentor by investing in yourself. The Benefits of Membership in the Premiere Coaching Club are PRICELESS!

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Could You Produce More?

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

 by Barbara Bruno www.goodasgoldtraining.com

 

Obviously, the answer is YES! 

 

There is always room for improvement, regardless of your current level of production and success.  Success is not a destination, it is a journey.  If you become satisfied, you quit growing.  Too often, the habits you’ve established at work prevent you from attaining a new level of success.  I don’t know an owner in the Staffing and Recruiting Profession who doesn’t feel their sales team could produce more - but will you?

 

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September’s Advice from Danny Cahill

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

They want to end our agreement without paying us our fees. Any suggestions?

About a month ago I entered into a retained relationship with my client. Monthly retainer fee + placement fees per placement, on a six-month contract. We have been working on their behalf since then. Today I was informed that the President of the company has decided to unilaterally end the relationship. The reason given is that they have decided not to go on the aggressive hiring plan that they engaged our firm to assist them with. When I originally met with the company, I met with the Chairman of the company, along with the Managing Director of Human Resources. The Managing Director of Human Resources, who called me today to tell me that they were not honoring the agreement did, in fact, say that he was very happy with our performance and that we had met all of their expectations. They have offered to pay just one month retainer fee. I do not feel this is adequate compensation for the fact that we have dedicated a great many of our resources solely to working on their behalf and have a six-month contract. There was no out clause in our agreement and, as of this writing, I have not agreed to any type of settlement. Any suggestions?

Danny’s response:
Well I won’t beat you up with the obvious, you now know it’s crazy not to have a clause that determines what monies are paid should either of you end the agreement.

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Barbara J. Bruno www.goodasgoldtraining.com

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

STAY MOTIVATED EVEN WHEN YOU’RE CONSISTENTLY TOLD NO 

 

It is NOT the job of your owner, manager or co-workers to motivate you!  Motivation is an inner drive that propels you to consistently hit your goals.  It’s that inner strength that only you can surface.  Miley Cyrus has an amazing song that is popular right now… It’s the Climb.  It should be the theme song for recruiters.  If you have not heard this song, you owe it to yourself to listen to the words!

 

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