UNMASKING SCG’s POTENTIAL at the SHRM & NAHCR CONFERENCES

Tina Davis and Natalie Corsaro at NAHCR conference in Minneapolis, MN 2022.

Now that people are traveling again…the SCG sales team took full advantage of opportunities to reconnect with old friends and make new friends.

In July, SCG attended NAHCR’s Annual Conference in Minneapolis and were provided a fabulous learning environment for health care recruiters at all stages of their careers. Everyone in attendance, whether a new human resource specialist, a tenured TA manager or director, or VP overseeing hiring nurses and clinical professionals, gained content from the conference that catered to their professional development needs. NAHCR is the only conference designed by health care recruiters for health care recruiters. It was a great preview of conversations coming next.

Tina and Natalie at SHRM.

Then in September, Tina Davis, VP of Account Services, and I joined as an exhibitor for the 50th anniversary OH SHRM conference at the Kalahari resort in Sandusky, Ohio. This year, the conference drew over six hundred professionals from around the state to network with peers and celebrate the theme “Unmasking Your Full Potential.” In addition to enjoyable and engaging conversations, we had the opportunity to present our capabilities through a video highlighting SCG’s portfolio of client work at the booth. Many of the attendees we met were focused in the Manufacturing and Education sections and shared struggles in filling hourly positions. We were able to share our experience with similar clients and how SCG can help.

The highlight of the Conference was the gala event which was a chance for everyone to relax and have fun dancing to the Spazmatics! Luckily the accommodations at the Kalahari Resort made it convenient for everyone especially as we all danced the night away. It was an enjoyable few days of sharing, learning, and bonding. Such a great conference…we look forward to next year 😊

Whether you’re looking for a new recruitment ad agency, support for your existing in-house team, or a partner on specific hiring challenges, we can help. Today’s communications landscape can be confusing and downright chaotic. New resources are developed each day, and what worked yesterday, may not be as effective today. Staying ahead of the ever-changing media channels is challenging, and definitely a full-time job. We can help. We’re recruitment marketing specialists. Contact us today to find out what solutions we have for you!

How The Largest School Districts Are Attracting Talent

Teachers, administration, and faculty are the backbone of any school district. However according to the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), most of America’s biggest school districts are facing staffing shortages threatening their talent supply. While schools were already facing shortages, the pandemic greatly worsened them and their impact on school districts. With teachers and staff being so crucial to keeping schools running, many districts are being forced to get creative with their talent attraction efforts.

One major incentive school districts are now using is greater professional development opportunities. According to a study done by Brookings, 84 out of the 89 interviewed school districts planned to offer more professional development opportunities for staff, such as workshops and training. Some classes include helping teachers to better identify struggling students and know how to better support students emotionally. About a quarter of schools stated they planned to also offer coaching, mentoring, and well-being programs. Programs like these are attractive for staff, as it teaches them skills that make them more competitive and valuable in their careers.

Another method some districts are implementing is making a more direct pipeline for new staff to enter the workforce. For example according to Brookings, some districts are working with local universities to hire new graduating teachers, creating a direct path from college to career. According to the New York Times, states like NJ are publicizing passing rates on teacher licensing exams, showing new college students the best paths into education, and what types of teachers are the most in-demand. Other districts are making it more affordable for teachers and staff to start their careers, such as by offering new teacher residency programs or by reimbursing tuition for school nurses. Programs like these make it easier for schools to proactively find talent before talent finds them.

Some schools are even relaxing rigid restrictions and teacher certification requirements to open the door to a wider talent pool. Schools in New Jersey for example recently just proposed a plan to lift a residency restriction requiring candidates to live in the state to be eligible to teach there. This will give NJ schools greater access to more qualified talent outside of the state and help to fight their staffing shortages. Some other measures NJ is taking include removing an outdated teacher performance assessment called the edTPA. According to NJ.com, this would remove unnecessary hoops for teachers to jump through while still keeping hiring standards high.

One other method school districts are using is simply paying their teachers more or offering better financial incentives to attract new teachers and keep current ones. According to Calder, things such as loan forgiveness programs, educational stipends, and bonus programs significantly reduced turnover. In special education for instance, annual bonuses of just $2,500 were enough to lower attrition. Other school districts are also offering signing bonuses as well as retention bonuses to teachers who stay with the district. Giving teachers and faculty greater financial incentives will increase a school’s attractiveness to candidates in the job market.

SCG Advertising + PR helps over 350 schools in New Jersey with their recruitment advertising. If you need help filling your open positions, visit our website at: www.scgadv.com

JOB MARKET: Where Did Everybody Go?

In this post-pandemic era, recruiters and candidates are playing a more aggressive game of hide and seek. Candidates are more difficult to find due to a variety of market realities. And there is even more pressure on talent acquisition professionals to find that needle in a haystack.

Let’s take a look at some valuable numbers and information that you could be monitoring to keep your finger on the pulse of a market’s “recruitability.”

Your talent market could be shrinking due to cost of living.

Markets where costs, taxes, etc. are out of control have seen an exodus of talent moving out for greener (like in more money for you) pastures.  Residents in the states below are rushing to more affordable states – most of which are located in the south and the central time zone.

Most Expensive States to Live in 2022

1                 Hawaii

2                 Washington DC

3                 New York

4                 California

5                 Massachusetts

6                 Oregon

7                 Alaska

8                 Maryland

9                 Connecticut

10              Rhode Island

Your talent market could be shrinking due to employee participation.

Take a look at your state’s labor participation rate. This represents the number of people in the labor force as a percentage of the civilian noninstitutional population. In other words, the participation rate is the percentage of the population that is either working or actively looking for work.

That number has fallen nationally in recent years meaning that a smaller part of the workforce is holding or seeking employment.  Look at some of the states with the lowest rates. Remember that some states may be more highly affected by the number of retirees.

Participation Rate

West Virginia      55.2
Mississippi           55.3
New Mexico       56.5
Arkansas              56.8
South Carolina   57.0

Your talent market could be shrinking due to lower productivity.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says this about productivity, “With growth in productivity, an economy is able to produce—and consume—increasingly more goods and services for the same amount of work.” Simply said, lower productivity requires a larger workforce to produce the same amount of goods and services.

Feeding a drop in productivity are those who are allegedly engaging in “quiet quitting.”  That means the employee slowly reduces their engagement, eventually doing only the minimum work required by the job description. I’m not sure how true this supposed trend is but an annual Gallup poll shows engagement going down and disengagement trending upward in recent years.

Here are some markets where productivity has dropped from 2020 to 2021.

States with the steepest drop in productivity

Alaska                  – 3.0%
Wyoming             – 2.9%
Rhode Island      – 0.8%
Hawaii                  – 0.8%
Delaware             – 0.7%
Florida                 – 0.5%

Want to discuss the “recruitability” of your marketplace in greater depth? Let’s talk. Call your SCG representative.

Brynne Springer

The Importance of the Intern… from an Intern

Brynne Springer

Any student past or present understands the importance of internships. As an Advertising major concentrating in Art Direction and Copywriting at Temple University, internships are a great way to build my portfolio and strengthen skills needed within the field. This summer, I worked as an Account Coordinator Intern at SCG’s Haddonfield office and will be continuing my role during my senior year this fall. Through working at SCG, I gained valuable knowledge and practical experience in the advertising industry.

Since I started college a semester before Covid-19 spread into existence, I never had the opportunity to work in-office at any of my prior internships. From my first day, I felt at home right away at SCG. I was welcomed by the team and greeted with my own desk (which was very exciting). The open and warm attitudes of my coworkers helped acclimate me to my work as well. Coming into my position, I had little-to-no experience working in the hiring/recruitment space in advertising. At SCG, I was able to grow my experience not only in recruitment, but in copywriting, art direction, public relations, and social media. I have sat in on client meetings, created my own client reports and presentations, and even wrote my first press release. As a creative who loves to wear a lot of different proverbial hats, it is great to be immersed in so many different areas of work.

While I have heard plenty of internship horror stories from friends and peers, I am glad to say I am not included in that statistic. At SCG, my ideas and contributions are valued and recognized. SCG understands the importance of interns, and you should too. Here are some reasons why interns are an integral part of your company:

 

Excited Interns Make Excitable Work

Interns are excited to get to work and learn all there is to know about your field. Make sure to involve your intern in any way you can—whether that is asking them to come up with ten lines of copy for an ad campaign, drafting ideas for social content, or asking about their thoughts on a meeting they attended. When an intern knows their ideas matter, they gain the confidence to vocalize more of their ideas.

 

Fresh Perspectives

When you have been working in an industry for a while, you tend to stick to a specific way of thinking and carrying out your work. Interns, however, are looking at your client projects with a fresh set of eyes. Sure, not every idea will be one hundred percent doable (because, you know, legal) but new ideas can snowball into successful assets for your company.

 

Word of Mouth Advertising

Your interns matter, so treat them like it. The way you treat your interns reflects your company, and much like a consumer would review a company or product, your interns will too. If your intern had a nightmare experience, word-of-mouth advertising may not be in your favor.

 

Future Employees

Treating your interns with respect also affects your future hires. Students everywhere are looking for employment opportunities post-grad. If your intern was a hard worker who had a great experience at your company, there is a chance they will want to work for you full time. If they felt as though you gave them a negative experience for any reason, you just lost a potential candidate (and potentially more due to word-of-mouth).

Internships are preparing students for their chosen career paths, and your company is a giant part of that process. Your interns are unique individuals with valuable skillsets they can contribute to your company. Remember to treat your interns with respect and be open to their ideas—you never know where they may lead you, and they may end up becoming a full-time hire someday!

 

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey.  We have had a robust internship programs for at least 20 years.

Declining Enrollment Gives Colleges and Universities Their Toughest Test Yet

Across the country, college and university enrollment has seen a noticeable decline over the last few years. In Spring 2022, there was a drop of 4.7% in undergraduate admissions compared to Spring 2022, which is equivalent to over 600,000 students, according to US News. Combining that with the drop that admissions saw in Spring 2021, college enrollment has seen an overall 9.4% decline since the start of the pandemic. New Jersey wasn’t immune from the enrollment declines, either. According to the Office of the Secretary of Education, total enrollment at public universities in NJ fell by 3.1% during Fall 2021. Private schools saw a dip of 3.5% over the last two years, while community colleges saw the worst drop, being more than 18%.

This doesn’t come without consequences. According to the Hechinger Report, fewer Americans going on to earn a degree could have major impacts for not just colleges, who will have to cancel classes and lay off adjunct professors, but for the country as a whole. Those without a college degree are more likely to have higher rates of poverty and unemployment, which would affect the health of the country.

The decline in enrollment in NJ, along with the rest of the country, can be attributed to several key factors. First, rising tuition costs have naturally made fewer students able to attend college. According to government figures, tuition at public four-year institutions during the 2020-2021 school year was 10% higher than it was in 2010-2011, and that number is projected to only increase over time. This increase in tuition costs has also caused many American families to question the value proposition of a college degree compared to other post-secondary education options, such as cheaper and shorter to complete skilled trade programs which may offer similar earning potential.

The other major factor which has contributed to the recent declines in enrollment is the pandemic. Despite it being two years since the pandemic started, the after-effects are still being felt. Many colleges are still using online or hybrid classes, which has caused students to question if the quality of the education they’re receiving has declined. According to Forbes, surveys show that students are mostly dissatisfied with post-pandemic online college learning. On the recruitment side of things, the pandemic also inferred with in-person recruitment events, such as in-person tours and college fairs, which were canceled during the pandemic. As a result, this gave colleges fewer opportunities to advertise to incoming freshmen.

With enrollment rates declining, it’s crucial that colleges try to fight back and increase enrollment and retention of students. One way colleges can do that is by reevaluating their classes and programs and incorporating more practical and workforce skills. With students questioning the value of a college degree, it’s important that schools update their classes to display a greater value proposition and better prepare students for after graduation. More practical skills are in high demand, as enrollment in trade schools and two-year college programs rose significantly over the spring according to US News. For example, The Colorado School of Mines saw its enrollment rates go up by 22% over the last five years according to Real Clear Education. They rank in the 99th percentile in Georgetown University’s Center on Education in the Workforce rankings of return on investment, with their main focus being on hands-on learning and workforce preparation for STEM careers.

The second way colleges can increase enrollment rates is by tackling rising tuition costs, with offering strategic financial aid being key to helping lower-income families pay for college. For example, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, Georgia State University Panther Grant gives students small “micro-grants” of $900 to students who display financial struggles without them even applying. 86% of grant recipients go on to graduate, significantly increasing retention rates. Other ways to help lower tuition costs include making it quicker to complete a degree, such as how Ivy Tech College allows students to take extra credits without an extra cost.

With enrollment rates declining, it’s become more important than ever for colleges and universities to revise their student recruitment methods, adapting to new student interests and expectations. There is hope for a rebound in NJ at least, as shown by Montclair State University, Georgian Court University, and Ramapo College. While their overall undergraduate enrollment rates were down, their applications and freshman admissions were up for Spring 2022. Their administrators express confidence that Fall 2022 enrollment rates will show steady growth. Higher education is undergoing one of its toughest tests yet. With a proper plan and enough time, it’s a test which it should pass with flying colors (and without any cramming the night before hopefully).

SCG Advertising + PR has been supporting higher education for 25+ years with advertising, marketing and public relations services.

Our Education Experience

Combatting The National Teacher Shortage

The national teacher shortage the country is facing is well known by now, and many states are scrambling to find ways to fight it, New Jersey included. Some states, like California and Arizona for example, have resorted to lowering the barrier to entry for teachers, including removing testing requirements or even no longer requiring a college degree. While strategies like these may get more teachers in the door, they don’t address the fundamental problems which are driving teacher shortages, such as a lack of young teachers applying.

Here in New Jersey, school districts are facing that exact issue. Some school districts in New Jersey have a reputation of being unwelcoming to new teachers fresh out of college, as well as younger teachers as a whole. According to a report from NJ.com, younger teachers face an uphill battle when starting out their careers in NJ schools. For example, some NJ schools are limited by inflexible employment options which favor seniority over merit/talent. This is a major issue, as studies show younger teachers favor job mobility and flexibility over stability. Some NJ school districts will take away a teacher’s tenure rights and even pay status if they switch jobs, discouraging mobility.

Furthermore, younger teachers tend to have a decent amount taken out of their paychecks. According to the Sunlight Policy Center, new teachers are forced to join the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and an NJ state pension plan, which combined take away around 11% of their pay each year. And when pay increases do occur, they usually favor older teachers and seniority rather than potentially younger teachers who have more talent.

Some of these issues may discourage younger talent from applying to certain school districts. Here are some tips that come from the Sunlight Policy Center and educators themselves that can help schools across the country improve their teacher recruitment:

  • Make teaching more open to new teachers and college graduates, who favor mobility and career ladders over stability. You can also amend current policies which could potentially discourage newer teachers from applying.
  • Offer more competitive benefits packages and salaries to incentivize teachers to apply.
  • Explore options under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to see if you can provide your school with more/better resources to attract and retain teachers.
  • Offer professional development opportunities to teachers to help them refine their skills, such as workshops, seminars, and more. This could be a big selling point to younger teachers.
  • Go to colleges where soon-to-be graduating teachers will be leaving and looking for work. This is a good place to find talent. For example, handing out flyers and pamphlets at teacher fairs or giving them to career advisors at universities can help boost recruitment efforts.
  • Reach out to old teachers who may have left for a specific reason, and see if they would be interested in coming back. Sometimes teachers leave for a very specific reason, such as having a conflict with a certain administrator. Check in on them and see how they’re doing. Even if they’re not interested in coming back, they may have friends who are looking for work and seek them out.
  • Job boards are a great way to attract candidates who wouldn’t normally be able to attend the local job fair. They greatly extend your recruitment reach.
  • Start the recruitment/hiring process as early as possible. Studies show that schools that start earlier often receive more qualified candidates.

Schools in New Jersey, as well as across the country, are facing teaching shortages that threaten their ability to provide quality education to their students. Instead of using strategies that may only address the surface of the problem, schools should be focusing on methods that will tackle the problem on a fundamental level.

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a long-standing, woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey. We have a vast amount of experience in the education space, working with hundreds of private, public, and charter schools across the country to recruit both students and faculty. 

Tips for the Upcoming School Year

We’re in the last few weeks of summer, and preparations for the new school year are ramping up. And it’s not just students going back-to-school shopping. Teachers too are planning out their lesson plans and schedules. Whether you’re going back to the same school or applying to a new one, here are some tips that teachers can use to help prepare themselves for the new school year:

  • Don’t just be a teacher. Be a learner as well. Go over the last school year to see what worked and what didn’t. Did a certain lesson plan go over really well with the students? Bring that over to this year. Did students struggle with a certain chapter of the textbook? Maybe revise that for this year so the information is conveyed better.
  • Being a learner also includes being a student yourself. Consider exploring professional development options, such as webinars, online courses, and more. Your school may even offer development opportunities themselves. Developing yourself professionally will allow you to improve your skills and talents even further, making you a more valuable teacher and job candidate.
  • Know how you’re going to communicate with parents, students, and colleagues. Being prepared with all the proper technology and apps is crucial to effective communication. Does your school use Google Classroom, Zoom, or something else entirely? Find that out now and make the necessary preparations to get these set up so they’re ready on the first day of school.
  • Set defined goals for yourself for the upcoming school year. Planning out how you want to change or improve gives you something to work towards. Make sure the goals you set are specific and achievable. Vague or abstract goals will only confuse you and not give you a clear path to achieve them.
  • If you’re applying to a new school, make sure your resume is updated with all the new relevant skills that will make you stand out and be competitive. Did you teach a remote class during the pandemic? Put that on there. Being digitally savvy as a teacher has become more important than ever with the increased demand for remote/virtual learning. If you recorded some of these lessons, include them in your portfolio to show schools the lessons you taught.
  • Be willing to work as a guest teacher or substitute. If you’re just starting out, taking smaller positions such as these will give you valuable classroom experience, and allow you to network.
  • Use job boards to find job openings you may not have found on your own. They can greatly expand your job search and allow you to apply to even more schools.

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time. Not just for the students, however, but for teachers too. Teachers get to resume teaching, meet new classes, and have the opportunity to revise and improve their skills further. Follow these tips to get started on the right foot and have a successful year!

 

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a long-standing, woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey. We have a vast amount of experience in the education space, working with hundreds of private, public, and charter schools across the country to recruit both students and faculty. 

 

So much fanfare over the July Jobs Numbers. Here’s what recruiters need to know.

 

It was the first Friday in August. The time slowly inching its way to 8:30 am. It’s only a few agonizing minutes until the jobs number was to be revealed just as it is the first Friday of every month.

The experts had weighed in with their forecast and were bracing the nation for a disappointing number – having predicted 258,000 jobs. This was a precipitous drop from the 372,000 jobs created in July.

A decline in the jobs created made total sense to SCG.  We have closely tracked layoffs for select industries over the past nine years. Those layoffs have been increasing every month over the past 6 months. Those eventually should be reflected in the unemployment rate. Right?

But then, the Bureau of Labor Statistics threw us all a huge curve. They announced the number for jobs created was over double that the experts had anticipated. It came in at an unbelievable 528,000. That’s more than twice the initial projection.  With 3.5% unemployment.

 

What goes into the Bureau’s calculations?

The report is based on two separate surveys.

The Establishment Survey gathers information from 145,000 nonfarm businesses and government agencies for some 697,000 work sites and about one-third of all payroll workers.

This data estimates the number of people on payrolls in the U.S. economy, the average number of hours they worked weekly, and their average hourly earnings, along with several versions of the unemployment rate.

 

The Household Survey is based on monthly interviews of 60,000 households by the Census Bureau. The participants provide their employment status during the week including the 12th day of the month. The BLS measures unemployment by dividing the total number of unemployed people looking for a job by the total number of individuals in the labor force.

 

Here is the official report based on the July data.

 

As impressive as that number is, we cannot sustain 500,000+ new jobs per month with the 3.5% unemployment. Just not enough talent. That is made even more difficult with the nation’s continually shrinking Employment Participation Rate (the percentage of individuals who are working or actively looking for work).

 

Why is this report essential to recruiters?

SCG sees this information as vital insight into the competitiveness of the recruitment landscape. As the market tightens, recruiters face the need for increased budgets and use of invasive strategies to reach the more plentiful – but less persuadable – passive candidates.

 

For a deeper dive…

Open the July Data link above and scroll to the bottom. You will find access to about 25 in-depth reports.

SCG Advertising + Public Relations is a woman-owned, full-service advertising agency headquartered in New Jersey with expertise in recruitment advertising. If you need assistance, contact your Account Manager or visit our website at: SCGADV.COM

Offices: NJ | NY | FL | SD | GA | PA | OH | AZ

recruitment marketing and cats

Recruitment Marketing and Cats

recruitment marketing and cats

Monday, August 8th is International Cat Day!

I was never a cat person. We always had dogs. Then a mama cat gifted me with kittens, twice, and my journey to crazy cat lady began. Don’t worry. We found homes for many and with the support of my favorite vets, we got everyone checked out, vaccinated, and made sure there wouldn’t be more kittens.  Cat behavior is interesting and got me thinking about how it correlates to my recruitment marketing business at SCG.

#1 – Cats are like passive candidates. You can’t force your intentions on them. They have to come to you. If you dangle the right toy/treat/message and wait patiently, they will eventually acknowledge and respond.

#2 – Looks can be deceiving. Our cats are adorable but have a killer instinct, keeping birds, chipmunks, mice, etc. on notice. In recruitment marketing, you need to review resumes carefully and don’t judge too quickly. You also shouldn’t judge on appearance. Some very talented employees may come with tattoos, piercings, or non-traditional hair choices.

#3 – I often find “gifts” from the cats that aren’t necessarily on my wish list. Sometimes it’s about aligning background and experience with the appropriate open requisition and not just judging against the job applied for.

#4 – I’m a morning person. Many of the cats are night prowlers. I try to understand their behavior and adapt accordingly. When hiring for different shifts, think like your candidate. Put your message out on late night radio or tv. It’s usually less expensive than those coveted drive time radio slots or prime time tv. Host a virtual hiring event or just have a chat bot available for questions overnight.

#5 – Like people, cats need to feel welcomed as part of the team. We recently took in a new cat that needed to be rehomed. He hid under the bed for days. Super timid. Then we put a collar on him and his personality dramatically shifted. Suddenly, he engaged with humans and cats alike. It seemed he needed to feel secure in his new home. In recruitment marketing, whether it’s a branded polo shirt, computer bag, coffee mug or something else, welcome new hires with something that says they are part of the team. For those working onsite, also consider a special badge or pin that identifies new hires so that coworkers can spot them and help when they seem lost or might need assistance.

#6 – Every cat has their own language. Who knew…purring is not the official cat language. Some cats vocalize with sounds that are almost words. Our Amelia has a high-pitched trilling meow. Others are almost silent unless they feel threatened and may hiss or growl. Candidates also have different communication styles. In this market, be open to communicating via phone call, email, text…at least in the beginning. Unless it’s critical to the job function, listen to words as much as communication style. Interviewing can be a stressful situation and well qualified candidates may not perform well. When looking for bilingual candidates use bilingual messaging in ethnic media and be mindful of cultural differences/sensitivities.

Catalina is the cat who started it all and is now Queen of the clowder. From a homeless girl in trouble to a beloved family pet who never strays, she’s found her place. May your recruiting journeys be equally rewarding.

Tina Davis

Tina Davis
VP, Account Services
SCG Advertising & PR

Trendwatch

SCG Trendwatch: Recruitment Industry News & Insights – June 2022


Trendwatch







Welcome to your monthly round-up for busy HR professionals. Each month, we share the latest news, strategies, tools and trends affecting the recruitment landscape. Check in each month for the latest updates from all over the web. 

Survey: Half of companies didn’t meet hiring goals last year

Hiring woes have followed employers throughout 2022. At the beginning of the year, local chamber of commerce leaders reported that businesses in their respective regions were struggling to find new workers and that a lack of workers was the biggest factor affecting their local economies.

GoodTime’s report notes the difference between in-office hiring and remote hiring, which may reflect ongoing tensions regarding the choice between moving to a hybrid or fully remote structure versus retaining a mostly in-office workforce.  Read more…

 

Finding it hard to get a new job? Robot recruiters might be to blame

Martin Burch had been working for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company Dow Jones for a few years and was looking for new opportunities. One Sunday in May 2021, he applied for a data analyst position at Bloomberg in London that looked like the perfect fit. He received an immediate response, asking him to take a digital assessment.

It was strange. The assessment showed him different shapes and asked him to figure out the pattern. He started feeling incredulous. “Shouldn’t we be testing my abilities on the job?he asked himself.  Read more…

  

Employers Grapple with Surge in Mental health issues

More employees are struggling with mental health conditions, and, as a result, employers are fielding more requests for accommodations and dealing with increased absenteeism. Pandemic-related stress at work and at home was a significant part of this trend during the last two years.

Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and other nondiscrimination laws, most employers must provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with mental health conditions.  Forty-three percent of employers have seen a spike in reasonable accommodation requests related to mental health since the coronavirus pandemic started, according to a new survey from law firm Fisher Phillips.

“We are seeing an increase of employees requesting remote work or a hybrid schedule to accommodate their anxiety and depression,” said Emily Litzinger, a Fisher Phillips attorney in Louisville, Ky. “Additionally, there have been an uptick of requests relating to bringing an emotional support animal to the workplace to help ease the stress related to in-person work.”   Read more…

  

Candidate Ghosting now #1 Challenge for Talent Acquisition Teams

Candidate ghosting is now the number one challenge for recruiters and TA teams.

That’s the inside scoop from our latest global survey of 375 TA practitioners, which we conducted in partnership with Brazen, a leading virtual hiring event and online career fair platform. Aside from their top challenges, our survey also delved into the activities, tactics, and technologies participants are leveraging to attract and source new talent these days.  Read more…

  

Tech Industry Job Market Drops After Decade-Long Immunity

For the first time in more than a decade, the tech industry doesn’t seem to be immune from the downturn hitting other parts of the economy, reports Bloomberg. Job cuts and a disagreeable investment climate are hitting big companies like Stripe and Instacart, and may affect smaller organizations as the financial damage spreads. Read more…

 

A wave of layoffs is sweeping the US. Here are firms that have announced cuts so far, from Carvana to Wells Fargo

Layoffs are sweeping across American businesses in the first half of 2022.

Peloton has already laid off thousands of employees this year. Online car dealer Carvana slashed 12% of its workforce. Even traditionally layoff-resistant companies like Netflix are making cuts, and now real estate brokerages are cutting hundreds of jobs. Read more…

 

Zoominfo acquires Comparable, provider of culture compensation data

ZoomInfo has acquired the recruitment marketing and employer branding platform Comparably. The company said the transaction is intended to help customers proactively attract and engage talent.

A destination for employee reviews and salary data, Comparably attracts job seekers looking for information on company cultures and employee insights. The platform also provides employers with SaaS solutions to amplify and enhance their employer brand and recruitment marketing. Comparably offers custom content, search engine optimization and media recognition through the company’s Best Places to Work awards. Read more…