2020-2021 Blue Signal Virtual Summit Awards

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In 2020, Blue Signal expanded its recruiting team to 24 full-time recruiters, brought on an additional 3 operations team members, and awarded several promotions to some of its senior team members. We placed over 300 qualified candidates in exciting new roles, and despite the difficult circumstances brought on by Covid-19, we were able to exceed our annual revenue from 2019. This year our annual Blue Signal Summit looked a little different as it was held virtually, rather than in-person in Scottsdale, Arizona. None the less, we were elated to come together to review our record-breaking 2020 awards and discuss big plans for 2021 and beyond.

If it weren’t for our incredible leadership, we would not be where we are today. At the Summit, Blue Signal Owner and Executive Vice President, Matt Walsh, announced several awards to recognize some of our top performers and exemplary mentors.

Top Cash In & Top Billings 2020 - Ryan Walsh

Top Cash In & Top Billings 2020 - Ryan Walsh

Within his first two years in the industry, Ryan Walsh has achieved the awards for Top Cash-In and Top Billings two years in a row - a feat unheard of in recruiting. This past year he was promoted to Senior Recruiting Manager for his diligence and eagerness to share knowledge with junior members of the team. While accepting his award, Ryan took the time to thank his team and the fellow recruiters that worked together on split placements that all contributed to securing these milestones. He also gave a special shoutout to our Project Manager Kimberly Sjurson, who was brought on just six months ago and has truly made a huge impact at Blue Signal through her hard work and dedication. 

MVP Award 2020 - Lacey Walters

MVP Award 2020 - Lacey Walters

As the “lifeblood of Blue Signal,” Lacey Walters was recognized as the three-time recipient of the MVP, Top Contributor award. During his speech, Matt mentioned that without Lacey’s daily, behind-the-scenes work, none of what we do at Blue Signal would be possible. Over the years, Lacey has been able to grow her team, and by building an incredible support system she leads the execution of all marketing aspects for Blue Signal with ease. She is truly the company’s MVP and has proven it time and time again as she contributes to the company’s overall success and earns this acknowledgment.

Record-Breaking 2020 Awards - Jonathan Lee

Excellence Award 2020 - Jonathan Lee

In his announcement, Matt congratulated Jonathan Lee with the nickname “Jonny Excellence,” as this award was created specifically with him in mind. Matt voiced his appreciation of all Jonathan’s support, as he is always there to help with the most positive attitude and continues to put in the extra mile in all he does. As the first recipient of the Best Support Award at last year’s summit, it comes with no surprise that Jonathan is yet again acknowledged for his hard work. Jonathan is constantly focused on excellence for himself and the team and is truly a beacon of the word. We’re extremely grateful to have Jonathan as part of the team!

Record-Breaking 2020 Awards - Kelsey Campion

Top Contractor Billings 2020 - Kelsey Campion

With over $100K in contractor billings, Kelsey Campion secured the award for the Top Contractor Billings in 2020. Matt said it best when he described Kelsey as an “absolute machine” when it comes to contract roles. He mentioned her extreme dedication and work ethic as she is always making herself available by working nights, weekends, and holidays to secure her roles and keep pushing for more. Kelsey’s efforts this year played a huge part in Blue Signal being recognized as part of Forbes’ annual list of America’s Best Temporary Staffing Firms for 2020. We don’t know how she does it, but she continues to improve and outperform her personal records on a regular basis.

Record-Breaking 2020 Awards - Brent Stokes

First Year Top Billings 2020 - Brent Stokes

In order to recognize Brent Stokes’ mind-blowing performance, this award was newly created to recognize his achievements as a new member of the Blue Signal team. With almost 4 years of recruiting experience behind him, Brent joined Blue Signal in February of 2020 and was able to secure over $300K in total billings in the remaining 10 months of the year. In his speech, Matt congratulated Brent on all he has accomplished and shared his appreciation for Brent’s dedication to learning, and for serving as a role model for others to learn from. We hope to replicate this kind of success and drive in future recruiters to come.

These 5 individuals embody Blue Signal’s core values of excellence, transparency, integrity, commitment, and respect. They put clients and candidates first, no matter the circumstance; and drive the culture of the organization through leading by example. These standout team members earned their prestigious recognition, and we are all excited to see what success 2021 will bring them, and the company as a whole.

Blue Signal Core Values

Top 6 Benefits of Contract Staffing

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Making the decision to hire is the easy part. Whether you have a busy season that calls for increased workloads, are starting a new project, or have a hole in your ranks - it’s easy to tell when it’s time to bring new talent on board. The hard part? Deciding how to make this hire. After ironing out your budget, the role’s responsibilities, and the timeline you need to hit to match your urgency, you’ll have to decide the type of hire you want to make.

There are several benefits to making a permanent hire - but what you don’t often hear about is the benefits of hiring someone on a temporary basis. Ultimately, you must decide what it is you want to accomplish with this hire. Leverage this list of top 6 benefits to find out if contract staffing is right for this position, and prioritize what it is your organization needs from this addition to the team. 

1. "Try out” new hires - without the risk

In some cases, making a new hire might impose a great risk on your organization. Maybe you have never hired someone for this role before, or perhaps the business needs the help but is in a precarious financial situation. Bad hires can cost organizations up to 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings, according to the US Department of Labor. CareerBuilder found that this averaged around $14,900 per poor hire. While the ultimate goal is to find an amazing fit for the organization and need, sometimes the candidate just isn’t suitable for the role. By hiring on a temporary or contract basis before fully committing to a permanent hire, you are limiting your risk, exposure, and staffing costs.

The temp-to-hire model gives the best insight into the success of the role and/or the employee! Better yet, it gives you time to build out your organization in the event of a new reporting structure or team. Say you were creating an entirely new business unit and trying to decide whether or not a job function should be split into two roles - having a temporary contractor on board could give you insight into the role’s bandwidth. The contractor can give their honest feedback without fear of it hurting their position, and it protects future full-time employees from taking on too much of the strain of growing pains. The insight is endless! 

 

2. Access highly skilled, niche experience 

Contractors generally have more of a project-based background. While the typical hiring model gives preference to years of experience, it really leaves out the advantage that these contractors possess. They were brought into organizations for their expertise - and in a shorter time frame have touched more software and variables, while gaining more insight into that area of focus than the usual full-time employee. They didn’t have to be taught overall company processes, the ins and outs of the business, and so on - they spent their time handling the issues at hand. By having shorter job stints, with more focus on the project than the overall organization, you are able to tap into niche experience without the looming price tag of a long-term salary contract. 

Consultants are a superb resource for project-based initiatives. Say you have a large systems conversion that is estimated to take 1-2 years to complete. A consultant can bring hyper-specialized expertise to the organization and get the project done right. In the end, you aren’t stuck with a specialist on a W2 when moving forward, a generalist would be more beneficial. 

Fast Facts_ Benefits of Contract Staffing Graphic

3. Gain an immediate impact 

If you are looking to make a hire to complete a particular project or short-term job function, hiring a temp makes it easier to assign job duties and manage the scope of the role. You can easily narrow the role to fit the particular venture. Whether your need comes from last-minute projects, increased workloads in a busy season, newly awarded contracts, and even employee absences - the temp hiring model can help bridge the gap. No team building, culture fit, company onboarding, or non-role related training required - especially when working with a staffing company or talent acquisition firm. 

Recruiters can help qualify candidates on skillset and conduct background checks, making the hiring process virtually hands free. Contractors typically require little to no supervision or training, giving time back into the pockets of those managers and trainers you would otherwise need to schedule into the mix. This saves you time and effort - but protects candidates as well! They are able to jump into a position, build their skills, and not have to worry about the politics of a long-term role. They get to fast forward to the reason they are there - to build their skillset, utilize their knowledge, and make an immediate impact on an organization. 

 

4. Secure mutually beneficial flexibility 

Hiring temporary employees gives companies the ability to respond to market changes and business needs as they happen. As mentioned, contract workers can help bridge gaps and provide flexible coverage for a variety of needs. Hire when you need it, and don’t continue contracts when you don’t. The best part? This adaptability is beneficial to candidates as well. 

One misconception of staffing is that it provides no job security on the employees’ end. However, with contracting they are able to truly select their work environment and choose which projects they would like to participate in. They can take roles based on the skills they want to gain, the expertise they hold - and if they get all they want out of a role, they can move to the next with no concern for “job hopping”. Contractors take advantage of this freedom by gaining marketable skills as the industry evolves - and achieve job security by staying ahead of the curve on the newest trends and technologies, while expanding their skillset portfolio. 

 

5. Lead with ease of management 

When working with talent acquisition agencies, the general management of the employee is usually left to those outside groups. You would only ever work with one recruiter - spelling out your requirements and leaving the discovery and qualification of candidates up to them. The recruiter will conduct the background checks, interviewing, qualification matching, and reference checks. Then, even after signing a contract and bringing them on board, most agencies will manage the candidate’s benefits administration, payroll, time-off requests, and insurance. For those publicly traded companies, this avoids the risk of finances and lowers your official headcount. 

Further still, if the candidate isn’t working out, the end of the contract gives an easy way out without the emotional stress of a fire, and with no explanation needed. The contractor has these expectations set early. Worst case, they finish out what they were brought in to do then leave. Best case, you found a potential temp-to-hire without assuming any risk of making a blind full-time hire. 

6. Reduce hiring costs 

With contract staffing you only pay for what you want, when you need it. You pay for their hours worked, and the agency fee would cover their benefits and other finances. This fee is always much lower than the cost of a new permanent employee. The Society of Human Resource Management found that the average cost to onboard a new employee in 2020 is $4,129 - with 42 days to fill the position. That doesn’t factor in the cost of leaving a position open while looking for the right candidate. In 2019, the average cost per open role was $18,000 per month. Can you afford to wait 42 days - at $18,000 per 30 days - and then pay to onboard? Before a perm hire can make an impact on an organization, it’s likely that you’ve lost over $20K just in the process of getting them into a desk. 

Cost of Bad Hire Case Study Graphic

With staffing, you can drastically reduce that price tag. And with Blue Signal, our Staffing Division offers a 48-hour turnaround to get contractors hired fast. We match your level of urgency and can get staffing for your open roles quicker than it’d take to onboard a full-time employee. Contact us today to discuss your options, and see if contract staffing is right for your business. As your partner in the process, we specialize in a business’ most important aspect - talent. 

Why Your Job Postings aren’t Getting the Right Applicants

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Filling an open role is stressful enough. Between finding coverage of the responsibilities for the role and also finding time to interview candidates, the search can become its own full time job. Recruiterbox estimates it takes a full 38 hours dedicated to a candidate search from job posting to signing contracts - and that’s only if you hire the first person you decide to interview! To top it off, how many hours could be wasted if your job posting doesn’t turn up any qualified applicants? Without qualified candidates, you could be spending that 38 hours per candidate in a search lasting anywhere between 4 days and 4 months! Based on knowledge gained through Blue Signal’s combined 120 years of experience in recruiting, here are some of the top reasons why your postings aren’t getting the right applicants. 

The Bad and the Ugly - Formatting 

This seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised by the sight of the other end of your job posting. It’s not your fault! Each job posting site has its own algorithm and tables that can all affect your formatting in wacky ways after you click that submit button. Monster explains it best in their support article, citing hidden information and extra code carried over from your word processor as the culprit. To summarize, 

The best way to combat this is to check the front-end of your job posting after it’s live.

Google your own role and check to make sure it’s not only appearing high for SEO rankings, but also to confirm that your job description formatting is clean and easy to read in every format from search page result to mobile device. If your margins have gone awry, correct it. Applicants will not apply to roles that look like they were posted by internet bots. Worse yet, you don’t want to give off a bad first impression by representing your brand with something haphazardly copied and pasted into a block of hard to process text. Make sure you are representing yourself fairly  and start with a formatting check! 

 

Losing Interest with Lengthy Application Processes 

It’s true. This generation of job seekers has a shortened attention span, especially when multiple listings that all look and feel the same are all competing for their attention at the same time. Even if by chance a candidate reads your job description and decides to apply, you are probably losing several good leads if your application process is too lengthy. Especially when it comes to passive talent. 

When you think of your dream candidate, are they unemployed today? Probably not. Which means they have full-time jobs, personal lives, and all sorts of responsibilities that occupy their time. If they start your application process and it becomes too tedious of a task, chances are they are probably going to back out with the rationalization that this prospect is not worth their time. An Appcast study found that companies can boost their application completion rate by up to 365% by merely reducing the length of the application process to 5 minutes or less. 

By shortening the process, you can multiply your candidate pool instantly.

If you aren’t sure how your application process compares, LinkedIn suggests taking yourself through your own application process to test it out. Gain some insight on how your interface looks, what bugs it might have, and what impression it gives from the applicants point of view. Remember that the application process is made to gain information on a candidate, not test their patience. Keep the application process focused on ease of communication - for both parties. 

 

Leaving Too Much - or Too Little - to the Imagination: A Bad JD

When you are reviewing applications, what stands out to you the most? Strong qualifications, or completed tables with candidate information parsed in? You probably appreciate succinct resumes more than long-winded cover letters that cover someone’s origin story in the industry. Make sure that your job description and application process fit your needs as a hiring manager, and don’t distract from the real messaging that your job description should be sending. 

Use your job description to weed out unqualified candidates - not your application process.

While you want the job description to be accurate to the role, you should consider this process from the perspective of the applicant. Imagine applying the “Golden Rule” to writing and posting job ads. You don’t want to waste your time reading blocks of self explanatory text - and neither do candidates. You like personalized cover letters and applications that target your company, not just the job function - just as candidates love personalized job postings that highlight company-specifics, like culture. Make sure that whatever you post is descriptive yet brief. Hubspot’s research delving into recruitment media found that job descriptions with 300-800 words performed best, with an 8-9% apply rate. Similarly, shorter job titles led to better apply rates, with the highest number of applicants for roles with titles only 1-3 words long. 

 

Lacking in the Sizzle Department - Marketing Yourself as an Employer

On the flip side, using short, bland job descriptions doesn’t seem to be in your favor either. In Blue Signal’s experience, “blanket” JDs have done more harm than good. One of the best ways to get the attention of a potential candidate is by marketing your company well in your job postings, not just the job itself. Hubspot found a direct correlation between apply rate and the number of benefits listed on a job description. 

When we say benefits - we don’t just mean pay rate, 401(K) matching, and free office coffee. Applicants want to hear about what innovative technology your company is developing, what the team culture is like, and what their career progression could look like beyond the role at hand. When posting a job ad, you must go beyond skill requirements and daily duties and really touch on the reason why people end up loving their jobs - the sizzle. If your company has casual Fridays or all-office lunches, mention that. If this role is open because the person that was in it before was promoted, that’s great material too! 

Why would someone want to come work for you?

Of course, applicants might work past your posting to look into your company’s website and your Glassdoor reviews, but not if they aren’t instantly compelled by the job description. Think about it from the candidate’s perspective. For example, there might be several companies looking for Network Engineers, but what is so special about your company? Why you and not the competition? What makes you shine as a manager? How is your company on the cutting edge of this industry? Just as you would sell yourself to a potential customer, you have to work to sell yourself to a potential employee. Talk about career growth, the culture of the team, the incredible people they can learn from. Focus on the sizzle of the role and you will gain the attention of the candidates that want to be there for the right reasons. 

 

Taking on the responsibility of hiring is a high-pressure position to be in. If you hire the wrong person, you are losing money. If you don’t hire the right person quick enough, you still lose money. There is a lot of trial and error involved in the process from screening candidates to interviewing. Starting with posting a job advertisement - you’re setting the tone for the entire hiring process. To get the right candidate for the job, you need to think like that candidate and gear your posting toward what they want from their next gig. Take it from us - this is an applicant driven job market. If you think you would benefit from having a partner in the process, whose entire 9-5 revolves around finding you that perfect hire, contact Blue Signal today. 

How to Use Social Media to Land a Job

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In some form or another, almost everyone you know uses social media as a way to connect with others. In fact, there are 3.725 billion (and rising) active social media users. According to recent studies, people have an average of 8.5 social media accounts. Although many take advantage of the connections made through social platforms, most don’t think about leveraging those same connections to land their dream job. 

Are you a job seeker? Take advantage of these 5 key tips to help maximize your online presence and stand out from other applicants.

 

1. Keep Your Profile Up to Date

After reviewing your resume, the first thing employers look at is how you present yourself online professionally. They want to ensure that their new hire is going to represent their brand in a positive light. Make sure your username includes your first and last name, and change any connected emails to one that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to send out. SportsMan82 may be fine to communicate with friends and family, but you want to make sure you are making the right impression from the start. Make sure your profile image and posts are professional. Delete any posts that feature alcohol, profanity, overtly political statements, and any other controversial topics. When searching for a job via social media, it’s imperative that your profile reflects who you are as an employee.

 

2. Share Your Online portfolio or CV Online

Online portfolios are a great way to showcase your skills and past work experience. Use your portfolio to share facts about yourself and display your achievements. Take your portfolio one step further and create a blog; write about relevant topics related to your industry and expertise. There are plenty of free websites and tools that can be utilized to create a portfolio or cover letter to feature on your profile. Personal branding is essential to set yourself apart from other candidates, so make sure all of your social media pages are consistent across all platforms. If the jobs you are looking for don’t need a CV or online portfolio, instead, use your profile to illustrate your personality and display work you are proud of. Don’t be afraid to let people know you are searching; include a short description of your qualifications in your bio so employers know that you are taking your job search seriously.

 

3. Follow Major Players in Your Field 

When searching for a new role via social media, it’s essential to follow the companies you are interested in on social media. Currently, 91% of employers are using social media to hire talent and believe social media will become a more significant source of hire in the next 5 years. Aside from the traditional job search options like LinkedIn and Facebook, unconventional methods are just as effective at finding a job. Look on Instagram and Twitter for #hiring, and even check out the Reddit job page. Be sure to follow not only the companies you are applying for, but also any that you may garner connections from. Join public and private groups on social media to gain access to key industry players in your field. 

 

4. Engage in Online Conversations 

Tap into your connections to stay in touch with those who are working your desired role in similar industries. Make sure you are commenting, liking, and sharing relevant posts to show employers that you are up to date on industry trends. Oftentimes, hiring managers want to see that you are involved in current industry events and are keeping up with trends. Send personalized messages to your connections in an effort to find common ground and interests, one of those connections may just be someone who can help you get your foot in the door of your dream workplace. Help yourself appear in more search results by taking advantage of Search Engine Optimization tools; use hashtags, keywords, and tag your location

 

5. Don’t Over Interact 

The last thing hiring managers want to worry about is being spammed by an applicant through social media. Although you should connect with people in the field you are searching in, make sure you are not overstepping your welcome by over liking and commenting on posts. Make your interest obvious, but do so in moderation to avoid seeming desperate for the role. Just think about how you would like to be interacted with if you were in their shoes. It’s important to respect their privacy when it comes to interacting online.

Social Media Stat

Since the development of modern technology, social media has proven to be a gamechanger in the job search process. The job prospects and learning opportunities on social media are endless; 94% of professional recruiters network on social media and use it to post jobs to an extensive community. Take your job search to the next level by taking advantage of the opportunities and connections social media has to offer. 

Keeping Candidates Engaged During COVID-19

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Despite hard times, many companies are still hiring because two things are certain:

  1. Top talent is always hard to find, no matter the situation.
  2. Right now, people are working from home – with a lot of time to look at new opportunities!

In order to stay on top of the market and keep your company thriving throughout these difficult market conditions, follow these steps to ensure that your candidate pipeline is profitable.

Keeping Candidates Engaged - Infographic

Run Business as Usual with Interviews

If you want to stay competitive when the market begins to strengthen, your pipeline has to be strong. While there’s no need to worry about onboarding, you should be keeping your open roles active, so that when the time comes to fill them you are not left struggling. Continuing to conduct interviews as normal is beneficial to your business because it shows you care. Showing concern and acknowledging your candidate’s priorities like family, health, and their overall schedule gives a good indication on how you would treat them as an employee as well.

“53% of employees say a role that allows them to have greater work-life balance and better personal well-being is “very important” to them,” says a Gallup survey. They believe, “it's critical for employees to know an organization "walks the talk" on greater work-life balance and well-being.”

 

Stay In-Touch with Candidates

Recruiters need to keep qualified candidates “warm” in order to maintain the relationship and line of communication. Make sure to contact them once every 7-10 days to see if their job status has changed. Become their career consultant and try offering them coaching on other roles, so they learn to contact you first before accepting another job. If possible, offer them tools to develop their skills through online courses, professional interview prep, resume building, and more.

 

Get Creative

HR professionals should meet with internal teams to see where the standing needs still are. Depending on the role, there may be opportunity for remote work, contracting for projects, and other small support positions that can keep the candidate engaged with the company and the prospective role. An added bonus with this strategy – you get to see some samples of their skills as it directly applies to your business.

 

Maintain the Human Connection

With phone calls and emails, it’s hard to feel connected to the culture of a company, let alone coworkers, management, and other team members. Try utilizing video chats rather than phone calls whenever possible – whether that be in an interview, in a follow up, or for a check-in. This way, the candidate will feel more personally connected to you, the company, and the role. Better yet – when you’re able to look them in the eye without meeting in person, you will have a better read on their interest through facial expressions and level of engagement.

 

Keep it Positive

Be honest with candidates throughout the process of interviewing and prospecting – but keep it positive! Regardless of whether or not the relationship ends in a hire, you can never take back your tone once communication begins. According to a survey by Digitate, “organizations with poorly-handled onboarding are twice as likely to cause new hires to seek new opportunities ‘in the near future’.” Of course, when in difficult times, there are aspects of any organization that are strained. Rather than share the negative flat out – display how your organization is combating the hardship with optimism and employee care.

Click Here to Download the Candidate Engagement Guide

If you or your business are struggling with giving candidates the proper attention they need during this pandemic, a recruiter can help. At Blue Signal, we specialize in candidate engagement. We market your business, keep in contact with prospects, can provide talent market insights, and are your key to keeping your pipeline robust. Give us a call today to explore how we can support your hiring needs.

5 Tips for Hiring without Meeting In Person

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Despite the havoc COVID-19 has wreaked on the stock market, major industries, and some smaller businesses – many companies are still hiring. However, this presents its own unique set of problems, as hiring managers search to find safe ways to conduct interviews. Today’s technology allows people to communicate without meeting face to face, but many are convinced this is not a perfect alternative. When hiring over video conference, how can you be sure you are still making an effective judgement call on someone’s cultural fit, abilities, dedication, and overall employability? Without making a much more dangerous (and in some states illegal) risk by conducting a face-to-face interview, here are some ways to ensure that you make an effective hire without meeting in person.

Ask the Right Questions

If they are as solid of a candidate as their resume leads you to believe, then they probably prepared for this interview with the typical questions. Make sure you get them thinking, catch them outside their prepared scripts, and challenge their knowledge. Avoid the “What is your biggest weakness?” and instead ask something like, “What is the biggest misinterpretation people have about you?” Try to get them to answer in an honest way, rather than trying to turn negatives into positives. This question in particular tests their self-awareness. Zappo’s Chief Executive, Tony Hsieh believes, “If someone is self-aware, then they can always continue to grow. If they’re not self-aware, I think it’s harder for them to evolve or adapt beyond who they already are.”

Ask the Right Qs (1)
Read the Signs

Read the Signs

Whatever you ask – watch their responses. Literally, watch. If they seem to be reading off notes, are not making eye contact, check their phone offscreen, or stare off blankly when you are explaining something – make note of it. When interviewing online, people tend to be more comfortable than they would stepping into a CEO’s office, sitting across the desk from their potential management. However, this should be no different. Make sure they don’t act too comfortable and are truly serious about the role and opportunity. Know that whoever you hire might have to be working from home as well. When people interview, they are on their best behavior. If their “best behavior” is acting distracted, you can bet when you aren’t watching that the distraction will be worse.

Utilize References

This should be standard in most cases, but when your test of character is limited to a video chat, it can be particularly beneficial to speak to someone who has already worked with your candidate. A candidate can speak to their own previous responsibilities, use this time with their references to uncover how this person works with others. Some key questions could include:

  • “What management style does this person respond well to?”
  • “Tell me about a time this person was agitated. What was the circumstance? How did they handle it?”
  • “Let’s say this person is working with a group on a project – what role do they play? Are they a leader? A follower?”
  • “On their best day, what about this person stands out the most?”
Utilize References

Test their Skills

Get creative when testing their hard skills and experience. Asking yes or no questions about systems they have used and responsibilities they have held give little to no insight about what they can accomplish. Instead, give them an opportunity to apply this knowledge. Research has consistently shown that one of the best predictors of job performance is a work sample, says Fast Company. If applicable, give them a take home project to complete. Assign them a search project, a writing prompt, or other task that applies to some aspects of the role they are looking to fill. Or, in lieu of something they can put together themselves, administer skill assessments like those offered for free on Indeed.

Test their Skills

Don’t use this as a pass/fail course, but more of an assessment of their interest and their overall versatility. Passive candidates that are not serious about the role will either take a long time coming up with the answers they think you’ll want to hear, or may not complete the “homework” at all. That weeds out several people you wouldn’t want to hire straight away. Or, if they turn it around quickly, with fresh ideas outside the format you pictured, think about the value they could bring with more thorough instruction and real-life application.

Collab on Compatibility

Collaborate on Compatibility

Rather than relying on soft skill questions like, “What is your communication style?” – test their culture fit by putting them in front of your team. Utilize the skills of those you already have to get a better read on a candidate – after all, they could very well be teammates someday. Have someone junior to their position conduct an interview and see how they treat them. Put them on a conference call with several managers and watch how they handle pressure. Throw a curve ball and have them talk to someone outside the department they would work in to see how they collaborate cross-functionally. Get feedback from the team on their read of the person and try to assess how they would fit into the culture. No one knows what it’s like in that position quite like the team already in the job today – utilize that knowledge in a way you can capitalize on.

Interviewing online does not inhibit your ability to assess candidates. Remember that there are no real rules if you know what to look for and use your instincts. Operate outside the transactional model of the standard Q&A format to ensure that whoever you are hiring is not only qualified, but excited about your open position. For more tips about hiring, candidate retention, culture adoption, or even interviewing over video conference – contact Blue Signal’s tenured recruiting team to support your next search, and partner with you in supporting your workforce.

Blue Signal Welcomes 11 New Team Members to Keep Up with Growing Demand

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In order to keep up with growing demand for Blue Signal's recruiting services, we recently welcomed 11 new additions to the Blue Signal staff. With these experienced and diverse extensions of our team, Blue Signal is on track to make more placements in 2020 than ever before. We're excited to introduce the newest members of our staff!

Meet Our New Recruits

Select a name to meet our new hires!

Wyatt Humrichous Project Manager

Recruiting: The Perfect Blend

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Many professionals have worked with recruiters in some capacity or another throughout the course of their careers. It’s common knowledge that recruiters help businesses fill open roles with qualified professionals. But have you ever really thought of the logistics behind this?

To be successful in sales, it takes a very particular combination of skills, attitude, and character. Salespeople must be confident, persistent, upbeat, and influential by nature if they hope to convince someone to buy what they are selling - whether it’s a product, service, or in certain cases, top talent.

Someone selling B2B must be an expert in their product. These companies who sell products and services to businesses are known to have long-term sales cycles. In most cases, this means developing established relationships with clientele to best understand their needs and ultimately deliver custom solutions. B2B sales are high value transactions, with elaborate influencing groups, stakeholders, business cases, and negotiations. Their high-stakes, high-reward model is complex but consistent.

B2C sales on the other hand, need to be able to roll with the punches. They will have shorter, more transactional sales cycles and will need to quickly create rapport with several different buyers in a day. Although their sales tend to be smaller in size, they are much greater in volume and require a diverse set of approach tactics and strategies.

Recruiters, in their unique circumstances, must create a balance and perfect mixture between the two selling philosophies. They must be able to sell a candidate to a company, but also a company to a candidate. 

Recruiter Joke

Why Recruiting is like B2B

At Blue Signal, we partner with our clients to act as an extension of their business. We strive to make our client relationships long-term, mutually beneficial, and as transparent as possible. Blue Signal invests in our clients’ successes and we make it our job to learn all there is to know about their business products, services, pain points, and goals. Our recruiters do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis for each role - making sure we have pinpointed the problem and are able to remedy the hiring issue… whether that be a need for people with different skillsets, an open role that needs filled, a culture fit or transition, or a number of other challenges.

This is much like the B2B model in that we establish a strong foundational relationship with our client stakeholders and must continue to develop the relationship with regular follow-up. CEO’s, management, reporting teams, cross-functional teams, and other individuals can be the driving force behind a hiring decision - so the stakeholders are often diverse and complex. These B2B “sales” are very high value. Blue Signal will charge the client a percentage of the placed candidate’s base salary, which often times requires some negotiations. To combat this fear of commitment, our recruiters must make meaningful, strong business relationships with the appropriate parties to truly create value and trust. The stakes are high, but with our superior caliber of talent, so is the ROI.

Recruiting is also similar due to the comparably small number of clients, and more complex and continual sales cycles. Blue Signal’s client base is hand-picked, relevant to our industry specialties, and truly decides our fate when it comes to sales success. We strive to understand the ins and outs of the business, their talent needs, their standing in their respective industry, where they are headed, and more. Each client is unique, so each tactic to complete their searches must also be unique. This requires a specific set of communication skills and developed business case analysis, presentations, negotiations, and more. We hope to make each of our clients long-term customers.

When you think of recruiting as a business - this B2B model makes sense! And is normally what people attribute to the industry. However, that’s really only one side of the conversation.

B2B Sales

Why Recruiting is like B2C 

Blue Signal has an extensive network of candidates and superior industry professionals that we constantly keep in contact with to help supplement their best career options. This network - unlike our client network - is much larger and much more transactional.

That word - transactional - has such a negative connotation. When really, all that’s meant by it is that our relationship is based on a transaction. In our first contact - recruiters have to sell themselves and their worth to a candidate rather quickly. Their goal is to establish a base level of rapport early. Recruiters may speak to hundreds of candidates in a week - and have to create meaningful touchpoints with each one in order to be successful. Each candidate has a unique set of skills, desires, needs, and other factors so each touchpoint has to be carefully crafted yet quick - much like the B2C tactics used by salesmen calling upon customers. Recruiters are trained to uncover candidate’s career drivers, potential job dis-satisfaction, and other things that get down to the candidate on a personal level. They really dial into the things that drive candidates in order to play into those wants and needs and create a longer lasting placement - unlike companies who often miss the mark by merely focusing on their bottom line. Therefore, the relationship between a recruiter and a candidate is transactional - yet precise and personal.

To truly craft this in-depth and thorough understanding of the individual behind the resume, Blue Signal processes each prospective candidate with a 12-point assessment. We inspect their career drivers, their ambitions, insecurities, behaviors - what makes them tick. A recurring example is people who lie in interviews. If they are in front of a hiring manager, looking for a job, they will say what they think that manager will want to hear to better their chances of getting the job. And - that can be more harmful than helpful in the long run. The candidate and hiring manager may ignore red flags or make compromises, both for the sake of fulfilling their short-term needs. By omitting their real desires, they may not be able to reach agreeable goals. We want to really get to know the candidate and understand what they want, so that we can do our best to place them somewhere they will be happy. This research is reminiscent of the time and effort all B2C companies put into understanding their target market, but on a scale of more than 100 interviews a week (i.e. more than 100 different “consumer” profiles - a Blue Signal recruiter’s target metric).

Not to mention, candidates today are exhibiting consumer behaviors more than ever. According to a survey by MRINetwork, “nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of candidates spend more than an hour researching a job and employer before even applying, and 16 percent of job seekers spend more than five hours!” This trend, coupled with the literal million open jobs without people to fill them, is putting candidates in the driver’s seat. They are doing more research into role responsibilities, company culture, compensation averages, and other key factors in a new job. This is turning recruiters into marketers - having to sell the company, the opportunity, and their structure better than any Glassdoor review ever could. Recruiters have the potential to be that mediator and representation to the hiring process and “customer” that both parties are unable to accomplish themselves.

B2C

Recruiters, The Perfect Blend

In many ways, recruiting is one of the most unique jobs in the world. As our CEO Matt Walsh uniquely indicates, “we are selling people to people!” Recruiters sell on all sides: they sell value to a client, they sell their relationship to candidates, they sell a client’s opportunity to a candidate, and they have to sell a candidate to a company - all before they even make a “sale.” They must maintain a balance between the two sales philosophies: taking the B2C human and consumer element and merging it with the B2B business scenario to create favorable outcomes for both parties.

Recruiters bring so much value to the hiring process. They strive to have that deeper understanding of candidates, their career drivers, and why they do what they do. They work to be partners to clients and invest in their success. A recruiter’s success depends on properly managing solutions to each party’s requirements and doing what is right for everyone. Blue Signal is proud to have some of the highest ethics and proven results in this dynamic industry, and strives to maintain that transparency in all aspects of our “sales”.

Career Connectors Staffing Panel – Top Firms

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Earlier this month, Blue Signal had the chance to be represented at Career Connectors’ August Staffing Panel by one of our top Executive Recruiters, Trevor Gamble, to touch on and debunk the Myths about Working with Staffing Firms. 

The event began with Career Connectors CEO and founder, Jessica Pierce, introducing the four panelists to the room of over 80 professionals. The panel consisted of CEO LT Ladino-Bryson with vCandidates, our own Executive Recruiter Trevor Gamble with Blue Signal Search, CEO Graham Greytak with HireRising and Area Manager, Brendan Naper with NESCO Resource.

After introductions, the panelists were asked a variety of questions ranging from “How Candidates Can Build a Relationship with Recruiters” to a “Favorite Success Story.” 

With such an open forum for questions and ideas, attendees were able to ask the panelists questions about their own experience and how to deal with niche industries and skill sets. With the array of staffing firms and industry experts in the room, attendees were able to get a clear and concise look into the world of recruiting from a recruiter’s point of view. Although recruiters are well-known in business industries, the average person may not be aware that staffing firms give them more options and take off some of the pressure when searching for a new career. The informative panel gave people who have and who have not worked with recruiters in the past a more positive outlook about the benefits of working with recruiters.

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In addition to the great benefits attendees received from the panel, recruiters also received some insightful information that could help them with their own searches. They were able to openly discuss the different styles and tactics other recruiters use to source candidates and the type of relationship they build with candidates. 

”The topic of the event was as relevant for the job seekers as it was for people in steady careers looking for a change. The audience got to hear from recruiters across different industries and ask the tough questions about what it is like to work with staffing firms – the advantages and challenges. I feel the group left the event with much more information and tools for their career search toolkits,” Trevor recapped from the event.

Trevor Gamble

Regardless of if you were an attendee or panelist, the information presented served as a valuable resource for all who attended. 

Read here to see the panelist’s informative responses to the top asked questions!

About Career Connectors: The Panel was organized by the nonprofit organization, Career Connectors, who strives to connect professionals in career transitions to top resources and hiring companies. Since the organization’s establishment in 2019, their vision has remained the same; “Connecting Real People with Real Careers”. Career Connectors’ helps people by providing outreach programs that offer career connections, hiring companies, education workshops, networking, resources and job leads in targeted networking groups. In addition to these aides, CC also offers an online web portal of career resources, job leads and social media connections.

About Blue Signal Search: Blue Signal was founded in Chicago in 2012, and since then, has grown into a multimillion-dollar executive placement firm with offices in the Phoenix and Chicago areas. Blue Signal has established itself as the premier executive search firm within wireless/telecom, technology, and related industry niches.

At Blue Signal, we believe hiring the right people is the best way to transform business. Our targeted, specialized searches deliver highly qualified professionals to meet every hiring need. Our team has decades of combined experience in finding the right people for each unique company culture and industry niche.

Our team works with both candidates and hiring managers to find the right fit. Contact us today to let us know how we can help.

Your 4-Step Guide to Adopting New Hires into Company Culture

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As a hiring manager, you’ve done the hard part, going through endless levels of interviews to find the perfect candidate and now, it’s the start date. For a new hire, starting a new job can be exciting, overwhelming, and nerve wracking. Some people approach their new career with elation and confidence, ready to take on their responsibilities. However, some employees dread the first day - worried about the people they’ll meet, their supervisors’ management style and even where they will sit at lunch. Successfully integrating new hires into company culture is one of the most important hiring processes and can be a determining factor in your new hire’s career-span within the company.

Your new employee has already had a great first impression with their candidate hiring experience, now, it’s more crucial than ever to continue to impress  them with your company culture and keep that excitement and momentum going. Here’s a 4-step guide to the process of making new employees feel comfortable and part of the team from day 1.

New Employee Onboarding

 

1. Begin Onboarding Before the Official Start Date 

One way companies can introduce company culture to new hires is to start the process before they even arrive. When sending out materials to introduce them to the job, include internal materials that gives your new employee an inside look into the personality of the company. Take advantage of what is typically a to-the-point welcome letter to prepare your new hire for what they can expect on the first day in a fun and creative way. Providing them with a FAQ sheet, recommendations around the area, and a set first-day agenda can eliminate some of the worries and questions they may have upon arrival.

2. Create Fun Opportunities to Meet Fellow Coworkers

We’ve all played getting-to-know-you games as kids in school, and whether we liked them or not, they were undeniably effective at breaking the ice and encouraging interaction. Icebreakers and team facilitation activities are a great way to ease some of the tension your new hire may be feeling. Social media is also becoming a new and innovative way to create connections between employees. Help your employees merge into the company by encouraging them to follow company social media accounts, along with adding them to a private social network for your company. A private social network, such as a private Facebook group, allows employees to participate and feel active in conversations in a less formal setting. Ultimately, it comes down to implementing interactive opportunities to create a strong dynamic for your company culture.

3. Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Regardless of the amount of time your company has been established, company culture is something that is present from the very beginning. Unless you are the CEO or have been with the company from the ground up, chances are that you have had to go through the onboarding process as well once upon a time. It’s easy to forget the impressions and questions you had on your first day, but it’s critical to put yourself into their shoes and make them feel as comfortable and supported as possible. Remember, as a new employee, questions will be asked and mistakes will be made; these are expected and should be looked upon as a learning experience for both the new employee and manager. Putting in effort to realize that you were in the same position at some point in time allows a certain level of respect and rapport to be built.

4. Follow up

The number one place where companies fall short in the onboarding process is following up with your new hire to ensure they are understanding and enjoying their work. One of the easiest ways to guarantee long-term employment is to onboard them correctly and not let employees fall off your radar. According to the 2018 Recruiter Nation Survey from Jobvite, 39% of talent professionals dedicate between 1-3 business days to onboarding. Although it may involve increased efforts from larger companies, onboarding should be a priority and last weeks or even months as necessary. In addition to habitually checking up on your new hire, a simple follow up email is a valuable way to gain feedback and opens up an honest communication forum between all levels of authority.

Some of the biggest onboarding challenges are inconsistent applications, manager accountability and competing priorities. Adapting a new employee to the company culture and ensuring their success needs to be a priority to guarantee a positive experience. Keep in mind, helping your new hire fit into company culture can be simplified with these 4 easy steps: begin onboarding before the start date, create fun opportunities to meet coworkers, put yourself in their shoes, and follow up. 

We Are Here to Help

Are you a hiring manager or talent acquisition professional looking to expand your team? Ask us how we can help coach your onboarding process as needed! Blue Signal’s search process continues to impress our clients and our recruiters are dedicated to finding top talent within any industry.

 

Ready for a free hiring consultation?

Contact us today on ways we can help your organization.

(480) 939-3200