You’ve Heard of the Beachwalk, Now Take a Stroll Down the Job Walk!
Employment Branding Basics, Actions Speak Louder than Words
A basic understanding of the employment brand strategy and action
Have you heard these buzz words? Dynamic company, respected and valued, or how about team oriented environment? Sure they sound great but does it really mean anything to the employee? Today what you do has a far greater impact on your employer brand than anything else. We are consumers by nature and so naturally we want to be inspired, motivated, and happy, but are you doing anything to support those statements, literally?
We live in a faced paced world surrounded by media, and with so much information coming in it is hard to differentiate from the next guy. We all say that we are dynamic and team oriented but supporting those statements seem to be lacking everywhere. Driving your employer brand through action is not a quick process, it takes years to establish a reputation as the employer of choice, so rather than waste your time thinking up compelling statements you need unprecedented action, that’s what creates buzz. This action will not come easy either employer surveys need to be conducted, feedback needs to be calculated, and pilot programs need to be implemented. It sounds like a lot of work but as I mentioned above this is not something you can do in six or eight months. What you are doing is re-establishing a relationship with your employees while you are conducting employment brand research. You communicate a lot through action and your employees will take notice.
The economy of today has put an even greater strain on businesses and with operating costs on the rise employment brands suffer as a result. There is no better time for action then the present, but can you do something besides talk about it? These programs cost money and what is the greater impact by doing nothing at all, or reductions? Understanding how action relates to the employer brand is critical so whether you are looking at programs now or an employer brand audit is being conducted taking that action will truly speak louder than words.
If you have not implemented an employment brand strategy then I urge you to do so. Today a job seeker is not unlike a consumer, they are shopping. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. They need positive feedback from the people who work there, other consumers. We want to feel good about who we work for, but no matter how many times you say it’s a great place to work ask yourself this, is it? Employment branding is still new to some companies and with fast moving markets, tough competitors, and lack of patience doing the wrong thing can be just as damaging as nothing at all. Keeping the brand promise to your employees is just as important as a promise to the consumer. If you are implementing an employment brand strategy keep these four touch points in mind, values, difference, delivery, and choices.
Values; does your employment brand operate on an established set of employment brand values, I.E. (Our #1 asset is the employee), or (Internal growth equals success).
Difference; having a truly unique identity as an employer, I.E. (Leading our industry in employee professional development), or (Having more benefits than our competitors always)
Delivery; Employment brand recruiting videos, direct mail, recreational events, new employee sponsors, after hours job fairs
Choices; having a broad and diverse set of choices for benefits, schedules, and working environment, choices mean flexibility and freedom.
Two of these four touch points address the problem with conventional recruiting today in communicating your employment brand. They lack organizational values and delivery of your employment brand. It is hard to communicate your employment brand values through a third party or recruiting agency effectively unless you involve them in your strategy. This brings up coordination and collaboration between HR and Marketing & Communications. An effective employment brand strategy can be put into place by creating a strategic partnership between HR and Marketing. Advertising today has seen an increase and focus on the employee, companies are taking notice, but without an effective strategy it may be just more talk. HR and Marketing collectively can provide an employment brand strategy that works. The action truly speaks louder than words and when you implement an employment brand strategy the people that you attract and retain will be unprecedented.
Finally, it is important to note that there are no set of rules in place to design a successful employment brand, this gives you the freedom of creativity. You have a basis for starting implementation, an understanding, and through research, partnerships, communication, and action a truly unique employment brand will speak volumes.
Online “Work at Home” Garbage Clutters Job Boards
Beware of online work at home schemes
You can hardly browse many of the online job boards these days without seeing “Work from Home” cluttered among the real employment ads. So what’s the deal? Is it legitimate work? In most cases they are just there to collect money from you, offering work at home software or a training program.
It has really cluttered up a lot of the larger more well know job sites these days, and it’s annoying. We pride ourselves on leaving out that garbage here on Help Wanted Hawaii. If you are looking for legitimate work keep this in mind, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A majority of work at home schemes have the same message, they promise you wealth as long as you make some sort of purchase. Job seekers beware if you would like to work from home it takes hard work, patience, and persistence. The next time you browse an online job board remember, you should never have to pay anything to get a job. Our advice is to do your homework before you commit to anything that says “Work from Home”, and never pay a fee. Aloha
Hawaii’s Hottest Jobs thru 2009
What jobs are hot and what’s not
According to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations the employment outlook for Hawaii thru 2009 is only expected to grow about 0.7% annually. This may sound like a cause for concern but considering some of the mainland states employment forecasts we are in pretty good shape. It has been a tough year so far with the loss of two cruise ships and two airlines. That combined with a slow economy and rising fuel costs has caused some industries to slow down, I.E. Hospitality and Tourism.
The biggest winners are healthcare and education which will provide the most jobs. Construction will see some growth too, despite a cooling economy. This is due to federal and military contracts. There is a small increase in retail according to the report of about 0.34 percent or 470 jobs and this is due to the arrival of mainland retail giants Target and Whole Foods Market. Jobs in Information Technology will see growth too. The report also lists the fastest growing occupations as Computer Software Engineers, Applications 4.39%, Home Health Aides 3.59%, Network Systems & Data Communication Analysts 3.51%, and First Line Supervisors/Mgrs. of Firefighting & Prevention Workers 3.26%. When you read these reports it may look like doom and gloom but companies here in Hawaii are still looking to hire, keep that in mind when conducting your job search.
Click here to view the DLIR report
How to Use Help Wanted Hawaii
Help Wanted Hawaii is a simple and convenient website, and Hawaii’s largest online employment directory. We make it easy by providing the most comprehensive list of employment resources available, so that you can find a job. The great thing about Help Wanted Hawaii is that you can access everything you need right here on this page. We list every online job board, staffing agency, and employment resource that is available to find work in Hawaii. It is 100% FREE and no registration is required. Our staff screens each job so that it is genuine employment here in Hawaii. We do not post those annoying work from home ads or scams asking you for money. Help Wanted Hawaii only posts legitimate employment.
Simple and convenient is what we provide. We are constantly receiving job postings from employers locally, and we are improving the site as well. So how do you use Help Wanted Hawaii? Just click on the jobs or links you want and get the information you need, Fast!
JOB FOX Online Job Board Review
A new type of on-line job board
The slogan is “Be the hunted” and with a different way to match you up with a position that suites you Job Fox is anything but typical. The site was founded by Robert McGovern, who is also the founder and former CEO of CareerBuilder.
The site itself is very easy to use and will ask you a series of questions after you have uploaded your resume into the Job Fox resume reader. The resume reader intelligently extracts information from your resume and plugs it into relevant fields on MY JOB FOX PAGE. You are matched using something called 10 dimensional matching. Additionally your resume is fully trackable, which means you’ll know when and who looks at your resume. You can even have a text message sent to your mobile phone when someone reviews your resume. I have not heard of a lot of companies or job seekers using Job Fox in Hawaii, but since it is fairly new only time will tell. The best part is that it’s free for job seekers and you can keep your information private. I tried the program out myself and I give it two thumbs up! The recent trend in social networking sites has created a lot of interest in using sites like Facebook or LinkedIn to network for jobs. The great thing about Job Fox is that it allows you to create a profile page similar to a social networking site. If you have not tried out Job Fox and you are looking for another site, I recommend that you give it a try.
Use On-line Social Networking Sites to Find Work.
On-line social networking gives you direct access to the hiring manager
Are you posting resumes on all of the on-line job boards to no avail? If so then you might want to give on-line social networking try. I can tell you from experience that it is not uncommon for you to submit your resume on-line and it will never reach who it was intended for, why? A lot of companies use applicant tracking systems to handle their resumes, and two problems exist with this technology. 1. You answered a screening question incorrectly therefore your resume is not forwarded. 2. The system received too many responses and the recruiter or HR manager may have overlooked it.
When this happens an exceptional candidate can be lost. A great way to get around this is with on-line social networking groups like LinkedIn , Zoom Info , Facebook , or Recruiting Blogs. These sites provide you direct access to hiring managers, human resources, or recruiters in many different companies or organizations. You can navigate these sites and identify the people you are looking for so that you can send your resume directly to them. It is the latest trend with unemployment on the rise nationwide. The competition is tight and you need every advantage possible to get the job you want. On-line social networking sites provide a much less formal atmosphere as well. If you are looking for another way to prove you are the best person for the job then give on-line social networking a try, it just may land you the job.
Some tips
· Create a profile that highlights your experience
· Have a professional photo
· Be honest about what you are looking for
· If you have a video resume use it
· If you are emailing someone about a job ask if you can email your resume directly to them.
· Grow your network
These simple tips will help you attract attention fast so that you can identify something quickly. It takes time but with persistence and creativity it can pay off. Good Luck
How Do You Feel About Your Company?
2008/2009 Hawaii Employment Branding Survey. Tell us what you think
The Brand Management Group LLC has partnered up with The Employer Branding Institute to conduct an Employment Branding Survey of Hawaii. In preparation for the 2009 Hawaii Employment Branding Conference scheduled to be held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village we would like your feedback on issues that concern you in today’s workforce. The survey is private and you will not have to share any personal information. If you would like to see the results of this survey you will have a chance to request it when you are finished. It will only take about five to ten minutes of your time.
Thank you for your help.
Careers through the Hawaii Laborers Training Program
An apprenticeship program that provides training, benefits, and excellent pay
If you are looking for a career then the Hawaii Laborers Training Program has an interesting path, free training, school, and on the job training with pay. The requirements 18 years old, High School Diploma or GED grade 10 equivalent, and commitment. I have seen a lot of news lately about the construction industry and I decided to do a piece on the Hawaii Laborers Training program. The program is managed by Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 368 which represents members working in construction, environmental, remediation, maintenance, food service, health care, and other occupations, as well as state, local and municipal government jobs and as mail handlers with the U.S. Postal service.
The interesting thing about their training program is that it is essentially a free program that will provide you with a job, education and a certification in a booming industry. I spoke with training at the main office and I was provided some details, much of which is available on their website. Basically it is about 2 years long with a combination of classroom and on the job training that provides the necessary skills to obtain a certification and higher pay. They will also provide you with job placement. The first year pay starts at $13.10 per hour and looks to cap out around $15.72 half way through. Once you have completed the course and you are certified the pay goes up. I was given a ballpark figure of around $23-$28 per hour based on level and seniority.
The great thing about this program is that there is little or no investment. Once you are excepted into the training program (approx 3 month waiting list) you will pay some small union dues, one time registration, all ranged between $28-$35 dollars but you will already be working at the time. You will only be paid during work and not during classroom time. That beats paying for tuition though. Sure not everyone is cut out for construction but if you are a hard worker and you’re looking for free training, benefits, and a career this may be for you. Hawaii has a booming construction industry so there is work available, check their site at www.hiltp.org or call (808) 455-7979 for more information.
