Background Checks - What You Need To Know

Background checks have become increasingly more common as part of the selection process. Typically the background check is not completed until it is determined that an offer will be extended or an offer has been extended. What I’m referring to is the credit, criminal background check. However most companies will also check previous employment and education. These repots often completed by a third party vendor can uncover not only legal or criminal issues but also verify information found on resumes such as college degrees, previous employment and perhaps even professional licenses.

Some companies may just want to verify basic information while others may be digging deeper. For example if the position includes dealing with company finances the company may want to check to see if the candidate has had any bankruptcy which could point to the candidate having a problem handling their own finances effectively.

If unfavorable information is found on a background check it does not necessarily mean that the candidate will be eliminated. Employers may consider the severity of the issue. They may even give the prospective employee an opportunity to explain the situation. Given the state of the economy the last few years, bankruptcy and other financial issues are not uncommon. The attitude about bankruptcy has changed as well. It is not an immediate knockout these days.

The bottom line however is this…if you know you have an issue talk to the employer prior to the background check being completed. If there is an issue, it will be uncovered. It is always easier to explain something before verse after. Explain the situation in detail. If there is any documentation be prepared to share that as well.

This applies in particular to bankruptcies. There is no shame and again, it will be uncovered. It is something that typically can be explained to an employer’s satisfaction.

Scot Dickerson, CPC 
Capstone Search

Do Personality Tests Really Determine If You're a Good Fit For a Job?

From what I've seen more companies are having applicants take personality tests. The question as always still lingers however, do these tests actually help figure out whether a person is a good fit for a job?

According to a 2011 survey completed by SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), nearly 20% of employers use personality tests to help with hiring.

The tests are designed to measure attitudes, emotional adjustment, interests and interpersonal skills. For example, they might include questions about whether an applicant likes parties and social events or dislikes being told what to do.

Some critics say personality assessments disqualify candidates for the wrong reasons. Others raise the question, is the test being used by the hiring company the right test. For example, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is not meant to be used in selection situations. The technical manual even goes so far as to say this and it is generally used for team-building.

There are multiple factors that can impact a person’s performance and a hiring company needs multiple steps in the hiring process to make an informed decision, keeping in mind there are no sure bets. The selection process is an attempt at identifying the best candidate to the best of the hiring teams’ ability given the information they have at hand at that moment. 

The typical process could include: resume; application; interviews (minimum three, including initial phone interview); employment and credential verification; background check if required; reference check (minimum two); income verification; assessment tool; team meeting.

I’m all for the use of assessment tools if they are used to help identify areas to focus on during the actual interview.  I admit, however, that I’m not a big fan of the all or nothing process used by some companies with the assessments. Testing can be a tool used to ask more informed questions that help you dig deeper. I believe that testing should be a guide and not a fixed label.

There seems to be a trend where these assessments are being used to rule people out without even an interview verse using them as a tool. What are your experiences?

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone

How to Stand Out at This Year's Holiday Party... In a Good Way

Here we are headed towards the end of another year. And December means that it’s that time of year for the company holiday party. My resident staff expert on fashion, which definitely is not moi, shared some advice on what to wear that will help you stand out (in a good way, not in a, “I drank one too many glasses of holiday cheer!” way).  Great piece that is always worth referencing: Eat, Drink and Be Classy: Do's and Don'ts for the Office Holiday Party, by Emily Gladnick:  http://www.thedailymuse.com/lifestyle/eat-drink-and-be-classy/

I would also like to share a fun article (below) from Businessweek that gives some solid advice on dos & don’ts as you head to that company event. Happy holidays!

Avoid Twerking and Other Holiday Office Party Advice, by Karen Cates:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-25/avoid-twerking-and-other-holiday-office-party-advice

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Capstone Search

Sitting at the Computer Is So Much A Part of Our Daily Lives

My goal with my blog posts is to hopefully provide readers useful information as it relates to insurance industry staffing as well as job seeker insight, tips and advice. This post is a different twist to my usual tidbits, but if it helps anyone, anyone at all, it serves its purpose.

For years I've suffered with eye strain & excessive dry eyes. Sitting at a computer for hours every day and then a mobile device when I’m out and about (home) certainly has not helped my situation. And I know I’m like many professionals out there; sitting at the computer is so much a part of our daily lives. We are all finding it increasingly difficult to break away for a well-deserved and needed break. Or maybe just an eye break.

A couple weeks ago I actually had to take some time off one day as I was having a pretty nasty headache caused from eye strain. That following Monday, on the front page of our local paper I read an article about dry eye. There is a new technology in Iowa only available at one provider in Des Moines. I figured enough was enough and scheduled an appointment for an evaluation. They actually had an opening for the actual procedure so I took advantage of already being there, and when they told me I was a candidate for the procedure based on the evaluation, I jumped at it.

So the dry eye treatment is only a piece of the overall problem. There is still the eye strain that accompanies the dry eye issue. Again, realizing this was all an issue I still procrastinated. My excuse: just not enough time to make the adjustments needed to give me a better quality of life. Oh my. Saying that out loud really sounds ridiculous.

Don’t be like me. Improve your quality of life at work immediately. Here is a very informative article by Gary Heiting, OD, and Larry K. Wan, OD entitled: Computer Eye Strain: 10 Steps to Relief

http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/irritated.htm

Scot Dickerson 

President 

Capstone Search Group

What’s the salary range for this position?

Question:  “What’s the salary range for this position? You won't tell me the top amount they're willing to offer?”

Answer:  

I've been doing this for a very long time, here is the reality of the scenario.  Some companies have very specific ranges. Some companies have a rough idea. Some companies simply let the market tell them what they should be paying for a job. Some companies ask me to help them arrive at a fair range. Some companies will flex to a degree on what they are targeting for the hire. So as you can see there are numerous scenarios. No two situations are exactly the same.

It always depends on a person’s experience and how directly applicable it is to a company’s needs. Is the person more junior in experience? Is the person more senior in experience? How does the person’s experience compare to other people already on staff?  And how is internal equity kept in line?

So there is never a real easy answer as there are so many variables. In the many years of doing this, my opinion of the best approach is to be certain that a company’s ideal number for the hire and a candidate’s ideal number on what they’d expect are in line. Do they have to be spot on? No. Sometimes there is flexibility on the company’s end, sometimes there is flexibility on the candidate’s end. Sometimes if the company feels the candidate is the person they want and the candidate feels that this is the opportunity for them there are creative ways of bridging possible gaps as well.

Last but not least, it is human tendency to always gravitate towards the top of a stated salary range. It never fails. The moment a range is thrown out in conversation the candidate will gravitate towards the top number. Right or wrong, consciously or unconsciously, I've seen it happen time and time again where a recruiter will tell a candidate a range, $65,000 to $80,000 for example, and when the offer comes and it is at $70,000 the candidate protests, “Hey Mr. Recruiter, you told me the job paid $80,000!”

The best way to avoid this, just be certain the candidate’s expectations and the company’s expectations fall within the “okay place.”

The bottom line:  If I do my job correctly and all parties are forthcoming with information, then the hiring manager has an idea where they want to hire in, and the candidate has an expectation of where they need to be.  Based on what I know from the candidate and from the hiring manager, if the situation were to move in a positive direction the candidate’s expectation will be met.

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President

Should a Recruiter “Sell” an Opportunity to a Candidate

Should a recruiter “sell” an opportunity to a candidate? The other day a candidate criticized me for not “selling” an opportunity to them. I've never favored “selling” a candidate. I've always believed that a recruiter’s job is to provide accurate information and be a resource for discussion. But a recruiter should not “sell” a candidate on a job. In this situation I had contacted the individual whom I've known for a number of years. This person had told me at various times over the years that they wanted to stay in a certain region of the country. When I called with the opportunity they again said that while it sounded like an excellent opportunity and something they would otherwise be interested in, they wanted to stay in the region where they were at and their family would not be interested in moving to that area. I followed up a few weeks later only to find out that they had interviewed for the position. I contacted the candidate and they told me that I had not done a good job selling them.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “sell” as: 

to persuade or influence to a course of action or to the acceptance of something

As a recruiter am I to persuade or influence the candidate into interviewing? Okay perhaps it is a fine line, but I still like to think of my job as providing information about an opportunity. Provide information as to why the opportunity could be something that would be a logical career move based on their interests and expectations. If I have to convince someone to explore an opportunity that to me is selling them. And if you have to sell someone on a job, my belief is that the odds are it won’t work out. More importantly perhaps, if you have to sell the candidate and their family on moving to an area of the country they have never been interested in previously, my experience is that in the long run it typically does not work out.

Now a discussion about the benefits of exploring an opportunity based on fact seems perfectly fine. But, if I have to influence someone, that in my opinion is selling them on the job or a location.

What are your thoughts?

Scot Dickerson, CPC
Capstone Search

Bringing Your Parents to Your Job Interview?

There is a lot of buzz around the new iPhone. Everyone I know that is talking about it is excited to see what the latest and greatest features & functions will be. Not to mention the colors. I on the other hand never even knew it was coming out until I visited with a wireless provider over the weekend seeking a better way to monitor our kids’ text & voice activity. Yes I’m involved in my kids’ lives. Technology has created more opportunity for kids to get into trouble and no doubt be bullied. It is a huge problem everywhere. So I learned about the new capabilities of the new iPhone operating system that allow me to create an allowed list of phone contacts and allows me to block web sites.

So I’m concerned about my teenagers, but when I saw this article on WSJ Online I had to do a double take.

Should You Bring Mom and Dad to Your Job Interview?

I recall years ago I had a candidate that brought their mom along to an interview. The candidate didn't bring her with the intent of her being part of the process, but instead to just accompany her on the drive as it was a couple hours. That decision cost her the job however, as the company did not view that favorably upon her.

Oh how times seem to have changed. Check this out….

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323864604579066964214209866.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_careerjournal

Employers Are Embracing the Involvement of Millennial Parents to Attract and Hold On to Talent
By: Anita Hofschneider

Scot Dickerson, CPC
President Capstone