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The Benefits of Technology for the Small Business Sector

Posted: 15 Nov 2019 09:00 AM PST

Technology has found its way into many layers of society, and many areas of business have been affected deeply by the developments in this field. It's very likely that we'll continue to see these developments as well, as many people stand to gain a lot from integrating modern technological advancements into their operations on a deeper level. Small businesses are no exception, especially those that are just starting out. It's important to understand the implications of these developments for your own company, because utilizing them to their full potential is going to be crucial for expanding.

Better brand exposure

Using modern technological solutions can allow a business to gain significantly better exposure than possible in the past. This is particularly true for small businesses, which can experience significant difficulties in gaining territory in the beginning. Using certain solutions can be a very cost-effective approach to maximizing the exposure of your business, instead of relying on the classic, traditional marketing methods. Of course, everything has its place, and you should not underestimate the benefits of older techniques either. But things like digital ads should definitely not be underestimated because their potential to impact your operations is greater than ever before.

Natural communication with customers

Social media has changed everything with regards to the way people communicate with the companies whose products they purchase. We're likely only seeing the tip of the iceberg in this regard. It's easier than ever to get in touch with a company and raise your voice about certain issues with their services, and it's a good idea for every business owner to familiarize themselves with the benefits that lie there. It doesn't take a lot of effort to integrate social media services into your company's standard operations, and it's definitely something you should consider doing at the earliest convenience.

Streamlined accounting

Accounting is not at all what it used to be, and it's mostly thanks to modern technology too. Accountants have far less tedious work on their hands right now, freeing them up to look for more important details in your current situation. Accountants have tools like word processing tools and specialized accounting software that reduce the margin of error. This can allow the average accountant to be much more effective to their customers, improving the bottom line for everyone involved. And as you're probably guessing, small businesses are particularly well-suited to take advantage of this, because they can benefit from a number of tax breaks that most people would normally not know about without the help of an accountant. And if that accountant is too preoccupied dealing with the tedious aspects of the company's finances, they might not be able to spot those opportunities for improvement.

Advanced project management

Project management is something else that can be done much more easily with the help of project management software, and we're only just starting to realize the true benefits. There is a lot to be said about using modern organizational tools to get an overview of your current situation, as well as controlling your employees with a more personal touch. Not only that, but you'll also always have a good overview of how well everyone is doing and how much they're contributing to the overall state of the organization. This is important for companies where constant optimization is crucial. 

Lower costs across the board

On the note of optimization, you can probably gain a lot from using modern technology to optimize the costs of your operations. It's not just about spreadsheets, either. Solutions like machine learning can analyze your entire financial history, looking for patterns that you would never see yourself, no matter how experienced you might be with finances. This can allow you to hit hard in the places where it truly matters, while reducing your costs in other areas where you don't need to spend that much money.

Improved security

Security continues to be a pressing issue for many companies, and it's not just a problem for the biggest players on the market. Small businesses need to be just as careful about the state of their security. It can be argued that they need to be paying even more attention. A large company can at least afford the resources to get back on its feet after a major security breach. For a smaller business on the other hand, this can spell disaster, and could mean the end of the company altogether. There is no shortage of examples involving small companies that have suffered major data breaches leaving them exposed in multiple ways. And more often than not, this is all it takes to see a company go under if it doesn't have access to significant backup resources.

More diverse payment options

The more options your customers have to pay for your products or services, the more likely they will be to purchase them in the first place. And with the help of modern tech, we are seeing a boom in this sector that has benefited both consumers and businesses alike. Online payment methods like PayPal were just the beginning. Today, many businesses have started to integrate Bitcoin and other digital currencies into their operations. One can shop with their credit or debit card without any physical contact at their local supermarket. And we can even send money through simple chat apps without any effort! It's getting easier and easier for money to exchange hands, and this is something that will leave a lasting mark on many industries. Small businesses are set to benefit from it particularly well, because they need all the extra income opportunities they can get.

Improved post-launch support

The launch of a product is not the end of a company's work on it. In fact, with some kinds of products, it's just the beginning. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is a good example of this. And the better a company does its post-launch support, the more benefits it can see in the long run with regards to customer satisfaction and market exposure. Providing adequate support is not that easy though, and requires a lot of careful planning and advanced analysis. That's where modern tech comes in. We have various solutions that can make it easier to provide the kind of support that people expect to get after they've paid for a product, and it's important for every company to pay attention to this.

More detailed market analysis

And for something more general, it's important to pay attention to what we can do in terms of market analysis too. It used to be very difficult to make sense of what's going on in your relevant field and figure out your next move. Now, not so much. It's actually quite easy to get a good idea of the current situation, using advanced tools that can dig under the surface in detail and present certain patterns to you. You just have to take the time to study the results of this analysis and to integrate these results into your current work. The rest comes down to persistence and experience in your own relevant field.

Remote operation

Many small businesses can now benefit from the opportunity to operate with practically no physical presence on the market as well. This is not just true for freelancers and other sole entrepreneurs, but it can also be valid for companies with multiple employees too. Solutions like Microsoft Teams, Slack and even Discord can facilitate communication within organizations and reduce it to something very basic and straightforward. There are also various advanced tools for organizing the workload in such environments as well, and they can significantly reduce the work required for figuring out who's going to do what – and who was responsible for what, as well.

It always feels like all of these things are barely scratching the surface of what we can actually do with the help of modern tech. There are many possibilities in the current technological solutions on the market, and it's important to pay attention to them not just in their current state, but as they evolve in the long run as well. Otherwise, you're going to get swept up by the competition sooner or later, and you won't even know what hit you. You'll be far from the only company to get affected by this, either.

8 Ways to Build a Spectacular Online Presence

Posted: 15 Nov 2019 08:00 AM PST

Having top quality goods and services backed by a team of skilled and devoted specialists is a great foundation for a successful business. But unless your target audience is aware of your brand's existence, all the money and time you spent perfecting your product and training your team will be in vain. Without a well-thought-out marketing strategy, your brand will go unnoticed and you will struggle to gain the success and recognition you desire. 

No matter the size of your business or the industry of your brand, it is vital to become and remain visible to your prospects, engage them in an ongoing dialogue, share valuable information and news about your company, ask and answer questions, collect and analyze feedback, and adjust your marketing approach as needed.  

In order to have the type of customer relationship you are looking for, it is critical to have a solid online presence. An online presence is your brand's visibility on the web. It is the culmination of your exposure on whatever channels you use to promote your company online, including your website, social media, niche directories, email, contributor platforms, forums, Q/A resources and other channels. 

Having a strong online presence means that when prospects search for the products or services you offer, not only your website but also your promotional channels will float to the top of the search. A strong web presence increases your chances of being noticed by customers and chosen over your competitors. 

In addition to providing accessibility, a strong online presence promotes trust. Customers tend to prefer brands that appear open and responsive. They want to feel cared for, and confident that their needs will be respected and met.

A strong online presence demonstrates that your brand has gone to great efforts to build its reputation, brick-by-brick. A more prominent brand is unlikely to risk its good reputation by deceiving customers or ignoring their complaints. They are more likely to value customer feedback and provide outstanding customer service. 

Of course, building a strong online image across multiple popular channels takes time and effort. You have to analyze each channel to understand its characteristics and purpose, and also study and leverage the best practices used by your competitors. Once you do the footwork, you can add your own original and innovative ideas and create something unique to your brand. 

Despite challenges, the energy, time and money you devote to establishing your online presence will eventually pay off with increased customer loyalty, respect from your competitors and recognition of your brand as a niche leader. 

Once your presence and brand image are established, you need to make ongoing efforts to maintain it on multiple platforms. Continually thinking about your online image and working to improve it should become a routine part of your business lifestyle. Building your brand in a systematic way will dramatically improve your engagement, traffic and conversion indicators. 

Follow these eight tips to begin building a greater online presence, and watch your brand grow and flourish. 

1. Provide a great user experience

When designing your website, look at it from the standpoint of a user. 

  • Make sure the site structure is straightforward and logically links all your categories, subcategories, and pages.
  • Create an appealing design with a stylish color scheme, readable fonts and engaging visuals. 
  • Make sure all the forms and buttons on your site work as intended. 
  • Monitor page loading time and shut down unnecessary plug-ins to speed things up. 

2. Think mobile-first

More and more prospects are becoming active mobile users, so it is important to deliver information about your products and services in a convenient mobile format. Pages that are not optimized for smartphones and tablets have long loading times and are difficult to view, alienating mobile users. 

To hang onto your loyal customers and reach new prospects, always think mobile-first, especially since mobile-friendly content also enhances your search rankings. 

Use helpful analytical tools like Mobile-Friendly Test to detect and fix usability issues on your website's mobile version. 

3. Make your website 100% secure

If your website enables customers to pay online and requires them to provide personal data, it is important to establish trust by collaborating with a reputable security service and using reliable encryption algorithms to protect sensitive data. Be sure to prominently display security labels and certificates on your homepage. 

4. Share valuable information on your blog

Use your blog to provide information about the high-quality products or services your brand offers, highlight their benefits, answer commonly asked questions, foresee challenges customers may face and provide simple solutions. Use brilliant customer-oriented content to show your prospects that you are always there to offer support and address their concerns. 

Your blog provides a perfect forum for building strong and lasting relationships with your customers. Use it to create a community of like-minded followers and educate them about your brand. Share your knowledge as an expert on your products, and avoid coming off as a merchant only interested in making money. 

Embed links to your landing pages in your blog articles, to unobtrusively lead potential customers to the buy button. Also, insert strong keywords in your text to push your website higher in search rankings. 

It is important to publish content consistently. Two or three pieces per week is an ideal frequency. Juggle different content types to keep your brand fresh and interesting to readers. Alternate how-to guides, interviews, product use tips, case studies, infographics and other content. 

5. Demonstrate your expertise through guest posting 

Once you become comfortable with blogging, extend your reach to other websites. Conquer the web by posting articles on reputable contributor platforms. This will build your reputation in your niche, and also provide a good backlink profile. 

Choose publications to write for that have a large pool of readers who may potentially migrate to your site. Do not waste time sharing content on a platform weaker than your own site.

Carefully study contributor guidelines prior to pitching an article. They vary from publication to publication, so fine-tune your article to each to avoid being rejected. Analyze the content of other contributors to get an idea of the style and length preferred by editors. 

6. Leverage the most effective social media channels

There are countless social media channels available to help keep you in touch with your target audience, but only a handful have a broad enough outreach to make them worth your time and money. Select the top three platforms that will yield the highest returns and focus your marketing campaign on them.

Which platforms you choose depends on the specifics of your business. Certain brands are unlikely to find an audience on Instagram or YouTube. If you are unsure where you fit in, begin your social media campaign on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. This trio is suitable for almost any company. 

As with blogging, regularly feed your social media audience with engaging content to maintain their interest and attention. Post daily short messages, take polls, organize contests and ask your followers questions. If creating new content every day is challenging, you can repost content from other profiles and niche groups who share your philosophy. The main thing is that your brand's name regularly pops up in the newsfeed of your target audience. 

7. Use email to reach prospects 

In comparison with social media, email may seem somewhat obsolete, but it is still an effective channel of communication. So, don't completely write it off. Most web users have an email account that they check regularly.

Some brands steer clear of email marketing for fear that their promotional letters will end up in the spam folder. But that is less likely to happen if you customize your messages to include only relevant and useful information aimed at addressing customers' problems and satisfying their needs. 

To get the most from email marketing, categorize your subscribers by repeat customers, recent subscribers and former customers you lost touch with. Customize your messages to each group, selecting words that resonate with each to drive active buyer behavior. Pay attention to the timing and frequency of your emails to avoid being too intrusive and to make sure your prospects see and read your messages.

8. Register in business directories

Online directories are designed to simplify consumers' search for reliable companies in certain niches and locations. For example, to find a reliable cleaning company in New York, consult listings in a business directory under the categories "Cleaning" and "NYC." 

People tend to trust directories since they are usually verified and reduce the risk of hiring a subpar service provider. Creating a profile on popular platforms like Bing Places, Google My Business, Yelp and Yellow Pages can boost your website rankings, especially in local search. 

Systematically practice these eight key approaches for building an impressive online presence to gain a large base of loyal customers, boost revenue and elevate your website's search rankings. 

How Local Startups Can Stay Close to Home With the Help of Corporate Partners

Posted: 15 Nov 2019 07:00 AM PST

There's an assumption in the startup world that founders have to move to San Francisco, New York City, or another major hub in order to be successful. So you might be surprised to hear exactly how much of an impact a startup in the middle of Ireland can have – especially with the support of a corporate partner – and why staying put is so vital.

The benefits of staying close to home

Pest Pulse is headquartered in Dublin and is an alumnus of Start Co., an accelerator based in Memphis, Tennessee. Start Co. had already formed a strong relationship with ServiceMaster, the Fortune 1000 parent company of businesses like Terminix, by the time Pest Pulse was in the program. This existing relationship enabled Start Co. to introduce the well-established corporate, ServiceMaster, to the rising startup, Pest Pulse. ServiceMaster loved what Pest Pulse was up to so much that they decided to work together on a pilot. In doing so, the relationship proved to be successful in that it allowed Pest Pulse to build its product and increase its revenue without having to move out of Dublin.

Staying at home doesn't just benefit the startup, though. Whether they're in small Midwestern cities or on the coast of Ireland, startups can be especially important for their local economy because they give employees the means to save money and earn a living, equipping them to build wealth for not only their families, but also their communities.

For example, in Kansas City, Missouri, startups were responsible for creating 14,575 jobs locally in 2017. Further, a Kauffman Report from two years earlier found that the only net new jobs created in recent years came from companies no more than five years old, showing that startups are job creators.

However, help from larger companies can increase a startup's revenue, validate its business model and provide much-needed cash. This form of financial giving, in turn, creates companies that positively contribute jobs and resources to their local communities.

A few years back, I spoke with John Coors, grandson of Coors brewery magnate Adolph Coors, in depth about the different ways financial giving takes shape. One was wealth distribution, a more standard charity model, like making a donation to the American Red Cross after a natural disaster. Money comes into a city from other regions and supports those in need.

While wealth distribution is, of course, wonderful for many reasons, it doesn't generate any additional money or more jobs  for individuals or communities. Wealth creation, on the other hand, can and does. It's generative.

For example, when an investor infuses capital into a local startup, the startup then uses that money for hiring from the community. Products or services from that company are then sold, allowing the company to earn more money, provide more income and wealth to its employees and offer more benefits for the community. Then the process is repeated again and again.

Investment capital and corporate partnerships can be equally catalytic, propelling startups much further and faster than they often make it on their own. But corporate partnerships can gain startups instant traction and add community benefit in a way investment capital can't: with revenue.

Large corporations can provide revenue to startups that make it possible for them to pay team member salaries and create more jobs. This gives people the means to support their families and invest in what matters to them while also giving the local community the potential to thrive. It ensures startups in places like Dublin, Reykjavík or Milwaukee can stay exactly where they are instead of having to move to London or Tokyo to find success.

As a result, these partnerships benefit startups, corporations and the global economy in transformative ways.

How startups can partner with corporations to fuel the global economy

If you want to begin working with a corporate partner as a way of not only building your business, but also creating opportunities across the world, follow these four steps:

1. Connect the right teams

Making connections is one of the most important parts of forming a partnership with a corporation. When corporations operate in a silo, only focusing on their internal operations, they can miss the potential to innovate and grow with organizations like yours.

How can you best make that connection? Start by doing your due diligence. You, as the founder, know your product or technology better than anyone, so you want to be sure that you can actually help solve innovation problems for the corporation you're considering reaching out to. If you know it's a good fit, the next step is finding the decision maker to reach out to, which can be the hardest part of the process. Do a quick Google search first. If you don't find a contact through that route, check the corporation's website for pages on innovation, and use LinkedIn to look for job titles related to "innovation," "strategy" and "startup."

When you do connect with corporations, you help them strengthen their businesses. The best have innovation teams that are ready to bring together an internal business unit with a startup that can best meet its needs. So ensuring that you, as a partner, are ready to show where your product, service or expertise can fill holes and help the corporation grow is key to getting started on the right foot.

2. Communicate clearly

Being honest tends to be the right approach to everything in life. Honesty is the best policy, after all. That saying holds true when corporate partners and startups come together, too. You have to first and foremost be transparent about what you do well and what you don't do well in order to successfully work with a corporation to meet your goals.

Also, always keep your audience in mind: large corporations that mostly know their own business. Ensure that you're communicating how your technology is beneficial to the organization and how it can save time and expenses. Really dive into how what you offer is unique and can help smooth out internal processes.

Most importantly, stay open with your corporate partner as you grow and change. If you see something that could pose a challenge to you, the corporation or the relationship, don't keep that to yourself. Communicate clearly so the work you do together has a real chance of being great.

3. Identify your goals

Any time you're heading in a new direction, it helps to have an idea of how to get there. To make a relationship work between you and a corporate partner, sit down and think through your goals for the work you'll do together. Having a long-term plan comprised of clear goals is a major part of establishing a good, fruitful relationship.

That plan will come from in-depth discussions with your corporate partners. Make sure you're all aligned on what your goals are in working together, and don't close the conversation until you feel completely comfortable that you can deliver on your promise. Even more than that, determine what the consequences will be if you don't hit the marks you set together.

Remember, too, that having goals helps you build a foundation of trust with one another. If you have taken the time to outline where your partnership should be heading, you'll have set yourself up to believe in the other and know that you're on the same page.

4. Measure and check in

Finally, keep in mind that you can only know whether you're fulfilling your goals if you can measure results and progress. You can't determine whether a goal is complete if you don't know how to measure success.Set aside time with your corporate partner to review goals regularly and track your progress. Checking in quarterly or even biweekly should be part of your routine and will allow you to see whether there are any problems or adjustments that need to be made.

People appreciate startups not only for their exciting products, but also for the innovation they bring to the table. But imagine the possibilities if people thought of these young companies not just for their creativity, but also for the value and life they bring to their communities — especially when corporations support them. Keeping startups local could very well be the thing that revives the global economy one community at a time, and corporate partnerships are the key to making that possible.

How to Improve Your Hiring Process

Posted: 15 Nov 2019 07:00 AM PST

Recruiting is time-consuming and expensive, so it's no surprise that staffing managers and talent management professionals are on the lookout for tips and tricks to ease the process while maintaining effectiveness.

In fact, the average cost per hire in the United States is just over $4,000. If you combine the cost with the average interview process duration of 23 days, you're looking at a serious financial and time investment.

Recruiting well is no easy task. Yet, 32% of the workforce hoped to change jobs in 2019. It's clear that there are many, many job seekers on the market, and it's just a matter of attracting the right ones and keeping them on board throughout your recruiting process.

Luckily, there are several effective hacks that help cut down on both cost and process duration, while increasing your chances of discovering qualified candidates. Here are nine recruiting hacks you can implement today to create a smoother, more efficient process.

1.Craft an effective job ad

It should be obvious, but with all the job posts out there riddled with typos and irrelevant requirements, it bears stating – writing an attractive and well-edited job ad that matches the position is the ultimate recruiting hack.

There are candidates who will apply to every job in sight, but they're not who talent management professionals like you are looking to attract. If you want top tier options for potential employees, make sure your ad is impeccable.

First things first, does the position title accurately reflect the role's requirements? Most candidates search by job title, so make sure yours is aligned to attract those with the skill set you need.

Don't simply cut and paste new ads from previous job postings. Though you should certainly reuse templates to cut down on time, update each position listing and craft it to attract your ideal audience of qualified candidates. Keep formatting clear and simple so the description is easy to scan. If a quick glance piques a candidate's interest, they'll pause and read through your ad thoroughly. If not, they're likely to move on.

Inform your audience of what's special about this position at this company – it should be like that of no other company. Don't include unnecessary requirements which may turn off otherwise great candidates. Share the salary range and benefits whenever possible. Unfortunately for talent management professionals like HR managers and staffing agencies, many job seekers will pass over jobs that don't list this information. Why hold back sharing the information they're seeking?

2.Showcase your mission

Make sure your mission and values are front and center to your online presence. Millennials, for instance, gravitate toward companies that know what they stand for and strive toward their ideals.

Ensure your mission and values are clearly expressed throughout your social media channels and website. Are there pages dedicated to them? You might also consider briefly expressing the company's mission in your job advertisements. By doing so, you're likely to attract job seekers that are better in line with your culture and share the company's passions.

3.Update your HR software

Before you take any serious steps in the hiring process, make sure your HR software is up-to-date, efficient, and suited to your needs. There are many wonderful tools that help automate recruiting processes like job ad placement and candidate communication.

In fact, most job seekers claim their biggest frustration when applying to jobs is radio silence. Have you ever applied to a job, excited at the thought of a great opportunity, only to never get a response? We can all agree it's deflating, to say the least.

HR software automatically keeps candidates up to date, thereby eliminating the problem entirely. In addition to this benefit, automated software is an enormous time saver for talent management that cuts down on recruitment costs and helps keep the hiring process organized.

By using talent management software like that of VeriKlick, companies may set certain hiring and recruiting tasks to perform automatically, giving the staffing manager more time to focus on other responsibilities, all while simplifying the hiring and recruiting processes.

Software for hiring and recruiting is ideal for improving your ROI. In fact, you can drastically reduce your onboarding time investment by up to 50%, thus reducing costs for your company by:

  • Filtering out unqualified resumes
  • Finding candidates
  • Scheduling interviews
  • Sorting through profiles
  • Verifying credentials

4.Mobilize your social media team

Social media amplifies your audience for free. It's a wonderful recruiting hack to add to your arsenal, in large part because it's effective when leveraged appropriately. If your company has a strong brand identity and a healthy social presence, you may find promoting and/or advertising roles on your chosen platforms will bring in quality applicants.

One of the benefits of using social media in this way is that followers may share your job posting with friends who they believe match the requirements. You may also reach qualified individuals who are not necessarily actively searching but are already following you and have an interest in what you have to say and share.

5.Create a user-friendly application process

As with job ads, it's important to keep the ideal candidate in mind when designing your application process. Though it certainly is a good idea to use software to screen candidates, don't create a cumbersome process in which job seekers are required to fill out page after page of fields and forms. You only have the candidate's attention for so long, so the quicker the process the better for all parties.

Candidates consider your hiring process a reflection of your organization. If your application requirements are too complex or irrelevant information is being requested, that potentially perfect candidate may develop the perspective that your company is mired in red tape and is behind the times.

Create simple-to-use forms, allow for resume and cover letter attachments, and use your HR software to send automated emails to all applicants.

6. When possible, offer remote positions

Even in 2019, too few companies adopt a modern recruiting hack - opening positions up to remote workers. Telecommuting and working remotely is not all about staying home lazing about in your pajamas. In fact, many remote workers are even more efficient than those in an office.

It's time to start considering hiring remote workers for positions that don't require in-office tasks. Not only does remote work open up the candidate pool, but it's more cost-effective for employers and the candidates they hire. Remote work options are likely to attract many top-tier candidates from across the United States you otherwise might not have access to. Whenever possible, weigh the option for your advertised role, even if telecommuting is only permitted a couple of times per week. Long commutes, family responsibilities and other facts of life can make in-office commitments a challenge.

7. Make use of evaluations and tests

The best talent management professionals are making use of tests as a recruiting hack in the hiring process. The reason is simple: when done well, evaluations help you sort out who is worth calling and who isn't. Tests can be used to assess certain abilities, personality traits, or skills.

Be aware, however, that many candidates are not willing to invest too much time in these forms of testing, so keep them short and simple. If you decide to use these, let job seekers know from the get-go that this task should be expected to be performed. Provide details on how many questions are involved and how much time the evaluation will take. If the evaluation exceeds one hour, candidates may feel you're asking too much.

8. Carefully plan and strategize interviews

After you've received applications, create a shortlist of candidates to assess for the first round of interviews. Reach out to them and schedule each person with consideration for their schedule and yours.

Before you begin the first round, have a plan in place for the types of questions you'll ask and how they meet the end goal of hiring the right person. Be prepared as candidates know when an interviewer is winging it without an agenda, and this can come off as unprofessional. Job seekers may see such behavior as a red flag and will immediately withdraw their candidacy.

Once you have your questions and plan ready to go, begin meeting with candidates or screening them over the phone. Make sure that, should they be visiting your office, everything is tidy, and that the reception staff is prepared for their arrival. Never forget that candidates are also assessing you.

Ensure your questions are insightful but friendly. Aggressive questioning has no place in most interview situations. Include a bit of small talk at the start of each interaction to calm the job seeker's nerves and show them your professionalism. By doing so, you not only create a more comfortable environment, but you're more likely to coax out the candidate's true personality and honest responses.

Don't drag the interview process out longer than it needs to be. In most scenarios, two to three full interview sessions (with one or multiple employees) will suffice. If you require more time than this, your organization may come across as disorganized, inefficient, and even disrespectful of the candidate's time.

9.Document everything 

As a staffing manager, you're in a role that consists of many moving parts, and unfortunately, this makes it easy to forget things. It should go without saying that taking notes and documenting every step as you move through the recruiting process is critical to learn from experiences and have a better idea of what topics to revisions, questions to follow up on, or what to do differently next time.

For instance, if you had a difficult time filling a position and then finally found a good candidate, make note of why the process took so long. What worked? What didn't work? What were the hurdles? What engaged the candidate? Reference your notes, share documents and files with the department to help improve best practices, and the next time the position, or a similar one, becomes available you'll be better prepared to find the right candidate faster.

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