What's in a Name?

TalentRooster… We may have picked an unconventional name for our company, but it fits our unconventional technology and how we are trying to transform the hiring process.  Our name may be tricky to remember but our message is quite clear: A better return on talent.

The truth behind the name is that our technology allows candidates to “crow” louder than the rest. When a piece of paper determines a future, who wouldn’t want to be able to stand out among everyone else? There are only so many different ways to describe being a hard worker so our technology allows a candidate’s personality to be seen, something which can’t be transcribed onto paper.

As hiring managers, receiving resumes via job postings leads to a large stack of papers with scribbled notes like “good work history” or “seems personable on the phone” but after a week or two has passed, you’re left unable to distinguish your candidates from one another. Letting your talent “crow” leaves you with an online database of videos to help you put a face to the name and insures that you interview the candidates that would be the best fit for your company. Not everyone can have a name as unique as TalentRooster that stands out in your mind but each candidate is indeed unique. 

Savvy Companies Using Video to Hire College Interns

 With college classes coming to an end and summer around the corner, it's time to start thinking about those summer interns.   With so many students out there wanting experience and knocking at your door to get it, what is your strategy to “thin the herd”?  With unemployment still hovering at elevated levels, internships will be even more competitive and companies will struggle to identify those best qualified.  Here's a powerful idea that can make this laborious process much easier; Video.

College students of today were born in the early 90’s, which means they’ve been exposed to technology since the day they could talk; a smart phone is an assumed accessory and a "landline" has to be explained in detail.  This generation has complete comfort with social media and video – there is no hesitancy for change.  So, why not expedite your hiring process and show potential interns your company is on board with new technology?  Everybody wants to work for companies that “get it”!

Are you specific in what you're looking for?  Are their certain majors that will work better for your business?  Not a problem.  When an intern is applying for your opening, use video and have them answer specific questions that you know are imperative to their success in your company.  Let the computer be your gate keeper and all you have to do is click, watch the video, decide and move on...really, it's that convenient.  Plus, you can view the videos any time and share them with others involved in the decision making process.

With video, you will easily identify a potential intern's communication skills, personality and experience so you can give the official "offer", faster!  

Contact TalentRooster.com to learn how your firm can implement this powerful technology

Top Five Reasons Recruiters Resist Video Interview Technology

Video interview technology seems like such a sure bet, offering a far more efficient way to source candidates and reduce recruiting costs.  This blogger is betting big that every company will use video within the next three to five years; it’s as logical as replacing your horse with a car.  Still many recruiting & HR professionals have been slow to adopt video.  Following are the primary reasons why:

1.    Education – Most people don’t know a whole lot about video technology.  Although it’s growing quickly, few have seen a demo or understand how helpful it can be.  Perhaps the beta max “video resume” forever tainted their opinion.

2.    Resistance – The belief that job seekers aren’t willing to create a video. Talk about the inmates running the asylum.  Recruiting & HR professionals spend an inordinate amount of resources sorting resumes; the idea that a “candidate won’t” shouldn’t even be on the table.  This same pattern existed when many companies began only accepting electronic resumes.  The fact is that HR Recruiting needs to make video a requirement for consideration – problem solved!

3.    Discrimination – Believe it or not, this model is not the most common objection!  Most HR & Recruiting professionals realize that social media and technology have completely changed the way company’s source talent.  The bottom line is this – if your practices are not discriminatory today, do not use video or any technology and change that philosophy.  Then again, there are those that still require their children to wait 30 minutes after eating, before going back in the pool.

4.    More Work – Already there are not enough hours in the day!  Adding video will simply take additional time that you don’t have.  In actuality, video will end up giving you more time back as you won’t be spending time with candidates that aren’t a fit. The ability to “see and hear” a job seeker answer questions of your choosing before committing to an interview, is a game changer.  Plus you can review and share the videos with other hiring managers 24/7.

5.   Job Seekers Don’t Have Access – Are you kidding me?  Even Grandma Skypes! The fact is any motivated candidate will find a way to create a video interview.  Technology today is so cheap and user friendly that anyone can do it.  It just takes a tiny bit of initiative from an applicant. 

Video interview technology is the most potent tool in talent acquisition since the advent of the job board.  TalentRooster.com has a customized solution to meet your recruiting needs.  

Click here to learn more. 

Video Interview or Video Resume?

It's been a really good week for video resume technology! First this story appeared on Good Morning America, followed by this story that appeared on a local affiliate in Jackson, Mississippi. More and more people are waking up to the reality that video resumes are the future of the hiring process - now they need to figure out how to incorporate a strategy.

There has also been a lot of talk about video interviewing (e.g. Skype) as many companies are considering this technology as well. The problem with video interviewing is that the technology just isn't right yet. Remember all the dropped calls you had (or still have with AT&T....) when cell phones were new? Same principle - they will get it right but it will take time.
In fact, just last week The Today Show was taking calls from viewers via Skype. I'm sure every precaution was taken to ensure there were no technical issues.... Guess what? Half way through a call, the audio dropped and then the call was lost altogether. It's awesome technology but won't be right for a couple of years.

With video resume technology you don't have to worry about these issues. This technology is ten years old and has essentially been perfected by companies such as TalentRooster (TalentRooster.com). Videos are professional, consistent and anyone with an internet connection can view them. The two most important words in business today are social media. Increase your social media footprint by creating a professional digital video profile. Post it on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter - you won't believe who will find you!

Talent Acquisition Adopting Video Resume Technology

Thanks in part to advancements in technology, more and more recruiters and talent acquisition teams are moving to a platform that incorporates video resume technology. The technology has become so user friendly that virtually anyone with a computer and camera can complete the process (Even Grandma Skypes...).

Progressive companies are taking full advantage of this time saving option, requiring video as part of their applications process. Here's how it works - a candidate goes online to apply for an opening. As part of the process, the candidate is asked to complete a video resume profile by clicking on a link. The candidate completes the process, including answering three specific questions that the company selects. Upon completion, the application is sent directly back to the recruiter / talent acquisition specialist for their review and consideration. Companies are now able to "see and hear" all job candidates before committing to an interview.

Within the next 12-24 months virtually all companies will utilize this technology. Whether a candidate is applying for a retail job at a mall or a Fortune 500 company, video resumes will be part of the process - it just makes sense. Think of it this way - in the next five or ten years, students graduating college will not understand how we ever utilized a piece of paper as a means to represent ourselves! By then video resume technology and links to social media will be so pervasive, a Word document will seem as if it's from Jurassic Park.

Don't let the new hire within your company make you look antiquated. Go to TalentRooster.com and learn how you can bring your company the latest innovation for recruiting talent. It's coming fast - lead the way!

A Blogging Guru Comments on TalentRooster

Ok, ok - so I toot my own horn too much - isn't that what an excited entrepreneur is supposed to do? As video resume technology continues to pick up momentum, TalentRooster is continually mentioned as the best site on the net - and it's NOT me saying it (although I'm inclined to agree)! Check out THIS PIECE, written by one of the top bloggers, who writes on video resume / video CV technology. The video resume space is quickly getting crowded by technologists that don't have any experience with recruiting, search or staffing - and it shows! Its like asking a ten year old to drive a car - they'd have a general idea, but likely end up in a ditch or worse......

Darrin ("The Interview Guru") took the time to call and discuss the TalentRooster model, our goals, vision for the future and more. Frankly I was impressed as I thought most bloggers write based on assumptions - not Darrin - he really drilled down and asked the hard questions. Now if we could only get others to ask these same questions of our "competitors"..... Virtually all of TalentRooster's competitors take the same approach to this technology - film yourself, upload it, brand it, add graphics, etc - it's not professional, it's not standardized and will not help a candidate land a job. In fact, those methodologies are everythng that's bad about video resumes. This technology is coming fast - do your homework before committing to a bad model - there are plenty to choose from.....

Personal Branding

Ever had a conversation that sounds entirely different, yet to a third party you are both saying the same thing? As I comb the blogsphere, I keep finding articles regarding the importance of personal branding - making you look your best for potential employers. While I couldn't agree more, I wish writers would stress the importance of selecting the right path. As the personal branding market continues to evolve, thousands of unqualified providers are asking job seekers to "hop on the bandwagon"! Let me ask a rhetorical question - guess where hiring managers go to learn more about potential candidates? Social networking sites! It is critical that you represent yourself in the best light possible and not follow the advice of a crafty writer. As a recruiter / staffing professional with 15 years experience, I can't tell you how many qualified candidates are eliminated due to what employers find on their social networking sites. The worst part is that the candidate will never know why they were eliminated.
Digital video resumes are a key component to your personal branding and there is no reason why you need to invest significant dollars to do it right. TalentRooster figured this out and offers professional video resumes, that will significantly enhance your personal branding - check us out! TalentRooster.com

With so many candidates applying for so few openings it has become increasingly difficult to stand out from the pack. There is a fine line between demonstrating creativity and being cheesy, however few candidates know how to tell the difference. Sending an email with a Word document attached will no longer capture an employers attention - they want to find candidates on board with technology. Lots of unqualified people out there trying to advise job seekers - do your homework before buying in.

Hiring Managers Rely on Social Networking Sites

There is so much talk about social networking sites when it comes to your job search - should or shouldn't I... This piece provides a great perspective from a hiring manager, who unequivically believes in the power of social sites to source candidates and build teams. If you are not taking full advantage, you are missing out!

Social Networking Sites Can Haunt You....

With unemployment at 9.7%, companies have become more internet savvy. Most go online and view your social networking sites to learn about your personality, politics and philosophy - be careful what you post....

Video Resumes - The Future is fast approaching

We've all been there - the candidate isn't a fit, but now you are trapped in a 30 minute interview... Video technology will be the solution to this problem as this firm in California figured out. http://tinyurl.com/2az6psv

TalentRooster featured by TempWorks in an article on technology and recruiting

TalentRooster was selected by TempWorks to appear in a featured article on technology and recruiting. http://tinyurl.com/38gzaan

Great WSJ Article - Video Resumes!

The business leaders are starting to realize that paper resumes will soon be obsolete - nice piece! http://tinyurl.com/2dmaxh8

Seven ways technology will change recruiting

How in the world do you fill precious few jobs with top candidates when your office is flooded with literally thousands of applicants? That was the million-dollar question for recruitment agencies across the country in 2009. And it wasn't just a question of success — it was a question of survival. Still, in spite of a rotten job market, many firms not only managed to get it right, but found success in the process. How? By leveraging technology to solidify their talent pool, make the most of their budget and transform our longstanding industry culture of information hoarding into one of information sharing. In 2010, technology will continue to change the way we find great talent and build better relationships—with our clients, our candidates and each other. Here are seven ways I see it happening.

1. Recruiters and employers will track candidates' social media footprint. A skill set and work history on paper will never reveal a candidate's true personality. By visiting a candidate's social media pages, like Facebook and Twitter, you can learn their hobbies, interests and communication style. This makes it easier to thin the heard down to only the best, well-rounded candidates for a particular position and corporate culture.


2. Video resumes will take on new dimensions as a recruiting tool. Any yahoo with a webcam can create a video resume, right? True, but does it look polished? Does it deliver the important information and personality cues employers are looking for? Probably not. In 2010, video resumes will become more of a holistic profile that incorporates detailed skills assessments, work experience and professionally produced on-camera interviews that allow the candidate's personality and spontaneity to shine through. Forward-thinking recruiters and HR leaders will be able to offer video resume services easily and affordably to their candidates. These services will allow potential employers to evaluate the candidates of their choice without wasting time on interviews that go nowhere. They will also provide recruiters with a way to earn revenue on every candidate, even if they don't get hired.


3. Candidates will be empowered through "searchability." Forget the classifieds and massive job boards. Candidates can now search specific niche databases by keywords and target their job hunt. For recruiting agencies and employers, site optimization, social networking and cross-linking via blogs and other mechanisms will be key to expanding your reach and making sure candidates can easily find the opportunities you have for them.


4. Networking will be just as important online as offline. Remember the old shampoo commercial that talked about telling two friends, then they'll tell two friends, and so on and so on? That's the idea. Social networking is the electronic version of word-of-mouth referrals. Networks like LinkedIn enable you to e-mail job openings to your targeted contacts who can then forward them on to their connections, and so on and so on—until you find the right candidates. And here's the best part—it's FREE.


5. Mobile recruiting will slash time in "getting the word out." Imagine being able to instantly match an incoming request for a contract position to 30 profiles in your candidate database. You notify them all at once via text; they come to your office; the position gets filled—done. Simple as that. Watch for this technology sector to soar in the year ahead because it's going to make all our lives a whole lot easier.


6. Huge job boards will evolve or die a slow death. For years, Monster, CareerBuilder and many other gargantuan job sites have charged high rates for postings and thrived on delivering quantity, not quality, when it comes to candidates. For those of us who have grown frustrated — and we are many — niche job boards have provided greater ROI for less money. With social and, potentially, mobile recruiting providing even more cheaper, and effective options, big job boards will have to rethink their strategy and prove their worth, or eat dust.


7. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) will eventually "play nice" with social recruiting. Nothing undermines your efforts to build relationships and garner referrals quite like a system that was never designed to do it in the first place. This is part of the information hoarding culture I was referring to earlier. Because of the compliance issues we face as recruiters, and our need for an automated process, applicant tracking systems are here to stay. But if I owned an ATS company, you can bet I'd be finding a way to be first-to-market with a more effective solution flexible enough to meet the growing demands of social recruiting. It has to happen, soon, or the systems we depend on will put us at odds with where the industry is going.

You've heard that necessity is the mother of invention. Without a doubt, savvy recruiters invented brilliant strategies to combat a dismal job market in 2009 by using emerging technology. This trend is only going to pick up speed in 2010 as information-sharing changes our industry—permanently. It's no fad, and that's a good thing. Technology will allow us to better serve our clients, support our candidates and strengthen our businesses as we build and maintain relationships in exciting new ways. How are you meeting the change? I'd love to hear what you're doing and the results you're getting. Here's to the revolution!