With news breaking this week of fraud in applications to selective universities, applicants of a different sort -- for positions at sought-after companies -- might wonder how level the playing field is for them. Are applicants padding their resumes? Are back-room deals and “side doors” the norm? How does an authentic, hard-working job seeker distinguish oneself in this climate? Since companies tend to rely on referrals and resumes that report specific pedigrees, candidate pools can be limited. Talented individuals who lack connections in the industry or who do not hold degrees from well-resourced universities may repeatedly fail to get a seat at the table. … read more

Imagine this scenario: you’re a regional hiring manager for a luxury hotel chain. You employ “Meredith” as a valet parking attendant. Meredith arrives on time and does her job well. One month, you let your support staff know that you’re hiring for several positions. Meredith refers her high school classmate, Sydney, who submits an application for a reservation clerk position. … read more

For marketers, it’s widely accepted that “Customers have different behaviors and preferences [and companies must] move past a ‘one-size-fits-all’ marketing approach.” (thanks, Custora for this concise description of Customer-Centric Marketing.) There are now many strategies and tools to help marketing teams manage customer journeys end to end. Everything from CRM to analytics to content to SEO to A/B testing to social media management to drip campaigns to ad re-targeting. There’s an interesting parallel to draw here between the customer-to-Marketer relationship and the employee-to-People Ops relationship (HR, Talent Acquisition, Recruiting). … read more

 The commitment and stress of a job search has not changed much for a generation. But here’s what is different: the mechanics of how candidates search and apply for open positions. In an era of easy access to information and unprecedented personal computing power, word travels fast. While consistent reviews with praise like “Best company I have worked for in my 10-year career” can boost the company brand among the talent pool, claims of “Management gangs up on you” are a liability. Organizations today have to be mindful of buzz good and bad -- not only among their customer base, but throughout the talent pool. … read more

 The importance of “digital wellness” has gained increasing attention in the tech sector in recent months. Industry leaders have introduced tools to help users gain insight into their screen time and catch a break from the addictive scroll, scroll, scroll. Although using technology to limit our use of technology may seem like fighting fire with fire, the trend is undeniable: digital wellness is a growing priority. … read more