JobsStat

With so many different HR software options on the market, providers have to constantly update their features so that they can stay competitive. In the process of doing this they often add new features so that can better address the needs of their clients. According to a recent press release, one leading applicant tracking system provider has done just that.

myStaffingPro recently announced that they have updated their Hiring Manger Quick Response (HMQR) by adding new scheduling capabilities. On top of giving HR professionals the ability to request and receive information and feedback on applicants, hiring managers will now be able to seamlessly mange the scheduling of interviews.

“Before we had HMQR we had difficulty getting feedback on candidates from our managers and the rest of the interview team,” one myStaffingPro client, Sarah Conroy of Penobscot Bay Media, was quoted as saying in the recent press release.

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In order to provide their users with better service, many recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) firms partner with HR software providers. According to a recent press release one such provider, PrincetonOne HirePursiuit, recently extended its partnership with iCIMS so that its applicant tracking needs will be taken care of.

PrincetonOne HirePursuit, which handles the RPO side of PrincetonOne, has been working with iCIMS since 2004. The two companies recently signed a three-year contract to extend their partnership. Currently iCIMS has over 750 clients globally that utilize their Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) options.

Prior to choosing to extend the partnership for iCIMS’ Talent Platform, HirePursuit researched a variety of different applicant tracking systems providers. Afterwards, the company decided that iCIMS’ system continues to be best choice for their clients because it remains the most technologically advanced option.

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PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has launched a free new career toolkit to give college students a competitive advantage in their job search. The online material, titled “Recession-Proof Your Job Search: How to up your chances in a down economy,” features short video vignettes with career tips, a video Q&A addressing students’ top-of-mind career questions and downloadable worksheets to help students develop a career plan that maximizes employment opportunities.

The interactive toolkit, available at no cost through http://www.pwc.tv, provides students with sound, objective advice that assists their job search efforts during this difficult economic period. It can be valuable not only for graduating seniors, but also underclassmen seeking internships or looking for guidance on how to shape their personal brand. The materials are being distributed to career services offices and faculty at more than 200 U.S. colleges and universities.

PricewaterhouseCoopers partnered with Lindsey Pollak, career development specialist and author of “Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World,” to create the dynamic, interactive toolkit. The online resource leverages content from successful workshops recently conducted at The University of Texas at Austin and The Ohio State University. As part of the toolkit, Pollak is hosting a blog that enables students to ask additional career development questions.

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There is good news on the horizon for veterans facing a job search.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced its plans to increase the number of disabled veterans who obtain employment within the VA. Currently, 30 percent of VA employees are veterans, while 8 percent of employees are service-connected disabled veterans. This is the second-highest number of veterans employed in cabinet departments aside from the Department of Defense.

The VA’s Veterans employment Coordination Service plans to contact all severely injured veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to determine interest and qualifications for employment with the VA. There are currently 2,300 injured veterans from those two wars, and 600 have shown interest in working for the VA.

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Standout Jobs, a company devoted towards providing web-based tools for companies to utilize in their online recruitment efforts, recently announced the general availability of the second version of its Recruitment Communication Platform.

This platform has several new features and has been updated to increase it’s functionality and usability. The Recruitment Communication Platform has been designed as a do-it-yourself style website that allows the use of video, blogging, chat and widgets in order to get a company’s personal culture and brand out their to potential workers. Social media tools have gained a lot of popularity in employment because they are a highly effective way to gain the attention of Generation Y.

In addition this, the Recruitment Communication Platform gives users applicant tracking abilities. HR mangers are able to identify, interact with and track candidates they are interested.

This web-based HR program is delivered as an on-demand solution, allowing users to access information whenever they need. It integrates with already existing sites or can be used by itself, making it more flexible than many products.

“Our new Recruitment Communication Platform and the partner program launch represent a huge transformation for Standout Jobs in the short year since we first got off the ground,” said Ben Yoskovitz, who is the co-founder and CEO of Standout Jobs, in a recent press release. “Our software has always delivered value to our customers, whether through money saved on recruiters’ fees, time and energy reclaimed by executives tasked with sourcing candidates, or HR professionals looking for specific skill sets in niche communities on the web. We’ve incorporated all the great feedback we’ve received from the HR community, and feel our Recruitment Communication Platform is the best the industry has to offer to meet their needs.”

This online recruitment program is available to companies free for 45-day trial period. The costs of Standout Job’s Recruitment Communication Platform starts at $249.00 a month. There is no limit to the number of jobs, candidates or users that a company have for this price.

Recruiting the right talent for any job can be difficult, but finding the perfect employee for positions that involve the care of others can be particularly troublesome. Since such jobs require that a person have a very specific set of skills employers need a method to test applicants.

Clearview Staffing Software recently released a brand-new nationally validated set of tests and skills checklists for home health, nursing and social work along with its release of RSS 3.7.1, which is a hiring software solution designed for both recruiting and qualifying medical professionals. These additions expand upon the existing tests and checklists. Included in the software are features such as online employment applications, skills checklists and competency tests.

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Background checks on employees have become routine and acceptable at most every level. People expect to be asked to sign a consent form for a background check when they apply for job postings. But many are misinformed about what a former employer can and cannot say about them.

If a potential employer contacts a prior employer, they can talk openly about your work history and performance. But there are some very clear and serious stipulations.

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In today’s hiring process, it is standard business practice to initiate an employment background check prior to extending a job offer. The goal of the employer is to minimize risks and assess your qualifications, character, and dependability.

Your track record for paying bills on time and maintaining a reasonable credit rating give clues about your character and integrity. Validating information provided on your resume indicates honesty and sincerity.

WHY DO EMPLOYERS CONDUCT BACKGROUND CHECKS?
Employers are attempting to verify all information you have provided and identify any misleading or false information. Their primary objective is to ensure that you have the skills and behaviors required to perform at an optimal level. By thoroughly conducting a background check, they also minimize their risks that you present a detriment to the organization in any way.

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Is a video resume a good thing?

When you mention video resume, you get mixed reactions. Some employers are all for it, and think it’s a way to stand out, other employers wouldn’t be caught looking at one. So how do you know if you should have a video resume?

You should have a video resume, if you want a job in marketing, sales, the arts, creative design, freelance, or even human resources. This gives you the advantage where you’ll stand out from the pack. There are so many qualified people out there, and a lot of times you need an edge over your competition. Well a video resumes is a great edge, you are showing that you’re creative and that you can think outside of the box.

And now with video resumes becoming popular, more and more websites are accommodating for it. Interview Studio not only hosts your video, but will also design one for you too. Once you have your video and you have a job you want to apply for, send out your resume with the link to your online video resume. A place which hosts your video for free is YouTube.

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Credit scores are now being included in many pre-employment background checks. One survey showed that 35 percent of human resource departments are now using this information to assist in determining who they do or do not hire. The idea behind this is that those individuals who have good credit scores have demonstrated responsibility and are, therefore, the ideal employees. These individuals are viewed as more reliable and less likely to call in sick without reason or arrive late.

Another reason for the recent popularity of background checks that include credit scores, is the fact these reports almost always list an individual’s previous residents and employers. With a large portion of the population falsifying or inflating their employment history, credit reports are now assisting businesses in weeding out the untruthful

Employers that require this information are looking for specific things such as a pattern of unpaid bills. Forgetting to pay an electricity bill once in two years is very unlikely to trip warning signals in an employer’s mind. That being said, repeated offenses will place a potential employee in a negative light.

For those with low credit scores this can be increasingly nerve racking, especially since it’s much harder to increase one’s credit without a job to pay the bills. Knowing what cannot be held against an individual in a background check can make a difference.

Although a history of unpaid bills can effect an employer’s decision on whether or not to hire and individual, businesses are not allowed to discriminate against anyone who has had to file bankruptcy. Doing so violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act and can be disputed. Negative credit information that is older than seven years will not effect one’s ability to get hired.

Sadly, lack of credit can be held against an individual. Although some individuals prefer to deal with cash and rent as opposed to buy, a completely blank credit report is seen as a strike against a potential employee by some companies.

If one is denied a position due to the results of credit information that surfaced during a background check, the company that request the investigation has let the individual know why. For some this may give the opportunity to clear up misrepresenting facts, such as how a pattern of unpaid bills was not intentional neglect but due to a long and severe illness or other serious circumstances.