The iPhone 5

Since we were following the rumors about the iPhone 5 for about 6 months, it only seems appropriate to assess the phone now that it is officially out and has been in the hand of consumers for over 2 weeks.

It seems that Apple has done another great job of keeping their product confidential, because almost nothing of what we heard as roomers ended up being true. There were talks of a holographic key board and other things that were simply unrealistic. Instead, here is a quick list of what iOS6 and the iPhone 5 have to offer.

1. The phone is slimmer and lighter than ever. Not only that, but the screen is now longer. This was driven by the flexibility of the thumb, says Apple. The new longer screen now perfectly complies with the anatomy of the human thumb.

2. The screen is now the "retina display." Pictures, videos and apps are now clearer than ever with the enhanced screen.

3. Panorama picture taking: this is probably the biggest shock of all to consumers. One can now move the phone from one side to the other to capture a large area of space. It seems like it will not be much long until the iPhone camera is on the same status as a digital camera.

4. Siri is now enhanced. One can now say something like, "tell me how the Phillies are doing." Siri will then pop up the standings in the NL East as well as the current score of the game if they are in the middle of one.

5. The creators of Maps finally incorporated turn by turn navigation. The only advantage Driod had over Apple is now taken away. The iPhone 5 finally has turn by turn directions available, allowing the user to have a first class navigation system right in their phone.

6. Passbook: another cool feature, Passbook allows you to keep all electronic methods of payment and check in on your phone. For example, when you walk into their airport, your pre-saved boarding pass will pop up, allowing you to check in with out searching for a piece of paper or online form.

7. Do Not Disturb is another good one. You can turn this one under settings, and you can still have the functionality of your regular iPhone, but no one will be able to call or text you, allowing you to stay focused on one important thing at a time.

8. LTE: It looks like we are now out of the 3G and 4G world. LTE is thought to be the newest technology, and it is faster than ever. Owning the iPhone, I can speak for how lightening fast this new technology is.

Some problems:

1. The iOS6 update gave problems with the Maps app. If you updated your iPhone 4 or 4S, your Maps app became completely inaccurate, sending you in all sorts of circles, messing up your trip.

2. As always, the battery life is an issue with any iPhone. Many complain that their phone is telling them to charge half way through the day.

3. Many carriers are phasing out the unlimited data feature. To buy the iPhone 5 you must now have a limited data plan, which has made many consumers unhappy.

Part 3 of 3: Questions to Ask to Hire the Right People

In the previous entries, we explored three more questions to ask when trying to hire the right people. This being the last of the three entries, we will talk more about how to implement these employees and retain them assuming you asked the previous questions, and they are the type of employees that you want working at your company. Again, asking these questions will get your candidates hired and allow you to maintain great relationships with your bosses or client companies, whoever you may be working for.

7. How will we get new employees performing to their full potential as quickly as possible?

     There is no doubt that new employees need some time to learn the ropes. However, there are ways that they can learn them quickly. The goal is to have them perform to their full potential as quickly as possible. Putting the necessary administrative processes into action is very important. You want to have a person who is very good at implementing new employees into their systems (whether it be getting them a computer log on or a badge that has access to the building). You also want to make sure you decide where the person is going to be sitting for a significant period of time when they come in. Moving them around from temporary desks is a waste of time and will make them feel uncomfortable. At last, you want to do your best to promote camaraderie with existing employees and new employees. A comfortable welcome will allow the new employee to spend less time at their desk wondering if the employees like them and more time getting to know them and being productive.

8. How will we keep employees for a long period of time?

     It is extremely expensive to hire new employees. Costs of labor for all the people involved are high once the employee is finally hired, implemented and trained. Recruiter fees are also expensive, which is why you want to hire a recruiter that takes pride in finding the right people, and has a record of having client companies retain these employees. First, you want to make sure there isn't a feeling of inequality of pay around employees doing the same job. If there are extreme margins in pay, the employee will not be happy. Obviously, it is best to not have employees discussing their salary, but the truth is that these things do happen. Also, management should always make it their goal to have the company growing. Employees are more likely to stay at a company where they have growth opportunity in significance and salary. You will never retain all employees, but taking these actions can definitely help keep you recruiting costs down.

9. How can we measure our success, keep track of costs and improve over time?

     There is no doubt that you want to keep track of your success in retaining and hiring employees efficiently. Keeping track of this is usually over looked by companies, and not in their top priority list to implement. This being true, you need to keep track of the following metrics to you can measure your own performance: 

PRE-HIRE METRICS

• NumberofHires
• ApplicantVolume
• ApplicantSource
• Time-to-Hire
• Time-to-Fill
• CostperHire
• ApplicantQuality
• Applicant-to-HireRatio
• Offer-to-AcceptanceRatio
• ApplicantDemographicsandEEOStatistics • ApplicantReactions

POST-HIRE METRICS

• ProductivePerformance
• CounterproductivePerformance
• Tenure
• TimeandAttendance
• HiringManagerAttitudes
• EmployeeAttitudes
• TrainingPerformance/Time-to-Competence • TurnoverCosts
• EmployeeDemographicsandEEOStatistics • InternalPromotionsandTransfers
• TurnoverReasons 

Part 2 of 3: Questions to Ask to Hire the Right People

In the first part of this three part entry, we showed you three questions to ask to hire the right people. You may have to ask yourself these questions, or your candidates. What this all goes back to is understanding exactly what the client wants in an employee and finding the All Star candidate. Here are three more questions to ask that will help you be a successful recruiter.

4. What roles will each individual involved in the hiring process play?

     In the hiring process, there are many different individuals involved no matter how much you as the recruiter try to simplify it. There will be the hiring manager, the manager who will be receiving the candidate upon hiring, the candidate him/herself and of course, you, the recruiter. As the recruiter, you need to be a master of communication. You may end up telling the candidate, your senior partner and the hiring manager at the company the same story three times. You have to make sure that you tell it clearly all three times and do not cut any corners. You also have to make sure you are always communicating FOR THE MANAGER AND CANDIDATE, trying to understand any changes in their process that they may not be telling you. Recruiting requires a large amount of instincts, and if you feel like a candidate is backing out or the hiring manger's needs are changing and they may have forgot to tell you, you are probably right. Here is a great list of recruiter's responsibilities in the hiring process:

-Provide tools to define job competencies, skills, and qualifications

-Provide tools and guidance to hiring managers and employees on using social relationships to find candidates

-Maintain talent pools with potential candidates

-Use job postings, search tools and other methods to find candidates

-Screen out clearly unqualified candidates

-Recommend qualified candidates to hiring manager for review

-Provide interview guides to hiring managers and employees

-Communicate to candidates why and how selection tools are used; answer candidate questions

-Engage qualified candidates to keep them interested in the job

-Sell candidates on the benefits of the company as an employer

-Provide advice on strengths and weaknesses of candidates

-Provide guidance to candidates and hiring managers on steps required to bring a new employee onboard.

-Collect data on performance and retention of candidates after they have been hired

5. How will we find candidates?

   The next fee a candidate pays the recruiting company will be the first. That being said, if you have tons of jobs open and no candidates, you will definitely be out of luck. There are many ways to find quality candidates and having too many candidates and picking out the All Stars is never a bad thing. Here are a couple of the many ways you can source candidates:

-Job Postings: Although it can be costly to post jobs, many active candidates will look on websites for open jobs and actually contact you. It is not a bad idea to take a portion of your budget and use it to post jobs online.

-Social Networking: LinkedIn and Facebook are getting larger and larger each day. Using these tools as a recruiter is never a bad idea, as our company has found quite a few candidates through LinkedIn. Have an active Facebook page, and post on LinkedIn to stay active in the social media world. Paying for a premium LinkedIn account is also something to look into based on the budget of your company.

6. Once we have these candidates, which ones should we actually hire?

   There are many requirements one must fulfill to actually have their candidate hired at the client company. From resume screens to drug screens, a candidate must really meet every check point. To get your candidate hired, it is pretty simple. You need to keep a close relationship with the client company, and have the BEST candidate. Use the above methods to find the most quality candidates possible, and you will probably have a pretty good success rate. At Worlco, we definitely pride ourselves on picking out the stars in the technology business!

Always Remember 9/11

Eleven years ago today, tragedy struck America. It was a time no one will ever forget. Anyone over the age of 18 remembers where they were when the World Trade Centers were destroyed, and I doubt anyone will ever forget. On one of the most beautiful days of the year, two planes hit both World Trade Centers at full speed, causing them to crash to the ground. One plane also was flown into the Pentagon in Washington D.C.  as well as one crashing off course in a field. That plane was supposed to hit the Presidents vacation home. Firemen, EMT's, Police Officers and other professionals gave their lives, and many of those who lived are still affected today. There are many people to thank and remember on the anniversary of this event. At Worlco, we will never forget this tragedy, and on this special day, we see it fit to devote this post to those who died in the attacks, gave their lives to save others and those who made sacrifices that still effect their daily lives today. God Bless America.

Part 1 of 3: Questions to Ask to Hire the Right People

In this three part blog entry, we will show you the top nine questions to ask when trying to hire the right people.

With recruiting becoming harder and harder, and quality candidates becoming more and more scarce, it is important to ask the right questions to find your client the best in the business. The decision to hire is an investment a company takes very seriously, and if you stick to these questions, as well as your gut feeling and recruiting skill of building relationships and maintaining contact, you will find your candidates being the ones getting hired and staying with the company they were placed at. This keeps your client, and your wallet, happier than ever.

1. What types of jobs are we hiring for?

         There are many different types of jobs that recruiters hire for. Filling  a financial analyst position and filling a position for a law firm are two very different jobs, and they need to be recruited for differently. In our case, we are always filling technology jobs. Even if your company specializes in a certain industry, there are still countless amounts of different jobs within that industry. You need to understand that hiring for a CIO position and a entry level developer need to be gone about completely differently. The CIO position should be recruited for aggressively, and many current or potential CIO's would want the idea of them leaving their current company completely confidential; whereas the entry level position can be recruited for more openly, because the candidate will probably be right out of college, or coming from a company without available positions that this candidate can advance to. Examples like this are important to keep in mind, especially when looking at positions with small but important differences.

2. How many people does the company need, and when do they need them?

        It is not good to show a company candidates weeks apart when they need them for a project two weeks from now. The company is likely looking to nail down candidates as soon as possible for this upcoming project that the upper management is probably putting pressure on them for. On the other spectrum, it is not good to show a company 5 candidates in a week when they are looking to start a project two months from now. Chances are they will forget they even interviewed your candidates, and move on to new candidates, so you did work and received no results or money. Also, always keep in mind how many people you think the company will need. If they are being unrealistic and trying to hire 5 people for a 10 person project, they will likely ask you for 5 more candidates later on. Plan for that, and have these candidates in your back pocket when they ask you for them.

3. What sort of people do we need to hire?

       This is all about knowing your client companies needs. If they are looking for someone to sit behind a computer for a project and pump out code every day, you can pretty much hire anyone who has the necessary skills. If they are looking for a project manager, it is probably going to be someone with the necessary skills and someone who has stellar people skills and can communicate with a team. Find the right person for the job. This means you have to rely on your old fashioned recruiting skills and get to know your candidates on a personal level.

Look for part two of this blog post next week...

How to Improve a Bad Day

So, now that Worlco has placed you in a great new position, you are expected to perform at your best. As a Worlco candidate, the company who hired you will expect the best, five days a week, eight hours a day. But maybe you’re not having a great day. What can you do? Recently I read a great article about seven ways to climb out of a bad day. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Take a nap- These days, many companies give an hour lunch. There is no shame in hiding out in your car for 30 minutes, rolling down the windows on a nice day, and falling right to sleep. Because some people wake up from a nap really cranky, I recommend keeping it short, being more of a power nap. This much needed sleep can refresh you and get you right back on track.

2. Take a look at your social media site- Use your mobile phone, walk away from your desk, and see what your friends are up to for the day. Read a blog post about a sport that interests you or read a mindless magazine.  Get your mind off the work, and take a second for yourself. While you may miss fifteen minutes at work, it will probably make you more productive in the long run.

3. Remember what is going well- even if it is a day where nothing is going well; think back to a project you completed previously. Remember that project? It probably had the same bumps in the road. Think about how you overcame them, and impress yourself by doing it quicker and more efficiently this time around.

4. Drink water and eat healthy- At our work, we have free water and reusable cups. Stop on your way in and buy some fruit. Keeping well hydrated and eating right can make your mind work a lot better.

Read the full article at: http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/positive-thinking-7-easy-ways-to-improve-a-bad-day.html

Another IPhone 5 Update

Months ago, we posted about IPhone Five potential features. Some of these included a holographic key board, a holographic screen and increased battery life. Well, sadly, not all of these features are going to be included in the new phone. Perhaps the concept video had a little bit of wishful thinking going on, but the new IPhone is not going to be all that video made it out to be. Although there is not going to be a holographic keyboard, the new IPhone has some pretty promising features that are going to make it desired by consumers everywhere,  and here they are:

1. A steel plate covering the battery- Images of the new phone were leaked and they show a steel plate covering the battery on the back of the phone. This plate will decrease on the amount of glass on the phone (which cracks when you drop it) and is thought to give the phone better service. It also adds some pretty cool style.

2. A bigger screen- The phone is going to get longer, but not wider. This will allow it to easily fit in your pocket while keeping up with the huge screen sizes of Droid like phones.

3. A better looking screen- The phone is going to have the same screen resolution as the New IPad. This will make watching movies and viewing pictures a pleasure.

4. Longer Battery Life- Along with a bigger phone comes a bigger battery. It looks like the IPhone will have a much better battery life, which will help it keep up with the Droid. Verizon says the Droid Razor is the longest lasting smart phone ever.

Other un-important features include the face time camera being moved to the middle of the phone and the dock port being downsized. Many say the IPhone is due for a fail, but time will only tell! I guess we will just have to wait until December (or later) to find out.

What Makes Worlco Different

Many may wonder why Worlco claims that we are the best in the IT Staffing industry. Until the client has experienced working with Worlco, they are often not sure what sets Worlco apart. Normally, we would just tell you to ask one of our previous clients, but today, we're going to lay it all out for you. Here are some of the many reasons why we are the best at doing what we do!

1. Permanent Placement (Contingency and Retainer)

This is Worlco's bread and butter. Our time tested process and extremely experienced professionals  allow us to go beyond the posting of jobs on the internet and trying field endless amounts of responses. We screen each potential employee so we know who we are sending for an interview, and so we do not waste the client's time. We are simply the best at finding the client the right long term, full time employee to fill the need of the client company in the shortest possible time frame.

2. Contract Consulting/Right-to-Hire

This is another one of Worlco's specializations. We are the best at identifying consulting talent to help with a project, short term or long term, while leaving open the option to hire the consultant after they have helped the company for a significant amount of time. Because we don't have the extensive overhead expense of many firms and we believe in long term relationships rather than short term dollars, our hourly rates are some of the lowest in the industry. Finding the best talent at the lowest cost! What more could you ask for?!

The bottom line is that Worlco creates a personal client relationship that allows the client to trust us. We treat each client equally as important. Worlco does not rely on jumping from client to client, but on long term relationships that will allow us to keep our personal relationship strong with each individual client. If you don't believe us, try using us, and we will prove to you that we are the best in the industry!

www.Worlco.com

www.facebook.com/worlcocomputerresources

Urgency in The Candidate, Client and Recruiter Relationship

At Worlco, we often use the term, HOT JOB!!!

You might ask, what is a hot job? A hot job is a job that the client is looking to fill as soon as possible. Today the technology industry is fast paced, and many clients need the right coder, programmer or application developer NOW! As more jobs roll in, we are finding that more jobs are considered to be urgent positions to fill. Simply put: we specialize in finding you the right candidate for the position, quickly.

It is important to create urgency in your relationships with candidates without making them feel rushed into a position or new job that they may regret later. The time to find out if the candidate and client is a good match is in the initial screening of the candidate and that is where experience comes into play. There are signs of a good candidate who will match well with a client, and with extensive experience in the recruiting field, the partners at Worlco know these signs better than anyone! Once it is determined that the candidate and client are a good match, it is time to submit the candidate. This process needs to happen, FAST.

Some ways to move this process along is follow up, keeping the candidate interested in the job and explaining to the candidate the urgent need to get moving on the position! If the candidate knows how important it is to keep moving forward fast and they really want the position, they will move as fast as you want them to.

As far as the client goes, well, recruiters know that some clients respond to emails and phone calls faster than others. If the position is as hot as they say it is, they will respond quickly, and move quickly, and your problem is solved.

The main point is that it is important for the candidate to understand that Worlco knows how to make the perfect match with the client, even if it all happens with in the same week!

Unemployment and How Worlco Can Help

At Worlco, we deal with many candidates who were recently unemployed. Weather cut backs in their old companies budget is usually the reason for these layoffs, and we like to help these people move on from their employer and onto a great new rewarding career. One of the ways this happens is through consulting jobs, or something called a right to hire. Many recently unemployed people take consulting contracts with companies to make some extra money, but do not realize the benefits this can have. On these consulting jobs, these people often meat many connections that can lead them to their next job. Also, many consulting jobs are considered or turn into a "right to hire." This means that the company hires the candidate as a consultant for a period of time, but eventually turns their consulting role into a full time position. We have seen many consultants proceed into full time roles, and it's very exciting to watch someone evolve at a company when we are responsible for placing them there. Poking around the internet, I came across a great article by Forbes that gives you things to do while unemployed that will help lead you into a new job. The first idea that almost everyone agrees with is to try a contract position. Here is what Forbes had to say:

Take a temporary or contract assignment.
Seventy-nine percent would recommend doing this. Why? “The key is to get people to see your work and to see what you’re capable of doing,” says Andy Teach, the author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time. “If you do a great job, even if it’s for a temporary job, whoever hired you is more likely to recommend you for a permanent position.”

As you can see, there is no shame or harm in taking a temporary position. 
TV example: Even Ryan from "The Office" was hired as a temporary worker, but worked "hard" and  turned into a full time employee. Do we recommend working or acting like Ryan in "The Office?" NO! But if Ryan was hired as a temp and became a full time employee, there is no reason why you can't do the same!

The Day of the Job Interview

There is no doubt that the job market is very tight. When you get asked to interview, here are some things NOT TO DO. Many people make these common mistakes, and don't realize how bad of an impression this sets on the hiring manager. Don't do these simple things, and you could have multiple offers from hiring managers!

1. Don’t Be Late To the Interview
If you are early you are on time. If you are on time, you are late. If you are late, you are fired.
There really is no good excuse for being late to an interview. The hiring managers hear the same excuses all the time. If you have to, leave an hour early, and sit in your car for an hour and answer e-mails or phone calls. Also, never make the mistake of scheduling your interview where you will have just enough time between meetings or events to get there and get back to your current job.

2. Don’t Show Up Unprepared
Walking into a company and knowing nothing about the company looks very bad. The hiring manager will be able to tell if you have no idea about the position you are interviewing for. You should at least know what the company does. Take a few minutes to Google the company and read their about us and mission statement.

3. Don’t Ask About Salary, Benefits, Perks
When you have an offer, you should ask about these things. Make sure you have all the details nailed down before you sign on the dotted line, but never ask about these things on the first interview.

4. Don’t Focus On Future Roles Instead Of The Job At Hand
Although it would not hurt to show interest in future positions, do not come into the job with the attitude that this job is just a job that will help you increase your dollars somewhere else in the near future.

5. Don’t Turn The Weakness Question Into A Positive
When interviewers ask you about a weakness and you say you work too hard or you are too much of a perfectionist, chances are they are more apt to roll their eyes than be blown away. Instead, be honest and come up with a weakness that can be improved on and won’t ruin your chances of getting a job.
For instance, if you are interviewing for a project management position, it wouldn’t be wise to say you have poor organizational skills, but it’s ok to say you want to learn more shortcuts in Excel. Basically, take something you are not great at, and show how you are getting better, or how you plan to get better at this weakness.

6. Don’t Lie
Believe it or not, hiring managers call your references. Do not tell them you have skills from a job that you simply did not acquire. Be honest, because this will only help you in the long run.

7. Don’t Ask If There’s Any Reason You Shouldn’t Be Hired
Never give an employer a reason to think badly of you more than they already may have after the interview. Leave a good last impression. If you get a call saying you were denied the job, then ask why, simply for the reason that you want to improve in the future.

Some material from- http://www.businessinsider.com/7-things-you-should-never-do-on-an-interview-2012-4

New Facebook Job Search Applications

Here at Worlco, we are always looking for the next breakthrough in job advertising and job search. Everyone knows there are an abundance of Facebook applications, but here are a few that may be worth mentioning:

Branch Out: Much like LinkedIn, Branch Out allows you to create a personal profile with your job experience and professional skills. Branch Out is free, and also allows you to search for jobs. From a professional perspective, the major benefit of Branch out is that you can perform job searches as a candidate or add your resume to a pool of resumes that will then generate jobs recommended for you based on your work experience. Although Branch Out is fairly new, it does seem that many employers have posted jobs on the site. That's good news for the candidate, because reputable employers are at least trying this application out!

Work For Us: Work For Us is a page that companies can use to advertise the positions they have open on Facebook. The company can download the application and post as many jobs as they want. The jobs will show up in one of the tabs, usually the last tab, for the company. Currently, companies can try Work For Us for 30 days free! Worlco is currently undergoing the free trial. Work For Us currently has over 7,000 users.

These two new job search opportunities could be the next big hit in job searching! If you are interested in advancing your career in anyway, it may be worth checking them out.

Worlco is looking into these new job search opportunities. Check out our jobs posted on our Facebook page by visiting www.facebook.com/worlcocomputerresources, and who knows, if you join Branched Out, you might just see Worlco's jobs posted in the information technology section sooner rather than later!

Working with Recruiters

We stumbled upon this great article about the benefits of working with a recruiter. The article honestly could not say it any better. The benefits of working with someone at Worlco to better advance your career are endless. The article is posted below, and worth the read, especially if you refuse to work with recruiters or do not know a lot about what recruiters really do!

Working with recruiters is the next best thing to working with hiring managers. Recruitment professionals know their clients and they pride themselves on knowing their candidates in the hopes of making the right connections. In order to make this happen there are a few things you need to know:

TELL THEM EVERYTHING:

When building a relationship with a recruiter, this is no time to be shy. Recruiters need to know everything there is to know about you and what you are looking for in your career, i.e. salary, perks, specific employers, etc. Building an effective relationship with a professional recruiter starts with trust and honesty, so be forthcoming with your requests.

FIND OUT EVERYTHING:

Relationships are a two way street. When working with a professional recruiter you need to know as much about them as it relates to their capabilities and ability to help you secure employment. Always complete a thorough background check on the recruiter and/or the company. Review all the social networking sites where the recruiter does business and if they do not recruit via these new mediums, be aware; it might mean that they are not keeping up with workforce trends and new recruiting practices.

COMMUNICATE OFTEN:

Unfortunately securing a recruitment professional does not mean you will secure employment immediately. There can be a lot of waiting involved. Sitting still and waiting for the phone to ring is not an option for you. You are part of the communication equation and you must take an active role in all aspects of your career.

Approach your job hunt like you already have a job. If you see something online, hear about it on a website, see it on the news – contact your recruitment professional and collaborate with them on a game plan. Good recruiters are savvy and well connected, like real estate agents. They tend to know where all the hot properties are. However, they cannot be everywhere, so the more hands they can have working in your favor the better.

BE REALISTIC:

Understand that you are not the recruiters’ only client. Schedule standing meetings no matter how short; just get them on the calendar. Recruiters understand your urgency however they have other clients asking for the same things. Work with your recruitment professional to set realistic goals that are effective and actionable.

So, now that you know what you need to about working with a recruiter, send your resume over at www.Worlco.com!