Other members of the prestigious ‘Big Four’ such as Deloitte, have also been careful to not rule out graduates based upon academic results alone. In order to avoid bias, Deloitte has ensured that interviewers do not view details of a candidates’ school or university during the process. Even a Senior VP at Google has been quoted as stating that academic marks should not be of use within the hiring process.

Could this be a wave of the future?

All recruiters have come across applicants that are well-qualified both on paper and in person, yet are lacking in the area of academic credentials. Are we right to discount these employees?

Of course, various factors come into play, such as the industry and type of role, and these should be seriously considered. However, in the ever-changing realm of business, firms must begin to pay attention to research and consider the evidence.

Studies have shown that testing and assessments may be more beneficial to consider as opposed to academic history, although tests are often conducted too late in the process, if even at all.

Implementing assessments early in the process can provide extra insurance against over-embellished CV’s or biased views that may come from a narrow academic focus. Over the last few years we’ve seen an influx in various new assessment tools as well as new assessment providers. The number of companies using psychometric testing has grown at a rate of around 10-15% annually.

Should early assessments fully replace consideration of academic criteria? Not necessarily. But we’d all be wise to consider the benefits of assessments and psychometric testing, and rethink bias related to academia, so as not to lose out on quality candidates that may have been right in front of us after all.

Within our robust recruitment process at Executive Connections we offer a range of psychometric testing on behalf of our clients. Our consultants are trained and able to facilitate the following assessments:

If you are interested in finding out more about any of the above services please contact me, Kelsey Chambliss at Executive Connections on 01-6618740. I can also help if you are looking for a position within the Accountancy and Finance space, or are simply seeking advice. Email me – kelsey@executiveconnections.ie or call the number above.

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Plan with precision.

Think about the effort that goes into securing a new client for your company.  The same effort and planning needs to be invested when planning your interview process.  Be very clear on what the value proposition of the role and the company is.  When describing the culture of your company use examples to paint a picture for the interviewee.  “We have a work hard play hard culture” is a very common response in interviews but it doesn’t tell the candidate much.  Be clear and give an example of a night out, a charity event the company got involved in or examples of flexible working arrangements across the company.

Know the candidate and their pain point.

The recession is over so candidates can’t be asked to jump through hoops.  It’s important to get the balance right between finding out what the candidate can bring to the role and company while also portraying what is in it for them.  If your organisation is working with a recruitment consultancy, get them to give you a full brief on what is important for this candidate and tailor the interview as a result of this. Make sure to ask the candidate questions around their aspirations and possible concerns, candidates need to know you care.  If they get the fuzzy feeling you are half way there.

Ensure everyone on the panel knows your companies USP.

Share what is unique about your company across the interview panel, especially if there are a number of stages, so there is a new piece of attractive information shared with the candidate at every stage of the process.  Not everyone wants to work in a big multinational with a long list of benefits.  If you are a small company and can’t afford large health or pension contributions, remember you offer other benefits that can attract candidates. Sell other aspects of the business such as employees’ getting the opportunity to work with the key decision makers, having their ideas heard and making their influence felt within the business.

For most candidates flexibility is the number one attractive benefit.  Our latest research has shown the freedom to work away from the office is an important benefit for 69% of employees.  A flexible working week in my experience is more important than a health plan with all the bells and whistles with.  Ask your recruiter what makes your company stand out against the others they are dealing with and include this as an attraction tool.

For more information on forming a winning interview approach for your next hire feel free to contact me, Aisling on 01-6618740 or email aisling@executiveconnections.ie. I am also working on a number of roles in the Sales & Marketing space which you can see here.

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Do you have plans to hire in 2017? It’s becoming more and more likely that one of your next hires will be a ‘Millennial’. Born between the early 1980s up to 2000, Millennials or Generation Y’s role in the workplace is a hot topic at the moment as they continue to make up a significant and growing proportion of the working population. According to Time, by 2025, 3 out of every 4 workers globally will be Millennials.

The millennial generation has grown up with modern technology at their fingertips. They adapt quickly, are extremely connected and thrive in highly technical environments. However in recent years there has been mixed opinions on the value millennials can bring to the workplace.

Having been described as lazy, sometimes narcissistic and possessing an overriding sense of entitlement their introduction in to the workplace was not always greeted with kindness. While their generation behaves differently and is changing the workplace as we know it, we believe there are distinct positives when it comes to hiring millennials.

Possessing an abundance of skills, which if nurtured correctly, your organisation can become a more innovative and productive place with their input. In fact companies are adapting already in order to attract Millennials who they perceive to be flexible, ambitious and who use technology with ease. Even more so when the talent has been attracted, the drive to engage and retain employees becomes the next challenge.

From interacting with this generation on a regular basis over the last couple of years helping them achieve their career goals, I have gained a number of insights as to their personalities, how they view the workplace and their expectations from it.

What can they bring to your organisation?

1. They are Tech Savvy. This generation has grown up with modern technology at their fingertips.  They adapt quickly and thrive in highly technical environments.  At any instant they are connecting with others via social media. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or E-mail they are constantly connected, well versed in the latest trends, and are always ready to immerse themselves in the next big thing.

2. They are Self-Motivated, with a strong desire to progress in their career and prove themselves. They love learning new things and are ambitious when making career choices and planning their career route. Their career oriented nature is a driving force and they always want to progress to the next level.

3. Their Innovative nature is one which will have a major positive effect on your organisation. Constant improvement is a must for Millennials and they are always looking for ways to do things more efficiently. Asking “how we can do better?” and developing new ways to overcome problems and obstacles are beneficial to any business and this is where millennials excel.

4. Millennials Value Feedback and when compared with other generations they thrive on it. Communication is key and frequent one to one meetings and reviews with their manager to have a constant measure of their performance is central to their expectations. Whether feedback provided is encouraging or constructive it can be beneficial to your organisation as their desire to develop is overwhelming.

5. The Bigger Picture is important. A strong and worthwhile company culture, transparency and feeling valued are vital to Millennials. A clear organisational structure where input is welcomed at all levels and they are sure of the goals that need to be achieved. They are very strong team players particularly when the overall end result is common and work well with others when focused on the end result.

They are not as private as other generations in relation to sharing information which is a positive in the workplace as they work well in collaborative environments and thrive in sharing information with colleagues and being seen as an expert in this area. This desired quality should be nurtured and used to full advantage within teams to increase knowledge for all members.

6. Their ability to Adapt to Change far exceeds the generations that precede them. Market demands, new technology, new team members and changes to organisational structure are of much smaller significance to millennials than older employees and they are able to deal with them at ease in comparison.

What can you do to attract them?

The ability to identify these skills and in turn attract millennials to your organisation will be of great benefit when hiring staff from this generation. Many identify the need to speak to millennials in a particular way as a key inclusion when developing an attraction strategy.

Can you provide the following to your employees?

• Autonomous working environment
• A sense of purpose
• Collaborative work environment
• Problem Solving
• Freedom to make choice and have impact.
• Clear opportunity for progression
• Sense of involvement
• Responsibility
• Leadership
• Technology that enhances work
• Flexible work schedules
• Work/life balance
• Career advice from managers
• Mentors over managers

When defining roles, developing teams, speaking to potential employees as well as advertising on relevant platforms use language and content that appeals directly to them needs to be taken in to consideration in order to spark an interest. Potential employees will glean a lot of information from your recruitment strategy so be sure you are using it to your optimum to introduce the best talent to your organisation – Millennial or otherwise!

For more information on any of the points raised in the above post please do not hesitate to contact me, Aimee Kelly, Manager | Accountancy & Finance.  For career opportunities, view the roles I am currently working on here or call me on 01-6618740.

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Why the sudden surge?

Open your Twitter feed, a news site or listen to a jobs announcement and Fintech is guaranteed to be mentioned in some form. Fintech – or financial technology almost feels like a natural progression, given the success of the already thriving Irish Financial Services and Technology sectors. These two successful industries have now collided, merging to create new companies, products, ways of doing business and endless opportunities.

The industry has been described as booming with the government supporting Fintech strongly in its IFS 2020 (A Strategy for Ireland’s International Financial Services Sector 2015-2020). The Irish Venture Capital Association reports investment of €520 billion in Fintech start-ups in 2015, making it a record year for investment.

As more innovative Fintech start-ups start to pop up throughout the city and those already established continue to scale, Dublin has an excellent opportunity to cash in on this growth. Many of our clients, established financial institutions also see Fintech as their next opportunity. These global Financial Services providers are seeking competitive advantage by adopting Fintech services for their clients. In an effort not to be left behind, they are investing heavily in technology, creating new products, services and in turn career opportunities for talented individuals.

An increasing volume of Fintech companies means increasing numbers of people working within the sector. The number of Fintech career opportunities are growing at a rapid rate due to a couple of key factors:

• The start-up scene is full of hungry entrepreneurs ready to make their mark.
• A commitment from the Irish government to provide funding and pump investment into the sector shows that they recognise the potential to boost Ireland’s reputation as an internationally recognised Fintech hub.
• Both the large global and indigenous financial institutions are tracking both the opportunity and challenge provided by Fintech companies. The international trend has seen increased M&A activity as they seek to acquire competence in this sector and/or set up innovation labs internally in an effort to launch their own Fintech services & platforms independently or in collaboration with partners.

Hiring Trends

Our list of Fintech clients is beginning to grow and as we speak to more and more candidates whose aim it is to enter the Fintech space, here are our insights as to what it takes to be successful in the area.

What are Fintech employers looking for?

• Of course it goes without saying that to enter this exciting industry employers will be looking for top talent. Those who challenge the norm and are ready to make a lasting impact on the development of the industry in Ireland will be of main interest to employers.
• Those who are visionary in their work and excited to be a part of the evolution of Fintech will also be attractive to employers.
• Many Fintech companies are scaling rapidly, and with no solid structural environment in these start-ups someone who can work without ambiguity will thrive in this sector. It is likely that project scope will change, with changing priorities and objectives being the norm. Employers are seeking candidates that can adapt in these situations, adjusting to inevitable changes in this fast paced environment.
• As it is a relatively new space, finding large amounts of people with extensive Fintech experience may not be a reality. Therefore those who can display a broad level of knowledge in the area are more likely to be hired. Furthermore those who demonstrate a passion for Fintech and are ambitious will have a distinct advantage in securing employment.
• When it comes to education and skills, candidates are required to be highly technical. In reality many of the start-ups are tech companies moving into the financial services space. Employees will need to be methodical and analytical in their work, almost scientific in their approach such is the complexity of the sector.

With an effect on Banking, Asset Management, Payments, Insurance, Trading and more, we are excited to see how the industry matures and are delighted to be directly involved, working with the best talent Dublin and beyond has to offer.

Are you ready for a career move in to a brand new and exciting industry? Is Fintech where you see your career soaring to the next level? If yes, we would love to hear from you. Call Aisling on 01-6618740 or see more of our Fintech roles here.

The post What does it take to build a successful Fintech career? appeared first on Executive Connections.

The job market has become increasingly buoyant. The number of candidates that we at Executive Connections speak to on a daily basis who are ready to make a career move is increasing. While job seekers are competing for new career opportunities you as an employer must also compete in order to appeal to the best people for your business.  To ensure you have the best chance of finding stand out employees here are our top tips for attracting the very best talent:

1. Reach out to your existing network

Your existing connections can be of great value to you. Use your industry knowledge and your current network of contacts to aid the hiring process. Speak to colleagues and industry experts about contacts they have who are potentially seeking a career move.  Reach out to your own employees and, even better, incentivise them with a bonus or referral fee. Your current employees know what it takes to do a good job and have a vested interest to bring in someone who can benefit the team as a whole! Hiring through your own network is one of the most cost effective ways to hire a new employee and should be your first port of call.

2. Don’t forget to look inside the company

Sometimes the best candidate for the job is already working for you. Finding stand out employees may not be the difficult task you think. When a position opens up inform your staff and let them know that the company is open to considering current employees for the position. Review the talents and skills of those working for you and you may uncover ‘hidden talents’. You may also have observed certain strengths in the past that make a particular person a good fit for the job. The benefits of hiring from within are many – from eliminating hiring costs to reduced training time and greater employee loyalty.

3. Advertise on Job Boards

For most job seekers job boards are their first stop when they begin looking for a job. Make sure to write a really informative job description highlighting what exactly you are offering, what the role will entail and the company culture.  A huge amount of web traffic goes to these sites daily so it should be top of the list when advertising a vacancy.

4. Don’t ignore social media

Social media can be extremely useful when it comes to hiring staff. Facebook and Instagram can be used to showcase what it’s like to work for your company with good images of company events or day-to-day life.  You can also use hashtags such as #irishjobfairy on Twitter to increase the amount of people who see your job vacancy tweet. Without doubt, LinkedIn can be really useful in your search for a new employee. With a huge portion of the current workforce actively using LinkedIn daily it allows you to connect with people in your industry, build your network and introduce yourself before pitching your vacancy to them.

5. Use the services of a recruitment agency

While it may not be feasible for all companies to use a recruitment agency, developing a relationship with a well-established consultancy with a strong track record hiring in your sector can benefit your business in the long term. As well as offering a large database of high quality candidates you would previously not have access to, recruitment consultants possess up-to-date industry knowledge that mean they can target the very best candidates.

Do not hesitate to get in contact with us regarding any of the points raised above. We would be delighted to help source your next great hire or simply offer advice on the current hiring market. Call us today on 01-6618740 or visit our Client Centre for more employer information. This article can also be read on Independent.ie as part of our recruitment advice series.

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At the beginning of the year we predicted a war on talent as vacancies across a number of sectors began to show signs of real growth. At Executive Connections we have seen this come to fruition with a noticeable increase in the number of companies adding to their staff. Effective interviewing for a vacancy has become more important than ever – asking the right questions will help you make the right hiring decisions more consistently and save on costly bad hires.  Here’s our top 5 interview questions you should be putting to potential employees to determine their suitability for your business:

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It is inevitable that at some stage your business will make a bad hiring decision. Its impact can span the width of the business, adding to costs and negatively affecting employee productivity.

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