** HR Trends in Recruitment

The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Recruitment

According to the Arberdeen group, 73% of millennials found their last job through a social media site. The use of social platforms as a talent database or advertising platform is a shift in the employment landscape that takes advantage of online engagement to actively seek out top talent through building company brand awareness and online reputation. Having a company with a large online presence that clearly communicates its values significantly reduces the time it takes to fill in vacancies.

With 75% of potential hires not actively searching for a new role, it is up to companies to take full advantage of social media as a means of employment outreach to acquire the best talent. While using social media, there are certain strategies to keep in mind and certain pitfalls to be cautious of.

Do create an engaging brand

Whether you post on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, the key to building a reputable brand is consistency and captivating content. When browsing through LinkedIn, one will often find an abundance of articles written by company employees. These articles can provide insights into the activities of a company or on industry trends, helping to paint a clearer picture...

    7 Trends That Will Change Recruitment in 2019


1. Niche Recruiters
Talent is becoming increasingly scarce, but unusual professions are also on the rise. This has to do with automation and the emergence of new technologies. Think, for example, of a Drone pilot, Cyber Security Specialist, or a Blockchain Developer. Have you heard about any of these five years ago? This is the ultimate challenge for the niche recruiter of the future in the Netherlands.


2. Chatbots
Chatbots are slowly and increasingly conquering our recruitment world. Do not panic, this is going to bring many benefits. Chatbots on your website are available 24/7 to offer help. They can help a visitor who clicks around to ask specific questions about a suitable vacancy, which can mean a huge improvement in the customer experience. Chatbots take nasty administrative chores out of the hands of the recruiter so that there is time left for what really matters: personal contact.


3. Social Recruiting
The millennials will take the first steps towards the labour market. A generation that grew up with all the comforts of the internet and where social life mainly plays online. Cliché: as a company you have to be present at the...

  What Is the Difference Between Recruiters and Intermediaries?

To clear the confusion once and for all, we will answer the question: what is the difference between recruiters and intermediaries?

What is a recruiter?
The word recruiter probably betrays what this person is responsible for within a company: recruiting and selecting new staff. When we ask Google for a definition of the term 'recruiter', we find out that Google hides a deep-seated dislike of recruiters. Fortunately, we know better.

The office of a recruiter is at (large) companies where people are regularly sought out for a specific vacancy. For example, if a company is active in ICT or in the technical sector, then a recruiter is the ideal person to identify the right candidates who match (vacancies that are hard to fill). This example does not only apply to the aforementioned sectors but applies to all kinds of vacancies that you can think of and where the candidate needs a specific set of skills.

A recruiter is responsible for the entire application process. From recruiting to placing a suitable candidate on an open vacancy. But what does a recruiter do outside of a lot of talking all day long to candidates?...

 


How to Be Wanted by Recruiters

In the stressful business of applying for jobs, recruiters are often the primary gateway to getting the position. Winning them over has many elements, and each one takes some unpacking before you have a strategy that will work. A good CV is an essential part of that strategy, but it is not the only one. Your personal brand, your education, your work experience and even your values all factor into how recruiters view you as a potential candidate.


Recruiters are people too. They are there to find candidates for jobs, not jobs for candidates. This distinction means recruiters are put under pressure to deliver high-quality candidates for their clients. Their credibility rests essentially on being very selective, as their choice should be worth the risk of putting the relationship between client and recruiter on the line.

All this means recruiters are looking for particular skills or industry experience that a business does not have the resources to find on its own. Which, in turn, means that appealing to recruiters requires paying attention to the following criteria. These include, but are not limited to, specific industry experience, current and demonstrated technical and/or other relevant skills,...

In the stressful business of applying for jobs, recruiters are often the primary gateway to getting the position. Winning them over has many elements, and each one takes some unpacking before you have a strategy that will work. A good CV is an essential part of that strategy, but it is not the only one. Your personal brand, your education, your work experience and even your values all factor into how recruiters view you as a potential candidate.

Recruiters are people too. They are there to find candidates for jobs, not jobs for candidates. This distinction means recruiters are put under pressure to deliver high-quality candidates for their clients. Their credibility rests essentially on being very selective, as their choice should be worth the risk of putting the relationship between client and recruiter on the line.

All this means recruiters are looking for particular skills or industry experience that a business does not have the resources to find on its own. Which, in turn, means that appealing to recruiters requires paying attention to the following criteria. These include, but are not limited to, specific industry experience, current and demonstrated technical and/or other relevant skills, a degree or qualification relevant to the...

Flexible labour and self-employment in the Netherlands are on the rise, says an overview report by TNO Innovation for Life and Statistics Netherlands. Workers with a flexible employment contract have risen from 12% in 2001 to 16% in 2012. In 2014, the proportion of Dutch employees with a flexible work relationship increased even further to 22%, according to the report. This makes the Netherlands one of the top three EU15 countries with high rates of labour market flexibility, right behind Portugal and Spain. The group of flexible workers is diverse, and it is comprised of:
• employees with a fixed-term contract with the prospect of a permanent contract (21% of the total population of flexible workers);
• employees with a fixed-term contract of more than one year (10%);
• employees with a fixed-term contract of less than one year (8%);
• on-call employees (30%);
• temporary agency employees (13%);
• workers on permanent contracts, but with no fixed hours (7%);
• workers on fixed-term contracts without fixed hours (12%).


Sectors with the highest shares of flexible workers are restaurants and catering (42%), followed by services (29%), culture, sports and recreation (29%) and trade (26%). However, shares are relatively low in...

Adams Multilingual Recruitment has been established for over 20 years and is known in the international market for placing well-qualified, highly-educated, multilingual candidates in junior, mid-level and senior roles with leading companies throughout the Netherlands.
Recently we interviewed two Senior Recruitment Consultants from Adams. We talked with Sylvia Lubak, from the Amsterdam office and Audrey Monje, from the Rotterdam branch. Sylvia joined Adams in 2010. Her area of expertise is placing Finance and IT candidates with international companies. Audrey joined Adams in 2013. She has 2 specialist fields - Supply Chain & Logistics and Multilingual Customer Service roles. 

What is the motivational driving force in your job?
Audrey: There are different aspects of my job that bring daily motivation. I enjoy interacting with people from different backgrounds, there is always something interesting to learn. It is very rewarding seeing that you truly made someone happy by helping them to find a perfect job. You have provided guidance throughout the whole process, given career advice, tips for interviews, etc. and then finally when that person gets a role you can share happiness with them. But there are also other aspects of this job that I enjoy a lot, like, establishing and...

Due to globalization, there are more and more opportunities for any kind of specialist to find a dream job and to pursue the career one finds the most attractive. However, with a rapid growth of globalization and high numbers of migration, there is a new challenge in finding a job – thriving competition. Having to compete with many diverse people might make it substantially harder to find a desirable job and a right employer. One of the key advices to any job seeker is to know what recruiters want to hear from a candidate, and what needs to be said, so that recruiters can understand and learn the talents one possesses. So, how to turn one’s luck in a 180-degree angle with a recruiter?

7 most common things a recruiter wants to hear

First, it is important to understand the nature of a recruiter’s job. The main and far most important task, is to find the right and most fitting candidate to their client. Due to that, any recruiter will focus a lot on how one fits to the vacancy, the company, experience, accomplishments, etc. For that reason, the first task of any job seeker is to impress a recruiter....

Highly skilled professionals are not always easy to find. It is often the case that their level of expertise, knowledge or ability is in great demand in the job market, with a limited number of candidates available. Many of them are passive candidates, currently employed professionals that are not actively searching for jobs. In these cases, it is not enough to trust only traditional job postings to find and attract them. Employers must use the multiple resources available, including online technology, human contact, sourcing through resume databases, and social media, to mention a few.

But how can you, the employer, succeed in finding highly skilled talent? The answer lies in three main aspects: Developing a clear, well planned, recruitment strategy; building a strong employer brand; taking a proactive approach. Seen as a whole, these three statements together will configure a global hiring strategy, which should be understood as a continuum, as a process that never stops. So, when sourcing for one position, you should keep track of quality talent for the future, forming a potential pool of skilled candidates long before the need for a position arises.

Here are some recommendations to define your ‘high talent’ hiring strategy:

1. Know...

Writing a compelling and informative job advertisement is key, not only for attracting top talent, but also for ensuring that any potential employees will be a good fit at a company. Job seekers can browse a seemingly unlimited list of vacancies, thanks to job search engines and online networking, meaning employers need to put in the extra effort to stand out. Not only is this helpful for potential candidates, it also helps employers to filter out candidates by specifying exactly what they are looking for in an employee.

As with CVs and cover letters, first impressions are crucial when creating a job post. The job title will always be the first thing people search for and look at; it is especially important for employers to consider what job seekers will type into a search engine as well as creating an appealing job title. For example, a human resources job should have the key words ‘human resources’ and possibly the abbreviation ‘HR’ to make it search-friendly and to ensure the job post reaches its target audience. One useful way of presenting a job title is to look through a range of CVs and pick out a common ‘desired job title’ that...

In 2010, when I was actively searching for an organisation I could write my Graduation Assignment for, I made around 180 attempts to join a company where I could add value. These were very different forms of reaching out. Out of these, I received around 10 to 15 responses, which were rejections, and two invitations for an interview. For the rest, it was silent.

I am sure a lot of you can relate to this annoying feeling of investing your time in sending your application out and then receiving no response. The more time passes by, the more frustrating it becomes, especially as more applications are sent out and the responses, mostly, are non-existent. And then when you do receive a response, it turns out to be a rejection. A rejection to your dream job—how do you handle it?

Being on both sides, as a candidate and as an HR professional, helped me realise that a rejection, regardless of how bitter it feels, can and should be turned into an (networking) opportunity. Having another recruiter in your network is a smart move.

In order for this turn to happen, first of all, you need to manage yourself when receiving this...

Employer brandingis the process of promoting a company or an organization as the employer of choice to a desired target group, one that a company needs and wants to recruit and retain.It has, however,been long ignored and not considered as an integral part of the recruitment strategy. Ignoring the importance of Employer branding can lead to problems in recruiting the right staff, especially in case the competition has a strong employer brand. A potential employee will choose to work for a company with a strong brand rather than a weak one.

A good example of a company that had to improve its Employer branding is McDonald’s. In the 1980s they introduced the term Mc Jobs, for jobs at McDonald’s. The intention was to make it sound appealing to potential employees. Instead, it became popularly known asa synonym for underpaid low skilled jobs. The term Mc Jobs later appeared in the online version of The Oxford English Dictionary in the year 2001. This had a negative influence on the company’sbrand, and on the image of the thousands of people working for the company. Since 2001 McDonald’s had to begin improving their branding. They decided to try to revise the image associated...

No doubt that Skype is another game-changer for the recruiting process. Its ability to provide logistical freedom makes happy recruiters and happy candidates alike. Although just like with any other tool, it serves you best when you know how and when to use it.

Where Do the Candidates Stand?

Candidates generally welcome the video interview. It liberates them from the obligation to travel and provides a pleasant alternative of interviewing from a familiar environment. It is more desirable than a phone call interview, because you can read your interviewer’s facial expressions, which ensures better communication. Compared to a face-to-face talk, it lifts (to a certain extend) the problem of candidates having to be constantly conscious about their body language.

The potential danger lies in candidates taking this comfort to the extreme. Some candidates can take the video interview too casually and not show their most professional side. Traditional interview rules apply: candidates should prepare for the interview adequately, be on time and appear professional.

What Does Skype Mean for Your Recruiting Process?

Some of the advantages are obvious – this technology is free, widespread and easy to use. It saves expenses on travel and venue, and potentially allows for more...

After the adoption of the Work and Security Act (WWZ), a new classification method on the basis of income adjustment was introduced in July 2015, which structurally increased the number of current unemployment benefits; firstly, because people who start working may still be entitled to income supplement under the Unemployment Act (WW) and secondly, their entitlement to a benefit is only terminated after a check has been performed to verify whether their self-reported income matches the income as stated by their employer. These data are available in the Policy administration.

UWV: Fewer new claimants

Compared to the same period last year, over the first five months of 2016, UWV paid 219,000 new unemployment benefits, a decline of nearly 30,000 (or 12%). Apart from retail department stores, the number of new benefit claimants fell across all sectors this year. The number of new claimants fell significantly in the sectors of health care and welfare ( less 23%), printing and publishing (less 22%) and public administration(less 21%).

The peak of unemployment was reached in February 2014, when nearly 700,000 (7.9% of the labour force) were unemployed. Subsequently, unemployment has fallen almost continuously. In May this year, 6.3% of the labour force were...

The first step in screening applicants is a CV. The second step is having your qualified candidates fill out an application form when they come in for an interview. It is important to have the form ready before you begin the interview process. Make sure you know the guidelines regarding questions you can and cannot ask.

When screening CVs, it helps to have the job description and specifications in front of you so you can keep the qualities and skills being looked for clearly in mind. Evaluating CVs is a subjective process, because there is no standard CV. However, there are certain things that you should expect to find—the candidates name, address, and telephone number at the top, and a brief summary of employment and educational experience, including dates.

The two things you should be looking out for above all are the neatness and the professionalism of the CV. If you find many typos or a badly formatted CV, it shows that the candidate is not prepared to put his or her best foot forward during this crucial stage of the game.

It is also a good idea to try to determine the person's career patterns. Look for steady progress...

With Spring, we begin to see the tell-tale signs of job fairs sprouting up all around the country. Despite the rise in popularity of online recruitment, career fairs are far from dead. It can be difficult for small, unknown companies to attract applications from qualified candidates when only using online recruitment. Job fairs offer a fantastic recruitment channel that present several potential benefits to the companies that attend them. Here are a number of reasons why job fairs are still relevant in the labour market, and why you should consider bringing your company forward.

Increasing Access to Qualified Candidates
A major benefit of participating in job fairs is the access they give companies to large pools of qualified candidates. Many universities hold career fairs for their students, which gives employers the chance to recruit graduates who are educated in specific subject areas. In addition to this, it allows your business to come into contact with highly motivated individuals. Candidates go to job fairs to find businesses who care about their employees, and for finding work in their area. If you show up to a job fair, you are showing that your business is willing to go out of their way...

A group interview is a special interviewing situation where several candidates are interviewed at the same time. While the least common of interview types, the group interview is a creative way to help employers quickly get through multiple candidates. When done correctly, and usually as a first-round interview, the group setting carries great advantages over scheduling individual first-round interviews with each candidate. However, this type of initial screening process is not without flaw. Here are some benefits and drawbacks presented with group interviews.

The Benefits
Group interviews are exceptionally handy if you find you have many candidates all vying for the same position. This is usually where group interviews are employed, as it allows employers to quickly qualify or eliminate candidates in the first round of interviews. This will cut down the number of individual interviews you'll need to schedule.
Many candidates prepare for an interview, and have their answers figured out before it takes place. However, a group interview takes them out of a natural interview environment, allowing for less-prepared answers. This lets interviewers to see how a candidate really functions in a team environment, forcing candidates to speak up and show interest in the company or line of...

Helping people! Helping people make great careers. Helping people find a place where they can be happy to work matters. People help determine direction in their careers, coaching people to set targets and achieve. And, of course, a nice conversation. You have to make work fun.

It's simple for me to appoint my job as a recruiter as the best job in the world. Nothing is better than to make someone happy. Nothing is better than making the perfect match and to make sure that someone has, not only a short-term but also a long-term view on their dream career.

Candidates are also seeking this, right?

Sometimes it feels like I'm standing here, as a recruiter, fully assuming atmosphere. Candidates do actually want their dream job? Do candidates really want to make a career? Will the candidate be truly happy in a new job?

Here you are in despair, after an interview or after going through an application. This is a candidate who is actually applying for what they wants? Why can I not find a phone number? Why doesn't their CV seem to add up. Why don't the dates fit together, and what a strange definition of work? The...

Hiring interns certainly has its benefits. When carried out efficiently, an internship provides the intern with a chance to learn valuable lessons, and the organisation that hires them with additional help. However, internships aren’t invariably positive experiences. There are crucial steps to welcoming an intern to your organisation that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Assign a Supervisor

When integrating an intern into your organisational structure, make sure that you can locate a clear place for him or her. Do this not just by placing them within a certain branch, but also by assigning the intern a specific employee as their supervisor.

This supervisor should be responsible for introducing the intern to the organisation, assigning them their tasks, and monitoring their progress. It should be made clear that this is the person needs to turn to for questions or report to with any eventual issues. Ensure that when you hire an intern he or she will know who to turn to for guidance.

Don’t leave any room for confusion as to who is accountable for the intern that you hire. Such confusion can easily lead to decreased efficiency. They’re also more likely to interfere with the work of other employees, who may not...

Not long ago, the world of recruitment looked completely different. Jobs were published and jobs were found via newspapers, applications were sent in paper, or received in person. Today, most recruiters don't even touch paper CVs any more and job descriptions reach candidates all over the world through online job boards. Often recruiters and candidates don't even meet in person, using online communication to bridge the gap. There's no need to mention that this has been quite a shake up in the scheme of things.
The internet is opening so many doors and finding candidates is becoming an easier and easier task. It's not a secret that technology will develop even further - several articles and discussions address the topic. But when everything becomes so easy and candidate searches run automatically, will recruiters still exist? Let's have a look into the future!

Totally automatic candidate searches
Whereas basic keyword searches and Boolean strings are nothing new to recruitment, better and more successful software is developing. Total automation will be the result of today's research in IT solutions for recruitment purposes. The opinions on this matter vary quite a lot, as it is not immediately clear what the impact of this...

People like to think that they have a good intuition. However, when it comes to selecting employees, they do no better than a computer. Often, recruiters will select worse candidates than the predictions of algorithms, as a new study by the US National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) shows.

Primary and secondary graduates

The NBER relies on 300 thousand candidates adopted by fifteen companies. These candidates all work as lower and middle-skilled workers, such as being employed in data entry or call center work. NBER-investigators compared the time someone remained in service after this was adopted by a human being or on the basis of a recommendation that by an algorithm behind a test. In the test, candidates were asked about a wide veriety of topics, among them questions about technical skills, with the objective of learning more about the candidates cognitive skills and personality. After completing the test, the algorithm produced a recommendation. Green for high potentials, yellow for medium and red for potentially unsuitable candidates.

Algorithm works

First, the researchers demonstrated that the algorithm works. On average, those rated green worked twelve days longer than the yellows who were, in turn, 17 days longer employed than the reds....

You're probably doing an okay job, finding good candidates here and there, having nice interviews, filling some vacancies. But I know that in many cases and like in every other job, recruiters can make mistakes - often the following three. Mismanagement of time
I'm not only saying that, because I'm German. Time matters!
Not only recruiters experience it as unprofessional, when a candidate is late for a job interview. This also works the other way round. Respect your candidates - don't let them wait and stick to the agreed times. I know about a company, who lost great candidates because of that.
Recruitment is a fast business! Don't make the mistake to postpone contacting applicants, to make interview appointments too far ahead or to let them start working too late. While waiting for you, the candidates might already find other opportunities and lose interest in your position.
Regardless of this speed that you need when catching the good candidates, you should not always rush. When looking at someone's CV, for example, make sure you find a good balance between quickly making up your mind and not missing out on top candidates because of a poor first impression.
Disorganised shooting in...

A new report from ADP showed that job-hopping pays off, at least in the United States,. ADP has done research among US workers in relation to wage developments for the third quarter of 2015. For employees in the same job, working for the same employer as last year, wages rose 3.5 percent. For Employees who switched employers, their pay rise increased by 6.5 percent.

However, this largely depends on the sector in which employees work. In the education and health care sectors, employees changing jobs only saw a 0.4 percent increase in their salary. In construction, job hoppers went ahead by the most, a staggering 19. percent versus 4.3 percent for employees who stayed with the same employer, followed by financial services.

According to ADP, this is a consequence of the scarcity of employment, thus increasing salaries. However, it is mainly young people who benefit. The older you are, the lower the increase in salary when changing jobs.

Among younger workers, ADP noted two major trends.

Generation Y (25 -34 years) receives an average of 7 percent when they change jobs. But even if they remain with their current employer, the salary rises for Millennials most of all when compared...

Professionals with a flexible form of employment are more positive about their work than colleagues employed on a strict work schedule. This has been suggested by Yacht, who researched this topic. Professionals who work on a flexible basis have the feeling that they are being challenged, and are positive about their networking opportunities. They also find that they can add more value to their field:

Among permanent staff, fifty eight percent think that it is sufficiently challenged in his work, among persioners this applies to sixty four percent. When asked if someone feels they can add value to their field, fifty nine percent of respondents who are permanent workers answered 'yes'; under flexible professionals, this figure is closer to seventy percent. When asked if they feel they can gain valuable contacts at work, seventy three percent of flexible professionals answered positively, compared with fifty five percent of people in permanent employment.

The study provides insight towards what gives highly trained professionals satisfaction in their work. There are clear differences between what "flexible" and "fixed" believe are the most important pointsa in employment. Where permanent employees will especially add value to the organisation where they work, flexible professionals prefer difference in...

The trade union Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (Dutch Federation of Trade Unions, FNV) wants to experiment with anonymous job applications to combat discrimination in the labour market. This comes from a statement made by FNV director Gijs van Dijk.

He wants to not only to combat age discrimination, but also hopes to put an end to the problems that are common in Dutch recruitment with different background experience when applying.

"With anonymous job applications, everyone can be given a fair and equal chance in the labour market," said Van Dijk.

The FNV spoke last Thursday along with other social partners, experts and scholars to MPs in a roundtable discussion on the issues with long-term unemployment. According to the discussion, this mainly effects job seekers aged between 15 and 65 who have been unemployed for at least one year, but in practice these are mainly over-55s.

Elderly
Last week, the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (Central Bureau of Statistics, CBS) found that long-term unemployment in the third quarter wgenerally declined relative to the same period a year earlier. However, this only applied to the group aged 25 to 45 year olds. Six out of ten people above the age of 45 were...

Why are you not chosen? Three reasons why applicants are not choosing your business

This is a common occurence: you are in the final phase of the recruitment procedure, and all that stands between employment and the perfect candidate is a choice of two. You assume that this is it, and after a long search for a brilliant candidate for your vacancy you're finally working on the conditions for employment and it happens: The opt-out. The employee says no to your proposal, while you were under the impression that everything was done and dusted.

So why did this happen? Employment and recruitment are an aspect of business which is tricky on both sides. Applicants often complain they cannot find the right work for them, and recruitment complain that they cannot find the right candidates. We'll be looking at three areas which can be easily improved to help you become the first choice.

Motives
Understanding the motives for your applicants looking into your vacancy is important. You can offer the company car, the career prospects, and the salary to die for, but is this what they are after? Without thinking too much into it, you can turn many applicants away by...

The year 2015 has brought a new zeal to talent acquisition worldwide as companies are recruiting more now than they have in the last four years. According to LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends 2015, this increase in volume is also met with an overall decrease in HR budgets, leading efficient recruiters to do more with less. To make matters more difficult, competition and compensation continue to be obstacles for landing top talent. Advancements in social media, digital marketing and big data analytics, however, are enabling recruiters to arm themselves with information and craft targeted messages that reach a range of online professional and social networks.
Traditionally a progressive nation, the Netherlands is seeing some interesting and dynamic changes in response to these global trends. We explore these below: Competition from other employers
Battling with competing firms for top talent is a major challenge for recruiters in the Netherlands. Of the 4,125 global talent leaders surveyed in over 31 countries, Dutch talent leaders were the 2nd highest to name competition as their company's biggest obstacles to attracting top talent. If recruiters want to attract top talent in the Netherlands, it will not come easy, as there will be a number of competitors...

Research undertaken by the Ministry of Interior and Royal Relations has found that there has been a continual drop on civil servants. This has been focused particularly on public administration and by security, as these sectors have shrunk. There are also more women in government, as more elders. Those under twenty five have not been inclined to join the civil service, as they rarely have the experience or meet the job requirements.

Elders
There have been an increase in sixty plus labourers, according to this study. This comes from the various measures taken by the state to promote longer working hours, such as the abolishment of early retirement and raising the retirement age. It is important for employers to continue their investment in sustainable employment. This can be achieved through manager discussions, training, and improving internal mobility.

Younger workers under twenty-five are generally falling behind in these functions. First and foremost there are less youths available for the the civil service, as well as often not being fit for the functions required by the civil service due to a lack in skills.

Part-time Employment
Overall, the number of part-time employees has increase. Where in 2004 there were forty-one percent in...

As European cities continue to internationalize their economies, creative and knowledge-intensive regions throughout Holland are becoming more important to both its national and regional economies. As recently as 2012, TIME Magazine stated that the international orientation of European economies has helped them stay important in the expanded worldview taken by most international businesses, workers, and investors.

It’s estimated that The Netherlands will need over 600,000 international workers by 2050 to survive in a more globalized economy. As a result, large cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht and Eindhoven will need to strengthen their links to creative-knowledge talent around the globe if they are to remain competitive, and must pay increasing attention to the conditions that attract and retain highly skilled international workers.

Highly skilled international workers serve many purposes in Holland’s economy, including filling short-term labor gaps as well as long-term skills shortages, thereby helping the gradual development of its skilled labor force.

Recently, the Accommodating Creative Knowledge (ACRE) project surveyed both native and international knowledge workers in 13 European city regions to determine what influences their location decisions. The project revealed two important conclusions:

1. The presence of family members or friends, following a partner, or having been...

Have social media profiles become an acceptable means of applying for jobs? Will they be replacing the conventional resume any time soon?

I must warn you that there are no clear cut responses to these questions but looking at industry trends, we can glean some useful information that can prepare one to be better aligned to navigate the job search process and be in a better position to leverage on the tools of social media to further progress careers and job search efforts.

So, should social media profiles be used in lieu of resumes? I would say that first of all they serve different purposes and rather than act as a replacement, social media should complement and bring to the fore information and skills sets that may not be readily visible in the traditional two-page resume.

While it is true that in certain cases, hiring managers may accept social media profiles from reputable online recruitment platforms such as LinkedIn, it is usually as a first step for job applications and there is almost always a request for the resume as a follow-up to validate, support and further ascertain the candidates fit for the job.

In today’s business environment, a resume...

Finding the perfect job as an international in The Netherlands can be tough. What makes it more difficult is that Dutch companies may prefer to hire only local staff – small- to medium-sized (SMEs) companies who operate locally might not have a need to hire internationals.
An executive at a recent Offshore Energy conference, noted that results were achieved faster and with more efficiency when everyone spoke the same language and had the same cultural background. Also, local staff possess an adequate knowledge of English.
In addition, not only could it be more efficient, hiring local staff may be cheaper as there is no 30% tax rule, no relocation costs, or expat perks such as home leave for an organisation to consider. Companies looking for fast, easy results may choose to hire locals.
However, take comfort that there are many international companies that are open to the challenge of working across cultures and languages. Indeed, their profit may depend upon a global reach. Also, companies searching for new markets have had to adapt to different cultures and ways of working as part of good business strategy. This has made them more amenable to hiring international staff.
Organisations are also more...

Traditionally reference checks at the final stage of interview have been a staple for many years. However, I ask myself the age old HR question, do they really add value or are they simply yet another form to fill in and another process to follow.

A large majority of companies I contact for checks on employees either refuse to give any information or will simply only give you the dates of employment and the position; so in all honesty it only verifies the candidates resume and is not a valuable insight into their working behavior, which is supposed to be the benefit of a reference.

There is a large majority of companies that insist on references at the offer stage of the process, but when I look at my own career, I would only ever choose references I know would be positive and would contact people I liked in those organizations; which may not have necessarily been my direct hiring manager. So if I do this, how many others out there are selecting their friends or colleagues as a referee as a testament to their working practices?
If there are others out there like me who use only positive referees...

In the modern age of Linkedin and social media it is easier than ever to secure new positions; yet why do so many companies not invest time in employer branding, especially on the agency side.

It amazes me how many junior recruiters out in the market cannot tell you anything about the companies they recruit for and why you would want to work for them.
Just a few days ago I was headhunted for a senior profile role at a major market leading FMCG company, yet when I asked the consultant a few key questions his response astounded me:

1) What is the company mission? – reply, please check their website!
2) How many countries do they operate in? – reply, please check their website!
3) What is the corporate communication language? – reply, I think its English, but not sure, I assume it would be as they are international!
4) How many people would I lead? – reply, a couple but would need to check!
5) What was their turnover last year? – reply, not sure that’s relevant, but if you need to know check the website!
6) What would be my P&L responsibility? – reply that really knocked...

There are various ways of presenting a resume or CV to catch the eye of a recruiter. There is also a growing trend of sending a video CV or resume to HR to land the perfect job – especially in public relations, sales, marketing and media sectors, where good communication and presentation skills are quintessential.
“Video CV’s differentiate you from the crowd. Employers can immediately see how well you present yourself,” says Reyndert Coppelmans, who used to make video CVs in The Netherlands before heading sales and marketing at Treeveo in Spain.
Video resumes can come in two forms – a profile and an application video.
Profile video resume:
In a profile video, the candidate presents him or herself, their skills and the position they are looking for. To gain good traction, the candidate can also upload the video on personal or professional websites such as LinkedIn and even send one along with covering letters.
Application video resume:
The application video is where applicants record themselves answering pre-set questions sent by recruiters. In turn, recruiters gain a sense of the applicants’ personality and see how well they present themselves. It saves them time and money in terms of organizing first-round...

Problems arise on a regular basis in both work and life, and employers want employees who know how to rise to the challenge and deal with problems calmly and effectively. For the best employees, every problem has a solution and no obstacle is insurmountable.

To show your prospective employer your can-do attitude, you want to demonstrate that your approach to problem-solving is calm, rational and objective. Explain that your approach is to break down a problem into its component parts so you can see the main issues and exactly what needs to be done. You then do research if required and brainstorm possible solutions, both alone and with others. If appropriate, you assemble the necessary team. You organise yourself, set yourself a strategy and schedule, and tackle the problem straight away instead of procrastinating. You’re resourceful and resilient, and not afraid to be creative and innovative in your approach. For you, there are only challenges, not problems.

Most importantly, you need to demonstrate all these claims with a concrete example from your past professional or personal life. Outline the nature of the problem, how you approached and assessed it, what actions you took and the result of your actions –...

The experience of an applicant during application procedure by organizations will become crucial in the coming years, especially in a tight labor market when the vacancies will soon be difficult to fill. "Therefore, it is smart to invest in the Candidate Experience," says Veronique Oonk from Intelligence Group.

Experience of candidate is crucial

Several factors determine the experience of a candidate with the employer, Oonk says: "Strictly speaking, it all starts with the first contact with company during recruitment (job fairs ) or the visit of recruitment page of company’s website. It is all part of Candidate Experience. But to a large extent is Candidate Experience is the answer to a question: "How would they treat me if I actually apply?" It is too sad for words, but most of applicants will not even get a response when they apply for a job, let alone why they are rejected. "

What should we do with 500 responses to a job?
"Of course I know that it is not always possible to give a response. If you cannot handle such a large flow of applications, adjust the job description in such a way so that only max ten but suitable good...

The CBS (Centraal Bureau voor Statestieken) states that the number of jobs in The Netherlands, declined by 4,000 in the fourth quarter of 2013. Also, when compared with the same period in 2012, the number of employee jobs reduced by 1.6% with a total reduction of 128,000 jobs. It is interesting to note that in preceding quarters of 2013, this decline was a lot more substantial. More information provided here.
With the job market in The Netherlands experiencing a marginal contraction, it is necessary that job seekers take proactive measures to ensure that job search efforts are not hampered by a poor representation of one skills and competencies to Recruiters and Hiring Managers.
Getting your CV to the top of the pile and gaining the interviewers interest should be of utmost importance. To achieve this, it would be useful to pay some attention to little things that could act as a disqualifying factor in the job search. Below are a few tips to consider when creating your CV. Do not create a generic or all-purpose CV. This will only get your CV tossed. Customize and tweak your CV to match the job description and suit the job you are applying...

Should a vacancy be filled? Social media is the solution. Many HR professionals and recruiters are struggling in the search of new talent. The U.S. recruitment guru Kevin Wheeler is convinced that social media is the future of recruitment. "The tools may change, but not the concept of social media and the internet to find the right people ".
The first step for HR professionals is therefore, according to Wheeler, that HR professionals know the importance of learning about social media. "However, I see that many HR professionals have cold feet and did not even want to try. Then, it is necessary that HR professionals learn how to use social media step by step. “Just start with Google and then, after time and effort, become an expert in social media. But that is step three. Too many HR professionals are still stuck in the first two steps. "

Facebook and Twitter more interesting than LinkedIn
According to Wheeler LinkedIn is too traditional. “On LinkedIn, you'll find not many graduates or young people. You will find people with a few years of experience, people in their mid-career. With a neat resume. In fact, LinkedIn is a kind of CV online. “However,...

The Together Abroad team held a workshop in the WTC office in The Hague.

It was a well-attended event and there was a lot of fun, ambiance and great coffee! More importantly, there was a great deal of knowledge sharing on the how to find a job in The Netherlands. We had attendees with different competencies and skill sets and from different career backgrounds and this definitely made for a rich and well-rounded interaction.


The main thrust of the event was to offer information and guidance on how to find a job in The Netherlands. Irina made a rich presentation which covered topics such as covering the key locations in Holland and the availabilities of job in those regions. She gave some insight on the CV preparation and how to customize it to suit the Netherlands market and of course how to stand out from a large candidate pool and attract the hiring manager interest. She also offered tips, tools and techniques that could act as catalyst to the attainment of suitable employment in The Netherlands.
It was educative and very lively session and the participants got a great deal out of the experience.



As the workshop progresses, things got quite...

Workshop How to find a job in NL / 15th of May The Hague 
Location WTC The Hague Date 15.05.2014

Workshop How to find a job in NL 15th of May WTC The Hague 
Have you been living here for quite some time and still experience difficulties in the local labour market?
Together Abroad gives a workshops "How to find a job in NL" on 15th of May

During this training we give very practical information about the Dutch labour market and how the recruitment in the Netherlands works:
Dutch labor market
Recruitment channels
New recruitment trends / Online recruitment:
RSS and Phone applications
CV / Personal Profile
REGISTER HERE FOR THE WORKSHOP...

Sollicitatietraining in Nederland

Een sollicitatiegesprek is de tijd en plaats om indruk op uw potentiële werkgevers . Uw toekomstige baan hangt af van uw prestaties tijdens die korte periode van tijd.
En het kan helemaal fout gaan als u niet in staat bent om al uw potentiële , vaardigheden en expertise te tonen . 
Together Abroad traint u voor uw sollicitatiegesprekken .
Hoe de moeilijkste vragen te beantwoorden ?
Hoe kunt u laten zien dat u de juiste persoon bent voor de job ?
Hoe kunt u uw kennis over het onderwerp bewijzen?
Kortom, hoe krijg u dit contract ondertekenend? 

Via een een op een rollenspel bereiden wij  u voor op de moeilijkste vragen.

Sollicitatie tips voor het vinden van een baan in Nederland: Verzamel alle informatie die je kunt over bedrijf, vacature, concurrenten , de jaarlijkse omzet van het bedrijf , doelstellingen en ambities , interviewers , etc Eerste indruk is het belangrijkste . Nooit te laat. Kom 10 minuten eerder en representatief zijn . Ken uw CV ! Neem 2-3 kopieën met u! Stel vragen , Het toont uw interesse in het bedrijf Wees niet bang om notities te nemen Oefen het interview en de possibble antwoorden  Weet wat je kunt bieden aan het bedrijf en waarom...

YER is an international recruitment agency that focuses on Bachelors and Masters for permanent and temporary positions; Graduates, Professionals, Executives and Directors.

YER offers:

Recruitment Solutions, 4 target groups
YER for Graduates, talented starters seeking their first job
YER for Professionals, usually candidates making the second/third step in their careers, gross annual salary of approx. € 50,000 max.
YER for Executives, managers and specialists
gross annual salary of € 50,000 or more
YER for Directors, senior level candidates, gross annual salary of € 100,000 or more; senior level
Interim Solutions
Interim Professionals for secondment (to projects)
Interim Management for independent interim managers
Agency information:

International recruitment & selection agency
Permanent and Temporary staffing
Assessment Centers and psychological tests
Focus on Bachelors and Masters
Graduates, Professionals, Executives and Directors
Specialised consultants for every discipline

YER Services...

CALLING ALL HIGH POTENTIALS!

For an elitegroup of candidates, we will be hosting 3 round table focus groups to discuss current trends and changes in secondary benefits, social media, targeting the right employers and general labour market conditions. As a high potential candidate, your input is invaluable to us and we would like to invite you to this niche event.

If you would like your views and opinions to count whilst acquainting yourself with an award winning employer in The Netherlands, this is your unique opportunity.

We will be holding 3 separate events for varying career levels, so if you feel you match the following criteria, we would love you to attend:
• Master’s degree;
• International employment exposure;
• Ambitious, driven and passionate about development;
• Marketing and Sales career path.

In return we will be offering you the chance to meet with fellow professionals, get to know a top employer where future possibilities of employment are strong whilst at the same time enjoying a few hours of good social interaction in the company of your peers and company representatives.

Refreshments will be provided in addition to a small corporate information pack to take home and read at your...

Adams specialises in matching multilingual candidates with exciting job opportunities in international companies in the Netherlands.

The company was established in 1997 by Maureen Adam – an experienced recruiter and a native English speaker. Maureen’s mission was twofold. Firstly, to create a recruitment company that would offer a high quality, professional service with an added personal element and secondly to help non-Dutch speaking candidates find jobs in the Netherlands. Maureen accomplished her mission. Since 1997 Adams has helped many non-Dutch speakers to find new and satisfying careers in the Netherlands whilst forging close working relationships with a wide variety of international companies across a diverse range of industries.

With offices in Amsterdam and Rotterdam Adams has an experienced team of international consultants all of whom are committed and passionate about making the right match between candidate and client.

Adams handles both temporary and permanent assignments for all disciplines at all levels of the corporate environment ranging from graduates hoping to start a career through to senior management.

Adams consultants specialise in specific areas such as marketing, customer services, finance, secretarial, logistics, sales, human resources and ICT. This specialist knowledge allows our consultants to provide in-depth advice and information to clients...

At Power-to-Change we believe that career planning is too important to be left to chance and that is why we offer a range of programs, tools and techniques to assist you to:

• Decide on the right career path
• Manage your career
• Sell yourself with confidence on your CV and at interviews
• Review job search strategies
• Write a winning CV, Motivation Letter and LinkedIn Profile
• Start and grow your own business

Contact me today for a FREE 20 minute telecom strategy session and let’s start putting the fun and passion back into your working week!

Address:Kloosterlaan 12
Postal code: 1861SE
City:BERGEN
Country:NL
Phone:+31615561377
Contact Anne Galloway...

A happy expat simply achieves more…..
Job Search or Career Orientation? That IS the question.
Most people who would like a new job, check out what’s on offer in the ‘job market’. This is looking outwards and around you, and is fine when you know what you’re looking for and what you want.

For expats the key question is “What do I have to offer to employers abroad; not knowing the local language and not knowing so much about the local market?”
When you don’t know, and still have a lot of questions on the subject, then you do well to take a look inside yourself. Career orientation is about the following key questions.
Who am I? What is really important to me, in my career? What do I want to achieve in my career? What kind of mark do I want to make in the world? What would be my dream job? What do I have to offer? What am I good at? My passion, my talents? What would I like to develop, improve upon?

Career/Life Coaching can also help you to answer questions like:
How to get the best out of my current job?
How to achieve a...

Winnaar Intercedent van het Jaar 2013
Dé Intercedent van 2013 is bekend! Het is Suzanne Jongejan-Eversteijn van Unique. Tijdens de spannende finale waarin de tien runners up met elkaar hebben gestreden om de titel heeft Suzanne niet alleen de Award in ontvangst genomen, ze mag ook een jaar lang in een auto van de Intercedent van het Jaar rijden. ARTRA Arbeidsmarkttrainingen kijkt samen met de ABU, de NBBU en ál haar sponsoren terug op ‘Het leukste Flexevent van 2013!’

Tot het laatste moment spannend
In de middag hebben de drie finalisten Suzanne, Iris Mulder van Adecco en Kristel Frey van Manpower na een coachingsessie van ARTRA trainers tijdens speeddates de vakjury al overtuigd waarom zij bij de laatste drie horen. Om 20.30 uur presenteerden zij zich aan het publiek. Hierbij heeft iedere finalist op eigen wijze het publiek laten zien waarom zij dé Intercedent van het Jaar is. Door middel van SMS voting is de uiteindelijke winnaar gekozen. Naast de bekendmaking van de Intercedent van het Jaar heeft Gerard Vogel van Unique de prijs voor het filmpje met de meeste Likes gewonnen, kwam Renée Malone-Burgaud, (eveneens van Unique), als beste uit de Kennisquiz en was Lesley van Miert van Randstad iedereen...

My motivation to start working for Randstad was that I was looking for a job in a dynamic working environment, with a large multinational company. I had heard very good stories about Randstad as an employer and that they invested a lot in the training and development of new employees.


Our specific approach with Randstad Multilingual Recruitment is a personal approach. We work with a team of 5 people, who are responsible for establishing and maintaining all relations ourselves. Our process is quite straightforward: candidates that apply or that we headhunt ourselves, get a telephone interview. In this interview, a candidate’s CV will be discussed and his demands and requirements/motivation for a new job. Tests (languages or technical) will be conducted if applicable. After that, an appointment will be made for a personal interview. In this personal interview, we focus on the type of personality and work ethics that a candidate has. In this way. We are able to draw up a complete profile for all our candidates.


Randstad Multilingual Recruitment has national coverage and we focus on positions that are customer contact related. This means that we offer customer support positions, but also technical support, telemarketing, sales, inside sales...

Dear International,

My name is Suzanne Jongejan, i work for UNIQUE inhouse SHELL DH and i have been nominated for Intercedent / recruiter van het jaar (Consultant/recruiter of the year)!
A huge honor and I have already made it through the first round! Intercedent van het Jaar is a yearly election for professionals in the recruitment industry and in order to help win the election, I will need to get as many votes as possible on my promo film. Aside from this I have been tested on my knowledge and will be tested on commercial&management skills. Based on the results of this, I hope to be selected for the finals.

Help me win the election by Liking&sharing my promo film on www.facebook.nl/intercedentvanhetjaar! You can find the film under “Stem op uw favoriet”.

Please note: Before liking the film you must also like the Facebook fanpage of Intercedent van het Jaar. Please do not forget to confirm your like.

For those of you who don’t speak Dutch I have included a translation of what I’m discussing in the film:

My name is Suzanne Jongejan and I’m 29 years old. I’ve been working as an inhouse consultant with Unique for a large multinational in The Hague for...

What was the motivationt start working for Unique?

What attracted me initially was the combination of sales and recruitment which Content offered in one job (Content merged with Unique in 2010). For me it is very important to have a dynamic job while being able to mean something for people. Previously I had been working in sales and I was just selling products that could make peoples live easier. At some point I wanted to add value on a much deeper level. In this job you can actually change peoples lives by offering them the opportunity that they have been waiting for. After my first interviews I got the choice for which office I wanted to work; a newly opened office in The Hague (focusing on smaller businesses in the area) or as a recruiter for Shell. I chose Shell because I have always been interested in working in an international environment and working for such a large multinational would offer me more opportunities for my own development. I have never regretted that decision as I enjoy speaking to people from all over the world and I have gotten the freedom to take on various projects while working with a...

We are operating in a global jobs market, where aspiring international workers move from country to country, for a variety of reasons, such as: career development, better pay, to broaden their horizons or simply to find a job. The Netherlands has become a very attractive destination for overseas candidates for two main reasons; the first is that is ranked as one of the top 20 most liveable cities in the world, and the second reason is that it is currently enjoying some of the lowest levels of unemployment in the euro-zone.

So, what is the most effective channel for landing a job in the Netherlands? Well, a recent global survey by ICIMS of over 1,200 companies world-wide revealed that one of the main ways that people get jobs in today's market is via a recruitment agency. Yes, nearly 21% of roles are filled by recruitment agencies and they are second only to jobs boards in terms of their influence. This figure is likely to be higher for international roles as many companies recognize the difficulties of sourcing international applicants and choose to rely on headhunters to help them do this.

The message is clear, therefore; if you are an international candidate...

Recruitment Agencies in the Netherlands

We are operating in a global jobs market, where aspiring international workers move from country to country, for a variety of reasons, such as: career development, better pay, to broaden their horizons or simply to find a job. The Netherlands has become a very attractive destination for overseas candidates for two main reasons; the first is that is ranked as one of the top 20 most liveable cities in the world, and the second reason is that it is currently enjoying some of the lowest levels of unemployment in the euro-zone.

So, what is the most effective channel for landing a job in the Netherlands? Well, a recent global survey by ICIMS of over 1,200 companies world-wide revealed that one of the main ways that people get jobs in today's market is via a recruitment agency. Yes, nearly 21% of roles are filled by recruitment agencies and they are second only to jobs boards in terms of their influence. This figure is likely to be higher for international roles as many companies recognize the difficulties of sourcing international applicants and choose to rely on recruitment agencies to help them do this.

The message is clear,...

Recruitment Agencies in the Netherlands

We are operating in a global jobs market, where aspiring international workers move from country to country, for a variety of reasons, such as: career development, better pay, to broaden their horizons or simply to find a job. The Netherlands has become a very attractive destination for overseas candidates for two main reasons; the first is that is ranked as one of the top 20 most liveable cities in the world, and the second reason is that it is currently enjoying some of the lowest levels of unemployment in the euro-zone.

So, what is the most effective channel for landing a job in the Netherlands? Well, a recent global survey by ICIMS of over 1,200 companies world-wide revealed that one of the main ways that people get jobs in today's market is via a recruitment agency. Yes, nearly 21% of roles are filled by recruitment agencies and they are second only to jobs boards in terms of their influence. This figure is likely to be higher for international roles as many companies recognize the difficulties of sourcing international applicants and choose to rely on recruitment agencies to help them do this.

The message is clear,...

INTERVIEW TRAINING IN THE NETHERLANDS

A job interview in the Netherlands is the time and place to impress your potential employers. Your future job depends on your performance during that short period of time. And it can all go down the drain if you are not able to demonstrate all your potential, skills and expertise.

Together Abroad prepares you for your job interviews in the Netherlands. How to answer the hardest questions right? How to show you are the right person for the job? How to prove your knowledge on the subject? Basically, how to get you to sign that contract?
Our one-on-one role play exercises and workshops will prepare you for the hardest questions and for the brightest answers.


INTERVIEW TIPS IN THE NETHERLANDS

Be wel prepared for the interview in the Netherlands
Gather all the information you can about company, vacancy, competitors, annual revenue of the company, goals and ambitions, interviewers, etc
First impression is the most important. Never be late. Come 10 mins earlier and be representative.
Know your CV! Take 2-3 copies with you!
Ask questions, It shows your interest in the company
Don't be afraid to take notes
Rehearse the interview and the possibble answers
Know...

According to the findings of the Heidrick and Struggles Global Talent Index  The Netherlands is the 7th most open country in the world in terms of the inward and outward flow of talent. Yes, the survey showed that The Netherlands is very open to hiring foreign nationals to add diversity to its workforce. This makes The Netherlands a great destination for candidates from all over the world – be that the Americas, Asia, Africa or Australasia to start an international career.

So, there are many great reasons to come the Netherlands for work, which makes it a popular and competitive destination for expats. And if you want to successfully gain an expat role in the Netherlands, you'll need to use some specialized job application tactics, several of which I have shown below.  Let the Dutch employer know you are committed to international relocation.

Relocation overseas is a big commitment and for this reason the drop outs rates for overseas job applicants can be higher than those of local applicants. For this reason, Dutch employers will be cautious of overseas applications as they will be concerned as to how committed the applicant is to actually moving and taking up the role.

Candidates should...

Why is it so difficult to find and hire people who think like owners?
You know, the kind of folks who take responsibility and then take action, who don’t wait for a problem before they look for a solution.
The wish that employees would act more like owners is so commonplace it is viewed as one of those “just the way it is," human nature problems.
I'd like to suggest, however, that this can and will change when owners and managers first change their own thinking and expectations.

Although old-fashioned dictatorial, top-down, work/responsibility relationships are slowly dissolving, many employer/employee roles are still strongly influenced by the military chain-of-command model that was the norm for previous generations.

On the employee side, because most job descriptions are lists of activities (do this, don't do that), employees are indoctrinated to think of their work only in terms of the functions they are assigned.
When it’s set up like this, and conditions make it difficult or impossible to perform a task as specified, employees are stuck. That’s
when they stop and wait for further instructions. They have been conditioned not to act beyond the responsibilities specified in their
job descriptions. This mindset is then...