Five things HR professionals can learn from Rugby

HR policies are based on law; this is why we have Harassment Policies for example. And we are certainly well-served by having HR policies that provide clarity and understanding of consequences. I would much rather communicate practices based on reasoning than enforce “rules” which implies governing the actions of many due to the behavior of a few (Hello? Dress Code policy?).

Unpaid Internships – a view from Toronto

I should preface this by stating that I have spoken to many recent graduates (mostly in Human Resources) and the feeling is very consistent. Most feel that it would be best if they could find a paying job that would also offer them the experience they seek. However, given the competition and availability of entry level positions, there is a general feeling that “you have to do what you can” to get experience. This includes working 5 days a week, all day, without pay.

Best practices in working with recruiting firms

This article provides best practice tips on how to work with recruiting firms and may be useful if your organization uses a recruiting firm to find new employees. Many of these points may also apply to an internal recruiter within your organization.

Note: Recruiting firms, staffing agencies, placement agencies and headhunters are all considered equivalent for purposes of this article.

Effective techniques for filling open positions

A major challenge for many companies is trying to find suitable candidates to fill open positions. There are many options available and there is no right or wrong answer as to which technique is best. Depending on the organization, one method may yield better results than another. Although there are many options available, this article discusses some of the more prevalent techniques used in today’s market.

The hidden job market: Tips, traps and tactics for job seekers

There is a high probability that many job seekers have heard the following phrase at some point during their search: ‘90% of jobs are not advertised’. However, based on current trends and an article by The Wall Street Journal (January 9, 2013), this number is estimated to be closer to 50%. Still, this would mean that half of all available positions are not advertised anywhere. This article gives some tips on how to tap into the hidden job market.