Mobile Recruiting Trends: Are you Ready?

One of the most important aspects of recruiting is learning how to properly utilize technology. After all, we no longer live in a world where you will spend most of your time looking for qualified job candidates by making phone calls or attending networking events. Most recruiters now spend the majority of their time working on a computer, tablet or cell phone, and they are able to use all of these devices to find the perfect candidates without needing to leave their office.

Which Trends Should I be Using?Twitter for Android

If you do not currently have a cell phone or tablet that is synced directly to your desktop, then you are missing out on one of the easiest ways to recruit. After all, it is imperative to be able to access your contact lists and your calendar at all times, and setting up this connection between your computer and your mobile device will put everything that you need at your fingertips at all times. It is also important to fully take advantage of social networking sites.

For recruiters, however, LinkedIn should be their site of choice instead of Facebook. The LinkedIn site enables anyone to search for people who have specific skills or who have worked for specific companies and this can make the process of finding qualified candidates go much more smoothly. Some recruiters also make good usage of software to help them track the availability of individuals who they believe would be a good fit in the future.

Do I Really Need a Mobile Website?

More and more people are using their mobile devices to search for jobs. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise since there are now more cell phones than toothbrushes in the world, and for well over 25% of Americans, their mobile device is the primary way they access the internet. If you do not have a site that caters to these users, find a web design company to create one for you so you don’t miss out on these opportunities. After all, if a job seeker does happen to stumble upon your standard website with their mobile device, odds are they will leave quickly to find a mobile-optimized site.

While some of the new career apps have been getting excellent reviews, it is not realistic to think that an applicant that is searching through ten career sites will want to download as many apps. If you have a mobile site that offers easier to use searches and functionality, job seekers can access your information quickly from any mobile device. If you do not  respond to the career-seeking mobile users with a simple interface and a great mobile experience, your competition will.

How often do Recruiting Trends Change?

Every time there is a new technological announcement, you can be virtually guaranteed that it will impact the world of recruiting. For example, when smartphones were first released, they enabled recruiters to be much more efficient since they could carry their emails with them in their pocket. Now these phones have developed so much that recruiters have easy access to specialized apps that help them find, track and contact potential candidates. It is also extremely helpful that recruiters can now access their calendar from anywhere because this helps them prevent double booking their time.

How often should I Implement New Recruiting Trends?

Although some people feel more comfortable waiting for others to test out new technology before they embrace it, you do not want to get left sitting on the sidelines. After all, if you wait six months to try a new mobile recruiting trend, all of your competitors are likely to have already used it to locate several prime candidates who you missed out on. Therefore, it is not a good idea to take a wait and see approach with new mobile recruiting trends. Even if you try something and it does not work as expected, it is better to get the jump on your competitors than to find yourself always lagging behind.

At this point, all signs indicate that mobile recruiting trends will overcome the entire recruiting industry. Therefore, if you want to be able to compete, you will need to take advantage of every mobile option that is available to you. Make sure that you implement your mobile plan immediately if you are not already using one, and keep up on industry related news to find out when each new trend surfaces.

Author Shelby Warden researches the latest trends to write articles that can help you succeed. The 522 Digital LLC web design company in Washington DC provides a wide range of services for their clients so they can complete in today’s demanding business environment. Their experts will create the perfect mobile site to keep job seekers coming back to you time and time again.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johanl/5144798765/

The Beginner’s Guide to e-Commerce

In the current economic climate where employment opportunities can be scarce at best establishing a small business can seem like a tempting proposition. Being self-employed can free an individual from the endless process of job hunting and provide much desired independence.

However, establishing a business is not as straightforward as some may presume. There is a lot more involved in creating and managing a business than may at first be imagined. The owner of the company is not only responsible for day to day operations but also for managing the business itself.

A working business idea

In many respects coming up with a working business idea can be the most difficult part of establishing a new business. The majority of entrepreneurs approach this problem from one of two very different directions: having a business idea and creating a business based upon it or simply having the desire to create a business with a working business idea yet to be created.

Either way, caution should be exercised. In the first instance the prospective entrepreneur must ensure that there is a market for the business and that they do not simply press ahead with the idea based upon passion and emotion. This would be a sure route to failure.

In the second instance the prospective entrepreneur should ensure that the business idea that is adopted is of course viable but they should also ensure that they have sufficient knowledge and enthusiasm for the product. This is essential to succeed.

The basics of e-commerce

Once the newly established business has a product with which it can proceed, the next challenge is to create the infrastructure necessary to sell the product. This generally starts with a website. For more sound business cases this may involve designing and building a professional website or having one created on the business’ behalf.

ecommerce basics
ECommerce 101

If the desire is to simply test the water before committing significant resources many companies have found eBay to be a good starting point. Products can be advertised and sold on eBay for minimum investment and maximum return.

Of course the business should ensure that it has sufficient stock to be able to sell to clients, whether using eBay or a professional website. Moreover, the business should consider supplies of consumables including cardboard boxes, jiffy bags and other packaging. The business should also consider the creation of address labels, packing slips and invoices.

Business development

It is always a fine balance between failing to take advantage of a market and overreaching too soon. The business should be ready to take full advantage of the market if it is available and the sale of the product is successful.

However, the business should also ensure that the infrastructure is in place to support this expansion to prevent overreaching. The company should aim to expand progressively in a controlled and calculated manner. By doing so, the owner of the company can ensure continued success and this will allow the business to grow naturally.

Launching Your Own Digital Start-Up

Digital businesses are the buzzword today. These are not brick-and-mortar businesses; in fact, these are computers and Internet entities. The creation of a digital business is not very difficult, and requires far less money than a land-based or traditional business. However, like everything new, it requires careful planning and preparation.

Good Idea

Begin with a good idea, and then expand upon it. There should be clarity on what the business is all about, what is it going to sell or do, and what are the aims and goals of the business. The conceptual process is probably the most important part of any business; since, it lays the groundwork for all that shall come later.

Domain Name

Register a domain name which represents the name of the business. It should be easy to remember and easy to access. Registration of a domain name also gives email ID’s and, in some cases, websites are also part of the package. As in a traditional start-up business, the name should reflect the aim or purpose of the company.

digital business tips

Website

The most important aspect of a digital business is its website. It is the face and the office of the company and it is the first point of contact for the clients. An error-free and well-designed website is the biggest asset a digital business can have. It is equivalent to having the best manufacturing facility a company can afford. Navigation through the website should be easy, the content should be clear and crisp, and all contact information should be clearly marked. The images should reflect exactly what the company is selling, or offering to the clients. In a traditional start-up, the office or factory is the productive space; and in a digital start-up, the computer replaces the factory or the office. A digital start-up is not limited by the location; it can be conducted from anywhere defying geographical boundaries.

Financial Software

The second most important part of a digital start-up firm is the quality of the financial software being used. All transactions should be securely routed, and the client should be able to make payments easily with a single click of the mouse. Credit card processors and payment platforms should be an inherent part of the financial software. This should be arranged much before the first sale goes through. Any glitches can lead to the loss of good customers, and also monetary losses.

Communication Strategy

Keeping in touch with customers has now become very easy due to the various online platforms. Social media, email newsletters, and websites – all these have made the world move closer, but it has also enhanced the need for excellent communication strategies. Attention spans have become shorter; hence, information needs to be condensed into fewer words and presented in a crisp manner. There has to be quick interaction with the clients, the response times need to be much shorter than they would be for traditional businesses and since there is no personal interaction, the written words should be satisfactory.

About the Author: This article is written by James Bentham.

Image: renjith krishnan

Opening An Online Business Store

Internet has significantly revolutionized the way of doing business by introducing more efficient and simpler ways of trading. The virtues introduced include expansion of market, payment simplification and real time transactions amongst others. These features have consequently created numerous chances for different forms of online businesses. Amongst the best and successful online businesses include a makeup and cosmetics store. The popularity of this kind of business is mainly because nowadays there are many people who buy makeup and cosmetics online since they do not live near where their favorite boutique or a beauty shop is located. But there are several requirements and guidelines in which this kind of businesses needs to follow so as to start and run successfully.

online store
How to start an online business

Opening an online business store requires one to have an internet connectable gadget such as a computer. This is the primary requirement because it’s what will be used to market, take orders and sell the products. Furthermore, it is advisable to use a comprehensive ecommerce internet services which provides template designing, processes payments, shopping carts and edit web pages amongst others. This eliminates the necessity of subscribing to many subscribers for services which would have otherwise been provided by just a single or a few service providers.

It is paramount to obtain the relevant permit and license before starting the business even though the business will be operating online. This is because different regions have diverse regulation and they also needs to account for every trading activities in the relevant authorities jurisdiction. Amongst the probable documents that might be needed include; use tax permit, assumed name certificate and employer identification number amongst others. It is paramount to obtain these documents before the business officially commences so as avoid surprises and closure due to non compliance.

Starting a successful online store also requires ample preparation in marketing. The best marketing channels include starting promotional blogs and opening related social networking accounts amongst others. The blogs and accounts should have links where visitors can be directed to the website in which to find the products on sale. To entice the visitors, they can be offered discounts and offers if they visit the website or if they purchase a product. 

The business also requires that the products be readily available where they can be delivered to the customer immediately they make their order. This is important because the first impression in such businesses is significant in creating a customer base. Thus a delay or a failure in delivery can give the business a negative image. This can be achieved through several alternatives including opening wholesale accounts with distributors. This is especially helpful to those who do not make the products on their own, instead they buys from companies and other manufacturers. Consequently, opening a wholesale account ensure that the products can be delivered even with short notices. The products should be packed and braded in a way that customer can identify them with the online business.

About the Author: This post is written by Maya Zajacko.

Image: ernohannik / Flickr