​Your Employees are NOT Tools
You know this already.
And I know you know this because every time I ask an employer to name the most important element of their business, they always say their employees.
The people.
But then I ask a few more questions and it seems like the answer doesn&rsquo;t match the actions.
Don&rsquo;t worry, I&rsquo;m not looking to shame anyone or get all self-righteous.
But if you truly value your employees, I&rsquo;m sure you&rsquo;re keen to find ways to care for them that little bit better.
Personnel or Resources
Do you remember when your&nbsp;HR&nbsp;department used to be called the&nbsp;Personnel&nbsp;department?
I liked that.
It had the word &ldquo;person&rdquo; right there in the name. And it was only ever a couple of letter changes from describing something &ldquo;personal&rdquo;.
But HR is something else.
I have a theory that we abbreviated it because we&rsquo;re a little bit embarrassed describing thinking, feeling, flesh and blood people as resources.
When I think of resources, I think of tables, chairs, computers&hellip; money.
I&rsquo;m sort of digressing, but the point I&rsquo;m trying to make is that if we describe people as resources, we&rsquo;re only half a step away from treating them as such.
And when it comes to recruitment, many employees aren&rsquo;t half a step away&hellip;
They&rsquo;re already all the way there.
Calling a Spade, a Spade
If we wanted to buy a spade for our business, we&rsquo;d likely consider three elements:
<ul>
<li>
Cost&nbsp;(how much will we have to pay)
</li>
<li>
Functionality&nbsp;(what is the capability of the spade)
</li>
<li>
Construction&nbsp;(who made it and what level of experience do they have)
</li>
</ul>
And if we wanted to hire a new Business Development Manager, we&rsquo;d consider these three elements:
<ul>
<li>
Cost&nbsp;(how much is their salary)
</li>
<li>
Ability&nbsp;(What is the capability of the employee)
</li>
<li>
Experience&nbsp;(who taught the employee and where have they worked previously)
</li>
</ul>
Uh-oh. Look closely and it appears that we&rsquo;re using virtually the same criteria for our human resources as we our for our digging resources.
Forgive me for calling a spade, a spade, but if our employees are more important than the tools we use, why are we using virtually the same approach for sourcing them?
Assessing What Is Truly Valuable
Buy a thousand spades from one supplier and they&rsquo;ll all be virtually identical.
Hire a thousand people and no two will be alike.
And the differences CANNOT be assessed by looking merely at cost, ability and experience.
To truly assess candidates, and thus the people that you hire, you need to be able to measure what makes them unique and valuable&hellip;
Their personality.
Are they introverted or extroverted? Do they work better in a group or on their own? Do they work well in a structured environment or do they need creative space? Are they a leader or a follower? Do they learn better by doing or watching?
These are all critical elements of a person&rsquo;s ability to do their work and thrive in your business.
But if you don&rsquo;t measure these things BEFORE you hire them, you&rsquo;re downplaying the importance of what makes them the most important element of your business.
And, crucially, you&rsquo;re making your hiring decisions harder and more susceptible to errors.
Make no mistake, when you make a bad hire that leaves (or is let go) within six months, it&rsquo;s rarely because their skills or experience aren&rsquo;t up to scratch.
Rather it&rsquo;s because their BEHAVIOUR wasn&rsquo;t a good fit for your business.
Behavioural Assessments are Key
I&rsquo;ve been using behavioural assessments as part of candidate evaluation for a while, and it&rsquo;s a significant factor in helping my clients IMPROVE their overall employee retention rate.
If you TRULY believe your employees are the most important element of your business, you owe it to them to also use behavioural surveys as part of your hiring process.
For a free demonstration of how behavioural surveys work and how to integrate them into your hiring strategy, book a free, no-obligation, consultation here&nbsp;<a href="https://calendly.com/neil-ray/15-minute-chat">Book a call with me</a>

Your Employees are NOT Tools

Ever hear a recruiter say something like this&hellip;?
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re specialists in our industry with an unparalleled network of high-quality candidates.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We guarantee a shortlist of at least five candidates within two weeks.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Our fees are reasonable and lower than 90% of recruiters.&rdquo;
Assuming you&rsquo;re still awake, would you like to know why recruiters keep using the same tired promises to try and win business?
These are the secrets recruiters don&rsquo;t want you to know and the question you should never ask&hellip;
Most Recruitment Work is Unpaid
When a recruiter receives a brief from a client and is working on a &ldquo;results-only&rdquo; basis, they know only too well that they&rsquo;re probably competing with at least one or two other recruiters.
Because a fee is only earned by producing the &ldquo;winning&rdquo; candidate, there&rsquo;s a strong likelihood that the work carried out won&rsquo;t result in a fee.
How strong a likelihood?
On average 75-80% of a recruiter&rsquo;s work DOESN&rsquo;T result in a placement and therefore DOESN&rsquo;T produce any income.
Add to this the fact that the recruiter is probably on a fairly low salary and depends on commissions for the bulk of the earnings, and you can start to understand why a recruitment firm is such a stressful environment.
The result is that recruiters are under intense pressure to take on as many assignments as possible, gather candidates as quickly as possible, and hope that at least 20-30% hit the spot.
Put another way&hellip;
Your recruitment campaign is only ever getting 20-30% of your recruiter&rsquo;s attention.
Recruitment is a Numbers Game
When there&rsquo;s so much uncertainty in the recruitment business model, it&rsquo;s not hard to see why it operates like a numbers game.
It may sound glib, but throwing a lot of mud at the wall and hoping some of it sticks is not a terrible metaphor for the day-to-day grind of recruitment.
This is why recruiters pitch to clients using the same tired clich&eacute;s about networks, low fees, and speed of delivery. It&rsquo;s a transactional business in which candidates are commodities and the selling points reflect this.
Apologies if that sounds harsh, but it&rsquo;s hard to argue against.
Recruiters Benefit From Their Failures
This one is going to get me some stick&hellip;
It&rsquo;s estimated that as many as 25% of placements leave the role within 12 months. When this happens, the employer has two choices&hellip;
<ol class="ak-ol">
<li>
Go back to the recruiter and pay another fee for a new candidate.
</li>
<li>
Take a punt on another recruiter who looks and sounds suspiciously like the old one.
</li>
</ol>
Hang on, hang on&hellip;
Does that mean that the recruitment industry benefits financially when they do a rush job and place a candidate that is a poor fit for the role?
And THAT is the question you&rsquo;re really not supposed to ask.
Don&rsquo;t get me wrong. The recruiter WANTS to give you a candidate that stays in the role, but there&rsquo;s little financial incentive for them to do so. And they&rsquo;re far too busy trying to juggle multiple campaigns, and far too anxious about hitting their targets, to think too hard about retention rates.
There&rsquo;s a Recruitment Revolution Happening
When you strip away the marketing fluff and cut right to the heart of recruitment, the most important factor is putting the right candidate in the right position.
The candidate wins. The client wins. And while some might argue that there&rsquo;s little benefit to the recruiter, I would argue that as long as the employer understands the benefits of high employee retention the recruiter stands to benefit from a good client relationship.
This is why a small, but growing, portion of the recruitment industry is abandoning the traditional, transactional method of recruitment and working with their clients on a consultative basis.
Instead of rushing to compile a shortlist and prizing quantity over quality, these recruiters are focused on conducting measured, intelligent recruitment campaigns and maximising retention rates for their clients.
While the retention rate for new hires, after 12 months, is estimated at somewhere between 70-80% across the industry&hellip;
These recruiters are seeing retention rates of approximately 96%.
Put another way&hellip;
When you hire a candidate provided by these recruiters, there is a 96% chance that your new hire will still be in the role after 12 months.
And once a new hire has been in place for at least 12 months, the odds of them staying in the role for many more years to come increases exponentially!
***
The secret lives of recruiters isn&rsquo;t always pretty. But there are still plenty of recruiters who care deeply about their work and want to produce meaningful results for all concerned.
Yes, it should be up to recruiters to improve the results of their own industry, but you can do your part by choosing recruiters who, instead of trotting out the same clich&eacute;d selling points, focus on the result that really matters.
The RIGHT candidate in the RIGHT role.
***
For five ways in which your recruiter might be ripping you off, check out our free report:&nbsp;<a href="https://wearetechheads.goodhire.agency/">Bad Hire Calculator</a>
***
Our recruitment strategy is proven to produce a retention rate, after 12 months, of approximately 96%.
For a no-obligation discussion about how we can help you save time and money on your next recruitment campaign, Call us on 0203 839 4821

​The Secret Lives of Recruiters (and the question you should never ask them)

As a developer specialising in React and Node.js, you know how important it is to showcase your skills effectively in order to attract the best job opportunities. A strong portfolio is essential for demonstrating your abilities and experience to potential employers. In this blog post, we'll share the top 10 React and Node.js projects that you can create to showcase your skills and impress recruiters and hiring managers alike.
1. Todo App:
A todo app is a simple yet effective way to demonstrate your understanding of React and Node.js. Create an application that allows users to add, edit, and delete tasks, as well as mark them as complete. Implementing features like drag-and-drop and filters for completed tasks can make your todo app stand out from the rest.
2. E-commerce Platform:
Develop a small e-commerce platform using React for the frontend and Node.js for the backend. Focus on features such as product listing, shopping cart, and checkout process. This project will highlight your ability to create dynamic web applications and handle complex data.
3. Real-time Chat Application:
Create a real-time chat application using React for the frontend and Node.js with WebSocket for the backend. Implement features like private messaging, group chats, and online status indicators. This project will demonstrate your ability to work with real-time communication and showcase your understanding of efficient data transfer techniques.
4. Social Media Platform:
Develop a mini social media platform with essential features like user registration, profile creation, posting, and commenting. Incorporate real-time updates using Node.js and React. This project will demonstrate your ability to handle user authentication, data management, and user interactions.
5. Blogging Platform:
Build a blogging platform that allows users to create, edit, and delete blog posts, as well as leave comments. Implement a user-friendly text editor and a responsive design. This project will showcase your skills in creating content management systems and working with rich text editors.
6. Weather App:
Create a weather app that displays real-time weather data based on user's location or city input. Use React for the frontend and Node.js to fetch data from a weather API. This project will highlight your ability to work with third-party APIs and create visually appealing and responsive applications.
7. Job Board:
Develop a job board application that allows users to post job listings, search for jobs, and apply for them. Implement features like user registration, job filtering, and pagination. This project will demonstrate your ability to create web applications with complex data structures and user interactions.
8. Movie Discovery App:
Build a movie discovery app that allows users to search for movies, view details, and save their favorites. Use React for the frontend and Node.js to fetch data from a movie API. This project will showcase your ability to work with external APIs and create engaging user interfaces.
9. Project Management Tool:
Create a project management tool that helps users organise tasks, set deadlines, and collaborate with team members. Implement features like task boards, team management, and project tracking. This project will emphasise your skills in creating productivity-focused applications and managing complex data relationships.
10. Portfolio Website:
Finally, build your own portfolio website using React and Node.js to showcase all the projects you've created. Design a visually appealing and responsive site that highlights your skills, experience, and projects. Include a contact form for potential employers to reach out to you. This project serves as a meta-demonstration of your abilities and brings together all your work in one place, making it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to assess your skills.
Building a diverse range of React and Node.js projects for your portfolio is an effective way to showcase your skills, creativity, and versatility as a developer. By completing these 10 projects, you'll not only gain valuable experience but also create an impressive portfolio that can help you stand out from the competition and attract top job opportunities in the tech industry. Remember, showcasing your work is as important as developing your skills, so make sure your portfolio represents your best work and reflects your unique abilities as a React and Node.js developer.

The Top 10 React and Node.js Projects to Showcase Your Skills

​In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, organisations must stay ahead of the curve by recruiting the most talented professionals. The remote work environment has introduced new challenges, and South African developers are emerging as critical assets in this arena. Let's examine the top five benefits of enlisting these skilled developers for your remote team.
<ol class="ak-ol">
<li>
Expertly Trained Professionals:&nbsp;South African developers possess a diverse array of technical skills, honed through rigorous education and experience with global tech companies. By integrating these professionals into your remote team, you ensure a versatile and highly skilled workforce ready to tackle any project with precision and efficiency.
</li>
<li>
Cost-Effective Solutions:&nbsp;The world of remote work often demands budget-conscious solutions without sacrificing quality. South African developers offer a cost-effective alternative, delivering exceptional results while maintaining a competitive edge. This enables you to allocate resources strategically and maintain operational efficiency.
</li>
<li>
Time Zone Synergy:&nbsp;In the complex world of remote work, time zones can pose significant challenges to communication and collaboration. However, South African developers have the advantage of minimal time differences with many European countries. This synchronicity ensures seamless interaction and coordination within your team, promoting agility and effectiveness.
</li>
<li>
Clear Communication:&nbsp;Effective communication is essential in any operation, and this is where South African developers excel. As predominantly native English speakers, they can navigate the digital workspace with ease, ensuring your team has a unified understanding of project goals and reducing the risk of miscommunication, which could lead to setbacks.
</li>
<li>
Cultural Compatibility: South Africa's diverse and inclusive culture is a valuable asset in the world of remote work. This cultural compatibility fosters strong relationships and enables effective collaboration within your remote team. As international cooperation is often the key to overcoming challenges, the cultural affinity of South African developers can be a powerful strategic advantage in the remote work arena.
</li>
</ol>
Navigating the complex landscape of remote work requires skilled professionals who can adapt to ever-changing challenges. The recruitment of South African developers for your remote team can provide the strategic advantage you need to succeed in this environment. With their exceptional skills, cost-effectiveness, time zone compatibility, clear communication, and cultural compatibility, these developers are the critical assets you need to ensure victory in the competitive world of remote work.

The Top 5 Benefits of Hiring South African Developers for Your Remote Team: A Strategic Analysis

​As remote work continues to reshape the modern workplace, companies must adapt to stay competitive. One way to gain an edge is by recruiting the right talent. South African developers have emerged as a powerful resource in this space, capable of propelling your remote team to new heights. Let's explore how these talented professionals can launch your remote team to stellar success.
Exceptional Technical Expertise: South African developers are known for their strong technical abilities and diverse skill sets. They have experience working with a variety of cutting-edge technologies, making them the perfect candidates to tackle complex projects. By enlisting these tech-savvy professionals, your remote team will benefit from their expertise and innovation, driving your business forward.
Cost-Effective Solutions: High-quality talent can often come with a hefty price tag. However, South African developers offer competitive rates without sacrificing quality. This cost-effective approach allows you to build a top-notch remote team while keeping budget constraints in mind. As a result, you can invest more resources in growth and development, fueling your company's trajectory skyward.
Time Zone Advantages: Effective collaboration is essential for remote teams, and time zones can present a challenge. South African developers enjoy a time zone advantage, with minimal differences between their local time and that of many European countries. This proximity ensures seamless communication and collaboration, enabling your remote team to maintain productivity and make progress without unnecessary delays.
Fluent English Communication: Clear and concise communication is crucial for any remote team's success. South African developers are predominantly native English speakers, ensuring that language barriers are kept to a minimum. With their strong communication skills, your team will benefit from better understanding, reduced miscommunications, and a more efficient workflow.
Cultural Compatibility: A harmonious work environment is integral to the success of a remote team. South African developers come from a diverse and inclusive culture that often aligns well with many international companies. This cultural compatibility promotes a positive working atmosphere, fostering strong relationships, and effective collaboration within your remote team.
 South African developers offer a unique combination of expertise, cost-effectiveness, time zone advantages, fluent communication, and cultural compatibility. By incorporating these talented professionals into your remote team, you'll set your business on a trajectory towards stellar success. So, don't miss out on the opportunity to harness the power of South African developers and propel your remote team to the stars.

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