Recruiting process

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Recruiting Tips For Hiring Leaders In 2024

Recruiting Tips For Hiring Leaders In 2024

The recruitment landscape is poised for continued transformation in 2024, shaped by technological advancements, evolving workforce expectations, and global dynamics. To stay ahead of the curve, organizations must adapt their recruiting strategies.

In this article, members of Duffy Group will explore pivotal topics that are reshaping today's workforce landscape. Discover effective succession planning strategies to help you navigate the challenges of an aging workforce, uncover insights into managing the influx of younger talent, learn techniques to keep your team connected to the company culture in an era of remote collaboration, and find out how to use AI to complement your recruiting strategy.

Read on to unlock the best tips for elevating your recruitment strategy in 2024.

Colleen Neese


January is a time of year when we all get a chance to start the new year with new perspectives, renewed energy, and the lessons learned from the previous year. It's a time to reflect on what has worked and what hasn't, and an opportunity to focus on what's proven to work in the past to create a better future. It is vital to look towards the future as well. Succession planning is something that has been proven to help organizations be more successful.

What is "succession planning"? It's the process of identifying the critical positions within your organization and developing action plans for individuals to assume those positions. The critical steps of succession planning include:

  • Identify key positions – This includes knowing which are the most critical positions in the company and knowing if there are any upcoming changes to those roles. Are there any upcoming retirements? Are there signs that a person may be leaving? Which roles are the hardest to fill? Which positions would cause an issue if the person were to leave unexpectedly?
  • Provide professional development opportunities
  • Cross-train employees – Providing cross-training to employees can help with immediate unexpected openings and can help to develop employees' skills for continued growth. Providing leadership training and coaching helps prepare the future leaders of your organization.
  • Build a strong talent pipeline – It's important to build that pipeline now so you have candidates in case of an unexpected critical opening.
  • Conduct ongoing assessments of the succession plan – This is an ever-changing area that needs to be reviewed regularly to identify gaps and needs.

Proactive and effective succession planning can bring many advantages, including reduced risk of leadership gaps, better culture of engaged employees, and an overall improvement in organizational performance.

Colleen Neese is a practice leader at Duffy Group. She specializes in recruiting executives in non-profit and healthcare.

Sharon Grace


Young professional at his first job out of college

Bridging the Workforce Gap: Navigating Development for Incoming Youth Amidst the Departure of Experienced Workers

A common theme I experienced from 2020 to 2023 was the influx of experienced workers, primarily baby boomers, Generation X, and some Generation Y, leaving the workforce and the growth of the younger population or Generation Z entering the workforce.

For the most part, Generation Z was welcomed with open arms. Depending on the industry, the range of open arms varied based on the shortage stemming from retirements, re-careering, and people stepping back from working full time to take a break and care for their families.

I have not experienced this trend in my two decades of recruiting. There also hasn't been a focus on work-life balance until now, and I am thankful for how accepted it has become. We all worked and worked more to learn and grow with a steady path to advance into management roles.

As an executive recruiter, I have partnered with several clients to help them hire leaders to replace incumbents in the past few years during this recent shift. What I have experienced over and over is how anemic the leadership tool pool is overall, regardless of demographics or geographics.

Why is this? Have we missed the mark on the continuous development of young leaders? Has work-life balance taken a priority due to caregiving needs at home? Did baby boomers and Generation X paint a gloomy picture, deterring interest? Is the current young generation focused more on a job today than a career path journey as prior generations did? I think yes, yes, yes, and yes.

What do you do? I believe excellent career path opportunities are available now, and many more to come in the next several years. When I was young in my career, we didn't have leadership coaches and training classes and seminars to the level we have today. For this, I think it's an excellent opportunity for young professionals to raise their hands and ask for continuous development. If you are a leader, this is a great time to pay it forward and mentor and develop.

I changed professions in 2000 and took off my manager hat for a while to learn a new career from a mature young woman in her late twenties, Jill, who was ahead of her time. I was lucky, and to this day, I can say that she was the best manager I have ever had. She made learning hard things fun and easy. She was inspirational, and everyone wanted to follow her. We didn't feel like we were working, while our work was challenging. She was identified as a top performer on a fast track to leadership. She was given additional tools to continue growing as a leader, and her team grew alongside her.

I know other young Jills are starting their careers today, and we missed some over the past decade. Let's all look for a Jill beginning with the interview process. Let's explore, be curious, and be more of a career coach instead of someone who only asks standard interview questions. Changing our mindsets to find skills and traits for a future leader to groom, instead of for today's open job, we should have many new Jills in the talent pool to fill the continuous open leadership roles in the upcoming years.

Sharon Grace is a veteran search executive at Duffy Group who helps hiring leaders hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify, and assess talent.

Kristin Pozen


Woman leads a virtual meeting with her coworkers

Welcome to the forefront of modern recruitment practices in 2024. We are marked by unprecedented technological advancements, the evolution of hybrid work environments, and a need to emphasize creating meaningful connections within the workforce.

AI won't completely replace you as a recruiter, but recruiters who use AI could. 2024 will witness more recruiting and staffing firms turning to automation to simplify repetitive tasks and reduce administrative work.

Recruitment automation solutions can parse resumes, manage candidate and client pipelines, post jobs on multiple job boards simultaneously, and much more. Many software solutions also help efficiently engage candidates at various hiring stages while improving important recruitment metrics like time to hire and submittal.

  • Automate candidate screening – Screening a massive quantity of candidates is a tedious task. With automation, pre-screen your candidates. You can, for example, send them the set of questions you want them to answer. You can also introduce language assessment tests if your job requires language frequency. You can then watch the pre-recorded interviews at your convenience and easily compare candidates.
  • Automate tracking applicants – Use staffing automation to post job listings automatically to relevant job boards and on social media sites, including LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, etc. Automate tracking the applicants throughout the process of hiring with an ATS (applicant tracking software).
  • Automate communication – Not being able to communicate timely with the candidates is the main reason behind a poor candidate experience. For the candidate, a new job hunt is stressful and taxing, and they expect transparency during the process. Instead, automate your communication with campaigns and trigger-based emails/texts to reach out to your candidates and keep them updated with their status in the recruiting process.
  • Automate interview scheduling – Use staffing automation to simplify interview scheduling and allow candidates to schedule interviews at their preferred time. With software like Calendly, you can offer candidates the available time slots. This will allow candidates to schedule or reschedule interviews at their preferred time without interrupting your team's workflow.

In 2024, the stabilization of hybrid work takes center stage, prompting a reevaluation of workplace structures and the adoption of innovative ways to support remote collaboration. Remote-work numbers have dwindled over the past few years as employers issue return-to-office mandates. But will that continue in 2024?

In Spring 2020, more than 60% of the workforce worked from home. By 2023, that number had dropped to about 25% ‒ much lower than its peak but still a significant increase from 5% in 2019. Work-from-home numbers have held steady throughout most of 2023.

Though several companies issued return-to-work mandates in 2023, most allow employees to work from home for at least part of the week. That makes 2024 the year for employers to figure out the hybrid model.

  • Expect remote work numbers to remain flat in 2024, then pick back up – Hybrid work will become the new normal. But hybrid work will not be a one-size-fits-all-all. Each company, position, and employee may have performance standards to meet to make hybrid sustainable.
  • Better work-from-home technology – Improved technology also will help remote work figures rebound. Ensuring your remote workers have the tools at home to do their jobs, fast internet, and quiet space to focus are essential. More companies are investing in remote-work-enabling technology this year, like state-of-the-art rooms built for Zoom meetings, with privacy glass that hides the screen from passersby. We might even see holograms and virtual reality devices to help remote employees connect.
  • Redesigned office spaces – Companies may use the new year to redesign office space to make employees' time in the office more efficient. Utilize building spaces to facilitate brainstorming sessions and enhance collaboration and social interaction.
  • A new take on office building continues – More cities may look at easing zoning laws and other regulations to make it easier to convert empty office space into apartment buildings, which could help revitalize city centers and ease the national housing shortage.

Hybrid work, the Great Resignation, and the pandemic can all take the blame for an increase in unconnected employees in today's workplace. Workers with lower levels of connection have a stronger intention to quit and a higher chance of job-seeking—which is expensive for a business's bottom line. If embraced by the executive team and developed by the general workforce, reconnection is possible.

  • Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to connect, regardless of where they are located.
  • Make connecting easier through interactive technologies (i.e., Slack, RingCentral, MS Teams, and other messaging apps).
  • Be intentional about connecting employees outside of their teams. Make it a once-a-week event for casual connection and a once-a-quarter or annual event for more formal L&D or strategy planning.
  • Are your mental health benefits being utilized? If not, ensure your employees know they are available and confidential. Do they need to be enhanced to provide more coverage or more access?
  • Make onboarding more experiential. Onboarding is a critical first opportunity to facilitate friendships at work. Since the pandemic, millions of employees have started new jobs and have never met one of their colleagues in person. Especially for early career employees, this can be incredibly challenging.
  • Make recharging a reality. We must take employee health seriously for human connection and friendship to thrive. We can start by supporting more generous family leave policies, child care, and elder care. Also, ensure that when taking time off, employees recharge by not answering emails and phone calls. They can truly check out for a week at a time.

Taking a step to build connections within the workplace can be done by any employee. Reaching out to a co-worker through a call, email, or text message to check in makes an impact. Let’s make 2024 the year to build stronger connections within your organization.

Kristin Pozen is a research recruitment recruiter at Duffy Group and a former HR recruiter.

Need help recruiting talent for your organization? Check out Duffy Group today.

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Recruiting Tips For Hiring Leaders In 2024



Recruiting top talent is essential for organizations looking to thrive and innovate. However, the recruitment process is not just about finding the right candidates; it's also about setting them up for success from the very beginning. To ensure that your newly recruited talent not only joins your team but also excels in their roles, it's essential to implement effective strategies and practices.

In this article, members of Duffy Group discuss practical strategies for creating a positive candidate experience, from crafting compelling job descriptions to conducting effective interviews and providing meaningful feedback. Read on to discover the best practices and actionable tips that will help you attract, engage, and retain top talent, ultimately setting candidates up for success in their new roles.

Colleen Neese


You’ve confirmed an interview for your next career move so the next thing to do is prepare for the upcoming interview! Prepping for an interview is one of the critical steps in the process but oftentimes candidates don’t know what to do. My recommendation is to review your resume and take time to reflect on your experiences and skills as they relate to the job you’re applying for. Write down some of your biggest accomplishments, deliverables, and outcomes.

Hiring leaders and HR professionals don’t just want to hear what your job responsibilities have been; they want to hear how you positively impacted the business. It’s important to come prepared with quantifiable results.

All candidates should be prepared to answer basic interview questions such as "Why are you interested in this position?" or "What are your top accomplishments?" or "How would you describe your leadership style?" Many basic interview questions can be found on the internet and used for practice.

It’s also important to prepare for behavioral interview questions. These are usually multi-part questions that ask the candidate to share specific examples and outcomes. The more you reflect on your results, the better prepared you’ll be to answer these types of questions, also called "SAR" questions—situation, action, result.

Colleen Neese is a practice leader at Duffy Group. She specializes in recruiting executives in non-profit and healthcare.

Kristin Pozen


Woman uses interview hacks during her job interview

When setting up the client interview, I ensure my candidate has the proper address, directions, any special parking or security instructions, and who they should ask for. I encourage them to arrive 15 minutes early and even encourage a practice drive to the location if time permits.

I always send over the job description again and ask them to read through it. They should develop questions based on the research they have done on the company and the job description.

I find out who will be on the interview panel and supply biographies and LinkedIn profiles to the candidate to review. I want them to have a good understanding of the organizational chart within the team they are interviewing.

I schedule a time to debrief with my candidate within 24 hours of their interview with the client. I need to know not only how they felt it went but also if the client had any missteps that need to be addressed.

Sometimes there are multiple client interviews. I repeat this process each time and stay in contact through any background and reference checks all the way to the offer stage. I pre-negotiate their offer so the client knows to make an attractive offer the first time. This helps expedite offer acceptance.

Kristin Pozen is a research recruitment recruiter at Duffy Group and a former HR recruiter.

Sharon Grace


Man smiles during his interview with executives

If you've been in the job market the past few months and were in the market anytime between 2020 and early 2023, you might notice that the interview process has changed. The interview process is taking longer with multiple steps, the decision process is slower, and there are more candidates to compete with, depending on the industry and role.

The past few years were easy to get used to, with a high volume of open positions and rapid interview processes for most positions. If you changed jobs prior to 2020, then you know that the past few years were far from normal. If you are early in your career, you might not have much interview experience.

The market has been in a rebalancing cycle throughout the year. Most employers are still hiring, but not at the volume we've seen. Some companies are interviewing for positions that are nice to fill but not a must-have. I'll use the term selective hiring.

Here are some tips to give the employer a reason to hire you now, before you are no longer on the market:

  • Virtual interviews: Most first interviews are still virtual for office and hybrid roles. Make sure your background is neat and professional-looking.
  • Wardrobe: Always wear a professional outfit, including virtual interviews; it's no longer 2020! Dress varies by company and industry, but first impressions are important. The way you present yourself can be as important as what you say. This applies to both candidates and hiring leaders. The following is standard:
    • For a woman: Business attire is best. A suit or conservative dress is appropriate. Minimal amounts of jewelry and perfume. Stylish low-heel shoes are best.
    • For a man: A conservative blue or gray suit, long-sleeved shirt, and tie is still best. (Ties and maybe a jacket are usually optional in warm climates in the summer.) No jewelry other than a wedding ring and watch.
    • Take notice of the importance of fit, color, and age-appropriate. Wear something that complements your body type and nothing too loose or tight fitting, wear colors that flatter you and that you feel good in, and don't dress too old or too young.
  • Close: Because you are looking good and feeling confident in your outfit, you developed a good rapport with the hiring leader, and the questions and answers were smooth and more like a conversation; it's time to ask for the job! Tell them you are interested and why you are a fit.

Sharon Grace is a veteran search executive at Duffy Group who helps hiring leaders hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify, and assess talent.

Need help recruiting talent for your organization? Check out Duffy Group today.


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Recruiting Tips: How To Set Your Candidate …

Surefire Questions Every Hiring Manager Should Ask



As a hiring manager, the types of questions you ask in a job interview can help you determine whether a candidate is qualified for a position and a good fit for your organization. But which interview questions are the best questions to ask?

In this article, members of Duffy Group will reveal how to craft effective and customized interview questions that help you uncover a candidate's true potential, assess their fit within your organization, and make informed hiring decisions. Read on to unlock the secrets to conducting successful interviews that lead to building exceptional teams.

Kathleen Duffy


Hiring leaders recruit for technical skills to do the job and assess for cultural alignment. To assess for cultural alignment, we must go deeper than asking, “What does culture mean to you?” Look at your company values and develop questions. For example, at Duffy Group, one of our core values is innovation. I look for people who are curious.

Tell me about something you were really curious about that has nothing to do with this job. It doesn’t matter what they are curious about; it lets me know if they have a curious mind. We want people who are curious because that’s how we innovate.

Another question is, "What does diversity mean to you?" For some, it may be gender, race, ethnicity, etc. We are looking for people who have an appetite to come into an organization where reasonable minds can disagree. How do you approach someone who sees the world differently from you?

It is critical for us as hiring leaders to figure out if candidates will thrive in our environment that celebrates diversity.

Kathleen Duffy is the founder, CEO, and president of Duffy Group. The company's vision is to elevate recruitment research as an alternative to contingent and retained search. Since its founding, Duffy Group has been a remote workplace and a culture of work/life harmony.

Colleen Neese


Hiring manager listens to a job candidate answer an interview question

As an executive recruiter, it’s our job to be curious and ask a lot of questions that will help us determine if the candidate has the skills and fit for the job. Many times those questions are very specific to the industry or job. For example, the questions I ask when recruiting in the non-profit industry are different than the questions I ask when recruiting for a for-profit company. And the questions I ask a chief financial officer are very different than the questions I ask a chief information officer. But I have one tried and true question that I ask everyone I interview:

  • How do you spend your time? Break down in percentages where your time is spent.

This allows me to understand if the candidate has the right skills and experience to do the job. Are they doing this today or would this be a stretch for them? Of course, this only works if you have a true understanding of the job requirements and where the candidate will be spending their time in the role, so it’s critical to have that understanding first before asking this question of candidates.

For example, when recruiting for non-profit CEOs, I always ask them to break down how they’re spending their time. Many of the non-profit CEO searches I lead require a strong background in fundraising, so if I learn they are spending very little time on fundraising, it’s a mismatch.

The other question I always ask every candidate I talk to is:

  • What is motivating you to consider making a job change?

It’s so simple, yet the answer you receive will uncover so much information that will help you understand what’s important to the candidate. In many instances in life, we need to go back to the "why," and that’s true in recruitment and interviewing. Why now? Why this job? Why this company? What are you NOT getting from your current role that you’re seeking? And then listen!

Happy hunting!

Colleen Neese is a practice leader at Duffy Group. She specializes in recruiting executives in non-profit and healthcare.

Kristin Pozen


Hiring manager asks about a job applicant's resume during an interview

One of my clients is TTI Success Insights, an industry-leading assessment provider dedicated to revealing human potential through assessment solutions and research. They had recently hired a new president and were positioned to grow the company. Although they had been a family-owned and operated business for over 30 years, their internal human resources structure or processes needed updating. Additionally, they required an HR leader who could bring about a culture change and fuel their planned growth.

Here are a few examples of the questions we used:

  • Have you ever been with a company while they were experiencing a culture shift? What was your role in that shift?

This question allowed us to determine if they could drive culture change. TTI's president envisioned a culture that cared about character and serving others.

  • Give an example of how you influenced a positive outcome when several senior leaders disagreed.

By asking for examples, we could evaluate if the candidate could assist in the company's strategic growth by collaborating with the senior leadership team.

We identified and hired a fantastic HR leader for their organization by digging deeper into our interviews and addressing their biggest concerns. Asking for examples of past successes and failures can better describe a candidate's experience.

Kristin Pozen is a research recruitment recruiter at Duffy Group and a former HR recruiter.

Sharon Grace


Hiring manager asks a question during a job interview

You've been tasked to fill a position. Maybe it is a newly created position, maybe it's with a new hiring leader with the company, or maybe it is a high turnover role, and you are not excited to work it again. Even if it is a role and hiring leader that you are familiar with and excited about, it's still important to ensure you ask the right questions as part of your intake process. Here are some tips that have helped me:

  • Be able to define what makes this group attractive to a potential candidate. Why would you want to work with this group? Describe the personalities of the group.
  • What are the top three primary skill sets (not soft skills) necessary to succeed in this role? Do they need experience creating and implementing a strategy, budgeting and forecasting, and designing and implementing legally compliant HR procedures and best practices?
  • What is the most important thing this person needs to do in the role to succeed?
  • What experience or skill set will not work?
  • What companies should we avoid?

There is so much more to a position than what is in the job description. Digging deep with the hiring leader will set up the process to dig deep with a candidate as you try to identify the fit. Both the hiring leader and the candidate are curious about each other. I can't emphasize enough how important it is for hiring leaders and candidates to work with a recruiter to help uncover the real opportunity, identify fit, and remove ambiguity.

Sharon Grace is a veteran search executive at Duffy Group who helps hiring leaders hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify and assess talent.

Need help recruiting talent for your organization? Check out Duffy Group today.

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Surefire Questions Every Hiring Manager Should Ask



A good job description is priceless in the hiring process. Many hiring leaders struggle to create job descriptions that attract the right candidates. What should you include in a job description to spark interest and find the perfect candidate for the job?

In this article, learn from members of Duffy Group on how to write compelling job descriptions that attract the right candidates. You'll discover practical strategies for creating job postings that effectively communicate job responsibilities, qualifications, and company culture, leading to increased interest and better hiring outcomes.

Develop The Company's "Sizzle"


Hiring leaders often start the recruiting process by developing the mechanics of a job description. However, a job description without attraction often fails to tell a compelling story about the position's value. There are several steps to increase awareness and interest in a post.

First, develop the company’s sizzle. The sizzle is an authentic representation of your company by expanding on the job's exciting features, resulting in the chances it will resonate with suitable candidates. It begins by establishing a framework of critical questions directed to the hiring leader.

At Duffy Group, our framework is built during the first step of the recruitment research process, the strategy development. Recruiters ask targeted questions and assess the new role situation with the hiring manager before marketing any position. The objective is to expand on the duties and responsibilities of the job to create a buzz and bring the job description to life.

Another necessary ingredient is ensuring the hiring process quickly identifies the applicants with the right motivation and gets them anchored on the attractive features of the job as quickly as possible.

Georgia Musgrave is the VP of Strategic Initiatives at Duffy Group. She educates leaders on the value of "passive talent" as a means of attracting the best human capital to their company.

Tell A Story


Recruiter / hiring manager on laptop creates a job description

I recently met with a group of HR and talent leaders at a conference. One of the pain points they shared was not posting job descriptions that were enticing enough for candidates to apply. They were looking for ideas to not make their job descriptions look so mechanical with the job responsibilities and requirements listed. I began to ask them questions to learn more about the entire opportunity and not just the day-to-day responsibilities and requirements.

Examples of the questions included in addition to salary, bonus, and benefits:

  • Describe the company culture, style, values & traits of people who've had success here.
  • What are the company characteristics that would entice a candidate to come aboard?
  • What are the key strategic issues you are working on?
  • What is the hiring leader's background?
  • What makes this group attractive to a potential candidate?
  • What might distinguish this group from similar departments in other companies?
  • What is your leadership style and approach?
  • Is the position remote or hybrid?
  • Is the position a newly created position?
  • Are there direct reports? How many, and what are their titles?
  • What are the career growth opportunities?

It is quick and easy to post a job description the way it is written. I suggested telling a story about the whole opportunity will give the job seeker a reason to be interested and apply.

Sharon Grace is a veteran search executive at Duffy Group who helps hiring leaders hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify and assess talent.

Utilize The "Location" Section


Job description concept

If you want to recruit the very best talent, then you need to make sure you have the very best job descriptions to share with candidates. Job descriptions can be used to attract active job seekers by being used in job postings, but when it comes to recruiting the passive job seeker, you need a job description that is going to catch their attention. The job description should include information on the company, the position, the requirements, and if the position offers relocation, the location as well.

Many recruiters and hiring leaders neglect to utilize the "location" section on a job description as a way to attract candidates. It’s important to include a location section that includes the address, as well as a good description of the city and state. It’s important to do some research on the location. The Chamber of Commerce and tourism sites are great resources. Make sure to describe the location in a way that the candidate can picture themself relocating there.

We have had a lot of success recruiting to locations that are not necessarily "attractive" by reputation but when we highlight the positive attributes and share data, statistics, and even photos, we’ve been able to generate interest in traditionally hard-to-recruit-to locations.

Colleen Neese is a practice leader at Duffy Group. She specializes in recruiting executives in non-profit and healthcare.

Share Compensation & Benefits


Recruiter / hiring manager on laptop writes a job description

Job descriptions can be extremely detailed, with long lists of responsibilities and required skills. Disclosing and promoting pay and benefits in your job description can be a valuable recruiting tool and make the process more efficient overall.

Here are five things to consider when sharing compensation and benefits in your job description:

  • Compensation is typically the most critical concern when job seekers search for work. So if they don't find the salary information they need, they may not waste time reading the job description.
  • Pay transparency (now required by law in some states) saves recruiters the time and energy of searching through candidates who will never accept the job, as candidates will self-select out when the compensation is too low.
  • When companies are more upfront about salaries, it can help create trust. Candidates feel more respected and apply more when there is more information.
  • There's more to compensation than what's on a paycheck. List all of your benefits and perks—depending on the candidate, some will resonate more than others.
  • Out-of-the-box examples: signing bonuses, stock options, flexible work schedules, mental health benefits, learning & professional development, ERGs, volunteering, dress codes, PTO, holidays, gym memberships, and pet insurance.
Kristin Pozen is a research recruitment recruiter at Duffy Group and a former HR recruiter.

Emphasize The Company Culture


Job description concept

Think back to high school when your English teacher would knock points off your essay because you stuffed it with common cliches. Well, it happens with job descriptions too. “Work hard, play hard,” “Fast-paced environment,” and “We’re all a big family.” The meaning is lost to candidates reading them.

In Duffy Group’s job descriptions, we highlight our core values. One of our core values is to promote work-life balance. Our work-from-home program gives our team members the flexibility of managing their day-to-day activities, with home office support that offers the tools to conduct day-to-day operations. A result of this benefit is increased productivity, team member satisfaction, and retention.

Make sure your social media supports your company culture; candidates are looking at your website and social media to ensure you walk the talk when it comes to culture. Your job description is a piece of your story. You want candidates to be curious to learn more about your company.

Kathleen Duffy is the founder, CEO, and president of Duffy Group. The company's vision is to elevate recruitment research as an alternative to contingent and retained search. Since its founding, Duffy Group has been a remote workplace and a culture of work/life harmony.

Need help recruiting talent for your organization? Check out Duffy Group today.

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Recruiter Spotlight: How To Create A Job …



Warby Parker, the uber-cool retailer of prescription glasses and sunglasses, had an insight: glasses are too expensive. The company used this premise to craft a story and build a brand.

Disney uses storytelling successfully, too, by helping families imagine the magical moments they will create at one of its entertainment parks.

Good stories evoke emotion and inspire action. Translated into business, a good story can also attract top talent and help existing staff understand, embrace, and put your company’s mission into practice.

So how can you create a compelling narrative that piques the interest of job candidates and gets them over the finish line to work for your company?

Here are five steps for incorporating storytelling into your recruitment efforts:

1. Take A Fresh Look At Your Company


Business storytelling concept

When was the last time you took a 360-degree look at your company? No matter how long you have worked there, taking a step back and looking at your company through a fresh lens can benefit your recruitment efforts.

At Duffy Group, our storytelling process starts by completing a detailed intake form to learn as much as we can about our clients. This includes the company’s organizational structure and business goals, what distinguishes the firm from others in the industry, what the culture is like, and even what causes the company supports in the community. This is followed by an on-site visit to get a firsthand look at the business in action, see the company’s workspace, and meet the people who work there.

Consider doing the same. You’ll be surprised at what you learn.

2. Put Yourself In The Candidate’s Shoes


Recruiters / hiring managers talk to a job candidate during an interview

Why would a new hire want to work for your firm? What are the perks and what makes the work fulfilling? How do other team members feel about the company? What do they like best and what makes them stay?

Whether you work with a recruiter or handle recruitment internally, this process can be illuminating. You may take your company’s flex hours, remote workdays, or community giving for granted, but these benefits can be differentiating factors.

3. Use Your Company’s Mission As A Selling Point


Recruiter / hiring manager talks to a job candidate during an interview

Build your recruitment story around your company’s mission. That doesn’t mean slapping your company’s mission statement on your website. Instead, put the mission into context and bring it to life with data points and real-life examples of why customers flock to your company and why employees love working there.

Not long ago, our Duffy Group team helped a nonprofit serving special-needs children hire a new CEO. The board of directors preferred hiring someone with a special-needs child, a preference you would never include in a job description. In our story, we explained why this was important and then pitched it to our trusted network to find the ideal candidate for the job.

4. Find Your Voice


Storytelling, voice concept

When telling your story, it is important to find your company’s unique voice. It must be authentic and reflect the core values of your company. It should reflect your brand and be consistent with the story you share with staff and your company’s external marketing. Most important, it must create a meaningful connection with candidates.

5. Customize The Story For Your Audience


Recruiter / hiring manager utilizes storytelling while talking to a job candidate on her laptop

Although the overall theme of your company’s recruitment story should never change, you can customize elements of the story to speak to different audiences.

To help a law firm client woo a highly prized senior tax accountant from a large public accounting firm, we wrote the firm’s story and the candidate’s story. The firm offered knowledge-based growth, potential career advancement, and a 45-hour workweek. The candidate wanted multi-focused learning opportunities in a new field with the potential to grow his career. It was a perfect match, made possible by knowing what each side valued most.

Some final thoughts: Remember that a good story is memorable, so use powerful words and examples that give candidates a clear and visual idea of the working environment, the job, and the contributions they will make to the company.

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Looking To Find Your Next Great Hire? …



Many internal recruiters struggle with an overwhelming number of open positions they need to fill. In 2023, finding the right talent will get only more challenging as job seekers become more selective in who they chose to engage with.

One way company recruiters can reach their goals is by building a "power alliance." In this article, hear from members of Duffy Group on how they help internal recruiters succeed through a power alliance.

Covering More Ground By Personalizing The Hiring Approach


Internal recruiters are juggling multiple searches. While balancing the various demands to post and target suitable candidates, the treatment of candidates in the pipeline can wane as candidates wait to hear about the next steps. Sometimes, due to a sheer lack of internal resources, a candidate's motivation for the job is often undetected early in the process. More organizations are partnering with external recruiters to complement internal recruiters' work to combat possible recruiting gaps and ensure better outcomes.

Research shows talent acquisition partnerships increase personalization and are vital to keeping top candidates engaged. A recruiting partnership enables the team to cover more ground, spending time understanding the company's value proposition and the candidate's motivation. Candidates have many options, as indicated by the number of jobs available, so losing the best in the pipeline due to a lack of personalization, time, or bandwidth does not need to happen.

Georgia Musgrave is the VP of Strategic Initiatives at Duffy Group. She educates leaders on the value of "passive talent" as a means of attracting the best human capital to their company.

Building A Talent Pipeline


Recruiter / hiring manager interviews a job candidate

I partner with several clients' internal recruiters and hiring leaders to assist them with talent pipeline development. Here are a few examples of when to consider a partnership to build a talent pipeline:

  • Multiple and long-term hiring needs for the same or similar roles - I do a large amount of work in the accounting industry with CPA firms. Auditors and tax professionals continue to be in high demand and their supply has decreased. These candidates do not have time to look at job postings, may not know which firms to consider, and may not be ready to switch jobs, but might be in a few months. External recruiting partners can develop a rapport and stay engaged with these candidates until they are ready to change firms.
  • A second or similar role in the near future - Why wait for the approval of the position, the job description to be written, or the salary to be approved for a similar role you are currently recruiting for? Get ahead of the upcoming search to source and begin building a talent pipeline.
  • Building a list of qualified candidates - Sometimes, we are asked to research and build the pipeline, and the internal team will work their magic.
  • Educating on the competitive landscape - This is a good opportunity to research and source potential candidates. We can contact them directly, assess their skills, and gather competitive market data such as compensation and if employees are remote, hybrid, or in office.

Let's build your future hire together!

Sharon Grace is a veteran search executive at Duffy Group who helps hiring leaders hire great people because of her proven track record as a strategic partner and advisor to recruit, identify and assess talent.

The Full Buffet Or À La Carte Options


Recruiters / hiring managers talk to a job candidate during an interview

There is always the option for recruiters to outsource an entire search to their external recruiting partners—from identifying and vetting candidates to interviewing and making the offer. With many requisitions, removing some workloads to recruiting partners can be a win-win situation.

The highly effective recruitment model recruitment research, which helps hiring leaders and corporate recruiters precisely and successfully target candidates, is used for à la carte services. Recruitment research enables talent acquisition teams to unbundle the recruiting process to focus on a particular area of need. Here are a few services corporate recruiters work may outsource to external recruiters:

  • Name generation – sourcing a list of quality candidates
  • Gather competitive benchmarking information
  • Pitching the role to sourced candidates
  • Screen and vet candidates
  • Thoroughly interview candidates
  • Conduct testing or assessments
  • Schedule interviews with the client
  • Negotiate offers
  • Manage background checks and call references

At Duffy Group, our services are à la carte. We tailor the search to the client's needs. Our goal is to partner with our clients' in-house recruiters and hiring leaders to do the heavy lifting of recruiting. This way, our clients can spend quality time with their future employees without getting bogged down with the time-consuming tasks of sourcing, pitching, and screening candidates.

Kristin Pozen is a research recruitment recruiter at Duffy Group and a former HR recruiter.

Courting Candidates


Recruiter / hiring manager shakes hands with a job candidate before a job interview

Courting is the act or process of trying to win the favor or attention of a person or group. To court someone means to seek to attract them. It is often used to refer to dating, but courting is also common when recruiting. Collegial and professional sports teams are always courting top players and companies need to continually court talent as well. Recruiters and hiring leaders benefit greatly by courting top candidates, especially in this candidate-driven competitive market.

Here are a few strategies to follow when it comes to courting top-tier candidates:

  • Demonstrate you have done your homework on candidates before trying to recruit them
  • Get to know them and genuinely care about finding the right match for both the company AND the candidate
  • Treat them with respect – before, during, and after the interview process
  • Be responsive and do not drag out the process
  • Communicate often and keep them informed every step of the way
  • Offer unique solutions that meet their needs

Recruiting is all about relationship-building and match-making. When recruiters build a great relationship with the candidate, they have a better chance of uncovering the nuances that will tell whether or not the person is the right fit for the job in terms of skills and cultural fit. A great relationship will also be beneficial in the offer negotiation stage and in ensuring no risk of counteroffers.

Now get out there and start courting the best!

Colleen Neese is a practice leader at Duffy Group. She specializes in recruiting executives in non-profit and healthcare.

Need help recruiting talent for your organization? Check out Duffy Group today.




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Recruiting Dream Teams: The Alliance Every Internal …

10 Things Recruiters Won’t Tell You (But I Will!)



Recruiters have one job: find the right person for the position. Their performance is evaluated on how efficiently and effectively they match top talent to job requirements. Ironically, in the current economy, recruiters are finding their jobs harder than ever.

I'm serious.

There's too much talent for them to weed through. What used to be "finding a needle in a haystack" has now become "finding a needle in ten haystacks." As a result, recruiters have to determine a candidate's marketability much quicker.

Translation: Candidates must pay even more attention to the power of the "first impression" factor.

First Impressions Really Do Matter (A LOT)


People skills, attire, etc. all become more important when competition amongst talent is this fierce.

Reality check: Those who are failing to make a good first impression get put in the "no" pile and are never contacted again.

So, if you aren't getting called back by a recruiter after either an in-person meeting or phone call, there's a good chance that, in addition to the fact you didn't have the right skills, you also might have displayed one or more traits on the "I can't market them" list.

Now, most recruiters won't tell you what you did wrong. Why? For one reason, they aren't paid to give you the bad news. Second, they don't want to burn a bridge. And third, as I mentioned, they just don't have the time.

And yet, how are you going to fix the problem if you don't know it exists? I've put together the most common reasons why a recruiter writes a candidate off. You may not like what you read, but the good news is with a little attention and practice all of them can be improved upon.

So, ask yourself, "Am I guilty of the following?"

Top 10 Things Recruiters Won't Tell You


Recruiters look at a job candidate's resume

1. Your interview attire is outdated / messy / too tight / too revealing / too flashy.

2. Your physical appearance is disheveled / outdated / sloppy / smelly / overpowering (i.e. too much perfume or cologne).

3. Your eye contact is weak / shifty / intense.

4. Your handshake is limp / too forceful / clammy.

5. You say ah / um / like too much.

6. You talk too much / use poor grammar / say inappropriate things (i.e. swearing) when you answer interview questions.

7. You appear overconfident / pushy / self-centered /insecure /aloof / ditzy / scatter-brained / desperate.

8. You talk too fast / too slow / too loud / too soft.

9. You giggle / fidget / act awkward / have facial tics / lack expression.

10. You lack sincerity / self-confidence / clarity / conviction.

So, How Do You Fix These?


Recruiter goes to shake a job candidate's hand

Well, given that 93% of communication is non-verbal, I can tell you that many of the negatives above can be improved by focusing on one thing: attitude.

If you are angry, fearful, or confused, it's going to show. You must find a way to feel good about yourself and your ability to contribute. This comes from knowing your strengths and embracing them.

It also comes from doing your homework on a company so you can articulate clearly and with enthusiasm why you would be a great fit for the job. I realize this is easier said than done, but it can be done.

I hope I've convinced you to take a hard look at the 10 reasons above and commit to finding a way to improve your first impression factor.

And Knowing Your Professional Strengths Will Help!


Man looks for a job on his laptop

If you want to reveal your unique professional strengths, take our FREE Career Decoder Quiz! It's time to unlock your TRUE potential and start selling yourself to employers!

Once you know your professional strengths, it will be much easier for you to convey why you would be a great fit for a position. And as long as you don't make the above mistakes, you'll be golden.

It's your career. Own your actions and take control of your professional development. I promise, recruiters will take notice.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.



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10 Things Recruiters Won’t Tell You (But …

4 Ways Internal & External Recruiters Can Work Better Together



Internal and external recruiters may appear to work in duplicative positions, but a closer look reveals that a collaboration between these two resources can result in better hires for companies.

The key to success is playing to each of these recruiter’s strengths.

Covering More Ground


Recruiters talk to each other

Companies need workers, but finding them has become a daunting task. Candidates have many options, as indicated by the number of jobs available—about 11 million at last count—nationwide.

Internal recruiters are juggling multiple searches and often must rely on traditional tactics, such as online job postings, that attract the interest of active candidates. That’s where external recruiters come in. They can complement internal recruiters’ efforts by strategically unearthing passive candidates who may consider an exceptional career move.

Building A Pipeline Of Talent


Recruiter smiles at camera

As the economy continues to roar back from the pandemic-induced recession, companies are growing again. With that growth comes a need to fill new and existing positions.

While internal recruiters are filling the positions for today, external recruiters can help their colleagues build a pipeline of talent for future searches.

Such is the case at Duffy Group, which works hand-in-hand with clients such as CVS Health and General Mills to create a consistent group of qualified candidates who could become the next great hires.

Soup To Nuts Or Selective Services


Recruiter looks at a job candidate's profile

In some cases, internal recruiters may call upon their external partners to handle an entire search—from sourcing and vetting to interviewing and hiring. In other instances, it may be best for these recruiting resources to handle distinct tasks.

Duffy Group uses a highly effective recruitment model called Recruitment Research that helps hiring leaders precisely and successfully target candidates who are the best match for a company’s open positions. But unlike traditional recruitment approaches, Recruitment Research enables internal recruiters and talent acquisition teams to unbundle the search process to focus on a particular area of need.

A case in point is Duffy Group’s work with a law firm client, which gives our team a targeted list of qualified candidates. Our charge is to contact these individuals as an independent third party.

Courting Candidates


Recruiter looks over a job candidate's resume

Internal and external recruiters know that building relationships with candidates is a critical part of their jobs. Without such relationships, recruiters may get to the finish line only for the candidate to withdraw from consideration for the job or ghost the employer leading up to or following a job offer.

The problem for internal recruiters is finding time to do this. That’s another benefit of having an external recruitment partner who can keep in touch with top candidates and maintain their interest in a position with their clients over time.

What was once believed to be a competitive relationship between internal and external recruiters has changed. In today’s tight labor market, making the most of a company’s hiring resources is essential. By working together as a seamless team, recruiters—whether working internally at a company or externally as a partner—can become a secret weapon to building a quality workforce for today and tomorrow.

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4 Ways Internal & External Recruiters Can …

#1 Mistake People Make When Talking To Recruiters



This might be the most important lesson you ever learn about talking to recruiters.

I was in the recruiting industry before I flipped to the other side and became an advocate for you, the worker. So what I love to do is share the tips, tricks, secrets to working with a recruiter, and what it's like to be one, so that you can better communicate with them.

With that in mind, this is the biggest mistake I see job seekers make when trying to talk to recruiters...

Not Responding Quickly


@j.t.odonnell #1 Mistake People Make Talking With Recruiters #learnontiktok #interviewtips #recruiter #jobsearchtips #careertiktok #careermode #careeradvice #jobtok #jobsearch ♬ original sound - J.T. O'Donnell

You're probably checking your email every day for messages from recruiters, especially if you're in the middle of a proactive job search. But what you're not thinking about is that when that recruiter emails you and says, "Hey, do you have some slots available?" they messaged 20 to 30 other candidates as well, all with the same skill sets as you. So when you respond and they never message you back, it's easy to think that they ghosted you. But in reality, you just weren't one of the first people to get back to them.

The people who respond to recruiters that same day, usually that same hour, are the ones who get the phone screens. And as soon as recruiters have three to five viable candidates, they're done. So you need to check your email several times a day and you need to respond quickly if you want to get on that recruiter's list.

Remember this tip when trying to talk to recruiters in your job search. Because really, that's the biggest hurdle—starting a conversation with a recruiter. Once you start talking to the recruiter and they get you in front of the hiring manager, the rest is history and you can get a great new job.

But those recruiters are the gatekeepers. They're the people that screen you out before anyone can see you. So you have to learn how to get them to talk to you. And it starts with you responding quickly to their messages.

Need more help with your job search?

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#1 Mistake People Make When Talking To …

How To Connect With Recruiters On LinkedIn



If you're looking for a way to simplify your job search and get noticed, social platforms like LinkedIn give you an opportunity to be proactive and get past the applicant tracking system (ATS). With LinkedIn, not only can you view job listings, but you can also easily find the recruiter who's leading the search for the right candidate.

Reaching out to the recruiter is certainly a solid job search strategy, but like anything in life there's a right and wrong way to do it.

Here are the best ways to connect with a recruiter on LinkedIn and potentially put yourself in a position to get hired for the job.

3 Steps For Connecting With A Recruiter On LinkedIn


1. Research the Recruiter's Profile - Details matter! You may learn from the recruiter's LinkedIn profile that you attended the same university or once worked at the same company during different time periods. Anything you have in common with the recruiter could be a good way to break the ice.

2. Make a Connection Request - Use the simple 300-word connection request to introduce yourself to the recruiter. Mention something that you have in common and that you're interested in learning more about their career field and would love the opportunity to connect. Keep it simple—you don't want to overwhelm the recruiter. Here are a few additional ideas.

3. Ask a Follow-Up Question - Once you're connected, send a follow-up note thanking them for the connection, mention that the job posting caught your attention, and ask them what's most important to them when considering a candidate for this position. This is a way to express your interest in the position while politely asking for their feedback. The key is not to be pushy and frame it in a way where you're trying to make their job easier.

What Do You Do If A Recruiter Doesn't Connect With You?


Man on laptop tries to connect with a recruiter on LinkedIn

If a recruiter doesn't respond to your connection request, it's best to just move on.

There could be many reasons why the recruiter doesn't respond, and some may have nothing to do with your request. Being too aggressive about the connection request could actually damage your chances of getting the job. Make one request and if the recruiter doesn't respond, let it go.

You can continue your job hunt by searching LinkedIn for other professionals who work at the company where you're pursuing employment. Use the above steps to try to connect with them and perhaps they can give you tips that may help you land a job interview. This is not only a good way to boost your job search but it will also help you build your professional network.

Keep A Strong LinkedIn Profile


Focused professional puts some time and effort into her LinkedIn profile.

It's important to remember that if you have a strong LinkedIn profile it's possible that recruiters will reach out to you. By optimizing your LinkedIn profile with keywords, you'll have a higher chance of showing up in recruiters' search results. They'll be able to find you and see that you have the skills and experience they need for the job opportunity. This is your ideal situation: instead of having to reach out to recruiters in your job search, they'll come to you!

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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How To Connect With Recruiters On LinkedIn