How to Create an Employer Brand That Reflects Your Company Values

How to Create an Employer Brand That Reflects Your Company Values Natalie Mellin, Global Employer Brand Project Manager at King, spoke to us all about how you can bring an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to life and how to  differentiate between a your  consumer brand and your employer brand. You can listen to the podcast at SoundCloud or iTunes, or keep reading for a summary of our conversation. About King and their employer brand: We are a games company. We create games for Facebook, mobile, and web.  Candy Crush Saga is one of the games ones that everyone will know. But what people dont know is that we have over 200 games that weve developed. So it wouldve been Farm Heroes Saga, the sister title to Candy Crush, which is called Candy Crush Soda Saga. We also have one of our most recent release which is Paradise Bay, which is a resource management game. Weve been around since 2003. Over the last two years, weve been in a hyper growth phase. So weve literally been working hard on our EVP (Employee Value Proposition) and employer brand strategy in the last two years. We work really hard on our culture. We think this is important. This is how we move forward. So when we look at the culture, you can see the values we have, one of our values being fast and fluent. So we trial a lot of things, see what works, and we will discard the ones that doesnt work and we move forward with the ones that do work. On social media, for instance, we have been struggling a little bit around the IPO when we had a quiet period around how much can we talk about because of the regulations, and what you have to do and cant do around that. And weve also had a bit of a challenge in the beginning to find that perfect mix between our EVP as Seriously Playful. So we were a little bit too playful on social media, which could be okay on social. But we still wanted to showcase how tech savvy we are, so thats something that were focusing on now. How King  established a strong EVP: We put in a lot of research. We worked together with our creative agency Pink Squid. And we put in hours and hours of research working with everyone in the business. It wasnt just the leadership, although leadership and management its really important to get their support. But working with people whove been in the company for a very long time, developers, artists, finance, etc. And out of that, we looked at what was it that was unique with us. So how do we define ourselves as different to any other company, gaming company or tech company. And from that, we came up with our EVP and our communication concept which is Seriously Playful. How to  bring an EVP to life: Again, its about aligning yourself to the business strategy. So what are the important priorities from the business right now? When we started out and we were integrating this, its all about recruitment. We were needing to recruit a huge amount of people. To do that, we then looked at the employee life cycle to keep that as a frame to look at where were the biggest processes and touchpoints. What did we have to do to hit the most amount of people internally as well as externally. But we also focus on the culture. So you can trust your employees or you can put in regulations and their policies, and we choose the former. We trust our employees. We focus on how do we bring the culture to life, the EVP to life, and enable our employees to do the right thing. Kings  consumer brand  differs from their  employer brand: Were one King. We are our games. Its our people who created all of these games. But what we didnt have when we started out with this was the connection. So back two years ago or so, when you opened up one of our games you didnt see the King logo anywhere. So you saw only the games logo. So that was actually an easy start, to make sure that when youre opening up the game, there is a connection to the King brand. And that was one of the first things that we did. The most important recruiting channels: LinkedIn is key, and I dont say that just because we’re here at the LinkedIn conference [Talent Connect London 2015]. It is actually a really big one. But referrals is also really important. Again, it goes back to our employees are so important. Theyre our ambassadors. Were lucky that when we look at our social media channels, we see all of our employees being very active without being asked for it. So you can see them carrying our brand out, but also actively recruiting for us. Looking for new opportunities? Follow us on Linkedin for our latest recruitment updates! https://t.co/fDrHUweap0 pic.twitter.com/bV3z2SJrtc King (@King_Games) October 26, 2015 Kings  new career site: The new career site had 56,000 applications last year. I guess everyone has to go through there, regardless of if theyre coming in through as a referral, or were headhunting someone, or theyre applying to us. Its our main window. I dont know about you, but if you ever been contacted for a job or looking for a job, even if youre not applying through the career site, you will definitely go there and do the research. Right? As well as you would look at the company section of that company. It was really important for us to do a little bit of a cleanup when we started with this, because we had so many different microsites. And they werent connected. They were maybe a little bit out of date when it came to the brands. And they werent really working for us. So we had to do a cleanup operation where we closed down a lot of websites, and we moved everything into one, but still leaving room to showcase the local adaptations. The meaning of  a  great saga needs all sorts of heroes: Thats, you can say, our tagline for diversity inclusion. This was an area where we hadnt been strategic before. Wed done a lot of things, but we hadnt been so strategic. And it was also funny that we didnt need to be that strategic because its so much ingrained in our culture. But we started to feel that we needed to put words on it. And this just really fit within our EVP, within our culture. So thats what we used, and weve built on that now for a year. Most recently, we just redid our job posting guidelines. So thats the guideline that our hiring managers from crews will use when they put together new job adverts, where we have a checklist. Look at making sure that you remove any unconscious bias or any kind of words that is more targeted to maybe the male population. And if we want to look at, we can maybe want to bring in more diverse workforce, what is it that we do and what words did we use to appeal to a larger audience? The next big thing in employer branding: Brand PR marketing and employer brand needs to come closer together, and I think thats the big thing. If you can get that right, you will do so much better as a company. And we need to start remembering, this is one story, its one company that were telling the world. Any candidate of today will be interested in knowing about the stuff that were putting out to our investors, the stuff that were putting out to our players. Theyre not just going to be set in the stuff that will be on the career site. So thats important and we need to start working better and more closely together. And I think marketing and PR, they are starting to understand that as well. Because players and consumers today, they want to know that the company is a responsible corporate citizen. They want to understand what their like to their employees. So it does help both ways. Its not just a one way street. Follow  Natalie on Twitter @mellinnatalie, check out the #lifeatking hashtag and the King careers site jobs.king.com.  [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Interior Designer Resumes Tips

Interior Designer Resumes TipsThe role of a professional resume is to highlight your skills and experiences as an interior designer. Many potential employers use these documents to evaluate you based on past projects. However, a professional resume should be an asset when it comes to applying for the position.When creating a resume for you to present to prospective employers, you have to be sure to cover various aspects of your career. Before you begin the process of creating your professional resume, you need to be aware of certain types of questions that can cause you to fall short of presenting your professional skills effectively. These include:*Do you want to use professional resume services? *Should you seek a designer for interview alone? *How do you plan to market yourself online?*Professional resume services: This service is not something you should discount. Indeed, this service can help you get the most out of your resume. The service has both professional writers and peop le who have actual experience in the industry. This combination helps build a professional resume from the ground up.*Interview process: Again, this is something you should not discount. This is one of the first things that will be looked at when evaluating your resume. As such, if you are not confident in your abilities, seeking help before the interview process can make you feel more confident in your ability to impress your prospective employer.*Different Layouts: One of the things that many people forget is that resumes have a visual component to them. In this case, you should consider whether or not you want to design it with your preferred layout in mind.*Style: Style is something that can be overlooked. Your resume will be viewed by a large number of people and some may not care for your professional style.As you can see, creating an interior designer resume is not a difficult task. The key here is to follow a few tips above and you will create a professional document that wi ll help you stand out among the other applicants. After all, no one wants to hire someone who does not come across as an interesting and likable person.

Serenas game has changed, and Im excited to watch

Serenas game has changed, and Im excited to watch This week at the US Open Serena Williams drew attention to  sexist rules governing womens attire  by wearing a tutu on the court. It turned out this was the perfect outfit for her final match.   The referee penalized Serena for looking to her coach in the stands. Serena was outraged that hed accuse her of cheating. He penalized her again. She  protested that he penalized her for being as angry on court as men are.  Fans agreed, and protested loudly. Men rarely get penalized for what Serena did. She told the ref he was sexist. She called him a liar and a thief. At one point she was so frustrated that she smashed her racquet to pieces. Even with vocal support of the crowd, she lost the match. Serena has been heartbreakingly transparent about the difficulties of her post-baby return. Unfortunately  we rarely see that from women. Mostly we see BS like Sheryl Sandbergs arrogant, misguided  battle-cry for new moms to lean in. Serena is a perfect example of what its like to lean in. She is both a fortune-teller to women who are about to go through this phase of life, and shes a mirror for the rest of society to see whats really going on. The precondition for going back to work is money and expertise.  Because even though you have a new baby, the family will revolve around you. You need to have married a spouse who  has already proven himself so hes on-board to support your career. And you need a career that is special enough to warrant the whole family operating around it.  And you need a lot of money to  hire a nanny. If your spouse is still trying to prove himself,  youll divorce. If your spouse wont be the primary caregiver, you will think your child deserves a parent as the primary caregiver and youll opt out, which is what nearly all high-performing women do. All women can re-enter the workforce where they left. There is an enormous shortage of women over  35 in professional positions. Because professional women leave the workforce after having a baby.  If you want to be full-time after you have a child, you will have no problem getting your job back. The real question is: do you like your job enough to give up your time with your baby in order to do the job? Serena has been candid about how going back to a pre-baby job after becoming a mother is exhausting and forces difficult compromises. And remember this is not what it takes to build a career, its what is required to just hold on to the place youve already earned. Patience for workplace BS disappears. Serena has faced  gender discrimination  over and over  for decades, and shes handled it with incredible grace.   But things change when  you have a baby. Every second you devote to your work is time away from your baby, so you want your time at work to matter. You become acutely aware of the moments when people at work undermine your efforts. Serena lost her shit on the court yesterday because her time feels more precious now; she could brush off anything before she had a baby. And thanks to how transparent shes been about the difficulty of coming back to work, we are not surprised she cant brush it off anymore. Work doesnt make people happy.  Jennifer Seniors research-laden book explains why having children does not make people happy, but children  do create the most rapturous experience available to adults. Women feel this acutely, which is why women leave the workforce for kids and men dont. You will not climb up a ladder when you have young children, you will work twice as hard just to stay where you are. If you dont like where you were when you had the baby, its not worth going back. If you do want to go back, you will be shocked by how much harder you have to work than all the men at your level who have stay-at-home wives. You can do it, but it will be lonely. This is why very few professional women continue their career after a baby, and the idea of leaning in has been met with ridicule. Sonja Lyubomirsky published a paper showing that  happiness is a cause of career success rather than a result.  Take heed. Be very clear on what you gain by returning to work. And for some time I have wondered, what are Serenas career goals now? At the awards ceremony the crowd continued its boisterous protest. Naomi, the first-place winner, pulled down her visor to cover her tears. Serena turned to check on her, and she noticed the tears, so she put her arm around Naomis shoulders. Thats when I realized Serena has come back because shes not done clearing the path for the women who come after her. Which is why Serenas a winner today. That picture of Serena and Naomi is the picture of Serenas hard-won return to tennis so she can force more change. And I hope someone saved her smashed racquet, because that one belongs in a trophy case.

How to Dress for a First Date

How to Dress for a First Date First dates are often considered a great deal, and dressing up for a first date can be taxing and confusing at the same time. It’s because you know only two things can happen: You make a great impression or you lose the chance for a second rendezvous. It’s natural to feel the urge to look great and impress your date. But how can you do that? Below are tips on how to dress appropriately for your first date: Avoid trends and show your personal style First dates are not the best time to experiment with the newest trends. But, if you feel like it, you can follow your gut. Most fashion experts, however, believe it is best to stick with your style. Spicing up your look for the first date may be a great thing. But, if this first date eventually blossoms into something more serious, you must have the liberty to wear what identifies with you the most. Only wear clothes that make you feel comfortable Of course, you want to look stunning and leave your date in awe. However, wearing clothes that you think are flattering but don’t feel comfortable is a recipe for disaster. Just imagine tugging down your mini dress or walking in an awkward manner because you’re wearing high heels â€" it’s likely your date will feel uncomfortable, too. Comfort must be a priority. When you feel comfortable, you are able to gain more confidence and have more fun. Look sexy but don’t flash too much skin Wearing body-hugging dresses may show off your curves and make you look sexy, but it is best to accentuate your assets discreetly. Showing off your assets doesn’t necessarily mean flashing too much skin. Avoid wearing clothes that are too fitted or too revealing. Otherwise, you run the risk of making your date feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. Keep in mind that it’s the first date. Leave some room for imagination, and play a graceful game. If you’re still undecided, stick to your favorite pieces If you’ve tried to mix and match a number of clothing pieces and nothing still feels right, stick with your favorites. Almost everyone has clothes that make them feel good about themselves. It may be a flattering dress, nice jeans, or a cute blouse. If you can’t decide what to wear, it is best to wear clothing pieces that you love. The logic here is quite simple: Everything that makes you feel good makes you look good as well. Wear a nice scent too Your look won’t be complete without a scent. Smelling good is an important part of dressing up regardless of your gender. It is best to go for something refreshing, sweet, and long-lasting. But, remember to use just the right amount of perfume so as not to suffocate your date (This is definitely a turn off). Also, bring a few mints too! Conclusion: Knowing how to dress up on a first date can boost your confidence and help you seize the date in style. As a general guiding principle, try to look your best without sacrificing your comfort. While you’re off to make a nice impression, remember that it’s best to stay true to yourself. Let your outfit give your date a hint of who you are as a person, and keep it comfortable and classy.

The Lessons of Intuition

The Lessons of Intuition Your inner voice, your intuition, your feeling â€" all can be harnessed in the service of progressing personally and professionally, and in making your company and team members improve performance. Does this sound counter-intuitive? No, it is precisely the opposite; it is counter-analytical. The intuitive mind faces off against the analytical mind â€" the one that reasons and pores over data â€" every day. Should, as if often the case, the intuitive mind take a back seat in making decisions? Experience shows otherwise.  As an executive leadership coach, I have come across many clients who have distrusted their instincts, preferring the cool embrace of demonstrable facts. Ross, a top executive at a management consulting firm, was stymied when offered a newer, riskier job at another company. He dutifully drew up a comprehensive list of pros and cons about jumping ship but simply could not come to a decision. Until a friend asked him, “What does your gut tell you?” Ross didn’t have to think. He accepted the offered job and went onto thrive in his new environment. There are times when your “gut” should be listened to. Especially if it gives you instant affirmation. That is intuition.  Then there’s Karen, a hyperperforming executive who was offered not one, but two tempting career options. One was high-profile and prestigious, the other not so much. She felt that the latter might suit her better, but, after hearing the wows and congratulations from colleagues, accepted the prestige position. Within a week she knew she had made a mistake â€" the corporate culture of her new post was totally at odds with her sense of purpose. Months of popping anti-depressant pills and struggling to get out of bed in the morning finally ended in her resigning and finding a place in a company she felt was a fit. Do not be impressed with the shiny object. Stay focused on what you want, after consulting your intuitive mind and your rational mind.  Our intuitive mind is more rapid, more complex and more imbued with emotional intelligence than our conscious mind. We downplay it at our peril. Analytical ability is wonderful at understanding the past; intuitive, at sensing the future â€" which, in our present-day world of business volatility and change, is an invaluable asset. Does this mean we should charge headlong in obedience to every hunch we harbor? No. We need both our analytical and intuitive minds. My suggestion is that you balance the scales between the lightning-fast, profound, and creative insights that can come only from your intuition and the higher functions of your conscious intelligence. Recognize when your intuition is speaking to you, and listen. If, after an exhaustive analysis of a course of action â€" a company strategy, an investment, a hiring decision â€" you still feel that something is wrong with the result of your deliberations, then there probably is. We should not dismiss our inner voice out of hand.  Alfred Einstein, an analytical genius, called the intuitive mind “a sacred gift” and the rational mind, “a faithful servant.” He went further, writing, “We have created a society that honors the servant and forgotten the gift.” Einstein, of all people, plumped for listening to ourselves, not to our external parameters or self-imposed limitations. It is a lesson we would do well to heed.  Listening to our intuition is often thought risky â€" and indeed it is. When there is no rational backstop to a decision, we enter the unknown. As a serious teenaged athlete, I left my homeland of France in the midst of the competition season to fly to the US. Madness? Caprice? No, I just knew I had to. And the decision changed my life. Exposed to the more free-wheeling American society, I realized that anything is possible, an intuitive-based conclusion that has guided me throughout my life. So taking risks is good â€" without risk there is no lasting reward and progress. And if the risk does not pan out and results in failure, that too can be good. We learn from setbacks, our store of experience, of pain and pleasure, strengthening our intuitive muscle.  Another proponent of the intuitive was Napoleon, admittedly a somewhat odd go-to source for businesswomen in search of insights. Napoleon famously asked a simple question of any officer before promoting him: “Are you lucky?” If the fellow said yes, he got his new rank â€" for Napoleon recognized that “luck” on the battlefield often came from the ability to make lightning decisions, to sense the unpredictable strategy of an adversary, to follow your gut. Of course the great French general did not wing his approach to battle â€" he made painstaking preparations.   But he could ditch and shift plans in a flash, taking incomplete information in the chaos of the moment and arriving, intuitively, at a winning outcome.  Now we are neither on the battlefield nor in a physics laboratory, but our business environments are nonetheless fluid, capable of presenting us with unexpected challenges. Navigating these surprises requires nerve and the use of the yin and yang of the intuitive and the rational. Scientific experiments have confirmed that while conscious deliberation produces better outcomes for simple choices, complex decisions involving multiple factors are better served by subconscious deliberation while one’s attention is directed elsewhere â€" taking a mental step back and letting the intuitive mind do the heavy lifting.  In other words, judge if the choice before you requires the counter-intuitive or the counter-analytical. This guest post was authored by Hortense le Gentil Hortense le Gentil  is an Executive Leadership Coach and Marshall Goldsmith #MG100 Certified Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching. She partners with leaders to analyze problems and determine best possible solutions. Le Gentil’s coaching expertise includes cultural and self-awareness, entrepreneurship, leadership presence, leadership style and organizational dynamics. In 2007, le Gentil founded and became CEO of HLG Management. She is now a Thinkers50 nominee and Founder and CEO of JAY Consulting.   Jay Consulting is committed to coaching senior, including C-Suite, executives and entrepreneurs toward positive leadership behaviors.

Norway named the best country for LGBT workers - Debut

Norway named the best country for LGBT workers - Debut If you identify as LGBT+, it might be time for a Scandinavian getaway. A new study from business price comparison firm Expert Market has revealed that Norway is the best country in Europe for LGBT workers. Taking into account factors like descrimination legislation, workplace policies and monthly disposable income, the report found Norway came out on top. Belgium and Nordic neighbours Finland followed close behind in third and second place respectively. “Norway has the best protections against discrimination you can have, and tolerance is also quite high,” said Expert Markets Benjamin Pelosse when asked to explain the findings. “The unemployment rate is low, the disposable salary is high. If I am an LGBT worker, it’s one of the best countries to be in for sure.” Heres how they did it Last year, Norway introduced a groundbreaking law allowing citizens to legally change their gender without medical intervention. They became the first country in Europe to do so after Argentina adopted the law in 2012. It also dropped the age requirement to change gender from 18 to 16. Amnesty International hailed the change as a historic move for transgender rights. This and many other legal protections that LGBT workers enjoy earned Norway a perfect score of 10 in the law and policy category. The United Kingdom, which landed in 9th place, scored just 2.5 in the same space. This isnt even all the evidence that proves that Norway is basically a careers utopia. Norwegian workers also enjoy  lengthy paid maternity leave, free university education, and long-term unemployment benefits. With the UK also battling a significant sexuality pay gap, it might be time to introduce some more progressive legislation like our Scandinavian cousins. Could employment laws like Norways work in Britain? Shoot us a Tweet @DebutCareers and let us know how you feel. Download the Debut app and  get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

SPHERIONS 2014 EMERGING WORKFORCE STUDY PART 3 SOCIAL MEDIA DISCONNETS ($100 Giveaway Contest)

SPHERION’S 2014 EMERGING WORKFORCE STUDY PART 3 SOCIAL MEDIA DISCONNETS ($100 Giveaway Contest) 3 Flares 3 Flares Disclosure: Post sponsored by Spherion, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure. If you missed Part 1, you can find it  here. If you missed Part 2, you can find it here. Study Overview As part of Spherions 2014 Emerging Workforce Study, surveys were collected that tracked the the use of social media in the workplace.  The study also looked at employee/employer preferences and the platforms influence on recruitment and job satisfaction.  This blog post takes a look at some of their important findings from the study and also offers readers a chance to win a $100 gift card. Social Media Disconnect Statistics   This year’s study revealed a significant increase in the number of companies utilizing nearly every social outlet listed, especially compared to 2009, with Facebook and LinkedIn leading the bunch with 68 percent and 67 percent of companies using the tools. Mobile texting is now being used as frequently as corporate blogs. Our study found this year that 49 percent of companies have a social media strategy in place, up from 45 percent last year, and 24 percent in our 2009 study â€" that’s nearly double the amount. More than one-third (35 percent) of companies admit they struggle with how to address social media policies or practices with their workforce. Success at achieving social media goals remains largely unchanged over past two years. 27 percent of workers believe whether or not a company allows its workers to utilize social media during work factors greatly into their job satisfaction. Nearly one-third (32 percent) feel it is appropriate for their boss to “friend” them on social networks. Nearly two-in-ten workers (18 percent) agree/agree strongly that “I have not been hired in the past due to information or activity about me online.” $100 AMEX Gift Card Giveaway Contest How to win:   Step 1:  Choose your favorite Social Media Disconnect Statistic above Step 2: Tell me in the comments of this blog which statistic was your favorite. Make sure to leave that comment no later than Tuesday, December 16th at 11:59 PM EST Step 3:  I will choose one comment at random to win.   Disclosure Spherion partnered with bloggers such as me for their Emerging Workforce Study program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any idea mentioned in these posts. Spherion believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Spherion’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.   Spherion Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/spherion.staffing Spherion Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Spherion

Encore Careers and Stress - Hallie Crawford

Encore Careers and Stress My clients who are seeking an encore career often put themselves under enormous pressure to find the magic bullet that will help them figure out what they want to be and do at lightning speed.  Theyre approaching retirement in a few months and want to have it all figured out like yesterday.  That creates enormous stress and overwhelm and sometimes leads to depression.    It takes time for those AHA moments.  They get revealed slowly over time its a process of exploring with a coach three important components: Who are you:  What are your strengths, passion, interests.  Those answers should lead you to reflecting on how you could use them in your ideal job.  If money were no object, what would you do?  Have you buried a passion that begs to be ignited once again?  How much money do you really need to live on?  Can you relocate?  Do you want to make a difference in the non-profit world?  Would a small or large company be a better option?  Can you be a consultant?  Is this the time to be an entrepreneur?  The Peace Corp has a program for those 50+. What do you want to do?  Brainstorm all kinds of jobs and dont be judgmental.  See what comes up for you.  Sometimes taking an assessment like the Strong Interest Inventory is helpful to see what Top 10 careers make the most sense for you.  Research the Top Companies to Work for in your city.  Once you have some ideas, conduct informational interviews of people who are already in those jobs to uncover salary ranges, educational requirements and whether the job will allow you to use your strengths and skills.  Do the results of your interviews mean you have to go back to school and how does that fit into the financial picture and timing?  Narrow your choices down to one that you will focus on. How are you going to get there?  Between 70-85% of all jobs are found through networking.  So, start beefing up your networking before you leave your job.  This is the most critical thing you can do to find a job.  Having a friend endorse you at a company is the way to land a job.  Create an elevator speech so when you meet people you can let them know what kind of job you are looking for.  Check out professional resume writers who will polish off that 5 page resume and reduce it to 2 pages.  Practice interviewing skills with your coach if you havent interviewed in a long time. The stress of finding an encore career occurs when you are trying to hurry the process.  Ideally, if you know you are retiring from a long career and want a chance at a second career, then start this process 18 months before you leave.  As mentioned above, the networking component takes time and those months will be devoted to meeting and re-establishing relationships.  If you have the financial ability to stop working, you can decompress after you and take the time off to reflect that would be another great way of approaching your quest for an encore career.  Just remember it is a self discovery process, not a magic bullet, to have a second chance at another career. We hope this is helpful to you! Katie Weiser, Career Coach at HallieCrawford.com.