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HiringSolved: Free Recruiting Automation Software

HiringSolved Offers Free Recruiting Automation Software to Teams Hiring for COVID-19 Response Efforts

 

We are thrilled to be offering our products including our flagship software, HiringSolved, and our sourcing tool, Prophet, free of charge to organizations recruiting for COVID-19 related efforts. We will be offering these products and our outstanding support services at no charge through the end of 2020.

As we’re seeing companies rushing to address the critical need for talent, we want to do what we can to support those efforts. We are looking to partner with hiring teams and help them expedite their efforts with recruiting automation to better respond to the current pandemic.

We want to offer what we can to the recruiting and hiring teams that are being inundated with hiring demands. By providing our technology and expertise to these hiring teams, we hope that we’re able to do our part to help ease the strain that hiring teams are facing in response to COVID-19.

“If you have large scale hiring demands, please call us. We’d love to help in any way,” Dave Barthel, our Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, shared.

This decision was motivated by our leadership’s desire to remove any barriers for those who are hiring the front-line responders to this pandemic. As recruiters ourselves, we know the strain that comes from massive changes like what COVID-19 is causing and we want to do everything we can to help. We also know that having the right tools to get the work done means getting jobs into the lives of people who need them quickly.

To learn more about this program and to apply for access:

Click Here

HiringSolved Offers Free Recruiting Automation Software to Teams Hiring for COVID-19 Response Efforts

Hive Tech HR: Open Forum Discussion

Open Forum: 7 IMMEDIATE Considerations for your HR System in light of COVID-19

hivetech hr

From HiveTech HR:

Join the Discussion, Friday, April 3rd from 3:30-4:00 p.m. ET.

We’ll be focusing on 7 IMMEDIATE Considerations for your HR System in light of COVID-19. Register Here: We hope that you are able to join the open forum, Friday, April 3rd from 3:30-4:00 p.m. ET. We’ll be focusing on 7 IMMEDIATE Considerations for your HR System in light of COVID-19. Jeremy, Hive Tech HR’s CEO, will be moderating the discussion with two expert Hive Tech HR System Consultants. You will leave with tips and considerations for your HR system.

Register HERE: https://lnkd.in/efhPptN even if your schedule is booked, we will send everyone that registered a link to the recording.

 

Seekout Update integrates Expert 

SeekOut.io

Seekout Update integrates Expert

 

Seekout has something new. Again! Can you tell that we are Seekout fans? We don’t call it one of the go-to tools for sourcing, for nothing. They have integrated their Robot Expert tool directly into their Seekout application. Last year, SeekOut’s AI Sourcing tool Robot released a tool called Expert, which allowed you to search through conference lineups, scientific journal authors, and more to find talent that may not be accessible via the usual social sites.

The good news is, now you can perform those searches without the need to open a separate tool. Search experts in any field or topic, even those that don’t have public profiles on LinkedIn or other social media. Filter your results by suggested categories, or use your own boolean string. Doing a search for “virus” gave us over 250,000 results on non-public profiles. Really cool!

If you’d like to learn more, you can request a demo from their team. In case you aren’t familiar with the other aspects of Seekout, SeekOut is an AI-powered SaaS tool to help you recruit hard-to-find technical and diverse talent. Plus, they continually make improvements and add new functionality.

 

~ Noel Cocca

 

Look inside with Dean Da Costa:

World Autism Awareness Day: Neurodiversity in the Workplace

autism awareness

 

Neurodiversity in the Workplace: In Recognition of World Autism Awareness Day 

As many around the world remain quarantined, the days continue to tick by. April 2 marks a particularly important one: World Autism Awareness Day. It’s the start of an entire month dedicated to the autistic community.

Each year, the month of April seeks to recognize autistic individuals with a series of events and educational activities. For 2020, that also includes celebrating its theme: The Year of Kindness. While kindness is top of mind for so many right now, let’s not lose sight of World Autism Awareness Day and what it means for autistic people. Specifically, as it relates to their role in the workforce. 

Research shows that autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects one to two percent of the American population. That’s anywhere between 3.3 and 6.6 million people in the U.S. alone, and with the majority unemployed. Even those with college degrees. Which begs the question, what can employers do to support autistic individuals? 

 

Prioritize Neurodiversity 

In recent years, there’s been increased interest in the autistic workforce, as many companies seek to expand diversity and inclusion efforts to emphasize neurodiversity. The Autism Awareness Centre explains. “Neurodiversity, seen as a movement by many towards more equal treatment and more widespread acceptance for those on the [autism] spectrum, and with disabilities in general.” But interest doesn’t always mean movement, and for the autistic community to get ahead at work, employers need to act. 

So, where to start? Autism advocate and reference librarian Kate Thompson offered. “I think the best thing employers can do is get autistic workers into HR and on hiring committees. The lived experience is very valuable.” 

For companies without autistic employees, take the opportunity to develop a plan, Thompson continued. “[The] company should also discuss what accommodations they are willing to make so that they can highlight that in the job description. Making it more likely neurodiverse candidates will apply.” At the same time, she says, the company should talk with existing employees. Let them know about the initiative and what this might mean in terms of new hires working from home or engaging in less customer contact. 

 

Partner and Program 

Another option is to take a page from the companies already out there actively hiring neurodiverse talent. Alexander Mann Solutions partners with auticon. Auticon is an IT consulting business and social enterprise that exclusively employs adults on the autism spectrum in permanent roles as IT consultants. Founded in 2011, auticon is the first enterprise dedicated to hiring autistic adults. A mission it achieves by creating autism-positive work environments, similar to Thompson’s recommendation above.

That means workplaces with highly individualized and sustained support mechanisms that make it possible for employees to build long-lasting, sustainable careers in IT roles suitable to their specific cognitive strengths and competencies. 

Aside from this example, similar programs exist within many companies. Including SAP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, EY, Deloitte, and more. Silvio Bessa, senior vice president of digital business services at SAP, reported that the company’s approach, “forces you to get to know the person better, so you know how to manage them. It’s made me a better manager, without a doubt.”

Like auticon, these internal initiatives seek to reframe the narrative around autism and neurodiversity in the workplace. Thus, giving this talent pool access to career training and development through everything from internships to infrastructure.

 

Begin at the Beginning 

For companies interested in taking the next step towards showing kindness to autistic and neurodiverse talent pools. Begin by rethinking recruitment. What some might see as a standard protocol can feel overwhelming to these candidates. It can also stand in the way of their success. One autistic hire, Gordon, explained his experience.

“I have applied for jobs previously but not been successful. I have found the interview process very stressful, and I have even been rejected for jobs I have been over-qualified for, [however], auticon focused on looking at the skills I had rather than an interview.”

Thompson echoed this sentiment, urging employers to consider whether steps in the interview process are necessary. And, consider if there’s another way to make the hire. She said, “Replace a phone interview with short answer questions. Allowing the candidate time to give a thoughtful response without social pressure.” 

The intent should be to develop resources and guidance that make it possible to tailor recruiting to each individual, for pre- and post-hire. By reworking hiring, companies can welcome these candidates. And, ultimately, create a culture that both nurtures and champions neurodiversity. 

Things That Irk Job Seekers about the Job Market During a Crisis

job market

 

Things That Irk Job Seekers about the Job Market During a Crisis

 

I am a long-time talent acquisition professional. I have lived and worked through two recessions, 9/11, the Gulf War, and Operation Desert Storm. Those are just the hardships I remember. This new COVID-19 emergency has rushed back memories of candidate stories during these times of instability.

I thought I would interview a candidate looking for work currently and get their perspective on what it is like to be job hunting right now.

The candidate I interviewed is my adult daughter, and I’m not sure where she gets her sarcasm. She just completed her master’s degree and is on the market for a professional role. Because of my career in talent acquisition, she may understand how the sausage is made more than others.

 

Question 1 – So, what is your overall impression of the job market today?

Answer:  I have been in the job market for a while now. What was once a glorious candidate playing field full of open positions, became a barren field full of competition, Mad Max-style. Especially once COVID-19 became a full-blown pandemic.

I understand that during a pandemic and the subsequent stock market drops, that companies’ purse strings tighten up. Mass amounts of people are laid off or hiring ceases for the foreseeable future.  I don’t want to belittle a global pandemic and its effects, but I see many preventable issues that irritate me and probably my fellow jobseekers.

 

Question 2 – What specifically about the job market irritates you?

Answer:  Applying for a Position that No Longer Exists.

This one could apply to more than just the post-apocalyptic candidate landscape, but the frustration multiplies when applicants are bum-rushing jobs like Hunger Games contestants.

Nothing is more infuriating than stress searching for a job. You find a perfect fit. Click the “Apply” button and see a screen that cruelly announces that the position is filled. Or that the job is no longer available. Please, please, police your third-party job distributors, and CLOSE IT DOWN.

When I finally find an open position that fits my qualifications and allows me to proceed through the application process, I decide to apply. I go through the fifteen-minute application, listing my blood type, the name of my firstborn, and where I’ve lived for the past fifteen years.

I click the “submit” button and wait for the review of my resume. The next day I am met with an email claiming that they are “no longer hiring for the foreseeable future.”

I understand that it is impossible to know where the market is going in these uncertain times. But candidates need transparency, and the job positions should be closed. Not only does it allow us to gain trust with your company and possibly apply when the position is open again, but it is respectful and sensitive to the time and needs of a candidate.

 

Question 3 – Is there a Career Site you prefer or avoid?

Answer: Sorry Zip Recruiter – I spit in your general direction!

I created an account with Zip Recruiter because a position that I wanted posted through the Zip Recruiter website. I was inundated with an obscene amount of garbage emails about positions I wasn’t even sure were real.

Additionally, when I tried to apply to some positions, I felt like I went through an applicant rabbit hole where I was just sent to another partner job website until I frustratingly quit. I didn’t want my email to be held hostage for a job.

To talent professionals, please try and understand how difficult it is for us as users to interface with this organization. Candidates already must worry about the “Charmageddon of 2020,” please don’t add the most vexing talent website on top of it.

 

Question 4 – As Recruiters and Sourcers, what can we do to make your job search easier?

Answer: Why are your jobs posted for every darn city for every darn job?

I have my daily routine like most who are on the job hunt. I log in and go through multiple job sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, or Monster. As I scroll through the jobs posted for the day, I will find particular companies that have posted the same remote position for what seems like every city in the United States. Pages upon pages!

Look, if you have multiple legitimate positions open and you’ve placed them on LinkedIn or Indeed back to back, this message is not for you.

But if you have a remote position, JUST POST IT AS REMOTE. There is no need for me to have to feel like I’m being sold male enhancement pills on a legitimate job site.

 

Question 5 – As a candidate, how do you want to be treated?

Answer:  Stop blowing me off.

Asking a candidate for their availability and then never calling them back is infuriating. This is just lazy and bad recruiting. Some people are legitimately relying on the ability to obtain a job during these uncertain times.

All of us candidates feel a glimmer of hope when we get an email or a call and for our availability. So please, reach out to us even if it is to turn us down. Again, being transparent and maintaining communication with a candidate is imperative.

In a candidate market of laid-off people, and notification after notification of “more than 200 people have applied for this job.” Please, be honest with us and tell us we are no longer in the running. This little gesture allows us to focus our efforts on the next job that will feed our families.

 

Question 6 – Any last thoughts for the Talent Acquisition industry?

Answer:  We appreciate the recruiters continuing to work during these difficult times. Please try to be mindful of the current candidate landscape.

In a world of falling stock market prices, fights over toilet paper, and shelter-in-place orders. Please just monitor your job postings and be mindful of the candidate application experience.

Have open communication with applicants and be considerate of their time. Be the grocers and medical workers giving that extra effort during these trying times. Not the angry toilet-paper-hogging Karens (my apologies to the good Karens of the world.)

And there you have it. Buckle up buttercups in talent acquisition, let’s help each other look good.

How the Paycheck Protection Plan Can Help Save Your Business

How the Paycheck Protection Plan Can Help Save Your Business

Article published on evilhrlady.org. Read it here.

If you’re a small business owner (defined as fewer than 500 employees) whose functions aren’t “essential” (and even some whose are) you’re probably feeling a huge financial pinch. You may have laid off employees (painfully), and you may be wondering how you’ll pay your personal bills. The $2 Trillion stimulus act has something that can help out small businesses: The Paycheck Protection Plan.

This portion of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act allocates $350 billion in government-backed loans for small businesses.

This allows you to borrow based on your payroll, rent, and utility needs. It’s not a time to borrow to buy equipment or order materials or expand your business. There are rules around it, some of which are a little complicated. You also apply directly at your bank, so hopefully, their expertise can help sort things out for you. But here are a few things you need to know.

Payroll costs definition.

Whenever you’re looking at a government program, getting the definitions right is helpful. The CARES act defines payroll costs as:

  • salary, wage, commission, or similar compensation;
  • payment of cash tip or equivalent;
  • payment for vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave;
  • allowance for dismissal or separation;
  • payment required for the provisions of group health care benefits, including insurance premiums;
  • payment of any retirement benefit; or
  • payment of State or local tax assessed on the compensation of employees; and
  • the sum of payments of any compensation to or income of a sole proprietor or independent contractor that is a wage, commission, income, net earnings from self-employment, or similar compensation and that is in an amount that is not more than $100,000 in 1 year, as prorated for the covered period;

That last bullet point is a bit confusing, and it may include sole proprietors’ schedule C profit (up to $100,000) and something similar for partnerships, says Tax expert, Peter J. Reilly. “Your Schedule C profit would put you in a similar position (slightly better maybe) as an S corporation owner who paid himself a reasonable salary. An S corporation owner that did not pay himself salary might be worse off.”

If Reilly’s interpretation is correct (and I think it is), it opens up coverage to contractors and independent business owners. The National Law Review, agrees confidently. They have no qualms at saying the Payroll Protection Plan includes “sole-proprietors, independent contractors, and other self-employed individuals.”

There are exclusions: individual salaries over $100,000, taxes, employees who reside outside the United States, and anything already covered by Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

How to get this loan

Your bank is where you start–you can go to a different bank, of course, but if you have an established relationship, that’s where you start. You just need to certify that due to the “uncertain” times you need help with payroll and/or utilities and rent–and prove that you were in business as of February 15, 2020. (So, you can’t use this to launch a new business.)

You can then use the money to keep your company running. We all hope that this shutdown period will be temporary. President Trump extended social distancing guidelines to April 30, with the hope that things will get back to normal after that.

Loan forgiveness

One important aspect of this is the potential to have the loan forgiven for up to eight weeks of costs after the loan is given. If you lower your payroll costs during this time period (by laying off, furloughing, or cutting hours), the government will lower the amount of loan forgiveness.

There are no prepayment penalties and any forgiveness dollars will not be considered taxable income.

If you’re struggling to keep your business afloat, this might be a path you want to take. There is no collateral required, the maximum interest rate is 4 percent, and payments can be deferred for six months to one year.

This can be a business saver for your business. Talk with your own accountant about the implications for your specific business.

Eventbrite: COVID-19 Resources for Event Organizers

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Financial Relief and Loan Information

Resources for Event Organizers

If you have upcoming events that have been canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, visit Eventbrite to see what resources are available for you. Listed on the page are all the federal government-sponsored financial aid programs available, as well as some states. See below for more information:

From Eventbrite.com

The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is disrupting the live event industry worldwide. And until live experiences are back on track, economic assistance could help ensure our industry remains strong.

It’s because of this we want event creators, promoters, and venue owners across the globe to know about the options available in your part of the world.

Choose your country at their site below to find out more about financial relief available:

https://www.eventbrite.com/covid-19/financial-relief/

Sourcing in a Fearful Market

sourcing

 

Sourcing in a Fearful Market

 

I want to share with you what it was like as a talent acquisition professional in 2008, during the last recessionary period. I was working for a private agency as a one hundred percent commission-only recruiter.

Commission-only means I received a paycheck only after placement was made and the client paid their invoice. The end to end process from sourcing a candidate to a paycheck could take months. Before you think this is a sad story, let me assure you I have mostly good news.

I made a lot of money that year.

Don’t think you are looking at a doomed future during these strange and unprecedented times.  I changed up my process and made friends with my candidates and hiring leaders.  And I worked hard.

But it was not without some gloom.  I had a front-row seat of the devastation the recession brought to families who worked in certain industries. We are a blessed bunch though; as Recruiters and Sourcers we can bring hope to those affected candidates who are facing uncertain times and layoffs.

 

Candidate Re-purposing

Right now, healthcare companies are leveraging the non-exempt workforce being displaced by the hospitality and restaurant industries.  A smart medical center is proactively hiring these individuals into hospital nutrition and foodservice roles, certified nurses aid programs, and environmental services staff.  That example probably makes sense without halting your sense of reality.

But let’s try to think more creatively.

Consider this real example.  A local balloon artist has had all his children’s birthday parties, carnivals, and school fun fairs canceled due to the recent quarantines.  His entire income was slashed with very little warning.

I learned about him through a local Facebook group.  But this balloon artist is an entrepreneur, used to finding his own clients, steadfast is balancing his budget and gigs. He described himself online as a businessman, strong in sales, customer service, and account management.

As in this example, I challenge you to re-imagine the candidate resumes you see in front of you today.  How can they be re-purposed?  Looking back in 2008, recruiters we overwhelmed with resumes from people in the mortgage industry when home sales plummeted.

But we found jobs for every one of them by reconsidering their skill sets and educating our clients.

RecruitingDaily re-purpose resumes

Keep an Eye Out

Sourcers are charged, whether on your job description or not, to understand the market and have a handle on competitive intelligence.  There are a million ways to do this.

In healthcare, we have Becker’s Hospital Review. What does your industry have?

One vendor I can suggest for any industry is Owler. Owler will allow you to set a reminder, like a google alert, but specifically, only to those competitors you are watching that may be having layoffs or facility closings.  There are also Daily Job Cuts and Layoff List.  Sign up, pay attention, engage and assist those affected by corona-virus.

 

Think Long Term

Sourcing is a long game.  This recession could last a while.  It is not unusual for leads and prospects to follow a talent professional for years before eventually accepting an interview. People will remember how they were treated.  Now is the time to truly offer a white-glove candidate experience. To return calls quickly, even if a bother.  To offer advice or to give encouragement.

We are talent professionals.

Now is our time to give back to those who are scared and facing a family crisis without work. We can aid those who looking for career advice, referrals, and networking.  As a talent community, this is how we give back.

 

Assurance

This is for you, the recruiter or sourcer. You are going to find candidates are less likely to leave their jobs now due to the economic insecurity, and less likely to relocate.

That doesn’t mean we give up.

This means we kick into high gear, dust off our value proposition and get to selling. Candidates are still looking for great opportunities and connections.

Grill your recruiters or hiring managers.

RecruitingDaily Value PropositionForce them to give you information that will help your organization stand out.

Is your hiring manager a leader in his or her field, do you offer the best technology or culture? Think granular, details matter now. What does your company, hiring manager, or department offer that would make a person take a lateral move? If you can’t answer that question, you may as well get out of the business now.

It is not time to panic or worry.

The best recruiters and sourcers will stay employed and fill positions because they are putting themselves in the candidate’s shoes. Empathize and be a helper.

We are in this together.

 

 

BooleanStrings: How to Search for Bios on Github

How to Search for Bios on Github

This article originally was posted on BooleanStrings.com

Just like we can’t search for LinkedIn headlines within LinkedIn or by X-Raying, we can’t search for Github Bios – either within Github or by X-Raying. However, we can search for LinkedIn headlines with Custom Search Engines (CSEs). It turns out that we similarly can search for Github Bios with CSEs!

We will be searching using Github X-Ray CSE. I will start off providing sample search strings to look within Bios, then, will give some explanations.

Here you go. “GitHub Bio contains”:

You can change the arguments, add keywords, and combine with other Google’s and Custom Search Engine operators specific to Github. As you may have noticed, you can use the asterisk * for ANDs and comma , for ORs in the special operators.

You Can Stop Reading Now and Go Enjoy the Searches

But wait, I also want to tell you that our tool Social List uses CSE operators in the background, and you won’t need to write any operators – just enter your terms and collect results. Here is what a search looks like:

github bios

Check it out if you haven’t.

 

Now, if you are wondering how I came up with the horrible-looking operator more:p:metatags-og_description: (and what is behind the search algorithm in Social List), read on.

CSE – Special Advanced Syntax

Special CSE operators depend on the website and structure of its pages. More specifically, operators depend on what Schema.org, Microformats, and other objects and values are (invisibly) included in the pages’ source code.

The general CSE search operator format is this:

more:pagemap:<data-field-name>:<data-value>:<value>

– where data-field-name is an object like Person, data-value is a value, such as “org” (i .e. organization, a Person’s employer), and value is a string like “IBM”– finds pages containing the object Person with a matching “org” value.

Alternative syntax uses just p instead of pagemap:

more:p:<data-field-name>:<data-value>:<value>

Google.com doesn’t “understand” the more:… search syntax, but any Google Custom Search Engine does.

Objects and Values to Query

Objects (like Person of schema.org) and values (like employer=”IBM”) are invisibly included in web pages’ source code, in its part called “PageMap”. The big deal is – you can search within objects and their values using CSE operators. PageMap includes data following a variety of standards: Schema.org, Microformats, and others, and also a part called “Metatags”.

In our particular case, a GitHub Bio is stored in Metatags under the tag “og:description” (and is also duplicated under “twitter:description”). I found it by examining the JSON output from a CSE API call:

“metatags”: [
{
“viewport”: “width=device-width”,
“fb:app_id”: “1401488693436528”,
“twitter:image:src”: “https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/447033?s=400&v=4”,
“twitter:site”: “@github”,
“twitter:card”: “summary”,
“twitter:title”: “garris – Overview”,
“twitter:description”: “Works at LinkedIn. Lives in Berkeley. Likes a nice hike. – garris”,
“og:image”: “https://avatars1.githubusercontent.com/u/447033?s=400&v=4”,
“og:site_name”: “GitHub”,
“og:type”: “profile”,
“og:title”: “garris – Overview”,
“og:url”: “https://github.com/garris”,
“og:description”: “Works at LinkedIn. Lives in Berkeley. Likes a nice hike. – garris”,
“profile:username”: “garris”,
“pjax-timeout”: “1000”,
“request-id”: “895E:41D8:7B30:E042:5D3F23D9”,
“octolytics-host”: “collector.githubapp.com”,
“octolytics-app-id”: “github”,
“octolytics-event-url”: “https://collector.githubapp.com/github-external/browser_event”,
“octolytics-dimension-request_id”: “895E:41D8:7B30:E042:5D3F23D9”,
“octolytics-dimension-region_edge”: “iad”,
“octolytics-dimension-region_render”: “iad”,
“analytics-location”: “/\u003cuser-name\u003e”,
“google-analytics”: “UA-3769691-2”,
“dimension1”: “Logged Out”,
“hostname”: “github.com”,
“expected-hostname”: “github.com”,
“js-proxy-site-detection-payload”: “MTUyMTUyNGE4ODJhNTRkMmFkZGU3NjFlOTA5ZTllNTNmZDg1NzZmN2UwZTM1YzhlOWQ5YjAxNGEyZTBhMDk0Ynx7InJlbW90ZV9hZGRyZXNzIjoiNjYuMjQ5LjY2LjIxNiIsInJlcXVlc3RfaWQiOiI4OTVFOjQxRDg6N0IzMDpFMDQyOjVEM0YyM0Q5IiwidGltZXN0YW1wIjoxNTY0NDE5MDM1LCJob3N0IjoiZ2l0aHViLmNvbSJ9”,
“enabled-features”: “MARKETPLACE_FEATURED_BLOG_POSTS,MARKETPLACE_INVOICED_BILLING,MARKETPLACE_SOCIAL_PROOF_CUSTOMERS,MARKETPLACE_TRENDING_SOCIAL_PROOF,MARKETPLACE_RECOMMENDATIONS,MARKETPLACE_PENDING_INSTALLATIONS”,
“html-safe-nonce”: “1ef7c04a79f7c74d7ed950ed690d277292296f65”,
“browser-stats-url”: “https://api.github.com/_private/browser/stats”,
“browser-errors-url”: “https://api.github.com/_private/browser/errors”,
“theme-color”: “#1e2327”
}]

One last step and you will catch up with me on the subject. I am going to tell you how I obtained the JSON sample pasted above.

Running CSE API Calls

The APIs query CSEs from software code. It’s also possible to run an API call from your browser address bar.

Using the APIs requires obtaining a KEY (long coded string) from Google, available here. Input for an API call is a KEY, a CSE ID (a value you can copy from the Control Panel), a query string, and (optional) parameters.

You can run an API query from your browser in the following fashion:

https://www.googleapis.com/customsearch/v1?key=KEY&cx=CSEID&q=a

– it will look like this:

github bios

 

An API call produces a JSON-formatted output page that you can browse to figure out the operator formats.

While you can examine a page’s structure with various tools (including CSEs themselves), these API JSON outputs provide “the” most accurate information for assembling CSE operators.

Final Word

Querying structured info on the web is incredibly powerful. It may seem “too technical”, but that is mostly due to odd-looking strings of parameters that create that impression. (But you don’t need to “read” parameters, you just need to copy and paste.) Maybe one day, Google (or someone) will attach a friendly UI to Google CSEs’ structured web search. In the meantime, follow the links to search in Github Bios and definitely try Social List.

 

For more articles like this, visit BooleanStrings.com!

Boolean Strings: Scrape Google Maps

Scrape Google Maps

This article originally posted on booleanstrings.com

If you are sourcing for professionals who provide services such as Accounting, or looking for office locations for a specific company, searching on Google Maps will provide valuable information. Scraping a Maps search results page allows you to filter and enrich the data, and you can do it quite simply, with no coding involved.

PhantomBuster is a wonderful collection of automation scripts; they recently released a Google Maps Search Export. However, my preference for scraping Maps is a favorite tool Instant Data Scraper because it goes over all the results vs. partial. (There are also many specialized map scraping tools but I don’t think anything more complex is more beneficial).

Let’s look at an example. I have searched for accountant near manhattan and ran the Instant Scraper:

 

bgoogle scraper

 

Within seconds, I got this table with 309 rows, type of business, whether it is a Certified Public Accountant, office addresses, websites, ratings, and numbers of ratings submitted:

 

google scrape

 

Where else would you find a list of CPAs in Manhattan this fast?

 

For more articles like this, visit BooleanStrings.com!

 

 

 

Facebook Small Business Grants Program

Facebook Small Business Grants Program

From Facebook Business

We know that your business may be experiencing disruptions resulting from the global outbreak of COVID-19. We’ve heard that a little financial support can go a long way, so we are offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to help during this challenging time.

 

Who’s eligible?

Facebook is offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where we operate. We’ll share more details as they become available.

 

facebook grant

How the program can help

Examples:

  •  Keep your workforce going strong
  •  Help with your rent costs
  •  Connect with more customers
  •  Cover operational costs

 

Next steps

We’ll begin taking applications in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can sign up to receive more information when it becomes available.

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COVID-19 response: Google offering $340 million in free ads

Google is offering $340 million in free ads for small businesses

This article originally published on CNBC.com

Google is offering $340 million in ad credits to small and midsize businesses with active Google ad accounts as part of an $800 million coronavirus response package, the company announced Friday.

“As the coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen around the world, it’s taking a devastating toll on lives and communities,” said Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in a blog post Friday. “To help address some of these challenges, today we’re announcing a new $800+ million commitment to support small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), health organizations and governments, and health workers on the frontline of this global pandemic.”

Other donations from Google

As part of the package, the company is also donating the following:
  • A $200 million investment fund that will help NGOs and financial institutions provide small businesses with capital
  • $250 million in advertising grants to help the World Health Organization and government agencies offer information on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19
  • $20 million in Google Cloud credits for academic institutions and researchers
  • Unspecified financial support to help increase production capacity for lifesaving equipment, including face masks and ventilators.

 

 

Other grants from Silicon Valley

The announcement comes as Silicon Valley tech giants like Apple, Salesforce and Facebook fund relief for the economic disparity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Google’s sister company, Verily, this week ramped up drive-thru coronavirus testing with 1,000 Google volunteers as a part of an effort to screen and test people with symptoms, CNBC reported Thursday. Google launched a separate informational site a week ago.

Pichai said that employees from across Alphabet are “bringing engineering, supply chain, and healthcare expertise to facilitate increased production of ventilators, working with equipment manufacturers, distributors and the government in this effort.”

In addition to the commitments, the company said Friday that it has increased the gift match Google offers every employee annually to $10,000 from $7,500.

Stay organized and efficient while sourcing with RockStarFinder 4.0

rockstar finder 4.0

 

Stay organized and efficient while sourcing with the RockStarFinder update to 4.0

 

RockstarFinder™ has gotten even better with this latest release! The RockstarFinder update created a simple process to move people through a pipeline, which will keep you organized and efficient. We’ll give you a quick overview of what it does, starting with search.

You’re going to create a new project, and with their new automated naming scheme, it will title it for you based on your search parameters.

First, you’ll do your search, and select people to add to the candidate list. Once you’ve done that, you can further refine that list when you mark selected candidates as good matches.

This moves candidates along the pipeline to your “Matched” list, where you can enrich (enhance!) your data with their contact information.

If no contact information can be found, unmatch those candidates to keep the list clean. Candidates that have contact information are then funneled to the “Un-contacted” stage. Here, you will see all the phone numbers and email addresses available for you to use.

Clicking contact at this stage will open a template to either send an email or an SMS to the candidate. You also have access to email/SMS history. No extra cost, and it’s all integrated into one tool.

Once you contact someone, it moves to the contacted list, and the final stage in the pipeline will display all your metrics.

This is cool, and the most impressive part is that it’s an all in one system. It’s an alternate to LinkedIn, and also an alternative to those really expensive monstrous tools out there.

If you’re looking for a no-frills, inexpensive tool that can do it all – Source, Contact, Enrich – RockstarFinder is the one for you!

 

~ Noel Cocca

 

Look inside with Dean Da Costa:

HCM Talent Technology Roundup

talent technology

 

HCM Technology Report: Talent Technology Roundup

 

On March 5, when COVID-19 was still something to think about if you had time. Paychex said that 66 percent of U.S. business owners felt “prepared” for the virus to become widespread. Nearly as many, 59 percent, said they had continuity plans in place to address any business disruptions.

So, how’s that working out?

Not so well, unless most business owners prepared to close their doors and let employees go. In fairness, few people outside of the public health world could anticipate the speed at which the virus would spread. Not to mention the severity of the measures necessary to slow it down.

Less than three weeks later, Goldman Sachs reported that only 51 percent of small businesses believe they can operate for three months (or less) under current conditions. Slightly more, 53 percent, said their employees couldn’t telecommute. On March 25, the business software provider Thryv and America’s Small Business Development Centers said 69 percent of small companies have seen a drop in demand, and 60 percent believe demand will continue to fall.

Nearly two-thirds—64 percent—have cut employee hours, and 22 percent expect to begin cutting hours soon.

 

Long-Term Thinking

Despite the pressure they’re under, many employers are already looking toward a post-pandemic recovery. Even if they can’t predict the timeframe.

Recruiting vendors suggest many companies are strengthening their talent pipelines and trying out new technologies, so they’ll be ready to hire again when business allows it.

Some industries—such as healthcare, logistics, and transportation—have ramped up their hiring to cope with increased demand for their services. Others, even if they’ve slowed or suspended their recruiting campaigns, are using the time to make changes to their operations and processes. Changes that would be difficult to roll out under normal circumstances, said Ben Slater, vice president of marketing for Beamery.

At many companies, efforts to optimize the workforce must continue, even if new hiring is suspended, noted Keca Ward. Ward is the senior director of talent experience at Phenom.

“Companies that are on a hiring freeze still have to maintain productivity,” she said. But although hiring managers “want more muscle,” recruiters have had to slow down or stop their outreach.

So, these employers “need to communicate to all departments that the brakes are on. And they have to optimize their current talent,” Ward said.

 

Providers Open Up

Many recruiting technology providers have made their services available at reduced or no cost to employers struggling as the business landscape changes daily.

Through June 30, GR8 People is offering its Campus & Event Recruiting solution for free. As college campuses close down and on-site career fairs suspended, the company believes virtual events are the most viable way to fill openings quickly.

Lever has made its Remote Interviewing solution available at no charge through May 31. Including functionality developed in partnership with Zoom. During the past month, Lever said, the number of Zoom interviews scheduled on its platform has increased by 50 percent week-over-week.

JazzHR opened up its healthcare recruiting tools to essential care services, including primary, emergency, and urgent care providers. The company said its partner Wedge is offering integrated video interviewing services free of charge, as well.

Employers looking for IT professionals can use eTeki’s digital interview capabilities for free. The company’s tools help managers and recruiters evaluate coding capabilities, converse over a whiteboard, or share screens to review past work.

All these firms are positioning themselves to take advantage of an explosion of interest in virtual recruiting tools. You can see the evidence on BestSoftwareReviews. The web site said the number of visitors to its video-interview product page has increased by about 73 percent per week over the last three weeks.

In a blog post, the company said searches for “virtual interview platforms” rose 540 percent in a week, “free online interview platforms” rose 291 percent, and “best online interview software” increased 236 percent.

Boolean Strings: Healthcare Sourcing Techniques

Boolean Strings: Healthcare Sourcing Techniques

Article posted on booleanstrings.com.

In sync with the times, I want to share some Healthcare sourcing tips to implement in addition to what you are already doing.

I know that sourcing for Healthcare professionals is challenging from experience. Last year, I ran a project sourcing for (bedside) Registered Nurses with 2-3 years of experience for a hospital in Texas. While LinkedIn is a site that can verify the length of experience, it produced a ridiculously small outcome: 200 RNs out of tens of thousands RNs who live in Texas.

However, the industry has its advantages in terms of finding info online, including:

  • There are searchable databases
  • Hospital websites have bios and contact lists
  • Hospital websites have “structure” for filtered search via Custom Search Engines

Sites, where you can search for doctors and nurses, include doximity.com, healthgrades.com, vitals.com, and zocdoc.com (Google these together and you will find more). Physicians’ profiles usually have degrees, licenses, specialization, education, affiliation, address, phone number, and ranking. Some profiles have more info, including email or gender. However, searching within the sites is limited.

View the rest of the article at the link below:

more: Healthcare Sourcing Techniques