Of course, going virtual isn’t as easy as trading in your business suits for sweatpants. There’s plenty to do to hire the right people, keep everyone motivated and ensure your workplace can fly digitally: (Click here to tweet this list.)

1. Know the benefits of ditching the office

“If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?” This saying is one we’re all intimately familiar with. Before you jump to a virtual workplace because it seems like the trendy thing to do, stop and think about the reasons you’re making the switch.

Do you have smart reasons to switch or are you just trying to shake up your company culture? It’s a dramatic change, so you should be 100 percent sure it’s the right thing for your company.

Of course, there are dramatic reasons to consider jumping in with both feet. A study by Stanford University found companies can save as much as $2,000 per employee just by letting them work from home.

And if this cost savings isn’t enough for you, the virtual workplace is a real draw for top-notch candidates craving flexibility. In fact, two in five working adults would be willing to give up a portion of their salary if it meant greater flexible time options.

2. Put a plan in place

Once you’ve decided the virtual workplace really is the best way forward for your company, it’s time to put a plan of action in place. There are some big changes that come along with a digital environment, and those changes don’t just involve jettisoning the cubicle. Hammer out a workable transition plan for how your company gets projects accomplished and how employees will collaborate on important work.

Keep in constant contact with your team and be available to answer any questions your employees may have. Concerns should be heard and tackled before you do away with the office, so your virtual workplace can start from a position of understanding instead of confusion.

3. Hire great virtual workers

The best virtual employees have a lot in common with the best people currently sitting in your office: They’re smart, they’re dedicated, they’re creative and they’re always willing to go the extra mile. But virtual employees need to also have a few extra attributes to make them perfect for the digital environment.

Two of the most important attributes are tech-savvy and self-direction. After all, these employees need to use technology to connect and collaborate and also be motivated enough to do work instead of cleaning the house.

To find the best virtual workers, you have to connect personally and ask the right questions. The video interview is a smart tool for connecting with the best candidates, even if they’re located more than a car ride away.

During the video interview, it’s important you ask the right questions to ensure you’re getting the best people. Skip the boilerplate interview questions and instead ask behavioral questions to tell you more about the candidate’s personality and work experience. Asking questions about how they’ve handled their biggest mistake, their biggest professional triumph or how they work as part of a team can give you essential insight into their ability to work remotely and as part of your company culture.

4. Track workflow

Without being able to peek over your employee’s shoulder or run over to the next office to keep tabs on a special project, you’ll need a virtual solution. It’s important to choose a workflow-tracking plan that works for the specifics of your company. Try to find a digital solution that allows people to keep you updated on the status of projects and how their work is progressing.

You might also want to find internal storage for sharing important company files and essential documents to get new employees up to speed. As a bonus, by encouraging people to track their time and efforts, you’ll be empowering them to take ownership of their workflow.

5. Never stop communicating

Communication should always be continuous, but it’s even more important since you no longer share a physical workspace with your best people. Make sure you’re taking time aside to communicate clearly and efficiently with your whole team.

Set aside time for meetings and always make yourself available if a team member has a comment or question about how things are done. You can use online chat functions and email to stay in contact, so your best people still feel like they’re part of a well-defined company culture instead of left to their own devices.

Ditching your physical office for a virtual reality isn’t always easy, but it can be the right choice for your company. As long as you hire and motivate the best people, you’ll never regret your choice to go digital.

What do you think? What are some tips you have for embracing the virtual workplace? Share in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video interview solution used by more than 2,000 companies across the globe. Learn more about using video interviewing to hire virtual talent and connect with Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post Is the Virtual Office Right for Your Company? appeared first on Brazen Life.

For instance, many Millennials can easily navigate their way around social media. Most have at least one social networking account, so it’s not crazy to imagine GenY leads the social media recruiting revolution.

But when it comes to Millennial talent, social media isn’t the only game in town. What about online video?

The relationship GenY has with online video may be a lot more serious than you might think. Many Millennials spend as much time watching online videos as they do tweeting and Instagramming pictures of their lunch. In fact, half of Millennials watch online video every single day.

As a recruiter or hiring manager, it makes sense to connect with GenY in a format that they feel comfortable using. Six out of 10 employers already use online video interviews in their hiring process. Should you follow suit?

Consider these benefits of video interviewing:

Candidates feel comfortable in a familiar environment

You know the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words?” Well, it’s doubly true when it comes to moving pictures. Millennials grew up with visual media in the age of television, the Internet and tablets.

Just look at the rapid growth of visual media on the Internet, from using GIFs to represent emotions to the startlingly rapid growth of Pinterest, the image-heavy social network.

Visuals are important, especially to Millennial candidates. Video interviews allow employers to speak to Millennials using their own language. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

Weed out bad-fit candidates faster

Video interviews can help you form a personal connection faster than the traditional hiring process. Normally, you don’t see a candidate until one of the final steps of the process. You only sit down face-to-face with candidates for an in-person interview after the long process of weeding through resumes and slogging through time-consuming phone screens.

If most hiring managers know within 90 seconds if they will hire a candidate, why drag it out? Cut out those inefficient middle steps and get to the personal connection faster.

Through a video interview, you can pick up on those nonverbal cues like eye contact and body language that tell you so much about a candidate’s potential.

For instance, in a one-way video interview, candidates record their answers to your questions on video. Watching these video responses can help you narrow down the confident candidates who will fit into your company culture and cut those who are clearly not quite right for the job.

Save both interviewers and interviewees time

Hiring is already a time-consuming process for everyone.

It’s likely many people are involved in making the final decision on who to hire. Each interviewee gets wrung through a marathon day of interviewing and has to answer the same questions repeatedly. Each member of the hiring team has to meet each candidate separately, cutting into their own work productivity.

With a video interview, you save everyone time and stress.

The top five candidates no longer need to come into your office to connect with everyone in your company. You can record real-time video interviews for later, eliminate the duds, then share the best and brightest with your whole hiring team.

Show candidates your company embraces new technologies

To attract the very best talent, you need a top-notch company brand. Utilizing video interviews in the recruiting process lets talent know your company embraces new technologies.

The streamlined video interviewing process proves that your company isn’t afraid to think outside the box with technology. For tech-savvy Millennials, the company’s ability to use new tech trends early in the hiring process shows you’re committed to moving forward and not stuck in the phone-screen past.

GenY has already started to dominate the job market, so your company can’t afford to ignore effective recruiting tactics that hone in on the best and brightest candidates. Use new technology like video interviews to connect faster, improve your company brand and hire the best people for open positions.

What do you think? Are you using video interviews to hire great Millennials? Share in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video-powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post How Recruiters Can Snag GenY Candidates by Video appeared first on Brazen Life.

Here are just a few reasons why recruiters are looking to freelance talent for projects both large and small:

1. Freelancers are happier

According to the 2012 Freelance Industry report, 90 percent of freelance workers are happier than they were at their former, more traditional jobs. So if you hire a freelance employee, it’s likely you’re recruiting a talented worker who really loves what they do — and you know passion often translates into hard work and dedication.

2. Freelancers are experienced

The same Freelance Industry Report found that 34 percent of freelance workers have 10 or more years of experience. To recruit these people regularly, you’d most likely have to open a deep pocket and get ready to hand over a large paycheck. However, you can tap into this talent pool without the high price tag by recruiting freelance talent on a per-project basis.

3. Freelancers can save you money

A Stanford study found your company can save about $2,000 per employee by allowing staff to work from home. (Click here to Tweet this stat.)

From the recruiting angle, hiring freelance workers allows you to widen your search parameters to out-of-town talent without paying for airfare, hotel accommodations or relocation expenses. Because freelancers can work remotely, you still jump the skills gap and get the best people while shelling out less money.

How to use video interviews to hire the best freelancers

You might be sold on recruiting freelance talent, but just how do you connect with far-flung superstars and busy multitasking professionals?

This is where the video interview comes into play. While meeting in-person is always ideal, many freelancers just won’t have the time or means to come into your office for a face-to-face conversation about the position or the project.

So what do you do? Turn on your webcam and start interviewing! Whether your candidate is extremely busy or located on the other side of the globe, video interviews are a good tool to form a personal connection with smart freelance workers who can add real value.

Here are two benefits of using video interviews to connect with freelancers:

1. Location is no obstacle with online video

Video interviewing helps recruiters with one of the most pressing problems associated with telecommuters, virtual workers or out-of-town talent: geographical distance. If a talented candidate is located several states (or countries) away, it can be hard to connect personally and get a real feel for the candidate. This makes it hard to determine whether a candidate can work well in your company culture or aligns with your corporate vision.

Thanks to the video interview, you can now connect as personally as you would in a traditional face-to-face interview. In a live video interview, you can interact with talent in real time and evaluate nonverbal cues and communication skills. You can connect with a candidate on the other side of the world as easily as one on the other side of your desk and ensure you’re hiring the right person for the job.

2. One-way video interviews help juggle complicated schedules

A great aspect of freelance workers is how they’ve become masters of their own schedules. The downside of this organizational prowess is that many freelance workers find their schedules packed to the gills. This might not give them much time to connect personally in the recruiting process, but you want more than a phone call or email chain to determine whether your freelance candidate will be the right fit.

Since a one-way video interview is asynchronous, it can be scheduled around even the most packed calendar. Candidates answer written employer questions on video, and answers can be recorded from a laptop computer or even a smartphone. This allows even the busiest freelancer to make time to interview and allows you a more personal feel for them than a list of accomplishments on a resume.

As the economy remains tough for employers and candidates alike, more talented workers will turn to a freelance lifestyle. Embrace this talent pool and use the video interview to connect personally and find the best and brightest for your company’s projects.

Have you hired freelancers? Do you use video interviews to connect? Share in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video-powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post For Busy Recruiters, Here’s a Less Stressful Way to Hire Freelancers appeared first on Brazen Life.

Maybe your adventurous daydreams are telling you it’s time for a change of scenery. A stint overseas might be just what you need to scratch your travel itch and even move your career in the right direction.

About 6.4 million Americans were either working or studying abroad in 2011, according to numbers released by the U.S. State Department—the largest number of Americans abroad ever recorded.

It’s not hard to understand why so many Americans are heading overseas to look for work. While the economic downturn has made the job market hyper-competitive in the United States, other countries are seeing a boom in job creation. Some of these jobs are even a result of American companies expanding their overseas branches. The Wall Street Journal looked at the 35 largest American corporations and discovered that, while they added only 113,000 jobs domestically, the number of overseas jobs was much higher, at 333,000.

So perhaps now is the perfect time to finally pack your bags and discover the world. But just how do you land one of these overseas jobs in an exotic locale? Here are some tips to help you find the foreign job of your dreams:

Know your geography

One of the big concerns employers have about far-flung job seekers is whether they are really ready to make a big change. It can be stressful enough changing jobs without also completely changing your scenery. Employers worry that, when it’s finally time to start packing your suitcase, you’ll get cold feet and decide to stay put.

A good way to allay these fears is to know as much as possible about your future destination. Look up plenty of information on the city, town or countryside where you’d be relocating. Don’t just search the company and find out about the company culture; remember you’ll also need to understand the culture of your new country as well.

If you’re unsure where you’d like to live, follow the path of others who have gone before you. According to a 2011 survey, American expats are happiest in overseas jobs in countries like France, Thailand and Spain. It’s important to know why you want to move to the country in question, to talk to residents and to really know your stuff prior to the interview. This way, you’ll seem less likely to change your mind when talking to employers about a big, life-changing move.

Make connections on social media

Job seekers looking for great overseas jobs can’t exactly go to a networking event to find out about company opportunities when the workplace in question is thousands of miles away. This is where today’s new socially connected world can really come in handy. Use social media to make connections with hiring managers, employers and potential coworkers—all before you ever buckle up for takeoff.

Follow the company and hiring manager on Twitter, take part in LinkedIn discussions and share interesting industry news and relevant articles on your own social media channels. This enables you to easily brand yourself as a candidate who is up-to-date on trends and excited about opportunities at the company. If you use social media strategically to connect, when you apply for an open position, you’ll have a leg up; the hiring manager will be likely to remember your social contributions.

Propose a video interview

Many employers will cringe at the perceived cost of hiring out-of-country job seekers. After all, most companies will want to interact face-to-face before officially offering you the position. When you’re halfway across the globe, this can become an expensive proposition. Instead, propose a video interview to connect with potential employers without any airfare required.

In a live video interview, you can connect in real time just like in a traditional in-person meeting. The only difference is that your employer will be on the other side of the computer screen instead of the other side of the desk.

If time zones make scheduling a live interview a bit too difficult, you can always opt for a one-way video interview instead. In a one-way video interview, candidates answer written questions posed by employers on video. These answers can be recorded at any time and viewed by the employer at their earliest convenience. With video interviewing technology, it’s possible to connect personally with employers without ever going through international baggage claim.

Show your passion

Most importantly, when proposing a big change like moving to a new country, it’s essential you show off your passion for your career. You’re not just any candidate; you’re one of the few job seekers willing to traverse the globe for a great opportunity. Explain clearly and confidently why you want the job and why you’re excited to move to a new locale. If you can sell the employers on your passion, the job will be yours for the taking.

It’s not always a snap to find a position overseas before you board a plane. But a little research, a lot of passion and some new technological tools can make all the difference when it comes to packing up for a great new opportunity.

What are some ways you would go about finding a job abroad? Share in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video-powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post The Best Ways to Find Jobs Abroad If You’re Itching to Travel appeared first on Brazen Life.

Once upon a time, job seekers sent paper resumes by mail to their employers of choice. And before email and social media, the telephone reigned as the primary means of communicating with an interested employer. Now many job postings specifically ask candidates not to call. The way we look for jobs is always changing, and as technology evolves faster, so too does the job hunt.

While 2013 might not finally be the year of the flying car or the discovery of a teleporter, it’s a good bet the new year will bring changes to the way job seekers and employers connect. So what will the job search be like in 2013? You don’t need a direct line to the Jetsons to find out.

Here are some helpful hints on what the job search will look like in the new year:

1. The 2013 Job Search Will Be More Visual

Visual media is on the rise, and it’s a good bet this will impact your 2013 job search. Just look at the immense popularity of visual pinboard Pinterest. The social media site, which relies heavily on pinning images with little text accompaniment, is now the fastest growing social media site of all time. The site crossed the 10 million monthly visitor mark faster than any other site in history.

So why is this important, and what does it mean for your job search?

It means job seekers shouldn’t overlook the power of visual media. As a job seeker, how you embrace visual media is up to you. It could merely mean paying more attention to your LinkedIn profile picture to ensure it is attractive and professional.

If you’re a little more daring, you might consider putting together an infographic version of your resume so your skills and qualifications are available in an easily shared visual format. Or you could record a video resume where you show off your personality and communication skills on film. Whatever method you choose, 2013 is sure to be a big year for “big-picture” job seeking.

2. The 2013 Job Search Will Be More Social

In the last few years, social media has become an everyday part of our lives. In 2013, social media is sure to be an even bigger part of our job search, as well. Already, 92 percent of recruiters admit to using social media to help fill positions and research candidates. With even social media giant Facebook opening a job search section on its site, it’s hard to imagine social media becoming less important to tomorrow’s job seekers.

In 2013, your social media profiles will become even more essential to finding and nabbing your dream job. If you haven’t already done so, the new year is a great time to get on all the major social media networks or clean up your profiles. Get rid of any inappropriate pictures, status messages or tweets and replace them with information about your professional accomplishments. Social media is a great way to level the playing field when it comes to making contacts and developing a strong industry network.

Use the new year as a time to add to discussions, hop into Twitter chats and start sharing your thought leadership. Remember to always be on the lookout for the next great social media destination, because the social space never stays static for very long.

3. The 2013 Job Search Will Be More Niche

Giant job boards where hundreds of industries and thousands of jobs are posted daily used to be all the rage. While these job boards are still a good source for job leads, niche outlets are becoming a much more useful destination to find the best positions in your industry.

The benefits of niche job boards dedicated specifically to your industry of choice are obvious. Using a niche board, you have far less clutter to sort through when looking for a great job in whatever career path you’ve chosen.

It’s likely that in addition to the niche job board, 2013 will see a rise in the niche job candidate. Instead of trying to be a jack of all trades, job seekers should focus on the things they truly excel at. A job seeker with a great and focused industry-specific social media presence or blog will be more attractive than a job seeker who pretends they can do it all. Instead of looking for generalists, 2013 will be the year when employers focus on specialists.

No one has a crystal ball that can magically see into the future, so all these predictions are merely educated guesses as to what the 2013 job hunt will look like. But focusing on your visual presentation, getting niche and improving your social media presence are all good tips for how to impress hiring managers in the new year.

What are some of your bold 2013 job search predictions? Share them in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video-powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post 3 Bold Predictions for Your 2013 Job Search appeared first on Brazen Life.

You aren’t average, so why should you apply just like everyone else?

You eat ice cream with a fork. You go skydiving on weeknights to relax after a hard day at work. You don’t fit within a box, so you’ll be damned if you’re going to submit a resume just like the other sheep… err, job candidates.

Used well, a creative resume can really give you an edge over the competition. Creative resumes show you’re an outside-the-box thinker and a creative problem-solver. These are all sought-out traits in potential employees, especially since the problems modern companies are facing seem to solicit especially creative solutions.

Feeling pretty good about yourself and your creative resume? Don’t get too complacent. The truth is, for all the benefits creative resumes afford, they have just as many pitfalls. Truly creative resumes are a new frontier, and we all know those come with as many risks as rewards.

Knowing the major blunders will keep you from making the wrong impression. So here are some common traps less-savvy job seekers fall into when getting creative with their resume:

1. Forgetting your industry

Despite what the internet might tell you, creative resumes aren’t the right fit for every position. If you make a stellar infographic resume to get a job in the visual arts field, you’re well on your way to career bliss. Using this type of resume shows off your job-specific skills in both a creative and practical way. It makes sense.

But submitting a beautiful infographic resume for a job as an accountant will probably be less effective. It might be visually striking, but how many accountants do you know who need graphic design skills to crunch numbers? Forgetting to tailor your creative approach to your industry means hiring managers are more likely to roll their eyes, when you actually want them to be blown away.

2. Thinking creativity will mask sloppiness

You’re truly impressed with your idea of making a video resume. You can’t imagine how the moving images of your video will fail to wow hiring managers. In fact, you’re so impressed with your own stroke of genius, you’ve put zero effort into the information about yourself and your experience you’re sharing with that manager.

Spoiler alert: hiring managers and recruiters aren’t impressed merely because you’ve thought of something creative. They’ve been around the block a few times. They’re not going to hire you on the spot just because you’ve recorded a video resume. Plenty of other job seekers have had the same stroke of genius. And those job seekers probably realized video resumes have to be just as polished and professional as their paper counterparts.

Don’t expect your flashy method of delivery will make up for a lack of content. It won’t.

3. Skimping on relevant information

Some candidates see resumes that list work experience and job titles as a thing of the past. So instead of focusing on experience, these candidates focus on their skills and accomplishments. It’s a good way to personalize your skills and make yourself more than a list of dates and titles.

So what could go wrong? Plenty! Sometimes these resumes can make your accomplishments seem out of context. It’s important for employers to know not just how you’ve achieved something, but in what setting. Without proper context—and especially if you exclude dates entirely—employers might side-eye these resumes, wondering whether you’re hiding something.

Make sure to properly ground your accomplishments in your work or educational settings. Don’t skimp on the information employers need to understand how impressive you are.

What mistakes do you notice with creative resumes? How can we avoid them?

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video-powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post 3 Common Blunders of Creative Resumes appeared first on Brazen Life.