Archive for eco-friendly

Job Recruiting in the San Francisco Bay Area

March 24, 2011 · Filed under applicant tracking, eco-friendly, green hiring, green jobs · Tagged , , ,

One thing the Bay Area has always been know for is its eco-friendly culture and green job sector.  San Francisco has lead the way in green jobs as well as job recruiting in a variety of otehr sectors.  The San Francisco Bay Area has long been a haven for many types of businesses and customers. The financial sector is always thriving and is second only to Wall Street in terms of its influence. From that financial sector springs forth all varieties of specific industries such as insurance, banking and real estate investment. On the commerce side of things, retailers and wholesalers need to appeal to wide cross section of locals as well as tourists.

Speaking of tourists, the Bay Area is also a popular destination for visitors from around the globe. All of this means that for a San Francisco recruiting firm to be successful and stay competitive, they will have to diversify. There are many recruitment firms who like to specialize in niche markets. For instance, corporate clients could be the focus of a typical “head hunting” firm. While that can certainly be a rewarding sector to place applicants, it might end up becoming limiting as companies strive to downsize in order to improve their bottom line. In other words, will there be enough prominent openings to keep a specialized recruiting firm afloat?

This is where the issue of diversifying the industries that you recruit for comes into play. A review of the monthly employment figures put out by the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics reveal that there have been two job sectors that are always hiring. Those areas are healthcare and the service industry. The San Francisco Bay Area is well represented in both of those industries. A successful recruiting firm should have access to the best and brightest in healthcare administrators, registered nurses, healthcare practitioners, case managers, dieticians and occupational therapists. And that’s just the tip of the proverbial healthcare iceberg! Over in the service industry it’s easy to see where qualified workers need to be placed.

Between all the hotels, the restaurants, the shops, the museums and the theatres there are many needs for competent recruits. Anyone who has spent time working in the service industry knows there is a high level of turnaround. Yes, there are some diligent employees who might be hired to work the front desk at a hotel with eyes on a management position. However, most of these jobs could be classified as just that “jobs” versus “careers.” Because of that, a recruiter needs to have a large database of applicants to choose from when the situation presents itself.

Managing a diversified roster of applicants puts the burden on your recruiting software program. Can it keep up with the onslaught of new resumes and applicants every time a job listing is posted? Will it allow you to sort, edit and file those applications with ease? Does the program provide for easy access for all of your recruiters? If your applicant tracking software isn’t up to the challenge it might be time to consider a new system. Serving the San Francisco Bay Area means you need to be on top of your game 24/7.

Leave a comment »

Win the Green Hiring Battle with Applicant Tracking Software

June 18, 2010 · Filed under alternative energy, applicant tracking, eco-friendly, entrepreneur, green hiring, green jobs · Tagged , , ,

America recently tuned in to see President Obama’s first official oval office speech in reaction to the BP oil spill crisis.  Although Obama spoke specifically to ‘fighting the oil spill’ the speech changed directions  midway towards the administration’s continuing strategy to pull America away from its oil dependence.

The oil spill has furthered our country’s determination to get off of oil dependence and embrace clean energy solutions.  Clean energy not only will prove far safer for our future global environment, but also is projected to be a massive piece of future economies.  China has already begun to invest billions of dollars in clean energy, signifying that most economies of scale that want to stay relevant will need to fully immerse themselves in green technology.

Obama spoke directly to our country’s innovators and entrepreneurs to develop the ground breaking businesses and technology necessary to pace the country towards winning the battle against oil:  “Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash American innovation and seize control of our own destiny.”

Although there are sure to be some specific new innovators, startups and existing companies that lead the way towards our oil-independence through new forms of green technology, in reality most of the fight will likely occur in the trenches.  It will be the engineers, the researchers, the lab technicians and the software programmers that win the war against oil.  These are the individuals that will be going to work everyday with the goal of completing a task that furthers our path towards clean energy.  They will be the ones who will build new technologies from the ground up and test them to make sure they are safe enough for mass production.

These individual will be the ‘green talent’ that make all of the behind the scenes operations function.   The question is: how can the right companies, whether a miniscule startup or a multi-billion dollar conglomerate, land the right talent? It is absolutely  integral that the companies that are leading the way in our battle against oil dependence find the best people to carry out the fight.

Startups that are building their clean energy empires from the ground up will need brilliant talent from the get go.  Whether a startup sinks or swims is almost entirely decided by the people that are working there – the decisions made in hiring this initial talent are the most important decisions a startup will make throughout its lifetime.

Many larger companies that are transitioning towards clean energy production also need to have the right staff in place to make sure they are successful.   The human resources battlefield will be the first, and also perhaps most integral battle for big business.  Green talent will be a valuable commodity that these companies cannot overlook.

Luckily, there are specific ‘weAdd an Imageapons’ that companies of all sizes can equip themselves with to make sure they win the hiring battle.  Cutting edge applicant tracking software enables companies large and small to efficiently navigate the often turbulent waters of hiring talent.  While the competition can be fierce, employing a worthy applicant tracking solution will enable a company to find, track, target and land the perfect candidate.

One thing is clear, winning the war against oil dependence is going to need to be a unified effort.   The country and the companies that will be leading the way in clean energy  need to make sure that the right team is put together on all fronts.  Every individual green candidate will make a difference, and it all begins with finding the right candidates.

Leave a comment »

The Next Decade in Green Hiring

February 4, 2010 · Filed under eco-friendly, green hiring, green jobs · Tagged , , , , , ,

We’re hearing it on the nightly news and reading it in the morning paper: green jobs will be the future of this economy. President Obama recently commented that the US cannot fall behind other countries like China and Germany, who are at the forefront of the green technology and clean energy revolution. China has committed a massive investment of $217 billion on clean energy tech over the next five years and Germany already spends far more than the US on renewable energy. Clearly, for the US to catch up and maintain its foothold as an economic superpower, clean energy sources like wind, solar and fuel cell technology will need to be put at the forefront of our domestic production machine.

The current Obama administration has made it a goal to do this – committing a starting cache of $80 billion towards green technology as part of the stimulus package. The other part of the equation that the green revolution will supposedly solve is the job problem. Clean energy tech will be the catalyst for a slough of green hiring – from small businesses to major corporations that have thrown their chips into the eco-friendly pile. The jobs will range from blue collar workers to specialized positions that go along with each niche green technology sector.

Lets assume that this is all  going to work: one way or another it makes sense that the US needs to start investing in the future, and it is clear that renewable energy sources are the way of the future. For those companies that are taking part in this new green economy – hiring becomes the number one most important aspect of competition. As a result of the stimulus and commitment toward the green sector, it will make sense that universities (and beyond) begin to train the next generation of engineers, scientists, technicians, managers, marketing specialists and all other high-level positions associated with green technology. Companies that want to get a hold of this new and specialized talent will need to stay on their toes to properly attract applicants.

The internet boom, and the rise of highly specialized programmers is a great example of this hiring ecosystem.  During the previous decade, as companies like Google and Facebook blew up, the demand for their specific services also rose, pushing the value of the programming talent. Not only did programming become more niche depending on what type of internet service you wanted to build (you need a PHP coder for one thing, a MySQL programmer for another, etc.) but the varying skill level of these programmers became more visible based on past work as well. A similar hiring ecosystem seems to be in its nascent phase with clean energy tech.

As clean energy tech gains steam, specific green skill sets will also become more valuable. Attracting this type of niche green tech talent will need to become a priority for companies both large and small, because it will determine what kind of competitive edge a business can forge through proprietary technologies. Just as in the web boom, companies can attract the best talent by distinguishing themselves through culture, pay grade, branding and an aggressive recruiting program. Many green companies will benefit from using cutting edge hiring software, which can allow them to easily track applicants, post on job boards and analyze statistics.

The future of green technology is here, that’s for sure – and the next generation of Googles (Chevrons to be more parallel) will live and die on finding the right talent.

Leave a comment »

Green Jobs at the Center of Stimulus

December 10, 2009 · Filed under alternative energy, applicant tracking, eco-friendly, green jobs · Tagged , , , , , ,

On Tuesday, President Obama outlined his new strategy for job stimulus in the U.S.   One of the central cogs of his strategy is to generate green jobs through building environmentally friendly infrastructure as well as providing citizens the incentive to become more energy-efficient. It seems a timely coincidence that the President’s green job push comes in sync with the ongoing International Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

I’d like to break down some highlights from the speech that mark direct actions for creating green jobs, as well as make some additional points on how we can meld the worlds of hiring and environmental conservation.

–  Incentive for Energy Efficiency: Obama hit on a new proposal to provide tax rebates to citizens who are more energy efficient.  A current portion of the Waxman-Markey energy bill, titled ‘cash for caulkers,’ would provide $20 billion dollars over two years for people to  retrofit their homes to be more energy efficient.   This proposal would create numerous green jobs (up to 850,000), save close to 3.3 billion dollars in energy bills per year, as well as reduce global pollution through eco-friendly homes.

– Green Infrastructure  California currently leads the U.S in green hiring, spending and infrastructure, however other states like Colorado are quickly gaining in specific sectors like Wind and Solar.  Obama’s proposal continues to push other states that have environmental specialties (due to climate, altitude, sun exposure, etc.)  towards a green future.   A government investment in solar, wind, and energy efficient buildings, would also serve to reduce emissions while creating new jobs.

–  Green Regulation Although big business is in a constant battle against green regulation, continued environmental benchmarks from agencies like the EPA may be what it takes to get this country in the ‘green swing of things.’ Although this would at first slow growth in big business sectors like agriculture, it would eventually lead to more green innovation and hiring.

–  Small Business Growth  Small business growth was one of the highlights of Obama’s job stimulus proposal, citing the Troubled Asset Relief Program to ramp up lending to small businesses across the country.  Small Business and startup operations have been catalysts for green innovation for some time, and will continue to push the boundaries in clean energy technology.

– Green Hiring Given the stimulus that businesses are to receive to move into the green sector:  what is the most efficient use of the funding?  Of course, hiring the right talent will be integral for small and large businesses to make the most out of the stimulus.  Green jobs sounds great in theory, but without the resources for applicant tracking and recruiting, companies can be left behind.  It is important that we not only create more green jobs, but that businesses have the ability to efficiently hire the proper talent.

Leave a comment »

In it for the Real Green: Eco-friendly niche business

May 13, 2009 · Filed under alternative energy, applicant management, eco-friendly, green jobs, recruiting software · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

green leafAs strange as it may seem, it is only a recent societal development that has the average citizen dishing out some amount of concern for the well-being of the environment. Whether it was the media-storm of eco-friendly messages, gas prices sky-rocketing, or Obama’s new ‘green’ stimulus money, the American population as a whole can now be considered a tad-bit worried about our planet. Prior to this ‘revelation’, conservation and sustainable living were considered elitist left wing movements designed to take our eyes off of more important topics of conversation – like WMDs.

Now that Americans are green – what do we do about it?

US industry has taken terrific leaps and bounds to ‘green-ify’ its image – from the confusing eco-marketing campaigns for hip clothing apparel  to the pastoral package imagery of organic  foods.  The word ‘Organic’ itself has traveled generations in meaning and is now worth billions of dollars to companies like Whole Foods, whose brand fully depends on people thinking they are ‘greener’ by buying their food.   The truth  is, most companies like these are rapidly re-branding with the primary goal of getting a different sort of green.

There are a handful of companies which the public needs to keep an eye out for and support for being genuinely green-focused.  These are companies that are often targeting a niche environmental problem and are doing their jobs very well.  These businesses deserve the utmost support from both the private and government sectors – for our future truly depends on their continual evolution.

So what are a few of these companies?

  • Tesla Motors: Tesla Motors is truly an innovator in creating cars of the future that can have an impact on today.  Space enthusiast Elon Musk’s company has already created a successful electric sports car, the Tesla Roadster, that has caught the eye of many a celebrity.  The next endeavor will be the cheaper and more accessible Model S.  Hopefully smaller manufacturers like Tesla will have the support to grow and accommodate for many of the unemployed workers from teetering auto-industry giants.
  • Grid Alternatives:  Grid Alternatives is a California non-profit that provides power to communities in need through alternative energy sources like Solar Cells.  Companies like these not only address growing environmental problems, but also do so in a socially responsible manner that impacts communities across California.
  • Green Energy Technologies: The developer of the WindCube- a cutting edge wind turbine that is designed to be installed on commercial urban and suburban locations.  Technologies such as the WindCube represent an eco-friendly option for  city dwellers.   More of our population is now condensed within urban centers than ever before.   Transporting power over shorter distances will play an important role in stemming our energy-usage.

How can we support companies like these?

One way for other companies to support green technology is either by utilizing their products for enterprise needs, or by offering helpful services to them.   Large and small businesses  alike can consider making an investment in the future by purchasing something like a WindCube to supply their energy needs.

One great example of this  is Newton On Demand, a recruiting software company whose technology is currently powering the hiring and applicant management efforts of Grid Alternatives.  This is extremely important because finding and retaining the brightest minds for an eco-friendly company like this will put the green-technology sector one step ahead.  The more genius applicants that can be pulled towards helping our planet, the better.

The easiest way for the public to support companies like these is also to utilize their products or services.  Although most people still don’t have the cash (especially in the current economy) to purchase a new Tesla or WindCube, a non-profit like Grid Alternatives is largely supported through donations, where even a small amount can help.

Leave a comment »