Small Business Trends

Unrabble Launches Free Version of Innovative Profile-Based Recruiting Solution

By Marie Hernan on 02/09/2012

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – (Press Release – Feb 2, 2012)  – Unrabble, a cloud-computing startup that simplifies and redefines the process of hiring new employees, today announced that it has released a new free version. With the software’s most recent update, companies, startups and individuals will be allowed to create a job opening and use Unrabble’s robust candidate evaluation tools without paying a subscription fee. “Unrabble is the first solution of its kind to put hiring in the hands of the decision maker and unchain hiring from the traditional paper resume,” said Kevin Watson, CEO and co-founder of Unrabble. “By offering a version of our software for free, we’re giving busy managers the ability to complete an entire hiring cycle using our solution. We believe that once you use Unrabble’s profile-based approach, you won’t go back to accepting paper resumes or legacy applicant tracking systems that just track resumes.” One of the most noticeable differences in Unrabble’s approach to hiring is the complete shift away from the traditional resume to a new generation of on-line profiles. Using Unrabble, job candidates create an interactive profile that details their entire career history instead of e-mailing or uploading a resume. This gives the candidate the opportunity to do things a traditional resume cannot do such as connecting to their social media profiles, integrating video, explaining job transitions, ranking their skills and bragging about their accomplishments. “There’s so much more to people these days than what can be summarized in a resume,” said Watson. “Unrabble’s profile allows candidates to tell their story in a way a resume never could. Unrabble also includes a unique feature called Micro-references that allows candidates to have very specific accomplishments verified by their professional network, thus adding more weight and validity to a person’s on-line profile.” When the rich profile information flows into Unrabble, hiring managers can easily identify candidates that match their needs. Profiles can be analyzed and researched in ways that previously would have typically required significant time and even phone interviews to accomplish. Unrabble automatically ranks job applicants based on an array of criteria including skills, career preferences, and other specializations to quickly identify the most qualified and best fitting candidates as they apply from multiple sources. As a result, hiring managers no longer have to spend countless hours reviewing bad resumes. Unrabble makes it easy for hiring managers to create a new job posting, instantly broadcast the job to social networks and job sites such as Indeed, StartUpHire and SimplyHired.com, communicate with candidates and include co-workers in the hiring process. Managers can communicate with candidates using built-in messaging functionality that eliminates the need to make redundant phone calls or disclose e-mail addresses and phone numbers. Colleagues can easily view, comment on and rate candidates so that hiring managers can reach a quick consensus. Pricing and Availability Unrabble is available for free at www.unrabble.com. The free version can be used for one open position at a time. Customers that need more than one position or wish to use enhanced functionality such as job board integration and a branded landing page can upgrade their account starting at only $29 per month. The Pro Version, which features additional functionality such as colleague collaboration and a multi-positions career page, is priced at $49 per month. About Unrabble Unrabble is a cloud-computing software company that helps businesses make their next great hire. The hiring software saves companies time and money by automating core hiring tasks, automatically ranking top candidates based on skills, verifying claims made through social networks, and providing mission-critical features that help busy managers make sound hiring decisions. Learn more at www.unrabble.com Follow Unrabble on Twitter at www.twitter.com/unrabble and LIKE Unrabble on Facebook at www.facebook.com/unrabble. Unrabble is a trademark of KMC Software.

Triumph of the Business Bloggers

By Small Business News on 02/09/2012

Do you blog for your business? If so, you’re not alone. But how does blogging really benefit your business? Can you make money from your blog, create community, connect with customers and peers? Well, all of the above, in fact. But, if you really want to know what blogging’s all about, read on!

Ecosystem

The real benefits of blogging. The truth is you may never make a living solely from your blogging endeavors. That said, business blogging can open some amazing doors including book deals and speaking engagements like the one mentioned here. ProBlogger Many bloggers work from home. And since bloggers are a subcategory of the growing work-at-home demographic, it’s helpful to have a look at some tips designed to keep home workers focused. Like other home business entrepreneurs, bloggers need focus and discipline. Bloggertone

Commenting

Why commenting is still important. In the era of social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, it’s easy to loose site of the original social interaction: the blog comment. Here are some reasons commenting remains important and is something you should consider  no matter what. Brick Marketing Blog Don’t let Viagra ruin your community. Of course, commenting works both ways and it’s critical to keep your blog free of comment spam to keep it relevant to readers. Here are some tricks to recognizing the craftiest spammers. PC World

Networking & Marketing

Business bloggers help build connections. Small business woman and blogger Nikki Peele founded a group where entrepreneurs could gather, support each other, network, and discuss their ventures. It’s another example of how bloggers build community offline and on. The Washington Post Is blogging part of your marketing plan? It should be, according to this post from Mark Nolan, if you have the time or resources to manage it correctly. A well maintained blog and social media presence can have huge impact on your business efforts. Amsterdam Printing

Pros & Cons

Why one size really doesn’t fit all. While many small business advisers will tell you about the importance of a blog to reach your customers, build your brand and market your business, there may be some legitimate reasons why blogging is not for you. Entrepreneur Want traffic on your Website? Then blog! It’s that simple, according to Bryan Ring, who argues in this light-hearted post that business blogging is about both learning and sharing your knowledge. It’s a combination guaranteed to boost your knowledge and your business, so get started now! Business Website Building

Getting Better

Belt tightening tactics when blogging. Sure it’s a fairly inexpensive means of marketing and community building already, but here are some other ways to save money while blogging. It’s a good reminder to always seek ways to cut costs. Don’t Do It Yourself Simple tips. Want to understand how to improve your business blog today? A few simple tips will improve your efforts dramatically. Consider these ideas and put them into practice. You’ll surprised at the difference they make. Earning Diary

Understanding Women Workers

By Rieva Lesonsky on 02/08/2012

One of the secrets to getting the most from your employees is understanding the challenges they face, not only in the workplace but in the rest of their lives. A comprehensive new report, Women & the Workplace, by Inforum and Sphere Trending has some insights on a key group of employees: women.

The recent recession had been dubbed a “mancession” as men lost jobs in record numbers. By comparison, the study found, women fared better at keeping jobs (however, men are faring better in the current recovery). Not only that, but “Single, childless women in their 20s are more likely than their male counterparts to graduate from college,” says Sphere Trending CEO Maxine Lauer. “That demographic segment is going to be where a lot of the new young talent will come from in years ahead.” Overall, some 70 percent of U.S. women now work outside the home, and one in four married women earn more than their husbands. What else do you need to know about today’s female employees? The study examined women in three age groups—Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomers. Each faced special challenges: Gen Y: Overall, this age group is doing great. They’re out-earning their male counterparts and embracing technology and social media as tools for both business and personal life. In fact, 53 percent identified themselves as early adopters of technology, and women were more likely than men (32 percent vs. 24 percent) to use social media to network and connect with co-workers. Younger women believe work-life balance is crucial and are less likely than older generations to sacrifice their personal lives for a job. Instead, they’re using tools like flextime, remote work and mobile devices to get it all done. Gen X: Stress is the key word for this age group, which has more family responsibilities than Gen Y. Even though men are taking on more duties at home, most of the childcare and housework still falls on Gen X women, who may also be dealing with elder care. Gen X has high standards and these women often feel like they’re letting down their families and their bosses, satisfying no one. In the workplace, Gen X’s strength is “brokering” between Gen Y and Boomer employees and serving as a facilitator to smooth the generation gap. Boomers: Boomers face many of the same issues as Gen X. Although their children are generally adults, the economy has pushed many of those adult children back into the nest, leaving Boomers in a tough position. With Americans living longer, even the oldest Boomers are often caring for aging parents, which can lead to lost productivity and greater stress. At the same time, Boomers may feel they’re getting pushed aside or left behind by younger employees, especially as Gen X employees rise up the ladder. How can you help your female employees succeed? As with many employee motivation issues, the key is understanding what they need. That will vary from age group to age group, from life stage to life stage, and from person to person. If your workplace is filled with young women, allowing remote work and making sure they have the mobile technology they need to work anytime, anyplace can be key. Be more focused on results, not on hours spent in the office. If your team is mostly moms, flexibility to handle family responsibilities is most important. Like Gen X, they’ll appreciate being measured on their results, not the hours clocked. If you’re dealing with Boomers, be aware they may be reluctant to share their challenges, especially eldercare. Being sensitive, providing resources to help them and finding ways to let them share their knowledge and experience with others on your staff can keep them feeling valued as members of your team. Generational Women Photo via Shutterstock

ClearSync Releases Upgrades To Calendar Android App

By Marie Hernan on 02/08/2012

MONROVIA, Calif. (Press Release – February 1, 2012) – Managing calendars and contacts for businesses and families has been made even easier with the latest releases of ClearSync’s calendar apps for Android smartphones and tablets. The interconnected and user-friendly software synchronizes with the leading desktop calendar programs offered by Google and Microsoft, so that a user always knows the schedules of the important people in their life. The latest upgrades improve performance of the contacts search feature, calendars display and event entry, and have made ClearSync’s calendar apps quite popular in the Android Marketplace, with over 17,500 downloads. The ClearSync calendar app is ideal for busy individuals, families, small businesses and organizations, medium-sized businesses and even departments within larger businesses and organizations. The program allows users to juggle all aspects of life including professional, social, church, charity work, school and children’s activities via its unlimited color-coded calendars and contacts categories. The ClearSync app offers five levels of service:

• Free: Ideal for simple sharing, offers one sharing group, two members of groups, sync with Google, forum tech support and a free trial for sync with Microsoft Outlook. This app is supported by occasional advertising popups.
• Individual: Allows greater sharing with four people and everything else included in the free application. This app sells for $4.99 and has no advertising.
• Outlook: Ideal for someone who wants simply to connect their Outlook Calendar data to their phone. Includes all the features of the Individual App, plus allows the user to sync with an unlimited number of Outlook calendars and installations for $9.95/year.
• Silver: Ideal for families, small organizations and offices, offers unlimited sharing groups and members of groups, email tech support, text messaging, and sync with Google and Microsoft Outlook for $19.95/year.
• Gold: Ideal for power users, midsize companies and professionals, offers encrypted communications, unlimited sharing groups, members of groups, phone technical support, text messaging, sync with Google and Microsoft Outlook for $59.95/year.

Advantages of having ClearSync on an Android-based phone include:

• Keep contact information and calendar data safe. Because ClearSync’s data is “mirrored in the cloud,” the information is stored via the web. If users accidentally drop their phone into the pool, the calendar and contacts are protected
• Make appointments quickly with the integrated contacts manager that creates events with contact data preloaded
• Synchronize with the ClearSync calendars and contacts on your PC and/or laptop
• Link or embed calendars to websites
• Publish a web widget for calendar events to keep a group’s website up-to-date automatically

“One of the primary values of ClearSync is the ability to easily manage and share multiple calendars and sets of contacts,” said John Tanner, CEO of Tanner Research. “Years of honing the software have made it a powerful and easy-to-use app for an Android smartphone.” ClearSync software also runs on Windows, Macintosh and Linux PCs and in most web browsers, so users are able to enter information at their desks that, moments later, can be viewed on their phones through the cloud-based sync. ClearSync can also provide the link between Outlook calendars on different machines that are not connected via Microsoft Exchange. ClearSync is now offering a wonderful sweepstakes to encourage people to try ClearSync. The “Win an Amazon Kindle Fire” Sweepstakes, gives Facebook fans the chance to win a one of two of the popular – new Amazon tablets. Continuing through February 15, consumers are able to enter for a chance to win an Amazon Kindle Fire by “Liking” the ClearSync Facebook page and trying the ClearSync product on the Android or desktop. For additional information, visit www.facebook.com/ClearSync. ClearSync’s app is available for all Android (Google) phones v.2.2 and higher, including the HTC Amaze and the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic. It also works on tablets running Android 3.0 and higher, such as the Motorola XOOM™. Android users can download the free ClearSync app by going to www.clearsync.com/home/android or by visiting the Android Market on their smartphone and searching for ClearSync. While the ClearSync phone app currently only works on the Android platform, ClearSync calendars can be viewed in any standard, contemporary, phone browsers including iPhone, BlackBerry, and Windows 7 and 8. About ClearSync ClearSync is a division of Tanner Research, Inc. of Monrovia, Calif., which acquired the ClearSync software from Palm in 2004. Since then, the ClearSync team has made platform, speed, capacity and reliability upgrades to the service and applications. Because ClearSync’s calendar program is accessed via the internet, users can share multiple calendars and contacts with anyone, anywhere, at any time and be assured that the information is always up-to-date. For more information, visit www.clearsync.com.

Is It Time to Fire That Client?

By Nellie Akalp on 02/08/2012

There’s a natural lifecycle for any freelancer’s business. When you’re just starting out, you indiscriminately look to attract as many clients as you can to build your business. But inevitably, some clients won’t be the right fit.

Whether it’s an overly-demanding client who’s prone to instant message you any time of day (or night), an indecisive client who’s sole feedback usually entails “that’s not quite it,” or the client who’s perennially slow to pay, some clients just aren’t worth the business. An extension of the Pareto Principle says that 20% of your customers probably account for the majority of your time and trouble. Most of us strive to avoid conflict and stick with the mantra that clients are good for business. However, staying too long in negative client situations can take a significant toll on your job satisfaction, emotional wellbeing, and business. If your attempts to actively manage the negative aspects in a client relationship ended up hitting a brick wall, it’s time to cut the cord. Firing someone may not come as easily to you as Donald Trump, but here are some ways to make the process as pain-free and professional as possible: Take emotion out of the equation: When deciding to fire a client, don’t act rashly from frustration or a bruised ego. Take a few days to consider the situation before acting. Although, if you find yourself going through this process multiple times in a month or year, it’s time to listen to your gut. Review the contract: Before approaching the client, go through every line of your contract and check for loose ends. If you don’t have a contract, gather any documents you have (including initial emails) that define the project scope and expectations. Make sure you have completely lived up to your obligations. If a client has already paid for certain parts of the project, make sure you have delivered on them. If you’re concerned the client may fail to pay what they owe, consider how to minimize the damage. This could mean waiting until they have paid before telling them your intentions. Meet face-to-face: As tempting as it may be, firing a client doesn’t mean you just stop answering their emails or calls. Meet your contact face-to-face (or over a phone call if you’re a web-based contractor). Keep it brief: No doubt you have a billion reasons why you don’t want to continue working with this client, but you only need to offer one. And it can be as simple as, “I no longer think my services are meeting your needs.” The more details you provide, the more you open the door to an argument. Give sufficient notice: If a client relies on you for regular work, give them time to find a new contractor or vendor. This could be 30 days, the end of a major deliverable, or whatever works in the context of your relationship. Offer alternatives: Unless the client was disrespectful or a major problem, help them find a new solution by referring a colleague who could meet their needs. If you don’t have a specific person in mind, you can still offer guidance on the type of provider who might be a better fit such as, “Your needs have grown, you may need to consider a full-size agency.” Or, “Why don’t you look for someone who specializes in x.” At the end of the day, firing a client is never easy. Yet the difficult conversation will be over soon enough and you can move on to more restful nights and bigger and better things. Fired Photo via Shutterstock