We all have those days when we’re feeling sluggish or offbeat. Sometimes it’s because we’re lacking sleep or have too much on our schedule to handle. Other times it could just be because BuzzFeed is killing it with awesome quizzes for the day. Regardless of what causes us to be unproductive, there’s always that one thing we need but can’t quite obtain on these types of days: focus! 

Inc. Magazine recently published an article about the psychology of productivity and used results from their Inc. 500 survey. According to the survey, “85 percent of fast-growth-company CEOs work 10 or more hours a day” and that “Under such circumstances, personal productivity isn’t just a metric. It’s also a mandate.” 

Those hours may be necessary for CEOs, yet the same can be said about employees in other positions, especially hiring managers at auto dealerships. It’s hard to stay on top of your work if you can’t be consistently productive, yet alone hire the right people in a timely manner. 

If you’re looking for ways to increase your personal productivity, whether in the office or at home, here are the four ways according to Inc.’s article:

#1. “Go to the Root of Your Procrastination”

Addressing why you procrastinate is the first step towards strengthening your productivity. Sometimes the reason why is because of fear or the fear of making the wrong decision. “With uncertainty comes fearfulness. You have to acknowledge that fear.” - Timothy Pychyl, Professor of Psychology at Carleton University

#2. “Focus on Progress, Not on To-Dos”

It’s easier to tackle projects if you chip-away at them, rather than focusing on the long-term, overall goal. Plus, there’s always self-satisfaction in seeing your own progress. Although to-do lists are helpful for organization, it’s worth it to “maintain a ‘have done’ list—or at least reflect on your accomplishments for a few minutes at the end of each day—to keep yourself motivated.”

#3. “Beware of Time Thieves”

Everyone has a guilty pleasure, which sometimes consumes more of our time than we’d prefer (eh hem, BuzzFeed). The key is acknowledging what that time consuming thing is and trying to focus on what really needs to be done during a specific moment in time.

“If you didn’t have any of that (other unnecessary, time consuming things), and you could do one thing right now that would help get you to the next level of contribution, what would you do?” – Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

#4. “Be In-the-Moment With Everything You Do” 

The last step towards helping boost your productivity is by living in the moment, as cliché as it may sound.

“The more time, thought, and energy you expend going down a road, the harder it is to change course when the destination looks dicey. New research from Insead and the Wharton School shows that subjects who meditated were much more likely to abandon a lost-cause project than those who did not.”

Apply these four steps to your daily routine at your auto dealership and you might be surprised at how much more productive your days become. Apply these steps during your hiring process and you could end up hiring better-fit employees as well.

When you think of Generation Y, sick days, casual dress code and the desire to steal your job may be a few qualities that come to mind. In reality, millennials are the group you need to hire as soon as possible. By next year, millennials will account for 36% of the U.S. workforce and by 2025, they will account for 75% of the global workplace. They are committed, intelligent and multi-taskers extraordinaire. 

Scoop them up before they're working for your competitor dealership(s). Here's 4 ways to find and hire hardworking millennials.

1. Give an honest interview

Millennials like to hear things straight to the point and want to know what they need to do in order to keep their job. Tell them what your exact expectation is for the role. Mention what makes you mad or what you will not tolerate in the office. You want a hard working employee, so make them work for exactly what you want.

2. Don't hire them if they exhibit a huge sense of authority

We've all been there. Your first "real" job typically requires some labor outside of the written job requirements. Millennials know that working their way up the totem pole is essential to a successful career. If they don't, let them know. If someone walks into your office with a noticeable sense of entitlement, I'd suggest trying another candidate out instead.

3. Don't let their alma mater sway you.

Yeah, we're all impressed with the Harvards, Stanfords and Yales of the world, but what does that really matter when it comes to the success of your open position? According to Lesley Jane Seymour, Editor In Chief at More Magazine, "My hardest-working, most attentive, most intelligent starters still come from schools with un-fancy names. They’re millennials, not slackers. I have come to believe that America’s top-tier schools are doing their graduates a disservice by boosting their expectations about starter jobs."

4. When you find a superstar, make them happy and don't be scared to lose them.

Top tier millennials are hard to find. Once you do, give them what they want. You can be rough and tough during the interview process. I mean, you want the best of the best. But once you found that great fit, give them a raise once in a while or let them take some vacation time off. Hopefully, they'll stick around. If they eventually decide to move on, you've gained their loyalty and you never know - they could come back to you in the future. 

Get ahead of the game. Your competitors just hired their first millennial yesterday. Don't wait around for an exceptional team to just walk through the door at your dealership. Take these four ways into consideration and go find (and hire) yourself some great Gen Y talent. 

When you think of Generation Y, sick days, casual dress code and the desire to steal your job may be a few qualities that come to mind. In reality, millennials are the group you need to hire as soon as possible. By next year, millennials will account for 36% of the U.S. workforce and by 2025, they will account for 75% of the global workplace. They are committed, intelligent and multi-taskers extraordinaire. 

Scoop them up before they're working for your competitor dealership(s). Here's 4 ways to find and hire hardworking millennials.

1. Give an honest interview

Millennials like to hear things straight to the point and want to know what they need to do in order to keep their job. Tell them what your exact expectation is for the role. Mention what makes you mad or what you will not tolerate in the office. You want a hard working employee, so make them work for exactly what you want.

2. Don't hire them if they exhibit a huge sense of authority

We've all been there. Your first "real" job typically requires some labor outside of the written job requirements. Millennials know that working their way up the totem pole is essential to a successful career. If they don't, let them know. If someone walks into your office with a noticeable sense of entitlement, I'd suggest trying another candidate out instead.

3. Don't let their alma mater sway you.

Yeah, we're all impressed with the Harvards, Stanfords and Yales of the world, but what does that really matter when it comes to the success of your open position? According to Lesley Jane Seymour, Editor In Chief at More Magazine, "My hardest-working, most attentive, most intelligent starters still come from schools with un-fancy names. They’re millennials, not slackers. I have come to believe that America’s top-tier schools are doing their graduates a disservice by boosting their expectations about starter jobs."

4. When you find a superstar, make them happy and don't be scared to lose them.

Top tier millennials are hard to find. Once you do, give them what they want. You can be rough and tough during the interview process. I mean, you want the best of the best. But once you found that great fit, give them a raise once in a while or let them take some vacation time off. Hopefully, they'll stick around. If they eventually decide to move on, you've gained their loyalty and you never know - they could come back to you in the future. 

Get ahead of the game. Your competitors just hired their first millennial yesterday. Don't wait around for an exceptional team to just walk through the door at your dealership. Take these four ways into consideration and go find (and hire) yourself some great Gen Y talent. 

As an elderly person might say, “what are the kids calling it these days?” It’s a fair question seeing that there’s always a new word, term or way to call something as time moves on. Nevertheless, as long as the American youth continue to say ‘bathroom’ and ‘elevator’ instead of ‘the loo’ and ‘lifts,’ I think we are all going to be ok. 

In the world of HR at dealerships, language isn’t always so cut and dry as it may seem. One thing that has a tendency to vary is an applicant tracking system or ATS. This is the same as a hiring management system, HR recruiting software, HR tracking system, etc. Whatever you want to call it, they all perform the same duty of helping dealership recruiters track applicants through smart technology or software. How the different platforms match up against one another, now that’s different story. 

Regardless of how HR professionals refer to ATS, there seems to be one thing everyone has in common—recruiters are aware of this helpful hiring platform. However, while everyone is aware of the technology, not everyone understands the actual values and benefits of implementing such a platform for his or hers dealership business. 

According to a report from Software Advice, an HR and recruiting technology research firm, here are some important facts that highlight the significance of using a hiring management system in the recruiting business:

• IMPORTANCE—89% of recruiters said that recruiting technology is “either ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important for performing their jobs well.”
• COST—while 50% of recruiters who do not use recruiting technology blamed their budget for not using such a platform, 93% of those who use the technology said it’s “either ‘extremely’ or ‘very beneficial’ compared to the costs.”
• SIMPLIFIED—95% of recruiters using the software and technology reported having “minimal difficulty learning to use it.”

If you’re a HR or recruiting professional that has not yet started using a hiring management system, consider these three key points: recruiting software and technology helps make your job easier, the benefits outweigh the costs and it’s easy to use.

I might not be an elderly person yet, but if this is what the kids are using today in the HR business, it makes sense and I like it…no matter what they call it! 

As an elderly person might say, “what are the kids calling it these days?” It’s a fair question seeing that there’s always a new word, term or way to call something as time moves on. Nevertheless, as long as the American youth continue to say ‘bathroom’ and ‘elevator’ instead of ‘the loo’ and ‘lifts,’ I think we are all going to be ok. 

In the world of HR at dealerships, language isn’t always so cut and dry as it may seem. One thing that has a tendency to vary is an applicant tracking system or ATS. This is the same as a hiring management system, HR recruiting software, HR tracking system, etc. Whatever you want to call it, they all perform the same duty of helping dealership recruiters track applicants through smart technology or software. How the different platforms match up against one another, now that’s different story. 

Regardless of how HR professionals refer to ATS, there seems to be one thing everyone has in common—recruiters are aware of this helpful hiring platform. However, while everyone is aware of the technology, not everyone understands the actual values and benefits of implementing such a platform for his or hers dealership business. 

According to a report from Software Advice, an HR and recruiting technology research firm, here are some important facts that highlight the significance of using a hiring management system in the recruiting business:

• IMPORTANCE—89% of recruiters said that recruiting technology is “either ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ important for performing their jobs well.”
• COST—while 50% of recruiters who do not use recruiting technology blamed their budget for not using such a platform, 93% of those who use the technology said it’s “either ‘extremely’ or ‘very beneficial’ compared to the costs.”
• SIMPLIFIED—95% of recruiters using the software and technology reported having “minimal difficulty learning to use it.”

If you’re a HR or recruiting professional that has not yet started using a hiring management system, consider these three key points: recruiting software and technology helps make your job easier, the benefits outweigh the costs and it’s easy to use.

I might not be an elderly person yet, but if this is what the kids are using today in the HR business, it makes sense and I like it…no matter what they call it! 

What did you do last Sunday? If you were one of the 114.4 million (total average) Americans watching Super Bowl XLIX, then you’re well aware of the new commercials that aired Sunday night. Whether you were a fan or the commercials or not, there’s one thing no one can deny—the advertisements were ridiculously expensive…and competitive! 

It costs loads of money to get your word out there to the public, especially on the biggest day for TV commercials. It might be worth it for your business if you have the money (unless you're Nationwide Insurance, but that’s still up for debate), but what about for the smaller businesses? Is advertising worth the cost and if so, through which media channel?

These are some thoughts to consider during the recruiting process. ROI is important for every business (dealerships included) and it should matter the most when you’re investing on building the core of your company—your employees. Why spend more on advertising for an open job posting, if you’re only going to get a handful of candidates to choose from? There are ways to get more “bang for your buck,” as well as ways to increase your talent pool when recruiting.

What Companies Are Spending…

Software Advice, an HR and recruiting technology research firm, released a report that shows the numbers of (unnecessary) money being spent, by small businesses, on sourcing candidates. Here are some of their key findings from the report:

·       “Companies surveyed spend, on average, $86 on advertising for EACH new hire.”

·       “Small companies spend MORE on average for each new hire than large companies.”

·       “72% of respondents said job boards were a primary advertising channel for their companies.”

While job boards seem to be the most common way for companies to advertise their open positions, not everyone utilizes their recruiting with a cost-efficient effort. Using end-to-end hiring management software that allows you to utilize numerous job boards is the best way to get the most out of your hiring budget.

It’s not difficult to get more “bang for your buck” while you’re recruiting at your dealership and searching for that next great hire. You just have to know where to look and how to weigh your options if you decide to implement a hiring platform. Save money today and maybe someday you’ll have that extra dough to advertise with the big dogs during Super Bowl Sunday. Crazy things have happened before! (Like a child dying at the end of a Nationwide commercial)

What did you do last Sunday? If you were one of the 114.4 million (total average) Americans watching Super Bowl XLIX, then you’re well aware of the new commercials that aired Sunday night. Whether you were a fan or the commercials or not, there’s one thing no one can deny—the advertisements were ridiculously expensive…and competitive! 

It costs loads of money to get your word out there to the public, especially on the biggest day for TV commercials. It might be worth it for your business if you have the money (unless you're Nationwide Insurance, but that’s still up for debate), but what about for the smaller businesses? Is advertising worth the cost and if so, through which media channel?

These are some thoughts to consider during the recruiting process. ROI is important for every business (dealerships included) and it should matter the most when you’re investing on building the core of your company—your employees. Why spend more on advertising for an open job posting, if you’re only going to get a handful of candidates to choose from? There are ways to get more “bang for your buck,” as well as ways to increase your talent pool when recruiting.

What Companies Are Spending…

Software Advice, an HR and recruiting technology research firm, released a report that shows the numbers of (unnecessary) money being spent, by small businesses, on sourcing candidates. Here are some of their key findings from the report:

·       “Companies surveyed spend, on average, $86 on advertising for EACH new hire.”

·       “Small companies spend MORE on average for each new hire than large companies.”

·       “72% of respondents said job boards were a primary advertising channel for their companies.”

While job boards seem to be the most common way for companies to advertise their open positions, not everyone utilizes their recruiting with a cost-efficient effort. Using end-to-end hiring management software that allows you to utilize numerous job boards is the best way to get the most out of your hiring budget.

It’s not difficult to get more “bang for your buck” while you’re recruiting at your dealership and searching for that next great hire. You just have to know where to look and how to weigh your options if you decide to implement a hiring platform. Save money today and maybe someday you’ll have that extra dough to advertise with the big dogs during Super Bowl Sunday. Crazy things have happened before! (Like a child dying at the end of a Nationwide commercial)

We're five days away from a West coast vs. East coast show down. Who will take the cake—the defensive, dominant Seattle Seahawks or the offense-driven New England Patriots? Either way, both teams have proven they deserve to be there.

This will be Seattle's second Super Bowl appearance in a row, while as we all know, the Patriot's have seen their fair share of Lombardi Trophies. So, what does this tell us?

They both have incredibly talented teams.  

Hiring managers constantly struggle to hire top-performing employees at their dealerships. An even bigger obstacle is figuring out how to retain them. Here are 5 ways to hire (and keep) a winning team:

1. Don't be needy.

Hiring the right people takes time. If you act desperate and hire the first person who walks through the door, odds are they aren't going to be the best fit. You may be barely holding your head above water and feel like you need help as soon as possible, but trust me, the extra couple weeks it'll take you to narrow down your applicant pool will be worth it in the long run.   

2. Switch up your interview process.

The majority of HR professionals have a list of questions they ask the candidate no matter the position. They'll ask the questions and maybe jot down a few notes for each one. Instead, try implementing a consistent interview program. Here at Hireology, we have a 3-step process. The first interview is a phone screen, the second and third are face-to-face. Mind you, all of these questions are stored online and include spaces to type out the applicant's responses. This creates an organized procedure that leaves no room for error.

3.  Ask about their mistakes. 

In reference to the interview process, make sure to include a question about something in the past that they would change or a mistake they've made. According to Michael Houlihan, a New York Times bestselling author, "we asked candidates about situations that were difficult, where they'd had a moral challenge," he said. "We were looking for a situation where they had to admit they made a mistake, and how did they handle it? If the mistake cost money, did they pay retribution when they didn't have to, or work extra hours to make up for it? If they said, 'I never made a really big mistake,' you would worry about that person."  

4. Have them provide a writing sample. 

This one depends on the job you're hiring for. Any one can say they're a good writer, but without proof, you never know. After a phone interview, you should have a good idea of how they communicate verbally. If they seem to be a good fit so far, give them a topic and have them write some sort of content. It could be a shortened blog post, a summary of a news article, a one-page description of why they're the best person for the job, etc. This will give you their communication style from the opposite side of the spectrum.

5. They're hired? Don't give up now.

It's a common practice for hiring managers to throw in the towel (pun intended) once their star candidate is hired. This might be the biggest mistake you can make at your dealership. How successful can you be if your best employees only last a couple months? Think about raises, a strong company culture, praise for their hard work...anything to keep them engaged and happy to come to work every day.

Bring out the beer, pizza and hot wings. Sit back, relax and watch Katy Perry belt out "Teenage Dream." And most importantly, see the best of the best duke it out during this year's Super Bowl. Take it from these guys, drafting (or hiring) a winning team leads to endless success.

We're five days away from a West coast vs. East coast show down. Who will take the cake—the defensive, dominant Seattle Seahawks or the offense-driven New England Patriots? Either way, both teams have proven they deserve to be there.

This will be Seattle's second Super Bowl appearance in a row, while as we all know, the Patriot's have seen their fair share of Lombardi Trophies. So, what does this tell us?

They both have incredibly talented teams.  

Hiring managers constantly struggle to hire top-performing employees at their dealerships. An even bigger obstacle is figuring out how to retain them. Here are 5 ways to hire (and keep) a winning team:

1. Don't be needy.

Hiring the right people takes time. If you act desperate and hire the first person who walks through the door, odds are they aren't going to be the best fit. You may be barely holding your head above water and feel like you need help as soon as possible, but trust me, the extra couple weeks it'll take you to narrow down your applicant pool will be worth it in the long run.   

2. Switch up your interview process.

The majority of HR professionals have a list of questions they ask the candidate no matter the position. They'll ask the questions and maybe jot down a few notes for each one. Instead, try implementing a consistent interview program. Here at Hireology, we have a 3-step process. The first interview is a phone screen, the second and third are face-to-face. Mind you, all of these questions are stored online and include spaces to type out the applicant's responses. This creates an organized procedure that leaves no room for error.

3.  Ask about their mistakes. 

In reference to the interview process, make sure to include a question about something in the past that they would change or a mistake they've made. According to Michael Houlihan, a New York Times bestselling author, "we asked candidates about situations that were difficult, where they'd had a moral challenge," he said. "We were looking for a situation where they had to admit they made a mistake, and how did they handle it? If the mistake cost money, did they pay retribution when they didn't have to, or work extra hours to make up for it? If they said, 'I never made a really big mistake,' you would worry about that person."  

4. Have them provide a writing sample. 

This one depends on the job you're hiring for. Any one can say they're a good writer, but without proof, you never know. After a phone interview, you should have a good idea of how they communicate verbally. If they seem to be a good fit so far, give them a topic and have them write some sort of content. It could be a shortened blog post, a summary of a news article, a one-page description of why they're the best person for the job, etc. This will give you their communication style from the opposite side of the spectrum.

5. They're hired? Don't give up now.

It's a common practice for hiring managers to throw in the towel (pun intended) once their star candidate is hired. This might be the biggest mistake you can make at your dealership. How successful can you be if your best employees only last a couple months? Think about raises, a strong company culture, praise for their hard work...anything to keep them engaged and happy to come to work every day.

Bring out the beer, pizza and hot wings. Sit back, relax and watch Katy Perry belt out "Teenage Dream." And most importantly, see the best of the best duke it out during this year's Super Bowl. Take it from these guys, drafting (or hiring) a winning team leads to endless success.

In honor of one of my favorite movies, Catch Me If You Can, I’m going to use a quote from one of Hollywood’s finest—Christopher Walken:

“Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse, wouldn’t quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out. Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am that second mouse.” – Frank Abagnale Sr.

Most people strive to be the second mouse that Christopher Walken’s character mentions in the movie. I mean, why not? People want to succeed, earn respect and accomplish amazing feats. It’s a normal human desire.

Nevertheless, there’s nothing wrong with a getting a little help along the way, especially when it comes to hiring at your auto dealership. This rings true for hiring managers who are hiring purely off of “word of mouth” recruiting or by using limited resources. These types of hiring strategies severely lower your changes of finding quality candidates, as well as raise the probability of a higher turnover rate at your company. 

There’s a reason why most hiring managers use a hiring management system. According to a recent report from Software Advice, an HR and recruiting technology research firm, there are some important facts that highlight the significance of using a hiring management system in the recruiting business. In the report, Software Advice polled nearly 200 HR professionals about their current HR software usage. Here are some of their key findings:

• 89% of respondents were either “somewhat” or “very satisfied” with their software, making it clear that HR software is worth the investment.

• 44% of respondents plan to increase their investment in performance review applications in 2015.​​

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• 42% of respondents plan to increase their investment in personal tracking applications in 2015. 

They say numbers don’t lie. Hiring managers are taking a liking to using this type of software and it appears this trend is only growing.  So if you’re a hiring manager at an auto dealership looking for a more accurate hiring process, consider using some assistance from a hiring management system. You never know, it could help you become that second mouse one day…or at least recruit someone like that mouse.

Don’t miss out on HR software! Download this free whitepaper and see how you can improve your hiring process.