Hiring 2.0

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Standout Jobs, an online recruiting service that allows employers to create company profiles, interact with potential employees, and track their hiring process, announced the launch of two new features this week.

Using the new search application, hiring managers can speed up their resume scanning by doing an automated search for specific skills on a candidate's application. They can also search for phrases or terms in the candidate's prior correspondence with the firm or in comments that other team members have left on the applicant.

Search Term Tracking, the second added service, enables employers to find out where and how an applicant found the company's job ad. The feature shows if a candidate searched for the job through Google or a large job board, and what keywords he or she used. By knowing how potential employees search for open positions, companies can optimize their use of keywords and thus increase their visibility among talented workers.

Companies can sign up for Standout Jobs at standoutjobs.com for more information. Registration is free. Several short demos are available on the site to help get recruiters started.

Etiquette for a BlackBerry Generation

Wireless technology has certainly trained us to be constantly available to clients and supervisors, but it may have muddled the traditional rules of business etiquette. Is texting during a client lunch ever acceptable, and what should simply never be said in an email?

To help bring a generation of tech-savvy executives up to speed in face-to face communication, The Professional Edge has announced a new addition to its lineup of business workshops. Master Your Message: Workplace Communication Strategies for Executives is led by the company's president Lynne Breil and will include tips on effective listening strategies in the office, avoiding behaviors that stop effective communication, and choosing the appropriate communication approach.

Training sessions range from a keynote presentation to a two-day workshop and are catered to a company's individual needs. The average cost ranges from $3,500-$5,000. Breil is available for nationwide travel. For more information, see theprofessionaledgeinc.com.

Catching Slackers

Company owners who worry about their employees spending more time on Facebook than their daily projects might want to consider the BeAware Corporate Edition, the brainchild of Philadelphia-based software firm Ascentive.

Priced at $90, the software allows managers to track all employee PC activity, including e-mail and chat usage, program usage, printing and Web surfing. Users can even choose to receive notifications when certain websites or applications are accessed. If constant policing feels too harsh, employers can also allot "private time" that allows workers to take care of personal correspondence or access websites of their choosing during lunch breaks.

The program can be installed for offices ranging from one to 10,000 employees, and even allows tracking of remote workers' computer usage. See the company's site for more information.

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