HR Virtuoso announces a new blog series on how to Summer Audition a staffing plan, part-time employees, interns, and much more. #SummerAudition tips will be regularly posted on Twitter to help companies get staffed during the busy summer vacation season.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/08/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Company announces its latest blog series entitled #SummerAudition. The Summer Audition blog series is intended to help small and medium size businesses get staffed for the busy summer vacation season.

HR Virtuoso Company founder Liz D'Aloia noted, "With the busy summer hiring season upon us, companies need to understand best practices for recruiting hourly employees, retaining, and engaging them."

The blog series begins with the importance of creating a staffing plan and recruiting strategy for hourly employees. Companies are reminded that although the busy summer season is almost upon us, many industries earn a significant portion of their annual revenue during the winter holiday season.

"Companies need to test their recruiting strategy now to see if it's viable throughout the summer and into the fall hiring season." D'Aloia remarked. "It's also important for companies to realize that it's perfectly OK to make changes to their strategy as needed. We're at full employment in the US, so employers need to continuously experiment with different recruiting methods and technologies."

About #SummerAudition
The blog series will include articles about how to give part-time employees a summer audition, how to summer audition interns, and ways to summer audition digital recruitment advertising. The series is supported by #SummerAudition tips that are easily searchable on Twitter and other social media forums.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

HR Virtuoso Company announces the latest update to its groundbreaking mobile recruiting software. The new version of the software has expanded user functionality, including a full job requisition process and customizable badges to gamify recruiting.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/27/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Company is pleased to announce that it is releasing an updated version of its groundbreaking mobile recruiting software. The new release will feature expanded user roles, a full requisition system, and an optional gamification panel for recruiters.

The technology is unique in the recruiting industry since it is specifically designed for high volume hourly recruiting environments. While other platforms replicate a computer-based experience, HR Virtuoso was built by and for recruiters from the mobile user perspective. HR Virtuoso isn't tied to a specific job board, so companies aren't forced to pay for expensive job board subscriptions. Unlike other platforms, HR Virtuoso will integrate with any background check, assessment, or onboarding system, and can even be added to an existing applicant tracking system. The system offers an optional gamification function whereby users earn points based on jobs posted, candidates screened, and hires.

Founder Liz D'Aloia explains, "I realized that most systems were built by and for exempt positions. However, 59% of Americans work at a job that pays an hourly rate. Most of these jobs are in the restaurant, hotel, logistics, retail, and staffing industries."

D'Aloia met with the most technical savvy recruiters in her network, and continues to rely on input from recruiters and customers as the platform evolves.

"We want a system that's easy for hiring managers and for candidates," D'Aloia remarked. "Through our beta testing with G6 Hospitality (Motel 6/Studio 6) we've been able to prove that our system can deliver a bigger candidate pool. When hiring managers have more candidates to select from they fill their openings with the most qualified talent available."

HR Virtuoso commenced a paid beta test with G6 Hospitality in November 2013. The test started with 37 locations in 2013 and has since expanded to 129 locations across the US.

G6 Hospitality VP of HR Michael Moore commented, "HR Virtuoso has unique features that help us recruit within our community. Before we implemented HR Virtuoso we were very restricted by the reach we had into the community. Now we post recruiting collateral in Spanish and English and it's helped us tap into a diverse candidate pool that we couldn't effectively access previously. Our Property Managers are expected to be out selling in the community, so it makes sense to give them the tools to recruit in the community, too."

The system is intended to give customers as much flexibility and customization as possible. Companies develop their own customize short form employment applications in any language. Since different positions have unique requirements, HR Virtuoso encourages companies to add job-specific screening questions to each application form.

D'Aloia observed that, "Simplicity is the key to our success. We make it easy for candidates to apply, we make it easy for recruiters to advertise, and we make it easy for hiring managers to screen candidates."

Since the system is designed for high volume hourly recruiting, HR Virtuoso works with companies to develop collateral to support grassroots recruiting efforts. Candidates apply from Craig's List or other online postings, or through a QR code or text number that is posted on recruiting collateral at the employer's location or in the community. Candidates click the link, scan the QR code, or text a number and are instantly transported to a short form employment application that takes 5 minutes to complete. The system can be accessed from any mobile device.

"The job market has shifted from an employer's market to a job seeker's. Employers have to make it easy for people to apply or they'll drop out of the application process. Many people, especially Millennials, may have skipped computer ownership, but 91% of Americans own a mobile device," D'Aloia noted.

HR Virtuoso is currently entirely self-funded. D'Aloia is considering pursuing a seed round of investment to fund future expansion.

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, the company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting needs in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and staffing industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application that is accessible on any mobile device. Simplicity is the key to our success; it only takes candidates minutes to apply for jobs.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Prior to founding HR Virtuoso Company, Liz D'Aloia served as a Senior Employment Counsel and as a VP of HR in the transportation, retail, and mortgage industries. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions and is committed to making the system affordable for companies of all sizes.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

HR Virtuoso Company announces that it is a proud sponsor of TDn2K’s 2015 Summer Brand Camp. HR Virtuoso Founder Liz D’Aloia is an official blogger for the event.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/23/2015 -- HR Virtuoso is proud to announce that it is participating in two ways during the upcoming TDn2K Summer Brand Camp.

Summer Brand Camp is a one-of-a-kind event that brings together marketing, operations and human resources professionals in the restaurant industry. The focus of Summer Brand Camp is to learn how brands can work towards improving their business as it relates to people, profits, and the planet in our always connected digital world.

HR Virtuoso is participating in two ways. First, as a sponsor, the company is providing support for the event. HR Virtuoso founder Liz D'Aloia is also blogging for the event.

"I'm delighted to work with TDn2K on Summer Brand Camp," D'Aloia said. "It's an amazing company that really believes in helping the restaurant industry improve as a whole. I don't know of another industry organization that can bring together so many competitors with the goal of having them share best practices to improve the industry, its people and customers, and the planet. It's truly a tribute to founders Joni and Wally Doolin that they can bring competitors together and have them share so openly, and that they consistently include a service project in all of their events."

D'Aloia wrote a series of blogs leading into Summer Brand Camp. The blogs focus on what it's like to experience Summer Brand Camp for the first time, lessons learned about employee engagement at Summer Brand Camp, and how the event forever changed a participant's life. D'Aloia will also blog during the event for TDn2K.

Sarah Atkinson, Director of Marketing & Communications for TDn2k noted, "Having Liz participate as a blogger has been instrumental to our events. Her insight and wisdom on the industry and content presented adds a voice that has elevated our event content."

According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurants currently employ 14 million people in the US. This number is expected to grow by 1.7 million by 2025.

Employee retention is a critical issue for the industry. People Report's April 2015 Restaurant Industry Recruitment Trends reveals that in 2014, 3 out of 4 employees voluntarily resigned, and 27% of employees left within their first 90 days. It costs $1,157 to replace an hourly team member and $13,947 to replace a manager.

About HR Virtuoso
HR Virtuoso provides mobile recruiting software to the restaurant industry. The system can be used for grassroots recruiting efforts. Since it's simple for both candidates and hiring managers to use, time to hire decreases significantly.

Summer Brand Camp will be held on June 2-4, 2015 in Dallas, Texas.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Free networking event for HR professionals and job seekers will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 in Las Colinas, Texas. Event is co-sponsored by TBG Solutions, an active shooter risk management training company.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/09/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Company is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring a spring event for Texas HR professionals and job seekers. The event will be held at The Ranch at Las Colinas on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 from 5:00 - 7:30 pm.

HR Virtuoso Company founder Liz D'Aloia and Foster Williams of the Career Search Network, have a long history of collaborating together on these types of events.

HR Virtuoso Company is a mobile recruiting software firm. By providing companies with custom, short form employment applications that work on any mobile device, the company makes it easy for candidates to apply to openings, thereby increasing the company's candidate pool. In addition to running daily operations for HR Virtuoso Company, Founder Liz D'Aloia, also manages a LinkedIn group called TX HR Pros which currently has over 5400 members.

The Career Search Network is managed by Foster Williams, who is known in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex as the "Cruise Director" of job searches. Williams manages job seeker networking meetings, including the Southlake Focus Group and Frisco Connect.

"This event started just before the Great Recession," D'Aloia noted. "At first we simply wanted to give TX HR Pros members an opportunity to attend a live event. We quickly realized that we had a wonderful opportunity to connect job seekers to our TX HR Pros members who are responsible for recruiting. During the Great Recession we helped a lot of people land. Now that unemployment is falling and it's increasingly difficult to recruit local talent, we're making it easy for HR professionals and business owner to attend a live, informal event with job seekers."

Williams added, "We've seen many, many people land jobs from connections that were made at this networking event. It's the perfect mix: recruiters, HR professionals, business owners, and job seekers. Everyone comes together to network and see how they can help each other."

The event coincides with Cinco de Mayo, a popular day of celebration in Texas.

The event is co-sponsored by Tony Petrill, President of TBG Solutions, Inc. TGB Solutions provides active shooter response training to companies and schools, as well as identity theft solutions.

D'Aloia noted, "This event wouldn't be possible without the generous support of Tony Petrill and TBG Solutions. Keeping employees and customers safe often falls into HR's area of responsibility. It's important for companies and school districts to be aware of the training programs that TBG Solutions offers."

The event will be held at The Ranch at Las Colinas. Participants can register on the event's website or contact info@hrvirtuoso.com for more information.

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, the company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting needs in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and staffing industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application that is accessible on any mobile device. Simplicity is the key to our success; it only takes candidates minutes to apply for jobs.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Prior to founding HR Virtuoso Company Liz D'Aloia served as a Senior Employment Counsel and as a VP of HR in the transportation, retail, and mortgage industries. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions and is committed to making the system affordable for companies of all sizes.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

HR Virtuoso Mobile Recruiting Software Company Founder Liz D'Aloia blogs about careers, staffing, gender bias, and much more for Plaid For Women. Plaid For Women is about "The Business of Life" and is an online and live networking platform for women.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/03/2015 -- HR Virtuoso is pleased to announce that founder Liz D'Aloia has agreed to be a regular power blogger for Plaid For Women.

Plaid For Women is media and blogging site about "The Business of Life" that helps women achieve goals, get connected and be heard. In addition to a robust website with blogs and member interaction, the site also offers radio and TV channels for content sharing. Plaid For Women is a unique platform because, in addition to the online information, members also participate in live events.

Plaid For Women recently launched a #NoMeanGirls campaign. The campaign is aimed at helping women to become aware of ways to eliminate "mean girl" behavior in their lives. Mean Girl behavior includes: destructive gossip, criticizing others based on looks, excluding other women, enjoying when other women fail, and fearing other women's success. Plaid For Women has a kickstarter campaign to support this effort.

D'Aloia's first blog in the series is entitled "The Evolution of Mean Girls" and explores how mean girls evolved from the 1960's office Queen Bee, how insecurity can lead to the mean girl syndrome, and the lessons that mean girls can teach all of us -- men and women. She notes that as the unemployment declines, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to hire qualified candidates, and they need to be mindful of their recruiting brand and reputation. Other blogs explore how to identify career options and gender bias in the workplace.

Plaid For Women CEO and Co-Founder Shivaun Palmer stated, "We're thrilled to have Liz D'Aloia blog for us. Her unique perspective from both an HR and employment law viewpoint make her articles interesting and engaging. Liz has a diverse background, having worked in the legal, supply chain, transportation, retail, call center, and mortgage industries. We are very fortunate to have join us as a business content expert, especially since many of our members work for or own and operate their own businesses -- in every imaginable industry."

Liz D'Aloia added, "I'm a huge fan of the #NoMeanGirls campaign, of Plaid For Women, and of Shivaun Palmer. Many Plaid For Women are small business owners, and it's an honor to write about mobile recruiting software, talent acquisition, human resources, careers, and employment law for the organization. I look forward to helping women learn more about these areas. Plaid For Women offers an exciting and engaging platform that helps women learn from each other."

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, the company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and staffing industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application that is accessible on any mobile device. Simplicity is the key to our success; it only takes candidates minutes to apply for jobs.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Prior to founding HR Virtuoso Company Liz D'Aloia served as a Senior Employment Counsel and as a VP of HR in the transportation, retail, and mortgage industries. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions and is committed to making the system affordable for companies of all sizes.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Ongoing topics will relate to human resources, recruiting strategies, and employment law, and how they impact your career.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/30/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Founder Liz D'Aloia announced today that she was named as a permanent guest expert for One Life Radio.

As part of her ongoing appearances, D'Aloia will speak about topics ranging from recruiting for hard to fill positions to why it's important to keep your work and personal email separate.

"I'm honored to be named as a permanent guest expert for One Life Radio," D'Aloia reported. "Bernadette Fiaschetti has assembled a very diverse group of experts and it's truly a privilege to be among such esteemed talent."

D'Aloia's next appearance will be on Tuesday, March 31, during which she will elaborate on her recent blog about "Lessons From Hillary: Keep Work and Personal Email Separate". Her next appearance, which is scheduled for Tuesday April 14, will explore the fallout from Indiana's recent Religious Freedom Restoration Act and how it impacts companies and employees. In a previous appearance, D'Aloia discussed how ban the box laws, which regulate whether or not candidates can be asked about criminal convictions, impact the recruitment and hiring process.

One Life Radio airs each weekday morning in Dallas on AM 1190 from 6 - 7 am. It is syndicated in several other markets and the full schedule can be found here. Fans can follow the show on @IHeartRadio, and a complete list of podcasts are available.

Follow HR Virtuoso Company @HRVirtuoso to stay up-to-date on future appearances.

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, the company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting needs in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and staffing industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application that is accessible on any mobile device. Simplicity is the key to our success; it only takes candidates minutes to apply for jobs.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Prior to founding HR Virtuoso Company Liz D'Aloia served as a Senior Employment Counsel and as a VP of HR in the transportation, retail, and mortgage industries. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions and is committed to making the system affordable for companies of all sizes.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dallas-based employment attorneys team up for a series of articles that explore work issues.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/17/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Company is pleased to announce a new partnership with Sonja McGill, Senior Counsel at Bell Nunnally & Martin, LLP.

The partnership will result in a series of employment law articles designed to assist in-house lawyers, HR professionals, and talent acquisition professionals.

"The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently updated guidelines for criminal background investigations, transgender employees, and treating pregnant employees the same as other employees similar in their ability or inability to work," says McGill. "This is important information that every employer in the United States needs to be aware of."

HR Virtuoso founder Liz D'Aloia agrees, noting "The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs is constantly updating its rules and expectations for federal contractors. We want to make sure that our clients are aware and in compliance with these rapidly changing regulations."

D'Aloia and McGill recently published the first article in the series entitled, "Does it Really Matter if We Ban the Box?" The article explores whether ban the box laws truly assist convicted criminals who are seeking employment. The second article in the series, "Learn From Hillary: Keep Work and Personal Emails Separate" was read by over 67,000 LinkedIn members and was a top LinkedIn Pulse article for several days.

D'Aloia explains, "As we approach full employment in the US, employers are increasingly going to have to find innovative ways to source and recruit local candidates. We want to make sure employers understand the risk versus the reward of hiring someone with a criminal background. Employment law is an ever changing, fascinating area that impacts all of us. The article about Hillary Clinton's emails really struck a nerve with many of our readers since technology can make it difficult to separate work and personal email"

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, the company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting needs in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and call center industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application that is accessible on any mobile device. Simplicity is the key to our success; it only takes candidates minutes to apply for jobs.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Liz D'Aloia began her career litigating freight claims in New York City. She's worked in a variety of legal and human resources role for a global office supplier. Liz served as a Senior Employment Counsel and as a VP of HR in the transportation, retail, and mortgage industries. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions and is committed ot making the system affordable for companies of all sizes.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The US is facing a truck driver shortage of epic proportions. Will reducing the age for a Commercial Drivers License from 21 to 18 or 19 help solve this problem?

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/10/2015 -- The American Trucking Association (ATA) estimates that the trucking industry currently needs 25,000 drivers to keep up with demand. By 2020, the ATA expects a shortfall of 240,000 drivers. There are several reasons for this, including an improving economy, new hours of service regulations, and the fact that many older drivers are approaching retirement age.

The ATA used to have a slogan: "If you bought it, a truck brought it." Trains, barges, and planes (and maybe even drones) can deliver freight, but we always need a driver to deliver it for the final mile.

This issue isn't just about having goods on shelves in stores. There's a good chance that if we don't increase the driver candidate pool, consumers will pay more at the cash register. Driver pay has lagged behind US wages for years. Per the ATA, major carriers are increasing pay by 10 – 15%, and they anticipate further increases.

These increases are long overdue for drivers who are basically paid to live in a box and sleep in a parking lot. Low wages may have also kept our prices as consumers artificially low. Will lowering the age for a Commercial Drivers License help the trucking industry attract and hire more drivers?

Implement a Graduated CDL

Federal regulations require drivers to be at least 21 years old to be eligible for a Commercial Drivers License (CDL). By that age most people have already chosen alternative careers.

Almost every state allows drivers between 18 – 21 years of age to obtain a license to drive a truck intra-state. These licenses come with vehicle weight and restrictions on the type of freight that can be hauled. The problem is that since the CDL age is 21, insurance carriers may be reluctant to write policies for trucking companies that employ younger drivers who don't hold a CDL.

The ATA supports a graduated CDL license to help attract people to the profession. In a recent blog, the USA CDL Truck Driving School in Orlando reported that David Osiecki, the ATA's executive VP and Chief of National Advocacy, delivered a keynote address at the 2015 Technology and Maintenance Council. During that address Osiecki stated, "the driver shortage is as bad as it's ever been." He added that the ATA is "focusing anew upon lowering the allowable age for obtaining a commercial driver's license to 18 or 19 years. " Osiecki further noted, "We believe lowering the age and offering a conditional CDL with oversight and monitoring will allow the industry to better address the driver shortage. Now, not every 18 or 19 year old is suited to drive a truck; we all get that. But we think this can be done in a responsible way."

Age Concerns

Before the CDL was enacted in 1992 we had a lot of data on truck drivers who were under 21. Accidents followed a typical "U", with younger drivers and older drivers having the most accidents. As an example, here's a chart with typical passenger vehicle accident rates by age. Younger drivers and older drivers make up each end of the "U".

This begs the question: is the "U" accident pattern replicated in truck drivers? The short answer is: we don't know. Due to budget cuts in 2010, the National Highway Safety Administration stopped collecting some data on driver age that was part of the "Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents" reporting that was formerly performed by the University of Michigan on behalf of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

Nighttime Driving and Other Factors

While researching this article, Daniel Blower, Associate Research Scientist at the University of Michigan provided a paper that one of his colleagues, Professor Kenneth Campbell, wrote back in 1991. The paper determined that younger drivers had a higher accident rate, but concluded that the causes for this remained unknown. Campbell noted that nighttime driving, inexperience, and lack of training might all possibly contribute to the higher accident rates, but that further studies were needed. Interestingly, two major causes of teen accidents (alcohol consumption and driving with peers) didn't seem to contribute to young truck drivers' accident rates.

A graduated CDL could address the nighttime driving and experience factors. Many states already limit teen drivers to daylight hours, contain a night curfew, and require an experienced driver to be in the passenger seat. These requirements could be part of a graduated CDL licensing program.

Technology Improvements

Some of us remember when seat belts were optional and cars had to be special ordered to include them. Now we have anti-lock brakes, airbags, and sensors in cars and commercial motor vehicles. These were options 20 years ago, and 30 years ago they were considered experimental technologies. Now these are standard features in most vehicles, which keep both truck drivers and car passengers safer and contribute to falling fatal vehicular accident rates (per 100 million miles driven).

Trucks also have sophisticated GPS and other tracking devices, so it's a lot easier to monitor driver locations, speed, and activities. The University of Iowa is already experimenting with night vision enhancements for older drivers. If successful, this technology may also benefit young truck drivers.

Replicate Military Training

Thousands of military veterans are being discharged from the service with military truck driver licenses. Most states have made it easier to transfer these licenses into CDLs. Unfortunately this doesn't help veterans who are under 21 and who are not old enough to qualify for a CDL.

We know that the military is doing something right. They can transform 18-year-old recruits into safe truck drivers. As stressful as rush hour traffic is in major US cities, it's nothing compared to driving in a military convoy on a road strewn with IEDs and enemy combatants. Surely we can hire truck drivers who are veterans even if they are under 21 years of age.

We can thank the military and NASA for so many technological improvements in our lives. Perhaps we can capitalize on the military's training expertise. Let's solicit the military's assistance, and replicate a world class training program that can transform 18 or 19 year olds into professional truck drivers.

We Need Industry to Collaborate

In this era of political gridlock, perhaps carriers, the ATA, and the insurance industry should collaborate on a framework for a graduated CDL program that it can present to the DOT. The DOT already requires certain on-the-job training for new drivers. Carriers already have the burden of ensuring that their drivers are properly trained, and many operate truck driving schools. A graduated CDL program is a good solution to this critical problem.

Are you having a hard time attracting driver candidates? We're always happy to review your processes and help you identify innovative driver recruiting solutions.

About HR Virtuoso
HR Virtuoso was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, the company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting needs in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and call center industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application that is accessible on any mobile device. Simplicity is the key to our success: it only takes candidates minutes to apply for jobs.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Prior to founding HR Virtuoso, Liz worked in a variety of legal and human resources roles for a global office supplier. She has served as a Senior Employment Counsel and as a VP of HR in the transportation, retail, and mortgage industries. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions and is committed to making the system affordable for companies of all sizes.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Walmart recently announced that it is raising wages for its hourly workforce. HR Virtuoso Company explores how this decision, along with other economic factors, will impact your staffing model in 2015.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/03/2015 -- Walmart just announced that it is raising hourly pay for its workers. Part-time employees will start at $9/hour in April 2015, and the starting rate will increase to $10/hour in February 2016. Full-time hourly rates will rise from $12 to $13/hour. The goal is to pay at least $1.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.

The initiative will cost Walmart $1B in this fiscal year. The company has also stated that it plans to give employees more control over their schedules, but hasn't elaborated on an exact plan.

Are these signs that Walmart is responding to the changing wage and labor market? Or have they simply answered the call for higher wages that employees and union organizers have championed? Let's explore the issues.

The Union Organization Threat

In the United States, union membership is at an all-time low since 1936. Only 6.7% of total private sector employees belonged to a union in 2013. Unions generate revenue off of dues, and dues are declining.

Walmart has faced down efforts to organize workers for years. Unions, especially SEIU, have capitalized on the growing wage inequality in America. They created the Fight for 15, which is an effort to raise pay and unionize workers (primarily in the restaurant industry). This group was also very active at Walmart locations. By raising wages, Walmart proactively took the pay issue off the table for unions (at least in the short term).

The Unemployment Impact

Wages stagnated during the Great Recession and subsequent weak recovery. During the January 2015 TDn2k Best Practices Conference, economist Joel Naroff explained that wage pressure on employers is like a dam. He predicts that the dam could break very quickly in 2015 as unemployment rates fall below 5%. As of January 2015, unemployment was at 5.7%. Some economists believe that we area already at full employment.

Check out this chart from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Does it bring back memories? Do you remember what it was like to recruit in 2004 – 2007? You were probably paying top dollar to recruit top talent and a sign-on bonus to boot. As the chart illustrates, we're already back to 2004 unemployment rates.

The Minimum Wage Impact

In the November 2014 election cycle, voters in Arkansas, Nebraska, Alaska, and South Dakota approved ballot initiatives to raise their state minimum wages. These initiatives won by wide margins in these traditionally red states. According to a CBS News poll, 70% of respondents back the idea of raising the minimum wage, and support for this idea tends to cross party lines.

While the federal government is hopelessly gridlocked, there are grassroots campaigns across the country to raise minimum wages. Here's a map, courtesy of the US Department of Labor, that shows the current landscape.

Rising Wages

Several states on the map just passed new minimum wage laws during the November 2014 election cycle. Many of these laws phase in a higher minimum wage over 2015 or through 2018. This doesn't account for Walmart's response to wage pressure. So what gives?

We may get a clue from the trucking industry. In 2014, several carriers increased their sign-on bonuses and driver wages went up by 7% - 13% at some major over-the-road transport companies. The reason for the pay increases? The US driver shortage and pent up wage pressure.

The War for Talent

It's estimated that 10,000 baby boomers retire every day in the US. That's a lot of talent leaving the workforce. Walmart, along with other retailers, and the restaurant, hospitality, call center, and other industries, are already feeling the shortage of qualified workers -- just like the trucking industry.

So what's an employer to do? Consider taking a holistic approach.

Monitor Wages

Keep tabs on municipal and state initiatives to raise the minimum wage. As we've seen, these tend to pass quickly and easily. Don't get caught off guard.
Monitor your competition.

Check local employment advertisements and see if anyone is advertising higher wages or sign on bonuses. This is a sure sign that the dam is breaking and that wages are increasing.

Consider creating an account in PayScale or another similar compensation aggregator to see where your pay falls in the market. PayScale aggregates data from job seekers and then applies an algorithm to eliminate questionable data. Since it's crowdsourced, PayScale data tends to be more current than annual compensation surveys.

Check your industry associations for specialized wage data information. If you're in the restaurant industry you need to participate in the People Reports Consortium of human capital data intelligence.

Value Your Employees

If you start to experience a lot of turnover, start doing exit interviews, even if they are informal conversations. Simply ask the employee the reason he or she is leaving. You may discover that the issue isn't wages, and instead that it's about schedules or a management issue. Fix underlying management issues quickly to reduce the risk of future turnover.

Are there ways that you can reward employees without increasing their base pay? Consider spot bonuses and team contests. This will reward performance and also give millennials the sense of purpose and community that resonates with them.

Listen to your employees. Walmart finally has, and their response will have a widespread impact on hourly hiring across the country.

Review Your Staffing Model

During the recession a lot of companies transitioned full-time hourly employees to part-time status to avoid layoffs. Part-time workers give companies flexibility. There are underlying issues, though, that perhaps Walmart has recognized:

Many part-time workers really want full-time roles because they simply can't get enough hours working (sometimes several) part-time jobs to make ends meet.
If wages increase, can you really afford part-time workers, or should you just hire full-time employees?

Are you flexible with your part-time scheduling requests?

Do you regularly promote part-time workers to full-time roles? This gives part-time employees a clear career path.

Recruiting

Walmart is clearly positioning itself in the job market. Their decision to raise wages will impact the talent pool that employers in the retail, restaurant, hospitality, and service industry are already fighting over. Are you ready to get in the game? Help yourself by:

Have an easy, mobile employment application process that takes less than 5 minutes for candidates to complete.
Offer that system in multiple languages.

Use high touch, local recruiting strategies

Create a mobile-friendly career page. You probably already have one for customers. Now it's time to create the same branding and user experience for candidates.

Get off paper. Your target candidates are probably working multiple jobs and don't have time to visit your location to fill out a paper application.

Use Available Resources

Wages are going up, and the war for talent is here. Don't go into battle alone. HR Virtuoso has an army of experts ready to help you.

About HR Virtuoso
HR Virtuoso was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, the company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting needs in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and call center industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application that is accessible on any mobile device. Simplicity is the key to our success: it only takes candidates minutes to apply for jobs.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Liz D'Aloia has deep roots in the retail industry. Liz worked in a variety of legal and human resources roles for a global office supplier. She has served as a Senior Employment Counsel and as a VP of HR in the transportation, retail, and mortgage industries. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions and is committed to making the system affordable for companies of all sizes.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

HR Virtuoso Company explores how factors such as the economic recovery, the political climate, minimum wage increases, and unemployment rates will impact staffing models.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/17/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Company founder Liz D'Aloia will present a seminar entitled "The Economy, Politics, and Your Staffing Model" at Dallas HR on Thursday, February 19, 2015 from 12 -1.

The session will explore how economic factors such as falling unemployment rates and increasing wages will impact company staffing models. Many states and municipalities have ongoing grassroots political movements to mandate paid sick leave, ban the box (that asks about criminal backgrounds), and to raise the local minimum wage. All of these initiatives will force companies to rethink their sourcing strategy for hourly workers.

Millennials are now the biggest demographic in the workforce, so the session will also explore how companies need to rethink their recruiting brand, hourly recruiting strategy, and overall corporate culture to attract millennials.

For more information on this session, contact HR Virtuoso Company.

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was established in 2013 to help small and mid-sized companies migrate from paper employment applications to an efficient mobile recruiting system. The HR Virtuoso System is designed specifically for high volume recruiting in the restaurant, hospitality, call center, staffing, transportation, and logistics industries.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Kinskii is a software platform that integrates video chat with gaming. It is an ideal platform for parents who are business travelers, deployed military members, or who hold multiple jobs or perform shift work to interact with their children.

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/16/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Company is pleased to announce its support of Kinskii's Kickstarter Campaign, which launched on February 9, 2015.

Kinskii is a software platform that integrates video chat with gaming. The platform is ideal for traveling parents, deployed military members, and far away relatives to connect with children through play.

Kinskii has developed a platform and built two games that have been tested by over 30 families. A demo is available that explains how it works in more detail. Now they need some Kickstarter help to finish their game library. Kinskii co-founder Helen Tien notes, "We are going against the grain as far as the telecommunication market is heading by trying to increase the quality of the experience AND the bandwith. We want families to be able to build a strong bond through play, no matter the distance."

HR Virtuoso Founder Liz D'Aloia explains, "We recognize the value that Kinskii can bring to working parents and to the Dallas economy. Many parents work long hours or travel a lot for their jobs – or are even deployed overseas serve our country. They need a fun and easy way to interact with their kids while they're gone."

D'Aloia further noted, "Many part-time hourly workers have to hold multiple jobs or perform shift work. With Kinskii they can spend some precious time with their children no matter where they are. We also predict that Kinskii is going to be a huge success. Beyond supporting the Dallas start-up community and the NoD coworking space, we get excited when growing companies create local jobs and need to recruit top talent right here in the Metroplex."

Click here to support Kinskii's Kickstarter campaign.

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was established in 2013 to help small and mid-sized companies migrate from paper employment applications to an efficient mobile recruiting system. The HR Virtuoso System is designed specifically for high volume recruiting in the restaurant, hospitality, call center, staffing, transportation, and logistics industries.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The US is at full employment. Do you have what it takes to hire in this market?

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/16/2015 -- With the US rapidly approaching full employment, it's going to get tougher to recruit for top talent. In these competitive times, let's take a cue from Doctor Who and explore how he recruits.

There are lessons here as evidenced by Doctor Who's longevity. He is the the hero of the world's longest running sci-fi show. Although the show is only 50 years old, The Doctor is 2,000 years old. He is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, has two hearts, and travels in a spaceship that looks exactly like a 1950's British police box that is called the TARDIS. TARDIS stands for time and relative dimension in space, so the Doctor can travel backwards and forwards in time and to other worlds.

It can get quite lonely traveling through time and space, so The Doctor usually asks one or more human companions to join him.

Just like recruiters, The Doctor must choose his companions wisely. Adventures in time and space are fraught with danger. The Doctor's only weapons are his wit and a sonic screwdriver.

So, how has The Doctor always recruited the right companions?

Dig Deeper

The Doctor takes a scientific approach to every new situation he explores. He doesn't take things at face value and understands that the most interesting stuff is under the surface. He investigates by asking the right questions and through keen observation.

Emulate the Doctor by asking questions that require more than a yes or no answer. In HR-speak, these are called "behavioral interview questions".

The Doctor wouldn't ask his companion, Clara, "Did you enjoy meeting Robin Hood?" Instead, he would ask "How do you think Robin Hood keeps his band of merry men so happy?" This leads to a robust discussion about leadership and management styles.

Have a Heart (or Two)

The Doctor always gives people, including his enemies (and other alien beings), a choice. He gives them a chance to decide if they want to go down a path of redemption or self-destruction.

Have a heart for the humans who apply to job openings. It's not uncommon for candidates to completely revise their resumes, and agonize over a cover letter for days, just to apply to a single job requisition. It can also take well over an hour to apply to a job through a web-based applicant tracking system.

So don't blow off candidates. Review their submissions and see if there's another choice for them. Perhaps your location isn't hiring, but one nearby is. Maybe the candidate isn't the right fit for the job opening, but they'd be a good fit for another position. Make the extra effort. It's the right thing to do and it also enhances the company's brand. Don't forget that today's candidate is also tomorrow's customer. Be sure to follow up with them or they will fall into a black hole. People who fall into black holes usually don't have nice things to say about the folks who put them there.

Use Your Sonic Screwdriver

Long before MacGuyver, there was The Doctor. The Doctor is a genius at tinkering with broken machinery until it's fixed. He can also build advanced equipment out of junk. Just look at his dog, K-9. He's built out of scrap metal and his ears look suspiciously like plastic strainers, yet he is a chess master.

Use some imagination to tinker with your processes. All too often companies implement systems that don't serve their recruiters, hiring managers, or candidates well. So tear them apart. Experiment. Diagram processes and remove roadblocks and bottlenecks. Implement new recruiting technology carefully since it usually won't fix underlying process issues. Above all, make sure it's a mobile recruiting solution. Remember, the Doctor can use his sonic screwdriver on cell phones, so your next candidate may be applying from a far away galaxy – or a new talent pool – that you have yet to explore.

Allons-y! (English: Let's Go!)

Whovians have a saying: We never forget our first Doctor. Candidates will similarly never forget their experience with a company's recruiting process. Make sure they always associate the company's brand with a high level of respect by recruiting with two hearts and a sonic screwdriver.

About HR Virtuoso Company
HR Virtuoso was established in 2013 to help small and mid-sized companies migrate from paper employment applications to an efficient mobile recruiting system. The HR Virtuoso System is designed specifically for high volume recruiting in the restaurant, hospitality, call center, staffing, transportation, and logistics industries.

About Liz D'Aloia
Are you curious about the Whovians behind HR Virtuoso? Liz D'Aloia is the founder of HR Virtuoso, a mobile recruiting software company based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX. Liz is an HR professional, employment attorney, speaker, and blogger. Prior to launching HR Virtuoso Liz worked at national transportation companies and at a global retailer. Liz is a lifelong Whovian and still thinks bow ties are cool.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The American Trucking Association estimates that the US currently has a shortage of 25,000 truckers. This shortage is expected to grow to 240,000 by 2020. Will drones be able to fill this gap for local deliveries?

Dallas, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/13/2015 -- According to the American Trucking Association, the US is currently experiencing a truck driver shortage of epic proportions. We are currently short 25,000 truck drivers. This shortage is expected to grow to 240,000 by 2020.

There are three possible solutions to the driver shortage: drones, self-driving trucks, and trains. All have tremendous potential. But can they really deliver to the final mile? If so, at what cost?

Drones

Amazon is working on drone delivery. In case you haven't seen it, check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98BIu9dpwHU

We immediately noticed a few things when we watched the video here at HR Virtuoso:

- It's fast. But do we really need a product that quickly? If we do, are we willing to pay top dollar for delivery? Is it less expensive to use Uber, Lyft, or a hotshot courier company?

- It's small. It might tide us over if we're out of toner, or need a couple of diapers, but we're going to have to go to the store or preplan an order if we need large quantities.

- It's loud. Our offices are near one of the world's biggest airports, DFW, and peak traffic time isn't fun. Do we really want more noise pollution?

- Is it safe? Amazon would be more persuasive if it showed drones taking off from the roof, instead of from inside a warehouse. Plus, what happens if a drone crashes? This could be as catastrophic as a truck accident.

- Is it reliable? Can drones fly in inclement weather?

Self-Driving Trucks

Daimler is working on "Future Truck 2025", a self-driving truck that they plan to launch in 2025. The premise of Future Truck is that a self-driving truck is safer and more reliable than humans. Plus, with Future Truck the driver becomes a "Transport Manager". It's just like piloting a plane. The Transport Manager gets the truck onto the highway, and then it goes on autopilot. Future Truck alerts the Transport Manager if it's time to get off the highway or encounters construction or a traffic jam. So, with Future Truck we still need a human. The clever part is that that human gets more rest while on duty, so the current DOT Hours of Service regulations can be maximized.

The Netherlands is taking this concept a step further. A consortium consisting of government agencies and private research companies is working on self-driving trucks that don't require human interaction to move freight from the Port of Rotterdam to nearby cities. The government plans to bring this technology to market in just 5 years. Still, questions remain:

- Can these trucks really deliver product to the final mile? Or will they just deliver from the port to a consolidation center?

- Are these vehicles truly autonomous? There's an old joke about how over-the-road drivers are unbelievably good at operating vehicles – until someone asks them to back up.

- Will cost savings be passed onto consumers, or will they be used to offset the cost of infrastructure development?

Trains

Trains are the most efficient way to move freight across the US. We have an admirable rail system, but little of it is suitable for high-speed transport. This means that rail shipments often take at least 3 days to transport. And unless a customer has a rail door trains can't deliver to the final mile.

Perhaps one of the picture rigs can be modified for intermodal transport and outfitted to drive itself in Rotterdam.

Drivers

At the end of the day, we still may need drivers to deliver goods to the final mile. Someone still needs to deliver large packages to homes, businesses, and dense central business districts.

The US isn't the only country experiencing an acute driver shortage. Sourcing drivers is one of the greatest challenges we face. Carriers are responding to the driver shortage by raising driver pay. In the US driver pay hasn't kept pace with other professions, so one can argue that this is long overdue. However, it's conceivable that higher driver pay will eventually be passed onto consumers.

The marketing world has already developed technology that can identify potential driver candidates for companies. If we use this technology, some clever grassroots recruiting tactics, and get a little help from regulators to implement a graduated Commercial Drivers License we might just be able to solve this complex issue.

About HR Virtuoso
HR Virtuoso Company was founded in 2013. Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, The company provides custom mobile recruiting software solutions for high volume hourly recruiting needs in the transportation, logistics, restaurant, hospitality, and call center industries. HR Virtuoso partners with companies to develop a short form employment application. Simplicity is the key to our success. It only takes 5 minutes for candidates to apply on any mobile device.

About Our Founder, Liz D'Aloia
Liz D'Aloia has deep roots in the transportation industry. Upon graduating law school, Liz worked in a variety of legal and human resources roles for several major transportation companies. She has served as a Senior Employment Counsel and HR Director (Supply Chain) for a global retailer and as a VP of HR for a major mortgage company. Liz believes that companies with high volume hourly recruiting needs must have deep candidate pools. She developed HR Virtuoso to give employers the talent pools they need to make smart decisions while also making it easy for candidates to apply for jobs.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

2/25/15 symposium focuses on how the 2015 economy will change employer's staffing models and recruiting plans.

Roanoke, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/11/2015 -- HR Virtuoso Company is pleased to announce that it is collaborating on a symposium that will be held in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday, February 25, 2015. The symposium will be a panel discussion entitled, "Get Ready to Pay in 2015: Recruiting, Retaining, & Paying the Best.

The panel will discuss the impact of the changing economy on recruiting technology, staffing models, wage increases, and retention strategies.

Wages stagnated during the recession and subsequent weak recovery. Many leading economists, including Joel Naroff who advises People Report, predicts that wage pressure is like a dam, and that the dam could break very quickly in 2015 as unemployment rates fall below 5%.

As of January 2015, unemployment was at 5.7%. Some economists already believe that we are approaching or are already at full employment. The panel will help companies prepare to recruit local talent, retain, and pay for top talent in this new economic climate.

Rosalie Robinson, SPHR, of Consilium Human Capitol and Judy Pilotte, CEBS/CCP of HR a la carte, and Liz D'Aloia, Esq., founder of HR Virtuoso Company, will present a lively and interactive discussion that will include the latest trends to source local talent and strategies to retain current employees. The panel will also discuss how to plug the wage dam by creating a competitive compensation package and rewarding work environment.

The symposium starts at 11:00 and will conclude at 1:00.

For more information about the event, contact HR Virtuoso Company.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm