Employee Onboarding for Small Businesses and Startups (Best Practices for 2023)

Employee Onboarding for Small Businesses and Startups (Best Practices for 2023)

For a new employee to have a good start, it’s important for them to have an effective employee onboarding experience. This is especially true for small businesses and startups.

New employee onboarding gets a new hire off to a good start. (Image source: Envato Elements)

Effective employee onboarding isn't just about complying with local laws and regulations. That’s just the beginning. Employers must always consult with a local attorney to ensure they’re covering all legal bases.

In this tutorial, you'll learn some key points about employee onboarding to use for new hires.

Jump to content in this section:

• Understanding Employee Onboarding
• Preparing for Employee Onboarding
• Create a Positive Onboarding Experience with Envato Elements
• Give New Employees the Best Start with Effective Onboarding

Understanding Employee Onboarding

The Society of Human Resource Management defines employee onboarding as

“...the processes in which new hires are integrated into the organization.”

This new hire onboarding definition includes all activities that orient a new hire into their new role. It also includes the “structure, culture, vision, mission and values” of the organization they’re joining. Employers expect their onboarding experience to reflect the company’s culture and values.

An effective employee onboarding gives a positive overall employee experience. And these first few days, sometimes weeks, on the job plays a big role in the future success of the employee, as well as the company culture.

Onboarding can reduce turnover, increase productivity, and increase employee engagement. According to the Brandon Hall Group Employee Engagement Study, the most impactful aspects of the employee experience are work/life balance and candidate experience, and onboarding. 

“Research and conventional wisdom both suggest that employees get about 90 days to prove themselves in a new job. The faster new hires feel welcome and prepared for their jobs, the faster they will be able to successfully contribute to the firm’s mission.”

-Talya N. Bauer, Ph.D, Onboarding New Employees: Maximizing Success

In short, a well-structured and effective onboarding program benefits both the employee and the employers. These benefits include faster integration, improved job satisfaction, and better retention rates.

Keep reading to learn some onboarding best practices and how to use them. Use this article to create your own employee onboarding checklist.

Preparing for Employee Onboarding

Add best practices to your employee onboarding checklist. (Image source: Envato Elements)

Several steps are involved in creating an effective employee onboarding process. Consider adding the following to your onboarding checklist. Remember that many of these best practices apply to contractor onboarding as well.

1. Design an Onboarding Program

The first step to designing an effective onboarding program is to start at the end. Define the onboarding objectives and outcomes you wish to achieve. ​​ 

Set Your Onboarding Objectives

Whether it's familiarizing new hires with the company culture, equipping them with necessary skills, or establishing strong relationships with the team, having clear objectives guides the development of your onboarding program. 

Think in terms of both short-term and long-term outcomes. According to Bauer, short-term outcomes of onboarding include:

• Self-efficacy - self-confidence in doing the job well
• Role clarity - how well the employee understands their new role and expectations
• Social integration - meeting and establishing effective working relationships with peers
• Knowledge of and fit with the organizational culture - understanding the organization’s values, politics, goals and even language

Long-term outcomes include:

• Job satisfaction - enjoying and feeling fulfilled with the job
• Organizational commitment - dedication to the job and the organization
• Performance - meeting and even exceeding expectations and targets

With these outcomes in mind, begin to think of activities to incorporate into your onboarding process.

Identify Stakeholders

Next, identify key stakeholders and their roles in the onboarding process. Direct supervisors and the human resources department are involved in onboarding. But so can co-workers, the training department, executive team, and a mentor or buddy.

For executive positions, higher-level management may also be involved. Make a list of specific stakeholders and assign them specific roles. Their collaboration is necessary to make the onboarding experience successful. Keep in mind that you’ll be updating this list as your onboarding plan takes shape.

Choose a Timeline

Finally, determine the timeline and duration of your structured onboarding program. With all the outcomes you want to achieve, it’s unrealistic to complete the onboarding in just a few days.

Many sources say a reasonable duration for onboarding to be effective is at least three months. This may or may not be practical for your particular situation. You do need to set aside enough time for a new hire to adapt to their roles and work environment, and to integrate into the team. Decide on a timeline that’s feasible and allows you to achieve your goals.

Now you’re ready to flesh out your new hire onboarding program.

2. Create Onboarding Materials

Professional onboarding materials give a great first impression of your company. (Image source: Envato Elements)

With your onboarding objectives and outcomes in mind, determine which onboarding materials you'll need. For each objective or outcome, ask yourself: “What materials and tools will the new employee need?”

The answers to that question may include:

• An employee handbook or manual. This should contain basic information about the organization as well as all the policies and procedures all employees should be aware of. It should also include your legal obligations as an employer and the rights, benefits, and other entitlements of employees.
• A welcome kit. This includes not only all the documents and resources the new employee needs to start working, such as IDs, key cards, and a nameplate for their desk or office. It should also have items that make them feel good—and welcomed—into the organization. Consider adding branded merchandise, such as a company t-shirt or coffee mug. Don’t forget digital resources, for both in-office and digital employee onboarding. These could include new-job announcement images they can post on their LinkedIn and other social media accounts.
• A comprehensive orientation presentation. Put together a slide deck or video to orient new hires. The presentation can cover:- welcome message from the CEO- company values, mission and vision, and culture- organizational chart- employee benefits, from paid time off to health coverage and more- where to get information on critical policies-what’s next in terms of onboarding and training

Now, you’re ready to identify specific activities that'll go into your structured onboarding program.

3. Cover Essential Employee Onboarding Activities

Digital onboarding requires some special consideration. (Image source: Envato Elements)

To make sure you cover all the essential employee onboarding activities, think of onboarding in three phases:

1. pre-employment
2. the first days of employment
3. onboarding beyond the first days

Identify Pre-Employment Activities

As the name suggests, these onboarding activities take place even before the employee begins work. These include:

• Communicating job expectations and responsibilities. The employee’s contract should have their specific responsibilities and what’s expected of them.
• Completing background checks and necessary paperwork. Do your due diligence to vet the new employee. Make sure they complete government-mandated forms such as tax forms, and other documents like enrolment forms for medical coverage, pension plans, and others.
• Scheduling the first day and providing logistical information. Make it clear when they’re expected to begin work and give them the information they need to do so. This includes everything from where to park to which person they should report to. Remote onboarding has different logistics.
• Setting up their remote workplace. For digital onboarding of remote employees, make sure they receive their work computer/laptop, login information, and passwords in time for their first day at work.

Day One: Welcoming the New Employee

A warm welcome for new employees is part of any onboarding program. (Image source: Envato Elements)

The first day is always special. The impression you give on this day is going to last and affect your employee’s job satisfaction and productivity, so give this plenty of thought. Consider the following activities:

• Give the employee a warm welcome. Send a welcome email, leave the welcome kit on their desk (or have it shipped to remote employees). Set up a welcome meeting with their direct supervisor. 
• Make introductions. Introduce the new employee to their co-workers and other stakeholders. Schedule virtual ‘coffee chats’ for remote employees
• Take them on a tour. Walk them through the workplace and facilities. Digital onboarding may also require a virtual tour of the office intranet, chats, and other collaboration tools.
• Deliver the orientation session. Use the orientation presentation you created so the new employee gets to know the organization and how it works.

Plan for Onboarding Beyond the First Few Days

Assigning a mentor or buddy is another onboarding best practice. (Image source: Envato Elements)

A structured onboarding takes time. Plan the rest of the first 90 days—or however long you want your onboarding program to take.

• Create a structured training plan. This will be a combination of generic training for all employees and a more tailored development plan that’s specific to the new employee's role. Encourage ongoing learning - and provide resources for professional development.
• Offer mentorship or assign a buddy. To support the employee's integration, consider assigning a specific HR staff to each new employee. Or the mentor or buddy can be a non-HR co-worker.
• Ease social interactions and team-building activities. Organize activities that encourage networking with peers and supervisors. These could include a team welcome lunch or, for digital employee onboarding, virtual coffee chats.
• Foster a supportive and inclusive work environment. Keep communication lines open and seek feedback often.

How to Evaluate and Improve Onboarding

You won’t design the best onboarding program on the first try. Besides that, circumstances change.

Creating a formal, structured onboarding program is an iterative process. Think of your onboarding program as a work in progress. In a way, your work is never done. You’re always tweaking and improving things as you go along.

Collecting Feedback

To be constantly improving, collect feedback from new employees and other stakeholders. Gather feedback through surveys and interviews. Get feedback at different stages of the onboarding process, and even a few months after the onboarding.

Go back to the objectives you identified earlier. Make an honest evaluation of whether you’ve met those objectives. The idea is to evaluate the effectiveness of the onboarding program, identify areas that need improvement, and make changes to further optimize the onboarding process.

Regularly update onboarding materials and resources. Office policies, processes, and documents are always changing. Make sure your onboarding materials are up-to-date. 

The feedback you collect will also give insights on how to improve your onboarding materials.

Create a Positive Onboarding Experience with Envato Elements

Good employee onboarding gives new employees a positive impression of your organization—one that sets them up for success in their new roles. As you’ve seen, creating professional onboarding materials is a critical part of the onboarding process.

To make sure your onboarding materials make a great first impression and communicate effectively, consider an Envato Elements subscription. It’s particularly cost-effective for small businesses and startups. 

For one flat monthly fee, you get unlimited downloads of everything you need to develop professional, effective, and easy-to-use onboarding materials. These include:

•  graphic templates
• photos
• graphics
• fonts for print materials
• and more

For presentations, you get unlimited downloads of presentation templates for the most popular presentation software like PowerPoint, Keynote, and Google Slides.

If you want to make an onboarding video, you've got unlimited access to an extensive collection of video templates, stock videos, music, and sound effects you need.

Save time and effort when making onboarding materials by starting with presentation templates from Envato Elements.

Envato Elements’ vast library of creative resources make it easy for startups and small businesses to create professional, polished onboarding materials. The platform is easy to use, so you can find the exact assets you need, streamlining your workflow and saving you both time and effort.

Give New Employees the Best Start with Effective Onboarding

I hope you realize by now that effective employee onboarding is crucial to set up new hires for success—from even before their first day on the job. A well-structured onboarding program with a sufficient timeline ensures a smooth transition for new employees. They’ll feel confident and supported in their new jobs. If you think about it, what is onboarding but a way to increase productivity, foster employee engagement, and reduce turnover?

Use the onboarding best practices outlined in this article. Use the points above to create your own onboarding checklist.

As a responsible employer, remember to consider local laws and regulations about employee onboarding. These vary from country to country, and even within different regions. Consult with a local attorney to make sure you've got all your bases covered. 

Think of the laws and regulations as the ‘bare minimum.’ Nowadays, you can and must go above and beyond to ensure a successful and productive start for new employees. Follow the onboarding best practices in this article to create an exceptional onboarding experience that attracts and keeps exceptional employees.

To design impressive onboarding materials, consider Envato Elements. With these premium items, you can create appealing presentations, engaging videos, and impressive employee handbooks that leave a lasting, positive impression on new hires—even if you’re not a professional designer.

Tips for Generating Code With ChatGPT

Tips for Generating Code With ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a true superpower not just at writing, but also at generating code. Getting started with ChatGPT is straightforward, but if you want to get the most out of it, then you need to learn how to craft good prompts.

Prompts are instructions or discussion topics that you provide for the ChatGPT AI model to respond to. It can be a question, statement, or any other query that you want to spark creativity, reflection, or engagement.

There are several hidden prompts and formulas that you really need to know about to use ChatGPT effectively. Implement these formulas in your prompts and get the best results from ChatGPT.

Be Specific With Your Prompts

When using ChatGPT, you want to avoid overly simplistic prompts. Also, the more specific you can be in your requests, the better.

The way you can look at this is not to treat ChatGPT as this vending answer machine that you put tokens in and have the answers spit out to you. Instead you want to treat ChatGPT as your personal assistant (whether it's for generating content or code).

To make your queries as detailed and specific as possible (and get the best answers), here's the basic structure you'd want to use generally whenever you are creating a prompt: 

• specify the action you want to perform (it could be to edit, write or critique)
• follow that up by telling ChatGPT what format you want it to output (JSON, JavaScript, Python, etc.)
• conditions and parameters to apply
• a role or style (this is optional)

Here's an example of a query that contains all of the parts specified above:

1	// Write a function in JavaScript that takes in a string,
2	// then returns the first three and last three characters.
3	// The function should not exceed four lines of code
4	// Use best coding practices

So the action here is to write function that returns the first and last three characters from a string. The format we want it to return is JavaScript. The condition is that we want it to take no more than three lines. The style here is to use best coding practices.

This is what ChatGPT spits out:

1	function getFirstAndLastThreeCharacters(str) {
2	const firstThree = str.slice(0, 3);
3	const lastThree = str.slice(-3);
4	return `${firstThree}${lastThree}`;
5	}

The actual screenshot is as follows.

Screenshot of function generated by ChatGPT

Because we were specific in what we asked it for in our prompt, this is a lot more nuanced and specific to what we wanted compared to if we asked something more generic.

Another great thing about generating code with ChatGPT is that it explains the code as well. This is super helpful if you're new to programming or don't understand the generated code.

If you're not satisfied with the answer, click the "regenerate" button to generate a different answer. You can also modify your prompt and make it more specific, if it helps.

Assign a Tone, Style or an Audience

Oftentimes you might be generating code for a specific audience, such as beginners (this is common if you're writing code related tutorial). Perhaps you want to generate code that adheres to a specific coding style or convention (e.g. EMCAscript or TypeScript).

In such cases, you're to inform ChatGPT of the style and tone to adopt, or the audience to write for. To do this, you'd typically add the following statement to your prompt: "Write in X tone", "write in X language", or "write for X audience".

Here's an example of a query that tells ChatGPT what language to adhere to when generating the code:

1	// Write an infinite loop in JavaScript strictly in ES6 language

This is going to be the output:

1	const infiniteLoop = () => {
2	while (true) {
3	// Your code here
4	}
5	};

Rather than use a regular function, ChatGPT used the an ES6 arrow function syntax (() =>) to define the function infiniteLoop, as per our request. You can do the same for other programming languages, libraries and frameworks.

Bring in the Experts

If you're still new to programming, ChatGPT can play the role of an expert for you. You can ask it to review your code and offer feedback on how to improve it. The prompt you'd use is: You are a (role). Do (action). 

For example:

1	// You're are an expert JavaScript developer.
2	// Review my code and give me feedback on how I
3	// can improve it and make it more concise

Beneath the query, you'll then paste in the code you want ChatGPT to review and click enter. In return, ChatGPT will review your code and offer feedback on how to improve it.

I asked ChatGPT to review my function for checking whether a string is a palindrome or not. ChatGPT gave me an improved version of my code in return:

1	function isPalindrome(string) {
2	const len = string.length;
3	for (let i = 0; i < Math.floor(len / 2); i++) {
4	if (string[i] !== string[len - 1 - i]) {
5	return false;
6	}
7	}
8	return true;
9	}

It also gave me a few suggestions to improve its readability and conciseness:

Screenshot of suggestions by ChatGPT

With this feature, you can review any code to make sure it meets best coding standards. Keep in mind that ChatGPT can generate faulty code. So you need to test-run the code to confirm that it gives the expected output before pushing it to production.

Use ChatGPT to Get Unstuck

As a software developer, you're bound to run into problems during development. Perhaps your code isn't working and you don't know why. Or you're not sure how to create a function that performs a specific task.

The best place to find such solutions used to be on forums like StackOverflow and Reddit. But now you can use ChatGPT to solve any of your coding related problems.

The best thing about using ChatGPT is that it's instantaneous and you don't have to browse through articles or solutions to find what you want. Each solution also comes with an in-depth explanation, which is something you may not find with the answers you get from StackOverflow or Reddit.

Keep Iterating

You probably will not get exactly what you want right out of the gate, but that is expected. Be prepared to ask ChatGPT to rewrite things, regenerate code blocks, or make adjustments to code. Alternatively, you can simply redo your entire prompt and get something completely new from it.

The key here is to have a collaborative conversation with ChatGPT that goes back and forth, instead of just putting in one prompt and expecting one thing and trying again. 

The really cool thing about ChatGPT is that you can have a continuous conversation with it, and it will remember your previous interactions. It'll be able to remember the context of other answers that it gives you within a particular chat.

Conclusion

The key to using ChatGPT effectively are well-crafted prompts. Your prompts need to be specific, concise and as detailed as possible. It should contain an action, the output format, one or more conditions and a role or style to use (this is optional).

ChatGPT can not only generate code, but also review your own code for errors and provide feedback on how to improve it. When used correctly, ChatGPT can help smoothen the process of developing applications. But if you an AI-tool specifically tailored for programming, check out GitHub Copilot. 

Best JavaScript Date and Time Libraries

Best JavaScript Date and Time Libraries

JavaScript has a built-in Date object that you can use to work with date and time in JavaScript. In fact, we have several tutorials on Envato Tuts+ that cover this topic in great detail.

The Date object in JavaScript has quite a few methods that you can use to implement basic functionality. However, a lot of those methods work with the local time zone. You might also want better parsing capabilities for date strings or need to work with immutable dates.

In this tutorial, we will give you a brief overview of some of the best, most popular, free date and time libraries in JavaScript.

Moment.js

Moment.js is one of the most widely-used libraries for working with date and time in JavaScript. Its huge list of features makes it very attractive to developers. You can use the library to parse, manipulate, and format dates as well as times.

Some of the features of Moment.js are:

• robust and mature codebase that provides a lot of useful features
• easy parsing and formatting of dates
• easy use of relative time (such as 10 hours ago) or time in calendar format (like Sunday at 6:00 PM or yesterday at 3:30 PM)
• built-in support for multiple locales

One disadvantage of the library is its relatively huge size which can impact your page load times. This is especially true if you will be using only some features of the library.

Another point that I should mention is that Moment.js is no longer being actively developed. It has now gone into maintenance mode.

Luxon

Luxon is a modern alternative to the Moment.js library. This library has a few important advantages over Moment.js. It offers native time zone and internationalization support which helps keep the file size down. It is less than a third the size of Moment.js at about 20k gzipped.

Some of the features of Luxon are:

• access to powerful features with a simple and performant API
• immutability and chainability of the methods for writing concise code
• full support for localization and internationalization
• easy parsing and formatting of datetimes, intervals, and durations
• great support for time zones and DST to make things simpler for developers

The library also provides full support for Gregorian and ISO week calendars. It also provides limited support for other calendar systems such as Hebrew, Indian, Islamic, and Japanese.

Day.js

Are you looking for a lightweight library to replace Moment.js? The Day.js library can be a great alternative in this case. One of the biggest advantages of the library is its small size at around 2kb. The library works both in the browser and in Node.js.

Here are some useful features of the library:

• an API almost fully compatible with Moment.js
• support for immutability—any changes to the Day.js object will return a new instance instead of changing the original one
• ability to manipulate time by adding or subtracting specified durations
• display time relatively using either the current time or some other specific time
• parse any date and time string

You can extend the core functionality of the library with the use of plugins. There are a lot of plugins available to add features as simple as calculating the day of the year. Other plugins will help you calculate the minimum and maximum of given date values.

You can also build your own plugins for the library if none of the plugins offer what you need.

date-fns

The date-fns library is another great option for anyone who is looking for a modular and modern JavaScript date library. The library is very comprehensive in its coverage of features while being easy to use at the same time.

What the lodash library does for arrays, the date-fns library does for dates. It has over 200 functions that can help you do all kinds of tasks. Here are some of its interesting features:

• use the library to calculate the distance between two dates in words
• get the latest and earliest dates from an array
• helper functions for different periods of time—such as minute helpers that help you get the minutes, go to start or end of a minute, round to the nearest minute, etc.
• weekday helpers will help you get the date for things like the next Thursday or the previous Tuesday
• additional packages such as date-fns-tz for support for time zones

Common helper functions in the library can help you with the formatting of the dates and check if a date is in the past, present or future in comparison to other dates.

Use of tree shaking will also help optimize the final bundle size so that you are not loading anything unnecessary.

Chrono

The Chrono library is different from others that we have reviewed in this article in the sense that it does not have a huge list of helper functions to help you manipulate dates. However, it serves a unique purpose. The library is a natural language date parser. This means that it can extract date and time related information from any given text and handle most date/time formats.

You can extract all this information from given text by simply making a call to the parse() and parseDate() methods. It is also possible to provide additional context and information for the correct parsing of dates by using two more arguments with the parseDate() method.

Consider the following example:

1	const parsedDate = chrono.parseDate("Meet me next Tuesday at 4:00 PM");
2	// Outputs: Date Tue Jun 13 2023 16:00:00 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time)
3	console.log(parsedDate);
4
5
6	const parsedDate = chrono.parseDate("Meet me next Tuesday at 4:00 PM", new Date(2023, 5, 25));
7	// Outputs: Date Tue Jul 04 2023 16:00:00 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time)
8	console.log(parsedDate);

In the first example, the parseDate() method looks at the sentence and finds the date for me for the next Tuesday from the current time. However, I provide it some context during the second call to find the next Tuesday after June 25, 2023. In that case, it comes up with the date Jul 04, 2023.

The library even allows you to define your own refiners in order to customize the results or add your own logic to Chrono.

Final Thoughts

The Date object in JavaScript has a decent set of methods that you can use to manipulate dates. However, you will have to rely on using libraries if you are working extensively with time zones or need to use a lot of helper functions such as those available with date-fns.

Similarly, libraries like Chrono can help you do something that the native API simply can't, like extract date-time data from textual information.

I hope you found this list of popular, free, and open-source date-time libraries in JavaScript helpful.

Types of Events in JavaScript: Common Keyboard and Mouse Events

Types of Events in JavaScript: Common Keyboard and Mouse Events

JavaScript provides a wide range of events that allow you to interact with and respond to user actions on a webpage. Among these events, keyboard and mouse events are among the most commonly used. In this article, we will look at different kinds of keyboard and mouse events in JavaScript, and see examples of how to use them.

Keyboard Events

Keyboard events occur when a user interacts with the keyboard, such as pressing a key, releasing a key, or typing characters. Keyboard events let us do cool things like checking if a user has typed something correctly in a form or making certain actions happen when specific keys are pressed. It's like the website is listening to what keys you press and reacts accordingly. There are three types of keyboard events and they are:

The keydown Event

This keyboard event is triggered when a user press down a key. It is repeatedly triggered if a user holds down a key.

1	document.addEventListener('keydown', function(event) {
2	console.log('Key pressed is:', event.key);
3	});

This code demonstrates how the keydown event works. It adds an event listener to the document object's keydown event. When a key on the keyboard is pressed, the specified function is executed. This function logs a message to the console. The message includes the string Key pressed is: followed by the value of event.key, which represents the key that was pressed.

The keyup Event

This keyboard event occurs when a key is released. It can be used to detect when a user releases a specific key.

1	document.addEventListener('keyup', (event) => {
2	var name = event.key;
3	alert(`Key pressed: ${name}`);
4	}, false);

The above code adds an event listener to the keyup event such that when a key is released on the keyboard, it executes an arrow function. This arrow function assigns the value of event.key to a variable called name and it represents the key that was released. An alert box appears when the key is released and it displays a message which includes the string Key pressed: followed by the value of the name variable using string interpolation (${name}).

Another example that can be used to demonstrate the keyup event is setting up an input field and creating a function that transforms characters typed into the input field into uppercase when the user releases a key. To try out the example below, create an input tag with an id of fname and a function like this onkeyup="myFunction()" inside the input tag.

1	function myFunction() {
2	let x = document.getElementById("fname");
3	x.value = x.value.toUpperCase();
4	}

The keypress Event

The keypress event is triggered when a key is pressed. In the code sample below, an event listener is added to the document object that executes a function when a key is pressed and a character value is produced. The arrow function logs a message to the console of the browser which includes the string Key pressed: followed by the value of event.key, which represents the character value of the pressed key.

1	document.addEventListener('keypress', (event) => {
2	console.log('Key pressed:', event.key);
3	});

It is important to note that some browsers no longer support the keypress event and it is not fired for all keys (like Alt, Ctrl, Shift, or Esc) in all browsers. It is recommended to use the keydown or keyup events instead.

Example of Using the Keyboard Events

Mouse Events

Mouse events, on the other hand, help in the creation of more engaging websites. They handle events that occur when the mouse interacts with the HTML document such as clicking, moving, or scrolling. They enable us to react when users click mouse buttons, move their mouse over elements, or drag items around on the screen. It's as if the website is tracking your mouse movements and clicks to figure out what you want to do. There are various types of mouse events and they are:

The click Event

This event is executed when a user clicks on an element.

1	var element = document.querySelector('.btn');
2	element.addEventListener('click', function () {
3	element.style.backgroundColor = 'blue';
4	});

To execute the above code, create a button in HTML with a CSS class name of btn. So what the above code does is that it selects the element with a CSS class name of btn using the querySelector method and assigns it to the element variable. An event listener that listens for the click event is added to the element. When the element is clicked, a specified function will be executed. In this case, the function is to change the background color of the element to blue.

You can also build a simple game where users get to click inside a box to continuously change the background color of the box by using the math.floor and math.random method to generate random colors.

The dbclick Event

This event calls a function when a user double-clicks on an element with a mouse. To execute the code sample below, create a button in HTML with a CSS class name of btn. Grab the element using the querySelector method and add an event listener to it. When the button is double-clicked, the function is invoked, an alert message is displayed, and the font size of the text in the button increases.

1	var button = document.querySelector('.btn');
2	button.addEventListener('dblclick', function (event) {
3	alert('Button double-clicked!');
4	button.style.fontSize = '40px';
5	});

An advanced way the dbclick event can be used is to enable users to edit content. Double-clicking on a text element, for example, can convert it into an editable input field, allowing users to make changes directly. Below is a demo of editing content using the dbclick event.

 The mouseup and mousedown Events

This mousedown event is triggered when a user presses down on a mouse button when the cursor is over an element. Create a button with an id of text. When the button is clicked with a mouse, it alerts a message "Mouse button pressed".

1	var button = document.getElementById('text');
2	button.addEventListener('mousedown', function (event) {
3	alert('Mouse button pressed!');
4	});

Whereas the mouseup event is triggered when the user releases the mouse button after clicking on an element. Create a button with an id of text. When the button is clicked with a mouse and released, it alerts a message Mouse button released.

1	var button = document.getElementById('text');
2	button.addEventListener('mouseup', function (event) {
3	alert('Mouse button released!');
4	});

A practical example of how these mouseup and mousedown events can be used is when implementing a drag-and-drop functionality, and for drawing and sketching.

The mouseover and mouseout Event

The mouseover event occurs when the mouse pointer hovers over an element, while the mouseout event occurs when the mouse pointer leaves the element. Here's a quick demo of these two  mouse events.

In the above demo, the image is enlarged when a user's mouse goes over the image and it returns to its normal size when the mouse leaves the image.

The mouseover event can be used to create a tooltip that provides additional information about an element when it is hovered over. The mouseover and mouseout events can also be used to create interactive navigation menus such that when the user's mouse pointer hovers over a menu item, it can cause submenus to appear.

The mousemove and mouseleave Events

The mousemove event is triggered when the user moves the mouse cursor over an element, and the mouseleave event is triggered when the mouse cursor leaves the element. These events enable developers to monitor mouse movements.

The above code gets the mouse pointer coordinates whenever a user's mouse is inside the div container and it displays the coordinates values in a text underneath the box. It then displays another text indicating that the pointer has left the div after the user's mouse leaves the div element.

Conclusion

Keyboard events such as keydown, keyup, and keypress allow us to capture and respond to user input from the keyboard. Keyboard events are essential for user interaction, whether you're implementing form validation, providing keyboard shortcuts, or creating text-based games. Mouse events, on the other hand, such as click, dblclick, mousedown, mouseup, mouseover, mouseout, mousemove, and mouseleave, allow us to capture and respond to user interactions with the mouse.

In conclusion, JavaScript's keyboard and mouse events enable us to build websites that appear to be listening and responding to our activities by capturing the keys that are pressed and the mouse's movements. Now that you've learned about the various types of keyboard and mouse events and how they can be used to build interactive websites and web applications, go ahead and build fun and interactive games and websites. Happy Coding!

How to Get a Job With AI in 2023: Best AI Job Search Tools

How to Get a Job With AI in 2023: Best AI Job Search Tools

Are you searching for a job? You’ve come to the right place at the right time! It's no secret that finding a job is a challenging task. But the recent rise of mighty Artificial Intelligence tools can smooth out a few of the job-searching challenges we face.

Woman searching for a job online (Image source: Envato Elements).

That’s right! AI job search tools are available now! There are AI resume writers, job application AIs, and even AI that applies to jobs for you.

Jump to content in this section

• Jobscan
• LinkedIn
• ZipRecruiter
• Indeed
• CareerBuilder

• Sonara
• Autojob

So, What Are AI Job Search Tools?

By now, you’re probably familiar with artificial intelligence tools. They’re software applications that, through machine learning and algorithms, produce solutions to specific tasks. 

In the case of AI job search tools, these platforms use technology to assist you in your quest to find a job. They allow you to:

• Get recommendations based on your skills and experience.
• Stay on top of job opportunities.
• Track your applications.
• Improve your resume to increase your appeal!

The Benefits of Using AI Job Search Tools

If you’ve applied (or have thought about applying) for a job recently, these AI-powered platforms are for you. They can become an invaluable ally in the job search process thanks to the benefits they offer:

• Saving time. An AI that applies to jobs for you can automate certain tasks and avoid spending hours on the hunt for good job opportunities.
• Reduced stress. Eliminate the daunting and anxiety-inducing task of scouring the web with a job application AI.
• Personalized recommendations. Get job opportunities catered to your wants, needs, and skills.
• Resume improvement. Use an AI resume writer to learn insights and get suggestions to create a shiny resume that’s more appealing to recruiters.
• Networking. Find and meet other professionals and start building relationships with them.
• Efficiency. Skip a few steps, press a couple of buttons, and streamline your job search process. 
• Convenience. Let the machine work so you can focus on other areas of the job search process. You can take advantage of the convenience of using AI to apply for jobs.

Top 7 AI Job Search Tools on the Web (2023)

Now, let's get into the meaty section of this post. There are several AI job search tools available to you on the web. Here, we'll go over some of the most popular AI job search tools that you can find online. We'll also discuss their key features, so you know what to expect.

Be aware that each AI job search tool has a different take, so they may vary. Research each option thoroughly and think about what you want to accomplish with it. This way, you'll choose the best one for you, depending on your needs and preferences.

1. Jobscan

Let's start the list with the ultimate AI tool for a job search. Jobscan defines itself as an ATS resume checker and job search tool. This means it'll help you build a resume and cover letter that's optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Pretty cool, huh?

But how does Jobscan use AI?

• Jobscan uses AI to analyze resumes or LinkedIn profiles and compare them to job descriptions. It'll identify the key skills and experience recruiters want and need and find fitting job opportunities.
• As stated above, it also has an ATS Resume Checker that helps you optimize your resume for specific job listings. The AI will scan and grade your resume. You can use its feedback to make your resume more appealing to the ATS.
• It also has interactive job search tools that will allow you to get more pertinent job suggestions. The advanced search options use AI to relay only the best openings for you.
• You can also use Jobscan's AI to produce and optimize a cover letter, and to improve your LinkedIn profile.

Source: LinkedIn article

Basically, you can use Jobscan as an AI resume writer that will tailor yours to meet ATS requirements. While there's a free version, if you want help from this best AI resume builder to beat the bots, you will need to pay a price.

2. LinkedIn

This is the popular kid at the playground. LinkedIn is a well-known networking tool that allows you to connect with other professionals. But it's much more than that. LinkedIn has been increasing their offer throughout the years. And now, they've even incorporated AI features to improve your job search process.

But how does LinkedIn use AI?

• One of the newest ways in which LinkedIn uses AI is to optimize your profile. It allows you to find and use the best keywords, so your LinkedIn profile stands out among the rest.
• The AI will summarize your resume to include only the most compelling information in your LinkedIn profile and create an engaging headline.
• LinkedIn also offers personalized writing suggestions. This AI tool helps you word your skills and experience correctly. If you're stuck figuring out how to convey your message, LinkedIn can be an assistant AI resume writer.
• The platform provides advanced search options, so you receive more accurate results in your job hunt. Feed it the right information, and it will do the seeking for you.
• Notifications and alerts are also AI-powered services that LinkedIn offers. 
• You can also take advantage of its job search AI support or AI-generated feedback for job seekers.

Sources: LinkedIn article 1, LinkedIn article 2, LinkedIn article 3.

You'll get a few of LinkedIn's simple features for free. But if you truly want to enjoy LinkedIn's full capabilities, you'll need to pay a fee. If you use them wisely, it can be one of the best AI resume builders online.

3. ZipRecruiter

If you're a job seeker, ZipRecruiter can give you an edge. According to their website, their main goal is to connect people to their next great opportunity. However, they also boast about their AI technology, and how it can help job search experience.

But how does ZipRecruiter use AI?

• It's an AI matching tool. And its most valuable player is “Phil." Phill is a handy AI helper that empowers job seekers in their quest.
• Phill scours job boards, finds opportunities, and invites users to apply. You can adapt your search so that Phil serves you with only the best-suited listings for you.
• Phil also learns from your activity. If you decide to reject a job suggestion, it will know what to offer in the future.
• You can also use ZipRecruiter as an AI that applies to jobs for you. After you’ve filed your resume, you can apply for an opening with one click.
• Once a recruiter has seen your application, a notification AI will inform you of your progress in the recruitment process.

Source: Forbes article

ZipRecruiter has different plans so that you only pay for the features you want and need.

4. Indeed

One of the best things about this next AI job search tool is that it's got a global presence. No matter where you are, you can probably jump into Indeed and find job listings in your city. So much so, that according to their website, they're the world's #1 job site.

But how does Indeed use AI?

• Indeed uses an AI that focuses on natural language processing (NLP), which analyzes job descriptions and resumes. This makes it easier to match positions and candidates.
• Its AI also offers personalized results, which are sent to the user through email or appear as they surf the website.
• Likewise, Indeed makes use of AI to weed out fraudulent job applications or openings.
• Another powerful capability is its resume builder. It will provide data and tips so you can produce a top-quality resume that recruiters will want to click on. As such, Indeed can be the best AI resume builder for you.
• Indeed is looking into using NLP AI for sentiment analysis in the future. This way, you'll understand how employees feel about their jobs and the companies they work for.

Sources: Forbes article, VentureBeat article, Indeed page

Once you take a look at its premium features, you can start to understand why it's one of the leading job search platforms in the business. You can try Indeed for free or pay to have full access to its impressive capabilities.

5. CareerBuilder

Another AI job search tool we'll go over in this post is CareerBuilder. As the name states, it's all about getting your foot in the door and jumpstarting your career. It's an online portal that collects a lot of data, analyzes it, and shares its findings so you can make a better decision about your career.

But how does CareerBuilder use AI?

• AI matching. AI collects data, scans text, compares it against other information in their database. Then, it makes accurate matches between job opening and job seeker.
• Resume-building. In a few clicks, you can produce and save a compelling resume thanks to AI technology.
• Automatic job application AI. After setting up this option to focus on the areas and companies you're after, CareerBuilder will automatically apply to jobs in your name. With it, you can experience the benefits of using AI to apply for jobs.
• Augmented reality job-searching. Through a virtual experience, you can find job openings in spaces near you (like the mall).
• Localized search. You can practically pinpoint the place where you want to work.
• Notification alerts: seekers will be automatically notified when a recruiter has seen their resume, or when a new job opens up.
• Upskilling and career-building. AI scans and shares higher-earning job opportunities near you. However, those opportunities require you to learn an easy skill. This is how AI can encourage you to continue training.

Sources: 2019 Press Release, 2018 Press Release.

While CareerBuilder's free features may be very useful, you'll have to pay to unlock its full potential.

6. Sonara

Sonara is an awesome AI job search tool. Its benefits are that it will save you time and stress, since you won't have to waste your resources trying to find the right job opportunity for you. As such, you can use those resources to focus on other parts of the job search process (e.g., networking or preparing for interviews).

But how does Sonara use AI?

• First, Sonara is an AI matching tool. After you've signed up, filled out a form, and uploaded your resume, the AI will start working. It'll comprehend what you want and what you have to offer. Then, it'll pair you with your dream job.
• Sonara also comes with a job application AI. It'll get your resume out there. This will help you start moving in the industry for jobs you really want. With it, you'll understand the ease of using AI to apply for jobs.

Source: Sonara FAQ

While Sonara can be an incredibly useful AI that applies to jobs for you, keep in mind that it's still in its Beta phase. You may need to keep an eye on it to ensure it's working in your favor. You should also be aware that Sonara does charge a fee to use its AI tools.

7. Autojob

Finally, if you're looking for a platform that can do it all, check this one out. Autojob is an AI job search tool and/or a job application AI. This all-in-1 platform is all about automation (as the name states). They emphasize the importance of adding purpose to your job-seeking efforts (instead of applying to jobs randomly).

But how does Autojob use AI?

• An AI that applies to jobs for you. You define your parameters and let the AI do its thing. It will send out your resume to jobs that fit those parameters.
• One-click job application. If you don't feel fully comfortable using AI to apply for jobs automatically, you still have this option. With it, you get a chance to review the opportunity before hitting "Send."
• AI matching. Autojob uses the power of AI to run through digital text and put your resume against the job offers online. Depending on your preferences, skills, and experience, you'll be presented with the precise openings for you.
• Advanced search options. No longer will you have to spend hours clicking "Next" on job boards. With Autojob, you can use their advanced search options to zero in on opportunities you'll want to seize.
• AI resume feedback. Autojob provides statistics and hard data that can help you figure out how you can make the most out of your resume.

Source: Autojob

This is a comprehensive AI tool that can help you as you're searching for your perfect fit. It has a free version, and a couple of other plans so you can pick and choose which tools you need.

Envato Elements: Unleash the Power of Unlimited Premium Digital Assets

If you're looking for a job, Envato Elements can assist you in creating an awesome portfolio and putting your creative endeavors in action.

Envato Elements is a subscription-based service. It provides users with thousands of premium digital assets for a low monthly fee. 

That’s right! With your subscription, you gain access to high-quality PowerPoint templates, stock video, logo templates, mockups, fonts, and plenty of other items that can elevate your creative projects.

You can even find professionally designed resume templates! They're sure to increase your appeal and chances of getting a callback.

Subscribe to Envato Elements!

Premium resume templates from Envato Elements.

With Envato Elements, you can expect the best of the best in terms of resume templates. No matter which premium resume template you choose, you will get key advantages that will boost your job search process, such as:

• easily customizable elements so that you can express your creativity and show recruiters what you're about.
• a premium design that'll give you the confidence you need to start the job hunt.
• a unique composition that'll make recruiters take you seriously and pay attention to your application.
• time-saving features that may yield better and faster results than writing an efficient AI prompt.

Find More Tuts+ Resources About AI and the Job Search Process:

Learn more about AI, the job search process, and resume templates through these posts from Envato Tuts+:

• 

  13 Best Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools For Business: Pros and Cons

  

  Janila Castañeda

  18 Apr 2023
• 

  What Questions Should You Ask in a Job Interview?

  

  Charley Mendoza

  13 Jan 2023
• 

  How to Find a Job You Will Love in 2023 (Step by Step)

  

  Daniel Strongin

  05 Nov 2022
• 

  20+ First Job Resume Templates to Start Your Career in 2023

  

  Barni Rajah

  27 May 2023
• 

  30 Best Job Resume Templates With Simple Professional Examples (2023)

  

  Andrew Childress

  17 Mar 2023

Can AI Job Search Tools Help You Land a Job?

In the job search process, every little bit of help is welcomed. In that sense, Artificial Intelligence is a great addition to your arsenal. As mentioned above, you may be using AI to apply for jobs, as an AI resume writer, or as an AI job search tool.

Not to mention, AI tools have come to disrupt the scene. Why not take advantage of them as they become more and more commonplace? They may even give you a leg up in the process!

Just be mindful that you should keep your expectations in check. While AI can help you get through your job-hunting quest more easily, this is still developing technology. You will need to work on the process yourself! 

And don't forget to download a premium resume template to increases your chances of landing your dream job!