We finally got the admitting news a few days ago that we have indeed been in a recession for the past 12 months. OK! I think most of the awake and sober people in the country were well aware of this apparent revelation. So how bad is it? I don’t have that answer. I guess it depends on many variables.
For us at JTL, we were fortunate enough to have had a great year. The largest contributing factor to this is that, quite simply, we prepared. We made some wise business model modifications this year that without a doubt have helped us grow.
The bright side of the economic historical pendulum tells us that we should start to come out of the recession in about 6 months – being that we are many months into it already. For all of us, my fingers are crossed, and my hopes are that this will be the case but I’m not too confident and certainly not yet sold. Therefore, I will remain in conservative mode and give an extra layer of checks and balances with all that we do within the business.
But what can you personally do in this trying time with regard to career planning?
Honestly, when it comes to finding a job it doesn’t matter what the market condition is all that much. Sure it may have some impact, but it is far from the top of the list of reasons to connect or not connect with a potential job. Bottom line, as you should know by reading my blog, one of the best ways to landing that next job is to use a skilled recruiter.
“Come on, JTL is a recruiting agency”. OK. So what? You really need to understand that finding jobs for people is what recruiters do and depend on to make a living. Don’t be ignorant and think that because the market is down that companies are not going to pay a fee for services to find the “right” candidate for their open positions. Perhaps the market is such that it doesn’t warrant a fee being paid for you. If that is the case a recruiter will level with you and try to help you even if it means that they won’t get a fee. Now that may sound like a pitch for you, but think about it. Part of the core of a recruiter’s business model includes building relationships with both clients and candidates. A quality candidate has current and future value on many levels.
You see the market determines the talent pool. When the market is down companies can and do become more selective with whom they hire. Why? It’s simple. There are more people in the market who are looking for jobs. When the market is good then the opposite occurs. Talent dries up and companies will pay a fee for a body. Is this making sense? Put another way, when the market is down the fish bowl gets filled with fish. Finding the right fish gets more difficult. Recruiters are much better than companies in finding the right fish. Hence their paying fees for us to do so.
The question you need to ask yourself is where do you fall? Are you the best talent in this market? If you are how are they going to know that? Resume job board? Faxing or mailing your resume to an ad in the Sunday paper? If that honestly is your game plan, your likelihood of not succeeding is pretty high. Certainly, by all means, give it a shot. Do let us know how that works for you!
A good recruiter will promote you and create the urgency to get you that interview. Again, that is how they make a living. They have to be good at it.
So back to the topic… How do you get your career ready for the new year? For starters, read through our blog postings. Read through the volumes of information on the Internet and prepare and plan. This becomes Darwinism at its best. The strongest will succeed. You want to increase your strength and rise to the top of the pile. Again, plan and prepare. Treat yourself as a brand and brand yourself. While treating yourself as a brand, realize that effective branding is about opening up proper channels of distribution. Use a recruiter to help bridge your brand to a company looking for that brand.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Some Resume Advice - Please Take It
The amount of resumes we have been receiving as of late is staggering. A sure sign of the economic struggles we are facing as a nation. Puzzling to me is what seems to be a lack of understanding when it comes to preparing and sending a resume. It is frustrating to go through 100 resumes in a day and find that only 5 of them are keepers.
With all of the wealth of information available to us via the Internet, it seems we still aren't taking the proper time to better educate ourselves with regard to creating our resumes. People... sending a resume that screams that you could care less how to create a proper resume is exactly the formula that recruiters or hiring managers look for to advance that resume directly to the trash.
Though there is no definitive blueprint for creating a resume, there are specific guidelines that are constant. Below are just a few guidelines that you really should strongly consider when creating your resume and sending to recruiters and/or hiring managers. But don't stop here. Search the Internet for more advice. The extra hour fine tuning your resume could make all the difference.
Keep this in mind. With the increasing unemployment, that will mean more supply of job candidates seeking new jobs and less available jobs. This is more of a reason to take the time to get your resume right. Good luck.
With all of the wealth of information available to us via the Internet, it seems we still aren't taking the proper time to better educate ourselves with regard to creating our resumes. People... sending a resume that screams that you could care less how to create a proper resume is exactly the formula that recruiters or hiring managers look for to advance that resume directly to the trash.
Though there is no definitive blueprint for creating a resume, there are specific guidelines that are constant. Below are just a few guidelines that you really should strongly consider when creating your resume and sending to recruiters and/or hiring managers. But don't stop here. Search the Internet for more advice. The extra hour fine tuning your resume could make all the difference.
- Do not lie. I could write a book on why not, but it just seems too obvious. And if you don't know why you shouldn't lie, then I probably cannot help you out. Here is a link to a previous blog I wrote that may help. Believe me, recruiters and hiring managers will Google you. So, you should also Google yourself, checking for any digital dirt that may come up about you. What is digital dirt? Click here for another blog I wrote explaining.
- Proof your resumes for spelling and grammatical errors. A resume with spelling or grammatical errors is another sign of laziness and carelessness towards something important - your career.
- Spare the details. Too much detail is not a good thing either. Spare the micro-details and boasting. Stick to the highlights.
- Spare the outdated details as well. Your high school activities and accolades may not be necessary and add unnecessary fluff to the resume. And job specifics that are more than 10 years old may not be necessary either.
- Carefully explain any work gaps. If you were not employed for any reason for a specific period of time, simply state personal reasons. If your resume makes the cut, a recruiter or hiring manager will ask so be prepared to answer. The resume is not a place to explain a work gap.
- This should be a professional resume, so create a professional resume. What I mean by that is make sure the entire resume is professional, including an email address you use. In other words do not use an email address like kegstands07@domainname.com on you resume. If you do not have a professional email address, go get a free one at hotmail.com.
- Include years of graduation with your higher education areas. When you do not provide this, it can be a reason to move on to the next one in the pile. You have to understand, a recruiter or hiring manager sifts through hundreds of resumes a day sometimes. We sometimes discount a resume for the simplest things.
- Make sure your resume fits the job description you are applying for. If the job description requires, for example, someone with SAP experience and your resume doesn't include experience with SAP, then it very well may get put aside or tossed. Do not just assume just because you have a degree from a good school and are a solid overall individual that it will overshadow the necessity for a company seeking someone with specific experience. Simply and better stated, just make sure your experience meets the job requirements.
- Too much movement can be a red flag. In other words, if you have a new job every 9-12 months, we will wonder why? And sometimes there is good reason. If you have what would be considered more than normal job movement (approximately 3 years at a job on average is average and okay), then you might want to explain in a cover letter, avoiding too much detail on a resume.
- Have references ready. They will be checked. But... we aren't looking for your aunt or neighbor to provide a personal reference. We would rather see one from a former boss or peer. References should be relevant to your job experience.
Keep this in mind. With the increasing unemployment, that will mean more supply of job candidates seeking new jobs and less available jobs. This is more of a reason to take the time to get your resume right. Good luck.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Should You Flood Your Resume Though the Market?
No!
Oh how I would really like to just leave that answer, "No", and not write anything further. But of course, I will need to elaborate to explain why it makes no sense to rush and flood the market with your resume when seeking a new job.
For executive level job seekers, getting your resume in the hands of the best recruiter is paramount. That means getting the resume in the hands of a recruiter who really understands your industry and the market you seek. That means finding a recruiter or agency with the right experience and who have agreements in place with the right clients/companies. That means finding a recruiter or agency with a proven track record and real testimonials to prove it.
The last thing an executive recruiter wants to learn is that a great potential candidate has flooded their resume through the online galaxy. Why? Simply because an executive job recruiter has to work hard and diligently to prepare and promote a candidate. It takes a plethora of cumulative hours completing this laborious task. Just read through my posts to get a good idea of what is involved with real job preparation. When a recruiter completes this work and then later, after the fact, learns that the candidate has already gotten their resume to this client it equates to wasted time. Hence one of the first questions a good recruiter will ask - where have you sent your resume already?
The misconception that a recruiter wants this resume control so that they can control the hire and hence make the fee is downright stupidity for lack of a better way to phrase this notion. Understand that there are oceans of candidates seeking jobs. Good recruiters have access to quality candidates. Understand that good recruiters have strong relationships with their clients. Understand that a good recruiter is somewhat of an extension of a hiring company and therefore a solid bridge to employment within a company.
If your resume is good enough to properly promote yourself, and you are also fortunate enough to capture a hiring manager's attention without the help of a recruiter, then that is great. Nothing wrong with attempting to make a connection on your own. In fact, please do not misunderstand this post. I am by no means indicating that you as a job seeker should not try to promote yourself and attain an job on your own. I am more indicating that it is not a good idea to "flood" the market with your resume using the likes of Monster and CareerBuilder.
To me that would be like spending all your money and not leaving some for when you need it. Eh, perhaps not a good analogy I know. In other words if you are not fortunate enough to connect yourself to a job and then you revert to using a recruiter, you may not be on the top of a recruiter's list if he or she knows your resume is broadcast in every direction already.
One additional final comment. If you are still confused or not in full belief, then try the reversal. Try using a good recruiter. If you need help finding one - read this. If after a given period of time, let's say two weeks, you do not feel like progress is being made, then try to connect with companies - but one at a time. And please, do not post your resume on Monster or CareerBuilder arbitrarily.
Oh how I would really like to just leave that answer, "No", and not write anything further. But of course, I will need to elaborate to explain why it makes no sense to rush and flood the market with your resume when seeking a new job.
For executive level job seekers, getting your resume in the hands of the best recruiter is paramount. That means getting the resume in the hands of a recruiter who really understands your industry and the market you seek. That means finding a recruiter or agency with the right experience and who have agreements in place with the right clients/companies. That means finding a recruiter or agency with a proven track record and real testimonials to prove it.
The last thing an executive recruiter wants to learn is that a great potential candidate has flooded their resume through the online galaxy. Why? Simply because an executive job recruiter has to work hard and diligently to prepare and promote a candidate. It takes a plethora of cumulative hours completing this laborious task. Just read through my posts to get a good idea of what is involved with real job preparation. When a recruiter completes this work and then later, after the fact, learns that the candidate has already gotten their resume to this client it equates to wasted time. Hence one of the first questions a good recruiter will ask - where have you sent your resume already?
The misconception that a recruiter wants this resume control so that they can control the hire and hence make the fee is downright stupidity for lack of a better way to phrase this notion. Understand that there are oceans of candidates seeking jobs. Good recruiters have access to quality candidates. Understand that good recruiters have strong relationships with their clients. Understand that a good recruiter is somewhat of an extension of a hiring company and therefore a solid bridge to employment within a company.
If your resume is good enough to properly promote yourself, and you are also fortunate enough to capture a hiring manager's attention without the help of a recruiter, then that is great. Nothing wrong with attempting to make a connection on your own. In fact, please do not misunderstand this post. I am by no means indicating that you as a job seeker should not try to promote yourself and attain an job on your own. I am more indicating that it is not a good idea to "flood" the market with your resume using the likes of Monster and CareerBuilder.
To me that would be like spending all your money and not leaving some for when you need it. Eh, perhaps not a good analogy I know. In other words if you are not fortunate enough to connect yourself to a job and then you revert to using a recruiter, you may not be on the top of a recruiter's list if he or she knows your resume is broadcast in every direction already.
One additional final comment. If you are still confused or not in full belief, then try the reversal. Try using a good recruiter. If you need help finding one - read this. If after a given period of time, let's say two weeks, you do not feel like progress is being made, then try to connect with companies - but one at a time. And please, do not post your resume on Monster or CareerBuilder arbitrarily.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Recession Proof Jobs?
Wow, I am somewhat astonished at how bad things are progressing with our economy. The S&P under 800 today. Goodness. The Dow and NASDAQ appear to be at a free-fall and are now at levels we haven't seen in nearly a decade. We Americans took it square on the chin big time. The wealth stripped from a great majority of us Americans is staggering at this point. This recession seems to be bridging into a depression. We are all in this together for certain. Put your seat belts on and please, plan and prepare.
As I closely watch the jobs data unfold, I am now more inclined than ever to take notice in jobs that are seemingly recession proof - if that is possible. Also, while we all hear on a daily basis the geographic areas that are hit the hardest, I am researching areas of the U.S. that have been hit the least - if that is possible.
What I continue to find is that the health care industry can be a safe haven of sorts in terms of career stability.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Current Employment Statistics, the health care sector overall has grown by 363,000 jobs thus far in 2008, thus making it the largest industry in the United States, accounting for 13.5 million jobs. Further more, analysis suggests that the health care sector will generate 3 million new jobs by 2016, more than any other industry. Obviously baby boomers are a leading factor to this growth.
For those of you looking to either embark on a new career or looking for a career to focus your education on, what may be intriguing to you is that most positions will require less than four years of college education. For example Registered Nurses, Health Information Technicians, Dental Hygienists, and Health Service Managers (a.k.a. Health Care Administrators).
My search continues with regard to another safe industry in terms of career stability. For now, health care seems to be the most stable industry. Time will tell.
So where are the best performing cities in the U.S. with regard to job growth? Fortunately for me, since we have one of our offices there is #2 on the list - Raleigh, NC. Here is the list of the top 25. Certainly worth a look.
Again, readers, plan and prepare. At this point it is critical and our future depends on it now more than ever.
As I closely watch the jobs data unfold, I am now more inclined than ever to take notice in jobs that are seemingly recession proof - if that is possible. Also, while we all hear on a daily basis the geographic areas that are hit the hardest, I am researching areas of the U.S. that have been hit the least - if that is possible.
What I continue to find is that the health care industry can be a safe haven of sorts in terms of career stability.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Current Employment Statistics, the health care sector overall has grown by 363,000 jobs thus far in 2008, thus making it the largest industry in the United States, accounting for 13.5 million jobs. Further more, analysis suggests that the health care sector will generate 3 million new jobs by 2016, more than any other industry. Obviously baby boomers are a leading factor to this growth.
For those of you looking to either embark on a new career or looking for a career to focus your education on, what may be intriguing to you is that most positions will require less than four years of college education. For example Registered Nurses, Health Information Technicians, Dental Hygienists, and Health Service Managers (a.k.a. Health Care Administrators).
My search continues with regard to another safe industry in terms of career stability. For now, health care seems to be the most stable industry. Time will tell.
So where are the best performing cities in the U.S. with regard to job growth? Fortunately for me, since we have one of our offices there is #2 on the list - Raleigh, NC. Here is the list of the top 25. Certainly worth a look.
Again, readers, plan and prepare. At this point it is critical and our future depends on it now more than ever.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
More Bad Economic News...
Well, evidently we are now looking to bailout the auto industry? I wonder if my own business fails, if I can apply for bailout money? I don't want to get on a soapbox about politics here, believe me. But I cant help wonder the impacts of a bailout for the auto industry vs. not bailing them out. I can't help wonder where this ends. I cant help wonder when and where this impact will stop. At what industry? At what geographic location? I cant help wondering a lot these days. Seems to be a growing trend around the nation at this point thanks to our government robbing us blindly. After all, this is the biggest robbery of the century.
With the auto industry specifically, since that is the bailout topic du jour, either way I see it hurting the economy. Nice, a lose-lose situation. We bail them out and we the taxpayers will pay. We don't bail them out and people are without jobs which will push up the unemployment rate further, deepen consumer confidence and hence negatively impact the economy overall as well. To me, the metric would be what is the better longer term effect?
We cant get hung up in this rut. Sure, it's easy for me to say - I haven't lost my job. But that doesn't mean I am not fearful. I have a family to feed and can't create a crutch for me to rely on. I have to rely on myself, preparing and planning. After all, I am the CEO of my family.
So the question I guess would be, what if I did lose my job? What would I do? If you read my blog you might guess most of what I would do to attain my next job.
I would find ways to remain confident in myself. There is always a way, when there is a will, right? You pick the pieces up and you move on. You have to. You discover openings and you enter. This is Darwinism of sorts. The strongest survive. If we are all equal, then we all have an equal chance to be the strongest.
Yes, times are extremely difficult right now, but it is also very strange to me. I mean, JTL has had the best month this fiscal year in October which coincidentally was probably the worst economic month for the US economy in my lifetime. Unemployment is the highest since the mid 1990s. I realize some geographic areas were hit more than others. I realize that some industries were hurt more than others. But I also realize that companies are hiring.
Heck, just go to Monster.com or Careerbuilder.com and look for yourselves. I know I despise those sites but just take a peak and see that there are lots of available jobs across the US.
Look, have some faith. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Grab the bull by the horns. Figure this out. You can do it if you want. Trust me everyone of you/us that has been hurt has at least someone else who has been hurt much harder.
This disaster will pass.
For those looking to start over, get yourself organized. Need help? Reach out for us at JTL and see if we can help. Obviously we cant help everyone, but we can help some. So give it a chance.
Oh yeah, what would I do if I lost my job? Here are the top 10 items I would have on my list:
With the auto industry specifically, since that is the bailout topic du jour, either way I see it hurting the economy. Nice, a lose-lose situation. We bail them out and we the taxpayers will pay. We don't bail them out and people are without jobs which will push up the unemployment rate further, deepen consumer confidence and hence negatively impact the economy overall as well. To me, the metric would be what is the better longer term effect?
We cant get hung up in this rut. Sure, it's easy for me to say - I haven't lost my job. But that doesn't mean I am not fearful. I have a family to feed and can't create a crutch for me to rely on. I have to rely on myself, preparing and planning. After all, I am the CEO of my family.
So the question I guess would be, what if I did lose my job? What would I do? If you read my blog you might guess most of what I would do to attain my next job.
I would find ways to remain confident in myself. There is always a way, when there is a will, right? You pick the pieces up and you move on. You have to. You discover openings and you enter. This is Darwinism of sorts. The strongest survive. If we are all equal, then we all have an equal chance to be the strongest.
Yes, times are extremely difficult right now, but it is also very strange to me. I mean, JTL has had the best month this fiscal year in October which coincidentally was probably the worst economic month for the US economy in my lifetime. Unemployment is the highest since the mid 1990s. I realize some geographic areas were hit more than others. I realize that some industries were hurt more than others. But I also realize that companies are hiring.
Heck, just go to Monster.com or Careerbuilder.com and look for yourselves. I know I despise those sites but just take a peak and see that there are lots of available jobs across the US.
Look, have some faith. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Grab the bull by the horns. Figure this out. You can do it if you want. Trust me everyone of you/us that has been hurt has at least someone else who has been hurt much harder.
This disaster will pass.
For those looking to start over, get yourself organized. Need help? Reach out for us at JTL and see if we can help. Obviously we cant help everyone, but we can help some. So give it a chance.
Oh yeah, what would I do if I lost my job? Here are the top 10 items I would have on my list:
- Get my resume organized immediately. That should already be ready since you should always have one prepared.
- Initiate a LinkedIn.com account. That too should already be ready, but if not I would get one organized. Reach for connections and seek recommendations.
- Initiate a FaceBook.com account. Build up my network there. You never know who may know of an open position that may fit.
- Google myself to make sure there is no digital dirt on me. Potential hiring managers will Google me so I want to be prepared.
- Get some letters of recommendations together. Preferably from previous bosses.
- Get copies of my college transcripts.
- Get a suit together and prepared and have ready to go at all times.
- Try to put together a one minute video giving summary highlights of my education, experience and past accomplishments.
- Find two or three good local recruiters that understand my industry and that have had years of success hiring in my industry.
- Call them. I would not send my resume out of the gate. I would talk to them first to find the one I like the best.
What I wouldn't do? Throw my resume on Monster or Careerbuilder. Read my blog. There is a plethora of information about why I would advise against this.
Stay strong!
Turn Off Your TV
Ok, now that the election is over and we have a new President elect, it’s time to look for opportunities. If you’re spending you time watching the news rehash itself with the same half dozen headlines over and over, then you’re quite frankly leaving yourself behind the eight ball.
October was our best month of the fiscal year and to add to that the month of November is shaping up just as nice. Can I explain this in how it relates to the economy? No, I cannot. All I can say is that, while the news showcases a down market for jobs, there are still great opportunities out there and we are working on finding them.
JTL Services, Inc. works on jobs that pay from $65K and up. So far we have been fortunate enough to have not seen this $65K and up market affected in any way by the souring economy. In fact, throughout 2008 we have seen companies hire, and hiring quickly. Many have been hiring after the first interview. We have not seen that activity since 2001. If you have a concern about your present job then give one of our recruiters a call and let us explain in detail how we can help you with your career. Keep in mind that JTL is a national search firm and has expert recruiters that specialize in most verticals.
October was our best month of the fiscal year and to add to that the month of November is shaping up just as nice. Can I explain this in how it relates to the economy? No, I cannot. All I can say is that, while the news showcases a down market for jobs, there are still great opportunities out there and we are working on finding them.
JTL Services, Inc. works on jobs that pay from $65K and up. So far we have been fortunate enough to have not seen this $65K and up market affected in any way by the souring economy. In fact, throughout 2008 we have seen companies hire, and hiring quickly. Many have been hiring after the first interview. We have not seen that activity since 2001. If you have a concern about your present job then give one of our recruiters a call and let us explain in detail how we can help you with your career. Keep in mind that JTL is a national search firm and has expert recruiters that specialize in most verticals.
Monday, October 27, 2008
What Kind of Recruiter Do I Need?
Though I could write a novel on this subject, I have condensed the answer first by illustrating the three kinds of recruiters that are out there and thus leaving the answer to you the reader. And I would strongly recommend asking a recruiter which one they are before making a decision on which recruiter you want working for you.
The first kind of recruiter is one that works strictly with job candidates (job seekers).
The second kind of recruiter is one that works strictly with clients to get job orders.
And the third kind of recruiter is one that works with both candidates and clients. The term widely used to define this type of recruiter is a "Full Desk Recruiter".
JTL employs full desk recruiters only. And we opt for these recruiters for what we consider to be very good and important reasons. But before I explain why let me first differentiate this type of recruiter by highlighting the other two types of recruiters.
A recruiter that works strictly with candidates is doing nothing more than bringing people in to their own interviews in an effort to build up a database of potential job candidates. We basically call that data collection or data mining. The essential negative about this is that once this type of recruiter has you in their database, they really can’t do anything further to assist with your job search after they have met you. They can’t promote you to their clients because they don’t have any clients. In essence they again add you to their database and then simply hope that you will come up in a search that someone else is doing.
The second kind of recruiter is one whose primary focus is to build client relationships. Their job is to establish relationships and to get open job orders to work on. What is really tough about this one is that, as a recruiter, your reputation is on the line every time you submit a candidate. What you are in essence doing is putting your vote of confidence and endorsing an individual that you have a resume for and feel would be a good fit for an open job order.
The real problem with this is that you haven’t actually met the job candidate. They are simply sourcing resumes from a database of candidates that have been interviewed by the first kind of recruiter listed above. So they find open job orders, and then they search a database of potential candidates. In my humble opinion, and you bed the judge, this is just as bad as posting your resume on an Internet job board. This is like sending your resume into a company because you saw an ad where you are now hoping that someone at the company will look at your resume and then determine if your resume speaks to the job. And who is doing that function? Read through some of my previous blog posts to better understand why this is just not the best way to find a job.
The third and final type, again the type that JTL employees. is what we feel works best for all parties involved in this process - that is, the client, and the candidate. It is imperative that this type of recruiter really learns as much about his candidates as possible before presenting them to their client(s). This is a much longer process that requires spending time listening to a candidate and to better understand their life goals. It entails getting to know what it is that excites them and what precisely may be prompting them to seek a new or different job.
It is important for this type of recruiter to really determine if a given candidate is good for a given client's open job order. A simple resume just doesn't do this and that is a reality. A candidate’s resume shows qualification and nothing more. In fact, most of the time even that needs to be explained!
As a full desk recruiter there is nothing more exciting than meeting a quality job candidate, learning about them, and then promoting them to clients you have built a relationship with over years of working with them and their companies. A good recruiter isn't just about connecting someone looking for a job to some company looking to fill a job. That's precisely why good recruiters or recruiting firms have been around a while and have many, even hundreds of clients and many real testimonials.
So, I urge you to ask these questions to your recruiter. Spend the time to better understand which recruiter you need to help promote you in finding a new job.
Monday, October 20, 2008
How Many Recruiters Should I Have Working For Me?
From time to time candidates actually ask this question. I do have a simple answer that I generally respond with. And actually it isn't really an answer, but rather a question. It is, how many primary care physicians do you have? Or the other one I use is when you are marketing your home, how many realtors do you use? And finally, I sometimes use my infamous sports agent analogy - how many agents does a professional athlete need? Of course, I use these rhetorical questions to make my point.
The reality with job recruiting though is how many opinions do you need in order to feel comfortable? Some people feel that they need to hear what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. Does that make sense?
To be honest, I’m not as much into making sense to everyone as I am into making dollars. I've learned that there is no sufficient answer to most questions that would suffice all parties. So in short, I am short, with people who just cant understand the simplicity of using one great, professional, successful recruiter/recruiting agency.
So for those who I was, in the past, short with in my answer to your question, I wanted to elaborate ever so slightly. Honestly I just wanted something I could point people to when they ask so that I am 1) not having to repeat the same answer all the time and 2) not perceived as some pompous jerk.
In today's market you really only need one recruiter who is going to help you land that next opportunity. I have decided to actually blog a few more upcoming articles to support why you want one solid recruiter. What you need to do as a candidate is to do your due diligence to make sure that the recruiter/firm you are using is a creditable recruiter/firm.
The best advice I could give you when working with a recruiter is to be open and honest and make sure that the claims they make can be backed up. Remember that the cream always rises to the top and the sludge always sinks to the bottom.
The reality with job recruiting though is how many opinions do you need in order to feel comfortable? Some people feel that they need to hear what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. Does that make sense?
To be honest, I’m not as much into making sense to everyone as I am into making dollars. I've learned that there is no sufficient answer to most questions that would suffice all parties. So in short, I am short, with people who just cant understand the simplicity of using one great, professional, successful recruiter/recruiting agency.
So for those who I was, in the past, short with in my answer to your question, I wanted to elaborate ever so slightly. Honestly I just wanted something I could point people to when they ask so that I am 1) not having to repeat the same answer all the time and 2) not perceived as some pompous jerk.
In today's market you really only need one recruiter who is going to help you land that next opportunity. I have decided to actually blog a few more upcoming articles to support why you want one solid recruiter. What you need to do as a candidate is to do your due diligence to make sure that the recruiter/firm you are using is a creditable recruiter/firm.
- Make sure that the company/recruiting firm is not someone trying to create this image of being something they are not. Ask for a list of some of their existing clients and check into them. Ask for client references.
- Make sure it’s not someone with a home address listed as their corporate office. I am not saying that you can't be a good recruiter out of your home. The fact is, you can. But if the recruiting agency you are using is a one-person operation - it begs the question of how can they do everything by themselves. Good recruiting takes a team marketing effort and team strategy by and large.
- Check with your state to ensure that they are indeed a licensed business with proper licenses and the legal ability to actually do business in that state.
- Make sure that they have proper insurance coverages to protect themselves and you.
- Verify their professional claims listed in their company bio and personal bios. For example, if a company says they have been recruiting for 15 years, verify it.
- Make sure that their website uses the latest technology and not some totally created by some over-the-weekend website builder. You may ask why on this one. Why would that matter. In short, because it shows their investment back into their own business. It can be a signal of their business's success or longevity.
- Find out how long some of their staff has been with the agency. Having a staff or recruiters that have been with the company for years is a strong signal of a successful firm.
The best advice I could give you when working with a recruiter is to be open and honest and make sure that the claims they make can be backed up. Remember that the cream always rises to the top and the sludge always sinks to the bottom.
Monday, September 29, 2008
No Pinochios Please
Lying on your resume is just NOT the solution to shortcomings or a light resume!
Especially in today's day where information is so easily at our fingertips with nothing but a computer and an Internet connection - you know, the two items that are in almost every household in America today?
Though times are changing with respect to connecting job candidates to hiring managers, the resume is still the most productive job search tool that you carry in your job search arsenal. It is in most cases a hiring manager's or recruiter's first (virtual) impression.
When a hiring manager or recruiter does their initial research on a prospective candidate and finds fiction or embellishments on the resume, they tend to discard the resume entirely. Believe me, this happens and the trend is occurring more frequently this past year than ever before. It is getting very competitive out there for other reasons that just a slowing up economy. You have to be up-to-date with new media ways to connect with a hiring manager. Of course, this is just another reason to use a job recruiter who already may have many hiring manager's ears on a daily basis.
But lying or even bending the truth slightly is just not a good way to get your resume to the top of the pile.
Resumes are being presented to hiring managers and recruiters via new technology mechanisms that allow for us to search through resumes very quickly using keyword relevance found within a resume. So if you want to stick out from the rest, just enhance your resume with keywords that may be specific to a job you are applying for. That may mean having multiple versions of your resume. However, as aforementioned, the idea is not to embellish or turn into a Pinocchio.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Oh Boy! Some Rough Times Just May Get Even Rougher!
Well there goes the neighborhood. Goodness gracious, I mean, can we be in any more of an economical crisis in this country? Actually, please don't answer that, as I fear we actually can and just may in the unfortunate short term.
Evidently, if you sift through the reality, we are really, as a nation, bankrupt or on the verge of bankruptcy. And I don't mean to sound over-pessimistic, but this is gone from bad to sad. Shame on the SEC as a whole. And we can blame both parties as this is a bi-partisan issue. But I don't want this blog entry to digress into politics. We get enough of that these days.
What will be interesting is to see how the upcoming holiday season turns in relations to the markets overall. The upcoming holiday season is supposedly the only time of year where retail makes money. It's the time of year where large retail can escape out of the red and into the black. And coincidently the time of year where we should all feel blessed and thankfull for all that we have. I smell a very troublesome Q4 coming - as if it weren't already here.
Well, how does this relate to my blog about the job market? That should be obvious. But I actually wanted to write about something a friend of mine had seen in NYC yesterday that I touched on lightly a few months back. Remember, when I wrote about The Ultimate Job Board?
Well, yesterday a friend of mine had a meeting in Manahattan, NY. He was simply blown away by what he had seen. He saw, in rather large amounts, exectutives in sharp suits with signs around their necks asking for money or jobs. Many had signs asking for $20 to help them and their family make rent for the month. Just so sad. They seemingly had it all and just like that they become desparate for as little as $20. OMG! Just terrible.
This is just more mounting evidence that today you are not secure anywhere in terms of a career. You have to always be prepared and ready to market yourselves. If you haven't already, I urge you to do the following three things, starting right now:
And in the meantime, let's all remember this time of trouble and put it in the back of our minds for next time we get complacent with spending, our jobs, our family nest eggs, our investments, etc.
I really hope that at some point my blog postings can get to a point where I can tout some good things about our economy and jobs. But... with all of this horrible news about the economy I have to tell you. There are still job orders coming in just about every day. Don't be fooled into being negative. When there is a will, there is always a way. You have to be in prepared and in control of your own destiny.
Evidently, if you sift through the reality, we are really, as a nation, bankrupt or on the verge of bankruptcy. And I don't mean to sound over-pessimistic, but this is gone from bad to sad. Shame on the SEC as a whole. And we can blame both parties as this is a bi-partisan issue. But I don't want this blog entry to digress into politics. We get enough of that these days.
What will be interesting is to see how the upcoming holiday season turns in relations to the markets overall. The upcoming holiday season is supposedly the only time of year where retail makes money. It's the time of year where large retail can escape out of the red and into the black. And coincidently the time of year where we should all feel blessed and thankfull for all that we have. I smell a very troublesome Q4 coming - as if it weren't already here.
Well, how does this relate to my blog about the job market? That should be obvious. But I actually wanted to write about something a friend of mine had seen in NYC yesterday that I touched on lightly a few months back. Remember, when I wrote about The Ultimate Job Board?
Well, yesterday a friend of mine had a meeting in Manahattan, NY. He was simply blown away by what he had seen. He saw, in rather large amounts, exectutives in sharp suits with signs around their necks asking for money or jobs. Many had signs asking for $20 to help them and their family make rent for the month. Just so sad. They seemingly had it all and just like that they become desparate for as little as $20. OMG! Just terrible.
This is just more mounting evidence that today you are not secure anywhere in terms of a career. You have to always be prepared and ready to market yourselves. If you haven't already, I urge you to do the following three things, starting right now:
- Polish up your resume
- Join LinkedIn.com and begin to build your network
- Call a local successful recruiting agency and get connected
And in the meantime, let's all remember this time of trouble and put it in the back of our minds for next time we get complacent with spending, our jobs, our family nest eggs, our investments, etc.
I really hope that at some point my blog postings can get to a point where I can tout some good things about our economy and jobs. But... with all of this horrible news about the economy I have to tell you. There are still job orders coming in just about every day. Don't be fooled into being negative. When there is a will, there is always a way. You have to be in prepared and in control of your own destiny.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Recruiters Make Great Bridges
A recent placed candidate of ours "hated" his previous job. In fact hate may be too kind of a word to use for his description. He had been there for more than five years. In his last year there he decided to explore the possibility of finding a better job with better benefits, better quality work environment, closer to home and more rewarding overall.
He spent months using the plethora of online job boards to find open positions that seemed to fit his skill set. He sent his resume countless times using online job board systems and direct emails at local companies he wished to obtain a position with. Nothing. Not a phonecall, nor an email response. It frustrated him. He couldn't understand why.
When he finally found our website online (http://www.jtlservices.com), he decided to give us a shot. He sent an email with his resume and I reached for him later that day. He immediately voiced his frustrations. I could feel his tenseness. I could sense his aprehensiveness to using a recruiter. I could understand his slight feelings of hopelessness. And I told him - I could help.
I quickly explained to him the many benefits of a using a job recruiter. Within minutes he admittedly explained that he completely viewed a recruiter as an obstacle but realized he was wrong in that assumption.
What did I tell him? What I always practice and preach - I constantly and consistently repeat what should be obvious but nevertheless gets masked by misconception.
Here is the reality -
He spent months using the plethora of online job boards to find open positions that seemed to fit his skill set. He sent his resume countless times using online job board systems and direct emails at local companies he wished to obtain a position with. Nothing. Not a phonecall, nor an email response. It frustrated him. He couldn't understand why.
When he finally found our website online (http://www.jtlservices.com), he decided to give us a shot. He sent an email with his resume and I reached for him later that day. He immediately voiced his frustrations. I could feel his tenseness. I could sense his aprehensiveness to using a recruiter. I could understand his slight feelings of hopelessness. And I told him - I could help.
I quickly explained to him the many benefits of a using a job recruiter. Within minutes he admittedly explained that he completely viewed a recruiter as an obstacle but realized he was wrong in that assumption.
What did I tell him? What I always practice and preach - I constantly and consistently repeat what should be obvious but nevertheless gets masked by misconception.
Here is the reality -
- Recruiters have existing relationships.
- Recruiters seek quality talent.
- Recruiters prepare and promote candidates.
- Recruiters place candidates.
- Recruiters make great bridges from candidates to clients
And recruiters dont get paid unless they do this. It is really that simple.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Will Obama's Marketing Machine Win Him The Job?
Talk about wanting and then orchestrating a magnificent force to landing a job...
The DNC is over! And what a spectacle it was with Ted Kennedy making a surprise appearance, Michelle Obama humanizing Barack, Joe Biden making his case, Hillary Clinton promoting (even if only for the evening) unity in the party, and former president Bill Clinton praising (even if only for the evening) Obama's candidacy.
And what an open book strategy by President Clinton it was by the way. I mean, earlier in the day of his speech he essentially makes comments suggesting that Barrack can talk a great game, but questions whether or not he can actually produce and influence the change that America needs. In the same hours before the speech he also makes it public that he will not be present at Barack's acceptance speech on Thursday evening. And then, a mere few hours later in that same day, and like the flip of a light switch, he eloquently comes on stage and praises Barack. He does all of this almost as if to blatantly suggest - he will do what he has to do for the party, but beforehand wanted to make it very clear that he was only doing just that - what he had to do for “his” party. After all, just ask him, it is indeed “his” party.
So President Clinton gives his well received speech to a very delighted and cheerful crowd. He owns the audience and owns the crowd for that moment. He captures and mesmerizes the audience in a fashion that almost no other can. Umm.., “almost” that is.
Because fear not... Barack made a surprise final guest appearance at the closing of that evening on Wednesday to "steal" Clinton's thunder. The blissful crowd seemed on cloud nine at his entrance. Barack was not going to let that night go to Clinton. And he didn't. Genius.
But I digress...
Last night’s finale put things into new perspective for me. I realized that Barack Obama's campaign was very new-media marketing savvy. But I didn't realize what marketing geniuses he and his campaign together actually were. Just look at the show they put together, and the grand-finale of it all last night. In a huge stadium, with thousands, and thousands of people to virally convey his message to their friends, families and co-workers; fireworks to further awe the crowd and remember the magical evening; and an incredible stage almost suggesting he were a Greek god. He clearly wants the job and clearly understands how to promote himself in getting that job to the people (hiring managers, if you will) making the decision.
Barack realizes he has shortcomings in terms of experience on many levels. And he is prodigious at masking that and turning that disadvantage into an opportunity. He speaks powerfully, has an abundance of magnetism, and connects with the audience. He understands the power of viral marketing and realizes the Internet is a powerful interactive marketing medium and includes these variables to a large degree in his efforts at getting this job. He carefully selects the right colors, the right tag lines, and even the right fonts on all his marketing initiatives.
Will he get the job though? Unbelievably, this can actually all come down to personal branding, marketing and promotion.
So what in the world does all this have to do with getting a job?
Throughout my Blog I make many comments and suggestions about personal branding. Unfortunately and much to the denial of many, it isn’t always the sharpest candidate that gets the job. Personality can compensate for shortcomings that can be later learned. Hiring managers get that. What’s of importance is chemistry of a candidate coming into the team.
No, while trying to get that next job you obviously can’t put on a show like the DNC. That really isn’t my point at all. You can however, go into a hiring process with a high level of confidence and communication and personal branding. The Internet provides many means of personal ebranding that are completely free for you to take advantage (like LinkedIn.com).
So on your next interview, be prepared, be confident, smile a lot and make the case that you “are” the chosen person for the specific job. You can do it… Yes You Can!
The DNC is over! And what a spectacle it was with Ted Kennedy making a surprise appearance, Michelle Obama humanizing Barack, Joe Biden making his case, Hillary Clinton promoting (even if only for the evening) unity in the party, and former president Bill Clinton praising (even if only for the evening) Obama's candidacy.
And what an open book strategy by President Clinton it was by the way. I mean, earlier in the day of his speech he essentially makes comments suggesting that Barrack can talk a great game, but questions whether or not he can actually produce and influence the change that America needs. In the same hours before the speech he also makes it public that he will not be present at Barack's acceptance speech on Thursday evening. And then, a mere few hours later in that same day, and like the flip of a light switch, he eloquently comes on stage and praises Barack. He does all of this almost as if to blatantly suggest - he will do what he has to do for the party, but beforehand wanted to make it very clear that he was only doing just that - what he had to do for “his” party. After all, just ask him, it is indeed “his” party.
So President Clinton gives his well received speech to a very delighted and cheerful crowd. He owns the audience and owns the crowd for that moment. He captures and mesmerizes the audience in a fashion that almost no other can. Umm.., “almost” that is.
Because fear not... Barack made a surprise final guest appearance at the closing of that evening on Wednesday to "steal" Clinton's thunder. The blissful crowd seemed on cloud nine at his entrance. Barack was not going to let that night go to Clinton. And he didn't. Genius.
But I digress...
Last night’s finale put things into new perspective for me. I realized that Barack Obama's campaign was very new-media marketing savvy. But I didn't realize what marketing geniuses he and his campaign together actually were. Just look at the show they put together, and the grand-finale of it all last night. In a huge stadium, with thousands, and thousands of people to virally convey his message to their friends, families and co-workers; fireworks to further awe the crowd and remember the magical evening; and an incredible stage almost suggesting he were a Greek god. He clearly wants the job and clearly understands how to promote himself in getting that job to the people (hiring managers, if you will) making the decision.
Barack realizes he has shortcomings in terms of experience on many levels. And he is prodigious at masking that and turning that disadvantage into an opportunity. He speaks powerfully, has an abundance of magnetism, and connects with the audience. He understands the power of viral marketing and realizes the Internet is a powerful interactive marketing medium and includes these variables to a large degree in his efforts at getting this job. He carefully selects the right colors, the right tag lines, and even the right fonts on all his marketing initiatives.
Will he get the job though? Unbelievably, this can actually all come down to personal branding, marketing and promotion.
So what in the world does all this have to do with getting a job?
Throughout my Blog I make many comments and suggestions about personal branding. Unfortunately and much to the denial of many, it isn’t always the sharpest candidate that gets the job. Personality can compensate for shortcomings that can be later learned. Hiring managers get that. What’s of importance is chemistry of a candidate coming into the team.
No, while trying to get that next job you obviously can’t put on a show like the DNC. That really isn’t my point at all. You can however, go into a hiring process with a high level of confidence and communication and personal branding. The Internet provides many means of personal ebranding that are completely free for you to take advantage (like LinkedIn.com).
So on your next interview, be prepared, be confident, smile a lot and make the case that you “are” the chosen person for the specific job. You can do it… Yes You Can!
Monday, August 11, 2008
No Recruiter, No Big Job?
While I can't say that this is fact and with no deviation, I can put the challenge of this thought to the test by simply asking around. Here's the test - find 10 people that earn $100K or more and ask if they used a job recruiter to help them land that job. Now, the harder part of this test may be to find 10 people we know making over $100K, but just ask the one or two we may be able to find and their answers may help generalize the results for you. You get the point :)
I am sure geographic location, and job industry as well as several other variables come into play here so I dont want to oversimplfy. But there is some compelling truth to the notion that having a recruiter can help land a better job.
I seem to learn more and more every week on why we need a good job recruiter to help us find a great job. And much of this learning is summarized is documented in previous posts. But, what it all boils down to is marketing and sometimes more importantly - marketing channels.
With the Internet and its seemingly never-ending growth of newly launched social networks and interactive personal e-branding sites, marketing ourselves has never been easier. In the past, we simply relied on a resume as the single most important tool to landing us a job. And now that we can showcase our digitized resumes in interactive mediums over the Internet, it would seem that this would help us aquire that next great new job on our own. Easier said than done.
Why is that you ask? I mean why can't we market ourselves using the Internet and find that next great new job on our own? Well, we can. But like all marketing, what good is creating an ad or markating campaign if noone will ever see it? Let me help with an analogy.
You see, if you were going to sell your home, it may seem easier and cheaper to sell it on your own. And while you could accomplish this, it is still widely believed and understood that selling your home through a realtor is still better. And many statistics will prove that it is certainly faster.
The reality is that the marketing is great but the marketing channel is essential. In the case of selling your home, you need the realtor as they are very skilled at where to market your home. Heck, they may already have a client that is looking for your exact home? They have a network of clients amongst other assets they bring to the table that can help. There really is no difference with a recruiter.
The recruiter has in many cases, years or relationships with hiring mangers. They may already know where to place you as soon as they see your resume. They are the marketing channel to a hiring manager that you need and more than likely can't bridge to on your own.
So I am not saying you need a recruiter to find your next great job. But will it hurt to try? Isn't it worth putting most of the job searching functions in someone else's hands. Unbelievably, the recruiter does most of the work getting you your interview and negotiating on your behalf - at no cost to you. Makes sense, no?
I am sure geographic location, and job industry as well as several other variables come into play here so I dont want to oversimplfy. But there is some compelling truth to the notion that having a recruiter can help land a better job.
I seem to learn more and more every week on why we need a good job recruiter to help us find a great job. And much of this learning is summarized is documented in previous posts. But, what it all boils down to is marketing and sometimes more importantly - marketing channels.
With the Internet and its seemingly never-ending growth of newly launched social networks and interactive personal e-branding sites, marketing ourselves has never been easier. In the past, we simply relied on a resume as the single most important tool to landing us a job. And now that we can showcase our digitized resumes in interactive mediums over the Internet, it would seem that this would help us aquire that next great new job on our own. Easier said than done.
Why is that you ask? I mean why can't we market ourselves using the Internet and find that next great new job on our own? Well, we can. But like all marketing, what good is creating an ad or markating campaign if noone will ever see it? Let me help with an analogy.
You see, if you were going to sell your home, it may seem easier and cheaper to sell it on your own. And while you could accomplish this, it is still widely believed and understood that selling your home through a realtor is still better. And many statistics will prove that it is certainly faster.
The reality is that the marketing is great but the marketing channel is essential. In the case of selling your home, you need the realtor as they are very skilled at where to market your home. Heck, they may already have a client that is looking for your exact home? They have a network of clients amongst other assets they bring to the table that can help. There really is no difference with a recruiter.
The recruiter has in many cases, years or relationships with hiring mangers. They may already know where to place you as soon as they see your resume. They are the marketing channel to a hiring manager that you need and more than likely can't bridge to on your own.
So I am not saying you need a recruiter to find your next great job. But will it hurt to try? Isn't it worth putting most of the job searching functions in someone else's hands. Unbelievably, the recruiter does most of the work getting you your interview and negotiating on your behalf - at no cost to you. Makes sense, no?
Friday, July 11, 2008
Clean Up Your Digital Dirt Before Applying For That Job
According to some research out there, more than three-quarters of recruiters and hiring managers are Googling your names to find any digital dirt on you, before considering you for the job. The harsh reality is that it can be these digital daemons that are found that can be the difference in your getting a job or not.
Here is an interesting online article on the topic.
So what unwanted digital dirt am I referring to? Keep in mind what may be "dirty" to one, may not be to another. Belonging to an organization or being affiliated with a certain group may ultimately have an impact on a hiring manager or recruiter – again, the harsh reality. You running a "side business" with a website may lead a hiring manager to think your mind will be elsewhere. And worse, sometimes that website may be old or run by another member of your family (i.e., wife) and the perception is that it is your moonlighting business. And the list goes on as I am sure you can imagine.
What should you do? The first step I recommend is to Google your name. And to be more specific, Google your name with the state abbreviation at the end of the search phrase. And place your name in parenthesis. For example, -- “John Smith” + CT -- The reason to add the state is that there more than likely will be more than one person with your exact name in the world. And the quotations are necessary so that you don’t find every “John” and every “Smith” separately.
If you have never done this before, you may be astounded by the results. The next step would be an attempt to clean anything up that you see as either falsely reported or something you want private. If, for example, you find that your name is included in an article that you have not approved and want it removed, try to find the contact information on the web site’s owner and contact them directly and explain your situation. If you find something that you cannot have removed and that may have a negative impact on your hiring, you may want to be prepared on how to explain yourself and in some cases bring it up first.
You see all of this, I am still learning, leads to my growing understanding that having a job recruiter is necessary these days. Having someone that already has a connection with a hiring manager at an organization you want to be employed at can be critical. A hiring manager may not discuss something they find about you that can be seen as digital dirt, if you even make it to the “prospect” pile. But a hiring manager who has a relationship established with a recruiter may bring it up where they can speak quite openly about these things.
Either way, the bigger point of this post is that in our fast paced, digitally connected world, you need to stay abreast of your personal brand (online). It is becoming more and more important with regard to your career and I strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with these things.
Here is an interesting online article on the topic.
So what unwanted digital dirt am I referring to? Keep in mind what may be "dirty" to one, may not be to another. Belonging to an organization or being affiliated with a certain group may ultimately have an impact on a hiring manager or recruiter – again, the harsh reality. You running a "side business" with a website may lead a hiring manager to think your mind will be elsewhere. And worse, sometimes that website may be old or run by another member of your family (i.e., wife) and the perception is that it is your moonlighting business. And the list goes on as I am sure you can imagine.
What should you do? The first step I recommend is to Google your name. And to be more specific, Google your name with the state abbreviation at the end of the search phrase. And place your name in parenthesis. For example, -- “John Smith” + CT -- The reason to add the state is that there more than likely will be more than one person with your exact name in the world. And the quotations are necessary so that you don’t find every “John” and every “Smith” separately.
If you have never done this before, you may be astounded by the results. The next step would be an attempt to clean anything up that you see as either falsely reported or something you want private. If, for example, you find that your name is included in an article that you have not approved and want it removed, try to find the contact information on the web site’s owner and contact them directly and explain your situation. If you find something that you cannot have removed and that may have a negative impact on your hiring, you may want to be prepared on how to explain yourself and in some cases bring it up first.
You see all of this, I am still learning, leads to my growing understanding that having a job recruiter is necessary these days. Having someone that already has a connection with a hiring manager at an organization you want to be employed at can be critical. A hiring manager may not discuss something they find about you that can be seen as digital dirt, if you even make it to the “prospect” pile. But a hiring manager who has a relationship established with a recruiter may bring it up where they can speak quite openly about these things.
Either way, the bigger point of this post is that in our fast paced, digitally connected world, you need to stay abreast of your personal brand (online). It is becoming more and more important with regard to your career and I strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with these things.
Monday, June 30, 2008
The Ultimate American Job Board
Yes, it's true. Times are tough for many of us. And when times get tough for some hard working Americans, we simply do what needs to be done. The strong don't dwell and create their own obstacles. The strong don't sit around and point fingers, hiding in corners of a round room. The strong... well, use their strengths.
While watching Fox & Friends this morning, I saw the ultimate American job board - literally. I got to hear one of those upper-class, elite intellects who we simply assume are making millions and living like kings and queens, explain that times were tough for him and that he was going to do what needed to be done for himself and his family. I tip my cap to him - Joshua Persky. He was not going to let this control him. He knows there are jobs that are open and he believes he will find one by being creative. And he will. I wouldn't be surprised if he already has received calls and emails.
Check out the video:
There are many points to my writing today. Sure this gentleman is an MIT graduate and certainly must have a great resume. But relatively speaking he isn't that far from many of us regular Americans. He is without a job and needing one to pay his accumulating bills. Heck, his wife and kids were flying to live with his in-laws in Omaha this morning, during this very struggling time. The traditional methods were not working for him - he made calls and tried networking events, but none of this has worked for the past few months. But he fights back. He believes. He uses creativity... which will end up on the Internet. Creativity and the Internet - what two better ingredients to be found, seen and heard.
Good luck Joshua.
While watching Fox & Friends this morning, I saw the ultimate American job board - literally. I got to hear one of those upper-class, elite intellects who we simply assume are making millions and living like kings and queens, explain that times were tough for him and that he was going to do what needed to be done for himself and his family. I tip my cap to him - Joshua Persky. He was not going to let this control him. He knows there are jobs that are open and he believes he will find one by being creative. And he will. I wouldn't be surprised if he already has received calls and emails.
Check out the video:
There are many points to my writing today. Sure this gentleman is an MIT graduate and certainly must have a great resume. But relatively speaking he isn't that far from many of us regular Americans. He is without a job and needing one to pay his accumulating bills. Heck, his wife and kids were flying to live with his in-laws in Omaha this morning, during this very struggling time. The traditional methods were not working for him - he made calls and tried networking events, but none of this has worked for the past few months. But he fights back. He believes. He uses creativity... which will end up on the Internet. Creativity and the Internet - what two better ingredients to be found, seen and heard.
Good luck Joshua.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Free eBook To Help With Your Job & Career Path
Today I was searching around for free eBooks on Careers & Jobs and came across a blogger that I thought was worthwhile enough for me to share with you. The blogger is Louise Flether and the blog is called BlueSkyResumeBlog.com and certainly worth clicking and checking out, especially if you are looking for advice on resume writing.
Remember, in many cases, your resume is the first look at a job candidate and the unfortunate reality is that many resumes get tossed because of very simple mistakes. The harsher reality is that in many cases these tossed resumes are of good, qualified candidates.
Louise offers several free eBooks that I have perused and found to be very credible with very pertinent substance that I strongly recommend downloading and reading. Her eBooks are totally free and even better - she doesn't ask for your name, email or any other information to download the files.
Of the handful of downloadable eBooks she offers, I found her "Insider's Guide To Job Search", a great read. To download this eBook, simply click here.
Here is a look at the table of contents:
Remember, in many cases, your resume is the first look at a job candidate and the unfortunate reality is that many resumes get tossed because of very simple mistakes. The harsher reality is that in many cases these tossed resumes are of good, qualified candidates.
Louise offers several free eBooks that I have perused and found to be very credible with very pertinent substance that I strongly recommend downloading and reading. Her eBooks are totally free and even better - she doesn't ask for your name, email or any other information to download the files.
Of the handful of downloadable eBooks she offers, I found her "Insider's Guide To Job Search", a great read. To download this eBook, simply click here.
Here is a look at the table of contents:
- Looking for That “Dream Job”?
- Career Fear: Friend or Foe?
- The 7 P's of Personal Branding
- Executive Branding Once a Novelty, It’s Now a Necessity in the Fight for Top Executive Jobs
- The “What’s In It For Me” Resume
- An Alternative to the Objective Statement
- Action-Pack Your Resume
- Beyond Google: How To Check Out A Company Online
- Strategies for Executive Networking SUCCESS
- You Got Chocolate In My Peanut Butter: Combining Networking & Online Job Hunting For Better Results
- Rock Your Network®: Create a Branded Sound Bite
- Cold Calling Your Way Into the Executive Suite
- Interview Strategies for Executives
- Nuances of Negotiation
- Baby Boomers – Industry’s Best Kept Secrets!
- Fear Fighting
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Did Friday the 13th Come One Week Early?
By most measures, last Friday was just not a good day at all. Unemployment rose to 5.5% with the largest jump in nearly 20 years. The DOW declined near 400 points and oil went up over $10 per barrel. If it were Friday the 13th, it may have made more sense - the keywords obviously being "may have made sense".
But I have to be honest. Our job requisitions are still growing. Our Raleigh, NC office has seen good growth so far this year and our CT office is also seeing job orders come in on par. Although, the economy portrays all the signs of a recession I don't want to panic. I mean, panic all you want, as I too will do the same about gas prices. I just can't even comment on that anymore as it is all I and others are talking about daily. Just flat out frustrated about it.
And sometimes things can be misleading. I mean, yes, we are receiving job orders on or above par but what I am also noticing is that the closing of job orders may not be as quickly. This is a signal of companies anticipating previous quarterly results to be negative and cause a trickle down effect throughout a company, including new hires. By the same token, if you can market yourself as a treasure, you will be taken like a treasure. It's just not a time to be complacent if you are seeking a job. The jobs are there but you have to be marketed properly and you have to manage the job process (resumes, interviews, etc.) with skill.
So don't be discouraged. Just understand that you have to be more diligent and creative in your efforts regarding acquiring a new job. And let's just hope that the worst is behind us with regards to the economy and move forward.
But I have to be honest. Our job requisitions are still growing. Our Raleigh, NC office has seen good growth so far this year and our CT office is also seeing job orders come in on par. Although, the economy portrays all the signs of a recession I don't want to panic. I mean, panic all you want, as I too will do the same about gas prices. I just can't even comment on that anymore as it is all I and others are talking about daily. Just flat out frustrated about it.
And sometimes things can be misleading. I mean, yes, we are receiving job orders on or above par but what I am also noticing is that the closing of job orders may not be as quickly. This is a signal of companies anticipating previous quarterly results to be negative and cause a trickle down effect throughout a company, including new hires. By the same token, if you can market yourself as a treasure, you will be taken like a treasure. It's just not a time to be complacent if you are seeking a job. The jobs are there but you have to be marketed properly and you have to manage the job process (resumes, interviews, etc.) with skill.
So don't be discouraged. Just understand that you have to be more diligent and creative in your efforts regarding acquiring a new job. And let's just hope that the worst is behind us with regards to the economy and move forward.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
All The Job Interview Prep And Still...
With all of the interview prepration and work getting this guy ready, and he still goes and does something ridiculous.
No, really, this commercial is just too funny not to comment on. I first saw it during the Super Bowl I believe. It relates to some of my posts regarding what not to do during your job interview.
If you haven't seen this yet, please watch and have a laugh. If you've seen it already... heck, see it again. It is worth it.
No, really, this commercial is just too funny not to comment on. I first saw it during the Super Bowl I believe. It relates to some of my posts regarding what not to do during your job interview.
If you haven't seen this yet, please watch and have a laugh. If you've seen it already... heck, see it again. It is worth it.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Work From Home Trends Up
In the not so long ago past if you were browsing Monster.com for a job (more on some dramatic downturn news on monster at the end of this blog), you probably noticed a myriad of work-from-home (what I refer to as) scams. You remember… the make your own hours and earn six-figures working from home in your pajamas. The perfect job where all you had to do to start was merely send $395 for a CD to indoctrinate you on exactly what to do?
With the increasing costs of gas, electricity and other utilities, it turns out that many corporations have been moving in the direction of allowing employees to work-from-home a day or two each week for a while now. And some companies are allowing total work-from-home positions moving forward. Good companies are all about keeping quality talent. If your job is an hour away from home, the price of gas nowadays may be prompting you to look for a new gig. Allowing you to work from him a few days a week may help with this encumbrance.
With the connected world we live in, working from home actually makes good sense. We have everything we need to work in many cases, right from home. Computer, Internet, electricity, our cell phone, printer, online chat, email, etc. Many companies deploy a virtual-private-network from your computer right into the company’s network so that you can access all of the company software you need to fulfill your job requirements.
Today in an article I read on MSN.com – “Fastest Growing Work-at-Home Jobs”, I have found the top 10 work-from-home jobs:
1. Advertising Sales Agents
2. Administrative Assistants
3. Computer Software Engineers
4. Court Reporters
5. Customer Service Representatives
6. Meeting and Convention Planners
7. Market Research Analysts
8. Paralegals
9. Personal Financial Advisors
10. Technical Writers
I am inclined to add an 11th – Job Recruiter. We at JTL have developed a system that allows recruiters to work from home. They can actually be more productive working from home than from an office. We have used the Internet as our backbone to manage and capture most of the recruiting process digitally/electronically. The system is greatly appreciated by our clients, candidates and recruiters alike. In fact, we are looking for other recruiters to add to our staff nationally.
So in the future, as you peruse through online job boards you will notice a growing number of open work-from-home positions. Do not disregard them. They are no longer (for the most part) scams and worth reviewing.
And as far as Monster.com – I promised at the beginning of this post that I would share some more negative news on the not so giant monster. Evidently, there was a 21% decrease in job postings on Monster for May 2008 from May 2007. On a year-over-year basis, postings are down 18%. That is pretty significant.
Monster.com needs to change their business strategy and do so quickly. For years they had much of the market share and a great client/usage base. But in today’s technology driven business world, you have to constantly be thinking about how to change your business to meet the growing technical demands. They, in my opinion, just haven’t done that. And worse, I don’t see any supporting evidence to suggest they are even realistically working on this. Maybe upper management should consider working from home themselves? :)
With the increasing costs of gas, electricity and other utilities, it turns out that many corporations have been moving in the direction of allowing employees to work-from-home a day or two each week for a while now. And some companies are allowing total work-from-home positions moving forward. Good companies are all about keeping quality talent. If your job is an hour away from home, the price of gas nowadays may be prompting you to look for a new gig. Allowing you to work from him a few days a week may help with this encumbrance.
With the connected world we live in, working from home actually makes good sense. We have everything we need to work in many cases, right from home. Computer, Internet, electricity, our cell phone, printer, online chat, email, etc. Many companies deploy a virtual-private-network from your computer right into the company’s network so that you can access all of the company software you need to fulfill your job requirements.
Today in an article I read on MSN.com – “Fastest Growing Work-at-Home Jobs”, I have found the top 10 work-from-home jobs:
1. Advertising Sales Agents
2. Administrative Assistants
3. Computer Software Engineers
4. Court Reporters
5. Customer Service Representatives
6. Meeting and Convention Planners
7. Market Research Analysts
8. Paralegals
9. Personal Financial Advisors
10. Technical Writers
I am inclined to add an 11th – Job Recruiter. We at JTL have developed a system that allows recruiters to work from home. They can actually be more productive working from home than from an office. We have used the Internet as our backbone to manage and capture most of the recruiting process digitally/electronically. The system is greatly appreciated by our clients, candidates and recruiters alike. In fact, we are looking for other recruiters to add to our staff nationally.
So in the future, as you peruse through online job boards you will notice a growing number of open work-from-home positions. Do not disregard them. They are no longer (for the most part) scams and worth reviewing.
And as far as Monster.com – I promised at the beginning of this post that I would share some more negative news on the not so giant monster. Evidently, there was a 21% decrease in job postings on Monster for May 2008 from May 2007. On a year-over-year basis, postings are down 18%. That is pretty significant.
Monster.com needs to change their business strategy and do so quickly. For years they had much of the market share and a great client/usage base. But in today’s technology driven business world, you have to constantly be thinking about how to change your business to meet the growing technical demands. They, in my opinion, just haven’t done that. And worse, I don’t see any supporting evidence to suggest they are even realistically working on this. Maybe upper management should consider working from home themselves? :)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Free Gas Giveaway
You know, when gas went to $3 per gallon, I was not exactly exultant about it, but I didn't complain all that much. Then as it approached $4 per gallon, I started to get a bit frustrated. And now, over this pas weekend, as it cruised past the $4 mark and closer to $4.25 in our local area, I really became irritated. I just can't help feel that we are being taken total advantage of by all parties involved at this point.
It just seems that all we are doing these days are talking about gas prices and how they are affecting other items we purchase with increased prices. Remember the days we used to throw out the old, “not bad weather we’re having”, or “how about them Knicks” for quick conversation intros? Those have been replaced with, “man are these gas prices ridiculous or what”?
With all of this nonsense I thought, why not incorporate this entire dilemma into our approach to attract quality candidates. So I convinced the managing partner of JTL to all our recruiters to offer $1,000.00 worth of FREE GAS as a sign-on bonus for some of our open positions this summer.
So what jobs are we offering this on? If you look through open positions at the JTL Services, Inc. website you will find ones that offer this promotion. Pay particular notice as we are also offering other promotions. For example, we are offering a $5,000 cash bonus on one of our positions already.
In the meantime, let’s all try and be cognizant of our use of gas this summer. Every little bit helps. It was nice to actually see that the people responded by traveling significantly less over this past holiday weekend.
It just seems that all we are doing these days are talking about gas prices and how they are affecting other items we purchase with increased prices. Remember the days we used to throw out the old, “not bad weather we’re having”, or “how about them Knicks” for quick conversation intros? Those have been replaced with, “man are these gas prices ridiculous or what”?
With all of this nonsense I thought, why not incorporate this entire dilemma into our approach to attract quality candidates. So I convinced the managing partner of JTL to all our recruiters to offer $1,000.00 worth of FREE GAS as a sign-on bonus for some of our open positions this summer.
So what jobs are we offering this on? If you look through open positions at the JTL Services, Inc. website you will find ones that offer this promotion. Pay particular notice as we are also offering other promotions. For example, we are offering a $5,000 cash bonus on one of our positions already.
In the meantime, let’s all try and be cognizant of our use of gas this summer. Every little bit helps. It was nice to actually see that the people responded by traveling significantly less over this past holiday weekend.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Another one bites the dust at Monster.com. Jon Trumbull, Chief Accounting Officer says buh-bye. He had been there since 2002, but has followed many others through the exits of what was seemingly once a job board mega haven.
Meanwhile CraigsList.com, which was once only popular in large metro areas, is climbing the ladder of most visited websites each month, ranking much higher than Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com. Sharing in this success trend are the local recruiters who provide a professional and functional web presence.
If you have been reading my Blog, you can see I have no love at all for Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and the many other job boards that just don't understand social networking and its growth into a Monster (no pun intended) of it's own - a Godzilla of sorts.
If you are seeking a new job, I am willing to bet that after about two weeks of searching through Monster and CareerBuilder you will understand that they simply are not the place to be searching. Get a LinkedIn.com account and use some of the other boards like simplyhired.com, or jtlservices.com - if you are in CT or Raleigh area of NC :)
Meanwhile CraigsList.com, which was once only popular in large metro areas, is climbing the ladder of most visited websites each month, ranking much higher than Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com. Sharing in this success trend are the local recruiters who provide a professional and functional web presence.
If you have been reading my Blog, you can see I have no love at all for Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and the many other job boards that just don't understand social networking and its growth into a Monster (no pun intended) of it's own - a Godzilla of sorts.
If you are seeking a new job, I am willing to bet that after about two weeks of searching through Monster and CareerBuilder you will understand that they simply are not the place to be searching. Get a LinkedIn.com account and use some of the other boards like simplyhired.com, or jtlservices.com - if you are in CT or Raleigh area of NC :)
Friday, May 16, 2008
What's the Dilio?
In my seemingly going-nowhere-fast search to better understand the rapidly changing Internet arena for job searches, I have discovered a clandestine revelation. I am not alone!
It seems almost every day there is a new job board or newly surfaced online Web 2.0 service promising to sort it all out and be the de-facto playing field for job seekers. But which ones work is what we all want to know. The jury is out.
From my digging around I can tell you a few things I noticed that are, to be brutally blunt, horrible. Let me explain. A job seeker typically wants to search for jobs that are actually open positions and posted within recent days, and of course meeting their qualifications.
I find, and I could be wrong, that jobs posted in CareerBuilder.com, and Monster.com are either re-posted as new jobs or posted by recruiters looking for talent to add to their databases. This is very troubling to me and our recruiters since we are most interested in placing positions as quickly as possible for our actual open positions. Heck, if we cant place our open positions, we can't stay in business.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the necessity of building a talent pool. But I also understand there is a better way to accomplish this task. We, for one, keep open lines of e-communications with our placements. After all, it is they that can provide the best possible network to available talent. They have friends, family, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers that in essence become our virtual talent pool.
Thankfully, people are intelligent and quickly learning the hidden tricks of many job boards and turning to a more local, quality and successful job recruiters.
My message to many would be to be careful of relying on Monster.com and/or CareerBuilder.com if you are seeking a job. I am not saying you can't find an open position and actually get a good job by using them. I am more saying to open up to other avenues at locating your next job.
It seems almost every day there is a new job board or newly surfaced online Web 2.0 service promising to sort it all out and be the de-facto playing field for job seekers. But which ones work is what we all want to know. The jury is out.
From my digging around I can tell you a few things I noticed that are, to be brutally blunt, horrible. Let me explain. A job seeker typically wants to search for jobs that are actually open positions and posted within recent days, and of course meeting their qualifications.
I find, and I could be wrong, that jobs posted in CareerBuilder.com, and Monster.com are either re-posted as new jobs or posted by recruiters looking for talent to add to their databases. This is very troubling to me and our recruiters since we are most interested in placing positions as quickly as possible for our actual open positions. Heck, if we cant place our open positions, we can't stay in business.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the necessity of building a talent pool. But I also understand there is a better way to accomplish this task. We, for one, keep open lines of e-communications with our placements. After all, it is they that can provide the best possible network to available talent. They have friends, family, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers that in essence become our virtual talent pool.
Thankfully, people are intelligent and quickly learning the hidden tricks of many job boards and turning to a more local, quality and successful job recruiters.
My message to many would be to be careful of relying on Monster.com and/or CareerBuilder.com if you are seeking a job. I am not saying you can't find an open position and actually get a good job by using them. I am more saying to open up to other avenues at locating your next job.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Do You Really Hate Your Job?
Are you tied of giving dishonest answers to friends and family about how your job is going? Are you tired of allowing your miserable job to negatively effect other areas of your life? Are you tired of being in future financial fear not knowing where the company you work for is heading?
It sounds so easy - if you hate your job that much, then quit! Oh, but quite the contrary indeed. It just isn't that easy for many. And I would know.
I worked at a place nearly 10 years before I could muster enough testosterone to walk away. And hate might be too weak of a word for how I felt working there. Especially the last year that I was there. It wasn't any of my co-workers that I disliked. It wasn't necessarily the owner of the company that I disliked. In fact, the people there might have been a variable that kept me there so long. It was just the fact that I knew the long term outcome of my being there. I knew that I was wasting talents and skills that I could use to flourish elsewhere. I was there under false promises and a self-inflicted false reality. But enough about that as just the thought of my wasteful existence there for so long begins to increase my blood pressure.
The reality for many people is that they feel they simply can't quit their jobs that they despise so much. They manufacture a myriad of obstacles believing they can't do better elsewhere. When you boil these obstacles down however, it is simply fear that remains as a constant with each of these reasons to not leave the job.
And it is this fear that may creep up on you years later when your options may be minimized. Why not open up some options and give yourself a chance at bettering your overall life? When people legitimately hate their job, it typically effects many other aspects of their lives in a negative fashion. Why subject yourselves to this?
Have some confidence in the notion that when you are proactive, things can fall in your lap. When you work towards a dream with passion and conviction and use some planning, common sense and intelligence, it can pay off. And in many cases it does. Think of all the people out there who are successful. Do you believe they are successful for some reason other than their drive at being successful? When you sit and wait for things to happen, you get old.
Reassess your career and determine if it is something that you are happy or even "OK" with. If you really do hate your job then please work towards fixing that problem. I wouldn't say to just quit and walk away, but certainly consider creating a plan of action to put yourself in a better place. I did. And it continues to pay off every day.
Stay tuned, as this is a real topic of interest to me and I want to Blog about how to better position yourself and your career by continously branding yourself. It's really not as difficult as it may sound. Again, more information about this to come.
And really if you are miserable or don't really know if you are miserable, don't just take my word on the topic. There are many resources out there to back up my comments. There is also a book that can be seen at this link that is worth a read.
As always, if you need any career assistance, please consider JTL Services, Inc. We have over 600 clients and thousands of candidates and have been doing this for nearly a decade.
http://www.jtlservices.com/
It sounds so easy - if you hate your job that much, then quit! Oh, but quite the contrary indeed. It just isn't that easy for many. And I would know.
I worked at a place nearly 10 years before I could muster enough testosterone to walk away. And hate might be too weak of a word for how I felt working there. Especially the last year that I was there. It wasn't any of my co-workers that I disliked. It wasn't necessarily the owner of the company that I disliked. In fact, the people there might have been a variable that kept me there so long. It was just the fact that I knew the long term outcome of my being there. I knew that I was wasting talents and skills that I could use to flourish elsewhere. I was there under false promises and a self-inflicted false reality. But enough about that as just the thought of my wasteful existence there for so long begins to increase my blood pressure.
The reality for many people is that they feel they simply can't quit their jobs that they despise so much. They manufacture a myriad of obstacles believing they can't do better elsewhere. When you boil these obstacles down however, it is simply fear that remains as a constant with each of these reasons to not leave the job.
And it is this fear that may creep up on you years later when your options may be minimized. Why not open up some options and give yourself a chance at bettering your overall life? When people legitimately hate their job, it typically effects many other aspects of their lives in a negative fashion. Why subject yourselves to this?
Have some confidence in the notion that when you are proactive, things can fall in your lap. When you work towards a dream with passion and conviction and use some planning, common sense and intelligence, it can pay off. And in many cases it does. Think of all the people out there who are successful. Do you believe they are successful for some reason other than their drive at being successful? When you sit and wait for things to happen, you get old.
Reassess your career and determine if it is something that you are happy or even "OK" with. If you really do hate your job then please work towards fixing that problem. I wouldn't say to just quit and walk away, but certainly consider creating a plan of action to put yourself in a better place. I did. And it continues to pay off every day.
Stay tuned, as this is a real topic of interest to me and I want to Blog about how to better position yourself and your career by continously branding yourself. It's really not as difficult as it may sound. Again, more information about this to come.
And really if you are miserable or don't really know if you are miserable, don't just take my word on the topic. There are many resources out there to back up my comments. There is also a book that can be seen at this link that is worth a read.
As always, if you need any career assistance, please consider JTL Services, Inc. We have over 600 clients and thousands of candidates and have been doing this for nearly a decade.
http://www.jtlservices.com/
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Goodness, Show Some Enthusiasm!
A hiring manager more than likely will determine whether or not you are a top candidate for their open position in about the first 15 minutes of your interview. So post-interview damage control is generally not something that can help rearrange those first impressions you gave during that short time period. In short, get it right early in the Interview!
Yes, skills and experience are essential to any job, however a positive and enthusiastic attitude is crucial. Be sure and ask positive questions and leave the more difficult questions for a later time - say, when you get an offer. Go to the Interview portraying that you really want the job and are excited about the opportunity. If you learn you are not intersted in the job during or after the interview - you can deal with that easy task later.
This job advice reminds me of a candidate a recruiter here at JTL placed about two years ago. The recruiter sent over the candidate's resume to a client - but only because we didnt have any other quality candidates to send at the immediate time the client was asking. To be honest, the recruiter was hesitant to even send the resume to this particular job because it looked like it may have had too many disqualifiers in it. But... the client reviewed the resume, took our word that the candidate was worth a look and agreed to accept an interview nonetheless.
The interview went fantastic! The candidate was very enthusiastic, energetic and portrayed a solid positive attitude. The client realized the candidate may have been lacking in some of the skills required but felt that the candidate possessed enough foundational skills to build from. The client wisely realized that being enthusiastic is not a skill someone can learn and that having a company with upbeat employees is far batter then having a floor full of pessimistic punch-in, punch-out people.
So please, for goodness sake, you may be nervous at your next interview, and especially during the first few minutes, but smile, and show some energy.
For job advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Yes, skills and experience are essential to any job, however a positive and enthusiastic attitude is crucial. Be sure and ask positive questions and leave the more difficult questions for a later time - say, when you get an offer. Go to the Interview portraying that you really want the job and are excited about the opportunity. If you learn you are not intersted in the job during or after the interview - you can deal with that easy task later.
This job advice reminds me of a candidate a recruiter here at JTL placed about two years ago. The recruiter sent over the candidate's resume to a client - but only because we didnt have any other quality candidates to send at the immediate time the client was asking. To be honest, the recruiter was hesitant to even send the resume to this particular job because it looked like it may have had too many disqualifiers in it. But... the client reviewed the resume, took our word that the candidate was worth a look and agreed to accept an interview nonetheless.
The interview went fantastic! The candidate was very enthusiastic, energetic and portrayed a solid positive attitude. The client realized the candidate may have been lacking in some of the skills required but felt that the candidate possessed enough foundational skills to build from. The client wisely realized that being enthusiastic is not a skill someone can learn and that having a company with upbeat employees is far batter then having a floor full of pessimistic punch-in, punch-out people.
So please, for goodness sake, you may be nervous at your next interview, and especially during the first few minutes, but smile, and show some energy.
For job advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Job Search On CraigsList.com
Some people plain out overlook the value of CraigsList.com when it comes to the job hunt. Sure, we've all heard of this online haven, but how many of us give it the credit it deserves?
The fact is, placing a job posting on CraigsList.com is super easy, and super affordable for recruiters and hiring managers. And by super affordable, I mean it is by and large free. You only pay to post in the large metro areas, for example, LA, NY, Chicago and the like. And because it is free, recruiters and hiring managers like to post jobs there... daily!
Take a moment and find out for yourself just how easy it is to search for job openings in your area and in your industry. In most cases you will find around a dozen or so listings every day. And look at it this way, because there isn't an overload of people looking for jobs there, you could be that big fish in a small pond vs. in Monster.com and CareerBuilder.comwhere you could be the opposite - a small fish in a large ocean.
The fact is, placing a job posting on CraigsList.com is super easy, and super affordable for recruiters and hiring managers. And by super affordable, I mean it is by and large free. You only pay to post in the large metro areas, for example, LA, NY, Chicago and the like. And because it is free, recruiters and hiring managers like to post jobs there... daily!
Take a moment and find out for yourself just how easy it is to search for job openings in your area and in your industry. In most cases you will find around a dozen or so listings every day. And look at it this way, because there isn't an overload of people looking for jobs there, you could be that big fish in a small pond vs. in Monster.com and CareerBuilder.comwhere you could be the opposite - a small fish in a large ocean.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Holy Gas Prices! Time To Find a Job Working From Home?
Some analytical industry trackers are now suggesting gas prices may go to $10 per gallon! Yes, you read that correctly, and yes I wrote it correctly. Don't believe it? Go check out - this link.
We are all starting to see the impact of already too high, and continuously increasing gas prices on our economy. Just look at the airline industry as a whole. What a mess, at best. Then look at our grocery prices. Another mess in the making. All of this is causing many to re-evaluate our home budgets, which in turn is causing a re-evaluation of our jobs and income.
Is it time for a second job for many? Or is it time to find a better paying, and more importantly - closer to home job? What about a job that allows us to work from home? These are going to be great topics of discussion in the months to come.
What I would suggest to do if you are one of those laid back, comfortable and confident in your job individuals believing that climbing gas prices will not effect your financial situation is to research how these high costs will impact the company you work for, both directly and indirectly. The energy costs may not directly impact the company you work for, but what about the customer base your company relies on for it's primary source of revenue?
This is not a time to be over-confident and more of a time to be prepared!
JTL Services is working on a business model that will allow all of our recruiters to work from home. You see this happening in corporate America and can start to see it trickle down in to small business America as well.
What are your thoughts about working from home? Chime in and let us know.
For job advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
We are all starting to see the impact of already too high, and continuously increasing gas prices on our economy. Just look at the airline industry as a whole. What a mess, at best. Then look at our grocery prices. Another mess in the making. All of this is causing many to re-evaluate our home budgets, which in turn is causing a re-evaluation of our jobs and income.
Is it time for a second job for many? Or is it time to find a better paying, and more importantly - closer to home job? What about a job that allows us to work from home? These are going to be great topics of discussion in the months to come.
What I would suggest to do if you are one of those laid back, comfortable and confident in your job individuals believing that climbing gas prices will not effect your financial situation is to research how these high costs will impact the company you work for, both directly and indirectly. The energy costs may not directly impact the company you work for, but what about the customer base your company relies on for it's primary source of revenue?
This is not a time to be over-confident and more of a time to be prepared!
JTL Services is working on a business model that will allow all of our recruiters to work from home. You see this happening in corporate America and can start to see it trickle down in to small business America as well.
What are your thoughts about working from home? Chime in and let us know.
For job advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
Friday, April 25, 2008
Should You Embellish Things On Your Resume?
Absolutely, positively NOT! Aside from the fact that it is always a good idea to be honest, there is also a very high likelihood that you will get caught. By the way, just so we are clear, that notion still holds true as a general rule in life, and not just in the career & job world.
With the Internet serving as a backbone to nearly everything we do these days, it is incredibly easy to dig up an abundant amount of information about an individual. So stating you went to Yale on your resume when you didn't - not such a prudent concept.
And if you do choose to be fraudulent on your resume, and are propitious enough to land the job, don't think it is over and that you've beaten the system. Just when you think everything is wonderful at work, that someone you thought was your work-buddy discovers you're a phony and reports your dishonesty to upper- management. It's a dog-eat-dog kind of world – even at work. Treat it as such. And don't think this stuff doesn't happen. It does.
So if you’re applying for a new position and believe your resume isn’t adequate enough with regard to your education level, there are many alternate options you have to make improvements. Continue your education, obtain certification(s), volunteer in areas that are specific to the industry you work in, and join networks – just to name a few. Enhancing your resume by fabricating accolades is just not in your best interest, especially in this technology, online social networking world we now live in.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
With the Internet serving as a backbone to nearly everything we do these days, it is incredibly easy to dig up an abundant amount of information about an individual. So stating you went to Yale on your resume when you didn't - not such a prudent concept.
And if you do choose to be fraudulent on your resume, and are propitious enough to land the job, don't think it is over and that you've beaten the system. Just when you think everything is wonderful at work, that someone you thought was your work-buddy discovers you're a phony and reports your dishonesty to upper- management. It's a dog-eat-dog kind of world – even at work. Treat it as such. And don't think this stuff doesn't happen. It does.
So if you’re applying for a new position and believe your resume isn’t adequate enough with regard to your education level, there are many alternate options you have to make improvements. Continue your education, obtain certification(s), volunteer in areas that are specific to the industry you work in, and join networks – just to name a few. Enhancing your resume by fabricating accolades is just not in your best interest, especially in this technology, online social networking world we now live in.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
Monday, April 21, 2008
Update Your Resume!
People, if you haven't updated your resume in a while.... PLEASE DO! There are so many FREE resources available out there that can give you advice on freshening up your resume. It would be a shame not to use them quite frankly. Believe me, it not only may help you when you are seeking your next job, it just may be the variable for how you get your next job.
In recent posts, you have read how much I feel that keeping your resume updated is important. What may be of equal importance is creating multiple versions of your resume. Let me explain.
If you are a marketing candidate applying for a marketing position for a manufacturing company, then you should gear your marketing experience to anything related to that specific marketing position. In fact, you should read the job description for the open position and if you have qualities specific to some of the open position's listed job requirements, then you should make mention of this on your resume for that specific job.
These specifics on your resume are exactly what hiring managers are looking for. They need experienced individuals and want to try and find the best suited individual for the specific job.
You have to still remember that a resume is sort of a disqualifier for a hiring manager. They sift through resumes looking for reasons to put you in the "no" pile.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
In recent posts, you have read how much I feel that keeping your resume updated is important. What may be of equal importance is creating multiple versions of your resume. Let me explain.
If you are a marketing candidate applying for a marketing position for a manufacturing company, then you should gear your marketing experience to anything related to that specific marketing position. In fact, you should read the job description for the open position and if you have qualities specific to some of the open position's listed job requirements, then you should make mention of this on your resume for that specific job.
These specifics on your resume are exactly what hiring managers are looking for. They need experienced individuals and want to try and find the best suited individual for the specific job.
You have to still remember that a resume is sort of a disqualifier for a hiring manager. They sift through resumes looking for reasons to put you in the "no" pile.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Job Interview and Credit Checks?
Add another personal variable to the job screening process everyone. Evidently the growing trend of credit checks as part of the job placement process continues. While on some levels I can see a partial parallel, I do have my mixed feelings on this one.
First let me start with some of what may kind of make some sense - to me anyway. Let's say I am a hiring manager screening an applicant applying for a position with a pay scale of $55-60K. Now lets also say that this job candidate is currently out of work and has a tremendous amount of historical debt issues and credit problems. These facts may lead me to assume that the individual may take a position too quickly because they are out of work while looking for a higher paying job elsewhere to help them get back on financial track. The high costs of job (re)placement to the company may force me, as a hiring manager, to move this applicant to another pile if you will.
Credit scores and historical data may also be indicative of a candidate's overall character. However, and here is where I have some issue with this entire concept, what about the people who for years have had great credit and due to the latest credit (mortgage) crisis are in financial distress? These people applied for a home mortgage loan and got approved by the lenders using calculations that should be illegal. They trusted in their mortgage brokers and did okay for a year, two or three and now that their interest rates have shot up, they can no longer afford their homes. And now their home has lost value in a downward market and is not selling easy because the increased housing inventory. These people are now in trouble from every financial angle possible - and now maybe including their ability to get a new job. I would like to know how you feel about this issue. Please comment on this issue that may be effecting countless Americans looking to find a new job and get their families back on track.
An important note in closing - no one can legally access your credit history without your consent. What I recommend when asked to run your credit check by a hiring manager, is to reply that you will allow it but only when a formal offer is made.
Do this for a few reasons. First off, let them see who you are and what you can bring to the table. The interview process as a whole should allow them to determine this. A credit check to early in the process may be used as a dis-qualifier. You can justify your reasoning for allowing it only after a formal offer is made by stating the fact that frequent credit checks have a a negative impact on your credit score.
And in the meantime, if you want to know your credit score, here are the three companies to contact. You are allowed one free credit report from each of these three per year.
Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
(800) 685-1111
Experian P.O. Box 2104 Allen, TX 75013
(888) EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
Trans Union P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022
(800) 916-8800
Let us know how you feel about this issue by going to the following website and voting on this topic - http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
First let me start with some of what may kind of make some sense - to me anyway. Let's say I am a hiring manager screening an applicant applying for a position with a pay scale of $55-60K. Now lets also say that this job candidate is currently out of work and has a tremendous amount of historical debt issues and credit problems. These facts may lead me to assume that the individual may take a position too quickly because they are out of work while looking for a higher paying job elsewhere to help them get back on financial track. The high costs of job (re)placement to the company may force me, as a hiring manager, to move this applicant to another pile if you will.
Credit scores and historical data may also be indicative of a candidate's overall character. However, and here is where I have some issue with this entire concept, what about the people who for years have had great credit and due to the latest credit (mortgage) crisis are in financial distress? These people applied for a home mortgage loan and got approved by the lenders using calculations that should be illegal. They trusted in their mortgage brokers and did okay for a year, two or three and now that their interest rates have shot up, they can no longer afford their homes. And now their home has lost value in a downward market and is not selling easy because the increased housing inventory. These people are now in trouble from every financial angle possible - and now maybe including their ability to get a new job. I would like to know how you feel about this issue. Please comment on this issue that may be effecting countless Americans looking to find a new job and get their families back on track.
An important note in closing - no one can legally access your credit history without your consent. What I recommend when asked to run your credit check by a hiring manager, is to reply that you will allow it but only when a formal offer is made.
Do this for a few reasons. First off, let them see who you are and what you can bring to the table. The interview process as a whole should allow them to determine this. A credit check to early in the process may be used as a dis-qualifier. You can justify your reasoning for allowing it only after a formal offer is made by stating the fact that frequent credit checks have a a negative impact on your credit score.
And in the meantime, if you want to know your credit score, here are the three companies to contact. You are allowed one free credit report from each of these three per year.
Equifax P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
(800) 685-1111
Experian P.O. Box 2104 Allen, TX 75013
(888) EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
Trans Union P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022
(800) 916-8800
Let us know how you feel about this issue by going to the following website and voting on this topic - http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Should you have an agent (recruiter) like Alex Rodriguez?
Um, YES! That is our answer. You determine your own answer after reading this.
Follow me on this one. Let’s try and understand the facts for what they are for a moment, and leave our own presumptions aside. Let’s let the curtain of perception unveil reality and face it for what it is. And since the season just officially started, let me use baseball as my sport of choice to illustrate the points that I want to drive home in this article.
Undeniable Fact: One of the reasons that Baseball players make the substantial money they make is because they HAVE an agent, not because they DON’T HAVE ONE!
No, I am not a professional sports agent. And no, I am not a professional sports team negotiator. But, as a job recruiter, I do share some of the basic business model components of a professional agent for sports athletes. On the surface, we both help negotiate earnings for our candidates in working with our clients, leaving that daunting task out of the hands of the applicant themselves, who may not be experienced enough to wade through a not-so-easy to understand hiring process.
Would baseball players really be earning the money and endorsement contracts they earn today without the injection of sports agents? I am a realist and therefore, highly doubt it. It wasn’t until these sports agents surfaced that big money in MLB became a norm and expectation for the athletes entering the arena.
And just like a sports agent, we as recruiters know when a particular company (team) may be looking for a particular position (player), and can work towards connecting those two dots with a great deal of efficiency and pure speed. You see, timing is everything when it comes to job placement. Employers understand this and realize the return on investment from using a reputable recruiting firm.
Today, like so many others, we are convinced at the reality that a candidate will do much better all around with a recruiter than without one… and for many reasons, some of which I would like to share. And it just confuses me why job applicants don’t see this for what it really is. Like so many other things in life, the perception hides the reality. C’est la vie.
Here is an example of why an agent or recruiter is something you want when you are seeking a job. As recruiters, we have long-term relationships with hiring managers. We have focused on job placement processes for years and understand the many complexities involved with job search and placement. We receive candid feedback from hiring managers shortly after an interview is completed. All of this allows us to quickly determine if a candidate and client are a good mutual fit. We don’t have to wait weeks to find out the answer.
And sometimes those weeks of waiting can prove to be invaluable time lost to a job candidate. You see hiring managers, or interviewers, by and large will not persuade you to believe one way or the other if you are “the one”. It’s just not something they do, nor is it good practice for them. So, many times, candidates come out of an interview with the warm and fuzzies believing that they did so well that they feel they will get an offer. They are told the much heard comment, “Ok, great. It was a pleasure to meet you. Everything looks great. Give us a few more weeks to go through the other potential candidates and we will reach for you”. In many cases, that same day we get the call and find out the reality.
You see, many times a candidate with the warm and fuzzies will play that waiting game, believing they got the job when in fact they did not. Those weeks can sometimes cost thousands in lost revenue to an individual, even worse, during that waiting period there could have been another opportunity that would have been a good fit that they now have passed on. The reality is you may have been good, but someone else may have been better or at least better represented!
What made me write this article is an occurrence that happened just a few weeks ago. We were working on a $130,000 - $150,000 range open position for a company in Massachusetts. We actually had two of our candidates go through their first round of interviews.
We would have had an immediate third when I reached out to a previous potential candidate of ours to see if he also was interested. He informed me that he had actually already interviewed for that very same position and felt pretty good, and in fact was just waiting for a formal offer from the company itself. I asked him “Why, did they give you some feedback indicating this”?
He told me that he got the interview on his own so he didn’t get any feedback other than from his own feelings on how he felt about how well the interview went. In his own mind and his words, the interview went very well and he really felt sure that he was going to wrap it up within a few weeks.
He also, very confidently might I add, said since he got the interview on his own and not through an agency that he would probably get an offer for $175K not the $150K that I spoke to him about. I asked him why he thought this. He said because the client would be saving money from not having to pay a fee to a recruiter.
Well, less than a week later I received an offer from the company for one of my two candidates that I had interview. The offer that I received was in fact a little more than the range offered. This other gentleman was in fact right about at least one thing I guess.
The feedback that I received was that both of my candidates were actually the top one and two candidates for the position. I asked them about this other gentleman and they told me that he was a good candidate but was simply that he was not a good fit for the role they needed to fill.
You see, his own personal (un-experienced) feedback that he confidently believed in was misguided. He was wrong. Worse, he tried to negotiate outside of the offered range and more than likely mentioned the fact that he wasn’t working with a recruiter as if he was going to “save” them money when he was in fact attempting to take these savings and pay himself for years to come. He actually thought he was smarter than them I guess. And this was an accounting position so this candidate must not have looked too bright when he mentioned these comments… for obvious reasons that need not be mentioned.
So should you use a recruiter? We will let you determine that answer.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
Follow me on this one. Let’s try and understand the facts for what they are for a moment, and leave our own presumptions aside. Let’s let the curtain of perception unveil reality and face it for what it is. And since the season just officially started, let me use baseball as my sport of choice to illustrate the points that I want to drive home in this article.
Undeniable Fact: One of the reasons that Baseball players make the substantial money they make is because they HAVE an agent, not because they DON’T HAVE ONE!
No, I am not a professional sports agent. And no, I am not a professional sports team negotiator. But, as a job recruiter, I do share some of the basic business model components of a professional agent for sports athletes. On the surface, we both help negotiate earnings for our candidates in working with our clients, leaving that daunting task out of the hands of the applicant themselves, who may not be experienced enough to wade through a not-so-easy to understand hiring process.
Would baseball players really be earning the money and endorsement contracts they earn today without the injection of sports agents? I am a realist and therefore, highly doubt it. It wasn’t until these sports agents surfaced that big money in MLB became a norm and expectation for the athletes entering the arena.
And just like a sports agent, we as recruiters know when a particular company (team) may be looking for a particular position (player), and can work towards connecting those two dots with a great deal of efficiency and pure speed. You see, timing is everything when it comes to job placement. Employers understand this and realize the return on investment from using a reputable recruiting firm.
Today, like so many others, we are convinced at the reality that a candidate will do much better all around with a recruiter than without one… and for many reasons, some of which I would like to share. And it just confuses me why job applicants don’t see this for what it really is. Like so many other things in life, the perception hides the reality. C’est la vie.
Here is an example of why an agent or recruiter is something you want when you are seeking a job. As recruiters, we have long-term relationships with hiring managers. We have focused on job placement processes for years and understand the many complexities involved with job search and placement. We receive candid feedback from hiring managers shortly after an interview is completed. All of this allows us to quickly determine if a candidate and client are a good mutual fit. We don’t have to wait weeks to find out the answer.
And sometimes those weeks of waiting can prove to be invaluable time lost to a job candidate. You see hiring managers, or interviewers, by and large will not persuade you to believe one way or the other if you are “the one”. It’s just not something they do, nor is it good practice for them. So, many times, candidates come out of an interview with the warm and fuzzies believing that they did so well that they feel they will get an offer. They are told the much heard comment, “Ok, great. It was a pleasure to meet you. Everything looks great. Give us a few more weeks to go through the other potential candidates and we will reach for you”. In many cases, that same day we get the call and find out the reality.
You see, many times a candidate with the warm and fuzzies will play that waiting game, believing they got the job when in fact they did not. Those weeks can sometimes cost thousands in lost revenue to an individual, even worse, during that waiting period there could have been another opportunity that would have been a good fit that they now have passed on. The reality is you may have been good, but someone else may have been better or at least better represented!
What made me write this article is an occurrence that happened just a few weeks ago. We were working on a $130,000 - $150,000 range open position for a company in Massachusetts. We actually had two of our candidates go through their first round of interviews.
We would have had an immediate third when I reached out to a previous potential candidate of ours to see if he also was interested. He informed me that he had actually already interviewed for that very same position and felt pretty good, and in fact was just waiting for a formal offer from the company itself. I asked him “Why, did they give you some feedback indicating this”?
He told me that he got the interview on his own so he didn’t get any feedback other than from his own feelings on how he felt about how well the interview went. In his own mind and his words, the interview went very well and he really felt sure that he was going to wrap it up within a few weeks.
He also, very confidently might I add, said since he got the interview on his own and not through an agency that he would probably get an offer for $175K not the $150K that I spoke to him about. I asked him why he thought this. He said because the client would be saving money from not having to pay a fee to a recruiter.
Well, less than a week later I received an offer from the company for one of my two candidates that I had interview. The offer that I received was in fact a little more than the range offered. This other gentleman was in fact right about at least one thing I guess.
The feedback that I received was that both of my candidates were actually the top one and two candidates for the position. I asked them about this other gentleman and they told me that he was a good candidate but was simply that he was not a good fit for the role they needed to fill.
You see, his own personal (un-experienced) feedback that he confidently believed in was misguided. He was wrong. Worse, he tried to negotiate outside of the offered range and more than likely mentioned the fact that he wasn’t working with a recruiter as if he was going to “save” them money when he was in fact attempting to take these savings and pay himself for years to come. He actually thought he was smarter than them I guess. And this was an accounting position so this candidate must not have looked too bright when he mentioned these comments… for obvious reasons that need not be mentioned.
So should you use a recruiter? We will let you determine that answer.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
Friday, March 28, 2008
Understanding Connecticut’s Current Job Market
Have you tried to hire anyone lately? What was your experience? When your recruiter uses the line, “hey this guy is getting an offer from XYZ Company”, should you believe them? Yes! And here is why…
I don’t care what you’re hearing on the news. Whether we are actually in a recession or not doesn’t matter for the purpose of this information. The bottom line is that we are finding that in the State of Connecticut there is a lack of candidates for several markets. So, if you meet someone that has the qualities, skill set and personality traits to do the job for the open position, then you really should hire that candidate… and quickly before the opportunity disappears!
I smirk when I review some of the internal HR processes within an organization. By and large, those processes don’t work in the current job market here in Connecticut.
As a recruiting company the core of our process is that we spend a considerable amount of time, money and resources to farm quality candidates. In doing so, we review many resumes each week and typically bring in the quality candidates for internal processing and an initial interview. Part of our processing includes completing reference checks for the candidates as well as all the necessary leg work involved in getting a candidate prepared for a client’s review. You see, we do all of this tedious legwork before the candidate enters your organization for your own interview.
So… if a resume comes your way through us, then it is safe to say that the candidate is a quality candidate. Granted there’s more to it than this, but I must say that it hurts me when I hear a client mention something like the following, “we loved him but we really would like to see three more people to compare him to”.
Clients should realize that here are hundreds of candidates that we interview and don’t send their way. We wouldn’t be doing our jobs if that were the case. I have some recruiters that have been working for me for 10 years now and others that have been in the industry for longer than that, so needless to say they are good at determining who is good and who is not. I also know that some chemistry is very important to make a match, however in this market you need to weigh these things out.
In a typical job market we in fact try to send our clients three good candidates, however in this current market it’s hard to find one let alone three for anyone particular job. So when we send one or two to a client, they should understand that these are the “cream of the crop”.
Why take this advice and act quicker in today’s job market? Here is an example… Because the day before I had three great candidates but one just took a job, and another got an offer, however they’re not accepting the offer until they compare it to your opportunity. As you may imagine, they’re going to price around for the best offer because today candidates are in the driver’s seat. Again, a simple reflection of today’s atypical job market conditions.
It may be true that the old process of comparing 15 candidates uses to work, however in today’s market you’ll end up empty handed.
And one more thing I would like to portray to clients. Please “sell” your company and the job offer to a candidate you would like to recruit! As much as you may assume that a candidate is in need of a job and dying to work for your company, they’re NOT. Many candidates today, take their time to land the job that will be satisfying and awarding. They too have to believe in the company as much as you have to believe in them. Therefore, treat the situation accordingly.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
I don’t care what you’re hearing on the news. Whether we are actually in a recession or not doesn’t matter for the purpose of this information. The bottom line is that we are finding that in the State of Connecticut there is a lack of candidates for several markets. So, if you meet someone that has the qualities, skill set and personality traits to do the job for the open position, then you really should hire that candidate… and quickly before the opportunity disappears!
I smirk when I review some of the internal HR processes within an organization. By and large, those processes don’t work in the current job market here in Connecticut.
As a recruiting company the core of our process is that we spend a considerable amount of time, money and resources to farm quality candidates. In doing so, we review many resumes each week and typically bring in the quality candidates for internal processing and an initial interview. Part of our processing includes completing reference checks for the candidates as well as all the necessary leg work involved in getting a candidate prepared for a client’s review. You see, we do all of this tedious legwork before the candidate enters your organization for your own interview.
So… if a resume comes your way through us, then it is safe to say that the candidate is a quality candidate. Granted there’s more to it than this, but I must say that it hurts me when I hear a client mention something like the following, “we loved him but we really would like to see three more people to compare him to”.
Clients should realize that here are hundreds of candidates that we interview and don’t send their way. We wouldn’t be doing our jobs if that were the case. I have some recruiters that have been working for me for 10 years now and others that have been in the industry for longer than that, so needless to say they are good at determining who is good and who is not. I also know that some chemistry is very important to make a match, however in this market you need to weigh these things out.
In a typical job market we in fact try to send our clients three good candidates, however in this current market it’s hard to find one let alone three for anyone particular job. So when we send one or two to a client, they should understand that these are the “cream of the crop”.
Why take this advice and act quicker in today’s job market? Here is an example… Because the day before I had three great candidates but one just took a job, and another got an offer, however they’re not accepting the offer until they compare it to your opportunity. As you may imagine, they’re going to price around for the best offer because today candidates are in the driver’s seat. Again, a simple reflection of today’s atypical job market conditions.
It may be true that the old process of comparing 15 candidates uses to work, however in today’s market you’ll end up empty handed.
And one more thing I would like to portray to clients. Please “sell” your company and the job offer to a candidate you would like to recruit! As much as you may assume that a candidate is in need of a job and dying to work for your company, they’re NOT. Many candidates today, take their time to land the job that will be satisfying and awarding. They too have to believe in the company as much as you have to believe in them. Therefore, treat the situation accordingly.
For more advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street, Suite 101
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
Monday, March 24, 2008
Job Security? Yeah, OK, Keep Dreaming!
So, what is job security? And what can we expect in today’s job market with regard to what very well should be placed in our history books as a primitive job term?
Forgive me, but I must be “blunt” on this topic because of how often it is mentioned in our early interview discussions with potential candidates. I am often troubled when I hear a candidate’s response to the generic question, “What kind of a job are you looking for?”
Too often, and much to our dismay, a portion of their answer is, “job security”.
OK, great I say. But what does that really mean nowadays? And who really has job security today?
What the imprudent candidate is referring to is a job in which they can potentially ride out their careers and enter into retirement. I have to admit, I chuckle even at the thought of this.
They so strongly desire a stable job much like, perhaps, their parents had where they may have worked for a company for 25-30 years accumulating pensions and not having the stressful tasks of shifting through multiple jobs through their mid-life years.
In the modern era of our job market, we have to think differently, and more cautiously. While these very rare jobs may still exist, the probability of finding and getting and keeping the job is about as high as winning the lottery in my humble opinion. And if you are lucky enough to land this job and retain it to your retirement years, you still have to hinge your golden years on the management and overall financial health of the company.
Look at Bear Stearns, and Enron just to name a few more recent tragedies that we may want to keep on our minds as a recollection of how much we can rely on job security or job stability. Thousands of loyal employees at these very companies worked hard for decades preparing themselves for retirement. They were “set”. They had stable and secure jobs for decades. They put in their time. They built up their pensions. And then… just like a real-life nightmare the proverbial rug got pulled out from under them and changed the course of their remaining years in ways that would set many into downward spiral depression for years.
And what about corporate buy-outs or corporate realignments? Why not call it what it really is when employees are about to get screwed out of what they worked so hard for, for so many years?
When I was in my early 20’s my father was told that he should take a package to leave the company he was working for because the company could no longer guarantee him a job. So at the age of 57 he took an early retirement package and was told that this particular package was the best that the company had ever offered and that they would never offer one like this again!
A few years later the same company did come out with a better retirement package. However, for him it didn’t matter because he was stuck with the package he got. And this was a company where job security was the backbone and each employee gave everything they had. I won’t say the name of this company but the initials’ were IBM.
So again, when a candidate tells me that their looking for job security, I cringe. I tell them to get out of the bubble they climbed into and look around them. Today, you have to stay sharp. You have to change with the times. You have to keep your skill-sets up-to-date and keep your resume polished. Most importantly you have to prepare.
We’re living longer and social security benefits are dissipating right along with job security and right before our eyes. Don’t ever believe that your job is a secure one because that rug may get pulled out from you some day! Don’t set yourself up to rely on a company as the only variable determining your retirement financial stability.
Take charge and learn how to prepare for your financial retirement as a separate entity. Don’t confuse the two items here – job security and financial health. Sure we need a job to earn an income and grow our nest egg. But there are so many ways to do that and a job alone is not the best way anymore. You know what they say about putting all your eggs into one basket…?
For more job advice and information, please visit http://www.jtlservices.com/
Greg Angelillo
Online Editor
JTL Services, Inc.
725 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
Southington, CT 06489
Phone: (860) 426-0583
FAX: (860) 628-5008
216 East Chatham Street
Suite 101Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 465-7289
FAX: (919) 465-7281
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