Job Hunter's Guide, the Truth About Recruitment and Selection

How do I find the “Best” place to work?

2009-07-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

The ‘best’ company for you may be anyone that is hiring. It may be one near your house or the employer willing to pay you 250K and relocate you to Hawaii. For most people however it is more about a place that will treat you with dignity and respect and pay you a fair wage for the work you do. That said there are certain signals that these companies send out that you should be watching for and using to your advantage during your position hunt.

The best signal I can think of that a company is one of the ‘best’ to work for is that all employees at all levels of the organization to two things:

* Sell the company’s product or service to everyone they meet.
* Recruit others into the organization.

So, in the very best company’s everybody sells, and everybody recruits. When I have led the HR function at organization I made it a point to let everyone know that both of these tasks were on all employee job descriptions. I spent time with all employees and created a formal training session on projecting the correct corporate image to the community and each employee’s role in that effort. Yes, we have professionals in sales and HR to lead these efforts and follow up on all leads, but that did not mean the tasks were delegated only to these pros. It is and should be a total effort. And for the best employers, team members are more than happy to be your ambassadors.

When employee have pride in their company they talk about the product they produce, they display company awards, pictures and memorabilia, the wear clothing with the company logo, they want to take friends and family to see where they work and most importantly whenever possible or feasible they use the product or service themselves.

The very best salesmen not only sell, they ‘sell deep’. Well into an organization so people at all levels know who they are and what the represent. The best companies sell their culture to employees and the very best ones ‘sell deep’ so all levels of the organization are bought into the effort and proud to be part of the team. This means that the CEO and the part time accounting clerk both can tell you about what the company sells and what type of people they hire. When either one spots a like minded individual they will be recommended for hire, but only if they think you are worthy of joining this high functioning team. I do not attend professional engineering/nursing/finance/programming/etc. functions. But my employees do and they are friends and associates with others that do the same. They are my eyes, ears and mouthpieces in their respective communities and have access to the very best people in their respective fields. I want them presenting my company as THE place to work. I want them looking for like minded people with the skills we need to continue our success.

So how can you use this knowledge to your advantage to get a got offer from one of the best? Well, the first thing you need to do is be the kind of person that the best companies want: Skilled, dependable and cooperative. If you can’t manage those three items then no amount of networking or recruiting advice can help you. Please read my previous posts on being the type of individual companies want to employee and adjust your expectations accordingly. Okay, so let’s assume you are the star you think you are. You need to find ways to associate with people in your target organization. Don’t just send in a resume and cover letter that will be tossed aside. Get to know these people. Join the organizations they are members of. Do what they do…yoga, golf, volunteer, etc. If you can get yourself invited to the company picnic, go and play it like a full day interview. You are being watched and evaluated by these potential coworkers at all times so make sure you are presenting yourself in the best possible light. Work your way into their team before you even have the position. It will not take long for one of these associates to bring you into the fold and recommend you for hire. This person can literally sponsor you through the recruiting process and get you that dream position.

As someone once said: Ducks go with ducks, geese go with geese, and eagles fly with eagles. Become a professional eagle and associate with other professionals of your highly desirable kind.

Play the interview game…win valuable prizes!

2009-06-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

I am not the one that has made the serious task of managing your career into a game but the truth is the interview process in most organization is a joke and calling it a game is accurate. In once heard a young lady say, ‘I don’t hate the players, but I hate the game” in reference to dating and relationships. The process of courting and choosing the right candidate/employer is not all that different.

Companies spend untold thousands of dollars to learn techniques such as ‘behavioral’ interviewing, “group methods”, “profiling” and the list goes on and on. In the hands of learned physiologists these may be useful tools but for the people doing the hiring on the front lines of most companies they are simply a waste of money. Nothing is scarier than a person with some knowledge of psychology using what they have learned to justify a decision they would have made anyways. The truth is most interviewers want to know three things:

1. Do you have the qualifications for the job or to learn the job?
2. Will you show up for work each day on time as needed?
3. Are you an easy person to get along with individually and in work groups?

Knowing these are the basic needs for 99.9% of all employers you need to make their job easy and tell them and show them that you are qualified, dependable and trouble free. Who would not want to hire a team of people that fit that description?

First, you need to immediately show your qualifications with a well written resume tailored to the position and company you are interviewing with. Work samples, letters or reference should all be with you and available if you reach this point in your conversation. Now that you have demonstrated your qualifications you need to make the point that you show up everyday for work and on time. Even if these questions are not asked you should volunteer this information. If it is not true you better find a way to make it true if you want to get and keep your desired position. If your life circumstances prevent you from being a dependable, trouble free employee then you need to make compromises to your employment goals commensurate to the compromises you are asking potential employers to make. Maybe part time or temporary work is the way to go until you can be the type of employee most people want.

Secondly, you need to sell potential employers on your dependability, flexibility and adaptability. It is amazing to me to hear people tell me in interviews how there last employer had a problem with time taken off (legal or not - - DO NOT bring this up in an interview). I will politely listen and really want to know how you exercised your rights under the Family Medical Leave Act or how you and another co-worker successfully petitioned for job sharing, etc. I want to know this information so I can mentally cross you off the list of potential candidates. What you have told me is you are going to be trouble and fail both points #2 and #3 (again, I know your rights and what the law says but I am here to tell the way it really is). Even if you are the most qualified candidate in the world employers will not want to deal with your problems even if the law is on your side. Of course they won’t tell you that. Another more qualified candidate will be found …no matter what. I have had the opportunity to recruit well paid supervisors for off shift (evenings/nights) positions. The successful candidate tells the employer that the have no issue working these off hours. Some even indicate a preference for evenings and nights. I can tell you that the candidates that show this flexibility are chosen over candidates with much better qualifications. It is worth more to an employer to not hear, ‘when can I move to days?’ than to get the best qualifications. So, if you really want a job that requires; dependability, flexibility, mobility, etc., you better be prepared to sell the interviewer that you are fine or even prefer these circumstances.

When I was interviewing for a job with a high profile employer I was asked about travel and relocation. Luckily I had done my research and new that this company expects people to relocate for advancement opportunities. Travel was looked upon as a good thing that young executives should value. My answer to my potential employer was that I have moved many times and love meeting new people and discovering other parts of the country/world. Moving was as exciting as travel and I would be disappointed if I did not have the opportunity to see more of the world through my job. Whew! What a bunch of baloney! Of course I did get the job offer and I was now able to decide if I was really able to make those types of sacrifices of family and personal time. The point is that is was now my decision. I play the game and get the offer so that the decision is now mine to make. Ideally, I have played the game well at several employers and can now pick the position I want. From them choosing me from a pool of candidates I now can choose them from a pool of potential positions. All because I was capable of demonstrating my qualifications, dependability and that I would be a trouble free employee.

Finally, are you easy to get along with? You need to show that you are a hard working team player from the second you walk in the door. The interview begins the first time you get a phone call or e-mail requesting a face to face meeting. It is now show time and the spotlight is on you from this point forward. You must assume E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E you come in contact with will have input into a hiring decision so be professional with the receptionist, people on the elevator, employees you pass by, other people waiting to interview, everyone you see during the process. I can’t tell you how many times I had a great candidate blow away all aspects of the job interview only to find out the were rude to the receptionist or worse yet, asked her on a date! What the hell were these people thinking? As you can imagine a ‘more qualified’ candidate was found and the unemployed Casanova was left still unemployed and dateless.

Listen people, this process is a game and employers will try many things to trip you up from stupid interview questions to personality tests that have nothing to do with the job you want. Become aware of and learn the rules to the game. Practice your game skills and play better than the competition to win those elusive job offers. You must be able to demonstrate that you possess the three traits employers need to make you the best candidate and get that job offer. Again, employers want candidates that are QUALIFIED, DEPENDABLE and TROUBLE FREE. If that is not how you would describe yourself you need to make some choices on how to become that person or decide what compromises you are willing to make with your career and your life.

Networking, networking, networking!

2009-06-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have preached about targeting your search and presenting your credentials on line and through recruiting sources in the best way to get noticed. You know how to dress, act professionally and have done all the right things to land you dream position. If you do all those things and do not work you personal contact you are missing how over 75% of business is really done. Keep in mind most new jobs are not from huge companies with trained human resource departments, but small employers or mom & pop shops hiring people that will help them survive into the next month. And how do they find these people? The number one way is a referral from a current, successful employee!

You MUST contact your friends, previous employers, people you know in both professional and social settings and let them know the type of position you are looking for. If they cannot help you they know someone that can! Only 3 degrees of separation between your supermarket cashier and the CEO that lives three towns away. I know it really sucks to wear you heart out there on your sleeve. I know that it is difficult to ask people you barely know or don't like very much for help. But friends, THIS is the way business is done in America.

Why do you think that professional recruiters are in such demand? Even in a crappy down economy the best recruiters are still making placements. It is their network and ability to work their network in good times and bad. Companies pay these people (and I should know I was one of them) a lot of money to have access to their network of skilled, qualified people. YOU must be your own representative and network with all you are worth. Church groups (find one even if you don't believe!), alumni clubs, neighborhood clubs, etc. should all see your happy, smiling, job hunting face. You need to really suck it up and present your best, confident self (see earlier post on not begging)and get out there and meet people. Entire clubs are networking groups are meeting as I post this blog and YOU are not there. Electronic networking is not enough. In fact, if you read my last post you will hear that much of that is lost in all the online spam and chatter. You need to get face to face, on the phone and contact people. Posting you resume on Linked In and sending and e-mail is good but that is NOT how the majority of jobs are filled. I know of an Information Technology Vice President that found a new opportunity networking at his child's soccer game. I know many high paying manufacturing employees that found their job through the kid that cut the company's H.R. Manager's grass. I am telling you it can and does happen with the most unlikely of people and places.

So...sign off, log out, and get your ass out there and start networking today! If you must stay on a line a bit longer search the words: employment/network/you city or target city and then act on the list of groups, clubs and help groups that populate your screen. You must do these things and do them now to succeed in your search.

Write to me at jpjobhelp@yahoo.com with your success story. I am going to begin posting a 'jobs found' running tally on this site. My goal is provide free and useful advice that will help over 1 million people find the position of their dreams. Let one of those people be you.

Get off the beach, catch the wave!

Internet Job Hunt - Part I

2009-06-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

Each day offers new technologies and ways for job seekers to network, research positions and companies as well as for showcasing their skills and abilities. Job site such as Monster, Dice, Career Builder and many other specific to careers have replaced the standard newspaper ads for most recruiters. Social networking sites including Linked In, Twitter, Facebook and others makes networking easier than ever before.

With all of this technology you would think that job seekers and employers would easily find each other and the process would be seamless and efficient. Of course we know that in the real world most things that start as a positive are quickly corrupted and become a burden. Many employers have become so bogged down with thousands of junk and spam e-mails they have gone back to more traditional routes. Probably the biggest complaint from an employer’s perspective is that the vast majority of responses do not fit the position requirements despite the numerous filters used by Monster and others. Few employers have the time or staff to sift through the chatter looking for that prize candidate.

Many business networking sites are suffering the same fate. The vast majority of users are job seekers and little business is done outside of this arena. Many associates I know in the business world have removed their profiles because they did not want to continue to be bombarded by numerous job inquiries from ‘friends’. Social networking sites are quickly moving to the same fate. There are online seminars and course for using Facebook, Twitter, Classmates and other ‘social’ sites for finding a job.

With all of that said what would I recommend to you the job seeker? You should launch a well planned precision search that puts you in a position to be seen and noticed amongst all the noise on the internet. I will always tell you that you should go hunting for you ideal position with a rifle, not a shotgun. Just so none of you take that literally, I mean target your resume to specific positions, employers, and regions where there is a fit. Do not scatter your resume on every business and social site hoping for ‘a hit’. Do not send your resume to every position posting hoping that an employer may have another opening and pass you paperwork along. Those resumes are often trashed without even being opened. When opened it will quickly be moved to the dead file at first hint that you do not fit the advertised position. I have personally filled my electronic trash bin with these phising resumes. If you are doing this as part of your search you are wasting time and energy that could be used refining your search and getting the job you really want.

Take the time to craft a generic resume that can be tweaked and edited to match the online position requirements. This does not take long and the extra effort will get you past electronic screens and in front of the hiring party. Strategically research your target employer and address your cover letter to match the company culture. Above all make sure that both your cover letter and resume contain the same bullet points listed in the job add. If the add says you need 10 plus years of machine maintenance experience, be sure to use a bullet point saying: 10 plus years of machine maintenance experience. Same for MBA, PHD, janitorial, help desk or nuclear physicist. Make all the matching points jump out and easy to find and read. You will get noticed and receive that all important call for an interview. Of course you have to actually HAVE the credentials and skills they need. If you do not and cannot find a way to improvise those skills: for example through volunteer or similar tasks, then do not apply for the job. Use your time and effort to acquire the skills you need (a later blog topic) or find an employer looking for your set of skills. You are not going to get a job that you are not qualified to have unless you are related to the CEO. Even with a silver spoon, you will typically start out in a lesser job and acquire the skills or at least gain exposure to the skills you need to move up.

What about the best way to post your credentials with an on line listing? That will be covered in part II.

You have 10 seconds to sell yourself...GO!

2009-05-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

Resume Roulette … You have 10 seconds to sell yourself. The clock is ticking…now!

To find the position of your dreams you may not need a resume. If your network is very, very strong or your talents run toward the entrepreneurial a resume may be a useless burden. However, if you are in the vast majority of job hunters working every possible angle to land the perfect opportunity, then you not only need a resume…you need several different resumes.

A theme that will be repeated in all elements of this blog is that you need to approach your position search from the aspect of the employer. You need to think like they do, talk their language and even dress like them at some level. Your skills and abilities will get you consideration, but your ability to fit the corporate culture will get you the job offer. They need to know right from the start that you are a good fit. For that reason you need to start by tailoring your resume to match the specific work environment you are targeting.

Most of us have a varied life, education and work experiences. Assuming that one document listing all relevant events and accomplishments can be used for all positions is quite simply not very smart. For example: I have a friend that has started and managed his owe business following a lengthy military career. He sold his business and would now like to find a position managing a manufacturing facility for a large company or running a smaller company for someone else. As a backup plan he feels he can be marketable and successful in sales in his old industry. Can he express all of these thoughts and skills on one resume? Sure, he could try but I would advise having at least three distinct resumes each fitting the position he is pursuing. A larger company would have interest in my friend’s ability to add structure, understanding corporate policy; develop a winning team, etc within their established framework. The smaller employer may want to read about his success growing a small business, talking with suppliers, customers and financiers outside of his organization as well as building a strong team. Sale position resumes would of course focus on his record of building and maintaining a strong customer base with far less emphasis on his managerial skills. Either way, he should do his research to learn what the position qualifications are, learn all he can about the culture of the company (we will discuss this another time) and then write a resume that will hit all of their hot buttons.

Here is how the vast majority of recruiters sort resumes. Pile A is for those that definitely fit the position requirements, typically these are people with the right education level, living nearby and currently working in the same or similar job right now. Pile B is the maybe grouping. People with a similar work history or skills that are close or transferable, and having most of the other needed attributes. The last pile might as well be C-Z because these resumes will probably never be looked at again. Even if you do have a letter saying they will keep your resume on file in case a suitable position becomes available. That’s not going to happen.

What you need to do is get in pile A or at least B. The only way to make that happen is to be sure your resume hits all of the hot buttons in an easy to read format in the 5-10 seconds it will be looked at. That is tough to do if you insist on 4-5 pages or with a paragraph about your goals and objectives. Save that for later. You can submit a one page summary and include the full resume in a separate attachment if this position (scientific research or Professor) calls for more detail.

You initial response should be no more than two pages with bullet points highlighting your major accomplishments, that should match the position needs, and be easily visible. Do your homework and tailor your resume to fit the position and corporate culture where you are applying. This is the difference between getting a call and getting filed away into oblivion.

Do you have more questions? Send me your resume and I will take a look and provide some direct advice. I will not disclose any names and will keep any future references anonymous.

I may even start a resume template library on a separate website if there is interest. Let me know at jpjobhelp@yahoo.com

No one cares how much you need a job.

2009-05-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

Don't beg.

No one cares how much you need a job.

No one except you and those that depend on you, including your family, friends, creditors and local businesses you frequent. The people that do not care are the ones looking to fill a position. You must discipline yourself to appear confident, secure and desirable and you cannot do that while begging for a chance at a job. Desperation is not a trait that attracts people to you, whether that be friends, a potential mate and certainly not an employer. NEVER tell a potential employer your story of how bad you need the job. Losing your house, family, car, etc. is a great thing to talk to your friends, shrink or clergy about...but it is the kiss of death in a job interview.

When someone makes it to the interview stage with me and then opens up about why and how bad they need the position all I am thinking about is, 'trouble' with a capitol T. You think you are appealing to someones human side or perhaps this nice person who will tell you they want to hear everything really understands and wants to help. Well, they do not want to help. They do want you to expose all potential problems limiting you from being to work each day and on time. They do want you to expose your ability to control your finances and personal relationships. They do want to know that you are a stable person that will give them the best possible return on their financial investment in your salary and benefits. They want to help the company be the best it can be and that is no time for charity or pity. You need to project the image that screams you are in control of your life and your career.

Now that said all of that I must say that you also need to communicate your strong interest in the position if in fact you are interested. This is to be done with strength and professionalism. How do I do that?

Tell the hiring authority, "I believe my background is a good fit and I am interested in taking this process to the next step."

Within 24 hours send a short thank you note to each person that you interviewed with. Believe me, no one passes around a letter addressed to the group and nothing says you are interested more that a fast, short and professional thank you.

Indicate that you are interested in the thank you letter by saying, "I am very interested in this position and would like to take the process further".

Call in 4-5 days to check on status of the position. Is it still open? Am I in consideration? When/should I follow up again? Listen and do what the person tells you to do!

These steps communicate interest without communicating desperation or weakness. Put your best foot forward and leave the tales of woe behind. You will be glad you did.

There is a reason you didn't get that job!

2009-05-03T06:01:00.001-07:00

There is a reason you didn't get that job. YOU!

Yes there was a reason you did not get called, got passed over, did not get that second interview or even lost out at the last minute to someone else. If you were really the best person for the position and presented yourself that way the opportunity would be yours to accept or reject. Instead you are wondering what went wrong without any real feedback on why. Well, the truth is: A - you are either not the best candidate or B - you did not present or sell yourself properly.

In all fairness most of the time it is reason A. (we will cover B later) You simply do not have the skills, experience, personality or drive needed to fill the position in question. This can be a tough pill to swallow when you are chasing a dream or in dire straights. Still, it is important to know the truth so you can manage your life and your career.

I will be publishing a series of blogs highlighting the recruitment process and what 'most' searches look like from the employer side of things. Yes, there will be some recruiter that diligently read each resume, respond to all candidates and even give valuable feedback. But most do none of those things. In most work environments they simply do not have the time.

So how do I know if I am the best qualified candidate? The short answer is you don't. And neither does the hiring party for that matter. Thus begins the dance of recruitment and selection. Let's make sure you are at the right dance and looking like a likely partner. More to follow...