Increasingly, employers are looking to their internship programs to find new employees, according to results of a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Results of NACE's 2008 Experiential Education Survey show that emphasis on hiring from the intern program is growing. Employers reported that nearly 36 percent of the new college graduates they hired from the Class of 2007 came from their own internship programs, up from 30 percent from the Class of 2005.

In addition, "more interns are getting offers of full-time employment," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "Currently, employers say they extended job offers to nearly 70 percent of their interns; in 2001, they offered jobs to 57 percent."

The trend toward using the internship program to feed hiring is fueled, in part, by employer satisfaction with interns and internship programs.

"Nearly 90 percent of employers who use their programs to hire say they are very or extremely satisfied with their interns, and employers consistently name the internship program as one of the most effective tools they have for hiring new college graduates," says Mackes. "Employers see results with these programs."

Survey findings also indicate that interns who become full-time hires are more likely to stick with the organization than their co-workers who didn't go through the program: More than one-third of employers (37.3 percent) reported higher retention among those converted from intern to employee within the first year of hire, and nearly half (48.8 percent) said former interns had higher retention five years after hire.

Not surprisingly, employers expect to add to their intern numbers this year: Respondents project a 3.7 percent increase in the number of interns they bring on in 2007-08, building their pool of potential full-time hires for next year.

Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 31, 2008 at 8:00 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

CHICAGO, IL -- You have been out of work and looking for a job for several months and feel discouraged. How can you re-energize yourself and your search? Patience and persistence will help you get your job search back on the fast-track.

When you begin a job search, it's easy to feel hopeful and excited. But if months go by without an offer, that enthusiasm can wane. Job seekers can lose their motivation and start feeling personally rejected. When a job search isn't working you feel like a failure. You need to refocus and get outside of your own head.

The way to reinvigorate the search and change your attitude is to do what businesses do when customers aren't buying: Find some trusted friends, preferably at the level of those interviewing you, and ask them to be brutally honest. Ask them: "What might someone see in my resume, my presence, the way I interview, that needs improvement? Is there something I take for granted that might differentiate me to a potential employer?" Be willing to take their advice and make some changes.

Article abridged from New York Times, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 31, 2008 at 11:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

"Those who say some people were just lucky because they were in the right place at the right time don't realize that the lucky ones show up at a lot of the right places a lot of times."--Tony Beshara

Next to performing well on interviews, which is covered later in this program, the most important hurdle to getting a job is securing the face-to-face interviews. Obviously, you can't perform well on the interview until you have an interview. That interview needs to be face-to-face, with a manager who has authority to hire and feels the "pain " from an urgent need to hire someone.

You cannot really control whether you are offered a job. You can only influence the hiring manager to offer a job - by interviewing well and selling yourself. However, even if you are the best person for the job, you can't make them offer it to you.

While you cannot control job offers, you can control interviews - their number and how they are conducted. Securing interviews is hard work. Certainly, it requires tenacity and technique. For most people, however, it also requires courage - they are not comfortable initiating conversations or don't have the natural instincts for doing it. To these people, it can be a daunting, if not excruciating, task.

No one likes rejection. Unfortunately, it is a risk one must face to find a job. Accept that reality and prepare for possible rejection then get to work. Pristine resumes, brilliant research, and great contacts - even superior references - do not increase your odds of finding a job anywhere near as much as numerous interviews will.

Who You Gonna Call?
The most effective vehicle to get face-to-face interviews is going to be for you to pick up the phone and call everyone you can, whether you know them or not. Find people available for an interview that might result in you being hired. Find an employer with a "pain" that your employment can solve.

Think of all of the people that you can call. Below I provide the "script" you should follow in those calls, but first, you need to identify who you are going to call. Write on the form provided below the names of people that you might call to get an interview or a referral for an interview. Here's a partial list of the types of people you should consider:

• Companies you have worked for, part-time
• People who are a generation older than you
• Employers where your peers might have worked part-time
• Parents of your peers and friends
• Your immediate and extended family, as well as friends of all of these people
• Alumni of your school
• Alumni of your fraternity or sorority, if that applies
• All of the people recommended by your college or university placement offices
• Bankers of your parents or friends (bankers usually know which companies in their area are expanding).
• Hometown contacts
• Contacts made at job fairs
• Internet postings
• Newspaper ads (maybe fewer today, but don't overlook them.)
• Professional service firms to which your degree applies, i.e. accounting, engineering, architecture, marketing, banking etc.
• Employment agencies/recruiters
• Internship possibilities

The reality is that very few positions available to first-time job seeker, recent graduates, and others with very little experience are ever going to be advertised. However, the companies hiring the experienced people may also consider someone with little experience - for the right salary. Don't hesitate to call companies who are advertising for experienced people.

By: Tony Beshara, Ask for personal advice from Tony, the #1 recruiter according to the industry's leading journal, The Fordyce Letter.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 31, 2008 at 8:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

References are so often an after thought, but they shouldn't be. They should be on your mind (at least once a month). Even if you are not currently looking for a job. Let me explain. I will start with the negatives (those things you should pay attention to not do!).

1. Don't give me (the recruiter) or your employer conquest a reference that can hardly remember you.



2. Make certain that your reference can see you in the job that you are looking to get....(I had one lady tell me that all she could say about my sales candidate was that she was very good in her laboratory - very meticulous). Great. That same lady could have said that the candidate showed a lot of leadership, was very persuasive and thrived in interactive meetings. What a difference that would make.



3. Prepare your references. So and so may call. This is the type of job that I am pursuing. This is very important to me. Please call me once you have talked with the "reference checker" (this will make the reference more responsive to the "reference call" and will give you a heads up about how the process is moving. Remind them of what amazing things (specifically) you did for the reference when you worked there. Help their memory along....



4. Don't give me your college roommate. I want a work reference. A relevant reference. A great reference.

Read the Five Tips From A Professional Reference Checker, By Paul W. Barada.

Collect references in your career. Stay in touch. You can't expect to get the incredible reference that you are looking for if the reference has not heard from you in 5 years. This all goes to the networking needs of the professional. Before you exit a company, ask your current boss for their personal email and phone number. Stress that you want to stay in touch and could you use them for a reference in the future. Then stay in touch. Every 4-5 months, drop them an email or call. Ask them if there is anything that you can do for them.....Help others, they will definitely help you! Link up with them on LinkedIn.Com. Collect these references. When someone that can speak to your skill sets announces that they are leaving for greener pastures...what am I going to say? Yes. Ask them if you can have their personal email and phone number. Explain that you really enjoyed working with them and you want to keep in touch. Then do so...If a manager (not your direct manager) is leaving...perhaps they will feel comfortable attesting to your work ethic, drive, success at whatever task you took on.

I had a great candidate that my client company was not excited about...The candidate perceived that there was a roadblock and had one of his references call me to proactively tell me about this candidate. That is impressive. And that is what gets you the job.

By: Peggy McKee, PHC Consulting

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 31, 2008 at 8:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

When it comes to website design jobs, there are people pulling in hundreds of dollars per hour and people making $5-$10 an hour. What makes an employee affordable and how can you be the website designer making $100 an hour?

Employers: A website designer's affordability is not, as you might think, 100% proportional to the hourly rate. In a world where the saying, "Time is Money" has never been more true, the hourly rate you pay can be justified with numerous variables, with the most important one being TIME. Turn around time, bugs, usability, search optimization know-how are just a few of the other variables in trying to find out if your website designer is affordable. Can you afford to pay someone $10 an hour, $50, or $100 isn't the question. The question is do you have more time than money, or more money than time? If you have time to wait on a project then you can afford to take the chance on a lower rate employee. If you have to have something done right the first time and done quickly, then another cliche is quite true... "You get what you pay for." If you're an employer, then you probably know (but may not practice) that your time is very valuable, and outsourcing and delegating to good employees are the keys to success.

Jobseekers: If you are a web designer, then the question is... "How do I get to be the one making $100 an hour or more?" This is the most simple answer there is, and if followed will make you do well in any job you tackle with this mentality... CUSTOMER SERVICE! You have to answer your boss's questions quickly, you have to set realistic expectations, and you have to deliver consistently. If you do those three things, but most importantly you communicate quickly and efficiently, you will have success, and you will eventually get to that high rate of pay. Your boss/employee relationship has a metaphorical bank which you deposit into when you provide great customer service and withdraw from when you don't answer an email quickly, or set expectations higher than they should have been. When the bank gets to zero, you lose your job. If you keep depositing though, the interest earned keeps going up. That interest rate is your hourly rate in this metaphor, and it is also what makes you affordable even when you're making double or triple the rate of others doing the same job.

No matter which side of the coin you're on, jobseeker or employer, you can be affordable and you can find someone who is affordable, after you realize that money is not the only thing going in and out during these transactions. You can find more on this topic at http://www.slickricky.com/designers_central/affordable-website-design/.

By: SlickRicky Designs

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 28, 2008 at 8:01 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Here's something they don't teach you in business school...

Add follow up time to your next meeting

How many times have you had a great meeting, then struggled to find the time later to follow up on your action items from it?

I believe that business life is filled with out-of-sight out-of-mind behavior, where meetings end up being 'happy talk' with little real execution. In many cases, it is a time management issue, not an integrity issue.

Recently, I've started a new meetings habit, padding a meeting with 15 to 30 minutes of follow up time. This means that after a meeting or conference call, I have time blocked out to do what I promised to do, including research, networking, writing, etc. I've noticed immediate results from this new technique and on top of that I've delighted business mates with a lightning quick follow up (usually all of them same day of meeting/call).

Try this strategy with your next few meetings, phone or in-person, and let me know how it works for you!

One thing I do is keep a small stack of post-it notes in my business card case. When I meet someone new, such as at a networking event, i write down where & when I met them, together with something to help me remember them. If I promise do to anything for them, such as send them an article I read or introduce them to someone, I make note of this as well. Then after the event, it's easy for me to follow up and it keeps things from falling through the cracks.

To your success.

Article by David B. Wright and courtesy of Jim Stroud, "The Job Search Strategist" providing strategies, tips and tutorials on how to find work and advance your career.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 27, 2008 at 8:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Sodexo Careers has a Facebook page - did you know this? Some of my collegues have asked me what we hope to accomplish with our social media efforts including our Facebook page and I hope my reasoning so far has been successful... but I have to admit I am always looking for better ways and better examples to explain the value.

In a nutshell, we've found that our social networking sites are great places for people to learn more about our culture and to network with us. It has helped us build our web presence and is helping us strengthen our employer brand. We hope that it shows we are an innovative organization ready to embrace new technologies and best practices. These sites also allow us a new way to communicate with our past, present and future employees... hence the chosen name, Sodexo Careers - Past Present, & Future.

But is there more? Oh yeah.

Chris Russell over at Jobs in Pods does a great job of explaining the importance of blogging, Facebook, Linkedin, Podcasts and more. And no one can argue with Ernst & Young's success with their Facebook group and its more than 13,000 members. Tonight I read on Jobs in Pods a quote that sums it all up for anyone who still asks, "Why?"

Dan Black, director of recruiting for Ernst & Young used Facebook to connect with students. But he did so in a different way. Lots of questions were asked on E&Y's wall, and he wrote back in a very personal tone. Realized that this was one of the few channels to have a direct conversation with students.

This is what Sodexo Careers hopes to accomplish with our Facebook page - a relationship with our members where we can have a direct conversation with them.

Courtesy of Sodexo Careers Blog Making every day a better day.

We have a long way to go but we'll get there.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 27, 2008 at 8:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Yes. Reference checks are completely irrelevant and often misleading. I ran a reference check on a candidate and the manager had nothing but praise for the candidate. The candidate got the job and was fired on the first day. It was nice that I could tell my manager I did the reference to cover myself, but I could have made it up since it proved irrelevant.

Smart candidates will prep their references and will not give out the names of people they did not get along with. That's common sense. No one can get along with everyone; somebody will assuredly dislike you for something or other. But you can be certain that a reference will have positive things to say about you.

Candidates often do not want to give out references at first contact because many believe (rightly) that the recruiter will use that reference to make a sales call. I never make my candidates give me references on the first call; rather, if I am required to, I wait until I have an interview. That way you have more of a give and take relationship with the candidate and there is more trust between you.

Recruiting firms offer reference checks as a service to their clients. To legally do a reference check, you must have written permission to do so. If the manager bad mouths a candidate, that company could be in for a defamation or business interference (tortuous interference) lawsuit. This is one reason why many large companies have a policy against giving any references other than start date, end date, and re-hire status, and even that they give out with great care.

Thus, with savvy candidates and weary former mangers a reference check is a largely perfunctory exercise that does not glean any new information about the candidate, nor is it a very effective device in forecasting future performance; it is therefore irrelevant.

By: Gene Leshinsky, The Boston Technical Recruiter

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 27, 2008 at 9:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Debbie Amini, Director of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Cape Fear Community College, has written an intriguing article featured on the Advance for Occupational Therapy Practitioners website tittled Competencies in Physical Rehabilitation. Her article touches on the recent motion made before the AOTA Representative Assembly that requests the establishment of entry-level competencies for Occupational Therapists treating the upper extremity. The motion apparently fostered from the belief that new OT graduates are not receiving adequate education on this practice. In her article, Debbie provides her thoughts on the issue and presents some good points, like the one below.

"The notion of establishing entry-level competencies for specialty practice brings up the age-old question of "what is OT, anyway?" I do not believe that treating the upper extremity defines our profession. What defines our profession is occupation. OTs and OTAs must be trained to be generalists with the core knowledge of occupation. If there is evidence that students are not trained in a major practice area such as occupation or physical rehabilitation, then this is a concern for ACOTE. Mental health competencies are part of the core of OT; treating arms is not. Yes, it is an important component of what OTs do, but it is not the core focus."

If you are an OT student or recent graduate you might like to read her full article. After reading the article you can leave your thoughts and read comments left by others. It is a very interesting issue that could effect you as a student and new grad, as well as the OT profession in general.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 26, 2008 at 4:55 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

SAN JOSE, CA -- As technology continues to personalize, how you make your networking connections will change and mean more. Historically, recruiting companies used newspapers, websites, radio and the traditional marketing methods to seek out new candidates. Now with the advent of MySpace, Facebook, blogging, and RSS feeds--all these things serve as new and different ways for recruiters to connect with people.

Recruitment podcasts and videos have become more and more popular, and many recruiters are just using them as a new way to connect with candidates. Certainly, hearing a voice or seeing a video probably has more impact than seeing text resume on paper or a website.

Consider a day 10 years down the road where interviews are conducted online. You know, a company is in New York, and they're looking for a VP of marketing. They funnel it down to 8 candidates, and they interview those candidates via webcam. Then, when it funnels down to the top three, they bring those three in to their headquarters. The video resume debate is slowing becoming hot and will continue to grow in popularity over the next few years.

Article abridged from US News Money & Business, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 26, 2008 at 10:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

This weekend I've been having lots of fun researching online video. It's one of the strategies in social media communications that I have yet to fully embrace and while I use platforms such as Camtasia, Articulate and have tried out Oovoo, I've not recorded my own video from situations where I have been "on location". You can listen to a podcast I recorded recently about getting started with online video.

How to create video that is compelling and engaging and which will support your brand essence be that your corporate brand, employer brand or personal brand is the place many of us start.

But how do you then ensure that your online video is "onbrand"; how do you actually embed your brand identity and call to action into your video; where should you host your video; and how can you achieve this without costing you a small fortune?

Then are a vast array of platforms from hosting your video to live streaming - it's enough to make your head fuzzy like eating too many chocolate Easter eggs!

We've been doing some test runs over the weekend which has been interesting - so get ready for some video's here in the not too distant future.

This next Monday on Biz Growth Live, my guest was to be Debbie Weil, author of The Corporate Blogging Book, but unfortunately Debbie can not join me as she is just finishing her house move and on Friday we had to postpone the session to a later date. Debbie sends her apologies to everyone.

So I got to thinking, if I am wondering about all these questions about online video, perhaps some of my Biz Growth Community are too. So I contacted my Facebook friend and someone who is an expert in video podcasting, Sherman Hu to see if he would join me as our guest expert this week.

Sherman is in the middle of a huge project so I was thrilled when he said he would join me this week.

[If] you have questions for Sherman or myself about how to master online video to bring your brand to life you can either post a question in the comments section or on our live questions page.

Article by Krishna De and courtesy of Biz Growth News blog

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 25, 2008 at 6:09 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I tried to reword the title of the post but my non-journalistic instincts did not come up with a better one.

The University of Minnesota as an entity is not looking at profiles but staff, faculty and the University of Minnesota Police Department are.

This should be common knowledge for anyone with a social networking profile but either the many local and national news stories are not getting through to users or the users do not care.

The Minnesota Daily has this article today, [March 25, 2008]
Who's looking at your Facebook?

There it is kids (and adults too), people are looking at your profiles. Get it now? Putting stupid stuff about yourself, family and friends in a public domain can and likely will come back to bite you in the [rear].

I am venting now but I long ago became tired of people saying it is not fair that their personal life is subject to scrutiny. Get over it. Better yet do something about it. Or even better yet stop putting it out there.

Do not post the stuff or at a minimum keep it private.

Universities and employers are not looking for the perfect choir boys and girls but they are looking for someone with some sense of dignity and character.

And maybe the University of Minnesota is looking at profiles of those applying like other universities and colleges are, College Admissions Officers Using Facebook, MySpace, and Other Social Networking Sites to Block Students:

"A recent study by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth found that 25 percent of college admissions offices admit to using search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN to research potential students and that 20 percent look for the same information on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace."

For your education and your career stop posting your dirty laundry for everyone to see. I can imagine what kind of fun you had last Friday night but I do not need to see it and most importantly you do not want Friday night to impact getting into your college program or your next promotion at work.

Here ends what has to be my third or fourth rant on social network stupidity.

Courtesy of MNHeadhunter

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 25, 2008 at 5:52 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NEW YORK, NY -- In an exclusive 36 minute "Career Transitions" interview with Peter Clayton on Total Picture Radio, recruiting industry veteran Beth Ross provides a wealth of interview training information. Dr. Ross told Mr. Clayton, "The purpose of any interview is not to get a job -- it's to get the next meeting. You are on stage. It's a performance! And, you must be prepared."

Your strategy should be to become an insider within the organization you're interviewing with. You can do this with all of the tremendous resources available on the Internet. Your goal should be to know everything you can about the company, its competitors, leaders, and challenges. That's how you become an insider, able to transition to a new industry, or new career."

Here are a few job interview insider tips: You prepare just as if you are going on stage, knowing your lines and having a clear strategy for winning. Basic interviewing techniques include: Developing your lines. In an interview, an inability to express yourself clearly is worse than a lack of experience. Write down answers to the following: The main reason the employer would want to hire you; What you have to offer in the way of experience, credentials, and personality; A statement of why you would want to work for this company.

Article abridged from eMediaWire.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 25, 2008 at 2:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

So you think you are a sales executive? Let's qualify you as a candidate:

• Do you love to cold call?
• Do you understand how to develop relationships with your recruiters?
• Do you understand how to develop relationships inside large companies once you have them as a client?
• Are you familiar with all the procedural processes and paper work of your clients?
• Do you regularly attend trade fares?
• Are you an active networked?
• Do you reside on LinkedIn and Google?
• Do you love to research new prospects?
• What time do you make your first phone call in the morning?
• What time do you go home at night?

The farmer logically grows the account once the seed is sown, waters the crops, and brings in a large new harvest. He also makes sure that wolves do not prey on his sheep by knowing every sheep in the flock.

A hunter is a wolf who goes out and hunts. A wolf does not wait for the sheep to come to him, he goes out and finds it, stalks it, and takes it down. The wolf is never content, nor does it get fat. A hunter is always hunting or he is no longer a hunter.

Are you a hunter or a farmer? Perhaps you are both, or neither. If you are neither, you and those people who depend on you have a serious problem.

By: Gene Leshinsky, Techruiter at Boston Technical Recruiter

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 25, 2008 at 11:20 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Susan Friedman, of Customer Service Zone, wrote an article to help employers provide the best possible service to their customers.

Below are Friedman's "10 Commandments of Customer Service":

1. The customer is boss: In a nutshell, without customers, your business won't thrive, in fact, it may not even survive. Make it a point to learn the needs and wants of your clientele.

2. Pay attention: One of the biggest complaints of customers is that they don't feel like they're heard. Focus on the customer you have before you or on the other end of th etelephone line. Each customer is equally important. No one likes to be ignored or feel slighted, this especially true with customers.

3. Know your customers: The more you communicate with your customers, the better acquainted you will become with their wants and needs. By understanding your customers, you make them feel valued and appreciated, which makes them feel happy. And happy customers are repeat customers.

4. Be sincere: Make it a point to call each customer by name, offer sincere compliments, and say thank you. Your customers should feel good about doing business with you. Tone of voice and body language are dey to demonstrating your sincere appreciation of their business. Again, you want your customers to walk away happy with the hope that they will recommend your company to their friends, families and colleagues.

5. Clarity is important: Whatever systems your company uses should be easily understood by your customers. But, remember, your customers are people, not machines, your systems should be created with this fact in mind.

6. Follow through: As long as your customers' requests are within reason, make every effort to fulfill them in a timely manner. When you say, "Yes, we can do that," make sure you do it.

7. It's okay to "I'm sorry.": Nobody's perfect. Companies aren't either. "When something goes wrong, apologize," Friedman advises. Believe it or not, customers do understand that sometimes things don't go as planned. They'll appreciate your honesty. On your side, appreciate your customers' criticism as much as you do their praise. When you make corrections, let the customers know what you did. Compliments tell you where you are doing a good job, and criticisms tell you where you need to make improvements. Above all else, make sure the customer feels comfortable, even when he's wrong. Note: Even though it's false that the customer is always right, it's true that the customer is always important.

8. One up your competition: Customer retention is a crucial as attracting new clientele to your door, so whenever possible:

• Try to give your customers products or services that are exclusive to your company.
• Find a way to show your appreciation for your customers' patronage even when they don't make a purchase.
• Think of something "you can give your customers that is totally unexpected."

9. Tellus what you think: Find ways to let your customers know that you want their input on how well or porrly your company is satisfying their needs, then:

"-Listen carefully to what they say.
-Check back regularly to see how things are going.
-Provide a method that invites constructive criticism, comments and suggestions."

10. Don't forget your employees: Your employees are your customers, too. Let them know as often as possible how much you value their hard work and dedication. Be sure not only to say thank you, but to show it as well. Happy employees who feel valued are productive employees who spread their good feelings on to your customers.

Customer service isn't easy. Friedman gives great advice on how to give customers great service.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 24, 2008 at 9:09 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

This week, we get inside the head of Justin Roy, Chief Operating Officer of SullivanKreiss, one of the nation's largest recruiters of Architects and Building/Design Engineers.

Justin is responsible for the management of recruiting operations, along with client and project development. He has extensive experience with all aspects of executive-level, key management, and technical position recruiting for Architecture, Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Engineering firms throughout the United States.

reCareered: Justin, considering the slowdown in today's Real Estate markets, how has your business been affected?

Justin: We haven't seen ANY slowdown. In the AE industry, everything being worked on now was signed a year ago.

There will always be a need for entry level people who are presentable and who know what NOT to say. But for entry level positions, I'd say it's slowing down. Firms now have to concentrate on servicing their clients, and many firms can sub-out entry level work.

reCareered: So if you're working on staffing to fulfill prior year contracts, do you see 2009 being a slower employment year?

Justin: It depends on how this lasts. But even if the current Real Estate softness lasts 12 months, it will actually be good. If the building recession lasts that long, projects will have to happen fast. Everyone will have to staff up in bulk to meet demands.

reCareered: How is the AE employment market affected by retirements of the Baby Boomers?

Justin: Right now it's helping, but it's getting harder to find people. Statistically, there are not enough people to replace the retiring Boomers. Demand for GenX is going through the roof, and salaries are going up.

reCareered: What kinds of advice are you giving your candidates today?

Justin: Be careful of the offer. Often times more money is a tradeoff for stability - most expensive is often first out. Be careful that a firm isn't hiring you as a band aid.

reCareered: What kinds of questions can a candidate ask to better understand risk of overpayment?

Justin: These are some top questions I'd advise A&E or candidates in any professional services career to ask:

• What is your backlog of work?


• How many other people are at this level?


• What are the demographics of others at this level? If everyone else is 10 years younger, you risk being first out.


• Do research on salary surveys online first, to find out the average salaries being paid

reCareered: What advice can you give candidates to ace an interview?

Justin: Go in with a project portfolio, whether you are an AE, IT professional, Accounting/Finance pro, or Marketing/Advertising. Let your work help sell you by using visual aids and work samples. Include articles published, examples of reports, etc. Take every part of the job, and have a visual example of your expertise.

Article by Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global and courtesy of reCareered blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 24, 2008 at 6:50 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

A customer hires quite a lot of employees every month (~ 20 per month). The in-house recruiter sorts through the resumes ---narrows down to 100 candidates that seem relevant to the positions. Then calls all 100 candidates on the phone. Not all answer the call or even return the call. But he spends approximately 50 hours per month talking with candidates on the phone (screening down to a final number that he sees in person). Because he hires for a facility, he is setting up a interview room off of the front entrance.

Now instead of calling those 100 candidates (and spending an average of 30 minutes on the phone with those that he actually engages), he is going to invite them to take a video job interview at his site. All he needs is a computer, with a webcam and high speed internet. Done! So now instead of spending time on the phone he can actually "see and hear" his candidates answer his interview questions! This means that the candidates that he is able to screen down to invite for an actual face to face are even more qualified than before and he saved countless hours talking with candidates that weren't qualified. Oh - and because they have to come to the facility to take the video interview, they are much more interested in his position (or they would not have made the trip,)

He can, also, have an intro video that brands his company and the position for them to view! Key attributes of the Video Job Interview that will really provide value to his organization:

1. Completely standardized questions.
2. He can share the interviews with the hiring managers - they can help decide what candidates make the cut. This means that the hiring manager has greater buy in on the final candidates (and we all know that this is important).
3. The time and energy that he saves can be utilized to find new ways to recruit....(maybe he can start recruiting in another geography (using the Video Job Interview). He can see candidates that are interested in his position (will relocate themselves to his city) using TiVo for hiring!
4. Like he said, now he can pursue on-campus recruiting without being on campus!

By: Peggy McKee, VP Sales & Marketing at Interview on Demand, LLC. Interview on Demand is a leading provider of video job interviews and career video products that serve recruiters, employers, and jobseekers in the hiring process.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 24, 2008 at 3:50 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

This Tip's information is the most important I have to offer. Ignore me if you want, but not if you are serious about finding a job.

The job of finding a job is not easy. It requires hard work and results in a lot of disappointment and frustration. Unfortunately, you cannot cope with its stress by taking a few days to mope around - if you expect a job any time soon. Your attitude needs to be positive, expectant, and grateful almost every day. You must be prepared for refusals, rejections, and blatant rudeness. I know that these are not natural character traits; they must be learned.

There daily exercises required to maintain the positive attitude you need to come across in the phone calls you make, the e-mails you write, and the interviews you have. Importantly, your family and loved ones should also see this attitude - remember that your job search is stressful on them as well.

Even if you have a positive attitude, as many of us think we do, you need to work on it all the time. Although this is a beautiful, wondrous, and mystical world, many negative things are going to happen to you, if they haven't already. You cannot prevent every one of these negatives from happening, but you can control how you respond to them.

The first step in dealing with negatives is to understand and expect them. In your job search, expect to work hard, expect to be rejected many times, and expect to become frustrated. Understand what effect each will have on your psyche and prepare yourself for those feelings by having a plan to combat them.

Ask for personal advice from Tony Beshara, America's #1 recruiter
according to the industry's leading journal, The Fordyce Letter.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 24, 2008 at 3:08 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Looking for a job? Feel like writing a long cover letter? Forget about it!

A cover letter needs to be short and to the point. It needs to illustrate very quickly why who ever is reading it should pick up the phone and call you. As a recruiter that works with consultants, I seldom indulge in cover letter reading. I don't have time. If your resume is not on target a cover letter won't help.

If you are applying to a permanent job the guy reading your resume is very likely reading dozens of other resumes. He wants to see that you can communicate succinctly and to sell yourself effectively. You can't write more then a couple of sentences. My approach to cover letters when I have to write them is such:

Briefly thank "Whomever" for taking the time to consider you for that particular opportunity( make sure it's the right opportunity and company!). Take one or two points from your resume and illustrate how those experiences make you the best candidate for the job you are applying to. Do this in 2-3 sentences. Catch their attention!

Finish off strong. Do not meander. Being able to write a short and effective summary of why you are the candidate they are looking for is key. If your cover letter is longer then this article, you have a problem.

Good Luck!

By: Gene Leshinsky, Boston Technical Recruiter
Need Career Advice? Resume Help? Visit Us!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 24, 2008 at 3:00 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

There is a lot of hoop-la over the recession. Or coming recession. Or statistical but maybe-not-really recession. But the truth is that the job market is just fine, especially for the post-Baby-Boomer set.

The health of today's job market is not so much a function of economic indicators as it is a function of demographic trends. There is a huge shortage of employees. Baby Boomers are retiring and Generation X and Y are less able to replace the Baby Boomers than had been anticipated...Continue reading "A Recession Probably Won't Affect Your Job Market"

Article By: Penelope Trunk and courtesy of Brazen Careerist

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 24, 2008 at 8:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In a case that offers valuable lessons for employers, a federal court upheld a $1.4 million jury verdict awarded to an African-American supermarket employee who was denied a promotion to a management job.

The Facts

John O'Quinn worked for Raley's Supermarkets in California. After more than 30 years without a promotion, he applied for a customer service manager position. He testified that the job was his "lifelong dream." He passed a written manager's exam required by the company. He volunteered to take a finance course during his vacation to boost skills needed for the position.

O'Quinn went through several rounds of interviews but ultimately was rejected. The all-white interview panel awarded management positions to four white employees instead.

O'Quinn eventually resigned because he "felt his career was going nowhere" and then sued the company.

The Result

The jury awarded O'Quinn $455,500 in compensatory damages and $900,000 in punitive damages.

What was the tipping point in the case that led the jury to award significant damages? More than anything else, it appeared to be the company's distinct lack of diversity at the management level. In its decision to uphold the verdict, the court repeatedly referenced the all-white interview panel, the all-white pool of successful candidates and the all-white store management.

As the court stated: The evidence adduced at trial established that [O'Quinn] worked for [Raley's] for decades, that [he] was not promoted despite evidence of his qualifications (including passing the manager's exam), that only white employees were promoted to the positions [he] sought, and that [Raley's] lacked any African-American store directors. Given the above, the jury's conclusion that [Raley's] acted with malice, fraud, or oppression is a reasonable conclusion . . . .

The Lessons

Companies that lack diversity at the management level operate at their own peril. Besides being sitting ducks for discrimination lawsuits, they are far more likely to make bad decisions. Studies show that diversity among decision-makers leads to a greater variety of viewpoints, a more complete analysis of relevant factors and, ultimately, better decisions.

On a more granular level, the "panel" approach used by the company in this case can be a useful tool. However, if it's not diverse and not conducted properly it actually increases the chances of a successful lawsuit.

In short, diversity is not only the right thing to do -- it's an absolute business necessity.

Article by Mark Toth, Chief Legal Officer of Manpower's North American operations, and courtesy of ">Manpower Employment Blawg. Mark also serve as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President of Franchise Relations and serve on our Global Leadership Team, North American Lead Team, Executive Diversity Steering Committee and Sarbanes-Oxley Steering Committee.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 21, 2008 at 4:50 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

One of my friends has been complaining that her team is running wild.

Much as I love her, I know that this is happening because when my friend took over the group a few months ago, she really wanted her new reports to like her, so she put up with a lot from them. They would tell her they weren't going to do an assignment because they didn't want to, and instead of adhering to a regular 9-5 work schedule, they came and went as they pleased. And except for venting to me, my friend didn't say a word.

No one ever said management was easy, and if you want to be successful at it, you have to get started on the right foot. When you are assigned a new report, sit down with him for an informal conversation. Taking the employee to lunch is a nice touch and will give you the chance to get to know him. Use the opportunity to let your employee know right off the bat how you prefer to work and what you expect from him.

Communicate your boundaries for acceptable conduct and performance as soon as possible. For example, clue your new report in right away if your company is super-strict about arriving to work on time. The first time he slips, subtly let him know that there will be consequences if the behavior continues.

My friend was worried about being perceived as the bad guy. She thought she'd just wait until their performance evaluations to tell her team exactly what was bugging her. Remember, folks, that employees prefer straightforward, timely feedback to mixed messages, passive-aggressive slighting, or a bad review that comes out of nowhere. Your report may not always love what you have to say, but he can't fault you for delivering constructive messages as his manager.

Article by Alexandra Levit and courtesy of Water Cooler Wisdom blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 21, 2008 at 4:43 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

We recently took a survey of therapy students to help us better understand your wants and needs. We've tabulated the results and come up with some very interesting statistics.

When I mention statistics your stomach may become instantly nauseated by thoughts of your sophomore Stats professor giving long dissertations about z-scores, standard deviations, and box and whisker plots. Put your graphing calculators back in the desk drawer because all the calculations have been done for you! (Don't you wish that was the case in stats class?)

Below are just some of the things you told us by taking our survey.

We had a total of 405 students participate in our survey! Thanks to everyone who participated!
It's quite apparent that today's student likes the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Of the 405 students,

*69% of you wanted to work in an urban setting upon graduation.
The most popular practice setting was Outpatient/Sports Rehabilitation with
*40% seeking employment in that setting.
Surprisingly, you're not a group of students that want to stay close to home.
*17% of those surveyed wanted to work somewhere other than their current location!

What's important to you when looking for a job? Well, based on your responses Geographic location is the most important factor, closely followed by salary/compensation.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare has over 1200 locations in 42 states so no matter whether you want to stay close to home, or are looking to spread your wings and practice somewhere far away, we have a position that suits you. And RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 21, 2008 at 4:32 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Employers expect to hire 8 percent more new college graduates from the Class of 2008 than they hired from the Class of 2007, according to the Job Outlook 2008 Spring Update report, released today by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Despite that positive outlook, the current negative economic climate has had an effect on the hiring prospects of new college graduates.

In fact, although hiring projections remain positive, they have cooled off since the fall of 2007, when employers projected a 16 percent increase in college hiring for the Class of 2008.

That drop off, however, is tempered by the fact that much of the negative impact is concentrated in specific industries, such as finance, leaving a significant portion of the market for new college graduates robust.

Moreover, many employers responding to the current survey reported that they had concentrated a large portion of their hiring activity in the fall, and less than 1 percent expect to rescind the job offers they made then.

The overall effect on this year's graduates?

"In general, the hiring outlook remains positive, and many seniors have already received job offers," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "New college graduates just entering the job market will likely find fewer opportunities than originally anticipated. It will also mean that graduates who were focused on particular industries, such as finance, may need to adjust their target industries."

About NACE: Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 19, 2008 at 9:02 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

About a week and a half ago I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion at a luncheon hosted by the Austin Technology Council. The topic was "Shortage in the Emerging Workforce: Evolving to Attract and Retain Talent" and the panel was comprised of some of the top Human Resource professionals in Austin Texas. The panelists were.

Heather Garcia, Director, ADP Total Source
Natalie Humphreys, Senior Manager Talent Acquisition, Dell, Inc.
Chad Macy, Regional Managing Director, Technisource Division, Spherion Corporation
John Termotto, Americas Staffing Manager, Freescale Semiconductor
Heidi Veselka, Global Human Resource Vendor Program Manager, Flextronics

When it comes to sourcing talented and qualified candidates, recruiters at companies both big and small are getting creative. Online job posting sites are just one source for candidates. Some companies have implemented alumni programs to recruit talent.

A key piece of advice these HR pros offered: Don't pass over seasoned professionals for young blood. Many of my over-40 resume clients want to remove dates of education and drop older experience just so they will appear younger to a recruiter...not only do recruiters see through that right away but just because you are over 40 doesn't mean you aren't a desirable employee in this market.

Each panelist brought unique skills and background to the discussion and some fascinating trends emerged:

1.Employees and employers aren't always in sync about what the other values most

Chad Macy presented some information from a study that Spherion conducted about what employees value most and what employers think that employees value most in an employment relationship.
Not surprisingly, there were some perception gaps.

The study showed that employers believe that employees most value the management climate (good managers). Employees ranked benefits #1 and compensation #2 on their list of what they look for in an employer. Management climate was #4 on the employees list of values. On the other hand, employers in the Spherion study believed that financial compensation is only #7 on an employees list of desires.

Smart employers who want to retain top talent will listen to what employees are really looking for. With that said, several conference participants pointed out that employee's needs/desires represent a delicate balance that is often in flux. For example, a job in a particularly collegial work environment might outweigh a job with higher compensation with a less desirable working situation.

Without question benefits are important to almost all employees and companies are getting creative about what sorts of benefits they offer. Larger companies may extend opportunities for child education credits, scholarships, or stock ownership. Smaller companies may not be able to offer employees the highest salary, but offering comprehensive health benefits and the opportunity to grow with the company may give small companies a competitive advantage in this tight market.

2.Cutting edge companies are getting creative about retaining employees

ADP Total Source has a robust employee development portal that enables employees to log on and peruse all jobs that they qualify for all around the world. If you work for ADP and you are tired of living in Austin you can look at all the jobs in the entire world that you could transfer to. This system is much more advanced than a simple job posting board because it targets jobs that match the exact qualifications of employees searching the system. ADP would rather retain and relocate a great employee than lose them to another company. Smart.

3. Recruiting through existing and former employees - alumni networks

Dell is building an alumni program that is modeled after Deloitte's famously successful program. Former employees can log in, apply for jobs, or refer candidates. ADP TotalSource has implemented an alumni program to recruit talent as well.

Freescale, which also has an alumni program, is aggressively creating a global "employment brand" so that when Freescale is mentioned people will immediately think about it as a desirable place to work. That way their employees will be come ambassadors for Freescale and will have a branding message to take to market. I think it's really smart of an HR department to take a marketing approach to attracting talent and, frankly, it's about time.

4. Employers are rotating employees within the company in order to make sure that talented employees don't leave because they perceive a lack of opportunity

Dell is famous for its rotation programs...if you have ever seen a resume for a Dell employee you know what I mean. It seems like Dell employees transfer every few years based on their interests and performance level. This helps the company to keep retention up and employees challenged. Dell apparently fills 30-35% of open positions with internal hires. Bored employees who see little upward mobility look for jobs; those who are happy and challenged are more likely to stay put. Smart.

5. Cutting edge HR departments are trying to become a destination for employees to visit and discuss their career options

One participant in the program likened visiting his HR department to being sent to the principal's office which got quite a laugh. The HR folks on the panel said that they are trying to change that perception in order to build strong relationships with employees that they can use to help retain top talent. I think it's high time that HR professionals understood the powerful role they can play in building trust with employees and retaining talent.

6.Some HR professionals have figured out that there are some no-cost things you can do to retain employees.

Heidi Veselka and Heather Garcia both talked about how they welcome and orient new employees. Heather puts a small bag of candy and a note on new employee's desks to welcome them. Heidi told a story about when her former employer was acquired by Flextronics. She got a call from her boss to let her know that she was a valued employee and while they didn't know exactly where they were going to put her in the new organization, that she would have a job. That conversation cost nothing but it guaranteed that Heidi would stay with the organization instead of looking for a job as employees so often do during times of change.

John Termotto of Freescale doesn't wait for employees to come to him: he makes a point to walk around his office and touch base with each employee in his department so that, on an ongoing basis, he knows how employees are doing and what they are feeling about their jobs. Simple, free, smart.

The panel discussion was great and I thought the takeaway was a very positive one for employees. If you have desirable skills companies want to hire you and they want to keep you! The trick is to find a company where your skills and personality are a fit for the environment.

Special thanks to Alisha Ring, Carol Dwyer, and Soozie Selfridge of the Austin Technology Council for hosting a terrific event.

Article by Liz Handlin and courtesy of Ultimate Resumes

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 19, 2008 at 8:05 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

More Responsibilities, Improved Career Prospects for Support Staff, Survey Shows

With Administrative Professionals Week (APW) around the corner, executives will be thanking their "right-hand" person. This year they may have more reasons to thank them, a new survey shows. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of managers polled said responsibilities for support professionals have increased in the last five years. Fifty-seven percent of executives also said administrative staff have greater career options than five years ago.

The national survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with 150 randomly selected senior executives at the nation's 1,000 largest companies.

Executives were asked, "During the past five years, how have the responsibilities for administrative assistants changed?" Their responses:

Increased significantly..............		23%
Increased somewhat.................		50%
No change...................................		14%
Decreased somewhat...................		11%
Decreased significantly.................		2%
		100%

Executives also were asked, "Does an administrative assistant have more or less of a career-growth track than five years ago?" Their responses:

More.....................................		57%
Same......................................		25%
Less........................................		17%
Don’t know.............................		1%
		100%

"Efficiencies created by technological advancements have allowed administrative assistants to take on a wider range of tasks, including managing budgets, negotiating vendor contracts, overseeing projects and maintaining websites," said Dave Willmer, executive director of OfficeTeam.

Willmer added, "Administrative assistants can achieve seniority within their role or profession, or leverage their specialized skill sets to obtain supervisory positions in administration, human resources or other departments. Administrative Professionals Week is an ideal time for managers to discuss the career opportunities available to their assistants."

OfficeTeam offers the following ideas for recognizing support staff during APW (April 20-26):

• Give thanks. Express gratitude for your assistant's contributions and achievements in person or with a handwritten note.


• Do lunch. In addition to thanking your assistant, take time to discuss his or her professional goals and potential career paths.


• Host a party. Plan a companywide event to recognize all administrative staff.


• Encourage networking opportunities. Offer to pay for your assistant's membership in relevant trade and professional associations.


• Provide ongoing educational opportunities. Encourage and, if feasible, pay for your administrative personnel to attend professional development seminars and conferences. Support your staff in pursuing industry certifications and relevant coursework.

Courtesy of OfficeTeam. OfficeTeam provides businesses with the highly skilled administrative talent they need to maximize productivity, achieve cost efficiency and support full-time staff. The staffing firm has more than 300 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 19, 2008 at 2:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

DENVER, CO -- Many people assume that the job they have currently will not be the job they have when they retire. Many employees assume that they'll be promoted within a company or take a more lucrative or challenging position outside of it. One of the easiest ways to find a better job is to look around you at one of the open positions within your current company. Employers often like to fill open positions with current employees for several reasons.

First, open positions can be expensive to fill. Advertising the position or paying for a headhunter may be an expense employers do not want to pay. Second, employees within a company have a known history. It's easier to ask an employee's supervisor about his or her employment history than to conduct a background check upon a potential candidate whom no one knows.

Finally, training new people to fill open positions may also be expensive and time consuming. It's much easier to adapt someone who already knows company policy and standards into an open position than it is to train an outsider from scratch.

Article abridged from EmploymentSpot.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 19, 2008 at 11:31 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Social media has begun to improve companies' ability to enhance employee communication, say experts at Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a leading global consulting firm.

"When properly rolled out, social media and Enterprise 2.0 tools can help companies meet their No. 1 internal communication goal -- engaging employees," said Michael Rudnick, global intranet and portal leader at Watson Wyatt. "Instead of simply mass e-mailing information or posting to an intranet in hopes employees will see it, social media tools help employees actively participate in creating and sharing information. This shift to employee-generated content has resulted in employees' becoming more engaged online."

However, at the moment, many companies are focused on the risks of social media. Executives often express concern about giving employees the ability to create content, and many information technology departments are blocking employee access to the most popular external social media tools.

Rudnick says these concerns are reminiscent of the productivity fears raised, and subsequently disproved, when the Internet was introduced into the workplace in the mid-1990s. The way for employers to address these concerns is to do just as they did 10 years ago -- setting clear guidelines for acceptable use while adopting social media for a productive, internal purpose.

"Companies need a plan to introduce these new technologies into the workforce. Simply deploying the technology is not enough -- and can even be counterproductive," Rudnick said. "However, employers that avoid social media altogether are missing an important opportunity and running the risk of alienating Generation X-ers and Millennials. Embracing the technology with proper planning, guidelines and change management for its use are effective approaches to ensuring success."

A good example of how employers can adopt social media internally is to enhance their static intranet with more dynamic Web 2.0 technology. On most intranets, news is posted primarily by a limited number of communicators. A social media-driven intranet allows most, if not all, employees to create information and participate in a companywide dialogue. Content can be contributed in a variety of ways, including blogs, blog feedback, wikis, vlogs, podcasts and other Web 2.0 tools. This more collaborative approach provides for relevant and up-to-date content on intranets without dramatically increasing the burden on a company's communications function.

However, guidelines, training and change management about appropriate use, along with strong firewalls (to keep prying eyes out), are needed to ensure that social media is used productively and sensitive information is not inappropriately or inadvertently disseminated, Rudnick said.

-- Article courtesy of Watson Wyatt Worldwide .

Posted by Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 19, 2008 at 8:39 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

International Business on the Rise for U.S. Companies, Survey Shows

Barriers to world markets have been steadily eroding for many companies in recent years. In a nationwide survey of senior executives, three out of five (61 percent) respondents said their companies are doing more international business today than five years ago.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Management Resources, the world's premier provider of senior-level accounting and finance professionals on a project and interim basis. The national poll includes interviews with 150 senior executives -- including those from human resources, finance and marketing departments -- with the nation's 1,000 largest companies.

Senior executives were asked, "Is your company doing more business internationally, through international office expansion or a global customer base, than it was five years ago?" Their responses:

"As more companies experience an increase in international business, an exceptionally prepared workforce is necessary to compete on a global basis," said Paul McDonald, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources. "Firms today need a common understanding of cultures, languages and ethical standards to better serve customers across different countries and time zones."

McDonald also noted that financial regulations and reporting standards may have an impact on recruiting efforts. "Accounting and finance departments within firms that operate globally will require professionals skilled in both generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and international financial reporting standards (IFRS)."

Courtesy of Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half Management Resources has more than 140 offices throughout North America, South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and offers online job search services at www.roberthalfmr.com.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 18, 2008 at 12:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

CLEVELAND, OH -- Based on the concept of it's not just who you know but who knows you, getting to after-hours job networking groups have proven to really be effective. Here are some valuable tips to make networking... work for you!

It's a good idea to have your own business cards made to use at networking events. Note on the back of each card where you met the person and make sure you follow-up! Consider networking as a process you do for the life of your career, not just something to do between jobs. Continue to grow your career by building and maintaining relationships.

Remember that everyone you meet has the potential to lead you to your target. When networking, be prepared and have a polished 30-second "signature statement". Be authentic. No one likes a know-it-all any more than a wallflower. Be yourself and be real. Above all else, remember your manners. Thank those who help you.

Article abridged from CareerBoard.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 18, 2008 at 10:29 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

A recent article out of Columbus, OH, discusses a topic that some business owners may have let slip their minds - disaster preparedness.

In the article, Prepare Your Small Business for Disaster, small-business owners are encouraged to prepare for fire, natural disasters, and other disasters that might arise.

Nationwide Insurance, which is based in Columbus, partnered with the U. S. Small Business Administration to write A Disaster Planning Guide.

The guide outlines methods small-business owners can implement to protect their customers and their employees. It teaches them how to identify hazards, "create plans to remain in operation if the office is unusable, and making backup copies of critical records and storing them offsite." Having a complete understandin of what is and isn't covered by the insurance is also an important part of disaster preparedness.

To access an electronic version of the guide, go to www.nationwide.com/disaster-planning-recovery.jsp. For hard copy versions of the ten-page guide, go to any Nationwide office in your area. The Small Business Administration also has hard copies in their offices, as well as an electronic version that can be accessed at www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/serv_disprep_planningguide.pdf.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 17, 2008 at 8:37 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I had an interesting conversation with some people from the RCGA today. There is a project they are working on called GreaterStLouisWorks.org, which is designed to bring together companies, government, colleges, and high schools to work on promoting and recognizing the St Louis region for its success in attracting and retaining IT talent.

We may not be as flashy as Austin, Seattle, or Silicon Valley, but St Louis has been a growth city for IT for some time, largely the result of our educated workforce and our reasonable standard of living.$120K salaries sound great until you have to buy a house that starts at $1,000,000. Thus, St Louis looks very good for those looking to raise a family or just have a home with a yard.

Citigroup, Mastercard, Enterprise, Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto, AGEdwards (now Wachovia), Edward Jones, Express-Scripts, Maritz, and AT&T all have large IT support staffs that fit much better in a Midwest mentality than a coastal one. The challenge, is the same as it is everywhere in the US. We just aren't good at hiring.

So while speaking to the RCGA, my mind started going in several directions on local efforts to improve employee-candidate communication. The success of StlRecruiting has largely been the success of Jim Durbin and Durbin Media Group. What happens if we can take this site, and turn it into more of a social networking site for the region? I mapped in my head a strategy to build clusters of candidates around certain industries. Imagine being a recruiter able to fish in a talent pool of all of the local talent in a particular discipline (Java programmers, business analysts, product managers, etc.). I know how to make this happen - I've done it on a national level before, and have been working on local versions for the last two years.

The question comes down to, as it always does, Time and Money. Given six months, I could change the face of Information Technology hiring in St Louis. But who would put food on the table for my family while I did that? Companies might be interested in sponsoring something like this, but the return on investment would be region-wide, and thus any company contributing dollars and or publicity is giving a free ride to companies who aren't involved.

Building social networks around local areas is my version of local recruiting blogging on steroids. The only question is whether another city (or someone else locally), beats me to it. Maybe I'll go check those Powerball numbers.

Article by Jim Durbin and courtesy of StlRecruiting.com

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 17, 2008 at 7:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I'm running a series each Friday, featuring a top recruiter, to get inside their heads. The purpose is to give readers inside information about the job market from the people on the front line. I will interview outside recruiters and inside recruiters about trends, what they look for, and how they view candidates.

My first guest in this series is Steve Delaney of SJ Delaney Recruiting. Steve works with candidates, independent recruiters, consultants, coaches, trainers, employees, outsourcers and Fortune 500 employers involved with improving IT workforce strategy and development. As the employment market continues to change - Steve works with people who are taking it to the next level.

reCareered: Steve, thanks for joining us today to get inside your head.

Steve: Glad to help...hope you don't find anything too scary in there.

reCareered: Steve, what is the biggest problem candidates have these days?

Steve: Folks are still using the old stuff that might have been true 8 years ago. Not just the technology, but candidates are ignoring how the process has changed, and changes in how corporations look for candidates.

reCareered: You asked on LinkedIN Answers recently, "What is Overqualified" ... What are you seeing?

Steve: What I'm seeing from the corporate side, consistently, that companies are concerned that if they hire a candidate who is willing to take a cut in pay because they've been unemployed for a while, will the employee be happy? Will it be a win-win situation?

What companies do is to look at the candidate and see that this candidate is worth more than they have budgeted for the position. The client wonders why someone would work for less than he/she was worth.

There is a big concern by corporations that the employee will be unhappy, and either retire on the job or move on quickly. Of course not every employee acts this way, but if an employer has a good choice between candidates, they will often avoid this risk.

reCareered: Do you feel that there is a bias towards younger workers in corporate HR pre-screening processes?

Steve: No, but HR pre-screening might incorrectly assume that a younger person will work harder, and can be better manipulated by management. HR might interpret a more experienced employee would "know the tricks", work smarter and might not be a fit in an overtime hour environment.

reCareered: So what advice can you give to more experienced workers who are seeking reverse career moves for quality of life, or because they've been on the market for a while?

Steve: Older job changers can convey willingness and openness to learning, to have a better chance in securing a position with a younger boss. There are opportunities for older candidates to show that they are still active, still engaged in advancing their skills, so the hiring manager will see potential and take notice of people who are sharp, making age a non-issue. Hiring managers are ALWAYS looking for people who are sharp.

Steve, thanks for your insight today. If job seekers are looking for a solid IT recruiter, email your resume to Steve Delaney at steven@psdelaney.com.

About Steve Delaney: With over 20 years of military and contract IT consulting experience Steve Delaney knows that no matter what your career goals are, you have to master the art of Branding to be competitive in today's complex employment market. The ability to attract interested employers, to interview well, and close the deal is as important as any trade you've been called to master.

Four years ago Steve decided to leverage the skills he instinctively mastered, to help IT professionals improve their performance in the challenging global employment marketplace. As a Web 2.0 recruiter, Steve combines forces with recruiters, HR and workforce management experts, account managers, career coaches, resume writers, employment analysts to make sensible changes in career strategy that will bring you in from the sideline and keep you in the game.

Article by Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global and courtesy of reCareered blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 17, 2008 at 6:38 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

We have all managed something at one point in our lives. Maybe it was an entire company or maybe it was just managing to get out of bed that morning.

Saying you manage people does not necessarily mean you lead them.

Here is an easy example. I work for a large multinational retailer. We have "Store Operators" or more commonly known as "Store Managers." They do manage stores. They manage the ordering, financials, employee schedules, etc. Our most successful store operators have in common that they manage the administrative part of the job and lead their team.

Leading a team means investing in the team's growth and meeting their needs so they can do the job successfully. Leading others is its own skill set.

When you are interviewing management candidates remember to reach beyond the scope of the administrative list on the resume. Look at the candidate and ask yourself "Are they a leader or are they a manager?"

By: Nikki Gordon, http://recruitnik.net

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 17, 2008 at 4:12 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

ORANGE COUNTY, CA -- When it comes to being a single parent, the two most important characteristics of a job are flexibility and salary. And while those elements are found on a company by company basis, there are certain industries that lend themselves to being more flexible than others.

The most flexible professions include sales, public relations, health care and real estate. As an added bonus, employees who work in those fields have the potential to make decent salaries. Education is also on the list. Although the hours are set, they're likely to be the same as their school-age children's.

Of course not all companies in those professions are ideal for single parents. That's why single parent's must do their research to find out how family friendly their potential employer is. Among the characteristics they should look for (aside from the ability to control their own schedule) are flex time, job sharing and on-site child care.

Article abridged from Forbes.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 17, 2008 at 10:25 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I just came across a recruiter who participates in 90 social networks. I thought to myself "Am I missing something?" So I accepted an invitation from Hi5. I briefly investigated the interface and found it to be identical to Facebook. The kinds of questions that the background asks are very telling of the kind of site you are entering. I also received an inappropriate email before I even had a chance to look around.

Facebook and Myspace are about the same in terms of their professional orientation. Both are geared much more towards the personal lives of people rather then the work related. LinkedIn on the other hand is strictly professional although lately it has been copying some features from Facebook such as "what are you doing now" feature.

People who switch from LinkedIn to Facebook are making a horrific mistake. Both sites have their uses but the search function on Facebook is very underdeveloped, even more so then LinkedIn. Thee two sites are vastly different in purpose and cannot be used interchangeably. While you can find good professionals on Facebook and Myspace, it is much easier to do this on LinkedIn.

The beauty of LinkedIn is that it is a professional network and it will lose much if it becomes anything like Facebook or Myspace. So how many social networks are too many? I have MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Hi5, and RecruitingBlogs. Should I get more? The connections I have on LinkedIn are more then enough in terms of professional links while Facebook lets me keep tabs on friends. I only have so much time in a day when I'm not on the phone to upkeep my networks and even reply to all the LinkedIn invites is becoming an activity I do once or twice a week.

LinkedIn, Facebook, and Myspace are a must to have while everything else is a "nice to have".

By: Gene Leshinsky, The Boston Technical Recruiter

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 17, 2008 at 9:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dominique Boucher of Nü Echo, a speech applications development company in Montréal, wrote a blog about recruiting interns.

It's possible that Boucher's company is not widely known to students because a) it's small and b) because they primarily post their internships at École Polytéchnique, a local engineering school.

Competition for internships in Montreal is as stiff as in most other places. Because Nü Echo's 2007 summer internship program was a smashing success, Boucher decided to share with others what he learned. He's not saying anything new, yet, it bears repeating since there are still some companies that believe interns are best used as helpers to regular employees.

Boucher's five tips for a successful summer internship program are as follows:

1. Exciting projects: No one likes to be bored, especially at work. This is doubly true for interns because they're still learning and most, if not all, are eager to learn as much as they possibly can.

By offering them interesting, real life projects to do, the odds of their either returning after graduation as new hires or recommending the company they interned for to their friends and classmates increases dramatically.

2. Timing is everything: Many students lament that the turnover time between interviewing for an internship and finally being offered one is too long. This is one instance where slow and study loses the race. Once quality candidates have been selected, get the ball rolling and make an offer before it's too late.

3. Mentoring is essential: Granted summertime is vacation time, still for a student to have a quality internship experience, he needs to have someone available to him at all times. Once interns have been chosen, it's a good idea to start selecting those employees who would make the best mentors, then let them know in advance that vacations will have to be scheduled to accomodate the interns. If possible, have the mentoring employees alternate their vacations so there is never more than a 2:1 student/mentor ratio. If this is not possible, it may be necessary for mentoring employees to schedule vacations for before the interns arrive or after they have left.

4. Inclusion helps: Even though the interns are only there for the summer, smart companies welcome them as if they were new hires ... perhaps someday they will be.

Including interns in regular day to day activities and projects allows them to get a genuine feel for the company's culture, which ultimately helps them decide whether a particular company is a good fit.

5. Underclassmen make good interns, too: Increasingly, students are being urged to start doing internships as early as sophomore year. This can work to a company's advantage if the internship offered is interesting, challenging, and provides competent, enthusiastic mentoring in a pleasant, welcoming environment.

If the internship is memorable - preferably in a good way - students will talk about it and maybe even recommend it to their peers. A company couldn't ask for a better endorsement than a satisfied intern sharing his summer internship expriences on campus in the fall.

Recruiting interns is hard work, but the task can be facilitated by hiring good students, then providing them with an internship experience they'll gladly share with classmates and friends.

A quality internship becomes a win/win situation when students return for a repeat internship, apply for entry level employment with a company where they interned, or through word of mouth, foster a company's reputation as the go-to place for quality internships among their friends.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 17, 2008 at 8:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Q: I am trying to source for managers who have supervised at least 25 direct reports. Is there a way to efficiently target them in an Internet search?

A: The most elegant solution I can think of utilizes Google's numrange command, which lets you find any number in a range, in the format lowvalue..highvalue (note there are no spaces on either side of the two dots). I explained another powerful way to find candidates via their certifications using this command in a previous post on my blog, inspired by Shally Steckerl of JobMachine.net, but this application is different enough to merit a separate treatment.

If you think about what's in a resume or profile of somebody like this (we'll use a software development team as our example, but you can substitute whatever's relevant to your search), it probably says something like:

"managed virtual team of 25 professionals", "managed cross functional team comprised of 25″, "Managed geographically distributed team with 25″, "managed and developed the development team of 25″, "managed and trained global project team consisting of 25″, etc.

Note the pattern (as all good sourcers do!). There are words between "managed" and "team", and again between "team" and the number, which you can manage in one move with the * (wildcard). This represents a placeholder for any other word or words, so assuming you were ok with people up to 100 direct reports, it would yield this string:

"managed * team * 25..100″

which simply and elegantly finds them all! However, if it's "managed team..." (no words in between), then you also need this:

"managed team * 25..100″

But don't try to get too efficient, because

"managed * 25..100″

generates a lot of irrelevant results having nothing to do with one's employees.

Of course, there are other variations like "managed 25 direct reports", "managed multinational 25 person staff", "managed a 25 person organization", etc., so you should account for those if the above doesn't generate enough results for your pipeline, a la "25..100 direct reports" and "managed 25..100 person". However, *don't* try putting them in an OR statement. If you search for something like:

("managed 25..100 person" OR "managed * 25..100 person") "software development"

it basically negates the numrange criterion. You might get a few good results at the beginning (first 5), but after that, it's only searching for "software development". This seems like a bug in Google to me, but it's not hard to tell when there's a problem, because the results count summary atop the first page changes from something like "results 1-100 of 439″ to "results 1-100 of 63,700,000″. The latter should always trigger your radar that there's something wrong with your search string.

Last but not least, don't expect much from (present tense of the verb)

"manage 25..100 person" "software development"

which generates only a few results. When you're searching within a phrase, realize it's doing an exact search -- don't expect it to find various forms of the root word. Since "managed" appears to be how most people reference it in their resumes/bios, you need to search on the past tense phrasing.

Glenn Gutmacher is a senior Recruiting Researcher at Microsoft Corporation and founder of Recruiting-Online.com, creator of the Advanced Online Recruiting Techniques self-paced sourcing course.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 17, 2008 at 8:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Funny thing, I've been discussing various forms of project management and scope creep as it pertains to project failure. I argued that it is always better to modularize your development process into small deliverables and to have a core deliverable that would not succumb to change requests but would be delivered regardless. And to my great satisfaction, this approach is even a formal PM methodology also known as Agile. Agile methodology focuses on short effective iteration of a project rather then the long more traditional approach of the Waterfall model. The project is effectively split into smaller modules and developed much faster then Waterfall with RFC's implemented instantly rather then waiting for the development cycle to conclude.

I have always considered that if I could deliver a small but functional core to the client and then treat the RFC's as plug ins, the project will cease to be a behemoth and become a much more manageable affair.

By: Gene Leshinsky, The Boston Technical Recruiter. Interview Questions? Recruiting Help? Need a Job? Visit Us Today!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 14, 2008 at 11:12 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

HERNDON, VA -- It happens to the best of job seekers - that one past supervisor with nothing good to say about you. Inevitably your job search may bring you around to that perpetual question - "Can we call your last supervisor?" How do you field that question with delicacy without giving up on the new job?

Consider the worst case scenario. What is the worst thing your supervisor would have to say about you? Do you have a difficult time getting to work on time? Why not use the interview as a chance to rave about how much more convenient your new workplace would be for you? Did you find yourself in over your head? "This job would be a great chance for me to learn new skills." Make sure to emphasize that you are seeking out a better fit for your strengths where you can really shine.

If all fails, find reassurance. These days most employers will do little more than confirm dates of employment. Be sure to include other references who will be willing to rave about you and you can dodge that bad reference to win the job.

Article abridged from Careersearch.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 14, 2008 at 10:22 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

LOS ANGELES, CA -- Since we are currently living in the information age, using the internet for your job search increase your chances of landing that perfect job faster! Through the internet, you can access current information at all hours of the day or night. It's there when you are ready to use it, even at midnight after finally getting the kids to bed.

You can reach deeper into your local area or take your search far beyond your regular boundaries. Using the Internet in your job search demonstrates leading-edge skills. It's also great for networking and provides you the opportunity to meet new people and initiate new professional contacts.

The Internet can also help you explore career alternatives that you maybe haven't considered. Not quite happy with your current job? Not sure? Explore! Are there ways to can take your skills and apply them in a new direction? You can find many self-assessment tools online, lists of occupations and disciplines to explore, and even lists of local career counselors and career centers to help you.

Article abridged from JobSeeker Weekly, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 14, 2008 at 10:17 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

We're not making this up.

As incredible as it might seem, the following is an actual real-life list of tips designed to help companies keep their female employees productive and happy. Read through it, try to keep your head from exploding and then see if you can guess when and where it originally appeared.

Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees

• Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility, they're less likely to be flirtatious and they still have the pep and interest to work hard.
• When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy.
• General experience indicates that "husky" girls -- those who are just a little on the heavy side -- are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.
• Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination -- one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.
• Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering management for instructions every few minutes.
• Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.
• Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do.
• Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.
• Get enough size variety in uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy.

So, where is this list from?

• Your company's current employee handbook
• 1975 course materials from the Archie Bunker School of Management
• 1957 bulletin board posting in GM plant
• 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine
• 12 B.C. edition of Personnel Times

TODAY'S TIP: If you found any of the above suggestions remotely helpful and/or insightful, please resign immediately and move to an uninhabited island.

Article by Mark Toth, Chief Legal Officer of Manpower's North American operations, and courtesy of Manpower Employment Blawg. Mark also serve as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President of Franchise Relations and serve on our Global Leadership Team, North American Lead Team, Executive Diversity Steering Committee and Sarbanes-Oxley Steering Committee.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 13, 2008 at 10:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

HR Magic Wand
At our most recent seminar, we asked attendees to write down one answer to the following question:

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about HR or employment law, what would it be?

We got a wide variety of interesting (and emotion-packed, with lots of exclamation points, capital letters and underlining) responses. Here were the most common and/or compelling:

• HR would be viewed in a more strategic light and have more influence
• managers would actually listen to HR
• managers would follow company policies and procedures
• managers would handle easy issues themselves instead of escalating them to HR
• diversity would be easier to achieve and maintain
• execs would understand the impact to the bottom line of leaders who ignore employee issues
• execs would recognize that many disputes can be resolved easily if management is less focused on $$$ and more focused on creating a positive, healthy work environment
• leadership would be less controlling so that employees can do their jobs
• HR training would be remembered more than five seconds after it's over
• employees would be treated with more fairness and consistency
• the law would have fewer unreasonable restrictions, change less frequently and be less complicated
• the judicial process would move more quickly
• lawsuits would be unlawful
• nothing -- it keeps work interesting and me on my toes

Any of these resonate with you? Anything you'd like to add? Anyone have a magic wand?

Article by Mark Toth, Chief Legal Officer of Manpower's North American operations, and courtesy of Manpower Employment Blawg. Mark also serve as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President of Franchise Relations and serve on our Global Leadership Team, North American Lead Team, Executive Diversity Steering Committee and Sarbanes-Oxley Steering Committee.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 13, 2008 at 10:03 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

HR Magic Wand
At our most recent seminar, we asked attendees to write down one answer to the following question:

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about HR or employment law, what would it be?

We got a wide variety of interesting (and emotion-packed, with lots of exclamation points, capital letters and underlining) responses. Here were the most common and/or compelling:

• HR would be viewed in a more strategic light and have more influence
• managers would actually listen to HR
• managers would follow company policies and procedures
• managers would handle easy issues themselves instead of escalating them to HR
• diversity would be easier to achieve and maintain
• execs would understand the impact to the bottom line of leaders who ignore employee issues
• execs would recognize that many disputes can be resolved easily if management is less focused on $$$ and more focused on creating a positive, healthy work environment
• leadership would be less controlling so that employees can do their jobs
• HR training would be remembered more than five seconds after it's over
• employees would be treated with more fairness and consistency
• the law would have fewer unreasonable restrictions, change less frequently and be less complicated
• the judicial process would move more quickly
• lawsuits would be unlawful
• nothing -- it keeps work interesting and me on my toes

Any of these resonate with you? Anything you'd like to add? Anyone have a magic wand?

Article by Mark Toth, Chief Legal Officer of Manpower's North American operations, and courtesy of Manpower Employment Blawg. Mark also serve as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President of Franchise Relations and serve on our Global Leadership Team, North American Lead Team, Executive Diversity Steering Committee and Sarbanes-Oxley Steering Committee.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 13, 2008 at 10:03 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

HR Magic Wand
At our most recent seminar, we asked attendees to write down one answer to the following question:

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about HR or employment law, what would it be?

We got a wide variety of interesting (and emotion-packed, with lots of exclamation points, capital letters and underlining) responses. Here were the most common and/or compelling:

• HR would be viewed in a more strategic light and have more influence
• managers would actually listen to HR
• managers would follow company policies and procedures
• managers would handle easy issues themselves instead of escalating them to HR
• diversity would be easier to achieve and maintain
• execs would understand the impact to the bottom line of leaders who ignore employee issues
• execs would recognize that many disputes can be resolved easily if management is less focused on $$$ and more focused on creating a positive, healthy work environment
• leadership would be less controlling so that employees can do their jobs
• HR training would be remembered more than five seconds after it's over
• employees would be treated with more fairness and consistency
• the law would have fewer unreasonable restrictions, change less frequently and be less complicated
• the judicial process would move more quickly
• lawsuits would be unlawful
• nothing -- it keeps work interesting and me on my toes

Any of these resonate with you? Anything you'd like to add? Anyone have a magic wand?

Article by Mark Toth, Chief Legal Officer of Manpower's North American operations, and courtesy of Manpower Employment Blawg. Mark also serve as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President of Franchise Relations and serve on our Global Leadership Team, North American Lead Team, Executive Diversity Steering Committee and Sarbanes-Oxley Steering Committee.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 13, 2008 at 10:03 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I frequently get asked about whether or not I recommend companies participate in job fairs to find qualified candidates. But open houses are often a more effective means of initiating face-to-face contact with a large number of potential recruits. In an open house, you invite candidates to an event at your organization's offices or a neutral offsite location, provide them with background on your company, and conduct initial conversations to determine interest and fit. As open house events are expensive, you'll want to look at them in terms of their bottom-line results and how many qualified leads you can realistically expect. Here are a few open house tips.

• Determine the purpose of the event. For example, will informal cocktails that will serve as a sophisticated introduction to your organization suffice, or do you want to leave the event with a group of pre-screened candidates in hand?
• Assess if it's appropriate to line up a guest speaker, such as an industry name or one of the organization's top executives. Such remarks can make an event more attractive to candidates.
• Advertise your event internally and externally, online and offline, and ask for RSVPs so you have some idea of the number of attendees.
• Resolve security issues for your visitors ahead of time, so you don't have problems admitting people to your building.
• Serve refreshments that suit the mood and time of day of the event, and print plenty of copies of your strongest collateral material.
• Recruit enough employees to staff the event, handling traffic flow and responding to questions.
• Execute a plan for following up promptly with all promising attendees.

Article by Alexandra Levit and courtesy of Water Cooler Wisdom blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 13, 2008 at 9:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I had an interesting conversation with some people from the RCGA today. There is a project they are working on called GreaterStLouisWorks.org, which is designed to bring together companies, government, colleges, and high schools to work on promoting and recognizing the St Louis region for its success in attracting and retaining IT talent.

We may not be as flashy as Austin, Seattle, or Silicon Valley, but St Louis has been a growth city for IT for some time, largely the result of our educated workforce and our reasonable standard of living.$120K salaries sound great until you have to buy a house that starts at $1,000,000. Thus, St Louis looks very good for those looking to raise a family or just have a home with a yard.

Citigroup, Mastercard, Enterprise, Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto, AGEdwards (now Wachovia), Edward Jones, Express-Scripts, Maritz, and AT&T all have large IT support staffs that fit much better in a Midwest mentality than a coastal one. The challenge, is the same as it is everywhere in the US. We just aren't good at hiring.

So while speaking to the RCGA, my mind started going in several directions on local efforts to improve employee-candidate communication. The success of StlRecruiting has largely been the success of Jim Durbin and Durbin Media Group. What happens if we can take this site, and turn it into more of a social networking site for the region? I mapped in my head a strategy to build clusters of candidates around certain industries. Imagine being a recruiter able to fish in a talent pool of all of the local talent in a particular discipline (Java programmers, business analysts, product managers, etc.). I know how to make this happen - I've done it on a national level before, and have been working on local versions for the last two years.

The question comes down to, as it always does, Time and Money. Given six months, I could change the face of Information Technology hiring in St Louis. But who would put food on the table for my family while I did that? Companies might be interested in sponsoring something like this, but the return on investment would be region-wide, and thus any company contributing dollars and or publicity is giving a free ride to companies who aren't involved.

Building social networks around local areas is my version of local recruiting blogging on steroids. The only question is whether another city (or someone else locally), beats me to it. Maybe I'll go check those Powerball numbers.

Article by Jim Durbin and courtesy of StlRecruiting.com

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 13, 2008 at 9:55 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Social networking sites are gaining popularity among employers interested in finding and recruiting new college graduates for their work forces, according to a report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Nearly 17 percent of employers responding to NACE's Job Outlook 2008 survey reported plans to use social networking sites as part of their recruiting effort. In a similar survey conducted in Fall 2006, 11 percent of employers reported such plans.

In addition, how employers plan to use the sites has undergone a shift.

"Previously, employers indicated they were using the sites to check profiles of potential hires," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. "Now nearly two-thirds of those who expect to use the sites say they plan to advertise there, and more than half will use the sites to network with potential candidates."

Still, job seekers need to use good judgment in what they post in their online profiles: Nearly 38 percent of employers using social networking sites in their recruiting efforts say they will check candidate profiles.

Despite the increased interest in social networking sites--and the variety of high-tech tools now available to employers--the report shows that, overall, employers favor "high-touch" recruiting methods, including on-campus recruiting, internship and cooperate education programs, and employee referrals. (See below)

Most Effective Methods to Recruit New College Graduate Hires:

Method Rating*

• On-campus recruiting 4.2
• Organization's internship program 4.2
• Employee referrals 4.0
• Organization's co-op program 4.0
• Career/job fairs. 3.8

* 5-point scale, where 1=Not at all effective and 5=Extremely effective
Source: NACE Job Outlook 2008.

"These results demonstrate that personal interaction is essential to recruiting success," says Mackes. "Although they can't replace face-to-face communication, social networking sites provide employers with another option for building personal relationships with potential employees."

Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 13, 2008 at 8:58 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

In real life managers would (or should) step in to break up the tension (to put it mildly) between Piers and Omarosa. But we all know that on Celebrity Apprentice it's all about the ratings. We can learn from this over-the-top, entertaining example of supposed teamwork.

• Managers step in if the fight gets in the way of getting the job done.
• Team members don't take it personally -- it's just business. But Piers actually admitted that for him it wasn't business, it was personal!
• Having said that, don't stifle competition - competition can lead to spectacular success as demonstrated by the over $100k win.
• Don't ever -- I repeat ever -- make a personal accusation that is based on a hunch. And whether or not Piers is gay is not an issue and shouldn't have been implied much less stated outright! And who actually cares? That's his business, not ours.

If you haven't been watching, I apologise for making so many Celebrity Apprentice references over the past several weeks. But do read the lessons learned. They should make sense even if you haven't been tuning in.

Oh! And one more thing. What's up with Omarosa's outfits? I'm not the fashion police, but I can recognize what is unprofessional and too suggestive for the workplace. Please -- no one should emulate her outfits!

Article by Melanie Holmes, Vice President of World of Work Solutions for Manpower, and courtesy of Manpower's Contemporary Working blog. Melanie shares Manpower's extensive knowledge while building strategic partnerships with government, universities and other leadership organizations across the country. She is also responsible for social responsibility at Manpower, which includes diversity, volunteerism, community involvement, community relations, philanthropy and workforce development.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 12, 2008 at 4:52 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

More Job Seekers Recognize Value of Researching Potential Employers, Survey Shows

Prepping for the job interview is much more common today than a decade ago, a new survey shows. Seventy-nine percent of executives polled said candidates they meet with display at least some knowledge of the company or its industry, up from 59 percent in a 1997 survey on the topic. Despite this trend, would-be employees still may be missing an opportunity to demonstrate that they've done their homework in their resume cover letters: Only 44 percent of those polled said it's common for applicants to use their cover letter to show they've researched the job, up slightly from 37 percent in the previous survey.

The national poll included responses from 150 senior executives from human resources, finance and marketing departments with the nation's 1,000 largest companies. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps, the world's first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.

Executives were asked, "How frequently do job candidates demonstrate knowledge of your company or industry during interviews?" Their responses:

Executives were asked, "How frequently do job candidates demonstrate knowledge of your company or industry in their cover letters?" Their responses:

Interviews are not the only stage in the job search process in which company and industry knowledge provide an advantage, Messmer added. "The cover letter and resume are typically what prompt a hiring manager to extend an interview invitation. Applicants who fail to present a compelling case in writing may not get an opportunity to shine in a face-to-face meeting."

Courtesy of Accountemps. Accountemps has more than 360 offices worldwide and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 12, 2008 at 2:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

One of the things I have come to realise when considering implementing social media marketing strategies to build your brand and attract more clients is that many organisations have still not mastered the basics of online marketing.

In fact at a recent workshop that I led, less than 50 percent of the business leaders of small professional services practices had taken the first step in building their brand online and attract more clients. The problem they faced was that they did not know where to start in creating a presence on the web.

What is more disturbing is that some of the people that are teaching entreprenuers in Ireland through workshops being held by the Enterprise Boards in Ireland to build their business online have an ineffective presence themselves.

In fact I was speaking to one person last week who runs an ecommerce training programme for a number of the Enterprise Boards and their website actually consists of a PDF uploaded online. So they are definately not teaching ecommerce from a position of expert knowledge.

You might have seen a new book being promoted last week, Mastering Online Marketing - in fact it reached number 1 on Amazon for a number of categories.

One of the co-authors is a good friend and colleagues of mine, Mitch Meyerson, who has personally mastered online marketing and is an expert in the areas, and I am delighted that he is my guest on our next Biz Growth Live 60 minute teleseminar taking place at 6pm if you are in Ireland or the UK on Monday 10 March 2008 at 6pm (for those of you in the US as your clocks changed the time will be 2pm ET).

If you are not a member of our Biz Growth Community, you can join this call at no cost by registering at Biz Growth Live.

The call is free to attend - while I use a US bridge line as our community is global, if you are not in the US, you can usually find a low cost international calling card at most newsagents or post offices.

PLEASE NOTE THE CALL IS NOT AVAILABLE AFTER THE EVENT OTHER THAN TO OUR CLIENTS THOUGH I WILL BE MAKING AVAILABLE A PODCAST EXTRACT OF THE MASTERING ONLINE MARKETING TELESEMINAR IN A FEW WEEKS TIME.

ABOUT MASTERING ONLINE MARKETING - THE BOOK

Here is an extract of the subjects covered in the book:

1. The entrepreneurial shift: The key to creating an integrated business mindset
2. Strategic marketing: The key to sustainable online success
3. Products and services: The key to smart selling
4. Design and navigation: Making your Web site dynamic and visitor-friendly
5. Dynamic web copy: The key to getting people to respond
6. Traffic conversion: The key to increased sales and list building
7. Automation: The key to increasing e-commerce profits
8. Multimedia: Increasing your impact using audio, video, and conferencing
9. Traffic strategies: The key to getting more visitors to your site
10. People power: The key to successful affiliate programs and partnership
11. Web 2.0: The key to using social media effectively
12. Momentum: The key to systematizing your business and building your virtual team

So if you are looking for a gread guide to getting started on the web, you won't go far wrong if you read "Mastering Online Marketing".

Article by Krishna De and courtesy of Biz Growth News blog

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 11, 2008 at 8:20 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Most employers are eager to hire a competent person to complement their management teams. They seek someone with superior professional skill, good deportment and winning ways with people. The combination of competence, personal presence and charisma is not always easy to identify. Although there are no guarantees, there are a few steps you may consider to maximize your efforts to find just the "right person."

Know What You Want
Many prospective employers like to think that they know what they want. But, when confronted with a variety of talented leaders, they seldom know which particular skills they are focusing on. Writing a position description can be helpful because it will make you focus on skills, experience and professional qualities likely to make a leader succeed in the role you want to fill. It will only, however, define a set of minimum competencies. It will never adequately define the "perfect manager" you really seek.

The position description is just the beginning of a careful thought process. You also want to ask hard questions, such as "Which experiences are most relevant? If forced to make a choice, which qualities am I willing to forego? If I have to leave one thing off my wish-list, what would it be?" These kinds of questions will help you to see the skills that you need more clearly. It will also help you to eliminate leaders with talent not relevant to your most immediate needs.

If someone is currently acting in the management role you want to fill, another approach is to list his/her professional qualities and then to add the ones you would like to see in a permanent hire. This is often a useful way to critically assess the role and your needs, using a real professional as your model. Another effective approach is to identify a manager who comes closest to what you want and, again, listing his/her attributes and qualifications as a template. The point here is to develop a concrete model of the kind of manager you would like to attract to the role.

Know How Much You Are Willing To Pay
This may seem like an indirect way to begin defining skills. The truth is that the market has probably defined a compensation range within which you are likely to find the talent you seek. One way to find out is to do homework. Contact trusted colleagues and friends who are leading in a similar capacity or who manage someone similar to the kind of leader you want. Find out what their compensation looks like, including benefits and perks -- if relevant. Decide how much you are willing to pay a preferred candidate to relocate as well as what kinds of benefits you are prepared to extend. Compare these to what you are budgeting and be realistic. If what you propose should be let's say in the $150,000 to $175,000 annual salary range and you have a budget of $90,000, take the time to think through the skills and experiences you are willing to live without. Alternatively, if you have the means, increase the salary and enhance the benefits package so that you are likely to attract talent of the highest caliber. It is always smart to negotiate from a position of knowledge. Also, talented candidates will make sure that they know their value prior to meeting with you in an interview.

Use Your Networks to Identify Talent
As you are doing your homework to find out which salaries and packages might work for the kind of leader you seek, take a few minutes to ask your professional friends and colleagues about the outstanding managers they already know. Find out who they think would do a fabulous job. Call up those persons, find out if they might be interested. At the very least, find out what kinds of packages they would find attractive. This will serve two purposes: it will spread the word that you are looking, within a well-defined, high-integrity network, and it will give you more valuable information about market expectations.

The advantage to this kind of research is that your friends and colleagues know a bit about your organization, your staffing needs and your operating culture. This puts them in a unique position to do some quick screening and to suggest likely prospects to you. Another advantage to this is that they may be able to provide you with "offlist" references for candidates who seem particularly promising. Their input is likely to be candid and, if not 100% accurate, can point you quickly to areas you may need to investigate more fully.

Reference All Finalists
When you have conducted interviews, checked your networks and done credit, criminal background and credential verifications, you will still want to do detailed references. References will collectively give you another view of how your preferred candidate motives others, operates under stress and generally contributes to the culture of the place where he or she works. In addition, references can give you thoughtful comments about a candidate's readiness to take on more responsibility, professional challenges and his/her general attitude to life. These are some of the intangibles you will want to investigate fully before extending an offer.

With regard to the mechanics of doing the references, you may delegate them to qualified career professionals or you can do them yourself. Either way, the process will be time-consuming. To get a full picture of someone's professional history, you will want to get input from supervisors, peers and direct reports. Sometimes, you will need to "reference-the-reference" if a particular commentator seems excessively positive, negative, insincere, sarcastic or even lukewarm, just to make sure that you have spoken with a credible observer. The person conducting the references will probably start with a list the candidate provides, but you should get consent to go "off-the-list" as well. Off-list references are helpful because they can provide you with fresh insights as to a particular candidate's strengths and skill development needs. They can also provide you with perspective concerning those situations a candidate has managed effectively and, more importantly, those situations which have frustrated a candidate's resources. Getting this input is critical. It will allow you to "know" your candidate in greater depth before you proceed to extend him/her an offer. It will also allow you to assess more accurately whether your candidate's strengths match up with the challenges your organization faces.

Let Common Sense Be Your Final Judge
Once you have gone through the process of defining your goals, testing the market, getting input from friends and colleagues, and conducting detailed references, credit checks and credential verifications, you will still have to let commonsense play a key role in your final decision. Ask yourself, "Is this someone I would feel comfortable working with?" "Do I see this person moving ahead at our company?" Practice the discipline of being choosy. Let no hunch or "feeling" go uninvestigated. It is far easier to keep searching if you are uncomfortable about a candidate or candidates than to make a grudging offer and suffer regrets afterwards. Also, a quick phone call may put a concern to rest once and for all.

Think carefully about the life and lifestyle issues a candidate will face to take up your offer. For example, before you hire a choice candidate who will have to relocate hundreds of miles to accept the offer, think through the logistics. He or she may genuinely be a "fit" in terms of credentials and leadership readiness. But, you will have to contend with his/her loss of personal networks, adjustment to a new company, lifestyle and location. This may be a cinch for some. For others, the stress may eventually affect their level of productivity.

Finally, be honest about your company. Most candidates expect you to put your best face on during the interview process. This should not be confused with your obligation to inform your serious candidates about your dilemmas. This can be done positively. Make sure that your choice candidate truly understands the culture of your organization, its challenges and your expectations. In the end, an informed candidate and an informed boss will make the happiest partnership of all.

By: Karen Alphonse, execSearches.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 11, 2008 at 10:48 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

No matter where your specialties lie, or whatever your background may be, you have no doubt had a taste of the changing workplace. What was the job to have last year may well be the most overpopulated field next year. Technology and information have had an amazing affect on the marketplace, and with change in the media being marketed, it naturally follows to find change in the need for experienced niche market employees and consultants to control and support the media at hand. In the past decade, most of the job markets that you have seen on the rise are technology based positions.

Programmers

In the 60s when the first operating systems were being produced for mainframes, it was a very simple thing to choose what type of programming you should study as there were so few to be found. Today the sheer number of programming languages is amazing, and the professional coder today will most often have more than one specialty. Programming languages govern so much more than the basic operations of your computer now. Programmers are needed to create automated tasks for office applications and factory machines, to personalize the operating system and network for campuses that are countries apart, and to create a dizzying number of simple and complex promotional video games for marketing purposes. For those pursuing a position in this field, where to start is the most daunting question.

Market Analysis

Used to be that, demographics had no science, you simply brought your wares with you and knocked on doors. Today there are millions of dollars spent on targeting customers. You can find a job in demographic research, product placement and labelling, market trend research, and trend analysis for the launching of new products. Marketing based on this analysis is honed directly toward the target audience. The modern tools and data gathering techniques employed to discover this target audience are then focused into producing an effective advertising campaign.

Internet Marketing

Selling products and services has always been a tricky field, but with the right amount of information we are much more able to find the end user for products and services. The forms of advertising that is available today is limitless. Companies are not bound by paper advertising or television and radio air time. Today we hire contracted or permanent marketing specialists that understand the new forms of advertising, such as Search Engine Optimization and affiliate networking. Email campaigns are launched, electronic newsletters and brochures are dispatched by Graphic Designers, Web Page Designers produce advanced websites with interactive entertainment and information for your customers to ensure return business.

By looking only briefly at three separate, yet related industries that are affected by recent developments in media we have identified several new jobs that the workforce of tomorrow is preparing for. With open minds and ready hands we keep ourselves educated on the next best opportunity, for who can say what the next new media revolution has in store for us?

slickricky.com: Affordable Website Design, Site Maintenance & Management

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 11, 2008 at 9:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

There are so many study books, guides, CDs, classes out there to prepare one for the national license exam for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. While I have been a licensed PT for quite some time, I recently coached a new graduate as she studied for her exam. In searching through the multiple tools out there, I can across the PEAT, Practice Exam and Assessment Tool. This tool is offered by The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. We decided to add this to our study regimen. While the content was very similar to many of the other resources out there, it was great in the fact that it mimicked the exam itself. The practice test was timed and the questions were structured in a similar manner to the actual test. Throughout my coaching sessions, I was able to teach one how to break down the question and process each bit of information to come to the correct conclusion. The tool also allows you to review those questions which were answered incorrectly and view the rational behind the correct answer. While there are many tools to choose from, the PEAT seemed to be a great addition to the educational resources we receive in school. If you are studying for your national board exam, take a moment to check out the PEAT and see how it can help you become a PT or PTA.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapists Assistance, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 10, 2008 at 4:25 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Our dumb law tour of the U.S. brings us to Florida, where:

• it is unlawful for employees to sing in the workplace while attired in a swimsuit;


• employees may not pass gas after 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays;


• male employees may not wear any kind of strapless gown; and


• all employees working in the Miami metropolitan area are strictly forbidden from imitating animals.

You have been warned.

(Source: crazylaws.com)

Article by Mark Toth, Chief Legal Officer of Manpower's North American operations, and courtesy of Manpower Employment Blawg. Mark also serve as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President of Franchise Relations and serve on our Global Leadership Team, North American Lead Team, Executive Diversity Steering Committee and Sarbanes-Oxley Steering Committee.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 7, 2008 at 12:54 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

As the December issue of Human Resources Executive notes: "The percentage of recruiters using search engines to learn more about job candidates increased to 83 percent in 2007, from 75 percent two years earlier, while the percentage of recruiters who eliminated a candidate based on online information jumped to 43 percent, from 26 percent in 2005."

Just think, almost all of the recruiters (and probably most company hiring managers) are checking you out on the Internet. What will they find? Will it change their perception of you in a positive or a negative way?

With this in mind, it's critical that you get out ahead of them and proactively manage your online presence. Here are a few ways to make sure your online presence is aligned with your goals:

• Do an Internet search on yourself to see what comes up. You might be surprised! And don't just do a simple first and last name search. Try adding your middle name, your middle initial, your maiden name, your hometown, names of cities in which you've lived before, etc. Also, use more than just one search engine - use Google, Ask, Yahoo, and others. All have proprietary search algorithms and will pull up different items in different order.


• Check your MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social and business networking pages. Consider the material you have on the site - blogs, links, videos, pictures, everything. Ask yourself if these are the things you want recruiters and prospective employers to see about you. Could they reflect poorly upon the professional presence that you have worked hard to cultivate? Could they be misinterpreted by someone else? Set your accounts so that only your friends can view your profile, or turn them off during your job search.


• Look at this like a mini (yet important) research project. Think of other ways to find yourself online - do you post to discussion websites using your name? Published papers or articles? Placed your CV or profile or bio on a former employer's webpage, etc.?

Make sure that your online self is reflective of how great you really are... and you'll separate yourself from the stack.

By Brian Cohen, http://blog.globalpitch.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 7, 2008 at 9:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In an effort to find out what new graduates and students in therapy programs are looking for in today's job market, Campus Relations developed a survey to get those answers. We came up with 10 questions that targeted what we wanted to know; questions such as:

On a scale of 1-6, rank what type of rehab setting you are interested in pursuing.
Are you interested in an rural or urban setting?
What factors are important to you when comparing potential employers?

The survey was sent to all students graduating January through June that we have met through various campus job fairs, luncheons, conventions and online job boards. To date, we have received over 400 responses to the survey. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your participation and providing us with the tools to help us understand what expectations and interests new graduates are looking for. If you'd like to provide us with your input, we'd still love to hear from you. Click here to be redirected to the Spring Student Survey.

Article courtesy of RehabCare Student blog. RehabCare provides college recruiting for Physical Therapists, Physical Therapists Assistance, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathologists.

Posted by Candice Arnold on March 6, 2008 at 9:00 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Bosses, Employees Have Similar Comfort Levels With Remote Work Teams

Contrary to popular belief, employees don't relish time away from their bosses, according to new survey results. Nearly half (48 percent) of workers polled said their jobs would be more difficult if they did not work in the same office as their supervisors. Of this group, 27 percent felt it would be much more difficult. Similarly, 58 percent of managers surveyed said it is important that all staff members work in the same location.

The surveys were conducted by an independent research firm and developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. The first survey is based on telephone interviews with 492 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment. The second survey is based on telephone interviews with 150 senior executives from the largest companies in the United States.

Employees were asked, "In your opinion, would it make your job easier or more difficult if you reported to a manager who didn't work in the same location as you?" Their responses:

Much more difficult...................		27%
Somewhat more difficult............		21%
Neither easier nor more difficult..		26%
Somewhat easier.....................		13%
Much easier............................		8%
Don’t know.............................		5%
		100%

Executives were asked, "How important is it for all of the members of your department to work from the same location?" Their responses:

Very important........................		13%
Somewhat important................		45%
Somewhat unimportant.............		29%
Not important.........................		12%
		99%*

*Responses do not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

"Technological advances and global expansion have made it more common and acceptable for people to work remotely," said Dave Willmer, executive director of OfficeTeam. "In some instances, it's hard to avoid."

Willmer noted this presents some communication challenges. "Those who work outside the office must go the extra mile to make sure they keep the lines of communication open," he said.

OfficeTeam offers the following tips to help professionals who work remotely stay connected with their colleagues and managers:

• Provide frequent status reports. Establish a schedule for giving updates to your supervisor so he or she is aware of your workload. At a minimum, offer a weekly status report detailing tasks completed and in progress.


• Pick up the phone. While e-mail is an effective communication method, using the telephone can sometimes be more efficient and help strengthen ties with your manager and coworkers.


• Highlight your accomplishments. When you don't see your supervisor regularly, tooting your own horn becomes even more important to get proper credit for your achievements.


• Meet face to face. Take advantage of all opportunities to meet in person with your manager and colleagues. These discussions are imperative to stay connected, avoid miscommunication, and ensure you stay top of mind for desirable projects and promotions.

Survey Methodology

The national surveys were conducted by an independent research firm and developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. The first survey is based on telephone interviews with 522 full- or part-time office workers from a starting sample of 2,000 adults aged 18 or older, using a fully replicated, stratified, single-stage random-digit-dialing sample of households. The results were then weighted to provide nationally representative and projectable estimates of the adult population 18 years of age and older. The sample is post-stratified and balanced by key demographics such as age, sex, race, region and education. The second survey is based on telephone interviews with 150 randomly selected senior executives at the nation's 1,000 largest companies.

Courtesy of OfficeTeam. OfficeTeam provides businesses with the highly skilled administrative talent they need to maximize productivity, achieve cost efficiency and support full-time staff. The staffing firm has more than 300 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com.

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 6, 2008 at 3:41 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

LAS VEGAS, NV -- Career consultants say that 90% of a job search is learning to manage your emotions. Everyone suffers some stress during their job search. The key is to never let it get the best of you! Searching for a job can evoke a range of emotions - but there are ways that you can control the twists and turns.

Try to look for value in your emotions. This will help put the situation in perspective, and you will be able to think clearly. Fear is another emotion that most job seekers face. Fear can often make you feel that the situation is out of control. To get out of this mind-trap, you can make and keep promises to yourself. Set goals that will empower your mind and get you into action mode. Start writing a journal or blog and register all your fears and the possible steps that you can take to overcome them.

Another very good way of beating job search stress is to participate in a support group. The most important thing to remember when facing the stress of looking for a job is to remain positive and active. By not letting your mind become idle, you can stop negative thoughts and fears from taking hold in the first place.

Article abridged from JobsCareersEtc.com, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 6, 2008 at 12:49 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

WASHINGTON, DC-- Demonstrating your ability to communicate during an interview just requires some preparation and the right attitude. Here are a few suggestions from recruiters to enhance your interview impact and increase the likelihood of turning interviews into job offers:

Attitude is everything, and the right attitude combines enthusiasm for the position, forthrightness about one's strengths and weaknesses, and willingness to learn. The more you convey you are eager to join the company, the better your chances. Ask about the exact tasks you will be expected to assume. A good way to handle it is to say you want to hear more so you can indicate why you feel you would be a good match.

Be precise about your accomplishments. Be honest about your weaknesses. Be prepared to compensate for the deficiency by pointing to related experience or to your quick learning ability. Study the company. Inquire about the mission of the company, its philosophy, and its plans. Dress professionally. The bottom line: consider an interview a fact-finding mission on both sides. You and the company are both there to learn. It's a two-way street.

Article abridged from Washington Post, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 5, 2008 at 3:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Here's one example of the phony advice being offered to new graduates and other first time job seekers: "pursue 'informational interviews' as a way to expose yourself to an organization." Supposedly, employers are willing to accommodate a fact-finding interview, an "informational interview," even if they do not have an open position.

Take my advice: most business people do not have time for informational interviews. Perhaps, if you have a personal connection - maybe through your parents or friends - then it could happen. The reality, however, is that these interviews are rarely seen.

More importantly, informational interviews are a waste of your time. You want to be talking to, and interviewing with, people that can hire you. Focus on talking to hiring authorities that actually have "pain" to hire somebody. Find someone who needs to hire somebody like you, and I will teach you how to be the "somebody" they need to hire.

I'm going to be straight with you about these topics. You can believe me now, or you can believe me later, after you've missed out on several opportunities. I'm not right because I've placed 7,000 candidates in my career; I'm right because early in my career I missed out on hundreds of others and learned from my mistakes. There are no tricks or shortcuts to finding a job; there is a process. It is a repetitive process that has to be rehearsed and executed until successful. Don't waste your time, or a prospective employer's, on "informational interviews." Let's go find a job!

By: Tony Beshara, America's #1 Recruiter. Ask for personal advice from Tony, the #1 recruiter according to the industry's leading journal, The Fordyce Letter

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 5, 2008 at 1:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com

NEW YORK, NY -- Recession fears are causing more than just stock-market jitters this winter. They're also shaking some workers' confidence. Even if there isn't an official recession, a number of areas are already seeing layoffs and hiring freezes. Here are some strategies for recession-proofing your career.

Stick around. If you work for a company in distress, your first instinct may be to jump ship. But if your new employer later decides to lay off workers, you'll likely be most at risk of getting a pink slip. Be a good sport. Following layoffs, you may be asked to take on additional work that was part of a former employee's responsibilities. Haven't been asked to take on extra projects? Volunteer to help. Work harder and smarter. Act the way you did when you were gunning for a promotion. Companies are less likely to get rid of star performers.

Prepare for the worst ahead of time by making sure your resume is up to date. Network now. Don't wait until you need help finding a job. Take a pay cut. Consider offering to accept a temporary salary reduction. Search internally. If you see a layoff coming in your division or department, it may be easier to search for another position at your current firm.

Article abridged from The Wall Street Journal, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!

Posted by Sarah Ennenga on March 5, 2008 at 12:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Full Credit for this article on February 10, 2008 goes to Vinnee Tong of The Assoicated Press.

As a result of today's employees perspective on volunteer work as a source to develop new skills or advance their careers, volunteering is now sort of a corporate benefit. Companies are increasingly giving their employees time off for volunteer projects, volunteer work on the company's watch, or company-organized efforts. One lady says her friends are now jealous of her position. They criticized her for working for a company, Accenture, as a consultant after college. She was called a sellout with the corporate job. However, thanks to Accenture Development Partnerships, a program that sends workers to assist on non-profit projects in developing countries, she's visited Sri Lanka and South Africa.

VolunteerMatch is an online database that pairs volunteers and non-profits together. It has around 70 corporate clients, up from 30 in 2005 and 47 in 2006. The director of VolunteerMatch Corporate Solutions, Jen Kim Field, runs this division that creates volunteer programs for companies' employees. Field says the client list has kept growing; it includes Google Inc., and Target Corp. An annual fee in the range of $5,000 and $50,000 allows companies to give their employees use of a VolunteerMatch list of over 55,000 non-profits needing help. These non-profits join for free.

According to Field, a major attraction for businesses is the chance to coincide their employee volunteer programs with their business objectives. For example, General Electric Co. offers tutoring programs bringing elementary school kids from the public schools in the Philadelphia area to GE offices for assistance on school work from employee volunteers. Another program for high school students teaches skills needed for networking, interviewing, and resume-building.

Volunteer programs are designed to keep around two major groups of employees: young workers who desire work-life balance and ready-to-retire mature workers who still want to have an active role in the community. Generation Y workers want a job that lets them practice their personal values and beliefs, says one study by Deloitte & Touch USA LLC. It also concludes that 62% of Gen Y respondents between 18 and 26 will work for companies willing to use their skills to help a non-profit group. Recent tragic events have had an impact on younger workers' priorities when it comes to helping other people. A note to employers, volunteers frequently sign up to network or spend time with friends at work and discover an improvement in their interpersonal skills, their ability to be a part of a team, and their ability to overcome obstacles, all essential in the workplace.

It is good to see that volunteering can help employees. There is nothing wrong with doing a good service for other people. It is like finding a job where you can make money, but more importantly, you are passionate about what you do.

William Frierson is a CollegeRecruiter.com Staff Writer.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted by Lisa Colbert, CollegeRecruiter.com on March 5, 2008 at 8:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

As you may already know Shally Steckl has been hard at work significantly improved his website, JobMachine. They are constantly adding new information on a daily bases. JobMachine has an extensive library of resources is available without a prescription (or a subscription). Your credit card doesn't need to get jealous, or even know that you are cheating on it by getting this stuff at no cost! Check out these beefy topics:

- A review of 2007 Recruiting Conferences:
http://jobmachine.net/node/451

- Do you blog? Here are some valuable resources:
http://jobmachine.net/bloggresources

- Get the most out of LinkedIn:
http://jobmachine.net/sourcer/communities/linkedin

- Sourcing News:
http://jobmachine.net/sourcer/sourcing_intelligence

- International Staffing Perspectives:
http://jobmachine.net/sourcer/global_staffing

- Webinars and articles you can download at no cost:
http://jobmachine.net/press

- Sourcing tip of the day:
http://jobmachine.net/taxonomy/term/2
(It has an RSS feed http://jobmachine.net/taxonomy/term/2/0/feed)

- Major recruiting conferences and associations:
http://jobmachine.net/sourcer/recruiting_industry_resources
(if you have one you want me to add please drop me a note!)

UPCOMING EVENT

Jamsession and Master Class
http://jobmachine.net/jamsession-03-05-2008 On March 5th in Sunnyvale, CA, Shally will be conducting a "first of its kind" Jam Session and Masterclass where he will reveal many of my best kept sourcing secrets. What is that all about you ask? Well, forget about complex searches that take months to master and days to execute. He'll will attempt to demystify the Boolean search techniques and break them down for you with clear and simple explanations so you can utilize search engine commands to get instant results. During this master-level class you will learn techniques that allow you to unlock traditional sources so you can get deeper and faster results than ever before.

RECENT WEBINAR RECORDINGS

Super Sourcing Search Strings
http://jobmachine.net/broadlookdiverwebinar
Shally believes this is the best webinar he has done so far! Check it out. You can get the event with full video and audio on DVD, along with all the search strings. He goes through, step-by-step how to construct a great search string, fine tune it, and plug it all into Diver to instantly export all your results to a spreadsheet.

Guru's Guide to Sourcing on LinkedIn
http://jobmachine.net/linkedinwebinar
Out highly acclaimed advanced LinkedIn class was also recorded in full audio/video. They covered in-depth search techniques and hacks to get the most from your LinkedIn sourcing and work around some of LinkedIn's built in limitations.

Article by Nick Roy and courtesy of Workplace Management Strategies blog.