Becoming what is known as an Employer-of-Choice (EOC) has always been a challenge - sometimes more than others.

The bad news - this is one of those times! Scarce financial and human resources in almost every organization, skittish customers, volatile markets, returns lower than they have ever been in many sectors and too many people out of work for much too long.

The good news - becoming an EOC doesn't require throwing money at the problem. The principle distinction of an EOC is its culture - the collection of ingredients that creates the recipe for the way an organization gets things done.

To fashion an EOC, we need to develop the culture of the enterprise into one that engages and retains people through optimizing their talent, respecting their contributions and challenging their capabilities.

The tips and tools to follow provide a few ideas on how to engage employees and initiate dialogue and increase your organization's status as an EOC.

3 Tips for Creating an EOC Culture

Tip #1: Get employees thinking about what's possible, not what is.

Through surveys, focus groups or one-on-one conversations, ask people from all levels how your organization rates in the characteristics most often associated with an EOC:

• Work environment
• Work/Life balance
• Learning orientation
• Employee compensation
• Non-traditional benefits

Although their responses are very important, the follow-up question is "What might the future hold for an organization without these EOC characteristics?" An even more impactful question is "What might the future hold for our organization if we do nothing to enhance/strengthen these characteristics?"

This is a quick, subtle and powerful way to get at the expectations people have about the future of the enterprise. A universal rule: expectations - drawn from our previous experiences, interpretation of the present and our perspective about the future - go hand-in-hand with actions. We all know that the performance of an organization is what matters, and is the result of all of the actions taken by individuals - they do add up!

If people are thinking about what the organization is not, or about what it was in the past, they will create what they are thinking about. (Actions follow expectations.) This inquiry is a way to produce dialogue about a possible future that is NOT a re-creation of the past. (Even if the past was pretty good, we know we can't go back. Just ask your Mom!) The past is not the future.

Tip #2: Use a Blueprint to collect and visualize the organization's condition.

The results of Tip #1 typically produce cognitive dissonance. That is, people begin to think about how the future will be if nothing changes (status quo), and the future that is possible if they become engaged in shaping it - the dissonance creates an uncomfortable feeling which motivates people to act.

A Blueprint is a tool that we have found to be a useful way to collect and visualize two divergent or conflicting organizational conditions.

A simplified method of Blueprinting is to use a flipchart: on the left side describe the current state of the enterprise in terms of each of the 5 characteristics most often associated with an EOC listed above in Tip 1; and on the right describe the future state that is possible for the organization, in each characteristic.*

Once you get alignment on the two ends, the next step is to create an Action Plan to move the organization from the current state on the left, to the future state on the right. This Blueprint can be discussed and elaborated on in multiple discussions throughout the organization.

Be careful of two conditions:

1. Do not try to cure world hunger. Make the actions do-able given current resources and commitments.

2. Think through the implications or unintended consequences. That is, as a result of the Action Plan, what will happen that may not be as favorable as you might want? (Some of you may be familiar with a tool we use at WSA, the "Implications Wheel" which has great application here.)

*An additional step: list on the right side how the organization will be in the future if no action is taken to achieve or strengthen the EOC characteristics. Then outline the future people would rather create.

Tip #3: Make the distinction between obstacles and objections.

Changes in an organization provoke a certain amount of resistance. In order to work proactively with resistance, it helps to separate obstacles from objections and to recognize the different type of activities required to address each.

Obstacles and objections sound somewhat similar but they come from very different sources. Lumping these two types of restraining forces together clouds the issue, can divert valuable resources and prevent effective action.

Differentiating between these reactions and responding appropriately can help you get un-stuck in developing or implementing an Action Plan, and enhances the possibility for forward progress.

Obstacles are issues that are beyond an individual's control. We call them, "Can't Do's" such as:

• "I do not have the authorization to ..."
• "I do not have the resources to ..."
• "The current equipment cannot ..."
• "I have not been trained to..."

Objections are within an individual's control and are the, "Won't Do's" such as:

• "I don't see why I need to ..."
• "I don't think it will work if I do that..."
• "It's not my job to..."
• "I see unintended consequences if I..."

With the distinction made between obstacles and objections, the next step is to create a, "Prevention Checklist" in which you outline practical solutions or actions designed to prevent persistent problems/obstacles from derailing your efforts.

Conclusion

Where your organization ranks as an EOC will dramatically impact your ability to attract and retain top talent. This is a vital component to achieving your organizations goals, reinforcing your value proposition with your customers, and creating long-term viability.

We believe that one of the most important strategic business decisions an organization can make (and one that HR has a direct impact on!) is deciding who to hire. Attracting and retaining excited, enthusiastic, talented people who are ready for action will certainly put your organization in a superior position now, as well as post-recession.

Every enterprise is looking for ways to at least maintain their current level of activity and provide some organizational improvements that are easy, low cost and effective. I hope that the suggestions outlined here have provided you with a couple of ideas that you can implement right away.

Article by, WSA president, Paul Plotczyk and courtesy of Work Systems Affiliates

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 20, 2009 at 2:17 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Technology can be a wonderful servant ... and an awful master.

To find work faster, remember that your goal with any gadgetry or software -- from smart phones and email to Linkedin and Twitter -- is to meet people who can hire you.

With that in mind, here are two ways to find a job -- one high-tech and the other very low -- from Australia. How can you adapt them to your search?

1) Tweet and Meet

Jade Craven (www.jadecraven.com), in Geelong, Australia, found work in August 2009 by doing a few smart things on Twitter.

She offered the following five tips to help you do the same.

1. Go to Tweetups

A "Tweetup" is a meeting of people who follow each other's postings (tweets) on Twitter. Craven attended a Tweetup organized by a woman she followed on Twitter -- the same woman who eventually hired her.

You can find Tweetups by monitoring tweets of people in your industry whom you'd like to meet -- that's what Craven did. You can search for Tweetups here - http://www.twtvite.com or here - http://search.twitter.com

For more on how to find Twitter users near you, read this article on Mashable - http://mashable.com/2009/06/08/twitter-local-2/

2. Provide Advice for Free

Craven regularly sent useful ideas to her future employer using the direct message (DM) function on Twitter.

You should do the same and share helpful tips in most of your tweets or DMs -- it's an excellent way to showcase expertise and build a following.

3. Connect With Connectors

Craven followed several people who enjoy helping and introducing other people to each other. The right "connectors" can help you meet employers. But don't expect help from anyone before first providing it yourself (see 2. above).

Not sure who the connectors are in your field? Ask people you know. Or search Twitter (http://search.twitter.com).

4. Make It Known That You Are Looking For Work

Craven says, "I often talked about how I wanted to get a job at the end of the year" in her Twitter postings. This got the attention of the woman who hired her over lunch in August.

5. Offer To Help

Sharing your skills and expertise with others is a low-risk way for potential employers to size you up. "You don't even have to do it for free -- you can do it at a reduced price," says Craven, who found increased exposure for her work by helping others.

While this is a variation on "Provide Advice for Free" above, the repetition is noteworthy. It's by helping others first that you create enough "psychic equity" to earn job leads later.

Bottom line: Craven used Twitter to meet people in the real world, forging a personal connection that led to a job offer.

(A big thanks to the folks at Twitter Tips [www.twitterusermanual.com] for passing this story on to me.)

2) Fax and Meet

Jennifer Lloyd, from Brisbane, Australia, found work using methods that were low-tech (fax) and no-tech (meeting employers in person).

The Brisbane job market is highly competitive, according to Lloyd, who faxed about 50 resumes and delivered another 150 in person to employers over a five-week period, from July to September 2009.

She writes: "I loved faxing instead of emailing. Someone has to see [the resume] and can't delete it without looking!"

Lloyd got the names of hiring managers from online Chamber of Commerce databases, publicly available listings of businesses in a particular area. She also researched corporate web sites for contact information.

If a potential employer was nearby, she hand-delivered her resume. Companies farther from home were faxed, when possible.

In general, managers were pleased to meet someone willing to take the initiative and drop off resumes in person, according to Lloyd, who did encounter one rude receptionist, to whom she handed her resume anyway. If an office building required a security check or authorization to visit, Lloyd avoided entering.

Her results? "I was offered two jobs and am happily working in one now," says Lloyd, who received one offer from faxing and another offer from delivering her resume in person.

Bottom line: Lloyd set a goal to deliver 10 resumes and fax 10 resumes every week day. By working her plan methodically and meeting enough people, she found work.

What do these intrepid Aussies have in common? They didn't hide behind technology. Instead, they used it to set up meetings with hiring managers, or dispensed with it altogether and visited in person.

You can do the same, by using technology with discipline and clear goals ... when you use it at all.

Remember: Nobody has ever been hired by a computer. You have to meet people for that.

Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CBS Radio and others.

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on GadBall Blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 20, 2009 at 10:30 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The job market is flooded with candidates, but employers don't want to hire just anyone. They want to hire people who will fit well in their companies. It's not easy to convey company culture in a job description so it might be better to use employee testimonials on the company career site.

Research shows that candidates respond well to hearing about companies from people who actually work there. A study done by the American Psychological Association (APA) discovered that job seekers responded better to video or audio testimonials than to text and pictures. The study also found that candidates like to use video testimonials to help them gauge whether or not they will be a good fit for a company and vice versa. With video testimonials, it's important to use employees who sincerely enjoy their jobs and who are representative of the company's culture.

Showing candidates the kind of challenges they could face, giving them a glimpse of where they might end up working and who they might end up working with could help employers attract desired candidates.

Attracting talented candidates in the current job market is easy, but attracting the right talented candidates is tough. Employers who are willing to spend the time and money on video testimonials for their companies' career sites could vastly improve their chances of attracting qualified candidates who will be good cultural fits, too.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 19, 2009 at 3:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Workplace Expert Identifies Eight Mistakes That Can Hinder Holiday Breaks

During the holiday season, we all may make questionable choices, like wearing knitted snowman sweaters, overindulging at the dinner table or serving turducken. But according to administrative staffing firm OfficeTeam, the decisions professionals make before going on vacation can mean the difference between a relaxing respite and a harried holiday.

"Taking time off provides an opportunity for employees to recharge and come back to work refreshed," said OfficeTeam executive director Robert Hosking. "However, those who don't lay the proper groundwork before they leave may find themselves constantly connected to the office while on holiday breaks or overloaded when they return."

OfficeTeam offers eight common vacation missteps and tips for avoiding them:

1. Carving out time at the last minute. Coordinate vacation dates with your team as early as possible to avoid scheduling conflicts or a lack of project coverage. Be sure to let your coworkers and other business contacts know when you'll be out. If taking on your tasks is a burden to colleagues, bring in temporary professionals to help while you're gone.
2. Acting like a turkey. Use your out-of-office features wisely by including an alternate contact on your voice-mail or e-mail notices. This ensures people get immediate assistance and assignments stay on track.
3. Ruffling colleagues' feathers. Forgetting to cancel or reschedule meetings planned during your vacation is discourteous to others who set time aside to talk to you. Also, mark your time off on any group calendars so people know when you are not available.
4. Committing a technical 'fowl.' More than a few employees have returned to work after a vacation only to discover they are unable to log in to their computers. Prevent this from happening to you by changing any soon-to-expire passwords before you leave.
5. Overstuffing your inbox. Examine the storage capacity on your e-mail inbox to ensure you have plenty of space to receive large-size files while you're away. In addition, clean out your voice-mail box.
6. Letting your vacation be gobbled up by work. If you must check in with the office while on your break, let coworkers know in advance the specific times you will be accessible. Making yourself too available can detract from the benefits of taking a vacation.
7. Forgetting to give thanks. Express your appreciation to colleagues who take over key projects while you're away. By providing all the information they need to complete tasks ahead of time, you'll make it easy for them to cover for you. Also offer to return the favor when they're out.
8. Not clearing your plate. Avoid scheduling meetings for the morning of your return so you can spend the time getting up to speed on assignments and catching up on e-mail.

Hosking noted that creating a pre-vacation checklist can provide peace of mind for employees before their break. "It's easy to overlook minor details when you're on your way out of the office," he said. "Having a written record of tasks that must be completed prior to your departure can help you tie up loose ends and make the transition back to work more manageable."

OfficeTeam provides businesses with the temporary administrative professionals they need to maximize productivity, achieve cost efficiency and support existing staff. The company has more than 325 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at .

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 19, 2009 at 2:23 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Culture Change: altering the way an organization operates and conducts its business happens in one of two primary ways:

• It is purposefully designed; or
• It happens by default - through the absence of planning..
• Either way, culture change happens. And for most organizations the culture has changed quite a bit in the past year or so since our economy tanked.

Most professionals know that changing the culture of an organization is the most difficult task anyone can attempt. However, as economically induced organizational upsets have occurred and been addressed often with organizational realignment or restructuring activities, organizational culture has been collateral damage. Because many changes have been unplanned, they may have been accompanied by some unintended and negative consequences.

Now may be a good time to get a handle on what has changed and where your organization needs to focus as the economy begins to improve and employee engagement and retention become important again.

In this first of two articles on repairing your organizational culture, we'll address two primary questions:

What is organizational culture?
How do I identify culture in my organization?
What is Organizational Culture?

I'll Know It When I See It!
"I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description [obscenity]; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it...."
Justice Potter Stewart, 1964, Jacobellis v. Ohio

Other than in the case of Justice Stewart above, before we start working to change something, it is usually a good idea to be clear on what it is we are changing and why.

In his book "Organizational Culture and Leadership", Edgar Schein defines organizational culture as:

"A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way you perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems".

We prefer a simpler definition: "Organizational culture is the way things get done around here."

How Do I know What Culture is in My Organization? - See It Live! - Take a Walk!

Signs of organizational culture exist in three areas:

Artifacts and Behaviors. These are the most tangible aspects of culture and can be seen in -

• Actions - How people visibly interact with each other and with organizational outsiders, including customers
• Physical Signs - offices space, furnishings and/or the way people dress
• Written and spoken language - The ways people communicate with each other
• Unwritten or written stories - Stories about events or people that point to heroes or villains.

Values and Principles - What the organization stands for is rooted in "shoulds" and "oughts" including:

• How customer needs must be met
• How people should relate to one another
• The relationship between actions and consequences
• How failure is handled
• How power and control should be exercised
• How business should be conducted.

Fundamental Assumptions and Mental Models - Beliefs, ideologies, ethical and moral codes that are ingrained, unconscious, and often unquestioned, such as:

• The assumed time frames for decisions and actions
• The proper balance between family and work
• The emphasis on personal/professional development
• The understanding of why we are in business.

How do you identify an organization's culture?

This is the easy part. There are 3 main ways to identify an organization's culture:

• Take a Culture Jaunt
• Talk to people
• Conduct a survey

1. Take a Cultural Jaunt

Take a walk around and look at some of the physical signs of culture. (Notice how the following are different in Corporate vs. the Field.)

• How is space allocated? Where are offices located and who gets them?
• How much space is given, and to whom?
• What is posted on bulletin boards or displayed on walls?
• What is displayed on desks or in other areas of the building? In work groups?
• How are common areas utilized?
• What do people write to one another? What is said in memos or email? What is the general tone of communication (formal or informal, pleasant or hostile, etc.)?
• How often do people communicate with one another verbally vs. through text, social media such as Twitter and/or email? (Do people communicate verbally at all anymore?)
• What interaction between people do you see? How much emotion is expressed or tolerated?
• How are difficult customers handled?
• How is internal conflict handled? Is it acknowledged? Rewarded or punished?

When you return to your office, record what you saw and heard. Make sure to include your impressions and your guesses about what it all means.

2. Talk to People:

Casual Conversations

Take advantage of impromptu opportunities to talk with people. Share your assumptions with them. Ask them "How do you think the culture has changed in the past year or so? (Whatever time you think the company has been actively responding to the economic downturn.)

Small Group Interviews: Another way to understand the culture of your organization is to interview people in small groups. With most doing more with less, "brown bag" lunches are a good idea. Since it is usually difficult for most of us to put into words what culture is like, indirect questions may be your best option, such as:

• What would you tell a friend about this organization if she/he were interested in working here?
• What is the one thing you would most like to change about this organization?
• What kind of person is a hero around here? Why?
• What is your favorite characteristic about this organization?
• What kinds of people fail here?
• What is your favorite question to ask a job candidate in your company?

3. Culture Surveys:

Surveys can also provide good, quantifiable information about organizational culture. It is a good idea to create or select a survey using information collected during the culture jaunt and your conversations.

You can either purchase or custom-design a survey. An off-the-shelf survey may have interesting questions and it may also have questions not relevant to your organization. The survey may have been used in a number of other organizations, so the questions may be reliable and validated. InstantSurvey, Zoomerang and SurveyMonkey are good online assessment options.

Next Steps

The results from getting the answers to "What is organizational culture?" and "How do I identify culture in my organization?" may bring you some peace or set off a panic! This process will either confirm the efficacy of your organizational culture, or provide the drivers and motivation you need to get organizational culture back on track.

In article #2 of this series , we will outline our validated four-phase model for changing organizational culture.

Article by, WSA managing partner, Paul Stimson, and courtesy of Work Systems Affiliates

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 19, 2009 at 2:05 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Over the next few weeks, we'll be counting down the top 10 most "noteworthy" verdicts/settlements from the past year, according to the fine folks at Jury Verdict Research.

Here's #9 . . .

$4 Million for Blood Test Retaliation

In Schumann v. Dianon Systems Inc., a pathologist sued his employer, a health care laboratory, for wrongful termination and retaliation.

Schumann was employed from January 1993 through April 2005 at a Dianon Systems lab in Connecticut. In February 2005, the lab started using a new blood test to detect kidney disorders. Schumann complained to a VP of the company that the test wasn't supported by the latest scientific research and could result in false positives that might endanger patient health. He contended that his continued opposition to the test resulted in his being fired on April 4, 2005.

The company denied the plaintiff's claims. It asserted that its laboratory methods were appropriate and that the pathologist was terminated for legitimate reasons unrelated to his opposition to the test.

The court sided with the plaintiff, awarding him $4 million in compensatory damages.

Lesson for Employers

Four of the top ten big-$$$ cases this past year were for retaliation. As discussed here yesterday, be very careful that any adverse employment action you take as an employer is based purely on concrete, job-related reasons 100% unrelated to employee actions protected by law. If an employee complains -- especially about company actions that could potentially endanger others -- be extremely, really, very careful before taking action against him or her.

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 November 18, 2009 at 1:46 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Because they have so many candidates from which to choose these days, employers have become increasingly selective. They want to find the "perfect" candidates. But how can they when nobody is perfect? Finding the right job just got a little bit harder.

"The pursuit of perfection is a powerful trend in the present job market," says Guy Nadivi in his article, Why You Shouldn't Hire a Perfect Job Candidate, "and it's rip tides are sweeping suitable job candidates off their feet and out to sea."

Nadivi himself fell victim to employers' search for the elusive perfect candidate when he was denied a job because he lacked one of the qualifications for the job. Only one qualification was missing and he was denied a chance.

Nadivi himself fell victim to employers' searches for the elusive perfect candidate when he was denied a job with a major social media company because he lacked one of the qualifications for the job.

"Have employers thought through the ramifications of seeking perfection, even in a job market where they feel they can afford to be choosy?" Nadivi muses.

Someone who doesn't have every qualification an employer desires has room to grow and learn. Nadivi also points out that someone with fewer qualifications can also be hired for less money. Less qualified candidates with positive attitudes and willingness to learn are preferable to those with all the right credentials and lousy dispositions, Nadivi says. And someone who already knows how to do everything could easily start to feel bored after only a short time and begin looking for another job.

Where once candidates were cautioned against being too demanding of potential employers, now employers are being cautioned against turning down candidates simply because they lack one or two qualifications for the proffered jobs. Even diamonds have to be reshaped and polished to reach their full potential. Nadivi believes that employers who take chances on less than perfect candidates are doing themselves a favor.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 18, 2009 at 12:16 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

According to the latest study from Jury Verdict Research, employment verdicts continue to be on the rise.

The median award for all types of employment claims rose a whopping 60% in the past year, from $204,000 to $326,640. Discrimination verdicts rose 16%, from $208,000 to $241,119.

Some other fascinating facts . . .

What are an employer's chances of winning at trial?

Employers won only 39% of discrimination lawsuits in the past year, tied for the worst win rate in the past decade. The lowest win rate (33%) was in age discrimination cases and the highest (52%) was in disability discrimination cases.

What are the most common discrimination claims?

Sex was #1 (35%), followed by race (26%), disability (16%), age (13%) and "other" (includes pregnancy, religion, national origin and sexual orientation) (10%).

What forms of discrimination generate the biggest verdicts?

Age discrimination was #1, followed by disability, sex and race.

What employers took the biggest hit?

Manufacturing/industrial had the biggest verdicts, followed by government, service/retail and then transportation.

Are employers better off in federal or state court?

Employers are better off in federal court, where they won 43% of the cases, versus only 37% in state court. In addition, the median federal award was 39% lower than the median state award ($164,925 versus $270,000).

What about settlements?

The median settlement amount was the highest in the past decade at $90,000 -- a 20% jump over the previous year.

Where can I get more?

For the full report - required reading for all HR professionals, business owners and employment lawyers - click here.

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 November 18, 2009 at 7:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Over the next few weeks, we'll be counting down the top 10 most "noteworthy" verdicts/settlements from the past year, according to the fine folks at Jury Verdict Research.

Coming in at #10 . . .

$3.6 Million for Alleged Post-testimony Retaliation

In Bender v. City of Los Angeles, a male police officer claimed that the city retaliated against him after he testified in a sex harassment case on behalf of a female police officer.

The parties' positions couldn't have been farther apart . . .

The plaintiff alleged that after he testified, the city (1) dropped him from his unit,
(2) demoted him to a lower rank,
(3) slashed his salary and then
(4) transferred him to a desk assignment that required a four-hour commute time.

The defendant denied the plaintiff's allegations and asserted that the plaintiff was disciplined for (1) storing explosives in an inappropriate manner,
(2) being insubordinate and
(3) not working well with other officers.

The court sided with the plaintiff, awarding him $3.6 million in compensatory damages.

Lesson for Employers

As we'll see over the course of our countdown, retaliation cases can be costly (and difficult to disprove) for employers. In fact, the median award for retaliation cases over the past seven years is $225,000.

Be very careful before disciplining an employee who recently engaged in protected activity, including complaining of discrimination, filing a worker's compensation claim, taking medical leave, participating in an investigation and/or testifying at a hearing. If you don't have concrete, job-related facts that are 100% unrelated to any of the items in the foregoing list, don't take action.

Source: Jury Award Trends and Statistics (2009 Edition)

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 November 18, 2009 at 7:36 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

One source of frustration for many recruiters and hiring managers is wading through a sea of resumes from obviously unqualified job applicants. Times are tough and people are desperate, but sending resumes for jobs that in don't match their skill sets could do more harm than good. To be fair, some job descriptions open the door for unqualified candidates by being too vague. So, really, it's up to the job seekers to learn how to increase their chances of being invited for job interviews.

Recruiters at Stanton Chase, a global executive search firm, offer this advice for how candidates can become "The Perfect Fit" for the jobs they desire:

• Those in transition need to change the game. They need to know their most valued skills and where they have a track record of delivering surefire results in a business environment.
• They need to target companies and leaders that might need what they have.
• They need to sell into that situation - the promise of help, growth, turnaround, relief, profitability, and improved processes.
• The goal is that someone might create a role for you. A good "in" could also be to ask them to access your offerings on a consulting basis - which is paid prospecting for a permanent opportunity.
• Relate your successes to the open position. Don't make the focus of your accomplishments and knowledge specific to that previous role, make it known how you can transition it and make it work in this new position.

Finding the right job in today's market is tougher than ever because employers have the luxury to be choosy. Job seekers must be certain that they are the right fit for the jobs for which they apply, otherwise they could find themselves on the slippery slope of rejection that could end in discouragement.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 17, 2009 at 1:22 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Human Resource Management is about achieving the best from your workforce. Achieving high levels of motivation, engagement and productivity is impossible when employees are unsatisfied or actively looking for alternative employment. Do you know which team members are seeking alternative employment and are these team members critical to your business? It is vitally important to business performance and success to understand the answer to this question.

HR Management can help you to understand employee satisfaction, retain key team members and improve productivity. In every organisation, employees will fit into one of the following categories:

1. Employees most satisfied with the organisation
2. Employees satisfied with the organisation
3. Employees content to stay with the organisation
4. Employees dissatisfied with the organisation
5. Employees looking to leave the organisation

The following is a method to retain your employees and improve business performance.

For employees that are most satisfied with the organisation you need to continue to identify ways to ensure job satisfaction, are challenged, productive and motivated in their role.

For employees that are content in their role you need to ensure they are continuing to contribute in a productive manner and identify ways to promote higher levels of motivation.

For employees that are dissatisfied with the organisation or are actively looking to leave, you need to assess whether these team members have the competencies that are of value to your business. Generally, dissatisfaction occurs over time, with both the employee and employer becoming increasingly more frustrated with one another.
What to do with employees who are not satisfied?

Firstly you need to endeavour to take the emotion out of the decisions you make so that you make the best decision for the business. Generally the most senior person has the most 'power' and therefore is in a stronger position to initiate methods to improve the relationship. Below are the steps in remedying this situation.

1. Assess if the competencies of the team member are valuable to the business. If they are and the employee is looking to leave, the organisation needs to communicate with the employee in an effective manner. As a reminder it needs to be remembered that this situation has occurred over time and that it will take time to repair. If the team member does not believe the manager is able to work a way around the problem the employee will continue to be dissatisfied and most likely leave.

2. Reflecting as to why this situation has occurred, and invariably there can be a myriad of reasons. This is not a situation of blaming anyone but looking holistically and identifying why. Facilitate a meeting with the employee to determine why they are not satisfied with the organisation.

3. It needs to be determined if the reasons for the level of dissatisfaction are valid, if anything can be done, remembering that if we continue to do what we have done in the past we cannot really expect any different result. Therefore to change behaviour and performance we need to change the way we communicate and or the environment.

4. If it is decided that the situation is not going to be addressed the problems existing between the employee and employer will continue to fester. Eventually the employee will leave the organisation. The consequences of having an unsatisfied employee eventually leaving needs to be assessed. For minimum impact to the business this process needs to be properly managed. This will include succession planning.

5. The major concern for most businesses is that employee's leave at inconvenient times and this is extremely disruptive and costly to the business. Therefore, to have minimal impact this process needs to be planned. Managers can provide improved workforce planning by understanding which employees fit into each of the five categories.

Managers who understand their team member's satisfaction levels have increased capability to improve morale, productivity and business profitability. Managers who chose to ignore employee satisfaction do so at their peril, and can expect reduced employee morale, productivity and profitability. While you may not lose a valuable employee right now, you will at a time when you least expect it, and at a time when it has a substantial impact on your business.

In summary managers have a choice of three strategies. Managers can:

1. Make it happen by improving employee satisfaction.

2. Watch it happen experiencing poor performing team members and positive performers leaving.

3. Say 'What the hell happened?' and experience poor business performance.

Article by David McGillivray

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on MN Headhunter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 17, 2009 at 11:09 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Are you unfulfilled in your job? You are not alone. One-half of US employees are dissatisfied with their jobs, up from two-fifths 10 years ago.

Perhaps it's time to move on. But where? And will you be successful in your new job? Or would it be a case of "out of the frying pan into the fire"?

You can minimize that risk. You should find a job that fires you with hwyl--the Celtic concept of passion, fervor, and spirit that can lift you to extremes of success. Then you need to check that market conditions at this job are favorable, and that you will be at least reasonably well placed to succeed in the job. But first things first.

Find a Job with Hwyl (pronounced h-wale)

To find a job you feel passionate about, you need a process. Make three columns on a sheet of paper or on the computer. In column one, write down all the names of people who have jobs that inspire you. In the middle column, write down the type of work they do. In the third column, put 1-5 tick marks according to how passionate you feel about these jobs, where 1 = okay job, and 5 = truly inspired.

For ideas, look to friends, family, and colleagues--and their friends, family, and colleagues. Think of fellow members of interest groups you belong to. Think of people you have read about in the press or seen on TV. Don't forget fictional people in books, movies, and plays. Don't limit yourself. Dream large. Write down any job that sounds fun or exciting to you.

Use a Screening Process to Arrive at a Short List

Okay, now you have a long list, and you've given each job a hwyl rating (a ranking between 1 and 5 on your "passion-o-meter"). Now rearrange them in order of hwyl rating. Hopefully you will have a list of at least a dozen or so jobs to which you have given four or five ticks.

But this will be no more than a wish list. It could range from such entries as Barack Obama, president, 5 ticks, to Uncle Joe, plumber, 4 ticks.

The list should be screened against two criteria: job market conditions and your likely competitiveness in the job. Gut feel is all you need at this stage. You won't have detailed information on either criterion at this stage, but you don't need it yet. The aim is to find out whether any of these top dozen jobs is a runner.

Under job market conditions, consider such factors as job market size (just the one in the case of president, thousands more for plumbers), job market growth (zero in the presidency, strong in plumbing), competitive intensity (cut-throat at the top in politics, not too tough in plumbing), and job risk (brutal at the White House, low in plumbing).

For the competitiveness criterion, don't be too harsh on yourself. This is a new job you will be seeking, so it is clear that you can't be a stellar performer straight away compared to current practitioners. Consider factors such as your capabilities, current and potential, pertinent to the job, and your related experience, direct and indirect. For the presidency, how do you rate your capabilities in, for example, law, policy analysis, and public speaking? For plumbing, what experience in, for example, fixing or installation have you had over the years?

Research the Short List

Which of those top dozen jobs with hwyl have managed to pass through the screen? That is, where market conditions and your capabilities are generally favourable. If one or two, that's great. If none, that's too bad, but move down the list and bring up the next dozen or so jobs, perhaps those with at least three hwyl ticks. And so on, until you have a short list of two or three jobs. These are jobs that not only have, hopefully, plenty of hwyl, but where you may also be backable to a potential investor in yourself.

But that investor will want more detail. You must now thoroughly research these short-listed jobs. Talk to practitioners, talk to their customers. Just what are the capabilities required to do the job? How would you fare? What entry strategy should you deploy? What should you be doing now to strengthen your positioning before you take the leap?

The Realtor Turned Plumber

I included the plumber example above for a reason. Randy was a realtor in Atlanta, a very good one. He had the knack of empathizing with both vendor and buyer to close the deal. Yet his heart was not wholly in it. What he really loved doing was fixing things, getting his hands dirty. His Uncle Joe was a plumber and he had helped him out a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed it. But was plumbing a serious potential career switch, or a fancy?

Plumbing sailed through Randy's screening process, beating off fire-fighting and pro basketball. Then he did some serious research. He spoke at length with Uncle Joe, many of his uncle's colleagues, and a few customers. Greatly encouraged, he prepared an entry strategy. He signed up for two evening courses, one on basic plumbing and one on a specialized area. He helped out his uncle on weekends. Well researched, well prepared, he quit his realtor job and launched his own plumbing business. It has flourished. These days he wakes up each morning with a spring in his step. He is living the hwyl.

Randy's story illustrates how you can find unexpected, fulfilling careers by following your passion. Randy's hwyl lay in plumbing. He backed it. So can you.

Vaughan Evans is a renowned economist, business strategist, sought-after speaker, and the author of Backing U! A Business-Oriented Guide to Backing Your Passion and Achieving Career Success (Business and Careers Press, 2009, www.backingu.com).

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Boston Technical Recruiter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 17, 2009 at 11:03 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The other day I listened to a journalist, of sorts, bragging that he played golf recently with the President of the United States.

Wonderful for the reporter's ego. Terrible for journalism.

Of course, favored journalists have always enjoyed special access to US Presidents, but that doesn't mean the problem is any less of a threat to media independence simply because it has always been a fact of political life.

But it's not only political life that is at the heart of this issue. Powerful people, whether they hold forth in the White House or the boardroom, attract worshipers. And that is where the system, any system, breaks down.

Carl Icahn always liked to tell me that major corporate CEOs like to have lieutenants who are several levels down the IQ charts from themselves. And that after awhile, this leads to having a moron at the top.

An exaggeration? Of course, but:

• Why did GM allow the Japanese to "outcar" them for decades?
• How did Citi's board permit management to wreck the business with thousands of reckless investment decisions?
• For what reason did Nixon's palace guard accede to their boss's call to create an Enemies List in the greatest democracy in the world?
• How come congressional leaders of both parties proclaim bold-faced lies only to have their press secretaries stand in front of the cameras and swear it's the truth?

It's all due to the Cancer Of Power. Take someone, nearly anyone, and put them on a throne, and those who pass by will tell you they are a genius. How many men and women worship every word Prince Charles utters even though this man, this entire family, its centuries of power notwithstanding, has never accomplished a single thing.

Charles is famously mediocre. Or worse. But his entourage will tell you that this is a man of the ages.

Something happens when people rise to fame. An aura surrounds them, one that is so bright, so neon, so celestial, that it blinds otherwise intelligent people to the pablum of who they are and what they have to say.

Which is, not much of anything.

How many people within Jamie Diamond's inner circle actually tell the CEO when he makes a dumb move? How many even believe he can or does EVER make a dumb move? There is no doubt that Diamond is a truly gifted businessman, one I met when my firm worked for Smith Barney.

But gifted people need gifted critics more than anyone else. It keeps them from floating away into a place that is so far removed from the reality that they need to keep them grounded.

The problem is, kings don't want to be grounded. And sycophants are too dazzled to remove them, even for a moment, from the Sudan chair in which they are lifted above the crowds.

And in every single case, this worship is why once great companies fail and once extraordinary nations collapse into Banana Republics.

Article by, Mark Stevens, the bestselling author of "Your Marketing Sucks," "Your Management Sucks" and"God Is A Salesman." Stevens is CEO of MSCO, a global marketing firm, who has advised many clients over the years such as Estee Lauder, Virgin Atlantic, Guardian Insurance, MONY, Giorgio Armani, Starwood, Intrawest, etc. Stevens delivers more than 40 speeches annually and is a regularly featured media commentator, lending his insights and opinions on Fox Business Network, to the Associated Press, on CNN International, BBC Radio and Bloomberg TV.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 16, 2009 at 12:08 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

With the recession leaving thousands jobless, unemployment rates skyrocketing to an all-time high, and competition rising with each day, it has become harder than ever before to truly stand out in the job market. With this in mind, numerous job seeking hopefuls have put creativity at the forefront by turning the job hunt into an outrageous stunt. Job search engine, Juju.com, has compiled a list highlighting the measures that some are willing to go to in order to land a job:

Advertise Yourself: Imagine being stuck in traffic and glancing up at a billboard only to see the words "HIRE ME" under a massive headshot. That's what 37 year-old Pasha Stocking did in order to get noticed! Although the stunt was a little pricey (Stocking spent up to $7,000 to purchase the ad) she got major attention from news networks such as NBC and CNN.

"HIRE ME" Sandwich Board: "Experienced MIT Grad For Hire" read the sandwich board that Joshua Persky was wearing as he handed out resumes in a highly concentrated area of investment houses and commercial banks. Thankfully for Persky the stunt worked, as it garnered the attention of an accounting firm in midtown Manhattan, where he is currently working.

What's Your Resume Gimmick?: A job candidate recently admitted to sending a shoe along with his resume in order to get "his foot in the door." Similarly, another candidate sent his resume wrapped as a present and said he was a "gift to the company." Another way some Web sites suggest to differentiate a resume is to print it on different color paper other than white, cream, or grey. Printing a resume on a bigger sized sheet of paper will also ensure it will stand out from the stack of 8 1/2 x 11 inch papers.

Got Food?: A job candidate once sent a cake designed as a business card with his picture printed on the cake. In another foodie instance, a job seeking hopeful baked cookies with icing to write several reasons why she should be hired. These candidates go to show that the way to someone's heart is through their stomach?

Bringing props to the interview: When asked a difficult question during his interview, Vinh Nguyen pulled out a white board in order to write down his thought process. This allowed him to take control of the interview, differentiating himself from other candidates. Nguyen admits, "It was awkward at first, but breaking away from the norm will pay off as long as you put in the work beforehand researching." At another interview, a candidate who was exhibiting his theme park models brought in clowns who walked around the room for close to a minute singing and playing music. This tactic was successful as he was offered a job equipped with a generous salary offering.

Video resumes: With the advent of YouTube, candidates are trying different ways in order to get their names out there. According to TIME magazine, Benjamin Hampton, a recent graduate from Washington State University in Pullman, posted a 5 1/2 minute video on YouTube in an effort to promote himself through a different medium. The stunt was successful as he was able to land an interview with a PR firm.

[Some job search experts advise against using gimmicks, but it seems to depend on the job seeker and on the employer. As my father often says, "Nothing fails like a try."]

Juju.com is a job search engine made easy. It gathers job postings from different employer Web sites and job boards which makes searching for a job convenient and stress-free. Juju was built on the foundations of the first job search engine on the web, www.job-search-engine.com, which launched in 1998. The site was re-launched under the Juju brand in January 2006 with new technology, a new interface, and a new team.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 16, 2009 at 10:47 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

We all remember the science class where we learned about the Skinner box. We watched rats run around in search of treats, the reward they gained if they turned to the appropriate dispenser.

As we observe the tiny creatures racing for a dose of pleasure, we think of ourselves as vastly superior to this lower form of life. To these virtually mindless rodents.

But I wonder: how different are we really? Yes, we create computers, the Internet, vaccines, space probes, behavioral experiments. But are we in a Skinner box of our own?

• We don't know why we live and die.
• We have no idea where we go after we leave the living.
• We don't understand how the universe works, how it got started or if and when it will end.

What we do know is that we want to experience pleasure and avoid pain. And we build our lives around this, running toward:

• Money
• Achievement
• Beauty
• Peace

And darting away from:

• Fear
• Discomfort
• The unknown

Let's put this in the perspective of business. Every day, we seek out:

• New customers and clients
• Closing big sales
• Raises and promotions
• Awards

And we avoid:

• Making painful decisions
• Terminating employees
• Resigning from business relationships that are no longer respectful or fruitful
• Taking substantial personal risk

When the Skinner rats and other creatures in similar experiments understand the system, they avoid the pain and turn over and over again to the pleasure. Precisely what we, the human race, want to do.

But, and yes this is where we distinguish ourselves from these creatures, successful humans in business will move intentionally to the pain- risk, terminations, painful decisions-as a means to an end.

In OUR Skinner box, the winners do not live in a world of black and white, pleasure and pain. They navigate through a gray area en route to something far more important than a food pellet.

We think. Or is there another Skinner toying with us?

Article by, Mark Stevens, the bestselling author of "Your Marketing Sucks," "Your Management Sucks" and"God Is A Salesman." Stevens is CEO of MSCO, a global marketing firm, who has advised many clients over the years such as Estee Lauder, Virgin Atlantic, Guardian Insurance, MONY, Giorgio Armani, Starwood, Intrawest, etc. Stevens delivers more than 40 speeches annually and is a regularly featured media commentator, lending his insights and opinions on Fox Business Network, to the Associated Press, on CNN International, BBC Radio and Bloomberg TV.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 16, 2009 at 9:53 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I recently had the opportunity to meet with Mark Rodgers, the Managing Director of Cipherion Translations and we started to talk about the opportunities that the internet presents to us if we wish to expand our business internationally.

Mark 's business provides a translation and localisation service and are based in Dublin. Cipherion Translations regularly work with Irish organisations as they take their first steps in developing a global presence.

Mark also heads up the Irish Internet Association's International Strategy Working Group.

I suggested to Mark that he might like to share some of his advice with the 'Biz Growth Community' and posed a few questions for him. This is the first in a series of three articles where Mark addresses the questions I raised with him.

Krishna: Under what circumstances should we consider having our website translated into another language versus relying on an automatic translation.

Mark: What a great question. I think that if your website is used for "customer acquisition" or is meant to help to differentiate your product (e.g. if you are a hotel in Kerry that wishes to attract more German customers than your competitor down the road) then automatic translation is not really going to help.

At best, automatic translation will help the buyer to understand your product offering - but we know from research that purchases are made based on 'feelings' - and justified with logic.

A poorly translated website gives the sense that you are not really interested in the customer - but just hoping to make the sale.

For instance, if you are a specialist at manufacturing horse-riding gear and sell it around the world, then a French customer looking for such horse-riding gear will likely be checking 4 or 5 other French sites - in addition to your "translated site". What will make them purchase from you? Well, the nature of the French translations are going to go a considerable way to convincing them that you are a serious alternative. Obviously, if you are a large Brand like Nokia or Sony, well, you have the budget and will have a properly translated website.

Now, we always come across people out there who say, 'I have gained 20 customers from my automatically translated website' - and its probably true. However, to gain real presence in a market and grow your customer base - most professional organisations will look to have a properly translated website.

The secret to international success is to appear to be a 'local' brand. In other words, make it easy for your customers in Spain to select you - make sure your Spanish is real Spanish- not something that has come from a free translation tool.

Krishna: Thanks Mark for your insights. I know from living and working in many countries that the approach that worked best for the businesses I was involved with were those who thought globally but acted locally. Being able to deliver a clear and relevant marketing message on your website in the countries you are looking to expand in is definitely something we should consider.

If you have questions for Mark and are looking for guidance on translating your website you can contact him at mrodgers@cipherion.com.

Article by Krishna De and courtesy of Biz Growth News blog

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 16, 2009 at 8:43 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

When I worked as a temp, there would often be periods when none of the temp agencies with which I was registered would have jobs that fit my skill set. And this was before the recession. I felt lucky to get even a two-day assignment, filling in for someone who was out sick. Imagine how tough things have been for temps this year.

According to a recent survey by Sterling Resource Funding Corporation (SRFC), a subsidiary of Sterling National Bank, there's some encouraging news coming from the staffing industry. Seventy percent of the 100 staffing professionals, who were surveyed late last month, said they have seen "slightly improving demand for temporary workers over the past quarter."

"We have seen a marked increase in our business over the last few months as our clients experience growing demand," said Allen J. Gershlak, president of SRFC.

Since trends in staffing are considered "economic indicators," news of increased business for staffing agencies is encouraging. Of course, that doesn't mean that a complete recovery is right around the corner. One-fourth of the staffing professionals who were surveyed believe it could take as long as a year for the staffing industry to achieve a full recovery. Other, more optimisitc survey participants (29%), believe a full recovery could be achieved in as little as three to six months.

Gershlak went on to say that some career fields, like information technology, will likely recover faster than some others.

Working as a temp may get easier now that staffing agencies have more jobs coming in from their clients. But temporary employees should remember that a full recovery is still likely to be several months away.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 13, 2009 at 3:28 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

We are all in search of rewards and awards. Money, fame, power, honor, recognition.

Some admit it more readily than others. Some find the need to camouflage it.

But the quest is universal.

All that changes are the goals. And whatever they are -- money, fame, power, honor, recognition- they contribute directly to our personal happiness.

Some admit it more readily than others. Some find the need to camouflage it. But its impact on happiness is universal.

We wake in the morning and we greet the day, prowling for the goals. When we lose to others, we pretend to be happy for them but the truth is, we wish we were in their place. A 'good loser" is really just a talented actor.

I have been watching the US open tennis this week, seeing the fire in the eyes of the champions, Nadal, Federer, the Williams sisters. On the court, in the heat of the matches, they want it all- the money, fame, power, honor, recognition-

And when they see the up and comers driving themselves to beat the odds and win, the champions double down and find a way to prevail, denying the challengers.

They cannot win enough trophies. They cannot collect enough checks. They cannot accumulate enough adulation. This is all part of human nature. It is what drives human achievement. It is what raises the bar. All who are out of the spotlight, are just as much in "the search" as those who command the headlines.

It all seems inevitable: the quest, the lust to have it all, the impact on personal happiness.

And then a wonderful anomaly strikes out of left field. This summer, Canadian author Alice Munro, was about to have the honor of having her new book, Too Much Happiness, nominated for the prestigious Giller Prize for literature.

Given that Munro has won the award twice before, this would be a crowning achievement placing her in that Pantheon of greatness every writer, athlete, businessperson, scientist would, admit it or not, revel in and use to stroke their personal joy.

But Munro broke convention, defied human behavior, did what virtually none of us would do, and asked that her book be withdrawn from consideration for The Prize.

Why? Precisely because she has won twice before and wants young writers, other writers, to have the opportunity to win.

I know that I don't have the generosity to act this way. And I have actually never seen it before. And I believe there is a powerful lesson here. I just don't know what it is yet. I don't know how to incorporate it into my life. I don't know how or if to defy "the quest."

Perhaps the answer lies in the title of the book, denied The Prize by its author.

Perhaps it is Alice Munro who has Too Much Happiness.

Perhaps she is teaching us something.

Article by, Mark Stevens, the bestselling author of "Your Marketing Sucks," "Your Management Sucks" and"God Is A Salesman." Stevens is CEO of MSCO, a global marketing firm, who has advised many clients over the years such as Estee Lauder, Virgin Atlantic, Guardian Insurance, MONY, Giorgio Armani, Starwood, Intrawest, etc. Stevens delivers more than 40 speeches annually and is a regularly featured media commentator, lending his insights and opinions on Fox Business Network, to the Associated Press, on CNN International, BBC Radio and Bloomberg TV.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 13, 2009 at 9:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The recent growth in social networking makes it easier than ever to network with people and get your resume in front of the right person. Networking with people in today's world goes way beyond email, telephone, tradeshows and websites. There are so many social networking tools available and it's easy to get confused or overwhelmed. To help our candidates and employees understand the many different ways to network with our team of recruiters, we introduced a Network with us page on our career site this year. This is your "one stop shop" for connecting with us. Sodexo's entire Talent Acquisition Team is actively "talking" with candidates across the country about their career opportunities on Facebook, Linkedin, this blog and on Twitter and more.

Social networking is mutually beneficial for employers and candidates. It allows both parties time to get to know each other. In addition to improving the candidate experience, it allows the employer an opportunity to share with candidates their culture and it allows the candidate to connect with real people who can answer their questions. It also allows the organization to learn about a candidate's career goals and aspirations and it allows candidates to choose companies that meet their expectations.

If you are still saying to yourself, "now what?" maybe these tips will help.

1. Use online resume builders like Visual CV or Resume Bear to revitalize your resume and set up a Google Profile. Take charge of your online presence and use social networking tools to brand yourself and increase your digital footprint. Google's search engine loves blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. and you want to be found. Make it easy for a recruiter to find you.
2. Join LinkedIn and set up your profile to look like your resume including recommendations from current and former employers and colleagues.
3. Find people you know on LinkedIn and invite them to connect with you. Join groups on Linkedin, like the Sodexo Careers group and participate in the discussions. Start inviting people you know to connect with you on LinkedIn.
4. Set up Google Reader with RSS feeds from job board aggregators like Indeed, and SimplyHired. You can enter your criteria (company name, location, job title, salary, etc) and available jobs will be delivered to you filtered and ready for action. If you know you'd like to work for Sodexo, enter this information in and wait for results.
5. Set up job alerts. Job alerts will email you when a job you're interested in is posted. Sodexo has a job agent in our career center, a job search widget and Twitter job alerts. You can also set up a job alert from Careerbuilder and other major boards.
6. Set up your Twitter account. Applications like Tweetdeck or Twirl will allow you to build job or company related searches. If you are interested in working for Sodexo, build a search for Sodexo and you'll see our recruiters are actively tweeting. You can see a list of our recruiters on Twitter on the Sodexo Careers blog. Here is a great Twitter cheat sheet to get you started
7. Set up your Facebook account and just like Linkedin, start to connect with people. Here are a few tips for using Facebook in your job search. Become a fan of a company to learn more about their culture and become of fan of industry-related trade organization pages to make connections in your industry.
8. Search for career related blogs, like this Blog. Don't be afraid to comment on blog posts when you agree, disagree or have a something to add. If you have a Google Profile, your name can be easily linked to your information. This is one way to get noticed by recruiters.
9. When you find a job you'd like to apply for look for ways to connect with a recruiter at the company. Sodexo's Network with Us page on our Career Site makes it easier to connect with recruiters and hiring managers.
10. Be honest, consistent and patient. Just because you've created profiles does not mean people are required to connect with you. It's important to represent yourself honestly and most important as a valuable contact. Social networking is not all about you - it's about your network. Help others make a connection and they will help you.

Your Social Networking profile is not for your eyes only.

If you have already started to network online or you have plans to, don't forget the information on the internet is for anyone who finds it. Take the opportunity to brand yourself as a committed employee, which will appeal to companies, like Sodexo who are looking for candidates to fill open positions. Remember, anything you post online, regardless of privacy settings, has the potential to be read by many. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind? If you do not want your boss to read it then don't post it online!

Will you take advantage of the access to our employees to get to know us?

If you have not adapted to the times and embraced social networking there is no better time to take the plunge. If you are still not sure where to begin, try reaching out to employees from the company you are interested in on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook, and ask if they have a minute to answer your questions. I think you will be surprised that most people are open to sharing their story.

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

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 12, 2009 at 2:14 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Ultimately your goal is to create a resume that will garner the right attention and eventually the right job. Problem is - your resume is getting you absolutely no hits, zero feedback, and not so much as one call from a prospective employer. Sound familiar? Keep reading to figure out why.

- Your career summary is boring. It sounds like every other job seeker out there and is a large blanket paragraph that could describe half of the known workforce. Solution: Customize your career summary so that no one else could possibly use it for themselves.

- You have no keywords. The ones you do have aren't in the right place so while your resume may catch a software system, when an actual recruiter looks at it they pass it over because they can't find the information they need. Solution: Utilize a core competencies/value added section in the top third of the resume.

- Your resume format is boring, unattractive, juvenile, and mediocre at best. Ouch that one hurt a little didn't it? After reading thousands of resumes in the past 30 days, every single resume looks exactly the same. No wonder hiring managers only give each resume a five second scan and no wonder you're getting nowhere. Solution: CHANGE IT UP! Don't go crazy with your format but do modernize it.

- You've neglected to 'stay with the times' and chosen not to utilize a professional branding statement and value proposition within the top third of your resume. So instead of standing out you're blending in. How is that working for you? Probably not very well if you're reading this. Solution: Find your brand, make it work for you. Advertise your value and start garnering attention. I mean the right attention, not the lame scammers who contact everyone who posts their resume on monster.

- The reader couldn't find your accomplishments if they tried. You have them so buried down deep in the resume - or you didn't even bother to include them. Now no one knows what the heck you do or how good you are at it. Solution: Bring attention to the BIG. Sell the reader don't just tell them.

- The language of the resume is so boring people read it to fall asleep. If you are using responsible for, duties included, or speaking in first or third person THIS MEANS YOU. Solution: Spice it up. Ever heard of a thesaurus? Use one. If you are using the same strong action verb in your resume more than twice, that equals BORING. Look up alternatives and use them.

Albeit this has been a comical view of what stinks about your resume take it seriously. I can guarantee you 90% of the people reading this article have at least three of the six points listed above on their resume. When you're tired of playing with your resume and ready for an expert to help you craft a high-impact, best-in-class resume and cover letter that won't bore the reader but instead entices them to call - and call immediately then contact us.

Jessica Holbrook is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class, resumes and cover letters that win interviews. For a free resume analysis visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com or for a free phone consultation call 1.877.875.7706

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on MN Headhunter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 12, 2009 at 1:02 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The Wall Street Journal published an interesting story on today's front page about the flood of expungement requests courts around the country are processing this year. Why? Because nearly 80% of employers conduct background checks on prospective employees and in this economy, where you have more people competing for fewer jobs, even the slightest blemish can derail the chances of landing the perfect job. We recently published an article on this trend and others that have emerged in today's economy entitled, "Background Checks in a Tight Economy".

What is expungement? Expungement is the term used for criminal records that can be erased, sealed or blocked from public view upon successful petition of the court. The spectrum of criminal convictions eligible for expungement has traditionally been limited to only the most minor infractions and in most cases for those that are not habitual offenders. The latest trend in states is to expand the spectrum of convictions in light of the current job market.

Check out the article below.

More Job Seekers Scramble to Release Their Criminal Past

U.S. job seekers are crashing into the worst employment market in years and background checks that reach deeper than ever into their pasts.

The result: a surge of people seeking to legally clear their criminal records.

In Michigan, state police estimate they'll set aside 46% more convictions this year than last. Oregon is on track to set aside 33% more. Florida sealed and expunged nearly 15,000 criminal records in the fiscal year ended June 30, up 43% from the previous year. The courts of Cook County, which includes Chicago and nearby suburbs, received about 7,600 expungement requests in the year's first three quarters, nearly double the pace from the year before.

One petitioner is Wally Camis Jr., who wanted to clear the air about the time he threatened two men with a hairbrush.

Mr. Camis was hungry for work amid a divorce last fall. The 41-year-old Air Force veteran, who had worked as a security guard and owned a restaurant, filled out an application for temporary employment in Eugene, Ore., checking a box saying he had never been arrested.

When he followed up a week later, the temp agency told him no thanks -- they'd turned up a 1986 conviction. Stunned, Mr. Camis recalled the night the two men threatened him and he pulled a silver brush from his back pocket, saying it was a knife. He called the police, he says, and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a misdemeanor. The judge entered a "no judgment" finding and ordered Mr. Camis to pay a $60 fine.

"I thought that was the end of it," he says.

Instead, 22 years later, Mr. Camis found himself fighting to erase traces of the arrest, joining the growing ranks of Americans who hope that clearing their records of minor crimes will boost their odds in a tough job market. To help, entrepreneurs have set up record-clearing services and local governments have passed laws to speed the expungement process.

More

Article by, Nick Fishman and courtesy of EmployeescreenIQ

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 12, 2009 at 10:33 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

How many of you can honestly say you know exactly what you want to be when you grow up? Maybe you already have it figured out, and maybe you are already living and working it. If you are, does your resume know that?

I work with clients every day and speak to hundreds of job seekers every week that have no idea what they want to do. I ask, "Well, what do you want to do?" Then I receive the blanket, "I just need to feed my family." Or, "I just need a job--I don't care what it is." I understand the current market and economy. But folks, having no direction or focus for your career and job search are going to get you nowhere fast. When I look at your resume, I need to know in the first three seconds: who you are, what you do, and why you're good at it.

-I cannot determine those three things from reading an objective.

-I cannot discern that information from a generic and vague career summary.

-I will not spend my time searching through an entire resume or reading all the way down to the work experience section so that I can finally identify what you did at your last job. Might I also add: what you did in your last job does not necessarily tell me what you want to do in your next job.

Here are some practical tips to ensure your resume has a focus:

1. Ask yourself what you want to do. When you can answer that question, examine the first one-third of your resume and ask yourself, "Can I identify what I want to do?" If you can't, you must make some changes.

2. Spell it out for the hiring manager. Make it BIG, BOLD, and EASY TO READ. A title and one-liner work great. You are nailing the answers to three important questions (using just two concise sentences) to the very top of the page: who you are, what you do, and what you are good at.

3. Brand it! Make your personal brand (you know, that thing you are really good at!) permeate throughout your resume. SHOW the employer exactly how you've done that great thing for which you're so well known at each and every previous employer.

4. Make everything in your resume revolve around the position you apply for. Generic will get you nowhere fast; a customized and focused resume shows the employer that you really want the job, that you're qualified, and that you are focused.

THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU CAN HAVE ONLY ONE RESUME. If you have really great expertise in more than one area, create more than one resume. And have each one focused in a different area of expertise. Communicate the value you bring to each area--and what you are known for and how you excel.

You can either spend a little more time customizing each resume before you send it off to a potential employer, or you can waste even more time in your job search because you're blasting out generic resumes. Personally, I'd rather show the employer that I'm interested and that I go the extra mile. Hiring managers will weed out the generic resumes and go straight for the focused resumes that have been built around their open position.

There is too much competition right now, people, to be skating by on a generic resume.

Are you having trouble developing a focused resume? Maybe you need a second opinion or are ready to have an expert take the reins. View resume samples from expert resume writers or submit your resume for a free resume analysis to find out if your resume lacks focus.

Aritcle by Jessica Holbrook of Great Resumes Fast

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on MN Headhunter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 10, 2009 at 10:52 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Survey Suggests Professionals Overestimate How Prepared They Are for a Job Search

Employees say they expect the unexpected when it comes to their careers, yet a new survey suggests there may not be a lot of action to back up that claim. Although 82 percent of workers polled said they would be ready to conduct a job search if they lost their jobs tomorrow, only 20 percent had updated their resumes in the last three months. Forty-four percent hadn't revised their resumes in more than a year.

The survey was developed by Robert Half International and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on telephone interviews with 493 workers 18 years of age or older who are employed in an office environment.

Workers were asked, "How prepared are you to conduct a job search if you were to lose your job tomorrow?" Their responses:

Workers also were asked, "When did you last update your resume?" Their responses:

"Workers who are prepared in the event of a sudden job loss also are ready when new employment opportunities arise, including those within their own companies," said Reesa Staten, senior vice president and director of workplace research for Robert Half International. "A current resume is an essential career tool -- the longer it remains untouched, the harder it is to update, since specific achievements are not always easy to recall. Creating a 'personal personnel file' where you place kudos can help you keep track of your successes."

Staten added, "A compelling resume is just the first building block of a successful job search. It's also imperative to have an active network and up-to-date skills. Many people may focus on one particular area during a job search when many factors can play a part in career advancement."

Robert Half International has more than 360 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.rhi.com.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 10, 2009 at 6:42 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Imagine you are a recruiter or hiring manager at a job fair. An attendee (that is, a job seeker) walks up to you and says:

"So, what have you got for me?"

Yikes!

Remember our posts on developing and practicing your elevator pitch? Well, if the reason you're at the job fair is to be considered for a job (which is a reasonable assumption), then you need to get to work on a concise, 30-second summary of who you are and what you can do for a company!

What's so wrong about the 'What have you got for me' approach-on so many levels-is that it only says you are looking for work and will take any job at any company. While that may be the case, you can't let that be known, and it certainly doesn't give a potential employer any reason to give you a second look. Ever.

In fact, the ONLY thing the recruiter may remember about you was your question, not your skills, knowledge, or passion for a particular line of work. They will remember you as the Desperate-Job-Seeker-Who-Will-Take-Anything -- not a highly-skilled candidate who will quickly contribute to a company's bottom line.

When you attend job fairs (or any event where decision makers are in attendance), keep in mind that you literally have only a few of seconds to make a good FIRST impression with your introduction. Once you begin to speak, you will instantly be judged by how well you communicate. Are you well-spoken, verbally nimble, and confident with a firm handshake, or the opposite: unsure, stuttering, ill-prepared?

So your assignment for today is to practice how to introduce yourself. Think about what you want to tell an employer about what you can do for them and how you will add value to the organization.

If you're thinking 'What organization? What are you talking about?", this means you missed Step 1:

Find out what companies will be at the job fair, target the ones you would like to work for, and develop an understanding of what that company is all about. What does the company do? What are the divisions in the company? What products or services do they offer? Once you know this, THEN you can develop an effective 30-second introduction that relates to each company you will visit at the job fair. You'll then be able to discuss a certain opening on their website in direct relation to your skills and ability to contribute.

Example:

"Good morning, Mary! [note: check the name tag -- don't call everyone Mary )

I've been a sales and marketing writer for 10 years with a strong emphasis on widget technology. I noticed on your website that you have an opening for a sales and marketing writer in your Widget Business Unit. I've been developing B2B materials for widgets for the past three years with XYZ Company and would love to explore your opportunity. Do you have a few minutes to discuss it?"

See how that works? In those few seconds, you can give a recruiter or hiring manager just about all the information needed to strongly consider you for an opening!

Consider what you can do for a company that would bring value. Write it down, recite it aloud, and get it down to 30-seconds or less. Then, practice while looking in the mirror. What are your facial expressions? Are you looking into your eyes (think: eye contact) and speaking with a smile?

Preparing an effective elevator pitch BEFORE you go to a job fair will help you create an excellent first impression, one that tells a potential employer that you have done your research about a company, what your qualifications are, and what you can do for them.

Article by Lorraine Russo of the Underground Job Network

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Confessions of an Executive Restaurant Recruiter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 9, 2009 at 10:17 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Lately I have noticed a flurry of LinkedIn invitation activity. What bothers me is not the amount of invitations being sent or received but how users are going about the invitation process. So I've put together this brief blurb on LinkedIn invitation etiquette.

I do not mind receiving invitations from people I have never met (even though LinkedIn says you should really only accept invites from people you know.) If I feel that a connection would be mutually beneficial, in most cases I will accept. However, what irks me is when I receive inmail from someone I have never met requesting that I send them an invitation. I know you only receive a certain number of invitations from LinkedIn and it is NOT OK to request that I use one of mine to connect with you if:

• I've never met you before,
• have no clue who you are, and
• you have already used all your invitations.

This is just poor form and will promptly get your message deleted.

If we don't know each other, do not send a blanket invitation request. If you just send the standard invitation I won't know who you are or why you want to connect. When I want to connect with someone I do not personally know I find a common link and then tell them about it. For example, I have not met all the other great professional resume writers out there but I want to make connections and learn and grow. So if I find someone's blog that I really enjoy reading I'll request to connect and tell them. I'll say I really loved your blog, it's very informative and I would really like to connect. In almost all cases the other person has accepted my invitation.

I have also connected with tons of recruiters. I connect with them because we have a career path that runs along the same track. We're both trying to help job seekers, we just help them in two different ways. It is always a good idea to connect with people in similar industries who you could potentially partner with later down the road.

Don't waste invitations on people that could really have no value to your job search or career. (Especially if you do not know them.) If you are in one part of the world and they are in the other, both in completely different industries, and the chances of either of you being beneficial to each other is slim to none - do not waste your invitation. Remember, you only get so many and when that one great connection comes along that you just HAVE to make - you want to make sure you have an invitation to send.

Scout out the right people and ensure you make connections 'with a purpose'. Don't just frivolously throw invitations away to connect on a whim.

Remember proper etiquette when sending invitations, let the 'invited' know WHY you want to connect and even what you can bring to the connection. The idea is that connections will be mutual beneficial and not just a one way street.

Jessica Holbrook of Great Resumes Fast is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter.

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Recruiting Manifesto.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 9, 2009 at 9:26 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Although SEO seems to be the new buzz in recruiting web 2.0 strategies, it has actually been used for years as a tactic to increase sales for online businesses.

SEO and how it fits into the recruiting industry is greatly misunderstood.

SEO Is just a tool

At the end of the day, SEO is not the end all and be all. It is one tool that can be very effective to have in your tool box. No doubt, if done correctly, search engine optimization can work wonders for getting your jobs seen by people using search engines but it goes beyond just a platform or technique that helps to get your jobs visible in Google. In fact, it's really about optimizing your entire employment brand on the Internet.

SEO may not be for everyone

There's more than just keywords and a few meta tags that go into a successful SEO strategy, if you're not willing to look at SEO as a long term investment, it might not be the best fit for you. Maybe something more instant like SEM (PPC) might be more what you're after.

Go where your candidates are - If the jobs you have available are not what people are searching for within the search engines then maybe you don't need to do a whole comprehensive strategy. Maybe you just run a basic SEO strategy that strengthens your employment brand.

Note: Keep in mind that 70% of search engine queries are unique, just because a keyword research tool like the Google Adwords tool says that a phrase was not searched does not necessarily mean that it won't be in the future.

SEO Misconceptions

Can a service provider guarantee a first page ranking? No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google - Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google. See Google webmaster tools.

Using the .jobs domain extension will ensure search engine visibility. The .jobs domain in itself will not automatically help with your search engine visibility. Those who believe otherwise don't fully understand the way a search engine treats newly-registered domains. Search engine trust is a very important factor in the visibility of your career site. A newly established domain -- .jobs or otherwise -- has not had time to build search engine trust.

Search engine trust includes a variety of factors including but not limited to:

• when was the domain registered,
• is there quality content on the domain,
• is content updated frequently,
• are there quality links pointing to the domain, etc.

In reality, the .jobs domain has more of an employment brand benefit than SEO.

Search engines cannot access my content if using an ATS - It is true that most Applicant tracking systems put up technical barriers that prevent the search engines from being able to access their job content. But there is a work around: If you can get an RSS/XML feed of your jobs and upload the feed to search engines as well as place the feed on a page that search engines can access, your job content will be indexed.

This is not an SEO solution but it will allow content that was once hidden to be found. At the end of the day candidates use a variety of sources to look for jobs. Find out where your candidates are and advertise/be visible in those places, simple as that.

Guest post by Nicole Bodem - Chief SEO Geek for Arbita and the blogger behind HR Search Marketing.

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on HRM Business Practices and Notes.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 9, 2009 at 9:12 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Job search cartoons courtesy of Teena Rose and Resume to Referral

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 6, 2009 at 1:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

For many Millennials, the current state of the U.S. economy has made finding an entry level job tough, and establishing their careers is even tougher. But they feel inspired when they hear or read about the successes of their peers. Millennial expert Lisa Orrell, who is also a regular contributor to the CollegeRecruiter.com Ask the Experts blog, has devised a way to help Millennials get the insipiration they need.

"I've spent the past three years researching Millennials, writing about them, conducting seminars about them for corporations ... so I know first hand the power of this young generation and the impact they are making, and will continue to make," said Orrell in a recent press release.

Orrell's monthly podcast, "Millennials in Motion," debuted in October with a candid interview with Ryan Healy, the co-founder of Brazen Careerist. Orrell will showcase a different successful Millennial each month, in an effort to inspire and motivate members of her Gen Y audience who may be feeling discouraged by unsuccessful job searches or disengaged with unfulfilling jobs. She will focus on interviewing Millennials involved such pursuits as in philanthropy, entrepreneurship, business, entertainment, sports, music, politics, and entertainment, and she will also interview young people who have
overcome substantial personal obstacles to achieve their goals. In addition to her new podcast series, Orrell also has a new book, scheduled for release later this month, Millennials Into Leadership.

Sometimes the only thing a young college student or recent graduate needs inspire him to keep pursuing his dreams is to hear how his peers have made their own dreams come true.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 6, 2009 at 10:46 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Over the years I have interviewed hundreds of candidates. I have seen and heard things that would shock you and that you would never expect during an interview. So I have compiled a list of the top ten things not to do during an interview. Have fun!

10. Do not bring your boyfriend, best friend or children to an interview. This is horrible interview behavior. I once had a candidate bring her entire family - there were seven very rowdy people in our lobby. You can imagine what we were thinking.

9. Do not curse or use profane language during an interview. Absolutely someone has done this before and they were promptly removed from the running. Using profanity during an interview is unprofessional.

8. Do not chew gum or smoke during an interview. Again this goes back to professionalism and smacking gum during an interview = not professional.

7. Do not argue with the employer. Even if you know you are right beyond a shadow of a doubt about something it is just bad manners.

6. Do not put your briefcase, purse, pocketbook, handbag, etc. on the employer's desk. This is more subjective than the rest but it goes along with their personal space and professional etiquette. You would not go to a stranger's house and prop your feet on their dining room table... same theory here.

5. Do not gossip or tell jokes. Jokes have no place in an interview even if it is related to the job and gossip certainly doesn't either.

4. Refrain from bad mouthing your previous employer. This is like an epidemic. I think people get trapped because the employer wants to know why you left your last position. Even if you left because so and so was a horrible manager, they were misappropriating funds, Sheila was sleeping around, or Joe was sexually harassing you. It does not matter, the employer does not want to hear it. If you speak negatively about a prior employer your potential employer will assume that you will bad mouth him as well. Zip your lip, my friend, and instead use one of these: "I am looking for growth opportunities, advancement or a better opportunity", "We had new management and they restructured the organization", or "The company went through a layoff." Only use what is truthful. If something bad happened and you left because of it, then obviously you are in search of a better opportunity.

3. Do not accept refreshments. Drinks spill and food makes a mess. Enough said.

2. Do not say ANYTHING negative about yourself, colleagues, previous employers, competitive organizations and do not tell them about your personal or financial troubles. Most importantly do not express your NEED for the job. We are all human and as humans, desperation is a turn off. You know this... remember dating during your high school years?

1. During the first interview do not discuss wages, benefits, vacations, perks, etc. This is a tricky one because what do you do if the employer brings it up? Here is a general rule of thumb; do not bring up salary, benefits, vacation, perks etc. If the employer brings it up there are two ways to respond. If he brings it up at the beginning of the interview and he would like to know your salary requirements, you could say something like: I would really like to hear more about the opportunity before I could say what my salary requirement would be; OR you can give him a range. I typically do not like to commit to a number. I like to share a range. For example, if you were interviewing and were asked what are your salary requirements you could say mid-to-high $50's. This gives them AND you some wiggle room. Often times you find that during an interview employers will share with you what the budgeted salary is for the position. If it is within your range and they ask you about it, you can share with them that it is within your range. It is perfectly OK to negotiate salary - but NOT during the initial interview. In fact, most experts will advise you to shy away from talking about it during the initial interview and instead leave it for when the employer brings it up during future meetings. Also, when you are asked at the end of the interview if you have any questions, do not ask about benefits, vacation or PTO policies. These questions make you seem only interested in the perks and not in the position.

This is simply a basic list for your next interview. I assure you there are many more points to consider however, these are the most common mistakes I have seen. Review this list frequently and make sure you are not making the same mistakes at your next interview. Best wishes in your job search!

Jessica Holbrook is a former Executive Hiring Manager for Fortune 500 companies and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates powerful, customized, and targeted resumes that are guaranteed to get her clients interviews. For a free resume analysis visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com, email your resume to info@greatresumesfast.com or for a free phone consultation call 1.877.875.7706.

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on The Daily Recruiter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 6, 2009 at 10:05 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Do you know who you are ... on paper?

Thanks to an amazing membership with Career Directors International, I had the distinct pleasure of hosting a booth at the most recent National Careers Job Fair. Three hours of job seekers pouring in through the doors and my assistant and myself providing free resume analyses. I spoke to 100+ job seekers and found one common thread among them all--they had no idea who they were ... on paper.

I must have repeated the phrase, "What do you want to do?" a hundred times. I know I asked all but two job seekers that question. I remember the two I didn't ask because their resumes stood out from the rest. They had professionally branded themselves, and it was obvious to me exactly who they were and what they wanted.

Do you know who you are on paper? When I look at a resume, the first third is what is most important to me. Why? Because it contains all of the information I need to know:

• What do you want to do, where do I put you?
• How good are you at your job?
• Do you know who you are?

I can gather all that from the first third of your resume. Scary, isn't it? I'll bet it makes you wonder what your resume is saying ... doesn't it?

Listen, if you look at your resume right now, and you have an objective on there, and it reads: To obtain a position with an organization that utilizes my experience and education, then you have no idea who you are or what you want. At least that is what your resume is telling me.

Do you have a one-line introductory/positioning/branding statement on your resume? Is it immediately qualified by keywords in the text that follows? No? ... Well, that's probably why you're not getting any interviews. People like me (HR managers, recruiters, hiring managers, decision makers) have no idea where to put you, what you're applying for, what you want to do, or what you are qualified to do.

Enter: Professional branding statement. Get one!

As an expert resume writer, my job is twofold. Firstly, to help you figure out what your unique professional brand and value proposition are and how they align with your talent, passion, and vision. Secondly, to gather all of the above stated information and strategically position you as a leader and make you stand out in the crowd of thousands of other job seekers vying for the same position.

Jessica Holbrook is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker, and president/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class resumes and cover letters that win interviews. For a free resume analysis, visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com. Or, for a free telephone consultation, call 1.877.875.7706

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on MN Headhunter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 5, 2009 at 3:36 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Starting a new job can be nerve-racking, especially when it comes to adapting to a new work environment. It's as important for new hires to be able to mesh well with their coworkers as it is for them to be able to quickly learn how to do their new jobs. So what's the best way for a new employee to endear himself to his coworkers? Should he strive to be likable or nice?

"I would say that the phrase 'being likable' implies that you are easy to get along with and that you respect other people, whereas, 'being nice' denotes a lack of sincerity," said Holly Stokes, author of "Train Your Brain, Get Results."

Melody Brooke,author of "Oh WOW, This Changes Everything," agrees that nice people seem insincere and untrustworthy. "Being likable is a personality thing ..." she said. "There is something about the person you feel warmly toward. Likable definitely gets you further than being nice."

Mark Stevens, president of MSCO and author of "Your Marketing Sucks," is also in support of being likable instead of nice, if forced to choose. "Nice people are often treated disrespectfully. Is this fair? Of course not. But human nature isn't always fair. Boy by a long shot," said Stevens. "On the other hand, people are often 'likable' because they are self-confident, exude charm and power. They may or may not be 'nice' but they are 'liked' because they are interesting or exhilerating to be around. You don't have to choose between nice and likable, you can be both, but push come to shove, take the latter. It's a lot more fun."

"If you work to be kind, the people who are worth their salt will like you," said Dick Cheatham of Living History Associates, Ltd. "Thus, you get both ... being kind and being liked."

Psychotherapist, Dr. Nancy Irwin gave a broader perspective, pointing out that each has its benefits in the professional world. "Each quality has its place. There is not one that is better than another, inherently. Different businesses and jobs have different qualities that are needed. [For example], public speakers should come across as likable, as should most performers. Yet, being nice (authentic, real), is more important for teachers, health professionals, etc."

Truly, the best way for any new employee to work well and get along with his coworkers is to first be himself, whether it's his nature to be nice or to be likable. In time, his colleagues will see for themselves who he really is and any preconceived notions they may have had about "nice" vs. "likable" will go right out the window ... at least in his case.

Article by Candice Arnold

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on HR Search Marketing.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 5, 2009 at 2:48 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The culinary field offers a wide array of positions for aspiring and experienced chefs. While a quality education in a culinary institute can substitute for some levels of experience, generally beginning chefs work their way up through the ranks, gaining knowledge, confidence, and experience along the way. Fine dining venues may assign different titles or responsibilities to their chefs, but generally, the career path follows a clearly delineated hierarchy.

Commis Chef

Most chefs begin their careers as a humble apprentice, or commis chef, assisting the line cooks and chefs de partie by peeling vegetables, practicing knife skills, and learning the skills needed to succeed in the culinary world. This entry-level position offers a chance to experience the fast-paced restaurant business firsthand. Many well-known and respected chefs began their careers as lowly commis chefs.

Chef de Partie

The majority of chef jobs are found in this level of employment. Also referred to as station cooks or line cooks, chefs de partie are divided into a number of categories depending on their particular specialty. Not all restaurants staff each of these positions; often two or more jobs are incorporated into one individual's responsibilities. The elements of a full brigade in the kitchen are:

• Tournant, or Swing Chef: Fills in as needed at any vacant station within the kitchen; this position requires a great deal of knowledge and flexibility.
• Boucher, or Butcher: These invaluable chefs prepare meat for cooking, butchering, breading, and handling all aspects of meat and poultry preparation.
• Garde Manger, or Pantry Chef: Cold items such as salads, chilled appetizers, and cold cuts are the responsibility of these chefs.
• Entremettier, or Vegetable Chef: Versatility is the key for these chefs, as they handle hot appetizers, vegetables, pastas, and side dishes to make the meal complete.
• Patissier, or Pastry Chef: Pastries, desserts, and breads are the responsibility of the pastry chef; this position is usually only available in larger restaurants and hotels.
• Potager, or Soup Chef: As the name suggests, the potager is responsible for all soups leaving the kitchen, hot or cold.
• Friturier, or Fry Chef: One of the most common positions throughout the restaurant industry, the friturier handles the frying of foods in the kitchen.
• Grillardin, or Grill Chef: The name is self-explanatory; the grill cook is responsible for grilling vegetables and meats for the meal.
• Rotisseur, or Roast Chef: These chefs roast and braise meats and create their accompanying sauces.
• Poissonnier, or Fish Chef: Fish and seafood fall under the purview of these chefs, who handle the process completely from butchering to the finished dish.
• Saucier, or Saute Chef: These chefs are responsible for all sauteed dishes and their sauces; sauciers are considered the elite of the chefs de partie, and are accorded the highest respect among line chefs.

Sous Chef

By demonstrating competence and culinary skill as a chef de partie, a chef can achieve the status of sous chef, the second-in-command in the kitchen. The sous chef oversees the daily running of the kitchen, combining the skills of a manager, a teacher, and a quality control technician. Sous chefs are usually responsible for ordering the stock for the restaurant and ensuring that all foods are of the highest quality.

Head Chef

The pinnacle of any chef's career is achieving the rank of head chef in a prestigious restaurant. The head chef assumes complete control and responsibility for the food produced in his or her kitchen, and designs the menu and the recipes used by the chefs de partie. This position is usually the culmination of years of experience and hard work, and offers rewards commensurate with the high level of responsibility.

Guest post was contributed by Christiana Kim who frequently writes about Online Culinary Arts Degrees and college related topics for Online College Guru, an online college directory and comparison website.

Article courtesy of Carl Chapman, Founder, CEC Search, LLC and Confessions of an Executive Restaurant Recruiter

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 5, 2009 at 2:29 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

And for our 900th EmployeeScreenIQ Blog post we have IRONY! When we started blogging many years ago we wrote a lot about the failures of FBI background screening. Well today, for our monumental 90oth post, the story has been written for us!

Fired Due To Error In Background Check, Carroll Woman Still Jobless

Eschol Amelia Studnitz lost her $58,000 accounting job July 31 because a government background check deemed her "unsuitable" for a low-level security clearance. She was stunned. She had no criminal record.

"I kept thinking, 'What could I have done?' " said the 59-year-old Carroll County resident, who goes by the name Amy.

Her shock was warranted: Her firing was based on a mistake. And within days, her employer, Corporate Mailing Services of Arbutus, heard from the Social Security Administration that she could, in fact, work on a new contract handling mail for the agency.

But three bewildering months after her dismissal, Studnitz has not been rehired or found other work in this tight job market. A single woman who's relying on her $405 weekly unemployment checks, she says she is behind on the mortgage for her Manchester home and has a shut-off notice from Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.

"I'm in a jam, a real jam," she said, "and I didn't do this to myself." She wants to regain the job she landed in April 2008, but the company now says it won't rehire her due to supposed performance shortfalls. She would like to sue the government for thousands of dollars of lost income, but could face long odds.

More

Article by, Jason Morris and courtesy of EmployeescreenIQ

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 3, 2009 at 1:03 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

HR outsourcing is another option for hiring and recruiting employees. For businesses that are small and growing, having a full HR department does not make sense. So why not consider paying someone else to do it!

As this topic is rather broad, for the purposes of this web site, we will limit the discussion to recruiting and hiring employees or staffing up a business.

Can You Really Effectively Outsource Human Resources?

The short answer is yes but it depends on the size of your company. HR outsourcing is an effective option for small to medium small but growing companies.

It can come in different forms. For instance maybe you only need some part time consulting. You can outsource specific task, such as developing a recruiting plan or helping with the review of resumes. Whatever your need it can be customized to your budget and the size of your company.

Examples where companies may consider bringing in outside help.

• Growth is outpacing ability to bring on new people
• Company has grown to the point it needs HR input but not large enough to hire full time HR person.
• One part of HR system is not up to the necessary capability.

There are more but in each of these cases, outside help from an HR professional would be a tremendous benefit to a company.

Other examples outside of the recruitment process may include using an HR consultant for contract recruiting or possibly a benefits administration. Alternatively, as another option, you can use an employee leasing company where you bring in a company to take over the entire HR function. Or you can look at HR consultants where you can bring someone on sight part time.

It is up to you. For the purposes of finding and recruiting employees, you need to verify that your solution has the credentials and knowledge to recruit for you or at least knows how to locate a good service partner they can work with you to fulfill your hiring and staffing needs.

After 20+ years as an engineer in the R&D world, Tom Tassinari found himself in the recruiting world. By adapting the problem solving and process discipline skills of engineering to the recruiting world, he now works with companies on locating and hiring top talent...with his own techie twist.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 3, 2009 at 10:00 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

How to conduct an interview... it is a question that comes up often in recruiting and HR circles. A great deal of what happens when a company talks to a candidate depends on skills of the candidate, the responsibilities of the position and culture in the company.

This means you would interview a CFO differently than a line manager or billing clerk. So let' begin with the best way of how to conduct an interview. Well there are elements that should go across demographics of the positions. While there is more at risk when hiring a CFO than a billing clerk, you still want to hire the best candidate possible.

The Process

Assuming you have done a good job of screening your candidates, you have some notes, a resume and some reference checks, the next few steps might look like this;

• Skills or personality testing
• Interview
• Interview Assessment

Skills/Personality Testing

The skills or personality testing is always done before the interview as it can factor into the interview. Different companies have different philosophies on the topic of personality testing.

My personal opinion is that there may be some value in certain kinds of personality test for specific jobs but on the whole they don't offer much a skilled interview can ascertain. One example where there may be some value is for a sales position where you need to know a person has the personality to take rejection and press on. It is up to you and your company whether this is valuable to you.
Note: The one thing I will suggest is that if you use this type of testing, do it for all candidates. Do not selectively administer tests. It is bad policy and could subject you to a lawsuit if you are not careful!

The Interview

The actual interview can take shape in a number of ways, you can have 1 person sit down with a candidate and just ask a bunch of interview questions (and make sure they don't ask the illegal interview questions as well). Another possibility is have a series of people involved in the process like managers, peers and HR. This can take place in a panel interview or in a series of one on one interviews. As mentioned in the section on the employee selection procedure, having a team approach can yield an excellent overall measure of a candidate.

The Assessment

Finally before making a decision, there is often an interview assessment. This assessment is where the information gathered at the interview along with testing results is collected and reviewed resulting in a selection. If you have done the up front work, this will be simplified significantly.

The only thing left is to make an offer and get that diamond on board and integrated into your team!

After 20+ years as an engineer in the R&D world, Tom Tassinari found himself in the recruiting world. By adapting the problem solving and process discipline skills of engineering to the recruiting world, he now works with companies on locating and hiring top talent...with his own techie twist.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 3, 2009 at 9:49 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Getting to the Offer

Hiring employees is the single most critical aspect of recruiting. Poorly handled, the whole thing could blow up faster than you can imagine. What could be worse than getting to a job offer and having the candidate say no thanks.

Reason for the No

There are a few common reasons why a candidate might say no,

• Counter Offer


• Salary Negotiation Breakdown


• Failed Background Check


• Resume Issues or a Social Security No Match


• Slow Decision


• Problems with H1B Visa Transfer Issues


• Poorly Handled Offer Letter

The good news is that much of this can be handled or avoided with proper planning and screening.

Elements of a Good Hiring Process

The following are elements of a good offer/hiring process.

1. Quick Selection Process


2. Expedient Salary Negotiation


3. Submit Offer Letter


4. Clear Pre-Employment Process


5. Professional Onboarding Process

It does not have be a fast process. What it needs to be is predictable. This means you need to lay out for the candidate the time frame and meet that time frame. When is the decision going to be made? Once made, when does the offer letter come? How long to take a physical and/or drug test? To the extent that you can meet the time line as described, it will inspire confidence in the candidate that this is just your process.

Other Ideas

Once the time and resources have been invested in making a hiring decision, often times it comes down to a couple small items. As I mentioned earlier, too many times I've seen things blow up for the smallest of reasons. Without exception, once the damage is done, it can't be repaired.

For example, we had a client who spent 3 months interviewing candidates until they found someone that was perfect. The sticking issue was a start date. The candidate had a bonus due in 30 days and wanted to make sure there was enough time to transfer his responsibilities to another person. He really needed the 30 days to transfer his responsibilities.

The client offered a signing bonus in their offer letter and asked him to start in the traditional 2 weeks. When they consented to the 30 days, they withdrew the signing bonus because they said it was in lieu of the bonus he was not going to get. This connection was not specifically spelled out in the offer letter.

The mistake the client made was not listening to the candidate. He needed the 30 days to make sure his responsibilities were properly transferred. It was a matter of integrity, a great quality for an employee. Instead they focused on the bonus money.

The Big Picture

In the end, they spent 3 months of time and resources interviewing dozens of candidates only to lose their prize candidate because of a difference of 10 working days.

The lesson here is when the deal comes down to finally hiring employees, don't lose sight of the big picture. I does not mean you have to roll over on everything but make sure you understand what is important to a candidate.

Final Thought

There is one last part of the hiring employees process. Once you have made the offer, it is accepted and your candidate has passed all the conditions of employment, don't forget about the candidates who did not make the cut. Send them a rejection letter letting them know of your decision. Nothing fancy but it should be professional. This just ties up all the loose ends and makes you company stand out from the rest!

After 20+ years as an engineer in the R&D world, Tom Tassinari found himself in the recruiting world. By adapting the problem solving and process discipline skills of engineering to the recruiting world, he now works with companies on locating and hiring top talent...with his own techie twist.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 3, 2009 at 9:43 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In the internet age, free public records are readily available online. Some are useful and important, others need to be viewed with a bit of caution. So which ones should you use?

Best Free Records

The best ones to use are the federal, state and county records. There are a number of records available for free and easily found online. Examples include,

• Professional Engineers
• Trades Skills licenses
• Disciplinary Records
• Sex Offenders
• Teaching Credentials
• Patent Searches
• and more...

As you can see there is a wealth of information available. It often depends on your state or county if the records are online.

Proper Use of Records

While it is good to look at free online records, it is important to remember they are free, therefore, should be taken as a verification of information already in possession. For example, if a candidate claims to be a registered professional engineer, but the candidate's name is not listed on the state's online database. This does not mean the candidate does not have a PE. It means you should find another way to verify the PE.

Court Records

One should proceed with caution when examining court records. For example in Orange County, CA, the superior court records are available online. Before entering the site there is a disclaimer that warns the user the record is only a public service and subject to errors and omissions. This means if you use these records they are for reference only and should not be assumed as factual.

The end result is that you should read all disclaimers and warnings about the information being provided. Use your information to add to your knowledge of a candidate. Verify what you know. Be sure to seek other means of verification if the information gathered raises questions and you have a great free resource.

After 20+ years as an engineer in the R&D world, Tom Tassinari found himself in the recruiting world. By adapting the problem solving and process discipline skills of engineering to the recruiting world, he now works with companies on locating and hiring top talent...with his own techie twist.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 2, 2009 at 9:37 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Employment drug screening is completely optional for an employer. There are however some things you may want to consider before you decide on your policy.

Who Gets Tested

To be safe it probably has to be every candidate. You should have a workplace drug policy that backs up the testing of candidates.

When To Test

Once you decide to make an offer to a candidate then, like taking a physical, you make the offer contingent on passing the drug test. Never give a candidate too much time to get into the clinic. Make the offer contingent on getting to the clinic and passing the test within a reasonable time frame like 24 to 48 hours. If there is any hesitation or stall, it could be a sign of a problem.

Test Administration

There are do it yourself drug testing kits. The up side is they are relatively cheap and you get the results almost instantly. There are however a number of downsides. Here are some things you may want to consider before trying it yourself.

• What is the reliability of your test?
• What is your process if there is a positive test? (There are such things as false positives.)
• What steps do you take to insure a test sample is from the candidate? (Usually a quick temperature check will determine if the sample is 'fresh' or not.)
• Finally, it is kind of messy and do you really want to have your HR person fooling around with urine samples?

I'll leave the decision to you but I think you know where I stand on this...

Outsourcing Your Drug Test

Most clinics these days will do an employment drug screen for less than $30. As an employer it would be good to have a designated occupational health clinic in case an employee gets hurt.

Tip - Often if you sign up with one of these clinics they will give you special pricing on a drug screen.

Finally these occupational health clinics are well versed in the procedures and issues noted above. You usually have your results in less than 24 hours and if there are any questions, they already have testing labs they outsource to in case of a false positive.

After 20+ years as an engineer in the R&D world, Tom Tassinari found himself in the recruiting world. By adapting the problem solving and process discipline skills of engineering to the recruiting world, he now works with companies on locating and hiring top talent...with his own techie twist.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 2, 2009 at 9:34 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Interviews. Sounds fairly easy, all you have to do is talk about what you've done and how that relates to the job opportunity. In fact, the interview is the hardest part of the job search process and the single largest reason why people don't get the job. Yes, you must have a great resume with relevant experience, but can you interview? But interviewing is not just talking about yourself, it's asking the right questions, giving the right answers and expressing yourself in the right way.

Today's installment in CareerAlley's Job Search Marketing Toolkit will focus on the interview process, providing some links to advice and resources to help you nail that interview. What is clear from the links below is that the overall theme is consistent (without being repetitious).

Acing the Interview - Another article from our friends at About.com, this article provides an overview of what you need to do to "Ace the interview". In addition to the basic steps, the article includes links to interview questions, company research (via About.com) and detailed responses. Following the article is an amazing list of additional resources including how to dress and additional related articles.
How To Master Telephone Interviews - Telephone interviews have become more popular over the last few years and have almost become a standard "first" before the "in person" interview. The skills required for a telephone interview certainly overlap with the "in person" interview, but there are a number of things you may need to do differently. This article, provided by Worktree.com, provides important points on the What, When and How of telephone interviews. There are advantages to a telephone interview, you can have materials available that would not be possible in an "in person" interview. This article covers what to have and what to do.
Preparing for a Job Interview (like your future depends on it) - Another great article, Top-sales-jobs.com does and excellent job of listing the important aspects of a job interview - questions, mock interviews, interview answers, attire and more. The best part of the post (in addition to the content) is that each sub-topic title has an additional link to more in depth information on that particular topic (just click the subtitle).
How to Prepare For A Successful Interview - This article, from the Spinstrategy.com blog, provides what you need to know about preparing for an interview. This is an excellent article and supports the overall process laid out in some of the other links listed above, the difference is that this article provides some additional insight and steps not included in other interview preparation articles. Best of all, download their Sip Strategy straight from the blog.
Job Interviewing Do's and Don'ts - Last, but not least, you do need to know what not to do (and reinforce "what to do"). This article, provided by Quintcareers.com, provides some points not covered in the other articles. Of course, it is a bit worrying if you have to be told "don't chew gum". The list is somewhat long, but the overall article is short. Don't forget to check out some of the links embedded within the article as they provide additional support to the overall process.

Good luck in your search.

Article by Career Alley

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 seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on MN Headhunter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on November 2, 2009 at 9:08 AM | Leave a Comment (0)