"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take" - Wayne Gretzky

It is the same with job search, sometimes you just need to "go for it". But you can't go for it if no one is going for you. So what to do? You need to get your name and resume out there and one of the best resources is recruiters. But not just any recruiter (and certainly not every recruiter), the recruiters that will work best for you. Match your experience with your recruiters' strengths. Today's post is about picking the best recruiter and providing a few recruiter resources.

Where To Find The Best Executive Recruiter Directory - This article, posted on CollegeRecruiter.com and originally posted on Confessions of an Executive Restaurant Recruiter, provides some advice and great links to executive recruiters.
RecommendedRecruiter.com - This site is a search tool for finding a recruiter that fits your needs. The main page is a search engine where you can put in your keywords, communities (job functions) and location. Enter your criteria and the search returns up to a hundred matches (the matches are on the left hand side of the screen). The first recruiter on the list is displayed in details. Best of all, there are links at the top right hand side of the page for submitting a resume.
Finding Jobs: Recruiters, Staffing Firms, and Head Hunters - Another bit of advice, job-hunt.org provides advice and explanations. The article provides definitions of the different types of recruiters (contingency, Temporary and followed by a short list of links to recruiters.
Adams Partners - This recruiter specializes in Construction, Architecture, Engineering and Real Estate. Their main page provides an overview of what they do. At the top of the page are links for Contact Us, About Us, Our Process and Resources. There is a link for "Send Us Your Resume" on the left hand side of the page. The resources link is an interesting page as it provides interview tips, industry groups, compensation statistics and more. There is no listing of job openings, but clicking on Send Us Your Resume links to a webform where you can fill out personal information and then upload your resume.
Russell Stephens LLC - This firm specializes in the Northeast (according to their site), but also appears to have contact information for the West Coast as well. They specialize in the finance and banking industry. The top of the page has links for Our Team and Search Assignments. The "Our Team" tab is interesting as you can get contact info from this page. The Search Assignments provides actual listings. Clicking any of the assignments will provide additional information on the job as well as information regarding who to contact.

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 Great Resumes Fast Blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 30, 2009 at 1:13 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I understand the impulse to flesh out one's career value with sweeping generalities:

• I'm a people person (or, I'm really good with people; or, I like people).
• I'm very strategic.
• I'm attentive to detail.
• I'm very organized.
• I'm results oriented.
• I'm innovative.
• I think outside the box.
• I'm a change leader.
• I'm a team leader.
• I bring people together.

I discourage this approach in favor of a more specific, focused method.

To engage in a job-search-related conversation with such bland language is counterproductive and akin to omitting the baking powder from a chocolate cake. The conversation falls flat. That glazed-eyes look you evoke in your listener (e.g., hiring manager, recruiter, HR manager, networking contact, etc.) results.

What listeners desire is a vivid word picture that you paint using bold color strokes that evoke emotion and crystallize your value to them.

If you're speaking with a hiring manager, and he's looking for a sales manager who can take their down-trodden, global sales team from lagging sales to double-digit growth, then you'd best BE that person. Your words must serve as both frame and photo; you quickly frame the situation and then create a bold, focused snapshot that crops out unnecessary details, a word snapshot that illustrates you've been there, done that!

By snapping word pictures ahead of interviews (i.e., creating a targeted, crisp resume story and interview prep material), you're equipped with a word story collection that you can tap for interviews.

Initially, you may be sifting and sorting through an amassment of 5, 10, 15 or even 25+ years of career snapshots. Many of these snapshots are only relevant to you, and not the listener, as they lack vivid focus, have too much background noise, or simply, aren't relevant to the targeted listener who can impact hiring you or recommending you. Pack those irrelevant pictures away and maintain the relevant images top of stack.

To recap:

• Don't be a "people person."


• Be a problem fixer whose stories resonate with the listener's needs (points of pain; areas where revenues need boosted, costs need contained, processes need streamlined, etc.).


• Show, through striking word snapshots that you have solved problems similar to the problems the company you're targeting is facing.


• Be selective, identify the most relevant, compelling word pictures that illustrate your value to the individual you're communicating to (versus spilling open a long album of word snapshots that will invoke boredom and frustration).


• Frame your picture (your frame should accentuate and introduce your picture story, not detract from it).


• Ensure you've used word snapshots that are colorful and sharply focused.


• Be humbly confident in your picture storytelling abilities; this positive energy will flow to the listener.

Article by Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, one of only 26 Master Resume Writers (MRW) in the world, who has a B.A. in Writing and is owner of Career Trend, a career strategy and writing firm serving a global market. Jacqui composes career positioning documents that land interviews for forward-thinking executives and professionals, unearthing and translating their 'value into words.' Connect with her on LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquibarrett. Follow her on Twitter - @ValueIntoWords

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 29, 2009 at 12:57 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

[Recently], Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said that she believes hiring in the alternative energy industry will pick up in the next 12 months. And, "Venture capitalists increased investments in alternative energy by 73 percent over the past three months compared with the first three months of the year." In an article at CNBC, green jobs in the US are experiencing "red hot growth." This according to a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts. The report says that "green jobs grew at a pace nearly two-and-a-half times greater than overall jobs between 1998 and 2007, though they remain a tiny part of overall jobs."

Click here to see the states with the biggest growth in green jobs. You'll see which states have the highest percentage of green jobs, the most explosive green-job growth, and the highest number of green businesses. Another place to look is the Green Collar Job Board. There are 774 jobs here across the US -- ranging from editor to sales to internships. Definitely worth a look! How can you use Facebook and Twitter to search for a green job? Follow the users who are specifically talking about green jobs, such as @BayAreaGreenJob, @NYGreenJobs, @ChicagoGreenJob, @DCGreenJobs, and so on.

FastCompany also discusses the "Ten Best Green Jobs for the Next Decade" here. And what do they say are the best green jobs? Farmer, Forester, Solar Power Installer, Energy Efficiency Builder, Wind Turbine Fabricator, Conservation Biologist, Green MBA and Entrepreneur, Green MBA and Entrepreneur, Sustainability Systems Developer, and Urban Planner. Try Googling any of these occupations (such as "Solar Power Installer" -include the quotes) . You'll find a ton of companies that, while not necessarily hiring (at least publicly), do hire people with these skills. Why would you Google companies that do not appear to be hiring? Because you've developed your elevator pitch. And you're ready to start using it by calling or writing to these companies!

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 Great Resumes Fast.

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 25, 2009 at 3:34 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

For inside information on how HR personnel work, think, and operate I thought you all might find this interesting. This is out of Australia but wildly similar to what we do here.

Employers today understand that productive employees are the cornerstone of any successful business. Therefore, when a new team member comes on board it is vital that they participate in an Employee Induction Program. Why?

An Employee Induction Plan 'Sets the Scene'

An effective Employee Induction System showcase's the company's history, its mission statement, the direction its heading, company policies, training programs, and the culture within the organisation.

Tools to assist with induction:

* Employment Terms and Conditions checklist
* Employee Induction checklist
* The first three months of employment
* Probationary Period Assessment form

More importantly, Employee Induction Procedure's outline what the company expects from their employees.

Facilitated correctly, the employee will be better able to understand where they fit into the organisation and in what direction it is heading. The sooner that is in place the more productive they will be so the perfect time to implement Employee Induction Procedures will be during the probation period.

Is a Probation Period Necessary for Every Full-time Employee?

Yes. Implementing an Employee Induction Plan at the start of a probation period will ensure the new employee a rapid and smooth transition into their new position. It also gives the Manager time to observe the new employee and decide if he or she is suitable for the role. Click here to access a FREE copy of the Employee Induction Plan.

Use the points below to ensure an effective Employee Induction System.

9 Components of a Successful Employee Induction Program

1. Utilise the 'Employment Terms and Conditions' checklist, the 'Induction Schedule' and the 'Employee Induction' checklist.
2. Conduct a brief initial induction.
3. Prioritise the Employee Induction Program and facilitate with shorter meetings over three to four weeks. This avoids information overload and the tendency to 'dump' information on the 'newbie'.
4. People want to believe they can 'fit in' so during the initial meeting talk about the culture inside the organisation.
5. Get the new employee to their work site as soon as practicable.
6. Involve their immediate Manager as soon as possible.
7. Give them achievable goals within the first couple of weeks.
8. Initiate a 'buddy' system where the new employee can go, to seek advice and assistance. This person may be able to offer 'on the job' coaching to fast track the new employee's development.
9. Complete a Probationary Period Assessment form.

Tip: The HR Department or Senior Manager should handle the Organization Induction. The Manager directly responsible for the new staff member should handle the Departmental Induction.

Final Note

Employee Induction Procedures demonstrate that your company is interested in their employees. Studies show that employees who feel valued in their jobs and secure about their futures are better employees and less likely to leave. Staff retention is paramount!

Article by David McGillivray of SB Strategies

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 Great Resumes Fast.

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 23, 2009 at 2:26 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

So, when are you too old to include your high school accomplishments on a resume? I have been asked this question many times, but as I just finished a resume workshop with a group of 17-21 year olds, it is back in my mind. No, there was no one in my group who was too old to have high school listed. But what got me thinking was the amount of other experience a 20-year-old can have, whereas I still see resumes from people 30 years old or older listing high school credentials.

One of my first edits with most resumes is removing "high school diploma" from the education section. (Note that I said most, not all.) Basically, if you have a college or university education, the high school bit is expected. Why use valuable resume space?

You may have a trade or diploma which didn't require you to complete high school, and it is a good idea to list this to distinguish yourself from other candidates. If you do, make sure it is not at the expense of anything else you could include. If you have been in the workforce for 10 years or more, you may have more relevant professional development to be included under education. Remember, space is at a premium on your resume.

What about other accomplishments from your high school days? If you are just entering the workforce, or while in college or university, by all means list your high school honours, awards, committee affiliations, and any other experiences you have gathered. You are still young, still building experience, and these pieces help to define who you are and what you can do.

Generally speaking, once you have achieved a new level of education, high school becomes less relevant. Once you begin to transition out of school (or into grad school) you should drop your high school experiences and focus on accomplishments made more recently. Employers are interested in your work related training and skills, not the fact that you co-edited your high school yearbook.

The same tips can be applied to your university and college experiences about 5-8 years down the road. Always list your degree or diploma, but your involvement with the student union becomes irrelevant once you have built up more valuable and recent work experiences.

Article by Natalie Joan

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 Resume Revamp.

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 22, 2009 at 11:59 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you're asking 'what does a French philosopher have to do with resume writing?' you'd have a point. But the other day I read this Voltaire quote:

"The best way to be boring is to leave nothing out."

I read it on the same day that I received this question from someone who bought my book:

"Several times in your online course and your ebook, you mention not to include things that do not pertain directly to what you've chosen as your Value Proposition, but you never say why it would be a bad thing to include extra information. Why? Why should you not include a little extra? Most people would probably think that it might set them apart from the crowd. I'm asking about job-related info, not personal hobbies and such."

Here's the thing. Employers don't care about everything you've done - they care about the things you've done that apply directly to their needs. If you've determined a value proposition that you know is important to potential employers, why would you confuse the message by then adding in lots of extra stuff?

The secret to writing a strong resume is as much about what you leave out as what you include. You must be sure that every word is there for a reason. When adding something to your resume, ask yourself 'does this piece of information increase the chances of my being asked to an interview or not?' If yes, put it in. If no, leave it out!

Article by, Louise Fletcher and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 18, 2009 at 4:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Have you ever had this happen? After you've written something, you go back and look at it, say, a week or so later, and wince over the "obvious" errors you made: typos, grammatical errors, and so on.The same thing may be true for your resume.

While I have no doubt you've put a lot of thought and effort into its preparation, it's always worth a second or third look, especially if you or an objective outsider have not critically examined it in a while--or at all.

And with the need to tweak resumes to better match position requirements, all the cutting and pasting may be wreaking havoc on what you once thought was the perfect resume. Also, the more you stare at your resume (or any document), the less likely you are to spot errors.

Hint: Reading backwards starting at the end of document is a great way to see spelling errors.

So I'm sure you've heard or read about all the complaints recruiters have about job seekers, such as too many resumes combined with too few qualified resumes. Well, there's more...a lot of their complaints center around the quality of many of the resumes they receive.

Now, as a writer and former recruiter, I can understand their objections. Your resume is, after all, the very first impression a recruiter may get of you. WorkStrategies.com assembled a great list of recruiter pet peeves. One of their complaints - among many - is the resumes they receive. To wit:

I am so tired of receiving resumes that are so dense and verbose that I can't even read them. Just an initial look tells me that this person has not put a lot of thought into how they are presenting themselves on "paper".

Yikes. Talk about forming the wrong first impression. (Can someone tell me why this recruiter refers to paper as "paper"...as if it's another substance, perhaps?) Anyway, with a dense resume, it's not likely a recruiter will read every word -- or any word, for that matter -- to determine if a potential match is in the making.

Which reminds me of a time when a reader sent me his resume to review and offer suggestions (well, actually, he wanted me to edit it) on how it could be improved. He wasn't getting any response from his resume submittals and hoped that I could help him discover a reason. I recall my eyes nearly popping out of my head when I opened the email: the resume was four pages long with half-inch left and right margins, all in 9 pt font!

ResumeDoctor.com recently posted the Top 20 survey results on what really ticks off recruiters). Here's the list: (I've highlighted some of the areas to which you should pay attention on your resume.)

• Spelling errors, typos and poor grammar
• Too duty oriented - reads like a job description and fails to explain what the job seeker's accomplishments were and how they did so
• Missing dates or inaccurate dates
• Missing contact info, inaccurate, or unprofessional email addresses
• Poor formatting - boxes, templates, tables, use of header and footers, etc
• Functional resumes as opposed to chronological resumes
• Long resumes - over 2 pages
• Long, dense paragraphs - no bullet-points
• Unqualified candidates - candidates who apply to positions they are not qualified for
• Personal info not relevant to the job
• Missing employer info and/or not telling what industry or product candidate worked in
• Lying, misleading, especially in terms of education, dates and inflated titles
• Objectives or meaningless introductions
• Poor font choice or style
• Resumes sent in .pdf, .zip files, faxed, web page resumes, mailed resumes; not sent as a "word" attachment
• Pictures, graphics or URL links that no recruiter will call up
• No easy-to-follow summary
• Resumes written in 1st or 3rd Person
• Gaps in employment
• Burying important info in the resume

Readers, take a few moments, dust off your resumes, and see if you've committed any of the above resume faux pas. Make a recuiter happy today-- edit, edit, and re-edit, your resume. It could mean the difference between getting an interview or having your resume discarded.

Feel free to send me a sample or post a comment here--perhaps before and after snapshots.

Good luck!

Article by Lorraine Russo

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 Resume Blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 15, 2009 at 2:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

After a recent consultation with a job seeker, I was inspired to post the following on Twitter (via @ValueIntoWords): Often hear re: job target, "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up." Take a stand, be somebody~focus on a bullseye.

Harry Urschel, also a Twitterer via @eExecutives and founder of the recruiting company under the same name, followed with this value-add post: No one can help you find a job if you can't tell them what you're looking for! Make a decision and go after it!

As a resume writer, I'm often a sounding board for job searchers who have catapulted their careers from undergrad to high-performing executives, yet when asked their job target to focus their resume they stutter and stumble, unable to articulate a concrete, concise snapshot of their go-forward goal.

Oftentimes, they ask me, "Where do YOU see the market opening? Where do YOU see my skills a fit? What do YOU think?" The answer is never within ME ... it is tucked under layers of the job seeker's fear-a fear that they will be aiming at too narrow of a target and missing the 100s of other perceived opportunities outside of their target.

This simply is NOT true. By sharpening and meticulously aiming your arrow, you will be the one who hits the job-search bullseye, versus the 100s of other job seekers who commoditize and water-down their message to the point of hitting the outer perimeters of the job-search dartboard, thus, removing them from the winners' circle.

Six tips to aiming your arrow:

1. Take initial stock of your achievements, bottom-lining your overall value to your recent company. How did you achieve results? What skills and abilities did you tap to accomplish those results? Write those down! (This tip is the first of 2 written assignments, the second of which is more in-depth career archaeology, later on in the prep process, below. Initially, in tip 1, simply sketch out your overall results and skills/abilities, then move on to tip 2).

2. Research target jobs that have the look and feel of a job you would be excited to apply for. Use LinkUp.com, ExecuNet.com (membership-driven site I urge all executives to join), SixFigureJobs.Com, etc. and copy/paste those jobs into a Word document. Either print the jobs out and grab a yellow highlighter or use MS Word's highlight feature to highlight key phrases and language that describe requirements that map to your experience.

3. Review position titles and make a list of those titles.

4. Make a list of requirements that you see 'repeating' themselves from one job posting to the next.

5. Google several of the companies you wish to target and unearth intelligence news stories, reports and content that helps you construct a visual snapshot of their current situation, their areas of pain, their future needs, etc. Get intimate with your target companies' stories. Network with individuals at these companies live/in-person/telephone or via LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media venues.

6. Write down (yes, this is hard, tangible work - you must write, not just 'think' about these things), 7-10 of your own CAR (challenge, action and results) stories. Create a funnel based on your target goal, your target companies' needs and target companies' pain points; then filter your stories through this funnel.

The so-what factor applies. Your decisions about resume content must meaningfully answer the resume readers' question, "So what?" -- the "What's in it for me?" question.

Bottom line, to hit your career search bullseye, your value proposition statements must be sharpened and aimed at your target audience's needs.

Article by Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, one of only 26 Master Resume Writers (MRW) in the world, who has a B.A. in Writing and is owner of Career Trend, a career strategy and writing firm serving a global market. Jacqui composes career positioning documents that land interviews for forward-thinking executives and professionals, unearthing and translating their 'value into words.' Connect with her on LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquibarrett. Follow her on Twitter - @ValueIntoWords

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 14, 2009 at 3:42 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I have worked with a lot of clients over the years and most of them tend to land jobs pretty quickly after they have a completed resume. But times are tough and it tends to take longer for almost anyone to find a job and when people don't find jobs as quickly as they would like they tend to second guess nearly every aspect of their job search.

Am I wearing the right kind of interview suit? Did I offend the interviewer? Why won't the recruiter call me back? How do I make sure my resume is reviewed by a hiring manager? Does my resume need to be redone? These are just a few of the questions that job seekers have asked me. Many times a job seeker can make some changes which rapidly alter the course of their job search. Other times, however, they are over thinking the search process particularly when it comes to their resume.

There is more than one way to write a good resume. There, I said it. I would like to believe that my way of doing this is the only way or the best way but I know that there is more than one way to get the job done. The key is to format simply, include relevant content, and emphasize accomplished backed by metrics. The resume should be easy to read and should not exceed 3 pages. Beyond that there are several different ways you can create a great resume.

Following are a few questions that clients often ask me about and my rationale for doing things my way.

1. Should I include a list of core competencies at the top of my resume

Liz's Answer: Generally no. The term "core competencies" became popular in 1990s corporate America (I think I remember when we started using the term frequently) to refer to the core skills required in any job. The problem with creating a list of "core competencies" is that you are taking a series of words out of context and expecting someone else to figure out your level of expertise.

Many clients have said to me, "but Liz, I want to list core competencies so that my resume will be selected by search engines looking for marketing people". My answer is that if you are truly a marketing expert you should be able to list enough metrics based accomplishments that include the word marketing that you don't need to include a list of words at the top of your resume.

Having said all of that, I have seen good resumes with lists of core competencies at the top and as long as it doesn't take up a lot of space that you could use for high impact accomplishments it probably won't do you any harm unless you are a senior executive. Senior executives who list core competencies or lists of skills at the top of a resume make themselves look tactical and junior level so I always advise senior clients to skip the core competencies.

2. Do I need a summary section that lists the best of my accomplishments?

Liz's Answer: No. I polled some of the top retained recruiters in the U.S. on this very topic. The top of the first page of your resume is valuable real estate so make wise use of it. Reiterating information that can be found in the body of the resume is not a good use of that space. If you include a short statement of some kind it is very likely that a recruiter will read it but if it's more than a few sentences they will probably skip it and move on to the meat of your resume. I think of that section as your "30 Second Elevator" pitch. You should list the statement you would give to the CEO of your dream employer if you were alone in an elevator with him/her for 30 seconds. If you don't have a 30 second elevator pitch and you are a job seeker you need to create one.

See the post from last year about my conversation with Austin-based recruiter Marc Davis on this topic.

3. Should I include a skills section on my resume?

Liz's Answer: It depends on whether or not the skills section is relevant to your job. I can't tell you how many accountants I have met who list "proficient with Quicken, Excel, Quickbooks, and Microsoft Word" on their resumes. If you are a junior level accountant it is OK to include this but if you are a senior accounting professional or a CFO it should go without saying that you know how to use the basic tools of your trade. Especially if you are a CPA or have worked in a large public accounting firm.

If you are a technical professional, say for example, a software engineer, it can be helpful for recruiters to be able to see, at a glance, what technologies or coding languages you have expert knowledge of. I usually recommend you include that section at the end of the resume but there are cases where including it on the front page make sense. Your unique situation and job search tactics are factors in deciding how and where to list this information.

Article by Liz Handlin and courtesy of Ultimate Resumes

Posted by Candice Arnold on September 11, 2009 at 2:08 PM | Leave a Comment (0)