CM Access

Back to finish my very educational post about the information that recruiters are getting, and how it applies to you, the job seeker, as the other side of the process coin. You’re both hoping for the same result: to fill an opportunity that will ultimately help both parties (company and employee) succeed. This article from Adecco highlights recruitment best practices and I’ve begun explaining how the information is like understanding what your enemy (in a very broad generalization) knows.

so to continue:

Communication. It’s essential to take the time to communicate consistently with everyone involved in your recruitment process…It’s essential to have buy-in from the people who will be working with the new person on the key skills and other characteristics this person should possess.

You better think to ask about what the backgrounds and personalities of the other team members are, if it’s not brought up to you in the interview.

…It’s very important to help your recruiter understand your needs. Whether it’s an internal recruiter in HR or from a recruitment firm, the more information you share with the recruiter, the better a job they can do for you in identifying high potential candidates.

Many recruiters are not trained to understand what goes on in every department in a company. A technical recruiter who gets put into a creative recruiting role won’t be fully equipped to qualify certain design skills, or marketing strategy case studies. This is why talking directly to a hiring manager is always your best tactic. You can figure this information out by being a good salesperson, researching, and practice.

Recruiting is marketing. Every point of contact builds a brand, and recruiting is no exception. As you post jobs, interview candidates, and introduce them to your company, it’s an opportunity to help build your company’s reputation….Also, we can never forget the impact that word of mouth has in the workforce today, so always put your best foot forward with recruits.

I won’t get on a soapbox here, but this last part is absolutely true for recruiters and hiring managers to understand. And unfortunately, many don’t and won’t change their practices to improve the negative experiences candidates have. So my suggestion here is to be an informed job seeker: talk to other candidates about their experiences with applying to certain companies, and share your own experiences through conversation (online or other).

Job seekers unite! No company is perfect for every person, and no position fits every skillset, so in order to make the best teams and help everyone be successful, step back and think about how you can really assess if it’s right for you–and if not, then for who that you know might it be a better fit?

Technorati Tags: networking, recruiting process, hiring manager behavior, job search strategies

Let us think of the job search and career path process as a game of strategy, involving precise timing, strategic positioning and occasionally defensive maneuvers to protect your own survival.

Then, we can identify the involved parties:

you, the job seeker, are on the offensive, trying to break down the impenetrable walls of the enemy fortress: your ultimate job within in a thriving company that protects its own resources fiercely.

me, the recruiter from an agency, is the strategic ally who plays both sides for the altruistic benefit of all involved.

and the hiring manager is the general of the army of corporate Human Resources and departmental henchman. They’re not really fighting against you, take this with a grain of salt please! They’re just trained to resist change, especially to personnel.

So here’s an article I found that is addressing recruiting practices for hiring managers (the generals) and what they should be utilizing to go about the process in the best possible way. This might help you, the job seeker, to understand what you’re up against, since most hiring managers are NOT doing these things.

Start at the top. Take a close look at the top performers in your organization and determine what the key characteristics are that enable them to succeed. Incorporate these into your job description.

If the hiring manager of your target needs to be told that this is important information, then you are ahead if you ask them when speaking with them. This is valuable for you to be able to assess your own fit as a team member, and for showing your intelligence and interest in the company and the team.

Look ahead. As you begin hiring for a position, consider what success will look like a year from now for the person you hire. What will the person need to have accomplished to be deemed a success? Which key stakeholders will play a role in this person’s career at the company? How will this person fit culturally with these stakeholders and the rest of hte core team?

If the hiring manager hasn’t included these items in the job description, then you have every right to ask these questions. And chances are they havent. And you should. All job descriptions start to sound the same after a long while, because companies outsource their recruiting, or in-house recruiters aren’t trained to know the nuances of each different role in a department and aren’t able to look beyond the quantifiable skills.

Clarity. Have a clearly defined job description at the onset. Avoid being generic….Quick turnover happens as a result of a lack of clarity around what a job truly requires.

Here’s where you should notice that many job descriptions are vague because no one puts time or energy into truly understanding what the day to day requirements are versus the long-term objectives. And you should be aware that your resume needs to be targeted. If you have the same catch phrases and generic format, you’re causing as much trouble as you’re experiencing. Again, the more information you can get about a job before sending your information, the more you can ensure that it’s perfectly relevant. When dealing with the landmines of unclear descriptions and missing pieces, you could be wasting your time and need to think about redirecting your efforts.

this is probably more than enough to read for today. keep your eyes peeled for part 2!

Technorati Tags: Counter Intelligence, Job search war, hiring manager generals, generic resume, interview questions

My friend and coworker Steph Paquette is forging new networks for CM Access in Rhode Island. She has been someone who’s insight and experience I respect, so I thought it a good time to share her perspective. It’s a great topic to spur conversation, so we’d love to hear your thoughts: are you a hiring manager trying to schedule maternity leave into your planning in 08? Are you a new mom who’s learning how different things are than you thought? From Steph’s own words, here’s some discussion on balancing your career and being a mom.

“So…you’re pregnant…CONGRATS! Now that the word is out and the shower has been thrown, comes the dreaded “maternity leave” conversation. When should your last day be? How long will you take? And the worst…When will you be returning to work?

This question may not be on top of your mind, but it better be there soon. Employers need to know what type of staffing issues they are facing. The longer you delay in making that decision, the more under the gun your supervisor gets and the less time there is to train someone to do the job the way you would like it done.

For some of us, we like to think that the return to work is inevitable, but the truth is that we just don’t know. That little bundle of joy enters the scene and all of a sudden time has no meaning and the days seem to run into each other. For some, returning to work is a financial decision and a “need”. For others, it is a “want”. Having something that isn’t baby-related to break up the new “mom-hood”. And then there are the ones, who for whatever reason, don’t return to the workforce. For those women, they may not know that this will be them when they leave. They may figure it out while they are watching their child sleep in their arms or while witnessing their first rollover or while looking at the actual cost of childcare. Whatever the reasons, your employer needs to know your intentions as soon as possible.

Major elements to consider when deciding if returning is the best choice for you include:

You should ask yourself what type of “culture” does your employer promote and figure out if it fits your needs now. For example…if you have typically been employed with an advertising agency, their culture is one of “Work hard, Play hard” and include long hours and deadline driven projects. This is probably not the best environment for a new mom due to the unsteadiness of scheduling and demand on your time. There are exceptions…but when the push comes to shove… do you really want to have to make the choice between family and career?

To all those who are reading this saying…”this won’t be me”…I said the same thing! Now I am a working mom who hung up her late night, weekends, high stress agency lifestyle for one that I can close the computer and turn off the cell phone at 5:30pm to spend quality time with my 2 year old son.

If you are interested in exploring “family-friendly” workplaces, check out your local business journal. There is a usually a listing or business profile to help you get information about certain companies.”

And if I may add my own two cents, I’d recommend inquiring about the company policy when considering a new career opportunity. Not because you’re divulging personal information that could be disciminatory, but simply weighing all of your options and learning about all that the company offers.

Technorati Tags: working mom, career mom, mothers in the workplace, maternity leave, company policy, contract negotiation

I was at PodCamp Boston 2 back in October, unfortunately only for a short time, but enough to see how far the unconference has come since September 2006! It was held at the very new, and gorgeous,
Boston Convention and Exhibit Center and even though it was gray outside, inside it was bright and buzzing with creative conversation, networking and technological innovation!

CM Access was able to host a session about Job Searching in a 2.0 world, and to hold a forum where concerns, topics and ideas related to technology in career management could be shared.

In many ways, the PodCamp Boston 2 was very much a typical conference or seminar: nametags, t-shirts, PowerPoint presentations, and give-aways from vendors. ‘

But in many more important ways, it was an evolution of the gathering idea, a more inclusive and interactive community-building event. And I have to say, the coolest thing of all (aside from getting to walk around my session room with a wireless mic like Bob Barker) was meeting the guy who designed our blog! Special shout out to Nico from Snowy Day Design. I was commenting on his BarCamp Buenos Aires tshirt, about how that must have been a really cool event, and he introduced himself: “I’m the guy that designed your blog!”

What a small world, it was really a reminder.

Technorati Tags: PodCamp Boston 2, PCB2, podcampboston2, Snowy Day Design, job search 2.0

Happy Holidays! Just wanted to mention a few things that might seem like common sense, but as I’ve heard someone say recently: common sense ain’t that common!

If you’re looking for a new job, or at least open to hearing about new opportunities that might be better than the one you’re in, have you made sure to cover the following bases?

Is your voicemail still set to “YO! It’s the T-dawg, leave it!”
[tip: You’re not going to leave a good impression when a recruiter hears that after being interested in your resume.]

Is your resume error-free? Have you had an objective set of eyes thoroughly read through the whole thing?
[tip: You’re not going to be regarded highly for a writing or editing position if your resume has typos and formatting errors, or words that spellcheck won’t pick up, like “there/their/they’re”]

Do you have a professional email address?
[tip: If you’re not in college any more, then you shouldn’t use a .edu address. If you’re not in a gang, you shouldn’t use “T_dawg@juno.com” E-mail addresses are free, so you should really have one that uses your name.]

Is your resume in a Word or PDF format, and saved with an identifying filename? [tip:”resume.doc” increases your risk of your document getting lost on someone’s desktop, and it’s tough for some companies to open documents saved in formats or programs they don’t have in their system.]

Does your email cover letter clearly state what job you’re applying for? [tip: Many hiring managers are working to fill more than one position, so if you’re not clearly stating your objective, you’re making me work too hard.]

Remember, the goal of the job search is to get a job, right? The goal of the hiring process is to get someone hired? You will have much more success on either side of the process if you make it easier for your target.

Companies should have an easy-to-navigate application process, or a quick response time to make it easier for candidates and job seekers. And job seekers NEED to make the process easier for the hiring manager, the one reading and sorting through the resumes.

Technorati Tags: Job Search Tips, Resume errors, hiring process, job seekers