Kristen Fife Blog

How Great Thou Art

Conquent — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:03:04 -0800

I'm going to start off with a disclaimer: today's topic is a pet peeve of mine. So with that caveat, let's talk about who should be the "narrator" for your resume. And the answer is *you*. Your resume is about you, the professional, not "Mr. Smith" or "Tony the expert in the field".

I have seen an alarming number of resumes with testimonials on them from (supposed) former clients, managers, co-workers, and "well known" industry experts on resumes. And here's the thing: how do I know you didn't make them up? To be blunt, having people telling me how wonderful you are is for *references*. You know, those things I ask for if I'm planning on making you a job offer. When someone includes testimonial references on their resume, to me it gives the impression that they are trying too hard, that their accomplishments don't stand alone without external validation.

I've mentioned in the past that it's a good idea to have LinkedIn Recommendations. But it *doesn't* mean that they belong on your resume. The difference between seeing a Recommendation on your LinkedIn profile and on your resume is that LI is a tool that I can actually use to validate the comments (by visiting the commentor's profile if I so choose.)

Some professionals that come from a true consulting background adopt the third person formal narrative on their resume. This comes from working as a consultant, where a resume is sent to a potential client as part of an RFP (Request for Proposal) as part of the overall pitch denoting why said company is the best choice; consultants are considered human capital, or deployable assets; their expertise and experience can command top dollar from potential clients. This form of resume is *not* what said consultant should be using in their own search for new employment.

So when you are considering how to "stand out" from the sea of applicants, it's very important to keep in mind your target audience. Are you going to be putting them off with your content or impressing them? If you have been a true consultant, you need to remember that you are selling yourself now, not your former company's reputation and resources. Don't talk about yourself from a lofty height; keep it real and down to earth to connect with your potential new employer.

Do You Give TMI Regarding Your Activities On Your Resume?

Conquent — Fri, 9 Jul 2010 16:51:09 -0800

There are mixed opinions in the recruiting world about using "interests" on your resume. This topic came to mind from a listing on a resume I saw earlier today. Stepping back a bit, it's important to remember that it isn't the recruiter that you need to impress, it is the hiring manager. Recruiters are trained conversationalists, and we are generally a fairly outgoing bunch. Managers on the other hand, may be a bit more shy. Sometimes interests can be a way to break the ice with a candidate. But if you choose to list interests on your resume it's crucial to know what and what not to include (and why!).

Generally, any organized team sport is a great item to include, either as a player or as a coach. Participating in organized sports shows a manager that you pursue a healthy work/life balance; that you are used to working in a team environment; it also shows a bit of a competitive streak, which speaks to motivation and pursuit of excellence. Singular sports such as golf, skiing, or activities such as martial arts still indicate an understanding of competition but even more so discipline and self-motivation. It is the same with any sort of artistic pursuit (musical instrument or choral interests; dance or theater; painting, sculpture etc.) Reading, writing, and travel are frequently used as "interests". These are generally positive subjects (unless for some reason you list that you are something like a best-selling erotica author). Reading and writing intimate good communication skills, and travel shows a sense of adventure and potentially an exposure to different cultures. Some activities bear careful consideration. For example, what happens if you list hunting or fishing on your resume and the hiring manager is a member of PETA? Or you add wine tasting to your list of interests and a hiring manager grew up the child of an alcoholic family?

Most people automatically assume that all volunteer experience should be on a resume. However, it is important to consider what message your associations sends. Usually any non-profit or social support group that isn't religious in nature or doesn't have political ties is safe. Examples would be PTA , scouts, homeless shelters, Big Brothers and Sisters of America, Scouts, Meals on Wheels, non-profit groups like the Red Cross, anything supporting medical research such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. But remember, you want to make sure you don't include anything that indicates your ethnicity, religion, political affiliations, or sexual orientation. For example, you might wow a manager with your experience, but if you list that you are the VP of a local chapter of a GLBT group, you could be opening yourself up to social prejudices. Did you volunteer in the last Presidential election? What happens if the manager is a card-carrying member of the opposing party and donated a major amount of money to supporting the losing (or winning) party candidate?

So, to return to the example I alluded to that sparked this conversation. This candidate looked good professionally. But she listed as one of her interests her dog. "Miss Sparkles, a sweet min-pin/schnauzer mixed breed". (Not the real entry.) OK, this is rather amusing, but it raises a red-flag for me. I'm certainly all for pets; I've got several myself. Usually animals are a "safe" topic in terms of volunteering at a shelter, or a rescue organization. But going into *so much* information about your pet is way too obsessive. You would be amazed at the number of employees that either believe there is no reason they shouldn't bring their pets to work, or demand a telecommute schedule so many days a week so they can spend time with Fluffy or Fido. (True stories from this year that I know about first-hand.) And, honestly, listing your pet's name AND breed is *too much information*. Really, trust me on this. Have someone read over your resume and help you determine if someone might be offended or turned off by your interests and activities.

Converting Volunteer Experiences On Your Resume

Conquent — Tue, 6 Jul 2010 12:18:24 -0800

I belong to an established, international educational group that re-creates the Middle Ages. There are over 100,000 of us around the globe. It is an all-volunteer organization. We have a LinkedIn group, and several Facebook pages and groups. Over on the LI group, there have been a few discussions of what we do in our professional lives, and how to translate said experience on a resume. Due to the nature of our organization, our vernacular is very specialized and can be difficult to translate to business English (or French, or German, or Japanese as we are an international organization).

My role in our group is very similar to my role in my professional life: I help newcomers to our organization transition to activities and special interest groups and provide them a resource for guidance (in the HR world it is called recruiting and on-boarding). Luckily, I don't have any problem portraying that role. Like most any other organization, we have a president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. Due to the type of education we provide, a very large number of people help plan educational and entertainment events on both small and very large (in excess of several thousands) scales. People are recognized with prestigious awards for the talents and their service to the organization as a whole.

When you are trying to translate your volunteer experience to professional parlance, the first thing to do is look at the organization as a whole. What industry "niche" would it occupy? Think education, health care, IT, finance, etc. Once you have determined the industry, try looking at similar private entities. Use the filter feature by industry on Monster or CareerBuilder and type in a keyword or two associated with your position. For example, if you were the treasurer for your church board, look up other non-profit entities such as the Red Cross and then type in "budget" as a key word. See what comes up, and decide if the verbiage in the job description can be used to help build a framework for you to build a description for yourself.

The rules for converting your volunteer experience to "corporate speak" are no different. Let's take the treasurer example. How much money did you handle? Did you track expenditures and payments? Was there an increase in the positive balance during your tenure? Did you track capital expenditures, or perhaps there was a fund-raising drive while you were on the board. All of these can be important points to highlight on your resume.

Let's say you provide professional services and have chosen to do some pro-bono work. If this is the case, treat it as you would any other client project. If at all possible, it is always advisable to do volunteer work that is in line with your professional talents.

Volunteering during a tough economy is a very viable way to improve your existing professional skills as well as build new ones. Just remember that they *are* professional skills that can help you transition smoothly.

Professional Communities...Where The Big Kids Play

Conquent — Fri, 2 Jul 2010 11:31:24 -0800

I was reading a blog posting on the Electronic Recruiting Exchange, which is the main portal that Recruiters use to connect with each other. This particular post was about crazy/funny interview experiences. There was a long list of examples fitting the bill. So I took that link and sent it into the Twittersphere to job seekers as a "What Not To Wear" (or do) link. (http://t.conquent.com/CB00)

Here's something that seems to be escaping a lot of job seekers in the whole "networking" frenzy. Networking isn't just about hitting your contacts. It's about going and finding out where the people *you want to join* are hanging out. This translates to professional communities. Alumni Groups, Industry Associations, LinkedIn Groups, Facebook Fan Pages, Conference Speakers/Attendees, etc.

You are trying to get in front of decision makers and industry leaders that may have people to refer you to. Also SME's (subject matter experts) in their field or industry. If you don't know where to look, take a hint from recruiters, marketing and sales: GOOGLE. Run a simple search to find those associations and groups.

Yesterday someone in one of my technical communities posted a request for local schools with Electronic Health Records programs. I sent her the preferred certification for this industry and a link to the overarching professional association (with a list of schools/programs that offer the right curriculum for this sort of certification.) I knew there was a certification because I had a job requiring it last year when I was recruiting in healthcare. But honestly, I didn't remember the actual acronym. So I did a quick Google search, found the term, and then the organization. It took me about 45 seconds.

The point is we all need to be proactive. I had a question about training materials, so I posted it to my HR community (which is separate than recruiting, by the way.) I had a detailed response within 5 minutes. So go find out where your industry (or targeted industry) gurus hang out. Read their blogs and community postings. Follow Twitter folks, read articles and info posted. And then, start responding to those online resources in the form of comments or feedback. Get *your* name out there so people recognize you. I started this a couple of years ago, and now I've got a weekly newspaper column and am called on to speak and give seminars and advice to professional groups. It's about recognition and self-promotion. And guess what? Only you are interested in doing it.

Employment Agency Terminology

Conquent — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:49:50 -0800

In today's highly competitive employment market, a lot of displaced workers are finding that the only jobs they can get are short term contracts through consulting or temporary agencies. Having been on all sides of this particularly complex industry, and being asked to answer questions about these forms all the time, I have decided to help the general public understand some of the common terminology. I'm going to preface this with a caveat that this information is mostly applicable to the technology industry, because that is where most people I deal with are getting confused. However, the terms are applicable across the board.

NDA, or Non-Disclosure Agreement
This is a document full of what seems to be a bunch of legalese jargon about Proprietary Information, Intellectual Property, etc. Basically, an NDA is an agreement that covers both the agency and their client from having information about business practices, products, services (etc.) leaked to competitors or the press. The gist of this sort of form says that you agree not to share any information you learn about either the employer (agency) or it's client/s with anyone outside the process established to learn about the job. I do not know why anyone would have a problem signing an NDA, unless they are confusing it with a Non-compete. I have had candidates refuse to sign an NDA, and I cannot work with them.

Right To Represent
It's not uncommon for several agencies or consulting firms to have access to submitting candidates for the same position. A few companies will have "exclusive" contracts with an agency for one or more positions, but it is much more likely that they will be competing against other agencies. A Right To Represent (RTR) is permission you give an agency to represent *you* exclusively for any job. What this means is that you need to keep track of which agency is submitting you for what job/s.

Non-Compete (clause or document)
The Non-Compete clause or document in any offer letter is a point of contention for a lot candidates. Basically, this states that you will not go to a competitor (or sometimes the client) in specific circumstances. This sort of terminology is especially stringent in sales jobs, where a company is trying to make sure that you don't take clients with you when you go. But in markets such as Seattle, where competing organizations are trying to place candidates in the same types of jobs, it's an effort to keep them from just switching agencies for contracts.

(The Non-Compete issue is hotly contested, has so much complexity and wild variance to it and since I am not an attorney, I am not going to answer any questions about specific examples; if you have an issue or question, consult an employment attorney.)

A lot of candidates get upset when they sign a Right To Represent for one or two specific positions, then they find out a recruiter has submitted them to many without ever contacting the candidate with a job description or to ask permission to be submitted. This is a bad business practice, but unfortunately in this tough market, agencies are trying to get candidates in front of hiring managers to close business.

What can you do to avoid this? Make sure you get *in writing* an agreement from a particular recruiter/agency that they will not submit you to a job without your explicit permission. It is also is perfectly acceptable and advisable to tell them what other jobs you are currently being considered for. To be the most efficient in this process, you will need the name of the client company; the job title; the job number if you have it. You don't need to give them more information than that, but it will help you to keep confusion down to a minimum. If you have applied to a job yourself, also provide that information. The agencies aren't being intrusive, they just don't want to make the effort to represent you to a client when it's already been done.

Finally, if you have questions about terminology on a specific form you are asked to sign, make sure to discuss them with the recruiter. They should be intimately familiar with any forms you are asked to sign, and if they don't they will know who to ask.

Announcing Recruiter's Inbox

Conquent — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:11:00 -0800

I'm full of announcements this month.
This particular announcement is very important to me personally. Six years ago I started writing fiction (still working on my first manuscript), and I've been branching into various types of writing. I am proud and happy to say that I have been contracted as a weekly columnist at NWJobs.com, a division of the Seattle Times, to write a weekly Q & A column on employment issues.

I will still be writing my blog, so please don't despair, but also feel free to visit me and leave comments and questions there as well.

Is Your "Resume" Website Recruiter-friendly?

Conquent — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:03:17 -0800

As a recruiter, I think it probably goes without saying that I'm asked to look at a lot of resumes by people before they submit them for jobs. But since I am a technical recruiter, I get a lot of requests to look at websites and online profiles as well.

I recently had someone ask me for my opinions on his consulting site. My suggestion was to condense things and not try to make himself an expert in everything related to his industry (and to lose the personal interest section). If you add too much detail to your site, you dilute your brand and potential clients come away with an impression of "jack of all trades, master of none". Pick no more than three related skills to highlight on your website.

So earlier, one of my friends sent me a link to this site, which in turn points to *another* portfolio site as a "perfect" example of what your online resume (his word) should look like.

Site one:
http://theworkinggeek.com/2010/06/how-to-do-a-web-resume-right.html

The "perfect" resume site:
http://hirethisgeek.com/

So, here are my comments to my friend:

"Never ever ever put pictures on your resume. It is considered a way to induce discrimination in HR/Recruiting types and they tend to ignore resumes with photos, even if they are online.

If you go to his actual "resume" link it is just a list of skills, and nowhere is his actual employment history listed in reverse chronologic format."

So here is the thing: as a portfolio site to demonstrate his skills for prospective clients, I have no issue with it. But if he is using this site as his "resume" for employers vs. clients, it has issues. Photos on a resume are bad because HR has a duty to protect the employer from legal action, and it is not unusual for someone who doesn't get a job to use tactics to try and file a discrimination lawsuit. So the answer for HR/Recruiting is to not consider resumes or CV's with pictures on them, in North America.

It's very important to remember that when you are job seeking that you try and put yourself in the mindset the recruiter and hiring manager are in. In this very tight competitive environment, you are trying to capture the attention of the decision makers. While it may seem creative to go outside the "established" box, I'd say that more often than not it can backfire on you. The time to prove your individuality and creativity is in the interview, when you have already proven yourself good "on paper".

Do Professional Certifications Really Help Me?

Conquent — Tue, 8 Jun 2010 15:54:13 -0800

A friend of mine recently was discussing the fact that an HR certification she got several years ago has been eclipsed by a different, more "well-known" set of letters. She had to study hard and sit to take a pretty demanding test to get the certification, and now she questions whether she should get the more "well known" designation.

It's a common question: will getting specific training to get a set of letters after your name make a difference in the job market? In Seattle, this question is especially relevant in the tech market. With Microsoft being one of the largest area employers, having MCxx (Microsoft Certified...take your pick) after your name is de rigueur and somewhat expected. A lot of out of work professionals have taken advantage of UI-funded programs such as getting their PMP (Project Management) as well, and want to know: is the time, money, and effort worth it?

As with most questions, this isn't a simple "one answer fits all". It really depends on the industry, job title, and quite honestly the organization. I'm seeing more and more job descriptions wanting professional certifications on them. My professional opinion is that this is a way for hiring managers and recruiters to help narrow the pool down. For a lot of professionals, getting those letters after their name is just a validation of the experience they've already accrued over their careers. This subject falls under the question of education for me: how will it impact your chances in the workplace? Will it get you more money?

But maybe more importantly in this tough economy, getting a certification while you are unemployed shows that you, as a professional, have been taking time to do *something* during your downtime to improve your employability and professional profile. For this reason alone, if you can afford it, getting industry certifications are definitely worth considering.

But before you run out to get your Six Sigma green belt, make sure you thoroughly investigate what your industry is looking for. Read job postings, blogs from professionals in your industry, articles etc. to determine if it will make a difference. Going out and getting letters after your name *could* backfire on you if nobody in your industry wants them. It could give the impression that you are getting ready to change industries or even that you aren't current with your profession. As much as I hate to say it, professional impressions count even more now than they did two years ago. Make sure the impression you are giving is concurrent with what is happening in your profession.

Announcement: Seattle Resume Workshop

Conquent — Mon, 7 Jun 2010 12:29:52 -0800

I am pleased to announce that I will be conducting monthly resume workshops in the Seattle area commencing in June.

Your resume is your marketing and sales tool as a candidate. Conquent HR is pleased to announce that we are now accepting reservations for our resume workshops. In this 90 minute training you will learn how to write a resume that will get noticed by hiring managers and recruiters.

Covered Topics include:

* How to effectively use keywords so that your resume will always come up in keyword searches
* The way to tailor your resume and cover letter based on a job description
* Formats that work best for email, databases, and in
* person interviews
* What should
* and shouldn't
* be on a resume
* How recruiters evaluate resumes and what hiring managers are looking for
* The difference between a competency and soft skill
* How long your resume should be
* What to do with references
* The most important pieces of information that should be part of your resume
* What, when, and how to use the proper format for your industry

Classes are limited to 35 participants to allow for interactive interchange between the instructor and students. Our next class is June 23rd at 7 PM. The cost is $65.

Please visit our web page to register.
http://hr.conquent.com/jobseekers.cqs

Fake It 'Til You Make It

Conquent — Wed, 2 Jun 2010 17:47:00 -0800

I learned that phrase many years ago when I took a (luckily) short foray into multi-level marketing just after college.

One of my friends has been hard hit by the economy. She had her car repossessed yesterday. But she is not letting anyone outside of her very close intimate circle know how far down the well she has fallen; I'm one of three people who know how bad her financial straits are. She is talking to recruiters, pursuing as many job avenues as possible, and networking as much as she can to get her head above water. From the outside looking in, she's surviving.

On the flip side I received a desperate plea for help from someone who really needs a job. His contact with me reflected it and I was surprised by how much actual work experience he had when I saw his resume because I expected him to be a fairly junior candidate, but he wasn't.

By "Fake it" I don't mean lie on your resume or misrepresent your skills. I'm talking about your professional image. With all the despair and desperation out in the world, it's vital to remain as polished and professional in your interactions in the job market; whether you are sending an email, going to a networking function, or having a phone screen or interview, you want to give your audience, whomever they may be, a first-rate impression.

So, absolutely reach out to your network for help and support. That is what they are there for. But don't make the mistake of trying to ask your casually professional contacts to be your anchor and your life jacket. Because I guarantee they have their *own* personal network to help keep afloat.

You Never Call, You Never Write...Why You May Not Be Hearing Back

Conquent — Fri, 14 May 2010 11:33:01 -0800

There is a lot of discussion on one of my listservs about contacting recruiters after a phone screen, or even interviews. Candidates don't want to jeopardize their chances for a particular job by "bothering" a recruiter too much. (Which I, personally, thank my own candidates for!) When is it OK to call/email? How often? What is too "much"?

I love forging relationships with my candidates. It's usually the best part of my job. I'm a big candidate advocate. But what candidates need to remember is that my *primary* client in the recruiting relationship is the hiring manager. That could be someone in my company, it could be a manager at a client. My paycheck depends on keeping *them* happy. Just as most employees seem to misunderstand the role of the HR Generalist, which is to make sure the *company* is safe legally (and representing the best interests of the company, not the employee), candidates need to understand my priorities as a recruiter.

When you, as a candidate, don't hear from me for a long time, don't assume that I am ignoring you. I have done as much as I can to get you noticed. Please be aware that often it is the *hiring manager* that is the bottleneck. It isn't unusual for Hiring Managers to take weeks to get back to a recruiter (either internal or agency/external) on the outcome of a resume or even interviews.

There can be any number of reasons for this; keep in mind that the reason a position is *open* is because they are understaffed, which means that everyone is picking up the extra load until it can be filled. It's a catch-22 situation. But it's hellacious sometimes to get interviews scheduled when everyone is already overextended.

Also consider that with the market as flooded as it is, managers are looking at many many MANY more resumes for each position than in pre-recession years. That means they are considering, screening, and interviewing more candidates than ever for *one* position. Recruiters narrow down the field for them by significant amounts, but where maybe before they had 3 or 4 qualified candidates, now maybe it's 8 or 10.

You are a second tier candidate. They like you, but you don't hit *all* their quals, so that means they are keeping you in reserve until their first-string choices are contacted and interviewed.

Competition in general. If you are going through an agency, depending on how many other agencies have submitted you, they have no idea what is going on if the HM doesn't communicate with them.

The position is in jeopardy of going away. It is on hold. If an agency is representing you, they probably won't even know about it until the position disappears from their recruiting dashboard.

Recruiting is very much a Project Management role, with each open position being a set deliverable. If I have twelve open requisitions to work on, and I have already submitted four qualified candidates on number 5, then my priority shifts to number 8 because the HM has pulled the trigger and asked me to start scheduling the interviews for her top four candidates. So that week, I put 5 on a back-burner to concentrate on 8. Recruiters multi-task weekly, daily and even hourly. It is rare for us to have "down time" for any significant amount. And also it might help candidates to know that Recruiters have been *hard hit* in this economy in terms of layoffs and downsizing. Most recruiters have been doing double or triple duty in their organizations after losing team members. The ramifications of this are not just more jobs to fill, but also forming new relationships with our hiring managers which takes time.

Feel free to contact us; weekly if you have heard from us and we have indicated that we are setting some sort of schedule up. We generally prefer email as it allows us time to keep focused. And, often times we are on the phone with other candidates many hours of the day, so you may get voicemail anyway.

And finally, this may seem to be humor, but I am quite serious: a call can tell you if the recruiter is even still with the company, and if not you need to get hold of the recruiter that is taking over those requisitions. S/he may have no idea who you are, so introduce yourself and send any email correspondence you have to re-establish your candidacy.

A Bio is Not a Resume

Conquent — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:50:46 -0800

In the consulting world, a company often will create a CV for potential clients based on consultants' resumes to submit to an RFP (Request for Proposal) in their bid. This CV is customized from their diverse work history to specifically fit the call for the project/s being bid on. In essence, it is a hybrid CV/bio.

Since I am a recruiter at a consulting company, I have seen and formatted such resumes. But I recently saw one on a major job board, and the message it sent me was that the person seeking a new job didn't know how to write a resume for herself and really didn't even try.

While I was at the University of Washington, it amazed me how many people would apply for a job writing down a brief professional history and ignoring the request for a proper resume.

This gives the same impression as a functional resume in a non-portfolio based industry: you don't have the skills we are looking for; you are trying to hide something; you cannot follow basic instructions on filling out an online job application. (And of course you don't know how to write a resume.)

So here, again, is what happens. By doing any of the above, you are not giving a recruiter the information they have asked for in a format that is *standard* right now, that hiring managers want to see.

1) Your most recent job including company, location, title, dates of employment, and industry (if not immediately discernible. Use a one-sentence marketing blurb from the employer's website or marketing materials if you don't know how to craft this.)

2) A detailed account of what you did for the employer highlighting major accomplishments.

3) The next most recent job, etc. on the resume going back *no more than 7-10 years*.

4) Education: this includes degrees/diplomas and *applicable* training or certification. For example, being First Aid Certified is not applicable outside the medical industry or positions such as child care.

5) Affiliations such as volunteer organizations, *leaving out things such as religious or political references*.

A bio (short for "biography") is something that you prepare that gives a broad statement reflecting your entire career, with little or no mention of specific projects. Bios are used for content such as corporate "about us" sections or prospectuses, speaking engagements, press releases, articles (written, quoted in, or interviews). A bio doesn't usually even give enough information to decide if someone is even a fit. It is not an appropriate substitute for a full resume or a CV.

Like every industry, recruiting goes through trends; the current "style" is dictated by technology and government standards. Over time, no doubt it will change. But for now, following "fashion" is a better policy and in your own best interests.

Diversify Your Professional Portfolio

Conquent — Wed, 12 May 2010 10:15:53 -0800

One of our candidates at work has a very diverse resume; we hired her because she is someone we can use on a variety of positions, doing different things, fulfilling a broad spectrum of project needs. She has consciously made choices to learn and grow to make herself as attractive as possible to potential employers and her efforts have paid off.

I know another tech professional who lives in the Seattle area and despises Microsoft technologies. He refuses to expand his skill set, on principle. Not surprisingly, he always finds himself looking for work. His skill set is so narrow that he only can find contracts for short amounts of time. It's a shame he is letting himself be branded as a poor candidate because he refuses to learn the local business tools. Microsoft is the prevalent technology in this area. I mean, c'mon, the company employs over 20K people at any given time so the skill sets have more than partially influenced business decisions in Seattle.

Last night I was over at a friend's house, who recently was laid off. (As an aside, her husband works at MSFT ;). We were talking about the company, and they sell software to a specific compliance industry. The company has started downsizing to streamline costs. Apparently they offer two very similar software packages aimed at smaller businesses, and the head of the department insists that they will continue to offer these to separate products. I looked at her and we both agreed that it's just a matter of time before the products are combined or maybe even eliminated. He obviously is in denial that his group, maybe even his position, are in jeopardy.

It's crucial in this economic climate to make sure you are as employable as possible. This means diversification of your skills, being honest with yourself about your capabilities and your situation if you are employed. This doesn't mean turning around and going off to try a new industry/career you are unprepared for. It means leveraging and increasing the skills you *have*. The biggest complaint from hiring managers and HR professionals in response to older employees is their unwillingness to learn and grow. They get to a point in their career where they think it's time to just coast through, or rest on their laurels, so to speak. One of our candidates at work has a very diverse resume; we hired her because she is someone we can use on a variety of positions, doing different things, fulfilling a broad spectrum of project needs. She has consciously made choices to learn and grow to make herself as attractive as possible to potential employers and her efforts have paid off.

The Long Distance Commuter

Conquent — Thu, 6 May 2010 16:52:42 -0800

Last night I was reading an article in Reader's Digest about the new "migrant" generation; those professionals that have had to take jobs in cities far from their homes and families and commute vast distances/times just so they can pay the bills.

I've mentioned before how it may be necessary to consider relocation to find a job in another city due to the economic depression. And, as a recruiter, I'm totally aware of how often it is not an option to move a family or impossible to sell a house in these tough economic times. It is also a sad fact that many companies don't have any sort of relocation budget for assistance.

So what does this mean to you, the job seeker, that is A) willing to relocate or commute B) able to cover the cost of said move?

It means that you have a couple of options. The most important thing is that a recruiter considers you a viable candidate that is available for interviews and to start work in a reasonable (2 weeks usually) amount of time. If you live in, say, Detroit and are looking in Chicago, it's not a big stretch to drive there. But what if you live in Florida and are looking at jobs in Chicago or Seattle or Boston? You are willing to pay for your own ticket to interview and your own relocation expenses, but how do you indicate that to a potential employer?

First of all, do you know anyone in those cities you are targeting that you can "borrow" their local address? (Especially if you can stay with them short-term if you get a job before you have a place to live). If so, just put their address on your resume. Another similar option is to rent a PMB (Personal Mail Box). This is not a PO box, but is similar in that it is a box at someplace like a Mailboxes, Etc. where you have a street address and a box number.

Alternatively, when you are sending/posting your resume, indicate at the top that you are able and willing to relocate yourself at your own expense. Example:

John Doe
123 Main Street
Anytown US 00011
111-222-3456

*I am available to relocate at my own expense with two week's notice upon offer.*

It can be tough to leave your family and home to take a job several hundred or thousands of miles away. But it is even more difficult to be unable to pay your bills and feed your children. We do what we must in these tough times.

Why Privacy Is Becoming Obsolete

Conquent — Sat, 1 May 2010 10:01:33 -0800

I just changed my account settings and turned the personalization network off on Facebook. It's been a major hullabaloo that Facebook keeps making these privacy rules and that instead of opting IN to these applications you have to go to an extraordinary effort to opt OUT.

I was listening to my favorite morning radio show, and the DJ and company were talking about it. Now, the Bob Rivers Show has about 5-6 people every morning. Bob, Spike, Joe and Maura are probably all between 40-50. I'm guessing Pedro is in his mid-late 30's and Aric is the youngest on the team. They asked Aric, "do you care about the privacy settings?" His response was "not really."

So this is why I believe privacy is going to become less and less of an opt IN feature in the next few years. I've been studying the Millenials (GenY) from a recruiting/HR viewpoint. We, GenX; the Jones Generation and the Baby Boomers have watched as technology has entered the daily life of the general population over the last twenty years. But let us consider: GenY grew up with computers and video games and cell phones. They don't remember a time before all these wired devices kept them connected to their social peers. The point is, *they don't see a need for privacy.*

As a generation they have built their world electronically. They *like* having things turned on and "fed" to them. They don't *care* about predictive modeling algorithms like Pandora and Amazon recommendations. It means they don't have to put through effort to get things. Read an email? No thanks, send me a text. Short, sweet, and then onto the next thing. They are uber-multitaskers. Is that a good thing? The jury is still out on that, but for now it doesn't really matter. Companies are gearing everything from their marketing and sales campaigns to their job postings to *this* generation, not those of us that already have our spending and activity patterns pretty well set. They are trying to capture market share with a generation that has a very short attention span and wants their information in short bursts, and pushed *to* them rather than then needing to go out and *look* for it.

So those of us that are older and concerned about privacy and the electronic veil thinning more every day had better get ready for it to become even thinner. And make our peace with it or pull over on the information highway.

New Grads - That Time Again

Conquent — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:41:59 -0800

It's almost college graduation time, again. And this year, although the job market is picking up, things are still tight out there. And you have $60K of student loans to pay.

I have been helping local collegiates with their resumes lately. One of the first things I ask them (after "what is your major") is "what would you like to do?"

There are some interesting answers. Believe it or not, I prefer to hear "I'm not quite sure" rather than "I'm going to get a job in event management and plan concerts for indie bands around the country."

I wholeheartedly believe in goals and dreams. But I also believe in having a reality check. Any graduating senior with a BA in Marketing or Business who thinks they are going to walk into an event management job planning indie concerts had better have some serious connections that she has already vetted if she is going to make a statement like that.

OK. You've been hearing about how bad the economy is from your parents. But that's for the older generation that is more than halfway to retirement, right?

Wrong. If you can afford to start your own company, or you have some major ins to the industry jobs you want (like your Uncle Bob's best friend manages an up and coming band and is looking for an assistant) then you can decide what you want to do. If you are an honors student at an Ivy League University, you probably already have a few job offers. But for the majority of graduating seniors, it's a tough economy out there.

You need to have a realistic understanding of how the professional world works. That means you need to be cultivating relationships with people in decision-making roles; contacting older friends that graduated two years ago in your field that can give you an employee referral (assuming they are employed); you need to have your LinkedIn profile updated; ask your parents and friends of the family for leads; contact alumnae from your fraternity/sorority; join the University Facebook alumni page and start meeting older graduates that are employed that you can network with; email your manager from your internship from last year expressing interest in any openings, reminding him of what an excellent job you did; go to volunteer functions and meet community leaders *and getting their email addresses.* (Not their phone numbers. They want emailed resumes, not a call asking for time to chat.) Join professional organizations and Special Interest Groups.

The theme here is that you need to do the same thing your parents are doing: networking. Putting your resume up on Monster, going to school career fairs and handing out your resume and adding your resume to the university career center are *not enough*. You need to learn to tailor your resume for jobs, write a targeted document and learn how to research people like hiring managers and recruiters at companies you are interested in working for.

And you may need to truly consider relocating. If you grew up in Las Vegas, unless you want to be a Blackjack Dealer, a dancer or a bartender, chances are you need to move somewhere else. Read housing and job market articles. Know which cities are growing, what industries have experienced growth and then follow them.

There are always job out there. There are options. But you need to learn and take suggestions offered to you to maximize your opportunities. Good luck. Leave me comments if you have specific questions.

Keeping It Real(istic)

Conquent — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:14:55 -0800

Yesterday I had a call with a candidate I met at the Seattle Job Social. I didn't have any positions immediately available for him, but wanted to give him the courtesy of a call since we had spoken and he sent me his resume. He was more seasoned candidate, with a significant work history.

The first thing he wanted to know, of course, was what kinds of jobs I might be able to find for him. So I told him, based on his skills and experience, that I would probably be able to find him a data analyst-type position. Then he proceeded to tell me that he wants to go into Business Intelligence, and would I be able to call him if/when I got a BI role? He had been "reading up on it" and was now ready to pursue roles in the BI field.

(Let's call this candidate George. ) I explained to George that we represent senior candidates, meaning that our clients expect us to present them with professionals that have the requisite skills necessary to peform the work they are hired for, with no discernable ramp time on basic skill sets. I then further went on to let him know that right now, in today's economy, for every job I have posted, I get bombarded with resumes, and most of the time, there are at least a few candidates that are *dead on* matches for the roles I have.

George asked me what suggestion I had for him to get into the BI field. I suggested that he set up shop as an independent consultant for small businesses and get the experience that way.

He then asked me what version of his resume I had (apparently he numbers them). I told him honestly I had just taken the content out of the document, pasted it into my calendar to call him then deleted the original. I then politely reminded him he could check his sent mail. (v86, apparently.) He tried to convince me that his resume portrayed the skills I need for senior Analyst roles.

My response? Not for the positions I have. I counseled him to tailor his resume to whatever job he was applying for before submitting. He then told me that the local Worksource (WA state unemployment) office had told him that he should always have a couple of resumes that "brand him" and then look for the jobs that fit his brand.

So, this information frustrates me. I have had many candidates tell me some of the strategies they are getting from career counselors and placement coaches, and this is *exactly contrary* to what candidates need to be doing. So I reached out to a good friend that I used to recruit with, who is now an employment counselor at Worksource (and whom I trust because she WAS a recruiter.) I told her what George had said. She looked up his record and said that he has attended "advanced" training sessions that are for C-level candidates and that yes, this is part of the information they receive. But for most people they advise them to tailor their resumes as closely to a job description as possible (thank heavens.)

A couple of weeks I was introduced to someone that is open to finding a new job. She sent me a resume, and we happened to have a position she might be a fit for. Because we were connected socially, she started to talk about some of the career goals she is thinking of pursuing, and one of them is to get into accounting. From IT. WHOA. I told her that in this economy, I couldn't counsel *anyone* to try making a radical shift like that. Going back to school to get a CPA, sure. I relayed the same candidate job info I had for George, and it was a major wake-up call for her.

My point is, candidates need to be *realistic* these days. And in George's case, he needs to *listen* better to what the professionals are telling him, not have selective hearing. I know it's tough out there. Things are starting to get better, but unless you are ready and able to branch out on your own into a new field and don't need a steady paycheck or benefits, this is *not* the time to try and make other people see your fit into a mold *you just don't*. All it does is brand you as a trouble candidate that doesn't have a grasp on what is really going on in the workforce.

A Rose Is A Rose...Or Is It?

Conquent — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:24:48 -0800

Recently one of my friends found out she is being laid off. She sent me her resume to look at, since it had been a long time since she had been job hunting.She works for a small non-profit on the East coast. The first thing I noticed was that her current title is "Director."

Now, by having that title, as a recruiter I will do one of two things: pass the resume on by, or (depending on the role I am trying to fill) read it and then pass it over. Why do both of these scenarios end with me passing by?

A "Director" is the lowest rung on the executive ladder for most organizations. Most Directors have P & L responsibility combined with an organization that reports into them in a managerial heirarchy. It denotes significant organizational responsibility and a pretty hefty compensation package.

If I was looking at my friend's resume for an individual contributor role (IC), even if it was doing exactly what she has been doing, I would pass over her experience because as a Director, I won't have managerial responsibilities, staff, and the commensurate compensation to accompany the title. If I *was* looking at her resume for a Director Role and saw she was actually an IC in a small organization, I would not see the depth of experience and responsibility I am searching for. In short, she was titling herself out of a job.

When I was working at Microsoft and looking for Senior Management candidates, it was understood that a Director at MSFT would often be a VP or General Manager at a smaller company. At a smaller company, titles are often "inflated" by virtue of the size of the organization. If you are the CFO or Controller at a 10 person company, that may mean that you are responsible for all the financial functions; AP/AR, collections, general ledger as well as managing the operations budget for the organization. But that doesn't mean you, as a candidate, are a good fit for a Senior Financial Manager at a larger company.

The same is also true in reverse. One of the most prevalent questions I hear these days is from senior candidates that are "overqualified" for IC roles. A VP of HR at a 300 person company in a depressed area like, say, Cleveland or Detroit, has a hard time finding a job with the other 500 HR generalists on the market. They *have* the functional skill set to do a generalist job, but because of their experience they are being overlooked for those roles. It is frustrating for the candidate because they need to work. But there are several reasons from a recruiting standpoint that makes these candidates less attractive. The first is quite simply economic; senior candidates make a lot more money than an IC. Although these candidates are willing to take the "going rate" for an IC, it's a major gamble for any organization that is tight on money. Then there is the fear that bringing in a senior candidate will just be a stop-gap measure for them until the market turns around. In other words, they'll leave as soon as the going gets better and they can find another job. It is also a more subtle concern that a senior candidate will come in and try to change the established "order" or structure of things.

Let's face it; it is a buyer's market, and companies are the buyers. So what can you do, as a senior candidate, to make yourself more "sellable"? First, take your experience to the lowest common denominator. This does, admittedly, border on dumbing down your resume, but you *must* make yourself attractive to a potential employer. Carefully look at the job description and then pull out the requirements. Go through your employment history of the last 7-10 years, and tailor your resume to match *those requirements*. Period. Write your summary to address exactly the requirements for the organization, and get rid of extraneous accomplishments. If you were a manager, become an XYZ professional. For our CFO and VP of HR, they would become Staff Accountant and Sr. HR Generalist, respectively. Or a member of the Accounting team or the Human Resources Staff.

Make sure that your title isn't putting you out of the running for positions that you are either over- or under- qualified for. These days, for every job opening I have, I am getting a very high number of applicants, and of those, a very high percentage are going to be *exactly* what I am looking for, so I don't need to stretch to find a "relative" fit. On top of that, many organizations are required to be compliant with certain federal guidelines that state that an organization must consider *every qualified applicant.* And *only* qualified candidates. The qualifications have set parameters, and to even be considered you need to fall into those parameters (which is often defined by a set keyword search).

Remember, your resume is a tool to get you in the door. You may need several versions of it to get your foot over the threshhold.

Leveraging LinkedIn For The Job Seeker

Conquent — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:21:49 -0800

Recruiters use LinkedIn extensively for finding candidates. It is an inexpensive way for recruiters to find potential talent, not only as a primary source for talent but also for networking. As a job seeker, here are some tips to leverage LinkedIn to make sure you are "findable" by recruiters and other people that are looking.

1) Just like Monster, Dice, CareerBuilder, and corporate candidate databases, LinkedIn allows keyword searching and matching. So it's vital that you take advantage of this feature. (See my previous entry on effective keyword usage on your resume.) Here are the main fields that recruiters use in conjunction together:

-keyword. LinkedIn does not allow for complex searches, so usually we only use one or two keywords at a time in conjunction with other fields. Certifications and Registrations. Think acronyms. (PMP, ITIL, RN, MSW)
-title (past and present)
-company
-location

2) Resume: If you look on your profile page over to the right, there is a small icon for the Adobe PDF next to the printer. This handy dandy little widget converts a LinkedIn profile to a PDF document that looks remarkably like a...resume! I remember how enthusiastic I was when this was added, because it meant I could save the profile as a PDF to share with my hiring managers. SO, what does this mean? *treat your LinkedIn profile like a resume.* Follow the same rules of thumb you would with composing your resume. Don't just list your company, title and dates of employment. Give some detail as to *what you do/did.* Help us find you, and make yourself appealing.

3) Websites: "My company", or "My blog". I've often managed to contact people from their "website" links. Sometimes it is a second business, or perhaps it's a link to your blog with a "contact me" section. Remember, if someone isn't in your first degree contacts, they cannot contact you unless you are a LION (LinkedIn Open Networker) or enable open communication except if you are in ...

4) Groups: when you join various "groups" on LinkedIn, especially professional or special interest groups, you can choose to let other members of the group contact you. For example, I belong to several groups such as Linked: Seattle and the Seattle Job Social and Amazon Alumni, where I can post jobs and connect up with other people. On top of that, each group has a "jobs" tab where recruiters or hiring managers can post their jobs. (It costs $195 to post a single job for 30 days in the actual "jobs" section of LinkedIn. The "jobs" tabs are a much more cost-effective and generate more interest.) Treat the groups as you would any other professional organization: as a great way to connect with other professionals and like-minded individuals. Join in discussions, make yourself a known quantity. Give people a reason to *want to get to know you* as a resource, and possibly even for generating some business or leads in your field.

5) Answers: an excellent way to establish yourself as a SME is to answer questions in appropriate subject categories. For example, if you look at my profile, I have a high number of "expert" ratings in Staffing and Employment, Job Search and Resume Writing. I've also built a significant portion of my network by engaging in off-line discussions with other professionals who commented on, agreed (or respectfully disagreed) with my answers. This is where the true "social" networking comes into play on LinkedIn.

6) Status Report: on your Profile page, you can update your status, and also share out that information as a tweet on your twitter account. This is a great tool because these updates come as email network updates to important individuals in your network, like former colleagues, recruiters, industry professionals, etc., and it integrates Twitter with your LI account. Remember: Twitter is an amazing platform for gathering information, disseminating *your* expertise and branding yourself. Having it integrated with LI is a brilliant move. Don't just keep a "Steve Smith is seeking new opportunities" or "Jean Doe is available to help you with your staffing needs." Update your profile often; share interesting links to articles or updates to your blog (with the URL of course) about your industry. Keep it fresh and interesting.

7) Recommendations: I have heard of companies in Seattle that don't ask for references any more. They only use LI recommendations. What does this tell you? That those recommendations are important. And that it is vital to get them *before you think you might need them.* Who should they be from? Managers, peers, clients. People that can attest to your work. The same people that you would use as references when asked for them. These days, many companies have stringent policies about not giving any sort of post-layoff references, so you should start gathering them well before you need them. In addition to your own references, if you get your network email updates and see someone you know is gathering references, it might be a clue that s/he is getting ready to start looking for a new job. Make sure that whomever you are asking/giving for references is someone with whom you have a solid working relationship. I recently was asked for a recommendation for someone that I have known for over a decade, but only socially. I told her I was not comfortable commenting on her work, as I've never worked with her (she also lives on the other side of the country and isn't in recruiting.)

8) Put your LinkedIn profile URL on your resume and your business cards. Recruiters check LI profiles. Make sure your experience on your profile *matches* your resume. At this month's Seattle Job Social, I was gratified to see very few resumes and lots of folks handing me business cards with their LI url's on them.

9) Please don't have multiple LinkedIn profiles and accounts. I know one recruiter I was looking up that had four profiles all under different email addresses. If I have to look *that hard* to find you I'm going to lose interest.

10) Speaking of email : Use *all your email addresses* to accept LI invitations. If you are actively seeking work, put your email address in your *profile* somewhere so that I can contact you easily. Create a job seeking email address if you don't want to share your contact information with the world.

11) Link to Recruiters. This should be a very basic no-brainer. Even if recruiters are out of work themselves, they still know other recruiters that have job openings.

12) Be reciprocal. Don't just ask and ask for people to forward *your* requests. Help others. Pay it forward. This is about building communities and networks.

13) Check out other people's profiles in your field. See what they are doing, what their updates are, what sort of articles they are reading. This is a way to learn about your own industry. See what groups they belong to and join them. If they list external blogs, go read it and comment. It helps build your credibility and gives you visibility.

LinkedIn is a valuable, robust community filled with interesting people and potential business contacts. If you are a job seeker, make yourself attractive to potential employers, and network your way into an excellent job.

The Currency of Business Favors And The Job Seeker

Conquent — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:26:31 -0800

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine was sitting in a coffee shop at the mall and was chatting with another patron who had just moved to Seattle and was having trouble finding a job. She mentioned she had a friend that is well connected and a recruiter, and offered to put us in touch. He eagerly accepted her help and they exchanged email addresses.

He did contact me and we arranged to meet at the same coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon. We confirmed, I sent him a photo, and an email earlier in the day with my attire so he could find me. I got there about 10 minutes early. And waited. And waited. Finally, after 30 minutes I left.

I sent him an email, telling him I had waited for 30 minutes and wishing him the best with his job hunt. He replied, saying he was sorry that he couldn't "make it". He wanted to reschedule.

I politely informed him that I generally charge money to meet with people to discuss career and resume matters, and that I had agreed to meet with him gratis as a favor. I referred him to a friend of mine that is an Employment Specialist at Worksource (WA state's unemployment office) with her contact info and that he could get go with no appointment, and at no charge.

My point is, the message he portrayed was that he doesn't care how he is perceived professionally; he doesn't take his job hunt seriously; he has no understanding of the currency of business "favors". Based on his behavior, I would assume that he is someone that will job hop and possibly call in sick excessively. This goes back to personal employment branding.

Make sure that when you are managing your job search you are treating potential contacts as the golden resources that they are. Use your currency wisely and well.

Ways For Recruiters To Find You

Conquent — Sat, 6 Feb 2010 11:50:10 -0800

I was emailing with a friend in Boston that I used to work with. She's a recruiter and she commented that she reads my blog. I asked her if there was any topic she would like to see, and her response was, "make sure I can find them!"

"Them" is candidates. She wasn't referring to job boards like Monster, but more about networking sites such as Plaxo, LinkedIn, or other online places. For example, if anyone runs a search on my name, this blog is one of the top searches that comes up. Anyone can leave me a message that I get in my email. My "footprint" is everywhere.

I've advised any number of people to write a professional or special interest blog. It does a number of things. It establishes *your* internet identity. It also allows you to expound on current subjects in your profession or topics of interest, which leads you to become a subject matter expert and "findable" when a recruiter runs a search on the subject.

Make sure you have a bio page on your blog. It doesn't have to be a full on resume, but a list of the sorts of professional positions you have had and the companies you have worked at. This helps the recruiter verify that it, indeed, you that they are looking for.

Do you have a Facebook page? If you don't, you are seriously missing out on the opportunities recruiters use to reach out to potential candidates. Here's a hint: anyone can send you a message on FB, and if you come up in a search for a specific skill set, or perhaps you have an old resume in a database with a defunct email address or an old phone number then FB may be the best/easiest way to get hold of you.

So, if you want to found, make yourself visible to the people you want to find you.

Laborer? Contractor? Retail Associate? Yes, You DO Need A Resume!

Conquent — Fri, 1 Jan 2010 11:15:25 -0800

The last few days I've been working on a skilled trade opening for a Floorlayer. I'm amazed at the number of people that find the position online, send me email, yet don't have or don't bother to include a resume. EVERYONE that has a job should have a basic resume. It isn't difficult to write one, and it doesn't need to be elaborate. But these days, business practices dictate that you should have a full resume. Whether you are an electrician, plumber, janitor, short order cook, or retail associate, having a current resume is vital to increase your chances of finding a job. There are several reasons why.

1) It shows that you know how to communicate effectively in English.
2) A resume clearly lays out your skills and employment history for an employer to see.
3) You are presenting a more professional profile to a potential employer
4) Any business involved with the federal, state, county, or city government *requires* a resume to evaluate candidates for positions.
5) A resume is an excellent way to track your employment history for purposes of filling out applications.

Putting together a "blue collar" resume is no different than any other. The same pitfalls should be avoided as you would for a profession such an accountant or a lawyer.

Full contact information (name, phone number/s, email address, city and state of residence; street address is optional)

A nice transition to your employment history is a professional summary detailing any licenses you have (by state and license number), specific industry/job skills with the number of years you have been practicing them, and any specialized training (NOT your HS or college education!) you have received.

Then, list out your employers *in reverse chronologic order*.

Company, location (City/State/Province), years of employment, your title.
Brief desription of your main job duties or projects for that employer.

Education
HS/College, course of study, and degree/diploma achieved.

You should not put your references on your resume. You do not need a generic objective, it wastes space. A cover letter telling me you have 15 years as a journeyman carpenter is NOT a resume. It does not need to be one page or shorter, it should generally be no longer than two pages if you have more than 7 years of experience.

Please, please PLEASE do not use a functional resume. It does not give hiring managers and HR professionals the information we need in a way that we can make sense of. And please, do not use vague, trite words and phrases to describe your career. Be precise, targeted and contextual. Do NOT just cut and paste the same job duties under every job heading. You should NOT be doing the same thing for every different employer. If you are, you are not growing as a professional. Most of all, use proper grammar and punctuation with perfect spelling. There is absolutely no excuse for misspelled words on a resume.

Nursing Graduates - Acute Care

Conquent — Sun, 6 Dec 2009 20:38:58 -0800

I'm specifically reaching out to nursing graduates. I'm currently working in healthcare recruiting (a new field for me) and I'm approached by new RN's that cannot find a job. The market is glutted, and hospitals are currently only looking for experienced nurses. So I finally had a chance to talk to one of our nurse recruiters and here are some tips,

-ANY direct patient care is valuable on your resumes. Volunteer work, clinicals, internships. All of it is helpful.

-The question of alternate career titles has been bandied around like CNA, Nurse Technician, Technologist, LPN as paying jobs. Is this a viable career move? The short answer is "yes", considering a position that is less money and responsibility but gets you direct patient care experience is an option. It depends on how badly you need to work and where you are looking.

-Traveling nurse positions are picking up and this can give you very valuable experience and a nice nest egg.

-You seriously need to consider relocation, and maybe on your own dime. If you live an area with extremely high unemployment, like MI, you are competing for entry level salaries against seasoned nurses with years of experience. Look at areas where there are large medical centers/teaching hospitals or, alternatively, rural settings where there is less interest in moving as a young professional.

-This isn't for everyone, but seriously consider doing something like the Peace Corps, Doctors Without Borders, or the military (including the Reserves). Not only will you gain extremely valuable experience, but you will open doors you never thought of.

-One thing to keep in mind. If you have your heart set on a hospital career, taking a "short term" stint in a private practice, school or long-term care facility will greatly lessen your chances for attaining that hospital position. These are different skill sets and the further you get from acute care, the more difficult it is to convince a potential hospital/employer that you can transfer those skills.

Remember your resume is your sales tool. The more experience you can put on it that maps to direct patient care, the better your chances of landing an acute care position.

Why Companies Don't Gamble on Job Hoppers

Conquent — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:21:12 -0800

I'm helping one of my coworkers review candidates for "junior" jobs requiring 1-2 years of experience. I'm seeing a lot of candidates with spotty job histories, where they move around and job hop a lot. Now, if a candidate has a string of part-time jobs while they are pursuing a degree of some kind, that paints a much different picture than someone who doesn't have a degree. It's not the *degree* that is the issue, but the string of jobs.

Now, there is a difference between working a series of temporary jobs to get experience and having a bunch of "permanent" jobs that last 6 months or less. And here is the reason why job-hopping is seen as a negative.

*It costs an organization thousands of dollars to recruit and train a new employee*.

I'm including statistics we used to give a powerpoint presentation a few months ago to our hiring managers. These numbers are based on a per-hire average of a full-time employee (hours for employee are calculated on an a salaried employee making $60K).

Recruiting Resources (people): $628
Sourcing Resources (ads, job boards, career fairs): $125
Candidate Sourcing: $58
Resume Reviewing (hundreds of resumes, man hours involved to review by both recruiting/managers): $632,555
Phone Screens (recruiting and hiring team in terms of man hours): $44,488
Internal Interviews (man hours): $4,449
Realistic Job Preview (evaluating the job, headcount forecasting, writing and editing the job description): $3,941
Screening/assessment costs: $268
Offer preparation/Acceptance Costs: $578
Training New Hire: $3,668
Cost of new hire materials: $1,500
New Hire Salary Expense (paid to learn, no productivity): $1,177
Manager time during ramp-up period (coaching, mentoring): $736

So, as you can see from a purely fiscal standpoint, it is *expensive* to hire a new employee. And if a candidate has a habit of job hopping, why would an organization spend the money and man-hours to take a gamble on someone with a proven history of leaving in less than a year?

There is a difference between being laid off from a position due to downsizing and job hopping. Really, the last 18 months or so won't count against most candidates (here's a hint: put on your resume that you were downsized due to corporate restructuring/office closure.) But if you are in, say, retail, and you keep changing stores every few months, why would anyone believe you capable or interested in holding down a job long-term? Either you chose to leave, or you were terminated. Once or twice is one thing, but a repeated history of it is a huge red flag to employers.

So, if at all possible, you should try to stay in any job at least a year. Twelve months. Moving within an organization is fine, but jumping from employer to employer is going to lose you opportunities if you make it a career lifestyle.

Why The Third Degree?

Conquent — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:45:05 -0800

Yesterday on one of my community discussion lists, a candidate was trying to figure out why she is getting so many "questionnaires" for jobs she is pursuing. I've heard this a lot in the last year, and it frustrates jobs seekers. Here is a possible explanation.

From a recruiting perspective I can give you some possible additional insight. In 2005, a large number of companies across the country were hit with a new EEOC directive by the OFCCP (Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.) This initiative hits about 65-80% of companies in the Seattle area. It is any company that has *any* sort of contract *or sub-contract* with the government.

The new guidelines state that said companies must be able to prove from an auditable standpoint, that they are considering each and every qualified applicant for each and every position for which the applicant applies.

On the surface this may not seem to affect the recruiting process, but what has happened is that almost universally companies have decided to drive all applicant tracking to their corporate websites.

One of the stipulations of this initiative is that every candidate must be evaluated using the *exact same set of criteria.* That means that if the candidate passes the first screen (has the hard skills required for the job, including past experience and education), then all candidates must then be further evaluated *exactly the same*. This means that the same questions must be asked (verbally or in writing). In addition, *each and every applicant* must be "dispositioned" with the reason they have been dropped out of consideration at each stage of the hiring process.

These guidelines, at the time they were instituted, more than tripled the amount of work for recruiters on each open position. Add to that the economic impact of the 10% unemployment nationally and the huge number of applicants for every position, and perhaps this can help to illuminate the need for tighter screening across the board.

The financial consequences for *not* following these processes is twofold: loss of contracts and hefty fines for each infringement.

Prepping for a live interview

Conquent — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:42:48 -0800

One of my friends has been laid off for just about a year now, and she asked me for some tips on preparing for a face to face interview since she hasn't done it in over four years. Here are my suggestions:

There are a couple of things I see a lot of when I'm interviewing a candidate or get feedback from a team member that has interviewed.

1) Make sure you have read the job description and if you have questions about the job or environment ask the recruiter before you go in. (Things like core business hours, size of the team, work environment, company culture). These would be considered company questions. As a candidate, I always ask the recruiter if there are press releases or marketing materials or external websites I can look at to help prepare for the interview. Then come with some questions about the product/service that you can ask specific team members. (See #3 ;)

2) Often an interviewer will describe a project, or the potential role, and a candidate gets fired up and interrupts the interviewer before they have finished what they are going to say. Always let the interviewer complete their thought/question.

3) ASK QUESTIONS. Most interviewers leave you about 10 minutes for questions of your own at the end. You want to seem interested. Some questions I ask interviewers is "tell me about a typical day", and "why did you decide to work here" and "are there any team dynamics that make this a particularly enjoyable/challenging environment?"

Request clarification if needed. For example, I had a phone screen last year and the manager asked me "tell me about your experience with compensation." I lobbed back at her "Do you mean compensation surveys and benchmarking or negotiation or understanding total comp versus base salary?" My response actually told her the answer to the question. My point is, you might get something that is not only "open ended" but has more than one possible way it can be answered. Ask for clarification. This sort of question is actually less about the answer than it is about the thought process and how you approach problem solving.

4) If you haven't done so, read up on behavioral based interviewing. This is how most businesses conduct interviews. The premise is that what you have done in the past is predictive of how you will re/act in the future. So you are going to be asked a ton of "tell me about a time when" sort of questions. You need to think about some situations that demonstrate your core business skills.

5) KNOW YOUR RESUME. EVERYTHING on it is fair game in an interview.

6) One of the biggest problems I see is candidates that talk about their teamwork or projects as part of a team. You need to focus on your individual contributions. People forget about that sometimes. The company is interviewing *you* the individual, not you, member of "The Team".

"Breaker one niner, we have a Big Bird at 1 o'clock"...

Conquent — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:14:27 -0800

A few weeks ago I received a phone call from a woman wanting some information about her daughter's application for a job she had applied for. I asked the woman if her daughter was over eighteen and she assured me that her daughter was.

She was quite unhappy when I informed her that I could not divulge that information to her, as legally it is restricted information. I did tell her how her daughter could access the information by logging into her profile on our website.

This was my first actual experience with a Generation Y Helicopter Parent, named for their tendency to hover and dart in to "help" their grown children along the road of their lives. This can refer to everything from helping them fill out applications, to giving them advice on who to date, what school to attend or employers to apply to and scheduling their interviews for them.

I have been reading about the Millenials for an upcoming presentation I'm preparing for about using social media for recruiting and retaining this up and coming generation. Among the very real attributes of Generation Y is that they are very tied to their parents, they are maturing emotionally at a slower rate than previous generations, and they need a very high level of feedback and communication from those around them.

Today I had my first live interaction with a Helicopter parent. I was at job fair, and a young man and older man walked up to our table with the fairly standard "what sort of jobs have you got?" I gave my reply, "well, what is your background?" I addressed my comment to the older gentleman as he had asked the question.

"He's looking for something in IT." I turned my attention to the young man and started asking some questions (pointedly ignoring his father). He started writing some notes down, and I turned back to his father and said, "and what sort of a position are you looking for?" He got flustered for a moment and then said that he had a job. I put on my best puzzled face for a few seconds and he had the grace to blush, mumble something to his son, and step back a few paces.

Most of the documentation I have been reading about these helicopter parents has to do with how they are handling their children's career decisions and the impact it is having on employers.

But while I absolutely applaud a young professional for wanting feedback from their family and valuing that feedback, when it comes to recruiting the public at large needs to understand something vital: we are an industry that has very tight legal strictures on what information we can and cannot share with anyone other than a candidate. On top of that, a candidate that chooses to involve his or her parent in every phase of the job seeking process stands a very good chance of coming across as incapable of making their own decisions which does not set a good tone with either a recruiter or a hiring manager.

Millenials and their families need to understand that any part of the interviewing and negotiation phase of job seeking is an individual activity. Candidates can absolutely rely on their parents to help them ask questions that are pertinent to the job or organization, and there is no question that their world experience and opinions can help a candidate make a solid decision on their best options and opportunities, but the candidate needs to be confident and assertive enough to ask those questions on their own, and be able to do so in a one-to-one situation. This means no having Mom or Dad sit in on an interview, no conference calling to discuss an offer with salary negotiation. Part of the process includes taking time to *negotiate*, so there is nothing wrong with saying "I have to think about your offer" and coming back with more questions, clarification, and even a counter-offer. But the bottom line is that in this very highly competitive market, we are only interested in hiring Jen or Joe, not Jen, Joe, their Mom and Dad.

Parents want the best for their children, and "hovering" is obviously a sign of love and caring. But part of the parenting process is learning to trust your child and the wonderful set of values you have instilled within them. Trust them, and trust yourselves to have done the right thing. Let them stand up straight and be the person you have always wanted them to be.

Make Sure To Come Prepared

Conquent — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:04 -0800

I've been attending a series of job fairs recently with my job. I don't mind them that much; gets me out of the office and I get to meet new people and put a face on the organization.

Most of the candidates I meet have their "elevator pitch" down, which is good. It helps me zero in on what sorts of positions to discuss with them. But here's the part where almost everyone is losing ground. When I ask them what they are looking for and get one of these answers:

1) Anything
2) Well, what have you got?

My organization is quite large, and we have a number of recruiters. I don't know every job open for every department. So these two responses are really wasting my time, especially when there is a line behind the candidate to talk to us.

All job fairs have a list of employers posted before the fair. Candidates should take the time to look at the websites of these employers and bring *specific job descriptions* with them to ask recruiters about, including job codes that can usually be found on the website with the job description. It would also behoove them to bring a targeted resume along with that job description to submit to the recruiters in attendance. If the candidate is prepared in this manner, I can pair his/her resume with the job description and then route their resume to the recruiter that is handling that specific job.

If you find yourself attending job fairs in the future, please do yourself and potential employers a favor and come prepared.

A Full Moon?

Conquent — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:59:42 -0800

Today is international Blog Awareness Day, and the subject is climate change. I'm going to tie this into recruiting by talking first about how the moon affects tides, and how if we continue to send *bombs* to the moon, we very well may change the oceans' tides.

But beyond that, I wonder what would happen to all the "crazy" people that really do seem to emerge when there is a full moon? I know it seems like an old wives' tale, but I have seen an increase in inexplicable behavior when the moon is full. Honest.

What makes us do things that seem to make little or no sense? For example, today I was at a job fair at a local community college. Signs everywhere that this was a *job* fair. I was there recruiting for the University. And we had several people come up to our table asking how they can transfer. (Come again? I have no idea, I work in *recruiting*. For *jobs*.) But I think the one that really threw me for a loop more than anything was the question "what kind of jobs do you have open?" My response is, "well, what are you looking for, what is your background?"\

"Anything."

OK, that really doesn't help me. If you are talking to employers, you should have a basic idea of what you are either interested in (you *are* in school, right? You must be studying *something*. Try using that for a guideline...) or what you have done in the past.

So please at least come a bit prepared when you are going to talk to me about jobs. Do us both a favor and try and make a good impression. Don't let NASA's experiments with blowing up the moon and changing the tides affect you like a maniac.

Defining the "Social" in Networking

Conquent — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:46:03 -0800

Networking, meeting other people and leveraging each others' resources and providing support, is vital in today's economy. It is a way to maximize your own opportunities and to uncover those that may or may not be "advertised." But beyond the usefulness of Social Networking as a tool it is also a great way to generate "good karma". Helping others is always a good thing, and I've found over the years that there is some truth to the old adage "what goes around comes around". Believing and practicing this sort of business ethic also greatly enhances your reputation and your professional brand.

Forming support groups for the unemployed is a great way to meet new people, hear about new trends, who's hiring, what methods seem to work and which don't. It is also a way to gain secondary contacts which may help you in your future endeavors. But it is a give and take. It is a *sharing* model. "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" mentality. People who only take and take and take without giving are going to be the people that are left standing by the side of the road when the economy picks up. And believe me, when times are tough, people remember the bad much more readily than they do the good.

That being said, there are some times when "social" is not appropriate. My current employer attends a lot of job fairs, both from a candidate generation (getting resumes) standpoint and from a basic community outreach position. We are a very well known employer and associated with a large organization (university). A couple of weeks ago, I was at an industry job fair, and there was a long line at our table. I repeated a lot of the same information, handed out the same brochures, and explained the process often. I noticed two things about the candidates that approached in particular. One was that many of them came in pairs. This isn't that unusual in economic times like ours. However, as a candidate, you need to be aware of the fact that there are people behind you and that I am very busy trying to help as many people as I can. So when you are chatting with your friend to the exclusion of all else, you give me the impression that you aren't really serious about finding a position. You have the opportunity to talk to me, ask me questions, get my contact information, and make a lasting impression. But if you act as if speaking to me is cutting into your social life, I guarantee I'm not going to even look at your resume let alone contact you for a job.

And speaking of impressions, I was appalled at the number of people that showed up in jeans and t-shirts, wearing tennis shoes or flip flops or other casual attire. I don't expect unemployed professionals to come to a job fair necessarily wearing a suit, but at least go to the trouble to put on a nice pair of pants/skirt and a collared shirt with appropriate shoes. You can find a lot of decent clothing at thrift stores or discount retail outlets that don't cost an arm and a leg. Or borrow something from a friend or family member. I'd rather see something stylistically outdated but still professional over the latest Juicy Couture t-shirt. You don't need to go out and get your hair dyed and your nails manicured, but take the time to run a brush through it and file your nails so that they look neat.

Remember that you only have one chance to make that vital first impression. Do your best to be perceived as professional, whether you are going to a job seekers networking lunch or a construction worker's job fair. I guarantee you it makes a difference.

On Being A Recruiter

Conquent — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:27:17 -0800

Earlier today one of my listservs had a tirade from a bunch of frustrated IT candidates about how recruiters aren't doing their jobs. The following is my response to them.
===========================================================
OK, last night one of my coworkers and I went to the Seattle Job Social. And by coworker I mean someone on my team. We work recruiting for the UW *Medical Centers*. I spent about 3 hours yesterday afternoon finding, formatting and printing as many IT, marketing, and training-related jobs as I could from our database that I could find, as I know that these seem to be the populations most represented at the SJS. We went as the face of UW, because we certainly didn't expect to find any nurses, phlebotomists, or surgery technicians at a primarily IT-industry population event.

As of last May, I was unemployed. I worked my network to try and drum up some freelance business, and some of my colleagues that were still employed sent me some work, but I never made a dime off of that work. I met with a lot of unemployed friends, acquaintances, referrals, etc. Last night on my way to the job social I made a call to someone looking for some career transition advice. I've met with or spoken to many of you on this list to try and help out, and I am happy to do so. And I know for a fact that I'm not alone. *Every* employed recruiter is spending time above and beyond their "work hours" trying to help people both singularly and in general. I know that I am one of the more accessible recruiters in Seattle, and I made that choice consciously.

I empathize and feel for those of you that are having trouble getting calls back from recruiters, both internally and in the agencies. Due to my extensive contracting history, I'm much more cognizant of the candidate experience than a lot of recruiters, and I have *withdrawn* my candidacy from companies that have treated me badly as a recruiting job candidate.

But please, do *NOT* generalize that recruiters don't care, are lazy, only hire their friends/family, ignore qualified candidates, don't give you the things you need to make your job hunt more successful etc ad nauseam. Unless you've *been* a recruiter, you have no idea of the intricate legal restrictions we have to follow in everything from how we post jobs, to consider candidates, to communicate with the disabled, to counsel and mentor our hiring managers. Each job (requisition in our parlance) is a *separate* repeated process with a wide variety of variance. Often, yes, a good recruiter will cross-market candidates to hiring managers, but when you have 25+ *different* skill sets you are recruiting for, that doesn't always work real well.

But the bottom line is that the final decision on who to interview and who to hire resides with the *hiring manager*. You want to know what is the *most* frustrating part of our job? Forming a relationship with a candidate, working to get them in front of a hiring manager and then having that manager *not get back to us* for days, weeks or even months on end. Or tell us after we have vetted candidates and presented them that "I need to revise the job description. I'm not seeing the right kind of candidate." Or put the job "on hold" because of budget issues, or a reorg, or any of another half dozen relatively common reasons. On top of that, just like every other profession in America, we are doing extra work to keep our organizations afloat. I'm writing training materials, working with our internal marketing team on employment branding strategies, helping my Director on getting our processes documented and best practices in place, and recruiting on
positions I was not *hired* to do but that my team needs help on. A 40-hour work week in corporate America right now? Dream on. When I was at Microsoft my workload and "extra" project load was even crazier.

Judge recruiters you have *spoken to* on an individual basis. But I'm telling you, from where I am sitting, every single negative comment that is made about recruiting and recruiters frustrates me, because you do *not* know what we, as a profession, are going through on a daily basis.

Come On In!

Conquent — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:31:09 -0800

Most women have a friend, relative, or other acquaintance that they know that either sells Mary Kay, Avon, Tupperware, or another direct marketing product that has a decent reputation. Knowing these individuals, we are happy to invite them into our homes for "low pressure" sales appointments.

I've been receiving a lot of requests from frustrated Seattleites who know that I am connected and are floundering in the morass of job boards, networking events, social networking and resume workshops, WorkSource appointments, etc.

One of the most frustrating things in this area is that we have a huge number of employment agencies. Microsoft literally changed the way the contingent staffing (hiring agency contractors) and temporary staffing business model looks, and their example has spread throughout not only Seattle, but the tech market in general.

When the "Dot Bomb" (as I lovingly refer to the 1998-2001 employment downturn) hit, many of us fled to the agencies for jobs to keep ourselves afloat. I ended up backat Microsoft (after being positive I would never go back in 1998) after being laid off from Amazon.com. The agencies have always been a refuge in times of employment turmoil for many of us.

But now, agencies are feeling the recession (or depression, depending on your economic outlook) even more than ever. But they cannot afford to show that they are floundering, less their reputation suffer and they lose clients. So they are putting up job openings that may or may not be legitimate while their business development/account managers work incredibly hard to drum up business (I wrote a whole blog on that on my ERE page, the largest portal for recruiters. Just google my name+ERE).

I mentioned the "resume black hole" a couple of posts ago. So here is where we go back to old fashioned basics. If you have applied for a number of positions that an agency has open and you haven't heard anything or your recruiter seems to have fallen off the face of the earth, I have a suggestion: go through the front door during business hours. Yes, put on a suit or other suitable business attire, take a hard copy of your resume and two-three of the open jobs that you have applied for *and are qualified for based on the job description* and just go to their offices. Ask to speak to a recruiter that handles the types of positions you are applying to.

This doesn't work for corporate recruiters, because of the sort of process we have, but when I worked at Volt, this happened at least once a week or so. It seems so antithetical to all the information out there ab out emailing and networking, but honestly, sometimes you just need to remember that a face to face meeting is the best way to make an impression.

No Need to SHOUT IT OUT!

Conquent — Sun, 2 Aug 2009 22:27:34 -0800

Do you know what I'm referencing? In email etiquette, using all capital letters is the equivalent of shouting. Depending on the context of the message it can be aggressive or argumentative; overbearing or rude; or just come across as someone annoying.

I was recently involved in an online discussion that developed into a contentious debate. One of the participants in the email discussion (of about five people) used bolded 15 point text and capitalized every other word to try and make her point. She was defensive and accusatory to people that differed in opinion with her, and took her dialogue in the "flame" category.

I have no idea what her age, but her style of communication came across as juvenile and annoying. It is sad that she probably does not realize how incredibly bad an impression she was making on the recruiting community she was addressing. Part of the discussion had to do with networking and job seeking techniques and strategies, and she either forgot or didn't understand one of the cardinal rules: always keep it professional.

Email and other written forms of communication can be tricky. We lose so much of the meaning and context that can be imbued in the spoken word, even the tone of voice over the phone. By using ALL CAPS TO MAKE YOUR POINT, and combining it with nothing but negative observations, it really leaves a bad impression on the reader.

So please, leave the SHOUT in the laundry room.

Direct Marketing Yourself to Employers

Conquent — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:00:00 -0800

So this week on my Washington Recruiters discussion list, someone posted a question about HR/Recruiting's feelings on a direct-marketing method for getting a "foot in the door" to go around HR and recruiting.
Basically, after researching companies via Dunn and Bradstreet, the candidate writes a "proposition letter" based on an open position or perceived value-add that the candidate could bring to the company. After this letter is written, it is put in an odd-sized envelope and sent to the decision maker/s. Preferably a hiring manager or C-level executive.

My feeling, as was almost unanimously agreed with from the recruiting community, is that this method is outdated and out of touch with today's methodology for contacting *anyone*. We suggested using LinkedIn and networking through mutual business contacts. There was a member of our community that attended the seminar where this idea was first presented who stated that it does work, that there were people at the seminar that had tried it and actually gotten a response.

That being said, I decided to post the idea (as originally stated, looking for opinions outside of the HR world) on a couple of social media sites (LinkedIn Answers and Facebook). I got a couple of interesting responses from outside the HR/recruiting population (and some of the HR folks did chime in.) Below are the responses. So, this may be an alternative method to try when all else fails. It certainly can't hurt, although the cost is a bit more than using electronic means.
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Anything you do to keep on get on someone's mind and keep there attention there is good. For the people who say content is the most important look at any marketing you have ever seen. Most of the stuff isn't the greatest but people buy it anyway because its on there mind.

On the oddsized envelope it will probably work because I know I am more inclined to open odd sized pieces. Also with your note about D and B you should look at that and identify strong companies and mention that you did research on them.

Anything you do will put you farther ahead than doing nothing.

(Account Executive for a printing biz)
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And what is a proposition letter? What and who are you propositioning? A one night stand with someone you don't even know? Sure, an interesting or odd size envelope will catch someone's attention, they might even open it, but what will make them read what's inside? One glance at a 'proposition' and into the trash it goes. A good resume, well designed, thought out and well written that gives the reader, at a glance, who you are, what you do, what your skills and talents are, and work history succinctly, is worth all the contrivances in the world. A directed resume to companies in your sphere of expertise and the hiring manager of your particular department is even better. Don't listen to all this nonsense you've been listening too. Who knows if these companies have openings or need someone with your background. Doing selective research on companies that need your experience and background is far more worthwhile. Otherwise, you might as well go and apply at Home Depot. What sort of position are you truly looking for? That is the key question you should ask yourself. Good luck in your search. I hope this helps. (Recruiter)
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I haven't answered this via the Yahoo group, but my thinking is this would only be potentially workable IF the person had a solid networking contact to whom they could send the 'proposition letter' within the company...and if that was the case, it would be better to try and make a connection with that person rather than just sending them this letter.

I can't see any corporate recruiter reading this. Matthew Charney's ERE post today (linked) gives a pretty clear overview of how most recruiters 'triage' resumes. I think this letter would likely be treated much like a cover letter in 99% of cases by a recruiter--especially if it doesn't fit with their current req load.
(Recruiter)
=========================
Dear Kristen, I think it would certainly attract attention but I also believe ultimately it will be substance over style. The proposition letter would need to be personally tailored to get my attention enough to follow up. (University Career counselor )
I just finished a book that was proposing a similar approach. It proposes that we are leaving the age of traditional jobs and are shifting into a time of project like work. If true, then this is a fabulous way to attract attention to your skills.

I personally have had success in the off sized and colored envelope. It looks more like a birthday card or invitation. You see? It is to get them to open it, then if you have teasers that grab their attention to a particular need. (watch the industry publications for problems and assess your skills for solutions-offer them up.)

Try this one- Sympathy card: with hope attached.
Is your business suffering along with the economy right now?
Let's check your "essential systems" and see what we can tuneup.
If you are hearing the thump of a business slump hitting your door, ask yourself: Is it time for a visit from a specialist? I work on a success only basis, after we visit if I don't think I can help I will recommend someone who can. I'm in the solution business. (Trainer for eCommerce company)
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Sounds a bit desperate to me - and being in an odd sized envelope would indicate carelessness to me.

Perhaps use of a coloured but right size envelope would draw attention to it - but so what? Regardless of how much attention the packaging gets, it's still all about the content. (Director of Accounts Financial Sector)
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One of the things we've tried before when hiring for Consultants to work for us is to write a letter to people we've identified (and whose addresses we have) telling them about us and the position we want to talk to them about and asking them to get in touch.

The response rate was WAY higher than it would have been had we done the same thing via e-mail, so based on that alone I'd suggest that it's not a bad idea at all.

In amongst a sea of technology, the letter has become forgotten. (CEO boutique staffing firm)
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I think it's crass. It ought to be the contents of the envelope that are interesting but we live in such a ludicrous world it wouldn't surprise me if such a pointless stunt actually paid off.
What with "Keyword Bingo" and the "20-30 Second Scan" we are already giving preference to style over substance, so does it matter if we use just a bit more as we slip slowly into the abyss of idiocy? Probably not.

Why not single out a selection of prospective employers and stand outside their offices pelting the windows with rocks wrapped in copies of your CV? (Freelance copy editor/author)
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Personally, I like the idea. Considering the economy and competition, whatever one has to do to pull themselves ahead of the pack, good for them. Either it'll work or it won't but (what's the saying?) "nothing beats a try but a something"...someone help me out.... (Office manager for a consulting company)
Any form of "direct" marketing - direct mail, email, etc. - has both advantages and challenges. The figures I'm about to quote come from my own decades of experience, but I offer these "penetration rates" as examples. (Back in the days when we could follow up by telephone, we phoned after each wave.)

1. Single ink-on-paper piece sent USPS bulk rate or first class: 2% penetration (if we were lucky).

2. Multiple ink-on-paper pieces (a series, in a campaign) sent the same way: 35% penetration.

3. Multiple three-dimensional pieces (boxes, tubes, in a series) sent via UPS: 85-95% penetration.

To directly answer your theory, Kristen: Any time you can arrest a recipient's attention, it is a "good thing." A personalized letter in an oddly-sized or colored (or both) envelope will tend to get through more frequently. HOWEVER, there's no guarantee that the proposition will appeal.

To increase penetration and generate an appointment, try following up each mailed letter with a telephone call. This actually works far better if you send the letter three-day FedEx or similar - another well-learned lesson.

I'd be fascinated to learn how this comes out - but I do urge you to consider putting this question to direct-response professionals - more light, less heat. (Marketing professional)
=========================
We get those all the time here. I throw them away. There are services that are doing this for people. The letters are almost all the same and are normally addressed to our company owner in a very familiar fashion as though they are writing a note to an old friend. Something like "Dear Bob, I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know that I'm willing to take on that challenge that we discussed".
(Office manager for a custom manufacturing business)
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If there is no employment opening, this is a waste for both (non) "applicant" and HR.... And in HR, I want to know *exactly* what position he's applying for, stated clearly in his formal cover letter - don't make me guess. I'm okay with differentiating color/texture of paper, or sending flat vs folded, but I need to be able to put that non-standard piece of paper in a standard file folder at some point.
(Event Manager at a Non-profit)
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I've seen it work, but only for candidates for whom traditional approaches would have worked as well. In every case, the candidate was a great match for something the organization needed. (Career Counselor/Organizational Development Consultant)

The Resume "Black Hole"

Conquent — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:56:34 -0800

Over on one of my listserv communities, the discussion turned to resumes, jobs, and the common complaint that a candidate never hears back from a company after submitting their resume. Then a sarcastic comment (below) came across and I felt the need to step in and share some of my own observations..

"Wow, you've found HR people who actually read resumes? That's a shock."

Regarding resumes being read: remember that recruiters are pulling keyword searches and the resumes that match the searches are the only ones they are considering.

Many of the companies in this area including MSFT and *all it's vendors/agencies* are required to be compliant with a Federal EEO mandate that basically states that *all qualified candidates must be considered* for any/all open positions.

What this means is that if your resume doesn't match the job description, no one is going to look at it. There are two levels for considering a resume from a recruiting perspective.

1) Keyword pull. As I've posted several times in the past, Applicant Tracking Systems pull Boolean Searches based on two things. First, the words themselves. Second, the results are STACK RANKED based on the number of times the term/s are repeated in the resume. This includes experience and education, location (ie out of state), etc.

2) Once a recruiter has pulled a stack of loosely qualified resumes, s/he eyeballs them to see if the candidate meets the quantifiables, ie years of experience. Applicant Tracking Systems cannot determine if a candidate has over five years of experience. That is where the "eyeballing" human action comes in.

3) AFTER the candidates have been identified, they have to be moved along in the system. Often that is a manual process, which means that *each profile* has to be assigned some sort of a status.

Now please imagine the number of resumes each of us have to look through for *one* position. Yesterday, I spent six hours looking through over 250 resumes for an entry level office position. We are completely inundated with people applying for each position, many of them unqualified or just grasping at whatever seems remotely like a job they are qualified for.

So what does this say to you? *Your resume needs to be TARGETED* to each position. And it also should tell you that most recruiters are ignoring cover letters. On top of all the resumes, we are still setting up interviews, scheduling phone screens, conducting reference checks, managing live interview loops, negotiating offers with candidates, and working with our hiring managers on both current and upcoming positions. Recruiting is a complex profession, it is heavily regulated by legal strictures, and a recruiter isn't the only person in the process. Our main clients are our hiring managers, and recruiting, while important to them, is *not* always their highest priority. Recruiters have really had a heavy hit with this economy. Fewer jobs open mean fewer resources needed and assigned to fill them. Most of us are carrying double or triple our "normal" workload because of downsized colleagues. And if a company doesn't have dedicated recruiters, but has their HR Generalists function in this capacity as well as their generalist duties, this is in addition to dealing with things like employee issues, changes in federal laws and compliance, etc.

So please, keep this in mind when getting frustrated with the "black hole" you feel your resume has entered.

Truth Or Consequences

Conquent — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:09:15 -0800

Yesterday I had the unpleasant responsibility of rescinding two offers of employment for candidates. I had to tell the hiring managers that their new employees would not be eligible to work for them and I had to call the candidates and tell them that they were ineligible to apply with us for two years. And both of them were the same reason.

They lied on their applications. Specifically, they failed to disclose criminal convictions.

It is important to keep in mind that criminal convictions will not necessarily bar you from employment in most jobs. There are some guidelines, of course. If you have two DUI's in the last three years, chances are you won't be eligible to be a driver, but that doesn't mean you wouldn't be considered for a sales position, for example.

Applications for employment are *legal documentation*. And they are the first "official" line of trust between you and a new employer. Why would an employer want to hire you if you start off your relationship with a lie?

Background checks of any kind are confidential. If a past conviction is disclosed but does not have a direct bearing on the responsibilities of the position, the hiring manager never sees the results of it. Only HR has access to this sort of information. So not disclosing it for fear of looking bad for your new boss is a needless worry.

So do yourself and us all a favor. Be honest. It really *is* the best policy.

What Is That Acronym?

Conquent — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:54:44 -0800

I've been seeing a lot of mysterious resume acronyms lately. Being new to the healthcare recruiting industry, I asked my new co-workers if they could define these "certifications" for me. (Appearing after the candidate's name at the top of their resume.)

BA, MA.

They were as stumped as I was. Reading through the resume, we ascertained that the candidates were indicating their education level. And we all *also* agreed that it was inappropriate.

I've repeatedly stressed the importance of *targeted* information on your resume. With as many people out of work that each candidate is competing against, trying to be "clever" or to stand out can backfire on you in a major way.

Certifications are issued by governing bodies that establish and administer standards and then test that knowledge with rigorous *professional* examinations.

An advanced degree may be required to take the certification tests, but the degree is not the certification designation. For example, an attorney, or Esq., requires a JD. But the award of a Doctorate Jurisprudence is indicated in the appropriate educational placement. "Esquire" indicates that the attorney has passed the bar exam. Not all people with JD's are attorneys.

Save the certification acronyms unless you've taken the *tests*. I'll find out you have a BA or MA or MS when I read the education section.

What Do You Mean By "Keyword"?

Conquent — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:55:08 -0800

Today I met with one of my resume clients. She is getting overwhelmed not only with the whole job search process, but also what she sees as conflicting viewpoints from recruiters and hiring managers about what they want on resumes.

Do use bullet points; don't use bullet points. Do have a keyword-based competency list, don't use the space up. One page, two pages. More details, less content.

OK first things to consider. That 1/3 - 1/2 of the top front page is your valuable real estate. This is where you get the "most bang for your buck". More and more commonly (thankfully, IMHO) we are seeing professional summaries. This is the single most effective place to put some *punch* if you are a seasoned professional. You probably want to put a short profile or summary statement at the top to orient your reader. It should indicate your profession (and also what you *want* to do, as so many professionals wear many hats today) in 2-3 sentences. Talk about specialties or industries as appropriate. It will be different for each person, and you may have more than one resume with this section.

Next comes the "keyword" section. Now, way too many people take this literally to be a set of "words". In my last post this is where I mentioned the generic soft skills vs. competencies. Personally, I prefer to see a list of 5-7 examples of things you have done *with those key words in them*. No more than that or it starts to look too much like a functional resume. Below are some terms that I received last year from someone asking for help with her resume. This was literally her second page and the front was crammed and unreadable.

Technical Writing/Editing
Business/Industrial Communications
Scientific/Technical Communications
Engineering Communications
Internal/Organizational Communications
Corporate Communications
Electronic and Desktop Publishing
Documentation Layout and Design
Technical Documentation Group (international
and domestic and reports)
Customer Liaison
Contracts
Bids and Proposals

Basically she wasted all that space telling me a variety of things she could do, without any context whatsoever. So what we did was take her competencies and put them in context:

-Freelance writer with expertise in authoring scientific articles on subject such as geology, meteorology, and biology for academic journals.

-Technical writer with a strong understanding of software documentation such as user manuals, training materials, software SDK, multi-lingual localization (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean).

-Experience with contracts such as software licensing agreements, construction management RFP's, web development bids and project proposals

Then, below each of these statements she outlined the appropriate skills or projects for the audience she was addressing rather than one list of skills that *might* turn up in a keyword search for fifteen different different positions.

Your reader wants context, not just a list of words.

It's also important to note that *this is the section that should be tailored for individual jobs you are pursuing*. In the example above, because she had such a diverse background, each of those points would set the tone for the rest of her resume and more examples. So she had one scientific writing version, one for software technical writing, one more focused toward project management and internal business communications.

Regarding format: *most* recruiters I have spoken with prefer a short outline of each position with bullet points highlighting your accomplishments.

As the technology that recruiters use for evaluating candidates has changed, so has the style of resume construction changed to meet that technology. Long ago, candidates were advised to keep their professional history to one page. "Less was more". Your resume is a "teaser". This was when you were typing your resume on a typewriter and then mailing it with a paper cover letter to a company. Those days are long gone.

Nowadays, recruiters *do* use keyword searches, based on the job description. *Resume database search tools return results stack ranked based on the number of times a search term is repeated in the resume.*

What does this mean? Basically you want to make sure you repeat key terms at least 2-3 times throughout your resume. But again, not just as a string of words. *CONTEXTUALLY*. How did those skills relate to your professional history? This includes your *title*, your *accomplishments*, your *summary*, your *company*.

Most importantly to remember, your resume is a work in progress. It should morph and change and you shouldn't be afraid to try a new format or restructure it. If it works, stick with it. If not, try something new.

Resume Summary: Generic Soft Skills vs. Career Competencies

Conquent — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:56:30 -0800

I was at the Seattle Job Social last night, and I saw the same thing that is becoming a trernd nowadays. Using trite, generic meaningless phrases in your professional summary.

Examples: Critical thinker, Excellent Verbal and Written Communication Skills, Strong Cross-group collaboration, A strong leader known for the ability to motivate others.

Guess what? I rattled that off in about 30 seconds. Know why? *EVERYONE PUTS IT ON THEIR RESUMES*. And it tells me *nothing*. For my writer friends, this is an example where I want you to "show don't tell".

Here is what I want: I want your professional competencies versus your soft skills on a resume. Your competencies are the things you learn on the job that are endemic to your field and industry. A couple of examples:

Instead of "Excellent Verbal and Written Communication Skills" I would prefer:
-Trilingual (English, German, Dutch) marketing manager with experience creating localized international web-based ad campaign resulting in a $3M increase in revenue over six months across the entire business unit

Rather than telling me "A strong leader known for the ability to motivate others" try:
-Manager responsible for software engineering teams between 12-19 with a 22% increase in productivity by introducing Agile Development methodology.

You want to orient your reader immediately to *you* professionally.Statistics are huge. How many managed, % increase/decrease, $ revenue earned/overhead cut, hours/time saved on project implementation.

Or, at the very least, orient me directly to what your key *industry and professional skills are*. (OK, admittedly this is my opening summary statement):

Strong Talent Acquisition professional with diverse experience recruiting technology, finance/operations, HR, sales/marketing, legal, R & D candidates, Professional Services. Proven success of sourcing diversity candidates. Experience interfacing with executive staff and management. Excellent history of creating and implementing unique sourcing strategies. International recruiting initiatives.

The point is, give your reader information that s/he can work with, that makes you stand out as an individual and not as another list of generic skills that everyone else is using.

.

A Twitter Success Story

Conquent — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:15:25 -0800

1)I met a Recruiter on Twitter at a very prestigious organization in Ohio (where I'm from originally).

2) Two days ago, I got an email from my family in OH requesting niche job board recommendations for friend of my brother.

3) I did a bit of research on niche job boards, and found out that the prestigious organization has a job opening that fits the resume of the family friend looking for a job.

4) Send resume to contact, who forwarded it on to the appropriate recruiter, who sent me an email requesting the candidate/family friend to apply online.

5) Forwarded the email to the family friend *with recruiter contact including name, email address, and phone number*. She now has a direct person to contact.

6) Am having dinner with my original Twitter contact when I'm in OH in 2 weeks.

That, my friends, is what networking is all about.

Resume Tips for College Freshman and Sophomores

Conquent — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:40:00 -0800

Last night I gave a resume presentation for the University of Washington Mu chapter of Sigma Kappa (I'm an alumna from OH). I put together a pretty detailed document, but I was gearing it more toward graduating seniors and those looking for internships. A lot of questions came up about whether or not to put anything from High School on your resume. I answered some of the questions but I'm trying to rectify that lack in today's blog post.

The basic rule of thumb for writing any resume is that whatever you put on your resume should be 1) Recent within two-three years 2) Applicable to what you are looking at doing. "Relevant" is a very subjective term. If getting a job is your goal, you want to present yourself in the best light possible overall, obviously.

If you are a freshman or sophomore, the first thing to remember is that prospective employers are looking for work and applicable collegiate experience demonstrating leadership, teamwork, and initiative. You should first take an inventory of your *current* college experiences to see what you can pull from it. Do you have a part-time job? Have you done volunteer work during the school year? Are you a member of any clubs or sport teams, or receiving any honors (academic honors, like Dean's list or on any sort of scholarship). Have you worked on any projects like a class presentation that has given you skills such as public speaking, research, and perhaps using PowerPoint? These are the items you need to think of first. If you are a sophomore are you perhaps an RA?

Work or volunteer experience should come first after your education section. *Education is always first on a collegiate resume until after one full year out of college or a full time job in that time*. It is always in reverse chronologic order, meaning most current to oldest. If you are a freshman, I wouldn't recommend going back any further than your junior year in HS unless you had some exceptional experience your freshman or sophomore year, or you held the same job multiple years running (like a summer job). Sophomores shouldn't go back any further than their senior year, or again, to call attention to something exceptional (an example would be a foreign exchange student your Junior year.)

Freshman and sophomores may have a minimum of actual work experience from their collegiate years, and they may be satisfying basic requirements that aren't specialized toward their majors; or, alternatively, they may not even have chosen a major yet. In this case, high school may provide the best source of "experience" for them. In my own case, the summer after my senior year, I babysat
for a family. I was actually more of a nanny, and that was a valid job to put on my resume at the time.

Here is how I would write such an entry (I'm dating myself here!)

Summer Child Care/Nanny - Foote Family
June-August 1984
Westlake, OH
Responsible for full time weekday care of three children ages 15 months - 12 years old and assorted household chores. Duties included devising activities for the children, feeding them lunch, ensuring the toddler took assigned naps, keeping the household for two working parents (ie cleaning, laundry, dishes, etc.)

The main thing to remember is that your high school years should not overshadow your collegiate experience. You want prospective employers to see your potential and work ethic *now*, not two or three years ago.

The History of Change - An Overview

Conquent — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:06:01 -0800

The last couple of weeks I've been doing some career counseling involving professionals wanting to change industries. One *into* IT, one *out* of IT into HR.

I've been so focused on finding the right skill set for existing industry positions and how the economy is effecting recruiting, I have almost had a block up against the thought of anyone trying to "change" not only career path, but also switch industries.

Lately I've been following a lot of talk about the effect of age in the employment arena, namely laying off/hiring practices with regard to the older employee. One of the main arguments (as I've stated, documented, counseled how to overcome, etc.) from those that practice ageism is that many older workers are inflexible when it comes to adopting and embracing change. And I realize that my block against career change could conceivably be construed as an example of that whole resistance to change. At an even more base level, it's a fear-generated reaction; I'm admitting that in a spurt of overall self-examination and growth.

But here's the thing: I'm *not* resistant to change. I love trying new tools and processes, giving them a "test run" to see if they might make my life easier and more interesting. For example, I joined the Twitter revolution a couple of months ago, and have quickly learned how to use it effectively for my needs, and understanding the business impact it can have across multiple industries. I've tried two independent applications and even a new social media browser, in a delighted attempt to explore this whole culture evolving in the personal and professional realms.

A large majority of people reach a point in their lives where they want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of twenty, thirty, or more years of hard work, overall growth in life, and accomplishments. Maybe they are just *tired* of constantly trying to be moving up, being agile and managing constantly changing elements around them and having *responsibilities*. They look back and see how complex things have gotten and long for a return to a simpler time. I see this as being a form of burnout, honestly.

Culturally the last fifty years have been about growth and acquisition. Money, possessions, prestige, power. We have started the downward slope of the bell curve. We can look to the industrial age, the excesses of the twenties and the great Depression as examples; the rise and fall of the Roman Empire or Classical Greece; the Middle Ages on through the Renaissance. Over and over we see these bell curves. And for some reason, we keep repeating the patterns.

As a species, we are uniquely suited to change and adaptability. Individually, I believe the majority of people are focused on "necessities". But with these changes, we have to change our cultural definitions of "necessities". And once our cultural outlook changes, I believe "change" won't evince such a gut fear reaction. Hopefully we can look at the last 2000 years our "Lessons" won't be so cataclysmic to learn.

Job Seeking vs. Online Dating

Conquent — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:21:50 -0800

Over on LinkedIn Answers a few days ago, a job seeker was obviously frustrated by the interview process and wanted to know why how you *look* when you go to interview for a position is so vitally important when they are evaluating your *skills*? Why are style and appearance so key to the impression you are trying to make?

I've often mused that today's recruiting practices are very much like online dating. Profile matches (daters = candidate and job). Exchange initial contacts (email, phone screens), meet in person to check out the chemistry, then decide from there.

Here is my response:

Say you are single and using online dating sites to meet people. You have three women that all have interesting profiles, write witty emails that really resonate with you, and your phone conversations with each of them have been stimulating and interesting. You are now moving on to the face to face meeting with each of them, consisting of dinner at a nice (but not overly fancy restaurant) and going to an upscale jazz club.

So, your first date is with Wendy. She shows up, looks just like her very cute picture; she's wearing a nice sweater and pair of slacks. She's a bit shy although the has no problem answering your questions and slowly warms up. You have a nice time.

Second date is with Nancy. She shows up looking like an ad for Nike; cross trainers and a white workout hoodie with yoga pants. Conversation is great, lots of smiles and laughs, good chemistry. You get to the jazz bar and are refused entrance because of the dress code.

Finally you meet Lisa. She walks in looking like a supermodel wearing a smart business suit, high heels, every hair is perfectly in place. Dinner is lively, you're completely wowed by her. She gives you all the right cues that she's interested.

So, who would you want to continue to go out with based on an initial online ad, exchanging email, talking on the phone and a live meeting?

Granted this is a fictional metaphor, but every company is looking for a cultural as well as functional fit. The person that is going to get the job needs to be able to sell themselves as well as their skills. If you don't at least make the effort to impress your potential employer, what does that say about how important this opportunity is to you?

He said my answer actually made a lot of sense :)

Helping to Demystify COBRA

Conquent — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:31:54 -0800

This post is very US-centric. Lots of people don't fully understand all their health benefits and how some choices, like FSA (Flexible Spending Accounts) can benefit them. But with the waves of unemployment, one of the *most* important things many people are facing is the loss of health insurance for themselves and their dependents.

Health insurance rates have been skyrocketing, along with the cost of health care. Millions of Americans are uninsured. Being without access to health care is scary.

So how does COBRA work? When you leave an employer, by law they are required to allow you to continue on with the plan if you pay the *full premium*. (Most employers pay a portion or all of your monthly premium). They must provide this coverage option to you for up to 18 months after you leave employment if the company has over a certain number of employees.

In January the Federal Government passed an emergency amendment designed to deal with COBRA issues. The government is subsidizing up to 65% of premiums for anyone involuntarily terminated between September and December of 2008 for up to nine months.

So before you bypass COBRA, take a look at some of the resources available and make an informed decision.

Here is a great article detailing some of the information and a link explaining the changes.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123500263888517825.html

http://www.coverageforall.org/pdf/FHCE_COBRASubsidyFlyer.pdf

http://www.coverageforall.org/ (portal for exploring options)

http://esurance.com (rate quotes for individuals)

Transitioning University Students

Conquent — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:35:52 -0800

As college graduation season approaches, coupled with summer break, I�m going to devote some time to student concerns. With the economy being so tight, many grads are probably worried about finding a job, rightfully so.

But there *is* some good news: companies are trying to streamline their budgets and new grads are *cheaper* to employ in a lot of areas. It�s not an insult, just economics.

With that hopeful reality, here are a few tips.

1) Talk to Mom/Dad about whether or not you can return home if you are unable to find a job right out of school. Remember to address issues such as rent, expectations regarding your participation in the household. When I moved back home after I graduated, I�d been on my own for several years, was used to coming and going as I pleased. I paid a nominal rent, but my folks hadn�t dealt with an adult child and expected things to be similar to when I was a teenager. Eat with the family, help with chores, and even a curfew. I felt that I was renting a room and could live my life as I pleased. It was a tough adjustment period for all of us. Talk about these issues openly and make sure you set expectations early and realistically.

2) Be open to relocation. So many young adults return to their hometowns, only to find they cannot find a job. I know a young creative professional that got a degree in Media Arts. Her long-term goal is to work editing music videos. But she doesn�t want to move to the place she really needs to be�LA. She is insistent that she can do everything remotely from her hometown in Texas. She has been unsuccessful in finding a job over the past year and a half.

3) Don�t be too proud to accept help from your parents and their friends/colleagues. In our twenties, many of us are so focused on our independence that we refuse help from our most valuable network�our parents and their professional networks. Networking is the *single most important* way to finding a job. Your parents� generation are often the ones making hiring decisions. Remember, they can get you the contact info, but it�s up to *you* to wow the person at the other end.

4) Speaking of networking, talk to professors, advisors, even T.A.�s at school. If you are in a fraternity/sorority, connect with your local alumni to network. Sign up for the alumni newsletters. If you are on a sports team, talk to your coach. You might find out he still keeps in touch with the goalie he coached fifteen years ago that is now a manager at a large company that has entry-level openings. Most people are always happy to help a fellow alum.

5) Consider a part-time job. Employers prefer someone working at the local movie theater in the evenings while they are job searching over someone that doesn�t do anything for the year after graduation.

6) If you are at all motivated, consider a volunteer or overseas job like teaching English in another country or joining the Peace Corps. Now is the time to have a great adventure and expand your horizons beyond imagining. And it looks great on your resume.

7) Your local state Unemployment Office is a great free resource for things like writing resumes, interview skills, and general information on the local economy. You don�t have to be on UI to take advantage of it.

8) Social and Business Networking sites like Twitter , LinkedIn , Facebook, and professional organizations can yield you invaluable contacts. Find a recruiter that is willing to look over your resume and give you pointers. There are *tons* of articles and blogs out there with solid advice on how to use these networks effectively.

9) Money: save it, don�t spend it. Now is not the time to go crazy with your graduation money on things like clothes and tech toys. You�ll need some professional attire for interviews, of course. But be frugal. Don�t run up credit card bills. Shop around for apartments and roommates if you are moving out; hit Craigslist for furniture if you don�t have any. Go to garage sales for household items like dishes. Ikea is your friend. If you need a new car, try and get a serviceable vehicle you can pay cash for rather than get into debt with car payments. You can always trade it in after you start getting money from a new job.

10) Health Insurance. You are not indestructible, and you are no longer eligible for your parents� insurance. It is absolutely *vital* that you have health insurance. Individual policies are relatively cheap for young, healthy folks. Try a site like http://esurance.com for individual rates.

11) Ask older siblings or other resources for help. Let�s be honest, your folks love you but they have not been in your position for a long time (hopefully) and they may not understand what you need and the tools you need to get there.

12) DO consider paying dues to join a professional association. Paying annual dues can give you discounts on events, access to new trends and contacts like member directories.

Most of all, keep your spirits up and don�t get frustrated if you aren�t employed by the 1st of July after graduating in June. Take time out for yourself. Get together with your friends, volunteer (great resume fodder!), enjoy nature, exercise regularly.

Annoying LinkedIn Trends

Conquent — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:52:25 -0800

LinkedIn is a powerful business networking tool, and it is one that most recruiters use quite a bit for finding candidates. I have already commented on how being lazy or appearing desperate can be detrimental to your professional image, but something I am really finding annoying: receiving a LI invitation to join someone's network referencing a group or organization I don't, never have, and probably never will be a part of and then sending me the generic invitation. "You are someone I trust" yada yada yada.

So here is what is happening. Someone on one of my many online communities sees my email address and realizes I know a lot of people; or, conversely, they pull me up in a LinkedIn search (people, occupations, companies, etc.) and realize I probably have valuable network contacts. They contact me and where it states how this person knows me, they choose "Seattle Chapter of the Daughters Of The American Revolution." (Since my forebears immigrated here in the 19th Century this is pretty unlikely.) Sometimes, I will respond by commenting to the sender that I have no inkling of the group they are referencing, and usually I'll get a reply "Oh, I meant HRPN".

This says two things to me. One, you were sending out mass invites and you didn't bother to actually *add* or choose the correct group. Two, you don't know me at all. (Guess what? I'm a moderator of HRPN...I can check out whether you are a member of that group and when you joined!)

I'm *not* an open networker on LI. I want to be able to choose the people I add to my network based on actual connections. I am generally more disposed to accept invitations than not, but the truth is I'm getting pickier as I see more of these invites come across. I'm still being nice and not hitting the "I Don't Know This Person" tab and using the archive option (which is basically "ignoring" the invite), but I won't guarantee that isn't going to change in the future.

Conquent — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:52:18 -0800

Short Description Here

The Business

Conquent — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:29:37 -0800

I recently completed a resume review for a client. She commented �I�ve never been able to brag about myself.� That comment really caused me to think. I don�t see resumes as �brag sheets�, per se, but I guess in a certain light they can be. Many of us don�t �seek out� projects *just* to put then on our resumes; we are too busy doing our jobs. We may consciously seek out opportunities to further our careers, but by the same token, we neglect to put those very same accomplishments the one place they should be: our resumes. It�s erroneous to assume that the only time to update your resume is when you are looking for a new job. You should update your resume *every time you complete a new project or receive your annual review.*

I labeled my resume series �Saleskit�, which is true. If there is one thing I have learned in the last dozen plus years in business (not just in recruiting) it�s that *every* job has elements of project management and sales. Whether it�s pitching an idea for a new process to improve operations, or taking a customer order at a restaurant and then making sure it is served, understanding basic business concepts is a universal need. Knowing these things is what points to a person as someone that �gets it� and a person that doesn�t. It has nothing to do with age and everything to do with attitude and an openness to learning.

Over on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago, someone was asking the question about �when is someone a project manager�? She was trying to quantify the job and determine whether certain job titles could be considered �project managers�. In this instant, it was someone that is an event planner. The answer is, yes, this can be considered a project management related field.

Many people have trouble writing their resumes because they don�t know how to categorize what they do. Let�s take the restaurant example. You have been a server at a short order restaurant like Denny�s, and now you want to move onto a nicer venue with (hopefully) more money. You know you have been practicing customer service and cashiering, but how else to do take your experience and make it stand out?

Don�t forget the sales aspect of your job, including the marketing. As part of the �service� you provide, this includes product knowledge and expertise as well as upselling (�Can I interest you in any dessert?�) You may also be responsible as part of your job for monitoring supply levels of items like condiments and dressings. Any time you help train a new employee, that is worth mentioning on your resume.

A good way to look at some of the �buzz words� in your industry is to look at online job descriptions. Look for management jobs in your industry, even if you aren�t applying for them. Why? Because management jobs are geared for the person with *business knowledge* and will have phrases and concepts that should be applicable to multiple aspects of the business. For example, here is a job posting for a Restaurant Manager in Cleveland from Craigslist:

Under the guidance of the General Manager the qualified candidate will have the responsibility for aggressively driving store sales growth and profits through a thoroughly trained customer focused workforce; and ensure timely execution of company merchandising and operational programs. The trainee will set the pace by demonstrating a high sense of urgency, high energy level, attention to detail and hands-on management.

Preferred Qualifications:
**Two years of full service restaurant management experience
**Demonstrated success supervising and training 30 or more employees.
**Proven skills in analyzing P&L information and taking appropriate and decisive action to meet budget expectations
**Must be able to work a variety of shifts including nights and weekends and a minimum of 50 hours per week

Key word/phrases that a *server* can take away are: �sales growth, merchandising, training.� One of the terms that would apply more to someone with *business* knowledge is P & L, which stands for �profit and loss�. Think of the things you do as part of your job that have to do with �sales growth� and �merchandising�. How do you build the restaurant�s business? Do you have repeat customers that come in every week and always request your section? Do you help with ordering supplies or creating product displays? Have you come up with ideas to help promote the business like special coupons or �Senior Days�?

The reality is that you are responsible for learning about business; your industry, business principles, best practices, terminology and then learning how to apply them. Learning includes asking questions and researching. Application can and should include documentation such as�your resume.

Reference Requests After A Layoff

Conquent — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:25:42 -0800

A friend of mine that was recently laid off has been applying for positions online, and has followed up with former managers and colleagues who are telling him the same thing: HR has made it clear that no recommendations in writing are permitted by former coworkers or managers.

My friend is frustrated because many of the online applications he is filling out have a �references� section. Truthfully, I was suprised he was giving out references before he obtained an offer.

Here are a few things to keep in mind. Just as you should not put your references on your resume, you do not want them on any online applications. You *only* want your references to be contacted when you are seriously in contention for a job. Putting them into databases makes them targets for marketing and sales cold calls, which most people don�t appreciate and could jeopardize their willingness to be a reference for you.

When you *are* at the stage that you need your references, very often they are willing to have a *phone call* with your potential new employer. Many companies have strict policies against giving references for co-workers and managers in writing, but when I am checking references I often find that people are willing to answer questions over the phone.

So get cell phone or home phone numbers as well as personal email addresses when you are approaching your colleagues. Ask what they prefer as far as contact method. And above all, respect their privacy and requests.

Should You Pay To Have Your Resume Written?

Conquent — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:22:41 -0800

As someone that *has* a resume consulting business, obviously I believe that having your resume written professionally can be a major benefit overall. That being said, everyone that *has* a resume should ideally learn how to write their own. If you do decide to pay someone else, what should you look for?

I�ve seen more bad advice given by Career Counselors regarding resumes than I care to comment on lately. So how do you figure out if you are getting good advice? The trick is going to be finding out how close they are to the tools that store your resume (databases such as Monster, CareerBuilder, corporate websites, etc.). Applicant Tracking Systems, the databases that store resumes for both specific and generic jobs, have evolved in the last five years as technology has gotten more advanced. Here are a few questions to ask:

1) What Applicant Tracking Systems are you familiar with? (Some of the better known ones out there are Taleo, Unicru, WebHire, Prohire, iCIMS and Vurv.) If they don�t give you at least *two names* of systems you can Google to verify, they aren�t in touch with today�s technology and probably their methods are out of date.

2) What keywords would you recommend for my industry/discipline? Recruiters run searches based on very specific keywords. For example, in recruiting they should mention things like: ATS, applicant tracking, screen, interview, source, negotiate, account management, OFCCP, and maybe visa. Every job and industry has keyword concepts and �buzz� words that are part of what a resume should reflect. For example, recently I saw a request for someone to work on a biotech resume. I don�t feel confident enough in my knowledge of this field to follow up on the request.

3) How long should my resume be? This is a tricky question, because there is still a debate going on about how long is too long. I�m of the general opinion that two pages is OK if you have more than 5-7 years of experience, but many people still counsel one page is better. The best rule of thumb is whether your career includes more then two or three companies. Each entry takes up at least 2-4 lines just for the �entry� (employer, location, dates, job title, white space, etc.) If they categorically say �one page�, ask them how they structure the document to achieve this. If they say less is more, then seriously consider if they know what they are doing.

4) Do you suggest an objective or a summary statement? In today�s recruiting and resume �style� format, Summary Statements are preferred. Objectives are left over from the 80�s. They can be effective but again, if the person says �I always use an objective�, they may be seriously out of touch with the current market.

5) How would you advise me to prepare for our first meeting? How long should I expect our first meeting to last (can be live or over the phone)?If they don�t tell you to bring a few job descriptions, a list of your job history for the last five years and don�t tell you to set aside at least 45 minutes, they aren�t planning on giving you full attention and tailoring your resume to *you*, your aspirations, your goals.

6) Should I use a skill based resume, or a chronological version? *If* you are in job or industry where you work with *multiple clients* at the same time using the same skill, the answer should be skill based or combination. If you have been working for single employers most/all of your career, the answer should be reverse chronologic with a skills *section*. If they only answer they give you is �skill based� then they don�t know the current technology and what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for.

I cannot advise on prices, as this varies widely based on location, but you should get an upfront fee in writing, and it should include one document (.doc, .pdf) *and* one .txt version for copy/pasting to databases.

Finally, you should have an understanding of *how* the consultant constructed your resume based on the experience.

Initial Contact - The Phone Screen

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:37:03 -0800

A friend of mine living in a high-unemployment state (OR - 9%) asked me some questions about phone screens and reminded me that I should probably blog about it. So, here you are.

Nowadays, it�s pretty standard for someone to contact you for a phone screen if you look good on paper. Generally the initial contact is from someone in HR/Recruiting. This conversation is to ask you some general questions about your background, but it is also to assess your verbal skills. It is *also* his/her goal to establish your compensation range (I�ll discuss this in a later blog post).

Here are a few pointers to ensure that the phone screen gives a good first impression.

-Be flexible in your times
Lunch, early/late hours. If you are currently employed try and block time weekly for your conversations. Remember, recruiters work business hours although they may be willing to call you later or earlier.

-Location/phone
*Make sure you use a phone that has clear reception (ie avoid SKYPE), and go to a place where you will be undisturbed. No kids, pets, traffic, music, TV, or interruptions. Make sure your cell phone is charged and you have reception. (I�ve gone to my car many times). Have a pen and paper handy to take notes to ask additional questions.

-Remember that the person on the other end may be typing, so keep your responses conversational, don�t just start rattling off what sounds like a canned answer. *Listen* to the question, don�t assume that all phone screens will ask you the same thing. Stay engaged with the person at the other end. If the question can be interpreted more ways than one, ask for which track the person is asking. For example, I had a phone screen for a recruiting position, and the Director of HR asked me about my experience talking about salaries. I asked her to clarify. Did she want an example of salary negotiation with a candidate, or re-leveling a position with a hiring manager for a candidate that was over/underqualified but was a great candidate, or was she asking what tools/methodology I have used for industry compensation analysis? The fact that I asked this question with a question answered *her* inquiry, because obviously I *do* have experience with �salaries�.

-If a recruiter calls you unexpectedly, do *not* get flustered and ask, �where are you calling from again? I�m sorry, I�ve sent out so many resumes�� This is one of the fastest ways to take you *out* of the running. Know what companies you have applied to. Keep a spreadsheet if necessary. Fake it if you need to. �Hi, this isn�t a good time for me to talk. Can we set up a time later this week?� Then ask for them to send you an email confirmation, this lets you know their company as well as their name.

This initial phone call is also a chance for you to engage. You *should* ask questions (and you should avoid questions regarding benefits and vacation, etc.)

-Research the company.
Use all the tools available to you to get to know the company, their product/service, their market share. Do your homework. Find out as much as you can. LinkedIn, SEC Filings/annual reports, Hoover�s, press releases, white papers/case studies, marketing materials, professional contacts inside the company or their clients.

-Prepare questions about the company, the position, the team, the role. For example, why is this position open? (Backfill for someone, if so find out if they were promoted or is it a new position?)

If your initial phone screen goes well, some companies set up a follow up phone screen with a member of the hiring team. Generally, this conversation will drill more deeply into your industry and professional knowledge. Expect in depth questions about your past. Make sure you are familiar with *everything on your resume* and can discuss projects and relevant experience. If you are working with a headhunter, you can pretty much expect this to happen.

Remember, this is your first �live� contact with your potential new employer. Be professional yet engaging. I�ve had candidates start rattling off information by rote. This puts them in the �slush pile�.

Hopefully, you will make a great first impression and the company will want to bring you in for interviews.

The Laws of Supply and Demand

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:34:13 -0800

I was over on Twitter a few days ago, and saw that one of my software dev friends had posted that he was filing for UI. I sent him an email and asked him why he hadn�t sent me his resume? (Come on, when you list a recruiter as a true friend, that should be the first thing that comes to mind!)

His response? He exptected that recruiters would find him on Twitter and other social networking sites.

DOH! OK, not only is this beyond arrogant, it shows a true lack of understanding of the basic laws of supply and demand. Here�s the rubdown. There are *many, many many more candidates than jobs available.* The days when truly gifted and qualified candidates could expect to just sit back and let the recruiters come to them is a trend of the past for now. As I told him, right now those recruiters lucky enough to be employed *with* openings are being deluged by frantic candidates. They honestly don�t have the time to go out and find candidates, they are getting frazzled with the number of resumes that are coming their way.

Sourcing, or the process of *finding* candidates is something most recruiters don�t enjoy doing (I�m the exception to that rule.) Sourcing is as much about looking at and dispositioning candidates that are applying to your openings as it is about going out and headhunting. When I was at Microsoft, this was a *huge* issue in a strong market, let alone a depressed economy.

Yes, in the past couple of years tech publications have touted the revolution of social networking sites as tools that recruiters will embrace; but that is if they have *time*. Drowning under resumes means they don�t have time to be creative. So now is the time to definitely consider *mainstream* methods first (Monster,Careerbuilder, etc) and then go find the recruiters (hint: most of them with an internet presence are on LinkedIn, Plaxo, and Spoke.) Take a cue from the housing market: it�s a buyer�s market, and you are the *seller*.

Your Local Chamber of Commerce May Be The Key to a Job

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:30:57 -0800

It may sound a bit far-fetched, but those job hunters that haven�t had any luck may need to buckle down and do some time consuming, tedious research. One way to unearth some potential jobs is to go to the local CoC member directories, click on their links (or call them) and find out if they have jobs posted on their website.

Not every company posts jobs online; many rely on employee referrals, or industry memberships. If they don�t have a lot of openings per year, they may just post to the local paper or Craigslist, which is far more cost effective than the major job boards.

They may also keep �representative� jobs up on their website for what is called �building a pipeline�. The position may not be open at the current time, but they try to build up a candidate pool for when the position does open up.

Once you have identified the opening, apply. Or, call and ask to speak to the recruiter or HR representative. This is also the best use of LinkedIn; finding people that work for the company and approaching them. Remember: you need to be proactive, don�t rely on others to find *you* in this market.

An Acronym By Any Other Name

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:29:03 -0800

With the recent layoffs at Microsoft, there are a lot more people in Seattle hitting the pavement looking for jobs. Having over ten years of MS corporate culture under my belt, I am reminded of the Software Giant�s (the euphemism agencies use to describe contract jobs there without mentioning the name) *love* of acronyms. Microsoft is hardly unique in that respect.

So, this piece of �sage wisdom� from yours truly applies to any resume or conversations my audience may encounter. The only acronyms that you should be using are industry standard terms. For example, if you are in accounting, GL, AP/AR are all acceptable commonplace terms. Software engineering use of SOAP is understandable. Any recruiter that doesn�t know what an ATS or HRIS is has no business being a recruiter.

However, to anyone outside of Microsoft, if I said I was the CG Recruiter for E & D, that means nothing. Think very carefully about *company* acronyms versus industry acronyms. In your resume, it is permissible to spell it out once then use the acronym after that. An example (from above):

Candidate Generation (CG) Recruiter for the Entertainment and Devices (E & D) team.

Remember, it is safest to assume that your audience is not an expert in your field, so communicate *to* that audience.

VC's for Jobs

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:27:22 -0800

Some people like the challenge of a start-up environment. New companies often have more opportunities to make an impact with high income potential.

But where do you *find* these startup companies, especially when they are in �stealth mode�? The answer is in the portfolios of Venture Capitalists.

VC firms have investors that contribute money to fund new companies, often for a significant return on either stock (if the company goes IPO or is bought) or revenue generated by the product/services the fledgling company is offering. There is a Canadian TV show, the Dragon�s Den , that demonstrates this concept.

The value of looking in the portfolio section is that often, they will show you job openings in the fledgling company, and the companies may not be advertising these jobs elsewhere.

Finding VC companies takes a bit of doing. In Seattle, we are very lucky in that Bridgeway Careers , a career counseling firm, has links to a plethora of local resources. The Bay area has a lot of VC resources as well. But I�ve done a Google Search for �Venture Capital�+Newport+RI and come up with a pretty targeted listing.

I have a friend in Florida that is desperately seeking an HR position in her town. I did a quick search and came up with this list:

http://www.itflorida.com/wb2/itfl/itfl_Venture_Capital_Firms

So, make Google your friend. Find out who the VC firms in your area are and then start looking at their portfolios for potential leads.

Some Resources for Disputes (wage, layoff, discrimination etc.)

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:24:19 -0800

Some people out there have been laid off and feel that the circumstances weren�t �fair�. I was talking to someone I used to work with. He was laid off from the company he worked for with no reason why. Now, we live in an at-will employment state, which means that either the employer or the employee can leave at any time for no reason. He feels he is still owed some vacation time, which isn�t really worth contacting an attorney, but I suggested he fill out a wage dispute with the WA State Bureau of Labor and Industry.

Since I am in the HR field, I am aware of some of the resources available to both companies and individual, but many people don�t have any idea about how to go about pursuing or even finding these resources.

If you feel you are the victim of any sort of discrimination, the State EEOC office is where you want to start.

The key to any sort of action, be it legal or any other sort of mediated resolution, is documentation. This means you will need copies of correspondences (ie offer letter, performance reviews, separation agreement, termination letter, etc.) Include copies of emails as well. Use all this information to document your case so that an informed decision can be made. Remember that the Unemployment office can also direct you to appropriate resources as well.

Be sure to ask questions about the process, what you can expect at the end of it as far as a resolution, and ask for a full copy of the file and all correspondence with your former employer.

There are resources out there if you look for them.

�I Don�t Get Twitter�

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:20:35 -0800

You aren�t alone. Lots of folks don�t understand what all the hype is about. So here are some suggestions for starting out on Twitter.

Like all social networking sites, Twitter is about building community. That means that people find what you have to say interesting for some reason. So the first thing you have to do is decide what your Twitter �personality� is about. In my case, it�s mostly about staffing and career with a bit of writing in there; recruiting, resume construction, job leads/openings, articles of interest. It�s also about promoting *me*. I consider Twitter a marketing tool. I am using it to establish myself as a SME (Subject Matter Expert) in the areas I am concentrating on.

For people to find me, I need to post information of interest. Resume tips, job hunting etiquette and tools, articles of interest. I am selective about who I follow and who follows me. It�s about quality instead of quantity. I have a couple of hundred followers and folks I follow. Part of the �building community� aspect is forwarding other people�s tweets, commenting on things I do or don�t agree on, occasionally responding privately to someone to build relationships.

Once you start tweeting enough, people that run searches will find your content and start watching you, following you, and sharing *your* posts. The more people that see you as a resource for valid and valuable information, the more you will get noticed and contacted for opinions and expertise.

It is similar to the �Answers� section of LinkedIn, using 140 characters or less.

Try it for a couple of weeks. You don�t have to continue if it doesn�t seem to be netting you any success. Oh, and if you want to follow me, I�m @employeeze.

Collegiate Internships - Gold For Your Resume

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:18:59 -0800

It�s Intern Season for college students. While I was at Microsoft, I hired over thirty Computer Science interns for Microsoft Research, from around the globe. I still keep in contact with a couple of them as well.

Internships are one of the single best things you can do as a student to improve your resume when you leave school. An internship gives a prospective employer the impression that you are motivated and ready to learn. You come to a full time job with an understanding of the working environment and industry under your belt. You gain valuable networking and reference relationships. If it is a paid internship, you make money in your field. But probably the most important reason for *you* is that you get to see what you can expect once you graduate and are in the �real world�. It can be a way to excite and motivate you, or a vehicle for you to realize that you don�t necessarily enjoy the work you thought your education entailed.

There are a number of sources for finding internships. The best job board is probably Vault where they have a dedicated Intern section, although most of the large job boards and Craigslist have internships listed. Just use the keyword �intern�.

Your collegiate/university career center should be able to help you with researching companies and local businesses offering internships.

More and more people are getting on Twitter ; I follow Lauren Berger, who has created the site Intern Queen . She has a ton of information and resources on her website, and tweets opportunities. You can also check out Intern Bridge to see what are current Best Practices advocated for employers, and possibly to form some networking opportunities.

But internships aren�t always just decided upon and posted by large companies. You can approach smaller companies and ask them to create an internship, especially if you have done any work for them in the past. You may need to take it unpaid, but the experience can be invaluable. The key to creating an internship is to define a project or set of objectives that can be accomplished in a very set amount of time. And, if you manage to create your own opportunity, when you are updating your resume with that information, make sure you outline the steps you used to identify the need, indentified objectives, the scope of the project, timeline and the milestones. (Hint: these are all elements of Project Management.) The process of *creating* an opportunity is probably more interesting to a potential employee than the internship itself.

Check out some of the resources listed and good luck!

The Real Story: Resume Blast Services

Conquent — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:14:22 -0800

I was over on Twitter a few weeks ago, and there were several blurbs aimed at job seekers for �resume blast� sites such as Resume Zapper. Basically, you pay them a fee and they �blast� your resume to tons of recruiters. What they don�t tell you is that all they are doing is sending emails to email addresses like �jobs@microsoft.com� or �careers@acmewidgets.net�. They don�t have any real �in� to specific companies and they aren�t targeting your job search for you.

Now, you may think that this would be helpful from a sheer numbers point of view, but here�s the thing. At least in the US, *most* companies are bombarded with resumes, and recruiters are only looking at applicants that apply directly (via website or referral, or with an email specifying the position in the subject line) to a specific position, and often times the �blasted� resumes are treated as spam and just deleted, so you have just wasted your money.

One of the worst things you can do is receive a call from a recruiter and have no idea what company they are calling from. *If* your resume somehow manages to defy the odds and ends up in the hands of a recruiter that is interested in your candidacy, will you have any idea who they are when they contact you?

I�ve performed Headhunting Services for clients before. This means that they contract with me to find opportunities for them. But I run every opportunity by them to judge their level of interest before I vet them to the company. This is the role of the external recruiter. The truth of the matter is that this is *your* job search, and you should be in control of it and know what is going on with it at all times.

It�s your money to spend, but I�d recommend investing it somewhere that will generate positive returns, like taking former colleagues out to coffee or attending networking functions.

Your Sales Kit: The Resume (Part 7 � The Before and After)

Conquent — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:52:01 -0800

Cover Letter and References

I�m wrapping up my resume series with the documentation that brackets your resume; the cover letter and references. I�ve mentioned a bit about cover letters, but I will go into a bit more detail.

A high percentage of recruiters don�t read cover letters. We don�t have the time. There are a couple of ways to �sneak� a cover letter in front of recruiter or hiring manager if you absolutely believe it�s crucial to make your case. The first way, quite simply, is to include it as part of your resume. If you do this, do *not* have a templated coverletter. You will be best served writing a targeted cover letter for each employer you feel the need use it. It is ESPECIALLY important to follow the KISS rule.

Candidates seem to stress out over how to address the cover letter. �Dear�?� Who? If you don�t have a name, you are best served keeping it generic and *gender neutral*. �Dear Hiring Professional�; �To Acme Widget�. It is also perfectly acceptable to *skip* the salutation. Whatever you do, avoid �Dear Sirs�.

So, onto the meat of the cover letter. Reiterating what I�ve said before, it should be no more than three paragraphs, the meat of which is in the second. The first paragraph should address the position/department of interest, how you heard about the opportunity (this is where you mention that you were referred by Mary O�Malley in accounting). If it was a job board, indicate which one. Believe it or not, jobs may be tailored for different job boards, and mentioning the particular one can help the recruiter orient him/herself quickly.

The second paragraph is where you build the case as to why you are a strong candidate for the position. In no more than 3-5 sentences, tell the reader the relevant skills (including the company that are applicable to this opening/business group. This should include detailed examples such as a project, role, or client you handled.

Final paragraph (which is optional) is your availability and the best way to contact you (phone, email). End on a positive note, telling them you are looking forward to communication from them.

Closing should be your name and contact info.

Example:

Respectfully,
Joshua Greene, PMP
334-555-0333

Things to avoid in a cover letter include too much personal information (avoid the hard luck story), and covering every thing you have done that *might* qualify you for the job. Don�t gush on and on about how much you respect the company, it�s reputation, etc. You�ll have time for that in conversations.

Let�s happily assume you have gone through interviews and there is an offer pending. The company asks you for references. It is amazing some of the references I have seen out there. Do *not* put your references on your resume. Keep them until you are asked for them.

Your references should know your work; this means not just *what* you did, but how you interacted with other teams and your general work ethic. You should include at least one manager who oversaw your work, preferably someone that had the authority to give you feedback on your performance.

Try and keep your references updated. If you�ve been at Procter and Gamble for four years, listing your manager from your previous job but no one from your current company sends up huge red flags. Always try and keep tabs on who is where (LinkedIn is great for this). Personal phone and email addresses are often preferred by your references.

Make sure you ask your references if they are OK with you using them, don�t assume they are willing to. If you are in a situation where you cannot give references (for example, much of my own recent employment history is contracting at Microsoft, and they have a very strict policy against managers giving professional references for contractors), find someone like a client or business partner that can do it.

I usually recommend 3-5 references. Keep in mind that professional references are *different* than employment references that you put on an application.

Good luck, and hopefully you�ll have clearer understanding of the tools in your sales kit.

Your Sales Kit: The Resume (Part 6 � The Graduating Student)

Conquent — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:51:10 -0800

Newly graduating (or recently graduated) students have slightly different needs from their resume. Many of them don�t have a lot (if any) paid work experience, and add to that the fact that they have so much coursework to choose from, and it can be a difficult task to figure out what goes on the resume. This post is addressed to those young adults that are graduating from a collegiate program right out of HS, as opposed to someone going back to school or with military experience.

At the panel I was on last week, there were a fair number of students in the audience and two campus recruiters on the panel to answer questions. That, coupled with my own work with software interns, inspired today�s post.

A few things to know from a recruiting perspective. A �campus candidate�, someone who �just� graduated, generally refers to someone for up to *one year* after receiving their degree, be it undergrad or graduate programs. Campus Recruiters are different from �industry recruiters� by the very nature of their work. Not all companies have a separate campus recruiter, but most larger companies do. Once you have gotten past the one year from graduation mark, you should change your resume to reflect your status. Thus, even if you don�t find a job in your primary field right out of college, it behooves you to do *something*, even if it is working a part-time job at the mall until you find something.

Common resume questions that students ask:
Should I put my GPA on my resume?
-Generally only if it is over 3.5; or, if your overall GPA is lower than that but you have a high GPA in your major, you can indicate that.
GPA: 3.1 overall, 3.8 in my major.
One word: your resume should *also* be tailored. When you are applying to a company and they ask for your GPA, you should give it to them on your resume, regardless of what it is.

How long should it be?
-A recent graduate should be able to keep their resume to one page.

What classes should I list?
-You don�t need to put your entire cirriculum on your resume. A good rule of thumb is that if you had a project that taught you something in your major/minor fields that could translate as �experience�, definitely put that on there. Highlight the skills that are relevant to what you want to do in the work world. Stick to the last few quarters/semesters, unless you did something outstanding or that was a definite building block for your profession. If you have a dual major, have two resumes, each one emphasizing one major and the coursework you did, projects, etc.

I had a part-time job in the summers; where should I put that on my resume?
-Your resume is your *professional profile* and as such, this experience should be close to the top. Keep in mind that recruiters aren�t just interested in jobs, they also want to know about leadership, extra-cirricular, or volunteer experience that can be relevant to your profile as an employee.

Should I put my references on my resume?
-No, nor should you volunteer them until asked for.

How long should my cover letter be?
-The answer to this question is no different than for any other job seeker. SHORT. The first paragraph should be what job you are applying for and how you heard about it. The second paragraph should be about why you believe you are a good fit for the position (highlighting in 2-5 sentences those items in your resume that will be of the most relevance to the job and employer). Finally, your closing should thank the reader for their time and tell then when you would be available to speak to them.

One thing that both campus recruiters stressed was that too many students go into personal or inappropriate details/stories in their cover letters. Keep the content professional, sticking only to the job and your eligibility for it. If the recruiter has questions, s/he will ask them. If you have some extraordinary break in your education, call it out on your resume, and wait for the recruiter to address it with you. Above all, keep it *concise*. Your cover letter should be no more than 3/4 page or 10-15 sentences total.

It also should go without saying that you should spell check your cover letter, use full sentences (no cell text abbreviations) with proper grammar and capitalization. Have someone else read it over before you send it; preferably someone that has been in the workforce a few years.

Should I put anything from High School on my resume?
-Generally not, unless you did something in high school that was relevant or unusual. For example, if you were an Exchange Student to Ecuador for a year, that is something you might consider using, especially if it affected your course of study or choice of profession. A way to think about it is that your high school years should *never* be more impressive than your collegiate accomplishments.

One last thing a lot of students forget is to list the tools they know, such as Microsoft Office, or HTML, or other skills that might be valuable for a company. This information can go at the end of the resume for most graduates unless you are in a specialized field where industry tools are standard (ie, programming languages for a computer science major, or editing tools for a multimedia degree). In that case I would suggest putting it after your education, before your professional history. You can label it �Skills� or �Summary of Skills� or �Summary of Qualifications�.

And, as always, your career center should be able to help you, or you can seek guidance from a temporary staffing firm that might place professionals in your field. You might also ask family and friends if they know any recruiters that can take a look at it. Most of us are happy to help out students entering the work world.

Your Sales Kit: The Resume (Part 5 � Design and Layout)

Conquent — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:50:02 -0800

The style of your resume is as important as the content. Margins, font, how the information is presented are all important. One of the easiest lessons to keep in mind when creating or overhauling your resume is K.I.S.S.

One of the biggest mistakes I see as a recruiter is a resume that is too fancy. Tables, logos, font, designs. Not only does this sort of content detract from the meat of the resume, it can be difficult to read especially if the document containing them is uploaded to a database (job board, Applicant Tracking System.) I mentioned that when I open either of these that I get a text version of the document. Databases are built with software programming languages which use only the letters, numbers and symbols that you find on a basic typewriter keyboard as the base for their programming. Everything is assigned a value based on those symbols. Maybe you have gotten email that looked like a bunch of gibberish? That is your email provider trying to translate the mail it cannot read.

So ideally, you should use only the keys on your basic keyboard and spacing you can accomplish with the tab key and basic word processing commands. When choosing a font, a study found that the best font to use for a resume was corbel. It is also a good rule of thumb to never use a font smaller than *10 point* for ease of reading.

I�ve mentioned that most recruiters and hiring managers prefer bullet points to read; keep in mind that you can choose the symbol you want to use for bullet points. Stick to simple choices like a dash, asterisk, carat, or the basic circle. Otherwise, that �bullet point� translates to something like #(** in front of the line you are trying to highlight.

When choosing the layout of your resume, the very first suggestion I have is *don�t* use the templates such as you find in Microsoft Word. It wastes space, and honestly labels you as someone unprofessional. Use bold, italics, and different sizes of font combined with indented space to vary your content and call attention to different areas.

Your margins in large part will determine the length of your resume, as will the spacing you use for indentation. The narrower the margins, the most space you will actually have for content. The more spaces you use for indentation, the less space you will have for the lines of text.

One way to make sure your resume is ideally adapted to online databases is to make sure you have a text version of it. All computers have notepad, the program that strips all the fancy formatting away. On the Windows Operating System, this is how you access Notepad:

Start
Run
Type the word � notepad � into the dialogue box.

Once you have the program on, align everything to the left and on the command bar, go to the �format� key and make sure to check �Word Wrap�.

Save the document as a .txt file.

It�s that simple. You can copy/paste the entire contents of this document into databases that don�t have an �upload� feature where they offer you to �copy/paste�. When I am preparing a resume for a client, I always include a .txt version for them.

As a recruiter, one of the things that is very annoying is when a candidate sends me a resume and embeds his/her contact information in a header/footer. This makes me work harder to see *who* I am reading about. Do us all a favor and just don�t do it. I may just pass over your resume if it is too much effort to glean all the information.

One question I get a lot on panels and from job seekers is whether or not to use a photo? The answer is in North America: absolutely not, unless you are in the entertainment business (actor, model, etc.) We have strict laws in the US and Canada about privacy and discrimination, and as a resume is supposed to be a sales tool for your *experience and background*, a photo has no place on it.

Again the style of your resume comes back to the same message as the content: targeted, concise, with every piece of the document geared towards pointing out your work history, not your graphic design prowess.

Your Sales Kit: The Resume (Part 4 � The Functional Resume)

Conquent — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:48:13 -0800

Let�s consider what a resume should do. We know the end audience is generally going to be a recruiter/HR representative or a hiring manager. And we know that their time is very valuable and they scan resumes quickly to find out if they are interested in the content for whatever position they are hiring for. I�ve discussed the top 1/3 of the page, the �prime resume real estate�, creating an impactful first impression and generally addressing job content for a chronologic resume.

I�m going to address the functional resume here.

I mentioned what a functional resume looks like and that they aren�t very well received by most hiring managers and recruiters except if you are in a portfolio industry. By that, I mean the essence of what you are doing is the same skill set across multiple concurrent clients. Examples would be a producer/director, PR account exec, attorney, stock broker/financial planner, actor/entertainer, freelancer but not a career contractor (1099, you own your own business). In these cases, using a functional resume makes a lot of sense.

A functional resume is a list of skills (can be grouped many different ways) that you have followed by a list of employers with name, date, title, and location with no more information than that. There are a few reasons why functional resumes are unpopular.

1) Often they are used to cover a gap in employment. Recruiters would rather just have you tell them that you took a leave or were a primary caregiver for your family.

2) People using functional resumes are claiming skills that may be in their professional toolkit but that they haven�t used in a long time, causing longer ramp-up time and outdated training.

3) Most importantly, hiring managers want to see a progression of your skills as it relates chronologically to your work history. There is no context for how you gained the skills and how they have been applied. A functional resume gives no information of career progression and how you take ownership of your career and move forward.

Let�s take a portfolio resume for example. (This is a completely fictitious representation):

Cindy Smith

http://emeraldcityproduction.info

(206) 555-0988/cs@emeraldcityproduction.info

-Deep understanding of creative production tools including Flame, Smoke, Combustion, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Softimage XSI and Quicktime.

-Expert knowledge of Mac-based production tools including Photoshop, and Illustrator.

-Over twelve years experience working with industry tools such as lighting instruments, cameras, microphones.

Strong project management skills including working with budgets in excess of $1M, vendor management, contract negotiations (including media licensing agreements).

-Projects range from music video, feature films and documentaries, to television commercials and streaming media ad campaigns.

Film Projects:

The Keeper�s Son � Associate Producer (67 minutes) 2007 (Documentary)

*Honorable Mention, Seattle International Film Festival; shown at the Toronto Film Festival

Jewels of the Amazon: Endangered Species - Producer (41 minutes) 2002 (Documentary)

Animal Planet 2004; Discover Channel 2002

Coming of Age -1999 � Production Coordinator � Warner Brother�s Feature Film

Television:

Two For One � Season 1-2 1996-1997; Writer/Researcher for 32 episodes for CBS detective drama.

Thicker Than Water � Special Effect post-production Editor 1996 � NBC mini-series- three-episodes; vampire thriller.

Commercials:

Microsoft Studios: Gobi Experiment 2008; Butterfly Kiss 2006; Easy 123 2005 � Producer

Thirteen Coins Restaurant 2005 �Producer, writer

Tyee Chamber of Commerce 2002 �Producer Post Production Editor

Music Video:

Portents of Doom: �Sunday�s Kiss� � 2008 Camera, Post Production Editor

*Video reached 1 million hits on YouTube in one week.

Portents of Doom: �Any Man�s Guess� -2006 Camera, Post Production Editor

*Alcazar Records signed Portents of Doom after seeing this video on MySpace in less than three weeks.

Streaming Media:

Bungie Studios: Halo 4 ad � 2008 Post Production Editor

Comcast (Internet) � Video Editor 2006

Extap Studios � Turner�s Revenge feature film trailer -2004 Special Effects Editor

Education:

MFA � American Film Institute Conservatory 2001

BA Multimedia Design �The Art Institute of Seattle 1995

As we can see, there is no indication of what tools/knowledge were used for each position, which is problematic in other industries. We also have to piece together what she worked on at what time, which in the corporate world is the key experience indicator hiring managers are looking for. The lesson is: unless you are using the same skills consistently over a period of time, avoid the functional resume.

Your Sales Kit: The Resume (Part 3 - Opening Gambit)

Conquent — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:44:44 -0800

Many old-school resume advice sources say �always put an objective on your resume.� I, personally, despise objectives except in a very few cases. I find them too limiting. Many recruiters, however, like them because they tell the person reading the resume exactly what you are looking for. Below are examples of real objectives taken from real resumes:

Objective: � Goal-oriented individual with strong leadership capabilities. (This isn�t an objective, it�s a statement.)

Objective To obtain a challenging and professional position, that will enable me to utilize my technical skills and communications skills in a growing and stable Internet technology environment that will enhance my career growth.

Objective:
Seeking a challenging position as an administrative assistant/receptionist with an opportunity for advancement, which will allow me to further utilize my existing skills and enable to acquire new abilities.

OK, here�s the thing. As a recruiter, I have found/received your resume. I know by this fact that you are looking for a job. And generally you are either A) unemployed B) have no room for advancement C) don�t get along with your manager D) looking for more money. As a recruiter, I am going to *assume* you want a challenging job that utilizes your skills, teaches you new ones, gives you opportunities for growth and rewards you (money, recognition, etc.) So *don�t waste valuable space telling me things I already know*.

I already mentioned the fact that using trite or cliche verbiage on a resume is bad; to be honest, it can be the kiss of death depending on the position. Every single thing you put on your resume needs to be concise, targeted, relevant, and show you at your best. And the first few lines/paragraphs on your resume set the stage. I was at a panel last night with three other recruiters, and one of the questions we were asked was how long we look at any given resume. Three of us answered the same: 10-15 seconds. The other recruiter answered 30 seconds, because she takes the time to read cover letters. (Hint there�the majority of us skip cover letters; more on cover letters later).

As a recruiter, when I open any sort of resume, I am looking at the top 1/3 of the first page to decide if I want to read more. That equates to approximately 20-30 lines of most size 12 fonts. Your contact info takes up 3-5 of those lines, and that leaves you with not very much space to make an impression. So make the most of it.

If you choose to use an objective, it should be no more than one sentence and very precise. It should tell me what sort of opportunity you are looking for; ideally, for each job you apply for, you will have a different objective mentioning the company and exact position or department you are interested in. At the very least tell me *specifically* what you are looking for.

Objective: Seeking a software engineering position in the Embedded Software division at Microsoft.

Objective: Architect with over fifteen years of commercial experience seeking opportunity at Waxer and Sons.

Objective: Sales Executive with consumer goods and packaging experience seeking position with manufacturing operation.

I mentioned that I find objectives too limiting. Let�s just say that I look at your resume and see that you are looking for an administrative or receptionist opportunity. I may stop right there because I don�t have any openings of that sort. But for some reason your resume came up in a keyword search for a customer support role I have. Your objective is going to probably tell me you aren�t interested in anything I have, and there are 33 other resumes for me to consider. See my point?

I did mention there *are* a few times to use an objective. One of them is to tie your past experience to a position you are looking at outside of your most recent industry. This is often the case when someone gets a degree in a new field.

Objective: recent graduate with a degree in Human Resources seeking an opportunity to leverage my five years as a physician�s assistant in the field of benefits administration.

Perhaps your spouse has been transferred from Chattanooga to Dallas, and his/her company is paying your relocation. You need to find a job in your new city. This goes back to discussing your contact information and letting a recruiter know you are �local�. Very few companies are offering relocation these days, and many aren�t even recruiting outside their own territories. Budget considerations combined with the decline in the housing market are the main reasons for this.

Objective: recently relocated hospitality manager seeking new opportunities in the Dallas area.

To me, an objective is best used as a bridge from one thing to another.

In the last decade, two other types of openings have become much more prevalent than an objective. A profile statement, generally a short paragraph outlining your skills, or a summary section, preferably with bullet points, pulling out *tangible* highlights from your career demonstrating your expertise in your field.

Profile statement:

HR Generalist with expertise in HR policies, project management, strategic initiatives, and systems solutions.

Expertise includes employee relations, designing and implementing global training programs, evaluating and managing vendor contracts (IE:recruiting, benefits, outsourced payroll.)

Summary of Qualifications:

* -Product Manager responsible for launching three new product offerings in two years resulting in $2.5 million increased revenue during this period
* -Delivered an in-depth competitor analysis resulting in a savings of 35% in advertising costs
* -Create product roadmap for two new product lines which decreased RTM time from 22 months to 13 months

Either choice should be heavily supported by your employment history with detailed experiences and accomplishments. Remember, your resume is how you tell an employer why *you* are the best person for *their* opportunity.

So what if you feel you don�t have enough experiences or accomplishments to warrant any of the above? The your best bet is just to launch straight into your employment history. Recruiters want to get to the meat of your experience sooner rather than later.

So use that valuable real estate at the top of your resume. Tell me right off the bat why I should consider *you* over the other 3466 people that have applied for the job.

Your Job Hunting Sales Kit: the Resume (Part 2 - What Did You Do?)

Conquent — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:40:36 -0800

There are three types of resumes, including the Curriculum Vitae (CV) which is used more in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. With the number of immigrants to the US importing this type of document, it is important to acknowledge and know about it as a major format. In the US and Canada, a CV is primarily used in research and academic circles. A chronological resume lists your employment history in reverse chronological order by company with a brief description of the work you did. Generally this includes the company name, location (city and state/province) your title, dates of employment, basic responsibilities and key accomplishments.

A functional resume is a list of both soft and hard skills and experience followed by a brief employment history showing company, title, location and years only. A CV is an extensive list of projects and publications.

Most recruiters and hiring managers prefer a chronologic resume or a CV over a functional resume which is what we�ll concentrate on. I�ll address the functional format later on.

When you are crafting the content for your various jobs, there are a number of factors to keep in mind. Many resume books tell you that this should *not* be just a �list� of your duties. For the most part, that is true. However, you do need to lay out your role/responsibilities, personalized with examples of your accomplishments on the job. How do you figure this out?

The two tools I use when I�m talking to a new resume client are job descriptions and performance reviews. The job descriptions should be position(s) you are interested in, and if available, the one you were hired under. This allows you a chance to look at where you �were�, the bridge to where you were heading (performance reviews), and the new challenge or opportunity you are pursuing.

For example, I am a recruiter. My job description has some basics that are consistent across the field but there are subspecialties and different tools that are used. I have done what is called �full lifecycle� recruiting as well as the subspecialty of �sourcing�. I also have a further delineation as a Technical Recruiter, meaning that I have been hiring very specialized professionals in the hardware and software industry, which entails a thorough understanding of not only job descriptions but also the technologies, processes, tools, and terminology of the industry.

The presentation of my resume for a specific position is going to depend on what job I am looking at, what industry it is, etc. The content of my �roles and responsibilities� is going to be targeted, along with specific projects or initiatives I have worked on. It is *vital* that even if you held the same basic �title� that you show variance under each position to reflect your contributions to the overall team, company, project etc.

One thing to keep in mind when identifying your employer is to make sure you orient your reader immediately to the industry the company is in. If you were working for a company that isn�t either easily recognizable ( ie Microsoft, General Electric, Procter and Gamble, TGIFriday�s etc.) or that the company name isn�t descriptive (descriptive examples might include "The City of Tulsa Department of Accounting", "Bob�s Flooring", "Acme Trucking and Distribution") then you should include a brief one-sentence description of the company. You can generally pick this up from the corporate website or even a yellow pages ad. It�s the �hook� or marketing phrase the company devises to create their brand.

�F S Wholesale is the largest distributor of plumbing supplies in the state of Maryland.�

There are a lot of ways to present this information. Paragraphs, short sentences, bullet points or �lists�. The format is going to depend on 1) how much information you are presenting 2) your job content�IE a barista at the local coffee shop is going to be a much shorter entry than a regional Starbuck�s manager. 3) the length of your resume.

*One of the most common questions recruiters and career coaches receives is �how long should my resume be?

Usually job hunters are thinking in terms of pages. Since the 1980�s, we have been counseled to keep it to no more than two pages. This has been ingrained into our job hunting psyches.

But here�s the thing: nowadays, the *majority* of job seekers are using electronic media such as email and job boards/electronic applications for their job searches. Guess what? When you enter your resume content into any sort of an electronic system, I can�t tell how many pages it is. It comes up as a text box when I first start looking at it. When you send me an email attachment, I open it up and scan the top two-thirds of the page in front of me to see if there is a decent match. I don�t *care* how long it is from a recruiting standpoint.

That isn�t to say that your resume should be ten pages long. The rule of thumb is:

Two pages should be sufficient to showcase your professional history/qualifications going back 7-10 years. And that is *what you should be concentrating on*. If you have more years of experience than that, it probably isn�t relevant. Trying to fit every job on your resume going back to your college job in 1982 isn�t necessary.

Personally, I would rather have a three page resume that is clean and easy to read than trying to jam pack so much information into a document that it reads like a technical manual or dictionary.

Current trends lean toward bullet points for delineating your job content. This is best accomplished if you have a pretty steady job history, meaning you haven�t changed employers frequently (ie if you are a freelance consultant/contractor it probably isn�t your best format.) Keep in mind, the further back you go, the less content you need. The bulk of information should be in your last 1-3 positions, thinning out as you go further back.

Another question that comes up frequently is the date format. Do you use the mm/yy -mm/yy or just yy/yy?

I prefer the year-year format. I don�t care if you spent six weeks looking for a new job between May and July of 2002. Maybe you were taking vacation, or perhaps you got a severance package and took extra time to finish painting your family room. But it is true that almost all online applications want the mm/yy format, so even if you choose to use the year-year format, you should have the months of transition recorded and accessible. (Don�t even *think* about the day�choose a default of the 1st, 15th, or 25th if needed). Remember, your resume is a *sales tool*. The information should accurately and positively portray you as a valuable asset to potential employer.

Your Sales Kit: the Resume (Part 1 - The Basics)

Conquent — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:38:51 -0800

When you are job seeking, you are selling a very valuable product, one you know better than anyone else out there: yourself. And, your sales kit consists of your resume/CV and any supporting documentation you may have in hand. This could be a portfolio or other examples of work you have produced, examples of code for a software programmer, letters of recommendation, commendations from employers or clients.

A lot of the professionals that are out in the market today have been set adrift after years of faithful service to their employer. They haven�t constructed a resume in, well, a long time. Just like every other industry, recruiting changes. Technology has made our job a lot easier in some ways but the sheer number of tools we use has increased exponentially. Our main criteria for evaluating a candidate, however, is still the resume (or CV depending on your industry or country.)

In North America, the resume is the standard document used by job hunters. And there are as many opinions as to what makes a good resume as there are people reading and writing them. There are a few basics all resumes have in common.

1) Contact information. In today�s electronically connected world with email and cell phone addresses that follow you where ever you may live, this is both easier and more difficult. Of course you should use your name; if you have a relatively common name, like Pam Smith, consider using your full name with a middle initial. This will be more professional and perhaps make it easier to find you in a large database of names.

Pamela S. Smith (Pam)

The more ways you give a recruiter to contact you, the more chance you have of *being* contacted. Home phone, cell phone, email addresses. Whether you choose to use a street address is completely up to you, but it is good practice to indicate your city and state of residence, especially if your primary phone number is an out of state area code. Make sure your email address is *professional*, not something used by a teenager. If you are currently employed, think carefully about using your work email address. Will you still have access to it if downsizing is occuring? Does your company monitor your incoming mail? Remember, any data that sits on company assets (ie servers, your computer, voicemail) is considered *company property.*

If you have any certification abbreviations, they can be put with your name, if it is industry standard. IE:

Pamela S. Smith, CPA

Basically think of what your business cards look like.

2) Employment History. This information should be in *reverse chronologic order*, no matter what format your choose. That means your most recent position is first, then the last one is second, etc. If you have been with the same employer for a significant amount of time, break up your jobs by year.

Acme Widgets 1995-Present

2007-Present Senior Accountant

2004-2007 Junior Accountant

2002-2004 Bookkeeper

1997-2002 Accounting Clerk

1995-1997 - Customer Service Representative, Business Accounts

3) Education. Your education, *all* types, should be at the end of your resume with a few exceptions.

If you are just out of college/high school (one year or less) it will go at the top under your contact information.

Your industry is standard to list a doctorate degree first (ie scientist, academic, attorney.)

If you have taken professional courses, you should list them in the education section under your last schooling.

*Be sure that any training you are listing is current and relevant for the position you are seeking. If you had PowerPoint training in 2000, but you don�t use it or it�s such an integrated part of your job every day, don�t waste space in the education section. Similarly, if you took training that you don�t use anymore, *keep it off your resume*.

4) �References Available Upon Request.� This statement is a waste of space. If I am interested in hiring you for a job you *want*, I am pretty certain you will give me references if I ask for them.

Remember, *every single thing* on your resume should focus on your current skill set and the sort of opportunity you are seeking. You should be able to answer any question related to any piece of information that is on your resume,

It's All In The Details

Conquent — Thu, 9 Apr 2009 08:41:00 -0800

I moderate an international Human Resources discussion board over on Yahoo. We have over 3700 HR professionals around the world. Today someone posted a request for salary range resources for a QA Engineer.

Now, I have a very special talent for finding such creatures. About 6 years ago, Microsoft made the decision to do away with all their automated testers, and only employ (both contract and FTE) "Software Design Engineers in Test". There is a huge and pronounced difference between the two. SDET's (or QA Engineers) as they are referred to around here, need to be able to code in Object Oriented languages such as C++, C# and Java. This is because there are two main kinds of testing, and the type that is most prevalent in the Seattle market is manual testing,
meaning that each time software is run through a test cycle, the QA professional needs to be able to actually *write* the software that does the testing, as opposed to automated testing which uses out of the box products with the ability
to tweak pieces of code here and there.

The reason I make this distinction is because of the salary differences between the two types of professionals. It's really going to make a difference when you get down to asking people about finding resources for the compensation surveys.

Hiring managers often get frustrated when a recruiter asks them for more details for the job description. But let's think of it this way. Let's say that the company in question uses the generic job description that was sent to our list:

"Develops, publishes, and implements test plans. Writes and maintains test automation. Develops quality assurance standards. Defines and tracks quality
assurance metrics such as defect densities and open defect counts. Requires a bachelor's degree and 2-4 years of experience coding in C, C++, Java. Must have
a working knowledge of quality assurance methodologies. Familiar with NT, UNIX and/or Solaris environments. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision; typically reports to a manager. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager."

To me this job description means they are looking for someone who can actually *code* in the languages specified. In terms of money, this is going to add at least $5-$10K to your compensation structure. I actually got a reply offlist from the person who asked the information in the first place, and she told me their "range", which was a single amount for the base salary. Again, this is not a "range". I asked if this was their midpoint, high or low? (It turned out to be a "bang your head against the wall situation; either she didn't know the answer or didn't particularly care). Turns out they are looking for an automated tester, which is the cheaper option of the two. In which case their base "range" should be fine.

In recruiting we almost always have a range, a set of numbers that we can be flexible with in discussing compensation. If you don't know the full story, you cannot expect to get an accurate answer to a question you throw out to the internet.

Which goes to my point about communicating and sharing information with *detail*. There are some people that can spin their wheels trying to impart information to another person; I've met plenty of people that just don't know how to *listen*. They hear you just fine, but they don't know how to pull apart the answer well enough to ask the right questions. Or, conversely, they lack the experience to analyze that information enough to *know* there is a lack. These are the folks that just don't "get it". We've all met them.

It's all in the details and the subtleties that things really happen. You can get the "big picture" but if you don't understand the details you cannot do the job *right*.

Understanding Google To Get Your Resume Noticed

Conquent — Thu, 2 Apr 2009 19:36:07 -0800

One of the key underlying technologies for �Web 2.0� (which is just a marketing buzz word; it�s the same web it�s always been) is �search� capabilities. This is the backbone of Google, Windows Live!, Yahoo, etc. To put it simply, it is a combination of character recognition (words and phrases) and indexing on a massive scale.

Understanding how search tools work is one of the keys to any online endeavors such as blogging, selling any sort of product/service, and�job hunting.

Think of the yellow pages and how they are indexed. By topic, then by entry alphabetically. To find what you are looking for, you have to *know* what it is classified under. The one that always annoyed me was that cab companies are listed under �taxi�. If I didn�t know to look under �taxi� I�d never get to the airport!

Now think of using Google. You are looking for something very specific, like a dry cleaner that is environmentally friendly in your area. You start your search a number of ways, like:

Dry cleaner Chicago green

You may get 254 hits across the metro area, and you live in Glen Ellyn. So you change your search to

Dry cleaner Glen Ellyn green

You *could* also do something like

Green dry cleaner 60137

The more creative you get with your searching, the more refined �or broad- your results will be. Most people think in pretty basic terms and get tons of results, then have to look through all them to find what they are looking for.
The way Google and other search engines identify the results of any search is based on the content on the page. The engine searches for keywords, indexes them, and returns them as results. The keywords are called �metadata tags�. (Often if you see a list of terms at the bottom of an article or blog posting, those are tags the author has identified for metadata search tools.)

So from a recruiting perspective, how do we �find� the right candidate? By keyword searching. Usually when we receive a job description, recruiters create a list of keywords that they will use to search for candidates. All major job boards and Applicant Tracking Systems use keyword searching. Here is the *most important* piece of information for the job seeker: these databases return results based on a stack-ranked system. That system ranks *by the number of times the word appears in the profile.* So the old �stick to one page� resume advice isn�t always your best bet.

Like every other profession, some recruiters are good at this aspect of their job, others aren�t. A seasoned recruiter knows how to vary their search based on related terms that may or may not be in the job description. But many don�t have the luxury of experimenting with variety, or don�t know the value of it. So it is very important to make sure your resume, if you are applying for a specific job, is tailored to the job�s keywords. If you are using a general resume on a job board such as Monster or CareerBuilder, keep in mind the keyword stack ranking when you are composing your resume.

The Dark Side of Being Connected and Visible

Conquent — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:25:32 -0800

I am in shock about a situation that I found out about yesterday. Tuesday I was over visiting some friends. He had just been laid off from MSFT, and we were talking about his online profiles. He has a lot of business interests beyond technology, and has many of them listed on his LinkedIn profile and some of them are very confusing to potential recruiters/employers. My suggestion was to create a separate profile for his non-tech/employment interests.

So, he did so. Updated his MSFT profile to reflect his last day of employment (which was Monday), and then shut down his non-tech business info.

The result? Almost immediately he got a call from American Express (Amex) asking him what his income was?

I was stunned when I spoke to his wife about this and suggested that he contact Amex directly make sure it wasn't a scam.

They did so, and not only was it a legit call, *Amex confirmed they have people monitoring LinkedIn and other networking sites for employment verification purposes.*

The implications are staggering, especially from an HR perspective, and legally. Employment verification is a key component in the hiring process.

In addition to the obvious question about the ethicality of using something like LinkedIn for the aforementioned purpose, I also question the use of resources in this respect.

I applaud them for keeping their employees "busy", but I wonder what sort of message this sends from a corporate culture standpoint? What sort of training and mentality is this breeding in their employees?

Much to ponder in this Big Brother scenario; makes me glad I don't use Amex.

What Outsourcing Your Corporate Blog Says To Me

Conquent — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:11:18 -0800

Over on Twitter, I've been discoursing with someone regarding legal firms that are outsourcing their corporate blogging.

OK, to me this is sort of oxymoronic in certain ways. First, almost *any* company has internal employees, be it in sales/marketing, or even someone in HR that has aspirations to become a writer. Why pay an external company extra money without taking advantage of your already existent talent?

Second, outsourcing a blog says that you don't trust your own internal teams to disseminate information properly. Especially at a legal firm, this says a lot to me as an outsider about their business practices. It smacks of dishonesty to me; the external vendor is representing *your* firm yet the reader doesn't know it.

Finally, and to me the most important, if you outsource your corporate blogging, you are structuring a message that doesn't connect with your corporate culture. And, to be honest, one of the reasons companies encourage/allow blogging is because they are trying to connect with clients, potential clients, show that the firm is "in touch" with current trends and tools. Hiring someone else to do it invalidates all of these, in my book.

Creative Talent Rich, Business Savvy Poor

Conquent — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:48:38 -0800

I know some amazingly smart, talented, creative individuals both personally and professionally. I believe we all have some sort of creative talent, and it isn�t necessarily in the form of the �traditional� artistic sense. Software Engineers are an incredibly creative bunch of folks; taking concepts and creating usable products by understanding programming languages isn�t what some folks would define as �creative�, but I do.

But I am noticing a rather interesting trend among my truly artistic connections. The inability or refusal to grow from a business perspective; and, in some cases, being unable to let go of creative endeavors in some respect, which can be the death of an �artist�, if art is how they are trying to make a living. For example, a young 20-something media/video editor I know is unemployed, and got her BA a little over a year ago. The current market being what it is, she needs to be as marketable as possible. I helped her with her resume and tried to get her in contact with some professional contacts I have (oh, like a Recruiting Manager at LucasArts I know.) Nothing. So I asked my technical community for a site review of her professional portfolio online. Lots of very constructive and useful feedback. But she decided not to update her site. At all. Nothing I can do for someone that won�t help themselves.

Another friend of mine is a digital artist. I�ve seen a lot of referrals to folks doing her kind of work, and the term �digital painter� has come to light. But she would never �re-title� her occupation. She also has some really *adamant* ideas of what she will and won�t do to promote herself. And unfortunately, she is missing out on cutting edge marketing tools and trends because she doesn�t think it�s worth her time and energy to use them.

A very talented musician with several CD�s to his name of original music doesn�t have a MySpace page or any videos on YouTube.

I�m constantly looking at new tools and venues for promoting my work; not just my resume and recruiting professions, but also my writing. (I�m an author if you didn�t catch that�current novel manuscript is in the urban fantasy genre.) And, I must tell you, my thought processes are *constantly* turning. And it�s interesting to me that �creative� personalities that derive inspiration from the world around them seem too set in their ways when it comes to certain things. Comfort is all well and good, but learning to use new tools and methodology, and taking feedback from peers and critics is part of the *business* part of making money from your art. And when consumer spending is at the low end of the spectrum, using every promotional advantage at your disposal is vital, just like any other profession.

The Exponential Effects of Fiscal Mismanagement

Conquent — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:08:42 -0800

Earlier this week I met with a contact from a company I used to contract with. I was never particularly impressed with the Executive Staff, but recently found out that they "fudged" their books and were caught in an audit. If you read the message boards over at Yahoo, my favorite thus far is the one with the title "Is BSQR like the Enron of Small Companies - Poor Management?"

http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/mb/BSQR

Then let's look at AIG. OK, to use a very strong colloquialism..."WTF?" BONUSES to the miserable executives who mismanaged their assets? Is anyone else disgusted at this? Someone questioned whether we, as the general public, have any stake in this. My response was, "well, the federal government currently owns an 80% stake in the company. I elected the officials that are administering this on the behalf of John Q. Public; so yeah, we have a significant stake." I believe the executives who have accepted the bonuses should be somehow dealt with legally if at all possible, and replaced poste haste. You cannot tell me there aren't *honest and qualified* execs available to run this company competently.

I'm glad GM is restructuring. I'm firmly convinced that this is one of the best things to come out of all the "bailout" muck. I have been on the fence about this issue for several months, and have concluded that we should let the free market capitalist model *do it's job*.

Closer to home, Microsoft recently instituted a mandatory 10% reduction in billing fees from it's staffing agencies (see, HR after all :). Some of the agencies passed the cuts along to the contractors in whole or part; some ate the reduction on existing contracts. The contractors themselves keenly feel the injustice of all this, and some have started protesting. I've had "offline" conversations with people about the situation and most people attribute it to a few things.

1) Many of Microsoft's enterprise customers were in the banking/finance industry, which means a significant reduction in their revenue stream.

2) When Bill Gates stepped down, the company naturally shifted gears from a corporate culture perspective. Steve Ballmer has very different ideas about how to run the company.

3) Yes, corporate greed has played a part in this.

4) OFCCP and other compliance issues have been a factor in the decisions.

My personal opinion? MS has shot itself in the foot as an employer of choice, between the contractor gaffe and the layoffs with the whole "payback" debacle. Are some of the measures they have taken sensible? Sure. But MS's fiscal year starts in *July*. I think they truly jumped the gun on many of these cost-cutting measures which could have been more appropriately handled with the change of fiscal year.

I have many friends in Staffing worried that they will be losing their jobs come July. And I don't blame them one bit.

When major corporations and small local businesses start skirting both the law and common sense, practicing corporate greed, it makes me angry, mostly for the employees effected by the stupidity of it all.

Playing On The Same Team

Conquent — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:22:18 -0800

I think everyone has made friends in the workplace; it�s almost inevitable in a culture that spends more than 40 hours per week with the people *at* work. When you take into consideration the fact that we are hired not just for our skills but also to a great degree for a �cultural� fit. Just because you can do the job doesn�t mean you can necessarily get along with your co-workers and clients. So, based on these factors, it�s no wonder that people form friendships based on their work environment, and also why employee referrals are considered the #1 best form of new candidate generation for any organization and why many companies offer hefty referral bonuses. (I personally made over $3K at Amazon in employee referrals when I worked there; obviously a non-recruiting role as recruiters get paid for doing their jobs =)

But what about going the opposite way, and deciding to work *with* or *for* your social contacts and friends? This sort of arrangement has ruined many a good relationship, and it takes a very deep understanding on the side of both parties of their respective personalities, goals, communication styles and expectations to make such a relationship work.

For me, this has been amply demonstrated recently in several relationships I have. I joined Conquent because I know my style, personality and goals match the team and I trust that the business relationship will be enhanced by the trust and understanding we hold for each other.
Conversely, recently a friend of mine that owns a small business asked for my help. She sent me an email a few weeks ago, asking if I had any technical Project Manager resumes to fill a contract she had with a major global consulting client. I sent her two that I had just been referred to, but they didn�t have the skill set the client needed. So, she called me and rattled off a few key skills that were necessary and a two sentence blurb on the role and the team. So I crafted a short job description and sent it to my network, got several responses and sent them on to her. She shortlisted them based on their skills, and spoke to one of them in depth, but didn�t screen the other top candidate.

She set up interviews with the client team. Unfortunately, the candidate she didn�t screen didn�t do well. The other candidate was a better fit technically, but wasn�t quite right from a team fit perspective. My friend called me up very upset, telling me that I hadn�t done what I had said I would. She had assumed that I was giving her pre-qualified, fully screened professionals. I misconstrued her request for a short favor. It has put a strain on her relationship, but hopefully both of us have learned our lesson about communication and expectations.

Recruiting is an intense, multi-faceted discipline. Many people think that recruiters just get a job description, slap it on a few job boards and wait for the resumes to roll in. Pick the top 3-5, interview them and make an offer, DONE. There is much more to the job than that, and although the lifecycle of recruiting is fairly standardized, the individual methods and styles vary greatly. Add to that specialized knowledge for various industries such as healthcare, IT, academics, government, legal, non-profit and any other highly evolved niche, and it becomes apparent that it isn�t �just� about finding a few candidates.

Insights and Responses to my Ageism Issue

Conquent — Mon, 9 Mar 2009 12:23:26 -0800

Ageism

I disseminated my recent views on ageism in recruiting/HR far and wide, and the response was, to say the least, overwhelming and quite interesting. So, I have posted the various comments (anonymously) here for persual. I sent the posts with requests for input to HR/Recruiting groups in WA, OR, and CA as well as a women in technology listserv I am on. All in all, about 5,000 people saw this posting. This is by no means a *scientific* or even measurable study; it is simply a compilation by members of communities I am involved in.

Responses are in no particular order unless they are part of multiple-response thread.

Original Post (by me):

I've seen a very disturbing trend the last few weeks in my network. People over 40 being "laid off" and the RIF being attributed to "financial reasons", and recruiters focusing on the younger workforce pool.

Has anyone else seen this?

Responses:

I've noticed this trend for over 10 years.

"Seems" to be the trend. I'd be very curious to see the other responses you receive on this.

Simple economics...some companies choose to lay off more experienced (and hence more costly) employees to make room for less experienced, cheaper labor...other companies, like British Petroleum for example, have been selectively rolling out 10% pay cuts for some of their divisions.

Yes, my husband was laid off last year. A decrease in sales performance was the reason given, but it is known that he was one of the higher paid managers (with 30 years of industry experience). Within the same month, several other "seasoned" managers were also laid off. He had to take a 20% pay cut with his next job because it is an employer's market. Employers can drive the compensation down setting a new industry standard. This is the time to stay put if possible. If not, expect to take a pay cut!

Yes it is hard to find a c ompany that will hire those of us who are of an "advanced age'. And age discrimination is the most difficult to prove. However, even though it may be hard to prove it is not impossible. And I feel that we basically have two choices, accept defeat and just keep applying anywhere and everywhere or we can file a complaint with the EEOC. You don't have to try and prove it alone. In addition to EEOC if the company holds a federal contract you might be able to file a complaint with OFCCP.

If you think you have been wronged then you owe it to not just yourself but to all of those who are in a similar circumstance. The economy sucks big time. More and more people are losing their jobs. But if a business or company gets enough complaints against them sooner or later someone is going to take notice and start looking at them under a microscope for the way they are going about hiring and firing people.

I know it isn't much, but it is better than saying "Oh Well".

Just thoughts

Yes, my company and myself are a prime example of this. Out of a group of 12 employees 6 of us are over 50, 3 over 40 and 3 in their late 30's most of us long term employees and therefore at a higher salary rate.

I would agree that not many companies seem to be hiring over 40. I have been recieving many resumes in the past few months and many seem to be people in that age range. One thing that could turn off hiring managers is looking at apps of the over 40 group and seeing large wages and thinking that these individuals may not take job offers or may not be very motivated to work hard if their compensation is much lower than what it had been in the past. I know I have felt that way looking through resumes when the job we have is advertised at $13.00 per hour and their past wage was $25/ hr.

I wonder if it's just a short term trend you observed. There was an interesting article in the Feb 9th print edition of Business Week regarding called "In this recession, older workers are keeping their jobs" focusing on how workers over 55 are the ones who tend to be kept on during all the downsizing we are seeing. You might be able to find the article on their web-site.

I have always thought that it would be interesting to do a survey of over 40's and over 50's who either can not find employment or who have just given up looking because they have looked for so long. It also might be interesting to find out how many have found a job and for what salaries. And what is the difference between the age ranges. It sure would help the more senior professionals get a handle on their chances. I sure wish I would have know ahead of time what an up hill battle I was going to face.

I was recently laid off and I have the data sheet used by the company showing ages of those �released� and those retained. There is a clear case of a skew in favor of the younger group and my attorney is pursuing this to gain a more favorable severance package.

Kristin, yes, not only this. I have also seen the HR recruiting folks getting younger and younger and sadly, they havent a clue what value a more mature worker will bring to the table. We are just "older workers with higher salaries, potential medical liabilites and ideas "stuck in the past" (all not true- well, maybe the higher salary part, but, it's because of all we bring) sad times!

Here in the silicon valley ageism is keenly applied to those over fifty. It could begin earlier as well. I filed two complaints with the EEOC and got nowhere. Nobody seems to care!

So well intentioned as I am, I would consider following the trail of your "hollywood"
bank robber. But I lacked the nerve!

Monday mornings I attend a (Seattle area) Worksource networking event. The meeting has grown from about 15 - 20 people to easily double that if not more and not one of the people attending is under 30 (well maybe a couple).

First of all, I am 64 yrs old and have more then 37 yers of experience in HR, IR and Recruiting. I agree that all too often people over 40 use "discrimination" as a crutch to help themselves justify their inability to find employment.

I would love to hire "seasoned workers" but all to often I find those over 40 are stuck in thinking the processes? learned 25 yrs ago are still the best . They often make it plain that they still like the "old" way better. They have resisted change and in doing so are no longer able to communiate effectively with younger individuals.

My advice to all over 40 is to "get with the program" The world of HR is rapidly changiing every day - new legislation-new behaviorial theories, new ways to find candidates etc.

If you have fallen behind the times It is your responsibility to get caught up, Learn , learn. learn. Do not fear change. Listen to some RAP music, talk to today's youth( they really are amazing)., get a new hair style, buy a pair of red shoes :)

Accept new ideas and processes, embrace change and you may find that you will outlast younger employees in tight times or if you have lost your job you will be considered as a great candidate as you have kept current , you don't think old, and you have a great attitude.

If you think OVER 40 is bad...wait til you get OVER 50 (or more). As a Career Consultant during the post 911 layoff crises I worked with alot of laid off workers and it is pretty clear discrimination is rampant. I have also heard comments by some HR folks that are troubling in this regard. One internal recruiter told me she would never send any "gray haired' guy to certain managers because she knew they wouldn't be hired. From a strategic point of view I can understand her position---she is busy and why waste her time as well as that of the manager or the candidate. But from an ethical and legal position it is indeed disturbing. Of course, I don't mean to imply all recruiters operate in this way, but I think it happens more than we care to believe.

I think the field of HR has an opportunity and responsibility to be a real leader in regard to age discrimination--as well as other forms of discrimination (gender, race, ethnicity, etc.). There is an opportunity to educate managers about the value of "experienced" workers as well as, of course, the potential liabilities associated with discrimination. I know many HR folks who are quite vigilant, outspoken and real champions for this cause.....but there are others who take the easy way out, by avoiding confrontation and pretending not to see.

Of course, age discrimination also occurs on the other end with the 20 somethings being turned down for jobs they are competent to serve, especially if they are "young looking".

Discrimination will end when we truly hire, fire, develop and promote for purely performance-based reasons. I think we are still a ways away from that reality.

I am more concerned about layoffs than hiring, to be honest. And for anyone, it is imperative that they understand that they will most likely need to take a pay cut.

Due to the economic woes, it is an employer's market. For those of us that are looking for work, you might be over 40 however if during the interview you are skill sets are not strong then yes someone younger will earn the right to be offered the job. I was a member of a interview panel on Thursday Three people were interviewed. The first interviewer was over 40 did a good job in presenting her skills. She was used to earning a higher salary however understood that she may have to take a pay cut.
The second interviewer was over 40 seemed inflexible, did not do a good in presenting herself. She was willing to work for less. The third interviewer was under 40 did a good job presenting her skills and was flexible. When asked about salary she was willing to accept whatever the company offered. The first and third person will have second interviews next week.

I understand that some individuals over 40 should earn more money and in a fair world, you will be properly compensated but while companies are struggling financially companies have had to make tough decisions which have included, laying people off, pay cuts, early retirements, cutting hours, only filling essential positions and hiring people earning less money. Only
you know your situation, it is not about age but if you demand to make a certain amount of money and are not willing to understand that the company may not be able to pay you what you believe you are worth, there are hundreds of other individual, ready, willing and able to work for less.

I help individuals over the age of 18 find employment and old or young when you want to make so much money you will find yourself still unemployed. Companies, the government and individuals have had to make adjustments to their income, we must do so as well in order to survive.

Times have changed and we must change as well. Also you may have years of experience however if you interviewing skills are not sharp you will not stand out amongst the crowd. When interviewing, it is a package deal.

I recently conducted two workshops on job search strategies, resume development and networking at and 95% of the attendees were over 40.

Reply:

I sometimes wonder if it is the 40+ age group of candidats who go to these types of resume buiding workshops because they understand the value and it has been quite a while since they have looked at their resumes or have interviewed.

Let's face it, if I was fresh out of college and laid off, my resume is still very current and I've been interviewing most recently. The younger population also has typically less financial burdens and my live off of unemployment just a
bit longer than someone who's supporting a 25 yr. mortgage with college kids and admissions fees. More food for thought...

A little note of caution. One thing I have seen repeatedly during a downturn is employees over 40 crying about age discrimination. These same folks when under 40 were the first out and last back in the previous downturn. I just see too many people use it first as an excuse and then as a crutch and ultimately rationalizing that they can't get a job solely
because they are over 40 and act accordingly.

If you are over 40 and command more money to do a job that someone under 40 can do just as well and for less, what do you think might happen??? If your years of experience are not worth the extra money, they aren't worth the extra money, and that's just economics.

As far as complaining, the HR community in certain areas is a VERY, very close community. You start screaming age discrimination, even if it's true, and the other possible employers will back away from you very quickly.

But, gang, there are companies out there who will hire you. They are not that hard to identify. The HR rep is over 25. She does not look at those over 40 as elderly and tired. Smaller companies that don't or can't afford to spend tons on training look at you as a bargain or even a steal. Take what you have and shop it in an area where others don't. And for those companies that do discriminate against you and do it openly, remember it. Remember who in the company. Learn a tiny bit about them. Watch them in the future. But write it down, don't waste time thinking about it. You never can tell when the fates will give you a little tiny opportunity to return the favor to the company or even better the person. And most of the time it will.

The Disturbing Trend of Ageism in the Work Place

Conquent — Thu, 5 Mar 2009 11:50:59 -0800

I'm seeing a very disturbing trend in HR today. One of my friends, who is a brilliant Computer Scientists with a wealth of global business experience, was recently laid off from a local area software company. It turns out that most of the layoffs were the over 40 crowd. The company cited "financial reasons" defined by rising healthcare costs, and the philosophy that anyone over a specific age has only a limited worklife left so they would rather invest their money in younger workers.

I've also seen a lot of commentary in my social networks pointing to ageism as a factor in hiring. Why pay someone what they are *worth* with 20+ years of experience when you can hire someone half their age for peanuts?

In the US, we don't value wisdom and experience as much as other countries. Our culture is obsessed with youth. I think this is one of the most unnatural, misplaced, idiotic cultural values out there. I blame it on the entertainment industry for the most part.

Although age discrimination is illegal, when there is a glut of unemployed professionals in the workforce, it is oh so easy to look at the candidates with more experience and the younger *cheaper* candidate and then to rationalize that the older candidate is "too expensive".

I come from a family that values education. My mom went back to school in her 50's to get her Master's in Social Work. She has a long health care history, and that makes her a valuable employee in a healthy field, even now in her sixties.

One of the things we at Conquent value is *experience*. It is not dependent on how young/old you are. It's a matter of whether or not you have the skills and cultural fit for what we need. Sometimes a green fresh college graduate, with a different perspective and new ideas will fit the bill better than someone that has been in the field for a decade or more. And then there is the fact that sometimes our clients need a seasoned professional that understands the greater business world and can quickly "hit the ground running" without a long learning curve.

Companies need to evaluate factors beyond "cost". Look to the experience and balance a *broad* corporate population brings to the table. And quit thinking of ways to "bend" the law to save a few bucks.

The role of Corporate America, and recruiting, in the job situation

Conquent — Mon, 2 Mar 2009 10:19:38 -0800

As is my wont, I was perusing the LinkedIn answer forums over the weekend and answered a question that provoked an answer that has really hit home for various reasons.

The first thing that this response hits me with is that the person responding obviously doesn't understand *me* (more about that in a moment.) Before I share the response, I want to share some information regarding recruiting "philosophy". It has always been the "holy grail" of recruiters to engage the "passive candidate". That is someone that is happily employed elsewhere and not looking. The thought process behind it is that someone that isn't looking is most likely going to be a better employee, because obviously they are making an impact where they are, and they are more likely to be a top performer.

In times of plenty (like the mid-90's through 2005/6) that may be true. The reason I bring this up is because of part of the comment I received as a response:

"If your group maintains a bias for "passive candidates", it is more a part of the problem with our economic recovery than the solution".

I happen to agree with this person, but he obviously doesn't know *me*. I wrote a recruiting blog about this very mentality last summer.

Redefining the "passive" candidate's importance in recruiting

This is really giving me a lot of food for thought, and I'm trying to share it with my recruiting colleagues, but it's really an uphill battle.

How NOT To "Network"

Conquent — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:14:04 -0800

There is a term for the most desirable candidate in recruiting, the "passive" candidate. This is someone that is happy in their job and not looking to move. The rationale is that if someone is happily employed, they are valuable and will make a positive contribution to a *new* organization. Believe it or not, this adage is still proving true in recruiting circles.

So, if recruiters are looking for those that are employed, and you are *unemployed* how do you make yourself look more desirable to potential employers?

First and foremost: do *not appear desperate*. All over the place I see social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook etc.) profiles that scream "I'm looking for a job as ZYW in Anytown USA."

OK, this is *totally* the wrong way to go about marketing yourself. First of all, this is a major turn-off for potential employers. If you are this unsubtle in the world of social media, how do you think they are going to look at you as a representative of the company? Uh huh. Not very professional and certainly someone that doesn't understand the meaning of business "subtlety". It also shows that you don't understand how to cultivate business relationships or make value-add connections.

Networking is about 1:1 personal relationships. It *is not* about trying to get yourself in front of as many people as humanly possible. That mentality is akin to the old "shooting fish in a barrell" concept.

It is crucial to use social media and networking tools effectively. This means being calm, cool, collected and professional in how you approach others. It is fine to let someone you are networking with to know that you are seeking new opportunties, be it by attrition or a RIF (Reduction In Force or layoff). But screaming it to all and sundry on the internet is the fastest way to lose face with those that could potentially help you. If you cannot market yourself in a way that is positive, why on earth would they want to pass your profile along to their colleague that is hiring? So do yourself a favor; spend the $25 to get a business license, set up shop as an independent business owner, and cultivate *clients*. Whether you do any actual work, as long as you appear to be doing something with your credentials and expertise you will come across as a professional.

Guarding Your Professional Brand

Conquent — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 09:47:26 -0800

It goes without saying that companies need to be very careful about their brand, something Conquent takes very seriously. And I always counsel candidates and career services clients to portray themselves and their personal brand carefully especially online.

But it's just as important for the individuals in a business/organization to guard their own brand; in this case, it is twofold. As both a representative of the organization, but also as a professional in their own right.

This whole thought is forming from a LinkedIn Question that was posted under "recruiting and staffing". A Director of Recruiting Services asked the question "Is it legal to check a candidate's employment history without their permission?"

OK, first of all if you are a *director* in any profession, you should be an expert on the basic legal compliance issues of your industry. This particular individual has just destroyed all credibility as a knowledgable professional.

Second, putting this sort of a question out on a forum such as LinkedIn smacks of laziness. There are numerous free resources on the internet to consult with, especially in the US with the Department of Labor. I have a few pet peeves with the use of community sites for "quick fix" questions, so I admit a bias in that regard. I moderate a 3700+ member global Yahoo Group and I regularly post reminders to search the archives before posting a common question.

Finally, putting all these impressions together creates a picture of a minor-league "professional" with very little business sense, no idea how to utilize the plentiful resources out there, and a time drain on colleagues and other professionals in our industry.

Career Crossover Filters

Conquent — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:25:14 -0800

In addition to my Recruiting career, I am also an aspiring author. I've been writing a novel for the last few years and I'm getting ready to submit a book on Resume Construction.

Last night I was at a talk given by the Pacific Northwest Writer's Association on the topic of Query Letters.

Query Letters are short documents an author sends to Editors and Agents trying to interest them in purchasing the book. Each publishing house/literary agency has different guidelines for what they want included in a query letter.

I've always thought of the Query Letter as being the equivalent of a resume. But last night, my viewpoint completely changed. Now, I see it as the equivalent of a resume. This makes sense, because as a recruiter, I rarely have time to read a cover letter; I usually go straight to the resume itself.

The purpose of the Query is the same as the Resume: get the reader's attention enough in the first few lines to make them want to read more.

We all have filters in our lives that we use to compartmentalize our experiences. For me, those filters will be completely unique to anyone else. Seeing the Query as a Resume really makes a huge difference for me when it comes time to write them.

HR and Compliance

Conquent — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:05:26 -0800

A lot of people don't realize how regulated the Human Resources industry is in the US. People who go into HR as a profession often think they are going into a "people" industry, when in reality they are going into a "policy" career.

HR folks are responsible not for the "human" part of the equation but the"resources" and the management of those resources. Yes, an HR Generalist or HR Manager does deal with employees, but usually only under specific circumstances such as reviews, onboarding as new employees, insurance enrollment, and sadly either in times of stress or exit interviews.

Being an HR professional means knowing a lot of different laws. Being a recruiter means knowing a lot of laws. Being a hiring manager, especially of a small business, means being responsible not only for those laws but also their execution.

Last night I was at a career panel with several other women, and one of them was expounding on her long career as a business owner and manager. She made a comment that startled me, being in the Northwest. She said that she doesn't hire anyone with visible piercings and tattoos (other than pierced ears.)

I was also having this discussion over on LinkedIn in the Answers section. A Diversity specialist posted a question asking recruiters' opinions on body art. Basically, I believe we have entered a period in history where body art is mainstream, it is a form of personal expression and the employer that doesn't accept that loses out on the talent and creativity of the generation under 40 (and some of us over forty).

I believe that someday there will be legalization stating we cannot discrimminate based on body art. If this happens, I'm not sure if that is a bad thing or a good thing. But I believe that hiring professionals need to be cognizant of the realities of todays' workers. The old prejudices are getting just that...old.

Why video resumes don't work

Conquent — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:24:49 -0800

In the recruiting world, a hot topic the last few years has been video resumes. In many European countries, and due to the explosion of Youtube, lots of content companies are trying to cash in on the untapped market for video resumes in the US.

But here's the thing: they aren't *listening* to recruiters telling them.

There is a huge issue with discrimmination potential. And, that discrimmination isn't even just from a recruiting perspective; there are several studies conducted over the last decade that show that societally we are predisposed to discrimmination:

Attractive people make more money, are seen as more reliable, and generally have an advantage over their homelier counterparts. Below are just a very few articles referencing these studies.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/Careers/07/08/looks/

http://womeninquire.com/index.php/Why-Attractive-People-Get-Better-Jobs.html

http://www.onrec.com/newsstories/20805.asp

http://www.thedigeratilife.com/blog/index.php/2008/04/08/get-hired-get-a-raise-and-get-paid-more-by-improving-your-appearance/

Add to that the cost involved with producing a video resume, and the *lack* off access to it, and you are basically saying that people who have money to go to a videography service have a better shot at getting a job. Today, anyone can go to a library, or local unemployment office and type up a resume and use free email to send it off.

Not only that, but who cares if someone reads a scripted document that tells me how wonderful they are?

I can see there being a market for *live* videoconferencing for interviews. I've used this option myself in the past, and it has been successful. But for now, just email me a resume I can search and look at and call it good.

Supply and Demand

Conquent — Tue, 3 Feb 2009 12:39:14 -0800

In the 'dot bomb' aftermath of 1998-2000, scores of displaced professionals decided to hide in the hallowed halls of academia and attain advanced degrees, such as MBA's, in the hopes of being more marketable when they emerged and the economy, hopefully, had improved.

But one thing they failed to take into account is that when X% of the population goes "back to school", then X% of the workforce will have the same academic credentials when they emerge, thus *lowering* the demand for, say, an MBA.

I feel deeply concerned for the college graduates coming out with degrees in Finance and Accounting. With the collapse of the financial sector in the US last year in October, seasoned professionals with years of experience as well as their CPA's or advanced degrees are now a "dime a dozen", so to speak.

I'm not advocating against an advanced degree, or even changing your career by obtaining an additional degree, but just suggesting that when considering going back to school that the motivation is valid and that you aren't further diluting your job opportunities.

The Pros and Cons of Using Monster.com

Conquent — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:07:03 -0800

Yesterday a discussion started over on Digital Eve, one of my favorite online communities. In these troubled times, everyone needs a bit of help. So, I put on my recruiter cap.

From a recruiting standpoint and as someone that helps a lot of people in this arena, here are some suggestions and observations.

1 ) Monster is the largest resume database in the world. Period. Given a choice of the top three for database mining, many recruiters will choose Monster as the best place to *post* their jobs bceause it is so well known and is the default for job hunters. For this reason, it is worthwhile for a candidate to post their resume/s.

2 ) Monster (and any other job board) is one of the few instances I counsel my resume clients to *use targeted objectives* to cover what you DON'T want. IE, Objective: seeking a contract or full-time graphic design opportunity in the Seattle area only. Currently not pursuing sales or commission only positions.�

3 ) If you are currently in the job market, I suggest setting up job search agents. The Quick Apply feature also works pretty well if you have a significant skill set.

4 ) Remember that once your resume is in an agency database you don�t need to keep applying via Monster or the website. You are better served contacting the agency via phone directly and asking to speak to a recruiter about a specific position.

5 ) The confidential mode: this does save you from spam, I would suggest that you put something on your resume (similar to the objective) stating that you will reply to all inquiries for positions of interest in your field/s of experience and expertise. And, if you upload your resume as an attachment, remember to take your contact info *off* if you are using the confidential feature. I cannot tell you how many resumes I�ve opened on �confidential� mode to find full contact info. (This also includes the name you use for your document�putting �susie.smith.SDE� is an invitation for them to google your name+Acme Widget as an employer.)

6 ) With the sheer volume of candidates on the market now, many recruiters are resorting to Monster just because it�s familiar, it�s fast and easy. The resume search functionality is very user-friendly. I�d say you have a better than average shot at using it.

7 ) Regarding your resume from 4 years ago showing up, keep in mind that a lot of agencies mine the *entire* database. A good recruiter looks at older resumes because they are considered to be �passive� candidates, which is something that is sought after in the recruiting world. Also, many agencies keep huge databases that archive resumes going back years and they may be pulling you from their own database when they call you, not directly from Monster *today*.

8 ) In the last couple of years, the EEOC has instituted some pretty strict regulatory practices that have shifted the way many corporations recruit. Without going into a lot of compliance jargon, nowadays a good percentage of employers *require* you to apply via their website. And, if you don�t do so, you cannot be considered for employment. Monster and most of the job boards have interfaces that allow job postings and their application process to be merged to make it easier on candidates. This makes it much easier on recruiters for posting their jobs and getting applicant pools that are more manageable.

9 ) Refreshing your resume: if you open your profile and hit �edit� even if you don�t make any changes, it does bubble to the top of keyword searches.

It really boils down to how much work you want to put into your job hunt; if you are being truly thorough and exploring *all* avenues, it only makes sense to put your information up on Monster.