Employment Digest

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Recruiter offers advice on what won’t impress

Brad Karsh has thrown away stacks of résumés with barely a glance.

He has judged people in an instant, based on what they were wearing and the strength of their handshake.

And he still expected them to send him a thank-you note.

World-class jerk? Nah, just a former recruiting director. And if you’re looking for your first job, you might want to listen to what he has to say.

His book, Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider’s Guide to Landing Your First Job (Prentice Hall Press, April 2006), walks recent grads through the basic steps of getting that first job, including writing a good résumé and cover letters, networking, interviewing and what comes after.

Karsh has read more than 10,000 résumés, interviewed more than 1,000 people and hired hundreds of workers. Seeing people make the same mistakes over and over is a huge part of what inspired him to write the book.

”Young workers in particular get so much advice — from their parents, their teachers, their dentist — but so much of it is off the mark,” he said in an interview. The book was a chance to share the insider’s view, the perspective of the people who actually make the hiring decisions.

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Good job hunting

Lynette Pharr-Ellis lived in Hawaii while her Army husband was stationed there, but it was far from paradise.

She couldn’t find a job because of her husband’s career.

“I was overlooked for jobs because I was told I wouldn’t stay long enough,” said Pharr-Ellis, whose husband has been at Fort Carson since 2001. “I finally got a job, but right when I did, we got orders to (move out).”

Employment and deployment don’t always go hand-in-hand for military spouses.

Frequent moves or the possibility of a member of the military being shipped out unexpectedly pose huge challenges for job-seeking military spouses
that civilian spouses don’t face — especially in Colorado Springs, home to five military installations and thousands of military spouses.

Nationwide, the problem potentially affects a majority of military spouses: six out of 10 have jobs outside the home, and as many as one-third move each year, according to a recent study by the National Military Family Association, an advocacy group.

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Job hunting through the Net? 7 tips to help lift your optimism

The job market is good, the Internet is buzzing, and optimism is high.

Still, the best jobs require talent before you walk in the door — you need to know how to search. Here are seven tips to help you:

1. Navigate the online labyrinth. Only 3 to 5 percent of job seekers find employment through online job sites. The ease of e-mail means big companies receive thousands of applications and so often use a computer tracking system to sort applicants by skill. To catch the computer’s eye, you need to tailor your resume to the keyword searches these systems use. “Sending a resume to a big company’s website is like sending your resume into a black hole," says John Sullivan , human resources consultant and professor of management at San Francisco State University.

Sullivan tells of a study where researchers took a job opening and wrote 100 perfect resumes for that opening. Then the researchers added 10 percent more information to the resumes. Of those resumes, only 12 percent were picked up by the tracking system as qualified. This means that even if you are the perfect candidate, if you submit your resume blindly to a large company, there is almost a 90 percent chance that no human will ever see your resume. But you can increase your chances by knowing how to use keywords in your resume. “Recruiters locate individuals based on a certain skill set of the job they are looking to fill," says recruiting adviser Matt Millunchick .
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So try to imagine how someone else would use a search box to find you, and be very specific about your skills. These rules also remain true if you post your resume to an online database . The mass of resumes on job sites is so unruly that human resource staff are paying people in India $20 an hour to sort through resumes to find the good ones, according to David Hanley, the owner of recruit’n, an online recruiting service. So, even in this case, keywords are your best friend.

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Networking occurs in unexpected places

Networking doesn’t always have to seem fake and forced; friendly conversation can do the trick, too.

Back in November, Mike Campbell did what so many people do these days: He went on a date with someone he met through Match.com.

What came out of it wasn’t a romantic relationship. Instead, he found a job.

Campbell met his date at a sports bar. Unfortunately, his date wasn’t so crazy about sports, and the chemistry was lacking. But during the conversation, Campbell’s date, the chief executive of a nonprofit group, mentioned his organization was seeking a director of communications.

Lo and behold, Campbell’s background was in communications. And he was on a free-lance assignment that was about to end.

In the days after the date, Campbell built up his courage and sent a cover letter and résumé through the regular channels. Then, Campbell picked up the phone and called his ex-date. Though it might seem strange, he said in the message, he felt he was a good fit for the job.

Almost a month later, the CEO’s assistant called to schedule an interview. When Campbell showed up, the honcho whispered, ”I told them we met at a party,” then sat down with a few other managers and interviewed Campbell, later offering him the job.

Campbell didn’t realize it, but in following up after the lame date, he was networking.

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A job seeker without clear mission is a recipe for frustration

Want to get hired faster? Try playing "think and tell."

Specifically, you should figure out exactly what job you want and why you’re qualified to do it. Then, tell your story to the right employers.

Simple? Yes.

Easy? No.

That’s because most people would rather do anything — anything at all — rather tell others about themselves

Here’s how to do it.

Think about and decide on the job you want. Of the job seekers I’ve spoken to in person and by e-mail over the years, I’d wager that 60 percent to 85 percent of them had no specific job in mind. They were looking for work without knowing what work they wanted.

This is a recipe for frustration.

Have you thought long and hard about the job you’re really seeking? Can you say, "I’m looking for a position as a corporate trainer?" Or does this sound like you: "I think I’d like to do something in training … or customer service … or computers."

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Key words make the difference for cyber resumes

Millions of people post their resumes on Internet job sites with high hopes of finding that perfect job. But when weeks pass without a phone call, those hopes are deflated. The trick to getting those calls could lie in some key words.

As a former television news reporter, substitute teacher and flight attendant, Angela Lombardi was ready to launch a new career. She posted her resume on several online job sites and waited for the onslaught of calls.

“I was thinking my phone probably wouldn’t stop ringing, I would have numerous interviews,” said Lombardi. “I would probably have a job in like two weeks, but I’d give myself a month."

Instead, the days passed and Angela’s phone was silent.

“I was dumbfounded,” said Lombardi. “I was like, ‘I don’t understand why no one has called.’"

Turns out, Angela’s resume probably never saw the light of day. Not because of a lack of experience, but a lack of buzz words.

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10 Commandments to Writing a Great Resume

With unemployement at lows not seen since 2001, the resume is the most important tool a job seeker has to get noticed. Unfortunately, recruiters see resumes everyday with errors that reduce a candidate’s chances of being considered by a potential employer.

Sherrie Dvorak, Lead Recruiter with Frontline Source Group based in Dallas Texas, "Your resume must stand out for the right reasons…not the wrong reasons. Make sure you spend the extra few minutes before sending this profile about yourself to possible companies. The extra time is well worth it during your search."

If you really want to be considered for a job, the resume must be flawless. Here are a few ways to make sure your resume catches an employer’s eye:

1. Spellcheck - and don’t just rely on your computer to catch every mistake. Words that you type may not be true misspellings, however they may be the wrong word, and they will make you look as though you did not spend the time proofreading your resume.

2. Don’t be redundant. If it only takes one sentence to explain your duties, use only one sentence. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

3. Be honest! Don’t make up dates, titles, duties, etc. If you lie, employers could very easily find out while doing reference checks. If you explain gaps of unemployment, full range of duties, and the value of your title, there’s no reason to embellish.

4. Put all of your contact information at the top of the resume. Many employers have a preferred means of communication, so please include mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers if you want to be contacted for a great new job opportunity. Most importantly, make sure the information is CURRENT.

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Are You Ready To Cross Over To Consulting?

If you’re a tech professional working in an IT organization and contemplating a career change, you’ve probably considered becoming a consultant. But while the work and pay may look more exciting from your office window, be forewarned: There are pros and cons to making the jump from full-time employee to contracted consultant.

One of consulting’s biggest perks is the pay, says Web project manager Phil Marino, a consultant for IT outsourcing and services firm Hudson who has done stints with other contracting firms, including the former Andersen Consulting. Marino estimates he’s making about 20% more as a contractor than he made as a full-time employee. He went into consulting about two years ago, after his last employer went through a merger and reorganization. The extra money is good, he says, but it’s a trade-off since now he doesn’t have health benefits or the vacation or sick pay he enjoyed as a full-timer.

Another thing to jot down in the cons column is that consultants typically don’t earn overtime pay for putting in the extra hours needed to keep clients happy. Even though full-time salaried IT staffers often put in extra unpaid hours, the pressure on consultants to get clients’ projects done on time and on budget can be more intense. After all, a disgruntled client can choose another consultant or contracting firm next time around.

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Give your resume a spring cleaning

Springtime signifies renewal and a fresh start. It’s also a great time for spring cleaning.

But this year, don’t stop at washing the windows, vacuuming under the furniture and throwing away the old winter clothes. It’s also time to spruce up your resume.

Your resume is the first impression that any potential employer has of you. However, many people haven’t updated or refreshed their resume in years.

Even if you are not actively looking for a job, you must always be ready.

Here are seven ways you can prepare your resume for a new season of job success:
Pack away glory days

If you are not a first-time job seeker and you still have high school activities on your resume, it is time to move on. Being president of student council was impressive when you were a teenager, but it just doesn’t carry much weight now that you are in your 30s.

Stick to facts that tell the story of who you are as a professional adult.
Wipe out unnecessary information

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Acing The Headhunter
Acing The Headhunter

Many top-level job candidates see the search firm as a hurdle to be hopped to get to the "real" interview with the company offering the job.

Such an attitude can be a fatal mistake, killing your chances for the job at hand and any future openings handled by the recruiter.

"Some candidates see the search firm as something to be worked around," says John Salveson, co-founder and principal at Salveson Stetson Group, a retained executive search firm in Radnor, Pa. "This shows a lack of sophistication–the candidate simply doesn’t understand how things work."
In Pictures: Interviewing With An Executive Search Firm

Salveson says the smart candidate uses the initial interview with the recruiter to explore the opportunity and to see if there’s a fit with the company offering the job. Ideally, the interview should be a relaxed give-and-take between the candidate and the recruiter rather than a hard sell from the job seeker.

Salveson says many candidates try to oversell themselves, stretching their experience beyond reason and almost panting for the job. This suggests a lack of honesty and smacks of desperation, two traits guaranteed to get your résumé tossed in the reject heap. (See: " Acing The Job Interview" and " Is Your Body Language Betraying You In Job Interviews?")

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