Ahhhh, the break time.  Well I have been on hiatus or whatever they call simply doing everything but writing.  Barely been reading any of the normal blogs I do, simply working and expanding of the footprint of the business.  Which I might add is doing very very well.  Consulting has been screaming along and our intention is to leverage that for the establishment of a more formal business development effort with centralized location penetration requirements of our employees.

In any case, glad to be back and sorry been away so long.  Look forward to reading and writing a good deal more about this business we work in.

Resume Blasting is something that I have a strong opinion on – that is NEVER do it.  It looks desperate, something that a less qualified candidate would do in a shotgun approach to offload their resume to as many sharks as possible.  Does one really think that works?  A recruiter or HR manager receives an email from one of the blasting services – something that is non personal and gives little attention to the person whose resume they are sending.  Better yet…..the professional using the service rarely ever knows of where the resume is being sent.  How does this benefit anyone again?

A new trend that I am seeing is from candidates themselves, sending their own blasts of sorts to their network.  I received one this morning and let us discuss. 

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please review the attached detail and if applicable update systems accordingly.

Availability:  1st or 2nd week of Feb…
Pay:  W2 or 1099…
Rate:  Negotiable…
Type:  Contract or Perm…
Passport:  Yes

I have no obligations or commitments.  Single, healthy, no house to sell, no children, etc…completed last contract in October.

Sincerest Thanks

I am reading this letter, only to see that in the address line there are 22 other recruiters listed.  I think to myself, well I am certainly not someone this person wants to work with.  He must have spoken to me once or simply seen my name somewhere and thrown me into his list.  There is no rapport, relationship or reason for me to do anything but hit “delete”.  In the far off chance, I have something that matches his skill set perfectly I might call.  But otherwise, I offer little as I was given nothing.

When people contact through our website, i call or email to discuss their skills – regardless of their match to a current opening.  They have gone through our form, told us their interest in working with us, and therefore deserve to be contacted.  Now I am not 100% perfect doing every time but I make a large effort to offer the same level of professionalism they have offered.  I would say that people considering their resume blast professional should think the same.  Regardless of whether using a service or doing it personally, stay away from bulk mail and spend time developing relationships.

Alright finally I am back in the saddle and writing again.  Coming back from some time off, and talking to folks, seems that the spirits are a little higher coming into the 2009 yr.  With that, the discussion of strategy has hit the forefront of almost all conversations. How do I make the difference?  How do I stand out?  What will make me the most marketable and attractive to employers?

I read an article out of the local paper this morning and it spoke of being “an ad” and to be aggressive and flexible.  All suitable for today’s market but with no substance surrounding the approach and what those things mean in looking for a job today.  So lets speak about some of the things that are needed for making your mark in an economy that is changing and uncertain.

1. Presentation.  This is broad but covers a great deal of areas.  From your resume, cover letter, to the way you speak on a phone interview, all to the way you look.  Presentation covers it all and is well accustomed to the number 1 spot on the list.  People, although they want to be judged on substance, are all too often judged on the look and feel that a person gets when they walk in the room.  Presentation is a key component and there are a variety of channels in which your presentation effects the employer.  I will write a post tomorrow discussing this in more detail.
2. Be Prepared.  It is becoming a repeat thing for me these days, but being prepared can NEVER go unheard.  It shows the true depth of character, what you bring to the job, and how much you care about the job.  In addition, he shows signs of respect for the person interviewing you, letting them know you spent time being ready for the meeting and not wasting their time with superficial and basic questions that could have been answered with some basic due diligence.
3. Know what makes you who you are.  One of the questions I ask all the time – “I have had the opportunity to meet with a great deal of qualified people for this role.  What is it that makes you the person we should hire or consider for the project?”.  Unfortunately most times I am met with a blank face, or a simple regurgitation of what their resume says.  Know what makes you who you are, be prepared to speak about it and let the hiring manager know things that are not on the resume.  What you bring to the table and relate it to the business at hand.  Know this before going in.

These are some basics and we will cover this more over the month.  Many people are out looking for new position.  Do not be intimidated.  The job is yours if you want it and are qualified.  Are you ready to go get it – that is the question?

I have preached on the art of the resume writing plenty of times in the past, however I read a quick brief from another blogger this morning discussing “not to tell the story” which I found so profound.  The style of resume I promote is the impact resume, one with statement, figures and savings.  It should read like a baseball card, not a biography.  Let’s recap some of the things we should be looking for to ensure your resume is successful in its endeavor to get you that interview.

Baseball card.  For all of the non athletes out there, a baseball card is small card no larger than the palm of your hand that show all important stats and accomplishments of the player.  It is a quick synopsis of what someone that likes them would want to know.  Facts, details and figures dominate the content and allow for quick understanding of how positive or negative this person’s career has been.  Think baseball card.

Example of how the start of your resume might look:

Jason Monastra

Address/Phone/ETC

Summary

10 yr executive recruiter and staffing leadership professional with documented ability to build offices, territories, and new companies from the ground up.  Highly skilled trainer of new recruiting and business development talent, having hired/trained/managed more than a 100 person staff.  Personally responsible for increases at the office level of more than 1M annually, with region wide increase of more 5M.

ABC Staffing Company

Partner

12.11.2008-Present

Selected and hired by owners of company to develop southeastern region of IT/Engineering Staffing company.  Developed non-penetrated market through direct sales and team development activities.  Grew region by highest year over year increase than any other region in company.

• Developed new territory in 1 yr into 3.5 revenue foundation for company
• Hired/trained/managed 6 staff members including admin/sales/recruiter
• Exceeded original annual goal by 35%
• Awarded partner status after 9 months
• Being tasked for 2009 with new business development for emerging medical sector
• Saved company 130,000 with new business process that allowed for quicker client fulfillment

Now this is a quick sample that I used for myself, however it will be different for each and every person that does the exercise.  The key component is to sit back and see how you have effected the companies you have worked for.  Once that is done, you can better write the resume and offer value to someone reading it.  Stay away from restating the obvious functions of your job.  No one wants to hear that.  What they are looking for is something that you have done, and responsibilities do not show that.

Keep to the facts.  Do not tell the story and you will quickly develop a resume that people can read quickly, and most importantly attracts them into calling you to discuss what you can do for them.

A subject near and dear to my heart, the cover letter.  For some, the only time they will have to separate themselves from the ever growing stack of applications.  A group of words that can sell oneself to a hiring manager to best understand their skills and application to the job being hired for.  Well, I have written on it in the past in The Cover Letter which describes the must haves of this entry page.

However, when in reading my list of daily blogs, I uncovered one of strong interest….a list of what NOT to do in the cover letter.  Something different.  We all speak to what will make the letter the best, how to write it and make it your own.  But how about a DO NOT DO UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE look at the cover letter.  Lets take a look at it and see what the list includes:

• Don’t overuse “I.” While the focus of the cover letter is on your accomplishments, be sure to indicate how you meet your employer’s needs.
• Don’t have a weak opening. If your cover letter is the first thing an employer reads about you, then the opening is the first part of the cover letter that is read.  You need to be sure it is engaging and keeps the reader wanting to continue reading.
• Don’t omit your top selling points.  You need to sell yourself the to the employer.  Thus, you must include why you are the perfect candidate for the position, and the easiest and best way to do this is illustrate your skills and successes.  Be sure to carefully include key words and phrases from the job posting.
• Don’t make it too long or too short. Too short and you may have not put enough time or effort in, and it may not be enough space to include all the relevant information.  Too long and you may come off as overly confident or the reader may get bored and quit reading.  Three or four paragraphs is probably enough to get all your important information conveyed to the reader.  However, be sure that you are not rambling on and repeating yourself.
• Don’t repeat your resume. Your cover letter is an introduction to your resume, not a regurgitated version of it.  While it is important to include similar information, it gives you a better opportunity to elaborate on your skills and successes.
• Don’t be vague. Be specific as to the position you are applying for, as well as why you are qualified for the job.
• Don’t forget to customize. While it is a good idea to have a general cover letter template, you MUST change it for each job you apply for.  Be sure to change the position title, company name and addressee.  Also try to match your skills and qualifications with the job posting.
• Don’t end on a passive note.  Be proactive and indicate when you are going to follow-up, rather than waiting for a phone call for the interview.
• Don’t forget a thank you. ALWAYS thank the reader for their time and consideration for the position.
• Don’t forget to sign. If you are mailing or faxing your application
• READ the entire article here

Of all of these, I need to highlight the one that means the most to me.  Do NOT repeat your resume.  I think this is one of the cardinal errors of the standard cover letter, as people simply see the cover letter as a summary of the resume.  Major NO NO.  Key criteria of the cover letter is to give a view into the candidate soul and who they are, what makes them tick, and best of all what makes them the person that hiring manager needs to see.  If all you are doing is summarizing the resume, there should be no reason to even attach a cover letter.  Be creative and make the reader want more.

I am beginning to think that applicants have lost their internal compass when applying to positions.  I have discussed this before but I find the subject hard to ignore given the constant re-introduction of it to the forefront every time I call an applicant who acts like they do not know the company which is calling, or what job they applied for.  As a partner, I take a keen interest and a discerning mind when accepting an assignment, ensuring that positions are of solid caliber and the companies we represent would be ones I would be comfortable working for.  In that, I expect applicants to offer similar time in their due diligence when applying for roles – knowing where they applied and with whom.  Are my thoughts that ideal?

I think not.  But I know this.  If the response I recieve from applicants is the same that direct hiring companies recieve when they call, it is no surprise that positions go unfilled.  Frankly, a good portion of the applications are rude when first approached.  You let them know they applied for a role through a certain advertisement resource and it is all too common to recieve the following:

“I am sorry.  I have applied to so many positions through so many sites.  Can you tell me again what the role is, where it is, and with whom?”

This should be enough for me to hang the phone up now.  in some cases it is all I need to ensure the conversation is short, especially if the applicant was borderline in the first place.  I wonder why people even bother taking the time to apply.  The acceptance of a call from a hiring manager, HR, or a recruiter should one that it taken with an understanding that this is what could make/break your ability to get a certain role.  That sort of professionalism is not present with a great deal of the applicants that apply.

Spammingis the abuse of electronic messaging systems to indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk messages according to Wikipedia.  I see starking resemblances between this and the approach that certain applicants take with the career approach.  The shotgun methodology that proves unprofessional when approached by a potential employer and there is no recollection of the application.

Word to the wise.  No matter the volume of your apps out there, keep a list.  Write down the details of whom/where/when you applied for a role and understand who the contact might be.  I am not saying that having a full out bio is needed to take the call, but quick reference is required to ensure that the client realizes there is a strong level of interest from the applicant.  Keep yourself fresh and on your toes, as you never know who will be calling.

I always enjoy reading interviewChatter and specifically this morning, there was a post discussing a new site which aggregated job boards allowing for easier access, thus reducing the job application time for applicants.  Read the full article that was posted.  In reading this, I began to think about the importance of this, and more importantly was this site truly offering the job seeker hope or false hope in the quantity of what was being presented to them.  With so many job boards, and thus so many jobs…there must be something there for me.  Is that right?

Well the answer might not be that simple or is it?  Personally, I think job boards serve one purpose alone and that is an easy and quick way to see what companies are hiring.  It is a simple view into how companies view the value of their own jobs, and with some basic techniques, one can determine which companies are most aggressive in their hiring as well. 

A critical component that people fail to realize is the purpose of the job board from the perspective of the people that created them, as well as the people posting the position.  Look at the people that created the boards – their purpose was simple which was to create a simple and easy forum for companies to tell people they were hiring, and then people to tell companies that they were interested in applying.  Now the companies that are hiring are looking to expand their network and cast a net wide enough to come across the person that just might fit their need.  So what does this all mean for the person applying?  Little unless you take into consideration the above.  So how do we make this work for us, the applicant?

Lets analyze the process from the other side.  I have had the opportunity to sit inside some of the largest companies evaluating their recruiting processes, specifically their application process flow.  Which in layman’s terms is the way a company handles a resume once the application is processed.  What most people will be amazed at is that most of these processes are doomed for failure as the companies’ hiring have poor application processes therefore never being able to get the resume of the applicant into the hands of the right person.  Therefore the job goes un-filled, or simply under filled as the hiring manager becomes dejected with the lack of proper candidates, subjecting him/herself to someone of lesser qualifications as they believe that the perfect person does not exist.

To offset this problem, we need to address the process at its core and then use the job boards for what they are good for.  These are some common steps to consider that will immediately place you atop the list of applicants when considering the job board process.

1. Look through several of the general job boards, determine which companies are hiring.  Stay away from recruiting companies as they are looking for different reasons than you are.
2. When a list of companies has been determined, apply to those companies through the job board.  Ensure that applications have cover letters specific to the positions themselves, as well as take down all contact information that is present on the advertisement.
3. Go to the companies website and apply through their career section.
4. Call the company directly, ask for the director or VP that oversees the particular department.  Most of the time, you can determine that via the web in small and medium companies.  Large companies you will need to call and ask.  DO NOT call and ask who is hiring for a certain role, you will always be directed to HR.
5. Once located the manager, briefly introduce yourself and let them know your interest.  Find out their direct contact info and send your resume to them as well along with the cover letter.
6. Design a follow up schedule allowing for frequent yet not pestering reconnection with the manager.  Determine interest, sell yourself, and move on.
7. Never place all your eggs in one basket, as the percentages are not in your favor to get a job even if you have an interview.  Keep yourself out there and applying using the above method, getting your name and person in front of decision makers within your industry.

I know that to some that the process appears aggressive.  I have spoken and advised people on these tactics for years.  Know this, no one has ever come back and told me that they wished they would have applied for a role online and waited for a response instead of doing the process.  It works.

Now I am sure that some will say i am beating down the door of personal email addresses again.  As I have discussed this before, however it took a personal meaning this past week as I was looking for an assistant to hire internally.  There was a level of surprise to some of the applications with their email address, with some even getting marked as SPAM due to their poorly chosen email names.  I found myself even at times smirking, wanting to call and let people know the personal damage that their email ID has done to them in the mist of a competitive market.  I refrained.

If nothing else, the fear of being caught in a SPAM filter for a prospective employer should be all the motivation needed to bring about change.  But I have learned, some will never hear the voice of the river running by them.  They simply will not change.  Names like Cheetah were attached to high profile resumes for executive assistants with 10 yrs experience.  One of the prime responsibilities I am looking for in someone is the ability to communicate at the highest levels with my firms client base.  With that comes a good amount of email correspondence.  How does one think that ID makes them appear from a email communications perspective?

One thing I have never looked to do is change someone, but better to guide them so they can be successful.  That does not have to include the loss of ones individual persona for the sake of landing employment.  However with the advent of free email and a host of options, one should show prudence and have a personal, as well as a business email address.  Business email for simply the job process.  It does not need to describe in anyway that you are a job seeker, but should not indicate any personal agenda.  Something like geraldc@yahoo.com or cgerald@yahoo.comis completely appropriate.  Keep from personal interests like soccergerald or bakingdad, as those show a level of casualness not appropriate for the job search.

Remember, this is a simple step that can keep you from causing job search suicide.  Most people do not take the time, nor the effort to understand the impact of their appearance on others.  With a digital world, that appearance is everywhere and manifests itself through everything.  Not just in person meetings.  From email, to phone etiquette, etc. – all showing representing you before you even meet someone.  This is commonly referred to as personal branding, but for the sake of this post we are only discussing the email ID side of things.  Place yourself in the shoes of the employer – what would you think?  I find that most people preach the liberal perspective saying such things would not effect them, however when placed in a position of authority, they become as shrewd as the 30 yr veteran.

Summary – be professional.  If you do not know how, find someone that does.  If you do not know someone, you have internet since you are reading this…look online for tips.  Simple things have great impact.  The slightest difference will be the cavern that keeps you from getting the job, or landing something you never thought you could have.