The SHRM 2010 annual conference is in the books. I think that by any measure it would be rated as highly successful. Prior to the conference I had a guest post, Practioner’s Criticism into SHRM’s Blog Squad.  My thanks to Jessica for giving me the space to share my opinion; I was honored to do so.  In the post, I questioned the wisdom of the make-up of the SHRM blog squad, chosen by the powers that be at SHRM.  My comments centered around this, there were not enough Human Resource Generalist in the group. While I still think that is the case, I must commend the SHRM blog squad – they did a GREAT JOB! All of the bloggers provided a real flavor of the event, pretty much in real-time. I haven’t read all of the posts yet but hope to do so.

In an attempt to support my position, I contacted SHRM to get some demographic data on the organization.  It took several days for them to get back to me but now I finally have the information I needed to support my case. Direct from SHRM HQ, generalist make up a large majority of members at a whopping 52%.

After looking at this data, it would almost appear that they should have had more women blogging as well as women make up 77% of membership. Us HR pros have to hit our demographic numbers all the time, right? If so inclined I guess you could dissect this data in many different ways to get it to support many different arguments.

So one more time, a big thanks to the SHRM Blog Squad, and all of the conference bloggers for a job well done!

Guest blogger on Blogging4Jobs is Dave Ryan has been in HR since it was called Personnel. Dave is active with SHRM in many different aspects.  Dave is also a certified U.S.A. Hockey Official and a frequent speaker at local colleges who speaks about H.R. topics and social media in the workplace. Dave enjoys reading blogs, staying current on H.R. topics, officiating ice hockey, golf, computers and all gadgets electronic. You can find Dave on LinkedInDavetheHRCzar. and on twitter, @davethehrczar.

I like to feature guest blogger’s who provide different and interesting points of view, and when Dave Ryan commented on my own blog post about the SHRM Blog Squad,  Me + SHRM x (Blog Squad) = Dangerous, I encouraged him to serve as a guest blogger on Blogging4Jobs.

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I am really thrilled that SHRM is going to have bloggers at the 2010 annual conference.  But when I saw the list, I could not help but think what audience are they trying to reach with the selection of this Blog Squad? Given, we do not know who applied and SHRM could only select from the group of bloggers who did apply. But I feel like my interests got trashed.   I am an HR guy in a relatively small, privately held manufacturing company.  I am the HR person who does it all. Mike VanDervort described me in this recent post. I am that person.

I have been involved with SHRM National and my local chapter (CIC-SHRM #223) for a long time and now at the State level (IL State Council).  In a completely unscientific measurement, I would say that many, if not most, of the people I come across who are SHRM members, find themselves in a similar capacity.   We are doing HR in the trenches everyday.

Now I look at the Blog Squad and think I don’t really relate to these folks and what they do(with all due respect, to Jessica, as she is gracious enough to give me her platform to question this, and I have also met, and like  all-around good guy Matthew Stollak akaBruno). On the Blog Squad, I see two Ph.Ds (author & professor), a recruiter and a consultant.  And then coming in at # 5 we have April Dowling, the only person who is a generalist (who does what I do). My mind works visually and the graph to the left represents my correlation to the blog squad.

Perhaps this is just my own Napoleonic complex coming into play here, it seems like the little guys and the smaller organizations are having a hard time “getting a seat at the table.” On the SHRM website, they say 50% of its members work at organizations with more than 500 employees.  I look at that and see 50% of its members work at organizations with less than 500 employees. I know the big Companies and big interests throw the big dollar$ at SHRM National.  But, can anyone give me an example of a 100-member or less local chapter that is headed by a Fortune 100 executive or Ph.D.?  It is, after all, the local chapters that hold the local meetings, put programs together with CEUs and do much of the bidding of SHRM National.   So, you would think they could give us a couple more bloggers who are generalists, or at least some folks who deal with the organization’s human resources day in and day out.

Guest blogger on Blogging4Jobs is Dave Ryan has been in HR since it was called Personnel. Dave is active with SHRM in many different aspects.  Dave is also a certified U.S.A. Hockey Official and a frequent speaker at local colleges who speaks about H.R. topics and social media in the workplace. Dave enjoys reading blogs, staying current on H.R. topics, officiating ice hockey, golf, computers and all gadgets electronic. You can find Dave on LinkedInDavetheHRCzar. and on twitter, @davethehrczar.

Photo Credit Chezgrae.

A cover letter is a powerful document written in the first person. Coupled with an enticing, accomplishment-based resume, it’s a powerful job search tool.

There are several types of cover letters each aimed at a different audience. Not too many people have heard of or utilized a pain cover letter.

What is a pain cover letter?

It’s a very specific, powerful document addressing a particular issue relating to a company experiencing problems or pain with relevance to your particular realm of expertise. In the case of sales, it could be that you have heard that ABC Company is experiencing a drop in market share, or reduction in sales. For a Production Engineer, it could be continuous breakdowns on the manufacturing line.

Once the issues have been identified, if you feel confident in resolving the problems, write a detailed letter to the President, CEO, or the senior executive with overall responsibility for that particular function and issue. Outline how you see their issues, and present a brief synopsis on how your skills and knowledge can rectify their problems.

Be detailed and give some examples on how you have increased market share, driven sales or realigned production line operations with minimal investment from your previous employers.

What does a pain letter show?

It portrays you as proactive, looking for new challenges and ready to tackle critical business issues.

From experience this letter has proven to be a winner for many of my clients of all levels and functions. It’s certainly an intriguing way of luring a potential employer into calling you for an interview. They want to know in greater detail, more than is outlined in the pain cover letter, what contributions you will make. It places another perspective on your job search.

Go hunting for these opportunities. Read the newspapers and business magazines to see what troubles companies are experiencing. Then position yourself as the chief problem solver and go in with gusto telling them how you would tackle their dilemma.

It works. Make it work for you!

Martin Buckland, President of Elite Resumes also known as @EliteResumes is a leading resume writer, career coach and job search strategist. Established in 1993, Martin provides executive career management services for a global clientele of senior level clients and those who aspire to be business leaders. Certifications include: Certified Professional Branding Strategist, Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Employment Interview Professional, Job and Career Transition Coach, Certified Job Search Trainer, Co-Pilot Executive Coach.

www.aneliteresume.com, email: martin@aneliteresume.com, call 905-825-0490 or 866-773-7863

Photo Credit Charlie Murdach.

An important announcement for any job seeker considering working with a recruiter as part of the search:

We are recruiters. We are not your agents.

We aren’t sitting at our desks with a roster of favorite candidates, madly dialing up companies to find the perfect job for you. (That, my friend, is YOUR job.)

I know that can be frustrating to hear. Especially when you’re in that “Oh s#*t, I’ve been canned!” manic panic mode. (This, by the way, usually hits just about three days after a layoff, shortly after you’ve cleared out your surplus of Johnny Walker Red and Ding Dongs.)

But it’s the truth, and you shall prevail if you understand how recruiters work before you waste even one minute calling every one you’ve ever talked to.

Generally speaking, recruiting firms get hired by corporations with open positions that they’re struggling to fill. Sometimes, this relationship is formed as a retained search; more often today, a contingency search.

What this means to you is this:

Recruiting agencies (and their recruiters) make money by finding the perfect candidates for the open positions that said corporations need filled. When the agency finds the match, the corporation pays the agency a percentage of that candidate’s base salary, often between 15-25%. If we don’t find the match? It’s donuts.

And it’s often a race, because recruiting agencies are frequently pitted against other agencies to fill positions. Speed wins.

Given this, recruiters often just don’t have time nor incentive to shop your resume around town to a list of random companies with whom they may (or more likely, don’t) have relationships. Unless you are a great fit for one of an agency’s current openings? You aren’t going to be a high priority. We might like you a bunch, and hope like heck that we can find a good home for you, but you won’t be the Top Dog until/unless we have something available for you.

This doesn’t mean you should avoid recruiters, at all.

I, and most other good recruiters, certainly like to hear from you when you are considering a career move, trying to relocate geographically, etc. We’ll keep you in mind as things open up, absolutely.

But the important bottom line is this - you can’t expect to find a job today by simply getting a couple of recruiters “on the case.”

Proactivity and accountability are critical in today’s job race.

Blogging4Jobs guest blogger this week is Jennifer Foss.  Jenny runs Ladder Recruiting Group, LLC (www.ladderrecruiting.com), a boutique style independent recruiting firm with offices in Portland and Metro Detroit. She is known as @JobJenny or JobJenny.com and considers herself your job search BFF and tough love expert on finding your career passion.

Photo Credit FilmIndustry.com.

For the previous two-and-a-half months before yesterday,  I was waist deep in the foul smelling trenches of the world of unemployment.

Since that time, I have been paroled and at least momentarily released due in part to good behavior.

The emotions that I felt surrounding the moments just after the offer call left me euphoric.  My journey through the valley of the jobless, though having been easier than most  (only two months in duration vs. the  9 months from one colleague – and 18 months from another) all the same came with its own ups and downs as  I cycled through 15 in-person interviews, 8 phone screenings, what felt like a ton or more of “acceptance of application” e-mails and turn-down notices, and not to mention the week after week after week of nauseating networking events.

I am not complaining about what I had to do - it taught me a lot! I am glad however,  that I was emancipated when I was because I am not sure that I could have taken much more of the stress as one week slipped into another, and then another, and then another without feeling as I had much to show for my week long undaunting efforts but another interview to kick the following week off with…but at least I was getting something I guess.

My point of the post  that follows is not to recount a sob story,  but to share what seemingly worked for me.  I hope that it helps those of my jobsearch brethren and sisters who are still on the prowl – may the followings words help and serve as a lantern by which to guide your toil…

I would first like to tip my hat to the resources that I have made/learned from over the last months as a plebe in the world of social media. My “Thank You” list abounds.

First, I would like to thank Jorgen Sundberg, with www.TheUndercoverRecruiter.com.  His knowledgeable posts about job search e-tools are a wonderful primer and easily provide step-by-step directions on the set-up and function of the latest-and-greatest e-resources (linkedin, buzz, twitter, blogging, etc).  The next Thank you goes to JenBenz, http://www.benzcommunications.com/ it was her post on www.fistfuloftalent.com about Health Care Reform that helped me to land this job.  I shared  her “email template” with the potential employer as an example of a resource that I had in my professional bag-o-tricks that could be put to use for them if hired.  Finally,  I would like to thank Rich DeMatteo, www.cornonthejob.com, Nicole Crimaldi, www.mscareergirl.com , and Jessica Miller-Merrell, www.blogging4jobs.com for their creation and facilitation of #jobhuntchat on twitter every Monday evening from 10-11PM EST.

WHERE TO START A JOB SEARCH?

An ancient Chinese war strategist, Sun Tzu wrote “Know your self and you have won the battle”.  I will profess the same ideology when approaching a job search. Yes, understand the job market – who is hiring and all that, but I don’t care what anyone else says – being in a job search is an emotional event that takes a bit of a process to unravel. Early on in your process you need to find your path by sorting through your own emotional junk to find your passion. Put everything that you have done in your job history onto paper. Once on paper, you will be able to quickly find a common thread running through everything.

FIND YOUR PASSION

Now that you have your job you all laid out, and seen the common thread, check out what made you happy. A funny thing happens when you are actually something you like – you do it more and become passionate. This passion is hard to fake in an interview and will make you genuine. It is this genuineness that will help you stand out from the crowd.  So what is it? What is your passion? What do you get all jazzed up about telling folks about?

DONT BE SINGLE FOCUSED IN WHAT COMES NEXT

I unfortunately have some bad news for you, finding your passion is only the first step to your job search journey.  A lot comes next – and doing just one thing will NOT get you there.

A lot of people are looking for the miracle cure in a job search. They believe that if they only do one thing in their search, say networking that they will find that next job faster. Others feel that if they utilize social media only, that will do the trick. I say ” build a bag-o-jobsearch-tools” that you can utilize. Don’t linger in one area - view your search as casting your net as far-and-wide as possible….but wanting to keep all the plates spinning together. (yes, I know these to analogies don’t go together – they aren’t supposed to for me to prove my point). Employ person-to person, and computer skills inter-changeably. Spend a few hours doing one, then switch to another.

For Lords sake,  your mother was right - don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!

This also includes forcing yourself to get outside of your comfort zone and doing things you don’t like – like networking if you are an introvert or planning out your resume if you are an extrovert. I had to work at a couple of different areas of my job search that I didn’t like (writing, and re-writing my resume drove me up a wall) before I became competent in them – and this was hard. Just be prepared to do whatever it takes, and you need to get that job! (short of killing anyone of course)

OPEN YOURSELF UP TO THE UNIVERSE

Finally – realize that yes, hard work and dedication will pay off if, and when the universe is ready.  As long as you have prepped enough and done your homework better than the other guy you to may be paroled.

Photo Credit Laid Off Diary

Stay up to date by taking your Job Search Mobile.  Text “T4J” to 67664 with Texting4Jobs.

I would like to begin by thanking my lucky stars that, in this economy, I have had the good fortune of being gainfully employed for the past two years since graduating college. But, as I start a new chapter in my life, one that I hope turns out to be about a fabulous new career in a wonderful new city, I can’t help but compare my job search today with that of two years ago. So much has changed in so little time, so I want to pass along the little bit of knowledge I’ve gained over the past few months of job searching. I hope this advice resonates with those of you who are looking for employment for the first time in years and may be feeling a little lost.

1. Social Media Isn’t Just For College Kids Anymore

If you hadn’t heard, social media is all the rage now. (By the way, if you really hadn’t heard, you may want to climb out from under that rock and join us all in 2010.) There are so many choices for social media, but the three most common sites for those looking to network during a job search are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

If you don’t have a profile/account on these sites, I really recommend you check them out. Click on the respective logos below for some great tips from some folks with much more expertise (Mashable, Forbes, and ICT-Guru) on how to use these sites effectively to make professional contacts.

2. “To Whom It May Concern” is the Kiss of Death

Remember the good ol’ days when you mailed your resume and cover letter in, via snail mail? Ok, to be fair, I don’t even remember that, but I heard it happened. What I do remember is actually getting my current job two years ago by, *gasp*, faxing my cover letter and resume to a complete stranger. Unfortunately, gone are the days when just anyone has a shot. It seems that if you want to even be considered for a job, you must know someone. To get an interview with a company to which you have zero personal connections is nearly unheard of.

So what does this mean? You have to make personal connections with people.  Join a local networking group. Make meaningful contacts online via social media. Do whatever it is you need to do to build your personal and professional network because someday soon you will need them to help you get your foot in the door somewhere.

3. What’s So Special About You?

Ok, back to the economy. We all know it’s in shambles and that unemployment is higher than it’s been in years, but there are jobs out there! The competition is tougher, but they exist. So what are you going to do to stand out of the hundreds, or dare I say thousands, of applicants vying for your dream job? You are unique and offer your very own perspective to whatever position you apply for, so come up with a plan. Not a cheesy gimmick, but something that will make yourself known and illustrate your tremendous value to a future employer: whatever it takes to get noticed as the competent professional you are. Avoid becoming a wallflower in your job search!

I’m not an expert on finding a job, but I am a careful observer of all things job search related because I am in the throes of my very own job hunt. I hope some of these tips help for now, because in another two years, this advice will be moot and we will all be looking for some more sage advice!

Photo Credit

Ashley Campbell is an association professional whose organization supports women in business. She has a healthy obsession with social media for its unyielding ability to create amazing connections and opportunities for people and hopes to someday move from the Midwest to NYC to pursue a career in the non-profit arena. To learn more about Ashley and connect with her, visit her blog, Entry Level Observations, which highlights the unique experiences of Gen Y professionals.  Don’t forget her Twitter & LinkedIn.

Using wardrobe & image to get the job in a hyper-visual, hyper-competitive world.

How’s your job search going? You’ve networked. You’ve updated your LinkedIn profile and used social networks to learn about leads. You’ve revamped your resume to tailor your background and experiences to each job posting. And then finally, an opportunity presents itself. You’ve got an interview lined up for next Friday at 1:00pm. Have you thought about what you’re going to wear? Fashion isn’t frivolous. Thinking about image and wardrobe are more important than ever. The Department of Labor reported that in January 2010 there were 14.8 million unemployed Americans. Hiring managers are inundated with applications. How are you differentiating yourself from the pack?

Personal image, according to Robin Fisher, President of Polished, a full-service personal styling and image- consulting agency, is “what you visually and non-verbally communicate to the public through personal appearance and social etiquette. 55-70% of your first impression is determined by your clothes, grooming and posture.” If you are exclusively invested in your content and you ignore the power of your image, you are missing a critical element of your overall effectiveness. Are you allowing a professional image to support you?

Jacqueline M. Peros, of JMP Image & Style, suggests that an “applicant do research on the standard or accepted attire for not only that particular industry but also the corporate culture of where he/she will be interviewing. You wouldn’t want to show up in a creative/artistic ensemble in a financial corporation. It’s imperative to communicate that you fit in and appropriately represent your industry/company.”  So stand out, to not be screened out. Think critically about what’s appropriate, professional and comfortable to ensure a positive return on your image.

According to Lisa McLatchie, the stylist behind Practical Fashionista, don’t forget a business formal look, “is more conservative and refined.  For men and women, that means a classic, tailored suit in neutral or dark colors. Wearing big patterns and anything too bright, trendy and sexy is distracting for the interviewer.” Use color and accessories to incorporate personal style with conservative suiting.

Kimberly Gomez, Image Consultant & Fashion Stylist, Impeccable Image LLC and I offer these interview wardrobe and grooming basics for women and men.

• Wear a suit – either pants or [women] a knee-length [or just above] skirt; colors: navy blue, gray/charcoal or black; no brown: brown is a subordinate color.
• Wear a light colored, no see through blouse/shirt; colors: white, ivory, blue, light green [no bright or loud colors].
• Women: wear necessary underpinnings i.e., shell, blouse or camisole. Avoid revealing the 6 B’s: breasts, butts, backs, bellies, bras and briefs.
• Invest in a properly fitting bra and seamless underwear. Wear a shaper, if necessary.
• Women: Wear flesh-colored hosiery with a skirt.
• Make sure shoes are in good repair and polished: women 1-3 inch heels okay but no stilettos; men: black and brown shoes okay.
• Invest in a quality, black or dark brown brief case.
• Cover all tattoos and do not wear any body piercings.
• Wear minimal, conservative jewelry such as pearl earrings, watch.
• Don’t overpower with cologne or perfume.
• Women: Wear neutral makeup. Men: Don’t wear any makeup! [Just wanted to see if you were paying attention!]
• Be well groomed [face, teeth, hair, nails].

Need more help. Check out Melissa McGraw and Jennifer Gregory’s terrific site, WorkChic to get outfit suggestions for the perfect suit for your next interview. The duo puts together looks that blend professional silhouettes with trendier pieces.  Be sure to follow them on Twitter as well @workchic.

Judith Rasband, owner of The Conselle Institute of Image Management, says, “Creating an authentic, appropriate, attractive image will allow you to feel more confident, more capable, more productive and appear more credible.”

Everyday is an opportunity. If you are dressed for it, I see a job in your future.

Photo Credit Work Chic.

Dena A. Lorenzi is a guest blogger for Blogging4Jobs. She’s an independent marketing professional and fashion enthusiast who blogs as @FaithInFashion on Twitter and presents her You : The Brand seminar to college seniors and corporations.

Glass Ceilings:  One size does not fit all

This subject comes up several times throughout any given year.  It always refers to women in the work place and how they either sabotage their own rise up the corporate ladder – or they choose not to climb on the ladder in the first place.

A glass ceiling will be different depending on parenthood – - one word that changes everything.  Yes, marriage changes a lot – - but not as much as parenthood. The rest of this blog is for those who’ve chosen parenthood.

Just ask any Mom who has to find an emergency baby sitter – - or has an important presentation at work and a child at home who is not only sick, but really wants only his Mom to be there to take care of him/her.

I can speak from the standpoint of “been there – motherhood”, done that “participated in the corporate ladder race”.  No corporate ladder is worth short-changing the lives of your children.  I’m not talking about isolated incidences – I’m talking about long-term career responsibilities that are in direct conflict with parenting.

You do not get “overs” with your children.  They pass through your life one time -  – one 1^st grade Christmas pageant where they have an important, or minor, role in the choir.  One middle-school debate competition where their team wins (or comes in 2^nd).  A winning free-throw for the State Basketball Championship.

Corporate titles and responsibilities will come and go.  Companies are merged/acquired, you’re promoted; you move to a different company.  Your career path will have many detours  – - but you will only have one opportunity to be a part of the growth of your child – at all the different stages.

So glass ceiling – - yes – - there is.  Companies rarely understand when you say “no” to a promotion or added responsibilities.  However, there’s more to life than ceilings (glass, wood, gold or silver).  Sometimes, it is the smile on your child’s face – or the look of delight when you greet them at the door.

And – - eventually – - it is that awesome moment when you hear “Nana” – - so, true confession- – I’m now a Grandma.

Photo Credit Jill Stanek.

Kay Stout is a Managing Partner in Pacheco Stout Consulting and work as an executive career advisor for Oklahoma Professional Search, a leader in career transition.  Kay is a regular on the Behind The Mike Radio Show and a is contributor to CareeRocketeer. Visit her blog, Another Point of View.

One of the techniques often suggested as a good method to find an employment opportunity is networking.  Some job seekers believe that the sole purpose of networking is to ask other people for employment opportunities or job leads.  They view the process of meeting with people with a, “What’s in it for me attitude.”  The question they are trying to answer is, “What contacts or people do you know that can assist me in my job search?”

However, I have a different view.  Networking, at its core is about relationship building. By sharing each person’s unique blend of life experiences, beliefs, passions, and interests, the relationships are nurtured and as a result, grow stronger.  By thinking of meeting with a person as an opportunity to learn something about the world, I learn something about myself.  People grow through sharing experiences.  Finding leads and contacts from people may be beneficial in the short term, but treating the individual as a person and not simply a resource will benefit your life in many more ways in the long run.

By treating each person as a teacher of life, and by sharing life experiences with each other, we change who we are as individuals.  Rather than simply viewing people as a source for employment leads and referrals, it is possible to view each encounter with a human being but in the bigger picture, as a chance to change your perspective about who you are and the meaning of life.  By taking this approach to networking, several people I have met with have become not only my connections, but also my friends.  Life is a journey with many twists and turns, and by looking for something good in others, we find the good in ourselves.

A couple inspirational quotes:

“But giving to other people is what makes me feel alive.”  Morrie from Tuesdays with Morrie

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer

Jim Horrell is an inspirational writer who has an active interest in social (LinkedIn, twitter, and blogging), and a background in Information Technology.  Jim believes by sharing who we are as people we can make a positive difference in the lives of the people around us and the world.  Jim is seeking new opportunities to make a difference in writing, social media, or application programming.  If you are interested in sharing ideas, experiences, or thoughts with Jim, please contact him via e-mail at jrhorrell@live.com or blog comment, and he will try to get in touch with you promptly.

Photo Credit Toon Pool.

Building a relationship with a recruiter is essential in your job search. You need to have respect for your recruiter. No matter what you have heard about recruiters or what you think of them, they are providing you a service and they could be your vehicle to a new job. I honestly think this is probably THE most important factor in building the relationship, and something that has been lacking whilst the market has been so buoyant.

As a Corporate Recruiter now, I see a change in people’s attitude when they change from thinking I am an agency recruiter to knowing I am truly representing my company. I don’t understand this. Recruiters will represent you into perspective clients, companies with jobs you may never hear of. Recruiters are always good to have on side, you should be using their skills and networks to your advantage.

If you are applying for a role it is up to you to build the relationship, and this starts from the initial interaction. From my point of view, a conversation beats an email. However the conversation needs to have meaning.

Please don’t call with a “I want to know more about the job”. Think about the ad.. think about how you can excel in it, and have questions which will help you tailor your cv to the role. Then tell them you will call them to discuss your potential suitability (at a certain time, get agreement on that) and stick to it.

Know this, you will only form a relationship if you can show, straight off the bat, that you will ad value to that Recruiter. Sounds crass doesn’t it? It’s true though, Recruiters literally get hundreds of calls and emails a day. Remember you are selling them something… yourself, being different and able to ad value to them makes a difference.

Once you speak to a Recruiter, modestly sell yourself, allow them to get to know you. When you get that interview, WOW them. Be open and honest, avoid game playing (For example, I’ve never seen the value of avoiding the salary question, as a Recruiter, it annoys me more than anything). No matter what you hear, I’m not convinced playing a game will give you an advantage one way or another, and I’m not sure you want a one up man ship, competitive style relationship with your recruiter. The more you get paid the more commission they make.. It is in their best interests to get you more. But also it is their job to help you realign expectations if they don’t match the clients budget. The Recruiters job is to find the right person for their client. Your job is to make them know that is you.

If your situation changes, (ie other job offers, the reason you were looking for a job disappears etc)let them know, give them honest feedback from your client interview, good bad or indifferent.

Again, treat them as you want them to treat you, but understand the dynamic of your relationship, you both have the same goal, just coming at it from different angles!

Photo Credit Unity

Dan Nuroo, our guest blogger is a recruiter based in Australia.  Dan has been in the Recruitment industry since 1997, where he started working for an IT Recruitment Agency. He worked in a number of roles there, from resourcer to Account Manager to general consultant. In 2002 he took the plunge into the world of Internal Recruitment and has been in his current role with DWS as National Recruitment Manager since then. He is a career Recruiter who is passionate about the industry, and when time allows he is active in a number of online Recruiting Communities.  Email Dan at Dan.Nuroo@dws.com.au or visit his blog, Say Something Dan.

Having A Job Search Strategy Helps Job Seekers Compete.

Picture this: You’re training for your first marathon, the long-distance kind of event that covers 26+ miles.  You are running against experienced and non-experienced runners. You also figure that you’ll be surrounded by sponsors, organizers, volunteers, cheerleaders, etc.—you will need all of these people to help make sure that all the runners are taking care of for the race.

Successful marathon-runners obviously prepare for many years. Just imagine the chaos if all the runners of the Boston Marathon just sort of showed around the time and maybe the place the race was to be held, failing to anticipate what it takes to compete and even participate with the 25,000 people including runners, organizers, and volunteers?  In order to achieve the goals of being competitive or let’s say just “finishing” the race, runners apply training strategies similar to that of the successful world-class runners use.

Now let’s take it from the race course of Boston to the job search happening for a record number America’s workforce…
A job search strategy serves as a road map for the job search, keeping you on the right course. I’ve seen the unintended consequences of what happens when job seekers are not prepared to be competitive in the job search, inadvertently starting the race at the wrong place and wrong time with no chance to even finish the race. So, don’t be the runner getting lost on the course making apologies and losing out by not getting the job.  It happens all too often: A job seeker is a great person, yet is unsuccessful in getting a position that might actually match up to their experience, personality and skills all because they’re not prepared to discuss why they’re good for the team.

To avoid such unintended consequences, here are a few tips and pointers….
First, research the positions for which you’re applying, go online to the corporate website or Google job descriptions in reality a lot of HR departments are using these same job descriptions. These allow you to see what a recruiter or HR person is going to see. Next, research the company via news releases, online searching or get really radical and ask around to people about what they think about your company of interest.

What I consistently hear from HR for at least small and medium-sized businesses, is they typically do not feel they have the resources to manage the recruitment process in a “best practices” sort of way.  So, suggestion to job seekers is, “Make life easier for over-burdened recruiter, HR Manager, or business owner” by having everything prepared; copies made, numbers available, be on-time, and have questions at the tip of your tongue.  Ask your questions, and then LISTEN to the answers.

Your job search can benefits from having a job search strategy, it will help you:
1. Be prepared for every interview with answers about skills, experiences, motivations, etc.
2. Apply for the right jobs, with the right companies.
3. Reduce job search costs which help stretch resources as far as possible
4. Maintain a consistent process that helps minimize time wasted, limiting you missing opportunities’.

The ebb and flow of a job search can be a lot like a relationship; it can be as difficult, challenging and rewarding as running a marathon race. Job Search strategies can help job seekers be competitive for the tough race course ahead.

Photo credit More

Bryan Wempen is a guest blogger for Blogging4Jobs.  He is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances at People Clues an assessment company.  Bryan is also a Partner with GET A CLUE!,  a global provider information used by Jobseekers to help then get noticed and prepare for the job interview.

You can connect with Bryan on Twitter, FaceBook, or LinkedIn.

The economy as a whole is coming out of a hole.

Americans ages 18 to 65 fill unemployment offices daily, looking for resume advice, stipends to help them financially and possible new leads on landing a job.  Being a job seeker myself, frustration easily becomes a daily mood in my world of countless no’s from employers.

There are several problems that could possibly be reasons why employers are less than excited about the potential employee.  To start, the average job seeker has had the same resume for years and simply changes the objective to fit to what they think the employer for the current position they are applying for wants to hear.

Next, the interview outfit: A worn-out suit or dress that has been deemed “lucky” but its’ current track record is not so much.  Finally, the confidence level is dismal and uncertainty plagues the job seeker, leaving for a not-so-successful interview.

Going back to the drawing board and rethinking a few things was a tough process, but the decision to change things goes as follows:

First, utilize your resources.  A nice visit to my friends at Tricholgy Salon in Edmond was definitely a priority. A trim or drastic cut can change the job seekers outlook on the employment process as a whole.  Looking good equals feeling good.  Then, change up the outfit a bit. Target had a dress that was perfect for an interview.  Many department stores have clearance racks that have some nice ensembles, just takes a little bit of looking.  Lastly, makeup and jewelry always make women feel important. Robin Johnson with Jewels by ParkLane assisted in that department. Gold and Silver are timeless colors that will go with any outfit.

Top it off with Brent Fuchs Photography taking a few shots for a portfolio or on- line profile and the total package is complete!

Job seeking is necessary for some and is what you make it.  Consider taking the extra step and not only revamp your resume, revamp your look too!

To learn more about guest blogger, Tess Mack, visit her blog and follow her networking travels in Oklahoma and Texas at Life on the O List.

“A brand is a living entity – and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over time, the product of a thousand small gestures” – Michael Eisner, CEO, Disney

What Mr. Eisner is saying is that the small things matter when it comes to your organization’s brand. Every interaction impacts the perception participants have of your brand.

When the topic of brand comes up in conversation, most people’s minds go straight to the outward, consumer facing side of a brand—the side that customers see and interact with. But that isn’t a complete view of a brand; in fact inner beliefs and culture directly affect the outward actions and performance of a brand. After all, how many organizations do you know of that don’t have a single frontline employee that interacts with customers on a regular basis? I’m going to guess very few.

Let’s take another look at Michael Eisner’s quote. He describes a brand as “a living entity,” that is “enriched or undermined.” What a better way to grow and enrich a brand than by focusing on the people and culture inside the organization? And who better to facilitate an inward focus on brand than Human Resources, the task force in charge of recruiting, hiring, training and coaching the organizations greatest assets—it’s people—to become better teams and leaders?

In most organizations, brand ideology is embedded into some activities more than others. For example, it is standard in most companies to an orientation process, where new hires learn the history of the company and it’s beliefs. It’s in these moments that employees learn the “this is how we do things here” lessons about the brand.

Outside of these few brand centered occasions it can be very easy to overlook the day-to-day processes and the implications they have on the brand. I believe it is in these small day-to-day activities that the most opportunity exists to build the brand into the culture. Ultimately, an orientation may make an impression on a new employee, but it’s the everyday experiences that the employee is going to live. If the stated company beliefs don’t match up with daily experiences, then which perception of the brand is the employee is going to take to heart? You bet! Their own.

While working with clients to help them continually improve and grow their brands, I’ve developed a simple framework to help them fully grasp the depth and complexity of the many ways that their brand is experienced, and also help them improve this experience over time.

I call it the Touch Cycle. It’s a great method for diving in and exploring the many touchpoints of your brand, and learning where you can make improvements.

Here are the steps:

1.  Choreograph Touches

• List all the HR touchpoints large and small.
• To make this easier start breaking down all the activities that HR is in charge of in your organization (trainging, hiring, recruiting, etc.). Now start listing all of the interactions that take place within these segments of HR.

2. Listen and Watch

• Observe how people interact with your touchpoints. Are there any breakdowns in communication? Are they responding the way you thought they would?

3.  Reinforce Behaviors

• Encourage on brand behaviors at each touchpoint.  

4.  Evaluate and Expand

• Take a look at all the work you’ve done in steps 1, 2, and 3. Evaluate the effectivness of the touchpoints you identified in step 1. Determine what’s working and what’s not. Were there any surprises? What insights did you gain from this process?Is value being added at each point of contact, giving people a reason to further engage? Are there touchpoints that we should eliminate? Are there areas what we should expand into and add new touchpoints to the brand experience?

I outline this process in detail on my blog – The Brand Touch Cycle

Use this tool to help you identify, analyze and improve the brand touchpoints of your HR activities. Here are some things to consider during your analysis:

Speed – How fast do you respond to job inquiries or resumes sent your way? How long does it take for an internal issue to be identified and dealt with? In this day and age, speed isn’t hoped for, it’s expected.

Culture – Are you proactively recruiting talent that is passionate about your brand? Or are you just trying to fill a job description?

Empower – How easy is it for employees to send organizational complaints or suggestions your way? Have you built and intranet for collaboration?

Procedure and Paperwork – Are all the forms, procedures and paperwork required of employees necessary? Do they align with the brand?

I hope you will take this as a challenge to explore the internal touchpoints of your brand and continually improve them to grow a better organization, one that employees are proud to work for and consumers want do business with—a strong brand.

Chris Wilson is our guest blogger and is a  Marketing and Brand Strategist and author of the Marketing Fresh Peel.  He is the Digital Brand Strategist at Hester Designs.  Find him on Twitter @Freshpeel.

Photo Credits bsamp & FreshPeel

It’s time to come clean and confess my sin.  I’m not proud of this man-crime, so go easy on me.

Sometime in early November, I found myself nuking up a monster bowl of buttered popcorn around 2:30 in the morning.  A dash of insomnia introduced a movie watching craving that I simply couldn’t turn down.  Finally, my popcorn was popped to perfection, my bottle of water was crisp and cold, and I was ready to enjoy (for the 5th time) “The Dark Knight”.  That was my plan, but something went terribly wrong.  Before I could understand why I selected it, I was staring at the opening credits of “He’s Just Not That Into You”.  There I sat, alone with my popcorn and water, watching 2009′s biggest chick flick film.  Forgive me men, for I have sinned.

Finally, the weight has been lifted and I can explain why I’m stoked to have stumbled on this epic chick flick.  Through my adventures in recruiting, HR, job searching, and blogging I’ve noticed, and wrote about similarities between dating and interviewing.  While the movie played out various dating scenarios in which the main characters tried to understand why their counterpart simply wasn’t interested in them, my HR noggin followed along making connections between the movie’s theme and how job seekers sometimes just don’t get the message.

Given my blog, my experiences, and my honest eyes, I’m fortunate to provide a great deal of job search advice.  Some of the most heart-wrenching questions I hear are, “Do you think they are interested in me?” and “Do you think they will hire me?”  Well, I can’t always be 100% sure, but just like in dating, you can pretty much tell when a match has been made and there are also clear-cut signs when something isn’t going to work out.  Here are some dead-on give-a-ways to look for:

How to know they’re just not that into you

1. You haven’t heard back – It’s been two weeks since your last communication (phone, e-mail, or interview).  Don’t freak out completely, but if a recruiter or manager is interested, they will keep you in the loop.  Send an e-mail to your contact, and let it go.  Move on, because they have.

2. It felt awkward – Leaving your phone screen or interview with a weird vibe may mean this job isn’t for you.  How many happy couples experience a weird vibe the first time they met?  Exactly.

3. Your resume isn’t making it through - Don’t apply 100 times. It’s annoying.  Apply once, wait two weeks, then send again.  No more after that.  You don’t want a restraining order do you?

4. You’ve received a rejection letter – Take your rejection letter, smile, and say “thank you”.  Move on and apply elsewhere.  Maybe you’ll make them jealous.

So, what now?

Do you really want to work for someone that clearly isn’t interested in you?  Of course you don’t. Move on and forget about them.  Intelligent job seekers date around and play the field.  Be smart, and never toss all of your eggs in one basket, or you’re bound for heartbreak.

List out companies of interest and begin connecting and applying to them immediately.  Before you know it you just might find yourself ‘happily’ employed, so enjoy being single while it lasts.

Rich DeMatteo is a Philadelphia area HR/Staffing professional with experience in both agency and corporate recruiting.  Rich runs Corn On The Job, a job search, recruiting, and HR blog.  Connect with him through Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, or subscribe to his blog .

Photo Credit BlackBird Tees.

The recession in the UK has understandably made the HR job-seeker’s endeavour significantly more difficult than in times of plenty, but the current challenge appears to be even greater as a result of certain dubious and shoddy practices within the recruitment industry.

The shop-window for HR jobs in the UK largely consists of either printed media in the form of People Management journal (the official publication of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) and its rival magazine Personnel Today, or the overwhelming and increasingly confusing choice of online media.

To use the present week as an example; People Management magazine carries a mere 23 job adverts (22 of which are in public sector or Not-for-Profit organisations) whereas its online service carries an initially staggering 709.  Although many UK local councils have yet to fully embrace the use of online advertising, and cling to more traditional practices of lengthy handwritten application forms, it stills seems difficult to believe that there are so many more HR jobs out there in the private sector.

But the basic evidence would at least lead one to believe that the online service is the place for the HR job-seeker to concentrate on.

Or is it?

During the last week I have seen at least two online job adverts (by agencies of varying size and reputation) where they are advertising vacancies for hiring organisations, perhaps not without the permission of the organisation, but where it has been made perfectly clear to the agency that any CVs that are submitted will only be reviewed once the in-house campaign has run its course. If the in-house campaign is successful, no CVs will be requested from the agency.

So, any application submitted to the agency rather than the hiring organisation is likely to be a total waste of time and effort.

In addition to this structural confusion, the recruitment consultancy sector is now facing mounting criticism for a lack of basic customer care to applicants. Sadly, it’s not unusual for a candidate to be approached by an agency suggesting that they may wish to apply for a particular role, for the candidate to even progress to interview stage, but subsequently to receive no feedback whatsoever from the agency. Understandably, recruitment agencies are finding themselves on the receiving end of vitriolic criticism from aggrieved candidates. Basic customer care and contact are becoming noticeable by their absence.

It would seem reasonable to assume that in the scrabble for the few genuine recruitment assignments that that are out there, rival agencies are indulging in whatever practices they feel are necessary in order to elbow their way to the front of the queue. Unfortunately, it is often HR job-seekers who are injured in the rush. It’s even more unfortunate that the injured HR job-seekers will in the not-too-distant future be those who award the recruitment contacts in their new organisations, and with such incidents fresh in their minds, the lack of professionalism will be the undoing of many a recruitment consultant

The end of the recession may hopefully be in sight in the UK, but if recruitment agencies are to benefit from the growth in jobs, there’s a lot of activity to be undertaken to put their house in order.

Graham Salisbury is our guest blogger and originally trained as a teacher and acquired his battle scars in the official “School From Hell” – the UK’s worst performing school!  A jump from the frying pan into the fire took him into the turbulent world of HR, where he worked as a senior HR Manager for some of the best known companies in the UK.

Graham is  currently in the process of establishing a new career on the boundary between HR and Education, working with schools and universities, particularly in the area of Business Studies and Hunan Resource Management. My HR Case Studies website is being developed to provide a pool of resource material, HR Case Studies and discussion starters for teachers of Business Studies.

Photo Credit Rainy Day in London.