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Looking for Jobs…In the New Environment

Ingrid Baker — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:54:34 +0000

The Wall Street Journal (Marketwatch, January 1, 2012) suggests that job seekers need to be creative and flexible to land and keep a job. There are a number of reasons given for this statement, and I thought they were worth reviewing.

Employers are staying lean, and staff levels aren’t expected to increase much in the next months. That means that the existing staff will have to respond to a wide variety of demands. As workers shift around some of these positions may be available, but they may have changed significantly in breadth and skill requirements. Employers also want workers who are able to adapt quickly to new responsibilities as companies try to stay competitive in a changing economy.

Opportunities may be there in industries that the job seeker isn’t familiar with. Economists do project growth in the health care market, professional services such as accounting and legal, retail sales and management and certain manufacturing jobs. For each of these industries there are some special skill requirements or education. Manufacturing may require some occupational training, but that can be accessed thru many community college programs. The retail industry, sales in particular, requires interpersonal skills.

So, what is a job seeker to do? Ideas presented in the article include highlighting the applicant’s creative skills to show their ability to adapt to new duties. Technical literacy is really a basic must in most companies, including health care, where much of the business end of the industry is going automated. If you are well versed in electronic data handling – they will want you!

Project management and communications skills are abilities that are valued across many industries, and finding workers able to communicate clearly is getting harder to find among today’s applicants. Job seekers need to work hard at honing their verbal and writing skills to differentiate themselves.
Then, use marketing skills to get the point across. Use social media (with taste and skill please) to reach prospective employers. Understand in advance what the company values. For example, a law practice will want to add skilled members that can bring in more business. That asset is also valuable in other industries, so use your contact list appropriately. Package your skills to show how you will add value to the organization – and be able to back it up with examples. No “puffing”!
As always, good luck.

Can Employers Find the Right Skill Set For Their Current Job Openings?

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:29:12 +0000

Right now Congress is battling about how to resolve the budget deficit. Some might argue that the most important issue to improve our economy is to get Americans back to work. According to an article in the Society For Human Resource Management’s HR News, economists suggest that jobs should have been the focus of the Super Committee all along.

However, in areas of the country where there is job recovery, there seems to be another problem. There is a significant gap between skills needed for these jobs and skilled workers ready to go to work.

The SHRM article asked for responses concerning the skills deficits in job applicants for specific organizations. A response from the Arlington, VA Workforce Investment Board said that in some cases job seekers just don’t know how to promote themselves. When responding to the question “Why do you want this job” the applicant’s answer may be – “Because I want a job.” Not a good way to highlight the skills a worker could bring to the company.

Job seekers need to be aware that the current economic productivity is similar to levels reached prior to the 2007 -2009 recession, but there are millions more people out of work. The good news is that 58% of companies that laid off workers during the recession are making direct replacement of those jobs. The bad news is that many of those jobs now require completely new skill sets.

The applicant needs to be able to separate him- or herself from the pack by highlighting the talents and skills they bring. Recently there has been a change in the focus of the HR Recruiters from years of experience to actual skill sets available in the job seeker pool- reflecting the trend of changing skill requirements.

The really interesting issue highlighted by companies responding to the SHRM-posted question said that the most common skill deficiencies in applicants are 1) writing in English 2) math skills 3) reading comprehension and 4) speaking in English. The cited language deficiencies could be easily addressed by applicants through local training organizations. Students in secondary or post-secondary educational institutions need to be aware of these needs and be focused on heightening their skills going forward.

Hiring, or hunting for a job are stressful and difficult processes, and even with the right skills, or the right group of applicants the one thing we all need is persistence and a sense of humor. Good hunting!

Verification Pain – Background Checks/Reference Checks

Ingrid Baker — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:56:57 +0000

I believe that the hardest part of the recruiting process is doing the “checking up” on a candidate. There have been a few times when I’ve been ready to make a job offer, and have had some issues come up on a reference check that gave me pause.

First let me say that a candidate that isn’t aware of issues that may come up in background checks, and not alerted the recruiters to the fact, are either not very astute or trying to hide something. As an interviewee it is always good to check at least your credit history, and even background reports, as we deal with identity theft or just plain mistakes on reports.

The employer also needs to give this process some thought. First, how much information do you need based on the job functions of the person you are hiring. The more access the new employee has to vital company records (or to sensitive client information, as in the healthcare field) the more cautious one needs to be. A company doesn’t want to make headlines because one of their delivery people was arrested for drunk driving!

There are also cost/benefit considerations for the company. Some of the work can be done in-house by making phone calls to former employers and educational institutions. The company can ask for a credit report if they obtain a release from the applicant. There is a small fee involved. Criminal records searches and motor vehicle records require more time and skill. Obviously any outside screening service should be carefully selected, for accuracy and integrity.

The standard background check usually includes the following (Courtesy of Society for Human Resources):

- Verification of Social Security Number

- Credit report

- Motor vehicle record check

- County and state criminal records search (past 7 years)

- National criminal records search, including sex offender records

- Verification of the past 2 employers

- Verification of educational background

Each of these factors requires time and skill to sort out and interpret properly. The company needs to understand how to read the reports, and in the case of court records, have some understanding of the legal terminology. In addition, the company needs to make certain that these records are kept confidential, with only the HR people directly involved in the process having access. They should be stored securely once the process is complete.

It is becoming more and more important to do the due diligence before hiring. A wrong decision can have a major impact on the company’s reputation, as well as the morale of current staff. Better to be safe than sorry!

Using Personality Tests in the Hiring Process

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:33:16 +0000

Most large or well-recognized companies that are hiring are being inundated with resumes, and are trying to find ways to sort through the pile. The Internet has created a whole new market for job postings, and has resulted in a much larger audience. To deal with the volume, increasingly applicants are being asked to take a personality test before they ever have any contact with the company.
There are pros and cons to this practice, and in some cases complaints have been filed with the local commission for human rights that the tests are discriminatory. One case was cited in an article by Eve Tahminciogle on the MSNBC Careers site. In this Rhode Island case, CVS Caremark included questions that sent up legal red flags for the local ACLU. The test asked applicants to agree or disagree with statements such as “People do a lot of things that make you angry”, “There’s no use having close friends; they always let you down”, “Many people cannot be trusted”, and “You are unsure of what to say when you meet someone”. Several applicants had complained, and the local Commission found “probably cause” that the test was in fact discriminatory. The company agreed to remove the problematic questions.

This could be the tip of an iceberg, as the growing use of these tests early in the hiring process is a relatively new area. The perception is that some of these questions could hurt people with mental disorders, and is likened to a “medical exam”.

Apparently the employment assessment market overall is worth $2 billion and growing. It was estimated by one research firm that one-third of employers are using testing for hiring and promotions.

There is strong disagreement between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the ACLU on the use of these tests. Jeanne Goldberg, advisor for the EEOC had no problem with applicants answering non-job related questions to see if the person’s personality will do well in a particular job.

The article on MSNBC quoted some sample questions from a McDonald’s survey. They included “I am sometimes unkind to others”, “I often lose my patience with other”, and “I dislike having several things to do on the same day”. Ms Goldberg from the EEOC saw no issue with this survey.

The ACLU on the other had said that a lot of these standardized tests are weeding devices, and ones without real meaning. The spokesperson said that employers were always looking for the magic test, but they didn’t accomplish much. The applicant’s recourse was to decide not to work for the organization.

The question remains, how do you find the best candidates for your company – not only with appropriate skills, but with a work ethic that fits with the organization? It doesn’t seem we’ve found the perfect tool just yet. Good luck!

Recruiting On Social Media

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:48:00 +0000

Ok, on the one hand social media is creating havoc in the workplace. On the other hand, it is the latest job recruiting tool for professional recruiters. An article in the Wall Street Journal talks about recruiters and the sites they turn to when “trolling” for candidates.

In recent history Monster.com was a major player. There was a fee for employers to post their jobs online. Then things started changing. Craig’s List was one place where jobs started appearing. Then companies developed their own accounts on LinkedIn, touted as a professional site for networking. There they posted jobs and participated in discussion groups related to their businesses. LinkedIn developed a hiring solutions segment with tools to help recruiters in their search. The site has a reputation for having a comprehensive resume database, and is a go-to site for executive talent.

Now..we have Facebook entering the market. Companies have also developed accounts on these sites, and post jobs and videos of current employees on the site. There is much discussion among the various website companies as well as recruiting professionals about using this tool. On the one hand, LinkedIn execs said that users regarded LinkedIn as their professional life, and Facebook as personal. In their focus groups, job candidates were sharply averse to being contacted through Facebook for jobs. On the other hand, Monster.com execs acknowledged that the Facebook recruiting platform is growing rapidly. Their company has launched their own Facebook append it has grown to 800,000 users in a couple of months.

Right now all the players are seeing an increase in activity and revenues. The future, however, seems to be in the social networking arena, with more and more companies adding those skills to their recruiting departments. As individuals spend more time on the social networks, the recruiting power of these sites can only grow. One reason Facebook is a target for the recruiters is that individuals spend a lot more time on the site, and one company found that candidates are 50% more likely to apply for positions found through Facebook than other means.

The result of all this discussion seems to be that both companies and job seekers are going to have to spend some time developing their skills in using the social network sites. Just what we all need – more lessons to learn! Good hunting, all of you.

Tech2 Job Fair Reminder

Ingrid Baker — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:04:15 +0000

The spring Tech2 Virtual Job fair begins next week (May 2-6) so don’t forget to visit online. This is one job fair you can attend from home or anywhere. Just go to www.nmvirtualjobfair.com Monday morning and see the current list of companies and opportunities.
This is a time when job seekers should take advantage of whatever opportunities arise, and technology companies are hiring. The jobs are mainly high tech, but there are also business and leadership opportunities available. Make sure your resume meets the suggested requirements for the job, and is clear and concise. Find something you are interested in and post away!
For those of you who do “attend” we would like to get your feedback on the site and the event. Let us know if you found what you were looking for. Send comments to the Contact link on the site. See you there!

Check Your Resume Against These Suggestions

Ingrid Baker — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:46:10 +0000

It is really difficult to write a good resume because you want to tell folks all the good things about you – but they just want to know if you can do the job! I’ve discussed resumes from the employer angle a number of times, and they are searching for truthfulness and a fit. They are also trying to get some sense of the person and their work style. Because they may receive PILES of resumes for a position, the more clearly and concisely you present your skills, the more likely your submittal will get noticed.
There is an art to focusing in on the skills a prospective employer will want while still presenting the breadth of talent that you offer. A number of websites offer general tips for presenting your best side.
One service, #1 Resume Writing Services, provides a simple list of 10 tips online. The list is as follows (for further discussion see the Resume site):
- Use titles or headings that match the job you want (assuming they are accurate!)
- Use design that grabs attention, so they’ll notice your resume in the pile
- Create content that sells – the art of descriptive phrases that attract attention
- Quantify, and use power words – numbers are powerful in themselves when describing achievements
- Analyze ads and job descriptions to identify key words – clues as to what the employer is asking for
- Identify and solve employer’s hidden needs – things like “plays well with others”
- Sell the benefit to employers of the skills you have – don’t just list the skills
- Create an image that matches the salary you want – such as the number of years of experience
- Prioritize the content in the resume – make sure the important stuff is at the top
- Most important – tweak and target your resume and cover letter for the job you seek. Highlight the skills you have relevant to the position.

After you have done the work and have targets in mind, have someone familiar with the industry review your resume. They can help you with target words and presentation. Also our High Tech Job Forum will do a once-over for you free of charge. We work with a number of high tech employers to help them recruit and would be happy to give you a sense of whether you are on target.
Good luck!

Job Seeker Strategies

Ingrid Baker — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:22:11 +0000

NPR presented a program Tuesday, February 8 on “All Things Considered” on how to search for jobs effectively. They interviewed folks in the recruiting field as well as hiring managers in large companies.
One contributor suggested that finding a job requires the same type of marketing as starting a new company. A recruiter with a large firm said that now 70% of jobs are not published. Even without publishing jobs, large companies receive almost 10 resumes for each position in the company, whether it is an open position or not.
So – what to do? Throughout the last few months there have been multiple articles on job seeking tips, and having watched this process I think we can boil them down to a consistent list.
First, just mailing out resumes blindly gets you nowhere. You have to have a contact to help you get a foot in the door – just to get them to read the resume! I remember getting a series of resumes, all from New York, all with cover letters in the same format. It was obvious that some recruiting firm was providing a template and probably charging for the service, but it didn’t get points with our hiring people! It was also fairly obvious the “applicant” knew nothing about our company
This brings up another point. Always do thorough research of the company you are targeting. Your cover letter (VERY IMPORTANT) should show that you know exactly what the company is about and should be able to address why you want to be a part of the team.
Your job search has to include visiting the employer somehow. If you can find a contact in your network, use it! If not – try a people search on Linked In to find contacts in companies you are targeting.
By the way, one recruiter estimated that you have to make at least 100 contacts a month in a successful search (and that doesn’t mean just dropping off a resume). Remember you are marketing yourself and so the effort compares to trying to sell an idea or product to customers. It’s tough right now, but perseverance pays off.
Here’s one idea, and a reason you NEVER burn bridges when you leave a company. One job seeker pulled up her employment history and contacted old employers asking if there was an opportunity for her. She got a job with a company she had worked for 10 years before, in a temp position! This is a good strategy for job seeker and employer – the employer has some knowledge of the applicant which helps in the vetting process.
Hard work, and sometimes depressing – but keep your head up and keep hunting!

Job Upswing In Technology Sector

Ingrid Baker — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:59:07 +0000

An article in Time (January 17, 2011) as well as other business publications, predict that those working in the technology sector should fare better this year. The Time article gave a number of statistics that are interesting to those seeking jobs. The volume may not be what it was, but there are definitely opportunities.
Jobs in network-systems and data analysts are the second only to biomedical engineers in growth in that sector. Companies have been spending more on software and computer services, and internet marketing and social networking companies are doing well.
Health services is another area of positive growth, and again requires training and education, just like the technology services areas. In fact, the Time article shows that in 2011 and 2012 over 37% of the new jobs will require a bachelor’s degree or higher.
There is also some good news for the manufacturing sector, as some companies are going to lean manufacturing and bringing the work back to the states. Various companies have stated that they want more control over their process and product. General Electric’s head of technology for the appliance section sees lean manufacturing as a way to lower manufacturing costs as much as 30%. Unit labor costs have fallen across the country.
In New Mexico the growth is slow, and appears to be focused in manufacturing and mining sectors. The UNM Bureau of Economic Research predicted that it will take years to replace the 50,000 jobs lost in the state. The Bureau director predicts that the job growth for 2011 will be about 1.3%. The manufacturing sector accounts for about 3.5% of GDP in New Mexico, as opposed to approximately 9% of GDP nationally.
The New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership works with New Mexico manufacturing companies to improve processes and increase efficiency. Ron Burke, Center Director, said that in the last 5 years the number of manufacturing companies in the state dropped from 1700 to 1500. On the other hand, those who have survived the downturn are coming out strong, and some even have a backlog of orders – hopefully that means more job opportunities in the industry. Ron said that one reason for the successful survival of these businesses is that they have worked on training employees and improving their processes.
Let us hope that these smart technology and manufacturing companies in our state can add good jobs for the people here who have great skills and need them!

Social Media Recruiting

Ingrid Baker — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:01:42 +0000

The movie “The Social Network” has stirred interest again in the many ways social networking can be used. One market that is expanding rapidly is online recruiting and hiring for corporations and even small companies.
An increasing number of recruiters and organizations are turning to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and more obscure niche social networking sites to speed up the recruitment process and reduce costs. The process does, however, need to be managed appropriately.
As I browsed LinkedIn I saw company (group) memberships that allowed current and past employees to join, and there were job listings on the site. Some provided alternative links for non-employees to check out jobs. I also noticed that companies join professional organizations in their industry and through that link attract more-qualified candidates for their needs.
There are a number of ways to use the social media to recruit. Company blogs may include job opportunities with links to social media sites provided. For a specific set of skills a company may post a technical question on their network and use the responses to identify a potential recruit. The social networks also provide another way for a company to highlight their organization to attract a specific group of people. Organizations may encourage employees to create a LinkedIn account to enhance its employee referral program.
Cautions for companies diving in to the new social media – don’t stop using your other sources, but allocate efforts among the different recruiting tools. Also, make sure that your application process is sophisticated enough for the new group of tech-savvy applicants. Seamless processes help insure that the folks you are interested in will get through. Otherwise they may just get impatient and move on to another opportunity.
For job seekers, the trick is to get involved in these networks by searching for appropriate groups and individual links that further your career search. As mentioned above, getting involved in discussions related to your experience could get you noticed by a recruiter. Make sure that your own social network page is professional and targeted to the market you are interested in.
As always, good luck!