24 Jun 09 Local Job Search Focus Groups

: Image by Joe Dunckley via Flickr

I feel very privileged to be a job seeker in Cincinnati right now. I first found out about Cincinnati’s Job Search Focus Group last December from Steve Platt, a friend I first met at a LinkedCincinnati event last August.

The Job Search Focus Group is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that supports individuals searching for new employment opportunities. They meet Monday mornings at the Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church. Since 1992, over 10,000 job seekers have graduated from their program. This faith-based organization has been featured in the Wall Street Journal as well.

Do you have a job search focus group in your area? If so, please leave the details in the comments.

Churches add job search groups (news.cincinnati.com)

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25 Jun 07 Ron Hittle inspired me with one sentence

“To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground.” – Stephen R. Covey, via QuotesBlog

I met Ron Hittle about 3-1/2 years ago at a career workshop at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. I remember that it was an encouraging and inspiring time for me, since I was really struggling for direction in my career. The encounter and events since then have showed me how powerful connecting with one person can positively affect another.

That year I also met a recruiter in the Dayton area, and we’ve exchanged e-mails and phone conversations over the past three years or so, having become part of each other’s professional network.

She mentioned early on that I must have met Ron Hittle.

“How did you know that?” I asked.

“From then ending of your voicemail message,” she replied. “I do that, too.”

Imitation, it’s been said, is the sincerest form of flattery. This recruiter and I at different times had adopted Ron’s way of closing a message as our own.

It’s a little bittersweet that I share all of this, because a few moments ago, she called me to say that Ron Hittle passed away this weekend. He’d retired some time ago and had been dealing with some health issues, but it still came suddenly. My thoughts and prayers go up to the family, as well as those who knew Ron well. He will surely be missed.

As I mentioned, I didn’t know Ron that well, but he left a lasting impression on me just from one statement from his voicemail message, because it points to my own ability to do something about my life versus letting something happen.

If you’ve received an email from me or have heard me sign off on my mostly music podcast, you probably already know what I’m about to say.

Most people I know usually end a conversation by saying, “Have a great day!”

Ron Hittle would say, “Make it a great day!”

Thanks, Ron. I think I will.

Find information on Diversity recruiting at DiversityJobs.com.

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25 Oct 06 Phone Number-Phone Location Lookup

I received an e-mail yesterday from a recruiter. In his signature he included his office phone number, but he didn’t mention the city where he was located. I found this website that lets you search a phone number to find the city. Pretty cool.

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27 Sep 06 Simply emailed my resume – nothing much else

I just sent my resume to a recruiter with the following text:

I am forwarding you my resume because I saw the job fo rhte position posted on your website, and it looks like my skills and experience might provide a match. I’m interested in what you think.

As I look back on that, I can see the typo, but I’m not that concerned. I provided the specific position title and the link to the post, along with the job ID number. I didn’t really feel that all the extra verbiage was needed; i.e., the specific ways I’m qualified for it. We’ll see. I really hate sending resumes blindly to people I don’t already know where there wasn’t already an introduction made.

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29 Jun 05 Three Things Every Recruiter Looks For In A Resume

There are three things every recruiter looks for in a resume:

- Focus

- Core competencies or transferable skills

- Accomplishments

If your resume lacks any of these crucial elements, then you are probably not capturing the attention you deserve, and you are missing out on important interview opportunities.

[crossposted to Jobfiler.com]

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08 Dec 04 Career Placement for a fee – be careful

If you are a job search and your resume is on Monster or other boards, carefully screen the calls you receive from recruitment firms. It was recently brought to my attention that there are companies, like the Phoenix Executive Group, that contact jobseekers that provide their placement services for a fee. I have heard of this firm before and their tactics for attracting clientele.

Phoenix Executive Group contacts job seekers appearing to be a recruiter. They call you in for an initial pre-screen interview, which is rare but is an acceptable recruitment practice. However, they do not clearly disclose that you, the candidate, pay the fee for placement. Examining their website, it’s nearly impossible to find details on the fee arrangement nor amount. This information is not volunteered when they contact you – you need to ask.

Phoenix Executive (not related to the Phoenix Link) may certainly be a valuable service. However my warning to jobseekers – always ask who pays the fee and ensure that there is no fee paid by the candidate in any and all circumstances. Whether you believe that paying a placement fee is right for you; this is something that you can best decide depending on your circumstances.

My issue with Phoenix Executive Group, and other similar employment assistance companies, is their lack of clear disclosure upfront or on their website. Always ask questions regarding fee’s and opportunities before committing to a meeting or signing any document with a recruiter.

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10 Nov 04 Interview With The Headhunter

If you ever wanted to sit down and pick a headhunter’s brain (pardon that visual), this interview will give you 3 “insider” tips to help you find a new job faster.

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10 Oct 04 New to the team: Stephen Harris

Hello… I’d like to introduce myself – my name is Stephen Harris. I will be adding my entries to Dan’s tremendous “Get-that-Job” Blog as a guest author. Look for my commentary, tips and ideas for the jobseeker every Tuesday.

For those of you that are in the career “transition-zone”, I can relate. I’ve been there – was there – for over a year. During this amazing period of my life, I started a consulting group, learned how to network (thus my Zero to Network Blog), mentored other jobseekers, coordinated networking events (including a major charity event in Atlanta) and even became an executive recruiter. I am now gainfully employed as Director; Affiliate Marketing for DigitalGrit.com. My job related Blogs are my humble means of giving back for all the support I received when I was in your shoes.

My own blogs are listed below my name – and I am also a guest author on the Recruiters Blog.

I appreciate Dan for this opportunity to contribute to his Blog and to provide helpful tips & suggestions to you – the Job-Seeker/Job-Changer, so you can “Get That Job“!

Stephen

JobStuff, a Blog for Your Career

ZeroToNetwork, a Business Networking Blog

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21 Jan 04

JobsPage/ask the recruiter

Answers to newspaper job-hunters’ questions by Joe Grimm, Detroit Free Press recruiter. The questions come from the JobsPage’s “Ask the Recruiter” feature.

spotted on Weblogs.Com: Recently Updated Weblogs

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18 Dec 03

Five Myths About Holiday Job Hunting via an emailed newsletter from Execs-Direct.com

by Sinara Stull O’Donnell

When I was an executive and a corporate recruiter, I found that December was my busiest and most stressful month. It’s no exaggeration to say I often made job offers on Christmas Eve and came in the day after Christmas to do the paperwork so that an employee could start Jan. 2.

Yet, the misconception that nobody hires in December is common, as is the poor advice that “you might as well take the month off.” It may seem counterintuitive, but the opposite is true.

Holiday job-search myths have been around for a long time and are repeated like mantras, but shatter when scrutinized. Consider the following:

Myth No.1: “Nobody hires in December”

December is still a month employees are being paid to work. There are five reasons companies may hire in December:

Many companies must spend the money in their budgets before the end of the year. Hiring “heats up in December because hiring managers are trying to reach deadlines to use budgets,” says Susie Basanda, principal of Basanda Consulting, a recruitment management company in Ventura County, Calif.
People tend to want to tie up loose ends before the new year. Hiring managers, human-resource representatives and executive recruiters are like the rest of us who have that feeling of urgency as the year-end approaches. If there are unfilled positions on their staffs, hiring managers naturally want to fill them.
Positions open up in late November or early December because many professionals quit their jobs this time of year. As David Knowles, a senior recruiter with Excel Unlimited, an executive search firm in Houston, says, “The holidays can bring on a time of longing to be closer to family, roots and people. If no bonus is involved, people often will quit Dec. 1, and give two weeks notice so that they can be with family for the holidays.”
Headhunters are more motivated to place candidates before the end of the year. Almost all executive recruiters are paid on commission. This commission is based on fees their company earns for placing professionals. What helps the December job seeker is that this commission rises based on overall yearly billing. One might start the year at 30% and graduate to 60% by December. The catch is that it goes down to 30% again Jan. 1.
Strong companies often want to start the new year with a bang. “Companies that are forecasting profits want to have key people in place to start the year off well,” says Knowles.

Myth No. 2: “You won’t find the job you really want in December”

You’re just as likely to find the job you really want in December as in any other month. One reason is because you won’t have as much competition, says Judy Kneisley, senior vice president and general manager for outplacement firm Lee Hecht Harrison Inc. “Because so many people believe in the myths, it’s a perfect time to be out there,” she says. It may sound logical that only losers would be desperate enough to look for jobs during the holidays, says Knowles, but “the fact is that winners are looking in December.” Winners don’t give up.

Myth No. 3: “Nothing ever happens after Dec. 15, so you might as well leave town”

Most recruiters advise job candidates to be flexible in scheduling interviews and meetings around the holidays. Eberhart goes a step further and advises candidates to avoid taking weeklong trips during the holidays. Basanda once held a round of interviews New Year’s Day.

Myth No. 4: “Even if an employer has an opening, the hiring manager won’t have time to meet with you”

The interviewing process can be slower during the holidays because of the number of days people are out of the office. But, as Basanda says, the process “will slow down but it doesn’t stop.”

Myth No. 5: “You’ll have a better chance if you wait until the first of the year”

If employers have a need, they don’t care whether it’s January or December. “[Hiring] isn’t focused on the time of year. It’s focused on need,” says Keith Mills, vice president for Aaron’s Automotive, a manufacturer in Springfield, Mo.

Ms. O’Donnell is a free-lance writer and a career consultant in Springfield, Mo. This article was abridged from CareerJournal.com.

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24 Jun 09 Local Job Search Focus Groups

25 Jun 07 Ron Hittle inspired me with one sentence

25 Oct 06 Phone Number-Phone Location Lookup

27 Sep 06 Simply emailed my resume – nothing much else

29 Jun 05 Three Things Every Recruiter Looks For In A Resume

08 Dec 04 Career Placement for a fee – be careful

10 Nov 04 Interview With The Headhunter

10 Oct 04 New to the team: Stephen Harris

21 Jan 04

18 Dec 03

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24 Jun 09 Local Job Search Focus Groups

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25 Jun 07 Ron Hittle inspired me with one sentence

25 Oct 06 Phone Number-Phone Location Lookup

27 Sep 06 Simply emailed my resume – nothing much else

29 Jun 05 Three Things Every Recruiter Looks For In A Resume

08 Dec 04 Career Placement for a fee – be careful

10 Nov 04 Interview With The Headhunter

10 Oct 04 New to the team: Stephen Harris

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