In today’s job market, many candidates spend time replying to jobs on various websites without knowing what companies they are contacting. Unfortunately many of the postings out there are staffing firms ranging from the stay-at-home entrepreneurs to the Goliath’s of the world. Knowing what recruiting firms you are contacting can put you in touch with the right networking circle and potentially help you find your next employer. Here are some tips to ensure you are choosing the right search firm:
 
1. There are staffing firms that claim to be generalists and those who claim to be specialists. Don’t take this lightly!

2. Ask Questions! Find out who your recruiter is. Learn their qualifications, their years in the business, tenure at the firm, the clients they work with and the firm’s history.

3. Does the firm you are applying at seem to have an up to date website? Does the staff handle your interview or phone call in a professional manner? You want to make sure your career is in the right hands. While image isn’t everything, it does show what firms are willing to invest in their office environment, web-site, staff and culture in order to hire and retain the best of the best!
 
Don’t be afraid to ask a recruiter why you should work with them. You’d be surprised with the answers you get.

Good luck!
 

Todd Shiner
Director- Temporary/Consulting Accounting/Finance

I feel compelled to write a blog about a situation that occurred last week, because I believe that there is a VERY important lesson to be learned here…

For the past month and a half I have been working on a complex position for an excellent client of ours in Somerset County.  This company is extremely customer service driven, with understandably high expectations of its employees. Obtaining an interview with this client is difficult in and of itself, let alone receiving an offer for employment. As you can imagine, their ideal candidate fits a certain mold; he or she should be sharp, personable, possesses confidence and excel at customer service.

After a long sourcing process, I finally met with a candidate who I knew was an ideal match within the first 30 seconds of speaking with him.  His presentation, personality, and experience were all spot-on. This candidate had “the IT factor” – as we used to call it in my former career as a talent agent. I was elated! Excited to present him to my client and confident that this was a match made in heaven, an interview was quickly scheduled.

Now, I believe that The Execu|Search Group has some of the best staffing coordinators in the business.  I have always been impressed with the degree of information, interview tips and personal coaching we give our candidates.  As I prepped my candidate, he shared my enthusiasm and was quick to assure me that he would nail this interview and represent The Execu|Search Group in the utmost professional manner.

The interview day came.  I always ask my candidates to call me as soon as their meeting is finished to give me feedback.  My dream candidate did as he was instructed and told me that he was feeling on top of the world.  He had done everything right – from  researching the company and the job description to knowing his resume inside and out, to expressing confidence in his ability to hit the ground running with the role.  In other words— he nailed it.  Fantastic. We both felt great. (If only that feeling had lasted)!

Our client called with feedback, too. It started out positively: she absolutely LOVED the candidate and thought he was exactly the right fit. She even mentioned that she felt as though the “thorn in her side” was finally being plucked. She was armed and ready to go in front of her team to secure an offer for the candidate with a start date at the end of the week, but as you might guess, this story doesn’t end with a “happily ever after.”
Everything was on the right track until an un-expected knock came to her office door and the following story was recounted:

My candidate decided to make a stop at the vending machine before leaving the building.  It was here that he made the decision to strike up a friendly conversation with another gentleman. Let’s just say that in the course of this conversation, the candidate made an inappropriate attempt at humor and male-bonding by making a comment which was received very poorly by anyone within ear-shot. It turns out that the employee on the receiving end of the remark was the Executive head of a very large division. Even worse, the female Executive to whom our candidate would be directly reporting had overheard everything.

Not surprisingly, HR was notified of our candidate’s loose lips and he lost the job.

Now, here is the lesson.  Your interview begins from the minute you exit your car and begin walking into the building. It DOES NOT END until you are back in your car exiting the parking lot.  It is so important that you remember that an interview is an invitation to visit the company. You are not yet a member of the family; you are a guest.  It is impossible to know at all times to whom you are speaking or which individuals might be within ear-shot of your conversation.

Needless to say, our candidate was devastated as I confronted him with this information.  There is no question that if he had not engaged in the aforementioned conversation that the job would have been on the table. He ruined his chances by demonstrating a lack of tact and professionalism. 

Nobody is immune from making mistakes and certainly we are all human. However, I just hope that after reading this, you will remember to keep your feet firmly on the ground and avoid putting them in your mouth.  Trust me, it tastes terrible for all parties involved.

   Stacie Renna, Staffing Coordinator

This week’s quote is a reminder to our job seekers that it takes trial and error to succeed.

“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” – Frank A. Clark, American cartoonist

A Guest Post by Melissa McGraw & Jennifer Gregory of http://workchic.com

The year 2010 not only signifies a New Year but also a new decade! Are you still wearing that interview suit you bought ten years ago? Are you still baffled about what to wear to your interview? It’s time to evaluate that interview attire to make sure you are making an impactful first impression!

Let’s face it times are tough out there. That means less jobs and more competition. Whether you are a new college graduate or are trying to be gainfully employed the first impression you make at an interview will make a lasting impression on a prospective employer. Why not make that impactful impression with your interview attire? We’ll teach how to do this while keeping your look professional. Even if you are interviewing in a casual office environment you don’t want to cross the line between casual and unprofessional. Here are a few of our suggestions that will not only add some excitement but will also allow you to showcase your own personal style.

If you are interviewing for a corporate position say for example in banking, finance, or law- the office attire tends to be more corporate. You should mirror your interview attire in the same manner. The right accessories, shoes, and jewelry can make your otherwise predictable interview suit impressive and memorable. Try delicate gold hoops or studs when wearing your business suit instead of pearls to modernize your basic jewelry. Wear a statement necklace to highlight your neckline. We took the following key pieces and added them to a more corporate business interview outfit below.

If you are going for a more business casual look at your interview remember you can still wear lightweight tweeds and wool, linen or silk blends, and even boucle. Texture whether it is in a jacket, skirt or pants can add a touch of personal style and keeps your look seasonal. For the look below, we paired a wool v-neck sheath dress, matching jacket, and a contrasting belt to add more interest to the outfit. You can layer on a chunky bracelet or necklace to accent the look. Top the outfit off with a fun tote that complements your outfit and you are instantly Workchic!

Now what if you are going on an interview for a position that you know has a very casual work environment? In fact wearing denim is the norm. The CEO of the company even wears denim every day. You just know that it would be out of place wearing a suit to the interview. In fact it might even hurt your chances of getting the position! You can still wear denim and look professional. As you will see below, we paired dark denim with a blazer and a casual button down shirt. Add a pattern scarf, statement necklace, stack heel boots, and an oversized tote in an impact color to the look. The outfit still remains casual yet professional.

You can see that no matter what type of interview you are going on the use of shoes, accessories, and even a scarf can help tie an interview outfit together and make that lasting impression. Have fun creating your own signature interview look and best of luck from Workchic.com!

About Workchic

Workchic dresses women for work by offering suggested outfits, fit guidelines, tips and tricks on how to look professional, feminine and chic. Whether heading into the office, going on an interview, or attending a networking event- workchic strives to show every woman how to get their desired look. Visit http://workchic.com to find out more!

The Execu|Search Wants to send a Holiday message to all of it’s blog readers. Click here to see your Holiday Message:

Season’s Greetings

As a staffing industry professional, hearing the words, “I’m making more money on unemployment” from my candidates is extremely frustrating. I’m sure many of my colleagues, particularly temporary recruiters, would agree with me. As recruiters, we want nothing more than to keep people working and networking. We have done our job well when our candidates are set up to go to work the next day. We are fulfilled when we can keep our candidates employed, busy, learning new things and meeting new people.

Unemployment provides safety for those who have been taken out of a secure world and placed into a very unsecure, scary situation. It provides time to find work and income to those who have none. It provides temporary security and momentary assistance. It is a type of “insurance” for each and every person to be able to maintain an income when work is difficult to find and when the recession is still looming.

This is where it gets tricky- while recruiters are thankful for the stability unemployment provides our candidates, we also want to work with eager candidates. We want to represent those individuals who are motivated, flexible and ready to work! As a recruiter, I become extremely excited when a great opportunity comes in and I can present it to my unemployed pool of very talented people! I will provide a detailed example:

I call my candidate, ring ring, “Hi Jane, guess what? I just got in a 5 week position – it’s got your name written all over it! Great hours, good pay, nice group of people, solid company. What do you think?”

My candidate responds, “Hi Jaimee, thank you for thinking of me, but I am making more money on unemployment. It wouldn’t be worth it for me.”

At this point, I go into counselor mode. I inquire about the weekly net dollars that the individual is earning on unemployment. I take that number, and to be modest, divide it by 35 hours/week. Nine times out of ten, the hourly rate this person is earning on unemployment is significantly less than the hourly rate I have offered. Not to mention, my candidate could be passing up unlimited networking possibilities that come from being in the workplace!

The picture begins to look a little different, right? Why wouldn’t you choose to earn $20/hour while meeting new people, learning new things, and filling that growing gap on your resume over earning $11/hour just waiting for the perfect permanent opportunity to arise?

Ah ha! My frustration as a recruiter has been revealed- but unfortunately not everyone understands the benefits of accepting a temporary or contract job. When you are finished reading through this blog, please read my fellow co-workers blog, titled To Temp or Not to Temp? That is the question! Stacie Renna, Staffing Coordinator, clearly explains it all!
 
Now please, let us do the job we love so much and allow us to keep you working =)

Jaimee Cascione
Staffing Coordinator-  Temporary Division, Office Support

Did you know that we have an Execu|Search Facebook fan page where we post stories, news, and other career-oriented content? We would love for ALL of our blog readers to become a fan- so join us on Facebook today!

“The three great essentials to achieving anything worthwhile are; first, hard work, second, stick-to-it-iveness, and third, common sense.”
                    – Thomas Edison, American Inventor, Scientist, and Business Man

Is finding a new job one of your New Year's resolutions?  If it is, you are not alone.  January is one of the busiest months in recruitment, as candidates that previously had been passively unhappy transition to being proactively searching. There's something about a new year that makes people seek a new start. January is considered the start of the job search season. 

If you are feeling ready for your next role your best bet is to beat out the resolution crowd and start searching and interviewing now. Traffic to job boards are down in December- which means less competition. Just like those of us that get their holiday shopping done in July, the job seekers that start early can reap large rewards. Plus, you probably have some vacation days planned that you could use to meet with potential employers.  Even if you don't think you can begin a new job until after the holidays due to vacation or travel commitments, you should still be interviewing now.  You can always discuss a start-date of January or February with potential employers. Also, by December, most employers have an idea of their budget for the following year, so you could still be factored in to that and hence receive a higher pay scale.

So start getting out there now if you're on the market for a new job in 2010- the early bird catches the worm this season! 

Katie Niekrash
DIRECTOR - Healthcare

The Execu|Search Group has achieved the Gold Seal of Approval™ for health care staffing services from The Joint Commission.

The Execu|Search Group underwent an on-site review of its compliance with national standards addressing how staffing firms determine the qualifications and competency of their staff, how they place their staff, and how they monitor staff’s performance. Upon completing the Joint Commission’s evaluation process, The Execu|Search Group was awarded certification for Health Care Staffing Services.

“Health care organizations that contract with The Execu|Search Group can look to this certification as an assurance that The Execu|Search Group demonstrates a commitment to providing and continuously improving quality services,” says Michele Sacco, M.S., executive director, Health Care Staffing Services Certification, Joint Commission.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in health care organizations. Governed by a board that includes physicians, nurses, and consumers, The Joint Commission sets the standards by which health care quality is measured in America and around the world.

“Certification recognizes The Execu|Search Group’s dedication to providing health care professionals that are qualified to provide safe, high-quality care to patients,” says Kyle Mattice, Managing Director of the Temporary Health Services division. “We’re proud to receive the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™.”

The Execu|Search Group’s Health Services is one of the largest and most established health services placement providers in the City of New York and the Tri-State area. Offering Allied Healthcare, Healthcare, Physician Recruitment and Retained Healthcare Search, Execu|Search Health Services is managed by seasoned recruiters who offer a long-standing tradition of top quality service.  Headquartered in New York City with branch offices in Purchase, NY and Bridgewater, NJ,  The Execu|Search Group offers recruitment, temporary staffing, and retained search services across several practice areas including: Accounting/Finance; Architecture & Engineering; Financial Services including Front Office; Graphics; Health Services: Allied Health, Healthcare, Physicians; Human Resources; Information Technology, and Office Support.

For more information regarding The Execu|Search Group’s Health Services please contact Kyle Mattice at (212) 204-5102, or via e-mail at kylem@execu-search.com