In the current job market, the recession is so severe that jobs are unavailable for many people…many people besides Programmers. While other professions have been getting cut during the current state of the market, the number of Programming jobs has increased dramatically. Demand for Programming professionals is supposed to increase by 21% in the next ten or so years.

In order to land one of these positions, here are a few tips to help you along the way:

Learn More Than Programming Language- Learn People Language.
Programming involves an enormous deal of human communication, so companies do not want their programmer to have the language mannerisms of a robot. It is important to be conscious of grammar and composition when completing your cover letter and exchanging e-mails. If you are a socially awkward individual, consider seminars or books that might help you improve your communication abilities.

Check Your Ego
Companies are looking for the most intellectual and competent Programmers, and that sometimes lead to one problem:  arrogance. Many companies don’t care how skilled the candidate is—if they carry a hefty ego, they aren’t worth putting up with in the long run. Show your willingness to learn new things and don’t be picky about which projects you’ll be working on.

Be Truthful
Never ever exaggerate the number of proficient skills on your resume. Not only can it get you fired down the road, it can be very embarrassing in an interview. Also, don’t try and talk your way around programming questions that you aren’t familiar with. Once again, it won’t work in the long run and you’ll look like a fool.
Pandora Radio’s VP of Engineering, Chris Martin states, “If you don’t know this stuff, saying you don’t know would be a good place to start”. Most companies aren’t looking for people who are experts in every single language. They are looking for Programmers who can learn new languages.

Polished Resume
When you come across a well-paying position at a prominent company, it means that they have a ton of resumes being generated daily. It doesn’t matter how qualified you are at the moment, DO NOT make ridiculous mistakes to get your resume thrown in the stack of trash. A few minor words can help you through this. Proof read. Everybody makes little mistakes here and there and it is easy to pass them up, even through a resume. Misspelled words will disqualify you from the screening process and your dream job will be gone because of “teh”.
There are plenty of tools to help you along the way so use the internet and use your head and you’ll be on your way!

Be Prepared For The Interview—Prove Yourself!
The most important part of a job interview is being able to prove your capability. Companies have different ways of testing the candidates. Some companies will ask potential candidates a number of programming questions, but will never sit someone down in front of a computer and ask them code. On the other hand, some hiring managers will always ask people to write code during the interview.

Be prepared for random questions! It’s not important whether you answer the question right… it’s important that you demonstrate a logical thought process and that you never give up on the problem if it sounds too difficult.

Whether you’re a recent grad or an experienced Programmer always follows these tips and soon you’ll be on your way to the perfect job fit! If you are a programmer looking for work, be sure to check out some of our current IT opportunities, and Good luck!

  Dustin Willoughby
  Interactive Resources

Some of you may have heard the term “The 99ers” being used to describe unemployed people who have used the maximum 99 weeks of unemployment benefits the government allows per person in this country. The previous high for number of weeks allowed for unemployment benefits was 55 weeks in the early 1980’s.

Many Americans have exhausted the 99 weeks of benefits during this recession. Many of these same people are asking for more, claiming the economy is so bad that they are unable to find employment in this time frame. The obvious question is whether or not 99 weeks is enough. That is almost two years of unemployment benefits. Many jobless people claim that they aren’t being hired for jobs they are over-qualified for.

If you were an executive before the recession and were forced to work at Walmart, would you do it? This is a deep issue that can be argued from many different perspectives. Each person in this country has a different situation that they live in and deal with on a daily basis. We are in the worst recession since the great depression. There are roughly 15,000,000 unemployed people in this country, battling for about 3,000,000 open jobs. The odds are obviously leaning quite heavily towards people remaining unemployed.

What do you think? Is 99 weeks an adequate amount of time to find a job in this economy? Take the poll on our home page!

  Michael Denny
  Interactive Resources

What motivates employees most depends mostly on your age, but also where you live. In a recently published study by Kelly Services’ Global Workforce Index, it was found that 61% of Americans most desired a profit sharing/incentive based pay structure. Of working professionals between the ages of 18-29, 39% of respondents said they would be motivated to work harder if their pay was influenced by reaching performance targets, compared to 30% of workers between the ages of 48-65. The overwhelming majority of American workers (86%) said that employers should be responsible for their employees’ health and well-being, while 34% thought health insurance was the most important benefit.

Most intriguing is the divide between generational workers; here’s a rundown of key findings, sorted by age, from the study, including info-graphs. To read the study in its entirety, click here! (http://www.easyir.com/easyir/kellyservices/KGWIGlobal_Benefits_Perks.pdf)

• Aside from salary, the highest rated benefit for all generations is training, but it is much more important to Gen Y and Gen X.
• Approximately half of all generations rate employer-provided health benefits as “very important.”
• Roughly 80 percent of all generations think that employers should take some responsibility for employee health and well-being.
• Well over half of all generations believe that employers should provide an incentive or reward to employees for adopting a healthier lifestyle, changes which may include quitting smoking, losing weight or taking up exercise.
• The employer-provided health benefit that is most attractive to all generations is health insurance, while gym access or discounts are relatively popular with Gen Y.
  
  

  Melody Yaghoubi
  Interactive Resources

We can all learn a thing or two from reality shows. For example, The Bachelor teaches us how to date 25 potential love interests at once, and we have learned the joys of fist-pumping and GTL (Gym, Tan Laundry) from the cultured young cast of Jersey Shore. But MTV has recently turned a new leaf and created a reality show of value. Aptly titled Hired, the new show provides viewers (and job seekers) with useful information such as the do’s and don’ts of resume submission, interviewing, and a first-hand look at how employers approach the hiring process. The show chronicles companies as they set out to hire junior-level employees with each episode focusing on a different company and position.

In the debut episode, which aired last Monday, Los Angeles-based PR firm American Rebel PR sets out to hire a new Junior Account Executive with the primary job requirements being strong writing skills and an outgoing personality. Within one day of posting an online ad, over one thousand resumes are received and subsequently plowed through by the show’s “headhunter,” career coach Ryan Khan. Khan’s role in the show is to weed out unqualified applicants, conduct first-round interviews, and give candidates tips to better interview with the firm’s Founder/CEO, Chris Detert.

What the show offers viewers is a bird’s eye view of how employers often see job seekers:  fumbling for answers to questions, stoically engaged in conversation, and awkwardly seated across from the interviewer, thoroughly unprepared. While the show is geared towards a younger demographic, there are things that job seekers of all ages and experience levels can learn from Hired:

• Be confident in your skills and experience, no matter how limited they may be. One of the applicants that made it through to the final round of interviews was a somewhat inexperienced candidate named Bailey who exuded a “quiet confidence.” Her confidence let her potential employer know that what she lacked in working experience, she made up for in skill-set. This was enough for Detert to call her back as part of the final group of three candidates. While she ultimately wasn’t offered the job, we saw the importance of exuding confidence, not arrogance.
  
  
• Be prepared. This seems like an obvious one, and while college students are bombarded with career advice from counselors, many seemed to have scoffed at the importance of preparation. Do a background check on the company. More than one candidate showed up to the interview with a confused expression when the interviewer spoke about the details of the job and the company. One didn’t put together the “PR” in American Rebel PR with the “PR” in Public Relations. One candidate boasted about her prolific portfolio with great writing samples, then failed to produce it as she fumbled through her folder, realizing that she forgot to bring them with her. These seemingly small missteps play a huge factor in how the employer perceives candidates; Detert was visibly vexed and irritated that seemingly qualified candidates didn’t take a couple of minutes to check out the company’s website.
  
  
• Personality is key. If you don’t have a personality, applying for a position in which the primary requirement is “outgoing personality” isn’t the best idea. One applicant on the Hired premier sat straight-faced through his first-round interview. The recruiter felt perhaps he was being shy, and urged him to smile when he met with Detert, to which the applicant said to the camera, “I thought I was smiling.” Having a winning personality can land you the job, even if your qualifications and experience don’t stand out. The candidate that was offered a job at the end of the show was chosen for his outgoing, upbeat personality, despite his less than impressive writing skills (which were actually the worst of the final three candidates). Detert said that he would have regretted not hiring the applicant because he believes he would be an asset to the company.

Hired doesn’t have a dramatic plotline like so many other reality shows on the air these days, and that’s because it doesn’t need to have one. The anxiety of being a young job seeker is dramatic enough- with thousands of applicants vying for a single position, the competition is genuine, not contrived. Although the advice rendered on the show is not anything we haven’t already heard, seeing ourselves and our behavior in an interview setting are tremendous assets to helping us refine our techniques and approaches to interviewing.

Hired airs daily on MTV at 6:30pm 

  Melody Yaghoubi
  Interactive Resources

Alec Brownstein, a creative professional in New York City, recently landed a new job by implementing what he calls “The Google Experiment.” Taking advantage of one of this decade’s biggest internet trends- “Googling” your own name-  Alec bought a few Google Ad Words under the names of top creative directors in the marketing and advertising industries. After spending just $6 on the Ad Words, which directed the creative directors to his online portfolio, Alec was granted four interviews and offered two new jobs. He has chosen to work with creative firm Y&R.

We think this was a genius idea, but one that would probably only work in an open-minded industry such as the creative industry. Regardless, we are also sure that copy-cat cases of this “experiment” are sure to follow. What do you think?

Here is Alec’s self-made video summarizing his experiment:

  Stephanie Urban
  Interactive Resources

In today’s job market, technology dominates the selection process from every angle.  Job seekers hit the internet for postings and apply online.  Once your resume is submitted, it often automatically enters a database with thousands of other resumes.  Even with the advanced software available today to recruiters and hiring companies, these technologies primarily rely on keyword searches to make a match between a candidate and an open position.  A well-written cover letter explaining how this is your dream job will not get you far when submitting applications to these types of databases- but keywords will.

Here are a few ways to ensure you have the keywords necessary to stand out from your competition!:

1. Having a separate Special Skills section in addition to your Employment section is also a good way to make sure nothing you have done or can do has been omitted.

2. Even if it puts your resume past that one-page limit that is often recommended, don’t leave out important bullet points about your experience. 

3. If you work with a certain computer program at work or you have worked on specific projects, make sure you detail these on your resume. 

4. Take a look at job postings in your field to determine some keywords that you should include.  If a posting lists certain skills as being required to apply, make sure you are including those on your resume. 

   Katie Niekrash
   Executive Recruiter, Healthcare

Spring is finally here – the weather is warmer, it stays light out longer, and summer is just around the corner. As a job seeker, you may think it is time to slow down your job search and take a break for summer vacation. However, contrary to popular belief, the job market does not change when the weather gets hot, and companies do not go on vacation! Although it’s tempting to take it easy in the summer months, it can be the best time to look for a new position! Here are a few reasons why!:

Job seekers tend to have a false belief that sending out resumes during the summer months is a waste of time. In reality, there is less competition in the summer time. Working in the recruitment industry for years, I have seen a steady number of jobs available in spring and summer, but often times, there are less candidates who are looking! When employers lose some of their candidate flow, it’s a great time to stretch your skills for that “dream job.”

Several types of companies have deadlines in the fall. For example, tax specialists are mostly hired in the busy months of Feb and March before the April 15th tax deadline, but employment ramps up again in the late summer because there are deadlines in September and October as well.
 
Another advantage of job seeking in the summer is that people have more downtime to meet with you. In the summer, there are typically fewer scheduled business meetings because people tend to take vacations or personal time off. Consequently, business calendars are often more open and decision makers will be more likely to take time to meet with you as their business slows down.

Let the vacation spirit work to your advantage! When people are in a good mood (due to warm summer weather and weekend getaways) they are more likely to make themselves available to help others. It’s also much easier for you to take personal time off to interview during the summer or holiday times. Bosses are less likely to question your motives if you ask to leave early or take time off during summer months.

The moral of the story is that if you want to separate yourself from other job seekers, pick up your job search in the summer time when the market is less flooded with competition. I believe you’ll find that as the summer continues to get hot, so does the job market!

  Jennifer Kessler
  Healthcare Division

We’re going to be at the Education and Healthcare Professionals Career Fair tomorrow! Come and meet Fern, one of our healthcare recruiters, and find out about our latest opportunities!

Thursday, March 25 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Main Lounge, University Center at Seton Hall University

Seton Hall Education Students and Alumni: Meet with education employers to learn more about full-time opportunities and ways to gain career experience in elementary and secondary education, special education and other teaching settings.

Seton Hall Healthcare Students and Alumni: Meet with employers to learn about the healthcare field and possible full-time and internships opportunities in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Athletic Training and Nursing!

Find out more about this career fair, here

One of our Twitter followers asked us a great question today:

“What do I put in the email subject line when sending a resume or responding to posts to make me stand out from the crowd?”

Irv Myones, a Managing Director at our firm, has advice for making your subject lines stand out from the crowd:

Most HR and Recruiting Professional do see many resumes and e-mails come in. The actual resume itself is what you should put most of your effort into, more so than the wording of the subject line. As far as the subject line goes, if there are certain criteria  or requirements in the job description which you happen to have in your experience and skill set, then you should try to highlight that. For example, if the position is for a Corporate Tax Senior with FAS 109 and Big 4 experience then the subject line could read – “Resume – Big 4 with FAS 109.” When it comes down to it, unless the position is in a creative field, a funny or unusual worded subject line is more of a turn off than a help.

  Irv Myones
  Managing Director- 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