The Execu|Search Group is pleased to announce the establishment of Execu|Search Legal. Under the direction of Managing Directors Todd Merkin, Esq. and Andrew Mittelmann, this division will be providing recruitment services for attorneys and clients on a national and international basis.

Todd and Andrew will be spearheading Execu|Search Legal, headquartered in The Execu|Search Group’s New York City office. The Division will primarily focus on the placement of partners, associates and in-house counsel, at law firms, financial services firms, and other major companies.

“We are excited to be able to offer our recruitment services and expertise to law firms and corporations both nationally and internationally,” said Edward Fleischman, CEO of The Execu|Search Group. “We are very pleased to have Todd and Andrew on board to expand our services and develop Execu|Search Legal. We believe that their strong backgrounds and recruiting skills will prove valuable to their clients and to our firm as a whole.”

The Execu|Search Group has been a leading recruitment, temporary/consulting and retained search firm in the City of New York and the Tri-State Area since 1985. “We are looking forward to leveraging the brand and reputation of The Execu|Search Group to expand our reach and also to continue to provide our clients with the highest quality recruitment services available,” said Todd Merkin.

With the addition of Execu|Search Legal, The Execu|Search Group enhances its leadership position in recruitment services. “We will build on the firm’s excellent record of serving clients and candidates,”said Andrew Mittelman. “The Execu|Search Group will be an engine for competition and growth for our clients at home and abroad.”

For more information about Execu|Search Legal, please contact Todd or Andrew:

Everyday I speak with financial services professionals concerned about economic health and the presence, or lack there of, of the job market. There is one question I hear day-in and day-out: “Is the job market getting better?”

Short answer: Absolutely!

The market appears weak because of the massive competition- great opportunities may come and go before you even hear about them. Thankfully for you talented job seekers with an accounting background, it is most certainly an accountant’s market at the moment. Accountants, whether they are coming straight out of Public, going back into Public, entry-level, industry specific CFO’s, Fund Accountants, Auditors, Product Controllers, or Tax professionals, have been seeing a dramatic increase in the volume of opportunities in certain industries. CPA’s – You’re in luck…..and in demand!

The majority of my work is within Financial Services, and there has been a clear positive shift in demand for talented accountants of all sorts. That being said, it is also a buyer’s market and companies who actually have the head count are being ultra specific about what they want and whom they’ll meet. Fair enough. I suppose that as long as there actually ARE jobs out there, we can all feel a touch better about where this fickle economy is heading.

Happy hunting!

   Glenn Jordi
   Accounting/Finance & Financial Services

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

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

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

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

The Holiday season is upon us! Although job losses are finally beginning to decline, the current U.S. unemployment rate is still around 10%. Chances are that you probably have at least one job seeker on your holiday gift list. You may not be able to gift a new job, but here are some gifts that can help job seekers navigate today’s job market:

• Organizer/Planners- Actively searching for a job is a full time job. Get your job seeker an organizer so they can track their applications, contacts, appointments, and interviews.

Day Runner Undated Bordeaux Planner $51.79, OfficeMax.com

Luxury option: King’s Desk Diary with Pocket (pink) $240, Smythson

• Coffee Shop gift certificate- Since most job seekers are on a tight budget, coffee trips are usually some of the first things cut out of the budget. A gift card will allow your job seeker to caffeinate guilt-free! So whether it’s Starbucks, Dunkin, or that little café around the block, a gift certificate to a jobseeker’s favorite coffee shop is always a welcome treat.
  
  
• Brief Case/ Portfolio/ Laptop Bag – Every job seeker should have a professional portfolio to transport resumes- and they may need a bag to transport the portfolio, too! Overstock.com carries name brand brief cases, portfolios and laptop bags at discounted prices.
  

Samsonite Executive Leather Hardside Portfolio Briefcase $79.99, Overstock.com

Royce Leather Executive File Brief $57.99, Overstock.com 

And if they need a laptop bag… try Target.com or Staples.com.

Belkin Messenger Laptop Bag $34.99, Target.com

• Unlimited Wi-Fi Access Having Wi-Fi access from anywhere is a great gift to job seekers. They can always stay connected and won’t feel confined to their home or apartment when they are searching for jobs online.
  Boingo Unlimited Wi-Fi plans begin at $9.95/month (no gift certificates/online credits are available, but you can set up the account in the job seeker’s name)

• Books
  Informative job advice books like What Color is Your Parachute? or Cover Letters for Dummies could give your job seeker the tips they need to stand out from the crowd:

  

  

  What Color is your Parachute?, $19.11 Amazon
  
  Cover Letters for Dummies, $11.95 Amazon
  

• Professional Network Membership
  Do a little research on the top networks in your job seeker’s industry and see if you can find one that may be of interest to them. The prices to join Professional Networks vary, but the networks and information could be priceless to a job seeker.

• Forbes or Industry-Related magazine/online subscription, Search Amazon for great subscription rates
  Your job seeker is probably not spending their extra cash on magazines right now, so go ahead and find an industry specific magazine that will allow them to stay up-to-date on industry trends, news and events