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

You have probably heard this before, but searching for a job really is a full-time job – and searching for a career can take even longer. As a job seeker, you have a variety of responsibilities to fulfill if you want to have a successful job search:

• 

  Get the wheels in motion – get the momentum going – do your due diligence and find the right recruiter. 
• Define what you want and map out a path of how to get there – and a recruiter can certainly help you with this plan.
• Break out of your comfort zone – sometimes the most rewarding opportunities are the ones you might be most afraid of.  Utilize uncertainty and lack of familiarity as motivators – you’ll never know what you’ll find outside your comfort zone until you take that leap. 
• Take control of your situation, your career, and your life. Your future will be a definition of your thoughts and actions – take the time to make the most of both – and really focus – for this exercise might lead you to exactly where you want to be, both in your career and in life. It might not be immediate, but it will happen eventually. 
• Enlist a professional recruiter to help you – one who has knowledge, has patience, has the time to listen to your requests; one who is very proactive, and one who is very well networked.  There is a lot of competition out there and if you have someone in your corner who has a direct line to the hiring manager and the partners of those specific companies, your chance of starting or continuing your career greatly increases.

Spencer Smolinsky
Director – Legal Support

Be careful at your next networking event or job interview where alcohol is served. A recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania found that merely holding an alcoholic beverage can be hazardous to your (perceived) intelligence. The researchers coined a term for the observed bias: “The Imbibing Idiot Bias.”

According to the study, “Job candidates who ordered an alcoholic beverage in simulated interviews were perceived as less intelligent and less hireable than those who did not, even when the boss had ordered an alcoholic beverage first.”  (Read a copy of the study here)

If you are at a networking event or dinner interview, order a non-alcoholic beverage to make the best impression. Although dinner interview etiquette commonly advises the interviewee to base his or her drink order off of what the interviewer orders, we advise job seekers to pass on the alcohol, because it will allow you to keep a clear head (and avoid the imbibing idiot bias).

  Stephanie Urban
  Interactive Resources

Regardless of the economy and your current job, a career awaits. However, there are three main things that lead to a successful search:
1.    Focus
2.    Determination
3.    A Professional Recruiter

Focus and determination are two very important ingredients for success, for without them you might not find your path.  The other very important ingredient is a recruiter – a knowledgeable recruiter is a free resource and a wealth of knowledge. Seasoned recruiters have an incredible network, they have the knowledge of their specific industry, and their guidance can help refine your search and make the most of your time.

A good recruiter will listen to your wants, understand your needs, help direct your actions, and be a springboard to help you succeed in your journey to hopefully find your career.  A recruiter who specializes in a specific industry will know the companies, the personalities of the people in those companies; they will know the cultures, both the good and the bad. 

If you truly partner with your Recruiter and listen to his/her advice and guidance, his/her expertise, and know that he/she is committed to your search, you will be that much closer in achieving your goal to find the perfect career.


Spencer Smolinsky
Director – Legal Support

By the time you finish reading this sentence, tens (if not hundreds) of stray thoughts will enter your subconscious and distract you from what you are reading. According to a study conducted by Simon Fraser University in Canada, the average continuous attention span for a literate human being falls somewhere between 8-10 seconds. What that means (in case you wandered off mentally) is that the average human being can only focus on a single object with no lapse for 8 seconds before a stray thought or shift of focus creeps into their subconscious.

What does this mean for you as a job seeker? If you’re trying to land a job with a literate employer/hiring manager, you need to be able to sell yourself in those crucial first seconds.  Although it seems unlikely, stray thoughts about your plans for tonight or wondering if you left the stove on could hurt your chances at landing a job.

Here are some tips to help you stand out and keep employers focused on YOU during those crucial first seconds:

In written communication, you can do this easily, by highlighting the most important and relevant information in your resume and cover letter.

When it comes to the interview, those first eight seconds may seem miniscule, but you’ll be surprised at how long you can retain someone’s attention when you stand tall, smile, and project your voice effectively and confidently.

Avoid umm’s and uhh’s; the person who is listening to you won’t hear that you single-handedly increased the company’s profits by 170%, but will notice that you have a hard time presenting yourself.

Avoid distracting accessories or inappropriate clothing—the human brain has a hard enough time trying to pay attention without those big, shiny, monogrammed earrings dangling past your low-cut top.

Distractions don’t end with accessories; poor personal grooming/hygiene and a disheveled appearance will easily lead the interviewer to forget about that great report you published and wonder why you don’t own a hairbrush.

Practice speaking in front of a mirror and time yourself. It may sound silly, but taking out a couple of minutes a day and seeing yourself speak will help boost your presentation skills and make you aware of any changes you need to make. It may also be helpful to record yourself and watch the playback, making notes of ways to improve yourself.

Selling yourself in a few seconds sounds impossible, but if you’ve ever watched a 30-second TV commercial and gone running to purchase that universal all-in-one remote control/microwave device, you know how effective and important those seconds can be!

  Melody Yaghoubi
  Interactive Resources

Forbes.com recently wrote an article about how business leaders are judged by their body language. The author, Carol Kinsey Gorman, MD, explains that there are two sets of body language cues that followers look for in leaders: warmth (empathy, likability, caring) and authority (power, credibility, status). She goes on to explain the body language mistakes that women leaders tend to make, which includes “head tilting,” flirting, and weak handshakes.

Watch this video or read the full article to see the interesting list of body language mistakes (and improve your body language for your next meeting or interview)!

  Stephanie Urban
  Interactive Resources

The Execu|Search Group’s HealthServices Division will be attending the Nursing Spectrum Career Fair this Friday, July 30 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  THE ONLY CAREER FAIR EXLUSIVELY FOR RNS & GRADUATE NURSES IN THE TRI STATE AREA!
 
Opportunities abound at 2010 Nursing Spectrum Career Fairs! Explore RN job options with local and national healthcare organizations, discover the latest in healthcare trends by attending free educational seminars, and enjoy a fun and rewarding day designed just for registered nurses.
 
The Execu|Search Group will be hosting a RN Resume Revision Clinic.  Please stop by our booth for pointers on format, content, and keywords to turn your resume into an interview!

Nursing Spectrum Career Fair
Friday, July 30th
10am – 2pm
Crowne Plaza, 66 Hale Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601
Parking: Parking at the Crowne Plaza is $10.00
Register to attend (Free!) here: http://nscfhudsonvalley.eventbrite.com/

JOB FAIR SCHEDULE

8:00 AM – Doors Open
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM    Boost Your Brain Power! Cynthia Saver, RN, MS, President, CLS Development, Inc.
10:00 AM    Exhibit Hall Opens
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM    Never Stop Learning, Muriel M. Shore, RN, EdD, NEA-BC, DPNAP – Dean and Professor, Felician College
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM    Resume Review Clinic
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM    Finding Happiness in Challenging times (exhibitors only) – Cynthia Saver, RN, MS, President, CLS Development, Inc.
1:45 PM    Grand Prize Drawing $500 VISA Gift Card
2:00 PM    Exhibit Hall Closes
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM    Take A Vacation from Stress, Luanne Pennesi, RN, MS, CNAT – Founder, Metropolitan Wellness
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM    Special Student Panel “Straight Answers for Nursing Students” – A straight forward panel discussion with leading nursing professionals. (Seating is limited to first 75 students)

We hope to see you there!

  Amanda Bleakney
  Director- Healthcare

Recently, I was scheduled to meet a candidate with a pretty decent resume. The day of our meeting he showed up not at our scheduled time of noon, but at 9:30am.  He said he was in the neighborhood. He was in his shorts.

After our interview, he proceeded to email me for a good month, sending job postings from our company with subject lines such as:  “submit me for this job” or “submit me for that.”

This candidate’s resume could have mirrored Donald Trump’s and I still would not have worked with him. Why? Because he had no respect for my time, dressed unprofessionally when we met in person, and then acted in a manner which suggested that I owed him something. 

This is not a new concept- but it is good to keep in mind that interviews are like dating. You want to make sure your putting you’re best foot forward at all times. It’s important to think of the interview as an introduction to a company.

What if you spent as much time preparing for an interview as most people spend preparing for a first date? Be prepared to communicate clearly, share some basic background information, and highlight your best assets. Get the interviewer to fall in love with you and what you have to offer, and then walk out on a high note.

When you go on a first date it is best to be:

•    Confident, not cocky
•    Smart, but not a know it all
•    Personable, but not a chatty Kathy
•    Dressed appropriately and in a presentable manner
•    Interested and engaged in the conversation

If you follow these basic dating rules as you go into your next interview, you just might land your dream job!

Good luck!

Stacie Renna
Staffing Coordinator

Well, we’re finally back in the office, having just returned from the NALP (National Association for Law Placement) Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
 
All things considered, there was an incredible turnout, with about 1,000 legal professionals in attendance.
 
Over the four days that we were there, we had an opportunity to interact with a tremendous amount of industry personalities, many of whom were familiar faces, and a great deal more of whom we had a chance to meet with for the first time. 
 
In speaking with so many law firm recruitment departments, the conference also confirmed what we’ve been sensing for a couple of months, which is that the associate market, dormant for a couple of years due to the recession, is now thawing out considerably.  This was a consistent theme that resonated with just about everybody we met with.  Geographically, this confidence went beyond just the NYC legal market.  We spoke to people representing firms from California to Chicago to DC, as well as major international financial centers such as London and Hong Kong, which echoed the same feelings of optimism.  We’re expecting a major up tick in associate hiring heading into the fall.
 
Todd & Andrew

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