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

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

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!

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

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

We all know that fabricating facts on your resume is considered taboo. However, some candidates believe that it is perfectly acceptable to simply omit or exaggerate facts, educational background or work experiences on their resume. The temptation to exaggerate or omit is a misrepresentation and is simply just not worth the risk.

Omitting facts is just as serious as fabrication because it requires making a concerted effort to avoid career digressions that may not be favorably perceived by a prospective employer. For example, some candidates will not specify a specific college or certification program that they attended/participated in because they did not complete the respective degree program or they believe that it is not relevant to the position they are applying for. Other professionals try to hide gaps in their work history by saying they “consulted” during those periods. Resumes where every gap is represented as a consulting assignment is generally a red flag for seeking employment after being let go. (On a related note: if it is legitimate and you have started a consulting practice based on your experience in the industry, this is okay).

Many workers make multiple career changes in a short period of time or they get laid off and spend months looking for a new job. Sometimes a new position doesn’t work out and an employee leaves after only six months with the company. These types of scenarios are far more common than they used to be and generally do not carry the stigma they once did. While you shouldn’t attempt to cover up these scenarios, you shouldn’t overly emphasize them either.

In short, it is your obligation to report on the facts and not to decide ahead of time what is and/or isn’t important. Seasoned recruiters are trained to detect exaggerations, and if they do, they are more inclined to toss your resume into the reject pile and consider it ineligible for future consideration. Don’t let an inclination to omit or exaggerate interfere with solidifying (or keeping) your next challenging and rewarding career opportunity. 

Good luck!

  Jeffrey Golove
  Managing Director – Execu|Search Health Care Partners

“My neck hurts,” is a common complaint I hear from my office colleagues and my patients who sit at their desk all day long. Complaints of an aching neck are inevitably followed by complaints of an aching back or sore shoulders, wrists, and knees.

As a DPT, I can’t stress enough how important proper seating ergonomics are while sitting in front of a computer.  When we spend hours sitting stationary, focused on our computers and personal electronic devices, our bodies truly begin to take a toll. Therefore, proper body alignment while seated at your desk is critical to the future health of your body- from your neck down to your toes. 

Here are a few key seating positions that assist with better/proper body alignment, and lead to decreased pain:

1. Your hips and knees should be at a 90 degree angle with your hips/buttocks/back pushed all the way to the back of the chair.
2. Reaching for items should be no further away than a forearms length (~10-12inches).
3. The monitor should be an arm’s length away (~20-24inches) and the top of the monitor should be at eye level with it slightly tilted away from you.
4. Wrists should move in line with forearm, no left or right wrist deviation with keyboard/mouse motions nor flexion/extension motions.

Examples of Poor Posture:

Also, stretch, stretch, stretch with some active range-of-motion (ROM) movements as well as get out of that sustained position for 3-5 minutes every hour.  The greater your pain, take breaks every 20 minutes for 2-3 minutes.  And don’t forget to breathe!  3 deep breathes a day!

You’ve only got one body!  Treat it well!  Your body will thank you for it!

  Cara Hollander, DPT (In-house Physical Therapist)

  Allied Health Division

Many have asked me the question, “Why do you network?”  My common response is because I enjoy it, although, this is not the case for many.

During this recent economic downturn, many have turned to networking out of sheer desperation, which in my mind, can only lead to unfavorable results.  I decided to entitle this article “The Art of Networking: It is not a science”, because the “act” of networking requires practice and one cannot learn all of the nuances via a simple laundry list of do’s and don’ts. 

Networking should be done as often as possible, since we never know what the future brings.  More importantly, it is much easier to provide value to a new business contact when you are employed.  The process of networking is more than simply exchanging business cards and email correspondences; it is the art of connecting with a contact, and providing value. The art of networking  takes time, and like any business relationship, one must build strong rapport before one feels comfortable enough to share their contacts and or business leads.  This is where the value aspect comes to play.  After strong rapport has been achieved, your new contact will soon begin to open up in a variety of ways.  He might be able to introduce you to a hiring manager at a firm you are interested in or an HR professional that you have always wanted to meet. Furthermore, your new business contact may even invite you to an upcoming gala or a volunteer event where prominent people in your respective industry are present. 

Once you have made the strong connection with your contact, and your rapport level is at the point where you feel comfortable sharing business contacts and leads, it is very important that you sustain this relationship.  Sustained follow up is key!  Many people are good at making the first connection, and perhaps keeping in touch for a couple of weeks, but the true strong connections last much longer than that.

Some helpful tips to maintaining a strong business relationship:
*Introduce other like-minded professionals to your contact
*Call your contact on their birthday
*Periodic phone calls to simply see how your contact is doing
*Send articles that are relevant to your contacts industry/profession

Remember the phrase, “out of sight, out of mind.”  You must always keep yourself current.

Lastly, it is important to note that the majority of jobs are found via one’s personal or business network.  Therefore no matter which line of business you are in, it is imperative that you network constantly and not only when you need something, i.e. being laid off, or unhappy with your current job situation.  Networking takes practice and the more times you challenge yourself to be in situations outside of your comfort zone, the better.

Good luck and happy networking!

  Nkrumah Pierre
  Account Executive – Temporary Division

Interviewing is difficult for every single job-seeker going through the process- it can make even the most confident candidate feel nervous and stressed.  Part of my job as a recruiter is to ensure candidates are completely prepared for their interview, in order to eliminate some of those negative feelings associated with the process.  Part of our coaching at The Execu|Search Group includes going through the toughest interview questions and the best way to go about answering them.  I think two questions that pop up really tend to cause the most trouble, but they are actually the easiest to prepare for!
 
The first is not really a question, but more of a request- “Tell me about yourself.”  It’s so open-ended that it often leads to candidates providing the wrong information or giving long-winded answers.  It’s actually a pretty simple thing to handle if you take some time to prepare.  The interviewer is not looking for information regarding wherre you grew up, what your hobbies are, etc.- they want information regarding to you as a candidate for this job.  They also want to see how well you communicate.  Job-seekers should prepare a two-minute synopsis of their educational and professional background.  Basically, it’s an oral summary of your resume that allows you to explain your experiences more thoroughly, while demonstrating your personality and communication abilitities. You can use the opportunity to highlight occasions where you really excelled or when you overcame a challenge, solved a conflict, etc.  Just remember to stay on-track and be yourself while answering.   A little bit of practice with a friend beforehand could really help!

The second question that seems to stump candidates is “What is your biggest weakness?”   Interviewers do not want to hear the usual answers of “I’m such a hard-worker, I border on being a workaholic” or “I tend to take on too much work and struggle with saying no.”  These are not true weaknesses and may sound contrived.  They also do not need to know that you procrastinate, tend to run late or have a messy desk.  These are actual weaknesses that can put you out of the running very quickly.  The answer to this question should be based on something that is obvious from your resume.  The interviewer has already seen your resume and has probably already decided what your weakness is relative to other candidates.  So you should use this opportunity to turn your relative weakness into a strength.  Don’t have a Master’s degree in a profession where it’s pretty common-place?  Tell the interviewer about your quick climb up the ladder due to your natural ability, dedication and experience.  Jumped around a lot from job to job?  Use this opportunity to acknowledge that and explain the reasons why you did move around and emphasize how you are looking for a company where you can stay for years to come.

 
Interviewing can be intimidating, but there is nothing that you can’t prepare for!  Take the time to plan out and think about your answers and practice them out loud, and you will be ready to nail any interview!

  Katie Niekrash
  Director- Healthcare