The importance of speaking out!

Ok, just a few posts left this year but this is one that I’ve been thinking about for a while.  You hear a lot about the importance of speaking your mind and speaking up in meetings....what’s just as important is taking time to occasionally speak OUT at events.  I recently spoke at a few events here in Boston and it really reminded me of how important is to do if you have the opportunity.  Here’s why:

1) Share your expertise - Speaking out gives you a chance to share your experiences and help other people advance their career.  Sharing what you know is the ultimate experience in my opinion as you get to collaborate and share with other folks in the industry.

2)  Networking on Steroids - That’s right, speaking out at an event is like networking on steroids.  Think about it.  People are there to year YOU speak and listen to YOUR experiences....so, it’s a great chance to meet other folks and do some serious networking.  You can’t go wrong here, seriously, makes networking so easy to do.

3) Public Speaking are GREAT skills - The ability to present to a group or speak publicly are skills that every employer wants.  Most people are afraid of speaking publicly and really stress out when they have to do it.  So...practice makes perfect.  Take the opportunity, get good at it and turn it into another skill in your skillset that you can leverage in your professional life.

4) It’s fun - I love speaking out, think it’s a blast and really have a lot of fun doing it.  So, give it a try and I think you’ll like it too

That’s it this week, I’ll try to get another post out this week but if not....have a great holiday and we’ll keep the conversation going in 2013!

Good luck out there, tough time of year but LOTS of hiring going on.....

Avoiding a Culture Trap

Ok, I’m back...been a crazy few weeks between Thanksgiving and the end of the year rush.  This weeks blog, is a special request from a friend and former colleague.  The question is...when looking for a new job (or taking a new job) how do you do a good job during the interview process and avoid a bad culture.

There are a bunch of things you can do, in no particular order:

Glassdoor.com - I’m not a HUGE proponent of this site, too many sour grapes for me BUT you can get a bunch of information here.  The key...do your homework here, get a few themes and then use the other tips to verify.  So...get info from Glassdoor.com but don’t live/die by it.

Trust your network - The best data comes from people you know/trust.  What you want to do is take the information you got from Glassdoor.............and cross reference it with trusted sources.  If you don’t know anyone directly at the company, use LinkedIn to ask someone you know for a referral.

Ask - You know, ask about the culture in your interviews.  Sounds silly right?  Well, if you ask EVERYONE you meet what the culture is like at a company you get similar answers from everyone.  If not.....yellow flag.  If you get crazy answers....red flag.  Lots of candidates shy away from “culture” questions during the interview process but really you should ask.  Companies screen out for “culture” fit all the time....why don’t you do the same?

Fix it - That’s right, you find yourself in a tough culture.  Do what you can to fix it.  TOUGH STUFF to be sure and not for everyone but depending on your role, in many ways it’s your job.  You won’t accomplish this over night, it’s a long term play but if you are a superstar employee...you can impact change across the whole organization.

That’s it this week, good luck out there...hopefully these “fiscal cliff” talks end soon and we can all focus on creating more jobs.

My annual Thanksgiving message, 2012

For the last few years I’ve taken Thanksgiving as a chance to sort of step back and be thankful.  Cheesy?  Maybe.  But, it’s my blog so I get to pick the topics :)

For me, 2012 has been a year of pretty dramatic change.  I left a job I loved, at one of the best companies on earth to join another great company.....and try to make a bigger impact.  Awesome.  As such, I have  A LOT to be thankful for this year.  

With that I’m Thankful....

For Google and the amazing 6 ½ years.  My time there was truly transformational and the impact on my life cannot be overstated....

For entrepreneurship, without entrepreneurs companies like Google, The MathWorks and TripAdvisor wouldn’t exists.....so, cheers to those willing to take a risk and build something great.  

For my family.  Obviously, my wife and daughter rule......without them, I’d be a mess.

For Samuel A. Moore.  My dog, the dude....named after the patriot, not the beer.....still going strong at almost 12 he’s provided years of great memories.

My network of friends, colleagues, family and former classmates.  Tools like LinkedIn have made it so much easier to keep in touch....it’s great.  So fun to be able to keep in contact with folks.

Lastly, I’m always just humbled and honored by those of you who take the time to read my blog....seriously, it’s so cool.  Everytime I hear from someone who reads my blog....it blows my mind.

Thank you all, and enjoy the holiday.  More content next week.
Jeff

All job searches are not created equally...

I found a pretty interesting article I wanted to share on Indeed.com.  It talks about which cities have the most job openings per “unemployed” worker.  Not sure there are any massive insights to be drawn from this but it got me thinking about one thing in particular.....

When you are interviewing for a job or looking for a new job....you’ve got to really understand the market.  Check out the article, but think about it.

If you’re looking for a job in Miami, there are 5 people looking for a job for every posting....pretty tight competition.  Honestly, from an employer standpoint it’s a buyers market.  Meanwhile, your’e looking in San Jose and there is an opening for every person looking for a job right now.....WOW, talk about opportunity right?

There are a bunch of implications for this too right?  If you are in Miami and get a job offer....you probably should think long and hard about declining the offer.  There are just not that many opportunities out there and everyone is interviewing for those few roles.  In San Jose....different story.  Take your time and find the right gig.  If you don’t like an offer, the market is stong enough for you to be picky.

I’ve pasted the link below so check it out, and remember not all job markets are created equally...and your job search can’t be created equally either.

http://www.indeed.com/jobtrends/unemployment

My review of Team Geek.....a shout out to Ben and Fitz

It’s been a little while since I’ve done a book review...this time it’s written by people I actually know..awesome.  Ben and Fitz wrote Team Geek as “a Software Developer’s Guide to Working Well with Others”.  What’s great about it, it’s a very good read for everyone...not just technical folks.

I’m not going to get into how awesome Ben and Fitz are....you should know that by now or just go watch one of the videos I’ve linked below.....you’ll get the idea...

Anyway, I’d highly recommend you buy the book (from the link below!) and with that here are a few thoughts/insights I drew from my read:

The Genius Myth - Great point here in the book about people wanting to find idols in the industry and worship them.  The believe that there are these mythical engineers (or coworkers) who can do superhuman things....not true, the Genius Myth.  These great people are great....NO doubt but they do amazing things working with a team.

There is no substitute for human experience - In the age of social media and video conferencing...we still need to interact as humans.  Working alone, in a silo might sound nice but really being on a team and interacting with others who make you better...that’s the stuff.

Humility, Respect, Trust - These are the three pillars of social skills.  Great pieces of advice here especially when you think about using these skills within your team, the organization and even more importantly the users.  Great advice.

Fail Fast, Learn, Iterate- This is probably my favorite piece of advice in the book.  Do I even need to get into any detail here?  It’s great advice and frankly finding companies that encourage and embrace this mentality are the kinds of places you want to work.

People are like plants - Love the image this creates...especially the image in the book.  People really are like plants thought when you think of it.  Each one requires different things to grow....attention, motivation, encouragement whatever... Your job as a lead or as a teammate is to identify what makes people “grow” and feed them until the bloom.  Simple stuff right?  um, right...

If you can’t take the path, make the path - Last insight I drew from the book....if you can’t take the path, make the path.  Hell yes.  I’ve tried to really work this way in my career and appreciate when folks can identify a problem and then hammer through a new solution.  In other words....get it done.

Ok, obviously this was a quick review...but this is a great read.  Very good advice for not only engineers but also for anyone working in a team environment.  Grab a copy here and if you ever get a chance to meet Ben and Fitz....make it happen, they are some of the best guys I’ve had the luxury of working with and you’ll learn a ton.

Finding a job in a foreign country...you can do it.

Ok, sorry for the lack of content lately.  Ten days of vacation and the following dig-out has put me WAY behind.  Regardless...I’m back, I’m rested and ready to write.  This week's post comes at the request of Alexey Tokarev and I really appreciate it as I think writing posts via request is my favorite thing kind of blog.

Anyway, Alexey asked me to give a few thoughts on networking for a for a job in a foreign country.  Here we go:

1) Understand the visa or work requirements - This might seem like overkill but honestly, this has to be step one.  You need to be an expert in how things work and what you need to do to legally work in the country.  Why you ask?  Because you’ll want to be able to articulate how easy or difficult it will be to get there.  Some places it’s easy to work....some it’s impossible and you need to know that before you start.

2) Go local - You’re going to need to do some hardcore networking to find a gig in another country.  Start be networking with local offices and use those relationships to to leverage connections in your target location.  

3) Know your, um stuff - Take time to really understand the country/location you are targeting.  Having a solid understanding of the language, culture, traditions and job market will show potential employers that you’re serious and interested in trying something new.

4)  Visit - This one is tough because it costs money...potentially a ton of money but if you really want to show people you are serious about going to another country...take a trip.  Set up a ton of networking meetings, cups of coffee and hopefully interviews...and do them in person with a little luck.

Ok, hope that makes sense.  Getting a job or internship in another country is TOUGH stuff...but people do it all the time you just have a to be diligent, have a plan and execute.  Good luck and if anyone has other tips I’d love to hear them.

Make It Count! Job Tip of the Week

Quick job tip of the week, it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these but here we go:

When focusing on your career....make it count.  Whether you’re doing an interview, summer internship or even just a short temporary assignment.  Make the experience count.  Doesn’t matter how long or how cool the experience is....but you have to take something away from it.

The only way to get better in your career and improve is to grow.....being thoughtful and upfront with your experiences will allow you to really focus not only on the moment but on the experience you’re gaining and how to use it going forward.

Hope that helps, get out there and learn something....and then apply that learning.

London Calling - Networking thoughts from my trip to London

Ok, sorry for the lack of content lately…just getting back from a week in London meeting my team there.  It was a great trip, tons of fun in an amazing city but more importantly it got me thinking about the importance of networking.  I know I talk about networking a lot in this blog but really I can’t talk about it enough.  Networking will change your personal and professional life like you never imagined.  You’ll have to wait for the “Jeff Moore – The life and times of a recruiting knucklehead” book for personal stories about networking but here are a few thoughts/lessons that really hit home during this trip.

1) Find like-minded people, and ENGAGE with them – A few years ago I went to an event called truBoston which was a recruiting event in town.  There I met a bunch of folks via Bill Boorman (@BillBoorman) like Mark Babbitt (@YouTernMark), Johnny Campbell (@socialtalent) and Mike Vangel (@MikeVangel).  What was great then and is still great today is that those folks are engaged and really pushing the envelope in my field.  We met at an event, engaged and I’m still learning from them today.  Kick ass.

2) Networking takes time and effort – Prior to about 2008, honestly, I HATED networking and didn’t really find most other recruiting folks to be that interesting.  Seriously, I was pretty sure I knew my shit and didn’t need to network to get better.  Um wrong.  You may remember that September when the world fell apart, well for me, everything changed.  TONS of my colleagues and friends were laid off a looking for work…..I was fortunate to have a great job but people came to ME for help….and my network sucked.  Long story short, I realized it was time to buck up and get out there.  Without a great network I was just another recruiter and eventually would find myself needing to network.  Hence this blog, my tweets, the hundreds of networking coffees and phone calls since.

3) Pay it Forward - The best kind of networking is when you help someone accomplish their goals....NOT just a one way street for your own advancement.  So, pay it forward.  That’s right, help people out and then w/ a little luck and karma when you need help....your network will be there for you.

4) In person matters - This might seem like common sense, but meeting people in person matters.  There is nothing quite like having a conversation face to face.  I spent a little time last week with some old Google colleagues, nothing better than having a beer and catching up on things.  It’s hard today in the global world we live but finding time to meet people in person will pay for itself in spades.  

5) Keep it going - Last point but perhaps the most important.  Once you get yourself networking and building relationships it’s important to keep it going.  Keep meeting new people, expand existing relationships and push the envelope.  You’re never done networking....ever.

Ok, that’s it for now.  I’ll try to get another post out later this week.  Good luck with things this week!

Get a second opinion

Quick post this week, I’m working on a couple of big ones but you don’t care about that.....the topic, a “second opinion”.

It’s interesting, when you are diagnosed with a disease or something you frequently are told or ask to get a second opinion.  Makes sense right?  You don’t want to have your arm cut off only to hear you could have just popped an aspirin.  

The question is, why would you ask for a second opinion with your health but not with your career?  Most people, not everyone, but most people go through their job search in a cone of silence.  Bad idea.

Now, you have to be careful with confidentiality and the whole “too many chefs” thing but really, when you’re looking for a new job you HAVE to be crowdsourcing your way to that new role.  here’s why:

- Your friends know people...who know people...who know people.....networking wins in when you are trying to find a new job

- Experience matters.  Some of your friends are interviewing pros...tap into their expertise so you can get better and score a great job.

- Two brains are better than one.  That’s right, even the smartest person needs a sanity check.  Talking to a friend, colleague or spouse can help you make sure you don’t do anything stupid and take a crappy job....because let’s face it, it can happen.

Hope this helps, good luck this week and keep an eye out for a few new posts soon

How much information should I share on LinkedIn

Ok, this week’s post is another one of my “guest ideas”...this one from Clayton Pritchard. Clayton is my boy, long story but really appreciate him sending this topic my way. Frankly, how we know each other is probably a great blog post. ANYWAY....

The topic...”How much information should I put on my LinkedIn profile?”

The easy answer is, as much as possible...but it’s not quite that simple as you want a profile that accurately reflects your background but also isn’t overwhelming to someone who’s looking to find someone with your skillset.

Here are a few tips that might help:

1) LinkedIn knows what they are doing - They recommend you fill out your profile “completely”.  They do this for a reason, because it works.  Take the time, fill out the profile as much as they recommend and you’re well on your way.

2) Don’t over communicate - You want to spell out your experience, but know go crazy.  Don’t put a thousand words in your summary.  Short, sweet and descriptive.

3) Recommend some folks...and get a few of your own - Recommendations are great...but they are a two way street.  You want people saying nice things about you but you want to contribute as well.  I LOVE seeing who people recommend...if they go crazy, it probably doesn’t mean anything but if they only recommend a few people that means a lot.  Now, go recommend someone.

4)  Join some groups - LinkedIn literally has groups for everything, and you should join them.  You’ll meet great people and even learn a bit.  I really like networking w/ folks in similar groups as I know we have shared interests.

Ok, that’s it, but this should get you started.  I’d also recommend following @LinkedInQueen on Twitter who offers a ton of great advice on this topic as well.

More soon, hope this helps!!

So your internship is over...now what?

The cool mornings have reminded me that the summer is pretty much over...as such, there are tons of interns heading back to school.  Work is done, experience is gained and it’s time to polish off that education.  I thought I’d share a few tips/thoughts for students who are hoping to keep their connections fresh:

1)  Fire up the LinkedIn - Before you get back to school and lose focus on the summer....send out LinkedIn connections to your summer team.  Former colleagues, mentors, managers and even former interns you worked with.  Starting your network now, will ensure it’s value later.  Trust me.

2) Keep in touch - While you are back on campus, you want to periodically keep in touch with folks from your summer.  Swing by for a coffee.  Make a random phone call or email.  You want to keep in touch and make sure that when your former team things “we should hire someone to do X”....they think of you.

3) Update your resume - That’s right, do it..do it now!  You want to update your resume while it’s still fresh. Wait 6 months and you might not remember what you did....and besides, don’t on-campus interviews start soon?

4) Practice interviewing and find your next gig - Again ,time is of the essence.  Schools are hosting companies soon and offers will be going out in weeks.  Take a little time to brush up on your interviewing and find your next role.  Once you find your next great gig....you can relax for a few weeks and actually enjoy your time on campus.  Until then.....finding a job is job one.

Ok, that’s it for this post.  I should be able to get another quick post out later this week....good luck out there, fall recruiting is picking up so things are going to get crazy.

A few quick thoughts on negotiating your offer

I don’t usually talk much about negotiating but think it’s something that is worth mentioning because a lot of people struggle with it.....with that, in no order...thoughts on negotiating an offer.

1) Don’t be afraid - People are terrified to negotiate, don’t be.  At the same time, don’t be stupid.  Negotiating takes a very delicate touch and the trick is honesty.  If you honestly need a few more bucks or something else...communicate not only what you want but why you want it.

2) Don’t negotiate just to negotiate - Seriously, if you have a good offer...take it.  don’t negotiate just because you “should” or “want to have some fun”.  No one likes negotiating with a jerk and if you come off as a jerk....the company might pull the offer.

3) This isn’t poker, don’t bluff - I just bought a new car (well..used...) and the dealer said to me “What do we need to do to do a deal tonight”....so I told him the number.  He tried to negotiate with me...to which I told him...he asked my number, if they can’t do it fine but don’t try to negotiate this YOU asked me for MY number.  The point, he was bluffing......and I called him on it. Result?  I got my number.

4) Honesty wins - Honestly wins 100% of the time, no exceptions.  Under no circumstances should you negotiate and lie or bend the truth to get something out of the potential employer.  People don’t like to hire liars, they like to hire good honest folks and trust people to act with integrity....don’t betray the trust.

5) Wisdom of crowds - If you aren’t sure what to do or how to negotiate....ask a friend.  Talking through these things really helps.  Take the time to bounce ideas off someone...and thank them for helping you out.

Obviously I could probably write a book on this topic but that’s it for this post....good luck if you’re negotiating.  I’m hopeful to get another post out later this week...we’ll see if I can pull it off.  Could be epic.

What "Localnomics" means to you

Hope everyone has had a good week.  I’ve been bombed...hence only one post but glad to have a little time to get this one out.

I was reading Time Magazine this week and there is an article on “Localnomics” which was pretty cool...but something stuck out, like REALLY stuck out.  Apparently McKinsey is reporting that by 2020 the world will be short 85 million high and medium skilled workers (18M of those in “advanced” economies).

Think about that for a minute....based on current education trends the world will be short by 85 million high and medium skilled workers.  Holy crap!

What does it mean for recruiters or job seekers?  Well.....two things.

1) Hello job security if you are a recruiter.  Companies will continue to need folks like us to dig deeper and deeper into the talent pool to find great people.  Picture a fist pump here.

2) Education and skills will rule the 21st century.  If you’re looking for a job you need to be doing all that you can to gain skills and become super employable over the coming years.  This is no joke folks....those high and medium skill workers will be in high demand....and you know what high demand means right?  High compensation.

Ok, that’s it this week....those numbers blew my mind.  Wanted to share because we should all be figuring out ways to keep moving up into higher and higher skilled jobs.

Good luck and if you like my blog, I’d appreciate a little support for a charity event I’m trying to help.  I’m hoping to raise $1000 for underprivileged kids....even if you can only give $5 it helps.  Find more info here:

https://lifeisgoodfestival.fundraise.com/jeff-moore

Remember Garrett Weber-Gale?

Hope everyone is having a good week, I’ve been bombed with my new gig but did want to take a few minutes to a post out that I think will make a lot of sense.

Watching the Olympics and watching Michael Phelps break every record.....um ever.  I realized a bunch of his metals were from relay races...team events.  What’s funny, is you don’t actually hear much about Phelps in relation to a “team”.  So, I did a little research and learned about Garrett Weber-Gale.  Ever hear of him?  Probably not or maybe but he’s certainly not Michael Phelps.

What’s cool, he won two Gold metals in the 2008 Olympics, swimming in relay races.  With out Garrett Weber-Gale....Michael Phelps might not be “Michael Phelps” today...he’d be great, no doubt but he might not be other worldly.

The point? When you are building teams you need a system and a plan.  Not everyone needs to be a superstar, world record holder....you just need a few stars and a team of rock solid people to be successful.

As recruiters and staffing professionals, it’s our job to push our clients to hire well and build great teams......remember a team doesn’t need to be an All-Star team, just a group of well trained people all working hard and pulling in the same directions.

It's time for a recruiting Trafalgar

Ok, crazy busy week for me but I had this weird inspiration and wanted to share....so, hang on.  As you know, I’m a History dork.  I’ve got a degree in History and pretty much only read historical books....very little fiction.  This weeks inspiration comes from Lord Horatio Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar.  

If you aren’t familiar w/ Nelson or this battle, I’d highly recommend giving it a little study (I can even recommend a book in comments if you’d like!).  The moral of the story here is that Nelson won this amazing battle due to dramatically changing normally accepted tactics....and revolutionizing the art of battle.

For me...I’m feeling like it’s about time for a whole new take on looking for a job and hiring top talent.  A “Recruiting Trafalgar” if you will.  Here’s what I mean:

Nelson Bucked the Trends - At the time, opposing fleets would basically sail next to each other in parallel lines and blast each other to pieces.  Although this sounds manly and tough....it’s pretty dumb.  Rather than take his smaller force and face certain death...Nelson rethought the problem won via innovation.  If we are going to truly change the way people get hired we need to stop lining up in parallel lines and blasting away.  It’s time to think outside of the box, get nimble and build innovative solutions that work for you (or your organization).

Maximizing Fire for Maximum Results - To defeat the French and Spanish fleet, Nelson took his fleet and attacked them perpendicularly...thus allowing his fleet to maximize fire and devastate the enemy.  See below:

The analogy here is that if you’re looking for a job or trying to hire a bunch of folks...you HAVE to maximize fire and generate as much activity as you can.  The only way to “win” the battle is to focus your attention as much as you can and develop overwhelming activity.

Hindsight is 20/20 - Ok, last point on this and it’s a good one.  Hindsight is 20/20 in recruiting and history. Nelson died in the Battle of Trafalgar and became a national hero.  So, if you are on the edge and pushing the boundaries of hiring/recruiting/job search you may not even know it....but, history will look back on you.  Whether it’s a good new job, a great new team or amazing advice to a friend/colleague who’s looking around....it will be easy for you to see your success with the benefit of hindsight.

That’s it this week, my daughter put a copy of my favorite Nelson book in my laptop bag today and told me I’d need it for work....ironically, she was right.  I’m pretty sure in 1805, Lord Horatio Nelson had no idea he’d be inspiration for a recruiting blog in 2012.

Good luck out there this week.......and keep thinking outside the box.

Recruiting thoughts from the London Olympics

Ok, so by now we’ve all gotten started watching the Olympics and it got me thinking...as recruiters, hiring managers or candidates we can all learn a TON from the Olympics.  With that...a few thoughts:

Practice is golden - I was reading a thing on Michael Phelps and what really stuck me was how much that dude practices.  He works out 6 hours a day, 6 days a week.  Holy crap!  No wonder he’ll likely go down as the greatest Olympian of all time.  So, to be the best you need to practice.  Why when it comes to recruiting do we think we can just show up and ace the interview? Or pick the best people with no training?  Blows my mind....practice people!

You don’t need to be a powerhouse - Ever heard of Venuste Niyongabo?  Probably not.  He’s the only gold metal winner from Burundi.  Crazy to think about but pretty cool.  The moral?  You don’t have to be at some powerhouse company (or country) to do amazing things.  You can “win gold” at any organization or on any team.  Channel your inner Niyongabo and rock it.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - Ok, work with me here....I’ve been fascinated by some random Olympic events...specifically cycling.  I mean, really, I could care less about dudes on bikes but it’s been pretty compelling.  How does this relate to a job search?  Easy.  Something that might seem boring to me....might be the greatest job on earth to you.  Totally depends on your perspective but really it’s true.  Don’t worry about what other folks have to say, if you think a job or projects sounds good....go for it.

Ok, that’s it.  I start my new job this week so we’ll see how much time I have for blogging but hopefully I can find time to put something out there.

Good luck this week, the economy seems be to slowing so be extra diligent.

Welcome To My Nightmare

It’s been a little while since I’ve done one of my musical themed posts but this one has been in the plans for a while.  I saw “Alice Cooper” live a few weeks ago.  Ridiculously good show, the opening act for Iron Maiden but this isn’t a music blog....it’s a recruiting blog.

Anyway, if you’re not familiar with the music it’s pretty good.  Even better live where the stage show is kind of like a horror movie set to 70’s metal riffs.  This picture really says it all:



With that, here is a little recruiting, job search and career advice from Alice Cooper.

School’s out for EVER! - From the song “Schools Out” - As much as we all hated school when we were younger the fact is...school is never out.  You might not get another degree but you’ve got to kepe learning.  If you don’t keep learning, you’ll get left behind in todays information economy.

I never lied to you, I've always been cool - From the song “Elected” - I love this song, so good.  With the spread of social media and the world getting smaller...you’ve got to be ethical and cool to be successful today.  No lying, no shady stuff....be cool so when you are looking for a new job people will recommend you and say good things about you.

I used to be such a sweet, sweet thing...Until they got a hold of me - From the song “No More Mr Nice Guy” - This lyric serves as a cautionary tale.  You’ll meet a lot of people in your career, some of them can be pretty curmudgeonly.  Be careful.  You don’t want people taking you down with them.  If you’re in a job, form your own impressions of things and keep it positive.  My advice always stands, when find yourself negative too much it’s time to move on.

You're a target just by living - From the song “Desperado” - Now this is my favorite lyric, from my favorite Alice song.  It really goes out to all my friends with Computer Science degrees....sorry.  A hear from a lot of people that recruiters drive them crazy calling them...well, you’re a target for us recruiting folks because your skillset is so valuable.  No getting around it, have a good background and recruiters will call.

What have I got that makes you want to love me is it my body or someone I might be or somethin' inside me - From the song “Is it my body” - Last lyric, and a cautionary tale.  Don’t be fooled by fancy clothes or someone looking awesome....when you are hiring focus on their track record and the work they have done.  Don’t fall in love with a candidate unless it’s for the right reasons.

Ok, that’s it...recruiting advice from a metal God.  I’m on a little staycation this week so I’ll try to blog a little more than usual.  No promises though, hoping to enjoy the time off between gigs!

Good luck everyone!

My thoughts on “The 2-Hour Job Search” by Steve Dalton

I don’t know Steve (@Dalton_Steve) but if I’m ever down by Duke University I’m going to look him up because this book rocks.  So good.  Honestly, this is probably the best book I’ve read for someone who’s looking for a new job.  I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a job.  With that, here are a few of my thoughts on the book:

The Resume Black Hole -  On page 3, Steve talks about a student named Becca who’s been applying for tons of jobs....with no luck.  I talk about this a lot and this paragraph stresses the point.  Applying online is inefficient and unlikely to result in a new job.  You have to do it...but don’t get your hopes up in amazing results.

LinkedIn Start-up - There is a great, quick start-up guide to getting your LinkedIn profile working for you on page 14.  This page is really all you need to get up and running.  Great stuff and as loyal readers know....LinkedIn is critical to your job search.

The LAMP Methodology - The real meat of the book is the LAMP methodology that Steve recommends.  It’s FANTASTIC.  Very similar to some of the advice I give but broken down into a very easy to understand format.  I won’t go into a massive amount of detail (buy the book!) but this is exactly the kind of thing job seekers need to be doing in order to successfully find a job...and a great job at that.

The 99.9% - Great statistic on page 16, there are 27.5 million businesses in the US, only .1% of them have over 500 employees.  Think about that for just a minute.  99.9% of businesses in the US have less than 500 people.........that means, for every big company you know is hiring there are literally hundreds of companies you’ve never heard of hiring too......wow!

Quick Start Guide - The last few pages of the book are literally a quick start guide on how to get the LAMP method working for you.  It’s great.  If you are looking for a job, this is exactly what you need.  Check it out.

Ok, that’s it.  This is a great book...not good, GREAT.  I’m going to recommend this book to anyone I know who’s looking for a job.  Great stuff, and Steve if you ever read this and are in Boston...coffee is on me.

Good luck out there this week everyone, enjoy the summer....it won’t last forever.

It's not you, it's the team

Ok, I’m back from vacation and rested......nothing too crazy this week but a quick thought on how collaboration impacts recruiting.

Here we go.  Collaboration is THE key to successful staffing programs.  A lot of recruiters talk about what “they” do and how great “they” are...the fact is...yes some recruiters are better than others but without strong collaboration and support from the team they wouldn’t be nearly as successful.

You see, anytime you are recruiting someone it’s the ultimate collaboration.  You need recruiting, the team and anyone in the office who interacts with the candidate pulling in the same direction.  The person at the front desk needs to be friendly and inviting, your recruiter as to be on their game, the team needs to not only assess the candidate but make sure they are selling the opportunity and finally, the onboarding process needs to be smooth, efficient and make the new employee excited to join.

So, if you really, truly want to hire the BEST talent.....get everyone on the same page and remember that recruiting is the ultimate team sport.

Job Tip of the Week - Have a plan

I realized that it's been a while since I've done a "Tip of the Week"....talk about a slacker.  Thankfully, I've got one this week.  I hope it helps.

One of the most important things you can do during your job search or career really....is have plan.  Now, I'm not talking about having your life scripted out so you much that you feel like the Truman Show but you've got direction.  During an active job search this especially important so you can not only keep making progress but keep motivation.

Wonder what a "plan" would look like?  Here's an idea:

- Submit 3 resumes a week online
- Contact 1 (or 2) former colleagues or classmates a week for networking
- Contact 1 person OUTSIDE of your network a week for networking
- Attend 1 networking event a week (month?) to meet additional people
- Meet with 1 recruiter a month to develop a network of people looking at roles for you
- Find a mentor who can help advise you on your search

Now, this is pretty aggressive but  if you think about it....this is what, eight hours of work?  If you're looking for a job or between jobs eight hours is nothing.  Get it done.

Good luck out there!

Tell me who are you!

Alright, another blog topic that came in as a special request...this one from my buddy Greg Marsh (@gmarsh17) for those of you looking for some interesting tweets.....so, here we go...oh and if you don’t know the musical reference in the title....it’s “The Who”...

As you know, I’m a huge proponent of networking.  I saw a statistic the other day that said seven of every ten jobs filled are filled via networking.  So, if you’re not networking you’re not REALLY looking for a job.  As such, you should be talking to as many people as you can and really learn about as many roles as you can.

Now picture this, you’re out there networking....and you forget to REALLY introduce yourself to the person you’re contacting.  Didn’t tell them why you should talk.  Didn’t tell them what you do.  Didn’t do anything.  #networkingfail

Here are a few tips on how to let the person know “who” you are so you’ll be a bit more effective with your networking:

Include your resume - um, amazing advice I know....but you’d be surprised how many people forget this.  Job search 101 people...send a resume when you’re networking for a job.

Reference your LinkedIn profile - By now your have your LinkedIn profile looking good right?  So why not just put a link at the end of your email as part of your signature.  Name, phone number and LinkedIn profile.......short, sweet and professional.

Link to your blog or personal site - Lots of people have personal websites or online portfolio.  Adding a link to reference your work and show a glimpse of your skills is a great way to make the introduction for networking.

Attach an article - If you’d done a few publications or articles you can send them along with a note explaining your background/expertise and use that to open the door.  Publications give you credibility and the best way to network is to establish your credibility and start talking.

Ok, so there you go...when networking or speaking with someone about a job....introduce yourself.  Establish “why” the person should speak with you and do your best to find a great role.

Good luck out there!

How to explain being fired

Tough topic this week but one that most people at some point will have to deal with...unfortunately.  This topic came in as a request but we’ll keep the source confidential.  Being fired is one of the hardest things to explain to a potential employer and how you explain it will be critical to your future career search.  There is no silver bullet on this kind of thing but hopefully these few tips will help:

Be honest - Obviously, right?  I mean, lying about being fired is THE worst thing you can do in your career (well, one of the worst...) so you want to make sure you are being upfront and honest with any future employers about what happened.

Don’t be emotional - Being fired is an emotional thing, I get it.  But when explaining what happened to another company you want to check the emotions at the door.  Trust me, no one wants to hear your side of a story that they can’t verify.  They want the details, the facts and a chance to form their own opinion.  Getting overly emotional and freaking out will make you look defensive.....and unhirable.  

Learn from the experience - LOTS of people get fired, seriously, it happens.  But the people that recover take the experience, get introspective and learn from it.  Being able to look back at your experience and get better....now that’s a winning approach.  Take some time, be honest with yourself and get better.

Move on - This might be the most important tip.  You’ve GOT to move on and get yourself back together again.  Dwelling on the experience will get you nowhere.  Take time to digest the experience, learn from it...and move on.

That’s it this week, tough topic but one that I think if you handle it properly can lead to some great growth opportunities and really allow you to search deep inside and get better.

Good luck out there, more soon!