Four years of blogging....wow....

Ok, so I got a notice today that my blog is 4 years old...honestly, it's been probably one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  I'm certainly no blog king or any kind of expert but I like to think in a way, I've added something to the community and helped a few folks have a better career along the way.

If you've never blogged but wanted to do it, just do it.  Trust me on this, you won't regret it and you'll probably learn even more than you share...I know I have learned WAY more than I've shared.

 Anyway, here's to another 4 years and sharing a few random pieces of info about my blog I don't generally share but think are kind of cool.  Hope you enjoy.

39 people read my first post.....thanks Mom, Dad, family......man, tough start

151 people read my blog during it's first MONTH of existence.....yeah, I rule.

About 1500 people read my blog a month when I'm not writing much (see now), when I actually write 4-6 posts a month that number jumps to about 3500.....that blows my mind.

Since I started this blog, people have read my posts 75,000 times...which is just silly and humbling.

The post "My review of The Google Resume" had about 5500 people read it, the second most popular is "Thinking about a career in recruiting?" which ironically still gets about 50 new views a week.  Weird but awesome.

Most of my readers come via www.jeffreytmoore.com which is cool.....the second most via @JeffreyTMoore on Twitter so follow me if you don't already....

The large majority of my page views are from the US, like 60% but every day and week someone internationally reads what I've got say....just today for example, people in 10 different countries read my blog.  Again, humbling and really shows how small and interconnected the world is when a dude from NH writes a blog that gets read in China......(damn!)

I run ads on the blog but have never made any money....note to self, fix that.  Anyone want to help?

That's probably about it for cool blog stats and insights.  Like I said, I don't generally share much info about the back end of the blog but I find it so amazing that after 4 years I thought it would be fun.

The only other thing I can say is THANK YOU!  Honestly, I never thought I'd get 100 people to read my ramblings and it's by far the most rewarding thing I've done. So if you're a loyal reader (you guys know who are you) or some random person in China who is wondering what the hell this dude with he laser beams is saying....cheers to you all.

Guest Blog!! Common Sense Rules for Recruiters!!

I'm excited to have a guest blogger this week!  My dear friend Nell, she pretty much rules and is a ton of fun.  Like I said last week, I'm hoping to have more guest posts and this is the first.  With that, I'll let Nell tell you about a few basic rules for recruiters....needless to say, I love the last two.  Enjoy!

 

Common Sense Rules for Recruiters

One of the advantages to being a “senior” member of a recruiting team is that I have a lot of years (i.e. I’ve been doing this for a LONG time) from which to glean my knowledge and experience. I also recognize that the means with which we can now do our job has changed drastically and will continue to evolve as technology improves (sidenote: I remember when a former boss finally agreed to fore go the Rolodex for a desktop computer for each of us and watching her point her mouse at the screen like a garage door opener) but common sense and basics of how we do our job and conduct ourselves as recruiters should not.  

Far too often I hear stories from candidates and hiring managers about recruiters who more closely resemble used car salesmen or glorified paper pushers than professional recruiters and it absolutely makes my skin crawl.  Here are just a few of the common sense/basic rules that we should all be following:

• You are often the first impression a candidate has of the company. Just like you are passing judgment on their skill set and experience, a candidate is assessing if the way you treat them is indicative of how employees are treated within your organization.  So regardless of their qualifications, always be respectful. Always.
  
  
• When you are interviewing (phone or in-person) pay attention to THEM.  Don’t multi-task just because they can’t see you, and don’t check your email or take a call while they are sitting in front of you.  Ever.
  
  
• If a co-worker or hiring manager isn't returning an email or if you are going back and forth over email and not getting anything resolved, pick up the damn phone and call them OR walk to their office and actually talk to them.  It’s amazing how well TALKING to someone actually works.  Technology is awesome but not always the best means to communicate.
  
  
• Follow through with your candidates and hiring managers. If you say you are going to do X, then do it. Duh.
  
  

• Pay it forward. Every week you should do something or help someone else find a job or make the one they’re in better.  When I was unemployed several years ago I was shocked at the number of people who went out of their way to help me. I was equally as shocked by the number of fellow recruiters who didn't return my calls or emails. 
  
  

and last but not least…

• If you don’t enjoy recruiting or being a recruiter, then get a new job -- you’re making those of us who love it, look bad.

Find me at google.com/+NellThayerHeisner11 or on Twitter @nellthayer

Thoughts on relocating for a job...

Alright a few weeks back I asked for some recommendations on blog topics, so this weeks is the first in the series.  It comes from my buddy Greg Schwan, so Greg...this one’s for you.

Ok, so you’re considering a job and that job will require you to relocate.  Relocating where you live is a big deal, one of the biggest decisions you can make frankly.  In order to honestly consider a job that will require relocation you’ve got to, and I mean GOT TO consider a few things.

1) Can you actual work in the location - There are visa issues you need to consider as well as potential language issues.  Consider this stuff before you even apply.  I once applied for a job in Zurich...first question of the interview was “Do you speak German?”..um nope, interview over.  

2) Can you afford it? - Don’t expect your new company to buy you out of an underwater mortgage or give you a 50% bump in pay.  Understand your target location and know if you can actually afford to move there.  Additionally, if you are moving from say New York City to Pittsburgh...don’t expect MORE money than you make now.  Typically moving from an expensive city to a less expensive location you should expect a CUT in your compensation. When taking a role that requires relocation, be realistic about compensation before you start interviewing.

3) Have a timeline - Companies want to hire people yesterday, you know something about business needs.  As such, they really don’t like it when you get a job offer and tell them “Great, I’ll start in four months”.  When you looking to relocate, people realize it takes time...just be upfront and communicate it to your future employer.

4) Ask your spouse - You’d be surprised how many people I talk to about taking a job and they call back saying “My spouse doesn’t want to move right now”....um, thanks for that.  Like I said up top...this is a huge decision and you HAVE to talk to your spouse before you get started.  If the whole family isn’t onboard...you’re not going anywhere.

5) Have a target location - You’d be surprised how many people I talk to and they say things like “I’m looking at opportunities in Boston, NY, Austin Tx and the Bay Area”...um what?  Seriously, moving a HUGE life decision don’t be all willy nilly with it.  Find a location you like, and target it.  You’ll waste a ton of time if you “think” you’d like to work in Texas but you find out that you really only wanted to work in Boston.

Ok, that’s it.  Would love to hear from you guys what you think.  Hopefully more soon, trying to crank out a second post this week!

Jeff

Take a Class...for free

I’ve spoken a lot on the past about ways to prepare for an interview or build up your skillset....but I’ve been following something that hopefully a lot of you have seen but I wanted to make SURE you see it because I honestly think it has a chance to change the way you think about education.

It’s called Udacity and it’s trying to dramatically alter the education system in the US.  I could go on and on about how cool this idea is...but um, you’ll get more info reading this article.  There are a lot of amazing people in the program but more importantly for those of you looking for a job or trying to break into the software industry...there are a TON of resources to get you started.

These are online, video courses taught by some of the biggest names in Computer Science.  So, if you are thinking interview prep....these are great.  I’d recommend starting with “Building a Search Engine” and “Design of Computer Programs” and assuming you have more time....digging deeper into the curriculum.

Remember, your job search and career are a journey....meaning, they never end.  Leveraging resources like Udacity, or the MIT Open Courseware help you keep building your skills and becoming a better engineer.  The better you are, the more jobs and opportunities you’ll find....or even better, will find you.

Good luck out there, let me know if you take one of these classes I’d love to hear from direct feedback on them!

Does your resume matter anymore?

Earlier this week I spoke a little bit about social media and your job search...and someone asked me “Does your resume matter anymore?”  Which seemed like a great follow up to my earlier post.

So....with all the stuff in the world now between profile pages, LinkedIn profiles and other social networks...does your resume matter?  In a word, yes....but not as much as you’d think.

The Ladders recently did a study that talked about how most recruiters can review a resume in about 6 seconds.  Crazy right?  I mean, I can’t believe it takes that long.....kidding!  But the point is, your resume matters and you HAVE to get to the point.  Long, rambling resumes just aren’t read anymore.  Take some time and look at the study above, pretty cool stuff.  A few other quick take aways from this data:

- Recruiters focus what they think is important....education, current experience and location.  Not rocket science if you think about it. Recruiters are basically asking 1) Does this person meet my educational requirements 2) Does their current experience map to the role I’m looking to fill and 3) How realistic is it for them to work in my office from a location perspective.

- You’ve got 6 seconds...........when people are writing resumes or doing “elevator pitches” the golden rule should be “Short and Sweet”

- Employee Referrals are REALLY the way to get hired now....recruiters are swamped and screening people in seconds.  Your best way into a great new gig.....finding a friend or former colleague who can get your resume to a hiring manager.

That’s it for now....hope you are all having a great week!

Blog about your job search?

This may sound like a crazy question, but here we go....should you blog about your job search? My take? ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, YES YOU SHOULD! Here's why:

1) Share your experience and help others- Other people are looking for jobs too, other people are having the same frustrations you are....so why not share and build your own community. You'll feel better about each interview and with a little luck find a few folks who you can use to bounce ideas off of as well as do a little networking. Think about it, you interview at Company X and find that the deli across the street was a fantastic place for a coffee before you go into the meeting. I'm sure other candidates would love to have a great place to grab their pre-interview coffee **Disclaimer - if you have to sign an NDA, don't share anything that would put you in violation!**

2) Get your thoughts down, in writing - Ever leave an interview and have a full range of emotions? It was great! It was terrible! The LOVE me! Well, what better way to put your immediate thoughts down than to write a quick blog once you are done. This forum will also allow you to send it to your friends and colleagues to get their thoughts. Rarely will you get instant honest feedback from the company about your interview, why not get your thoughts/impressions out to your network and see what they think. I think you'll be surprised at some of the tips and advice you'll get **Same NDA advice here**

3) Polish up your skills - Write much? I'm a terrible writer but blogging has helped me polish up my skills (UNH education here...) I'll never be mistaken for Hemingway but blogging allows you to show the world what you've got. Blog about your interviews, resume, experience, luck with job boards, distaste for job fairs, networking expertise, you name it, blogging about your experience will help you reflect on things and improve yourself.

4) Show people you care - Blogging means you are passionate about something. Props to @garyv (www.garyvaynerchuk.com) for really showing me the way on this topic. If you are passionate about your job search, blogging will show people you care and allow you to tell the world "Yes I'm looking for a job, and proud of it".

Finally....

5) Social Media is the Future - Duh right? File that under "cliche'" but it's true. Using your blog or twitter account to thank your interviewers is cool. I've had several candidates ping me via Twitter or blog about their experience with me and think it's cool. It's a great way to say "thank you" but also to show the company you "get it" and are someone who's got an eye on the future. **Last disclaimer - don't trash people in your blog, it's poor taste, never goes a way and send the WRONG message no matter how much the other person might deserve it"