Permission Please!!!

One of the worst mistakes one could make is to use some one's name as a reference to get an interview or schedule a sales call without asking permission first. I, for one, will squash the efforts of someone who uses my name without simply asking if it is okay to do so. Recently, someone who knew of me through a job networking group, called my employer, said I referred them, and scheduled a meeting. Even worse, they told me a fabricated story about someone else saying it was okay to contact my boss and use my name! This applies to job searches equally as well. It takes little time to dot your i's and cross your t's. Make sure this is part of your routine to avoid lost opportunities and uncomfortable encounters!!

Hands-on R+D Engineers needed

My client in Northern NJ is searching for a few extremely hands-on Research and Development Engineers with a background in medical devices. Knowledge of cardiovascular devices or other surgical implants would draw a lot of attention from them. They were very specific about the need for non-managers at this time though some management or leadership could possibly be an asset. Please contact me at my office, 908-508-0300, ext 205 or send your resume to harold@smartstaff.jobs.

Job Possibilities

A quick look at websites of four community colleges in PA and NJ revealed many part-time and/or adjunct teaching opportunities. Most require an advanced degree and industry experience but teaching background is not essential. This could be a great way to test out a new career or put some much needed money into your pockets!

Please Think Before You Speak!

The Newark Star Ledger carried a story this week about a job fair in northern NJ. While a few hundred candidates were expected, the turnout was actually around 1000. As they interviewed job seekers for the article, one gentleman said that whichever company offered him a job was the luckiest company around. A former executive of a financial services company stated that there looked to be lots of jobs available and he was going to wait for exactly what he wanted!

I wish folks with that attitude the best of luck in their journey but hope they do not contact me for help. Humility goes a long way in a miserable economy and employers will identify the less realistic candidates and sort them out. There is nothing wrong with being very sure of yourself but be careful how you show this.

Long, long time ago (my apologies to Don McLean), I was working at a trade school assisting students entering the job market. A client was kind enough to interview 5 or 6 of my students. The recruiter called me in a rage after the first interview. A student told her she should cancel the other interviews as no one coming after him was worth interviewing! That student ended up being the last out of a group of about 30 to secure a job!

Enough said. Please think before you speak!

Professional Services Group - Disappointing Experience

I am sure many of you have heard of the Professional Services Group (PSG), an offshoot of the Office of Unemployment of the Dept. of Labor in NJ. They do good work providing support services, contacts, networking, etc. for professionals re-entering the job market. Over the past 15 years or so I have placed some of their clients and assisted many others. When I discovered a LinkedIn networking site for the PSG office in New Brunswick I was thrilled as it would be even easier to help there members find work. Sad to say, I was told that only members could join the group and that employers are relegated to a very cumbersome system for reaching out to them. Guess what? Time is valuable and their system will preclude me (and I am sure many others) from dealing with the constituents from this branch of the PSG. If any of my readers belong to the group, feel free to send my message to your leadership!

Helpful Tip for Employers

Today's comments are directed at employers struggling to get work done due to huge staff cutbacks. I was chatting with a client who is seeing absolutely horrible impacts from the recession. The organization is a specialty manufacturer and sales are barely a fraction of what they were last year. They have reduced staff to the bare bones just to survive.

Here is the dilemma they may face very soon. Some loyal customers appear almost ready to order products. To be able to meet their commitments, they will need to add staff, hopefully recalling some former employees. If they hire them back as full time employees, another layoff will be imminent unless business keeps rolling in.

My suggestion to anyone potentially in this situation is to partner with a staffing firm to do what we call pass through placements. You, the employer, select the staffers to retain on your own with no help from the staffing firm (usually folks you have hired previously). The staffing firm fills out the new hire paperwork and maintains them on their payroll for the duration of the project. Because the staffing firm is not doing the recruiting, they should be willing to provide you with this service. Feel free to contact me at harold@smartstaff.jobs or hblevin58@gmail.com to discuss this further.

He's Outta Here

Harry Kalas, by far my favorite sportscaster ever, died in the press box preparing for a Phillies vs. Nationals baseball game this afternoon. Very few people have influenced how I look at things the way harry did. No matter how awful the Phils were (and they were quite horrible at times), harry found a way to accentuate the positive. He and his late partner, Rich Ashburn, were two of the classiest guys in pro sports. I am thankful Harry was there when the Phils received their World Series Championship rings last week. No matter what you do for a living, Harry Kalas could teach you a thing or two about pursuing excellence each and every day.

For the rare few who never heard Harry on the air, he greeted homeruns with the famous words: Watch that baby go! Outta here! Home Run!!!!

Positive news!

I read an article last night that stated that P.C. Richard, a very old and privately help electronics retailer, is purchasing five former Circuit City locations in the NY/NJ region. Considering the number of retailers going down the drain of late, this is a very positive sign. The Richard family has held tight to their business through several generations and grown in small steps. I doubt they would be doing this if they did not see some light at the end of the table. Hint, if you like electronics and think you could sell, this might be a company to contact!

Please Vote!!

This morning's blog entry got me thinking about the possible need to alter retirement plans thanks to our stimulating economy. Please take a few moments to vote in the poll I set up on ths page!

Etc.

• Two industries seem to be showing some positive inertia on the hiring front. Medical device manufacturing remains strong and may be getting busier while the industries supporting defense contracts appear to be showing some life all of a sudden. Let me know if you notice any new trends.
• Retail appears to be reacting a little more intelligently to the slowdown by capitalizing on busy times. An article in Mycentraljersey.com reported that major malls are trimming back slightly their over abundance of shopping hours under pressure from national chains who do not want to staff stores during periods when no one shops. As a former retailer, this makes very good sense.
• I wonder if the current downturn will force retirement ages upward or downward. This will be interesting to monitor.

News Flash!

I had to interrupt the work day to share this with my readers. A resume just arrived at my In Box from a recent graduate of Cornell University who graduated "Cum Luade!" The error was not on my end! This certainly enforces the need to proofread your resume at least 3 times before sending it out. Please remember, the resume is your own personal marketing brochure!!!

Extremely Creative Job Hunting

As the slump / recession / depression / adjustment period plods along, many of you are still finding your job search is plodding along too. The might be approaching to get extremely creative in finding some short-term solutions. Keep in mind what I have said before, nothing is forever so do not panic that a job you take now just to bring in some income will prevent you from getting back into gear a bit further down the road. Remember this, you are not alone and I suspect many others will be re-entering their old stomping grounds at a later date.

Summer is coming and that means camps are beginning to hire professional staff. Are you an unemployed programmer? How about applying to be the technology instructor for the summer? Are you an out-of-work graphic designer? Perhaps there is a slot for an art instructor! Many retailers are cutting their staffs but that does not mean your sales skills need to be put on the shelf. Check out minor league baseball parks. Most hire seasonal account executives, souvenir store managers, and concession supervisors.

Do you get the point I am attempting to make? Finding a job even loosely connected to your skill sets is better than sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself. Who knows? Someone might discover you and hold the door open to a brand new career!