Advice to College Seniors

March 1 will be here tomorrow. Most college seniors will be done with their studies in 8-12 weeks. If you are not heading off to graduate school, I hope you are actively pursuing employment opportunities now! A few things to keep in mind include making sure your resume is ready to go (send me a copy if you wish), your references are aware that they are on your list, and that you have visited your school's Career Services office more than once and are keeping in constant contact with them. I worked in that field for many years and assure you that the students who kept most in touch with me were the ones most likely to find a job before graduation. There are jobs available to you but you will need all the help you can get to find the right one!

As February Fades Into the Sunset (or snow piles)

February has scooted by terribly fast. Perhaps that is because, while my placement numbers still need improvement, the amount of activity I have been coming across is certainly improving. Last fall featured a lot of stops and starts with the stops being a bit prolonged. The past 8 weeks have had longer spurts of activity and I have to believe things are waking up. In chatting with colleagues in the staffing field and at client companies, optimism is beginning to appear on the horizon, finally!!

Sadly, I am still getting way too many referrals of folks who were recently downsized, many times after long runs at one employer. If I could give a message to all those impacted in this way, be creative thinkers and realize that the world has not stood still while you stayed put the past 10 to 20+ years. You may need to make some personal adjustments to get yourself back onto the playing field as soon as possible. Feel free to contact me to discuss ideas along this topic.

Make Sure Your Shoes Fit!

No, I am not making a fashion statement with the title of this entry. The TV show What Not to Wear would fail if they tried to get me to conform to their guidelines! What I am talking about is not sending out your resume in response to a job posting if it does not fit. Countless times, I receive resumes for a specific job that make absolutely no sense. Why would some who has sold pharmaceutical products the past 20 year, for example, send their resume to a job requiring a machinist with 10 years of programming CNC machines? Sending resumes that do not fit are a waste of your time. The days of collecting resumes for future openings are long gone. Hiring managers and staffing firms are only concerned about what is on their desk at present. Please stopping wasting every one's time, including your own, by sending out resumes without looking to see if you are a viable candidate.

Laser Machine Operator Needed

Here is an urgent need for my client in the Woodbridge / Perth Amboy, NJ area: 3-5 years experience setting up, programming and operating laser die cutting machines in a sheet metal environment. Experience with Amada machines preferred but not essential. Position is contract-to- permanent. Referrals please!!

ETC.

• Just when I thought the employment market was ready to take a giant step forward, it slowed down the last few weeks. Of course, part of this may be due to the Northeast being a frozen tundra distracting people from functioning at full speed.
• Rather than painting negative pictures, the media should look for markets where hiring is still occurring (medical devices, legal fields, machine design to name a few).
• More and more employers are asking recruiters to verify employment and performance before they interview potential contract employees. The rational is that if the recruiter is hiring the person to be on his/her firms payroll, then he/she should do the legwork. If you are a candidate, NEVER refuse a request for references. I had to drop a candidate this week he was unwilling to provide the needed information.
• If you are an engineer in the automotive industry, I would get ready to do some contract work in QA as I suspect all the major auto makers will be looking to ensure higher standards than ever before.

February Doldrums

February has been an odd month, snow on the ground in 49 of 50 states in the U.S., Senator Bayh announcing his retirement, the Super Bowl replacing the finale of M*A*S*H* as most watched program ever, President Obama hinted he would try to compromise with his rivals on health care reform, and unemployment rates were dismal once again. Change seems to be taking longer than ever (heck, it is snowing tonight across the Northeast once again).

Does this mean you, a job seeker, should resolve yourself to a month of dead-ends? I say, move forward now! Many of my clients are hinting that they just do not have the resources to meet any sort of increased demands for their goods or services. February is a great month to retrace your steps from a few months back and see if you could rustle up some interviews!! Good luck and never give up!!

Resume Error

"a young 59 year old, happily married white male with 3 children"

This statement began a resume which I recently received and left me scratching my head. For many years, I have taught classes on job search skills and individually advised thousands of job seekers. Basic rules including never divulging things that could influence a decision maker before they even meet you!

Stating your age is one of the fastest ways to get eliminated from the candidate pool. Even though they should not, many hiring managers have preconceived age requirements. Many people are gun shy of married parents, fearing that family (as it should) will come before the job. On the other hand, some managers prefer family-oriented people and will eliminate singles from the group. Finally, there are those out there looking for people from a specific race or nationality (as illegal as that is) and you might just eliminate yourself.

As I have said before, a resume is your personal marketing brochure! Use it to demonstrate all the great skills and experience you have, not to eliminate yourself!

Research Associate Needed

A very good client in Mahwah NJ has asked me to find a Research Associate who has been working for at least 1-2 years and has a degree in a Biotechnical, Biomedical, or similar field. Job will entail working in a research lab conducting sample preparation. Background should be in polymeric materials, bio materials, material characterization and mechanical testing such as tensile, compression, fracture toughness and fatigue. Experience with analytical test instruments like particle size analyzers, rheometers, FTIR, and SEM desired. This is a long term contract. Candidates from the medical device field or similar industries preferred. Please contact me or refer others who fit the job!!!

Microstation?

I am hunting for Microstation Operators in or near Union County in NJ to fill a contract slot. Knowledge of architecture, piping layout and design, and flow diagrams desired. This client will need people on a very steady yet as-needed basis. Please refer qualified candidates to me! Thanks!!