Sunday, March 28, 2010

ETC.

  • I am pretty confused about the impact Healthcare Reform will have on those who already receive healthcare from the workplace.
  • Also, I wonder how small businesses will manage to survive under the new system. My fear as more and more jobs will be designated as part-time meaning income levels will drop even further.
  • If you are unemployed and offered government $$ to take courses, grab it while it is still available!
  • A sportscaster on MLB Network was talking about Joe Mauer, baseball's newest 'mega millionaire." I am losing interested very quickly in professional sports. Anyone who blows a ton of money to go see overpaid athletes is nuts!

The Over Qualified Dilemna

For months, employers have told me they do not want entry level candidates but they also do not want people with more than 15 years experience. of late, tyhe desired range has closed even more and they are looking for on average, 3-7 years experience. This is bugging me 24/7 since most of the unemployed are either those recently out of college or those who have worked anywhere from 15-30 years. The question I keep asking myself is why would a company not take advantage of such a seasoned work force at affordable prices and/or hungry recent grads?

The second part is easy. With all the cutbacks, trainers are now readily available to train the new kids on the block right now. The second part is tougher to swallow and I got some help from three trusted clients. One is the president of his business, another is a very seasoned HR Recruiter, and the third is the on site staffing manager for a search firm inside a huge company.

All three painted the same picture. Thanks to the massive downturn we have experienced, companies are becoming very creative in combining multiple tasks under one umbrella job. For example, a purchasing manager needs to also serve as an inventory analyst, a materials planner, production planner, buyer, procurement specialist, raw materials coordinator, etc. An I.T. project manager needs to be able to look at competitive analysis models, web architecture, software purchasing, product development, programming, hardware analysis, etc. An equipment designer must understanding pre-sales engineering, analysis of competition's product design, limitations of suppliers to deliver raw materials, production requirements, etc.

My experts all told me that folks in the industry more than 15 years tend to be reluctant to adapt to these situations and reject the need to cross from one platform to another. The challenge to those who need to return to the workforce is to study all the latest trends in their field of expertise and show up at interviews with a game plan of how they will break this mold!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Visionary Needed!

This has been quite a busy week which explains my lack of posting! Please read the announcement I have included below and feel free to respond or share with colleagues who might have interest!

Our industry leading client seeks a true I.T. visionary with 5-7 years in a leadership role with Java-based Web Roadmap development to direct the effort to bring their company's technology to the top of their competitive market. The ideal candidate will be extremely crossfunctional and must be able to look at web accessibility from the perspective of outside customers and vendors as well as internal users to be able to identify areas where they excel and areas where they lag behind the market. Additionally, the selected candidate will need to reach out to several different internal constituencies to map out a plan then lead the development of Java based architecture to make this happen. Proficiency in all areas of current Java framework is essential. Our client offers a starting salary of up to $125K with excellent benefits and bonus potential to 15%. Relocation is not an option at this time. Candidates needing sponsorship or interested in working corp-to-corp will not be considered. Send resumes to Harold Levin at harold@smartstaff.jobs. SmartStaff Personnel, 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Who's the Boss?

This is not an article about a sitcom which I never felt was worth watching on TV! It is about what to do if you appear to have multiple bosses giving conflicting directions and sending crossed signals. Such a situation presented itself to me early in my career and I have heard similar nightmares from both contractors and permanent placements many times.

Quite honestly, there is no simple solution to avoiding a power struggle among superiors or those who think they are superior. When you find yourself following the lead of your alleged boss but then getting raked over the coals by his or her delegates and/or immediate reports, you have just one place to go. Schedule a conversation with the person you are officially assigned to and ask them how to navigate this awkward situation. Sometimes, it is a simple fix but other times it will not go away.

Previously, when the economy was thriving, my advice would have been to start an earnest job search. For obvious reasons, this is not terribly feasible right now. The best solution I could give is to document every direction and criticism you receive and keep them handy in case you find yourself in a position to have to defend your right to remain employed.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Etc

  • Explain to me why candidates who are starving for employment return calls from recruiters 48/72/96 hours after the message is left or, sometimes, not at all. When the message says an interview is scheduled for them, one would think they would be excited to receive details.
  • Members of the CWA are picketing all over the Garden State in protest of Governor Chistie's decision to eventaully downsize union positions and headcounts. The NJEA is probably close behind the CWA.
  • Chronological resumes are still my favorite even if they appear too complex.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I Need to Find QA Inspectors!!

The requirement listed below is extremely active (things are picking up out there) so resumes and referrals are needed ASAP!!!!!
2nd shift contract opportunities require 2-3 years exp. inspecting biotechnical devices and components. Must have worked with comparators, gauges, micrometers, etc. with GD&T experience and computer literacy. Prior background reading and comprehending blueprints is essential. Prior background with any of the following are needed: Vended Inspection, Product Verification Inspection, Dimensional Inspection, In-process Inspection. Must have worked in an FDA regulated environment. Send Resumes to: harold@smartstaff.jobs. Harold Levin, SmartStaff Personnel, 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Attitudes That Need Makeovers

A gentleman phones me the other day about a job I posted on line. He told me that he was "one of the 40 million unemployed out there" and that I owed him a job!! Of course, when i received his resume I was able to quickly determine that his skills were a mismatch for the position I was working on. Even if he was a match, I would have to be totally out of ideas before submitting him.

Things are tough out there and jobs are going to overqualified candidates. Don't turn down anything right now, just be glad to get a chance and remember, whenever you interview, end the meeting by saying THANK YOU!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Excellent Engineering Opportunity

One of my top clients have a contract job open in Mahwah NJ. Please read the following. If you are interested please contact me. If you know someone, ask them to contact me and refer back to you!!

Operations Engineer needed who is process oriented with high tolerance manufacturing experience and MUST HAVE at least 3-5 years experience in the medical device, aerospace, or automotive manufacturing fields. NO OTHER INDUSTRIES MAY BE SUBSTITUTED! Experience with the following are essential: the ability to perform investigations, root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions for internal non-conformance reports (NCR), experience in a production/manufacturing environment with emphasis on general machining, ability to read blueprints and a strong understanding of GD&T, strong communication and written skills, must possess the ability to concisely convey issues to various levels of the organization, ability to update internal inspection documents to reflect current requirements, update internal manufacturing routers, and develop and modify inspections techniques to meet current quality requirements. cGMP background highly desired. FDA regulatory experience or other regulatory backgrounds needed but must have experience with medical devices, automotive, or aerospace industries!!!! Candidates who need to relocate will not be reviewed at this time. Resumes to Harold@smartstaff.jobs, Harold Levin, 908-508-0300.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Tax Season?

Once upon a time, accounting firms hired temporary accountants, tax preparers, and support staff almost immediately after the start of the new year. Here we are at the beginning of March and not much hiring is going on. My gut reaction is that the recession has forced many people to attempt their own tax returns this year. Considering all the significant changes to the process, I doubt this will be a very reliable method. Sadly, what once was a financial boom period for tax professionals looks to be rather disappointing at least for 2010.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Upcoming Presentation

On Wednesday evening, March 3, I will present a discussion on giving your job search a self examination to the Job Seekers Support Group of Jewish Family Services in Somerville NJ. This group is open to everyone but reservations are preferred. please contact me for details!