Don't Feel Guilty About Change

The movie Guilt Trip was not one of the most exciting(albeit entertaining) films I have viewed but there was an underlying theme which could be of value to job seekers.  A young scientist traveled across the U.S. in a compact rental car with his nudge of a mom trying to pitch his environmentally friendly liquid cleaner.  One retail company after another quickly grew bored of his highly complex presentation and blew him out the door.  On his last stop, he realized he was losing his audience and use his mom's idea of drinking the cleaner to prove how safe it was.  This approach met with great success and enthusiasm.

Think about your interview process.  Do you find that it seems like it has started to drag five minutes after you enter the room and the interviewer keeps looking at their watch, cell phone, the window, etc?  Perhaps, it is time to look for a way to somewhat alter your approach.  As soon as you come out of your next meeting, find a place to stop and write notes about everything that took place.  When you get home, analyze the interview and see when you lost your audience and what you had just said.  Look for a different way to answer the question that stalled you out.  Do this after the next 3 or 4 interviews and look for a trend.

Finally, make a conscientious effort to change your approach.  Most of us believe our way of doing things is the only way.  Sad but true, there are many methods of operation and sometimes, we are too stuck in our ways to notice we need a subtle adjustment.  As someone who is very resistant to change, I definitely advise you to consider making alterations if your current style is not ending up in job offers.

Screeching Chalk!

Do you remember the sound of chalk screeching on a blackboard, sending chills down everyone's back and causing entire classrooms of students to go into shock for a moment or two?  If you were educated in the age of smart boards, keep quiet for a minute!  Those of us who remember know just how awful that sound could be!  There are things that happen in the job search arena that replicate that annoying sound.

Very recently, a job seeker told me that they gave a company $4,000 to develop a marketing strategy guaranteed to deliver a successful job search.  What they got for their money was a poorly constructed resume and a web page dedicated to their search which was very generic and resulted in absolutely no results. The ongoing technical and coaching support which was part of the package seems to have vanished into thin air.

A hiring manager told me of a person they added to their staff who stayed about 4 weeks then jumped ship for double the money.  Just a few weeks later, it was learned that this individual was out of work because they gave notice without a confirmed offer and the new job was placed on hold before the reporting date.

Someone lamented to me that she was not receiving many bites from her resume.  I asked to see it and questioned how she could have gotten to the level she was working at with only an Associates Degree.  Her reply was that she had a B.A. and half of an M.B.A. but that they were not from a school in the U.S. so she left them off!

Decision making is a crucial part of running a great job search.  Please do not make unilateral decisions.  Seek out the advice of several people such as former classmates, relatives, former colleagues, career coaches, clergy people, etc.  Look for a common ground among those opinions and I am pretty sure you will avoid the screeching chalk torture!

Job Resources Related to Sandy

Many people have been talking about the jobs that will be potentially created as the Northeastern U.S. rebuilds from the incredible destruction brought on by Hurricane Sandy.  Quite honestly, it may be too soon to know the full impact on the job market but I did some research and found some sites which might be worth checking out.  What follows is just a start and you should look at all avenues to get back to work.  If there is a silver lining to the massive damages caused by this storm, it just could be that many people might find new sources of income for the next 2-3 years.

www.hurricanesandy.jobs  - Type in the state you want to work in and specify towns if you wish and a variety of jobs related to storm recovery will appear.

http://www.jobs4jersey.com/jobs4jersey/jobseekers/index.html  - Site is managed by the NJ Department of Labor and will provide you with information on what is needed to qualify for and acquire jobs developed in NJ as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

http://www.labor.ny.gov/ui/2012-sandy-services.shtm  - Similar to NJ, this site is operated by the NY Department of Labor and looks to have a lot of details related to employment made available due to the weather related events.

http://unemployedworkers.org/sites/unemployedworkers/index.php/site/blog_entry/disaster_unemployment_assistance_how_workers_can_access_the_program_sandy  - This is a national site with lots of information geared to unemployed workers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

Digging Out of the Rubble

My priorities the past several weeks shifted, keeping me away from my blog for an extended period of time.  First, there was a self imposed hiatus as I shut myself down a bit to fend off a round of bronchitis (successfully I might say).  Unfortunately, the same day that my doctor gave me a clean bill of health, an unwanted visitor named Sandy stopped by and was a very ungracious guest.  There is no need for me to document the aftermath of a storm unlike any seen in my home state of NJ as I am pretty sure anyone reading this article, whether in NJ or across the globe, is well aware of what took place.

Crying over spilled milk is not my normal method of operation although this weather event led to gallons of spoiled milk and other perishables as well as loss of lives, homes, and businesses.  Life falls into perspective when disaster hits close to home.  Having lived near the center of tropical Storm Floyd many years ago, the impact this time was even greater.  One thing I have noticed is a change in personality of many people I have come across, a more mellow and reflective demeanor and definitely less of a sense of entitlement and more of a spirit of camaraderie.  Time will tell but I assume this will change as recovery progresses.

This blog is supposed to be about ways to improve one's employment standing and future articles will move back in that direction though I want to share a few thoughts today.  First, employers across the impacted areas seem to be doing their best to return to some sort of normalcy but we must realize the economic losses are massive so some patience may be needed.  Hopefully, proper aid programs will kick into gear to assist them.  Second, if you lost your job due to the storm, contact your local office of unemployment assistance as there appear to be programs to help you get through this time of need.  Finally, there are bound to be a lot of jobs related to storm recovery available so keep your eyes and ears open.  To name a few, companies who perform disaster recovery will need additional staff while the construction industry is going to be overwhelmed for at least the next 12-18 months and lumber and home improvement companies are going to next extra help too.  These are just a few ideas of industries who will benefit from the disaster.

You can sit back and feel bad for yourself or find a way to literally dig out of the rubble and use this as a way to redirect your livelihood.  I am hopeful that positive results will rise out of the horrible rubble that our friend Sandy left behind.  

Revisiting An Old Topic

Sometimes, old topics are worthy of additional discussion and I am covering one of those topics, how to address your past experience during interviews, today.  Countless times, hiring managers have shared with me that were very high on a particular candidate until they asked questions about how they liked their previous employer.  This proved to be the interview killer in several cases.

We have all had less than desirable experiences with companies who were not overly concerned about making their employees happy, about building staff loyalty, or rewarding outstanding performances.  Most likely, we have all endured at least one manager who we did not get along with and who made life difficult.  Hiring managers do not want to hear about this but most are realistic enough to know we all have stories stored up in our heads and they will try to pry them out.

This is where creativity comes into play.  Rather than saying that your former company never gave out bonuses or service awards even though you deserved them, point out that they held their staff to very high standards and it took a lot to get recognition for your efforts.  Instead of saying that your boss criticized you constantly and ridiculed you for not working long enough hours even though you worked an extra hour most days, turn it around and say that your boss liked to challenge you to strive for higher goals each day.

Hiring managers do not really care about your past problems   What is important to them is how much positive energy and talents you can bring to their organization.  it is up to you to demonstrate this in a positive way!

Silver Linings

For the past few weeks, life got in the way of my regular blogging routine.  While keeping busy on many fronts, I chatted with a lot of people from different walks of life and one constant theme kept popping up.  The economy and the job market, to be specific, has everyone on edge.  Most folks I spoke with have been impacted on a very personal level over the past few years and are extremely uneasy right now.

Stories ranged from households where both wage earners were out of work simultaneously to having adult children with advanced degrees who can not find any type of work in their chosen fields to relatives moving in together in cramped quarters to make ends meet.  This is starting to sound too much like the 1930's and I am feeling very uneasy about this.

My advice is simple and should not be misconstrued as anything more than one person's opinion.  Now is not the time to be selective or proud.  If you need income, find a job, any job, and give it your best effort.  Sometimes, the job that looks to be insignificant can open doors.  I have heard stories of folks taking jobs in mall security who have grown into mall director roles for example.  A few years back, a computer analyst who was out of work took a job as a night supervisor for the local franchise company of a fast food chain. He got to know his district manager and eventually was transferred into their home office as a systems manager.

Sometimes, silver linings appear in strange places.  Right now, I suggest doing whatever is needed to pay your bills and approach any job you obtain with an exceptionally open mind.  The eventual rewards might be very surprising!  

A Challenging Hiring Process

Not quite 30 years ago, I was working as an Assistant Store Manager for a well known discount retailer.  They took over the lease of a defunct company in a rather economically depressed town in Atlantic County NJ and pulled together a management team to hire and train a staff in a matter of one week which would be used to merchandise the store, unload truckloads daily, and ultimately become the opening team.  Advertisements were placed in local newspapers, and a hiring team was formed out of myself, another Assistant Manager and two HR representatives borrowed from other local outlets owned by this company.  Advertisements ran in the local newspaper announcing three dates and times to appear for interviews.

We had about 150 full and part-time jobs to offer and were greeted by close to 500 applicants the first day. Over the three days, I would guess we met close to 1200 people.  At the end of this stretch, we had filled maybe 75 slots as there just were not enough minimally qualified people who applied.  Eventually, the jobs were filled as we got referrals from many of those we initially hired and were able to transfer a few experienced folks from other locations.

The reasons we could not fill all the slots initially are not terribly different from the dilemma many hiring managers tell me they are dealing with today.  Many of the people who showed up did not follow the simple directions we advertised to bring two pieces of identification, a list of three references, and if a resume was not available simply bring a list of prior work history to assist in completing the application.  More than half of the candidates who showed up could not properly fill out the application form or provide the basic information we asked for so did not even get interviewed.  Many of the others complained our pay was not enough to get them to give up their welfare or unemployment checks.  Eventually, we got a decent team in place but I must tell you, my first real experience in the staffing field was quite a challenge!

You Are Being Followed!

Here is a link to a good piece on why you always must keep your professional image in the forefront.  You never know who might be taking a look at you in our very well connected electronic universe!    http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57469282-93/heads-up-linkedin-users-93-of-recruiters-are-looking-at-you/

Pastrami and Peanut Butter

Pastrami and peanut butter, hot dogs with strawberry jelly, lasagna with chopped dill pickles, etc. are not among the recipes I would recommend when trying to host a successful dinner party. The same could be said for mixing politics into a discussion when taking a job interview.

I decided to address this topic as we have roughly 8 weeks to go before we elect the President of the United States.   It would not be surprising to me if interviewers brought up the topic over the next few months, partly because they might be curious as to who people are voting for in general but it also could be a way of eliminating candidates.  For better or for worse, some employers have a close minded culture and prefer to hire people who align themselves with their political beliefs.

My suggestion to candidates is to steer clear of politics if asked.  Simply reply that you are not terribly motivated to discuss the upcoming elections and are very excited to hear more about the job opportunity.  If they espouse their beliefs anyway, just acknowledge politely and try to redirect to the position being discussed.

You should keep something in mind if you are in job search mode.  Many recruiters and hiring managers are checking out Social Media sites such as Linked In, Facebook, and Twitter.  If you subscribe to any such services, keep the political banter off those places for now.  Also, keep an eye on items being posted to your page which could potentially offend a hiring manager!  Politics and job searching definitely do not blend well so do your best to keep them apart!

Labor Day's True Meaning

"Labor Day is an American federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September (September 3 in 2012) that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers."  This definition was taken from  http://www.wikipedia.org/  and is a pretty concise description of what Labor Day is supposed to be about.

Most people seem to identify Labor Day as the final day to travel to shore points, mountain resorts, casinos, or other recreational areas based on where you reside.  The day has also become a huge event for shopping malls, big box stores, and even automotive dealerships.  Traffic jams abound later in the day as thousands of motorists try to rush back home to begin the school and/or work week on Tuesday morning.

It seems to me that Labor Day has quickly become another meaningless holiday soon to be followed by Thanksgiving if retailers get their way.  Do you ever stop to think about where we would be if our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had not worked tirelessly to put food the dinner table or provide for their children's education?  The U.S. Department of Labor has created an informative  webpage, http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm which I encourage you to view.  If you happen to patronize a retail store or restaurant, hand over tolls to a highway toll collector, purchase gasoline, pick up prescriptions at your pharmacy, or conduct business on Labor Day with anyone at all, please remember to thank them for their hard work and dedication!

I am having one of those days where, after a long day of travel, I cannot sleep or focus on one topic very long.  This is not new for me, rather a state of mind travel has caused for at least the past 30 years. As a result, I do not go far from home very often but sometimes life gets in the way.  The good thing is, I get a chance to clear loose ends out of my memory bank so here we go!

• The state of NJ reported unemployment at 9.8% just about the honorable Governor Christie was invited to give the keynote address at the Republican National Convention so I am happy to hear he will not talk about the recovery process as part of his speech.
• I am anxious to see clear cut details from both Presidential candidates on how they will create jobs and reduce unemployment.
• Not-for-profit organizations seem to be hiring development professionals with a flare for engaging new financial supporters.  If you have a solid marketing or fundraising background, this might be an avenue to explore.
• With the price of gasoline rising nationwide, I wonder if increased transportation costs to deliver goods to market will start us on another economic downturn.
• On a completely different subject, please remember that an 8 page resume is way too long to submit for job opportunities. 
• On yet a different front, is Roger Clemens serious about making a comeback at age 50?
• I was in a well known donut shop chain's shop in Easton, PA today and saw an example of how to treat customers exceptionally well.  No matter what type of work you do, make sure you put forth your best effort every day!  

Making Tough Decisons

Several people I have had contact with recently have been faced with a really tough challenge.  They were offered the chance to interview for multiple jobs simultaneously.  You would think this is excellent, considering have tough it is to get just one real live interview these days but there is a dark side to this.  What should you do if the first employer to offer a job is your second or third choice to work for?

The possible scenarios are as endless as the number of combinations one could throw together at a really good sandwich shop!  If an offer comes your way that is not your top choice, the first thing to do is tell that company you will get back to them within 2 business days as you want to consider all your options and properly review their opportunity.  Next, get on the phone and send emails to the other potential suitors, tell them you have an offer in hand, but really want to hear back before making a decision.  If they tell you they will get back to you the next day, wait for them but not more than 24 hours.  Should they say they are extremely interested in you but need a week or two to make a decision, you have some soul searching to do.

I saw someone tell the place that made an offer that they needed a week to weigh their options but the company went with someone else.  Unfortunately, the offer fell through from the desired company and the person was left with nothing and had to start looking around all over again.

Someone else I spoke with took the less desired job, tolerated some difficult situations and kept working hard.  About 6 weeks later, one of the more desired employers called and said their budget had loosened up and they wished to make an offer.  While my standard advice is to never switch jobs in less than six months, we weighed the options and this time it made sense and it has worked out quite well.

My advice is, if you need to work and you only have one really solid offer, take the job.  You might actually find yourself in a great situation!  If not, keep your options open and see what develops.  The worst thing to do in a difficult economy is turn down a job when all other options seem to be on hold.

Honesty and Resumes, Perfect Together

Being a sports fan lately has been a bit challenging for me.  First, I am not terribly excited by the events in the Summer Olympics (though I admire all the dedicated athletes)! Second, my beloved Phillies have tanked this season.  Third, it is a tough time to be a Penn State football fan.  Regardless of all that, I still peruse the various sports web sites when time permits.  A few moments ago, I came across the following link: http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2012-08-11/doug-martin-villanova-assistant-resigned-investigation-resume-jay-wright and was stunned to see that Villanova University had released a recently hired assistant basketball coach for being inaccurate on his resume.

Doug Martin is not the first coach fired for this.  In fact, Notre Dame asked, George O'Leary, its head football coach to resign before his first season with them began in 2001 for similar reasons.  Misrepresentation of where an individual played sports, graduated college, or gained work experience is unacceptable.  The higher profile jobs like college coaches come under very close scrutiny so I am a bit confused how Villanova missed this when checking Mr. Martin's resume

Here is my question to you, my readers.  Is it really worth running the risk of getting caught during a reference check or background check?  Not only will you probably lose the job you were hired for, it now will become next to impossible to get a new position any time in the near future.  In this case, the coach had played college basketball at a lesser known school.  His record as a college was stellar and I do not feel where he played college basketball would have kept him from getting hired.  Please think long and hard about the contents of your resume and make sure you are able to back up and prove anything you select to include!

Success Rates of Retraining

Here is an interesting article I found in The Washington Post dealing with the impact of providing re-training to unemployed workers whose fields have pretty much dried up:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/07/are-the-unemployed-for-looking-for-work-in-all-the-wrong-places/

Summer Creates Excuses!

While they are not very good excuses; the summer heat, gardening, trying to get in extra walks, being distracted by the demise of my beloved Phillies, and going through my own change of employment all contributed to my absence from the blogging scene for a few weeks.  Shame on me for not practicing what I constantly preach about never changing one's pace throughout the year, especially if you are in job search mode!  I will admit that momentary breaks to recharge the brain are healthy just so you do not totally shut the engine down!

Summer time is a great period to switch things up and experiment a bit with your job search.  If you have let your Linked In activity slip a little, summer is a great time to follow new companies, set up job search alerts, add new connections, and clean up your list of groups and perhaps join a few new ones.  My recent personal experience is perfect proof that keeping your list of companies you are following fresh is invaluable.  It is important to read the news posted by these companies each and every day as you never know when an incredible opportunity might pop up!

If you can afford a few days away, the change of location might do you some good.  While visiting a different venue, pick up the local newspapers and scope out the job market.  You might just find an opportunity worth pursuing and, while less likely, you may find a job in your home region posted out of town just because the company hopes to broaden the range of people noticing their needs.

Opportunities tend to appear when they are least expected.  Even though it is perfectly natural to take a little bit of down time, please remember to keep your eyes and ears open each and every day!.

Strength and Resilience

I have remained quiet on the blogging front for several days because I just have not known what to write about.  Tourists were murdered in Bulgaria, government leaders were assassinated in Syria, a former graduate student gunned down innocent movie goers in Colorado, unemployment in the U.S. skyrocketed to unbelievable levels, and the very awful mess at Penn State caused even more hatred and hard feelings again today.


Being an eternal optimist, I have been trying to find some positive, and perhaps encouraging, words to share in this column but I am struggling right now.  Could one rationalize that the terrorists in Bulgaria were part of a very small group never to be heard from again?  I doubt it.  Were the events in Syria a fluke? I doubt it.  Can we improve security in movie theaters enough to prevent such a nightmare from taking place again?  I doubt it.  Could unemployment finally have reached its worst level and a rebound is on its way?  I hope so.  Will the punishments doled out by the NCAA against PSU today force universities to take measures needed to prevent another travesty?  I just don't know.


Will companies use the sad state of the world as justifications for a decline in hiring while candidates slow down their job search using the same reasoning?  I think so.  Are the events listed above reason enough for us to slow down progress even more than it already has regressed?  I don't think so.  My message is that we need to fix a lot of things in this world but sitting back and making excuses will simply lead to more excuses which we can ill afford!  September 11, 2001 could have set us back much further than it did and I hope the same strength and resilience comes forward once again!

Research Chemist Needed!

East Hanover NJ area:  6 month temp-to-perm position requires a Chemist w/5-8+ years INDUSTRY exp. in R+D in a regulated research chemistry environment with a background in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or chemistry.  Must have strong skills in instrumentation, documentation, and product development with a degree in Chemistry or similar field.  Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.  Third party referrals and visa holders will not be considered at this time.

Graphic Designer Jobs!!

Two great opportunities for 3-6 months each in the Boyleston Street area of Boston:
2+ years Graphic Design experience needed with InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.  Knowledge of educational materials and HTML helpful.  Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs in MS Word format.  Position requires all work to be done at the client's site.  Harold Levin, SmartStaff Personnel, 908.508.0300, ext. 205.

Flushing Your Chances Away!

My last entry dealt with slow responses from companies which ultimately could cause them to lose their primary candidates.  Today, I am going in the opposite direction and sharing ways a candidate can  flush their chances away and I actually have a story where someone pretty much did just that!

Not long ago, I received an email with a very enthusiastic introduction as to why a candidate was perfect for a job that I posted (actually, she was not a close fit but that's for another day) and why I should make her the first person I called.  However, she told me not to call her for a few days because she got clumsy and flushed her cellphone down the toilet and was waiting for a new one to be delivered.  She told me to email her or call her cousin who lived in the same house and would yell for her to come to the phone.

Some of you might say she showed a lot of positive energy but I feel she gave me too much information.  A better approach would have been to simply state that her cellphone was not working at present and best methods are to email her or leave a message with her cousin who would then contact her.  Most hiring managers and recruiters do not need to hear all the details as we have heard so many stories they all kind of blur together.  Honestly, candidates with long stories attached usually do not result in positive outcomes for me.  Again, I know there will be dissenters to this opinion but I have been in the staffing field for almost 30 years and base my thoughts on personal experiences.

Another example of providing too much information came from a candidate who stated that he could only be reached between the hours of 5:00 and 7:00 PM for live conversations because his job did not permit the use of cellphones and his wife insisted on total quiet after 7:00 so they could have private family time.  This was a rule she had enforced for the past ten years since they were married.  This rule seems a bit odd if she wants to help her husband get a better job but people will be people and that is fine.  My concern is many hiring managers might see this as weird and also have concern if the job involved periodically being on call after hours.  The better route would have simply been to request call backs in that 2 hour window and assure potential employers that he would respond to all messages within 24 hours.

Honesty is wonderful but sometimes too much information is harmful.  Think carefully about what information you offer up before flushing your chances away!

Response Time Getting Even Slower

As a recruiter, one of the most frustrating aspects of my job is dealing with slow response time from hiring managers and HR departments.  This is definitely not a new issue but has become more challenging in the last year or two.  Candidates often get annoyed with me when I tell them I have not received feedback regarding their resumes.  Even worse is when I actually send someone for an interview then do not get the results for several days or weeks.

To job seekers, my advice is to consider yourself an active candidate until you actually hear otherwise.  I have seen companies respond in a positive fashion as much as six months after the submittal date.  Sometimes, there is an internal delay caused by temporary hiring freezes, a hiring manager who suddenly was sent to deal with an emergency at another site, a change in projects plans, etc.  The hard part is nobody usually tells the agency recruiter or candidate what is going on.

To hiring managers, my suggestion is that if you see a candidate you really like, do not delay as the best people are still getting jobs in a timely fashion.  Living by the current opinion that their are tons of unemployed people out there will quite likely keep you from hiring the top prospects for your job.  If you are having internal delays beyond your control, simply contact the candidates and make them aware of the situation.

While all of this might seem to be a byproduct of the economy, I have experienced sluggish responses from employers throughout the past 25+ years in the staffing industry.  The most extreme case was when someone called me about 18 years ago from a very large telecommunications company.  He wanted to set up an immediate interview with an engineer whose resume he had just received.  I did not know the name so searched through the files and discovered this candidate had been submitted by a former member of our firm almost 2 years ago! Of course, the candidate was now gainfully employed and had no interest in the job.  Upon calling the client back, I learned his HR department had just sent him the resume that week and indicated it has recently arrived at their office!  Some things will never change.  Hang in there!  

Printing Press Operator - Morristown NJ

3 month assignment for a Printing Press Operator, first shift, requires 3-5 years experience with Flexo, letterpress, rotary screen and/or narrow web presses.  Must be familiar with GMP and ISO standards.  Knowledge of Gallus presses helpful.  Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs in MS Word format.  Harold Levin, SmartStaff Personnel, 908.508.0300, ext. 205.

Contrasting Styles in Customer Service

Customer service is always a key to success for individual growth and for the long term vitality of a business, no matter what industry or specialty is involved.  In rough economies, this is even more essential as customers expect a little bit extra when spending their limited resources.  What follows is a comparison of two experiences I had yesterday and why I spent money at the less likely of the two places.

Suit shopping is very low on my list of things that I enjoy doing.  Quite honestly, I hate trying on clothing, despise dealing with getting fitted, and really do not like wearing formal garments.  Due to a combination of losing several inches off my waistline and having several significant activities on the horizon, I set out yesterday to find a suit at a decent price that actually fits properly.

My first stop was a well know menswear chain which advertises heavily.  The actual pricing was close to qualifying as bait and switch but that is not what kept me from purchasing a suit there.  A rather arrogant salesman practically insulted me by saying that very few people they see are my size so they had one item in stock that fit me.  I would need to select a series of suits from their catalog, pay for them in advance, schedule a private fitting, then ask for a refund on those I did not like.  I asked why I had to pay in advance, sight unseen, and was told that I should know that is how a shop like this operates.  He also criticized me for wearing shorts on a nearly 100 degree day as that is not right for suit shopping (even though I would be switching to suit pants for the fitting process)!  He also kept grumbling about how lazy his co-workers were! With that delightful attitude getting on my nerves, I left the store.

I continued up the highway to a moderate priced department store to see if they happened to having anything to fit my 'difficult' size in stock.  A very enthusiastic sales associate greeted me, looked me over quickly, and proceeded to put five suits in front of me, all at very affordable prices.  He listened to my concerns and helped me select the proper fitting attire.  Finally, he very patiently measured me and marked the suit so his tailor to alter it properly.  He was dealing with three customers at once and closed each sale with a smile in a gracious manner.  I was so impressed by him that I will buy the needed accessories there as well.

No matter what industry you work in, the key to doing well is to provide exemplary customer service and never talk in a negative way to your clients.  Many of my client companies have told me that they realize that they must aim to please no matter how small or how large the order is they are filling.  Certainly, I was not the wealthiest client the first salesman has ever dealt with (far from it) but he had no way of knowing how many people I might be able to influence!  I am not sharing the name of the firm with you as that is not my purpose but will never recommend them if anyone asks for my opinion off line!

R+D Technician Needed

Morristown NJ area:
3-6 month assignment; 2-4 yrs. Lab R+D experience (not including internships or grad school); GMP; analytical instrumentation; exp. w/pharmaceuticals, paints, coatings, film, chemicals, etc.  B.S. Chemistry preferred. No sponsorships or H-1 candidates, no relocation.  Potential for perm conversion. Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext.205.

Memories

Many readers have commented in recent weeks about the changes that have occurred to the hiring process that make it harder to get a job.  This got me thinking back to the days before supplier management companies, online hiring tracking systems, emails, and even fax machines were part of the picture.

In the good old days, candidates simply mailed their resumes direct to a company or stopped in and filled out a paper application on the spot.  Sometimes, one would get lucky, and a hiring manager would be available for a quick interview and a return visit was not needed. Today, if you walk into a company, they will likely give you a card with a web address and tell you to go home and apply online, sending your resume on a long trip into cyberspace!

When I  first became a recruiter over 25 years ago, I solicited job openings from companies and used a variety of methods to cold call potential candidates plus ran some newspaper advertisements.  If a candidate was nearby, I would meet them at my office where we would review their resume.  If it needed work, I would use an old fashioned typewriter to create a new version. If they were out of the area, I would quite frequently take down their employment history long hand then type a new resume from scratch.  Both of these methods allowed me to avoid the 2 to 4 business days needed to receive a resume in the mail which let me get it to my client quickly.  To shorten the time frame even more, I would drive up to an hour to hand deliver resumes if the need appeared urgent.

There were occasions when the employer would read the resume in my presence and ask me to get the candidate on the phone to clarify items and perhaps set up the interview appointment for them.  Yes, this seemed cumbersome but I would almost prefer it over the current electronic methods.  Certainly, I have a huge majority of customers who respond within a day or two to schedule interviews and those are not my concern.  A smaller cohort does not even acknowledge receipt leading me to wonder if I will ever receive feedback.  Technology is a wonderful thing but there are many days when I wish we could set our clocks back 25 years!

QA Engineer Needed - Full time - Morris County NJ

Our very successful client is adding a QA Engineer w/at least 3-5 years exp. in an FDA regulated facility w/solid GMP and ISO backgrounds.  Must have an Engineering degree in Chemical, Biomedical, Industrial or similar and work exp. beyond school related internships and training programs.  Knowledge of tools such as Lean, Six Sigma, TQM, etc. and IQ,PQ,OQ desired.  Candidates must be eligible to work full time in the U.S. without sponsorship.  Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Apply for Jobs You Really Want!

As a recruiter, the need arises to post job requirements on the internet after I exhaust my other resources and determine that I need some outside help.  One would assume that everyone who replies has thoroughly read the job description, location of the workplace, and available pay rate before applying.  This past week, I received a few reminders that people seem to send resumes regardless of whether or not they fit the job, and even more annoying, if they really want the job.

One resume arrived in my email this week applying for a job as a Human Resources Coordinator.  The candidate had spent the past 20 years as a Gemologist with absolutely no mention of anything related to HR.  Another candidate applied for a position requiring at least 5 years experience assembling large industrial machinery but had spent about 10 years as a department head in a grocery store with no other experience listed!  A posting for a part-time person to provide desktop support at a pay rate of not more than $20 hourly for 25 hours per week drew a response from someone informing me they are a perfect fit but will only consider full time positions at a minimum of $40 hourly!

My final example comes from a phone call I placed to a woman who sent in a wonderful resume in response to an ad for a job in Manhattan.  Her mother answered the phone and asked where the job was located since her daughter was out at the moment.  Upon hearing Manhattan, she scolded me since her daughter only wants a job on Long Island.  I politely (though it was hard to do) informed her that since her daughter specifically wrote me about the job, I really needed her to call me.  Since I never heard back (and found 2 very willing people to submit to my client), I will assume that either the candidate did not pay attention to location before replying or the mom never gave her my message.

Some of you may feel that a candidate should apply for every job posted in an effort to find work.  I will leave you with this thought, I do remember people who respond to jobs they either do not remotely fit or have no intention of taking.  If they contact me later on for a better fitting opportunity, I will remember them and put them toward the bottom of my list!  Once a candidate leaves a poor impression, it is hard for me to send them out to my valued clients.

Human Resources Opportunity!

HR Coordinator needed in White Plains NY:
4-6 month assignment, 25-30 hours/wk., perform HR Administrative tasks such as updating employee records, payroll support, clerical duties, new hire paperwork, arranging and setting up meeting spaces, etc.  Proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.  THIS IS NOT A MANAGEMENT POSITION!  Resumes must be sent as MS Word attachments (no PDF, Wordpad, etc.) to harold@smartstaff.jobs  --- Harold Levin, SmartStaff Personnel, 908.508.0300, ext. 205.

Some Distinguished Men!

My recent posts have been rather heavy duty and definitely stimulated some interesting commentary.  Thanks to my daughter, tonight's entry is a bit different.  Those who know me well are aware that in addition to my passions related to the placement and career coaching fields, I devote a bit of time to coordinating high school marching band competitions where I get to interact with very talented performers, their terrific teachers, and extremely supportive parents.  Band participation has been part of my life since elementary school and helped me through some rough times academically because of the discipline and time management it instilled in me and I saw it do the same for my daughter and scores of other young people.

Tonight, my daughter introduced me to a group of unique performers who made their way to television, the Distinguished Men of Brass  - http://dmobrass.com/home/01Home.html -and I instantly became a huge fan.  They caught my attention not only because they are very talented and entertaining.  From what I have been able to dig up, D'MO Brass was formed from a group of performers who were the house band at Busch Gardens in Tampa for about 30 years before the park laid them off.  They added a few new faces and regrouped, practicing daily and getting bookings wherever possible eventually making it to America's Got Talent.  When asked to tell their story, the leader proclaimed that when they all found themselves out of work they decided to find a way to stay strong and get back to work.

YouTube is loaded with various videos of D'MO Brass.  I encourage anyone who needs a pick-me-up in these extremely difficult times to check them out.  This group has found a way to create their own, very unique, silver lining!

Purchasing Manager Opportunity!

Permanent opportunity for a professional with 8-10 years purchasing of consumer products (to include at least two of the following: jewelry, gift ware, sports apparel, housewares) in a high volume environment and at least 4-6 of those years must be in managing a purchasing department within that industry.  Must be able to manage the people and systems needed for the full life cycle procurement process.  Candidates must be experienced with Crystal Reports and Excel with excellent communication and negotiation skills. Prior experience managing the purchasing process in unrelated fields will not be considered at this time. Position is in Morris County, NJ Please send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Electromechanical Assembly Technician Needed (North NJ)

Well established OEM needs an experienced electromechanical machine assembler with solid blueprint reading skills, prior background assembling control panels, wiring electrical systems into machinery, pneumatics, and final testing of equipment before delivery.  Any prior experience visiting customer sites to install, train, and/or troubleshoot desired.  Send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs in MS Word format.  Harold Levin, SmartStaff Personnel, 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

A Look at May's Labor Statistics

 Here is the official news from the U.S. Department of Labor as released on June 1, 2012:   http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf and here is an excerpt in case you do not have time to read the whole report: "Nonfarm payroll employment changed little in May (+69,000), and the unemployment rate was
essentially unchanged at 8.2 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment
increased in health care, transportation and warehousing, and wholesale trade but declined in
construction. Employment was little changed in most other major industries."

Some of my loyal readers are going to get upset with me and will likely take me to task on what I am about to say.  Yes, this report was quite disappointing.  Yes, we are still extremely flat with slow job growth and unemployment numbers refusing to decline.  No, not all is hopeless because there was some creation of new jobs (69,000) and unemployment did not increase.

What does this mean for job seekers?  Simply put, job hunting will still be a huge challenge in coming months but is not absolutely hopeless.  If you wish, you could blame your continued unemployment on the numbers and decide to shut down until things get better but they may never get better if we remain stuck in a rut.

What does this mean for employers?  You could look at these numbers and conclude that, as long as statistics remain flat, business will remain flat and there will be no need to hire new staff.  How about looking at it another way?  While unemployment remains high, the number of talented people out there is also high.  Some of those people might actually relish the chance to bring their skills to you at lower wages than they would have 4 years ago.

Perhaps it is time for both job seekers and employers to realize that 2012 is not 2008 but that sometimes opportunities can be created.  I can almost imagine the responses this blog entry will result in but I am dead serious that we can get things moving if we all open our minds just a bit further.

Several New Jobs to Share!

This has turned into a busy week!  All of the following are contract positions of varying lengths.  For details, send your resume to harold@smartstaff.jobs and indicate you saw this on my my blog!

• Data Support Coordinator, Glenview, IL ($13-15/hr.):  1-2 years experience moving files from one database to another in a fast paced environment using Excel and Documentum required.
• Financial Analyst, Glenview, IL ($22-24/hr):  2-3 years experience in a corporate environment focused on financial analysis or planning with knowledge of accounting along with hands-on usage of SAP, Oracle, Hyperion, etc.  Background in budgeting, capital planning, forecasting etc. all needed.
• Technical Support, Queens, NY (part-time to 22 hours at $15-20/hr):   Hands-on support person needed for about 18-22 hours per week to solve desktop and laptop issues, both hardware and software, on location for our client. Knowledge of all Windows applications from NT onward needed. Must be reliable, people oriented, able to work with minimal supervision, and have excellent communication skills. Trade school diploma or 2 years college needed as well as 1-2 years related experience.

Take It or Leave It

I was fortunate to reunite with some old friends at a few different recent events and, naturally, the discussion turned to the current employment market.  Both were astounded when I declared that, even though the number of new hires I am seeing is going up slightly, pay rates are still running way below 2008 standards.  They were stunned to learn that a 40-60% pay cut from levels of four years back is awaiting those trying to regain employment as the drought slowly diminishes.

One friend asked me how could people accept jobs that were not paying them what they were worth and my answer was simple.  There are two options right now.  One is to accept the rates being offered even though they are absolutely devastating to some, and hope, that as things improve,  employers will realize your value and offer salary increases.  The second option is to remain on unemployment until it runs out then tap into whatever resources you have which will ultimately weaken your funds when you eventually become too old to work.

Choices are had to make and everyone has their own personal value system to adhere to.  This blogger will certainly never tell you how to make your own personal moves but I will urge you to think long and hard before rejecting a job opportunity.  From my work as a recruiter and career coach, I have seen too many people wait too long to jump back into the mix and ultimately end up settling for even less when things reached the point of no return for them.  Think long and hard and do some serious soul searching before you decide to take it or leave it!

Sleep Talk?

One of my favorite parts of working in and around the staffing agency is that no two days ever play out exactly the same.  Sometimes, the differences are subtle but there are many days that inspire to write blog articles.  Earlier this week, I had one of those motivational moments.

Before heading out of the office for the evening, I posted a job lead I received earlier that day as I felt I needed outside help in gathering a pool of candidates.  Dozens of resumes poured into my inbox overnight and a few folks left voice messages as well.  One candidate very enthusiastically left word that he was following up on the resume he submitted and asked me to call in the morning.  I could not find his email so I phoned him around 9:30 and told him it did not arrive overnight.  The candidate was polite but sounded a bit out of sorts.  I asked him for his email address so I could recheck my inbox and he replied that he could not remember which address he used and, since I woke him up out of bed, I was asking too many questions.  Eventually, he offered to write down my address but it never appeared.  Five hours later he called and said I gave him the wrong address.  When I repeated it to him, he admitted he probably messed it up because he went back to sleep right after our call!

There are a few big miscues to point out here.  First off, in my opinion, a candidate who is completely unemployed, but professing to be in active search mode, should not be asleep at 9:30 AM on a business day.  To me, and I am sure I will get rebuttal arguments, that is way too late to be in bed.  My guess is this person starts their search process sometime around 11:00 which is wasting close to half of the available hours to reach someone live.  Second, if you do happen to have one of those days where you just cannot get moving early, please do not tell someone on the phone that you were sleeping and they woke you up!  A better way to handle the situation would be to say you are not near your computer at the moment but will resend the email just as soon as you get back online.

Granted, most of us get lazy now and then, but no matter what, do not demonstrate this to potential employers. Put yourself into the shoes of a potential employer for a moment.  Would you seriously hire someone who gives off the impression that staying in bed is more important than regaining employment?  I don't think so!

Graphic Designer Needed-Ramsey NJ Area

2+ years Graphic Design experience needed with InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.  Knowledge of educational materials helpful.  Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs in MS Word format.  Position requires all work to be done at the client's site.  Harold Levin, SmartStaff Personnel, 908.508.0300, ext. 205.

Pulling Positives Out of Train Wrecks!

Recent conversations with a variety of people have led me to believe that many of us take away more negatives than positives in our lifetime.  Several people shared stories of absolutely horrible interviews they were subjected to, temporary jobs that could best be described as train wrecks,  and very unpleasant relationships with management which led to resignations.  What I rarely heard were the good things that they garnered from past experiences and this got me to thinking about my own encounters.  Please bear with me as this might seem like a bunch of mindless babble but I promise to pull it together at the end of the article!

Back in 1980, the job market for Liberal Arts grads was almost as impossible as it is today.  I did manage to procure some interviews and received offers to sell life insurance with a very minimal guaranteed draw, work as a trainee in a small bank at minimum wage, or join the management training program of what we now call a big box retailer for a whopping $13K per year.  I chose the big box retailer and was promptly tossed into one of their very ancient five and dime operations in an urban setting where most of the staff should have retired decades before.  They kicked me around for a year while I unloaded truckls, schlepped merchandise from a basement storeroom up a steep flight of stairs, and chased the local shoplifters on a daily basis!  After a 2 year stop at a similar site, I was picked to join a team that would open a brand new location!  Imagine, 25 years old and being sent to the Jersey Shore in May!  I actually touched the beach 3 times that summer and was too tired to do anything but sleep and get a sunburn!  That location involved dealing with armed shoplifters, an inside theft ring, a decrepit building which had been vacant for years, and customers who were totally incorrigible to deal with.

One year later, I was 'promoted' to be the Senior Assistant Manager at one of the firm's busiest sites.  However, the General Manager and Co-Manager will involved in a huge power struggle and the District Manager told me to ignore both of them and take charge of 3 less experienced Assistant Managers and 3 trainees as well.  I found out I was the third person to attempt this in a six month span.  Eventually, I decided enough was enough and moved on.

I forgot to mention that back in 1980, about 3 months after graduation from college, I interviewed with a staffing firm as I already was interested in the recruiting field.  The owner told me he liked me but I needed to experience real world occurrences before entering the search industry.  This is significant because I feel all the negatives I had to overcome from a series of train wrecks ultimately prepared me for a career in recruiting and coaching.

All the frustrating moments I endured prepared me for dealing with spending many weeks supplying a client with great candidates only to have them hire from another source.  Without my past history, I would have given up on the recruiting field very quickly.  My past also helped me immensely during my tenure providing career services to trade school students.  The students readily threw out reasons why they either could not get a job or retain that job and I was usually able to draw upon my past to help them make the most out of a bad situation.  As a coach, most people come to me to help fix their job search process or improve their current work situation.  Again, the many stops I visited along my career path have prepared me to help others.  Many times, I find myself recalling how I jumped out of a train wreck and found the positives inside a negative!

Data Support Position

Excellent temp opportunity requires 2+ yrs experience organizing, managing, and inputting contracts into Excel spreadsheets. Must have excellent Excel capabilities. Royalties knowledge a plus. Bergen County, NJ Resumes to harold@smartstaff. jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Some Quick Resume Reminders

Whether you are a recent graduate writing your first resume or a seasoned professional freshening it up a bit, please remember that accuracy is extremely important.  I have written about resumes many times before and will keep doing so as I seem to come across a new crop of errors each and every week.

Spelling is the most important thing to be careful about.  Some hiring managers are extremely finicky and one simple miscue could eliminate you from their candidate pool.  Of late, I have seen 'width' in place of 'with,' 'graudation' instead of 'graduation,' 'softwhere' rather than 'software,' and my all time favorite, 'manger' instead of 'manager!'  Spellcheck is not always going to help so you need to carefully proofread and ask a few other people to do so as well.

Other things to remember include listing the correct phone number on your resume, making sure your font is consistent throughout, not listing your age or date of birth, your religion or political affiliations, and definitely not including your marital status or how many children (or grandchildren) you have.  Some of this sounds obvious to many of you but I assure you I would not write about this topic if I did not read problematic resumes all too often.  Remember, your resume is your own personal marketing brochure and you want it to sell you to potential employers as effectively as possible!  Enjoy the spring weather and have a great job search season!

Graduation Time!

With  my daughter becoming a college graduate this weekend, my thoughts tend toward advice to share for all grads about to face the reality of the job market regardless of their field of study.  Many, many parents have reached out saying they do not feel their son or daughter is adequately prepared and that their attitude needs a jump start.

My advice will fall into two categories today, one for parents and one for the graduates themselves.  None of this is meant to be complete and the parts are interchangeable based on each individual case.

First, to all parents out there, your child needs to own their job search.  If you enable them by submitting their resumes and scheduling interviews, they will sit back and let you do all the work!  You should encourage them at all times to stay positive and focused, definitely forward leads to them say they may do the follow-up, and serve as a sounding board whenever they ask for your help.  Please do not try to direct their search process as each candidate really needs to develop their own connections and set the parameters which work best for them.

To all 2012 graduates, step up to the plate now!!  Do not take the summer off as competition is extremely fierce and you must dive in and immerse yourself in the search process immediately!  Only you know what types of jobs and employers you are best suited for and only you can tell employers why you are the best candidate for the job!  Definitely do not be bashful.  Should you need outside coaching, ask for it.  If you have not contacted your college career services center, do so immediately.  Devoting several hours per day to running your search is essential to being successful.  Finally, if anyone offers you a job even closely related to your course of study, strongly consider grabbing it!

One never knows what doors might open for them at any time!  No one will ever force you to stay at one job for your entire career but you need to be in the mix before moving onward and upward.  Times may be extremely tough right now but you really need to get moving.  To all 2012 graduates out there I wish you nothing but great success!

Excellent Engineering Contract in North Jersey

Our well established client requires 5+ years electromechanical machinery design and development with proficiency in AutoCAD and SolidWorks plus sheet metal, structural steel, machined components, and pneumatics.  Must be able to create Bills of Materials with minimal assistance.  Prior design of industrial ovens or furnaces highly desired.  Resumes should be sent in MS Word format to harold@smartstaff.jobs for this contract-to-permanent position.  Harold Levin, SmartStaff Personnel, 908.508.0300, ext. 205.

A Huge Mistake

About eighteen years ago, a company built a brand new distribution center in Edison, NJ and I was fortunate enough to be asked to recruit three high level Information Technology professionals to get their operations center up and running.  The technology being installed was chosen to be compatible with that of their primary retail customer.  This was not the most popular system used in NJ at that time and the jobs posed a challenge to fill.  From snooping around (internet was not very helpful back then), I learned of a retail company who had just about shut down their distribution center a few miles south that used similar I.T. packages.  Word got to me that the people I needed were operating their job search efforts out of a small office in New Brunswick, NJ called the Professional Services Group (PSG) run under the support of the NJ Department of Labor.  I established contact with this group and filled all three positions in less than a month.  From that point on, I have always networked with the PSG when looking to find candidates with deep experience for hard to fill opportunities.

Fast forward to 2011 for a moment.  My wife went to work one April morning to find out that her position with a major telecommunications company had been suddenly eliminated after 24+ years.  She was offered three months of assistance from an outplacement service which was good but not spectacular in quality.  As her unofficial coach, I strongly suggested she check out the PSG in Somerville, NJ.  Even after she returned to work, she has kept her ties with them and volunteers whenever possible.

The PSG consists of eleven groups throughout NJ staffed primarily by volunteers who provide a wide range of services from career coaching, resume writing, and cold calling skills to career fairs and workshops delivered by professionals from a variety of backgrounds at no financial cost to those who are unemployed.  The only cost is to donate a few hours of your time each week to serving on a committee, running coaching sessions, etc.  Through this effort, I know scores of friends, former colleagues, and clients who have gotten back to work relatively fast regardless of the environment.  Check out this link to learn more: http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/wnjpin/findjob/career/PSG.html

Unfortunately, you may have to act swiftly to participate as NJ's Department of Labor is attempting to shut down the PSG at the end of May, http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/wnjpin/findjob/career/PSG.html and reinvent the process in July as job clubs according to Associate Commissioner Mary Ellen Clark.  She cites costs that seem unrealistic to me as she mentions each group has a dedicated facilitator which is not accurate.  After staffing cutbacks last summer, each group sees a facilitator stop by a few hours per month at best as part of their larger job duties.  She claims that only 1% of the state's unemployed utilize the PSG for assistance.  Perhaps this number would increase if unemployment offices were better trained to promote this service.  My wife never had known of them if she did not hear about them from myself and other friends who had benefited from their programs.

In all fairness, the PSG could probably use some tweaking to remain current and effective but not a complete dismantling.  Please read the article I cited in the prior paragraph and also ask around and learn about the great work of the PSG.  If you agree with me, contact your local Assembly and Senate representatives and ask them for help.  Of course, feel free to share your observations and constructive comments with me as well!

Interactive Designer Needed in North Jersey

Interactive Designer / Information Architect is needed by a healthcare marketing firm.  Must have User Experience (UX) solutions background; Visio and / or OmniGraffle; solid front end skills such as Flash, CSS, Javascript, etc.; full life cycle architecture and design including sitemaps, wireframes, prototypes, etc.  Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs will be accepted in MS Word format only.

Scrambled Brains!

Do you ever have a day when your mind is kind of clogged up and you cannot separate your thoughts very well and then you go to bed and this scrambled brains concept gives you insomnia?  Welcome to my world or, as some might be quick to say, my present state of mind!  A bunch of stuff is spilling out of my head right now, some will be things you have read from me before, others will make no sense, but we are entering my zone just about now!
    Why would a machinist with absolutely no computer skills respond to a posting for a desktop support specialist with MS Exchange Server experience?
    What would motivate a Java Developer / Software Architect to apply for a position as a Certified Forklift Operator?
    If someone's unemployment benefits have run out, wouldn't it make sense to accept a part-time job of any type while looking for their next career move?
   Should you happen to change phone numbers, I strongly suggest updating your resume with the new information IMMEDIATELY!
   Never turn down a job that is offered to you on the spot.  Best bet is to say you are quite interested and will make your decision known within a day or two.
   Please do not get discouraged if an interview process appears to be dragging along.  Thanks to our economy, a lot of hiring managers are wearing multiple hats and just do not have enough time in their work day to get everything done.
   Before resigning from your present job, make sure you have a solid plan and that your anticipated destination is in good order.
    Democrats will tell you that the Republicans have caused massive unemployment; Republicans will tell you the Democrats are at fault while Independents will blame the establishment!  All that matters is you need to perservere and keep hunting until you land on your feet!

Ready, Aim, Hire!

A colleague was preparing a presentation to give to small business owners and asked me for input.  His topic was how successfully hire people for their companies and he asked me for a short list of items to include.  I broke my list up into three areas and I decided I would share them with my readers via my blog.

Before beginning a candidate search, an employer must be sure they are truly ready to bring in someone new.  A few simple questions need to be asked.  Does money exist in the budget for a new hire?  Is there a real need and a substantial body of work for this person to take on when hired?  If the person is being recruited to replace an existing employee, is the company really looking to make a change or just testing the waters in search of greener pastures?

Once the employer determines they are ready to hire, they must decide what they aim to accomplish with this process.  What skills and past experiences are essential in a potential hire?  Are there skills or qualities that would be nice to have but could be learned on the job if needed?  How would they describe their ideal candidate and are they able to realistically expect to find such a person within their salary guidelines?

Finally, the employer must understand when it is right to stop interviewing candidates and make a hire.  All too often, I watch companies bring in several people, find someone they really think is a fit yet they continue interviewing others.  By the time they realize the person they met earlier on is the best match, they often lose out because another company moved quicker.

To summarize, employers should be very sure they are ready to hire before opening a search and also need to know the type of person they need.  Once they find that person, the key is to act swiftly and make the best offer possible!

Interesting Boston Opportunity!

Excellent contract assignment in downtown Boston requires a customer support person with excellent internet skills to support users of educational websites via phone and online.  Must be able to quickly resolve issues with minimal escalation; be very comfortable with current Windows products; and knowledge of all popular internet tools.  Send resumes in MS Word format to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Employer's Option

Whether you like it or not, employers control your fate as an employee and you are working simply because they have given you the opportunity to do so.  Certainly, you were hired because of the specific qualities and talents they saw in you which they felt would help there business but keep in mind who signs the paycheck each week.

Each time I place a consultant into a new workplace, I remind them that their talents, personality, past work history, etc. got them the job but that they need to remember that every day is an audition.  Beyond performing the skills required and producing workflow on schedule, you need to fit into the company's environment.  Way too often, I receive a call after a few weeks saying that the consultant knows what they are doing but needs to stop telling their co-workers and/or managers what they are doing wrong and what needs to be fixed by the employer.  Unless you are asked to do so, just perform the tasks at hand and be thankful to be employed.

One such call I received talked about a consultant who told a vice president that his company had no idea what they were doing!  This person also informed co-workers that the creamer provided for the FREE coffee offered each day was not healthy!  I was told they were considering ending an 8 month assignment after a few weeks unless this individual calmed down and showed respect to the employer.  Happily, this situation was resolved by explaining chain of command and suggesting to bring  their own milk for the coffee.

While I do understand the need to be conscientious and to feel like you must do the job to the best of your ability, please remeber who gives you the opportunity to earn income each day.  As long as nothing you are being asked to do is unsafe, illegal, or dangerous, you need to follow the companies policies and procedures and to acknowledge that you appreciate the chance you have been given to work there.

Early Birds.....

Personally, I was raised by parents who thought sleeping past 6:30 AM on weekends was wasting your day away so I have always shown up for meetings and appointments early whenever possible. Candidates who habitually arrive at interviews after the appointed time have no place in my pool of prospects to send to my clients. Also, I have issues with people who tell me they desperately need a job but take 2-3 days to call me back after I leave word to schedule an interview with a hiring manager.

We all know that hiring decisions have taken weeks or even months to come to fruition over the past few years so our sense of urgency kind of lost its edge. Watch out! In the last 4 weeks, I have had 3 companies go from job posting to resume review to interviews to hiring decisions in 10 working days or less! To a veteran recruiter, this is better than a shot of adrenalin!

In each case, the clients asked me to set up 2 candidates for interviews, giving me no more than 24 hours to make things happen. Only one candidate per opportunity got back to me fast enough to attend the interview and all 3 were quickly offered jobs. the others took anywhere from 3-5 days to respond and were out of luck.

I asked each of the slow responders for their reasons for taking a bit too long to reply. Two said they only check voice mails and emails every two days and the third said she did not think it was urgent even though my message said to call back immediately. Please be aware that the early bird certainly still stands the best chance of catching the worm!

Crane Maintenance Manager - Newark NJ

Industry leader in the marine shipping industry
needs a consummate professional with 10+ years of progressive experience including maintenance, engineering, and operations management of super heavy duty quay cranes. Prior union experience and extensive crane background a must. B.S. in Mechanical, Electrical, Structural, Electronic Engineering or similar required. To learn more about this opportunity, send a detailed resume in MS Word format to Harold Levin of SmartStaff Personnel (908-508-0300, ext. 205) at harold@smartstaff.jobs --Only candidates of interest will be contacted. Our client will provide relocation assistance if needed.

QA / Application Support Job

The following posting is for a 4-6 month project in Bergen County, NJ:
2+ years QA testing experience with eText, LMS, CMS, and media products plus administrator applications support such as add/delete users, network topology, FTP, etc.
Please send resume in MS Word format to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

A Pretty Big Oops!

UCLA fell victim to a pretty significant technical glitch this week which left many potential college students with the impression they were moved from the waiting list to the ranks of those accepted by the school. Unfortunately, this was a huge mistake. Read more by following this link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/campus-overload/post/ucla-accidentally-accepts-894-waitlisters/2012/04/11/gIQACtTeAT_blog.html?hpid=z4

What Not to Wear

No one will ever hire me to replace Clinton Kelly on 'What Not to Wear' or any of the other fashion related television shows that have become so popular! My wife and daughter have tried without luck to change my clothing style for a very long time. Putting all this aside, I do get questions from job seekers all the time about how to dress for interviews and I ask this question of hiring managers quite often.

The days of following the rule that a candidate must always wear a business suit have faded a bit. The best suggestions I can make are that you want to look professional but not overdressed, conservative but not stodgy, and to appear comfortable however you choose to dress. Of course, the type of job or industry will dictate somewhat how you should look. A machine shop mechanic probably needs to be a bit more casual than a CPA for example but no matter what, you must be well groomed and neat at all times.

For women, coordinated separates are totally acceptable, especially with conservative jewelry and footwear. Avoid wild designs on your nails and streaking your hair with colors such as green, purple, or pink (yes, I have seen this more than once on interviews i have conducted)! Into is okay for men to wear a blazer and khakis as long as they are well pressed. Some guys feel the need to douse themselves in very strong smelling cologne. Leave it off on interview days! Also, avoid blazers that are bright yellow or neon green (yup, I have seen this too)!

Basically, neat, somewhat conservative, and tasteful are the rules. Visiting discount clothing stores is fine if your budget is a bit restricted. No one is expecting you to spend all of your resources on your wardrobe!

A Good Holiday!

This weekend is unique with the holidays of Passover and Easter in full swing simultaneously. Even in these challenging times with so many out of work, underemployed, or simply worried about the future, taking a little time to celebrate holidays with family and friends is always refreshing. I wish everyone nothing but the best and hope that the coming months will be fruitful for all of us!

Formula for Stimulus

April has arrived with just a bit more positive energy on the job front. I have actually seen some hires made in the past few weeks and a handful of employers have indicated they are close to adding additional staff to their very depleted ranks. At the same time, a fair number of hiring managers have shared stories of all time lows in new orders for their goods and services. Trying to analyze which industries are hot has been puzzling as the results of my unofficial canvassing are not showing a steady trend.

My opinion is that the success of a company is driven by some factors they cannot control such as overall demand for what they produce or distribute, transportation costs to get their goods or even their service people to their customers, competition from foreign markets, and the public's perception of the economy. The areas I believe a company can control are quality of product, level of customer support and service, turnaround time for delivering the order, and ability to offer their product at a competitive price. Where some companies appear to be struggling is a reluctance to modify their product or service to the current expectations of their customers. Most consumers are looking for a bigger bang for their dollar and feel entitled to additional bells and whistles at little or no increase in cost to purchase.

This is where the job market could be impacted. Companies that stand by their original concepts and are unwilling to be flexible look to be the ones struggling the most right now. There are many talented individuals on the job market. I suggest that this is a great time to look for talent with innovative ideas, offer them a job, perhaps on a contract to permanent basis initially, and see if they can identify some tweaks to your process which could bring in additional revenue. The old adage that sometimes you have to spend a little money to make money definitely applies here.

Stimulus packages can appear in subtle ways and I think this is one of them. Imagine this, if every employer added 1-2% to their workforce to try to bring in creative minds, the national unemployment rate could possibly drop under 8%. All those people who were re-employed would have money in their pockets to pay off debt and perhaps do a little shopping which would help fill the empty storefronts and put even more people back to work. Feel free to let me know if you think I am dreaming but I trully think this could go somewhere!

Wasting Money

While I am a big football fan, I have to question the management and ownership of the New York (or should I say Florham Park / East Rutherford?) Jets for their recent spending spree. Even non-fans likely have heard about the trade that brought Tim Tebow, the quarterback with just a handful of starts in the NFL, to the Jets last weekend.

Not only did the Jets miss the fact that he was owed a $5 million bonus which they ultimately split with the Denver Broncos as part of their trade agreement, they ended up giving $500,000 to Drew Stanton to get rid of him. Stanton is a seldom used third string QB who signed with the Jets about 2 weeks ago then asked to be traded when Tebow was acquired. When the Jets signed Stanton (who did not play in a single game last season at Detroit), they agreed to a $650,000 one year salary plus the signing bonus. In order to trade him, they ate the bonus. So, in addition to Tebow's salary, they just paid out $3 million in bonus dollars!

I wonder what the hundreds of people who have been laid off in recent years by Johnson and Johnson have to say to Woody Johnson, owner of the Jets. Hopefully, everyone who has been impacted by J+J's cutbacks will not spend any of their precious money on Jets tickets, products, etc. The only way to send a message to professional sports owners about their spending habits is stop giving them additional funds from our pockets.

This might sound harsh because it is meant to come across that way. With scores of people struggling to pay mortgages, procure health insurance and educate their children on reduced wages, I cannot condone the spending going on in professional sports today.

Positively Passionate

One of my favorite things about working in recruiting and coaching is that I learn something new just about every day. A longtime client taught me to look beyond the raw skills and experience in a candidate and focus on their passion, their desire to do well and their love of their chosen field. He also validated something I always knew but cannot hurt to have reinforced, interviews need to remain positive at all times.

Let's start with passion. Three candidates interviewed with this hiring manager for an engineering position. All were reasonably similar in their educational background, types of companies they had previously worked for, years of related experience, certifications and software packages, etc. Salary expectations were about the same as well. Two of them were very efficient and competent on their interviews and highly professional. The third was all of the above but shared success stories from their past as well as how much they love their work and how they are constantly researching ways to improve how they perform on the job. At the end of the interview, this person was the only one who asked for the job and ultimately did get hired.

Positive interviews are very critical to getting a new job. No one wants to hear that you despised your prior manager, hated your co-workers, disliked the old fashioned furniture in your office, felt your company did not spend enough money on computer upgrades,etc. What they prefer to hear is what you accomplished at the old job, how you coped with the limitations thrown your direction, and how you made the best of what you had to work for. Even when times were better and their was a shortage of available candidates, employers hesitated to hire people who came across in a negative way.

Everything I have written today might seem obvious to you but I assure you hiring managers will scrutinize you closely. Remain 'Positively Passionate' at all times and you will improve your chances exponentially. Good luck!

Negative Reaction!

As mentioned many times in the past, I entered the placement and staffing industry way back in the 1980's. No matter how busy or slow times have been, each day promises to be just a bit different than the one before it in this business. Yesterday was no exception to this rule and certainly was not among my top ten.

One of my clients informed me that they decided not tho hire my candidate whom they had interviewed multiple times simply because, while they liked this person a lot, they felt that the person's prior work experience might not have been sufficient to meet the demands of the job that needs to be filled. I tried phoning the person to no avail so left an email gently breaking the news and offering to chat by phone to better explain the decision. In closing, I also wished the candidate all the best as they continue to pursue new jobs. This candidate happens to be employed but is looking to re-enter a field they were laid off from not too long ago.

The email I received back told me to call the potential employer to thank them for wasting the candidate's time and went on to end with a message to me that basically said thanks for nothing. Number one, the client company invested a lot of time in the hiring process and they were extremely diligent and thoughtful as they went through their paces. Second, no recruiter will ever intentionally waste a candidate's time as we get paid for placing people and their is no commission earned for spinning somebody's wheels. Even more important to the candidate, I will not consider calling if I ever get a similar job lead again.

Please remember that most people recall good and bad experiences they have had with people. You never want to end up on the bad list as it might just come back to get you when you least expect it!

Financial Data Support needed in Paramus NJ

Excellent temp opportunity requires 2+ yrs experience organizing, managing, and inputting contracts into Excel spreadsheets. Must have excellent Excel capabilities. Royalties knowledge a plus. Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Rise To The Top Of The List!

Over 30 years ago, I graduated from college with a Liberal Arts background at a time when the economy was just a little bit less flat than it is today. Jobs were not especially plentiful unless you happened to have an engineering background. No matter how hard my dad tried to aim me in that direction, it was not destined to happen.

With no other immediate options, I chose from among the entry level retail management and insurance sales jobs offered and went to work for what would now be termed a big box retailer as a management trainee. After three years of toiling in obscure, older stores I was 'promoted' to a team opening a brand new store in southern NJ. One of my tasks was to help fill approximately 125 jobs. An ad was placed in the local news paper which netted over 700 applicants over a 2 day span! I was one of three people screening all these candidates and I assure you it was challenging just to keep straight who was who.

Most of the candidates seemed to have been clones with little or no documented work experience, terrible communication skills, poor attitudes, and an arrogance that said 'give me a job because I am entitled to it.' There were a handful who caught my attention. Those that I selected fit into a few categories: took the time to dress neatly; used decent eye contact; managed to listen to my name when I introduced myself and repeated it back to me during the interview; filled out all the information on the job application; actually asked for the job at the end of the interview.

As you can tell, none of this is brain surgery. What made them stand out is that the others did none of the above! In this very tough era for job seeking, remembering to do the simple things will help you rise to the top of the list!

Software Engineer Needed

A very good client has a need for a contract Software Engineer with HP-UX, HTML5, Adobe Creative Suite 3 and Content Management Systems (CMS) experience. Position could be based in Northern NJ, NYC, Boston, Chicago, or Arizona. Send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908.508.0300, ext. 205.

Linsanity Everywhere!

Jeremy Lin, the former Harvard University basketball star turned instant phenom on the New York Knicks NBA team, has created quite a buzz in recent weeks. My interest in the NBA is minimal at best but I have been impressed with the instant marketing success this young man became almost overnight. As a sports fan, I realize that he could be a one hit wonder and fade into the woodwork quickly. That is not what is important to me right now.

My takeaway from this Linsanity madness is how a very unknown star from a school not usually known for its athletic successes turned into an overnight sensation and how this could be applied to candidates trying to add a little spark to their job search strategies. All too frequently, a candidate will contact me at my agency and tell me they have been out of work so long (time ranges from a month to a few years) that they are desperate and will work for minimum wage in an attempt to get back to their chosen field where they used to make much more ($40-100K+/-) and they practically beg for their resume to be sent out even if the job is a complete mismatch. As a career coach, people will ask to meet with me and lament that they have become complete failures since they sent out perhaps ten resumes in the last six months and no one called them for interviews.

Candidates need to sound less like the New York Mets organization (sorry Mets fans!) and more like Jeremey Lin and the Knicks! A good friend has been out of work for a few months and has sent out countless resumes and had some substantial interviews but not landed a job just yet. Whenever I ask how he is doing he responds that he is doing Great and never complains! Perception is 90% of the issue when job hunting. Before you all start telling me it is impossible to remain positive in such bleak times, I am here to tell you that it is essential to do so! If you cannot keep the energy level high (and I do understand how hard that is to do) then you need to get some help. Join a few networking groups, get out among people, find a career coach, talk with a clergy person, network with your friends and neighbors, do something to get the positive juices flowing through your body. I cannot promise instant success but I assure you it will go a long way toward getting you back on track!

It's Your Decision

Employers constantly ask me why it is so difficult to find qualified individuals willing to interview for open job opportunities. One very long time client said something to me recently which has gotten under my skin. He mused that perhaps people have become comfortable or complacent while unable to find a job in their field the last few years and are plain old giving up. We chatted a bit further and he almost convinced me that many among us are discovering how to make do with less and are no longer looking for career jobs, rather they are taking something at a lower earning level without a lot of required skills to pay the very basic bills and not stress out as much as in the past.

Since this discussion, I have pondered this quite extensively. Search engines used to be loaded with highly skilled professionals who were updating their resumes every few months to stay near the top of the list of available candidates. Now, when running an online search, it is quite normal to notice that 75% of the resumes have not been updated in at least 18 months. The first reaction is maybe they found new jobs. Upon calling, I have learned that a lot of people never found something in their field, are doing totally unrelated work, and will only rejoin their field if offered at least the same pay rate as when they were laid off 3-4 years ago. There is much reluctance to give up their current position, even if low paying, to run the risk of being laid off again.

Frankly, our economy has little or no chance of rebounding if we cannot get qualified professionals to fill job openings as business picks up just a bit. If we cannot fill these jobs locally in the near future, companies will have no choice but to farm work out to off shore organizations. Candidates need to realize that companies cannot afford to offer more money than paid in 2008 and, most likely, will need to offer less until business truly turns around.

My conclusion? if you really are serious about jump starting your career, make some sacrifices and take a job in your chosen field regardless of the pay rate. If you do not act soon, chances are you will be left behind when things finally turn around.

Editorial Assistant Opportunity!

Bergen County NJ Publisher is hiring! BA in English, Journalism, Writing, Communications, or similar required along with internship or work experience providing editorial support to authors, writers, educators, etc. MS Office proficiency a must. 3-4 month project. Resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205.

Estimator Needed for Perm Opportunity

A well established client in Central NJ has an immediate job opening (full time, permanent) for an Estimator who has experience in the custom millwork field. This person has to have either created millwork or run estimates in the past including costing out labor, identifying and ordering raw materials and being able to arrive at a final cost for the work. Send resumes or referrals to harold@smartstaff.jobs or call Harold Levin at 908-508-0300, ext. 205 to discuss.

The Perfect Job!

Did you ever pause for a moment and ask yourself what the perfect job would be? How much would it pay? Where would it be located? Are vacation days and health benefits in the package? Would I receive overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 per week? Is there a health club membership included? Where is the holiday party located and may i bring a guest? What will my co-workers be like to work with? These are all questions I hear repeatedly from job seekers but they are not the ones I wish they were asking!

Ask yourself some of the following questions and see if they make more sense. Will this job allow me to grow professionally? Is the employer stable and does it have a reputation of treating employees professionally? Am i capable of doing a good job or do I lack some of the needed skills? Why is this position currently open? What is the management structure like and who will be my immediate boss?

It is important to note that what is perfect for one person could be a major mistake for another. Feel free to share your thoughts on what would make a job perfect for you.

Leaping Forward

Since today is February 29, I decided to come up with some ideas to help job seekers leap ahead in their quests for success. What follows are some suggestions, in no particular order, which some of you might already employ. Feel free to share other methods which you have found helpful as this list is extremely open ended!

~Networking is key to getting your name out to as many people as possible. Find one new networking group, professional association, job seeker support group, etc. and attend a meeting or workshop this month.
~Staying with the networking theme, contact at least 3 or 4 people you know from any walk of life and schedule a 30 minute meeting with them to discuss your job search, their impressions of you, how they have been successful and so on. You will be amazed at the knowledge you could gain!
~Make a diary of an entire week's job search activities and see if you are spending at least 3-4 hours per day. Also determine whether or not you are mixing up your week or doing exactly the same thing each day. Keys to success include dedicating enough time and also varying what you do to avoid becoming complacent.
~Dig up your notes for the past 3+ months and go back and contact every company you have applied to in the past, or at least check their websites, to see if something new has developed which you could qualify for.
~Finally, try something new and different to add some new energy to your process. I admit I am an old dog at times but did learn a new trick from my daughter recently. Check out Pinterest through Facebook. I am not an expert yet but there are some great pieces of information for job hunting on this site!

That is probably enough to keep you busy for a while! As I said earlier, feel free to share other ideas if you wish. I will do my best to have a new list ready to go by next February 29!!