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.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
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.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, June 8, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
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!
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!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
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.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
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.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
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.
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.
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