Job Boards

Last week, while looking for a specialized candidate on a job board, I found a very good fit (at least at first glance). Skills matched nicely, salary needs were close but he lived about 30 miles from the site. Not to worry! His profile said he would drive up to 100 miles! A recent consultant of mine, drove about 150 miles round trip daily for over 9 months. Upon calling this candidate, he told me anything over 15 miles each way was out of the question. I figured he made a typo but he implied that he set parameters high to get calls. Do not do this ever! Most recruiters will agree with me that once this happens, they will keep that candidate's name in the back of their head for a very long time!!

Just Like the Good Old Days!

Once upon a time, in that era called the 1990's, recruiters prioritized their work day by asking a simple question: Which open job requirements are most likely to result in a deal? The most probable ones got the majority of their attention. As we endured the slim pickings of the past 10 months or so, any open job was considered a hot job! I am happy to say that trend is shifting yet again. To hiring managers: please be serious when you call a staffing firm and ask for help. Ensure that your superiors will utilize the services before wasting the time of a recruiter who is most likely relying heavily on commission checks.

ETC.

• Cash for Clunkers seems to have stimulated the economy just a bit. Even though my old car did not qualify, I was able to purchase a car at a very competitive price. It has been an exceptionally long time since the new car lots of dealerships have been so empty which i assume is good news.
• While not stellar, the job market seems to be waking up step by step. Companies are starting to realize they lack coverage for vacation or emergency leaves.
• Employers in hiring mode are being more cautious than ever. The toughest challenge I have seen is the requirement of verifying the last 3 employers. This is quite frustrating if some of the former companies are no longer in existence.
• Now is the time to make major purchases or home improvements (assuming you have the funds to do so) as I doubt prices will drop much more.
• Please do not become a couch potato. Now is the right time to start pounding the pavement.

Mechanics needed ASAP!!!!

A very good client in Northern Bergen County, NJ needs a Maintenance Mechanic and an Electro-Mechanical Maintenance Technician to work 3:30-midnight and other hours as needed. Send questions to Harold@smartstaff.jobs.

Recession Buster Resume Tip #3

Everyone I know in the placement field, every self proclaimed resume expert, and most HR professionals will tell you to list every skill you have ever used on your resume. They are correct but there needs to be a method to your madness. Make a list of all your skill sets and then investigate to learn which of them are in the highest demand and post them first.

Quick Tip!

www.jobcentral.org is becoming a good place for both employers and candidates to utilize and is much more efficient than its predecessor, America's Job Exchange. Give it a try!

Keeping Busy!

If you noticed I have not been writing very often of late, it is primarily due to a sudden flurry of job orders from my clients over the past 10 days or so! Here are the rules I am adhering to:
1) No job is too low paying or too complicated for me to fill.
2) If a client is asking for help, chances are it is critical and time is of the essence no matter what.
3) Only send out candidates who demonstrate a desire to work and a willingness to be flexible on all counts.

Assuming you are curious, I could use candidates who are Paralegals with heavy litigation experience and knowledge of the laws surrounding public utilities or telecommunications companies (Central NJ); CAPA Analysts with a lot of corrective action process experience in the medical implant world (Northern NJ); QA inspectors with solid background using gages, calipers, etc. to test medical devices (Northern NJ); and a Data Warehouse Manager for the Albany, NY region with SAP BW/BI experience. Send resumes to harold@smartstaff.jobs or reach me via this site or LinkedIn!

Recession Buster Resume Tip #2

Hiding dates of employment is a terrible idea. Some of my colleagues are embracing this concept but I disagree. The one thing no one needs to do is raise flags of caution and taking out dates will do just that. Many people have taken jobs out of their field to simply stay afloat. No need to hide this! Instead, consider dividing your work history into two parts: Related Work Experience and Other Work Experience.

More to come....