For Jobs

Hunting Jobs Many job seekers are misinformed about our role in the search process. Our primary responsibility is to find qualified candidates for our clients. Our job is to make a match that is suitable to both the candidate and the company.

If you are downsized in today's soft market, there are things you can immediately do: Don't panic. Leap into action and be pro-active. Work at job hunting eight hours or more each day, seven days a week. Stop watching TV news and reading the newspapers, except to answer Sunday ads and read the cartoons and sports section. Stay away from negative friends and relatives. Stay positive yourself and don't let others drain you. The sky is not falling. Conserve your money, reduce your expenses and take a temp job until a better one comes along. If you are an older candidate, 50+, consider starting your own consulting company at the same time you job hunt. Do parallel action. Calling on companies as a business man (consultant) is easier than as a job hunter. Companies may be willing to hire you on a consulting basis first, and then later hire you full time. At least you are being proactive and doing something to make things happen. It will make you "feel" better. Get a good email service. Companies that are concerned about SPAM sometimes kick out "Hotmail" and other free email address in an effort to cut down on SPAM. AOL and MSN sometimes do not handle attachments very well. Market yourself as a problem solver who is excellent with people. Look for things you can do rather than specific job titles. When you find a prospective employer, ask yourself what they need and think of ways your talents can mesh with their needs. Prepare in advance for the interview. At the bottom of this page, are "Job Interviewing Tips" and other ideas. This is available to help you. In the interview, be concise, give concrete examples of what you can do for the company and know when to stop talking. Be a superior listener. Demonstrate that you are flexible and willing to learn new skills. Don't discuss money and benefits until after you have been offered the position--unless the interviewer brings up the subject. At the bottom of this page is information on "Salary Negotiations", etc. Tell a prospective Employer what is important to you. Show how you dealt with any downtime. If you have been out of the workforce for a while, account for the time. Above all be honest. A no-brainer, but many people embellish their resumes. They fudge dates to make it look like they have worked continuously, or they play around with their degrees. They assume that no one is checking. Today companies pay attention, they call references. So play it straight. And remember: "Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore RooseveltUnderstand a Search Firm's Role Our fees are paid by the Company, not by the candidates. Typically, when a client retains a search firm, it searches its data base for individuals whose backgrounds and credentials roughly match the specifications of the position. Then they contact potential candidates. Use search firms that specialize in your career fields or functions and your chances of being contacted about available positions are greatly improved.Respond to Calls Search firms typically check their existing internal candidate system before tapping external sources. The background information is entered into a data bank and can be cross-referenced by a variety of qualifying parameters, years of experience, management responsibilities, relocation preferences, designations and compensation level.Be Cooperative Cultivating a good relationship with a search consultant should be a strategic ingredient in an executives career plan. Those people who are consistently reliable and cooperative often are considered more favorably when a promising opportunity emerges. When you have life style or job changes, keep us informed. Rule of Three's Even if a headhunter calls, hold off celebrating. We are glued to the telephone and run our search efforts by a Rule of Three's: Usually, at least three people are contacted for each one that may eventually be interviewed and usually three people are selected for interviewing with the company