Archive for August, 2011

Executive Recruitment – Learn How To Recruit The Best Candidates!

Where Executive Recruiters excel is in finding the best candidate for the position vs. the most available one. A good Recruiter should not blanket their client with resumes. No. They should earn their fee by taking that stack of resumes and doing their job; which is to find the best fit for their employers’ culture who has the required skill set.

Far too many people in the industry call themselves Recruiters but lack the specific skill sets that distinguish the real pros. The remarkable thing is any HR department or person who finds themselves saddled with recruiting responsibilities can gain those skill sets and strategies with training.

If you find yourself with a stack of resumes my advice is pick out a few of the promising ones Don’t read the entire stack it’s a time waster and then pick up the phone. Resumes are a primitive tool in my opinion and no substitute for a conversation. The guy with the best resume may come across as completely offensive.

If you don’t know what questions to ask to qualify a candidate quickly you’ll spend countless hours running in circles. These’s nothing worse than finding an excellent candidate who would never consider the position you have to offer! How do you avoid this unfortunate egg on your face situation? By getting the basic training all Recruiters need.

There is an ebb and flow or natural rhythm to the recruiting process. It’s not hard if you know what to ask and when to ask the right questions.

One thing new Recruiters fail to understand another time killer is how to talk with their hiring manager decision maker for a full understanding of what will make that manager say Yes make an offer! It’s the Recruiter’s responsibility to clarify the ‘short list of requirements’ before they talk with the first candidate. This is an important step.

Matching great candidates with good employers is easy when one understands and follows the recruiting process. Outsiders often look at what Recruiters do and think Piece of cake! I can do that. It’s true they probably can do the job. What is also true is they will be efficient and effective only after they learn the process and master the key skills needed to do the job well.

My advice…Executive Recruitment is a high paying fascinating rewarding profession once one takes the time to approach the position as a professional. Get training before you make your first call or agree to your first assignment and success will shower your efforts with an array of rewards.

For more information visit www.toprecruitersecrets.com

About the writer:  Kimberly Schenk has over 15 years experience as an Executive Recruiter and Trainer. She owns and manages several businesses. She shares her success strategies and recruiting methods in the eBook “Top Recruiter Secrets”. Permission is granted to reuse this article as long as no changes are made and this bio is included. If you liked this article please visit us at: http://www.toprecruitersecrets.com

How To Prepare For The Big Interview

Aside from having an effective resume prepared one of the most important aspects of your job search will be knowing how to get ready for a facetoface interview. There are several tips that will help you maximize your communications skills and leave the hiring authority ready to make you a job offer.

1. First of all usually a telephone interview will be arranged by either the company representative or your personnel recruiter. You will want to be in top form on the phone listening intently and giving enough information regarding your background to entice the hiring authority to bring you in and learn more about what you have to contribute.

2. When arriving for your interview be sure to be on time brighteyed and bushytailed. If you are late for your appointment know that the prospective employer will see this as a sign that you will be late to work. Be sure to greet everyone you are introduced to with a smile and a firm handshake. Image is important so dress professionally and remember that you get one chance to make a good first impression.

3. As the interview progresses be attentive and ask questions in a manner that will keep the conversation balanced. The last thing you want to do is talk too long and go on about details the employer may not be interested in. Watch and listen to make sure you are holding their attention by offering answers that are brief and to the point. It is always an excellent idea to do research about the company ahead of time so that you can ask intelligent questions and make reference to information you have learned about your prospective employer. The interviewer needs to hear that you are impressed with their organization and the direction they are headed in the marketplace.

4. By searching on the internet you will find possible questions that might be asked. This will give you a chance to think over how you will respond on the day of your interview. Study the job requirements and if there is something you are familiar with but not proficient in you can search these topics as well to be sure you will have knowledge in these areas. By preparing yourself ahead of time answers will come much easier and the conversation will flow without hesitation. Of course you won’t know exactly what they will ask but you can have a bit of a heads up on some things that might surface by doing a little reading before you meet with the company.

5. Before leaving be sure to acquire business cards from the key people you interviewed with. It is crucial to have this contact information so that you can followup with a thank you letter when you return home.

Keep in mind that it may take several interviews before you find the right career opportunity that best suits your expertise and interests. When you do be sure to let the hiring authority know you would like to have an offer and that you will prove to be an asset to their team.

About the writer:  ResumeEdge is a leader in resume editing and writing services. For more information visit ResumeEdge online.

How To Avoid Job Interview Mistakes

Most people are very nervous about job interviews and it’s natural to feel that way. After all you’re in the hot seat answering pointed questions about yourself and your history while trying to make yourself attractive to your potential employer. With some preparation and knowhow about what common major mistakes to avoid you can set aside those interview fears and handle the meeting with confidence.

The first mistake is showing a noted lack of confidence in both yourself and your abilities. Whether you think you’re showing it or not your interviewer will be able to sense your lack of confidence like a vulture catching the scent of an impending death and your interviewer will be unlikely to trust in the abilities of someone who doesn’t appear to trust themselves.

You should be honest about your capacities but play up your talent in what you can do when speaking to your interviewer. Don’t worry about rubbing your potential employer the wrong way by seeming arrogant. As long as you don’t act like a prima donna take the potential job seriously and avoid demeaning your interviewer or their organization you should come off as selfconfidant rather than a pompous ass.

Many people want temporary work or aren’t sure if they’ll be with the company for a long time. Whether you’re looking for longterm employment or something shorter always try to leave your interviewer with the impression that they won’t have to go through the hiring process again anytime soon. At the same time be honest about your intentions if the question comes up and have your explanations and reasons handy.

Employers look for staff that are reliable and those who tend to bounce from job to job aren’t going to have good chances of being hired. Also if your work history shows that you’ve changed jobs frequently be prepared to answer why and make sure those reasons are solid.

Preparation for a job interview is another must that people often overlook. Don’t even try thinking you can wing it without at least some level of planning. If your resume has less than flattering facts or history on it you’ll want to prepare for the interviewer to discover those facts and discussion about them.

A little research into the organization you’re trying to work for as well as researching the person interviewing you can go a long way. Further a prewritten list of questions about the position for your interviewer to answer will make you seem smart and savvy both qualities interviewers want to see in an applicant.

As you can see sweating out a job interview isn’t the way to land yourself that dream job. Grab hold of your selfconfidence and the knowledge you’ve got the skills your employer is looking for and land that job opportunity with pride the pride you have in your talents.

About the writer:  John Edmond owns and writes regularly for Careerbuilder Jobs where you can find more information and advice on how to survive the job interview and succeeding in the job selection process.