Monthly Archives: September 2009

We Can Help!

Have you recently sent your resume to dozens of potential jobs?   Starting to forget where you sent them?  We can help!

Have you ever sent your resume to a hiring manager and were not sure if they received it?  We can help!

Have you ever had problems getting your references done?  We can help!

Have you ever wanted proper feedback after an interview? We can help!

Have you ever wanted to be better organized with your job search?  We can help!

How you ever wanted to be notified immediately via mobile phone?  We can help!

Have you ever wanted something to completely differentiate you in your job search effort?  We can help!

Get the point?  We can help.  Get your free coupon code here and sign up today at myjobcast.com!  Offer expires October 9th.

Information Technology Job News

JTL Services, Inc. has placed several information technology jobs in the past three months.   In an effort to provide more interactive information on our website and blogs, JTL has empowered some of it’s top recruiters to provide blog content in their niche areas.

My name is Tara LeFevre, partner and executive recruiter with JTL Services.  Part of our growth in this segment will include me providing up to date job information regarding the information technology job market.  I am also seeking any public contributions as well.

Please stay tuned for more posts and in the meantime, feel free to contact me for recommended topics to blog about on this new information technology job blog.

Holy cow Jobs are coming back!

It is approaching a year when the slow down started for us.  The end of last year was great but when January came around there was NO ONE AROUND!  Hiring came practically to a stop.  I must say though over the past 2 weeks the phone has been ringing from clients from the past who are telling us to get ready because they are going to start hiring again.  In fact some have already hired back people that they had to let go.  I just finished my 3rd RFP for new hires from large, national corporations.  It does appear that companies are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

We just finished some new features on our site to make it easier for job candidates to submit their resume and application.  Select the recruiter that best fits your background or the one who has been in touch with you.  Don’t forget to get your references done quickly!  You can have your references done on our site 24 x 7.  If I only had a nickel for everyone who waits until the last moment to get them done.

If you are interviewing on your own and want some help with follow up or the latest cell phone technology then sign up free at www.myjobcast.com.  Don’t forget the coupon code “jobhelp”.

I think that this year is going to end up strong and next year should be much better.

Recruiters out there please give us some feedback on what you are personally seeing.  Are you noticing the increase in your job orders?

Phone screens.

Today more and more companies have added phone screens to their interviewing process.  Sometimes even as many as 2 or 3 calls prior to an on-sight interview is a requirement.  Don’t be taken back by this just understand what you need to do.  With less staff and a large work load clients are extremely tight with their schedules.

Back when the market was “normal” if we were to get a phone interview for one of our job candidates it was as exciting as kissing your sister.  We wouldn’t even count that as a send out because your client didn’t have confidence that your candidate was a good match.  That is why as a recruiter it is extremely important to know your candidates and never over sell someone that doesn’t meet the high standards of what your client is looking for.

The biggest thing to understand is that a phone screen is a weeding out process.  Your job is to do what you need to do to get an on-site interview.  This is not the time for you to decide whether or not you want the job.  This interview is usually a non technical interview by someone in HR.  It would behoove you to use some people skills and NEVER be condescending to the person on the other side of the phone.  The reason I say this because you would be surprised how often this happens.  Just because you were a CFO doesn’t impress the person who is going to decide your fate for an on-sight interview.

A couple of brief tips:

1) Make sure you have a scheduled time for the call.

2) Never use your cell phone.

3) Be as prepared as if it was an on-site interview.

4) Since you can’t see the client’s reaction keep your answers short and to the point.  You can elaborate but that’s if they want you to.

5) Don’t talk too much.

6) This is not the time nor place to be discussing salary.

I will be coming out soon with a video dedicated to the phone screen but for know you can get some prep advice here.

Criticism Friend or Foe?

Are you the type of person that is attracted to people who are extremely nice?  Do you find yourself gravitating towards people that tend to agree and think the way you do?  Are you afraid of strong personalities?  Do opposites really attract?  Success in life can really depend on how you answer these questions.

Your strengths will only take you as far as your weakness will allow.  Its like the chain is only as strong as the weakest link.  The same thing is true about us as people.  When it comes to you and your career one must spend more time developing your weaknesses in order to become a stronger employee or a business owner.

When I first started out in business I was extremely hungry for criticism.  Whether it came from a guy who knew a guy who had a brother… which I’m not suggesting is a good idea.  Be careful who you listen to but for me I didn’t need praises or comments that were geared to make me feel good.  The warm and fuzzies have never been part of my makeup simply because It doesn’t offer me anything.  I was more interested in why people failed so that I wouldn’t repeat it.

What is a tremendous help is when someone is honest with you.  Pick one of my recruiters Tara LeFevre, Tim Peters or Bryant Madore and let me tell you that they will educate you with the facts that will help you in your search.  Some job candidates talk way too much for example and we must let them know.  Sometimes you need to have the guts to say “Hey Joe is that your breath I smell or is there a turd stuck up in my nose?”  Gosh Jeff that’s not what someone should say!  Well I know that but perhaps suggesting a mint might help.  The only problem is if they don’t take the mint.  So if someone ever says to you “hey would you like a mint” to avoid further embarrassment say “sure!”   I think its wrong not to tell someone the truth.  How can you allow someone to go around with breath like that?  Terrible!  Just terrible!

MyJobCAST.com is a system that is set up to get the feedback that you won’t get when trying to find a job on your own.  With a feedback system built in, hiring managers are answering a questionnaire about how you did on the interview good or bad.  Getting this information from hiring mangers is a huge plus for job candidates.

Helping out our clients is sometimes hard to do but we need to do it.  Your not helping yourself or your client by not educating them about their process in respect to the market.  You need to explain to them the realities of what you are seeing on a day to day basis.  Some markets favor the job candidates and when you delay the process or can’t decide to hire a particular candidate you will probably lose that candidate to another company.  Today with higher unemployment clients feel that they can delay and be extremely choosy about pulling the trigger, but what we are seeing is that there are good candidates out there and they are getting offers quicker than some expect.  The point I want to make is that when you see a job candidate that can do the job and is a good fit then hire them or risk losing them.  Now I know what your thinking is that I’m a recruiter and I want to make placements.  True but the facts are still the facts and what ends up happening is that I have to take the blame for it when my client finds out that “JOE” candidate has just taken another job.