Posted by Saundra Lee on Thu, Oct 27, 2011 @ 04:33 AM
Many job seekers tell me that they applied to a company but they had no idea what happened to their resume.
Have you ever submitted your resume to an exciting position at a Fortune 100 company that seemed like you would be ideal for and maybe you received an automated response but then heard nothing?
In my “Interview with the Experts” series, I spoke with my clients at Fortune 100 companies that are involved in the hiring process and I asked about the resume “black hole.”
Keep in mind that these large companies have huge volumes of submissions and they have verbose Applicant Tracking Systems that manage the whole process. Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fasts goes into some detail in her article. Understanding the process can help you better understand how to navigate the process on your end for maximum benefit.
Take a look at my interview with Julie at a Fortune 50 company as she explains what the job application process looks like on the company side.
The good news is that we work with Fortune 100 companies as well as small and mid-sized companies to help them find the Corporate Accounting & Finance talent.
Take a look at our featured jobs that we are working on at Dubin & Lee
Posted by:Saundra LeePresidentDubin & Lee
Posted by Saundra Lee on Wed, Oct 19, 2011 @ 04:44 AM
An article in the Boston Globe by Scott Kirsner(@ScottKirsner) this past week asked us to ponder 2 scenarios:
Scenario 1: You are called into a conference room Monday morning and told your job no longer exists. Here’s a cardboard box, and let us know if you ever need a reference.
Scenario 2: A more senior position is posted at your company, paying 20 percent more than your current job. More responsibility, more direct reports, bigger budget. Your application has to be in by the end of the week.
Some very helpful advice to stay competitive in today’s workforce was offered but one very important tactic was left out. In all my years as a Headhunter, I have seen no more effective way to maintain job security and consistent upward mobility then to get others to teach us how to do their jobs.
To illustrate how it works, I will share with you a recent scenario.
Evelyn had Accounting Degree but because of the job market, she took an Accounts Payable position. She knew she could do the Staff Accountant job but straight out of college the competition was just too fierce.
Evelyn noticed that the Staff Accountant was always working late so she asked her if there was anything she could do to help. The Staff Accountant showed her how to do “bank rec.s” and a few other Staff Accounting duties and soon they were walking out together shortly after 5pm every night.
The Staff Accountant ended up taking a job as an Accounting Manager at another company and even though it supervised no one at first, she was soon tasked with hiring a Staff Accountant. Yes, Evelyn got the call!
Many of the best jobs this year were filled before a job even got posted!
To stay competitive, you have to be aware of opportunities and consistently increase your marketability. There are many ways to take accountability for your own skill set development but by helping others you can not only help yourselve but you can develop a reputation that will act as the closest thing to job security you will ever find.
To make sure you are aware of opportunities that could be right for you, check out the featured opportunities for this week.
Posted by:Saundra LeePresidentDubin & Lee
Posted by Saundra Lee on Thu, Oct 13, 2011 @ 04:41 AM
I watched the movie “Horrible Bosses” on the plane the other day and while I did laugh out loud from time to time, I was mostly horrified and somewhat reminded of just how unbearable a work environment can be. As a headhunter, I have spoken to many victims of such a situation. The statement I tend to hear a lot from those that reach out to me is, “My job is not what they sold me when I was interviewing.”
So how do you avoid getting sold on something during the interview process that is not true?
Keep in mind, some things are just unforeseeable and sometimes acquisitions, reorganizations and changes in management take place that no one saw coming. However, there are definitely warning signs to look for that they are coming. There is plenty of due diligence you can do to figure out what the environment is already like.
Here are 5 things you can do to figure out the “real deal” before you take the job.
1. Research potential future changes. This can be done before the interview. To identify these changes, look for trends in the industry, the company’s history and a change in the C-suite.
2. Interview with team members. The following are the best questions to ask to determine what it is really like to work there:
- What made you choose this job from the many opportunities I’m sure you had?
- What do you like best about the company?
- What do you like best about your job?
It is not a good idea in an interview to ask “the worst” questions because doing so might reflect poorly on you. If you ask enough people these questions and you see some consistencies, there is a good chance the employees are being sincere. Also, pay very close attention to how they answer. If you are a parent or have ever dated a “player,” you know what to look for.
3. Talk to people who have worked there in the past. This does not mean taking the word of a disgruntled employee. This exercise is meant to give you ideas for great discovery-oriented questions to ask HR, the hiring manager and team members. Again, watch how they answer.
4. Look at turnover. LinkedIn is a great place to do this. If people leave as fast as they come in, ask why. It is a fair question and a good company will like the fact that you are thorough in your due diligence and that you will not make a career move frivolously.
5. Use an Agency. I know this sounds a bit self-promoting but there is no better insurance for you as the job seeker.
Here is the business case: Aside from the ROI if the hire gets promoted at least once in 2 years, the last thing the company wants to have happen is that 4 months down the road, the employee says, “This is not what you said it would be…I’m out!” and now they are out a large agency fee. Many companies will not use an agency if they really don’t know what the future holds in 6 months, or they know they have to lie to get people to work there.
Remember, nothing is guaranteed but if you interview correctly you can cut the chances of, “This is not what I signed up for!”
After my "Jerry McGuire moment" at a large placement agency, I made the leap. Now, I can pick and choose the clients we work.
Never before, in my professional career, have I been so proud and excited about the companies we are representing and of the opportunities available for Corporate Accounting & Finance talent...and I sleep much better at night.
Check out the featured job opportunities for this week!
Posted by:
Saundra LeePresidentDubin & Lee
Posted by Saundra Lee on Thu, Oct 06, 2011 @ 04:40 AM
Yes, it is possible that Facebook could make or break your next career move for one BIG reason.
More and more people are spending more time using Facebook.
A recent report by market researcher Nielsen found that people now spend more time using social networking sites than they do personal e-mail.
An email inbox has become more of a task list as where social media is where people go to, well…be social.
While LinkedIn is “the place to be” if you have an eye out for your next career opportunity, Facebook cannot be ignored because more and more people are spending time there.
Here is what you need to know about Facebook and your job search.
- Your friends are your network too. Many of us would find it uncomfortable to call or email our friends to tell them they are looking for a new job but as long as your job search is NOT confidential, Facebook is a great place to get the word out. This way, those that are eager to help or might know some people in your industry can help. I have been seeing people find jobs frequently this way in the past year or so.
- Don’t wait until you are in need. We have all had that friend that only reached out when they needed something. Don’t be that friend. Find people to reconnect with or those that you know that are already active on Facebook now.
- Friends of friends are sometimes even better. There are some areas of our lives that we tend to keep guarded from our friends, but that 2nd degree connection or someone you just met through one of your friends is just distant enough for more sensitive matters such as salary history and yet familiar enough for a trusted referral.
- BranchOut. BranchOut is an app on Facebook that is like LinkedIn for Facebook because it allows you to network and find jobs through your friends on the social network. BranchOut’s Facebook app lets you search for companies and then shows you all your friends who either work there or know somebody who does.
- CONS: My concern about the application is that many people like to keep business on LinkedIn and personal on Facebook. Only to the job seeker and the job seekers’ friends is a job search personal. It is business for the Hiring Authorities and Recruiters. It’s new so I am not sure how effective it will be but I am starting to try it out now.
- PROS: In 2005 I said the exact same thing about LinkedIn, so who knows?!?!
- Likes! This is where the action is! If you “like” or “become a fan” of a company or job site, you will get updates on new jobs. The features on Facebook allow you to share individual posts in any way you wish (your wall, a friend’s wall, in a private message, to a group or to a page) which can help your network tremendously. Not only is this a super easy and an unobtrusive way for friends to help you it is a fantastic way for you to help others.
Use the massive power of Facebook for Good vs. Evil. Yep, this is the biggee!!! If it is on the internet ANYWHERE, it is public so start thinking about ANYTHING you put on the internet as your personal brand.
Let’s say you have completely skipped using Facebook to find a job and now you are interviewing with your dream company…when they research you on Facebook, which they almost always do, what will they see? PLEASE!!!!!! Make what they see a reason they want to hire you and not a reason for concern….and you know what I mean!
What else can you get from Facebook for your career and job search?
“Like” the Dubin & Lee Facebook page and you will not only get…
- Career advice from me, my clients and colleagues
- Updated on career and job search events
- Updates on new jobs
but you will get a 5 page, step-by-step guide to "Getting Hired" from my “Getting Hired” workshop that covers building your resume, getting your foot in the door, interview preparation, interview tips, "thank you" note tips and best practices for interview follow up.
Note: If you have “Liked” our page before this offer, go to the page and click on the “welcome” app on the left hand side to download the “Getting Hired” guide.
Posted by:Saundra LeePresident,Dubin & Lee