Recruiter Chicks

Periodically, we all need to be reminded of the importance of buttoning up in an interview.  An interview is a business meeting where job seekers and hiring managers put their best foot forward to determine if there is a match.  It’s all about making an impression and sharing information in a concise way.  This may seem rudimentary, but I must remind those interviewing that the meeting starts as soon as you park your car.  At the same token, on the company’s side the interview starts as soon as the candidate parks their car.

Interviewing is an assessment of four key areas:

1.  Skills

2.  Fit

3.  Verbal communication

4.  Non-verbal communication

Preparation is key!  In recent years, the way we conduct business has become less formal and so have interviews.  Because of this trend, people seem to be letting their guard down and communicating their accomplishments as well as the overall scope of their job/experience in a less formal way.  Many job seekers are mirroring the communications style or relaxed nature of the interviewer and unknowingly falling short.  The unfortunate side is that there is no second chance and the person doesn’t even realize they’ve done it.  You want to have a solid conversation with someone, while not letting your guard down or sharing too much.

The moment you enter the company’s parking lot, assume that someone is peeking out and already framing their initial impression.  Your communication from start to finish should be positive and upbeat.  If traffic was awful and you’re asked about it, don’t lie just say it was a little backed up but it was nice to look at the Cherry Blossom trees on the way in.  Follow the negative with a positive.

This information is a good reminder to those looking for entry-level positions as well as those seeking corporate leadership roles.  This is a common topic of discussion among recruiters and business leaders right now and it’s something that everyone who is interviewing should be cognizant of.

Your goal when interviewing is to leave a positive and lasting impression in the time allotted.  And please remember to button up and don’t let your guard down.

Our very own Chris Havrilla is featured in today’s US News Careers blog and she speaks about using several tools in your job search, including job boards.

As many of you know, there is talk of job boards being dead because of all the new tools that have hit the market over the past five years.  Many of these are social media tools, which too are effective when used as a part of your job search strategy, not as the only tool.

Chris goes on to give great suggestions to job seekers about using job boards, following up with the Recruiter after applying for a position and mastering the applicant tracking system among others.

Let’s face it, job boards are not dead.  Whether you’re a Recruiter or a Jobseeker it is a great tool in your kit.  Not the only tool, but a great one.

Check out Chris’ quotes in Miriam Salpeter’s blog post at US News Careers: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/07/06/a-recruiters-tips-for-job-hunting

I don’t know why it still surprises me when people make bold sweeping statements about Recruiters.  Last week Dan Schawbel wrote a follow up post to a Forbes post he did the week prior — which I think was supposed to be a bit of a commercial for a recently announced “Apply With LinkedIn” button by LinkedIn to submit profiles as resumes to HR/Recruiting Management Systems.  Though frankly it really read more like an indictment on Job Boards and the “Lazy” Recruiters who source from them.  The follow up post attempted to quiet the commotion that had followed by acknowledging the general opinion of many in the Recruiting Community that Job Boards are not quite dead yet.

Interestingly no further comment on those “Lazy” Recruiters that use them though.  That is okay, everyone is entitled to their opinion – and most of us know he is not the first and won’t be the last to think or voice it.  The interesting thing to me is that there are plenty in HR/Recruiting who have already been on this bandwagon, shaming Recruiters and even Candidates, into thinking they have no business having this tool in their tool kits.  I beg to differ.

As a Candidate, can you find a job without using a Job Board?  Of course you can.  As a Recruiter, can you find candidates without a Job Board?  Absolutely.  But does that mean you shouldn’t use a Job Board, or that you are lazy, uninformed, or ill-advised if you do?  Ridiculous.  This notion that only passive candidate that are happy in their jobs and not looking are the only quality candidates is simply not true.  Job Boards are clearly not dead.  And the tools available to Job Seekers and Recruiters are not mutually exclusive to each other.

As a Candidate, whether you are passively looking or in the heat of an active search, job boards can be a great resource to see who is hiring now and a host of other information and services.  When you are unemployed, time is usually of the essence — utilize your network for contacts in those companies and you have effectively and efficiently put the wheels in motion.  Now you can start the more methodical targeted job search — finding  potential employers, leads, and unadvertised opportunities from this research to also use in conjunction with your network.  Structure your day around managing your active job leads/interview processes, doing follow up, working your network, continuing research and making new contacts.

As a Recruiter, the approach can be much the same.  A position opens and you can post it internally and externally (Career Site, Job Boards, as well as your network via social tool(s) of choice).  Run a search of your database(s)/pipeline and email those appropriate with a call to action to check out the new job and apply if interested.  Many Recruiters do not have the luxury of time to fill their positions.  These actions are a quick way to capture the attention of internal and active candidates, who are interested in your company and may already be motivated to make a change, about this new opportunity.  With wheels in motion, you can now start the more methodical candidate search — finding potential candidates, leads, and passive candidates from research and your network.   Structure your day around managing your active qualified candidates coming in and in process, working your network, wooing your passive candidates, continuing to make new contacts, etc.

This doesn’t sound lazy to me – it sounds like working smart.  If you were building a house, you wouldn’t just use a hammer – you would combine the strength of multiple tools and methods to get the job done.  Networking is very valuable and also very time consuming.  It is built over time and clearly the bigger and better nurtured and managed, the more you can benefit.   Everybody’s situation is different and all you can do is find an approach that works best for you, making the most of what is available and accessible.  Ignore the judgers and haters  – work smart and use whatever combination of marketing, networking, or sourcing/research works for you.

Go forth and conquer