Please enjoy this music while I connect you

Ah Technology! I might be older, I guess they call this Caller tunes, a music on hold type song that plays while I am waiting to talk to someone about potential employment. I got three of these just this week alone.

Please listen to the following and you tell me if this would get you motivated to consider hiring these people.

First Impressions count, and this is the first thing I hear.

Dennis

***ATTENTION COACHING SESSIONS AVAILABLE!Coaching is available through any combination of in-person, telephone, or email support. Are you prepared to navigate the current job market? If you would like to increase your chances and give yourself a real chance to win the next position. I have developed a simple easy to use and affordable product http://www.mypocketapplication.com/Email me, or call Dennis Scherer for more information!630-571-6025

It's a Conspiracy - Stealing your time

"Companies are just out there trying to waste my time! It must be a conspiracy!" Now that's a common (and ludicrus) sentiment I hear from candidates I coach.

I'm not sure how this conspiracy started, perhaps in the backrooms of a big corporation one day. Maybe it started just as a joke, and then spread to other corporations.

I can see it now... managers sitting around with HR people, laughing, about how they post job ads, receive resumes, make phone calls, set up and conduct interviews, have applicants fill out paperwork, take notes and make applicant files, and in truth, It's all fake! There's no job opening. They're not wasting their time, they are wasting yours. Oh my! I can see how funny this must be. How productive it is for the company!

From a candidate's point of view

They took:

Ten maybe fifteen seconds to click on a job posting

Three to five minutes on a phone interview

Time for the commute both ways

Thirty minute interview

Then they get rejected and think to themselves, "What a waste of time. They brought me in just to reject me!" They "wasted" two hours of your time collectively, yet how much time did they "waste" writing job postings, screening applications, reading resumes, making phone calls, scheduling interviews, conducting interviews, deciding on who (one person out of many) to hire, and filing necessary paperwork?




Something tells me that for the ONE person that got the job, it wasn't such a waste.

Maybe you need to be the ONE or notice why your not, in lieu of thinking the company is out to waste your time.

Dennis
(Video snip is property of IBM corporation)

American Idol

Yes, I watch American Idol. Why? I find it entertaining, funny, and it shows the psychology of the way people think, act, and how others respond to them.

It is great to watch the judges and their initial response to people auditioning. Let us look at the bikini girl, which is all over the news and internet. If you watch Simon, he already had her picked to be “in”. She didn’t have to even sing, and Simon seemed to like what he saw.

If you watch the judges, they respond to the contestants based on how the dress, how they walk in. Do they have the right attitude, confidence? How do they address and impress the judges all on the few seconds up to them saying hello.

Then they tell a short story. The judges ask “Tell me about yourself”, or “Why are you here”, and “Are you the next American Idol?”

That’s funny! These are very similar questions that are asked by hiring managers when they are judging you for a new position.

So at this point either you are winning them over, have lost them or are neutral.

Now comes to the singing, their skill, their craft, what they do. If they are winning a good to great performance might get them to move forward. If the are neutral chances are less. If they start off losing the judges, only a great performance might sway them to have the singer to move on.

When you watch the show, of course for TV entertainment, your only seeing the really good and the really bad.

What happens to the other ten’s of thousands? Well, they get prescreened, they never make it to the final judges, the never get the chance.

Taking out the entertainment value of seeing the bad performers. This is similar to the hiring process. We filter people, screen them, then the final few make it to see the hiring managers.

Just realize that your initial presentation is setting the tone and direction for the rest of the hiring process.

Hello, My Name is

Hi Dennis! How are you???

If I only interviewed one or two people a year, I might recognize your voice. Otherwise when you call, I probably don’t know who you are. I know you might think you are the only one applying for the position, but I hate to break the news to you, your not.

We are not your career psychologist; we are not mind readers, we don’t know you before you call. Help us, and stop asking questions I can’t answer without twenty more questions like:

• Did you get my resume I emailed it 2 minutes ago (again I don’t know your name)
  
• Are you hiring?
  
• Can I work from home (when I list a location)
  
• Is this part time (when I list it is full time)
  
• Telling me I’m un-American because I want bilingual speaking people
  
• What kind job is this (its on the posting)
  
• Where is it (again on the posting)
  
• Your life story and your full work history (breathe, pause let us ask you questions
  

Here are some things to use to make your communication clearer if you are responding to a job posting or inquiring about a job.

First READ the ad. Now I know that takes a minute of your life but trust me it will help you with understanding what kind of candidate they need and if you qualify.

When calling, let us know this;

• Who you are, not just first name, for I know a lot of Bobs
  
• What you are calling for.
  
• Hello, My name is ….. “I am calling in regard to…….” I feel I would be a great fit because I have …… skills”
  

Be clear, direct and to the point.

Why do I write this article? Because we have received over 200 resumes and almost as many calls from a local craigslist ad we placed. The phone was ringing non stop. I understand you want work, and I want to hire someone. To be that someone , please help me out, by letting me know how you fit the job.

Dennis

Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats averaged $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, on one of the finest instruments in the world - how many other things are we missing?

Readers, I find this to be an amazing example of perception and what we do and don’t pay attention to. Here is a person that was worth $100 a seat two days earlier and no one will pay him, in his subway presentation. What is different?

This is a great example of what Apvantage is based on, the fact that the way you are perceived by people that want to hire you, that want to pay you, is based on your presentation.

It isn’t your talents, Joshua Bell is very talented, but he received little attention that day in the subway. And only received a little money all based on how people perceived him at that moment. Make sure your presentation is always worthy, so people can recognize your true talent.

Dennis

Clearly Stated

If you are going to scan a resume, make sure people can view it.

Staying positive in hard times

Desperation, doesn’t sell.

I have received a variety of calls this week of people looking for work. They use terms like I will take anything, I don’t care what it pays. I will drive anywhere. I feel for these people. It is the holiday season and people want work. I want to give you some advice because the desperation plea doesn’t help me, help you.

If you have the opportunity to contact staffing firms, like I have, start by contacting them with curiosity. I would ask them if you might be considered for one or more openings if you changed some of your parameters, like pay or level of work. This approach is much more acceptable then the cry of desperation.

If your applying to new openings, and are looking to work at something less then you had, make sure you state it with positive intent and objective. Let them know that you want to be part of their company, offer all the skills you have, earn a position. You need to offer value.

Be very cautious of just “taking” or “doing” work. From a hiring point of view, that behavior comes across shallow, with no investment.

Keep your head up, know that you have skills. You need to offer a great service for better value.

Dennis

Clarify your ability to work

I was just reviewing some resumes of students that are going to school away from home. The person I just reviewed lives in the Chicago area but is in school out of town. From the resume, I could not tell if they are back in Chicago, or if still away at school. I couldn’t tell if they are ready for work, full time? Part time? Or looking just for the Christmas vacation.

By defining your ability to work in the beginning of your resume, hiring managers will clearly understand what you are looking for. If your going to be back home from school, list only the home address, if you need work at your school, make a separate resume with that location. If your looking for part time or seasonal work, make that clear on the resume.

Our applicant tracking systems keys the zip codes of your resume. If you list both addresses you might be getting keyed as your school location vs. your home location.

So as hiring people are looking for candidates. You want to be found and found with clear intent.

Take this first step to clarify your ability to work and you will start to find more opportunities.

Dennis

How far is too far?

Ask yourself this simple question how far is to far.

Maybe it is the excitement that you are getting a call for an interview. Maybe it is the thought that you can get back into the workforce. Or maybe it is that you have been sitting on the couch long enough that when you get a call for work you figure you might as well check it out.

So you get a call, and you discover the company is over 40 miles away. You look up that it will take you over an hour to get there. At this point do you call them and let them know its to far, or do you just continue through the process? Also, keep in mind you were the one that started this exchange by sending them a resume

I have had many applicants continue through the process. The process of multiple interviews, driving to the company more then once, getting an offer.

I just had happen here at our staffing firm. A candidate accepted the offer, completed all the drug and background tests (which costs me money), then call on the day they were to start and tell me it is to far.

My question is why would you want to take your time to go through all of the travel, cost, paperwork, and time wasted when you should realize in advance that this is to far?

You might have missed out on other opportunities! You just have made yourself look bad in front of that company or firm that is trying to get you work.

You’re not helping anyone by interviewing; knowing in advance that you can’t make it to work daily!

Do yourself a favor and map out how far you can work, what hours you can work, in advance. This will help you build a focus on positions that are favorable for you. And stop applying for jobs you can work at. It’s a waste of everyones time and you need to focus your time and energy on presenting your best to companies that you can truly work for.

Dennis

What is your Resume saying about you?

I was coaching someone who was looking for a Marketing position. Verbally, he had all the skills, but according to the resume it had a feel of a sales person, or an account manager.

I asked, "Where is the marketing skills in this resume?" We found one word that said marketing. Eight words that said sales.

So, from a quick glance the resume reflected a sales person.

Try this exercise. Take 6-10 seconds, and take a look at your resume, you can even have someone else do it. Off of this quick glance what do you see? What stands out? What is your initial reaction? If it is not what you are looking for then you need to change some of the wording you use.

I was mentoring at a local school. As I was thumbing through their resumes, one of the students asked me “Are you looking at our resumes? Because you don’t seem to be spending much time on them." I told them on average I take about five to ten seconds to skim key words and experience on a resume to see if has some of the things I am looking for. Then I might read further.

The class was floored. They thought as recruiters we sit and read each resume all the way through and that we have the time to figure out what they did, how they did it and how it might apply to the position we have available.

So the student that asked me the question wanted to know what feed back I had on their resumes. Most of these students were looking for technology positions. So when I read through their resumes, with a six second glance, I got pictures of warehouse people, stay at home moms, students, carpenters, firefighters. Their resumes were not reflecting what they wanted.

Working with them after to change, not only the focus of the resume, we also changed where the information on the resume went.

Your resume is your marketing material , market your past in a direction that leads to your future.

Self Discrimination via Voice Mail

“Hello me, the wife, the kids and the dog are not home now, please leave a message and we will call you back”.

Seems harmless, other then the fact is that I know your married, have children. If their voices were on the voice mail, I can guess their ages approximately.

I also know you like dogs, or at least have one.

If it happens to be your voice on the recorder, I know how you communicate. Do you use slang? Do you have an accent? Are you upbeat? Are you funny?

Or have you taken your job search seriously and designated a separate phone line or voicemail for finding new work.

It’s cold and flu season

I found myself at home because I was not feeling well. It got me thinking about how people approach the cold and flu season when time is needed to get well.

First, you need to pay attention to your time off policies. Have you used them all? How many days do you have, and how many do you have left?

You need to consider when you call off. If you are supposed to start work at 8:00 and your calling in sick at 8:10 that not a real good sign that you are concerned about work or having your work place function properly with out you. In this world, with multiple means of communicating, there is no excuse for not letting your supervisor know what is going on.

Also, how was your communication, was it a voice mail, did you talked to a coworker? If you did not talk to your supervisor directly, I find it best if you make a secondary call and talk directly to them.

If your not well after the first day, I find it best to talk to your supervisor and find out what you should do. Maybe you can pick up your work. Maybe you can still come in for a half day. Just the idea that you are willing to make the effort to come in will make your supervisor feel you have interest in your work and your company.

By keeping your supervisor informed on your progress, will help you maintain your position. Keep your position, yes, I have terminated many people over my 12 years of employment from no calls, no shows, and too many days off. And in these economic times companies are looking for reasons to terminate people, its an easy way for them to reduce staff.

Illness will happen to you or your family, and it is something that needs to be addressed. The key to make sure you can take care of your self now, and continue to take care of your family by maintaining your position.

Dennis

Separate yourself, by making the hiring manager’s job easy

In these times, with unemployment rising, more and more people are applying for less and less available positions. One way you can separate yourself from the masses of people applying for the same position is to make the hiring manager’s job easy.

The more hoops a hiring manager needs to go through, the more likely it is that they will respond poorly to you, especially if you have similar or equal skills to other candidates applying to the same position.

Yes, we have a database of information. We probably have your resume. And when we send you an email asking for more qualifications, it is up to you to help clarify the information and to included it in your response. This is your job to clarify in your email, verbal response, and even in the interview.

I have heard responses for information come back to me with, “Well, it is on my resume” Basically, they are telling me, “Duh didn’t you see it? I wrote it.” And I think, “Why are you wasting my time.”

Here is a response to an email for a job posting we had.

“I love to be considered for this job. I think, I am qualified for the job. I have attached my resume and will like a response on what is the next step.”

The problem with this, he had not a single skill that matched the specifications for the position.

I also received a call this morning from someone referred my way. She wanted me to call her and tell her about the open positions. She might want consider this approach. She could have asked me to contact her to see if she is qualified.

This might seem small, but what makes a makes a great first impression is a person that wants to present their skills and desire to work. Versus me having contact them, to tell them what I have available.

So how can you make it easier?

Be responsive – respond quickly to a request for information, even it your not interested in the job.
Be kind – We get many resumes, so understand that you are one of many and leave messages or talk in a respectful manner.
Be giving - Make sure you give the information requested, do not make us look it up.
Be interested – So interested that you want to earn the job, not have it given to you.

Your email as a reflection of self

I just received a change of email address from one of my past candidates. And the email is praisethelord@....com. Not that it is good or bad, it just is. My perception or any other hiring managers perception that it can be either good or bad. I feel the key to getting a new job is to avoid the hurdle of the hiring process, don’t give them a reason to pass on you.

We are creatures of learned habit, I have found that managers make decisions on what they like in a resume based on past experience. Most of this does not have to do with the person that is applying , it is a learned pattern.

You touch a stove its hot, are you now more cautious to touch the stove again? Same mentality.

I have seen people that express there values, beliefs, hobbies, lifestyle you name it in their email. Well, if that expression was a “stove” for the hiring manager before, you might be the one getting burned.

So I took a quick glance at resumes I have received and here is a few examples of email address

Flyguy
Tagteam
Dreamgirl
Streettrigger
Munchies
Clunky
DaOne4u
Dragon
NinjaDeathGrl
Warlock
Therighthand
Zorker
Toobuff
Granddad
Rockhead
Diva

There are many more, some not publishable.

What do you want your email name to reflect to an employer?

Dennis

Who do you work for?

I received an email asking me if a person should put the staffing firm on their resume.

You might know, besides career coaching, we also do contract consulting, which means we have people out at our clients. I just received a call from a credit company. One of my employees was looking to purchase a car. She listed the fortune 500 client as where she works. She did not give a name or number. That did not matter. The credit company called the fortune 500 company’s human resource department and found out she is not employed there.

Fortunately, I got involved and straightened it out for my contractor.

So, should you list staffing firms as your employer on resume, applications, or credit based applications? The answer is yes.

You need to make sure that the staffing company is representing you for what you are. If you worked for someone full time for 3 ,6 or even 12 months, well that’s a full time job to me. In this economy, I have a friend that put in 26 years at one company and is now out of work. I have contractors that are still working for me with no end in sight. So what is more stable?

I have advised people to list on resume and application, to show some form of stability. The staffing company, and then the company they are working for.

Jobco Staffing/Apvantage, Oak Brook, Il November 2006-Present
Help Desk Associate

• Answered incoming calls and requests.
  
• Provided support for hardware, software, communication, and procedural related issues.
  
• Prepared documentation of all case information and updates.
  

Listing properly helps with establishing your work history

This is very important. If you list the wrong company, it could be a reason you are getting turned down or denied a loan. In addition, if you do it on a work application, you could be turned down for falsification.

Again, staffing companies are companies as well. Many of them are very large. It is how you present your work and capabilities. Convincing employers that you are full time candidate versus a day temp here and there.

Have a great weekend,
Dennis

Advertise Self

Have you ever noticed how many times a product is shown or talked about in advertisement? Why do they spend so much money and time to get their product and name out? Because it gets us to buy.

You need to advertise and promote yourself. I would like to give you some key tips on how to get your name out.

1.) The biggest key is to make a signature. Your contact information seems simple enough, but I see so many resumes without it or with that information in only one spot. When I am talking about contact information I am referring to all.

Contact information on all areas

• Name
  
• Email
  
• Phone
  
• Address
  

2.) It seems obvious but make sure your contact information is on your resume. Also make sure it is on the second page. I have seen resumes get separated and not be able to be linked together.

3.) Contact information on cover letters.

4.) Contact information on your email and email replies as well.

5.) Your resume file is your name. (Example: DennisSchererResume.doc)

6.) Your email address reflects your full name (Example: DennisScherer@email.com)

How can this be useful? Let us consider that you are one of many resumes being submitted for a position. This will help you stand out. You are promoting yourself by getting your name in front of the hiring manager multiple times.

If they save your resume on their system, it will already be named, with your name, instead of just saying resume ( which most of the say.) By doing this, it will make it easy for the hiring person to call or contact you no matter where they are in the process.

I can tell you from my own experience, when I need to get people lined up right away, it is never funny if I have to go back to the original document or a prior email to look up a number.

Dennis

Meet the Parents

I love meeting people. Mom, Dad, Husband, Wife, kids, cousins, brothers, sisters and even best friends. I wish I wasn’t meeting them at the interview!

Yes, that is what I said, "at the interview" for a new position. They come walking right in with the candidate, hang out in my office. Today, one mom actually followed her son in the interview room. Mom even answered some of the questions during the interview.

One of the HR managers that I work with called me about my candidate. She told me she would not offer her a position. The candidate's husband got tired of waiting in the car, came in the corporate office, and wanted to use the bathroom. They would not let him in for security reasons and he threw a fit.

I’m sure you can guess the ending of that interview.

What do I hear as poor excuses to bring the family to the interview?

• Sonny doesn’t have a car.
  
• We were going shopping afterwards
  
• He doesn’t like to drive on the expressway
  
• I had no babysitter
  
• Thought you had a waiting room.
  

When I advise people on what to bring to an interview, family is not one of the items.

Dennis

Unemployment Surges

Private employers made their deepest job cuts in six years last month and companies' planned layoffs surged to their highest in nearly five years. A key gauge of the service sector fell to the lowest since the index was launched in 1997.

U.S. private employers cut a larger-than-expected 157,000 jobs in October in a deteriorating labor market that will get worse in the months ahead, according to a report by ADP Employer Services.

ADP also said it revised the number of jobs lost in September to 26,000 from the originally reported loss of 8,000. The ADP Employer Services report was jointly developed with Macroeconomic Advisers LLC.

ADP said the private sector job losses in October were the highest since November 2002. Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers, said it was "entirely likely" to start seeing job losses of 200,000 per month.

"This is a weak number by any reckoning," Prakken told a teleconference of journalists about the report. From Reuters.

if you are one of the unfortunate people that just got let go, or if you might know your heading that way, what does this mean for you? More people looking, less jobs available. It means more competition for the position. What are some steps you can do to help you start the process?

I would like to talk about gathering your history. What did you do everyday? This might not be the easiest time to think about ,but I find it important to think about your daily routine and note every aspect. I then want you to look at the big picture of what you did and then focus on the details as well.

This is a good day to just take note, focus on the people, their titles, your interaction, the customers, the vendors, the forms, the computers, the software, the machines, the product. There are so many things we do and take for granted as just part of our day, that we need to get them out on paper to help with our presentations for our future employer.

So for today just recall and note your accomplishments. You will find this helpful.

Dennis

Finding Work through Staffing firms

Being in the “staffing” industry for more than a dozen years, I am curious why more people do not look to staffing firms as a means to getting a new position. I have placed many people into full time positions through our contract to hire agreements. Others I have kept employed for years full time.

Staffing firms do all the work for you. You submit your resume, go in for an interview, and fill out some forms. Let them market you to their clients.

I have heard many interesting comments regarding the staffing industry, and yes, some might or might not be true. Much of my book and website that I will be releasing at the beginning of December is based on my view of what I see and hear from candidates. And how they can improve their presentation.

I have heard comments like: “They never call me back”, or “It was a waste of my time” “They are making money from my hard work”, and finally, “they are keeping me from getting into the company I am working at.”

Well I can tell you from my experience and what I write and coach people is that, it is not the companies obligation to contact you, they are not wasting your time. Staffing firms want you to do well because, they are making money, but what company is not making a profit because of your work?

An hour out of my day = getting a new position = paying bills=taking care of family….hmmm yes I would consider a waste of time.

As far as keeping you from working with a particular company, I have had many people tell me they tried applying for a position with the same company, and no response. More than likely they found something wrong with your resume, your presentation or something wasn’t right. I get them in and they are hired.

OMG…….

As I am typing this blog, my recruiter is on the phone with someone that has a resume out on the job boards, this indicates that they might be looking for a position, I hear her let him know that if you are to tired to answer the phone in a professional manner it might be wise not to answer it . Yes, imagine the sound of a person just answering the phone from their bed from a long night, that sleepy tone is very impressive to me.

This will be the same person that will bad mouth my company for not employing him.


So what should you do to help your marketing efforts:

• Get rid of the attitude “I have people call me and they say “Ewww, you’re a staffing firm?”
• See if they place people with your qualifications
• Make sure there are no candidate fees
• Find out the process for applying for positions
• Make sure your prepared to apply and present your skills, if not my book and website will be helpful
• Set reasonable boundaries for working. In many cases, a contract staffing position might not pay you as much as you were making, they might not have benefits, and they might send you to a position that is a bit below your skill. Know your limits!
• Ask about the position, get the details, and find out if this is long term, contract to hire, hours, and dress, everything you need to start. Also, find out what contract obligations you have. Make sure it feels right to you
• Make sure you are ready to work, and if you are getting a contract offer, know it is work.

We employee everyone full time W-2, same as if you worked directly for any other company.

So utilize staffing and employment firms as and added mean of getting work. If your not getting response from them, this is probable an indication that something is wrong in your presentation. If you are unemployed, the rewards might be worth the risk. You might want to consider getting some help. I am available.

Have a great weekend,
Dennis

Click and Sit isn't working

In my classes and coaching I have asked, “So how many resumes have you sent out?” I get incredible responses, “Oh I have sent hundreds!” Then I ask how they applied, and I get the same answer. "Well, I responded to all the openings on Monster and CareerBuilder."

There is no thought, no direction with that approach. Just a click and sit approach is not going to get you noticed.

I find that seeking work should be as much of an effort as if you were working. You need to find, locate and then impress. A position is not given, it is earned.

So did you see what happened on Jerry Springer today?

I hope not. If you find yourself looking forward to the next episode, you might want to consider another approach to getting a new position.