Boston Technical Recruiter

There are several identifiable processes that need to be implemented.

1. Global Strategy

Team breaks into new clients and procures outsourcing, staffing, and off-shoring opportunities. We are should also be interested in ANY IT related initiative within the company no matter how large or small, perm or contract. Every opportunity to build a relationship with the client must be exploited.

2. Marketing

We are a global IT Consulting Company with solid capability in India to carry out complicated outsourcing and off shoring projects. Our value added proposition in the USA is that we have project experience and can help a client out of a tough technical situation by providing instant expertise that resides within our consulting company.

3. Sales

The role of sales is to generate leads through research and cold calling and to close those leads through strategic relationship building. 80-85% of all leads should come from the sales team themselves and augmented by the recruiting only slightly.

4. Recruiting

The role of recruiting is to build a network of qualifies professionals through systematic calling of candidates to introduce the staffing agency and present opportunities with the company. If there are no opportunities, recruiting should either continue to build the database by calling everyone or merge into the sales role.

Recruiters should attempt to get leads, but this should not be their primary function in the company.

What can we do in the next 3 months to improve performance?

1. Assign sales territories to everyone. Engage everyone on the sales team

2. Hammer the phones calling every company in the Boston area marketing the company. Approach the sale as a partner, not as another boring agency. How can we help you in your business rather than do you have a req open.”

3. Expand to taking perm reqs until we have more contract then we can handle.

4. Take all reqs not limiting to app dev.

5. Require productivity reports from EVERYONE, daily at first, then weekly.

6. Morning meetings at 9:00 sharp, everyone. Friday Afternoon meetings to recap progress and set goals for next week.

7. Discuss with India ways to collaborate more closely, possibly import a Solutions Architect on an L3 to go out with the sales team.

8. Sell Solutions rather than one offs.

9. Require team to learn the technology by giving him home work assignments that count towards a bonus.

10. At the end of 3 months, conduct comprehensive review and readjust payroll accordingly.

Note:

I think the whole approach of “I represent a global IT consulting company specializing in contract consultants” is boring… it’s awful. I would change it to sell our outsourcing and off-shoring expertise and develop the conversation rather than getting a “no” and hanging up. But for that the sales guy has to understand what issues the company may be having and talk about possible solutions.

I’d also be interested in some R&D into some process or product we can develop. Being a staffing company is nice, but I know we want more than that.

Techruiter IT Staffing

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Techruiter Musings

Article Title: Backing Your Passion
Author Byline: Vaughan Evans
Author Website: BackingU

Are you unfulfilled in your job? You are not alone. One-half of US employees are dissatisfied with their jobs, up from two-fifths 10 years ago.

Perhaps it’s time to move on. But where? And will you be successful in your new job? Or would it be a case of “out of the frying pan into the fire”?

You can minimize that risk. You should find a job that fires you with hwyl—the Celtic concept of passion, fervor, and spirit that can lift you to extremes of success. Then you need to check that market conditions at this job are favorable, and that you will be at least reasonably well placed to succeed in the job. But first things first.

Find a Job with Hwyl (pronounced h-wale)

To find a job you feel passionate about, you need a process. Make three columns on a sheet of paper or on the computer. In column one, write down all the names of people who have jobs that inspire you. In the middle column, write down the type of work they do. In the third column, put 1–5 tick marks according to how passionate you feel about these jobs, where 1 = okay job, and 5 = truly inspired.

For ideas, look to friends, family, and colleagues—and their friends, family, and colleagues. Think of fellow members of interest groups you belong to. Think of people you have read about in the press or seen on TV. Don’t forget fictional people in books, movies, and plays. Don’t limit yourself. Dream large. Write down any job that sounds fun or exciting to you.

Use a Screening Process to Arrive at a Short List

Okay, now you have a long list, and you’ve given each job a hwyl rating (a ranking between 1 and 5 on your “passion-o-meter”). Now rearrange them in order of hwyl rating. Hopefully you will have a list of at least a dozen or so jobs to which you have given four or five ticks.

But this will be no more than a wish list. It could range from such entries as Barack Obama, president, 5 ticks, to Uncle Joe, plumber, 4 ticks.

The list should be screened against two criteria: job market conditions and your likely competitiveness in the job. Gut feel is all you need at this stage. You won’t have detailed information on either criterion at this stage, but you don’t need it yet. The aim is to find out whether any of these top dozen jobs is a runner.

Under job market conditions, consider such factors as job market size (just the one in the case of president, thousands more for plumbers), job market growth (zero in the presidency, strong in plumbing), competitive intensity (cut-throat at the top in politics, not too tough in plumbing), and job risk (brutal at the White House, low in plumbing).

For the competitiveness criterion, don’t be too harsh on yourself. This is a new job you will be seeking, so it is clear that you can’t be a stellar performer straight away compared to current practitioners. Consider factors such as your capabilities, current and potential, pertinent to the job, and your related experience, direct and indirect. For the presidency, how do you rate your capabilities in, for example, law, policy analysis, and public speaking? For plumbing, what experience in, for example, fixing or installation have you had over the years?

Research the Short List

Which of those top dozen jobs with hwyl have managed to pass through the screen? That is, where market conditions and your capabilities are generally favourable. If one or two, that’s great. If none, that’s too bad, but move down the list and bring up the next dozen or so jobs, perhaps those with at least three hwyl ticks. And so on, until you have a short list of two or three jobs. These are jobs that not only have, hopefully, plenty of hwyl, but where you may also be backable to a potential investor in yourself.

But that investor will want more detail. You must now thoroughly research these short-listed jobs. Talk to practitioners, talk to their customers. Just what are the capabilities required to do the job? How would you fare? What entry strategy should you deploy? What should you be doing now to strengthen your positioning before you take the leap?

The Realtor Turned Plumber

I included the plumber example above for a reason. Randy was a realtor in Atlanta, a very good one. He had the knack of empathizing with both vendor and buyer to close the deal. Yet his heart was not wholly in it. What he really loved doing was fixing things, getting his hands dirty. His Uncle Joe was a plumber and he had helped him out a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed it. But was plumbing a serious potential career switch, or a fancy?

Plumbing sailed through Randy’s screening process, beating off fire-fighting and pro basketball. Then he did some serious research. He spoke at length with Uncle Joe, many of his uncle’s colleagues, and a few customers. Greatly encouraged, he prepared an entry strategy. He signed up for two evening courses, one on basic plumbing and one on a specialized area. He helped out his uncle on weekends. Well researched, well prepared, he quit his realtor job and launched his own plumbing business. It has flourished. These days he wakes up each morning with a spring in his step. He is living the hwyl.

Randy’s story illustrates how you can find unexpected, fulfilling careers by following your passion. Randy’s hwyl lay in plumbing. He backed it. So can you.

Vaughan Evans is a renowned economist, business strategist, sought-after speaker, and the author of Backing U! A Business-Oriented Guide to Backing Your Passion and Achieving Career Success (Business and Careers Press, 2009, www.backingu.com).

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Techruiter Musings

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/18/why-google-employees-quit/

Techruiter Musings

Article Title: Two Networking Conversation Starters
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin
Author Website: CollegeRecruiter

Hey, job seekers: Raise your hand if you love networking.

I thought so.

And why don’t you get a thrill out of talking to friends and family about your job search?

For many folks, it’s a problem of how to start. There’s really no way to ask, “Know anyone who’s hiring?” without feeling awkward.

To fix that, here are two ways to open your next networking conversation that are proven to produce job leads — and won’t make you feel self-conscious …

Use Me as an Excuse to Call

Over the past year, I’ve quietly been perfecting a short networking script at my Guerrilla Job Search seminars.

In every case, at least one person in the room gets a job lead — in less than 5 minutes.

Here’s the four-part script that people are using to start networking conversations by phone, with explanatory notes in parentheses:

1. “Hi, this is YOUR NAME! I’m at a training session and they told me to call the most-connected person I know. That’s you!”

(This gets you over the hump right away, by giving you an excuse to call. Here, that excuse is me — just say that somebody else told you to call.)

2. “I’m looking for a position as a JOB TITLE at a company like COMPANY #1, COMPANY #2, or COMPANY #3.”

(You have to think first, about what JOB you want and 3 COMPANIES you most want to work for.)

3. “Who would you call if you were in my shoes?”

(You’re asking someone to take ownership of your problem, by putting their ego aside and thinking as if they were you. Simple psychology that’s very powerful.)

4. “Could I have their name and number?”

(Write it down. Hang up. Call that new person and drop the name of the person you called first.)

For best results, use this script to call the most-connected person you know — the one person who seems to know almost everybody.

Here are three examples of how this has worked in my seminars:

1. Ellen in Minneapolis, MN, got a networking lead at the chamber of commerce after calling a friend.

2. Greg in Fargo, ND, got a lead on a pharmaceutical sales job by calling a friend.

3. Pete in Chanhassen, MN, got the name of an HR rep by calling a colleague he had fallen out of touch with.

2) Use an Object as a Conversation Starter

Chris Russell, founder of JobRadio.fm, warns that a false sense of pride can hurt your job search, recalling a friend who struggled mightily to get hired. “He would never tell people that he was out of work, even his former co-workers. I guess he was embarrassed.”

Russell points out that, when it comes to your job search, you should look for any excuse to start a conversation.

One such excuse may be the “Laid Off, Need a Job” wristband.

Described as an “attention getting conversation starter” by its makers, the wristband retails for $3 and comes in bright yellow, with the message, “I Need A Job.”

The idea is, you put wear the wristband each day, people see it, ask about your job search, and — shazam! Instant networking conversation. More information is at www.LaidOffNeedAJob.com.

Two other tactics I’ve seen are renting a billboard (pricey) and wearing a T-shirt with your resume on it (no verifiable successes).

Now. How else could you get attention and start networking conversations?

Here’s an idea: Stick a magnetic sign on the side of your car.

For less than $95, Kinko’s can create one for you. Your sign’s message could be on two lines, like this:

Need Accounting Help?
HireShellyNow.com

Nobody wants to hire, but almost every business needs help, so don’t use “Hire me!” or “U-M Grad Will Work Cheap” as your headline.

The format I would follow is: “Need YOUR SKILL Help? CONTACT INFO.”

Test several ideas on cardboard mockup signs and drive them past people, to see if they can read your contact info at 25 or 40 miles an hour.

(Note: I practice what I preach — look for my black SUV around the Twin Cities with a magnetic sign on the side that says, “Got Work? My New Job Hunt .com”)

Do these conversation-starting ideas make you feel uncomfortable? Good!

Because, if you’ve been comfortable thus far in your job search, and you’re still unemployed, it may be time to leave your comfort zone and try something new.

Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CBS Radio and others.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Techruiter Career Advice, Career Development

I’LL GO WITH YOU (Con te Partiro-English Translation)
(E. Sartori - L.Quarantotto)

When I’m alone
I dream on the horizon
And words fail
Yes, I know there is no light
In a room where the sun is absent
If you are not with me
At the windows
Show everone my heart
Which you set alight
Enclose within me
The light you
Encountered on the street

I’ll go with you
To countries I newer
Saw and shared with you
Now, yes, I shall experience them
I’ll go with you
On ships across seas
Which, I know,
No, no, exist no longer
With you I shall experience them

When you are far away
I dream on the horizon
And words fail
And yes, I know
That you are with me
You, my moon, are here with me
My sun, you are here with me

I’ll go with you
To countries I never
Saw and shared with you
Now, yes, I shall experience them
I’ll go with you
On ships across seas
Which, I know,
No, no, exist no longer
With you I shall experience them again
I’ll go with you
On ships across seas
Which, I know,
No, no, exist no longer
With you I shall experience them again
I’ll go with you
I with you

Techruiter Musings

Article Title: What are the 9 Components of a Successful Employee Induction Programme?
Author Byline: Employers today understand that productive employees are the cornerstone of any successful business. Therefore, when a new team member comes on board it is vital that they participate in an Employee Induction Program. Why?
Author Website: SBStrategies

Lay Strong Foundations

Employers today understand that productive employees are the cornerstone of any successful business. Therefore, when a new team member comes on board it is vital that they participate in an Employee Induction Program. Why?
An Employee Induction Plan ‘Sets the Scene’

An effective Employee Induction System showcase’s the company’s history, its mission statement, the direction its heading, company policies, training programs, and the culture within the organisation.

Tools to assist with induction:

* Employment Terms and Conditions checklist
* Employee Induction checklist
* The first three months of employment
* Probationary Period Assessment form

More importantly, Employee Induction Procedure’s outline what the company expects from their employees.
Facilitated correctly, the employee will be better able to understand where they fit into the organisation and in what direction it is heading. The sooner that is in place the more productive they will be so the perfect time to implement Employee Induction Procedures will be during the probation period.

Is a Probation Period Necessary for Every Full-time Employee?

Yes. Implementing an Employee Induction Plan at the start of a probation period will ensure the new employee a rapid and smooth transition into their new position. It also gives the Manager time to observe the new employee and decide if he or she is suitable for the role. Click here to access a FREE copy of the Employee Induction Plan.

Use the points below to ensure an effective Employee Induction System.
9 Components of a Successful Employee Induction Program

1. Utilise the ‘Employment Terms and Conditions’ checklist, the ‘Induction Schedule’ and the ‘Employee Induction’ checklist.
2. Conduct a brief initial induction.
3. Prioritise the Employee Induction Program and facilitate with shorter meetings over three to four weeks. This avoids information overload and the tendency to ‘dump’ information on the ‘newbie’.
4. People want to believe they can ‘fit in’ so during the initial meeting talk about the culture inside the organisation.
5. Get the new employee to their work site as soon as practicable.
6. Involve their immediate Manager as soon as possible.
7. Give them achievable goals within the first couple of weeks.
8. Initiate a ‘buddy’ system where the new employee can go, to seek advice and assistance. This person may be able to offer ‘on the job’ coaching to fast track the new employee’s development.
9. Complete a Probationary Period Assessment form.

Tip: The HR Department or Senior Manager should handle the Organisation Induction. The Manager directly responsible for the new staff member should handle the Departmental Induction.
Final Note

Employee Induction Procedures demonstrate that your company is interested in their employees. Studies show that employees who feel valued in their jobs and secure about their futures are better employees and less likely to leave. Staff retention is paramount!

If you want to get the best from your people our new HR Policy and Procedure CD ($497.00 inc GST) consists of essential HR policies, procedures and systems, saving you time, money and stress while building your business.

Please forward this newsletter onto colleagues, business associates, friends or a person who is interested in achieving the best from team members.

What are your Human Resource Challenges?
Let us know of a challenge you are facing in relation to attracting, motivating, retaining or developing talent and we will provide a FREE no obligation HR Solution.

Phone 03 9808 2512

Email d.mcgillivray@sbstrategies.com.au

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Techruiter Musings

Today, I did the unthinkable.

As a technical recruiter, I was always wary of candidates hanging up on me or telling me that they don’t have time for this or that. As a sales executive, I’ve gotten a couple of nasty rejections, but for the most part (99%) people are very civil when I cold call them out of the blue and ask them if they use “technology consulting services”.

But no matter how vicious the hang up or how curt the response, I never forget that this is my client. Whether on the recruiting side or on the sales side, my ability to form a good impression on my prospective client is paramount to all other considerations.

So today, a green behind the ears recruiter from a certain Boston recruiting agency called me to ask if I would come up to their Andover office( a 3 hours diversion from my call time). He wanted me to fill out some esoteric paperwork before he could tell me about the opportunities he had for me as well as meet some of his illustrious colleagues. Not only was he pushier then a used car salesman, he was also overbearing. I could hear it in his voice.

I suggested that if he wanted to place me, he would have to take me out to lunch on his expense account and tell me what “exciting” opportunities he had for me. He responded that he was too new for that. Then I asked him how much money he was going to make off me and told him how much I was used to making from every consultant. To my surprise he said that this was irrelevant. When did a candidate’s salary become irrelevant??

So I suggested that when he was ready to take me out, he give me a call and then I hung up.

I hung up on a recruiter! A recruiter and a sales guy hung up on a fellow recruiter! Travesty.

But not really.  My Golden Rule of recruiting is never waste peoples time. This recruiter wanted to take 3 hours of my call time and burn it. Forget about it.

I hold that meeting with recruiters before they get you a first interview is a total, complete, and irreversible waste of your time. It’s called pay it forward. Why should a candidate take 3 hours of his day to come and meet with a bunch of fresher’s straight out of college to fill out some BS paperwork that may or may not ever go anywhere? You need to create value. Remember? The Value proposition? Simply calling me with an opportunity does not do it.

Moral of the story: If you want to make money by placing people, respect their time as if it were your own. Never be a Jerk to a recruiter who can find out who your client is and call the hiring manager directly.

Techruiter IT Staffing, Musings

Article Title: Tips for Electronic Resumes
Author Byline: Karen Burns, Working Girl
Author Website: Working Girl

Your job hunt should never consist solely of submitting your resume to the online job boards. You need to be out there in the real world networking with real people.

But you do still need to know how to format your resume so it can be submitted online and/or be scanned.

Hence, here are a dozen tips to get you started:

1. Guess what, for electronic resumes you no longer have to worry about that old one-page rule. If fact, be too short and you may appear underqualified. Make your resume as long as it needs to be.

2. Forget fluffy terms like “results oriented,” “goal-driven,” “excellent communications skills,” “multitasker,” “team player,” etc. Resume software doesn’t look for words like these. It looks for skills, certifications, and job titles.

3. To convey those skills, use nouns rather than verbs. Say “software engineer” instead of “engineered software for blah blah blah.” Include certifications, courses you’ve taken, any applicable training.

4. Don’t bother including a career objective. Really, no one cares. And it takes up valuable space.

5. Hard copies should be designed to be scannable and be printed clearly on bright white paper. Mail them flat in a big envelope. No folding, no staples.

6. If you’re submitting online, format in a text file, not as a Word document (or even as HTML).

7. No column or table formats. Everything should be on its own line.

8. Use common fonts (Times Roman, Courier, Helvetica) in a normal size (11 to 14).

9. Only left margin justification (the right margin should be ”rag right”).

10. No boxes, shadows, shading, graphics, underlines, italics, horizontal or vertical lines, or colors.

11. No bullets. Asterisks are a reasonable substitute.

12. No hard returns.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Techruiter Musings

• Looking for Sales Leads… what else?? #

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Techruiter Musings