Latest Hot Career Article

If you want to find work soon, pay careful attention to your words.    Your behavior can swiftly sway the interview the wrong way.

1) I don’t want to move.

What you should say:

Although I would prefer to stay in (Dallas), I’d like to hear more about the job.

2) I don’t want to drive that far.

What you should say:

I’d really like to work for your company, but the distance might be a problem.  Let’s see what develops.

If the job is fantastic, you might be able to work from home when they see your work ethics and productivity.  Do not ask to work remote until you know whether the opportunity excites you, as you might be able negotiate flex time during less traffic or work remote several days a week.  Why mention this at all until you discern whether this is your dream job?

3) I can’t start for another six months.

What you should say:

I’m on a project which I truly enjoy, but it won’t end for six months.  Please tell me more about your opening as it would be difficult to leave in the middle of this commitment.

Sometimes loyalty interferes with good judgment.  Is your company stable?  Companies base their layoffs on business situations, not personalities.  If the opportunity tantalizes you, take the time to explore it.  You’ll learn about the company and its culture in the process.  Companies ordinarily won’t wait more than six weeks for any candidate, unless they are looking for a new grad in the next semester.

4)  I’m not sure I have the background for this job.

What you should say:

Let’s talk more about the job requirements and duties before we move forward.

Don’t squelch the opportunity before you hear the details.  Time is money.  Take adequate time to explore the requirements.  Perhaps another job opening in the company would fit you better.  Or maybe they see your potential better than you do!

5)  I never share my last/current salary on the first contact.

Many, many recruiters will move quickly to the next candidate, if you won’t share your salary.   Not sharing your salary is irresponsible.  Outplacement consultants teach you to provide a salary range but recruiters need the specifics.  I could write an entire article about this topic.

6)  I can’t talk right now; my child needs to go to soccer practice.

What you should say:

I need to contact you at a better time.  May I call you in about an hour or tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.?

Be specific.  Better yet, take the call and be late to soccer.  Do you want a new job or not?  Perhaps the screaming child could wait in the next room with the door closed briefly.  Reaching a recruiter is often very challenging.

7) I can only work 20 hours per week.

What you should say:

Let’s talk about the job duties and responsibilities.  My experience would be an excellent match.  I was really looking for part time but maybe this is an opportunity which could work for us.

8)  I don’t have my references ready.

What you should say:

I haven’t reached one of my critical references yet, as he’s out of town.  I’ll send you the two confirmed references.

Complete your reference list at the very beginning of your search.  Notify your references each time they will be called.  Be sure your references know what the job is so they can concentrate on relevant information about you.

9) I can only work from home.

What you should say:

I’d like to hear more about the job.  Since we live in an electronic age, I’m hoping to find work, where I can affect the bottom line, while working from my home office after we become better acquainted.

Not many companies hire virtual employees before on site training.  Be flexible.

10)  I can’t talk right now; I’m watching the Cowboys play.

What you should say:

I’m very sorry I can’t talk at the moment.  I’d like to return your call at 4:00 p.m.

Maybe you need to see if the Cowboys have any job openings.  They seem to need a bit of new talent.  You are not a serious job seeker unless it’s the World Series in the last of the 9^th inning, in which case the recruiter should not have called.

Other show stoppers:

• Talking too much, rambling, giving too much detail.
• Talking too much about dress code, time off, stock option, sports, etc.
• Not being specific enough or not providing enough detail.
• Hygiene and attire: you’d think everyone would look good and smell clean.
• Answering your cell phone during an interview; turn it OFF!  Or leave it in the car.
• Trying to negotiate higher salary too soon, if at all; the economy is not robust yet.
• Responding without enough research.
• Criticizing former managers and co-workers.
• Overly friendly; too much personal information.
• Late to the interview.

Summary

Be prepared.  Do your research about the company and its people.  Show enthusiasm.  Be sure to know what the next step is in the process.  Ask good questions (but not too many).  It’s a little like playing ball or getting married.  You just never know what curve ball may be thrown at you but adequate preparation and awareness of each of these items will help you score a touchdown or find a new business family.

Ruth Glover owns Career Consultations, an engineering recruiting agency in the Dallas area.  She is the author of MORE than a Paycheck: Inspiration and Tools for Career Change. She can be reached at careers@hotcareers.com.

Title:              Web Designer

Location:        Dallas, TX

Position No.   84175

My client needs a creative, yet technical, Web Designer, for its McKinney, Texas location.  We need a candidate who wants to work full time to help the company’s growth.  With a really cool web based consumer electronics product, they need a wizard with the technical acumen to add new products, change the look and feel of the site, provide applicable programming and add to the fun of their branding.

You should have a passion for web design and visual representation of information in graphs and charts.  You’ll need to be an independent thinker with proven skills to react quickly to the fast paced world of a start up which is gaining international acclaim. Primary responsibilities will be internal web design for the operations center. You may also support marketing design activities from time to time.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years web design
• Ability to generate a variety of web-based plots, charts and graphs to visually represent data
• Experience with MySQL database queries and results
• Proven skills in creating appealing web pages, including login pages
• Capable of generating web forms to display information based on user input
• Background in choosing the correct design packages for the web solutions
• Expert in coding in various web design languages, including HTML, PHP, Javascript
• Experience with scripting languages such as Perl or shell scripts is a plus
• Experience with Magento desired

Benefits start the first day.  Send your resume to careers@hotcareers.com as soon as possible in a Word document.  Respond NOW as this action oriented company will hire quickly, if you are ready for the next step in your career.

Anxiety is part of job search.  The monotony of trying to manage the sheer idiocy of applying online through difficult applicant tracking systems, the lack of response when you had a good interview, not being able to reach the recruiter…all are significant reasons for stress in your life while you look for a new job.

Problem: Loss of Control

“I can’t do this any more.  I’ve been out of work so long.  My MBA and EE degrees don’t help.  I attend many networking events and send out resumes.  What is wrong with me?  I am so de-moralized.”

Problem: Shame/Embarrassment

I don’t want to go to the upcoming family Thanksgiving dinner.  My brother-in-law is a lawyer who never looked for a job and he doesn’t understand.  We can’t afford the travel and expense for food contribution they expect.  I would rather stay home, but the family really wants to go.

I attend a faith based unemployment group where others seem to be getting jobs and return home completely deflated.

Emotions run rampant during your job search.  You cannot eradicate the emotions entirely, but pessimism can ruin your efforts.  Here are simple survival techniques to assist you.

Exercise

• Take a walk
• Go to the gym
• Quick no cost exercises at home, like crunches
• Coach or participate in a team sport
• Yoga
• Chair exercises

Relaxation techniques

• Write affirmations on “post-it”  notes, putting them in visible locations (on your computer, on the dashboard, on the bathroom mirror) to remind you to breath deeply
• Listen to music periodically
• Turn off the music and brainstorm creative solutions; write them down
• Visualization: go to the beach in your head for a few minutes or picture  your new office
• Get enough sleep
• Don’t exercise before bedtime
• Pray

Volunteer work

• Offer to help someone with a project, demonstrating your talent
• Volunteer to do a pro-bono project for a favorite charity
• Become a foster home for the Humane Society
• Serve food at a local homeless shelter

Rewards

• Take a walk after making five superior job contacts
• Go to a cheap movie
• Talk with an old friend
• Clean a closet or drawer
• Write an email to someone you haven’t seen for awhile
• Post a motivational or humorous slogan

Time management

• Choose a “career partner” who can be objective (not a family member) whom you will call daily at a specific time to report your  job activity
• Maintain a record of how you spend your time
• Make a daily/weekly/monthly list of things to accomplish.

These suggestions are simplistic but they work.  You can Google “depression job search” and you’ll find six million articles to assist you with more sophisticated ideas to help.  If you are immobilized for more than three weeks, you may need to see your doctor as you don’t want to spiral downward any longer.  You may have a health issue.

The bottom line:

If what you are doing is not working, try new methods.  People like helping others.  Don’t hesitate to ask for suggestions and help.  This is not a good time to feel shame or lack of confidence, but to take control of the roller coaster in new ways.  Maybe your brother-in-law will have a good contact for you on Thanksgiving!

Please subscribe to be notified of upcoming posts. If you have tips for maintaining balance on the  job search roller coaster, please comment.

Why does China pertain to you?  Are you open to global opportunities?  Are you connecting with people you know outside your immediate area of expertise?  Are you staying in touch with your boss who moved to Malaysia?  What about that friend of yours who moved to Budapest?

According to my former colleague, Francesco Masetti-Placci, China is a wonderful place to live and work.  Reading articles about the economic opportunities in China or India  sounded so far away for my colleagues or me.  But the more I think about it, the more likely we all need to consider global careers.

Francesco is a fabulous example of the globally oriented engineer.  When I met Francesco, he was Director of Research and Development for Alcatel in Richardson.  He’d already migrated from Italy to the US, later returning to Italy for a two year assignment with Alcatel in strategy and marketing.  From there he moved to China for the company to develop business in the Asia-Pacific market.  When that assignment ended, he took a few months to decide what the next step in his career would be.  And he’s still in China!

Francesco and I re-connected through Linkedin, after many years.  He’s truly a “renaissance man” in today’s marketplace.  Willingly and with excitement, he’s creating his own career adventure.

Francesco is now a part of a small, growing consulting company with a niche and connections doing business with companies who need, not only advice, but also people willing to take calculated risks with developing their careers in new ways.

Certainly there are families who can’t move but the ones who are stuck in a rut, unwilling to move into our global, electronic world may be left behind in the dust.  If you are an entrepreneur, you want the best profits for whatever your endeavor may be.  That may not be in China.  With the right advice, your innovative idea may become reality in Argentina or Allen, Texas.

You may want and need to take some classes to prepare for the idea of being employed abroad or owning your own company.  Southern Methodist University, as well as University of Texas-Dallas in Dallas offer excellent programs.  My bet is you can find classes in your area or online to help you fill the gaps in your background before moving forward.

If you have a creative idea for a business, think globally.  You may work from your garage after writing a plan on a napkin, as innovation is critical in this economy.  Experts exist to encourage and help you.  Brainstorm your ideas.  Make some plans.  Research and revise the plans.  Leaving relatives and friends may be difficult, but with our global communications, you can easily stay in touch.  Being open to change prevents missing opportunities!

Are you a calculated risk taker?  Can you willingly adapt new ways to use your skills?  I bet you know some people like Francesco.  And if you don’t, I have some more stories to share in upcoming articles to encourage you to think globally!

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Steve Jobs is the founder and CEO of Apple Computer, NeXT and Pixar.

“I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said: “Of course.” My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it’s likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky that I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parent’s garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation – the Macintosh – a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down – that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me that I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I retuned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything that all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn’t even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’m fine now.

This was the closest I’ve been to facing death, and I hope it’s the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and Polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Location:                    Allen, Texas

Position No.              84169

How would you like to be the Manager of Making It Happen!…or maybe we’ll call you the Operations Manager.

This ground floor opportunity provides you the career growth chance of a lifetime.  The company is a fast-paced, exciting, consumer electronics company focused on connecting friends and family, like never before. The company provides an innovative, collaborative work environment, where people work hard, work fast and have fun!

We are looking for a person with energy and drive who likes to take charge of issues and solve them quickly.  We want an individual who is passionate about being a top performer with proven ability to accomplish impossible feats and impact the world in a positive way.

You will manage all operations and distribution, including our global suppliers and off-shore manufacturing.  You will interface with component suppliers and manufacturing facilities across the world.  Additionally, you will help define, optimize and manage reverse logistics and customer support processes as we ramp to production.  Duties also include cross-functional activities with engineering, finance and marketing. We need an individual who loves to save money for the company while also staying aware of the need to delight our customers.  The position provides you with the opportunity to directly impact the performance of the company.

Requirements:

• Minimum of ten years experience in manufacturing and/or logistics.
• Bachelors degree is a plus. Advanced degrees may also apply.
• Background in electronics manufacturing with consumer products experience is a plus.
• Experience managing contract manufacturers.
• Minimum of three years experience in reverse logistics and customer/supplier RMA processes.
• Proven skills in establishing guidelines and ongoing process improvements for effective operations.
• Experienced understanding of cost reduction strategies, implementing inventory flexibility, agility programs and negotiating payment terms.
• Manage and work with broker and consultant relationships to improve our competitive advantage in customs duties and tariffs.
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Mandarin is a plus.
• Ability to travel domestically and globally up to 25%.

The client offers great benefits: competitive compensation, stock options, 401k, health insurance and a rare opportunity for you to use ALL your skills to grow your career.  To apply, please send your resume to careers@hotcareers.com.

Perplexed and puzzled by job search, Jake attended the weekly accountability group. With seven months of unemployment under his belt and no viable job offers, he wants answers, leading quickly to a job.

Jake applied for over twenty positions and listened carefully when the facilitators at the various unemployment groups told him he must customize his resume for every opening. He claims he has 20 versions of his resume and his confusion centers upon how he can make his LinkedIn profile appealing to various hiring managers. He knows HR professionals, hiring managers, friends, neighbors and others will see his LinkedIn profile which might not agree with the resumes he’s submitted.

Dirk Spencer, is a fellow recruiter who speaks regularly on the topic of LinkedIn.

His most recent presentation entitled “LinkedIn for Recruiters” was held at the August luncheon of the Dallas Fort Worth Recruiters Network over 100 attendees. He responded to my inquiry.

Dirk

There should be very little difference between the resume and the LinkedIn profile with the core content and context. The smart job seeker is customizing both the resume and LinkedIn profile as he or she develops improved ways of communicating expertise.

Ruth

A resume or profile is never completed. A candidate must keep the profile fresh by periodically introducing nuances about skills. These updates can ensure the profile pops to the top or near the top of a search, whether in LinkedIn or posted on a resume job board like Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com or Dice.com.

Dirk

This idea of “customized” resumes should be about variations of data compared to the risk associated with their competitive insights to their target companies.

Ruth

I agree. The same logic which makes having customized resumes a smart move requires making adjustments to a LinkedIn profile periodically, too.

Dirk, what about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), specifically including words in the profile and resume which will catch the search strings?

Dirk

SEO and search strings are two different concepts used interchangeable by mistake.

RUTH

Please explain this for our readers.

DIRK

A search engine does not use Boolean logic or a Boolean engine to index or catalog Internet web content. Most are now using sophisticated language pattern or inference engines. (Boolean is a particular way recruiters search for candidates online.)

Boolean logic engines are not all the same either. The Boolean engine inside Monster is not the same as the one inside of Dice or LinkedIn for that matter.

Bottom line – the software function of “search” and data “parsing” (mining) (Boolean, fussy logic, artificial intelligence…) are not created equal.

This is why it is important to know your industry’s history so you can traverse the keyword-yellow-brick road from keypunch to Droid apps.

RUTH

So you are saying it is important to know terminology from trends in business practice as described by the use of language or keywords?

DIRK

Yes. Candidates need to understand and use their industry jargon. It is important, not only to know the keywords and jargon, but also the abbreviations, acronyms and synonyms.

RUTH

How do you tie this together between the resume and profile on LinkedIn?

DIRK

The “how” is the secret sauce. The “how” forces people to do their homework.

Here are some examples of increased detail masquerading as “customized” resume content:

- Supported carrier based client

- Supported carrier based vendor

- Supported telephony carrier

- Supported telecom customer

- Supported area telecom company

- Supported carrier based telecom vendor

- Supported carrier telecom company Verizon®

Which statement is “customized” versus “clarified”?

Which statement belongs on the resume?

Which statement belongs on the LinkedIn profile?

If you said “it depends” and “all” then you understand!

“It depends” means you must weigh the risk associated with the research on the target job or target company against the level of detail that clearly defines your skills.

Ruth

Your examples are quite useful.

And the risk means you must add enough information in the resume that coordinates with the “core” data on the LinkedIn profile. If it deviates too radically in scale or scope it ultimately hurts the candidate.

Dirk

The resume and LinkedIn profile must be congruent, not identical, but congruent. If the data on the resume and the LinkedIn profile are not aligned, questions may arise instead of attracting the desired attention.

Consider the resume the Ying to your LinkedIn Yang. They should always complement each other. The same core data on both should be arranged to create your total brand message.

That is the goal!

Ruth

Thank you, Dirk, for sharing your insight. I urge our readers to attend your next presentation which is the Colorado Association Healthcare Executives (CAHE) 2011 Annual Conference.

If you are a recruiter, be sure to visit Dallas Ft. Worth Texas Recruiters Network to register for our next recruiter luncheon September 7, 2011.

Jason Leonard, Director of Recruiting at JC Penney will present Pipelining – Moving from Reactive to Proactive.

Be sure to connect with Dirk or Ruth on LinkedIn.

You may want to subscribe to be notified of new posts.

Ruth Glover is the author of MORE than a Paycheck: Inspiration and Tools for Career Change, a book especially for those who want to change or move their careers in various ways. Be sure to contact her for additional information at www.morethanapaycheck.net or www.ruthglover.com.

Last Tuesday Lamar Binns, Recruiter at St. Jude’s Medical in Plano, presented Get the Offer: Mastering the Interview at the JOB Group at Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas.  I participated in a BAD mock interview with Jari Mussotter, as the recruiter, which wasn’t difficult for me, since I’m a recruiter who has witnessed more than a few, awful interviews.  Steve Sinclair and Tom Brown demonstrated a positive mock  interview.  All of us are participants in the JOB Group.

The catalyst for the program evolved from hearing our participants say, “I’ve recently interviewed five times and never received an offer.  I was pleased with the interview, so why didn’t I get the offer?”  Lamar offered practical suggestions such as getting enough sleep and  looking sharp but the main points he emphasized are the following:

• Be prepared: check the website, read other information about the company, make sure you know which requirements you meet and how you will overcome any obstacles.
• Keep your resume beside you and smile into the phone for the pre-screening call. Make sure the dog and children are unavailable for comments in the background.
• Know clearly where the company is located.  You may want to drive the route in advance, if it’s local.
• Provide enough facts to connect with the interviewer but short enough that eyes don’t glaze over.
• Be truthful.  If asked your bad points, share how you overcome the liabilities.
• You are not expected to know answers to 100% of the questions.  Explain how you would find an answer if you don’t know it.
• Explain very specifically to behavioral questions, such as “Tell me about a time you had a difficult boss.”
• Plan the questions you want to pose near the end of the interview to show enthusiasm and reinforce your desire to work for the company.
• Thank you notes are important, as so few thank the interviewing team.
• Prepare your references in advance of any calls from potential employers.

Our priority to stay on time caused us to omit information about closing the interview to assure the offer.   If you have the skills, the experience and the personality, you still  compete with similar individuals.  You must ask “high gain” questions and end the interview with the utmost care.  Asking if the interviewer has any concerns is one way to ascertain whether you need to provide more detail.  You must show confidence and a great desire for the position.  Attitude is more perceptible than you realize.  You have to ooze with the knowledge you can immediately impact their organization positively.  In an article titled How To Get a Job Offer From Every Interview by Dirk Wessels, he mentions not asking a yes or no question, as you want as much information as possible.  A substitute for, “Would it be ok if I call you next week?” would be, “I’m eager to go to the next step.  How soon do you expect to make the decision?  I’d like to contact you for status.”

Closing the interview is as important as the answer to “Tell me about yourself.”  You must clearly tell the interviewer you want the job and would like to work with the team.  Never, ever slink out of the office, but walk tall, with confidence that you did your very best. Your self-assurance, skills and experience will certainly help you get the offer, not just the interview.

A special thanks to Sherri Verner, our photographer at the meeting.

The JOB Group meets every Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at Custer Road UMC, 6601 Custer Road in Plano, Texas 75023.

On Saturday, May 21, I facilitated panel interview and discussion at University of Texas-Dallas for the Project Management Institute (PMI).  When you receive the PMP certification, you must continue your education.  This was a free workshop for members with continuing education credits.  The topic was Career Development and the classroom was filled.

In the morning Sylvia Karmanoff, President of KEMSI, provided a presentation on many aspects of job search.  The panel discussion began the afternoon program.  Paul Bichler, of Experis (a division of Manpower), Jill Frakes of Oxford & Associates, plus Jonathan Beam of Lewis & Fowler comprised the panel. The audience voted for the panelists to concentrate on aspects of networking in job search, difficult questions and other job search resources, since the extensive training in the morning covered resumes and interviewing.  Their answers demonstrate extra power for your job search.

Should you continue to apply to one company?

Yes, although the process is time consuming, one rejection is no reason to ignore the company in the future.

What are some good ways to “network?”

User groups, such as the .NET group, the Java users group and the PMI group are all excellent resources.  Meet-up groups and the faith based groups in Dallas also provide ways to meet people who can provide leads and even present your resume to the hiring manager. Volunteering through professional associations is a great way to find the “hidden job market.”  Involvement in non-profit organizations pays in alternative ways!

Are the social networking sites actually helping recruiters find people?

Yes, all use Linkedin for professional hiring.  You need to understand how your contacts can be useful for you.  Be sure to update your profile regularly. Connecting with your friends and colleagues may be the best way to help you to your next career step.

What do you hate to hear from candidates?

One recruiter mentioned that candidates seem so fearful to share information which is needed, mentioning several candidates who didn’t want to share where they worked!   Another recruiter said when she asks, “What is important in your next job?” she doesn’t want to hear “security,” as layoffs occur in both start-ups and long established companies.  They like to meet with candidates, if local, as a phone personality can be very different from a face-to-face interview.  That personal interview can make or break the next step.

How do you determine billing rate for contractors?

Bill rate varies depending on many factors.  Knowing the billing rate has little to do with what you get paid if you are dealing with a reputable agency.  Candidates should only be concerned that they are paid fair market rate for their skills.  The places where you can find salary information are usually six months in arrears of reality.  You can ask the range but be sure you can live with the bottom of the range, which, in this economy, can often be the result.  Do not be afraid to discuss your former pay, even if lower than you want and deserve.  The recruiter wants your salary to be as high as possible.

Are references important in job search?

References are extremely important.  You must keep your reference list up to date and prepare your references about the job you would be doing they are contacted.  You want to know what your reference will say about you.

Does your organization do skills or personality testing?

Some clients require testing but most don’t.  If you are asked to test, you should accommodate the request as refusing may raise a red flag that you cannot perform the job.

Also on the program, Neelov Kar, Project Manager at Dell, presented “Essential Project Manager Experience from a Recruiter’s Perspective.”

Sylvia Karmanoff and Kamalesh Donthula, Vice-President of Marketing for the PMI organization and a Lead Project Lead for Thomson-Reuters deserve recognition for planning the event.  Not only was the day excellently executed but extremely valuable, both for career development and meeting new people in the industry.

Senior Mixed Signal Design Engineer

Location: near Raleigh, NC

Position number: 84162

Other Power Management positions are on hold!  Feel free to send your resume if interested in other jobs such as Field Applications Engineer in various parts of the US.  We often have positions in Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and San Jose.

CAREER GROWTH!  How would you like to work for a small, established, very busy company where you would have a direct affect on the bottom line?  The client urgently needs an exceptional Mixed Signal Design Engineer who will lead projects from start to finish.  As the lead designer of CMOS high-speed chips, your strong hands-on experience  with silicon design, evaluation, debugging, characterization, and IC bring up will be appreciated.

Do not wait to think about this role as the company is ready to hire the right person TODAY.  This is not a job but a career move for you.

Requirements:

• BS/MSEE with a minimum of seven to ten years experience or more of designing CMOS transistor/gate level integrated circuits.

• Expertise in analog/mixed signal design.

• Understanding of DC/DC power conversion and ADC and DAC circuits.

• Demonstrated experience in designing, bandgap references, regulators, op-amps, and related Analog system level IC circuitry

• Background with data communications and signal processing applications.

• Verilog and/or VHDL with preference for Verilog-A users

The small town atmosphere with nearby world class universities provides an excellent quality of life with low cost of living and high earnings potential .  Relocation available. Please apply online at www.hotcareers.com or send directly to careers@hotcareers.com.