The Cult of Agency Recruitment Bashing on LinkedIn

The Cult of Agency Recruitment Bashing on LinkedIn For  most recruiters, regardless of which industry they work in, LinkedIn is an excellent source of both candidates, and client leads. It’s also, it would seem, an excellent barometer for finding out how bloody awful we all are. Here are a couple of scathing comments Ive witnessed recently myself Unqualified unregulated telesales folk are masquerading as specialists, and lying cheating and scamming to earn a living. What is the point in gaining qualifications and experience only to be pimped out by folk who have neither? You see, we are all parasites living off the warm bodies of honest candidates innocently looking for a new challenge or so some people will have us believe. The Cult of the Recruitment Basher is rearing its ugly head and it’s headed in your direction. Don’t try and reason with the cult. It  cannot be reasoned with, even if you agree with some of their more pertinent points on rogue recruiters. NO! We are all the same. All on the same rip-them-off gravy train. Now, as you can probably see, I sometimes bite and try to take on the cult, and frustration is usually the end result. I have tried every angle I could think of to get them to see things from our side (or the ‘Dark Side’ as they would say) but it is like trying to convince a candidate that a five grand drop in salary is a good move in the long run a lesson in futility. Presumably members of the cult have had a bad experience with a recruiter in their dim and distant past, but lets face it, in all walks of life we have bad experiences daily yet most sane people don’t follow the every move of the kid from McDonalds who served us the cold fries and post comments on how rubbish they were on every social media site there after. However, us  recruiters are different see, we are the lowest of the low, building people up only to dash their hopes and dreams after they fail to get the job they craved. “I don’t care if I only have a GCSE in woodwork I’ve always wanted to fly an airplane and now you have ruined it all”. Okay that might be slightly far-fetched but you can see where I am coming from. Members of the cult seem to come from the contracting side of things. One of the main gripes seems to be: “you get me £15.00hr then charge £18.00 to the client. I should get all £18.00”. This type of comment always comes regardless of the fact you called them and asked them what hourly rate they charge, which was in fact  â€œ £15.00 mate”. See, you are still, in their eyes, ripping them off, even though without your call or coaching,  would never have known  X company was after a “sprocket noodler”*, let alone got the role! Yes,  you are still a damn parasite; damn you for finding me work at the price I asked for recruitment demon! It’s time to hit back people. Time to let the world know recruiters  are not all bad, and that we have feelings too. Recruitment is a damn hard job and I for one am quite sick and tired of hearing how we are the spawn of Satan. Try speaking to the candidate last week who was nearly in tears as I told him the job we had been working on together is now his. Ask his opinion on the guy who got him his dream move and you can bet your last quid he didn’t have a bad word to say about me. If anyone gives you grief,  stand up and tell them that you will not be beaten because we are recruiters and bloody good ones too. *Sprocket Noodler is a made up job (I know right) About the author: Paul Murphy has been working for SER Limited in Engineering Recruitment for over 11 years specialising in the intelligent buildings sector especially BMS (Building Management Systems). He is also it seems a part time keyboard warrior on behalf of recruiters everywhere.

Writing a Statement at the Top of Your Resume - How to Avoid Lying

Writing a Statement at the Top of Your Resume - How to Avoid LyingWhen you are writing a statement at the top of your resume, you must be sure that you include a piece of information that is truthful. It's not that there is anything wrong with lying. But truthfulness is the biggest test when it comes to writing a statement at the top of your resume. If the lie is a minor one, it will be much easier to break.As far as lies go, this might be one of the easiest, but it should be one of the hardest for you to maintain. Many times, a lie comes from self-preservation. This is particularly true when we have been lied to before. You might need to catch yourself in the act, but you will have to be on guard if you want to stay on track.If you feel that you cannot be caught in the act, then this will be an easy enough fix for you to get out of a small lie. It could be that you were not aware that you had a criminal record. If you didn't even know about the charge, you can make an excuse or you can just leave it off the resume.The truth is that no matter how little of a lie you have committed, if it is something that affects your ability to get a job then you have a problem. Lying will not make a difference in whether or not you are hired, and it will not even help you if you don't get hired. For that reason, you need to avoid getting caught in the lie.Lies are only a problem if they are too big a problem. Most of the time, most of the people who are caught with lies are not aware of the lies that they have committed. Instead of paying attention to how big of a lie they have committed, they are focused on the lie that they are caught with.When that happens, the lie is magnified because of the attention it gets. That is why it is so important that you keep track of everything that you do. If you can't be honest with your future employer, what chance do you have?There is no doubt that a big lie is not going to get you anywhere. Your interviewer will notice that, and you are unlikely to get hired in the first place. A small lie, though, can cause a lot of trouble for you and your future employer.If you can catch yourself in the lie, you have a chance to come out of it without a major disaster. If you can't, then you have a choice to make. Do you really want to risk your future employment prospects or does your future employer deserve a truthful candidate? For the sake of your career, make sure that you do not get caught with a lie.

The Benefits of Document Conversion for Businesses

The Benefits of Document Conversion for Businesses Document conversion is the process of converting a piece of printed paper into a visual image that can be reviewed by electronic means.   If you’re company wants to go green, paperless, and get on the road to digital transformation, a good starting point is document scanning scanning paper files out of the filing cabinet and into the world of automation. Why undergo the disruption of scanning what you have already spent time and money producing, printing, and filing away? Isn’t the process of feeding your paper files into a scanner and indexing everything extremely labor-intensive? Not anymore, it isn’t. There are  document conversion  solutions that remove the technical obstacles of your decision to join the business digital transformation age.  The days of a tedious, labor-intensive scanning process have given way to automation. Scanning technology involves a coding, batching, and automatic filing system. Scan, file and secure all documents in a central location. A document conversion solution is what you need to take the next step in overcoming the inertia of procrastination and the status quo. You can get out from under the inefficiencies and expense of paper document production, handling, and storage and reap the benefits of digitization. Benefits of Document Conversion Document conversion provides a better return on your investment The Law of Diminishing Returns says that once you have reached a level of efficiency in your paper file management, the result will ironically be a decline in effectivenessâ€"or, in the case of document storage, absolutely no return on your investment. Your files are in great shape because you spend hours in filing and careful storage practices. What return on investment does all that paper handling add to your bottom line? (Spoiler alert: there is none.) Consider the following: A three-drawer filing cabinet can cost around $300. It will hold about 9,000 pages of documents and take up square footage of expensive office space. As your business accumulates more paper, and retention periods lengthen because of new regulations (HIPAA, personal privacy, etc.), you need more storage space. You also need to spend more money and take extra care as your file inventory grows. The PricewaterhouseCoopers study found that a company can spend about $25,000 to fill one file cabinet and over $2,000 a year to maintain that cabinet. Document conversion overcomes Murphy’s Law Murphy’s Law, as applied to paper documents, says that the one file or document you need to clear up some important matter is the one you cannot find. If you cannot find the document, it is as if it never existed, and it can cost you. One study by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that a lost document will cost a company an average of $122. The study also estimated that 7.5% of all company documents go missing permanently. A company that loses 750 documents out of an annual 10,000 will cost them about $91,500. Document conversion increases productivity Scan and quickly retrieve your documents through automation, and eliminate the time and hassle in rifling through paper files. If your employees spend an average of 20 percent of their time searching for paper files, you are losing productivity. Automate the process to achieve a significant return on your investment. For example, an employee receives a customer question about a past bill or invoice and a request for a copy upon finding the document. Track the time from the employee’s trip to the file cabinet, search for the file, and fax to the customer, and you are looking at about 20-30 minutes of the employee’s time.  Document conversion makes a business more compliant Automating document control and access protects confidentiality. User permissions, encryption, and backup safeguards make compliance auditors happy and your business safer. Along with compliance, document conversion provides added security of disaster recovery when off-site backups are in place. Document conversion puts a business on the path towards the paperless office and digital transformation Digital transformation requires more than automating your production. It is important to automate actual business processes. If your process includes manual preparation of an invoice and moving its associated paper backups through in- and out-baskets, your business process is not automated. Files physically moving in the system are also subject to  misrouting  or loss. Digitization allows your business to take on an eco-friendly, paperless approach. This route is paved through electronic document workflows, built-in  quality and timeliness checks that make the  business more efficient. Document conversion isnt the only way for every business to improve its processes. It can, however, be a way to take the next step in making a business more agile, efficient, competitive, and secure.

Real Career Girls Meet Director of Sales Recruiting, Maggie Hughes

Real Career Girls Meet Director of Sales Recruiting, Maggie Hughes There comes a time in ones life when you need a serious recruiter.   You dont want just anyone.   You want the BEST!   I knew I met the BEST when I met Maggie Hughes.   I wasnt even looking for a job!   I simply wanted to know Maggie because of her sweet sales skills, extensive Chicago network in IT, and her power-chick personality.   Not only will Maggie help you find a new gig, she will give honest advice based on years of experience.   I HAD to feature her this week in Real Career Girls.   And here she is Maggie, tell me about your gig what do you do? I am a partner at BottomLine Recruiting in Chicago, a National Sales Recruitment Firm. We specialize in full service sales and business development recruiting for several industries including technology, digital marketing, advertising, software, market research, managed services, creative, manufacturing, distribution and professional services. I both recruit and develop new clients. How did this path open up to you? I started in sales recruiting in 2007 for a small boutique firm in Chicago where I developed a niche and passion for finding great sales reps! A   great friend, and now business partner, recruited me to come work there as a I had a background in real estate sales, which is heavily focused on personal network and also 100% commission. It was a natural fit, requiring all new business development, self-generated leads and compensation based on performance.   What is your advice to career chicks out there who want to ROCK in 2013? BE. ASSERTIVE. â€"The best opportunities are the ones you go and GET! My experiences are mostly relevant to career transition, but really the approach I recommend is transferrable to anything in life. ASSERTIVENESS-the ability to take action and drive results. Don’t be too shy to approach your boss about how you can become a better sales person, attorney, nurse, teacher, etc! Why not ask about the potential for promotion, a new territory, better hours, more responsibilities or the option to work from home? Having the audacity to go for what we want is the biggest step, after that it’s about proving WHY we should get what we so desperately deserve!  Don’t approach your superiors for change unless you can back it up! Have proof and facts that can accompany your request. NETWORK. “God, you know everyone!” I can’t tell you how many times I hear that. For one, I’m a stalker by nature for my line of work, but, in general, I have always really tried to get to know everyone in the room. Talking to people, have great conversation, finding out what they do, why they do it, how it can possibly relate to what you do and making connections is SO important in any industry. The person you meet at a street fair or a house warming party might be your next client or perhaps someone who can help you build a website for a new company you have in mind? And if not, maybe they have a guy for you? Ive “gotta guy” for almost everything because I make connections every day all day with people because you never know when that connection might turn into an opportunity. How does a chick like you keep it all together?   Do you have a routine or trick to keep balance? Does wine count? Ok…my three “musts” are Goals, Balance, and Hockey. Goals-Good Days, Bad Days. No matter how things are going I set professional and personal goals every day/week/month to keep myself accountable. I write them on a giant neon sticky tab and plaster them above my desk. “WORK OUT!” “HIT THE PHONES! “CALL YOUR MOM!” I scream at myself using post it notes but it works because every month I pull them down, and one by one I evaluate myself based on my goals. I really take pride on being my biggest competitor which I think helps in evaluating [myself] when things [go] wrong, what could I have done better? What was missing? Balance- I have a lot of fun. Chicago being a fabulous city offers great dining, events, sports, etc. When it’s time, I’m pretty able to shut it down to allow some personal time to enjoy myself with great friends and family. No one likes the girl at the party who talks about her job the whole time, right? This one is harder with having my own business but it’s something I strive hard to keep. Hockey-How I would love to throw some pads on and pile drive into my opponents on ice?! I’m a diehard sports fan and was once an athlete so sports, mainly hockey are a big factor in blowing off some steam. I try to work out regularly and hit up a few games a week when the Hawks and Sox are in town. I think sports, or any other hobbies and interests are important to keep in our busy lives. You’ll never hear me say that I’m too busy for a game…not to mention the Hawks are on fire! Who is your role model?   Famous or not? My older brother, Brian. We are eight years apart and in very different industries but he has been a common thread in all my success, personally and professionally. He worked his way up from being an intern at an ad agency in Portland to now being the Creative Director at one of the largest retail manufacturers in the US. Brian is a creative genius and is successful because of his assertiveness, no fear mentality and old school drive to get to the top. He has friends in almost every capacity from white collar C level executives to the mail room attendant at his last two companies. He basically engrained in me that being successful is about being great to people, going the extra mile, having great personal conversations, and, most importantly, “winning”. He coined that long before Charlie Sheen…whether it’s a race to the front seat or slam dunking a presentation, Brian taught me to WIN at everything you do in life. When you feel your absolute BEST, what are you wearing? Dark skinny pants/jeans with a great top (probably Vince Camuto from Nordstrom sale rack) with a matching blazer and the biggest heels I can find! I also wear a watch, always have…Michael Kors in any color Do you have a personal mantra or motto you live by? “Write thank you notes and read the newspaper”

How to Write a Resume For HBR - HBRs Best Selling Resource

How to Write a Resume For HBR - HBR's Best Selling ResourceIn this article, we will look at writing a resume that makes you stand out from the crowd. You'll learn how to craft a resume that doesn't just 'looks' good, but actually tells the story of who you are. In addition, we'll show you how to avoid common resume mistakes that could derail your application.By far, the best way to learn how to write a resume for HBR is to put it to the test first. Learn how to do so by writing a resume for a different role. You might be surprised at what you discover about HBR and what to avoid, as well as discover how to change your resume in such a way that you get your foot in the door for an HBR position. Perhaps the most important tip is to learn how to create a more impressive and realistic resume by always using real-world examples to contrast with how you have described yourself.Let's first look at how to write a resume for HBR in the context of a new position. Your goal in crafting a resume for HBR should be to make sure that you are as qualified as possible to fill the position that you are applying for. It is recommended that you always submit a resume that is focused on that particular job description; and, that is tailor-made for the specific requirements of the job.Learning how to write a resume for HBR in this format is not easy and can be very frustrating. The challenge lies in knowing what needs to be included and how to emphasize certain elements. It's best to keep a copy of your resume handy in order to remember key points; it is equally important to be able to review it at any time and edit it as needed.For example, you should strive to remember that when writing a resume for HBR, the most important point to focus on is the title of the job. The rest of the content should be free of any content that might be interpreted by an employer as either overkill or trivial. However, you should also make sure that the title of the job clearly identifies the responsib ilities for which you are applying. This is also known as 'emphasizing the message' rather than 'downplaying the message.'An excellent reference for this is to simply imagine yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager. They are looking for someone who has been a good employee for their company, but who no longer fits in with the atmosphere. What does it say about you that you cannot or will not change?When you're applying for another job, you will be much more likely to get an interview if you can point to accomplishments that are specific and specifically relate to the job. As stated above, emphasizing the message is the most important part of how to write a resume for HBR in this format. The length of the resume and the way in which it is structured should be taken into account when setting up the resume to make sure that it clearly explains the type of job that you are applying for.So if you're looking to know how to write a resume for HBR, remember the best way to learn how to craft a resume that makes you stand out from the crowd is to actually create one for yourself. Doing so will take time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it. You'll be glad you did it the next time you go to apply for an HBR position!

The pros and cons of doing a study year abroad - Debut

The pros and cons of doing a study year abroad - Debut This post was written by an external contributor. Suphanida Thakral takes us through the pros and cons of what it’s really like to spend a year studying abroad The benefits of studying abroad (or indeed ‘living abroad’ for a short period of time) have been repeated so many times that there is no point exploring it again here. If you’ve clicked on this article, chances are that you’ve been convinced on the benefits of doing a ‘year abroad’ and are dead set on doing one. More often than not a year abroad will be built into your course for instance, language-based courses naturally make it compulsory for students to immerse themselves in an environment where the language is widely spoken. But on other occasions a year abroad will be something you have to apply for. You’ll probably be faced with the decision as to whether you take one that replaces one year at your home institution, or add an additional year to your course. We’ve spoken to four people who’ve each taken a different type of year abroad to find out the pros and cons of each, and hopefully help you make a decision. Where a year abroad replaces a year at home Pros: You get to finish university in three years and take the conventional route to a degree. More often than not, a year abroad will count towards your degree, so it is more of a challenge and imperative that it’s taken seriously. Once complete, you can ‘sell’ it to employers in a positive light and prove to them that a year abroad is more than just a holiday.   If you’ve taken a gap year or started university a little later than your peers, and want to finish your course at the same time as your friends but still study abroad, then this option may be for you. Coming back to familiar faces will also be something to look forward to: Any said: “The benefits of doing this was that I was able to attend my lectures in final year with my fellow classmates who I knew from first year. That was very helpful because it enabled me to get working straight away without worrying about the social side of getting used to university again.” Cons: You might be in a different mode when you come back from a year abroad because you’ve become used to a different system. This may make it both harder to adapt to the year abroad, where your grades still count, and then get back into the daily grind of your home institution. University of Warwick student Idrees agrees that there can be some negatives: “The drawback was on my career development. Because most PolSci majors in Canada will do a Masters in the future and the standard undergraduate career is four years, my peers have years to go before they have to think about their futures seriously. “Something I now really appreciate about University of Warwick is how much of a CV pressure cooker it is everybody is always onto something. I feel like missing out on that in the crucial second year led to me falling off the wagon in that respect. I still did a lot but I would have done much more if I had stayed.”   Where a year abroad adds an extra year to your course Pros: Doing a year abroad where it adds an additional year to your degree will usually mean that it doesn’t count towards your final grade, although this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. It gives you the chance to truly enjoy every bit of your year abroad without worrying about results. If you’re not bothered about adding an additional year and want to prolong graduation, maybe so you have more time to think about your career path and what you want from life, then perhaps this option would work for you. Ruth commented: “For me, it allowed me to study things that I couldn’t have done in my degree normally. For example I studied History and Human Geography, which are totally different from what I normally do (Maths/stats). I also wasn’t in any rush to graduate and didn’t know what I wanted to do, so an additional year of being a student and getting to travel was great.” Cons: While doing a year abroad gives you the chance to meet so many new people from different walks of life, most people said that the single biggest drawback of doing a year abroad that extends your course is that you don’t graduate at the same time as your peers back home. Obviously this depends on what you choose to prioritise. There will more than likely be a handful of people on your course doing an extra year abroad, so you can always get in touch with them to form a new circle when you’re back to complete your final year. Farrah agreed: “The main and only drawback has been seeing some of my friends graduate before me, but this is easily offset by having an additional year to yourself where you can build your confidence and grow due to being in a new environment where you have to be quite independent.” So there you have it; the pros and cons to both types of year abroad. While it is an exhilarating experience, it is undoubtedly tough mentally and needs serious consideration before committing. If an entire year abroad isn’t for you, there’s always the option to intern abroad or even take a post-graduation gap year. The world is, quite literally, your oyster. Connect with Debut on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more careers insights.

Welcome to the New Ellia Blog! - Kathy Caprino

Welcome to the New Ellia Blog! Greetings and welcome to the new Breakdown, Breakthrough Blog! This serves as a forum for discussion, insights, and exploration for all individuals wishing to get unstuck from their current situations, and break through to passion, power, and purpose in life and work. For readers of my book Breakdown, Breakthrough, please visit my new book site at www.breakdownbreakthrough.com, and use the blog there to share your experiences and insights (triumphs and bumps too!) as you read and use the book, and move through your breakthrough progress. We all can learn so much from you. Ive love to share a recent breakthrough of my own. On October 16th, my company Ellia Communications, Inc. won a competition for the CT award from the Make Mine a Million Dollar Business program, sponsored by Count Me In for Womens Economic Independence (www.countmein.org). Participating in the competition and presenting my 3-minute business pitch to a live audience and a panel of judges (something like American Idol meets The Apprentice) stretched me in new ways that were previously unimaginable! This experience confirmed that being a part of an empowering group that believes in your compelling visions (and your ability to make them a reality), can bring you to amazing new heights. If youre a female small business owner and one of your dreams is to build a million dollar business, dont waitjoin the Count Me In community. Congratulations to the other three CT winners! They are: Laura Eiman of Eiman Designs (www.picpads.com) Kim Orlando, TravelingMom, LLC (www.travelingmom.com) Karen Hinds, Workplace Success Group (www.workplacesuccess.com) Check them out! Theyre talented and creative women, turning their passions and dreams into million-dollar businesses Thank you for sharing generously, and wishing you many happy breakthroughs. Kathy Caprino

Not Hearing Back From Job Applications It Could Be Your Resume!

Not Hearing Back From Job Applications It Could Be Your Resume! Many people think that simply submitting their resume to as many job vacancies as possible is the perfect way to go about job hunting. While it is great if you can apply for as many jobs as possible, this isn’t always the best way to go about being successful on a job hunt. If you are submitting your resume to job vacancies and aren’t hearing back from people, then you really need to re-evaluate what you are doing and what you are going wrong. Quite simply, if you are not even getting as far as the job interview stage, then you need to change something to increase your chances of success. One of the best ways to do this is to re-do your resume and make sure that it is as well-written as possible. It may even be worth contacting a professional resume company for their advice; after all, they are the experts. It is important to remember that first impressions count! The resume and job application that you submit is your prospective employers first impression of you, so you need to make sure that the impression they have of you is a good one! They will read over your resume and cover letter and use this to decide whether or not to progress you to the next stage. There are likely to be a number of people applying for job roles so you need to stand out from the crowd and give them a reason to pick you above anyone else. This means making sure your resume is well written, pleasing to the eye, sells you, and is professionally laid out. If you aren’t confident in doing all of this yourself, then get a professional on board to help you and give yourself the best chance of success when it comes to hunting for a job.