Mother Recruiter

Welcome to the World, BEO!

2009-08-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

It all started with a conversation, as most journeys do. I was speaking with a candidate of mine who I thought was an absolute rock star in the project management arena. We connected and found ourselves chatting about various topics. Come to find out we share a home town and an affection for it. Fast forward about two years and we are still in contact; reconnected to discuss the upcoming end of her contract. We catch up and I share that I am launching a whole array of training programs for job seekers and companies to address the needs of the current market. Somehow I mention that I would like to reach teenagers because I am passionate about young people and would love to give them a leg up when it comes to looking for a job.

My friend hears of my interest and reminds me that she is affiliated with an organization based in Pasadena, CA called Outward Bound Los Angeles (OBLA) and would like to explore the possibility of having me talk with the young people enrolled in their program. I was thrilled by the idea and within weeks we had scheduled the first class. Since April of 2009 I have been going to the OBLA offices delivering workshops to kids ranging in age from 14 to 23. There was talk of getting a line item added in the budget for the program, but that just doesn't work for me. Why on earth should any organization that relies on the generosity of others to run have to pay me for something I love to do? I have happily offered the program pro bono and will not change it.

What can I say about these kids? They are fantastic and surprise me with their clarity and insightfulness. I thought they would be a tough crowd, but I find they are eager to learn and always at the ready to challenge the ideas I bring in a fun and interesting way. For my part, I welcome their challenges because they mean two things: One, they are paying attention and two, they are really trying on my ideas for their own lives. I could not be more pleased!

My experience with the young people at OBLA has inspired me to grow the program to empower more young people with the knowledge and skills to look for a job, apply for a job, interview for that job and work successfully on that job. My 15 years of experience as a recruiter has shown me one thing over and over: recruiter's and human resources professionals' knowledge is a well kept secret in the grand scheme of things. I want to blow the doors off of the barrier between feeling ignorant and inferior and feeling informed and worthy of success at every level.

I attended a conference in May of this year presented by the California Utilities Diversity Counsel. While there, I met some wonderful people who inspired me even further. Listening to Assemblyman Tom Torlakson speak was phenomenal and I not only want to support his political career, but I offered to be an experienced mother's voice should he ever need one. His dedication to California's youth is fierce and empowered. I want to help him reach his goal of getting the California schools back into the nation's top ten. Hearing the Honorable V. Manuel Perez, Assembly Member was also an awe-inspiring experience. I wish I could convey this man's powerful presence and intense drive to raise awareness and opportunities in his district and in the state. I only worked up the nerve to ask one of them to by on an advisory board for my venture and with a tentative "yes" in hand, I will approach the other soon.

The conference showed me that there are many, many opportunities arising in all of the efforts being made toward creating a greener energy network and I want to get as many young people involved as possible. It will be no small task, but I just can't stop thinking about the possibilities. My corporate training programs are entitled Reaching Hire™ and I think it's appropriate for youth as well. Adding the word "Outreach" to my company name has a nice ring to is as well and the acronym of BEO has great positive energy.

Here's my plan:
1. Grow the Reaching Hire™ Youth Outreach Program to enable more organizations the opportunity to offer the program to their young people at no cost
2. Create lines of communication with the utilities in California that will work toward formalizing a program to train young people across the state to service the demands coming forth with the green energy movement
3. Create training centers in strategic areas of the state where both young people and others can receive training specific to the utilities' needs. These training centers will be similar to trade schools, but at a minimal cost to students and a first draft resource for the utilities

For my plan to succeed, I will need a few things in place. First and foremost is an advisory board. If you, or someone you know is interested in participating, I promise the responsibilities require a minimal investment of time, and no other investment of any kind beyond an endorsement. Secondly, I'll need sponsors and I am specifically interested in reaching companies who have an interest in young people such as Apple, Nike, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Trade Schools, Universities, the Coast Guard, Air Force and Navy, Target, Tommy Hilfiger, Reebok, Adidas, Mead, Monster/Rockstar, Dell, Sony, the Lakers, Dodgers, etc. You get the idea! I'm putting together a sponsorship packet and will be reaching out soon.

I am ridiculously pleased to see Brick Elm Outreach™ officially start the journey, am tremendously proud of our team and I hope to see you along the way.

Job Hunting in an Economic Crisis

2009-08-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

The financial sky is falling and you need to get a job. What do you do? You’ve done all of the obvious exercises of posting your resume on job boards and have submitted your resume to dozens of jobs posted online. You’ve alerted your network to the fact you’re on the market and are actively looking for a new job. Now what?

Don’t be so sure you’ve posted your resume everywhere it should be. There are recruiters and hiring managers who search every job board that exists. Some definitely get more traffic than others, but all of them get some traffic so it’s worth your time to register and post your resume with as many as are applicable to your search to gain the most exposure. To briefly review, the big three job boards are Monster, HotJobs and CareerBuilder. But there are literally thousands of others across the country that cater to almost every niche possible be it by industry such as healthcare, construction or finance or by geographic location; by state, county, region and city. There are job boards specific to people who have a security clearance, people who are of specific ethnic origin, education levels, veteran status and certifications. Do a few searches based on these criteria to find the ones that suit your background and objectives.

Nearly every company you can think of has an employment/careers section on their web site. You can go to those pages yourself to apply directly to these companies. You can also submit your resume directly to recruiting firms by going to their web sites. Sometimes you’ll be able to submit your resume to a general inbox as opposed to submitting it for a specific job. You want your resume to be in their internal databases for when they conduct searches there. Find out about local job fairs by doing internet searches and reading the business section of your local newspaper. In fact, you can search for certain news information online using a variety of search engines and tools.

Have you joined some groups online to get and stay connected to what’s happening in your world? There are many social networking sites that offer various ways to connect with people. Get online, search for social networking sites, register and explore their unique universes. They mostly all have groups and what happens in these groups is people hear of news and then announce that news to the group. For instance, I belong to many groups relating to Human Resources and Recruiting where I learn something new every single day without exception relating to the industry in some way. I hear about seminars I can participate in, tools (software and otherwise) that I may want to use, best practices for every facet of my business, candidate and company information and even tidbits about how to stay motivated. We all have something to learn and we each also have something to share. It is guaranteed that you will learn, and what you learn may be the key to opening the door to your next job.

You’ve let your immediate circle know you’re looking. Have you specifically asked them to help you in your search? They don’t have to do much beyond remember you as they go about their day. With you and your search on their mind, they will absolutely find information to share with you that may help. But you have to ask them to do so and keep in touch with them to remind them you’re still looking. An email or quick phone call to say “Don’t forget to keep me in your thoughts because I need all the help I can get” are both great reminders. Have you found that your awareness grows once you have something to relate to? For instance, not realizing how many Volkswagens are on the road until you own one. Keep yourself in their minds and it will help your search.

What are you doing when you’re not making your eyes dry out from staring at the computer or the TV? Look into volunteering your time somewhere at least twice a week for a couple of hours. Do this in person in an environment conducive to meeting new people. A soup kitchen, homeless shelter, animal shelter, your local community center, senior center, political organization, church, the library, etc. are all equally good venues. Give of yourself while you have the time. This activity will help you in multiple ways because it will take your mind off of yourself and your situation for at least a little while (we all need a break from our own reality sometimes), and it will give you an opportunity to meet people and make them aware of your search.

When asked how they got their jobs, most people will respond with some form of networking story. It was their friend, their wife’s cousin or their best friend’s son who knew someone who was able to get them an interview or an application. There are quite a few who get their jobs through recruiters as well, but at the end of the day recruiters are simply people who get paid to know lots of people – it’s all networking. Get out there and get yourself as much exposure as possible. You literally never know where the successful lead will come from. Oh yes, and be sure to be friendly to your neighbors. You never know.

Interviewing Technical Candidates for Keeps

2009-08-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

As an IT recruiter, I am incapable of qualifying candidates' technical abilities. It is an odd reality, but true nonetheless. The good news is there is no other service available to qualify candidates for your specific role. It's crucial for your team to conduct their own technical assessment in order to understand if candidates are capable of working in your particular environment.

BrainBench and other firms who specialize in testing technical proficiency only deliver snapshots of the candidate's true abilities because they test on the whole spectrum of a given technology, where your group likely focuses on particular functions. For instance, Java is a great big world unto itself and programmers have strengths in different areas of it. Some excel in integration work and others in developing code from scratch. Experience in various industries and the size of the companies worked for also dictate what type of experience developers have because in a small shop they are likely to have done a little bit of everything whereas in a large environment, they will likely be focused on one particular role.

For your interviewing process, identify the areas of technology that are most important to your projects as a general rule, and come up with questions specific to your applications in order to get relevant answers from each candidate. Create a form and rank the candidates' answers on a scale of 1 to 5 so that in review, you'll have a snapshot of their technical strengths and weaknesses. One question I do ask candidates is to rank their level of expertise in a given technology. Over the years I have found that few candidates will misrepresent themselves when asked to do this. In fact, many will rank themselves lower than their true level to be on the safe side. A good follow up question for a technical interviewer is to ask what areas of the technology is the candidate most proficient in. You will no doubt be surprised by the answers you receive.

Where most candidates fail in jobs is on the business/professional side as opposed to their technical aptitude. It's usually more about their attitude, communication style, documentation practices and general interpersonal skills. In all cases, I highly recommend preparing an assessment/test for the candidates to complete. In this assessment, present a business scenario that is based on your company/department. The one assessment that comes to my mind was for a UNIX Systems Administrator and looked like this:
-Here's a snapshot of our systems (very basic)
-Here's a list of people who interface with the Sys Admin, their titles and names
-Something goes wrong and a server is down
-Describe the process by which you will determine the cause of the problem
-Compose an email to each of the people listed above to inform them of the issue

An assessment such as the one above will tell you more about a candidate than you've ever discovered before in an interview. Left on their own to complete the assessment, you will learn how well they communicate in writing, how well they understand interdepartmental communications, how long it takes them to complete a task, how quickly they can grasp your environment and more.

You will determine what is most important to you and your team. Requiring candidates to own their side of an interview will guarantee you better interviewing results, will save a lot of time normally spent evaluating interview performance and will help your team stay focused on which skills are of most value.

The benefits are really too numerous to mention, but ultimately these techniques work toward conducting meaningful, informative interviews that will help you hire employees you will want to keep for the long haul.

I will leave it at that and wish you all the best in your interviews, as always.

Interviewing Do's and Don'ts

2009-07-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

DO research the organization: history, size, products/services, market/customers, financial outlook

DON'T ask the interviewer to tell you about the company

DO find out about the culture including appropriate attire, community involvement, mission statement, etc.

DON'T show up to a bank dressed for a BBQ and likewise don't show up to a dental office dressed for a funeral

DO bring along a copy of your resume, list of references, paper and pen

DON'T have your cell phone on, your Bluetooth on or bring anyone else with you

DO practice answering interview questions. Visit www.about.com and search on "interviewing" for a great number of articles and sample questions

DON'T answer questions with questions except to clarify. For instance, if the interviewer asks what your 5 year goal is, DON'T answer with "why do you want to know?", but feel free to ask if they are interested in knowing your personal 5 year goal as well as your professional one

DO know yourself. Know your skills, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, work ethic, professional goals and what you have to offer an employer. Take the time to write them down and review them daily.

DON'T expect potential employers to glean all of your skills and traits from your resume

DO know your limits relating to commute, salary and office hours

DON'T mislead and interviewer for a job you are not willing to perform

DO expect the unexpected and be ready to roll with the punches

DON'T act offended or insulted if the interview schedule is not maintained or if there are multiple changes during the course of your interview (unless you have decided you do not want the position in any case)

DO eat a good meal prior to interviews so that your body can focus on the most important thing: staying sharp

DON'T go to an interview hungry or tired if you can help it

DO remember to smile, make eye contact and try very hard to remember the names of your interviewers (write them down; ask for their names again if you didn't catch it the first time)

DON'T expect the interviewer(s) to have read your resume recently or remember what it says

DO keep in mind that interviewing is a lot like dating; patience, compassion, understanding and boundaries are all required in this setting.

DO have a great interview!!!!

Staying the Course

2009-06-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

I received this today and thought to share it because I fully believe these are words to live by. Enjoy your day today and best wishes for your journeys. -Lesa

Staying the Course
By BJ Gallagher

Our journey of life is about progress,
not perfection.
It's not about doing one thing
100% better -
it's a matter of doing 100 things,
1% better each day.

Progress is evolutionary
not revolutionary,
and most days we measure our progress
in inches,
not miles.

What matters most
is showing up for your life
whether you feel like it
or not.

Ask yourself,
"What two or three little things
can I do today
that would move me forward?"

You'll be amazed
at how much distance
you can cover
by taking it in increments.

The little things add up;
the inches turn to miles;
and we string together our efforts
like so many pearls.
Before long,
look what you have -
a whole strand!

Ah... beautiful.

You're Speaking English?

2009-06-05T13:39:00.000-07:00

I recently read the funny email below and am reminded of how much there is to learn for people who speak English as a second language. It's difficult enough when you consider the myriad slang and jargon that is used in workplaces across English speaking countries (I have a hard time following British, Irish and Scottish English over the phone), but the words used below simply defy logic and reason altogether.

When you're talking with someone from another country (or to a child), keep in mind that they are experiencing the same difficulty in understanding you as you are in understanding them. Speak slowly, enunciate and check in frequently to make sure that your words are being understood in the correct context.

Enjoy the play on words below:

1. The bandage was wound around the wound.

2. The farm was used to produce produce.

3. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4. We must polish the Polish furniture.

5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7. Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to
present the present.

8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10. I did not object to the object.

11. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests on various subjects.

12. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

13. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

14. There was a row among the oarsmen in the third row about how to row the boat.

15. They were too close to the door to close it.

16. The buck does funny things when the does are present.

17. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

18. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

19. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

20. After a number of injections my jaw got number.

21. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

22. After a short interruption I was able to resume work on my resume.

If I knew who wrote it, I would most certainly give them credit. The above was sent to me in an email by Mark Lusher of www.omnidant.com.

Graduation to Employment - A Road Map

2009-05-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, graduate! You've accomplished a lot over your student career and you're ready to reap the rewards of a hot-off-the-press degree. The studying and homework are over, right? Wrong! You'll need to use your same dedication and hard work to identify and land the job that will pay the bills and ideally launch your career.

Most people would advise you to start by writing your resume. I disagree based on the assumption that you don't have any professional experience. Working part time at Starbucks or Denny's doesn't count as professional experience in my book and I highly recommend leaving those kinds of job descriptions off of your resume entirely, if possible. You can simply list them as employment with the name of the company, the dates you worked there and your title. This gives the reader credit for being able to deduce what your duties were and it shows that you recognize that experience as being unrelated to the business world you are attempting to enter.

Start by reading as many job descriptions as you can get your eyes in front of to get a feel for how employers address their needs and how they word the requirements for each job. To find descriptions to review, use any of the job boards such as CareerBuilder, Monster, HotJobs, etc.

Be sure to also do web searches based on the types of jobs you think you're going to apply for and include the word "resume" in your search. The search engine will return results for resumes of people doing the job(s) you want and you should read at least a few of them to get a sense of how these folks represent themselves and which responsibilities they feel are worth presenting on a resume.

To put you in the correct frame of mind for job searching, let me start by bursting your bubble a bit: employers don't care about your degree unless you are qualified to fill the position you are applying for. Put another way, if you don't have professional experience getting paid for doing a job similar to what the employer is looking for, then your resume will not be considered, regardless of your education. I know it's hard to accept, but it's the truth so the sooner you embrace the search as the challenge that it is, the quicker you will find a position that will satisfy your expectations.

Let's visit the topic of expectations for a moment so that you can know what to expect and prepare yourself accordingly. Odds are you can expect the following to be true when potential employers consider your resume:
• You will not be considered for positions that manage people outside of the fast food or retail industries
• You will not be considered for senior level positions within a team that has multiple levels of positions (i.e. junior, associate, senior, etc.)
• You will be considered for junior level positions
• It will be assumed that you will accept less money because you are a recent graduate
• It will be assumed that you will work harder than the rest of the team because you are a recent graduate looking to prove yourself
• It will be assumed that you will offer more value in the areas of computer and information skills to offset your lack of professional experience

Now that you know what employers see in a recent graduate and you've taken a look at the available jobs and resumes of people actually qualified to do those jobs, you're ready to start putting together your resume. Be sure to have your contact information prominently displayed so that recruiters and managers don't have to hunt it down (Go ahead and put it at the top where we all expect it to be; you won't lose creativity points for it). I recommend not doing an "Objective" section because there's no good way to phrase your desire to be compensated for working and contributing in a fun, creative environment without sounding like you're registering at some store for your graduation gifts. Instead, create a "Qualifications Summary" section where you'll list the skills you possess that will be attractive to an employer such as leading brainstorming sessions, creating processes/procedures, delivering a completed product or project, etc. You can create this section as a bulleted list or in paragraph form. Since you're focusing on your value as opposed to your experience, you'll want to use key phrases gleaned from job descriptions and other resumes (not plagiarized) to present your attributes and knowledge in a like manner.

Search the job sites mentioned above as well as the employment office of your college and search the web for local/regional job boards in your specific geographical area. Get creative with your search words and leave no stone unturned. Make sure your social media sites are clean – no profanity or nudity, and definitely keep your messages grammatically correct whenever possible. Stay focused on your search and before you know it you'll be off to your first day of work.

Good luck!

Hope Abounds for Those Looking for It

2009-05-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

It's a Monday morning and I should be avidly reviewing notes for my upcoming presentation this morning but instead I am inspired to write a bit about hope because I surprise even myself with how hopeful I remain on a daily basis.

Why do I remain so hopeful? I have tapped into some kind of hope stream for myself and the people in my field of vision. These people include of course my family, clients, potential clients the young adults I work with through Outward Bound, the parents I intend to someday educate through seminars of some sort and all of the people who are currently struggling for work. We all have the potential and opportunity to be okay in the long run and I believe this so strongly and so innately that I simply cannot stop being hopeful.

I recently made an acquaintance through Twitter (I adore Twitter) that instantly intrigued and thrilled me. The company is called WorkNet and the founder has literally written the book on how to help people who are deemed "unemployable" for one reason or another. Incredible!! I got in contact with the person I met named Chris Webster and he walked me through their program a bit and offered me unlimited support and encouragement for the program I have put together for Outward Bound Los Angeles. As far as I'm concerned, Elisabeth H. Sanders Park writes for me when she says "Go for it! Whether your specialty is working with people in a highly individualized way, or your average day makes big changes that affect many, approach overcoming barriers with purpose and creativity!".

My current and future clients will all be so much better off once they have received the information I have put together to show them how to increase their ROI in their internal recruiting efforts. It took me a long time to go out on my own because for myself, I have to know that I am helping someone and being "another" staffing company offering the same old news has never appealed to me as the concept itself lacks any notion of meaningful assistance in this day and age. Focusing on the positive, I am grateful to the scores of staffing companies who adamantly refuse to operate in an ethical fashion without the slightest regard to the trail of broken spirits they leave in their collective wake. My revolution has begun and there is so much need out there that I can't give up in my quest to help as many people as possible through the various channels I have dedicated myself and my company to focus on.

My family life is full of drama and struggles dealing with the inevitable difficulties associated with blended families. All children of divorce suffer to varying degrees and I literally exhaust myself trying to make sure no bit of needed attention slips through the cracks. It's an impossible task of course, but both my efforts and my fiance's efforts have reaped tremendous rewards in improved communication with our children and a marked improvement in our children's behavior across the board. It's scary and intimidating, but we refuse to abandon the hope that our kids will come through all of it to become wonderfully happy, hopeful and productive adults.

One key to my success in remaining hopeful is terribly simple: turn off the television. There is so little good news being reported that I honeslty never watch live television except for the weather channel. I record the shows I want to see, fast forward through even the commercials for the news and commit myself to receiving news via Twitter (did I mention I love Twitter?) RSS feeds, magazines and my own browsing. I give no media outlet permission to interrupt my hopeful day with negative droning about any topic.

Elisabeth H. Sanders-Park also mused about the movie The Princess Bride and how Billy Crystal and Carol Kane were saying their farewells and said "Have fun stormin' the castle!". We all have castles to storm, metaphorically speaking, so I will bid you farewell this morning in kind. Have fun stormin' the castles, everyone!

Unemployment, Foreclosures and Wall Street, Oh My

2009-03-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

What is happening in our country is unlike anything we've seen before. It's everywhere we turn and the news is dire: national unemployment (non farm) is at 8.1% according to www.bls.gov/CPS and here in California it's 10.5% according to every headline in every medium on every news/media outlet. The cover of the LA Times Business section yesterday was a full spread aimed at educating us poor homeowners whose hopes and fears about the fate of our mortgages is unparallelled on the chart of "oh my goodness, what are we going to do". And honestly, one more story about the clusterf&@#k that is AIG and I'm going to announce my self-appointment to lead the revolution.

I know I'm not alone in feeling completely pummeled by our legislature and wall street but I can't help but wonder why there hasn't been a call to action by anyone other than the whack job who thinks he's Benjamin Franklin. I won't even include a reference link to his YouTube video here because I can't be responsible for increasing the viewership of his ridiculousness.

It's high time to stand tall, folks. You need a job? Create one for yourself. What have you got to lose? This is still America, the land of opportunity. There are so many opportunities for us to make a living providing needed services to our near and distant neighbors. There are also many, many websites dedicated to helping those of us in business for ourselves by providing information, resources and forums. Check out a few: Startup, Entrepreneur, Ladies Who Launch, Tanned Feet, SBA, and there are many, many groups on LinkedIn geared specifically to starting a business, marketing that business and growing the business. Twitter is also a great resource for information, but it does require a bit of time so I suggest browsing Twitter for information that will be helpful to you and then joining the fray once you've started your business so that you can contribute, as well.

What else can you do? Make your voice heard by writing your representatives in Congress to tell them your thoughts on what's going on. Write in to newspapers, television shows and blogs to provide feedback on the information being presented by them. Whether you like the content or not, let your voice be heard. That's what we're supposed to do, you know. The people "in charge" are supposedly representing us and since we ultimately pay all of their salaries, we're entitled to give them feedback on their job performance. I'm talking about all of the politicians and all of the newscasters and journalists. Be noisy.

The foreclosure news is so bad everywhere that I can't help but have a morbid curiosity as to what will happen next. What I hope for is the mortgage banks will figure out a way to make the necessary corrections in order to rewrite many mortgages altogether. But it's not looking too good as the LA Times exposed the truth behind the various programs that exist for homeowners to address their dilemmas. At least I hope it's the truth. It's very hard to keep up! Call your realtor as they are the best first line for real news and information. Whatever you do, ignore everything that comes in the mail offering assistance to homeowners. If it's not from your mortgage holder or realtor, toss it. If you don't have a realtor you can trust, check out the National Association of Realtors to find one.

Ah, Wall Street. How I loathe thee. Remember, you're supposed to be able to be the President with an 8th grade education. I keep that little tidbit at the forefront of my mind when I consider Wall Street because I just don't think it's right how our collective nest eggs should be at the mercy of folks dealing in financial matters that most people can't understand. Even with all of the new information flooding in from well meaning individuals and media outlets, it's still not exactly clear what has happened. What?? That's right - nobody actually knows. There are plenty who have educated guesses, but since they're mostly saying different things, the only logical conclusion one can draw is that there were a whole bunch of people getting away with far too much. Keep it simple for yourself and only invest in things you can understand with minimal research. Because there is still value on the stock market, folks - lots of it. It's just that all of the shenanigans that have been going on have confused the darn thing so much as to make it nearly unrecognizable. Invest in things you can truly understand.

The bad news is on a roll, for sure. But we can remain strong and successful if we don't give up our hope, our efforts and our contributions to the collective by making our voices heard.

You've been waiting for it, I know, so here is my self-serving plug. I've launched a new web site offering training webinars in an effort to serve all of those folks out there who need help finding a job. They're cheap, they're efficient and they're the real deal - no baloney. Job seekers will find resources for their search, their resume and nailing the interview: www.iwillworkshops.com.

As always, I wish you every success in your endeavors and fret over you as only a cosmic mother does. If there is a topic you'd like me to address, don't be shy! Get in touch to let me know.

Meetup and Mix at McCormick and Schmick's on Thursday, 2/26

2009-02-19T19:48:00.000-08:00

Stay connected for the greater good! Meet like-minded, similarly talented professionals to share information about jobs and keep each other in mind for current and future opportunities. We’ve got people coming from many different companies and positions – IT, Digital Media, Mobile, Gaming and Marketing.

McCormick and Schmick’s in Burbank is extending happy hour just for us to meet, mix and mingle. We’ll have happy hour pricing for as long as we’re there (it normally ends at 6:30pm).

Thursday, February 26 6:00pm – 8:00pm

McCormick and Schmick's
3500 West Olive Avenue
Burbank, California 91505
(818)260-0505

There is no cover charge or registration fee, but there is a two drink minimum and of course, don’t forget to tip our servers who will be working hard to make sure we have a good time!

Please feel free to forward this invitation along and if you have questions you can contact me by leaving a comment here, connecting through LinkedIn or on Twitter. All recruiters are welcome.

We look forward to seeing you next Thursday!

I have been remiss in blogging over the last few weeks and will be back in the swing after next Thursday.

Where Does Success Come From?

2009-01-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

Do you ever find yourself wondering how in the world successful people do it? I once heard a story about a gentleman taking his final statistics exam to complete his Masters degree in statistics. The test question required that he show his work meaning that he would have to write down each step involved in solving the problem. He couldn't get the right answer, so as the last step in his documented work he wrote "insert magic here". I love this story because it illustrates what we all feel at some point in our efforts to succeed.

There is a formula for success however, but it's not very sexy and feels a lot like work at first. The formula is so simple that literally anyone can apply it and reap their rewards in any field at any age. It looks like this:

A + H + W = S
Attentive + Helpful + Willing = SUCCESS

A: Pay attention to your surroundings all the time. You never know where valuable information may come from. Always be on the lookout for information that will either help you directly, or help someone in your network. If you're an employee, the information may help you be better at what you do or may help you gain recognition and respect for sharing it with your superiors. If you're self employed, the information again may help you be better at what you do or may help you gain that same recognition and respect from your clients, employees and people in your network. Look for ways to contribute to your professional world.

H: Provide assistance wherever you see a need. At a meeting of any kind, be prepared to help someone who has dropped their papers, whose hands are full and needs a door opened for them or a chair pulled out. It seems so small and insignificant, but every opportunity to be helpful raises others' awareness of you in a positive way. This portion of the formula applies to every person you meet including the janitor, the parking lot attendant, the CEO and the receptionist. Helpful behavior builds a reputation of respect that makes people seek you out for answers and by doing this they are providing you with more opportunities to learn. What do people think of you now and why? Train yourself to be a resource by helping where you can and soon your name will be associated with words like nice, dependable, trustworthy and smart just because you're helpful.

W: Your willingness to actively participate in your world will pay you back in immeasurable amounts. If there is a menial task that is asked of you simply do it and do it well. Learn a new skill to help the team or yourself? Absolutely. Remember that the first part of the word "willing" is "will". We all know people who are strong-willed and we associate that phrase with being dedicated and committed to achieving a goal. Be a willing participant and you will soon find that you are actually using your will to bring success into your life.

It is never too early or late to start.

Using the formula, your attentiveness enables you to understand the reasons why things are the way they are, your helpful habits create positive energy all around you and your willingness to continue learning and pitch in where you can provide a constant flow of opportunities for you to succeed. Success breeds success so each time your efforts are met with success, more is on the way!

Challenge yourself to apply and use the formula for two weeks. The worst that can happen is you prove the formula wrong and your search for success continues as it was yesterday. The more likely result is that you will feel better about yourself, your job and your future. You will be amazed by the number of success stories you will have to share.

To Cover Letter or Not to Cover Letter

2009-01-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

I recently commented on a thread about the value and structure of cover letters and thought it worthy of a post right here at home.

It's safe to say that at least 80% of cover letters never get read. The level of the position being applied to has a lot to do with it because of course, there is more at stake per hire for more senior level (higher paying) positions. Even then, the resume is the vehicle by which all of the information should be delivered and anything else is simply "other". My opinion is that if the resume doesn't deliver the message the candidate hopes then the resume needs to be rewritten. A wonderful cover letter will not make up for a lousy resume for anyone.

Consider that most applicant/candidate tracking systems do not have a place to store cover letters so they are rarely included with a database profile to external agencies or internal HR/recruiting groups. On the off chance that there is a place to save it, the odds of a recruiter opening a document in addition to the resume are slim to none. Most recruiters are reviewing 100+ resumes for each position they recruit for. That's not for each placement they make, that's for every single position they work on whether they fill it or not. The sheer volume of information makes a strong case against the notion of recruiters taking the time to read cover letters.

After all of that negativity, let me address three scenarios where a cover letter is appropriate. The first is when the job posting requests one specifically; there's not a lot of help for that one. Second is when a resume is being sent to an email address as opposed to being submitted through an online form. In this instance, the email message is the cover letter and should take a few moments to highlight qualifications, skills, availability and interest. And by all means, it should be written professionally with correct grammar and punctuation. The third is unfortunately when you are a senior level professional. These folks should have a boilerplate letter (at least) if for no other reason than to demonstrate their written communication skills.

Cover letters that are not in email should still be fairly short and direct so as not to detract from the resume itself. It's not possible to eliminate all redundant information, but keeping it to a minimum is a good idea. The letter should follow standard business letter format and include the following: An introduction that speaks about the resume objectively as a document for review and consideration, a paragraph that summarizes qualifications, a paragraph dedicated to availability and interest and a business sign-off such as "Sincerely" or "Kind regards". Beyond that information you run the risk of detracting the interest of the reader, as the good stuff should all be in your resume.

It's tough to know that something you will spend time creating will most likely not even get considered, but when it's appropriate to send one you don't want to be caught without one. Everything about resumes and cover letters is subjective with no one solution satisfying everyone, so it's best to have your bases covered in the event that someone is looking.

Here are two sources where you can view samples for free:

http://tiny.cc/JDe5s

http://tinyurl.com/7uwf7l

These sites don't necessarily share my views on the cover letter, but it never hurts to view examples to get your creative motor started. Sharing these links is for reference only and is in no way an endorsement to pay for any service(s) offered. If you're stuck, give me a shout and I'll help you write one.

I am rooting for you, as always!

New Year, 2009

2009-01-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone!

I am so excited about 2009 because of all of the opportunities that exist for growth and change. It seems as though our society has morphed into an anthill of anxious activity due to all of the financial uncertainties. I am right here in the thick of it with my infant business but there is a big part of me that is paying attention in a way that I can only liken to that of parade watching. What will come down the street next?

I refuse to give in to doom and gloom because if we all did that then how would anyone find their footing again? In my mind's eye, I am trying to be a buoy of strength and courage along with many, many others. We will get through this time of our lives one way or another. I do believe that it was Albert Einstein who said "If you're going through hell, keep going". Here's to keeping going in 2009!

I recently learned that there are about 500 jobs actively posted on www.womenforhire.com. While the site is dedicated to we females, the posted jobs are for all qualified individuals regardless of their gender. You never know!

I wrote an article about job hunting that is much like one of my blog posts, but this time it's being published in a couple of places. Once it's officially viewable I will of course be posting the links here.

Take care everyone - remember that I am here rooting for you all the way!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Sung to the tune of "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer"

Sung to the tune of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

The holidays are upon us
Though our schedules remain too tight
For all of us to be with one another
Be merry, eat and drink into the night

We must pick and choose so carefully
Who and when will get together
Sometimes it’s just too hectic
And we wonder if it will be ever

But there are so many ways
For us to stay in touch and be near
LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and others
Make it seem like we’re all right here

I wish you happy safe holidays
With a new year that’s joyous and fun
All together now for 2009
Season’s greetings to everyone!!

I promise not to quit my day job to be a song writer, but you get the idea and I mean it sincerely. Those who know me know that I would be hugging them if I could and to them I say digital and cosmic hugs abound!!!!

-Lesa

Just moved from another blog site

2008-12-03T14:58:00.000-08:00

I just relocated my infant blog to blogger.com and am much happier here. More to come soon!

Lesa

Interview Preparation: Candidate

2008-12-03T14:51:00.001-08:00

The big day is nearing; an interview with a company that based on your current knowledge, you'd really like to work for. How do you prepare yourself so that you can feel the most confident? There are so, so many resources available with loads of information written by "experts" who have done a great job of making lists of things to do in preparation. When I read them I generally feel like I'm reading the user manual for something as exciting as a lawn mower and when I have finished reading I don't remember much. The biggest problem with interview preparation advice is that it's often based on outdated taboos about interviews leftover from the time when companies were mostly all the same and whether or not to wear a tie or nylons was not even a question.

My advice comes from years of listening to candidates tell me how their interviews went and of course then knowing whether or not they were successful in getting the position that they interviewed for. I am here to tell you that truth is frequently stranger than fiction and one method of preparation does not apply to all interviewing scenarios. But there is a general framework of preparation that is universal in helping you feel good about yourself from start to finish. Following are three things that I believe every candidate should review and implement in every interview situation (even internal interviews). If all you do is read the headings and fill in the rest for yourself you will be miles ahead of half of the people interviewing on any given day:

Know your audience to the best of your ability.
You want to go in to the interview knowing what the company does, who their clients and competitors are, how long they've been in business, how many locations, where the locations are and which areas business is handled in each location. You'll want to know if they are a subsidiary or if they have subsidiaries, and you'll want to know if they are privately held or publicly traded. Of course, don't hurt yourself trying to remember a laundry list of statistics, but review the information so that you can hold your own in any conversation and will ideally be able to ask good questions during the interview based on your general understanding of the company.To find out as much as possible about an organization, visit their web site, read press releases and do internet searches on the company's name to see what's being written about them. You'll wind up finding blogs, message boards, newspaper articles and announcements that will really help you to gain a good understanding of the company's position in the marketplace and as an employer. Ask people you know who currently work for the company and also search on social networking sites and reach out to current employees to ask for their advice. You will be amazed at how much you can learn by doing this bit of research.

Have a plan for answering questions.
It is always a good idea to have a framework in mind for answering questions. You want to be sure to hit on certain key areas with each answer. The easiest comparison is to a spiral - starting from the outside, a spriral circles around until finally resolving itself at the middle. Whatever the question is, try to tailor your answer from the largest perspective to the smallest. For example, the interviewer asks you to tell them about the number of projects that your current team (or yourself) is responsible for at any given time. Your answer should start with the company (large), then touch on the division (getting there), the specific unit you were/are in (closer!), your project manager/supervisor/team lead (almost there!) and finally your slice of the pie. Specifically, the answer would sound like this: "Bubble Tire Pro has a client base of mostly smaller companies, so there are always many small projects in play with all 6 divisions. My group is responsible for the web interface for each client so our project manager works with the project managers from other groups to help make sure that the 13 or so projects we have going at any one time are in step with the other groups' to launch as closely together as possible."

When you answer questions in this way, you're communicating much more than if you had simply answered, "13 or so". You're giving the interviewer a truer depiction of what your workday looks like and your abilities in working with others and operating in an environment where your work is both collaboritive and is highly visible.

On the flip side, if you're coming from a smaller environment, you'll want to follow the same framework concept but instead of detailing how it's been for you, you'll want to carefully place phrases that indicate you understand that working for a large organization is different from your direct experience, and that you're up for the challenge and excited about the opporunity to participate on a larger playing field.

Eat Well
This is an area often overlooked but is so important to the way you will feel during your interview. Eat a good meal before your interview to help your body and mind focus on the task at hand. If you're there on an empty belly then your mind and body will be distracted trying to undersatnd why you haven't eaten yet and how to get by until you do. A well-balanced meal is called for and you should treat this with as much care as your wardrobe to make sure you're operating at optimum levels.

Again, this is a big topic that has many opinions and way too many "shoulds" in my opinion. If interviewing were fun, it would be a pastime. It's an awful lot like going on a blind date and the odds of it working out aren't much better, so you put your smile on, take the plunge and hope for the best! Take the pressure off yourself because nothing good comes from nervousness - breathe.

Consider writing yourself this note the night before and taping it to your bathroom mirror:
-Eat a good meal
-Smile
-Have a Great Interview!

I wish you every success and know that if you keep the above in mind in preparing for your interview, it will be a better experience all around.

Interviewing - Panel/Group or Individual?

2008-12-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

Interviewing candidates is a skill that not every hiring manager possesses. Too often it seems that the interviewing process forms a life of its own that is out of step with the normal flow of the business unit that is interviewing. What that means for both the hiring manager and the candidate is that the true nature of both the position and the candidate remains an unknown until after the hiring decision. Much can be helped by incorporating the use of group/panel interviews in the process.

For starters, I find it helpful to refer to panel interviews as group interviews because the word "panel" suggests that the team doing to the interviewing will be sitting in a row of chairs behind a long table with the candidate sitting on a chair with no desk, in the middle of the room by themselves. A group interview is more like an interview meeting. The hiring manager pulls together key members of their team to conduct the interview in a conference room or all together in an office. Depending on the team and the hiring manager, this may be only the senior members of the team or it may include the entire team.

The benefits of the group interview are numerous, but the most important benefit to my mind is that the team gets a realistic snapshot of how the candidate will operate within their group based on actual experience. Everyone involved is receiving the same information as opposed to attempting to piece together a whole picture from various input received from questions asked in multiple meetings, phrased differently, etc.

I have found over the years that hiring managers who do group interviews have more success in getting a decision made quickly and have a much higher level of interest from the candidates who interview. In every instance where the candidate was offered a position from two different business units where one did a group interview and the other applied the more traditional interview method of meetings with one person at a time, the candidate chose the business unit that did the group interview. Without exception! The group interview provides the candidate with the same level of information as it does for the interviewing team, and it is simply more information than is possible to gather from individual interviews.

In my opinion, the hiring manager and their selected team members should interview the candidate all together for at least one hour followed immediately by a one-on-one interview with the candidate for 30 minutes or so. Even if the hiring manager is only in the group interview for the first 15-30 minutes, some level of participation is ideal. For a second round, individual interviews with senior level staff from other areas of the business or from the executive level are appropriate.

What is most important is the interaction between the candidate and at least some of the people he/she will be working with if offered the position. The experience for both the team and the candidate is richer and full of more relevant detail than any 10 individual interviews.

Recruiting Process Quality

2008-12-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

My professional and sometimes personal worlds are full of resumes. I have had thousands of conversations about resumes over the years and one topic comes up again and again. Who are these people who supposedly read our resumes and contact us for positions completely outside of our areas of specialty?

Just yesterday I received yet another form email from a large, well known recruiting firm. I'll spare you the details by not copying it here, but suffice it to say that even though you have likely not seen my resume, you can probably guess that I am not a Java developer. I know that candidates all over the world get these emails claiming that the recruiter has reviewed their resume and have determined that the position described in the email is a great potential fit and that the candidate should contact the recruiter immediately to be considered. Obviously, the recruiter has not even glanced at an actual resume, but has run a search in their database that provided them with a list of candidates who have keywords in their resumes that also appear in a job description.

From the recruiter side of the desk, I am intimate with how cumbersome it can be to go through resumes searching for candidates who fit our requirements. But - call me crazy - isn't that what we get paid to do? We are the professionals who dedicate our time and resources to identifying qualified candidates to submit for consideration. We are supposed to be better qualified for this role than a database.

The calls are even more absurd, are they not? A recruiter calls me to discuss an opportunity for a SQL Server DBA role because I mention SQL Server in my resume as an area of technology that I have experience with. The recruiter who is calling never pronounces my name correctly, never asks me for the correct pronunciation and never pauses long enough for me to point out that I am in fact, a recruiter until they have recited their entire script. It's very embarrassing for them at the end. I ask them on occasion if they have my resume in front of them. Can you believe that 100% of the time they do have it right there in front of them?

I am conflicted about how to feel about this reality of my field. On the one hand, I am very frustrated because I believe that unqualified recruiters contacting thousands of candidates each day in this manner is an abuse of information and an insult to the professional designation of our candidates. On the other hand, these same recruiters make it awfully easy for recruiters like me to stand out like a neon sign on I-40 outside of nowhere at 2am on a Tuesday.

My advice to hiring managers and candidates on this issue has always been to demand quality from the people who you choose to represent your interests in your search. If you do not believe that the person on the phone or the other end of the email is qualified to provide quality service and representation, then move on with the confidence of knowing that you have not missed out on anything. There are many great recruiters out there who work hard for their clients and candidates and I believe these recruiters are worth seeking out and/or waiting for.

Changing Professional Directions

2008-12-03T14:39:00.001-08:00

Changing professional direction can be an intimidating, frustrating and lonely experience. Quite often people find themselves having a significant amount of experience in a particular area of industry and then realize that they would really like to participate in another area of that same industry. Ideally there is someone in the other area reaching out a hand to bring that person over to the new area based on what they know of the professional in terms of professional capabilities and industry experience.

For example, a web developer may find after a time that they really do enjoy the coding aspect of their job more so than the interface design or execution of design. Ideally there is one or more people in the application development/software engineering group who recognize the talent and drive in the web developer, have seen and approve of the code that he/she has written and invites them to become a part of the application development/software engineering group. In this ideal situation (which does happen all the time), the web developer will not have to take a cut in pay or feel professionally inferior on his/her team because there is an established relationship that already includes respect for previous work.

What do you do when you have identified the area you'd like to be in but do not have an established relationship to bring you over? There is not one answer to all of the possible scenarios, but there are a few things worth trying and they apply to all industries. The first and most important step to take is to reach out to your professional network to let them know that you're looking to move in a new direction. Let's use a technical writer who would like to become a project manager as an example. On the surface, it may seem that a technical writer may not be best qualified for project management since they are not coming up through the normal channels of technical development or business analysis.

The technical writer should reach out to their network of people that should include former supervisors, coworkers and recruiters. If currently working, the technical writer should make as many contacts with the project managers at their present company first. They can ask one they know to make introductions or have a meeting with someone from HR to ask for introductions. Meet these individuals informally over coffee or lunch to discuss the idea for the new direction.

The conversation should go something like this:
TW: Thanks for meeting with me, Cheryl (current project manager). I'm very anxious to talk with you about your role so that I can better prepare myself to make the leap into project management.
PM: My pleasure. What would you like to know?
TW: Specifically, I feel that my experience in technical writing for our company has really taken my skill set to the next level because of the responsibilities that go with the technical writing role here. Unlike at other companies, here I am solely responsible for making sure that the information I need is gathered to a specific timeline, and I am in charge of keeping track of all of that in MS Project as well as making sure that all of the leaders of the groups I support have the information they need when they need it. Furthermore, I have somehow become the go-to person for all of the initiatives that I've been involved in because I have to navigate between groups without a project manager dedicated to this end of the process. I also think that my industry and company knowledge help to balance out my lack of professional experience as a project manager.
PM: There isn't a PM over your role? I didn't know that. Well good for you for stepping up to the plate and taking ownership of that process.
TW: What I'd like to do is make this information known to everyone in the organization who can help me make the transition to project management. Do you have any suggestions?

The conversation sounds cheesey when you read it, but you'll put your own words in place to personalize it and it will flow much better. The point is to identify people who can potentially help you, have a conversation in which you somehow communicate your accomplishments and rationale for wanting to change directions and most importantly ask for their assistance.

Conversely, if the technical writer is not currently employed, the same conversation can be had with the folks in their network that I described earlier. For recruiters in particular, candidates should have this conversation with the understanding that recruiters will likely not be able to assist with a placement outright, but may have other suggestions or people in their own network that might be of assistance. You never know until you have the conversation!

Other avenues include offering service to a non-profit company in order to gain experience that can then be included in a resume, joining social and/or professional organizations in order to grow a network to tap into and participating in on-line forums and discussions to both increase knowledge in the desired area and to build a reputation as a knowledgeable source.

First Steps

2008-12-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

This is it; my first ever blog entry. Truth be told, those who know me are shocked that I haven't blogged before as much as I do so love the high horse that I sit upon when I talk about my profession and I do so love to talk. I have refrained for various reasons but have finally decided to take the plunge and make myself a blog home.

I decided to title my blog Mother Recruiter because it truly encapsulates the essence of who I am. I can't turn off being a recruiter when I meet people who need a recruiter's assistance and I cannot turn off being a mother when I'm recruiting. My candidates over the years have expressed their appreciation for my attention and my sincere concern for their experience in their job search. Likewise, my hiring managers (clients) have expressed their appreciation for my attentive assistance throughout their search. Both candidates and hiring managers appreciate the fact that I am honestly interested in their getting exactly what they want.

I am betting everything that I own - and some that I've borrowed - on the idea that the goodwill that I generate through my every day business dealings will reward me with a successful business. I have such great plans for my business and for the people who are working with me.

This concludes my first ever entry. In the next one, I will be firmly atop my high horse. From there I will step deftly between high horse and soap box, with an occasional foray into speculation territory.