Confessions of an Executive Restaurant Recruiter

Article Title: I’m Proud to be an American
Author Byline: Gina O’Leary
Author Website: http://www.searchlogixgroup.com

On September 5th, 2008, I was a passenger on an evening Delta flight from Atlanta to Boston. It was a routine flight…..until we landed at Logan Airport. As we approached our gate, there were approximately twenty-five Massport vehicles (fire trucks, police, security) with their lights flashing and the drivers were standing outside of their vehicles saluting our plane. There was a group of Marines, also saluting, and holding the American flag at full staff. I also noticed a family on the tarmac, holding each other and hugging. The captain then announced that he had a request that all passengers remain seated until he escorted a Marine on board who was bringing “home” a fallen comrade. You could have heard a pin drop. A very young Marine, holding a folded American flag, was led to the door and then around the outside of the plane by our Delta captain. As they disembarked, the entire plane applauded; there were tears in most passengers’ eyes. A year ago, I had read of something similar to this in an email circulating but had never experienced it. The cargo door was then opened and this Marine went up the ramp to drape the coffin in our American flag. During this entire 15 minute process, not one person spoke on our plane and the salutes outside our plane remained frozen in place. It was such a private moment; yet, such a public moment. It was powerful. A verse from the song “God Bless The USA” resonated in my head … “And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free; And I won’t forget the men who died who gave that right to me…” I have never been more proud to be an American. The absolute respect and reverence shown to this Marine who lost his life while serving our country is something that will stay with me forever.

Thank you to every man and woman, mom and dad, sister and brother, friend and lover (and their families) who has served our country so that someone like me can sit here in total freedom in the USA.

God Bless America and God Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform…Past, Present and Future!!!

About the Author : Gina O’Leary joined The SearchLogix Group within months of its founding. She has over ten years of highly successful experience in the Executive Search and Placement Industry. Gina is responsible for developing and implementing our Information Technology Solutions, managing our Human Resource functions, and leading our Research & Administrative Teams. She also runs the tactical operations of the office, including vendor relations.

Gina’s team provides research to our President, Account Managers, and Project Managers with regard to our clients, prospective clients, industry trends, and updates significant accomplishments of Leaders in the types of business we service. Her team also created and maintains our presence on the World Wide Web. Training and development of our Staff’s Information Technology usage and capabilities is also a critical area of responsibility that is under Gina’s leadership.

Prior to her career with The SearchLogix Group, Gina was a Manager in Human Resources in the Public Sector for eight years. She is an honors graduate of Bay State College and has completed Advanced Studies in Business Administration.

A native of the Boston area, Gina resides in the Atlanta area with her family. Outside of work, Gina enjoys playing an active role in her church community and spending time with her family and friends.

Email Gina: ginaolearypr@searchlogixgroup.com

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

Article Title: Building Career Success Stories: Why Storytelling is Essential to Finding Your Next Job
Author Byline: Roxanne Ravenel is a Job Search Coach & Consultant at The Job Lab. She teaches job hunters strategies for getting better, faster job search results - even in a tough economy.
Author Website: http://thejoblab.com/savvy.htm

Hiring and training a new employee represents a great expense for an employer. Yet each new hire represents a risk. The hiring process isn’t an exact science. A candidate that looks good on paper won’t necessarily fit into the current company culture. A job candidate that is charming and likable may not have the skills and experience to back up his or her claims. So, how can employers best gauge what type of employee you will be?

Many employers have turned to the use of behavioral interview questions to help them determine the viability of a potential employee. Rather than basing such an important decision on questions about what you would do, most employers prefer to know what you have done in similar situations in the past. This information is acquired through a series of behavioral interview questions. Behavioral interviewing is based on the premise that your past performance and behavior is a good indication of how you will perform and behave in the future.

Makes sense, right? We do the same thing in our daily lives. If we learn that a restaurant has a history of failing health inspections, we stop eating there. If we learn that a particular automobile has a history of poor performance or mechanical failure, we wisely opt for another make or model.

This is one of the reasons it is so important to build a reliable job history. It is about far more than the amount of time that we spend in a position. What kind of work reputation have we been building in our career? What job experience do we have under our belts? And what have we learned from the mistakes that we’ve made along the way?

By taking the time to draft Career Success Stories, we are better prepared to deal with tough questions that will be posed during the interview process. The Career Success Story has three basic parts:

Challenge – Describe the situation you faced.

Action – What steps did you take to solve the problem or get results?

Result – What was the end situation? (Use quantifiable figures when appropriate)

This is an example of a Career Success Story with quantifiable results:

Challenge - A large percentage of job candidates went through our recruitment process only to turn down the job offer due to pay or potential work schedules.

Action - I adapted the suggested telephone screening dialogue to more fully educate job candidates about pay and work schedules.

Result - The number of job offers that resulted in hiring increased by 35%. My fellow recruiters followed suit with similar results.

Now that you understand the components of the Career Success Story it is time to begin building yours. Create separate Career Success Stories for each skill or competency. For instance, if a job ad stresses that Company X is looking for a “Team player with phenomenal customer service skills and a track record of success in sales.” At the very least you should go prepared with Career Success Stories that demonstrate your past successes in teamwork, customer service, and sales.

Prepare five to seven Career Success Stories. Have them well in mind before you begin drafting your resume or preparing for an interview. Your ability to confidently demonstrate your past career success is an important key to a successful job search.

Need help creating effective Career Success Stories? Download a copy of The Savvy Jobseeker’s Guide & Workbook to get job search tips and strategies ‘from the other side’ of the recruiting desk.

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

Article Title: Gift ideas for job seekers (and other career-minded folks)
Author Byline: Grace Kutney
Author Website: http://sweetcareers.blogspot.com

ClothingI’ve encountered many students whose idea of dressing up for an interview is wearing jeans with no holes in them (understandably a step up if their daily attire consists of pajamas, sweatshirts and flip flops). As we all know, looking the part in a professional setting is important, but can be quite expensive. A few key wardrobe items will help get your job seeker, intern or new professional started in the right direction.

About the author: Career development professional with 10 years of experience in career advising. Specializes in working with undergraduate students with little-to-no work experience. Special interests include: international students, immigrant populations, parents transitioning back into the workforce, faith in the workplace, and Christian career counseling.

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

Article Title: Important Skills For Every Freelance Web Designer
Author Byline: Expert Web Site Design, Consultation, Maintenance & Management. Found at RazorIT.com
Author Website: http://www.RazorIT.com

The most important thing that anyone in web design can learn is that EVERYTHING is a compromise. Designs are constantly compromised by browser limitations and connection speeds. Rather than designing something to look perfect for everyone (as you would in print design) you have to develop for the majority of your users, and keep everything usable (if not always pretty) for everyone else. In recent years we’re getting closer and closer to standardization and better browser compatibility, (even if Internet Explorer still insists on being a pain on several fronts

The Freelance Web Designer not only has to compromise in their projects, but also in the scope of their abilities as an independent business person and a web designer. Since no one can be a master of everything it is important for web designers to brush up their skills with the same attitude they take towards web design. Keep your skills sharp in the most prominent areas, and areas you are most interested in. Focus on being an expert in your nitch (rather than trying to master everything).

To win the work in the first place it is important to have excellent communication skills. You must also be able to effectively communicate requirements with your employers in addition to making web designs that communicate the proper message to users. It is a necessity for you to keep your communication skills sharp. (Even when the hundreds of hours you spend by yourself in front of the computer don’t help your socialization skills

The next most important area to keep abreast of is website usability. It is important for a designer to understand how various browsers interact with HTML, CSS, and images. It is equally important for web designers to understand how their users will interact with their designs. A design can be visually pleasing but completely confusing to users. Whenever possible follow the big guys lead on feature placement, using their large research budgets to your advantage. (Google has a handy tool for doing your own research too : Website Optimizer)

If you can master usability and communication you will be a very successful web designer. The combination of these two skills makes you easy to work with, and ensures that you have a clear vision of where a project should go.

Technical skills are important for the web designer; however, it is not as important that you master every technical aspect. It is just important for you to have a basic understanding of all technical aspects. This enables you to communicate effectively inside a web development team.

The last area that web designers should include in their skillet is project management. By having project management skills you ensure that you are easy to work with. This doesn’t mean you have to be able to go and sit for the PMP or PMI exam, but a basic understanding of project management principles will take your career a long way.

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

The restaurant industry is one that will never go out of business – as long as people need to eat, they’re going to patronize establishments that cater to their palate. But if you want to be the one to stand out in the crowd of people who own and operate restaurants and other hospitality establishments, you’re going to have to make a difference in not just what you serve, but also in the way you serve it. The catering industry offers a variety of jobs if you’re interested in joining its ranks, right from the tasks that do not require too much skill to the ones that do.

• Planning: Catering involves a whole lot of planning, so if management is your thing and you love working with the food industry, you could try your hand at planning events, parties and the like. You need to be extremely organized, have an eye and ear for detail, and be willing to make changes at the last minute to satisfy your clients.
• Cooking: If you love experimenting with food and dabbling in the kitchen, this job might just be your cup of tea. Getting to the top level in fashionable restaurants takes a whole lot of experience, so you could start your career at smaller eateries before trying to move into the major league.
• Serving: You need a whole lot of patience for this job, besides balancing skills, of course. You need to know how to deal with all kinds of people since you’re the human link between the restaurant and the people who patronize it. Any small mistake on your part, and the establishment’s reputation is at stake. People skills and the art of serving food should go hand in hand for this job.
• Arranging food: Banquets and buffets, parties and weddings – they all require food of some kind. And when it’s a gala event, the food needs to be laid out so that it looks appetizing. Knowing how to weave magic with vegetables and fruits and other accessories that are used in the decoration of food, and having a creative mind help when you’re looking for a career in this field.
• Hospitality: The restaurant industry hires hostesses, managers and other people to see that their customers’ needs are satisfied. The hospitality sector requires a knack for dealing with people, some of whom may be extremely rude and difficult, and for sorting out problems that arise suddenly without ruffling too many feathers.
• Cleaning: If you’re looking to start somewhere in the restaurant industry and have no experience or education to speak of, you could work your way up by cleaning tables and rooms at a restaurant. You need to be armed with the will to work hard and the determination to make more of your life.

By-line:

This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of Radiology Technician License Information. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.

Article Title: Apply for jobs online - but follow directions
Author Byline: BCjobs.ca brings jobseekers and recruiters accurate, timely information about the world of work.
Author Website: http://www.bcjobs.ca/re/career-advice/career-advice/resume-advice/apply-for-jobs-online

Apply for jobs online? Seems like that’s the usual way to find work these days. If you want to apply for jobs online, it’s important that you follow directions set out by the potential employer.

Employers frequently post job ads on their websites, Internet job boards and recruiters’ websites. And they often expect applicants to send their resumes through email or online forms. Even when employers advertise in newspapers, many ask candidates to send applications by email. Whatever the case, make sure you read the job ad carefully.

Tips to help you apply for jobs online

* If you are asked to submit your resume via email, don’t use mail, fax or in-person delivery. Send your resume by email.

* Check to see whether you should include your resume in the email or as an attachment.

* Does the job posting say email your resume in text format? Paste a text version of your resume into your email. Make sure the formatting looks okay, since you may not be able to use some of the features of your word processor.

* Have you been told to put a specific keyword in the “subject” line of your email? Make sure the subject line matches any instructions. Otherwise, your email may not make it past spam filters and managers keen to delete your non-standard resume.

* Use keywords from the job posting, especially in your resume career profile and resume career objective. Both human and electronic scanners will pay more attention if your resume shows those keywords. And someone searching a database will be more likely to find you if you have the keywords they use.

Follow directions, no matter how odd they seem to you. If you don’t follow directions from the get-go, the employer may treat it as a sign of things to come.

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

Article Title: Interview Questions for Employers
Author Byline: by the medical sales recruiter
Author Website: http://www.phcconsulting.com/WordPress/2008/10/23/interview-questions-for-employers/

I am pleased to present this article from Alan Murray, webmaster of http://www.interviewquestions.name/, where Alan provides a lot of great interview advice.

Interview Questions for Employers
If you are tasked to conduct a job interview for your company, one of the most important things that you should always keep in mind is the fact that the main purpose of the interview is to get to know the candidate better. You are there to ask and listen, not to talk. To be specific, eighty percent of the entire interview process should be spent on listening to your candidate. Only twenty percent will provide you with a chance to talk- and that talking should be comprised of questions. To make sure than you can make the most out of your little talk, below are the major kinds of questions that you ought to ask:

Conflict Analysis
Provide questions that will determine if the candidate is capable of handling conflict, time demands, constraints, and criticism. You can opt to ask about the candidate’s experiences with a hostile client or colleague. You can also ask about their alternative plan of action once they are faced with unforeseen hindrances in achieving their goals.

Analytical Problem Solving
Ask questions that will help you determine if the candidate is capable of following a logical and systematic approach in solving a problem. You can ask the candidate to narrate a specific incident where he applied logic and good judgment in addressing a certain problem that he had in the past.

Decision Assessment
Include questions that will help you gauge if the candidate can make sound decisions quickly and rationally. Provide a specific situation that is mired with tension and pressure, then ask the candidate regarding the decisions that he will make along with the reasons that he have.

Work Commitment
These questions will give you an idea about the persistence and dedication of the candidate with regards to the job that he aspires. You can ask about the various factors that motivate and encourage the candidate. You can also ask about a particular situation when he was required to go beyond his normal duties in order to accomplish a certain task that was essential for his job.

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

Article Title: Is a Career in Information Technology Right for You?
Author Byline: Randall Olson
Author Website: Mobile Technical Institute

Do you enjoy setting up and troubleshooting computer systems and networks? If so, a career in the rapidly growing field of information technology could be ideal for you. There are many different types of job opportunities for skilled IT workers. Some of the most popular entry level positions include: software implementation and support, network technician, telephone technical support, and web development.

Most large companies have one or more information technology specialists on staff. Individuals who work in these types of jobs typically need to have a well rounded background in all aspects of IT, as they are responsible for setting up new systems, troubleshooting software and hardware problems, maintaining network connectivity, training end users, and performing various other tasks necessary for keeping the company’s computer equipment and systems fully functional at all times.

There are even more job opportunities with companies that create or market computer software, hardware, and related systems. Organizations that provide information technology products and services, such as those that create and install software applications, provide IT training, and manufacture computers and related equipment often have a large number of IT professionals on staff. In these types of organizations, information technology workers typically specialize in one, or just a few, different aspects of the company’s operations.

Qualifications for an IT Career
If a career in information technology appeals to you, you’ll need to acquire the skills you need to gain entry level employment prior to looking for a job. You’ll also need to seek the appropriate IT certifications so you will be able to validate your abilities to prospective employers. Many employers require entry level employees to have industry standard credentials such as the CompTIA A+ and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certifications. Additional certification credentials are often necessary for advancement into higher level jobs.

Whether or not you need to earn a degree to be considered for employment in the field depends on the type of information technology career you wish to pursue. If you want to be a computer engineer, then you will need to earn a degree in computer engineering. If you want to be a software installation and support technician, however, it’s likely that employers will care more about whether you are A+ certified than if you have a degree.

There are many different options for getting prepared to sit for your IT certification exams. If you don’t have skills in the field, it’s a good idea to enroll in a comprehensive live or online training program. If you already have experience in the field, the best place for you to start may be with taking a practice test for the exams you plan to take. This will help you identify how much training and study you need to complete prior to testing. If you need some help with test preparation, you may want to enroll in a certification boot camp or other type of exam prep course.

Are You Ready for an IT Career?
If you’re convinced that a career in information technology is right for you, the first thing you’ll need to do is get the training and certifications you will need to demonstrate your potential to prospective employers. Once you have the appropriate credentials, you’ll be ready to start making forward progress toward landing the job of your dreams.

About the Author
Randall Olson is the Director of Information Technology for Mobile Technical Institute & MTI Business Solutions. He oversees the firm’s high stakes certification testing center, conducts computer application training, and manages MTI’s online learning programs. MTI is a full service training and consulting firm, providing open enrollment and on-site employee development training, database development, and website solutions. For free career and business development tips and advice see MTI’s blogs, Daily Career Connection and Daily Biz Solutions.

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

Article Title: Twitter - salesrecruiter - Can we tweet?
Author Byline: Medical Sales Recruiter
Author Website: http://www.phcconsulting.com/WordPress/2008/09/30/twitter-salesrecruiter-can-we-tweet/

I now rank 24,000 out of 35,000 on Twitter. I think I need more folks to follow and to follow me. If you are on there - look me up - “salesrecruiter”. Also, I have a page on Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin, etc.
Let’s connect? or twit or something.

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

Article Title: Graduate Jobs
Author Byline: Jobs for Physicians, Nurses and Allied Health
Author Website: http://atlasmed.com

Atlas Medical International is a healthcare contingency and retained search firm, providing recruitment services to the healthcare industry in North America and Internationally. The jobs are for graduates in technical, medical, nursing and allied health.

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