Misc No comments yet

Rock Star Ninja Warlock from Mars?

By David T. on January 16th, 2012

This is a post I wrote for my “RiverPoint Recruiting Desk” blog.  Thought it would be a good one to cross-post.

The market for top talent is tight.  To attract that talent means I spend a lot of word-smith time authoring job descriptions. Part of the challenge I face as a recruiter is when we get clients asking for resources it can be hard to accurately paint a picture of the job from the description provided.  Maybe I’m wrong, but descriptions like the following are so generic I don’t see them as something that will get a top flight software engineer to reach out.

As a Java Developer, you will be enhancing systems created using the following technologies:  J2EE 1.5, Java Server Pages, Java Servlets, Struts, Javascript, HTML and XML.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

  • The ideal candidate must have atleast 3 years’ experience with Java development
  • The ideal candidate must be well versed with J2EE, JavaScript and JSP
  • The ideal candidate must be well versed with Unit testing.
  • The ideal candidate must have experience working within the Oracle or SQL environment

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS PREFERRED:

  • Experience with JDBC or ODBC
  • Experience with UNIX
  • Experience with stored procedures, CGI, Access
  • Experience with MVC, web services, SOAP, and xml
  • Experience using Jbuilder or Eclipse

This was not sent to me by a client, I just pulled this off a job board as an example of what I frequently run across.  Notice the repetitive verbiage and “atleast” typo?  That’s how much thought can go into this very important aspect of marketing an organization to potential employees.

I’ve been authoring and editing job descriptions for years, and am always experimenting with different styles.  Yesterday it seems I crossed the line from informative / creative to lame.  At least that’s what I’m starting to sense from the audience I’m trying to reach.

Based on the feedback I’ve gotten so far, and on some other things I’ve been reading, this description I wrote is lame.  And that’s cool with me – I’d rather make mistakes trying to make something happen than be like everyone else.  After talking to a few people I trust and respect, and going through this thread from a developer forum, I make this solemn pledge – no more job postings for a “Rock Star Ninja Warlock from Mars” (unless I need to hire Charlie Sheen at some point).

Which brings me back to what’s important in a job description.  If I was looking for a job I’d want the posting to ‘pitch’ me a bit.  Give me a little flavor of what I could expect doing the job and what the company thinks is important.  Of course I’d want some qualifications, but if your description leads me to believe you aren’t interested in hiring me because I don’t have X amount of years of experience, or specific hands-on expertise with some obscure piece of software you happen to be using (even though its EXACTLY like something I use every day) I’m going to be turned off.

So my question to you is what do YOU want to see when you read a job description.  In general, what types of things spark your interest and what turns you off?

Search Strategy No comments yet

US News Article – 10 Secrets of a Hiring Manager

By David T. on January 11th, 2012

Read an article by Alison Green at Yahoo today and that is a great synopsis of what job seekers can expect in the marketplace.   Check it out here.

You can find more of Alison’s work here:
http://askamanager.org
http://www.usnews.com/topics/author/green_alison/usnews
http://twitter.com/askamanager

Search Strategy No comments yet

A job search lesson from Fast Times

By David T. on December 30th, 2011

“Mr. Hand isn’t ok to have a little food on our time?”

All Spicoli needed some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and he was fine.  But Mr. Hand seemed obsessed with time, and the amount of it that Spicoli wasted.  From having a pizza delivered to the classroom to being lured in by the promise of a birthday party, Spicoli was constantly wasting Mr Hand’s time.  So much so that Mr Hand eventually went to Spicoli’s house to make up the time wasted during the semester.

I run into a lot of Jeff Spicoli job seekers.  They might not be in a drug-induced stupor falling out of a smoke-filled VW micro-bus, but they certainly do waste a lot of time.  My time and their time.  Most of their time is wasted online, especially around the traditional job boards.  If you talk to employers you will hear them say they get a lot of resumes in response to job postings.  Sometimes as many as several hundred for each job.

There’s no way a human can thoughtfully review each and every resume submission.  That’s why applicant tracking systems are so important to employers, and keywords so important to job seekers.  And why simply sending a generic resume to an online job board won’t generally result in success.  Only 15% of jobs are filled via online postings so if you are spending more than 15% of your job search time engaged in this process you are wasting your time.

I’m not saying don’t apply to jobs online.  15% is better than 0% so obviously this process needs to be a part of your overall job search strategy, but it needs to be limited.  If you follow these simple Fast Times-inspired guidelines I promise you will increase your chances of success, and not waste too much of our time.

1. Mr. Spicoli, this is time to learn, not surf.

Don’t spend time online applying for jobs during business hours.  That time is much better spent calling & networking.

2. Mr. Spicoli, you are wasting our time if you are not qualified.

Don’t apply for dozens of jobs each week, select 4-6 targets where you can make a strong case (from start to finish) that you are their best option.  I get applications every single day from people who have absolutely no credentials to do the type of work the job description clearly indicates.  I received a resume today for a senior software developer whose current employer is McDonalds.  Why must you waste my time Mr. Spicoli?

3.  Mr. Spicoli, you are wasting our time if you do not care enough to take care of obvious details.

Your strong case starts with a unique cover letter and resume to each of your targets.  I get cover letters addressed to other employers almost every week.  I see resumes with misspellings & typos, horrific grammar, people who don’t put their full name or contact information.  You wouldn’t believe the stuff I see on resume submissions. Sometimes I don’t believe it.  This is your first opportunity to make an impression – make sure its a good one.

4. Ratner, go over there and ask for her number.

Follow up!  “No Phone Calls Please” should not deter you.  Find and leverage an inside connection.  If you can’t get that connection you might want to consider other targets.  Stopping at the “send a resume” stage will not get you a date with Stacey.

5. My old man is a TV repairman, he’s got the ultimate set of tools.

When Spicoli wrecked Jefferson’s car it seemed there was no hope of getting out of the mess.   Spicoli managed to get out of the mess because he was creative and looked beyond the obvious.  Use the tools available to you.  Network your way into a contact at the employer.  Use the job boards to find trends of organizations & industries that are hiring.  Uncover the employer’s competitors.  If their business is up enough to be hiring, chances are pretty good the competition may have “hidden” opportunities.   Job postings provide so many opportunities beyond a resume submission.

Follow these suggestions and focus on making new professional contacts.  Then once you sign your offer letter you and Mick can wing it on over to London and jam with the Stones.   At the very least you’ll have a very prosperous New Year!

Misc No comments yet

RIP John

By David T. on December 8th, 2011

Misc No comments yet

A Day that will live in Infamy

By David T. on December 7th, 2011

Seventy years ago today Japanese aircraft killed thousands of American soldiers.  I am thankful for those who sacrificed so much in service to our country during Dec 7, 1941 and in the years that followed.   I pray for our WW II vets who came home, and for the families of those who didn’t.  I urge you to continue to pray for today’s troops & their families and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  God Bless our Troops.  God Bless the USA.

Attitude No comments yet

Its the holidays again?!

By David T. on December 6th, 2011

I moonlight as a basketball referee which means starting in December I get home late nearly every night of the week.  Last night as I drove in my driveway I  noticed something – over the past week my amazing  wife Kelli has slowly transformed our home  into a festive display of Christmas.  This year she’s really outdone herself – we have 3 Christmas trees lighting up the house and a beautiful lit up garland on our hearth.  Last night as I walked in the house I found myself caught up in the holiday spirit.  I am feeling the joy and anticipation awaiting the birth of a Savior.

Unfortunately many of us find this time to be one of increased stress, uncertainty, and depression.  A week ago today Fox4 weatherman Don Harmon ended his life.  News of his death came as a shock to our community – for those of us who knew the public Don Harmon he was a very happy-go-lucky jokester who enjoyed his job and loved the people around him.   Behind that public face was a very troubled man.  Someone who had a wife and daughter who loved him, who had countless friends, and yet convinced himself that we all would be better off without him.  So very sad.

If you become overwhelmed during the holidays I’d like to give you some suggestions.

1.  Acknowledge your feelings. If you aren’t where you want to be this holiday season realize its normal to have some sadness.  You can’t force happiness.  Take some time to grieve.  But also take some time to give thanks.   Jesus tells His disciples they would experience difficulty and even death because of His name.  Yet, His encouragement to them was “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  This season is about the birth of our Savior, not “stuff”.

2.  Reach out to others. Part of the stress of the holidays can be isolation.  Single moms & dads will spend some time away from their children.  Most of us have lost someone close and not having them around during the holidays is difficult.   Find ways to be with family and friends.  If that isn’t possible spend time volunteering – ring a bell for the Salvation Army, sort food at Harvestors, serve the homeless, volunteer at a shelter.  You need to be around others – don’t spend the whole month huddled around the television.

3.  Be realistic. Sure, we’d all like to have Mrs. Cleaver serve a delicious Christmas dinner to all the extended family after opening the bounty of presents under the tree.  Unfortunately most of the time our Christmas’s look more like National Lampoon than Leave it to Beaver.  Set a budget for presents and stick to it.  Put a plan into place now. Don’t be scrambling to start shopping on the 18th of December. Find a place to spend Christmas Eve and Day with someone else – even if you don’t know them.

4.  Don’t stop networking & searching. If you’re looking for a job don’t back down on your search efforts.  While your results may not be as good as other months in the year, your odds are better because a lot of people have decided to wait until the first of the year to look.  Get a jump on them.

5.  Take a break. With all the shopping, decorating, cooking, parties, hosting, and other madness we tend to put into motion in December you need to stop and relax.  You can’t continue at a break-neck pace getting ready for the holidays and looking for a job without stopping for a minute to catch your breath.  Save Sunday for yourself – there’s a reason its a commandment.

Finally, if you need it, seek professional help.  There are numerous resources just a phone call away to help you through any crisis.

It was very hard to watch Fox Morning News last Thursday.  There were many tears shed along with many laughs shared as the Fox Morning News team paid tribute to their friend and colleague.  Everyone has value, every soul is important.

This is a time to see great joy – don’t let the world cloud your vision.

Attitude No comments yet

Calling

By David T. on November 15th, 2011

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

I am not a huge sports fan, but whenever someone like Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan was on TV it was hard not to get caught up in the action. Why? They played at such a high level that you could frequently watch them when they were “in the zone” – those moments when their actions seemed effortless and they could score almost at will.

We can all think of a bad day at work, but can you think of any time when you were “in the zone” – a moment where you enjoyed your task, you were caught up in your work and lost track of time? What were you doing at that moment? What skills were you using? What was it that caused you to be passionate about the work? Understanding the answers to these questions will often help you better understand how to best use your time and talents – a calling.

A calling is when we are passionately using our gifts in a way that well reflects what we believe. We are not talking about your personality profile, but about those God-given gifts listed in the Bible like teaching, counseling, generosity, administration, and prayer among many others. Kirk Livingston, CEO of a communications company, sums it up, “when we find ourselves involved with God at work, we also begin to find the work we were meant to do” [and in God's power fulfill our calling].

This WorkLife Coaching Session was written by Darryl Shoemaker, Ph.D.   All rights reserved.   Content edited and distributed by WorkLife.org for non-profit educational purposes.

Search Strategy No comments yet

More Reasons Your Job Search isn’t Going Well.

By David T. on November 11th, 2011

I follow quite a few other job search related blogs, and one of the better ones New Grad Life.  The post ‘5 Reasons Your Job Search isn’t Going Well‘ struck a chord with me. It makes some great points about keeping positive (not listening to the doomsayers), finding PEOPLE to connect with rather than just posting your resume to a job and praying they call you.  I think it might be a little tough telling people they’re not engaged in a job search because they’re watching soaps, but I think it is fair to warn people that the more you take care of your children, run errands, or handle the ‘honey-do’ list during the day the less you have time to do the activities that will lead to a job.

But I thought the post missed some very important points when it comes to striking out on a job search so here’s some other reasons I see that hinder a job search.

Stress:  There’s plenty of uncertainty and financial & emotional stress when unemployed.  The longer it takes the worse it gets.  Stress will translate into desperation.  Employers don’t hire people who are desperate.

Lack of a plan with SMART goals:  The first thing people generally do is update their resume and apply for jobs online.  I’ve met people who unsuccessfully employed that strategy for months.  I would strongly recommend that a job seeker who is looking for the first time in 5-10 years take some time to teach themselves how to conduct an effective job search and then put together a plan that consists of daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

Patience:  The process takes time.  People need to understand that they will not walk away with a strong job lead at every job fair, networking event or appointment.  The average amount of time it takes to get back on your career track is over 30 weeks.  If you need to take a survival job to make ends meet do it, but don’t give up because you haven’t found a job in 90 days.

Attitude:  The 5 Reasons post alludes to attitude with a comment not to listen to what’s on TV.  But I think there’s plenty of landmines that can blow up your attitude along the way.  Losing a job is discouraging.  Finding a job is very much like the sales process, and there’s a lot of “no” and dead ends in the sales process.  They’re right, unless you can keep a positive attitude through all the discouragement, stress, and uncertainty your job search isn’t going to go well.  Here’s my recommendation to keeping a positive attitude – don’t do it alone!  Find people who are uplifting – people who will share your pain and your joy.  Surround yourself with supportive, positive people.

Misc 1 comment

Methodist Church Welcomes Job Seekers

By David T. on October 27th, 2011

Professional Development No comments yet

Same as it Ever Was

By David T. on October 21st, 2011

I am a Talking Heads fan.  Their biggest hit “Burning Down the House” is very well-known, but do any of you remember “Stop Making Sense”?  One of the lines from the opening tune of that movie & soundtrack is “you’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything”.

I see a lot of resumes that talk a lot but aren’t saying anything, like this one with the following opening salvo:

I am a self-motivated, self-starter, adaptable individual who is capable of being able to work in a team environment or work with little to no supervision.

What a prime example of not saying anything.  Here’s 4 things wrong with that sentence:

1. You need to give me a compelling reason to read more in the first 2-3 sentences.  You will miss that opportunity if the first sentence is filled with redundant fluff.

2.  I am a self-motivated, self-starter – know any self starters that aren’t self motivated?  Me either.

3.  is capable of being able - go grab a thesaurus and look up another word for ‘able’.  I think you’ll find capable on that list.

4.  Saying you can work on a team or on your own.  As opposed to what?  Not being able to work on a team or on your own?

Here’s what I think happens.  People think resumes need to be written in a formal tone with certain ‘buzz words’ to attract attention.    They turn the creative side of their brain off and start writing in some kind of zombie trance that causes them to pepper their resume with sentences like these:

I am a detail oriented professional.
I have good written and verbal communication skills.
I ensure customer service.
I am a problem-solver.
I am a team player.
I eat brains.

Ok, the zombie trance might not be that bad, but is any of this sounding familiar?  It sure sounds familiar to me because I read some or all of these sentences multiple times every day.   Its fluff – there’s absolutely no substance at all.

Good written communication skills?  I will judge those skills by how you’ve composed and presented your resume.  You don’t need to tell me.

Team player?  Tell me about a time you went outside your responsibilities to help someone on your team.   Quote something a team member said about you.

Problem solver?  Tell me about the problem and what you did to solve it.   Bonus points if you tell me how your solution impacted the bottom line.

Detail oriented?  Show me.  Don’t laugh because I’ve seen detail oriented misspelled.

Let’s compare and contrast some ‘real world’ examples.  Here’s a paragraph I ran across this week that is a prime example of saying a lot, but not saying anything.

Result driven software development and expertise in envisioning technology based growth initiatives grounded solidly on business and economic value. Impressive, fast track management career marked by demonstrated ability to build peak performing teams and achieve cross functional business objectives. Valued member of senior executive teams, contributing and seasoned, broad-based perspective to create pragmatic IT strategies and implementation plans designed for maximum return at the lowest possible cost.

Now take a look at this paragraph.

As one can imagine with the growing field of technology expanding the way society operates and communicates (as well as business) there is an instinctive desire to want to be a part. This is true for me, however, combine that with creative ideas, energy, a genuine love for research, and the skills and abilities to transform vision into applications that are not only visually appealing; functioning, intuitive, and proven by the science of technology. I love what the science of technology has taught me, I am determined to sustain this science throughout my career by implementing current concepts as well as inventive innovations that enhance, modify, and produce new and existing technologies. This is my career objective and I hope I can serve you in this capacity.

Would I edit some of that paragraph to make it flow better?  Yes.  Could I add specifics to the topics addressed?  Absolutely.  But the person is telling me something.   They are writing in a form that ’speaks’ to me.  It’s all in the tone.  They “want to be a part” of something.  They “love what technology has taught them”.  There’s emotion in this paragraph.  It engaged me.

Take some time to write your resume in a manner that is going to engage the reader.  Grab their attention by telling Situation / Action / Result stories.  Show some personality by using a less formal tone.  Let the reader see the real you.

Well-written resumes will open doors.  Poorly written resumes will close them.