MORE via How Recruiters Use Social Networks to Screen Candidates.

**Video courtesy of  YouTuber Larzul**

Getting back to my WLB postings, I’m going to discuss my point of view about job recruiters. For your entertainment, I’ve posted a job recruiter rant video that was uploaded last year by Larzul. I’m sure there are many of you job seekers that can relate.

If you are a recruiter that happens to come across this post, note that this is a personal POV of someone who has dealt with unprofessional recruiters in a dire job market. I will also note that I’m living in a state with 12.1% unemployment and fierce competition.

After a few interesting mishaps with recruiters, I began taking note of what I should’ve done before moving forward. Over the next few weeks I will share my stories.

I realize that job recruiters are having to profusely defend their profession because of the bad seeds. If you have been on a lengthy unemployment due to no fault of your own, some recruiters may think that you are just sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time.

I’ve come across some arrogant ones, so here’s my rule of thumb for your bunch:

• Don’t assume that because an unemployed candidate has been laid off for 6+ months, they no longer have skills.
• Don’t assume an unemployed candidate is just lying around idly not searching for job.  It is seriously tough out there!
• Don’t assume a long-termed unemployed person doesn’t want to work.
• Don’t lie to your prospective candidate, it can cause problems**.
• Have  a detailed  job description for your prospective applicant.
• If you’re not selling a car, put away the swarmy salesman attitude.
• Have a little empathy for job seekers, we are not robots and this economy only exacerbates our emotions from time to time.
• Don’t treat the candidate like a child. I’m sure there are some socially awkward candidates out there, but I like to think that most professional job seekers know how they should behave, dress and present themselves during an interview.

Job seekers:

• Interview the recruiter. Ask questions about their agency, services, experience, how many candidates they have placed, what to expect etc.   I made the mistake of asking more questions about the company of interest (which is a good thing), but definitely have questions for the agency that wants to represent you.

• Research their profile on LinkedIn if they are registered. A few recruiters I dealt with seemed to have a history of job hopping or had never worked any other type of job other than recruiting.
• Research reviews about their agency.
• Deal with recruiters that are based in your region. The ones that worked nationally were not very helpful in my case.
• Ask friends for referrals if they had great, professional experiences.
• If the recruiter has disrespected you in any way, move on. They are not worth your time.
• Realize that they are working for the client that’s paying them $$$.
• Keep your ego in check although that can be hard when you are disrespected**.
• Keep in mind that they probably have other candidates they are pushing for the same role.
• Stay confident in your abilities. Recruiters are sales reps and they may not have experience or enough knowledge about your field.
• Stay confident, stay confident, stay confident.
• If you are uncomfortable with a bad recruiter representing you, request to be taken out of their database.
• You are your own recruiter. In this economy, try selling yourself instead of using the middleman.

Looking for a full-time job is a full-time job. When I wake up at 7:30 am to start my day, I wish I was on my way to work instead of studying and job searching half the day with repeats of ID Discovery’s Deadly Women blaring on the tube.

It is frustrating but try not to wallow in self-doubt. So many of us are going through dire times. When you feel like crying, let it out, it’s human.  If you need to vent, talk to friends that will listen. Eventually things are bound to turn for the better.

**Video courtesy of YouTuber ybmusic**

Before I get into my own personal dealings with job recruiters since becoming unemployed, this will be my intro post.

If you are out of work or trying to get the hell out of dodge from your current employer, you’ve probably contacted a recruiter/headhunter. Perhaps a recruiter has reached out to you because they eyeballed your resume on on sites such as LinkedIn, Monster, CareerBuilder, etc. – you know where I’m going with this.

After what I’ve experienced with recruiters, I’m not too keen on using them again.  I actually went through my LinkedIn and purged a handful of them from my contact list.

There are two types of recruiters – 3rd party and  in-house.  If I had to take a pick, my choice would be the in-house recruiter because they are actually working for a company of interest, not an agency.

Disappointed with how my job search was going with the help of middlemen, I took to the Googles and read post after post about why recruiters suck, why you shouldn’t use this agency and how fed up job seekers have become with recruiters.

Out of all the board posts I read, my estimate is that 1/3 of seekers got a job through a recruiter. They thought it was better to be your own recruiter and network.

Recruiters will defend their peeps, so they add their 2-cents to say “they are not a shady recruiter; there’s always a few bad apples that spoil the bunch”.  Fair enough.

Courtesy of ActiveRain.com

Mentioning my bad experiences with recruiters and the discussions I read online to  my aunt, her opinion was most people that have had a successful experience with a recruiter don’t have time to post stuff online. I think that’s bullshit.  Besides, my aunt has been a school teacher for most of her career. Consider her advice null and void. When was the last time she consulted a recruiter?

With the job market in the toilet, recruiters, “not all of them” are acting like low-balling pimps. I was probably a hooker in my past life and my 6th sense allows me to spot pimp behaviors.

These experiences have caused me to have trust issues with recruiters/headhunters/agencies. What happens to your information once the relationship is broken? Who is your information reaching when you fill out online job applications that’s linked to a staffing agency/recruiter?

I’ve since removed my resume from sites like Monster and Indeed because most of the postings are placed by recruiters/staffing agencies. In my opinion they are a waste of your time. If there is a non-shady recruiter out there that really wants to help place a job seeker, I haven’t met one yet.  Have you? The big news about recruit-pimps is how they are discriminating against seekers that have been unemployed for 6+ months. Uncouth!

Here’s a question to consider, how many companies are willing to shell out $$$ to a recruiter with our dodgy economy? Think about it. They have to pay the recruiter AND pay the job seeker’s salary. If they have a choice between a recruiter’s candidate and a non-recruited candidate, who will they choose?  Think. about. it. 

So, what’s your option?

Well, for many becoming more entrepreneurial has been the answer.  Now, this option is not for everyone, but it could be.  Have you checked out my interview with a serial entrepreneur?   CLICK HERE to read… or you can WATCH a really cool video  about one guys journey in starting a business.

You may also want to work through these 5 concepts that my good friend John Spence brought forth in his recent blog, you can read the entire article here, but in the meantime, here are the highlights:

1. If you really want to be a serial entrepreneur, you have to create a mindset of looking at everything through the lens of: “What is the business idea here? Where is the pain in the marketplace, the frustration, the opportunity? What can I do to build a product or service that will take away the pain or take advantage of the opportunity?”

2. Once you start creating dozens and dozens of business ideas, the next step is to be brutally honest in assessing which ones are truly viable. In other words, what will people actually pay for?

3. Now that you have filtered all of your ideas down to a handful that truly represent a great business opportunity, the next step is to build the best possible team you can put together to take your ideas and turn them into products and services.

4. You’ve got a handful of super cool ideas, you’ve built an amazing team of highly talented people… now it all comes down to the last piece of the equation which nearly every entrepreneur struggles mightily with… Disciplined Execution.

5. Last but not least – if humanly possible never give away ownership.

So many of these concepts can also be put into place if you are going through the job search process.  So, do any of you have additional suggestions?

Apply the ideas that John illustrates and tell us how you have applied these tactics in your job search!

At each stage – trial, repeat and loyalty – there are specific marketing touch points the brand is using to connect to and influence its audience.

And as a ‘product’ in the marketplace of employment, we also have the power to create our own brand promise and influence the perception of ourselves in the eyes of a targeted audience – in the job seeker’s case, the audience being a potential employer.

The resume, the cover letter and the interview are the three most common touch point opportunities a job seeker has to influence an employer’s perception and opinion.  The job seeker wants to persuade the employer that they match the requirements of the job posting in every way – from the experience, the talents, the qualifications, the skills and expertise; and prove that they will add value to the company and to the department.

In most cases, it is not too difficult to interpret the job posting to determine the most essential requirements and skills the employer is searching for, but in each stage, it is up to the job seeker to connect their relevance to the job posting’s requirement.

The resume and the cover letter are the first touch points and it is up to the job seeker to make the connection from the job posting requirements to their ‘brand’ in order to influence an employer to contact them.

The interview is commonly the most difficult part for job seekers.  It is at this point where you must translate in a person-to-person conversation the elements of your ‘brand promise’ that came across in the resume and cover letter that influenced the employer to contact you (trial) for an interview.

While this is a simplified explanation of branding, job seekers need to think much the same way, because let’s face it, when you are looking for a job, you are the Chief Marketing Officer for yourself.

Let’s face it:  the job search process seems a little silly.

Your resume is supposed to spell out your years of experience, expertise and accomplishments using a dozen-or-so short, bulleted synopsis with the hope that someone ‘gets you’ and sees that your background, above everyone else, is the right fit for the position.

Now, saying that, resumes and cover letters are necessary and there are clearly effective ways to write impactful resumes and cover letters that help you to stand out.

Assuming your resume does open the door for you and you are now in the formal recruitment process, you are now faced with an even more daunting challenge: convincing the hiring manager at the interview that you are the right person for the job.

It’s during the interview where you not only must connect all of the relevance to the position they detected on your resume, but also where you must display a true passion and desire for the company and for the job for which you are applying.

I spoke with an HR manager at one of Denver’s biggest ad agencies last week and he told me that the thing that really stands out with him when interviewing someone is that the job seeker displays a level of self-assuredness not only about their skills, but how they can display how their skills translate to the specific job they are interviewing for.

“Often I see job seekers in interviews who are trying to convince me that their breadth of background would be a perfect fit for the company; I need you to connect your background to the specific job your are interviewing for – that is what I will be ultimately be judging you on.

“If someone appears desperate, then they will probably go overboard in describing how they can do anything we ask of them. Often, this also translates to long-winded answers which give us the impression you are boring.  If you are boring me, I’m left with the impression you will also bore our clients.

“Give me short, specific examples of how your background connects to the specific position.   Paint the picture in my head of how you will be the most effective person for this job.  Convince me that you are right for this job.”

Building Bridges

I’ve found that most job-seeking advice sounds good when you describe it, but in fact, is much more difficult in practice.  This is particularly true with advice about how to effectively interview.

The fact is that the end-goal for any job-seeking interview situation is to influence the perception of the person who is doing the interviewing in your favor; you want them to leave the interview believing you are the right person for the job.

One of the biggest mistakes people in interviews make is trying to quickly determine the answer you believe the interviewer wants to hear. There are a couple of things wrong with this approach.  The primary mistake is that you simply don’t know what the interviewer wants to hear; and secondly, you are giving up a great opportunity to display your true grasp of the issue.

When I was the Chief Spokesman for the Mayor of Denver, I perfected a few tricks that helped the Mayor to navigate through tricky media interview situations.

In any interview, we would prepare the Mayor to concentrate on 3-5 messages that HE wanted to get across in the interview – in other words, we worked with him to control weaving these messages into the interview.  So no matter the question, he would tailor his answers back to the points HE wanted to make.

This technique is called bridging and is completely applicable to the job-seeking interview process.

In bridging, the goal is to lead your answer to one of the 3-5 points you want to make – again these 3-5 points are going to be connected to your relevance to the job.  When you think about it this way, you can see that you are in much more control of the interview and can communicate with a much greater level of confidence and assuredness.

For example:

Q:  Our company is still coming to grips with using social media effectively.  What are the things that you would do broaden our reach using social media and how can we use a blog for our CEO to promote the company?

Wrong Answer:  Without question, you need to be on Twitter, Facebook and also we should create a CEO blog that will help promote your CEO.  I’m familiar with all social media and could really help this company promote itself using social media.

Right Answer:  My experience with social media tells me a couple of things.  Primarily, it requires a serious assessment of the need and as importantly the time, effort, and resources that are required to use social media effectively.  In my last position, we looked at all the tools we were using in our overall marketing efforts and developed a specific campaign that included social media to see how our customers would respond. Through Twitter alone we increased traffic to our point-of-sale website by 22% in the first 3 months.  But the blog we created was more difficult because of the lack of time and commitment from upper management. But the critical issue is this: before committing to using one social media tool over the other and to set realistic expectations about what social media can deliver, its important to test different social media tools.

As you can see, the second answer uses the bridging phrases ‘My experience…tells me a couple of things’ and ‘…the critical issue is this.’  Using these types of bridging phrases immediately sets up an expectation of an authoritative response.  Bridging gives you power – it allows you to use past experiences to demonstrate a point and it highlights your expertise and how it would apply to the job your applying.

Here are several other bridging phrases that can help you:

From my perspective…

I have heard that too, but the real focus should be on….

If I may, let me pick out another point that is equally as important….

Based on a similar project I was involved in, I might describe it differently…

Looking ahead, I believe…

Here’s a related point I’m even more familiar with…

That’s an important point, but here’s my view on the issue…

The question might also be…

Opinions might differ on this point, but here’s my bottom line…

Let’s use another perspective…

Some people might consider this is the most important issue, but my experience tells me that…

Bottom Line
Bridging works.  Remember, don’t always answer the question in the way you think the interviewer WANTS to hear the response, think about how you can get to the answer that is most helpful to demonstrate your 3-5 points you want to make in an interview.

This makes it even more uncomfortable for someone when they’re interested in talking about compensation in the interview.  I am not trying to put the cart before the horse, but it is important (in the immortal words of Steven Covey) to begin with the end in mind.  The end of the interview process is obviously the discussion surrounding compensation – both salary & benefits.  You have to know what it is that you are seeking in compensation.  We have some responses from people who want what they want and refuse to take less…

…Also as far as the compensation question goes I usually try to say that I am quite flexible and that I’m sure if the fit is right between my skills and the needs of the employer then we should be able to agree on a suitable number.

I mention that the whole package, health care benefits, 401K, etc is a part of the discussion, not just a single salary number. If none of that works, then I push back and give a wide range (the lowest I would consider) to a fairly high number and say that their location may also affect the range (if you’re willing to move to a higher cost of living area, etc). Hope that helps! – Marcia J.

This is an example of a job applicant taking the power into their own hands and refusing to be pushed around by a company that believes they can get cheap workers because of the recession. Another strategy is to back load your contract…Read to learn how to bring it up….

A group that I attend had this discussion the other day and someone came up with one suggestion that was pretty good. “Over the last “X” years my salary has consisted of a base and incentive that allowed me to make “$XK”. I want to find a position that will enable me to make that same amount in some sort of mix of those components.

In that way you allow them to back load with a bonus that is set up to let you earn more money. You do have to make sure that you have the bonus clearly spelled out and that it is not capped etc. Just one suggestion. – Pam N.

These are both good options for talking salary.   You need to have a clear-cut and definitive strategy for talking salary in the interview… if not, you might get the short end of the stick!

You’re excited because you just got a call from a recruiter who sought you out. Should you really be excited? While some recruiters can help you, others may hurt your chances to land a specific opportunity – still others may just waste your time.

Not all recruiters are equal. How can you tell if a recruiter is any closer to the job opportunity than you are?

It usually boils down to the relationship that the recruiter has with the hiring manager – not just with the company, but the hiring manager. There are a number of different types of recruiter relationships, and it helps to determine which kind of relationship your recruiter has.

How can you tell which type of recruiter has contacted you? Which type is the most productive to work with? What should you do if you are working with the wrong type but on the right opportunity?

Remember, just because a recruiter has contacted you, doesn’t mean you have to work with them. If you choose to not work with a recruiter, but prefer to work with another recruiter closer to the hiring manager, emailing the recruiter that you don’t wish for them to represent you should do the trick. Make sure you put the recruiter on notice that you don’t want them forwarding your resume.

If they have already forwarded your resume to one of your target companies, email the hiring manager and HR department to inform them that you are not working with this recruiter (this helps avoid the risk of conflicts for the hiring manager).

These are all questions that should be running through the job seekers’ mind while trying to determine what kind of recruiter you want to work with.

Here are some of the basic types of recruiters:

1) Retained recruiter …
2) Contingent fee recruiter …
3) Splits recruiter or sourcer …
4) Recruiter with no relationship …

( Continued … )

Source: http://recareered.blogspot.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.

Ever heard the saying, If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying?

Well, when the difference between winning & losing is a mortgage payment or bankruptcy, cheating starts looking more appealing.  It starts with a little tweak on a resume or fib during a phone interview.  What happens if you have to keep up the lie & it continues to grow?

Then suddenly you’re telling a lie to cover up another lie.  I have found an extreme situation which is in jest but gives you an idea of how large your lies can become if you start fibbing even a little.

This story comes from Redit

Michael J. Martone here says he’s won a Pulitzer prize. He even spelt it wrong!

When Lie's Start They Snow-Ball!

It’s important to be honest when writing a resume, in an interview or even networking.  Our words travel faster than our reputations so be careful what type of things you say about yourself.

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything - Mark Twain

Writing a resume isn’t easy but it can be simple if you have the right guide.

Any phone interview can be overwhelming at first but with practice you’ll do wonderful.

Get iLostMyJob.com on Twitter or Facebook

It’s no shock that the portrayal of women in the media – young, sexy, skinny, tall – makes the rest of us feel flawed. When we look at the 40,000 or so ads that the average American is exposed to each year, it’s no wonder women are feeling inadequate. The average female model weighs up to 25% less than the typical woman and maintains a weight at about 15 to 20% below what is considered healthy for her age and height. It leaves us wondering how much importance is placed on pretty in this mixed up world we live in.

Well, as it turns out, pretty counts for a lot. As much as we want to believe we are not judged on how we look, that’s the very thing that opens so many doors for us. A pretty woman gets more opportunities and lots more help when she needs it. Just try getting any kind of assistance on a day when you are looking particularly frumpy – no makeup, stringy hair, sweatsuit and sneakers. If you don’t believe me get all dolled and see if you are treated any differently. The more attractive version of you will always win out – it’s just the way it is.

Actually, there are a whole set of different rules for the pretty woman. She can slip past velvet ropes, get preferential seating in restaurants, and even smile their way out of traffic tickets…and that’s just for starters.

People assume that if a woman is attractive, she possesses other positive traits, such as kindness and intelligence,” says behavioral psychologist Stephen Josephson, Ph.D., of Weill Cornell Medical College. So it’s not surprising that a study conducted by Daniel Hamermesh, Ph.D., and Jeff Biddle, Ph.D., economics professors at the University of Texas and Michigan State University, respectively, revealed that “plain” people earn 1 to 15 percent less than people with average looks, who in turn earn 1 to 13 percent less than those deemed good-looking.

Job recruiters have come to learn that sending out attractive women will get a much better reaction from their clients. Whether they admit it or not, many employers feel that having pretty female employees will reflect well on their firm. And, let’s face it, men want to be surrounded by pretty women.

Here’s the rub.  “Occasionally being pretty can backfire”, says Stephen Josephson. “It’s the bimbo effect. “If a beautiful woman succeeds, she often finds herself fielding insinuations that her accomplishments are based solely on her looks.” And although a 2009 Journal of Applied Psychology report found that handsome people do have an edge over their less comely counterparts with regard to salaries, it turns out that intelligence trumps all.

So ladies, all is not lost – intelligence is still our most important asset. Nevertheless, I’m not ready to give up my highlights or lip gloss anytime soon.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,” there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system and a dream.  All things are possible”.  Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest

Find job search experts who can help you. – Visiting ILostMyJob.com is certainly a great place to start, but it should not be your only destination!

Career and Life Coaches can assist with the self-evaluation process. – Many Community Colleges also provide self-assessment tools for FREE! You can also visit ILostMyJob.com’s “Career Assessment” page.

Make sure you have the RIGHT resume with your positioning statement. – So many times job seekers continue to send out their “career obituary” rather than a document that truly reflects their knowledge, skills, passion and abilities.  get a professional to help you write your resume!

Connecting with recruiters – If you are only working with one recruiter you are making a mistake. Remember they do not work for you… so make sure you get out there and connect with as many as you can.

Customized job search programs – Have you visited The Career Artisan, Mary Elizabeth Bradford? She has an amazing program to assist job seekers with all phases of the job search – from identifying companies and positions to working with you on your resume and obtaining interviews.

Participate in social/community/industry groups. – It is good to let people know that you’re looking for a new position. LinkedIn is a great place to start! You can join groups that are directly related to the industry you are in and start networking with people. Start “what do you do” conversations. Be curious about what others do and how you might help them. Ask your contacts how they got their jobs. You can also apply for jobs through LinkedIn!

Find a mentor/accountability partner – A mentor could be a wise business person you’ve known for many years. Call them up and ask them for a face to face meeting or take them to lunch or for coffee. Then listen, engage, ask for their advice. You’ll be surprised how many will assist when you have the right attitude and approach. An accountability partner is a trusted friend that can help you to stay on track with the goals that you set for yourself. Ask them to be tough on you! You will thank them later!

The bottom line is you cannot and you should not feel that you are alone in your situation. There are people who care deeply about you and want to help you to be successful in helping you find your next great career opportunity.

If you’re interested in more information please check out my page on iLostMyJob.com – Your Career Transition Resource

Want to make your voice heard? Ask me a question – Career Doctor, Ask Me A Career Question

It’s my wish that no one who is qualified is turned down for a job simply because they couldn’t represent themselves on paper.  I have 3 very important articles for any person writing, rewriting or reformulating their resumes.

But first, here is my video which is an oldie but a goodie…I hope you enjoy…

Learn how you can create a powerful and compelling opening statement on your resume.

Make sure your resume is hitting its target.

Monthly job loss graph starting in January 2008. The red columns point to monthly job totals under the Bush administration, while blue columns point to job totals under the Obama administration.

For those of you that might want to work for the Federal Government, your application process just got A LOT easier!  The federal government is about to go through some significant changes in the way it recruits new employees.

On May 11th President Barack Obama issued a directive that will streamline the the application process for Federal jobs.  The official memorandum — Improving the Federal Recruitment and Hiring Process — orders a broad reform of the government’s recruitment and hiring program.

Among the changes is a reduction in the time to hire, acceptance of resumes, simplification of online forms, and elimination of the written essays all candidates must submit just to apply. In addition, hiring managers will get to select from a pool of qualified applicants, rather than pick from among three candidates.

The Presidential memorandum drew praise from both sides of the political isle:

Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) – “I am pleased that President Obama has directed his department heads to reform the Federal hiring process.  The current hiring process is too slow and too complicated, which may discourage highly qualified candidates from pursuing Federal service.  Many of the requirements in the President’s memorandum mirror my Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act, and I will continue to work for the bill’s enactment to make sure that hiring reform is fully implemented across the federal government, and that reforms stand the test of time.”

George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) – “To be an employer of choice, the government must understand what the competition is doing and adapt to the changing environment.  I am pleased that President Obama’s department leaders will take steps to re-tool the federal hiring process, but we must ensure lasting change by passing the Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act.  We must make sure our processes result in hiring the right person, at the right place, at the right time to get the job done for current and future generations of public servants.”

These are all welcome changes to a system that has been commonly described as “archaic” and “straight from the 19th century” by HR professionals and applicants alike.  With over 40% of Federal employees eligible for retirement in the next seven years, this might be a good time to check out employment opportunities with the Government!

If you are interested in working for the Federal Government, you can visit the USAjobs.gov Web site, which categorizes available positions by city and type.

For any other career transition resources, check out iLostMyJob.com – Your Career Transition Resource

Need help on cover letters or interviews? Check out the Career Doctor, Robert Shindell

Click here to Learn About Resumes - What Type of Resume Do You Want?

His response? “I have two basic questions in mind: Can you do the job and would I enjoy spending time with you?”

It’s a revealing statement but really not that surprising.

When you are in the interview stage with an employer, chances are, you are one of several candidates who has proven to have the experience, background, expertise and talent to fulfill the requirements of the job.  At this point, the person who is doing the hiring is trying to unlock the greatest mystery in their mind: what would it be like to actually work with you?  Why would I want you on my team?

Put yourself in the shoes of the person who is interviewing you for the job.

They have probably never met you before – they might only know you from your resume and cover letter.  And yet,  they are about to make a decision and a commitment that means they will most likely be spending more time with you at work than they do at home with their spouse, their kids and their friends!  In addition, they are trusting that your performance will help to increase the value and productivity of their organization/department and on top of that, they are going to pay you MONEY for doing so!

This is a relatively short courtship; within a period of a few weeks, this person is bringing you onto their team with the relatively blind expectation and finger-crossing hope that you are the perfect match.

Throughout the interview, they will try to figure out the answers to the following questions.  While these questions most likely will not be asked directly, by understanding and anticipating the mindset of the interviewer will allow you to demonstrate that you are the best candidate for the job.

Prepare yourself!  Demonstrate with examples and specific situations answers to these questions.

Are you enjoyable and fun to be around? (I have to spend a lot of time with you, I don’t want to dread seeing you every day!  Are you a suck-up?  Are you nervous around the boss?  Are you someone I’d feel comfortable having a beer with from time-to-time? Will you get along with my other employees?)

Will you be a good deputy? (Will you be loyal and trustworthy?  Someone I can  always rely on?  Will you watch my back?  Will you be a constant ‘yes’ person or are you willing to challenge me and help me avoid mistakes?  Will you be thinking three steps ahead and help me and my department to avoid mistakes?)

Will you be easy to manage? (Are you someone with great enthusiasm who will be help me inspire my team or are you going to be a pain in my rear;  a complainer and a whiner? )

Are you a  good team player? (Do you recognize your role on my team?    Can you get along with others and inspire others?  Can you play well with others and not get sucked into office politics? Do you have leadership skills and can you leverage other team member’s strengths with your own for the good of the department?  Will you put the team’s goals ahead of you own personal ambition?  Will your negative energy drag down the morale of the department?)

Do you listen intently and can you follow instructions easily? (Do you have common sense? Can I rely that I can explain something once and expect that you’ll accomplish the assignment?  Is this person a know-it-all, been-there-done-that?  Do I have to explain multiple times how to get something done?)

Do you communicate well? (Are you charismatic?  Confident? Do you explain yourself clearly?  Do you get flustered under pressure?  Can you make a good case and argue points effectively?  Are you organized in how you communicate?)

Are you a hard worker? (Can I count on you to go the extra mile to get a project completed and not complain?  Will you work late or on the weekends if required from time-to-time?)

Are you creative?  Innovative? (Are you full of great ideas?  Do you think outside of the box?  As important, can you implement a vision?  Can you inspire people to think differently?)

When I graduated from the University of Colorado in 1989, I saw the President of the University of Colorado at my graduation and walked up to him.  “President Gee,” I said.  “What’s the best piece of advice you can give a new college graduate with a degree in English Literature?”  He looked down at me, smiled and said.  “Never, never, ever forget to pay your alumni dues.”  This deflating piece of advice was exactly what I didn’t want and need to hear.

In any event, without sounding like a cliché graduation commencement lecture, I’ve solicited practical advice from my thousands of friends on Facebook and Twitter.

I asked a simple question:

“If you could offer one piece of advice to a recent college graduate what would it be and what do you know now that you wish you knew when you graduated from college?”

I’ve condensed the hundreds of answers I received into some general themes and transfer this advice in the spirit of mature wisdom in which it is intended.

1.)  Debt is a soul-sucker.

Live within your means and avoid the debt trap like the plague.

Right now, as a recent college graduate, you have amazing ambitions, goals and hopes for the future – don’t let those be derailed because of unnecessary debt.

All too often, I’ve met with professionals who, now in their 40’s and 50’s, are slaves to the debt trap that controls every aspect of their lives: they are in jobs they don’t like, stressful marriages, living paycheck-to-paycheck with no savings for their kid’s college education as well as their own retirement – all because of the enormous debt they began racking up early in life.

There is NO SUCH THING as FREE MONEY! Avoid the temptations of the credit marketing hucksters who are pitching easy money with credit cards offers, department store lines of credit, banks, automobiles – there’s endless ways to get handcuffed to debt for the rest of your life.

Get a credit card to establish credit, but avoid the high interest-rate and pay it off each month.   Finance problems and debt are cited as one of the top reasons for divorce.  If you are getting married, from the get-go, have honest and open conversations about finances and try your best to pay off student loans and any other debt you may have each incurred.  Work with a financial planner early in your marriage so that you can map your goals as a married couple.  Save and invest but avoid the financial slavery of debt.

2.)  Travel while you are in your 20’s.

Save up and visit new countries when you have minimal commitments.   Study abroad, intern overseas, volunteer or consider working for a non-profit or a non-governmental organization (NGO) in another country or get an advanced degree abroad.

Being able to travel not only is fun, but can be a time of self reflection after your hard work in college and give you new insights into your career and life goals.  Your experiences can be a real differentiator in job hunts.   There are plenty of resources available that can lead you to work abroad opportunities and help you be able to travel affordably.

3.)  Be a life-long student.

Just because you have a college degree doesn’t mean you should stop learning.  Be infinitely curious about all things.  Continue to learn and master new skills and open your mind to different cultures, political opinions and new ideas.  You are going into a workforce that requires you to interact with a wide range of ages, work ethics, business atmospheres, personalities and diverse opinions that you may not have experienced before.  At the end of every day, ask the same question your parents asked at the dinner table after school: “What did you learn today?”

4.) Your first job is going to be a learning experience.

Don’t be afraid to start at the very bottom.  Paying your dues means proving yourself – proving that you don’t feel entitled and that no job is below you, proving that you have the heart, the passion and drive to always find a way to get the job done, under any circumstance, proving that you will work long hours and on weekends, and proving that you will always be reliable and true to your word.

5.)  You will fail at something sometime.

John Elway threw way more interceptions than he did touchdowns.   Every successful person is also an expert at failing.  Like them, prepare to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward.

6.) Be ethical, honest and confident about your integrity.

You will be faced at times during your career when a decision you have to make or a situation you are in will seem to test your character and integrity.   If you are confident in your character and integrity, these situations will never be considered a ‘judgment call.’  You are ethical and honest or you are not.  It is that simple.

7.) Happiness is many things, but it is not about money.

Don’t believe the marketing hype: happiness is NEVER found in how much money you have, how big your house is, what type of car you drive, what type of title or power you hold, the types of clothes you wear or how attractive you (or others) believe yourself to be.

Typically happiness in life is found in deep and meaningful relationships with your family and friends, being satisfied and enjoying your work, enjoying good health, having self confidence and enjoying freedom and independence from financial debt.  Most importantly, it’s found in constantly recognizing and acknowledging the things in your life that present you with joy.

8.) Become an inspirational leader.

We need more leaders in the world.   Volunteer for leadership positions whenever you get the chance.  Try to become a supervisor or a manager.  Join a nonprofit board, or volunteer for a leadership position through a professional industry association.

9.) Be passionate and committed to being the best at everything you do!

Believe in yourself, in your goals and ideas and learn how to manage people and resources wisely and fairly.   Always have a vision for the future, but more than just having a vision, learn how to inspire others to believe and help you to implement and manage your vision.

10.) Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to do right now.

Expect that your life will take many twists and turns.

When asked about their current jobs, most seasoned professionals start out by saying, “If you’d have told me when I graduated from college that I’d be doing what I’m doing for a career today, I’d have thought you were crazy!”

The fact is your niche will most likely not be what you expect it to be today.  You will discover skills in your first job out of college that you didn’t realize you possessed.  You will recognize interests that will help you focus on your future goals.  Your will find a career that will fit you – your talents, your personality, your experiences Expect your life’s mission and your professional goals to become more clear over the next few years.

They diligently research the background of companies to try to match their specific talents, experiences and expertise with what is required in the job posting.  They spend long hours customizing their resumes and cover letters.   They have incredible patience and perseverance, waiting by the phone and willing to jump at a moment’s notice for an interview.

And when they do get an interview, they rehearse their answers to the most commonly asked interview questions.

But even the most experienced job seeker would be at a loss when asked the questions below.

These are all real questions asked at real job interviews.  Perhaps the recruiter was trying to be cute or trying to see how the job seeker would handle an odd question, but these have got to be some of the worst questions asked at a job interview…..ever.

Some of these questions are illegal to ask.  At the very least many of them are inappropriate.  Others are just silly.   Some of these zingers are born from bizarre workplace  profile tests in which they are attempting to somehow judge whether your personality would fit in the corporate culture of the company.

Nevertheless, if you get asked an odd question, take a deep breath and don’t say the first thing that comes to mind.   Take a moment and decide the best response.  Granted, in some cases that best response might be standing up and walking out.

The Worst Interview Questions Ever

“If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you want poured on you?”

“How do you define sexual harassment?”

“Pretend I am an Eskimo and sell me a freezer.”

“We’ve already made a hiring decision, but I’m required to ask you  some questions anyway.”

“It’s OK if you don’t know a lot about our industry.  Our CEO’s kind of an idiot about what we do as well.”

“How do you feel about a monkey in the office?”

“Are you sure you are Hispanic?  Your last name sure doesn’t sound Latin.”

I was asked “Why are pothole covers round?” while interviewing for a reception job years ago. WHAT? Luckily I got it right (so they don’t fall in), and still didn’t get the job.

“You’re not the type that would sue your employer, are you?”

“When was the last time you did something illegal?”

“What is the airspeed of an unladen swallow?”

“We don’t allow personal calls at work.  Would your children ever call you?”

“You’d be the fourth person in this position in the last six months.  What traits do you think will help you stay in this position?”

“Are you dating anyone? Well don’t date anyone here.”

“If you were to pick the theme song that would be played when you stepped out onto home plate at Coors Field – what would it be?”

“Do you care if your boss reads your email?”

“If we don’t hire you, which of our competitors would you want to work for?” Followed by:  “If we finally offered the same wages as them, would you work for us?”

“If we hire you, do you promise not to quit?”

“How do you feel about working unpaid overtime?”

“Do you speak Japanese?”   Uhhh…shouldn’t they have put that in the ad??

“Are you pregnant, or going to get pregnant in the next 12 months?”

During a phone interview – “Are you as sexy as your voice?”

“Why do you want this job when you should be home having babies?”

“If you were a celebrity, who would you be?”

“If you could be a teacher, a jet pilot or an actor, which would you be and why?”

and lastly (after the interview) -

“We know we offered you the job, but our new CEO asked us to hire a friend of the Mayor’s instead.”

From the time I was 13 to 23-years-old, I worked in a variety of restaurants and in a variety of positions and knew the type of skills and talents it took to be successful in a restaurant environment.

The qualities it takes to succeed in a restaurant are very much tied to the qualities it takes to succeed in business: team work, customer service, multi-tasking, politeness and energy.  Working in a restaurant means you have to juggle the personalities of a variety of different characters  and develop ways to have them all on your side.   Every day you are required to manage a range of mini-crisis and difficult situations.

In my restaurant life, I worked as a dishwasher, busboy, waiter, bartender, line cook, prep cook and restaurant host.

As a waiter, I had less than an hour to create a successful experience for the diners.  My tip (the majority of mysalary) relied on it!

In my role as a cook,  the waiters, the customers and the reputation of the restaurant relied on me to serve fresh, hot meals in a timely and consistent manner.  On busy weekend nights, four cooks would be responsible for preparing over 350 meals in a short, five-hour window.  Hands, knives, pots and pans, hot stoves, ovens and grease were flying everywhere…every detail required your full attention and as important was working in tandem with the other cooks to make sure all of the food came out together.  The multi-tasking roles I learned as a cook are still relevent to everything that is required of me today.

If you have worked in restaurants, it is completely appropriate to describe those skills and experiences and explain how and why they are relevent to the job you are seeking.

For you Denver history buffs, between the ages of 13-23, I’ve earned a paycheck working in the following restaurants:

Mr. Luckys – My first job ever, I was 12-years-old and swept the parking lot every Saturday and Sunday morning of this Glendale disco.

Epicurean Catering (dishwasher/prep cook)

La Plaza (dishwasher/busboy/line and prep cook/dishwasher.  The old “Playboy Club” on Florida and Colorado Blvd.)

Writers Manor (Banquet busboy – was located at Mexico and Colorado Blvd.  Now a strip mall.)

Old Chicago (prep cook for one day.  I accidently diced instead of sliced an entire 20 pd. bag of tomatoes.  It was ugly.  They were gentle, but showed me the door pretty quickly)

Village Inn (busboy.  This was the big Village Inn attached to Celebrity Sports Center – the biggest in the nation at one time.)

Sorens (cook/dishwasher. Great restaurant at 3rd and Detroit.  My friend Aaron LaPedis now has an art gallery in that space.  I cooked and was an occasional dishwasher.  Really learned how to cook here.  Every Sunday, one diner would send us a bottle of champagne if we got his omelet jussssst right.)

Jose Muldoons (Line cook/prep cook/salad bar manager during college at CU.   Had a great time.  Fun crew.  Drank WAY too much after long shifts.  Will never forget the ’prairie fires’…tequila and Tabasco shots)

Chautauqua Dining Hall (Boulder summer job.  Waited tables.  Loved this job.  Famous line to diners – Me: “Today our special is fried Matta”  Diner “Whats a Matta?”  Me: “Nothing, what the hell’s a matta with you?”  It would either get me a big laugh/tip or a “Get me a real waiter”)

Provisions - A Deli located at Eastern Market in Washington, D.C.  In 1990, I worked 70 hrs. per-week on Capitol Hill for a U.S. Senator for the grand sum of $16,000 per-year.   My weekend job was slicing meats and making bagel sadnwiches.

This is a very interesting question.  Recruiters have made a good living in the recession.  It’s been helpful for people to find a guide and have someone coach them up before an interview.  I know how good it feels to have others on your team in a time of uncertainty.

Many recruiters are execptionally good and very professional, but I bet there are a few job seekers who have less than choice words for their experience with job recruiters.

I don’t claim to have an opinion on recruiters because I know the idea behind the profession is help and there is nothing wrong with helping people accomplish their goals.  I bet if many recruiters could do their job for free, they would but unfortunately, good deeds don’t pay rent or put food on the table.

So my question now turns to recruiters, what ways can job seekers know you’re crediable, reliable and sincere in helping their job search?

Is there an organization you’re apart of that shows a certain level of credibility?

Do you have a win-loss record on file or even in your own personal records?

What warning signs of quality can a job seeker use to know if a recruiter is right for them?

I hope to get some answers from recruiters because, this is everyone’s reputation, not simply that of the good or bad.

If you don’t want a recruiter and plan to use your own method to land a job read the article:

How to Land More Interviews In a Bad Economy

If you’re interested in asking me a question directly, please feel free:

Ask the Career Doctor a Job Search Question

This article should be helpful to many job seekers.  It offers strategies, mistakes not to make, recruiting sources, stories, and more from experts in the field of job recruiting.

I’ve been told this ever since I got to college. Recent grads are always talking about their job searches and often about how they had to edit their profiles to make them recruiter friendly. Even just applying to transfer into the School of Communication, I was told to clean up my profile because the admissions officers may very well use my profile as a factor in their decisions.

Now, in cleaning up my profile I’ve always used the question “Would I want my dad to see this?” when putting up pictures, allowing myself to be tagged in friends’ pictures, and writing statuses, notes, etc. The funny thing is, my step-mom friended me earlier this week and my dad method was finally put to the test, because honestly, I couldn’t have rejected her or they would have thought the worst.

I got a phone call from my parents about a day later and while my dad had enough to say about my supposed “party life” it was all in jest, and I didn’t hear one single “what were you thinking?” Now I feel a lot more confident about my online profile. I could probably still stand to start editing what my friends write on certain occasions, but overall I think I did a decent job.

• Outstanding services
• Good communication skills
• Trust and Honesty
• Correct information gathering
• Accurate understanding and portrayal of a job or jobs
• Networking between recruiting agents
• They handle one candidate at a time in negotiations on behalf of a client

A hospitality executive recruiter should have the ability to handle multiple accounts and various job positions for more than one client. They have to be capable of enduring lengthy contracts with clients and maintain focus on client/customer satisfaction.

By using an excellent Hospitality executive recruiter you will have a high percentage chance of filling a position. A key thing to notice is that the recruiter remains flexible and allows you to choose your options. Some other factors to keep in mind.

• Free Quality services
• Secured storage of your information
• The capacity to accurately match your skill sets
• Being able to suggest and analyze your needs in both business and workplace environment
• Negotiations and proper research between you and their clients
• Having a high success rate in matching great positions for you

A reason most employers like using executive recruiters is that they are able to find better applicants for their job opening instead of just advertising locally. Because of this, a recruiter is hired to find people that are capable of filling the position. As a result you are able to find a job you are interested in, in less time. It’s just a great cycle that both employers and you are happy about, all thanks to the recruiter for hooking you up.

In Summary

Finding a quality hospitality executive recruiter can be tough, but with the tips you have read you won’t have trouble finding one, in fact here is a Free online recruiter I have used Executive Search Online that worked quick in finding me a job as a Human Resource Manager.

Best of Luck and God Bless

Executive Openings! C-level Execs., Senior VPs, VPs, Directors & Managers. $80,000 to $500,000+