Recruiting Animal

Welcome To The Recruiting Animal

Hi everyone, I'm Louise Fletcher of Blue Sky Resumes and the Career Hub and I'm your guest host on the Recruiting Animal today. A few weeks ago I asked the Animal to mention my new, FREE e-BOOK on his site. Easy, right? No, wrong. This sluggish oaf said, "Don't worry, Louise, let everyone else publicize it now and I'll bring up the rear. I'll go into action when they're all done."

Well, let me say this about that: stay away from my rear. I don't want you there. When I ask you to mention me, I want it now. But, no, instead I had to ask five times then come here and do it myself. So, readers, let me tell you all about it. No, actually, you'll have to excuse me; I'm too angry. I'll be back tomorrow.
Animal: But, Louise, you forgot to tell them about my site!
Louise: I'll do it later. Sound familiar?
Animal: But, Louise...
Louise: Piss off !
Animal: Readers, please, you'll have to excuse her. She's English, you know.

Improved Candidate Experience

THE HUNGER GROWS.

About 5% of top firms let applicants know when a job is filled. Common decency should demand, however, that even in a large search, a mass-mailing to all applicants should be the rule. And the top three finalists should get personalized feedback; they could be your top candidates in another search so you want to keep them happy.

A candidate performance review that helps rejects learn what they did right and wrong is essential for internal candidates because they are inclined to leave if they don't see a future with the firm and a rejected promotion is often taken to be the indication of a dead end.

And, indeed, any head-hunter would surely profit by sending a thank you email to everyone she has spoken to in the course of a search, letting them know that the job has been filled. It takes time away from money making projects but it strengthens your network and it's great advertisting too.

Reference: Yves Lermusi, ERE

I Like Tiffy

BECAUSE SHE'S SO ANGRY.

See her post on the Soviet Career Fair. Some of you are too young to remember the Soviet Union but, trust me, that's a funny joke.

And, please note her use of the word tchotchke . I have to say I told you so. See this, as well.

Are You A Social Dud?

BECOME A PUBLIC SPEAKER.

Debbie Fine used to hide in a toilet stall at networking events. Then, she moved her stall onto a stage and became a professional speaker.

She no longer has to introduce herself to strangers and struggle to find some common ground nor do they have to introduce themselves to her. Advertising and the ticket agency handle the intial connection.

And once she's given her talk, there's oh so much to chat about. Great idea, eh? The social dud becomes the belle of the ball just by taking on a pre-defined role.

Similar benefits derive from becoming an event organizer or volunteer. Suddenly, people have a reason to talk to you and a starting point for conversations. So. come on all you chickens wallflowers, think about it.

via techslog

Marshall Loeb on Cover Letters

1. Marshall Loeb claims that the quality of writing in your cover letter will decide if you get an interview. Really? Marsh, don't make me laugh. If you have a point form cover letter with the right stuff in it, I will call you. In fact, I like bullet points best because they are easier to read.

Also, if I have a hundred resumes to review and your cover letter contains no readily visible keywords, I might dump you then and there. Keywords, Marshall, keywords. Very important. But your writing style? Unless, it's moronic, I don't care. Lots of smart people can't write.

2. Send it to a specific person. "To whom it may concern" shows you haven't done your home work. Yeah, but if it was easy to get names internally, we'd all be rich.

3. Describe your most recent accomplishment and how it relates to the job you want. Yes, I agree. Someone sent me a resume that featured something he did 20 years ago as a major accomplishment. I know, it's like riding a bike; once you've done it you never lose it. (Sister, please!).

4. Don't repeat stuff from your resume. Marsh, Marsh: do include stuff from your resume. Just make it a short headline so it packs a quick punch. And, if something is especially important for this job, follow the headline with a more detailed description than you have space for in the resume.

5. Tell us your goal: (1) Tell us what the company needs (2) how you can help (3) why that's good for you. Research the website, newspapers, annual reports to find out about the firm. Great.

6. End with a call-to-action. Ask the employer to call or email you. Then call or email within a week. Go ahead, tell them what to do; they ain't gonna listen. But, follow up within a week. Yash!

8. Proofread spelling and grammar. Don't send the wrong cover letter. Don't forget to attach your resume. If you were not born into your working language, get someone who was to read your resume. Do not trust someone who came here after the age of ten. I critiqued the resume of a smart woman who came from China. She told me that her friend, who came to Canada at age ten had checked it for her. It was still full of errors.

Reference: Career Journal

I Yam Sorry

Old Recruiter regrets aggressive behaviour.

"I apologize for all old wounds and battle scars."
says Billy Warren.

Miami Ami vs Recruiting.com

RECRUITOMATIC EXPLAINED.

I've heard people ask "What is the Recruitomatic blog up to? Why is this guy always criticizing everybody? Well, here's my answer: Miami is a researcher interested not in recruiting but in blogging and he uses the Recruitosphere as his point of analysis.

We can see a fine example of this in his recent exchange with Don JGo Jason Goldberg on Recruiting.com.

Don JGo announces the appointment of a Todd Leeson to a senior marketing role in Jobster -- and, immediately we see Miami asking how much time Todd will be spending on Recruiting.com.

"What's it his business?" must have been JGo's thought as he brushed him off with a curt reply indicating that none of Todd's time will be spent on Rdc. But then Miami, an English terrier if there ever was one, comes back protesting! And, he explains why. According to him:

1. Recruiting.com is inviting bloggers to submit postings to their feed
2. Miami assumes that a payoff is implied. I'll create content for you but I expect click-throughs in return.
3. And, if you're not marketing your site how will you be able to supply me with the proper ROI?

Here's where Miami errs. Recruiting.com is offering readers a broad view of the Recruitosphere and the opportunity to shape its content via their submissions and votes. There is no other payoff than the reward of a stimulating read and conversation.

To Miami, however, the blogosphere is a business. He can't accept that Jobster would sponsor Recruiting.com unless there was something in it for them. And, if so, he wants his share. Inotherwords, if he's going to perform for free at an open-mike night, it's up to the bar to put up some signs. But, in Toronto, at least, amateurs poster the street with their own home-made fare.

Part B.

Recruiting.com's Push-Back Widget

Jason Davis, Lion-Tamer

Rdc invites readers to post any article they see online on its site. And now it's going to repay dedicated readers by sending a feed of the articles they submit back to the readers' own blogs.

Jay-Dee Jason Davis singled out Miami Ami Givertz for praise as the most dedicated submitter of postings and Miami, who complained bitterly about the one-way stream of favours he was doing for Rdc, appears to have been satisfied by these blandishments.

How Much Work Do Recruiters Do?

The number of job orders a recruiter handles is a strong influence on the quality of her candidates.

Corporate recruiters: handle 20 to 40 jobs at a time
Agency recruiters: 8 to 12
Retained recruiters: less

From Lou Adler

Strange Name For a Roti Shop

But, he knows his market.

Gautam names his firm.