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Showing posts with label cover. Show all posts

Thursday, May 16, 2013

( 4 Cover Letter Blunders And How To Fix Them ) ( Technical Manager - Lake Crystal, MN ) ( REBAR FABRICATOR ) ( Woodwork Production Worker ) ( Street Light Technician ) ( Painter ) ( Experienced Commercial Roofer ) ( Controls Engineer ) ( Construction Superintendent ) ( Store Manager in Training ) ( Macy's Wheaton Mall, Wheaton, MD: Retail Cosmetics Sales - Beauty ) ( Manager Trainee – Management Training (Finance / Collections) ) ( Entry Level Junior Consultant – Full Time ( Sales and Marketing ) ) ( Supply Chain - Summer Intern ) ( Branch Manager Trainee ) ( Sales Administrative Assistant/Order Entry ) ( Summer Intern - Global Marketing ) ( Operations Management Trainee ) ( Administration Assistant )

4 Cover Letter Blunders And How To Fix Them

Some people meticulously write their resume but then treat their cover letter as an afterthought, resulting in a mistake-riddled, dull and underperforming document. It is important to ensure your job search tool kit is fully equipped with high-quality, well-honed marketing messages that are blunder-free. The following four cover letter mistakes—and accompanying remedies—will help sharpen your cover letter saw.

1. Using a Generic Salutation. While it is not always possible to obtain the name of the cover letter recipient, often, with a little digging, you can!

The Fix. One example is to use LinkedIn. Let’s say you discover an opening for an electrical engineer position at an engineering organization’s website. The position description indicates the employee will report to the lead electrical engineer. You decide (initially) to bypass the company’s automated application system so you can customize your communications.

You sail over to LinkedIn and begin researching. Use the advanced search feature and type in “name of company” for the company name, “lead electrical engineer” for keywords and “64152″ for a zip code for greater Kansas City (where the company headquarters and this position are located) and click enter. Your results will appear.

Search within your first or second tier contacts. You want to be sure to land on the contact with lead electrical engineer in the title. You will have access to that person’s first and last name. This information, along with the company’s mailing address which you can generally pick up at a corporate website, will equip you to create a custom-addressed letter.

This is just one of many examples to research contact names that will help you tailor your cover letter versus writing a generic “Dear Hiring Manager” salutation. Another method is to use Glassdoor’s Inside Connections feature that finds any connections to companies you search for through your friends on Facebook.

2. Peppering The Letter With “I.” While the cover letter touts your value, you should be familiar with the reader’s areas of pain and heartily address their needs with your solutions.

The Fix. While it is nearly impossible not to use the words I or my in the cover letter, you can slant the tone and construct your sentences to better reverberate with the reader’s needs. For example, instead of launching into a diatribe of “I did this” or “I did that,” you might lead into a letter with something like:

“Simplifying complicated information in measurable, digestible ways to align stakeholders is my talent.” Notice how my is used, but the sentence does not lead with the first person possessive.

Also, consider directly connecting the dots of your traits with the current industry or market need. For example: “With more than 15 years’ technology process management experience, I’ve learned to cut through the fog and chart a clear course. Clarifying routine processes versus necessary processes has sharpened investigative abilities… (etc.). These traits are particularly imperative in the current tumultuous economic client.

3. Droning On and On. Putting every thought, including the kitchen sink, into your letter will lose the reader’s interest.

The Fix. Put your content through the so-what filter as you write; however, you don’t want to stifle your creativity by trying to build a perfect letter out of the gate. Assuming that you are fairly focused on your target goal by the time you get to the letter-writing stage, the initial draft should be somewhat on point. That said, self-editing is crucial. Read through your letter several times. Use a red pen, ruthlessly. Trim, edit, augment, focus. Corral the cover letter into a four- to five-paragraph format, and use bullets to showcase certain information. Keep it to one pithy page, if possible.

4. Running Out of Steam. It is tough to close a story well. And, like your resume, a cover letter is a mini-story that needs a clean, compelling close. Don’t make the mistake of running out of steam at the end of your letter and relying on easy, but typically boring endings. This is not only uninteresting, but it makes you look lazy.

The Fix. Research other people’s letters to get the creative juices flowing. Some professional resume writers publish cover letter samples on their site. Do not steal other people’s language; instead, use the language as a launch pad to stimulate your own! While your closing should be sincere, it shouldn’t be bland. Pretend you are talking with the person face to face. What would you say to display your enthusiasm (not desperation) for the opportunity at the end of the conversation? You would be politely persistent, right? Show the same vigor in the written word!

4 Cover Letter Blunders And How To Fix Them is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Technical Manager - Lake Crystal, MN

Details: Technical Managers are responsible for plant production and directly supervise the operations, lab, and maintenance teams. The Technical manager maximizes efficiencies of plant operations while optimizing plant run time, troubleshoots and identifies process needs to maintain production levels, is accountable for all plant operations, production goals, and lab; ensures compliance of environmental and health & safety needs of team members.

REBAR FABRICATOR

Details: Rebar Fabricator - 1st and 3rd ShiftsRESPONSIBILITIES AFTER SAFETY AND MACHINE OPERATION TRAINING 1) Operate a shearing machine to cut reinforcing steel bars to specific lengths.2) Operate a bending machine to bend reinforcing steel bars to specified shape.3) Operate overhead crane to move, assemble and select material to be fabricated or shipped.4) Operate Fabmatic machine that cuts and bends reinforcing steel bars to specified shapes.5) Assemble and load orders onto trailers for shipping.6) Maintain the shop or designated area in a clean and safe manner.7) Perform other duties as directed by the Supervisor.

Woodwork Production Worker

Details: Job Classification: Contract We are seeking to hire 8-10 Production Workers to start in a new branch located in Culpeper, VAQualifications: Candidate must be able to:•Pass the company's ruler test•5 panel drug screen• 7 year background check. All candidates must read and sign off on all safety documents prior to starting position.Performance Expectations: Candidates will be measured on how quickly they load the wood product and transport to assembly. Top Three Skills we are seeking is experience in:1. Manufacturing2. Construction / Wood working3. Carpentry / labor Job Description: Candidates will be working in new Culpeper plant where the roof trusses are being manufactured. Candidates must be mechanically inclined and be able to use a hammer and tape measure. Most candidates starting off will be catching finished wood product and loading onto carts to be shipped over to Assembly. Candidates will be shown how to perform different duties throughout the shop and can work their way into different departments.•*REQUIRED that candidates be required to wear steel toed boots, safety glasses, ear plugs, and possess a claw hammer and 25 ft tape measure. •*Safety glasses's and ear protection are supplied by the company but the other items will need to be purchased individually.THIS JOB REQUIRES: Assembly: •*Each individual will perform one or more repetitive jobs on an assembly line or subassembly line to produce and assemble products.•*Involves such processes as insertion of materials, clamping, fitting parts and use of some hand tools. •*Entry level position requiring some on-the-job training.Catcher at Saws: •*Handles material on the off-load conveyor side of a component saw.•*Cooperates with the component saw operator. •*May be required to check material for accuracy of cutting set-up. •*Stacks and loads chords, web members and truss parts on shop carts or buggies. •*Bands the material, marks the order number and type and moves to area for forklift or conveyorremoval. If you are interested in applying for this position, please contact Brittany Price by email: bprice(at)aerotek.com or by phone: 703-279-2418.I look forward to hearing from you! Join Aerotek Commercial Staffing&#174. We employ people in light industrial, light technical and office support positions across the nation. If you are looking for a competitive wage, solid opportunity, and a career path to success, contact us now! We offer comprehensive benefits to include medical, dental, optical, and optional 401k. Don't put your career in the hands of just anyone, put it in the hands of a specialist. Join the Aerotek Commercial Staffing team! Allegis Group and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and will consider all applications without regard to race, marital status, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

Street Light Technician

Details: LOCAL CONTRACTOR PERFORMING STREET LIGHT CONSTRUCTION Seeking to fill multiple positions in Charlotte, NC and Lancaster, SC: Experienced Street Light Technicians preferred: Well versed in street light construction

Painter

Details: Randstad is currently recruiting for a part-time painter with a minimum of 6 months of painting experience in a manufacturing facility. Applicant will be painting both inside and outside of facility as well as machinery. Applicant must be able to work an shift as the hours of operation may vary.Qualified candidates please submit a resume to LauraDawn.D as well as apply to the posting.Working hours: hours may vary*high school diploma or GED equivalent*must submit to an extensive background check and drug screen*minimum of 6 months of experience painting in a manufacturing setting.Randstad is a world leader in matching great people with great companies. Our experienced agents will listen carefully to your employment needs and then work diligently to match your skills and qualifications to the right job and company. Whether you're looking for temporary, temporary-to-permanent or permanent opportunities, no one works harder for you than Randstad.

Experienced Commercial Roofer

Details: EXPERIENCED COMMERCIAL ROOFERS 407-650-9541Commercial Roofer, Maintenance Technicians & Labors. High Profile Roofing Co with work in Orlando, Ft Lauderdale & West Palm Beach, Florida. Excellent benefits & Top Wages. MUST HAVE VALID DRIVERS LICENSEDFWP, EOE – P & A Roofing & Sheet Metal - 4495 35th Street – Orlando, FL 32811 & 2000 NW 22nd Street – Ft Lauderdale, FL 33311

Controls Engineer

Details: Controls Engineer position will be responsible for the building automation systems within large data centers. The ideal candidate will possess a technology background that enables him/her to undertake the challenges of sophisticated controls platforms and a demonstrated ability to think broadly and strategically in aligning building controls and automation with the larger objectives of the business.Role Responsibilities and Requirements:• Understanding of: electrical diagrams, control diagrams, building operations, control circuits, industrial HVAC.• Ability to manage project engineering to determine the scope of work relative to the design intent of the customer needs.• Ability to read and interpret specifications and implementing those specifications as they apply the work environment.• Development of control panel BOM’s• Development of ISA data sheets for temperature, level, flow, and pressure transmitters along with ISA data sheets for control valves, positioners, analytical, and various other types of instrumentation.• Development of drawings for control panels, power distribution, junction boxes. Included in the drawings are the general arrangement, internal layout, schematics and interconnection and wire diagrams.• Development of logic diagrams in the International Automation format for complex logic devices such as Programmable Logical Controller and Distributed Control System.• Preparation of cable, routing plans and schedules.• Performing inspects, testing, and commission of the facility systems.• Work individually and as part of a team to develop new products, support existing products, test and evaluate equipment.• Provide technical assistance as needed to internal customers.• Coordinate project work internally within the department and externally with other departments to ensure on-time completion of projects within budget.

Construction Superintendent

Details: Need Experience Construction Superintendent.Home Building experienced is preferred not not required. Will be responsible for Construction and Management of multiple sites. College education preferred but not required. WIll be calling in inspections and taking homeowners through the building process. Responsible for ensuring sub-contractors are on pace. Competitive salary and benefits, 401(k) , vocation accural after 6 months.Send Resumes to 9210 N Meridian St Indianapolis, IN 46260Contact Mike Sullivan at for more information

Store Manager in Training

Details: Job Description:Stop looking for just a JOB and look for a CAREER! MANAGE an exciting store, MANAGE a team and make a difference, MANAGE your career with a company that is growing! Something exciting is always going on at Hobby Lobby, unless it’s Sunday and then we are closed. We are looking for qualified, motivated leaders to step up and make a difference. Hobby Lobby is looking for experienced, ambitious managers that can come and lead our employees with success. A Co-Manager is the first step to becoming a Hobby Lobby Store Manager. Co-Managers are responsible for assisting the Store Manager in managing the day to day operations of the store. They also help fellow employees work to their best potential. Motivating and merchandising skills are essential to our company’s success. A Co-Manager is involved in: Financial goals Operations controls Customer relations Inventory managementWe practice promotion from within, so you must have a desire to be a Store Manager after a short training period.

Macy's Wheaton Mall, Wheaton, MD: Retail Cosmetics Sales - Beauty

Details: Overview:Macy's is currently seeking dynamic, self-motivated individuals who have a passion for make-up and skin care to work in one of our most vibrant and exciting departments. As a Macy's Cosmetic Beauty Advisor, you will assist customers with make-up and skin care selections through personal, one-on-one interaction and the sharing of your cosmetic knowledge and expertise. Follow up after the sale will enable you to build lasting customer relationships and help you to achieve personal and team selling and productivity goals.In order to present our customers with the best possible shopping experience, Retail Cosmetic Beauty Advisors may arrive prior to store opening or remain after closing to ensure we are always ready to make Macy's magic. All Macy's associates have the opportunity to work a flexible retail schedule, which may include early mornings, evenings, weekends and busy events such as Gift with Purchase or other product-related promotions. While some benefits depend on the number of hours worked, Macy's offers competitive wages, comprehensive cosmetic training, and a generous employee discount of up to 20% to all Cosmetic associates.Learn more about a career in cosmetics at Macy's by visiting beauty.macysJOBS.com!This Macy's location utilizes an innovative way of planning work schedules, allowing an associate to participate more in managing availability and setting preferences for work times. This enables our associates to address their need for flexibility in meeting both personal and work obligations. Details on My Schedule Plus are available during the interview process.Key Accountabilities:- Inspire the customer by making a connection and demonstrating products and techniques to create a lasting positive impression of you, Macy's, and your line- Demonstrate commitment and ability to build customer relationships and loyalty through initiating service consultations, regular purchase follow-up and replenishment calls, and the maintenance of a client file- Utilize customer service techniques and professional selling skills to achieve personal and team productivity goals- Attend and actively participate in vendor meetings, seminars, schools, and other product knowledge and business-driving opportunities- Maintain counter stock, cleanliness, and hygiene standards- Perform other duties as neededSkills Summary:- Previous retail cosmetic sales experience a plus, but not required- Goal-driven, with an ability to multi-task- Demonstrated ability to meet or exceed sales, customer service, and loyalty program standards- Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills- Ability to work as part of a team in a fast-paced environment, handling multiple priorities and quickly learning new procedures- Available to work a flexible retail schedule, which may include mornings, evenings, weekends, and extended hoursMacy's is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Manager Trainee – Management Training (Finance / Collections)

Details: As a Manager Trainee you are on the fast track to management starting out in our customer service role while learning the consumer loan business from the ground up. Additional responsibilities: Traveling within a regional area to receive training from experienced branch managers and district supervisors Developing and maintaining customer relations Providing exceptional customer service Achieving account gain through proven loan judgment and effective customer solicitation Ensuring prompt completion of loan applications Benefits At Security Finance we understand that our past accomplishments and future achievements are directly connected to the individual successes of our people. We are proud to offer a competitive compensation and full benefits package. Company paid Health insurance (employee only) Competitive 401(k) with match Life and Dental benefits Paid holidays and vacation Profit Sharing Closed on Sundays

Entry Level Junior Consultant – Full Time ( Sales and Marketing )

Details: Visit our Website!COHESION, Inc. just opened it's doors in Grand Rapids! Cohesion, Inc. is currently hiring for a Junior Consultant in our marketing and sales departments. Our goal at Cohesion is to bring our clients something that technology and a call center overseas cannot. We provide professional face-to-face sales and marketing approach delivered with integrity and respect. We specialize in connecting the local consumer to a great product from a large array of clients nationwide.We are currently looking to provide training starting off in an ENTRY LEVEL position. Duties included: New customer acquisitions Brief Presentations to our customers Team development Direct Marketing and sales Customer ServiceBenefits A career path with advancement opportunities Professional and personal development Individual Recognition Great real world hands on experience in business development

Supply Chain - Summer Intern

Details: If you’ve been looking for an Outrageously Dependable company where character counts, then you’re home. Interstate Batteries, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, built its reputation on a great automotive battery, but look how much we’ve grown over the past 60 years! We now offer thousands of portable power solutions and accessories throughout North America, Australia, the Caribbean and Latin America. Take charge of your future and see if you have what it takes to be one of our 1,700 specially selected Team Members. Responsibilities: Specific duties will be determined according to individual skill set. This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience with all aspects of business, for an upper-class student exploring future work opportunities.

Branch Manager Trainee

Details: Join the World's Largest Car Rental Company as a Branch Manager Trainee ! As a Branch Manager Trainee, you are responsible for driving your own career, we just provide the fuel! Each year, many talented people join Hertz, and the best become future Branch Managers of our Hertz Local Edition branches. Our program provides hands-on training in: sales, operations, customer service, finance & accounting management, revenue management, fleet management, and most importantly: people management. Hertz rewards its employees with competitive compensation packages including: hourly pay, overtime pay, and performance based bonuses. Our successful training employees have the ability to earn up to $40,000k a year upon achievement of all company goals. You will also receive the use of a company car upon entry into the Branch Manager ranks. The Hertz program provides a clearly defined career path to a Branch Manager in as little as 1 year! Our promotions don't stop there; our top level management regularly comes from the Training ranks. Your journey with Hertz will start off as a Branch Manager Trainee, quickly progressing into a Management Associate, while quickly gaining experience for a future Branch Manager role. As a Branch Manager Trainee, you will be responsible for: Supporting achievement of location sales and margin goalsEnsuring positive customer experience, making Hertz #1 in car rental company experienceAchieving individual sales goals and customer service goalsGrowing sales utilizing business-to-business sales tacticsSupport branch's business plan by assisting the Branch Manager Upholding company standards by ensuring cars are presentable to customers Clean and service facilities to ensure customer satisfactionIn addition to our competitive compensation package, Hertz also provides world class benefits, which include: Medical, Dental, and Vision InsuranceLife InsuranceTuition ReimbursementUp to 4 weeks of paid vacation a year (* depending on employment level)Hertz Sponsored Retirement Plan401(k) Retirement PlanEmployee Stock Purchase Plan & Employee Discounts *Successful candidates will initially be employed in our Branch Manager training program as a Manager Trainee.To be successful in this role, our ideal employees typically have: Previous held Leadership roles i.e., Campus, Community or Sports Previous sales and/or retail customer service experienceStrong communication and multitasking skillsAbility to drive multiple types of vehiclesAbility to read and understand driving directions and mapsProficiency in EnglishValid driver's license in good standingMinimum Bachelors DegreePhysical Requirements: Applicant must possess all auditory, speaking and communicating capabilities necessary to complete the responsibilities detailed above. The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to, the following: Physical Requirements: Equipment Operation: ● Yes ○ No Sitting● Yes ○ No Computer Terminal● Yes ○ No Standing● Yes ○ No Telephone● Yes ○ No Walking○ Yes ● No Portable Computer● Yes ○ No Bending and twistin● Yes ○ No Calculator● Yes ○ No Climbing● Yes ○ No Copy Machine● Yes ○ No Driving● Yes ○ No Fax Machine● Yes ○ No Pushing and pulling○ Yes ● No Dictaphone● Yes ○ No Speaking○ Yes ● No Other - Please specify● Yes ○ No Hearing ● Yes ○ No Writing ● Yes ○ No Lifting ● Yes ○ No Typing ● Yes ○ No Filing ● Yes ○ No Seeing ● Yes ○ No Reading Hertz is a Drug-Free Workplace. All employment is contingent on successful completion of drug and background screening. All candidates with a college degree are encouraged to apply. EOE/AA M/F/D/V

Sales Administrative Assistant/Order Entry

Details: Our clients in the Bohemia, Ronkonkoma, and Hauppauge areas are currently looking for a driven and professional candidate to join their team. The ideal candidate will provide support in various departments and have excellent ability to multi-task effectively. All potential candidates will be required to go through an interview process, testing on Microsoft applications and must be able to provide us with a minimum of 2 professional references from previous employers.General knowledge of manufacturing and distributionB2B customer support experience requiredAbility to follow instructions and Standard Operating Procedures from in-taking orders to processing and fulfillmentKeen sense of troubleshooting and the ability to be accountable or decision makingKnowledge of various shipping software is also helpfulResponsibilities include but are not limited to:- Providing assistance to the departments while also preserving confidential information.- Maintaining files, supplies and general office condition.- Answering and redirecting phone calls promptly and efficiently.- Providing customer follow up in a timely manner- Accurately entering a variety of data into information systems.- Generating Excel spreadsheets- Verifying accuracy of data.- Ability to handle multiple projects and easily adapt to changing environments.- Other office support functions may be required as requested or assigned.Working hours: Full TIme EmploymentRequirements:- Prior experience with AS400, SAP, Great Plains and Quickbooks software- Minimum High School diploma or equivalent.- 1-3 years of experience in an office setting- Intermediate level of Microsoft Office software experience required.- Familiarity with standard office equipment.- Superior written and oral communication skills are a must, along with the capacity to appropriately interact with all levels of management.- Professionalism, dependability and ability to adapt to an every changing business climate.- Highly organized, ambitious individual with the willingness to learn and advance.- Maintaining administrative and clerical files.Randstad is a world leader in matching great people with great companies. Our experienced agents will listen carefully to your employment needs and then work diligently to match your skills and qualifications to the right job and company. Whether you're looking for temporary, temporary-to-permanent or permanent opportunities, no one works harder for you than Randstad.

Summer Intern - Global Marketing

Details: Other Locations: MA-Boston Primary Duties: Position Summary: This position provides general support to the NGL Global Marketing team and works closely with the Executive Assistant to the SVP on the Summer International Managers Meeting in Boston. Position Description (Essential Duties & Responsibilities): Specific Projects: Assist with International Managers Meeting logistics and preparation (mtg. first week of Aug.) Provide National Sales Meeting support to various Marketing/Product Managers (mtg. last week of Jul.) Assist with NGL website phase 2 implementation Provide Our World product support Provide ELTeach website maintenance support Other Projects: Magellan review and updates Website review and updates (as needed) General Tasks: Office Administration and Marcomm tasks Proofreading (as needed) Sampling from Magellan Knowledge/Skills/Experience: Basic (Required) Organized; Strong communication and follow-up skills; Detail-oriented; Thorough; Accurate; Fast learner; Responsible; Knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs; currently enrolled in college Preferred Interest in Marketing and/or Publishing Cengage Learning is an equal opportunity employer, committed to attracting and retaining a talented and diverse workforce. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status.

Operations Management Trainee

Details: JOB DESCRIPTION: UPS Supply Chain Solutions is seeking Operational Management Trainees to assist their logistics and distribution operations. Job Duties / Responsibilities Help to identify and implement process changes Participate with customer meetings Work closely with management with directing workflow throughout the operation. Monitor inventory movement from receiving, warehouse placement to shipment. Generate reports through warehouse management systems. General Requirements Candidates must have a Supply Chain management, logistics, finance or other qualified business related degrees. Effective written and oral communication skills. Ability to handle multiple tasks and changing priorities concurrently. Familiarity in Microsoft Office programs

Administration Assistant

Details: The Pension Specialists, Ltd. is an independent retirement plan third party administrator. Our goal is to provide clients a highly satisfying initial service experience and to provide an ever-improving service experience into the future. We are currently hiring either one Full Time or two Part Time Administration assistants. The primary functions include but are not limited to the following tasks: Generating data requests Entering data into compliance software system Updating data at investment companies as applicable Following up with clients and/or advisors for clarification or missing information Downloading information from investment companies as applicable Importing investment information into compliance software Uploading IRS Form 5500 information to IRS website Uploading client Compliance reports to website Calling clients to assist with Form 5500 signatures Following up with clients and/or advisors until required filings are confirmed Other Duties as Assigned

Friday, March 22, 2013

( Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company ) ( #FindBetter Wednesdays: Your Advice for Career Success ) ( How To Write An Effective Job Ad ) ( 5 Questions You Can (and Should!) Ask Your Boss ) ( 10 Reasons Your Cover Letter Sucks ) ( Glassdoor Shaking Up Social Recruiting At ADP’s Meeting Of The Minds In Las Vegas ) ( Cool Jobs: NCAA Tournament Edition ) ( 3 Secrets To An Influential Resume Summary ) ( Changes to Wisestep Job Posting Policies ) ( Recruiter Signups touches 10,000 mark ! ) ( You can be Famous too! ) ( Now Post your Jobs on Linkedin Groups ) ( We knew we were good. RASBIC says we are the Best! ) ( The Future of Social Recruitment in 2012 ) ( A Brand New Wisestep for a Brand New Year ) ( Wisestep now Enables you to Recruit directly from your Website ) ( How Wisestep Enhances your Employee Referral Program ) ( You are just 3 Persons away from your Ideal Candidate ) ( 5 for Friday: Professional Networking Edition ) ( 50 Highest Rated CEOs For 2013 )

Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company

Are you interested in boosting company profits? Improving employee productivity and morale? Increasing employee retention and reducing sick days?

If the answer is yes, read on.

The secret to achieving these goals is to provide solid and professional development opportunities for your administrative staff, one of the most powerful and untapped secret weapons in your company. Here are four ways to invest in your administrative staff to help achieve company goals:

1. Invest in Training. Invest in supplemental in-house classes and workshops in both soft skills (communication) and hard skills (technology).

2. Support Event Attendance. Support and fund the administrative staff to attend at least one professional meeting or conference per year. After their participation, ask for a short presentation to the staff about the conference and what was learned.

3. Promote Networking. Provide regular opportunities for networking and the sharing of information among the administrative staff. Supply the space and the food.

4. Value Their Opinion. The most powerful question you can ask a member of your admin staff is: “What do you think?” Then listen.

In most companies, the administrative staff is a traditionally under-trained and under-served group of extremely bright and resourceful women (the profession is 95% female). They have succeeded in their roles in spite of the lack of support and training rather than because of it. This is true coast to coast, in companies large and small.

As a trainer of assistants, I hear regularly from staffers whose companies have never offered any training for the administrative staff. Managers will argue that they cannot quantify the return on investment (ROI). I argue that these staffers are the backbone of your company and that supporting them to develop their skills is very smart business.

The benefits of providing professional development opportunities for the admin team go far beyond the actual knowledge that the staff gains. Your staff will feel a sense of ownership in your company and a feeling of loyalty since you are demonstrating your belief in their talents and respect for their value. This feeling of respect is the antithesis to feeling like a number and that you are “a dime a dozen.” On top of all that, the most important benefit of providing training is self-confidence and self-esteem, which are priceless.

While compensation has always been an excellent incentive for employee retention, the number one motivator for the administrative staff costs nothing. It is respect. If you doubt this, just ask them and give them license to be candid without repercussion. Training is a strong demonstration of respect.

Job satisfaction for your admin team has everything to do with feeling valued and respected for their role in the company. Saying “please” and “thank you” goes a very long way (cost: $0). Adopting a zero-tolerance policy on bullying goes even further (cost: $0). The ROI of publishing this policy on your company’s website will come back exponentially, especially if you back it up with action.

When you support these strategies, keep in mind that you will be saving even more money by not having to replace staff who quit or having to pick up the slack for staffers who are out on medical leave from stress-related illnesses caused by bullying.

The most profoundly meaningful investment you can make in your staff, and in anyone for that matter, is to believe in them enough, trust them enough and support them to learn. Knowledge is power, and it is also a bottomless source of loyalty, commitment and profits.

Why Investing In Administrative Staff Is An Investment In Your Company is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

#FindBetter Wednesdays: Your Advice for Career Success

We asked our social media connections to contribute their best tips for career success, and the results have been exciting and inspiring. We reached out via tweets hashtagged with #FindBetter and our Facebook page, and we’ll be rounding up the best and most popular advice each week.

This week we asked:

What’s your best tip to stay sane during a difficult work week?

Popular responses included: enjoying a good post-work book or workout, organization and prioritization, maintaining personal positivity by smiling, and giving others positive encouragement.

If you could do one thing differently when you were younger to help your career now, what would it be?

Popular responses included: taken Spanish as a second language, attended a better university, done an internship, started community college right after high school, entered the military, stayed away from people who didn’t support my goals, and taken school more seriously.

What’s the best bit of career advice you’ve ever had?

Popular responses included: do what you love and the money will follow, be proactive about generating career experience, be patient with yourself during the first few months of a new job, ask questions and listen.

More #FindBetter tips we found helpful:

@GalloMontreal Don’t be shy to share you are unemployed, and looking. You never know who will help you

@Corneliocmc “There is no success that is final, and no failure that is fatal”

@PeterShanksUU Establish a network and raise your visibility; and “work, work, work”

@StratfordGreg I networked the hell out of all my contacts, both on and off line: Wasn’t afraid to step up and ask

@Ask_Dan Make a lasting impression. People should look around & still see you, even after you’re gone.

@CremRecruitment Research your potential employer and preparation for any interview is the key to success

@ghasley Don’t discount opportunities that move you in a new direction. It’s a fast paced world and you need to move with it!

@domwalton: Confront obstacles – the longer you leave them in place the larger and more burdensome they become

Do you have a career tip that’s brought you success? Use the hashtag #FindBetter on Twitter or comment on our Facebook page to share it with the Monster community.

The post #FindBetter Wednesdays: Your Advice for Career Success appeared first on MonsterWorking.

How To Write An Effective Job Ad

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, especially when it comes to a job listing. If you want to attract the right employees, then you have to view the job ad as a marketing tool rather than merely a help wanted ad.

“A spec should be an advertisement for your company,” says Mark Jaffe, president of Wyatt & Jaffe, the executive search firm. “It should be a net in which you catch the right fish rather than a screen designed to filter out people.”

Often times when companies set out to find talent they use the help wanted ad as a way to discourage unqualified people from applying. They’ll use phrases like “must have” or “minimum requirements” and set specific years of experience. They figure by being very specific they will weed out the under-qualified and speak to the qualified. A few weeks later when the position sits unfilled they wonder what they did wrong.

“If the whole focus is on weeding out the unqualified, it prevents people from applying because they find the job boring,” says Lou Adler, author of The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired. “The ad should emphasize what is in it for the candidate.”

According to recruiters and human resources experts, the person reading the advertisement has to envision doing the job rather than making sure they meet all the qualifications. Instead of focusing on a job title, Pat Sweeney, human resource manager at Old Colony Hospice and Palliative Care, says the ad should include four or five active words that describe what the person will actually be doing. If you want somebody that can communicate technical terms then say that, says Sweeney. If you are looking for someone that can teach a new computer program, list the program in the ad. She also says it’s a good idea to stay away from any jargon, which can easily be misinterpreted by job seekers unfamiliar with the terminology.

Before a company can even start to craft a good job posting, it has to first figure out what goal it is trying to achieve by filling the position. According to Jaffe, the company has to ask itself what it wants the new hire to accomplish and how success will be measured. Instead of worrying if the candidate needs to have a VP title or ten years of experience it has to focus on how the objectives will be met. “You don’t want someone with a mechanical engineering background applying for a marketing role, but you also don’t want to eliminate an unlikely candidate that might bring wonderful experience to the table,” says Jaffe. He says the job posting should be like something the job seeker tries on. “‘I like the way I look,’ is what the qualified candidate should be saying,” after reading the spec, he says.

Companies also worry about going afoul of labor laws when writing job ads, and that’s why they list objective criteria like an MBA or five years of experience in their ads. But, according to Adler, if a company is looking for an accountant, stating the person will be in charge of upgrading the accounting system by year end meets the labor law requirements. “Increase sales by 10% is equally objective as five years of sales experience,” says Adler.

Long gone are the days when companies would place help wanted ads in newspapers, which had limited space. In today’s world, all of the postings are found online, which means employers don’t have any space constraints. Because length isn’t an issue, companies also have ample space to make a job posting that isn’t boring. After all, the whole idea behind the ad is to sell the company and the job to the best candidates possible. Because of that, it’s a good idea to put some flair into your ad. When Adler was tasked with finding a controller for a Los Angeles-based company, he made it creative by putting Oscar Winning Controller or Director of Accounting in the headline. In the advertisement instead of saying the candidate needs to have a degree in accounting, 15 years of experience and previous management background, he described the tasks the candidate would be in charge of during the first year. “Companies should emphasize the employee value proposition,” says Adler. “Highlight the work they will be doing and minimize the skills.”

How To Write An Effective Job Ad is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

5 Questions You Can (and Should!) Ask Your Boss

Leading employees is a two-way street. Leaders share information, and employees who are engaged ask questions. Here are five questions that will elevate engagement, involvement and respect for your efforts.

What Are Your Expectations?

Leaders who are newly promoted or haven’t developed this habit sometimes forget to share their expectations out loud. Unless telepathy was on your resume, that doesn’t bode well for your understanding of what needs to be done, how, and in what time frame. If the leader hasn’t given this much thought, the question will prompt the discussion and provide value for you both.

How Can I Help?

When your boss is clearly overwhelmed, an offer to help take some of those things off his list will be well received. However, asking this question before taking the initiative to simply do some of things on his list will also prevent double work and leave you perceived as a valuable resource.

Which One Comes First?

If your boss is a stereotypical “Type A” over-achiever, she may overload your plate without even thinking or knowing it’s been done. A well-timed question to clarify priorities will prevent a miscalculated choice and the ensuing consequences. The question might sound like this: “Thank you for these projects. I will add them to the ones you shared yesterday. Just so I’m clear, which one takes priority?”

How Far Can I Take This?

Most bosses crave employee initiative and yet, if you’re new to the team, or new to your boss’s style, or they’re new to you, probe for more information before you step on toes. Asking how far you can go before checking back in will also prevent finding out later what it looks like when their inner control freak comes out.

What Drives You Nutty?

Finding out what drives your boss nutty is the same as asking for their pet peeves. Consider these the ditches on the side of the high performance road. You wouldn’t drive off into the ditch on purpose, but when working with your boss, if you don’t ask where they are, you might not even see them and find yourself there having to ask for help or apologize.

Employees who assert themselves with their boss often build exponentially greater amounts of respect and rapport. In each question, maintain a tone of sincere interest and curiosity. After all, the goal is to truly find out the information, not challenge the way in which it was delivered or what was delivered, and this information will then increase the strength of your relationship and the team.

Monica Wofford, CSP, is CEO of Contagious Companies, Inc. and a leadership development expert who training, coaching, consulting, and assessments for managers who’ve been promoted, but may not have been prepared. She is the author of Contagious Leadership and Make Difficult People Disappear and may be reached at www.ContagiousCompanies.com.

The post 5 Questions You Can (and Should!) Ask Your Boss appeared first on MonsterWorking.

10 Reasons Your Cover Letter Sucks

A strong cover letter could be your ticket to moving a step further in getting a new job. This relatively concise piece of information has the ability to place you steps ahead of other candidates, highlight your achievements, and showcase your personality – but no one ever said creating one would be an easy task. Writing a knockout cover letter might even be one of the most challenging parts of the hiring process.

It’s hard to nail down just one challenge that accompanies writing cover letters. Unfortunately, many poor cover letters have allowed outstanding candidates to be passed over by hiring managers. While writing your cover letter might be a scary task, doing it successfully is essential to getting hired.

Don’t let your next cover letter be a flop; consider these 10 mistakes before you hit send:

1. It’s Riddled with Errors. There are many things the errors on your cover letter will express to a hiring manager: lack of attention to detail, carelessness, and even disinterest in the position. Your cover letter deserves to be triple checked for poor grammar, punctuation, and overall structure. Pass it along to your mentor or friends to ensure you haven’t missed anything.

2. It Lacks Focus. What are you attempting to convey to the hiring manager? Writing about your professional experiences can be challenging, and it often causes job seekers to create unfocused cover letters. To write a more direct cover letter, consider creating a layout encompassing your main points.

3. It’s Too Long. Respect the busy schedule of a hiring manager by utilizing brevity in every cover letter you create. Write short and succinct paragraphs to allow for a more easily read document. Sift through unnecessary details and only present the most beneficial information for the job at hand.

4. It Doesn’t Set You Apart. Your cover letter is your chance to leave your mark on a hiring manager. Rather than reiterating what they can read on your resume, use this as an opportunity to share why you’re better for the job than any other candidate. Use a strong, purposeful statement of what you can bring to the position, and how you can positively benefit the company as a whole.

5. It Fails to Highlight Your Skills. While you certainly don’t need to highlight every single job you’ve had during your career, your cover letter should talk about your skills and experiences most beneficial to the company. Your cover letter isn’t for sharing your personal life or specific needs.

6. It’s Missing Information. Job listings often require certain information from applicants. By failing to share the necessary information in your cover letter, you’re essentially removing yourself from the hiring process. Why would a hiring manager choose you over a candidate who went above and beyond to provide the correct details? Double check the qualifications needed for the position prior to sending it.

7. Your Tone is Off. While a cover letter is a professional document, it also gives your potential employer insight into your personality. Don’t rub a hiring manager the wrong way with long-winded bragging. Be sure to leave out arrogance, unprofessional information, and keep the company’s culture in mind.

8. It’s Generic. Customization is key in every part of the hiring process. Submitting a generic cover letter presents you as an average candidate. Your cover letter is an opportunity to stand out and truly speak to a hiring manager – don’t settle for generic.

9. You’re Not Qualified. No matter how you twist and stretch your skills and experiences, you might not be the right candidate for the position. Applying to a position you’re under qualified for is an all-too-common part of the job search. Keep in mind this not only wastes the time of the hiring manager, it also uses up the time and energy you could be spending on applying to position you’re more accurately matched.

10. You Don’t Have One. Just because a cover letter wasn’t mentioned in the job listing, doesn’t mean it’s OK to skip it – they’re never optional. Your cover letter is an important opportunity to convey points you can’t in your resume. Omitting this document leaves you at a fault.

Creating a strong cover letter may be a challenging, but it’s worth the time and energy. Leave a positive first impression on hiring managers by going out of your way to create a concise, focused, and customized document.

10 Reasons Your Cover Letter Sucks is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Glassdoor Shaking Up Social Recruiting At ADP’s Meeting Of The Minds In Las Vegas

Now through March 20^th Glassdoor will be at booth #9 at the beautiful Wynn Las Vegas for ADP’s Meeting of the Minds conference, showcasing proven social recruiting solutions which help employers bring in top talent.

If you’re at the event, come check out how job seekers are finding your company on Glassdoor, what they’re seeing, and what you can do to complete your Glassdoor company profile for free. If you’re not in Vegas this week you can still cash in on the connections already researching your brand and join the conversation with a Free Employer Account.

Plus when you visit our booth you’ll have a chance to win $200 by signing up for a Free Employer Account! We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Glassdoor Shaking Up Social Recruiting At ADP’s Meeting Of The Minds In Las Vegas is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Cool Jobs: NCAA Tournament Edition

The NCAA basketball tournament begins this week and as athletes across the country are sharpening their game skills, it’s a great time to do the same with your job hunting tactics. March is a key time for hiring, according to the Huffington Post. Become a part of the madness and excitement in sports careers by working directly with athletes and playing a key part in their championship endeavors.

This week, we are sharing 10 of the coolest jobs from cool companies hiring in sports careers.

1.) Sports Travel Agent – Worldtek Travel & Event Management (Park City, Utah): Provide unsurpassed service in planning travel for athletes at Worldtek Travel & Event Management as Sports Travel Agent.

2.) Sports Trainer – Absolut of Dunkirk (Dunkirk, N.Y.): Evaluate & provide therapy to patients as Sports Trainer at Absolut of Dunkirk.

3.) Entry-Level Sports-Minded Marketing – Revolution Rapport (Florence, S.C.): Join Revolution Rapport’s Sports Marketing team in Florence, SC.

4.) Sports Coordinator – City of Oxford (Oxford, Ohio): Plan & organize events as Sports Coordinator at City of Oxford.

5.) Athletic Trainer – Boston University (Boston): Work with student athletes as Athletic Trainer at Boston University.

6.) Head Boys’ Basketball Coach – Crawford Central School District (Erie, Penn.): Become a basketball coach for Crawford Central School District in Erie, Penn.

7.) Basketball Coach – Oak Park Unified (Oak Park, Calif.): Coach the girls’ Junior Varsity team at the Oak Park Unified school district.

8.) Industrial Athletic Trainer – The Industrial Athlete, Inc (Vernon Hills, Ill.): Provide services to athletes as Athletic Trainer at The Industrial Athlete, Inc.

9.) Grounds Athletic Field Specialist – North Orange County Community College District (Anaheim, Calif.): Maintain athletic areas North Orange County Community College District as Grounds Athletic Field Specialist.

10.) Certified Athletic Trainer – Take Care Health Systems (Georgetown, Ky.): Develop & implement Occupational Injury Prevention Programs at Take Care Health Systems as Certified Athletic Trainer.

The post Cool Jobs: NCAA Tournament Edition appeared first on MonsterWorking.

3 Secrets To An Influential Resume Summary

Writing a resume ‘summary of qualifications’ that stops employers cold and makes them realize you’re the right candidate can be challenging. After all, you’re good at what you do, but can be tricky to boil down your ROI to concise statements in hopes of standing out.

For most people, writing a summary of qualifications is such a major task that they look around at other resume examples to get ideas.

Here are some insider tips to creating a summary that exemplifies your personal brand in just a few words – making employers take notice:

1. Lose the Boilerplate Language. Today, every professional is self-motivated and results-driven (and if they aren’t, they’ll be spending the majority of their time job hunting).

Copying generic summary phrases from other resumes is one of the worst sins you can commit, because it’s a sure way to tell employers that you’re identical to everyone else.

Shake things up instead by making a list of your top value-added skills employers need. Do you complete projects faster or more accurately than colleagues?

Have you been promoted quicker, due to your business acumen or leadership skills? Are you able to spot new business opportunities and close deals that are lucrative for your employer?

This list will give you ideas to use in writing your summary—concepts and skills unique to YOU that most likely won’t show up in the resumes of your competition.

2. Pull in Quantifiable Facts. Employers aren’t hiring just to have a potential source of help – they need the ROI you can deliver. So show them your value in figures and metrics from throughout your work history.

This example of an Operational Safety Manager resume summary provides a quick snapshot of consistent value, backed up by metrics:

“Safety advocate and operational leader who influences profit (up to 20% single-year increase) by fostering productive, engaged employees. Hands-on manager with strong financial acumen, delivering regular cost, efficiency, and volume forecasting improvements throughout 80,000-square foot plants.”

As shown here, quantifiable achievements in your resume summary help to quickly distinguish you from other candidates – even in a crowded field with hundreds of applicants.

3. Drop Names. Marketing copywriters have known for years that name-dropping gets attention. Now, you can take a cue from these professionals to amp up the volume in your resume summary section.

If you’re in a sales leadership role, you can mention names of major clients, with a line such as “Closed high-value deals with Apple, Cisco Systems, and Oracle.”

Even if client names are confidential, your summary can use the information in a different way, such as “Created millions in key partnerships with Fortune-ranked corporations in the technology industry.”

Not in sales? You can still reference the names of partner alliances, past employers, or vendors to show collaboration and leadership skills, as in this example:

“Senior Vice President commended for turning around performance through sourcing negotiations with Baptist Health System, Medical Center of Austin, and the Mayo Clinic.”

In conclusion, your resume summary isn’t the place to be modest and toned-down in describing your brand value. Instead, consider boosting its effectiveness with well-placed, strategic information on your specific value-add to employers. – Originally posted on onTargetjobs by Laura Smith-Proulx

3 Secrets To An Influential Resume Summary is a post from: Glassdoor Blog

Changes to Wisestep Job Posting Policies

Attention Recruiters !

We have made a few changes to our Job posting and publishing policies in the last few days based on the feedback from our members. Our Support team has received many complaints about inaccurate and in many cases misleading job posts. Some recruiters were using our Free Job ads for publishing things that were not quite jobs or employment opportunities. We've cleaned up and removed the jobs that did not qualify with our new critieria for posting a job.

Here's a quick guide on what Jobs will not pass through

Jobs that are NOT ALLOWED :

a) Work from home / Virtual worker/ Telecommute jobs or variations of these

b) Commission only jobs

c) Adult companionship seeking jobs.

d) Jobs asking for applicants based on Religion, Age, Gender, Visa status or sponsorship

e) Business or franchisee Job Opportunities. Train and Place Jobs will also not be allowed.

f) Don't mention your email address or Phone Numbers in the Job post

Finally we reserve the right to remove your Job post at our discretion for reasons that may not be mentioned here but that we think may be offensive or unacceptable to our users.

We are keen to offer our members a professional and relevant experience in their job seeking experience and we hope that all Recruiters will use as much of our Free Offerings as possible to make their search for Talent easier and faster.

Here's a quick recap of what you can do for FREE ON Wisestep.com

a) Unlimited Job Posts

b) Publish your jobs on your Social Network Feeds of Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter

c) One Click Job sharing on upto 50 Linkedin Groups

d) Built in Applicant Tracking System

e) Build your own Jobs page and plug it in to your Website. Convert Passive Visitors to Job Applicants

Do write to us with your feedback on support@wisestepmail.com or share in your thoughts in the commenting section below

Thanks for your support
Team Wisestep.com

Recruiter Signups touches 10,000 mark !

We are extremely happy to announce that the total number of Recruiters on Wisestep.com has crossed the 10,000 mark this week. This is a milestone our entire team is very proud of. With your continued support and Feedback we hope to hit much larger numbers in the coming days but now is also the time to take a few moments to cherish this acheivement.

Over the past many months, Wisestep.com has put together a combination of unique Recruitment tools that we hope have tremendously improved their productivity and helped them hire quicker and faster.

As more and more people spend time on Social Media, Recruiters need to use tools that help them reach people where they are most likely to be found. On Social Networks. IF you are not making your jobs visible on Social Media, you are losing out on some easy to get referrals and Job applications.

At Wisestep.com recruitment is inherently Social with Jobs being easily shared on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter (with a few more to follow soon).

We've also added the ability for you to share jobs on Multiple Linked in Groups with a single click and flag it as a job or as a discussion depdnding on the preferences of the moderator of the group. If you haven't tried this out yet, you are still spending probably an hour doing something that should take less than a couple of minutes.

Some of the enthusiasm with which recruiters use our tools by the number of shares is also visible on our Recruiter home page.

As we continue to add more cool features that helps you hire faster and makes you look goo, we ask all our users and supporters on supporters to do us a favor: Please don't keep us a secret. Tell all your friends and colleagues about us. Like us on Facebook!

You can be Famous too!

Hi all,

Do you have great career and professional insights? Ever wondered why you can never get them published? We say, you deserve your chance to fame.

If you feel that you have a few thoughts to share - career development tips, job market trends, recruitment and hiring outlook, and all that jazz - write a short 400-word article and mail it over to us. We’ll go through it, select the best entries for the week, and post it on Wisestep as a Featured Article.

Your article will be reviewed by our Editorial Panel, and if selected, added to our Columns Section. Talk about exposure! It will even get a place in the Wisestep Homepage for a week. These articles will be visible to people who really matter - Industry Leaders, potential Contacts, Employers and Recruiters - and generate discussions which can positively impact your Career.

Besides, you can even use your Article to drive traffic to your website. Add a couple of links that track back to your blog or website. We’ll even provide a Badge which you can add to your website, bragging that you were featured on Wisestep.com.

The rules are simple. Jot down your thoughts, and send as many articles as you wish to editor@wisestepmail.com. Just make sure your work is original and previously unpublished.

So, get started; and let the creative juices flow!

The Wisestep.com Team

Now Post your Jobs on Linkedin Groups

A recent survey revealed that Linkedin beats Facebook, by quite some way, when it comes to social recruitment activity. 79 percent of all Recruiters use Linkedin to source Candidates, while hardly 35 percent depend on Facebook. This comes as no surprize to any seasoned Talent Manager. Linkedin, after all, is a purely professional online network.

However, all those Recruiters posting Jobs on Linkedin isn’t exactly great news. That implies that your jobs will get lost within similar traffic and lose out on the attention it deserves to get. Besides, your inbox gets flooded with Job Applications from scarcely qualified Candidates. This has forced Recruiters to turn to more inventive methods for sourcing high-quality Candidates from Linkedin.

One of the best sources for top talent is industry-specific Linkedin Groups. Posting each Job, Group by Group, is hard work though. But, what if you can post all your Jobs directly on your Linkedin Groups at a single mouse-click?

Try out Wisestep’s new Linkedin Groups Publish feature. This service now allows you to Post any specific Job onto Linkedin Groups of which you are a Member. You can even select specific Groups to publish each Job in. After all, it doesn’t make sense to Share a Java Developer job on a Group for HR Professionals!

Jobs published in this manner will receive a more relevant audience of Referrers and potential Candidates. You can now get the attention of second and third-level Connections - Professionals who do not belong to your immediate network. These Jobs can also be Shared over social networks, giving it a wider reach than ever before. What’s better, you won’t have to display your email address and invite spam. All Applications and Resumes will be saved for review on your own Wisestep Dashboard.

Social Recruitment is smart. We just try to make it smarter.
Power your Linkedin Job Publishing with Wisestep!

We knew we were good. RASBIC says we are the Best!

Hi All,

We've got great news!

Wisestep bagged a bunch of prizes during the RASBIC Awards Programme held on February 16, 2012. We had applied for three categories, and we did have our heart in our mouth when we headed for the venue last week. But then, the jury loved our features so much, that they gave us Awards in all three categories. We were judged the best in:

Best Use of Technology in Recruitment
Best Social Networking Recruitment Effort
Best Innovation in Recruitment

Well, we're still reeling from the surprise.

(Not that we didn't know we were good.)
But, it’s a warm feeling, all the same!

But, we do owe a lot to the Wisestep community as a whole!
We wouldn't have been able to make it without your support and generous feedback.
While we are doing good, we will try to get even better, and bring you the latest tools and technology which will enable you to take on all your hiring requirements.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Add a few comments, or send in your responses to support@wisestepmail.com.

Until then,
The Wisestep.com Team

The Future of Social Recruitment in 2012

Those in the HR industry would agree. 2011 was pretty much the Year of Social Recruitment. Recruiters and Employers ventured into Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, beaming across their jobs, hoping to reach out to the right candidate. Aspiring candidates resorted to commenting on these links and updates trying to catch the eye of the hiring manager.

With all the hype about Social Hiring, we should probably question the sustainability of the whole process. The spatial dimension of social networks are already cluttered with information, from photo updates to endorsement requests. So let's stand back and ask a few questions.

Does job posts and career opportunities get the visibility they deserve?
Does the overabundance of jobs make it, in fact, harder for candidates to find and apply for the right jobs?
Can recruiters and hiring managers find able and qualified candidates from amongst the throng of responses they recieve online?
Does sharing email IDs and Linkedin profiles on an online forum compromise on your privacy?

Most importantly, can social media sustain itself as a viable tool in recruitment and hiring practices without stumbling on its own largesse?

Social recruitment has integrated itself into hiring practices across the world. And there's no denying its value. However, what we need, at the moment, are dedicated career networks which can exist outside of, yet not independent from, the bigger social networks. This is what Wisestep aims to be.

Before we jump into wild and exagerrated assumptions, let us quickly assess how far Wisestep will be able to override the concerns we had shared above.

Visibility of Job Posts

Wisestep is a community of Professionals who share the common goal of furthering their careers. Hence, jobs and business opportunity will get precedence before much else within our network. Jobs posted on Wisestep are listed in a comprehensive Job Search Page, where candidates can look up opportunities that suit their qualifications. They are also published on over 35+ other websites and job aggregators, enhancing their online visibility. Recruiters can further improve their reach by sharing these jobs over their online networks. An easy job share feature allows you to send Job Alerts to individual Contacts, or post them directly on your own Profile. You can even set up a Publisher Settings to manage and track your online publishing.

Job Seekers' Ease of Access

Wisestep is dedicated to connecting Job Seekers and Passive Professionals to job opportunities that suit their professional profile. A faceted Job Search option allows you to narrow down the options and find just the right jobs you were looking for. Wisestep also has an intuitive algoritmh which can automatically suggest the best jobs to suitable candidates. By analysing your career goals and your professional profile, Wisestep will be able to recommend Jobs which match with your career ambitions. We can even recommend Jobs and Career Opportunities your friends will be looking for, allowing you to refer them to the right positions. Finally, even if you're not actively seeking a new job, you can always subscribe to our Job Feeds, or set up Job Alerts, so that you will get great opportunities delivered right in your inbox.

Finding Relevant Candidates

Recruiters unanimously agree that referrals are the best source for high-quality candidates. Wisestep is based on a social referral system, that can take referrals beyond your workplace, into cyberspace. Employers and recruiters can now share their Job Posts with the online Contacts on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. These Contacts can now Refer their friends, who are qualified to take up the job, with a single mouse click. Being part of your professional network, you can be sure that your referrers will just suggest the right candidates to take up jobs with your clientile. The referral scheme runs much deeper. Whenever someone opens a friend's profile on Wisestep, they will find a list of current jobs the person will be qualified for. While this process leads to more referrals, it also helps in pre-screening the candidates even before they are referred. Once you recieve an application, you can now search for the Candidate's profile on Wisestep to get the lowdown on his/her professional history.

The Matter of Privacy

Wisestep exists as a community of professionals outside of other social networks. So, you can always control who views your Profile and what information you share. Recruiters have a separate log in to secure their identity and post jobs for their corporate entity. With Wisestep, you needn't post your phone numbers or email addresses on a public forum – an act fraught with the danger of identity theft. Instead, Job seekers can apply directly to posted Jobs, and submit their CV's through a secure social channel. Recruiters, on the other hand, will be intimated personally of all responses they recieve via their corporate Email Address.

Social recruitment can, and will, sustain itself by transcending its boundaries while building on its specificity of providing hard-wired hiring solutions. That's what we hope to do as well.

For another great year of transformation,

The Wisestep.com Team

A Brand New Wisestep for a Brand New Year

2012 seems like a great year for your career, and we, at Wisestep, are out to do our best to help you out with it.

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new and enhanced version of our User Section for professionals and job seekers. The revamped User Section will help professionals build their career network, search and share job opportunities with greater ease and efficiency.

Over the past year, the Wisestep team had been relentlessly collecting feedback from users and professionals, the world over, on how we can improve performance and user experience. The new User Section reflects our commitment to your professional cause.

The redesign gives the User Section a smoother Web 2.0 look and feel. Bolder headers, crisper content, and a sleek design, makes it easier to navigate and a pleasure to use.

Users can now log into their Wisestep Account directly, or from Facebook or Linkedin. They can also expand their professional clout by bringing in friends and contacts from their social networks, through an easy one-step process.

The new User Section comes with a comprehensive User Profile. You can now add all your career-related information on a single, easy-to-view page. Update your Profile with relevant information to make yourself more attractive to potential contacts, and prospective employers.

Job sharing had always been the cornerstone of the Wisestep experience, and it will remain so. Go through our dedicated Job Search page to get a exhaustive rundown on the latest jobs in the network. Use the Faceted Search option to search for jobs, in a specific industry, company, locality, and lots more. Find just the right jobs you were looking for all along.

Found a career opportunity your friends would love? Referring them is easy, and gets done in a minute. Inform them by Email, or through your online networks. Also, keep an eye on jobs offering Referral Rewards. These jobs, marked out with a yellow tab, will fetch you a cash reward if a friend you suggested does get hired! Wisestep can even suggest the best Job Deals, offering the highest Referral Rewards in your locality on any specific day.

What makes Wisestep better than ever is how it can now search for and suggest just the right jobs for you. Fill in your Career Goals, and get notified whenever we find an opportunity that will help you move ahead in your career. Get recommendations for jobs your friends would love. Or subscribe to job titles you are looking forward to take. It's a lot more simpler with Wisestep.

With close to 100,000 professionals, experts and industry leaders on board, you can be sure you will meet the right people on Wisestep. We, in our small way, will just try to make your career networking an easier task. Log into your Wisestep Account, or Sign Up today, and give it a try.

Hoping to help you build a better career in 2012.

The Wisestep.com Team

Wisestep now Enables you to Recruit directly from your Website

Often, the simplest of tasks reap the greatest of results. It's a fact we often forget during the trials and tribulations of a candidate search.

Recruiters and hiring managers go to great lengths publishing their jobs in jobs sites, and via social networks. They search long and hard for referrals and scour resume databases for one ideal match. But what about finding candidates right from your corporate website? It's a task which most HR professionals conveniently neglect.

However, the Careers Section on your company's website is a vital tool in attracting and acquiring talent. Jobs posted on your website, are within your own domain, giving them greater credibility and visibility. They will stay there, right at the top, until you choose to remove them yourself. You can even edit a job post, or repost them conveniently.

Moreover, candidates applying through your website usually make a much better fit. These candidates have proven their interest in working with your organization. They had, after all, visited your website to find opportunities at your firm. Such interested candidates will remain loyal and engaged workers, lowering attrition levels within your organization.

A website updated with the most recent job opportunities is a sign of a professional, and well-managed organization. However, it's a task easier said than done. HR executives often have to chase their IT guy to upload recent openings onto their corporate website. So what happens when your company goes into a hiring spree? Can you really afford to lose out on top candidates with a proven interest in your company?

Wisestep offers you a feasbile solution. Try out the Wisestep Careers Page service.

Wisestep Careers Page allows you to integrate a customized careers section onto your corporate website. Design your own careers page – choose the layout, font, and colors to match your corporate brand. Now, in one simple step, you can copy a HTML code and integrate it within your company's website.

Your new careers page will be automatically updated with all jobs you post on Wisestep. No need to wait for your IT guy any longer. These jobs will also be published on 30+ other jobs sites and search engines. You can even share these jobs with your online friends and contacts over Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. You job posts can now get a broader reach than ever before.

Wisestep also makes it easier for your website visitors to apply for your jobs or refer suitable candidates. Instead of sending over an email, candidates on your careers page can apply directly to job posts. They can fill in their job application form, attach a CV and a cover letter, and send over their applications right from your website. Even better, passive job seekers can select from their friends and followers on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, and send over job referrals directly.

Even you employees will now find your hiring process more engaging and transparent. Add the Wisestep App on Facebook, to get your jobs listed on your Facebook Page as well. Now your employees and job seekers can view all job openings on your company's website or your Facebook Page and refer candidates right away. You can even offer them a Referral Reward for successful hires. Our efficient and intuitive Applicant Tracking System will keep track of all referrals you receive.

Wisestep adds a new dimension to your company's website. Now, with an interactive social referral system, you can finally turn your website visitors to job applicants and referrers.

How Wisestep Enhances your Employee Referral Program

In recent years, social recruitment has been touted as the most rewarding strategy in hiring circles. This might every well be true. However, over 80 percent of all recruiters still agree that they cover most external hires through candidate referrals. Companies which have an efficient in-house recruitment program regularly report to meet 50 to 75 percent of their hiring requirements through referrals from their employees.

Four-fifths of all HR managers prioritize candidate quality above most other hiring criteria. This makes employee referrals even more significant in the present scenario. Employee Referral Programs (ERP) generate considerable number of high-quality candidates, with greater job awareness and lower turnover rates. In this context, replacing your company's ERP with a full-fledged social recruitment effort is ill-advised and short-sighted. HR managers should, rather, utilize the interconnectivity of social media to complement their Employee Referral Programs.

Even the best-run organizations find it difficult to establish a cohesive Referral Program. Noticably, only a small fraction of the employee base regularly engage in such schemes. The main reasons cited by employees for low participation include:

Low Awareness: Employees are either not aware of job openings in the company, or the presence of a rewarding referral program.
Difficulty in Participation: The referral process is long and time-consuming.
Lack of Transparency: Employees are not informed of the status of their referred candidate during the hiring process.

The concept appears simple enough; but, it's anything but simple to execute a world-class Referral Program. Most corporate referral programs struggle to meet 30 percent of their organizational hires. Any failure to optimize the performance of a tool as efficient and effective as an ERP is a failure nonetheless, even if it generates hires inline with industry averages.

Here's where Wisestep can step into a fray.

Wisestep integrates the userability and permeability of online networks into your company's Employee Referral Program – allowing greater internal participation, and higher number of referrals.

The first step towards a successful corporate Referral Program is through improving awareness among the employees. All job openings in the organization should be displayed in a space easily accessible and visible to all employees. With Wisestep, recruiters can update all their latest job posts to their coworkers by sending over individual emails.

Similarly, all jobs posted on Wisestep will also be displayed on over 30 other job sites and search engines. Recruiters and hiring managers can also share these posts on their online profiles or send them over to individual friends and contacts. Moreover, by adding the Wisestep App on Facebook, all new job opportunities will get displayed on the Jobs Section of the Company's Facebook Page.

Add the Wisestep Careers Page to update the company's website with the newest job openings. The customized Careers Page will automatically reflect all changes you make on Wisestep, helping keep your website up-to-date with the latest job information.

Now, employees can easily find and access all job openings at your organization, even while browsing through Facebook. And with an integrated Social Referral System, referring jobs through Wisestep gets done in a single click.

Social media integration allows job posts on Wisestep to be shared, posted, emailed and retweeted by employees. Each job posts comes with a Share option, and easy Refer and Help link. Employees can now share these jobs on their profiles, or send them over to interested candidates. With a single click, they can also select suitable candidates from their friends list within the online network. The ease of access will help giving your job posts a greater reach, by engaging the interest of a larger fraction of employees.

Wisestep also ensures that the hiring process stays transparent to referrers. Recruiters need not follow up individually to each referrer or candidate throughout the process. Instead, they can select from a list of email templates to be send over to the referrer, for each stage in their candidate's progress. This makes sure that the employee feels important and respected - not ignored and lost - within the hiring process. Greater transparency will lead to higher retention of participation in Referral Programs.

Around four-fifths of employers with a sound ERP offer employees referral bonuses/rewards for successful hires. These cash incentives, usually paid out after the selected candidate completes a pre-defined probation period at the company, helps in improving participation and a healthy competition amongst employees.

Jobs on Wisestep can also be labelled with referral rewards. These jobs can again be shared over social media, leading to a greater number of applications. Any click-backs leading to a hired candidate can later be rewarded as advertised. Wisestep intuitive Applicant Tracking System will keep track of all referrals, referred links and ensuing applications.

It is important to realize that while referral programs are probably the best in talent acquisition, most efforts end up in mediocrity. A few simple steps, and Recruiter's Account on Wisestep, can transform yours to a potent world-class corporate referral program.

You are just 3 Persons away from your Ideal Candidate

Anyone who had watched the movie Six Degrees of Separation will be aware of a seminal study in the 1960's that established that every person in the world is connected to any other through a maximum of six people. In other words, due to modern advances in communication, you will be acquainted to Barrack Obama or the village cheiftain of the Hausa tribe by a mere six people.

It might seem surprizing; but it is evidently proven. And that was way back in the sixties – when internet was unheard of even in sci-fi circles. So, no one would be surprized to hear that internet and the Facebook revolution have brought the world even closer together.

Facebook recently released certain stats, one of which made particularly fascinating reading:

We found that the degrees of separation between any two Facebook users is smaller than the commonly cited six degrees, and has been shrinking over the past three years as Facebook has grown, and now stands at 4.74 between any two Facebook users, no matter where they reside in the world.

This would mean that there are hardly 5 people connecting you to any other person in the world. This number falls significantly when the two people in question are within the same country. There are only three degrees of separation between any two members of the same country.

This literally opens up a world of opportunities for recruiters. Just spare a thought. What is you have a position as a "Java Developer" in hand. Think about the number of people who will be qualified to take this position up in the entire country, or possibly the world. (And don't worry about willingness; another study shows that 86 percent of Facebook users are, in fact, open to a new job.)

It is a pool of 800 million candidates, all of whom you know within five people.

Here's where a Social Referral can make all the difference.

As a recruiter, you can post a Job on Wisestep for free. You can now share this job with your network on Facebook. You job post will now be visible to all your friends and contacts. Now, few of them might decide to share this post on their profiles, or inform a few other friends personally. Your second degree contacts will be from a range of feilds and industries. And chances are, one of them will surely know a person who will be just about right for the job.

It's easy from there. Your ideal candidate gets a Referral from a friend. And they could send over their resume, directly to your inbox with just a few mouse clicks.

So what are you waiting for? Your new hire's just three persons away!

5 for Friday: Professional Networking Edition

Professional networking, both online and in person, is a great way to make contacts that can mentor you, aid in your job search or become clients for your business. It does take skill, however, to do it properly. This week’s five for Friday offers a few ideas and suggestions.

Top 7 Career Benefits of a Strong Network. Undercover Recruiter: “Let your network be your secret weapon when it comes to your career. It’s never too late to begin building a vast network of beneficial relationships.”

Network the Hell Out of People: 6 Expert Tips. Inc.com: “There are a lot of people out there who can help you, but they won’t just ring the doorbell. You need to find those relationships, and then cultivate and nourish them, to keep them alive and healthy.”

A How To Guide: Networking to Expand Your Sphere of Influence. The Savvy Intern: “’Always be the worst musician in the band.’ This quote is attributed to musician Pat Metheny, but the metaphor crosses all industries and career choices. Simply put: if you find you are the smartest, most dynamic, most entrepreneurial, or the best blogger in your current circle of colleagues – expand your circle, now. By meeting new contacts with fresh ideas and thought processes, your sphere of influence – both in terms of quantity and quality – will grow rapidly.”

Networking to Find a Job. The New Agenda: “Soon your network will go viral. People will begin to let you know when they hear about jobs. It’s amazing. When you get your job, remember to let everyone in chain know. They will appreciate knowing they were part of your success!”

“You’re Creeping Me Out!” The Dark Side of Social Networking. {grow}, A Blog from Schaefer Marketing Solutions: “Nothing says “I’m using you” like friending me, then immediately asking how you should go about getting my close friend, Mr. New Media Celeb, to endorse your forthcoming project.”

The post 5 for Friday: Professional Networking Edition appeared first on MonsterWorking.

50 Highest Rated CEOs For 2013

Glassdoor has released its annual report of the 50 Highest Rated CEOs* for 2013 based on feedback from employees. It’s none other than Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg who takes top honors in this year’s report – he receives a 99% approval rating based on

employee reviews over the past 12 months. CEO approval ratings are calculated similar to Presidential approval ratings; employees are asked: “Do you approve or disapprove of the way your CEO is leading the company?”

See who makes the list of the 50 Highest Rated CEOs:

Also, check out Glassdoor’s Highest Rated CEOs (2012) report.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way your CEO is leading the company? Share a company review.

*The report is based on current CEOs with at least 100 CEO approval ratings for 2013 (2/25/12 – 2/24/13) & at least 40 ratings for 2012 (2/25/11 – 2/24/12).

50 Highest Rated CEOs For 2013 is a post from: Glassdoor Blog