If that worked out in real life, and I placed every candidate I presented, I would be a bizillionaire. So obviously it doesn’t work that way. Sometimes candidates are genuinely good, but they found someone else that is just a better fit for the position. This I can live with. I can present that candidate again to another agency with a similar opening.

Then there is the feedback that makes my skin crawl. The stuff that makes me, in turn look like I’m totally incompetent – and this HR Chick hates that! Most of them are classic rookie mistakes. I actually go over details including what to wear etc. with my candidates, but stuff seems to slip through the cracks – possibly because I think they are things everyone should inherently know. Being that I have learned otherwise, I am here to spell ‘em out for ya!

1. Be on time. I don’t know how much more I can stress this. Map your journey ahead of time. Then add AT LEAST a half hour for unexpected traffic or whatever. Even better – do the drive the night before to really be prepared. Then again, add in time for unexpected traffic.

2. Don’t show up too early. Yes, I know – I told you to add extra time to your journey and guess what – you were lucky and breezed right on down the freeway and you are 45 minutes early. Well – sit in your car or find somewhere to go for a half hour. You should never show up more than 15 minutes before an interview.

3. Expect to fill out a job application. This means having phone numbers and other contact info ready to go in your blackberry or iPhone. You don’t have to write a novel – just answer the questions – and don’t take an hour to do it. If it takes you that long, you have proven you are not good under pressure.

4. Your sunglass are not an accessory. If you needed them for the drive, take them off and place in your purse/briefcase before you get to the interview. They should not adorn the top of your head like a headband.

5. Do not chew gum. Ever. Spit it out before you go into the building. Swallow it if you have to. I’m sure that whole ”it takes a year to get through your system” thing is an urban legend.

6. Wear a suit. Even if you know that it’s a relatively casual place to work – wear a suit. You don’t work there yet and they want to see you in your Sunday best.

7. Let the interviewer talk. So many interviewers complain that the applicant had high energy – but that they couldn’t get a word in edgewise. This makes interviewers nervous because they think they will have to spend too much time managing you. Answer the questions completely – but get to the point already.

8. Get your nerves in check. If you know that you are generally a nervous person, go for some interview coaching with a reputable company. Remember to blink. Staring scares people. Try to relax. Looking like you are going to pass out scares people. Sweating bullets scares people. Do what you have to do to get this in check. No matter how awesome your resume, if they think you may snap and go postal one day, you aren’t going to get the job.

9. Take water if they ask if you’d like water or coffee. You may get parched and having that water will be a lifesaver. Accepting coffee says you are needy. Unless you take it black.

10. Don’t curse. While certain words may have become more accepted, never ever use them in an interview setting. Especially when referring to ex-bosses or co-workers. Cause if you bad mouth them, it make it look like you can’t play nice with others. So when in an interview, talk they way you would talk to a nun or your grandma, unless of course, she too has the mouth of a sailor.

So if you are lucky enough to get an interview, don’t mess it up with one of these silly mistakes. We really want you to get the job. Trust me on that one!

OK, I’m back – where was I? Oh yes – why can’t I find these great candidates???

So – I’m thinking you see my point. Being a recruiter now, I see both sides. I know why HR people farm out jobs to me. They are loaded down with all kinds of “stuff” and can’t spend nearly the amount of time they would like to on going through resumes, and more importantly finding passive candidates. I call and email people all day that are seemingly happy where they are. I tell them about the opportunities they have – and well, some of them confess that they aren’t quite as happy as they seem. Maybe their commute is too long, or their company has lost a few clients and they are getting worried. Whatever the case  – viola – awesome candidate with just the right experience.

So now that I’m a recruiter – let me tell you some inside information. Most of us are good. Some of us are bad, and some of us are downright ugly.  First and most importantly – Recruiters find employees for companies. They do not find jobs for people. It’s just the way the game is played. I get a client – they tell me what they need, I produce perfect candidate, they get hired, I get paid. That’s the business model. Yes, someone gets a job in the process, but really, it’s an environmentally friendly by-product of the process. Now don’t get me wrong, just because a recruiter doesn’t have an opening that is currently the right match for you, doesn’t mean they won’t. And if they have areas of expertise – they likely will at some point. It just may not be now. And they are not going to hunt for the perfect job for you, just because you have a great resume. They have jobs to fill and clients to please – so that is numero uno on the priority list. But, a good recruiter will keep in contact, make sure your resume is current and WILL contact you when they do have a match. And when you are the right fit, you know that resume will get to the top of the candidate pile on the HR Director’s desk. And you will get called.

So – please be suspicious of those recruiters that charge you to send them your resume. They work for the client. There are VERY few agencies that have a model that enables them to hunt down clients based on getting a good resume. They may use it as bait for a new client, but really – it’s just not how the game is played. And if they do supposedly play this way – you want things in writing and you want success rates for 3, 6 and 12 month searches.

Your best bet – apply to jobs that fit your area of expertise. You would be amazed at the resumes I get. IF A JOB DESCRIPTION OR AD SAYS THAT YOU MUST HAVE SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE IN A CERTAIN SETTING FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS – guess what? Your skill set that doesn’t match does not qualify. If they are looking for someone in pharmaceutical advertising, your furniture sales career will not compute. You may have had an outstanding and very lucrative career in furniture sales, however, in this economy, that means you should stick to home decor sales, or at least sales in general.  So please, don’t put the blindfold on when reading job ads. Don’t hit the apply button a million times. Chances are you are applying to the same bunch of recruiters over and over again, and ultimately weakening your personal brand. The good recruiters will see that. The bad one’s will try to capitalize on it. Don’t spend your hard earned money on people trying to rip you off. Find a good recruiter in your area of expertise and you are much more likely to find the right job for you.

Man..I’m starting to sound cranky. I’d better go find one of my clients an awesome employee to brighten my day. And remember – good recruiter = someone in your area of expertise. We are out there – go find us and be the by-product of our business model! The by-product truly makes us happy. It makes the whole process worth it knowing that we did actually find someone a job.

If you are looking for a new job, I can not stress the importance of an awesome Linkedin.com profile enough. Yes it takes time to set up, but do you want a job, or do you just want to complain about how hard it is to get one? Linkedin is like a giant, free recruiting database.  And yes, it serves many other networking purposes, but really it’s a recruiters dream come true.  And yes – I invest a ridiculous amount of time on the site – but that’s why companies hire me. They don’t have time to mine the profiles and contact people. They have time to look at the few awesome resumes I can produce as a result of pouring over thousands of profiles a day. Oh, and one last piece of advice beyond Linkedin. If you have a Facebook profile, make sure your profile settings are all set to private and you have a nice profile pic (since that is all anyone will see).  Save the picture of you doing body shots for another time and place.

Back to Linkedin. If you are looking for a job, follow these simple suggestions:

1. Post your resume or at least put some detailed info in under your previous positions. Job Titles and Dates of Employment don’t tell recruiters enough.

2. In your summary section let people know the type of position you are looking for, and that you are open to being contacted. Posting your email address is the best way to get people to contact you. Inmails cost money, so the more people a recruiter can reach without using their allotment up, the better! (You may want to set up a separate email address for your job hunting so it doesn’t clog up your regular email.)

3. Join all the groups you can find in your area of expertise. It expands your network exponentially!

4. Network! The more people you are connected to, the more people can find you through 2nd and 3rd connections.

5. If you have specialized certifications or something like a security clearance, make sure that is in your summary as well.

6. Lastly – keep your profile up-to-date. When you do land that job, update your summary section. I appreciate when I see things like – “Thank you everyone for all your help in finding my new position. I am not currently open to being contacted by recruiters.” It really makes things easier for all involved!

Happy Job Hunting! You can always check my profile for the positions I am recruiting for. And please – invite me to connect! You can find my profile at www.linkedin.com/in/swanhrconsulting.

Believe it or not, all the things you don’t say are just as important as the things you do. Sure you need to answer their questions (hopefully using the STAR method – but thats for another post), but more importantly, you are presenting yourself. It’s kind of like a modeling gig. All eyes are on you.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to look like Cindy Crawford to get a job. But you do need to dress for the job you want. Even if a company has a corporate casual dress policy they still expect applicants to show up in a suit or appropriate dress. It’s like dating. You don’t show up for your first date in sweats, you go all out. Same thing here. I usually suggest the following:

Women – a nice pants suit. Dark colors are best, but if it’s the middle of the summer a light grey or tan suit will work as well. Punch it up with a pretty blouse. You don’t have to be too bland. Color is fine. Showing some personality though your clothing is fine as well! Wear nice jewelry. Nothing over the top, but don’t be afraid to wear a nice pin or necklace. And do your hair! If you’re like me – that means pulling out the straightening iron! And please, make sure your clothes are pressed and stain free. There is nothing worse than seeing someone come in with a pony tail and a too tight suit with a stain on it. The interviewer at that point is thinking – If they look like this now (when they are supposed to be making a good impression) what will they look like a few weeks after they start? If you have tattoos cover them up. If you have a lot of piercings take some out. If you have a nose ring either take it out or put in a very small diamond stud. Other facial piercings have not yet become acceptable in the work place. Even the nose ring will be a no-no in more corporate settings. 

Men – Just like your line for the bathroom, your list is short. Wear a suit and tie. Cover the tattoos. Anything other than an earring is not acceptable.

OK, now that you are dressed and ready to go, get there early! Give yourself plenty of time for traffic or getting lost. Ideally you should arrive no more than 15 minutes early. So if you are super early, wait in your car or in the Starbucks on the corner. Being too early is just as bad as being late!

When you walk in, talk to the receptionist. They may try to make conversation – if they do – talk! Sometimes they are part of the interview process without you even knowing it.

If you are offered water or coffee take the water. Even if you aren’t thirsty you may get parched with all that talking you will do in the interview.

When you meet your interviewer make sure you shake their hand and introduce yourself. Ladies, sit with your legs crossed at your ankles. Try to remember to smile. They know you are nervous, but secretly they are nervous too!

Make sure you have done some research on the company before the interview. When they ask “So what do you know about our company?”, silence is not golden.

Lastly, make sure you speak up when the interviewer says “So, do you have any questions for me?” Not talking at this point is the worst thing you can do! Even if they really covered the job description and you can’t think of anything directly related to the job to ask, you can always ask any of the following:

How long have you worked here? What are some of the things that you really like about company xyz?

What are the next steps in the process?

What is the company culture like?

And if its the first interview, don’t bring up salary or benefits unless asked. The HR person should have screened you for salary before you even came in, so you don’t need to bring it up. If you are later in the process it is ok to ask about the benefits.

So with all that being said, try to relax and be yourself! You just have to follow the employee/employer mating ritual in the beginning.

Now that I put that gem of a song in your head, I’ll explain. There comes a time in everyone’s life when they know they are just “DONE”. Be it at a job or relationship etc. But so many people don’t do anything about it. They just continue on in their soul crushing experience. Well I am here to say – it doesn’t have to be that way.

Many companies have an Employee Assistance Program. This is a great first place to start if you are having problems at home, with an addiction or with your work life. Many offer free phone counseling as well as free in- person introductory sessions. They also have a wealth of material on-line that you can search through. As a human resources professional I have used them myself with issues ranging from problem employee behavior, to bringing in grief counselors after an employee passed away. It’s an often under utilized benefit that is really incredibly useful. So go check with your HR department to see if you have one.

When it’s really time to move on, make sure you have a support system around you. If its time for another job, a great thing to do is find a good recruiter. There are lots of terrible ones out there that give the good ones a bad name, but trust me, when you find them you will know. A good recruiter will help you with your resumé, discuss all options with you, prepare you for an interview and follow through on the process.  Also, with a recruiter you can be sure the hiring manager is going to see your resumé. Recruiters have established relationships with their clients, and they know what they want. Yeah sure, most HR folks would love to find their own employees, but if they have to worry about benefits, employee relations and performance management they may not have the time to spend sourcing the best candidates.

So give a recruiter a try. At least you know your resumé won’t be floating around in cyberspace in the Jobs@bestcompanyever.com mailbox. (No thats not an actual link!) It will land on the hiring managers desk, giving you an even better chance at that dream job. And you can count that money when the deal is done!

To visit the HR Chick’s recruiting page click here.

To hear “The Gambler” click here.

Why is it that people think their best trainers are outside their office walls? Look around – who knows the corporate culture, clients, strengths and weaknesses of your company the best? Thats right – all those folks on your payroll! You have to have some guru’s lying around. Tap them. Heck, this is the easiest, possibly most measurable goal you can set for someone – design and deliver a one hour professional development session on a topic relevant to the company’s current needs. Send out a quick staff survey with a few broad questions to assess those needs. You may be surprised with the detail responses you get. What may be even more surprising is seeing how much staff members actually care about training.

Working is a give and take. Unfortunately, giving all I have - including being shackled to a Blackberry so I can answer questions any time of day or night in exchange for a paycheck –  isn’t always enough to keep employees happy. In fact, salary is usually one of the lesser reasons why somebody enjoys their work. People want to know that what they are doing is meaningful, that the company values them and more importantly that the company wants to invest in them.

Trainings don’t have to be high-tech, but they have to add value. Take those Intel commercials for example. You know the one – Our Rock Stars Aren’t Like Your Rock Stars? You can check it out here if you have no idea what I’m talking about. I’m willing to bet that if people at Intel had the opportunity to have a Professional Development session with Ajay Bhatt they are going to show up.  Additionally, giving people the opportunity to develop their own session, and feel proud about a niche they know so well, is motivating and empowering. So many people feel like they don’t have enough time to coach, train or manage individuals. This is a great way to show both the trainer and the staff just how important these things are.

So why not pleasantly surprise your staff with something they probably haven’t had in a while – some Training or Professional Development. Before you know it you may have a whole catalog of offerings at your fingertips. Not a bad way to utilize your most valuable resource!

So Dreamers, its 2010. New Year, New Decade and oh wait…let me guess…New You! I knew it! And I bet for some of you that means a little game of musical chairs in your future. So for those of you that didn’t heed my last post to job search in December, and are starting now, I’d like to officially welcome you to the game. And just for playing, you’ll get to hear about all of my pet peeves when it comes to recruiting. That way, you can send in the standout resume and get the job! Oh, and just in case your bag is PR or Web Design – I am looking for a Web Designer in NY and PR professionals at various levels in NY and San Fran. If interested click here.

So as I was saying, with all the competition for jobs out there, you are lucky if your resumé gets 10-15 seconds of viewing in the initial screening process. So you need your resumé to stand out. Or at least not contain common mistakes, or more importantly common pet peeves of recruiters/HR staff. I know lots of HR people and recruiters, and yes, sadly this is often topic of conversation.

1. Chances are (I’m thinking 50% given the amount of genders we have) that the person reading your resumé is not a man. Please do not address your cover letter as Dear Sir. There are so many other appropriate greeting such as: To Whom It May Concern; Dear Hiring Manager; Dear Selection Committee; heck, even Dear Recruiter is better. Because even if you are pretty with-it, when I see Dear Sir, I think you live under some sort of Corporate America rock. That, or maybe you watch Mad Men way too much.

2. The cover letter. I know – its probably the part you dread most about the whole process, but really it has some importance. Personally, I am not a fan of the long cover letter. That’s what the resumé is for. In a cover letter I want to see the following: the position you are applying for, where you found it, salary requirements and contact information. A sentence or two about why you think you are a great fit is fine, but not even necessary if you fit the other criteria. I’m cool with a form letter  – just make sure you reference MY job. 

3. IF I SPECIFICALLY ASK YOU TO INCLUDE SALARY REQUIREMENTS IN THE AD – PUT THEM IN!!!!!!!!!!!!  Did you get that? This is big. I mean really, if you can’t follow simple instructions, are you really the detail-oriented individual you claim to be? And NO – Salary open or flexible does not count. Put a number. Put a range. Put SOMETHING.

4. Resume names are important. They often show up as an attachment. It’s a tiny glimmer into what is to come. Personally, I think it’s great if you have a few resumes tailored towards different positions. However, if you are applying for a job in HR, the title of said resume should not be Accounting Resume. Firstname.lastname usually works best. Especially for those poor recruiters that don’t have a fancy smanchy resume data base. They have to save your resumé in a folder and when they go to look for yours, it’s a bit of a pain if it’s called Resume475.

5. And finally, make sure your resumé is tailored to the type of position you are looking for. For example, if I am looking for a technical person, I want to see all the fun computer language stuff at the top. I want to see links to past work or a portfolio if appropriate. Spell things correctly, but it’s not necessary to be a literary genius too. Just make sure it’s grammatically correct and highlights all of your technical knowledge. On the other hand, if you are an Editor, Copywriter, Marketing or PR Person, your resumé needs to be spotless. We’re talking grammar, descriptors, formatting – the works. I remember I was looking for a Copy Editor once, and their little resume tag line (in the search function) had a major misspelling. Part of me wanted to click on it, email them and tell them, but after seeing it month after month like that in the database, I thought that well, maybe they should work on their follow-up as well.

I think that was enough for one post. I apologize if it sounded like a vent. But there are days that I just look at so many resumes! Let your’s be the glimmery gold wrapper in the Wonka Bar. There may just be a big reward at the end of the search.

So get those resumes out! Network, mingle, and connect with old friends and colleagues on sites such as linkedin.com or look out for tweet-ups on twitter.com. Maybe you’ll even have some fun in the process!

And let me know how it goes, I’d love to hear from you.

They come in all forms – big blow outs to a gathering at the bar. Maybe its a team building or drinks in the conference room. Regardless, its important to let your employees know that you do appreciate them by supplying them with a few hours of fun.

Now for my no-nonsense advice. There are tons of sites that tell you to not drink, or not even take part in the party scene. I think this is nuts. It really comes down to your company culture. If you are a group that goes to happy hour once a week, well than that’s the atmosphere that will work for you. If you are a mom and pop company, maybe a nice dinner with employees and their spouses is the way to go. If you work in an office where everyone runs out the door at 5 and only sees each other within the confines of your office, there is always a team-building adventure. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it fits your culture and your employees feel like they can breathe. If you have worries about possible overindulgence or harassment issues, well here are some things you can do as HR or a Manager:

• Remind people that even though it’s a party – it’s still a company event. If you don’t tolerate people dancing on their workstations, then dancing on the bar may be a no-no.
• Maybe send out a reminder about the harassment policy. Perhaps you are a really close-knit bunch and you don’t think thats an issue. I am here to say – know your audience and don’t be surprised if someone gets offended by a co-worker. This is especially true when guests are invited. The jokester in the office may act a little differently around their spouse. Just respect that and move on.
• Know your drink limit. While I am totally ok with alcohol at a party, make sure you know your limit. And just in case you aren’t sure – it should look something like 3 or 4 drinks, not 10 shots with a beer chaser. We’re talking the socially acceptable limit vs. your “I’m smashed and kissing the floor” limit. Remember – you are setting an example as a manager – your subordinates will follow your lead.
•  Don’t talk about work. Don’t talk about your boss or your employees. Just don’t do it. Talk about anything else. OK – maybe not religion or politics, but you get the picture. There is plenty to talk about beyond the weather that won’t offend.

All in all, just have a good time. Be social. Mingle. Don’t brown-nose, and talk to everyone on your team. Talk to their guests. Be charming and marvelous. Enjoy the food and drink, and be merry. Not smashed, just merry.

And if that’s not enough for you, well then that’s when you can hit the after-party bars with your buddies. Just make sure you get home safe.

As seen in my last post – coaching looks at where performance is today and builds on strengths (and on improving weaknesses) by empowering the employee to find their own answers.

Counseling on the other hand, focuses on past performance. It examines what has been done, and what is still being done to slow progress. The purpose of counseling is to identify underlying issues affecting performance or behavior. The session is used to explain the impact on the organization if they do not focus on improvement. Simply put, counseling is used to prevent a formal disciplinary action.

When you are counseling an employee listen for the following:

• Personal or family problems
• Lack of understanding of what is expected
• Problems with co-workers

Of course some of what you hear may simply be BS excuses. It’s your job to figure that out. If they are legitimate, there may be hope. It could be as simple as really setting expectations or going over the job description. Problem co-workers may indeed be identified.

If someone is having personal issues this is a great time to suggest using an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) if your company has one. You don’t have to hear the gory details and they get help. And not only is it a benefit to the employee you are counseling, but as a manager, an EAP can give you a wealth of information to help guide your subordinates. Most people think an EAP is there if you have a drug problem or have failed in some way. Get over yourself, pick up the phone, and get all kinds of free management info. Seriously – EAP’s are the most underused benefit out there. Make those folks on the other end of the phone work for you!

Ok, so I digress. If counseling does not work, you are left with disciplinary action. Many companies use progressive discipline  – i.e. verbal warning, written warning, probation, termination. Of course if you have an employee that comes in smashing up computers, screaming obscenities you can skip straight to termination (do not pass go, do not collect $200). However, in most cases, you’ll progress through the stages and document everything. That’s right DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. When you sit down for a verbal warning you will email your trusty HR Chick letting them know the who, what, when, where of the meeting. All written warnings will have a copy forwarded to HR (even better – HR will be in the meeting).  Basically, you will keep the appropriate people in the loop. And while most states are “At Will” employment states, it is a good idea to have some documented disciplinary actions when terminating for cause. It just makes life easier.  Us HR folks don’t like going to court. Otherwise we would have been lawyers.