So you see a job online that you really like the look of, and then what? Do you send your CV, do you attach a covering letter? Do you think about it for a while.

What goes on behind the scenes at recruitment businesses seems to be a hot topic on the blogs at the moment. All sorts of things are being quoted about the percentages of CVs rejected because of spelling…

A recent entry, The Angry Young Job Seeker written by Amy Ala, speaks of the ignorance and downright audacity of a talented gentleman this recruiter was trying to place. Demanding, belligerent, arrogant, are just some of the adjectives I would use to…

Sourcing: The Hunger Games Edition

Presented by: Doug Douglas – National Engagement Manager at Stark

Virtual Conference for HR.com (5/3/12)

Our topic today is “Sourcing: The Hunger Games Edition.” Katniss and Peeta will not be joining us personally today, but we can learn some very important things from the book/movie as it relates…

Even as the economy is starting to brighten up, client companies are still watching their budgets closely. So it's no surprise that many of them are balking at the recruiting fees that come with direct placements.  As a result, some recruiters may be losing placements from client companies that are just not prepared for the large initial payout.

Other recruiters have found a creative way around this.  They
 offer to place candidates on a contract-to-direct hire basis…

Recently I read an article on ‘fear’, which stated the 12 top types of fear and what/where they generally stem from. An example of this would be “Fear of failure – This type of fear has its roots in the misconception that everything you do has to be 100% successful.”

I object to fear for the most part, anything thought in this vein is an…

Every day thousands of professionals take the time to apply to a job opportunity online. The vast majority never receive a personal response, only an automated email confirming the application.

My impression is that, whether you apply to a company directly, a contingency agency, or an executive search firm, the experience is fairly similar. Having said that, my expertise is predominantly limited to search firms, so hopefully this entry will shed some light on what I have learned and…

Hi All - I'm Russ,

I guess for a while you can call me "Russ the Rookie" as I'm so green to here. My Friends call me "RussRecruits", If you pay my bills, you can call me what you want - your the customer!…

The reason I ask is, nobody seems to be happy with the one they’re using. Having attended many HR and recruiting conferences and events, I’ve noticed a consistent trend. When I ask someone what ATS they’re using, I here, “Unfortunately…[insert ATS name]. The ATS name varies, but the sentiment is the same. It’s rare to find anyone who actually likes using his or her ATS. Why is that? Weren’t ATSs designed to automate processes and make the life of a recruiter easier? They’ve been around for…

A whole industry has been built around diversity.  Is that good or bad? 

Obviously when the Diversity industry was formed inside and outside of recruitment, it was critically needed.  Laws were written to make it illegal to discriminate against the protected classes of race, color, gender, religious beliefs, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy or veteran status.  These laws need to stay in place because old habits are hard to break.  However,…

Wow, here’s another doozy … hopefully an extremely isolated incident, but apparently some poor schmuck actually lost out on a job opportunity because another candidate had a higher Klout score.  

Then once he did who knows what to move it closer to Justin Beiber influencer status, his career prospects magically improved. Amazing what a healthy dose of +K can do!

The following article is brief, but here is a taste:…

I love words.  I am one of those people who hears a new word, looks it up and uses it three times so it becomes part of my spoken and written vocabulary.  There is a name for that but i need to look up that word. :)

Words can and do sell.  One does not have to be a world class journalist to write a cover letter for a resume that inspires your client to want to know more or bring that candidate in or do a phone interview.  Every candidate has "a story".  When i present a…

The economy is growing, companies are hiring and recruiters are swamped in resumes. Do you ever get tired of sourcing and want to get back into networking? Here are 5 ways to better your recruiting efforts by expanding your search and thinking outside the box:

1. Networking Events- Every town has them, and they are definitely becoming the "hip" thing to do. Who doesn't like going to a nice restaurant and meeting new people? Make an effort to attend at least 1…

.....you'll need to agree to the cut rate, bargain-bin fee the other agencies agreed to.  The position has been open since December and we really need someone ASAP.  Do you have anyone?  The manager is losing his mind - and taking it out on me!

This happens ALL THE…

Job boards have been around for what seems like forever.  If an internet year is the equivalent of a dog year (seven years to every one human year) then job boards are past their century mark and in some cases approaching dinosaur status.

Do people still use job boards?

Even just a quick online search reveals that yes, people do still use job boards. From brands like Monster, Jobsite and Totaljobs to aggregator sites such as Indeed or Broadbean, the job boards are alive and…

OK I got some really good ideas from my last blog that I will give you my dilemma of the day.  I have a search going on for a very prestigious law firm.  They are looking for a very specific type of IP Attorney.  This candidate has to have an Advanced degree, great grades, good undergrad school as well as law school, plus work in either the pharmaceutical or biotechnology fields.  Lo, and behold I found such a candidate.  I presented the candidate on April 17th and was told please send in…

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Findhire is a combo of contact management, project management and sourcing software for recruiters. Michael Dennis the CEO was a surprisingly candid, easy-going guest and because of that people liked him. It didn't seem as if he was being asked hard questions but he was. He just…

Anyone can write an article about what recruiters are looking for and suggest their own tips on how to land interviews and job offers, but how many of those articles are written from the heart of an IT staffing and consulting firm where hundreds of applicants are screened daily?

Here’s exactly what today’s recruiters are looking for and how you can be the person that stands out from the crowd:

Integrity- We all know recruiters spend mere seconds when sifting…

The Recruiter Files

There are certain traits I think every Recruiter needs to have, to be successful.    Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Be structured.   Recruiting…

Since 1981, I have worked with over 3000 hiring managers across the United States.  Most of whom have never been trained how to interview.  Therefore, they bring their own unique interview techniques and questions to the interview party.

This is the beginning of a series of quick stories that my candidates have experienced.  The names have been changed - if there is even a name attached.  Of course, the candidates bring their own special treats to the interviewing party and I…