The competition for an entry-level job is stiffer than ever, particularly for the best-paying careers on the market. While having a college degree can boost your marketability over someone without any higher education, the advantage isn't as high as it once was.

Taking a variety of courses during your college years can elevate your job search, making you more appealing to a potential employer. If you didn't…

The benefits package a company offers can make or break a candidate's decision to work there. When it comes to maternity leave, a woman who is thinking about getting pregnant or already is will typically consider the leave offering as a major factor in whether or not she takes the job.

So what is the standard practice for what an employer is required to offer for maternity leave? Here, we'll review both federal and state requirements.

Make sure you are…

In a lesson to be careful what you say and understand the meaning of what you say, Prime Minister Stephen Harper was at a luncheon with a few hundred non-profit volunteers when he expressed how much he enjoys "twerking but only does it with close friends and 'every now and then with President Obama.'"

*Twerking is that thing that Miley Cyrus did on the VMA's that…

In the recruiting world, you commonly find two recruiting structure models...recruiters own the requisitions, or recruiters own the candidates. Although it won't be hard for you to identify which side of the equation I fall on, let me go ahead and take the suspense out of it for you. I prefer the recruiters own the requisition side.  Perhaps it's because that is how I was…

Influence is the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behaviors, opinions, etc. of others.

It's a very powerful thing, and the driving factor between success and failure, not just in business, but also in life. Klout seems to think they have a way of measuring someone's influence by the…

You interview lots of people every day. The candidates are keen to get the job you have within your gift. They get nervous, and you're just doing your day job. It's dead easy to get cocky and think you know it all. You start to get a little too clever. You think you can read something into every gesture,…

For most recent graduates, the prospect of looking for a job is daunting. Recruiters can help provide great guidance when it comes to determining which career path a graduate will set out on.

Here, we provide some pointers on placing recent graduates in a job they will see as ideal.

An entry-level sales position will teach a candidate a world of knowledge, and looks great on a resume as a first job.

First thing's first - have an intake…

Hiring developers is a whole chapter and probably the largest chapter from a recruiting perspective. I’m going to break it down into parts and at least start covering some base points to which you can start from.

1) sourcing developers – Sourcing techniques; internet, database, meetup sites, meetups/hackathons , social media – including linkedin recruiter, company website, from job postings

2) Job descriptions – what and what not to put

3) recruiting developers – hiring…

Did you know you might be missing qualified applicants on your jobs page? Companies can sometimes unintentionally place barriers on their jobs page that inhibit candidates from applying.

(Image:…

Why did the man in business attire suddenly drop his pants in the middle of the “B” Concourse at Atlanta’s international airport? That’s a question many of us in the terminal were pondering yesterday. I decided not to stick around to see the outcome of his odd choice as there are some things I just don’t need to see. And this was one of them.

Most of us avoid…

Once the gown has gone back to the shop, the champagne has been popped, and the ceremony is over, it's inevitable to think 'what next?' Graduating can be a daunting experience, with individuals finding themselves suddenly expected to leave the comfort of education and find a steady job in the big wide world. Negative stories about the economy don't help, but graduation is a time for excitement about possibilities - not worry. Individuals who graduate with a…

Well nothing like asking a leading question is there?  The short answer is 'No, but . . .’

Recruitment is not a complex process.  The client is looking for talent.  The recruiter finds it.  Simple.  The problem is that that simple relationship is always in a state of flux depending on market conditions.  In highly candidate driven markets the contingent method works well for the good recruiter.  The good recruiter can find the candidates the…

Getting a dream job in a renowned company is not a cakewalk for most of the individuals as the competition level is very high. There are thousands of people in the market who leave no stone unturned to topple one another and grab the job. In such a situation, it can be really hard not to feel like just another face in the crowd. The job market has certainly become very overcrowded and that means the traditional method of sending out resumes or flipping through newspaper classified sections…

I have multiple job orders within the hospital currently.  I am looking for other 3rd party recruiters that would like to help me fill some positions.  Email me if you're interested.  tbarber@optimum-recruiters.com  50/50 splits

Thanks Guys!

Tom Barber

I have a confession to make. I’m a total dork in my everyday life. I know it’s hard to believe – I’ve been called a social butterfly and have at least once been the life of a party. For more than 10 years I’ve gotten a thrill out of calling up total strangers and convincing them to completely change where and what they spend the majority of their waking hours doing. I get a…

As a recruiter, your job entails juggling multiple negotiations on a daily basis. Candidates want to get more. Clients want to give less. You need to earn a living. It's impossible to please everyone, but good recruiters can strike deals in which everyone wins - including themselves.

Follow these tips to negotiating for success.

When negotiating, don't let your concept of perfect ruin something good.

Establish the Floor

No one wants…

We’re excited to announce the launch of the 2013 Sourcing and Recruiting Industry Survey! It’s been about 18 months since our last survey was completed, it provided great insight into sourcing salaries and the state of the industry in early 2012.

For this year’s survey we’ve broadened the focus a bit. We’re opening the survey up…

It cannot get much simpler than this, if you want candidates to reply to you, reply to them. I recently talked to a group of professionals who were looking for work. Most of them, 98% in fact, said that they had been contacted by recruiters, at different times, replied only to never hear back at all.

What was most interesting was, as they talked more about the…

One of the most difficult situations a recruiter can encounter is finding the perfect candidate for the perfect job - with an un-commutable distance between them.

A recent study shows that more than three-quarters of candidates have a problem with relocating - even for a great job. Moving is never easy, especially if…