In this current job climate it is important for candidates to stand out from the crowd. However what is less clear is where to draw the line in terms of trying to attract attention and making a positive impression. A recent piece of market research conducted by bta examined where some candidates and companies think the grey areas are when it comes to going that extra mile.

We conducted interviews with two separate focus groups, one with hiring managers and directors and the…

This was the wise advice of an old manager of mine at Solutions Partners a few years back, when the economic circumstances hit close, after my hours were cut when the permanent job orders that were 70% of my employer's business at Solutions Partners became less and less in demand.  It was on a bright and sunny day walking in Los Gatos, with Nathan North who provided such wisdom at the time, and said the economic storm will pass and "When in Doubt: Enjoy the Journey" - I couldn't help but…

Sad but true, earlier this year the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had to hold a public hearing because of a disturbing trend: several companies, nationwide, had been excluding unemployed applicants from hiring consideration. Their ads specifically stated that they would only consider employed job candidates, using phrases like “No unemployed candidates will be considered at all” and “Client will not consider/review anyone NOT currently employed, regardless of the reason.”

A…

It’s 3:00am and I’m churning away on business, tweets, discussions, blogs and paperwork …suddenly, silently, a brightly lit and light flashing ambulance rolls up just outside across the way…

It immediately reminded me of poet John Donne’s famous last lines from his poem, “For whom the bell tolls”

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell…

CK Science is always looking for new and innovative ways to make the job hunting experience as easy and as enjoyable as possible for our candidates. We would therefore like to introduce to our new free Science Jobs iPhone app.

The Science Jobs app for iPhone will help take the hassle out of searching for your next job in science. By simply downloading the app you can…

In February 2010, The New York Times reported that, for the first time in recorded history, women outnumbered men on the nation’s payrolls.

What does this mean for the American workforce?

Unfortunately, women’s ascendance in the workplace is partially related to the recent recession. More men work in industries hit harder by the recession, such as financial services, manufacturing and construction. Women tend to predominate in industries such as education and…

It's the age old question all potential employers dread - how do you know you are hiring the best person for the job?

Harris Interactive recently published a list of the most "reputable" companies based upon a survey that took 20 different factors into account, including social responsibility, financial performance, and leadership.  WANTED took at look at the recent hiring activity of the 10 most reputable companies.

 …

It surprises me in this day and age that there are still managers out there blaming their staff for poor performance!! Yes, you heard me correctly!

I have been lurking (albeit with a few interjections of wisdom) in several tweet chats in the past few weeks. All dedicated to “how tos” How to find a job, how to write a resume, how to interview. From the vantage point of having listened to HR and hiring managers give me feedback after candidate interviews for over three decades my opinion of tweet chat how tos can be best described by the thought I had in the middle of one of them last week. Damn! This is like Playin the Dozens with a…

Radical Quebec: Newbies to Recruiting:

This is a copy of the presentation I recently gave at Radical Quebec. I chose to use it as my blog as I believe many of the points used, should be reviewed by others. Enjoy the read.  Dan

What is Recruiting? To me recruiting is the ability to fill a need or an opening with someone qualified to fulfill on said need or opening. It’s looking into your rolodex of contacts and matching column A (the person) with column B (the opening)…

Let us know, what do you prefer?

A fresh look, and a new perspective, a new dawning and renewal of continuous zest for life, and an eye on the goal in all scenarios.  There is no secret that life adds a great twist and turn when we least expect it.  But each new day is like a gift.  Mistakes made yesterday can be made a new perspective of.  They can be buried in the wide swath of the past.  Brilliance is not a sometime thing, it is an everytime thing. 

As I arrived home from work this day, I thought how…

This week I received some interesting comments regarding “Professionalism”  One of my groups pointed out that my profile picture didn’t express the intention which I was trying to achieve.  I took a look at it from a neutral perspective, and I agreed.

This brings me to todays topic: Professionalism and the Workplace.  With every project I have strived to present myself as a commodity or a brand, who just happens to be on loan to my employers as a sub-contracted asset.  This meant that…

We all know Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  If you haven’t read it lately, take another look.  The first habit, “Be Proactive” is universal – it applies to everything we do. 

The second habit, “Begin with the End in Mind” has wonderful applications to hiring.  Combining the two habits, being proactive and beginning with the end in mind, will enable you to envision what the…

It’s not a new saying, but whenever it’s used now everyone instantly agrees, it should be a resourcing mantra, particularly in tougher times.

As recruiters we spend most of our time looking for people with a skillset, with a historical CV that ticks the boxes that clients want.

It’s changing.

Job description tick lists are no good, because you will rarely find the people who tick every box, and if you do there is no guarantee that they will succeed.

Past…

Although I could have done a year-end retrospective in December like everyone else, I wanted to wait and see the last unemployment number first.  Unfortunately, the number –9.4% — wasn’t what anyone…