msgbartop
Jobs In Uk and London
msgbarbottom

29 Jun 09 Recruiter split - Share income or split relationships?

A particularly unique job order needed some ‘tweaking’. Couple of us recruiters and our good client met over coffee. We could not help over hear the next table - also recruiters (is this cafe a recruiter hang out or what?) were on to their banter. Their conversation was getting hotter than the brew. Long story short: Your job order, my resume, how do we split the income.

Our client asked, does that happen all the time. We volunteered a guess, on the negative. Heading back, we googled out “recruiter splits” and you would be surprised to a lot of dirty linen in public (IPs - so to say).

Green opportunities beckon - you have the job order, I have my resume archives gathering dust. We jump in, all in good will. When there is income to share, goodwill is under stress and, relationships split. What’s a good method:

1. The side that brings the opportunity takes the larger share (The risk is taken by this recruiter in dealing the business)
2. The person sending resumes is usually pulling out of the archives - not that there were hot hot resumes
3. If there are niche skills, or the recruiter is going out of the way to source resumes - discuss costs then and there
4. Basically agree on the split before sharing the resume

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone started job order sharing service? Apparently, somebody did…
www.gorecroot.com - truly a service to go recruit

Our friend here has a good story. They almost lost a client in the process of splitting earnings.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

29 May 09 Top 10 Things People Do Wrong at Interviews, And How To Avoid Them

A face-to-face interview is the most stressful part of the job search for many individuals, but it is also a critical component of the recruiting process.  Up until this point, you have been able to hide behind your resume and cover letter.  As the selection process starts to draw to a close, though, it’s time to impress the hiring team.  A large part of a successful interview is avoiding potential pitfalls that can undermine your ability to impress the hiring team. 

The top ten critical mistakes that people make when interviewing for a position are:

Arriving late to the interview

Arriving late makes a strong negative first impression and will raise questions in the interviewer’s mind about your reliability and punctuality.  Always ask for directions to the interview site and double-check a map so that you know where you are going.  Don’t forget to allow extra time for traffic and other unforeseeable events.

Poor dress attire and grooming

Remember that professional companies are looking to hire professional individuals, not the beach bum who just shook the loose sand from his hair.  Dress conservatively in a well-fitting suit and keep jewelry, makeup, and fragrances to a minimum.  It’s also important to always take a shower, brush your teeth, and comb your hair before an interview as well to present to clean, polished image.

Failure to do research about the company prior to the interview

Show you are interested in the company for by doing some outside research before the interview.  This attention to detail sends a clear message to the interviewer that you are serious about the position and are willing to go the extra mile.  This research will also help you determine if the company’s industry, products/services, and culture are a god match for you.

Failure to give specific examples of your experience and measure your skills against the position

Interviewers want to know more than just the bare bones of your experience.  They are interested in the specifics of task how you performed, challenges you have faced, and the methods you have used to overcome those challenges.  This is especially true of behavioral interviewers.  Take the time to give the interviewer specific examples of how you have performed and how these collaborate to the duties of the position.  If you can draw a clear parallel between your work experience and the position you are interviewing for, you have a much higher chance of being successful in the interviewing process.

Not taking the opportunity to ask intelligent questions about the company and/or position

The interviewing process is not just an opportunity for the company to evaluate your fit for the position; it’s also your opportunity to evaluate how well the company and the position match your ideal job.  Asking questions not only helps you determine how well-suited you are for the position (and it for you), but also clearly indicates that you have done some basic research about the organization.  Don’t ask questions just for the sake of asking questions.  Intelligent, poorly-worded questions can frequently do more damage to your reputation than remaining silent.

Failure to practice

Even the best public speakers need to take the time to practice delivering and answering detailed questions.  The more you practice, the more comfortable you will get with your answers and the material, allowing for a much smoother delivery.

Talking too much (or not at all)

The best answers are succinct, but detailed.  Interviewees who ramble on and on come across as trying to compensate for some weakness, while those individuals who just sit there and stare appear as though they are in shellshock (and maybe in over their heads).  Neither of these scenarios is ideal in an interview situation.  Choose your words carefully and sparingly, but don’t be a mute.

Bad-mouthing previous managers or companies

One of the fastest ways to turn off an interviewer is to bad-mouth your current or previous employer.  This raises questions about your loyalty and integrity, and labels you as unhappy and a complainer.  Even if you worked in a sweatshop with no lights, running water, or meal breaks for 18 hours a day, keep all negative commentary to yourself.

Fail to explain why they are a good fit for the position (and the company)

If you leave it up to the interviewer to evaluate if you are a solid fit for the company, then you risk the chance that they might not make the decision you’d like to hear.  Make it easy for the interviewer for hire you by connecting your experiences, talents, and strengths to the job description.

Don’t state that you want the job

Once the interview has concluded, if you want the job, let the interviewer know that you are still interested in the position.  Since the interview is as much about your  evaluation of the company and the position as it is them evaluating you, don’t assume the interviewer knows you still want the job.  Reiterate your interest and inquire about the next step in the hiring process.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

15 Apr 09 Applying for Work Abroad

For many people the thought of finding an ideal overseas assignment and then relocating abroad for a few years is a dream.

For a few people that dream actually becomes a reality.

So what’s the difference between those who dream about making it happen and those who actually find work abroad and experience a whole new exciting lifestyle away from home?

Application – that’s what!

Application in the form of applying oneself to the task of finding suitable work abroad, and application in the form of the CV, resume and covering letter sent to suitable employers and recruitment agencies…

Applying yourself: -

If you want something in life, experience should tell you that you have to go out there and get it for yourself.  Opportunity seldom knocks on the door quick enough for any of us; therefore if you dream of working abroad you need to start looking for suitable vacancies in your overseas location of choice.

If you speak a foreign language you might be drawn to countries where they speak that language because you will have an obvious advantage over other overseas candidates.  If on the other hand speaking English is your only linguistic skill you should either look at opportunities in English speaking countries or target countries like Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where the business language is English and where there are a plethora of job vacancies.

Whichever country you settle on you can use the internet to search for employment offers, recruitment agencies and potentially suitable employers based in that country, and you can then begin contacting them one by one.

Making an application: -

To get anywhere in life it is sometimes necessary to put yourself forward – and if you’re looking for work overseas you’re going to have to put yourself forward to be noticed in the form of an online application or CV/resume and covering letter. 

Because your CV will be your initial contact with any recruiter it has to represent you in the best possible light possible.

This means that your resume and covering letter have to be well written; if you’re applying in a language other than your mother tongue you should consider paying for a professional translation to be done because recruiters hate receiving poorly put together job applications.  In their view someone who cannot be bothered to make the maximum effort with their personal CV probably cannot be bothered to do a good job full stop and are therefore hardly worth considering for employment.  Therefore it is up to you to put together the most well written, compelling and interesting application for employment possible.

Don’t fill out your CV or covering letter with lots of flowery embellishment, be succinct and to the point.  You should illustrate why you think should be considered for employment with examples of relevant experience you have and you should ensure you supply details of qualifications you have, referees who can supply personal and employment references and you should include all your personal contact information.

Finally, having targeted employers and recruitment agencies and having made the best application for employment possible, you should follow up your application and remain proactive and relentless in your search for that ideal overseas assignment.  After all, only those who live their dreams have a chance of true fulfilment.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,