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Showing posts from 2012

LIKE ME - FRIEND ME - CONNECT WITH ME... HAVE WE MET?

We are living in an amazing period - where we literally can reach thousands of people with a message or thought at the click of a button. Social Media, email, and texting have extended our communication reach exponentially - but at what cost? Due to our DESIRE TO ACQUIRE... we are programmed to believe that by accumulating "FRIENDS", "CONNECTIONS", "LIKES", etc -- we are truly growing our network and somehow this will translate into positive results both personally and professionally. This illusion is flawed for one major reason. The quality of the network you build hinges on MEANINGFUL/PERSONAL relationships you develop over time that require LIVE HUMAN CONTACT. This is not to say that social media "pen pals" cannot prove to be a valuable asset -- but they are not as powerful as relationships built in the REAL WORLD that are carried into the social media space. Conversely, there is opportunity to develop a social media connection into a me

The Modern Job Interview... Expectations vs Reality

Sometimes I feel like I exist in this parallel universe where I am this ultra-modern executive... current with trends in fashion, pop-culture and growing digital footprint --- yet battling these EXPECTATIONS I have that somehow appear "old-school" -- especially when it comes to THE INTERVIEW PROCESS. When I began recruiting -- almost 20 years ago --- the process was simple! I would FAX (yes I said fax) a resume to an Office Manager or Hiring Manager --- schedule an interview, maybe a follow up with HR... and get an offer. Today, the interview process is an elaborate process consisting of multiple steps. It has become an intricate courtship that often involves multiple "decision makers", multiple visits and a stringent screening process. The ultimate goal being to see beyond the resume --- and somehow ensure a "cultural match". In every personal and professional situation we enter; it is important to manage our expectations. Having a clear understandi

What Contributes To Your Personal Brand And How Does It Relate To A Career Move?

Given that this is being written during the Republican National Convention... and the news media is filled with the rhetoric of our political "leaders" -- all of whom have their own brand; I thought it would be a good opportunity to take a look at PERSONAL BRANDING. Dan Schwabel is considered an expert on the the subject of Personal Branding and defined it as follows: "Personal branding describes the process by which individuals and entrepreneurs differentiate themselves and stand out from a crowd by identifying and articulating their unique value proposition, whether professional or personal, and then leveraging it across platforms with a consistent message and image to achieve a specific goal. In this way, individuals can enhance their recognition as experts in their field, establish reputation and credibility, advance their careers, and build self-confidence." He goes on to state that your Personal Brand consists of 3 elements: - Value Proposition

If you can't take the heat...

My response to "If you can't take the heat" --- would be to find some place with really good AC...because it feels more like Arizona --- than NYC... here in The Big Apple! The heat is on in a number of ways though --- for many of us. There are those of you who have been dedicated to your job search -- since some type of downsizing or restructuring --- left you without a job between 2008 - now. Then, there are those of you who stuck it out --- on understaffed teams --- in companies with bad morale --- without a salary increase... who are READY to move on! There are yet others --- who "anticipate" changes that may occur -- that will not be in their favor... and want to be proactive in their search. Here are some FACTS about the job market in NYC: - There have been more SEARCHES conducted and OPENINGS posted in 2012 than there were in 2011...however; I have placed FEWER people Counter-Offers, Turn-Downs and "Unrealistic Expectations" are the prim

The "NEW" Job Market... NEW Grads...And I'm Still Old-School

So...it has been a little while since I have put pen to paper --- or in my case -- put furiously fast index finger to dusty keyboard. And my --- how things have changed.... NEW JOB MARKET We went right from a mild winter -- into what feels like summer -- and from months of rhetoric about a dismal economy/job market --- to a NYC market rich with job openings. I am puzzled by the "experts" I continue to hear on the local news who speak about how bad the economy is. Here I am --- one Recruiter --- in a big city --- working across several industry verticals --- and I currently am working on 37 active searches. The greatest indicator of job market STRENGTH is that the demand for TALENT is not restricted to one industry or skill set. My clients in Advertising, Beauty, Entertainment, Public Relations + Fashion are all hiring --- at different levels --- in different areas of their organization. Currently; my searches are extremely diverse and range from Entry Level Media Planners to

Is the NEW YEAR giving us the SAME OLD... SAME OLD?

So... it's 2012.... the NY GIANTS are trying to make their way back to "THE SHOW"....some folks believe the world will end this year.... a man named MITT is a Republican Presidential frontrunner ... it's gotten colder ---- but WHAT HAS REALLY CHANGED? In my observation, somehow "The City That Never Sleeps" seems to have adopted this west coast kinda feel. More specifically, there seems to be a LACK OF URGENCY...or NEW YORK pace to HIRING. I say this --- understanding that we are all of 14 days into this New Year. Furthermore, I need to also acknowledge that I am a CRAZY PERSON who moves at the speed of light...and often expects that everyone else SHOULD as well. Regardless; there are still many employers SITTING with FANTASTIC resumes on their desk...and NOT SCHEDULING INTERVIEWS. Or...many instances of candidates having had one or two interviews....and employers just not appearing to be in a hurry to get that FINAL one on the calendar. This is all happen