If, like many IT HR professionals, you’re operating at maximum bandwidth, working with an executive search firm has clear benefits.  Some of these are readily apparent from the beginning.  For one, your firm saves time and money. There is no need to devote valuable internal resources to sorting through dozens or hundreds of resumes from job seekers.  A specialist staffing firm does this for you; and after screening and interviewing, you choose from only the top candidates available.

Speaking of the best candidates, specialized firms such as J. Patrick + Associates are continually sourcing new potential hires with focused, specific skill sets that meet your needs.  With the ability to leverage a continually growing proprietary database that matches your target demographic, these experienced professionals can illuminate an ever-expanding network of candidates for your firm to choose from.  Out of this bigger and better pool, new and higher quality candidates emerge.

Next, and most important to your bottom line, a search firm enables you to minimize risk and the associated cost of a bad hire.  According to the Harvard Business Review, as much as 80% of employee turnover is due to poor hiring decisions.  Furthermore, the Labor Department estimates it costs an average of one-third of a new hire’s annual salary to replace him or her.  What’s worse, the costs associated increase the further up in the organization the change occurs.

The right executive search firm offers you the necessary tools to prevent this and maximize your hiring ROI.  Although you probably already know this, one alarming item to consider is when the job market is tight, finding the right person becomes even more challenging.  It’s in times like these that a top firm offers your business some less obvious capabilities, adding even more value when you need to fill critical positions.  Firms like J. Patrick + Associates know the IT and telecom industries inside and out, and bring the best industry practices to the critical task of job placement. 

Industry Trends and Market Intelligence

Another reason to use a firm focused on specialized placement is their knowledge of workforce trends within the IT and telecom industries. A good niche firm understands the impact these can have on your business. A niche recruiter can help advise you to make strategic hiring decisions that not only meet your immediate needs--finding the right person for that key position right now--but also ensure you’re positioned for the larger demands of an evolving business environment.

Agility

In comparison to a traditional agency, with a specialist firm you’re already on the same page, and together, you’re ready to take decisive action.  This is something you won’t find easily somewhere else.  You can expect a top firm like J. Patrick + Associates to know the hiring and job requirements in your industry, to be prepared to address critical issues, and to leverage unique industry insight to help drive your most favorable hiring decisions.

Long-Lasting Relationships

Veteran firms have been placing the best-qualified candidates at top tier IT and telecom businesses for nearly 20 years.  That’s no accident; it’s the proven result of a winning track record.  Over the years, countless hours have been spent building enduring professional relationships with former candidates.  Many of these former job seekers are now in hiring positions.  Who do they turn to when they need both quality and speed? J. Patrick + Associates.  The reason is simple--because of the long-term trust we’ve built between our firm and our clients.

Contact JP+A Now

When placement costs can exceed the annual salary of each candidate, it’s a significant expense you simply can’t ignore.  So, if you need to find the best-qualified people to fill key positions, it’s time to consider a firm with proven expertise and resources.  Choose J. Patrick and Associates to provide the winning outcome your business demands.

Click Here to Connect

Every day at J. Patrick + Associates, we see first-hand the intense competition in the job market.  Trust us in saying that anything you can do to help your chances is definitely something you should do. 

One of the most important recruiting tools in the JP+A tool kit is LinkedIn Recruiter.  The tool enables our recruiters to find the right candidate for the job almost 100 percent of the time.

Your LinkedIn profile is something that you shouldn’t take lightly--you never know who could be around the corner looking at your profile.  In fact, it could be the employer of your dreams looking for that certain someone to bring on board.

There are many different items you could add to your LinkedIn profile.  But which ones are the most important?

How to Optimize Your LinkedIN profile 

For starters you’ll want to add a professional picture. This is often the first thing that draws in potential employers.  Remember, once it’s out there, anyone can see it. If it is inappropriate for your industry, chances are you will not be hearing from any recruiters or hiring managers.

Another must-have in your LinkedIn profile is a detailed professional summary. Don’t be afraid to showcase your areas of expertise and other skills in which you excel.  If a hiring manager or recruiter stumbles upon your profile and your summary is top notch, they’re likely to be very optimistic when viewing the rest of your profile.

This next tip may be the most important.  When building your LinkedIn profile, don’t skimp on the job descriptions.  Detail, detail, detail! Let everyone know what you did, how you did it, and when you did it.  Many times the recruiters at J. Patrick + Associates have come across profiles that list high-ranking, important, even mission-critical jobs.  Unfortunately, all too often there’s just not enough information there to connect them with the job requirements that the recruiters must fill.

Also, your educational background is a fundamental component of a complete and professional LinkedIn profile.  Ensure that you enumerate and describe all the degrees that you have earned.  Listing your colleges may also help in another way: if the recruiter or hiring manager sees that you went to the same college as they did, it’s frequently a leg up.

On LinkedIn, just as in the old-fashioned bricks-and-mortar job hunt, you must connect with people.  Connecting in LinkedIn is extremely important; it helps you distribute your profile and your personal brand throughout the LinkedIn network. 

Furthermore, ask your contacts to endorse you.  Endorsements, like references, serve to showcase your capabilities as a professional and your desirable qualities as a person.  People trust and value people who are already trusted and valued by others.

Speaking of reputation management, are there any articles that talk about you in a positive light? For that matter, have you published any articles showcasing your experience and expertise?  If so, definitely add these to your LinkedIn profile.  Publications that showcase your abilities and past success could be the tipping point that gets you on a future employer or recruiter’s short list.

Last but not least, provide your contact information.  Be as complete as possible. Whether it’s an email address, phone number, both, or more, remember that LinkedIn is your tool to connect with potential employers. You can’t harness the power of the Internet without connecting - and nothing is more frustrating for a recruiter than a possible candidate that cannot be contacted.  While a recruiter or hiring manager could certainly send you an inbox message via LinkedIn, don’t let this be your primary means of contact.

LinkedIn has grown to become one of the most important business social media sites in the world today, and it is only getting bigger.  With around 225 million users (and growing) you have to do all you can to stand out from the crowd.

What Are the Most Sought After IT Positions?

                Today’s world is driven by technology and the only way to succeed and prosper within it is to evolve and innovate.  IT infrastructure, Internet accessibility and a strong web presence are all essential to the successful modern-day business.  It is for this reason that IT jobs are quickly becoming some of the most import jobs available.  J Patrick and Associates specializes in the placement of these highly sought-after individuals.  Leveraging years of experience and expertise within IT recruiting, our company finds the best candidates to fill today’s critical IT positions, including:

1)      Project Managers

-          Project Managers are brought in to oversee all the operations and make sure everything is running smoothly.  These IT Project Managers are tech-savvy as well and they help to get the motor running so that work is completed efficiently and effectively, within the specified time and budget parameters.  Having a good project manager will impact your business positively in the long run.

-          Average Salary: $98,000

2)      Software Engineers and Developers

-          Software Engineers and Developers are the heart and soul of any computer-based company. Nowadays, these types of positions typically require a Computer Science degree; any potential candidate would be hard-pressed to find a job without it.  Considering that they create “grounds that everyone else walks upon”, hiring managers must be completely sure that they have hired the right people to take on this important task.

-          Average Salary: $85,000

3)      Business and Systems Analyst

-          These are two of the most sought-after IT positions because they involve setting goals and objectives based on numbers.  Business and Systems Analysts are also business-minded: they are in charge of setting business strategies and forecasting future projections.  Business and Systems Analysts are also in charge of keeping a close eye on the market in order to monitor and implement technical innovations and technological advances. 

-          Average Salary: $78,000

4)      Web Developers

-          Web developers are highly sought-after professionals.  As ‘behind the scene’ people, Web developers are proficient in various types of software.  Being tech-savvy coupled with resourcefulness and imaginations enables them to fluently design websites to be user-friendly, creative and engaging.  Without them, your company wouldn’t have essential web presence, limiting its marketability and thus negatively affecting its bottom line.

-          Average Salary: $77,000

 5)      Computer Programmers

-          Computer programmers are in charge of the everyday computer tasks.  Including design, writing, testing, debugging, and maintenance of computer program source codes.  They are highly proficient in innovative technologies, software, hardware, and programming languages.

-          Average Salary: $72,000

When it’s time to hire a new employee, you want to select the best one possible.  Hiring the wrong person is extremely costly and no business can afford to make that mistake.  Considering this, many companies decide to use a staffing agency or a recruiting firm to help fill critically positions in the organization.

The problem is that few companies do their homework.  Companies usually choose the firm that’s first on their mind instead of choosing the right staffing agency.  This is not good, at all.  Given the risks of wrong-hiring it is crucial to evaluate a recruiting firm before deciding to do business with them.  The fact of the matter is that when you use a recruiting firm to get an employee, you pay a commission to that recruiting firm.  If you are using the wrong recruiting firm for your needs, chances are, you will get the wrong employee as well.  This is just like throwing a lot of money out your window, so it’s vital to use the right hiring firm for the job.

Another significant factor when selecting a recruiting firm is trust.  You must be able to place trust in the firm your hire. This is especially important because you are sharing confidential information with them that you wouldn’t just share with anyone.  Also, the recruiter should have a proven track record of success.  A good thing to ask is “how many years have you been recruiting?”  The reason you should ask this is because if they’ve been doing it for many years, then it means they are successful. It’s a competitive world out there and a recruiting firm wouldn’t keep someone around if they weren’t doing a good job. 

If you work in HR and/or you’re the person that makes hiring decisions, recruiting firms and hiring staffing agencies are great ways to get the people you need for the job.  If you really sit down with these specialist firms and ask them enough questions you’ll see if they’re right for the job or not.  Let’s face it, every recruiting firm is going to try and get your business, it’s your job to evaluate if they are the right one for you.

Wait, there’s a special way I’m supposed to be reading a job description? 

Of course, there is!

There’s a special madness to everything in this world.  You could be reading the wrong things, or reading the right things in the wrong way.

How to Properly Read a Job Description:

Be Aware of Templated Descriptions

First of all, when you’re looking at a job description, here’s one thing to keep in mind.  Most of the job descriptions are templates that hiring managers or HR have in their holsters ready to fire out to find job candidates.  If the template needs refining, they simply apply some minor changes to the description before posting it wherever need be. This one-size-fits-all approach can be a source of confusion as sometimes the job roles may actually be different than what is detailed in the job description.

Do Not Adjust Your Resume Description

Candidates sometimes make the catastrophic mistake of adjusting their resume to fit a job description: Absolutely-DO NOT do this.  If you’re going to adjust your resume, make changes based on the job requirements, not the job description.  The job requirements are the very heart of the position the employer seeks to fill and provide the most useful information that a job seeker needs.  

Most job postings break down into two parts.  First is the narrative, the job description. This is the first thing you read and is usually communicated in broad and general terms.  The second is the job requirements. These are most often found towards the end of the posting. These are typically bulleted and straight to the point.  

Focus on Job Requirements

The job requirements are the most important set of information in the job description.  

Why?  

Because this is the information that the hiring manager sends HR to let them know what they need.  HR then takes this list and puts it right into the requirements, with the first couple of points generally being the most important to the hiring manager.

If you focus on the requirements, you should get a good grasp of what’s needed to succeed in the position.  The rule of thumb is that if you match up to at least 75% of the requirements you should apply for the job.  

Final Thoughts

The best advice that I could give someone is to really break down the description and compare it to your skill sets. If the match looks suitable, then hey, go for it. If you’re still not sure, don’t be afraid to call or email to find out more about the job.

Unlike the traditional job search methods that involved a newspaper and a brief case full of resumes, in this day and age there are many initial outlets to search for a job without leaving the comfort of your own couch.  However, managing your job search leveraging these outlets is a task in and of itself; they can get cluttered and complicated, and it may be hard to sift through and find exactly what you’re looking for.  I have narrowed the laundry list of job search methods down to four:

Recruiting Firm

Leveraging a recruiting firm is a great way to land the job you’ve always wanted.  All candidates need to do is give the recruiting firm a current resume, and let the experts do the work.  Recruiters are highly experienced in the fields they recruit for, and their sole purpose is to place their candidates in the right positions.  They are dedicated professionals that do great work.

LinkedIn

Linkedin is a great tool to help someone find a job.  Referred to by some as the facebook for grown-ups, LinkedIn is a professional networking site that enables the end-user to create a profile that lists his or her professional experience, education, skills, and more.  Utilized by the majority of innovative organizations for the purposes of recruiting candidate as well as marketing innovative organizations for the purposes of recruiting candidates as well as marketing, LinkedIn is a great place to find a job.  The site even goes as far as to pick up on specific keywords in your profile and recommend specific jobs that may be interesting to you.

Job Websites

Websites such as monster.com, dice.com, and careerbuilder.com provide people searching for employment with a wide variety of different job opportunities.  These sites are confidential, and the end-user can submit everything to the hiring organization online. Typically candidates immediately obtain a confirmation of receipt from the hiring organizations they apply to, and receive an update on the status of their documentation in approximately one or two days.

Craigslist

Many job seekers consider Craiglist.com to be underrated.  The site has gotten a bad rap as a scary place full of scam artists and strangers.  What many don’t realize is that Craigslist is chalk-full of professional opportunities and job listings.  The site also features new postings every day and provides a great resource for finding local work.  People sometimes view Craigslist as a scary place with a lot of scam artists and strangers.  I’m not going to lie, there are definitely mischievous people on craigslist but then again there’s a whole job market available too.  Craigslist provides a great way to find local work, basically in your backyard.  Another plus of using craigslist is that there are new postings every day, if you don’t see one today check back tomorrow and you may be pleasantly surprised.

All a job searches take a little time, and a little luck.  The opportunity of your dreams may have just opened up, and it’s your job to go out and find it!

There are a lot of practices that people think exist in the interview room.  These are mostly misconceptions and they might have stemmed from folktales, old family stories, or even other people’s idealistic imaginations.  When it comes down to it, all interviews are different.  Each interviewer has their own way of doing things and you should be prepared for any kind of curveball they will throw your way. 

These are the top five misconceptions of interviewing

1. The Interviewer is Prepared

Many people think that the interviewer is compiling a whole load of questions and looking at your resume diligently.   In fact, most of the time the interviewer hasn’t even seen your resume yet! Yeah that’s right, why else would they open up the interview with “tell me about yourself”?  Usually, the most prepared person in that interview is the actual candidate…as it should be!

2. Keep Your Answers Short

When answering interview questions, many people think they should keep their questions short, for what reason?  Sometimes your answer can lack substance if you don’t go into depth.  Do you want to sell yourself short?  In most interviews, it’s encouraged to open up and talk, especially in the interview asks you a long thought out question.  However, stay on point, don’t talk too much and read queues of your interviewer to ensure you are keeping them engaged.

3. It’s Not About the Looks, It’s About The Skill

Unfortunately, when someone is considered to be hired, it’s not solely based on skill alone.  Interviewers see first, before they listen and they want someone who is presentable.  If you look good, you probably are good at what you do.  In other words, dress for the part.

4. The Best Candidate Gets the Job

This isn’t always true.  On one hand, being qualified for the job may give you a leg up, but it doesn’t put that leg in the door.  If a less qualified candidate has a good relationship with the interviewer or the interview is going very smooth and both parties see eye to eye, this in turn will be more of an advantage than the actual qualifications.

5. Yes! I Have an Interview, So Now I’m In the Running!

This is one of the greater misconceptions that candidates have.  Just because you have an interview doesn’t mean you have a chance.  Sometimes interviews are set up for jobs that have already been filled.  Reasons for this include experiments and studies or the candidate that originally got the job is on hold.  But, then again I guess it’s better to have an interview than to not have one, practice does make perfect. 

Executive job seekers need to know that corporate and search firm recruiters are overwhelmed with resumes and communications from candidates who are earnestly seeking their next position.

Knowing this fact, I tell my clients that being qualified is not enough!! Those that are qualified will rise to the top of the pile and have their resume read ONLY if their resume is idiot-proof. Yes, I said it—Idiot-proof. I mean no offense to my recruiting brethren with this term. But a job applicant’s resume has to be very crystal clear on the job for which they are applying. This will almost ensure that the reader will know without a doubt what position the applicant is applying for by reading their resume on its own using a branded title. Here are some points to help you do this well:

4 Tips for Writing an Effective Resume

Resume Should Send a Clear Message

You have to assume the resume will be separated from the cover letter. Will your resume stand on its own? The gut check question you can ask yourself is: “Will a hiring manager know exactly what you want by reading your resume only?”  If the answer is ‘yes’, then your resume is in good shape. If the answer is ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know’, here are some steps you can take to position the resume to make it easy for hiring managers to realize which position you want to be considered.

Don't Use the word "Summary"

Eliminate the word “summary” as the heading to your resume. Give it a title that mimics the title of the position you are seeking and for which you are qualified. For example, if you are formerly a Director of Information Technology and are applying to a Chief Information Officer position that is an appropriate next step, make the branded resume heading the latter and keep your title on the employment section accurate with the former.

But Do include a Summary paragraph

Ensure you have a summary paragraph under the branded title heading that supports the title outlining briefly what you bring to the table and the results you have accomplished.

Use Keywords

Use keyword bullets under the summary to punctuate your qualifications and experiences. Note: Be sure the keyword phrases you use describe your background further specifically and are not so generic that they tell the reader nothing. GUT CHECK: if the phrase used can be used on an HR resume, an engineering resume, and a finance resume, then that phrase is wasting space and not telling the reader anything about your specifically. For example, “Energetic manager that brings results to the organization” does not differentiate you in anyway, even if it is true. Use specifics.

The goal is to have the hiring manager look at your resume and within an instant know exactly which position is the right one for you. If the hiring manager has to work at figuring out which position a job seeker is good for, chances are the resume gets tossed in the ‘no’ pile, or the ‘maybe’ pile or in the wrong pile. By making it easy for the hiring manager, you increase your chances of getting in the ‘yes’ pile and getting the call. All things being equal and all considered applicants being qualified, the bottom line is the job seeker that makes the hiring manager’s job easiest wins.

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

Executive job seekers often want to know what are the benefits and features they will experience if they have their resume done by a professional or should they do the resume themselves. The decision is a different one to be made for each person. But here is a list of misconceptions made by job seekers that can at least help you know what an executive resume is not or should not have:

12 Misconceptions of Writing an Effective Resume

Myth# 1: Executive resume summaries are the same as objectives.

Objectives only state what you want. Summaries outline how what you offer can meet the needs of the prospective employer. Simply put: nobody really cares what you want only.

Myth #2: Your executive resume needs charts and graphs to be impressive.

While I put charts and graphs in executive resumes for some of my clients, it is not the norm. Most clients can have achievements properly outlined in well-written content. Charts and graphs are often not digested by applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Myth #3: Everyone should be able to write their own executive resume.

Would you be your own lawyer? Try to sell your own house? While there are some people who can, for the majority of us, it is best to hire a professional to handle these matters.

Myth #4: Stuffing keywords into your executive resume gets through the ATS.

While this may actually work, when the recruiter reads your keyword stuffed resume, they will think you are spending more time trying to game the system versus outlining why you are qualified.

Myth #5: Every company uses ATS systems.

Every company does not use an ATS, but most do in some way. Having your resume keyword optimized is as essential as me having my coffee in the morning. You just would not want to see me without it.

Myth #6: Put all of your experience on your resume and show everything you ever did.

As a general rule, I do not go back more than 15 years. Even if what you did 25 years ago is applicable to what you are targeting today, no company will hire you for what you did 25 years ago. I believe, in most cases, putting 20+ years experience on your resume only dates you and does not really help your candidacy.

Myth #7: Follow a page rule: one page or two pages…no more.

Know that as long as you make the resume, one page resumes included, it is never guaranteed that the reader will read it. Keep your audience interested in 5-10 second increments to keep the scrolling and reading. If that is one page, so be it. If that is three pages, ok.

Myth #8: A great resume is the magic elixir to landing a job.

A great resume with an excellent job search plan, robust network, superb follow up skills and an amazing attitude land you a job. The most fabulous resume alone will not get you a job.

Myth #9: Stretch your dates to reduce or eliminate your employment gaps — no one will find out.

You can find out what your neighbor ate for dinner last night on the internet. You don’t think today’s background check technology can find out that you are fudging dates. Yes, they may not find out…but they also may find out. Don’t do it.

Myth #10: Put your references at the bottom of your resume.

Put your references on a well-crafted reference sheet. And don’t put :”references available upon request” at the bottom either. It is implied.

Myth #11: Use the same resume for all of your job applications and submissions.

Customize each submission showing how you meet the needs of the job description. One size does not fit all.

Myth #12: My old resume will work just fine.

The same way your shoulder padded jacket or skinny tie will work at the company party this weekend. Go for it.

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

Employers do check the social media presence of job applicants at some point in the interview process. Some check upon stumbling onto your background when searching for talent on LinkedIn, others right before the interview and other employers do a thorough investigation before extending an offer. No matter what the employer’s process is, you have to assume, people will want to check you out online during the recruitment process.

Here are 11 Ways to manage your online reputation

1. Google your name in Google Search

Perform a search on your name to simply see what comes up. This will help you come up with a game plan not only to clean up your profile, but to proactively strategize on what to include to improve your online image and set you apart.

2. Search on your name on other Search Engines other than Google, such as Bing and Yahoo

While search results should be consistent, sometimes they vary. Double check and ensure you are coming across as you wish.

3. Maintain a professional, but fun, Facebook profile

Mind the pictures you post and consider limiting tags by others to pictures on your wall. Ensure your wall and photos are professional in nature (so take down the party pic of you dancing on the bar with your friends). Post academic achievements (I received an A on my chem. Exam!!), athletic wins (I just did my PB during the 5K race!) and non-profit initiatives (Loved participating in the food pantry fundraiser last night…consider joining me at the next event).

4. Check your name in Google Images

Here you will see what pictures are online that are connected or tagged to your name in a public manner.  You may not have all of your and your friends’ Facebook pictures come up, depending on the privacy settings. However, all public photos that are tagged to your name will arise.

5. Check your privacy settings on Facebook and other online media

Assume nothing you put on the web is ever private—that is my cardinal rule. If you are in doubt if you should put it up, well, maybe you should not do it.

6. Write a professional LinkedIn Profile

A Linkedin profile that is optimized for keywords will improve your ability to be found by recruiters and land an interview. 93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find their next hire. You need to be here.

7. Create a Twitter account to follow target companies and network with contacts who can help you lead You to your dream job

Twitter provides real time data to improve the content of your communication with key contacts.

8. Consider removing information that references topics that should not be considered as part of a hiring decision

Information such as religion, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or other group represented in Title VII or the American with Disabilities Act should not be part of a hiring decision. It is discriminatory to ask for this data or use it in a hiring decision. But if the information is offered by the applicant, it can (wrongly) be used in a hiring decision in an unconscious manner.

9. Share positively across all social media channels

Negative rants are major turnoffs to employers, as no one wants to hire their next problem. Demonstrate your ability to communicate constructively and don’t overshare.

10. Create New Content to Replace Negative Content

If you do have negative information about you that you cannot remove, or if you share a name with life-long criminal, one option you have is you can create new content by launching a blog, writing online book reviews, creating a personal website URL (i.e. www.yourname.com), and using other tactics to bury the information.

11. coming up anywhere online is almost as bad as having a negative online image

Employers wonder do you get technology and/or what have you been doing all this time? So get online to get hired.

Maintaining a professional online image without losing your personality is very doable. Take the time to craft the image that is true to you and resonates with employers to land that first job—making your time in school all worth it.

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer