Despite it being a new year, many job seekers have been looking for a job already…in some cases, conducting that job search for a while and are burnt out.

While some job seekers have new inspiration to start a search, I know some of you may be tired and burnt out on your search and need a renewed source of perspective. Well, you have come to the right place.

When you are burnt out on your job search, you may need a mental break. Rest to rejuvenate is crucial, but what I think can be equally as effective is to give a good, hard look at the job search activities that you have been doing.

Are you setting yourself up for disappointment and job search burnout? 

Here are 5 Questions to Ask yourself

1. Have you submitted to more than 10 – 20 online job postings per week?

If yes, then you may be spending too much time on job boards and not enough time engaging actual people. You should not be spending more than 10% of your job search time on job boards. Set up Google Alerts and job alerts within notable job boards to have applicable jobs emailed to you and stop wasting time mining for jobs on the boards. 

2. Are you Reaching Out Directly to Hiring managers?

Of the job applications you applied online, how many did you find someone at the company and reach out directly to connect about your application?

If the answer is less than 50%, you are depending on the computer/database gods to get you an interview, when you need to be talking to people. You need human discussion (phone and email) and contact (in person meetings) throughout this process to stay energized and get hired. “A computer hired me,” said no one ever.

3. How Many People are you Talking to?

I suggest keeping a log of how many conversations you are having with people. If it is less than 10-15 people per week, you need to step it up. Again, people hire people–so talk to people. Computers do not hire people, so do not spend time submitting to electronic job applications for most of your time. 

4. Do You Say "I'm Open to Anything"?

If this is exactly how you ask them, I ask you: Do they know what you do, really? Do they know specifically what you want? It is much better to say, “I am looking for an accounting manager position with a mid-sized company in manufacturing” or “I am seeking a customer service position with a technology firm” than say “Hey, let me know if you hear of any job openings” — Specific is so much better than general each and every time! Specific also breeds confidence. 

5. Are you speaking to the right people in your industry?

How many new contacts are you adding to your contacts list each week–or are you circling back to the same 50 – 200 people each month? Add new people by attending industry and profession-related networking events, alumni get-togethers, former co-worker get-togethers and events in your community. Be sure your business card markets you in a memorable way.

Generally speaking, if you are not speaking to people about your job search, not speaking in specifics to people about your job search and/or not speaking to the right people, you could be spinning your wheels a bit, which will contribute to your burn out. It is important to rest and have fun to recharge…but it is also important to do the right activities suggested above to help support your success and preserve your mindset. Good luck!!

Originally posted at: Chameleon Resumes on Job Search Burn Out - Lisa Rangle

Make no mistake--being found by the right job is not a passive job search tactic. Eliminate the vision of sipping margaritas on the deck waiting for recruiters to call. Today’s job seeker must put a lot of thought and hard work into ensuring she/he is a part of communities where hiring managers source for viable candidates.

There is much written about how to find the right job.  However, one of the most overlooked items in a strategic job search plan is how to ensure the job seeker is searchable—or how to have the right job find you.  With the prolific rise of the internet to source candidates by corporate and search firm recruiters, it is paramount that job seekers take steps to ensure they can be located and sourced for the positions they seek.

Recruiting for an open position by posting an ad is one of the last tactics a recruiter wants to utilize. It is a waste of their time to wade through a flood of resumes, which often contains many poorly-qualified candidates.  So it is not very effective for job seekers to apply through a job board posting. Recruiters source and recruit--and candidates that are present and active in those pools get attention. So how do you become that candidate? 

How to Be Found by the Right Job 

Why is it important to take control of your job search?

It can be extremely frustrating and demoralizing to not get any response from search firm recruiters after you have submitted your resume to them. You may feel you’re perfect for the job posted and know you can succeed at it, however you never hear back.  It is hard not to take things personally.  However, there are some easy solutions to keep you upbeat about your job search, and get better results! 

1. Set Yourself Up for Success

Know your background and see if it matches what recruiters are looking for.  If you are missing even one piece of what is being sought, they won’t be sending your resume to their client. If you know you have a background that is lacking what the recruiter needs, no matter how well-qualified you are, you are wasting your time.  Stop approaching recruiters and instead find other channels to present and market yourself and your experience.  Network, apply directly on company websites, and update social media to ensure you are active and top of mind. 

2. Put Skin in the Game

Commit to doing the work YOURSELF needed to execute an effective job search plan. There are no short cuts. Do not pay someone to do the dirty work. If you need help, pay someone to show YOU how to do it correctly. But the key is to do it yourself.  If you need to update your credentials, learn about what is going on in the industry you want to be in, or grow your network, do it.  There is no time like the present!

3. Be Creative

Be Creative In Your Job Search. Use venues that increase your chances of being reviewed and called for a particular job.  If you have a background that is not going to be attractive to search firms, then choose other venues: Use target company lists, industry-focused job boards and networking groups.  Utilize LinkedIn and other social media sites.  Check out company websites, career fairs, and even volunteer in relevant fields. 

4. Quality over quantity

Better to create a target list of companies and do research. It is more effective to mindfully pursue 30 leads directly than to send a mass, impersonalized, poorly-targeted email to 3,000 people.  The less effort you put in, the less results you get back.

5. Build a Brand

Commit to have the best branding presentation ever. So many cover letters and resumes are poorly written, formatted in an amateur manner or simply do not do the candidate any justice.  Make sure your communication documents (resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, networking communications, and blogs) help put your best foot forward.  This will ensure you are not automatically disqualified due to careless errors or omissions. 

Using these 5 suggestions may not be a guarantee that you will get a call back for every position you apply for.  However, being proactive and using all the opportunities out there will help you remain upbeat and in control of your job search!

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

Frustrated by search firm recruiters not calling you back after you have submitted your resume to them?  Feel you’re perfect for the job posted and baffled by the fact that you haven’t heard back?  Here are some answers as to why you haven’t heard back, and some things you can do to better optimize your job search. 

1. YOU may think you’re qualified, but that does not mean THEY think you’re qualified!

Search firms are paid a significant fee to evaluate candidates that the client company cannot find on their own. They are charged with having to determine if a candidate will exceed expectations for that client in the given job. The client company gives the search firm a series of parameters to meet that justify paying a fee to the search firm if the candidate embodies those requirements.

Frankly, it just does not matter that you think you can do the job. The search firm has to ensure you have ALL of what their client's expects:  the proper years of experience, company caliber exposure, demonstrated track record of results, culture fit potential, professional training and educational credentials. If you are missing even just one piece of it, typically you will not be considered by the search firm and your resume will never be submitted for the job. 

As long as you have not been contacted by the search firm or submitted to the company by them, apply through a different venue (networking, applying directly to the company website, etc) that does not add a fee to your head if hired.

2. Search firms are not paid by you, and therefore, do not work for you.

Reputable search firms are only paid by their client company. The company is their client--not you, and they do not exist to find you a job. Credible search firms do not accept fees from candidates for representation to companies, and only get paid when they actually make a placement for a company.  If your background will ensure that they get that placement fee, rest assured that they will contact you.

3. You paid a firm to send your resume to 1,000 recruiters…and it shows.

If you are doing a mass emailing, you cannot expect personalized response results. Even a very successful direct email campaign has a response rate of just 1-2%.  If you have a properly targeted, well-written direct campaign to 1,000 contacts, you will get 10-20 quality calls. If you have a well-written campaign sent to a random sampling of recruiters, you may get 5-15 calls from recruiters who may not place what you do.  And if it is a non-targeted, poorly written campaign, no one will call—or you will receive calls to sell you job search services since you clearly need some help!

4. Search firms don’t place what you do.

You are a Medical Director of a Big Pharma Firm and the recruiter places digital media experts within advertising agencies. You live in Wyoming and the recruiter works with companies in Illinois and Texas.  No matter how great you are and how good your experience and achievements are, you are not getting the call. It is important to know the capacity of the search firm before you send your resume.

5. The search firm has no idea what you do.

Your resume is filled with so much corporate-speak and fluff that they have no idea what you do.  Saying “Leader in the industry” does not help anyone understand what you do. What kind of leader? What level of leader? What industry?   What did you achieve? If the recruiter has to work at figuring out what you do, you are not going to hear from them.

6. They do not have the right job for you.

The search firm actually thinks your background is amazing. They know what you do and are impressed where you do it and how you have done it. But they simply do not have the right job for you. Given that recruiters need to focus on finding candidates that can fill their jobs to make a living, they most likely will not have time to call you. 

7. Your background is not worth a company paying a fee.

This may sound harsh, but it is true.  If you are unemployed or you have too many jobs in a short period of time, you may fall into this category.  If you do not have a series of promotions or you have an eclectic group of varied experiences, you are in this boat, too. This is a simple economics issue.  The supply of these types of candidates is too great right now and companies will not pay a fee unless your background is worth it.

Accepting this fact about yourself does not mean you are doomed to not find a great job. It just means you will probably not find one through a search firm. This really is not that bad of a situation. Search firms account for a very small percentage of hires in the US.  Most hires are made through networking!  So companies will hire you, just through other venues without the price tag attached—so go to those venues!

8. The search firm is overwhelmed and, unfortunately, cannot get back to every applicant with the “Thanks, but no thanks” email.

Don’t take it personally when recruiters do not call to tell you that you are not right for the job. Do not cause yourself added stress by thinking it is personal—it is simply a logistics issue regarding limited resources.  With the volume of resumes that third party and corporate recruiters receive in today’s market, it is physically impossible to get back to everyone. To help ease the rejection you might feel, set goals for outbound activity each week, knowing that only a certain percentage will reap results. It is all a numbers game.

9. Your resume has been posted on all the job boards for a long time.

Companies pay recruiters to find candidates they cannot find themselves. If your resume is posted on many job boards for any significant length of time, you are not exclusive. You are readily available and easily found. When I recruited, I had company clients tell me I could not submit candidates that were found on the job boards--even if I sourced that candidate myself or the candidate was referred to me!  As frustrating as it was, I understood.  Why would they pay a recruiter for someone they could easily find on their own? 

Does this mean you should not be on the boards? Not necessarily. It depends on your story.  If you are not working or know that your company is going to be laying you off and you cannot be without a job, do what you have to do to get that next job.  If you know you will not be well served by recruiters, then you must use other means.  But consider being selective and not post yourself everywhere. Or consider submitting to job postings only. The best option is to commit to networking within the target company list you create and approach contacts directly.

10. You are looking to switch careers or start your career.

You are a successful pharmaceutical sales manager, who just recently graduated with a bachelors in accounting. Now you are looking to get an entry-level position in accounting.  The best option is to contact companies directly for a position in your new career. A recruiter cannot help new college graduates or individuals who want to change careers. Why? Remember, recruiters get paid by clients to find candidates who have had prior success in a job similar to the one they need to fill. A company is not going to pay a recruiter to hire someone to start a new line of work with no proven track record in the field.

11. Don’t test the waters on the recruiter’s time.

On paper, you may appear too comfortable in your job.  Recruiters want to work with candidates who want to make a move.  If it seems you may be shopping or comfortable, but not serious about a new position, your resume will be passed over. Reformat your resume to show career progression, achievements and promotions.  If you present yourself as someone out looking for the next ripe opportunity and who gets results, you increase your chances of getting the call. 

You may find that you identify with a few of the reasons and fall in a few categories above.  Does this mean you are not destined to find a job?  Absolutely not!!  This is a lesson in marketing and economics.  Instead of expecting results from recruiters, you need to present your background in venues where you will be reviewed and perceived as a valuable candidate that should be hired!

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

How Being Private can Negatively Affect Your Job Search

A high-level executive is eager to find a new job.  He uses Facebook for personal things, is present on Linkedin but barely uses it, and sees no value in Twitter.  He states he is looking diligently at job boards and networking strategically but has gotten nowhere in his search. He believes it is vital to maintain his online privacy, and it seems to be working:  he is so private, no one can find him!  It is impossible in this day and age to conduct a job search without using these social media tools in a robust and proactive way. 

There is one thing most people looking for a job may not realize:

Recruiters automatically filter out the less technically savvy from their applicant pools by using these tools. So make sure you are present in these mediums, or consider yourself filtered!

There are certainly legitimate safety reasons for some to remain under the radar and off the grid. I am not advocating publishing your social security number or the answers to your banking security questions on public domain. However, with the exception of a select few individuals, both passive and active job seekers need to have a branded presence on the web to ensure the other aspect of their search strategy can be effective. Everyone must have a vibrant online presence in order to be found by the right people--those who can lead to the next opportunity.

Have at least 250 LinkedIn connections. 

You are already on LinkedIn, so make it work for you. If you consider people on all levels from many different aspects of your life (professional employment, education, childhood, family, friends, neighbors, vendors, clients, service partners, personal services, hobby enthusiasts, extracurricular activities…you get the idea.), you can reach this connection threshold. This will improve your qualitative search result dramatically to yield you better job search leads.

Side consideration: If you are thinking, “LinkedIn never really worked for me.”, ask yourself, “Do I REALLY work it?”  Would you walk into a networking event, not speak to anyone, and then come out and say “Wow, what a waste of time…no one spoke to me and I did not receive one lead!” Of course not!  You need to think of LinkedIn in the same way--use it to proactively reach out to others to make it work for you.

Strategically use Facebook contacts to help your boost your job search network. 

Using Facebook for mostly personal stuff is okay, but consider contacting certain people offline to connect with them and determine if you can help each other out in a professional and meaningful manner.  You won’t be able to help everyone and everyone will not be able to help you, but all you need is a few key contacts to help bring you to the next level in your search.

Start using Twitter, even if you don’t tweet!

If you are not sure what to say in the 140 character limit, then don’t say anything!  Instead, create an account to follow recruiters in your industry and/or discipline that post positions in which you have an interest. You can be a silent presence on Twitter until you are ready to tweet—which may be never. But until then, do not let this goldmine of opportunity pass you by.

Create a searchable webpage housing your resume, achievements and means of contact.

This page only needs to include your general location, phone and email. Specific identifying information does not need to be listed. Even general location does not matter if you are open to relocation or are looking for virtual positions or jobs that naturally require significant travel.  You can even create an email address for your public page that is different from your personal email address.  As hiring managers run searches for what you do, doing this ensures you can be more easily found by them.

With many cases of identity theft occurring every year, online privacy is obviously extremely important.  But when you need to advance your career, get out of a dysfunctional company or end your time in transition, there is a way to prudently advance your online professional profile that doesn’t risk your security.   Otherwise, you have to consider the consequences of staying hidden and determine if it is a cost you are willing to pay in the form of stagnant career or unemployment.

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

The most effective resume is a branding document showcases a job seeker’s previous experience in a way where a prospective employer can see how the job seeker’s expertise can work within their organization. When this happens, the prospective employer sees how the job seeker’s experience can help their organization achieve results and will call the job seeker in for an interview.  A traditional resume, that only houses job duties, does not outline achievements and is visually boring cannot stand up to a well-branded resume.  

There are three things that differentiate a branded, contemporary resume from a more traditional one

Searchability

Can your resume ensure that you are found in an online search by a prospective employer, whether that resume resides in an applicant tracking system (ATS) or is the basis of your keyword optimized LinkedIn profile? A successful job search in today’s times has two active components.  The first component is to perform the actions that help you find the right job. The second is to include the activities needed to enable the right job to find you. A keyword-optimized resume that is searchable enables hiring managers and recruiters to find you when looking for talent with your skill set.

In this digital age of LinkedIn, Facebook, and online resume pages, finding the perfect candidate is driven by various search engines.  It is absolutely vital for your resume to house keywords and phrases used by hiring managers in searches so your resume can be found. If your resume can’t be found, it won’t be read and you will not land an interview; it’s that simple. 

If you don’t know what terms to include, use an employment website or job board to look for positions in which you are interested.  Including the phrases and words from these postings naturally in your resume, alongside your achievements for each of those functions will improve the likelihood that your resume will be found in employer searches.  

Results

Every job seeker out there today needs quantifiable results on their resume. Results are what employers want, and in order to sell yourself, you need to demonstrate what you were able to achieve.  Here are some examples of questions you might ask yourself to help define your results:

• If you upgraded software, what were the labor cost savings?  How much employee payroll time was saved by the conversion?   
• If you launched a marketing campaign for a major consumer products firm, what was the ROI on the marketing dollars spent for the product launch? In what time frame was the profit/revenue realized? 
• If you managed a pharmaceutical drug development department, how many drugs did you bring to market? What revenues did those products generate? How long was the process?

Size and Scope

Understanding the size and scope of your previous companies helps the hiring manager determine how you can fit into their organization. Saying you did something without the context to support the statement leaves a gap in understanding. Tell your prospective employer about the environment in which you performed these tasks.  Here are some examples of how to put size and scope into each point on your resume:

• Did you manage an IT department of three, thirty or one hundred and thirty employees?
• What was the technology budget that you were accountable for--$10,000, $100,000 or $1,000,000?
• How much savings did your last three IT initiatives generate?
• How many new employees did the 10-person team you supervised get promoted in the past twelve months?

There is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions, but it starts to flesh out the details of the types of environments in which you have performed, and paint a picture for the prospective employer. 

Your resume is part of your employment brand and it needs to tell the story of your experience, achievements, and include information about the environments in which you worked.  Additionally, what it says about you should be reflected in a consistent manner on your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, and online resume page.  This ensures that you are found in job searches, can demonstrate that you achieved measurable results, and that you are the excellent fit that the hiring managers are seeking. 

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

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.