So, just a quick note to tell you where technology has arrived. On the airplane! Kuduo's to AA for having wi/fi access now on the plane. What gets me thinking on this is really specifically the technology jobs that will be created (most likely for contract work) when the other airlines get on board with this next generation of on flight entertainment. Consider the thousands of planes that will need to be equipped with routes, wires, etc to get this going. Keep an eye out....Brian
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Monday, October 12, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Quick and Dirty Hiring Tips
One for the employers out there! The saying I live by, have taught hundreds of hiring managers on, and did I mention live by? is the following:
60% of hiring decisions are based on the soft skills and “fit” of an individual in the culture of the organization/team and 40% based on “skill”.
So to be great at making “great” hiring decisions takes a little bit of time to prepare.
Step 1: You have to define what your “ideal” person brings to the table. Don't use a laundry list of skills.
Those are easy and conventional wisdom has told you to do that before! I'm talking about what they bring... baggage and all! Values, ethics, passion, direction, mental toughness… GET THE PICTURE? You need to understand what the “ideal” candidate is before you can interview someone for the job. For example, make a scorecard. Put on there not only the old “job description” info, but also put down specifics on how they behave. Once you have that, you can ask very specific questions on past situations that either do or do not match to the predicted behaviors you want on your team.
Step 2: The values of the company must match the values of the individual you are interviewing.
If you want to create a vision, everyone needs to sing to the same sheet of music. If you deviate from the scorecard and do not interview for the values you are looking to match between candidate and company, you may end up hiring someone that does not fit. This can create issues in your group and you may even risk losing team members you find valuable all because you skipped steps and hired the wrong person with the mismatched values.
There is a butt for every seat, but not every butt fits the seat in your company!
DEFINE WHAT WORKS FOR YOUR COMPANY…WRITE IT DOWN! USE IT! RANK AGAINST IT! HIRE ONLY THOSE THAT SHOW PAST PERFORMANCE ON THE BEHAVIORS AND VALUES OF YOUR COMPANY!
Read more!
60% of hiring decisions are based on the soft skills and “fit” of an individual in the culture of the organization/team and 40% based on “skill”.
So to be great at making “great” hiring decisions takes a little bit of time to prepare.
Step 1: You have to define what your “ideal” person brings to the table. Don't use a laundry list of skills.
Those are easy and conventional wisdom has told you to do that before! I'm talking about what they bring... baggage and all! Values, ethics, passion, direction, mental toughness… GET THE PICTURE? You need to understand what the “ideal” candidate is before you can interview someone for the job. For example, make a scorecard. Put on there not only the old “job description” info, but also put down specifics on how they behave. Once you have that, you can ask very specific questions on past situations that either do or do not match to the predicted behaviors you want on your team.
Step 2: The values of the company must match the values of the individual you are interviewing.
If you want to create a vision, everyone needs to sing to the same sheet of music. If you deviate from the scorecard and do not interview for the values you are looking to match between candidate and company, you may end up hiring someone that does not fit. This can create issues in your group and you may even risk losing team members you find valuable all because you skipped steps and hired the wrong person with the mismatched values.
There is a butt for every seat, but not every butt fits the seat in your company!
DEFINE WHAT WORKS FOR YOUR COMPANY…WRITE IT DOWN! USE IT! RANK AGAINST IT! HIRE ONLY THOSE THAT SHOW PAST PERFORMANCE ON THE BEHAVIORS AND VALUES OF YOUR COMPANY!
Read more!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
What do recent increases in the unemployment rate mean for staffing?
On July 2, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an increase in the unemployment rate to 9.5 percent, reaching its highest number since 1983. The Labor Bureau also went on to report that the number of unemployed persons has increased by 7.2 million since the start of the recession in December 2007.
According to the Labor Bureau statistics, "job losses were widespread across the major industry sectors, with large declines occurring in manufacturing, professional and business services, and construction."
At a time when jobs seem so scarce, increased numbers of top-quality job candidates are becoming immediately available. Recruiting offers continual opportunities for these individuals, who can serve as a reliable source for staffing placements.
According to an article published on ERE, “there is evidence that while monthly job losses have eased since the winter, the economy is not yet in recovery.”
Recruiting provides options that are easier, more cost effective and less permanent through outsourcing and staff augmentation solutions. Companies can save time and money while producing the best results with these top-quality job candidates.
We will discuss the important role of the recruiter in the hiring process. What characteristics make an exceptional recruiter?
Read more!
According to the Labor Bureau statistics, "job losses were widespread across the major industry sectors, with large declines occurring in manufacturing, professional and business services, and construction."
At a time when jobs seem so scarce, increased numbers of top-quality job candidates are becoming immediately available. Recruiting offers continual opportunities for these individuals, who can serve as a reliable source for staffing placements.
According to an article published on ERE, “there is evidence that while monthly job losses have eased since the winter, the economy is not yet in recovery.”
Recruiting provides options that are easier, more cost effective and less permanent through outsourcing and staff augmentation solutions. Companies can save time and money while producing the best results with these top-quality job candidates.
We will discuss the important role of the recruiter in the hiring process. What characteristics make an exceptional recruiter?
Read more!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
SkillStorm
June news for SkillStorm!
Read more!
- SkillStorm is now working with Liberty Power. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Liberty Power is one of only four national retail electric providers licensed in 16 or more states and is the only certified, minority-owned, independent retail electric provider with a national presence. SkillStorm is providing Liberty Power with development team and Information Technology support.
- SkillStorm recently provided a Linux administrator to Jettis Technologies. Based in South Florida, Jettis Technologies offers end-to-end, real time secure transaction processing solutions.
- SkillStorm recently provided a Web Developer to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. PADI is the world’s leading scuba diving training organization. With more than forty years experience and 5,300 dive shops and resorts worldwide, PADI training materials and services let people experience scuba diving from nearly anywhere.
- SkillStorm recently provided a Technical Support Representative to the Governance Institute. The Governance Institute is a membership organization serving non-profit hospital and health system boards of directors, executives and physician leadership. Based in San Diego, this organization conducts research studies, tracks healthcare industry trends, and showcases governance practices of leading healthcare boards across the country.
- SkillStorm is currently providing engineering recruiting support to Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG). PSEG is a publicly traded, diversified energy company headquartered in New Jersey, and one of the ten largest electric companies in the U.S.
Read more!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Are Resumes True?
So, for all readers out there that have ever hired anyone, here is a great question for you: How many interviews have you done (Percentage wise) where what was on the resume did not actually match up to what the person had done on the job? Well, I'm sure you are thinking carefully about this...right? I can tell you in 14 years of hiring internal sales member, plus the 5000+ interviews I have completed for my placement at customers, more than 60% of all resumes I have seen do not match 100% with the truth of what someone has accomplished.
Hence my creation of the following: "There are 2 times in someone's life when they are perfect. 1) When they are born and 2) When they write their resume!"
So, 2 quick lesson's need to be learned here for both the hiring manager (interviewer) and the job seeker (interviewee): 1) Don’t lie! It will all come out in the end and you will certainly lose credibility with anyone you’re interviewing with immediately. 2) Managers, dig and dig deep! Be a master at getting to the truth. I don’t think people are liars by nature, but remember, this is their personal commercial and embellishment happens all the time. It is your job to not just look at the fit of the person to your team, but look at the ethics of how they present themselves. If they embellish on the resume, what will they do in your workplace?
For more tips, follow the blog here and/or contact a SkillStorm representative.
Read more!
Hence my creation of the following: "There are 2 times in someone's life when they are perfect. 1) When they are born and 2) When they write their resume!"
So, 2 quick lesson's need to be learned here for both the hiring manager (interviewer) and the job seeker (interviewee): 1) Don’t lie! It will all come out in the end and you will certainly lose credibility with anyone you’re interviewing with immediately. 2) Managers, dig and dig deep! Be a master at getting to the truth. I don’t think people are liars by nature, but remember, this is their personal commercial and embellishment happens all the time. It is your job to not just look at the fit of the person to your team, but look at the ethics of how they present themselves. If they embellish on the resume, what will they do in your workplace?
For more tips, follow the blog here and/or contact a SkillStorm representative.
Read more!
Friday, June 12, 2009
SkillStorm Lends a Hand!
This week our Dallas office lent a helping hand to the Mi Escuelita preschool. Mi Escuelita is an inner city preschool where many families are below the poverty level. The school needed to be cleaned, organized and rearranged in order to shut down until the students return in the fall. Our SkillStorm team assisted with the clean up and shut down of the school for the summer. SkillStorm learned about Mi Escuelita through a local connection with the Salvation Army.
After supporting the Salvation Army Angel Tree program every year, the office decided as a team to look into other community service programs offered throughout the year and not just at Christmas. Mi Escuelita served as a great way for SkillStorm to support the school, the staff and most of all the children.
“We thought it was a great experience. It was the least we could do for the teachers and other staff that work so hard throughout the year,” said Ted Stout, Managing Partner of SkillStorm. “Now that the school’s summer vacation has been shortened due to a new schedule, the last thing they want to do is spend that time cleaning the school. That’s where we come in! We were able to assist with sweeping, mopping and washing all of the various toys, puzzle pieces, letters & numbers, chairs etc. Basically, anything that the children use on a day to day basis.”
While the Dallas team was there, the staff and many teachers made a video to show at their Teacher Appreciation Dinner this week. They made a music video to the Nickelback song, “Rockstar. “It was great to see them all unwind and have fun together after the stresses of the school year.” said Stout. “We will be looking for the video on YouTube soon!
About Mi Escuelita Preschool :
Mi Escuelita serves children ages 2-5 and is located at St Matthews in Dallas. Mi Escuelita Head Start locations admit children ages 3-4, while Mi Escuelita Private locations admit children ages 2½-4. With over 80% of language skills developed by age 5, early childhood education is imperative to reduce dropout rates in later years. In Dallas, the dropout rate among Hispanic children with limited English proficiency is estimated to be 64%. Over 80% of Hispanic dropouts claim that their inability to effectively communicate in English significantly impacted their decision to leave school. Mi Escuelita works with at-risk children to ensure that they receive a quality education as well as preventative health, dental, vision, nutritional, speech, and behavioral care.
To learn more about Mi Escuelita and how you can get involved visit their website at www.miescuelita.org
Read more!
After supporting the Salvation Army Angel Tree program every year, the office decided as a team to look into other community service programs offered throughout the year and not just at Christmas. Mi Escuelita served as a great way for SkillStorm to support the school, the staff and most of all the children.
“We thought it was a great experience. It was the least we could do for the teachers and other staff that work so hard throughout the year,” said Ted Stout, Managing Partner of SkillStorm. “Now that the school’s summer vacation has been shortened due to a new schedule, the last thing they want to do is spend that time cleaning the school. That’s where we come in! We were able to assist with sweeping, mopping and washing all of the various toys, puzzle pieces, letters & numbers, chairs etc. Basically, anything that the children use on a day to day basis.”
While the Dallas team was there, the staff and many teachers made a video to show at their Teacher Appreciation Dinner this week. They made a music video to the Nickelback song, “Rockstar. “It was great to see them all unwind and have fun together after the stresses of the school year.” said Stout. “We will be looking for the video on YouTube soon!
About Mi Escuelita Preschool :
Mi Escuelita serves children ages 2-5 and is located at St Matthews in Dallas. Mi Escuelita Head Start locations admit children ages 3-4, while Mi Escuelita Private locations admit children ages 2½-4. With over 80% of language skills developed by age 5, early childhood education is imperative to reduce dropout rates in later years. In Dallas, the dropout rate among Hispanic children with limited English proficiency is estimated to be 64%. Over 80% of Hispanic dropouts claim that their inability to effectively communicate in English significantly impacted their decision to leave school. Mi Escuelita works with at-risk children to ensure that they receive a quality education as well as preventative health, dental, vision, nutritional, speech, and behavioral care.
To learn more about Mi Escuelita and how you can get involved visit their website at www.miescuelita.org
Read more!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Temp Jobs down 63,000 in April
From Staffing Industry Analysts: "Less worse: Temp jobs off 63,000 in April!
The April decline in temporary help payrolls, of 63,000 jobs, was the smallest since October. It’s also noteworthy that the temporary share of total employment losses has been moderating—in the first half of 2008, temporary job losses accounted for about a quarter of all jobs lost, but that share has been declining and in the last three months averaged just 10.9%."
What does this mean? A few things: 1)Considering the monthly average of temp job loss was averaging 80,000 per month October through March, this shows signs of slowing down 2)This shows that companies are looking to keep a "flexible" workforce currently rather than bringing on full time employees.
This is is definitely in line with what we here at SkillStorm have seen in the past recessions. Companies hiring will first start with the "flexible" hire in a risk adverse measure to see what happens in the economic climate. The old adage of "putting a foot in the water before jumping in!".
Find a great staffing firm and get yourself leveraged with them NOW! Here at SkillStorm and StormStaff (www.skillstorm.com or www.stormstaff.com ) we are ready and wanting to help!
Read more!
The April decline in temporary help payrolls, of 63,000 jobs, was the smallest since October. It’s also noteworthy that the temporary share of total employment losses has been moderating—in the first half of 2008, temporary job losses accounted for about a quarter of all jobs lost, but that share has been declining and in the last three months averaged just 10.9%."
What does this mean? A few things: 1)Considering the monthly average of temp job loss was averaging 80,000 per month October through March, this shows signs of slowing down 2)This shows that companies are looking to keep a "flexible" workforce currently rather than bringing on full time employees.
This is is definitely in line with what we here at SkillStorm have seen in the past recessions. Companies hiring will first start with the "flexible" hire in a risk adverse measure to see what happens in the economic climate. The old adage of "putting a foot in the water before jumping in!".
Find a great staffing firm and get yourself leveraged with them NOW! Here at SkillStorm and StormStaff (www.skillstorm.com or www.stormstaff.com ) we are ready and wanting to help!
Read more!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
DOW and Hiring
Many questions have come up of course recently about how the stock market can show signs of job growth. Now, I will not call myself an expert at this, but this is an opinion based on my years in this business and past recessions. Some key points have been the strength in the DOW to stay over 8k over the last few months. Now, also the volume of trades has increased tremendously which certainly shows signs that investors are starting to get back in the game.
The overall economic situation show signs that the rate of economic decline is abating which leads to assumption that the slump should end by late this year. Emerging economies have generally
weathered the recession better than developed ones and seem likely to have stronger
recoveries. Thanks to aggressive stimulus, the US and China should be first to recover.
So, with all that being said, I can see companies feeling more confidence in hiring when stabilization in the DOW pushes above the 8500 mark and we see the financial sector starting to open up the check books for business loans. Short and sweet...look for job growth to increase by end of 2009 and early 2010. Keep the faith and use all your resources to find work....remember, most companies will hire project, temporary's, and contract labor before full time employees. Find a great staffing firm like SkillStorm or StormStaff and let them do their best to help you find work.
Brian Brown
EVP
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
JOB HUNTING TIPS - NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
We know many people are on the job search, so we thought it might be helpful to put together some tried and true tips on the job hunting process. Click here to check them out or visit:
http://www.SkillStormFamily.com/jobhuntingtips
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http://www.SkillStormFamily.com/jobhuntingtips
Read more!
Friday, April 10, 2009
HOW IMPORTANT IS SOCIAL NETWORKING?
Social networking has stirred up quite a buzz in the past few years. By now, most people have checked out or at least heard of sites such as Facebook.com, LinkedIn.com, MySpace.com and Twitter.com. These are a few of the most popular, and better yet, they are free to use!
These sites have benefitted the recruiting business immensely and can be extremely effective for sourcing and recruiting job candidates. Many companies are using sites like these to post open jobs and keep potential candidates up-to-date on their companies and prospective opportunities.
Need someone with extensive experience? How about recent college graduates, or even college students for that matter? No problem. These sites are used by a wide variety of people, ranging from top-level professionals to entry-level candidates.
Finding highly qualified professionals can be tough sometimes, but networking technology can help recruiters reach a whole other pool of candidates to help them find the right fit for the job. Recruiters should take full advantage of every resource and tool at their disposal, and social networking sites are no exception.
Read more!
These sites have benefitted the recruiting business immensely and can be extremely effective for sourcing and recruiting job candidates. Many companies are using sites like these to post open jobs and keep potential candidates up-to-date on their companies and prospective opportunities.
Need someone with extensive experience? How about recent college graduates, or even college students for that matter? No problem. These sites are used by a wide variety of people, ranging from top-level professionals to entry-level candidates.
Finding highly qualified professionals can be tough sometimes, but networking technology can help recruiters reach a whole other pool of candidates to help them find the right fit for the job. Recruiters should take full advantage of every resource and tool at their disposal, and social networking sites are no exception.
Read more!
Friday, March 27, 2009
RECRUITING HIRING TRENDS AND COMMON MISTAKES
Recently, we had the chance to sit down and chat with Brian Brown, Executive Vice President of SkillStorm, about hiring trends and mistakes companies tend to make in the recruiting business. He offered some great insight and advice.
Interviewer:
You have been counseling recruiters and customers about hiring trends and mistakes for over 12 years now. What are some of most valuable things you have learned over the course of this time?
Brian Brown:
With 12 years in the recruiting and staffing business and being part of the recession in the mid-1990’s and also after 9/11, I have learned a great deal. When you look at hiring trends and mistakes companies have made, there are a couple of things that come to mind. In the late 1990’s, there was a bidding war during the dot com era where companies were bidding against each other to bring on talent and paying astronomical prices for people in an attempt to get them to join their organizations. After 9/11, we saw a lot of these companies laying off a ton of people. When they started hiring again, they started hiring at the lowest possible salary rates, which caused a lot of people to feel undervalued and go from one company to the next. Companies were losing talent and taking the best available talent, but not at the most effective cost. As 2003 rolled around and the housing boom started, companies started hiring again and prices started rising. One of the biggest things that really sticks out in my mind is that people don’t realize that during times of recession there are three huge mistakes that companies can make.
Interviewer:
I understand that you have narrowed it down to 3 common hiring mistakes. What are they and what can people to improve in these 3 areas?
Brian Brown:
Number one, and this is number one for a reason, during these times companies have to take the opportunity to upgrade their current staff when they have the chance. I have done business with hundreds of companies and placed thousands of people over the last 12 years, and there’s a question that I always bring up to managers. “Would you enthusiastically rehire this person knowing what you know now of their work ethic and ability?” Good question, right? There is always someone that is underperforming. Right now, there is an opportunity for companies to upgrade their teams. Here at SkillStorm we call this topgrading: making sure that we are getting the best possible people, at the current market rate, to do the job. You have to take advantage of grabbing the best people available now and replace the people on your team that are not performing well. It puts you at a huge advantage when things start picking up because you have the best team. There are a lot of great people in the marketplace, and if companies are not upgrading their teams now, they are definitely going to feel it as soon as the market picks up again.
Another big mistake is not understanding that recruiting is sales. A lot of people may take a little bit of a backseat to this, but the fact of the matter is that recruiting is an ancillary function of human resources. The HR function is not to be a salesperson or constantly reach out on behalf of an organization to attract the people. Recruiting is not posting a job on a job board and then waiting for someone to respond. Companies have to think about their current and future needs and need a formalized process to attract only the top talent. This includes a formal plan using all social networking sites, job boards, employee referrals, staffing agencies, executive recruiters, networking events and all other resources available to them. When you utilize these tools, it’s going to be key to your success. However, the big mistake that I can point out to people out there that are looking to bring people on board is that all of these things are null and void unless you have somebody with a sales-like personality calling out to these folks, developing a proactive plan, negotiating, selling your company and actually courting the best candidates to be intrigued and excited by your company. They use a sales script. A recruiter who looks at acquiring talent as sales will handle objections up front, ask for referrals, sell the company and be the company’s first line of defense for negotiating compensation, not just the salary. Most importantly, they do it all proactively, so that companies have a pipeline of people to look at it. The bottom line is that companies have to realize that recruiting is sales. It’s a sales-related job, not just throwing together a job description and putting it up on a website.
The third mistake is not taking the time to train managers on how to interview. Hiring managers talk to candidates every day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to candidates that I have put to work for clients and also people that interviewed for jobs. They came back to me with a bizarre look on their faces due to the poor interview skills of the hiring managers. Not only that, but the list of questions I have heard managers ask candidates have absolutely no relevance to anything regarding the position. Even when a company has done their job to bring somebody into the organization to be interviewed, they still end up shooting themselves in the foot by not having somebody that is engaged and trained on how to actually interview someone, get behavioral questions answered and find out if they can do the job as well as fit within a team. More times than not I see managers discount the best person for a job because within the first couple of minutes they do not feel like they can personally associate with the candidate, which causes companies to miss out on great talent, just because the manager has not been trained on the proper ways to interview candidates and bring them into the fold.
With the unemployment rate on the rise, this is a fantastic time for organizations to upgrade their staff, understand that bringing the best people to their company is a sales function and taking the time to properly interview and train people that are conducting interviews. This is going to bring great results to companies and really help them escalate and achieve tremendous success during these tough economic times.
Interviewer:
What would you say the secret to success is in the hiring world?
Brian Brown:
Don’t miss out on great people because you assume your hiring manager knows how to interview. Also, don’t forget that to bring the best people into your company, you need someone that is trained on how to proactively recruit, ask for referrals and perform tough negotiations. Most importantly, you have to take advantage of the fact that you can upgrade and improve your team by bringing better performers on staff.
Read more!
Interviewer:
You have been counseling recruiters and customers about hiring trends and mistakes for over 12 years now. What are some of most valuable things you have learned over the course of this time?
Brian Brown:
With 12 years in the recruiting and staffing business and being part of the recession in the mid-1990’s and also after 9/11, I have learned a great deal. When you look at hiring trends and mistakes companies have made, there are a couple of things that come to mind. In the late 1990’s, there was a bidding war during the dot com era where companies were bidding against each other to bring on talent and paying astronomical prices for people in an attempt to get them to join their organizations. After 9/11, we saw a lot of these companies laying off a ton of people. When they started hiring again, they started hiring at the lowest possible salary rates, which caused a lot of people to feel undervalued and go from one company to the next. Companies were losing talent and taking the best available talent, but not at the most effective cost. As 2003 rolled around and the housing boom started, companies started hiring again and prices started rising. One of the biggest things that really sticks out in my mind is that people don’t realize that during times of recession there are three huge mistakes that companies can make.
Interviewer:
I understand that you have narrowed it down to 3 common hiring mistakes. What are they and what can people to improve in these 3 areas?
Brian Brown:
Number one, and this is number one for a reason, during these times companies have to take the opportunity to upgrade their current staff when they have the chance. I have done business with hundreds of companies and placed thousands of people over the last 12 years, and there’s a question that I always bring up to managers. “Would you enthusiastically rehire this person knowing what you know now of their work ethic and ability?” Good question, right? There is always someone that is underperforming. Right now, there is an opportunity for companies to upgrade their teams. Here at SkillStorm we call this topgrading: making sure that we are getting the best possible people, at the current market rate, to do the job. You have to take advantage of grabbing the best people available now and replace the people on your team that are not performing well. It puts you at a huge advantage when things start picking up because you have the best team. There are a lot of great people in the marketplace, and if companies are not upgrading their teams now, they are definitely going to feel it as soon as the market picks up again.
Another big mistake is not understanding that recruiting is sales. A lot of people may take a little bit of a backseat to this, but the fact of the matter is that recruiting is an ancillary function of human resources. The HR function is not to be a salesperson or constantly reach out on behalf of an organization to attract the people. Recruiting is not posting a job on a job board and then waiting for someone to respond. Companies have to think about their current and future needs and need a formalized process to attract only the top talent. This includes a formal plan using all social networking sites, job boards, employee referrals, staffing agencies, executive recruiters, networking events and all other resources available to them. When you utilize these tools, it’s going to be key to your success. However, the big mistake that I can point out to people out there that are looking to bring people on board is that all of these things are null and void unless you have somebody with a sales-like personality calling out to these folks, developing a proactive plan, negotiating, selling your company and actually courting the best candidates to be intrigued and excited by your company. They use a sales script. A recruiter who looks at acquiring talent as sales will handle objections up front, ask for referrals, sell the company and be the company’s first line of defense for negotiating compensation, not just the salary. Most importantly, they do it all proactively, so that companies have a pipeline of people to look at it. The bottom line is that companies have to realize that recruiting is sales. It’s a sales-related job, not just throwing together a job description and putting it up on a website.
The third mistake is not taking the time to train managers on how to interview. Hiring managers talk to candidates every day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to candidates that I have put to work for clients and also people that interviewed for jobs. They came back to me with a bizarre look on their faces due to the poor interview skills of the hiring managers. Not only that, but the list of questions I have heard managers ask candidates have absolutely no relevance to anything regarding the position. Even when a company has done their job to bring somebody into the organization to be interviewed, they still end up shooting themselves in the foot by not having somebody that is engaged and trained on how to actually interview someone, get behavioral questions answered and find out if they can do the job as well as fit within a team. More times than not I see managers discount the best person for a job because within the first couple of minutes they do not feel like they can personally associate with the candidate, which causes companies to miss out on great talent, just because the manager has not been trained on the proper ways to interview candidates and bring them into the fold.
With the unemployment rate on the rise, this is a fantastic time for organizations to upgrade their staff, understand that bringing the best people to their company is a sales function and taking the time to properly interview and train people that are conducting interviews. This is going to bring great results to companies and really help them escalate and achieve tremendous success during these tough economic times.
Interviewer:
What would you say the secret to success is in the hiring world?
Brian Brown:
Don’t miss out on great people because you assume your hiring manager knows how to interview. Also, don’t forget that to bring the best people into your company, you need someone that is trained on how to proactively recruit, ask for referrals and perform tough negotiations. Most importantly, you have to take advantage of the fact that you can upgrade and improve your team by bringing better performers on staff.
Read more!
Monday, March 23, 2009
ARE RECRUITERS STEPPING UP AND STAYING MOTIVATED?
Are we doing all we can as recruiters? It seems that when things heat up in the staffing business, recruiters tend to be more on their “A” game, so to speak. Now, there just aren’t as many positions to fill as in the past. With fewer positions to fill, recruiters may become discouraged and sometimes overlook the steps vital to filling open positions.
The recruiting business is competitive and can be quite challenging, but it’s what we do when we are faced with those challenges that allows us to overcome those hurdles and come out on top.How can you stay motivated when times get tough? Here are some tips:
Read more!
The recruiting business is competitive and can be quite challenging, but it’s what we do when we are faced with those challenges that allows us to overcome those hurdles and come out on top.How can you stay motivated when times get tough? Here are some tips:
- Set goals.
- Take responsibility and hold yourself accountable for your actions.
- Get involved in contests and competitions within your company.
- Reward yourself for your successes.
- Keep your eye on the prize.
- Maintain a healthy work/ life balance.
- Have fun!
Recruiters’ skills need to be razor-sharp; they can’t afford to miss a beat. It is imperative that we find the best possible candidates and also get them to accept offers. Sometimes, this is no easy feat. The pressure is on and the stakes are high, so we all have to be on top of our game.
Read more!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
MAXIMIZING YOUR JOB SEARCH
The job search process can seem very overwhelming but with SkillStorm’s guide to maximizing your job search, you can easily get on track to finding your career path. The job search process can be divided into two parts—preparing for your job search and implementing it.
Preparing For Your Job Search
The first step in preparing for your job search is deciding what it is that you would like to do. It would be nearly impossible to find a job or career path if you don’t know what you want to do. In fact, that will most likely be the first question asked by many recruiters and potential employers. If you don’t have a good answer for this question, your recruiter will be unable to effectively help you find your perfect job match.
The next step is to put together a resume, including an online version. For helpful information on creating a professional resume, check out our Resume Writing Tips at http://www.skillstormfamily.com/resumetips.
Remember to use a professional email address on your resume as opposed to user names such as Hottie123@xyz.com.
Implementing Your Job Search
A good way to implement your job search is to reach out to a local recruiter, such as a SkillStorm recruiter, depending on your field of expertise. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one and a recruiter will help you find opportunities you might otherwise not find on your own. Recruiters can find the best fit for your specific skills and career needs, whether you are looking for a short-term or permanent position.
Another good way to implement your job search is to select a few job posting sites and focus your search on those sites. There are hundreds of different job posting sites on the web so it may seem like an overwhelming task to navigate through all of them. Choosing a few key sites, such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, will help you focus on companies and opportunities that are of interest to you. If you have selected potential employers, track down and visit the employer’s website for more information about the company.
Online networking sites are also a great resource during your job search. Sites such as LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com and Ziggs.com are great ways to network with recruiters, potential employers and other job seekers. One thing to keep in mind when using online networking sites is to pay attention to your online persona. Potential employers may be viewing your online profiles or reading your blog so make sure to keep it professional.
One of the most important aspects of your job search is following up with companies you have contacted. You should be relentless but polite. For example, once you send your resume, follow up with a phone call to make sure it was received by the correct person. This is a good opportunity to also ask about the position for which you’ve sent your resume. Following up via email is also acceptable but keep in mind that not every email message sent is received and read. Many companies have sensitive spam mail filters and your message may end up in a junk folder so following up by phone is highly recommended.
Another helpful habit is to track your job search. You should set up a process so you know where you have sent your resume, what job sites have given you the best results, what interviews you have set up, etc. There are even websites such as Jibberjobber.com that will help you track your job searching progress.
Read more!
Preparing For Your Job Search
The first step in preparing for your job search is deciding what it is that you would like to do. It would be nearly impossible to find a job or career path if you don’t know what you want to do. In fact, that will most likely be the first question asked by many recruiters and potential employers. If you don’t have a good answer for this question, your recruiter will be unable to effectively help you find your perfect job match.
The next step is to put together a resume, including an online version. For helpful information on creating a professional resume, check out our Resume Writing Tips at http://www.skillstormfamily.com/resumetips.
Remember to use a professional email address on your resume as opposed to user names such as Hottie123@xyz.com.
Implementing Your Job Search
A good way to implement your job search is to reach out to a local recruiter, such as a SkillStorm recruiter, depending on your field of expertise. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one and a recruiter will help you find opportunities you might otherwise not find on your own. Recruiters can find the best fit for your specific skills and career needs, whether you are looking for a short-term or permanent position.
Another good way to implement your job search is to select a few job posting sites and focus your search on those sites. There are hundreds of different job posting sites on the web so it may seem like an overwhelming task to navigate through all of them. Choosing a few key sites, such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, will help you focus on companies and opportunities that are of interest to you. If you have selected potential employers, track down and visit the employer’s website for more information about the company.
Online networking sites are also a great resource during your job search. Sites such as LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com and Ziggs.com are great ways to network with recruiters, potential employers and other job seekers. One thing to keep in mind when using online networking sites is to pay attention to your online persona. Potential employers may be viewing your online profiles or reading your blog so make sure to keep it professional.
One of the most important aspects of your job search is following up with companies you have contacted. You should be relentless but polite. For example, once you send your resume, follow up with a phone call to make sure it was received by the correct person. This is a good opportunity to also ask about the position for which you’ve sent your resume. Following up via email is also acceptable but keep in mind that not every email message sent is received and read. Many companies have sensitive spam mail filters and your message may end up in a junk folder so following up by phone is highly recommended.
Another helpful habit is to track your job search. You should set up a process so you know where you have sent your resume, what job sites have given you the best results, what interviews you have set up, etc. There are even websites such as Jibberjobber.com that will help you track your job searching progress.
Read more!
Friday, February 27, 2009
ECONOMY PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFFING INDUSTRY
The current state of the economy is hitting businesses hard, with many companies throughout the country implementing hiring freezes and laying off employees. This presents opportunities for those in the staffing industry to reach out to those professionals and place them in new jobs. Companies are also in need of talented professionals to help them make it through these rough economic times and grow their businesses.
The staffing industry has a great impact on our economy. More Americans are becoming hopeful that the economy will improve this year, and although it will most likely take years to bring it back to steady ground, SkillStorm continues to find the right talent to meet and exceed businesses' staffing needs and also benefit the U.S. job market by providing top-quality, efficient services to both workers and employers.
Read more!
The staffing industry has a great impact on our economy. More Americans are becoming hopeful that the economy will improve this year, and although it will most likely take years to bring it back to steady ground, SkillStorm continues to find the right talent to meet and exceed businesses' staffing needs and also benefit the U.S. job market by providing top-quality, efficient services to both workers and employers.
Read more!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
SKILLSTORM ON SAN DIEGO LIVING ON CHANNEL 6, THE CW
Need help with nailing that job interview? Want to make sure you’re fully prepared for the interview?
Get great tips and advice from SkillStorm Executive Director and Senior Vice President Brian Brown, a recent guest on San Diego Living, a daily morning show on TV Channel 6, The CW. In this interview, Brian talks about the importance of business ethics and also provides job interview strategies and tips.
Check out the video by clicking on this link!
Read more!
Get great tips and advice from SkillStorm Executive Director and Senior Vice President Brian Brown, a recent guest on San Diego Living, a daily morning show on TV Channel 6, The CW. In this interview, Brian talks about the importance of business ethics and also provides job interview strategies and tips.
Check out the video by clicking on this link!
Read more!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
AWARD-WINNING COMPANY
SkillStorm has received many highly regarded national and state awards, including:
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2009 Best Places to Work Award
• San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB) 2008 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics
• Orlando Business Journal’s 2008 Outstanding Small Business Award
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2008 Best Places to Work Award
• American Business Awards 2008: Stevie Award for Best Sales Trainer
• Orlando Business Journal’s 2008 40 Under 40 Award
• Ranked #2 on San Diego Daily Transcript’s Staffing Firms List for 2008
• Ranked #2 on Charlotte Business Journal’s Largest Contingency Executive Search Firms List for 2008
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2008 Up & Comers Awards, Finalist
• Ranked #14 on San Diego Business Journal’s Permanent Placement Services List for 2008
• Ranked #15 on Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Professional Employer Organizations List for 2008
• Orlando Business Journal’s 2007 Best Places to Work in Central Florida Award
• Ranked #10 on South Florida Tech 100 List for 2007
• Ranked #20 on San Diego Business Journal’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Privately-Held Companies List for 2007
• Ranked #28 on San Diego Business Journal’s Full-Time Placement Services List for 2007
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2007 Business of the Year Award in the Professional Services Category, Finalist
• Tampa Bay Technology Forum 2007 Professional Services Company Award, Finalist
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2007 Best Places to Work Award, Finalist
• Ranked 13th Fastest Growing New Company in America in 2006 on Entrepreneur Magazine and PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Hot 100 List
• Governor’s Entrepreneurship Award in Florida’s Mega Market for 2006
• Ranked #6 on San Diego Business Journal’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Privately-Held Companies List for 2006
• Ranked #4 on South Florida Tech 100 List for 2006
• ITFlorida 2006 Government Technology Leadership Award in the Private Companies Category, Finalist
• ITFlorida 2006 High Growth Company of the Year Award, Finalist
• Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2006 Business of the Year Award, Finalist
• South Florida Business Journal's 2006 Technology Award in the Professional Services Category
Read more!
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2009 Best Places to Work Award
• San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB) 2008 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics
• Orlando Business Journal’s 2008 Outstanding Small Business Award
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2008 Best Places to Work Award
• American Business Awards 2008: Stevie Award for Best Sales Trainer
• Orlando Business Journal’s 2008 40 Under 40 Award
• Ranked #2 on San Diego Daily Transcript’s Staffing Firms List for 2008
• Ranked #2 on Charlotte Business Journal’s Largest Contingency Executive Search Firms List for 2008
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2008 Up & Comers Awards, Finalist
• Ranked #14 on San Diego Business Journal’s Permanent Placement Services List for 2008
• Ranked #15 on Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Professional Employer Organizations List for 2008
• Orlando Business Journal’s 2007 Best Places to Work in Central Florida Award
• Ranked #10 on South Florida Tech 100 List for 2007
• Ranked #20 on San Diego Business Journal’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Privately-Held Companies List for 2007
• Ranked #28 on San Diego Business Journal’s Full-Time Placement Services List for 2007
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2007 Business of the Year Award in the Professional Services Category, Finalist
• Tampa Bay Technology Forum 2007 Professional Services Company Award, Finalist
• South Florida Business Journal’s 2007 Best Places to Work Award, Finalist
• Ranked 13th Fastest Growing New Company in America in 2006 on Entrepreneur Magazine and PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Hot 100 List
• Governor’s Entrepreneurship Award in Florida’s Mega Market for 2006
• Ranked #6 on San Diego Business Journal’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Privately-Held Companies List for 2006
• Ranked #4 on South Florida Tech 100 List for 2006
• ITFlorida 2006 Government Technology Leadership Award in the Private Companies Category, Finalist
• ITFlorida 2006 High Growth Company of the Year Award, Finalist
• Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2006 Business of the Year Award, Finalist
• South Florida Business Journal's 2006 Technology Award in the Professional Services Category
Read more!
Friday, February 6, 2009
SKILLSTORM PROMOTES JIM JACKSON TO CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
SkillStorm has promoted Jim Jackson to the position of Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. With more than 35 years of experience in the Information Technology, Aerospace, Government, Distribution, Automotive, Energy and Utilities, Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Transportation and Telecommunications industries, he is responsible for the design, operation and improvement of the systems that create and deliver the company's services; his primary focus is operations improvement. He also oversees corporate support and business alliances, providing management support for Contracts, Human Resources, Information Technology, Information Systems, Legal, Procurement, Real Estate, Security, Corporate Reporting and overall policies, procedures and corporate control functions. Jackson is based out of the SkillStorm corporate headquarters office, located in San Diego, California.
Prior to his promotion, Jackson was the Vice President, Project Services for Enterprise Project Services, a division of SkillStorm, a role in which he was responsible for the development and growth of SkillStorm by integrating the Enterprise Project Services division into the company. He was also in charge of management consulting, focusing on project management services and business and technical solutions for clients.
Jackson previously served as Vice President, Chief Information Officer of a global manufacturer of packaging products where he was the primary strategic leader responsible for defining and implementing a new Information Technology architecture and core infrastructure to support the company’s goals, providing revenue growth of over $600 million in 5 years.
Jackson has owned his own management consulting company; he managed teams of client staff and outside consultants over multiple projects, while controlling budgets and schedules to meet business goals and objectives. Jackson successfully built and operated the company for over 12 years, providing Distribution and Logistics Systems Integration services. He also served as Management Consultant, Project Manager, Business Analyst and Systems Integrator during his time with the company.
Jackson has been recognized for his accomplishments through various awards. He was the recipient of an industry award for superior leadership and strategic direction and was also honored as one of Computerworld’s Top 100 CIOs in 2002.
Jackson gives back to the community through numerous charitable and civic organizations. On a continuous basis, he makes financial contributions to the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the American Heart Association and the Humane Society. Jackson participated in a 5k Walk/ Run for the MS Society. He also served as the Support Group Coordinator for the organization.
Jackson is a Project Management Professional (PMP). He also holds a Certificate in Data Processing (CDP) and is a Six Sigma Champion.
Jackson studied Computer Science and Mathematics at Oregon State University.
Read more!
Prior to his promotion, Jackson was the Vice President, Project Services for Enterprise Project Services, a division of SkillStorm, a role in which he was responsible for the development and growth of SkillStorm by integrating the Enterprise Project Services division into the company. He was also in charge of management consulting, focusing on project management services and business and technical solutions for clients.
Jackson previously served as Vice President, Chief Information Officer of a global manufacturer of packaging products where he was the primary strategic leader responsible for defining and implementing a new Information Technology architecture and core infrastructure to support the company’s goals, providing revenue growth of over $600 million in 5 years.
Jackson has owned his own management consulting company; he managed teams of client staff and outside consultants over multiple projects, while controlling budgets and schedules to meet business goals and objectives. Jackson successfully built and operated the company for over 12 years, providing Distribution and Logistics Systems Integration services. He also served as Management Consultant, Project Manager, Business Analyst and Systems Integrator during his time with the company.
Jackson has been recognized for his accomplishments through various awards. He was the recipient of an industry award for superior leadership and strategic direction and was also honored as one of Computerworld’s Top 100 CIOs in 2002.
Jackson gives back to the community through numerous charitable and civic organizations. On a continuous basis, he makes financial contributions to the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society, the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the American Heart Association and the Humane Society. Jackson participated in a 5k Walk/ Run for the MS Society. He also served as the Support Group Coordinator for the organization.
Jackson is a Project Management Professional (PMP). He also holds a Certificate in Data Processing (CDP) and is a Six Sigma Champion.
Jackson studied Computer Science and Mathematics at Oregon State University.
Read more!
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