Thank You – Readership hits 1500 a week!

Friends,

I want to thank you for your continued support. Canadian Recruitment Insider is being read by 1500 professionals like you every single week.

I hope to provide some more information in the weeks and months to come regarding the recruitment industry including Q&As with high level executives, a detailed analysis on the best and worst recruitment companies in Canada and continued articles relating to employment.

Please keep on reading and passing on anything useful to people you know who are having challenges in this tepid job market.

Jay Zaidi – jzaidi1@hotmail.com

What To Do When An Employer Says “NO”

Chances are, those who are currently unemployed and seeking employment are either no receiving responses to applications or ARE getting to the interview stage but not moving forward.

Why?

It’s simple.  You don’t fit the quote-un-quote role.  The reality is there is someone out there who has more experience, education and determination asking for the same role.

We often here the word NO but it’s never that direct.  It comes in the form of a non-response (the employer stops communicating all together) or “we are not going to move forward with you at this time”.  The reason for the friendly turn-away is simple.  Anything beyond the standard response could be seen as litigious. 

Imagine what would happen if someone actually gave you honest feedback.  You’d either be extremely gracious or crushed.  Chances are you’d be crushed.  Think about it, if an HR person you interviewed with told you that the reason why he/she are not moving forward is because your breath was bad, or your suit was too small OR you are too fat it could possibly pose some legal issues.

So if you do not receive a response or you hear word that you are not moving forward then it is incumbent upon YOU to find out why and improve/correct yourself.  Below is an outline of what to do.  This is only a partial list but should cover the basics:

• Never speak poorly or respond emotionally to negative news.  It will just reinforce the notion that the employer made the right decision to end your journey.  Every communication must be professional and polished.  I’ve seen too many candidates blow up when they receive bad news.
• Ask questions.  You may not get a response but you’ve invested time in the interview process.  Ask what you can do in order to improve yourself in the future.  Ask to remain a candidate for similar roles with them.  Ask if the employer knows peers in other industries looking for similar people.  Check with them to see if it is ok to email them once in a while (once a month/once a quarter).
• Add the employer to your professional network.  LinkedIN is a brilliant way to remain in contact.  It doesn’t hurt to send an invite.  Just be careful that you don’t project the wrong image.
• Refer your aptly skilled peers to the employer from time to time.  They may not have chosen you, but they might pick your buddy for a similar role.  You would win favours with the hiring manager and your friend on the “inside”.
• Remain positive.  Keep in mind that every “NO” gets you closer to a YES – you have to constantly improve yourself though – aggregate all the feedback and use that as a jump point for improvement.

Understand, It’s a tough market for virtually everyone right now.  A NO should never be taken personally despite the market conditions.  Companies still need to hire people, and in the coming years the prospects will only look brighter.

**This article was written by Jay Zaidi – jzaidi1@hotmail.com

“Take Aways” From A Bad Interview

Everyone is bound to have a bad interview at least once in their life.  I define “bad” as a meeting to which no one benefits from.  Yes, even recruitment professionals looking for a new gig are prone to the same challenges as everyone else.

I recently met a VP at a national recruiting firm.  It took over 4 weeks, a personality profile and a re-scheduled meeting before I met with this person.  I could tell the minute I sat down that I had more knowledge and experience in the recruitment business than this person did.  Not to say this VP wasn’t a good person (seemed really nice actually), but lack of this person’s industry knowledge made it hard to make a connection to someone who has never been in the recruitment trenches (it’s an all out WAR at times). 

At first I was thinking that there must be a better use of my time.   My gut was telling me to ”end it quick” but logic prevailed and I was able to sit through it all.  I’m so glad I stuck around too.  It was not a waste fo my time after all – in fact I gained more perspective and insight than I would have researching the company on the net or talking to ex-employees.

So what did I gain?

The first thing you need to understand is that every interaction and transaction has value, regardless of how minute it is.  By meeting with this VP I knew that working along side this person would not serve in my best interest or theirs.  I saved myself some grief and perhaps a career damaging move.  Secondly, I met another player in the recruitment industry that I might be able to contact in the future – business cards are GOLD!

If you walk away from a bad interview please keep the following in mind.  It’ll help build perspective and ultimately enhances your experience.

• NO is a “good” word.  If you meet with a company and they say they are not going to hire you then walk away with a smile.  The more NO’s you get, the greater the chances of you hitting a YES.  In this market it has almost become a game of numbers – and the odds are stacked against you.  Keep rolling the dice.
• Use the inside information you have gained and talk to your peers.  They may be interviewing at the same company and you just may help them move along in the process.  This is good because you have less competition for other roles AND that person will no doubt feel a great deal of gratitude.  Favours are often returned down the line.
• Refer a friend.  If you know you are not going to get the job then offer to refer a friend who is like yourself or a closer fit.   You’ll be doing the interviewer and your friend a favour AND you gain credibility for future employment.  It’s a Win-Win situation for the employer and eventually yourself.
• Solicit feedback.  If you know you are not going to move forward then kindly ask the interviewer what you can do in order to enhance yourself the next time around.  Every meeting is a growth experience but it only works if your intention is to constantly improve yourself.
• Personality – Be consistent and be yourself.  If you feel the meeting hasn’t gone your way then don’t fret.  As long as you know you put forth your very best effort and remain even-keeled about the results (i.e not overly emotional) that is all anyone can ask.
• Always send a thank you note.  Regardless of how good or bad the interview may have seemed, always send a thank you email or card.  WHY?  Simple, it’s polite and that interviewer may know of other openings in the industry that you may be better suited for.

This article was written by Jay Zaidi – jzaidi1@hotmail.com.

Attending a Job Fair? Do It Right.

Stand Out At A Job Fair!

I’ve never been a fan of the job fair.  I’ve only attended 4 in my lifetime (three of those representing a recruitment firm), however I have represented hundreds of people who have attended them.

I wanted to take the opportunity to share with you what types of people caught my attention among the thousands  that passed through the job fairs.  The most successful of these candidates are not necessarily the ones that can immediately fill an open position, rather ones who exhibited the traits to BE successful in any environment.

Follow these pointers and you will no doubt be more successful in getting the attention of a hiring authority working a booth, amongst 1000’s of candidates.

1.  Research -  Do some research and find out before hand what roles each company has listed on their own website.  Make a list of all roles and companies of interest and add them to your MUST VISIT list.  Educate yourself on each and every company you intend to speak with.  Read trade journals and latest news items.

2.  Dress the part – Your first impression is your last impression so make it count.  Wear a suit and tie and polish those dress shoes.  It sounds obvious but you’ll be surprised how many people walk-in with casual wear.  Make sure you take mints with you.  Please DO NOT bring in a bright bag/backpack with you – a leather-ish portfolio looks much cleaner and more professional.  A nice laptop bag should suffice as well.

3.  Show up early – Fact is, by attending the job fair in the morning you’ll be greeted by someone who is engaged and responsive.  By attending after lunch (i.e. a heavy meal) you’ll be engaging with a company representative who is fighting to remain alert and is probably aching a little bit from standing 4+ hours.

4.  Be Happy – DO NOT come across as desperate for a job.  Nothing is more of a turn-off then someone who comes begging and pleading.  The company reps are there to find like-minded individuals who are engaging and presentable.  Maintain your cool and be happy that you are able to speak with a company rep – don’t come across as overly excited either, someone might take it the wrong way and peg you as highly emotional.

5.  Apply only to relevant roles – It’s tempting to apply to every role you believe you are capable of doing (i.e You are a Java Developer but also apply to system administrator roles) but you need to FOCUS.  See point #1 – stick with your hit list and then expand out to other booths if you have time.

6.  The introduction – When you meet with the company representative for the first time, ensure you greet them with a firm handshake with a quick 15 second intro and then start up a conversation.  Let them know you have done your research and are aware/interested in the opportunities they are representing.  Have a ‘good’ targeted resume in-hand and make sure you ask for a business card AND/OR contact info.

7.  Keep in short- When you meet with a company rep it is very easy to get caught up with talking about yourself.  Breath!  Ask questions and keep it conversational.  Let them lead the conversation and the timeline.  If they have to run then thank them for the time and let them know you will follow up with them.  Reality is, if someone finds you interesting they will hold on to you long enough to solicit all the info they need from you.

8.  The follow up – So you attended the job fair and handed out 10 resumes.  Send a personal thank you note to each and every company rep you interacted with.  Chances are they won’t remember you until they see your resume but a concise thank you note with a 3 bullet highlight on what you have to offer should suffice.  Do it the same night!

There are numerous career/job fairs all over the world.  Rather than just attending job/career fairs, you may want to attend industry professional conventions as well- they will often have representatives on-hand looking for passive candidates.

I wish you the best of luck and would be more than happy to take questions and listen to comments regarding YOUR job fair experience.

This article was written by Jay Zaidi – jzaidi1@hotmail.com