I recently read this article by Nick Corcodilos AKA Ask The Headhunter. In my former life as an executive recruiter, specializing in the recruitment of Human Resource professionals, I was often the recruiter in the following scenario. Nick’s recommendation is head on. The only suggestion I offer is to be really honest with the recruiter. Tell the recruiter the “real” compensation range and package you’ll take, and if they meet it you’ll commit to accepting the job. Also negotiate vacation, bonus, etc. It’s too late after the Company says yes to your salary request. If you start adding demands you will put a bad taste in their mouth and can sour the deal.

Question
Through a recruiter, I received an offer for a job that’s a good fit for me with a lot of potential. However, the compensation is below what I expected and I don’t actually need the new job. I’m secure and pretty happy where I am, but I would consider this job if the money were better. I’d like to signal that the current offer is one I won’t accept. How should I negotiate this?
Nick’s Reply
Given that many people can’t get job offers at all nowadays, you’re in a wonderful position. You have an offer for a job that interests you, but you don’t need it. That puts you in the driver’s seat. Your challenge is to get what you want while avoiding a career trap.
Don’t signal. Politely tell the recruiter the truth. Clearly indicate your interest in the job and give the recruiter the facts that prove you’d be a profitable hire.
“I’m very interested in this job for these reasons… (lay them out). If I take the job, I could help this company by… (briefly tell your story).”
Then add the catch:
“But, much as I’m interested, the terms (use that exact word: terms) they’ve suggested would not make it a smart move for me.”
Remember that a recruiter’s job is to get a deal closed. You’ve provided her with good reasons to work on this a bit harder: You said you want the job and you emphasized your value to the employer. This information helps the recruiter negotiate with her client for what you want.
Let the recruiter ask what it would take for you to accept an offer—so she can close the deal. If your request is reasonable, she’s likely to go back to the employer for more salary. Be ready to quote the salary range you want. How do you decide this? Check the three “magic steps” in How to decide how much you want.
Now, set a range that’s between the second and third figures.
If the recruiter can’t work it out for you, then it’s not the right deal. If an offer isn’t going to at least make you happy, it’s not worth accepting. If it doesn’t come close to making you jump with glee, the job probably won’t, either.
One of the most powerful (and smart) things you must be ready to do in any negotiation is walk away if the deal isn’t right for you. If you’re truly ready to do that, the strength of your position comes through in your presentation. If there’s a deal to be made, the other party will realize you’re negotiating from strength. That’s where good deals come from—and it’s how lousy deals are avoided.
Nick is a must for the serious job seeker. His articles can be found at http://www.asktheheadhunter.com/articles.htm
Marty Weitzman
Gilbert Resumes

http://executiveresumewriter.com

The following are arguably 25 of the best groups to join on Linkedin to optimize your opportunities.

1. JobAngels – Non-profit job search network of professionals helping other professionals find job advice and opportunities.
2. Executive Suite – Community of over 100,000 US-based executive-level and recruiter members.
3. Star:Jobs Professional Career Center – Group working in tandem with Linked:HR, the largest Recruiters’ Group on LinkedIn, to help top candidates find jobs quickly and efficiently.
4. Career Rocketeer – Career Launch Network – Fastest-growing professional network for personal branding, career search and career management, bringing job seekers and employers, recruiters and career experts together for mutual success.
5. The Talent Buzz – Group for job seekers, recruiters and HR professionals interested in expanding their professional networks.
6. Helping Friends Career Network (LI2HF) – Business and career network where entrepreneurs, hiring managers, recruiters, and talented professionals worldwide can make meaningful win-win connections.
7. JobsDirectUSA – Official job search group on LinkedIn for JobsDirectUSA.com.
8. Career Change Central – Group linking job changers and professionals in career transition with recruiters, hiring managers and career coaches.
9. CareerLink Network – Community providing job seekers spiritual, physical, social, mental, economic and personal growth to meet their ever-evolving needs
10. Jobs Alert – Job search group for middle and senior-level managers worldwide.
11. A Job Needed – A Job Posted – Group is for all LinkedIn members searching for employment, posting employment or recruiters helping members find employment.
12. Looking for a Job? – Group designed to allow job seekers to share ideas, network, post jobs, advise on job market trends and ultimately help them find work.
13. MyCredentials – Career Presentation – Group helping members to network, expand their resumes and enhance their interview skills.
14. JibberJobber – Career Management – Network for executives, professionals, students and all those involved in the career services industry, including counselors, coaches and resume writers.
15. ResumeMaker Career Network – Forum connecting qualified job seekers with hiring managers and corporate recruiters as well as allowing candidates to discuss and share career opportunities.
16. Personal Branding Network – Consortium for all professionals looking to build powerful personal brands.
17. Indeed.com – Official job search group on LinkedIn for Indeed.com.
18. Project: Get Hired! – Motivational support group exclusively for job hunters to share creative strategies and stay motivated.
19. Job-Hunt Help – Discussion group for job seekers sharing advice and leads and networking to help one another.
20. IMPACT Hiring Solutions Job Search Network – Discussion and networking forum for executives seeking job opportunities.
21. Global Jobs Network – Network for all professionals who would like to be aware of requirements in their respective fields and for organizations & recruiters who are hiring.
22. Job Openings, Job Leads and Job Connections! – One of the largest groups for job seekers on LinkedIn.
23. JOBS 2.0 – Group helping job seekers find a job online using the latest in social and professional networks.
24. The Job Board – Networking group for professionals seeking jobs and recruiters seeking candidates.
25. Self-Recruiter® – Job Search & Career Management – Discussion and networking forum helping job seekers become their own specialist, their own career counselor, and their own recruiter.

As a leader in the distribution of resumes to domestic recruiters, venture capital, and private equity firms, I am often asked about overseas executive recruiters. On September 1st, Gilbert Resumes will be officially launching its exclusive résumé distribution service, directed solely to executive recruiters in Europe, MENA, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Canada. We will continue to work directly with job seekers and career services providers.

GILBERT GAZETTE
(800) 967-3846
resumepro

http://executiveresumewriter.com

A monthly publication of Gilbert Resumes, featuring timely career articles, career websites, and suggestions for today’s job seekers.

Finding a Culture for Success

If you’ve ever found yourself in a company that doesn’t value your skills, you’ll appreciate the discussion on finding the right corporate culture for the skills you bring to an organization. In this post, we’ll take a quick look at how you can overcome a very common barrier for moving your career to the next level.

Job fit is fairly easy for the company and the individual to figure out; that is, you have the skills for the job or either the company feels they can teach you what you need to know. Organization or culture fit is much more difficult. It is essentially the alignment of beliefs and values of you and the company.

When companies interview candidates for hire, one would hope that they are asking questions that will assess both fits. Unfortunately, many companies don’t know what their values are. It’s fairly safe to say that many people that get involved in the interview process don’t fully understand their own company’s culture. Assessing whether you will fit or not is too difficult for most interviewers and usually doesn’t happen.

Defining your values. It is useful for you to have a good understanding of why you work. Sure, we all work for the money. But do you work for increasing technical challenge, higher levels of authority, or high visibility? One thing most highly educated professionals value is graduate degrees. The advanced degree is a tool for supporting the desire to do higher level tasks.

Other values that professionals seek are affiliation, autonomy, intellectual challenge, managing people, power, influence, prestige, recognition, security, variety and so on. If you want to achieve higher levels of success within someone else’s organization, you have to know your values and how you will use them.

To know what type of environment that you would thrive in, you must first understand what you value. If your values are not present in your environment, you won’t be happy. You’ll become restless and will make a change. Sometimes this change is a conscious move to another company or it can be a subtle transformation to self-defeating behavior that drives a wedge between you and the company, forcing them to remove you.

As mentioned earlier, ascertaining the values of a company from an interview is a big challenge. So maybe it isn’t the best place to look.

Consider your career goals to define the location for a values assessment.

At all levels of management, values are different, but most managers strive to be similar to the managers at the highest levels. Henry Mintzberg defined the Ten Managerial Roles in 1973, outlining the typical behavior for CEOs. Later on, Pavett and Lau (1983) performed similar studies of lower and middle level managers and found that they emulated the higher level managers.

To align your strengths and skills with an organization, you need to align them with the values of higher level management. If they value what you have, you will be more successful. If they don’t, you’ll have a difficult time becoming extremely successful. After all, people don’t like to change, especially if they value security.

Reaching your career goals in someone else’s organization is difficult. We often find ourselves in groups that don’t appreciate our skills and abilities. Of course, we don’t know what kind of culture we are in until we are neck deep in it. At that point, it can be painful and waste a lot of time trying to get out of the company and into a new one.

Read the full article here: http://www.careerrocketeer.com/search?q=Finding+a+Culture+for+Success

—Career Rocketeer, June 2010

Personal Branding Basics

To me PERSONAL BRANDING is how you differentiate yourself from your competition and let people know how special you are. So here are a few ways to establish a personal brand on your resume, online and in person.

1: Create a tag line that sums up who you are in one or two sentences.

For some it can be a very simple statement and for others something a little more innovative. Then place it at the top of your resume directly below your name and contact information separated by a double line. Here are 2 examples.

PPM \ PMO Manager

“Expertise developing process & methodology to manage a portfolio of 200 projects valued at $275M annually”
OR
Highly Skilled R&D Engineer

“Transforming your existing products and processes into ones your competition will envy”

2: Design a great business card that accentuates your brand

Depending on your field, you can be conservative, colorful or innovative. Whichever you choose, use both sides of the business card. Generally the front has your contact info and your brand, and on the back of the card place has an ad for what you have to offer.

There are several companies online who have professional templates to choose from, or will print your artwork for you at a reasonable cost. Zazzle and Vistaprint are two I know of. They can also print matching stationary, return labels, hats, tee shirts and other materials to help grow your brand.

3. Work on your public persona

Position yourself as an expert in your field by seeking public speaking engagements in front of target audiences. You can join civic and fraternal organizations which can help you solidify your bonifides and help you build your network.

4. Be a networking group leader

Join a group and become the most active member, or start your own live or online networking group in your field or community. Look at what interests similar groups and bring your name and expertise to the forefront by asking and answering relevant questions and exchanging job and networking leads with as many people as possible.

5. Create a public perception

Work on your social media profiles. Keep them current and relevant and make sure they show people more than just a boring “widget maker” looking for a job. Let your personality shine through. Set goals and a schedule of how many group responses you will reply to and how many tweets you will post each week.

6. Maintain your own blog

Blogging is a great way to establish your brand, show yourself as a subject matter expert and network to get other people to join and contribute.

7. Be open and available

Let people you know, as well as total strangers know that you are always available to help them by sharing your knowledge, your skills and your contacts with anyone who needs it. Get in the habit of Paying It Forward and you will see a lot of payback.

Career Rocketeer

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing, Job Search & Interview Coaching
Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution
Cover & Thank You Letters
Linked Profiles – Biographies
Online Identity Programs
Networking Training

Contact Marty Weitzman
Gilbert Resumes
800.967.3846

http://executiveresumewriter.com

http://resumepro.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

To remove your name from our mailing list, please type remove in the subject line and send an email to martin.weitzman

GILBERT GAZETTE

MARTIN WEITZMAN, NCRW, RPBS, IJCTC

(800) 967-3846

resumepro

http://executiveresumewriter.com

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF GILBERT RESUMES, FEATURING TIMELY CAREER ARTICLES, CAREER WEBSITES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY’S JOB SEEKERS.

What to Wear in an Interview

Creative Ways to Market Yourself

Dress for Success: What to Wear in an Interview

You’ve heard it before. Your first impression can make you or break you when it comes to a job interview. And when it comes to making a dynamic first impression, it’s key you dress for the job you want. Making sure you look the part not only packages you as a ready-to-hire employee, but it can boost your confidence as well.

Here are five things to keep in mind when you’re choosing the right outfit for your big day:

1. Err on the side of dressing up, not down.

It’s important in a job interview that you stay more conservative and look like a professional so the employer interviewing you sees you as one. Stay on the safe side. If you’re a woman, wear a solid-colored blouse, black pencil skirt or dress pants, and black heels. If you’re a guy, put on solid-colored dress shirt, a pair of button-down dress pants and polished shoes. If you’re wondering whether you should also wear a blazer and tie, look at the industry you’re in. If it’s more creative, the blazer and tie probably aren’t necessary. But if you’re interviewing at an investment firm, it’s mandatory. And again, it’s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed; it’s pretty hard to grossly overdress (at least for people with a decent amount of common sense), as most employers really appreciate the respect you showed by taking your interview seriously.

2. Good grooming is mandatory.

You don’t want to look like you just rolled out of bed after a night of partying. Take the time to fix your hair, trim your nails, iron your outfit and make sure nothing is out of place. You want the interviewer’s focus to be on you and not your bad breath and bed head.

3. Don’t distract.

Make sure when you’re planning your outfit that nothing is distracting to the interviewer. Keep in mind that employers interview multiple candidates for each open position, and if they’re too busy focusing on your bracelets clunking together, they’re not going to pay attention to what you have to say. It’s also a good idea to stay away from wearing a strong perfume or cologne. You want to leave a lasting impression, just not the kind that smells.

4. Keep comfort in mind.

Just because you dress up, it doesn’t mean you should sacrifice utility. It’s not uncommon after a job interview to have a tour of the office, and you don’t want to be the girl who can barely walk in her five-inch stilettos, or the guy who winces in pain with every step from a blister. Make sure the outfit you choose is comfortable because once it’s on, it should be the last thing on your mind.

5. Don’t forget the final touches.

It’s ok to add a little personality to your interview ensemble in the form of accessories, and it’s essential if you’re entering a creative industry where personality is king. Just make sure that the creative touches you add don’t distract. If you’re a man, a nice watch could add to your outfit. If you’re a woman, a sleek purse or pearl earrings might be the way to go.

Dressing for success isn’t all that difficult, and it could be a deal-breaker if you don’t pay attention to it. As long as you stay away from things that distract, lean on the conservative side and present yourself nicely, you’re positioning yourself for an interview that focuses solely on you. And if all else fails, turn on CNN or SportsCenter and copy what the anchors wear.

—Career Rocketeer

Notes from a Job Search: Creative Ways to Market Yourself

Once you get beyond the basics, how can you get noticed without being annoying?

With so many people caught between jobs these days, CFO asked Gary Starr, a CPA and MBA who was most recently CFO at a $70 million professional-service firm, to write about his current experience looking for a new position. In the third installment of a series, Starr looks at ways for job hunters to increase their visibility in some creative and unusual ways.

One of the trickiest aspects of a job search is finding different ways to market yourself. You need to make people aware of your skills and experiences without coming across as self-aggrandizing. This is not necessarily an easy task for financial executives, who typically don’t have a marketing mind-set about business issues or about themselves. However, it is important to change your mind-set and start thinking about creative ways to get noticed, besides just networking and sending e-mail updates. There are many ways to do this; here are a few suggestions.

Get Published

The most obvious marketing strategy for me is writing articles. I have begun to write about the search process for several online forums, giving helpful hints. In response to my articles, many people have reached out to me, including recruiters, old friends, and people who didn’t know me. I also posted a note about the articles on my LinkedIn profile, which helped with the exposure. We all have expertise and good knowledge about various topics; it’s just a matter of transferring the information into a compelling article or blog. Having exhausted the search tips, I am now thinking about my next subject, and I am energized by the challenge and possibilities.

If writing isn’t your passion, think about other ways you might leverage online media to raise your profile. For example, I noticed recently that someone on LinkedIn started a group called “150 Most Influential Recruiters” and invited all the recruiters who had been tagged with this honor by a major business publication. In two days, more than 20 recruiters signed up. That was a great idea and a smart way to get noticed. I wish I had thought of that!

Go Back to School

Finding opportunities at your alma mater could be a good way to get exposure. Consider taking or teaching a class, or volunteering at a high-profile alumni event. You might even ask the alumni office for people to contact or review the alumni list for networking possibilities. There are many opportunities here; you just need to find the right one for you.

Do Good Work

Volunteering your time at a nonprofit organization is a good way to help others and feel good about yourself. It may also allow you to display your expertise, especially if there is an opportunity to meet some of the board members. You might also register with BoardNetUSA, an online organization that matches individuals with nonprofit boards. I obtained my last job as a CFO through one of my nonprofit board connections.

Find the Fountain of Youth

Look for a start-up that needs help or find some part-time work. There are lots of groups and organizations for start-ups that could be good beginning points. New York City even provides space and desks for start-ups before they are able to go out on their own. I recently began working with a preseed start-up, and it has been an interesting and challenging experience. I am using my financial skills and connections, and I am learning a lot about the digital media space. I’m happy to take on any new projects that help me expand my nonfinancial skills. You may be able to negotiate some compensation for your efforts in either cash or equity, but don’t dismiss an opportunity if no money is involved; the experience and exposure can be invaluable. (By the way, the founder sought me out through my LinkedIn profile and connections. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is robust!)

The bottom line is that there are endless possibilities to market yourself; you just need to move outside your comfort zone. Getting involved in activities that allow you to meet other people, extend your network, show off your skills, keep busy, help others, and generally feel good about yourself is critical while you work through the lonely process of finding that next full-time opportunity.

—CFO.com | US

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing, Job Search & Interview Coaching

Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution

Cover & Thank You Letters

Linked Profiles – Biographies

Online Identity Programs

Networking Training

Contact

Marty Weitzman

Certified Career Professional

Gilbert Resumes

800.967.3846

http://executiveresumewriter.com

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You just learned one of your previous employers has been giving you a bad reference. Count your blessings that you found out, because many never do. But what do you do about it?

Bad references don’t always prevent someone from getting a job. The key is how the issue is handled in the reference, and how you handle it prior to the reference being checked. So your goal isn’t necessarily to erase or debate the issue, only to reach agreement on its presentation.

When you phone, prevent them from becoming defensive by saying, “I’m calling to ask your help with something. I understand you have an issue with my performance when I worked for you, and I’m wondering if we might be able to reach an agreement on how it’s presented so that it doesn’t compromise my chances of employment. Would you mind sharing with me, please, what you weren’t happy with when we worked together?”

Your tone of voice must be respectful, polite, and convey your desire for information and understanding. If you’re angry, defensive, or whiny, or they perceive they’re being attacked, you’re not going to get what you want or need, which is information and cooperation. Creating an environment where they feel comfortable talking is more likely to open a conversation.

Don’t argue, interrupt or react defensively. Just listen. And when they’re done, tell them you appreciate their sharing with you. This relaxes them further and moves you closer to a win/win agreement.

Next ask them what – not “if” – the positive aspects of your performance were. Ask if they’d be willing to share that information also next time. Again, this is negotiation for a win/win, not an argument to win or lose. Make sure they realize you’re not asking them to remove the negative, but simply to frame it in a less harmful light and balance it with the positive. When you approach the conversation with the goal of resolving the situation and healing the relationship as best it can be healed, everyone usually wins.

As you continue interviewing, address this with a prospective employer before the reference is checked, but not until an offer is imminent. Assuming the issue is a valid one, acknowledge you’ve had some difficulty in the past, but since then it’s no longer relevant (if this is true.). Don’t make excuses or try to explain. Now you’ve defused the situation and removed the element of surprise.

If there’s no validity, you’ll need to address that too, but by presenting the supervisor as perhaps someone who was threatened, or new, or wanted their own person in your position, or whatever the case truly was, but be brief, objective, and balance it with a positive about the person as well. Trashing them reflects poorly on you and will backfire.

A wise word to every job seeker: contact your references before you start looking. Send them your resume. Tell them what you’ll be interviewing for. Ask them what they might contemplate saying and how they’d speak to your abilities. Ask their permission to use them as a reference. References are sacred. Their privacy and willingness to speak on your behalf is to be respected and appreciated. Then you prevent this problem from occurring.

Career Rocketeer

Martin Weitzman

(800) 967-3846

A monthly publication of Gilbert Resumes, featuring timely career articles,
career websites, and suggestions for today’s job seekers.

Job Search Fundamentals – Are You a Five-Tool Player?

One of the things our son’s baseball coach drilled into his players was:

“Learn the fundamentals!”

Be it baseball or job search, learning the fundamentals will serve you well in the long run, and in the short run. Of course, we all want to hit a home run and knock it outta’ the park as a participant in either of these games. For some, though, when it comes to the sport of job hunting, sometimes the fundamentals fall short and job seekers strike out trying to get on base. Consider these few tips below.

Fielding: Are you well positioned to be where the opportunities are or are you out in left field when you might have a better chance if you hustled more and moved from your spot? Are you coordinating the various elements of the job search with your teammates or are you trying to play the job hunt game solo? Are you a good team player and do you provide direct evidence of that at networking events and professional interviews? Do you anticipate tough questions or are you surprised when a tricky one comes your way?

Throwing: Throwing can be a key ingredient to your job search success. Have you thrown yourself into the job search process with a sustained positive, optimistic attitude? Are you demonstrating quickness and accuracy in job search activities? Are you throwing a good game using all of the resources, tools, and connections available to you? Are you using your time and talents wisely to throw your best game in an effort to snag a job? Are you showing control as you play the job-seeking game?

Speed: Are you using speed and agility to your advantage in the job search process? In order to improve your chances of scoring a job, are you doing your best to know your competition and do what you need to do to cover the job search landscape? Do you manage each day with the goal of achieving the maximum possible, or do you mosey along without much direction or motivation to win? Are you making sure your skills are current and up-to-date, not only in the social media realm, but in all facets of your career so you won’t get picked off base?

Hitting for Power: A five-tool job search player ‘must be able to hit for power.’ Does this well represent you and your brand? Do you have high slugging percentages when it comes to getting interviews and talking about the product — you – under duress and pressure? Are you tracking the statistics of your job search? Are you doing everything within your power and control to hit a home run on a consistent basis?

Hitting for Average: While hitting it out of the park is important, it is also important to strive for a ‘high batting average’ when it comes to interviewing, in particular. Stay patient. Be consistent. Don’t give up on yourself, or the game! It will most likely take you a few interviews before you land on home plate. Are you willing to embrace many different strategies to win the job? Are you open-minded and willing to change? Are you willing to seek out guidance and help to perfect your job search game, or do you already know all there is to know? What can you do today to improve your game and your chances?

In summary, are you a “can’t miss” job search player?

—Career Hub, May 2010, Billie Sucher

Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up!!!

“It’s been a week since my interview and I haven’t heard anything . . . ”

“I had a great informational interview but that was the last I heard . . .”

“I had a phone conversation with a good contact in the company . . .”

“I have almost 100 people I’ve networked with in my job search so far . . .”

“I met someone, at (an event) that said they knew someone, but haven’t heard back . . .”

“. . . should I follow up?”

I teach an 8-week class on job hunting skills, and these are the most common questions I’m asked regularly. And my response is always the same: YES!!!

“But I don’t want to annoy them, or come across as a stalker” . . . is a common reply.

In my experience, I’ve found that candidates think they are being annoying long before the recipient of their follow ups ever do. Professional, timely, pleasant follow up is key to setting yourself apart from other candidates they are pursuing.

Why should you follow up, and how do you do it effectively? Here are some ideas . . .

It’s a chance to set yourself apart. Even after a formal interview, generally less than 25% of people send a Thank You note.  Other meetings, phone calls, email contacts generally get little to no follow up from most people. Doing something different from the norm, in a professional and upbeat way, will virtually always create a positive impression. You have far more to lose by not doing it, than the infinitesimal risk of losing an opportunity by doing it. Especially if someone else does follow up, and you don’t, you will lose by comparison.

It’s another chance to cement a relationship. Whether it’s a casual networking contact, or a formal interview, the chances of gaining more consideration from them is very much dependent on building a relationship. If you only make an initial contact and they never hear from you again, it creates no reason on their part to invest any more thinking in helping or working with you. Building a relationship requires contact and effort in following up.

It’s another chance to mention something you may have forgotten before. Although you don’t want to launch into an in-depth explanation of something else in your background in a follow up… a succinctly worded phrase or sentence adding value to your earlier discussion can help in improving their impression of you. It’s another chance to provide additional or new relevant information.

Keep it brief! Too often, if someone does follow up, they either ramble on too long on the phone, or write too long in an email or letter. After the first minute of engaging in some way, patience begins to run out and there is either no chance of making a positive impact after that, or you are actually increasing the risk of annoying them. Even an extremely short “Just wanted to thank you again for your time” will have a more positive impact than 5 or 10 minutes of going further into in-depth information. That’s true in a phone call or written communication. It’s best to carefully plan exactly what you want to convey and say it as briefly as possible to make the best impression.

Be professional! Regardless of how friendly your meeting or prior discussion may have gone, never assume too casual a relationship. Even though a hiring manager wants to like you to hire you, or a professional networking contact enjoys talking to you, in order to take additional steps with you they need to feel confident that you will always be professional with others they introduce you to as well. The referral process, and the hiring process is still essentially a business transaction. Don’t take it too lightly.

Switch it up! Effective, and consistent follow up doesn’t mean a steady stream of phone calls every other day. That does become annoying. However, you can have some form of contact with them regularly to keep you fresh in their mind and build a further relationship with them in the process. Within a day of any of the scenarios listed at the top of this piece… Thank them. You might send them a Thank You card in the mail, or email a brief note, leave them a voicemail, or call and thank them for their time. Then, in a week or two, connect again, but in another form, and in two to 4 weeks again in yet another form. Keep the process going, but you end up actually talking to them directly only every couple of months.

If they are hearing from you regularly, but in various and unobtrusive forms, you are building a relationship, not haranguing them. Building that professional relationship has everything to do with their perception of your persistence, your follow through, your professionalism, and their interest in you.

Should you follow up??? Yes! Definitely! Absolutely!

. . but do it right!    Harry Urschel, e-Executives

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing, Job Search & Interview Coaching,

Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution,

Cover & Thank You Letters

Online Identities

Linked Profiles

Networking Training

Contact Marty Weitzman

Gilbert Resumes

800.967.3846

http://Executiveresumewriter.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

http://resumepro.com

To remove your name from our mailing list, please type remove in the subject
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In a much-anticipated opinion in the Quon1 matter, on June 17 the U.S. Supreme Court declined to set precedent on broad issues of employee privacy expectations in workplace communications . . .

In a much-anticipated opinion in the Quon1 matter, on June 17 the U.S. Supreme Court declined to set precedent on broad issues of employee privacy expectations in workplace communications. Instead, the unanimous Court ruled narrowly, reversing the decision of the Ninth Circuit by holding that the review of an employee’s text messages sent using employer-issued electronic devices did not, under the circumstances in that case, violate traditional Fourth Amendment reasonable search standards.2

Acknowledging that it was in sensitive and uncharted territory and, therefore, should “proceed with care,” the Court noted that it “risked error by elaborating too fully on the Fourth Amendment implications of emerging technology before its role in society has become clear.” “Prudence counsels caution before the facts of the instant case are used to establish far-reaching premises that define the existence, and extent, of privacy expectations enjoyed by employees when using employer-provided communications devices.” Nevertheless, the Court’s analysis and dicta suggest factors that may be weighed by future courts in addressing these issues.

Quon Facts

In Quon, the City of Ontario (the City) acquired two-way pagers for use by Ontario Police Department (OPD) SWAT team members, including Sergeant Quon, to assist with responding to emergencies. Under the City’s contract with service provider Arch Wireless, each pager was allotted 25,000 characters per month, after which overage fees would accrue. When it issued the pagers, the City did not have in place a formal pager-use policy. It did, however, have a computer usage, Internet, and email policy which warned that all network activity might be monitored and that users had no expectation of privacy or confidentiality when emailing or when using network resources. Quon signed an acknowledgment of this policy.

Once the pagers were in use, the City made clear to employees, including Quon, that it would treat text messages in the same way as email messages. Some City employees also developed an informal policy concerning fees for exceeding the monthly character limit, allowing individual users to pay overage charges with the understanding that if they paid, their usage would not be audited.

The OPD later opened an internal investigation to establish the adequacy of the character limit. As part of this investigation, the department obtained transcripts of Quon’s text messages from service provider Arch Wireless for two of the several months in which Quon exceeded the character limit. Messages sent outside of work hours were redacted. Review of the transcripts revealed that most of Quon’s work-hours communications were personal and included sexually explicit messages, some of which he sent to coworkers within the department.

Procedural Issues and Legal Analysis

Quon and others implicated by the transcripts, including coworkers and Quon’s then-wife, sued Arch Wireless and the City, claiming that Arch had violated the Stored Communications Act (SCA)3 and that the City had violated their Fourth Amendment rights. On a motion for summary judgment, the district court held that Arch had not violated the SCA and that, although Quon had a reasonable expectation of privacy, neither the City nor the OPD had violated the Fourth Amendment.

On appeal the Ninth Circuit reversed. While agreeing that Quon had a reasonable expectation of privacy in his text messages, the court found that the search was unreasonable and listed less intrusive means that could have been used to determine the reason for the overages, including warning Quon or allowing him to redact the transcripts. The court also held that Arch violated the SCA.

Having granted certiorari only on the Fourth Amendment issues, the Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit. Previously in O’Connor4 the Supreme Court majority held that “special needs, beyond the normal need for law enforcement,” can make warrant and probable cause requirements impracticable for government employers, and developed a two-part test for determining whether a Fourth Amendment right has been violated. First, a court must decide if the employee has a reasonable expectation of privacy, considering the “operational realties of the workplace,” to determine if privacy rights are implicated. If a legitimate privacy expectation is found, the court proceeds to the second part of the test to determine if, under all of the circumstances, the intrusion into that right is reasonable.

Rather than deciding whether Quon had a legitimate privacy expectation, the Court focused on the reasonableness of the City’s text message review. Assuming, arguendo, that Quon did have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the text messages, that the City’s review constituted a search under the Fourth Amendment, and that the principles applicable to a government employer’s search of an employee’s physical office also apply to the search of an employee’s electronic communications, the Court still found that the City’s actions were reasonable.

In O’Connor, the plurality reasoned that when conducted for a “non-investigatory, work-related purpose” or for the “investigation of work-related misconduct,” a government employer’s warrantless search is reasonable if it is “justified at its inception” and “the measures adopted are reasonably related to the objectives of the search and not excessively intrusive in life of the” the circumstances giving rise to the search. Here, the City sampled Quon’s messages, redacting those which occurred while not on duty. Moreover, the Court held that the review was the most efficient way for the City to assess whether the messages were professional or personal. The City was furthering a legitimate work-related purpose by ensuring that employees were not being required to pay work-related expenses out of their own pockets, and that the City was not paying for employee personal communications.

Finally, the Court reasoned that as a law enforcement officer, Quon should have known that his communications could be subject to legal scrutiny and audit. Because they were predicated solely on the search’s unreasonableness, the privacy violation claims of those with whom Quon communicated also failed.

Lessons from Quon

The Court decided Quon under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which only regulates the conduct of governmental actors. Consequently, the decision technically applies only to public employers. Nonetheless, the decision ultimately could have broader implications for private employers as well. Private employees have privacy protection under some state constitutions, statutes, and the common law. In defining the scope of this protection in the future, lower courts may be influenced by some of the Supreme Court’s observations about the reasonableness of the City’s conduct in Quon. The Court’s overall approach suggests that the practices listed below will help reduce the potential exposure to any employer facing similar issues.

Though the opinion does not address head-on the issue of employee privacy expectations in workplace communications, there is still much in the Court’s analysis and overall approach that may serve to curb a proliferation of privacy claims in the private sector.

The Morgan Lewis team can help clients with developing policies and procedures that take advantage of the Supreme Court’s guidance, positioning an employer to face these issues by establishing the following practices:

• Establish and clearly disseminate formal, written electronic communications and systems usage policies, broad and flexible enough to cover emerging technologies, and update them regularly as the practical implications of new technologies become clear.
• Establish and disseminate explicit statements that employees have no privacy, confidentiality or ownership expectations in data stored on company systems or in any communications generated using employer provided devices.
• Formally disseminate, and require an acknowledgement for, all policies and modifications.
• Provide clear notice that communications and systems usage may be monitored and audited.
• Put in place monitoring practices, including taking measures to detect and eradicate informal policies and workarounds that may contradict or undercut company policies.

GILBERT GAZETTE
(800) 967-3846

resumepro

http://executiveresumewriter.com

A monthly publication of Gilbert Resumes, featuring timely career articles,
career websites, and suggestions for today’s job seekers.

Executives BEWARE: There’s No Margin For Error

How to Check Out a Company

Executives BEWARE: There’s No Margin for Error
You’re a seasoned professional and it has been at least 3 years since you needed to look for a new position, and the last time you changed jobs you were either recruited for the position or referred by someone you know.

Fast forward to the present; you’re unemployed, recruiters are not returning your phone calls, and today many of the people who recommended you for jobs in the past are your direct competition.

Sound familiar?

You have done your homework, gotten outplacement advice, and read every book there is, however I think you may need to hear this one more time to get it right, because there is no margin for error in conducting a job search in today’s economy.

So here is some strategic advice on how getting your job search into high gear.

1. Don’t go fishing: Target Where you want to go. Before you do anything you need to know what positions you qualify for in this new economy and make some tough decisions. Do you want to stay in the same field, or better yet can you? Where are you going, is your next job a step up, a step down or a lateral move. What do you want it to be and what is realistic financially, emotionally and career wise?

2. Define and Promote a Personal Brand: Your job search is worthless if you can not see your value to a new employer and devise creative ways to get this message across on paper, in person, and through all means of new social media. What is your specialty? Is it making money, saving money, is it your soft skills like leadership and management style, your contacts, or hard skills like accounting, closing deals, or strategic planning. Get a tag line that describes you and make it your brand. Here is an example

Senior Executive l Business Operations–Distribution–Logistics

“Expert in driving a business from where it is to where management wants it to be”

3. Get a Marketing Document instead of a Resume: This is a document that showcases and validates who you are and why it pays for a recruiter or decision maker to pick up the phone and call you to schedule an interview. It should be produced in a style and format that is best suited to your field, your level and your personality with out looking like a boilerplate document, and it should contain a mission statement, and at least 2 solid endorsements that will verify that you are as good as or better than you claim to be.

4. Round out your Portfolio: You should have a One Page Networking Bio; a social media presence that lets people see the total package you can deliver, and establish yourself as a subject matter expert on numerous topics within your field and industry.

5: Take Your Job Search Seriously: This means being honest with yourself and others about where you are willing to make compromises and where you are inflexible. It means trusting others to help you and not being a Lone Wolf. It means investing in your future and not being shortsighted about what you can and not do on your own.

6: Talk to an expert: Get their advice and assistance in evaluating where you stand at this point what it will take to get on the right path. This is the easiest part of your job search! You can call or email me and I will be happy to answer any questions you have.

—Career Rocketeer

How to Check Out a Company
Companies conducting background checks, Googling applicants, checking them out on Facebook, and finding out as much as they can about candidates for employment seems to be the norm, these days.

However, it works both ways. You can find out about companies, as well, to make sure the company is one you want to work for and the job is a good fit for your experience and skills.

LinkedIn Company Profiles are a good way to find more information on a company you’re interested in working for. You’ll be able see your connections at the company, new hires, promotions, jobs posted, related companies, and company statistics. One Day One Job has good information on digging dirt on employers, as well.

Visit GlassDoor.com to read company reviews, ratings, company information, salaries, CEO approval rating, competitors, content providers, and more company information.

Follow the company on Twitter to find out what information the company is sharing. Also, search Google, Google News, and Twitter using the company name, to see what’s comes up.

Also, there are warning signs to watch for, if you’re having reservations about whether this is the company for you.

Taking the time to research companies is a good idea, because it is as important for you to know that you want to work at a company as it is for the company to know they want to hire you. And it’s better to find out upfront, rather than finding out later that your new job wasn’t anything like you expected and you have to start your job search all over again. Alison Doyle About.com

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing, Job Search & Interview Coaching,

Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution,

Cover & Thank You Letters

Online Identities

Linked Profiles

Networking Training

Contact Marty Weitzman

Gilbert Resumes

800.967.3846

http://resumepro.com

http://Executiveresumewriter.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro

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GILBERT GAZETTE

(800) 967-3846

resumepro

www.executiveresumewriter.com

A publication of Gilbert Resumes, featuring timely career articles,
career websites, and suggestions for today’s job seekers.

How Working for
No Pay Can Actually
Pay Off

Interviewing the Interviewer!

Execunet Report:
The Top 10 High Growth Functions
for Job Seeking Executives in 2010

How Working for No Pay Can Actually Pay Off

Volunteering during periods of unemployment provides many benefits including networking, enhancing skills, and the prevention job loss-induced insanity.

I am never going to find a job. My resume is posted on every job board including Hiremeprettyplease.com and Willtradekidneyforjob.com. I watch job boards with tenacity that celebrity stalkers would be impressed by; in fact, my average time to apply (ATTA) for newly posted jobs that may or may not match my background is 9 minutes 23 seconds from time of posting. I am linked in, fully branded, actively networking, and still jobless. I have cleaned, organized, and rearranged my house, twice. I can also, despite no legal background, predict the ruling with 99% accuracy on landlord disputes thanks to Judge Judy, Judge Maria Lopez and Judge Joe Brown. It is becoming increasingly clear, if I am unemployed much longer I will be able to donate my closet full of smartly tailored business suits to charity and invest in one really fashionable straight jacket.

Does this sound like you?

Nearly 3.2 million have been jobless for at least 27 weeks, which is a very long time to be absent from the working world if you are accustomed to only having a week or 2 off a year as a vacation. (During which you were hopefully enjoying your time away not fretting about it.) Furthermore, finding a job is the hardest job you can ever have…the pay is horrible, you want to quit every day, and it is very easy to become frustrated and disillusioned. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of a long period of unemployment, don’t spend your days self-loathing, stalking the job boards, and getting sucked into hours of horrible daytime television; instead use this time to volunteer your way into a new position.

Volunteering is an ideal way to network and keep your skills sharp. If you are hoping to transition your current skills to a different position, or are a new entrant into the job market, a volunteer position can be the ideal solution to bridging the gap by gaining experience. However, it is way more than just being about you; it is also a way to give back to a cause you care about.

Volunteering can also create an opportunity to hear about new positions from other professionals like clients of organization, partners, or from fellow volunteers. That’s right; I am suggesting your serve your way to the top, or at least the top of the applicant pool. Scandalous yet socially responsible.

Plus, being able to tell an interviewer you have been spending time volunteering is much better than saying that you color coded the food items in your pantry, sub grouped by the contents of the ingredients, because, well, that is just insane.

Read the full article here: http://www.careerrocketeer.com/search?q=How+Working+for+No+Pay+Can+Actually+Pay+Off+

—Career Rocketeer

Interviewing the Interviewer!
Most people, when interviewing for a new job, forget the process is supposed to be a 2-way street.

It’s as important for you, as a candidate, to determine if the job, the company, the culture, and the work environment is right for you as it is for the company to determine if you’re right for them. You do yourself no favors by accepting an offer for a job that is not a good fit. It will make you miserable, your employer dissatisfied, and likely not end well.

In order to make a rational judgment as to the fit, you must have your criteria figured out in advance. Very often, when you’re in the middle of an evaluation process, it’s easy to rationalize all the things that don’t feel right to you because you want a job, any job, so much. Having a list of criteria that you created before you’re in the heat of the process helps you tremendously in determining if this role is a match, or not.

Then, it’s up to you to ask the questions, and do the digging necessary to see how well the position and the organization matches your list. No one, no company, and no position will ever be perfect. However, you will be much more aware of what fits and what doesn’t, and make wiser choices.

Possibly, due to your financial situation, you may need to take an offer you know is not a great match for you in order to pay the bills. However, in that situation, at least you are going in with your eyes wide open instead of deceiving yourself into believing you’re taking your dream job and find you’re disappointed later. Most people want to believe that any new job they take is the ‘perfect’ job for them. Know if that’s the case for you before you jump in.

Interviewers respect questions that seek out answers to those kinds of questions. A good hiring manager will appreciate your desire to determine the fit for you as much as they are determining your fit for them. They want a good match… from both perspectives.

These are all good reasons to make sure you’re interviewing the interviewer as much as they are interviewing you! The process should be a 2-way street.

Read the full article here: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CareerRocketeer/~3/iWf-DOu-hb8/interviewing-interviewer.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email

—Harry Urschel, Career Rocketeer

The Top 10 High Growth Functions for Job Seeking Executives in 2010
ExecuNet has just published our 2010 Executive Job Market Intelligence Report, and the executive recruiters we surveyed have identified the top high growth functions for executive job seekers in 2010:

1) Business Development

2) Sales

3) Operations Management

4) Engineering

5) Marketing

6) General Management

7) Finance
Consulting

9) R&D

10) MIS/Information Technology

—Execunet

Gilbert Resumes remains in the forefront of providing cutting edge solutions for today’s challenging job market, including strategies to build your online presence and maximize your career opportunities.

Need assistance with your career endeavors?

Resume Writing, Job Search & Interview Coaching,

Recruiter and VC/Private Equity Distribution,

Cover & Thank You Letters

Linked Profiles – Biographies

Online Identity Programs

Networking Training

Contact Marty Weitzman

Gilbert Resumes

800.967.3846

http://Executiveresumewriter.com

http://resumepro.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/resumepro