Job Search Tips2getajob

Recruiters and HR professionals share the best way job seekers can contact recruiters and hiring managers.

Todd Rogers, Talent Acquisition Specialist – There are too many variables to this to give you a good answer. A mailed resume that arrives on or about the same day as an emailed resume, so the recipient possibly gets them in close proximity of one another. Really though, there isn’t a best way. Perhaps that person should find several companies and pursue all of them. A case of “one-itis” is an expressway to disappointment. Follow @TriMedxjobs

Edwin Trevino, Recruiter - Well, if your mind is made up and you know what you want, then the best way to contact is the RIGHT way.

1. See if they have an application process, i.e. online, paper, whatever system they have to hire new employees. If it is not obvious, make a phone call, check out their career website, or visit in person to find out.
2. If it is a paper application or online process, do your due diligence, and follow the process “to the tee”.
3. Once you are done, follow up with an email or phone call, just verifying that they have received your information, either the day of or day after you finished the application.
4. Always ask when they will be conducting interviews.
5. Be polite, and proper, but don’t be imposing. Respect their time, and keep in mind – they don’t HAVE to hire anyone.
6. If you had a chance to speak with them or have some type of email communication, always thank them for their time, as in “Yes sir or ma’am, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to check for me, I really appreciate it”….that goes a long way.
7. If you don’t hear from them within a week, send a very polite follow-up, but absolutely don’t be a “stalker!”
8. Remember that rejection is an absolute normal part of the job hunting process, so don’t think it is the end of the world if you don’t hear from someone. You never know if you are going to get that email or phone call. The last thing you need is to sound like “you don’t have it together” because your bummed about not hearing from your dream job.
9. Even if you don’t hear from them, send them something via old reliable….i.e. US mail. A little thank you for consideration just might turn the tide for you and really show someone that you could be that one certain employee they are looking for.

Brijendra Chaudhary, HR Professional – Keep looking on job portals and only apply where you fit best. Follow @BrizHR

Michael Shao, SPHR, Sr. HR Manager – Concurrently follow any formal application process (online, application form, building a profile on the company website’s career section, etc.) while seeing if someone in your network can give you intel on the company and/or also send in your resume. Prepare for phone screens to face-to-face interviews. Give it your best shot, and if it doesn’t work out now, don’t be afraid to try again later if similar openings pop up – by then you’ll have a lot more info on the company and its processes.

Jerry Miller, Talent Acquisition and Management - If the company has an opportunity of interest to the job seeker then they should follow the company’s designated application procedure. Then use LinkedIn or other sources and try to network into the organization to supplement their application. If the company has no relevant openings then the job seeker should again use LinkedIn to identify possible contacts at the firm, or other sources like Hoover’s, Zoom Info or the company website to identify key players in the job seeker’s field. Then email them your resume directly with a sharp and succinct cover email describing how the job seeker could be of value to the company. Follow @JerryMiller and @ExecCareerSvcs

John Kalusa, HR & Talent Acquisition Director – I’d recommend contacting the recruiter directly if the name is known, indicating that while they are not seeking information about a particular position, they’d like to arrange a brief 5-10 minute conversation to learn about the ____ department.

If they know or can discern from LI who the hiring manager is, I’d recommend looking for a connection through their network, again not to apply for a job or ask for a job but to do some “NetLearning” and learn more about the company, industry, department etc….. Follow @JKalusa 

Recruiters and HR professionals share the best way job seekers can contact recruiters and hiring managers. To listen click here.

Todd Rogers, Talent Acquisition Specialist – There are too many variables to this to give you a good answer. A mailed resume that arrives on or about the same day as an emailed resume, so the recipient possibly gets them in close proximity of one another. Really though, there isn’t a best way. Perhaps that person should find several companies and pursue all of them. A case of “one-itis” is an expressway to disappointment. Follow @TriMedxjobs

Edwin Trevino, Recruiter – Well, if your mind is made up and you know what you want, then the best way to contact is the RIGHT way.

See if they have an application process, i.e. online, paper, whatever system they have to hire new employees. If it is not obvious, make a phone call, check out their career website, or visit in person to find out.
If it is a paper application or online process, do your due diligence, and follow the process “to the tee”.
Once you are done, follow up with an email or phone call, just verifying that they have received your information, either the day of or day after you finished the application.
Always ask when they will be conducting interviews.
Be polite, and proper, but don’t be imposing. Respect their time, and keep in mind – they don’t HAVE to hire anyone.
If you had a chance to speak with them or have some type of email communication, always thank them for their time, as in “Yes sir or ma’am, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to check for me, I really appreciate it”….that goes a long way.
If you don’t hear from them within a week, send a very polite follow-up, but absolutely don’t be a “stalker!”
Remember that rejection is an absolute normal part of the job hunting process, so don’t think it is the end of the world if you don’t hear from someone. You never know if you are going to get that email or phone call. The last thing you need is to sound like “you don’t have it together” because your bummed about not hearing from your dream job.
Even if you don’t hear from them, send them something via old reliable….i.e. US mail. A little thank you for consideration just might turn the tide for you and really show someone that you could be that one certain employee they are looking for.

Brijendra Chaudhary, HR Professional – Keep looking on job portals and only apply where you fit best. Follow @BrizHR

Michael Shao, SPHR, Sr. HR Manager – Concurrently follow any formal application process (online, application form, building a profile on the company website’s career section, etc.) while seeing if someone in your network can give you intel on the company and/or also send in your resume. Prepare for phone screens to face-to-face interviews. Give it your best shot, and if it doesn’t work out now, don’t be afraid to try again later if similar openings pop up – by then you’ll have a lot more info on the company and its processes.

Jerry Miller, Talent Acquisition and Management – If the company has an opportunity of interest to the job seeker then they should follow the company’s designated application procedure. Then use LinkedIn or other sources and try to network into the organization to supplement their application. If the company has no relevant openings then the job seeker should again use LinkedIn to identify possible contacts at the firm, or other sources like Hoover’s, Zoom Info or the company website to identify key players in the job seeker’s field. Then email them your resume directly with a sharp and succinct cover email describing how the job seeker could be of value to the company. Follow @JerryMiller and @ExecCareerSvcs

John Kalusa, HR & Talent Acquisition Director – I’d recommend contacting the recruiter directly if the name is known, indicating that while they are not seeking information about a particular position, they’d like to arrange a brief 5-10 minute conversation to learn about the ____ department.

If they know or can discern from LI who the hiring manager is, I’d recommend looking for a connection through their network, again not to apply for a job or ask for a job but to do some “NetLearning” and learn more about the company, industry, department etc….. Follow @JKalusa

Patrina King is an established human resource professional, entrepreneur and youth advocate, Patrina has worked in a variety of capacities such as talent management, recruiting, and emerging trends in her 7+ years in Human Resources.

Over the years, Patrina has developed a sense of passion for educating youth and young adults on how their current actions will impact their future. She believes the best way to serve the people is by taking an informative and realistic approach to everyday activities and issues. Click here to listen to entire interview.

Every week as Job Coach Jacqui, I conduct interviews with Recruiters and HR professionals experts on my Tips2GetaJob Series. The Series takes place every Friday via email. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Delmar Johnson, MBA. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. To request a copy of entire interview click here.

 
What do you like most about doing the work you do?
What I like most about being self-employed as a HR Consultant and a Career Readiness Trainer is the since of accomplishment and fulfillment I get from actually using the knowledge and skills I’ve gained through the years; and helping others who can appreciate the value I’m able to bring to their small business or to individuals who are seeking to prepare for a career.

What do you look for in a job candidate?

• I look for several things in a job candidate:
• A sense of confidence and initiative
• Positive work attitude
• Preparedness for the job their seeking
• Good communications skills
• Their employability skills, i.e., flexibility, creativity, planning and organizing skills
• People skills, i.e., how will they relate to other employees or supervisors
• Self-management skills, i.e., addressing personal problems before they affect work performance

What are the top 2 job search strategies job seekers should do?
I would say the top 2 job search strategies for job seekers right now would include, first, taking a personal and professional assessment of where they are and what they can do. Take out their resume and determine if it just list past job descriptions or does it identify their accomplishments and competencies. Look at their past interview performance and take note of how they can improve their approach for the next one. Secondly, get out of the house and network outside of their normal circles, engage in conversation and keep their ears open to what’s being said. Keep in mind that most desired jobs are not necessarily posted on a job board.

When, why and how should a job seeker contact a recruiter/hiring manger?
Given my first hand knowledge of a recruiting department, I would suggest that the best time a job seeker should contact a recruiter is when they have given an applicant permission to follow-up on their resume submission or when a recruiter has reached out to the applicant and a return call is required. One thing I know for sure about recruiters, is the consumption of time that is used to source hundreds if not thousands of resumes on a regular basis, particularly during a hiring spree. There is usually very little time for a recruiter to spend an exhausted amount of time on the phone answering inquiry calls. That is the harsh truth of the situation in most cases.

Share your funniest experience during your HR career?
I think some of my most recent funny experiences had have been from watching applicants come in for a temp agency I was helping out last year and paying attention to the outfits that they consciously put on. To be honest it really wasn’t funny, however, it always struck a chord in me about “what were they thinking”. That very experience led me to create CareerBrandingUniversity.com where I hope to ready as many individuals I can who are inclined to stand out from the competition.
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Delmar J. Johnson is an HR Advisor, Job Readiness Trainer, Speaker, and Entrepreneur. After working many years in Human Resources, and experiencing downsizings like so many others in Corporate America, she decided to pursue entrepreneurship using the knowledge, skills, and abilities she gained to support the small business owner and career seeker to empower the next generation of leaders with the tools and resources necessary to succeed. As the Founder of a boutique consultant company, she decided to take her human resources experience, to the “Small Business Back Office” providing support to the startup and the growing small business not yet ready for a full-time HR Department. Delmar received her Masters Degree in Organizational Management and acquired experience in the areas of recruitment and staffing, benefits and compensation, HR records management, HR policies development, training, legal compliance and HR project management.

Every week as Job Coach Jacqui, I conduct interviews with Recruiters and HR professionals experts on my Tips2GetaJob Podcast. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Delmar Johnson, MBA. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. To listen to entire interview click here.