3 Numbers to Know and 3 Things to Keep In Mind: Salary Negotiations

January 28, 2013 By

A recent post on the “desired salary” interview question by HRNasty got me thinking about this question myself.

When it comes to salary, there are three numbers you should be able to share with a recruiter:

1. What you make in your current role.

2. What you would like to make, based on current market rates or advancement in skills and education since you started your current role.

3. The bare minimum you’d be willing to accept to consider making a change (sometimes, less than your current salary depending on your circumstances).

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POSTED IN: Job Seeker Advice, Recruiting | Leave a Comment

How the Fiscal Cliff Agreement Affects You

January 7, 2013 By

A fiscal cliff agreement was finally approved late on New Year’s Day. Wealthy Americans will be hit hardest by the deal, due to a 4.6% increase on income taxes for those with incomes over $400,000 (single) or $450,000 (married). A new investment income tax of 3.8% will be levied to help fund Obama’s health care initiative, affecting those with income over $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married).

While these high income workers represent the minority, all workers will face higher payroll taxes in 2013. The deal did not renew the 2012 payroll tax holiday. As a result, worker’s will pay a 6.2% Social Security tax, an increase of 2% over 2012 tax rates.

In Washington, many are questioning the effectiveness of this hasty agreement. Click here for more information.

How many of you are familiar with how the fiscal cliff deal?

 

POSTED IN: Work-Life Balance | Leave a Comment

5 LinkedIn Tips for Job Seekers

December 24, 2012 By

 

LinkedIn can be a valuable tool in your job search – if you use it correctly.

Below are some tips to help you use LinkedIn effectively:

1. Complete your profile. Too often, people are in a rush to create their LinkedIn profile and fail to include adequate details in the job description section.

  • The more technical details you use, the more likely you are to come up in a recruiter’s candidate search, which is based on key words.
  • A well-written summary will make it easy for a recruiter to identify your area of expertise.
  • Make sure to update your profile when moving to a new position or company.
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POSTED IN: Job Seeker Advice | 1 Comment

Why No Work Gets Done at The Office

December 5, 2012 By

Lately I hear a common theme from everyone I talk to; the standard response to the greeting “How are you?” has evolved from “Fine, thanks!” to “Busy!”

Everyone is constantly talking about how busy they are; yet very few of these people seem to be actually getting anything done. The “busy” mentality often means someone is caught up in a barrage of back-and-forth e-mails, conference calls and meetings; with little time left to attend to their true priorities. I’ll be the first to admit, it takes a conscious effort to not fall into the “busy trap.”
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6 Tips for a Successful Video Interview

November 30, 2012 By

In today’s global economy, relocating for a job is common. Interview travel expenses can add up quickly for companies looking to hire an out of state candidate. As an alternative, companies are conducting video interviews.

Below are six tips for a successful video interview:

1. Be prepared to answer the call at the scheduled appointment time. 

2. Avoid technical issues. Conduct the interview from a computer, rather than from your phone.  Incoming calls, the inability to stabilize your phone and intermittent signal may cause problems with mobile interviews. If using a tablet, connect to Wifi and place it on a stand. Close any programs that may provide notifications during the interview.

3. Take care with your appearance. Dress professionally as you would with a face-to-face interview. Women may want to apply a bit more makeup, but don’t go overboard.
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Recruiters and Candidates: Don’t just disappear!

November 16, 2012 By

In a recruiter/candidate relationship, mutual respect is key. Too often in the hiring process, recruiters treat candidates as a commodity and candidates treat recruiters as if they’re a dime a dozen. We must remember that we are dealing with people – not things – and treat each other accordingly.

One of the most frustrating things for both sides in the recruiting process is the “disappearing act”: candidates appearing interested, but then vanishing at the offer stage; or a recruiter who submits a candidate to the job, and then never gives feedback.

Below is an excerpt from a post I made to the Adecco Staffing, USA LinkedIn Group in February that illustrates both my perspective as a recruiter, and Christopher Knepper’s  perspective as an engineering candidate. The original post shows input from multiple recruiters and candidates and gives valid insight to how we can improve the recruiting process.
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POSTED IN: Talent Management | Leave a Comment
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