Minnesota Headhunter

Minnesota Morning: Welcome Back, Transplants, Bowl Games Edition

Hello blog, it’s me Paul…

You’re right, it’s been a long time I know.

Yes I know, I have sucked.

And I have said this many times over the 6 years since I started you and rarely followed through, I want to do better.

We have a lot… A LOT to catch up on.

Give me another chance?

Thanks. I will do better. It can only get better, right?

So where to start…

For those of you getting the RSS feed or posts via email you are going to see a bunch of blog posts in the coming week. It could be 3-4 a day and it might be annoying.

I Can't Get No Job Satisfaction

"It is often hard to distinguish between the hard knocks in life and those of opportunity." - Frederick Phillips

Not feeling appreciated at work?

Feeling underpaid or under valued?

Why spend time focused on getting a new job before you've spend time improving the job you've got? The vast majority of us have had the "I wish I could quit my job right now" feeling. And, many of us get so frustrated (for a variety of reasons) that we start our job hunt with a single purpose in mind - "get me out of here".

But what about all of the positive things about your job and company?

Boring Blogger? Discover Your Niche

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
 

These days, blogging is as much an art as it is a science. Not only do you have to provide quality content, but you must also build an engaged readership that will come back for more.

How, then, are you supposed to go from boring to engaging if you’re just starting out? Well, how about discovering your niche? Though it seems simple, discovering what you’re going to blog about is a lot more than just posting what you like. Here’s how you can get started:

Find your passion. Blogging is always easier when you’re posting things you like, since it doesn’t seem like a chore or an obligation. Essentially, when you post things that interest you, it isn’t boring, so you keep yourself engaged.

However, figuring out your specific niche or passion isn’t as easy as it looks because you need to narrow a few things down. After all, the most successful bloggers have one set stance, not a million different thoughts.

Search Firms Used For Competitive Intelligence And Corporate Espionage

I have had quite a few conversations in 2011 with my search firm friends (all independent of each other) about how clients who in the process of a legitimate search (as in the search already started) have asked to see candidates from certain companies or firms.

While this is a common thing for hiring managers to want, people from a certain company, these conversations and perceived incidents seemed more of a “fishing expedition” to learn more about their competition.

A colleague in Silicon Valley was asked to add to the interview pool 2-3 candidates from a particular company. It was “out of place” to ask about it at that time.

During the post interview phone call my colleague learned that the questions these particular candidates were asked were much different than the rest of the pool.

One particular candidate shared some of the code he was working on with the CIO. For the candidate... he was sharing work samples. For the interviewing company... they were getting competitive intelligence.

Infrequently over the years there have been times when candidates tell me what questions they were asked and my ears perk up and I know the client was fishing for some info.

Giving Notice OR Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

“It’s not you, it’s me”

I have had a lot of friends change jobs the past months and fortunately for them it was by choice and not because of a layoff.

While all of them were excited about their new opportunities almost all of them were emotionally upset over the act of giving their notice:

Most of them liked their jobs.

Most of them liked their teams.

Most of them liked their managers.

Most of them like their companies.

But sometimes it is best to move on. Sometimes the best path is to start a new one. Sometimes change is needed.

All of them have for years heard me talk about how the job search is a lot like dating.

The Grass Is Always Browner On This Side Of The Road - Is It Time To Find A New Job?

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
 

"The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but you still have to mow it." – Unknown Source

When I was 9 or 10 years old, I was riding in the car with my father (a rather modest car to say the least). I remember looking out the window and seeing an amazing sports car and saying "I wish I was that man with his fancy car" and my father said "If you want to be that man, you would have to take all of that man's problems as well as his fancy car".

How often do we think that the grass is greener on the other side of the street, that someone else's job is better than ours? Too often I would say. And, like my little story, we often do this without knowing all of the facts (like maybe the grass is greener because its AstroTurf).

Minnesota Recruiter Jobs

The following new Minnesota Recruiter Jobs have been added to the Minnesota Headhunter Recruiter Jobs Page:

• Talent Sourcer - Full Time Job - Target

• Human Resources Recruiter - Full Time Job - Fraser

• Engineering Recruiter - Full Time Job - General Mills

 

Check out Minnesota Recruiters. An informal group of 2,400 corporate, consulting and search firm recruiters - you must be in Minnesota to join.

   
 

If you are using a RSS Feed click Minnesota Recruiter Jobs.
 

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Wondering: What do non HR folks think of the phrase "Human Capital"

From the get go let me say I am biased… I think this term sucks. I am also not a fan of “Human Resources” but that horse ran out of the barn long before I got here.

Why you ask???

I think the the words and phrases we use matter.

So when companies say that people are their greatest asset, that without them their companies would not be successful and then words or phrases are used make the people who are their greatest asset into “things”… I object.

It’s just not consistent.

So my question is posed to those not in HR or Recruiting… what do you think of and/or how do you react to the phrase “Human Capital”?

I asked this question yesterday on Twitter and Facebook and had some immediate reaction.

Buzzwords That Should Not Be On LinkedIn Profiles Should Not Be In Job Descriptions

Today’s “link of the day” in the Recruiter and HR world (and on some major web sites) is this one from LinkedIn, Buzzwords 2011: Who’s been ‘creative’ and ‘effective’ this year?

The list is the “Top 10 overused buzzwords in LinkedIn Profiles in the United States”:

• Creative

• Organizational

• Effective

• Extensive Experience

• Track Record

Scarred for Life - 5 Ways to Ruin Your Job Search

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
 

"When you’re up to your armpits in alligators, it’s hard to remember to drain the swamp." - Ronald Reagan

There is nothing more uncomfortable than having an interview implode (whatever side of the table you are on).

Most of these experiences for me have been as the interviewer, but I would be lying if I said I never had a rough interview on the interviewee side of the table.

Sometimes it is a personality thing (and it's better to find out during the interview). Sometimes you didn't do your homework on the company or the job (basically, your fault).

But there are many other ways you can ruin your job search.

Want Time Off? Don’t Fake An Obituary

This one falls under the category of: Dude… WTH were you thinking???

If you like Scott Bennett of Brookville, Pennsylvania want to take some time off from work and want to get paid for it do not do what he did… he placed an obituary in the local paper for his mother.

Who is very much alive.

This fella placed the ad in the The Jeffersonian Democrat (their local paper) so he could get paid time off from his factory job.

Wondering what his mother (and employer) think of this.

 

 

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Selling Yourself Short - 5 Ways to Promote Your Job Search

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
 

"We must become the change we want to see." - Mahatma Gandhi

Team leader or "individual contributor"? Manager or supporter?

Successful organizations are filled with all personality types. The best leaders in the world would be very unsuccessful if they had no followers.

When you are looking for a job, it is no time to be modest. You need to be your biggest cheerleader and sell yourself to whomever will listen. And, while you need to take credit for all of your achievements, you also need to be careful not to exaggerate your achievements to the "unbelievable" level.

Being a great leader is no better than being a great supporter. This is all well and good, but it is a delicate balance. The selling process starts with getting your name "out there", it is supported by your cover letter followed by your resume and finally the interview process as the "clincher".