Tesar-Reynes

We just got a job from a local agency and he needed help fast. Bob and I decided to post and tweet the position as well as do a search through the database. I was shocked by the number of ill-qualified responses! A couple of people were not even in advertising. On goes my judgment hat and I want to “correct” all the miscreants.

My suggestion for all of you who answer ads you are not qualified for is to stop. You are hurting yourself in more ways than you think. You are creating a self-fulfilling downward spiral. Here is the potential negative-feedback logic thread:

• I am a terrific employee for someone
• This is the start to my new life
• Getting a new job is my new job
• I need to get my resume out
• I will send a specific cover letter that shows …
  
  [ More ] January 20th, 2010 | No Comments | Posted in Getting a Job, Tough Times |

After being out of work for a while, the idea of any money versus no money becomes pretty clear. The problem lies in negotiating with a potential employer for a lower salary. When working with a search firm, a person has a sense of perimeters. When going into a job negotiation solo, there is a sense of flying blind.

Two questions you may have are:

1. If I ask for too much, will I price myself out of the job?

2. If I price myself too low, do I come off as damaged merchandise or desperate?

There is no good answer. Two suggestions:

1. Bounce the question off a trusted recruiter you know.

2. Ask the interviewer what the salary range is for the job spec.

…

Jokes aside – see right – it’s important to keep a record of your job search. When we talk to a potential candidate about a search that we are working, one of the first questions we ask is whether they have had any past dealings with our client company.

We ask this for two major reasons. First, if they already have a relationship with the company (sent in a resume / talked to an employee / had an interview) their candidacy may fall into the cracks. Secondly, if they say that they are not interested in a company, we get feedback on what type of environment will interest them.

It is imperative that people keep track of where they are presented. If they misrepresent themselves, either by omission or commission, their candidacy is hurt. They appear to be either bending the …

I was asked a really strange question the other day. Do I prefer to receive an unsolicited resume from a candidate I don’t know by snail mail or by e-mail. My response was simple: e-mail. She laughed and said that is a pretty black and white response.

My answer was definitely yes. There is very little I can do with a paper copy of a resume other than to request an electronic one. The perception, at least with me, is that if someone sends me a hard copy they’re not very much up on the world and don’t have an electronic one. It sort of creates a bad first impression.

I was interviewing a very successful lady who had an outstanding resume but was out of work for five months. Her husband was just laid off three weeks ago. As we talked about the lack of potential jobs out there for either of them, she became increasingly agitated. At one point there was a tear in the corner of her eye.

I tried to lighten the conversation and get her on a more positive note. I flashed back and remembered the feeling when I was out of work and the checking account was getting dangerously close to zero. I remember the desperation, fear and isolation that set in.

From my point of view, the worst thing to deal with is the sense of helplessness and of being alone. When I started thinking about the sense of isolation, …

In this down economy, Millennials have three advantages over the rest of the workforce:

Millennials are eager to start working. To them, a $30,000 a year job is just as good as a $40,000. They just want work. Doing what makes them happy is far more important, at this point, than the pay they are reimbursed.

The only bills a fresh out of college professional has are rent, cell phone, and maybe debt through credit cards and student loans. Add to this the likelihood of a Millennial having roommates, and you get bills divided between 2-3 people. My roommates and I split groceries and cooking duties, further minimizing expenses.

Another intern at the strategic communications firm I work …

I listen to people all day. Many of them admit to their level of terror: they are out of work and can’t find a job; they have taken a lesser position to tide them over; they are consulting and they have skimped on health insurance; they fear they will be part of the next cutback. On and on.

I have lived through a bunch of recessions since I got out of school, but this is the worst I have seen. Normally they seem to bottom out and start ascending after 12-14 months. This one is longer. It is sucking at me.

When I get up in the morning I have to kick-start by resolve before I go to work. Listening to National Public Radio is getting tougher because I …

With my internship ending in June, the next few weeks will present a unique challenge: a job search in the worst job market since the Great Depression.

My roommate, a film student who also buses at the Cheesecake Factory, remarked yesterday how happy he is just to have a job. “8 percent of this country is unemployed,” he said. “That’s basically 10 percent. That’s a lot of people. I have no room to complain.”

He’s right. For me, this is the first time I’ll face a job search in adulthood, meaning rent and bills loom on the horizon. I consider this a true test of valor. Either I emerge from this hunt triumphant or will have to face the pride-swallowing alternative – a call to mom and dad for some …

This list is mainly compiled from my personal experience. Believe it or not, I had three W-2’s in the worst career year of my life. But it was great prep to go into the search business!

I visited my PRSSA chapter for my last official meeting Monday. Afterwards, me and other members of the executive board went out to grab a bite. We chatted about how our marketing and public relations internships were going.

As we opened up, we got into an interesting conversation about our fears. The added pressure of hiring freezes and the competition that brings for jobs can make the workday stressful.

We of course would always perform our duties to the best of our abilities. We had to admit, however, lurking deep in the back of our heads existed legitimate, insecurity driven fears. Here are four of the fears we discussed. I hope this post helps our readers better …