StlRecruiting

Rating Recruiters

One of my new things is to ask clients what I can do for them.  It's a good way to let them know that they can ask for help without me getting anything in return.

So I asked the other day, and one of my clients mentioned that it would have been nice if I had asked last week, as he needed a electrician.

I wasn't able to help him - but he already had the answer.  Angie's List .

Angie's list is a referral service for home contractors.  It works in the same way as Amazon's rating service does - but for home contractors.   They do work for you - you rate them - and the next person gets to see how honest they are.

What a great idea.  I wonder if we'll reach a point where blogs are universal rating systems.  Think about it - if you need to use a recruiter, what rating system would you have?  Do you trust corporations to use their own rating systems or send it to all of their clients?

Most recruiters are considered good if they get you a job, and bad if they fail.  What if they were rated on interview prep, frequency of contact, fairness in salary, truthfulness, and quality of client.

What if corporate job sites were rated the same way - and corporate recruiters were rated by helpfulness, knowledge, contact, management of the process, and negotiating skills?

There's a market out there for this - just as sure as there is one for Angie's list.  The question is how would you rate?

Hiring Revolution

Hey, hey - what do you know?  Hiring Revolution changed their logo!

Look  - I was all about complaining about the picture of Che on their site, but even then, the compelling content, constant updates, and upbeat tone at their blog won me over. 

The blog has great advice, good columns, and it looks like they just had a makeover.   Looks good.
Ragan Jones column on work-life balance flows , man.  It's clear she is just talking to you - and that's the essence of a good blog post.

So mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.  You should be reading them and giving them lots of bloggy love.

December follies

Let me tell you - my appreciation for the people who work in my field grows every time I pick up a project.  As a salesperson, I know a little bit about a lot of technical subjects.

As a curious man, I try to pick up small projects that teach me a little more about the work that I employ contractors to do.  Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I helped out with copywriting, and the experience not only taught me quite a bit about a new company and industry, it gave me an appreciation for technical writers on how difficult their job can be.

Reading copy around the net will now be a new experience, and I can only imagine that my discussions with hiring managers will be sharper and more relevant than before I did this project.

A similar thing happened with UCD and designers as a whole when I met my wife.  Learning more from talented people is the best part of being a recruiter.  If you were curious, that is what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving - a career that keeps me interested.

Now is the time to interview

You've got just two days left in this month, but it you are seeking a job - now is the time to be interviewing.  Most recruiters are open on the Wednesday and Friday of Thanksgiving.  We still have open positions, hungry managers, and the time to sit down and speak with you about what you want in your career.

While everyone else is shopping on Friday - you should be looking for your new company.

We always hear about a holiday slowdown, but 4th quarter is always the best quarter for staffing.  Revenues and profits are up, as managers try to burn off budget or prepare themselves for the New Year.  If this is the case, why do people wait until the New Year to start job-hunting. 

Beat the rush. Make your phone calls and send your e-mails today.  If you are diligent, you can line up a job in January while everyone else is still spending time prepping their resume.
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Questions, Questions, Questions

Good news - I'm writing up questions for managers to answer on how they hire - and some of them have agreed to give me some answers.

Inside the Mind of the Hiring Manager is coming!

sudoku wuz here!

Salary Surveys available

The 2006 Salary surveys are here in the office if anyone is curious.   Maybe I'll write that comparison if there are any significant differences.

Interested clients drop me  an e-mail and I'll get one to you. 

Target Website: We'd like to help

Our generation loves Target.  Tar-jhay as it is now pronounced, is the epitome of cool - better than Walmart  or  Kmart, and with the big Red logo - instantly recognizable and wonderful.

But no one is perfect - as we are about to see.  Go to www.target.com.  As of 6:50 a.m. CST, the Target website has what is commonly known as a Z-index error.**

Why do I point this out?  To prove the power of blogs.   My wife notices an error, I point it out on the blog, and we're curious if while doing a web search, if Target notices it.  Chances are they will see it themselves - but if not - we're helping them correct it.
We'll update when it is solved. 

Update:  Target fixed it - pretty fast - it was done by 8:30 (which is just when I checked) - ont he other hand, typing http://target.com into the browser doesn't work.  Who are these companies that forget to do this?  I refuse to type www. into a site anymore. Fix this Target!

Update II:  Wow - Target fixed the Cname issue too - by 2:00!  It certainly wasn't me - but Target has someone who is really on the ball. Give that webmaster a raise.

Invest Midwest

The St Louis Business journal had an interesting nugget delivered yesterday.

InvestMidwest puts out call for entrepreneurs

Published: November 17, 2005

------------------------------------------------------------

InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum is looking for high-growth companies

interested in obtaining venture capital in the 2006 forum in St. Louis.

The organization set Dec. 16 as the early application deadline and Jan.

13 as the final application deadline to be considered for the April 5-6

venture capital forum, underwritten by the Danforth Foundation and the

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

The event in 2006 will have a life-science track and a

technology/general business track.

Since it began six years ago, InvestMidwest has helped generate more

than $250 million in equity investments for presenting companies.

Copyright(c) American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved.

That's about all I have to say about that.

I'm a Geek, I can admit that now.

I can admit it.  I've had the discussion of what Superhero I'd be if I was Superhero.  When I was young and dark - I used to say Batman - the Dark Knight Batman, not the 60's camp Batman.

Now, as a mild-mannered husband - there's little doubt who I most resemble, in manner and appearance.

In Los Angeles, the woman who ran the convenience store at the bottom of the City of Hope building used to bring her friends over to see me.
"Clark Kent!" she would say.  I'd smile, nod my head at her and her friends, and head up into the sky.

Truthfully.  Of course, I did use the elevator, so make of it what you will.

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