Hello? Hello! Anyone Out There? Why You Never Hear Back

Posted by Dana Fink, Director of Staffing at Glenmont Group

The most common complaint we hear on a day-to-day basis is when a candidate sends out resumes during a search, they never hear back. Applying  to positions through a company’s website or job portal is often compared to sending resumes into a “black hole”.

Some ways to avoid /overcome this are:

• Do some investigation on LinkedIn. See if you have any personal connections to potential hiring managers, at the minimum get a contact name to send your information to.
• Use a recruiter to act as your talent agent. They have personal connections and have the ear of hiring managers and HR contacts to highlight your strengths as they apply to a specific job.
• Have a clear and concise message in a cover email. Lengthy cover letters with broad sweeping statements of how wonderful you are and excited about the opportunity are pointless. Have a few key bullets that DIRECTLY correlate to the opening at hand.
• Luck and timing have to be on your side. Replying to old postings in hopes that the position is still open will probably not net the best results.

I welcome reader’s comments on their own experiences—

In addition, I found the following tips on Glassdoor.com insightful-

5 Reasons Why You Never Hear Back After Applying For A Job

Meghan M. Biro, Glassdoor

Read more: http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-5-reasons-hear-applying-job/#ixzz25bbHV55O

People  often wonder why they never hear anything back after they hit ‘send’ on the  email with a resume attached or on the on-line job application. If you’re very  lucky, you might have a preliminary email exchange with a recruiter and then  never hear from them again.

It’s a depressing experience, and one which also casts a shadow on the  hiring company’s reputation. So why does it happen? Is it you, is it them, or is  it just something every candidate must prepare for in the hiring  process?

There’s no question job seekers face an uphill climb. High unemployment  nationally means more competition for every position; according to a January  2012 article in the Wall  Street Journal, Starbucks “… attracted 7.6 million job applicants over the past 12 months for about 65,000  corporate and retail job openings…”

An oft-cited recruiter’s complaint is that as many as 50 percent of people  applying for a given  job simply aren’t qualified. Adding to the challenge, most  large companies – and many  smaller ones – use talent-management software to screen resumes,  weeding out up to 50 percent of applicants before a human even looks at a resume  or cover letter. The deck is definitely stacked against the job seeker. So how  do you break through?

Here are my top 5 reasons you’re not hearing back after applying for a job,  with five suggestions for ways to avoid the Resume Black Hole.

Why You Never Hear Back:

1. You really aren’t qualified. If a job description  specifies a software developer with 3-5 years of experience and you’re a recent  graduate with one internship, it’s unlikely you’ll get a call. Avoid  disappointment – don’t apply for jobs for which you lack qualifications. Most  job descriptions are written with very specific requirements. Yes, the company  is trying to find the most qualified candidate; yes, they are trying to weed  people out. It’s not personal, it’s business.
2. You haven’t keyword-optimized your resume or  application. Job descriptions are salted with keywords specific to  the skills or attributes the company seeks in applicants. A close read of the  job description is a necessity, as is keyword-optimizing your resume and cover  letter, if you’re using one, or email. If the job description lists words in a  certain order, e.g. a list of programming languages required, use the same order  in your resume.
3. Your resume isn’t formatted properly. You might think  distinctive formatting will set your resume apart, but automated programs don’t  care if a document is pretty. Help a machine out. Be consistent in formatting – consider using separate lines for former employer, job title, and years  worked.
4. Your resume is substantially different from your online  profile. LinkedIn, Dice and other online  profile sites can be useful tools, so it‘s important to make sure they match  what’s on your resume. This may seem to be a contradiction – in #1 I advised  keyword optimization – but it’s really common sense. Jobs worked, employers,  years on the job and other details should match. The subtext here is  always tell the truth.
5. The company received 500 resumes for one job posting, and yours was  499^th in. Looking for a job is a  job. Do your research – know which companies you want to work for, organizations  where you sense culture fit. Every morning scour the job postings and jump on  anything for which you’re qualified (and in which you’re interested.) Being  early with your resume or application does matter. Check back  often in the first few days to make sure the listing hasn’t changed. Often a  company will post a job and halfway through the process change the  description.

It’s hard to game the system. Your best bet is still a personal referral, and  even that may not be enough to get a call. A guy I know gave his resume to a  woman who worked at a company where a good job had been posted. He received an  automated email noting his resume had been received but never heard another  word. After a month he asked his friend to check with the recruiter. It turned  out the job description had changed, but the recruiter never bothered to let the  referring employee – or the applicant – know. This isn’t unusual, unfortunately.  So what can you do?

How You Can Get Noticed:

1. Research interesting companies on social media. Find  out who the recruiters are and follow them. Many will tweet new postings, so  watch their streams and jump on anything for which you are qualified. And if  they tweet news saying the company’s had a great quarter, retweet the news with  a positive comment.
2. Consider starting a blog in your area of interest or  expertise. It’s a social world; time to build a trail of  breadcrumbs leading to you. Include the blog, and links to any especially  relevant posts, in your emails to recruiters with whom you’re working.
3. Get professional help with your resume. Either a  resume writer or an SEO expert can help you increase your odds of getting  through the talent management software. If you can’t afford this step, read the  top career blogs for advice.
4. If at all possible, don’t wait until you’re out of work to find your  next job. I realize for many people this isn’t possible or might  even be offensive, but your chances of finding the next job are best when you’re  still employed.
5. Network. Old advice, but still true. Be visible, be upbeat,  be informed about industry trends and news in your area of expertise.

Finding a job is tough, no question. I’ve talked to other recruiters who say  they only respond to 30 percent of applicants. The odds are good you’ll be in  the 60+ percent who hears nothing a lot of the time. Don’t take it personally – it’s not a rejection of you, it’s a reflection of the times. If you don’t hear  back, know you’re not alone.

Read more: http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-5-reasons-hear-applying-job/#ixzz25bakRF69

Seizing the Perfect Opportunity Within the Sales Space

Posted By Adam Malanaphy, Project Coordinator at Glenmont Group

A strong sales team is one of the most important components of an effective player in the Information Governance space. As new players arrive to this industry, or existing players bring new products to market, it is extremely important to have the proper sales team to “hit the ground running” and penetrate new markets. This scenario raises an important question, “Where do we find these salespeople?” The answer is concise; they must come from somewhere else in the space. This fact is undeniable with respect to the reality that it will require too much time and effort to build a new sales force from the ground up. I have worked at Glenmont Group for just over a year and although a similar argument can be made for other types of positions, it is abundantly obvious that the top players in the Information Governance space are constantly looking for strong sales reps.

Sourcing candidates for sales roles is often a bit different than sourcing for other types of positions (naturally).  Let me begin by saying that I love speaking with sales reps across the country.  Being in a sales role myself, I can relate to many aspects of their daily activities, and I truly enjoy hearing success stories as it helps to keep my spirits high and my motivation consistent.  In fact, I learn a lot of what I know about the various solutions available within information governance directly from the mouths of the most effective reps in the space!

With that being said, it is important to consider the nature of sourcing top tier sales reps.  The very notion of recruiting a top performer is somewhat of an oxymoron.  Let’s take a moment to consider this; our clients are constantly asking us to present top performing candidates.  In order for us to show them these candidates, we are tasked with contacting them and developing some level of interest on their part – at least enough to entertain a first level conversation.  The tricky part is that the primary motivation for movement within the industry is that a given candidate is unhappy in their current role.  The strongest sales reps are more often than not energetic hunters that seek out and close new business; these candidates are money motivated.  Thus, if you are a top performing sales rep you are going to be making a lot of money! So now we see the conundrum come full circle.  We are tasked to recruit the candidates who are doing very well, but these candidates are not likely to be interested for the simple fact that they are doing very well!

Now let’s take a moment to step back and pay homage to the truism that of course there are situations that can make interviewing for a new role within this space quite appealing to a top sales rep.  For instance, a stronger compensation plan, relocation, a more appealing product/service etc. can all be factors that are worth considering.  These situations can (and often do) create a situation that is a win-win for both the client and the candidate.  These are the specific situations that our team at Glenmont Group spend hours a day searching for, the needle in our metaphorical haystack!  When these situations do arise it is important to seize the opportunity.  Many times sales candidates analyze a position on a micro level and their perception can become muddled by minor details.  The fact is that this perfect situation does not present itself very often and it is extremely important to step back and look at the big picture.  As the interview process progresses from the courtship phase to the interview stage it is not uncommon for sales candidates to get cold feet.  When this happens one must consider why he/she decided to consider new opportunities in the first place – and proceed accordingly with all of the confidence that a top sales rep should have! What is right for us and what is right in front of us does not overlap very often so when it does you must seize the moment.

What’s Your Take?

Posted by Joe Alonzo, Director of eDiscovery/Computer Forensics at Glenmont Group

I read an article last month that discussed high-tech (present & former) CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Larry Ellison and the importance of college degrees. As (most of) the world knows, Zuckerberg attended Harvard University and did not finish, starting the Facebook in his college dorm room.   Sure, a very common success story.

Mentioned in the article is that less than five CEOs of the top 50 largest US technology companies do not possess a college degree, conversely more than half of this list has at least one graduate degree.  Jerry Luftman, managing director of the Global Institute for IT was quoted as saying “I’ve met as many successful tech CEOs who have dropped out college as I’ve met folks who have won the lottery.”

The insignificance of a college degree in today’s time is a misnomer. Throughout my career, I have heard many say, “it’s just a piece of paper” and disregard its importance on people entering the workforce. While there have certainly been exceptions, my personal opinion is that it’s critically important to your success. During your four, (sometimes) five or eight structured years in college, you are constantly prepared for tense situations, taught to work under pressure, prepare for deadlines and work with formalized procedures.  As many will agree, these all are very important tools to have upon entering and succeeding in the workforce.

As the old adage goes, “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it”, and I suppose the world would see many more like Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg.  The creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and courageous attitude shared by these three are traits that many today have as well,  but are not all that is required for a building a technology giant.

Just as the old Public Service Announcement said back in the 90’s:   Be cool, stay in school.

Joe Alonzo has nearly a decade of experience in executive recruiting and career counseling.  He has helped some of most recognized legal technology and financial institutions expand their workforce throughout his career.   

Taking the Leap

Posted by: Adam Malanaphy, Project Coordinator at Glenmont Group

“Sometimes you need to take a big step, you cannot cross a chasm in two small steps.” David Lloyd George (January 17, 1863 –  March 26, 1945)

One of the most important aspects of recruiting that I have learned at the Glenmont Group is the importance of simply reaching out to as many candidates as possible and presenting them with some variation of the following question, would you consider pursuing another organization at this point in your career? The three most common answers to this question are; yes I would, no I would not, and maybe. Now, as the first two responses are quite easy to interpret, the third response can be especially tricky.

Whenever I am engaged in a dialogue exchange with a candidate whom I feel would be a strong candidate for a given opportunity and they tell me they are in the “maybe” stage of considering opportunities, I feel compelled to try and get to the root of their thinking. The fact is that if one is in the “maybe” stage of considering a new opportunity, it is because they are unhappy with some aspect of their current position. Furthermore, one would expect that it is a good time to (at the very least) start tuning in to relevant opportunities within the space. However, many candidates at this point in their career are far less open to even hearing about opportunities than you may have predicted.

The reason that candidates in the “maybe” category find themselves in that position is that they recognize the fact that something is wrong, but have become too comfortable in their current position to seriously consider making a change. This will often yield a situation in which no party wins. The employee is unhappy at work, and in turn, not performing at their best. The employer suffers from subpar performance and morale takes a hit as disgruntled employees are present in their work environment. I know that change can be very uncomfortable, but sometimes to achieve a better quality of life – one must strongly consider making a change.

Recruiting 101

Posted by Kate Potters, COO at Glenmont Group

Judging by the masseuse and middle school teacher who applied for the position of VP of Human Resources at a prominent law firm client of mine, it is safe to say that some people do NOT read job postings. The best way to recruit is via live conversations. It’s the only way to explore people’s backgrounds and motivations as well as share details that aren’t in the description. I’m not going to give all our secrets away, but there’s more to it than simply creating a great job description and posting it on a website.

You need to have lots of additional information ready to share with candidates. This not only saves time but can help generate interest in the position. Or conversely, eliminate candidates early in the process, based on their motivations and career goals.

There are many things people want to know that aren’t in a typical job description:

• What’s so great about your company? Are you a Best Place to Work? Have the latest technology? Fantastic benefits?
• Why is the position open?
• Who is the Manager? What is she/he like?
• What is the office environment like? Where will I work?
• Does this person have direct reports? What are their titles?
• Who will I be working with? Maybe one of these people can meet with them briefly.
• Why is this opportunity better than the one I have now? No one wants to change jobs for change sake, especially under current economic conditions.
• What direction is the company going in? What is the size of the organization?
• What is the opportunity for growth within the organization?

While people work to make money and pay the bills, good candidates are also motivated by things other than money. It could be a new challenge, opportunity for growth or simply a better commute. This also becomes evident during the course of a conversation.  Email is essential, but there’s still no replacement for the give and take of a good conversation.

Being Comfortable in the Workplace

Posted By Adam Malanaphy, Project Coordinator at Glenmont Group“This one is too soft, this one is too hard, but this one is just right.” –Goldilocks

The quote above was taken from the popular children’s story Goldilocks. Although it may seem elementary at first, one cannot negate the fact that this excerpt teaches an important lesson. The fact is that the subject in question (Goldilocks in this scenario), is constantly on a quest to achieve the best possible outcome via trial and error. This principle becomes increasingly relevant as one begins to take a look at today’s job market.

So what is the perfect opportunity for you? This is certainly a question that requires in depth thinking, analysis of self, and (in most cases) a healthy serving of trial and error. Let’s now take a moment to fast forward from the start of one’s career to the point where he or she has settled in to a role that feels…let’s say, just right! Now, this individual has been working for Company ABC for three years; the compensation plan is competitive, the benefits are good, and the daily routine starts to become second nature – we are now in metaphorical cruise control. This can be a very smooth part of one’s career, but it can also be a highway to mediocrity.

When one has settled into a role that is no longer challenging, it may be time to consider pursuing new opportunities. As a general rule of thumb, if you are very comfortable, it is likely that you are not being challenged – if you are not being challenged you are not making an impact. Furthermore, if you are not making an impact, you are probably not on your way toward advancement.

At the Glenmont Group, we spend the majority of our time reaching out to passive candidates to alert them of relevant opportunities and to provide them with a general overview of the competitive landscape. Making moves within one’s area of interest has become far more common. The average number of moves within the US workforce is now 8.7 during one’s career. When moving to another organization, the average increase in compensation is just about 15%.  So the next time you feel “comfortable” in a given role, consider the opportunities for advancement and title that are associated with moving to another organization!

Glass Half Full

Posted by Joe Alonzo, Director of eDiscovery/Computer Forensics at Glenmont Group

As we get deeper into the summer, you may soon feel that hiring tends to slow.  You are probably right.  Even though every company still has deadlines and deliverables to meet, the fact remains that we are entering the height of summer vacation season, and scheduling interviews will soon become hectic.

I follow several industry blogs, however Inc.com always has some insightful articles on today’s Professional.   In this article, the writer highlights that he sees a lot of postings on staying positive, but not too many on losing your negativity.  I couldn’t agree more.   I speak with dozens of people per week, many of whom I am unable to help for an array of reasons.  My best advice to the struggling job seeker is to stay positive, as hard as that may be.  We are empathetic and realize that some candidates feel they cannot catch a break after countless interviews and unfavorable outcomes,  but the pessimism will start to show and that could cost you the opportunity you need/want.

A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn’t see the clouds at all – he’s walking on them – Leonard Lewis Levinson

The Opportunity you ALMOST Overlooked!

Posted by Adam Malanaphy, Project Coordinator at Glenmont Group

Have you ever had the feeling that things just aren’t quite right at work? Perhaps your commission plan has been reduced, your favorite manager has just left, or you simply feel that you are not getting the recognition that you deserve. So, you arrive at the conclusion that it is now time to possibly make a move. Whether you decide to embark on this journey alone or using a recruiter it can be a daunting task.

As the job search begins, one often looks toward the most visible organizations within his or her competitive landscape. These organizations are likely to be cash healthy, mature, and stable in nature. Although these organizations have generated a certain allure amongst your peers, a question emerges. Is this company right for me?

I am a recruiter at the Glenmont Group, specializing in the eDiscovery space. Throughout the progression of my career within recruiting I have developed a relatively unbiased overview of the talent that composes the industry, and where these skillsets are most likely to thrive. Upon finding a strong candidate that is actively seeking new opportunities I am often compelled to begin by asking the candidate if there are any organizations that have attracted their attention. I often notice that the candidate has narrowed the realm of possibilities by pigeon-holing themselves to one specific type of organization. For example, a candidate may say they are looking for a company that provides the opportunity to influence high level technology decisions and then mention the largest player in the space. The problem here is that although this “big player” is thriving, their size prohibits candidates of this level from accessing the proposed level of decision making. Here at Glenmont Group, we have been trained to take a consultative approach and recommend a smaller organization that affords any employee the opportunity to have the ear of their CEO. For some candidates it may be more valuable to be a big fish in a small pond.

After taking the information provided above into consideration one must understand that it can be difficult to notice the best option for them due to the fact that their opinion is intrinsically biased. Of course, this is not always the case, but there is great value to be achieved through an outside opinion. I have worked with many candidates that have initially overlooked a certain organization only to find that it was the best option for them. Finding a new opportunity is never an easy task which is why it is important to utilize all of the tools that are available, especially services that are free of charge!

 

Social Media Takeover

Posted by Susan Beck, Project Coordinator at Glenmont Group

When I was a kid, my parents chose to place me in a small private school. I went there from Kindergarten through 5^th grade with the coolest 7 kids I knew. Starting 6^th Grade was a whole new experience for me, as I began public school and there were now 90 kids I could be friends with. For the first couple days, I came home from school, excited about all the new friends I was making. Of course, every time I told my parents about these new friends, my parents would ask two questions: “What is their last name?” and “What do their parents do?” Well, after a bit, I started anticipating the questions. I would find out last names, parents occupations, and where in town they lived…for starters. Back then, giving out that kind of information right when you met someone was not the norm. I was actually considered “the weird kid” for a bit because I liked to play 20 Questions. Nowadays, it isn’t all that uncommon to find out even more personal information from just a click of a button. A simple friend request on Facebook can give you someone’s last name, address, cell phone number, email, relationship status, photos of vacations, and even more. It seems as though what was once taboo is now commonplace.

Social media has blown up so much in the last 10 years. Some see it as an invasion of privacy, some see it as a way to keep in touch with friends, and some see it as a way to reach out to strangers with common interests. No matter where in the spectrum you fall, you have to admit that it sure seems like social media is running the world. No matter where you go, or what you do, you seem to find a link for Facebook or Twitter. I hear you can even buy tickets to a concert, connect your Facebook to the purchase, and see where your friends are sitting. The way it seems, internet socializing is even butting into real-life socializing.

Facebook has even supported applications like BranchOut and BeKnown which, essentially, make it LinkedIn. Now, Facebook isn’t just about networking with friends, but it is connecting business partners and clients. (Personally, I like to keep my professional life off Facebook. There is not much reason to cross the two.) Monster, who launched BeKnown (a professional networking app run through Facebook), is now using this business-networking app to go a step further. You can log onto your BeKnown/Facebook profile while looking for jobs on Monster to see if any of your connections work for the company you are applying to. While this can be helpful, it seems like an eager attempt to make BeKnown more public and Monster’s brand more prominent. In addition to this, it seems like Monster is desperately trying to hop on the social media band-wagon, while keeping it relevant to what they do.

Here is an article explaining the new feature on Monster in more detail:

http://bit.ly/KVmZFy

So, This One Time, At Band Camp…

Posted by Adam Weissman, Director, IT and Legal Technology at Glenmont Group

I am always intrigued, often confused, and sometimes impressed, by the methods by which people prepare themselves for job interviews. A big discussion topic in the employment world is, “How do I distinguish myself as a candidate for a job?” I have learned over the course of my life as a recruiter that assuming an individual’s innate ability to interview well (i.e. dress appropriately, make eye contact, articulate ideas and information in a detailed-but-concise manner, ask questions that are both relevant and appropriate for the circumstances and the specific job or company, etc.) without guidance, ends poorly more often than not. Every time a candidate (whom we represent) interviews with one of our clients for an open, viable position, the outcome is a direct reflection on both the individual recruiter and Glenmont Group as a Search Firm, good, bad or indifferent. Each interview conversation, for each job, with each organization, can and must be tailored in order to convey the right message and fit.

Regardless of the level of position we are recruiting for, any candidate who interviews with one of our clients, has been prepared for their interview by a Glenmont Group recruiter. We are not providing canned responses, confidential information, or question lists, as we find many interviewers want to elicit different information from one interview to the next. Clients sometimes even base their inquiries within the context of the conversation with that specific individual. Rather, we focus on counseling these talented professionals in their mindsets and overall approach to the conversations and meetings they are about to have – the exchange of information that, for some, could have a profound impact on their professional and personal lives.

Ahh, the ever-elusive, no-fail tactics to ace every interview do not lie here. However, I read an article this morning by Vickie Elmer on AOL Jobs that identifies one interviewing strategy that can be beneficial to prospective job applicants, particularly in the professional setting. Elmer encourages interviewees to give thoughtful consideration to personal stories that can provide potential employers a highly-relevant, valuable insight into the broader makeup and character of that individual.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/05/16/how-to-tell-your-story-in-a-job-interview/