At Crowdtap lately it has felt like much of our days are consumed with interviews. This is a good problem to have in the sense that we’re growing the team by 50% but it’s also one of the biggest challenges in a hot young start up. In NYC lately it feels like tech and media companies are popping up like weeds so unfortunately there are a lot of shiny balls out there for the talented few to chase. The challenge for us becomes finding the perfect few who have all the skills, personality and hustle that our team requires. This is not however an article about our hiring woes. This is about helping those who are searching for their next home, to find the best possible fit at this point in their career . I’ve noticed that in my experiences there seem to be 3 key factors that should be considered when on the hunt for your next role. When combined this should serve as a great roadmap to get you to the best possible fit for both you and the team you’ll be joining.
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Some people value this more then others but I think this is one of the... Read more
Tagged 'job search' 
3 Tips For Choosing Your Next Job
How a Little Empathy Can Go A Long Way When it Comes to Hiring
em •pa•thy (definition): the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another....(Source: dictionary.com)
Recruiters are matchmakers, hunters, negotiators and, most definitely, therapists. There’s not a week that goes by — or maybe even a day — when we’re not providing some sort of mental release for a job seeker frustrated with his/her search and the process as a whole. I don’t mean this as a complaint. Just a statement of reality.
A sample of things that I commonly hear:
“I had five interviews, making it all the way to the C-suite, when all off a sudden, everything went radio silent. Nobody will return my calls or emails. I can understand if they don’t want to move forward but you’d think they could have the courtesy to just say so. A little closure, please.”
“I put a weekend’s worth of work into doing a project that was requested of me and then I never heard “boo.” Did they just use me to get a project done for free?”
“I was hired by a company and then a week after I started, the division I... Read more
Market Yourself in 2011
At the dawn of 2011, too many of my friends and colleagues are still unemployed or underemployed. And many are stuck in jobs they hate because the job market seems frozen. In the spirit of making next year better, consider Kim Bishop’s new book, Get Down to Business and You’ll Get the Job, as a tool for change.
Full disclosure. Kim is a friend of mine. I respect her experience and expertise. She gave me a free copy of the book.
Kim Bishop has been on both sides of the table and as a result has written an effective handbook for job-seekers at all levels. Jam-packed with tips and suggestions, links to online and offline resources and practical advice to calm your nerves and focus your search, this is the book for anyone who wants to get their next job early in 2011.
Bishop understands the landscape, the hiring mentality and the tools you need to work the system in your favor and she explicitly lays out a fact-based game plan anyone can follow. Lots of these "get-a-job" books are full of self-serving opinions and motivational hype. This one isn't. It's realistic, practical, accessible and do-able.
She has a system, complete with its... Read more
Top 3 Interviewing Mistakes
#1: Get Rid of the "We"-- Focus on the "Me"
I know, I know. You don't want to come off as being full of yourself. But, I can't tell you how many times I found myself, as a recruiter, interrupting a candidate and asking her to reconsider my question focusing on what she PERSONALLY did in regards to my query. In other words, can you please answer the question by starting with the word "I" vs. "We?"
When you are interviewing, try and highlight your accomplishments while stressing how effectively you worked with a team of fellow employees when answering questions. This way you can discuss what YOU have accomplished without sounding haughty or grandiose. Here’s an example of how to answer a question regarding specific job responsibilities: “I, along with my co-workers, wrote the collateral for all our programs and presented new concepts to the sales team.” Or, if you are asked about your ability to make rain, you could say something like: "I worked on new business initiatives on a regular basis and, along with the Partners of my firm, brought in x-number of accounts." In this way, you are clearly articulating your responsibilities and accomplishments while being careful not... Read more
Cover Letters for Jobs NOT Advertised
The job boards are slow as the employment market continues to tighten. Does that mean you should sit back and wait for a job of your liking to magically appear on iMedia, The Ladders or any of your other preferred job sites? Me thinks not! Create a wish list of companies you want to work for and take the initiative to contact these guys directly. Visit their Web sites, call the main number and ask for the name of an HR Director and the head of the department you want to work in (e.g., if you are a marketer, get the name of the Marketing Director). Your ultimate goal is to get at least one face-to-face informational interview. You want to introduce yourself to the right people, meet them, and make such a great impression that they will call you when a suitable position opens up.
Your cover letter has to be highly targeted. Illustrate that you are smart about the company's business. If, for example, you want to work on the account side in a particular advertising agency, find out what accounts the agency is working on. Check out their advertising, see if they have been involved in any philanthropic... Read more
