Hello all! I have volunteered to be the new moderator for AustinRecruiters, an Austin-based recruiter networking group on Yahoo! I'd love to see this group become a great resource for corporate and staffing recruiters here in Austin for networking, communicating events, receiving support, sharing job postings, and generally connecting with other recruiters in the biz.
For more information, please get in touch. Meanwhile, you're cordially invited to join our networking group:
Miss Recruiter
Monday, December 14, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Expanding Search to Dallas!
Miss Recruiter is expanding the search for C# architects to DALLAS, Texas. See below for job description; please note we're looking for VERY senior level developers!
Looking forward to any recommendations you might have.
MR
Looking forward to any recommendations you might have.
MR
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Recruiting .NET developers in Austin
Dell is hiring! Global Services Software Development (GSSD) is looking for a Software Engineer Consultant to work in the Image Management Suite of software. Image Management is focused on developing and deploying software allowing customers to Capture, Deploy and Restore their O/S images. The work is challenging and incorporates a mix of new feature delivery to Dell customers and building industry leading software.
Responsibilities:
· Contribute to the design and architecture of new or re-engineered software.
· Prepare written software specifications for complex products from architectural diagrams and documents.
· Develop and review design, functional, technical, and/or user documentation, as needed..
· Develop, test, and integrate code for new or existing software of significant complexity.
· Prepare accurate project status documentation for management.
· Contribute to resource, schedule, and cost sizing for software development projects of medium complexity.
· Design and Architect Software
Education/Experience:
BS/BA degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics or related disciplines or equivalent work experience required
A minimum of 5 years work experience is required
Technical:
Proficient in C# 3.0 and/or 3.5
Proficient in .NET
Experience with SQL Server
Scripting language experience
Working knowledge of operating system fundamentals
Programming Virtualization environments and Cloud-base computing (preferred but not required)
Window Services experience is a plus
Test driven development experience is a plus
*We're also open to superstar Java developers that are interested in learning .NET!*
*We're also open to superstar Java developers that are interested in learning .NET!*
About Dell:
Collaboration. Individual drive. A passion for technology. That's what success sounds like at Dell. It's this dedication to finding unique solutions that has given rise to many of our energy-smart, green initiatives. Sound like something you can get behind? Join our team, and you'll work in a dynamic environment with other motivated, talented individuals who care about protecting our planet. Plus, you'll get the mentoring, support and training you need to succeed on your own terms.
Contact me at mhall@startupstaffing.com to apply or refer superstar candidates. No third parties, please.
Miss Recruiter
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Confrontation 101
Not that I'm advocating being a confrontational pain in the neck at the office, but after 10+ years in the corporate workplace, I have found that much of the drama that occurs in the office could have been avoided with a good, direct conversation among coworkers. (This also applies to friendships, family relationships, and marriage!)
When I first started my career in recruiting, I had an amazing mentor and manager, who taught me so much about giving and receiving feedback. It has stuck with me through all the years and, I think, made me a better communicator in all aspects of my life (of course I still have some work to do - it will always be a work in progress). I found this awesome article about communication this week and thought I'd share it with you all. There are some great instructions on how to have that dreaded, but VERY necessary and helpful conversation with people in your life - work-related or not. I hope you find it helpful!
Miss Recruiter
------------------
Confrontation for Sissies
By Judith Stone
No simmering fuses. No verbal bombshells. Judith Stone discovers
a three-step plan that takes the fear (and the fight) out of
confrontations.
You say you hate confrontation, that you'd rather have oral surgerywithout anesthesia than a tough, cards-on-the-table talk with a colleague, spouse, or friend? Have we got a plan for you.
What's that? You say you love confrontation, that you may even be a little too eager to open up a can of weapons-gradewhup-ass—but that, come to think of it, these big blow-ups aregetting you approximately nowhere? Have we got a plan for you.And it's the same one. Developed by corporate coach Esther Jeles, this fresh approach to conflict resolution has been road-tested by hundreds of participants in the workshops she holds for businesses interested in improving communication and increasing productivity.
"Confrontation isn't about telling someone off or setting them straight," says Jeles, founder and CEO of Aylet, a Chicago-based consulting firm. "Confrontation is looking at issues and solving
problems." You can participate, or you can let things happen to you, Jeles notes. "You can only affect the outcome directly if you speak up," she says. "Nothing ever changes for the better unless opposing parties come together and discuss the situation and solutions." Most important, a healthy confrontation can be a chance for you to help people feel better about themselves, she says. "And to be proud of your own behavior."
Confrontation? A mental health tool, a community builder, a force for kindness? The word definitely has a bad rep, even though it emerged from the mildest of roots, the Latin for "together" and "forehead"; initially it meant simply "to come face-to-face." Jeles urges a return to the collaborative image conjured by the word's origins—putting our heads together to reach a common goal. The term she uses for this kind of encounter is carefrontation. Reframing the definition creates an instant attitude shift in her clients, Jeles says, especially after she helps them realize that they're already champs at healthy confrontations. "We've all had hundreds of them!" Jeles says. "But we tend to remember only the confrontations that got ugly, and to call the successful ones something else."
What did we intuitively do right in the non-ugly encounters? Some version, Jeles says, of the three core steps that she recommends:
1. Prepare with care.
Before you confront another person, have a long talk with yourself and try the following.
Define the problem, separating the practical issues ("I stayed up all night finishing a report because a colleague didn't turn in her share of the research") from the emotions they evoke ("I'm furious with her for sticking me with extra work!").
Engage in what Jeles calls self-witnessing. "That means asking yourself: 'What does this situation remind me of? How have I handled such issues in the past? What's my pattern?'" For example, the woman stuck writing the report might realize that what she does, over and over, is bite her tongue even when she sees disaster looming, because she dreads conflict. "Maybe she'll notice that the situation reminds her of her relationship with her sister," Jeles says. "Maybe the family pattern was that she was always stuck holding the bag and cleaning up after her sister. When she sees the pattern, she can change it."
Practice expressing the problem in a clear, calm way, without blaming the other person. "Don't throw in everything you've held in for a year," she says. "That wouldn't be a carefrontation; it would be an assault."
2. Offer an invitation to talk.
There's no single surefire opener, Jeles says. "But a couple I've seen work well are 'I sense there's
something you want to talk to me about. If now isn't the time, I'm ready whenever you are,' or 'I've got some suggestions that I think can really help you.'" People might feel suspicious at first, interpreting "I think I can help" as code for "I'm preparing to attack." Eventually, though, Jeles says, "they're grateful, because they're floundering."
3. Practice no-blame talking and listening.
Present the thoughts you collected in the preparation stage, being careful not to blame or accuse. "I might say, 'I know I may not have all the information, but here's what I think is happening.' After that, you can ask, 'What do you think is happening?' And then you listen." You're not listening, Jeles points out, if you're preparing your next verbal volley—"reloading," she calls it. One time-honored way of keeping yourself from reloading is reflecting back to the other person: "So let me make sure I understand what you said...."
If the confrontation is taking place at work, Jeles stresses, leave your emotions out of the discussion. Suggest solutions that focus on tasks and goals instead of the person's faults. "Get right to what I call www.com: Who does What by When Communication. That's 99 percent of the communication required in corporate America," says Jeles. "Focusing on productivity instead of blame—fixing the plan, not the person —shifts the mood from threatening to uplifting." Set a time for meeting again to check in with each other about how the new plan is working.
If the confrontation is taking place off the job—friend to friend, spouse to spouse, or parent to child—then you do need to express your emotions clearly, but calmly. "So you might say to a teenager, 'Last night when you didn't come home when you said you would, I felt disappointed and angry, but mostly I was afraid something bad had happened to you. Have you ever had that feeling?' Then ask what was going on with her." The focus should be on understanding each other's feelings and thought processes.
A common cause of conflict both at work and at home, according to Jeles, is not discussing a problem as soon as it comes up. "I don't leave it for a month, I don't leave it for a week, I don't let 15 things go by—I confront every issue one at a time, as it comes up, or as soon as I notice a pattern. Then I find out what the other person is thinking." And if the relationship is one fraught with conflict? "I tell all my clients, it doesn't matter what the history is, you've got to start new somewhere." Begin using carefrontation steps every time the smallest thing comes up, Jeles says. "That creates very different results than waiting until you're just about ready to pop your balloon."
Once you redefine confrontation and learn to do it better, Jeles promises, you'll no longer be tortured by the rule-flouting teen, the shirking colleague, the belittling boss, the secret-spilling friend, or the Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Doormat. The more you practice, she says, the easier it gets to give good carefrontation, and to receive it.
From the May 2008 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
When I first started my career in recruiting, I had an amazing mentor and manager, who taught me so much about giving and receiving feedback. It has stuck with me through all the years and, I think, made me a better communicator in all aspects of my life (of course I still have some work to do - it will always be a work in progress). I found this awesome article about communication this week and thought I'd share it with you all. There are some great instructions on how to have that dreaded, but VERY necessary and helpful conversation with people in your life - work-related or not. I hope you find it helpful!
Miss Recruiter
------------------
Confrontation for Sissies
By Judith Stone
No simmering fuses. No verbal bombshells. Judith Stone discovers
a three-step plan that takes the fear (and the fight) out of
confrontations.
You say you hate confrontation, that you'd rather have oral surgerywithout anesthesia than a tough, cards-on-the-table talk with a colleague, spouse, or friend? Have we got a plan for you.
What's that? You say you love confrontation, that you may even be a little too eager to open up a can of weapons-gradewhup-ass—but that, come to think of it, these big blow-ups aregetting you approximately nowhere? Have we got a plan for you.And it's the same one. Developed by corporate coach Esther Jeles, this fresh approach to conflict resolution has been road-tested by hundreds of participants in the workshops she holds for businesses interested in improving communication and increasing productivity.
"Confrontation isn't about telling someone off or setting them straight," says Jeles, founder and CEO of Aylet, a Chicago-based consulting firm. "Confrontation is looking at issues and solving
problems." You can participate, or you can let things happen to you, Jeles notes. "You can only affect the outcome directly if you speak up," she says. "Nothing ever changes for the better unless opposing parties come together and discuss the situation and solutions." Most important, a healthy confrontation can be a chance for you to help people feel better about themselves, she says. "And to be proud of your own behavior."
Confrontation? A mental health tool, a community builder, a force for kindness? The word definitely has a bad rep, even though it emerged from the mildest of roots, the Latin for "together" and "forehead"; initially it meant simply "to come face-to-face." Jeles urges a return to the collaborative image conjured by the word's origins—putting our heads together to reach a common goal. The term she uses for this kind of encounter is carefrontation. Reframing the definition creates an instant attitude shift in her clients, Jeles says, especially after she helps them realize that they're already champs at healthy confrontations. "We've all had hundreds of them!" Jeles says. "But we tend to remember only the confrontations that got ugly, and to call the successful ones something else."
What did we intuitively do right in the non-ugly encounters? Some version, Jeles says, of the three core steps that she recommends:
1. Prepare with care.
Before you confront another person, have a long talk with yourself and try the following.
Define the problem, separating the practical issues ("I stayed up all night finishing a report because a colleague didn't turn in her share of the research") from the emotions they evoke ("I'm furious with her for sticking me with extra work!").
Engage in what Jeles calls self-witnessing. "That means asking yourself: 'What does this situation remind me of? How have I handled such issues in the past? What's my pattern?'" For example, the woman stuck writing the report might realize that what she does, over and over, is bite her tongue even when she sees disaster looming, because she dreads conflict. "Maybe she'll notice that the situation reminds her of her relationship with her sister," Jeles says. "Maybe the family pattern was that she was always stuck holding the bag and cleaning up after her sister. When she sees the pattern, she can change it."
Practice expressing the problem in a clear, calm way, without blaming the other person. "Don't throw in everything you've held in for a year," she says. "That wouldn't be a carefrontation; it would be an assault."
2. Offer an invitation to talk.
There's no single surefire opener, Jeles says. "But a couple I've seen work well are 'I sense there's
something you want to talk to me about. If now isn't the time, I'm ready whenever you are,' or 'I've got some suggestions that I think can really help you.'" People might feel suspicious at first, interpreting "I think I can help" as code for "I'm preparing to attack." Eventually, though, Jeles says, "they're grateful, because they're floundering."
3. Practice no-blame talking and listening.
Present the thoughts you collected in the preparation stage, being careful not to blame or accuse. "I might say, 'I know I may not have all the information, but here's what I think is happening.' After that, you can ask, 'What do you think is happening?' And then you listen." You're not listening, Jeles points out, if you're preparing your next verbal volley—"reloading," she calls it. One time-honored way of keeping yourself from reloading is reflecting back to the other person: "So let me make sure I understand what you said...."
If the confrontation is taking place at work, Jeles stresses, leave your emotions out of the discussion. Suggest solutions that focus on tasks and goals instead of the person's faults. "Get right to what I call www.com: Who does What by When Communication. That's 99 percent of the communication required in corporate America," says Jeles. "Focusing on productivity instead of blame—fixing the plan, not the person —shifts the mood from threatening to uplifting." Set a time for meeting again to check in with each other about how the new plan is working.
If the confrontation is taking place off the job—friend to friend, spouse to spouse, or parent to child—then you do need to express your emotions clearly, but calmly. "So you might say to a teenager, 'Last night when you didn't come home when you said you would, I felt disappointed and angry, but mostly I was afraid something bad had happened to you. Have you ever had that feeling?' Then ask what was going on with her." The focus should be on understanding each other's feelings and thought processes.
A common cause of conflict both at work and at home, according to Jeles, is not discussing a problem as soon as it comes up. "I don't leave it for a month, I don't leave it for a week, I don't let 15 things go by—I confront every issue one at a time, as it comes up, or as soon as I notice a pattern. Then I find out what the other person is thinking." And if the relationship is one fraught with conflict? "I tell all my clients, it doesn't matter what the history is, you've got to start new somewhere." Begin using carefrontation steps every time the smallest thing comes up, Jeles says. "That creates very different results than waiting until you're just about ready to pop your balloon."
Once you redefine confrontation and learn to do it better, Jeles promises, you'll no longer be tortured by the rule-flouting teen, the shirking colleague, the belittling boss, the secret-spilling friend, or the Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Doormat. The more you practice, she says, the easier it gets to give good carefrontation, and to receive it.
From the May 2008 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
Monday, September 28, 2009
Performance Engineers - C, C++, iSCSI, RAID
Startup Staffing is working to fill key positions for our client, a major multinational electronics corporation with offices in Nashua, NH. We are seeking a seasoned Performance Engineer to ensure that our client's storage solutions continue to excel in the industry. The candidate must have a successful track record of working in at least two of the following areas: storage performance, systems engineering, operating systems, and networking.
Responsibilities:
Benchmarking activities to prove performance of storage solutions, including ESRP, Oracle, TPC.
Deep dive into the source code to identify and resolve complex performance issues. Operation and extensions of automated performance regression suites.
Definition of performance objectives and goals both short and long term.
Performance testing of existing product solutions and products in development.
Communication internally and externally on performance metrics, benchmarking activities, and performance issues. Address any customer performance issues escalated to engineering
Communicate with sales and marketing on questions related to performance.
Requirements:
A BSCS with 4+ years working in the areas of performance, storage, or networking is required
Independent, hard working, creative, focused, and organized.
Must be willing to question the status quo and look for ways to increase product performance.
Must be product focused, willing to work on tight schedules, and produce tangible results.
Ability to program in C/C++. Solid understanding of disk drives, cache technology, RAID.
Familiar with industry standard performance tools such as iometer.
Excellent understanding of the software development process, software design, data flow and bottlenecks.
Ability to work on multiple projects concurrently.
Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
Other Desired Skills:
Experience with test automation
Experience with TCP/IP and iSCSI
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please apply via email with a copy of your updated resume as a Word document and let me know a convenient time to contact you. Otherwise, I would greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Miss Recruiter
mhall@startupstaffing.com
Responsibilities:
Benchmarking activities to prove performance of storage solutions, including ESRP, Oracle, TPC.
Deep dive into the source code to identify and resolve complex performance issues. Operation and extensions of automated performance regression suites.
Definition of performance objectives and goals both short and long term.
Performance testing of existing product solutions and products in development.
Communication internally and externally on performance metrics, benchmarking activities, and performance issues. Address any customer performance issues escalated to engineering
Communicate with sales and marketing on questions related to performance.
Requirements:
A BSCS with 4+ years working in the areas of performance, storage, or networking is required
Independent, hard working, creative, focused, and organized.
Must be willing to question the status quo and look for ways to increase product performance.
Must be product focused, willing to work on tight schedules, and produce tangible results.
Ability to program in C/C++. Solid understanding of disk drives, cache technology, RAID.
Familiar with industry standard performance tools such as iometer.
Excellent understanding of the software development process, software design, data flow and bottlenecks.
Ability to work on multiple projects concurrently.
Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
Other Desired Skills:
Experience with test automation
Experience with TCP/IP and iSCSI
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please apply via email with a copy of your updated resume as a Word document and let me know a convenient time to contact you. Otherwise, I would greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Miss Recruiter
mhall@startupstaffing.com
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Desperately Seeking SCSI Software Engineer...
Startup Staffing is working to fill key positions for our client, a major multinational electronics corporation with offices in Nashua, NH. We are seeking a software engineer experienced in SCSI standards. The ideal candidate will have excellent problem solving and design skills. Attention to detail, and a customer focus to development is a must. The candidate must have a successful track record in working in at least two of the following areas; any SCSI protocol development, iSCSI, Fibre Channel, TCP/IP or Ethernet protocol development, distributed system programming, any network file system development, or operating system programming.
Responsibilities:
* Analyze/debug difficult problems, engineer solutions, communicate/review solutions, and deliver solutions
* Consult with internal organizations regarding operation of subsystems
* Help define test cases for features and regressions
* Communicate project status/resolution with management
* Development software enhancements to accelerate problem resolution.
Requirements:
* A BSCS with 4+ years working in the areas of storage and/or networking is required
* Strong C/C++ programming skills
* Experience with SCSI standards
* Independent, hard working, creative, focused, and organized
* Must be able to work on more than one project at a time
Other Desired Skills:
* Experience with storage systems
* Experience with test equipment/software
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please apply with a copy of your updated resume as an attachment. I would also greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Miss Recruiter
mhall@startupstaffing.com
Responsibilities:
* Analyze/debug difficult problems, engineer solutions, communicate/review solutions, and deliver solutions
* Consult with internal organizations regarding operation of subsystems
* Help define test cases for features and regressions
* Communicate project status/resolution with management
* Development software enhancements to accelerate problem resolution.
Requirements:
* A BSCS with 4+ years working in the areas of storage and/or networking is required
* Strong C/C++ programming skills
* Experience with SCSI standards
* Independent, hard working, creative, focused, and organized
* Must be able to work on more than one project at a time
Other Desired Skills:
* Experience with storage systems
* Experience with test equipment/software
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please apply with a copy of your updated resume as an attachment. I would also greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Miss Recruiter
mhall@startupstaffing.com
Monday, August 10, 2009
Seeking Embedded Software Developers!
Startup Staffing is working to fill key positions for our client, a major multinational electronics corporation with offices in Nashua, NH. We are seeking a high-energy, experienced, embedded software engineer to join a team developing the industry's most manageable storage solutions. The successful candidate will have proven senior-level technical skills -- providing direction for self and for others; working with senior staff to plan and size individual tasks; prioritizing and designing new features; and producing high-quality, well-tested code.
Qualifications
This individual must have 5 or more years of software development experience in C/C++ on NetBSD, Linux, or similar platform; preferably within an embedded system. Particular emphasis will be placed on experience in building and delivering stable, serviceable solutions within an entrepreneurial environment. In addition, the candidate should have the exemplary communications skills needed to interact effectively with members of the various technical teams within our engineering organization. Finally, the candidate must be conversant in the problems and concepts behind distributed system management. In particular, s/he must have knowledge of several of the following:
SNMP agents and architectures
Network protocols
Database management
Enterprise management platforms/applications (HP Open View, Microsoft MMC)
Data modeling
Object-oriented design
Web-based management technologies
3rd party management toolkits (Epilogue, Rapid Logic)
IPC/RPC
Storage management concepts and standards
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please email me a copy of your updated resume as a Word document and let me know a convenient time to contact you. Otherwise, I would greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Meredith Hall
Recruiting Consultant
Startup Staffing Group
mhall@startupstaffing.com
Qualifications
This individual must have 5 or more years of software development experience in C/C++ on NetBSD, Linux, or similar platform; preferably within an embedded system. Particular emphasis will be placed on experience in building and delivering stable, serviceable solutions within an entrepreneurial environment. In addition, the candidate should have the exemplary communications skills needed to interact effectively with members of the various technical teams within our engineering organization. Finally, the candidate must be conversant in the problems and concepts behind distributed system management. In particular, s/he must have knowledge of several of the following:
SNMP agents and architectures
Network protocols
Database management
Enterprise management platforms/applications (HP Open View, Microsoft MMC)
Data modeling
Object-oriented design
Web-based management technologies
3rd party management toolkits (Epilogue, Rapid Logic)
IPC/RPC
Storage management concepts and standards
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please email me a copy of your updated resume as a Word document and let me know a convenient time to contact you. Otherwise, I would greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Meredith Hall
Recruiting Consultant
Startup Staffing Group
mhall@startupstaffing.com
Monday, August 03, 2009
Hardware Engineers
Seeking a sustaining engineer in the network hardware space in Nashua, NH:
Thanks! Miss Recruiter
Key duties:
- Help with the design verification of new products.
- Fault analysis on field returns.
- Determine root cause and solutions for bugs found in our lab or the field.
- Qualify new components.
- Qualify ECOs.
- Manufacturing support.
- BSEE or MSEE
- 10+ years experience as a hardware sustaining engineer.
- Proficient with high speed scopes.
- Good lab debug skills.
- Experience with Mentor DxDesigner schematic capture tool desirable.
- Direct experience with networking and/or storage a plus.
Key duties:
- Help define and design the next generation modules for the Dell Equallogic PS Series storage array.
- Extensive experience with high speed Digital design.
- Experience with high speed microprocessor design.
- Determine optimal terminations for high speed signals.
- Define the layout rules for all high speed signals.
- Simulate high speed signals to determine layout rules and validate that design will work.
- Timing analysis.
- Design reviews.
- Layout reviews.
- Measurements of high speed signals as part of design validation.
- BSEE or MSEE
- 10+ years experience as a hardware engineer.
- Experience with very high speed signals (> 6GHz).
- Good lab debug skills.
- Experience with Mentor DxDesigner schematic capture tool desirable.
- Direct experience with networking and/or storage a plus.
Thanks! Miss Recruiter
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Get Java Jobs!
Recruiters seeking Java folks - I highly recommend checking out Get Java Jobs:
http://www.getjavajobs.com/employers/registration.php
It's a free place to post your reqs and they have an awesome Twitter following, which will bring even more exposure to your postings. Also, on August 6th, they're having an "email job fair", which will email out all their postings to their registered job seekers, so if you have your free posting done before that date, you'll get even more exposure to your postings.
Recruiting pals, take advantage!
Miss Recruiter
http://www.getjavajobs.com/employers/registration.php
It's a free place to post your reqs and they have an awesome Twitter following, which will bring even more exposure to your postings. Also, on August 6th, they're having an "email job fair", which will email out all their postings to their registered job seekers, so if you have your free posting done before that date, you'll get even more exposure to your postings.
Recruiting pals, take advantage!
Miss Recruiter
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Seeking Java UI Swing Developer
Startup Staffing is working to fill key positions for our client, a major multinational electronics corporation with offices in Nashua, NH. We are seeking an experienced software engineer to help our client develop their award-winning storage management user interface. The successful candidate will have proven technical skills - employing new technologies to solve difficult problems; working with senior staff to plan and size individual projects; prioritizing and designing enhancements; and producing high-quality, well-tested code. In this role, the individual will be responsible for delivering new features and functionality in this Java-based storage management user interface.
The successful candidate must have a track record of delivering commercially available software using Java. They should be able to demonstrate proficiency in design, coding, and software architecture for this environment. Particular emphasis will be placed on experience in building and delivering stable, serviceable solutions in an independent fashion. The candidate should have the exemplary communications skills needed to interact effectively with members of the various technical teams within the engineering organization.
This individual must have 5 or more years of software development experience in Java, preferably in the context of network, device, or system management. Additionally, the candidate MUST have the following:
Experience with Java Swing UI components
Strong object-oriented design skills (OOD/OOP)
Proven experience with multithreading, sockets and network programming
Knowledge of common web technologies, such as HTTP, XML, XSL and SOAP
Optionally, the following skills and knowledge will be useful:
Storage management concepts and standards
iSCSI and networking
SNMP applications
VMware Development
J2EE technologies (JDBC, JMS, servlets, etc)
Development experience with Java frameworks (Spring, Hibernate, etc)
C++, C#, .NET
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please send me a copy of your updated resume as a Word document and let me know a convenient time to contact you. Otherwise, I would greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Miss Recruiter
mhall@startupstaffing.com
The successful candidate must have a track record of delivering commercially available software using Java. They should be able to demonstrate proficiency in design, coding, and software architecture for this environment. Particular emphasis will be placed on experience in building and delivering stable, serviceable solutions in an independent fashion. The candidate should have the exemplary communications skills needed to interact effectively with members of the various technical teams within the engineering organization.
This individual must have 5 or more years of software development experience in Java, preferably in the context of network, device, or system management. Additionally, the candidate MUST have the following:
Experience with Java Swing UI components
Strong object-oriented design skills (OOD/OOP)
Proven experience with multithreading, sockets and network programming
Knowledge of common web technologies, such as HTTP, XML, XSL and SOAP
Optionally, the following skills and knowledge will be useful:
Storage management concepts and standards
iSCSI and networking
SNMP applications
VMware Development
J2EE technologies (JDBC, JMS, servlets, etc)
Development experience with Java frameworks (Spring, Hibernate, etc)
C++, C#, .NET
If interested in having an exploratory conversation regarding this position, please send me a copy of your updated resume as a Word document and let me know a convenient time to contact you. Otherwise, I would greatly appreciate any referrals you might have.
Miss Recruiter
mhall@startupstaffing.com
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
New Mac Book Pro
Fresh off the boat from Shanghai - my spanking new Mac Book Pro. Huan ying dià n nǎo!
Miss Recruiter
Miss Recruiter
Don't Be That Guy!
Note - great friend Petri Darby, PR Genius, is quoted in this article. Second, be sure not to say stupid stuff like this or you'll be posted to the Recruiters Hall of Shame forever and surely blacklisted in your town! (I mean, who *hasn't* been drunk from the night before at a job interview at one point or another, but you're not supposed to fess up to it!!) ;)
Miss Recruiter
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/07/22/cb.you.said.what.interview/index.html
Miss Recruiter
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/07/22/cb.you.said.what.interview/index.html
43 weird things said in job interviews
- Story Highlights
- Hiring managers reveal some of the really weird answers heard in job interviews
- "My parents told me I need to get a job so that is why I'm here."
- Left my last job because "I have a problem with authority."
- "I get angry easily and I went to jail for domestic violence. But I won't get mad at you."
Rachel Zupek
CareerBuilder.com writer
CareerBuilder.com writer
"I'm not wanted in this state."
"How many young women work here?"
"I didn't steal it; I just borrowed it."
"You touch somebody and they call it sexual harassment!"
"I've never heard such a stupid question."
Believe it or not, the above statements weren't overhead in bars or random conversations -- they were said in job interviews. 
Watch man sing his resume to get an interview »
Maybe you were nervous, you thought the employer would appreciate your honesty, or maybe you just have no boundaries. Whatever the reason, you can be certain that you shouldn't tell an interviewer that it's probably best if they don't do a background check on you. (And yes, the hiring manager remembered you said that.)
We asked hiring managers to share the craziest things they've heard from applicants in an interview. Some are laugh-out-loud hysterical, others are jaw dropping -- the majority are both. To be sure, they will relieve anyone who has ever said something unfortunate at a job interview -- and simply amuse the rest of you.
Hiring managers shared these 43 memorable interview responses:
Why did you leave your last job?
"I have a problem with authority." - Carrie Rocha, COO of HousingLink
Tell us about a problem you had with a co-worker and how you resolved it
"The resolution was we were both fired."- Jason Shindler, CEO, Curvine Web Solutions
What kind of computer software have you used?
"Computers? Are those the black boxes that sit on the floor next to the desks? My boss has one of those. He uses it. I don't have one. He just gives me my schedule and I follow it." - Greg Szymanski, director of human resources, Geonerco Management, Inc
What are your hobbies and interests?
"[He said] 'Well, as you can see, I'm a young, virile man and I'm single -- if you ladies know what I'm saying.' Then he looked at one of the fair-haired board members and said, 'I particularly like blondes.'" - Petri R.J. Darby, president, darbyDarnit Public Relations
Why should we hire you?
"I would be a great asset to the events team because I party all the time." - Bill McGowan, founder, Clarity Media Group
Do you have any questions?
"If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?" - Megan Garnett, Articulate Leadership Team, Articulate Communications Inc.
"What do you want me to do if I cannot walk to work if it's raining? Can you pick me up?" - Christine Pechstein, career coach
"I was a Chamber of Commerce Executive once hiring a secretary. [The candidate asked] 'What does a Chamber of Commerce do?'" - Mary Kurek, Mary Kurek, Inc. Visibility Consulting
"Can we wrap this up fairly quickly? I have someplace I have to go." - Bruce Campbell, vice president of marketing, Clare Computer Solutions
"What is your company's policy on Monday absences?" - Campbell
"If this doesn't work out can I call you to go out sometime?" - Christine Bolzan, founder of Graduate Career Coaching
"How big do the bonuses really get once you make associate? I hear it's some serious cash." - Bolzan
"[The candidate asked,] 'Can my dad call you to talk about the job and the training program? He is really upset I'm not going to medical school and wants someone to explain the Wall Street path to him.' The dad did call. Then that dad's friends called and I ended up doing a conference call with a group of concerned parents ... long story." - Bolzan
"If I get an offer, how long do I have before I have to take the drug test?" - Bolzan
"When you do background checks on candidates, do things like public drunkenness arrests come up?" - Bolzan
"Can I get a tour of the breast pumping room? I heard you have a great one here and while I don't plan on having children for at least 10 or 12 years, I will definitely breast feed and would want to use that room."- Bolzan
"So, how much do they pay you for doing these interviews?" -- Jodi R.R. Smith, Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting
Why are you leaving your current job?
"Because I (expletive) my pants every time I enter the building." - Abbe Mortimore, Human Resources Manager, True Textiles, Inc.
"I was fired from my last job because they were forcing me to attend anger management classes." - Smith
Why are you looking for a job?
"Cigarettes are getting more expensive, so I need another job." - Pechstein
"My parents told me I need to get a job so that is why I'm here." - McGowan
Why do you want to work for us?
"Just for the benefits." - Jennifer Juergens, JJ Communications
"My old boss didn't like me, so one day, I just left and never came back. And here I am!" - Matt Cowall, communications manager, Appia Communications
"I saw the job posted on Twitter and thought, why not?" - Rebecca Gertsmark Oren, Communications Director at The Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity
What are your assets? (as in strengths)
"Well, I do own a bike." - Pam Venné, principal, The Venné Group
What are your weaknesses?
"I get angry easily and I went to jail for domestic violence. But I won't get mad at you." - Pechstein
"I had a job candidate tell me that she often oversleeps and has trouble getting out of bed in the morning." - Linda Yaffe, certified executive coach
"I am an alcoholic and do not deserve this job." - Deb Bailey, owner, Power Women Magazine & Radio Show
"I'm really not a big learner. You know ... some people love learning and are always picking up new things, but that's just not me. I'd much rather work at a place where the job is pretty stagnant and doesn't change a lot." -- Michaele Charles, Voice Communications
When have you demonstrated leadership skills?
"Well my best example would be in the world of online video gaming. I pretty much run the show; it takes a lot to do that." - Rachel Croce
Is there anything else I should know about you?
"You should probably know I mud wrestle on the weekends." - Venne
When can you start?
"I need to check with my mom on that one." - Bolzan
Use three adjectives to describe yourself
"I hate questions like this." - Katrina Meistering, manager of outreach, National Fatherhood Initiative
Tell of a time you made a mistake and how you dealt with it
"I stole some equipment from my old job, and I had to pay for its replacement." - Meistering
Have you submitted your two weeks' notice to your current employer?
"What is two weeks' notice? I've never quit a job before, I've always been fired." - Meistering
Random responses
"One guy [said] 'it would probably be best' if I didn't run a background check on him. Of course, I did, and learned all about his long, sordid past of law-breaking. Our client actually offered him a job as a staff accountant, but quickly retracted the offer when I had to tell them all about his recent arrest for a meth lab in his basement." - Charles
"[A] guy said he did not have a mailing address, as he was living in a gypsy camp at the airport." -- Sandra L. Flippo, SPHR
"I went into the lobby to pick up a candidate. As he stood up, his trousers fell to the floor! [He said] 'Oh, my gosh -- they told me I needed a suit for the interview. I've got no money -- so I borrowed this thing. It's too big!'" - Beth Ross, executive and career coach
"Wow -- I'm not used to wearing dress shoes! My feet are killing me. Can I show you these bloody blisters?" - Bolzan
"May I have a cup of coffee? I think I may still be a little drunk from last night." - Smith
(During a telephone call to schedule the interview) "Can we meet next month? I am currently incarcerated."- Smith
"[A candidate] was asked whether he could advocate impartially on behalf of the various universities he would be representing since he had attended one of them. He responded, 'Well, I don't like to poop where I eat, but I thought my education sucked, so I certainly wouldn't put that school above the others.'" - Darby
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I have joined the masses!! Let's try out this Twitter thing and see if I can locate some stellar candidates for my client. Follow me!http://twitter.com/merihall OR @merihall
Miss Recruiter
Monday, July 20, 2009
AWESOME ARTICLE
Have you ever received one of those emails that promises riches while working from home in your PJs, and wondered if it was too good to be true? I'm going to bite the bullet and say that about 95% of the time, it is definitely NO GOOD. A person that's been out of work for a long time or really just praying for a sign of life out there could really be at risk of being taken for a ride. Read more below about this topic to avoid being scammed yourself...
Miss Recruiter
http://www.therecruiterslounge.com/2009/07/17/how-to-spot-fake-job-ads/
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If you’ve ever posted your resume on sites such as Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, or Craigslist, you’ve probably received emails in response to your resume, no matter how highly targeted your resume was written, or at the other end of the spectrum, how badly it was written.
Miss Recruiter
http://www.therecruiterslounge.com/2009/07/17/how-to-spot-fake-job-ads/
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If you’ve ever posted your resume on sites such as Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, or Craigslist, you’ve probably received emails in response to your resume, no matter how highly targeted your resume was written, or at the other end of the spectrum, how badly it was written.
In fact, sometimes it doesn’t even have to be a resume! I had a recent blog post where I outlined some of the biggest mistakes in posting your resume on Craigslist. I decided to also post that as an article in the RESUMES section of Atlanta Craigslist, since that was where I got my inspiration for the article and wanted to help those people who were making those specific mistakes.
This was an article, not a resume, so I was a little surprised (or was I?) when I started receiving emails “responding to my resume on Craigslist”. Craigslist does try to fight fraud by including the following in every email sent through their system:
** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY — AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY
** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home
** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping
** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
So here’s what happens. Some companies search through resumes posted online, not because they are seeking candidates for “legitimate” jobs, but to build their email lists and also for recruiting purposes for Network Marketing and MLM business opportunities. Many of the Network Marketing and MLM opportunities are, in fact, legitimate, but not exactly what most people are seeking when they post their resumes.
I’ll address the latter one first. If you get an invitation to a meeting about a “business opportunity”, to “get in on the ground floor” or something similar, it’s likely to be a network marketing or MLM opportunity. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, provided of course that the opportunity is a good fit with your goals, skills, and desires. What I don’t like is the ones who are vague about the “opportunity” and don’t tell you what company it’s for or anything in advance of the meeting. In my opinion, being up front about an opportunity is crucial. It gives the person a chance to look into the opportunity further before investing, spending, or wasting their time (depending on their viewpoint and the opportunity) traveling to a meeting and sitting in a packed (or nearly-empty) conference room in a cheap hotel with other people who were led to the meeting by the same purposely vague invitation method.
Worse are the scammers who prey on the desperation of frustrated job seekers who are at the point where they’re open to ANY opportunity that comes along. These often include “work-from-home” opportunities and money transfer opportunities.
First, a disclaimer: these are actual responses I’ve personally received, and while I have changed the company names and other contact info, I cannot absolutely guarantee that the “job opportunities” below are not actually legitimate opportunities and assume no liability whatsoever. That being said, each one I’m including in this post has at least one major thing about the ad that, to me, looks like it is fishy at best; an outright scam at worst. The point of this post is to encourage you to exercise your own critical thinking as part of your job search so that you don’t fall victim to one or more of the many scams out there, and don’t waste your time by pursuing fake opportunities that are designed to part you from your money.
Exhibit “A”:
After reviewing your resume at XYZ website (site name changed) we are sure you fit our requirements for a financial manager position.
My name is Rip Meoff (Name changed) and I am working in Money Transfer Ripoff Opportunity Inc. (Company name changed)
It’s a large company, headquartered in the USA. Main field of our business is financial services, including escrow services provided for customers of online auctions.
Position we offer is part-time, with flexible schedule. You are to spend 2-3 hours on average a day (except Saturday and Sunday, no tasks during weekends) working at home.
We require: Internet access and e-mail availability.
Money Transfer Ripoff Opportunity Inc. covers all expenses, no need to invest your own money!
After we sign the contract, you’ll be employed for a month of a trial period. During this timeframe, you’ll receive all the necessary instructions and training from your supervisor. One week before the trial ends, supervisor will be making his/her decision regarding the employee. Termination of contract can be recommended.
During the trial period you’ll be paid 2.3k$ a month. Also you’ll keep 8% from every money transfer processed. Total income, considering the current volume of clients, will be up to $4500 per month. After you successfully pass the Trial Period, base salary will be increased up to $3000 per month. Furthermore, you may ask for extra hours or even a full time job.
If you are interested in this job offer or would like to learn more, please forward your filled form to our e-mail: GiveMeAccessToYourBankAccountSoWeCanRipYouOff@stealmymoney.com (email address changed)
==============FORM===FORM================
First name:_______________________
Last name:_____________
Country of residence:_____________________
Contact phone:____________________
Preferred call time:____________________
==============FORM===FORM================
We promise to reply promptly!
We found your resume at (name of site where you posted your resume). This letter confirms that your resume has been duly processed and your skills completely meet our requirements for the Financial Manager vacancy.
Regards,
Rip Meoff, Chief Ripoff Artist
My take:
- Obviously, this looks and smells like a rip-off. As the old saying goes, if it looks like a duck, and smells like a duck, it’s probably a duck.
- It’s EXTREMELY unlikely that the resume of anyone but a Financial Manager would “completely meet our requirements” for a real, legitimate Financial Manager job opportunity.
- Another tipoff: the sender asks you to send information that they should already have from your resume (clue #1) to a gmail, yahoo, hotmail, or other non-corporate address (clue #2). Now a gmail or other free account doesn’t necessarily mean the opportunity isn’t legitimate – many hiring managers choose to keep the company confidential until the talk or meet with you, for various reasons (such as looking for a replacement for an existing key employee who doesn’t know they’re going to get axed).
- This type of response is often from companies that either have acronyms for names (though, again, this is not a true test of the validity of the job – IBM, CBS, ABC, and many other real, solid companies use acronyms as company names) or some legitimate-sounding name that sounds like either a name you’ve heard or one you might have heard. Common words used in these company names (though, again, this isn’t a true test of legitimacy) are National, American, Federal, Global, and other words that sound big, strong, or important.
Exhibit “B”:
Your resume was reviewed and passed on to our office. Your experience as (your most recent job title) was of interest. If you are still seeking a professional or executive career in the Business Development sector or other fields, with pay between $60,000 and $500,000, please update your information here…(link to their site)
Regards,
My Take:
- Firstly, I hadn’t posted an actual resume!
- Secondly, the sender didn’t include any real information about the “job opportunity” and the pay range listed is so wide that my internal scam detector alarm went off so loudly that my house nearly started shaking.
- The link wasn’t actually directly to their site – it went to some link with a long series of numbers and letters after the beginning of the URL – obviously a tracking link so they’d know you visited the site even if you didn’t enter your information once you got there.
- The only clue they provide about the type of position is “professional or executive career in the Business Development sector or other fields.” One can get a little more vague than that, but not by much.
- No company name, no recruiter name.
Exhibit “C”:
Dear Jobseeker,
After viewing your resume on (job site), we have decided to contact you regarding an offer. We are looking for a Representative in the United States.
The Representative will work closely with our Financial Department to manage and process payment orders and to serve as the key conduit for those requirements.
§ § Representative will be tasked to receiving payments, processing these transactions and keep records as well as making the necessary money transfers
§ § Opportunity to work at home: maximum one hour each business day
Requirements :
§ § Attention to detail and organized, with good communication skills both verbal and written
§ § US citizen or permanent residence/green card holder
§ § Clean criminal record
Benefits:
§ § Attractive bonuses and commissions with each order
§ § No contact with our clients
Salary and commissions:
§ § Guaranteed commissions totaling up to $6000.00 every month + $1,600.00 basis monthly salary + 10% commission from every processed order
Please let me know if you are interested.
Hiring Department
My Take:
- Again, Payment Processing positions are EXTREMELY likely to be scams designed to get you to give your bank account details so that the scammers can steal money from you.
- “Representative” is too vague – Account Representative, Marketing Representative, and so on are much more common in the real world.
- “Representative” is more commonly used in client-facing positions – after all, a “representative” is representing their company, and if there’s “no contact with our clients,” what’s the point in calling you a “representative”?
- “Guaranteed commissions” ?? BIG red flag.
- “totaling up to $6000.00 every month” – “up to” is purposely vague and designed to stimulate your greed gland, make you salivate and respond to them. If they do guarantee commissions in the first place, how much do they actually guarantee? This sounds really fishy to me – especially with a “maximum of one hour each business day.”
- Guaranteed commissions, plus a monthly salary PLUS 10% commission from every order? So you’re getting 2 commissions? One guaranteed and one based on each order? Even fishier.
- Bad grammar, e.g. “Representative will be tasked to receiving payments,” is another clue, though bad grammar and spelling are so prevalent that misspelled words and grammar mistakes alone aren’t a true indication of the validity of an opportunity, but excessive mistakes can be a tipoff.
Exhibit “D”:
Hello
We currently have a position available.
If you are intrested (sic) in taking the job please contact (email address) for further information.
Thank you
(name of company)
My Take:
Send this one straight to your trashcan!
- They don’t say anything about what kind of job.
- Though you can’t see it because I removed the email address and company name, it was a free email account and the address didn’t match the name of the company – it was a company with an acronym in the name, and the email address had a slightly different acronym.
I do hope this helps all you job seekers out there. There are lots of great opportunities out there, including some legitimate “work-at-home” opportunities, but also a lot of bad people who will do anything to steal your money, your identity, or whatever they can get their slimy little paws on. Or in the case of “work-at-home” scams, they’ll steal your time, labor, and effort for their gain, not yours.
It’s a jungle out there – know how to spot the snakes and you’ll have a better chance of not getting bitten.
To your success,
David B. Wright
Author, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves
www.thegetajobbook.com
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Back to Work!
After getting laid off at Cisco while 8 months pregnant, moving to Texas shortly thereafter, and having my son 9 days after that big move... it's time to get back to work!! I've waited to really make sure I was ready to return to Corporate America, and it's definitely time. I'm looking forward to bad coffee, long meetings, coworker hi jinx, rush hour traffic, and... adult conversation!It's certainly going to be a challenge finding a job in a new city (gotta get out there and NETWORK) and learning how to being a full time recruiter and mom at the same time, but I'm ready for the challenge. I had a conversation with Baby P and he has given his blessing to go forth and place people... Cool kid.
Any leads in the Austin, Texas area for staffing and recruiting opportunities would be much appreciated!
Miss Recruiter
Monday, March 30, 2009
Interview Much? Great Advice!
Your Career: Why wasn't I hired?
You can ask for feedback, but you won’t always get it
By Eve Tahmincioglu
Mary Ortega of Wilmington, Del., has been on 40 interviews for marketing and public relations jobs in the last 10 months.
Before interviewing, she always researches the company and the people she’ll be meeting. She dons a nice suit and comfortable high-heeled shoes. She’s also driven from Washington, D.C., to New York on more than one occasion for job interviews.
Even though she has yet to land a gig, that’s not what’s frustrating her most. She’s angry because she rarely gets constructive feedback or even a phone call on why she wasn’t chosen.
Ortega, 43, usually gets a brief e-mail such as this one she received on March 13:
At this time we have decided to move forward with other candidates whose experience more closely matches our requirements.
“No one seems to have the balls to pick up the phone anymore,” she says. “Have we become a passive-aggressive society?”
There’s nothing more frustrating than putting the time and energy into a face-to-face interview, only to get little to no information on why you didn’t get a job. Unfortunately, this is becoming commonplace throughout the work world, as more and more hiring managers opt to ditch civility and do little to follow-up with desperate job applicants.
There’s a host of reasons why.
Companies are so fearful of lawsuits they want to limit the amount of information they give candidates after they’ve decided not to hire them so as not to make a slip and say something that can be taken as discriminatory.
Many human resource personnel and managers are also too busy to take the time to provide a self-help session for job seekers who are looking for advice on what not to do next time.
And still others just don’t want to have to talk to someone they’ve rejected, opting to use e-mail as a safe haven from a rejected candidate’s wrath or disappointment.
No feedback, group rejections
Ryan R. Miner didn't even get an e-mail after he interviewed on Feb. 20 for a scheduler position for a California congressman.
“I interviewed with his chief of staff and it went very smooth,” says Miner, 23, who’s an unpaid intern for a Maryland TV station, WHAG. “She said, ‘When the congressman returns next week, I will sit down with him and go over all applicants, and figure out who we want to talk to next.’”
That was more than a month ago, and Miner hasn’t even gotten a rejection e-mail.
“I would like to know what they thought I could have done better in the interview or did they think I was not qualified,” he says.
Often these rejection e-mails aren’t even personalized.
Recently, social networking group Twitter Inc. interviewed applicants for a business project manager position the firm had open and mistakenly sent out rejection e-mails en masse.
The e-mail went out to more than 180 people, and every recipient could see everyone else’s e-mail address, making it clear that no e-mail was personalized.
The faux pas ended up on the Web site TechCrunch, which included the actual e-mail:
During the course of our recruiting efforts, we come across many fine candidates such as you, and we carefully evaluate each candidate’s background and interests against our projected workloads and staffing needs. Although we are impressed with your background, the hiring committee has decided to move forward with a different candidate.
We will keep your information on file for six months in case future opportunities arise.
Twitter immediately apologized for the screw up, but it got me wondering why the firm felt it necessary to send out a form letter instead of being more personal.
“Regarding feedback after an interview. I'd say that's a case-by-case basis,” says Twitter co-founder Biz Stone.
Sometimes, he adds, the applicant takes the initiative.
“Candidates will send me a personal e-mail or an invitation to join their network on LinkedIn,” he says. “We're talking with very talented folks, so I think it's useful to stay connected even if they don't wind up joining Twitter — they may be a fit down the road.”
Realizing many of these e-mails are indeed generic may make many of you cringe, but there are ways to figure out why you were not chosen.
Let’s start out with some of the reasons hiring managers say people don’t end up getting a job.
Spherion Corp, a recruitment and staffing firm, surveyed hiring managers and found the top reasons candidate don’t get hired include: not enough experience; the wrong skill mix; another candidate has better experience or skills; or the candidate was looking for more money than the position paid, according to Rebecca Callahan, senior vice president of Spherion’s Recruitment Process Outsourcing division.
Because of the economy, she adds, many job openings end up being withdrawn during or after the interview process for lack of funding.
If you work with a recruiter, it’s easier for them to get the poop on why you got the heave ho because the hiring managers may be more comfortable telling a middle man or woman instead of you, says Waffles Pi Natush, president of The Barrett Group.
You should send a follow-up e-mail or make a call to the hiring manager after a canned rejection and try to get more information. But being overly persistent won’t get you anywhere and may even hurt your chances for a future job with the company, recruiters say.
Other ways to get feedback
If you get nowhere with the hiring managers, Natush actually suggests you try and contact the person who got the gig instead of you.
That’s easy to figure out given all the social networking sites out there. You can just search for the company and position, or even go to the company Web site. Depending on the position, the person’s name and contact information may be right on the site.
“Call the person that got the job,” he says. “You’ll have a networking contact with a person in a position that interests you, and that person may have left a similar position or has been interviewing in different places.”
Be genuine and wait until your anger over not getting the job subsides. You don’t want to come off as a spurned candidate, he says.
For Andrea Tobor of San Francisco, it wasn’t about being spurned. She wanted to know why after four interviews with a marketing firm and rave reviews from everyone she met, she got a voice mail left on her answering machine at midnight from the hiring manager that she didn’t get the job.
She eventually got someone in human resources to fess up. Turns out, one of the senior vice president she interviewed with thought she was after her job, she says.
After looking into 200 jobs, landing 25 interviews and having little to show for it, Tobor, 59, decided to launch her own business consultancy called Radical Partnering in December.
“I saw the writing on the wall,” she says.
Sometimes, however, you might get more truth than you bargained for.
Ortega from Wilmington pushed the issue after receiving yet another e-mail rejection with few details after interviewing, and surprisingly one of the managers gave it to her straight in follow-up e-mail:
“No hidden agendas. Everybody thought you did well and you were well thought of. Except, the interview did not go well with Scott? And that killed it. He thought you were nervous and did not do a good job of answering questions. Just keep up the good work and you'll be ready for the next opportunity.”
“It was my fifth interview at the company,” she says, still stinging from what Scott, a senior vice president at the firm, felt about her. “This one really hurt.”
Eve Tahmincioglu writes the weekly "Your Career" column for msnbc.com and chronicles workplace issues in her blog CareerDiva.net.
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