Article Title: Resumes with a confidential company as your employer…
Author Byline: Medical Sales Recruiter
Author Website: http://www.phcconsulting.com/WordPress/2008/09/24/resumes-with-a-confidential-company-as-your-employer/

I can see where you might want to keep the name of your employer confidential when you are submitting your resume to a recruiter (usually there’s some kind of fear factor involved because it can be a small world).

Please don’t bother.

Just so you know: it’s my job to find anyone, anywhere, and I do it well. I don’t even need Facebook. So if I were interested, I could find out where you work. But, I am a very busy medical sales recruiter, placing candidates every day in great careers in medical sales, laboratory sales, biotechnology sales, pharmaceutical sales, clinical diagnostics sales, imaging sales, pathology sales, DNA products sales, cellular and molecular products sales, surgical supplies sales, hospital equipment sales, medical device sales, and all other aspects of healthcare sales, service, marketing, and management. Which means, I don’t have time to do that kind of homework. And there’s no way I’m presenting you to one of my client companies without all the information available, so your withholding of it might be what knocks you out of the running. Or at least slows your progress down.

I am known for my sensitivity and confidentiality. Your secret is safe with me.

So save me the time, and increase your odds of success.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Business Lessons from the 29th Olympiad
Author Byline: Philip Aust
Author Website: www.searchlogixgroup.com

Even if you are not a sports fan, it’s been difficult avoiding NBC’s unprecedented coverage of the 29th Olympics in China. Despite the fact that many skeptics wondered if NBC was crazy transmitting 3,600 hours of Olympic television and webcast coverage, the peacock network has struck gold. This Olympics’ Nielsen ratings have far outpaced the viewership of the previous summer Olympics in Greece, and its numbers are second only to this year’s Super Bowl. These Olympics have not disappointed for a variety of reasons; here are just two.

First, the Beijing Olympics remind us of the value of competition. Although a few select events have been won easily by a dominant individual or team (see Usain Bolt in the Men’s 100 Meter Dash), the victor has often been unknown until the last seconds of most events. Arguably the most enduring image of this Olympics is Michael Phelps, the winner of eight gold medals in Bejing, celebrating with his teammates when the U.S. Men’s swim team came from seemingly certain defeat to out-touch France at the wall in the 4 x 100 Men’s freestyle relay. In short, competition affords its participants the ability to definitively measure one’s performance.

Second, the Bejing Olympics remind us of the value of cooperation. Name any other event in existence today where 202 nations meet and follow the same set of rules for two weeks. You can’t. As Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the French enthusiast that helped resurrect the modern Olympic Games, stated in 1896, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part” (Uschan, 2000, p. 8). Indeed, each Olympiad provides a snapshot of what can be accomplished when nations choose to agree, rather than disagree. (As a reminder, these events occurred against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Georgia.) In short, cooperation is the foundation of progress.

Competition and cooperation: Two reasons why these Olympics have drawn a record-breaking audience and two powerful tools for any CEO or manager focused on increasing company production and profits in these challenging economic times.

About the Author:

Dr. Philip Aust is a professor at Kennesaw State University (KSU). He teaches Organizational Communication Audits, Leadership, Training and Development, and Research Methods in the Department of Communication at KSU.

Dr. Aust’s research focuses on leadership in organizational, group, and interpersonal contexts. He examines emerging leadership perspectives, messages associated with productivity and task quality, and leader performance. He has authored and co-authored book chapters and articles published in such journals as Communication Studies, Basic Communication Course Annual, and Communication Teacher.

Dr. Aust regularly conducts communication consultations for profit and non-profit Atlanta-based companies. He has worked with over 25 companies in the last three years.

Email Philip: philipaustpr@searchlogixgroup.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Interview Road Kill - “I Haven’t Done it, but I Can Learn”
Author Byline: Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered
Author Website: http://reCareered.blogspot.com

OUCH…I can feel your pain. Your interview ended with those words. The fat lady sang.

Employers realize you can learn if you’ve been in the workforce for a while, or if you’ve graduated College. Of course you can learn. It’s even a bad answer for an entry-level job candidate.

But today, employers don’t want someone who can learn, they want fast solutions to problems. If you can learn, you might have a future with the company to solve new problems, but to be hired you’ve got to demonstrate that you’ve already solved that problem. Employee turnover averages 18 months, and technology changes every 3-4 years – is it any wonder employers look for people who already have the skills to solve today’s problems?

Instead, could you reply “Sure, I’ve solved similar problems!”, and go on to give a close example. Instead, most candidates turn into a “deer in the headlights” and say “I can learn”.

Anticipate problems the company has through your research, before you even craft your customized resume. Read press releases, SEC reports, articles, blogs…and gain an understanding of the companies challenges and problems. Show how you can solve them before you are even asked and you’re a leading candidate. Say “I can learn” and you’re road kill.

TIP: Remove the phrase “I can learn” from your vocabulary. Don’t say it to recruiters, nor to family or friends. Just don’t say it….ever.

Many job seekers describe themselves in a resume as a generalist, attempting to attract a broad number of opportunities. That’s nice – but it doesn’t work.

Yes, this used to work, and it’s how everyone over 30 learned how to job hunt. But it’s 2008. And in 2008, employers want subject matter experts who have direct experience in solving specific problems.

TrackBack: http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/02/interview-road-kill-i-havent-done-it.html

Phil Rosenberg
President, reCareered
Email: phil.reCareered@gmail.com
Blog: http://reCareered.blogspot.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: How to “rig” CareerBuilder and other job boards
Author Byline: Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered
Author Website: http://reCareered.blogspot.com

It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Many take it personally, getting angry or depressed.

But it’s also your best weapon to landing interviews…

LOVE THE PRE-SCREEN:

Computerized pre-screens are a necessary result of the number of resumes that CareerBuilder and other job sites flood companies with. But pre-screens give you a job seeker a HUGE opportunity to stand out from the crowd, if you know how to “rig” your resume.

So how can you get an Unfair Advantage? Do the same thing that SEO experts do to websites – game your resume to show up near the top of searches. It’s a technique called Resume Search Optimization, and the idea is simple.

Use the same words as the job description. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But you’d be amazed at how few job seekers use this simple method. It pretty much like when you figured out in High School that the more of the teachers vocabulary words you used in your papers and essays, the higher your grade was.

Why do so few job seekers use Resume Search Optimization? There’s a few reasons:

* Takes time – To use Resume Search optimization effectively, every resume must be customized
* Contrary to what you were taught – Still today, colleges, including the nations top universities, still teach career skills and resume writing the same way they did 30, 40 , 50 years ago (Static resume, general skills, printed on paper, customized cover letter).
* Misinformation – Many job seekers feel they ARE using Resume Search Optimization, by customizing their cover letters. What these career changers don’t realize is that computerized pre-screening strips your cover letter, and discards it. Recruiters rarely see your cover letter, and they aren’t included in resume searches.

Try Resume Search Optimization with the next 10 resumes you send. Make your resume detailed, and make sure to use the employers words. Please email your success stories to phil.reCareered@gmail.com.

If you’d like more information, a free 30 minute resume consultation, or information about reCareered’s new Teleseminar series, just email your resume to reCareered at phil.reCareered@gmail.com, and we’ll schedule a time to talk.

Trackback: http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-rig-careerbuilder-and-other-job.html

Phil Rosenberg
President, reCareered
Blog: http://reCareered.blogspot.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Your Biggest Job-Search Problems
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin
Author Website: http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

If you’re looking for a job and haven’t found one yet, by definition, you have a problem.
There’s something standing between you and employment.

What is it?

Surprisingly, when I ask most job hunters what their #1 job-search problem is, they answer, “I don’t know.”

Think about that. How can you solve a problem if you don’t know what it is?

So, the first step is to define your biggest job-search problem. Only then can you solve it effectively.
Here’s how ….

1) What’s Your Biggest Job-Search Problem?
What’s the one thing which, if you could fix it, would quickly result in your getting your ideal job, at your ideal salary?

Write all the possible problems down on paper without censoring yourself.
Some examples:

I send my resume to employers … and nothing happens
I can’t get past HR gatekeepers and meet with hiring managers
I’m getting interviews, but no job offers

After you write down all your problems, rank them in order, from big to small.

Now, choose your biggest, most-frustrating problem.
Congratulations! You’re ready for …

Step 2) How Do You Solve Your Biggest Job-Search Problem?
Heh. That’s a trick question.
Why?

If you actually wrote down your #1 problem, you are halfway to solving it already.

That’s because when you outline a problem in writing, you demystify it. Defined on paper, a problem loses most of its power to frighten. It’s like turning on the light after a nightmare — there’s nothing scary under the bed when you get a clear look at things.

So, with most of the fear factor gone, you can now solve any job-search problem by restating it as a question, with the help of one word: How.

To illustrate, here are the problems from earlier, restated as questions:
How can I make sure employer get my resume?
How can I get past HR gatekeepers and meet with hiring managers?
How can I turn more interviews into job offers?
Now — on paper, because that’s the only way to think clearly — let’s brainstorm possible solutions …

Problem: How can I make sure employer get my resume?

Possible solutions: Let’s define “send my resume.” For most people that means email. And email is about as reliable as the pony express.

So, you need to know if your email was received and opened.
The simplest way is to pick up the phone, call the employer, and say: “I’ve been having some trouble with spam filters. Could you verify that you got the resume I emailed you yesterday?” Here, spam is your friend — I’ve met several job seekers who turned such a phone call into a long conversation that led to an interview. Try it.

Or, try a free email notification service like MSGTAG (www.msgtag.com), or search Google for “read receipt email” and “delivery receipt email” for other solutions.
But why limit yourself to email? Let’s brainstorm further …

Why not differentiate yourself by printing and sending your resume (with cover letter) to the decision maker by postal mail?

Find their name by calling the employer and asking for the correct spelling of the person in charge of your department — that’s likely your future boss. You can also find names at www.jigsaw.com and www.zoominfo.com.

Bonus: Make contact with people at your target company and ask them to walk your resume into a manager’s office the same day you submit it by email. This can start a conversation among executives that pushes your name to the top of the pile.

Problem: How can I get past HR gatekeepers and meet with hiring managers?

Possible solutions: Why not go around the gatekeepers?

Instead of going through HR and hoping to make it to the next security checkpoint, start at the top by contacting the person you want to work for — they can then call down to HR and put you on the interviewing schedule.

In any case, strive to meet someone at your target employer. You may already know someone there. Or, someone they know may know someone.

Online, you can make contacts at LinkedIn.com and Facebook.com.

Offline, call the five most-successful people you know and ask, “What would you do if you were in my shoes?” This simple question instantly engages listeners and can produce a slew of solutions for any job-search problem — try it.
Problem: How can I turn more interviews into job offers?

Possible solutions: Job interviews are like golf swings. No matter what you’re doing wrong, others have faced the same problem — and solved it.

As in golf, you need to identify what you’re doing wrong, then practice new techniques. You’ll likely find the answers from a book or a coach. Amazon.com is full of the former. The latter can be found by Googling “job interview coach” for helpful links.

Now, go out and make your own luck.

Kevin Donlin is Creator of TheSimpleJobSearch.com. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Simple Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Unfair Advantage
Author Byline: Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered
Author Website: http://reCareered.blogspot.com

In today’s job search, the name of the game today is to get noticed…and 97% of the resumes out there don’t do a very good job at getting noticed. Guess what happens if you are one of the 97%? That’s right, no interview, no callback, no chance at the job you applied for.

Online resume submission, and HR Databases have made it so easy, yet at the same time, more difficult to get interviews. Easy as a click of a mouse, yet why is it all of a sudden so difficult to stand out?

It’s more difficult because of pre-screening – HR departments love it, and most people seeking job change HATE IT. It’s more difficult, because email and online job boards have made it TOO EASY to submit your resume. As it became so easy to submit a resume, HR departments and recruiters got overwhelmed with responses, and HR Departments and hiring managers had to implement pre-screening to micro-target candidates, and make the process efficient.

How many of you applied for a job you were "perfect for" … but yet never even got a return phone call? How did that feel? Did you also hate the pre-screening process?

You’re not alone, 97% of people seeking to change careers hate pre-screening. But the top 3% LOVE IT.

DON’T FIGHT PRE-SCREENING – USE IT! The top 3% of resumes are the one who actually get reviewed by humans, and are the ones who get interviews. You can get to this top 3% one of two ways.

1. Use the Unfair Advantage of Resume Search Optimization and Web 2.0 tools
2. Send lots of resumes and pray – the method 97% of resumes & job seekers use

Resume Search Optimization "games" your resume, by specifically writing it to score well on keyword searches. Yes, your resume is scored, by an algorithm, based on how many keywords match, or how many words in your resume match the job description.

THE RULES CHANGED – HAVE YOU? The proliferation of online recruiting completely changed the rules of the game, turning them literally upside down.

What works in today’s job market is completely opposite of what most of us were taught. The Unfair Resume Advantage means extreme customization of each and every resume, with the goal of scoring highly on word matches….to the extreme of using the exact same words and terms directly lifted from the job description.

Don’t bother with a cover letter, and if you feel that you must, make the cover letter generic. Isn’t this the exact opposite of how you were taught to job search? Remember, hiring managers can micro-target resumes based on word matches, and COVER LETTERS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE DATABASE (see my Ugly Job Hunting Truths podcast). A good career coach, experienced in Resume Search Optimization and Web 2.0 tools can help you make pre-screening work for you, or if you’re good at SEO, you can DIY.

So sending a static resume with general skills and a customized cover letter dooms your resume to database hell. Weren’t most of us were taught (back in the good old days of paper resumes), to develop a static resume with general skills, demonstrating leadership for managers – and send a customized cover letter?

Guess what…schools still teach these same methods – shame on them! Even my own esteemed Alma Maters – University of Illinois and Northwestern University still teach the same thing today we were taught 30 years ago. Prepare a static resume on nice paper, 1 page, lots of white space…oh and use a customized cover letter. If you’ve got good grades, you’ll probably land some job, but how does this teach students to job hunt later in life?

So what will you do? Will you change your tactics to get an Unfair Advantage, or will you use the same strategies of our forefathers, and be doomed to database oblivion?

If you’d like a free resume consultation, just email your resume to me at phil.rainmakers@gmail.com, and I’ll schedule a time to talk.

Trackback: http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/02/unfair-advantage.html

If you’d like more information, a free 30 minute resume consultation, or information about reCareered’s new Teleseminar series, just email your resume to reCareered at phil.reCareered@gmail.com, and we’ll schedule a time to talk.

Phil Rosenberg
President, reCareered
 

Blog: http://reCareered.blogspot.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Accounting Students - 5 Easy Lessons for Success in the Fall Campus Recruiting Season
Author Byline: Big 4 Guru
Author Website: http://www.big4guru.com

July is almost over and what does that mean? Students will soon be returning to campus and for seniors and some juniors the common question will be - What am I going to do when I graduate? Employers will be asking themselves a similar question - Who are we going to hire this year? Yes, it is time for the busiest hiring time of the year - the fall campus recruiting season.

For accounting and finance students it is a dog-eat-dog world out there. With the market turning sour and the pace of hiring lagging behind the supply of graduates, it is imperative for juniors and seniors to get on the right track. This means dusting off the resume (or creating a new one), pulling out the old suit and getting ready for a whirlwind of interviews. The competition will be fierce, but with the right information and the right tools students can navigate this process with ease. Below are 5 lessons to be a campus recruiting all-star!

1) e-Recruiting - Far and away, the best place to begin is http://www.eRecruiting.com. eRecruiting is the nation’s largest network of students, employers and universities. Essentially the site is a gateway to connect you, as a student, to the Big 4 companies. A word of caution, you have to be affiliated with a university that has partnered with eRecruiting. Fortunately, most schools have gotten on board. Once you sign up for eRecruiting you will be able to you will be able to complete a profile, upload your resume and apply to jobs that are posted by the Big 4 Recruiters. This site is an absolutely essential component of the Big 4’s campus recruiting process and, in some cases, will be their sole source of collecting resumes and applications for the positions they are looking to fill. If your school offers this service it is imperative that you make use of it to its full potential.

2) Learn Your FASBs - While you have day-dreamed away your summer, the world of accounting has turned on its head. From fair value accounting pronouncements to the FASB’s convergence with IFRS, the world of accounting you will be entering as an employee is undergoing the greatest changes in decades. You could head over to www.fasb.org and read the several 100+ page accounting pronouncements. Or, simply surf over to http://www.big4guru.com and download the need-to-know info quickly and easily.

3) Know your Future Employers - From as early as the first accounting class accounting students are hit over the head with one goal - when you graduate you will land a job with one of the Big 4. (If you have read this far you surely know the Big 4 - PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young). Anything other than these is considered a second-rate option. While the merits of working for a Big 4 are open to debate, you need to know why you want to get on board with one of them. (hint - you will be asked this question in an interview). The first step in building your answer is to learn as much as you can about each company. Fortunately, each company has a wealth of information on their website. Check ‘em out:

PwC - www.pwc.com
Deloitte - www.deloitte.com
E&Y - www.ey.com
KPMG - www.kpmg.com

4) Career Fair Bootcamp - During the campus recruiting process, the Big 4 will often make themselves available at a career fair. While these all work a little differently, the basic premise is the same: representatives from each firm stand around a large room, pass out information and collect resumes. Even if you have already submitted your resume Online, and especially if you haven’t, it is imperative that you attend this function and generate some face time with the elusive Big 4 staff. However, this is not as simple as it sounds. Checkout the following for a crash course on mastering the career fair: http://www.freewebs.com/big4guru/freechapter.htm

5) Stay Positive - While this may all sound overwhelming, its not as scary as it sounds. Campus recruiters know that students have limited experience with interviews and therefore don’t expect the world. The information contained here is more than enough to give you the tools and techniques that you can use to rise above your competition. Give it a little time, take a good look at these resources and you will be well on your way to landing the job of your dreams!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Is a Management Career Right for You?
Author Byline: Mary White, M.A., SPHR
Author Website: http://www.mobiletechwebsite.com

Are you thinking about moving into management with your company? Before you ask your boss for the promotion, it’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about whether or not you are management material. The fact that you are an outstanding employee does not mean that you will like being a manager, or that you have the skills necessary to become a manager.

What does it mean to say that someone is management material? It’s a fact that management is a great career option for many people, and is definitely not right for others. Many people choose to pursue management careers because they think that moving into a supervisory position is simply a natural progression in their career path. Unfortunately, many people ask for and get promotions into management-level positions without really considering how much their day to day professional lives are going to change once they become supervisors.

Mindset Shift
No matter what profession you are in, moving from a line level position into a supervisory capacity requires a complete change in mindset. When you become a manager, the focus of your job will change. Good employee concentrate on performing the tasks associated with their jobs to the best of their abilities. Managers have to focus on making this happen, rather than doing things themselves. People Skills Directing the work of a team, department, or organization involves much more than knowledge about how to perform the tasks of the job. Managers have to know how to motivate people, monitor work flow, allocate resources, manage a budget, and much more. Effective managers actually spend the majority of their time communicating with other people. Managers have to have outstanding communication skills. Listening is a big part of any management level job.

Keep Professional Distance
It’s also important to keep in mind that once you become a manager, you stop being a peer. When you are promoted to a managerial position, you have to maintain an appropriate professional distance between yourself and the people you supervise. If not, your judgment may be questioned when it’s time to discipline employees or make decisions about promotions among your staff. The

Next Step
If you feel that you understand what it means to become a manager, and you feel that a management career is the best choice for you, then speak to your supervisor and let him or her know of your interest in moving up. If your uncertain about whether or not management is a good option for you, you may want to speak with someone in your company’s human resources department about taking some management training seminars. The more you learn about the profession, the better equipped you will be to make a good decision about your future.

About the Author–Mary G. White, M.A., SPHR is the Training Coordinator for for Mobile Technical Institute & MTI Business Solutions, where she specializes in human resources, management, and marketing training. She teaches open enrollment classes for MTI, provides on-site corporate training, and frequently speaks at conferences and association meetings. MTI also provides a variety of consulting services, including IT Training, certification testing, HR consulting, custom database development and website solutions. For career and business development tips, see Mary’s blogs, Daily Career Connection and Daily Biz Solutions.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Meetings Done Right
Author Byline: Philip Aust
Author Website: www.searchlogixgroup.com

Meetings Done Right

Let’s be straight; most people do not like meetings. When asked why meetings are so distasteful, the typical worker’s response often goes like this, “Don’t get me started with meetings. Our company’s meetings are a complete waste of time.” Indeed Roger Mosvick and Robert Nelson (1987) found that employees commonly dislike meetings for a variety of reasons; these reasons include the leader was not prepared, the meeting was irrelevant, and a certain group of people kept getting off the subject.

Since meetings are a must for successful companies, it is helpful to periodically review the principles of high-quality meetings. These principles include: First, the effective manager masters time. John Cragan, David Wright, and Chris Kasch (2004) recommend that meetings are purposeful and take no more time than necessary. To ensure this, a manager should distribute an agenda in advance so that employees know what to anticipate in the meeting and can prepare to participate in it.

Second, the effective manager gives attention to employee satisfaction. Meetings are excellent opportunities to boost morale. Managers should take the time to recognize employee accomplishments and seek feedback. Once a meeting has finished, a manager should send a short email reiterating what was accomplished in the meeting to reinforce its value. This is especially important for groups that meet once a week or less.

Third, the effective manager seeks consensus. Consensus occurs when employees arrive at a decision that everyone can support. Research indicates that employees are more productive when they’ve been a part of the decision making process (Keyton, 2002). Consensus works best when it develops from group interaction and is not forced by a manager. Moreover, consensus tends to encourage future collaboration. Keep these principles in mind, and your employees will benefit from, and recognize the importance of, company meetings.

About the Author:

Dr. Philip Aust is a professor at Kennesaw State University (KSU). He teaches Organizational Communication Audits, Leadership, Training and Development, and Research Methods in the Department of Communication at KSU.

Dr. Aust’s research focuses on leadership in organizational, group, and interpersonal contexts. He examines emerging leadership perspectives, messages associated with productivity and task quality, and leader performance. He has authored and co-authored book chapters and articles published in such journals as Communication Studies, Basic Communication Course Annual, and Communication Teacher.

Dr. Aust regularly conducts communication consultations for profit and non-profit Atlanta-based companies. He has worked with over 25 companies in the last three years.

Email Philip: philipaustpr@searchlogixgroup.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: The Big 4 Accounting Firms - How to get that perfect job with one of the big ones
Author Byline: The Big 4 Guru wants to help you land the perfect job! Get all the insider information that recruiters don’t want you to know! http://www.big4guru.com
Author Website: http://www.big4guru.com

Industry professionals, recruiters and college professors are unanimous in their belief in one thing: there is no better way to start a career in accounting than experience with a Big 4 public accounting firm. If you are reading this you no doubt are well aware of who these guys are:

PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and Touché, KPMG and Ernst & Young.

While each of these companies has various strengths and weaknesses, they are all alike in the fact that they provide the recent accounting grad with a world class experience. First year associates at these firms are given a level of responsibility that is truly remarkable. When I was a first year I remember thinking on an almost daily basis “I can’t believe they’re letting me do this.” As I strolled into the CEO’s office of the firm we were auditing, as I tallied up a multi-million dollar mistake I’d found in another company’s books and as I traveled the country with my very own American Express Corporate Card, I kept repeating this thought:

“I can’t believe they’re letting me do this”

Truly the world of accounting is at your fingertips when you are employed with one of the Big 4. There is an air of respect in those names: PwC, E&Y, KPMG and D&T. There is camaraderie and there is pride. These are the truly elite in the accounting field, and the top of the business world.

Starting your professional career at one of these companies is a ticket to a career in the fast lane. The experience you receive at a Big 4 is, literally, priceless. Many beginners at these firms admit that they would be willing to work for nothing: the experience is that valuable. Land a job and you will guarantee yourself the following:

- For the rest of your career your resume will automatically move to the top of the pile - For the rest of your career you will have access to a network of professionals that is staggering in its depth - You will earn an industry busting salary, putting your friends at regional and local firms to shame - Your resume will contain experience that is recognized and respected globally - An opportunity to travel the world

At a speaking engagement in 2004, Martin J. Whitman, billionaire and namesake of the Syracuse University Whitman School of Management, was asked the single best piece of advice he could offer college graduates. His reply? “Begin your career with a Big 4 Public Accounting Firm. Period.”

Of course.

Think this all sounds good? Of course you do. You’re probably thinking to yourself - there must be a catch? Unfortunately, there is. The benefits of working for a Big 4 are widely known and the demand for these positions is higher than ever. These positions are EXTREMELY competitive and often IMPOSSIBLE to obtain without an edge. A great GPA and resume are no longer enough.

If you are serious about your career and want to maximize your earnings potential, you need an edge. How do you land an interview with a Big 4 when there are thousands of others just like you? Once you get the interview, how will you be prepared for the barrage of questioning you will face?

When I graduated from college I had one interview and one interview only: I landed a job with PricewaterhouseCoopers on the first shot. How did I do it? Good grades? Charming personality? Incredible experience? No! I had an insider at PwC who knew the ropes and coached me through the process, from the application to the signing bonus! When I learned these secrets I just watched as my peers struggled and I jumped easily through all the hoops. Unfair? Sure, but life in a world class industry is not fair. While working at PwC I also experienced the recruiting process from the side of the recruiter. For more information please visit http://www.big4guru.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

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