Preparing for a Job Interview

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Fact: The better prepared you are for a job interview the better your odds are of receiving an offer. Here are a few tips to preparing ahead of time for a successful job interview.

Research the Organization.
• Employers respect candidates that do their research.
• Know something about the organization and why you want to work there.
• Check out the companies website and search internet archives for any pertinent information (products, financial information, culture, etc).
• Knowledge breeds confidence. The more you know the better you’ll do.

Prepare Your Answers.
• Know exactly what you are going to say about your strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
• Be prepared to discuss prior roles, experiences, and positions in detail.
• Carefully consider your motivations to consider making a career/job change and be prepared to discuss them.
• Unless you’re extremely confident in your speaking skills, write out and memorize your answers, then practice reciting them. You may feel & sound funny – but practicing will help you to sound more polished, concise, and less nervous in the interview.
• Don’t overestimate your ability to ad-lib.

Arrive Early/ What to Bring.
• Know where the interview is and how long it will take to get there.
• Arrive 10 minutes early to find the right office.
• Bring your list of references, a pen and notepad for taking notes, and 2 or 3 extra copies of your up-to-date resume.

Dress and Act Appropriately. First Impressions Do Matter!
• Professional and well-groomed appearance is critical.
• Enthusiasm is among the most important qualities in a job interview.
• Express a positive attitude and, if appropriate, your interest in the job.
• Be prepared to ask questions about the position and company.

ConnectPoint is relocating to Sandy, UT

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We are pleased to announce the move of our offices to the Realtor Campus Building in Sandy, UT near Rio Tinto Stadium.

Our move will be effective January 26, 2012.

We are happy to maintain great freeway access and a central location for meeting with clients and candidates.  The address of our new office is: 230 West Towne Ridge Parkway, Suite 125, Sandy, UT 84070.

All other contact information will remain the same. 

Tips for the passive job seeker

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The tech job market in Utah saw a nice increase in recruiting demand in 2011. Forecasts for 2012 seem to be even better. As new opportunities become available we’d like to suggest a few ways you can increase your visibility as a candidate.

Here are a few suggestions:

1- Use Linkedin. Linkedin has become a major player in the professional social media world. Recruiters use Linkedin regularly to search for keywords, job titles, where candidates live, their job history/longevity, technologies used, industries worked in, etc. Like other social media sites- you get out of it what you put in to it. A recent CBS News story suggested 5 changes to make to your profile (here is a link: http://tinyurl.com/7x52oyd). The #1 suggestion was to accept invitations from people you don’t know. “On LinkedIn, connecting with people outside your immediate circle is imperative. ‘If you only accept invitations from people you know, why use LinkedIn? Outlook will suffice!”
2- If you haven’t done so recently, update your resumes online. Recruiters, both in-house HR and true Head Hunters, commonly use Monster, Dice, Careerbuilder, etc. Are you aware of others that are starting to gain momentum? Have you been to indeed.com? Did you know they have a resume database? Here is a link: http://tinyurl.com/84edn3j. Indeed is a great tool to keep you informed of new opportunities. Set up a free account and they will email you when new jobs, meeting your criteria, are posted.
3- Be specific about what you are looking for in your next role. The more detail you are willing to share (job title, compensation range, location, technologies you have interest and experience in) the better the chances are that you will be called about the right job.
4- Are you open to doing contract (temporary) work? Many companies over the past 2 years have increased their use of consultants- both full time and part time. Contracting works for some but not all. If you have strong feelings either way make it known.

ConnectPoint would love to help you in your search. As the economy continues to gain momentum please reach out to us with an updated resume and we’ll be sure to watch for jobs that may be of interest.

Happy Holidays from ConnectPoint!

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We love this time of year.  There seems to be more time spent with family and friends…which is generally a good thing!    

While the economy has improved- we realize that there are still many people in need.  We enjoy hearing about, and seeing, the generosity of so many!  It is humbling to realize how blessed we have been this year…and always.  We are fortunate to live in a country that enables us to follow our dreams. 

We thank all who have made our lives better in 2011. 

ConnectPoint wishes you all a great holiday season and a prosperous 2012.

Hiring Managers: A Few Thoughts On Candidate Selection

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Much has been written over the years about how to interview and who to hire.  As recruiters we have found that recruiting/ hiring is never a perfect science.

Successful business owners frequently attribute the success of his or her company directly to employees.

So how can you, as a business owner or hiring manager, increase your odds of hiring the right person?

Some have suggested hiring people that are smarter than you, have just the basic skill set needed and can be trained, are a good cultural fit, or have the right personal “connections”.  

May we offer five simple suggestions from our experience in working with people like you.

1- Hire someone that loves technology.  Our clients frequently tell us that their best employees are the ones that are passionate about their craft.

2- Aggressively pursue people that are looking for more then a paycheck.  While a paycheck is very important, today’s employees are looking to expand and challenge their minds.  Find someone that has the potential to deliver more then the immediate job requires.

3- Remember the old saying that “the best predictor of the future is the past” as it relates to a persons ability, dependability, and attitude.  Former Utah Jazz Coach Frank Layden said, “you can’t teach height.”  Same goes for attitude.  Hiring people that bring the right attitude in to your organization from the start increases your odds of getting it right.    

4- Don’t eliminate a potentially great candidate solely because they lack one or two “skills”.  Clearly, we understand that some jobs require honed skills in certain technologies.  With that said, our experience is that managers occasionally pass up meeting a potentially great candidate because they aren’t a perfect technical fit from A to Z.  In today’s competitive hiring market managers need to look beyond the alphabet soup of technologies to identify the “right person”.

5- Follow your gut.  The best managers do all they can to learn about the candidates in their pool and then follow their gut for that final decision.

We are interested in what helps you identify the right people.  Please share your thoughts.

Utah- Being Recognized Again As A Great Place To Run A Business

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Utah is again being recognized as a leader in innovation in the tech world.  

According to the Deseret News (goo.gl/4wmIj), the University of Utah has had the most university based “tech startups” each of the past three years.  BYU ranked third this year, right behind MIT.

Among the successes that have come out of BYU are Sonic Innovations (the sixth largest hearing aid manufacturer in the world) and Moxtec (who owns 60% of the market in X-ray windows).  The University of Utah has been responsible for Myriad Genetics, Cephalon, and Coherex Medical, among others.  The Deseret News also references statistics from the Department of Workforce Services that shows the average Utah Salary is $38,000 yet the average Utah “technology venture job” garners $60,000 annually.

The Deseret News also ran a story (goo.gl/G3qJz) highlighting 4 Utah based companies that made it to Forbes “Americas Most Promising” list.  Those companies include Campusbookrentals.com at #31, Packsize at #60, Domo Technologies at #73, and Aquatherm at #76.  These rankings were based on “compelling business models, strong management teams, investment capital, and strategic partners.”

What makes Utah a great place to run a business?  We believe reasons include an educated workforce, reasonable cost of living, and a high quality of life.

We are curious to know why you think Utah is such a great place to be working in the tech field.  

Regardless of the reasons, if you live in Utah there continues to be opportunities to grow.

Time to pay back employees?

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During the darkest hours of the recession, many employees were thankful just to be working.  Even if you were working for the wrong company, boss or job role many employees stuck it out and minimized risk by not taking on a job hunt. A job was a great thing to have, even if it wasn’t the perfect job.

I’m curious if those companies that have weathered the storm — in some cases by cutting pay, freezing cost of living increases, reducing benefits and increasing workload expectations — will begin to reward those employees that have sacrificed for their employer over the last few years.   My guess is some won’t and they will wonder why their once loyal employees are leaving in droves.

From what I’ve seen, the days of clinging to a tenuous job are over.  Throughout 2011, Salt Lake and Wasatch Front employers have begun to hire again, translating to an increase in opportunities for job seekers.  As this trend continues, you can be sure your employees will be testing the waters in 2012 and researching other employers and employment opportunities.

With the high cost of employee turnover, hopefully most companies will proactively take care of their people in whatever way they can.   Those employers that think they are operating in a new status quo where employees are fearful and employers hold the cards may be in store for a rude awakening.

 

Fat check or Job Satisfaction?

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A study from Princeton, concluded that there was a positive correlation to happiness and enjoyment as income increased. BUT beyond $75,000 a year there were no additional benefits to higher income.

“Many people want to make a lot of money, but the benefits of having a high income are ambiguous,” said Professor Kahneman, who is also a Nobel laureate in economics. When you are wealthy you are able to buy more pleasures, he said, but a recent study suggests that wealthier people “seem to be less able to savor the small things in life.”

Read the rest of this interesting article here

Year end hiring reality check

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It’s mid-November and the holidays are upon us. If you have a critical position to fill and you are hoping your new hire can hit the ground running in 2012 – now is the time to start your hiring process! After you subtract holidays there are only about 4 weeks of recruiting left this year. Here’s a typical hiring timeline :

Week 1

Prepare job description

Make sure budget and approvals are in place,

Submit the job posting to internal and external recruiter to start sourcing candidates

Week 2

Review applications/resumes.

Conduct phone screens and schedule first interviews.

 Week 3/4

Conduct in person and final interviews. At this time of year this is a tough one. Plan on working around busy calendars that include normal workload, time off and holiday commitments.

Make an offer, negotiate acceptance.

Week 5/6

Wait out two week notice, complete on boarding process: desk, computer, network access, security etc etc

The above timeline assumes everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law frequently applies and you will want backup candidates to make sure you make your goal. Having one or two acceptable backup candidates puts you in the drivers seat and allows you to comfortably walk away from a first choice candidate if something goes awry at the last minute.

So there you have it. A little reality check. If you’re hoping to get an A player on board for the new year – start now!

Hot market for IT professionals in Salt Lake City, Utah

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New clients often ask me why recruiting great people in Salt Lake City is so difficult. Many have recently commented that they receive virtually no qualified candidate resumes when they advertise a job.

According to Indeed.com, Salt Lake City has 1 job posting for every unemployed person.  In comparison, Miami and Los Angeles have 1 posting for every 4 unemployed persons. Bottomline — we have more jobs for those that are unemployed. Candidates have more options and employers have to work harder to attract candidates for their openings.

In the technology sector the situation is even better for candidates. I would not be surprised if there were 10 technology job postings for every unemployed technologist. In a hot market, it becomes critical to tap into the candidate pool that is employed and not actively responding to job postings.

What has your recent hiring experience been like?  Slim pickings?  Surprisingly easy?  Whether your experience in hiring has been the same or different — we would love to hear about it.