Amidst the layoffs in 2011, many workers where forced to find employment wherever they could.  Often times this meant taking opportunities outside of their local area.  A CareerBuilder study from September 2011 stated that about 20% of full-time workers who were laid-off and found new jobs relocated to new cities and states.  This stat reaffirms that workers are willing to relocate, especially if they are not currently employed.

This article also breaks down which industries are most likely to pay for full relocation.  Engineering, Information Technology and Business Development/Sales top the list.  Technology and generating revenue are areas where it seems employers are willing to open up their pocketbooks to bring the talent to them.  Relocating can sometimes be a difficult transition so any help an employer can provide will only make the move for the worker that much easier.

Full-time workers who ready to make a move and are out looking for work are willing to transplant their lives for the right opportunity.  This is great news for the technology sector as it seems the pool of talent just got larger with the many candidates who might consider changing zip codes.

Click here to read the rest of the article and explore some additional statistics.

Looks like November was a month of change for small businesses.  According to Intuit Inc.’s monthly small-business employment index, over 55,00 new jobs were created last month.  Between October 24th and November 23rd, the employment rate rose by 0.3% bolstering the annual growth rate to 3.2%.  On the other hand, it looks like work hours and compensation fell about 0.3% and 0.2%.  Although this may seem miniscule it is a step in the right direction for some.

Intuit Economist, Susan Woodward feels there are some mixed signals.  As a result of the rise there was a fall.  “She said the rise of the employment growth rate had to be balanced with total compensation being down and fewer hourly employees working full-time.”

As I stated before, it looks like a step in the right direction for some, especially those were able to take advantage of the 55,000 new opportunities.  In general, small businesses seem to be getting more confident and starting to open their pocket books.  They’ve had to tighten the straps and buckle down to the weather this storm.  This article goes to show things are starting to loosen up and hopefully this will start trending.

Check Out the Rest of the Article

What can we do to stop this?  Well, simply put, it starts with the hiring process.  Companies need to really make sure they vet all candidates to the fullest.  Often times if a candidate possess the skills required for a position then it makes sense to pull the trigger.  Traditional interview questions and gut feelings only go so far.  Companies need to really find ways to look under the rug and search for spiders.  Pulse, a Palo Alto company that creates mobile apps, decided that it’s important to put each candidate to work and see not only if they have the skills to do what they say they can do, but see how they interact with their potential peers.  They assign candidates a small project to complete all the while taking note of their execution and personality traits.  I understand each company is different so it’s really important to assess how you can find out who these people really are, whether it takes extensive background/reference checks or an actual trial period if you will.

Now I know sometimes candidates might just be too good to pass up or maybe you really didn’t know they were wired that way until the honeymoon was over.  Many companies fear getting rid of their top performer thinking production might suffer.  For one company, the ”bad apple” brought down the entire team so far that management just couldn’t make the move fearing it’s catastrophic effect.  However once they did, overall production increased even though not one individual could meet the numbers of the exiled superstar.  Other organizations like to cut hours or drop subtle hints hoping they will just leave and move one.  If the superstar is just too valuable and there is just no way you can stay afloat without them, desperate measures have led some companies to physically move the individual to the dark corners of the office or even an entirely different location.

In the end, it’s important to do your homework and find out what makes your potential employees tick.  If you don’t, you could run the risk of bringing on a plague to your company culture.  Not only may these people affect the company’s performance, but can and will bring down the rest of your staff.  You can’t always be assured that you’re making the right decision, but it’s essential to continue to find new ways to foster an overall positive work environment and that will always start with an effective hiring process.

Read the Full Article by Robert Sutton. ”How a few Bad Apples Ruin Everything.”  The Wall Street Journal. Oct. 24, 2011

- C.E. Greenbauer

Take a look at where Phoenix stacks up.

Click HERE for the rest of the article.

If you’d like to see what we have available, check out our OPEN POSITIONS page. We are constantly looking for top IT talent here in the valley.  If you have any questions or would like to submit your resume, email cgreenbauer@toplinestrategies.com

I came across an article on Dice.com that I think can be really beneficial to the average job seeker. The article entitled, “Three Reasons No One is Asking You In For an Interview,” takes the time to highlight three very real possibilities of why some job seekers may not be getting their resume in front of the right people. When searching for the next career move, it’s always important to make sure one understands the marketplace and employers, especially when it comes to how they select candidates. The reasons explained in the article might just be the ticket the job seeker needs to get their next big break. If anything, they will make the job seeker take a step back and analyze how they are marketing themselves and how to leverage their presence in the hiring market.

The majority of major companies today utilize software for the initial selection process, so it’s essential to understand keyword searches, tags and industry-wide job titles. Knowing this will really help make sure one’s resume pops up with the rest. By clicking HERE, you can read more about how to make sure your resume gets in front of the right people.

For the rest of the article CLICK HERE

-C.E. Greenbauer

Learn how to retain critical IT domain knowledge and how to eliminate human capital issues through this evidenced-based approach.

If you are having trouble viewing the presentation, please feel free to CLICK HERE and go straight to SlideShare.

Dr. Reed Crooter (conveniently sounds similar to Recruiter) wrote, “Many times, these discussions involve us telling the external recruiter that if they send us someone and they are already in our database (Applicant Tracking System), we won’t be paying a fee for them. Why pay a fee for someone who’s already in your system?”  I understand from a cost perspective that Dr. Crooter is trying to save money.  I have some concerns with his statement.  First off, as an external recruiter I simply cannot view your database.  Where is my safety net when it comes to submitting candidates?  Because I can’t see your database, how can I be reassured that this person is actually in your system?  If they are, why am I the first to contact them?  It has to be difficult to swallow knowing you might have missed a great candidate that was right there in your own network.  I know it would most certainly frustrate me.  Keep in mind I’m asking my candidates if they’ve already submitted to your company prior to me even submitting them to you. 

As an external recruiter, I’m using my internal database, job boards and good ole networking techniques.  I realize some of our tools might be similar or even the same.  For example, we both may have a subscription to CareerBuilder, Monster, or Dice.  Will it then reach a point where the agency will not be able to submit candidates from some job boards?  There has to a place where the line is drawn.  I’m assuming a company is using an outside agency for a reason.  That reason being, they’ve exhausted their options, don’t have the staff to recruit, or simply can’t find the perfect fit.  Whatever the reason may be, it all boils down to the internal recruiter having trouble finding the right person.

Now there are some steps I take to help me find out if this person has already been submitted or is in a client’s database.  I always make sure no other agency has submitted and that the candidate themselves have not submitted their information to my client.  If I don’t wish to disclose my client’s info, I like to ask each candidate what some of the other companies they’ve applied to.  Although this may not be foolproof, it still will give me a good understanding of where this candidate has been.  Basically, I strive at all times to put communication at the forefront.  If I can effectively communicate with the candidate and my client, then issues like the one defined above would be detoured.  It’s important to understand that communication at every level is essential when working with external agencies and their candidates.

-R.M. Fox

I believe, as does Mr. Zwilling, in order to be a truly effective leader it’s important to “move out of the way to let others do what they do best.”  Often times we find it difficult to relinquish familiar job duties to others that are deemed to be more qualified.  This can pose many problems for any organization.  A great leader is one who can achieve optimal results by effectively delegating certains roles to the appropriate individuals, all the while making sure their is a balanced yet ambitious enviornment.

When bringing on new talent, it’s important to find those people who will challenge your existing team.  The article goes on to explain some key characteristics a hiring manager or CEO should look for when bringing in new talent.  Below are some of Martin’s ideal characteristics that make for an impactful hire.  These attributes will not only help an organization prosper, but will also force individuals who may not posses some of these characteristics to analyze their input and possibly elevate their production; thus, creating a healthy competitive culture.                                                                       

• Hire closers that can make decisions on their own.  Too often progress is hindered by people that have to always gain approval and can’t make the simplest decisions, even if they already know the answers. 
• Find the people that know how to share their ideas.  As CEO or manager, put yourself in a position to be constantly learning.  Learning is advancing and it’s always best to keep moving forward.  Stay away from those individuals who leave meetings saying to themselves, “I should’ve spoke up, I had a great idea.” 
• Seek out people who are confident and know how to convey passion for their work.  This can go a long way in a team setting, especially through the tough times when a team seems to be paddling upstream. 
• Active listeners are truly beneficial, they are the type of individuals you can rely on to learn and retain information that will only help them become more efficient and better leaders. 
• Avoid the “know-it-alls” as they may seem like a smart choice, but can quickly become a cancer to your team.  Like a Trojan horse they seem like the greatest gift to your organization, but in the end they create more problems than solutions.

Whether you’re a CEO of a new start-up or a manager trying to build a team, it’s important to remember to not only challenge yourself, but the team.  Constantly seek out individuals that will strive to go above and beyond by providing refreshing ideas and the ability to think on their own, all the while conveying a sense of pride for their work.  Think of the times when you were challenged and the competition was tough.  Did you put your best foot forward?

Read the rest of Martin’s thoughts HERE.

- C.E. Greenbauer

We are hiring!  We are looking for talented, career-minded sales individuals who are eagerly looking to work in a team-oriented enviornment in order to reach defined goals.  With our TOP-notch team and front-LINE technologies, one can foster their skills and education in order to create a fullfilling and rewarding career.  Our stability and accessible executives make our work enviornment stand out amongst the rest. 

After completing our first fair, we’ve come to realize that in order to find the best/right talent, one needs to have an effective message rather than the biggest banners or handy novelties.  We look forward to building our team and truely believe our most important asset is our people.

Check us out over at the Arizona State University West Campus, March 9, 2011 between 11:00-2:00pm and the Arizona State University Downtown Campus March 23, 2011 from 11:00am-2:00pm.

As of this past November, I was given an opportunity to change my surroundings and accepted a position with a new company.  I went through a roller coaster of emotions.  I can remember starting my new job and feeling a bit shell-shocked.  I now had to learn all about my new company, interact with new team members and really think and evaluate how I could fit in. Of course questions like, “What do my new team members think of me?” or “will I be successful?” ran through my mind.  To make matters worse, I missed my old team members and the comfort and stability that came with the company I was with for over three years.  Ultimately, I felt that it was time to move on and I haven’t looked back.  For me, the best solution was to grind it out and stick with it because in the end I knew I made the right decision.

On the other hand, this wasn’t case for one of my candidates I placed with a client.  After extensive screening and a couple of face to face interviews, this candidate accepted a position with my client.  However, not even two weeks into their new role, this candidate decided to return to their previous employer, leaving my client out to dry.  Although I have not had the opportunity to discuss reasons why the candidate did not stay with their new role, I’m left to assume that some expectations were not met and/or perhaps motivated by money?  I think with a bit more due diligence on my end and more communication from the candidate, this problem could have been avoided. 

The article referenced above calls for one in a new position to demostrate patience.  In the event you feel you may have made a wrong decision, take a step back and define the problems.  Ask yourself, “Can I afford to quit?”, “Did I do the right research?” and “Are things as bad as they seem?”.  You never want to be stuck in a position where you are unhappy, so it really comes down to making sure that you are in a position to make a change and the change is worth making.  Read the rest of the article HERE.

- R.M. Fox