It's Good To Talk...

I've just come off the phone to a client who was weighing up his options about whether to work with me or one of our competitors.

His deliberation was in part, based around the process each firm employed en-route to gathering the information needed to complete the project. So we had a nice little chat!

Our competitor likes to employ the 'questionnaire' method. The questionnaire, I was told, would require the client to spend between one and two hours in front of his computer answering questions about his work history. After this was completed, it would be sent to the company and the document would be pieced together around the information supplied.

Our approach is entirely different. Having worked in the recruiting and staffing industry as an executive recruiter over the last 10 year gave me the opportunity (on a daily basis) to extract detailed career information from top executives in order to determine whether or not they had the skills my corporate client needed to fill a particular role.

It is the ability to extract pertinent career information by talking with clients, combined with an expertise in understanding the best way to present this information to a hiring manager, that made me such a successful recruiter. It is this same combination of skills and experience that sets us apart from our resume writing competition. Many "resume writers" have little idea of how to ask for information or converse with someone one-on-one about the detail of their work history. This is because so many of them are writing resumes 'on the side' and have virtually no relevant professional experience or they lack the confidence or skill-set to be able to do so in a one-on-one situation.

We don't ask you to fill out questionnaires because we have the ability to get the information we need by talking with you! Discussing your career history, hopes and goals with an experienced professional skilled in this process can uncover key details that will form the basis of our project outline and branding strategy.

Our process makes for an enlivened and dynamic discussion where ideas flow freely, interesting facts or accomplishments are remembered and work history 'problem areas' can be openly discussed and strategized. Such synergy cannot be realised if you're staring at a computer screen typing out standard answers to a series of mundane flat, fixed questions.

As Bob Hoskins used to say in the BT Telecom adverts aired in the U.K. - "it's good to talk". My new client agreed!

New Year! New Resume! New Job!

We've been rushed off of our feet lately by a deluge of pro-active job seekers desperate to improve their chances of landing their dream job by having a complete resume and cover letter re-work.

New Year! New Resume! New Job! seems to be the mantra, and I can only applaud them for their foresight. I was speaking to a real live-wire sales manager earlier this week and he said that over the holidays, when contemplating the new year ahead, the thought of labouring away in his current position for another 12 months cast a dark shadow over the festive celebrations. He resolved to strike out immediately after the break and commit 100% to the pursuit of a role with a better work/life balance.

Judging by the ever decreasing number of available appointments I have over the next 2 weeks, he certainly isn't the only one. That first day back to the grind on a cold January morning is usually enough to put even the most talented procrastinator into job hunt overdrive!

I've been asked if I'll blog about employee issues such as work/life balance etc this year and yes, it is on my 'to do list', although it is free time dependent. Thanks for your suggestions - keep them coming.

Happy New Year to all! I hope your career dreams come true in 2010.