Are Technical Certifications Important to your Job Search

Just how important is a technical certification to your job search?  Many ask this very question daily.  The truth is, while many employers like to see certifications on a resume, most prefer to see real world experience.  This is not to diminish the importance of certifications – many potential employers and recruiters look at certifications as a demonstration of your commitment to the industry, show that you have expertise in a particular area, and that you take professional development seriously. 

You must determine the value that a certification will bring to you and your skill set.  Acquiring a certification will take time and will cost you money, therefore, it is important that you make an informed decision before acquiring technical certifications.  Ask yourself these questions: 

• What skills are in demand right now?  It is important to understand what employers are looking for today.  Because the demand is constantly evolving, you must determine if the skills needed will remain popular or if it is a passing phase.  It is important to keep pace with technical changes and stay up with the increasing popular certifications.  Identify the direct relationship between the need in the market and what value the certification will provide. 
• Determine the strength of your experience.  Often times, if you have worked so closely in a certain technology field, doing coursework and obtaining a certification will not teach you anything new.  You must determine if the certification would be worth the time and money, over the experience you already possess. 
• Is a certification required?  Sometimes, a certification is required to work in a particular field.  For example, if you want to work in IT security, you might be required to have a CISSP certification.  You must determine if the field you want to work in requires any certifications. 
• Determine what kind of payoff you will receive from the certification.  You should know what you expect to gain from the certification – higher salary, advancement, or career change – identify the benefits you will receive from the certification. 

Having a technical certification can help boost your resume and prove your skills.  However, before you commit to the time and cost associated with a certification, make sure you understand what employers want and how they view it.  You will want it to help you succeed in your career path, not hinder it.

Hiring for Technical Positions

Hiring for technical positions can be challenging for some hiring managers.  While it is recommended that you have your technical managers involved in the hiring process, some companies do not have that luxury.  So how do you handle the acronyms, jargon, and “geek speak” to find that perfect fit? 

While all technical positions have different requirements, there are several simple steps you can take to help you when you are hiring for these positions.  These steps include: 

• Understand the department and the job description you will be hiring for.  You will look at different job candidates based on the roles of the position.  For example, is it a position in the marketing department, where the candidate will be building websites and apps, or will the candidate be working in the product division writing code and developing software?  The more you know and understand about the department and the actual position, the easier it will be during the hiring process. 
• Once you understand the department and the position you will hire for, it is best to have an open dialogue with the team members of that department.  Gain a deep understanding of the team, the technology that will be utilized, and the skillset of the hire they desire.  Perhaps they are missing a certain skill set that is needed, or they need someone that has a new certification.  You will have better success when you understand the exact needs of the department. 
• Now that you have all of the requirements of the position, you can start to match resumes to the skills and the role needed.  This is not easy by any means, as a resume only tells part of the story.  Start by matching the skill sets you require and other overall duties that the job will entail.  Again, it may be beneficial to have the department team review these before moving to the next step. 
• Once you have narrowed down your candidates, then you will invite them in for an interview.  This can often be the hardest part for a hiring manager with no technical experience or background.  Regardless of your role, you can ask good questions by gleaning questions from your department team.  Often times it is best to create a sort of cheat sheet that you can use during the interview.  In addition, after your initial interview, most hiring managers will schedule a second interview with several key members of the department team. 

While hiring for technical positions can be difficult for a hiring manager with no technical experience, there are ways in which you can get the necessary information to make the best decision for the company and the team.  Consider the steps above when hiring for these positions. 

Job Relocation Considerations

In years past, it was few and far between that a company would offer a relocation package to entice a hire, and even more farfetched that a job candidate would consider a move.  Today, that has changed.  With the advancements in technology, and because of high unemployment rates, businesses and job seekers are considering job relocation more often.

 

Businesses have realized that to find top talent, they must be willing to look outside their local area.  This has spurred many job seekers to start working with recruiting firms to find the job of their dreams - no matter where it is located.  However, before you accept that new job and pack your bags, you might want to consider some of these job relocation tips:

 

• Before accepting the new position, make sure you do your homework on the company.  Are they financially sound?  Is the job the one you have been holding out for?  Are they active in the community?  The more you know about the company, the easier it will be to make your decision.  This will help you take some of the emotion out of your decision making, allowing you to make the decision for the right reason.
• Now that you know the company is sound and it is the right job fit for you, it is time to answer some personal questions about the move.  Who will be affected by this move?  Just you, or your entire family?  How does your spouse and/or children feel about moving?  It is important that everyone involved with your move be onboard to avoid undue stress about accepting the position.
• Great, now you know the company is sound and everyone around you is onboard with the move.  Now is the time to inspect the area you are moving to.  If you are an outside type of person, moving to an area that has little to do outside will make you unhappy.  If you like warm weather and are moving to a colder climate, you might be looking for ways to get out of your new job quickly.  Visit the area you will be moving to and make sure that it will fit your lifestyle.  If you try to fit your lifestyle to an area that is not so fitting, you will find you are unhappy with the move and the job.
• Everything is all thumbs up - good company, family is supportive, and the area is perfect for your lifestyle - now is the time to negotiate and accept your new job.  Make sure that you understand the costs that will be involved in your move.  It is important that you make these costs clear to your new employer, as the relocation package will help offset some of these expenses.  There are many creative ways businesses are handling relocation packages today, do not be afraid to ask.

 

If you have never considered relocating for a job before, but are considering it now, these relocation tips can help you make the right decision.

  

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Personal Branding and Job Hunting Connection

What is a personal brand, and how does it tie to job hunting?  Many consider their personal brand a digital footprint of their life.  If this is true, then how can this be helpful when searching for a job?  For years, businesses have been using a job candidate's "digital footprint" to help them make a decision about hiring.

 

The fact is, personal branding is nothing more than marketing yourself, the same way a company would market itself to its customers.  Your personal brand includes all aspects of your life - online presence, real world experiences, and more.  The connection between your personal brand and your job hunt should be easy to understand - companies are looking to hire people that are a great fit for their existing culture and have the necessary skills.

 

A potential employer will want to know "you" before the hire, and what better way to understand you and your "brand," then to find everything they can about you, whether online or offline.  Here are some ways you can build your personal brand, before you begin your job search:

 

• Social Media - almost everyone uses some form of social media today.  The problem with this is, that everything you post on social media is public - even to a potential employer.  Make sure that everything you post will cast you in the light you wish to be seen in - show character and integrity.  If you post inappropriate photos and posts, you may be building a personal brand you do not want, and hiring managers will stay clear of you.  Be mindful of what you post!
• Online Presence - social media is just one method of building an online presence.  It is important that you build a positive online presence, so potential employers will get a well-rounded impression of you.  If you have written papers, consider publishing them online.  Consider joining and commenting on blogs that relate to your career path.  You might even wish to develop your own website.
• Real World Presence - just as important as your online presence, your real world presence is often looked at just as closely.  Do you volunteer?  Are you an avid runner?  Are you a sports nut?  Whatever you do in the real world is also a part of your personal brand.  Remember that your everyday actions reflect on your brand and can have an effect on whether a potential employer will hire you.

 

As you can see, your actions online and offline can affect your chances of landing your dream job.  There is a connection between your personal brand and your job search.  If you want to improve your job hunting chances, consider following the tips above.  Remember, your personal brand is your marketing campaign for YOU!

  

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Importance of a Well Written Job Description

So many companies fail to realize the importance of a job description.  Its main purpose is to outline the job duties and responsibilities, however, as jobs have evolved, it has become more complex.  Additional information related to essential job functions, educational requirements, physical requirements, and performance standards are now common place on job descriptions. 

 

A well written job description can save a hiring manager and recruiter valuable time during the hiring process.  It will give a job candidate a more accurate glimpse at the position.  This will weed out those that are not qualified, and answer many of the questions typically posed by interested candidates.  If you struggle to find good talent, you might want to look at your job description.  Here are a few tips to help you write better job descriptions:

 

• Job Title - you might want to rethink your job title.  Customer service rep will not get you the talent you are looking for.  Instead consider adding keywords to your job titles.  Customer account specialist or customer account manager, will get your more qualified applicants.
• Responsibilities - make sure that the job duties and responsibilities are clearly stated on your job description.  A candidate will want to know exactly what will be expected of them, therefore, your job description must include specific statements about their role and what is expected.  Be as concise as possible.
• Mission, Values, Culture - yes, there is a place in the job description to mention your company's mission, values and culture.  These are important to candidates today, therefore, you should outline them.  This will help align candidates with their goals and values, and again weed out candidates that will not be a good fit.
• Salary Range - many companies leave the salary off the job description.  However, imagine being a candidate and going in blindly to an interview.  When you list the salary range in the job description, your candidates will know exactly what type of salary they can make, again weeding out those that are looking for something different.
• Instructions - make sure that you include instructions on the next steps to apply for this position.  If you only accept applications via email, state that.  Make it clear to the candidate what they need to do.

 

As you can see, when you have a well written job description, you will weed out the candidates that are not a good fit.  This not only will save you countless hours of skimming through resumes and pointless interviews, but will save you money on your overall hiring process.  A well written job description is critical to finding the best talent.

  

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Career Gaps and How to Handle

Do you have career gaps on your resume and feel they are preventing you from getting job interviews?  If so, you are not alone.  Many job candidates today have career gaps on their resume, and while they still deter potential employers from choosing you over someone who has none, they are not as scrutinized as they once were.

 

Your best course of action with a career gap is to explain it on the resume and cover letter.  No, this does not mean to put in a paragraph on your resume explaining it in detail, but there are subtle ways you can handle the gap, which will give you a better chance of getting noticed for your other work and skills.

 

Hiring managers and recruiters think the worst when they see gaps on your resume.  Did they get fired?  Did they leave the job without notice?  Were they hard to get along with?  Too many concerns arise before they have even reviewed the rest of your resume.  Here are a few ways you can bridge the gaps professionally, and ease the minds of potential employers:

 

• Resume Gaps - the best way to handle gaps on your resume is to remove the gap!  For example, if you had 11 months between your last two jobs to stay at home and take care of your family, then list that as a job.  Household manager - 11 months, and include your duties.  By removing the gaps and replacing them with duties you completed during that time, the potential employer will have less concerns and will not jump to the wrong conclusion.
• Cover Letter - your cover letter is your chance to have a short conversation with your potential employer.  It is also a great place to mention more details about your career gaps.  Whether you had a medical issue, moved, or were raising your kids, the cover letter gives you the opportunity to explain.  Highlight the skills you used during this time and how they relate to the job you are applying for.

When you can show a hiring manager or recruiter that your time away from your career was productive, added to your skills, or was meaningful, it typically will lessen their concerns.  They then will see your resume for the skills and information that matters most, and not the gaps.  If you have any career gaps on your resume, take the time now to replace them with relevant information.

  

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How to Avoid New Hire Onboarding Mistakes

Businesses spend thousands of dollars every year on their hiring and hiring process, yet the number one reason most new employees do not last, and the most common mistake businesses make consistently is what happens directly after the hire - the onboarding process.

Now that you have found the perfect job candidate, it is important that you have a flawless onboarding process so you do not lose that ideal employee.  Here are the most common mistakes you should avoid when bringing in your new employee:

• Evaluating your new employee is critical to success in the position, however, evaluating your employee too soon can be damaging.  More than 25% of businesses evaluate their new employees within the first two weeks of starting.  An employee, no matter how good they are, cannot acclimate and develop in just two weeks.  It is best to do informal conversations with your new employees frequently during the first several months.  See how they are doing, do they need additional training, do they have any questions, etc.  Focus on developing them and meeting their needs during this time.  Consider moving your first evaluation to three months, at which time, you both can set goals for the next evaluation.
• You must give your new hire purpose.  Too many businesses bring in their new hire and leave them to get acquainted with the position, but fail to include them in current projects and goals.  Include your new hire right away.  They will feel like they are part of the team, start to embrace the culture, and will feel like they matter.  This may mean including them in team meetings, including them on communications regarding a project, and even asking their opinion on a project.
• Training and Tools.  Simple right?  Yet, more and more employees will state they left a position due to inadequate training and improper tools to complete their job.  If your new employee is starting on Monday, make sure that on the Friday before they start, their computer is set-up, they have all of the manuals and credentials they need to access files, programs, etc.  The more streamlined and organized your onboarding process, which should include their meeting with HR to fill out paperwork, introduction of team members, tour of the facility, and training, the better your employee will do.

Don't spend thousands of dollars on your hiring process and then leave your onboarding process to chance.  Take the time to get it right, and watch how your new employees excel.  Not only will have better performing employees, but you will have loyal employees that will stay.

  

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