Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Executive Placement Organizations

Have you heard from a company telling you they can tap into the "hidden job market" for you? Did they pique your interest by marketing career services to you that will position you for career opportunities within this hidden job market? Did this company ask you to meet with them with your spouse present? Did this company tell you the services they would provide to you would only cost you $5000+?

I have recently spoken with two individuals who were "taken" by two different executive placement organizations who did everything listed above and more. One person invested $5000 while the second individual invested $8000. Between the two people, they received three job interviews - $4000+ for each interview!

Don't be "taken" by these organizations. The investment to you is too large. While it's true that you get what you pay for, investing too much or too little is a big mistake when it comes to your career in these tough economic times. Search for a resume writing organization that can provide to you most of the very same services that an executive placement organization can. Be sure to verify credentials. Speak with the writer you will be working with to ensure no personality conflicts. Assess resume samples for content and formatting quality. Ask questions of the resume writing company so you are comfortable.

Please keep in mind that not all executive placement organizations are bad. Just like any other company, there will be good and bad to choose from. Your job, as a consumer, is to conduct research before committing thousands of dollars to any one company. In addition, it is this writer's viewpoint that executive recruiters and executive placement organizations are two different career resources.

If the two people mentioned above had come to Chapman Services Group, LLC (www.ChapmanServices.com) for the services provided them, their total investment for both people would have been no more than $3000. By my calculations that's a cost savings of $10,000! Give me a call today for more information about what we can do for you.

~ Lisa Chapman, Certified Professional Resume Writer
www.ChapmanServices.com
www.LisaChapman.net
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisachapman
866.687.9700

Monday, August 3, 2009

Job Search Tool

If you're still looking for your next career move, this information will be valuable to you.

As I'm sure you already know, searching for your next career move isn't always the easiest of tasks.

However, if you're looking to give your job search a boost, there is one effective service that you may wish to consider.

ResumeSpider.com offers you a time-saving and effective way for you to connect with multiple, targeted employers, corporate hiring managers and recruiters.

ResumeSpider has built an extensive network of employers and recruiters. Now, you can tap into their network in just minutes.

You target employers and recruiters based on your location, job function and industry/sector. ResumeSpider then sends your resume directly into the inboxes of these employers and recruiters that are looking for you.

The nice thing about the ResumeSpider job search tool is that you will be able to see every single person who reviews your resume and how they rate you. They give you all of the contact information for every employer and recruiter on your list so you can then pick up the phone and call your contacts directly! You can sell yourself and get yourself an interview. This is PROACTIVE job searching. The reason job seekers are frustrated with a typical job search is because they have no control over who is looking at their information. ResumeSpider gives you that control.

Go to http://www.resumespider.com/?dcode=411484 and click on the big red "Sign Up Now!" button then select your categories and click Get Results. You will then get to view your actual list of companies and contacts. Set up a demo account first and review your actual list. Then you can upgrade and gain access to the contact information.

If you'd like to see how ResumeSpider can help you to connect with the right employers and recruiters today, take a look now at:

http://www.resumespider.com/?dcode=411484

Use discount code 411484 to get 10% off your order.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Available Tech Jobs - Get Your Resume Ready

400,000 tech jobs available

CompTIA, trade association for IT professionals, is currently launching a hiring campaign to fill an estimated 400,000 tech job openings.

The reason: a scarcity of skills, experience, or combination of these that employers want. Tech professionals who are employed may find they need to upgrade their certifications to remain competitive and venture into new territory in order to retool their careers for today's job market.

Tech support positions are found in a wide range of industries, from hospitals, to hotels, to factories. Employers are seeking individuals who can perform hardware and software integration and data security.

One category in big demand is basic computer skills, which open the door at the entry level. Then employees add certifications to move to higher positions.

Tech jobs are appearing in Des Moines, Boise, Louisville, and all over the U.S. In Detroit tech jobs in hospitals are plentiful for jobs that require continual collaboration with other departments. In the medical industry, tech jobs are available for medical providers.

The fastest demand in the U.S. is for help desk and desktop support. A recent survey of Robert Half International shows 51% of employers plan to add IT staff over the coming year.

Unemployment among tech professionals is a low 4.9%, compared to the national rate of 9.6% overall.

Dice.com compiled a list of the top five most in-demand skills:

* Security. Employers want to hire people with the CISSP designation (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), who have 5 years of hands-on experience.

* Virtualization. The practice of running multiple servers on a single piece of hardware.

* Java EE. Sun Microsystems' Java and it's enterprise edition, J2EE are industry standards for developing online applications.

* SAP. Most employers prefer candidates who have direct, on-the-job experience with SAP.

* .NET. Microsoft has a variety of certifications, but Dice.com says the top designation is Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD), which includes MS Visual Studio and Microsoft .NET framework.

Source: CNN Money, http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/21/technology/tech.jobs.fortune/index.htm

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Well Wishes

Happy Father's Day!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Invest in Your Future

Having walked in the shoes of so many of you who have been laid off, I understand not wanting to spend one red cent more than you must when the future is unsure. However, the only way to move forward is to have career marketing documents (resume, cover letter, thank you letters, reference dossier, etc.) that position you as the candidate of choice.

If you are unable to develop a resume that will capture the attention of hiring agents with compelling information regarding your value, core competencies, and quantifiable accomplishments, then hire a professional resume writer to assist you. The positive impact made by having a strong resume and other career marketing documents is gaining more interviews. The more interviews you secure, the more quality job offers you will receive.

Again, I understand the hesitation you may have in investing in resume development services, however, should a professionally written resume reduce your job search time just 4 weeks, this could save you $3,000 in lost salary if you make just $40,000 per year - much more than what resume writing services will cost you.

It's very important that you think of your resume as an investment in marketing you to employers. The candidate who markets himself better, will be the candidate who gets interviewed. I know you want to be the candidate who gets interviewed. Please think about investing in your future.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Current Careers Environment Update

In the past 4 weeks I've noticed a shift in the job market. Recruiters have more job orders, our phone is ringing more with clients who are hearing of opportunities, people are willing to invest in their futures once again because the economy is picking up a bit, and there is a feeling of confidence in the air.

While unemployment is exceptionally high, positive change is coming and you should be ready if you are one of those people who are unemployed or ready for a career change. The best way for you to prepare is by having an accomplishment-based resume ready for distribution. Since most people create task-based resumes that speak nothing of their career accomplishments, it is imperative that you develop a resume that speaks to your accomplishments.

The only way for a hiring agent to predict future performance is by evaluating past performance.

Need assistance with developing an accomplishment-based resume? Visit http://www.ChapmanServices.com for more information.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Job Search Technique: Recruiter Distribution

What I've learned over the years is that most people don't understand how to conduct an effective job search. Today I'd like to inform you about how to get resumes in front of recruiters.

Chapman Services Group, LLC uses a Dunn & Bradstreet database of approximately 15,000recruiters. We narrow the number of recruiters who will be sent your resume by industry and job category. Once your resume and cover letter are emailed to the various recruiters, we then provide you with a comprehensive report with names and contact information for every recruiter who was emailed your documents. Having all of this information allows you to follow-up with these recruiters as you see fit.

While there are resume distribution services that are less expensive, most do not send resume to focused recruiters and do not provide you with a report of recruiters.

No matter if you use our service or another, recruiters are a great way to get some interest in you and your skills.