Frequently Asked Questions

And Some Answers Based on 20 plus Years of Experience

• What’s going on in the economy?
• What can I do to find a job?
• What can we expect in the next quarter?
• Is this a good time to be looking for career advancement opportunity?
• Do I need a resume?
• Tips for the Newly Unemployed!
• A word about Drug Testing and Background Checks.

What’s going on in the economy?

2009 was, for many, a difficult year. Many manufacturers not only downsized operations but took what will likely be more permanent action to relocate production to Mexico, China and other offshore locations. Almost every industry was and continues to be affected and it is clear that the American life style will change as a result.  However, we have seen steady improvement in hiring since the first of this year.  We believe that 2010 will be a year of improving employment and an improving economy.  Here's why:

In 2009, most manufacturers downsized and reorganized-actions that resulted in improved efficiencies and profitability.   So far in 2010, manufacturers have reported improving sales and we note a steady increase in search assignments resulting from the need to begin restaffing and employer confidence in the economy.

The world economy grew somewhat uncertain in second quarter of 2010.  However, the US continued to supply steel, heavy machinery, coal, and many other manufactured products vital to economic growth in other parts of the world.  While the stock market plummeted at the start of the 3rd quarter, there is every reason to be optimistic about a recovery in both the stock market and the general economy.

The Economic Stimulus Program in 2010 had limited success but did stimulate home and car sales. If nothing else, American car companies gained time to design and deliver new products while keeping at least some of the assembly plants open and producing jobs.  Home sales have fallen with the elimination of subsidies but historically low interest rates are attracting buyers.  We believe the 3rd quarter will produce solid home sales and that home sales will increase over the next year or two and fuel an eventual restart of home and office construction.

Consumers have reduced debt load by paying down credit cards and postponing major purchases. This is important because as employment becomes more stable for the 90% plus of employed Americans, savings accounts grow, credit becomes more available, and consumers purchase not only necessities but they also purchase more wanted (as opposed to merely needed) items. 

Retail sales for the second quarter were not as robust as economists had hoped, but we believe that Americans were focused on cutting down debt and will return to purchasing as the school year approaches and we move into the Christmas Season.  

Our clients continue to seek out and hire key technical and management personnel.  It is true that customers are hiring for only those positions that absolutely must be filled and selection processes have never been more rigorous-BUT companies are hiring once again. In addition, we have seen a solid increase in client demand and our search assignment list is growing.  Our clients are confident and optimistic about the future and we see no reason for pessimism.

Interestingly, our clients continue to find the recruitment of degreed engineering and management professionals to be a major challenge.  The unemployment rate among degreed Americans hovers around five percent (5%) and because we do not graduate sufficient numbers of Plastic, Chemical, Mechanical, and other engineers, demand continues to exceed supply in many industries.  Shortages also exist for many Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, and Product Design specialists.  There are shortages highly skilled Maintenance and Process Technicians.   

In the last few months, we have seen the number of individuals accepting job offers involving a geographic relocation increase as home sales have increased-making relocation once again possible for many who simply could not afford to move earlier in the year.  This trend is important because companies cannot grow without the right people and relocation is often required.     

We believe that employers will continue to be optimistic enough to add key personnel through the next quarter and that demand for engineering and management will gradually increase over the next year.

All in all, we believe that the economy is continuing to produce jobs and that the medical device, consumer product, chemical and packaging industries will continue to offer long term opportunities for individuals with the educational, experience, and can do attitudes that the market demands. 

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What Can I do to find a job ?

If you review the jobs listed in this web site, you will note that each position requires a very specific set of skills, experience, and education. Companies are fighting stiff competition and the need to carefully control costs is clearly reflected in the reluctance of employers to be more flexible in the selection of personnel. The keys to successfully finding employment or making that all important career move are: 

• Clearly understanding what it is that you want to do.  Where is your real passion?
• Development of a long range plan and acquiring the education and experience you need to meet your career goals.
• Being open to geographic relocation as a necessary part of your career progression. OR
• Developing a broad range of skills applicable to more than one industry if you cannot or will not consider relocation. (Teachers, Lawyers, Doctors, etc. can often be successful without moving)
• Taking action-few jobs will come to you.  You must take charge of your career and be aggressive in your search for employment.
• Getting help from professionals.  Contact several recruitment specialists in your industry, listen to their advice, and work with them in your search.

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What can we expect in the next quarter?

We believe that the economy will continue to improve and that hiring will slowly increase at a steady pace through 2010. Our firm is optimistic about the future.  The retirement of millions of Baby Boomers, increasing demand for medical products, growing dissatisfaction with offshore production, and the resilience of the consumer are just a few of the reasons to be optimistic.

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Is this a good time to be looking for career advancement opportunity?

Yes! The economy may not be booming but we have faced more serious economic issues in the past and we know that when things turn around, there is a flood of job opportunities.  In a difficult economy, companies hire fewer people and are much more selective and careful in the process. But they do hire and many take advantage of a slow economy to target candidates with top notch skills. Individuals with strong academic, interpersonal, and technical skills will fare well.  Being prepared and open to opportunity are the keys to meeting your long term Career Plan goals.

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Do I need a resume?

Yes! A resume is a necessity if you want to effectively compete for a professional job opportunity. The importance of preparing a well written resume and presenting that document in an attractive format cannot be overstated. See "How to Write a Resume for guidance.

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Tips  for the newly Unemployed

Helpful Tips for the Newly Unemployed

By Andrea Ploscowe of EXEK Recruiters, Ltd.

With the recent economic downturn, millions of qualified American workers in good standing are being laid off by their companies. Many of these employees have had double-digit and often double-decade years of service with their employer. The sudden change in status is an enormous blow not only to one's income and ability to support their families, but also to their self-esteem and emotional stability. Having a place to go every day, where you can be productive and from which you can derive a sense of satisfaction, is a key stabilizing factor in your life.

As a professional recruiter, I speak to people dealing with this situation every day—good, high credentialed people laid off in 2008 or as early as last week. Here are some tips on how to cope that I have been sharing with all the candidates I’ve been speaking with:

When you get laid off . . .

• Do take a vacation, but end it at a certain date. You might give yourself exactly three days to do absolutely nothing—take a couple of days to watch every series and movie you've missed on DVD, hang out, do fun and lazy things, sleep until noon, etc.

• After those three days, get busy and stay busy. Treat your search for a job the same as you would treat a project at work.

• Make it your job to find a job.

Every weekday . . .

• Get up early and at the same time every day.

• Go to the gym or for a run if that was your pre-work habit.

• Shower and get yourself looking polished (make up, hair care, etc.)

• Get dressed in business casual clothing, as if you were going to work. You are!

Do all of the obvious things:

• Update your resume.

• Create or update your page on Facebook and LinkedIn.

• Start reaching out to all of your professional/work world contacts, let them know that you’re looking and what you are looking for, send resumes where appropriate, and line up references and letters of recommendation.

• Reach out to all of your old classmates, everyone you've ever known from everywhere.

• Post your resume on professional/skilled work job boards and school-related outlets.

• If there’s a government or school-related job office, go there. Look for jobs there and post your resume there.

• Professionals should avoid general all-purpose job boards. You're better off posting your resume in boards specifically targeted to your area of specialization (like APICS for Supply Chain Professionals or AICPA for CPAs).*

Do some less obvious things:

• You can extend your "vacation" by every day that you take on active projects in your home and outside your home that you have delayed.

• Clean out your garage, attic, basement, closets, and bedroom (this is good for the soul).

• Hold a garage sale or stoop sale.

• Donate old clothing and stuff you can't sell to a cause that needs it.

• Take a day to go to museums or art shows or a cultural activity that inspires you and feeds your

soul.  Feeding your soul is valid self-care to help you find a new job/career!

Remember, unstructured time is the enemy. When you hang out and watch TV, it eats at you and makes you feel guilty and badly about yourself. You can end up in a downward spiral of feeling badly, which saps your motivation; the lack of motivation keeps you from being productive, and that, in turn, makes you feel even worse.

Do not let idleness gain a foothold!

Now REALLY GET BUSY:

• Make your own business cards on the Web or professionally, if you can afford it.

• Research free training programs on the Internet. See if programs are available in real life in your community, through houses of worship, government programs, civic organizations, and take one (or two).

• Take a class; brush up your skills; learn new skills.

Volunteer in your community!

• Get out in real life where you can meet people.

• Always bring your business cards and hand them out liberally.

• Keep extra resumes in your car, briefcase, handbag, knapsack, or whatever.

• When you meet someone who could be a valuable business contact, be prepared to give them your card or resume. Get that person’s phone number and email address!

• After you've given out your business card or resume, call or email that person within 24 hours (the sooner the better) to follow up with them on any opportunities they may know of that would be a fit for you.

• Also keep in mind that when you help others, you will keep your skills sharp and feel needed and good about yourself. That is huge in terms of feeling good about yourself and nurturing your motivation to keep going!

• And you can include your community service on your resume!

Be mentally prepared to sit for many interviews.

• If you are someone who is accustomed to walking in, nailing your first interview, and getting the job, for now that situation is over. Competition is that intense. Instead, be prepared to sit for 5-10 interviews or even more.

• Treat every interview as a learning experience. Even if you don't get the job, the interview itself is still a valuable experience in which you get to rehearse how you present yourself, your qualifications, and your skills. With practice, you inevitably become more at ease and more skilled in touting what you have to offer.

• Again, if you don't get the job, don't take it as a judgment against you or the value of your qualifications. Someone else may simply be a better match based upon the finer points of their credentials or experience.

These are just some beginning tips. The key is to keep yourself busy, productive, and feeling good about yourself while you hunker down to find a good job.

* If you are a professional worker (accountant, engineer, EHS supervisor, supply chain manager or account manager, teacher, healthcare professional, regulatory affairs professional, etc.)—the kind of professional dealt with by professional recruiters—take care not to overexpose yourself on public boards on the Internet, like Monster and CareerBuilder. If your resume is posted all over creation, or if you apply directly to employers, you can eliminate the motivation for recruiters to work with you. If it is likely that employers in your field already have your resume (because you submitted it directly, or they pulled it off Monster) in their files, then a recruiter will not get credit for bringing your resume to the employer's attention. Accordingly, the recruiter will be precluded from representing you, and your resume will stay buried in the employer's files.

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A word about Drug Testing and Background Checks

We have discussed the fact that employers are hiring only for positions that truly must be filled and that employers are being more selective in their selection process than in any previous downturn.  We have also noted a dramatic increase in requests from clients to either include in depth background checks as part of our services or inform candidates we refer that the company will perform these checks themselves.

Nearly all of our clients are now checking the following items prior to offer or subsequent to offer with the understanding that poor references or revelation of serious legal issues will result in the offer being withdrawn:

• Companies hire professional background checking firms to check an individuals Arrest and Felony Conviction records going back at least 7 and often 10 years.  In the majority of cases, information on felony convictions dating to periods even further back surface in the process. 
• Arrests for DUI will be uncovered in the majority of routine background checks and it is common for employers to cancel a offer of employment despite the fact that an arrest is not a conviction.
• Domestic abuse records are sometimes uncovered in routine background checks and, depending on the number and disposition of cases, could lead to an offer either not being made or recended.
• Credit history and serious debt issues may be considered in the hiring decisions regarding management personnel from supervisor to CEO, and in particular for finance or accounting personnel with access to company funds.
• The majority of employers require a drug test prior to employment and many perform random drug testing once a person is employed.  If you are using illegal drugs, quit using and seek professional assistance before attempting to find work. 

    If you have reason to be concerned about your past employment, financial or legal history, we suggest that

    you make every effort to bring these issues to light before signing the documentation necessary for

    employers to make these inquiries. Hiding or attempting to hide damaging information will result in a

    poor outcome.  Taking the time to present your side of the story may or may not make a difference, but it

    most certainly improves your odds of landing the job.

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