The Business Networker Connector

Just Say No to Misleading Insurance and Financial Job Advertisements

MSA Recruiter — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:57:20 +0000

Every job seeker has experienced the misfortune of getting excited about a job opportunity only to be lured to a group presentation, or even worse a door to door sales job interview. I remember a time when I was fresh out of college and a recruiter from a marketing company called me to arrange an interview. At the conclusion of schedule the interview, the recruiter told me to wear comfortable shoes and hung up. What happened? You guessed it! It was a door to door sales job. I waited too long to say no and wasted several hours of my time.

The insurance and financial industries seem to be full of opportunities that are not as promised. If you have ever worked in a sales, customer service, marketing, or financial industry and you are seeking a job, chances are you’ve been contracted my numerous insurance and financial companies telling you that your resume has been hand-picked for an interview with the hiring manager. In most cases, you will be walking into a group interview/presentation or into a full-commission job where the only qualification you needed to get the job was a heart beat.

The way to avoid misleading insurance and financial job advertisements goes back to a previous blog posting of mine: Do your research and use common sense. My next bit of advice is that you tell these companies immediately that you are not interested and to take you off of their recruitment list. These recruiters are talented and do their job well. They will appreciate you telling them you are not interested because they value their time just as much as you value your time. However, if you give the recruiter any hope that you might be interested, they will become a shark and you will be the wounded bleeding fish. They will devour you. They will get you in for an interview. Just say no!

NOTE: Most insurance and financial firms, even those with the misleading job advertisements, are legitimate companies and do offer legitimate opportunities. I know plenty of people who took the door to door type insurance sales positions and have made a great income. If you have questions about what companies to avoid and how to identify them, feel free to call or email me: Kevin@msacompanies.com 330.572.7540 ext.1700

The Art of the “Thank You” Note

MSA Recruiter — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:39:10 +0000

I’ve been asked several questions recently about how to construct a “thank you” note and the specific rules of “thank you” notes as it pertains to thanking companies after they have interviewed an individual. I’ve compiled a few rules and guidelines that will help you write an effective “thank you””note.

The first rule to follow is: SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE! I am often asked “should I send a thank you note?” The answer is always, “YES!” The interviewer or any person in general, won’t object to a “thank you.”

The second question I am often asked is if it is better to email or mail a “thank you”note. I typically suggest doing both. Send a quick “thank you” email within 24 hours of the interview. Then, 24-48 hours after the interview, mail a “thank you” note. This will keep your name in front of the interviewer and is not excessive so long as the “thank you”’s are kept short .

The third question I am asked is what to include in the “thank you” note. Here is what I suggest: “Thank you””email: Keep the email to 2-3 sentences. Let the interviewer know it was nice to meet he or she and make sure to express your interest in the position and desire to move forward in the interviewing process. “Thank you” note: Again, keep the note short. 4-5 sentences will work well. I suggest sitting 2 reasons as to why you feel you would be a great fit for the position. Make sure it is clear that you want the job.

My best advice would be to make sure to send a “thank you” note but don’t worry yourself over what to say or how to word the note. In the history of all hiring decisions, few people either got a job or where eliminated from consideration based on their “thank you” note. The point is that you send a ““Thank you”” note and that you keep your name in front of the interviewer.

Research the Company First!

MSA Recruiter — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:13:36 +0000

I was just reading a NY Dailey News article an Akron company, NSA Technologies, that has been accused of scamming thousands of people out of money by advertising various schemes, such as “Get paid to take surveys online.” The evidence against that company appears weighty and irrefutable. Sadly, companies such as this are far too common and are preying on individuals seeking extra income. There is a way to protect yourself against schemes and illegitimate companies: Use common sense and research!

Use common sense when searching online for jobs or ways to earn extra income. If it seems too good to be true, it is! Getting paid to take surveys online??? Any small amount of common sense should lead you to believe that is not legitimate. Be leery of any job advertisements that included phrases such as “no experience needed. Other things to be leery of our job adds that list a wide rang of income potential; any range greater than 20k is probably not legitimate (example: income = 50-200k). Avoid job advertisements that list only descriptions of why the company is great and exciting and mention nothing about the position itself. Using common sense in the areas listed above will help you avoid scams and illegitimate companies.

Next, it is vital you research any income opportunity or job possibility. A simple search on google.com of NSA Technologies would have brought up pages and pages of negative consumer reports and news articles. Chances are, if someone has had a bad experience or discovered that an income opportunity is not legitimate, they’ve blogged about it online. With that said, almost all legitimate companies have negative comments about their company posted from unhappy individuals, so it is important to way the bad with the good. Doing your research prior to pursuing and job or income opportunity will help keep you safe from scams and illegitimate companies.

Use common sense. Research. Keep yourself safe from illegitimate companies and extra income opportunities.

Visit: http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2008/09/21/2008-09-21_no_easy_money_with_web_promise.html To see the article that inspired my article.

I am “in transition” and I am at your networking event!

MSA Recruiter — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:58:57 +0000

I have been to several networking events where there has been a disturbingly increasing amount of jobseekers (or people “in transition” as is the new politically correct term). It is not disturbing that they are there. To the contrarily, it is great that jobseekers are out actively marketing themselves and looking to network. What is disturbing is that the increasing presence of jobseekers at networking events means that while the economy is showing signs of an increase, it is not there yet!

Unemployment rates. Jobseekers. The economy. I realize I’ve just opened the black hole of conversation starters and the Pandora’s box of blog posts. My purpose of this blog post is not to open a dialog about any of the above topics but to address a question I here repeatedly from employed people who attend networking events. What do we do with all the jobseekers?

Help them!!! We’ve all been there. We will all be there again someday. We all have connections. We all know business owners. We have the tools and abilities to help those in need of a job. It is not likely you will be able to find the person a job. You may not be able to connect them to a company that is hiring. However, in some way you can help the job seeker. If nothing else, take a moment to listen to their story and share empathy and provide encouragement. Help them!

Speaking of helping the job seeker: If you know of anyone looking for work, have them email me their resume. I might not personally be able to assist him or her but I will be able to connect them with someone who can. Kevin@msacompanies.com

Join my linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/msarecruiter

Dress for Success?

MSA Recruiter — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:10:22 +0000

Dress for success! Dress for the job you want not the job you have! Dress the part! If you are anything like me, and my condolences to you if you are like me, then you get annoyed anytime you hear one of those phrases. What do those phrases mean? More particularly, what do those phrases mean in relation to dressing for interviews?

The terms business, business casual, and country-club casual dress have become exceedingly blurred these days. I am still unsure how khakis and a polo shirt can be considered business casual. For my money, business casual is a suit without a tie, or a sport coat. Business casual most certainly does not involve jeans (guys, a shinny pair of black shoes does not make your jeans “dressier”). My big pet peeve: guys that wear flashy t-shirts or affliction t-shirts with jeans and dress shoes and somehow think that is business casual. It does not matter how much your t-shirt costs. It’s a t-shirt! Back to the subject at hand; what is appropriate dress for an interview?

Men, you need to wear a suit. That is it. Don’t ask what the dress attire is. Show up in a suit. Preferably, wear a dark suit with a white or blue dress shirt and a tie that is simple. It is okay to bring a portfolio with you, but don’t bring any type of bag or briefcase. Women, again, a business suit is something you can’t go wrong with so long as you don’t go too flashy with your shirt. Again, a portfolio is okay to bring in and a small purse but nothing too big. You don’t want to look like the bag lady!

The moral of the story: Keep it simple. A nice dark suit with a conservative tie and shirt for men and a dark business suit with a simple solid color top for woman. And please, only wear your flashy Affliction T-shirt to the gym or around home!

The 9 to 5 Job-Seeker

MSA Recruiter — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:45:49 +0000

Are you out of work? Looking for a job? If so, what does your day look like? If you aren’t working from 9 to 5 looking for a job, you aren’t giving yourself much of a chance of finding a job.

I have recently had the pleasure of meeting several job seekers who have impressed me with how proactive, organized, and diligent they are in their job search. I met gentlemen that told me he targeted 50 companies he would like to work for and he sent 5 personalized letters, with his resume included, to those target companies her day. He then followed-up with each company by placing a phone call into those companies the next week. This same gentlemen is a part of three job-seeker groups. I have seen him and numerous networking events, and he keeps a daily presence on social media sites such as Linkedin.com. This guy gets it, and he will find the job he is looking for!

Unfortunately, the job-seekers like the gentlemen above are far and few between. Most job-seekers seem to be passive in their search and their entire job search strategy is to email their resume to the advertised jobs they see on Indeed, Mosnter, and Careerbuilder and then keep their fingers crossed that something works out. That is not an effective strategy. The day of a job seeker should look rather similar to the day of a recruiter.

Here is the structure of a typical recruiter’s day:

8-9:30am: Follow-up on voice mails and emails, office/staff meetings
9:30-12: Phone Calls / Prospecting
12-1pm: Lunch, ideally with a potential client
1-4: Phone calls/prospecting, client visits, and interviews
4-5:30: Follow-up on voice mails and emails, plan for the next day

Job-seekers should structure their day in a similar format. Of course, you need to be flexible to interview with and follow-up with perspective employers around their schedule. Therefore, create some flexibility in your schedule, but try to follow a disciplined schedule. Be proactive. Be organized. Most importantly, think of being a job-seeker as your full-time job. If you have questions on what your day as a job-seeker should look like, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Does Linkedin.com eliminate the need for a resume?

MSA Recruiter — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:48:38 +0000

I recently met someone at a networking event that identified himself as “a professional in transition.” We spoke briefly about the type of job he was looking for, exchanged business cards, and agreed to speak further the following day. I called this individual and shared an opportunity I was working on that could be a great fit for what he was looking for and asked for his resume. He told me he no longer uses a resume and instead he just sends recruiters and hiring managers to his linkedin.com profile. He went on to explain that he attended a seminar where he heard a “linkedin.com expert” speak about how to utilize linkedin.com to find a job and the “expert” advised him to not have or send a resume but to instead send companies to his linkedin.com website. Wow! Wow! Wow! Where do I begin???

First: You need a resume! Linkedin.com is a great tool to help you find a job, but it is just that, a tool. It is not your sole job search avenue. 99.9% of the time companies will want to see your resume. In fact, if a company does not want to see your resume and is content with just reviewing your linkedin.com profile, that should be a red flag to you about the legitimacy of that company.

Second:(and please read this with the intended sarcasm implied) If I, as a perspective employer, ask to see your resume, you need to have a resume and send it promptly. If I asked for it emailed, you will email it. If I asked for it faxed, you fax it. If I ask for you to deliver your resume in the form of a singing telegram, guess what? That is right, you’re going to need to get a costume together, practice your jingle, and come deliver your resume in the form of a singing telegram (Okay that is a bit extreme). The name of the game is maximizing your ability to obtain the job you desire. In order to maximize your ability to find the job you desire, you need to have a resume and provide that resume to the perspective employer in whatever way the desire.

Third: I will address the issue of “linkedin.com experts” and “social media experts” in a future blog. For now, be leery. Be very leery of anyone claiming to be a Linkedin or social media expert.

Note 1: linkedin.com does allow you to attach your word.doc resume to you profile and that is a helpful to that will lead to more exposure for your resume.

Note 2: If you do not have a fax machine and you are searching for a job, you need one. You will be asked to fax resumes and/or be asked to fax contracts and other documents. I suggest calling Bill Kirk at 330-237-1111 or emailing him at bill.kirk@myone-number.com. He offers an adorable fax solution in which you can send and receive faxes through your email.

Kevin Kelly
Executive Recruiter
MSA Companies, Inc.
330.572.7540 Office
330.858.6690 Cell

join my linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/msarecruiter
3501 Embassy Pkwy, # 201
Akron, OH 44333
www.msacompanies.com

Linkedin.com

MSA Recruiter — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:37:12 +0000

I use to love collecting and trading baseball cards as a kid. I liked looking at different cards and seeing the player’s history and statistics. I do not collect cards anymore, though I do collect Linkedin.com connections. Like baseball cards, it is fun to see people’s work history. Unlike collecting baseball cards, I make meaningful connections and grow my network and business through linkedin.com.

Linkedin.com is the social networking site for business professionals. It is the “grown-up” version of Facebook or Myspace if you will. If you do not have a linkedin.com profile/account, you should get one today. Linkedin is a valuable tool and will bring value to you regardless of your profession. I utilize Linkedin to grow my business, to networking, to find networking events, to advertise, to recruit job seekers , to acquire new clients, and to connect and learn from experts in my field. I even found my current job through a Linkedin connection!

If you are not on Linkedin, do not waste anymore time. Go to http://www.linkedin.com and start networking and collect connections like you use to collect baseball cards!

Feel free to add me as a connection on linked in and to contact me with any Linkedin questions you have. http://www.linkedin.com/in/msarecruiter

Resume Tip # 1

MSA Recruiter — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:03:36 +0000

Resume Tip # 1: How to Save your Resume:

There are a tremendous amount of tools out there to help you write your resume. Microsoft Word has auto formats to help you. Local book stores have 100+ books about resume writing. There are numerous resume writing services available (I suggest contacting Nicole at tobetterdays@ymail.com for a resume review). However, there is one simple step that you can take to better your chances in the job market that is so simple that you’ve probably never considered.

When saving your resume, make sure to save the file name as your name. Example: I would save my resume as: Kelly, Kevin. If I were a CPA, or held an MBA, I might save the resume file as: Kelly, Kevin CPA. Do not save the resume as “Kevin’s Resume,” or “My Resume.” Saving your resume as “My Resume” will certainly help you find your resume on your own computer files, but it will make it more difficult for the HR, Hiring Manger, or company you’ve sent your resume to find. When you save your resume, and when you write your resume, do not be thinking about how it looks to you and how it is reader friendly for you. Instead, think about how your resume is reader friendly to the prospective employer.

Saving your resume as the filename in the Last Name, First Name format is a simple step that you can take to enhance your job search. In a job market that has more job seekers than jobs, you need to take any little step you can to increase your chances of landing that job! Feel free to contact me anytime for other tips on how to enhance your resume and your marketability in your job search.

Kevin Kelly
Executive Recruiter
MSA Companies, Inc.
330.572.7540 Office
330.858.6690 Cell

Join my linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/msarecruiter

3501 Embassy Pkwy, # 201
Akron, OH 44333
www.msacompanies.com