Career Tips
The Pros and Cons of Working With One Recruiter Exclusively
Have you ever heard the saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”? It refers to somebody putting ALL of their resources behind one specific effort hoping for something good to come from that effort. Recently, I was in contact with a Web Developer located in the Bay Area and my interaction with him made me think of that saying. I sent him an email telling him about some relevant opportunities I was representing for him. I was surprised to hear his response that he was already exclusively working with a recruiting company and out 
of fairness and respect to them he was not willing to hear about the opportunity. Just to throw in some extra context, in the 7 years I have been a recruiter I have only had maybe one or two other candidates say something like this to me.
As a recruiter I respect the nobleness of his decision as I know that there are favorable arguments to working with a single recruiter, but I also know by creating those boundaries he could be potentially selling himself short and missing out on making connections that could greatly benefit his career.
With that said, working with too many recruiters can be disasterous and I would never recommend that either. But finding 2-3 strong ones that specialize in your market is in my opinion the healthiest balance and the best way to maximize your career search options while staying protected from the negatives of working with either one recruiter or too many recruiters.
Cons to working with a recruiter exclusively:
- If the exclusive recruiting company fails to provide you with a new job or a run of favorable interviews, you run the risk of wasting time while the other available jobs might very well be taken by other candidates. You then find yourself stuck with nothing to fall back on.
- A recruiters loyalty is to filling their open positions. Who they fill those positions with is of considerable less importance to them. Meaning, just because you are working with the recruitment firm on an exclusive basis, doesn’t mean the recruitment firm is working with you exclusively.
- If a candidate comes along who is more qualified for the same position that you are being considered for, that same recruiting company WILL for a fact create a competitive situation between you and that candidate for the same job.
- Not all recruiting companies have the same client base, meaning by working with one recruiter exclusively you are closing your doors to other potentially stronger opportunities.
- Many times companies give recruiters exclusive right to work on a position, if you limit yourself to one recruiter you might never know about those other great opportunities.
Pros to working with a recruiter exclusively:
- It saves you time. Working with one recruiter eliminates the interruptions you will receive throughout the day from multiple recruiters.
- Working one on one with a recruiter helps build a stronger relationship. They know your career goals and everything you look for in a job.
- It reduces the risk of your resume being submitted multiple times to the same company.
- Many recruiters specialize in a specific niche. Working with a recruiter in your niche increases your chances of finding one of those unpublicized positions that you might not know about otherwise.
25 Google Applications to Assist in Your Job Search or Branding Your Career
If you were curious to know the population of Seattle, Washington, how would you go about getting the information?
What if you wanted to know how to get from San Francisco, California to Napa Valley, California? Well the easiest and most convient method would be to Google them, right? Google gives you access to all the world’s information with just the click of a button, but did you know Google could assist you in finding a job or building up your professional brand?
Google is more than just an Internet search engine. It is a toolbox full of valuable weapons that any professional can use, no matter what stage of your career you are in. By using the applications below you can keep up to date on companies of interest, build your online brand and showoff your accomplishments.
1. Google Blog Search – Search blogs of the companies you are interested in, or follow the blogs of the industry experts in your field.
2. GMail – Create a professional email address for networking purposes and then have that address forwarded to your personal email
3. Google Profile – Control how you appear in Google searches by creating a personal profile. On your Google profile page you can add links to all your social networking profiles and your blog.
4. Google Custom Search – Create a customized search for your job search or career development by adding specific websites, blogs or job sites, or keywords
5. Google Desktop – It’s like a regular Google search but instead it searches your computer. It allows you to have easier access to your documents. It also has the option to add gadgets to your desktop so you can get the RSS feed from sites you frequently visit.
6. GOOG-411- By dialing 1-800-GOOG-411 from any phone and stating the location and type of business you are looking for GOOG-411 will connect you with that business. It is helpful if you are going on a job interview or attending a networking event and forgot the address or phone number. You can even ask GOOG-411 to send you a text with the information or send directions to your mobile phone.
7. iGoogle – Create a simple internet homepage with news, RSS feeds and gadgets that will assist in the job search or career development. Add interesting companies and the feed for their jobs page, add feeds to the blogs of industry experts or add RSS feeds for industry related conferences or events
8. Google Alerts – Get email updates on the topics of your choice. Set it up to get an alert every time a website is updated or topics of interests are mentioned in the news. It is also a great way reputation management tool. You can setup alerts to be sent to you every time your name is mentioned throughout the internet
9. Google University Search – Google’s University Search enables you to narrow your search to a specific school website. You can look for things to enhance your career like admissions information, course schedules. Or if you want to connect with former alumni for networking purposes you can have access to alumni news.
10. Google Maps – View maps and directions of a particular location. If you want to know the names and location similar companies in a certain geographical area, you are able to map them out and view a map with the exact locations flagged.
11. Google Finance – Get updates on companies within a specific market or industry. Google Finance allows you to view portfolios, the latest news and interactive charts dealing with companies that might interest you.
12. Google News – Search thousands of news stories for updates on the overall employment market or a specific industry. Using the advanced search you can narrow your results down to exact companies or news sources.
13. Google Reader – If you don’t have time to search the internet for stories and updates, Google Reader constantly checks your favorite news sites and blogs for new content. Whether a site updates daily or monthly, you won’t miss a thing. It shows all you indexed and favorite in one place. It’s like a personalized inbox for the entire web and you can just skim the headlines and read the topics that interest you.
14. Google Scholar - Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations.
15. Google Patent Search – When you are researching companies, Google Patent Search allows you to search and view the full text of US Patents. This way you can see what those companies are working on or have produced in the past. When used for career development it can help you access what it already out there and give you ideas of what you can work on
16. YouTube – Use YouTube to find and watch videos with job search tips and tricks, view videos about hiring companies and share videos about your background. You can also use YouTube to connect with people and publish self created tutorial videos.
17. Blogger – A free blogging platform, Blogger helps you establish yourself as an industry expert. You can use your Blogger account to create an online resume or write articles that have an impact within your industry.
18. Google Sites – Google Sites is a great online collaboration tool that allows you to bring all your information together in one place. It is similar to iGoogle, but it allows for more personalization. By creating a single page you can combine all your information together. It allows you to post documents, videos, photos, calendars and attachments. This is a great place to serve as your online portfolio because you can share it with as many people as you want to.
19. Google Talk – Google Talk is Google’s version of instant messaging. It keeps you in contact with your peers and networking contacts. Some of the features of Google Talk are the video feature; allowing you to conduct and participate in video interviews, group chat; to have an open conversation with all your contacts, voice chat; to make PC to PC phone calls. It also has a feature called Reply by Chat. If you receive an email from someone who has Google Talk you can respond to the email through instant message rather than having to wait for them to respond to your email.
20. Google Calendar – Using Google Calendar allows you to organize your schedule and share events with friends and peers. You can set it up to receive daily calendar updates by email and view the shared calendar of those in your network. For professionals wanting to increase their marketplace visibility Google Calendar allows you to send out invites to events you may be hosting or RSVP to events you will be attending.
21. Google Toolbar – Google Toolbar makes it easier to stay up to date with news and happenings through the use of a toolbar at the top of your web browser. You can modify it to meet your needs by creating shortcuts to your favorite websites and Google Tools.
22. Google Groups – One of the best ways to make your mark in your industry and stay networked with others is to join and participate in groups. Google Groups allows you to connect with people who you may not have had access to otherwise. By join groups, you can comment of topics being discussed on group forums and send emails out to the members of those groups.
23. Google Knol – Create and publish information about a subject you are interested in. This is a great tool to establish industry thought leadership and expertise. You can also connect with other industry experts and share/grow your knowledge.
24. Google Orkut – Google Orkut is an online community designed to make your social life more active and stimulating. It helps you maintain existing relationships with pictures and messages, and establish new ones by reaching out to people you’ve never met before. Orkut makes it easy to find people who share your professional interests and establish new business contacts. You can also create and join a wide variety of online communities to discuss current events.
25. Google Book Search – If you are looking to increase your knowledge on an industry specific topic or get help with a job search problem, Google Book Search allows you to search the full text of books.
Be sure to stop by AskBINC in the future for detailed ways to use some of these Google Applications. If there is a particular one you would like to read learn about let us know.
Yesterday is History, But Tomorrow Shouldn’t Be a Mystery
Ben Stein recently wrote an article on Yahoo Finance where he quoted Ernest Hemingway explaining how a friend went broke: “Gradually, and then suddenly.” The rest of the article talks about what you invest, make and save today will affect you tomorrow. I think this holds true for your career as well.
“Almost everything you have in your older years is by reason of having it passed down to you by your younger self. Your habits of life and health, your home, your family, your savings.” – Cicero
Essentially your career is an investment, in my opinion one of the most significant investments you can ever make. What you do with it today, how you prepare for it and the steps you take to grow and strengthen it can and will have a direct impact on your future.
Our economy is basically in a stalemate, waiting for things to turn around. That doesn’t mean your career has to be stuck in the roadblock as well. You need to take these times seriously. Forget about yesterday, you can’t change history. Today is the time to prepare for tomorrow’s fortune.
“Then, my old dad comes to mind. “You are there to take care of you,” he once said. “The younger you is there to take care of the older you by virtue of the assets you accumulated when you were young.” – Ben Stein on who will take care of him when things will get worse.
If you are in the Software Industry, are interested in securing your future through your career and would like advice, contact any of the recruiters at BINC and we will be more that grateful to help you along your path to success.
8 Must Attend Events for Professionals in the San Francisco, Bay Area
Networking is one of the most influential and important factors to any professional career. Think of networking as career insurance, you are taking a proactive approach to adding security to your career. Networking allows you to get out there, make contacts and stay abreast with the latest industry news.
With millions of layoffs and very few signs of recovery, professionals are reaching out to others through networking. If you haven’t started now is the time to seize the day and start attending social mixers and networking events.
Some sources to find events in your area are sites like Upcoming.org and Meetup.com. By putting in your location and keywords you are given a list of events scheduled for the near and distant future. I recently did a search on Meetup and Upcoming for events in the San Francisco, Bay Area and here is what I came up with:
Events
1. Pink Slip Party – For the unemployed
Who would have thought getting a pink slip would be a valid reason to go out and party. If it means having access to companies, recruiters and HR professionals who are looking for fresh new talent, then of course it is.
The Pink Slip Party got its start during the last dot com bust and has resurfaced to help out those looking for work in today’s economy. Open to all industries, you can find Pink Slip Parties all over the nation. If you are interested in finding parties in your area, visit SlipSquad.com.
“Attending a Pink Slip Party is a smart move. You’ll have a great time, make some new friends and learn about new job opportunities before they ever hit Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com. You’ll be able to showcase your talents in a relaxed, friendly environment and trade tips with fellow job-seekers.”
2. Wiki Socials -
Hosted by Workyourcareer, Wiki Socials are monthly mixers where Employers, Job Seekers, and other Professionals to come together to socialize and network. To view all the upcoming Wiki Socials join their Meetup group: Bay Area Job Seekers & Professionals Looking to Network or check out the blog section of the Workyourcareer site.
“Our Wiki Socials are great places to find your next career move, and we’ve had several success stories of people finding jobs by attending them. Even if you’re not currently in the job market, our Wiki Socials are a great way to network and meet people within your field. And of course, if you’re an Employer, you’ll be sure to find top talent at our events. We look forward to seeing you soon!”
Next event will be held July 28th, where Workyourcareer will be hosting a Reverse Career Fair. It will be at Jillians at the Metreon located at Jillians at the Metro, 101 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94103.
3. Career Mojo – For the unemployed
A community of job seekers, CareerMojo is a place for job seekers to network both online and in person. They hold face to face networking events throughout the month. To join them and find out about their next event visit them on Meetup.com.
“Career Mojo is focused on delivering hope, inspiration, and motivation to those seeking employment through our core beliefs of paying it forward, not being alone, providing support, providing tools, and building community.”
4. Executives Network - For the unemployed
The Executives Network hold events throughout the nation with the goal to hook you up with someone who will help you land a job. You are given the opportunity to talk about your background, what you are looking for and where you need help in your job search.
Their next San Francisco area event will be held on August 11th at Club Quarters, 424 Clay Street, San Francisco, CA 94111. Unfortunately this meeting is restricted to those who hold director level or above positions.
5. San Francisco Professional Career Network –
The San Francisco Professional Career Network is about expanding your network and finding new opportunities. You meet with locals from industries and share your job search experiences, what you’re seeking, and what strategies you have to share.
Their next event is an open networking event on July 28th at Bittersweet Cafe, located at 2123 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115.
6. Unemployed in Beautiful Bay Area - For the Unemployed
The Bay Area Unemployment Group is a place to network with other unemployed professionals during the weekday day. At each Meetup you give your name, job titles and email addresses for Linkedin and communication purposes. People share information on who’s is hiring and any other pertinent interview information.
No future events have been posted but check out their Meetup page to be informed when the next one will be happening.
7. FountainBlue’s Transitions Event: Get Back in the Game! –
This is an interactive session where executives get help on focusing on what’s really important in their career and job search, understand their personal value and how it can employers.
“We are still in the midst of a serious recession – broader and deeper than previous ones – that is having a dramatic and lasting impact on the executive job market. Many executives find themselves in an extended job search; those who are employed are concerned about job security and about making any career moves. Overcoming disappointment and inertia, keeping a positive attitude and focusing on proactive career management are challenges for the heartiest job seekers.”
This event is happening on Thursday August 20, 2009 from 11:30am – 2:00pm at the DLA Piper located at 555 Mission Street, Suite 2400, San Francisco, California 94105. For more information visit their event page on Upcoming.org
8. San Francisco Career & Education Expo
You will meet face-to-face with the area’s top employers who are hiring for positions from all types of industries. Visit the GoldenFutureCareerFairs website to get updates.
The expo will take place on Thursday, July 30th between 11am and 2pm at the Clarion Hotel San Francisco Airport, located at 401 E. Millbrae Avenue, Millbrae, CA 94030.
Recipe for a Seasoned Resume
Unseasoned chicken tastes like chicken. If you add a little salt to the chicken you get an entirely different flavor. The same goes if you add some spicy buffalo sauce or garlic. By simply including some seasoning to the chicken it not only improves the flavor but gives it a unique taste. You can do the same with your resume.
If I were to place in front of you, the resumes of two candidates with the same level of education and exactly the same skill set and job duties, crossed out the companies they worked for and the schools they attended, how would you know which candidate is right for the job? Without interviewing them you wouldn’t. Now what if I placed the exact same resumes in front of you? The same information is crossed out, but one resume expressed the value and impact they had on their previous employer, used words that allowed you to visual them at work, and offered up positive performance reviews from their peers, what resume would you then choose?
The answer is pretty apparent, and as a job search candidate you should know that most recruiters and hiring managers will usually call the candidate whose resume leaves a better impression. If you aren’t having much success with your resume, take a look at it. Does it seem boring and bland like an unseasoned piece of chicken? If so, it’s time to spice it up and some seasoning into the mix. For tips on what to include take a look at this recipe for a seasoned resume. It is sure to make a potential employer lick their lips and say um, um good.
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AskBINC’s Recipe for a Seasoned Resume |
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| Ingredients:
1 cup – Summary of values 1 cup – Skills and Experience 1 cup - Work History 1 cup – Education and Training |
1 cup – Publications and Accomplishments
1 cup – Recommendations 1 handful – Visually Descriptive Words |
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| Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees: Open up your resume with a summary of the value you can bring to a new employer. The hiring manager or recruiter doesn’t want to know what your objective is for finding a new job; they want to know what you can do for them and how you will bring value to the company. Prepare Ingredients: Skills and Experience- List your skills that you feel will be most valid for the position you are applying for and explain how those skills will be an asset to the company. Work History – Rather than creating a bulleted list detailing your previous responsibilities, choose the ones that had the most impact. From the ones you chose be descriptive and emphasize the impact you made on your previous employer by accomplishing each responsibility. Education and Training – List your education and degrees first. If you have any certificates or advanced training list them next and include how that training gives you an advantage over other candidates. Publications and Accomplishments – Include any published papers you have written or speaking engagements you have participated in. This shows your expertise in a specific subject. Add Personality by Garnishing with: Recommendations: Ask your co-workers or peers to write a recommendation about their experience working with you. Speak to your clients and get them to do the same thing. If you have a LinkedIn profile, use the ones you have on there. Links: Make the words on your resume come to life by adding links to your online profiles. Include links to your blog, website, LinkedIn page, visual resume and anything else that will showcase your work. High Impact Action Words: Everyone is knowledgeable, logical, motivated, well-organized, creative and experienced. Replace those words with words that show an action like: Practical/Working knowledge of, Demonstrated skills, Proficient in, Targeted, Promoted to, Succeeded in, Proven track record in, Experience included/involved, Successful in/at, Instrumental in, Supervised, in charge of, responsible for, Delegated, Involved in/Coordinated, Employed to/handle, Familiar with, Assigned to, Analyzed/evaluated, Edited, Established, Created, Designed, Formulated, Initiated, Implemented, Resulted in, Presented, Worked closely with/collaborated, Constant interaction with, Able to, Effective in, Initiated, Recommended, Efficient, Excelled, Marketed, Persevered, Progressed. Sustained, Determined, Enhanced, Investigated, Liaised, Active |
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9 Things the Tour de France Can Teach a Job Candidate
Today is the 11th stage in the 96th annual Tour de France, the racers have either just finished up or are close to 
finishing up the leg of the race that takes them from Vatan, France to Saint – Fargeau, France. Running from Saturday July 4th to Sunday July 26th 2009, the Tour de France consists of 21 stages where participants ride a total distance of 3,500 kilometers or 2174.799 miles through mountains and flat land. The racers participating in the Tour de France did not just wake up in the morning and decide that they were going to go on a 2,174 mile bike ride; no they spent endless hours preparing and training for the race. To them racing and biking is their career. The time they spend conditioning themselves is just part of the job that prepares them achieve their ultimate goal of standing at the top of the podium and waving the coveted “Yellow Jersey” over their head.
Those in the job market can learn a lesson or two from the contenders of the Tour de France. Your job search is like pre-race conditioning and preparation to reach your ultimate goal of getting a job. Let’s take a look at some of the steps these racers take and see how they can help you as a job seeker to reach the top of the podium so you can wave your “Yellow Jersey”.
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What Donald Trump Can Teach You about Your Job Search
Who would have thought, by collecting bottles and turning them in for the deposit money you could become one for the most successful and famous men in America. Well Donald Trump did, and now he is among other things one of the largest real estate developers in the world. The money he made from recycling bottles isn’t what helped him reach the top though. If you look at the general makeup of Donald Trump as well as other well-off entrepreneurs, you will find underlining qualities that have given them the ability to see the big picture and act upon it.
As a candidate in today’s market you know how tough it can be out there, but it doesn’t have to be. In essence you are your own entrepreneur and by planning, acting and thinking tactfully, or being able to visualize something that the rest of the job seekers out there can’t, you can easily adapt the skills of the most successful entrepreneurs and boost your job search that much further in front of the crowd. Let’s look at some of those qualities and see how you can implement them into your current career or job search:
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20 Motivational Songs For Your Job Search
Have you ever been to a basketball game and listened as the team enters the court from the tunnel? There is always 
some sort or song playing to pump up and motivate the crowd and the team before the game. Music can do wonders to the soul, it can change a person’s mood from down in the dumps to amped up and ready to go. If you are getting stressed out by your job search, why don’t you take some time and listen to music. Here are 20 songs that will motivate you and push you to move on:
1. Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor
“It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight
Risin’ up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he’s watchin’ us all in the eye of the tiger”
2. I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash
“I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.”
3. Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson
“I’m Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It’s Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .”
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Which Song Best Describes Your Job Satisfaction?
What song would you choose is someone asked you to describe your job? Would it be “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones
I can’t get no satisfaction
‘Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can’t get no, I can’t get no"
Or would it be “Celebrate” by Kool and the Gang?
"There’s a party goin’ on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good timesAnd your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you"
If you chose “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” it is time to evaluate your current job and find out what’s lacking. According to a recent survey done by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) there are 24 elements that play into job satisfaction. Below are a few of the top factors, can you answer positively to most of them? If not maybe it’s time to start looking for something you do enjoy because in order to be truly successful in your career, you have to be excited and satisfied with your job.
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7 Habits of Successful Interviewees
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