How to Make a Premium First Impression

Whether you’re heading to a job fair or preparing for an interview, making a first impression is important if you want to land a great job. As the saying goes, “you only get one chance to make a first impression!” Here are my top tips for making sure that the impression you leave in a potential employer’s mind is a good one!

• Arrive Early: It is imperative to arrive to your interview at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. This shows the employer that you’re prepared.
• Always Bring a Resume: Print several copies in case you meet with more than one hiring manager. It is better to be over prepared going into your first interview.
• Dress the Part: Premium appearance is always a must for a first impression with an employer. Research the company’s culture and make sure to wear the appropriate Business Attire (in most cases, business suits).
• Shake Hands Firmly: Having a weak or mild handshake doesn’t give employers the impression that you’re very confident. Instead, shake hands firmly, don’t pull away too quickly, and look the person in the eye as you say “hello.”
• Eye Contact: Good eye contact conveys confidence and enthusiasm.
• Facial Expression: Smile. Imagine yourself as an interviewer meeting people all day. Walk in with a friendly and energetic face.
• Energy Level: Show enthusiasm. You want this job!
• Smile: You might be nervous, but try to remember to smile, especially as you greet potential employers.
• Posture: Maintain good posture throughout the interview. Sit up straight, relax, cross your feet at your ankles or place feet firmly on the ground, don’t slouch or rock back in your chair.
• Speak Up: When asked questions, speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard. When people are nervous, they tend to speak more quickly, so make sure you are conscious about how quickly you’re speaking and slow down if necessary.
• Don’t Chew Gum!

Make sure that your first impression lasts by cleaning up your web presence prior to your interview. If an employer likes you, they might do some research on you when they get home, and if you’ve posted a bunch of non-professional pictures to social media sites, you could do a lot of damage to the first impression you have just made in person!

Post Interview Tips:

Thank you
Always send a thank you note! This is important, not just for the sake of good manners, but to get the job. If time constraints make it difficult to send a hand-written note, at least send an e-mail, written fax, or make a phone call and tell the interviewer, “Thank You.”

Follow-up Phone Calls
Before leaving an interview, ask the employer to give you some idea when they will be making a hiring decision. If you haven’t heard anything after one week, phone the interviewer and inquire whether the position has been filled. If a decision has not been made, now is a good time to let the prospective employer know that you are still very interested in the job. Many employers hire the most enthusiastic applicant out of a group of qualified candidates.

- Katie Kennedy, Resource Manager at Kavaliro

What to do before and after an interview with COO John Mahony

John on interviewing from Kavaliro on Vimeo.

COO of staffing agency Kavaliro gives advice on successful interview practices. Mahoney suggests coming prepared and leaving enough time for traffic emergencies and other delays. However, he emphasizes the importance of not arriving too early, thereby putting time pressures on the employer you are there to see. Upon the conclusion of the interview Mahoney encourages a handwritten follow-up thank you note to really make an impact

Hand Written “Thank You” vs. E-mail “Thank You”

“Who gives out thank you notes anymore,” my friend once said to me. I realized how strongly this topic is debated as I finished writing my thank you notes to all of the employers who I had just interviewed with. “Just write an e-mail,” my friend said. This brought on a deep conversation as to what is the better option. Hand written notes or e-mails? Which one will the employer like better? Which one will better my chances in getting the position?

Many people find themselves in the debate between how to express appreciation for the opportunity to have interviewed with a company. In today’s electronically connected and fast-paced world, most people believe that an e-mail is the best, most efficient way to say “thank you.” On the other hand, some believe the hand written thank you note is a more genuine and sincere approach.

Today e-mail seems to be the number one communication tool throughout society. People would rather e-mail or IM than call or walk down the hall to speak to one another. This has changed the way relationships are formed and how people interact. Additionally, most people now have Smartphones, which conveniently have the ability to directly import e-mails.

After researching the topic, reading articles, interviewing management teams and asking around to friends and family, I have come to a conclusion: Everyone has their own personal preference for sending “thank you” messages. I believe that choosing one or the other reflects partly on ones personality and beliefs. Each person I spoke with mentioned the pros and cons of each option. Some had strong feelings, and many said either or would do just fine. It is clear that different people prefer different methods, but there was an overall belief that as long as a person sends a “thank you” message either method is fine.

What everyone should take away from this debate is that, after interviewing, you should always send some sort of “thank you” message. The employer will most likely be pleased and view the message as an expression of interest in the opportunity. Whether this “thank you” is in the form of an e-mail or a hand-written letter, the interviewer will surely appreciate it. While it seems that there is no unilaterally correct method of thanking an interviewer, one thing is for sure: The debate over sending electronic or hand-written “thank you” will remain.

Some personal insight from the Kavaliro Team

“Send thank you notes or e-mails to your interviewers. Thank them for their time and express your excitement about the position and any important take-aways you had from the interview.”

“Always follow up your interview with a quick e-mail thanking your potential employer for their time and expressing your excitement about the position. It may also be a good idea to send a personalized note card thanking the interviewer if you have a physical address for the business.”

“Hand written. Anyone can send an e-mail. It takes no time and can seem impersonal. To take the time to actually write and mail a thank you shows a more genuine appreciation than an e-mail. We could e-mail every client, contractor and internal employee a Happy Birthday or anniversary message, but we don’t. We take the time to write one out and sign it to make it personal and let that person know they were worth our time.”

- Kaitlin O’Connell, Resource Manager at Kavaliro

Interview with Career Guru Ryan Kahn: On Mentors and Standing Out

We sat down with Ryan Kahn, Career Coach for Dream Careers, Inc. and star of MTV’s Hired, to ask him for some advice on finding mentors and standing out in the hiring process.

How would you recommend students to go about finding mentors? And how do you ask someone to be your mentor?

Mentorships are a great way to learn and grow in an industry and I would strongly encourage everyone to have at least one. Sometimes the hardest part of getting a mentor is just building up the courage to ask but once that is out of the way the opportunities are endless.

What I’d recommend is set up your personal “Mentor List.” Have the first on that list someone who seems far out of the reach of your network but you admire their career, for example the CEO of Warner Bros. Then the next five on the list will be within you’re extended network for example alums of your school, local business owners and friends of family. Round out the list with four people within your personal network in example your favorite professor, boss, family member or friend. Now that you have the list its time to contact each of them… OK I know you’re thinking how in the world am I going to contact the CEO of Warner Bros, well I’ll tell you later on in this interview!

For each person you reach out to write out a captivating message which is clear and to the point of who you are, why you respect them and their career and then close with asking them to be your mentor. It all needs to start with a hook in the subject line, one that I’ve found to work great is “You were 21 once right?” a subject like that brings them back to when they were your age and helps to level the playing field.

Now that you know what to say, how do you contact them? I would recommend (in order) via phone, email, hand written letter, or through their social network page. Some people on your list you may have their phone number or need to go to their companies website for their contact info but others may be tough to find… that’s where you’ll need to be creative. You ever notice people at the same company seem to have the same email address? Well that’s how you’ll get to who you want to contact. For example if you want to email someone at Warner Bros their emails are set up First.Last@WarnerBros.com just plug in their name and send! Now I’m not recommending you email blast or spam CEO’s but I want you to take any chance to seek out great advice and find a mentor that can help you be successful.

Let me know if this works for you? @RyanKahnHired

Who was one of your mentors?

One great mentor for me was my teacher Randy Jackson who taught my Artist & Repertoire class. Despite his hectic schedule filming the show American Idol and a newly released book with press interviews around the world including Oprah; Randy still took the time out of his day to be at our class to teach his students. His work ethic was definitely an inspiration for me and taught me tons in my career.

What are 5 strategies to stand out in the hiring process?

A great strategy is pick out the handful of positions you are truly qualified for and put all of your efforts and resources into those specific openings. Often I see people blasting their resume out to every job opening online. You’ll find more success with focused efforts.

These days internships are crucial to landing a job out of college. The more experience and contacts you make, the better you are positioning yourself for your future.

It is all about knowing someone who works at the company that can get your foot in the door. Ask family, friends, anyone you can. If no luck there, don’t worry. You can take it into your own hands by being active on the company’s social media pages or seeking out people who work for the company on Facebook and LinkedIn to message them directly and tactfully. Still no luck? Try hanging out at the coffee shop or lunch spot across from the office — you never know, one of their employees may be in line behind you.

Think ‘Inside the Box.’ Try mailing in your resume to the hiring manager using an empty shipping box filled with just one copy of your resume. That’s one way to get noticed!

Don’t be afraid to follow up with hiring managers. Often job seekers fail to follow up because they are afraid of rejection. Be persistent and make personal connections, as it may land you your dream career.

Career expert Ryan Kahn is a Career Coach for Dream Careers, Inc. and star of MTV’s Hired; the 20-episode documentary series helping recent grads land the job of their dreams. Kahn has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Star Magazine and is author of Hired! The Guide for the Recent Grad. His intimate working relationships with industry leaders makes him the go-to expert for dream jobs.

www.HiredGuide.com

Taking a deeper look at the unemployment figures

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you have undoubtedly been inundated with a constant barrage of employment trend updates over the past couple of years. With national unemployment hovering around the dreaded double digit mark for much of that time (9.1% as of August 2011), it seems that the media makes it a point to cause a stir over every 0.1% change. Understanding the sensitive nature of the issue, as well as the potential political repercussions of continued unemployment, it only makes sense that there is such fervor over the trend. But is the media painting the entire picture?

A few weeks ago, we had the chance to hear Harold Mills, CEO of ZeroChaos, speak about the employment figures. In his talk, he asked us to take a deeper look into the numbers, beyond the macro view that the media seems to be so intent upon presenting. His assertion was that the true unemployment figure for well-educated individuals with specialized, professional skill sets is, historically speaking, not significantly different than that of times of economic prosperity.

The assertion seemed entirely plausible, as Kavaliro has seen significant employer demand for skilled workers across the fields of information technology, engineering, finance, and accounting, even in these times of economic uncertainty. In fact, for certain highly specialized, emerging fields, such as smart grid technology and .NET framework development, we have seen demand reach unprecedented levels.

Nevertheless, we were intrigued by Mills’ assertion, and knowing that the demographic that he described mirrors that which Kavaliro generally targets as potential employees and contractors, we decided to dig a little deeper. What we found was only mildly surprising, given the logical nature of his argument. As the charts below will attest, unemployment for highly educated professionals (and those that can generally be assumed to have proactively developed specialized skill sets) is significantly less than that for the less-educated public. Indeed, the current unemployment rate for individuals with Bachelor’s degrees sits at 4.3%, just 1.1% higher than in 2003 (just prior to the housing bubble to which the recession is largely attributed to). Compare that to a 5% increase for individuals without a high school diploma.

So what does this all mean for you? Well, for one, it further emphasizes the importance of education, and it highlights the need for workers to proactively develop specialized skills that fit with the emerging trends within their respective industries. As the aforementioned employment trends attest, the old adage of “survival of the fittest” rings true during times of economic duress. Generally speaking, those who strive for excellence and work hard to keep their skills sharp have fared far better, from an employment perspective, than those who have not.

It also means that there is hope for the unemployed. Armed with the above knowledge, and faced with the excess time capacity that unemployment (unfortunately) affords, there is no better time to improve oneself through education and training. Doing so, however difficult it may be, is a key factor in attaining and preserving a longstanding, prosperous career. And that, folks, is the name of the game.

Kavaliro is here to help

Are you currently stuck in the unemployment doldrums? Kavaliro is here to help fuel your success. We have a number of free resources available to help you assess your current situation as is relates to the employment marketplace, and to strive for the career that you want and deserve. Download our free job search application for your mobile Apple device, peruse our website for helpful advice on employment, or contact one of our experienced employment consultants today.

Searching for a job? Get your social media profiles in line first.

In times of double digit unemployment throughout much of the country, competition for open job positions is a fierce as ever. These days, it is not uncommon for hiring officials to receive dozens, sometimes even hundreds of applications for one job. Faced with the daunting task of determining which candidate is best suited for the position, employers are increasingly turning to social media as a tool to assist in the vetting process. Armed with that knowledge, it is important for you to know the “do’s and don’ts” of social media for the workplace.

Facebook: Privacy controls are the key

There is no faster means to eliminating yourself from consideration for a job than to have a hiring official find questionable content on your Facebook page. Our definition of questionable content includes things such as photographs of the candidate in compromising situations, or incendiary posts regarding race, religion, politics, or other sensitive topics. In case you are wondering, yes, those pictures from sophomore year on the dance floor at Senor Frog’s in Cancun are probably ‘questionable’, at best.

Finding such questionable content on a candidate’s public social media profile is a clear indication that the person lacks professional judgement. If someone is careless enough to share these elements of their lives with the public, then what are they going to do with a potential employer’s sensitive information?

Fortunately, you hold all the cards with respect to what you share with the public (and with potential employers). Facebook has built-in privacy controls, which can all but completely eliminate any information a particular person can retrieve from your personal page. Make sure your settings are such that the general public cannot see what you post. You also have to consider what your friends, and especially your “friends-of-friends” can see, as you could potentially be opening your profile up to tens of thousands of people indirectly.

Twitter: Be careful what you say, anyone could be watching

Unlike Facebook, Twitter does not have robust built-in security functions. Instead, security is limited to a single setting that either allows you to approve who follows your tweets or not. If this setting is not enabled, anyone with an account can see what you are posting about. It is our experience that far too few people engage this setting, allowing the world to know what is on their mind.

Now, Twitter is limited in its functionality in that it doesn’t provide for extensive photo archiving like Facebook does. Still, despite the relative brevity of each post, alot can be said in 170 characters, and a disagreeable narrative could be what gets your resume tossed into the shred bin. With that in mind, you must employ sound judgement in who you allow as a follower and what you say.

LinkedIn: Use it to your advantage

Whereas there is little upside to opening up your Facebook or Twitter profiles to the masses, the opposite can be true for LinkedIn, provided you manage your account properly. A well-manicured LinkedIn profile can be a platform for you to shine in the eyes of a potential employer. Geared towards professional networking, the site can serve as an interactive virtual history of your education and past work experience.

They key to using LinkedIn effectively is just that–you have to use it. Letting your account sit idle causes information to go stale, and it forgoes opportunities to paint yourself in a positive light, such as testimonials and references. You should reach out to favorite colleagues (or professors if you are fresh out of school) and customers with whom you are connected and ask them to write a positive review of your performance. Doing so brings a distinguishing third-party element to your profile that other users often ignore.

A well designed, up-to-date LinkedIn profile should also include groups with which you are associated, as well as information about your community involvement. Another potentially positive element is that LinkedIn gives the hiring agent information regarding shared connections, allowing he or she to reach out to trusted sources to get more information about a candidate (so make sure you are connected with people who have a good opinion of you).

Summary

In short, take the common sense approach to social media as it applies to the job search function, and maintain that sensibility as you move throughout your career. Information privacy is not to be taken lightly. Employers are watching, or at least they are trying to, so make sure your profiles are appropriate. It could make all the difference in your quest to land your dream job.

Where are all the .NET Developers?

In an era of double-digit unemployment numbers across much of the nation, there are a few areas in which employers are having a hard time finding qualified personnel to fulfill their requirements. Today we’ll take a brief look at one such area; software development, and more specifically, .NET Framework development. Join us as we explore the reasoning behind this disconcerting void in our workforce.

What is the .NET Framework?

The .NET Framework, now on its 4th major version, is a Windows-based programming platform comprised of two main components that work in unison, the Common Language Runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework Class Library. The CLR manages memory, thread execution, code execution, and code safety verification, amongst other functions, while the Class Library is an object-oriented collection from which managed code can derive functionality. Microsoft summarizes the .NET Framework as “an integral Windows component that supports building and running the next generation of applications and XML Web services.” A more complete conceptual overview is available here.

Why is .NET Development so hot right now?

According to a CareerBuilder Talent Compensation Report provided to Kavaliro in June 2011, a survey of 1000 .NET Developers and employers across the country revealed an average annual salary of $85,863, with top salaries reaching well into the six-figure range. Yet despite the lofty compensation that is on the table, employers continue to report of difficulties in hiring and retaining top .NET Developer talent in the midst of unprecedented demand for their services. Much of that demand is driven by the explosion of web-based services and applications, as more and more business is conducted via computer systems.

We all know that much has changed about the way we do business over the past decade. Increasingly, we find ourselves becoming more dependent on computer systems as a means of exchanging data, as older, more cumbersome technologies continue to be phased out. One area that has seen explosive growth in recent years is web-based services, generally defined as the collective technology for transmitting and accessing data over the Internet.

Enhancing existing systems or implementing new web-based services (both internal and external) can lead to greater efficiency, simplification of use, and ultimately, increased revenue. As companies rush to integrate these web services through new applications, the role of the .NET Developer has never been more important. As the builders of the Framework upon which a majority of these web services and applications are based, their services have never been in greater demand. This demand is reflected in the glut of open developer positions on job boards throughout the country, and the increasing wage rates for seasoned developers.

Where do we go from here?

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics notes in its 2010-11 Occupational Outlook Handbook that the Computer Software Engineer employment category is “among the occupations projected to grow the fastest and add the most new jobs over the 2008-18 decade, resulting in excellent job prospects.” A recent article in SD Times corroborates this assertion, noting that computer science grads are currently experiencing the highest employment offer rate of any major, and that they are often in a position to field multiple offers.

With the demand for .NET Developers expected to continue its meteoric rise, it only makes sense for potential employers to avail themselves of every possible advantage in the quest to hire and retain top talent.

How can Kavaliro help?

The employment specialists at Kavaliro are plugged in to the .NET Developer marketplace. Our experienced personnel are well versed in the requirements specific to the field, and our track record of successful contract and permanent placements serves as a testament to that fact. Whether it is an outsourced project solution or a traditional staff augmentation, we have the expertise to meet your specific needs.

Are you an experienced .NET Developer looking to explore an exciting new career opportunity? Perhaps you are an employer looking to hire top talent for the development of your web-based services and applications? Check out our job portal to search for opportunities that might suit you, or contact us to speak directly with an employment specialist.

Separate from the pack: 4 essential interview tips to help you stand out

Let’s face it, competition for jobs is about as fierce as it gets these days. As we slowly climb out of recessionary times, open positions across many industries are scarce, and employers are faced with the burden of having to wade through increasing volumes of candidates. Those who are fortunate enough to land interview opportunities need to make the most of them.

So what can you do to separate yourself from the pack during the interview process? Well, the job search experts at Kavaliro have assembled a few key points to remember that just might mean the difference between landing the job that you covet and having to continue your search. Let’s take a look:

Be engaging.

Smile. Show some personality. Embrace the conversation rather than just going through the motions. Be energetic without coming across as frantic. You are interviewing for the chance to form a long-term working relationship with someone. Give the impression right from the start that you are someone that they would want to spend 40+ hours a week with.

Look the part.

We’re not just talking about your dress here, though that is a big part of it. Be confident in your posture and mannerisms. Look the interviewer in the eye when you speak to one another. You want to show this person that you are more than capable of representing them in a positive light with clients and associates. Oh and by all means, leave the smart phone in the car…..a simple leather portfolio should do the trick.

Ask questions.

Interviews are a two-way street. You’re feeling out the company just as they are you. Though you’ve surely done a good amount of research prior to the interview, you can’t possibly know everything that you need to know about the position without asking a few thoughtful questions. And no, “how much does the position pay” should not be the first inquisitive words that you utter.

Be authentic.

You want to paint yourself in the best possible light, but don’t project yourself as something that you are not just to land the job. If you have to reach too far out of your comfort zone to give the answer that you think they want to hear, you’re doing yourself and the interviewer an injustice. Let your guard down a little, and don’t be afraid to judiciously show a flaw or two (we all have them).

Though this is by no means a comprehensive list of suggested interview protocol, these four points should put you in the right mindset to make your interview experience stand out in the mind of your potential employer…..and standing out is the name of the game.

As always, the staffing professionals at Kavaliro are here to help. We encourage your interview questions via the comment section below. We also implore you to visit our job portal to help you in your search.

Jobs Lagging? Don’t Tell That to the Tech Industries!

While the U.S. economy continues to slowly inch along in its economic recovery, there are a number of indicators that suggest certain high-tech industries are well ahead of the curve. In fact, there are those who suggest that, even with national unemployment hovering just under 9%, tech hiring has begun to reach a frenzied pace that rivals that of the dot-com boom of a decade ago.

Supporting that assessment is a recent USA Today article by Jon Swartz, which goes into a lengthy discussion about the emerging boom in technology related hiring. The piece described, at length, the increasing demand for top talent in the fields of cloud computing, computer engineering, wireless communications, and clean tech.

This Bloomberg article by Oliver Staley, Douglas MacMillan and Cecile Vannucci also suggests that the timing is right for recent college graduates in the finance, engineering, and technology related disciplines. Tech companies are filling in the void created by substantial layoffs during the 2007-2010 economic setback, and then some.

Indeed, it seems to be an ‘arms race’ of sorts for top tech firms looking to grab a larger piece of the ‘emerging technologies pie’. We at Kavaliro are seeing significant signs of exactly the sort of job recovery that the aforementioned articles reference. Information technology, clean tech, and smart grid solutions (see our smart grid blog post from April 21) have been particularly hot in markets that we serve.

Diane Mahony, Kavaliro’s CEO, explains the trends that Kavaliro is seeing across the country, stating, “We are seeing tremendous growth in needs for software developers across the country. This includes Microsoft .Net, C#, and Java Developers. We are also seeing an increased demand for technical support personnel including help desk and desktop support technicians.  Another area that continues to be a real need is consultants with Microsoft SharePoint experience. A good portion of these positions are project-based, but we are also seeing a demand for permanent level opportunities as well. This is a complete turnaround from even twelve months prior. Kavaliro’s exclusive database and industry partnerships allows us to be on the forefront of this phenomenon and have the consultants ready at a moments notice to meet your demanding project needs.”

Both of our primary office locations, Orlando and Charlotte (click the links to learn more about each city’s emerging tech scene), have made significant strides towards becoming major east coast technology hubs. Orlando’s growing high-tech corridor, anchored by the University of Central Florida (UCF) and spanning the entire southeast quadrant of the metropolitan area, has become a home base for simulation, training, testing, and bio-medical research. Charlotte has undergone similar growth in energy related fields, as a number of major power producers and researchers have made the mid-Atlantic state their home base.

With so much movement occurring within the tech sectors, employers and potential employees alike are wise to seek expert council with respect to their respective hiring and job search endeavors. That is where Kavaliro comes in. We have extensive experience within these disciplines, and know exactly what each party is looking for in the other. Let our expertise be your guide as you navigate these exciting times in our nation’s economic recovery by contacting a Kavaliro staffing specialist today.

Outsourcing for Savings in Recessionary Times: Moral Dilemma, or Smart Business Practice?

In a recent Florida Today article, reporter Kaustuv Basu tells the story of Brevard County Clerk of the Court Mitch Needelman and his decision to outsource 143 of the approximately 335 jobs at his office to a private staffing company. The change, which took effect last week, is expected to generate nearly $900,000 in savings, including reduced benefits in the form of lost sick time accruals and a switch to a new health insurance plan under the staffing company umbrella. He claims it to be a six-month long “pilot project”.

The story resulted in significant debate, generating over 200 comments on the Florida Today website. Political affiliations obviously weigh heavily on which side the public falls. Supporters of Needelman’s actions argue that the measures are not unlike that which commonly happen in the private sector workforce. Further, they support Needelman’s assertions that “nobody lost a job” and that the move is simply a form of “staff-sourcing” rather than outsourcing.

Opponents of the move, however, suggest that the cuts, which affected primarily lower-level and less-tenured workers, is simply another example of a governmental agency overstepping its bounds. They cite the short window for acceptance of the offer as an insufficient amount of time for evaluation, deeming it as essentially a “forced” employment change. Several commenters even questioned the legality of the move, wondering aloud whether Florida Statutes grant Needelman the authority to make such a change.

Furthering the controversy is Needelman’s newly enacted policy that forbids employees from speaking with the media, an act that opponents claim to be a violation of the right to freedom of speech that is granted by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Regardless of which side of the argument you find yourself on, one thing rings as undeniably true; We are likely to see more and more examples of government agencies using employee outsourcing as a cost-cutting measure in these times of depressed budgets and political pressures.

We are interested in hearing what you have to say on this topic. After reading the full Florida Today article and formulating your own opinion, please feel free to leave us a comment below. As always, if you or your company/agency is seeking an expert opinion on the logistics or legalities of specific outsourcing scenarios, the employment specialists at Kavaliro are here to help.