Author Archives: psgstaffing

Ask A Recruiter: Negotiating a Job Offer

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Q: Do you have any tips for negotiating a job offer?

A: You’ve probably heard the saying that, in business, “everything is negotiable.” However, when it comes to hiring and job offers, there are some areas that are more negotiable than others. For instance, when it comes to benefits or practices that are standard for all employees – such as healthcare benefit policies, retirement fund matches and one-time annual bonuses that all staff are eligible for – employers are less likely to negotiate special considerations around these for one employee.

What is accepted as negotiable? Base salary, sign-on bonuses, vacation time, parking and other commuting expenses are the most popular areas for negotiation during the job offer process.

Here are some tips for negotiating these areas:

  • Keep things in perspective – Benefits are commonly referred to as “perks” for a reason and they shouldn’t be the main reason you’re interested in the job. Keep your focus on the job and what it will mean to you.
  • Maintain your enthusiasm for the job – Throughout the negotiation process it’s important to let the employer know how excited you are for the job and that you’re looking forward to starting work. Don’t let the negotiations take over or cloud your enthusiasm for the new opportunity.
  • Analyze the situation – Don’t automatically assume you should negotiate an offer. Try to evaluate the offer based on concrete facts specific to your situation, such as how the salary and benefits compare to your last position. If there’s something you’re interested in negotiating, try to make a job-related case for granting it. For instance, instead of asking to leave early twice a week, explain that you’d like to leave early so that you can get to a class that’s relevant to improving your job skills.
  • Consider the big picture – Negotiations, and an employer’s response to your proposed negotiations, aren’t just about you. The employer often has to consider ‘internal equity’ and ensure that employees of an equal grade and working in similar roles are compensated within the same payscale. I.e. the employer can’t offer new employees compensation that is significantly above that of current employees who work in the same role.
  • Have a story – Practice articulating the reason you’re pushing back on the job offer and make sure it’s realistic, i.e. not just that you feel you’re worth more or that you were underpaid in your last job. Be able to say, “Here’s what I’m looking for and this is how I came up with it.” For example, instead of saying that you won’t take the job unless you can get a 10 percent salary increase, say “I told myself I wouldn’t leave my current job unless I got a 10 percent raise because I’m not the type of person that enjoys jumping around from job to job. I’d like to make sure the compensation is worth it because I hope to stay for awhile.” This way you give the employer a good reason (you’re a stable, solid contributor) to consider paying you more.

 

About the Recruiter
greg-menzone-pic1Greg Menzone is a 10-year veteran of the staffing industry who has made hundreds of successful placements. Greg and the team he manages specialize in direct hire placement of accounting and finance professionals. 

Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly

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Although Massachusetts employers added 1,600 jobs last month, the State’s unemployment rate rose slightly from 6 to 6.1 percent, according to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

These numbers mark the first time in nearly 3 years that the unemployment level has increased, but officials said the unemployment rate is down 1.3 percentage points from the previous July.

Massachusetts’ unemployment rate is better than the national average unemployment rate of 8.3 percent.

Ask A Recruiter: Following Up after An Interview

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Q. What is the standard protocol for following up after an interview?

A. Following up after an interview is an important step in the hiring process and sometimes how you follow up is factored into the employer’s decision making.

A thank you note is still standard protocol and it should be concisely written, to the point and error-free. I can’t stress this last point enough. I highly recommend asking someone else to review your note before you send it to ensure there are no grammatical errors, misspelled words or typos. I’ve had candidates lose out on a job at the offer stage because they sent a thank you note with errors in it. While a hand-written note is best (and collecting business cards will help ensure you have the correct spellings for names and correct titles), an email is fine if it’s written well. One other piece of advice when it comes to thank you notes: if you met with multiple people you should send a different version of the note to each one of them.

If you worked with a recruiter to land the interview, you should follow up with the recruiter immediately after the interview to de-brief. Often the recruiter will schedule time to do this. During this session the recruiter will ask you how the interview went, how much time you spent there, what you learned about the job, what you liked about the position, whether it meets your expectations, who you met and whether you have any questions or hesitations. The recruiter is trying to gauge your interest in the position and whether you’ll want to go back for a second interview if you’re invited. The recruiter will also be assessing whether this job fits your goals, how you answered any unusual questions and what insight you collected about next steps.

If you don’t work with a recruiter, it’s a good idea to do your own de-briefing session and to keep notes on what you learned in the interview, your likes and dislikes and next steps.

At the end of the interview, you should really have an idea of what the next steps are and the timing, e.g. when will the employer be making a decision and when will they be in touch about it. That way you can respond accordingly. My colleague Greg Menzone offers advice for finding out about the next steps in a previous blog post.

About the Recruiter
frank-gentile-2Frank Gentile is a 20+ year veteran of the staffing industry and an experienced recruiter. As a Director at Professional Staffing Group (PSG) Frank oversees the permanent placement division.

Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Holds Steady at 6%, 2,600 Jobs Cut in June

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The latest report from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development indicates that hiring in Massachusetts slowed dramatically for the month of June and the State lost jobs for the first time since November.

Massachusetts employers cut payrolls by 2,600 jobs last month, though the unemployment rate held steady at 6 percent. The latest report underscores the slow economic growth in Massachusetts.

Read more here.

Ask A Recruiter: LinkedIn Tips for Job Seekers

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Q: I’m new to using social media for professional purposes. I know I should at least be on LinkedIn. Can you give me some tips?

A: Every job seeker should be conscious of their online profile since it’s common for employers to do a Google search on job candidates. LinkedIn is the social network most often used for professionals and, since many recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates, it’s important to spend time and effort on your profile.

You don’t need to recreate your entire resume on your LinkedIn profile, but you should include enough information to attract employers. Your profile should include:

  • A summary snapshot of your background and career highlights – this should include your biggest accomplishments and your overall perspective on what you can offer; stick to 5-10 things you’re most proud of.
  • Companies you’ve worked for in the past – make sure the information in your LinkedIn profile is accurate; spend time making sure the dates are correct and everything is up-to-date.
  • Recommendations – get at least three recent recommendations.
  • A professional looking “head shot” photograph – without it your profile looks incomplete.

Recruiters and hiring managers are turned off by anything in the career summary section that is unprofessional and/or profiles that are incomplete. While most employers will tell you that a poor or incomplete LinkedIn profile won’t kill your chances of getting a job, I know from experience that hiring managers, when pressed for time and faced with an overload of candidates, prefer to contact those who have the most complete profiles.

Once your profile is up-to-date, seek out groups on LinkedIn that you can join to connect with others in your industry or your fellow alumni. You can also find more information about networking and job seeking with LinkedIn here.

 

About the Recruiter
Jess-Salerno-photo1Jessica Salerno Incerto has 10+ years of experience in the staffing and recruiting industry. As a director and member of the management team at Professional Staffing Group (PSG), she oversees career placement, client consultation and management and training. Jessica is also a member of NEHRA’s Diversity Committee.

Ask A Recruiter: Stepping Stone Jobs

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Q: I’m changing careers and considering taking a job that’s less than ideal in order to position myself for the kind of job I really want. Any advice?

A:  Many people find themselves on a career path they don’t really want to be on and decide to switch gears. It’s easier to do this, of course, if you don’t have to start from scratch and can leverage your education or your previous career experience in some way. For example, I work with professionals in the accounting industry and it’s not uncommon to meet a tax accountant who decides they’d rather use their skills as a financial analyst. To get to that position, they might consider an accounting position in the meantime in order to build up the right kind of skills and experience for the analyst position.

My first piece of advice is to be realistic about your desire to change careers. Think about why you really want to switch careers. Are you just frustrated with your current job at the moment? If so, making a 180 degree career change isn’t likely to help matters. Try to conduct an objective assessment of who you are, your skills and what’s realistic for you. Then ask yourself how you can get closer to your ideal.

It’s also not advisable to jump around too much. Having more than 3 jobs in a 5 year period gives employers the perception that you don’t have any loyalty. Employers invest lots of time and resources in training new employees and want reassurance that those workers will stick around.

If you’re certain that a new career path is right for you, here are a few tips for getting there:

  • Tread carefully in an interview. Most employers don’t want to hear that you view the job as a stepping stone and they’ll likely have to recruit and interview someone else for the position in a short period of time. When an employer asks “where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?” (and this almost always comes up), first and foremost reiterate your interest and concern with the job you’re interviewing for. Tell the interviewer that you expect to spend time learning that job and then more time working in that role. You can say that you’re open to opportunities if the employer feels you’ve proven yourself in this role and another opening comes up. It’s also acceptable to say you don’t know where you see yourself in the long term because you’re interested in doing well at the first job and then seeing where that leads.
  • Use a third party, such as a recruiter, to explain your transition. A candidate who blindly sends their resume in may get rejected out of hand by the employer who doesn’t see how their skills line up to the new job’s requirements or understand why they applied. A recruiter who has the employer’s attention can explain your qualifications and career goals in a logical narrative.
  • Go behind the scenes. Tap into your network of friends, family and colleagues to ask about what specific jobs, careers and companies are really like so you can make the right decisions.

 

About the Recruiter
greg-menzone-pic1Greg Menzone is a 10-year veteran of the staffing industry who has made hundreds of successful placements. Greg and the team he manages specialize in direct hire placement of accounting and finance professionals. 

Ask A Recruiter: Tips for Better Networking

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Q:  Networking scares me! Do you have any tips to make it easier?

A:  Networking can seem intimidating if you think you have to immediately impress each person you meet. However, many experts will tell you the opposite is true and that the way to impress others is to be a good listener. When meeting someone for the first time, it’s important to introduce yourself and leave them with an understanding of what you’re looking for or what you do, but if you’re nervous or a novice networker, you can ask questions to get the conversation going, e.g. “what do you do?” and “tell me more.”

To set yourself up for success, consider networking in the following ways:

Face-to-face networking – Identify events that are related to your industry or the work you do, including networking events, job fairs or industry sessions with guest speakers that may have networking time built in. At live events like these, try to meet as many people as you can. I also recommend having something to leave behind, like a business card, or a resume if you’re at a job fair.

Social media networking – Social media can be a good way to supplement your in-person networking and can be less intimidating in some ways. Once you have a profile on LinkedIn, join groups and discussions on the site. Twitter is another way to identify people you might want to work with and make connections.

Informational job interviews – These types of interviews are more intense, in-depth forms of networking during which you meet with someone at their office or over coffee to talk about the work they do, their career path, the industry they work in and any connections they can make for you. Informational interviews are not tied to specific job openings, but the interviewer may refer you for an opening or think of you when an opening comes up.

Unexpected networking opportunities – Any group of people can offer opportunities for networking; you may meet someone at a family barbeque who is looking to hire a candidate with your exact skill set. Or, more likely, you’ll meet someone on a plane, at a reunion, or in the school pick-up line who knows someone you’d like to network with.

About the Recruiter
frank-gentile-2Frank Gentile is a 20+ year veteran of the staffing industry and an experienced recruiter. As a Director at Professional Staffing Group (PSG) Frank oversees the permanent placement division.

PSG Recognized As One of Boston’s Largest Staffing Firms

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The Boston Business Journal recently published a ranking of the Area’s Largest temporary placement firms, recognizing PSG on the list for the 10th year in a row.

PSG is #4 on the Boston Business Journal’s list, which ranks staffing firms by the current average number of temporary workers they supply daily in Massachusetts.

PSG’s staff of 65 recruiters and managers puts more than 900 temporary workers to work in office support, technical, creative, finance, healthcare and human resources jobs each day in Massachusetts.

Nationally, Job Growth Remains Slow

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Last week’s national unemployment figures caused concern across many groups. Although 2012 started off well, the past few months have not produced sustained job growth and the most recent report – for the May unemployment figures announced last week – showed an increase for the first time in almost a year. In Massachusetts, the outlook is better, but employers are still cautious. PSG President Aaron Green comments on the local jobs market in this Boston Globe article.