Just a thought…..

“I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it’s only a choice of attitude.”

                                                           - Judith M. Knowlton

Yes, these are very difficult times. It certainly has made us all stop to think about where we are and how we can get to where we need to be. We should be respectful of everyone around us – as difficult as our individual situation may be, the next person we meet may be in a more difficult situation – through no fault of their own!

When you allow yourself to become immersed in positive thinking, you will start to see it effect other aspects of your life. For example, instead of feeling "inconvenienced" by merging traffic, you'll allow someone to easily merge in front of you and feel great about it. They might even wave or mouth "thank you". At a grocery store when you have a cart full of groceries and the person behind you has only one or two items you may find yourself saying, "please go ahead of me since you only have a few items" and that person's gratitude will make your day. You'll find yourself actively thinking about others and your contribution to their positive experiences will have an effect on your well-being.

It is important that all of us take control of those things that we can control and try not to worry about those things that we cannot control. In order to take control, we all must learn to think positive. 

RPS Search Group of NJ, LLC has a proven track record of success in helping our candidates and clients achieve their goals and objectives! 

Click on the link below to check availability to schedule a time for us to speak

https://www.timetrade.com/book/QWCZL

“A winner is big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them and strong enough to correct them.”   -  John Maxwell

As I look back over the years and if I were to list all of the mistakes I have made, you can imagine that I was not too thrilled to learn that I had made some of them more than once.  However, I can now look at those mistakes and learn from them and correct them.  Every one of us has the opportunity to learn from our mistakes.

All too often I hear my supervisor really gets angry when I make a mistake and  I  am afraid to do anything for fear of making a mistake.  It is unfortunate that people in management positions do not realize that mistakes are opportunities to learn, coach and mentor.

Please call for assistance filling a position or if you are looking for a new position.  I can be reached at 973-627-1888 or lance@rpssearchgroup.com

Attitude Determines Alitude

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”               - Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)

Roosevelt differs from many of the Presidents before him in that he came from a wealthy family and struggled with poor health. He overcame his illnesses and eventually won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his role in the Battle of San Juan Hill. Not many of us have the opportunity to make an impact like Roosevelt however we do have the opportunity to change our lives, our family, our company by the way we think and act. For example, the economists talk about the unemployment rate but never speak of the employment rate.

Chuck Swindoll who is an evangelical pastor further stated that the longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude is more important than facts, the past, than education, than money. Attitude will make or break a company. He further went on to state that the remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day. He was convinced that life is 10% what happens and 90% how we react to it. 

Every day I talk to candidates and it amazes me that the successful candidates always seem to have a positive outlook about their personal and professional lives. Successful companies have leadership teams that espouse positive thinking and the leaders are always out in front leading the cheers. As a person who is talking with people on a daily basis I have started to listen carefully to them in order to ascertain a fix on their attitudes. A positive attitude leads to success and it is those candidates and companies that I prefer to represent. 

Whether you are a company looking for “A” players or a candidate looking for an “A” company I can assist you in your search.

Please contact me at 973-627-1888 or lance@rpssearchgroup.com

Your resume Part 4

In part 3 of the series on resumes I mentioned that honesty is the best policy and it is the best way to start a relationship with a potential new employer. That brings me to the next resume topic -- the chronological versus topical resume. A recent study showed that most hiring managers prefer the chronological resume as it is easier to read than a topical resume. The chronological resume lends itself to showcase accomplishments with each position and ideally will show growth. 

Two other points to remember is to put education at the bottom of the resume and it is not necessary to include references or even typing in "references available upon request" at the bottom of your resume as recommendations come much later in the application and interview process.

You can go to www.rpssearchgroup.com to submit your resume for a free evaluation

Your Resume Part 3

The retail industry in a sense is a “small world”.  After almost 45 years in and around the industry, I have gotten to know a great many people and I have been asked all too many times, “Do I have include all of my jobs on my resume even if I was only there for a few months?” or “How far back should I go with my resume?”. Basically, you do not have to include anything on your resume. What you include on your resume is up to you. However, when asked the advice that I give is to ask the person if he or she wants to start a relationship with resume omissions or incorrect dates of employment. I am of the belief that everything you write on your resume should be true and accurate. 

Over the past few years, gaps in employment are commonplace and easily explained. Be prepared to explain the gap itself by pointing to an activity that filled it, such as volunteer work, caring for an ill family member, or launching a business. The best strategy when dealing with any potentially negative information is to focus on your accomplishments and the value you can bring to the table.

For a free resume evaluation you can contact me at lance@rpssearchgroup.com or at 973-627-1888.

Your Resume Part 2

I cannot tell you the numbers of times that I have heard from a candidate who sent in a one page resume and upon questioning learned that anywhere from 5 to 15 years were left off the resume!

People have been told at one time or another to keep our resume to one page, but this old standard no longer holds true. If you have enough experience and accomplishments to highlight on two pages, go for it. Of course, if you're new to the workforce, one page should suffice.

Now that resumes are often entered into an applicant-tracking system, it is more important than ever to include keywords that help the system match you to the appropriate position. You might need more space to do that. This is even more essential for loss prevention professionals who have evolved into more technical or analytical roles. If you are an experienced professional and you need the room to showcase your accomplishments, do not be afraid to go for the extra page or pages.

As to the objective or summary sections at the beginning of the resume, there is a school of thought that suggests going right to your experience. I personally agree with that suggestion. If you have strong skill sets and good accomplishments, they will come out loud and clear in the experience section.

Please go to www.rpssearchgroup.com to submit your resume for a free evaluation and under to opportunities tab review current openings.

I can be reached at lance@rpssearchgroup.com or 973-627-1888

Resumes are Your Personal Advertisement

After almost thirty years as an executive recruiter, I have lost track of the number of resume formats that I have received. I have received resumes from candidates who paid hundreds of dollars to have a resume professionally prepared and I have received resumes prepared by the candidate. The major similarity in all of those resumes is that the the accomplishments/results were missing but there was a good deal of space dedicated to what that person did in his or her various positions. 

Most hiring managers and human resource professionals will know by job title what a candidate does in his or her job. That being the case, why would you want to dedicate so much space on the resume with job duties and responsibilities when it is the bottom line accomplishments/results that relate how well you have done your job and it is those accomplishments/results that will set you apart from other candidates.

I recently received a resume from a candidate and under each of his positions he listed 4 to 5 accomplishment bullet points. He did a great job relating how well he did in his various positions and when I called to discuss his credentials I asked why he prepared his resume with accomplishments. He told me that he felt it was important for people to know how well he did his job and not necessarily what he did. 

A big part of recruiting is building relationships and I have to thank one of my clients for bringing the accomplishment resume issue to the forefront. In my next three news posts I will be discussing other resume issues that will help you in preparing your personal advertisement.

I can be reached at lance@rpssearchgroup.com or 973-627-1888

Finding Qualified Talent Can be Challenging

Many hiring manager's and recruiters feel that in today's candidate talent pool it is easy to post a job and get several hundred responses. However to attract the best and brightest candidates to your company still remains a challenge we are hearing from many of our clients. The operative word is "qualified" and that can narrow the field tenfold. Once you find that perfect candidate and recruit, on board and motivate her or him the next challenge is retention. I wish I had a dollar for every client who said they were looking for the "ideal" candidate. In seeking Mr./Ms. Perfect, many highly qualified candidates are passed over. Perfection is elusive, but almost perfect could be sitting right in front of you.

You can contact me at lance@rpssearchgroup.com or 973-627-1888 for assistance in finding that almost perfect job or almost perfect candidate.

Five Questions to Ask in an Interview

1. “How do you define success for this job?”This question helps you get a clear understanding of what the job entails and the expectations the company will have for you in it.

 2. Something specific about the organization-It’s always a great idea to ask a question that shows you did your research before the interview and it shows the interviewer that you are interested in the company. 

3. “Can I have a quick tour or can I meet some people I’d be working with?” Both questions will get you out of the interview room and allow you to get a better look at the office. This will give you a chance to gauge co-worker interaction and office culture. this may not be possible on a first interview but certainly can be done on a second interview.

4. “What is your favorite part about working here?” Companies, like job candidates, are putting their best foot forward during the interview process. By asking every person you interview with what they like best about working at the company you’ll get a better sense of the culture that people regularly experience.

 5. “Do you see any reason I might not be a good fit for this position?” It may seem counterproductive to inquire about your potential flaws during an interview, but it’s actually a great thing to bring up at the end of the interview. It will help you gauge the interviewer's interest and will show your interest in the opportunity. Even if there is a doubt in your mind it never hurts to leave the interview on a positive note.

Please fell free to contact me at lance@rpssearchgroup.com for additional tips on interviewing

"I am a great believer in luck and I find that the harder I work the more I have of it"------Thomas Jefferson

It its purest form, the role of the recruiter is to enhance the lives of candidates and improve client profitability. The hard work of the process is determining the needs of the client and matching it against the wants of the candidate. The luck (the result of the hard work) occurs when there is a match and both sides are happy. A successful hire has to be win-win for both sides.  

With the recent layoffs I ask candidates what they are doing to find a new opportunity and I continually hear the same responses. I have my resume posted on several job boards and I check the job boards every day for new postings and if I see a new one I send in my resume. To some this may seem like hard work but in doing those things a candidate is scratching the surface of the job market. Finding a job is a full time job and it is hard work. The items mentioned are simply the first steps in the process.

In addition, a job seeker should also take a look at their own credentials and determine what will make them stand out from all the rest of the job seekers. Then the job seeker should make a list of all of the contacts they have and start a telephone marathon to get their credentials in front of individuals in order to find the hidden jobs that are not posted. Yes, it is hard work and the harder you work the luckier you will be.

Companies can use the same approach when trying to fill the job that cannot be posted. They should look at their company and determine what makes it stand out from all the rest and ask the question “Why should someone want to work for my company?” After doing that, they should evaluate internal and external resources in order to determine which process will get them to the hidden talent not available on the job boards and social networking sites. In both situations a little hard work will enable you to get lucky!

I can be reached at 972-627-1888 or lance@rpssearchgroup.com