HR Dave

Is it just me or does it seem like every day there’s a new social media tool coming out, or a new application of an existing social network, that promises to help you get a job? Across the web (and across the real life population as well, I assume) there are people touting the superiority of Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, and every other option when it comes to helping you find a job. I have my own biases as to what’s been successful for me, both as a job seeker and as a recruiter, but I’m...

I’m about to make a statement that’s going to ruffle some feathers. It’s not a great revelation; in fact it’s a statement that 10 years ago was a given. But times have changed, the information highway has taken over, and people are hungry for anything that appears to offer sound-bite answers to life’s toughest questions. There is no such thing as a “personal brand.” That’s right, folks – you heard it here. I’m mounting a one-man campaign to take this term out of the vernacular. Will I be...

I got an email the other day making the claim that “33,000 recruiters can’t be wrong.” The email wanted me to buy whatever it was that the company was selling (OK, the email didn’t want that. Emails are inanimate objects and don’t actually want anything. But I digress.) The first thought that popped into my head was “just how many recruiters are there, anyway?” As it turns out, I have no idea. I lost interest in the Google results long before I was able to make a real go at finding out. What...

We all know that when you’re interviewing If that was true, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Sure, answering questions that show your experience, knowledge and general ability to string two sentences together back-to-back is an important part of the interview process. But don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking it’s the only part that matters. Toward the end of almost every interview there comes a time when the interviewer will look at you and say “So, do you have any questions fo

For many of us, the words “elevator pitch” elicit a response of fear and stress, not unlike the words “mother-in-law” or “full body cavity search”. The reason for this often irrational fear is primarily that most people don’t know what an elevator pitch is supposed to be. First, let’s try to dispel some of the myths around this beast. First, you don’t have to be in an elevator to use it. Second, the word pitch doesn’t quite do it justice. “Pitch” implies that you’re either selling something o

Recruiters love a job seeker with energy and passion. Really, we do. I personally love to see someone with a fire and a drive for the job, for the company, and for his or her career. This energy manifests itself in many ways throughout the interview process. It can come across in a great and well thought out resume filled with exactly the skills, experience and accomplishments outlined in the job description. It can come across in a perfectly written cover letter that offers a hint o

I shall now tell you your desire. Wait, don’t say it… I can get this… You want a raise! Know how I knew that? Because everyone wants a raise. You’re about as unique in this desire as you are in liking cake. So now that the cat’s out of the bag and we all know that I’m no psychic, what shall we do about getting you this raise that you seek? When it comes to milking more money out of your employer, there’s sadly no magic bullet. We’re at the mercy of budgets, emotions, parity, revenue forecasts

In both of these situations you’re making a decision about the food even though you haven’t seen or tasted it. Do you see where I’m going with this? Yes! It’s the same decision that recruiters and hiring managers are making about job candidates after a phone interview. They’re deciding whether you have the right skills and are the right fit for the job, sight unseen. They’ll either be hungry for more, or they’ll be reaching for the Pepto, and it’s all up to you which one it is. Since th