Career Solvers has formed a relationship with The Execu|Search Group to help expose our clients to a top-tier recruiting firm and a variety of exclusive job opportunities. All Career Solvers clients have the option of having their resumes placed in The Execu|Search Group’s applicant database where they may be considered for future openings in their field.

The Execu|Search Group is a full-service recruitment, temporary/consulting and retained search firm serving the City of New York and the Tri-State area. Headquartered in New York City, they have three additional offices located in Bridgewater, New Jersey; Parsippany, New Jersey; and Purchase, New York.

The Execu|Search Group opened their doors in 1985, initially focusing on linking candidates from the accounting and finance fields with top-level companies in need of highly qualified talent. Since that time, they have successfully expanded the lines of their business and broadened their expertise to include a wide range of practice areas and industries, from Health Services to Financial Services to Information Technology and beyond.

SERVICES

Based on a thorough understanding of their clients’ needs and candidates’ backgrounds, experienced recruiters work to match the right professional with the right job. Placement services include:

Full-time Placement
Specializing in recruiting professionals at the staff, middle management, and senior-level across all practice areas.

Temporary/Consulting
Offering both short- and long-term assignments, as well as temporary-to-full-time placements. Also included among their temporary opportunities are per diem, project, freelance, seasonal, and contract jobs across all of our practice areas.

Retained Search
Focusing on the placement of C-level, partner, and other senior-level executives.

WHAT SETS The Execu|Search Group APART

History
The Execu|Search Group has been a growing and leading force in the recruitment industry for over 20 years. This experience has shaped their unique approach to effectively managing the recruitment process.

Recruiters
The Execu|Search Group staff of recruitment professionals possess hands-on experience in their respective practice areas, giving them inside knowledge about the industry and how to best guide you.

Values
The Execu|Search Group conducts all of their business in accordance with the highest ethical standards in the industry. They value the relationships they develop with their clients and candidates and treat your needs with appropriate discretion and confidentiality.

If you are a current or former Career Solvers client who would like to have your resume searchable in the Execu|Search database, contact us here.

I recently caught up with online job search expert and entrepreneur, Chris Russell, to learn more about a new site he has launched called Green Job Spider. If you are interested in learning more about green jobs, you will definitely want to take a look at Russell’s site. Here’s what he had to say about his new initiative.

What’s a green job? Any job that creates, supports, maintains or regulates recycling, energy efficiency or renewable energy products & services.

What is Green Job Spider? Green Job Spider is a job search engine, not a job board. Think of us as the ‘google for green jobs’. We crawl other green job sites and green employers such as solar, wind and bio-fuel firms, index their jobs and make them available on our search engine. When you do a search and see a job of interest, the link will take you to that job board or career page.

How did you come up with the idea of Green Job Spider? I run many job boards and saw the green job market as a great new opportunity. But there were already lots of green job boards online…more than 50 of them scattered across the web. I realized job seekers are having a hard time finding and applying to this fast growing job market. Green Job Spider will enable them to search for these jobs using one interface. The site will also help green candidates learn about the types of green jobs and where they are through its blog and other resources.

What are the benefits of your site over other aggregate job boards? Our job search engine is one of the first of its kind to focus exclusively on a specific niche. Most of the current job search sites focus on all types of jobs but Green Job Spider will offer a more targeted experience for those who want a green job. Its crawler will search for jobs from solar to wind to biofuels. Job listings will be indexed nightly and all sources of green jobs will be hand picked to ensure quality. Its main benefits are making your green job search more efficient and educating people about what green jobs are and how to get them.

Do you have any tips for getting the most out of the site? Sign up for email alerts, create a free profile on our community pages and listen to our podcasts to keep up with the green job market.

No one seems to be able to wrap their head around the fact that Mike Sorrentino, better known as “The Situation” from MTV’s Jersey Shore, will earn $5M this year in appearances and endorsements. Many people can’t understand how someone like Sorrentino can be in such demand so quickly and command such a high salary.

You may not agree with Sorrentino’s lifestyle, but you can’t dispute that he has a strong career brand. His chiseled abs have opened doors for him to endorse numerous products including nutritional supplements and vitamin water. He also has plans to create an exercise video. I think the reason people don’t get it is because Sorrentino doesn’t appear to have worked very hard for any of this popularity and they think that it’s just some sort of fluke. And people like to think that hard work and talent is what makes you successful.

But the reality is people become successful when they have something that someone else wants. Sorrentino has a killer six pack and that’s something that many young men (and older men for that matter) want. Advertisers know that and they know that by linking Sorrentino to their products they have a slam dunk.

Most of us are not expecting $5M to do our jobs but we still get caught up in the notion that promotions, money, and prestige come to those who “put in the time.” That may be the case for some, but in many business environments I believe that’s a myth. The employee who comes up with a solution to an employer’s pain is the one that lands a promotion. The person that figures out how to sell more of the company’s products gets the raise. The worker who emulates the values the company is trying to instill in its employees gets the recognition. So before you write off “The Situation,” ask yourself, are you doing something at work that helps solve an employer’s problems or are you just putting in the time?

A friend recently told me a beautiful story about him and his mom. He fondly remembered meeting her after school daily when he was about seven years old at a store where she worked and sharing Hostess orange cupcakes with her while she worked so she could be with him before her shift was over.

The story stayed with me because I doubt my friend realizes his incredible story telling power. He just tells it like it is but his imagery is so strong and unforgettable that you can’t help but form a mental picture of the experience. Even though he never states this, the cupcakes are a metaphor for a connection, a bond, a relationship between him and his mom….one that obviously was very very strong. I have similar imagery that connects me to my father…football and salted peanuts, just to name a few.

People who make strong connections between tangible outcomes and feelings tend to make good interviewers. That’s because they can successfully leverage the connection between concrete evidence and the passion behind their accomplishments. How can you make better use of imagery when communicating strong stories of professional success? Consider these typical interview questions.

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
3. Describe a situation where you were under a very aggressive deadline.
4. What would your boss say about you?
5. What are your top strengths?

All of these common interview questions provide an opportunity to tell a powerful story about your work history. And powerful stories during interviews are the gateway to a connection with the interviewer. Don’t be afraid to talk about the hurdles you faced in past positions and how you overcame them. Consider explaining your feelings of pride over particular career accomplishments. Your passion for what you do will come through and can help the hiring manager conclude that you are a perfect match for their open position. The passion behind your stories of success is like the icing on the (orange) cupcake.

The dog in this picture, Jammy,  belonged to my friend’s mom before she passed away. Jammy remains a living connection to his mom and a daily reminder of her impact on his life. Today is Jammy’s birthday and he sent me this picture of her eating an orange cupcake to celebrate. The picture speaks volumes about my friend and his life stories. What stories can you tell during your interviews to speak volumes about yourself?

Despite all the information available about “netiquette” and the importance of networking strategically online, I continue to get dozens of  mystery online networking requests. Sometimes the connection is as weak as being a member of the same group (with 50,000 other members) or as bizarre as asking for a face-to-face meeting based on the fact that we reside in the same city.

Something strange seems to happen to some people when they network online. It’s as if some people think that none of the common rules for building relationships exist. Could you imagine ever saying any of the following things over the phone or in person to someone you don’t know?

1. I’ve seen you walking down this block in the neighborhood before. Want to meet for coffee?
2. Someone told me we used to work for the same company that employs 20,000 people. Want to chat sometime?
3. I found your number in the phone book. Maybe we have something in common.
4. I heard through the grapevine that you work for a company where I would really like to work. Can you tell me more about what it’s like to work there?
5. I found you in the 1997 student alumni directory. I’m a graduate of the class of 1980. Would you like to compare notes?
6. I know I’ve never actually met you before and you have no idea who I am. But someone suggested I say “since you are someone I know and trust, I would like to add you to my network.” Does that work for you? (Hint: that’s verbatim from a LinkedIn template that people seem to use whether they know you or not).
7. You looked like someone I should know so I followed you home, made note of your address and then did a search to find your phone number. Would love to meet formally sometime.
8. I found your name and number written on a cocktail napkin at a local restaurant and I decided to call you. I figured, “what do I have to lose?”

Of course you wouldn’t say any of these things! So why do people think this approach will work online? If you are using LinkedIn or other social media tools to connect with others, create authentic relationships and recognize that the affinity will grow over time. Even on Twitter where there are generally no gatekeepers for connecting with others, it’s still advisable to follow the person for awhile and create a supportive and non-threatening dialogue before bringing the relationship face to face.

I am a fairly open connector on LinkedIn as well as other social media platforms. But I have to know a little bit about you and why you want to connect before I accept. Isn’t that just common sense?

For anyone interested in connecting via LinkedIn, you can find me here. Just be sure to tell me how you found me and why you think we should connect.

You may not agree with Steven Slater‘s dramatic exit (both literally and figuratively) from his position as flight attendant for JetBlue; cursing out a rude passenger, announcing his departure, and then leaving the plane by pulling the emergency chute…but you probably can relate. Who among us hasn’t fantasized about telling a boss or a customer off, quitting our job, and making a quick getaway? Hollywood knows this and continues to pump out movies that play to this fantasy. Think of all the movies with memorable “I quit” scenes.  Here is my favorite. But don’t try this at home kids; keep the fantasy a fantasy and try to find a less dramatic way to quit…in the real world, the short-term satisfaction is rarely worth the potential for long-term career damage.

The September issue of Oprah Magazine features four women at various stages of their careers: the stay at home mom returning to work, the single mom laid off from her position and seeking a new challenge, the recent college graduate looking for her big break, and the boomer trying to make a career transition later in life.

I was fortunate to work with these women along with colleagues Louise Fletcher and Nancy Collamer to help them create a strategic job search plan. While each one has a different end goal, the course they need to take is in many ways the same. Here are some of the top tips shared with the women.

1. Ask for information rather than a job. When you ask someone if they know if anyone is hiring there is a simple yes/no response (usually no) which leaves the conversation at a standstill. Instead of asking about job openings, ask your contacts if they would be willing to talk to you to share information…about an industry, a company, a recruiter or whatever else will help get you one step closer to the ultimate hiring manager. Asking for a jobs can make the other person feel uncomfortable; asking for information can be flattering.
2. Get on LinkedIn. With 60M+ users LinkedIn has become a “must have” resource for recruiters searching for top talent. If you aren’t on LinkedIn, recruiters may come to the conclusion that you are not current, not serious, or not good enough at what you do to be in the running for their openings.
3. Be on-message. Prepare a succinct, compelling pith about what you are looking for and why you are qualified. Keep this message consistent in your resume, your online profiles, and your conversations.
4. Reach out to companies directly. Do you dream of working for Google, Starbucks, JPMorgan Chase, or the Red Cross? If so, let the employer know that. More and more companies are filling positions through employee referrals and social networking and many never even post their open positions. Become an insider by reaching out to companies and expressing your interest before they have a job opening. If you can become top of mind with them, you increase the likelihood of being considered, should a position become available, or better still of having a position created for you based on the outstanding value the employer thinks you could bring to the organization.

After several weeks of job search preparation, (and some fabulous hair, makeup, and wardrobe makeovers courtesy of Oprah Magazine’s creative team), the women are out working their contacts, setting up networking meetings and interviews, forwarding resumes, and working with recruiters.

You can read more about each woman’s transformation by picking up the September issue (sorry, no link currently available) on newstands now.

According to the second annual Social Recruitment Survey conducted by Jobvite, (via Career Management Alliance), employers are recruiting several ways: employee referrals, professional online networks, social networks such as Facebook and Twitter; and the traditional sources, including search firms and job boards. The survey clearly shows a preference based on the quality of candidates and cost-effectiveness for employee referrals and professional social networks, to recruit candidates. Some highlights of the report:
• 76% plan to invest more in employee referrals and 72% plan to invest more in recruiting through social networks
• 80% of companies use or are planning to use social networking to find and attract candidates this year
• 77% of respondents said they use social networks to reach passive candidates who are not actively seeking employment
• 24% of candidates disclose their social networking presence when applying for a job.

Use of Social Networks:
• LinkedIn use grew from 80 percent in 2008 to 95 percent of respondents in 2009 and Facebook use grew from 36 percent in 2008 to 59 percent in 2009
• Twitter, ranked third with 42 percent of recruiters using the tool to source candidates
• 66% of respondents reported that they had successfully hired a candidate who was identified or introduced through an online social network

My colleague over on the AOL Jobs and Careers Channel, Lisa Johnson Mandell,  just wrote a post about the ten toughest and easiest cities to find a job in. St. Louis, Detroit, and Miami top the list for worst cities for finding employment and Washington, D.C, San Jose, and New York are at the top of the list of best cities for finding employment. CNNMoney.com recently ranked the top ten cities to live in and cities with low unemployment rates were the ones that made it to the top including Eden Prairie, MN, Columbia/Ellicot City, MD, and Newton, MA.

In the past year I’ve noticed that many more of my clients are flexible about the geography of a particular position. They are either willing to commute longer distances or relocate for the right position. But I’ve also noticed that geography is becoming less of an issue for employers as the world of work becomes a flatter place and more work can be done remotely.

If you found your dream job in another state would you relocate or explore the possibility of working remotely? If you could consider one of these options, think of how quickly your potential company targets would expand. Maybe it’s time we stop thinking so much about location and start thinking about the value we could add to an employer regardless of geography. This may not be feasible for every position right now, but thinking differently about how we work is the first step towards change

Close to 20 years ago I created a pilot for a work at home program for operations positions for a large financial services firm. This was considered cutting-edge at the time.  Remember, this was before the Internet and before we had anywhere near the capabilities we have today for monitoring productivity and performance. The pilot was put in place to retain a group of high performers who were considering leaving the company because of work/life balance concerns. The company made the program work, despite the obstacles because they recognized that these employees were too valuable to lose. Could you prove to an employer that you are too valuable not to have?

Think of how much the world of work has evolved in the past 20 years.  Jet Blue’s entire reservations staff works from home. Who would have imagined that such a thing would be possible 20 years ago?  Is it really that unrealistic to live in St. Louis but work for a company in Newton, MA? Maybe not.

I was recently interviewed by CBS news about unpaid internships. There was a time when the only people who sought out unpaid internships were students who wanted to gain valuable work experience and were willing to forgo a salary to get it. But in today’s economy, more and more adults with long career histories are considering taking an unpaid internship as a way to get a foot in the door, transition into a new industry, learn a new job function, keep their resumes current, or update their skills.

But several states are concerned that in the current economy many companies are offering unpaid internships that are violating minimum wage laws. As a result, the Labor Department is more diligently investigating these practices and fining companies accordingly.

Many employment and labor attorneys believe that the number of unpaid internships are growing due to the lack of available paid opportunities and the fact that companies are stretched thin and unpaid interns are seen as a way to increase staff and productivity without increasing expenses.

But legal experts warn that these practices could be illegal. The Department of of Labor looks at six criteria to determine if the internship is in compliance with wage and hour rules. The requirements are:

1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer is similar to what would be given in a vocational school or academic educational institution.
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees.
3. The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under their close observation.
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees, and on occasion, the employer’s operations may actually be impeded.
5. The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the training period.
6. The employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.

Yet despite these criteria, not all companies seem to be aware of them. Employers who make a good faith effort to allow interns to work for free could end up owing them back pay.

In other cases, employers may be aware of the federal rules, but choose to ignore them. Many legal experts claim unpaid internships are widespread in the fields of fashion, publishing, journalism, law firms, and public relations firms. The bottom line is that if you are considering taking an unpaid internship, proceed with caution and know your rights.