Entries tagged 'kenji'
6 ways to get maximum results from your first contact with a recruiter
In what seems like ancient history, I wrote this post back in 2008 about how candidates can go about finding their very own recruiter. Since then, a lot has changed! For starters we’ve completely revamped our careers site and now – at least for college students – finding your recruiter is easier than ever! Really. You just select the items from the drop down that apply to you – and presto – there’s a short bio for your recruiter and even a link to contact! Second – as the popularity of networking sites like LinkedIn continues to increase, it seems that almost anyone is searchable and a mere click or two away.With all of that in mind, I felt a follow up post was long overdue and wanted to provide a few quick tips on what I call “Making First Contact.”
1. Target your approach: As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, recruiters for experienced positions at Microsoft are often aligned by both product group and also the discipline or profession for which they hire. For example, my role is focused entirely on hiring technical talent (Software Developers, Program Managers, and Developers in Test) for the Windows Live organization. Other than as a potential networking hub, I’m unlikely to be much help to someone looking for say a role in Office, or perhaps one of our Marketing functions. It’s just not in my scope or area of expertise. Before contacting a recruiter, it’s always a good idea to make sure that the recruiter you’re contacting is really the best person for the job!
2. Set expectations: What do you hope to achieve from the communication? Be clear in your goals and what you want. Is there a specific opening you want to be considered for?Are you unsure what you should be applying for and looking for guidance? The more specific you are in your goals and objectives, the more likely I am to help you achieve them. As an extreme edge case – the worst thing you could do is send a generic “I want a job” email. This may have the undesirable effect of conveying laziness, or at the very least, a lack of understanding of the process or value for my time.
3. Back up your case: Continuing in the theme for #2, the more detail you can provide the better. This is an email, not a cover letter, but at the same time including a few tidbits or examples to back up why you think you’re a good candidate or why you need assistance beyond the regular application portal is important. If you’re a spam and reputation service expert and just can’t seem to find any job listings that seem to be worth applying to – call that out! As the old adage goes, “Help me, help you.”
4. Include your resume: This may seem an obvious one, but you’d be surprised how many emails I receive that don’t include a resume. Of course, sending a resume by email doesn’t replace having to apply through the careers site, but it’s more convenient to the recruiter than having to look it up in our database.
5. Don’t spam: Or maybe, put another way, be genuine in your approach! There isn’t anything wrong with contacting more than one recruiter to hedge your bets, but be transparent with each recruiter about what you are doing. And don’t send the exact same form-letter to all of us. I want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say my opinion isn’t adversely affected when I receive a form letter with one of our competitor’s names in the subject line!
6. And last...be patient: Recruiters receive hundreds of email a day, and while we do our best it’s inevitable that some triage takes place. By following the above advice you can increase the likelihood of a response, but not necessarily guarantee it. If you aren’t hearing back, it’s okay to send a follow up mail a few days after the original, but beyond that consider that you might not be contacting the right person or asking the right questions. If you still aren’t hearing back, take a self-critical look and consider another route. And, as always, don’t forget the careers site! It’s still the primary route to be considered for any open position!
-Kenji
Resume review & advice: what I look for in a resume
Resume review & advice. Part II of II. (read Part I)Resume review actually consists of several different “layers” of consideration.
There are multiple factors that I consider simultaneously and all need to be accounted for before I make the decision to contact a candidate for a phone interview. What I’m looking for is a resume that “pops out" at me on multiple layers.
The first thing that I look for when reviewing a resume, are the basics: does this candidate meet the minimum requirements for the position? Keep in mind, for many positions there are two sets of requirements – the bare minimum required – and the bonus qualifications that I’m ideally hoping to find. In this layer, I’m only looking for the former – but I’m militant in my resolve. If I need a year of experience, and you have six months – sorry, I just clicked “NEXT”.
Resume review & advice: behind the scenes
Resume review & advice. Part I of II. (Read Part II)I’ve considered writing about resume advice since I started contributing to JobsBlog. However, I’ve put it off and even considered not writing about it at all because the subject matter can be VERY controversial.
I’m not going to make you the empty promise that following my advice will *really* help you land that next job or get your resume noticed in the sea of resumes. Resume writing is more art than science and any advice charading as the singular truth can lead you down the wrong path.
What I will share with you is, for better or worse, the process I use when reviewing resumes – and I’m going to give you the honest not-so-sugar-coated-truth about what goes through my mind when I click “NEXT.
This is an unvarnished account. Reader beware:Social Networking - it's not just virtual
With all of this focus on internet social media – it’s easy to lose sight of those tried and true methods of decades past. In recent years, it seems like everywhere you look the term “Social Networking” is staring you right in the face. Stories abound from recruiters and jobseekers alike telling of how their latest social media experience lead to that last “great” hire. But what about back in the day of the dinosaur: before Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn dominated the marketplace? How did people network for jobs before social media? Did people really have to *gasp* meet face-to-face??? It seems like a foreign concept – yet recently, I’ve discovered that face-to-face networking events are making a bit of a comeback. And you know what else? I think they actually work better.
After a suggestion from one of my out-of-work friends, I decided to try out a networking event known as the Seattle Job Social, which is held monthly at Twist Lounge in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood (if you’re interested in relocating – Belltown has great nightlife, just FYI). While I’d been to my share of job fairs, this was my first social networking event, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
The dreaded compensation question
Dear Jobsblog:
When and how is it appropriate to ask about salary, benefits and vacation time? I don’t want to seem like I’m just looking for money and perks, but, at the same time, this information is important to consider. How should I approach this? Whom should I ask these questions?-All About The Benjamins (just kidding)
Dear Mr. (or Ms.) Benjamins:
Compensation (salary, benefits, etc.) is an important aspect of any job search. As a recruiter, it’s easy to forget how nerve-wracking this question can be for the candidate. After all, I answer it almost every day.Questions relating to compensation are best dealt with early in the process and need to be treated with tact and care. By no means are they something that should be put off until the end or skipped over lightly. Candidates should approach compensation questions in terms of Who, When and How.
CES reflections
Hey Jobsblog readers!
These past few months have been all about change and new experiences for me. While I continue to work very closely with the Windows Live team, I’ve also expanded to encompass parts of Operations & Windows Engineering. It’s fun to see how other teams operate and learn about all of their exciting products and features. I really do love technology and that passion is one of the main reasons why I work at Microsoft.
On that note, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Now, with a few weeks between me and the event, I've had the opportunity to reflect on the CES and the state of technology:
Doing your research before the interview
Congratulations! So you’ve made it past the initial resume review and you’re being called in for those important next steps. There are a few days between now and then, and anxiety is building in anticipation. You want to do well in your interview, and in this economy you know that it’s tougher than ever to stand out amongst the crowd. So what do you do? Time to channel that energy into something productive!
Tips and Advice vs Giving Away the Farm: My $0.02
Now that you’ve seen where I’m coming from in terms of tips and advice, I feel it’s time to introduce my top six pieces of Kenji® branded recruiter advice. Handle with care!
Strengths and weaknesses revisited
Not long after JobsBlog started in 2004, Gretchen answered a reader who wanted to know what he should say when an interviewer asked him to describe his strengths and weaknesses.Six years later, that post is still one of the most popular articles on this site. Gretchen’s advice remains relevant, of course, and we encourage you to read it – but we thought we’d give you an update from varying viewpoints. Check out what Kenji, Lisa and Matt have to say about this infamous interview question!
Tips and Advice vs Giving Away the Farm: Is there such a thing?
I admit -- this is a concept I struggle with. Like I’ve said in previous posts, as your recruiter I want you to be set up for success, and I want to help provide the toolbox to get you there. But at the same time, I also want you to do well on your own horsepower as much as possible.