GUIDANCE FOR MOVING UP THE LADDER

Posted by boblarson on September 10, 2013

GUIDANCE FOR MOVING UP THE LADDER

In the course of a career, the middle rungs of the corporate ladder can feel like a black hole, especially as job opportunities thin at higher levels. But, according to an article published by The Wall Street Journal, managers can rise from the middle, provided they think and act like the leaders above them.

Here from the article is some guidance on the topic from human resources consultant Mary Ann Gontin, who conducts leadership training for midlevel managers:

Think big. Top executives are attracted to “people who lift their heads up from their desks” and understand the impact their assignments might have on other departments – not just their own teams.

Ask for input. Before taking on a new project, go to your boss for suggestions as to which other leaders in the company should be kept in the loop, a move that shows you are thinking about the wider organization and avoiding political dust-ups. Doing so also assures an insecure boss that you aren’t going over their head.

Communicate. Figure out how people up and down the chain prefer to hear from you, be it e-mail, in-person check-ins, or data-heavy summaries. Not sure what approach to take? Just ask, Gontin advised.

Give credit where it is due. Leading a successful project doesn’t mean hogging all the kudos. You should feel confident enough to publicly praise staff, and even bring them along for debriefing sessions with senior executives. To higher-ups, you’ll come across as a team player, not a control freak.

Take control of meetings. Have an agenda and clear expectations when running meetings, and be “obsessive” about the schedule. Should things veer off-course, acknowledge the new topic and promise to return to it later.

Step up. Tenure isn’t enough to land a promotion. Volunteer for big projects, mentor junior staffers—anything that shows you can handle the duties of the next big job. “Most people are already doing the job by the time they get promoted,” Gontin said.

Take stock. Review your résumé annually. If there is nothing substantial to add, then volunteer for more projects or sign up for professional development.

Be realistic. Even outstanding middle managers aren’t guaranteed promotions. If the upper levels of your organization are packed with 40-somethings decades from retirement, start looking elsewhere, Gontin advised.

Ask for a Berman Larson Kane Assessment. Have a senior member of our staff review you plan, accomplishments and career progression and potential.

Confidential Search Assignments Increase

Posted by boblarson on September 4, 2013

Confidential Search Assignments Increase

I am not sure if this is a new market trend or it is results of our Berman Larson Kane past successes, but over the past 4 weeks we have pick up over 10 new assignments in this category.

For those not in HR or Staffing space a confidential search is ordered when a client wishes to hire additional talent in a specific skill niche or title and does not want the opening brought to the attention of current staff. Sometimes this is done because of the sensitivity of replacing a current employee because of skill or personality deficiencies. Another frequent reason is that the organization has outgrown the talent scope of the employee’s abilities. But the bottom line is confidential searches are order for numerous reasons.

So we at Berman Larson Kane approach these searches with extra precautions with the most important mission of first protecting the confidentiality of the client using many of the following steps:

1 – Recruiitng talent without revealing the employers identity until the 11^th hour.

2 – Focusing recruiting efforts on passive candidates that will bring value to the client’s mission.

3 – Sometimes once finalist are isolated having them sign a NDA (Non-Disclosure-Agreement) so that the additional risk of clients opening spreading back to the hiring division is minimized.

4 – As part of the NDA making sure finalist do not post via social media or personal networks solicitations of information pertaining to the client. In todays LinkedIn and Facebook world word of an opening can go viral.

5 – Arranging for interviews to be conducted off site or at our BLK Offices.

For our clients we are so please to put our experience to work on your behalf and thank you for your continuing trust in our talent discovery processes. We so appreciate your confidence in allowing us to add value to these sensitive and timely challenges.

If you are a potential client I would love to listen to your unique discipline challenges and see if we at Berman Larson Kane can recommend a cost efficient staffing solution.

Position Yourself for a Raise

Posted by boblarson on August 29, 2013

Five Ways to Better Position Yourself for a Raise

With the U.S. economy still in the midst of a tepid recovery, the average worker can expect a pay raise of about 3 percent in 2013, according to a forecast cited in a recent article from CareerBuilder.com. Yet despite this, top performers may be able to secure more. If you consider yourself one of them, or if you’re striving toward that goal, here from the article are some ways to better position yourself for a higher-than-average increase:

1. Show up early every day – Don’t just show up on time; show up early. Especially if you live in a city with traffic issues, always give yourself more than enough cushion to arrive on time. On days you arrive early, get settled in and get your secondary tasks out of the way before it’s time to get down to business.

2. Never complain– We all have negative opinions about some things, just keep yours to yourself, the article advised. Neither your boss nor your co-workers want to hear about your problems; they want to hear only about your solutions. Present any constructive and proactive ideas to your boss in a professional manner, and you just might find yourself in an improved working environment and in a better position for a pay raise.

3. Create your own set of goals – Bosses love it when staff members come up with their own set of goals. It shows initiative, a desire to get ahead and the ability to think creatively. Write out your goals and ask your supervisor for a convenient time to discuss them. Maintain written documentation of all your accomplishments and use this information during your next review.

4. Consult with your supervisor – Don’t wait until your next performance review to find out how others think you can improve, the article pointed out. Ask your supervisor what you need to do in order to improve your performance today. This gesture shows initiative, a willingness to learn and eagerness to succeed — all of which sure to impress any boss.

5. Always volunteer – If you find yourself with extra time on your hands, volunteer for additional projects. Sometimes, other departments simply need more bodies rather than any particular expertise, so don’t be shy about exploring new terrain at the workplace. Keep an eye out for any upcoming projects and always put your name in the hat.

Final thoughts – Of course, the last thing you want is to be perceived as a suck-up to your boss, the article pointed out. So keep all your discussions with your boss professional and above-board and never gloat if you get any coveted opportunities. Let your actions speak for you. By positioning yourself for the highest possible pay raise, you can lessen the burden of your month-to-month finances and make it easier to attack long-term concerns, such as saving for retirement and college for the kids.

Job Market Confused ???

Posted by boblarson on August 6, 2013

August is upon and Labor Day is around the corner. What is going on with the job market?

We here at Berman Larson Kane (www.jobsbl.com) have witness a steady increase in orders during the first few weeks of August. We have witness a surge in IT technical openings with an emerging shortage of talented java-developers. Clients are finding that their talent discovery process is strained to meet this demand. And we at BLK are delighted to offer our assistance in attempting to meet demand.

But as for the real job growth that our economy really needs to prosper; unfortunately the majority of new employment is being generated by part time employment and a growing demand for food service workers. These are not the highest quality of jobs with at best limited benefits and future career growth.

So for the remainder of the year we are predicting a continuous growth in the IT technical sector, continuous competitive demand for software sales staffing, with modest growth in the professional service space and a continuation of modest job growth over all. Our predictions for the unemployment rate that is will probable remain in its current 7.2 – 7.8% range and possibly begin to lower toward 6.2 % second quarter of 2014.

The Berman Larson Kane team thanks our steady clients for their support, are delighted to service technology needs for new and existing clients and are focused on having achieved a record direct hire year.

Career Report July 2013

Posted by boblarson on July 9, 2013

Do You Know What Signals You Send at Work?

When it comes to how you’re judged at work, you might think that the quality of your work is all that matters. But, according to an article published by U.S. News & World Report, human perceptions are a lot more complicated than that, and you might be sending signals that you don’t realize or intend. Here, from the article, are five of the top ways that you inadvertently send signals about yourself at work–and how your boss and co-workers might read them:

1. Whom you hang out with at work. No matter how good your work is, if you’re always hanging around co-workers who only do the bare minimum, have a complaint about everything or don’t get along well with their managers, you’re likely to be perceived as sharing those same traits – even if you don’t. Likewise, if you spend time with the office’s high achievers, you’re likely to be perceived as having a similar work ethic and values (and those things can rub off on you in reality too).

2. What time you leave each day. If you watch the clock and leave every day at 5 p.m. on the dot, prepare to be seen as someone not especially committed to work, and only putting in what’s absolutely required. That can impact you when it’s time for raises and promotions. On the other hand, if you always stay hours longer than everyone else, you might be seen as committed – but you might instead be seen as someone struggling to handle his or her workload. Better than each of these is a more balanced approach – not running out the door at the stroke of 5 each day, but leaving around the same time most other people do.

3. What you wear. “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have” is an old saying for a reason. You might get away with wearing jeans and ratty shirts in your role, but if the people above you look more polished, you’ll probably go further by wearing more business-like clothes. Fairly or not, people have an easier time picturing you managing others, doing higher-profile work and dealing with clients when you look polished and well put together. Rather than thinking of the dress code as telling you the minimum you can get away with, think of your work clothes as telling other people how you’d like to be perceived.

4. How you behave in meetings. If you sit silently in meetings without participating, you’re signaling that you don’t have much to contribute, or that you don’t care enough to contribute. Even worse, if you spend most of the time checking texts on your phone or reading sports scores, you signal that you’re unengaged with the company’s business. So try to participate if you can – and at an absolute minimum, make sure you look attentive.

5. How your office is decorated. If your office is utterly barren – no photos, no décor, and no evidence that someone inhabits it – you might signal that you’re just passing through, that you’ll be on your way as soon as you find something better. It’s easy to bring in a lamp and put an art print on the wall, and it will make a difference in how people see you. On the other end of the spectrum, don’t go overboard: If every surface in your office is covered with photos, art and figurines, you’ll look like your focus is somewhere other than on work. You also want to avoid a messy office, which can make you look disorganized and unconscientious.

Additonal BLK News @ https://www.jobsbl.com/about/report/report.php?issue_num=161

June Graduations and Employment

Posted by boblarson on June 10, 2013

My informal survey of friends and families with college graduates this May-June is overly represented by “I’m going to grad school in the fall”.

The question is do students need advanced degrees to secure jobs in their chosen fields? Will a masters increase odds of securing employment? Or are we delaying the realities of the new job market and setting up for future failure?

I think there are no simple answers.

The one constant that I have witnessed in my 30 plus years (Berman Larson Kane) of earning my living discovering talent for organization is that transferable, usable, value adding skills are always in demand. Usable skills I am presently seeing in demand are data analysis, programming, new media (creative, technical. marketing), industry certifications, interdependence and independence. Also a maturity factor has emerged favoring young adults who know what they don’t know and are willing to listen and learn from others experience.

Recent graduates, non-graduates and post graduates that can demonstrate success in these skills whether it be school projects, internship, part time work or just plain old experience will secure the new jobs.

So the only crumb of advice I offer to the new graduate students is if your goal is securing employment in your chosen field? Make sure you are somehow, someway acquiring practical skills that employers are willing to hire and pay good wages.

Just a simply reminder education is usually the best path to learn new and exciting usable skills. Good Luck Class of 2013 it is a new, exciting and complicated world. Something’s remain the same J Looking for motivational quotes to keep going visit https://www.facebook.com/BermanLarsonKane .

Free Will Hiring Process Always Present

Posted by boblarson on May 10, 2013

Here at Berman Larson Kane (https://www.jobsbl.com/)the issue of “free will” is always present, as this toaster purchase so profoundly illustrates.

Visualize going to an appliance store and purchasing a simple low-tech toaster. You review the models, colors, features, warranties, and prices and make your selection. Now imagine the toaster having the ability to “review” YOU. What color is your kitchen? How many slices of toast will I be making each day, week, and month? Do you have plans to upgrade your kitchen in the near future? If you remodel, what assurance do I have of fitting in with the new décor? How many vacations will your family take? (So I can plan my non-toasting rest.) How often do you replace or rotate your appliances? Will you be cleaning my crumb trap regularly? What are your expectations of my toasting speed?

Well, as you can see, if a toaster had a free will, this simple purchase would become a very complicated, free-wheeling exchange. Each party – the purchaser and the toaster – has a free will, each has its own agenda, and each is looking out for its own best interest. Any answer that is not satisfactory to either party will negate the exchange. The possibilities of this purchase taking place are diminished with each question.

Now, take this toaster’s free will a step further, and imagine the toaster having legs, giving it the ability to leave your kitchen for any reason. When it arrives at your counter it decides that your kitchen’s color doesn’t compliment its own, so after two days the toaster leaves and returns to the store and awaits another buyer. Or worse, after 88 days of adjusting to its workings, the toaster decides that your microwave is unfriendly and departs. Even more insulting, the toaster runs off to your neighbor’s falsely perceived clean white kitchen, believing you neighbor only makes toast on Sundays, and leaving you with UN-toasted bagels.

Well, I am sure by now you get the point. Replace the toaster with “job-seeker” and the purchaser with “employer” and you can envision the complications of the hiring process. Or you can replace toaster with “employer” and purchaser with “job-seeker”.

Employers and job seekers should never lose sight that this free-will exchange is a continuous challenge to both parties during and after the hiring process.

At the very least, it continues to make the staffing business so fascinating to me. Even after 33 years of attempting to facilitate these freewheeling exchanges here at Berman Larson Kane (https://www.jobsbl.com), I am always surprised by some new unique spin. Such is life as a recruiter.

Like us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/BermanLarsonKane to receive our current job posting.

New Competitive Landscape Develops for Talent Acquistion

Posted by boblarson on May 1, 2013

We at Berman Larson Kane have witnessed a shift in the “IT Technology and Sales Staffing” that requires labor intensive steps to isolate the best talent. If this change has occurred in a few niches the majority of the market is not far behind. To recruit the best talent a recruiting plan that isolates the passive non-job-seeking candidate has always been the core of the BLK’s 33 years success. So to bring the best talent to your door we fish in three pools continuously.

Pool #1 – Qualified but Not Looking Talent – The majority of talent is not looking for a new job. Even if they are not 100% satisfied most employees are sitting at their desks doing a good job and bringing great value to their employers. Reaching out to this pool requires: organization, automation, tenacity, persistence and a very labor intense effort by our staff here at BLK. In organizing a work plan we at BLK need to discuss with the client: competitor sources, optional titles that this person might bear, email blast lists, lures to temp a passive candidate into speaking with the client, advantages to working for our client, career path, current and potential compensation and competitive advantages. All of these steps and many more require a very organized detailed plan and communication and sales skills by our recruiters.

Pool #2 – Qualified Actively Looking Talent – These are the millions of job seeking candidates that have their resumes displayed on the web. Whether displayed on the public, private, and niche or discussion boards. Sifting through this vast resource to isolate the “unique” requested talent is an art and a science and requires seeking, qualifying, and as the market becomes more competitive luring talent.

Pool # 3 – Actively Selective Looking Talent – These are what we refer to as web surfers. They do not have their resumes displayed on the boards nor are they sending out mailings to announce their availability. This is a group of talent that checks the job boards and selective websites on a regular basis looking for the ideal position or career move. To get the attention of this group one needs an organized web campaign that includes: job boards, social media, niche sites, corporate sites and agency sites. Attractive image, reputation, tenure and ethics presented correctly yield the best responses from this group. However, to attract the correct “unique” talent” using this method always means sifting through the 1,000 of incorrect responses to isolate the few correct ones.

So as you look to fill your jobs or find the best talent, remember jobs and hiring are very serious undertakings and the step of isolating the best talent is a very labor-intensive undertaking. We here at Berman Larson Kane have been attempting to get it right for the past 33 years and continuously are modifying and improving our systems to attack the “Best Talent the Market Has to Offer”.

If you have a talent acquisition challenge it is my pleasure to listen and see if we can recommend a cost effective solution. Thank you for your continuous support. Stay well. Bob Larson, CPC

Job Creation Numbers Not Wonderful Unless You are in Technology

Posted by boblarson on April 5, 2013

88,000 a good number for numerologists “infinity and beyond”; but not much for continuing our path towards
better job growth. These disappointing numbers are a sad contrast to the optimistic projections of 175-180,000 by analysis has a measured
element of concern.

Well to examine the numbers more closely the professional business sector had a net increase of 51,000 jobs in March, down for April but still a sold increase. What surprised us here at Berman Larson Kane is that the computer systems design and related services added only 3,900 positions in March. Our BLK universe is experiencing heated competition for talent in this technology space with many clients being challenged to staff IT niches. We had expected a much larger number here although technical consulting service jobs added 6,200.

Looking forward the unemployment rate in technology is at tor closely approaching full employment. So the war for good talent will continue to become more competitive as we get deeper into 2013 and beyond.

We thank all of our clients for helping us to a near record staffing Q1 with the prospects for Q2 2013 being extremely positive in technology
and technology consulting.

Berman Larson Kane remains concerned for so many job-seeker who have either given their job search and continue to struggle looking for suitable work. According today’s report over 800,000 are in the discourage employment category and this is such an unacceptable number.

We will continue here at BLK with our mission of offering
the “Best Staffing Options” to our clients and the job-seeker population.

Category: Uncategorized

Five Ways to Better Position Yourself for a Raise