We are looking for a dynamic, Director of Product Marketing to lead the development, implementation and execution of marketing plans for our client’s proprietary product lines, including creating and managing content for use in presentations, demand-generation campaigns, web marketing and new sales collateral and enablement tools. In this role, you will work with a cross-functional, highly motivated team of product management, engineering, corporate, field and channel marketing, alliances and sales team members. This role combines strategy and tactics, with responsibility for the overall success of all product lines to drive sales enablement and readiness, as well as relevant marketing communications, go-to-market plans, market analyses and competitive intelligence.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Ten years’ experience in product or solutions marketing.
• Proven experience in the high-tech industry.
• Experience working with and a thorough understanding of enterprise software.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills to manage complexities of multiple ongoing workstreams and to balance the many analytical and execution demands of the role.
• Experience working with channel partners.
• Demonstrated experience building and leading teams strategically and creatively.
• Proven track record of developing effective metrics for measuring program performance.
• Capable of performing core product marketing functions without requiring outside contractors.
• Strong background working with industry analysts, trade media, and public relations professionals
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Proven technical aptitude to understand and translate core technical product functionality, feature sets and industry-specific nuances into business benefits for target audience and verticals.
• Ability to adapt to changing business and market requirements and prioritize concurrent, and even opposing, business needs and opportunities.
• Proven experience developing PRDs (product requirement document) and MRDs (marketing requirement documents).
• Strong organizational skills; ability and willingness to do whatever is required to meet deadlines.
• The ability to work independently in changing environments, and the ability/willingness to learn.

Preferred Requirements:

• Product management experience in high-tech industry.
• MBA.

Description of Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the top-level messaging and positioning for Enterprise Key and Certificate Management. (EKCM) products and solutions.
• Create and execute go-to-market strategies for products and solutions sold directly and as joint offerings with technology alliance partners.
• Collaborate with channel marketing organizations to create and execute campaigns.
• Create content for sales collateral, client web properties and industry events.
• Create and execute written plans for the global launch of products.
• Define go-to-market strategies for new products.
• Research and maintain competitive intelligence and deep understanding of market and industry dynamics.
• Act as a spokesperson and present content at industry conferences, to press and analysts.

Email resumes to bethany.canner@parallelhr.com

We would like to keep you updated with all of our clients exciting new job opportunities along with all of the changes and trends happening in the industry.  Please click on the following link  https://www.facebook.com/ParallelHR to be kept updated on all of this exciting news by liking us on our Facebook page.  You can also join us on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/company/parallel-hr-solutions and to follow us on Twitter go to www.twitter.com/Parallelhr.

Call it the business world’s version of a “wardrobe malfunction”…an “inadvertent error” may be the undoing of Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson, who was recently outed for claiming to have a degree in computer science, when in fact he graduated with a bachelor’s in accounting.

The real issue at hand, however, is not so much what he lied about – after all, it doesn’t take a degree to learn how to code – but the fact that he lied. Sadly, Thompson is far from the only person who’s ever taken creative license with a resume. According to one CareerBuilder survey, 38 percent of employees have embellished their job responsibilities at some point, while 18 percent have lied about their skill sets. Other common lies surrounded information about employees’ start and end dates of employment, academic degrees, previous employers and job titles. 

6 Ways to Keep Candidates Legit
Regardless of Thompson’s fate, his story is a good reminder that no one is immune to being the victim of a fake resume. Use the following tips as you evaluate candidate resumes moving forward:

1. Perform a standard background check on things like work history, residences, dates of employment, etc. Look for discrepancies between what the candidate submitted and what the reports reveal.
2. Check for red flags: Unexplained gaps in employment, a reluctance to explain the reason for leaving, and unusual periods of self-employment can be a tip off to false employment history. Always check references, including clients, for self-employed work history. Because even references can be fake, check the web sites of previous employers and use the phone numbers found online for employment verification.  (Can’t find a previous employer’s web site, even after you’ve “Googled” it? The Better Business Bureau or the local Chamber of Commerce are good resources to check, too.)
3. Utilize social networking sites. Social networking profiles contain public information that may help you verify certain information such as a candidate’s work history or education credentials.  (Just be aware of the possible legal ramifications of using social media to screen applicants. It’s probably best not to ask candidates for their Facebook passwords, either.)
4. Test their skills. Knowing that employers use keyword searching to find and qualify their resumes, applicants may include keywords for all skills required for the job – regardless of whether they have them or not. Find out if they’re embellishing by asking specific technical questions about the skills they claim to have and actually test their computer skills.
5. Be fair. Remember that mistakes and misunderstandings do happen. If you find a discrepancy, give the candidate an opportunity to explain.
6. Use common sense. Trust your intuition and experience. If something doesn’t seem right, follow up on it.

Do you have an experience with a candidate or employee who lied on his or her resume? Share with us in the comments below.

Editor’s note: This post was adapted from an earlier post about resume lies, which includes true life stories from readers sharing their own ‘fake resume’ experiences.

Our client, a fast growing and profitable biotech company, has a great opportunity for a software developer to write and maintain Windows based scientific applications. Opportunities include being part of a team developing next generation proprietary instrument software used for human diagnostics, internal software tools for analyzing proprietary data and instruments, and business software used internally by our client. The work will be very challenging, and candidates must be able to work independently and be willing to invest the effort needed get things done on time.

We offer competitive salaries, benefits and a 401k in a stimulating work environment. Salt Lake City offers great environment for the right kind of person. Our facility is 300 yards from mountain trails and the National Forest, and we are a 30 minute drive from some fantastic skiing and just as close to a variety of other outdoor recreation.

The skills needed for the position are:

Required:

• A Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related software engineering discipline, or equivalent
• A working knowledge of writing code in C#
• Having an understanding of basic database architecture and design
• Knowledge of object-oriented design practices
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills

Preferred:

• WPF experience
• Web based application and/or development experience
• Software testing skills

Contact trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

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It sounds simple enough: company meets potential employee, company gets employee, employee leaves company, so company starts looking for new employee. Unfortunately, the classic hiring strategy is no longer sufficient in today’s job market, where competition for top talent is higher than ever. According to Keith Hadley, Director of Employment Branding at CareerBuilder, small businesses need to be more proactive in their approach to hiring.

With that in mind, CareerBuilder created Small Business Seeks Big Talent: CareerBuilder’s Small Business Hiring Guide, a modern twist on a classic recruitment strategy.  Learn what things like continuous recruiting, talent pipelining, onboarding and compensation strategies have to do with your small business – and how you can implement them into your hiring process today.

Whatever your hiring and recruiting needs, let Small Business Seeks Big Talent serve as a guide to attracting and retaining your company’s number one asset, your employees.

Small Business Seeks Big Talent provides comprehensive strategies and tips to help you:

• Bring in a better quality of applicants
• Put an end to hiring mistakes
• Save time and money associated with hiring
• Save costs associated with turnover
• Get more mileage out of job postings
• Conduct more effective interviews
• Leverage your position as a small business to recruit top talent

Our client, a leading commercial real estate market research firm is seeking a developer with exceptional talent more than simply individual skills, to join an established team of developers. Thoughtfulness about design details and implementation of high quality software required. Opportunities to explore, teach, learn, and grow as a developer are offered and expected to be taken advantage of. Come be part of a team that uses the latest in technology to solve unique, performance, scaling, data modeling, and econometric puzzles.

You will work in our development team with a project manager to develop Web-based, mission-critical applications using multiple web development technologies for our client’s ecommerce portal and customer applications. You will be involved in the entire and ongoing development lifecycle of projects including participation in discussions on design specifications, providing input on IT solutions, troubleshooting application issues, documenting detailed specifications, and ensuring the ongoing maintenance of all applications. The right candidate will understand web based technologies and have debugging/​unit testing experience. We are seeking a talented developer with experience in one or more of the following technical environments: Java, ASP.NET, PHP, LAMP, ColdFusion, etc.

Qualifications:

• Strong Internet technologies background in either ColdFusion, PHP, ASP.NET, JAVA, AJAX, LAMP
• Knowledge of MVC Frameworks, Model Glue (for ColdFusion) is preferred, but not required
• Knowledge of AJAX related technologies and the ability to code cross browser compliant JavaScript.
• Must have broad knowledge of the system development lifecycle and proven ability to adhere to project management deadlines.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including strong technical documentation ability.
• Experience in object-oriented design and analysis, refactoring, design patterns

Experience Required:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in software application development.
• Development experience with a proven ability to develop robust commercial applications
• Minimum of 5 years of web based application development experience on a commercial development platform such as .NET, ColdFusion, PHP, JAVA
• Experience in web site development, using content management is desirable
• Experience with Relational Databases and SQL is required including development of multi-tier solutions

Education Required:

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related field, and equivalent work experience

US Citizen or GC holder only please.

email resumes to trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

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We are currently seeking several Financial Services Associates and Representatives – both non-registered and registered with the Series 7 ( Series Seven ) license – to work in our Columbus, OH area offices.  Our financial Services Associates are responsible for research, client call backs, database entry, and assisting Compliance with trade or call reviews for the Global Stock Plan business.

Associates are responsible for various functions in Operations which could include correspondence, reports, stock swaps, clearing outstanding debits, resolution of escalated issues, reissues, processing and investigating payments, correspondence, client requests, account updates, scanning, reports, stock transfers, check and Fed wire disbursements, check stop payments, etc.

Associates are required to meet production and quality standards, cross train in multiple functions, adhere to compliance and control guidelines, and interact with internal and external clients, as well as peers in phones and operations.

To be eligible to apply for this position you must meet the following criteria:

• Accurate typing skills a must.

• Attention to detail.

• Ability to perform well under pressure and meet deadlines.

• Willingness to cross train in all areas of the Research Department as well as work with all management within the division.

• PC skills – Database entry, Excel, Word, Microsoft Outlook.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Knowledge of Options, Purchase, Restricted Stock, Stock Appreciation Rights/SSRs, and SABH plans.

• Knowledge of Benefit Access, equity compensation taxation, and Global Stock plans a plus.

• Ability to troubleshoot complex issues and respond to sensitive clients.

• Ability to monitor work volume and delegate to peers.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, be a self starter, and drive process change.

• Computer proficiency including, but not limited to:

• Windows

• Microsoft Office

• Internet and Website Knowledge and navigation skills

• Bachelors Degree is preferred

Must be at current position for at least 1 year.

Contact Bethany.canner@parallelhr.com

Our dynamic NY based client is looking for a Test Engineer with ability to work in a rapid delivery environment that employs an Agile/SCRUM development methodology. A successful candidate will have had experience in web applications testing, test planning, test case development, bug tracking, post release followup, and internal support. The candidate must be able to clearly articulate issues to the QA Manager and to the development team. Awesome environment.

Requirements:

• 5+ years experience with web applications testing
• 3+ years experience in a programming language (ie ruby)
• Experience testing eCommerce functionality
• Must have a firm operating understanding of HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols, Webservers and Web Clients
• Ability to design, write and implement test cases, and SQL queries
• Ability to test front-end and back-end functionality equally as effective
• Report and track problems by providing reproducible test cases, and working with other product team members to close bug reports
• Interface with Account Executives to provide support and gain insight into client facing support issues
• Provide the Test Lead with accurate estimates for designing and executing test cases within the context of a SCRUM sprint
• Must be able to work closely with Software Engineers and understand basic programming concepts
• Exposure to, and basic understanding of PERL programming language
• Must be proficient in Linux
• Understanding of markup languages such as HTML, MHTML, YAML, etc.

Desired Skills:

Experience working with automation tools such as Selenium or QTP
Experience in PERL scripting
Experience with Python

Contact trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

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Connect at http://www.linkedin.com/company/444418?trk=tyah!

Are you a seasoned senior software engineer looking for new challenges in a growing business? Do you want to change the way technology is used to deliver games to casinos floors all over the world? If so, our client is looking for software engineers with the passion and ability to expand their state of the art gaming framework.

Our client is building a best in class game development framework to help drive new innovation and solid engineering practices into our worldwide gaming platforms. We are currently seeking bright, self-motivated candidates to continue and expand on this initiative.

As a senior software engineer, you will be responsible for the enhancing of current and the design of new features in the framework. You will also be hands-on in the implementation. The right candidate is experienced with remote development, quickly learning complex systems, dealing with ambiguity, and building and maintaining modular systems that work across multiple teams. Above all, candidates must be passionate about meeting the highest standard of engineering quality by developing elegant designs and writing clean, precise code. As a member of our team, you will have the opportunity to be involved in a broad range of technologies include 2D and 3D graphics platforms, client and server application development, as well as tool and SDK standards, and work with game studios from around the world.

We are looking for candidates with the following experience:

Expert level C/C++/C# with solid engineering practices

Excellent software development and framework design skills

5+ years of commercial development experience with an emphasis on delivering libraries and frameworks

Multiple commercial software product releases

Experience with large scale software projects

Good communication and cross-team collaboration

Ability to provide technical guidance

B.S/M.S. in Computer Science or equivalent

If you have the passion, drive, and desire to work in a fast paced and highly agile team we look forward to hearing from you.

Our client is looking for database-fanatics to add to its Database operations team. We are looking for a MYSQL Database Operations Engineer that loves open source / development / operations. Our stack is RPM Based CentOS and we use OSS across the board. If you have 3 years of SQL experience along with 2-3 years of Linux Admin experience in a high volume traffic environment we want to talk to you!

Strong candidates automate tasks, know the pros and cons of MyISAM vs. InnoDB, have an interest in building performing database systems at scale, and enjoy writing code. Individuals will play a key role in the forward momentum and evolution of this team as we focus on automation, data collection, and event correlation. We’re an agile shop that loves to iterate fast and release often. We’re most interested in people with combined database and systems experience, who can create, have vision and own a project. Individuals who also have development experience in scripting languages like python, ruby, or perl are preferred.

We empower development rather than minimize risk, we have a passion for standardization and optimization, we like to get dirty and are committed to technology and innovation.
About the Job

Responsibilities

Work with developers on database design and new feature rollout.
Tune our databases like a champ: IO tuning, query optimization, indexing.
Monitor databases for performance issues before they occur.
Write scripts and build tools if needed, leverage existing solutions if available.
Requirements
3+ years MySQL experience.
2+ years of experience as a DBA in a high traffic environment.
Proficient tuning MySQL processes and queries
Excellent communication skills and problem-solving expertise

Our client, a rapidly growing company that provides information technology services and business solutions to clients across the country, is currently looking for a PHP/LAMP Developer to join their software development team to assist with designing, building, and maintaining their software systems and in the development of highly interactive web applications. This entails full life-cycle development, which will involve new development and modifying existing code.

You will be working with an A-team of excellent designers and developers, contributing in everything from the design phase to the delivery of scalable and high quality web applications.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Extensive knowledge of PHP, MYSQL, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, XML

Strong experience using LAMP architecture

Deep understanding of and experience in Object-oriented design (OOD)

Working knowledge of AJAX

Good command of Javascript and JavaScript-based tools and components (jQuery in particular)

Must be familiar with MVC model and templating engines such as Smarty

Extensive experience with creating and consuming web services

Experience with a wide range of web development technologies and frameworks

DESIRED QUALITIES

Ability to rapidly develop high availability, high quality and fast PHP applications

Work in a dynamic, fast-moving environment

Excellent analytical problem solving skills

Detail Oriented

Able to work well in a team and within existing development standards

Able to take feedback constructively

Experience with other scripting and programming languages (Java, C, Pearl, Python, etc) a plus!

Experience with creative visual presentation of complex data is a plus

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

B.S. Computer Science or equivalent experience

7+ years web application development experience, with at least the last 2 years focusing on web application design and hands-on development in an Enterprise PHP/MYSQL environment.

Email resumes to: trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Our client has been a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of advanced gaming products and gaming systems for the global gaming industry for more than 75 years. Because of this, they can offer qualified candidates a variety of exciting and challenging career opportunities on the cutting edge of innovation.

Currently, we are seeking a Software Engineer II for their Mobile Development Team in Las Vegas, Nevada office.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for building and maintaining mobile applications, continuing innovation on a cutting-edge back-end CMS portal, and integrating various back-end systems such as hotel, POS, PMS, Restaurants, SPA etc.

Scope:

Maintains deliverables including code, code design, documentation, and unit testing.

Works closely with Professional Services group to build future efficiencies into the CMS portal.

Works with technical teams to research new technologies.

Typically works on 1-2 major initiatives concurrently.

Specific Accountabilities:

Client’s technologies run in the cloud. Applications for a wide variety of end users have logic on the client server and detect use and distribution to multiple mobile devices including iOS, Android, and Windows. This candidate is responsible for developing front-end application code that integrates well on mobile devices and contributes to end user satisfactions.

Knowledge/Skills/Experience:

2-5 years’ experience in related technologies

Strong Web content development skills

HTML, HTML5, CSS, Javascript, ASP, ASPX, PHP

Strong UI development experience

Preferred Experience:

C#, ASP.NET 3.5/4.0, MVC 2.0/3.0, MS Entity Framework 4.0, WCF and WPF, Silverlight, LINQ, JQuery/JQueryMobile

Windows Phone 7 programming

Mobile development (iOS, Android) experience

SQL Server 2008

REST/SOAP integrations

Competency in both Windows and Macintosh environments

Education:

Bachelor’s degree required, preferably BSEE, BSCE, BSEET, or BSCS or equivalent work experience

Practice Lead, Business Partner Human Resources
We are looking for HR Business Partners both at the Associate level and the Lead level. We have multiple needs and this position can be located in the following offices: Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, or San Francisco. An Associate level candidate will have 3-5 years experience, and a Lead candidate will have 5-10 years experience.
Company: We are a global leader in Business Transformation and a business critical technology partner for the world’s most successful organizations. We provide strategic business consulting, technology, engineering and outsourcing services to help clients leverage technology and create impactful and measurable business value for every IT investment.
Scope of Responsibility:
The Human Resource Practice Lead guides and manages the overall provision of human resources services, policies, and programs for Canada. The major areas directed are:
Recruiting and staffing;
Organizational planning;
Performance management and improvement systems;
Organizational development;
Employment and compliance to regulatory concerns;
Employee orientation, development, and training;
Policy development and documentation;
Employee relations;
Company-wide committee facilitation;
Company employee and community communication;
Compensation and benefits administration;
Employee safety, welfare, wellness and health;
Charitable giving; and
Employee services and counseling.
Business Requirements:
Position will be based in the Toronto, Canada location.
The successful candidate will possess a minimum of 10 to 12 years of progressive experience in Human Resources Management. The ability to manage large scale change and complexity is a must.
Strong organization skills and communication skills are a must.
Educational Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline is required, master’s degree preferred.

For more information, contact kenzie.koehn@parallelhr.com

Location: San Mateo, 94401 (650) Also in: Mountain View, CA 94043 (650)

We need a Senior User Experience (UE) Engineer to take design wireframes and visual designs of the next-generation ecommerce platform and bring them to life as high-fidelity, functional web browser-based prototypes conforming to the latest W3C Web Standards.

Qualifications:

Strong portfolio featuring XHTML, JS, CSS and AJAX coding samples

5 to 8 years HTML/XHTML/CSS/JavaScript/DOM cross-browser development experience with large-scale web applications or sites

Experience working with Javascript libraries such as YUI (preferred), Prototype and Scriptaculous

Understanding of server technologies such as JSP, PHP, Apache, Tomcat, etc.

Experience working on e-commerce products, enterprise-level web apps/sites

Experience working within an MVC framework

Familiarity with accessible web development techniques (W3C WAI, Section 508, optimizing for Adaptive Technologies)

Basic knowledge of Linux/Unix command line usage is a plus

Experience with JSP/Java/Taglibs a plus

Redhat Linux, Mac OS X, Win XP

Building XHTML, CSS layouts and integration with application

Creating, updating and debugging complex JavaScript functionality

Desired Qualifications:

Understanding of REST style architectures

Understanding of standard build tools

Contact trevor.smith@parallelhr.com for more information or to submit a resume.

Description:

Our client is looking for highly skilled Java developers to work on critical enterprise and web applications, and infrastructure. As a Principal Developer you will be expected to work on high-level design problems, low-level design and coding issues and everything in between, often in the same day. Your ability to think on your feet, leverage your years of experience and make data-based decisions will help you and the teams you work with make the best applications possible. Candidates should have 6 years or more professional development experience and at least a Bachelors degree in computer science or equivalent experience. We value intelligence, creativity, quality, technical leadership, and a strong interest to learn. You will work closely with various development teams who all share a common goal: building highly reliable systems that can handle huge loads without breaking a sweat. Principal Developer is our client’s Staff Engineer position. They are located in Salt Lake City, UT, and offer competitive compensation and a full benefits package.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate must have:
6+ years of software development experience
1+ years in a leadership or staff engineer role
Strong skills in Java SE 5.0 or greater or Java EE 5.0 or greater
Strong database and SQL experience, preferably with Oracle 10g or later
Proficiency in Object Oriented design and programming
Experience with Object Relational Mapping (ORM) tools such as Hibernate
Experience in mentoring Java Developers in design and/or development
Experience building and designing asynchronous, message driven systems with JMS
Expertise with enterprise grade build, continuous integration and artifact management systems, e.g. Maven, Hudson and Nexus
XML and related technologies such as XSD, JAXB, XSLT, etc
Experience building web services, especially using the REST style
Use of web container technologies such as Tomcat
Proficiency testing the software you and your team builds, including unit tests using JUnit/TestNG and mocking,
integration testing, regression testing and state coverage testing
Strong Linux/Unix skills
Excellent communication skills
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Engineering or similar technical field or equivalent experience

Nice to have:
Experience using web presentation technologies such as JSP, JSF, Ajax, Jamon, Velocity, or FreeMarker
Experience with Flex
Proficiency with IDE-based development, especially in Eclipse

Established and growing financial services firm in midtown Manhattan has several exciting Software Development opportunities in its Information Technology department. Software products are delivered through the Web, Bloomberg, and Windows/Unix platforms. Responsibilities of these positions would include all aspects of product development life cycle: design, develop, test, debug, write system and user documentation, and provide application support for clients.

Qualifications:
At least a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Engineering related fields.
2 – 5 years programming experience in Linux/Unix and Windows environment using Perl, SQL, JavaScript, DHTML, HTML.
Candidates without Perl experience will also be considered if they are willing to learn Perl and can demonstrate ability to come up to speed in Perl in a short time.
Excellent communication and writing skills, problem solving and analytical skills, organizational skills and strong interpersonal skills are required.
ASP.NET/C#, .NET Framework, C/C++, XML, Web Services and Fixed Income knowledge will be very valuable.

Our well known client in the real estate business is seeking a talented and dedicated PHP Developer with a proven track record. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of professional experience building commercial, enterprise PHP and MySQL web applications. This is an on-site position, based in our midtown Manhattan office. Only local applicants who are authorized to work in the US will be considered.

Responsibilities
Support existing web software applications and design and develop new applications within the legacy system.
Deliver projects built to scope, according to agreed upon goals
Create and maintain code documentation
Debug and troubleshoot software defects

Qualifications
Applicants should possess the following qualifications:

5+ years professional experience in object oriented PHP5 and MySQL application development.
Expertise building applications using PHP5, MySQL, SQL and AJAX. (MVC is preferred).
Must be able to develop reusable PHP application components
Must possess experience in working with various frameworks such as Zend, database abstraction frameworks and Perl modules.
Solid understanding of object oriented programming concepts and principles.
Significant experience building Zend Framework applications
In-depth knowledge of software engineering processes and best coding practices
Ability to learn quickly and take ownership of tasks, process, and products
Excellent communication (written and verbal), time management, troubleshooting, analytical, and interpersonal skills
Ability to work independently and as a team member in a dynamic work environment
In depth knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Templating
Experience in working with Linux Servers (not just in a hosted-site environment) is desirable.
BS in computer science or related discipline, more advanced technical degree preferred.

Duties:

• Installs, maintains, tests, troubleshoots and repairs enterprise-class VoIP telecommunications equipment, systems and applications.
• Recommends alterations and upgrades to systems, services and applications to improve the quality and supportability of the voice systems and products.
• Directly impacts the reliability standards of the voice systems by following industry-standard best practices and procedures.
• Works closely with the business teams to support customer-facing telephony applications and telecom related solutions equipment.
• Develop long-term voice solutions that address current and future business needs.
• Works with carriers and vendors to order, install, troubleshoot and maintain carrier circuits, telecom applications and equipment.
• Will require occasional off hours for systems upgrades and installations and will be on-call as needed to support 24×7 production systems.

Reporting Relationships:
Reports directly to the Telecommunications Manager

Qualifications: Required Experience and Skills:
• Must have Cisco voice or networking experience.
• Must have Bachelor’s degree, 2+ years of voice systems experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience in related field is required.
• Experience with advanced networking, telephony concepts, practices, applications and equipment highly preferred.
• Experience in supporting telecommunications systems in a VoIP environment with advanced call routing and call flow expertise is highly preferred.
• Experience with Cisco Call Manager and Cisco UCCE in an Enterprise environment highly preferred.
• Cisco certifications such as CCNA, CNP, and CCVP are a plus.
• Cisco voice gateway router IOS support and QOS experience preferred.
• Experience with MS Server hardware and OS support preferred.
• Must possess excellent trouble-shooting skills and demonstrate the ability to handle stressful situations in order to effectively respond to emergencies.
• Must have excellent requirements gathering and analysis skills along with the ability to develop and update detailed technical documentation.

Personal Qualities:
• Welcomes innovation and willingly adapts to change
• Has the ability to quickly learn new technologies
• Takes ownership of tasks and displays accountability
• Takes initiative, communicates, works well unsupervised, and drives projects to completion
• Enjoys working collaboratively as a team player
• Has a passion for the job and delivery of results with excellence
• Has a hunger to learn and progress

Benefits available:
• Eligible for Medical & Dental the day of hire!
• Free yearly eye exam for employee & immediate family
• Eligible for Flexible Spending the day of hire!
• 401K with company match
• Holiday, Vacation and Personal time pay
• Huge discounts on contact lenses and glasses for friends and family
• Free on-site fitness center with access to certified trainers
• On-site restaurant with highly discounted meals
• Company paid Life, AD&D
• Supplemental Life available
• Long Term Disability
• Free 24 hour Nurse Line
• Extensive Wellness program
• Free soda, coffee, and drinks all day every day
• Free breakfast, fruit and bread all day every day
• Much, much more

Requirement Details:-

This is a full time position with my client for PeopleSoft Financial Functional/Technical/Lead/Architect/ Principal Consultant
They are expanding their PeopleSoft practice and looking to add a lot of resources over the next several quarters.

• Leads work streams – solid self-starter that initiates and collaborates with Senior Principals and Principals to implement strategies / plans for transformation of client operations
• Monitors, tracks, and coordinates project level activities, including project issues and risks. Assists in their timely resolution / mitigation
• effectively communicates project status and performance to project sponsors / program team
• Implements and delivers new capabilities within client organizations
• Works with cross-functional client teams to perform gap analysis, identify improvement options

Location: Charlotte, NC The Candidate should be ready to relocate or Travel after selection..

Skills: – PeopleSoft FSCM /PeopleSoft and 9.1 & 8.1
Financials Modules (GL, AR, AP, AM) – 9.1 & 8.1
General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Payroll
Implementation/Up gradation
Qualities, Experience, and Skills :-

• Previous consulting experience. Preferably Big 4 and/or traditional strategy firm; previous work delivering program and project management preferred.
• Ability to succeed in an ambiguous / changing environment, ability to adapt/re-plan
• Ability to work as part of a cross-cultural team, flexibility to support multiple time zones
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills – executive presence
• Well versed in working with clients – solving client issues and developing business strategies around people, process, and technology; understands business needs, well versed facilitator
• Experience with engagements that focus on strategy, operations strategy or process optimization.

Note: Client has Multiple openings in all the modules – please feel free to call me or email me your expertise skills – so we can go ahead for further process.
Please Let me know the best number and time to Reach you..

Locations: Bridgewater, NJ, Fremont, CA, Plano, TX, and Chicago, IL

Analyze the problem faced by the customer, participates in customer discussions, gets further data from customer if required, assist team members, reviews their work and provides solutions to articulate problem statement.

Work with senior consultants to create proposals, business case/ROI, suggests alternatives and lead such engagements whenever necessary. Reviewing the proposal prepared by consultants for their completeness in terms of solution fitment, scope, risks and estimate.

Propose solution alternatives and takes the recommended solution alternatives to the customer, reviews solution options suggested by team and suggest improvements.

Identifies the change management requirements and propose a structured approach to client for managing the change using multiple communication mechanisms

Perform portfolio analysis, analyze transition needs, and analyze transition timelines. Maintain knowledge repository. Create capabilities in core domain areas to develop transition plan.

Work with customer to build knowledge repository, resolve escalated issues, perform project management activities

Develop & publish leading view points, thought leadership. Perform research on market movement, competitive analysis of product/technologies. Participate in relevant external marketing events, to build brand, new client pipeline through marketing initiatives.
Please Note: This description does not cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee.

Skills
1) Must Have Skills

a) Proficiency in multi-platform mobile OS such as iOS, Android, RIM, Windows Mobile, Symbian
b) Exposure to mobile application development methodologies such as development and validation and testing.
c) Good understanding of Mobile Middleware packages.
d) Deep industry knowledge in one of the verticals such as Retail, Banking, Financial services, Healthcare, Energy and Utilities, Hi-Tech, Services, Telecom.
e) Excellent communication and client interfacing skills
f) Ability to develop frameworks/tools/assessment methodologies to recommend solutions to client problems
g) Ability to create clear recommendations and strategies out of vague and unclear requirements.
h) Passionate about mobility and technology.

1) Desired Skills/Certifications
a) Exposure to SDLC methodology.
b) Experience in Enterprise Mobile enablement, mobile advertising, mobile search, mobile commerce, mobile banking/payments, social networking, location based services
c) Experience in Enterprise Architecture with Oracle, SAP and Microsoft.
d) Knowledge of Mobile Device Management, Mobile Security and wireless policies a plus.
e) Knowledge of Mobile Enterprise Application Provider platforms such as Antenna, Sybase Unwired Platform, Kony. Mobile Iron a plus.
f) Hi-Tech product management, product marketing, software engineering or consulting experience with a leading firm.

Qualification
Bachelor of Engineering/Technology/Business Administration, Masters or PHD desirable.

Experience Required ( In Years)
A Minimum 8 years of experience with listed Responsibilities and skillsets is required for this role

Key Responsibilities:
• Work with Clients on Portal Projects as Technical Lead/Architect role
• Responsible for overall planning, execution and success of the engagement
• Provide Thought Leadership in the Portal and Content Management Space
• Expert level experience with in .NET enterprise development using SharePoint 2010 / MOSS 2007, ASP.NET, Silverlight etc./ Portal, ECM and Collaboration experience
Technical skills required:
• Extensive experience with SharePoint, XML/Web Services, SOA, UML or Extensive experience with Microsoft .Net and related technologies
• Experience in FAST, excel services, power pivot, SISS, SRSS, WCF, Biztalk Server, SAP integration with SharePoint is an added advantage
• Solid Web Portal experience.
• Solid Experience on Web Content Managmenet, Document Management or Enterprise Content Management
• Experience with SQL Server
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience in delivering large enterprise level applications
Behavioral Skills:
• Should be strong in conceptualizing and problem solving
• Structured thinking and decision making
• Team leading skills with ability to present to senior management
• Provide Mentoring to Junior Team members through knowledge share and reviews
• Strong verbal and written communication with good exposure to working in a cross cultural environment
• Should be able to mentor a team of technical architects of 5 and be able to network with Client technology leaders, Directors, VP, etc.
• Thought leader, participate in calls /relationships with analysts for the above areas. Identify and create patentable artifacts, guides and author papers and POV. Present POV at internal and external forums.
• Leverage the project experience to develop solutions based on industry research
Experience level:
• Technology Architect – Minimum 8 years,
If you are interested in this position send your updated resume to mahe@parallelhr.com

Enterprise Solutions:
Fremont, CA
Plano, TX
Charlotte, NC

Client defines designs and delivers IT-enabled business solutions that help Global 2000 companies win in a flat world. These solutions focus on providing strategic differentiation and operational superiority to clients. With client, clients are assured of a transparent business partner, world-class processes, speed of execution and the power to stretch their IT budget by leveraging the Global Delivery Model
Job Responsibilities:

1. Frontend discussions with customer for elicitation of pain points/ objectives of the engagement/ pursuit.
2. Help customer define solution blueprint, implementation roadmap for large data management initiatives.
3. Anchor PoC development with help from junior architects.
4. Participate in architecture definition, design and provide guidance to development team.
5. Participate in key pursuits on data architecture/ data management and provide guidance on technical aspects of proposals.
6. Participate in creation of IP based solutions/ reuse components/ process assets on Information Visibility.
The technology areas of focus include:
• ESAP – SAP ABAP, SAP SD, SAP FICO, SAP CRM
• ESPOR – PeopleSoft and Data Admin

Data architecture, modeling, integration skills
Data management consulting skills – ability to consult with customers, end-to-end data management solutions including governance structure, process and policies
Experience in leading complex data management initiatives

Job Responsibilities:

• Leads work streams – solid self-starter that initiates and collaborates with Senior Principals and Principals to implement strategies / plans for transformation of client operations
• Monitors, tracks, and coordinates project level activities, including project issues and risks. Assists in their timely resolution / mitigation
• Effectively communicates project status and performance to project sponsors / program team
• Implements and delivers new capabilities within client organizations
• Works with cross-functional client teams to perform gap analysis, identify improvement options
• Creates detailed action plans that include organizational change management, resource planning, competitive strategies, and alliances to embark on a new strategic direction and to enable successful deployment of solutions
• Contributes to the growth and vitality of the practice in various roles, such as pursuits, collateral development, recruiting, and methodology development
• Captures best practices and adds to firm’s knowledge management initiatives
• Develops/manages/produces stakeholder communications and artifact development
• Manages 1:Many projects within an overall program; provides complete status reporting for them
• Manages time / resources / costs for 1:Many projects; manages issues / risks at the project level
• Supervises more junior staff and project teams
Skills
Qualities, Experience, and Skills
• Previous consulting experience. Preferably Big 4 and/or traditional strategy firm; previous work delivering program and project management preferred.
• Ability to succeed in an ambiguous / changing environment, ability to adapt/re-plan
• Ability to work as part of a cross-cultural team, flexibility to support multiple time zones
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills – executive presence
• Well versed in working with clients – solving client issues and developing business strategies around people, process, and technology; understands business needs, well versed facilitator
• Experience with engagements that focus on strategy, operations strategy or process optimization
• Technology/package experience (SAP, , Peoplesoft, Siebel CRM,)
Years experience: 4-15+ years. We have multiple positions available. Junior positions all the way through roles leading multi-million dollar engagements.
• Bachelor’s degree is required, prefer MS/CS or MBA
• Openness to travel
If you are interested in this position send me your updated resume to mahe@parallelhr.com

We are looking for HR Business Partners both at the Associate level and the Lead level. We have multiple needs and this position can be located in the following offices: Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, or San Francisco. An Associate level candidate will have 3-5 years experience, and a Lead candidate will have 5-10 years experience.
Company: We are a global leader in Business Transformation and a business critical technology partner for the world’s most successful organizations. We provide strategic business consulting, technology, engineering and outsourcing services to help clients leverage technology and create impactful and measurable business value for every IT investment.
Purpose of role: Partner with business to deliver all the HR services to the employees, managers and executives in United States. It is an internal client facing role with focus on providing effective people solutions.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement HR programs, policies and procedures for respective units.
• Coach and counsel management and employees regarding employee relation issues, policy, procedures, benefits and programs.
• Proactively gain client feedback to aid HR functions improve service levels and alert HR areas where an issue/project may impact on other areas
• Manage complex ER / people issues in partnership with corporate employee relations team.
• Equip clients with appropriate tools and knowledge to effectively manage their people in line with their people plans e.g. performance management, and career management.
• Work very closely with the offshore HR teams to roll out calendar programs such as performance management, annual pay increases, and bonus payouts
• Provide project management support and HR expertise to the business with specific related projects
• Organize and facilitate new hire orientation to assimilate employees effectively.
• Facilitate employee recognition programs, and other employee related activities both at unit and geo cluster level
• Ensure compliance with government employment regulations.
• Actively solicit feedback from stakeholders and propose new programs and policy changes to existing ones, as needed.
Minimum Requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Human Resource Management, or Industrial/Organizational Psychology or equivalent related work experience.
• HR certification (SPHR, PHR) is preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with ability to articulate ideas clearly and concisely to people at all levels in the organization.
• Strong advising, relationship building and interpersonal skills.
• Comprehensive understanding of HR principles and knowledge of employment law.
• Strong problem solving and analytical capability.

Main responsibilities may include:
- Work with various business units to identify and assess the risks they face and provide value added suggestions on how key risks can be better managed / mitigated
- Contribute to risk mitigation projects at a cross product and global level
- Become proficient on various internal operating systems
- Ensure regulatory compliance with all industry regulations

Skills:
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills
- Ability to understand complex workflows
- Understanding and strong interest in financial markets
- Sharp “attention-to-detail” skills
- Good understanding of operations’ risks and controls
- Strong Multi-tasking / prioritization skills
- Self starter with high energy level
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
- Good communication skills and strong relationship management skills

Bachelors Degree Required
Prefer 1-3 years experience

Company Profile: We are a global leader in Business Transformation and a business critical technology partner for the world’s most successful organizations. We provide strategic business consulting, technology, engineering and outsourcing services to help clients leverage technology and create impactful and measurable business value for every IT investment.
Role: We are seeking a US Immigration Operations Associate or Lead. The successful candidate will be responsible for US operations immigration functions, including possibly overseeing part of the non-immigrant RFE program, managing site visits, solving operational problems, and handling complaints from a legal and operational perspective. The candidate will report to our US Immigration Lead and serve on our growing US Immigration Operations Team.
RFE Responsibilities will include:
Receiving, addressing and overseeing Infosys Non-Immigrant RFE Process (H-1B; L-1);
Ensuring that RFE’s are being handled correctly, and timely filed;
Drafting RFE responses and form letters;
Corresponding with employees regarding gathering of RFE response material;
Maintaining master sheet of RFE’s in Progress;
Working with Team Lead to draft more intricate and elaborate RFE responses;
Keeping abreast of all H-1B statutory regulation changes and implementing new changes into the system;
Liaison with our India offshore team regarding various H-1B issues;
Liaison with our green card team regarding immigrant/non-immigrant crossover issues
Site Visit Responsibilities will include:
Liaison with USCIS Officers in the field, providing timely responses to their inquiries
Corresponding with our internal and outside legal team regarding site visits
Keeping a log of escalated site visit requests
Problem Solving Responsibilities will include:
Fielding request from disgruntled employees and managers in the field and solving problems
Working with other members of Operations to team to find internal system solutions to emergency requests and problems
Qualifications
The candidate should maintain a background in all US corporate non-immigrant areas. The ideal candidate will have 4-7 years of US corporate immigration experience, working with a heavy H-1B/L-1 volume with a proven track record in a law firm or in-house corporate setting. The candidate should have the knowledge of and experience in the entire H-1B process from start to finish and all the intricate nuances that are involved in the process.
The candidate should work well within a team structure, be very organized, strictly adhere to time sensitive schedules and possess excellent communication skills.

We are seeking Level II and III Services Support Representatives who will be responsible for providing the first-line of post-sales telephone customer service and/or technical support:

Day to day responsibilities may include any of the below:
• Research and answer questions in regards to hardware, systems, sub-systems and/or applications for customers and/or employees.
• Answers basic questions about installation, operation, configuration, customization, and usage of assigned products.
• Applies basic diagnostic techniques to identify problems, investigate causes and recommend solutions to correct common failures.
• Escalates complex problems to the Remote Support Engineering staff or Field Engineering.
• Typically provides technical support for internal and external customers.
• Escalates complex problems to higher level of expertise within organization.
• Coordinate and follow up the requests
• Ensure these requests are executed within agreed deadlines in line with the Customer Service Level Agreement
• Prioritizing and understanding the implications of requests and consequent – multiple – actions that need to be taken
• To ensure correct communication towards team members in terms of daily team work, sharing information, sharing workload, adjusting schedules and holidays with the relevant back up persons.
• To ensure the client is kept continuously and proactively informed on the progress of the submitted requests and that client relationship is developed and maintained.
• Ensure clear and polite telephone and e – mail communication
• Understanding the requests and their applications
• To ensure that any revealed process gaps or improvement ideas.
Hourly rate is $7.50 – $11.50/hour dependant on experience
Bilingual skills a major plus
Many shifts available

Sr. Graphic Designer

Description:

As part of the Website Division, our Graphic Designers collaborate with the marketing team to develop high-impact, results-oriented, user-friendly graphics for promotional efforts, as well as implementing strategic enhancements to our homepage, store pages, product pages, and more.

Requirements:

• Experience working in a design capacity within the e-commerce industry
• Exposure to User Experience and Interaction design
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Fireworks.
• SEO, AJAX and JavaScript a huge plus.
• Proficient in Mac or PC environments.
• Experience with Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of design functionality methodologies
• Experience developing creative design solutions that are on strategy and aligned with brand guidelines.
• Strong design portfolio. Good understanding of typography, form, color theory, etc.
• Understanding of what makes for a good online design
• Highly detail oriented
• Ability to coordinate, cooperate and communicate effectively with business owners on projects.
• Works quickly and responds well to high-pressure deadlines.
• 5+ years of web design experience is preferred.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Design or related field is preferred.

Employers know as well as job seekers do that it’s still tough out there, and it seems they would be kind to overlook job seekers’ most innocent of mistakes, like spilling coffee on the boss’s suit, or letting it slip that “snugglebear” was one’s childhood nickname, or calling the hiring manager “Dad” in a moment of flustered introductions (No? Never happened to you?).

In a labor market where a single open position may receive resumes from hundreds of applicants, however, there are certain mistakes employers won’t — or shouldn’t — brush off. But which mistakes are blips — and which are total blunders? You be the judge, as CareerBuilder’s latest survey, conducted by Harris Interactive© among more than 3,000 employers, takes a closer look at candidates’ biggest interview mistakes – straight from the HR employees and hiring managers who experienced them.

What are the most harmful interview mistakes, according to hiring managers?

It’s hard to believe candidates would risk pulling out the iPhone during an interview to answer a text about Friday night plans, but it does happen. The mistakes below are surefire ways for candidates not to get the job, according to the majority of employers surveyed:

• Answering a cell phone or texting: 77 percent
• Appearing disinterested: 75 percent
• Dressing inappropriately: 72 percent
• Appearing arrogant: 72 percent
• Talking negatively about current or previous employers: 67 percent
• Chewing gum: 63 percent

Employers’ most memorable interview experiences

There are your run-of-the-mill “Don’ts” for interviews — and then there are some that are a bit more unusual. While, as we’ve said before, strange interview tactics can be a smart move, the tactics must show how a candidate will contribute to a company or display their strengths somehow. Do any of the tactics below pass that test for you?

• Candidate brought a “how to interview book” with him to the interview.
• Candidate asked, “What company is this again?”
• Candidate put the interviewer on hold during a phone interview. When she came back on the line, she told the interviewer she had a date set up for Friday.
• When a candidate interviewing for a security position wasn’t hired on the spot, he graffitied the building.
• Candidate wore a Boy Scout uniform and never told interviewers why.
• Candidate was arrested by federal authorities during the interview when a background check revealed the person had an outstanding warrant.
• Candidate talked about promptness as one of her strengths after showing up ten minutes late.
• On the way to the interview, candidate passed, cut-off, and flipped middle finger to driver who happened to be the interviewer.
• Candidate referred to himself in the third person.
• Candidate took off shoes during interview.
• Candidate asked for a sip of the interviewer’s coffee.
• A mature candidate told the interviewer she wasn’t sure if the job offered was worth “starting the car for.”

 Take a moment to reassess

It’s important for job seekers to keep in mind that with so many others applying to the position they want, every misstep can matter — and they need to be presentable, prepared, and courteous to those interviewing them, above all else. While many of the examples above show a lack of these qualities, it’s also important for hiring managers to remember to put themselves in candidates’ shoes for a moment (as seen above, possibly even literally), to reassess the situation.

What would your advice be to candidates on what NOT to do if they hope to ace the interview?

Our client, the largest direct-Marketer of replacement contact lenses in the United States is hiring a HighJump Software Engineer.

Responsibilities:

The Software Engineer is responsible for providing technology direction leadership in the analysis, design, development, and delivery of internal company software applications and infrastructure with the emphasis on the warehouse management system (WMS).

Responsibilities include:

• Participate in all aspects of software development including requirements analysis, task estimation and sizing, technical investigation, software design and implementation, testing, and deployment.
• Work on the HighJump WMS system
• Work with other team members in a paired-programming environment to develop quality C#/.NET, T-SQL code.
• Follow Agile / XP development methodology and ensure compliance within group.
• Working closely with other business departments within the company.
• Estimating and meeting assigned development goals and target delivery dates.
• May need to work occasional off hours/weekends to support 24×7 production systems.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Must have proven software development experience using HighJump.
• Must have proven MSSQL T-SQL skills and experience
• Bachelors preferred (Computer Science or other engineering/scientific field).
• Software development experience using high level object oriented languages such as C# (ideal), .Net, C++, or Java is preferred.
• Experience with Service Oriented Architectures, Web Services, WCF and multi-tier distributed systems is preferred.
• Experience in agile development methodologies is a plus.
• Must be detail oriented along with strong analytical ability.
• Must have ability to quickly learn new skills and systems.
• Must have high standard of customer service and quality.
• Must have ability to work and communicate well with others in a collaborative technology team environment.
• Must be independently motivated with a focus on task completion.
• Must have a proactive outlook to anticipate and plan future needs and solutions.

Personal Qualities:

• Must have a passion for Software Engineering and delivery of results.
• Must have a hunger to learn and progress.
• Must have high standards of professionalism.
• Must be a team player and enjoy working with others
• Must have leadership qualities.
• Must take on ownership and accountability.
• Have fun.

Our client, a 90-year leader in global transportation is interested in hiring a Java Web Developer.

Primary responsibilities include all or a combination of the following.

• Java Web Application Design and Development
• Analyze and evaluate IT projects
• Develop project plans and strategy
• Build new and enhance existing software applications

Responsibilities:

Required Technical Experience:
• 3+ years Hands-on Java web development experience
• SpringMVC, JSP, JSTL, JQuery, JPA, Maven experience
• Proven track record of accomplishing organizational goals
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, problem solving skills

Qualifications:

Preferred Experience:
• Bachelor of Science in Information Technology or Computer Science
• Java, Spring, JSP, JSTL, JQuery, JPA, Maven
• SQL Server

Additional Experience:
• OOD/OOP skills and experience applying modern design patterns
• Knowledge Relational Database Design
• Technical Certifications
• Agile, (Scrum, Crystal, eXtreme Programming – XP) experience

Self Starter

Strong inter-personal management skills

Application Support Specialist

Primary Job Description:

Assist Account Team and Content Team with issue identification and triage.
Serve as liaison between the client facing teams and the Tech Team.
Provide top level report to managing directors on the issues being managed.
Keep managing directors updated on current major issues.
Participate in creating and monitoring backlog stories for issues under your responsibility.
Participate in process improvements which enhance issue management and the overall the customer support process including customer satisfaction.

Required Skills:

Knowledgeable of web technologies such as HTTP, FTP, HTML, Javascript
Knowledge of popular computer operating systems such as Windows, MacOs and Linux.
Familiarity with mobile devices and apps such as iPad, iPhone and Android.
Must be familiar with bug tracking and issue tracking systems.
Must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Familiar with software development methodologies such as Agile.
Ability to provide preventive as well as corrective input on issues.
Familiarity with Net Promoter Score (NPS) concepts.

Desired Traits:

Must have excellent critical thinking skills and ability to troubleshoot and determine the root cause of issues.
Must have a customer centric attitude when working with peers and internal customers.
Be willing to correspond with customers directly by phone, email or chat (if necessary) in order to help understand and resolve issues.
Comfortable dealing with a high volume of inquiries simultaneously.
Smart enthusiastic individual with a can-do attitude.
These are a plus:

5+ years in a customer support role.
Knowledge of computer programming languages is a plus.
Professional or education background in computer science.
Background in Quality Assurance.

Email resumes to: trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Parallel HR Solutions, INC
Business Development Manager, Staffing
Location: NYC

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for building and managing their own book of business, both through new client acquisition as well as farming existing clients for new business in either our Technology or Retail & Supply Chain verticals. In new client acquisition, the BDM will target organizations nationally in need of staffing resources through aggressive networking, cold-calling, and needs based selling. The BDM will also acquire new business with existing clients by leveraging current relationships and services that Parallel is providing them to uncover additional needs for technical resources throughout their organization.

The ideal candidate will be passionate and aggressive about growing the business and should be accustomed to interfacing with key decision makers. This individual will be responsible for all phases of the sales cycle including prospecting and identifying new potential clients, introductions and scheduling meetings with key decision makers, presentation of services, contract review and negotiations, establishing and driving processes and delivery of services.

Day-to-day responsibilities include:
• Work closely with President of Sales to build and expand clientele.
• Recruit new clients nationally through sourcing, evaluating and recruiting new potential clientele.
• Leverage personal network and/or other networks to identify and pursue opportunities.
• Cold calling and client visits, identifying decision makers, and working through the sales process to close business.
• Develop strategies to engage potential clients in their designated vertical.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment by developing, engaging and maintaining a short and long-term forecast and an action plan to achieve them.
• Showcase the company’s capabilities, benefits, and value proposition in all interactions and work effectively to deliver these key messages to the market place.
• Manage partnership pricing, negotiations, and interview processes.
• Responsible for identifying the competitive service strengths and weaknesses of the company and making recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Stay current on industry trends and coordinate with management team to participate in networking events and forums for knowledge acquisition and business development.
• Responsible for other duties including: sales presentations, writing sales propositions, implementing, creating and adding to existing marketing materials.
Qualifications:
• 2-3 years experience in sales and business development
• 1+ year experience in staffing, recruitment, or professional services sales highly preferred
• 1+ year experience in high volume, cold calling sales environment
• Knowledge of clients needs in technical verticals and environments highly preferred
• A strong interest in selling to technical or retail clients and audiences
• Exceptional interpersonal relationship and verbal skills; including phone and in-person presentation skills
• Experience building a book of business from the ground up involving all aspects of the sales process
• A proven track record in achieving targeted sales results or quota
• Strong follow up skills, motivated to break into new accounts through continuous effort
• Solid business management skills
• Experience managing multiple, competing priorities, duties and/or projects.
• Strong decision-making, organizational, planning and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent project-management and time-management skills.
• Ability to work well independently and within a team environment.
• PC proficiency and solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel)
• Bachelors Degree in Business or related field or equivalent experience strongly preferred.

Email resumes to: bethany.canner@parallelhr.com

Parallel HR Solutions, INC
Business Development Manager, Technical Staffing
Location: NYC

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for building and managing their own book of business, both through new client acquisition as well as farming existing clients for new business in the technical vertical. In new client acquisition, the BDM will target organizations nationally in need of technical staffing resources through aggressive networking, cold-calling, and needs based selling. The BDM will also acquire new business with existing clients by leveraging current relationships and services that Parallel is providing them to uncover additional needs for technical resources throughout their organization.

The ideal candidate will be passionate and aggressive about growing the business and should be accustomed to interfacing with key decision makers. This individual will be responsible for all phases of the sales cycle including prospecting and identifying new potential clients, introductions and scheduling meetings with key decision makers, presentation of services, contract review and negotiations, establishing and driving processes and delivery of services.

Day-to-day responsibilities include:
• Work closely with President of Sales to build and expand clientele.
• Recruit new clients nationally through sourcing, evaluating and recruiting new potential clientele.
• Leverage personal network and/or other networks to identify and pursue opportunities.
• Cold calling and client visits, identifying decision makers, and working through the sales process to close business.
• Develop strategies to engage potential clients in the technical vertical.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment by developing, engaging and maintaining a short and long-term forecast and an action plan to achieve them.
• Showcase the company’s capabilities, benefits, and value proposition in all interactions and work effectively to deliver these key messages to the market place.
• Manage partnership pricing, negotiations, and interview processes.
• Responsible for identifying the competitive service strengths and weaknesses of the company and making recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Stay current on industry trends and coordinate with management team to participate in networking events and forums for knowledge acquisition and business development.
• Responsible for other duties including: sales presentations, writing sales propositions, implementing, creating and adding to existing marketing materials.
Qualifications:
• 2-3 years experience in sales and business development
• 1+ year experience in staffing, recruitment, or professional services sales highly preferred
• 1+ year experience in high volume, cold calling sales environment
• Knowledge of clients needs in technical verticals and environments highly preferred
• A strong interest in selling to technical clients and audiences (ie: Engagement Manager, Delivery Managers, CTO, etc).
• Exceptional interpersonal relationship and verbal skills; including phone and in-person presentation skills
• Experience building a book of business from the ground up involving all aspects of the sales process
• A proven track record in achieving targeted sales results or quota
• Strong follow up skills, motivated to break into new accounts through continuous effort
• Solid business management skills
• Experience managing multiple, competing priorities, duties and/or projects.
• Strong decision-making, organizational, planning and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent project-management and time-management skills.
• Ability to work well independently and within a team environment.
• PC proficiency and solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel)
• Bachelors Degree in Business or related field or equivalent experience strongly preferred.

Email bethany.canner@parallelhr.com

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for building and managing their own book of business, both through new client acquisition as well as farming existing clients for new business. This person will primarily be selling our services to clients in the retail, supply-chain, and marketing industries, as well as other non-technology industries. In new client acquisition, the BDM will target organizations nationally who are in need of staffing and recruitment services through aggressive networking, cold-calling, and needs based selling. The BDM will also acquire new business with existing clients by leveraging current relationships and services that Parallel is providing them to uncover additional needs for resources throughout their organization.

The ideal candidate will be passionate and aggressive about growing the business and should be accustomed to interfacing with key decision makers. They will also have a keen interest in the retail and similar industries and have the ability to connect with like-minded individuals and leaders in these types of organization. This individual will be responsible for all phases of the sales cycle including prospecting and identifying new potential clients, introductions and scheduling meetings with key decision makers, presentation of services, contract review and negotiations, establishing and driving processes and delivery of services.

Day-to-day responsibilities include:
• Work closely with President of Sales to build and expand clientele.
• Recruit new clients nationally through sourcing, evaluating and recruiting new potential clientele.
• Leverage personal network and/or other networks to identify and pursue opportunities.
• Cold calling and client visits, identifying decision makers, and working through the sales process to close business.
• Develop strategies to engage potential clients in the appropriate verticals.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment by developing, engaging and maintaining a short and long-term forecast and an action plan to achieve them.
• Showcase the company’s capabilities, benefits, and value proposition in all interactions and work effectively to deliver these key messages to the market place.
• Manage partnership pricing, negotiations, and interview processes.
• Responsible for identifying the competitive service strengths and weaknesses of the company and making recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Stay current on industry trends and coordinate with management team to participate in networking events and forums for knowledge acquisition and business development.
• Responsible for other duties including: sales presentations, writing sales propositions, implementing, creating and adding to existing marketing materials.
Qualifications:
• 2-3 years experience in sales and business development
• 1+ year experience in staffing, recruitment, or professional services sales highly preferred
• 1+ year experience in high volume, cold calling sales environment
• Knowledge of clients needs in retail and similar verticals and environments highly preferred
• A strong interest in selling to retail and fashion clients and audiences (ie: GMM’s, DMM’s, Directors in Planning, Buying, Product Development, etc)
• Exceptional interpersonal relationship and verbal skills; including phone and in-person presentation skills
• Experience building a book of business from the ground up involving all aspects of the sales process
• A proven track record in achieving targeted sales results or quota
• Strong follow up skills, motivated to break into new accounts through continuous effort
• Experience managing multiple, competing priorities, duties and/or projects.
• Strong decision-making, organizational, planning and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent project-management and time-management skills.
• Ability to work well independently and within a team environment.
• PC proficiency and solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office (MS Word, Excel)
• Bachelors Degree in Business or related field or equivalent experience strongly preferred.

EMAIL RESUMES TO: bethany.canner@parallelhr.com

Our client, a world leader in client and employee recognition services and programs is seeking an ETL Developer.

REQUIREMENTS:

Strong background with Extract Transform and Load process.
Minimum of 1 year experience with SAP Business Objects Data Services.
5 plus years experience with Oracle, Database Warehousing and PL SQL.
EXPERIENCE WITH FOLLOWING Business Objects Data Services (BODS) SKILLS:

Designer Interface
Projects and Jobs
Datastores
File formats
Data Flows
Work Flows
Nested Data
Embedded Data Flows
Variables and Parameters
Executing Jobs
Design and Debug
Recovery Mechanisms
Techniques for Capturing Changed Data
Monitoring Jobs
Transforms
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Email resumes to: trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Description:

In addition to the skills and responsibilities, a Front End Developer maximizes availability, accessibility, and utility of content and services for all users worldwide. They are able to create rich, stable JavaScript CSS, and HTML frameworks for other front end developers to use. Front End Developers Can evaluate 3rd party plug-in and code to determine it’s viability for an intended project and is able to customize, reverse Developer, or develop from scratch if needed. They know how to effectively utilize the browser cache and cookies. They also provide internal documentation for their utilities, applications, and frameworks. A Front End Developer is well equipped to provide progressive enhancements to web applications rather than provide for apps and utilities to degrade gracefully. They are very skilled at writing unobtrusive JavaScript, have little or no JavaScript in the HTML and do not pollute the global namespace. Front End Developers are experts at optimizing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for high performance.

Responsibilities:

Responsible for maintaining and front-end coding of the following areas:

 Work with different development and QA teams to code HTML/CSS mockups, test, and verify projects through development process.

 Oversee site optimization for SEO, cleaner and concise code, and code weight.

 Act as Liaison between creative department and NOC and IT. May have to work off-hours when issues come up.

 Update internal documentation when new tools are available for designers to use and distribute the information to web designers and their managers.

 Create reusable HTML and CSS modules

Requirements:

 Portfolio and/or links of recent project examples

 3+ years of professional website coding experience

 Expert with HTML/CSS, web standards, best practices and writing clean, semantic code

 Proficient with javascript, good knowledge of jQuery and creating/debugging jQuery plugins

 Understanding of OO principles, especially with regard to HTML/CSS/JS and creating reusable UI components

 Expert knowledge of browser quirks and creating web apps that are consistent across all major browsers

 Expert troubleshooting and fixing JavaScript/HTML/CSS cross-browser bugs and using debug tools such as firebug

 Experience optimizing front end code for performance/speed

 Experience optimizing front end code for SEO

 Experience developing with an IDE such as Eclipse, using SVN and working on web projects in a team environment – meeting deadlines

 Ability to code detailed, functional pages from mockups in collaboration with web designers

 Ability to work with java developers to integrate front end code with server side technology

 Working knowledge of HTML5, CSS3 and current trends

Bonus Skills:

 B.S./B.A. Computer Science or related field

 Experience with HTML/CSS/JS development for mobile platforms

 Experience with Flash/Flex/Actionscript 3.0 programming

 Experience working with web services

 Experience integrating third party/vendor code

 Understanding of JS design patterns and front end architecture

 Experience with tools such as Yslow, Google Page Speed, GomezPerformance Portal, Charles or httpwatch

Contact trevor.smith@parallelhr.com to submit a resumes or for more information

Our client has been a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of advanced gaming products and gaming systems for the global gaming industry for more than 75 years. Because of this, they can offer qualified candidates a variety of exciting and challenging career opportunities on the cutting edge of innovation.

Currently, we are seeking an iGaming Platform Server Developer for their Las Vegas or Reno, Nevada or Pleasonton, CA offices.

Job Summary:

Maintain and develop new features for the server-side Remote Gaming Systems to support Internet, in-casino server-based gaming, and traditional slot cabinets

Responsibilities:

Maintain and develop components of the server-side Framework, Wallet, and other components of our client’s iGaming and Remote Gaming Server platform.
Support internal consumers of the iGaming and Remote Gaming Server platform
Coordinate with other System teams on integrating the iGaming and Remote Gaming Server platform with our casino systems.
Develop interfaces to iGaming platforms and specific casino portals.
Provide the technical liaison with the 3rd party platform provider, receiving and merging updates.
Work with internal and external stakeholders, to develop, write, and review product requirements.
Develop specifications documents from the product requirements or review product specifications from 3rd party platform provider.
Develop, write, and review product design documents.
Review feature designs from 3rd party platform provider.
Follow the designed software practices, including any required documentation, code reviews, etc.

Experience Level:

5 or more years of software development experience designing and developing object-oriented internet server applications.
5 or more years of software development experience designing and developing frameworks for other software development teams, experience with game development frameworks a plus
5 or more years of experience with ASP.NET, JavaScript, XML, XML Schemas, C# or other Web Services technology development.
1 year of experience advanced application of TCP/IP and communication protocols used in distributed systems and wide-area network applications.
1 year of experience modeling and design using UML for database design, application design, network security, data engineering, infrastructure and security.
3 or more years of experience with agile software development methodologies (e.g. Agile, XP, SCRUM)
Any additional experience client technologies a plus (e.g. Flash, ActionScript 3, HTML 5, Flash CS5+)
Must have iGaming experience

Technical Skills:

Proficient in C# .NET 4.0 (Visual Studio), C++ a plus.

Proficient in Windows operating system, ASP.NET, Model View Controller patterns, HTML, XML, SOAP, Web Services

Experience in creating and interpreting UML using Enterprise Architect.

Experience in inter-process communication and multiprocessing programming

Experience in communications and TCP/IP.

Proficient in Internet development tools (Microsoft IIS, ASP.NET, JavaScript, Ajax)

Strong working knowledge of relational database systems (SQL Server) and ability to design database schemas and interface with applications using ADO.NET, LINQ, and JSON.

Knowledge of non-relational databases a plus

Ability to interpret technology and operational requirements.

Bachelors in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related discipline. Masters preferred.

Must be able to obtain and hold a Nevada Gaming Card

Email resumes to trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Our client has been a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of advanced gaming products and gaming systems for the global gaming industry for more than 75 years. Because of this, they can offer qualified candidates a variety of exciting and challenging career opportunities on the cutting edge of innovation.

Currently, we are seeking an iGaming Platform Architect for their Las Vegas or Reno, Nevada or Pleasonton, CA offices

Job Summary:

Work with company stakeholders in identifying, implementing and conceptualizing applications or services that will best prepare the company to meet Internet-related goals. Take a leadership role in overseeing the architecture of advanced and long term Remote Gaming and iGaming platform products as directed by Leadership.

Responsibilities:

Articulate the architectural vision for iGaming and Remote Gaming Server platforms to development teams.
Work to insure that they have firm understanding of the online-casino business domain
Monitor new trends in technology development in general and specific to the gaming industry
Create technology roadmaps
Determine opportunities to differentiate from the competition
Consultant/mentor/coach to development teams
Coordinate with other System architects (CMP, SDS, EBS, and ACSC) on integrating the iGaming and Remote Gaming Server platforms with our casino systems.
Solicit input from customers to determine stakeholder values, concerns and goals
Conceptualizes and experiments with alternative architectural approaches
Validate architecture against requirements and changes
Create conceptual models
Assess trade-offs involved with alternative development approaches
Work with internal and external stakeholders to develop, write, and review product requirements and to develop, write, and review product design documents.
Write architecture and design documents from the product specifications or review architecture and feature designs from 3rd party platform providers.
May assist on the development of server-side or client-side frameworks

Experience Level:

Minimum of 10 years of software development experience designing and developing object-oriented internet applications.
Minimum of 3 years of architecture experience designing and developing large scale Internet deployments
Minimum of 5 years of experience with Internet and database development technologies.
3 years of experience advanced application of TCP/IP and communication protocols used in distributed systems and wide-area network applications.
4 years of experience modeling and design using UML for database design, application design, network security, data engineering, infrastructure and security.
5 years of experience with agile software development methodologies (e.g. Agile, XP, SCRUM)
Must have iGaming experience

Technical Skills:

Proficient in various large scale Internet systems architectures.

Strong working knowledge of relational database systems (SQL Server) and ability to design database schemas and interface with applications using ADO.NET, LINQ, and JSON.

Strong working knowledge in caching systems and NoSQL databases

Experienced in large scale, cloud deployments and management systems

Proficient in creating and interpreting UML using Enterprise Architect.

Proficient in inter-process communication and multiprocessing programming

Proficient in communications and TCP/IP.

Proficient in Internet development tools

Knowledge and experience in data warehousing

Ability to interpret technology and operational requirements.

Bachelors in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related discipline. Masters preferred.

Must be able to obtain and hold a Nevada Gaming Card

Our client delivers cutting edge software tools (SaaS) essential for success in the Real Estate investment industry. As their product success and company growth continues, they are currently looking to fill the role of Web Application Developer. This is a growing company with a history of success in innovation and executive leadership. They are looking for people who are really interested in technology and contributing to a growing team. If you are ready to work hard, be rewarded, and grow with a team of mentors, this could be the fit for you.

Description

Our Manhattan based client is currently looking for a Web Developer with a background in Microsoft Technologies to support its commercial loan platform and growing client base. Top candidates will have previous experience with Microsoft .NET, AJAX and JavaScript web development.

The Web Developer’s role is to design, code, test, and analyze web applications. This includes researching, designing, documenting, and modifying technical specifications throughout the production lifecycle.

Responsibilities

This individual would work with both business units and other development staff to:

o Participate in applications analysis, design and specification process

o Develop and support .Net web based applications

o Build user interfaces in HTML, JavaScript and CSS

o Develop queries and stored procedures to interact with the database

o Maintain and extend existing tools and applications

o Develop new tools and applications to support the business unit

o Integrate 3rd party tools with the company platform

o Identify and implement new features from the .Net framework

o Follow coding practices and standards for code development

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree

2-5 years of experience with Microsoft .Net Framework (ASP.Net in C# and VB.Net), and Microsoft SQL Server (2005 & 2008)

Recommended Skills

Experience with Microsoft C# or VB .NET programming

Experience with JavaScript, AJAX and XML

Experience with Microsoft SQL Server

Experience with JQuery, HTML5/CSS3 and front-end development a plus

Experience with Web Services (WCF & ASMX) a plus

Experience with Entity Framework or LINQ to SQL working knowledge a plus

For consideration, please email reumes to: trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Job duties & responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Develop and maintain web based applications using HTML, Javascript, CSS, C# and Asp.net frameworks
Develop and maintain class libraries and business processes written in C#
Develop and maintain Database code using T-Sql
Work within an agile development environment with ability to clearly communicate with other team members and stakeholders

Job Requirements:

Bachelor degree in computer science or related field from an accredited university or technical institute preferred; may consider candidates without a degree given applicable work experience
Technical Skills:
Required:
Strong C# development including experience using Asp.Net frameworks
HTML
CSS
Javascript / DOM / DHTML
Sql Server / T-SQL experience (preferably SQL 2008).
Preferred:
Knowledge of Asp.net MVC 2.0 is a huge plus
Knowledge of W3C standards based web development
Knowledge of and experience using Javascript frameworks for UI and Ajax programming (jQuery, JSON, YUI, etc)
Windows Communication Foundation / WCF
SSIS / SSRS
Microsoft Workflow Foundation / WF. (WF version 4.0 a plus)
Experience in Agile / TDD environment
Design Pattern and knowledge of object model design a plus
Must have experience in full life cycle web and application development
Strong database design and programming with SQL Server.
Good analytical skills and design skills
Strong verbal and written communication and presentation skills

SEND RESUMES TO: trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Summary

Manage and design corporate server and storage infrastructure.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Manage, Configure, and Support Hitachi USPVM, USPV, and VSP storage platforms. Including LUN allocation, Storage Groups, Multi-site replication,
Manage and Configure EMC VMAX storage platform. Including LUN allocation, Storage Groups, Multi-site replication, and EMC Recover Point applications and hardware.
Manage and Configure Brocade fiber switches and WAN routers. Including setup and configuration of HBA’s, Switch ports, Zoning, etc.
Assist and support Microsoft Windows SQL Clusters, File Shares, VMWare ESXi, and VMWare LabManager storage environments.
Use 3rd party software to Manage, Configure, and support SAN and Switch hardware. Including but not limited to HDS DLM, SANSurfer, and TSM.
Work with IT, Engineering, QA, Operations, DBA, Technical Writers and other departments to create, document, and improve processes, procedures, and policy’s that are related to company storage environment.

Qualifications, Education, and/or Experience:

5+ years implementing and administrating Hitachi SAN solutions.
5+ years experience administrating Microsoft Windows Server clusters and web farms in a large scale enterprise environment.
College degree or equivalent.
Extensive knowledge and working experience with Server 2008, Clustering, Brocade Fiber Switch, QLogig HBA, Emulex CNA, Cisco Nexus are preferred.

Our client, a leading pathology and laboratory billing services firm, is looking for an experienced Java engineer. This person will be responsible to design and implement scalable enhancements to the client’s existing proprietary software system and will also be responsible to manage projects and analyze performance within those enhancements.

“Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/parallelhr to be kept up to date on new job positions!

This person will be responsible for contributing to company’s core code and product line.

Duties may include:

New application development

Legacy code maintenance

Code review, correction, bug-fixing

Strategy for products and architecture moving forward

Required Skills/Experience include:

Java

JSP, Servlets

Struts (1.1 preferred)

Log 4 j

MySQL (T-SQL)

Exceptional communication skills

Business analysis skills and acumen

This position offers the option of working from a home office, but will require travel (mostly schedule, but some unscheduled travel may also be required). The ideal candidate will be able to work on complex projects as a hands-on contributor, be able to communicate with business professionals and C level executives. Additional experience in project management is also beneficial.

Our client, a rapidly growing company that provides information technology services and business solutions to clients across the country, is currently looking for a PHP/LAMP Developer to join their software development team to assist with designing, building, and maintaining their software systems and in the development of highly interactive web applications. This entails full life-cycle development, which will involve new development and modifying existing code.

You will be working with an A-team of excellent designers and developers, contributing in everything from the design phase to the delivery of scalable and high quality web applications.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Extensive knowledge of PHP, MYSQL, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, XML

Strong experience using LAMP architecture

Deep understanding of and experience in Object-oriented design (OOD)

Working knowledge of AJAX

Good command of Javascript and JavaScript-based tools and components (jQuery in particular)

Must be familiar with MVC model and templating engines such as Smarty

Extensive experience with creating and consuming web services

Experience with a wide range of web development technologies and frameworks

DESIRED QUALITIES

Ability to rapidly develop high availability, high quality and fast PHP applications

Work in a dynamic, fast-moving environment

Excellent analytical problem solving skills

Detail Oriented

Able to work well in a team and within existing development standards

Able to take feedback constructively

Experience with other scripting and programming languages (Java, C, Pearl, Python, etc) a plus!

Experience with creative visual presentation of complex data is a plus

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

B.S. Computer Science or equivalent experience

4+ years web application development experience, with at least the last 2 years focusing on web application design and hands-on development in a PHP/MYSQL environment.

Summary:

Our client is looking for a Sr. SQL Server DBA. This position will provide advanced support of the database (DBA), take the lead on DBA assigned projects, and report on and implement system health and reliability. Other duties include: analyze and report on database performance, reliability and scalability; troubleshoot and maintain SQL databases; respond to emergencies with the production systems databases; design and implement database schema; develop ad hoc reports in Reporting Services systems. Position will also maintain replication of databases.

Duties:

Provide Database Administration for the SQL databases/servers.
Create needed Operations reports on SQL database.
Create needed Operations Reports coordinating Operations with System capacity and utilization.
Analyzes, develops and implements disaster recovery plans for DBs.
Be able to normalize and denormalize databases as appropriate.
Collaborates and consults with users, system administrators, and systems programmers to overcome significant operational and/or technical issues and problems.
Perform/Manage database systems maintenance.
Manage and maintain SQL replication and transformation services.
Perform database security maintenance on production servers.
Report on system health, scale-abilitiy, and capacity of databases.
Development
Takes the lead on DBA projects

Qualifications:

College degree
Minimum of 4 years DBA experience
Minimum of 6 years overall IT experience
Task Management Experience
Enterprise DBA and Data Warehouse experience

Our dynamic NY based client is looking for a Test Engineer with ability to work in a rapid delivery environment that employs an Agile/SCRUM development methodology. A successful candidate will have had experience in web applications testing, test planning, test case development, bug tracking, post release followup, and internal support. The candidate must be able to clearly articulate issues to the QA Manager and to the development team. Awesome environment.

Requirements:

5+ years experience with web applications testing
3+ years experience in a programming language (ie ruby)
Experience testing eCommerce functionality
Must have a firm operating understanding of HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols, Webservers and Web Clients
Ability to design, write and implement test cases, and SQL queries

Ability to test front-end and back-end functionality equally as effective

Report and track problems by providing reproducible test cases, and working with other product team members to close bug reports
Interface with Account Executives to provide support and gain insight into client facing support issues

Provide the Test Lead with accurate estimates for designing and executing test cases within the context of a SCRUM sprint
Must be able to work closely with Software Engineers and understand basic programming concepts

Exposure to, and basic understanding of PERL programming language

Must be proficient in Linux
Understanding of markup languages such as HTML, MHTML, YAML, etc.

Desired Skills:

Experience working with automation tools such as Selenium or QTP
Experience in PERL scripting
Experience with Python

Our client delivers cutting edge software tools (SaaS) essential for success in the Real Estate investment industry. As their product success and company growth continues, they are currently looking to fill the role of Web Application Developer. This is a growing company with a history of success in innovation and executive leadership. They are looking for people who are really interested in technology and contributing to a gowing team. If you are ready to work hard, be rewarded, and grow with a team of mentors, this could be the fit for you.

Description

Our Manhattan based client is currently looking for a Web Developer with a background in Microsoft Technologies to support its commercial loan platform and growing client base. Top candidates will have previous experience with Microsoft .NET, AJAX and JavaScript web development.

The Web Developer’s role is to design, code, test, and analyze web applications. This includes researching, designing, documenting, and modifying technical specifications throughout the production lifecycle.

Responsibilities

This individual would work with both business units and other development staff to:

o Participate in applications analysis, design and specification process

o Develop and support .Net web based applications

o Build user interfaces in HTML, JavaScript and CSS

o Develop queries and stored procedures to interact with the database

o Maintain and extend existing tools and applications

o Develop new tools and applications to support the business unit

o Integrate 3rd party tools with the Rockport platform

o Identify and implement new features from the .Net framework

o Follow coding practices and standards for code development

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree

2-5 years of experience with Microsoft .Net Framework (ASP.Net in C# and VB.Net), and Microsoft SQL Server (2005 & 2008)

Recommended Skills

Experience with Microsoft C# or VB .NET programming

Experience with JavaScript, AJAX and XML

Experience with Microsoft SQL Server

Experience with JQuery, HTML5/CSS3 and front-end development a plus

Experience with Web Services (WCF & ASMX) a plus

Experience with Entity Framework or LINQ to SQL working knowledge a plus

FOR CONSIDERATION, CONTACT trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Job Description / Responsibilities

Proactive, dynamic, entrepreneurial mindset applied to systems and IT initiatives
Maintenance and backup of employee Windows-based workstations; installation and maintenance of hardware – hands on tasks such as installing drives, memory chips and other various cards in employee workstations and servers
Installation and maintenance of companies analyst environment, including Windows XP/7, AV software, Oracle personal server, proprietary java based tools and software upgrades per guidance of development team
Maintain Wiki and Bug tracking applications
Support VOIP Telephony system
Onsite, day-to-day immediate support for analysts and other companies personnel
Local/remote installation of VM servers and VM images, including client interaction and guidance
Manage corporate FTP site and client FTP account management
Manage corporate website infrastructure
Assistance in planning and implementing demanding security schemes
Preparation and maintenance of standard operating procedures and documentation for the Company’s data environment
Participation in Company’s data mining technology planning, implementation and testing
Apply company policies and procedures
Qualifications

At least 3-4 years deep, hands-on information systems administration experience
Remote administration experience
Strong communication/relationship skills
Linux, MySQL knowledge a plus
Highly organized, detail-oriented

Please contact trevor.smith@parallelhr.com for more information or to send a resume.

JAVA DEVELOPERS

Job Summary:

We are currently seeking Java Developers for our client in Reno, NV. The person in this position is responsible for development, designing, testing, coding and integrating software products. Provides support to and works alongside other engineers to create innovative products. Works to identify and implement testing application and service that best prepare the company to meet future business goals

Duties

Utilizes technical knowledge to write and complete software tasks and projects
Researches new technologies and incorporates them into new systems and products
Takes initiative in leading projects, delegating responsibilities, and collaborating with others
Tests, integrates, writes, troubleshoots, and debugs software applications
Responsible for the architecture and implementation of critical software components and games; uses company standards and applies design principals and patterns to develop robust software
Works closely with other engineers to provide guidance and assistance in the areas of software architecture, coding standards, and system related issues
May act as team mentor in a multi-person development team
May supervise and verify the work of engineers, designers, draftsmen, or technician

Experience:

Five or more years of professional experience in a software development team

Five or more years of experience with build automation, continuous integration, unit test, change management and configuration management

Minimum of 2 year’s experience with software methodologies

Experience with either software engineering/embedded software/computer/electrical engineer experience with software exposure

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:

Must have a strong Java skill set with knowledge of Jboss, Tomcat, EJB, JMS, Hibernate, SQL Server and Windows platform.

Any experience with UNIX, DB2, Eclipse RCP, Web Services and Jasper Reports is a plus.

A strong working knowledge of SQL

Provides support to and works alongside other engineers to create innovative products.

Works to identify and implement testing application and service that best prepare the company to meet future business goals.

Reviews and repairs legacy code as needed

Strong knowledge of software architecture and programming

Demonstrated knowledge of PC operating systems, digital equipment components and their discrete parts

Analyzes current programs including performance, diagnosis, troubleshoots and fixes issues

Documents code consistently throughout the development and implementation process

Must have strong and effective inter-personal and communication skills, maintains positive client interactions and interacts professionally with a diverse group of clients and internal teams

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions

Ability to manage issues requiring problem resolution and conflict management

Ability to work with others to accomplish business objectives

Basic Microsoft Office skills

Must be able to obtain a gaming license

Must have the ability to travel to customer sites at short notice both domestically and internationally up to 50%

Education: Bachelor’s or Associate’s Degree/Equivalent in Computer science or related field of study or equivalent experience

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE CONTACT: trevor.smith@parallelhr.com

Location of posting – Houston, TX or Seattle, WA
Salary – 110 to 130K on Base
Email resumes to: mahe@parallelhr.com

Key Responsibilities:
• Work with Clients on Portal Projects as Technical Lead/Architect role
• Responsible for overall planning, execution and success of the engagement
• Provide Thought Leadership in the Portal and Content Management Space
• Expert level experience with in .NET enterprise development using SharePoint 2010 / MOSS 2007, ASP.NET, Silverlight etc./ Portal, ECM and Collaboration experience
Technical skills required:
• Extensive experience with SharePoint, XML/Web Services, SOA, UML or Extensive experience with Microsoft .Net and related technologies
• Experience in FAST, excel services, power pivot, SISS, SRSS, WCF, Biztalk Server, SAP integration with SharePoint is an added advantage
• Solid Web Portal experience.
• Solid Experience on Web Content Managmenet, Document Management or Enterprise Content Management
• Experience with SQL Server
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience in delivering large enterprise level applications
Behavioral Skills:
• Should be strong in conceptualizing and problem solving
• Structured thinking and decision making
• Team leading skills with ability to present to senior management
• Provide Mentoring to Junior Team members through knowledge share and reviews
• Strong verbal and written communication with good exposure to working in a cross cultural environment
• Should be able to mentor a team of technical architects of 5 and be able to network with Client technology leaders, Directors, VP, etc.
• Thought leader, participate in calls /relationships with analysts for the above areas. Identify and create patentable artifacts, guides and author papers and POV. Present POV at internal and external forums.
• Leverage the project experience to develop solutions based on industry research
Experience level:
• Technology Architect – Minimum 8 years,

Parallel HR Solutions is looking to secure several Help Desk and Technical Support Analysts to provide world class technical support for a leading global organization. The designated worksite is in Salt Lake City, UT. Fluency in Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean is highly preferred.

Required:
• Good Windows OS experience (XP, Vista, 7, and CE)
• Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Visio, and Project)
• Associates or Bachelors Degree from an Accredited University

Must also have experience with one or more of the following:
• Account provisioning (creation, deletion, modification, and entitlements) within Exchange
• Working knowledge of Active Directory/NT domains.
• Microsoft Sharepoint
• Citrix Terminal Server troubleshooting
• Mobile technologies (Blackberries, Citrix, VPN)
• Active Directory administration
• Basic networking (DHCP, DNS)
• Audio conferencing and Voice related support
• Administrative tools for Exchange, Email-based Faxing, Mainframe, File Transfer Administration PC hardware knowledge
• Networking and networking hardware—wired and wireless
• Hardware and software diagnosis skills

Bilingual skills ideal

Rate: $17-$19/hour
To apply please email resumes to jake.canner@parallelhr.com

A Global information, communications and technology company is currently seeking an experienced Network Support Engineer for our Utah-based support division.

Job Duties:
• Troubleshoot all Level 1/ 2 Calls from customers.
• Ensure consistent customer satisfaction.
• Document all communication with customers in the CRM.
• Notify/Discuss with TL/Manager on tickets that require assistance.
• Timely handoff ( escalation) of cases that require technical escalation to L3 TAC.
• Plan and constantly work on upgrading tech and product expertise.
• Contribute to the knowledge base/ Tech Forum.

Basic Criteria:
• 3+ years experience in configuration and troubleshooting high-end networks and security appliances.
• The Ideal candidate will be an Engineer, who is a self-starter, with excellent interpersonal, communication, documentation, problem solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Quality focus, result & goal orientation in a group situation, and commitment to customer delight are a must.
• Debugging hardware & software system level problems in a multi-vendor multi-protocol network environment.

Basic Skill Set:
• Good understanding of OSI Model, TCP/IP protocol suite (IP, ARP, ICMP, TCP, UDP, SNMP, FTP, TFTP).
• Experience in VLANS, Tagging – IEEE 802.1q, 802.3ad, 802.1d,802.1w.
• Experience in IPSEC VPN/SSL-VPN/NAT/GRE/
• Experience on routing protocols — RIP V1/V2, OSPF, BGP

Core Skill Set:
• Knowledge on Authentication Protocols like TACAS/RADIUS/802.1x
• Working knowledge on Cisco, Checkpoint, Juniper ,Fortinet, SonicWall, Netscreen
• Experience on troubleshooting tools like Sniffer, Ethereal, Wireshark.
• CCNA, CCNP ,Checkpoint Certification, CCSP certifications will be an added advantage.

Other information:
• Medical/Dental/Vision/401k
• 2 weeks PTO/year + 9 paid holidays
• Continued education opportunities
• Career advancement opportunities
• School-schedule flexibility

FOR FOR INFORMATION OR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE CONTACT jake.canner@parallelhr.com

“There’s a connection between culture and recruiting,” Mike Grennier, Senior Director of Corporate Recruiting for Walmart Stores, Inc., told an audience of hiring resources professionals at the annual  HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas last month.

Grennier was leading a session on virtual interviewing, a practice Walmart began just two years ago in hopes to create a more efficient recruiting process that benefits both company and candidate. They consider the effort a success: Not only has the practice enhanced Walmart’s ability to recruit more candidates across many geographic regions at a fraction of the normal spend, but it also helped them to create a better candidate experience and, in effect, strengthen their employment brand.

“Candidates love that we take the time to do this because it shows that we care about efficiency, and it saves them time,” Grennier says. Not only that, but the effort also makes Walmart stand out from its competitors. “It tells the world we’re being more green.”

Walmart employs two types of video interviewing, depending on the position:

One-way recorded interviews

These interviews act almost like a ‘video resume of sorts: Enlisting the help of an external company’s online interview platform, Walmart sends standardized questions to a group of candidates. The candidates then record their answers and send them back to the hiring managers, who then review and rate the videos based on pre-determined criteria. Walmart then brings in the best interviewees for in-person interviews.  Walmart uses this technique for event-based hiring, volume hiring, campus hiring, and situations involving similar resumes. That is, when they’re interviewing for positions – such as pharmacists – wherein many of the resumes are similar in layout and style; In these cases, video interviews enable them to see if they have a good ‘counterside’ manner, something that wouldn’t come across on a regular resume.

Live, two-way interviewing

When hiring for professional level positions, or doing executive, campus or global recruiting events, Walmart conducts live, two-way interviewing, with the help of another online interview platform service. First, Walmart sends branded webcams to prospective employees. After a tech check to make sure all the equipment is working, a live interview on video can commence. Again, the process enables Walmart to evaluate the candidates virtually bringing them in for in-person interviews. If you’re thinking that the process sounds similar to using Skype, that’s because it is; however,  Walmart finds the benefit to using a third-party company is the additional technical assistance the company receives.  It’s also easier for candidates, too. While many of them may have webcams, they do not necessarily know how to use them or they might be hesitant to download additional software to enable Skype or a similar program.

And as for the results of these efforts, Grennier says the estimated the total savings from these virtual interviews will top $5 million by the end of fiscal year 2012. In addition to the significant cost savings, the practice has also helped lessen the company’s carbon footprint: Since Walmart began virtual interviewing, the company went from using up 623 kg of carbon dioxide to only 17 kg. (In layman’s terms, that’s like taking 315 cars off the road. Mother Earth would be proud, no?)

If others are wondering about the drawbacks to virtual interviewing, Walmart seems to have experienced very few. While Grennier asserts that there are costs up front, they end up being minimal compared to the money saved overall. And while the hassle of utilizing new technologies might scare some companies off, that’s where the third party technology companies come in to assist. Not to mention that these platforms are becoming ever more sophisticated, easier to use and more commonplace. “Before long, people are going to be able to do this on their iPhones,” Grennier says.

For Walmart at least, virtual interviewing isn’t even necessarily so much about being faster and more efficient as a company, so much as it is about the ability to offer candidates a better recruitment experience. “At some point, this will become less of a tech solution and more of a candidate experience solution.”

Get started

CareerBuilder offers an online video interviewing product that enables you to build a custom-branded application with your company logo and candidateswill  feel like they’re interviewing with you. You’ll no longer need to worry about coordinating schedules — both you and candidates have the freedom to use online video interviews on your own time.

Earlier today, while you might’ve been busy vowing never to eat again, voting for your favorite Muppet (Swedish Chef, anyone?), or shopping for that very special Jaleel White fan in your life… Nationally recognized small business expert, speaker and author Jay Goltz was discussing small business hiring trends and best practices for a free webinar titled Hire With Purpose.

In case you were busy with any of the aforementioned activities – or simply want to hear it again – lucky for you, we’ve got two ways to make sure you don’t miss out on the webinar’s great content: Simply download a recording of Hire With Purpose here or keep reading to check out some of Jay’s best sound bytes on the following topics:

On why hiring the right people is crucial…

• “If you want to have a great company, you can’t do so without great people.” Seventy-five percent of management is hiring the right people in the first place, Goltz says. Unfortunately, most small businesses don’t have a hiring protocol, which can be dangerous, when, according to Goltz’s estimates, only 1 out of 10 applicants will be a great hire.
• “People might forgive bad service, but not bad attitude.” Case in point for why you need to have great employees – they are the face of your business. You can’t always account for things going smoothly in the world, but when you have great people in place to deal gracefully with occasional mishaps, your business will be all the better for it.

On three things to do now to hire great employees…

• “Create a compelling ad.” “We want an ad so compelling that makes someone say, ‘That seems like a cool company. I want to check that out.” Great job ads include things like, “You’ll love our culture,” “Our people are valued,” and “our environment is open and challenging with plenty of freedom.” Talk to your current employees to see what they love about working at your company and include that. “You want to inspire people to apply to your company.”
• “Conduct great interviews – or find someone who can.”Ironically, Goltz says, the very qualities that make people great entrepreneurs – a love of talking, the desire to see the best in people – make them terrible interviewers. They often do not dig deep enough to see why someone might not be a good employee. Fortunately, there’s likely someone at your organization who has a talent for the craft and can dig deep to find great employees. A key to conducting great interviews is to ask better questions. Below are some of Goltz’s personal favorites, the answers to which offer insights into a candidate’s personality, work ethic and drive:
•  “Why did you leave your last job?”
• “How did you handle a difficult situation at your last job?”
• “If you were in charge of your last company, what would you change?”
• “Check references. Always.” “Not only is reference-checking one of most important things you can do as part of the hiring process, but it’s also one of most unused resources out there,” Goltz says. Hiring someone without checking references is “like playing with fire.” When checking references, listen for the red flags. Great candidates’ references are often forthcoming with information and compliments; not-so-great candidates, however, have references who are less willing to talk (whether because they don’t want to be unkind or perhaps fear legal ramifications, etc.).  Whatever you do, however, do NOT skip this step, Goltz says. “Trust me, it’s better to make 20 reference calls to guarantee right employee than deal with nightmare of dealing with a bad employee.”

On the crucial first day…

• “Make sure employees walk away from their first day knowing they made the right decision.” Few things are as important to keeping new employees around as giving them a great first day on the job. To ensure this, to the following three things:  Introduce them to everyone they’ll work with; Have their work area prepared for them ahead of time; and have someone take them out to lunch (or take them yourself!)

On one final thought….

• “If you don’t love them, don’t hire them.” I can think of lots of people we weren’t sure about who didn’t work out. If you put a little more time into the front end of hiring, your life will change dramatically. You’ll have less grief in the long run if you hire people you love during the interview process and get great references. Don’t lower your standards.

Did you hear the webinar? What did you think?

Related links:

Hire With Purpose: Q&A With Small Business Expert Jay Goltz

From Q&A to A: The Hiring Manager’s Complete Interviewing Guide

“I’m not looking for great storytellers. I want to figure out what makes people tick and how they operate on the job.” – Jay Goltz

In the following Q&A, small business expert Jay Goltz draws from his experience as an entrepreneur to discuss the lessons he’s learned – often the hard way – about what it really takes to hire and retain the best people to run a successful business (or, in his case, five). On Wednesday, November 9, Jay will host Hire with Purpose, a complimentary webinar to discuss insider tips, takeaways and tactics small business owners can apply right now to ensure they make the right hiring decision for their teams.

In your book, The Street-Smart Entrepreneur, you talk about lessons you learned the hard way. What’s your most memorable lesson in terms of hiring? I once interviewed a sales manager at a retail shop that had five salespeople, and I asked her, “How many people did you go through before hiring those five great salespeople?” And she said, “Just five.” I literally laughed and said, “Either you have much lower standards than I do, or you’re a hiring guru.” I hired her, and she turned out to be a hiring guru. She moved away about 10 years ago, but most of the people she hired while she was here are still with me.

The lesson there is that part of hiring well comes down to who’s doing the interviewing. There are some people who can hit a fast ball and some people who can’t. Likewise, there are some people who are great at interviewing and some who aren’t. There’s some element of natural talent there. And that realization has had a profound impact on my company. It used to be, when I hired, only 30 or 40 percent of the people I hired worked out great, and now it’s up to 80 percent. And that’s because we’re much better at hiring.

At the recent Inc500/5000 Conference, Gilt Group CEO Kevin Ryan mentioned how reference checks are often an underrated virtue of the hiring process. What’s your stance on that? I totally agree with that. Whenever I hear about people who are having problems with an employee, I always ask them, “Tell me how you hired this person.” No one has ever said to me, “I put an ad out, I interviewed a lot of people, I did some really thorough questions, and then I really checked references.” It’s always, “Yeah, I didn’t check references.” So people are getting what they deserve, I’m sorry to say.

The other thing is, when you’re doing reference checks, you have to read between the lines. I had a call in about a designer one time, and the reference just blurted out, “Oh, she’s really talented.” After interviewing [the candidate] some more, I realized she was really neurotic, but the woman I used as a reference clearly didn’t want to say that. All of a sudden, it made sense why the reference didn’t say, “She’s great. You should hire her.” When someone’s a great employee, people say things like, “Oh, you’re really lucky she applied. You should hire her right now. She’s a wonderful employee. I really miss her.”  Is reference-checking 100 percent reliable? No. Even if you do everything right, you’ll still probably only have a 90 percent chance of them working out – maybe 80. But if you don’t do everything right, those chances go down to 30, 40 or 50 percent.

Aside from failing to check references, what are some of the biggest mistakes people make in the hiring process? They don’t ask right questions on the interview. They don’t drill into the reasons people left their previous jobs. I’ll ask them, “Did you quit or get fired?” And a lot of times, they’ll say, “Well, it was sort of a combination of both.” And I go, “Oh, really? So you quit, and your boss said, ‘That’s such a coincidence – I was just about to fire you.’” To me, that sounds like bull.

Other mistakes people make include asking bad questions, not listening to the answer, hearing what you want to hear, or not asking enough follow up questions. I follow up with stuff, because the fact of the matter is, if someone’s looking for a job, (unless they’re straight out of school) there’s a story to tell. People change jobs for a reason. One of my favorite questions to ask is, “Tell me about the most difficult customer situation you’ve had to deal with, and how you dealt with it?” Those [behavioral questions] are always telling. I always say, “Past performance is the best indicator of future performance.” If someone’s had six jobs in the last two years, they’re probably not going to be with you too long. Questions like “Who’s your hero?” might work for some people, but I’m not looking for a great storyteller. I really want to figure out what makes them tick and how they operate on the job.

What specific traits do you look for when you hire? I have four things I look for, which we call the BATH test. B means I want someone who buys into the concept. In our case, the concept is that we’re a design company, we’re a customer service-driven business, we do what we can to take care of the customer, and we treat people well. I look for people who buy the concept of what we do and are into it. A means they’re able. I want to know from past jobs that they have the ability to do this, not just someone who says, “I’d like to do that. I’d probably be good at it.” The chances of that being true could be as low as 25 percent (when it’s a highly skilled position) – and it’s not that they’re not lying, they just don’t know. I want someone who has a proven track record. T means they’re team players. I want someone who’s going to tell me what’s on their mind, who can tell me right to my face, “Jay, you’re driving me nuts. What can we do about this?” And finally, H is for hungry. I want someone who’s hungry, who really wants to do this.

In your upcoming webinar, one of the topics you’re going to cover is creating compelling job advertisements. What constitutes a ‘compelling’ job ad?  A compelling job ad includes some piece of information about your company that might make candidates stop and take notice. Maybe you can offer them flex time, for instance. Or how about free parking? What about 401(k) plans, or health insurance plans? Employees are more enlightened these days. They want to work at a company where they have input in the decisions that are being made. The best employees are mission-driven. So if you can let them know that they’ll be involved in things at the company, that’s compelling.

What do you do to orient new hires into the company? After they’ve been here a month or two, we have an indoctrination where we tell them things like the whole mission of the company, where we came from, the history, as well as more tangible stuff such as if they have a problem, what they should do about it, etc. And we purposely don’t do it on the first day. We wait till they get a little used to the place, so that at the end of it, we can go, “Okay, do you think I’m lying, from what you’ve seen?” So at least one time, they’re sitting there with the big boss, and I’m telling them, “Look, if you think I’m full of it, call me on it. Feel free – I’m telling you right now: stop me in the hall, leave me a note, give me a call. If there’s something I’m telling you that really isn’t the case here, please tell me!” It lets people know we believe what we say, and if they’re not happy here, what they can do about it.

What is your stance on exit interviews? We do them. Our HR department conducts them, but, personally, I’ve never gotten any huge revelations out of them. That’s not to say that exit interviews are worthless, but if you’re running a good business where there’s open communication, you shouldn’t need exit interviews. If you’re learning something new, that’s the symptom of a problem. You shouldn’t be learning anything new in an exit interview. There’s a value in it, but they’re like seatbelts: Most of the time they’re useless, but once in a while, it might really make a difference.

Jay Goltz is a nationally recognized author and speaker on the topic of running a successful small business. Jay has been featured in various media, including Fox Business News, Inc. Magazine and Bill Clinton’s bestseller, Giving, and is currently a business blogger for NYTimes.com.

Want to get a free copy of The Street Smart Entrepreneur: 133 Tough Lessons I Learned the Hard Way? Simply register now for Hire with Purpose (happening live on Wednesday, November 9 at 1 pm CST), and be one of the first 100 attendees. Learn more…

13.9 million Americans are currently looking for work, according to BLS statistics. It goes without saying, then, that making a positive impression with potential employers is of utmost importance to job seekers. Despite good intentions, however, the reality of these efforts sometimes falls short of the goal. While it’s clear that many of us have made a résumé mistake at one time or another in our job-searching experiences, as well as a few blunders during the interview itself — some mistakes are more, ah, memorable than others. Then again, some of them may not turn out to be mistakes at all. Let’s weigh in on results from a just-released CareerBuilder study of more than 2,600 employers nationwide — revealing the most unusual résumés they’ve seen seeing.

Resume reviews: Faster than you (should) brush your teeth

Turns out that nearly half (45 percent) of human resource managers said they spend, on average, less than one minute reviewing an application. Less than one single minute! While this comes as n surprise to those with the responsibility of hiring, it is quite the shock for many job seekers who think you’re spending hours poring over the intricate résumé details they worked so hard to perfect.

Not to fear, however: In that less than one minute’s time, human resource managers can retain quite a lot of the absurdities that come across their desk. When asked to recall the most memorable or unusual résumés they’ve gotten, human resource managers and hiring managers shared the following gems.

Employers’ 15 most memorable résumés:

1. Candidate said the more you paid him, the harder he worked.

2. Candidate was fired from different jobs, but included each one as a reference.

3. Candidate said he just wanted an opportunity to show off his new tie.

4.  Candidate listed her dog as a reference.

5. Candidate listed the ability to do the moonwalk as a special skill.

6. Candidates – a husband and wife looking to job share –submitted a co-written poem.

7. Candidate included “versatile toes” as a selling point.

8. Candidate said that he would be a “good asset to the company,” but failed to include the “et” in the word “asset.”

9. Candidate’s email address on the resume had “shakinmybootie” in it.

10. Candidate included that she survived a bite from a deadly aquatic animal.

11. Candidate used first name only.

12. Candidate asked, “Would you pass up an opportunity to hire someone like this?  I think not.”

13. Candidate insisted that the company pay him to interview with them because his time was valuable.

14. Candidate shipped a lemon with résumé, stating “I am not a lemon.”

15. Candidate included that he was arrested for assaulting his previous boss.

To hire — or to run?

Let’s keep in mind that while unusual résumés may be something some hiring managers guffaw over or use to perfect their free throw shot, smart recruiters and employers know that strange can sometimes lead to a successful employee. Don’t be so quick to write off a candidate who, upon further inspection, may simply be thinking outside of the normal résumé confines.

For example, maybe the candidate who included first name only was just being particularly cautious about his or her employer finding out that one of their star employees was job hunting. And the candidate who survived a bit from a deadly aquatic animal? He or she could have a fantastic sense of adventure and survivor instinct that may play well with your company culture. The candidate who wanted to show off his tie may simply have been making a genuine attempt to get your attention with humor. And the candidate who sent a lemon with the “I am not a lemon” wordplay? Clever, memorable — and probably someone you want to give a second look. In today’s extremely competitive hiring environment, a candidate who is willing to take a risk and be creative may be someone who will make the right risks at your company, brainstorm creative solutions to your business challenges, and be a huge asset to your bottom line.

That candidate who does a great moonwalk, though? While an impressive feat, to be sure, likely not one that will do much for your business (unless you are in the dance business, in which case I retract my hasty statement).*

*Also see: Candidate had shakinmybootie in email address.

And obviously, examples like No. 15 are a more serious matter altogether.

When trying to decide whether a résumé is unforgettable — or simply one you want to forget — consider the following factors:

• Is it relevant to the job?
• Is it clear and coherent?
• Is it smartly executed?

If your answers are “yes,” you should strongly reconsider tossing what some would consider a brilliant business move into the trash. Wouldn’t you rather a candidate work to get your attention, rather than blast out the same boring résumé to you and a dozen others? And hey, it’s not as if these candidates are lying to you on their résumé; if anything, they’re guilty of revealing too much.

Creativity solely for the sake of creativity isn’t always a winner, but if that creativity cleverly touches upon your company or open position, or a candidate’s skills in relation to the position at hand, you might not have such a lemon on your hands, after all.

As Rosemary Haefner (@haefner_r), vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, points out: “In a crowded job market, a stand-out résumé can be the difference between getting the interview and being lost in the pile. But job seekers need to ask themselves if they’re standing out for the right reasons.”

So tell us — what’s the most unusual résumé or job tactic you’ve come across? Was it worth giving the candidate a second look?

Today, CareerBuilder released its new e-book, From Q&A to Z: The Hiring Manager’s Complete Interviewing Guide. 

Few things are as critical to the hiring process as the interview. If nothing else, the interview process is a networking event – an opportunity to brand your company in the eyes of a potential employee, brand advocate or customer. But ultimately, if executed correctly, it can help you find the right fit for both the job and your organization overall (and, as a bonus, reflect well on you for finding this person).

This quick-and-easy hiring guide covers everything from preparing for the interview to evaluating candidates afterward.  Readers will walk away with the following takeaways:

• Steps to take to prepare for the interview
• The importance of body language
• When to raise the red flag (and when to let it go)
• The best and worst interview questions
• How to avoid asking inappropriate interview questions
• What the candidate wants to know

Get From Q&A to Z: The Hiring Manager’s Complete Interviewing Guide for free today. 

Get the inside information you can apply today to conduct more effective interviews and make smarter hiring decisions.

CareerBuilder continued our monthly #cbjobchat Twitter chat last Monday night (quick plug: It’s the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. CST)– so if you skipped the trainwreck that was the Real Housewives of New York Reunion Part II, you might have caught it! If you didn’t, do not fear — we’ve recapped the best bits of the chat for you.

This month’s chat was all about tough interview questions. Candidates aren’t strangers to them — those questions that seem to flow effortlessly from an interviewer’s mouth, but that leave candidates themselves speechless, or trailing off into a long, random story about sixth grade camp and s’mores and that cute girl with the pigtails and the camp counselor who told them to never be afraid. Never. Be. Afraid! Wait, now where was I? Ah, yes. Tough or scary interview questions — employers have to deal with them too (just on the other, less scary side). So this past Monday night was the perfect opportunity to merge the two worlds together, to share advice and give everyone the opportunity to learn a little more about the other side’s experience.

For those who aren’t familiar with #cbjobchat, we aim to bring together both job seekers and career experts to discuss today’s most pressing recruitment process questions.When job seekers had questions, you all didn’t hide your feelings. But job seekers had some opinions to share with you as well. Let’s dig in:

Chat Highlights:

Q1: How do you explain an involuntary departure, such as a layoff or firing? Do employers care about a layoff vs. being fired?

The general consensus here was that honesty is the best policy — layoffs have become more commonplace and job departures less stigmatized.

@KaraSingh Be honest. Keep it short and professional. If the hiring manager wants to know more they will ask.

@V167 Honesty is the best policy, but you have to remember to not insult a former boss or job regardless of the outcome.

@MatthewTForrest Seems like the stigma that was once there isn’t there for the most part. Just be honest about your situation.

@ChangePR Agreed. Layoffs are far too common nowadays anyway & honesty is always best policy.

Q2: How should job seekers explain leaving their current job without badmouthing a boss, and still sound sincere?

Experts advised candidates to look forward and stress how they can contribute to their full potential at a new company/in a new role. Recruiters need real reasons, but an employer wants to know what you are looking for in the future. Above all, candidates should not bash a former employer. Diplomacy is the way to go.

@mtATL Be positive about your old job, but focus on the direction you are looking to go. No need for badmouthing.

@michaelranaii If you badmouth your old company, who’s to say you won’t bad mouth ‘this company’?

@KaraSingh Say you’re looking for a position that will challenge you to your full potential.

All about the application process

Have you ever compared the experience job seekers go through when searching for a job to the experience you go through when, say, buying a car? Believe it or not, the two experiences are more closely linked than you may realize. We have specific reasons for deciding to go through with a car purchase — or walk away from it — and the same is true for job seekers considering your company as a future employer in their job search process.

The experience you provide job seekers through your recruitment process is something they will evaluate, engage with, and accept or reject, ultimately deciding whether or not to “make a purchase.” A new CareerBuilder and Inavero study of more than 4,500 workers demonstrates that that decision can happen at any point in the job search process, from the time they first start thinking about searching for a new job to the moment they have your offer letter in front of them — and everywhere in between.

The job seeker/employer relationship: It’s complicated

Today’s job search experience looks drastically different from several years or even several months ago, and it continues to evolve. Now, although job boards still have a prominent place in the job search, the job search experience has become much more complex. When job seekers embark on a job search, they are actively using five specific methods to find their next job: Search engines; vertical sites (job boards and aggregators); social media; corporate and career sites; and user-generated content sites. They are using these five platforms in different ways and with varied intensity as they move through four distinct phases of the job search — Orientation, Consideration, Action, and Engagement.

To effectively build and manage your company’s employment brand, reach a large segment of the many job seekers you’re missing out on, and continue to position yourself as a visible and desirable place to work in today’s rapidly changing world, you must have a diversified recruitment strategy that incorporates these five platforms — and you must understand the mindset and behavior of job seekers as they move through the four stages of the job search process.

Job seekers have changed — have you?

The CareerBuilder and Inavero study takes you through a job seeker’s typical job search experience as it happens in today’s recruitment environment, a time in which job seekers are hungry for information and have a wealth of online resources at their fingertips. Long gone are the days of faxing or mailing a resume and simply waiting passively to hear back from an employer — today’s job seeker is much more hands-on.

By learning what job seekers are thinking and doing as they move through four distinct job search phases (Orientation, Consideration, Action, and Engagement) and crafting your strategy to align with those thoughts and behaviors, you’ll be equipped to reach the best candidates for your open jobs, position yourself as a strong and desirable brand, and ensure your approach is consistent from phase to phase.

The Four Phases of the Job Search

Phase I: Orientation — This phase consists of a job seeker’s self-evaluation and evaluation of the market. Ninety-seven percent of job seekers reported self-evaluation as one of the first five things they did when starting a search.

Phase II: Consideration – During this phase, the job search moves from a solitary to an interactive, social experience. Job seekers are seeking to validate the brands in their consideration set by posting on social media platforms and user-generated content sites, and collecting opinions from members of their online social and professional networks in order to narrow their focus to a handful of jobs.

Phase III: In this phase, a job seeker is going through the action of applying to jobs.

Phase IV: In this last phase, job seekers are interacting with employers and actively interviewing. Although the majority of research on a company is completed pre-interview, job seekers are conducting social research in this last phase by having personal conversations with employees of your company or close family and friends.

(Learn about the job seekers’ mindset and behavior during each of the four job search phases here.)

The importance of a great recruitment experience

Job seekers today are largely dissatisfied with the current hiring process offered by companies. Only 10 percent of respondents said companies they have reached out to have been responsive. The impact of this is immense: Nearly half (40 percent) of job seekers strongly agree that a poor application experience impacts their job decision. In fact, it might surprise you to find out that more than one in 10 people turn down a job at least once a month.

Bad experiences during and after the application process can easily negate the work and strategic investment in media you’ve made to bring the best talent onto your team.

Begin to create a more candidate-centric recruitment process by adding a human touch:

• Communicate with candidates when at all possible, and let them know where they stand as the process moves from phase to phase.
• Unplug cumbersome technology and flawed screening filters, and provide feedback and coaching.
• View all candidates as a customer or potential future customer, client or employee.
• Get the most out of the resources you’re investing by being responsive — in the long run, you will get better quality talent, protect your employment brand, and maintain a better reputation with clients (who once may have been your candidates).

Getting them to say “yes”

Job seekers are using a wide range of methods to find the right jobs, and by gaining a large presence through these methods, you will deepen your talent pool, engage and create trust with candidates early on, find more diverse candidates for your open positions, and, ultimately, improve your bottom line. Start thinking of your recruitment experience as a consumer product — and start
getting more job seekers to consider your brand, like what they see, and say “Yes.”

For details on job seeker behavior and mindset within the four job search phases and our recommended strategies for best connecting with job seekers at each point in the process, download the full report or learn more about adding the right platforms to your recruitment mix.

“Who here is hiring right now?” Nancy Newell asked the attendees of SHRM 2011 in Las Vegas this past week, before quickly answering her own question: “Every hand should be up. We’re always looking for great talent.”

To help the human resource managers and recruiting professionals in her audience do just that, Newell, SPHR and a principal at nth degree consulting, led the audience in a session called, “Beyond Behavioral Interviewing: Asking the RIGHT Questions, Evaluating the Answers.”

Newell discussed the following strategies for what to do – and what to avoid – when it comes to finding the right candidate through behavioral interviewing.

Do This: Look beyond interview skills.
Not That: Mistake a good interviewer for a good candidate. Candidates today are more sophisticated than they used to be, Newell told the crowd. They know what interviewers want to hear.  “They’re good at interviewing, because a lot of them have had a lot of practice at it.” Someone who has been in the workforce for five, 10 or 20 years, however, will have rusty interview skills. That doesn’t necessarily predict what sort of employee that person will be.

Do This: Gather information during the interview.
Not That: Evaluate information during the interview. The interview process is your data-gathering process. The assessment should come after the interview. “If you find yourself evaluating during interview, I’m not going to tell you not to do it, but I want you to be aware of when it happens,” Newell said.  Everyone has biases, Newell admitted, but theses biases create “a filter that isn’t necessarily there, and that precludes you from making an accurate assessment for how this person will live in your organization.” You can’t always help it when your biases come out, but be able to recognize them for what they are so you can move on and focus on the purpose of the interview: gathering information.

Do This: Ask about past behavior.
Not That: Ask about potential behavior. Asking about specific past behavior will give you the most accurate predictor of future behaviors – and the more recent, the better.  A question that begins with “Tell me about a time when…” for example, is much more predictive than “What would you do if…” which tends to lead candidates to say what they think you want to hear, rather than give a real-life example that provides insight into their skills, personality and work ethic.

Do This: Get the information you need up front.
Not That: Give the milk away for free. Ask the questions first, then talk about the job and the company. Start by coaching candidates through the interview process, explaining the format and that there will be time for questions at the end. But don’t lead them by talking up front about the job and the organization, which enables them to give you the answers they know you want to hear. Remember, what you say and when you say it matters.

Do This: Consider the skills and competencies needed for the job.
Not That: Consider ONLY at skills and competencies need for the job. “There’s more to a job than skills and competencies. There’s a whole team to consider,” Newell said. When interviewing candidates, consider what skills are needed to round out the team, which skills will work best with the manager, and which skills will work best for your organization’s customers. Also, be sure to consider the skills you’re willing to train them on, so you don’t waste time asking about those. In short: hire for cultural fit as well as skills and competencies.

Do This: Ask the same questions of every candidate.
Not That: Apply the above rule to follow-up questions. “If we aren’t measuring candidates by the same yardstick,” Newell said, meaning asking the same questions of every candidate, “we have no reliability or predictability in the interview process…the yardstick doesn’t measure anything.” Follow up questions, however, can and should be different. Don’t be afraid to “pull the thread” to get the entire picture. Not only will you be able to ensure the behaviors your candidates talk about are consistent, but you’ll also be able to see whether or not their initial responses were genuine.

Finally, do this: Accept that there’s no “magic bullet” to getting the right answers from candidates and ensuring the right hire. If you invest the time, energy and discipline into the process, you’ll reap the rewards in the long term. According to Newell, “It’s not an easy process, but it’s so worth it.”

Last night may have been all about love triangles and royal engagements on the CW, but over on Twitter, it was all about interviews…

At least it was for those who participated in CareerBuilder’s most recent #cbjobchat, a monthly Twitter chat dedicated to creating a conversation among hiring managers, recruiters and job seekers – and addressing the most pressing recruitment process questions and concerns you have right now.

For last night’s chat, we focused on the interview process. Recruiters, hiring managers and job seekers weighed in on everything from preparing for the interview to following up after word…with a little damage control peppered in.

Below is a recap from some of participants’ best tips and takeaways for recruiters and hiring managers. (Got anything to add? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!)

On job seekers’ favorite questions to ask the interviewer…

• @AshShute I like asking how the organization “celebrates success.”
• @Give2GetJobs I like to ask what about the job gets them up in the morning. I want to see the passion, love for the work + company
• @Give2GetJobs Think about asking the interviewer how they got started with the company.
• @rockthehunt “If I get the job, what are the 3 top deliverables you’d like to see in 30/60/90 days?”
• @THO_R A direct “What are you looking for from this position” can get you valuable insights.
• @katelorenz Don’t forget to ask about company culture and team dynamic!

[Recruiters: Be prepared for when the tables are turned. Check out more job seeker interview questions that won’t catch you off-guard.]

On what makes a job seeker a top candidate…

• @Give2GetJobs Questions are important. You need to ask questions. Make sure you think up thoughtful questions ahead of time.
• @TamrynHennessy Confidence and knowing how they can contribute.

[Get some more insight into the qualities to look for in potential employees as well as future leaders.]

On how job seekers should answer “What’s your biggest weakness?” and “Tell me about yourself”…

• @AshShute Tell me about yourself – education, where I’m from, a few hobbies. Biggest weakness – tailored to interview.
• @Give2GetJobs Tell me about yourself: Give brief work history + tie it into why you applied for and would be a good fit for the position
• @Archivist2012 I answer w/a positive and that I recognize my weaknesses and how I handle them.

[Sick of hearing the same old answers to these questions? It might be time to update the same old interview questions.]

On the biggest candidate faux pas…

• @AshShute Biggest mistake: Not asking questions.
• @ComeRecommended Never underestimate following up. It could be the difference between getting the job and falling by the wayside.
• @SGaspary One of the bigger mistakes a job seeker made with me? Asked about salary within the first 5 minutes of the interview.
• @CareerAction Candidate came to first and second interviews in the same loud outfit.
• @SGaspary I’ve had job seekers talk poorly about their past/present boss. Makes me wonder what they’ll say about me behind my back.
• @St8Wkr Answered the phone during the interview.
• @Azn_CyberSleuth Limp handshake, no eye contact, talking too fast and repeating the same things over and over again.
• @katelorenz I can’t tell you how many times a job seeker has asked what my company does.
• @webaphile Acting sullen and bored, or cocky and arrogant. You need to be likable.

[Job seekers aren’t the only ones who make faux pas: Learn more about interviewing do’s and don’t’s and how to avoid asking potentially illegal interview questions.]

Got something to add or an idea for a future chat? Feel free to add your two cents in the comments section below – or on Twitter using the #cbjobchat hashtag.

Thanks again to all who participated last night. And feel free to join us the first Monday night of every month at 7 p.m. Central. We’ll post reminders and details for upcoming chats on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, so make sure you’re following us!

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: Authored by John Thedford. Thedford is CEO of La Familia Pawn and Jewelry, a chain of high-end pawnbroker shops with locations throughout Central and South Florida, and he is the author of Smart Moves Management: Cultivating World-Class People and Profits. For more information, visit www.lafamiliapawn.com.

A company without good employees is like a shark without teeth … very ineffective and bound for extinction. Here are some strategies that can help you hire and promote the best people for your business.

Being a business owner requires a strong commitment to success and attention to detail. Tasked with many responsibilities, entrepreneurs have to maintain a vigilant focus on the key processes that drive their operations. Based on my own experiences, I believe the trickiest part of running a company is the hiring process. Why? Because people are complex creatures with unique attributes, and hiring the right employees is imperative to the success of your endeavor. In other words, when it comes to hiring, the stakes are high.

The “right” people are the core of your strength. Inversely, the “wrong” people will make you weaker and less effective. In the end, you’ve worked hard to start your business, and you need to create an environment where everyone functions on the same page and works toward the same goals. How do you accomplish this? Take hiring — and the development of superior talent — very seriously, and have a process in place that gives you the best chance of hiring and retaining employees who will help you realize success.

A Strategic Path to Success

Through trial and error, I’ve learned that business success isn’t a model; it’s an equation of compatibility and chemistry among employees, customers and investors. Creating a strategic path based on this philosophy will pay major dividends because an engaged employee will provide exceptional customer service and make so much money for themselves and for the company that your shareholders will marvel at the outcome.

Ask yourself a simple question. Who do you want representing your business? Remember that you’re looking for specific attributes, and you need someone who fits comfortably into your company culture. An Ivy League graduate with the wrong skill sets for your particular venture brings little value to the table, no matter how well-educated that person might be. And a bad hire can be costly; the industry rule of thumb suggests that hiring the wrong person costs you three times his or her annual salary. A $50,000 employee costs you $150,000; a $150,000 employee costs $450,000. That’s for starters. There’s also lost opportunity cost … plus lost business, potential customers and momentum. And now you’re back to square one, looking for a replacement.

In order to avoid these setbacks, it’s important to understand that a successful hiring process begins with a clear understanding of the critical traits that are required to get the job done. Those who seek to complete the type of work required to operate your business possess a set of core competencies that define and highlight their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Once you determine which specific attributes best suit your needs, you need to learn how to identify them when selecting new hires or promotable candidates.

Identifying Core Competencies

Each business requires its own set of core competencies that management feels will help maximize growth and profitability. The key is that everyone involved in the hiring process understands the selected competences, asks the right questions to gain better insight into the thoughts and tendencies possessed by candidates (both new hire and promotable), and makes the right hiring decisions that will ultimately strengthen the overall staff.

At La Familia Pawn & Jewelry, we’ve developed our own set of core competencies that fall into the following categories: intellectual, personal, interpersonal, management and motivational. Based on a comprehensive interview and a temperament questionnaire that we require every candidate to complete, we feel confident determining if a person possesses the right mix of desired traits. When analyzing motivational competencies, for example, we want to consider the following factors:

• Energy — Exhibits energy, strong desire to achieve and appropriately high dedication level.
• Passion — Exhibits dynamism, charisma, excitement and positive “can-do” attitude.
• Tenacity — Demonstrates consistent reward of passionately striving to achieve results.

Specific interview questions we include to help determine if a candidate possesses these motivational competencies include:

Energy

1.     How many hours per day have you worked, on the average, in the past year?

2.     What motivates you?

Passion

1.     How would you rate yourself (and why) in enthusiasm and charisma?

2.     Describe the pace at which you work – fast, slow, moderate – and the circumstances under which it varies.

Tenacity

1.     What are the challenges you have faced and overcome?

2.     What will references say is your general level of urgency?

By developing your own set of core competencies, you can begin to incorporate hiring strategies that give you the best chance to hire the people you need in order to succeed. And once you get these individuals into the fold, you need to hold it all together with strong leadership and a positive, motivational work culture.

Behavioral interviewing, for those not familiar, is a method of questioning that requires the respondent to answer with a story of how they handled a specific circumstance. It’s designed to get the candidate to reveal how they responded to a real life work situation so we can understand how they might respond to a similar situation if they were hired.

What are the inherent pros to this interview style?

1. We get real-life examples to help us assess how someone will perform in the future. I love behavioral interviews —I never tire of hearing the stories people tell and what they did or didn’t do to solve a problem. There is always something we can learn from what a candidate states or doesn’t state in an interview answer.
2. We can get into deeper detail than other interview questions. With a couple of probing questions beyond an initial response, you can reveal some important details about a candidate that may not come out in other interview formats. For example, you can get specific details about a candidate’s real contribution to a project, or find out how they dealt with an unpredictable circumstance.
3. The focus storytelling enables almost all candidates to interview more effectively.   Let’s face it: Interviewing is scary for most people. Some people will always be better storytellers than others, but it’s in every human’s DNA to be able to convey a story. Even candidates who are naturally shy or introverted —tendencies that inhibit their ability to sell themselves — can come alive when you ask them a behavioral interview-style question. It is much more comfortable and easy for a candidate to tell you a story than respond to a firing squad of questions.

Behavioral interviewing isn’t a perfect method, however — it has weaknesses which often become all too apparent when it comes to the actual asking of the questions.

Consider the following to keep your behavioral interviews on track:

1. Questions must be designed with behavior in mind. Behavioral interviewing is certainly the best predictor of future behavior, but if we don’t design the questions correctly, the information we receive may not enable better decision making. Even if you think your behavioral questions are designed perfectly, consider whether they will elicit the behavior you are seeking to measure.
2. Don’t ask leading questions. If you tell the candidate what you are trying to discern before you ask the actual question, it’s like giving them the answer on a test. For example, making a statement like, “Team work is very important here” before you ask a question about a candidate’s work experience on a group project is a bit leading. They already know what you are assessing.  Try to stick to questions without leading with qualifying statements.
3. The interviewer must still control the interview. Asking this level of open-ended questions (questions that require a thoughtful answer beyond a simple yes or no) can send you “down a rabbit hole” in many situations. Candidates are nervous in interview situations and have a tendency to ramble on or focus on details that are not relevant to the information you are seeking. You must be able to re-focus the discussion and stay on track.
4. The storytelling technique is another excellent way for an interviewer to relay information to a candidate. Candidates, like anyone else, have a tendency to hear what they want to hear as opposed to what you intend them to hear. If you want to make a point they will remember, consider telling anecdotal stories that will help a candidate truly understand what the position is about and what kinds of results you are looking for.

All in all, behavioral interviews are still one of the greatest leaps forward in the history of recruitment, but that doesn’t eliminate the responsibilities that come along with conducting this type of interview. When using behavioral interviewing techniques, be direct and upfront to ensure a quality interview.

What challenges have you found with behavioral interviewing – and how have you addressed them?

Jennifer Way is a human capital management consultant with more than fifteen years of global recruiting experience. She specializes in serving high volume recruiting environments with innovative solutions that address three areas: executive/strategic recruiting, recruiting process, and recruiting technologies.

Such is the advice of Garrett Miller, author of the new book Hire On A WHIM: Four Qualities That Make for Great Employees.  As the president and CEO of workplace management company CoTria, Miller frequently coaches companies and gives keynotes on the subject of workplace productivity. 

Shortly after starting CoTria, Miller says he started to reflect on the things that made him successful in his previous career, and one thing he always came back to, he say, was hiring. 

“I started to wonder, ‘Why did I have so much success hiring?’ As I wrote down qualities that made them [great hires] great, I began to see these four threads that wove them all together. And suddenly, the word ‘WHIM’ popped up,” he told me in a phone interview recently.   Thus, the inspiration behind his new book.

“No matter how good you are as a manager, you can’t teach someone integrity.”
WHIM, as the book’s title implies, is an acronym for the four qualities Miller believes are the foundation for a great hire: work ethic, humility, integrity and maturity.  

Why these four qualities? “What makes these qualities so unique is that you can’t teach them,” Miller says. ”No matter how talented a manager you are, you can’t teach someone to have more integrity. That’s something life teaches you.  And, yes, you certainly can learn these qualities, and you can grow in these qualities, but as a hiring manager, I can’t adopt you without these qualities.” 

What’s conspicuously absent from WHIM is the mention of skills or experience, but as far as Miller’s concerned, that’s no accident. He says he’s not discounting the importance of experience when making a quality hire, but even the most experienced employees will make poor hires when they lack any one of these qualities.  “What separates the great employees from the mediocre employees? And it comes down to these qualities.”

And only a candidate who possesses all four qualities will do, Miller insists. He says he learned this lesson the hard way that “if you hire three and give a pass to one, you’re going to pay for it…It cost me dearly and my team dearly. And it’s affected my reputation as a manager, because everyone I hire is really a reflection on me, isn’t it?”

“Peel back the onion” by asking unexpected interview questions
To help others avoid the same mistake, Miller provides a list of questions at the end of each chapter in WHIM to guide hiring manager through the act of “peeling that onion back so that you’re really seeing the individuals – as opposed to someone who answers questions well.”

Miller says that one of his personal  favorite interview questions is, “What one event helped to shape you into the person you are today?” because it’s an unusual question that generates a thoughtful answer – one that reveals whether or not a candidate “can come through adversity on the other side and grow from it.”

In fact, Miller seems to have a soft spot for unusual interview questions. “One last thing I do in an interview is I sell them out of the job,” a tactic that Miller uses to keep himself from setting false expectations and reducing the amount of “I wasn’t expecting this” feeling from new hires.  “Once they’re in the ‘I wasn’t expecting this phase’ part…in a sense, they feel you’ve lied to them. So now, the integrity is busted, and they look at you without integrity. And you can’t have that in any type of relationship.

“We need to keep in mind the ROI of getting this right.”
But Miller also understands that sometimes just getting to the interview phase of the hiring process is half the battle. “It’s funny, because people think this is the greatest time to hire because you have so many applicants, but it winds up being a nightmare – you  post a job, and you get 300 resumes.” While Miller doesn’t have an “easy answer” to those hiring managers who are overwhelmed with more resumes than usual right now, he is adamant in his belief that as time-consuming as the process is, going through those resumes thorously will pay off in the end.  “What takes more time is when you hire incorrectly.  We need to keep in mind the ROI of getting this right.” 

He suggests having a sort of litmus taste when going through resumes that revolve around WHIM, such as screening for charity or volunteer work. Another piece of advice he has is giving priority to those resumes that come from personal recommendations and networking, which he has personally found leads to a lot less “spam” and a higher quality of candidate.

“I can’t guarantee a great hire every time, but I can guarantee MORE great hires,” Garrett says of what readers will get out of his book.  “My goal isn’t to be right, but to share what made my career so great,” Miller says of his purpose in writing these book.  He hopes others can take away the lessons he’s learned and apply it to their own careers, and understand that “no matter how good they are, they can be better.”

So what is the secret to his success? “It wasn’t because I was a good manager,” Miller says, “but because I hired great people and then got out of the way.”

* * * * *

Garrett Miller is a workplace productivity coach and keynote speaker with extensive experience in hiring, training, attracting, and retaining top talent. Learn more about his book, Hire on a WHIM: Four Qualities that Make for Great Employees, at www.HireonaWHIM.com).

If your company is currently hiring, you’re probably also doing a lot of interviewing as well. In most cases, the person who walks through your door is a complete stranger. What happens next is anyone’s guess. As your candidate gets ready to walk into your office, he or she is most likely to:

• A. Give yourself a pep-talk about how you’ve got this one in the bag
• B. Check out your reflection in the glass doors to make sure you look as great as you think you do
• C. Chug the last of your beer and toss the can in the trash

If you chose C. then you actually wouldn’t be alone (though you might want to re-think employing this individual). According to the results of CareerBuilder’s annual survey on outrageous and common interview mistakes, one job candidate actually polished off a beer before walking into the reception area on the day of his interview. And a job candidate with a buzz going is only the tip of the interview-blunder iceberg.

Following are actual examples from hiring managers about the strangest job candidates they’ve encountered.  

• Candidate provided a detailed listing of how previous employer made them mad.
• Candidate hugged hiring manager at the end of the interview.
• Candidate ate all the candy from the candy bowl while trying to answer questions. Continue Reading ...

With so many job seekers looking for work – and getting increasingly alienated from not hearing back from employers regarding where they stand – it’s become a common topic of conversation over at our job seeker-focused blog, The Work Buzz, as to exactly when and how (and how much) to properly follow-up with employers regarding candidate status…

So, finally, we decided to help our colleagues over at The Work Buzz out, and come straight to those who can speak to this question the best:

When it comes to candidates following up with you, where do you draw the line between persistence and peskiness?

Is follow up even necessary? Can it salvage a lackluster interview? Give us your deal-breakers, your golden rules, your horror stories personal experiences, etc…We want to hear from you!

(Think not only of all the job seekers you’ll be helping out – but of all those hiring managers out there just like you, who will be spared future aggravation.)

Give us your thoughts in the comments below!

I know, I know…Walgreens only just started selling candy corn, so while it might seem premature to break out These Are Special Times just yet, it is time to start thinking about the winter holidays, at least in terms of hiring.

If you’re in the customer service, retail sales, administrative/clerical, hospitality, shipping/delivery, inventory, technology or accounting/finance industries, you probably already know you’re going to require extra help during the holiday season, so why not start now? It may seem early, but consider this: How overwhelmed do you become around the holidays – both personally and professionally? Start planning now for the hectic hiring season to avoid having to make any last-minute, hasty hiring decisions – and your holidays will be that much brighter.

Treat yourself this holiday…Follow these 7 tips for hiring seasonal workers:

1. Avoid the Holiday Rush. Remember in the beloved holiday classic Jingle All the Way when Arnold Schwarzennegger and Sinbad’s characters get into a fight over a coveted TurboMan doll? Well, (even if you say you don’t) think of your ideal holiday employee as that Turbo Man doll. While most companies are waiting until November to post openings and seek out top talent, you can give yourself a leg up on the competition by starting your search now – and reaching more qualified candidates before other seasonal employers have touched them.
2. Avoid an Ambush. With so many job seekers competing for one position, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed by the sheer volume of applications coming in – and unqualified ones at that. In order to cut down on time spent mining resumes, consider attaching filtering questions to your job postings to screen out unqualified candidates from the beginning (a service that’s provided free to CareerBuilder clients, btw).  
3. Seek Out Warmth. Personality accounts for a lot with seasonal hires. When interviewing, keep in mind that the candidates will likely have to deal with angry and annoyed holiday shoppers who expect stellar customer service. He or she must be able to stay calm and professional in these situations. Asking behavioral interview questions will help you determine how a person tends to react in stressful situations.
4. Go Back to School.  Whether home for the winter break or staying on campus, college students – with their flexible schedules and high energy – make ideal candidates for seasonal positions.  Bonus: If you like what you see during the holidays, you can probably count on them to return for work when you’re ready to take on extra help during the summer, too.
5. Consider Retirees. There is an extremely large job market for retirees, and businesses are quickly finding that they make excellent full- or part-time candidates. For starters, they’re available in an increasing abundance and, like college students, have flexible schedules. Best of all, they provide years of valuable work and life experience that they can apply to several different positions.
6. Check References – In the best interest of your company, it is important with seasonal hires that you double check their references. Candidates who are available for temporary work should have previous employers listed as references who can attest to their performance, professionalism and character.
7. Think Less Temporary…and More Employee – Finally, while you might be thinking of these employees as temporary, it’s crucial to remember that the impression they give outsiders of your brand isn’t.  Treat them just as you would a full-time employee. You also never know which of these employees you will want to bring on full-time later on, so look for employees who not only meet the qualifications of the position, but who fit in culturally, as well.  Happy hiring, y’all!

Due to factors like a struggling economy and advancing technology, more and more workers have been going back to school to advance or brush up on their skills and make themselves more marketable. With this in mind, we were curious as to what skills employers expect candidates to have in this economic climate, and what they’re willing to teach on the job. So, for The Hiring Site’s August contest, we asked all of you to answer the following question: “In an interview situation, what skills do you expect candidates to have already, and what are you willing to teach on the job?”

By responding, not only did five lucky winners get a free class of their choosing from CareerBuilder Institute (a $50 value each), but they provided some interesting answers as to which skills employers expect candidates to possess (or that they think can’t be taught), and which skills they’re more willing to work with employees to develop after the candidate’s already been hired. Let’s take a look.

What did readers have to say?

Answers were all across the board as far as what is expected of candidates when they walk into the interview, and seemed to depend on which level or type of position was being considered, which makes sense. Some commenters  said skills like people management, verbal and interpersonal communication, and punctuality can’t be taught; candidates either have them or they don’t.

Many also said they expect candidates to come into an interview with certain skills, but that they’re willing to develop those skills once a candidate’s on the job, whether through classes, mentoring or internal training.

I’ve included some of our commenters’ own words below (full list here). With which statements do you agree or disagree? What can be taught on the job — and what should candidates have (or take classes to learn) before trying to score a job with your company? And what are you doing to develop your own employees’ skills?

——————————

Expects:
For our entry-level positions, we expect candidates to already have basic computer skills (Microsoft Office), good communication skills, solid work ethic, customer service, and common sense. We don’t plan to teach a new employee any of those things.

Will train:
We will train them on their specific job, our policies, and our company culture.  –Debbie

——————————

Expects but will train:
Depending upon the level of the position (indiv. contributor, manager, and mgr. of mgrs.) we recruit and select for essential competencies (both behavioral and technical) and accept the challenge of developing the preferred competencies. –Jim
——————————

Expects:
We require proficient computer skills; Microsoft Office. For our customer service positions, we expect them to have some customer service experience.

Will train:
We will train advance skills especially in Excel.  We will train on – how to deal with difficult customers, adapting to change, etc – more in depth customer service situations. –Erica

——————————

Expects:
The process begins with the scheduling of the interview, when I call the candidate I begin by telling them who I am and where I am calling from (during this process I am actually analyzing phone etiquette).

During the actual interview I look for a candidate that has good listening skills; communication skills, writing, basic computer knowledge and of course the ability to clearly answer questions asked. I also expect for a candidate to be punctual and dressed properly.  –Maria

——————————

Expects:
During the interview, I would expect the candidate to have the basic qualification to perform the job effectivelly. Analysis, people management – these are the skills which can not be tought to anyone.

Will train:
However, if I can prefer to teach some technical skills such as MS excel, creating presentations or working on a particular tool. –Devendra

——————————

James gives a candidate’s point of view:

Expects himself to have:
Punctuality-Be on time for work, at all costs – 4 minutes early is late.
Courtesy-If you ‘have’ to be late Phone in immediately, so that your supervisor can know you are not just slack.
Treat your co-workers the way you expect to be treated. If you do, they will treat you the same.

Expects to be trained in:
As to what do I expect the Company to ‘train me in’. The policy/procedures expected by the company [these sometimes change from company to company, sometimes branch to branch].

If the need is for operating machinery, then, the employer should be aware of what I ‘already’ know, and be willing to encourage and assist in expanding my potential for success of the whole company. –James

——————————

Expects:
When a candidate is offered a new job, they will need to communicate with a large number of new people all at once, and fit into an organization. Communication – mainly verbal/interpersonal – is not a skill that can be easily taught on the job in most cases. –Katie

What are you doing to train and develop your own employees to help them stay competitive?

It’s happening. Retail stores everywhere are stocking the shelves, folding the clothes, straightening the shoes, organizing the Trapper-Keepers, and bracing themselves for restless, sun-streaked kids to come and clutter it all up. Back-to-school shopping is now in season. 

We’re not kids anymore, but as adults (employed or not), continuing to educate ourselves and hone our skills is one of the most important things we can do for our careers and ourselves. Aaaaand you’re in luck: August’s contest brings you a chance to give yourself (or your employees) the gift of education with a chance to win a CareerBuilder Institute class. We can’t promise your employees will express their immense thanks by bringing donuts in for breakfast, but we think there’s a strong possibility. Read on to find out how to win.

What’s CareerBuilder Institute?

CareerBuilder Institute, founded in 2008, offers e-learning content for businesses so that they can better assess, test, train, develop, and provide continued education to more effectively onboard and improve skills of existing talent. attract. CareerBuilder Institute has helped more than 1 million people reach their educational goals — and fill in current skill gaps. CareerBuilder Institute offers everything from computer and business skills, to language training, to licensing and certification, to sales training, to management and leadership skills.

Specifically? How about “Mastering Project Management,” “Operating Budgets for Non-Financial Managers,” “Understanding Personality Variables,” “Business Writing,” “Time Management,” “Exploring Adobe Creative Suite II,” “Real Estate Exchanges” or “Leadership Motivation”? CBI’s got you covered. Oh, and many of the courses, like 401(k), give a state-specific course option.

Expected versus teachable skills

In 2009, the average company investment in employee training was $1,200 per employee. It’s apparent that companies are investing a lot of time into their training — but on what, exactly? There are some skills that you expect candidates will have coming into a position — skills into which you’re not willing to invest time, money and resources. And then, there are others you expect to teach new employees on the job; either skills you don’t think can be taught outside of the position, or ones you’re willing to teach because a candidate is an otherwise great fit. You may be willing to teach project management skills, for instance, but expect a candidate to come into the job with superior people skills and ability to work within a team structure.

The August Contest Question

Sooo, we’re asking you: “In an interview situation, what skills do you expect candidates to have already, and what are you willing to teach on the job?” If you’re a current job seeker, just tell us what skills you expect employers expect you to have, and which skills you expect to be taught on the job.

By answering our question in the comments below, you will automatically be entered to win ONE online class (five winners; $50 value each) from CareerBuilder Institute.

Using CareerBuilder Institute can not only help employees improve skills in certain areas, but also lower turnover, decrease training and hiring costs, increase accessibility to training content, and increase overall productivity. The skills you’re spending time to teach on the job can likely be taught by a CareerBuilder Institute class — freeing up other employees’ time and resources — and saving you a significant amount on training expenses.

CareerBuilder Institute — Did you know? (Don’t worry, there won’t be a test):

• Learners can retake courses within the year at no additional cost.
• CBI has the largest learning library in the nation, with more than 12,000 titles including videos, assessments, tests and courses.
• More than 3,000 pre-license certification and continuing education courses are offered.
• CBI is the only e-learning service to offer Predictive Job Fit Assessments, Hard and Soft Skill Courses, Microsoft Courses, Learning Videos, and Professional Certification and Continuing Education Courses.
• Employee training has been shown to lead to greater employee productivity (26% higher revenue per employee) and reduced employee turnover (41% lower for high-performing employees; 17% overall).

HOW TO ENTER:
Simply answer this question in the comments section below: ““In an interview situation, what skills do you expect candidates to have already, and what are you willing to teach on the job?””– and you’ll automatically be entered to win one online class from CareerBuilder Institute (five winners will be chosen at random; $50 value per class).  Be sure to read the terms and conditions in full.

CONTEST DETAILS:
Entries will be accepted from 12:00 a.m. CST on Monday, August 9, 2010 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, August 13, 2010.  Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of August 18, 2010. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.

Spill! (You know you want to…)

So back in April, my colleague over at The Work Buzz discussed things job seekers should leave off of their resumes, including gaps in work history. Transferring the advice of career coach and author Catherine Jewell, blogger Kate Lorenz wrote that job seekers should eliminate gaps in work history and replace them with short, truthful statements (such as “homemaker sabbatical” to explain a five-year work hiatus).

….But my question is, when job seekers don’t know to do this (or even if they do) does having a gap in work history automatically put the candidate at a disadvantage in the eyes of the interviewer?

Surely, as the job market opens up, and as most companies begin rehiring at a faster rate, hiring managers and recruiters are likely to see a lot of resumes with gaps in work history.

What we want to know is: What’s the best way for job seekers to explain gaps in work history – from the cover letter…to the resume…to the interview? Or can they?

Especially now, do job seekers still carry a stigma when it comes to having gaps in their work history? (And if so, how can they eliminate it?) Talk to us, or better yet…

Share your success stories! Ever hire a candidate despite having a significant gap in work history – only to have him or her prove himself as a top performer?

(P.S. Got something to say, but don’t want to leave it as a comment? Feel free to email me your stories instead!)

Rejecting a candidate because they have too many credentials? On the surface, it seems absurd: Here, it seems you’ve been handed the opportunity to snag executive-level talent at an entry level price…and yet you know that doing so means you could soon be dealing with a very bitter employee who resents taking a job that is below them, or perhaps you fear they’ll leave the minute a better opportunity comes along…

That’s the dilemma employers face when it comes to hiring overqualified workers – and why so many just say no; however, while you certainly want to be wary of someone who “will just take anything” to make ends meet (not that you don’t sympathize), you could also be doing yourself a disservice by dismissing an overqualified worker outright – and miss the opportunity to score major talent for your organization.

So before you immediately dismiss an overqualified worker, just consider the following questions to help you assess why you’re really discounting them – and if you should reconsider…

How do I define “overqualified”?
Dismissing someone based only on a resume that is more extensive than what the hiring manager expected might be jumping the gun.  For one thing, having “too much” experience is relative.  Check with the hiring manager to see how much additional qualification is acceptable before ruling someone out entirely.  Not to mention that more experience and qualifications means less time spent training and developing the individual. And finally, just because the person may have more experience doesn’t mean he or she isn’t the best person for the job – it might be worth your time to let the candidate prove it to you. 

Are my biases getting in the way?
“Every organization has its own internal biases…Hiring managers and recruiters need to acknowledge these biases and realize that great candidates may not fit the typical mold,” one commenter reasoned in response to an earlier post I’d written about not writing off candidates too soon.

Echoing this sentiment, management expert F. John Reh writes that the biggest obstacle to hiring overqualified workers is dealing with underqualified managers who feel threatened by the idea of having someone on their team who is competing for their position or will do anything that might highlight their own shortcomings. What these managers fail to realize, however, is that something done well by their team will actually reflect well on them.

Also, judging from the comments generated by a recent TheWorkBuzz post asking workers to discuss how they felt about being overqualified for their jobs, it’s apparent that many job seekers are frustrated by the “overqualified” label – and many suspect that employers just use this term as an excuse for not hiring older workers. (If that’s true, it’s important to realize that mature workers “offer a wealth of knowledge and experience that has translated into a significant competitive advantage for employers,” according to Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.)

Am I assuming too much?
It’s understandable that you might suspect that a worker with more experience than the minimum qualifications will ask for too much pay; however, posting the salary or salary range for the position in the job ad will help to screen out these applicants.  While there’s still the risk that a more experienced worker may still push for a higher salary, that doesn’t mean they won’t ultimately – and happily – accept the salary you offer.

Perhaps you’re worried that a more experienced individual will be more difficult to manage than someone “greener,” but you shouldn’t screen based on this assumption: wait until the interview process, where you can find out about the person’s personality, work ethic and cultural fit within the organization.

It’s also common to assume that an overqualified worker will be bored in his or her “lesser” role, and is simply waiting for the job market to open up to pursue better opportunities, which is, of course, a valid concern – but it’s a concern that should apply to all of your employees.  A recent New York Times article addressed this topic, saying that while studies indicate that workers who perceive themselves as overqualified do tend to report lower job satisfaction and higher rates of turnover, various research shows that these workers tend to perform better – and that managers can mitigate many of the negatives that come with overqualified hires by giving their worker autonomy, treating them with respect, and making them feel valued.

Thoughts? Have you had experience hiring or managing what you’d consider overqualified workers?

Does your body language betray you?  

You’ve probably heard the stats that say that body language accounts for somewhere between 55 and 90 percent of  all communication…and when interviewing job candidates, you likely pay a lot of attention the nonverbal cues they give out that convey their interest, honesty, enthusiasm, confidence, etc. – or a lack thereof…

But how often do you think about how your own body language comes across? It’s likely you’re so focused on them that you forget to think about your own nonverbal cues: Do you unintentionally intimidate candidates? Do your hand gestures and facial expressions convey boredom, irritation or condescension?

Understanding the nonverbal signals you send can be just as important as reading your candidates’ body language – especially since, as the interviewer, you have a direct impact on the candidate’s impression of the company and the resulting decision to accept or reject a job offer.

Unfortunately, sometimes the biggest offenders are the seemingly harmless things we do – tics, if you will – that we don’t even think about – and the negative messages they send candidates.  Below are seven messages your body language sends others, and how to correct them:

The Message: “I’m uncomfortable.”
The Tip-Off: Sitting with legs crossed while shaking one leg or wiggling a foot. A lot of leg movement in general is both distracting and indicates nervousness. Sit with your legs crossed at the angles, or place both feet flat on the floor to convey confidence and relaxation.

The Message: “You’re annoying me.”
The Tip-Off: You’re drumming your fingers on your desk. Rubbing your face can also indicate irritation.  You can keep your hands in check by resting them, loosely clasped in your lap or on the table in front of you.  

The Message: “I couldn’t be more bored by what you have to say.”
The Tip-Off: Rubbing the back of your head or neck indicates boredom, as well as irritation. An innocent enough gesture (maybe you have a headache…or you accidentally wore black without the Blue), but now that you’re aware of the message it sends, try to keep it to a minimum, if not stop altogether.

The Message: “I’m better than you.”
The Tip-Off: You’re leaning back in your chair and folding your arms across your chest, which can be seen as arrogant. The same goes for resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee. Give the candidate your full attention and respect by sitting upright with your torso facing him or her.

The Message: “I’m not taking you seriously.”
The Tip-Off: You’re smiling a little too much. You’re probably only trying to put the other person at ease, but be careful to not smile too much when talking about serious subjects, as your grin might suggest that you aren’t taking the discussion seriously enough.

The Message: “I’d rather be anywhere but here.”
The Tip-Off:  Pointing your feet toward the door – or leaning in that direction – tells the person you’re conversing with that you get heck out of there ASAP. Make sure that you are facing the other person squarely, with your feet flat on the floor or crossed at the ankles.

The Message: “I don’t care.”
The Tip-Off: Leaning back in your chair, placing your hands in a “steeple” position, tends to show indifference on your end.  Instead, show (or feign?) interest by leaning forward slightly in your chair, and lightly clasp your hands in your lap or placing them near your knees.

Even if you are bored, annoyed, disinterested, etc…It’s still important that you maintain a professional demeanor and treat your candidate with respect. After all, the interview is not the time to evaluate a candidate. Save the eye rolls and exasperated sighs for after the interview, when you have a chance to process everything.

In fact, now that you are aware of how others might be interpreting your nonverbal cues, be willing to forgive these gestures in others, as, your interview subject may not realize he or she is doing the same.  While you want to ensure you hire someone who is comfortable within your company, you have to be willing to forgive some degree of nervousness.

“The only way to measure a candidate is to measure every single candidate with the same yardstick,” Nancy Newell, principal at Nth Degree Consulting told an audience during her panel “Beyond Behavioral Interviewing: Asking the RIGHT Questions, Evaluating the Answers,” at he annual Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Conference in San Diego last month.

One of the major flaws with the interview process, Newell believes, is a lack of consistency.  Every candidate needs to be asked the same question – or as Newell put it, be measured by the same yardstick – otherwise, the evaluation process is meaningless. You can’t expect to properly evaluate candidates if you’re not holding them up to the same set of standards. Not that maintaining consistency is easy, she admits. There’s no “magic bullet” to getting the right answers from candidates and ensuring the right hire, Newell says. (On the contrary, it takes a lot of discipline and hard work); however, there are steps hiring managers can take to create a better, more consistent process and minimize hiring mistakes – which I went ahead and broke down into a simple Do’s and Don’t's list. Check it out…

DO conduct Behavioral Interviews. Behavioral interviewing is key to hiring, Newell believes, because it helps predict future success on the job by looking into past behavior.  Thus, questions should be shaped to look at previous behavior – not potential behavior. A question that begins with “Tell me about a time when…” for example, is much more predictive than “What would you do if…” which tends to lead candidates to say what they think you want to hear, rather than give a real-life example that provides insight into their skills, personality and work ethic.

DON’T go into the interview blind. It’s crucial that you have a clear idea of what you want your end result to look like. Before interviewing any candidate, consider the following questions:

• Why am I filling the job? (Are we growing, or are we replacing someone?)
• What’s missing on this team?
• What do our customers need, require and expect?
• Who’s the supervisor? What kind of person works best under this supervisor’s management style?
• What sort of person will fit best within this organizational culture?
• What skills am I willing to train on, and what skills do I need to hire for?

DO use the same measurement tool on the same candidate. Ask the same questions of every candidate.  The minute you stop using the same yardstick, the yardstick doesn’t measure anything. You can’t find your rock star that way. (Follow up questions can be different.) Your candidates are smarter, they’re savvier, and they’re going to challenge your skills as a recruiter.

DON’T tip your hand. Ask the questions first, then talk about the job and the company. Don’t lead them. What you say and when you say it matters. Explain what the interview process is going to look like.

DO get over your own biases. The time for evaluation comes later. The interview process is the time for gathering data. “Get out of your own way,” Newell says. “Get over your own biases, your own assumptions…If the industry equivalent of Kobe Bryant applies to your organization, and there’s a typo on his resume and you screen him because of that typo…your screening process is flawed.”  The same goes for writing someone off who doesn’t show up to an interview dressed in the way you might think is “proper.” “You never know where people are coming from…Maybe they’re coming from another job where the dress code is casual.” These minor details don’t necessarily reflect the type of employee this candidate will be.

DON’T be afraid to probe. Keep asking follow-up questions until you get a complete understanding of the situation. “Pull the thread,” Newell says. ”Make sure the behaviors they talk about are consistent.”

DO coach your candidate. Coach them to give you specifics on how they got those results. For example, ask something like, “I’m looking for a time when you demonstrated really good customer service.”

DON’T waste your time. Don’t ask questions candidates are going to lie to you about. Questions like, “Are you planning on staying in the area?” or “Can you do (blank)?” tell candidates what you want to hear. Asking big, broad questions will generate more telling, honest answers. For example, a question like, “Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult co-worker,” enables the candidate to tell you what they think a difficult co-worker looks like and how they handle adversity.

DO train everyone involved in the interview process. Not only is it important that everyone is on the same page, and they understand the reason behind the questions they’re asking, especially when it comes to asking follow-up questions.

DON’T be afraid to rephrase a question. When you really want to probe, Newell suggests taking a question and turning it negative, which can give added insight. For example, instead of asking, “Tell me about a time when you accomplished something,” ask, “When did something not go well?” You’ll see not only how people handle adversity but also what, to them, constitutes a problem.

DO create a score card by which to evaluate candidates. Incorporate the critical success factors of your ideal candidate. Think about what’s most important to success in that job, within the company, and then develop a score card based on that information. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to score it.”

Care to offer some insight?

Earlier this week, my colleague over at our job seeker blog, The Work Buzz, Kaitlin Madden, told me about an article she’s working on about what constitutes a deal breaker for hiring managers or recruiters.  So I thought I’d help her out by asking for your feedback…

What do you consider a deal breaker…during an interview? On a resume or in a cover letter? During salary negotiations?

That is, what’s the one thing a candidate can do – or, rather, has done – to immediately take him or herself out  of the running for consideration?

Got any stories to share?  Maybe a few words of wisdom? (It could end up working out in your favor…After all, the more we educate job seekers on the behavior that they should avoid – or altogether abolish – the more head- and heartache it’ll save everyone in the end…) 

Please give us your thoughts in the comments below!  (Got something to say, but don’t want to leave it as a comment? Feel free to email me your stories instead!)

Would you hire this guy? Would he think you would hire him because he’s wearing a funny hat and glasses and has the confidence of 1,000 vuvuzela-blowing fans at a World Cup game? He just might: As we’ve mentioned in the past, job seekers tend to do some unconventional things in hopes of getting a job — and although we’re starting to dig ourselves out of the recession, recent economic times have still led some job seekers to resort to, shall we say,  unusual measures to try to stand out from the competition. And those unusual measures just may be working.

Unusual Job Tactics — Trend on the Rise?

Nearly one-quarter of hiring managers (22 percent) reported in a new CareerBuilder survey that they are seeing more job seekers try unusual tactics to capture their attention this year compared to last year. This is up from 18 percent of hiring managers who said the same in 2009 and 12 percent in 2008.

“While we are seeing positive signs in the job market as employers gradually add headcount, competition is still high for open positions,” said Jason Ferrara, senior career adviser at CareerBuilder.

“As a result, more candidates are turning to unconventional tactics to attract the attention of hiring managers. While these tactics may work occasionally, they still need to be done with professionalism. That way, candidates are remembered for what they can offer an organization and not just for an unusual antic.”

When Strange May Actually Be Smart

While doing strange things to get a job may have gotten a bad rap in the past, it’s not all “Thanks for your time; these gentlemen will escort you out” on the employer end. Some hiring managers look at candidates who think outside the interview walls and see an innovative new employee in their future; nearly one-in-ten (9 percent) said they have hired someone who used an unconventional tactic to get their attention.

But what really works and what flops? As Ferrara mentioned above, candidates are wise to show what they can offer to an organization when considering an unusual approach. Otherwise, it’s just an empty attention grabber — and employers will likely see through it right away.

When asked what unusual job tactics made them go from “Whaaaa?” to “You’re hired,” here are some incidents they shared:

• Candidate brought in a DVD of his former boss giving him a recommendation.
• Candidate applying for a casino table game position came into my office and started dealing on my desk while pretending to talk to players, which showed me her guest service skills.
• Candidate sent in a letter that explained how to solve an issue our company was having with a certain type of technology.
• Candidate who was a prospective teacher brought in a box of props to demonstrate her teaching style.
• Candidate came prepared with unique business cards featuring our logo and a self-introduction brochure.
• Candidate wrote a full business plan for one of our products with his resume submission.
  
• Candidate created a full graphics portfolio on our brand.

Have you had a job seeker try to get your attention by doing or saying something out of the ordinary? Did it work?

Last week, I challenged readers to share the most difficult interview questions they’ve ever gotten – as interviewers. 

From the blunt (“What don’t you like about working for your company?”) to the bizarre (“If you walked into a room filled with jars and I was one of the jars, what would I have to contain to stand out from the others?”), the only thing more surprising than the actual questions our readers submitted were the surprisingly insightful lessons they gleaned from those questions.  

So without further ado, I present The Hiring Site readers’ nominees for the most difficult-to-answer interview questions they ever received from job candidates…and what they took away from the experience:

• “What is your company’s mission statement?” Seems like an innocent enough question, but Christina Thais was still relatively new to her company when a candidate asked her this during a phone interview, causing her to go blank. Another reader, Angie, had a similar experience when a candidate asked her to describe the company’s corporate culture. Since then, Angie writes, she has “taken the time to really think about how to communicate our corporate culture to future candidates.” Lesson learned: Both Christina and Angie’s experience highlight how important it is to ensure your employees understand the company vision, mission and values and constantly look for opportunities to communicate these things. Not only will the constant reminders keep you and your employees accountable for upholding these values and objectives, but the ability to recite these things off the bat is a sign to candidates that you actually “walk the walk.”  
• “What don’t you like about working for your company?” After being asked this question, reader Jessica writes, “I now prepare myself with potential similar difficult questions that may come up during the interview process.” Lesson learned: Alas, you can’t anticipate every difficult question that’s going to come your way, but you can anticipate that difficult questions will come up, and when they do, your best bet will be to simply tell the truth.  After all, if you’re dishonest or bend the truth, you risk the chance of setting false expectations for the candidate. A sugar-coated answer might help you fill the position, but it won’t stay filled very long. [Side note: This is also a good attitude to have if you, like one reader, Bridget, ever get a question like: “If you walked into a room filled with jars and I was one of the jars, what would I have to contain to stand out from the others?” “I’m still not sure how to answer that question,” Bridget writes.]
• “So what’s in it for me?” Another reader, NL, remembers being “appalled” when a potential candidate for an entry-level receptionist position asked this, the second in a line of questioning that began, “Why should I accept an offer to work for this company? Obviously, you’re not Google, with candidates sending you flowers, balloon telegrams or banging on your door to get it in.” Lesson learned: Not only did the candidate’s attitude reveal that she would not be a good fit for the company and that “phone screens are essential!” but it also seemed to confirm what NL already knew: It’s more than okay to not be Google. “Considering that every other candidate had heard about us prior to even applying…we are doing something right.”
• “Will you be keeping in touch? WILL you?”  It’s easy to forget how heavily candidates depend on that post-interview phone call from you…until one of them actually says so. Such is what happened to one commenter, J., who was met with bitter disbelief after promising to keep in touch with one candidate, who had apparently been (falsely) told one too many times by recruiters that she’d be called back.  Lesson learned: The confrontation taught J. ”that a response to a candidate is not a courtesy, it’s an essential part of the process and should never, ever be overlooked or taken lightly. We are dealing with real people with real lives and very real concerns and challenges. Every one of them deserves respect, and a response.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.
• “How many healthy choices do you offer in your vending machine?” When Eileen Hershkowitz received this question as well as many others about various working conditions at her company that promoted a healthy lifestyle, she realized that the candidate was seeking affirmation that her company not only talked about employee wellness, but truly executed that in its culture. Lesson learned: Eileen writes, “The candidate really had a valid point in my mind and made me re-think how important areas such as break rooms, and choices in vending machines and/or cafeterias can affect how your employees view your organization in the commitment to its most valuable resource.” In other words, it’s in the every day things things companies do – not just through quarterly bonuses, annual awards or periodic celebrations – that communicate to your employees that you sincerely value their efforts, support them and want to ensure their success. 
• “What are the specific steps you as my manager take to ensure my success in this position, and what are your procedures for preparing for my termination if I’m not?” After getting this question at the end of a sales position interview, reader James was understandably thrown off guard. After all, not many people ask about the firing process; however, James wrote that it made him consider how his accountability practices play into his goals for his team’s performance.   Lesson learned: “Interviews (especially for sales positions) need to include detailed expectations for success and ‘how’ the candidates will be held accountable for that success so that he/she knows exactly what will be expected of them should they get the job.”
• “Why isn’t anybody that works at your company happy?” Sure, it’s not the most eloquently phrased question, and perhaps a tad on the presumptuous side, but when a candidate  threw this question to one anonymous reader, rather than take offense and immediately dismiss the candidate, the interviewer instead took the opportunity to find out where the candidate had gotten such an impression and clarify any misconceptions about the company. Lesson learned: The interview process provides an opportunity to find out how well your company is executing its employment brand, and give insight into how to better execute it. 
• “What do you do if he (the owner) dies?” Despite its bluntness, reader Brett found this question to be smart once he realized that the candidate was thinking long term, and was concerned about the company’s viability should he be hired. Brett writes that this question “made me start to think – we prep for a lot of things like talking salary & benefits because we think about what we’d want to know… but you never know who’s sitting on the other side of the desk and what their wants/needs are…”  Lesson learned: Brett brings up a good point about the importance of doing the right research to understand candidate attitudes, behaviors and perceptions when recruiting and trying to sell your company to candidates.

The overall lesson?
At the very least, questions like these can give you insight into how an individual thinks and his or her motives for taking a job, as well as a glimpse into their soft skills, what kind of employee they will make and how, if hired, they would potentially sell your company to others, to name just a few additional benefits.

At the most, these questions can help prepare you for future interviews and give you insight into something about your company that needs to be addressed (see “Why isn’t anybody who works at your company happy?” above) – whether it’s better communication about the company mission statement, or the fact that you need to better manage or build your external employment brand.

What about you? Any questions of your own to add to the list? And if so, did you learn from the experience?

We at CareerBuilder have created this e-book for you, the employer.

• For the small bait and tackle shop owner, as well as the restaurant franchise owner.
• For the small tech firm, as well as the Fortune 500 corporation.

Because while your recruitment needs may be vastly different from every other business, you still do have recruitment needs. And whether you are concerned with getting less application drop-off, building a stronger employment brand, delving into the world of social media, providing more training opportunities for your employees, or a myriad of other challenges, CareerBuilder’s team of experts can help you isolate and tackle the specific areas of concern in your recruitment process and move forward to meet your next challenge with confidence and ease.

Use this e-book to discover our best tips around:

• Recruitment benchmarking
• Talent intelligence
• Compensation strategy
• Employment branding
• Social media recruitment/ social recruiting
• Employee engagement and retention
• Candidate attraction
• Recruitment process optimization
• Employee training
• Succession management
• Employee onboarding
• Interview questions
• …and more!

Download CareerBuilder’s Ultimate Recruitment Guide e-Book, our brand new how-to-hire guide stocked with the latest tips and advice – and designed to address your unique recruitment needs today.

We’ve all heard stories about “difficult” interview questions. Rarely, however, do those stories focus on the interviewer, so…For our latest “We Ask, You Win” contest, The Hiring Site is asking you to share with us: Has a job candidate ever asked you a question that you found particularly difficult to answer? 

• Perhaps, for example, a candidate asked a question that threw you off-guard and made you change the way you prepare yourself or your team for interviews…
• Or maybe a candidate asked about something you never would have thought would be important to them (like your corporate social responsibility or green initiatives), thus making you rethink how you sell your company to job candidates…
• Or perhaps a candidate asked about something your company didn’t currently offer (like a certain benefit), that you had never considered before…

Whether you didn’t know the answer, didn’t know how to answer, or perhaps you knew that the answer wasn’t what the candidate wanted to hear…We want to hear from you to tell us the question, how you handled it and, most importantly, what you learned from the experience.

By sharing your experiences of how you handled a difficult interview question – or how you later wish you’d answered it – you will be helping your fellow hiring managers and recruiters…

• Prepare better for the interview process
• Gain a better understanding of what potential employees want in employer
• Enhance your overall recruiting process

And just to sweeten the deal….Just by telling us how a job candidate “stumped” you – and the lesson that came out of it – you’ll automatically be entered for the chance to win a 5^th Generation iPod Nano.

 (Free advice and the chance to win a new toy? Doesn’t seem like such a bad deal.)

How to enter:
Simply answer this question – “What interview question from a job seeker has ever stumped you, and how did it change the way you think about your company’s recruitment process?”– in the comments section below, and you’ll automatically be entered to win a brand new 5^th Generation iPod Nano.  (Feel free to post anonymously, too. It won’t hurt your chances to win – so long as you abide by the terms and conditions.)

Contest details:
Entries will be accepted from 12:00 a.m. CST on Monday, April 19, 2010 until 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, April 23, 2010.  Each account may only submit one answer for consideration; subsequent entries will not be considered. Spam responses will not be considered. The winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail the week of April 26, 2010. Please read the full list of official contest rules and regulations.