Each week, StartWire News features insider tips from recruiting directors and talent acquisition pros. As we look ahead to 2012, we’re encouraged by the uptick in hiring — and we want to share some of the best of the best with you so that you can land the job you want — fast! 

This is the second of two installments on this topic. You can find the first one here.

Show you’ve got “humble confidence.”

We look for individuals who have a collaborative style and what we call a “humble confidence.” Can you listen to and build on the ideas of others yet respectfully advocate for your own ideas, too?

Julie Motta
Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for Whirlpool Corporation

Get social. Engaging with recruiters online can help you get hired.

Get online. If you engage with organizations today on social media, you will get a little bit of a bump. You will receive extra attention. All of those avenues of social media engagement can help. This is a new world for employers so we are being extraordinarily careful to engage a little bit better, and to give more feedback.

Stacy Van Meter
Senior Manager of Social Marketing/Employment Brand for Deluxe.

Find a way to get introduced to someone inside the company.
 

Over 30% of our hires come from referrals. The biggest advantage you can have is when people know you. Get someone inside the company to advocate for you. Find the job, than find someone who can vouch for you, and apply for it. By the time the job is posted, it is almost too late. Hiring success often comes from someone you know.

Adam Eisenstein
Recruiter for McGraw Hill

Be accessible. Tell people how they can find you.

People assume that they aren’t going to get into Google. The reputation is such that it is very hard to get into Google. And so some people don’t even try.

I didn’t go to a great school. I didn’t have an amazing GPA. But I work at Google. So could you.

Don’t take yourself out of the game by making assumptions and choosing not to apply. I’ve hired people who don’t have college degrees.

Jeff Moore
Lead Engineering Recruiter for Google

Chris Hoyt is a Talent Engagement & Marketing Leader at PepsiCo. He’s also known as “The Recruiter Guy.” PepsiCo offers the world’s largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.

We sat down with him for a conversation on recruiting, working at PepsiCo, and best practices on finding a new job.

You recruit a lot on social media, but have also gone on the record as saying that sourcing candidates via job boards is also a good idea. How does a candidate get your attention?

This came up recently when I responded to an article that alleged that job boards were at the end of their usefulness – which I disagree with completely.  Job boards will continue to evolve as they have for years, in an effort to keep up with, and balance, the needs of both jobseekers and employers.  Because of this, job boards still aren’t something that jobseekers around the world should remove from their plan of attack when looking for employment.

At PepsiCo, we work hard to strike a balance between both traditional and progressive recruiting tactics, because we know that there is no cookie cutter approach to recruiting for such a diverse stable of talent.  At any given time this year we’ve had over a thousand jobs available around the world.  In our search to hire what we hope is the best and the brightest we know that our efforts can be a combination of ‘smiling and dialing’, real-world networking, brute sourcing and social recruiting.

Getting the attention of a talent acquisition professional at PepsiCo has gotten easier over the last year with our explosion into social and mobile recruiting.  And while resumes are still important, they’re not necessarily what a sourcer or recruiter is going to see first.  Job seekers that manage their online footprint, how they are portrayed and how they’re engaged, on various social and professional networks like Twitter or LinkedIn could find it makes all the difference.

What types of jobs is PepsiCo hiring for right now?

Wow, that’s a loaded question.  I mean, this morning we had over 800 jobs posted in just the United States and Canada which covered a range of jobs – from Drivers and Warehouse workers to Marketing Managers, Scientists and Finance professionals.

What’s been really exciting for us over the last year has been the update to our career site that allows job seekers to create automated search agents that notify them of jobs based on their key interests or preferred work location.  We even took that technology and incorporated it into our Facebook fanpage and recent mobile applications released for iPad, iPhone and Droid called Possibilities.  So no matter what type of job someone is interested in, they can receive custom updates quickly and easily.

What don’t job seekers know about working at PepsiCo that they should know?  Do you hire for any PepsiCo subsidiaries as well? (For example, McGraw Hill also includes Standard & Poors…)

I think one of the things that job seekers might miss at a glance is the sheer variety of brands and products that sit within the PepsiCo umbrella.  We have over 19 different brands that earn over $1 billion in revenue yearly – including Pepsi, Walkers, Tostitos, Aquafina and more.  But in addition to these we have an amazing array of other products like Rice-a-Roni, Cap n’ Crunch, Sobe and others that are incredibly successful.  So when you think of all of these products, you might assume that we’re a company of just manufacturing and marketing people.  

The truth is that we’re made up of over 300,000 game changers and mountain movers that handle incredibly complex challenges related to any aspect of our business.  You’re a Finance major that loves Mountain Dew? We’ve probably got a job you’d love to take on right out of college.  You’re a part-time athlete that can’t get enough Quaker Oats and has a passion for sustainability? I’d bet we’ve got something that would keep you pretty fired up. 

Any bad assumption that you’ve seen job seekers make in applying for jobs with PepsiCo?

I think that often job seekers assume that at large companies there isn’t anyone on the other end of the application system – and that it’s all completely automated or that they’re submissions won’t ever be seen.  But while we do have a system that helps us to more quickly find qualified submissions, there is a real recruiting team at PepsiCo that wants nothing more than to find the best match for each job available.  A well constructed bio, resume, skillset – whether online or offline – still goes a long way.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals in working with recruiters? What are your pet peeves?

It’s funny – I just had a bit of discussion on Google+ about this exact topic.  I think that my biggest pet peeve with anyone, not job seekers specifically, is a sense of entitlement.  For a lot of people it is incredibly tough to find a job right now – the right company, the right location, the right pay, etc.  And this can understandably weigh on anyone.  But when a job seeker applies for any job they should remember that being qualified doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing as being the most qualified.  So the assumption by a job seeker that they are entitled to an interview just because they meet the qualifications is a tough thing to swallow at any level.  
The fact is that even if recruiters wanted to interview all 1,000 qualified job seekers that apply to their job, they can’t always do so.  And even if they did, they’re only able to hire one of these people.

It’s why connecting outside of the application process is so important for both job seekers and recruiters.  It’s why having a visible and living profile that showcases your expertise and engagement with industry peers is much more powerful than is sometimes thought.  We’ve taken huge steps over the last few months to create active LinkedIn groups related to specific job interests like Finance, Human Resources, Sales and others.  We’ve expanded our engagement channels to be more visible to job seekers around the world by including recruiters from other parts of the globe to engage people online.

Are there any questions I haven’t asked that I should be asking? What’s the question, and what’s your answer?

How does someone learn more about PepsiCo as an employer?

I don’t give the standard response to this that most recruiters provide which is, “go do your homework.”  I believe that pulling up a company’s Wikipedia page or heading to their corporate page is 101 – and it’s typically pretty boring.  I encourage job seekers to look past the “corporate sell” of basic benefits and stock history. They should be looking for the bigger picture.  At PepsiCo we’re making this easy with things like our People of PepsiCo page that shows employees talking about what’s possible for them in AND outside of work as a member of the PepsiCo family.

Our employees are becoming widely available in networks like LinkedIn and are now actively sharing stories about our company in their status updates directly from our internal newsfeeds in the hopes that you’ll talk with them about what’s going on.

Look for these things. This is a level of authenticity that makes an employer worth really looking at.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Manage your social footprint and engage the company you’re interested in learning more about.
 

Executives prefer SUVs, navy blue suits and part their hair on the right. More than half of Americans leave 11 days of vacation on the table every year. 80 may be the new 65 for retirement age.

These are but a few results of the recent surveys conducted by market research leader Harris Interactive on behalf of their clients.  Harris Interactive provides full service market research and polling services for multiple industries across the globe including ad-hoc and customized qualitative and quantitative research, service bureau research (conducted for other market research firms), and long-term tracking studies.

We sat down with Harris Interactive’s Director of Recruitment, Wanda Callahan, to learn about how Harris Interactive hires – and also to get a few tips on job search strategy from the perspective of a recruiting insider.  Prior to joining Harris Interactive in 2004, Callahan worked in corporate HR recruiting for companies including Kodak Imaging Services and Pitney Bowes. She started her career as an executive recruiter for private search firms, so she knows the hiring process inside and out.  Callahan has a passion for finding and delivering quality candidates to hiring managers.

I would imagine that most people who apply to jobs at Harris Interactive have read your polls and are familiar with your work. What surprises candidates about working at Harris Interactive?

I think one thing that surprises people is how warm and genuinely friendly our staff is – as well as how smart our researchers are.

Harris Interactive was recently selected as a great place to apply by the Candidate Experience Awards.What stands out about your hiring process?  What’s unique about the job applicant experience at Harris Interactive?

We are a service organization so we want to hire customer-focused employees.   In turn, we want to be as responsive as possible to our candidates assisting those in the interview and on-boarding process as much as possible, as well as making sure that applicants know when a position has been filled and that we will retain their resume/CV for future opportunities.
 

What types of jobs are you hiring for right now? Is there one place to find all of your employment opportunities?

Right now we are hiring for several market research and inside sales positions. For market research, applicants must have a minimum of a four-year degree.   We can usually find quality graduates who enjoy research with majors in Psychology or Statistics.  The Harris Interactive website contains all our open jobs.
 

What makes a great Harris Interactive candidate and employee?

We look for high energy, client focused applicants – people who want to go above and beyond.
 

Can you tell me about someone you recently hired? And what made them stand out?

I recently interviewed a Ph.D. researcher for one position but discovered he was not appropriate for that particular job.   However, he was open to continuing a dialogue with us so we could learn more about him.  He had additional traits and skills in an area where we could expand our business.   This happens frequently.  We might have one job in mind for someone when reviewing a resume, but other jobs may be created.   Be open to other opportunities that you may not ordinarily consider. Many job seekers are closely tied to what they are looking for.  Increase your odds by expanding your search.  Never close a door.  Your background might be very appropriate for several different opportunities, even those not currently available and posted.
 

What’s the best way a job applicant – for any job, at any company – can stand out in the applicant pool?

With today’s electronic tools to assist HR in the interview process, many applicants may feel their resumes go into a black hole.  Something as simple as remembering to accurately provide contact information is vital.  Mis-spelling an email address or supplying the incorrect phone number on a submission form may eliminate or delay communication from arriving to your destination punctually.  Also, you will want to make certain you are applying for the appropriate position that meets your background.  Technology and one’s speed can sometimes click on the wrong job.

If you are relocating to a specific area, make certain to include that information with your resume.  A resume can easily be rejected depending on the address provided.
 

Why do people like working for Harris Interactive?

Our market research employees work on a lot of different subject-matter projects.  They enjoy the variety; to name just a few:  conducting online research regarding packaging of a consumer product, researching a political issue, determining if a new financial product is worthy of marketing, etc.  

In order to succeed here, researchers thrive as an individual contributor but also enjoy working and providing value on a team.
 

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Research each company you want to work for.   If you are socially connected (personally or professionally via social media) with someone from the company, if appropriate, query those associates about the culture.    Ask relative questions about the job and the company.   

Interviewing is getting to know one another.  During the interview process, instead of answering questions with one word, tell a story about how you positively responded to a situation.  Before you leave the interview, ask what the next steps are in the process.  In the best-case scenario:   Ask for the job.

Harris Interactive always appreciates your opinion.  Join the Harris Poll.  We’d like to hear your thoughts.  It’s free to join.  And you’ll have the chance to earn rewards for your participation.  It’s free: www.harrispollonline.com
 

Staples was founded 25 years ago –after co-founder Thomas Stemberg searched for a replacement printer ribbon over Fourth of July weekend. Stemberg was unable to find his printer ribbon as there were no open office supply stores. But he did develop a big idea of creating a supermarket for office supplies with affordable prices.

Today, Staples is the world’s largest office products company with over 1570 stores nationwide and annual sales of $25B. With 90,000 associates worldwide and opportunities in retail, dot com, catalog and B2B channels, Staples has a presence in more than 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia — bringing “easy” to offices and consumers everywhere.

Erica Rockenback leads Staples’ global recruiting efforts. Previously, she led Talent Acquisition teams for global Fortune 100 companies like 3M and United Healthgroup, with a focus on manufacturing, healthcare, retail and technology. We sat down with Erica to learn more about working at Staples.

I would imagine that most people who apply to jobs at Staples have shopped at Staples and seen employees at Staples in action. What surprises candidates about working at Staples?
 

When candidates think of Staples they tend to think of us solely as retail stores, however we’re also a B2B and B2C company with a significant corporate infrastructure. Additionally, we have a large e-commerce business, as Staples is the second largest e-tailer next to Amazon. To see all the jobs we’re hiring for right now, start your search on our website or LinkedIn.

Due to the breadth of the company there is a wide array of employment opportunites. Once you begin employment with Staples you see how much we promote from within and move talent across businesses and business units.

Candidates for jobs at Staples— as well as our new hires— sometimes refer to Staples as a “think tank.”  Candidates and new hires are really impressed with the smart thinking that our people dedicate to all parts of our business. The people that work at Staples are one of our most important differentiators.

Everyone knows that you want customers to say, “that was easy” after shopping with Staples – do you want candidates to say the same about applying? And if yes, what’s unique about your hiring process?
 

We do anything we can to make the process of applying easy. We have multiple access points from online applications on our website to LinkedIn. We are also building a new talent community that will make it easier for candidates to apply. We are always looking to help job seekers optimize the process of getting hired. We ask ourselves, “How can we make the process of applying even easier?” We are focused on having the process be a simple one.

What’s unique about our hiring process is that you meet a variety of people. We have panel interviews. We have people meet potential colleagues. We look at the employment process from both the perspective of the candidate and from the perspective of a hiring manager: How can we assess that Staples is the right fit for you?
 

What types of jobs are you hiring for right now? Is there one place to find all of your employment opportunities?

We hire across the organization. We always have a large volume of store jobs, typically with 6-7 key roles. Right now, we’re hiring people for sales positions across the company, as well as jobs in technology, mobile technology, merchandising, finance, and marketing. We have a huge push to hire new colleagues for eCommerce roles. Of course we are always hiring for support roles like HR as well.
 

What makes a great Staples candidate and employee?

You have to be strong in your discipline. We are looking for people who are drawn to a challenge and who want to make an impact. Being able to collaborate is also important. As a potential employee you have to be able to work and live in a fast-paced, customer focused environment.

You can’t be adverse to change. In our 25-year history, we’ve made big investments – and we have also taken risks.  We’re a company that has always evolved to meet our customers’ evolving needs.
 

What’s the best way I can prepare for an interview at Staples?
 

Research always helps. Even though we are far more than just a retail store, one of the quickest things you can do is to shop at a store. We have a very comprehensive website as well. From a personal tactical point of view, come prepared with demonstrated examples of your experience and how it relates to the job that you are applying for. Be able to bring color to your interview. Think about how you can make an impact at Staples.

We coach our interviewers to do job specific interviews as well as behavioral interviews to look at all of your abilities so that we can assess your capacity to succeed.
 

 Are there any questions I haven’t asked that I should be asking? What’s the question, and what’s your answer?
 

Isn’t this a bad time to apply given the state of unemployment and the labor market?

While the perception is that the labor market is soft, we are definitely hiring.  There’s so much more to working at Staples than many of our customers will ever recognize. Most people have – and want to have – more than one career now. You can do more than one thing at Staples.

There’s also a lot more coming in terms of opportunity. You are going to see and hear a lot more about hiring from Staples – from Facebook and Twitter to our website.

Keep in touch with what we are doing and stay connected. If you apply once and don’t get selected – keep trying. Look at more than one job. If you are just looking at retail opportunities, don’t hesitate to broaden that search as well. Stay informed. See where Staples is in the news. Visit our stores. Visit our Websites. Ask: How can I get connected and network with employees? All of these steps will help you get ahead in our process.
 

Use it now—actionable advice for job seekers:
 

Spend time researching employers upfront. Pay attention to the companies that are moving and shaking. Check the local news and media. Look at the culture and be prepared.  You’ll stand out when you show how you can fit in.