Shanil Kaderali is the Manager of Talent Programs at WellPoint responsible for developing recruitment strategies, talent sourcing programs and diversity recruitment. He has held Recruitment leadership positions at companies including Cisco, Symantec and United Health Group and is well-regarded as a strategic thinker in Recruitment/Staffing. He resides in Los Angeles, CA and is involved in charitable organizations including Habitat for Humanity.

How does WellPoint, the nation’s largest provider of health benefits, find employees?

We use multiple forms of advertising that includes direct outreach, career web sites, job boards, and we rely heavily on referrals from our employees. We also attend events, have a dynamic career site, and maintain a strong online social media presence.

What types of positions are you hiring for right now? Any subsidiaries of WellPoint that job seekers should also be on the lookout for – and might not know about?

While we have a wide range of positions available, everything from customer service representatives to licensed and certified health care professionals, we are actively recruiting for IT workers.  Changes in health care technology have created a demand for candidates with experience in the information technology industry.

Our subsidiaries include Anthem Blue Cross, Empire, and American Imaging Management.  You can find a full list of them here; our career site also includes jobs at subsidiaries.

What makes a great candidate beyond doing research on WellPoint? Does it help – for example – to have an interest in the healthcare industry?

Demonstrating an active interest in the healthcare industry is key.  There are simple ways to do so.  For example, participate in LinkedIn groups that focus on the health care industry and your field of focus within the industry, develop connections with people who are in the health care industry and engage them by asking for advice on getting your foot in the door and volunteer with non-profits that have a health care focus and be sure to list this on your resume.

Any “never do” tips for individuals for working with recruiters? What are your pet peeves?

The resume is perhaps one of the most important tools to getting the job because at times it is the first thing the employer sees.  Therefore, the objective line of the resume must be clear and contain focused language about what you as an employee can do for the company.  Often, we see statements focused on the personal goals rather than a career goal that benefits the employer. 

Hobbies and extraneous interests don’t belong on a resume.  Your resume is a professional reflection of you.  So, keep it professional.

Make sure you use the spell check tool and avoid being verbose.  A concise, focused skills and experience driven resume that includes what would make you a valuable employee will get you noticed.

If you are using social media, be very careful of what you post.  

Above all, do your research.  Don’t ever go into an interview without knowing important facts about the company.

What’s the one thing people don’t know about your company that you wish they knew?

We are focused on improving the lives of the people we serve and the health of our communities. As a health care company, having a healthy workforce is important. So, we provide fitness and wellness programs for our employees.  And we take that commitment to health into the communities we serve by providing support to non-profit agencies that focus on health and well-being.

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

What do job seekers often overlook in the process?

Preparing to ask their potential employers questions about the job and the company.  It’s really important to think about those questions in advance. Asking questions shows an interest in the job, the company, and the industry.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Use social media to network and make professional connections. Build relationships with people who work in the industry you are interested in working. Once you build those relationships, ask for professional advice.  They can perhaps lead to referrals and references.

On average, one of out every 33 candidates is going to get hired from an online source—such as a job board or a career site. If you are referred, your odds go up to one  in four. Those are better odds. 

Like what you’ve read? Catch more of StartWire’s exclusive insider Q & A interviews as well as the lowdown on companies that are hiring through news.startwire.com

Arie Ball is the Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Sodexo, the leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions with more than 120,000 employees in the US and serving more than ten million customers daily.  Building on a career of operational management, Arie assumed a leadership role within human resources in 2004. In this role she leads the company’s first ever centrally managed, cross divisional recruitment organization that focuses on sourcing, attracting and recruiting top talent to Sodexo, and identifying internal employees for promotional opportunities.

Arie invites you to connect with her on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.

Sodexo isn’t just a leading provider of food services across industries, you are one of the top ten biggest employers in Europe. How do you find candidates?

Sodexo’s presence goes beyond Europe and the U.S. We’re the 21st largest employer worldwide. As such, we’re known as a leader for innovative methods to attract, source and retain top talent. We actively seek candidates through direct sourcing, our social media and talent communities, college and military recruitment, strategic relationships with professional organizations, employee referrals, our alumni and other sourcing tools.

How does a candidate get your attention?

Candidates who have thoroughly researched our company and tailored their resumes to match the posted job description are more likely to stand out to our recruiters. We like to see a direct relationship between a candidate’s qualifications and experience with the open position and providing concrete examples of accomplishments is a plus. And, candidates who network with our staff live or online get noticed.

What types of positions are you hiring for right now? Any subsidiaries of Sodexo that job seekers should also be on the lookout for – and might not know about?

Many view Sodexo as a hospitality company, but, we offer so much more. Jobs are available in IT, energy management, facilities, clinical nutrition, and more! And, we operate in several environments, including Hospitals, Senior Living, Colleges and Universities, School Districts, , Corporate Environments, Federal Government, Military Bases,  Remote Sites, Conference Centers, and Leisure & Entertainment.Some of our subsidiaries include Circles Concierge Service andComfort Keepers.

What makes a great candidate beyond doing research on Sodexo? Does it help – for example – to have an interest in the hospitality industry?

It’s more than having an interest in the industry – it’s about wanting to provide great customer service, to provide solutions that meet our clients’ needs, and a desire to improve upon on our existing models. And, great candidates can succinctly describe examples of their work and how they’ve achieved accomplishments that align with the work we’d expect from them.

Sodexo has built a strong online presence in social media. What’s the best way to engage you online? Anytime you haven’t hired a candidate because of information they shared online?

On the Sodexo Career Center site, our Network with Us page provides many venues from which to engage with us. We’re active on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn– along with other  platforms. To engage with us, don’t just follow us. Share information, ask a question, leave comments.  And, reach out to us in multiple places so we can be sure to connect with you.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals for working with recruiters?

When working with recruiters, never misrepresent yourself. Be authentic. Have integrity. Be patient. Be professional.  And, remember that not every job is going to be a perfect fit for you. If you don’t get the job, build a relationship with the recruiter. If you’re interested in working for the company, the recruiter may keep you on his or her list for other opportunities.

Any bad assumption that you see job seekers make in applying for jobs at Sodexo?

Often candidates will assume that just because they have the right background and experience that they’ll automatically move forward in the hiring process. But in this economy, some jobs can attract more than 100 candidates, so, it’s important for candidates to do everything possible to be competitive – research the company, tailor their resume to highlight key qualifications, and find opportunities to network with the company and stand out.

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

What other factors should candidates consider when looking at Sodexo as a potential employer? What is the career growth potential?

A great feature of our company is our focus on development which makes it possible for an employee to have multiple careers without ever leaving Sodexo. Given our size, the fact that we’re in 80 countries and because we do so many different things, career paths can be varied. We invest in our employees and their career growth, and it’s not unusual to start in one career and move into something else.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Fully research the companies for which you want to work. Consider the qualifications required for positions and tailor your resume accordingly. Take advantage of opportunities to network with company employees to learn more and position yourself for opportunities. If invited to interview, come prepared to describe relevant examples that highlight your background, experience and how you achieved your goals.

Like what you’ve read? Catch more of StartWire’s exclusive insider Q & A interviews as well as the lowdown on companies that are hiring through news.startwire.com

We’ve been burning the midnight oil the last couple of weeks to pump out a new and improved job recommendations engine and dramatically expand our network of companies in our application update engine.  We’re happy to announce that we just rolled these great updates.  We hope you like the results. 

Here are the details:

• New & Improved Job Recommendations: Every time you track a new application with StartWire, our recommendations engine gets smarter. We analyze your applications,  look for key characteristics you like (and dislike) and use these to recommend better jobs.  You can edit and enhance these Likes and Dislikes on our new recommendations , tab with a few simple mouse clicks…so you can tune our engine to an even higher level.  Give it a try. The results are awesome…and as always…we’ll let you know about any Insider connections you have for any job we return!
• 1334 New Companies Added to the StartWire Application Update Engine: Job seekers and companies alike are ‘into’ our our application update engine. Job seekers love the fact we are closing the ‘black hole’ and companies are ecstatic about the fact we are helping their applicants feel better about their recruiting process.  Today, we’re happy to announce we’ve added 1334 new companies in the last month…bringing the total network to 4,000+ supported companies.

And BTW, last week was the best week in StartWire’s short life. New users, tracked applications, and site usage is going through the roof. Thank you all for spreading the love about StartWire. 

StartWire is completely free for job seekers; you can sign up here.

About StartWire

StartWire™ closes the ‘application black hole’ by providing job seekers with free, automatic updates on their job applications from over 4,000 employers via e-mail and text. StartWire™ also provides a suite of tools that streamline the job search process from recommendations on where to apply and friends who can help, to status indicators of your chances of getting a call based on your application date, the age of the job, and industry benchmarks.

StartWire™ launched in early 2011 to rave reviews and write-ups in US News & World Report, About.com, AOL Jobs, CNN, ERE, HR Executive Magazine, & Career Xroads. StartWire™ is the 1st product commercialized by StartDate Labs™ – a recruiting and job search technology incubator. StartDate Labs is based in Lebanon, NH.

Amy Ng is a Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Citi where she independently provides creative social recruiting solutions for a staffing community of more than 200 members.  Under her leadership, Citi’s recruiting professionals effectively engage online, increase sourcing opportunities, and create a pipeline of potential candidates. Additionally, Citi has emerged as a leader in social media talent recruitment among financial services providers.

We asked her to provide us with the inside scoop on hiring at Citi, as well as to provide us with a few tips on job search strategy.

Citi employees manage 200 million customer accounts across six continents in more than 100 countries. How do you find candidates?

We recruit 24/7 because anyone not currently working for us is considered a candidate. We have websites for active and passive jobseekers, we actively engage via social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Brazen Careerist, YouTube), we attend online job fairs, use job boards, place online/print ads, and encourage employee referrals.

How does a candidate get your attention?

On average, recruiters spend less than 20 seconds reviewing a resume. Candidates need to differentiate themselves from among thousands of others.  We look for a well written and formatted resume from candidates who are knowledgeable about Citi (our goals, culture), and who can articulate how their relevant skills and work experience can be an immediate asset to Citi.

What types of positions are you hiring for right now? Any subsidiaries of Citi that job seekers should also be on the lookout for – and might not know about?

While we do have the full complement of traditional banking jobs (Teller, Branch Manager, Personal Banker, Business Banker), we are a full-service operation with career opportunities in Technology, Finance, Customer Service, Anti-Money Laundering, Sales, Analysis, Marketing, Human Resources, Home Lending, Risk Management, Operations, Compliance and Control, Underwriting, and more!

What makes a great candidate beyond doing research on Citi? Does it help, for example to know how to analyze financial data?

Great candidates are prepared for the interview and have strong financial industry knowledge of who Citi’s competitors are and what sets Citi apart.  Candidates who come prepared with questions about Citi, our culture, and the hiring manager show a true interest in our organization and the position.

Citi has built a strong online presence in social media. What do you look for when you meet candidates online?

I seek people with good communication skills who are clear about what they are looking for so that I can help them narrow their job search and get them connected to the right people. I should not have to decipher cryptic messages or guess what a candidate wants.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals for working with recruiters?

Never assume that a recruiter owes you anything or will just give you a job.  Instead, network with recruiters and build a relationship. Be clear about what you want and what uniquely qualifies you for that type of role. Remember: recruiters facilitate connections between candidates and hiring managers, and the candidate closes the deal.

Any bad assumption that you see job seekers make in applying for jobs at Citi?

Our recruiters are not one size fits all; they are specialized and work directly with hiring managers to fill specific roles. That’s why I only connect job seekers with the recruiters who can assist them based on each candidate’s job preferences.  Job seekers also fail to highlight the necessary skills required for the position they are applying for and expect recruiters to make assumptions about their work history.

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

How can I connect with a Citi recruiter?

Find Citi Jobs on Facebook, Twitter, Brazen Careerist, or LinkedIn. Introduce yourself and tell us what you are looking for. We’ll help narrow your search by job type or location. Once you find a job that interests you, we’ll connect you with the appropriate recruiter.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

If you haven’t already, create at least one profile on a social or professional network so you can find recruiters willing to connect with candidates. Then, network with them and build relationships. Above all: Be gracious and let them get to know you and your capabilities so they can best represent you to the hiring manager.
 

If you’re currently on the hunt for a new job, you may be focusing your energy on how to get your next job. As succeeding in a job once you’ve landed one is equally important, we turned to Austin Smith, a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

Austin specializes in designing and implementing programs that enable organizations to build and retain talent. Currently Global Director of Talent Management at Publicis Healthcare, Austin is responsible for leadership and learning activities across the company’s global franchise; previously he served as Director of Talent Management at MTV Networks.

We asked Austin to share his perspective on talent management and recruiting.

You’ve worked in talent management across industries – from entertainment (MTV Networks) and financial services to healthcare (Publicis Healthcare), are there any universal signs of a great culture to work that job seekers should keep an eye out for?

The best cultures are committed to leadership development and ongoing opportunities to improve one’s skills and advance. Most folks leave jobs either because they don’t like the boss or there are no opportunities for growth.  

What makes a great candidate beyond the experience and skills required for the job?

Something that sets you apart from others. Everyone has something unique about his or her experience and background. It’s important to know what sets you apart. 

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals in working with talent management and HR professionals inside companies? 

Even in the best organizations, the ultimate responsibility for one’s success is with you. So, never assume that the organization knows what you want out of your career or even knows about the areas in which you excel. There’s a certain level of asserting yourself that is required for success.

What’s the biggest mistake you can make if you’re unhappy in a job?

Not doing your best when working in your less-than-ideal situation. You never know who’s watching and what cool results you may be able to produce to set you up for the job you actually want. 

You’re an expert in 360 evaluations – or evaluation processes in which individuals from across an organization help evaluate performance. What’s the best approach to take if asked to participate in this type of review – diplomacy or honesty? Why? 

A 360 done right provides the ratee with invaluable insights. If you know that your responses will remain confidential and that the leader will actually take action on the results, then be honest. If not, the culture isn’t using 360 properly, and I would go for diplomacy.

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

What are the keys to successfully managing your career? Knowing what you’re good at, knowing how you’re perceived by others, and being able to successfully relate to all different types of people. 

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers

Lots of job seekers aren’t really sure what they actually want. Figuring this out is half the battle. If you know where you want to go, it’s easier to get there.

Like what you’ve read? Catch more of StartWire’s exclusive insider Q & A interviews as well as the lowdown on companies that are hiring through news.startwire.com

Wouldn’t it be great if employers got graded for their part in the job search process too?

Enter the Candidate Experience Awards 2011 – a competition for corporate recruiting organizations operating in North America. The award process evaluates and recognizes organizations that deliver outstanding candidate experiences. Companies that apply will receive confidential benchmark data on how their scores compare to the applicant group as a whole. Companies that meet or exceed the award standard will receive a C&E (pronounced “candy”) award designation. Finalists will also receive special recognition. The C&E Awards ceremony will be on October 4, 2011, at the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas. There is no cost to apply for the award. (Editorial disclosure: StartWire is a sponsor of this award.)

The C & E Awards are being produced by a non-profit organization called The Talent Board. We sat down with two key players in the project, Talent Function Group co-founders Mark McMillan and Elaine Orler, to get an overview of this new program.

What is Talent Function?

MM: TalentFunction is a talent acquisition consultancy. Staffing leaders hire us to make their teams more effective.  We are known most for our expertise in helping companies get the most out of their recruiting technology. If I’m in an elevator with someone outside our industry, I like to say that “We are the management consultants for the recruiting function.”   

What drives this award?

EO: The genesis of the C&E Award (pronounced “Candy”) was a coffee meeting between Chris Forman and I in November 2010. An award idea was proposed by Chris, and I couldn’t have agreed more. From my perspective, the last 16 years of my career has had a focus in some way on the candidate experience. From my first role of recruiting in a fast paced corporation to the need to constantly evaluate how candidates are being communicated with in regards to their submission. Every consulting engagement has an aspect of thinking about the critical talent needs and the behaviors an organization wants to present in recruiting that talent. How corporations treat those that they are interested in is shadowed by how they treat those that they are not interested in. And the latter is a population of thousands, and in some cases millions to key organizations. Getting that experience right is no longer an optional exercise for organizations, and is now a critical competitive advantage.

MM: If you are a recruiting consultant, you tend to hear about candidate experiences all the time. Your friends, and friends of friends, share their job search experiences with you. For Elaine and I, we have heard too many bad stories over the years. I have also experienced this personally; here is one example of the impact that this can have on an organization’s reputation.

Everyone involved in the C&E Award has a strong conviction that this [candidate experience] could be better.  This is our industry and we all want to do something about it.   Companies need help.  Most recruiting leaders need help making the business case to their management.  We feel that the best way to affect change is to create an award that highlight what companies are doing well.  The goal of the award is to re-enforce a standard of humane treatment.

We are doing our best to design the competition, and we think this will help the market see how leading and forward thinking companies are respecting their candidates. To achieve this goal the survey has three rounds and includes a component that directly approaches and solicit feedback from candidates who have applied to work at the company. If companies aren’t willing to let their candidates be surveyed, that demonstrates they are not that serious.

Another key principle to this award is absolute transparency. Anyone can go review the survey questions. We don’t want to have an award that is subjective, but rather one that is clear in its criteria for evaluation and success. We want to be as open and as forthcoming as we can be. We’re trying to affect a standard on how candidates are treated. We want other companies to see how they can do things better.

The Board Members including Gerry Crispin and Ed Newman are equally passionate about this issue. Gerry Crispin, for example, does his own secret shopper approach to this every year.

How does the award work?

The award is organized in three phases. The first phase is a 45-question survey that is designed to surface how the company designed their candidate experience. The survey is comprehensive and it provides the basis to identify and define and industry standards.   

Companies that meet the standard will qualify for second round of the C&E Award.  In phase two, we survey the company’s employment candidates directly to get a sense for how the company’s approach is actually working. The companies that do well on the candidate survey will go into the third round where a panel of expert judges will review, discuss, and confirm how they are delivering their candidate experience. We expect to find that some companies are really doing some amazing, innovative practices. We expect to give the award to all of the companies that meet the C&E standard. That number will be as large as there are companies that meet the C&E Award standard.   And beyond that we will be offering the award “with distinction” to those companies that are really setting superlative examples. The C&E Award is about highlighting a standard, not about just recognizing a small group of companies.

Are there any simple steps that companies can use to make life better for candidates?

There are several steps that companies can do to address the candidate experience and improve it immediately.

Typically the first line of complaint from a candidate is the lack of information shared about their status and consideration. Corporations can easily and quick reduce this frustration by improving the messaging distributed regarding status. Examples include providing candidates with a timeframe on when to expect to hear. “We are still receiving applications we expect to make our decisions in the next 10 business days” is an example. This sets an expectation and assurance that their submission is still under consideration. In this case the company needs to follow through, which leads us to the second most voiced complaint. “I think I’m being considered then I find out they filled the position. “

Companies can easily improve the overall communications to candidates by messaging them about their status as it happens. If a candidate is no longer considered, giving them that feedback in a timely manner provides them the respect they need for having completed the process that in some cases can take up to an hour to complete. Encouraging them back to the website to apply for another position, gives them a call to action that can be the difference between them going to a site to complain about how bad the experience is, and them following the link back to the site to see what new opportunities have been posted

How will the award help companies to refine their own practices?

Each company that applies will get a comprehensive report that benchmarks how they are doing in comparison with the aggregate group. They’ll know where they stand.  This is a compelling value and we aren’t aware of any place else companies could go to get something like this.

How can companies learn more about your program? 

http://www.thecandidateexperienceawards.org/ 

The deadline to apply for consideration is July 15, 2011.

When you dine out, you don’t always see the companies that are behind your restaurant experience. Often, these companies hire in large numbers. Today, we’re putting a spotlight on the Alicart Restaurant Group, advisor to Carmine’s and Virgil’s Real BBQ. For over 20 years, the Alicart family of restaurants has offered an exciting and unique spectrum of dining concepts from Italian fare to American Cuisine.

From Manhattan, DC, and Atlantic City to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, the goal of Carmine’s is the same: To serve every meal in the style of an Italian American wedding feast.  It appears to be working:  The Carmine’s located near Times Square in the Big Apple is the highest volume restaurant in New York.

We sat down with Beatrice Stein, Director of Training and Development at Alicart. Beatrice began her career in the restaurant business at the age of three when her parents bought a hot dog stand in Chicago and named it Little Bea’s. She has been with Alicart since 2007.  Over the course of her career, Beatrice has hired thousands. In 2010, Beatrice’s main focus was the hiring and training for the new Carmine’s restaurant in Washington, DC.  

Tell me about how you hire. Who do you look for and when?

We hire for two different types of positions, hourly and management. Hourly positions are full-time as well as seasonal. In Atlantic City, they hire in the spring. In New York for Times Square, the high season is between Thanksgiving ­­­­and New Year’s Days. The hourly positions open when we anticipate need or when there is an opening.

When we look for front of the house – we look for personality and hospitality. For kitchen staff we look for people who have a passion and respect for food.

Carmine’s is all about a WOW factor – in our food, presentation service.

The other type of hiring is at the management level. We pride ourselves in organic growth, however we also recruit from the outside.

How does a candidate get your attention?

For hourly jobs, when the person comes into apply it’s about how they present themselves. Are they neat in appearance and smiling? Do I see an outgoing personality?

On a management level, we look and see where candidates have worked before.  Carmine’s on 44^th Street in Times Square is the highest volume restaurant in New York City. That’s a huge amount of volume and a very different kind of management style than a restaurant that has 100 seats. For all management positions, we look for experience in fast-paced and high volume environments because they do not become intimidated by the sheer volume.

What makes a great candidate beyond the skills required for the job?

Personality makes a great candidate. You know when you meet someone; you either like them or you don’t like them. There’s something that attracts you or doesn’t. People who are very outgoing and have an enthusiasm for Carmine’s, that makes a good candidate.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals in working with recruiters?

Don’t send your resume to any job posting . Someone has to read your resume. If it’s not a job you want, don’t apply. Don’t waste anyone’s time.

Never come to an interview in a bad mood. Don’t be late. If you are an hourly candidate bring a pen and any other tools you might need.

Any bad assumptions that you’ve seen job seekers make in applying for jobs at Carmine’s?

A lot of people come in and don’t know anything about the company. Do your homework and find out about the job you’re applying for.

At a management level, you should be interviewing us as much as we are interviewing you.
As an interviewee you should come in looking at us and, “Is this some place I could be successful?”

In DC, we’ve hired quite a few summer hires – maybe 20.  Our Times Square restaurant has a lot of longevity, so we may hire 10 for that location, 20 at any other location.

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

When you come to an interview, watch your body language, listen and if you don’t understand something don’t be afraid to ask. You want to show yourself in a good light.

When I call someone and tell them where to come, I don’t like it when you ask me to text you or e-mail me the interview time and logistics. The correct response is to say I will contact you to follow up. It’s possible I will  flag that  application before the interview.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Come prepared, do your research, know what you are looking for, and be truthful. Take a job because you want to be there. There are lots of jobs and lots of options.

Want a chance to win a Carmine’s Cookbook? Like StartWire on Facebook before Thursday, June 30 and post your name on our wall with a note on your favorite family dish for a chance to win!

Alex Moazed is the founder of Applico, LLC.  A graduate of the Entrepreneurial Studies program at Babson College, Applico makes custom mobile apps for leading brands like GM, NBC, AT&T.Applico’s clients include large companies in the consumer vertical or through government and marketing agencies.

Applico is hiring across the board for engineering positions, project managers, and business development jobs. We sat down with Alex and talked to him about Applico, his hiring plans and how he views the hiring process.

You have 40 employees, but you’re hiring an average of three people a week, how does a candidate get your attention?

For us, when we are doing an initial review it’s primarily used to weed out candidates. You are going to do your initial resume scrub and look at relevant experience. As long as you have relevant experience, you make it through this screen.

I then follow-up personally with a casual call to each candidate. It’s straight forward what I am looking for. I am looking for people who can work in a fast-paced start-up environment and for people who can help it grow over the long term. We’re looking for people who are up for working in this environment. If I can find someone sharp who gets mobile, I will hire people I think can create value. The biggest asset we have is our team. When everyone feeds off one another, we start booming.

I evaluate and look at people everyday, so this is something I am constantly looking at.

What makes a great candidate beyond the tech skills?

If we’re looking for developers, the great candidates who are people who are passionate about their work and enjoy what they are doing. There are a lot of people in mobile who are excited about working in this space – about applying their programming skills in the day jobs as opposed to programming and creating applications in your off hours. It’s the people who are excited and passionate about it who make the best employees.

It’s not only about having the passion, it’s also about the drive. We don’t only look for people who want to pay the bills. We look for people who want to see those gains in their careers. They are driven, they work hard. And they want to meet their aggressive goals for themselves, and help us realize ours.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals in working with you?

Never get freaked out if you have a lot of work. We’re going to pile a lot of stuff on you. And we’re going to see how you handle it. If we give you ten tasks, and you know that you can do six of them…and you come back and say, “I have ten tasks and I can do six of them well…how do you want me to prioritize? That’s a good thing.” How you manage your work and how you delegate is important. It’s important to figure out what you need to do first.

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

The app industry is growing so quickly, there’s sometimes an assumption that “I have these skills, you need me.” Don’t make this assumption or come in with this attitude. We won’t overlook the things that appear detrimental – from attitude or other things in the mix. If there’s an “I know I’m good at this, you should take me” attitude, forget it. If you don’t have a good personality, we don’t care how good you are. You won’t get the job.

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

Is it too late to try to break into mobile? Is it too late for me to pick up the technology?

There is so much room to fill in the industry here. If you want to get a job or start a business in the industry, take a look at it. There’s a lot of opportunity. If you’re interested in mobile, go ahead and explore it. There are huge growth opportunities.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

If you want to win the job, you need to portray that you are passionate. Then the natural or optimistic assumption is “this person is going to work extremely hard.” Show that there are things you work really hard at – and I would do this at your company. 

Like what you’ve read? Catch more of StartWire’s exclusive insider Q & A interviews at  as well as the lowdown on companies that are hiring through news.startwire.com.  (Then feel free to check out StartWire – if you’re in the market for a new job, we can provide you with updates on the status of your job applications from thousands of employers.)

Think of publishing and you may think of the Devil Wears Prada. Or educational textbooks. But, there’s a lot more to it. Hear we learn the scoop on working in the industry from Adam Eisenstein,a Marketing/Branding Specialist for Talent Acquisition at The McGraw-Hill Companies, working across all business lines to connect recruiters to talent and vice-versa. 

If, after reading more about Adam’s work, you want to learn more…you can search & apply for jobs at the McGraw-Hill Career site, connect with Adam & McGraw-Hill recruiters via @McGrawHillJobs on Twitter & Facebook.  Or go old school email at adam_eisensteinmcgraw-hill.com.

What do you say to those who’ve declared the publishing industry dead? What types of jobs are you hiring for right now?

The biggest thing that I say is “it doesn’t really matter.” We are not really a publishing company anymore and haven’t been so for a while. We are in the business of delivering information.  If people want to see information in books, we’ll give them books; if they want it on their desktops or on an iPad or mobile, we’ll do that!  We use the tools and technology available today to help people succeed.

The thing people don’t know about McGraw-Hill is that Standard & Poor’s and Platts are huge parts of this company. Energy and financial services are our biggest growth sectors. We are a lot more than education. We still have jobs that are in Editorial, but editorial here spans from educational publishing to writing for Aviation Week or covering European energy markets.

If there’s one thing I wish every job seeker knew about McGraw-Hill, it would be the huge range of businesses, and that there are more opportunities in different fields and job functions than you have ever thought of.

How does a candidate get your attention?

You have relevant skills and experience – and you are passionate about the specific industry you are applying to work in. You have to care about the sector you are covering, show curiosity, and possess an understanding of the needs our products serve. If you don’t care about it, you won’t be good at it. When I talk to people at McGraw-Hill about their jobs and what they’re working on, their eyes light up.

If we’re looking for someone to work at Standard & Poor’s, we want to see candidates who are passionate about financial analysis. Candidates for jobs at Platts should be as passionate about energy as people are at J.D. Power about customer data and market research. McGraw-Hill Construction employees love building and architecture. And people at McGraw Hill Education are naturally passionate about education. It’s not about textbooks, it is about coming out with ideas – like McGraw-Hill Connect’s interactive platforms for high school teachers like McGraw-Hill Connect’s assignment and assessment platform, for example.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals in working with recruiters?

I understand what it feels like to be between jobs. It is a numbers game to some sense. But you’re not helping yourself by rolling through things and doing cut and paste. Don’t use the wrong company in a  cover letter, for example.

The biggest thing that my recruiters have as a pet peeve is when applicants don’t pay attention to the job description. Show that you’ve read it. If you’re not taking the time to assess whether your experience meets the role; it’s a waste of everyone’s time. People are upset when they don’t get follow-up. But the fact is on the other side of the equation, recruiters are working on up to 30 jobs. Don’t waste our time.

We have pre-screening questions; it’s easy to figure out what we’re looking for…Pay attention to those. Apply for the jobs you are qualified for; don’t pick the answers we want to hear.

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

McGraw Hill is known for educational publishing.  Many people remember using a McGraw Hill textbook for U.S. History. But publishing textbooks is only a fraction of the work we do. Only a minority of our jobs are in book publishing. Even in publishing, there are diverse jobs from social media marketing to public relations.

We are a global company with 20,000 employees and multiple business units. You need a lot of infrastructure to support that. We hire international employees in China, Brazil, the UK, and more.  More and more, we are looking for employees to start their careers in the U.S. with an eye to eventually move abroad.

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

Why are you blogging? (McGraw-Hill has a Careers blog called The Virtual Cooler.)

Not just because everyone says you have to do it. For me, it’s about helping people help themselves get hired. We want to help people know how they can fit in. You look at job description after job description, sometimes it’s hard to know what applies to you. There’s always a gap between a job description and what the job is like in actuality – in a workplace culture. We like to fill in the gaps. We want to show you what it’s like to work at McGraw Hill and help you understand how you can fit it and what you could do with us.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Find a way to get introduced. 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.

Like what you’ve read? Catch more of StartWire’s exclusive insider Q & A interviews as well as the lowdown on companies that are hiring through News.StartWire.com.