It’s week four of our 5 part series on “The 5 Habits of Effective Job Seeker”!

The fourth habit of effective job seekers is: They Get Found!

What does that mean?  80% of companies are now searching resume databases to find their next hire.

With many applicants applying with unqualified credentials, employers offset this by turning the search around.  Instead, employers are doing the searching.  Knowing this, what can you do?  Take the initiative to be found.

The benefit of posting your resume online is the increase in eyes that your resume will be receiving!  Instead of sending your resume to a specific number of job postings and restricting your resume to be read by the HR manager behind those postings, posting your resume onto a job board allows a larger pool of employers to review your resume.  Do make sure your resume is in the right databases by searching for and placing your resume in job boards that cater to your industry, function, or geography.

A quick tip to posting your resume online: format it to be posted online.

1. Convert it to text-only form by saving it as a .txt file.
2.  Edit by left-aligning everything.  Center or right-aligning text will be lost on most online resume postings.
3. Indent using spaces, not tabs.
4. Don’t use special characters or symbols.
5.  Protect your identity! Leave out personal information, such as date of birth and home address.  Instead, post your city and state as an alternative to your home address, and set up a special email for job search.

Follow us throughout this week for more tips on getting found!

We’re excited to announce the release of a new webinar, The Five Habits of Effective Job Seekers hosted by our CEO, Chris Forman. Prior to co-founding StartWire, Chris and our EVP Tim spent years developing training programs that teach recruiters how to find candidates and job seekers.  The technologies Chris and Tim worked on are now used by 70% of the Fortune 500. We’d call them job search rock stars, but they are humble guys and won’t let us!
 

You can watch the webinar here for free, but for the next five weeks we’re going to give you a crash course in all of the five tips. Each week we’ll focus in on one of Chris’s five habits – and expand that with easy takeaways you can use in your job search.

Sound good? Let’s get rolling!

Habit #1 of Highly Effective Job Seekers: They don’t post and pray!
 

What, you say, is “post and pray?” It’s applying to jobs online and then putting your feet up and waiting to hear back.

Our tough love: Don’t confuse applying for jobs with searching for a job.  Only 20% of all corporate vacancies are filled through listings on job boards…

If you apply to a job and do nothing else – it’s a little bit like taking a raffle ticket and then not showing up for the live drawing: In reality, there’s a slim chance you’re going to get a call back – because the interview list is often filled with applicants who’ve taken additional steps to make sure they get full consideration.

We’re not telling you not to apply for jobs online – you don’t want to miss out on opportunities. But when you do, we want you to lean forward and be proactive so that you can get the call back! Here’s how to do that.
 

1. Apply only for job listings that match your skills and experience.If the job description has a laundry list of qualifications (and you can’t imagine the company could possibly find candidates who have 100% of the skills and experiences), apply only if you meet 70% or more of the skills and specifications mentioned in the description.

   Why? If your skills don’t line up with the job, you have a slim chance of getting on the interview list – unless you’ve got an inside recommendation for the job from someone who knows you could do the job.

   Additional tip: Don’t apply for more than two types of jobs with one company. If you apply for jobs in Marketing, Accounting and Customer Service at the same company at the same time – it makes you look like you aren’t focused. If you apply for more than one job, specify what makes you interested – and qualified — for each job in your cover letter.
    

2. Use the right words for the job in your resume and cover letter.  It’s the equivalent of using “the force” in your job search. As employers review job postings, they look for keywords that match up with the job. Use these keywords at the top of your resume – and you have a better chance of getting your job application looked at.

   Here’s our favorite 5-minute trick to finding the right keywords.
    

3. Get personal.

   Addressing a cover letter or e-mail to “Dear Sir or Mam” typically fails to impress most employers. Whenever possible, address your job applications to a real person.

   Quick ways to find one? Use LinkedIn’s Company pages or do a Google search on the “Director of HR” or department at the Company where you are applying. Then use the name in your application materials.

    

4. Tag team every job application with a follow-up – even if it feels uncomfortable. Calling and asking someone, “Did you get my application?” can feel like a psychological return to early awkward experiences with dating…but following up is one of the best ways to transform yourself from one of many applicants to a real live person with a voice and an interest in getting to work.

   3 Great Ways to Follow Up(Use one or more)

   I. Like the company on Facebook, then send a message letting them know you’ve applied

   II.  See if the company has a Twitter account for recruiting, and send a Twitter @reply letting them know you’ve applied and expressing interest in working more.

   III. Call and follow-up. If you’re shy, do this at night or over the weekend. You can almost always find a general company phone number online, use the company directory to find the right department or person – and leave a short message introducing yourself and letting them know you’ve applied.  (Mess up and need to re-record? Most corporate systems will give you a do-over if you press the * or # key)

   Bonus points: Mention the top skill or experience you have that aligns closely with the job when you follow up.

5. Be ready to look the part.

Studies show that up to 90% of recruiters admit to doing online research on job search candidates: you should expect to be Googled.

If you are in the job market, know what search results will come up if an employer searches for your name. A great way to make sure your professional interests can be found is to develop a public LinkedIn profile.

Create a formal phone message with your first and last name. “Hi, this is _______. I’m not available right now, but leave me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

Following these five simple steps can help you transition from “post and pray” to the top of the application pile for the jobs listed online. But remember – job boards are only one piece of the puzzle. We’ll be sharing strategies that can get you faster results for your time in weeks ahead.

Tune in next week when we’ll share with you the number one reason why you may not be hearing back on jobs – and the simple thing you can do to change that! (If you can’t wait, check out our webinar.)

Finding a new job may not be easy, but sometimes it’s just as hard to be on the other side of the hiring equation. This week, we’re putting the spotlight on the problem by showcasing an industry where employers have a hard time hiring and keeping employees.

We’re talking about the transportation industry – and truckers. Whether you love or hate tractor-trailers on the highway, the trucking industry moves supplies that feed us, clothe us, house us, and cure us when we are sick.

Yet Tucker Robeson, CEO and Co-Founder of CDL Helpers, a company that provides employeeretention services to the transportation industry, says the system truckers use to hire and retain employees is beyond broken. So broken, there’s an 89% turnover rate of drivers year-to-year in big trucking companies. Can you imagine working for a company where less than one out of ten employees stay for more than a year?

How expensive is this problem to the trucking industry? Robeson says it’s a $5B dollar problem, and he’s created a business to help fix it. A former recruiter, Tucker was born in Winona, MN and graduated from Saint Mary’s University of MN with a degree in Entrepreneurship. He started CDL Helpers to change the way the trucking industry thinks about its work force, and how drivers are treated and supported by their employers. In a nutshell, Tucker’s mission is to make the trucking industry ask “how’s my hiring?” just as frequently as they ask “how’s my driving?”

We sat down with Tucker to get his perspective on how the recruiting process is flawed and how it can be fixed. While today’s process focuses on the trucking industry, the problems faced by companies in this industry are not unique – many industries struggle to find employees and manage their own reputations. Want proof of this? Just ask companies who’ve had their jobs profiled on the TV show Dirty Jobs?

Here’s Tucker’s take on the challenges faced by the trucking industry in hiring, what’s broken and what can be fixed, and how you can feel confident when you’ve found the right company to work for…

This is the first of a two part series, next week we’ll share Tucker’s unique take on job search strategies that work – and learn more about how he hires!

You say that the recruiting process for the trucking industry is fundamentally flawed. How so? What’s the problem – and what are the costs to both the industry and employees?

Recruiting new truckers doesn’t address the real problem the trucking industry faces: Why are people leaving? If I’m running a successful business, and I pay/treat people fairly, shouldn’t they want to stay?

So many trucking companies have had their names poisoned by former employees, recruits, and others that had a bad experience.  Since they weren’t customers, nobody thought to focus on their personal experiences with the company.  However, bad experiences they encounter could ultimately, end up hurting the company in the future.

When I used to recruit drivers, there were some companies I couldn’t pay people to go to, just because they had heard some horror story from another driver at a truck stop about things going sour. Word-of-mouth is incredibly important to drivers as they look for work.

What are common qualities of top employers in your industry? How can job seekers spot companies who have these qualities?

As is the case with many industries, top employers in the trucking industry are hard to recognize because a lot of advertising and recruiting efforts tout great things that don’t always turn out to be true, and there are very few ways to hold the bad companies accountable. So, you can’t always go by advertising.

There’s a huge lack of trust and misinformation in the industry which has left many drivers extremely skeptical or cynical. That’s part of what we are trying to fix. My company, CDL Helpers, partners with trucking companies to address employee issues. Trucking companies hire us to provide support to new hires during their first few months on a job and we have the ability to escalate problems directly to the top if necessary, to make sure their concerns are addressed.

Breaking into the trucking industry can be challenging for prospective drivers, as there are many hiring requirements that are rigid. You have to be in good physical health, hold a strong driving record, and more often than not – have experience.

Other than that, they should look for companies that are easy to communicate with. After 10 business days post-application, if they haven’t heard anything and can’t reach anyone inside, that’s often an indicator of how things will go from then on out.

The best trucking companies to work for are also usually the hardest to get into. They require the most experience, and the cleanest records. Drivers that work for companies that are headquartered or have a main terminal within 30 miles of their domicile seem to do much better. If drivers can’t find a company that’s close enough to home, they should seriously consider either re-locating to another area, or looking into other careers. Their time at home will be better, they won’t have to risk as much of their own personal resources going to orientation, and they will probably have more reliable miles at the company if they live close by.

Stop by StartWire News next week for Tucker’s perspective on great ways to stand out in the applicant pool and get noticed. In the interim — if you haven’t done so already — pop by StartWire and take advantage of our free tools to organize your search.

To top off the year, we posted our exclusive 12 Career Tips for 12 list, highlights from StartWire interviews with recruiters and talent acquisition pros.

You can find the advice here. But we also know it’s one thing to read advice – and it’s another thing to actually put it into action. (Classic example: Spending more time reading about how to lose weight than exercising.) Maybe you know what we mean here…

So here are our tips – paired with action strategies designed to help you to jump start your search.

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.

How to do it: Two strategies that will take you under ten minutes:

1. Like the organization you want to work for on Facebook. (Make sure you have a professional profile.) Post a comment about company news or share a related item on the organization’s Facebook wall. If you see a great job, share it — as one recruiter recently told me, “when you share a job that’s different from the one you’re applying to — and tell us what you’ve applied to — you are helping us with our work before you even get started!”
    
2. Follow the company on Twitter and send an @reply message via Twitter expressing interest in learning more about jobs. Be specific — if you’ve already applied for a job — say where you’ve applied. (New to Twitter? An @reply is like a postcard — anyone can see it, and a quick message can be an easy way to open doors with potential networking conversations.)

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

How to do it: Connect your LinkedIn or Facebook account on StartWire and see who you know at any job listed on the site or for companies that you’ve already applied to. StartWire’s “Get Referral” and recommendations features provide a quick way that you can get in touch.
 

Get a referral.

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.

Shanil Kaderali
Manager of Talent Programs at WellPoint
 
How to do it: Apply to places where you can get a referral as much as other jobs.
 

Be accessible. Tell people how they can find you.

Don’t forget to share your contact information. Put your phone number and email in every single communication that you send to a recruiter. If you save time so I don’t have to look for your information, it makes it much easier for me to give you a call back.
 
Rebecca Warren
Recruiting Manager at General Mills

How to do it: Include your email and phone number in a signature line of your email and always give the position number when you follow-up so employers can easily find your information. Another quick path to success? Name your resume with your first and last name — and include the job you’re applying to. When you can be a fast find on the computer, it’s easier to stay top-of-mind.
 

Wear your enthusiasm on your sleeve.

Editor’s Note: This is something we heard over and over — from virtually every company we have talked to. It’s important to share you care about what the company does and the type of work you want to do.
 
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.
 
Alex Moazed
CEO at Applico LLC

How to do it: Research the company where you’ve applied and show that you are familiar with the culture. Want an easy back door entrance? Track your application in StartWire and click on the “details” view of any job for instant access to employee reviews from Glassdoor.com

Don’t take yourself out of the running for a job by not applying. Let them decide if you’re qualified.

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.

Jeff Moore
Lead Engineering Recruiter for Google

How to do it: Apply for any job that you meet 70% of the applications for…and apply early. StartWire research shows that 50% of successful job seekers apply for a job within one week of the job listing.
 

Get to know the whole company – not just the job you’re applying for.

I always say a career is like a puzzle; you have to look at the whole picture. Whether you are looking to go into finance, marketing, product design or sales, be open minded and take into account the whole experience – think about what it is you can take away from a particular role. Understand the many pieces of the company and be willing to learn about new things that might be the right fit for you. You’re not going to know enough unless you are open and aggressive learner.
Nancy Hickey
Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer for Steelcase Inc.

How to do it: When you get invited to a group interview, ask the participants how they work together and interact on a daily basis. One of my favorite questions: If I was hired for this job, what would my first priority be — and how would I work with each of you to get that done?

Don’t give up if the phone doesn’t ring.
 

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.  

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.

Chris Hoyt
Talent Engagement & Marketing Leader at PepsiCo

How to do it: Try this experiment. Follow-up on all of your applications with a referral — or direct outreach to the company via a social network. Chances are good you’ll get a higher follow up rate.
 

If at first you don’t get hired, try, try again.
 

Understand that whenever you are applying to an organization that is highly desirable, people tend to get discouraged if they don’t get the first job they go for. We may get 400 or 500 applicants for one job. There could be 10 top people in the field. If you are passionate about the organization continue to look at the organization.
The first time I applied for a recruiter job with Taylor Made – I came in third. Then four years later, I’m leading global recruiting.

Steve Bonomo
Head of Global Talent Acquisition for Adidas

How to do it: Don’t give up on a company because you didn’t get hired the first time out. Don’t be afraid to apply for another position, apply for other jobs of interest as well.
 

Be humble.
 

Occasionally, people aren’t humble enough. People say “I meet all the criteria for the job.” A lot of candidates have come in from our process and people have walked away saying “That’s the smartest person we’ve interviewed for this job but they come out of the interview saying ‘let’s not hire them.’ We like to see people who feel like they have something to learn from us, too.  I’m not going to ask you to rewire yourself.  You want people who can sell themselves, but people who can be themselves, too.

Miles Parroco
Director of Recruiting, Eventbrite

How to do it: Again, It’s important to show what you want to learn from a job just as much as you share your accomplishments. Show you are human…and why people should want to work with you, too.

Demonstrate you’re a team player with “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

How to do it: When you talk about details, be concrete and avoid adjectives: “The event I organized was attended by 500, an increase of 200 over the year before” says more than “I did way better than last year’s organizer in getting people to come to the event.”

Don’t be afraid to say what you don’t know — and what you hope to learn from a new job. Remember, most employers value employees who can follow instructions as much as they do leadership.

Ask for the job.
 

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 related 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.

Wanda Callahan,
Director of Recruiting, Harris Interactive

How to do it:  Don’t be afraid to show your sincere interest in an opportunity, and ask how you can follow-up. If you don’t hear back, pick up the phone and follow-up. Once hired, how you follow-up on activities for the job will be important — so why not demonstrate that you have these qualities in advance!
 
 

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

At StartWire, we’re all about helping job seekers find work — and get more feedback from employers in the process. We love to share news about employers who hiring in large numbers.

So this week, we’re featuring an interview with C3/CustomerContactChannel, a global firm specializing in customer management. Recently C3 announced they were hiring for 2,000 jobs in the U.S.; you can find listings here or over on the C3 website.

We sat down with Bob Tenzer, SPHR, is a Senior Vice President of Human Resources for C3 to learn more about the company and what they look for when hiring. Over the courseof his career, Tenzer has held senior positions in HR at Veritas Bureau and Nieman Marcus. He’s also helped a previous employer, Precision Response Corporation (PRC) grow from 250 employees to over 10,000.

Tell us about C3. What kinds of services do you provide? What types of industries and employers do you work with? How are services you provide in the U.S. different from the services you provide overseas?

C3 provides turnkey customer management solutions in the areas of customers service, customer acquisition, retention and loyalty.  We do it across a number of channels including outsourced telephone support, email, chat, back office, social media and analytics.  Our services are custom developed for the client and the markets they serve.

I understand you recently announced the creation of 2,000 new U.S. jobs, with 500 or more jobs available per site in Tucson, Salt Lake City, and Waco, Texas. Are all of the jobs you are hiring for inside a C3 facility, or do you hire staff to work onsite as well?

For these markets, our teams work onsite at one of our new facilities. Our employee-focused corporate culture is built around team work, so we make the workplace a fun and inviting place to be.  In certain situations, we may have teams that work at a client location or even from home.

How does a candidate get your attention as a prospective employee? What do you look for?

We love enthusiasm!  Bright, engaged individuals with customer service experience looking for a career and not just a job are attractive to us.  Depending on client requirements, we may also look for specific industry experience or licenses.  Get our attention by applying online at our website, attaching a professional resume with an objective that tells us how we will benefit by hiring you.  

There’s an oft-quoted saying on Customer Service: “The Customer is always right.” Does this run true in the customer service industry across jobs and positions? If candidates for customer service jobs answer that question in interviews will they increase or decrease their chances of getting the job?

It’s really all about the customer experience.  The goal is to give the customer an outstanding experience with clear and accurate information.  Candidates who give us confidence that they will take great care of our clients’ customers increase their chances of getting a job.

Tell me about candidates you recently interviewed – how did they stand out, and why did you hire the ones you did?

We have been delighted at the quality of the workforce in the labor markets we have selected.  Those that stood out to me were professionally dressed, enthusiastic, confident, smiled freely and convinced me that they would make a difference in each customer interaction.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals applying for jobs?

I prefer the “always do’s”!  Always be honest in your experience.  Always have a well-organized, error free resume.   Always be prepared to show how you make a difference.  Always smile, be persistent and be prepared to show us what you can do for our clients’ customers.

Any bad assumptions you see job seekers make when applying to C3?

Just don’t assume we are like other call center providers!  We have a culture that is like no other.   We are accountable to our customers and to our employees.  We communicate regularly, openly and honestly and we give back to our employees and the communities we do business in.   We are a place to be for an entire career, not a stopover.

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

My question would be:  “What should I do to prepare for an interview”?   Aside from a resume and looking professional, my answer would be to learn something about the company you are applying to.  Look not only at the website but other social media such as Facebook to see what employees say about the Company.   Cultural fit is 75% of success. 

Use it now – actionable – advice for job seekers

Know who you are applying to.   Be prepared to discuss career aspirations, why you left jobs and how your experience is relevant.  Know something about the Company you are applying to.  Review your resume for accuracy and errors.  Most of all – be enthusiastic and show the employer what you can do!  

Jordan Shaw is a Senior Corporate Recruiter in EMC Consulting’s  Application Infrastructure practice. EMC, a global provider of storage hardware solutions that promote data recovery and improve cloudcomputing — and ranked as one of the best places to work by Fortune magazine. Prior to working at EMC, Jordan has been a Senior Recruiting Consultant at Microsoft, Recruiting Manager for an Executive Search Firm and full cycle recruiter for local consulting companies.

We sat down with Jordan to learn about EMC, how he looks for new talent, and a few good tips.

Throughout your career, you’ve recruited staff to build teams for leading tech products. How do you identify candidates with the right combination of tech knowledge and teamwork?

Old fashioned headhunting. I start off with my network, move to social media, main stream job boards and then it is a lot of phone calls.

What types of jobs is EMC hiring for right now?

We are hiring across the board. You can find a list of current jobs on our career site.

My team (Application Infrastructure) is hiring for the following positions, these are all full time roles that can be based nearly anywhere in the United States with a Monday-Thursday travel requirement:

Exchange Migration Architects
Exchange Migration Project and Program Managers
Technical Delivery Managers
SAP Infrastructure Architects
SAP Team Lead QA
Practice Team Lead / Unified Communications
VDI Architect

You hire primarily for EMC Consulting. What don’t job seekers know about working at EMC that they should know? Any subsidiaries or websites other than EMC.com that they should check for job leads?  (For example, McGraw Hill also includes Standard & Poors.)

We are a large player in the Consulting world and have consistently had very positive gains (even in the down economy) and continue to grow at a healthy and robust pace. Check out our webite: www.emc.com/consulting

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

We are just a big data storage company. Certainly we have a foothold in that market but we are so much more.

Tell me about a recent hire you made – how they got your attention, and why you hired them.

I recently hired for a leadership position based in NYC. I got their attention through social media (LinkedIn) specifically. I hired them because they proved to be one of the most technically sound, detail-oriented, hard working, hungry and personable people I have come across in my years of recruiting, just the type of person I want in a leadership capacity.

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

Asking “what does this pay” right away? I have a very large range I can offer someone based upon their skills and how the interviews go. I can’t answer that question well based on just viewing a resume.

Another pet peeve is when job seekers aren’t being honest about being serious in the job search and are slow to respond to emails and voice mails.

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

Where do you find the majority of your candidates?

Most of my candidates are people I have had a dialogue with for months or even years that I stay in touch with. I often introduce myself to people on LinkedIn who are in my particular niche to open the door.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Make friends with recruiters, get to know them, keep track of the good ones and the bad ones. Reach out to the good ones to touch base every few weeks. Always offer something in return when asking for something, (candidate referral, a recommendation on LinkedIn, etc.)

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.