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.

Tiffany Peery is a Virtual Recruiting and Marketing Program Manager at Intel Corporation.  She has been doing engineering recruiting for more than 11 years and got her start at Intel in Portland.  She now works out of the Arizona office and has a specific focus on attracting Recent College Graduates and Interns to the organization.

We sat down and spoke with her for a Q & A on how hiring works at Intel. (You can also learn more by following her on Twitter.)

Intel is the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer. What positions do you hire for in addition to hardware engineering and manufacturing? Are there any other big areas you are hiring for right now? 

Software, software, software! Most people don’t know it, but Intel is the 5th largest software employer in the world. We have two major groups that do the bulk of our software hiring – Software and Services Group (SSG) and our Intel Architecture Group (IAG). They do some AWESOME/EXCITING work!

Anything many applicants are surprised to learn about working at Intel? For example, when we spoke to a Google recruiter recently, he shared with us that he’s hired applicants who did not have college degrees. 

I think people are often surprised by some of the perks of working for Intel. We don’t talk a lot about every benefit you get on day one. Most are familiar with our Sabbatical program, it is pretty fabulous. Did you know we have Onsite Health Centers and gyms, free fruit/beverages, discounts on technology and vacations, etc. though? That and much more!

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

Well, the number one bad assumption is that Intel is a strictly hardware company. I’ve had candidates shocked when I told them I was looking for a solid software engineer. Some just don’t realize we ROCK this space! They envision all of us sporting bunny suits or doing chip design. That’s just not the case (although we do <3 our hardware peeps!).

How does a candidate get your attention?

An amazing skill set/resume never hurts their chances. It does go beyond that though. I’m looking for someone that has passion and drive. Both at work and at play. I am drawn to the person that knows exactly what they want and isn’t afraid to go after it! 

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

Innovation. I love the person that is constantly thinking about “what’s next”. At Intel, we’ve gone through some pretty major transformation over the years and it’s only just begun. The opportunities here are boundless. What we do changes the lives of millions across the world. I love to see people that are passionate about making a global impact! 

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

This may sound like a no brainer, but try not to insult your recruiter. I’ve encountered people that have had “off days” and said things out of frustration, that maybe they later regret (or maybe they don’t). It’s hard to take that back though. Remember that sometimes your recruiter is your best hope for getting connected to the right opportunity. Vent to a friend instead. 

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

People always want to know how to get the most eyes on their resume at Intel. Yes, we get a lot of applications every day. So how do you stand out? My best advice is to remember recruiters aren’t always engineers. Make your resume “recruiter friendly” and buzz word rich. Also, get connected with people in the company! We love employee referrals. Find out who you know and start leaning on them! They get paid for referring and you get the job. Win/Win!

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Get connected with our recruiters today. We are on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr… you name it. We LOVE the chance to talk to people about our opportunities and steer them in the right direction. Heck, if you aren’t actively looking today, that doesn’t mean a connection made now is a waste. I have people I met 5 years ago pinging me today to see what’s up at Intel. I love it!

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. 

New functionality makes that ‘thanks for applying’ email the key to closing the dreaded application black hole and getting hired

Lebanon, NH (PRWEB) June 13, 2011

– StartWire™ (http://www.startwire.com), a start-up focused on radically improving job search, announces a major upgrade that addresses one of the big complaints of online job seekers: the dreaded ‘application black-hole.’  The newest release of StartWire allows job seekers to track and get automatic updates on their job applications from thousands of employers by simply forwarding their application confirmation email to apps@startwire.com.

Using this new feature, a job seeker simply shares basic information with StartWire about where they’ve applied and their application by emailing their ‘thanks for applying’ emails to apps@startwire.com or completing a brief web form.  StartWire’s application update engine then provides automatic alerts for all ‘tracked’ applications and instantly notifies the user with an email or text message alert if their job status changes.  Additionally, StartWire’s recommendation engine provides job seekers with job and job search recommendations based on their actual application history.

“Just like TripIt.com brought order to chaos in the travel industry by allowing frequent flyers to organize and socialize their trips by simply emailing their disparate itineraries to plans@tripit.com, I believe this new release shows StartWire is doing the same in job search,” says Kim Mohiuddin of Movin’ On Up Resumes.

StartWire co-founder and EVP, Tim McKegney commented on the release: “Jobs seekers can now organize their job search, get automatic updates on their applications, find out who they know at a target company, and receive targeted job search recommendations…all by hitting the forward button in their inbox. And the best part is that StartWire™ is free and works across all industries and functions.”

Today’s release supports application alerts for more than 2,100 employers with that number set to grow to more than 5,000 in the coming weeks and months. 

About StartWire

StartWire™ launched in early 2011 to rave reviews and write-ups in US News & World Reports, About.com, AOL Jobs, CNN, ERE, and HR Executive Magazine. 

New functionality makes that ‘thanks for applying’ email the key to closing the dreaded application black hole and getting hired

Lebanon, NH (PRWEB) June 13, 2011

– StartWire™ (http://www.startwire.com), a start-up focused on radically improving job search, announces a major upgrade that addresses one of the big complaints of online job seekers: the dreaded ‘application black-hole.’  The newest release of StartWire allows job seekers to track and get automatic updates on their job applications from thousands of employers by simply forwarding their application confirmation email to apps@startwire.com.

Using this new feature, a job seeker simply shares basic information with StartWire about where they’ve applied and their application by emailing their ‘thanks for applying’ emails to apps@startwire.com or completing a brief web form.  StartWire’s application update engine then provides automatic alerts for all ‘tracked’ applications and instantly notifies the user with an email or text message alert if their job status changes.  Additionally, StartWire’s recommendation engine provides job seekers with job and job search recommendations based on their actual application history.

“Just like TripIt.com brought order to chaos in the travel industry by allowing frequent flyers to organize and socialize their trips by simply emailing their disparate itineraries to plans@tripit.com, I believe this new release shows StartWire is doing the same in job search,” says Kim Mohiuddin of Movin’ On Up Resumes.

StartWire co-founder and EVP, Tim McKegney commented on the release: “Jobs seekers can now organize their job search, get automatic updates on their applications, find out who they know at a target company, and receive targeted job search recommendations…all by hitting the forward button in their inbox. And the best part is that StartWire™ is free and works across all industries and functions.”

Today’s release supports application alerts for more than 2,100 employers with that number set to grow to more than 5,000 in the coming weeks and months. 

About StartWire

StartWire™ launched in early 2011 to rave reviews and write-ups in US News & World Reports, About.com, AOL Jobs, CNN, ERE, and HR Executive Magazine. 

Jeff Moore is a Lead Engineering Recruiter for Google and has over 10 years of recruitingexperience in the High Tech and Software Industries.  Jeff is currently responsible for recruiting world class engineers to join Google’s offices across the United States Eastern Region including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Washington DC.  He is an active blogger with interests in social networking and mobile technology.

Google is the king of search engines, how do you find candidates?

We find candidates every way you can imagine — from programs, employee referrals, events, online applications. No stone unturned. We do look at people who have applied for jobs in the past and haven’t been a fit at the job they applied for. We do that all the time. We hire a lot of people who have interviewed before and didn’t get hired. A lot of companies miss out on good people by not going back.  We don’t.

How does a candidate get your attention?

Having a clean, clear crisp resume that shows off skills. File that one as obvious. Employee referrals and having done good work is important. A cool research project or a great internship. Those kind of things really jump off the page.

What does a good write-up on a project look like?

A good write-up explains what you did, how you did it, what skills you used. What the results show and the impact of your work on the company. Talk your potential hiring manager or recruiter through the project through cradle to grave – show the outcome that it made. That’s huge. We like to see results, as well as the why. We want to know how it worked.

What makes a great candidate beyond the tech skills?

The ability to communicate. We are very collaborative. You’ve got to be able to communicate, work outside your team, and communicate what you want to get done.

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

I think the biggest one – to be honest  — is being shy when asking for questions, checking in, or asking about status. Don’t be shy if you want follow-up. A lot of people don’t do this. You should do this.

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

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 assumption and choosing not to apply. I’ve hired people who don’t have college degrees.

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

Where is Google hiring?

The answer is everywhere. 2011 will be our biggest year in company history. There may be a role in your backyard.  Look for it.

Use it now – actionable – advice for job seekers:

Actively network. Network, network, network. Whether its with friends, colleagues, etc. It’s the networking that will help you find the job.

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.