Michael Jalbert - CEO of Mangement Recruiters International spoke to CNBC recently about the current status of the Job Market. In case you missed it you can click on the link and if you have Real Player or some other software it should play on your computer.
If you have any questions or any critical staffing needs please give us a call. My cell phone is 828-301-3802. We are always interested in hearing from you and getting your comments.
http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=Michael%20Jalbert%20on%20CNBC%20%2D%20July%205%2C%202007&link=http%3A%2F%2Fplay.rbn.com%2F%3Furl%3Dmri%2Fmricorp%2Fg2demand%2Fvp1371%2Fvp1371.rm%26proto%3Drtsp
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
Group Interviewing for Jobs
Group Interviews: How to Impress Everyone
Margaret Steen, for Yahoo! HotJobs
Even under the best circumstances, job interviews can be intimidating. But the group interview -- where you are grilled by a team of potential new colleagues -- ratchets up the tension.
Sometimes companies round up all the interviewers at once for the sake of efficiency. But the company may also want to assess how you perform in a group.
It's About Teamwork
"It's sort of to see if you would play well with others on this team," said Libby Pannwitt, a career counselor and principal of Work Life Design Group in San Carlos, California.
A group interview may be very formal, with a scripted set of questions. Or it could be simply a conversation between the candidate and the others in the room. Many interviews are in between these extremes, with both structured questions and casual conversation.
Before any interview, of course, you should research the company and the job description and consider how your experience could help the company. But a group interview calls for some extra skills in order to make the best impression.
Skills for Your Success
* Prepare if possible. If you're given a list beforehand of who will be there, do as much homework as you can. Find out the names and titles of your interviewers. "That may give you a clue about specific areas of expertise and how they fit in the hierarchy," Pannwitt said.
* Make connections. Address your questioners by name and make eye contact with all of them. "Pay attention to what their interest is in the interview, what kind of things would they be likely to be most concerned about," said David Friedland, president of Friedland & Associates, a personnel assessment firm in Culver City, California.
* Don't play favorites. It's dangerous to make assumptions about which person's opinion matters most in the hiring decision. "I've seen a junior player on a team derail a good candidate," Pannwitt said. Try to make sure you satisfy everyone's concerns.
* Be a facilitator. If you notice that one person seems hesitant to participate, try to draw him or her in. Ask if you can clarify your remarks or if the person has any additional questions. You "can take a little bit of control" of the interview this way, said Marianne Adoradio, a Silicon Valley career coach.
* Be diplomatic. If your interviewers clearly have a disagreement and they're asking how you would resolve it, show that you understand of all their points of view. "Just the fact that you're aware of multiple perspectives will bode well for you," said Patrick F. McKay, assistant professor of organizations and strategic management at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
* Don't relax too much. In informal interviews, don't let the causal atmosphere keep you from making a good impression. "They may seem informal, but people are voting afterward," Adoradio said.
Finally, remember the good news. If you're being interviewed by lots of people at a company, it probably means you're a finalist for the job. And since interviews are a two-way street, a group interview also offers you insight into what it would be like working in this group. "You have a window looking in at how they'll work together," Pannwitt said.
Margaret Steen, for Yahoo! HotJobs
Even under the best circumstances, job interviews can be intimidating. But the group interview -- where you are grilled by a team of potential new colleagues -- ratchets up the tension.
Sometimes companies round up all the interviewers at once for the sake of efficiency. But the company may also want to assess how you perform in a group.
It's About Teamwork
"It's sort of to see if you would play well with others on this team," said Libby Pannwitt, a career counselor and principal of Work Life Design Group in San Carlos, California.
A group interview may be very formal, with a scripted set of questions. Or it could be simply a conversation between the candidate and the others in the room. Many interviews are in between these extremes, with both structured questions and casual conversation.
Before any interview, of course, you should research the company and the job description and consider how your experience could help the company. But a group interview calls for some extra skills in order to make the best impression.
Skills for Your Success
* Prepare if possible. If you're given a list beforehand of who will be there, do as much homework as you can. Find out the names and titles of your interviewers. "That may give you a clue about specific areas of expertise and how they fit in the hierarchy," Pannwitt said.
* Make connections. Address your questioners by name and make eye contact with all of them. "Pay attention to what their interest is in the interview, what kind of things would they be likely to be most concerned about," said David Friedland, president of Friedland & Associates, a personnel assessment firm in Culver City, California.
* Don't play favorites. It's dangerous to make assumptions about which person's opinion matters most in the hiring decision. "I've seen a junior player on a team derail a good candidate," Pannwitt said. Try to make sure you satisfy everyone's concerns.
* Be a facilitator. If you notice that one person seems hesitant to participate, try to draw him or her in. Ask if you can clarify your remarks or if the person has any additional questions. You "can take a little bit of control" of the interview this way, said Marianne Adoradio, a Silicon Valley career coach.
* Be diplomatic. If your interviewers clearly have a disagreement and they're asking how you would resolve it, show that you understand of all their points of view. "Just the fact that you're aware of multiple perspectives will bode well for you," said Patrick F. McKay, assistant professor of organizations and strategic management at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
* Don't relax too much. In informal interviews, don't let the causal atmosphere keep you from making a good impression. "They may seem informal, but people are voting afterward," Adoradio said.
Finally, remember the good news. If you're being interviewed by lots of people at a company, it probably means you're a finalist for the job. And since interviews are a two-way street, a group interview also offers you insight into what it would be like working in this group. "You have a window looking in at how they'll work together," Pannwitt said.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Boomers Retire to a New Role in the Workforce
BABY BOOMERS RETIRE TO NEW ROLE IN THE WORK FORCEEmployers Tap into Their Wealth of Knowledge and Experience
Philadelphia -- According to U.S. Census reports, 7,918 people turned 60 every day in 2006, which amounts to 330 every hour. Contrary to prevailing belief that retiring baby boomers will decimate the work force, however, MRINetwork™, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organizations, is observing a trend that may ease the pressure at least temporarily. It seems that many baby boomers are taking retirement only to return to work in the role of consultants, mentors and part-time employees. A recent survey by AARP found that 79 percent of boomers plan to work in some capacity during their retirement years, and many employers are ready to welcome them back.
“There’s growing awareness that important institutional knowledge may be lost as large numbers of mid-to-upper-level managers retire,” says Michael Jalbert, president of MRINetwork. “It’s not just a matter of the job functions they perform, but rather the impact their loss can have on the foundation and culture of their companies.”
For the baby boomers, conditions have to be right to induce them to continue working after they take retirement. “I retired early because I want the freedom to do some of the things I put off during my career,” said Harry Huhndorff, a former design engineer with Eveready Battery in Cleveland. “No one was more surprised than I to discover I could actually earn serious money working as an independent design consultant for companies right in my area. I can take on as many projects as I like, turn down the ones that are not interesting or challenging, and work primarily from home – or wherever I happen to be.”
Part of the demand for Huhndorff’s services is due to his practical, hands-on experience. “I’m working with people much younger than I who can work magic with a computer, but they have a hard time with things like creating packaging or housing designs that are functional and can be manufactured cost-effectively. They’ve never worked in a shop with real materials.”
Jalbert notes that an increasing number of the candidates his company places, particularly in contract situations, come from the ranks of retired baby boomers. “This is due not only to the crunch created by the growing gap between new job creation and new entrants into the work force, but also because companies are seeking people with the skills, experience and work ethic of the baby boomer generation.”
Although workplace analysts and observers have been discussing the effect of large-scale baby boomer retirements for the past several years, Jalbert says many companies have not prepared for the reality. “It’s vitally important that businesses develop bench strength. Forward-thinking senior management is focusing on hiring people, especially in their mid-to-upper level ranks, who are promotable to jobs two or three levels above their current positions.”
For the time being, the job market has never been better for people like Huhndorff, who pilots his own plane, plays tennis three or four times a week, and spends a chunk of the Cleveland winter somewhere warm. “I feel more valued for my contributions now than I ever did during my 35-year career,” he says. “I see myself doing this for a long time to come.”
About MRINetwork:Management Recruiters International, Inc., branded as MRINetwork (www.mrinetwork.com), is a subsidiary of staffing and outsourcing leader CDI Corp. (NYSE:CDI), a global provider of engineering and information technology outsource solution and professional staffing (www.cdicorp.com). MRINetwork has nearly 1,100 offices in over 35 countries.
Philadelphia -- According to U.S. Census reports, 7,918 people turned 60 every day in 2006, which amounts to 330 every hour. Contrary to prevailing belief that retiring baby boomers will decimate the work force, however, MRINetwork™, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organizations, is observing a trend that may ease the pressure at least temporarily. It seems that many baby boomers are taking retirement only to return to work in the role of consultants, mentors and part-time employees. A recent survey by AARP found that 79 percent of boomers plan to work in some capacity during their retirement years, and many employers are ready to welcome them back.
“There’s growing awareness that important institutional knowledge may be lost as large numbers of mid-to-upper-level managers retire,” says Michael Jalbert, president of MRINetwork. “It’s not just a matter of the job functions they perform, but rather the impact their loss can have on the foundation and culture of their companies.”
For the baby boomers, conditions have to be right to induce them to continue working after they take retirement. “I retired early because I want the freedom to do some of the things I put off during my career,” said Harry Huhndorff, a former design engineer with Eveready Battery in Cleveland. “No one was more surprised than I to discover I could actually earn serious money working as an independent design consultant for companies right in my area. I can take on as many projects as I like, turn down the ones that are not interesting or challenging, and work primarily from home – or wherever I happen to be.”
Part of the demand for Huhndorff’s services is due to his practical, hands-on experience. “I’m working with people much younger than I who can work magic with a computer, but they have a hard time with things like creating packaging or housing designs that are functional and can be manufactured cost-effectively. They’ve never worked in a shop with real materials.”
Jalbert notes that an increasing number of the candidates his company places, particularly in contract situations, come from the ranks of retired baby boomers. “This is due not only to the crunch created by the growing gap between new job creation and new entrants into the work force, but also because companies are seeking people with the skills, experience and work ethic of the baby boomer generation.”
Although workplace analysts and observers have been discussing the effect of large-scale baby boomer retirements for the past several years, Jalbert says many companies have not prepared for the reality. “It’s vitally important that businesses develop bench strength. Forward-thinking senior management is focusing on hiring people, especially in their mid-to-upper level ranks, who are promotable to jobs two or three levels above their current positions.”
For the time being, the job market has never been better for people like Huhndorff, who pilots his own plane, plays tennis three or four times a week, and spends a chunk of the Cleveland winter somewhere warm. “I feel more valued for my contributions now than I ever did during my 35-year career,” he says. “I see myself doing this for a long time to come.”
About MRINetwork:Management Recruiters International, Inc., branded as MRINetwork (www.mrinetwork.com), is a subsidiary of staffing and outsourcing leader CDI Corp. (NYSE:CDI), a global provider of engineering and information technology outsource solution and professional staffing (www.cdicorp.com). MRINetwork has nearly 1,100 offices in over 35 countries.
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