Are you tired of reading how to revise and refresh your resume? I’m tired of writing and speaking about resume and interview tips too! That’s what inspired me to go in search of how to really get you, today’s job seeker, in front of recruiters and hiring managers. What advice do these hard to reach guys (and gals) have for you?
Meet Andrew Gagen, CEO of MVP Recruiters, an executive search firm that specializes in what they call “hyper-niche” recruiting with one of the most sought after skill sets in the market – Chief Information Officers and enterprise architects. Andrew and I sat down at the famous Palmer House Hilton where he shared what you can do to get to the top of his resume stack (and it’s quite a stack) and what today’s job seekers need to avoid doing.
CEO of Me, Inc.
A common theme throughout our entire conversation was that you need to be the CEO of Me, Inc. and clearly communicate what you want, how you add value and what your expertise is in today’s market. If you’re out networking or, as Gagen stated in his direct yet tactful style, “If you were just at Thanksgiving dinner at your cousin doesn’t know what you do, there’s a problem.”
Expertise pays
“Today’s candidate’s are a mile wide and an inch deep when they need to be a mile deep and an inch wide. Employers pay for expertise, strategic thinking and thought leadership,” said Gagen, whose clients include of Visa and major financial institutions.
Standing out
Gagen put it well saying candidates need to “think like twitter, in 140 characters” to solve client’s (a/k/a employer) problems in today’s market. Focus on a high quality resume that you know will be viewed for 30-60 seconds maximum. “LinkedIn is a must have in any industry and a complete, keyword-optimized profile is critical.”
Social media, video resumes and job boards
I wasn’t about to let a guy like this get away without asking his opinion about the hot topics job seekers really want to know. Here it is.
Social Media – Essential to have the same (professional) image across all social networks. | LinkedIn is a must have. | Facebook is an up-and-coming social recruiting tool. | Twitter is great for job searching and expanding your network.
Video Resumes – “Give someone a reason to talk to you; these are a fixed message. I don’t like them. Next question.”
Job Boards – good place to find companies and recruiters that are hiring, then leverage your network to connect with them.
#1 way to get hired and get access to guys like Gagen
The number one way to get hired is to engage and make the employer fall in love with you in the interview – without being crazy. The #1 way to land an interview is still to be referred by an employee. Many companies have a rule that they interview any employee referral. To get access to guys like Gagen, he says that to honestly most recruiters aren’t very good because, like many candidates, they’re a mile wide and an inch deep; they know little about the position/job. Recruiters will use LinkedIn and their network to find candidates.
If you want to find a recruiter, use your network and look at the job boards (e.g. Monster, CareerBuilder) and use your relationships to find the moneymaker that places talent with your skill set within that recruiting company. If you’re CIO, CTO or enterprise architecture professional in the U.S., go to MVP Recruiters www.mvprecruiters.com, and mention you read about his interview with Adriana. Viola! Recruiter connection done.
