Temp Agencies and Placement Companies

After many trials, I believe the job search requires different approaches. For starters, think of a dream company. Imagine if a project comes up and they use an agency to do the leg work for them and hire contractors. This is one way to get into companies. It's like getting in through the back door. This contract could lead into an employee position if you're a fit. This is how I interviewed for SalesForce the other week.

So who are these agencies? Well, some can do temp assignments (which are cool too), direct hires, temp to perm etc. So use my name if you contact these people. Also, remember they have leads at top companies, but they won't give you their best foot forward unless you're clear on what you want (bring a list of companies to target)

Step 1: visit their website
Step 2: fill in an online profile
Step 3: try to set up an in person meeting so they can personalize your services
Step 4: stay on top of mind and email/call weekly.

Search Wright ****** best to start
Kelli Thompson or Lauren Green
kthompson@searchwright.com
LGreen@searchwright.com
415-538-1500

The Job Shop - just $12/hr temp assignments
Michelle Mamerto
michelle@jobshopsf.com
415-227-8612

Aquent - places people at Clorox for contract positions
Gretchen Stanford
gstanford@aquent.com
952.851.3176

TSS
Hayley Chan no longer works here, but don't know who to refer you to
415-543-4545

Premier Staffing
Bridgette Loyd Corridan
bridgettel@pstaffing.com
415-362-2211 X 3505

Greggory Lawson - financial positions (USF alum undergrad)
glawson@innovpsi.com

The MBA has gotten HIRED!!!

After job searching since October, I've applied to over 500 job positions all across the nation. I took networking to a literal level and did every little thing that I could do to reach out to my networks.

This was a long scary process and I think the key successes were:

• Staying in contact with everyone and anyone.
• Letting people know that I'm looking and could use help.
• Being specific on what type of job or industry that I'm looking for.
• Follow up Follow up Follow up!
• Attend conferences, attend events, and ask for business cards.
• Send my resume to people to forward along.
• Ask for opening at companies that are new - to beat the massive competition.
• Accept part time jobs to keep busy and money coming in.
• STAY POSITIVE and not get caught up in the frustration, it's much easier to stay positive then negative.
• Try different jobs that you wouldn't normally entertain. You might surprise yourself.

So the secret to my most recent job offer. A friend from my former beverage industry got me interviews at her company in February. Didn't work out but she kept me in mind for when she heard of an opening at her friend's company. So Jenn referred me to Sarah who is also a member of a common association (DELTA SIGMA PI). She forwarded along my resume for the position. 1 week later I received notice that my resume was referred by Sarah an internal employee. The next day I received a request to set up a phone interview. The phone interview went well. It turned out that one of my very dear friend's cousin works for the company and had prepped me and filled me in on the company. So props to Monica as well. I owe you tons of babysitting.

Then there was a phone interview with the hiring manager, the marketing manager later that week. Since that went well, I was excited for the next step. Much much later I had the all the interview. 9 people within 6 hours, plus a computer test. I rocked it!

A week and a half afterward a background check and reference check was completed and verbal offer was made over the phone.

Some things that helped me during the interview:

• Sample of recent and relevant writing - brought in an abstract of Health Information Technology - Remote Monitoring Devices
  
• Not only had my resume, but a comprehensive resume that elaborated on my classwork projects and all my part time jobs. So if it came up, I could offer the comprehensive resume with the details
• I had a list of good questions to ask the interviewers like:

1. What makes an unique employee
2. What brought you to the company and why do you stay?
3. What are the challenges of the position?
4. What training and mentoring is available?
5. In 5-10 years from now what is your legacy that you will leave behind here?
   

• I sent thank you cards to the women and some of the more senior men and thank you emails to the other men
• I also spoke of a 30-60-90 day plan that I would create once I got started. This is to demonstrate that I can plug and play and don't need my hand held.
  

So thank you for reading my trials and tribulations and best of luck to you!

What an OFFICE can tell you about a Company

I have walked through the doors of several companies in the past several months and have made many mental notes on what I saw.

1. One place had a shabby building with an elevator that didn't arrive at the floor and stairs were required to reach the office. Then the moment I walked in I wanted to head for the hills and make a run for it. It looked like a REALLY BAD bachelor's pad with dark blue poorly painted walls. Black leather chairs in the reception along with a flat screen tv playing some cheesy stoner movie. This was a bad sign and unfortunately I waited too long to actually find out. This reception area was a clear sign and reflection of the poor company. This was a lesson that this place isn't a fit nor offers quality. This place was in Emeryville and is a pyramid scheme. The red flags were obvious here.

2. Another place that I had went to for an interview was located in the heart of the Financial District. When I walked into this nice high rise, I recall it for having a very nice roof top seating area. I thought BONUS! But as I walked into the suite, there was no one to greet me but a mere ding ding bell on the receptionist desk. Once it was dinged, some disheveled person came out and I was waiting for nearly 20 minutes for the person who I was supposed to see me. I was sweating bullet on my parking meter as I only put in enough for 1 hour. Oh but no need to worry, his interview was brief. But oddly passed me off to his co-workers to drill me on an employer of mine as they are current investors. This has nothing to do with my interest in the position nor was relevant. And by the way, he forgot to mention on the phone that this was a NON PAID marketing internship at a Hedge Fund.

But back to the intention of this blog, they had no one to greet me which was a sign that they are too busy to care and possibly wouldn't welcome me with open arms for their FREE LABOR. Also the decorum was very nautical and masculine. I felt that I was in a yacht. I interpreted this as a sign that this was fast paced environment that demands a lot and maybe I'll go unappreciated.

3. Not to knock the lovely state of California, BUT I didn't like their bathrooms and sort of judged that the same way as I would judge a busy bar's bathroom. Dirty bathroom, dirty work environment. Not for me. I went to a beautifully kept private school, I don't want to face the unkeptness of public buildings.

4. Oh and when a company has offices in the same city but the hiring manager who flies in decides to meet you at a hotel is sketchy and weird not cool protocol. I feel that the hiring manager should offer to meet at the HQ offices not the hotel lobby.

Sweet Aromas

I must start off this blog with the sweet beginnings of my work day downtown. Anyone who knows Specialty's knows that their sweet fresh baked aroma awakens the senses from a distance away. I love that smell and feel better when headed out of the subway station because of the convenient location of the Montgomery one. Thank you for doing what you do Specialty's. Maybe one of these days I'll buy one and try out the other sense and see how good the cookies taste.

But really, this blog is to serve the purpose for the readers that are job searching right now. This morning the unemployment rate has risen from 8.9 to 9.4%, YIKES! This is scary times for many people out there. Everyone has tips, but I would like to share mine.

Step 1:
Determine if you are looking for a job to pay some bills or you're looking for a career. These are 2 different search strategies. Personally, I realized soon after my career search that I had to also do a generic job search.

Step 2:
In the career search, it's important to look at what you want to do etc, but also to stretch how you normally think. The reason why is, because nothing is how it normally is.

Expansion on Step 2:
> Attend Events. What kind you ask?
Associations, Alumni Events, Friends' Get-Togethers, Conferences (volunteer at a conference), Luncheons with successful people
> Email Campaign - informing people that you're happily searching and could use help on leads and ATTACH YOUR RESUME and be specific on what you're looking for.
> Accept all part time work you can get, because A.) you need the money and B.) it might transpire into a full time gig before your eyes and of course C.) new skills to add to the bag.

Step 3:
Be a Sleuth! Look for jobs that haven't been posted yet. So ask your friends for openings and be the first to knock on HR's door. Get referred by an employee. This might be the only way to really compete with the massive competition out there for jobs. Also don't look for the jobs at companies that are well known because everyone is looking there too. Look for the unknown companies and be the one that gets interviews.
I can't remind you enough to be flexible and to let go of only striving for Top Fortune 500 companies. I had to let go of this dream and have been very productive ever since.

However, if you not willing to let this go. I understand. Apply for contract work with these companies and seek out their temp agencies that they work through. This has proven to be successful for others that I know of.

Step 4:
Link with everyone you can with Facebook and Linked In etc. But solely using that won't quite cut it. It must be a culmination of being active that will get you on the right path.

Enjoy these ideas. Best of luck and if you refuse work in hopes of a full time position, you have to weight out the risks for yourself and do what is best.

All the Best,
MBA Marketing Guru

Survival of the 6-hr Interview!!

In my few years of interviewing, I've experienced an array of interviews. One company had me interview with a panel of 9 members (some who were jet lagged from flying in from HQ in Texas), for a new position that was way out of my league that was needless to say good practice for me when I was in my mid-20's.
Then when I was interviewing for another position with a very small company I must have returned upon their request for 5 additional interviews! They required me to meet with everyone in the department and the seniors in the company. I even attended their company wide reception event at Horizons in Sausalito. When people asked my role with the company, I responded with, "I'm interviewing for the marketing coordinator position." This was a company that rescind their offer because I countered and maybe I was better off. This was the time in my life that I realized putting off grad school was a bad idea and that I should go FULL FORCE with getting my MBA.
So that brings me to yesterday's 6-hr interview that I survived by 9 different people. To my advantage I had the endurance and stamina to meet with all 9 people and entertain their engaging and thought provoking questions. Whew! At the end of it all, I was examined on the quintessential of Office software applications like Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word.

Time to gear up for the next interview this Friday afternoon.