If you’re a hiring manager, you may ask, “Why should I pay an agency fee if I later find the candidate in my stockpile of resumes?”

This may help to answer your question. What you have is just that….a stockpile of resumes. But for the work of the recruiter, you probably would not have called that person. That resume would not float to the surface of your stockpile and say "Hey……I’m here. Look at me!" By the time your recruiter has submitted a candidate to you, he or she has qualified this individual and marketed your job to create interest. In today’s job market with double digit unemployment figures, people are submitting resumes to job boards, blind ads and every job posting that remotely looks of interest to them. It takes many man hours to sort through those piles of resumes, and your time can be put to better use. If you calculate the cost of sorting, identifying, screening, calling (which you’ll need to do several times because you generally won’t reach them on your first attempt) and then interviewing ….and weigh all that against the service fee, your cost side will weigh more. Plus, your recruiter will keep you abreast of a candidate’s interest level, any objections, concerns or outside influences that could impact an offer. That’s worth money in the bank itself. Some recruiting firms (ours included) offer hourly services to sort, screen and call your stockpile of resumes………….something to think about.

Good News!

We now offer contract work with competitive hourly rates and a full benefit package including: Health Insurance (at competitive rates), Flexible Compensation Cafeteria Plan (for out-of-pocket medical and dependent-care expenses), 401(k), Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, and Direct Deposit of Paychecks. Most of the contracts are 12 months with a good possibility of being hired full time afterwards. Here is a partial list of contract positions available:

Flight Software Engineer( Ada 95, OO, Embedded/Real-time, VxWorks, Flight Software) Silicon Valley (CA)

Technical Engineering Manager- Satellite Antenna Design (UHF, Mulit Beam Antenna, Phased Array, Satellite, Aerospace) Newtown (PA)

System Test Engineer (Test Equipment, Satellite, ATE, Aerospace, Defense, LabView, HP-VEE) Silicon Valley (CA)

Mechanical Engineer(Mechanical Engineer, ProE CAD) Silicon Valley (CA)

Subcontracts Administrator(Aerospace & Defense, FARS, DFARS, ITARS, Subconttract Administration) Newtown (PA)

Senior RF Systems Engineer (Microwave, Design, Filters, Multiplexers, Satellite, BSEE) Silicon Valley (CA)

Mechanical Engineer - MAGE(ProE CAD) Silicon Valley (CA)

Senior Satellite Antenna Design (UHF, Mulit Beam Antenna, Phased Array, Satellite, Aerospace) Newtown (PA)

Phased Array Aperture Design Engineer (Phased Array Design Engineer, Antenna, RF) Boulder (CO)

Sr. Phased Array RF Circuit Design Engineer(Phased Array Design Engineer, RF, Electronics) Boulder (CO)

Sr. PeopleSoft Financial Business Analyst (Senior PeopleSoft Business Analyst, CPA) Silicon Valley (CA)

Mechanical System Test Engineer (Test Equipment, Satellite, ATE, Aerospace, Defense, Shock, Vibration, Acoustic, Thermal) Silicon Valley (CA)

Logistician II (Logistician ) Silicon Valley (CA)

Materials and Process Engineer (Engineer 3) Silicon Valley (CA)

Senior Satellite Battery Systems Engineer(Spacecraft, Satellite, Battery, EPS, Aerospace, Power,
Subsystem) Silicon Valley (CA)

Please email or contact us for more information.

INTERVIEW TO GET THE JOB!

If you’re just job shopping, then skip this ……it’s designed for the individual who really wants to get a job offer.

The first phase of the hiring process is CRITICAL. The result of the first introduction to the company’s representative, whether it be by phone or in person, will determine the company’s interest in moving forward. And …you want them interested! Go for that offer………. what you then do with it is up to you.

This is a game where strategy is involved. And it’s never been easier to play because of today’s technology and social networking. But you can still blow it if you don’t follow a plan.

Every job opening is different in some way. You need to find out what is critical in filling that job, and what can they do without. Then apply your skills and background accordingly. After it’s decided that you have the qualifications, the hiring authority still needs to determine if it’s a cultural fit. The best qualified engineer at Microsoft may be a duck out of water applying at Boeing. We’ve seen the best skilled candidates on this earth get passed by because someone in the company didn’t feel it was a “fit”. Bummer.

Follow up is also important, however, don’t be a pest. A nicely composed thank you email or letter should include a cordial “thank you” for their time, a paragraph outlining why YOU feel your background would be a good match for the job, a comment regarding something discussed on the interview and finally a call to action, ie:”I look forward to hearing from you next week OR I look forward to meeting the panel next Tuesday”. We recommend having someone you trust who knows how to write to proof your letter before sending. We can’t count how many times a candidate lost consideration due to spelling errors or poorly composed letters.

Unless you were instructed to call the hiring authority, I would not do so right away. And for heaven’s sake, if you do call, be sure it’s during business hours.

We offer private consulting to help coach you through the interview and hiring process. Remember, however, if a company needs to hire a dentist, they are not going to hire an ophthalmologist…….no matter how good he is!

Call for scheduling and pricing at 805-527-9700 or email us at consult@focus-agency.com

People can handle delays if they are given specific time frames.

True story…..so we hear. Twenty yrs ago an industry survey was conducted on response time regarding service calls. Pitney Bowes had 1 ½ hour service call response time advantage over Xerox. Pitney thought this would be a great marketing tool, but what they discovered was that customers preferred Xerox, even though the response time was 5 hours versus 3 ½ hours to Pitney because Xerox gave a specific time that they would arrive at the destination which allowed the client to plan accordingly. With Pitney Bowes, they didn’t know when they’d be coming within that 3 ½ hour time frame.

Moral of the story……give people (candidates, recruiters, company hiring authorities) specific time commitments of when you’ll follow up with them and you’ll have their respect, trust and loyalty. And………..they’ll like you more!

In this economy, is it wise to hire someone who needs to relocate for the position?

You want to hire the best person for the job, and if that person requires relocation, consider the value of bringing that individual on board versus the investment and risk. In today’s market, relocating a family can present challenges. For instance, moving someone from the mid-west to a much higher cost of living area may encounter a last minute turn-down unless all relocation issues are addressed up front, including but not limited to 1) will the spouse be able to find new employment or transfer within their company? 2) is the new school system acceptable for the children? 3) will they be able to find affordable housing? 4) will they be able to sell their current house……and what options are available if they don’t? On the other hand, because it is a buyer’s market, this may be the best time for someone to take advantage of relocating.
Some people are willing to walk away from their home (letting the bank foreclose) because they bought in an inflated market and know that selling their current home would be a losing proposition. Your recruiter will be able to help you with this decision. Candidates usually disclose insightful information with their recruiter that is not be divulged on an interview, so take advantage of this time to have serious discussions with your recruiter which may help strategize and determine if this is an investment worth taking.

Will sharing too much personal information during an interview sabotage your chances of getting hired? Absolutely!!

Too many people make the mistake of revealing too much personal information once they become comfortable during the interview process. To follow are true cases where too much wrong or impertinent information was reveled during the interview which ultimately cost the candidate the job:

-Bringing up the trials and tribulations of my divorce during the interview.
-Pulling out a complete portfolio of your dog’s photos to share with the hiring authority.
-Sharing your pregnancy details and morning sickness ailments with the hiring authority.
-Talking about last weekends drinking party.
-Discussing up your zodiac sign and talking about how it relates to the position you’re applying for.
-Calling the hiring authorities “honey” or “sweetie” during an interview.

Stay focused on your accomplishments and achievements. There will be plenty of time to share personal facts AFTER you start!!

Employer/Client Question

How in-depth should a company investigate a candidate’s background prior to bringing them onboard?

Background checks can be quite expensive depending on how extensive you want the report to be, how many years back you want verified and how many different counties you want researched. Some counties do not subscribe to a database and therefore information may be missed unless an investigating company physically goes through the county records. If the new hire will be responsible for signing company checks or handling company funds, we strongly recommend a thorough background investigation.

In the end, spending the extra money may save you thousands of dollars in company funds and the hassle of firing and possibly having to prosecute.