Compensation 101: What You Need to Know Now

money in the handsCompensation is a bit of a mystery to most people outside of HR. We go to work to make money and receive benefits, but aren’t always sure how our salaries and benefits packages are decided. In order to understand if we are being paid fairly, negotiate an offer, or counsel a friend on a career change, we need to have some understanding of compensation. Interestingly, in most cases, the more people know about how they are being compensated, the better they feel about their pay and benefits.  I’m going to let you in on some secrets to help demystify compensation. Continue reading “Compensation 101: What You Need to Know Now”

For the Love of Squash

The weather is getting colder, and the leaves are changing color; fall is upon us. It’s time to pull out your sweaters and scarves and cozy up under a blanket. It’s time to pick apples, carve pumpkins and eat one of my favorite comfort foods—winter squash.

Here at Promega our culinary team tends a garden onsite, filling our menus and plates with amazingly fresh and local produce. Our constantly changing breakfast and lunch menus are just as good of an indicator of the season as the calendar. This time of year dishes with tomatoes, beans and eggplant are disappearing and are being replaced winter squash, potatoes and root veggie dishes. Winter Squash Soup is starting to show up on the menu and Nate Herndon, our head chef, has been kind enough to share one of his favorite recipes with us. Continue reading “For the Love of Squash”

The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching: Part 4 The Interview Process

Let’s review. Here we taught you how to craft a resume so amazing it will surely get your foot in the door at a great organization. Here we taught you how to nail your interview and avoid putting the aforementioned foot in your mouth. And here we taught you how to rock an interview presentation or seminar. You may be wondering what else there could be. In the last of this four-part series, we will talk about how to comport yourself with grace and dignity throughout the process. Some prospective employees forget about the process; the stuff in between the phone interview and the onsite interview. Sometimes the way candidates act when they are not being formally interviewed is the best window into how they will act when they are employed, and interviewers pay attention to that. Let us help you avoid some interview process pitfalls.

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The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching: Part 3 Presentations

No matter what type of job you are interviewing for, you may be asked to give a seminar or presentation. When I interviewed for my first HR job, I had to give a presentation on any topic I wanted. Other jobs specify that you need to give a presentation on a topic specifically related to the job. In my case, they were looking for both presentation skills and my ability to teach. When asked to present on a job-related topic, a potential employer may be looking for your ability to organize information and your knowledge on the topic. Presentations can be scary, but some good old-fashioned preparation can make things go much more smoothly.

In order to prepare, you need to know what your audience is looking for. Read on for some things to avoid during your presentation. Continue reading “The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching: Part 3 Presentations”

The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching: Part 2 Interviews

Part 2: Interviews

Last month we shared the most typical blunders recruiters see on resumes. Now that your resume is flawless and you are likely going to be interviewed for your dream job, we should move on to the interviews.

Interviewers will not only be assessing your ability to do the job, but also how you will fit in with the company, culture, and team. Make sure you bring your A-game and read on for things to avoid during your interview. Continue reading “The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching: Part 2 Interviews”

The Biggest Blunders of Job Searching

Part 1: Resumes

As a recruiter I’ve seen a lot of, ahem, interesting job search and interview techniques—everything from wearing  a tuxedo print T-shirt to the interview to misspelled names on resumes. Mistakes happen and small mistakes will most likely not cost you your dream job. I’d like to help you eliminate those mistakes. This is the 1st post of a 4-part series on interviewing and job searching. The suggestions below come from many different recruiters who have seen it all.

Creating a resume is typically the first step in a job search.  You want a resume that catches manager’s eye, highlights your skills,  and convinces recruiters of your superhuman powers (or at least your ability to excel at the job)—in short, you want a Resume Masterpiece. Like all masterpieces, it’s going to take some work. While I can’t do the work for you, I can provide a roadmap to help you avoid the common pitfalls.  Previous blog posts have provided some valuable resume suggestions: see the related posts below.  Despite the information out there, people are still confused about how to create a stellar resume. Hopefully the list below will help clear up that confusion. Read on for things to avoid so that you can create your very own Resume Masterpiece.

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Pick me! Four tips for getting your application to the top of the stack

In these economic times, finding a job can be one of the most daunting tasks someone can take on. It seems like every time I turn on the news I hear about depressing unemployment numbers or another massive layoff. But don’t lose all faith yet- there are jobs out there! Whether you are a recent grad, were just laid off, or are looking for a career change, the following tips can help turn your job search nightmare into a job search success. All of my suggestions can be boiled down to one overarching theme- PREPARE! Don’t go out into the job search world without doing your due diligence. If you do, you may end up looking foolish or (even worse) you may miss the opportunity of a lifetime. Continue reading “Pick me! Four tips for getting your application to the top of the stack”

Spring Cleaning Our Lives

During spring cleaning we open up the windows, get rid of the junk we no longer need (or never needed in the first place- goodbye Bumpit) and give our carpets a much needed deep clean. When we are done we feel energized, organized, and focused—ready to take on the world again. What if we could apply this principle to our lives? Hear me out ….a big area of discussion these days is how to achieve a work-life balance. Sort of like spring cleaning for your life, getting better at organizing your time and taking more time for things that are important to you and rejuvenate your spirit instead of just your home. Something tells me we would all be happily surprised with the results. Guess what, The Executive Office of the President, Council of Economic Advisers, agrees. Continue reading “Spring Cleaning Our Lives”