Best way to fast-track your career? Think like an entrepreneur.

Posted January 13th, 2011 in For Job Seekers

I don’t know how it happened, but the other night I found myself watching the first episode of ‘Running Russell Simmons’.

(For those of you less addicted to pop culture than myself, Russell Simmons is the guy behind Def Jam Records and Phat Farm clothing, former husband of Kimora Lee, and the kind of guy who always refers to his home in New York as his ‘penthouse apartment’.)

The show isn’t as much about Simmons as it is about the gaggle of (beautiful and thin) women who ‘run’ his life (there are assistants, executive assistants, and even assistants to assistants. None of them ever have that I-slept-in-so-my-hair-is-just-in-a-ponytail look).

Because sometimes, cleaning the toilet is a good career move

This week, they introduced a subplot involving two interns who are competing for an assistant-to-an-assistant job.  One of their first tasks?  To clean Simmons’ private bathroom, including the toilet.

One of the interns baulks at this; the other one tells her to just man up and get it done.

Which one do you think will be more successful in the long term?

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Looking for your first job in Canada? 5 tips to make it easier.

Posted September 26th, 2010 in For Job Seekers

If you’re a new Canadian, there’s never been a better time to look for your first job here in Canada: With many fields experiencing ongoing talent shortages, and more Canadian organizations establishing diversity hiring mandates, employers are increasingly interested in candidates from ‘diverse’ groups.

But job-hunting standards can vary from country to country. So if you’re currently undertaking your first job search in Canada, here are a few tips to make it easier.

1. Identify yourself as a diverse candidate
There is increasing pressure on organizations to demonstrate they have a ‘diverse’ workforce.  This means that even companies without diversity hiring mandates are on the lookout for candidates from diverse groups – identifying yourself as a diverse candidate can ensure that your resume/application gets a second look from recruiters.
Including a line or two in your covering email, referencing the fact that you’ve “recently moved to Canada from [your country]” or your education at “[your home country's] university” is a good way to let employers know that you’re a diverse candidate.

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How to hire great Online Media Salespeople

Posted September 22nd, 2010 in blog_news

by Melanie Benwell, Senior Recruiting Specialist here at Poly Placements.

When it comes to Online Media Salespeople, the difference between ‘pretty good’ and ‘really great’ comes down to asking 6 questions

In the past 10-15 years, we’ve seen the birth – and rapid growth – of a whole new sales specialization:  Online Media Sales.

Online Media Sales is one of the most challenging sales specialties:  The technology is always changing, the market fluctuates dramatically and swiftly in response to changing economic conditions, results-tracking is rigorous and real-time, and a large part of the role involves educating and ‘evangelizing’ (car salesmen, for example, don’t have to explain to potential customers what a car is or why cars in general are a good idea).

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How to double the chances a recruiter will call you

Posted August 26th, 2010 in blog_news, For Job Seekers

A couple of weeks ago, we talked about the basics of working with ‘headhunters’ (aka ‘recruiters’) to help you find a new job.

However, if you’ve been in the workforce for a few years, and are actively looking for a new job, the #1 question on your mind right now is probably much more simple:  “I’m tired of chasing recruiters.  How can I get recruiters to call me?  How can I get them to call me back?”

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Never worked with a ‘headhunter’ before? Here’s what you need to know.

Posted August 13th, 2010 in blog_news, For Job Seekers

Confused about how ‘headhunters’ work?  Don’t worry – you’re not alone!

If you’re new to the job market, or haven’t worked with a ‘headhunter’ before, you probably have some questions about how the process works.  So here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear from job-seekers.  And don’t worry – you’re not the only one who doesn’t know this stuff!

What’s the difference between a ‘recruiter’ and a ‘headhunter’?

Not much.  ’Headhunters’ tend to refer to recruiters who work in recruiting agencies.  However, you’ll almost never hear a recruiter refer to themselves as a ‘headhunter’ (sort of how you’ll never hear a ‘real estate salesperson’ refer to themselves as a ‘real estate agent’) – it’s considered a little derogatory.

How do recruiting agencies work?

There are some variations to the following process, but generally speaking this is how it works.

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Cut your job-seeking time in half: 6 ways to stay positive

Posted August 12th, 2010 in blog_news, For Job Seekers

Job hunting may not make the list of life’s top 10 most stressful events (though being fired does), but it should.

Anyone who’s ever had to look for a new job knows that there is nothing more guaranteed to sap your self-confidence and induce panic than job hunting, and its the effects are cumulative and exponential:  Weeks 1-4 of a job hunt are tolerable, but by Week 8, even the most confident, optimistic and employable of us can find ourselves filling out applications for part-time minimum-wage positions at local fast-food restaurants, or leaving “Please, I’m desperate, I’ll take anything!  Call me!  Please!” voicemails for recruiters.

Neither of which is likely to further your career goals.

Desperation is a buzzkill

Remember in high school, when the ‘cool, popular’ kids were the ones who didn’t seem to care whether anyone liked them or not, while the ‘losers’ were the ones who seemed needy and too eager to make friends?

The job market is like that:  The more desperate you seem, the less attractive you are to potential employers, because it makes them wonder why you haven’t been able to get a job (“This candidate seems desperate, which tells me she’s been looking for a job for a while now.  If she hasn’t been hired by now, there must be something really wrong with her.  I think I’ll just take a pass on this one.”).

In other words, the longer you can keep your (very natural) feelings of panic and desperation out of your interactions with recruiters and potential employers, the more successful your job hunt will be.

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Today’s candidate is tomorrow’s client. So you might want to return their call.

Posted July 19th, 2010 in blog_news

Most of us tend to think that the ‘C’ in ‘CRM’ stands for ‘Client’. For those of us in recruiting and HR, however, C also stands for ‘Candidate’ – and we need to do a better job of remembering that.

It’s a good idea to treat candidates the same way you would clients (i.e. returning calls and emails promptly, being friendly, responsive and enthusiastic when speaking to them, making them feel like a valuable asset rather than a headache-inducing annoyance, etc.) because it delivers referrals, increased word-of-mouth, improved recruitment brand awareness – not to mention that having positive interactions with people all day makes working a lot more enjoyable for everyone.

However, if you find all that touchy-feely, brand-building, positive-interaction stuff a little flaky for your taste (and it’s true that it can be hard to measure), there is one real solid reason you should put the ‘Candidate’ in ‘Candidate Relationship Management’.

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9 Essential Interview Tips

Posted July 13th, 2010 in blog_news, For Job Seekers

When it comes to interviews, a little thoughtful preparation can go a long way.

Here are our 9 essential interview tips:

1.  Dress appropriately

Different interviews call for different outfits:  If you’re going to an interview at a Big 5 consulting firm, you should wear a suit; if you’re going to an interview for a managerial position at a chain restaurant, khakis and a shirt are fine (and a fancy suit might be way too much).

There’s nothing wrong with asking about appropriate attire, either – a simple “What is your office environment like – formal or business casual?” either in an email or on the phone when you’re arranging your interview can save a lot of embarrassment later.

(And remember:  99% of the time, it’s better to arrive over-dressed than under-dressed, so if you’re not sure, go for a more formal look.  No one will mark you down for trying extra hard.)

Click here to read all of the tips