Applicant Resources
FAQ Resume Tips Interview Tips Counteroffer
If I'm looking for a new position, does R&M charge me for their services? No. As an Executive Search firm, R&M Associates is paid by their clients for identifying and helping them find good people.
How do I apply for a job?
The first step is to send us a copy of your resume either by fax or e-mail. E-mailed resumes must be in Word97 format. You should indicate in a cover letter or note which position you are interested in. Upon receipt of your resume, we will check it over for compatibility with the position. If we agree that you are qualified, we will call you to set up an initial phone interview and ask for references. This is so that we may get to know you better and to determine specifically what you are looking for in your search for a career change. If after talking with you we feel that you might be a match for the position, we will tell you who the client is and give you information about them. At that point, if you agree this could be a fit, we will forward your resume to the client and work with you throughout the interviewing and hiring process.
What happens to my resume after you get it?
All resumes and personal information are kept in strict confidence. No one but our staff has access to our files and your resume will, under no circumstances, be sent to a client or another recruiter without your permission. Your resume is a tool in determining whether you are a fit for a particular position. We will enter some basic information about your background into our database and keep the resume for future reference in the event a position requiring your skill set becomes available that was not available at the time you sent us your resume.
Will you ever send out my resume without my permission?
No.
Will you contact my current employer?
Not without your permission.
What kind of employers do you work with?
We work with employers from multi-billion dollar Fortune 500 companies to small family owned businesses. We investigate the companies' standing in their particular industries, their reputations as employers as well as making inquiries into their company volume, volume increase in the past few years and their anticipated growth, particularly regarding the potential for your future growth.
What geographical areas do you service?
We typically work on a national basis and will recruit worldwide for those clients who will sponsor the H1B and T-1 work visas.
Avoid the Top Ten Resume Mistakes
by Peter Newfield, President
Career
Resumes
|
Top Ten Interviewing Mistakes
|
1. The number one complaint we receive from our clients
is "The candidate didn't make a good impression. They just didn't come across
as professional ". First Impressions: You only get one chance to make it.
Candidates should dress in a clean, conservative and professional style.
Dark business suit, minimal jewelry for both men and women, clean pressed,
shoes polished… Use common sense. Arrive at the interview early to give
yourself time to fill out an application and relax a little. When you walk
through that door, you need to look sharp. Even if the company is known for
casual dress, it is not appropriate for a first interview. You'll have plenty
of time to show your flamboyant personality after you get the job.
2. Candidates often act as though they are the buyer rather than the seller. Chances are that you will be competing with other qualified individuals for the position. You need to sell yourself with everyone you meet at every level. Be prepared to answer questions regarding past accomplishments, what your strong or weak points are, techniques you have used for solving problems and what you can bring to the company. Whenever possible, quantify the results of your accomplishments with something tangible. 3. Candidates want to share what their objective is before they listen to what their prospective employer's needs are. You can sell your skill set better if you take the time to really listen to what they are saying and find out what is needed. Don't answer a question before it is asked or spend your listening time trying to figure out what you are going to say next. 4. Candidates don't do their homework. Before you meet with a company, check out their web site, ask for a copy of their annual report, go to the library, and remember to ask the recruiter for any information they may be able to provide. This accomplishes a number of things. It flatters them that you have taken the time to do the research and shows them that you have a genuine interest in their opportunity. It can also either answer questions that you might have had, or bring up topics that you can discuss in the interview. 5. Candidates forget to interview the interviewer. Don't be hesitant to ask questions about the interviewers themselves. Feel free to ask the interviewer about what brought them to the company and what keeps them there, what their expectations of you are and what your role will be within the company. This is your opportunity to do some fact finding. 6. Candidates should be ready to ask the question "Where would you like me to begin?" when the employer says "Tell me about yourself". Some interviewers want the bottom line business-wise while others want to know a little more about you as a person. Keep your answers simple and to the point. Don't ramble. 7. Candidates should NEVER exaggerate or mislead their experience or skill level. Don't invent things that you have never actually done. If you haven't done it, don't include it on your resume or imply you have in the interview. Remember, anything you put on a resume must be verifiable. Employers often request background checks and Degree verifications. 8. Candidates should be ready to answer the question "Why are you leaving your present job" without any negatives or hesitations. Never say anything negative about previous employers or co-workers. Even when pressed, it's better not to go into personalities, rather, refer to a difference in management style or opinion if necessary. Never personalize and keep your answers short. It's OK to let them know you have no complaints and enjoy your current job, but that the recruiter has convinced you that this is an opportunity you should look at. That's what recruiters are supposed to do. 9. Candidates rarely send timely thank you notes. When you call the recruiter immediately after the interview is finished, discuss the content of a thank you note and send it out the same day. A thank you note shows that you care, are conscientious and reinforces your interest level. It is imperative that it be proof read for grammar, punctuation and spelling. You would be surprised how many bright candidates lost an opportunity because of a poorly written thank you. 10. Finally, Candidates don't ask for the job. Always tell each individual you meet with that you have enjoyed the conversation, that you are very interested in hearing more and that you look forward to the next step! Never leave them wondering what your interest level is. Even if you are not sure at this juncture, the point of the entire process is to get an offer of employment. Once all of the information is presented and an offer is made, you can make an informed decision. A simple show of interest could make the difference in your receiving an offer at all. |
Counteroffer
Acceptance
Road to Career Ruin
Weighing Alternatives
A raise won't permanently cushion thorns in the nest By Paul Hawkinson
Mathew Henry, the 17th-century writer said, "Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in fine colours that are but skin deep." The same can be said for counteroffers, those magnetic enticements designed to lure you back into the nest after you've decided it's time to fly away.
The litany of horror stories I've come across in my years as an executive recruiter, consultant and publisher provides a litmus test that clearly indicates counteroffers should never be accepted ... EVER!
I define a counteroffer simply as an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after you've announced your intention to take another job. We're not talking about those instances when you receive an offer but don't tell your boss. Nor are we discussing offers that you never intended to take, yet tell your employer about anyway as a "they-want-me-but-I'm-staying with-you" ploy.
These are merely astute positioning tactics you may choose to use to reinforce your worth by letting your boss know you have other options. Mention of a true offer, however, carries an actual threat to quit.
Interviews with employers who make counteroffers and employees who accept them, have shown that as tempting as they may be, acceptance may cause career suicide. During the past 20 years, I've seen only isolated incidents in which an accepted counteroffer has benefited the employee. Consider the problem in its proper perspective.
What really goes through a boss's mind when someone quits?
"This couldn't happen at a worse time."
"This is one of my best people. If I let him quit now, it'll wreak havoc on the morale of the department."
"I've already got one opening in my department. I don't need another right now."
"This will probably screw up the entire vacation schedule."
"I'm working as hard as I can, and I don't need to do his work, too."
"If I lose another good employee, the company might decide to 'lose' me, too."
"My review is coming up and this will make me look bad."
"Maybe I can keep him on until I find a suitable replacement."
What will the boss say to keep you in the nest? Some of these comments are common.
"I'm really shocked. I thought you were as happy with us as we are with you. Let's discuss it before you make your final decision."
"Aw gee, I've been meaning to tell you about the great plans we have for you. But they have been confidential until now."
"The V.P. has you in mind for some exciting and expanding responsibilities."
"Your raise was scheduled to go into effect next quarter but we'll make it effective immediately."
"You're going to work for who?"
Let's face it. When someone quits, it's a direct reflection on the boss. Unless you're really incompetent or a destructive thorn in his side, the boss might look bad by "allowing" you to go. His gut reaction is to do what has to be done to keep you from leaving until he's ready. That's human nature.
Unfortunately, it's also human nature to want to stay unless your work life is abject misery. Career changes, like all ventures into the unknown, are tough. That's why bosses know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons.
Before you succumb to a tempting counteroffer, consider these universal truths:
Any situation in which an employee is forced to get an outside offer before the present employer will suggest a raise, promotion or better working conditions, is suspect.
No matter what the company says when making its counteroffer, you'll always be considered a fidelity risk. Having once demonstrated your lack of loyalty (for whatever reason), you'll lose your status as a "team player" and your place in the inner circle.
Counteroffers are usually nothing more than stall devices to give your employer time to replace you.
Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist. Conditions are just made a bit more tolerable in the short term because of the raise, promotion or promises made to keep you.
Counteroffers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Will you have to solicit an offer and threaten to quit every time you deserve better working conditions?
Decent and well-managed companies don't make counteroffers ... EVER! Their policies are fair and equitable. They won't be subjected to "counteroffer coercion" or what they perceive as blackmail.
If the urge to accept a counteroffer hits you, continue to clean out your desk as you count your blessings.
Mr. Hawkinson is publisher of the Fordyce Letter, a monthly Missouri-based newsletter for the personnel, executive search and employment counseling fields. He was formerly an executive recruiter and consultant. This is a reprint of an article in the Wall Street Journal.
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