Great post from Entrepreneur about developer interviews

Great post from Entrepreneur about developer #software engineer job Interviews-how the tech screen is pretty useless fhttp://bit.ly/fsMiQT

Prospective Google Intern has BIG insight into their job interview process – scott@biviumgroup.com – Boston’s #1 Software Engineer jobs/recruiter!

Prospective Google Intern has BIG insight into their interview process http://bit.ly/eO7vmS pretty similar tactics in #Boston @scottdunlop

Interview tip – Showing Enthusiasm & Interest – scott@biviumgroup.com – Boston’s #1 software engineer recruiter/jobs!

I pride myself on offering a comprehensive interview coaching prep system for candidates to give themselves significant and tangible advantages over their competition. My results speak for themselves – candidates repeatedly tell me that my insight and interview tips many times are the deciding factor over competing candidates.

So, a recent interview debrief that didn’t go so well (despite the prep materials) reminds me of how critical showing enthusiasm and interest during the interview process is.

In short – this candidate only “warmed up” during the tail-end of the interview — asking good questions, giving off positive energy/vibes, and generally was more “closed off” until late in the interview. Earlier in the 4 hr block of time, this candidate didn’t really ask any good “buy-in questions” – the sorts that show you’ve thought about the company and want to learn more about the products, business & market space.

Predictably, the client came back with the open-ended question/feedback “Very smart person, technically talented. However, the candidate really seemed to lack curiosity & interest in what we do.”

More specifically the feedback from the interview was “Does this candidate have any interest in what we do and working for us?”

Unfortunately, or fortunately, we have a chance to make sure this candidate gets a “2nd chance” as our rapport and communication lines are open to the client company.

However, you don’t always get a 2nd chance – so, remember, you are “On” from the first moment you start interviewing – show off your smarts, energy, and enthusiasm with everyone you meet – ask good questions — never, ever pass when some asks you “Do you have any questions” – the lack of questions = the death knell to your interview!

Drop me a line if you’d like me to on *your* side! scott@biviumgroup.com – Boston’s #1 software engineer recruiter/jobs!

Candidates leaving voicemails – get your “elevator pitch” ready, or be ignored!

As part of the recession, the volume of candidates responding to job ads has skyrocketed – not just here in MA, but everywhere (perhaps except for the Dakotas where unemployment is running <4%). Part of that is the incredible increase in follow-up voice-mails from candidates.

I’m the first to admit and believe in aggressively ‘selling yourself’ and pursuing a job lead. However, in this market, with 100 or more candidates applying daily for some of my positions, I, just like my clients, must sometimes set specific, and high thresholds by which to judge a candidate – simply to keep up with the avalanche of candidates.

So, if you’ve sent me (or any company or recruiter) a resume – be judicious about your voice-mail leaving – do you fit 95-100% of the job requirements ? (Locality, visa conditions, perm vs. contractor etc) If not, please don’t waste your time calling and pitching your background. However, if you legitimately can offer a value proposition, and feel you’ve been overlooked (it does happen more in this market) – by all means, leave me 1 quick and strong elevator pitch voice mail. Please don’t call 10x a day and never leave a msg – the hangups and constant calls of that nature can really detract from the good work ahead.

Job hunting tips in a recession – #4, especially when submitting a resume on SuperBowl Sunday

Historically, one or more of the big online recruiting services (Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, Dice.com, The Ladders etc) spend a mint advertising during the SuperBowl. In the midst of a recession, how can you help make your resume stand out over the hundreds and many times thousands of resumes that come in during this upcoming week? Tip #4 for job hunting in a recession:

Don’t even consider sending in your resume that you have not spent the time customizing to the particular job that you are applying for. A candidate I worked with put it like this “I went from sending 25 standard resumes a day down to 2 or 3 customized resumes daily. I added industry specific phrases that might be included in the job posting, keywords, etc. It was not uncommon for me to take up several minutes to respond to a job posting. This yielded quality over quantity and a higher response rate.”

Back from vacation in St. Kitts, Tip #3 for Job hunting in a recession – Stay Refreshed & Energized

Just back from a very short trip to the Carribean island of St. Kitts – a very much undiscovered island, near to St. Martin and Antigua. Wonderfully friendly people, gorgeous beaches, and a perfect relatively undeveloped coast — as sugar cane was the major economy until just recently in 2005. Check it out!

Nothing like some sun and sand to refresh you even in the midst of a terrible economy, and that leads me to my #3 tip for job searching in a recession – Stay Refreshed and Energized. Constantly hearing no, sending out resumes and getting no response, and interviewing, interviewing and more interviewing can lead to burnout and not giving your 100%. Now, I’m not suggesting getting on a plane and spending precious cash, but each of us has a ‘treat’ that can help lift our spirits and mind — it could be spending an afternoon skating with your kids, or splurging on an exotic coffee and reading a book, just to give yourself some time away from the job search. Research and studies show that we all need to take time to stay sharp – push too much and you get diminishing returns. So, when ou feel burned out, take time to find your own special treat and then get back to the hard work ahead – renewed and refreshed.

Tip #2 for Job Hunting in a Recession – Get interview feedback

As much as possible – follow up on all job rejections!  Always (politely) ask  to speak or exchange emails with the hiring manager and/or recruiter every time to get their constructive feedback and recommendations so you can mprove for the “next” opportunity.  My experience shows that it can take 3-5 interviews (phone or in-person) to truly master interviewing to the current market conditions. Attitude is everything – Each “no” puts you one step closer to a “yes”!!  Don’t take any feedback “personally” – you are still a good person, a good engineer, and good candidate – but, a better role is out there waiting to won!

Happy New Year! Tips for Job hunting during a recession

Well, I hope everyone had a great holiday & Happy New Year. Unfortunately for me, I’m just recovering from the godfather of all stomach bugs – it was great to finally have solid food after 5 days. Sheesh!

So, what does 2009 bring on the job hunting front in Mass, and especially on the technology/software engineering space? We’re still getting a lay of the land, but I suspect much of what we’re going to be dealing with is going to be similar to Oct/Nov – moderate activity, but highly selective. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, between the storms, holidays etc, there was a real quiet out there.

Today – Scott’s hot Tip #1 for Job Hunting During a Recession

You’ve heard this before but I can’t emphasize its importance.  Your interview will get you the job.  Your resume will only get you in the door.  Paper doesn’t get hired…you do!    Do whatever it takes to become the best interviewer you can! If you get nervous and know you are a poor interviewer – hire an interviewing coach – for about $85 you will get professional advice. A small investment that can really pay off (You’d be amazed how awful some people interview!)

Think like a recruiter: Prepping your references

It’s quite surprising when I start working with a candidate and ask about references, and the reply is “I haven’t thought about it”. Haven’t thought about it?!? If you want to “Think Like a Headhunter” and land the job you want, part of that process is ensuring your references are ready to win your case. That involves contacting your top 2-3 references to “catch-up” – ensure they know what you’ve been up to, and making sure they understand how much you appreciate their help.

Many times, a client of ours has several candidates under consideration for a position, and the quality/caliber of your references can “put you over the top” and get the job you want. If you don’t prep those references and arm them with the information needed to be successful, you’ll be the candidate we beat out in the next competitive situation! As part of my job for you, I help that process of working with your references, and ensuring we put our best references forth. The market in Boston software engineering is HOT, but competition for a “Tier 1″ opportunity is fierce – partner with me, and we’ll bring your “A game”.

Boston Globe article – “Tech companies an oasis”

As if we didn’t need more proof of the ongoing talent war — the following article http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2008/03/13/in_harsh_jobs_market_tech_companies_an_oasis/?page=1 nicely sums up what I said in January – although there are some heavy headwinds in the national economy, many local software clients of ours are having their best growth years ever and their demand for talented software engineers in the Massachusetts market is insatiable. In the past 4 days, I’ve been contacted by 2 new Venture Capitalized startup CTOs or VP engineering who have growing needs that cannot be met — and 2 public firms looking just as hard at hiring factors of 3-4x more than last year. 

 All that being said, day-to-day experience with software engineer recruiting in the Boston/Cambridge, MA area is confirming that expectations of clients are very high — if you do not “know your CS” and “know your stuff” you’re in trouble. We are seeing many more “Google” or “Microsoft” style interviews within the market. I know some people do not like problem solving/brain teaser and obscure knowledge questions — but, they are here to stay.

Careerbuilder.com Wackiest Mistakes Candidates make in interviews

Came across this http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-12-2008/0004772413&EDATE= article on the wire today about the worst mistakes candidates can make. Certainly very funny reading – but, if you’ve been doing this long enough, you’ve read, heard or seen it all. Most telling, I thought were the following stats: “In addition to the most unusual blunders, employers were also asked about the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview. More than half (51 percent) of hiring managers cited dressing inappropriately as the most detrimental mistake a candidate can make in an interview. Speaking negatively about a current or previous employer came in second at 49 percent and appearing disinterested ranked third at 48 percent. Other mistakes included appearing arrogant (44 percent), not providing specific answers (30 percent) and not asking good questions (29 percent).”

This just goes back to what I tell every candidate (but seemingly, some still do not LISTEN!) - never speak poorly about your past working experiences, always research a company (and have some questions!) and act & sound enthusiastic/passionate when you interview. Just today, I had a client decline a candidate because they did not show any interest, excitement or passion during the interview — being “flat” “boring” and “listless” in this market is a sure recipe to lose out on a job you want. Companies are conditioned to expect a person who is “ON” during their interviewing – selling yourself and don’t end up a statistic.

Think like a Headhunter: Have a system for everything

As I sat down this weekend to discuss the highs and lows of the recruiting business to a potential new hire for us, it came upon me, how much of what we do is related to having a “system”. Without a plan, without the ability to have a system for every distinct action I take in our business, we’d be failing to have an action plan — some very wise person once said “Fail to plan, and you can plan for failure.” If you want to think like a headhunter and score the job you want – you need a system that makes each distinct phase of your job search easier:

1. After every resume submission – track it — who did it go to, when, and when (if) did you hear back?

2. When you complete interviews on the phone or in-person – send a thank you email (ask for their email!).

3. When planning for an interview - get & print directions, practice interviewing with a friend, review interview tips

4. Post-interview – thank you letter, asking about “questions or concerns about your fit for the job”

5. Objection-handling – no candidate is a perfect 10 — but jobs get filled by “8″s all the time – it is all about bridging the gap between needs vs. wants. Ask the question, and you’ll improve you odds infinitely.

If you have a system for each job lead, each interaction and each recruiter you work with (as I’ve said a million times – ALWAYS tell you recruiters they must get your permission to submit a resume), you’ll be thinking like a headhunter and spending more time on quality situations vs. busy-work leading up to an interview.   The Massachusetts software engineer market is red hot – under 2% unemployment as we speak — even so — you must be able to have a system to get the job you want.

Think like a Headhunter: Research your client

Today, in my series, Think like a Headhunter, I want to talk about researching a company. The setting – you, or your great recruiter have scored you a phone (or onsite) interview with a firm that you are really interested in. Of course, you’re very busy with lots of other activities too, but the most important way to separate yourself from competing candidates is to do some quick Google-searches, and news searches to have some background on the people, company and products. It’s important to read recent press releases, understand their market position, competition etc – do you own SWOT analysis of the situation – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Threats. It will help you decide – is there a future in this place for me? Remember – people love to talk about themselves and their firm – having this information at your fingertips can only help separate you from others while building rapport with your interviwers, and by mere conversation, have the interviewer think more of you! Conversely, I’ve had many a job lost, or job order unfilled by a recruiter, if even basic, cursory attention was not paid to Research your client.

Think Like a Headhunter: Interview tips – “the most powerful question you can ask”!

I try very hard to assist candidates in understanding that the first round interview’s agenda is 95% driven by the company. You are invariably one of several candidates they are evaluating, and your #1 and only goal at this stage of the interviewing process is to get invited back for a 2nd round, or to continue the “next stage” of their process.

As you are selling yourself, the most important and powerful information you can gather, is what specific information are they using to favorably evaluate you. After the first impressions and pleasantries of small-talk, you must casually ask “From your perspective what are the most important things you are looking for in filling this position?” – or something similar. By asking this question, you receive the target to aim for. For example as a J2EE software engineer in Cambridge, you may ask this question and find out – “We are weak on the server team, and need someone who understands how to write complex core Java via JDBC and has extensive architecture skills.” With that target in mind at all times, you can highlight, focus and describe specific projects and work YOU have architected and developed that fit that criteria. Or, perhaps their answer is “We are most concerned with finding someone who is very self-driven and independent.” It would be a huge blunder to only talk about your team-work and how you worked collaboratively with others, if that is their #1 criteria. Ask the most powerful question and you’ll be thinking like a headhunter!

Do you want fries with that? Order-taking, moron recruiter competition.

Well, today, I know you wish I was talking about a new hot job, but instead, I thought I would share a story about another so called ‘recruiter’ and their firm. See, these are the folks you hear horror stories about. The order-takers who yes you and the company to death, those that over-promise and under-deliver. The one that clearly has no clue what they are doing, or perhaps their ‘mentor’ is sitting in on your interview, coaching the entire thing. Sure makes you feel good, right? Right?!?

One of our favorite clients (who will of course remain confidential) – but lets call them Icarus Software. Icarus utilizes (as most companies do) a short list of 3 preferred agencies. Woohoo! We are one them (no big surprise, we are awesome and all that ) but they just added this new firm to try out. So, guess what, so far in the past week, I’ve worked with 3 candidates who have had their resume sent to this client, WITHOUT EVEN TALKING TO THEM.   Not telling them the company name, website, job description, or even describing what the company is all about!

So, listen up, recruiter-competition: Ultimately, we all bear responsibility to do the right thing – nothing frustrates our clients or candidates, more, than when a resume is submitted twice. When a company or candidate has a ‘bad’ experience like this, it reflects on the entire industry.  You will look like an IDIOT, an UNPROFESSIONAL, car-salesperson, ORDER-TAKING, hack! There are no short-cuts in our business, there are no short-cuts in life. Yes, you can make a placment or get the invite or screw others out of one or two situations… but in the end, it will all catch up with you! When the next downturn in technology hits, please go back to the slimy rock you crawled out from underneath. Or, better yet, I’ll just supersize those fries, now!

Think like a headhunter: resumes part 2 – rewrites, redos

Your resume is the tool that opens doors to the interview process.  Since I had a lot of questions and feedback about resumes, I thought I’d offer some additional tips on the subject.  First, if you’ve been in the industry more than 4-5 years, your resume can easily go over 2 pages (put please, not 10!) . With all the technical summary information, education and a couple internships, you’re almost there already! I’d rather you offer the technical detail I need vs. arbitrarily setting a limit on the information you will present. Second, if your job title means nothing outside your company or does not really reflect your work day to day - make sure to adjust that. Example – your title is “CTO”, but really you’re a lead engineer, writing code 70% of the time and leading a team of 4. If I see “CTO” 5 years out of school, I’d likely assume this could be the case… but MOST people will jump to a conclusion and toss the resume. Don’t give them a reason to!  Make sure you pick a format that is standardized (great recruiters will help) , remove graphics, pictures and extraneous personal information, unless directly related to the jobs (hobbies include crocheting or lily propogation is not relevant, but robot competitions could be).  Bringing this all home, a recent candidate who is about to accept an offer, had a confusing, pretty incomprehensible resume that did not allude to the level of coding skill they had. Once we re-wrote… we were sitting on a tool to open doors rather than close them. Think like a headhunter and make that tool the best it can be!

Think like a headhunter: deal with the decision-maker

Have you ever been a situation where you said “why the heck am I talking to this person?” — perhaps you were trying to negotiate a better price on the latest flat-screen TV or simply trying to get something fixed on your credit card bill. Dealing with the first person who answers the phone or salesperson rarely leads to the success you want.
As a job-seeker the very same is true – you must be dealing with the decision-maker on critical issues-  such as reviewing your resume, technical discussions or salary negotiations. If I had a dollar for every admin, HR person or assistant who told me that job was not open (when in fact the Director or VP of Engineering says otherwise), I’d be off to a Caribbean Island come January. If you a see a job on-line or in the paper that you feel you’re a good fit for, Think like a headhunter: research on-line or with your colleagues who you need to talk and get your resume to that person (VP of Software Engineering, QA Manager, IT Manager or VP of Sales)- send a brief note and follow-up with a call. Doing this, gets you right to the person who will making or breaking your candidacy, without the bias or errors prone to dealing with the “middle-men”. Whether saving $100 on your TV or getting the job you want, it’s all about dealing with a decision-maker.

An offer is not a transacton, it’s an event – closing great candidates

The WAR for talent is on! Great candidates have lots of choices in terms of where they go to work. We have more clients knocking on our door than we can handle.  A client MUST understand how to partner with us to hire the talent they want: How do you, the company differentiate yourself once you’ve identified a great candidate? Some tips I have learned over the years: 

• Get the hiring manager 100% involved. Hiring managers must take a major role in recruiting the candidate in partnership with the hiring team. It’s less difficult for a candidate to leave close friends and long-term associates if he has already experienced some type of personal relationship with the new group.
• Make the offer an event, not a transaction. Make the offer something special. For instance, don’t just send a letter. Have the hiring manager deliver it personally, possibly with a few key members of the team. Always make a personal presentation.
• Make the offer about the job, not about the money. If you can’t differentiate your job by describing its challenges, key growth opportunities, and how important it is to a major company initiative, all you have left is the money. So make sure when you deliver the offer, you have in the back of your mind “Why would a top/star person want this job?” It’s NEVER just about $$$. EVER!

Now, even though we are top recruiters, we cannot close everyone! Sometimes, you can do all the right things, and not get someone… sometimes we do all the right things, and people choose another client or another opportunity… or GASP! stay in their same job. Candidates are real people, with real fears, expectations and needs — if we focus on these 3 areas, most candidates who are ready, will accept. Just remember to make sure we all feel this is a “special” event and we can partner succesfully.

Think like a headhunter – resume tips

So, you’ve found the perfect job and you’ve fired off your resume… and poof! nothing happens. As someone who reads and screens about 100-125 resumes a day, I can offer a few things that I look for, and things than turn me off — #1 poor spelling or grammar – if you are that careless now, I won’t even bother to read further. #2 Generic objectives – better to NOT have an objective if you cannot customize this to the role you’re interested in. #3 Unimpressive or undetailed descriptions of your work — I want to read the nitty-gritty details of the languages, OSs, toolkits and problems YOU solved — tell me the overall architecture, the problems you faced and what YOU did to solve this. This is where the rubber meets the road — were you a cog in the wheel (and a minor one at that) – or were you a key team member? If you’re a ‘star’ but your resume looks like a ‘scrub’ you have nobody to blame but yourself. Take a few extra moments to make that first impression with someone like me a great one!!

Think like a Headhunter: Tenacity

What does the word “no” mean to you? In our business, it’s usually an opportunity for a follow-up question — No, can mean many things – a) I am assuming something factually incorrect to jump to a conclusion b) No is easier than explaining why it could be “Yes” c) I’m too busy to talk to you. d) Who are you? e) I’m the wrong person to be asking this question to.

 Actionable intelligence only comes from asking the right question to the right person. “No” or “I’m all set” are the answers that clients and candidates give when they don’t know you and you’re just the 50th call of the day or 6th interview. Add value and know your worth — how? Prepare yourself to separate from the competition – if you’re not able to immediately impress knowledge, confidence and expertise, you’ll never get the job (as a candidate or recruiter). 

For candidates – the most powerful words at the conclusion of an interview session : “Do you have any specific questions or concerns for me, about how I could perform this position?” Silence, and wait for whatever comes out — you now improved your chances of scoring the job by probing and handling the inevitable issues that arise.

Think like a headhunter: Phone interview preparation, Wakefield’s knuckler not up to task

Not much good to say about last night’s game — Wake’s knuckler wasn’t dancing, and the AL’s ERA leader got hammered. The only positive? The other Co-Founder of The Bivium Group, Jamie LeBlanc got to visit the park for a special behind the scenes visit with the owners of the sox – very cool!!

In my series of Interview Tips, today’s relates to phone interviews. The most important aspect of a phone interview, is that this is screening tool  — if you are not prepared, polished and ready to discuss your background & the company — you won’t get the opportunity to meet them! So, be in a quiet place, have your resume and the job description printed out. Research the company – be enthusiastic, smile, and be energized on the phone — we read a lot into the non-verbal cues people give off — especially on the phone. If you are flat, monotone and can’t show some enthusiasm and passion on the phone – there is NO way a company will interview you. Do a quality phone interview and you will shine!

Dice-K spins a Complete Game Gem & thoughts on Why to work with a recruiter

Dice-K pitched perhaps his finest game of the season, spinning a CG giving up his only run on a solo HR. Although he exceeded 120 pitches pretty early in the season, the Japanese fanatical conditioning makes this much less of an issue than perhaps for others. We shall see. But, quite the impressive game.

 Many times, I get asked by clients and candidate — why should we work with a recruiter? “I can find jobs online” or “I can find candidates online”.  Of course, if it were that “easy” I wouldn’t really have a business, now would I?

 Clients need us to filter and get to those who can do the job required, and fit the culture of the organization. We’re not talking about 20% matches, but 80%+ matches… stars – people who know their stuff and run circles around those who are “average”. That person is almost always employed, and casually looking for the “right fit”. On the candidate side – I have inside information on many companies, and can help generate confidentially, a search tailored to your exacting requirements. Over time, I have found that over half of the candidates I place, accept jobs they didn’t even know existed, had passed over before, or dismissed out of hand! Why? Preconceived notions, wrong information or too much scrutiny on a job description which paints the picture of the ‘pefect’ candidate vs. the candidate they will hire.

Controlling your resume – ethics of recruiters

Recruiters would love to send your resume to a company without disclosing their identity, or have the ability to send your resume whenever they want.  This sort of relationship really only benefits the recruiter, and not you!

As a partner in the process, you should demand  that any recruiter  you work with, will only send your resume to a company with your explicit permission. This eliminates duplicate submissions, allows you to fully track and control the companies that you investigate… and most importantly, reinforces “best practices” in our industry. Your job search demands only the best and most ethical approach.

Interview tip – think like a headhunter

Listen, everyone knows the market is good right now, especially in the Boston enterprise software market. What that does not mean is that a candidate is entitled to a job just by merely showing up. In fact, if you “think like a headhunter” you’ll realize there are many other qualified candidates, both at Bivium and through all other sources… you must differentiate your candidacy immediately. Simple way to that? Send a thank you email when you’ve returned home. In this age of immediacy, it’s the best route. Be sure to check for spelling and grammatical errors before sending — and be positive, assumptive and “sell” yourself. Even if you are not certain you want the job! You want to be remembered as a quality person first & foremost.