Tips for Using a Personal Blog to Snag a Job

May 25th, 2012

It’s more important today than ever before to think outside the box to find a job. One great way to showcase your talents and industry knowledge, while also getting your name established as an authority in your field, is to create a personal blog. Here are a few great tips that will help you get the most bang for your buck from your blog.

1)   Avoid getting too personal. The more professional you make your blog the better it will serve you in your job search efforts. Your personal blog doesn’t have to be strictly professional, but you don’t want it to be a blow by blow of your personal life in all its gory details either. Remember that the goal is for potential employers to read your blog and decide that you’re an employable individual they’d love to have on their teams.

2)   Let your skill, talent, technique, and enthusiasm in your field show in your blog posts. This is an opportunity to let any and every potential employer see what you have to offer his or her company, before you even send in a resume. Let them have it.

3)   Keep things positive. This isn’t the place to air out dirty laundry or spill secrets about your former employers. You want your blog to be as positive as possible. People don’t want to employ those who carry grudges, and they don’t want to work with people who are always negative. If you don’t have a sunny disposition by nature, fake it on your blog until you find, quite by accident, that you’ve suddenly adopted one of your very own.

4)   Let your life shine through too. Oddly enough, companies today want to hire real people who have real lives and who aren’t going to be all-work-and-no- play individuals. Mention your family. Talk about hobbies and interests. Let your blog chronicle not only what you have to offer on a professional level to potential employers, but on a personal level as well.

5)   Build networks with your blog. Your blog is not only a chance to show your stuff to potential employers, but also to network with other leaders in your industry. There are quite a few benefits you can enjoy by using your personal blog to get a job. One of those benefits is the research you’ll do for the sake of your blog and the knowledge you’ll gain as a result. Share this knowledge with your audience and they’ll remember your name when new jobs come up.

You don’t have to move heaven and earth to use your personal blog to help you get the job you’ve always wanted. But you do have to follow a few simple rules, like the rules mentioned here, to make it happen.  To propel your job search forward, be sure to consider the advantages of working directly with Venteon’s team of recruiters to land a job sooner.

Candidates in the Spotlight

May 23rd, 2012

Sr. Financial Analyst – Financial Reporting & Analysis

  • 6 years of public accounting experience; Big 4 Audit Manager, CPA & CIA certification; along with MBA
  • Fortune 100 experience with financial statement preparations, US GAAP and SEC Filings
  • Fortune 100 Audit Manager Experience
  • Develop / maintain policies and procedures related to the financial reporting process in accordance with required auditing standards
  • Extensive experience in all stages of audits including planning, execution and reporting
  • Proficient in researching accounting issues
  • Significant manufacturing and financial industry experience

Program Controller

  • Engineering/BA  Undergrad along with an Masters in Finance fromWalshCollege
  • Strong experience/qualifications in manufacturing operations, complex financial analysis, project management, standard/product costing, business/financial planning
  • Launched costing and pricing methods which aided in the net profit increase from 5.5 to 7.5%
  • Performed project management of financial/cost accounting aspects of SAP implementation
  • Planned and managed strategic business reorganization project to realign manufacturing process for efficiency and growth

Senior Accountant

  • MS in Accounting; BA in Accounting.
  • Professional accountant with six years of progressive experience within both public and private setting is in pursuit of a direct-hire opportunity offering potential for future growth.
  • Broad based accounting knowledge ranges from balance sheet analysis, inventory systems including valuation and analysis, month-end close and analysis, variance analysis, fixed assets, journal entries, G/L management, and tax preparation.
  • Proficient in the use of PeopleSoft, SAP, Oracle, Hyperion, and MS Office. Seeks $60K.

Accounting Assistant

  • Proven performer with over 15 years of accounting experience is available immediately for contract or direct placement.
  • Areas of expertise include accounts payable, accounts receivable, journal entries, month end close, expense report processing, 1099’s, and account reconciliation.
  • Associates degree and tested above average on MS Excel.
  • Excellent communication skills, professional, and strong attention to detail.

Senior Financial Analyst

  • Extensive costing and plant controller experience. 
  • Multiple years of ‘hands-on’ SAP experience at varied set of clients. 
  • Comfortable working in a fast paced environment with little structure and able to work extra hours as needed for special projects. 
  • Very calm personality which blends well with a variety of teams. 
  • This proven, Sr. Level Resource is available now and open to short or long-term assignments.

Finding the Best Accounting and Finance Recruits

May 20th, 2012

The best accounting recruits can step into the job, get some basic experience with the company and go on to help impress your business associates. Finding them is the hard part. As a business owner or HR professional, it is important to look for the right person for the job based on who the person is. That is more than just what their resume has to say, though.

When it comes to locating skilled professionals who can step in and do a great job, it takes some time to find the right person.

What Do You Need to Find the Right Accounting Recruits?

The first step in the search for the best accounting recruits begins with a focus on what and who you need. What services, skills and training does the person need to have to do the job? Look beyond actual skills taught in a school and ask what this person needs to have at a deeper level. For example, does he or she need to be a self-motivated individual who can step in and offer suggestions to make improvements? Does this person need to work on a large team and therefore have the frame of mind to be a team member? Once you define the qualities you are looking for in a recruit, the next step is to find them.

Two Recruitment Options

You have two main options when it comes to finding an accounting recruit for your business. The first one may seem like the easier option. For those who are less picky and willing to roll the dice when it comes to whether or not the individual will stay with the company long term, simply interview a qualified candidate and give them the job. If it does not go well, out the door they will go. You will need to spend some time working with this person and interviewing a number of candidates, and there are certain liabilities that come with a direct hire (such as unemployment benefits and the cost and time of training).

The second option is oftentimes better because it can save you on the cost of putting someone on your payroll that is just not a good fit. Use a staffing agency to help you find the right person. These professionals are trained and vetted for you. You can simply give them a try and if they do not work out, you can move on without any investment. With a staffing company, you already know the person’s background is in order, too. This makes the job of finding the right professional easy. Once you find the right person, you can bring them on full time.

The best accounting recruits are not those who are working for your competition. Rather, it is the individual who is working at the staffing agency trying his or her best to get a foot in the door. These are often driven individuals willing to do the work to prove they are worth their keep.

The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing

May 13th, 2012

Cloud computing can easily provide IT professionals with some key benefits. Cloud computing allows for a virtual cloud of information and resources to be made available to those who have access to it. In short, instead of storing items in a computer hard drive or in an intranet, the information is kept in a cloud where it can be accessed by anyone that needs to do so from virtually any location. There are both good and bad aspects to this as it applies to the IT professional.

The Pros of Cloud Computing

The benefits of cloud computing are significant. There is no doubt that this type of computing method will continue to grow and expand, and therefore become even more important. However, there are currently numerous benefits to consider.

  • The remote access of data makes cloud computing perfectly suited for the IT industry. With it, professionals can easily gather information they need for client or customer needs anywhere.
  • The immense amount of storage space makes cloud computing an essential for those in the industry who are responsible for large amounts of data. In short, this makes the entire framework accessible, without having to store it in a large hard drive.
  • With cloud computing, comes expert management without the stress. Managing data and applications through the remote access of cloud computing makes this one of the best solutions to increase productivity and to reduce overlaps.

The key thing to remember, though, is that cloud computing is still just developing. It is likely to change rapidly in the future.

The Cons of Cloud Computing

What could be wrong with this system for storing data? There are some negative aspects or risks to using this method within the IT industry.

  • There is a level of confidentiality risk. Though methods of security are improving, there remains a risk that information or resources will end up in the wrong hands.
  • Integrity of the data could also be at risk.  In the IT industry, it is easy for mistakes to occur. The only way to avoid this is to have built in methods to reducing the risks.
  • Availability could be a factor as well. The data may or may not be accessible to some individuals. Should there be a lockout of the information, this could leave the IT professional unable to access information it needs or that is vitally important.

Cloud computing is a powerful tool that will continue to grow and change. Its implementation can increase productivity and help to reduce the overall management of hard-line applications. However, there are risks to using it that every company needs to take into consideration.  Security is likely to be the biggest factor that needs to be addressed to implement this application. As it changes and grows, it is likely to become far more effective to run overall.

Find out if a cloud computing model will work for your business with web staffing solutions from Venteon.

 

How’s Your Project Management Process?

May 6th, 2012

Is your project management process not going the way it needs to go? For those who are looking at their current situation and wondering what can be done, it pays to learn where the weakness is first. Though you may know where the problems lie, until you find proof of the problem and then establish a plan for improving the situation, you will not find any improvement in this process.

In the engineering field, without the right project management process and technical staff being in place, your business will fail. However, without having a functioning and accurately working system, you are setting yourself up to fail just as much.

Project Management Defined

Having a project management process in place allows you to ensure any project coming into your business is properly managed from start to finish. These are your clients and this is your bread and butter. Without the help and guidance from trained professionals to guide the project from beginning to end, you may not even bother sending out bids on such projects. In short, you need the right people to do the job and a way to manage the process.

Establish a Project Management Process

The first step is to ensure the currently established system is working for you, and if it is not doing so, to find ways to make it work. It is a good idea to look for specific areas of concern. Where is the hold up? What is not working within the current system?

Here are some things to take into consideration.

·    Does everyone know the process and understand the role they play in it? Sometimes, a communication breakdown can be the biggest problem.

·    Do you have the right staff on hand for that type of project? If the project scope is unique or different, consider turning to a staffing agency to find the top quality engineering staff you need. This offers a short-term solution for the project’s management.

·    Find out where breakdowns are happening by talking to each person involved in the process. What struggles and concerns do they have? What limitations do they face?

·    Monitor the progress on your own. Sometimes, seeing things in action can help you to see where the underlying problem or concern is and to make near-immediate changes as they happen.

·    Do not get too overwhelmed or be set on doing things one way. Be willing to make changes as you need to. This can keep things in line going forward. Being flexible is a key component to success.

There are times when the project management process will not go the way you want it to. Your success depends on your willingness and ability to change and grow with the process as your company changes. For more tips on managing your projects, and having the specialized staff to handle each role, be sure to get in touch with Venteon today.