Indianapolis Accounting Jobs

• Great references set you apart from your competition.
• It makes the company you are interviewing with feel more comfortable with their hiring decision.
• Job offers come much faster if references are completed during the interview process.
• Most job offers are contingent upon reference checks, so why sweat it out once you have made it that far!

1. Ask, ask, ask - you don't get what you don't ask for.  Never assume your manager will give you a reference if you did not ask them to. 
2. Get their personal contact information - you want their personal information (phone, address and email address) because if they leave that company or the company closes, you will still need that reference and that means calling them on their personal phone.  I also ask for their home address and send them a holiday card every year.  They won't forget about you if they see your smiling family on a card each year.
3. If you are on LinkedIn, ask for a recommendation on your work and return the favor for your reference.
4. Keep in touch - reach out to them a couple times a year to keep good contact information.  Don't be afraid to disclose some personal tidbits as well and make it a friendly touching base email. 
5. Make sure you call your references by the time you reach the 2nd interview with a company.  If they know to be expecting a call, chances are they will return the reference call much quicker.  This will also give you the heads up if someone is going to be unable to be reached due to a travel schedule, vacation planned or just being out of the office for an extended period of time. 
6. Know what they are going to say about you.  If there was an attendance problem at that time, or if you are like me and are notoriously late to everything then make sure the company you are interviewing with knows this so they don't get any surprises during the reference check process.  If you give good reasons for the issue and how you have learned from your mistake this will only make you look better.  If you don't mention it and they do, rest assured you probably won't get the offer you are waiting on.  As all football fans know, the best defense is a good offense.  You want to get all their possible reasons for objections out of the way early on, not during the reference check process.

First of all I want to apologize if you haven’t heard from me during these last few months.  The reason?  The market is changing and we have been extremely busy.  I know this may come as a shock to you if you have seen the recent unemployment rates but it is true!  We noticed the market changing at the beginning of the summer when the candidates who registered were getting positions quickly after registering and our contract workers started turning in their notice because they found permanent employment. 

The industry information that we receive on a monthly basis shows that in April 2011, it became more difficult to find the candidate than the job.  What that means is that it could be returning to a “candidate’s market.”   There is no question from our perspective that hiring managers cannot continue to do the things they have been doing the past few years.  As a hiring manager, you need to move quickly on candidates that you are interested in.  You cannot wait as long as you have in the past to make hiring decisions.  Also, now that you are up against competition, you will have to pay more competitive salaries because the candidates have more opportunities to choose from and often the highest bidder wins. 

Let’s add some fuel to the fire.  If you are targeting candidates that have a college degree, the unemployment rate is below 4.5% (see this illustration from the Bureau of Labor Statistics).  There is a good article addressing this topic that states:

"To put it another way, more than 95 percent of college graduates in the United States are working – in the aftermath of one of the worst recessions in living memory." ibtimes.com

So even though you have probably heard that unemployment rates are close to 9%, that isn’t an accurate number when you are targeting a degreed Accountant.  Inside Indiana Business reported last week that only 33 out of every 100 Indiana public college students graduate with a four year degree within eight years.  This helps create the shortage of candidates in Indiana that have a college degree. 

I have spoken to several of my HR hiring managers and they have communicated that they are seeing the things mentioned above.  I would love to hear your thoughts, please sound in by posting a comment on my blog and let me know your thoughts!

• "No pain.  No gain."  Wise words from Benjamin Franklin that we still use today.  Throughout our professional career, we are all going to have to do things that are painful for some reason or another.  However, it's important to remember that doing these painful things will usually end in some sort of personal and/or professional gain.  If you ask anyone in an executive position, they are going to tell you that they endured a great amount of pain in order to excel in the early stages of their careers and "move up the corporate ladder" to get to the position they're in.  And don't forget, how you handle the "pain" in any professional situation will serve as a gauge to your manager as to how you would handle tough, stressful situations in the future.  Don't let a little pain keep you from the potential of substantial gain in the future.  
• "A little dirt never hurt anyone."    Growing up on a farm made this statement all the more true for me.  However, I am thankful that my parents made me try things that were out of my comfort zone because it forced me to learn what I could handle.  Besides learning how a successful self-employed farmer operates, I learned that I was mentally and physically stronger than I realized.  This really helped me in my first job out of college because I would take on the "junk jobs" that nobody else wanted and it always yielded a positive result in terms of my career.  Granted, I wasn't always jumping for joy during these tasks, but I knew that getting my hands dirty proved that I was willing to take on the not-so-glamorous tasks if that is what the department and the company needed at the time.   This is also helpful advice to remember when you are looking for new Indianapolis job openings.  If you can prove to a company that you are willing to do what it takes - even if that means doing things that are beyond the normal scope of your position - they are going to see you as a strong contributor and know that you are going to have the company's best interests at heart.    

• "It builds character."  This piece of advice is especially important to remember during a performance review or any time that you may be receiving feedback from someone.  Although it's hard to hear when someone thought you could've had a stronger performance, it's important to remember that the feedback is not only going to help you develop as a professional, but as a person as well.  You can use that feedback to continue to develop your capabilities and prove to your manager and your team that you are accountable to your performance and results.  

1. Take a look at our job board
2. Find a position that matches your skills and experience
3. Apply
4. Even better - find a friend that works for us already and have them refer you, we LOVE referrals so much that we pay for them!

• Dust off your resume.  Do a thorough review of your resume to look for ways that you can spruce it up a bit.  Specifically spend some time on what you have listed as key responsibilities and accomplishments in your current (or most recent) position.  You may have something new to add that would be appealing to potential employers.
• Clean up your LinkedIn page.  If you're like me, you may have created a LinkedIn account a few years ago, got your profile as close to 100% complete as possible, but you have not done much to update it since then.  The quality of the information that you have listed on your LinkedIn page is growing ever more important as hiring trends continue to move towards social media being a key resource for Indianapolis recruiters to find great talent.  If you want some suggestions on how to update your LinkedIn page, check out another blog of mine.  This post was geared towards college students, but can definitely be just as applicable for everyone in the job search.
• Set new goals.  Sit down and type out what your short and long term goals are in your personal and professional life.  Are they the same as they were when you started your search?  Make sure that you tie this back to the types of positions, companies and industries that you are targeting in your search to ensure you're still on the right path in your search.  Look back at these goals on a regular basis as a way to constantly remind yourself what Indianapolis job search activities are going to help you meet those goals.

1.  This may sound insignificant, but first impressions count. Make sure that your name is capitalized in the right places.  It's not a text message so you should capitalize your first and last name.  This means you have to set your account up correctly.  Under account settings you will be able to see how your name appears on the job posting you apply to. 

2. Double check the email address on your account settings as well.  This is the same email that your CareerBuilder updates come to and should also be your login.  Be careful that it's a professional name because that email appears when you apply for a position even if you have the professional one on your resume it does not look good to have "BabyMama123 or Thuglife4ever" as one of the email addresses on your application.  I would also make the suggestion that you go with a national email account versus the home Internet branded one.  If you change from cable/Internet providers then your email address will change again.

3. Apply only to the positions you qualify for!  I know this seems like a no brainer, but if you are applying to 5 different positions within the same company then most likely the same recruiter or HR staff member is looking at those resumes and you lose credibility if you are applying for positions you aren't qualified for.  Or if you are inundating their inbox with your resume daily.

4. Verify that you have updated your most recent work experience under the application portion of CareerBuilder. This shows up as a summary for the person reviewing resumes on the job posting and if it's out of date then they may just delete your application without ever looking the resume because the job title is very different from the position they are recruiting for (and it's your job title from 3 years ago).  Also, pay attention to the dates of employment as employers are paying closer attention to the length of employment or as noted in a previous TGHR blog post the length of unemployment for applicants. 

5. Phone numbers should be up to date!!  I bet I call four resumes a day that only have one number listed and it's been disconnected.  You have to change the number on your account settings as well, not just on your resume.

6. Always answer the screener questions honestly.  It doesn't mean they won't call you if you don't have everything they are looking for but I can tell you that if you exaggerate your skills and experience or your capabilities, it will come out during the phone screen or interview and you will look bad.  I've never brought in an applicant that answered the screener questions inaccurately. It's a matter of integrity. 

7. If you are moving to the area and looking for a job, address this in your cover letter along with the approximate date of arrival.  Answer any concerns they may have about how quickly you can move to the area, whether you looking for an employer to pay for your move or why you want to be in the area. This information lends creditability to the decision.  Otherwise, recruiters just assume you selected the wrong state while doing your search and will delete your application without fully reviewing it. 

If you are currently in an Indianapolis job search or will be in the future, you have probably thought about attending some sort of career fair.  To most people a career fair is easy: you show up, you bring a few copies of your resume, gather some business cards and other goodies, then head home and hope to hear back from someone regarding their Indianapolis job opening(s).  However, there is much more thought and preparation that should go into being properly prepared for a career fair and to make the experience a success.  Below I have listed several tips to help you make sure you are putting your best foot forward when attending a career fair.

 

• Bring many copies of your resume to submit to employers.   Also make sure to provide a copy of your resume at the registration table. Most career fairs scan in those resumes and send out a database to all employers. 
• Come prepared--do your homework. Make sure you know who is going to be there and gather information about the companies that you intend to target specifically so you can have intelligent interactions with them. Before the fair, you can review the online directory of employers and their Indianapolis job opportunities.  If you spend a little time getting some background information organization, then you can ask very focused and specific questions.  This will impress the recruiters because it shows a genuine interest in their company.
• Dress appropriately. First impressions are important.   VERY important!  Appropriate attire for any type of career fair is Business Professional…no exceptions! 
• Respect employers' materials/sample items.  Some employers bring large quantities of print materials or "give aways" clearly intended for job seekers to take.  Other employers bring a few copies of print materials, sample products, etc. as displays at their tables.  Always check with employers before taking materials from their tables and don't take materials still packed in boxes. Do not ask if you can take some goodies home for your friends or kids. Some employers come to multiple days of fairs and plan to have enough materials for all days.
• Prioritize the employers you're most interested in. If your schedule allows, you may find it easiest to start with the employers that are least likely to have a position in your area of expertise, but are still companies of interest to you. This will allow you to hone your approach and to be most confident when you approach the employers you're especially excited about. Assume that you will need to wait to speak with some employers.
• Be flexible. Thecareer fair web directory usually provides a brief summary of employers' opportunities. This information is not always submitted by the same people who attend the career fair.  Some positions may no longer be available and other openings may have just emerged.  No single employer representative is knowledgable about all positions available, especially in a large organization.  Some reps attending fairs are there to share their experiences working at the organization and may not be involved in the hiring process. If the employer rep at the fair does not know specifics about jobs/internships of interest to you, ask how they recommend that you obtain that information.
• Introduce yourself. Extend your hand, say "hello" and state your name. Have your resume ready to give to the employer.  
• Take notes when you inquire about next steps and the possibility of talking with additional representatives. The representative at the fair may not be able to answer all of your questions or know specifics about your job interests. Write down the names, telephone numbers, etc. of other staff in the organization whom you can contact later.
• Ask the representative for his/her card.  Having the business card of the representative you have just spoken with serves three purposes. First, you have a direct contact within the organization, including the proper spelling of the representative's name, direct telephone line, etc. Second, a brief thank-you note acknowledges the help they gave you and the time they took to speak with you. Third, sending thank-you notes is a good professional habit.
• Be courteous! In addition to representing yourself, you also represent the organizations to which you belong. Demonstrate sensitivity to other job seekers waiting to speak with employers by keeping your questions brief and offering to continue your conversation at a later time. Enjoy the fair and your interaction with the employers. Let your positive attitude show!
• Allow yourself adequate time. Come as early as possible. Typically, fairs are less crowded in early hours and are busiest during the lunch hour.  Fairs close promptly at publicized ending times to accommodate employers'  travel arrangements, so don't expect them to stick around.
• Don’t complain. About anything! The length of time you had to wait in line. The temperature in the room. The economy. Your past employer.   Employers are excited to hear how you may be a great asset to their company and not about how well you can complain about things. 
• Be prepared to answer the question “What are looking for?” with something more unique than just, “I am just looking for any kind of job right now.” 
• Don't overlook the importance of staffing agencies.  Obviously the majority of job seekers are looking for a full time position.  However, Indianapolis Staffing companies may have contract or part time Indianapolis job openings in your area of expertise and with the companies you would love to work for.  As hiring trends continue to show Indianapolis openings being filled by contract or contract to hire staff, you could be missing out on a number of opportunities by not keeping your mind open to contract positions.

• Kelley Career Fair - February 23rd
• Collegiate Career Expo - February 24th
• Just In Time Career Fair - March 30th

Indianapolis Staffing Companies have had an exceptionally challenging time of managing staff and workload this winter due to the “predictably unpredictable” Central Indiana winter weather. We have all been witness to this recently, that is for sure!

This winter’s multiple snowfalls and recent ice storms have made Human Resource jobs all the more challenging in determining if employees need to come into the office or if employees should be sent home as conditions worsen.

With today's technology, it is more possible to allow employees to work remotely and be completely connected but in the case of many Central Indiana Jobs, company policies are not a one-size-fits-all approach and may even differ from department to department.

There are many types of Central Indiana Jobs that can generally be done from home such as some Management Positions, Executive Headhunters, HR jobs and Accounting Finance jobs while Administrative jobs usually need to be done at the company site.

It is important to determine the workload and employee roles before the chaos of bad weather hits!  Speaking from (very recent) experience, there is nothing more counter-productive than attempting to manage multitudes of employees calling in late or off and fielding questions as to how this time applies on top of accomplishing the normal daily tasks.

Winter weather can wreak havoc on a company’s productivity not to mention the individual productivity for employees. This is why it is vital to have policies communicated out in advance for getting work done during inclement weather.

With eight out of ten hiring officials in Central Indiana jobs conducting background checks, it is vital to know what may show up on yours. 

Employers are running checks that range from a basic criminal check for those applying for entry level jobs, Indianapolis part time jobs and administrative jobs in Indianapolis to nationwide criminal and credit checks for those applying for finance and accounting jobs, Indianapolis executive jobs or six-figure jobs in Indianapolis and an even more intensive background check, including interviewing previous neighbors, previous drug use, etc. for those applying for Federal Government Contract jobs in Indianapolis.

Even more important than knowing what may show up on your background is that you disclose this to Executive Headhunters or any hiring official in Central Indiana jobs. You may have a conviction that meets an employer’s criteria but if you have not disclosed this, that is considered falsifying your application.

There is valuable information found at The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse  
 

Before you begin your Indianapolis career search, take the following steps to reduce the chances that you and/or the potential employer will be "surprised" by information found in the background check process:

• Order a copy of your credit report. If there is something you do not recognize or that you disagree with, dispute the information with the creditor and/or credit bureau before you have to explain it to the interviewer. Another individuals name may appear on your credit report. This happens when someone mistakenly writes down the wrong Social Security number on a credit application causing that name to appear on your file. Or you might be a victim of identity theft. (See PRC Fact Sheet 6 on your credit reporting rights, www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs6-crdt.htm, and Fact Sheet 17a on identity theft, www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17a.htm.)

• Check court records. If you have an arrest record or have been involved in court cases, go to the county where this took place and inspect the files. Make sure the information is correct and up to date.
  
  Reporting agencies often report felony convictions when the consumer truly believes the crime was reduced to a misdemeanor, or that it was reported as a misdemeanor conviction when the consumer thought the charge was reduced to an infraction. Court records are not always updated correctly. For example, a signature that was needed to reduce the charges might not have been obtained or recorded by the court. Don't rely on what your attorney may have told you. If you think the conviction was expunged or dismissed, get a certified copy of your report from the court. For an explanation of expungement, visit www.epic.org/privacy/expungement.

• Check DMV records. Request a copy of your driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles, especially if you are applying for a job that involves driving.
  
  Many employers ask on their application if you were ever convicted of a crime. Or they might word the question to ask whether you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor. Typically, the application says you do not have to divulge a case that was expunged or dismissed, or that was a minor traffic violation.
  
  Don't be confused. A DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) conviction is not considered a minor traffic infraction. Applicants with a DUI or DWI who have not checked "yes" on a job application may be denied employment for falsifying the form -- even when the incident occurred only once or happened many years before. The employer perceives this as dishonesty, even though the applicant might only have been confused by the question.

• Do your own background check. If you want to see what an employer's background check might uncover, hire a company that specializes in such reports to conduct one for you. That way, you can discover if the data bases of information vendors contain er

  

  roneous or misleading information. (Consult the Yellow Pages under "Investigators.") Or, you can use one of the many online search services to find out what an employer would learn if conducting a background check in this way.

• Read the fine print carefully. When you sign a job application, you will be asked to sign a consent form if a background check is conducted. Read this statement carefully and ask questions if the authorization statement is not clear. Unfortunately, job seekers are in an awkward position, since refusing to authorize a background check may jeopardize the chances of getting the job.

These steps can help eliminate a costly (and even embarrassing) mistake in your Indianapolis job search!

We thought this would be a good time to repost this great blog post from our HR Manager - good advice as we embark on the "Holiday party" season!

We all have stories of company holiday parties past that have transgressed into the stuff of HR Nightmares. My own particular favorite memory (or lack thereof) was after just starting with an Indianapolis staffing company and talking to a complete stranger about the transgressions of a co-worker. I later found out that the stranger was my co-worker's husband. True story-unfortunately. This was my first holiday party experience as I was just embarking on my Indianapolis staffing and HR career.

Whatever you need to know about office holiday parties can be summed up using Season 2, Episode 10 of The Office, Christmas Party as a resource. DO EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE!

This year, more than ever, it is important for Indianapolis staffing companies and all Central Indiana jobs to celebrate surviving a bad economic year and your company’s successes but keep in mind there is liability for employers and employees in not setting some ground rules.

If you are in a management position in Indianapolis, this is a chance to build employee morale or, conversely, to lose the respect of your employees. For employees from those in six figure jobs to administrative jobs in Indianapolis, you can take advantage of the office party to have some fun and advance your career or misbehave and cripple your career. Here are some basic rules to survive and thrive at any company-sponsored party.

Monitor alcohol consumption: For employers, you have liability if an employee drives home and is involved in an accident, is injured at the party or causes damage to the facility where you are holding your party. Employees and Employers: keep in mind this is a company event and how you handle yourself is not only being observed but will be remembered.

Attire: Don’t pull out your nightclub attire for an office party. The party is still a business function, so conservative party clothes are a good choice. Remember to skip anything too revealing or too flashy.

Don't Let Your Guard Down: People tend to relax a little too much at office parties. When relaxed, we let our guards down and reveal things about ourselves we don't want our co-workers to know.

Keep your Hands to Yourself: Don’t put the beer goggles on and start hitting on your employees or co-workers. This leads to disastrous results and damages your reputation not to mention the liability of harassment claims.

Mix & A Mingle (like the song says): Don’t just hang out the entire time with the same people you interact with every single day. This is an opportunity to socialize and network with many different employees or co-workers including those in six figure jobs, HR, Administrative or Accounting & Finance people or those who can advance your career or make your job easier and more rewarding.

What is your most memorable company holiday party disaster? Let us know. We would love to laugh (or commiserate) with you!

Happy Holidays!

It has come to my attention recently between my own recruiting and others in my office that candidates coming in to interview may be confused about whether this is a ‘real’ job interview.  I thought it might be helpful to provide some advice on that topic.  It is so important to prepare for an interview with a recruiter just like you would for an interview with a potential employer.  This is the only way a good recruiter can accurately represent you to potential employers for your Indianapolis job search.  I recently had to tell a candidate that I did not feel comfortable representing him because he took a call and scheduled a meeting right in the middle of our interview.  He responded that he did not think this was a real interview or he wouldn’t have done that.  I was a bit shocked by that comment and it has since sparked this blog.  I have been mentally preparing a list of things to do and not to do when interviewing with a recruiter that I hope you will find helpful as you continue your job search. 

Do

1.            Show up on time

2.            Dress in attire appropriate for an interview

3.            Bring a clean, professional copy of your resume and references

4.            Come prepared to answer questions about your career achievements

5.            Be honest about why you left previous positions.  We’ve heard it all or will find it 
               out during our reference checks, so just be up front.  One misrepresentation is all
               it takes to ruin the recruiter/candidate relationship. 

6.            Treat this interview just like you would with any potential employer because we 
               might just be your next employer.

7.            Have clear and concise answers

8.            Put your best foot forward in the interview and make the most positive impression
               you can.  It might make the difference between landing your next job or not.
 

Don’t

1.            Show up any earlier than 5 minutes for your scheduled interview.  It throws your 
               interviewer’s day/schedule off and this may frustrate them before they even meet
               you. 

2.            Use your cell phone during the interview.  It should be turned off before you enter 
               the building.  

3.            Ramble when answering questions. Have practiced clear and concise answers.  
               The more you are able to communicate clearly what you have accomplished in your
               career the easier it is for us to present you to our client.

4.            Assume that just because you showed up, you got the job.  You still have 
               competition even if a recruiter is assisting you so it’s important to display what 
               sets you apart from your competition.

5.            Give general answers like, “I’m different because I’m a team player, a hard-worker
               and I have a great work ethic”.  These are subjective and general answers that
               do not really tell us anything concrete about your past experiences that 
               demonstrate these abilities. For example, “I graduated with honors while working
               full-time and attending school in the evening” or “I was selected by the CFO as 
               the only person from accounting to head up three projects over the last year and 
               a half.”  Your answer should be personal and something that ties back specifically
               to you. 

6.            Name drop during the interview.  It has no merit and most recruiters or potential 
               employers won’t care that you are on a first name basis with Peyton Manning if    
               you cannot do the job. 

"WOW!  What a great surprise!  Can’t thank you all enough for the bag full of goodies.  All things that I can use and especially like the idea that they will sit on my desk and remind me of the wonderful company that employs me!!  And the candy was great, too!!  That I didn’t need, but can I tell you it’s gone already?!

Seriously, it’s a pleasure to know and work with such pleasant, thoughtful and professional people."

 
In this industry, there is sometimes the perception that staffing companies work only for the client company because they ultimately pay the bill and that we do not care as much about our candidates. I am sure there have been instances in our industry where that has been the case and it is unfortunate. My belief is that we could have more job orders than we know what to do with but if we do not have good employees to place in the positions our company ultimately would not be successful.

Our lifeblood in the staffing industry is placing quality people in the right jobs at the right time, but the most important part of that equation is the "people" part and it is important that we treat our "people" with the respect that they deserve as loyal and hard working extensions of our company.  I am sure that I have fallen short on that in the past but after last week's reminder of how important our temporary employees and contractors are to That's Good HR, I will not be forgetting again anytime soon.

So, in case you did not hear us say it last week, let me be clear when I say to you, our employees...THANK YOU!!!! 


 

In 2015, the new health care bill will simply continue the new coverage, taxes and fees that are created in previous years. In 2016, the penalty for individuals who do not purchase health insurance will rise to a $695 minimum. In 2017, businesses that have more than 100 employees will be allowed to participate in the state insurance exchanges, if the state government allows it. In 2018, an excise tax will be imposed on so-called "Cadillac plans" that generally provide more than $27,500 worth of coverage for a family.
 

 After spending a great week at the beach recently and listening to lots of comments about the amount of time I spent checking and responding to That's Good HR emails, it occurred to me that the days of vacations where we leave the office AT the office are a thing of the past. Staying in touch with the office is not a requirement of That's Good HR but is my choice (or addiction) to keep up to date.

Should you be accessible or completely “disconnect”? There are as many opinions on this as there are ways to work remotely and the answer is specific to each person, their job and the company they work for. Those of us who work in the Indianapolis Staffing market know that things happen quickly and we feel a need to be in contact. Executive headhunters and those in management positions in Indianapolis may also have a need to be accesible while others in more operational roles such as administrative jobs or accounting jobs may not feel a need to be as accessible. It is a hiring trend with many Central Indiana jobs to offer reimbursement for cell and smart phones in order for employees to be accessible even while away from the office. 

Companies do need to be aware of exempt versus non-exempt employees to monitor hours actually worked by non-exempt employees for overtime.
 

For me, it is a much more relaxing vacation when I can quickly address questions and handle urgent issues. That way, I don't fear my first day back in the office and facing hundreds of emails. I personally don't feel that my vacation is compromised by checking emails once or twice a day while looking out at the ocean!
 

As a founding partner of That's Good HR, an Indianapolis based staffing firm,  I have been asked to participate on a panel for the Indiana Venture Club as a 2005 Inc 500 award recipient.   The leaders of the Venture Club have asked our panel of three to discuss how our companies have changed over the past five years.  How did we survive the recession we are coming out of and what is the outlook for our companies and our industries?  In preparing for this presentation I realized that "WOW" a lot has changed in the past 5 years and there are many great lessons and numerous assumptions being made for both job seekers and employers as we start to come out of this recession. 

First let's start with the job seeker or candidate side.  In the past 5 years the supply/demand curves have drastically changed.  Gone are the days of multiple interviews, multiple job offers and recruiters/headhunters blowing up your phones or voice mail.   Most people are thankful for the job they have but I believe this has been an exceptional time to evaluate your current employer and your fellow teammates.  By now you should know where you rank on the list of "prized" employees and what the future holds for your employer and the opportunity to continue to grow your career there. If not, wake up and start taking notes.  In my opinion, the supply/demand curve is slowly starting to move back in the direction of the candidate. Don't get me wrong, this movement will be gradual, but now is the time to asses and measure. From what I see daily while assisting clients and our internal recruiters there is a pent up demand for new job opportunities by the top talent.  How long has it been since you have even sniffed an exceptional career opportunity?  Now is the time to assess yourself, your employer and pay attention to the Indianapolis job market as the curve is starting to shift.  

Next let's move to the employer or hiring manager side.  Wow, have the past five years really changed for them as well!  It went from a job market where they were held hostage due to a shortage of candidate supply to one in which now they can take their sweet time and interview many more candidates than they ever should. As a hiring manager and/or management, by now you should definitely know who are your A, B and C players (if you have any C's left, that is).  The past 5 years have really thinned out the Accounting/Finance and HR staffs in many companies.  As you continue to assess your needs for your team now is the time to be dipping your toes in the water and be one of the first companies to "market"(See pent up demand above). As the talent supply/demand curve starts to move, those aggressive companies will be the ones to win the top talent.  As an employer now is also the time to evaluate and potentially rebuild part or all of  your hiring process.  As the  market moves back to being more competitive for talent, time will once again be against you and the cost of hiring the "wrong" person has greatly increased.  The days of having excessive staff are gone and in the future making a miss-hire is going to have greater consequences to both the employer and the manager as it will be more visible to leadership and stakeholders. 

I also would be remiss to not address my "favorite" assumption that I hear on a regular basis as I talk with clients and prospective clients.  And that assumption is this: Some employers truly do believe that there is exceptional talent walking the streets of Indianapolis, unemployed.  Don't get me wrong, the pool of "good" and "very good" and even "exceptional"  has definitely increased through this recession but when was the last time you saw an employer downsize one of their "exceptional" employees, especially during one of the greatest recessions ever?  I understand the need to be objective in downsizing and of course understand the implications of HR law but let's be honest, the reality is that it just doesn't happen very often. I know this might sound like a setup or self-fulfilling as on owner of a staffing firm but time is precious and costly and in today's world of hiring and rebuilding your teams the cost of making the wrong hire has greatly increased.  

At That's Good HR we would welcome the opportunity to assist candidates with their career search needs and employers with their staffing needs.  We are also very willing (as well as competent, I might add) to sit down with a client or prospect and help you evaluate your sourcing, validation and hiring models.  We are here to make the hiring and interview process more enjoyable and more successful for all.