Indianapolis Job Search

Manage Your Career Like Your March Madness Bracket

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 by Stacy Rouse

Here's what the process of filling out my NCAA tournament bracket has looked like for the last 5 years: I sit down at my computer, login to CBS Sportline and immediately fall into a statistics induced trance. I quickly paralyze myself with the information trying to figure out which picks to make and specifically, which teams are going to defy all statistics and be a bracket buster (i.e. Butler and VCU). Then after a few minutes of analysis paralysis, I decide that I'm not getting anywhere by trying to learn about all 64 teams in a matter of minutes and making decisions based off of that limited information would be silly. Heck, even sports analysts that have been following collegiate basketball season after season can't predict this stuff so why am I trying to do it? So I carry on about my business and make my choices based on the information I do know and teams that I like. (I'll even admit to picking teams because I like their school colors or team mascot. But don't tell my husband that, he'd probably be embarassed to hear me say that.) This year, it made me think that making your bracket picks is a lot like managing your career. How?

Decisions you make early in the process can greatly affect your overall journey. I am guessing a large percentage of people who filled out brackets picked Butler to lose in the first or second. (These people obviously didn't know Butler's potential like the rest of us from the Hoosier state!) Picking that loss cost them significantly! The same is true in your career. If you simply just take any job early in your career, even though it doesn't match up at all with your long term career goals, you are doing yourself a major injustice.
Limiting your Indianapolis job search to only big name companies is a very narrow-minded approach. In years past I have selected teams to win simply because they're typically a tourney powerhouse. However, in doing that I am ignoring the potential of the "underdog" having what it takes to pull out a win. This is definitely the case in a career search...especially here in Indianapolis. We are lucky to have a lot of strong small to mid-size businesses that might not be known outside of the city, but the culture and opportunities they provide are outstanding. If you are only focusing on large companies, you will never have the opportunity to pursue some of those "Cinderella stories".
Do your research, but rely on your own experiences as well. I know that a lot of analysts didn't think Butler could make it out of the first or second round. However, if you've followed them at all the last couple of years, you know that they play with heart and tenacity that is rarely matched by their opponents. Knowing this, you may have had them advancing another round. The same is true for companies. It is important to learn as much as you can about companies that you are targeting in your Indianapolis job search, but you also need to make decisions based on your own experiences with those companies as well. If you hear all kinds of praise about a company, but your interview with them is awful, you need to make the decision based on that experience and not just what the "statistics" are telling you.

So with that information, I wish anyone in an Indianapolis job search much better results than I had with my bracket this year. Although my results weren't pretty, I had a great time participating in a couple of pools and am already anxiously awaiting next year! Which leads me to my last point. Have fun with your search. If you make it a chore and a dreadful activity to complete, your journey will not be as rewarding as it could be.

Rejection

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Stacy Rouse

Picture yourself in this scenario:

You just got back to your computer and are anxiously trying to get into your e-mail to see if you've received feedback yet from the company you interviewed with last week. As soon as you login the company's e-mail address instantly jumps out at you and you cannot click on the message fast enough to see what it says. You begin reading the words, "We enjoyed meeting with you and learning about your career path...." You then read a little further and you see, "...but at this time we have decided to pursue other avenues." You're not just devastated, you are mad. You can't understand why they didn't pick you. This is natural...we all want to understand why weren't picked for something we were so excited about. However, it is important that you not let the situation get you so down that you lose your confidence. Instead use this as a learning opportunity. Below, I have outlined for you some of the Do's and Don'ts of how to respond after receiving a rejection letter or phone call.

DON'T instantly pick up the phone and call the hiring manager to demand an explanation for not being selected for the job opening.
DON'T call all of your friends and tell them what a bad company XYZ company is because they didn't hire you for your dream job.
DON'T try to replay the entire interview back in your head and analyze every answer you provided.
DO ask politely for further feedback on your interview. Even if the company decided not to fill the position they may still be able to provide you with valuable feedback that you can transfer to future interviews as you continue your Indianapolis job search.
DO ask where other candidates more closely hit the mark and you maybe fell a little short. Maybe it is the computer skills needed for the position and you can easily take a couple of online courses to improve your skills and knowledge. Maybe other candidates had a certification that you do not, but have been contemplating going after. Not only will this help you further develop yourself for future opportunities, but it will also give you an idea of hiring trends in your industry.
DO write down the good answers that you provided to questions, along with those that you could have worded a little differently. This will help in your preparation for your next interview. Also, if you are working with an Indianapolis staffing firm, ask them if you can run some answers past them to get more feedback.

Rejection is never easy to deal with, especially when it pertains to your next career move. However, the way in which you respond to that rejection is what will set you apart in future interviews.

Job Seeker Do's & Dont's

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by Lisa Minter

As I discussed in a previous blog, I entered that big scary job search arena last year and I had to remind myself of all those pointers that I had shared with Central Indiana job seekers over the past 17 years. It was time to see if they worked for me (which I am happy to say they did!).

First, Make sure your personal email address is simple and professional. If your email address is partyallthetime@xyzdomain, you should pick something else. You don't want an Indianapolis staffing company or HR Manager to disregard you before even viewing your resume.

If you are entering an Indianapolis job search while still employed, do not submit your resume or correspond from your work email address. This tells prospective employers that instead of working, you are searching for jobs on your current employer's dime.

Make sure your resume is free of any grammatical or spelling errors. Check, double & triple check and then have somoene else review it. It is a red flag if you are searching for adminstrative jobs, accounting jobs, or HR jobs in Indianapolis where companies are looking for individuals with atention to detail, professional communication skills or maintaining databases only to receive a resume with errors.

Clean up your social networking pages. HR Managers and Executive Recruiters in Indianapolis do check Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. for information about the person applying for their company's open position. Think about what you have posted. If you have Spring Break-Daytona Beach pictures from college, think about if that is the impression you want to give to a prospective employer.

Make sure the voicemail message on your phone is professional. If your message is currently intended for personal use, revise it. If your message says "It's me and you know what to do" or "Leave a message, I'll call ya back", that does not instill confidence in hiring managers that you will be portray a professional representation of their company.

Finally, be sure to check voicemail and email messages frequently. It's important to respond in a relatively short amount of time to prosective employers. When Indianapolis staffing companies, Executive Recruiters or any prospective employer contacts you, they likely want to discuss your skills and how they may be a good fit for their company!

Balancing Trust with Verification

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by Karen Seketa

I am a natural born cynic. No, I take that back...I am sure I was not born that way, but my environment and experiences over time have shaped my outlook on life to be a little bit more on the "verify" side of Ronald Reagan's signature phrase "Trust but Verify". Now, don't get me wrong, I am not one to actively seek out the bad in all situations. Quite the opposite, actually. I am typically very upbeat and easygoing. My friends consider me fun to be around. (You might want to verify that one). Over time, however, I have moved away from blind trust and "taking your word for it" when navigating through day to day situations.

This is actually a very good trait to have and I am not just telling you that because of my own awareness of my level of cynicism. It is important to weigh your options and ask specific (and sometimes many) questions before you simply accept things for what they appear to be. This is something many of us do when making big decisions like buying a house or a car. I challenge you to "pause" regularly to consider your options or to "verify" the facts with any transaction that has an impact on your life, your year, your day or even the moment if it is important enough.

For example, when you meet someone for the first time, you don't know if they will have an impact (good or bad) on your life in some way. Take a moment to learn about them, peel back the layers of the onion and genuinely be interested in something about them before you pass judgment. A wise man (my dad) once told me that very rarely is something exactly what it appears to be. Perhaps that was my first lesson in "trust but verify" but it has served me well.

Take your Indianapolis job search, for another example. This impacts you significantly. It is very necessary to have a job and the process of finding a job (particularly of late) can be overwhelming. So what do we do? We move as quickly as we can through the process of identifying and applying to Indianapolis job openings and away we go. I challenge you that this is the perfect time to pause, even though the situation of not having a job or being in the wrong job makes it very hard to consider moving more slowly. The "trust but verify" approach here will serve you well. I promise.

Instead of the scatter approach to your job search, take the time to filter your options to those that you "trust" are the best match for you. Rely on your personal and professional networks to educate you on current hiring trends in your field of interest and to offer you insights to the good, bad and ugly of the local marketplace and in your chosen career track.
Once you have your list, it is time to verify. Do your research on the company, the industry and the specifics around the position. The first two are easy to do with all of the research options at your virtual fingertips. The position details will take some more work. Engage in social media outlets that connect you to others who work in the industry, for that company or in a similar role. If the opportunity to interview presents itself, use that initial engagement to verify that your understanding of the position match the expectations of the supervisor or the company.

Once you advance in the interview process, it is time to verify the cultural fit. A big shiny building with cutting edge technology might have nothing within the structure of the building to support what is important to you. Going with your gut has it's place and time and but nothing can take the place of asking questions in different ways to get to the answer you are really looking for. Just be prepared that the risk is that it might not be the answer you want. Most of the time we don't dig deeper because we fear that our perception will be shattered for a reality that we no longer want or like. Better now than later, I say.

Verifying can be uncomfortable, even in the most basic of situations. I was shopping in a local jeans establishment the other day and when the clerk rang up my total it sounded a little high for me. I mentioned that and the clerk brushed my concern aside. I paid, left and still felt something was not quite right. I looked in my bag and compared my purchases with the receipt and discovered that I had been charged for the same pair of jeans THREE times. I went back to have it corrected and was surprised when there was no apology for the error, only the comment "I am so glad you caught that". The only thing "Lucky" about that experience was that I trusted for a moment and then verified.

I encourage you to do the same.

At That's Good HR, Inc. we are acutely aware of the need to trust your choice in Indianapolis recruiters. The job search process is not the place to trust until you verify. Once you do your verification, your chances that you will have the right guidance and support throughout your process increase exponentially.

Attention College Students: Make your holiday break useful!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by Stacy Rouse

This post was written and published around this time last year. We felt like it was useful for many and therefore we have pulled it out, dusted it off and republished as a quick reminder and guide to all of the students out there who are anxiously looking forward to the upcoming holidays and the brief respite they may bring from your studies.

If you are a current college student it's probably your first week of holiday break and you are literally brain dead after cramming for final presentations, projects and exams. So you are at home in your sweats, propped up on the couch and your plan for the next 3-4 weeks is to be a couch potato while watching old episodes of "Jersey Shore" and to keep tabs on what your friends are doing all break through Facebook. Believe me, that sounds awesome...and I don't blame you for taking some time for yourself after a hectic semester. However, I would urge you to at least spend a little bit of your break focusing on your future career. In a time when internships and entry level jobs are scarce and your competition is getting more fierce, you have to be able to set yourself apart to employers. I have compiled a short list of items that you could do during break to make yourself more aware of current hiring trends and what Indianapolis job openings may be available after graduation.

Review the logs on file through the career center websites that list types positions held by alumnus in your field of study. Write down a few of the top positions that are of interest to you and do some research in order to get a better feel for where your strengths and interests would be best suited.

Schedule an informational interview. Talk to your friends and family to see if anyone can help you get an informal, informational interview with a company that has positions similar to the ones on which you have targeted your search.

Job shadow: This is very similar to the informational interview but a little more in depth. This is a great way to really see "A day in the life of______". There is no better way to figure out if a position is fit for you than to actually see the work first hand.

Give your resume some TLC and spend some time beefing it up a little bit. A good way to start is by translating your educational experince into relevant "work" experience. Add any organizational involvement onto your resume and detail out any skills that are utilized in the work you perform for those organizations. (If you aren't involved with any organizations, you better get involved quickly!) I would also recommend having a few HR Professionals or headhunters review it so that you can get the perspectives of a few different people within various industries. These conversations might also lead to potential Indianapolis job openings!

Again, I know it's not that exciting to think about doing "work" on your break, but if you spend this little bit of time and effort on preparing yourself for your job/internship search, the results will definitely pay off. At That's Good HR, working with new grads and college students is one of our favorite things to do so if you are seeking career advice, summer or seasonal work be sure to give us a ring!

Why you Should Never Stop Learning...

Tuesday, November 1, 2011 by Karen Seketa

This blog post is for everyone. It does not matter if you are a job seeker, a stay at home parent, an HR professional, a Headhunter or someone who has a great job and life is good. Nothing is a sure thing these days so no matter what your situation, you should always be seeking ways to improve your knowledge, your skills, yourself. I recently came across this video created by IBM titled "THINK" and in watching it, I was overwhelmed with the sheer scope of what we are capable of and how much more we can do. Take a peek at it when you have a chance.

Once you stop learning, you stop living. Status quo is rigor mortis when it comes to progress. Doing things the same way today because that is the way you have always done them simply means that you are not invested in learning and evolving with the rest of the world. Time to get out of your comfort zone and start learning and living.

Look around you, ask questions, challenge processes, debate the status quo, have provocative discussions about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If you cannot find someone around you to have these interactions in a non-threatening and safe way, find new people to hang out with and talk to. No one says it better than Joseph Heller in his book "Catch 22" with this line. "“[They] agreed that it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.”

It does not matter if the economy is in the dumps or you have too much to do and too little time or if you are just too tired to learn anything new. Stop learning and this will be your reality forever after. Why am I so passionate about this? My strengths lie in teaching and providing. I thrive on engaging with others in way that makes me a better person or helps them to look at the world in a different (hopefully better) way.

Seth Godin does a great job illustrating this and other great points about "What Matters Most" in this slideshow. One of the things that this presentation talks about is the Ripple Effect of learning. On slide 23, one of the contributors, John Wood, says: "Education has a ripple effect. One drop can initiate a cascade of possibility, each concentric circle gaining in size and traveling further." If you have a few minutes I recommend that you read through this slide presentation - you will learn something of value.

In the Staffing industry, the way we do business is constantly changing. Every day, there are new laws, processes, interpretations, technology or products that require those in our business to be constantly learning. If we do not, we are behind almost immediately. As a candidate in the middle of your Indianapolis job search, you too have to keep learning to stay on top of who is hiring, why, how to apply, how to network, what skills to learn or improve and how to interview.

Get out there and find a way to constantly learn from the world around you. Even if it is just one small thing every day. Do this and you will find that while the world keeps moving and changing, you will not be left behind.

Have you noticed the Indianapolis job market changing?

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 by Tiffany Moore

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!

That's Good HR Weekly News Update - September 30, 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011 by Harry Danz

Social networking and technology tips continue to dominate the news this week. As a seasoned Executive Recruiter, I find myself always looking for ways to become more efficient without sacrificing quality service delivery. This is a fine balance and as we all become more active in social media circles, it becomes critical to understand how to behave online. Whether I am talking to candidates about their Indianapolis job search or talking with clients about their Indianapolis job openings, the subject of social networking always comes up. It is important to balance this with what it going on with employees inside your organization. As you are building your strategy for next year, make sure you understand how emerging technology and social platforms will impact the way you do business in the future. Follows are some relevent articles on all these topics and more. As a matter of fact, there were so many interesting news articles that came across my screen this week that it was difficult to keep this post brief. Enjoy!
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Navigating the tricky waters of Facebook policies for employers, workers: In the age of instant tweets and impulsive Facebook posts, some companies are still trying to figure out how they can limit what their employees say about work online without running afoul of the law. (CBSnews.com)

Demographic Trends for HR: Eldercare: The New Childcare?: SHRM’s research shows that members feel two key demographic trends are the growth in the number of workers with eldercare responsibilities, and those with both childcare and eldercare responsibilities. (weknownext.com)

Global Trend that Could Leave Unsuspecting HR Pros in the dust : Does your open position or call for performance feedback have a better shot at being acted upon if it's emailed or texted? (hrcapitalist.com)

Success at work influenced by Positive Attitude: Predicting an employee’s future success at a company has traditionally stumped experts, and relying on metrics such as IQ level, only tells 25% of the story. What makes up the other 75%, according to Shawn Achor, Harvard researcher and positive psychology expert, is the optimism that your behavior matters, a positive social support system, and whether you view a challenge as a stress or an impetus to improve. (benefitnews.com)

Don't Have a strong Growth Strategy? Might be hard to hold onto your Best People: Growth is one of the most critical currencies your company trades with its employees. In some cases, employees see it as even more important than the salary they receive–-particularly younger workers looking to advance. (fastcompany.com)

Protecting Unemployed Against Hiring Bias-What Obama thinks: Mr. Obama’s jobs bill would prohibit employers from discriminating against job applicants because they are unemployed. (nytimes.com)

Get Ahead of Workplace Stress: Although a certain amount of job stress is to be expected, stress in the workplace can be costly because it affects not just individual well-being but also organizational performance. (forbes.com)

How to Behave in an Online Community: If you have spent time above ground in the past few years, you have heard about the business value of participating in online communities. Participating in any online community can be hard to do right. (recruiter.com)

Losing Sleep over the High Cost of Sleeplessness: Insomnia is creating expense and danger for employees and employers alike, and it's up to HR leaders to train their own staffs, as well as all managers, on ways to deal with it. Communicating information on EAPs, providing some quiet areas for power naps and offering suggestions on ways to de-stress and relax at home are some options. (hreonline.com)

Provocative Interview Questions one Professional Swears by: Here are my all-time-best, surefire, weed-out-the-losers-and-pretenders interview questions: (businessnewsdaily.com)

Health insurance costs surge in 2011: The cost of employer-sponsored health insurance surged this year, snapping a trend toward moderate growth, but experts say these increases may slow again in 2012. (washingtontimes.com)

What the C-Suite wants from HR now: Last week while working with a client I was fortunate to attend a business briefing where a panel of 4 CEO’s talked very specifically about what they want from HR. The focus of the conversation was how they define a “strategic HR business partner” and “what they want and need from HR now.” (passiononpurposeblog.com)

Thoughts from Seth Godin on The forever recession (and the coming revolution): There are actually two recessions: The first is the cyclical one, the one that inevitably comes and then inevitably goes. The other recession, though, the one with the loss of "good factory jobs" and systemic unemployment--I fear that this recession is here forever. (sethgodin.com)

What Is REALLY Going On In The Indianapolis Job Market?

Tuesday, July 26, 2011 by Stacy Rouse

I was recently contacted by Ed Wenck with WIBC to give our company's viewpoint on the

current "pulse" of the Indianapolis job market. Wow...what a tough question to answer. This is literally the million dollar question that we get asked every day. I knew I couldn't respond with, "It depends", but that is honestly what I wanted to say. The current hiring trends and overall health of the Indianapolis job market vary greatly based on industry and functional area. I prefaced my comments to Ed by saying that my viewpoint is exclusive to what we see, hear, and experience through our clients and candidates. Although not all-inclusive, I do feel like we interact with a variety of industries and functional areas to give a sound response.

In summary, we feel as though things are still continuing to improve...especially when compared to the job market this time last year. The majority of the Indianapolis direct hire job openings that are coming through our doors are in accounting, finance, human resources and operations. On the contract side of our business, there seems to be a good mix of accounting and administrative/customer service opportunities. The majority of the Indianapolis job openings (and really Indiana as a whole) seem to be focused in the following industries: manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, and financial services/public accounting. However, there isn't a consistent theme on the level of positions that are opening up. One month we might have mostly mid level type positions and the next month we have mostly senior level positions, and then the cycles continues. Because of this, it does make it difficult to predict the market to that degree. The job market and one's abillity to make a career move is still going to be a matter of timing. And unfortunately one statistic that isn't changing is the speed in which companies are getting through their hiring proces. But, this post is focused on the positive aspect of the job market, so I'm going to move on and not dwell on that last comment. So although we still can't predict the market as well as we might've been able to a couple of years ago, we're definitely gaining momentum and that's a great start!

If you are interested in having an Indianapolis Recruiter assist with managing your career, please contact of one our recruiters here at That's Good HR. We can be your extra eyes and ears on the job market and make you aware of positions that are opening up that might not ever make it to the job boards. We can also be your advisor on new positions and help you through the process of weighing the opportunity against your key criteria in making a change.

P.S. Yahoo! Finance posted an article entitled "5 Places With Good Jobs And Cheap Housing".... and Indy made the list! How exciting! As the article mentions, our state has a very strong job outlook and low cost of living that makes it enticing to keep our top talent within state lines.

How Stupid are you?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 by Karen Seketa

If you are anything like me, you avoid doing things outside of your core competency out of

fear of looking stupid. If you read my post "confessions of a high C" you can see that I don't like to break the rules and I have a very hard time venturing outside of my comfort zone. How boring, right?

Recently, I have stepped outside of my comfort zone to try new things and have therefore foreced myself to learn about things that I know nothing about. I won't bore you with the details, but it has been really tough for me wander into unknown waters, even shallow waters. At the same time, there is a true exhilaration in the unknown and learning something new brings a sense of vitality that doing the same old thing over and over just does not provide. I believe I will always struggle with new learning but as the world changes so much every day, it is unavoidable or you risk becoming obsolete.

As I was talking to a friend about this yesterday, it was interesting to come to work today and have a blog post titled Confronting Stupid from Seth Godin staring me in my face as I reviewed my email. As is Seth's style, this is a very short post that happens to mirror exactly this issue that I face. Seth talks about how there is a new kind of work out there these days that requires you to have "the guts to be wrong, a confrontation with the risk of being stupid".

If you are sitting at home today, doing the same old thing you always do because it is easy and comfortable, whether it be in your Indianapolis job search or really anything at all, maybe it is time to stop playing it safe and to start being stupid. Sounds like being stupid might be the smartest thing you can do today.

Don't forget to Pay it Forward

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by Karen Seketa

I have been the fortunate recipient of random acts of kindness recently so I woke up today with "pay it forward" at the top of my "to do" list. I came to work today and decided I would start with my That's Good HR blog post just to remind others to make sure they are doing the same.

My boys went to camp recently and as I engaged with the counselors I heard them say things to me like "I would rather spend my summer here with the kids than anywhere in the world" and I watched one of them take my 8 year old son's hand and make the experience of being away from home for a week for the first time in his life a truly awesome experience.

I witnessed a local weather personality taking her personal time on a Sunday morning, (after her own sleepless night due to thunderstorm tracking) to demonstrate to my son how she tracks the weather so he did not need to spend every rainy day analyzing the clouds, tracking the radar and shuddering with fear. She made him feel like he did not need to worry because she was taking care of watching the weather for him and would let him know if he needed to "go to the basement" or not.

Not sure how I can pay it forward on true acts of kindness and expression such as these, but I am sure going to try.

How does paying it forward apply to the staffing industry or your Indianapolis job search? Recently, I posted a blog titled "What People Say about You" that highlights the importance of having solid business and personal references - people who will say great things about you. What it did not talk about, however, is the equal amount of importance you should put on making sure that those who stand up for you know how much you appreciate it. Social networking sites are a great example of how important it is not only to stay engaged and network with others, but also to support, thank and shout out for those in your network who are most important to you.

Twitter is based upon a mutual exchange of support and encouragement. I post something interesting and cool, you retweet it and credit me and I thank you for doing that. You post something interesting and cool and I then do the same for you. You write a great blog post, I tell all of my Facebook friends to read it. I did a great job working on a project for you and you endorse me on Linkedin. Look for opportunities to support your friends and those in your network who do great things - don't wait for someone to do that for you first.

One word of warning: All of these acts of kindness must be genuine, however, because social networkers have become very savvy about false accolades and your endorsements will quickly go from credible to crap if you appear to only be a shallow opportunist vs a true fan.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and find a reason to pay it forward, or just pay it forward for no reason at all!

Dad's have good advice, too!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 by Stacy Rouse

Back in May I posted a blog about taking your mother's advice that was in response to an article from http://hrpeople.monster.com. The same site had a similar article about the life lessons we learn from Dad that can also be applied to our careers. Since we just celebrated Father's Day this past weekend, I thought it was appropriate to also honor our fathers and the advice they give us by sharing this article.

When reading through this article, the 3 quotes that hit home the most with me were the following:

"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.

I'm sure there are several other quotes and words of wisdom that my Dad shared with me that can be used in my professional career. I am so fortunate to have a Dad that instilled a strong business sense into my brothers and I at a very early age and I still lean on him a lot to this day regarding various life and business decisions. I would love to hear about any quotes or sayings that your parents may have used that you still refer to today.

What people say about you....

Tuesday, June 14, 2011 by Karen Seketa

What people say about you can be more important than what you say about yourself. Professional business references are among the most powerful tools you have in your quest for a new job or career change. Your Indianapolis job search must begin with the accumulation of solid references from professionals who can enthusiastically support your skills, experience, capabilities and even more so, your character. No one wants to hire someone who does not have strong support from those who have worked with them before. Getting other people to talk about you (positively) is the best way to convince a hiring manager that you are also a quality individual that will contribute much more to the company than simple work product.

Entry level jobs do not require the same skills and experience as Executive jobs in Indianapolis (or anywhere for that matter), but they DO both require that you have other people who are willing to back up your ability to do the job and do it well. Call any headhunter or staffing firm in Indianapolis for help in your job search and one of the first things they will request from you are professional references. That said, before you call your local recruiter for help with your Indianapolis job search, you should check their references as well. A little research online can go a long way in finding out what people are saying (or not saying) about you or others.

The access to information about most everything and anyone on the Internet is something to be very conscious of but not afraid of. Use this mechanism to your advantage in your career search. How? First you have to manage your online brand by checking out what comes up when you search on yourself. If nothing comes up, that can be as worrisome as if your late night inebriated tweets come up. If you don't exist in the vast universe of the Internet and you are looking for a sales or business development job or a management position that requires deep expertise in a particular area, you have some work to do on your online brand. Complete that LinkedIn profile and connect with professionals who know you well and start building that list of recommendations and referrals. Clean up your Facebook page to ensure that when stumbled upon, it is not in direct conflict with the image you are working hard to create.

So, as you are preparing for you Indianapolis job search, before you send that resume or plan your attire for your interview, get a handle on what people are saying about you and how you plan to manage it. Gather those great references and complete your online professional profiles by adding references. Then get out there and share it.

Make Yourself Relevant with a Well Composed Resume

Tuesday, June 7, 2011 by Jessica Buckley

Writing a

resume can bring on challenges whether you are just starting your Indianapolis job search or if you have many years of work experience. When you have a long work history it is hard to know what to include and what to leave out. It may have been years since the last time you needed to even worry about a resume. Resume etiquette has changed, and it is important to change along with it.

At That's Good HR, we are constantly reading the most recent and relevant material out there that applies to the staffing industry and the Indianapolis job market. I recently came across an article on http://jobs.aol.com/ that gave helpful tips for updating your resume to remain relevant in the eyes of the recruiter. Here are some of the key items I would like to share with you.

1. Always include your e-mail address to your resume. If there is no e-mail address listed on your resume, it will be more than difficult for an employer to contact you quickly, so they may just pass you up in favor of the next candidate who listed an e-mail address.

2. Include links to social media profiles. Many believe that social media will eventually surpass or replace e-mail. Be current by creating a LinkedIn profile http://www.linkedin.com and displaying the URL within your contact information.

3. Don’t make your years of experience the focal point of your top summary. Eliminate phrases such as “over 30 years of experience” or “seasoned professional.” If you have had a 30 year career but the last 10 years have been in a specific industry or function, focus on that rather than the total number of years.

4. Consolidate early experience. Account for early work experience to keep the chronology consistent and transparent, but abbreviate this experience when possible. You can include a section called “additional experience” and provide an overview of your earlier jobs.

5. List current technical skills if relevant. If you are proficient in Excel or some other programs that is important to your job, list it on your resume. It is always helpful to list technical skills that are relevant near the beginning of a resume.

6. Eliminate old phrases. Avoid phrases on the resume such as “references available upon request.” Employers know that if they want you to provide references they can ask you for them. Other outdated phrases include “responsible for,” “duties included,” and “out of the box thinker.” Instead use action verbs such as: Revised, Directed, Interpreted, Adjusted, Evaluated, Exceeded, Managed, etc.

7. Use an updated resume format. When everyone used a typewriter to create their resume, it was a lot easier to put the dates of employment for each position on the far left. But now with computers, putting the dates to the far right is a more updated strategy and placing dates to the right allows better use of the space on the page. When it comes to dates of employment it is not only important to include the year but always the months. For example, January 2000 – January 2005. Also, choose an updated font such as Arial, Arial Narrow, Times New Roman, or Tahoma. Overall, strive for readability.

Ask others to critique your resume and reword as needed to ensure clarity. Use adequate spacing and emphasis (using bold and caps) to enhance readability. Don’t try to cram too much information onto one page. Emphasize accomplishments; quantify them when possible. It is important to be able to defend what you write. People’s backgrounds vary widely, so you should format and organize your resume in a manner which best presents your skills and supports your career focus.

Good luck!

Fostering Creativity when Life is Good

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 by Karen Seketa

It seems like all of the best songs and stories come from pain, suffering and unhappiness. Why does it take a state of despondency to get the creative juices flowing? As a dedicated blogger for That's Good HR and for our local HR organization, IndySHRM, I am required to be creative on a regular basis. The problem I have been running into lately is that I am just so darn happy all the time that I do not have the inspiration of despair to reach my creative peak. Well, I have decided that sometimes people get sick of the negativity, the bad news, the woe is me attitude and every once in a while they just want to smile.

There are actual studies out there that hanging around with people who are negative and unhappy is actually bad for your health. As a matter of fact, I wrote a blog post last year called "You are what you eat" addressing the issue of toxic people. You may have noticed that my posts are all pretty positive and I like to make people smile. You will find that people like to have you around when you make the smile. Now that the warmer weather is coming and the sun might actually show itself, I encourage you to practice your smile.

So, without despair, where does the inspiration come from? You would be amazed at how much there is to talk about these days that is good news. For example, the job market and hiring trends are improving. Students are wrapping up for the summer (or forever) and are adding some new vigor and creativity to our workplaces. Central Indiana jobs are becoming more plentiful and we are seeing more and better offers coming for our candidates. Good people who may have lost their jobs during the economic downturn are going back to work. This is all good stuff and gives us something to be happy about. I am an avid Twitter follower and I have to tell you, no one wants to follow someone who is complaining all of the time.

My point? (Yes, I do have one, don't worry). Stop sounding like a bad country song, get happy and get creative and breathe some new life into your Indianapolis job search. If you are having trouble getting happy and creative on your own, get some help. Sign up with a staffing service or connect with a recruiter to guide you on your way. Read some good news and stay away from those stories that just get you down. Our owner, Harry Danz, publishes a weekly news update blog (find this week's here) that tries to focus on the good news out there. I encourage you to follow it.

If that is not enough, follow me...I will do my best to deliver reality with a good dose of sunshine regularly.

Take Charge of Your Career

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 by Jessica Buckley

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In this kind of low-stability job market there are two big questions: How do you achieve job security in your current position? And how do you get to take advantage of the next big career opportunity? In the book titled "When the Little Things Count… and They Always Count", the answer is the same for both questions (Pachter, Barbara 2006). You have to develop your Employment Quotient (EQ). Your EQ consists of all the little things you need to pay attention to in order to have both job security and also exciting career opportunities—from your on the job attitude to your time management skills and how you handle criticism.

If you come to work on time every day and never call in sick that means you have some good work habits, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a high EQ. You have to pay attention to many details. People who do pay attention to their EQs are the ones who look at creating job security and opportunities as part of their jobs. These are people who take an active, enthusiastic role in their career development. They may not be the CEO of their companies. But they are the CEOs of their own careers. EQ means that you do the best job you can for your employer and you know your skills, you know your profession, you know what you want and how to go about achieving it.

Here is how to become the CEO of you, according to Barbara Patcher:

Be positive. If you expect the best, anticipate the best, you are more likely to get the best.

Set goals. You should be able to answer these questions: Where do you want to be career-wise in six months? One year? Five years? Make sure your goals are realistic and that you periodically reevaluate and readjust them.

Continue learning. Even if you are really busy, take time to take advantage of training, seminars, books, and other learning tools – your career advancement or continued employability may depend upon acquiring new skills.

Be proactive. If you see an area of yourself that needs improvement or a situation that needs to be corrected, take action!

Stay up to date with technology. People who make an effort to keep up with it are the ones who make themselves valuable to their organizations.

Find role models. Role models include people you know personally or only by reputation. You learn from them by interacting or watching/reading about them. Identify areas that you want to develop and find people who do or have done that.

Find a mentor. The difference between a mentor and a role model is that a mentor takes an active role in your career development. Find a person who is in a position that you aspire to be in or with qualities and skills you would like to have.

Stay informed of trends in your field. Talk to your colleagues. Read journals and newsletters in your field.

Speak well of yourself. Don’t put yourself down. Why make yourself look bad?

Keep your work area neat and clean. There is perception that you are disorganized if you work with piles of paper and files all around you. A sloppy work area gives others the impression that you may not only be disorganized but also have a distracted mind.

Stay challenged. Boredom drains your energy and can promote negative thinking. If your job has gotten dull and predictable, ask your supervisor for new responsibilities or a project.

Finally, ask for feedback. Ask what you can do better. See if there are new assignments you can take on.

If you follow all or any of these pointers, I believe you will feel in more control of your career and will be able to achieve anything you set your mind to. My favorite out of all of them is number one— if you expect the best, anticipate the best, you are more likely to get the best! If you need help or support in your Indianapolis job search or in navagating the job opportunities landscape, give us a call at That's Good HR. We can provide insight and guidance on how to put your best foot forward in your job search.

5 Ways That's Good HR can help new grads

Friday, May 20, 2011 by Karen Seketa

You did it! Your FINAL finals are done, your seminar papers are all submitted, you have your diploma in hand and you are ready to take on the world. One problem...you don't have a job. Maybe you had a great prospect that fell through, maybe you put the job search off a little too long and the next thing you know you are no longer a student AND you are unemployed, or maybe you have been looking for the right thing and it has not yet come along. Whatever the reason, if you need some guidance, direction or support as you venture into the world with nothing but bills, rent and gas to pay for, it is time to get some help.

We can help. How? Well, here are a few reasons to give us a call:

Staffing is our life. This is what we all do for a living here. We find great people, we find great jobs and we connect the two. Rely on us to be your resource in navigating the landscape as you venture into your job search. I know it makes me sound old every time I say it, but just for example, I bring 22 years of staffing experience to the company and I am only one of many.

We are locally owned and operated. That's right. We are home grown, so to speak. Our company was started almost 13 years ago by owners who are part of the local community. We are engaged in what is happening right here and we are huge advocates for local business.

We are staffing industry veterans and we subscribe to the ethics and guidelines as outlined by the American Staffing Association. We focus on doing what is right for our candidates and for our clients and we are not afraid to speak up when things seem to be going in the wrong direction.

We are honest. We will tell you if your resume needs work, if your interview skills are not up to par or if you background does not fit the needs of our clients. We conduct face to face interviews with all of our staffing candidates so you know exactly who we are and who you are working with. We will even tell you to change your voice mail message if we feel like it will get in your way of securing a job.

We know what we are talking about. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN or subscribe to our blog. You will hear us talking about what is going on out there in the local and national environment on a regular basis. We make it our business to keep you informed. If you go on an interview for us, we make sure you are prepared. If you go to work for us, we give you more information that you might think you need. You can rely on us to provide the guidance you need in your Indianapolis job search.

We have already begun to see some of the talent coming out of school coming through our doors. It is a great big world out there - make sure you have a good map or a living breathing GPS, like That's Good HR, go guide you.

What do you do when no one is looking?

Tuesday, May 17, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Is it just

me, or have we become a society that is all about appearances? What is the obsession with doing good only when someone is watching or someone notices? Facebook and Twitter have made it so easy for us to make sure that we are not alone in whatever we do, especially when we do good. It amazes me how many companies make sure that their charitable activities dominate the home page of their websites. Why?

Don't misunderstand, I am not just throwing stones - I am as guilty as the next person. I even pay someone to stand next to me during my workouts to make sure that I go the extra mile. If I am left to my own devices, I will simply stop when I got tired. I am not proud of that fact, but it is the truth. At the same time, I am fiercely private and other than my workouts, I really don't want people in my business. Does that stop me from random posting on Facebook about something that might be going on in my life? Heck no, I have the need to stay connected and this is a venue where I can without having to engage in a long conversation about the details of my life.

So is that it? Is it our need to be connected or is it our need to be validated? Would you volunteer or give to charity if no one else knew about it? How many anonymous good acts do you do? Do you clean the house when no one is coming over? Do you go on a cool vacation just to spend quality time with your family or do you invest in the opportunity just so you can tell others all about it?

Does it really matter? I think it does. I think that those who are happiest and most content in their lives are the ones who go that extra mile at work, help out a friend in need, go on an awesome vacation to get away and take extraordinary care of their loved ones without anyone else ever needing to know about it. My husband is one of those people so I know they exist. I strive to be one of those people too, do you? It is no easy task.

I recently read a blog post by Seth Godin called "self directed effort is the best kind" focused on this concept. He talks about the value of taking your own initiative to do things well, to go above and beyond and to excel only because you want to - not because someone or something else is forcing you to. I love this idea but have some work of my own to achieve this level of competence. Those I know who are most fulfilled in their lives, personal and professional, exist with a zeal for life and success that is personal and not defendant upon others for approval. These people have a personal brand that is one of quality and hard work - you can just tell, you don't have to be told.

As you embark or continue on your Indianapolis job search or your next career move, don't clam up about your accomplishments - that is not at all what I am saying. When you fashion your resume or talk about your skills and experiences, however, make sure you own them and don't just focus on how others made you what you are today. Take ownership of your experiences and share them in a way that makes it clear that what you do you do for your own personal growth, not just so you can drop a name or tell a story.

Taking time for tadpoles

Tuesday, May 3, 2011 by Karen Seketa

Spring really is here now...maybe the sun will even come out soon. If at all possible, take a break from all of the stuff you are running around doing, even if that means some things don't get done. I am writing this blog while sitting on the porch at our farm in the country, watching my son hunt for tadpoles.

I am not sure you can even qualify it as hunting. You simply put on your favorite rubber boots, find a great big puddle and scoop them up. When you have gathered enough to satisfy your hunting urge, you pour them all back to continue their metamorphosis. Wouldn't it be nice if all we needed in life to grow and thrive was a muddy puddle? You would not even need to keep it clean.

Life these days seems to move at lightening speed and we find ourselves waking up each morning in a panic, already anxious about how in the world we are going to accomplish all of the items on our list. Working for a staffing company in Indianapolis we know that as the job market begins to improve and job opportunities in Indianapolis open up, job seekers and those looking for a career change are feeling like there are not enough hours in the day. You start to feel that the more you do, the more you will get done - but the truth is the more we do, the more we find to do and when the end of the day comes, we all feel defeated. We all run at this pace and teach our kids to run at this pace too until one day we realize that life is passing us by and we are just running from here to there and doing things, but things never all get done so we do more things and then there is no time to enjoy ourselves. No time to step back and look at all of the things we have been doing and enjoy the results.

boots

Now, not everyone is like that. Many people have an inate ability to relax and enjoy life, all the while holding down a great job. My husband is a perfect example and he is the reason that I don't waste my life running around doing things all of the time. His dedication to the outdoors has turned this city girl into a part time country girl and it has become a survival tactic.The upside? It forces me to participate in his love for the outdoors and to truly appreciate a long walk in the woods and these days, stomping in mud puddles.

I recently read an article titled "Play Power: How to Turn around our creativity Crisis" in which the author, Laura Seargeant Richardson stated:

During my keynote speech at MIT's Sandbox Summit last year, I suggested that "Play is the greatest natural resource in a creative economy." In the future, economies won't be driven by financial capital or even the more narrowly focused scientific capital, but by play capital as well.

Clearly, hunting for tadpoles is good for you and for your kids. So, get up a little earlier than usual. Get that resume updated and ready to send. Contact your local friendly staffing agency, That's Good HR, for some help in your job search and then put on your rubber boots and go outside and play. Find a mud puddle and see if you can find some tadpoles. If even for an hour, it will energize you to get back to work with more vigor than before.

Exceeding Customer Experience Expectations

Tuesday, April 26, 2011 by Stacy Rouse

If you are a regular follower of our blog, you know that I normally focus on giving advice and hiring trends information for people who may be in the Indianapolis job search. However, today I want to write about something that anyone can use in their position.

I recently returned from a mini vacation at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Florida where my husband was attending a conference with his company. I can sum up the experience

Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Florida

in one word: amazing! The weather was absolutely perfect, the food was spectacular and the resort was beautiful! (Not to mention my 5 month old child was an angel on all 4 flights!) To add to all of that, the experience was enhanced even more by the "customer experience" we had. Every single person on staff at the resort was so friendly, hardworking, and always on top of their game. From the front desk and janitorial staff to the restaurant servers and shuttle bus drivers, everyone there made you feel like you were the number one customer on the resort. I can honestly say that there was not a single person working on the resort that we interacted with that had a negative attitude or didn't go out of their way to make our stay more enjoyable. At the end of the trip, my husband and I were talking about how wonderful everyone was and that on top of all of the great aspects of the trip, they pushed our experience over the edge...in a good way! We are raving fans and already talking about when we can go back.

So that got me thinking about how I could use this experience to improve our candidates' and clients' "customer experience" while working with our team at That's Good HR. I personally think we do a great job with providing an experience that is top notch and we monitor that by issuing quality control surveys to our candidates and clients on a regular basis. I think some of the things that make our experience top notch is that we are genuine, knowledgable in our market, flexible, and focused on putting the needs of our customers first. I can't wait to get onto the Omni website and write a review about the resort and talk about all of the positive aspects of the resort. The way I feel about this resort is how my customers should feel about me.

So I challenge you to answer this question: What 'customer experience' are you and your company providing to your "customers"? Is it one that you would want to experience yourself? If not, I would urge you to think about how you can improve and do it quickly...or else your competition could beat you to it! If you provide an experience that makes people walk away with a positive impression, your bench of raving fans will only continue grow and become more loyal.