Virtus Recruiting

How To Give Notice

Giving notice and leaving a job can be one of the most difficult and emotional parts of a job search, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you are miserable in your job and can’t wait to resign, or leaving is bittersweet, there are some things you can do to make the resignation process smooth. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Clean things up – while it’s a good idea to keep your business and personal life separated, most of us have sent personal emails from a work account, logged into personal websites, etc., from work. Before you give notice, it’s a good idea to delete personal files, stored passwords for personal online accounts, and make sure you have any personal information that you’ll need after you are gone.
Write a resignation letter and tell your boss first – avoid the temptation of telling friends or colleagues in the office first. Write a short professional letter and have a few copies available (for your boss, HR, etc.). The letter should simply state that you are resigning and offering 2 weeks notice, and your last date will be on a specific day. You are under no obligation to tell your employer anything about where you are going, why you are leaving, or the offer amount you received. In fact, you are much better off not telling this information to anybody during your resignation process. I advise candidates to take this approach because it makes the transition period out a lot easier. If you tell your current employer anything about the reasons for your departure, you are giving them all the ammunition they need to make you feel guilty, make you susceptible to a counteroffer, and manipulate you! This is a bad scenario and should be avoided at all costs! Counteroffers almost NEVER work out. Industry research shows that over 80% of people who take counter offers leave within six months of taking them. I’ll talk more about counteroffers in a later post and link to it here.
Offer to be helpful but be mindful of your soon-to-be employer’s needs – it’s a good idea to tell the company you are leaving that you will do what you can in order to make the transition period out as smooth as possible. Offering to put in some extra hours during the notice period, to be available after you leave to answer brief questions, etc., is a professional and thoughtful gesture. However, in very few instances is it acceptable to give more than two weeks notice. I often see job changers get hung up on a sense of loyalty to the employer they are leaving, or a belief that things will come crashing down if they aren’t there to help. The reality is that life will go on for the employer you are leaving. It is important to start the new job on the best terms possible. The new employer will probably want you there ASAP, so don’t forget that they are waiting for you!
Don’t go off the rails in an exit interview – if your company asks you to do an exit interview, don’t turn it into an airing of grievances session. Be mindful about what questions you answer, and politely decline to answer any questions you aren’t comfortable with. Keep in mind that the employer may not be done making a run at a counteroffer yet. Anything you tell them about your motivations for leaving, new offer, etc., can easily be turned around and used to make you second guess your decision. Second, any criticism of coworkers, bosses, and culture can create animosity and negative opinions of you.

Giving notice is hard, but you have a lot of control over how easy the process will be by following these guidelines. In general, I advise candidates to follow the “less is more” approach. Remember, you are moving on to something you are excited about!

By David Staiti|April 15th, 2019|Job Offers, job search, professional development|0 Comments

CFO Compensation Packages – What’s a CFO Worth?

The market for senior level finance talent is hot. This is especially true for small to middle market companies ($20mm to $100mm in annual revenue) across a range of industries to include technology, products, software, etc. I’m often asked by CFOs what their market value is, and how compensation packages vary with regards to base salary, bonus, equity, incentives, etc. Unfortunately, there is no short answer, and it depends on many variables. For non-financial service companies in this revenue range, we see salaries from $250k – $500k, bonuses from 25-50%+, and equity from 0-2% or more.

If you are exploring the market, negotiating an offer, or lobbying for a raise at your current job, here are some factors to consider:

Size of Company — the size of the company can have a big impact on the compensation level for a CFO. $20-$50mm companies generally price CFOs in the NYC/Boston areas between $250k and $400k base salary. $50mm-$100mm companies will see that range increase by 10-20%. Bonuses can vary, but a 25%-50% bonus range is standard, with some compensation packages exceeding 50% bonus. As the revenue of the company increases, and finance team size grows, so does the cash compensation component for most CFOs.
Stage of Company — where the company is in its life cycle plays a large role in the variability of equity compensation for CFOs. Earlier stage companies obviously have more ability to bring in CFOs with the lure of equity vs. a more established business. A CFO joining a hot startup company early on can sometimes get 1-2% of the total equity. An established company would typically fall into the .25%-.75% equity range. Turnaround and company sale situations are special circumstances, and the increased element of risk often demands a higher equity incentive.
CFO Duties — what type of CFO you are can have a large impact on the structure of a compensation package. For simplification purposes, we’ll look at “outward facing CFOs”, those hired with a mandate to do things like fundraising, dealing with company Board of Directors, possible transactions, IPO, etc.; and “inward facing CFOs”, those hired for more general management of broad accounting and finance operations at the company. Outward facing CFOs are often able to negotiate more lucrative equity grants. Back end cash bonuses are also common for a successful fund raise, sale, etc. If a client retains us to find a CFO who will assist in outward facing activities, we are generally able to negotiate a change of control clause for a liquidity event, larger equity grants, or cash payouts based on predefined objectives related to their hire (i.e. payouts triggered by specific dollar value capital raise, sale of company, etc.). Inward facing CFOs aren’t likely to get a change of control clause, unless they were a founding member of the company. Compensation for internally facing CFOs is often determined by their years of experience and size of the company. Also noteworthy is that the modern CFO in a company below $100mm in revenue can often play a dual role of COO. If non-finance duties are included in a CFO job, base salary tends to increase slightly, say 5-15%.
Contract vs. “At-Will” — if there is a contract, CFOs should carefully consider the terms, and the consideration given. Separation terms, severance agreements, and executive perks are all negotiable. An experienced attorney should review your employment contract. An attorney can also provide good bench marking advice on the contract’s relative fairness.

With the labor market tight, there is generally more inflationary pressure than not on compensation packages for CFOs. As a result, total compensation for CFOs doesn’t tend to vary too greatly among peer level CFOs.

By David Staiti|February 11th, 2019|Job Offers, job search, professional development, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Don’t Lose the Talent War – Fix Your Hiring Process

2018 saw one of the most hectic labor markets in decades. The economy is at full employment, and labor demand is sky high. The war for talent is in full swing. Some companies are losing this war however; and here are the two main areas where they go wrong:

Broken Hiring Process – the #1 reason we see clients lose candidates to other employers is a slow or convoluted interview process. Job seekers in this market have multiple options. The company who makes the best hire is very often the company who moves the candidate through the interview process the most quickly and efficiently. This doesn’t mean you have to rush hires, but go into each hiring process with a plan. I suggest that clients:

Identify who will conduct interviews in advance. Don’t have candidates interview with people for no reason. Pick the key decision makers, or the primary people that this position will interact with, and limit the interview panel to those people. Also, have an idea of who should meet with them, in what order, in how many rounds. If you cause delays or add unnecessary steps, you’ll lose candidates.
Give up on the idea of interviewing or comparing multiple candidates multiple candidates against each other. When interviewing candidates for a high demand position, be prepared to offer the job to the first qualified candidate you meet. In a perfect world, you could meet multiple candidates, compare them side by side, and pick the best one. That is NOT a reality in this job market. Know what you are looking for in advance. Decide on “must have” and “nice to have” qualities. When you meet someone you like, hire them! Waiting to see other candidates is not going to guarantee a better hire. It will however guarantee that you’ll lose good candidates.

Make Good Offers – I’ve had several clients lose candidates in 2018 by starting with low-ball offers. Recent changes in Massachusetts and New York have disallowed employers and recruiters from asking applicants their current compensation. This has made offer negotiations a bit of a guessing game at times. Some succumb to the urge to start by offering a low compensation package, with the idea that they can negotiate up if necessary. This is a mistake. For one thing, candidates are generally insulted or put off by low offers. Second, more astute companies who understand candidate supply and demand are making strong offers to start, in order to show candidates that they really want them. I advise that clients lead with a strong offer. It’s always smart to have some wiggle room if needed, but starting too low can leave a company in a hole that is too big to dig out from. A few ways to make sure your offer is competitive:

If working with a headhunter, talk to them about the offer. The recruiter will hopefully know the candidate, and has already talked about their compensation expectations. Recruiters will also know what the market value is for candidates. Get the recruiter’s advice on what the candidate is worth and what they are looking for.
Compare the prospect against the person they are replacing, or peer level rolls internally. If you are hiring someone to replace Employee Y, use their current salary to benchmark an offer. Is the candidate as good or better than the incumbent? Make the offer reflect how they stack up against known comparisons.

Hiring is a huge challenge for companies right now. Streamlining the process and making competitive offers can go a long way to ensure you staff up with the best possible talent in 2019!

By David Staiti|December 17th, 2018|Job Offers, job search, recruiting strategy|0 Comments

Stop Connecting with Everybody on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the “killer app” of professional networking. Used correctly, it is an invaluable tool that can help you manage and expand your professional network. If you follow the conventional wisdom regarding LinkedIn usage, you’ll hear that you should connect pretty liberally with people. I disagree.

First, I believe that the quality of your professional network is far more important than it’s size. A giant list of 1st degree connections that you don’t really have a relationship with is not helping you do much. I don’t see the point of having a 1st degree connection that would scratch their head and wonder “who is this?” if you tried to contact them.

Second, and similar to the first reason, a smaller network is much easier to manage. Having a smaller list of 1st degree connections that are known to you is a lot easier to stay on top of with meaningful and personalized correspondence. Again, if you have a bunch of contacts that you never engage with, or send generic emails to periodically, you run the risk of being forgotten or ignored.

Third, high quality networking contacts that engage with you are better information and referral sources. As a headhunter with 20 years of experience, I know for sure that strong connections are your best source of referrals. One of the key ways I use LinkedIn to expand my network and add meaningful connections leverages good 1st degree connections. Say I’m doing a search for a client — I search LinkedIn and find a bunch of 2nd degree connections. I look at whom we share in common as a connection, then I reach out to the 1st degree connection for an introduction, or I reference the actual relationship I have with 1st degree connection when trying to engage with the new contact. This dramatically increases the likelihood of that person responding.

By David Staiti|March 29th, 2018|job search, LinkedIn, professional development|0 Comments

What I Learned at Saastr Annual 2018

Last week I attended my first Saastr conference in beautiful San Francisco. It was my New Year’s resolution to attend a few industry related trade shows. Overall, the conference was a good experience. As a headhunter, and not a SaaS business owner/founder, many of the actual sessions weren’t very relevant for me. But, that was OK, I was going for the networking… and boy oh boy, there was A LOT of networking!

Getting the opportunity to meet a lot of company founders and executives, along with a lot of venture capitalists who fund them, I walked away with a few takeaways from a recruiter perspective:

Recruiting is an urgent need, but not exactly a priority — almost every single executive I met talked about how big of a challenge recruiting is for their company. It was often described as a bottleneck that slowed or inhibited growth. When I asked executives, “what is your recruiting strategy?”, I got a lot of blank stares, or answers that clearly indicated they didn’t have one. In a highly competitive market, where many companies are fighting for talent, it’s critical that planning and resources are allocated for recruiting.
Companies think they can go it alone — a classic push back we hear from potential clients is that they are “handling the search internally”. If that means you are posting on job boards and sending a bunch of LinkedIn inmails, you are setting yourself up for failure. I’m clearly biased as a headhunter, but using agencies, or hiring top internal recruiting talent is not a waste of money. When you consider the time it takes to run ads, sift through resumes, interview lack-luster candidates, loss of productivity because of an empty seat, drain in morale because everybody is picking up extra duty, etc., the cost of trying to hire on your own can quickly exceed that of a good recruiter. Some jobs can be filled in house. However, high demand, low supply talent requires a different approach.
Some companies wait too long — a classic problem of hyper growth startups is that they are very focused on building the product and growing revenues, but they often neglect the back office support roles that help them scale. We see this all the time in the accounting and finance function. Revenues grow quickly, the accounting becomes complex, and lack of skilled staff, internal controls, proper accounting standards, etc. cause mistakes to pile up. The cost of fixing problems that have been compounding over time is always greater than hiring the right people early on, and making sure that proper systems and procedures are in place. The more successful you think you’ll be, the more reason to plan ahead and hire proactively.

By David Staiti|February 13th, 2018|professional development, recruiting strategy|0 Comments

Why You Should Use Retained Search

The market is hot! Demand for management to executive level leadership continues to rise. Winning the war for talent is getting harder and harder. One of the best tools companies have at their disposal to fill key positions is engaging a retained search firm. A retained search firm is one that engages exclusively with a client company to fill one or more searches, where the company pays portions of the recruiting fee up front. Retained search is more expensive than contingency search, but offers many advantages over it. Some reasons to hire a retained search firm include:

You are making a critical hire – retained search is often the best solution if you are making a key hire. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the hire is an “executive” level. If you are looking for a key person, hiring a retained search firm will give you the best access to the highest quality candidate pool.
You’ve looked using other resources – we are approached all the time by companies that have been looking for a new hire through job postings, internal recruiters, external contingency firms, employee referrals, etc., and come up with nothing. If a search is dragging on unsuccessfully, a retained search firm may be the “fresh coat of paint” the search needs. When a prospect is contacted by a retained search firm, it sends the message that the company is serious about hiring. A retained firm will identify a specific pool of candidates, and go out into the market with a compelling and consistent message.
You need a great person quickly – retained search firms often have subject matter experts with years of experience in a specific discipline. They’ll know your market, competitors, and job function requirements inside and out. When you want to hire the best possible person in the shortest amount of time, retained search is the best place to start.
Cost benefit analysis – with most retained search firms charging 30% or more of first year total compensation (base plus bonus), it may sound like an expensive way to go. However, we routinely see clients that let critical openings go unfilled for months on end. When you add up the cost of contractors, loss of productivity and time, etc., a retained search firm can actually save you money! Getting a top notch candidate quickly avoids problems piling up, and can also begin to add to the company bottom line!
You need confidentiality – if you are replacing a current employee, retained search is the way to go. A retained search firm can discretely target a small, highly qualified candidate pool for a confidential replacement. They can help “tell the story” from a 3rd party perspective about why the person is being replaced, and allay fears or concerns for potential candidates.

By David Staiti|January 25th, 2018|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Unintended Consequences of Salary Disclosure Laws – Why They Are Bad News For Applicants, Recruiters, and Employers

To address pay equity issues, New York City has joined 20+ other jurisdictions in implementing legislation aimed at prohibiting employers from obtaining salary history from applicants during the hiring process. On April 5, the New York City Council passed legislation outlawing salary history inquiries. The law takes effect on October 31, 2017. Once enacted, the new legislation will impose significant changes on the hiring process. The New York City law makes it an unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer to inquire about a prospective applicant’s salary history during all stages of the employment process. In addition, the bill would make it an unlawful discriminatory practice to rely on a job applicant’s salary history in determining the applicant’s salary, benefits or compensation.

While this law does have the noble intention of narrowing the wage gap between men and women, there are also some potential unintended consequences. These unintended consequences are particularly likely to happen to high wage, high skill workers, recruiters, and their employers. At best, this law will complicate the hiring process. At worse, it may adversely impact those it seeks to protect.

I write this from an executive recruiter perspective. In my 20 years of experience, the market sets predictable compensation levels for high demand talent, and there is rarely a huge degree of difference between what “Company A” and “Company B” pays. In the normal course of business, executive recruiters collect salary history for potential applicants. There are rarely instances where a potential applicant falls too far outside established salary norms. Obtaining this information up front helps the recruiter and potential employer benchmark the candidate, as well as manage expectations about a future offer.

By outlawing salary history inquiries, it becomes nearly impossible to advise candidates and clients on what is realistic or reasonable regarding candidate compensation. Employers will be put in a position where their offers will be a shot in the dark, versus the current system where salary and expectations are handled up front. This could lead to a lot of wasted interview time and effort by all parties because compensation is not aligned.

Job applicants are also potentially opening themselves up to earning less money due to the “back end” style of salary negotiation. Without having recent salary information on a potential applicant, it is very likely that companies will begin the negotiation process by making as low an offer as possible. Employers will have no incentive to make strong offers up front, as they risk paying more than they otherwise could. Candidates in turn are going to have to begin a negotiation process by fielding “low ball” offers, and will likely have contentious back-and-forth compensation discussions. Beginning a negotiation from the bottom of a range and working up is the exact opposite of how salary negotiations are currently handled. Under the current system, if an employer knows a candidate is currently earning $X, their initial offer is typically some increase above that current level. A good headhunter, or astute job seeker, can then determine if the offer is fair, or negotiate if the offer is not in line with market factors. If the starting point begins at the lowest possible number and works slowly up to what is minimally acceptable, strong talent risks leaving money on the table. In turn, employers will run a greater risk of losing good employees to companies with more aggressive offer practices.

The risk of miscommunication and misunderstanding also increases dramatically due to this law. People hear what they want to hear. If employers and executive recruiters are now put in a position where they will tell an applicant the salary range of the position up front, the candidate will likely fixate on the top of the range, while the employer is very likely to be focused on the bottom. Thus, when it comes time to negotiate the offer, the applicant and employer will likely be working from two very different starting points.

It’s important to note that our opinion comes from a very specific section of the employment market – low supply, high demand / high wage talent. There is strong evidence for serious wage gap problems in many sectors of the economy, and this law may very well improve those conditions in certain employment sectors. That said, as with any change, there are often unintended consequences.

By David Staiti|October 5th, 2017|interview, Job Offers, job search|0 Comments

Why Going to a Startup Isn’t Risky

My firm does a lot of work in the startup space. Right now there is a lot of investment capital flowing into startups. That means there is A LOT of job demand at startups. I occasionally have a candidate push back on the idea of going to work at a startup because it is “too risky”. In my experience, nothing could be further from the truth! Hear are a few reasons why going to a startup isn’t risky:

Are You In Demand? – If you have a skill set that is in demand, like accounting, IT, programming, sales, etc., there will always be other jobs for you. In big metro markets that have a broad industry base, there are just some careers that are going to stay in high demand for the foreseeable future. If you are lucky enough to have a career in one of these fields, you can always take a gamble on a startup, and then go back to corporate America if the move doesn’t work out.
Big Companies ARE NOT Safe – Ask someone who was a top performer at Lehman Brothers pre-2009 how “safe” they were because they were a top performer at a big company. The conventional wisdom that you are safer at a big company just isn’t true anymore. Large companies are often more short term focused than startups, looking closely at quarterly performance and minor fluctuations in the stock price. Big companies routinely slash big chunks from their workforce to save money. At a startup, each hire is much more “mission critical” to the success and growth of the company. Growing startups often have a vision of where they want to be several years out, and they realize that retaining good employees and hiring more are key ingredients to their success. Moreover, as job demand among startups in places like New York City has increased, startups and big companies alike are all fighting for the same talent. The result is that salaries, benefits and perks at startups are now much more in line, if not better than, big companies! Our startup clients pay aggressive market rates, and their benefits are often top notch. It’s not uncommon to see startups have liberal vacation policies, 100% coverage for medical, catered lunches, gym memberships, and work from home policies. I even have one company that pays for employee vacations!
Startups Get You a Pass – Because startups are perceived as inherently more risky, and their life cycles can be shorter (lose funding, get acquired, etc.), if you have short employment stints with a few startups, you won’t necessarily be labeled a “job hopper”. In fact, I have many contacts who go from startup to startup, staying only for a year or two at each, because they like to do the “set up” work associated with implementing an accounting system, setting up an initial budget, or helping a company secure funding, etc. These people have become serial startup junkies because they like the early stage dirty work, and companies are more than happy to hire them for their specific knowledge and expertise.
Startups Might Just Be More Fun – Study after study about employee satisfaction ranks startups as some of the most satisfying places to work. While not all aspects of a startup are fun and games, they do offer a great opportunity for people who want to have a visible impact on their employer. They are also great places for people who want to broaden their skills and responsibilities. Unlike big companies that have very defined and limited job parameters, startups offer the ability to “wear many hats” and get involved with a lot more. This cuts both ways — some days you might shovel the sidewalks, and other days you might be making a key strategic decision for the company. Many startup employees I know love the idea of working in a casual office setting with a bunch of motivated people working towards a common goal.

By David Staiti|May 19th, 2016|job search, professional development, Uncategorized|0 Comments

When Can You Start?

As you get deeper into the interview process and begin to anticipate an offer, it’s a good idea to prepare for the question “when can you start?” It is usually safe to assume that the sooner you can start, the better! Here is some general advice on how to handle this question:

The “Two Week Notice” Rule – generally speaking, giving a two week notice to your current employer is totally adequate. It’s quite possible your employer may ask for more notice, but you are not obligated to yield. Two weeks is an appropriate amount of notice at almost any job level. Unless you have an employment contract that stipulates specific notice terms, you are well within business norms by sticking to a two week notice.
New Employer Considerations – if the hiring company is making you an offer, it’s because they need and want you. If they ask, “when can you start?” during the interview process, it’s a sign that they like you, but the speed with which you can start may also be a hiring consideration. Before you start thinking about giving notice, taking a couple of weeks off, etc., put yourself in the employer’s shoes and think about your answer from their perspective. The sooner you can start, the better.
Necessary Delays – if there are good reasons you must delay a start date beyond two weeks, discuss them openly with the new employer. A vacation you’ve already paid for, relocation, waiting for a bonus payout, etc., are good reasons for delay. Wanting to take a week off to relax is not a good reason. If you must delay the start date, just remember to do so for good reasons.
If You Are Unemployed – if unemployed be prepared to start immediately. While unemployed job seekers are generally at a tactical disadvantage to employed candidates, this is one area where the ability to start ASAP is an advantage.

By David Staiti|February 8th, 2016|interview, Job Offers, job search|0 Comments

Breaking Barriers

Breaking-barriers-590x331 Trying to break through barriers is often a motivating factor when looking for a new job. I’m an amateur weight lifter and fitness nut. A couple of years ago I hit a plateau in my training that I could not get through. I ended up hiring a personal trainer, and it turned out to be money well spent. My trainer was an expert in exercise and nutrition. He assessed where I was, we set measurable goals, and he then built a customized plan to help me with breaking barriers. Not only did I get results in the gym, but the lessons learned from my physical training overlapped with what I see as a headhunter dealing with senior level people interested in advancing their careers.

Breaking barriers can be a challenge, and when you feel you have plateaued, here are some things you can try:

Get Advice — I’ve found that people are typically not great at self assessment. For breaking barriers in your career, seek advice from an objective third party. Your boss is the ideal place to start. He/she should know very well your strengths and weaknesses. Beyond the standard annual review process, ask to have a serious conversation about your performance and how you can improve. Not only will you get objective input, it will show your boss that you are serious about professional development.
Try Different Things — like with my fitness plateau, breaking barriers requires that you try different things. Repeating the same actions and expecting different results is the definition of insanity, right? Seek out new ways of becoming more knowledgeable and efficient. Attend industry conferences, take courses related to your profession, learn new computer skills that may help you streamline your work processes. The bottom line, mix up the routine that is not getting you to where you want to be quickly enough.
Set Goals — in my opinion, goal setting is probably the single best thing you can do when trying to improve at something. “Improvement” can mean a lot of different things, and unless you have a clear idea of what the end goal is, it’s very hard to work efficiently towards it. Setting clear goals and developing a manageable plan of execution is ideal. It’s OK to have big goals, but be realistic about the time frame you set. If your overall goal is lofty, break it down into some smaller interim goals so you have your sights set on things that are attainable in the short term.

By David Staiti|February 1st, 2016|professional development|0 Comments

How To Evaluate a Job Offer

The good news – the job market is great and the demand for talented people is on the rise. The bad news – more job options don’t necessarily mean that people make good decisions.

I see a lot of candidates juggling multiple offers right now. Having competing job offers does sound like a great problem to have, but more options don’t always lead to great decisions. In this market, I feel it’s very important to have a game plan on how you will evaluate opportunities. I recommend job seekers consider three things:

Determine what you want and why are looking BEFORE you start — when I interview a potential job seeker, I have a detailed conversation about what they like, and don’t like about their current role. I want to uncover the “what’s missing” aspects of their current job, as well what they really enjoy. Second, I have an equally detailed conversation about what they want in their next job. I figure this out before I ever tell them about a potential job opportunity. If you are looking for a job on your own, write down on paper the pros and cons of your current job, as well as what you’d like to do in your next job. This is a great list to refer back to when you start meeting with potential employers.
Evaluate potential growth — when considering a job offer, it’s important to look at the growth potential you will have over the next 3+ years. Obviously, it’s impossible to predict the future, but during the interview process you should try to uncover the potential career path and learning/development opportunities you will get. Ask yourself how much you believe in the potential of the company. Compare competing job offers to your current job and make your best guesses as to where you might be in a few years with each opportunity.
Don’t get hung up on money –money is important, but it should rarely, if ever, be a primary motivating factor when looking for a job. If the job offer is going to provide you with a growth and development path that is solid, and it addresses the reasons you were looking for a new job in the first place, you should take the job. A few thousand dollars is not going to change your lifestyle drastically in the near term, but a better opportunity and career path can add up to big future potential earnings. For more about the financial realities of job offers, click here.

By David Staiti|January 18th, 2016|Job Offers|0 Comments

Job Search Mistakes

Searching for a job can be a daunting task. There are literally THOUSANDS of books and related materials on the subject. With a lot of advice about what TO DO, job search mistakes are still very common. Here are some costly, and common, job search mistakes:

Having Only One Resume – There are no one-size-fits-all resumes. If you use a single resume for your job search, you are making a big mistake! Resumes are usually glanced over very quickly to pick those candidates selected for interviews. It is critically important for you to target your resume to the specific company/job. A bit of minor tweaking can often make the difference between getting the interview, or not. Refer to my earlier post on how to target your resume here.
Applying Online – this is a classic job search mistake to avoid. The main reason is because it is what everybody else is doing! It is very easy to get lost in flood of applicants who apply indiscriminately online. Second, many recruiters hold the belief that top-notch candidates don’t apply online. Top candidates are either sought out, or come in through other methods. Finally, applying online may hurt your chances of getting an interview or proper consideration at a company. You are far better off being evaluated as an employee referral, represented by a recruiter, or recommended by someone known to the company.
Not Being Selective – whether you are actively or passively job searching, BE SELECTIVE. I generally advise people to take initial interviews liberally. Meeting the people and company face to face is the best way to see if there might be a fit. After an initial interview, I suggest people get much more selective. Don’t get deep into the interview process, or take things to the offer stage, if you can’t see yourself working at the company. You’ll not only be wasting your time, but you could leave a negative impression with the people who feel like you wasted theirs.
Not Networking – this is the ultimate job search mistake. Study after study shows that the best jobs, and the best chances of landing your next job lies in networking. Friends, classmates, recruiters, alumni organizations, professional organizations, and former coworkers are just some of the categories of contacts you should tap into when considering a job change. Many people don’t do this because it involves more effort, but it is absolutely worth it!

David Staiti is the founder and Managing Partner of Virtus Recruiting, LLC. He has almost two decades of executive search and recruiting experience. He’s published numerous articles on job search and career management topics for The Wall Street Journal, CareerBuilder, and Forbes.com

By David Staiti|January 18th, 2016|job search, resume|0 Comments

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