Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to you all! Wishing you and your families a wonderful Holiday season!

Prolyn will be making a small donation in lieu of our annual Holiday card contest and sending holiday cards out this year. Charity yet to be determined...if you want to throw your suggestion in, please let us know! Have a safe and Happy Holiday! : )

White House Sees More Jobs in Windows

Some encouraging news...

Indicating he didn't want to tip his hand too much, President Obama told attendees at last week's White House job summit that the administration was looking aggressively at programs to encourage investment in energy efficiency upgrades and weatherization as part of its efforts to stimulate job creation.

His remarks came in response to comments from Ron Saxton, executive vice president of Jeld-Wen Inc., a participant at the forum, who highlighted the potentnial energy savings offered by replacing the billion-plus single-pane windows in American homes today. Saxton also emphasized the potential for job growth offered by windows. In addition to jobs involved in installation, he noted that nearly all windows bought in America are made in American factories using parts that are also produced in America. With the downturn in new construction, these factories are ready and could bring workers back and get up and running immediately.

President Obama listening to Jeld-Wen's Ron Saxton make the case for efforts to encourage more replacement window activity. The conversation took place as part of a session focusing on innovation and green jobs, where Saxton also urged passage of bills before the House and Senate that would tie tax credits for windows to the new 2010 Energy Star criteria rather than the current .30/.30 requirements set as part of the stimulus package.

Other attendees at the session included Frank Blake, CEO of the Home Depot, who urged for a broadening of the current energy efficiency tax credits to include more categories of products, as well as installation and labor. Jeld-Wen's Saxton also commented on the success of the tax credits, noting that his company had sold a quarter million windows under that program and others had also, enabling many jobs to be created and saved.

While there was much agreement at the session that windows and other energy efficient upgrades can pay for themselves over the long run, financing such projects remains a major hurdle. Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu told the group that "numerous ideas are on the drawing board" to address the issue to make retrofit activity more cost effective and "really scale it up."

"We are completely sold," said Obama, speaking about the long-term economic benefits, as well as environmental benefits, of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Noting the current fiscal restraints on the government, as well as the sense of urgency to create new jobs, he told attendees that his administration sees programs to upgrade energy efficiency of homes and buildings offering the most potential in the short term.

The meeting concluded with a promise to develop proposals on this front and bring them back to attendees for more input. The hour-plus session can be viewed below on the window and door.net website

Obama followed the December 3 jobs forum with a speech on jobs and the economy, in which he called on Congress "to consider a new program to provide incentives for consumers who retrofit their homes to become more energy-efficient, which we know creates jobs, saves money for families, and reduces the pollution that threatens our environment." The president also proposed the expansion of select Recovery Act initiatives to promote energy efficiency and clean energy jobs "which have been proven to be particularly popular and effective."

GlassBuild America Opens in Atlanta

Atlanta–Industry suppliers are showcasing new ways for window and door manufacturers to upgrade energy efficiency and expand color and finish offerings, as GlassBuild America: The Glass, Window & Door Expo opens today. Despite weak market conditions, some 6,300 industry professionals pre-registered for the event, being held here at the Georgia World Congress Center.

"We're confident we're going to have a solid show," says Phil James, CEO of the National Glass Association, which organizes GlassBuild America. "We may not have the same numbers as last year, but we are hearing from exhibitors that they have customers coming. Exhibitors are also expecting that the companies that are here are the ones in a position to start growing their business again. They are here because they are ready to innovate. They are here because they want to differentiate their product lines. They are here to do business."

Almost 400 exhibitors have gathered for the annual event. Among those targeting the residential window and door market are equipment suppliers, vinyl extruders, producers of IG components, hardware suppliers and software producers. Among the notable introductions to be made at the show are Bystronic's new automated line for producing Sashlite integrated sash windows, Mikron's EnergyCore vinyl window system and a new system for producing color window products being featured by GED Integrated Solutions.

The amount of equipment on display at this year's event is down somewhat from past events, but a sizeable number of companies are featuring machines. In the vinyl arena, Stürtz Machinery is highlighting its new LinealPro fabrication saw, and Urban Machinery is featuring a number of machines also. CNC machining centers targeted at manufacturers of aluminum fenestration products, as well as vinyl, are being shown by Elumatec, Emmegi, Fom, Joseph and Tekna, among others.

IG equipment and components are prominent throughout the show floor as well. Glasslam is showcasing its warm-edge spacer system, as well as its products for manufacturing laminated glass. Other companies showing warm-edge products include Truseal Technologies, Technoform, and Edgetech, which returns this year with its Edgetech University booth, focusing on education on such topics as testing, IG certification, and green. "It was very popular last year in Vegas," reports the company's Larry Johnson. "With all the changes taking place in the industry, we know the demand for information is still there."

He notes that manufacturers have been adjusting to new developments, such as the 30/30 tax credit minimums and the revised Energy Star qualification requirements, making "intermediate" changes in their product lines to meet the new market demands. "They know new requirements are coming, and that they may have to make a bigger change in the next couple of years," he adds. "We think a lot of customers are coming to learn more about their options."

Sashlite's Bob Hornung sees window and door manufacturers looking at big changes also. "We're really excited about the show," he states. The economy may prevent companies from making a move right away, but, he adds, "We have companies flying in just to see this line," pointing to the new Bystronic line designed to produce integrated sash units.

Vinyl extruders are highlighting a variety of products at this year's show, but most appear to be featuring expanded color and woodgrain options. American Renolit plans to demonstrate application procedures for its decorative laminates. In addition to standard residential lines, a number of companies are featuring European tilt-and-turn systems targeted largely at commercial applications.

Most hardware producers are showing new style and finish options. Also of note, Truth Hardware is featuring some of its electronic hardware options, while Vision Industries is showing new hardware developed to meet the new ASTM standard for window opening control devices. Making its GlassBuild debut is Paddock Fabrications, an English producer of multipoint hardware systems, which is showing its new North American product line.

In addition to a busy trade show, GlassBuild America will feature a number of other events, including an Energy Efficiency Town Hall Forum, sponsored by Edgetech Inc., and a panel presentation on the outlook for the solar industry. More information on the event is available at www.glassbuildamerica.com. An online preview on WindowandDoor.com also offers a detailed look at new products to be featured by exhibitors in Atlanta. (article posted from windowanddoor.com)

Myths about job hunting in a recession

Another worthwhile read I came across this morning that was worth sharing about job hunting during a down economy. Article is from payscale.com, written by Cherie Berkley. Enjoy!
Just when you thought the job market couldn't get worse, there is more news about company pink slips, hiring freezes, and benefit slashes. If you are one of the thousands tasked to find a job in these dire economic times, all is not lost. Hopefully, you can move more quickly from the unemployment line to a job offer once you get past these six common myths about job-hunting during a recession.

Myth 1: No one is hiring. Layoffs are coming in every direction, but some employers -- even those laying off workers -- are still hiring. Companies often eliminate full-time employees with budget-busting benefits only to replace them with contractors or consultants to save costs. Additionally, "green" jobs, and health care jobs are among those still actively populating want ads. And, the pay is respectable. For instance, Payscale.com shows the median annual salary of an environmental engineer with 3-5 years experience is $60,672.

Myth 2: The Internet is the best place to find jobs. The Internet is an efficient way to survey jobs among many companies, but personal interaction is still key to job search success. Truth is, employers are bombarded with thousands of resumes from the Internet -- especially in a recession. Therefore, the chance that your new boss will choose your resume out of a pile of prospects is slimmer than ever. Instead, focus on finding a position, apply for it, and then do some research and connect personally with a hiring manager in the company to follow-up. Social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, also offer a great way to connect with targeted employees on your company dream list. These connections are golden because they can give you insider info about unpublished positions and help you sail past HR "blockers." Personal recommendations go much farther in landing a job than random resumes.

Myth 3: Searching companies in hiring freezes is a waste of time. Like many situations in life, hiring freezes are not absolute. Savvy networking, the right face-to-face meeting, and the ability to sell skills critical to the prospective company can be the perfect formula for lighting a fire under an employer in a hiring freeze. Behind closed doors, hiring managers are told to make exceptions for spectacular candidates that can show them the money, especially in a recession when every dollar counts.

Myth 4: Expect a salary cut. In hard times, companies value astute problem-solvers more than ever. While employers may trim the fat elsewhere, there is always room in the budget for top-tier talent. However, during a competitive job market, there is a bigger burden to prove you are worth a higher salary, says John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Ultimately, companies want their talent investments to pay off -- and stick around. "If an employer goes to the expense, time, and effort to find a qualified candidate, it wants the person to stay, " Challenger adds. The last thing an employer wants is for a prized candidate to temporarily accept a lower salary than her previous salary and say "hasta la vista" once the job market recovers.

Myth 5: Companies are not interested in hiring people over age 55. There are several reasons Challenger, Gray & Christmas disputes the adage that older employees are unemployable. In a struggling economy, employers value seasoned workers' shorter learning curves (aka: less money invested in employee training) and their ability to do the work of several younger, less-seasoned workers. Separately, like a fine wine, experienced employees who are surgeons, accountants, attorneys, engineers, and IT professionals get better with time. Clients gravitate to more experienced employees in these professions. This adds up to more cha-ching for employers.

Myth 6: Experience and advanced degrees guarantee a job. While experience and education have their plusses, they aren't guarantees to landing a job. In a deep recession, experienced and degreed people come a dime a dozen. "It is very important to sell your world experience, your concrete accomplishments, and expertise; things that make an impact on the company rather than just your knowledge," Challenger says. Research what skills the employer values most in order to tailor your sales pitch accordingly, Challenger adds. And, because the market is so tight, though you are experienced, someone with more experience is likely applying for the same job. Take time to create your brand image and sell, sell, sell!

Recruiters Biggest Pet Peeves

An interesting and timely article on recruiters pet peeves from yahoo.com. I can personally say that with the huge influx of resumes that I am receiving now with the poor economy and os mnay out of work that I have seen many of these items listed below occur much more frequently with many of the job seekers I talk to! Enjoy!

The Recruiter Roundtable is a recurring feature that collects career and job-seeking advice from a group of recruiting experts throughout the United States. The question we put before our panel this month is:

What is your biggest pet peeve about job seekers today?

The Price of 'Perfection'
My biggest pet peeve is perfect candidates. They only had successes, are perfect and can't see any improvement to make on themselves -- except maybe to "work a little less." People who are too insecure to admit their shortcomings or even their mistakes make me feel that they lack good emotional intelligence. In all the reference checks we reviewed at Checkster, none were 100% positive, so be realistic. If not, you will be seen as either not daring enough to perform difficult things, or stuck in a myopic belief that you are perfect. -- Yves Lermusi, CEO, Checkster

Clueless Candidates
As a recruiter, there have been countless times when job seekers have asked, "What position is this for?" Job seekers shouldn't just apply to any job. They need to spend their time effectively finding jobs that are a match for their skills and interest. -- Nga Nguyen, Technology & Operations Group Recruiter at Wells Fargo

Short-Cut Introductions
With more people looking for work in today's economy, I've been seeing an increase in what I call "lazy introductions" come across my desk. It goes something like this: "I'm writing you to introduce myself. I live in New York and I'm looking for a job," and in the signature is a link to a LinkedIn profile or possibly a resume. A brief introduction should come with a background, highlights, and reason for connecting. A job search is a job in itself and requires some personalization and effort for each and every introduction. -- Lindsay Olson, partner, Paradigm Staffing

Can't Connect the Dots?
My biggest pet peeve is receiving resumes or applications that describe background and work experience wholly unrelated to the position being applied for. Also there is either no supporting material or a generic cover letter that fails to connect the dots between what's on the application and what's in the posted job listing. -- Noah Apodaca, lead recruiter for staff at the University of California, Irvine

Don't Go Generic
Job seekers hurt their own cause when they don't focus on specific ways they can help potential employers and instead simply mass distribute their resume. Individuals need to show hiring managers what they can do for the organization, not the reverse. Thoroughly research companies where you want to apply, customize your resume and cover letter for each opportunity, and in your communications with employers highlight your accomplishments and skills that demonstrate how you can positively impact the firm's bottom line.

In process of updating our files and information we have on file for you

In an effort to stay current with each of your information, over the course of the next few weeks we will be sending emails out to you all to update the information we have on file for you.

Mentioning this here as I know receiving a somewhat generic email at times can feel quite impersonal...probably because it is! : )

As things continue to be somewhat sluggish in our industry and across the board due to the economy, it seemed like a great time to update our records and your information so we have it ready to go as things pick up and in the event a job match comes our way to pair you up with! We are also networking heavily with many other recruiters and contacts nationally outside the industry in an effort to find potential opportunities for you!

Congrats to those of you who I have spoken to recently who have landed new careers...semingly most are out of the window and door industry.

Getting the Right People in Key Seats

An interesting article that originated form Business Week...yet was posted by one of my contacts on Facebook. Enjoy!

The specifics can vary, even within companies, but our research delivered six important traits that identify "the right people"

The right people fit the company's core values Great companies build cultures in which those who don't share the institution's values are surrounded by anti-bodies and ejected like viruses. People ask: "How do we get people to share our core values?" The answer: Hire people already predisposed to them—and keep them.

The right people don't need to be tightly managed When you feel the need to tightly manage someone, you may have made a hiring mistake. You need not spend a lot of time "motivating" or "managing" the right people. It's in their DNA to be productively neurotic, self-motivated, self-disciplined, and compulsively driven to excel.

The right people understand that they do not have "jobs"—they have responsibilities They grasp the difference between their task list and their true responsibilities. The right people can complete the statement, "I am the one person ultimately responsible for…".

The right people fulfill their commitments In a culture of discipline, people view commitments as sacred—they do what they say they'll do, without complaint. Equally, this means that they take great care in saying what they will do, careful never to overcommit or to promise what they cannot deliver.

The right people are passionate about the company and its work Nothing great happens without passion. The right people display remarkable intensity.

The right people display window-and-mirror maturity When things go well, the right people point out the window, giving credit to factors other than themselves; they shine a light on others who contributed. Yet when things go awry, they do not blame circumstances or other people; they look in the mirror and say: "I'm responsible."

Join us on Twitter!

We have officialy caved and are testing out Twitter! Look for us by our user name "prolyn". With the many different social networking sites out there, it is truly difficult to determine which one or ones to utilize. My best recomendation is to try the mainstream sites out and see if you like them for yourself. You can always delete your account if the site is not a worthwhile investment of your time. I have to say so far so good with Twitter. It has proven to be a great source of networking for me in many people I would have probably never found, based on some of the limits and search restrictions you get with other sites. I have also gotten a multitude of good tips, sources and news bits that have been worthwhile for me personally. Whether you are a company on the hunt for potential candidates or a job seeker searching for that next job...networking is always teh way to go and you never know who will open the door to the next job opportunity yo may be seeking! If you decide to join, please link in to us. I can't promise that I'll post there often, but will try to do so occasionally. For now I am giving it a test run and will see wher it goes from there.

Extreme Job Hunting

Thought this article from yahoo was interesting and worthy of sharing! If you have had success with creative job hunting efforts, please let me know, I would love to share them! : )

People like Robin Stearns and Mark Heuer have taken job hunting to a new level in today's troubled economy. To help find work for her husband, Stearns started the site myhusbandneedsajob.com. The homepage shows her near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge holding a handmade sign: "Hire my husband." The rest of site focuses on the resume and accomplishments of Mike, who earned an MBA from Georgetown last year.

"This site was born out of frustration with the job market," Robin wrote on the site. "After almost ten months of watching my wonderful husband work tirelessly to find a job, I decided to take matters into my own hands and help him stand out in a sea of unemployed."

Mark Heuer, an unemployed management professional, rented a large billboard along a Milwaukee highway in March. His face appears next to the words "Results Driven Sales & Operations Manager. Mark4hire.com." Both Stearns and Heuer received international media coverage and thousands of messages, but relevant job leads were scarce.

"There are no job offers yet," said Stearns two weeks after her site went up, but her husband had lined up some interviews in the San Francisco area as a result.

These approaches are just two creative examples of extreme job hunting. With the unemployment rate above 8% nationally and 5 million people looking for work, some job seekers are buying display ads on social networking sites, posting elaborate video resumes, and wearing sandwich boards or custom-made T-shirts with a cover letter printed on the back.

While the tactics can make you stand out, some experts caution about getting too creative. "Even in today's market, it's excelling at the fundamentals that helps job seekers stand out," says Andy Denka, executive director of financial staffing firm Accountemps. "Individuals should focus their efforts first and foremost on creative top-notch resumes, networking with everyone they know, and honing their interview skills."

Networking efforts actually led Heuer to the billboard idea, he says. "I thought, 'How can I get in front of more people?' Highway 45 in Milwaukee captures 100,000+ cars a day."

If you want to go beyond the basics and try more risky job-hunting tactics, consider these suggestions:

Treat the job search like a courtship, and make the first move. "Don't wait for a company to post a job ad," says Denka. "If there are businesses you are interested in working for, research how you can contribute to their success and contact them directly."

Work for free. Approach a company that interests you and offer to work for free for a set number of hours each week, over a period of two months, says Katy Piotrowski, author of "The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching." "This is a great way to get your foot in the door, prove your worth, and assist the company to get to a place where they can actually hire you," she says. "This method results in long-term employment about 50% of the time."

Volunteer or take a lead role in a professional association. "If you're in finance, you take on a treasury position with a local community group," says Denka. "In the process, you'll enhance your resume, meet potential business contacts and keep your abilities current."

Kentucky resident Larry Dinsmore is proprietor of the site DamnINeedaJob.com, which sells T-shirts emblazoned with custom cover letters. He started the site while he was out of work, hoping it would inspire others. "These times require some creativity, and when you think you've done everything, there's always something else," Dinsmore says. "Don't just sit back and wait on responses to resumes. Be proactive and make things happen!"

Finally a bit of good news!

I received a handful of phone calls on this one today from both family and candidates. It is certainly a relief to hear some good news amidst all the dismal news we have heard over the past many months! Fingers crossed things start to lok up for everyone!

Wall Street resumes rally following housing report

Investors restarted Wall Street's rally Tuesday, buying financial and homebuilder stocks following a surprisingly upbeat report on home construction.

Major market indicators jumped more than 2 percent, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which added 179 points. The technology-heavy Nasdaq surged more than 4 percent after sliding Monday. Stocks have risen five out of the past six sessions.

The government's report that housing starts rose unexpectedly in February more than offset news that Alcoa Inc. is slashing its dividend.

The upbeat construction report provided the latest glimmer of hope for Wall Street and revived interest in the long-suffering housing industry. Stocks began rallying a week ago after Citigroup Inc. said it operated at a profit in the first two months of the year.

Similarly upbeat assessments from other troubled banks and better-than-expected readings on retail sales have led some investors to believe the market has been too pessimistic about the economy.

Stocks surged last week in a four-session rally that left market barometers up about 10 percent — the type of gains they might normally take a year to assemble. Buyers stepped in again Tuesday after stocks posted moderate declines on Monday.

Brett D'Arcy, chief investment officer at CBIZ Wealth Management, said relatively quiet trading the past two days is "a great sign" because it means investors are holding on to gains from week and aren't trying to grab quick profits. He said that indicates a base could be forming in the market. A week ago the Dow jumped 379 points in one session.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow rose 178.73, or 2.5 percent, to 7,395.70.

Broader stock indicators also advanced. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 24.23, or 3.2 percent, to 778.12, while the Nasdaq composite index rose 58.09, or 4.1 percent, to 1,462.11. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 17.23, or 4.5 percent, to 403.59. Four stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to a light 1.49 billion shares. Light volume indicates less conviction behind the market's moves.

D'Arcy said technology companies got an extra boost as investors moved back into those stocks after they fell sharply Monday.

The market has established a clear shift in tone over the past week. Jittery traders had blown apart earlier rallies this year by selling just as stocks managed to advance. A 20 percent run-up from late November until the start of the year fizzled as worries grew about the tattered balance sheets at large banks and signs that consumers will pulling back on their spending.

Renewed signs of balance in the economy since then have led investors to become more comfortable owning shares again.

Analysts caution that risks remain but investors embraced the data on home construction that came in well ahead of what economists had been expecting. Building permit applications, a key measure of future activity, also rose unexpectedly.

Tim Courtney, the chief investment officer at Burns Advisory Group, said the report was encouraging and could be part of an initial recovery in the housing market.

"We could be in the very early stages of some kind of normalization" in housing, he said. Many analysts say home prices have to stabilize before worried consumers will begin to increase their spending and the economy will begin to pick up speed.

In a rare burst of enthusiasm for anything related to the housing market, traders snapped up homebuilder stocks following the report. Pulte Homes Inc. rose 64 cents, or 6.7 percent, to $10.16, while Lennar Corp. jumped 68 cents, or 8.7 percent, to $8.52. Toll Brothers Inc. advanced 95 cents, or 5.9 percent, to $17.06.

Stocks of home supply retailers like Home Depot Inc. and Lowes Cos. rose more than 6 percent.

Traders looked past much of the day's bad news and also awaited the outcome of a two-day meeting of the Federal Reserve's interest rate committee that ends Wednesday. The central bank is widely expected to leave rates at their current historically low level, but the market will be keen to see how the Fed sizes up the economy in its statement that accompanies the decision on rates.

Craig Peckham, a market strategist at Jefferies & Co. Peckham, said he was encouraged that the decision by aluminum producer Alcoa to reduce its payout didn't send "shockwaves" through the market as he contends it would have just weeks ago.

Alcoa became the latest of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Jones industrial average to lower its dividend to conserve cash. The company said it was cutting its quarterly dividend 82 percent to 3 cents. It also said it plans to sell stock and debt to help reduce annual costs by more than $2.4 billion. Alcoa fell 53 cents, or 8.7 percent, to $5.59 and was one of only three stocks in the Dow to lose ground.

Creative Ways to Conduct Your Job Search

One of my favorite contacts in the industry just mentioned to me how rarely that I post on my Blog anymore. As such, it triggered me to make the time to write a quick post.

As so many of you know all too well, things have been incredibly tough out there in the industry with so many amazing people out of work. It's a frustrating and scary time for all! I have been working much less...not due to choice...but out of how tight our industry is right now. I can only think and agree with so many of you who believe that things will come back strong here soon enough!

With so many of you in job search mode, I thought it might be helpful to provide a few of my favorite sources and suggestions for tapping into versus the same old traditional methods of just posting your resume on one of the major job boards. I will try to focus on being better about posting more frequently and also focusing my posts on job search tips over the next several weeks. While I can't promise that I'll offer any new or earth shattering tips...I am hopeful perhaps one or two of the things I mention may hekp at least a few of you!

Worth sharing with you all, is that above and beyond knowing so many of you in the industry who are out of work right now, that several of my friends and family members have also been hit by the dismal economy. We had a gathering at my house a month or so ago and 4 of the 10 people had just been laid off from their jobs which seemed crazy to me! Both my sister and brother in law are unemployed. Mentioning this to you, as my brother in law ended up posting his resume on a variety of job boards. One of those ended up being craigslist.com While most people think of craigslist as a site to sell or buy items, there is indeed a huge presence of resumes, job postings and also many recruiters and companies who now surf the site in hopes of picking up their next employee. In this case, a local newspaper reporter spotted my brother in laws resume and called him to conduct an interview for a several week series of articles on people in our community who have been affected by the economy and had lost their jobs. After interviewing my borther in law, the reporter also interviewing my sister in law and did a large front page article and pictures on their family. While it has been too recent (just last week) to have any possible job offers or leads come of it, I thought it was worth sharing as you never know who or where your next job lead will come from. More than anything, it provided them a bright spot in both of their job searches with teh never ending process of sending resumes and not hearing back from those they applied to.

More next week...I will be putting some thought into other creative, out of the box type tips that I can come up with to try and asist you in your search efforts. Hang in there with your job searches and hope you all enjoy the weekend! : )

Project Managers, Estimators and skilled Drafters in high demand!

The steady demand for the need of commercial Project Managers, Estimators and skilled Drafters has increased tremendously over recent weeks. I have several opportunities across the country for these positions right now. If you are an experienced PM, Estimator, Drafter, etc. please send us your updated resume and we will call you to discuss current opportunities we are recruiting for in further detail! The residential side seems to remains bit stagnant right now...yet, there are a handful of really great companies still hiring! I am keeping an eye out for all of you in my network in case a potential fit arises. As always, please keep me updated on any changes at your end as well as letting me know if there are opprotunities you come across that you want me to call and represent you for prior to sending your resume into a company. Thanks!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! And...Wow! Seems like ages since I have posted anything here! Sorry for my lag...it seems the holidays easily took over! Thanks to those of you who have continued to email to check in and also send me your updated resumes. It has been a pretty frustrating past several months with lots of discouraging news in our industry and a struggle for many! The bright spot is that so many of you sound so optimistic and hopeful for a better start to 2009 - hiring authorities and candidates included! I love to hear that and we all know how good news travels fast...so truly feel it is only a matter of time that things will turn around and we'll see an increase of jobs to get so many of you back to work in fantastic careers! I have refrained and will continue to do so from posting any of the multitude of negative news regarding economy and our industry in particular here, as I too am optimistic and incredibly excited about the start of the new year ahead. Many of the companies I work with and communicate with had stellar years in 2008. I am hearing from many companies that they have no plans on hiring now, but do anticipating doing so more towards the tail end of first quarter/beginning of second quarter. Please continue to keep me posted on your job searches! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and wishing you a successful and happy 2009! : )

For Companies - New Prolyn Fee Menu

In upcoming weeks we will be mailing Prolyn's new innovative pricing menu to you. Our new fee menu was designed with all companies in mind and in an effort to be able to provide services at a variety of levels for any company's hiring needs. Some of you have already seen this menu and we appreciate all yoru input and feedback in helping us perfect it! It was really a lot of fun developing our pricing menu on what many of you hlped us understand was most important to you! We realize not all companies will require all of the services of a full recruitment search. Our fee menu was designed to in an effort to assist all companies regardless of their hiring needs and to assist in meeting any hiring budget. We realize tough economic times require creative and innovative alternatives to your recruitment costs without sacrificing the superior service from your recruiter. Keep an eye out for our mailing...or feel free to email or call us for additional information! Enjoy your Holidays!

Have you picked up employees from struggling industry companies?

As a follow up from my post last week, I wanted to share with you all the follow up from John Swanson (Editor at W&D) from the weekly email newsletter. I had emailed John my thoughts after reading last weeks issue, and he was kind enough to share my thoughts in his follow up along with their poll results - which were rather interesting! As always, would love to get your thoughts, input and opinion on this topic and any others that are important to you!

John G. Swanson
September 24, 2008
THE TALK... | Management

Survey Results for 09/17/2008:

We have:

Kept things pretty tight in our own company, so we're not hiring. 69%

Looked at possibility, but not found right people 15%

Picked up a few key people from struggling industry companies 13%

Hired many people from struggling industry companies 3%

The results from this week's poll make clear that most industry companies are in a "hold tight" phase. That's not too surprising--given the industry headlines we've seen lately. Some respondents indicate they are looking at picking up talent, however. Thirteen percent have taken the plunge and added a couple of people and 3 percent indicate that strengthened their workforces more substantially.

She admits it may not be easy to do, but Carlyn Burns, a recruiter in the industry with Prolyn Executive Search, emailed me to wrote to say "now is a better time than ever to hire people if you can afford it. It is beyond amazing how much great talent is out there for the taking right now. One company's layoffs or downsizing is another company's dream come true to often pick up a caliber of candidate that they would otherwise never get the opportunity to hire or even find."

Burns also reports, however, there's been a change in the past year, with more companies hiring outside the industry. The main reason behind this, she says, is that many companies are finding it harder to relocate candidates--"as in getting candidates that are willing to take the risk to sell their house and/or take a huge hit on the sale of their house to pick up and move."

She also suggests that "many companies are almost dissuaded by hiring industry experienced folks because they are so negative in attitude about prior window companies they have worked for and may potentially bring that negativity to their next company. " Burns goes on to note: "As I am sure you know all too well, many life long employee in this industry have given up total hope of the industry recovering and the industry being sustained and of course bad news travels quicker than good news. I think it is personally crazy and the industry will be just fine, if not better here soon. Yet, the majority of candidates I speak with are so down in the dumps and negative about the down turn in the industry that many of them are fleeing to other industries as well. That is the scary part to me."

Interestingly, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Burns reports that despite the struggles in the industry, "I have never been busier. It is baffling to many, as this year has most definitely been the one year within my involvement in the industry that I have seen so much distress and struggle with many companies in the industry, with layoffs, continual plant closings, etc. In any event, I remain busy…companies in the industry continue to hire me to find them people to fill their open jobs."

In light of the poll results, my take on her last observation is that more than a few companies are positioning themselves for the future. They have the resources--and probably don't carry the debt that other companies have--to invest for the long term. One thing I do know is that we have a lot of private companies in this business--family owned--that don't have to focus on the quarterly numbers and how financial analysts and other third parties will react. These companies have always focused on the long term and I suspect they're doing it now too.

Hire now if you can!

While I am sure many of you have already read the W&D weekly email newsletter, thought this snippet from John Swanson, Editor/Assocuate Publisher of W&D was worth repeating. His point makes great sense and I have personally seen many industry companies doing exactly this right now as there has never been a better time to pick up great industry talent.

A manufacturer contacted me not too long ago to see if I had heard any news about one its local competitors. The reason he inquired is that he was seeing an influx of people from this competitor looking for jobs at his operation.

While I hadn’t heard any news in this particular case, and I wasn’t much help, it reminded me of something said to me not too long ago. “If you can afford to do it, it’s a great time to hire people,” an industry supplier told me. “With some companies cutting back, there’s a lot of talent and knowledge available.”

September 11th Anniversary

We wanted to take a moment to honor and remember the 7 year anniversary of the traumatic terrorist attacks of 9/11. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this tragic day!

Reasons to Run From a Job Interview

Here's an excerpt from a great article on interview flags from Business Week (written by Liz Ryan). It is often difficult to gauge when to walk away from a job opportunity after a company has wooed you and put you through the interview wringer...hopefully the tips in this article will help provide some clarity on when to run and when to stick the process out! Enjoy!

When a prospective employer makes unreasonable demands on you before things start to get serious, it's a strong signal to hit the road.

Here's our list of Six Reasons to Run:

1) Your employment references are requested before a strong mutual interest is established. Any employer who values a job candidate also values his or her time and relationships. When a headhunter or company recruiter tells you "We'll need to call your references" too early in the game, they're sending a signal that the valuable time of your reference-givers is not nearly as valuable as the time that the company would waste in interviewing you before checking up on you. Your cue to bail.

2) The employer asks for your Social Security number or your approval for a credit or background check before strong mutual interest is established.

When a company says, "We need to check on you before we can spare the time to talk with you," it's time to get out of Dodge. A talent-focused employer will call you for a phone interview (at a minimum) before bothering you for personal information that they won't require if they don't make you a job offer. This type of batch processing shouts, "Get in line to genuflect." Keep looking.

3) You're sent a questionnaire (not a job application) or online test to complete before you've had any human contact with the employer, including a phone call. When a company makes its selection process more efficient by shoving tests in your face before so much as chatting with you, they're sharing their views on reciprocity. "Prove to us that you're worth our time" is not the message that a talent-aware employer sends to the talented people applying to use their talents on its behalf. Reciprocity works in the same that permission-based marketing does; you give something to get something at every step in the process. A smarter company will chat with you, answer your questions about the job, and then ask, "Would you mind filling out our questionnaire, as the next step in the process? Can I answer any questions for you, to help you feel comfortable investing more time in our company?"

4) Unreasonable or short notice to travel for interview. The Vortex becomes more powerful over time, and many a job seeker has called me excitedly to report, "They're flying me to New York City, tomorrow," without stopping to think: "Wait a second, they didn't ask me whether it was convenient for me to fly to New York City, now that I think about it." I know of one situation in which a candidate was pressured to fly to the company's headquarters on his wife's birthday. He was told, "If this isn't a priority for you, it isn't a priority for us, either." He wavered for an hour or two before telling them: "If my personal life and my most important relationship isn't important to you, I don't want to work for you." If they really want you, they can wait a day or two.

5) You're told you can't meet the team, or see the employee handbook, or meet clients (if appropriate) before an offer is extended. This is a big, neon red flag that plenty of job seekers miss in the swirling colors of The Vortex. You need to meet your co-workers. Period. You need to see the employee handbook, which you'll be expected to adhere to during your tenure with the company and which will govern your working relationship. If you will work closely with a client at a senior level, it could make sense for you to meet with someone from the client's team before accepting the job. Ask yourself: Why wouldn't they let me meet the team or read the handbook? What is this employer afraid of?

6) All communication is funneled through the HR rep or the headhunter. Practical matters, like interview times and paperwork flying back and forth, doesn't need to take up a hiring manager's time. It makes sense to have an HR point person or third-party recruiter handling communication with a candidate over these "mechanical" issues. But if you're really interested in a job and have a question for your prospective manager, the manager absolutely needs to take that call. If you can't get the manager's attention now, what makes you think you'll be able to when you work there?

Leave any of these six scary Vortex situations behind and don't look back—you'll have dodged a bullet. You have a lot to offer, and if an employer can't see it as the selection process unfolds, your talents are better used elsewhere.

Using Voice Mail to make a great first impression

Here's a great article my older brother sent me that provides some great tips on leaving impressionable voice mails during your career search. Enjoy!

Job seekers know there is more to a job search than want ads and e-mails. But when it comes time to make that phone call, are you really prepared? You might think leaving a message isn't a big deal, but it really is. Look at it this way; first impressions are always important, and sometimes a phone call is the first impression people have of you. So make the most of the phone calls you make. Job searching is a process, so take every aspect of it seriously. You never know what just might seal the deal.

Speak With Confidence There's not a lot you can do on the phone to sell yourself, so set out to perfect the basics. To start with, prepare what you're going to say and then make sure you feel confident saying it. The phone call should be brief but factual. You want to leave the most informational message possible without talking their ear off. If they're bored of you on the phone, they probably won't want to wait to see what you're like in person. Be clear and concise and tell them what they need to know. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Leave a message for a specific person. Anyone can call and say they're simply calling about a job or possible opening. If you do a little research to find out who you should speak to, it will only pay off. It will show that you have a sincere interest in the job and you're not afraid to go the extra mile to get what you want

Always know your employer. Find out about the company you're applying for so you can communicate to them how compatible you are as a candidate.

Practice what you're going to say. You don't want to sound like you're reading a script, but the more prepared you are, the more confident you will sound. Not to mention, if you're prepared to leave a message and you get a person instead, your delivery will be that much better.

Don't let an answering machine or voicemail scare you. You may be eager to get the ball rolling, but don't think of it as a blockade. Instead, consider yourself lucky. If you don't get a "live" person, you'll have more time to prepare what you want to say. This will give you time to get all your thoughts in order and make little or no mistakes.

My personal advice is to be cautious in who and how many sites you post your resume to as ther are uos and downs to utiliaing a resume blasting service. Downside is that your resume gets overstaurated and possibly sent out numerous times to teh same person making you look somewhat desparate...Upside is that the more it is out there, the more accesibility recruiters and hiring managers will have to be able to find you. If you decide to go this route, here are a few sites that may help:

If you're not getting as many leads as you think you should, try using the ResumeDirector service. It lets you get your resume posted on over 90 job sites at once, including Monster, HotJobs, CareerBuilder, etc. To find out more, visit: http://www.jobsearchinfo.com/rd.htm

To find out about ResumeArrow, a service that can get your resume sent instantly to thousands of recruiters specializing in your industry and geographical location, visit this web address: http://www.jobsearchinfo.com/dist.htm
Good luck!!!

Join me on Facebook!

Hi everyone!! I hope your summer is going well! Hard to believe how quickly it has flown by.

I have started to become more involved in different venues and resources in my recruitment focus and wanted to share with all of you what a possitive and powerful experience Facebook has been for me thus far. Not only is it completely addicting in reconnecting with old classmates or friends...but as you all know networking is the number one way to land that next dream job you are searching for! I have networked and tapped into so many amazing people thus far!

If you are already on Facebook or decide to join...please visit Prolyn's page at: (you will have to copy and paste the link!)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prolyn-Executive-Search/41805329304?ref=nf

And also feel free to link into my personal profile that has both hints of my personal life (lots of pictures of my beautiful daughter) and also hints of Prolyn throughout as well! To link into my personal profile, you will have to send me an invite through Facebook asking me to be your friend (sounds funny I know!! - it is just Facebook terminology!) as with Facebook one of the benefits is having to approve anyone that wants to link into your profile.

Look forward to linking in with you all and helping you all find your dream jobs...or candidates for that next hard to fill search!