The Bagg Group Blog

The recruitment practices of The Bagg Group, top employers in the GTA and ivy league universities in North America are all motivated by the same belief:  You can’t ever afford to sit back on your laurels. 

No matter how great your reputation is as an organization, to get the best people on your team, you have to go out and find them.  

As President of The Bagg Group, I can vouch for the effectiveness of this approach.  And to new hiring authorities who are disbelieving, I offer the case of Harvard University.

For the class of 2010, Harvard received a near-record of 23,000 applications.  If you posted a position on a job board in the last year, you probably had about the same number of resumes flooding your inbox, proportionally speaking.

Yet despite the fact that Harvard is one of the most desired universities with top-ranking students around the world, it’s renowned for its hard-working recruitment department.  It has a 35-person admission team that claims to travel to more places, in more countries, than any other ivy-league university. 

What’s more, Harvard also has an army of 8,000 alumni who actively seek out the high-school students who show the greatest leadership potential in their hometowns.

The result is that each of Harvard’s 2,100 first year students– 9% of the total number of applicants– are stellar candidates for success.

A top-notch staffing and recruiting agency needs to work in a similar way. I believe staffing solution experts must be extremely knowledgeable about the hard and soft skills that are most valuable for businesses in today’s climate.  They have to have tremendous understanding of what it is they are looking for. And the best recruiters are well connected, with networks everywhere.

Harvard, like our clients – who are leading employers in the GTA and Ontario - recognize that it is people that ultimately make the difference between success and stagnation.  And that’s why recruitment is a proactive science. 

In my next blog, I’ll be giving you the results of a survey that we conducted with private and public organizations across the GTA.  I know you’ll find it interesting.

Geoff Bagg

It feels like everyone is going back to school and going back to work after their summer holidays, except me. I am already doing everything I can to find a job, do you have any suggestions how I can do more?

At The Bagg Group, we know September can be tough month for job-seekers. It seems as if everyday life is revving up again after the slow days summer, and you are eager to be part of the back-to-work crowd. 

But don’t forget you are working at finding a job.  You are not unlike a salesperson who needs to find a client, or a customer. In your case, you need to find an employer.  And just like every good salesperson, you need top-notch marketing tools and up-to-minute knowledge to get a win.

Whether you are looking for full-time employment, contract work or temporary employment in the GTA, there are things you can be doing to help you stand out from the crowd.   Here are three R’s from recruiters at The Bagg Group. :

Revise your resume:  Don’t just list your responsibilities for each job you had, instead show each of your activities benefited the organization. Update with volunteer or contract work, again demonstrating how you helped meet objectives.

Revisit your contacts:  Send out a friendly short email, reminding your contacts of the type of position you are seeking and mentioning that you’ve updated your resume should they know of any opportunities.  If you know them well, attach the email. If you don’t, paste it into the body of the message. 

Research and read: Stay up-to-the-minute on your industry so that you are able to hold timely, informed conversations at any opportunity. Sharing insights and shop-talk gives you a competitive edge.  Top employers recognize knowledge when they hear it.  As do contacts in your network who will be more likely to pass on your name when they find you have a solid, impressive grasp of your subject.

September is a great month to reinvigorate your job search-and there is no better way to do that than to master the 3Rs.

At The Bagg Group, we remind candidates that looking for a job is a job.  And like any job, you can’t live, eat and breathe it 24-hours a day.  You need a break at the end of each day to recharge your batteries.

• Put in some hours daily on writing covering letters, fixing up your resume, making calls, thinking about interview questions and answers. But when your tasks are complete, give yourself a mental holiday. Go biking, go for a walk, catch a movie, play with the kids, listen to your favourite music.
• List all of the things you like to do, or you’d like to try, such as gardening, hiking, painting. Then see if you can find a group to join which does these activities. It’s energizing to be with people who share your interests.
• Looking for a job can be a lonely business so spending time with others is more important than ever. It’s excellent to network to find full-time job opportunities, contract work or temporary work. But it’s also worthwhile to meet with people just for the joy of it. And to talk about something other than your job hunt.
• Volunteer as much as possible. And don’t feel that every task you do as a volunteer has to develop a career skill. Helping out at a marathon or sorting food at the Food Bank is a chance to get involved, meet people and make a valuable contribution. And that makes you feel good, which is good for you.
• Working on your personal interests as you job hunt is not a waste of time. It’s an excellent strategy for when seeking job opportunities. Employers at companies across the GTA confirm that depressed people do not interview well. Hiring authorities are like everyone else-they gravitate towards positive, upbeat people.
• Above all, allow yourself to laugh every day. It’s long been established by medical researchers that laughter can lower the level of stress hormones and increase endorphin levels, the body’s natural feel good chemicals.

Attitude is important and right now, one of your jobs is to do what you can to maintain a positive one…and that’s a task you are meant to enjoy.

Whether you want temporary work, a full-time job opportunity or contract work,  twittering can work for you. But if you twitter inappropriately, it can work against you.

Never write a tweet that would embarrass you if it fell into the wrong hands. There are already too many stories about people who have interviewed for jobs in the GTA and afterward made what they thought were funny comments about the experience on Twitter.  Sure enough, those tweets were spotted by people within the organizations who were not amused. 

The Globe and Mail recently reported on a story that stands as a warning to all job seekers.  A candidate sent a tweet about being offered a job at Cisco, the high-tech giant in California, that read in part: “Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh…a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.”

In less than hour, this twitterer received a message back from Cisco and lost her job offer.

For tips on how to twitter properly, check out the article 50 Terrific Twitter Tips for Job Seekers.

 Meanwhile, the recruiters at The Bagg Group have put together this list of short tweets for you that are words to twitter by:

• Create an easy-to-remember Twitter name. Make sure it’s not silly and won’t make potential employers wonder about you.  
• Put your professional Web site or even your personal LinkedIn url on your Twitter profile.
• Don’t get too casual. Twitter is an informal way to spread information but you want to project a professional image.  Use correct grammar and spelling to help your image.
• Don’t post anything inappropriate.  When it doubt, leave it out.  You don’t want potential employers to question your judgment or good taste.
• Follow and connect with people with similar interests to network.
• Follow up off of Twitter. Don’t rely on Twitter to make all the connections for you. Network off Twitter or follow up with an e-mail when it’s appropriate.

As discussed in the previous blog, productivity melts in the summer heat.  So it’s a good time to start implementing time-savers so that your staff don’t lose any more minutes from their day than necessary.

Minutes matter, according to a study on work interruptions by Dr. Gloria Mark, associate professor at the University of California.  In her study, Dr. Mark shadowed 36 managers, financial analysts, software developers, engineers, and project leaders for three entire days.  The researchers timed, to the second, how much uninterrupted time people had while on the phone, working on a document, typing an email or interacting with a colleague.

According to the findings, the average amount of time that people spent on any single activity before being interrupted or switching to something else was only 3.05 minutes.

Juggling so much at once may sound like multi-tasking.  But Dave Crenshaw, author of The Myth of Multitasking, argues that the brain is incapable of focusing on multiple tasks at the same time.  He says studies show that rather than working simultaneously on several activities, we actually switch rapidly back and forth between tasks.  And every time we do, our focus and productivity slips.

With decades of working with GTA employers on staffing solutions to our credit, The Bagg Group has compiled this quick tip list for buoying productivity, minute by minute.

Think about disabling the Reply All button.  Neilsen reported great success with this technique as a way to cut down on overloading staff with unnecessary email.    

Start off every written communication with your most important info.  Known as the inverted pyramid, this style of writing helps people get clear on what they need to know, very quickly. Whether writing emails or enrollment packages, lead with the most pertinent points.  Once you get your key info out of the way, you may find you don’t need to add much more.  That saves writing and reading time.

Break tasks into small steps.  It’s helpful to the time-stressed when you specify the individual steps you that are required.  It’s equally useful to help an employee prioritize to fit these tasks into an already busy day.

Think twice about meetings.  If a meeting is strictly to impart standard information, consider sending a to-the-point email instead, and inviting questions by email in return.

Assign tasks per skill. Maximize output by ensuring employees aren’t wasting their energy on tasks that don’t require their skill level.  Reassign or consider temporary or contract workers to keep focus where you need it.

This summer, make the most of every moment.

You might expect that on a scorching day no one would expect you do to drive or take public transit to a job opportunity in the GTA in full business attire. Sadly, you would be wrong.

It doesn’t matter which jobs you are seeking; you have to dress for success, regardless of the weather. Whether you want a full-time position, contract work or temporary employment, your interviewer is going to be looking for professionalism. 

Even on days when it’s so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.

Remember, you aren’t meeting with your interviewer outside, where they too would be aware of the heat and want to bare their arms.  Instead, hiring authorities are working in air-conditioned cool offices and aren’t thinking about the weather.  So the last thing you want to do is show up looking hot, bothered, and dripping with sweat.

At The Bagg Group, we advise all those hunting for jobs in the heat to follow these 4 tips.

1. Even if your interview is on a casual dress day, don’t show up wearing shorts and sandals.  Keep your look professional. Once you get the job, you can dress as the employees do.

2. You do want to be comfortable, so keep clothing simple and not tight. But men still need to wear a tie. And both women and men need to wear a jacket in the interview. It may be tiresome to carry on the way to the interview, but a jacket hides a million wrinkles, and perspiration.

3. You can wear summer shoes but not the kind of casual sandal you might wear to the beach.

4. If there’s a washroom in the hallway before you arrive at reception, stop in to tame your hair, run cold water over your hands and wipe the sweat from your brow.  If there’s not, ask directions from the receptionist before she or he lets the interviewer know you have arrived.

All you have to do is get to the interview.  As soon as you exit the building, you can take off the jacket, roll up your shirt sleeves, change into flat sandals and go for freezing cold iced coffee.

There’s a myth that there is no point looking for a job during the holiday season.  Companies and recruitment firms work all summer long, so there’s no reason to believe all business comes to a complete standstill. At The Bagg Group, we advise that you don’t stop looking for a job until you find one, regardless of the season. 

There are some advantages to looking for jobs in the GTA during vacation times.  The pace at many businesses may be slower so it can be an ideal time to network over a coffee or to seek informational interviews.  As well, there can be less competition since many job-hunters do take the summer off.

Of course, we’d all rather be sailing.  That’s why at The Bagg Group we offer these tips for how to keep job-hunting and still enjoy the summer. 

Adopt summer hours.  Offices do it, and looking for a job is no different than any other work.  Get an extra early start to your workday and give yourself the promise that you’ll complete your job-hunting activities before the afternoon is out.

Use a daybook.  List two or three job hunting activities for the day.  These are tasks that are within your control to complete, such as researching job-boards, applying for a job, touching base with your references, rewriting your resume.   Estimate how long each task will take and schedule it like you would a meeting with yourself.  In this way, you can enjoy the rest of your day, guilt-free.

Consider volunteer work.  Many volunteer organizations need help in the summer when regular volunteers go off on vacations. This is a great time to help out and it’s good for your resume.  As well, volunteering is another way to network, and acquire references if necessary.

Temporary work opportunities.  Whether you are looking for a full-time job, a temporary job, or a contract job, the summer may offer up unexpected opportunities to serve as fill-in while regular staff is on holiday.  Any such opportunities are worth your while.

Finally, it’s important to stay-up-to-date in your field, year-round.  But there’s nothing that says you have to do your reading indoors.  Make a patio your office away from your home office.

We have seen candidates hired who have one poor reference but two to three great ones. So one bad reference doesn’t mean it’s all over for you.

What do recruiters want to learn from your references? At The Bagg Group, we focus on your strengths and areas for improvement.

Nobody expects that your reference will describe you as a perfect employee, since none of us are perfect. In any case, you can be assured that recruiters are extremely skilled at interviewing references, and at listening not just to answers but to tone of voice.

In other words, we know very well how to tell the difference between what is personal opinion and what is an objective assessment of a candidate’s skills.

Whether you are looking for a full-time job, contract work, or temporary work, you will need references. So make a point of staying in touch with your reference provider as you seek job opportunities in the GTA so that they are ready and willing to talk about you.

We put together this reference tip sheet to help you, and us, work with references.

Provide titles and contact information for each of your references. We only call the contacts you provide. If your reference is traveling or out of town, don’t worry. We will contact them by email. And by the way, recruiters prefer not to call references on cell phones. If we must, we have to call the reference provider’s company to verify their position.

Whenever possible, get a letter of reference. This is very helpful if, during the time of your job search, you are unable to locate your reference provider.

Tell your reference what type of role you’re going for. Let your reference provider know the type of job you’re applying for, and the skills it demands. This way, they’ll be able to respond more appropriately to questions.

Test the waters. Make a point of asking, “What type of reference will you provide me?” This way, you’ll know whether you want this person as your reference or not.

Be upfront with your recruiter. If you believe your reference may have areas of concern, tell your recruiter about it. We understand, and honesty is always the best policy.

Recruiters prefer to call three references. And you can list contacts at your volunteer work if you don’t have many references.

References almost always want to help you get a job, not stop you. Give your reference and your recruiter the accurate information they need, and let your expert recruiter handle the rest.

If the only voice you’re hearing is your own, then you are likely talking too much.

But you’re not alone in gabbing more than you should. According to a US survey, 36% of recruiters believe the biggest mistake job applicants make is talking too much in an interview.

It’s understandable. Many candidates believe a job interview is supposed to be all about them. It’s not. The reason for the interview is to find out how you can help an organization meet its needs. In other words, it’s all about the company, not about you.

Whether you’re meeting with recruiters or employers in the GTA for temporary work, contract work or full-time job opportunities, keep the following six tips in mind. They’re tried-and-true strategies for ensuring hiring authorities will stay listening to what you have to say.

Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes. Now think about your speaking points, and ask yourself, “Why should the company care?” Is the information you’re sharing clarifying how you can help meet the company’s needs? If not, you’re off topic, and you could lose the interviewer’s interest very quickly.

Think of your interview as a presentation. The interview may feel informal, but remember that this isn’t a casual chat with a new friend over coffee. Your interview is always a business meeting and the interviewer has an agenda. It’s helpful to think of your interview as a presentation, and the interviewer as your client. Your presentation must meet client needs and interests, engage them, and be to the point.

Make sure you’re having a dialogue, not a monologue. People get restless and irritated when they are talked at. So make sure you are talking with your interviewer and asking questions that show your interest in what they have to say. People want to know you have listening skills.

Do some research. According to an international survey of executive search firms, 22% of candidates make the mistake of not learning about a company before they go in for an interview. If you are seeking contract work or full-time job opportunities in the GTA, you will want to do some research into the organization so that your conversation will be more informed.

Role play. At The Bagg Group, we help candidates prepare for interviews. Here’s a good way to prepare if you are on your own. Write down a list of questions and answers you expect to be asked. And be sure to anticipate follow-up questions too.

Here’s how this works. You can expect to be asked, “What’s your biggest weakness?.” (By the way, the best way to answer that question is to show how you are improving in an area of challenge.) But let’s say you choose to answer: “I’m a workaholic.” Be prepared for a follow-up question. The interviewer may ask, “So how many hours a week do you work?” or “What time do you usually arrive at work in the morning and what time do you leave?” Do you have an honest answer ready?

After you answer the question, stop talking: When people are nervous, they often tend to repeat themselves. And the longer you talk, without saying anything new, the more you reduce the value of your answer. So make your point and stop. You make a greater impression when you give the interviewer a chance to respond to what you’ve been saying or ask you another question.

Above all, never lose sight that the interviewer isn’t meeting with you to be entertained or to hear your life story. The interviewer just wants to hear about how you can contribute to the company. Stay focused on that, and the conversation will work for both of you.

At The Bagg Group, the first thing we would tell you is, “Please, don’t take it personally.”

Of course, we know that’s easier said than done. But here’s why we say it.

There are many, many factors that go into every recruitment decision. If we don’t call you for an interview this time, it’s likely for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with you.

Recruiters understand that you are eager to work, whether you’re seeking full-time job opportunities in the GTA, or temporary employment or contract work.

But here are the top two reasons why staffing agencies may not call you for an interview, even when you feel you meet all the job requirements.

As an example, a GTA employer could specify that the first round of people they want to interview are those who have worked within a particular industry, or even a specific company, for a minimum period of time.

Or they may give preference to candidates who, in addition to meeting essential criteria, also have expertise in a complementary area.

And finally, it’s not uncommon for employers to change their criteria as the job search progresses.

Even as we continue our search, we present solid applicants to our clients.

It could be that the employers are happy with the initial candidates we put forth and don’t wish to interview more.

It can also happen that the employers decide not to fill a position, or to put their search on hold.

But here’s a tip, particularly for those seeking temporary work opportunities: It may help your chances if you send your resume very late at night or very first thing in the morning so that it is at the top of the recruiters’ inbox when they get in to work the next day.

Revisit your resume if, over time, it has never generated interest. Make sure it’s a well-crafted resume that highlights you achievements in your field, and is free of typos, bad grammar, confusing descriptions, etc.

Avoid the temptation to call us…please. Put your time and effort into a new search instead.

To recap: If we haven’t called you for an interview, it’s either because the position is on hold or no longer available, the client is not interviewing any more candidates, or your resume doesn’t match the employer’s very detailed requirements.

Recruiters receive as many as 200 resumes every single day, and we do screen them. But as you can imagine, there aren’t enough minutes in the day for us to field calls from applicants wondering why they haven’t been asked for a meeting.

Remember, as recruiters, we use several avenues for networking and so should you. Consider social and peer networking, volunteer work, meeting former colleagues for coffee.

Visit this blog often for job-hunting tips.

Keep looking, there will be other opportunities.

Finally, and most importantly, don’t get discouraged and don’t take it personally!!