by Mike Ososki, PMP, Public Relations Committee
Six professionals: five expert recruiters + one Sr. Manager, all delivering abundant, savvy career advice. Last Monday at PMI’s Dunwoody Dinner, they poured it on, panel-style, answering job-related questions. LinkedIn and networking (including 2nd degree: “who knows who”) were heavily emphasized. Some individual highlights...
Lisa Leff, Director of Recruiting, Genuent
• Entrepreneur with 19 years IT staffing expertise; one of a group of triplets.
• Consultant vs. Direct Hire? Money and independence better as consultant.
• But Direct Hire gets benefits and more internal career growth opportunity.
• Be relevant in your resume; consider your audience.
• Network with people you know at prospective employer. Who knows who?
• Cite specifics during interview, not just generalities.
James Miskell, Deliver/Recruiting Manager, DISYS
• High Tech vertical specialist, Cornell grad. Agile practice continues to gain momentum.
• Network. Use good recruiters as good information source.
• Dress well in conservative attire for in-person interview.
• For each process, set expectations: next steps and timeline.
• Tell the truth in your resume; align it well with your LinkedIn profile.
• Be honest about compensation; generally, SMBs pay better than large companies.
Andy Schneider, Sr. Recruiter, Hollstadt
• Leads 7 recruiters, met girls in HS via ballroom dancing.
• Find ways to add value quickly; think like a consultant.
• Join and attend Meetups for your specialization; always be networking.
• Leverage relationships, eg: you know the hiring manager? Let your good recruiter handle it.
• Finding a good recruiter is like finding a good plumber.
• Pre-decide your priorities: compensation, location, etc.
Eric Klein, Sr. Manager, Delta Work Instruction Standards Group
• With the Delta family mostly since 1989, internal change agent.
• Company culture is high priority – will you fit well “in the work family?”
• Be sure your resume represents your certifications and education well; skills can be taught.
• Wear good clothes for your in-person interview (shoes, too :)
• Be proactive; don’t sit and wait: where you see needs, work to fill and meet needs.
• LinkedIn is beneficial, but not required.
John Wagner, Technical Recruiter, Synergis
• IT and creative recruiting since 2010, prior work as HR for high growth startup.
• Skills are typically very client-specific; Show your successes in your resume.
• Have a plan: network with 2-3 recruiters; set expectations and then follow up.
• Per CareerBuilder: PM 50th percentile pay is $116k, in range of $85-146k.
• ~1100 Project Manager openings, with ~900 good applicants.
• Prepare for “Project that failed?” question.
Merwin Peake, Lead Recruiter, North Highland Consulting
• 15 years of Big 4 Management Consulting; expertly scope the project; create order from chaos.
• Make your resume short and concise; online profiles should include picture.
• Prepare for “Why looking?”; have recent project examples, including size and budget.
• Everyone needs a cheerleader; to advance your career, ask for more responsibility.
• Work with people you like; consider the location and commute.
• PMP is good, but can you manage projects? What is your proven past performance?
You’ve likely heard much of this before, and there’s a good reason that it is often repeated: in the world of business, recruiting, talent acquisition, hiring, resumes and interviews, most of it is most often true.
Thank you to all of our panelists for their insights!
