Burchard and Associates, Inc.: Accounting, Financial Recruiting Firm, Professional Recruiting Services

How to: Find a New Job While Currently Employed

ronda — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:03:47 +0000

In the course of your career, it’s likely that you may be employed but interested in finding a position elsewhere. Whether you’re unhappy with your current company or just seeking new opportunities, this can be a difficult situation for many employees to maneuver. How can you successfully search for – and land – a new job while still employed? As professional recruiters, we understand these challenges and can offer you tips for the next time you’re looking for a new position.

Do it on your own time. If you work from 9-5 everyday and the new positions you’re considering are also during typical office hours, the odds are that you’ll be asked to do a phone or in-person interview sometime while on the clock. To respect your current employer, it’s best to schedule these interviews either before or after work hours or during your lunch hour. If the time it takes you to drive to the new office and back and the interview last over an hour, plan on taking a half day off work. While you might plan on leaving your current company, it’s still important to respect their time.
Use recruiters. As professional recruiters, we have experience in navigating difficult situations – like finding positions for individuals who are already employed. While you’re at your current job, we can be searching for open positions that could turn into your future career.
Ask interviewers not to contact your current employer. If you change your mind about your current position, or are unable to find a new one in a timely manner, you’ll want to ensure your job security. That means your current employer should not know about your job hunt. Ask your interviewer to contact former employers who can give you a good reference without ruining your reputation with your current job. This fulfills both your needs and the needs of the interviewer.

While the job hunt can be stressful for the unemployed, currently employed individuals face some unique hurdles. By following these tips, you can successfully find a new job without burning any bridges at your current place of employment.

Share/Bookmark

Negotiation Time: How to Get the Pay You Deserve

ronda — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:12:16 +0000

Last week, we discussed how to discuss the subject of a raise with your boss. In today’s economy, many workers might feel undervalued or underpaid in their current job but say nothing for fear of losing their position. As recruiters, we believe a little bit of negotiation can go a long way in the workplace. However, asking for a raise or negotiating your new pay is more of an art form than a demand. To help prepare you for the next time you’re negotiating for better pay or benefits, remember these tips.

Don’t be afraid to talk to company veterans. Experienced employees from your company can be one of the best resources before talking to your boss about a raise. If they’ve been with the company for a few decades, chances are they know a lot about the company and can give you some valuable insight into the standard protocol for raises. Don’t go into the negotiation blindly – make sure you know a thing or two about how your boss (and the company) has responded in the past.
Ask for the “intangibles.” While your first goal in a negotiation might be a salary increase, some companies might not have this in their budget. If this is the case, go for the “intangibles” like more vacation time or flexible hours. These are benefits that can make your employment more enjoyable and may take less negotiating.
Leave the door open for discussion. If a raise just isn’t in the cards at this time, be sure to leave the door open for this discussion later in the year. Not all raises come at the end of the year, so ask your boss if this is a topic you can revisit at the end of the quarter. There’s no need to wait until December to discuss your salary.

For many of the employees and candidates we work with, salary negotiation is something they have had to tackle before. Negotiation tactics vary by employee and company, but by remembering these basics, you can go into your next negotiation with much more confidence.

Share/Bookmark

Ask and You Shall Receive

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:37:59 +0000

Do you feel underutilized at work? Does your pay not accurately reflect your skillset or workload? Well, what are you doing to resolve these issues? In a perfect world, everyone would be paid fairly. Unfortunately, the workforce just doesn’t operate that way. However, one can receive that much needed monetary boost by simply exercising the power of suggestion.

Here are a few tips that will not only help you better present your case, but put you in a stronger position to succeed.

#1 Show Your Value: Never assume your boss knows all the ins and outs of your typical work day. In larger offices, it can become virtually impossible to know the exact value of each employee. This is where your ambitious side needs to shine. When you’re involved in a major project or you accomplish something of significance, make sure your boss is in-the-know. If your boss sees your value to the company, they will be much more inclined to give you that raise.

#2 Don’t Get Attached: When you personally invest yourself into a company, it can become quite difficult to say goodbye. However, if you want to be paid what you feel you deserve, you have to be willing to move on. If your employer fears they might be losing you, it may cause them to realize your value.

#3 Stay Positive: It’s easy to get discouraged when things aren’t going your way, but it’s important to keep a positive attitude. Being curt or disrespectful to your superior is never—under any circumstances—a good idea. If you feel you are being treated unfairly, you need to present your case and back it up with facts. Remember: the more polite and professional you are, the more likely they’ll take your case into consideration.

As recruiters, we know what employers are looking for in a candidate searching for employment in the financial industry. If you’re an executive professional currently searching for a new opportunity, contact us today to learn more!

Share/Bookmark

The Job Search: Get a Good Night’s Sleep

ronda — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:47:24 +0000

Remember how awful the beginning of the school year was when you were a teenager? For three long months you did what you wanted, when you wanted. If you felt like staying up late: no problem. If you wanted to sleep in: no problem. Little did you realize at the time—there was a problem! The poor sleeping habits you picked up would cause you to be tired and less productive the first few weeks of the school year.

The same predicament can happen when you’re unemployed. When you don’t have a set schedule, you tend to sleepwalk (no pun intended) through life. You might be thinking: “Well, when I get a job I’ll start a schedule again.” But the longer you’re out of a set sleeping schedule, the harder it is to return to one.

When you’re searching for a job, it is important to create a schedule, even if none of the tasks are time sensitive. Make it a point to get up every morning like you were getting ready for work, but instead spend that time applying for jobs. Having this schedule will both help you when you return to work, and when you start to line up interviews.

Many of your interviews may be bright and early before the employer’s day gets into full swing. Of course, you need to appear vibrant and energetic in these interviews. Why would you want to hire someone who looks tired and listless?

Don’t believe us? According to WebMD, a lack of sleep and can significantly impact performance and alertness while on the job. Even if your sleep is just reduced by a mere 1.5 hours per evening, it could result in your alertness decreasing by as much as 32 percent.

Need help landing that next great job? As recruiters, we know what employers are looking for in a candidate. If you’re an executive professional currently searching for a new opportunity in the financial industry, contact us today!

Share/Bookmark

Age is just a number… or is it?

ronda — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:07:55 +0000

Since the market collapse of 2008, it’s been a rough go for millions of Americans searching for work—regardless of the industry. As you can imagine, with this many people on the job hunt—and a limited amount of openings—the process can become quite competitive. The amount of experience, education and overall general background will all come into play during the selection process. However, there is another characteristic that could come into play—age.

Age discrimination is nothing new, but it has always been pretty one-sided. When you think of age discrimination, you think of a company opting to hire someone younger with less experience so they can pay them a lower salary. However, could the general consensus be making a complete 360?

According to a recent USA Today article, unemployment among recent college graduates in the financial industry jumped to 5.5%, the highest it’s been since 2000.

Why the sudden leap? Instead of filling entry-level positions with young, fresh faced kids many, companies are choosing to hire unemployed seasoned vets willing to take a drastic pay reduction. It makes sense when you analyze the situation: you’re getting someone that will be able to overperform in the position and you don’t have to pay them a wage that reflects their level of experience.

Sound off: Are you a recent college graduate who has lost out on an entry-level position to an older more experienced candidate?

Share/Bookmark

The Art of Writing a Cover Letter

ronda — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:09:20 +0000

As recruiters, we field cover letters and résumés on a daily basis. While some are extremely well crafted—perfectly showcasing all of their skill and attributes—some just fail to hit the mark. We understand that many of you may have a family, a second job and other obligations, but you must invest time and effort to your cover letter. In this blog entry, we will offer up a few trusty tips that will not only improve your cover letter, but will help you land the job of your dreams!

#1 Personalize it: There is nothing worse than a carbon copy cover letter. Sure it makes life a lot easier for you, but it doesn’t say much about your work ethic. Employers like prospects who have done their homework. By not doing your homework about the position shows that maybe you don’t really care about the job opportunity. If you don’t care about them why should they care about you?

#2 Highlight Your Resume: Whatever skill or experience you possess that best fits the position be sure to make that the focus of the introduction. Given the amount of cover letters a place of business may receive for a job opening, make sure the beginning grabs their attention.

#3 Spell Check: Even in the digital era where every computer has a built in spell check function, it is still common to find submitted cover letters and résumés with spelling and grammatical errors. The best way to avoid this issue is by simply taking your time. Scan each sentence carefully, checking for any minor typos you may have missed. Also, if possible hand it off to another person for a second pair of eyes. Remember: any cover letters with typos will get immediately filed to the bottom of the pile.

As recruiters we know what employers are looking for in a candidate searching for employment in the financial industry. If you’re an executive professional currently searching for a new opportunity, contact us today to learn more!

Share/Bookmark

It’s All in the Job Title

ronda — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:39:51 +0000

It may sound trivial, but job titles matter—no matter the industry. In our everyday communications, we use job titles to describe and understand where one another fits in the company hierarchy and in the industry as a whole. If titles weren’t important, why would we put them on our business cards? Your title tells someone what you do, what department you work in and, often times, whether you are a decision maker within your company.So what does this tell hiring managers and HR department heads?

When you are looking to fill a position, be sure to evaluate the job title that’s associated with the position of interest. For example, if you are hiring for an Account Executive of Accounting, list the position opening as such. If you simply list “Account Executive”, you may see a large number of applicants, but the likelihood that those applicants are qualified for the position at hand will be lower than if the job were listed with a more specific title.

Once hired, clear job titles make it easier for employees to understand their job expectations and responsibilities. It’s common for people to make assumptions: to prevent typical assumptions regarding job responsibilities, be sure to not only provide clear titles to employees, but job descriptions as well.

As recruiters we use our experience and industry knowledge to understand the job behind the titles with which we match our candidates. If you are an executive professional currently searching for a position in the financial industry, contact us today to learn more about working with our recruiters.

Share/Bookmark

Is Your Business Prepared for the New Year?

ronda — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:02:02 +0000

It’s that time of the year again—it’s time to make sure your business has all its ducks in a row to start the new year. You’ve used December to reflect on the past year and now, in this last week of December, it’s time to focus on your company’s new goals for the upcoming year. It’s time to evaluate things by cleaning house, making sure those financial reviews are completed and getting ready for success in 2012. With that in mind, here is a list of some items to consider:

What projects could you reorganize to save time and improve efficiency?

What times are your employees most productive and how do you use that specific time?

What do you need to do to get your business in the best shape possible?

How could you better organize your office?

Does your marketing calendar and budget make sense for 2012?

Are you utilizing your case studies and accomplishments to best represent your business?

We’ve all heard the saying that those who fail to plan, plan to fail, which is why it is so vital to use this last week of 2011 to adequately prepare for 2012. We hope that this short checklist will help make your 2012 planning easier.

From all your friends at Burchard and Associates, Happy New Year and best of luck in 2012!

Share/Bookmark

Listening: The Key to Landing the Perfect Position

mwright — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:00:46 +0000

When you’re an executive-level professional and find yourself on the job hunt, you don’t have time for missed opportunities. It takes a well-defined combination of qualities and processes with a proven, positive track record of success to stay competitive in the financial recruiting industry. The leaders at Burchard and Associates stand out to executive-level professionals for a number of reasons, but the most important reason of all is that they really understand the needs of their candidates.

In particular, Steve Burchard is highlighted in a recent client testimonial as being a go-to resource for professionals. Steve’s experience has taught him that listening to client’s expectations and concerns is the key to making quality placements that please both employers and executives. To learn more about what makes Burchard unique, watch our recent video testimonial.

Share/Bookmark

The Importance of Making an Informed Decision in Your Job Search

mwright — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:25:00 +0000

After several months on the job search, it comes as a huge relief to be offered a position in your respected industry. As easy as it is to get ahead of yourself in the acceptance process, it’s important to take a moment to sit back and re-evaluate the position to ensure it is the best possible fit for your career. The job search process is a long, tedious and exhausting journey, which is why many people find themselves in less than ideal roles that they commonly accept out of simply the pure excitement of the moment. It’s important to take the time to ask yourself serious questions about the position you are about to accept. Some questions to consider:

How will this company utilize my experience and skills?
Will I be able to grow beyond my position’s responsibilities?
Is the work environment conducive to my work style?
Can I envision myself working with this company for years to come?
Do I understand the requirements and expectations that come with this position?
Will I feel professionally satisfied in this position?
Will the company provide me with the necessary tools to be successful?
What potential problems can I foresee in accepting this job, if any?
Are there clear, projected benchmarks for me to succeed?

When offered a position, make sure you appropriately review your offer by asking the questions above. Use this evaluation to picture how this position can work for you; it will help you make an informed decision.

Share/Bookmark