CareerXroads^®Update - May 2008

By Gerry Crispin, SPHR and Mark Mehler
mmc@careerxroads.com

Since 1996 our Update has been published 10-12 times each year and aims to share commentary, observations, perspectives and data we come across during our staffing adventures. We hope you continue to enjoy it and pass it on to friends. All are invited to register for the Update for free. Coupled with our Bellwether, a provocative monthly look at trends we share with CareerXroads Colloquium members, we are always willing to challenge the accepted wisdom or poke a little fun at the staffing industry and ourselves in the process.
We invite you to keep in touch and join us during the year at the various conferences where we speak or simply attend.

May I please speak to James Cricket?
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The 2008 CareerXroads Mystery Job Seeker was James Knee Cricket (JimKnee Cricket to his friends). This year was different in that the two of us (Mark and Gerry) personally applied to all 100 Best Companies in America to Work For rather than engage our usual posse of volunteers.

The results are documented in a short 4-page article, How Are Job Seekers Really Treated by America's "Top" Corporations?

Since 2002 we have annually created a mystery job seeker some of whom have been up and coming credit and collections professionals (Vinnie Boombotz), others unassuming but eminently qualified admin assistants (Ted E. Baer).

Why do we create a mystery job seeker? We seek answers to the following questions:

• When I apply, am I the one this employer is looking for? (Am I your Target candidate or is someone else?)
• Is it clear to me why I should come to (or stay at) this company? (Engage me. Tell me why you are a "100 Best" company. Some firms don't even promote their award.)
• Was I able to find the information I need to support my reasons for applying here? (Can you really Inform me?)
• Was I thanked, offered next steps, promised feedback or status?

What we find too often is mind numbing frustration in the time it takes to apply and the challenges in simply passing on a few tidbits about our (James Cricket) background.

The good news is that more firms are actually responding to our initial submission with more than a curt reply and, when the position we've sought is filled, giving us the courtesy of telling us. Stay tuned for our list of the best corporate website pages among the Fortune 500.

Where you’ll find us next:
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• June 17: Rutgers University, NJ Higher Education Recruitment Consortium chapter meeting
• June 22-25: Chicago, SHRM Annual Conference
• July 22-23: Baltimore, CareerXroads Colloquium: College Recruiting hosted at The carey Business School of Johns Hopkins University

Full details of CareerXroads’ schedule can be found here.

Good Hunting! Gerry and Mark

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Recruiters and job seekers have permission to copy and distribute or post this update in full or part with the following restrictions. a) Let us know and b). We would appreciate your providing proper credits regarding CareerXroads including our names, URL and e-mail.

Links to CareerXroads are much appreciated but we provide no reciprocal agreements with any site. We want to maintain a level of objectivity free from even perceived conflict of interest regarding our opinions. We have no direct relationship with any job board or career site.

Gerry and Mark work full time consulting, educating and discovering how talent and opportunity connect through emerging technology. If we can be of help, you know how to reach us.

Copyright MMC Group © 1996-2008 all rights reserved.

CareerXroads
The Staffing Strategy Connection
By Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler
mmc@careerxroads.com - 732-821-6652