Career Derailers

What’s a career derailer? Imagine or remember your first promotion. First, you got the team leader role, then a better title and a raise. Then on to department manager — you are on top of the world — then something happens. Questions are asked about whether you can think strategically, whether you have what it takes. That fast track career has stalled, or worse yet, fallen off the tracks – a career derailed.

Aureus Group Recognizes Employee of the Year

Celebrating with professionals from each of the staffing divisions within C&A Industries, Inc., Aureus Group was thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of our 2011 Employee of the Year, Jacque C. at our Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, September 15.

Be the CEO of Your Career

Your organization’s success depends upon its people and effectively utilizing human capital. Aligning competencies, culture, and direction is everyone’s responsibility.

Last week I facilitated a workshop titled, “Be the CEO of Your Career”. The audience was predominately senior level developers who are navigating through the expert career ladder versus the management career ladder. It’s my belief that all technical professionals, including accounting / finance, IT / IS, sales, marketing, HR, etc. are confronted with the technical versus management dilemma. How do you know which is right for you?

Tips for Dealing with Work Jerks

In my last blog spot, I examined the criteria Robert Sutton outlines in his book, The No Asshole Rule, which helps one identify certifiable a-holes in the workplace. We’ve all dealt with them before and there’s a strong likelihood we’ll cross paths with more of them in the future, as much as it pains me to admit. If only the workplace jerk was a species on the verge of extinction….

Job Seekers: Stop Working So Hard!

I had someone apply for 15 of our job openings the other day. Fifteen! And all the job openings called for completely different skill requirements. Before even opening this person’s resume I’m thinking: What a waste of my time. Just seeing those 15 messages in my inbox, I was completely turned off. I didn’t even want to look at his resume, but I did. Sure enough, this was not a candidate I could market or present to any of my job openings. His resume bared no resemblance to any of my postings. What was he thinking?

Interviewing Pitfalls, Part 1: Handling Tough Questions About Your Past

The old adage of “you are what you are” is really very true. What happens in the past is written into history in ink and cannot be erased. We remember fondly the great times, and tend to flush away the painful memories. There is nothing wrong with that necessarily, it’s just that, a first interview is typically a screening out process, and certain questions are posed in order to aid this process. Answering technical questions is likely going to be the easy part of an interview. It’s the stuff about our imperfect selves that is really hard answer for most of us. Here are some common landmines to step around.

The Dating Game of Job Hunting

Searching for a new job opportunity can be a lot like dating. The candidate is “playing the field,” trying to determine what opportunity is going to be the best match. The hiring manager is trying to “woo” the candidate by showing all the perceived benefits of stepping into this position and joining their team. Both parties often conduct research on one another, trying to gather insights on what it would really be like to engage in a full-blown working relationship.

The Power of Fear in Making Career Decisions

Nothing plays so strongly as the element of fear in any important decision. This is really evident when making any kind of expensive purchase. I had a guy in my house recently hawking a machine that is guaranteed to remove all allergenic and pollutant particles from the air in my home.

I was intrigued with the product, but the only reason he made it in the door was the free mp3 player. What can I say? Mine recently broke and I needed a new one. That being said, I do suffer from allergies, and the product seemed to be a good one. So, I watched in feigned amazement as this self anointed “best in-home sales professional in the U.S.” worked his way through his schtick. All the way asking me questions like, “How important is the health of you and your family?” And, “If you could improve the health of your children, would you?”

Temporary Work on the Rise

One of my clients recently asked me for a helpdesk person for a 6-8 week contract. Since I place people in temporary as well as full-time positions all the time, I was confident I could fill this position for my client. Several of my helpdesk candidates are currently unemployed so I left a few voicemails and awaited some positive responses. To my surprise, of the five people I called I received not one, not two… but FOUR rejections from unemployed candidates. “Did you find a new position?” I asked them. “No, but I don’t want to lose my Unemployment.” Is that really the purpose of Unemployment? To discourage people from working?

Aureus Group Parent Company, C&A Industries, Named Among Best Places to Work for Third Consecutive Year

C&A Industries, Inc., parent company to Aureus Group, a leading provider of staffing and recruitment solutions, with a specialization in accounting & finance, information systems & information systems, and executive level search, has been named among the “Best Places to Work” in Omaha for the third consecutive year.