In This Issue

Did you miss the Summer 2011 STReWay newsletter? We did, and that's because the job market has improved...companies are hiring and needing recruiting services, so we have been busy.

And a quick update on the hiring front: The National Association of Colleges and Employers expects hiring of new grads to be up 19% this year. And...the Big 4 social networking companies: Facebook, Google, Twitter and Zynga are expected to create around 10,000 new jobs.

And...we know that many of you are inundated with information; you receive far too many newsletters, so we are making a transition that will help us "keep in touch." Future issues of our newsletter will provide links to blogs and other newsletters that have information that we believe you might be interested in. If so, you can just click on those articles that are of interest to you. Also, if you see other articles you would like to share you can send them to editor@stresolutions.com.

We will continue to write our Recruiter Relations sections as we do know that our audience will benefit from our experience as recruiters and former operating executives.

Our highest priority at STRe Solutions is building long-term relationships with both jobseekers and hiring managers. The Recruiter Relations section of our newsletter offers ongoing tips to help you maximize your experience with a recruiter, regardless of whether you're seeking top talent to seamlessly join your team or searching for your next ideal position.

This quarter's focus is on interview preparation. The market for hiring has picked up recently and it is time to dust off your interview skills which may have become rusty during the downturn.

Good news...you have been called for an interview after networking into a great company through a former colleague. So now what? How do you prepare for the interview?

A couple of common sense things to do: 1) read the company website and see what is new, and what the press says about the company and its products, 2) for public companies, read the financial press releases and get a good understanding of their financials, and 3) see if there are any major news items.

Next make some notes as to what you can do for the company, how you will contribute to their success. If you are interviewing for a specific position, go over the job spec and outline why you can be successful, and if there is a skill you are missing, be prepared to talk about your ability to learn quickly.

Then there is the mental preparation. Rid yourself of all negative feelings - especially if you have been out of work for awhile. No one wants to hire someone who is feeling sorry for themselves or who seems too anxious for a job (even if you really are!). Remember, you have a lot to offer the company. Think positive, smile and portray a winning attitude.

There is something to be said about the old adage: "practice makes perfect." If it has been some time since you interviewed, ask a trusted colleague to help you prepare. Sit down with them and have them pretend to be interviewing you for the position. That practice session will get the bugs out so you can be on top of your game during the real interview.

Hiring Manager Tip #116

Interview Preparation

At last requisitions are open and you have some candidates lined up to come in and interview with you and your team. The first obvious part of the preparation is to decide on the interview team. Many hiring managers choose to meet first with the candidate themselves (or conduct a phone screen) and then arrange a set of interviews with their team. The phone interview is often a good idea if you want to screen for specific technical skills before you commit to bringing the candidate in.

Prior to the interview, review the candidate's resume and jot down some questions you want to ask. Be prepared to 'sell' the candidate on the opportunity to create a positive experience. Be careful not to oversell, but make sure you set the stage if you want to hire this candidate.

Brief the other interview team members on what you are looking for, and what you would like them to accomplish during the interview. Sometimes it works well to have each interviewing team member focus on a different set of skills during the interview.

Next quarter we will talk about "after the interview."

This year STRe will again support the Second Harvest Food Bank as our community holiday event. We will be working at the San Jose site on December 16th. If you are in the Cupertino area and have some canned goods you would like to donate to this very good cause, please drop off your donation at our office by December 14th and we will deliver it. All donors will receive a special STRe item for participating. If you would like to learn more information about Second Harvest Food Bank, please click here http://shfb.org.

December 1st the annual Festival of Trees event to benefit Achievekids will be held at the Palo Alto Country Club. AchieveKids schools provide special education and mental health services to children, ages 5-22, with complex developmental, emotional and severe behavioral problems as well as support for their families. If you are interested in attending or would like to be a corporate sponsor please contact Marilyn Kanas (marilyn@stresolutions.com) Board Vice-President. For information about Achievekids, click here www.achievekids.org.