December 2010

At Laufer and Associates, our goal is to build and maintain rewarding relationships with our clients and candidates.  We are here to help you every step of the way throughout your career search.  With the work of our talented and friendly recruiters and staff, you can be sure we are giving the best advice we have to offer.

Interviewing is the most important part of getting a job. The following are steps to take before, during, and after your interview.

An excellent starting point is to take an inventory of your successes.  Make sure you can think of stories and examples to draw upon.  Your achievements are something the interviewer will want to hear about (and you should want them to hear about)!  These examples should be engaging so the interviewer will ask to hear more.  The next step would be to figure out who you are, what you want to do, and what you have to offer the business.  In addition, you should research the company you are going to be interviewing with.  Take at least thirty minutes to look at the company website.  Some things to look for are their mission statement, short term and long term goals, as well as key players in their market.  After the completion of your research, formulate questions that demonstrate your interest and desire to learn more about the company.  Finally, pick out a nice suit to wear to the interview (and iron it).  First impressions can make or break your chances of landing the job.

Now for the actual interview; it starts the second you walk in the door.  Introduce yourself to the person at the front desk.  Be courteous and polite to the people around you.  Chances are the person interviewing you is going to talk to the person at the front desk to see how you represented yourself.  When you meet your interviewer, it is always a good idea to introduce yourself and give them a firm handshake.  Remember, the employer is looking for reasons to hire you.  Once the questions begin, give yourself some time, within reason, to answer them in a constructive and professional manner.  In a way, you are selling yourself as a potential future employee.  It is never a good idea to be too brief or too lengthy with your responses. Complete your answer to each and every question.  When the time comes to close the interview, express your interest in the position, while also giving a brief summary of why you think you would be perfect for the position.  Thank them for their time, and once again give them a firm closing handshake.

We're not quite done.  As you may remember, last month's newsletter  featured an article regarding thank you letters.  This could be the step that seals the deal.  Be professional, original, determined, and thankful.  These can be emailed or hand written, but should be completed immediately after the interview so it gets to them before they make their hiring decision.

These suggestions can make for an incredibly confident interviewing experience.  We are here to give you resources and advice, but it is ultimately up to you, your personality, experience, and determination that will land you the position. 

With the new year rapidly approaching, finding the perfect career is at the top of many of our lists.  As the job market is rising (slowly but surely), we want to make sure we are being smart about our career searches.  You might be thinking, where are these perfect jobs?  How do I know if these jobs are going to stick around for the next several years?  You are probably hoping for some job security.  Well, I have some good news for you!

Yahoo Finance shed some light on the top 50 positions of 2011.  Here at Laufer and Associates we have openings for many of the positions you can find on this list.  Depending on your personality, fields of interest, or desired workplace, there are many choices for you.  

Along with the economy, sales positions are on the rise under the category of business.  If you are interested in the business sector, we have an opening for an inside sales representative, or if you prefer the financial side of business we are in need of a fund administrator, where your focus would be directed to investor communications.

We all know working in the business sector requires organization, dedication, and hard work, but many business jobs require you to be innovative.  As an example, one of our current openings is an assistant to an events manager.  Perhaps you have discovered that you are more interested in creative and/or service roles.  Do you enjoy conceptualizing, designing, and completing projects?  If this is the case, you would be a perfect fit for our art director position.

The new year leaves plenty of room for innovation and the need for new healthcare technologies.  While this next position sounds like it clearly falls under the category of business, it lies in a technological healthcare setting.  The financial analyst role is for a global biotech company, where you would be working with both financial and clinical teams.

Although there are several more jobs that can lead you to a promising future, these are just a handful of the many jobs we have to offer.  The new year is approaching, which means it is time for you to land the job you have been waiting for.  Let Laufer and Associates help you!

The rules are simple. Tell everyone you know about Laufer and Associates and have them view our website and contact us directly, or provide us with the names of qualified professionals. Once a person whom you have referred works as a temporary employee or gets placed permanently by Laufer and Associates at a client company, you will receive the cash amount listed below.  

$100 Permanent Bonus — You are eligible for our $100 Referral Bonus if Laufer and Associates place your referral in a permanent position. Referral must stay employed in position for the length of our guarantee period, commonly 90 days.
 
$100 Temporary Bonus – You are eligible for our $100 Referral Bonus if Laufer and Associates place your referral in a temporary position. Referral must work as a temporary employee for at least 1,000 hours to qualify. There is no limit to the number of employees you may refer.

Our experience has also taught us that great candidates often know other great candidates, so be sure to take advantage of our referral bonus program.

[email protected]

Warmest regards, 
Cristin