Minnesota Headhunter

Welcome To The Minnesota Headhunter Blog

 

This is a “what’s going on” here at Minnesota Headhunter. Blog posts of interest, event announcements and links to Be Your Own Headhunter presentations.

You can also scroll down past this to see posts in chronological order.

Blog Posts (recent/popular)

• Is Best Buy In Trouble?

• Some LinkedIn User Statistics

• Smokers Need Not Apply

• Blogging Does Not Make You An Expert

• Recruiting: OK, So What (Who) Are You Really Looking For?

Events

• Feb 2:  JMU612 #22 Ethics & Social Media

• Feb 12: Startup Weekend Twin Cities 3

• Feb 29: 2012 MN HR Technology Expo

• Apr 13: HR Tomorrow Conference

• Apr 14-15: Twin Cities Code Camp

• Apr 16-17: MinneWebCon

Speaking

• Mar 13: Winona SHRM

• Mar 27: MNRSA 2012 Job Summit

• Apr 7: MinneBar

Be Your Own Headhunter – Job Search Webinar

• No live sessions scheduled until February. Please view the session posted.

For more information click Be Your Own Headhunter

Have a question, comment or looking for some information? Send an email to paul@mnheadhunter.com

2012 Minnesota Golden Gopher Football Signing Class

It has been a long time since I posted anything about Gopher football here. Do not think that shows a lack of enthusiasm or that my support is wavering.

Quite the opposite but time has been in very short supply so while I have been attending and traveling to games my blogging has been absent.

My Tweets however have been in great supply. You can follow me on Twitter by clicking @Gophers

Today is National Signing Day for football and this evening I will be attending the University of Minnesota event at TCF Bank Stadium.

I look forward to seeing some old friends tonight and hearing from Coach Kill about this class.

Below is a press release from the athletic department on today’s announcements.

Go Gophers!!!

NOTE: The U of M athletic department has done an awesome job today. They have player bio's posted including video and I have added the link for each player below. For more information click Minnesota National Signing Day.

U.S. Top 10 Companies Using H-1B Visas

During a recent Minnesota tech event I was part of a conversation on the topic of H-1B visas.

It evolved as it usually does with sides taken on if the number of visas should be increased, eliminated completely or the door open to anyone who has needed skills.

And as usual the conversation changes a bit depending on the economy.

Flash back to the 90’s and the Dot Com days and companies were begging for the cap to be increased.

Then the post Y2K and 9/11 recession happened and many arguments were made for the cap to be lowered or eliminated so U.S. workers would all have jobs.

We had the uptick from 2003 – 2007 (open the doors), the Great Recession (shut the program down) and the recovery beginning in 2010 that has led once again to a shortage of folks with IT skills.

This is a complicated issue and really depends on your industry, if an employer or worker, location, skill set, etc.

And then add in an election year and the politicians get involved which is usually a recipe for disaster and everyone is left unhappy.

Before I get sucked into a debate with myself on this topic here is an article on Computerworld The top 10 H-1B visa users in the U.S.

Paul DeBettignies On TV Talking About Salary Increases, Klout And Vacations

A couple of times in the past month (and once in August) I have made a local TV appearance and while I was posting links on twitter and Facebook I just realized did not post them here…
 

--> Last week (Jan 25, ‘12) I was on FOX 9 News with Recruiter: Research to Negotiate Salary talking about how company executives are more willing to give salary increases this year:

 

Recruiter: Research to Negotiate Salary: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Minnesota Recruiter Jobs

The following new Minnesota Recruiter Jobs have been added to the Minnesota Recruiter Jobs page:

• Contract Recruiter - Full Time Contract Job - Toro

• Recruiter - Full Time Job - Land O’Lakes

• Jr. Recruiter – Sourcer - Full Time Job - STAR Collaborative

• Sr. Recruiter - Full Time Job - STAR Collaborative

• Recruiter - Full Time Job - BTM Global Consulting

 

Check out Minnesota Recruiters. An informal group of 2,400 corporate, consulting and search firm recruiters - you must be in Minnesota to join.

   
 

If you are using a RSS Feed click Minnesota Recruiter Jobs.
 

Connect with me by clicking:

Check out HireCast Consulting:

Minnesota Recruiter Jobs

The following new Minnesota Recruiter Jobs have been added to the Minnesota Recruiter Jobs page:

• Junior Recruiter - Full Time Job - Buffalo Wild Wings

• Recruiting Coordinator - Full Time Job - UnitedHealth Group

• Staffing Specialist - Part Time Job - Allina Hospitals & Clinics

 

Check out Minnesota Recruiters. An informal group of 2,400 corporate, consulting and search firm recruiters - you must be in Minnesota to join.

   
 

If you are using a RSS Feed click Minnesota Recruiter Jobs.
 

Connect with me by clicking:

Check out HireCast Consulting:

Job Search Advice: The Hitchhikers Guide to Job Search

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” - Peter F. Drucker

Books, movies, TV shows and a computer game, the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" has many forms.

Not to disappoint, but my guide is not so bold or interesting. Unless, of course, you are looking for a job and don't have a clue (meant in only the nicest way).

Even for those who have looked for jobs in the recent past, job search can seem daunting at best and lifestyle threatening at worst. Overwhelming as it may seem, your approach will be most influenced by the driver (do you have a job and are looking to make a change or are you already unemployed).

Minnesota IT Jobs With Minnesota Non Profits

The following new Minnesota IT jobs have been added on the Minnesota Non Profit IT Jobs page:

• Senior IT Helpdesk Specialist - Full Time Job - Greater Twin Cities United Way

• Information Services Manager - Full Time Job - Metropolitan Center for Independent Living

• Web Developer - Full Time Job - St Thomas University

• Unix Systems Administrator - Full Time Job - Hamline University

 

If you are using a RSS Feed click Minnesota Non Profit IT Jobs And Volunteers.

Click Minnesota Headhunter for most recent blog posts.

 
Stay in touch with me by clicking:

Check out HireCast Consulting:

Minnesota Morning: Code 42 And SOPA Edition

This is a short version of Minnesota Morning today with many conversations with companies finding it difficult to recruit and hire IT folks. Worse, a few bordering on many are finding it difficult to retain the staff they have.

All I can do is remind them of what I said March of 2010 when the IT jobs market came off the bottom... I told you so. I told them this was coming and very few planned for it.

No, I am not complaining... this is good for me.

No links today but a few short topics:

Code42 receives funding

Great news broke in the Minnesota IT community the past 14 hours that Code 42 (creator of CrashPlan) has received $52.5M in venture funding from Accel Partners and Split Rock Partners.

I have been a huge fan of the company and their CEO Matthew Dornquast who has been firm in his commitment to build his company and stay in Minneapolis. More than that they are a huge supporter of the local tech community.

Smokers Need Not Apply

There was an interview on CNN yesterday about how some hospitals, the one yesterday is in in Ohio, are screening candidates for nicotine use. Unfortunately the video is not posted on their site which is unfortunate because there was a great Q&A.

So far it seems just a few hospitals are doing this.

Their reasons range from wanting to cut healthcare costs to promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Critics ask about a slippery slope like beer drinkers and those who eat meat.

I don’t know what to think about this. On the one hand I get the cost of covering employees healthcare and on the other it seems like we are getting into their behavior.

Is this business doing their best to handle out of control costs or an intrusion into (potential) employees lives?

A few articles and video:

Using Marketing Skills To Create An Amazing Six-Figure Resume

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
 

At the six-figure level, you’ve probably used some level of marketing to sell aspects of your business to clients—or even sell a prospective employee on why they should join a company.  But have you thought about using these same marketing techniques to sell yourself as an executive candidate?  If you haven’t, now’s the time to consider some tips on ways to get this done.

Create an Amazing Who-What-Why Job Target

As you likely know, the first piece of information that any hiring manager will see when reading your resume is the headline/job target.  This is your chance to create an amazing one-sentence summary that will entice the reader to learn more about you.

Your target should not only address who you are (e.g., top accounting executive), but also what makes you highly qualified (e.g., you’ve won awards, have 20 years of experience, etc.).  Finally, this target should address why the manager should hire you for the job (e.g., you are targeting an accounting executive position).

Minnesota Morning: MinneDemo And Minnesota Recruiter Jobs Edition

We had a whopping .5 inch of snow this morning and from the posts on Twitter and photos on Facebook you would have thought we had a major snow storm. I was seeing commute times double the normal.

Has this very warm winter made us so soft we forgot how to drive?

Silly me. Of course it has.

Wait until next week… many of the forecast models are predicting a “significant weather event” in the Upper Midwest.

A quick self promotional item… I had a feature on StaffingTalk.com last week. Click Five Question Friday: Paul DeBettignies

MinneDemo Winter 2012

Tomorrow night a few hundred tech folk (and a few wannabe’s like me) will be getting together for MinneDemo (one part tech, one part beer and one part networking event) at the University of St Thomas.

How popular is this event? it “sold out” in one hour. That’s right… 500 attendees in one hour.

This time we have the following companies and coders showing off their work: CrashPlan Mobile, fitparel.com, Team Digest, Brahmageddon, Red Stamp, Wahooly, FitBolt, Migration+, LeagueSafe

Minnesota Recruiter Jobs

The following new Minnesota Recruiter Jobs have been added to the Minnesota Recruiter Jobs page:

• Recruitment Coordinator - Full Time Job - Valspar

• Senior Recruiter - Full Time Job - Valspar

 

Check out Minnesota Recruiters. An informal group of 2,400 corporate, consulting and search firm recruiters - you must be in Minnesota to join.

   
 

If you are using a RSS Feed click Minnesota Recruiter Jobs.
 

Connect with me by clicking:

Check out HireCast Consulting:

Minnesota Morning: Links To Recruiting, HR, Career And Minnesota Business Articles Edition

No commentary today. I have some things to share but it is 2:30 pm now which now makes this Minnesota Afternoon and by the time I get to write the other stuff it will become Minnesota Midnight.

So the heck with it…

Today’s Quote:

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today’s Links:

Recruiting & HR

• Five Predictions About The Future Of Careers and Workplace in 2012 (TLNT)

• 10 Things LinkedIn Did in 2011 to Help You Recruit Better (LinkedIn)

• Why Recruiting Looks Easy (Recruiter.com)

Why A LinkedIn Profile Is Crucial For C-Level Executives

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
 

LinkedIn has become the go-to site for individuals who want to display all aspects of their professional life in one place.  By setting up a profile you can showcase your resume, display your professional websites and blogs, garner recommendations, catch up with former associates, and acquire new networking contacts.

There’s currently no better online “catch all” for professionals hoping to gain exposure with recruiters and hiring managers.  This is why, as a C-level executive, it’s a good idea that you jump on the bandwagon with everyone else.

What is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a business-related social networking site, connecting millions of individuals throughout the professional world.  Founded in 2002 and officially launched in May 2003, the site reports having more than 135 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories as of September 2011.

Some LinkedIn User Statistics

I saw the infographic below from Lab 42 a couple of months ago but as I am frequently asked for LinkedIn user statistics I thought I should post it here after seeing it posted again this time on Infographic: How people really use LinkedIn (ragan.com)

The numbers affirm most of what I see as LInkedIn users behaviors although I think the 35% access LinkedIn daily number is a bit high.

I also wonder if maybe the numbers are a bit high because this likely came from LinkedIn users and not from those who have a profile.

The difference being the number of folks who never use or have an orphaned profile. I am assuming they are not part of the survey.

Click this to make it larger:
 

Click Minnesota Headhunter for most recent blog posts.

 
Connect with me by clicking:

Check out HireCast Consulting:

Minnesota Morning: Best Buy, Economy And LSU vs Alabama Edition

After days off of writing Minnesota Morning I am back. The optimism and freshness of a new year were interrupted last week with health and life issues with those around me. Thankfully everyone is on a road to recovery of some sort.

Funny though how fast the enthusiasm of a “new year” can change in a moment.

I said that to one of my friends who was waiting on a test result and he said, “Dude, just because these first days have been rocky does not signal how the new year will be. It’s life, stuff happens anytime of the year. Who won the football game?”

And just like that things were back to normal...
 

Best Buy

Friday I wrote Is Best Buy In Trouble? and I received a number of DM’s on Twitter and email. Response was about 70-30 in support of the company and about 40/60 in support of senior management.

So far I do not see/hear any mass exodus from Best Buy but I do think there are some turbulent waters.

Minnesota Recruiter Jobs

The following new Minnesota Recruiter Jobs have been added to the Minnesota Recruiter Jobs page:

• Technical Recruiter - Full Time Job - National Engineering Resources

• Recruiter - Full Time Job - University of Minnesota Physicians

• Recruiting Manager - Full Time Job - MetLife

 

Check out Minnesota Recruiters. An informal group of 2,400 corporate, consulting and search firm recruiters - you must be in Minnesota to join.

   
 

If you are using a RSS Feed click Minnesota Recruiter Jobs.
 

Connect with me by clicking:

Check out HireCast Consulting:

Minnesota IT Jobs With Minnesota Non Profits

The following new Minnesota IT jobs have been added on the Minnesota Non Profit IT Jobs page:

• Network Administrator - Full Time Job - Walker Art Center

• EMR Application Specialist - Full Time Job - West Side Community Health Services

• Content Database Specialist - Full Time Job - Minneapolis Institute of Arts

 

If you are using a RSS Feed click Minnesota Non Profit IT Jobs And Volunteers.

Click Minnesota Headhunter for most recent blog posts.

 
Stay in touch with me by clicking:

Check out HireCast Consulting:

Three Common Deadly Mistakes Made In Job Interviews

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
 

No two interviews are alike so it is difficult to be prepared for the unexpected. You can however focus on your presentation skills that can be more important than what you say.

1. Poor non-verbal communication image

•    Stand straight, and make good eye contact.
•    Connect with a good, firm, enthusiastic handshake.
•    Sit erect, learning forward to appear interested and attentive.

2. Poor verbal communication skills

•    Good communication skills include listening and letting the person know you heard what they said.
•    Observe your interviewer’s style and pace, and then match that style.
•    Use appropriate language. Beware of using slang words or references to age, race, religion, politics, or sexual preferences.

Is Best Buy In Trouble?

Disclaimer:

• I am not an analyst.

• I have no inside info (although I was at Best Buy HQ’s yesterday)

• Best Buy is a frequent host of the Minnesota Recruiters group

Minnesota based Best Buy has been in the news the past two weeks and it is has not been pretty.

It started with the pre 2011 Christmas debacle of customers who placed orders online as early as Black Friday were notified that their gifts would not be shipped in time for the holiday.

Worse, they were not told until days before.

Today is the report of December 2011 same store sales being down. There was some good news in the report too but many headlines I have seen are focusing on the negative.

Earlier this week (and what has spread online very fast) is this article from Forbes Why Best Buy is Going out of Business...Gradually