excerpt from IFT.org Feb 2012

Economy Keeps Salaries Flat

Advice From The Experts

Wouldn’t it be great to tap into the collective wisdom of some of the food industry’s leading executive recruiters? Here’s an opportunity to do just that. Check out this list of dos and don’ts for job seekers courtesy of executive recruiters Ron Bynum, Maxine Horowitz, Moira McGrath, and John Scerbo.

• Do customize your resume. Don’t limit yourself to a one-size-fits-all approach to resume preparation. To the extent that you can, tailor it to highlight the ways in which your skills and experience match those that an employer is seeking. “The document is so important,” said Bynum. “It’s so important to have it accurate, but to modify it for each position you are applying for.”

• Don’t overshare. The biggest mistake that job hunters make, according to Bynum, is volunteering too much personal information during an interview. Once you’re established in a workplace, many employers will make accommodations to help you address challenges like dealing with elderly parents or a special needs child, but it’s not a good idea to share that kind of information too early on in the interview process, said Bynum.

Of course if you’re going to need a flexible schedule in order to pick up your child before daycare closes, for example, do arrange for that before accepting a job. But don’t introduce such topics before you know if you’ll be receiving a job offer.

• Do go into the interview with energy and enthusiasm. Employers love a can-do attitude. Presenting yourself as a doer is critical, said Horowitz, “because, in the end, chemistry with the leadership is often the deciding factor, especially if they feel you will fit into their culture.”

• Don’t be overconfident. Self-confidence is a plus, but if you come across as excessively sure of yourself, the company may see you as someone who is not a team player and who may be difficult to manage, Horowitz counseled.

• Do try to be open to relocating. “The perfect job may not be in your perfect location, but if it gives your career a boost, you should consider it,” Horowitz advised.

• Don’t limit yourself. “It’s in your best interest to use every resource available, and that may include working with multiple recruiters,” said Scerbo. “The truth of the matter is that every recruiter has relationships with different companies. I would tell applicants, work with 10 specialty recruiters, and work with niche recruiters within the industry because they’re the ones that are going to have the relationships.”

• Do educate yourself. Read the Martin Yate book, Knock ‘em Dead: The Ultimate Job Search Guide (Adams Media, 2011). Bynum said it’s one of the best resources around for job seekers and a sure way to “avoid the land mines” that can be part of the interview process.

• Don’t send your resume to blind ads. “They only go to a black abyss,” said McGrath. “Most of them are teaser ads without a real job behind them.”

• Do follow up. Send thank-you notes promptly either via mail or e-mail. “This is not only the polite thing to do,” said McGrath, “but it is effective in having the company remember you more fondly and as a professional.”

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Job Search 101: Launching Your Career in Food Science

 

Join Moira McGrath, president and founder of OPUS International, Inc. an executive search firm specializing in the food science field, as she explains how to launch your career in food science! Her talk will focus on the student’s prospective on how to present oneself in the best way to find that perfect job; covering both resume writing and personal etiquette tips to remember during the interview process.