JibberJobber 4 Years Later

JibberJobber 4 Years Later Monday I announced our four year anniversary and celebration. After reminiscing a bit about where weve been, and some early milestones, I said to come back on Wednesday to see where were at now.  Here are a few things to share: Were going strong, continuing to increase the number of user signups and upgrades.  I didnt think wed be a fad but just seeing the numbers increase shows that this is a needed tool/application. The number of USERS continues to grow.  It was exciting to see the first user login more than 1,000 times to know that weve created something that smart people use to manage their job search, indeed, to rely on, is satisfying. We continue to add new features and streamline the system.   Its painfully slow to do this now, four years into development, as the system is more complex than it was a few years ago.  Any little change can mean a lot of work on the backend but we have a list a mile long and can improve JibberJobber for the next 100 years :p We have competition, lots of competition. When I launched I enjoyed being the only solution to organize a job search online for about five days.  The next week our first competitor popped up (Isabont).  Now there are about ten or so competitors. some are even funded, many have full teams behind them (Ive met a number of my competitors).  I know competition is supposed to be good but I kind of liked it when we were the only one :p  On the other hand, someone recently told me that having more competitors validates the concept. You know Im big on multiple streams of income. I continue to watch my business evolve, and work on income streams that make sense.  This year is turning out to be quite different from last year and business evolution has proven to be inevitable. I continue to write A LOT.  Sometimes I think Im crazy for writing so much, and wonder if Im really just hiding behind my keyboard when I should be doing other things, but I enjoy it and I feel like its been a great marketing and branding vehicle.  Here are some places I write: Blogs this JibberJobber blog, my Jason Alba (entrepreneur/daddy) blog, my LinkedIn blog, the Career Resumes blog, the AOL Jobs blog I know Im forgetting something Books I am about to do the third edition of my LinkedIn book and need to write the second edition of the Facebook book.  I am in the process of editing my third book, Eight Lunches, which is a dialog between two entrepreneurs/solopreneurs (want to see the draft and give me feedback?  Click here) Personal Im actually working on a screenplay that has NOTHING to do with work, careers, etc.   I also wrote all but one line of a childrens book and am thinking about where to take that. Ive created the second edition of the LinkedIn DVD (LinkedIn for Job Seekers) and should be shipping that this week.  Ive also produced the Killer Online Press Releases DVD, which is a three hour DVD on creating and optimizing your press releases and press reach. Im booking the latter end of this year for speaking and expect to travel to Maryland, Dallas, and San Diego (geesh, Im pretty sure Im forgetting ANOTHER trip here!) and hope to have the Fall/Winter/Spring busy with speaking engagements. Im looking for commission-only sales people to help me do business development on some B2B products Ive conceptualized with JibberJobber and related stuff.  Im very excited about the possibilities here and hope to find people who are passionate about business development to help me move forward. On a personal note, my home office is getting a major renovation and this summer Im taking more time for my family (camping and traditions and memory-making) and myself (walking 500 miles this year) Many times I wonder if I can handle what I am trying to handle, but I think about the solid metal bar that Heather Gardner gave me a few years earlier: Ive failed in a number of things, but they dont keep me from moving forward! JibberJobber 4 Years Later Monday I announced our four year anniversary and celebration. After reminiscing a bit about where weve been, and some early milestones, I said to come back on Wednesday to see where were at now.  Here are a few things to share: Were going strong, continuing to increase the number of user signups and upgrades.  I didnt think wed be a fad but just seeing the numbers increase shows that this is a needed tool/application. The number of USERS continues to grow.  It was exciting to see the first user login more than 1,000 times to know that weve created something that smart people use to manage their job search, indeed, to rely on, is satisfying. We continue to add new features and streamline the system.   Its painfully slow to do this now, four years into development, as the system is more complex than it was a few years ago.  Any little change can mean a lot of work on the backend but we have a list a mile long and can improve JibberJobber for the next 100 years :p We have competition, lots of competition. When I launched I enjoyed being the only solution to organize a job search online for about five days.  The next week our first competitor popped up (Isabont).  Now there are about ten or so competitors. some are even funded, many have full teams behind them (Ive met a number of my competitors).  I know competition is supposed to be good but I kind of liked it when we were the only one :p  On the other hand, someone recently told me that having more competitors validates the concept. You know Im big on multiple streams of income. I continue to watch my business evolve, and work on income streams that make sense.  This year is turning out to be quite different from last year and business evolution has proven to be inevitable. I continue to write A LOT.  Sometimes I think Im crazy for writing so much, and wonder if Im really just hiding behind my keyboard when I should be doing other things, but I enjoy it and I feel like its been a great marketing and branding vehicle.  Here are some places I write: Blogs this JibberJobber blog, my Jason Alba (entrepreneur/daddy) blog, my LinkedIn blog, the Career Resumes blog, the AOL Jobs blog I know Im forgetting something Books I am about to do the third edition of my LinkedIn book and need to write the second edition of the Facebook book.  I am in the process of editing my third book, Eight Lunches, which is a dialog between two entrepreneurs/solopreneurs (want to see the draft and give me feedback?  Click here) Personal Im actually working on a screenplay that has NOTHING to do with work, careers, etc.   I also wrote all but one line of a childrens book and am thinking about where to take that. Ive created the second edition of the LinkedIn DVD (LinkedIn for Job Seekers) and should be shipping that this week.  Ive also produced the Killer Online Press Releases DVD, which is a three hour DVD on creating and optimizing your press releases and press reach. Im booking the latter end of this year for speaking and expect to travel to Maryland, Dallas, and San Diego (geesh, Im pretty sure Im forgetting ANOTHER trip here!) and hope to have the Fall/Winter/Spring busy with speaking engagements. Im looking for commission-only sales people to help me do business development on some B2B products Ive conceptualized with JibberJobber and related stuff.  Im very excited about the possibilities here and hope to find people who are passionate about business development to help me move forward. On a personal note, my home office is getting a major renovation and this summer Im taking more time for my family (camping and traditions and memory-making) and myself (walking 500 miles this year) Many times I wonder if I can handle what I am trying to handle, but I think about the solid metal bar that Heather Gardner gave me a few years earlier: Ive failed in a number of things, but they dont keep me from moving forward! JibberJobber 4 Years Later Monday I announced our four year anniversary and celebration. After reminiscing a bit about where weve been, and some early milestones, I said to come back on Wednesday to see where were at now.  Here are a few things to share: Were going strong, continuing to increase the number of user signups and upgrades.  I didnt think wed be a fad but just seeing the numbers increase shows that this is a needed tool/application. The number of USERS continues to grow.  It was exciting to see the first user login more than 1,000 times to know that weve created something that smart people use to manage their job search, indeed, to rely on, is satisfying. We continue to add new features and streamline the system.   Its painfully slow to do this now, four years into development, as the system is more complex than it was a few years ago.  Any little change can mean a lot of work on the backend but we have a list a mile long and can improve JibberJobber for the next 100 years :p We have competition, lots of competition. When I launched I enjoyed being the only solution to organize a job search online for about five days.  The next week our first competitor popped up (Isabont).  Now there are about ten or so competitors. some are even funded, many have full teams behind them (Ive met a number of my competitors).  I know competition is supposed to be good but I kind of liked it when we were the only one :p  On the other hand, someone recently told me that having more competitors validates the concept. You know Im big on multiple streams of income. I continue to watch my business evolve, and work on income streams that make sense.  This year is turning out to be quite different from last year and business evolution has proven to be inevitable. I continue to write A LOT.  Sometimes I think Im crazy for writing so much, and wonder if Im really just hiding behind my keyboard when I should be doing other things, but I enjoy it and I feel like its been a great marketing and branding vehicle.  Here are some places I write: Blogs this JibberJobber blog, my Jason Alba (entrepreneur/daddy) blog, my LinkedIn blog, the Career Resumes blog, the AOL Jobs blog I know Im forgetting something Books I am about to do the third edition of my LinkedIn book and need to write the second edition of the Facebook book.  I am in the process of editing my third book, Eight Lunches, which is a dialog between two entrepreneurs/solopreneurs (want to see the draft and give me feedback?  Click here) Personal Im actually working on a screenplay that has NOTHING to do with work, careers, etc.   I also wrote all but one line of a childrens book and am thinking about where to take that. Ive created the second edition of the LinkedIn DVD (LinkedIn for Job Seekers) and should be shipping that this week.  Ive also produced the Killer Online Press Releases DVD, which is a three hour DVD on creating and optimizing your press releases and press reach. Im booking the latter end of this year for speaking and expect to travel to Maryland, Dallas, and San Diego (geesh, Im pretty sure Im forgetting ANOTHER trip here!) and hope to have the Fall/Winter/Spring busy with speaking engagements. Im looking for commission-only sales people to help me do business development on some B2B products Ive conceptualized with JibberJobber and related stuff.  Im very excited about the possibilities here and hope to find people who are passionate about business development to help me move forward. On a personal note, my home office is getting a major renovation and this summer Im taking more time for my family (camping and traditions and memory-making) and myself (walking 500 miles this year) Many times I wonder if I can handle what I am trying to handle, but I think about the solid metal bar that Heather Gardner gave me a few years earlier: Ive failed in a number of things, but they dont keep me from moving forward!

Free Online Education

Free Online Education Education is a great way to improve your job prospects.   If you’re unemployed, you may  finally have the time on your hands to go back to school, finish your degree or add a certification.   But if you’re out of work, you may also have a hard time finding the funds to go to school.   Organizations like WorkSource are there to help with funding education for demand occupations.   But that’s not your only option. Many top universities offer free courses online. Education Portal.com ranks several of the best free university courses available for people who want to enhance their personal knowledge or advance in their current field.  They include these and more.   Find the list here. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (mit.edu) Free MIT Courses Online If you are looking for a wide range of free courses offered online, MIT is your best option. More than 1,800 free courses are offered through the schools OpenCourseWare project. Courses are in text, audio and video formats and translated into a number of different languages. Students all over the world use OpenCourseWare and 96 percent of visitors to this site say they would recommend it to someone else. Carnegie Mellon University (cmu.edu) Free Carnegie Mellon Courses Online Carnegie Mellon University offers a number of free online courses and materials through a program called Open Learning Initiative. OLI courses are intended to allow anyone at an introductory college level to learn about a particular subject without formal instruction. Course options include such offerings as statistics, biology, chemistry, economics, French and physics. Tufts University (tufts.edu) Free Tufts University Courses Online Like MIT, Tufts has OpenCourseWare that is available free to everyone. Courses are sorted by school (i.e. School of Arts and Sciences, School of Medicine, etc.) and include assignments, lecture notes and other supplementary materials. Stanford (stanford.edu) Stanford Courses on iTunes U Stanford University, one of the worlds leading academic institutions, has joined forces with iTunes U in providing access to Stanford courses, lectures and interviews. These courses can be downloaded and played on iPods, PCs, and Macs and can also be burned to CDs. If you dont have iTunes, you can download it here for free. University of California, Berkeley (berkeley.edu) Free UC Berkeley Courses Online UC Berkeley, one of the best public universities in the nation, has been offering live and on-demand webcasts of certain courses since 2001. Hundreds of UC Berkeley courses, both current and archived, are now available as podcasts and webcasts. Courses cover a range of subjects, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer programming, engineering, psychology, legal studies and philosophy.

How Perks Help with Employee Engagement

How Perks Help with Employee Engagement This article will perk you up! Shaun Bradley is the Director of People Organisational Development at Perkbox, a company that provides perks to no less than 600,000 employees across the U.K. Why are staff perks important? If you think about the way we work today, its actually getting more and more difficult to recruit great employees. Even once youve recruited them, you have to be able to keep them, and people these days tend to change their job more frequently. Getting new people is always a challenge. What we try to do with perks is help small businesses in particular, who dont have the resources or time to create a way of engaging their employees, and hopefully retaining them because theyre making a small difference to the things that employees enjoy. What is the most popular perk for an employee in the U.K.? Generally, its cinema tickets. People obviously want to get away from work and go to the cinema. The deals that we have are pretty universal. Theyre not just London-based, theyre based around the whole of the U.K. The second-most popular is the monthly Caffè Nero everybody needs their caffeine hit, and everybody can have a free coffee on us every month. So those are the two most important. How do you go about engaging your staff at Perkbox? They have access to the same platform that we sell to customers. We actually are going through a bit of a transition, and weve just gone from about 60 employees to 160 over the course of a year. That has been quite challenging in that its easier to manage a team of 60 compared to 160. What we really have been focusing on are two things. One is to ensure that everybody understands what our purpose is as a company, which is the purpose/fulfilment part of the engagement. But also we do a lot of stuff around perks, but not just on the platform. We have things like a party a couple of times a year. We have a beer trolley on a Friday, which is pushed around the building by new people who joined the company. We have quality. Its great because it enables them to get to know everybody. As the company gets bigger, you start forgetting peoples names, but we want everybody to still feel part of the bigger organization. Everything we do is to enable people to bring their best self to work in the culture of high performance. We make sure that we have quarterly awards where we recognize exceptional performance, but those are all related to the values of Perkbox. So we have a value which is called Above and Beyond. That award will be a performance award thats linked to going above and beyond at work. One thing that weve just done, which is really important, is that everybody at Perkbox has share options within the company so were trying to balance that hygiene factor of giving people a promise of money, but also balancing out with the purpose, which is if I have a stake in the company, Im more likely to feel engaged with that company. Were trying to solve a big problem, which is 2/3 of people in the U.K. in particular are not that happy at work.  Gallup research say that around 35% to 37% of people actively at work feel incredibly engaged. A third feel that they come to work and are present, but dont necessarily go the extra mile. And then the other third probably shouldnt be there, if Im honest. What role should managers play in engaging their staff? I think that managers probably play the most pivotal role in engagement, in that if you think about what it takes to be engaged at work, after the hygiene factors, the purpose, and fulfilment, being able to make progress at work is up there. If I feel that I am doing a better job than I did when I turned up in the morning, I think that I would be more engaged. So managers need to understand what motivates the people around them and create rewards and recognition that actually fulfil the needs of the individual. There are things that HR can do that are company-wide, but millennials really want recognition that is in the moment, given in a way that links directly with their motivators. Managers need to be able to spend more time listening and being able to interpret what they hear, not necessarily taking what they hear at face value, but really diving deep into what are some of the barriers and behaviours that you see around you that are preventing you making that progress. At Perkbox, we train all our managers in how to have decent performance conversations. We train our managers in a way that they actually really do see the link between engagement and performance. We dont do appraisals. We do check-ins every month, and those check-ins focus on the results that you produce, but they also focus on the behaviours and how you feel about the results that you produce. The biggest change that we want to bring about at Perkbox, is that we want people to feel that they are in a culture of zero fear. You get the manager who will walk up to your desk and go, Can I just have five minutes, or, Can I have a word? And the person immediately goes into that whole fight or flight mode and think, What will happen? We want to create an environment where theres zero fear, where people feel safe that they can say what they want in the spirit of trying to make things better. We are in the process of looking at how we can implement that through our managers here at Perkbox. What other companies are getting this right? John Lewis: Particularly around their partnership model and the fact that people come to work every day and every little contribution they make actually increases the profitability of the company, and they share in that profitability. Google:  They definitely have an engaging culture that encourages creativity and also transparency. People do get quite harsh feedback, but its done in the spirit of, You are a valuable employee. Its important that I tell you this right now because it will make you even better at what you do. Virgin:  Virgin are really good in that they do try and encourage a culture of listening to their employees. I know that they have forums for the different brands that definitely have a voice in the direction and culture of Virgin. Where do you think perks are heading in general? Perks are going towards two things: Simplicity: To make engagement and perks more simple. The ability to use perks without too much effort. If you think about perks at the moment, depending on who your partner is, depends on the way that perk is delivered to you. So it could be through a card that you preload with money. And then you go to that shop and spend that money, and then you get a discount on that purchase. The problem with that is that you have to have some foresight in order to think, Actually, Im going to go to that shop. I need to upload my card. This is how much I think I will spend. Even if that money does stay on that card, if you dont spend it all, thats dead money for you. There are other ways of having a QR code where you go into a shop and they scan your QR code, which is certainly better than the cards. Habits: 70% 80% of what we do is habit so its being able to create perks that link to your everyday habits. It would be great if at 9 oclock in the morning, and you get a little prompt that comes up in your browser or on your Smartphone that says, Time for coffee. Then at lunch time you get another one that says, Time for lunch. Time to go to the gym. And all of the perks that we have fit seamlessly into that habit so that it becomes automatic, and its always on, rather than having to make a conscious decision about which perk you need. For certain things like the big perks, that would be appropriate, but for things that we do every day, if we can create a platform and an offering that enables people to be able to go, This system has predicted that its time for coffee, I think that will be significant progress.

What Recruiters Wish You Knew About Career Fairs - VocationVillage

What Recruiters Wish You Knew About Career Fairs - VocationVillage I have spent a lot of time in my life at career fairs, both as a recruiter and as a career counselor invited to attend the fair to assist job seekers. Often when job seekers are out of earshot, I have the opportunity to hear what recruiters think about these events. I think you should know, too, so here are career fair tips that recruiters would share if they were being completely candid:1. Try to attend the career fair during the earlier part of the event rather than the later part. Toward the end, recruiters start to lose their voices and enthusiasm. In the last hour of the fair, Ive found them hiding in the hospitality room or trying to sneak out early despite the protests of the event organizers who want recruiters to stay until the very end of the scheduled time. (Note to event organizers: shorter events are better than overly long events…even extraverted recruiters have their human limits).2. If you are attending the fair with a friend or two, separate to make the rounds of e mployers. It is overwhelming for employers to interview two or more people at the same time, so be brave and approach them alone.3. You start making a first impression the moment you walk up to a recruiter. Wear mainstream business attire, but it is OK if your outfit has a bit of individuality and color. Pantsuits on women are fine for all but the most traditional employers. If your budget is tight, there are nonprofits like Dress for Success and Career Gear that can help, or you can shop at a second hand clothing store. Avoid heavy perfumes or colognes because you dont want to cause anyone to have an allergic or asthmatic reaction.4. Dont chew gum, suck on mints, or eat or drink anything in front of the recruiter. If you are worried about your breath, take care of it before you approach the table.5. The absolute worst way to greet a recruiter is to ask, So what does your company do? or, What jobs do you have open? Just like with dating you wouldnt ask a prospective date, So do you want to go home with me tonight? before youve even said your name, you need to have an introductory conversation with the recruiter so that the recruiter can decide whether to offer you an interview later.  You might not always know in advance which employers will be attending a career fair, but sometimes the list is published in advance on the event website. If possible, consult this list to research what each employer does and what types of job openings they have. Using this info, create an introduction for yourself. See #6 below for an example.6. Approach each recruiter with fresh enthusiasm and energy. Make eye contact and smile. Some recruiters expect to shake hands but others will have their hands full with a clipboard or other info and in that case, dont worry about the handshake. If you do shake hands, do so firmly but not so much so that you crush the bones of the recruiters hands. Say an intro that includes your name, something about your background and/or skills, and wha t you want to do. For example, Im Jenny Brown. I have worked in marketing for the last five years, most recently at Hilton Hotels as a Marketing Manager. Your hotel is well-known for its customer service and I would love to talk about how my marketing communication and social media skills might fit well at your company.7. Practice your pitch on a few of your second choice employers before approaching your top choices. This way, your favorite prospects will be able to see you at your best. Dont wait too long, though…remember Tip #1.8. Dont wear out your welcome. After a pleasant and short conversation, say, It was nice to meet you, and start to walk away. If the recruiter wants to know something else, he or she will stop you from leaving. It is better to end a conversation a bit early than to create an awkward situation where the recruiter is looking over your shoulder at the long line of job seekers forming and wondering how to get you to move on.9. Be prepared with a targeted res ume. You probably cant be equally prepared for all employers at the Fair, just the ones that are the best fit for your interests, background, and skills. Recruiters are not impressed with one size fits all resumes that have no focus and seem irrelevant to the job opportunities being sought. Dont be afraid to be specific about what you want as it will increase your marketability for the best career options for you.10. Ask each recruiter for a business card but dont take it personally if any recruiter doesnt want to give you one. Recruiters have told me that they received literally 1000 emails after some career fairs so they stopped giving out their contact info. They just dont have time to respond to that many people.11. Career fair organizers are as annoyed as you are when a lazy recruiter seems like they have no interest in having a discussion and they just want to tell job seekers to go to the company website and apply online, but I have seen lots of recruiters do this. (If their companies knew what a poor impression this makes, I wonder if the recruiter would be the next one looking for a new job at a Career Fair?). It isnt worth fighting with the recruiter about it…just seek out a more motivated recruiter.12. To expand on #11 above, the recruiter may ask you some questions about your resume, or he/she may not. If a recruiter doesnt seem interested, say, It was nice to meet you, and walk away. It is tough to know why you click with some recruiters and not others, but there is little to be gained from trying to win over someone who seems bored or aloof. Concentrate instead on talking to recruiters who seem to take a genuine interest in finding out more about you. Dont gauge an employers interest in whether or not they will physically take your resume. Many companies want all applications to be done electronically and if you make a good impression, the recruiter has noted your name in some way to look you up later.13. Many recruiters bring small gifts (SWAG aka stuff we all get) to career fairs. Feel free to ask to take one from each table, but dont grab more than one and dont ask if you can take one for your family member or friend. Dont ask for stuff that is boxed up, as those items might be reserved for a different event. It is fine to carry a professional looking bag to carry these items, but dont take so many things and stuff them all into such a huge bag that you look like you are a shopping adventure.14. If you are given contact info by a recruiter, send a brief thank you note (or email) after the event. This is your opportunity to demonstrate excellent writing skills and to again call attention to the reasons why the company might want to interview you.15. If you would rather have a root canal than attend a career fair, dont despair! There are many other ways to land a job.Some cynics believe that no one ever gets hired because of a career fair, but I know for sure this is not true because I know people who landed their jobs v ia career fairs. You have nothing to lose but some time by attending one, so follow the career fair tips above and give it your best shot. You may end up happily employed..

Free Scholarship Resume Writing

Free Scholarship Resume WritingWriting a resume can be a difficult task, especially if you don't have much writing experience. This is the reason why it is recommended that you spend some time with some free advice on writing scholarships resume for students who are in the scholarship seeker program.A scholarship writer has to get involved with the actual process of selecting and applying for scholarships. It is not only your job to write the cover letter and resume, but it is also important that you do your homework to make sure that you provide information that is free from any conflicts. There are many scholarships that require you to submit official documents, such as transcripts and test scores, but there are many other scholarship programs that don't need any supporting documents.The scholarship writer can help you in this case. These documents will include essays that you can use for your application. The scholarship writer will tell you how to prepare the essay and what addit ional materials to provide as well.Information about you is an important part of the application process. This can be completed by gathering your information from a range of sources, including records at home, work, and community activities. You will find that once you provide the information you have spent a lot of time preparing for this part of the process.Most scholarship writers have developed certain writing styles. There are certain common ways in which most writers write scholarship resumes, such as presenting the application, setting out the details of the scholarship, outlining the basic requirements of the scholarship, and listing all the benefits of the scholarship.Many students who are doing scholarship resume preparation, therefore, find that they need more help. Most writers provide instructions on what materials to send with the scholarship application. If you want to know how to write scholarships, look for information that explains exactly what you need to include. If you are an experienced writer, a scholarship writer can provide information about how to go about researching for scholarships. In this respect, it is wise to ask questions about the research and how the process works. You should also find out whether there are any fees that are charged in connection with the scholarship search.If you have never researched before for scholarships, or if you have no idea where to start, a scholarship writer can provide you with the information that you need. This information can include special services for students looking for scholarships. Even if you are not serious about applying for scholarships, you can get some information on how to apply for them by using a writer to get you started.

Become one with your résumé - Sterling Career Concepts

Become one with your résumé Become one with your résumé Okay, so your résumé is complete. Now what? Become an expert in interviewing yourself! Read your résumé from top to bottom and bottom to top to familiarize yourself with every line on it. The goal is to become completely comfortable walking someone through your chronological background, either briefly or in detail. Anything on your résumé is fair game for a question during an interview. Don’t try to second-guess which items will catch an interviewer’s attention. Certain points may stand out to one interviewer, while others will appeal to another. Among other things, be sure to review: * details to any responsibility included * result of any project listed * background to any award or designation mentioned. You may find it helpful to have this additional information written out in a notebook to review before every interview. Why all this preparation? If you think of your résumé as a marketing document for you as a job applicant, be prepared to provide the back-up detail to any point highlighted in your “advertisement.” The mere impression of false or misleading advertising is one of the quickest ways for an interview to go downhill quickly.

Send Your Resume With a Gift To Add Excitement And Get Noticed

Send Your Resume With a Gift To Add Excitement And Get Noticed 27 Flares 27 Flares Before Corn on the Jobs birth, I spent many great days as a Corporate Recruiter.  There were a number of joys that go along with a job like that.  Here are a couple  Each time I located talent and turned that candidate into a new employee for the company, it felt like I was giving someone a new life.  Its a very cool feeling. Helping a troubled or overworked hiring manager make sense of an interview process was also very cool While the above examples were surely joyous occasions, Im not sure anything compares to the happiness that being a Corporate Recruiter on the holidays brings.  Let me explain As a Corporate Recruiter, you can expect to receive almost constant calls from hopeful agency recruiters looking to score new openings that they can help recruit for.   Any Corporate Recruiter can confirm that its rather annoying at times, but normally necessary.  However, during the holidays, the phone calls morph into gifts, and all is right in the world So, what do I mean by gifts?  Well, Ive received 3 pound tins of fancy popcorn in different flavors.  Boxes of amazing chocolate were always a nice surprise.  Oh, and one company even sent me a gift for each of the 12 Days of Christmas.  I forget exactly what each gift was, but its the thought that counts, right? Was each gift giving agency rewarded with a shiny new job to work on?  Not all, but some did.  The agency recruiters that were skilled, successful, and had current or previous experience working with my company were almost always bound to get more work. By now, you probably see where Im going with this, so Ill just come clean Send Your Resume With a Gift Along with sending your resume electronically, attach your resume to a big box of chocolates and address it to HR, the company recruiter, or the hiring manager.  You want to be noticed, right?  This is one way to do it. And no, it doesnt need to be a box of chocolates.  Maybe you send a tin of popcorn, with a card that says, Excited to start popping new ideas at your company.  Corny, but thats what I do!  Make the gift somehow relate to the company or position for maximum effect. Keep in mind that money, gift cards, and the like should really be avoided.  As a rule, keep your gift between $5-$20. Does Sending a Gift Guarantee a Job? Absolutely not, but I promise youll be remembered!  Up above I mentioned that not every agency recruiter that sent a gift was rewarded with a job to work on for us.  While thats true, I was much more likely to return their phone calls in the future and I always remembered their nice holiday gesture. If you send a gift with your resume, youre absolutely going to be remembered, and more importantly, youll be noticed.  After this point, its up to your resume to show youre the person they should hire.  But even if youre resume isnt what they want to read, you just might get a call, even if all they have to say is, thanks. Final Thoughts From COTJ Think back to your childhood.  I know that when I had my choice of opening up a gigantic wrapped box or an envelope, I always chose the big box with a bow!  Always.Well, while people grow up, some things never change.  Whenever I was delivered a box with my name on it, Id drop the stack of resumes, pick up a pair of scissors, and run dangerously towards my delivery! Simply put, start bringing excitement to your resume.  When people start running with scissors towards your resume, then you know youre on the right track.