For Candidates

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Candidate Services Overview

Your decision to change careers can affect every dimension of your life. That's why our recruiters spend time getting to know you, your needs and your goals. Because our recruiters are specialists who often have extensive work experience within their focus areas, we can help you connect with the leading companies in your industry.

Placement Fees

All fees are paid by the employer. There is NO FEE to you.

Career Planning Services

We offer the following assistance to help you maximize your career potential:

  • Career Planning. We help you achieve both your personal and professional goals.
  • Protecting Your Privacy. Our secure database is accessible only to our professional career consultants.
  • Resume Tips. Create a winning resume. What to put in, what to leave out.
  • Interviewing. Prepare for the interview. What to ask, what you may be asked.
  • Interviewing Do's and Don'ts. A checklist to help you succeed in the interview.
  • Resigning Gracefully. Resign from your current job without burning bridges.
  • Counter-offers. Counter-offers can be flattering, but are they in your best interest?

Local to Global Reach

From start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, we place candidates in companies of all sizes locally and globally. We also have connections with an international network of staffing professionals in every major industry.

Confidentiality

We treat your resume confidentially and will not forward it to anyone without contacting you first to discuss the opportunity. We are an equal opportunity employer and expect that the companies who use our services are too.

Interview Success Strategies

When you decide to take your next career step, write out your personal and professional goals to see if they align. The following questions can help you clarify your objectives:
  1. Why are you in the field in which you are currently working?
  2. Are your talents and personality traits being fully utilized?
  3. Are continuing education and training high priorities where you work?
After you have answered these questions, take the following next steps:

Career management. Take control of your life by taking positive steps to achieve your objectives.

Support. Be sure that your family endorses your choices. You'll be able to move faster when an offer is tendered.

Networking. Your career network should include friends, current and former colleagues, vendors, industry contacts, recruiters, teachers and classmates.

Skills. Today's economic environment is constantly changing. Make sure your skills are up-to-date.
Your resume is your most important calling card in your job search. It should include the following information:
  • Contact information. Include phone, mail and email contact information. In addition, make sure your voicemail message is professional. A message that is too casual can create a negative impression.
  • Career objective. You may choose to list or not list your career objective. If your objective doesn't match the recruiter's needs, you may miss out on a golden opportunity. However, a clearly stated career objective can help your recruiter find your ideal career match.
  • Summary statement. Your summary should be brief.
    1. Include your title and years of experience.
    2. List pertinent skills.
    3. Discuss your character traits or work style.
      Example: “Financial Accountant with over 10 years' experience with two Fortune 500 companies. Technical skills include P&L, budgeting, forecasting and variance reporting. Bilingual in Spanish and English. Self-starter who approaches every project in a detailed, analytical manner."
  • Professional experience. List each position held in reverse chronological order, dating back at least ten years. If you held multiple positions within the same company, list them all to show advancement and growth. The body of each position description should describe your responsibilities and accomplishments.
  • Other components. Include education, professional training, affiliations/appointments, licenses, technical skills and languages.
  • Personal information. Do not include personal information such as marital status.
12 Accomplishments Employers Want To See
  • Increased revenues
  • Saved money
  • Increased efficiencies
  • Cut overhead
  • Increased sales
  • Improved workplace safety
  • Purchasing accomplishments
  • New products/new lines
  • Improved record keeping process
  • Increased productivity
  • Successful advertising campaign
  • Effective budgeting
Before you interview for a position, learn as much about it and the employer as possible. If you found the position through a recruiter, he or she should be able to provide that information for you. If not, conduct research on the Web, visit the library, and tap into industry contacts.

Questions To Ask
After you have studied the company, make a list of questions to ask the employer:
  • Why is this position available?
  • What training programs are available to the person in this position?
  • What are your goals for this position?
  • What obstacles must be overcome for the person in this position to succeed?
  • How will my performance be evaluated?
  • What opportunities are there for growth in the next 12 months?
  • Two years? Five years?
  • What growth do you anticipate for your firm in the next 12 months?
Questions You May Be Asked
Your recruiter should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality, his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask:
  • Tell me about yourself.
    Keep your answer in the professional realm only. Review your past positions, education and other strengths.
  • Why are you interested in this position?
    Relate how you feel your qualifications match the job requirements. Also, express your desire to work for the employer.
  • What are the most significant accomplishments in your career?
    Identify recent accomplishments that relate to the position and its requirements.
  • Describe a situation in which your work was criticized.
    Focus on how you resolved the situation and became a better person because of the experience.
  • What do you know about our organization?
  • How would you describe your personality?
  • How do you perform under pressure?
  • What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?
  • What did you like least about your last position?
  • Are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) company?
  • What is your ideal working environment?
  • How would your co-workers describe you?
  • What do you think of your boss?
  • Have you ever fired anyone?
  • What was the situation and how did you handle it?
  • Are you creative?
  • What are your goals in your career?
  • Where do you see yourself in two years?
  • Why should we hire you?
  • What kind of salary are you looking for?
  • What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?
Do's
  • Arrive 15 minutes early. Tardiness is never excusable.
  • Clarify questions. Answer the interviewer's questions as specifically as possible. Relate your skills and background to the position requirements throughout the interview.
  • Give your qualifications. Focus on accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job.
  • Be professional. Smile, make eye contact, and maintain good posture.
  • Anticipate tough questions. Prepare to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths.
  • Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one.
  • Ask questions. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not a one-sided conversation.
  • Listen. Concentrate not only on the interviewer's words, but also on the tone of voice and body language. Once you understand how the interviewer thinks, pattern your answers accordingly and you will be able to establish a better rapport.
Don'ts
  • Don't answer vague questions. Ask the interviewer to clarify fuzzy questions.
  • Don't interrupt the interviewer. If you don't listen, the interviewer won't either.
  • Don't be disrespectful. Don't smoke, chew gum or place anything on the interviewer's desk.
  • Don't be overly familiar, even if the interviewer is.
  • Don't wear heavy perfume or cologne. The interviewer may not share your tastes.
  • Don't ramble. Overlong answers may make you sound apologetic or indecisive.
  • Don't lie. Answer questions truthfully.
  • Don't express bitterness. Avoid derogatory remarks about present or former employers.
Closing the Interview
Job candidates often second-guess themselves after interviews. By asking good questions and closing strongly, you can reduce post-interview doubts. If you feel that the interview went well and you want to take the next step, express your interest to the interviewer.

Try an approach like the following: “After learning more about your company, the position and responsibilities, I believe that I have the qualities you are looking for. Are there any issues or concerns that would lead you to believe otherwise?"

This is an effective closing question because it opens the door for the hiring authority to be honest with you about his or her feelings. If concerns do exist, you may be able to create an opportunity to overcome them, and have one final chance to dispel the concerns, sell your strengths and end the interview on a positive note.
A few things to remember during the closing process
  • Don't be discouraged if an offer is not made or a specific salary is not discussed. The interviewer may want to communicate with colleagues or conduct other scheduled interviews before making a decision.
  • Make sure that you have thoroughly answered these questions during the interview: “Why are you interested in our company?" and “What can you offer?" Express appreciation for the interviewer's time and consideration.
  • Ask for the interviewer's business card so you can write a thank you letter as soon as possible.
Follow-up
After your interview, follow-up is critical. When you get in your car, immediately write down key issues uncovered in the interview. Think of the qualifications the employer is looking for and match your strengths to them. A “thank you" letter should be written no later than 24 hours after the interview. Be sure to call your recruiter to discuss your interview and your next steps, as well.
Congratulations! You've landed the job! Now you are faced with the delicate challenge of resigning from your current employer without burning bridges, and saying good-bye to friends and colleagues.

Your Search Consultants of Northern Jersey recruiter will help you draft your resignation letter. Then, you will make an appointment with your manager to respectfully explain your decision. Your manager needs to hear that your decision is firm and final and that you are committed to your new employer. Express appreciation for the opportunities that your former employer has given you.

Be careful not to get lured into any discussions other than your resignation, such as how your employer wants to handle your final weeks or the transition of your current responsibilities and projects.
While counter-offers may be tempting and even flattering, there can be pitfalls that you need to be aware of. Ask yourself these questions:
  • Will your loyalty always be in question?
  • If there are future cutbacks, will you be the first to go because of concerns about your loyalty?
  • If you accept the counter-offer for more money, are you just giving your employer the time they need to locate and select your replacement?
  • Will your career track remain blocked if you accept it?
  • Will your responsibilities be expanded?
  • Will you have to report to a person you don't respect?
  • Will you receive next year's raise or bonus early?
  • Is the counter-offer a ploy to avoid a short-term inconvenience by your employer?
  • What are your realistic chances for promotions now that you have considered leaving?
Counter Offer Statistics
According to national surveys of employees that accept counter-offers, 50-80 percent voluntarily leave their employer within six months of accepting the counter-offer because of unkept promises. The majority of the balance of employees that accept counter-offers involuntarily leave their current employers within twelve months of accepting the counter-offer (terminated, fired, laid off, etc.).

As attractive as counter-offers may appear, they greatly decrease your chances of achieving your career potential.

Information

Cubicle Compass is a consulting firm, connecting job-seekers with employers and employers to job-seekers.

Our mission is to make talent acquisition easier and more efficient. We provide a comprehensive suite of tools and services to enable employers to post jobs and source qualified candidates, and job-seekers to search for jobs, apply for positions, and create their professional profile.

Whether you’re a job-seeker or an employer, Cubicle Compass can help you find the perfect fit.

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