http://mrwinona.com/Winona Search Group - Recruiters, Information Technology Talent Delivereden-ushttp://mrwinona.com.com/rss/rss.xmlTue, 07 Feb 2012 04:02:26 CDT - We've all heard that a good resume should be 1 page or less... I can even remember professors teaching this back in my college days. While a shorter resume may increase your chances of getting read when it's sitting on the desk of an extremely busy, multitasking HR professional, it doesn't help you when being read by an actual hiring authority or a professional recruiter. In fact, it mayhurt you. That's not to say that you should go information crazy... a resume that is 12 pages long and full of fluff won't stay in my inbox long and I don't really care what kind of pets you have at home. Your resume should contain RELEVANT information,organized in a way that is easy to read and highlightsyour greatest assets. If the informationon your resumefollows those guidelines,I don't care if it's1 or 12 pages. The more relevant informationwe have to work with, the easier it isfor us to connect you withthe types of companies thatwill truly appreciate yourskillset! Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:02:26 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=58Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:11:54 CDT - Please help us to serve you better by taking a moment to fill out this brief poll we've created on LinkedIn. http://linkd.in/uUVIIZ We are curious which type of communication suits you best: Email Phone Call LinkedIn Facebook Text Message Thanks for your help! Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:11:54 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=57Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:09:57 CDT - I've seen some pretty ridiculous non-competes... and some pretty reasonable ones. Either way, you can't help but cringe a little when asked to sign one! Talk about a commitment. There are definitely valid arguments on both sides of the house. On one hand, companies need to protect themselves, especially when it comes to intellectual property. On the other hand, candidates who can no longer work for the company they signed with (for whatever reason) can't be asked to leave their past work experience behind and completely switch industries! There are a few factors to consider when dealing with non-competes. First of all, as a candidate yougenerally don't have the bargaining power that the employer has when it comes to non-competes. General objections to signing non-competes can end up being red flags for employers anyway. It is important as a candidate to read the non-compete clause carefully and make sure that it is reasonable. A clause stating that an employee can't work in ANY geographical location, regardless of whether or not the company even operates in the area is excessive and probably will not hold up in court. The same can generally be said for "life time" non-competes, stating that employees can NEVER work for a competitor. If you are really uncomfortable signing the clause,be very specific andask to amend certainparts of the non-compete. As an employer, it may be a good idea to review your non-compete clause. What are you asking you employees to commit to? Are you turning away top talent because of an unreasonable request? If it's protection of intellectual property that is the chief concern, it may be a good idea to add literature in your employee contracts that focus more on protecting trade secrets rather than non-compete clauses. Most courts will usually uphold a non-compete as long as it is seen as "reasonable". That, however, is very subjective and is really left to the judges interpretation. Some states (Minnesota and Nevada for example) are a "right to work" states.In thesestates itis more difficult for employers to win cases against employees who break their non-compete. Others are not so sympathetic. So should you sign or not? Unfortunately, if you want the job, you probably don't have a choice... Read and understand the clause well. If it is completely unreasonable, you can ask for an amendment. Just be careful to present your case in a light that shows you don't plan on leaving the company! If a company is unwilling to change an unreasonable clause consider this: A. Is it a company you really want to work for in light of their inflexibility on the issue? B. If you sign and for some reason find yourself back in the job market, will the clause likely hold up in court? Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:09:57 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=56Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:08:00 CDT - The majority of us, society that is, are now fully on board with social media. I like to equate the integration of sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter as a form of communication to the introduction of the cell phone. It took a few years but now I think most people would get pretty freaked out if they suddenly had to go with out them! Socialmedia sites area great way to network and yet another way for us to be accessable to one another... But keep in mind, once you put something out there in the webesphere, it can probably be found by more people than you think. I've oftenheard people equate LinkedIn to business, Facebook to personal, and Twitter somewhere inbetween. This is probably true, at least for now,but don't be fooled into thinking that just because you set yourFacebook settings to "private"that people can'tgain access to at least some of that information. Don't get me wrong... we should all cut loose every once in a whileandhave a good time.Life would be prettygrey if we were all work and no play! Just keep in mind that you may have to answer for things that get posted on the World Wide Web.Especially during a job search. Check outthis article I recently foundfromEntrepreneur giving advice to companies screening candidates via social media sites... some pretty interesting statistics and insights. http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/220147 And don't forget to "un-tag" those scandalous pictures of yourself on Facebook! Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:08:00 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=55Wed, 20 Jul 2011 02:07:36 CDT - I get time management. I understand that when you're responsible for completing more projects than there are hours in the day you need to utilize every minute as efficiently as possible. It makes sense. Many of us use our extra "Windshield time" to make calls, phone meetings, etc. As long as it's done safely, and in some states legally, I think it's a good strategy... EXCEPT FOR PHONE INTERVIEWS!!!! You need to be completely focused and totally in the moment when you're interviewing, especially on the phone. This is usually the first real impression you get to make on a hiring authority. You don't have the benefit of reading non-verbal cues so you really have to nail it. Not to mention, if you're giving the interview your full focus and attention you certainly aren't driving safely! If you have to be in your car during a phone interview do it in a parking lot somewhere. Don't Interview and Drive! Wed, 20 Jul 2011 02:07:36 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=54Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:07:15 CDT - We are currently seeking results driven, enterprise sales individuals focusing on storage, desktop virtualization, and cloud computing in the Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH, and Indianapolis, IN areas for a Fortune 10 client.Six figure base, 160-170KOTE. If you are interested, qualified, and would like tohearmore about these positionsplease contact: Bryan Crigler Director of Marketing Social Media Recriter Winona Search Group 507.474.4835 bryan@mrwinona.com Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:07:15 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=52Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:07:32 CDT - 90% of hires are based solely upon the interview according to a Harvard Business Review study. In fact, 63% of hiring decisions are made within the first 4.3 minutes of an interview (courtesy SHRM). So, no pressure but the interview is probably the most important part of the hiring process! By the way this works both ways. Many hiring authorities don't take enough time to properly prepare for interviews withhigh caliber candidates. Most candidates considering a change now a days are most likely looking into more than oneopportunity and a poorly conducted interview can be a red flag that you don't want to be waving! So whether you are getting ready to interview or be interviewed... don't slack on your preparation! Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:07:32 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=51Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:07:06 CDT - Here is a link to an article posted byPew Internet and American Life Project regarding their recent Future of the Internet survey. It looks like the vast majority of those surveyed feel that most people will access their software applications through the cloud rather than their personal computers by 2020. Check it out: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1623/future-cloud-computing-technology-experts Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:07:06 CDThttp://www.mrwinona.com/refresh/templates/blog_entry.php?blog_id=50