We are constantly working on various search assignments involving Engineering or Operations types of skills requirements. The skills levels are from 2 to 15 years experience and the salaries range from $40,000 to $100,000 depending on the industry, experience and location. Listed below by Region and position titles are several (not all) of our focused efforts.

Southeastern Region
(VA, W.VA, N.C., S.C., GA, FL, AL, MS, TN, KY)

All require BSBA in Accounting, Finance, or related. Operations all in range of $30-35MM revenues, $25-30MM expense budget, and $1-2 capital expenditures. Generic duties with specialty experience in cost accounting, preferably in process plant environment. All are bulk material processors. Provide plant related operating and financial reports. Prepare monthly variance report analysis. Support the maintenance of the product cost system. Collect, calculate, analyze and summarize cost data. Maintain cost control system and prepare cost reports. Candidates should be well grounded in areas of; general accounting, capital budgeting and project accounting, budgeting, payroll, COST ACCOUNTING, forecasting, financial analysis, computer modeling and corporate policies and procedures. Microsoft Office required with Oracle highly desireable.

Down through the years since I began this Profession, titles have changed. Once I referred to myself as an Employment Counselor (that’s what the Generalist Agency called me), Placement Counselor, Employment Consultant (that’s what a more focused Agency called me) and now Recruiter (I am in control that’s what I prefer). Recruiter’s come in all shapes, gender, cultural backgrounds, etc. One must understand the nature of the Profession to have a good relationship. Many see a Recruiter as someone who spends a little time on the phone and makes a lot of money once a Placement is made. While it is true a good Recruiter can make a lot of money, like most endeavors a great deal of time is spent behind the scenes. Bottom line after the skills are developed (and this does not happen overnight) it’s a people business. Some Recruiter’s work in large firms where there is emphasis to produce or make placements. Regardless of the special area of focus (Specialty) the emphasis is on numbers. X number of marketing phone calls daily, X number of recruiting calls daily. X number of send-outs (on-site interviews) weekly, X number of Placements monthly, etc. During that process you are suppose to develop relationships with people. The depth of the relationship is governed by the quality of the work you perform. Much like an assembly line only it’s in an office environment but the principle is the same. Production goals, cost control, element of quality emphasis, ROI. Unfortunately many either come or are brought into this Profession with expectations of making it big overnight and experience burn out quickly. Turn-over is sometimes high. When the economy goes South and employers are not hiring many of us fall by the way side and turn to another Profession to earn a living. Those who have been in the industry see this as a weaning out process or “Only the strong survive”. I prefer to think that if you are dedicated to the Profession and see it as the best position you have ever had, you will stick out the tough times, become a little creative and stay.

The quality of the relationship between you and a Recruiter is like anything else. It depends on what you put in. I have developed both short-term and long-term relationships in my Profession with Candidates as well as with Clients. Recruiters are very mindful of who pays the fee once a Candidate is placed with a Client in a specific role. Regardless of whether you are a Recruiter working on a Retainer, Engagement Fee or Contingency, the opening drives your business. Over the course of years I have had as many as 20 in a given month and as few as zero. Peaks and Valleys.

Many people have heard me say “I have never known a company to hire a piece of paper nor a Recruiter to place a piece of paper with a client.” There are as many different ways to write a resume as there are people to write them. Likewise there are many people who give advice on format, content, length, etc. (including myself). Starting with the question, What is a Resume? A self-portrait which we wish others to see someone who can cross boundaries, invent ways to apply our past skills in a manner which meets their needs both present and future so that they develop an interest to the point that they are willing to invest time to talk with us about possible mutual interest.  This is the sole purpose of a resume, to start communication. Once that communication takes place it is useless unless you are extended an offer and except, become an employee then it goes into your employers personnel file.

Before you begin to compose your resume think MUSIC. Music has always been an important part of my life and I like all types of music from Bob Seger to Jazz to Mozart. Following the music thought process attempt to synthesize rather than analyze your various roles in the past employers and positions you have held. “Pick up the Pieces” (that’s a song folks) and look for the relationships between seemingly unrelated positions, employers and tie them together. You were promoted internally because those skills were needed in another area or you changed positions externally because another employer felt they could build on you experience. You are looking for an analogy or seeing one thing in terms of another, unrelated fields to combine elements you nor anyone else thought of putting together.

Ask yourself several questions about each employer/position you have worked in during your career direction. “Why was I hired in my last position, the one(s) prior. What Value-Added benefit did I bring to the table? Now, What Value-Added benefit will I take away from that table”? What’s the relationship from all of the answers?

Assume the role of a composer or conductor and corral your diverse experiences, environments, industry experience, projects, successes, etc. into a document that if played like a piece of music would make a unified and pleasing sound. With a resume you attempt to create an image of you, your skills set, your experience. The reader is looking for an image that shows relationship. Relationship to the need, the process, the group, the environment, etc. Just as notes in a symphony cross different boundaries to create a good sound your skills must reflect that they crossed different boundaries in the work place where you are and those where you were. Too often a resume is something “remembered” rather than reflecting that you can succeed in a starkly different role. If for instance you had to “Multitask” in your position then you should be “Multifaceted” in your abilities.

People take what they read or see and draw their own image. We want to analyze our experiences, skills when we compose a resume vs. approaching the process as a systems thinking process. We live in an age of abundance. Drive through most new neighborhoods and see how many single car garages you see on a house built after 2000 or perhaps the mid ’90′s. The downside of abundance is that it entices one to a state of apathy. I think that in this new world market place we have evolved into it’s time to re-think the way we both compose a resume and the way we listen to the “MUSIC” or read a resume. Your challenge is to make it “PLAY”. The reader will hear the tune.