Recruiter Review

AWESOME - HAMMERHEAD by Ingersoll Rand. Power of an Impact, Reach of a R...

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:33:00 +0000

Ingersoll Rand Leaders Make Business Case for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Europe at Energy Efficiency Global 2011 - CNBC

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Ingersoll Rand Leaders Make Business Case for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Europe at Energy Efficiency Global 2011 - CNBC

SEO Your Resume

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:46:00 +0000

SEO Your Resume

How to Answer the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Interview Question

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 03:24:00 +0000

How to Answer the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Interview Question

Production Planner - Industrial Technologies based in North Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 03:10:00 +0000

Production Planner
Job Number: 405710
Location: Mocksville, NC
Business Unit : Operations

http://ingersollrand.hodesiq.com/apply_online_1.asp?jobid=2324212

Ingersoll Rand is a $13 billion company whose people and businesses around the world create progress for our customers in the global climate control, air conditioning and heating, industrial and security markets. These markets continue to expand as they address growing needs in developed and developing economies alike. Our products, systems and solutions increase the efficiency and productivity of industrial, commercial operations, homes, and improve the security, safety, health and comfort of people around the world. We have opportunities for career growth through our diverse businesses, which manufacture many well-recognized brands including Club Car, Hussmann, Ingersoll Rand, Schlage, Thermo King and Trane. In every line of business - Ingersoll Rand enables companies and their customers to inspire progress. For more information about Ingersoll Rand visit www.ingersollrand.com.

Ingersoll Rand Industrial Technologies provides products, services and solutions that enhance our customers' energy efficiency, productivity and operations. Our diverse and innovative products range from complete compressed air systems, tools and pumps to material and fluid handling systems and environmentally friendly microturbines. We also enhance productivity through solutions created by Club Car(R), the global leader in golf and utility vehicles for businesses and individuals.

POSITION OBJECTIVE:
To create a production schedule to meet customer requirements, inventory objectives and manufacturing goals per the Division’s Requirements.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Provide overall coordination of customer requirements through the entire team operation interfacing with Quality Assurance, Engineering, Purchasing, Receiving, Shop Assembly, Test, and Shipping.

2. Reconcile all order discrepancies and order changes. Communicate with assembly; purchasing, sales and Marketing to ensure customer priorities are met.

3. Generate a fixed schedule that will not change within manufacturing lead times to ensue the maximum utilization and efficiency of production processes.

4. Schedule customer orders basis next available production plan or based on lead-time of components. Check availability of all components and expedite buyers when necessary to meet customer requirements. Create shortage lists for production meetings.

5. Work closely with the Master Scheduler, manufacturing supervisors and management and tactical buyers to ensure production schedules can be met with accuracy and efficiency.

6. Help to maintain the Master Schedule / Forecast in MFG/PRO in accordance with guidelines set forth by the S.O.P. and ISO 9001 procedures. This requires balancing customer and commercial lead-time demands with the Division’s strategic inventory goals.

7. Assist in the development of weekly and monthly metrics, which include OTD, Cash flow, ATP, Logistic/Order Processing and assembly production.

8. Create master schedule based on sales orders, to meet customer requirements in MFG/PRO based on material availability being driven from the SOP into the forecasting module in MFG/PRO. Requires a good understanding of the price books, a thorough understanding of the engineering planning charts and a thorough understanding of the configured products and sales order planning modules in MFG/PRO.
//-----------//

Percentage of Travel:
Min. Yrs. Experience:
Education Standard:4 year
Education Type:

Knowledge:
1. Incumbent needs related industrial/manufacturing experience, working knowledge of MRP, inventory management, Demand Flow Technology and Bills of Materials. Must have mechanical aptitude to understand the assembly process and build sequence.

2. APICS-CPIM Certification preferred

Formal Education Requirement:

BS or BA degree required in related field

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt preferred

4 Factors to Measure Your Online Reputation

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:26:00 +0000

4 Factors to Measure Your Online Reputation

Global Product Management - Program Manager

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Ingersoll Rand Industrial Technologies is currently recruiting a Global Program Manager to join our team at our Corporate office in Charlotte, NC. As part of the Global Product Management team - this individual will lead cross functional teams in the pursuit of NPD! An incredible opportunity.....

Global Program Manager - Charlotte, NC
Global Program Manager
Job Number: 411912
Location: Davidson, NC

Business Unit : Global Product Management
Ingersoll Rand is a $13 billion company whose people and businesses around the world create progress for our customers in the global climate control, air conditioning and heating, industrial and security markets. These markets continue to expand as they address growing needs in developed and developing economies alike. Our products, systems and solutions increase the efficiency and productivity of industrial, commercial operations, homes, and improve the security, safety, health and comfort of people around the world. We have opportunities for career growth through our diverse businesses, which manufacture many well-recognized brands including Club Car, Hussmann, Ingersoll Rand, Schlage, Thermo King and Trane. In every line of business - Ingersoll Rand enables companies and their customers to inspire progress. For more information about Ingersoll Rand visit www.ingersollrand.com.

Ingersoll Rand Industrial Technologies provides products, services and solutions that enhance our customers' energy efficiency, productivity and operations. Our diverse and innovative products range from complete compressed air systems, tools and pumps to material and fluid handling systems and environmentally friendly microturbines. We also enhance productivity through solutions created by Club Car(R), the global leader in golf and utility vehicles for businesses and individuals.

As Program Manager within the Industrial Technologies Sector, you will lead cross functional teams to achieve desired results within budget, at desired cost levels, to specified quality & functionality requirements, and within the overall program schedule. You will also manage & support the development of organizational processes to improve program execution speed, effectiveness, including analyzing & supporting correction of systemic and/or organizational gaps.

Position Responsibilities:
• Manage NPD programs and ensure programs objectives are met on cost, on time, and with required quality and functionality.
• Lead cross functional teams to meet project objectives
• Facilitate/Lead program planning, schedule and charter development
• Manage team
• Build cross-functional ownership of NPD as a business process within the Sector; Assess programs cross-functional resource requirements and proactively engage sponsors and functional leaders to fill resource gaps on a timely basis to insure project success
• Assess NPD Program deliverables, risks and timing; Use critical path management methodologies to manage Schedule, Scope and Resource requirements; Manage Program team’s deliverables using critical path management methodologies

Percentage of Travel: 10-20%
Min. Yrs. Experience: 10 yrs.
Education Standard: Bachelor's Degree
Education Type: Engineering / Technical

Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in a technical field, or Bachelor’s Degree with equivalent technical experience is required; Masters PMI PMP certification required, DFSS or Equivalent Black Belt Certification preferred
A minimum of 10 years in a diversified industrial company in the areas of Engineering, Project Management, a minimum of 5 years in Project/Program Management.
Must have Microsoft Project Expertise
Experience running large complex cross functional projects is required

If you share our passion for inspiring progress-for bringing about bold shifts in how people, economies and societies operate-then you belong with Ingersoll Rand. Ingersoll Rand is committed to a diverse workforce and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

10 New Year's Resolutions Every Job Hunter Should Make in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:50:00 +0000

10 New Year's Resolutions Every Job Hunter Should Make in 2011

Regional Service Operations Manager

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:20:00 +0000

Good Afternoon! Our team is currently recruiting a Regional Service Operations Manager, to based at our Corporate Office in NC. Please let me know if you have any questions/interest and I hope you enjoy your Tuesday!

Leads Service Operations initiatives through the Americas regarding process standardization, development & implementation of tools for office profitability and working capital improvements. Defines & implements service business models to support current & future customer needs. Partner with the Customer Center service managers on improving Day-to-Day operations in service operations processes and long term process development planning.

Partner with business leadership and functions in ITS Americas, including sales, marketing, customer service, branch operations, distribution and logistics, manufacturing and IT to define standard processes for service execution business. Following gap analysis between current operations and lean principles, work with leadership to prioritize, develop, and implement plans for closing the gaps. Incumbent will lead those initiatives to completion and achieve continuous improvement in customer satisfaction, service profitability and consistent business process deployment throughout the region
Process Standardization –In collaboration with district & office leadership, develop & implement standard service work processes and establishes the fundamental standardization of business processes across the Americas.
Performance Improvement –Through development & implementation of standardized tools and processes enables and supports improved financial performance in overall business strategies and goals as well as Customer Satisfaction.
Strategic Business Design –Develop & plan implementation and enhancement of business models based on benchmarking and customer future requirements. Actively participate on sector initiatives, benchmarking throughout service industries, etc. Establish and support best practices.
Operations Management – Develop & implement tools to facilitate effective Day-to-Day use of labor, materials, inventory, equipment and capital to meet customer requirements.
Training and Development –Determines district knowledge gaps relative to service operations. With appropriate departments, develop & implement training needed to close the gaps. Analyzes future training needs based on teams current capability and future customer requirements. Works collaboratively with others to build competency for current and future service opportunities with customers. Identify opportunities to improve transactional processes impacting customer experience in terms of Right Part, Right Technician and Right Time.

Experience: 5-7 years
Education: Bachelors Degree
Travel: 50%
Percentag

Scope: ITS Americas Services interacts with all Channels of Business including Customer Centers, Distributors, Strategic Accounts, and Latin America across all product lines. Additionally, the department interacts with Manufacturing, Distribution and Logistics, and Marketing to support the Americas Service business. This role will primarily interact with Field operations (both central and at the Customer Center level), supporting $450MM in After Market Parts and Services Operations.
Position requires critical thinking skills to address complex problems from multiple sources as well as those necessary to identify problems through financial, statistical and logic-based analysis.

Analysis examples include gaps in the data entry processes of the field that may cause financial reporting errors during rolls ups. Investigation would include determining why the data entry gap exists (training, not seen as value added in the field, too difficult to maneuver) and then identify a viable course of action. Additionally, this plan but get buy in from all parties involved including field operations, IT and upper management therefore Change Management, Collaboration and Influencing skills are a must!

Candidate must be able to identify a current “as is” state, identify waste and facilitate and improved future state. Implementation of these new processes will require strong collaboration and influencing skills. A cooperative spirit is a necessity for success in this position.

Candidate will need to establish standard business processes across their region that will facilitate continual communication, training and maintenance of new service operations processes as they are released

Seeking candidates eligible for employment in local country/region.

If you share our passion for inspiring progress-for bringing about bold shifts in how people, economies and societies operate-then you belong with Ingersoll Rand. Ingersoll Rand is committed to a diverse workforce and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Inspiring Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:40:00 +0000

New Role - New Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:49:00 +0000

I am excited to announce that I recently joined Ingersoll Rand Industrial Technologies as a Talent Acquisition Partner, focusing on Operations and Integrated Supply Chain.

"Ingersoll Rand is a $13 billion global diversified industrial company, driven by employees who are proud to offer products and solutions people use every day to create a positive impact in their world. Driven by a 100-year-old tradition of technological innovation, we enable companies and their customers to create progress."

To kickoff my new position - I want to highlight some exciting opportunities we currently have available. Please do not hesitate to email me if you are interested or would like to learn more!

Value Stream Manager - NC
Materials and Logistics Manager - NC
Supplier Quality Engineer - GA
Sr Electrical Engineer - GA
Distribution and Logistics Supervisor - WA

Today's Profiled Position is our Sr. Electrical Engineer for Club Car:

Designs electronics and electrical packaging and individual components and assemblies to achieve new product requirements and current product improvements that function in a safe manner with optimum cost and reliability. Coordinates, conducts and analyzes test results/data and prepares reports and documentation of testing performed on new components, assemblies and systems.

1. Provides necessary design information to outside sources to achieve new product requirements and current product improvements. Creates designs that function in a safe manner with optimum cost and reliability.
2. Prepares layouts, sketches and detail drawings as required.
3. Coordinates and conducts test of new components, assemblies and complete systems. Directs and participates in the design and construction of test fixtures used to perform functional and life cycle testing of components.
4. Analyzes test results/data and prepares reports and documentation of testing performed on new components, assemblies and systems.
5. Responsible for new and existing products (current production and products in the field).
6. Investigate and develop new technologies and build the technical knowledge base of engineering department for new and existing products
7. Review engineering changes and determines cost (materials, labor, and tooling) to purchase and/or manufacture parts, and generates Capital Expense Request.
8. Provide processes and equipment that will insure products with highest level of quality possible. Develop systems that are self-regulating and require minimal subjective analysis.

Percentage of Travel: 10
Min. Yrs. Experience: 2 years
Education Standard: Bachelors Degree
Education Type: Engineering-Electrical

Engineering fundamental knowledge required; Design Project Management; Analysis and simulation of complex systems; Correlation of analysis to testing; General design principles. Must possess good electrical and mechanical aptitude, knowledge of advanced mathematics and stress analysis of mechanical systems and good oral and written communication skills.

Seeking candidates eligible for employment in local country/region.

If you share our passion for inspiring progress-for bringing about bold shifts in how people, economies and societies operate-then you belong with Ingersoll Rand. Ingersoll Rand is committed to a diverse workforce and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Manager - North Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 03:06:00 +0000

Good Afternoon! I wanted to make you aware of a recent General Manager position that became available within TruGreen LandCare. I have included the job description below; but the snapshot would be a Landscape Operations Manager with Commercial Maintenance experience with full P&L Management responsibilities.

Let me know if you would like to learn more....

Branch Manager
Maximize customer satisfaction, revenue, growth and profitability of a branch office through effective management and coordination of customer service, employee training and development, equipment and facility resources, safety programs, and promotion of all corporate goals and objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The essential duties and responsibilities are listed below. Other duties may be assigned.

• Motivates and evaluates Account Representatives and Department Heads to promote the highest standards of cooperation, production, service and ethics.

• Develop plans for the efficient use of materials, equipment and employees.

• Responsible for control of all budget line items and investigating all avenues to exceed and improve division's bottom line.

• Implementation and achievement of division's goals and objectives. Make sure they are communicated to all levels of production.

• Directs the development and implementation of all sales/marketing strategies utilized by the branch.

• Evaluates performance, makes salary recommendations, and administers disciplinary actions consistent with company policy.

• Evaluates and authorizes branch expenses to ensure cost effectiveness of all purchases.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Manages two or more supervisors who supervise office, sales and operations departments. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of these units.

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees, planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints and resolving problems.

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university, or four to five years related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Landscape industry experience is strongly preferred.

At TruGreen Landcare, you’ll enjoy a competitive compensation and benefits package, as well as the opportunity for professional growth and respect that comes from working for the industry leader. Qualified candidates must be able to successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screen. Come grow with us.

AA/EOE M/F/V/D

Importance of Networking!

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 01:45:00 +0000

Anne-Marie provides an incredible article on the importance of networking to keep you engaged and energized in your career. Thanks to Anne-Marie and TheLadders.com for this inspiring article and hopefully a much needed jump-start in our careers!

Networking to Energize Your Career
Steps to help you avoid career fatigue and to invigorate your professional life.
By Anne-Marie DittaShareThis

Do you bounce out of bed on Monday morning? Are you regularly presented with opportunities that challenge you to think and to grow? Does your salary equal your worth?

If you answered no to any of these questions, you could be at risk for career fatigue. Career fatigue is a condition that weakens self-confidence and prevents advancement to new and exciting opportunities. In order to recover from its immobilizing effects you will have to give your career as much attention as you give to your business projects. Once you accept accountability for your success or failure in the workplace, opportunities will appear that invigorate and inspire you. The following steps will help you grow and thrive in your professional life:

1. Build a strong network. Start by cultivating relationships with people you admire. These are the people who are on or above your level of experience and are either in the same industry or one that complements yours. The best place to meet these people is at professional associations, online networking forums, and inside your own organization.

Perhaps you think you don't have time for this. But professional associations are comprised of people like you who also have busy schedules. These people have improved both their professional and personal lives by investing in meaningful activities and relationships. Most associations have early morning meetings and evening events. Yahoo has an extensive directory of business trade organizations. Find at least one association that interests you and attend at least three meetings before deciding whether it is right for you.

2. Nurture your network. Neglect your network and it will neglect you. I've coached people who have had the good fortune to capture the attention and support of their colleagues and mentors only to let those relationships slip away once they reached their goal.

The people who make it to the top fastest understand the value of staying in touch. Good networkers actively seek to assist others in reaching their goals. A link to an article or Web site can keep you on the radar of someone who has the potential to play an instrumental role in your future. Sharing wins, insights and asking good questions will keep colleagues and mentors in the loop. Whenever logistics allow, meet for lunch or coffee. These measures may lead to your next position or big account.

3. Stay ahead of the curve. Regular participation in seminars, workshops and monthly association meetings is a great way to keep abreast of trends that affect your industry and, ultimately, your career. It can also help you build your network. Now you might be thinking: Isn't that my employer's responsibility? Or perhaps you are worried about taking the time off.

In an ideal world your company would pay for your training, and of course your time is valuable. However, you are doing this for you. You are investing in your career. The fact that your employer benefits from your increased knowledge may be the basis for the next promotion or the reason why a rival organization offers you a better opportunity.

4. Know your worth. Whether you are actively seeking new opportunities or are happy in your current position, be aware of your accomplishments. Years ago, my cousin's husband, Jim, introduced me to a wonderful method for doing this. Jim had rapidly advanced from a sales representative to a regional sales director. The secret to his success was a simple composition notebook in which he jotted down ideas, tracked his wins, and anything else that was relevant to advancing his career. Years later, the information he compiled helped me write a killer resume for him and gave him ammunition to justify a substantial salary increase.

5. Start planning now for your next two positions. Having a career goal is like planning a vacation. You wouldn't plan a trip without having a destination. If you did, you might see some interesting places, but chances are you would end up in a place like Alaska with only a bathing suit to keep you warm. Before you accept your next offer, ask yourself: What impact will this position have on my long-term goals? Will it strengthen my marketability or weaken it?

According to Stedman Graham, "None of us is defined by our circumstances, nor are we defined by how other people perceive us. It is up to each one of us to define ourselves, and that is a life's work. Each of us has the ability to lead a dynamic life by pursuing our unique goals and dreams. There are no limits to what you can do." I hope you will make good use of this advice.

Anne-Marie Ditta, CCMC, CPRW, CEIP owns First Impression Career Services, LLC, a practice helping project managers, global managers, senior executives and recent M.B.A. graduates unlock the doors to new and fulfilling opportunities.

Corporate Recruiting

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 20:43:00 +0000

Lou Adler recently posted this article on Corporate Recruiting and I thought it was dead-on! The skills and abilities he highlights are critical to being successful and multi-tasking....well that's a must!

Enjoy!!

How to Become a Corporate Headhunter
by Lou Adler, Jun 15, 2010

At Chicago’s SMA Symposium last month, I presented an updated version of my corporate recruiter scorecard. Here’s a link to the handout and the ranking form (when you get to the site, see my June 13 post, top center).

Before you rank yourself, you should assign your target candidates into one of the following six buckets based on their level of business impact, personal growth rate, job satisfaction, and job-hunting status. This will allow you to quickly separate the strong from the meek, and from this, determine the appropriate recruiting and sourcing strategy to use.

Super Passives: these are the top people who are making a big impact, totally satisfied, and not the least bit interested in looking. This group represents about 25-30% of the candidate pool. (We are now working with LinkedIn on a big survey to validate the percentages, but this is a good estimate.)

The Explorers: these are the top people, who are fully employed, but whose personal growth has slowed a bit. While they’re not looking, they are open to “explore” a new opportunity if contacted by a recruiter. This group represents about 40-45% of the total candidate pool.

Tiptoers: These people represent the hidden active candidate market. These are the top people who have decided to enter the job hunt, but only tell their close friends and former associates. Strong networking skills will uncover these people quickly. They represent about 10% of the total candidate pool.

The three groups above represent 75-80% of the total applicant pool, but require extra effort to find and recruit. The three groups below represent about 20% of the pool, and would be considered “active” candidates. There is a lot of overlap among these three groups, but from a time perspective they become more active as they become more desperate.

Searchers: I used to call this group “Googlers” but the folks at Bing suggested a more generic term. Regardless of what you call these folks, they use search engines and job aggregators to find their next job. This is where SEO, SEM, and talent communities reign as prime sourcing methodologies. The idea is to capture people as soon as they publicly enter the job market and nurture them along until something great comes along.

Networkers: Let’s get physical. This group differs from Tiptoers in their degree of activity. Tiptoers only tell their close associates about their desire to switch; physical Networkers tell everyone. They join groups, contact everyone they’ve ever met, and send emails to third-degree contacts in the hope of a 20-minute “just coffee.” Don’t ignore these folks, since some are top-notch and very discriminating, but you can’t build a sourcing strategy around this group.

Hunters and Posters: When things get truly desperate, top people will hunt and peck through career sites and job boards, post their resumes anywhere they can, and use agents to apply to anything with the word “job” in it. Again, while there are some good folks in this group, the effort to separate the good from the bad is not worth it.

A secondary sourcing strategy emerges from a primary strategy of sourcing active candidates. Collecting resumes of strong people who go off-market can be extremely important. Once these active candidates find a new job, they move into one of the passive categories. So as long as you stay connected, a year or two later, the best of these people are relatively easy to re-recruit.

It’s pretty obvious that if you want to increase your talent quality, you’ll need to spend more time targeting Explorers and Tiptoers. Although there are top people in each group, the best of them get picked up early in their search process. That’s why I call a strategy based on sourcing active candidates a Leftover approach, and suggest an Early-bird strategy as part of any talent program designed to increase quality of hire.

While technology is helping automate this process, it takes strong recruiting skills and involved hiring managers to be consistently successful hiring Explorers and Tiptoers. The 10-factor recruiter scorecard, summarized below, highlights the skills required to recruit these passive candidates.

From a scoring standpoint, you need to get at least 35 points out of 50 if you expect to be successful recruiting Explorers and Tiptoers. Recruiting active candidates is much easier. In this case, a score of 25-30 would suffice. However, regardless of your score, you also the time to do it right.

Rank yourself on the 10 factors below on a 1-5 scale. A five means you’re one of the best — in the top 5 percent of your team. A 2.5 is average. This is a non-linear scoring system. To get a three on any factor you need to rank in the top 20-25%, with a four putting you in the top 10-15%. A two would put you just below average, and a one in the bottom-third. Once you complete your score, have some team members validate it for you.

10-Factor Corporate Sourcer to Recruiter to Headhunter Scorecard
Deliver consistent results. To get a full five on this factor you need to have measureable objectives, consistently meet them in terms of candidate quality (at least B+ or better), and be in the top 5 percent of your group in terms of results.
Be an SME and SWK. An SME is a subject matter expert with respect to the job, the company, and the industry. SWK means you’re Someone Worth Knowing regarding networking and representing important jobs. You need to be both to recruit the best Explorers and Tiptoers. Neither is necessary if you’re only targeting active candidates who want to work at your company.

Partner with hiring manager. If you don’t personally know and aren’t completely trusted by your hiring manager client, you don’t stand a chance recruiting the best Explorers and Tiptoers. You score a five on this factor if everyone you recommend is interviewed by your hiring managers without even having to review the resume.

Understand the real job and how it represents a career opportunity. The best prospects expect the recruiter to fully understand real job requirements, know the hiring manager’s leadership abilities, and be able to quickly demonstrate how your opening represents a career opportunity for the candidate. To score a five on this factor you have to be able to demo all three after a 5-10 minute conversation with the candidate.

Super sourcer — active candidates. While there are numerous techniques to be great on this factor, the true measure of success is delivering qualified candidates to the recruiting team without fail, consistently, and quickly. This means you’re probably a super Boolean expert, know how to write and position great ads, and can tap into your employee referral program to find outstanding talent.

Super sourcer — passive candidates. To earn a five on this factor you have to identify and qualify top Explorers and Tiptoers. This means you’re great on the phone, can quickly develop a full slate of candidates in about 10 phone calls, and have superb networking skills. This is the most important job in the whole company, and your worth is priceless. If you’re a five you’re probably underpaid.

Great organizer, aka juggler extraordinaire. You need great organizing and planning skills to successfully handle all of the activity involved in being a corporate recruiter. This means you need to plan out your day and week well ahead of time, build pipelines in your spare time, reprioritize on the fly, and stay calm while putting out fires. If you’re constantly falling behind, missing deadlines, and making excuses, you’re in the bottom half.

Super techie. You need to be extremely comfortable with technology to be a successful corporate recruiter. Part of this is knowing your talent acquisition system inside out, and optimizing all of the latest sourcing tools. A four on this factor means you in total command, and a five means you’re so good, you’re training others.

Accurately interview and assess competency. You know you’re a five on this factor if your hiring managers cede to your expertise. This means you’re both more accurate and more consistent than your hiring managers and they’re asking for your help training them on how to get better.

Recruit and close top candidates who are not looking or who have multiple offers. To get a five on this factor you need to be able to have high conversion rates from first contact to the final close. You know you’re in the top of your game if you’re assigned the toughest assignments in your company and consistently deliver A-level candidates.

As you can see, even with enough time, it’s not easy to be a corporate headhunter. Third-party headhunters have it even rougher. They don’t get paid if they don’t deliver consistent results. However, if they do, they get paid a lot.

Social Networking for Veterans

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 28 May 2010 15:48:00 +0000

With the Memorial Day weekend almost upon us, I thought it appropriate to highlight a recent article on ERE in regards to our Service Men and Women. The article below discusses a new social networking medium for Veterans, similar to Facebook. I hope you enjoy the article!

New Social Site Will Cater to Veterans
by Todd RaphaelMay 25, 2010, 1:25 pm ET

A marine recruiter in New York City is exiting the military and launching a website he describes as a “hybrid of Facebook and LinkedIn, tailored to the military.”

Michael Abrams knows this won’t be the first website offering support or job help for veterans. To name a handful of dozens, you have recruitmilitary, hireahero, hirevetsfirts, hiremilitary, vetjobs, of course the new Recruiters-of-Light project, and others.

But Abrams (4BlockVolunteer@gmail.com) believes the market could use a social-media oriented site where veterans can get to know other veterans already working. “Veterans really want to help guys transition out,” he says, “but there’s no easy way to connect with them.” Abrams says he wants to help “the guy coming back from Afghanistan who only has a couple of weeks to make the transition.”

Abrams, an officer recruiter for the Marines in Manhattan, is raising money for his project. He wants investors to give money to the for-profit part of the site, and individuals looking for worthy causes to donate to the non-profit part, which will offer mentoring and classes. He says no money has been raised to date, other than what members of a board and he have put in. A couple of companies have said they will be writing checks.

Meanwhile, he’s talking to the City University of New York about holding a week-long transition seminar for veterans who are now attending CUNY schools in New York City. And he’s assisting with the transition of a group of wounded Marines from the Wounded Warriors East company in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The company will be called Four Block — one of those many website names that requires an explanation. Abrams explains it as follows:

“There are three distinct types of operations that our military conducts; humanitarian aid, peacekeeping, and full-combat. For the first time in history, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have blurred the lines of these operations and our service men and women have had to quickly and effectively transition between all three. Marines call this type of conflict The Three-Block War. However, we believe that there is a fourth and final block that our service men and women have to fight and win: the successful transition from military to civilian life. Four Block is a community of veterans, employers, and professionals that will provide transitioning service members with the tools and the opportunity to begin a new career.”

Recruiter-author-consultant Peter Weddle, a Vietnam veteran, generally likes the idea of the site. But, he says the problem with veterans getting jobs (a problem that extends even to government agencies required to pay special attention to vets) is not the lack of opportunities or connections. It’s the “continuous deployment of active and reserves, subject to recall and recall and recall,” he says, making employers reluctant to candidates who could end up being unreliable in their presence, through no fault of their own. “It’s a systemic problem, rather than lack of opportunity,” Weddle says, adding that at least the reception veterans are getting now is at least much better than in the Vietnam era.

Job Search Myths

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:14:00 +0000

While reading CNN.com this morning, I came across this article on Job Search Myths that I thought was direct and on-target. As always, let me know your thoughts and feedback!

Happy Easter!

7 common job search myths
By Julie Jansen, CareerBuilder.com
March 31, 2010 9:13 a.m. EDT

Fitting into the office culture can be just as important as having the proper job skills, expert says.

(CareerBuilder.com) -- Myths that people believe about looking for a job are many and persistent. The most common ones are these:

Myth No. 1: A résumé should be only one page.

Absolutely not! The normal length of a résumé is two to three pages (at most). It is fine to have addendum pages such as a list of references or published articles. A one-page résumé is only appropriate for a recent college grad.

Myth No. 2: If you go on an interview through a contingency or search firm, you cannot speak directly to the person who interviewed you after the interview

The person who interviewed you is either a decision-maker or an influencer in the hiring process. Ask him during the interview if he minds if you contact him with any questions you may have later. If he says no, be skeptical about his interest or style.

After all, you are the person who was on the interview, not the recruiting professional who set up your interview. He or she is also someone you can nurture as a networking contact even if you aren't hired.

Myth No. 3: If eight people at a company interviewed you, you need to send a thank-you note only to the person you'd report to if you got the job

Those other seven people took their valuable time to interview you. Of course you should send each one a thank-you note!

Myth No. 4: You shouldn't take notes during an interview

Why not? Nobody has a photographic memory while talking, listening, and processing information. Simply ask the interviewer politely if she minds if you take some notes. Obviously, you should use abbreviations or keywords so that you're not concentrating too hard on taking notes and not focusing enough on the conversation.

Myth No. 5: There is no point in conducting a job search during the summer or in December because companies aren't hiring then.

This is absolutely ridiculous. In fact, during the summer, businesspeople are more casual and "laid back" in their attitudes and approaches. They don't tend to be as immersed in stressful projects. What a great time to approach people!

In December, companies may be focused on bringing someone on board before the new calendar or fiscal year. People are in a much more celebratory mood during this time of year, and December offers lots of opportunities for networking.

Myth No. 6: Most qualified candidate has best shot at getting job offer

Obviously, for most positions, a company needs someone with specific skills and experience. It is also true that many companies still lean toward someone who has worked in the same industry. It is more likely that the individual who fits into the company culture is the one who will get the offer.

This means that as a candidate you are accountable for finding out and understanding what the culture is -- the values that shape the company, the way people communicate, and the kinds of people who are respected within the organization. You will not find this kind of information on a Web site or in an annual report. You will find it from talking to people -- the company's employees, vendors, and ex-employees.

Myth No. 7: Only certain components of a job offer are negotiable

The two best times to negotiate with a company are when they ask you to join them, and when they ask you to leave. Anything can be negotiated if you are very clear about what you need and want, and can state the reasons why. You stand the best chance of getting your needs met if you put yourself in the company's shoes during the negotiation. Not only can compensation be negotiated but also the work itself, the way you will do the work, whom you will report to, and every other aspect of the job.

Looking for a new job requires many skills, and the more you network, interview, and negotiate, the easier the process becomes. Above all, trust your instincts during your job search. As with any relationship, you may have to make compromises.

However, there is absolutely no reason that you shouldn't be able to find the right job -- a job that fits your personality and fulfills your needs.

Social Security - The Silent Robber

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 02:31:00 +0000

As we head into the weekend, I came across this article on CNBC.com that I could not pass up posting. We are not only contributing to a Social Security system that is failing, but I have to look at my son and know we are not doing anything to improve our process and system for the next generation! Please let me know your thoughts!!!

Social Security to See Payout Exceed Pay-In This Year
By: Mary Williams Walsh

The bursting of the real estate bubble and the ensuing recession have hurt jobs, home prices and now Social Security.

This year, the system will pay out more in benefits than it receives in payroll taxes, an important threshold it was not expected to cross until at least 2016, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Stephen C. Goss, chief actuary of the Social Security Administration, said that while the Congressional projection would probably be borne out, the change would have no effect on benefits in 2010 and retirees would keep receiving their checks as usual.

The problem, he said, is that payments have risen more than expected during the downturn, because jobs disappeared and people applied for benefits sooner than they had planned. At the same time, the program’s revenue has fallen sharply, because there are fewer paychecks to tax.

Analysts have long tried to predict the year when Social Security would pay out more than it took in because they view it as a tipping point — the first step of a long, slow march to insolvency, unless Congress strengthens the program’s finances.

“When the level of the trust fund gets to zero, you have to cut benefits,” Alan Greenspan, architect of the plan to rescue the Social Security program the last time it got into trouble, in the early 1980s, said on Wednesday.

Still, Mr. Greenspan, who later became chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, said: “I think very much the same issue exists today. Because of the size of the contraction in economic activity, unless we get an immediate and sharp recovery, the revenues of the trust fund will be tracking lower for a number of years.”

The Social Security Administration is expected to issue in a few weeks its own numbers for the current year within the annual report from its board of trustees. The administration has six board members: three from the president’s cabinet, two representatives of the public and the Social Security commissioner.

Though Social Security uses slightly different methods, the official numbers are expected to roughly track the Congressional projections, which were one page of a voluminous analysis of the federal budget proposed by President Obama in January.

Mr. Goss said Social Security’s annual report last year projected revenue would more than cover payouts until at least 2016 because economists expected a quicker, stronger recovery from the crisis. Officials foresaw an average unemployment rate of 8.2 percent in 2009 and 8.8 percent this year, though unemployment is hovering at nearly 10 percent.

The trustees did foresee, in late 2008, that the recession would be severe enough to deplete Social Security’s funds more quickly than previously projected. They moved the year of reckoning forward, to 2037 from 2041. Mr. Goss declined to reveal the contents of the forthcoming annual report, but said people should not expect the date to lurch forward again.

The long-term costs of Social Security present further problems for politicians, who are already struggling over how to reduce the nation’s debt. The national predicament echoes that of many European governments, which are facing market pressure to re-examine their commitments to generous pensions over extended retirements.

The United States’ soaring debt — propelled by tax cuts, wars and large expenditures to help banks and the housing market — has become a hot issue as Democrats gauge their vulnerability in the coming elections. President Obama has appointed a bipartisan commission to examine the debt problem, including Social Security, and make recommendations on how to trim the nation’s debt by Dec. 1, a few weeks after the midterm Congressional elections.

Although Social Security is often said to have a “trust fund,” the term really serves as an accounting device, to track the pay-as-you-go program’s revenue and outlays over time. Its so-called balance is, in fact, a history of its vast cash flows: the sum of all of its revenue in the past, minus all of its outlays. The balance is currently about $2.5 trillion because after the early 1980s the program had surplus revenue, year after year.

Now that accumulated revenue will slowly start to shrink, as outlays start to exceed revenue. By law, Social Security cannot pay out more than its balance in any given year.

For accounting purposes, the system’s accumulated revenue is placed in Treasury securities.

In a year like this, the paper gains from the interest earned on the securities will more than cover the difference between what it takes in and pays out.

Mr. Goss, the actuary, emphasized that even the $29 billion shortfall projected for this year was small, relative to the roughly $700 billion that would flow in and out of the system. The system, he added, has a balance of about $2.5 trillion that will take decades to deplete. Mr. Goss said that large cushion could start to grow again if the economy recovers briskly.

After that, demographic forces are expected to overtake the fund, as more and more baby boomers leave the work force, stop paying into the program and start collecting their benefits. At that point, outlays will exceed revenue every year, no matter how well the economy performs.

Mr. Greenspan recalled in an interview that the sour economy of the late 1970s had taken the program close to insolvency when the commission he led set to work in 1982. It had no contingency reserve then, and the group had to work quickly. He said there were only three choices: raise taxes, lower benefits or bail out the program by tapping general revenue.

The easiest choice, politically, would have been “solving the problem with the stroke of a pen, by printing the money,” Mr. Greenspan said. But one member of the commission, Claude Pepper, then a House representative, blocked that approach because he feared it would undermine Social Security, changing it from a respected, self-sustaining old-age program into welfare.

Mr. Greenspan said that the same three choices exist today — though there is more time now for the painful deliberations.

“Even if the trust fund level goes down, there’s no action required, until the level of the trust fund gets to zero,” he said. “At that point, you have to cut benefits, because benefits have to equal receipts.”

- Stephanie Strom contributed reporting to this story.

This story originally appeared in the The New York Times

Don't Be Afraid of the Silence

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:26:00 +0000

Successful interviewing is a skill, no different from public speaking or giving a presentation. In fact, an interview is a presentation....of yourself! Take some time to prepare for your interview; research your potential employer, and develop some pre-defined questions to walk into the interview.

One interview tactic you need to prepare yourself for is SILENCE! Many interviewers and hiring managers will utilize silence to see how you conduct yourself. Are you nervous? Do you feel the need to break the silence? Do you ramble and provide more information than the previous question required?

DO NOT be afraid of silence!! An interviewer may pause for a minute or two...and the silence may be defeaning....BUT DO NOT INTERJECT ADDITIONAL COMMENTS! This may feel like a stalemate or an elementary school staring contest to see who breaks eye contact first...but remain confident in your answer and allow your interviewer the time in silence.

If you can master this technique, you will be a step closer to your next Career!

Tip for Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:02:00 +0000

If you are currently in the job search mode; or even passively interested in hearing about career opportunities, you should definitely create a LinkedIn profile. This free to use professional networking site is an invaluable tool for creating a professional online presence that colleagues and recruiters alike can utilize when hiring in the current economic climate. At the very least, this site is incredible at being your on-stop-shop online rolladex for clients and coworkers.....you can even search your previous employers during your specific tenure to find colleagues you lost touch with and reconnect.

Posting your resume on Monster, or CareerBuilder, will not gain the same traction as having a LinkedIn account. As a professional recruiter, I am on LinkedIn daily! Come join the party.....

TruGreen LandCare is GROWING!!

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:35:00 +0000

Our Team is GROWING!! We are currently recruiting for New Business Development Sales Reps in Southern CA - and I wanted to share the great news. I am including our Sales Rep job description below; but please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Have an Awesome Friday!!

Business Development Sales Rep
This job will focus on selling commercial landscape services to businesses and industrial establishments and provide excellent client satisfaction.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Researches, identifies and delivers profitable business opportunities with new and existing clients through customer relationships, cold calling, client presentations, referral generation, cross selling and networking.
• Develops close customer relationships and thorough understanding of client needs; trouble-shoots customer issues.
• Evaluates all revenue generating opportunities within a customer or prospect and designing proposals based on finds.
• Meets regularly with prospects to continue to build and enhance potential business opportunities throughout business sales cycle.
• Increases market share by achieving sales and revenue production goals.
• Travels through local assigned territory to call on regular and prospective customers to solicit sales.
• Serves as mentor for less tenured or experienced sales representatives.
• Develops and executes sales and business development plans.

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have current state driver's license in good standing.

Education and/or Experience
• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university with four to five years’ related business-to-business sales experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Preferred experience with business-to-business transactions involving mid-to-long sales cycles.

At TruGreen LandCare, you’ll enjoy a competitive compensation and benefits package, as well as the opportunity for professional growth and respect that comes from working for the industry leader. Qualified candidates must be able to successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screen. Come grow with us.

AA/EOE M/F/V/D

Non-Profit Experience on your Resume??

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:48:00 +0000

Great article on CNBC.com today that I thought you would find of interest....Please let me know your thoughts and ideas!!

Is This On Your Resume? It Could Make or Break You
Published: Wednesday, 24 Feb 2010 11:51 AM ET
By: Aman Singh

What is that one essential skill that would make or break your decision to promote someone to senior leadership?

We all know the standard ones of communication, management, strategic planning experience, etc.

But what is that one crucial qualification that would kill the decision for you?

According to Alice Korngold, CEO of consulting firm Korngold Consulting, it rests on whether you have any nonprofit board service experience.

In her blog, Leading Companies for Good on Fast Company earlier this week, she quotes Harold "Terry" McGraw III, the chairman, president and CEO of McGraw-Hill Companies, saying that if he doesn't see board service on the resume, he is "discouraged about the candidate."

He adds, "I want to see how complete a person is. Board participation tells me a lot about someone's interest and experience in teambuilding and openness toward coaching."

His emphasis on nonprofit board service speaks volumes about the kind of experience he is looking for.

What he is getting at is the much larger issue of mentorships and the willingness to train leaders.
And this skill becomes paramount when discussed in the nonprofit sense, as their boards require a lot more determination, drive, and due diligence in supporting the cause. Because it is not about the bottom line, numerical values do not determine most board decisions, thus requiring members to be realistically interested, involved and willing to go the extra mile to further the mission, which can a lot of times include building leadership teams—especially if you are involved since the inception of the nonprofit—and laying down long term strategies.

As Mr. McGraw puts it, "A candidate who doesn't serve on nonprofit boards is underdeveloped," adding that he believes that a CEO must act "like a role model through his/her community service and nonprofit board participation."

However, not every CEO (Read former CEO of Medtronic, Bill George's take on leading in a crisis) sees building and training a supportive team as an inherent part of serving on a board.

There can be several reasons for this including their own business being first priority and board service being an extension of brand awareness, philanthropy and for some, necessary networking outside their immediate circle of associates.

But for those of you who do, —a perfect example would be former Xerox CEO Anne Mulcahy mentoring current chief Ursula Burns— how much does this experience weigh in your final decision, specifically to nonprofits? When forming a team, do you actively look for board experience on the resume? At the same time, do you encourage volunteerism and charity work among your employees and is it tied to bonuses and pay, much like how pro bono work is today integrated at most law firms' compensation packages?

Weigh in on the issue here by leaving a comment, or follow Vault's CSR blog In Good Company on Twitter at @VaultCSR!

Aman Singh is the Corporate Responsibility Editor at Vault.com. She is a New York University alum and previously wrote for The Wall Street Journal. Her area of work includes corporate diversity practices and sustainability, and how they translate into recruitment and strategic development at Fortune 1000 companies.

Tip of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:09:00 +0000

Recruiting Tip:

Send a Thank You Email!! Less than 10% of candidates I interview or that our team interviews, sends a thank you email. This is AMAZING. If you are looking for a simple way to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack in an interview, make sure to get business cards from all of your interviewers and send a thank you email within 24 hrs. This demonstrates follow-up, excitement/interest in the opportunity, and an opportunity to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Tip of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:12:00 +0000

Recruiting Tip:

Please use professional email addresses and voicemails!! A major turnoff for recruiters is after reviewing a resume and liking your credentials, is going to contact you and finding an inappropriate email or voicemail. Yahoo and GMail both provide free email addresses, so if you insist on keeping your BigBaller email, set up an additional free email that you can direct recruiters and HR Managers to for your job search.

And please, please, please.....do not ask me to "Holla Back" at you!

Happy Weekend!!

Region Sales Manager Position for Northern CA

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:38:00 +0000

Good Afternoon!!

I wanted to let you all know about an exciting opportunity we have within TruGreen LandCare. We are currently seeking a Region Sales Manager to lead, coach, mentor and develop our Northern CA Sales Team. The ideal candidate resides between San Jose and Sacramento, and his a proven track record of managing a Sales Force (10 or more Sales Reps) in a Hunter/New Business Development environment.

The job description is below for your review; and please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you or someone you know is interested in this awesome opportunity!!

Region Commercial Sales Manager

TruGreen Companies has an immediate opening for the position of Regional Commercial Sales Manager. The RCSM is responsible for maintaining and generating commercial sales for the region. He/she will manage up to 10 – 12 Sales Representatives and is responsible for interviewing, hiring and training employees, planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees, addressing complaints, and resolving problems.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Creates a successful sales formula that balances customer retention, high quality sales, cost- per-sale efficiencies and gainful gross margins to maximize region profitability.

· Maintains current and accurate records of all prospective customers, to include top master prospect list, prospect qualifications forms, pricing worksheet and on-site property analysis.

· Manages and distributes prospective customer and lead information, obtained from direct mail, advertisements, community activities, tradeshows, seminars and other resources.

· Identifies Region’s prospect universe by market segment and determines most strategic way to infiltrate each segment.

· Develops and implements sales programs, campaigns and promotions to achieve growth.

· Promotes programs and services to Region’s prospective customers through telemarketing, presentations and face-to-face meetings.

· Regularly evaluates current LandCare customer properties and reviews outgoing proposals to ensure that Company financial goals are continuously being met.

· Assists Branch Managers with the quoting of prices and preparation of sales contracts.

· Obtains required approvals for services and works with Branch Manager to determine start date of service to customer, based on branch production and service schedules.

· Manages and maintains sales reports as determined by Region and Company standards.

· Investigates and collects from overdue accounts when requested by the Region Manager.

Qualified candidates will possess a Bachelors Degree, or three to four years of successful Sales Management experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Must be able to read, analyze, and interpret general business reports, professional journals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations, and have the ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, and the general public. Must have a valid Driver’s license with a clean driving record.

EOE AA/M/F/D/V Drug Free Workplace

Jobless Claims Decrease!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Trip) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:41:00 +0000

CNBC.com this morning ran this article which I found to be of interest....please let me know your thoughts!!

Jobless Claims Show Strong Decrease to Reverse Trend
Published: Thursday, 11 Feb 2010 8:35 AM ET
By: Reuters

The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for jobless benefits tumbled last week, a government report showed on Thursday, reversing a recent spike that had raised concerns about renewed labor market weakness.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped by 43,000 to a seasonally adjusted 440,000 for the week ended Feb. 6, down from a revised 483,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected 465,000 initial claims. The prior week was initially reported as 480,000, an unexpectedly high reading that was blamed in part on a backlog of claims that piled up over the holiday season.

U.S. stock index futures extended gains after the data, while the dollar pared losses versus the yen.

A Labor Department official said that with this latest report, the administrative backlog was largely "washed out."

"By and large we are resuming a normal level with all states reporting an appropriate base level," the official said.

The four-week moving average, which smoothes out week-to-week volatility, fell by 1,000 to 468,500.

"The good news in the claims is that the Labor Department administrators are telling us that they have gotten through a backlog and perhaps the labor market hasn't deteriorated very much in the last two months," said Cary Leahey, senior economist with Decision Economics in New York.

"You can't conclude that the labor market in February will be worse than it was in January."
Investors are keeping a close eye on jobless claims for evidence that the economy is on the verge of adding jobs again.

With the exception of November 2009, payrolls have declined in every month since the recession began in December 2007.

That has piled political pressure on President Barack Obama, whose popularity fell as the jobless rate rose to a 26-year high.

In an economic report released earlier on Thursday, the White House said it expects the economy to create an average of 95,000 jobs a month this year.

However, it said the unemployment rate would probably fall only slowly, and it was concerned about the large number of people out of work for a prolonged period.

The Labor Department's report showed the number of people applying for benefits after an initial week of aid fell to 4.54 million in the week ended Jan. 30, the lowest in 13 months.

That figure is somewhat skewed by the fact that many people have dropped off the rolls because they have exhausted benefits, not because they have found new jobs.