5 Tips To Protect Your Information & Identity From Hackers

      As a result of major information leaks occurring in the past months, online security is a growing concern for many. These recent breeches have created awareness about the importance of taking preventative measures to safeguard our information to reduce the effect that any cyber attack can have. Below, we will discuss 5 tips to help you protect your personal information from hackers.

Tip #1: Change your passwords frequently.
It is recommended that you change your passwords at least once every 90-180 days depending on the importance of the information handled in the account. This could prevent your accounts from being spied on  long-term and more of your information falling into the wrong hands

Tip #2: Don't use the same password for multiple sites.
Using the same password across several account makes you a more vulnerable target. Sure, one password is easier to remember, but if login information for one of your accounts is obtained by hackers they can easily attempt to login to other sites with the same information.

Tip #3: Turn on cookie notices in your web browser.
Most browsers now have features that allow you to see when a site tries to write a cookie file to your hard drive. The notification usually gives you some information about the cookie and allows you to decide to accept or decline it. If there doesn't appear to be a legitimate reason for any tracking to occur, don't accept.

Tip #4: Have a separate email account for certain activities. 
Experts recommend that you have a side account to use for initial emails with individuals that you don't know, registering for online promotions that many retailers/services offer, and to use when posting on blogs and online forums. In case that this email is compromised, your professional and personal accounts will remain safe.

Tip #5: Never reply to spam emails.
Avoid opening emails that look suspicious, and if you happen to accidentally open one remember to never reply "Unsubscribe" or "Do not send me any further emails" this just confirms that you received the email and are still a target for obtaining information.

We hope that these bits of advice can help you take steps in protecting your information. If you have any other suggestions please comment below! 

The Characteristics Your Resume Should Portray

We all wonder exactly what employers are looking for when they review a resume. Which keywords catch their attention? What types of traits do they value most?

We interviewed several CIOs, VPs, and Directors of leading companies from various industries to see what type of characteristics they value most. Here's what we found...

It is important to remember to effectively describe how you have developed and used these characteristics rather than just list them under a skills section. Also, be sure your resume accurately reflects your personality and abilities.

Be prepared to answer questions about items on your resume and provide examples during interviews. Have a list of times that you took on a leadership role for a team project or examples of  how your willingness to learn helped you quickly master a new technology ready to discuss so that you aren't caught off-guard.

Notice that the majority of employers look for characteristics that don't necessarily relate to job functions, and instead to how an individual will interact with team members and contribute to company culture. Be sure to focus on how you can supply the company with fresh ideas, positive energy, and technical talent.

For more tips and advice visit our website at: http://www.integritalent.com/

5 Tips to Make Yourself More Accessible to Recruiters

In the 2013 job market, it’s extremely challenging to stand out as a job seeker. There are thousands of job applications online and hundreds of people apply to each position. You need to make yourself readily available to recruiters. Not going above and beyond is the easiest way to fall through the cracks in your search.

There are a number of things you can to do make yourself more accessible and get noticed by recruiters. Here are suggestions:

1. Create a strong personal brand. You need to build a solid reputation for yourself both on and offline. Take advantage of social media, your personal website or blog, your resume and cover letter, personal references, and more to paint yourself in a positive and memorable light. That way, when recruiters look for more information about you, they will be impressed enough to want to set up an interview.

2. Be open to meeting with employers. A really great way to establish relationships with recruiters is to reach out to them for informational interviews. These are the perfect opportunity to build your network, and indirectly put yourself in the running for jobs. Set up an informational interview with a recruiter at your ideal company. Ask lots of useful questions and build a relationship. While you won’t be asking for a job right away, the relationship you foster could lead to one down the road because you’ll be remembered. Since 40 percent of hires come from referrals, having a strong network is a great way to be more accessible to recruiters.

3. Attend job fairs. There are lots of opportunities all of the time to attend job fairs. They could be run through your university, township, professional organization, and more. Recruiters are making themselves extremely accessible to you, so take advantage of it. Showing up to a job fair puts a face to your name and allows you to have a conversation with a recruiter, rather than simply sending your resume into a virtual vortex.

4. Promptly return emails and phone calls. In many companies, the job search process is conducted very quickly. Employers want to hire the best candidate for the job, as soon as possible. They need to fill positions effectively, but efficiently. By responding to emails and phone calls quickly, you will make the process easier for recruiters and you will be looked at more favorably. Waiting more than a day to respond with the information they need could cost you a position, so follow the 24-hour rule (send your response within 24 hours of receiving any communications) to be more accessible and keep yourself in the running.

5. Send follow-ups. After you submit an application or attend an interview, it’s essential to always send follow-up emails. For an interview, send a thank you note immediately. In all instances, if the application deadline, or another deadline set by the recruiter passes and you haven’t heard anything, send a concise follow-up note to remind the interviewer about your qualifications and interest in the job. After that first follow-up, you can try again every week up to two more times for a total of three follow-ups. Sending these emails will help keep your candidacy fresh in the recruiter’s mind. Make sure you’re not forgotten.

It’s really important to keep recruiters’ needs in mind by becoming an accessible job seeker. By doing things to make a recruiter’s job easier, you are setting yourself up for success in return. There are lots of little ways you can be more accessible, and you should take advantage of all of them to set yourself apart from other candidates. With a little luck, your efforts will turn into the best job you’ve ever been offered.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/11/12/5-tips-to-make-yourself-more-accessible-to-recruiters/

www.integritalent.com

IntegrITalent

Over 16 years of experience in professional IT recruiting, supporting industries such as Technology,Energy/Utilities, Financial Services, Commercial Real Estate, Retail, Health Care, Telecommunications, and Hospitality.  Successful consulting with “C” level executives at Fortune 200 companies on market shifts and strategies necessary to win the war for talent. In-depth involvement in human resources and resource management initiative across several lines of business.  Fully committed to the concept “People First” in business and personal relationships.

5 Common Resume Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Writing your resume is simple, right? You just open up a Word document and start dumping your responsibilities, a few metrics and just the right amount of keywords onto the page. And voila, that pesky task is done. Wrong! Resumes are strategic marketing communications that must be created thoughtfully and with oomph.

Books are written on the subject and still careerists struggle. One blog post or article cannot comprehensively guide you on building that perfect resume. That said, in bits, bytes and chunks we can construct tips and strategies and highlight everyday mistakes to avoid to help you get out of the resume-writing starting gate. Following are five common resume mistakes along with solutions to fixing them so you can more readily land that next great job!

Mistake #1:

Using an objective. For example: “To leverage my past experience and education to secure a finance management position.” Objective statements traditionally are about you, but today’s resume should be focused on their (employer’s) needs.

How to fix: Replace the objective with a focused headline and profile summary that markets your value to alleviate a company’s pain. Example headline:

Financial AnalystTransforming complex business problems in technology sector into focused, data-backed solutions.

Driving down costs, elevating reporting capabilities and improving decision-making processes.

Mistake #2:

Not including your most persuasive information above the fold. While the resume doesn’t stop after the first paragraphs or bullets or even after the first half of the page, ‘above-the-fold’ marketing does matter.

How to fix: If you want to hook the reader, don’t bore them right out of the gate. Grab their attention with sizzle. So, instead of the profile summary just saying that you are a skilled financial manager with 15 years of experience, power up the message with an achievement. Example:

Most recently, contributed as financial manager for a large automotive group in Kansas City, MO, a position acquired by rising through the ranks of ABC Automotive Company from the sales floor. In this leadership role, consistently performed in top 5% of the company’s pool of 20 finance managers.

Mistake #3:

Writing in the 3rd person. For example: Kevin Jones offers extensive experience as a project management professional.

How to fix: Convert to implied first person. Example:

Offer more than 10 years of project management experience with expertise in applying novel efficiency and productivity solutions.

Mistake #4:

Including a picture. While the value of LinkedIn rises when you post a photo to your social media profile, the same is not true for your resume. When it comes to pasting a picture into your resume file, don’t.  Doing so may create problems for human resources screeners in regard to equal opportunity issues.

How to fix. Simply do not include a photo. Paint vivid word pictures and stories, instead. And if you like, add a few splashes of color, a chart or graph or other impressions that add value while adding flair.

Mistake #5:

Using overused words. For example: visionary, dynamic leader, results-oriented, passion, integrity.

How to fix. Because some of these words regularly are woven into formal job postings, it is difficult to avoid using them altogether if you want to meet the applicant tracking system (ATS) needs some companies have. So, if you do use these buzzwords, be sparing. As well, when you DO use them, be sure to build a contextual story around those words either at the time of use or later in the resume. In other words, prove, through concrete achievements, that you are visionary, or that you have integrity. Example:

Leadership Impact: Captained a mission and vision focus on profitability. Engineered a>$15 million turnaround in one year, shifting unit from quarterly loss of ($8 million) to $7 million profit in Q4 2011.

www.integritalent.com

IntegrITalent

Over 16 years of experience in professional IT recruiting, supporting industries such as Technology,

Energy/Utilities, Financial Services, Commercial Real Estate, Retail, Health Care, Telecommunications, and Hospitality.  Successful consulting with “C” level executives at Fortune 200 companies on market shifts and strategies necessary to win the war for talent. In-depth involvement in human resources and resource management initiatives across several lines of business.  Fully committed to the concept “People First” in business and personal relationships.

How to Impress Your Boss on Your First Day

Want to make a great first impression on your first day of work? Then you must put yourself in your new manager’s shoes.

The perspective you have as a new employee can be very different than that of your manager’s. While on the first day you want to impress your new boss, you also want to distinguish yourself as a new hire who will be a valuable asset to the company. Not only will this help you establish a good first impression (and also job security), but also you’ll get your career with this new company started on the right track.

Here are some things you may want to think about as you prepare for your first day at your new job:

Professionalism.

The way you carry yourself, your attitude, and the way you communicate with others will illustrate your level of professionalism to your boss. You should be prepared to hold yourself to the level of excellence your boss expects from you and should also possess a sincere attitude. Your new boss is instilling trust in you, so strengthen that trust by being genuine and professional.

Accountability.

There are going to be plenty of ups and downs during your first few weeks on the job. On the first day, you want your boss to understand you are a responsible person. Your boss is going expect you to hold yourself accountable for learning your new job and meeting deadlines. Regardless of the ups and downs you experience, make sure you hold yourself accountable for your actions. There isn’t going to be time for you to place blame on outside factors that prevented you from completing a task or project.

Innovative.

Your employer hired you because you have new ideas to bring to the table. Your boss and coworkers are going to expect you to have fresh ideas and contribute your input to the rest of your team. Even if your ideas seem a little crazy, your boss will appreciate your effort to contribute to the company’s success.

Enthusiasm to learn.

Enthusiasm on the first day is a great way to start your new job. Your boss is going to want to see you are excited to work and passionate about what you do. Display your enthusiasm by asking thoughtful questions and taking notes. Your boss will see your desire to learn more about your position as a sign you are genuinely interested in the job. You should also be open to opportunities your boss presents you with and run with them, too.

Ask for help (but make sure you truly need it first).

Managers expect their new employees to need help, but they also expect them to be resourceful. On your first day, you’re going to have numerous questions and need some crash courses about your new position. Your new coworkers are there to assist you, so as long as you tried to use your resources first, there is nothing wrong with asking for help along the way.

Be prepared to bring results.

Remember, you want to show your new boss you are ready to bring the results you promised in your interview. This is your opportunity to scope out your new job and look for solutions to any problems. Your manager is going to expect you to accomplish goals and drive results for your department. To do this, you’ll need to have an attitude that’s willing to work hard to achieve desired results.

Your first day is your chance to show what you have to offer as a professional and how you will continue to add value to your company’s goals. If you implement these different ideas, you’re bound to make an excellent first impression on your new boss and coworkers.

www.integritalent.com


IntegrITalent
Over 16 years of experience in professional IT recruiting, supporting industries such as Technology,
Energy/Utilities, Financial Services, Commercial Real Estate, Retail, Health Care, Telecommunications, and Hospitality.  Successful consulting with “C” level executives at Fortune 200 companies on market shifts and strategies necessary to win the war for talent. In-depth involvement in human resources and resource management initiatives across several lines of business.  Fully committed to the concept “People First” in business and personal relationships.

5 Job Search Tips Going Out of Style in 2014

During your job search, you’re going to receive a lot advice. Some of this advice is going to help you land jobs, while some of it might set you back.

Whether it’s advice you receive from your mother or even a tip you get from a recruiter, some of it won’t guarantee job search success. When searching for jobs, it’s important to know which tips work for you and how to use them to their best potential. Once you’re able to weed out the bad advice from the good, you’ll be on your way to more interviews and landing a job.

To help you decide which job search advice to ditch this year, here five job search tips to avoid in 2014:

1. Only focus on your resume and cover letter.

A common piece of advice you’ve probably heard over the last year is to focus on customizing your cover letter and resume to every position for which you apply. This is a very important piece of advice to follow (and you should always do this); however, there some other important pieces of the job search puzzle you’re missing.

During your job search, you must also focus on marketing yourself as a professional and the value of your personal brand. Your resume and cover letter definitely serve as tools for landing an interview, but what’s going to seal the deal is your credibility as a professional. In addition to crafting the perfect resume and cover letter, make sure you also have a stellar online presence. This means making sure your LinkedIn is current and you’re utilizing the best social media platforms for your career. This not only will help you build credibility as a job seeker, but also help you become discovered by employers who want to hire you.

2. Make sure your Facebook profile is unsearchable.

If you’re worried about employers finding you on Facebook, chances are you’ve probably gone out of your way to make it private. If you’ve changed the spelling of your name on Facebook and applied every privacy setting to make it impossible to discover you, this could send a red flag to employers.

As a job seeker, you need to be as transparent as possible on social media. Why? Because employers want to feel confident that you have nothing to hide from them. Do your best to be your true self online and you won’t have to worry about blocking employers from your Facebook.

3. Keep your personal and professional online presence separate.

You may have been told the safest way to utilize social media for your job search is to create separate accounts (such as two Twitter accounts). While this seems like sound advice, it could have a negative impact on your online presence. Employers want to see that you’re able to blend your personal and professional lives as one on social media. By blending the two, you’re able to show employers your experience as well as your personality online.

As mentioned earlier, it’s important to be transparent as a job seeker because you want employers to see your genuine personality. If you’re worried about employers finding dirt on you, make sure you are only posting appropriate content online. This will save you a headache from having to manage two separate social media personalities for yourself as a job seeker.

4. Apply to as many jobs as you can.

No matter how desperate you are to find a job, don’t apply to every job posting you think you are even remotely qualified for. People land jobs because they show employers they are qualified for the position through their experience, not because of a single qualification or skill.

If you want to land a job, you need to carefully research positions that would be a good fit for your skills and experience. Once you find some jobs you feel are the right fit, begin networking with those companies. When you’re ready to apply and you’ve made some connections, customize your cover letter and resume to each position. This will show employers you are serious about working for their company and will give employers a reason to want to interview you for the position.

5. Use as many buzzwords as possible in your resume.

You’ve probably been told to use as many buzzwords as possible such as “driven” and “innovative” to spruce up your resume and help you win over resume screeners. However, this is actually a job search tip you need to avoid. In 2013, LinkedIn revealed their top 10 list of resume buzzwords you should avoid using in your resume. Regardless of how “responsible” or “analytical” you may believe yourself to be, no employer is going to believe you unless you can support your qualification with an accomplishment story. When writing your resume, make sure you are using relevant keywords that are tailored to the position. This will help you stand out to employers and make your resume appear more credible.

If you can avoid some of these tips during your job search, you’ll be on your way to landing more interviews and jobs. Your job search is more than sending a resume or hiding your personal life from employers online. It’s about being persistent and thoughtful when applying for jobs and making the right connections. Hopefully you’ll be able to use some of these tips to tweak your job search this year and lead yourself in the direction of landing a job.

www.integritalent.com


IntegrITalent
Over 16 years of experience in professional IT recruiting, supporting industries such as Technology,
Energy/Utilities, Financial Services, Commercial Real Estate, Retail, Health Care, Telecommunications, and Hospitality.  Successful consulting with “C” level executives at Fortune 200 companies on market shifts and strategies necessary to win the war for talent. In-depth involvement in human resources and resource management initiatives across several lines of business.  Fully committed to the concept “People First” in business and personal relationships.

3 Rules For Remote Workers

Work in blocks of time

Take your day and break it up into chunks of time. Spend a few minutes every morning (or afternoon if you’re a Night Owl like Aaron Levie) to map out your day. Give yourself reasonable amounts of time for each task with some breathing room between tasks. Give yourself space to check your email and to read industry articles. Know that you don’t need to be productive with every second of your day, you need to be super-productive with your productive time.

I like to structure my days around one major task and three or four smaller tasks. I can focus and work on one task for an extended period of time, usually two hours around 10:00 a.m. to noon and another two hours from about 2:00-4:00 p.m. I can then get the smaller tasks done during the other times.

In structuring weeks, I just list the items that I’d like to get done, then I map those into my daily routines. I try not to be too forward looking in my tasks because at a certain point, my crystal ball simply cannot factor in all of the potential changes that tend to occur.

Get out of your house

Cafes and coffee shops are sometimes awful to work from, but seriously, get out of your house. If you spend all of your time in isolation, you’ll eventually go stir crazy. It’s fine to unplug and take your laptop to a park on occasion, it’s a great place to get writing work done. If you’ve got your day mapped out, you know when you can turn off the internet, get some sunlight and write. Search out other places that you can work from, you may be surprised at some of the local places where you can get great wifi and great food.

“You time” is sacred

Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean that all home time is work. Work time has a tendency to encroach on your personal time when you’re a remote worker, don’t let it. For me, Saturday and Sunday are off limits unless I have to travel. I don’t do any work, I try not to respond to email, weekends are my personal time. Nights I’m somewhat more lenient with because I have the flexibility to take some mornings and make them personal time. When I had stricter working hours, my nights too, were off limits beyond 6pm. You need to make sure you’re taking the time to do things that you enjoy, otherwise, why work? - Originally posted on Personal Branding Blog by Nick Ingli

www.integritalent.com


IntegrITalent
Over 16 years of experience in professional IT recruiting, supporting industries such as Technology,
Energy/Utilities, Financial Services, Commercial Real Estate, Retail, Health Care, Telecommunications, and Hospitality.  Successful consulting with “C” level executives at Fortune 200 companies on market shifts and strategies necessary to win the war for talent. In-depth involvement in human resources and resource management initiatives across several lines of business.  Fully committed to the concept “People First” in business and personal relationships.