Dear Recruiting Professional,

2012 is off to a great start!  In my first “address” of the year, my first order of duty is to get the word out that the National Association is changing.  Some of you are aware of the changes that have already begun.  But, please allow me to explain.

We have new leadership.  With that new leadership comes fresh ideas.  What I am talking about is simply EDUCATION, REPRESENTATION AND ASSISTANCE.  We are here to educate you.  We are here to represent you and we are here to assist you.  It’s that simple.

You will begin to see programs that you can be a part of – that will definitely help your businesses and your individual recruiters and employees.  One great example is the improved delivery of our certification program.  Credentialing participants will now have the opportunity to view a “Learning Session” recorded from a Certification Immersion Class (CIC).  As most of you know, this is a certification prep class.  We have informally dubbed this program the “E-CIC,” as it is a self-paced course allowing you to view the class at your own speed.  Participants in this original CIC class in the past have experienced a pass/fail rate of 10 points higher than if they study on their own.  Members will have the ability to view this class at no cost.

This is only the beginning of what the NAPS is doing to help get you educated.  Our Annual Conference is our “flagship” of education.  Our conference is always packed with the best speakers in the country, making this event something you can count on, year after year.  This year is no exception with over 175 already registered.  Do not hesitate to visit www.recruitinglife.com for learn more about this fantastic event.

From all this education comes Professional Success.  These following facts contribute to our Professional Success:

• Recruiters with the Certified Professional Consultants “CPC” and/or Certified Temporary Services “CTS” designations outperform and earn more money than non-certificants.
• Recruiters that continue Professional Education by attending the NAPS Annual Conference outperform and earn more money than non-participants.
• Recruiters that participate in their Professional Associations (NAPS) outperform & earn more money than non-participants.
• Recruiters that educate their Candidates and Clients through giving back through Professional Service outperform and earn more money than those non-participants.

It’s all about making yourself better and better at what you do – through continuing education.  Not only do you feel better about it, but your customers (your clients and your candidates) can see that growth and experience in you as well.

Thank you in advance for taking time to make a difference!  I look forward to seeing you in San Antonio at the NAPS- September 2012 Conference.

Sincerely,

Robert Krzak, Chairman of the Board, NAPS

The restaurant industry’s monthly same-store sales growth rate rose at an all-time-high in December, fueled by sharp gains in guest traffic and cooperative weather, according to the latest NRN-MillerPulse survey.

Industrywide same-store sales rose 5.4 percent in December, compared with a 2.9-percent increase the month prior, which is the largest increase in the survey’s history. The month capped off a relatively strong 2011 that saw same-store sales up 2.6 percent overall, leaving operators and analysts pleasantly surprised.

“December was a win across the board,” said Larry Miller, restaurant securities analyst at RBC Capital Markets in Atlanta and creator of the monthly MillerPulse surveys and research. “This could be the first sign of the rising tide that we’ve been waiting to see.”

MillerPulse, an operator survey exclusive to Nation’s Restaurant News, polled around 70 restaurant operators in January regarding December sales, profit trends, performance and outlooks. Respondents cover all regions of the country and represent the quick-service, casual-dining, fine-dining and fast-casual segments. Those surveyed in January represented restaurants that booked about 4 percent of industry sales.

Both the quick-service and full-service segments posted record-setting increases in same-store sales, the survey found. Sales at quick-service restaurants, which include both fast-food and fast-casual brands, rose 6.7 percent in December, compared with a 4-percent increase November. Sales for full-service restaurants, which include both fine-dining and casual-dining brands, increased 4.2 percent in December, compared with a 2-percent increase in the prior month.

The substantial sales increases were largely driven by guest traffic gains, which rose nearly 3 percent in December, compared to being relatively flat in November. Quick-service traffic jumped 4.2 percent in December, compared to just over a 1-percent increase in November, while full-service traffic rose 1.7 percent after seeing a 1.1-percent decline in November.

As a recruiter, I am always impressed by candidates who have questions of their own to ask-and I consistently receive feedback from hiring managers all over the country who feel the same way. The candidate who’s asked, “So, do you have any questions?” at the end of the interview better come up with something. One who answers, “No, I don’t think so,” is going to get a big negative mark against them in the hiring decision.

Companies want candidates who have critical thinking skills, as well as candidates who are knowledgeable and interested in the job. The questions you ask demonstrate these things. Not having questions of your own to ask sets you up as a candidate who’s passive, won’t work very hard, and isn’t all that interested in the job-even if you are.

General Questions:

What you are looking for in a candidate?

What qualities did the last person you hired have?

Why is this position open?

What was it that you think kept that person from being successful?

What are the tasks in this job that will make someone in this position successful?

How do I rank among the other candidates?

Can you tell me about the company’s culture/mission/philosophy?

What do you like best about working for this company?

What are the next steps?

When do you expect to make a decision?

Do you have any reason why you would not consider moving me forward during the (hiring) process?

Are there any other folks who will be interviewing me later?

What’s a typical day like?

What stops most employees from being successful?

Are there any more questions you have for me?

Do you see how my past experience translates well for this position?

Questions for sales jobs:

Which product line of yours is your lead line? (i.e. the one that everyone should buy)

Which product line should they probably not buy?

How does the travel program work?

The more research you do on the company and the job before your interview, the easier it will be to come up with questions to ask. Naturally, your questions will be more detailed and they will show that you have done your homework, and that’s a very impressive quality in a candidate. You’ll come across as a hard worker who’s also creative, insightful, and engaged.

The questions you ask will allow you to “get inside the hiring manager’s head,” so that you can tell what they’re really looking for, and what they want to hear, so that you’ll have a more successful interview.

Your questions also do the critical job of uncovering any issues the hiring manager might have with you, so that you can correct any problems before you leave.

Guest article from Matthew Warzel   There are reasons why recruiters or hiring managers do not call back some job seekers: blacklists! In today’s tough job market, desperate job seekers are pursuing what little jobs are available. Hiring managers have plenty of applicants to choose from, so they are justifiably selective and quick to record any negatives they discover.   If you are blacklisted, recruiters do not submit you to jobs today, even years from now. Even if you are not on an actual “list”, recruiters do remember if you left a bad impression. They also pass the word along to fellow recruiters, and they remember bad candidates even if they change companies.   Do’s and Don’ts  Recruiters never want to hire any of the 3 L’s: liars, losers and loners. Prove that you are none of those by following these tips:

•DO NOT lie about or exaggerate your experience. Outright lying about experience or skills that you do not have guarantees you a spot on the blacklist.

•DO NOT pit fellow recruiters against each other. Contrary to what you might think, it does not increase your chances of getting a job. You can work with more than one recruiter, but not ones at the same company, unless they are at different office locations (e.g., MJW Careers Wilmington and MJW Careers Raleigh).

•DO NOT mass distribute your resume. Applying to too many jobs with the same recruiter or company makes you look unfocused and creates unnecessary work for them. Make every job application a meaningful one.

•DO remain courteous and professional, even if your recruiter is not. They are dealing with tons of applicants, so do not take unreturned phone calls or missed interviews personally. Do not attack your recruiter for this behavior; it only leaves a bad impression of you.

•DO always be interview-ready. Every conversation with a recruiter is an interview, even a casual chat at a networking event. Always be discussing your qualifications. What you may consider harmless joking, might rub your recruiter the wrong way.

•DO clean up your online presence. Recruiters check LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, etc. Even if it is old, if it is inappropriate, get rid of it.

•DO communicate what job you are looking for. Having a good relationship with recruiters does not mean you have to accept every job they present. If you are not interested, say so; it saves everyone time.

•DO build relationships with recruiters. Always keep your job options open, whether you are employed or not. This means keeping in touch recruiters at all times.   More Turnoffs

•Forgetting or missing scheduled interviews

•Making a faux pas during an interview

•Handling rejection badly

•Rejecting an opportunity after extensive efforts by a recruiter to arrange it for you

•Taking a counteroffer from another company

•Demonstrating poor business skills

•Publicly criticizing other people or companies

•Failing a background check (in which you cannot re-apply for a certain time period)   Removing Your Name from a “Do Not Hire” List  Negative notations beside your name can seriously derail your job search. Unfortunately, it is also very hard to discover or remove a bad mark. With so many candidates today, recruiters and hiring managers are even less forgiving. Getting back on their good side requires some extra effort.   Finding Out

•Speak to key internal contacts and colleagues  •Ask a reference-checking service to find out if a previous boss made unfair remarks about you   Correcting the Situation

•Demonstrate your true reliability and professionalism

•Offer detailed information about candidates for a different job opening and conduct extra reference checks as a courtesy

•Treat them to lunch or coffee  •Request honest feedback about becoming a stronger candidate next time

•Review a background check used to reject you and remove inaccurate records

•Consider switching industries or locations   Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Real Mex Restaurants, parent of the El Torito, Acapulco and Chevys Fresh Mex restaurant chains, is scheduled to go up for auction later this month as part of an ongoing Chapter 11 reorganization.

According to court filings last week, bids are due before Jan. 20, and an auction would be held on Jan. 26 with the court expected to make a ruling on the results by Jan. 30.

Cypress, Calif.-based Real Mex filed for bankruptcy in October, saying the move would speed a turnaround. At the time, company officials said they were considering a sale of assets, as well as negotiating with existing bondholders and stakeholders about a possible purchase.

Sun Capital Partners is the majority owner of Real Mex, and sources say the private equity firm may still be interested in the chain. Real Mex also has generated interest from outside parties, although no stalking horse bid has emerged to date, according to two people familiar with potential deals.

Boca Raton, Fla.-based Sun Capital also is the majority owner of Friendly’s Ice Cream Corp., which filed bankruptcy in October and went up for auction in late December — only to be repurchased by Sun Capital in a credit bid deal expected to close this month.

The nation’s largest operator of full-service Mexican restaurants, Real Mex in June of last year operated 178 units under the El Torito, Acapulco and Chevys brands, as well as one-off Las Brisas Restaurant in Laguna Beach, Calif.; and small regional concepts Who-Song & Larry’s, Casa Gallardo and El Paso Cantina.

The Chevys chain includes 30 franchised locations.

The company also operates a food production subsidiary called Real Mex Foods.

Roughly 30 restaurants have been closed within the past six months, according to Real Mex spokesman Rick Van Warner.

Currently, Real Mex operates 144 restaurants, including 60 El Toritos; 50 Chevys; 20 Acapulcos; six El Torito Grills; four Casa Gallardos and the four one-offs: Las Brisas, Who-Song & Larry’s, Siniqual and El Paso Cantina. In addition, Chevys franchisees operate another 24 locations for that brand, the only Real Mex concept with franchise locations.

Most of Real Mex’s restaurants are in California, which was particularly hard hit by economic headwinds over the past few years.

The company said in court filings that revenue totaled $315.5 million through late August, a decline of 3.2 percent compared with the same time frame the previous year, in part because of restaurant closures and declining customer traffic.

Real Mex has been reworking its leadership over the past several months.

David Goronkin, formerly president and chief executive of Bennigan’s Franchising Co., joined the company as chair, president and chief executive in June. Since then, Edie Ames was named Real Mex’s chief operating officer overseeing the El Torito and Acapulco brands, and Brian Wright was named president of the Chevys brand.

Van Warner said ongoing operational and cultural changes across all brands are taking hold.

“We’re pleased with the progress the brands are continuing to make,” he said. “We’re looking forward to exiting Chapter 11 after the next few weeks and having a stronger platform for growth.”

Gecko Hospitality, a national recruiting firm dedicated to the restaurant and hospitality industry, is pleased to share the results of its 2011 survey. Over 2500 salaried restaurant and hospitality managers who were placed by Gecko Hospitality, were surveyed and asked a series of questions before beginning employment with their new company. The results not only let corporate hiring managers know why managers are choosing to leave but what factors are influencing their decision. It’s fair to note, management candidates from all sectors within the restaurant industry were included in this survey, consisting of Fine Dining, Casual Theme, Corporate Dining, Fast Casual, and QSR.

While a big push by U.S. congressional leaders in September 2011 led to a firestorm of national press into the potential discrimination by employers against the unemployed, our survey concluded that 18% of the candidates were indeed unemployed at the time they received their job offer. The significance of this number is yet to be determined as this controversial debate is in its infantile stage.

Surprisingly, the salaries offered to fifty-eight percent (58%) of the candidates surveyed who accepted a position with a new company stayed the same while only six percent (6%) of the candidates took a decrease in pay.  Thirty-six percent (36%) of the managers Gecko Hospitality placed received increases in compensation.

The graph below illustrates the various dollar amounts in salary a candidate received with their new employer.

Driven by positive same-store sales and an increasingly optimistic outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose to its highest level in five months.

The RPI, a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry, stood at 100.6 in November, up 0.6 percent from October. In addition, November represented the second time in the last three months that the RPI stood above 100, which signifies expansion of key industry indicators.

“The November increase in the Restaurant Performance Index was fueled by broad-based gains in both the current situation and forward-looking indicators,” says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association.

“Restaurant operators reported their strongest net positive same-store sales results in more than four years, while customer traffic levels also grew in November. Among the forward-looking indicators, restaurant operators’ outlook for both sales growth and the overall economy rose to their highest levels in seven months.”

The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, and index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators.

The RPI consists of two components, the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.

The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures), stood at 100.2 in November, up 0.8 percent from October’s level of 99.5.

November marked the second time in the last three months that the Current Situation Index stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the current situation indicators.

Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the sixth consecutive month in November. Fifty percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between November 2010 and November 2011, while just 28 percent reported a same-store sales decline.

This marked the strongest net positive sales performance since August 2007, when 54 percent of operators reported a sales gain and 29 percent reported lower sales.

Restaurant operators also reported stronger customer traffic levels in November. Forty-one percent of restaurant operators reported higher customer traffic levels between November 2010 and November 2011, while 32 percent of operators reported a traffic decline. In October, 37percent of operators reported higher customer traffic, while 39 percent reported a traffic decline.

Capital spending activity among restaurant operators trended upward in recent months. Forty-six percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion, or remodeling during the last three months, the highest level in five months.

The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures, and business conditions), stood at 100.9 in November, up 0.4 percent from October and the third consecutive monthly gain.

November also marked the third consecutive month the Expectations Index stood above 100, which represents a positive outlook among restaurant operators for business conditions in the months ahead.

Restaurant operators are more optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead. Forty-one percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), up from 35 percent who reported similarly last month.

In comparison, just 12 percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, down from 15 percent last month.

Restaurant operators are also somewhat more bullish about the overall economy in the coming months. Twenty-seven percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, up slightly from 26 percent who reported similarly last month.

In comparison, 16 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, down from 22 percent who reported similarly last month.

Restaurant operators’ outlook for capital spending remains positive. Forty-seven percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion, or remodeling in the next six months, essentially unchanged from the levels reported in the previous two months.

The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures. The full report is available online.

The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper (www.restaurant.org/trendmapper), the Association’s subscription-based service that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.

Industry News | December 30, 2011

Dear Lifehacker,
I heard that a lot of companies use software to weed out “good” from “bad” resumes. How do those systems work, and is there anything I can do to improve my chances of my resume getting through the system and into the hands of a real person?

Thanks,
Resume Revamper

Dear RR,
It’s true: Employers and hiring managers are turning more than ever to resume screening software, thanks to the overwhelming number of job applications they get. It pays to know how these systems (called Applicant Tracking Systems or Automated Resume Screeners) work so you can make your resume more relevant to the job you’re applying for. Here’s a brief overview of how the software analyzes your resume and what you can do about it.

Automated Resume Screeners Score Resumes on Relevancy to Keywords and Experience

Full size
The infographic at right (click to expand) from previously mentioned resume webapp Resunate illustrates the basic process:
1.Your resume is run through a parser, which removes the styling from the resume and breaks the text down into recognized words or phrases.
2.The parser then sorts that content into different categories: Education, contact info, skills, and work experience.
3.The employer’s desired skills or keywords are matched against the results from above.
4.Your resume is scored on relevancy—using semantic matching against the employer’s search terms and your years of experience.

So, clearly, it’s vital to include relevant text in your resume—but rather than just dump all the keywords from the job description in, for best results you’ll need to employ a strategy. (Most savvy job applicants are likely using the same keywords in their resumes.)

How to “Hack” the Automated Resume Screeners

First, don’t just focus on the keywords that are in the job description. Sophisticated resume screeners have gone beyond just keywords to look for semantic matches—related terms (e.g., not just CPA, but also accounting, audits, SEC, financial statements, etc.). Resunate co-founder Mona Abdel-Halim told me that this is how sites like Monster.com and others use technology to help employers find the best candidates (you can see Monster’s concept-matching resume search engine here).

Prioritize the words in your resume. The Resume Help blog recommends auditing the job description to build a list of priority and secondary words to include:

Priority resume keywords: words used in the company’s listed job title, used in the description headlines, used more than twice, called out as success criteria

Secondary resume keywords: mention of competitor companies or brand name experience, keyword phrases (phrases surrounding priority keywords), notable industry qualifications (training, associations)

Consult an insider for help finding relevant words. It never hurts to get friendly with an HR manager or employer in your field—you can go straight to the source and ask them if they could either look over your resume or suggest what kinds of experience/skills they look for in a candidate. Another possible contact to make is a person in a position similar to the one you’d like to have. LinkedIn, which is can be a great resource for job hunters, might be the best place to make these connections, especially in the industry groups forums.

Pepper all the job-related words across your resume. Since the screeners also factor in the depth of your skills (i.e., analyzing your length of experience), it’s also important to place those important words, where appropriate, throughout your resume, in all job positions if possible. Order your bullets in descending order of relevancy to the job description, Abdel-Halim advised.

Create a relevant category expertise section. Make sure your resume matches the special categories for the job you’re applying for. Resume Help gives these examples:

Companies are looking for specialists, not industry generalists, so identifying a category match is a critical first step. One way to do this is by creating a separate section in the top 1/3 of your online resume that captures the relevant category expertise.

Examples of generic category expertise: Management, Operations, Communications, Marketing

Examples of specific, relevant category expertise: Client Relationship Management, Revenue Growth, Risk Management, Negotiation, CRM Program Development

Don’t use photos on your resume. Background images and photos might trip up the system, making your resume unreadable.

Use bulleted lists, not paragraphs, to describe your work. Resume screeners may have a harder time separating long paragraphs. (Bulleted lists are also easier on human eyes.)

Use social networks to enhance your resume. Some resume screeners add other features to check up on you. Reppify, for example, checks your social network posts and how you use sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. So make sure what you post on those networks vibes with what you say on your resume.

Finally, don’t forget the basics: Make sure your resume includes all the job requirements. Your resume should address all the listed job requirements, such as years of experience and education.

Don’t forget, of course, that the ultimate goal will be to get your resume in the hands of a real human. Luckily these tips should also help your resume’s chance of getting past human screeners and hopefully land you an interview.

So while there are a lot of ways to get a job, if you’re concerned that your resume may never actually end up in anyone’s hands, these suggestions are a good starting point. Good luck!

Love,
Lifehacker

P.S. Got your own tips for strengthening a resume and making it more relevant? Help job hunters in the comments.

Brangelina, TomKat…. Twesume?

Just like it sounds, “Twesume” unifies Twitter (your favorite micro-blogging platform) and your resume (yep, the one sitting on your hard drive).

In essence, a Twesume is a short bio or resume condensed into 140 characters or less. Sometimes paired with the #twesume hashtag, the Twesume can be tweeted, messaged or emailed to potential employers.

The great thing about the Twesume is that it’s a completely flexible, living document. Did you get promoted? No problem, just tweet the addition to your resume. Relocate? Totally fine.

What’s the Big Deal?

Like it or not, social media is only getting more influential. In 2011, 89% of companies used social networks for recruiting. As we venture into 2012, you’ll find that social recruiting will become more prominent, edging out job boards as a means to connect employers and job seekers.

Twesumes help job seekers get noticed by companies who use social recruiting. With the Twesume, a job seeker can introduce himself and engage with an employer in less time (and space) than a traditional resume and cover letter could ever manage.

How Can I Write My Own Twesume?

If you’re interested in jumping on the Twesume bandwagon, all you need is a Twitter account and something to say. Once you have your Twitter account squared away (be sure to have a picture, bio and some followers/followees), write your very own Twesume. While the Twesume can be anything you like, try to include this information: what you do, an accomplishment, a goal, skills and/or a link to a detailed profile or website.

Santa Claus: World traveler and toy expert. 300+ years management experience. Looking for position in entertainment industry. http://tinyurl.com/c9ursdp #twesume

Tweet this to your followers, DM to a specific employer or use as your Twitter bio. It really is as simple as that.

What does your Twesume say? Do you think Twesumes are here to stay? Share your thoughts in the comments below!