Huddle Up, Team!

In honor of the start of the 2013 NFL season, today’s word is TEAMWORK!

Vince Lombardi, as a well-known football player, coach, and executive, knows a thing or two about hard work, sacrifice, and the value of teamwork.

Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.
–Vince Lombardi

Search Solution Group’s approach to finding the right candidate involves a lot of teamwork and communication. Our strong team of seasoned recruiting professionals use their networking, social media and communications expertise to explore and find the most suitable and desirable candidates for managerial and executive-level positions.

If you are looking for an excellent team of recruiters to work to find you the perfect executive candidate, contact us!

Train Your Brain For a Better Career

More and more studies are starting to show that the brain is no longer doomed to deteriorate over time. In fact, the grey matter of our brain can keep regenerating throughout life. The new thinking is that you either use it or lose it just as with any muscle.

So how can you train your brain and protect it  from developing degenerative disease later in life and boost your career in the meantime?

Brain Training!

1. Play Smart:  Brain training games are abundant both online and in the form of games like scrabble. Giving your mind exercises is a great way to strengthen cognitive reasoning, math, reading, and other skills that might be lacking in your day-to-day routine.
2. Never Stop Learning:  The better educated you are, the less likely to have degenerative brain diseases. Also, if you get in the habit of learning new skills, you will be more marketable in your career. A great way to start your learning process is to take a public speaking or leadership class through the Dale Carnegie training classes.
3. Parlez-vous Français?: Learning a new language is a great brain workout and will leave you with a highly marketable skill. Even better, after learning a language, immerse yourself in that culture. Having to navigate a strange location forces you to pay more attention to your environment and your brain loves learning the unknown.
4. Get Off The Grid: Stress actually kills neurons and the ability to grow new ones. By taking a real vacation without the stress of returning emails or calls is a real relief to the brain. Exercise and meditation are other great ways to resolve stress.  You can read this article on how running improves fluid intelligence and optimizes brain function!
5. Seek The Unusual: Seeking out tough and challenging assignments both at work and at home can get your brain out of a rut and lead to long-term brain health. Trying something outside of your comfort zone is a good place to start. If you are computing numbers at work all day, taking up photography or painting at home would be a good strategy.

Brain Training boost positive thinking, creativity, social skills, emotional resilience, productivity, and decreases absenteeism. Maybe during the midst of your brain training, you’ll start to realize there are better opportunities waiting for you. Contact the recruiters at Search Solution Group to start your journey to a fulfilling career!

Golden Post-Interview Steps To Take

After an interview, as soon as you can get back to your computer, send a quick and thoughtful email thanking the interviewers for their time.

The age-old suggestion to send a thank you note after an interview is still the best step to take. It doesn’t take long to write a simple note and it’s a good way to reiterate your interest in the position. Plus, any extra time that the interviewer is thinking of you positively is a huge plus.

A good tip to remember when writing your thank you email and note is to KISS ( Keep It Simple Stupid ) !

Sample Layout of a successful thank you note:

Paragraph one: A few quick sentences on your appreciation for the interview and their time. Remind them why you are writing.. to thank them! 

Paragraph two: This is the part where you remind the interviewer of how you are a great fit for the position and how you will be an asset to their company. If you felt you need to improve or add to any question that occurred in the interview, now is your time.

Paragraph three: Emphasize your enthusiasm and appreciation again, thank them, and if you had discussed the follow up process, mention how you are looking forward to following up with them soon. 

After you have squared away the important pleasantries, get down to business taking notes on your impression of the company, how you think you did in the interview, and ways to improve your next interview with the company.

Unless the company asked you to get back in touch with them if you have heard from them in a designated time-frame, only reach out to your recruiter if a week has passed and you haven’t heard any response.

Search Solution Group Recruiters are always willing to help with any step of your interview process!

Search Solution Group Is To Recruiting As JT Is To N’Sync

It’s doubtful that there was a person who grew up within the past 18 years that wasn’t thrilled to see the N’Sync reunion performance at the VMAs this past Sunday. Justin Timberlake walked away with an impressive amount of awards including the much deserved Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award! A beautiful award shared by artists ranging from The Rolling Stones, to Madonna, to David Bowie, and now to Justin Timberlake.  Hooray JT!

Whoa, sorry for that fandom. Now for the reason you are here.

Search Solution Group is to the Recruiting world as Justin Timberlake is to N’Sync. As a key player in the executive recruiting industry, in Charlotte as well as across the Nation, Search Solution Group’s mission is to search for and deliver THE best executive and professional talent for our network of prominent and respected clients. We do so by selecting only the best in their professions and industries, and we work hard to deliver sustainable employment solutions.

You could even go as far to say that Search Solution Group is bringing sexy back to the recruiting world.

By using the newest technologies and established, as well as successful processes to quickly find

the best candidates, Search Solution Group is in sync with the ever-changing recruiting world. Search Solution Group endeavors to provide swift and targeted professional searches for a select group of candidates and companies.

First Impressions In The Blink Of An Eye

It takes only a quick blink of the eye for an employer to initially evaluate you. Within those first three to seven seconds of an interview, you could either be making a great professional impression, or failing miserably. Your appearance, behavior, body language, and how you are dressed are all taken in to account and judged accordingly. To make a great impression, follow these cardinal interview rules.

Be On Time

An employer you are meeting for the first time is not interested if the train was long or if traffic was slow. Taking those possible delays into accordance is imperative when traveling to an interview. It is better to sit in the parking lot for 10 extra minutes then walk in one minute late.  Plan to show up five to 10 minutes early to hit the sweet spot.

Look Your Best

While you may not want to sit in the bushes to stalk the company’s dress code, it never hurts to ask the hiring manager. Having freshly cleaned and pressed clothing is a no-brainer, but the little things like shining your shoes or lint rolling off the dog hair are conditions that employers notice. Covering up tattoos, removing excessive piercings, and having a clean-shaven face and controlled hair could be impressive or could doom you to failure in your career search if left unchecked.

Let Your Body Talk 

Mirroring body posture and communication style of your interviewer instantly gives you an edge. Humans unconsciously associate strongly with people they see following their body posture and expressions.  By mirroring, you are effectively saying to an interviewer that you are trustworthy, receptive to his or her opinions, and will be a confident and familiar employee.

“Look Eye! Always Look Eye!”

In the words of Mr.Miyagi, making eye contact shows confidence and confidence is key. In relation to good eye contact is a firm handshake. Limp-fish style handshakes are related to timidity and no one wants a timid employee.

Be Prepared

Like a good Scout, being prepared with pen, paper, extra resumes, and any sample work will do wonders to make a good impression. Taking notes during your interview will give you material to make a decision on your part while showing an employer that you are interested in what he is saying.

Look the part, be the part, get the part. And don’t forget to smile!

I AM THANKFUL FOR…

Hello again!

I must have received a couple hundred emails about my lack of blogs the last few weeks. My sincerest apologies so let me explain and catch everyone up.

Jeremy

This has been a crazy year and it isn’t over yet. But with that being said

I am thankful for once again realizing who my true friends are. I am thankful for the Merrigan’s moving to Charlotte.

I am thankful for an awesome work team that works hard every day and are truly the least selfish people I have ever met.

I am thankful for Tanner who is going to be turning 10 and is still able to jump into the SUV everyday for work. I am thankful for a good Dad.

I am super thankful for Charleston, SC and all the awesomeness it brought to us this past summer.

I am thankful for loyal clients and clients who have given SSG a chance. I am thankful for people who can forgive and understand.

I am thankful for the simple things like a Thank You or a smile. I can go on and on, but

I really am thankful despite my need for sarcasm and my lack of patience at times. I am really thankful for everyone who knows the real me and still comes back for more.

Stella

“I am thankful for Jeremy Gnozzo. Let me repeat myself….I am thankful for Jeremy Gnozzo”

 

Eric

With this time of year being reserved for reflections and reminiscing, here are a few thoughts of my own. I feel obligated to share the great appreciation that I have for the wonderful family, friends, and co-workers that I have been so fortunate to accrue over the years, along with their collective health and prosperity. Some people are blessed with good looks or an exceptional talent; I feel that my blessing in life is the people that surround me day in and day out.

In light of recent events here in the United States as well as abroad, I would like to expand on a certain aspect of my life for which I give thanks every single morning. Given the growing political and/or cultural climate in our great country, I am taking this opportunity to give thanks for MY ABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AND CONTRIBUTE to our society. Our emerging generation seems to have lost the excitement that can be found in working hard, being determined, achieving results, and relying on oneself as opposed to hoping and praying for assistance from another source. We live in America, where it is possible to come from NOTHING and be as successful as you’d like. In my opinion this attitude is fading and being replaced by apathy, a sense of entitlement, and the pointing of fingers at others for personal shortcomings.

My hope is that as people reflect on the past year and their own blessings they will also take an introspective glance and pledge to work harder, strive for greater results, and find a renewed spirit of competitiveness and drive that can return ourselves, our families, and our country to the prosperity that we all deserve

Elena

I’m thankful for God because every day he shows me signs to the right path in my life. Either by people he puts in my life (both good and bad) or experiences he makes me go through, I’m thankful that his presence is always with me and every day, he makes me stronger.

I’m thankful for my family and friends who have been here for me through this very difficult year.

I’m thankful to the people I work with.

And I’m thankful to my boss, for giving me the opportunity to work and develop my skill set while looking for the right path in my life.

Ashley

I’m thankful for my loving family

I’m thankful for wine

I’m thankful for my friends

I’m thankful for my health and happiness

I’m thankful that I have heat because I’m always cold

I’m thankful for my best friend Christina

I’m thankful that I met and fell in love with my boyfriend

I’m thankful that I found a job that I can succeed at and work with amazing people who make me laugh

I’m thankful for Amelie’s salted caramel brownies

Vince

I am thankful for my three beautiful children, an awesome and promising future with Search Solution Group, and great friends and family!

 

Michelle

I am thankful for my family, baby clothes and old friends

 

Julie

I am thankful for my pets and more pets

 

Aaron

I am thankful for the Cleveland Browns not being the worse football team and Iphone apps.

I am thankful for the folks at Search Solution Group and especially Tanner!

 

Tanner

I am thankful for Jeremy (aka my dad) bringing me to the office every day.

I am thankful for Eric leaving his garbage can very low so I can steal paper.

I am thankful for getting table scraps from everyone at lunch.

I am thankful for my daily walks and lying on people’s feet under their desks at the office.

I am thankful that everyone forgives me for my bad gas that I cannot control….ha!

 

Lauryn

I am thankful for God who leads me each day and helps me to be the best

person I can be.

I am thankful for old friends, new friends, and all the memories we have made together this year.

I am thankful for my amazing siblings I can’t imagine my life without them.

I am thankful for having the strongest, most caring, and talented mom in the world.

I am thankful for my dad and the way he believes in me.

I am thankful for my extremely large yet close family we are so blessed to have so many of us to lean on for support.

I am thankful for my job(s) and the great people I work with

I am especially thankful this year for my independence

Goodbye 2011! In 2012 I Am Going To….

It is almost over for 2011 and I have to admit that it was great year. It is tough to say that 2011 was better than I expected, but it really was. I won’t bore you with all of the details but feel free to email me and I will share with you the highlights.

The popular conversation around the office, newspapers and TV seems to be “what is your New Year’s Resolution“. I really do like this topic because it gets me thinking about what I can do better or differently. Maybe even do less of something and more of something else or a little less of that and a tad more of this. HOWEVER I got to thinking about how awesome I am at everything I do and decided I will make a list of things that I already do so well.   I want to share with others or just tell you what I am going to do in 2012 to be that much more awesome………………………..

1. I am going to continue to write this blog and hope that people figure out when I am being funny

2. Keep getting people fired up because they were personally offended by what I wrote

3. I am going to let one friend of mine start beating me at golf because it is that pathetic at this point.

4. I am going to keep working harder than the competition to make our business bigger and better.

5. I am going to separate business from personal and realize that they are not the same.

7. I am going to accept people for who they are and let them know that is why I like them.

8. I am not going to sky dive, I am to important to the civilized world.

9. I am going to enjoy life more – and maybe even take a whole week off of work for the first time in 10 years

10. I am going to enjoy having one of my best friends and his family in Charlotte

11. I am going to teach my team how to recruit, source and make intelligent placements

12. I am going to realize that people are looking to me for answers and give them

13. I am going to dance with the devil in the pale moon light

14. I am going to marry the 2nd girl that asks me (timing is everything)

17. I am going to draft Wes Walker next year

18. I am going to try and stop making fun of realtors

19. I am going to branch out

20. I am going to use the term “knuckleheads” more

21. I am going to eat more beef jerky instead of throwing it at Stella

22. I am going to laugh more

23. I am going to start telling people I am bi-polar because it is gaining more popularity

24. I am going to try and wipe that smug look of my face

25.  I am going to see emotional unavailability in others as a formidable challenge for go getter types like me

26. I am going to pretend I am not bored by you

So what are you going to do in 2012?  Feel free to add your own.

Happy New Year and thanks for reading and participating.