Kinsa Group Blog

Keeping your resume current is important to your continued career development.  But unless you’re actively looking for a job, the daily demands of life, home and work can easily push this updating process down on your priority list.  If you haven’t reviewed your resume  in over a year, here are just a few good reasons why you should take a fresh look at it:

• Even if you’re currently employed, you never know when an attractive job opening may present itself.  A current resume can help you capitalize on an unexpected opportunity – before someone else has the chance.
• Over time, your important achievements and contributions may be forgotten.  Regular updating ensures that critical, measurable accomplishments are accurately recorded.
• In many cases, your resume creates a first and lasting impression on a potential employer.  Make sure it’s a good one.  By periodically reviewing and honing your resume, you can create a more powerful marketing tool that accurately and favorably represents you as a professional.

Use these tips to make your resume update simple and comprehensive:

1. Review personal information (address, e-mail, LinkedIn URL, etc.) to ensure everything is up-to-date.
2. Review your oldest job. If it’s no longer relevant, and you have at least 10 years of documented work history without it, remove it.
3. Update your responsibilities and accomplishments. Consider the following:  special projects; new expertise developed or job responsibilities awarded; knowledge or skills enhancement from special training or professional development; awards or other recognition; challenges you faced and solutions developed; measurable results you helped achieved (e.g., eliminating process inefficiencies, increasing productivity or sales, improving staffing or operational performance, etc.).
4. Revist your objective statement. If it is not in line with your current career aspirations, rewrite it.  The statement can be general, but should show some direction toward the field in which you want to work.
5. Reevaluate your references. Verify that these individuals still work where you have noted and that contact information for each is correct.  If you have developed new contacts who can attest to your recent achievements or heightened responsibility, consider replacing them with outdated references.
6. Update your resume format. Check online sample resumes to see if yours looks outdated and revise accordingly.  Additionally, you should create an electronic version of your resume if you don’t already have one.
7. Proofread everything. Sloppy spelling, grammar and punctuation may take you out of the running immediately.  If you’re not proficient in proofreading, ask a trusted friend or associate to help.

Looking for a better career opportunity in the food & beverage industry?  Give us a call or browse open career opportunities.  Or, follow us on Twitter to receive the latest job opportunities we’re recruiting for.

More and more, food & beverage organizations are using real-time technology such as Skype to screen candidates and conduct initial interviews.  Online interviews deliver several benefits, allowing interviewers to “meet” candidates without incurring substantial travel expenses.

For many food & beverage job seekers, an online interview is a convenient and less stressful way to interview – but preparation is essential.  Use this list of tips to correctly set-up for and ace your next online interview:

1. Download required software. If you will be using Skype, go to www.skype.com and download it to the computer you will be using.  Use smartphones with caution – sound quality, picture quality and network speed may present potential issues.
2. Make sure you have a webcam. If your computer doesn’t have a built-in webcam, you can purchase one inexpensively from an office supply or computer technology store.
3. Set the stage. Carefully choose the location for your online interview.  A home office is best, but any room with relatively plain walls will suffice.  Make sure there is nothing in the background that the interviewer could see which might reflect negatively on you (e.g., garbage, dirty clothing or personal items in plain view).
4. Plan your wardrobe. Dress as you would for any professional interview outside your home.  Although you may be tempted to stay in your slippers, don’t do it!  Should you need to stand up or go into another room during the interview, you want the interviewer to see you in a polished outfit from head to toe.
5. Test all your equipment. Ask a friend to help you test everything.  Dress in the outfit you plan to wear and start by adjusting the webcam so that you are in the middle of the screen.  Zoom to an appropriate level so that the interviewer can see your head and upper torso, and make sure your outfit looks okay on camera (sometimes white and/or patterned clothes can be distracting on video).  Next, adjust the volume level for your speakers or headphones.  Finally, adjust the lighting.  If you’re in a room with open blinds and glare is an issue, try closing them and positioning an additional lamp behind the webcam.
6. Change your computer settings. Make sure to adjust your screensaver and automatic hibernation settings.  Turn off scheduled scans (so your computer doesn’t lag) and close instant messaging, chat windows, etc. to head-off potential interruptions or technical problems.
7. Practice using the webcam. Unless you’re a broadcast journalist, you’re probably not used to looking into a camera.  Eye contact is important, so practice answering a few interview questions while looking directly into the webcam, as opposed to the screen (where the interviewer’s image will be).  Remember, too, that you may experience audio delays, so be sure to wait an extra second before speaking – otherwise, you may wind up continually interrupting your interviewer.  Finally, although you don’t want to look like a statue, keep large, quick movements to a minimum, as video images can appear a bit jumpy.
8. Eliminate distractions. Outside noises will distract both you and the interviewer, so do what you can to keep them to a minimum.  Keep your pets and family members outside the room.  Turn your cell phone, TV and radio off.  Close your windows, so street noise and barking dogs will not disturb you.
9. Remember, it’s still an interview. While you’re likely to feel more relaxed since you’re at home, you still need to prepare as though you’re going into a formal interview.  Review your résumé and memorize important dates and figures listed, so that you’re not tempted to read your answers from a sheet of paper.

As you can see, a little preparation goes a long way.  Use the tips listed above in your next online interview and you’ll be one step closer to landing your dream job – without ever leaving the comfort of your own home.

Jump start your food & beverage job search by contacting Kinsa today.

Technology vs. the human touch.

When it comes to your food & beverage job search, which is better?  Job board technology is certainly efficient.  With a few clicks you easily can apply for several jobs in under an hour – all from the comfort of your own home.

But that same efficiency can work against you.  Jobs that are available to you are also available to literally anyone else with an internet connection.  When you submit your résumé, you may be one of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of applicants.  As the number of job posting applicants increases, so does the chance of your résumé being completely ignored.  How efficient is that?

Job boards do serve a purpose in connecting job seekers to employers.  But if you’re serious about your food & beverage career, here are several reasons why experienced, professional recruiters beat job boards – hands down:

Reach the hiring authority – 100% of the time. A good recruiter has the ear of prospective employers and will proactively market you directly to key hiring decision makers.  Recruiters keep your best career interests in mind and ensure your skills, experience and personal brand are presented in the best light possible to potential employers.

Access the “hidden” job market. Many food & beverage employers know that they have greater hiring success when working with a recruiter.  These companies rely on search professionals to handle the time-consuming legwork associated with finding the best candidates and skip the job board route altogether.

Get inside information on employers and their hiring practices. If you are interested in a particular employer, a recruiter can use his knowledge of an employer’s hiring processes (including interviewers’ personalities and interviewing styles) to help you successfully navigate obstacles.  Likewise, he can provide valuable insight on a company’s corporate culture, helping you more accurately evaluate career opportunities.

Maintain job search control. A top performer who plasters his résumé all over every job board may suffer unintended (and unwanted) consequences.  Unethical staffing services may find your résumé on a job board and submit it without your approval or begin hounding you with phone calls.  With a good recruiter on your side, you can maintain control over your résumé and work with a single point of contact.

Manage job search anxiety. For many, finding a new position is extremely stressful.  Recruiters are experts at the process and can help guide you through the nerve-wracking process of interviewing.  By working with a recruiter you also enjoy peace of mind, knowing that you have someone else on your job search team.

Get a personal advocate and partner in your job search. In most cases (retained searches being an exception), recruiters aren’t compensated unless they actually place candidates.  Unlike a job board, we have a vested interest in ensuring the success of your job search.

Protect your privacy. If you think your current employer won’t find out you’re actively seeking another job, think again.  Many employers set up automatic search agents on major job boards which notify them if their employees are preparing to make a move.  When you work with a recruiter, you can rest assured that you will be represented anonymously, and that your job search will remain confidential.

Access contract opportunities. If you are out of work and open to contract work, recruiters can place you in project-based opportunities that get your foot in the door and may even lead to direct employment.

The Kinsa Group – The Human Touch in Food & Beverage Recruiting

Technology is an important component in your job search, but nothing replaces the human touch.  To us, you’re more than just a résumé or an application.  You’re a critical component of our success.

We listen and take a real interest in matching you with an opportunity that suits your unique skills, needs and interests.  Contact a Kinsa recruiter today to learn more about executive and management career opportunities in the food & beverage industry.

Like most things in life, you’ll get out of your job search what you put into it.  Those who work harder, have a positive attitude, persevere and go the extra mile are more likely to get what they want – period.

If you have the commitment to work hard, but need direction for your efforts, here are seven things you can do to take charge of your job search today:

1.  Treat your job search like a job. If you are not currently employed, you have a great advantage – time.  Make finding a food & beverage job your full-time job.  Get up in the morning and get dressed, review your goals, create a to-do list when you settle into your office and try to maintain your diligent work habits.

2.  Clarify your self-knowledge and your goals. Do you know exactly what you have to offer an employer?  Do you know exactly what type of career opportunity you want?  Take the time to write down your specific skills, strengths, accomplishments and career goals.  If you know what you want, and what you bring to the table, it’s infinitely easier to focus your efforts, identify potential employers and find the job you want.

3.  Conduct informational interviews. Informational interviews can provide you with invaluable visibility, information and job interview practice.  Conducted properly they can help you:

• expand your professional network;
• set yourself apart from the crowd in a competitive job market;
• gain insider feedback on potential hiring opportunities.

4.  Develop your network. Often in a job search, it’s not just what you know, it’s who you know.  Be proactive in developing relationships (both in-person and via social media) with people who are doing the kind of work that you want to do.  Identify individuals in food & beverage companies, industry organizations and professional associations who can provide insight into their employment needs.  Identify faculty, friends, business associates and relatives who can assist you with your job search.  Tell everyone you know that you’re looking for a job and ask them to refer you to potential employers.

5.  Get more organized. Place all of your job search materials, including: research on potential employers; listings of job postings to which you’ve responded; resume versions and cover letters; recruiters with whom you’re working; network lists, etc.  Use this binder to track your progress, plan follow-up, develop daily to-do lists or record other important information.

6.  Find a mentor. If you don’t have a trusted advisor who can help guide your job search efforts, you should get one.  To select a mentor, choose someone you know who:  has earned your respect; is successful in his or her career; will provide honest and effective feedback; will take an interest in your professional development; will support you in your career progression.  Meet with this person regularly to solicit advice, share your ups and downs, and get the feedback and support you need to keep going.

7.  Work with leading food & beverage executive recruiters. The Kinsa Group matches professionals and executives like you with top food & beverage employers nationwide.  We are pleased to offer a new FREE job seeker resource called Kinsa CareerEdge.  Whether you are involved in a current food & beverage job search, looking to advance in your career, or transitioning into a new career, Kinsa CareerEdge provides amazing tools and resources to guide and support you through the entire process:

• FREE Assessment Tools
• Access to over 1,000 Job Boards on ONE site
• A FREE Resume Builder and Career Advisor
• Information on Educational Opportunities
• FREE Weekly Teleconference Calls on “Hot Topics”
• A Resource Library filled with Audios, Videos and Articles
• Access to 100 FREE Resume Cards for Networking

Our goal is to make your job search more efficient and productive.  Register now and see the benefits of Kinsa CareerEdge yourself!

Can nice guys (or gals) finish first?

That is the question that John Hausknecht, assistant professor of Human Resource Studies at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, wanted to know.  In conjunction with Green Peak Partners, a Denver-based organizational consulting firm, Hausknecht and his research team conducted a unique longitudinal study of 72 senior executives to define the qualities that lead an executive to excel in his or her position.

The study consisted of two phases:

• Phase 1: Between 2005 and 2008, Green Peak Partners conducted four-hour background interviews (covering family, education, early-career and recent professional experiences) with executives to identify individuals’ qualities, leadership styles and technical competence.
• Phase 2: Between April and October 2009, researchers then interviewed those executives’ supervisors, to determine how well the execs performed on the job.

What made this study special is that it examined both short- and long-term indicators of executive performance for a relatively large sample of individuals.  Some of the study’s findings were surprising:

- Interpersonal skills mattered. Executives with weak interpersonal skills rated poorly:

• on their ability to deliver bottom-line results;
• on every performance dimension, including managing talent, inspiring followership, business/technical acumen and strategic intellect;
• as people managers.

- Self-awareness was a primary driver of an executive’s effectiveness. A high self-awareness score was the strongest predictor of overall success.

- While gender and birth order did not correlate with performance, executives with more siblings were better at driving results.

- “Bully” traits were typically signs of incompetence and lack of strategic intellect. While traits such as being “arrogant,” “impatient,” and “stubborn” are often viewed as part of a business-building culture, they correlated to low ratings for delivering financial results, business and technical acumen, (and not surprisingly) managing talent and being a team player.

- Experience at multiple companies did not predict executive success. In fact, the study found that candidates who changed jobs frequently were often trying to outrun problems.

Can nice guys (or gals) finish first?

According to J. P. Flaum, Managing Partner, and Dr. Becky Winkler, Principal, at Green Peak Partners, soft values drive hard results.  Strong bottom-line executive performance is most likely to come from those who are both emotionally intelligent and self-aware.  According to Winkler, “Our findings directly challenge the conventional view that ‘drive for results at all costs’ is the right approach.  The executives most likely to deliver good bottom-line results are actually self-aware leaders who are especially good at working with individuals and in teams.”

Kinsa Group – Delivering Successful Food & Beverage Executives

Using our unique food & beverage recruiting and assessment processes, The Kinsa Group specializes in placing qualified professionals and senior-to-executive level management candidates who will drive bottom-line results in your organization.  Contact Kinsa today.

If you are looking for a job in the food & beverage industry, then you know that using technology in your search process can be both complex and somewhat intimidating.  But while it is only a piece of the whole process of finding a job today, savvy job seekers like you should try to leverage technology’s benefits.  Why?  Doing so can make your job search shorter and more successful.

As a nationwide food & beverage industry recruiter with over 25 years of experience, we at Kinsa Group provide a full complement of technology tools and resources to facilitate your job search.  Here are some of the best:

• Twitter. Looking for a Business Development Manager opportunity?  Searching for the latest VP Plant Operations positions?  Be the first to know about new job postings by following Kinsa on Twitter.
• Facebook. If you’re on Facebook, Search Kinsa Group and Like our Fan Page.  We post select positions on our Wall, which will show up automatically on your Home Page.
• LinkedIn. Connect with our recruiters by becoming part of Kinsa Group’s LinkedIn network.
• Website. Kinsa Group’s website contains a full complement of technology tools to facilitate your job search.  You can learn about our services for food & beverage job seekers, upload your résumé, search open food & beverage jobs.  Once you’re registered with us, you can update your profile and track your interview schedule right from our website.
• Blog. Kinsa’s blog is updated weekly and contains valuable career advice, job search tips and trends impacting the food & beverage industry.
• Kinsa CareerEdge.  Kinsa CareerEdge™, powered by Kinsa Group, is our FREE online career resource that enables you to: access over 1,000 Job Boards on one site; prepare a résumé or receive a résumé critique; participate in weekly webinars covering job seeker “hot topics,” receive job search advice, and more.
• iHobnob. iHobnob, a niche job board for the food and beverage industry elite, provides an objective medium for you to establish relationships, grow professionally, manage and enhance your career.
• National database. As a Kinsa candidate, our Recruiters across the nation have instant access to your profile.  We actively maintain our database to rapidly match your skills, experience and career interests with potential employment opportunities from coast to coast.

At Kinsa Group, we’re dedicated to making your food & beverage job search search faster, easier and more effective than ever.

The newbie.  The greenhorn.  The tenderfoot.

As if these monikers weren’t burdensome enough, the young manager faces yet another challenge because of his age – namely, resentment. 

You know your new manager has the skills and qualifications to handle heightened responsibilities.  But too often, older, more seasoned employees view a fresh manager as a threat, or someone undeserving of high rank.  Here’s what you can do to ease the transition for your promising, young management protégé:

• Give your manager a heads-up.  A less experienced manager may not be prepared for the potential wave of resentment that could come his way.  So make him aware of the possibility of hurt feelings or lost pride among his reports, and let him know that you’re available to offer advice.
• Provide positive reinforcement.  Confidence can be in short supply for a young manager.  Remind him that you wouldn’t have hired/promoted him unless you thought he could do the job well (better than the older, more experienced candidates you didn’t select).
• Help him win over new subordinates.  Advise your young manager to adopt a “learning stance” and ask his reports questions like, “You have a lot of experience in this area, what do you think?” or “How was this problem handled in the past?”  By recognizing the contributions of subordinates, the young manager can establish rapport and build trust.
• Teach him to strike a balance.  Your new manager needs to preserve subordinates’ egos, but he must also stand tall as a leader.  Encourage him to praise team members’ efforts, but not to shy away from coaching them, too.  Help him to set high standards, and then give employees enough room to complete jobs in their own ways – as long as they reach the desired outcomes.
• Address resentment issues as soon as they arise.  Your young manger should expect respectful treatment as a leader and accept nothing less than high quality work.  If resentment becomes an issue, have the manager address it directly and decisively, by:  trying to understand the subordinate’s feelings (and why he is feeling that way); providing an opportunity for the subordinate to regain his pride and move past the resentment; taking formal disciplinary action if resentment continues to be a problem.

Is your organization in need of management or executive-level talent?

As a leading food & beverage industry recruiting and assessment firm, Kinsa Group has a deep pool of talented professionals and senior-to-executive level management candidates, across a wide range of food & beverage industry disciplines, who are ready to lead in your organization:

• Executive Management 
• General Management 
• Sales
• Marketing 
• Operations & Plant Production Management
• Research & Development 
• Food Science
• Quality Assurance 
• Food Safety
• Human Resources 
• Engineering
• Maintenance
• Supply Chain and Purchasing
• Warehouse Management
• Finance & Accounting

To learn more about our services, Contact Kinsa today.

Planning to hire in 2011?

As optimism creeps back into our market, many food & beverage companies plan to increase their direct headcount.  If yours is among them, avoid these roadblocks to hiring success:

• Not pre-screening candidates.  Many hiring organizations skip this step, assuming that the interview process will weed out unacceptable candidates.  But in their attempt to streamline the process, these companies are wasting valuable time interviewing people whom they’d never hire.  Pre-screening allows you to eliminate candidates:  without basic knowledge and experience levels; outside your salary limits; with long-range goals that are not aligned with your company or available position.
• Relying solely on interviews to evaluate candidates.  Research has shown that the typical interview only increases the likelihood of selecting the best candidate by less than 2%.  Why?  Most managers don’t structure their interviews or develop scoring weights to pre-determine the best answers.  Additionally, candidates say what interviewers want to hear in order to get hired.
• Relying on general “good guy” criteria.  Most companies want to hire good people, but merely being a good person (i.e., enthusiastic, hard working, self-motivated, etc.) is not a predictor of job success.  A potential employee may have the best attitude in the world, but if they don’t have the job skills and experience you need, they can’t hit the ground running.
• Not investigating candidates’ backgrounds.  Sure, checking references, verifying work history and conducting background investigations are time- and labor-intensive.  But with résumé fraud on the rise, you must protect yourself from desperate job seekers who feel compelled to lie in order to get hired.

Tips for Heading-Off Hiring Mistakes

• Evaluate candidates on skills critical for job success.  Create a position analysis to select the skills most vital to your available job, and develop interview questions (and weighted responses) to identify and evaluate those skills.  The more structured your interview process, the less likely you will be to hire someone just because he’s similar to you or because he’s a “good guy.”
• Do more than talk.  To increase hiring success, develop several methods, in addition to the interview, for evaluating candidates.  Obviously, those methods will vary greatly based on the type of position available.  But as long as the tests and tasks you assign are directly related to the job at hand, your extra effort will provide a wealth of relevant information to help critically evaluate and compare candidates.
• Enlist the help of a hiring expert.  As a national food & beverage recruiter, The Kinsa Group has the resources and expertise to quickly and cost-effectively deliver executive and c-level food & beverage professionals with skills, experience and behavioral traits to succeed in your organization.  We use professionally trained interviewers, a wide array of assessments, thorough background checks and satisfaction guarantees to ensure the success of your next hire.

Grant Thornton LLP recently collaborated with Food Processing magazine to study food processing branding trends.  Their survey of 114 companies examines where food and beverage manufacturers are distributing their goods, how they differentiate themselves, and which emerging trends are having the biggest impact on their businesses.  Here are a few of the study’s key findings:

Balanced marketing strategies.  To thrive in a rapidly evolving food landscape, food and beverage manufacturers’ product and branding strategies must be both targeted and flexible – focused enough to differentiate themselves, yet nimble enough to adapt to changing conditions.

Organic and natural labeling.  Products labeled with either of these terms have recently enjoyed a huge surge in popularity.  And although the labels “organic” and “natural” may be synonymous to some consumers, the industry’s approach to applying these labels is well differentiated.  While more than 78% of food and beverage manufacturers label at least some of their products as “natural,” over half (55%) offer no products labeled as “organic.”

Product distribution.  Food and beverage manufacturers are distributing their products far and wide, with over 85% making at least some products available nationally.  Not surprisingly, large manufacturers (annual revenues > $100 million) are more likely than smaller ones to distribute products internationally (97% vs. 60%).

Private label / store brands.  The recent recession, coupled with a significant increase in product quality, has prompted consumers to try private-label products as a cost-saving measure.  As a result, many major retail chains (74%) have adopted a private-label strategy.

Products and competition for shelf space.  Rampant product proliferation has made determining which products to carry more difficult than ever.  Still, food and beverage companies continue to expand their lineups, with 75% of manufacturers increasing their number of SKUs over the past three years.

For a comprehensive review of survey findings, follow this link to Fast Facts on Food Processing.

For over 25 years, the Kinsa Group has delivered the high performing food & beverage industry professionals your company needs to compete in today’s competitive and rapidly changing marketplace.  Simply put, food and beverage recruiting and assessment is all we do.  Contact us today to find out how our unique food & beverage industry specialization can help you capitalize on these emerging trends.

Everybody makes mitsakes (oops, that should read “mistakes”).

But while a blog typo may be easily forgiven, other mistakes on the job can have serious consequences – for you, your boss, or even the company as a whole.  And frankly, the way you handle your slip-up can be just as critical as the mistake itself.

So what should you do when you make an error at work?

• Assess the situation.  As soon as you realize your misstep, take a minute to consider the ramifications, as well as whether or not you can correct the mistake yourself.  If you can solve it, do so immediately; but if not, take a moment to brainstorm possible solutions.  This way, when you approach your boss you’ll appear proactive and responsible.
• Own up to it.  Never try to cover up your mistake.  If a boss finds out later that you hid a problem, it can permanently damage your credibility.  So take the initiative and bring the situation to your supervisor’s attention.  When you’re honest from the outset, your boss won’t feel the need to underscore the situation’s importance to you.
• Take responsibility.  Don’t make excuses, act defensively or place blame elsewhere.  Negative reactions like these will cause equally negative reactions from your boss.  Instead, use your mistake as an opportunity to step up to the plate and demonstrate your responsibility and problem-solving abilities.  If someone else is involved in the mistake, encourage him or her to follow your lead and do the right thing.
• Explain what happened and what you plan to do about it.  Once you’ve acknowledged your misstep and apologized, you must present a plan for correcting it.  You can say something like, “I’ve made a mistake and I apologize for the error.  I’ve come up with some possible solutions and would like your feedback on how to best resolve the situation.”  It’s fine to ask for help developing and implementing your solution – the key here is to not simply ask for your boss to bail you out.
• Demonstrate that you’ve learned from your mistake.  When a mistake occurs on the job, it’s not enough to just solve it and move on.  Once you’ve resolved the problem, you need to determine what caused it in the first place – and discuss your plan to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.  Explaining to your boss what you’ve learned from your mistake demonstrates that you’re conscientious and have the organization’s best interest in mind.

You’re human.  You’ll make mistakes from time-to-time (we all do).  And if you handle a mistake at work correctly, you can turn a difficult situation into a learning experience – an experience that actually provides an opportunity to demonstrate your honesty, integrity and problem-solving ability.

Handle Your Food & Beverage Career Search the Right Way

Don’t make the mistake of going it alone in your career search.  Contact the Kinsa Group today.  As experts in recruiting for the food & beverage industry, we can match you to the ideal food & beverage industry career opportunities – from Food Safety Manager to VP of Marketing.