There are some jobs; here's how to get one

Amid layoffs, pay cuts and hiring freezes, an increasing number of employers in the Triangle are doing something almost unheard of for much of this year: They're hiring.

Companies such as Allscripts-Misys, Bayer CropScience, ChannelAdvisor, Cree, Deutsche Bank,Elster, EMC, Novartis, Talecris and Time Warner Cable are adding dozens or hundreds of local workers, creating bright spots during the gloomiest job market in a generation.

Some are seeing their business increase despite the recession. Others are betting that investing in new employees now, when it's relatively easy to find top-notch talent, will pay off as the economy rebounds.

"It's great to be one of the few fishermen in the sea," said Brad Brinegar, CEO of Durham ad agency McKinney, which is hiring about 70 employees after winning a major new contract.

The challenge, of course, is how to stand out from the scores of other job seekers to land a plum position. Nationally, the number of job openings rose slightly in September to 2.48 million, the Labor Department reported. That was the second straight uptick, and one sign that companies are cautiously starting to hire again. But the number of job seekers for every opening rose to 6.11, the highest level in years.

That includes some people "looking to make changes in their careers," said Diane Adams, executive vice president for Allscripts-Misys, which expects to add about 125 employees at its North Raleigh offices this year. "You've got a lot of people in the market right now."

The usual advice still stands: Polish your résumé, practice your interviewing skills, etc. But to get some new, practical tips, we spoke with company representatives, newly hired employees and others about what's working in today's job market.

Find a friend: When Will Dean was looking to return to the East Coast from San Francisco, he got an e-mail message from a friend who works at McKinney.

"That got the ball rolling," said Dean, who was hired as art director this summer. "Your friends can vouch for your character. If someone who already works there says, 'He's good people,' that makes it easier."

It has never been more important to network and make contacts at employers you're interested in, ideally long before you're actually hunting for a job.

Many employers give workers bonuses if they refer a friend who sticks around for a certain amount of time. ChannelAdvisor, which continues to hire at its Research Triangle Park headquarters, pays its workers a $1,500 referral fee.

"If someone is a great employee and they recommend you, we get someone who has already been vetted," said Dean Debnam, CEO of Workplace Options in Raleigh, which expects to add 50 employees this year and 50 more in 2010. "You won't bring in someone who's going to embarrass you."

Embrace social networking: More employers are using sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to recruit and research applicants and to build networks of potential candidates.

Make sure your profile puts your experience and skills in the best possible light. And recognize that your network of contacts extends to even more people, who can make or break your job search. Don't be rude or annoying online.

Eileen Gates, the recruiting manager at ChannelAdvisor, recently had an applicant mention that he knew someone she went to high school with but hadn't seen in years. He found that connection on Facebook.

"At first it was kind of creepy, but then I realized that it's exactly why that information is out there," Gates said. "As long as you don't start to stalk me, you should capitalize on any information you can."

Don't forget old-fashioned networking:

You never know where you might meet a contact at a company that's hiring.

Put out feelers with friends, neighbors, former co-workers, church, your college's alumni network, networking functions and more.

Channel Advisor's Gates said that she likes to strike up conversations while in line at the grocery store, and if the person seems intelligent and personable, she'll mention that her company is looking for new employees.

If you do make a connection at a company you're interested in, offer to buy the person lunch or coffee. You can learn more about the company and the position, as well as strengthen a bond that might help get that all-important foot in the door.

Make the most of your time off: Given the economy and a national jobless rate above 10percent, it's not a sin to have employment gaps on your résumé. But employers will want to know what you've been doing since you left your last job.

Volunteering is a great way to meet people and bolster your résumé. Taking classes or additional training is another productive way to show that you're improving your skills.

"It's really no different than when you're moving from high school to college," said Allscripts-Misys' Adams, who previously helped hire new workers for Cisco Systems.

If you can, look for opportunities to freelance or take on temporary jobs in your industry. Most economists expect employers to begin adding temporary positions first as the recovery begins. Those jobs will be another way to make contacts and demonstrate what you can do, and could lead to full-time work.

Recognize your red flags: Certain factors will disqualify an applicant, especially with so many qualified candidates flooding employers.Typos or lies on a résumé or during an interview are big no-nos. Many employers do background checks, including criminal and credit checks. Don't try to cover up your past, but be prepared to explain it.

Job hoppers who have been too many places for too short a time can also make employers wary.

"It's hard to find the patterns of success," said McKinney's Brinegar. "It's also a sign they're putting themselves and their career ahead of the team."

Expand your search online: Obvious places to start looking for open jobs are companies' Web sites, where most employers post job notices first. The "careers" link on Cree's home page lists dozens of jobs the Durham chip maker wants to fill. Some companies also have information on what it's like to work there, what the company expects from new hires and more.

Job sites such as Monster .com and CareerBuilder.com remain popular. Butmany employers also are recognizing that to hire people with specialized skills, they have to look where those workers congregate. So more are using niche Web sites aimed at specific types of workers, such as Dice.com for information technology professionals, or AgCareers.com for agriculture and biotechnology.

Be wary of online scams: Jackie Morey of Raleigh has applied for 20 to 30 receptionist and office assistant jobs posted on free Web sites such as Craigslist while she continues working in a restaurant. So far, the only responses she has gotten have scams such as one that tried to sell her a credit-monitoring service.

"I will probably go back to looking on legitimate Web sites, where employers have to pay to put up an ad," Morey said.

"If the economists are right, hopefully businesses will start hiring again after the first of the year."

Don't be shy: Employers want people who are self-motivated and don't mind putting in extra effort to reach a goal. The hiring process is a chance to demonstrate that you're willing to work hard to get the job, or at least an interview.

When Deutsche Bank announced in August that it plans to open a technology center in Cary and hire more than 300 people, the executive in charge of hiring started getting phone calls and résumés within hours - even though his name wasn't part of the announcement.

"It would have taken a little bit of diligence to figure out that quickly that I was the right person to contact," said John Eagleson, chief operating officer of group technology and operations.

"One thing that's surprised me is when people are innovative and assertive."

ChannelAdvisor's Gates also doesn't provide her phone number, so the candidates who figure out how to reach her are showing that they're more aggressive. But if you leave her a voice message, rehearse it first to make a compelling and clear case for why she should hire you.

"You need to sell me," Gates said. "I'm looking for a reason to call you back."

Don't give up: One of the toughest parts about a job search in this market is the time required. It's easy to get frustrated as the search drags on. Hiring managers are thrilled to get many more applicants, but it's also harder to weed through them to find the most qualified person.

ChannelAdvisor recently hired Bob Ferguson as a sales executive, but not before he spent nearly two months applying to a lot of othercompanies.

"There's a point where I wanted to give up because I wasn't getting many hits, but I kept going every single day," he said.

The lead on his new job came from a friend who works at ChannelAdvisor and referred him. Next week, another friend that Ferguson has since referred is starting at the company, too.

"Don't get discouraged," said Lyn Johnson, who was recently hired as an account director at McKinney. "You never know where that next opportunity will come from."

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