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• In memory of Bob Gatti, an HR legend
• Senior Strategic Market Research Analyst
• Job hunting tips for recent college grads
• Part-time role in Cambridge
• Can you file for unemployment benefits after signing a release?
• When I walk into a networking event…
• Marcomm role for power company
• How to follow up after an interview
• Account Executive
• Hundreds of resumes mailed and no response

In memory of Bob Gatti, an HR legend

The HR Community in New England is mourning the death of a legend.  Bob Gatti, a well-known HR leader, died earlier this month at his home in Norfolk, Massachusetts.

Bob Gatti was a trusted advisor and mentor to many in the HR world and the Boston business community. Bob held several senior-level corporate HR positions before starting his own firm, Gatti and Associates in 1985. Gatti and Associates quickly established themselves as the “go to” resource within the HR community, focusing exclusively on the placement of HR professionals.  Judy Banker, EVP and Managing Director of Gatti and Associates, joined Gatti’s firm in 1987.  Banker remembered Bob as a leader who “ran a firm where honesty and integrity were paramount.  He was particularly committed to helping those whose careers were in transition.  His kindness to others was legendary.”

Janice Forster, a former Boston banking executive, now retired and living in Florida, said Bob was “a good friend for the entire HR community. He was so supportive of the many HR organizations within the Boston area.”  Forster and Gatti worked together at Bank of Boston from 1983 to 1985.

Brendan King, President of King & Bishop, described Gatti as both “a friend and a mentor.”  King and Gatti shared business referrals for over two decades.  King recalled that he relied upon Gatti for both advice and counsel. King believes that Gatti will be remembered for “helping grow and develop hundreds of successful Human Resources careers.”

Bob was the first member of the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA).  Thirty years later, NEHRA has more than 2,000 members.  Gatti also served as President the Human Resources Leadership Forum (HRLF) from 1994-1995.  During his tenure as President of HRLF, membership doubled.

After returning to the Massachusetts area in 2002, I re-connected with Gatti. I emailed him to ask if he had time for a quick call.  Instead, though not surprising, he invited me to his Medfield office.  Bob spent a solid hour with me and introduced me to many of his newer team members.  Always a positive and generous spirit, Gatti praised me for earning my MBA.  “You were ahead of the curve!  Now all of our clients expect that of senior-level HR leaders.”

In our rushed and hurried world, Gatti was known for giving his time and attention to others.  The Boston HR community has lost a friend, a mentor and a leader.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Job hunting tips for recent college grads

Q:  My daughter is graduating college in the spring of 2017.  She has replied to many online postings and seems to be getting frustrated.  Many of her friends are landing jobs.  I am sure that job hunting has changed since I graduated from college.  Can you share any tips on job hunting, more specifically for recent grads?  We thought after laying out some pretty big dollars for an undergraduate degree, she would have job offers coming through our front door.

A:  How wonderful that your daughter has just graduated from college!  Congratulations to her!  Finding a job, especially a first job out of college, can be a challenge.  Here’s some practical job hunting advice for your daughter:

1. Make sure that your daughter is using the career services office of her college or university. Part of your tuition likely funded this office! A career services office can help with development of a resume, coaching in interview skills, and connections to employers.  Some employers even visit college campuses with the intention of hiring graduates or students.   Your daughter should also become active in alumni groups.  Fellow alumni are often very helpful in finding job leads and contacts within companies.
2. Review her resume. No typos, spelling errors or wild fonts are allowed.
3. She has probably already received this advice, but your daughter should consider joining LinkedIn. Recent college graduates will often protest and explain that they don’t have any connections. Now is the best time to start building a professional network.  Your daughter can connect with fellow graduates, professors, friends and neighbors.
4. Your daughter should have an elevator pitch. This is a 1-2 minute summary of who she is and where she hopes to land in her next job.
5. Introductions to others can lead to job opportunities. She should never say no to an intro. It is not just the person with whom you are meeting, but all of their contacts too!
6. Your daughter should stay close to email. Email should be checked daily, even on weekends.
7. Sometimes recent grads need to be reminded to send thank-you notes or emails. Even if someone has just met her for coffee, a quick note of thanks should be sent.
8. If your daughter interned with a company, she should re-connect with that company. Companies like to hire interns into regular full-time roles, if they have appropriate roles available.
9. Networking is more valuable than spending time behind a laptop. A reasonable guideline is 75% of a job hunter’s time should be devoted to networking, while the remainder can be spent behind a PC.
10. A social media check-up may be smart. College grads need to make ensure that their social media pages portray them in a positive light.
11. Finally, stay positive. Every interview is helpful, because every interview practices a skill.  Interviewing is a skill!  No recruiter wakes up in the morning and says, “I am eager to hire a negative person today.”  Even though your daughter might be getting frustrated, it is important not to share that frustration with a prospective interviewer.

Your daughter will land.  Have faith!

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Can you file for unemployment benefits after signing a release?

Q: I recently signed a severance agreement.  The title of the document was “agreement and release.”  I was given six weeks of severance in exchange for signing the release.  My question to you is about collecting unemployment compensation during this time.  Do I have to wait until the end of my severance period?  Can I file after my last date with my company.  In case state laws make a difference, I live and work in Boston.

A: Thank you for asking this question as it raises an issue that often causes confusion.  An “agreement and release” document is sometimes offered by an employer to a separating employee.  Perhaps a company is relocating and the employee has expressed no interest in the new location. Or maybe the employee’s role is being eliminated and the work will be automated or handled by other colleagues.  For whatever reason, employers sometimes offer this type of agreement to an employee who is leaving the organization.  Often this type of agreement provides severance pay and maybe some continuation of other benefits, like medical insurance.  It may also provide outplacement benefits, which will assist the employee in finding a new employment.   These additional benefits are only given if the employee signs the agreement.  As you know, employees are often eligible for unemployment compensation upon a separation in most situations, when a job is eliminated.

To help answer your question, I contacted Attorney Jeffrey Dretler, a partner at the Boston office of Fisher & Phillips LLP.  Dretler explains, “In most circumstances, an individual receiving severance pay is disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits during the period of severance. However, when an employee executes a release of claims as a condition of receiving severance, that disqualification does not apply. So, in your case, you should file your claim for unemployment at the same time as you would have done regardless of the severance pay, which is during your first week of unemployment, even though your eligibility to receive benefits would not begin until your second week of unemployment (the first week is a “waiting period”). It normally takes 2-3 weeks for the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance to process your claim before you will begin receiving payments, which will be retroactive to the end of the waiting period. The impact of severance pay on eligibility for unemployment benefits and the process for filing is determined by each state, so the advice could be different if you had worked outside Massachusetts.”

As Dretler mentioned, unemployment benefits can differ by state. The weekly benefit and the maximum number of weeks vary by state.  However, in Massachusetts, an employee who signs a release of claims is able to file for unemployment upon separation.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

When I walk into a networking event…

Q: I have been told to network at different professional events.  I don’t know where to find these events.  Beyond that, I am nervous about what to do.  How does one actually “network” at these events?  Please give me very basic rules.  I have no idea what people mean when they say I should “network” at professional events to find a job.

A: Network, network, network — it’s our mantra to job seekers.  We encourage, preach and cajole job seekers to network and then network some more!  You are right though – we don’t share enough on the specifics!

Here is my best list of networking events for job seekers:

1. Alumni associations which connect you with others from his or her school (undergraduate or graduate). Often, at these events, you will see friendly faces.
2. Professional associations which link you with others within your profession (HR, finance, IT, etc.). A common profession is easy to talk about with other attendees.
3. Trade associations which are professional groups within your industry (biotech, higher education, etc.). Often these attendees know of companies hiring or expanding.
4. Events which specifically target job seekers. Acton Networkers – www.actonnetworkers.org is a very active group.
5. Meetup groups (www.meetup.com) connect people with common interests, from salsa dancing to meditation. There are also meetups for technology job seekers or those who want to learn more about interview prep.

How to prepare yourself for such an event:

1. Print business cards and make sure that they are simple and easy to read. Include a quick phrase which describes your career interests (e.g. “controller with public accounting experience.”) A phone number and email should also be included.  I think a LinkedIn URL is also helpful.
2. Dress appropriately. Spiffy business casual is what I suggest.
3. Research the event. Arrive on time. The fewer surprises the better.  No one likes to circle searching for a parking space.  Understand the format in advance.  Have your 1-2 minute elevator pitch ready.
4. If it is a larger gathering (20 or more attendees), don’t try to shake every hand in the room. It is better to leave with 3 to 5 new contacts who are most relevant to your search.
5. Follow-up after the event. If you met a few people who could be beneficial to your search, ask to meet them for coffee. Or at least connect on LinkedIn.
6. Be gracious. Always email a quick note of thanks to anyone who meets with you.

With each event, you will gain more confidence.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

How to follow up after an interview

Q:  I have been told repeatedly to “follow up” after an interview.  But how?  Should I mail a thank-you note?  Snail mail seems old-fashioned.  Do I send an email?  Or place a phone call?  What do you recommend?  I have had more than one recruiter ask me to “follow up” with them?  But honestly I am not sure what that means.  Thank you Job Doc.

A:  Following up after an interview is essential.  Candidates who follow up after an interview demonstrate interest and show a commitment to the process.  Alternatively, candidates who do not follow up are perceived as less interested or less serious about the job opportunity.

I recommend candidates ask about how to follow-up before the interview ends.  For example, Marie is interviewing with ABC Company on Tuesday, February 14th.  Before she leaves the interview with Tamara, the hiring manager at ABC Company, one of her final questions should be: “Tamara, can you explain to me the next steps in the selection process?”  Marie will hopefully learn more about the process.  Marie might learn when they hope to fill the role, how many interviews are part of the process and how many other candidates are being considered at this point.  This is helpful too because it can set expectations as to how long each step might take.  If a company explains that they intend to ask candidates to interview two or three times at ABC Company, then that may take several weeks.  If a company explains that they expect to have a decision by Friday February 17th, that is a very different timeframe.  Marie can also ask “how do you prefer that I follow up with you?”  Tamara may offer several options – by phone, with an email or she may offer a specific date.  When we handle recruitment for our clients, I will often ask a candidate to email me by a certain date.

Additionally, always send a thank-you note.  Email is typically the best way to send a thank-you note.  Make sure you email it within 24 hours of an interview.  In the email, you again want to reiterate your interest.  It is also an opportunity to demonstrate professionalism and can serve as a sample for your writing skills.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Hundreds of resumes mailed and no response

Q: The last time I had to find a new job it was 1992.  This time I am not having great success.  I have sent out over 100 resumes along with very carefully written cover letters.  I have only heard back from one person and that was a former colleague who saw my resume and knew me.  I am getting increasingly desperate, annoyed, concerned and irritated.  How do I kick start my job search?

A: Stop what you are doing.  It’s not working, but you knew that.  The days of sending out hundreds of hard copies of resumes along with cover letters are over.  It is not an efficient way to use your time.

Instead, focus on building your network.  You already share one very important piece of information.  “I have only heard back from one person and that was a former colleague who saw my resume and knew me.”  This sentence says it all.

A strong professional network is a powerful job hunting tool.  Yes, candidates still get jobs through sending hard copies of their resume, responding to job postings and through placement firms.  However, your professional network is probably the most critical piece of the job hunter’s tool kit.  Most employees still hear of job leads through a professional contact.  LinkedIn is a great way to continue to build your network.  However, it does not replace face-to-face networking.

I still have the goal of adding three plus new connections every week on LinkedIn.  I have about 4700 connections on LinkedIn and I continue to build my network.

How do you network face-to-face?  You can used LinkedIn and ask to meet contacts for coffee or lunch.  You can attend networking groups.  There is a very active group in Acton (www.actonnetworkers.org) and also a sister group in Hopkinton.  There are Meetup groups all over (www.meetup.com) and you can find groups with common career interests.  On March 16, 2017, I am speaking at the Career Center of Lowell, Networkers event at 9:00am (www.cclowell.org).

Think about the time you have devoted to your job hunt.  Now think about the time you have spent behind your PC vs. meeting contacts face-to-face.  I challenge you to limit your PC work to 25% of your time and then face-to-face networking should be about 70 to 75% of your time.

Good luck in your search!  Congrats to our NE Patriots!

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

“Not a fit”

Q: What do the words “not a fit for the job” actually mean?

A: This is a common response to a candidate when they are not offered a job.  “Not a fit” can have many legitimate meanings.  Some of these reasons include the candidate’s skills are a mismatch for the job requirements.  For example, if a job posting states that QuickBooks experience is required, and the candidate has never worked with QuickBooks, then the candidate’s skills are “not a fit.”  Or the candidate has not worked in a similar environment and therefore wouldn’t “fit” into this work environment.  We have clients who have struggled with hires from large companies, expecting to hire a large team or have generous budgets available to them.  In the job descriptions, one of the requirements is working in a smaller, more entrepreneurial environment.  If a candidate doesn’t have work experience in a smaller environment, then another candidate may be hired (who has experience working in a smaller organization).

I encourage our clients to offer more specific reasons for why a candidate was not hired.  However, truthfully, sometimes it is difficult to deliver negative feedback to a candidate.  And some of the reasons are embarrassing and may be awkward to share.  It is awfully difficult to tell a candidate that they did not receive a job offer because they had body odor or their resume was full of typos or their grammar was less than stellar. Some candidates respond very defensively or angrily if you share honest feedback with them.  This is why some hiring professionals will resort to “not a fit” as a reason for why another candidate was hired.

However, there are also situations where I think employers have used “not a fit” as a euphemism for some other attribute that may be an illegal reason for excluding a candidate.  I have seen sales teams, mostly in the 80’s (although I am sure that they still exist today) prefer to hire men.  The reason that they give women are “sorry, you are not a fit,” meaning you don’t fit our preferred gender.  This is clearly illegal.  I also have seen candidates from different ethnic backgrounds or races be classified as “not a fit.” Let’s face it, discrimination exists.

Finally, there are candidates who seem to apply for every role under the sun, from accounting to engineering roles.  I call them the “perpetual posters.” it is difficult to believe that they are genuinely interested in this one specific role, when you have seen their resume three times in the last week, for other roles.

When a candidate receives this as a reason, a smart response would be “can you tell me why I was not a fit?”  Remember, a candidate has to be open and receptive to the feedback.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

“unwilling to embrace technology” feedback

Q:  Recently I was invited to interview for a company in financial services.  I received some feedback after the interview that I seemed “unwilling to embrace technology.”  I must admit that I get nervous with computers.  How should I handle this in the future?

A: Technology touches most jobs now.  I know of no role in financial services, which does not require some basic PC skills.

It is helpful to understand how a prospective employer perceived you.  Not all employers are willing to share candid feedback.  First, re-think your responses to questions which may have led an interviewer to have these concerns.  Did you mention that you were uncomfortable with technology?
Did you become nervous in response to a question about your skills in this area?  Many interviewers will ask about a candidate’s technological expertise and may even to share a rating on skills.  Or, an interviewer may ask how a candidate used that skill.  For example, “Describe for me a type of project or task, where you were required to use your advanced Excel skills?”  This type of question is fairly common interview question.  If you lacked confidence in these responses, how can you either 1. improve your confidence level and /or 2. build and practice your skills in this area?

If you need to improve your confidence in how you respond to these types of questions, practice sample responses.  Give examples of when you have to use a specific technology in a past job.  Also think about offering an example of when you have to learn a new software or system.

If you need to improve your skills, think about taking a course.  You can explore classes and online tutorials or you could enroll in a class at a local technical school or college.  There are also training companies which offer a variety of training courses.  Online courses are often free and self-paced.  Enrolling in a local college would be more expensive but many offer one or two day courses, which are a bit more cost-effective.

Once you learn the skill, try to use it a few times to continue practicing the skills.  If you have just learned PowerPoint for example, develop a mock PowerPoint presentation on your job search, as an example.

Technology is here to stay.  Those candidates who are willing to learn new technologies often have an edge.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Is an objective needed on a resume?

Q: I have noticed that more and more resumes do not contain objectives at the top.  I was told many years ago that this section was required.  Is my information dated?  What would I put at the top of my resume instead?

A: Resumes have changed.  Let me share some resume tips, while also answering your specific question.

1. Use a simple font which can be scanned. Many large employers use scanning systems, as part of their applicant tracking system (ATS). If your resume is scanned, an image of your resume can be accessed by the hiring team.  Fancy fonts can sometimes confuse an ATS, making your information more difficult to retrieve.
2. Keep it to two pages or under. My resume is two pages. Unless you have a lot of patents, publications or similar, your resume should probably be one or two pages.
3. Keep your resume current. Every January, I review my resume. You want to be ready to share a resume on a moment’s notice.
4. Use a font that is not microscopic. Tiny fonts are tough to read. Sometimes more information is not better.  A resume is your commercial.  It should interest the reader, but not share every detail of your career.  Use the same font though our your resume.  Switching fonts can sometimes give a resume a sloppy look.
5. Most hiring professionals want to see your most recent experience at the top. A reverse chronological order is best.
6. White space is your friend. Don’t fill every square inch. Use consistent formatting. Avoid logos!
7. Keywords are your friend too. Make sure that your resume contains keywords. Hiring professionals will often search an ATS by keywords.  If your resume does not contain the keywords, you may be overlooked.
8. No need to include “References Available Upon Request.” If interested, they will ask you for references!
9. Proofread and then ask someone else to proofread. Sometimes we don’t catch our own mistakes. No typos or grammatical errors please.
10. I think the Objective section is dated and should be replaced with Summary. It is a way for you to summarize your career for your audience.  Take the opportunity and ensure that there are keywords included!
11. Make sure that your contact information is accurate! I have called or emailed candidates only to discover that their email or phone number is not correct!
12. Include your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, at the top of your resume. Recruiters will look up on LinkedIn anyhow so make it easy for them.

Resumes have changed over the years.  However, an annual review should help with keeping your resume current.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

How to apply on LinkedIn

Q: I recently applied for a role on LinkedIn and never heard back from the company.  Is this typical?  I would expect when a company posts a job on LinkedIn, they are serious about recruiting.

A:  LinkedIn is a great recruitment tool for most roles.  Most employers post roles on LinkedIn when they are eager to generate a pool of qualified candidates for the role.  However, there are ways you can use LinkedIn more successfully as a job seeker.

1. A candidate is qualified. Applying for a role requires less of an effort than it did 20 years ago. Most of us have a current resume on our desktop and we can easily respond to a posting with a resume.  However, there are “perpetual posters” who apply for almost any open role available.  It is difficult to take those candidates seriously because they seem to apply for any and all jobs, rather than the roles for which they are most qualified.
2. A resume is attached, as part of the online application. This might seem like a no brainer to some but many candidates do not attach a resume with your online application. This is frustrating!  The recruiter then has to reach back out to the candidate, and request a resume.  Yes, I can view a candidate’s LinkedIn profile but most of my clients still want to review a resume too.
3. The LinkedIn profile is complete. A professional photo is part of the candidate’s LinkedIn profile. The LinkedIn profile includes a well-written job history and contact information.  There are some LinkedIn profiles which are very thin and offer limited information.
4. A candidate is responsive. Sometimes recruiters work odd hours and on weekends. When we reach out to a candidate, we are hoping for a quick response (within 24 hours or sooner).  With smart phones and other technological innovations, we expect job hunters to respond if we call or email them.  If a candidate takes several days to respond, that is a sign that this opportunity is not priority in their lives.
5. The first impression is positive. The resume is well written and there are no typos. The same standards apply to a candidate’s LinkedIn profile. It should be well written and logical.
6. Check out who you might know at the company.  A connection to the company may be helpful!

Finally, sometimes hundreds of candidates apply to posted jobs.  It would be difficult to respond to every candidate.  If you feel like you are a well-qualified candidate, you can reach out to the recruiter listed on the posting.  However, there may be a reason why they haven’t contacted you and it may be unrelated to you.  The job may have been put on hold or another candidate has been hired.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

2017 hiring plans may exclude those over 40

Q: I am a new supervisor and we have been discussing hiring plans for 2017.  I work for a growing tech start up.  It is a fun environment but demanding.  My manager keeps describing our ideal new hire as “young, bright, high energy, etc.”  She keeps repeating that she does not want to hire anyone over 40 because they are on the “back nine” of their career.  She has directed me to exclude candidates of a certain age.  Isn’t this illegal?  How can she tell me that this is the right path?

A: Unfortunately you have been placed in a very difficult position.  You probably have an inclination that excluding one group of candidates is not a wise decision, but you are being pressured to do just that, by your manager

I consulted Amy Carlin, Esq., a partner at Morgan, Brown and Joy, LLP.  Carlin and I reviewed your question and she shared my concerns.  Carlin comments, ” Yes, it is illegal to make employment decisions, including hiring, based on the applicant or employee’s “protected class or characteristic,”  which includes age (40 or over pursuant to Massachusetts state law and federal law).  Other protected classes in Massachusetts include race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, among others. The manager here is making assumptions about what an applicant over 40 will be like in the workplace and seeks to exclude candidates based on their age – this is precisely what the anti-discrimination laws are meant to protect against.”

Instead it is better to focus on the requirements of the job description.  What exactly are the skills, knowledge and attributes required for the open position?  Carlin advises her clients to “develop interview questions that directly relate to these and the legitimate business requirements of the job. Interview questions that will lead a candidate to reveal that they are in a protected class are prohibited by law; investing in training for managers in this area is a smart move and one that will protect against discriminatory decisions such as the one the manager in the question is about to make.”

Tech companies have a bit of a tarnished reputation when it comes to hiring workers with a few gray hairs.  In 2014, the median age of workers at Facebook was 29, according to a report by Payscale.  At Google and Amazon, it was 30 in 2014.  Yet, the median age of all American workers is closer to 42 years old, according to the Department of Labor.  Employers will often tout that they are eager to hire a diverse workforce, but sometimes that diversity leaves out those who are 40 or over.

Companies are smart to include a broad pool of candidates.  With unemployment in Massachusetts hovering around 4%, employers need to tap a wide range of talent.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.