Okay, let’s talk jobs in mobile for a bit.  Most are wondering, where they should look, and what has the most potential.  I can tell you, is it’s not the obvious.  It’s not apps, it’s the technology behind the apps (think location recognition /proximity solutions as an example) Is it social media?  Probably not.  I haven’t met one user of Facebook who has given them a dime.  Games?  Profitable, but highly competitive and consumer centric (meaning low margins).   My suggestion is to focus on the areas with major problems requiring substantial solutions.  If your background is in app development, stop looking at consumer solutions or offerings.  Again, low margins, and it’s getting very difficult to get recognized when a place like Apple’s App Store has about a quarter million apps.   Really!   If that doesn’t put things into perspective, I don’t know what does.   If you do look at app solution job opportunities, take a look at companies focusing on the enterprise.  Ask:  Who is finding solutions for the Fortune 500 organizations?  Who is tapped into the requirements of the IT departments?  Who is looking for ways to help the enterprise

My recent response to an article on another site discussing job search tips for Product Managers (thought it worth the re-post here):   As I have experienced with my clients regarding hiring product managers: - They require VERY specific industry and product/technical knowledge and expertise - MUST be good cross-functional and client facing communicators. - Typically have well balanced technical and business capabilities - On the resume, clearly defined examples of measurable successes. - On the phone and in person, an ability to convey a strong passion for the work and industry, and able to communicate their methodologies and strategies in detail. In short, to win at getting your PM job, position yourself as an expert in the vertical or technology, and articulate your successes well. I'd say a cover letter is not a huge requirement. In fact, I hardly every see them any more and my client's don't ask for them. Most of what they will be looking for is on a resume. A cover letter,

As a business owner and recruiter, I talk to many people.  And I  have many different types of conversations throughout the day:  interviews, business development, keeping up with my professional network, discussing new business partnerships, and fielding the random incoming call.   One thing I've realized, is even just a few of these calls can eat up a large chunk  my day.  An interview conversation, if there are no time limits, can easily hit the one hour mark...and there goes an eight of a "standard" work day.   Throw in a couple more calls like that, and I'm quickly playing catchup with everything else I have to do.   The trick to keeping calls short, is to start each call by letting the person at the other end know the call needs to have a time limit.  There are a number of things you can say, like "I'll need to keep the call short because I have another in 15 minutes."  However, it's best to stick with the truth  and something along the lines of "...I have another

While we’re big proponents of staying focused and on-message in a job search, we also feel that one generic resume may not be enough for some people.  The reasoning behind this is because many of us have built strong skill sets and histories of success in more than just one area of practice, creating multiple “professional personalities”.   This gives people the ability to seriously consider more than one type of job opportunity.   Even though we might suggest more than one resume is needed, each should stay very close to the same theme.  Doing otherwise will dilute your ability to deliver a clear and concise message about yourself and the value you can add to potential employers.    Also, while suggesting three as the magic number, only two of the three are going to have slightly different messages of their own to target the top two job types you may be best suited for.   The first resume, and the most common, is the generic resume:   It compiles the majority of your job titles, functions, and successes into one place.  It’s where someone, an employer, can get the “big picture” of what you are about and what you have to offer.   What might be missing in the

One of things many people have a challenge with when creating their resumes, is being able to show some type of value relating to their work history beyond basic functions performed .  It’s easy for some, like sales and marketing professionals.  People in those positions are focused daily on the numbers that relate directly to a company’s success:  size of deals won, number of new clients added or retained, financial goals hit, or other metrics that are tied in to the financial success of the companies they work for.   For people in other roles, it becomes a bit more challenging to identify the value they provide an organization and how their function.  Someone in a creative design position may not know exactly how they helped create more revenue for a company, but they did help (hopefully), and they need to understand how.  Of course, the job of someone in a design role is not just to draw pretty pictures; it’s to understand the visual requirements, the results that need to be achieved, the audience, and the message that needs to be conveyed.  Most creatives know this.  They just need to be able to articulate it in a document.   It’s important to say

Does this sound familiar?  You have found a fantastic candidate to fill a position that has been open for what seems like an eternity.  He loves your company and you need him.  The problem is, your budget is maxed out, or you have hit the ceiling authorized by HR, and you know it’s not going to be enough.   What do you do?   Well, a little pre-planning wouldn’t hurt.  Before you get into this situation, find out what other variables you have to work with.  Start with the obvious, and then get creative.  At the top of the list is equity or stock options.  Always start on the low end, even if you full intend to give them more.  If someone isn’t too obligated to supporting a family and mortgage, and if they believe in your company’s potential, equity could be very attractive to them.  If the cash isn’t enough, give them more of the American dream!   If your company is small enough, you can typically be more flexible with title.  Again, look beyond the obvious manager, director level-ups…although they work too.  Look for ways to make the title