Jerome Young is a diversity recruiting expert with arguably the largest database of diversity talent in the U.S., helping companies recruit and retain top diversity talent. Over the past year, his company has matched over 100 diversity professionals with new jobs. Based on the company’s results, they have been featured in ESSENCE Magazine, FOX News, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Edmonton Journal, The Vancouver Sun and many more. Jerome is also a frequent FORBES Magazine Contributor on the topic of careers. Jerome has an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a wealth of experience in technology and financial services.         

 

 

 

 

Jerome: 2010 is shaping up to be a good year for banking as well as technology from a diversity recruiting standpoint. The job market seems to be making a turn for the better as companies that have had challenges in the last couple of years are once again competing for top diversity talent at the higher levels of the organization.

 

Companies are specifically asking for cultural diversity to ensure that their workforce understands the cultural nuances of their target markets and can provide new ideas that resonate with specific targets. This includes Hispanic, African American and Asian American employees. A recent example is that a leading financial services company that recognizes the growing segment of middle and upper class Hispanic Americans recently contacted us. They understand that the best way to capture the growing Hispanic target market is to have some Hispanic Wealth Consultants who understand their culture, speak Spanish etc.

 

 

 

Jerome: We have been focusing on the banking and technology industries and have recently recruited for the following titles: Regulatory Compliance Director, Director of Quality Assurance, Sr. Wealth Consultant, Sr. Microwave Engineer, Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Sr. Technical Writer, Sr. Risk Manager

 

 

 

Jerome: Jerome On the banking side, the most in-demand skill is the ability to close new business. As you can imagine, with the economic downturn all financial services companies are looking for employees that can increase revenue by attracting new customers. On the technology side, the most in-demand skill is the ability to lead teams. It’s often easy to find someone with the technical skills to do the job but finding someone with the technical skills as well as the soft skills required to lead a team is challenging.   

 

 

 

Jerome: Employers are looking for employees who can multitask and are able to effectively handle a workload that was previously handled by two employees. A willingness to work overtime and assist team members in accomplishing tasks are also coveted attributes.

 

 

 

Jerome: Task oriented resumes that require us to ask questions about the candidate’s accomplishments. In this highly competitive market, a candidate’s resume really needs to be able to stand alone when it reaches the hiring managers desk. 

 

Poorly formatted resumes that require us to read to the bottom of the resume to get important information pertaining to the job posting. Candidates should have a summary at the top of their resume to let recruiters and hiring managers know that they are qualified and it’s a good use of our time to read further. It makes our job a little easier and will make them more successful in terms of getting job interviews.

 

 

 

Jerome: In an overcrowded job market, accomplishments and positive results that have affected the bottom line are what make a candidate stand out. The more results we can share with the hiring manager in terms of how a candidate can help them reach their financial goals, the more confident we feel in presenting the candidate. Additionally, the hiring managers are more likely to be interested in speaking with a candidate that has already delivered the results the hiring manager is seeking.

 

 

 

Jerome: To improve their chances of being hired, candidates should evaluate job postings and customize their resume to meet the requirements of each job. Specifically, they should look at the primary responsibilities of each role and highlight the results they have had in those. Not receiving interviews for positions they are clearly qualified to fill is an indicator that a candidate needs to further customize their resume.  

 

 

 

Jerome: Job seekers who are interested in connecting with me can email me directly at Jyoung@AttractJobsNOW.com, add themselves to my network on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jeromeyoung or call (877) 244-8502.