Glassdoor - A Free and Very Interesting Look in to Employers

“Glassdoor is your free inside look at jobs and companies. Salary details, company reviews, and interview questions — all posted anonymously by employees and job seekers.”

This is a brilliant new site! It gives members a bunch of information regarding salaries and beyond, in every which was possible. Looking to make a career move? Do you have a new employer in mind? Look them up on Glassdoor and find out everything you need to know, even typical interview questions!

What and who is Glassdoor? Here is what they have to say:

“Glassdoor is a free career community where anyone can find and anonymously share an inside look at jobs and companies. What sets us apart is that all our information comes from current and former employees, interview candidates, and even the companies themselves. Now with more than a million salaries, company reviews, interview questions, office photos, and more, you have all the information you'll need to manage your career and make more informed career decisions.”

This site is free to use, although in order to access most of the data and site, you are required to fill in your own details (anonymously) in order to strengthen the knowledge base.

Glassdoor has just raised $12 million in its third round of funding. $22 million in total. Still in its early days, this site is set to become huge.

Visit Glassdoor.

Is the Recruitment World ready for Video Resumes?

We don't think so. Just to put it quite simply! Although, it's good fun watching them on You Tube!

Recruitment processes have stayed much the same over the years. Sure, email has replaced fax machines and seek.com.au has replaced flipping through newspapers and circling jobs of interest - the actual process’s remain the same. Resumes, must always be submitted to the client/employer in specific formats, attention must be paid to cover letters. We all know the drill – it’s a tradition!

Although some employers are moving with the times, by embracing new technology and methods in their day to day business activities. Adopting creative, relaxed and unconventional work/office environments. These are the types of employers that may embrace the creativity of Video Resumes and accept them with open arms.

As much as we love watching Video Resumes, we don’t see them becoming mainstream any time in the near future. Although, it might prove interesting if LinkedIn allowed a function for job seekers to post Video Resume's to thier account!

How To Make a Video Resume:



We aren't sure how serious David Pedersen's Video Resume is - it's great none the less!

Microsoft Has a New Data Centre: A Barn

Microsoft has announced that it will open a new data centre in Washington State housed in a "modern" barn like structure that is "virtually transparent to ambient outdoor conditions".

The new data centre will be built adjacent to an existing facility at Quincy, a small town that apparently has the advantage of cheap power generated from the Columbia River.

General manager of data centre services Kevin Timmons said that the radical building design would allow Microsoft "to essentially place our servers and storage outside in the cool air while still protecting it from the elements".

"The interior layout is specifically designed to allow us to further innovate in the ways that we deploy equipment in future phases of the project," he said.

"And, like any good barn, the protective shell serves to keep out critters and tumbleweeds."

Timmons said the inside of the centre would be completely modular – from electrical and mechanical through to server and security subsystems.

He claimed the building block design would cut capital expenses associated with the project in half.

It was not the first time Microsoft had toyed with the idea of a data centre without walls. In September 2008, it successfully ran a stack of HP servers in a tent for seven months with no failures.

Timmins said other modular data centers were to be built in Virginia and Iowa later this year.

Life and Work at Google

Here are some interesting video's of life as an employee at Google ...


Googleplex tour!





A look in to the Google interview process:





Jenny is a Software Engineer:

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Unfortunately we have not visited our blog in a while so we are pleased to be back in 2011!

So now it is a time traditionally known for resolutions and optimism – it is also a time when lots of people make changes – including changing jobs – and here at Cyber Placements we are certainly seeing a flurry of activity with many opportunities for those looking for a career change.

Overall we understand that we are forecast to see a continuing skills shortage in particular industries with certain sectors being topped as the big growth industries this year like engineering and resources.

Also we believe that the IT sector will see some challenges ahead in particular in relation to the new national plan on broadband. Salary levels however will be interesting to watch since employers and employees have varying expectations as inflation and interest rates change and impacts on productivity result.

Also to kick off the new year, the landscape has seen some regulatory changes come into effect already for example paid parental leave & employment law changes in relation to termination.
So what are your New Years resolutions? Please let us know if we can help you with anything….here at Cyber Placements we are happy to be entering our second year of business and we resolve to try to serve you, our customer, better and brighter than we did before!

Look forward to seeing you on line again soon – why not visit our jobs site to see some of the roles available and as always do not hesitate to contact us directly if you think we can help you.

Bye for now!

Are cover letters still important?

In this day and age, it appears that cover letters seem to have almost been given the flick. With the convenience of online job posting, resulting job seekers being able to post their resumes to multiple jobs in next to no time – maybe the importance of cover letters is lost?

While cover letters may no longer be seen as of much importance to job seekers, perhaps they are still of importance to Recruitment Agencies and Employers? For a resume to be submitted to an Employer via a Recruitment Agency without a cover letter, it could be considered poor form.

To understand the role of cover letters, an inside peek at the life of a Recruiter and/or Employer is required.

A Recruiter/Employer can have any amount of roles attached to their email address at any one time. 15 roles is a good average, depending on the size of the agency/employer. In the recruitment phase, the Recruiter/Employer spends the majority of their time reading resumes. Recruiters/Employers are experienced in the recruitment process, although (for example) in industries such as IT – the Recruiter/Employer may have a firm grasp of IT related terminology and their roles requirements, although they are generally not technical themselves. Let’s also add to the mix that each and every resume that will land in the Recruiters inbox is different, in regard to lay out, information provided and many other factors. Hence it is likely that they will 'skim' resumes for the valid points. Job titles and dates are usually first, previous and current employers are second, and then specific skill sets follow. As mentioned, not all resumes are the same. In fact, quite a few are very difficult to read and understand. The harder a Recruiter/Employer has to work to understand your skill set, experience and career aspirations, the harder it will be for you to be considered for the role.

Where do cover letters come in to this process? A short, concise cover letter providing details pertaining to applicants experience next to the job description will probably grab the Recruiter/Employers attention. It encourages them to read on. It lays out the salient points, right then and there – which creates a over-view for the Recruiter/Employer to pin point the ‘good stuff’ in the resume.

Further more, cover letters offer applicants a chance to really 'sell' thier skill sets and attributes. Resumes don't really offer this opportunity.

Therefore here at Cyber Placements, we think that individual cover letters are recommended for each job application an applicant submits because ultimately, it sets the applicant up with the best chance possible in obtaining a call back and that is what we are here for – to help it work for you!

What not to do in an interview ..

Vice Presidents and personnel directors of the one hundred largest corporations were asked to describe their most unusual experience interviewing prospective employees.

A job applicant challenged the interviewer to an arm wrestle.

Interviewee wore a Walkman, explaining that she could listen to the interviewer and the music at the same time.

Candidate fell and broke arm during interview.

Candidate announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and french fries in the interviewers office.

Candidate explained that her long-term goals was to replace the interviewer.

Candidate said he never finished high school because he was kidnapped and kept in a closet in Mexico.

Balding Candidate excused himself and returned to the office a few minutes later wearing a headpiece.

Applicant said if he was hired he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm.

Applicant interrupted interview to phone her therapist for advice on how to answer specific interview questions.

Candidate brought large dog to interview.

Applicant refused to sit down and insisted on being interviewed standing up.

Candidate dozed off during interview.

The employers were also asked to list the "most unusual" questions that have been asked by job candidates.

"What is it that you people do at this company?"

"What is the company motto?"

"Why aren't you in a more interesting business?"

"What are the zodiac signs of all the board members?"

"Why do you want references?"

"Do I have to dress for the next interview?"

"I know this is off the subject, but will you marry me?"

"Will the company move my rock collection from California to Maryland?"

"Will the company pay to relocate my horse?"

"Does your health insurance cover pets?"

"Would it be a problem if I'm angry most of the time?"

"Does your company have a policy regarding concealed weapons?"

"Do you think the company would be willing to lower my pay?"

"Why am I here?"

Also included are a number of unusual statement made by candidates during the interview process.

I have no difficulty in starting or holding my bowel movement.
At times I have the strong urge to do something harmful or shocking.
I feel uneasy indoors.
Sometimes I feel like smashing things.
Women should not be allowed to drink in cocktail bars.
I think that Lincoln was greater than Washington.
I get excited very easily.
Once a week, I usually feel hot all over.
I am fascinated by fire.
I like tall women.
Whenever a man is with a woman he is usually thinking about sex.
People are always watching me.
If I get too much change in a store, I always give it back.
Almost everyone is guilty of bad sexual conduct.
I must admit that I am a pretty fair talker.
I never get hungry.
I know who is responsible for most of my troubles.
If the pay was right, I'd travel with the carnival.
I would have been more successful if nobody would have snitched on me.
My legs are really hairy.
I think I'm going to throw-up.