Homepage for SAP Professionals

Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder

If you didn’t have the best working relationship with your previous manager, deciding whether to list him as a job reference can be tough. It’s especially difficult because “former bosses are generally the first reference employers look for from job applicants,” says Chris Posti, president of outplacement firm Posti & Associates. “If you don’t provide your former boss as a reference, it will cause concern, unless you can give a solid explanation.” Since reference checks are often one of the last steps to getting hired, it’s even more important to not raise any red flags.

Not sure whether to list your former boss? Here, human resources experts weigh in on what to do if you think you’ll get a less continue reading…

By Careerbuilder.com

To a painter, an untouched canvas holds unlimited possibility for a bold new creation. But for each artist, the potential for something great is counterweighed by the potential for unparalleled failure.

Similarly, excitement and anxiety loom over job interviews. When you present yourself to an employer, you hope all the right words come out and you woo them. You only practice the perfect responses to questions, never the wrong answers. But in the back of your mind you know that you might end up sounding like a terrible candidate who no employer will ever hire, even if you’re actually the perfect person for the job.

For a job seeker, the blank canvas is the open-ended question. When the right answer requires more than a yes or a no, job seekers need to take advantage of the freedom they have with their responses, not fear it. But perhaps no question intimidates job seekers more than “So, tell me a little about yourself.”

You have many ways to answer, and the best response might depend on the stage of your career. continue reading…

Some time ago I have been approached by a large consulting & staffing firm to talk how to determine a good staffing/recruitment company to avoid pitfalls. What we came up with is, that there are mainly 3 parties involved in a project and each party has its own priorities and goals. It is very important for the success of the project that there is a “meeting of the minds” for all parties that are involved as HR related issues are the most time consuming activities in any project that involves people with different backgrounds working experience.

The more the priorities and goals can overlap each other, the more the endeavor is successful as every party is getting the expected results. continue reading…

by Careerbuilder.com

Giving a limp handshake, letting your eyes wander and fidgeting are just a few of the subtle blunders that can botch your success in a job interview. Although you may have been unaware you were doing these things, interviewers who pick up on negative nonverbal communication are likely to doubt your fit for the job.

Nonverbal communication can be judged just as much, and sometimes even more harshly, than the responses you give to questions you’re asked during interviews. It can even be the single factor that helps hiring managers decide between you and another candidate when you’re both equally qualified for the job. That’s why it’s so important to be mindful about your posture, facial expression and other behaviors. continue reading…

by Careerbuilder.com

Interviewing someone for a job is not as easy as it looks. First, as the interviewer, you’re tasked with finding the person who will not only do the job well but also fit in well with the other employees. You have to assess abstract qualities that can’t be found on a résumé. Because you have to repeat the process for every potential employee, you end up asking question after question to applicant after applicant.

Still, interviewers need to be told something: “What is your biggest weakness?” is not a good question. It just isn’t.
continue reading…

SAP Job Market

SAP job market is currently in a state of flux just like any other IT job. Where there used to be 10 jobs there are 4 or may be 5. Post recession, the reasons are obvious – Lack of budgets, postponing new implementations, general market slump etc.

However, all is not lost yet. There are still jobs. And more are going to come up as the economy slowly takes roots again and boomtown comes along. continue reading…

Robert Half International
In today’s economy, reorganizations are common, and you may find yourself suddenly overseeing employees who were once at the same level as you. While transitioning into a supervisory role can be exciting — and possibly signal a new phase in your career — it also means a shift in dynamics with colleagues, especially those who will now be reporting to you.

Your success taking on a leadership role is dependent on building positive working relationships with direct reports, and being able to exercise authority when necessary. Following are some steps to help make the switch from peer to manager as smooth as possible:

Meet with your team
One of the first items on your agenda should be to meet with those you will oversee. Arrange one-on-one conversations to make sure everyone understands the following: continue reading…