SelectLeaders Weekly Job Blast

Hire a Millennial
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 22, 2013

In technology one works closely with Millennials, and as Time magazine’s cover story suggests, they well may save us all. We hope that your company is taking advantage of our Free Internship Job Postings to hire a Millennial. Tom Brokaw calls them the "Wary Generation" putting off careers and marriage, but he loves their optimism. Time questioned if they are in fact the greatest generation of optimistic entrepreneurs. Warren Buffet is obviously a fan and recently shared some great career advice with Millennials. "If you tell me who your heroes are, I will tell you how you are going to turn out." For Millennials, who grew up on Reality TV, their heroes are themselves, so they feel entitled to email the CEO and ask for an hour of his time. Their sense of entitlement, neither resenting nor respecting authority, combined with their love of tinkering and pragmatic idealism may be what it takes to solve today's daunting issues. They are not looking for leaders. They, as a group, are changing everything with just a Tweet. Post a free Internship now and hire a Millennial. Their optimism can be contagious.

Confidential Postings
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 15, 2013

The April Jobs Report and Labor Department upward revisions to first quarter data confirm that hiring has picked up in 2013. For SelectLeaders Job Network this means that an employer should now think long and hard before listing their Company name as “Confidential”. Our research shows that a company actually decreases the number of applications by 20% if they do not list their Company name and post their job confidentially. Only a few situations warrant a confidential posting. The first is when a company is replacing a current employee without his or her knowledge, and the second is when an Executive Search firm is looking to fill a position. However in 2009, many employers who were inundated with calls and unsolicited and irrelevant resumes started to hide their identity and posted confidentially. Desperate job seekers would call us and try to find a way to circumvent the hiring process and contact the Company directly, so we understand why companies, who themselves had less HR personnel, started listing their Company as “Confidential”. Today, the job market, while still not what it needs to be for a truly robust economy, has stabilized and job seekers are willing to go through the normal channels. My recommendation to employers is increase your chances of finding the best talent by listing your company name when you post a job. The 20% who are not applying to your ‘Confidential” posting may be the superior talent your company needs to succeed.

SPRING CLEANING
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 9, 2013

Who’s Hiring in your sector? Are your competitors hiring? Is your sector becoming the hiring hot spot? Job Alerts keep you in touch with what is happening in your area of expertise. One of the advantages of SelectLeaders is that you can save your job search as a Job Alert just by clicking on the link at the top of the advanced search box. But sometimes you do not want to keep some of those Job Alerts coming. Because SelectLeaders does not set up your Job Alerts, and you do, we cannot stop or edit them, but you can. Login to your account and delete the Job Alerts that you no longer want to be emailed to you. Can’t remember your password or username? Use the Forgot Username/Password function or email us at support@selectleaders.com and start the summer with the slimmest, trimmest Inbox.

Resume Keywords
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 1, 2013

Warning: the following is my personal advice, I strongly suggest you take the Free Resume Evaluation by our Professional Resume Writing Service that guarantees interviews in 30 days or they rewrite your resume for free! Many articles recommend featuring keywords in your resume, but job seekers ask, “How do I know the right Keywords to feature?” First, go to our Advanced Search dropdown list of Categories and then Sectors; create a list in which you have experience. SelectLeaders has 73 real estate categories to choose from, so most candidates are surprised by the number they can include. Then, rank your list by extent of knowledge. These are the keywords that you feature, depending on the job description. Now go to the job you are applying for and if the exact words in the title apply to your experience, conform your wording to theirs. The keywords that need to resonate in your resume will be found in the Qualifications and Responsibilities sections. A job posting for an “Analyst” may ask for “Underwriting” experience. If you have Underwriting experience, make certain it is front and center in several places on your resume along with Analyst from the title. Experts disagree on the perfect Resume format, but I like a summary paragraph in the beginning, where a job seeker lists their successes and accomplishments. It also allows you to re-emphasize those keywords. Remember, the employer approved the job title and description, and this is your first chance to give your potential employers exactly what they want.

The Professionals
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 24, 2013

Everything that can be done, to jumpstart job growth in the real estate industry, will be done, in the months ahead, is the take away from recent meetings with our Professional Association partners in the SelectLeaders Job Network. The stakes are high; our industry lost 2 years of new talent, and sent valuable experienced talent looking elsewhere, or nowhere. However, unlike the recession of the 1990’s, we did not lose an entire generation to other industries, not yet anyway. If our meetings with the ten industry Professional Associations in our Network are any indication, it’s not going to happen. NAREIM is leading a charge for members to post Intern Jobs – you can post all Intern jobs for free on the SelectLeaders Job Network. BOMA reported that job seekers with Hospitality experience make outstanding Property Managers, and Veterans, especially Navy Veterans, make exceptional Building Engineers. And, opportunities are available in both job categories. So, enjoy the privileges of membership, please take advantage of the discounted pricing on job postings and job posting packages when you register and post your jobs on our Professional Association Career Centers. And let’s get more talent working in our industry again.

What do women want?
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 17, 2013

A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll reports that 84% of women say men are paid more for similar work. Their view borne out by government data drew agreement from only two-thirds of men. More than four in 10 women say they have faced gender discrimination personally, most often in the workplace. Both findings are little changed from a 1997 survey. Despite the perceived challenges in the workplace, a growing number of women now say they can strike a balance between work and home life. The share who say most women can't "have it all'' without making a lot of sacrifices at work and at home has fallen from 78% in 1997 to 66% today. While the 1999 survey found that families identified a wide range of social and moral issues as serious problems, 84% in the latest poll called economic pressures very serious or fairly serious problem. SelectLeaders Job Network knows what women (and men) want. A well-paying job … and when companies can afford a few more hires, balancing work/life will become even more possible.

Austerity
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 11, 2013

If the Bureau of Labor Statistics March Jobs Report trend continues, we could see the third consecutive spring that job growth has slowed after good growth through the winter. The March report showed U.S. employers hired at the slowest pace in nearly a year, adding only 88,000 jobs, while wages remained flat. How did our industry fare? SelectLeaders Job Network is usually a good barometer of the health of the real estate industry, and 2013 started with an explosion of job posting purchases in January - more than any other month in the past four years. February was solid and came in as projected. March started tenuous, but continued the trend, resulting in a 10 to 12% growth in posting purchases, thus far, over 2012. And, 2012 was a benchmark year - the best year for real estate jobs since the “Great Recession” began in 2008. As the Huffington Post frames the March Jobs Report, “Austerity may be starting to squeeze the life out of the job market.” Our industry survived on austerity, after many others recovered. We are now playing catch up. For example, Development and Construction jobs were almost negligible until 2012. As our industry continues to recover, we anticipate job growth, because companies have been functioning so lean, they almost have no choice but to hire.

Silence is Golden
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 3, 2013

No news may be good news if you have applied for a job but have not received a response. When you apply through SelectLeaders Job Network, we immediately inform you that your application has successfully been sent. But of course what you really want to know is has the position been filled yet? Am I still in the running? The answer may be yes to both questions. A company could use 3 more people but gets budget approval to hire only one. Talent Acquisitions posts the job which stays active for 60 days or until the employer takes it down. They hire one applicant, and often hold on to the rest of the resumes, waiting for budget approval to hire the other two. We are seeing this phenomenon for the past year, so don’t give up. But the even better news is that SelectLeaders Network is acknowledged for the “most qualified candidates”, so you very likely could get an even better job in the meantime, like one of the ones below.

Courage
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 27, 2013

What is our industry’s top Leadership strength? According to the nearly 500 Real Estate Professionals, including President’s and CEO’s, who completed the SelectLeaders Network Leadership Assessment (available on our Home page), the answer is ... COURAGE. Those who made it through the 2008/2009 “great recession” are by virtue of survival poised for success, and not surprisingly describe their two top Leadership characteristics as: 1) making tough People calls and 2) making tough decisions. 70% report their top Hidden Strength is: Keeping on Point. Take the SelectLeaders Network Leadership Assessment and learn how to overcome your barriers to success. Then, ask others to assess you. You might need a little of our industry's courage to finish, as it takes about 15 minutes to complete, and you are required to rate your weaknesses. Personally I thought that the results were spot on, and they made solid suggestions on how to improve. And … our industry has the courage to improve!

Reboot
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 20, 2013

Arianna Huffington remarked, "Last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, I was struck that the most talked about session was called The Mindful Leader." It seems like everyone works in a global economy that measures time in Internet seconds. The focus is on the urgent at the expense of the important. Most people grab a day here or there for vacation never taking the time to reboot and be totally unavailable. Purportedly, American Express in the 1920’s was the first company to offer employees a 2-week paid vacation, and required that they take the entire 2 weeks at one time. Experts now tell us that is what it takes to reboot, a solid 2 week stretch, rather than a few days here and there that has recently become the norm. So the next time you find yourself frustrated and hurriedly shuffling from one meeting, call or task to another, try to slow down, take a step back and give yourself a chance to think about what is really important … but not until you look at the jobs below.

It’s Who You Know
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 13, 2013

Have you heard about relsci.com? If you question making your resume public so employers can search for you, even if you are not actively looking for a job, wait until you hear what’s coming down the pipe. RELSCI stands for Relationship Science, and is a personal information aggregator on steroids. relsci.com maps you and your relationships to over two million of the most influential people and organizations in the world: who they are and who they know, what you have in common with them, and most importantly, how you can gain access to them and their organizations. They provide information on work history, board connections, deal history, education, non-profit donations and affiliations, political donations, personal interests, creative works and awards, business relationships, and relevant familial connections … including children. They list presentations given, so don’t entitle your speech “How to have sex in the office” when you mean how to add sizzle to your sales presentations. And to think that I thought the Top 1% were now personae non gratae.

The Name Game
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 6, 2013

The phone rang just as I was leaving the office. It was an employer that posted a lot of jobs, “We are always successful posting on the SelectLeaders Network, but are getting poor results on this last job.” “What’s the job?” I asked. “Revenue Manager” was the response. I later asked our founder, “What’s a Revenue Manager?” “I don’t know,” he said … (he didn’t know?!) “I think they mean a Portfolio Analyst/Manager.” It reminded me of my favorite quote from George Eliot’s Middlemarch, “We have all got to exert ourselves a little to keep sane, and call things by the same names as other people call them by.” Making certain the job spec that you post, and the job title in particular, is dead on is vital to your success when posting a job, and on the flip side the success of a job seekers resume. Today, SelectLeaders sends between 700,000 and 900,000 Job Alerts every month to job seekers who have signed up to be notified when a job that fits their search criteria is posted on our Real Estate Job Network. If you are looking for a Portfolio Manager and would prefer a candidate that is currently employed, these candidates will probably not hear about the job, because they only get emails if Portfolio Manager jobs are posted. Take a look at the Job Titles in our Advanced Search Category and Sector dropdowns; they pretty much span the gamut of real estate jobs titles in our industry.

The Best Teacher
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 27, 2013

Sunday, February 24th non-stop news about the Sequester began. Dr. Gupta led the parade early morning on CNN with the impact on Healthcare. By Tuesday, the new media had threatened the well-being of every segment of society. Not surprisingly, we watched job posting purchases start to waiver, and just after hitting the highest number in January since the economic meltdown began. The stock market stumbled with us, some say because of issues in Europe. However, after watching job postings rise and fall in tandem with the stock market last year, I have a strong belief that all the talk about the effects of the Sequester is a likely suspect. Thankfully our partners in our Real Estate Professional Association Network provided a ray of hope embarking on a concerted effort to encourage members to create and post Internship opportunities. The result – double the number of Internships on the site in the past month. Don’t forget you can post all Internships absolutely FREE on any Career Center in the SelectLeaders Job Network, because experience is the best teacher.

Angsting
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 20, 2013

Obviously you should avoid spelling or grammatical errors in your resume, so definitely take the time to try our Free Resume Critique. However, perfection may actually keep you from landing a job. Recruiters tell us that when you apply matters, “Hires usually come in during the first two weeks after posting.” The good news is recruiters and employers value substance over form. So if you have the truth and no glaring errors, upload your resume and check the box to make it searchable. While you continue to tweak and polish your resume, (and possibly use the services of our Professional Resume Writers) employers may reach out to you for an interview.

Quicker Bigger Faster - Relax
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 13, 2013

Americans left an average of 9.2 vacation days unused in in 2012 - up from 6.2 days in 2011. According to the New York Times article by Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project and author of Be Excellent at Anything, human beings are designed to pulse between spending and recovering energy, ideally in 90 MINUTE CYCLES. "We sleep in cycles of roughly 90 minutes, moving from light to deep sleep and back out again, and research discovered that this cycle recapitulates itself during our waking lives". However, it is not how long, but how well, you renew that matters in terms of performance. In his consulting for top companies including Coca Cola, Google, LAPD, and Cleveland Clinic, Mr. Schwartz advises companies to provide areas where employees can nap, meditate, and relax. Work hard for 90 minutes then take a break, leave at 6 PM and not be expected to answer emails in the evenings or weekends, and all employees should receive 4 weeks of vacation. Everyone in our industry doing the work multiple people did in the past (see SelectLeaders Network 2013 Hiring Trends Survey Report) know too well that Energy Management is an issue we all increasingly face in our jobs.

Defunded
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 6, 2013

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently made his 1.1 billion dollar donation to his alma mater John Hopkins public “to encourage greater charitable giving toward education (because) in our society we are defunding education.” Our industry is rich in outstanding Programs in Real Estate, like this week’s Job Blast sponsor - John Hopkins MS in Real Estate, a remarkable program. Click on any job below to see our Job Results pages sponsored by Georgetown University’s exceptional School for Continuing Education. Information on SelectLeaders regarding how our industry defines Job Sectors and Categories is courtesy of Cornell University Baker Program in Real Estate, recently endowed by a gift from the Baker family. Our son, who graduated from the (Real Estate named) Opus School of Business at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota now works for a company owned by Gary Holmes who has contributed millions to several Minnesota educational institutions. So please consider supporting the Real Estate Schools listed (and soon to be updated) on our website. As Mayor Bloomberg said, "I am a big believer in giving it all away - the best financial planning ends with bouncing the check to the undertaker."

Best Month since Meltdown
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 30, 2013

January is about to become the best month for job posting purchases since the economic meltdown. December, traditionally the lowest month for job postings, also finished stronger than in recent years. Combine our news with the stock market rally and 2013 is looking up. However, Hurricane Sandy and the “Sequester” took their toll, and we can’t ignore the Commerce Department Report that the Gross Domestic Product fell at a 0.1 percent annual rate - the worst performance since the second quarter of 2009 and showed the economy entering the New Year with little momentum. Our advice is to take advantage of the job opportunities that are coming up. Then, follow the policy that we have at SelectLeaders: celebrate any good news you get – and you heard it here first – 2013 is starting off stronger than it has since 2009. (Warning: The Labor Department’s January Employment Report is due out on Friday so just in case - celebrate soon.)

Completely Confidential
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 23, 2013

I waited for a colleague to finish a customer service call while he explained that you can check a box to keep any Resume on SelectLeaders completely confidential. Frankly, I believe almost everything in the News today should be kept confidential, let alone one’s personal information, however I wanted to take the phone and say, “Are you crazy, everything about you is already all over the Internet.” (This is why they don’t have me answer the phones.) In 2009 everything changed. Social Media Profiles had gained ground, and the stigma of having your profile and resume “out there” disappeared amidst the economic meltdown. There was no assurance your company would be around, let alone your job, so having one’s profile and resume “out there” completely lost any stigma and became the norm among employers to this day. While sometimes I believe SelectLeaders may be the last place on earth that everything about you can be kept confidential, and never sold, never told, Personally I recommend that you go with the flow and make your resume public and let employers search and offer you a great job. You can always say no.

Opportunity Knocks
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 16, 2013

The 2013 Hiring Trends Survey Report included this employer’s perspective: “Most of my hiring will be driven by the desire to upgrade talent.” So … does your resume project that you are not only qualified, but you are the crème de la crème? Updating your resume at the beginning of the year is a savvy way to take stock of the experience you wish to acquire in the year ahead, regardless if you are looking for a job. Never forget your current employer is also looking for the top of the heap, so take a moment as the year begins for a little self-reflection. You can start with a Free Resume Evaluation on SelectLeaders Job Network Home page, or pay their Certified Resume Writers to create a new one for you. If you are interested in a new job, they guarantee that you will get an interview in 30 days or they will rewrite your resume for free. Our industry refused to remain stagnant in 2012, and hiring is poised to continue to increase in 2013… will you be ready when opportunity knocks?

A House Divided
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 10, 2013

Perception often leads to reality, so in the final weeks of December, the SelectLeaders Network sends out our annual Hiring Trends Survey. About 900 real estate professionals and employers – principals, top-line managers, and HR executives – share their perspectives on the year ahead. This year’s survey report, which will be out in the next few days, contains some very insightful strategies and data for 2013, but nearly every respondent also took the time to share their exasperation with the government. Now is my turn. For the past 3 years, we anxiously watched our industry pull itself back up from 2009. By mid-2012, we finally saw every sector start to hire again, and by the end of the year, more senior-level opportunities emerged. During those years, we took the risks to “Paint the counter when the customers were gone” – in other words invest anything we made into new technology, so we would be ahead of the game when the recovery began. Now that we are all finally poised to make up some of our losses, the Government still has no approved budget, and our leaders are doing everything possible to divide the country. Like Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Job Search
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 3, 2013

Searching for a job on SelectLeaders Network hopefully just got easier. After a huge technology push in the final months of 2012, we are starting the New Year with a revamped Search mechanism. When you type in a keyword search, the related searches now consistently follow. Type in Property Manager and your results will not only be followed by Property Management jobs, but because of the blurring of lines between job sectors and categories and functions, we follow these results with related jobs. In the case of Property Management we end the results with Asset Management opportunities. Over the Holidays I told my son, who actually got his current job applying on SelectLeaders, all about these improvements. He said, “I just looked through all the jobs … never know.” If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, tell us what you think. Regardless of how you search, the SelectLeaders team wishes you a happy and prosperous New Year in the perfect job - whether the one you are currently in becomes even better, or you find one with our new improved job search. Or, like some people I know, you simply look at all of our jobs.

Optimism of Youth
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders December 19, 2012

Perched on the edge of the Fiscal Cliff, and overwhelmed by the Newtown, CT. tragedy, one of the worst ever to face our nation, I asked our newest and youngest employee who heads up our Social Media efforts on Facebook and Twitter, "Whatever can I write about in this week's Job Blast Insider's Perspective?" Our Marketing Manager suggested that we wind down this year with the optimism of the 2012 Cornell/SelectLeaders Job Barometer Report. This assessment of the commercial real estate job market shows job posting opportunities rose 32% over 2011. A slow and steady improvement has been seen in nearly all sectors with Retail and Multi-Family leading in 2012, with 22% and 15% respectively. As we contemplate what needs to change in the future, I hope you too will experience the optimism of youth, and remember the good in 2012.

Cure for Dysfunction
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders December 12, 2012

Former Senate Republican Leader, Trent Lott, in an interview on CNN was asked to name one thing to fix the dysfunction in Washington. "Sit down at a round table and talk." He explained that a lot of Senators don't bring their families up to Washington anymore. They fly in with just enough time to meet. But according to Trent Lott that is not how deals get done. "We sat down and talked with each other. We didn't fly in to meet. We spent time together; we knew each other. We liked each other across our differences." Could this be the cure for dysfunction in companies also? Bring all the people who are increasingly working at home on computers into the office to work, and as Lott suggested, "Sit down at a round table and talk."

2012 Job Barometer
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders December 5, 2012

The 2012 Job Barometer- An Assessment of the U.S. Job Market in Real Estate - is now available on our Job Network under “Resources”. It is more optimistic than past reports, especially if you are ready for the C-Suite or have less than 5 years of experience. "Don’t be caught in the middle," is what the politicians and hiring trends seem to be telling us. However I remember not that long ago when both the top and the bottom had the least opportunities, so it appears that hiring may be finally coming back full circle. Our colleagues in Executive Search tell us that C-Suite hiring remains solid in many real estate sectors, while job postings which require 5 years or less of experience increased 7% in 2011-2012 compared to 2007-2008, according to the Job Barometer Report. Candidates with less experience usually demand lower compensation; however, the trend to hire candidates with less experience may be attributed to the increase in market transparency, which has caused firms to develop sophisticated financial models using Microsoft Excel and Argus (which require candidates with more immediate retooling with software applications.) Want more optimism - view the full report.

Full Circle
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 28, 2012

Jobs on the SelectLeaders Job Network posted by Equity Residential and Avalon Bay hopefully may soon reflect their acquisition of Archstone, Inc., which the Wall Street Journal described as “the apartment-building owner that played a major role in the demise of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.” I personally never can forget (and if you read the Job Blast you can’t either) that when Lehman Brothers fell, jobs on the Network went from around a thousand to 35. Is this the white smoke signaling a change? About 60% of the company, or some 23,000 apartments, will go to Equity Residential, the country's largest publicly traded apartment company, which is controlled by the amazing billionaire Sam Zell , who has long been angling for Archstone's properties. Avalon Bay, the other largest public multi-family landlord in the U.S., is set to get the remaining 22,000 units. According to our Network partner, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), year-to-date returns for apartment stocks have been about 1.2%, compared with 11.8% for the S&P 500. Apartments have lost some of their luster with investors lately. While the sector was one of the best performers in the real-estate industry early in the recovery, its growth has slowed recently as the single-family home market has improved. These are two great companies and apartments are not going away especially with the love for downtown living of the next generations.

80 CEOs Agree
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 14, 2012

Less than 2 weeks before the election, the Wall Street Journal reported that 80 Chief Executives from some of the biggest name corporations, from Aetna to Weyerhaeuser, banded together to call for a reduction of the Federal Deficit with tax-revenue increases as well as spending cuts. Regardless of who would be in the White House, they urged limiting the growth of healthcare spending, making Social Security solvent, and comprehensive and pro-growth tax reform. Yes, the 80 CEOs who signed deemed tax increases inevitable, but the like-minded CEOs would resist raising taxes unless accompanied by significant spending restraint. They would not, they emphasized, support increasing tax revenue, just to increase entitlements without significant spending restraint. Politicians looking for a mandate need to look no further. Imagine 80 leaders agreeing. Let’s hope both sides of the aisle take heed of what our business leaders see from the front lines for the future of the American economy.

The 3 Little Pigs
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 7, 2012

As Hurricane Sandy, with winds that were purported to have reached 95 MPH in NYC, swayed my glass tower, which was built to withstand 110 MPH winds, I thankfully thought of my building's developer. Watching my blinds swing left, then right, then left, I thought fondly of our industry's developers, who some describe as "difficult," with a my-way-or-the-highway perfectionism. Manhattan and I are still here to tell you, it is preferable to have our buildings flexible rather than our developers. I previously had the privilege to go on an Urban Land Institute tour of the construction of the new World Trade Center towers. I haven't seen construction and walls like that since they built Armories in the early 1900's. I hope that these captains of our industry will be called upon to rethink our infrastructure. NYC is one of the last metropolitan centers in the world that does not have direct public transportation to the airports. Since we need to create good jobs, let's get architecture, construction, and development jobs bustling, and this time not on projects already in the pipeline, but ones that will revision our world for the future. Before the next one tries to huff and puff and blow...

Truth or Consequences
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 31, 2012

An editor of our regional paper quit to move up to a big city paper when the truth came out that she had misrepresented her college credentials on her resume. Like so many women of that era who rose up from the secretarial pool, her graduation was really from the School of Hard Knocks. By the time her job offer was withdrawn, her former position had been filled. Employers will overlook many things when they like a candidate, so never be afraid to tell the absolute truth. Interestingly, no one seems to apply as strict criteria to Social Media Profiles. Profiles are often created with a click and without the ability to sufficiently elaborate. Is your technology experience a decade old; did you just attend the University? Employers often search Social Media Profiles, so be as accurate as possible, but your resume is what they rely on for the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, on what they can count on you to do ... such as always being truthful.

Back to the ‘90’s
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 24, 2012

Anthony LoPinto, our Founder, often laments that missing from some of his top Executive Search prospects is an entire generation of executives that did not enter the Real Estate industry during the Recession of the ‘90’s. There has been some anecdotal evidence that this may be happening in 2012, which I want to share with you with the disclaimer that it is unconfirmed. I ran into a friend of my son’s who had studied Architecture, and is entering Graduate School to prepare for a different career, because he believes by the time the job he would want is available, his skills will be rusty if not obsolete, because he is not working in Architecture. A top real estate employer that is in the middle of their campus recruiting practice (for fall 2013 hires) notices a substantial drop-off in the number of resumes they are getting from their traditional feeder schools. One school’s Dean reported that given the disaster they have seen in the real estate world in the past few years, students have just lost interest in studying real estate, and he has to sell the field of study to some of the younger students. According to this professor, he actually had more internship opportunities than real estate students this past summer. Hopefully, Real Estate is climbing back up just in the nick of time.

Winner of the Debate
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 17, 2012

It is obvious who the clear winner was in last night's Presidential debate ... JOBS! Other topics didn't even come close to job creation. I did think however that the debates might have been more productive if the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders moderated. Remember the old cheer: What are we going to do? WIN (Create Jobs). How are we going to do it? Get a touchdown or goal was the answer then, and what is the answer now? Thankfully, the Real Estate industry seems to have one. For the first time in years, SelectLeaders Hottest Sector (most jobs posted) this week was not Multi-family or Office that have dominated for months, but Retail. The flurry of hiring we have witnessed before the election has trickled down to almost all sectors, which may be indicative that a big factor in job creation is restoring hope. Nearing the end of the unprecedented negativity from both sides during this political season may actually be the first step in job creation. And we all hope there will be more like the ones below:

Apply Now!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 10, 2012

Our Founder, Tony LoPinto wrote in his GlobeSt.com “Executive Watch” last week that SelectLeaders Job Network had its best month in 5 years. So, now is the time to take our Free Resume Evaluation on the SelectLeaders Job Network Home page, spit and polish your resume, or pay their Certified Resume Writers to prepare a new one. (They guarantee that you will get an interview in 30 days or they will rewrite it for free). So, does our September results back up the September Jobs Report of a 7.8% jobless rate? It was eye opening to discover how the Jobs Report is calculated. (I assumed it was statistics from the Unemployment Bureau and Federal Agencies).) The numbers come from a tiny survey of about 60,000 eligible households with a margin of error of 400,000. My advice, if you are looking for a job, look now during Budget Season. This time of year is when budgets are used up and larger job posting packages are purchased gearing up for the year ahead. Just because I am cautious in my predictions, don’t you be cautious in your job search. If you are looking for a job, get your resume updated and apply now (especially to the ones below)!

Take It or Leave It
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 3, 2012

Employers, who are listening to the politicians and believe they have all the time in the world to decide who they want to hire, are taken by surprise when their first picks have already been taken by a company that pushed to close the deal. Living in fear of being let go during the worse of the economic meltdown has had its effect on everyone. When candidates quickly get an offer from an employer who asks for an equally rapid response, both end up feeling that they are getting people who don’t need to think twice about making a commitment. And commitment appears to be what both sides are looking for after the past few years. Employers remember the people they hired that did the jobs 3 people did before the meltdown, and job seekers want a company that will put them on the most valued employee list if they hit a bump in the road. So take the time up front to vet out what everyone involved wants in a hire. Because once you start interviewing, he who hesitates is lost.

Pay ‘em or lose ‘em
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 26, 2012

The defense for ever rising compensation of Chief Executives is now being debunked. The New York Times article “Pamper ‘Em or Lose ‘Em. Not so fast” reports on a new study from Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware - it concludes that contrary to the prevailing line, chief executives can’t readily transfer their skills from one company to another, so the “Peer Group Benchmark” – how executive pay at one company stacks up against pay at another - only serves to push pay up and up. Mr. Elson and Mr. Ferrere who conducted the study, note numerous academic studies indicating that CEO’s selected from within a company perform better than outsiders, especially in the creation of long-term shareholder values. A 2011 analysis of roughly 1,800 C.E.O. successions from 1993 to 2005 found less than 2 percent had been public-company Chief Executives before their new jobs. This study recommends that Boards should “junk Peer Group Benchmarks” and suggests that Boards develop internally consistent standards for the individual company. If I am reading this right, compensation standards for an entire company would be linked to performance, both individual and company, and it also appears that promising up and comers actually are starting to fill the C-Suites, and that is not only good news for job seekers, but for all of us.

Reinvent Yourself
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 19, 2012

50 years of success! CNBC Squawk Box dedicated an entire business segment to Jon Friedman’s new book “Forget About Today” - a tribute to how Bob Dylan’s genius for reinvention and instinctive business acumen has kept him at the top of his industry for over 50 years. His reinventions read like a Business School Case Study as he embraced the latest technology going “electric”, or the Poet's rare commercial for Victoria's Secret? (targeting the young female audience that fill concert halls), and embarking on his Never Ending Tour risking overexposure to regain his relevance. So how do we reinvent ourselves … don’t get stale embrace the new, use your core strengths differently - challenge yourself to change, and never let success or failure overwhelm you. If you just sent out 100 resumes, send 101 – this is the mystery behind Dylan’s 50 years of success - “The only thing I knew how to do was to keep on keepin’ on”. (Bob Dylan was born in Duluth, MN and decided to pursue a music career watching Buddy Holly in concert, days before he died, at the Historic Duluth, MN Armory.)

Moving Day
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 12, 2012

In 2009, when our Founder Tony LoPinto joined Korn/Ferry International, SelectLeaders moved into new office space in midtown. How thrilled they were to have us - a solid company that they could count on to pay their monthly rent in the days of so much vacancy. Our wish, was their command. Then a few months ago, the Office Sector, for the first time in years, posted the most jobs on SelectLeaders of any sector. Office has remained one of the two “Hottest Sectors”, running neck and neck with Multi-family job postings. But the change in the market didn’t really hit home until a month ago when we heard that our office lease would not be renewed because a large “lessee” was going to assume several floors in our building, including ours! As we stand poised to move on downtown, at least a few blocks, have no fear, our phones and emails remain the same so you won’t even notice our move. As for our jobs seekers and employers, your wish is still our command - except for that “lessee” with the big bucks.

Your Personalized Job Posting
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders August 29, 2012

The hottest trend in technology is personalization, with apps like Zite, your personalized magazine delivering customized content, or Pandora Radio that selects tunes similar to your most recent selections. If you could customize the job posting for your ideal job, how would it read? Would it include travel? Would you be willing to relocate in a few years? How much responsibility do you really want? At this stage in your life are you willing to put in the extra hours and weekends? What is your next position if you take this job, both inside the company, or outside? How much could you make in 3 years with this experience? What is the lowest compensation you would consider? Labor Day is the perfect time to forget about your resume and how to sell yourself to an employer, and visualize your ideal career from this day forward. From September 15th to November 15th, we usually see an uptick in opportunities, and hopefully the posting you envision will appear, or you will clearly see what experience or new skills you need to acquire to get where you want to go

Integration
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders August 22, 2012

As a good shepherd of our industry's jobs, twice a month we research any commercial real estate job opportunities that would be appropriate for SelectLeaders, but are not posted on our site. Last week something seemed to be very wrong. The SelectLeaders Network's Hottest Sector, with the most jobs posted for the week, was Multi-family, but some of the largest Multi-family firms were nowhere on any other list. Our Sales Director solved the mystery. He had just been on the phone with one of the top Multi-family companies, "We consider ourselves "residential" real estate, not commercial," he was told. Considering the REITs now bundle single family mortgages, it seems clear the line has forever blurred and residential and commercial real estate are integrating. The moral of the story is, if you are looking for a Multi-family job, don't forget to search the residential sector also.

Job App
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders August 15, 2012

Last week's acquisition of Zagat by Google inspired our Founder, Tony LoPinto's clever "Executive Watch" column on GlobeSt.com. He envisioned Apartment Apps and Office Apps that sparked several animated, blue sky discussions around SelectLeaders. A real estate Job App with all real estate jobs, including SelectLeaders highest quality professional jobs, would ideally have comparative local salaries, and employee reviews, as only Zagat seems to be able to illicit such spot-on critiques. But, you need a job now? Then the next best thing is our tried and true solution, Job Alerts. Take a few minutes to reflect on what the perfect job for you would be, and then search for it on SelectLeaders. If you have an ideal location put that in too, or if you have an ideal company add that. Then save your search criteria and set up a Job Alert. The minute a job that matches your criteria is posted on our site, we send you an email so you can be one of the first to apply. You do need to register on SelectLeaders to create a Job Alert, but the added benefit is that you can track your applications, and better yet, you can upload your resume and check the box to make it searchable, and let employers find you! A good job trumps a good App every time.

July Jobs Report
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders August 8, 2012

This past Saturday’s Wall Street Journal front page article focusing on the July, 2012 Jobs Report seemed counter-intuitive from what the Real Estate industry expects to see in July, and August. But this year, hiring did not go on summer vacation. Starting in July and continuing into August, the number of opportunities on the SelectLeaders Job Network, inched one more step up in the slow, but steady climb towards pre-2008 levels. Our findings, mirrored the July Jobs Report of the 163,000 job gain, the largest since February, but also triggered a lot of concerns about the fragile human capital market. The WSJ article pointed out that in July more workers became discouraged and left the labor market than entered it. But one thing is clear from where I sit, Real Estate jobs on our site are trending ever so slowly upward. And when this happens in what has been traditionally the worse two months of the year, my mood (and hopefully yours too) is following the stock market’s immediate surge upward towards optimism.

Go for the Gold!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders August 1, 2012

Watching the world’s greatest athletes never settle for being “good enough” or never stop aiming for perfection in the London Olympics, I thought about what it takes to get the gold? What sets the people apart in our industry that strive to be the leader, that go for the gold? Our industry is poised to discover the answers. So far, an impressive 1,200 real estate professionals from all sectors of our industry have taken the SelectLeaders Job Network Leadership Assessment since its launch on all 14 Career Centers in our Network just over a month ago. Every one of the 1,200 real estate professionals who took the online assessment received a full report of their top leadership characteristics with suggestions on how best to develop them to strengthen their performance. They also learn what traits they need to use more effectively to overcome barriers to success. As a critical mass of leadership characteristics (with no contact information) soon becomes available, we will be able to discover the unique leadership characteristics that set our industry apart, both our industry’s leadership strengths and our weaknesses. Take the Leadership Assessment on any of the SelectLeaders Job Network Career Centers, and, like the Olympians, achieve your personal best, or go for the gold.

Working from Home
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders July 25, 2012

I just returned from Minnesota where I worked from home, in order to prepare for our son’s wedding next month. There is no question that the distractions made me less productive. Working from home was originally touted as a welcome break from the stress and interruptions of the office, where one could concentrate. (However, let's be honest: It also offered the flexibility of squeezing in some personal jobs and errands between conference calls. Usually, employers factor in an adjustment in compensation for this freedom.) Working from home is evolving to be more like being in the office, with bosses developing new ways to make sure employees are on task. Some require "virtual face time". And some, according to the Wall Street Journal, like Accurate Biometrics, monitor computer use of employees, both at home and in the office. One popular report available from a company called WorkTime is "top Facebook users.” Gartner Inc., a Stamford, Conn. technology-research company, predicts use of computer security-monitoring programs will rise to 60% of employers by 2015, from fewer than 10% now. Employers who monitor say the idea isn't to keep people chained to their jobs for eight hours straight. They realize that people working from home may take breaks to run errands or handle other non-work tasks. But it all comes down to how many hours is a worker on task, not just available to answer a call. Ironically, working from the office may eventually come to represent more freedom than being more closely monitored at home.

Hottest Sector
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders July 18, 2012

Every week we post on Facebook and tweet our followers our "Hottest Sector", the one with the most job postings purchased that week. In 2009, when job postings virtually stopped in the U.S., we emailed you at the first sign of hope - when the Insurance Companies began to slowly but steadily post opportunities. Then, companies hired Property Managers with more financial acumen to maximize their portfolios. Multifamily led the recovery for most of 2011. Finally, at the very end of the year, we saw Development jobs appear. What is most impressive is how hard the Professional Associations push for job creation. We understand their frustration, so last week when Office!!! popped up as our Hottest Sector, I was thrilled for our job seekers and for our partners at NAIOP who have, along with Office Brokerage, been patiently waiting at the end of the line of a tepid recovery. Currently you are only going to see a handful of Office sector jobs on the site, and as we all know, no sector has fully recovered. However, when we see the first signs of change, we immediately want you to know. It comes as private equity firm Blackstone Group LP prepares to unload their portfolio of 100 U.S. office buildings (some 50 million square feet of space, greater than Houston’s entire downtown office market), a move that, according to the Wall Street Journal, would signal that one of the property sector's most active buyers is moving into a selling phase as top office markets recover.

Job Creation
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders July 11, 2012

In 1965, when I was a teenager, and EVERY SUMMER SINCE THEN until September of 2009, there were more teens with jobs than any other group in America. The dismal June Jobs Report last week cited one bright spot - U.S. teens saw their numbers jump upward by 3.2% of the entire U.S. workforce. For the first time since 2009, teens have more jobs than any other group in America. Why? In May, President Obama's Summer Jobs+ program, lined up commitments from the private sector and from government to create 90,000 paying summer jobs and internships for young people, with many more unpaid internships. Some economists, including Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke, have argued that policy makers should try to jump-start the economy before the long-term unemployed become effectively unemployable. Their skills erode, they fall behind on the latest technologies and industry trends, or they become stigmatized by employers. So … we see how successful a comparatively small amount of money spent on job creation for young Americans has been. We also see how billions spent on our foreign policy and intervention has hurt America. What would a business do, whose target market is Americans, if faced with these facts?

Invite others to assess you
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders July 5, 2012

Tony LoPinto, Global Head of Real Estate and Head of the New York Office of Korn/Ferry International asked me to assess his leadership characteristics. I assumed, since he is the Founder of SelectLeaders, that he wanted me to try the second feature in SelectLeaders free Leadership Assessment, where you can invite others to assess you. Since the results of the assessment, when you take it, or when you have others assess you, are completely confidential, even I don't know the results of my assessment of Tony. Only he has access to his assessment results. Take SelectLeaders free Leadership Assessment on any of the sites in the SelectLeaders Job Network. Then, invite others to assess you, and see for yourself how powerful a feature it is. Or as the poet Robert Burns put it, "O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us."

What sets us apart?
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders June 27, 2012

SelectLeaders free Leadership Assessment is geared to real estate professionals taking control of their personal leadership potential, because only an individual can have the will to implement the changes needed to succeed. While your Assessment is kept completely confidential and no names or contact information are collected, as a critical mass of leadership characteristics becomes available, we will be able to discover the unique leadership characteristics that set our industry apart, both our strengths, and weaknesses. As members of SelectLeaders Network's Professional Associations, representing the various sectors and job functions in real estate, take the Assessment, we will learn what characteristics makes a leading Broker different from a leading Developer. General Business Assessments are valuable, but detailed information about our industry's sectors will empower HR professionals in their companies' development programs. Trump, Zell, so many larger than life personalities are at our helm, take SelectLeaders Leadership Assessment, and stay tuned as we discover what sets all of us apart.

Leadership
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders June 20, 2012

An increasing number of “Chiefs” have appeared on our Job Network (CEO, CTO, CFO jobs). It provides a unique opportunity for HR Professionals to stop the musical chairs, and discover the unparalleled quality of talent that our Professional Association Career Centers can provide. However leaders are made, not born, so the Professional Associations launched SelectLeaders free Leadership Assessment. Created by Lominger division of Korn/Ferry International to maximize the leadership potential of the world’s top executives, it can help you discover and develop your top leadership strengths, and learn how to overcome your barriers to success. The premise behind the SelectLeaders Assessment is that we need to prepare our leaders for ANY future. The best way to deal with accelerated change is with fundamentals that don’t change much, if at all. The Leadership Assessment encourages you to build on your core competencies, so you will be grounded when change occurs and rely on what has proven effective. Take the Assessment now on your Association’s Career Centerand be ready … for anything.

What do you think?
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders June 13, 2012

If you have called SelectLeaders Customer Service in the past few months, you and I may have talked. Our technology group needed to improve some user experiences with the site, and needed feedback. I love puzzles, so from our conversations I helped gather together the pieces of information. I am happy to report that you seem happy and we receive relatively few customer service calls these days, so I have turned it back over to others. However we are still interested in hearing from you, especially about your hiring experiences or job searches. So Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Every week we post our Job of the Week, which highlights an unexpected opportunity or location, or the interesting variety of positions on the site. We also have an exciting launch next week of a new service, and we look forward to your comments. So, see you soon on Facebook and Twitter.

Get’em while they last
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders June 6, 2012

Amidst the economic and jobs reports, many job seekers may slack off for the summer, which will be advantageous for our loyal SelectLeaders Job Blast followers. While I am certain SelectLeaders will not be immune to the bad reports, let me share a little secret …May was the top month in all of 2012 for job posting purchases on the SelectLeaders Job Network. So get that resume polished up with our Free Resume Evaluation. They do offer some excellent suggestions that you may decide to incorporate, and if you choose to have them rewrite it, they are reputed to be the best in the business. In fact, their Certified Professional Resume Writers guarantee that you will get interviews in 30 days or they will rewrite your resume for free. We also recommend that you register on any one of our network sites and upload your resume. You can choose to make it confidential or available to recruiters, either way, you will be registered and ready to apply as soon as a job that you are qualified for is posted. Go get them while they last, the sun is bad for your skin anyway.

Resi-commercial Jobs
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 30, 2012

We coined the term Resi-commercial to describe a new category of job postings on the SelectLeaders Job Network. Jobs are being posted by companies that are acquiring Distressed Homes (foreclosures and short sales sold at deep discounts) and forming what I, tongue-in-cheek, call a “Master Un-Planned Community.” If lack of planning got us into this then hopefully it will get us out, and the numbers indicate that it might. According to the Commerce Department, residential investment has added to GDP for the past four quarters: moving from .09 in the second quarter of 2011, to .4 in the first quarter of 2012. The economy of scale that developers can bring to rehabilitating distressed homes certainly seems like what the doctor ordered to hasten the recovery. Recently, NAIOP told us about their programs working with traditional office developers to help them acquire the technical expertise needed to move into more robust segments such as medical office and educational facilities. Since real estate touches every aspect of our lives … why would anyone go anywhere but to SelectLeaders Job Network to learn the real news on how the recovery is unfolding?

Prepare for the worst!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 23, 2012

Every month since the beginning of 2012, I have prepared for the worst. Yet every month we have remained solid or even slowly increased the number of job postings on our site. An investment advisor at one of the big banks reported a similar phenomenon. Despite the depressing economic news, he sees several companies that made the hard cuts with low but stable earnings and dividends. Again in May, it appears that new job opportunities will remain constant on our site. Knowing the number of people searching for a job, we obviously cannot meet the demand until the economy strengthens. However, with a lot of disclaimers expressing that what we report is relative to the worse years since the Great Depression for our industry, we are seeing stability, and in some months a slight increase in opportunities since the beginning of 2012. Now I will return to preparing for the worst in June. Hopefully my approach is like carrying an umbrella, it keeps away the rain

Unpaid Post-College Internships
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 16, 2012

My first job, after receiving a Graduate Degree in marketing, was at a New York City Ad Agency in the era of Mad Men (and yes my interview lunch was at Ratazzi's). I was paid a stipend, because, as I was told, I wasn‚t worth anything until I had a few years of training. Attempting to survive on my first paychecks taught me more than all my years in school combined. A recent New York Times article on unpaid post-college internships questioned whether many offerings today violate Labor Department rules that state if an Intern is unpaid, they must be under close supervision, and their work must resemble vocational education and not be a substitute for a regular employee, or be an immediate benefit to the employer. A few unpaid Interns were filing suit on the basis of these rules at a time when the April Jobs Report showed the unemployment rate for 20 to 24-year-olds at 13.2 percent. I believe, if companies can afford to pay at least minimum wage, that paycheck could be the most valuable learning experience. Even those Interns filing suit will someday realize all Internships provide opportunities to learn, even if it is the difference between good and bad business practices, and this is why we post all Internships FREE on our Network.

Heart Wrenching Letter and Jobs Report
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 9, 2012

We received a letter from an experienced Real Estate Broker having started his career under one of the Elder Statesmen in our industry. His degree was from the School of Hard Knocks, but unfortunately almost every job posting today lists a 4-year degree as mandatory. I know many highly regarded successful professionals that did not finish their formal degrees. This letter came from one that went from 6 figures to $405 a week on unemployment. 6 “families” were downsized from his company in one day, as he put it “all over 40 years of age with families, mortgages, debt and sicknesses, etc.” This is the reality of the April Jobs Report. As your probably saw, 342,000 workers dropped out of the labor force. At 63.6%, the portion of the working-age population participating in the job market is now at its lowest level since 1981. While workers with a 4-year degree or higher have only a 4% unemployment rate, those who do not, like our letter writer, have a 7.9% jobless rate. In a recent business meeting with a colleague that has done it all, I was able to learn from his mistakes which probably saved me thousands upon thousands of dollars. While it is true, the new economy requires new skills, I still believe that the value of experience is priceless.

Afterlife
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders May 2, 2012

Over a month ago I received an email with the subject line: End of life notification. Startled, I thought, even HE cut back on jobs - now you get an email. However the email was in fact a notification that the SelectLeaders Network Servers needed to be replaced. We decided to upgrade to 3 "rockets" with the power to expand with changes in technology. Boldly we launched our "rocket" servers, and immediately felt the increased speed, and how seamlessly several applications ran at the same time. Then I was told an interesting fact, that it takes on average 24 to 48 hours, for a domain to propagate and be updated throughout the web. Domain names are stored on certain computers scattered around the world, and it takes that long for all of these computers to be completely updated. Thankfully, many of you experienced no problems and April ended above projections, with an increased variety of opportunities posted throughout the Network. But for others, believe me, we felt your pain, which this necessary transition created. Servers are usually only replaced every 3 years, and we cannot apologize enough for any problems that any of you experienced. At least we're ready for 3 great years of growth, and hope the powers that be are equally prepared.

Elevator Speeches
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 26, 2012

Our ProSelect Director of Recruitment reported a change of flavor in job seekers' resumes from a year ago. Candidates are highlighting their financial experience, and not just for financial positions. Recent certification or experience using various software programs are also being listed that were not on most resumes previously. ProSelect, as you may know, is our online Executive Search product. However a similar change is apparent as we begin to update our Real Estate School List of colleges and universities that offer a graduate or undergraduate degree in Real Estate. Many program descriptions have skewed towards real estate courses with a financial focus, while technology courses for modeling, and also building presentations are up front and center. So our advice is don't rest on your laurels, contact your Professional Association or look for an Executive Program at a university, and keep your skills up, while you drive your profits up. Hopefully when you are done, it actually will make your job a little easier.

Pollyanna Pays Taxes
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 18, 2012

How soon they forget. Yesterday, my husband was whining like a little girl about paying taxes. Well... I remember 2009 when there were hardly any taxes to pay, because we barely made enough to survive. So blissfully, I took my certified mail to the post office where I quickly became the most popular person in line. Amidst throngs of iPADS and cell phones, I apparently had the only pen in the line. But taxes are not the issue, being on a non-profit Board that offers free after school music lessons and music video instruction, I understand how tax-free donations incentivize a lot of worthwhile charity contributions. The issue is, the politicians that are using taxes as a way to divide a lot of smart people, like my husband and me, rather than having us focus on our country's energy creation and most importantly job creation. April has been off to a great start, but we still need a lot more good jobs like the ones below.

Just the facts, Ma'am
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 11, 2012

Last Friday morning I waited eagerly in front of the television for the government to issue the first quarter Jobs Report. After a robust December, January and February, which added on average 245,000 jobs each month, the 120,000 jobs in March 2012, are half the average of the previous 3 months. The pundits were quick to report that unemployment, which dipped from 8.3% to 8.2%, from its recent high of 9.2% in August, still had not reached the 7.8% figure in January 2008 when the current administration took office. Then a CEO from one of the mass job boards was interviewed and reported a 17% increase in jobs on the site, due in part to significant increases in manufacturing and unskilled labor. Interesting, because SelectLeaders saw an even greater increase in Professional level Real Estate jobs in the first quarter of 2012, with a 35% increase in jobs on the site over the last quarter of 2011, and a heartening 68% increase compared to the first quarter of 2011. Since our industry has been slow to recover and slow to hire, the "one-person-doing-the-jobs-2-to-3-did-before-the-meltdown" phenomenon, we ran so lean, the slightest uptick in the economy forces us to hire. But the most promising statistic the Bureau of Labor reported, supported by the mass job board hiring, was the net increase of 37,000 manufacturing jobs over the previous month, accounting for 31% of the March total. These are the jobs that fill our apartments, malls, entertainment venues, developments, and without them, the economic rebound could not continue.

The future of our industry
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders April 4, 2012

A recent article in the New York Times is one of several signs that a recovery in the U. S. jobs market is gaining traction. "Hiring is back in a big way on many college campuses," was the headline. Backed up by a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which reported 2012 hiring is expected to climb 10.2 percent. But before you wonder why your son or daughter has not landed the big one, we all have to realize that up is relative and for entry level hiring, they started at ground zero. But after four years, during which many students graduated to find no job and had only their loans to show for their studies, it was pointed out that most college campuses are teeming with companies eager to hire. We see the upswing on SelectLeaders. Hire a grad student or undergraduate, and if you can't do that, create an Internship - what we are talking about here is the future of our industry. Don't let Wall Street get them.

550 and Counting
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 28, 2012

A few months back we announced that for the first time since 2009, we had 500 professional real estate jobs on the SelectLeaders Network. While this number is half of the professional jobs we had on the Network going into 2008, after what our industry has endured, it was reason to celebrate. A few weeks ago the jobs were hovering around 600 available opportunities, but it seems that under current economic conditions, the new plateau for professional real estate jobs on the Network is now 550 jobs on average each month. Employers today continue to have the pick of the litter, so make certain your resume accentuates the skills they seek. Need help? Try our Free Resume Critique featured on our Home Page. If you choose to have your resume rewritten, our Certified Resume Writers guarantee you will get an interview in 30 days, or they will rewrite it for free. Persevere - opportunities continue to move in the right direction.

There's No Place Like Home
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 21, 2012

One of the greatest concerns our industry expressed in our annual 2012 Real Estate Hiring Trends Survey Results was written in capital letters and expressed by many others: "THE HOUSING INDUSTRY HAS TO IMPROVE BEFORE OUR ECONOMY CAN REALLY GROW." When Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman & CEO, appeared on CNBC at the end of February he certainly was bullish on housing, "Now is a good time to buy a home and finance it with a 30-year mortgage. Houses could be a better asset to own than stocks." Seems Warren is in good company. According to Greg Zuckerman of The Wall Street Journal, "Over the last couple of months some of the best investors on the street ... have been making big bets on homebuilders - SAC Capital, Blackstone and Caxton Associates are among the funds making big bets on homebuilders, like Beazer Homes (BZH) and Pulte (PHM). Generally speaking, homebuilder stocks have been on a tear, with the S&P Homebuilders Index (XHB) up nearly 70% since its October low while the iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction ETF (ITB) is up more than 75%." The experts warn us that a rise in homebuilder stocks is not the same as calling a bottom in housing - unemployment remains staggeringly high and "shadow inventory" of homes (those currently not on the market but likely to be put up for sale at the first sign of a upturn) could suffocate any recovery. But any good news helps housing from being such a drag on the economy, which could be the tipping point we need.

Job Elimination Bill
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 14, 2012

I do not understand how at a moment in time when the government puts forth attempt after attempt at job creation, that they would close post offices throughout the country. I would rather pay taxes for a postal worker working than a postal worker on welfare, because I am a firm believer of the dignity that comes from a good job. Admittedly if you go into a FedEx or UPS store, you simply hand them what you have and they box it and keep computer files of where you frequently send items so labels can be immediately printed, and in a nutshell provide services. No one would argue that the Post Offices need to be run like a business, but everything in the government needs to be run like a business. Imagine if they ran a report on the return on investment of these MidEast Wars. Instead they are closing the sorting center where I grew up. Of all the cuts the government could make, jobs should not be the first.

The Carpenter's Children
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders March 7, 2012

I have been amazed working with Cornell University Program in Real Estate and the level of research and analysis that goes into the SelectLeaders/Cornell Job Barometer assessment of the commercial real estate job market. They even delve into job specifications, and go as far as to analyze the changes in skill-set requirements occurring in our industry. So when the Graduate Team leader mentioned how difficult it is this year to find Internships, I was shocked. Until I realized that SelectLeaders has discussed hiring an Intern, and that was as far as we got. You can post Internships Free on every site in the Network, and be assured you will get responses from the best and the brightest in real estate degree programs throughout the country. So what are we all waiting for? We hear all the complaints about doing the work that 2 or 3 people did in the past. Just post an Internship for free today and sit back and see what highly trained, tech savvy, young professionals specializing in state of the art business solutions can do for your company.

Leap Year
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 29, 2012

Many of our 12 Real Estate Professional Associations partners reported that 2012 membership was at an all time high for the past 5 years. Regardless if any numbers will ever exceed 2007 again, this is still fabulous news. Companies made their first cuts in conference travel and Association dues, then as financing for development vanished, the workforce was reduced. Hopefully the increase in Association membership means the entire cycle is reversing. We also heard reports that in this time of employees wearing several hats and doing the job two or three people did in the past, member employers are very concerned that valued employees will leave as the economy improves. Discussion about retention is another great sign, as the best ways to retain people are either increase their compensation, or bring on additional support before they totally burn out. However, it still takes a big leap of faith, especially amidst the uncertainty of an election year, for an employer to take on more expense and risk. But all the signs are pointing in the right direction.

Credit Due
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 22, 2012

Walking past the New York City construction zone for the future Second Avenue subway line, I was saddened to see the classic Brownstones that needed to be demolished in anticipation of the new subway stations. I especially miss one that housed my favorite neighborhood restaurant, DaFilipo, but what is much more upsetting is that anyone would ever think of making any changes to Historic Tax Credits and New Market Tax Credit legislation that have saved so many historic properties throughout the nation. When I am done with my day job, my passion for a long time has been to save the historic Duluth, Minnesota Armory where Buddy Holly, days before he died, inspired Duluth's most famous native son, a teenage Bob Dylan, to pursue a career in music. Without tax credits this would never happen. It is hard to believe as development comes back that any politician would even think of any changes to tax credit legislation at the national or state level. It costs more to rehab a building, but it is much less cost on the environment than filling up the dumps with old buildings. Our industry survived on vapors and pulled itself back up, and now credit is due, and that includes every tax credit available. The best way to create jobs is to incentivize business to create them.

It's a Round World!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 15, 2012

Social Networking is important, but nothing compares to serendipity, like standing in line at a Professional Association Conference and meeting the person with the perfect job opportunity. Wait a minute, what am I saying? We don't get any money if you do that. But, we always say we have the most qualified candidates in the real estate industry, and the easiest way to keep up with the incredible changes happening today in the Real Estate Industry is to join a Professional Association, and make the effort to attend the meetings or courses. Members of our Professional Association Job Network partners control or direct 90% of US commercial real estate. They see the changes first - from property managers needing more financial acumen, to Argus skills increasingly being required - and they can help you stay current. However, when you get the job from the person behind you in line, don't forget who told you to be there, and tell your new HR people to post on SelectLeaders Job Network. It's a round world!

What did you learn last year?
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 8, 2012

So, what did you learn last year? How did you change? If you freshen and update your resume with this information, it will move up to the top when Recruiters search. Every time you make any change, your resume moves up to the top. Even if you did not check the box to let recruiters find you, a fresh, updated resume allows you to apply to a job posting immediately, and when you apply matters. Recruiters tell us the best candidates usually show up in the first few weeks. Be one of them. Need some help revising your resume? Try our free resume evaluation. The Certified Professional Resume Writers guarantee that you will get an interview in 30 days, or they will rewrite it for free. But however you change it, freshen and update your resume now. Don't be left at the bottom of the heap.

The New Up
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders February 1, 2012

Good news this week from our media partner, GlobeSt.com, that "Development returns to California". The Allan Matkins / UCLA Anderson Forecast respondents said that about half are engaged in some form of development. Beyond those trendy Californians, the SelectLeaders Job Network has seen all of our Professional Association Partners, whose members are engaged in rehab and development projects, back up at the top in job postings for the first time in recent years. We are definitely in the early stages of development projects. But the icing on the cake was the call that I have been waiting for. A young female candidate called and asked if a job on our site was still hiring. We said she should definitely apply, because if a client hires, they usually take down the job before their 60 days are up. She then said, "There are so many jobs out there now, you don't know which ones to apply for. "We realized from her voice that she probably hadn't entered the job market in 2007, when we had twice as many jobs on the site. But, like they say, this is the New Up - savor it!

2012 Began with a Bang
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 25, 2012

January was a chartbuster month for clients purchasing Job Posting Packages on the SelectLeaders Real Estate Network, which hopefully will translate into increased job opportunities in our industry throughout 2012. The posting packages represented a nice mix of Real Estate sectors, which we feel is a healthier sign than last year when sectors seemed to recover one at a time. Another sign of health is that many positions we see posted require less experience, which does nurture existing talent, and attracts new talent for the future of our industry. On the other hand, there is a dark side to this. In fact, 64% of our 2012 Real Estate Hiring Trends Survey respondents reported that either senior-level positions have not been replaced (37%), or that senior level positions were replaced by employees with less experience (27%). Until the economy and employment truly recover, the same number and level of opportunities probably will not be available.

The Collective Wisdom
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 18, 2012

All 14 partners in the SelectLeaders Job Network just posted our 2012 Real Estate Hiring Trends Survey Results on their Career Center's Resources page. Nearly 60 percent of respondents predict that for our industry, compensation (base salary plus bonuses or commissions) will increase in 2012, for the first time in years. Your colleagues, from nearly every sector, also forecast a positive uptick in business. What surprised us, however, is that the overwhelmingly positive predictions for 2012 were followed up by an equally overwhelming negativity about the handling of our economy, and the ramifications for our industry. Even though the banks are still barely lending, nearly every sector reported an uptick, and I personally wish the powers that be would take a long hard look at the collective wisdom of our industry. All they have to do is click on: 2012 Real Estate Hiring Trends Survey Results AND then run the country like we run our businesses.

Boiling Frog Syndrome
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 11, 2012

I was talking to our Search Engine Optimization Consultant about how each one of us today does the work done by 3 people in 2008, and he told me this proverb about frogs. If you put a frog in cold water and gradually increase the temperature until it boils, it will not perceive the danger and remain in the pot. But if you place a frog in boiling water, it will jump out. He said that University Graduates are trained to run companies, and then end up running endless spread sheets from early morning until late into the night. He went on that today's young generation believe that time is the greatest resource, and jump. I went home and started to read "The Litigators" by John Grisham about this young Harvard Graduate that snapped from the endless hours at his law firm (even lunch was frowned upon). I don’t know if this is truly a trend, but does any one else reading this notice that the water seems to be getting hotter?

New Beginning
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders January 5, 2012

Many companies were closed all of last week. The new currency of the new economy appears to be time-off in exchange for doing the work that two people did in the old economy. Yesterday, however, the New Year was in the air, abounding with new energy and optimism. SelectLeaders Job Network is about to issue our annual Hiring Trends survey results on how our industry's collective wisdom views the year ahead. Real Estate has always been an industry of optimists. How else can you rebuild the World Trade Center to epic proportions, or historically restore vintage buildings, or revitalize deteriorating properties, even neighborhoods, the way our colleagues do over and over again? This year was no exception, but new trends are emerging, and thanks to so many of you for taking the time to share your insights, we appear to be ready for another new beginning with even more changes in how our greatest resource, Human Capital, will evolve in the year ahead.

Happy, Happy, Happy New Year!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders December 28, 2011

For the past decade, December has been the low point for purchasing job posting packages. So, I figured I would sneak out early, before we closed, and get a head start on dinner before my Holiday visitors arrived. "When out in (my purse) there arose such a clatter, I sprang from (the stove) to see what was the matter. Away to (my cell phone) I flew like a flash... when what to my wandering eyes should appear..." but my CFO texting, hundreds of jobs had been bought, for the coming New Year. "(My) eyes-how they twinkled! (My) dimples how merry." Hundreds of more JOBS, will be posted, in the coming New Year! "I laughed when I heard it in spite of myself," and end the year HAPPY... for you who are looking for a job... for our clients anticipating a healthy New Year, and happy because I "knew in a moment it must be St. Nick." Happy New Year to all (and this story is absolutely true, Virginia).

Inexplicable Optimism
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders December 22, 2011

I followed my mother's recipe, and ended up putting too much Bourbon in my Bourbon Balls last night. The dough was too moist, so it was difficult rolling them in the powdered sugar, which gave me a lot of time to reflect on the end of the year. I spoke to a few job seekers this past week, and Darwin is correct - forget the strong, it's the most flexible that survive. A more experienced candidate is repackaging himself as a contract problem solver, as he has a ton of financing experience. An underemployed recent graduate also took on a freelance assignment to keep up his Argus skills, so he will be up to speed when hiring resumes. We also attended a charity ball last week organized by the Who's Who in commercial real estate. Attendance was up, donations were up, and the mood was definitely up among our industry colleagues. With an election year ahead and continued uncertainty in the job market, it is difficult to make predictions for 2012, but we do feel it is safe to say that we all believe next year will be better. I guess our industry at the end of this year is like my Bourbon Balls, far from in perfect shape, but full of the joy that comes in making what's less than perfect ... work!

Lending Money Hits the Streets
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders December 14, 2011

Our Research and Recruitment Director looks for trends by monitoring the professional Real Estate job postings on all significant job sites. I just got this, hot off the press as they say. "The residential brokerage firms are preparing for the early spring market ahead of the usual Jan./Feb. postings. Century 21 & Weichert have all their sales agent postings up, and Wells Fargo has quite a few Loan Documentation Specialist postings. Not sure what this means yet, but I heard that Lehman’s bankruptcy deal is finished and that they are ready to start paying back their creditors $51 Billion (mostly to banks and institutional investors). Probably the market expects more lending money to hit the streets?" If this is why they’re posting, it's good news going into the New Year.

Workers
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders December 7, 2011

We received an email correcting the accuracy of our China Job Blast, where we said that young people in China are wearing designer knock-offs. In fact, they are wearing top designer clothes, which got us thinking about American workers. When suddenly the GlobeSt.com AM Alert pops up - $4 billion (that’s 4 BILLION) in funding from federal and private organizations is committed to create more sustainable, energy efficient spaces in commercial real estate as an expansion of the Better Buildings Initiative unveiled back in February. This will create about 50,000 GREEN JOBS. An official White House statement reveals that by 2020, JONES LANG LASALLE has committed to meeting the goal of 20% more energy efficiency at its properties that total 98 million square feet across the US. HEI HOTELS AND RESORTS is targeting its 10 million square feet for a 20% reduction in energy use, and CBRE will meet the 20% goal at its 25 million square feet of buildings nationwide. Then Reuters reports: Heavy Beijing smog causes flight delays, (207) cancellations. “Readings by the U.S. Embassy (in China), which measures inhalable particles of 2.5 microns, have described the pollution for days as 'hazardous'." Raise the bar CRE – so everybody wins.

Is no news good news?
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 30, 2011

I just returned from Hong, Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, and despite talk of a slowdown, they appeared like a real estate fantasy with cranes and building projects as far as the eyes could see. Not to mention the rehab of existing buildings with Bamboo Scaffolding on every block. Laundry hung from nearly every apartment balcony, and apparently many people crowd into a single unit, with bunk beds next to the dining room table. Yet the Apple store was mobbed with young Chinese dressed in the finest designer knock-offs, or gathering in spotlessly clean common areas, and riding ultra modern subways, even in the poorest areas. Glass sliding doors were along the entire subway station tracks, so there is no fear of falling on the tracks, and also no odor! I would have never let a piece of paper fall from my hand - there is no litter. The Pudong city center in Shanghai did not exist 5 years ago, and today is an architectural wonder. The actual front of the buildings illuminates designs and advertising at night. They learned that rounded corners on skyscrapers make them more stable in a typhoon. Dragon like scales on the bottom of one building also created greater stability and better feng shui. China's 1.3 billion people reminded me how the US was in the 1950's, when Dinah Shore was singing, "See the USA in your Chevrolet, America is the greatest land of all." Everyone seemed proud of their country's accomplishments.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 23, 2011

For one day, we all stop thinking about what is wrong with America, and count our blessings. Everyday, those of us who work for the SelectLeaders Job Network, observe so many of you finding solutions to our problems. We are thankful for our clients who are hiring to rehab properties to new levels of green sustainability. We thank all our employers that are taking the risk to hire, and give the satisfaction of a good job to more people everyday. Most of all we are grateful for our job seekers, who persevere and find a fulfilling job. Have a happy Thanksgiving, and may Black Friday make our entire retail sector even more thankful.

Million jobs in a month
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 16, 2011

Bill Clinton, promoting his new book, Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy recounted, "…the largest mass-mailing company in the country, on November 1, challenged every company in the United States with 50 or more employees to hire one more person. If every business with 50 or more people did it, there would be another million people working within the month, and it would change the psychology of America. Just do something and then you will be able to tell the members of Congress what you did, and ask them to follow suit." Job postings on the SelectLeaders Job Network in November, like October, continue to be quite robust. Hopefully, employers are listening, and we are witnessing the tip of a million more jobs in America.

Development Jobs in Corporate Disguise
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 10, 2011

SelectLeaders received a call with the question on all of our tongues. Where are the development jobs? When research was being compiled by Cornell University's Program in Real Estate for the 4th quarter SelectLeaders/Cornell Job Barometer Update, an interesting phenomenon occurred. There were very few jobs categorized as Corporate Real Estate. However, the SelectLeaders Job Network had over 400 Corporate Real Estate jobs posted by October 1, and many by employers not traditionally associated with commercial real estate, such as Microsoft, the United Nations, Oracle, the State Department to name a few. Many organizations are reviewing the sustainability of their properties and redeveloping them to more sustainable green standards. The jobs themselves often require Asset/Property Management, or other specific expertise, and are posted as such. But the good news is that underneath it all these are development jobs. If you are looking for a development job, take a good long look at jobs posted by corporations.

Forecasts
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders November 3, 2011

Forecasts from our Association partners Fall Conferences included a few Double Dip Recession threats, but overall the experts believe 2012 will be more of the same, which for jobs should mean a slight increase. However 2011 did not track like any year before. We had the same number of ups and downs, but instead of being linked to the time of the year as they have been since we launched the SelectLeaders Network, this year it appeared random (although somewhat linked to the stock market and overall confidence). So, if you have decided to postpone that job search until next year, or decided to wait to post until 2012, consider doing what we are doing - hire. SelectLeaders Network just posted a job for an e-Marketing Manager. Now it's your turn.

Halloween Out of Office Experiences
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 27, 2011

I just had a very scary thought. More and more people are emailing me that they are having an Out of Office Experience. They suddenly can't respond - are virtually speechless. All the emails start the same way, "I am traveling..." At this moment I am traveling, and am writing this from my iPad, having just had my computer run out of battery life, after 3 some hours of work. Soon I will land and get on my phone. We will be in meetings, but we are in meetings when we are not traveling, and constantly stop in between to respond. Personally I do not think this is healthy. I remember a time before Gogo Inflight when traveling meant interesting conversations with people I would never talk with on the ground (none of us had our noses in devices). You would look out at the clouds, and often the best ideas came to you at a higher elevation. Imagine if every one really did stop responding and just sat and thought about how to do and make things better. This Halloween we are going to try a real Out of Office Experience.

Banks Start to Loan!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 20, 2011

This week SelectLeaders met to assess the job market for the year ahead in order to create our 2012 budget. Our discussions came amidst the final drafts of the 2011 SelectLeaders/Cornell Job Barometer Report, and not to steal any thunder before its publication, but the trends were more optimistic than we have seen in years. So what will happen with commercial real estate jobs in 2012? The big news today in the New York Times: Banks Start to Make More Loans is an interesting commentary on our times. Great news I said, "More jobs will be posted, and we should increase our budget projections." Not so fast, my colleague pointed out, "2012 is an election year!" If only the politicians would visit companies like SelectLeaders and watch us create a budget in which you only spend what you make. American job creation would quickly become the number one priority.

Budget Time!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 5, 2011

n the next few months, people will huddle together inside real estate companies preparing next year's budget. Are you ready for the decisions that they are about to make? Are you ready to be one of their key hires in the year ahead? I thought so. Now is the time to try the Free Resume Critique available on our home page. Your resume will be critiqued by Certified Professional Resume Writers, who will offer comments and suggestions. If you decide to engage the writer to edit your resume, it is guaranteed - Your revised resume will get you an interview in 30 days, or they will rewrite it free of charge. When I first arrived in New York City, someone told me that the secret to success is to have your plate out when the pie is passed. I have marveled over the years how true this is, and how many people don't have their plate ready.

Only the good die young
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders October 5, 2011

There is nothing more to say but, thank you Steve for showing us all how to be a great leader. Steve Jobs personified all the advice that we give our kids: Believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to be different. Life gives you second chances - get up and show them what you got. In the end, he taught us the biggest lessons of all: Life is short so savor every moment, and love what you do, if you really want to succeed.

Politics
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 28, 2011

Since 2010, job growth on SelectLeaders Job Network stabilized, and then began a slow, but steady, trend upwards. September did not follow this trend. This month, SelectLeaders followed the stock market on a roller coaster ride as confidence plummeted. Michael Moore's recent CNN interview, in which he was coming directly from protests on Wall Street, made me question why the political debates are not focusing primarily on the job situation. CNN then did a replay of their analysis on how to create jobs, hoping, I assume, some politician would watch. They featured a representative from Starwood who said that they had several hotels in the pipeline that would create good clean jobs for Americans - jobs that offer the ability to move up in the company, not short-term construction projects. However to move forward, the banks need to lend to developers. The banks need to lend to developers! Is Washington listening? After a bumpy start to September, the tide seems to be turning. This week, postings, like the stock market, are going up.

Job Boards 4.0
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 23, 2011

In 2009, companies across the industry had to let valued employees go. The uncertainty, which coincided with the increase in Social Media and previously private information being available on the Internet led to the most dramatic change in hiring - The stigma of having your resume "out there" disappeared. At the same time we witnessed an influx of senior-level, even C-suite resumes, to Online. Today, Job Boards are a far cry from yesteryear's employment agencies with rows of people who are out of work looking for a job. What we have seen since 2009 is that people continually manage their career and evaluate opportunities. Employers use SelectLeaders Resume Database Searchto source candidates - both active and passive job seekers. Our candidates set up Job Alerts so they receive an email at home when a job is posted. Employers sign up for SelectLeaders Network Job Blast just to see who is hiring and for what positions. As everyone knows, we still need job creation, and people working today do value their jobs.

Advertising Success
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 15, 2011

Top University Real Estate Programs are often featured on the pages candidates visit most on the SelectLeaders Job Network, and sometimes below on your Job Blast. Companies and organizations report excellent results advertising on us. In fact a Job Fair had to take down their ad in a few days because their registration became overfilled. Please take a moment to view our Media Kit and contact Marc Torrey: sales@SelectLeaders.com if you want to target highly educated, affluent decision makers, who visit frequently, often for long periods of time.

Happy New Year!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 8, 2011

Our Founder, Tony LoPinto, always sent around a Happy New Year memo the day after Labor Day. He believed that the first months following summer was a new beginning, and required the utmost efforts. People were back to business, all rested from summer vacations. It is, in fact - the new school year, the new Broadway and entertainment seasons everywhere, and October/November is budget planning season for many companies. I hope for everyone's sake right now new jobs are being created, and companies are taking advantage of SelectLeaders Network large job posting package discounts in anticipation of increased hiring. Then when the real, New Year comes along, everyone will have reason to celebrate.

The Chosen
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders September 1, 2011

How do we choose the jobs that we send to our 115,000 subscribers of SelectLeaders Network Job Blast and GlobeSt.com's Executive Watch? Well, sometimes a client will want to push out their job and we do allow a few "Sponsored Jobs" clearly marked at the very top. These always are good jobs to apply to as they are being sponsored because they are considered more difficult to fill. Even the top Executive Search firms have difficulty filling some positions, such as Controllers, so if you send in a qualified resume for a "sponsored job" you are certain to be considered for these positions. But most jobs that appear are chosen to give the greatest variety either by geography or by sector, depending on the mix posted that week. Of course, even we are sometimes struck by an employer's star power. When a Google, or Apple, or the UN post, organizations that everyone immediately recognizes, but not immediately in a real estate context, they often make the cut. A big CEO or CFO job is always fun to consider. So as you can see, as I did when I asked this question, it is absolutely arbitrary. If I were you, I would click on any of the jobs below to view all jobs, and choose, what you want, from all the best sites in real estate.

Labor Day
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders August 25, 2011

On the day that our US currency rating was devalued, and the stock market went wild, I was in the Bank in the midst of signing papers for estate planning. If discussing my demise was not bad enough, discussing investing at that moment in time seemed ever worse. The banker said to me, "Don’t worry US companies are OK, it is just the government that is the problem." (Please note that I did not say this, he did.) Then I went back to business, and watched as the phones stopped ringing and things slowed down for a few days as everyone held their breath watching the stock market's wild ride. I can cautiously report that again the phones are ringing and the traffic and job postings are increasing on the SelectLeaders Job Network. So you heard it first from my banker, all of you who work so hard making it possible to proudly say US companies are not only OK but solid investments. We all certainly deserve to celebrate this Labor Day.

Labor Days
Susan Phillips, CEO SelectLeaders August 18, 2011

Immediately following Labor Day, and we hope 2011 will be no exception to the rule, employers start to buy large discounted job posting packages in anticipation of hiring in the New Year. This focus on hiring often brings with it the desire to fill key positions to be ready for the new business year. Fall has always been one of the best times for our business. For our job seekers, this means get laboring. Take advantage of our FREE resume critique and polish up that resume. Then don’t procrastinate, upload your resume and click the box to make it searchable, because many employers search resumes before they post. Make sure you are signed up for Job Alerts, and that you have included any new experience you may have in your criteria for emailing you the minute a job that fits your experience gets posted. Then sit back, relax, savor the summer, and look forward to a fresh fall season of jobs.

Extraordinary!
Susan Phillips, CEO, SelectLeaders August 4, 2011

Looking for unequalled access to the real estate community? Visit any of the 14 Real Estate Career Centers in the SelectLeaders Job Network and click on search jobs. Opportunities from all 14 sites are posted on every site throughout the Network, and 10% of our jobs pay $200,000 or higher, 19% over $150,000, and 65% offer $75,000 or higher. But money isn't everything. SelectLeaders Job Network is where real estate professionals and executives manage their careers, network, and come for valuable information about their industry. Not your typical candidate mix on ordinary job boards, 14% of the SelectLeaders community are real estate Executives, 21% Associates/Analysts, and 65% Management. Truly quite extraordinary.

ProSelect - The Future of Executive Recruitment
Marc Torrey, Global Sales Director, SelectLeaders July 28, 2011

Need an executive recruiter? Try ProSelect. The fee is a fraction of the cost of hiring a search firm ($3,950) and it works: 70% of ProSelect users are repeat clients. How does it work? ProSelect's seasoned online real estate recruiters: 1) Create a precise job advertisement with specifics certain to get opened by the right people. 2) Explore social media recruiting, and online recruitment techniques. 3) Expertly screen resumes, and leverage SelectLeaders proprietary database. Take your executive search online. You'll save thousands of dollars, and, according to our clients, with superior results.

Hot Jobs in the Summertime
Susan Phillips, CEO SelectLeaders July 21, 2011

What would I do if I were searching for a job in the dog days of summer? Register and sign up for Job Alerts on any of the 14 Real Estate Career Centers in the SelectLeaders Job Network. It's so quick - search for your ideal job using any number of criteria, then save it as your own custom Job Alert criteria. You will receive an email you as soon as a job that fits your criteria is posted anywhere on the Network. Hiring today is highly strategic. It is not how many job applications you make, but that you do not miss the ones for which you are qualified. So sit back and let your Job Alerts do the searching for you, over and over again. Upload your resume and you can apply immediately for the opening, and you also won't miss the employers who start with Resume Database Search. Most importantly, enjoy the summer - get outside and have lunch, go to the beach, take walks in the morning and night when it cools down, and attend our industry conferences and events. You never know whom you will meet - there's no substitute for serendipity.

Keep calm and carry on.
Susan Phillips, CEO SelectLeaders July 14, 2011

Our Founder, Tony LoPinto, gave me a coffee cup at the beginning of 2009 imprinted with the British Ministry of Information poster from World War II intended to strengthen morale, "Keep calm and carry on." I gazed at it amidst the recent Jobs Report, and staggering deficit budget negotiations news. I then (calmly) remembered that this past month, we had the most job purchases on the SelectLeaders Real Estate Job Network that we have had since I got this cup in 2009. Our industry took the hit, made the hard cuts in jobs and budgets, and appears lean and solid, and hiring, strategically, again.

Discounts on Job Postings!
Marc Torrey, Global Sales Director, SelectLeaders July 7, 2011

Post your job on any of our partners' Career Centers, and you automatically receive a 6% discount on every job posting! All jobs always appear on all 14 sites in the SelectLeaders Job Network": BOMA - CCIM - CRE Finance Council - CREW Network - CoreNet Global - GlobeSt.com - NAIOP - NAREIM - NAREIT - NMHC - PREA - SIOR - ULI - and SelectLeaders. Post your job now on any of our partners above and save.

Development Jobs!!??
Susan Phillips-LoPinto CEO, SelectLeaders June 23, 2011

I remember in 2009 when the giants of our industry were buying one job posting at a time, and frankly not that often, and job seekers, who never had a resume in years, were calling us for help on where to begin. Suddenly, our research indicated that the insurance companies were posting jobs. It was the first sector that showed a glimmer of any recovery. We immediately emailed everyone in our database, because we knew how everyone was holding on hoping for some sign of hope. It took about 9 months from those first postings to see real activity in the sector. So today, I want to cautiously highlight examples of Development jobs on the site - from the Corporate sector, such as Google, to jobs with the most beautiful word in the CRE language, "Development" in the title, but do remember the 9 month precedent in the Insurance sector. However, it was too beautiful a sight not to point out!

Finders Keepers
Susan Phillips-LoPinto CEO, SelectLeaders June 23, 2011

Nearly every candidate today makes their resume searchable, even when they are not actively seeking a new job, because many employers use Resume Database Search before they post their job. 19% of our jobs pay over $150,000. If your resume is not searchable, you can miss significant opportunities - at all levels. But is your resume what recruiters are searching for? Our new Resume Writing Service guarantees that you will get an interview in 30 days, or they will rewrite your resume for free, and they offer a free critique of your current resume.

Lost Generation
Susan Phillips-LoPinto CEO, SelectLeaders June 16, 2011

The summer is fast upon us, but there is still time to hire a motivated Intern, with state of the art skills - as always, you can post any Internship on the SelectLeaders Job Network absolutely FREE! In todays job market, it is a rarity to find candidates with one to two years experience, reflecting the 2009 hiring freeze. Our Founder, Tony LoPinto, often remarks on how the real estate collapse of the '90's scared off a generation of young talent that affects Executive Search hiring today. To get the ball rolling, this week we included in our Job Blast an entry level position from Prudential, and an Internship from Marcus and Millichap. With all the talk about job creation these days, we hope all of you will also help attract todays remarkable generation of young people into our industry by stretching your budgets to include entry level positions and Internships. You will see the ROI now, and for years to come.

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