DECEMBER 2010 NEWSLETTER

Happy holidays!
With nearly 30 years of experience working for the document imaging industry, Copier Careers is the only recruiter with the resources to find what your dealership needs most: experienced technicians, copier sales representatives, managers, controllers, back office, support staff, and managed print services experts (MPS). Our database of qualified copier professionals is the biggest and only one of its kind (49,000 strong and growing daily!), and we're dedicated to helping our retained clients and our candidates make the best matches possible. Whatever you're looking for, Copier Careers can help you find it. Learn more at www.copiercareers.com or call (888) 733-4868 to talk to one of our recruiters.

Copier Careers 2010 Salary Surveys still available! Read them all online at http://copiercareers.com/salary_surveys.shtml
 

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Feed  - 2011 may be the right time to ask for a raise
 The Top 7  - Tips for pre-employment testing success
 News In Brief  - Announcements from Copier Careers, Konica Minolta, Xerox, Canon, Lexmark, and Ricoh
 Sound Off  - Our readers respond to last month's poll
 Poll-of-the-Month  - Do you expect to get a raise in 2011?
Featured Job Listings

  
 
  THE FEED

2011 May Be the Right Time to Ask For a Raise

First, the bad news:

At 9.6 percent, unemployment is still high, and it’s going to stay that way for awhile—experts predict it will be 2016 before unemployment levels are back to their pre-recession level of 5 percent. With job growth this slow, people who are currently unemployed have a long road ahead of them.

But there is good news, too: if you’ve made it this far without losing your job, your position is probably safe. You might even make more money this year, as employers begin taking more aggressive measures to retain their talent. “Raises are back, and for good reason,” says employment consultant Catherine Hartmann. “The risk of losing key employees is top of mind as the economy recovers.”

According to Buck Consultants, an HR consultancy with offices on five continents, the majority of companies intend to increase salaries across the board this year by an average of 3 percent, with even bigger increases going to top performers. Bonuses will reappear this year as well, and many temporary cost-cutting measures will finally come to an end: a survey by Towers Watson has found that nearly all the companies that abolished their 401(k) matching programs during the downturn have plans to resurrect them within the year.
 

  
 

THE TOP 7... Tips for Pre-Employment Testing Success

Tips from the trenches to keep your copier career on track  

For a growing number of employers in the copier industry, pre-employment testing has become an essential step in the hiring process. The tests may measure intelligence, aptitude, personality, or skills, and they’re used to help employers ensure that the candidate is a good match for the job. Though there’s often no way to study for these types of tests, there are a few things candidates can do to prepare themselves for success:

  1. Relax. Being asked to take a pre-employment test is usually a sign that the employer is seriously considering your candidacy. “Pre-employment testing can be very expensive,” says Karen Kodzik, a Minnesota-based career consultant. “So if the company asks a candidate to go through it, know that they are interested in you and you are one step closer to a job offer.”

  2. Feel free to ask questions. Uncertainty is the source of much stress. Ask the employer what kind of tests you can expect and how long the testing should take. Having some idea of what the process will be like will help put you at ease.

  3. Be prepared. Sometimes pre-employment tests are administered directly before or after a job interview. More often, however, they’re scheduled at a different time, and sometimes at a different location. Make sure you know where and when the test will be given and allow yourself plenty of time to get there.

  4. Be rested and fed. Being tired or hungry can hinder your ability to concentrate. If possible, get a good night’s rest prior to taking the test, and make sure to eat something beforehand.

  5. Read the directions carefully. If your test includes written instructions, make sure to read through them carefully—they usually include important information about how to answer the questions. If the test is administered by a person, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if there’s something you don’t understand.

  6. Pace yourself. If the test is timed, make sure you give yourself the opportunity to answer all the questions. If a particular question is holding you up, skip it and continue answering the rest of the questions. You can always go back to it at the end.

  7. Don’t try to outwit the test. On personality tests, there are no “right” answers, yet many candidates try to select the answers they think employers are looking for, rather than the honest answers. The test makers are well-aware of this technique, and most tests have a built-in validity scale to prevent people from gaming the system.

 		 
 

NEWS IN BRIEF

All Three 2010 Copier Careers Salary Surveys Still Available Online! Check them out at http://copiercareers.com/salary_surveys.shtml. While you’re there, make sure to take part in our 2011 survey, too: http://copiercareers.com/salary_survey/salarysurveys_form.shtml.

Konica Minolta Receives Good Design Gold Award. The award, given by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization, recognized Konica Minolta’s digital monochrome Bizhub 423/363/283/223 series of MFPs for excellence in design. Since the launch of the Bizhub C550 in 2007, the company has actively pursued new designs to harmonize with various office environments. The series has also undergone several upgrades to make the machines more accessible and easier to operate.

New Xerox DocuMate 3920 Network Scanner Simplifies Document Capture. The DocuMate 3920 is a new duplex color network scanner. Using the flatbed or 50-page automatic document feeder, users can scan both sides of a document and send to email, network folders, fax recipients, FTP locations, or printers. A 7-inch color LCD touch screen displays all operation modes and a soft QWERTY keyboard makes data entry easy and fast. The DocuMate 3920 supports small and medium workgroups and offices with secure multi-user access and easy administration.

New Canon Application Enables imageRunner Advance Office Systems to Integrate Directly with Microsoft SharePoint Online and Google Docs. The free-of-charge application, which will be introduced to the Japanese market in December, enables users of imageRunner Advance office systems to directly access cloud services from the devices. It allows users to store paper-based services on cloud services directly from an imageRunner machine without the need for a PC. The stored data can then be accessed from a PC, handheld device, or smartphone and simultaneously shared among multiple users. The application will be available in North America at an undisclosed future date.

Lexmark to Combine Laser and Inkjet Printing Divisions Into Single Organization. The new organization will be named Imaging Solutions and Services (ISS). The combination of the two divisions into ISS enables Lexmark to more easily execute its strategy of targeting and capturing higher usage segments of the output marketplace. This move will also allow Lexmark to unify its sales, marketing, and R&D efforts. “Lexmark’s strategy of shifting our inkjet technology upstream to high usage business customers now offers us the opportunity to simplify and unify our processes,” said Paul Rooke, Lexmark’s president and CEO. “The combination of the divisions will enable us to bring more value to customers, [add] more consistency to our products, and enhance our approach to the market across the full range of our imaging solutions and services.”

Ricoh Introduces New Social Networking Website. The website, http://www.globalscannx.com is designed to provide Ricoh GlobalScan NX users the opportunity to share and distribute custom business process templates and communicate best practices with other departments in their organization, as well as with companies around the world. “With the era of social networking in full swing, Ricoh believes this online community will be an effective tool for improving the sharing and distribution of business processes,” said Shun Sato, senior vice president of marketing for Ricoh Americas Corporation. “By creating a platform where users can share workflow management templates and insights, we are helping them to more efficiently exchange information and manage their time.”

 
 

SOUND OFF: Our readers speak

Last month, we asked you whether you use social networking websites as a professional tool. We received 1,162 votes this month, proving that people in the copier industry do utilize social networking. The results of our poll were as follows:

Do you use social networking websites (i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to connect with customers or other document imaging professionals?

Yes, occasionally: 41.3% (481 votes)
No: 39.5% (460 Votes)
Yes, regularly: 19% (221 votes)

Several of our commentators suggested that social networking sites are a waste of time, a distraction, or a poor substitute for in-person communication. Those who said they use the sites regularly, however, tended to be both positive and enthusiastic in their feedback. Here are a few of the most illuminating comments we received:

“I believe social networking sites are overrated and can consume too much valuable time that would be better spent on something else.”

“Online social networking is simply the next evolution of the face-to-face networking we’ve all been doing for decades.”

“Keeping in touch with industry professionals and customers is only half the benefit of using online networking sites. Becoming a member of the discussion groups pertaining to your business helps keep you informed and allows you to share ideas. For example, I was thinking about implementing a new compensation plan. I wrote about it in a group and was rewarded with lots of constructive feedback from others who had experience with similar comp plans.”

“Short staff, high work demands—are you kidding? My manager would fire me for social networking on the job!”

“LinkedIn is really the only one of the social networking sites mentioned that decision makers are likely to take seriously.”

“I do use social networking sites, but I confess that I wasn’t diligent about doing so until I became unemployed. I learned my lesson, and now I work all the time to keep up my network.”

“Last week I found three employment leads on social websites. It was amazing. I found three people in high positions working for manufacturers. People don’t come and go in this business—they come and stay, and these sites are an incredible way to find them. Don’t write off this resource until you can tell me where every up-and-coming superstar you’ve known over the past 20 years is working now. I promise you there is at least one who made it to the top—it’s just a matter of finding them and reconnecting.”

“Only when looking for a new job”

 
 

POLL OF THE MONTH

Do you expect to get a raise in 2011?

1. Yes
2. No
3. What’s a raise?

 
 

JOB LISTINGS

Our Industry is evolving again and only Copier Careers represents top employers on a retained basis. Your career path can have new, exciting and profitable options. Contact Copier Careers to find out about exclusive career opportunities across the country. These positions are not advertised anywhere. You may be surprised to learn about the opportunities that are currently available.  

Experienced Successful Sales Reps, if your commission or territory has changed recently and you want to get back to making money...contact Copier Careers  

Experienced Sales Managers, if your circumstances at work have changed recently it might be time to make a move...contact Copier Careers 

Experienced OEM Trained Technicians, especially if you have worked in an MPS environment, you have new opportunities...contact Copier Careers  

Experienced Admin and Accounting professionals with direct industry experience (OMD, E-automate). You skills are in demand…contact Copier Careers  


  
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Copier Careers

Copier Careers®
Minneapolis, MN 55403-3073
PHONE: (888) 733-4868
FAX: (800) 464-3434

  
 

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