• The official blog of Abacus Group — a place to share our knowledge and thoughts on trends in recruiting •

Sometimes money becomes the dominant focus of one’s job search—and it shows. This mindset greatly damages one’s prospects in meetings with potential employers. Job seekers should verbally prioritize other, unrelated factors, including new learning opportunities, company reputation, professional recognition, and long-term career development.

Abacus Group announced today its placement on the 2017 list of America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms. Abacus, which specializes in executive search and temporary staffing for Accounting, Financial, and Administrative positions across all industries, earned an impressive ranking of 25 on the list of 250. In addition to its distinction as one of the top 10% of recruitment firms in the nation, Abacus Group is the highest-ranked company headquartered in NYC.

In 2017, video job interviews are hardly a new phenomenon. Hiring managers have used the screening method since about 2003 with Skype, according to Brandies University. Despite video interviews’ mainstream popularity, many job-seeking professionals have not participated in one and are, perhaps, intimidated by the practice. To perform well, all you need is a bit of information, preparation, and practice.

When your job search lasts longer than projected, it’s easy to blame external forces. There are several ways that professionals inadvertently sabotage themselves from securing new opportunities. An unwillingness to budge in four areas—compensation, company name, title, and interview process—prevents job seekers from finding positions that fit their goals.

Resume writing services are absolutely everywhere—but will someone else’s version of this essential professional document improve your prospects of getting hired? Abacus Group’s recruiters, who review hundreds of applications daily and know what hiring managers seek from candidates, have a few critiques of “store-bought” resumes.

LinkedIn gives users the option to privately signal to employers and recruiters their interest in new jobs. Recently, the career networking platform expanded the function for professionals to specify if they are looking for contract work. This modification has already facilitated better-aligned connections between job seekers and recruiters.

The bright shiny light at the end of the tunnel is finally discernable to Public Accounting Tax professionals. April 15, the end of Tax Season, is quickly approaching, which means that individuals who work in Tax will have some free time to relax and contemplate their career direction. Tax Season’s finish line presents three possible next steps for professionals.

Strong job interview performance is an important skill to master. When you fail to adhere to certain standards, “you can inadvertently come across as unprofessional in your job search,” explains workplace and career expert Alison Green in U.S. News and World Report. Green prepared a list of 10 specific behaviors that repel hiring managers. We’ve reduced Green’s tally to four interpersonal blunders.

We review a typical situation that you may or may not have encountered before. How can you expedite an offer from your ideal job without compromising an offer from something mediocre? The latter is a guaranteed ticket out of your current position, but the former will catapult your career forward and aligns tremendously well with your goals.

Job seekers often misunderstand executive recruiters and how we work. Unless you have partnered with a recruiter before, you’ve likely fallen for a few popular myths. We’ve identified and debunked common misconceptions about working with a recruiter to make the process more transparent for job seekers.