Applying with staffing agencies

[subshooter]

I am looking for the name of good head hunter who specializes in the commercial nuclear power industry and was hoping that you folks could help me out.

I have done an extensive amount of research on the commercial nuclear power industry including on this site but can’t seem to find a reputable head hunter who caters to some one like me. (I do understand the pros/cons of using a head hunter and I am also pursuing other means)

My intention is to get into an instant SRO program at St Lucie, FL or Surry, VA.

A little about me:
I have 20 years in the NNPP.
BS Mech Eng
Licensed Professional Engineer, Mech Eng
MS Management
Harvard fellowship
XO served and screened for command of a boat but my wife told me it was time to leave the Navy (she is done with being a single mother). I turned down command and will retire next Spring.

Any thoughts or help you could give me would be much appreciated?  I will return the favor some day once I get established in my new career.  Thanks in advance.

Mark

[ddklbl]

Honestly, I don't think anyone is going to take your job search more seriously than you.  I talked to a few headhunters, told them I wanted operations in the southeast.  I had previously applied to Southern, TVA, FPL, Progress, and Duke.  The headhunter chuckled and said, well, I know a guy at VC Summer, but you've already done 95% of what I could have done.  Companies have to advertise their open positions publicly (some EEOC government crap I know nothing about).  If they have an opening, it will be advertised on their employment page.

I think you will be surprised at the response you will get by doing the work yourself.  That being said, I'll PM you something I found a few days ago.

[JustinHEMI05]

In my recent job hunting experience, the head hunters were of zero use to me in regards to finding a job in the nuclear industry. I did all of the footwork and calls myself. I think you will find the same thing is true for yourself. Besides, it is pretty easy to get into this industry especially with a resume like yours.

Good luck!

Justin

[B.PRESGROVE]

I dont think you will have any problems getting a job anywhere to be honest.  I know that just about every site in the southeast is in the ramp up phase for new construction, and are looking for professionals with your quals.  Since your not due to retire until spring I would get contact information of some HR folks and start beating a path.  It is true, you will get alot further doing it yourself then relying on someone else. 

Just for your info, check out www.southerncompany.com go to careers and I think you will find they have an SRO position at several southern sites.  I applied but due to my lack of power plant experiance (have HP from DOE) they of course turned me down, but that being said Ive taken the test for ops and will be interviewed next month and start class in January. 

Need anything let us know, and I know I can get you a name and number.

[mlslstephens]

Having never used one, the only name I've been in contact with is Lee Cohen.  Does anybody have any stories about this???

BZ, if I missed it on the search, I apologize. 

[Kev3399]

Good posts on here. The info you are getting is dead on. Headhunters are useless if you're trying to get a job in the commercial industry.(Ops at least)

I think my experience with a Bradley Morris headhunter is a good example. So there I was at a "Military Job Fair" chatting with this Bradley Morris guy. He asked me what I wanted to do. I told him that I wanted Ops at a nuke plant east of the Mississippi River. He laughed at me and said, "The Duke and FPL tables are right over there".

Bottom line, the utilities aren't going to pay these guys money to bring in applicants. The utilities get plenty of applicants thru their own websites and hiring processes.

Make a list of the utilities you would like to work at. Scan their career page daily for openings and apply. You will get phone calls and interviews. When I say daily, I mean daily. I know TVA has had SRO openings posted for less than a week due to the number of applicants they get.

Best of luck to you.

[s1wlightning@msn.com]

Don't bother calling a head hunter.  They are not in it for you they are in it for themselves.  I contacted 5 head hunters and gave them specific instructions on where I wanted to be, which was IL.  I then had to narrow it down to the midwest cause all they sent me was oil rigs in TX, steel factory in MO, and other completely off the wall stuff.  I told them I would not due anything other than Nuclear power.  I got probably 100 different job postings from all of them in 3 months time and 1 of them was Nuclear power.  The one other place I interviewed, that was Nuclear, was the plant and company I wanted to come back and work for since I was in the Navy and I set that up by talking to people on NUKEWORKER.COM and getting some names.  Talk to some people, somebody on hear works at the plant or company you want to go to and can give you the name or e-mail of someone in the comapny that can make it happen for you.  Don't waste your time with head hunters, they will send you a bunch of crap you would never consider, they are kinda like used car salesmen.

-Adam   

[JustinHEMI05]

Don't bother calling a head hunter.  They are not in it for you they are in it for themselves.  I contacted 5 head hunters and gave them specific instructions on where I wanted to be, which was IL.  I then had to narrow it down to the midwest cause all they sent me was oil rigs in TX, steel factory in MO, and other completely off the wall stuff.  I told them I would not due anything other than Nuclear power.  I got probably 100 different job postings from all of them in 3 months time and 1 of them was Nuclear power.  The one other place I interviewed, that was Nuclear, was the plant and company I wanted to come back and work for since I was in the Navy and I set that up by talking to people on NUKEWORKER.COM and getting some names.  Talk to some people, somebody on hear works at the plant or company you want to go to and can give you the name or e-mail of someone in the comapny that can make it happen for you.  Don't waste your time with head hunters, they will send you a bunch of crap you would never consider, they are kinda like used car salesmen.

-Adam   

Ya thats absolutely true and I didn't think to mention it, but Adam nailed it... nukeworker.com is the best source of information available. You don't need no stinkin head hunters... you have us.

Justin

[Fermi2]

Make a list of the utilities you would like to work at. Scan their career page daily for openings and apply. You will get phone calls and interviews. When I say daily, I mean daily. I know TVA has had SRO openings posted for less than a week due to the number of applicants they get.

Best of luck to you.

It has nothing to do with the number of applicants. They don't even know until after the bid expires. They also don't limit the number of bids as we know we have to hire a lot of them. The last class we hired we certainly didn't limit anything.

subshooter Head Hunters are useless, especially with a resume like yours. You obviously worked very hard to gain such a depth and breadth of knowledge, why take the lazy route?

Mike

[subshooter]

Everybody's responses including the PMs have been extremely useful.  I appreciate everyone's efforts.  Thanks.

Mark

[lagrange]

I am a old-time member (and moderator of this section) of nukeworker, formerly known as 'oletaterhead', but I forgot my password and have changed email addresses, so I had to start over.

I am getting ready to enter the job market (a little sooner than I expected) and I am finding alot of listings under a certain staffing company (didn't want to mention it here).

Is there any difference applying to a utility through an agency vice sending a resume directly to the utility?  I surmise that some utlities use staffing companies, some don't, and some use staffing companies and also accept resumes at the same time.

In case there are any hiring guys out there, I am an MMC with 11 years in, PPWS, out in a month or so.  I am all ears.

Thanks all.

[lagrange]

yup...the one and only.  The dang catfish I used as my avatar is on my old desktop!

How goes it?

[lagrange]

the catfish is back.

I searched staffing agencies...no returns.  thanks for the help.

[RodBottom]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure Exelon only uses their HR (through the website) or through word-of-mouth recommendations to their recruiters. I know that several people I know have asked for leads and I forwarded their names. All of them got calls within a few weeks (sooner depending on the job opening dates).

[lagrange]

I noticed that my thread was merged, and I think actually that these are two different threads (content-wise).

The thread by subshooter is about going to "headhunters".  My thread was about applying to jobs through agencies specifically hired by the utility to list their jobs.  For instance, when you go to the website of a certain job search engine and search for nuclear jobs, some come up as listed by the specific utility (ie Constellation, FPL, etc) and others come up listed by a company called "Think Energy Group".  After a couple of days, I figured out that TEG is not a headhunter, but a staffing agency, hired by the utility to screen resumes and applications.  My original question was if there was any gain by attempting to bypass the staffing agency and going directly to the company.  I have, through the course of putting in several applications and resumes, answered my own question. 

Some utilities use them, some don't.  Some utilities advertise their own jobs while some hire out for the service.  No utility seems to do use staffing agencies exclusively.  When I am done, I will let you know if there are any significant differences from my perspective.

I can see where the confusion came from, but my thread was about staffing agencies vice headhunters.

T

[Fermi2]

Uh Think Energy Resources is a headhunter. I hear from them constantly and I haven't registered there.

Mike