Interview Tips – How To Make a Great First Impression

Taking the next step in your career was one of your New Year’s resolutions, and you’re ready to hit the ground running. In fact, you’ve already scored an interview for a position you’re really excited about, so you’re preparing to make a great first impression. 

As a top job agency in Las Vegas, PrideStaff Las Vegas knows how important it is to get off on the right foot with the interviewer. Here’s some advice to help you shine on your big day. 

Five Ways to Make a Great First Impression at Your Job Interview 

Arrive Early 

Being late to a job interview can ruin your chances of getting hired before you even step foot in the door. Avoid this by leaving plenty of time to get there — even if you know exactly where you’re going. This ensures unexpected traffic, car trouble or issues finding parking won’t keep you from a prompt arrival. 

Dress to Impress 

The manner in which you present yourself to the interviewer matters. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to choose attire one level above the company’s standard dress code. For example, if employees follow a casual dress code, wear business casual attire. This is a sign of respect to the hiring manager and shows them you’re taking the interview seriously. 

Be Polite to Everyone 

You’re mistaken if you think the hiring manager is the only person you need to impress. From the moment you walk into the building, all eyes will be on you. Not only is being rude to the security guard or the receptionist wrong in general, but it will also get back to the interviewer and should definitely keep you from getting the job.  

Stay Off Your Phone 

If you arrive early and are asked to sit in the waiting room until the hiring manager is ready, you’ll likely be tempted to take out your phone. This won’t likely keep you from getting hired, but it can take your focus away from the interview. Plus, it’s a much better look to be patiently gazing out the window when the interviewer comes out to get you than be lost in your smartphone. 

Find a Common Bond 

Chances are, the hiring manager is interviewing several people for the job. Stand out from the crowd by finding a connection that will make them remember you. For example, if their coffee cup has the name of your favorite sports team on it, let them know you’re also a fan. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a huge difference in a hiring decision. 

Get the Job You Want 

Want to start the new year off with an exciting new job? PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to guide your search. Contact us today to make a plan for your future! 

How to Answer the Interview Question “Why Should We Hire You?”

Although you may not know where to begin when asked, “Why should we hire you?” this is one of the most common questions raised during job interviews. Your response should be a concise sales pitch explaining the unique value you would bring to the position and the company if hired.

Here are some tips to follow as you craft your answer:

Talk about yourself.

As you reply, don’t make the mistake of only listing the benefits for the employer if you were to come on board. Balancing their needs with what’s in it for you will provide insight into why you’d stay driven – a trait all interviewers are seeking in candidates.

• Show what you have to offer that others do not. Start by demonstrating your knowledge of the company and its current priorities – based on the comprehensive research you did ahead of time, of course. As you dive into this area, you can emphasize your enthusiasm for the opportunity, as well as how you handle something you’re passionate about.
• Consider which accomplishments make you stand out. For instance, it may be an additional accreditation that makes you more knowledgeable about the company’s products. Whatever it is, stay positive and professional as you reiterate your interest.

Excel as a problem solver.

Often, filling a position is about identifying a company’s pain points and showing that you’re the best person to relieve them – whether it’s boosting sales, streamlining processes, or building a brand.

• Focus your response on the future and explain how you could make your interviewers’ lives easier by addressing their most important issues. This shows that you’re forward thinking, a team player, and ready to hit the ground running.

Tell a compelling story.

Although your response should be no more than a minute or two in length, be ready to tell a story of how your abilities and accomplishments have prepared you for this role. Conclude by emphasizing the measurable, positive outcomes that have resulted from relevant actions you took.

• Make a list of requirements from the job description, including personality traits, skills and qualifications. Then, make a list of the qualities you have that meet these needs. Try selecting five or six of your best strengths that correspond closely to the description. Use these as the core of your response when explaining what distinguishes you as a candidate.
• Don’t regurgitate your resume. The employer already has this information. Rather, supply new data and background to further strengthen your case.

As you prepare for your next interview, let a professional career coach from PrideStaff Modesto be your greatest resource. In fact, we can work with you throughout your successful job search, from finding the right openings to finessing your resume, interviewing, following up, and transitioning into your new role. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Are Your Career Goals SMART?

Plenty of people have goals to which they aspire, but there is generally one key difference between those who are successful at achieving their goals and those who find themselves stuck: how they set their goals. A helpful way to take your professional dreams and turn them into reality starts with setting them using the SMART system. Here’s how to make your career goals SMART:

Specific

If you want to accomplish your career goals, they cannot be vague. When setting your goals, make them as specific as possible. Consider your overall objective, and then expand it by answering questions related to specifics, such as what, when, where, why, who, etc. For example, “Get a promotion” is too general – instead, the goal should be more specific, such as “I want to get a promotion to XYZ job title within the next six months.”

Measurable

In order to know whether or not you’re on the right track to achieving your career goals, they must be measurable when you set them. Decide what criteria you will use to gauge the progress you are making – for example, going back to the goal of landing a promotion, a possible way to measure that would be if you increasingly take on more responsibilities, volunteer for more assignments, or accomplish results that you can use to make a case for asking for a promotion.

Attainable

For your career goals to be effective, they must strike the right balance between being challenging and yet still realistic. If you make them too easy, you won’t grow – but if you get overly ambitious, you may end up discouraged, lose self-confidence, and give up completely. When you set your career goals, assess them to make sure they fit within the scope of your current and potential skill sets, as well as your current workload and/or personal commitments.

Relevant

Think back to the goals you have achieved in the past – it’s likely they were relevant to an overall bigger picture goal. For example, successfully achieving the goal of earning a college degree is often due to it being a clearly defined step toward getting a specific job or making a particular salary level. As you set your career goals, ensure they are relevant to a longer-term plan for yourself and not simply something you think you should do.

Timely

The challenging part of achieving goals, in general, is that they can get pushed aside in favor of more seemingly urgent tasks. If you want to be successful at making your career goals into reality, you have to make it time-sensitive as well, or else you run the risk of putting it off indefinitely. Establish a series of deadlines to the steps within your goals to hold yourself accountable in taking consistent action toward them.

Find Your Next Job Fast with PrideStaff Akron!

Do your career goals include finding a new job? If so, make the process easier and more successful by working with an experienced staffing agency like PrideStaff Akron. Our team of recruiters can match you with the jobs that are the best match from employers across industries. Search our database of current available jobs to get started.

Beyond The Burnout – Reigniting Your Passion at Work

Once upon a time, you couldn’t wait to get to work. You enjoyed everything from the responsibilities associated with your job to your co-workers. Unfortunately, things have changed. 

Like any motivated professional, career development in Las Vegas is important to you. It’s been a while since you felt like you were moving forward in a meaningful direction — and this has slowly led to burnout. 

You’re not in a great place now, but thankfully you can change that. Here’s some advice to help you find the passion you once had for your work. 

Four Tips to Beat Burnout 

Get to the Root of the Problem 

If you don’t know why you’re frustrated with your job, you can’t make positive changes. Take a long look inward to figure out exactly what’s going on. Finding clarity will allow you to move forward in a manner that supports your long-term goals — and happiness. 

Find a Better Balance 

It’s possible that exterior factors are causing you to dread a job you still enjoy at its core. For example, if your work hours have steadily gotten longer since you started, talk to your boss about your out-of-control workload. Or if a long commute is seriously cutting into your personal time, ask your manager if you can work from home a few days per week. 

Lean on Loved Ones 

When the going gets rough, your family and friends want to be there for you — so let them. Confide in those closest to you about the problems you’re having at work. Getting this off your chest will make you feel better and hearing the viewpoints of your loved ones might help you gain a clearer perspective. 

Take Better Care of Yourself 

When you’re run down, every situation tends to seem worse than it is in reality. Ease your burnout by focusing on self-care. Get more sleep, eat healthier, make exercise a priority and find hobbies that help you relieve stress. Making yourself a priority will allow you to assess your current situation with a new outlook. 

Find a Job That Makes You Happy 

Ready to make a fresh start in your career? PrideStaff Las Vegas wants to help you find the perfect fit. Contact us today to build a brighter future! 

5 Ways Employee Continuing Education Improves Your Company

The year is winding down and you’re probably busy planning ahead for 2020. Is providing continuing education to your employees a part of next year’s plan? If it’s not, then you should consider it. Here are 5 reasons why:

#1: You’ll improve performance.

You know the skills your employees need for success on the job today and in the short-term future. If they need to acquire certain ones, then continuing education will help them gain new knowledge and improve their performance. Even if there aren’t skill gaps, offering it will enhance their proficiency overall, as well as prepare them for a potential step up.

#2: You’ll improve loyalty.

When your staff knows you’re investing in their careers, it’s far more likely that they’ll remain loyal to your company. This is especially true of they’re motivated and want to move up in their careers and within your organization. They’ll want to take advantage of every training and education opportunity you offer, so they can advance as quickly as possible and contribute more to your bottom line.

#3: You’ll improve recruitment efforts.

When you’re known as a company that offers continuing education to staff, you’ll have a simpler time attracting top talent. What’s more is that it makes it easier to recruit skilled passive candidates, especially if they currently work for organizations that don’t offer this benefit.

#4: You’ll improve employee engagement.

When employees are regularly learning and growing, they’re going to be more engaged in their jobs and more vested in the interest of the company overall. As a result, they’ll be happier and more satisfied on the job, creating a healthier work culture in the process.

#5: You’ll improve profits.

When you have employees who are more skilled and engaged, as well as committed to their jobs, it’s going to have a positive impact on profits in the long-run. Not only that, but when you invest in your employees, you’ll have lower turnover and therefore lower hiring costs.

Clearly, offering continuing education offers many advantages. But if you need to hire highly skilled and well-trained people now – but don’t have the time or resources to do it – turn to the team who can handle the job for you: PrideStaff. As one of Tempe’s leading staffing agencies, we’ve got your hiring needs covered, start to finish, so you can focus on other priorities. Contact us today to find out more.

Five Ways You Can Help Your Employees Set Goals For 2020

The new year — actually, the new decade — has arrived and you’re ready to hit the ground running. Both personally and as a group, you want your employees to achieve big things in 2020. 

Since you’ve teamed up with Las Vegas hiring support to bring on new staffers, you have time to work with your employees to set goals for the new year. Here’s some advice to help them create objectives that will take them to the next level. 

Discuss Where They’re Headed 

If they don’t know what their future entails, your employees can’t set meaningful goals. Take each person aside for a one-on-one chat about what they want from their career. Use this information to help them map where they want to be in one, five and 10 years, so they can create goals that will get them there.  

Highlight Their Strengths — and Weaknesses 

Goals are created to help people learn and grow, so help your employees know what to focus on. Working with people to uncover their strengths and weaknesses is important because it’s not always easy to self-identify these traits. Discussing employees’ weaknesses might be a bit awkward, but just be gentle, and know you’re helping them become the best version of themselves. 

Review Past Goals 

Your employees’ 2019 goals can be telling. Review their goals from last year together to see what went well and what didn’t. For those they didn’t achieve, discuss why they fell short. This could be a lack of company support or simply a lack of interest in the objective on their part. Getting to the root cause will be helpful for both of you, as they’ll set goals that better align with their future and you’ll be more mindful about setting them up for success. 

Make Goals S.M.A.R.T. 

Vague goals have a habit of being broken. Encourage employees to make all their goals S.M.A.R.T. — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound — to increase their chances of success. This leaves no room for interpretation and holds people accountable for meeting their objectives. 

Recognize Goal Progress 

Keep employees motivated by recognizing the progress they’ve made toward their goals. Celebrating small successes helps people feel encouraged and realize the amazing work they’re doing. A supportive boss can make all the difference in an employee’s growth, so recognize your role and make the most of it. 

Find the Best Person for the Job 

Choosing the right fit for your team isn’t easy, but you don’t have to go it alone. PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to guide your search. Contact us today to get started! 

The Importance of Following Up with Candidates after a Job Interview

Your successful talent recruitment process is a two-way street. You and your company are on trial, just as much as your job applicants. Though it takes time and effort, it’s well worth it to follow up with job seekers after their interview, as part of your overall positive candidate experience.

Show your respect.

Applying for a job can be stressful and time-consuming. You’ve been through it yourself, so you can appreciate why, at the very least, an applicant deserves the courtesy of a response. Moreover, a candidate’s experience will not only inform whether or not they accept the job but also impact how they portray your organization to their professional network.

• Optimize the experience. Never leave a person hanging. Be fully transparent and alert candidates about your decision or the next step in your hiring process. Do this as soon as possible after their interview.
• Personalized follow up is best, but if it’s not feasible, then send an automated response. Show that you respect people’s time, effort, and consideration of your company as a potential future workplace. And if you have to automate, at least make it friendly and constructive in tone.

Boost your brand.

Leaving a candidate in the lurch after an interview could prove detrimental to your employer brand, portraying your organization as cold, impersonal, impolite, or indifferent. Ensuing negative feedback on social media, review sites, and other forums could do serious damage to your reputation and credibility.

• According to a recent LinkedIn survey, 83 percent of candidates said a negative interview experience could change their minds about a role or company to which they were previously attracted. In addition, 9 percent said they would tell others not to buy from companies where they had a bad experience.

Improve your time to hire.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), companies reported spending an average of nearly $4,500 per hire – and this does not include the less tangible costs of lost time and productivity while a position sits open.

• A poor candidate experience extends time-to-fill even longer. Fewer people apply if an application or hiring process is lengthy or difficult to navigate.

Consider a partnership with PrideStaff Modesto ass you strategize, develop and implement a winning hiring process and candidate experience – from start to finish. We bring more than 30 years’ experience to the table, along with customer loyalty levels in the top 2 percent of the entire staffing industry. Contact us today to learn more.

Turn a Bad Interview Around in This Simple Step

A tension has entered the air. Everyone started off the interview politely and engaged. But now, attention is starting to wane. Your interviewers seem suddenly impatient, checking their phones or distractedly going through the motions. You’re blowing your chance.

It may seem hopeless, but there’s still a chance to salvage the situation. Imagine that moment in a sports movie when the music swells and the hero picks themselves up off the ground for that one last shot. That’s the point you’re at now.

But how? How do you swing things back in your favor and reengage your audience? What can you do to salvage the interview that’s turned sour?

There is a response you can take. Readjusting the situation comes down to one relatively simple premise: staying reactive.

It’s a matter of having multiple game plans and being able to change course as circumstances dictate. Don’t go into an interview with a single vision of how things will go. That will leave you vulnerable since if that direction fails, you’re out of luck.

Instead, you need to be ready for a potentially hostile environment. Once you’re in the middle of the interview, you need to react to circumstances and adjust to the needs of the moment.

Anticipate

Being reactive isn’t about swerving into a sudden improv. You need to be quick on your feet, but the process actually starts well before you enter the interview. You have to prepare, anticipating possible ways in which the conversation can turn against you.

This process means identifying your weaknesses. Not just in the “what are your biggest weaknesses?” sort of way. Instead, you really need to understand the parts of your background and skill set that will turn your interviewers off. Anticipate these and plan how you can react.

Read the Situation

Reacting to circumstances only becomes an option if you can properly judge the circumstances in the first place. You need to stay alert to how the interview is going. Watch for body language and context clues. Try to sense if the tide has turned against you, so you can take the appropriate steps to adjust.

Change Course as Needed

Once you feel the interview vibe starts to deteriorate, you have to react. Based on the situation, enact one of the other scenarios you had planned out earlier.

Your course will depend on the circumstances. If the conversation has become stale, try to get the interviewers involved by asking a question of your own. If your experience level seems to present a problem, emphasize your soft skills. Don’t just let the ship sink. Take whatever maneuvers you can to get things back on course.

Making a strong impression at an interview takes practice and strong communication skills. It also involves being in the right situation to start with. By partnering with a top-flight recruiting firm, like PrideStaff, you ensure that you’ve put in the ideal placement, giving you every opportunity to shine.

Contact PrideStaff today for more details on how they can jumpstart your career.

Employee Appreciation: Why the Thought Should be Bigger than the Budget

Making employees feel recognized and valued for their contributions is crucial toward job satisfaction, productivity, and retention. However, not having much of a budget to work with doesn’t mean you can’t show your employees appreciation – in fact, the amount of thought you put into it is more influential than the amount of money you have to spend. Rather than assuming what employees like in general, tailor your choices to what appeals to them in particular and the extra effort will pay off. Learn more about why being thoughtful is more important than cost when it comes to showing employee appreciation:

• • Boosts Morale

Consider the process required in order to determine what your individual employees would feel is a thoughtful gift to them: you would have to express interest in them by asking questions and getting to know them, and then making it a point to remember what you’ve learned. This simple act would boost morale because employees will feel like you care about building a positive relationship with them. High morale workplaces have better teamwork and are less prone to burnout.

• • Increases Engagement

When your employees feel truly seen and appreciated because of your thoughtfulness, they are much more likely to feel a deeper connection and loyalty to your business. This increases engagement, in which they truly care about their work and how it affects the organization. If you recognize your employees for all that they do for you, it sparks their motivation and makes them want to continue to go above and beyond.

• • Builds Trust

A common issue in the workplace is an “us versus them” attitude between employees and leadership. If there is a lack of transparency and communication from higher-ups, employees are left to be suspicious of the intentions of their managers. Expressing your appreciation with thoughtful gestures that you know fit your employees’ preferences and interests can set the foundation for building a trustworthy relationship in which they enjoy their jobs and want to excel.

Build a Better Team with the Help of PrideStaff Akron!

Build a team of skilled and committed employees by partnering with PrideStaff Akron. We provide a variety of employment services, including direct recruiting, temp-to-hire, and temporary staffing, and will work closely with you to find the right candidates for your needs. Contact us today to learn more about our staffing solutions.

How to Put Your Best Foot Forward in a New Job in the New Year

Starting a new job in the New Year? There’s a lot to get right if you want to make the best impression possible. While it’s both an exciting and stressful time, it’s up to you to put your best foot forward and set a positive tone from the start with your new boss and teammates. To do that, here are a few tips to keep in mind during this phase:

Before Your Start Date

Build as much knowledge as you can about the company. Research them online, stay up to date on news articles about them, and outline a list of key questions you want to ask about. In addition, if there are any HR or employment forms you can fill out ahead of time or any orientation videos to watch, take care of all these tasks before your first day. That way, you’ll not only be as prepared as possible, but also more confident too as you step into the office on your first day there.

On Your First Day

On your first day, you’re likely not going to get a lot of work done. It’s more of a meet and greet with your new co-workers, a tour of the facility and a continuation of the orientation process. During all this, though, make sure you keep a pen and note pad handy so you can jot down any additional questions you have or thoughts or ideas that come up throughout the process. Also, after you meet someone new, write their name down and any details that are important to note. During this first day, you’re going to be doing a lot more listening and asking questions.

After Your First Day

Once your initial orientation and welcoming are done, it’s time to get down to business. This should include a meeting with your new boss about goals and expectations, as well as to get any clarifications you need about your new role. It’s also important to discuss how your performance will be measured and what long-term goals you should be working toward. Discussing these issues in detail upfront will ensure you’re both on the same page, so there aren’t any unwanted surprises down the line.

In addition to meeting with your boss, you should also start building alliances with your new teammates. When invited, go out for lunch, happy hour or to company social events. Meet as many co-workers as you can, get to know them on a personal level and what role they play within the company. Even if you don’t work directly with them right now, the more you understand about the company big picture, the more productive you can be on the job.

Looking for help finding a new job in the New Year?

Turn to PrideStaff. As one of Tempe’s leading employment agencies, we know which companies are hiring and where the best opportunities are. We can learn about your background and goals and then connect you with job possibilities that are a match for you. Contact us today to learn more or get started.