Is the New Year the Right Time for a New Job?

The new year. It’s traditionally considered a time of new beginnings. Spring may still be a few months off, but the start of January represents fresh horizons and the possibility of a better year ahead. But does that make the new year the right time to find a new job?

Actually, it usually does. While every company is different, and all employers have their own schedules and hiring patterns, there are some factors particular to the start of the year that favors job candidates. It’s just up to you to take advantage of the season.

So, if your job search has stalled, or you’ve been considering a change, the start of a fresh calendar might be your chance to make a move. Here are some of the factors in your favor if you’re looking for a job in the new year:

New Budgets

For most companies, the early part of the year represents the time when new budgets go into effect. Managers know how much they can spend and have a feel for what they want to accomplish over the coming year. These circumstances move hiring up on the priority list, making it a good time to get your foot in the door.

Chasing Goals

The new year not only brings a new budget. It also represents a time for setting goals. At the beginning of the year, managers have their annual targets in mind and are crafting plans to reach those benchmarks.

All these factors make managers open to new horizons, while still providing them the luxury of a relatively long timeline. They don’t have to press to hit a looming deadline, giving them some breathing room for training and experimentation.

Time for Resolutions

The new year offers you a psychological benefit as well. You can’t ignore the energy boost and renewed how that comes with new year. More than any other time, you feel ready for new beginnings and redoubled efforts to achieve your goals.

Take advantage of this (admittedly temporary) enthusiasm for change. Along with your promises to go back to the gym and cut out the Cheesecake Factory, put career advancement on your resolutions list. The new year provides an excellent motivation to update your resume and search out that fresh opportunity.

The Holidays Make for Good Networking

The holiday season is about connecting with friends and family. That makes it a perfect time for networking. It gives you an excuse to reach out to people you haven’t contacted in some time, reigniting relationships and potentially opening up opportunities that can pay off once January 1st comes along.

Ramp Up Slowly

Remember, everyone tends to get a holiday hangover. Send your resume out bright and early on January 2, and nobody is likely to see it. Use the first couple weeks of the year to update your resume and hunt down prospects. Then, around the middle of the month, you can start reaching out to potential employers.

New jobs offer the prospect of new beginnings. You can set your career on track and build a bridge to your future. Teaming with a strong recruiting partner, like PrideStaff, can accelerate these goals. You can find the ideal position for your skills and experience.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn how they can help you jumpstart your career.

Can I Apply for Multiple Jobs at One Company?

Your dream employer just posted several new jobs. You’re qualified for more than one of them. Should you apply to a few, or should you just stick with the one that interests you most?

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t clear cut and truly depends on the company.

Some will take note of the fact that you’re applying to various jobs, which could be a mark against you, while others won’t notice or care.

For instance, if the jobs are in different departments within a large company, then it’s likely that there are different managers doing the interviewing. Plus, in many cases, the applicant tracking system they’re using won’t show them how many jobs you’ve applied to within the company. So if you don’t apply to all the jobs you’re qualified for and interested in, you could miss out.

In addition, there might be an internal candidate the company has in mind for one of the positions. They’re likely the “favorite” when it comes time to make a hiring decision. But if you only apply to that one role– and not others – then your chances of getting an offer are slim.

However, if the company is smaller and resumes are only going to a single person, sending in multiple applications can make you seem unfocused. This is especially true if the positions are vastly different from each other.

Whether you decide to apply to multiple positions or not at one company is truly up to you. Just make sure that whatever approach you take, your application materials are a strong fit for the position you’re applying to.

Also, don’t ever apply to multiple positions at company just because you want to work there badly. If the opportunity isn’t really a fit for you, then the hiring manager will be able to tell, either through your resume or during the interview process. So it’s a waste of time.

Likewise, even if you are slightly qualified for the position, but aren’t really that interested, don’t apply anyway. You’re better off investing your time and effort into opportunities that are truly the right match for you.

Interested in professional help finding your next dream job?

Turn to the Phoenix recruitment team at PrideStaff for help. We’ll get to know your background, interests and abilities, all so we can connect you with the position that’s perfect for you. We’re just a call away!

How to Help Build Up Your Employees’ Confidence

No matter how smart or skilled your employees are, if they lack confidence, they won’t perform up to their full potential. And they’re going to need your help, guidance, and ongoing support to keep that self-confidence at peak levels.

Confidence and productivity go hand in hand.

How employees see themselves is vital – and it also affects how the rest of their team views them. In any work setting, the more confident an employee is, the more likely they are to succeed.

So, where do you come in? Here are some ideas:

• Put your team first – even before your customer. Sure, the customer is always right – but your employees come first. Unless you create a positive, healthy culture, your clients won’t get good service – and you know how that will turn out.
• Personalize your approach. Get to know your employees as unique individuals. Taking care of their needs can’t happen unless you know what those needs are. There is no cookie-cutter approach. It takes time, ongoing communication, and active listening.
• Treat people with respect. Connect with each team member personally. Listen to their cues about any lack of self-confidence, and then treat them like the high performers you know they can be.
• Encourage employees to teach others. Identify people’s best skills and have them share those strengths with others. If they are hesitant at first, start by having them help another employee one on one, then they can evolve to bigger forums.
• Help them prepare. Most of the time, the “smartest” person in the room is the most prepared. Support your employees with the resources they need and ensure they do their homework in advance of challenging scenarios. It will get easier for them as they move along.
• Coach them to learn from their mistakes. Teach them to “fail forward” and realize that every failure is a step to success. This counteracts those who feel that even the smallest setback affirms their inadequacy.
• Assign mentors. Match an unconfident employee with a more experienced colleague. Make sure mentors are right for the role and give them the time needed for this extra task. Make sure the mentee knows not to simply mimic their mentor, but rather to apply what they learn and make it their own.
• Show your appreciation. Timely feedback and recognition boost confidence and morale. Consistently express your thanks for work being done well. Employees crave this input, and those who feel like they’re making progress tend to be even more confident.

When all is said and done, your success is based on the success of your people. To help optimize both their hard and soft skills, including the ongoing confidence to grow as professionals, and help you grow your business, consider partnering with the talent management experts at PrideStaff Modesto. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

3 Reasons to Re-train Rather than Fire Underperforming Employees

Whether you’re facing a skills gap or simply a performance issue, it may seem like there’s only one solution: fire the current employees who aren’t currently meeting your organization’s needs, and replace them with new hires. Unfortunately, replacing employees is not a simple endeavor and can have unintended ramifications – learn more with these three reasons you should retrain rather than fire.

1. 1. Less Costly

The expenses associated with hiring a new employee can be staggering. First, there is the direct cost of finding candidates, such as advertising the opening or paying a staffing agency, along with any training costs. Then, there is the loss of productivity that accompanies being overworked and understaffed before a hire is made, as well as the time it takes the new employee to become acclimated and able to contribute on a significant level. Devoting time to retraining a current employee is an investment that may pay off if it saves you from unnecessarily going through the expensive and time-consuming hiring process.

1. 2. Encourages Adaptability

Technology advances and changes in the marketplace means that your business needs and customer demands could change drastically with not much warning. To stay competitive, your organization needs to be onboard with adapting to learn new skills. By making it a priority to retrain employees rather than automatically rehiring, you are encouraging your team to be adaptable to change and open to upskilling themselves. The ability and willingness to pivot and develop new skills will be more of an asset long-term than hiring a candidate with a particular skillset who is stuck in their ways.

1. 3. Improves Morale

 Even though the decision to fire workers may simply be a business matter to you and nothing personal, it can greatly affect the morale of your team because it can come across cold and like you don’t value their contributions or care about them at all. It can make employees lose trust in you and become disengaged since they may feel like they’re treated like they’re disposable. By opting to retrain workers, it can improve morale as it sends a clear message that you appreciate the effort and commitment to the organization they have put in, and you are willing to reciprocate.

Hire Better Candidates with the Help of PrideStaff Akron!

Find top talent to join your team with PrideStaff Akron. Our team of dedicated experts will work with you to learn about you’re looking for in candidates and provide you with thoroughly vetted prospects to save you time and make your hiring process more effective and efficient. Contact us for more information on how PrideStaff Akron can help you with your employment needs.

3 Ways to Keep Employees Happy in 2020

Keeping your staff happy can accelerate growth and boost productivity. It’s an important component to achieving the most efficient workplace possible.

However, it’s not always easy to keep your workers in mind. A competing set of interested parties is always vying for your concern and attention. You have to ruminate constantly about customer satisfaction. You have to worry about what investors and other managers think. These considerations often push employees to the bottom of your priority list.

This can be a mistake. It gets easier to keep customers and investors happy when you have a satisfied, productive workforce. With that in mind, here are three ways to keep your employees happy in 2020:

Improve Communications

Creating a positive work environment is the first step to fostering a happy workforce. That process starts with communication. By developing a dialogue with your team members, you keep them informed while simultaneously giving them an outlet to voice their concerns.

First, share details of the company’s strategy with your employees. This way, they feel involved in future development. Of course, not every high-level initiative can be shared with every employee. But, as much as possible, be open and honest with your workers

Second, keep communication a two-way street. Open yourself up to feedback from your employees. They will understand that their concerns are heard. At the same time, you might receive some actionable ideas in the process.

Focus on Work/Life Balance

A satisfying work-life isn’t just about work. It’s about how work fits into the bigger picture. By offering a reasonable work/life balance, you prevent burnout and you create an environment that fosters happy employees.

Consider offering more flexible schedules. It helps your employees accomplish their work priorities, while still letting them fulfill their responsibilities at home. This, in turn, will let them extract the most joy possible out of both worlds.

Meanwhile, encourage your employees to take their vacation days. This may seem counterintuitive. After all, you’re willingly giving up productive days so that your workers can have a little rest and relaxation. But, you ultimately benefit from a refreshed and satisfied workforce.

Pushing too hard can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. Avoid this by giving your employees an adequate opportunity to recharge.

Build Toward the Future

Employees want to work towards the future. They want their current efforts to build toward long-term achievement, rather than feel like they’ve settled into a career treadmill that’s not likely to go anywhere.

As such, your workers will feel happiest when they have a long-term goal in mind. Provide them with these opportunities. Spark their imagination by communicating the company’s broader vision, and integrate your team members into that mission.

At the same time, provide concrete future-facing opportunities. Give your workers a chance to learn new skills and take part in innovative projects. This will keep them engaged in their work.

Also, as much as possible, promote from within. When workers perceive that they have advancement chances within the organization, they will be encouraged to put in extra effort. This will give a boost to their job satisfaction, even in their current position.

Working to maximize your employees’ happiness helps you retain your best employees longer. However, that’s only part of the challenge of building and maintaining a top-performing team. The process starts with recruitment. By partnering with a strong staffing firm, like PrideStaff, you make it easier to find those good employees in the first place.

Contact leading Bend staffing agency PrideStaff today to learn more.

The Key to Dealing With (and Overcoming) Rejection When You’re Not Picked for a Job

If you’re searching for Vegas career support, because you’ve just been rejected for yet another job, you’re not alone. Finding out you weren’t chosen for a job you really wanted doesn’t feel great, and when it happens multiple times, it can really get you down. 

The ability to keep looking forward is the key to dealing with and overcoming the stress of not getting the job. Becoming depressed and giving up will get you nowhere fast, so you have to find a way to move on. Here’s how to get past the frustration of being passed up for a job the healthy way. 

3 Tips to Deal With Job Rejection 

Try Not to Take It Personally 

It’s easy to focus on the fact that someone else got the job you wanted, but try to remember you’re not alone. Chances are, several other candidates also interviewed for the job and it’s possible hundreds applied and didn’t even make it to the first round. You might think you were the perfect fit, but in reality, that might not be the case.  

The hiring manager knows both the position and the company culture inside and out. Something made them think you weren’t the right choice, but it’s strictly business — not an assault on your character. The last thing you want is to accept a job and quickly realize it doesn’t meet your expectations, so consider it a blessing in disguise. 

Learn Something From It 

Every job interview is a learning experience. If you think you weren’t selected because of a mistake you made or due to lacking a certain skill, take this opportunity to make a change. Looking at it this way, every rejection is a chance to polish your candidacy even further. As long as you’re able to learn and grow from each incident, failure is never a waste of time. 

Be Mindful of the Company You Keep  

Searching for a new job can be very stressful, so surround yourself with people who believe in you. When you’re having a rough day, they’ll be there to give you a shoulder to learn on. It’s important to have a strong support system in place, to help keep your spirits up and give you the positive reinforcement needed to keep searching for your perfect job. 

Get the Job You Want 

Having trouble finding the right new career opportunity? PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to help. Contact us today to finally get the job you deserve! 

How to Help Build Up Your Employees’ Confidence

No matter how smart or skilled your employees are, if they lack confidence, they won’t perform up to their full potential. And they’re going to need your help, guidance, and ongoing support to keep that self-confidence at peak levels.

Confidence and productivity go hand in hand.

How employees see themselves is vital – and it also affects how the rest of their team views them. In any work setting, the more confident an employee is, the more likely they are to succeed.

So, where do you come in? Here are some ideas:

• Put your team first – even before your customer. Sure, the customer is always right – but your employees come first. Unless you create a positive, healthy culture, your clients won’t get good service – and you know how that will turn out.
• Personalize your approach. Get to know your employees as unique individuals. Taking care of their needs can’t happen unless you know what those needs are. There is no cookie-cutter approach. It takes time, ongoing communication, and active listening.
• Treat people with respect. Connect with each team member personally. Listen to their cues about any lack of self-confidence, and then treat them like the high performers you know they can be.
• Encourage employees to teach others. Identify people’s best skills and have them share those strengths with others. If they are hesitant at first, start by having them help another employee one on one, then they can evolve to bigger forums.
• Help them prepare. Most of the time, the “smartest” person in the room is the most prepared. Support your employees with the resources they need and ensure they do their homework in advance of challenging scenarios. It will get easier for them as they move along.
• Coach them to learn from their mistakes. Teach them to “fail forward” and realize that every failure is a step to success. This counteracts those who feel that even the smallest setback affirms their inadequacy.
• Assign mentors. Match an unconfident employee with a more experienced colleague. Make sure mentors are right for the role and give them the time needed for this extra task. Make sure the mentee knows not to simply mimic their mentor, but rather to apply what they learn and make it their own.
• Show your appreciation. Timely feedback and recognition boost confidence and morale. Consistently express your thanks for work being done well. Employees crave this input, and those who feel like they’re making progress tend to be even more confident.

When all is said and done, your success is based on the success of your people. To help optimize both their hard and soft skills, including the ongoing confidence to grow as professionals, and help you grow your business, consider partnering with the talent management experts at PrideStaff Modesto. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Maximize Your Productivity At Work For the New Year With These 3 Tips!

During the latter quarter of the year, your productivity may decline as you try to keep up your motivation to work amidst the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Take advantage of the fresh slate that the New Year brings by making it a goal to focus on boosting your productivity. Being productive isn’t a matter of sheer willpower and self-discipline – there are strategies that can make you more efficient with less effort. Maximize your productivity at work for the New Year with these three tips:

1. Prioritize Your Daily To-Dos

Start the year off by giving a makeover to your To-Do list. Rather than just making a list of outstanding tasks and then trying to accomplish the highest quantity, pick your most important task(s) each day. Then, focus your efforts on your highest priorities only. Giving the majority of your attention to your most important task may mean you won’t have the satisfaction of crossing multiple items off your list, but at the end of the day, you’ll be closer to accomplishing results that truly matter. Fight the urge to feel productive by getting as much done as possible and instead, do first what will have the most impact.

2. Plan Your Day According to Your Personal Tendencies

There is no one daily plan that maximizes productivity for everyone. Consider your personal tendencies as you plan your day. What time of day are you at your most alert, and when does your energy generally start to wane? Schedule your tasks that require the most concentration or energy to start for the time of the day you are most able to focus, and then relegate your less mentally straining tasks (like answering emails or performing administrative work) to the blocks of time you know you’re most likely to struggle with low energy. This helps you become more productive by taking advantage of your natural tendencies, rather than trying to force yourself to overcome them.

3. Embrace Technology

Technology gets a bad reputation for negatively affecting productivity since constant notifications and tempting apps can be quite distracting. However, if used strategically, technology can actually make you more productive by automating tasks and clearing out your mental bandwidth. Examples include:

• Using browser extensions that block websites that can contribute to your procrastination.
• Breaking down bigger projects into smaller tasks, and use your electronic calendar to schedule deadlines and automatic reminders.
• Setting automatic rules to filter emails into categorized folders so you know at a glance which emails need a quick response (i.e., from your boss or important clients/customers) and which you can get to another time.
• Tracking your time via a browser extension or app to give yourself data on areas that could use improvement

Looking for a new job in Akron in the new year?

Work with PrideStaff Akron to find the openings that are the best fit for you. Search our database of currently available jobs to get started.

Looking to 2020: The Key to Developing a Clear Career Vision

Career development in Las Vegas requires careful planning because the city has so much to offer. The key to developing a clear vision for your career is knowing what you want.   

Mapping out a distinct path for where you’re headed ensures you won’t get sidetracked and veer off course. Here’s how to create a plan to guide your success. 

4 Tips to Develop a Clear Career Vision 

Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals 

It’s hard to get ahead if you’re not working toward something specific. Traditional goals can be vague, leaving too much room for interpretation, so make them S.M.A.R.T. — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. This will create a sense of accountability, inspiring you to keep working hard for the future you want. 

Define Your Ideal Company Culture 

On the surface, it might not seem particularly important, but company culture can make or break your level of job satisfaction. Before taking the next step in your career, decide what kind of work environment makes you happy. For example, if you value being home at night for dinner with your family, you need an employer that emphasizes work-life balance. 

Determine How Much Money You Need 

Money isn’t everything, but it does dictate your standard of living. Calculate your living expenses now and anything additional you expect to incur in the near future — i.e., plans to buy a bigger house next year — to see how much you’ll need to earn to pay for it. Knowing the minimum salary you’ll need to support your lifestyle will help narrow your search for the right type of job. 

Decide Where You Want to Live 

Where you work is hugely important, because it dictates where you live. This could mean limiting your job search to a certain part of Las Vegas or opening it up to other cities. Deciding if you want to stay put where you currently are is a must when planning your career path because you need to know how to filter search results. 

Find Your Dream Job 

Want to start 2020 with a big career move? PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to help you take the next step. Contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance! 

Are You Managing Overtime Effectively?

Effectively managing overtime can represent the difference between accelerated expansion and stagnation. To grow, your business needs flexibility and the ability to absorb a sudden influx of orders. However, the tasks of coordinating and efficiently overseeing overtime can create challenges.

After all, customers don’t follow prearranged production schedules. When they need something, they want it immediately. To succeed, you must remain flexible, meaning you need to be able to ramp up overtime production whenever its required.

This can create a burden. For you, the added expense can quickly shrink your profit margins. For your employees, the extra work can wear them out and create tension in their home lives.

There are ways to make a system work, however. Here are a few steps you can take to effectively manage your overtime:

Create a Clear System

Overtime hours be both a burden and an asset. True, they represent additional hours an employee must work. However, they also represent additional dollars.

The way you distribute the overtime hours must seem fair. You want to find a fair way to spread out the opportunity to earn extra money, without overworking any individual employee. Otherwise, you risk creating bad feelings among your employees. To prevent that, create a fair and transparent system for giving out overtime hours.

Give Sufficient Notice

Surprise orders sometimes come in, forcing you to scramble to get things done. In these cases, you might have to request some emergency overtime. These kinds of things happen. However, as much as possible, try to avoid those last-minute changes in schedule.

Instead, try to give enough notice before an overtime shift. By letting workers plan around their overtime hours, you reduce the burden on them. This makes it easier for your employees to sustain the schedule for the long haul.

Don’t Overburden People

Your employees might welcome a certain amount of OT. It represents little means extra cash, earned without much impact to the rest of their lives. However, too much overtime can become dicey.

Forced into too much overtime, people start to miss out on their personal lives, which can make them resentful. Meanwhile, productivity can suffer. Working your employees too hard will sap them of energy and, pushed too far, eventually burn them out.

Communicate with Your Workers

Not everyone has the same opinion about overtime. Some people might relish that opportunity to earn additional dollars. Others might resent the time taken away from their personal lives. The only way to know an employee’s opinion is to ask them.

Keep in communication with your employees. Treat them as individuals. Don’t assume that everyone has the same feelings about the extra hours. Instead, ask them what they prefer and do your best to arrange a schedule that maximizes everyone’s satisfaction.

Offer Flexible Schedules

You can minimize the impact of overtime by offering flexible schedules. If you run into a heavy few days, requiring significant additional hours, offer your employees some time off during a lull to compensate. This also helps in seasonal situations, when heavy production is necessary for short, predictable bursts. This strategy can lower the financial burden on you while preventing burnout in your employees.

You can lower your need for overtime hours by building a hyper-productive team that can complete tasks in less time. A top-flight recruiting partner, like PrideStaff, can bring you the efficient, energized workers you need.

Contact PrideStaff today to find out how they can take your team to the next level.