How Can You Successfully Reenter the Workforce?

If you’ve been out of the job market for one or two – or even 10 or more – years, the thought of heading back in can be daunting. The key to success lies in understanding what a prospective employer’s concerns about hiring you might be, and structuring your resume, interview responses and other job search strategies around addressing them.

Even if you’ve been out of work by your own choice – to care for your family or pursue other goals – hiring managers really don’t have a conspiracy against you. Their goal is to hire the best candidate for a position, period. However, an employment gap of any kind will likely raise questions that you need to be prepared to answer, such as:

• Are your skills current?
• Have you kept up with relevant industry trends?
• What transferable skills and strengths can you bring to your new position?

Here are some simple steps to get you started.

Update Your Skills

Look at the skills an employer is requiring as a baseline to qualify for a job. Be strategic about highlighting those you already have, and acquiring or updating those areas where you may be lacking.

• Take a class, read industry publications, or join or reactivate your membership in a professional association. Just a few hours a month spent on relevant reading can make a tremendous difference. Professional groups provide great networking opportunities and give you a chance to practice your pitch and interview skills before you hit the official recruiting circuit.

Build Your Online Presence

Update and clean up your online presence by using these tips:

• Removing any inappropriate content or images of you. There’s nothing wrong with tasteful pictures of your family vacation or other leisure activities. But get rid of any questionable material that may make you look less than professional.
• Creating or updating your LinkedIn profile. Try contacting former co-workers and colleagues to see if they’ll write recommendations and help you expand your network of connections. Start to follow companies you might be interested in working for, as well.

Explain Your Employment Gap

Consider using a skills-based resume versus a chronological one. This way, you can highlight the transferable capabilities that align with the requirements of your desired job.

• Also consider freelancing, part-time or contact work as a step back into working. This will further help build your skill set, and also confirm you’re serious about restarting your career.
• Put your life experiences to work for you. They also may translate into valuable transferable skills. If you served your school PTA as treasurer, highlight your bookkeeping and financial strengths. If you volunteered at a hospital or nursing home, tout your knowledge of medical terminology and comfort level working in a healthcare environment.

The support of an experienced recruiter can be invaluable as you gear up to reenter the workforce. The PrideStaff Modesto team of experts has access to temporary and full-time positions, as well as related contacts, resources and market intelligence to help you succeed. Contact us today to learn more.

What to Do When Your Team Disagrees About a Candidate

As Tempe recruiting experts, PrideStaff knows the hiring process is never an easy one. And when there’s a disagreement among those involved about a certain candidate, it can make the situation all the more challenging. What do you do when there isn’t a consensus? Here are some tips to help you:

Meet in person.

When it comes to disagreeing about a particular candidate, don’t do it over email. This is a critical decision and you’ll lose out on the ability to read between the lines and see non-verbal cues, like body language, if these conversations occur electronically. Instead, schedule a face-to-face to discuss the candidate in detail. This will make it easier for all involved to learn about where everyone is coming from and hopefully come to an understanding.

Be professional.

Whether you hire a particular candidate or not, don’t get into an argument about it. You still have to work with your colleagues after the fact and you don’t want your relationship to be impacted. So make sure you’re always diplomatic and professional with whatever you say.

Build your case.

If there’s a particular candidate you think is the best fit or not, explain why. Don’t operate on emotion or personal feelings, either. Use reason and facts to make your case. Look to their resume or your notes from the interview to give specific examples. Then tie those back to the position, highlighting how they’d either help or hinder your hiring needs.

Be open.

Once you’ve given your side, listen to all others. Ask questions to make sure you understand everyone’s perspective. You might hear something that changes your mind or gives you pause. So keep an open mind during this conversation.

Reach out to the candidate.

If there is a particular point of contention, connect with the candidate. Ask them to clarify the issue so that everyone has all the facts. There could be a misunderstanding or lack of details to operate on. Whatever the case, let the candidate explain so you have all the information you need to make the best possible decision.

In the future, make sure that before the hiring process begins, the whole team is on the same page in terms of what you’re looking for in a new hire. Also, make it known that everyone’s opinion is valuable and counts and it’s all about making the best decision for the company. That way, if tensions do arise again over a candidate, it can be dealt with in the most diplomatic way possible.

Need help with hiring at your company?

Contact the Tempe recruiting experts at PrideStaff. Thanks to our deep local knowledge of the area’s job market and our wide-ranging connections, we can give you access to the top talent available, whether on a full-time, contract or part-time basis. Contact us today to learn more or get started.

5 Ways to Manage Millennial Employees

They’re not new to the workforce, but that doesn’t mean managing millennials can’t be challenging. If you’re used to overseeing baby boomers and Generation X, you’ve probably already realized the same approach doesn’t work.

As a leading event staffing agency in Las Vegas, PrideStaff Las Vegas understands the frustrations of trying to manage employees from different generations, but it can definitely be accomplished. Here are a few tips to help you give your younger talent base what they need.

Five Ways to Manage Millennials

Provide Constant Feedback

Unlike previous generations, millennials crave critiques on their work. They want to know how you think they’re doing, and they’re not willing to wait around for their annual performance review. Satisfy this need by providing structured reviews on a quarterly basis, and scheduling regular, recurring one-on-one meetings to discuss their work in a more informal manner.

Place a Strong Emphasis on Teamwork

Millennials are social creatures. In the workplace, this pack mentality means they thrive on collaboration. Play into this trait by making projects a team effort, when possible. This approach will produce better results because it allows them to work in the manner they’re naturally programmed.

Listen to Their Ideas

You might be used to giving baby boomers and Generation X assignments and sending them on their way, but that doesn’t work with millennials. This generation grew up with parents who raised them to have a voice, and they expect their boss to hear it. Appease them by taking the time to listen to their thoughts and opinions, as this will make them feel valued and respected.

Provide Flexible Work Options

Millennials don’t want to be tied to a desk from 9 am to 5 pm. This tech-savvy generation appreciates a manager who allows them to control their schedule — at least to a reasonable degree. Incorporating benefits like flextime, a compressed workweek and the ability to work remotely lets them enjoy a solid work-life balance, which is very important to them.

Offer Regular Learning Opportunities

Young and ambitious, millennials have a hunger for knowledge. They seek employers that feed this need by making learning part of the company culture. This can include sending them to conferences and seminars, holding lunch and learns, starting a mentoring program or funding — at least partially — continuing education opportunities

Attract Top Millennial Talent

The best and brightest professionals can be hard to find, but PrideStaff Las Vegas knows exactly where to look. Contact us today to connect with top talent who can’t wait to join your team!

Are Passive Candidates The Key To Recruiting in 2019?

A tight labor market and the further expansion of the gig economy promise to define much of 2019’s labor relations. Beyond the direct impact they will have on things like team management and employee retention, these aspects also contribute to the increasing importance of passive recruiting.

The traditional mode of recruitment, dominated by sporadic, quick-turnaround hiring pushes for positions only as they become available, will likely become more passé as 2019 marches on. Instead, companies will rely more heavily on some form of constant recruitment. That is, they will look for talent all the time and bring in workers as they become available.

As such, you need to be prepared to jump on talent when you see it and be ready to lure qualified workers away from other situations. That takes a commitment to passive recruitment.

Here are four steps you can take to ramp up your search for passive candidates.

Activate the Company’s Social Network Profile

More and more of the heavy lifting of recruiting has moved online. In the typical hiring process, that includes postings on job sites or processing applications via an HR section on your website.

For passive recruitment, you need to integrate the endeavor with your already existing social media footprint. (And if you don’t have one of those, better get started. You’re only about a decade behind everyone else).

Use the corporate accounts to build awareness of the company, its goals and values. You can also encourage people to send in resumes or even engage interesting talent via social media.

Build a Strong Employee Brand

Expanding beyond the narrow social media space, drawing passive talent requires a dedicated branding effort. This isn’t a consumer brand, meant to sell a product. It’s an employer brand, meant to signal the benefits of working for your company.

You want to communicate a meaningful workplace culture, one that nurtures talent and energizes careers. You also want to find points of inspiration. Think of ways your company contributes to the greater good – make it a place that people aspire to work for.

Employee Referral Program

In terms of specific strategies for passive recruitment, an employee referral program represents a good place to start.

Basically, you deputize your current employers as recruiters. Let them sell their friends and acquaintances on the benefits for working for the company. In exchange, you offer a bonus for each quality hire that comes aboard.

The employee referral program can provide benefits on two fronts.

First, it takes the effort out of your hands. Instead of overworking your HR staff by making them dedicate time to a passive recruitment effort, it allows other employees to take the initiative.

Second, it strengthens the bond with your current employees. They become salespeople for the employer brand. This reinforces the benefits of the company for them. It also puts them in the position of choosing (to some extent, anyway) their own co-workers. And the bonuses don’t hurt either.

Leverage Your Personal Networking Skills

As part of your general career advancement, you should engage in an active networking effort. Generally speaking, it’s a selfish act. Keeping a strong network allows you to advance your career over time.

But you can also use these skills (and the network itself) for the company’s good, as well. Passive recruitment is a great example of this.

If someone you know is out of work, but perfect for your company, you can recruit them (basically, a personalized employee referral program). However, you can take it further.

You can also leverage your networking prowess to build relationships with talented outsiders, people who might become great hires someday. Something to keep in mind at the next conference or industry event: don’t just look for your next customer (or your next employer). Look for your next employee, as well.

A staffing firm makes another great strategy for passive recruitment. As part of their business model, recruiters are constantly bringing in talent – talent you can engage at a moment’s notice. A relationship with a top-tier staffing firm, like PrideStaff, can take the worry out of rolling out your passive recruitment program.

Contact our leading recruiters at PrideStaff Bend today to find out more.

Online Employer Reviews: How to Read Them & What You Can Learn

When you’re searching for a new job, one of the most challenging aspects is to evaluate each employer for fit. How can you tell if a company is the right place for you without actually working there?

One way is through reading online reviews. But these often must be taken with a grain a salt. While those on reputable websites are typically well-moderated, there are some that get through that could leave you with the wrong impression.

That said, reviews are still valuable in giving you insider information on what working at a company is really like, which can be helpful during the hiring process. It’s simply a matter of keeping the right perspective and reading them in a certain light.

Here’s how to do that, so you can use them to your advantage:

Look for patterns.

No company is perfect and even top employers will have some negative reviews. Don’t let a small handful discourage you from applying or accepting the offer, especially if the comments aren’t relevant to you and what you’re looking for in a new opportunity.

However, if there are dozens of negative comments, without any or very few positive ones to offset them, then it’s a red flag. There’s a reason so many individuals took the time to write about a company and it’s not something you want to ignore.

Look for themes relevant to you.

A company might have dozens of positive reviews online. However, the ones that are negative all focus on the fact that there’s a lack of scheduling flexibility. If you currently telecommute or work flex hours – and that kind of perk is critical to you – then take note.

On the flip side, make sure you look at the positive reviews too and consider those details that are important to you. You might find out that a potential employer you weren’t previously eager about actually offers the ideal culture for you.

Look for information you can use in an interview.

Another helpful aspect of online reviews is that you can find out more about what it’s like to work at a particular company directly from people with first-hand experience. Not only that, but you can dig more into those details during the interview.

For instance, if a review talks about how one of the pros of working at a company is that they invest in continuing education for their employees, ask the hiring manager to explain how. Or, if several reviewers bring up the lack of internal promotions as a con, you can inquire about opportunities for advancement and whether the company tends to hire from within.

Want more valuable job search tips and advice?

PrideStaff is here for you. As one of Phoenix’s top employment agencies, we can help you launch your next job search and land your next opportunity, all so you can achieve your career goals. Contact us today to learn more or get started.

Three Ways to Keep Your Best Applicants Interested

It is a competitive time for employers to get the attention of top prospects. With the job market favoring workers, it can be difficult to stand out and prevent losing their interest. That’s why it’s more important than ever to strategically plan your hiring process to not only attract talent, but maintain their motivation to consider your company. Here are three ways to keep your best applicants interested:

1. Prioritize the Candidate Experience

If you want to be able to maintain a positive relationship with applicants, consider how your current hiring process may be like from their perspective. Candidates can feel really excited about the prospect of working for a company, only to be turned off by a negative overall experience. Some common causes of a negative candidate experience include: not being responsive or providing updates, expecting too much of their time, and simply seeming to lack respect for them. Ensure you are communicative and keep them in the loop, streamline your application and interview process, and be as professional and courteous as possible.

2. Focus on Branding

Top talent can afford to be picky and don’t feel the need to just take any job offer. Since they can afford to be selective, these candidates generally want to work at interesting companies with robust cultures and clearly defined values. Maintain the interest of applicants by focusing on your employer brand. Clarify your organization’s key traits, and then take every opportunity to market your brand, including during your one-on-one interactions with prospects, as well as your website, social media, and other platforms.

3. Stay in Touch

Once you opt to hire one candidate, it doesn’t mean you’ve lost your chance at ever being able to bring on the still very qualified runners up. Maintain the connection by making a point to stay in touch. Exchange contact information, and/or connect on LinkedIn. When you have openings, you’ll already have these prospects in the pipeline.

Need Help With Your Hiring?

Attract top talent to your team by partnering with PrideStaff Akron. Our team of specialists provides a variety of employment services, including direct recruiting, temp-to-hire, and temporary staffing, and will work closely with you to find the right prospects for your needs. Contact us today to learn more about our staffing solutions.

The Top Skills Every Tax Accountant Needs

Of course, a tax accountant needs to have a deep, up-to-date understanding of the tax code. But you need more than this basic knowledge to become a great tax accountant. Tax chops are key, but not enough.

Building a long-term career involves combining a number of disparate skill sets. These additional attributes require cultivation. You need to commit to continuing education and to chasing new challenges. An over-reliance on tax expertise will leave you in the middle of the pack. To distinguish yourself, you need to develop in additional areas.

But what areas should you focus on? What additional skills will help the most in your tax accounting career?

Here are four key areas (besides basic tax knowledge) that will help you advance in the field.

An Open Mind

A popular stereotype of accountants centers on an assumed rigidity of thought. Accountants are stuck in their world of numbers, the theory goes. Everything is black and white. Rules are rules.

But in truth, making financial decisions (or helping others make tax-efficient financial decisions) requires a broader perspective.

As a tax accountant, your work relates closely to your clients’ goals and aspirations. You need to keep them in mind. A good accountant facilitates what their clients want to accomplish. Listening to people and being open to possibilities makes you better at the job.

Client Relations

Another stereotype of an accountant: A number-obsessed nerd, locked alone in a back room somewhere quietly cranking an adding machine. In reality, though, people skills represent a key attribute for a successful accountant.

You are dealing with an esoteric topic that can have a dramatic impact on people’s lives. Your clients deserve to know what’s going on. The ability to explain complicated topics and instill confidence plays a big part in a successful career.

Team Work

Along with the ability to talk with clients, accountants benefit from a strong working relationship with their colleagues. In a corporate setting, you might work within a large department, which means different communication challenges than dealing with laymen. Meanwhile, your career will receive a further boost from an ability to navigate office politics.

Even outside a corporate atmosphere, accountants benefit from a team-first attitude. Tax professionals work within a web of other financial advisors, each with a different prospective on priorities. Dealing with investment advisors and other financial planners is key for long-term success.

Leadership

Progressing in your career involves taking on more and more responsibility as you go. To increase your standing and earnings potential, you need to attain leadership positions.

Excelling at management requires a tangle of skills, many far removed from mastery of the tax code. Along with communication, you need to handle a myriad of administrative duties. You also need to be able to identify and motivate talent.

Building an array of skills to complement your core competency gives you additional options in navigating your career. Another big help in opening your horizons: Partnering with a strong recruiting firm.

A top-flight staffing company, like PrideStaff, puts you in the perfect situation to expand your skills and energize your advancement. Contact our leading recruiters today to find out more.

Reasons You Should Reject a Job Candidate

As you narrow down the field towards making a final hiring decision, what criteria should you use for rejecting job candidates? The process can be overwhelming – and much is riding on your selection.

Factors to Consider

That pile of dozens – and dozens and dozens – of resumes and applications will get shorter – and for the right reasons if you consider these factors, which should automatically eliminate poor candidates from contention.

• A sloppy resume or application form. There simply is no room or reason for spelling errors, formatting issues or generic cover letters. Resumes should be succinct and impactful. In most cases, this means one to two pages, max.
• The wrong skill set. This includes transferable skills that can neither be taught nor bought when hiring a new employee. Not to disregard the basic educational and professional requirements of a position, pay special attention to these soft skills. Hire for potential. Hard skills can be learned or polished on the job.
• An unsuitable personality. Picture the candidate working in the job. It’s your responsibility to position them to succeed – and personality is a big factor. For instance, you can’t expect an extrovert to thrive in a hard sales or similar customer-facing role.
• A cultural misfit. Be sure to understand a candidate’s interests, values and passions – and ensure they align with the mission and vision of your organization.
• Speaking of passion … A person’s passion and enthusiasm for a job are conveyed not only through their words (after all, interview responses can be rehearsed ahead of time) but also through their gestures and body language – and even the spark, or lack thereof, in their eyes when discussing their future with your company.
• If an individual shows up late for their interview, what are the chances they’ll get to work on time if you hire them? Unless they have a credible, compelling reason, tardiness is evidence of poor planning and organizational abilities.
• Poor follow-up questions. A candidate’s questions at the conclusion of their interview can speak volumes. Good questions show they have done their homework in learning about your company and the position, and that they’re truly interested in joining your team. If they have no questions whatsoever? Immediate red flag!

PrideStaff Modesto can help you identify your unique staffing needs and the real skill sets and criteria each job candidate must demonstrate. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

How Hiring Managers and Recruiters Can Work Better Together to Find the Best Talent

Hiring managers and recruiters each have a defined set of skills that, when combined effectively, will result in attracting the most qualified candidates and making optimal hiring decisions. However, with different skill sets also comes differing perspectives, insights, and goals that can cause challenges in forming and maintaining a productive professional relationship unless proactively addressed. Learn more about how hiring managers and recruiters can work together to find the best talent:

• Establish Upfront Expectations

It’s crucial for hiring managers and recruiters to be on the same page in terms of what they expect from one another and not make any assumptions. Avoid disappointment and frustration in the process or outcome by having an open discussion. Both sides can ask questions as well as establish their roles, the exact process, timeframes, and any other details.

• Collaborate to Clarify Candidate Profile

To increase the likelihood of recruiters being able to attract the right candidates, hiring managers should team up with recruiters to clarify the specifics that make someone the ideal candidate. Developing a candidate profile, including necessary qualifications and personality traits, allows recruiters the opportunity to be more focused and strategic in their assessment of potential candidates that will be the optimal fit for hiring managers.

• Develop an Efficient Process

The relationship between hiring managers and recruiters can break down if the process is disorganized or too time-consuming. This is often the result of not setting up the steps and timeline ahead of time. Work together to outline the key phases, deadlines, necessary follow up actions, etc., to prevent stalling the process and potentially losing out on top talent.

• Communicate Regularly and Openly

The key to any successful professional relationship is consistent and direct communication. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, give quick updates, or offer constructive feedback. The communication shouldn’t stop between recruitment needs – touch base every so often to maintain the connection and let them know of any potential upcoming hiring needs or overall personnel changes in your workplace.

For Help With Your Staffing Needs, Call PrideStaff!

For the most successful partnerships with recruiters, hiring managers need to find staffing firms that truly value client satisfaction. Here at PrideStaff Akron, our mission is to serve our clients by going above and beyond to understand and meet their unique needs. Contact us  for more information on how PrideStaff Akron can help you find the right candidates for your positions.

How to Set Your Career Goals for 2019

Career goal setting sounds daunting, right? It can be, at first. But the start of a new year is a great time to clean out your space, both mentally and physically, and come to a state of clarity about what you want to accomplish professionally in 2019.

Here are some steps you can take to get started. Even if they’re just baby steps, go ahead and begin your journey. You may just surprise yourself – and 2019 will be the best career year ever!

Has Your Plan Changed?

Before you take career planning to the next step, pause to consider whether your passions, priorities or interests have changed since last year at this time. If so, be prepared to reassess and craft a new plan for 2019.

Do Some Reflective Thinking

Once you’re clear on the career direction you want to take, think about what you’ve accomplished in the past year and the objectives you’ve set for yourself going forward. Consider:

• Did you meet those objectives?
• What new skills and knowledge did you acquire?
• What new responsibilities did you take on?
• Which relationships did you develop with key stakeholders in your career?
• What kind of feedback did you receive?

Also, think about any instances when you pushed yourself beyond your comfort zone in order to try and make progress. How did that go?

Document Your Successes

Adopt the process of regularly updating your career progression plans and documents. This includes your resume and LinkedIn profile. It will help you not only keep your records current, but also remember all your milestones and achievements, so you have them immediately available when an opportunity arises and calls for them.

How Can You Maintain the Momentum?

Pat yourself on the back and acknowledge your successes, but never get complacent. Instead, think about how you can capitalize on them.

• Don’t bury your failures. Painful though it may be, it helps to think about what didn’t go so well, as well as celebrating the good things. Learn the right lessons, so you can turn last year’s setbacks into this year’s progress.

Update Your Goals

Put all this together and begin shaping your 2019 career goals.

• SMART goals still hold true. All your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound.
• Think about which resources you’ll need. It may be support from team members, your manager or other professional contacts or coaches. Research all of these and make them part of your plan.

At PrideStaff Modesto, we love helping people succeed – and we’d love to help you find and follow your desired career plan. Whether that means advancing in your current role or finding a new one in 2019, we can help you get there. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.