6 Ways to Blow Your Next Phone Screen

As one of Tempe’s leading employment agencies, PrideStaff knows that in today’s world, most employers require a phone screen before bringing you in for an interview. So how you can you go about making the best impression possible? Start by avoiding these common mistakes:

Being too casual.

Your phone screen is just as important as your in-person interview. If you don’t ace it, then you’re not going to move forward in the hiring process. So approach it seriously by ensuring you properly prepare ahead of time, just as you would if you were going into their office.

Not scheduling it at a good time.

When it comes to scheduling your phone interview, make sure it’s at a time when there won’t be distractions. A phone interview at 3 pm when your kids are just getting home from school isn’t ideal. Instead, make sure you set it up for a time that you’re going to be able to totally focus on the call and the hiring manager’s questions.

Thinking you won’t get asked hard-hitting questions.

When it comes to phone screens, anything goes. The hiring manager might keep their questions basic. Or they could dig deeper and ask you about your salary expectations and why they should hire you. So don’t assume anything when it comes to a phone screen; many times, they’re as rigorous as in-person interviews.

Pay attention to your tone of voice.

The hiring manager can’t read your body language. But they can hear your tone of voice. So it’s important to come off as confident and enthusiastic. If instead, your voice sounds bored, the hiring manager will wonder just how interested you are in the job.

Talking on the road.

You’re busy and want to multi-task. At the same time, it’s important to ensure that you don’t schedule your phone interview while you’re driving or trying to get other tasks done. First off, your connection won’t be totally reliable. Secondly, you won’t really be able to focus on the hiring manager’s questions, which will negatively impact your responses.

Not knowing the basics.

When it comes to your phone interview, hiring managers expect you to have done some homework ahead of time. So if you ask questions that are too basic, like “what is this job about?” or “what does the company do?,” hiring managers are going to assume you aren’t well prepared for the interview.

The bottom line? Just as you would with a face-to-face interview, make sure you treat a phone interview seriously and properly prepare ahead of time, all so you can perform your best.

Need more help finding out about job openings and companies hiring?

Call in the experts at PrideStaff. As one of Tempe’s leading employment agencies, we work with some of the top organizations in the area and can connect you with rewarding opportunities in a variety of fields. Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

How Can You Improve Your Interviewing Efficiency in 2018?

Hiring a new employee is a very important task you don’t want to rush through. However, dragging your feet puts a strain on your existing staffers and can cause you to miss out on your top choice.

The average time-to-hire in the U.S. is 23.8 days, according to a 2017 study conducted by Glassdoor Economic Research, so if yours exceeds this, it’s time to make a change. As one of the leading temporary employment agencies in Las Vegas, PrideStaff Las Vegas understands the importance of having an efficient interview process, so use these tips to make a few much-needed improvements.

Four Ways to Improve Interview Efficiency

Make Job Descriptions Clear

If candidates often come into the interview thinking the job is something it’s not, that’s on you. Ambiguous job titles and descriptions might sound creative, but they don’t accomplish anything beyond attracting the wrong candidates. Get the right crop of people onboard by using job titles and descriptions that accurately represent the position. This will allow the job to appear in online searches conducted by your target audience and ensure all candidates that appear on your doorstep know what the job is all about.

Take Advantage of Recruiting Software

Recruiting software is an investment, but if you choose the right product, it will pay itself back pretty quickly. Systems like video recruiting software allow you to interview long-distance candidates — or even local contenders, if you wish — in a quick and cost-effective manner. Applicant tracking systems make it easy to manage all stages of the hiring process, while keeping candidates in the loop.

Sync Up With Other Interviewers

Chances are, most candidates are interviewed by several people at your company, so take advantage of this chance to ask as many unique questions as possible. Before anyone interviews the person, get together, decide which questions to ask and divide them up. This ensures the person won’t be asked the same question multiple times, and allows you to get as much as possible from each interview.

Confer With Other Interviews Immediately

When interviewing multiple candidates, people start to blend together. This can make it hard to remember each person’s responses and how you felt about them, so don’t delay the group discussion. As soon as the candidate leaves the building, gather everyone who interviewed them and trade notes immediately. This ensures you won’t get the person confused with someone else or forget important details.

Find the Right Fit

Team up with PrideStaff Las Vegas to take the guesswork out of hiring. We’ll take care of the initial screening interviews, so all you’ll have to do is meet with top contenders and make your final pick. Contact us today to learn more!

The Importance of Using Networking in Your Job Search

According to recent research, the average American has more than 630 personal contacts. As a job hunter, you may have fewer, or more – and of course, not all of them will be relevant to your employment search. Be sure to find and maximize the potential of networking on the way to landing your dream job.

One study of more than 46,000 job seekers revealed that networking was 46 percent effective at helping them find employment. Other studies have placed this percentage at levels of 60 percent or higher. The secret to success lies in building relationships with contacts who might help generate information and leads.

Find the Hidden Jobs

Statistics show 80 percent of available jobs are never advertised. Instead, recruiters and hiring managers rely on networking to find and attract candidates.

Use Networking as a Reality Check

Professions and industries are always changing, possibly making your skills and qualifications obsolete. By staying in touch with contacts via networking, you’ll remain up to speed when it comes to your employability.

Benefit From a Support System

Job searching can be a long, arduous and sometimes discouraging process. To stay positive and weather the inevitable setbacks, you can commiserate with others in your network – and on the bright side, have people to celebrate with when you achieve success.

Be Proactive

Use all your relevant contacts and connections as you cast a wide net. It helps to assign yourself a quota, such as reaching out to four people a week via networking calls, emails or social media.

• Use social events to your advantage. At a party or other function, when appropriate, mention you are job hunting and what you do – or want to do. You never know when or where you might meet the right person to open a door for you.
• Go to industry events. You’ll find people with interests and goals similar to yours. If you’re shy or introverted, bring a friend to walk around with you. Job fairs sponsored by trade associations can also be very helpful. Ahead of time, research companies that you’d like to speak to, and spend time getting to know their representatives.
• Optimize social media. Ninety-seven percent of recruiters on LinkedIn use it to source job candidates. And, there are myriad groups in which you can engage to showcase your professional knowledge and meet new people. Visit various discussion boards, such as Indeed.com Jobs Forum, as well as your professional organization’s website.
• Go back to school. Maybe literally, if you want to take a course to update your skill set. But, remember to contact the career services office at your alma mater. Fellow alumni can be terrific assets to your job search.
• Set up informational interviews. Meet with contacts to learn more about their companies and what they do. As you build relationships, you can also ask for referrals. Follow through, and be sure to thank all your contacts in writing or via email.

At PrideStaff Modesto, we love helping people find great jobs via our vast market intelligence and client network. Read our related posts or contact one of our recruitment experts today, so we can tell you more.

What Employers Really Want to Know When They Ask 3 Common Interview Questions

As one of Phoenix’s leading employment agencies, PrideStaff knows when it comes to job interviews, there are certain questions almost every candidate gets. But what does the hiring manager really want to know when they’re asking them? Sometimes it can be tough to tell.

To help you in your next interview – so you can nail the answers – here’s a look at a few common questions and why hiring managers ask them:

What’s your biggest weakness?

Hiring managers ask this question for a couple of reasons. First off, they want to truly know about the areas where you struggle. If, for instance, you’re looking for a job as a bookkeeper and you say your biggest weakness is math, then they’re going to think twice about hiring you.

But beyond that, hiring managers are also looking for candidates who are self-aware and have a growth mindset. In other words, they want to know what your weaknesses are and what you’ve done to improve upon them.

Finally, they want people who are honest and willing to be candid. When you talk about your biggest weakness being the fact that you’re a perfectionist, that answer isn’t going to resonate with them and will sound phony. Instead, they’re looking for authentic answers that showcase you’re still a strong candidate despite your weaknesses.

Why are you leaving your current job, or why did you leave your last job?

At the end of the day, hiring managers don’t want to make a hiring mistake. Asking this question can help them gain insight into any troubles or challenges you experienced in your last position, or your current one. If, for instance, you start bashing your boss, then you’re going to raise the hiring manager’s red flags.

Also, asking this question gives the hiring manager peace of mind that you had a good reason for leaving your last job and that you left voluntarily. Likewise, it can showcase your work values. For example, if you left because you didn’t like the fact that you only got two weeks of vacation time, it’s going to communicate to the hiring manager what’s most important to you.

What makes you most interested in this job?

Hiring managers ask this question for a variety of reasons. They want to know that you did your homework and understand – at a high level – the basics of the job and the company. They also want to know what appeals to you most about the position to gauge whether you’re the right fit for it. Finally, employers want to hire candidates who are excited and enthusiastic about the opportunity.

Need more help with interviews or with your job search?

Call the experts at Pridestaff. As one of Phoenix’s leading employment agencies, we know what local employers look for in job candidates and can help you increase your odds of getting hired. Contact PrideStaff today to learn more.

Three Podcasts to Help Improve Your Motivation and Passion for Success

If you’re not listening to inspirational podcasts, it’s time to change that. Don’t worry, great advice doesn’t have to cost a dime. There’s plenty of free options out there, created by seriously successful individuals who worked their way to the top.

Whether you’re trying to become a temp in Vegas or are searching for full-time opportunities, listening to podcasts that will help you get motivated to reach your potential can change your life for the better. Add the following three podcasts to your playlist and get ready to ignite your passion for success.

“The School of Greatness”

Hosted by New York Times best-selling author, lifestyle entrepreneur and former pro athlete Lewis Howes, “The School of Greatness” podcast is designed to motivate. Topics run the gamut from business and inspiration to health and relationships, offering a well-rounded playbook that can help you be your best self. Howes’s regular lineup of celebrity guests have included everyone from Tony Robbins to Justin Bieber’s long-time manager Scooter Braun.

“Girl Boss Radio”

You don’t have to be female to get inspired by “Girl Boss Radio,” hosted by Nasty Gal founder and New York Times best-selling author Sophia Amoruso. Each episode features an interview with power women who aren’t afraid to push boundaries to get to the top — and you get to learn from them. Guests have included A-list names like Sarah Jessica Parker, actress and founder of the SJP shoe collection and Gwyneth Paltrow, who doubles as an actress and CEO of Goop, the lifestyle brand she founded.

“Achieve Your Goals”

Brought to you by Hal Elrod, a bestselling author and in-demand keynote speaker, the “Achieve Your Goals” podcast was established to help you realize your full potential. Anything but dull, Elrod combines humor with meaningful lessons in a manner that engages and entertains. The podcast frequently features expert interviews, allowing you to learn from experts who’ve been in your shows. Topics range from learning to face your fears and find your mission to using visualization to achieve your goals.

Don’t Let Anything Get in Your Way of Success

You’re a talented professional with a lot to offer any company, so allow PrideStaff Las Vegas to help you land the job you deserve. Contact us today to get in touch with leading Clark County area employers in need of temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire talent like you!

How Successful is Your Recruiting Process?

What’s the secret to great recruiting in today’s candidate-driven job market?

In order to land top talent, you need to make the most of your resources. This means optimizing the candidate experience, as well as measuring the effectiveness of your strategy.

Raise the Bar on Recruiting Etiquette

To ensure that you are consistently picking from the best candidates out there, make these adjustments to your hiring process as needed:

• Stay in touch. The importance of ongoing communication with candidates cannot be overemphasized. If you tell an individual you’ll be in touch by the end of the week, then do so, even if it’s only to let them know you need to extend your response until a specified future date. Reemphasize your interest in them as a prospective hire.
• Create an FAQ page on your careers site. This can be very helpful for candidates and for you. While keeping applicants informed, it also reduces the number of questions your staff will have to field. A few sample questions might be: “Will I receive a confirmation once I submit my application?” and “How long will it take before I can expect a call regarding an interview?”
• Proactively check in with previous candidates. If a person is not a fit for your immediate opening, they may be at some point in the future. Periodically reach out to them by emailing company newsletters and other updates, and make sure they are subscribers to your automated job alerts. Send top passive candidates a personal note every month or so to stay in touch.

Metrics to Watch

Identifying and reviewing key metrics is critical to the long-term success of your recruitment strategy. Review these measures regularly to ensure the speed and quality of your hiring process:

• Time to present and number of candidate slates. These two metrics are critical indicators of time-to-fill and hiring manager satisfaction. A general time to present target – the length of time between the opening of a job requisition and presentation of a qualified candidate slate – is 10 to 14 days. A slate is generally defined as three qualified candidates.
• Hiring manager feedback timeliness. Quick feedback from your managers regarding the quality of a submitted candidate slate should take about two days. Consider publishing a quarterly scorecard, by department, of time of feedback averages by manager. This may spark some healthy competition.
• Aging of requisitions. Generally, 10 to 20 percent of requisitions aged beyond 45 days is a reasonable expectation. Tracking this metric helps you to identify and solve small problems before they mushroom.
• Present-to-interview ratio. This is the ratio of candidates presented to a hiring manager to the number who are selected for interviews. Anything below 75 percent is cause for concern.
• Interview-to-offer ratio. This is a measure of how many candidates, on average, need to be interviewed before an offer is made. Ideally, the ratio should be no higher than 3:1.
• Offer acceptance rate. This is the percentage of offers that are accepted by candidates. The desired number varies based on type of position and industry. However, it usually ranges from 80 percent in more competitive areas to 95 percent in less competitive functions such as administrative roles.

Would you like to learn more about gauging and improving your recruiting process? Consider partnering with the talent management experts at PrideStaff Modesto. Read our related posts or contact us today, so we can tell you more.

Be a Better Leader With These 6 Tips From a CEO Coach

Good leaders believe they can always do more to improve – and the best leaders know they can. So if you want to improve your leadership skills, either to make others see you as one or to improve upon what you already do well, take some of these tips to heart.

1. Look for talent in all places. Some leaders overlook those not in their immediate sphere. If you want the full picture of your company’s capabilities and finding a new angle, ask someone in a different department who may well have another perspective you hadn’t considered. Think of it as the best possible way to cover all the angles.
2. Break away from your desk. Similarly to the concept above, a good leader has her ear to the ground and speak not only with those on her level but also those below and around her. Think of the TV show “Undercover Boss”: Often, the leader finds out what’s really going on by speaking to the employees who have to deal directly with the situation. So rather than leading from on high, talk with employees informally, have lunch with a co-worker, seek out opportunities to simply talk and listen. Those under you will appreciate it.
3. Stay open-minded to solutions. In fact, accept the fact that the root of problem may well lie somewhere you haven’t thought of. Make sure to get plenty of cross-talk across the company so you can gather all the information possible before making any decision.
4. Share with those around you. After you’ve talked to all of those other people to find out where a problem stems from, share those findings with your executive team and CEO–and make sure to give the credit to the people you spoke with, pointing out that you asked them questions that went beyond the norm because those “little people” often have the answers–and they should get the credit for helping find the answer as well.
5. Find ways to innovate. When you become the successful company who refuses to try something new because “that’s how we’ve always done it,” over time they’ll begin to plateau. On the one hand, don’t change what works. On the other, if you don’t continue to look at how to take what works and improve upon it, you may not find that same success down the road.
6. Embrace mistakes. The concept of perfection can get downright stressful, and refusing to acknowledge an error can cost you. So if you make a mistake, admit it, learn from it, and move on. This shows that even a leader gets it wrong sometimes but recognizing that will help you get it right next time and show those around you that making mistakes isn’t forbidden; it’s part of learning.

Notice that many of these methods for becoming a better leader have to do with communication. A true leader does so by example and by getting to know those he leads. To help find your next great employee, work with the leaders in the staffing industry, PrideStaff.

New Manager? Here’s How to Build Trust on Your Team

As one of Tempe’s leading staffing services, PrideStaff knows that being a new manager comes with loads of responsibilities you didn’t have before. The most important one? Building trust with your staff. Without it, they won’t respect you and you won’t be able to get the most from each one in terms of performance and productivity.

Building a foundation of trust won’t happen overnight – and it can be tough to know where to begin. To help you along the way, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Take a collaborative approach.

You’re the leader and your employees are your staff. However, you’re still all part of the same team, which is why it’s important to make your people feel like you’re in this together. For instance, when you’re faced with a problem, present it to your people and work together to find a solution. In general, be sure to promote an open dialogue, encourage idea sharing, and listen actively to concerns and challenges.

Don’t pretend you have all the answers.

As a new manager, you’re in a somewhat vulnerable state. You’re trying to maintain and improve productivity, while at the same time learning the ropes of a new job. It’s a stressful position to be in, which is why it’s important to convey to your employees that you’re dealing with a learning curve and that you’ll likely make some mistakes along the way. When you’re honest and authentic with your team in this way, then they’ll be far more comfortable with you.

Be transparent with problems.

Don’t try to sweep things under the rug and pretend everything is ok. Instead, when an issue arises, be transparent about it. Bring it up with your staff, talk about it and share your own perspective, as well as your thoughts on handling it. Then invite others to do the same. When you manage issues this way, you’ll create a sense of camaraderie and collaboration. This, in turn, will produce more unity and a more supportive environment.

Give credit to others.

One of the best ways to build trust on your team is to step back and let your employees take the spotlight and the credit. When you do, you’ll show your respect, as well as your appreciation. This, in turn, will empower and motivate them to continue working hard.

Create room for disagreement.

There will be times when you disagree with an employee on how to handle a certain situation. But don’t automatically shut them down because you’re the boss. Disagreement and debate should be welcomed, not deterred. It’s only then that your employees will feel that you respect their opinions, building trust in the process.

When it comes to building trust on your team, it takes time. But you can be well on your way by following the tips above.

If one area you need help with as a new manager involves hiring, turn to the experts at PrideStaff. As one of Tempe’s leading staffing services, we can assist with services ranging from direct hire and temporary staffing to creating a strategic plan to ensure you’re always optimally staffed. Contact PrideStaff today to learn more.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Apply for a Job in Akron?

You may have heard about the best time of year or even day of the week to apply for a job – but did you know you can apply at a certain time of day to get the edge as well? The employment platform TalentWorks did some research to see if time of day corresponded to whether the 1600 applicants got an interview or not. To put it simply, it certainly did.

So, what’s the best time of day to apply?

• Those who sent in application between the hours of 6am and 10am had a 13% higher chance of snagging an interview than at any other time of day.
• Aside from a brief rise after lunch, around 12:30, the odds dropped 10% every half hour.
• Any application sent at 7:30pm had a scant 3% chance of getting an interview.

Why the bias against later applications?

Here the science changes into educated guesses and inferences. Hiring managers may have the unconscious bias that those who send applications off early in the morning tend to be better candidates than those who wait the entire day – it may skew toward their motivation (or lack thereof). One theory from a 2011 Princeton study theorizes that people tend to respond more favorably after a coffee break. We all have inherent biases; the “early bird” theory is apparently another.

So if you want to catch that worm, send in your application right away – perhaps even before your own mid-morning coffee break. To present the best version of your resume and application, work with PrideStaff.

Resume Round-Up (Part 2): Improve Your Objective Statement With THESE Tips

Your resume is the first impression you make on a potential employer, and your objective statement sits right at the top. If it doesn’t make a splash, the reader might toss your application to the side before even reading the rest.

Whether you want to be a temp in Las Vegas or have your sites set on a full-time opportunity, careful thought is required for every word on your resume. Objective statements are typically used for those new to the workforce or trying to change careers, so make sure yours sends the message that you’re worth taking a chance on.

Four Tips to Improve Your Objective Statement

Tailor It to the Job

Hiring managers can spot a generic objective statement a mile away. From their perspective, if you can’t be bothered to write a unique statement for the job, you probably don’t want it very badly. Carefully review the job description and the company’s online presence to come up with a statement that explains why this specific job and this specific company caught your eye.

Focus on the Company

You want this job to give your career a boost, but the hiring manager isn’t interested in that. Instead, they’re concerned with what you can bring to the job, so highlight the value you can offer the organization.

Be Specific

As noted above, a vague objective statement will get you nowhere. Clearly emphasize your relevant skills and experience, so there’s no question that you want this job and you’re qualified for it. Make sure the statement wouldn’t be relevant if it was copied and pasted onto a resume for another opportunity.

Get to the Point

You have the rest of your resume to introduce yourself to the reader, so keep your objective statement short and sweet. Anything longer than one sentence is too much.

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Ready to find a fulfilling new job? PrideStaff Las Vegas has connections with many top local employers, and we want to use them to help you get ahead. Contact us today to start your search for a career-boosting temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire opportunity!