Networking Your Way into a Perfect Position

You’ve heard the expression, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know” in terms of getting ahead just about anywhere. Some people may scoff at this: If a place doesn’t hire you because of your credentials and hard work, and hires instead on who you know, what sort of dynamic does that create? But when trying to find a job, you should use all possible tools at your disposal – and networking remains one of the most valuable.

Networking doesn’t necessarily mean a company hires the boss’ nephew over a more qualified candidate; it has to do with putting together a group of people who know you professionally and can vouch for your skill set and work ethic. It also has to do with connecting with professionals who have similar interests and can help you meet others in your field. Consider this: The professional networking site LinkedIn went from a fledgling company in 2003 with 1186 members to having 300,000,000 members as of May 2014, with people all over the world using it to make connections. Another number to consider: Up to 80 percent of today’s jobs are landed through networking. When one job opening receives anywhere from 20 to 300 resumes, it helps to have someone separate your resume from the pile.

A few ways to network:

Online

As stated above, a site such as LinkedIn can be invaluable for making connections. It’s not just about collecting contacts, either — look for groups to join on the site that focus on alumni networking, your chosen industry, or local business partnerships. Even without a prime membership you can see who you’re connected to on a “2nd” level (meaning you have a connection in common) and ask your mutual connection to introduce you. Follow the Twitter site of a company where you want to work and respond to their tweets or retweet them. See what groups online allow you to “Introduce yourself” and reach out to others that way.

Local Networking Events

If you look around in your field or a field you want to work in, many places will have job fairs or social events, often even free or for a small fee. Use your newspaper, LinkedIn groups, websites for local industry news, local business partnerships, or industry-themed clubs that host gatherings. You get the chance to meet others face-to-face, making a lasting (and positive) impression and having plenty of business cards to pass along. A networking happy hour, for example, gives you the chance to meet with others and talk a combination of business and pleasure, and you never know what key contact you may make that will come up later.

Alumni/Professional Associations

Does your high school or college have an alumni network? Make sure to use it. When you get the newsletter, look through it to see what networking events they have — often colleges will have Young Alumni or career-themed events where you can meet other alumni who may help give you a hand in terms of advice or connecting you with someone who may help you later on. The same goes for professional associations such as a Lions Club or one based on your chosen industry — and many of those have national memberships that can help you all over the country.

These are just a few ways to network. A networking connection may help you get your foot in the door, but it’s up to you as to whether you get to step through. Your job performance and the way you conduct your professional relationships will make networking successful for you.

When You Don’t Agree With Your Boss’s Feedback

You’re in the midst of a performance review. You expect high marks. Your boss gives you low grades. You know you’ve achieved work goals and met deadlines. How can you disagree with your boss in a way that doesn’t come across as disrespectful? Here are a few key tips from one of the top employment agencies in Tempe, PrideStaff:

Keep an open mind and ask questions.
When your boss criticizes you, don’t automatically go on the defensive and get emotional. Really listen to what it is they’re saying and then ask questions to ensure you understand. Be honest with yourself. Sometimes, the truth can hurt. But if your boss points out a weakness – one you know to be true – look at the situation as an opportunity for improvement, rather than a reflection of your overall performance.

Consider the facts.
Make sure your boss is basing their judgment on all the facts. For instance, if they’re upset that it took you too long to complete a certain project – but you had to wait on certain colleagues to get their portions done – make sure your boss has a full understanding of the situation. Doing so will help ensure you’re both on the same page.

Clarify why you disagree.
If your boss gives you negative feedback in a certain area, but you disagree, explain clearly why. Keep the emotion out of your argument and just stick to the facts. Clarify your perspective and why it is you disagree with your boss. For instance, if your boss doesn’t think you’re producing reports quickly enough – but your lack of progress is due to IT snafus that you have no control over – explain that to your boss. They may not be aware of the situation.

Give your boss the last call.
It might be a hard pill to swallow, but at the end of the day, your boss is still your boss. If they want you to make a change in how you do things, or improve in a certain area, then you need to decide whether you’re willing to implement their feedback…or ready to look for a new opportunity.

If it’s the latter, and you’d like professional help finding a new job, let PrideStaff know.

As one of the leading employment agencies in Tempe, we can connect you with terrific job opportunities often not advertised. Find out more! Contact us today.

Are You Making These Five Interview Mistakes?

In this day and age with the dozens (sometimes hundreds) of applications sent in for just one position, earning an interview means you’ve gotten yourself out of the pile and into the next round for a position, often as a finalist. As such, you need to take the interview seriously and avoid making certain mistakes that will get your name crossed off the list in indelible ink:

Arriving Late and not being Professionally Dressed

Both of these send a message that the candidate lacks respect for the interviewer’s time, the position, the company, or themselves. Never use the excuse of bad traffic for being late — this tells an employer that you don’t plan ahead. If circumstances such as a major accident have you stuck in unmoving traffic, have the phone number handy so you can call, apologize, and ask to reschedule. Make sure that you get there five to ten minutes early. It sends a signal that you take the interview seriously.

As for attire, dress professionally even if the facilityemployees tend to wear casual clothing. It is always better to be over dressed than underdressed. Suits for men and women are always a safe bet. When in doubt, call the office ahead of time to see what they suggest. They will also appreciate your proactive approach to be prepared.

Badmouth Your Former Employers

No matter why you left/want to leave your job, absolutely do not point fingers at anyone, even if you feel justified in doing so. This gives off a “sour grapes” attitude that may make an employer think you have trouble taking responsibility for your own actions or have difficulties getting along with others. Keep it factual and say something about how you would create a more positive situation, given the chance to do it over. And consider this: Your future employer may well know the boss you’ve just ranted about through mutual contacts or business.

Have your PHONE ON

Leaving your phone on will also get your name crossed off the list quickly. It’s one mistake that ranks as virtually inexcusable because you can avoid it so easily. It gives the impression that you haven’t made this interview a priority and that you lack preparation skills or attention to detail. Either leave it in your car or turn it off completely before you enter the building. Also, make sure you are not on your phone while waiting outside of your interview room. If your interview sees you on your phone when they come to retrieve you, it may paint a picture that you are not fully present and focused on the interview.

Not Coming in Prepared

Before you go on an interview, you should practice common interview questions with someone and look up information regarding the company. You’ll want to come across as confident and knowledgeable Fumbling an answer to a basic interview question makes you look unprepared and disorganized.

As for researching the company, use their website and social media accounts. See if they’ve been written mentioned in any recent news publications or if you have any contacts at the company, ask if the can provide any information that might be helpful. Readily discussing the company sends the signal that you’ve taken the time and effort to learn about them and have a serious interest in working there.

Not engaging fully in the interview

Stay focused during the interview — it looks bad if you have to ask an interviewer to repeat a question or you lose your train of thought while speaking. Talking endlessly to answer a question can make you sound long-winded or unfocused as well; respond only to what’s asked, and keep it to the point. Have questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview that indicate your desire to know more about the position and the company — this demonstrates preparation on your part, and a well-thought out question can impress an interviewer as much as any response you give.

If you take these tips to heart, you’ll avoid making interview blunders that can potentially cost you a job. For more tips on how to ace an interview, go to www.pridestaff.com/akron for help.

Is Your Workplace the Healthiest It Can Be?

A recent Harvard Business Review study defined workplace wellness as “an organized, employer-sponsored program that is designed to support employees – and sometimes, their families – as they adopt and sustain behaviors that reduce health risk, improve quality of life, enhance personal effectiveness, and benefit the organization’s bottom line.”

Employers who offer forward-thinking wellness programs not only have healthier workforces, but they also reap the financial benefits. In the words of Jeff Klein, author of Working for Good: Making a Difference While Making a Living, “when you take care of people, it works.” He noted that, “when people feel cared about, they come alive. And that makes workers more engaged and more productive, and it becomes a virtuous – and prosperous – cycle.”

How can you make your workplace the healthiest it can be?

Improve Happiness
In a world of continually skyrocketing healthcare costs and increasingly exhausted workers, businesses are adopting wellness programs that pay closer attention not only to employees’ physical health, but also to their overall sense of well-being. And it pays off for everyone.

Job-related stress costs U.S. industry more than $300 billion a year in terms of absenteeism, turnover, diminished productivity and medical, legal and insurance expenses. According to the American Psychological Association, 52 percent of Americans have cited workplace stress as a significant factor in deciding to quit a job or decline a promotion.
For every dollar invested in a comprehensive wellness programs, companies saved $3.27 in medical costs and $2.73 in costs related to absenteeism. One Nebraska manufacturing company lowered health insurance premiums to non-tobacco users as one aspect of its wellness program. During the next few years, the employer saw an 11 percent reduction in the percentage of employees who smoked – and achieved a 50 percent savings in insurance costs per worker compared to the regional average.

Increasing workplace health starts with creating a positive culture and environment. Cornell University has coined the term “presenteeism,” which is the opposite of absenteeism as it defines individuals who work beyond the time needed or possible for effective performance. Approximately 60 percent of your total cost of worker illness may be the result of this phenomenon.

Showing up at work ill or tired happens to everyone at some point, but it’s especially prominent among lower-wage employees who are less likely to accrue sick time. Their productivity plummets and while at work, they negatively affect the health, morale and performance of others. When it comes to autonomy and benefits such as time paid off, be smart – but don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Autonomy incites people to work more effectively because they feel trusted to get the job done.

A Wellness Culture
To help sustain healthy behavior, create a wellness culture. Investing in your human capital not only addresses the health of your employees, but of your business as well. Here are just a few ideas:

Promote physical activity. Encourage walking programs, add an on-site fitness facility or offer discounted gym memberships.
Serve healthy food and provide nutrition information. Do this in your cafeteria and vending machines, and provide reusable lunch bags, water coolers and bottles.
Make workstations ergonomic. Modify the placement of keyboards and other equipment and check the quality of lighting.

It’s like using that pedometer in your pocket … You’d be surprised how the little steps add up to big improvements. To learn more about enhancing your workforce for optimal success and productivity, read our related posts or contact the experienced recruiters at PrideStaff Modesto today.

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Eliminating Boss Mentality: Becoming a Leader

As someone in charge of others, you have enormous responsibility. You want to take charge in such a way that you get the most out of your employees by being firm but fair. Respected but not necessarily feared. Here are some tips to rid your self of the stereotypical “boss” mentality and become known as a respected leader instead:

Work with your employees.

A typical boss gives orders and delegates but doesn’t always work alongside his or her employees to recognize their needs. The superior who leads his/her workers does so by listening to their needs and creating goals together, then supervising to make sure those goals are met. A good leader also knows their team well enough to understand how best to motivate them, making adjustments as required.

Lead by example.

A boss’ mentality demands respect rather than earning – often alienates their employees. A leader commands respect by example. Their actions earn the respect of those around. A leader is not averse to working right alongside employees if necessary to get the job done, including staying late with everyone else.

Teach and learn.

A quality leader shares their knowledge with employees, contributing to their growth as professionals. He or she stays on top of trends and innovations in the industry and shows employees how they can use that knowledge in their work. Leaders also recognizes that they can learn from employees as well – appreciating that while he or she may have a higher rank, that doesn’t mean they can’ learn from their employees.

Motivate, don’t scare.

The “Big Boss” leads by fear – criticizing when employees don’t meettheir standards rather than encouraging employees to do well. The person in change will get more out of hisor her employees if they build loyalty and earned respect, not by intimidation. A leader has clear goals and gives her/her staff the support and motivation they need to succeed. They recognizes, for example, that giving benefits such as a flexible work schedule or bonuses for hard work generate loyalty and work ethic that bring a team together.

As you figure out your own style, focus on being a leader rather than a boss — it will benefit you, your employees, and your company in the long run. For advice on how to best accomplish this, visit the qualified staff at PrideStaff – Akron today!

Attract Top Talent With Voluntary Benefits

As the economy continues to recover, many companies are facing the same old challenge – how to recruit and retain top talent. As more jobs open up, hiring managers must find ways for their opportunities to stand out among the competition. As a leading staffing services firm in Phoenix, PrideStaff can tell you one way to do that is by offering employees voluntary benefits.

What are voluntary benefits?

Voluntary benefits are those insurance products an employee may choose to opt into and pay for personally at a rate lower than one they could get on their own. As a result, employers can offer employees a more enticing benefits package, without adding to their overhead. Each employee can simply pick and choose which benefits work best for them.

Examples of voluntary benefits:

Dental Coverage
Disability Coverage (short and long-term)
Critical Illness Coverage (for illnesses like cancer, strokes, heart attacks, organ transplants, or kidney failure)
Long Term Care Insurance
Vision Coverage
Legal Counseling (for matters such as wills, real estate transactions, and traffic issues)
Financial Education, such as access to credit counselors

Some pros of offering voluntary benefits to employees include:

Reduce costs associated with employee absences. For example, some disability insurance policies offer return-to-work programs that can help facilitate an employee’s reentry into the workplace.
Help combat rising benefits costs. Voluntary benefits can give companies more flexibility in managing the rising cost of health care.
Reduce employee stress associated with finances. PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ Financial Wellness Survey in 2011 found 61% of employees find dealing with their financial situation stressful. One source of concern is the gap in their risk-protection plans, such as life insurance. Voluntary benefits can help employees close gaps in coverage at little or no cost to employers.
Increase employee loyalty. Benefits are a strong driver for enhanced employee loyalty. In fact, according to a MetLife employee benefit trend study, nearly 60% of employees consider voluntary benefits to have a very important correlation to their loyalty to their employer.

Voluntary benefits are a win-win for both your company and your employees. With these benefits, you’re helping employees protect their health, their savings, and their families, without impacting your budget.

Need more help attracting top talent to your team? Call PrideStaff. As one of the top staffing services firms in Phoenix, our expert team of specialists can help you recruit and hire the skilled employees your business needs to keep it innovating and growing. We’re just a click away! Contact us today.

A Big Job Fair is Coming Up. Are You Prepared?

Job fairs may seem a bit passé in today’s world, but they’re far from dead and they’re definitely not useless. They can be a valuable opportunity to stand out in person and interact with employers in a way you simply cannot do when you apply for a job online. This face-to-face dialogue is critical to your job search strategy. Many employers place a great deal of stock in it because they only want to hire people who will make a good impression on their clients and customers.

Reasons to Attend
In addition to making that critical positive first impression, there are numerous advantages to attending job and career fairs.

Learn more about prospective employers. For instance, meet people and ask them questions to get a better idea what it’s like to work for an organization. Prepare those questions in advance and be sure not to ask anything that you could learn from the company’s website, which you should have read ahead of time. You may want to ask what kind of person is being sought for a particular position, which specific skills are required, and what a person likes best about working there. Employers want candidates who are proactive, thoughtful and can listen well.
Show what you know. Demonstrate that you’ve done your homework and researched organizations in advance of meeting with them. For instance, you might note that “I read about Project ABC on your website. Is your department involved in it?” They’ll be impressed that you took the initiative to learn about their mission, vision, purpose and clientele.

Be Prepared
With a few simple steps, you can be well prepared to have the “wow” factor needed so that employers remember your visit to their job fair booth in a positive light.

Have copies of your resume ready. Even if you’ve already submitted it online, an employer may want to glance at a hard copy of your resume as they speak with you. If you’re looking for more than one type of position, have versions of your resume tailored to each one. At the same time, don’t be surprised if some employers refuse to accept resumes. This is done to comply with federal regulations regarding the way they maintain and manage data.
Dress for success. Employers notice every detail. Dress neatly, conservatively and professionally. Do a final check for wrinkles, scuffs or spinach from lunch in your teeth.
Have a plan for the day. Make “A” and “B” lists of employers you most want to visit. You may not have time to see them all so you need to know which ones are your priority based on your skills and interests.
Prepare a 20 to 30-second introduction. You don’t want to sound like you’ve memorized a script, but you do want to sound like you’ve thought about why you’re there. For instance, “Hello, I’m Jane Doe. I’m interested in the public relations opportunities available at (name of company). I’ve been in the field for about four years and I’m exploring options for my next career step.”

Above all, be flexible and open to opportunities that may arise – and incorporate job fairs as one of the key tactics in your career search toolbox. For additional strategic resources, contact the recruitment professionals at PrideStaff Modesto today.

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Your Interview Should be Exploratory. Come Prepared!

Exploratory interviews are often for informational purposes for the interviewer and the interviewee. Typically, the employer wants to find out more about the candidate and if that candidate might fit into an organization. Some companies will be willing to grant an exploratory interview even if there are no positions available.

Susan Adams of Forbes writes that information interviews can also take the form of business introductions or meetings. A chat over coffee with a contact in a company may lead to a referral and a potential job, and any business meeting is an example of networking. Because there may be no specific position identified, it is important that the job seeker deliver the best impression possible and show knowledge about the overall company operations.

Unless the employer has identified a particular position, it is better not to target a specific role within the company. Highlight your skills and experience broadly to maximize any opportunities. However, if the employer has a particular role in mind, speak to that role specifically because the conversation is no longer simply exploratory.
A high level of interest in the company can be exhibited by asking questions about the company and future hiring opportunities. Prepare suitable questions beforehand. Adams recommends trying to identify where the company has needs and how you might meet those needs.
A formal thank you letter should be sent to all of the people that you meet ideally within 24 hours. A written letter is appropriate because an informational interview is considered a courtesy. Include your business card so that the interviewers can keep in touch with you. Maintain contact yourself via social media such as LinkedIn.

Following an exploratory interview you may be invited to interview for a specific position. This is the time to focus on how your skills can be applied in a particular context. Ensure that you fully understand the role and limit your appropriateness for other roles. Use the information that you gathered initially to highlight your suitability and what you can offer the company.

Looking for Additional Job-Search Resources?

Contact a PrideStaff Las Vegas recruitment professional to learn of temporary and regular vacancies. We can arrange exploratory interviews with firms more likely to want to hire someone with your particular skillset.

Building Brand Loyalty through Positive Customer Service

Social media is a major driver in marketing success. The opinions of customers who have direct contact with your company matter. Anand Subramanian of Harvard Business Review writes that branding efforts often overlook the key component of customer service.

A company may develop a brand idea that includes a logo, slogan, an advertising campaign, even celebrity endorsement, but fail to address customer service.

4 Ways to Ensure Your Customer Service Translates to Customer Loyalty

Identify your customer touch points and differentiate your service. You might offer customers a coupon if they draw an issue to your attention, or you might offer free returns with no questions asked. Provide a service that exceeds that of your competitors. The quality of the buying experience can often be the deciding factor in customer purchase decisions.
Maintain relationships with your buyers. Provide post-purchase benefits. For example, if your product is a mechanical one, offer a guarantee and a periodic check or service. Contact your old customers and inform them of new products and sales. Target your communications according to demographics. If you sell gardening or landscaping services, target the wealthier homeowner.
Inform your customers. Provide information on your website that is easily accessible to existing and potential customers. Many shoppers investigate products and companies on the internet before making a purchase decision. Effective and useful product and service information may win them over.
Train your staff to ensure consistent, brand-oriented services. Ensure that your brand is aligned from supplier to the end customer contact point. TMI, global branding specialists, recommend aligning all company functions – marketing, customer service, sales, operations, and human resources to your brand and your business strategy. Treat your suppliers the same as you would a customer, and train your staff in communicating with various stakeholders.

Motivate staff to provide exemplary service by providing incentives and including them in corporate decisions. Ask them for feedback regularly to determine customer service problems or areas that could be improved. The human touch is still preferred. Contact a PrideStaff Las Vegas employment expert to find trained staff that can quickly learn your brand and provide the quality service your customers demand.

How to Search Social Media for the Right Job Candidate

Last year, Forbes named 2013 The Year of Social HR – underlining the necessity of making online networking an integral part of your recruiting strategy. Social media has revolutionized the way people communicate and how organizations and workplaces operate. Candidate sourcing, hiring and retention are no exception.

89 percent of companies use social media for recruiting, up from 83 percent a year ago.
Last year, 14.4 million people used social media to find a job.
Social recruitment leads to cost reductions of at least 30 percent.

As noted by one industry expert, “social recruitment is the ultimate levelling of the playing field. It allows small companies and large companies alike to go head to head on employer brand, despite budget differences.”

Social media provides:

Broader and more targeted reach for your job postings.
Continuous communication with your talent pool.
Proactive searches.

Having a robust, well-strategized online presence means you can communicate exactly what you’re seeking in candidates, this optimizing efficiency and minimizing costs.

How to Make It Happen
To optimize social media as a recruitment tool, go where the candidates are. Determine where the applicants you want are sharing their information, focusing both on the larger, more well-known sites like LinkedIn and industry-specific platforms and blogs.

Engage your current workforce. When building your online candidate network, start with your most invested resource: your current employees. Make everyone – or at least all of your top performers – a recruiter. Internal recommendations are a great way to find the best talent. Encourage them to broadcast job openings in their LinkedIn and Facebook status updates. This expands your reach to candidates not directly connected to your company. Don’t forget to offer referral bonuses as warranted.
Strategically use LinkedIn. Keep your company and personal pages current. Build your network by connecting with current and former colleagues. LinkedIn enables you to cultivate relationships with passive and industry-specific candidates before you need to hire them.
Strive for quality versus quantity. Continuously grow your network, but keep your strategic goals in mind. Build a network of professionals who are both qualified and interested in working for you today and in the future. Social media is a two-way street. You’re seeking great candidates and top talent is looking for their dream job. Provide job seekers with an accurate, attractive view of your organization and why they’d want to work there.

Ready or not, here it is. Social media is the wave of the present and the key to the future. So embrace it and use it to your ongoing advantage. To learn more about successful social media and related recruitment techniques, read our related posts or contact the experienced recruiters at PrideStaff Modesto today.