Is a Pay Cut Worth A “Better” Job?

Career change often means accepting a lower salary as you gain experience in a new area of expertise. Forbes reported on a recent survey by the talent acquisition firm Mom Corp that found that 45 percent of individuals would relinquish a percentage of their salary for more flexibility at work. The benefits of a more desirable job can include less stress, improved work-life balance, and a general sense of well-being. A lower salary could be worthwhile, especially if the long-term outlook is positive. Here are some factors that can help you when weighing a pay cut:

If you are switching industries, the new skills that you will learn may be worth the temporary loss in income. It is unreasonable to expect a high salary when you are inexperienced in your new role, but the long-term outlook could be bright.
Consider factors other than salary. Try negotiating other benefits such as more vacation, a signing bonus, annual performance increases, or tuition reimbursement. Similarly, a job closer to home may save on gas expenses, or a move to a new city may mean a lower cost of living.
Sometimes a new job offer is your dream job, it just falls short in terms of pay. Taking the job, however, can mean leaving a miserable one. You are more likely to learn and grow in a role where you are engaged and enthusiastic. In a few years you could exceed your expectations in terms of personal growth and salary.
Have you hit the ceiling and there is no room for advancement? Then it is time to look for other opportunities. A short-term pay cut can be an investment in a long-term career plan.
Freelancing or becoming self-employed takes courage and risk. A pay cut is necessary until your business gets off the ground; however, you may find that you need to work fewer hours to earn the same salary once you are established.

A pay cut makes sense in many situations. It is important to weigh your options and decide if it is right for you. If the prospect of a new opportunity excites you, consider adapting your budget so that your finances can withstand the temporary change. If, however, a pay cut demotivates you, think again.

PrideStaff Las Vegas is one of the leading staffing agencies serving the area. Contact us today to find out how a partnership with us can impact your job search.

How to Build a Memorable Employer Brand on LinkedIn

When candidates are looking for jobs or researching employers, where do they turn first? In many cases, it’s to LinkedIn. And if you’re looking to hire, what will a candidate find about you?

To ensure you’re putting your best foot forward – and building a memorable employer brand on LinkedIn – here are some tips to consider:

Create a Career Page
This sounds like a no brainer. But as a leading Phoenix staffing services firm, PrideStaff knows that most employers create company profile pages and call it a day. But with LinkedIn, you can add subpages to your profile – and one of these pages should be a career page.

As a hub of communication with candidates, your career page should showcase who you are as a company, why someone would want to work for you and what job openings you’re offering. Use employee testimonials, videos and banners to tell your story. Also, keep your candidate network informed by inviting them to follow your company on LinkedIn.

Promote Your Most Relevant Job Openings
Millions of active and passive job candidates are on LinkedIn each day and every opening you post is a chance to show off your brand. When you do post jobs, be sure to keep it simple – a clear title; concise details about the position; and information about the unique aspects of working at your company. You can even use tools like Sponsored Jobs to promote mission critical job openings.

Use Targeted Status Updates
Originally, hiring managers couldn’t tailor their content to key talent pools. Instead, candidates in different job functions, fields and locations all received the same exact content. Now, with targeted status updates, you can provide content that is both relevant and personalized to interested professionals.

Measure Your Efforts
You can measure the strength of your employer brand using an index calculated from billions of LinkedIn interactions. You can compare the number of people familiar with your employer brand versus those who are proactively showing interest in your company and your job offerings. You can also benchmark your employer brand against your peers and track changes over time to measure the impact of your branding efforts.

Get Your Employees to be Brand Ambassadors
Are your employees proud to work for your company? Then ask them to show it. Educate them about why it’s important to have a strong employer brand and how they can go about helping you build one by sharing their own unique and positive stories on social media.

For more on attracting great candidates, read our article that offers easy tips on mobile recruiting. If you’d like additional help with your recruiting efforts, give PrideStaff a call. As a leading Phoenix staffing services firm, we can take the hassle out of the hiring process for you.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

Finding and Hiring Hardworking Millennials

Millennials are defined as the generation that reached young adulthood around the year 2000. In an article dated September 2012, Upstart Business Journal suggests that this generation will make up approximately 75 percent of the workforce in the next 10 years. Hiring companies can benefit from an understanding of this new generation of workers. Such insight can ensure finding the best talent from this segment and provide ways to keep them engaged and motivated in their jobs.

Also referred to as Generation Y-ers, millennials possess distinct motivations, career goals, and work styles. According to a recent survey conducted by the University of North Carolina, 70 percent of millennials are planning to change jobs once the economy improves, and 45 percent are confident that they will find another job. Hiring companies may find formidable competition in attracting “master” millennials.

To motivate the millennial, on the spot feedback and recognition is preferred by 80 percent, according to the University of North Carolina. Offer a performance system that provides ongoing feedback as opposed to the traditional annual or bi-annual appraisal process. Immediate feedback facilitates immediate learning and the application of that knowledge to current tasks. Ongoing feedback represents a constant opportunity for ongoing development.
Meaningful work is preferred over higher compensation by 65 percent of millennials. Personal development is considered the most influential factor affecting their current job attitudes. Provide engaging tasks for the millennial and consider a rotating workforce that can learn a variety of business roles rather than the one role that an individual is hired for.
Employ social media platforms as communication tools within your organization. Freedom in the use of social media is important to one in three millennials and it can be an effective, real time communication tool that promotes cross functional teamwork.

To encourage collaboration among generations in the workplace, take some advice from Google. According to Upstart Business Journal, Google found that millennials who aced interviews did not necessarily possess a corresponding ability to learn on the job. Google is encouraging older generation workers to team with Generation Yers so that the two groups can learn skills from the other.

Pride Staff takes time to understand the dynamics and culture of your organization. We ensure that the best talent is hired and that mutual goals can be achieved by the employee and the hiring company. Have additional questions? Pick up the phone and give us a call today. We look forward to speaking with you!

Social Media: Are Your Hurting your Hiring Potential?

There’s a reason it’s called social media. Your postings on Facebook, LinkedIn, twitter and other online outlets are far from private. By their very nature, they’re easily searchable – and to a certain extent, you are what the Internet says about you.

CareerBuilder recently reported that at least 40 percent of companies use social networking sites to research job candidates. And a New York Times article noted that 75 percent of recruiters are required to do on-line candidate research – and 70 percent have rejected individuals as a result.

Social Media Background Checks
An increasing number of companies have added social media background checks to their candidate screening criteria. In fact, one company – Social Intelligence – focuses exclusively on these checks to assist employers with their hiring processes. Their reports show not only accolades, achievements and honors, but also any questionable activity on the part of a prospective employee.

Interestingly, Social Intelligence told the Times that less than one-third of damaging on-line information comes from popular platforms such as Facebook or twitter. Much more is found during deep Web searches that lead to smaller sites like tumblr or to Yahoo user groups, e-commerce sites and bulletin boards.

Clean Up Your Image
Here are steps you can take to create a positive on-line image:

Do a self-Google search. You may be surprised at what you find. List any questionable photos, comments, emails or information, along with where you found it, for future reference. Once you’ve surveyed it all, take action on each item.
Change your privacy settings, so only close friends and family can view your personal information.
Create a limited access list for people you don’t know well – or at all. This is a good place for coworkers or potential employers who have sent you friend requests and put you in the awkward position of either declining (and offending them) or accepting (and putting your personal life on display).
Reevaluate your friends. Go through your friends list and see who either shouldn’t be there or should be moved to your limited access list.
Edit your photos, not just on Facebook, but even in on-line photo albums. Remove any that are questionable. If you don’t own the photos, un-tag yourself and ask the person who posted them to take them down.
Self-censor. Remove and refrain from status posts or comments that may be construed as racist, sexist, culturally insensitive. Similarly, reevaluate your groups and remove yourself from any that could be considered offensive.

On a Positive Note
Take online action to make yourself more appealing to potential employers – and highlight your best features. Avoid being negative or bad mouthing anyone, including former employers. Share positive thoughts and activities, such as running a 5K charity race or doing community volunteer work.

Everything posted on line – by or about you – helps define who you are as a person and potential employee. It’s your Internet calling card, so make it work in your favor.

For additional career building tips and guidelines, read our related posts or contact the expert team at PrideStaff Modesto. We’re here to help!

Is it Ever OK to Lie in Your Job Search?

As a career professional, you probably know that you should be honest during the job search process. After all, one “little white lie” can derail your chances of landing a great job, right?

Well, that’s not always the case.

In fact, as one of the leading employment agencies in Tempe, PrideStaff knows there are certain situations in which you should fudge the truth in order to put your best foot forward.

Here’s an example:

You’re searching for a new job because, quite simply, you can’t stand your current boss. He’s mean, disrespectful, takes credit for work he didn’t do, and is clueless when it comes to leading a team. You know it’s time to move on and find a new opportunity.

All that said, when a hiring manager asks you in an interview, “Why are you leaving your current position?,” it’s not a good idea to answer with: “Because I can’t stand my boss.”

Even though that’s the plain and simple truth of the matter, the hiring manager doesn’t know you, your boss or the situation. So if you give a negative answer – like the one above – the hiring manager will likely assume you’re simply failing on the job or have a bad attitude.

Either way, it doesn’t look good for you.

So what should you say instead of bashing your boss? Something like the following:

There wasn’t opportunity for growth. I’ve learned all I can and I’m ready to move forward in my career with a new opportunity.

Another instance where you may consider altering the truth is if your job title does not match what you really do. In other words, if your job title is vague or unique to your company, then reword it so your responsibilities are clear to a hiring manager.

For instance, if your job title is “chief rainmaking officer” and your job is to bring in new clients and make money for your company, then a title like “chief business development officer” is going to be more straightforward.

While the above are examples of when it’s OK to spin the truth, in most job search situations, honesty still is the best policy – especially when it comes to your education, work history and experience. That means no altering your college degrees (or lack of), the dates you worked for a certain company, or the level of experience you have.

It may seem like a good idea at the time – especially if you get the job – but doing so can land you in hot water. If, for instance, you tell a hiring manager you have experience “leading a team,” but really you’ve only ever been a part of the team, guess what you’re going to be expected to do once hired? Lead a team. And if you don’t have the right skills, you will fail on the job. Don’t put yourself in that situation.

Need more help finding a job that puts your skills and abilities to use?
Call PrideStaff. As one of the leading employment agencies in Tempe, we work with top companies in the area and can give you access to rewarding jobs that aren’t always advertised.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

Holiday Adopt a Family | PrideStaff Las Vegas

We have mostly all we need and are thankful for it. But what about the families who don’t have a simple answer to this question?

Together we can make a difference – we can help answer the needs of our community, one family at a time here in the Las Vegas area.

How?

When you contact the LasVegas PrideStaff Team through the month of December with a “New Hiring” need, we will contribute $10 to the gifts for the families that we have adopted through the Las Vegas area Adopt-A-Family program.
You may also collect gift cards for the family and we can pick it up from your location.

We can make a big difference in a lot of individual’s lives:

Help a local Job Seeker during the holiday season

Help those in need this holiday season

To find out what items are on our Adopt a Family’s Wish List, contact us today!

PrideStaff and You – Together we can make a difference!

All the Best,
Las Vegas PrideStaff

5 Quick Tips for Prepping for a Job Interview

If you show up to a job interview unprepared, you’re not going to get hired. It’s really that simple. As a leading employment firm in Phoenix, PrideStaff knows from experience that a lack of preparation shows up loud and clear, even to the novice hiring manager.

So if you really want to get hired, then you need to invest some time and effort into the process. To help you, here are 5 quick tips for prepping so you can ace your next big interview:

1. Bring copies of your resume.
Don’t assume the interviewer has a copy of your resume on hand. Instead, bring several copies with you. Even if they do, there may be other people participating in the interview who don’t have a copy. And showing up armed with resume copies is a simple way to score some points.

2. Bring a list of references.
If the interviewer asks you to complete an application form, it’s likely going to require you to list at least three references and contact information for each. So make life easier for yourself by bringing a list of your references, along with their job titles, companies, phone numbers and email addresses. Also, don’t forget to call them ahead of time to make sure it’s ok you use them as a reference.

3. Scour the Internet ahead of time.
The more you know before an interview, the more confident you will be and the better impression you will make. So before the interview:

Go to LinkedIn and review the company’s profile page.
Look for people you know who already work there and if you can, connect with them ahead of time to get the scoop on getting hired at the company.
Research the person you will be interviewing with and look for anything in their background you have in common with them (such as volunteer activities or alma mater).
Look for news articles online about the company and issues impacting them.

4. Take care of the “little” stuff.
Sure, you’ve got your questions prepared, answers ready to go and your suit all pressed. But do you also know how to get to the interview location? How long it will take you to get there? Whether there are any construction zones on the way? And whether the company has a parking lot or if you have to park on the street?

Don’t let something as silly as not having coins for a parking meter derail a great interview opportunity. Take care of these seemingly “little” things ahead of time.

5. Be kind to everyone you come in contact with.
This includes the parking attendant, the receptionist and anyone you meet during your time at the company. You never know whether a hiring manager will ask their employees about these interactions. And if they do, you want to ensure they only have positive remarks to offer.

Need more help finding a job you love?
Let PrideStaff know. As a leading employment agency in Phoenix, we work with top companies in the area and can give you access to rewarding jobs that aren’t always advertised.

Contact PrideStaff today to learn more about how we can help you.

Job Shadowing to Become a Better Coworker

Often associated with new hires, job shadowing can be equally valuable to current employees to provide a broader knowledge of various jobs and functions within their organization.

Although job shadowing has proven its value to organizations of all sizes and scopes, the practice is commonly applied by only 31 percent of global corporations, according to recent research. But this percentage is expected to increase, as the economy improves and companies begin hiring again and/or restructuring for enhanced efficiency.

Among companies that have downsized or completed hiring freezes, many workers have had to assume additional duties. Three-fourths of research study participants agreed that shadowing is an effective way for such employees to develop necessary new skills.
There is growing interest in leadership and high-potential employee development. Shadowing facilitates succession planning, according to two-thirds of participants. And, nearly 90 percent agreed that shadowing is a good way to provide employees with a better understanding of their workplace.

Additional Benefits of Job Shadowing
Managed well, job shadowing is a powerful component of your on-the-job training program. Additional benefits include:

Employee retention: More than half of research study respondents viewed shadowing as useful for this critical purpose. Fourteen percent of companies who do not currently have shadowing programs plan to implement them within the next two years.
Effective job transfers and promotions: Shadowing allows employees to “look before they leap” into a new position, to ensure it will be a good fit. It is essentially a trial period, providing insight into the challenges posed by a new job as they explore potential career paths within the organization.
Enhanced morale: Job shadowing contributes to team cohesiveness, as employees are paired with or select coworkers as partners. The practice promotes collaboration, communication, and better relationships with peers – and possibly customers and vendors, as well.

Job Shadowing Best Practices
Job shadowing is most effective in situations where seeing and experiencing a job is more graphic than simply hearing about it in a job description or conversation. Here are some guidelines for making your shadowing program as robust as possible:

Function determines form. Don’t implement a program until you know what your organization wants to get out of it. For instance, is the purpose more enriching employee development, succession planning, or improved engagement?
Structure the schedule. For instance, include a tour of the department or work area and an opportunity for discussions of job responsibilities. And, include a debriefing session.
Follow up with participants. There’s no better way to test program effectiveness – and this practice has the added benefit of building employee ownership and empowerment.

Not surprisingly, high-performing organizations are more organized in structuring their job shadowing programs. For example, 50 percent of high performers reported that they follow up with program participants, compared with only 23 percent of lower performers. And, 41 percent of high performers allow participants to shadow only their strongest employees, but only 9 percent of lower performers do the same.

To ensure that your company is performing at its optimal level of productivity and success, you may want to include a job shadowing program in your plans for the New Year ahead. To learn more about this and other innovative HR techniques and practices, contact the expert team at PrideStaff Modesto today.

How to Be a Better Leader in Las Vegas

Whether your goal is to increase productivity or to reduce absenteeism, your ability to lead your staff depends on mutual respect and communication. Earning that respect requires that management model desired behaviors and recognize that employees require a degree of autonomy, flexibility, and a sense that their opinions are valued.

Certain strategies can encourage a culture of tolerance and respect in an organization. A less hierarchical organization that utilizes social media platforms internally to encourage collaboration and team work can function in a more immediate and responsive way. Managers and leaders can use such platforms to solicit feedback from staff, inform staff of company news, or to post training and informational videos. Here are some additional suggestions for action that can improve your management:

Practice diversity in your recruitment and staffing. Appreciate the skills and knowledge that different individuals can bring to a workplace. Provide cultural awareness training to all staff to improve tolerance and to reduce conflict.
Incorporate mutual feedback. Consider a 360 degree performance review process with development plans and milestones for staff. Develop a staff survey and incorporate the finding and suggestions into daily work processes. Your workers are your organization’s frontline. Their direct interaction with customers, clients, and suppliers can provide the most relevant insights.
Use teamwork and collaboration to encourage communication among staff. Provide the teams with decision making power for certain tasks. Allow teams room for mistakes; innovation requires experimentation.
Encourage social interaction. Use social events to talk to staff and obtain a sense of morale and job satisfaction. The National Association of State Judicial Educators notes that feelings of belonging to a group and feeling accepted comprise the third rung in the Maslow Hierarchy; social interaction at work is a significant contributor to individual needs.
Provide flexible working arrangements. People need flexibility to manage their lives. A sense of control in our daily lives reduces stress, lifts morale, reduces abseentism, and improves productivity.

Interested in partnering with PrideStaff Las Vegas? View the staffing services that we can provide to help lift your company to the next level. Have additional questions? Contact us today for more information.

The Benefits of Temporary Employment in Las Vegas

The benefits of temporary employment extend to both the employee and the employer. In a competitive, rapidly changing business world, companies and individuals are requiring flexibility in all aspects of business and staffing management. A midyear job forecast for 2013 by CareerBuilder forecasts that while jobs for full-time workers will remain at similar levels found in 2012, temporary and contract jobs are expected to increase by ten percent.

An employer may have an urgent need for additional resources and may turn to a staffing agency to provide skills for a limited period. More companies are hiring temporary workers because they require immediate human resources but do not foresee a long term need for constant high levels of staffing. Staffing and recruiting firms are playing a huge role in employment recovery.

Here are some reasons why temporary workers are in demand and the benefits of temporary work:

An employer need not commit to costly health insurance and other benefits. A temporary worker may command a higher wage rate because an employer is not contributing to benefits and can afford to pay you more.
You can earn competitive pay, particularly if you are able to hit the ground running and avoid a steep learning curve. An employer may have to train a new, less experienced employee which is often more costly.
A temporary assignment may lead to a direct hire one or you can be first to know if a position opens up that interests you within an organization. The social interaction will build your professional network and could lead to other opportunities. You will avoid gaps in your resume and you will gain references for future work.
An employer realizes that a temporary worker may have been downsized or may have taken early retirement. That employee may be highly skilled in their niche and re-entering the workforce after some downtime. They may be more motivated and productive,
Temporary work will maintain your technology and industry skills. As a temporary worker, you gain the opportunity to try new roles, learn new skills, and to gain extensive experience. You can experiment with different positions before you decide to commit for the long term.

Undertaking temporary work demonstrates enthusiasm, flexibility, and initiative. At PrideStaff Las Vegas we can help you find the flexibility that you are looking for and the job that will inspire you. Contact us today for more information!