How to Best Prepare for Different Interview Formats

As remote and hybrid work becomes more commonplace, it’s just as likely that you could be requested to be interviewed in person or virtually at any given time during your job search. Since the setups are so different between the two formats, your strategies need to be adjusted accordingly. Check out these tips about how to best prepare for different interview formats:

Planning the Logistics

No matter what format a job interview is, it is unprofessional to arrive late. However, planning ahead to ensure a prompt arrival is different for in person vs virtual interviews.

When you are meeting for a face-to-face interview, you can ease pre-interview jitters and ensure you are on time by looking up the route to the interview location and planning your commute with extra buffer time. If possible, actually visit the location ahead of time so you can troubleshoot any navigation issues beforehand.

For a virtual interview, you also need to troubleshoot – but with your technology setup. Prior to your interview, log into the video conferencing software, check for any updates, and practice using it so you feel comfortable.

Mastering Nonverbal Communication

A major part of making a strong first impression in a job interview is your nonverbal communication, especially as you introduce yourself and how you look when you answer questions.

With an in person interview, you have more opportunities to use body language to convey confidence. During your introduction, make eye contact, smile, and give a firm handshake. As you are answering questions, sit up straight and maintain eye contact so you appear genuine and not overly anxious.

Virtual interviews present less opportunity to use nonverbal communication, which also can make it challenging to come across as personable and dynamic. However, if you are intentional, you can still make a strong impression via video by looking straight into the camera, smiling and nodding occasionally as you listen. When you speak, try to use a slightly more pronounced, upbeat tone than you would naturally to sound more personable.

Presenting a Professional Appearance

Hiring managers pay attention to the level of care you show in your appearance for your interview because it can be indicative to them to how seriously you take the opportunity and how professional your behavior will be if hired.

Presenting a professional appearance for an in person interview is commonly known advice. It is best to wear business attire that is wrinkle-free and properly fitting.

The basics of professional presentation is quite different for virtual interviews since you are mainly visible from the chest up. While you should wear a simple, business top, you also need to pay attention to the professional appearance of your background. Select a simple, clutter-free area with flattering lighting and minimal noise so interviewers are not distracted and can clearly see and hear you.

Find New Opportunities

If you are interested in starting your job search, team up with PrideStaff Akron to explore the possibilities. We work with employers in the Akron area for their hiring needs, and can match you with the job opportunities that are the best fit for you. Search our database of current available jobs.

Why Should You Consider a New Job If You’ve Been Happily Employed for 10+ Years

Safety and security represent key career goals. It’s a great feeling to know for sure that you have a solid position, with a regular paycheck you can count on. As such, you’ve been happily employed at the same company for more than a decade. Why would you ever give that up for the uncertainty of a new job?

There are reasons to give up your comfortable role. Focusing too much on avoiding risk can limit your potential. Get too cozy in a position and you don’t leave yourself open to the possible upside that comes with a more aggressive approach to your professional development.

As you proceed through your career, you need to pick your spots. Sometimes, you want to create the strongest safety net possible. Other times, you want to embrace reasonable risk and look to boost your career upside.

Here are some reasons you might consider a new job even if you’ve been happily employed for 10 years or more with the same employer:

Maximize Your Career Experience

The average person will hold nearly 13 jobs over the course of their career, according to government statistics. Other figures suggest that employees typically jump ship every four years or so.

These tendencies don’t remain constant throughout a career. On average, older workers tend to stick to one employer, while much of the moving around happens among younger workers jockeying to get their careers going. Still, even if you’ve become established, it’s important to keep these trends in mind.

Your career offers more than a chance to grab a paycheck. It also occupies most of your waking hours. A job gives you a chance at life experience – meeting people, traveling, trying new adventures. Seeking out a new position will expose you to fresh challenges and potential advancement opportunities. Overall, it offers a way to make the most out of your life.

Your Life Conditions Change

Sometimes, life outside work can influence your decision to move on. Tragedy sometimes inspires a desire for new horizons, like divorce or a death in the family. Other times, you become motivated by different milestones — like your kids finally leaving the house.

Meanwhile, distinctly positive developments can push you to explore your options as well. Say you’ve saved enough that you can consider lower-paying positions that better suit your ideal of a dream job. Now you can afford to prioritize other aspects of your career rather than money.

Meet New Coworkers

Same job, same people. Some of your current coworkers might seem like family to you. You’ve known them for years, gotten used to all their quirks and foibles.

In some ways, this represents a selling point for your current position. However, you might also want a change. Jumping to a fresh situation means engaging with a new cast of characters. This opens up the possibility for new friendships and novel experiences.

This dynamic could also add fuel to your career progression. New people mean new connections in your professional network. You’ll broaden your chances for long-term career success by forming new bonds and taking advantage of updated contacts.

Move to Higher-Growth Industries

You can’t survive long in a dying industry. An extended tenure at a single company represents an amazing accomplishment. Just make sure the market hasn’t moved on during that time.

To keep your career moving forward, it might be necessary to shift your skills to a more dynamic industry. Swapping jobs means more than a new employer. You also reset your overall place in the market, potentially positioning yourself for bigger growth opportunities.

Contact PrideStaff Bend Today

Ready to shake up your career? A top recruiter, like PrideStaff, offers a subtle way to test the market. You’ll get the guidance you need to make the optimal decision about your next job. Contact us today to reach your career potential.

Asking for References – What Boxes You Should Check Pre-Interview

Once you advance in the hiring process and make it to the interview stage, it’s so important to have your references ready to provide. However, don’t just compile some contact information for some people in your professional network – it requires thoughtful decision-making. Learn more about how you should select your references and what boxes you should check pre-interview: 

Direct Knowledge of Your Professional Skills

The references whose opinions hold the most merit to hiring managers are those with the closest firsthand experience of your work. When possible, pick references who have supervised you, such as bosses or professors. Colleagues who worked at the same level as you can also serve as references, but they are most effective if they worked closely with you in a team project or otherwise relied on you.

Positive Reference to Give

Your references are supposed to solidify the hiring manager’s decision to extend you an offer, so think carefully about the feedback someone is likely to give. Pick those who you feel confident would give complimentary, detailed, and sincere references about your work performance. For example, a former manager with whom you didn’t have much direct contact may only be able to give a vague reference.

Time to Be Responsive

When hiring managers reach out to your references, they need to be able to quickly get in touch. When you are choosing who you want to be your references, consider how busy their schedules are and how responsive they tend to be. No matter how great of a reference someone may give about you, it won’t do any good if they don’t get back to the hiring manager when contacted.

Given You Permission

Never use someone as a reference without first checking with them to see if they wish to do so. As you are finalizing your reference list, reach out and ask if they would be willing to be one. At worst, it could sour your professional relationship with them if they are contacted to give a reference without permission. Even if it doesn’t upset them, they could be caught off-guard and not able to give as impressive feedback than if they knew to prepare ahead of time.

Explore Your Job Options

Find opportunities that are right for you by working with an experienced staffing agency like PrideStaff Akron. Our team of recruiters can match you with the jobs that are the best fit from employers across industries. Search our database of current available jobs to get started.

How to Re-Enter the Workforce with Confidence

Have you taken a break from your career to raise children, travel, volunteer, or for another reason? And now, it’s time to re-enter the workforce?

The very thought can be daunting. But with a positive attitude, preparation and patience, you can and will succeed.

During an absence from working, you can gain new skills and contacts and build existing ones. And when the time comes for re-entry, what matters most is showing how your experience before and after your career break will make you an asset to a potential employer. Here’s how to make it happen:

Start with a focus.

Ask you kick off your job search, start by assessing your situation and focusing on your needs. Do you want to find a job similar to your previous experience or move into something new? What’s your salary target, and what kinds of benefits do you need? Understand your intentions and determine what’s most important to you.

Be ready to emphasize your soft – aka transferable – skills.

These are skills like communications, time management, creativity and teamwork that are assets in any role or industry. Determine which ones are your forte and then you can focus on them as you walk through the other steps of workforce re-entry.

Polish up your resume.

Once you’ve decided the kind of role you’d be interested in, it’s time to update your resume – or possibly start from scratch and create one that’s new and improved. Here’s where you can highlight additional skills gained during your absence or address your time off with hiring managers. You can go more in-depth within your cover letter to help build your case as an ideal candidate.

Revive your professional network.

Even if you’ve been out of work for a while, you still probably have a network of people who can help as you re-enter the workforce. Have you been volunteering at your kids’ school? Then turn to faculty members or fellow PTA colleagues. Caring for an elderly family member? Perhaps other caregivers or medical professionals can help. Also, consider joining professional associations and attending networking events – whatever it takes to expose you to individuals who may have insight on job opportunities.

Nail your elevator pitch.

This is the brief speech you give to anyone you’re talking to about your professional experience and desire to get back into the fold. It should include a short synopsis of your previous roles, as well as those soft skills and other attributes that would make you an ideal job candidate.

• Practice makes perfect. Rehearse your pitch until it feels natural and projects as confident and conversational. This will be a great start to interview prep, as well.

You may also want to work with a professional career coach and/or consider temporary jobs as you get your feet wet again in the work pool. In the Central Valley area and beyond, the PrideStaff Modesto team can help. Now and through every step of your career cycle, we’ll have your back, from resume prep to interviewing savvy and access to a wide variety of opportunities you may not find on your own, we’ll be your advocate, ally and adviser. Contact us today to learn more.

6 Things NOT to Include on Your Resume

Summer is a great time of the year to be looking for a job. Many candidates take time off, meaning there’s less competition for you for the best opportunities. However, before you assume you’re a shoo-in for your dream job, you need to write a great resume, one that persuades the hiring manager to call you for an interview. To do that, make sure you avoid including the following:

1. An objective.

Gone are the days of stating your objective. Hiring managers know you’re looking for a new job and it simply wastes space stating the obvious. Instead, at the top of your resume include a summary of qualifications or key strengths. This should be a bullet list of 3-5 skills or accomplishments that are most relevant to the position.

2. Hobbies and interests.

Unless these have something to do with the job or the employer, skip it. The hiring manager doesn’t need to know you’re an avid gardener or weekend card shark. One area to include is any volunteer work you do, whether you volunteer time or serve on the board of a local charity.

3. An unprofessional email address.

Whether it’s ilovepuppies123@gmail.com or an email address linked to your current employer, these can sabotage your chance for getting an interview. Instead, make sure if you have a simple and professional email address that is not connected to your current employer in any way.

4. Vague or unnecessary words.

Skip the “team player” and “strategic thinker” phrases and instead give examples of how you collaborate well or develop ideas. Other words to avoid include those like “utilize” when you can just put “use.” Bigger isn’t necessarily better on a resume, so keep your language simple.

5. Too much information.

That job you had delivering pizzas 15 years ago? Don’t add it to your resume unless there is some skill or ability you learned from it that is relevant to the current opening. Instead, focus on tailoring your resume around each unique job you’re applying to and keep it 1-2 pages maximum.

6. Exaggerations.

When you’re discussing your background or experience, don’t exaggerate or lie about it. The hiring manager can easily check your credentials. Even if they don’t and you get the job, you might not be able to meet your new boss’s expectations. Instead, be honest.

Writing a resume can be a challenge. But by keeping it clear and simple and focusing on the most relevant details from your background, you’ll go a long way in standing out.

Ready for help with your job search?

As one of Phoenix’s leading employment agencies, PrideStaff can connect you with your next ideal job. We’ll help you polish your resume, strengthen your interview skills, and get your foot in the door with a top employer. To get started, simply contact us today.

What’s the Best Way to Tell an Interviewer Your “Weaknesses” During an Interview?

You’re searching hard for Las Vegas jobs hiring now that meet your needs, but you’re already nervous about going on job interviews. This makes sense, because they can put even the most confident people on edge.

One of the main reasons interviews make people uneasy is not knowing how to respond to tricky questions that are almost always asked, including “Tell me about your weaknesses.” The last thing you want is to give a hiring manager a reason not to choose you, so this one requires careful consideration.

Here’s how to answer this question the right way.

Three Tips to Tell an Interviewer About Your Weaknesses

Choose a Real Issue

You might be tempted to say something like “I have no weaknesses” or name an issue that isn’t really a problem, such as “I care too much about my projects.” However, hiring managers can see right through this — and they don’t like it.

One major reason this question is asked is to gauge a candidate’s level of self-awareness. Claiming you have no weaknesses or turning something that’s clearly positive into a negative can make you seem arrogant. That won’t impress anyone, so be mindful of the image you’re projecting.

Make Sure the Problem Won’t Disqualify You

While naming a real weakness is important, you need to be wise about it. Don’t share an issue that would keep you from getting hired — i.e., a must-have skill listed in the job description.

Instead, choose something relevant, but not pertinent. For example, you might say “I sometimes have trouble asking for help” or name a software program — not essential to the job — that you would like to be more proficient in.

Explain What You’re Doing to Improve

No one is perfect, but hiring managers like candidates who are focused on self-improvement. Therefore, it’s important to share the steps you’re taking to turn your greatest weakness into a strength. This might involve taking a course to master a certain skill or simply making a concerted effort to change a behavior — i.e., having trouble saying “no.”

Take the Next Step in Your Career

Searching for a new job that checks all your boxes? PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to help you find the perfect fit. Contact us today to learn more!

Can a Staffing Firm Really Reduce Your Hiring Costs?

Engaging a staffing firm comes with many benefits. However, there’s one upside that sits at the core of the appeal of any recruiter: reduced hiring costs. By cutting the resources needed to secure top talent, your firm can unlock new levels of team building.

But how does this work? How can partnering with a strong staffing firm lead to a more efficient hiring process?

This value arrives from multiple fronts at once. Along with cutting the direct costs of hiring, a recruiter can offer savings on many other levels as well.

To learn more, here are some of the ways a staffing firm can reduce your recruiting costs:

Cheaper Direct Costs

Think of what goes into cooking a hamburger. To make one at home, you need meat, buns, cheese, condiments — not to mention less obvious resources like time. Now think of how much cheaper it is for a restaurant to cook a burger. They can buy ingredients in bulk and rely on an assembly-line process to squeeze as much efficiency as possible from the cooking itself.

A recruiter acts in the same way. With scale and expertise comes a more efficient process. This, in turn, means less direct cost for you.

Less Distraction

Your managers have a full-time job already: managing. To get the most out of their teams, they should focus on their supervisory responsibilities. However, a prolonged job search can steal their attention, limiting their ability to make the kinds of innovations you expect.

You can minimize this distraction by involving a staffing firm. The process offloads much of the rote chores to experts at the recruiting firm, leaving your executives free to continue their focus on improving your bottom line.

Reduced Downtime

There’s an opportunity cost involved in a prolonged hiring process. As you wait to find the right candidate, certain work doesn’t get completed — or you stretch your current team beyond their capabilities, raising concerns about burnout and retention.

After all, when you’re hiring, it means you don’t have a full complement of talent. There is work that requires attention, but you don’t have the right staffing level to reach your highest level of output. This gap represents lost revenue.

By turning to a staffing partner, you reduce this cost. You fill positions quickly and efficiently. As a result, you minimize the time you suffer through a short staff, capturing as much of your potential as possible.

Sustained Momentum

Beyond causing a short-term distraction, an intensive hiring process can have long-term growth implications. A staffing firm can become your go-to partner as you drive your expansion, providing added talent when the market calls for a sustained push.

As your company gains momentum, you need to staff up quickly. This allows you to build the kind of team you need to take your firm to the next level. At the same time, you avoid letting the competition catch up while you search for the ideal staff members.

Better Hires = Improved Productivity

The cost-reducing powers of a recruiter don’t stop when you make a hire. The value added by a staffing firm continues throughout a worker’s time with your firm. You’ll find better talent through the process, meaning your long-term productivity will be higher.

Reach Out to PrideStaff Bend Today

Ready to get started? A top staffing firm, like PrideStaff, can reduce your costs while improving your process. Contact us today to take your hiring to the next level.

Temporary to Hire? Why It Can Be Effective in Finding Employees

Temporary to hire is an employment model in which you work with a staffing company to bring on an employee for a predetermined amount of time – but with the option to extend a full-time offer afterwards. It can provide flexibility you need for an optimal hiring process. Learn more about why temporary to hire can be effective in finding employees:

Opportunity to Preview a Trial Performance

Making hiring decisions is mainly based on educated guesswork, which unfortunately isn’t always accurate. Many ultimately bad hires seem highly qualified and give impressive interviews – only to not have that potential come to fruition once they are hired. By utilizing temporary to hire, you have the opportunity to preview a trial performance of an employee without commitment. You can see the quality of their work, their character traits, interpersonal skills, and how they align with the company culture before you make a decision on if they would be the right employee for your company. 

Helps Determine Overall Staffing Needs

If your current team of employees is overworked or your business is experiencing a spike in demand, you may need additional support but be uncertain if it’s a long term staffing need. If you miscalculate, you can end up having to make a difficult decision down the line to eliminate positions if you make a direct hire for a short term increase in demand. By going with temporary to hire, it can help you determine your overall staffing needs. You can observe how having more workers helps improve productivity, service, and morale.

Saves You Time 

Temporary to hire is typically handled through a staffing company, who will work with you to find qualified candidates. This can save you a significant amount of time in getting employees in the door because you will not have to do the advertising, screening, interviewing and evaluating. Plus, a staffing company already has a pipeline of talent in their network and the experience in how to get positions filled quickly and accurately.

Partner with Us for Recruitment

Find top talent to join your team with PrideStaff Akron. Our experienced team of staffing experts will work with you to understand your needs, and provide you with qualified candidates. Contact us for more information. 

Tips to Increase Employee Retention and Keep Your Best Workers Happy

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently reported that, on average, it costs a company six to nine months of an employee’s annual salary to replace them if they leave their job. For instance, if a person was earning $60,000 a year, this would amount to $30,000 to $45,000 om recruiting and training costs.

Ouch. And in addition to the tangible costs, losing a good employee is felt intangibly – starting with stress and strain on remaining workers, who have to take on extra work in the interim. Morale, job satisfaction and productivity may all suffer – and in a vicious circle, there may even be more resignations as a result.

What can you do to avoid this heartache – and work proactively to retain your best talent?

Pay competitively.

Money isn’t everything – but make no mistake about it, it does matter, especially in today’s highly competitive job marketplace. People who are well compensated are more likely to stay in their jobs long term. You can also provide retention bonuses as incentives to stay with your company. It’s not a panacea, but you need to offer salaries that are on par with your competitors, in case money becomes a person’s deciding factor in where to work.

Offer tailored benefits.

Benefits tailored to individual employees’ needs can help keep your best talent engaged and loyal. Whether it’s flexible hours, remote work, paid parental leave, tuition assistance or a gym membership, keep in mind that there’s no one-size-fits-all formula. By customizing your offerings, you show that you truly care – and perks mean even more than salary for more and more people.

Give employees a voice.

Create a culture where team members can speak up and feel they are being heard, without any fear or retribution. Use surveys and other communication tools to actively seek feedback, and be sure to respond in a timely fashion. And. Be sure managers keep their doors and their minds open and stay accessible for ongoing dialogue.

Invest in employees’ growth and development.

Have regular conversations with people about their short and long-term professional ideals, and help them visualize their future growth with your company. Help them lay out a realistic plan for reaching those goals. Upskilling is especially important today as technology continues to change how people work.

Show your appreciation.

Regularly show your employees that you appreciate them and the value they add to your business. Celebrate their milestones, achievements, birthdays and work anniversaries. When they go above and beyond, provide appropriate rewards that, like you benefits, are customized and meaningful

For assistance with these and other tactics to build and retain your winning workforce, contact PrideStaff Modesto today. We’ll custom tailor a plan to meet all your ongoing talent management objectives.

7 Productivity Tips for a Successful Summer

With summer almost here, productivity can take a hit. How can you keep your team working hard and meeting goals while not pushing them toward burnout? Here are 7 tips to keep in mind in the week ahead.

Tip #1: Communicate clear goals.

Establish the goals and deadlines your people should be working toward, both individually and as part of a team. Make sure you’re checking in regularly about progress to ensure they’re on track.

Tip #2: Minimize meetings.

No one really likes meetings. This summer, try to minimize the ones you do have. Only invite those who absolutely have to be there. Keep them short, too. Aim for 15-20 minutes.

Tip #3: Establish boundaries.

When your employees are in touch, emailing, and texting after hours, this can create added stress outside the workplace. Set expectations that unless there’s an emergency, employees should unplug during downtime.

Tip #4: Encourage breaks.

When your employees are taking breaks, they’ll maintain good energy levels and actually achieve higher levels of productivity. This means that with breaks, they can get more done. Likewise, make sure they’re using vacation time, so they can relax and recharge.

Tip #5: Offer assistance.

When you’re trying to increase or maintain productivity without stressing out employees, offer some tips and advice on how to do that. For instance, if they turn off their email, text, and voice mail notifications for periods of time so they can focus, it will cut down on distractions and enable them to get more done.

Tip #6: Create an appealing office and healthy culture.

When people work in a place that is comfortable, they’re going to be happier. So take steps to ensure your office space is appealing. Likewise, when the culture is healthy and successful, your employees will want to come to work each day and will put in more effort for you when they do.

Tip #7: Praise and reward your people.

When employees feel like you value their contributions, they are more likely to go the extra mile. So make sure you’re offering praise, appreciation, and rewards to employees for meeting milestones or achieving new goals.

Is your productivity problem due to lack of staff?

The worker shortage is impacting businesses across the area. As one of Phoenix’s leading staffing agencies, PrideStaff can help. Whether you need temporary staff or full-time employees, we’ll help you find and hire smart, hard-working professionals. To get started, simply contact us today.