What Is the Best Way to Get a Job After Graduating From UNLV?

Congratulations are in order, because you’ve just graduated from UNLV! This is a huge milestone, so you should be very proud of yourself. You’re now ready to enter the professional world, but you’re not sure the best way to get started.

It might not have crossed your mind, but working with a temp agency in North Las Vegas, is a great way to find your first job. You won’t pay a thing, but you’ll enjoy tons of benefits. Here’s a look at what you have to gain by allowing a recruiter to guide your search.

Four Ways a Temp Agency Can Help You Find Your First Job

Chart Your Path

If you’re like many people, you’re not exactly sure what you want to do with your career. Working as a temp allows you to gain experience in a variety of jobs and company cultures in a relatively short period of time — without being labeled a job hopper. This will help you gain clarity on the type of position you’d like to hold long-term while boosting your resume.

Write a Winning Resume

Your resume is the first impression you make on a potential employer, so it needs to stand out from the crowd. However, writing a winning resume can be tricky — especially when you haven’t had the opportunity to build much of a professional employment history yet. Recruiters are experts at writing resumes, and when you work with one, they’ll help polish yours to perfection.

Prepare for Interviews

Job interviews can make the most seasoned professionals nervous, so it’s totally understandable if you’re feeling anxious about them already. When you work with a recruiter, they’ll help you prepare, so you can feel confident going into the big day. Knowing you’re ready for anything the interviewer throws your way will help you relax and put your best self forward.

Receive Valuable Post-Interview Feedback

In most cases, the only feedback you’ll get from an interview is whether or not you got the job. However, recruiters have relationships with many hiring managers, so they’re often able to talk with them after the interview to find out where you excelled and where there’s room for improvement. Even if you don’t get the job, you’ll still get ahead, because this advice will help you learn and grow.

Get Your First ‘Real’ Job

Now that you’re a college graduate, it’s time to get to work. PrideStaff Las Vegas is here to help you find the perfect entry-level job. Contact us today to start your search!

What to Do When a Candidate Wants Too Much Money

Your long recruitment process is finally over: you’ve found the perfect candidate. You send an offer, but you get a disappointing reply. They want more money. Not just more – too much. Much more than you’d ever considered for that position.

Now what? In the abstract, of course, it’s easy to suggest the obvious. You should move on to someone who will accept a more budget-friendly salary.

In practical terms, however, it’s often not that simple. You only extended the job offer in the first place because you’ve become attached to a candidate. You want them as part of your team. It’s tough to give up on this without a longer discussion.

Also, it’s important to realize that a negotiation often comes as part of the process. One Glassdoor study found that the average American can earn up to $7,500 by simply asking for more. With this incentive, you can’t be surprised when a counteroffer comes.

Meanwhile, the stats point to a relatively widespread pattern. Figures compiled by Robert Half showed that about four out of 10 job candidates (39%) negotiate for a higher salary. You should consider it a normal part of business.

Still, you need to know how to react when the time comes. To paraphrase the song, you have to know when to negotiate, when to give in, and when to walk away.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when a candidate wants too much money:

Do Your Research Before You Make an Offer

Before extending a job offer to any employee, research the current market rates for that position. This will let you know whether your salary levels remain competitive with other players in your industry.

Then, when you receive a counter from your selected candidate, you’ll know whether that salary requirement fits into the overall market dynamics. In other words, you’ll know if the request is reasonable or not. You can then respond with more confidence.

Don’t Give an Immediate Response

If you receive a counteroffer, take a bit of time to consider it. Don’t reply in the heat of the moment. Instead, make a rational assessment of the situation.

At the same time, don’t let emotion play a role in your reply. You should make the best decision for your team. A heated conversation won’t improve your chances of getting the ideal business result.

Look at Your Budget

What will be the impact of raising your offer for a particular candidate? Will it bust your budget? Or can you absorb the higher salary and receive value from a better-than-expected candidate?

These questions will let you know whether you can even entertain a higher bid. If you face significant budget restraints, whether the candidate is worth the extra salary will become beside the point. If you can’t afford it, you’ll have to move on.

Consider the Other Members of Your Team

These negotiations impact more than a single person’s salary. You already have a staff, with each team member receiving a certain compensation level. You have to consider how your decision for this incoming employee will impact perceptions around the office.

Sell Other Aspects of the Job

Money isn’t the only factor that candidates consider when they weigh potential job offers. They also turn to benefits, scheduling details, and culture to make their decision.

You might not be able to meet their salary demand. However, you can try to sell the other advantages your company provides. Make an argument that highlights the other selling points for taking your position.

Weigh Your Options

If you can’t reach an agreement with this candidate, what are your other options? This dynamic will decide how accommodative you need to be to their salary expectations.

Consider the other candidates in your current talent pool. You might be able to turn to someone with similar qualifications, but lower compensation demands. Also, think about what would happen if you don’t fill the role immediately. You might have room to look elsewhere for a good candidate.

Getting expert advice will help you make the right decision. A strong recruiting partner, like PrideStaff, will let you find the right workers at a reasonable cost.

Contact PrideStaff Bend today to upgrade your recruiting efforts.

5 Tips for Keeping Staff on Track During Summer

As temperatures continue to rise, you might be noticing employee productivity dropping off. This often happens once the summer season hits. However, you need your team to stay on track and perform consistently.

How can you be flexible but still maximize productivity in the months ahead? Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Tip #1: Use time wisely.

If the office gets quieter in the summer months and employee absences are on the rise, as a result, consider using this time for career training. For instance, host lunch and learn seminars or offer different opportunities for continuing education. This will help your staff to enhance their knowledge base and sharpen their skills for your busy season.

Tip #2: Create a comfortable office space.

If your air conditioning keeps breaking down or your office is too dark, it’s not going to be a welcoming place to work. When employees feel comfortable during the day, they’ll be more likely to get tasks done. So make sure office temperatures are cool during summer and that your employees have access to natural light, a proven mood booster.

Tip #3: Schedule meetings in different locations.

Head outside for meetings or, if it’s too hot, gather at a local coffee shop. This change of scenery will provide your staff with a mental break from the office environment. As a result, it can spark different conversations, more creativity, and new ideas.

Tip #4: Encourage breaks and time off.

Make sure your employees are taking regular breaks during the day and also scheduling time off during the summer. This will ensure when they are at the office working, they’ll be more motivated to complete their tasks. They’ll also return refreshed and renewed when they do step away, whether for a lunch break or vacation.

Tip #5: Consider half-day Fridays.

If you’re able to schedule half days on Fridays, let your employees leave early. This will provide them with an incentive to stay on track during the workweek while also squeezing in a little extra personal time over the summer. It will boost productivity, motivation, and employee loyalty in the long run.

Need help adding to your team over summer?

If this is your busy time and you need temp help instead, turn to PrideStaff. As a leading temporary staffing agency serving the Phoenix area, we can give you fast access to skilled and dependable workers for as long as you need them. They can handle tasks your core staff doesn’t have time for, so your team can get more done and stay productive in the summer months. Contact us today to get started.

These Strategies Will Help You Give Effective Feedback to Employees

One of the most effective ways to help your employees grow, improve, and build their careers is through ongoing feedback. Both positive and negative feedback – let’s call the latter constructive criticism – can be extremely helpful. But it has to be carefully planned and executed for it to be a success.

Timing is everything.

Nothing against the requisite annual performance reviews, but take additional opportunities to deliver feedback throughout the year. These tend to be more meaningful and fruitful because feedback is most effective when delivered in real-time.

Be prepared.

Feedback conversations are important to both you and your employee, so take time in advance to gather your data and adequately prepare. Use facts, specific examples, and statistics to be ready to support what you need to say.

The sandwich approach only leaves behind a bad taste.

If you’re not familiar with the sandwich approach, it refers to the technique of slipping in criticism between two compliments as you meet with an employee. And, it should be avoided for two reasons:

1. People tend to see right through it, and
2. Delaying the inevitable only heightens anxiety for everyone involved.

Be thoughtful and professional but direct when you have to deliver negative feedback. Suggest to your employee that the two of you address problems together. And most importantly, make sure all feedback you offer is honest and authentic.

In any interaction with employees, avoid any bias. This is another area that may require some careful advance thought.

A Few More Tips

Here are a few more tips for offering consistent, effective constructive criticism to your employees:

When it comes to employee development, including the most effective ways to evaluate, coach, and lead your workforce, consider partnering with PrideStaff Modesto. We can help create customized solutions to meet all your staffing, talent management, and ongoing HR needs. Reach out to us today to learn more.

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile & Get Noticed

In today’s tech-driven world, you need a LinkedIn profile to find a new job. However, this requires more than just posting one and hoping for the best. You must be strategic about it, including making sure it’s optimized with the right keywords. This is how hiring managers and recruiters will find you. Without keywords, you’re not likely to stand out among the millions of other profiles that are online.

So, where do you begin when it comes to making your LinkedIn profile more search-friendly? Here are some tips to help you get noticed:

Review job postings.

Take a look at some job postings you’re interested in and make a note of keywords used in them. These are likely the ones that hiring managers and recruiters will be using to find candidates like you. So this is a good place to start to identify which words and phrases are going to be the most impactful on your LinkedIn profile.

Use variations.

Don’t use the same keyword again and again. Instead, change it up, use it in the plural form and add it to different phrases. For example, if the keyword “Microsoft Excel” is important to list in your LinkedIn profile, then make sure you also use just “Excel,” as well as “MS Excel” and “MS Office.”

Do some digging.

Beyond looking at job postings and creating variations of keywords, do some research online. You can look to industry publications, as well as companies you’re interested in working for. Read through their websites and identify any other keywords or phrases that are important to include on your profile.

Add your location.

If you live in a certain area and don’t want to relocate, make sure you’re adding in your location to your profile. For instance, if you’re a “Phoenix bookkeeper,” that’s an important keyword to include in your LinkedIn profile.

Be mindful when using keywords.

Whatever you do with your keywords, don’t stuff them. This is when they’re overused in a profile, and it can make you sound awkward and unprofessional. Instead, take a light-handed approach and simply sprinkle them throughout, placing the most important keywords at the top of your profile.

Need more help with your job search?

PrideStaff is here for you. As one of the leading employment agencies in Phoenix, we can assist you with all aspects of your search, from polishing your LinkedIn profile and resume to finding jobs and preparing for interviews. You’ll find a new position faster with help from our expert team. Contact us today to get started.

Learn How to Tell You Had a Successful Job Interview

The time between an interview and hearing back from a potential employer can feel endless and invoke stress in any candidate. Unfortunately, this uncertainty is a natural part of any job search, no matter how much research and preparation you have done.

But take heart. While there’s no such thing as a surefire guarantee, there are some signs that point toward an interview having gone successfully. They include:

The interview ran longer than scheduled.

Employers are busy. They won’t waste valuable time speaking further with candidates they aren’t interested in. But, if they feel they’ve met someone who will be the right fit for a role, they will gladly invest additional time to learn what they need to know to make an informed hiring decision.

Your interviewers’ body language clues were positive.

Nonverbal communication – a.k.a. body language – speaks volumes in any dialogue. It helps you accurately sense when someone is genuinely interested in talking with you versus simply going through the motions. For example, were your interviewers engaged in what you were saying? Were they genuinely smiling? Did they lean in to listen further? You can take any of these as positive signs.

You were asked follow-up questions.

Interested interviewers dig deeper into your responses with related questions versus just going through the motions on their required checklist. Pressing you for more information is generally a very good sign.

You were introduced to other team members.

If your interviewers went out of the way to have you meet people who were not originally scheduled as part of your meeting, this means they were advocating that you’d be a good fit and wanted to expedite the approval process.

Your interviewers tried to sell you on the job.

Interviews go both ways, so if your interviewers were actively selling you on the job and their company, take this as a plus. Note: If they asked about your current job search status or if you were interviewing anywhere else, this is an additional win, as they were likely trying to size up the competition.

More detail was provided on the next step in the hiring process.

If interviewers weren’t seriously interested in you, they wouldn’t bother to inform you about the next step in their hiring process. By the way: This also speaks highly of an employer. It shows they have a clear, organized hiring process and value transparency as they communicate with candidates. This is always a good sign when you’re evaluating places to work.

How can you help ensure that you get at least one – and hopefully several – signs that your interview was spot on? A great first step is working with a professional career counselor from PrideStaff Modesto to help land your next great opportunity in areas including administration, customer service, IT, accounting, finance, legal support, healthcare, and production. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

How and When to Include Projects on Your Resume

Real estate on your resume is precious.

While it would be nice to include a paragraph for every project and accomplishment in your career, it’s just not practical. What projects should you include, and how can you present those accomplishments in a way that distinguishes you as the ideal candidate?

Here’s how to include unique, specific, and relevant achievements on your resume:

1. Choose your format.

There are three main places to include your top accomplishments on your resume:

• Summary Statement: Hook your reader immediately with an eye-catching achievement statement at the top of your resume.
• Work Experience: Thread your top achievements throughout your recent employment history.
• Separate Achievements Section: If space permits, you can create a list of accomplishments at the bottom of your resume or a career highlights section at the top.

2. Make a list.

• Write down every awesome thing you’ve achieved on the job:
• Think about compliments you’ve received from customers, colleagues, and bosses.
• Ponder deals you’ve closed and team projects that exceeded the mark.
• Brainstorm with friends if it’s difficult to see your own successes, and search for accomplishment examples in your field if you need inspiration.
• Include recent professional, educational, or personal awards and certifications that are related to the position.

3. Focus on relevant achievements.

How should you decide what to include?

• Look at your list and choose accomplishments or projects that mesh with the skills listed in the job you seek. You don’t have to do a complete rewrite for every job but consider tailoring your project/accomplishment list for each application.
• Search for keywords in the job listing to identify what the employer needs and use them to describe your projects. Make it easy for an employer to see how hiring you will benefit their business by showing how you have succeeded in past employment.

4. Turn accomplishments into achievement statements.

Once you’ve identified achievements that will wow a potential employer, get specific.

Whether you include this information in your summary, your work experience, or a separate achievements section, list the challenge you faced, the skill you used, and the result you achieved for each accomplishment.

Use numbers and concrete details whenever possible. If you saved the company money or time, how much? If you reached a goal, how fast? Here are a few examples of how to create an achievement statement from a project or other key accomplishment:

• Created and implemented a training program that increased productivity by 20% and reduced waste by $1000 daily.
• Reduced shipping times by 20% by implementing computerized inventory and ticketing systems.
• Consistently exceeded weekly sales goals by 15%.

Ready to find a great new job?

The recruiting experts at PrideStaff can help you:

• identify your top achievements
• showcase the right projects and accomplishments on your resume
• get your resume into the hands of interested clients

To get started, call us today or get answers to FAQs here.

Hope is Not a Strategy

The labor market in Central Oregon remains tight and finding qualified employees continues to be one of the primary barriers for business growth in our market.  Hoping the right candidate will apply to your job or walk through your doors is not a strategy.  The labor market is only going to get tighter for the remainder of 2021.  If you’re a business owner or hiring manager then strap in, because it’s going to get wild.  Here are some things to consider to win in this type of environment.

Focus on Retention Strategies First

Evaluate the Brand of your organization starting with the external perception.  A quick litmus test is to look at online reviews using Google, Facebook, Yelp, and Glassdoor.  You’re doing great if there are 3.5 stars or higher on each of these platforms so keep it up.  It’s time to secure some reviews if there are less than 25 as this is an indication that the public might not know about the organization as much as they could.  If the reviews are less than 3.5 stars then start addressing the feedback disclosed in the reviews from the public.  Employees want to be associated with a Brand that has a great reputation, and the Brand is based on what other people say about an organization.

Next, monitor the internal perception of the organization.  Are current employees engaged and motivated?  Do they refer friends and family to the organization?  Annual performance reviews are not an effective way of measuring real time changes in this type of fast changing environment.  Instead, consider biweekly or monthly “check-ins” with internal employees to evaluate factors that influence their satisfaction and engagement.  Try to identify anything that could be preventing employees from performing their job and address those items quickly.

Invest in employees and show the long term growth opportunities and create an individual development plan.  It does not have to be complex.  Keep it simple.  Don’t make assumptions as everything has changed for people and businesses during the COVID pandemic.  There are some great local resources through the Bend Chamber of Commerce DevLabs and YP Summit.

Recruit and on-board employees with purpose

Posting a job and praying for qualified candidates is not an effective strategy.  Active Job Seekers, those actively applying to jobs, need immediate responses from prospective employers to remain engaged in the recruiting process.  If your organization is not in a position to immediately respond to job applicants, then don’t post a job because it will create a bad experience for the applicants.  Active candidates will be applying to at least three jobs.

Consider dedicating someone on your team to engage with active job seekers and also begin networking with passive candidates; those who are currently employed and not actively looking for a new job but might be open to new opportunities (this is everyone right now).  If an internal resource is not an option then partner with a recruiting or staffing firm to assist in the process.

Once hired, create an exceptional on-boarding experience where the new employee feels welcomed, valued, and excited.  Check in with them directly during their first day, first week, first month and at very specific intervals going forward.  Some easy and impactful things include finding out their favorite food and providing a team lunch, or their go to caffeine source for an early morning treat.  Find out what employees like and give it to them, within reason of course.

Get ready for the economic tidal wave

Restrictions on businesses are being removed post the Pandemic and manufacturing levels are increasing.  Supply chains are opening.  The economic tidal wave is coming.  Position yourself to ride the wave.  It’s time to stop hoping your employees will stay or new people will magically show up and implement strategies for success.

Contact GA Rogers Bend today to discuss recruiting options for the next 18 months.

Quinn Hanson, Division Manager, G.A. Rogers & Associates.  Executive Recruiting

The Top 6 Strategies for Recruiting Millennial and Gen Z Candidates

When it comes to finding work, Millennials and Gen Z have it tougher than most:

• Jobs – and the skills needed to perform them – are changing faster than ever.
• Our economy has been through multiple recessions in recent decades, and that volatility isn’t going away anytime soon.
• Organizational structures are becoming increasingly fluid.
• The gig economy is becoming even more prevalent, leading many businesses to rely more heavily on project-based workers and professionals.

With instability the norm in our modern world of work, it’s no wonder that both of our workforce’s youngest generations have a reputation for ghosting and job-hopping.

How do you recruit (and retain) candidates who believe the only certainty is uncertainty?

Invest in your people. Use these six strategies to show Millennials and Gen Z you understand their needs and can provide the opportunities and career growth they want:

1. Offer modern benefits.

A competitive salary is important, but both generations place a high value on:

• health insurance
• paid time off
• maternity and paternity leave
• retirement plan
• student debt help
• tuition assistance
• professional development
• flexibility

Sometimes an excellent benefits package will trump higher pay, so make sure you know what to offer.

2. Show a clear path for growth.

The Millennials saw an economic boom end in a recession, and many in Gen Z will enter the workforce post-pandemic. Times of economic uncertainty create risk-averse workers. Although, job security is crucial to these candidates, they want more. They need to see a clear path for their growth within your company. Share a well-defined path for their professional development, and they will be more likely to join you.

3. Offer remote work.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that many jobs historically done in an office could be done from anywhere with an Internet connection and up-to-date software. Since both Millennials and Gen Z seek work-life balance, offering flexibility and autonomy in scheduling is a great way to capture the interest of both groups.

Related post: Remote Work Checklist: Setting Your Remote Team Up For Success

4. Create a positive culture.

Workplace culture plays an enormous role in successful recruitment. Display your values and company culture in your branding, website, and social media, and media-savvy Millennials and Gen Z candidates will discover who you are. Bonus points if you can convey how your company positively impacts the world (a huge draw for Gen Z). But make sure your brand is authentic! Neither group will hesitate to call out discrepancies between what you say and do as a company.

5. Get tech-savvy.

Millennials and Gen Z have never known a world without the Internet. These candidates are more likely to Google first and ask questions later…or never. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and optimized for mobile. Keep your social networks current, and make sure your recruitment software isn’t older than your applicants.

6. Connect and communicate.

Even in the digital age, personal connection is key:

• Ask for feedback from your team and your candidates. Gen Z, particularly, likes to feel heard.
• Listen and incorporate their suggestions whenever feasible.
• Move quickly during the hiring process and stay in touch. With so many available methods of communication, Millennials and Gen Z job seekers expect frequent updates. Wait too long, and they might hop to the next opportunity.

Struggling to hire?

PrideStaff’s On Target Process can connect you with candidates who are a great fit. Whether your needs are local or national, temporary or direct, our proven recruiting strategies will quickly deliver the best talent from every generation.

How to Stay Motivated While Working from Home in the Summer

When summer hits, it can be difficult to maintain the same level of desire to be productive, especially while working remotely, when you would rather be enjoying warm-weather activities and vacation fun. Stay motivated while working from home in the summer with these tips:

Prioritize Your Workload 

When you know productivity is likely to be a struggle, don’t waste any effort on tasks that don’t have an impact. Prioritize your workload by setting daily goals on what you want to accomplish, then focus on just those high-yield tasks. If you run out of motivation after a while, at least you know you made progress on a task that matters. 

Work With Yourself 

Consider the times of day in which you tend to be the most effortlessly productive and have the most energy and focus – i.e., do you start strong in the morning and then fizzle out at mid-afternoon? Then work with your own natural tendencies as much as possible. When creating your schedule for the day, handle the most mentally taxing things on your To-Do list during the periods you know you’ll most likely be at your peak of motivation.

Get Moving

When you work from home, you may not get up as much throughout the day as you would in an office. This lack of physical activity can make you feel mentally lethargic. To feel more motivated while working at home over the summer, schedule in time to get moving. Take a few quick walks outside throughout the day (such as 10 minutes each before work, at lunch, and as a mid-afternoon break) to get your blood flowing, your energy up, and enjoy some summer weather.

Start Small

The hardest part of tackling a task is actually starting. However, once you overcome that initial mental hurdle, it’s easier to continue since you have some momentum. When you lack motivation, make a deal with yourself to start small, such as working on a particular task for just 10 minutes. If you need to stop, then you can – but you likely won’t feel like you need to.

Schedule Time Off

If your motivation is majorly lacking and nothing seems to really help, it could be a warning sign of burnout. With working from home, it can be difficult to maintain boundaries between personal and work time, so schedule time completely off to enjoy summer activities and help you recharge. You’ll then likely return to working with a renewed sense of effortless motivation.

Find the Right Job for You

Make your job search more successful with the help of PrideStaff Akron. We work with area employers to fill their open positions, from temporary to full-time employment. Search our current available jobs to get started.