These Tips Will Help You Set – and Reach – Your Professional Development Goals

It’s one thing to set professional goals – in fact, it’s critical to your career development and also downright exciting to do just that – but you also need a strategy for reaching them.

Because, while your goals may be big and realistic in the long run, they can also be pretty intimidating when you first begin to consider them. Don’t let this stop you, though. You need a roadmap for getting there, step by step.

Make It Happen

When it comes to achieving and maybe even exceeding your professional development goals, you do you. If your employer has resources or programs to help, that’s a plus. But if not, or even if you’re not even currently employed, take the initiative. Define those goals and then flesh out that roadmap to success.

Start with your end goal in mind.

Then work backward. Build into your plan the steps it will take to reach your professional goal, the skills, experience, and other requirements to get there, and a projected time frame.

If you’re not completely sure what you need to work on, a good place to start might be your latest performance review. Or, ask your boss – or a mentor, trusted colleague, or professor or another teacher – “If I could improve one thing related to my career aspirations, what do you think it should be?”

Set SMART goals – for the smaller steps along the way, as well as your final pinnacle.

SMART goals help ensure that your objectives are clear and easy to understand, and therefore, reachable. SMART is an acronym for:

Specific: Your goals should be distinct, not vague. Be sure you know exactly what you want to accomplish, why, and what steps and resources you need.

Measurable: You need metrics to track your progress.

Achievable: AKA realistic. If you set unattainable goals, then they will be just that.

Relevant: Your goals must matter to you and align with your other high-priority life plans.

Timebound: Every goal needs a deadline to keep you accountable. Even if circumstances require that you make changes, never abandon your strategy’s timebound/deadline aspect.

Make reaching your target a priority.

There are only so many hours in a day. So, consciously carve out time in your schedule so you can stay on plan with meeting your goals.

Hint: Something else may have to go, like spending your lunch hour shopping online instead of reviewing your notes for the quiz coming up in that class you’re taking.

Check your progress regularly.

Remember the “M” in SMART? Schedule regular times to check your progress towards both your smaller tasks and your ultimate end goal.

How’s it going? What adjustments are needed? You may want to consider a buddy system: Pair up with a friend or coworker and you can keep each other on track.

At PrideStaff Fresno, our best-in-class approach to career development has helped thousands of people find the right jobs, as well as reach their ultimate professional goals. Our team of experts serves as experienced resource persons, connected networkers, and coaches, all rolled into one. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

Learn Tips for How to Attract and Retain Top Employees

Even as businesses worldwide recover from Covid-19, top talent is in high demand. So how do you convince the best candidates on the market to pick you and your company over your competitors? After all, everyone is pretty much in the same boat: trying to rebound from the past year, whatever the new normal looks like for your particular industry.

Here are some tips to get you started:

Learn what your ideal employee looks like.

Define what a top performer at your company looks like. If you have trouble getting started, begin with your current team members. Who are your superstars today – and wouldn’t you like to replicate them tomorrow? What you’re seeking is a balance between high productivity and a solid cultural fit: someone who:

Gets your organization and your industry and is open to new challenges to make them better.

Is a team player and has the potential to be the “go to person” for their peers.

Is intuitive, accountable, transparent and a strong communicator.

Is proactive and not hesitant to take calculated risks.

It sounds like a tall order, but they are out there with the right planning and strategy.

Look for candidates who are on the growth track.

Single out candidates who demonstrate a growth mindset and are always looking to learn new skills and embrace new ideas. This combination of professional traits means they naturally embrace new concepts and sharpen existing ones. They also tend to be strong problem solvers who are adaptable and self-driven.

Sell the job and your organization.

Salary isn’t always the number-one driver when it comes to deciding which company to work for. It has become less and less important as millennials and members of Generations Y and Z come to age in the global workforce.

Connect with your desired candidates during the hiring process to pinpoint which perks, benefits, and aspects of company culture pique their passion. Look for an alignment of their values, vision, and mission with yours.

Consider an employee referral program.

Tap into the networks of your current superstars. Approach employees who are already happy and productive in their roles. If you don’t already know, learn what motivates them. Then, use this information to ask behavioral questions and look for responses that align as you interview prospective talent.

Do you need additional guidance in accessing top talent to keep your company at the competitive forefront? At PrideStaff Fresno, our goal is to deliver what matters most to you regarding talent acquisition and management in areas including administration, customer service, IT, accounting, finance, legal support, healthcare, and production. We can help you find that purple squirrel. Reach out to us today to learn more.

Follow These 5 Tips to Have a Great First Day of Work

As excited as you are and as perfect as your new role may be for you, Day One on a job can be overwhelming or even terrifying at times. It’s a lot like the first day of school: Your pencils are sharpened, you’ve been looking forward to it for weeks, but … yikes! Now that it’s here, you may feel tempted to turn and run!

Hold on. Because what you’re feeling is perfectly normal. And with a few advanced tips and preparations, it can truly be the start of something great.

Keep an open mind.

Changing jobs is consistently ranked among the top stressors in anyone’s life. So, if you have second thoughts or cold feet, know that you are not alone. Keep your eyes and mind open to new experiences and people, and make a conscious choice to accept this change. After all, you picked it for a reason, right?

Get comfortable, get organized, and get friendly.

Settle into your new workstation and learn your way around. Say hello to people and introduce yourself without interfering or going overboard. Maybe someone will show you around but, if not, take the initiative. Begin to get to know people by treating them with respect and a smile.

Don’t fake it till you make it.

Nobody expects you to know everything right away. You will learn and grow faster when you ask intelligent questions and seek real understanding. And, your boss and coworkers will appreciate your honesty and confidence in turning to them for guidance.

Set reasonable boundaries right up front.

You may be anxious to demonstrate your best performance, and there’s a lot to be said for going the extra mile, especially as you strive to make a dynamite first impression. But learn, early on, to set boundaries that will allow you to maintain that critical work/life balance. Set your pace right from the start because it may be hard to change later on.

Develop a 30/60/90 day plan.

Your new manager may even ask for a plan for your first three months on the job, but regardless, it’s a good idea to develop one for yourself. This is your game plan, so you can hit the ground running and be ready to pivot as necessary during these critical early days.

Think of your plan, as the name implies, in 30, 60, and 90-day increments. For each phase, determine a specific focus, set priorities and goals to support them, and determine how you will measure your progress.

For additional insight on starting a new job – or finding one, or doing whatever else it takes to keep your career plans on track – consider partnering with an expert from PrideStaff Fresno. We’ll tap you into our extensive knowledge, expertise, and vast professional network, so your first day on an awesome job is right around the corner – and you’re ready for it when that time comes. Contact us today to learn more.

How to Properly List Work Experience on Your Resume

The work experience section of your resume is worthy of your careful attention. But what exactly should that part of your resume look like? And what will optimize its effectiveness?

Keep one word in mind: relevance.

How much, and which, work experience you include on your resume depends on where you are in your career journey. For instance, are you changing fields or exploring a new industry? Did you just graduate, or are you a more seasoned professional? While those are critical considerations, regardless of the details, any work experience that merits space on your resume should be relevant to the job for which you’re applying.

If you’re more established and the position is in your current area of expertise, you can probably limit what you include to a few of your most recent jobs. A good rule of thumb is to focus on your past 10 to 15 years of relevant experience.

If you’re new to the workforce or making a career change, remember: experience can encompass more than just a paid, full-time job. If it makes sense (go for relevance again!), you might include internships, volunteer work, temporary assignments, or coursework and/or projects.

Tailor your resume to the job.

To determine what would be most relevant, start with the position job posting. Read it carefully and note the skills and duties it mentions. Then, make a list of the responsibilities you have experience performing. When they overlap, you have identified what’s relevant.

Look for keywords in the posting and regurgitate them on your resume. Don’t overdo it, but identify keywords in a job description that an applicant tracking system (ATS) or a recruiter would likely look for. This is critically important because an ATS automatically scans resumes before they reach human hands – and the system will quickly reject any documents where keywords are not aligned.

Think about transferable skills. These are generally soft or interpersonal skills that carry over well from job to job and industry to industry. In addition to technical and other hard skills, look for these in postings, as well. Soft skills like teamwork, communications, time management, leadership, and problem-solving are increasingly desirable to most employers.

When using a chronological resume format, list your past jobs in reverse chronological order. (Note: In some cases, you may want to opt for a format other than chronological.) For each one, include the job title, company name, location, employment dates, and then your duties, responsibilities and achievements in each role.

Under job duties and achievements, aim for three to seven bullet points for each position you have held. Describe what you did in that role, starting with a high-level overview and then drilling down into relevant details.

Keep it concise and impactful. Use statistics and numbers, such as sales percentage increases, whenever possible. This quantification adds rich context to your work history and can be a great way to wow a prospective employer.

For more tips on perfecting your resume or conducting your successful job search from start to finish, contact the career development professionals at PrideStaff Fresno today. We look forward to helping you land your next great opportunity!

It’s Important to Make Sure Your Employees Feel Valued

Check the closest dictionary for the definition of “valued” and you’ll find something like this: “considered to be important or beneficial.” Or maybe “highly regarded or esteemed.”

As a noun, value refers to “the regard that someone or something is held to; the importance or worth of someone or something.” And as a verb, to value someone is to consider them “to be important or beneficial.”

And when it comes to the success of your business, no one or nothing is more valuable than your employees. You know that … but do they?

Numerous research studies reinforce the importance of making sure your employees feel valued. If you’re effective in this regard, your efforts will pay off many times over by a healthier work environment and better work/life balance. There will also be higher motivation levels, enhanced innovation, stronger loyalty, long-term relationships, increased job satisfaction, and higher productivity and profitability.

How to Make it Happen

Don’t just assume that because no one is complaining, things are status quo, and your employees feel truly valued. Take a proactive stance to ensure this by following a few basic guidelines, including:

Seeking input. Ask employees for their ideas and input, as much as possible, into projects, plans, and developments. People will feel a sense of ownership as you ask for and consider their contributions.

Communicating regularly and clearly. It’s a two-way street. Provide various media and venues, on and offline, to consistently convey information and news to your employees. In doing so, be as transparent as possible. On the flip side, actively listen when team members communicate with you. Give them ample opportunities to do so, from town hall meetings and online portals to keeping your office door open – literally and figuratively – so you’re accessible when they need you.

Rewarding and recognizing. Show appreciation for both large and small results. Keep rewards appropriate and on par with achievements. And tailor them to each employee’s preferences. They don’t necessarily have to be expensive, but they do have to be meaningful.

Supporting growth and development. Become an advocate for every employee advancing and reaching the professional goals they envision for themselves. This support is a key reason why people remain loyal to an organization.

Caring about people’s well-being. Given the world as it is today, this is even more important than ever. By showing an employee that you sincerely care about their physical, social, and emotional well-being, you’re showing that you care about them as a person, not just a cog in your productivity wheel. Choose kindness, patience, and understanding – and you’ll be pleased with the return on your investment.

Pride. It’s so important to us that it’s part of our name. At PrideStaff Fresno, we’re proud to help your company prosper by building and nurturing your industry-leading team. If you need more tips on making your employees feel valued – or guidance in other aspects of successful workforce development – read our related posts or reach out to us today. We look forward to working with you!

Helpful Tips to Effectively Track Your Job Search

When you launch a job search, as with any important project or initiative, you need to set SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound.

Let’s focus on the M in SMART. You have no way of knowing how things are progressing – or not – unless you track them, so you can measure the results and make any needed adjustments. Moreover, looking for a job requires an overwhelming number of details – names, titles, contact information, dates and times … the list goes on and on. So, tracking where you are in the process is essential.

The Solution: A Job Search Spreadsheet

Keep an up-to-date spreadsheet for your job search, and soon you’ll be impressed with your measurements, as they point to success. Google offers a customizable, interactive job tracker on Google Sheets. You can insert information and check off tasks as you complete them. The following steps then automatically appear as a reminder of what you need to do next.

Look for companies where you think you’d like to work. Check them out for industry and size, culture, compensation, benefits, and growth opportunities. When you find job openings there that fit the bill, add them to your spreadsheet and note when you found them. From here, you can track how much time you have to apply.
When you send in a resume or an application, check “yes” under the “apply” column and note the date next to it. If you haven’t heard back in a few weeks, send a follow-up email and hit “yes” again to note that this step is complete.
If you get a call for an interview, complete your research, including your own list of questions to ask. Then … you got it: check “yes” again. You can repeat the same steps to track when you do an interview, take a proficiency test, send a thank you note, or send a follow-up email. And, do it all again if you go through a second or third round of interviews.
Use the notes column to jot down any interesting or important information you want to remember. For instance, this may be a follow-up question to ask or the name of a person you met who may prove helpful.

How good does it feel to check off a completed task? Plus, in doing so, you ensure that you’re just as organized as you say you are – or want to be. And before long, you can file your completed job search spreadsheet away as you prepare to jump into your new role and hit the ground running.

At PrideStaff, as we help you find your next great career opportunity and track your progress along the way, our focus is 100 percent on you and your successful experience. Contact us today to submit your resume or learn more from our team of career development experts.

Learn How to Determine Your Skills and Develop New Ones

Continuously improving your skillset can help you excel at your current job, or land your next great career opportunity. The perfect balance of hard and soft skills should be your end goal either way.

Hard skills are specific capabilities you use to perform a job-related task. Examples include accounting, copywriting, data analysis, event planning, foreign language fluency, graphic design, website development, IT, and SEO marketing.

Soft skills generally pertain to interpersonal strengths and related personality traits that enable you to work well and interact with others. Think adaptability, communications, time management, conflict resolution, creativity, decision making, leadership, and motivation.

During an interview and hiring process, you can list or name both hard and soft skills. But soft skills must be displayed. Many job functions require a combination, or hybrid, of hard and soft skills. For instance, to excel in a customer service role, you likely need exceptional communication and conflict resolution skills, as well as proficiency in spreadsheets or perhaps a specific customer service management system.

Always keep the specific skills listed in a job description in mind. This will enable you to understand what an employer is looking for as you prepare to land and succeed at an interview.

Determining Your Skillset

If you’re not sure or need to confirm what your skillset looks like, ask yourself:

“What do I most enjoy?” Tasks or activities that come naturally to you or that you enjoy the most often translate into useful professional skills. For example, if you enjoy teaching others how to solve problems, this translates to strong communication and more obvious problem-solving skills.

“Am I often complimented on certain skills?” Has a colleague or supervisor acknowledged you on a particular trait, such as exceptional teamwork? Maybe it’s come up during a recent performance review. Take note of these touchpoints and add them to your resume.

“What are my significant career achievements?” These may be awards won or projects completed with results exceeding expectations. What specific skills did you use to realize these accomplishments?

Developing New Skills

To develop new skills and firm up your overall skillset:

Set goals. Make sure they are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This will keep you on track for skills development and overall career growth.

Consider finding a mentor. This is typically a superior whom you respect and trust. Reach out to your mentor for advice and guidance via informal meetings and possibly a professional shadowing experience. Develop this into an ongoing, mutually beneficial relationship.

Seek feedback. Turn to your mentor and others when the opportunity presents itself for feedback on your ideas, work, and skills development. For feedback to be effective, it should come from people who will be honest and objective, not those who will stroke your ego or tell you what you want to hear. In a single word, it must be authentic.

At PrideStaff Fresno, we’re all about helping you to be the best you can be in your current role, as well as finding new opportunities and building your career for the long term. We match skilled professionals in the Fresno area with truly rewarding opportunities, both temporary and full-time. Contact us today to learn more.

Learn How to Be a Role Model for Your Employees

When it comes to setting the right example for your employees, all the good intentions in the world aren’t enough. It’s actions that people see and follow. Yup! They do speak louder than words.

Being an effective role model is a powerful tool for employee development and business strength – and it doesn’t cost a dime.

Your business is a reflection of you.

You can’t successfully model behaviors that are inconsistent with your core beliefs and values. If you try, it will be obvious to everyone – and it will completely undermine your credibility. You set the model that others follow, and no matter what the rules are, you define them by your actions.

Which behaviors should you model?

For optimal teamwork, morale, results, and business success demonstrate these traits in all you do:

• Honesty: One slip-up on your part casts doubt over everything else you say or do. You can’t afford to covey the message that dishonesty is okay. Ever.
• Trustworthiness: Respect confidences. Keep every promise and honor every commitment you make, even those that may seem minor to you. They may mean a lot more to the person on the receiving end.
• Integrity: Best described in four impactful but straightforward words, this boils down to doing the right thing. It also involves taking full responsibility for your actions and giving credit when and where it is due.
• Fairness: There’s no room in your professional life for favoritism or taking advantage of others. Be especially aware of this if your is a family business or one where relatives or close personal friends are on the payroll.
• Consistency: Deal with similar situations in similar ways, time after time. Present the same persona to customers and other external stakeholders as you do to your employees.
• Approachability: Be as available to your employees as you would like them to be to you and your customers. Get to know people as individuals and manage by walking around. And when you are back in the office, keep the door open.
• Compassion: Especially now, as people continue to deal with change and recover from this marathon pandemic, you need to be tenacious and strong without being cold or inhuman.
• Pragmatism: Never compromise your standards, but be reasonable and realistic. There is an exception to every rule, especially in times of uncertainty.

Incorporate these traits and behaviors into your modus operandi. This includes your job requirements and descriptions, policies and procedures, and performance evaluations.

Last but not least, consistently present a positive attitude. Everyone has a bad day now and then, but as a leader, it’s on you to display strength, calm, and confidence even during the most challenging times – and you will instill the same in everyone on your team.

At PrideStaff Fresno, we specialize in helping companies grow, prosper and develop employees and leaders who support the same goals. Our focus is 100 percent on the client experience we provide every day, from staffing to ongoing talent management and support. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

What Do Hiring Managers Love to Ask on Phone Interviews?

Often, one of the first steps in a company’s hiring process is a phone interview with candidates who have piqued their interest via their resumes and cover letters. This is generally a very high-level evaluation as recruiters screen for risks, try to validate your qualifications, and see if you’d be a good overall fit for their organization. But, don’t take your upcoming phone interview lightly. After all, your responses will determine whether you make it to the next round.

Here are some common phone interview questions, with tips to prepare for them:

How did you find out about this job?

There are two reasons interviewers ask this question:

1. They are genuinely curious. Your response can be helpful to them as they refine their recruiting process, and
2. They want to understand why you applied.

Keep your answer short and straightforward. Just say where you found the job, i.e., on a job board, on LinkedIn, or through a contact, and briefly describe the reason for your interest.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Your response to this question helps people interviewing you – including those who may not have a background in your specific field – gain context and connect the dots between your resume, you, and the position.

Focus on the skills and experience you have that are most relevant. Use the “present-past-future” formula as you respond. After explaining where you are in your career and what you currently do, segue into what you’ve accomplished in the past. End with a short statement describing what you most look forward to doing in the future.

What do you already know about our company?

With this question, a hiring team wants to know if you’ve done your homework when it comes to researching their organization. The right candidates will be passionate about a company and what it stands for.

Don’t just regurgitate the company’s About Us page. Instead, select one or two aspects of it that resonate with you, such as their product or service, mission, or culture. Be prepared to talk about why you admire it and how it ties back to you.

What are your salary requirements?

This is not meant to be a stickler or a trick question. It’s certainly not a topic you should bring up. But often, recruiters are given a salary range for a position, so rather than go through an entire interview only to get stuck at that point, they ask about money upfront.

You can try keeping the answer vague. Say something like, “Right now, I’m really interested in finding the right fit and am open to negotiating on salary.” If pressed further, provide a range that is accurate with the current market value for the role and appropriate to where you stand within that range. Be prepared to back it up with clear evidence of your value.

At PrideStaff Fresno, we work with some of the most well-respected employers in the area, along with new and upcoming businesses – matching them with the right skilled professionals. We can help you find a truly rewarding career opportunity and walk you through interviewing and all the other steps to get you there. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.

A Guide to Writing a Cover Letter for All Types of Job Seekers

You’ve finished your resume and polished it up, so it looks perfect for that job that’s piqued your interest. Should you add a cover letter, and if so, what should it include?

The answer is yes – and when considering its contents, think of your cover letter as an additional opportunity to present yourself as the perfect candidate for the position. If you skip this step, you’re lessening your chances of making an immediate positive impression on an employer.

The Necessary Elements

Every cover letter should be specific to the industry and the available position, but there are common elements to keep in mind as you write yours.

Have them at hello. Start with a strong, engaging opening statement – after you have personalized your salutation, of course – that immediately connects you to the job. Make it memorable: prove that this is not just another generic job pitch but also that your heart is really in it.

Sell yourself. The following paragraphs focus on the strongest achievements and experiences you have had that make you suitable for the role. Include a balance of hard and soft skills. Refer to your values and how they align with those of the company.

Finish strong. Be gracious as you express your thanks for the opportunity to apply. Then leave an equally professional call-to-action statement, such as “I look forward to hearing from you so we can further discuss this role and my qualifications.” Hint: There’s no need to include “references available on request” either here or on your resume. Just have them on file in case an employer asks for them.

And don’t forget to:

Include all your contact information. In addition to your formal name, give employers your phone number and email address. After all, they need to be able to reach you when they call to schedule that interview, right?

Keep applicant tracking systems in mind. Keywords are important on your cover letter and resume because a robotic ATS will likely review both documents before they are passed on to hiring decision-makers.

Keep your cover letter short and impactful. Some experts suggest doing a “brain drain” as you complete your letter. Start by simply getting all your ideas on paper. Then go through it all and cut anything that isn’t relevant, interesting, or necessary. And don’t just regurgitate what’s on your resume. It’s not a good idea to waste space or people’s time with repetitive information.

Are you stumped when it comes to writing your resume and/or cover letters? Is the whole idea of job hunting intimidating? If you need expert guidance with any or all of it, pick up the phone or shoot a quick online message to PrideStaff Fresno today. In addition to coaching you through your search, we can help connect you to leading employers and rewarding career opportunities in Fresno, the California Central Valley, and beyond. We look forward to hearing from you!