Category: Job Seekers

Staffing agencies provide all types of jobs. However, many people have the impression that recruiters only make temporary assignments. This misconception keeps many job seekers from taking advantage of the benefits a staffing agency brings.

That’s unfortunate because it leads candidates to close the door on a number of meaningful opportunities. Even in situations where a position starts out as a temporary assignment, there is a chance it could evolve into something more permanent.

There are a few steps you can take to make that transition more likely. Keep these tips in mind if you want to turn your temp job into a permanent position.

Do Your Job Well

Companies ultimately make their decisions based on value. If you prove yourself worthwhile to the organization, they will want to keep you around. That should be your goal during your temp assignment: To convince your bosses they are better off with you around.

Think of your temp assignment as a tryout. If you’re looking to transition from your initial role into a more permanent one, perform your tasks at the highest possible quality level, and exhibit an ability to handle more complicated tasks.

Ask About Permanent Roles

Usually, to get what you want, you have to ask for ... Read More

Beginnings are hard. First dates. First days at new schools. And, of course, your first time walking into a new job. In each case, first impressions make all the difference.

Starting a new position comes with significant anxiety and a high level of stress. But you have to suppress your butterflies and muster all the confidence you can find. Easier said than done? Maybe…but there are ways to make the process easier.

Here are four ways you can overcome your nervousness and make a great impression on your first day on a new job:

Come Early and Stay Late

A new employer wants to see that you’re willing to go the extra mile. Establish that precedent early in your tenure. Show up early, ready to work on your first day. Come prepared and excited.

Meanwhile, carry that enthusiasm through until the end of the day. Don’t leave until your boss does, or at least until they clearly instruct you to go. (Unless, of course, your new boss has a tendency to duck out early. In that case, take your cues from your most committed coworker.)

Offer to Take on Responsibility

Many people come into a job looking to hang back. They want to figure out the ... Read More

A persistent myth about staffing firms is they are all the same. This is far from true. However, a wide gap exists in quality among recruiters. There are bad ones, which can actually represent a liability to your long-term development, and then there are the great recruiters; ones that act to amplify your career ambitions, becoming a major asset to your development.

But how can you tell the difference? How do you separate the winners from the losers without wasting a large amount of time?

Here are some signs you can use to separate the good from the bad, helping you find the right recruiter to push your career forward:

Good Recruiters Give You Specific Details 

You can tell early in your conversations with a recruiter whether or not things are going well. A good staffing partner will provide detailed information, rather than vague promises. Ideally, they should have a specific plan for you soon after your first meeting, using your skills and background as a basis for a way forward.

You shouldn’t be left waiting and you shouldn’t be forced to follow up continuously just to get information. At the very least, your recruiter should offer a timeline of when they can give you ... Read More

It’s the moment you dreaded. The interview started pleasantly enough. You went through some small talk, a list of your qualifications, some banter about where you went to school, and a long recitation of your best qualities.

But now the discussion has taken a turn toward an interrogation. The trick question of all trick questions has been asked: “What is your biggest weakness?”

It’s a difficult query that requires self-reflection and a higher degree of openness than most people usually allow themselves in front of strangers. However, it’s also a common question you’ll face at most interviews. You should have an answer prepared.

With that in mind, here are some tips in crafting your response to the dreaded “what’s your biggest weakness?”

Be Honest …

You want to be honest in your interview. Part of the purpose of the “biggest weakness” question is to test a candidate’s ability to handle a seemingly unwinnable situation. They want to see how you’ll handle the pressure.

Try to evade the question and you’ve effectively failed the test. They know you have weaknesses, so presenting yourself as perfect will only hurt your cause. So, don’t attempt the cutesy tactic of listing an obvious strength as a weakness (“if anything, I’m ... Read More

You’ve heard the benefits of partnering with a staffing agency. And these details have you interested in getting jobs sooner and in finding better positions.

But you still have a major worry: you have specialized skills and you don’t want to settle for a position outside your field. You don’t want to get thrown onto a big pile of candidates, all fighting for the same entry-level positions.

That represents a major myth about staffing firms. People think all recruiters work the same way…that each one is virtually indistinguishable from all the others.

Not true. Rather, there are major differences between individual firms. In practice, each one has its own core competencies, its own area of focus.

Generalists Vs. Specialists

A key split exists between generalists and specialists. Most job seekers assume that every staffing agency acts as a generalist, taking on any client and matching candidates with any type of skill set.

That certainly describes a sizable part of the industry. These companies benefit from a broad scope, both in the clients they sign up and the candidates they look to place. The generalist works best for job seekers who have skills that can be applied in almost any situation.

However, generalists have drawbacks as well. Job ... Read More

Azael Gesesse had trouble jumpstarting his American Dream. Having moved to the U.S. from Ethiopia, Azael looked to make a better life for himself. But the process of entering the workforce proved overwhelming.

His early attempts to find a position led him nowhere. He confronted many of the same challenges anyone faces when they first enter a workforce: a thin resume, a skill set that requires improvement, and an underdeveloped professional network. In this way, he resembled anyone searching for their first job just out of school, or someone returning to the workforce after a long absence.

But in Azael’s case, these shortcomings were magnified by the added difficulties that come with moving to a new country. Together, these factors conspired to make his job search particularly difficult.

And it seemed as if no one could help. Azael attempted to find positions through other agencies, but he found their processes complex and confusing. Ultimately, these other recruiters were unable to place him in any meaningful assignments.

Finally, Azael discovered TriStarr.

TriStarr’s Proven Method for Success

TriStarr immediately applied its proven recruitment process to match Azael with a position perfectly suited to his situation.

“TriStarr believed in me,” Azael says. “They guided me throughout ... Read More

In the broad outlines, it’s clearly a mutually beneficial relationship. But in the day-to-day execution, it’s prone to misunderstandings and misconceptions.

As a job seeker, you get significant benefit from working with a recruiter. They make job searches more efficient, getting you a better opportunity in a shorter period time than you can achieve on your own. Still, a distance sometimes exists between the people looking for work and the professionals trying to place them.

This fact leads to a lot of myths about the services recruiters perform and about where they put their allegiances. It’s a frustrating experience for recruiters, who face skepticism and doubt even as they work tirelessly to place people in situations that will enhance their long-term career prospects.

With that in mind, here are four things recruiters wish candidates would know about their roles:

Recruiters Want to Find the Perfect Match for Both Candidate and Client

People sometimes assume a recruiter cares only about the corporate client. After all, most staffing agencies get paid by the company looking for workers, not by the workers themselves. Therefore, the theory goes, they don’t have any incentive to care about the candidates’ long-term needs.

That’s just not true. Recruiters work hard to create the ... Read More

Recruiters get people jobs. You know this. However, you might assume that finding you a position effectively ends the staffing firm’s involvement. From then on, you’re on your own.

That’s a common myth about staffing firms: They find you a job, and then leave you to take care of yourself. Not true. A recruiter provides support during the transition to your new position and beyond.

It’s time to reset expectations about your staffing partner’s role in your ongoing assignment. Here is how a recruiter will continue to offer outreach and assistance as you start your new position:

When You’re Hired

Your recruiter has found a position for you. You might expect this to consist solely of giving you the name and phone number of your contact at the company; then, the staffing associate will move on to other tasks and forget all about you.

Not so. Securing a placement for you involves more than just blindly sending you to your new gig. Instead, your staffing associate will provide you with key details about the placement and walk you through the process of starting your new assignment.

With the gig economy taking over a larger share of the job market, the contacts and information a recruiter can ... Read More