Category: Job Seekers

The new year presents an excellent chance to step up your job search. With 2020 just underway, you’re already in the mood for resolutions. Why not take the opportunity to enhance your job hunt?

Working with a staffing agency offers the perfect way to improve your chances of finding the ideal situation. It lets you find positions quickly and seek out opportunities that match your skills and background. A recruiting firm can protect you against long stretches of unemployment, while simultaneously optimizing your long-term professional development.

Protecting You From Financial (And Emotional) Trauma

Enhancing your job-hunting abilities can save you significant worry and potentially prevent financial disaster if circumstances turn against you. Statistics show it can take months to find a job. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor show that people are out of work for 20.1 weeks, on average – or just about five months.

Of course, the actual length of time depends on the situation. The government figures indicate that just over a third of people (34.4%) find a new position in less than five weeks. That’s a promising stat. However, there’s a dark side to the distribution. About one out of five people (20.1%, to be ... Read More

You’ve heard of being “ghosted” through texts, social media, and even on dating apps. But, in temp staffing and recruitment? It’s happening. Typically, “ghosting” is when someone you are corresponding with stops responding in any way to texts, emails, posts on your social media, or conversation with you on dating apps. In the world of temp agencies and recruitment, “ghosting” is when you have a prospective employee, the interview is scheduled, and they are a no-show. No telephone call, no reason for not showing up, they simply vanish.

Over the past 12 to 18 months, “ghosting” has quickly made its way into the world of temp staffing and job recruiting. It has become one of the most talked-about topics at trade shows and conferences, around the country. So, why now? Some experts in the industry believe it has to do with the low unemployment rate and the fact that there are so many job opportunities available. Candidates don’t feel pressure or obligation to show up. Others believe it’s generational–that there isn’t a concern for consequences if they don’t keep a commitment.

If a suitable candidate presents to you, follow up with them right away.  Studies have shown that scheduling interviews in the ... Read More

You want a full-time job. You’re hoping to score a permanent position as quickly as possible. While you’re looking, you get offered a temp assignment, with the potential for a staff position in the future. Should you take it?

Your instinct might be to turn it down. You don’t want to get stuck in a career cul-de-sac, wasting time in a job you might not be able to keep for the long term. However, don’t walk away too quickly. There are plenty of strategic reasons why a temp-to-hire position might represent the best play for you.

Here are some of the benefits of accepting a temp-to-hire position:

Get Hired Faster

Companies can be reluctant to make full-time hires. For them, it’s a big commitment. In many circumstances, these firms feel much more comfortable bringing in temporary help. They can use this to supplement their current staff or complete short-term projects.

The good news for you is that the hiring process for these shorter-term assignments is more streamlined. Because of the lowered risk for the employer, you don’t have to jump through the same hoops to get hired.

Try Out the Position

Temporary positions lower the risk for companies. They provide the same benefit for workers as ... Read More

Most job seekers know the benefits of working with a staffing firm. However, when they think about “benefits,” they mean the term in a general sense. But what about literal benefits? What about those added elements of compensation that often come with full-time employment?

Those kinds of benefits are a different story. People often rely on their employer to get things like health insurance and retirement savings. However, job seekers don’t usually associate these important benefits with staffing firms.

It’s a key concern and one that often holds people back from using recruiters to ignite their careers.

The Other Kind of Job Security

The concern over benefits permeates job searches in general. As companies shift to a gig-economy model, fewer and fewer employers offer their workers full benefits.

It leads to a situation where workers never feel truly secure. They always feel like they have to keep hustling, keep working, keep looking for that next job. The drive feels especially acute in the world of temporary work, where even paid days off seem like a mythical luxury from some bygone era.

In this environment, many job seekers feel silly even asking a recruiter about benefits. They think, “if many employers don’t offer ... Read More

Careers don’t develop in a straight line. There are always plenty of twists and turns. These can include times away from the workforce. Now, that you’re ready to return to the professional world after a long break, how do you find that perfect position?

It’s often necessary to step away from the working world for a period of time. Whether you were raising your kids, going back to school, caring for an ailing loved one, or any of the myriad of reasons that a person might need a time out from the workforce, the transition back can be tough.

However, it’s not impossible. With a little creativity, you can build up your resume and get your career back on track.

Here are five steps you should take when you re-enter the workforce after a long break:

Engage Your Network

Everyone knows what a strong network in central to securing long-term career advancement. You may have been out of contact with many of your professional acquaintances over the last few years. However, you were going to need them in order to jumpstart your career.

Contact the people in your network. This includes both the people you’re still close to and the more distant folks that you ... Read More

Many job seekers delay contacting a staffing agency because they believe they can find a better job on their own. However, recruiters offer significant advantages and even the most demanding candidates can benefit from the assistance staffing agencies provide.

Seeking out help can be tough. As you start your job search, you’re confident you can find a position on your own. After all, no one can understand your background better than you and only you can properly steer your career toward your desired trajectory.

Right? Well, not exactly.

Working with a recruiter doesn’t replace your understanding of your skills or change the direction of your career. Instead, staffing agencies are there to amplify those powers. They can unlock possibilities you didn’t know existed.

Here are some of the ways you benefit from working with a recruiter, rather than trying to land a position on your own:

Unadvertised Opportunities

Employers don’t always publish their open positions. This is especially true if those companies work with a staffing firm. Instead of going through the trouble and expense of soliciting applications from the public, they will go directly through the recruiter to get the workers they need.

By signing up with a staffing agency, you ... Read More

It may seem like a simple ice-breaker-type question, little more than an excuse to recite your resume, or maybe just a lead-in to more meaningful inquiries. However, the query “tell me about yourself” can represent a trap. In fact, it can become as much a trap for unprepared job seekers as more obvious head-scratchers like “what’s your biggest weakness?”.

However, it doesn’t have to be. Instead of becoming an awkward point in the interview, the question offers you a significant opportunity. You can use it to set the tone for the rest of the meeting and outline your baseline case for getting hired.

Here are some things to include as you respond to the all-but-inevitable “tell me about your yourself” prompt.

Briefly Rundown Your History

The bulk of your answer should involve your biography. At this point, you should mostly stick to your education and work history, as this is most pertinent to a job situation.

However, look to include more personal elements, as well. These can help make a connection with your interviewers. Mention details like where you were born, where you grew up, how many brothers and sisters you have, etc.

One warning, though: Make sure not to dip into things like politics or ... Read More

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