career advice

5 Tips to Boost Your Job Search

| posted by Leah Ortiz

5 tips to boost your job search

 

5 Tips to Boost  Your Job Search

The dreaded job search – you spend hours each day applying for jobs with no end in sight. You haven’t received any interview offers or even a phone call . But don’t give up. You’re not alone. According to Jobvite it takes over 6 weeks to find a new job. (time varies depending on your industry.) If you’re in a job search rut, or just beginning to look, here are some great tips to boost your job search.

  1. Set Up Job Alerts
    If you want your application to even be considered, you need to be one of the first few applicants. Job postings that have over 50+ applicants and/or over a month old are not worth wasting your time over. The likelihood your application being considered decreases significantly. That’s why it’s important to create job alerts. By doing this, you are setting yourself up to be one of the first applicants for a job posting and increase your chance of getting your resume looked at.
  2. Make LinkedIn a Priority
    If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, create one. LinkedIn is heavily used by recruiters and HR departments to source people for job openings. Join groups within the realm you work, connect with people who hold similar interests, and follow different companies that you’d be interested in working for. You can start by following APR on LinkedIn.
  3. Perfect Your Resume
    When was the last time you updated your resume? Take some time and update it. Lose the objective statement and write a 2-3 sentence overview about why you would be a good fit for the position. Instead of writing a task list, write about your successes at the company. Did you streamline a process that saved the company time and money or did you exceed your sale quota? Think in terms of accomplishments, not job tasks.
  4. Work with a Recruiter
    Staffing agencies are a great way to find unique opportunities.  Recruiters are presented with hundreds of job opportunities to fill for their clients weekly. Find a recruiter who hires in your realm of work and let them know you’re looking for new opportunities.
  5. Let your friends know
    Referrals are one of the best ways to get in with a company. Rather it be through social networking or meeting with friends, be sure to let them know your searching for a job.

Warning signs of a bad staffing agency

| posted by Leah Ortiz

1

Your experience from the moment you hit the apply button to when you’re hired is vastly different from staffing firm to staffing firm. Which makes it even more difficult to know what you should expect when working for one.

APR has been connecting people with job opportunities for over 35 years. We’ve been around to see what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, how to treat employees that work for your agency.

When you’re applying for jobs and your considering to work for a staffing firm or agency you’re not familiar with, here are a few warning signs that you might want to consider before working with them.

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Their application process is difficult and confusing

You find a job you want to apply for. After multiple clicks and having a hard time navigating their website, you now have to spend 15 mins filling out miscellaneous information that’s already included on your resume.

This should be the first red flag and you shouldn’t waste your time. This type of staffing firm clearly doesn’t have the employee experience first in mind. If you’d like to see a great example of what an application process should look like – check out our jobs page.

3

Their lack of social media presence is disturbing

You start to research the company on social media. You search for them on Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. You notice either A. it’s non-existent or B. their page isn’t engaging.

This should be your second warning sign. Social Media is a great way for agencies to stay connected with their employees. That’s why we are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

4

The recruiter is unorganized, uninformative, and all around unprofessional

When you first talk to the recruiter, if they do any of the following, walk away:

  1. Pressure you into taking the position – They give you a deadline or say things “We need an answer in 24 hours”.
  2. Their cold, uninformative, and confusing –  They can’t answer simple questions and give you an idea of what the job entails.
  3. They over promise and under deliver – They say they will send you an email in the next hour and you don’t get it until 2 days later, or they say to expect a phone call from them in 24 hours and you never hear back.

If your recruiter treats you more like they are doing you a favor instead of a human being, this should be a big warning sign. Don’t waste your time working with a poor recruiter because they won’t stand in your corner when things get rough.

5

They forget about you once you’ve started working

An important question to ask the staffing firm or temp agency is what they do to stay connected with its workforce. Do they send out newsletters to keep in touch? Does someone check-in with you periodically to see how your assignment is going?

Last year at APR we launched our WeCare program.  With WeCare, we provide support from the very first phone call to your last day of work. We schedule periodic check-ins, support for any issue that may arise, employee recognition, and even an occasional giveaway. We also send out quarterly newsletters to keep our work force updated with any information that might apply to their job.

 

Keep these warning signs in mind when considering a staffing firm or temp agency to work for. If you’ve ever experienced something that isn’t on the list, let us know and comment below!

Office Friendly T-shirt Costumes

| posted by Leah Ortiz

Office Friendly T-shirt Costumes

Halloween is coming up fast and your office might be planning some activities to celebrate the day. If you are planning on participating by dressing up in a costume, make sure your costume follows the dress code put in place by your HR department. Maybe you haven’t had time to think about what to wear, but you’d still like to participate, then these costumes are for you. Here is a list of easy, D.I.Y costumes that you can create with just a t-shirt.

If you have a sharpie and blank t-shirt, you could easily be a 404 error.

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Sticking with the sharpie and t-shirt, just simply write life and carry around a few lemons.

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You could easily be a spooky skeleton by cutting out an outline of a rib cage and layering it with another shirt.

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With spray paint and electrical tape, you could easily create a one of a kind spider web.

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Lastly, never underestimate the power of duct tape. Your options are endless.

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Did you have an easy D.I.Y costume you created with a t-shirt? Send us an email at [email protected]

The ABC’s of a Successful First Day

| posted by Leah Ortiz

The ABC’s of a successful first day

Congratulations, you got the job! The job search is over. After applying for countless amount of jobs and interviewing so much it’s become second nature, you are almost over that mountain peak of finding and successfully keeping a new job. The last hurdle is your first day of work. Here are some simple “ABC’s” to help you have a successful first day.

  1. Ask questions
    A lot of information is given to you on your first day of work. You might not remember everything, but make sure to understand it. Not knowing the answers and trying to get through your first day can add stress to your first day. Asking questions will also help you engage conversation with others and start building relationships.
  2. Be prepared
    This might be obvious, but there is A LOT that goes into making sure you are prepared. Here are a few tips to make sure you are prepared:

    1. Get a good night’s rest
    2. Set out your outfit for the morning
    3. Make sure you have gas in your car
    4. Get to work early
    5. Bring a pen and notebook to take note
  3. Come with an open mind
    The only thing that is constant is change. Showing flexibility and open your mind when talking with your fellow colleges.
  4. Demonstrate Confidence
    You were selected for a reason. Relax, be confident, and exude enthusiasm.

Have a first day tip to add? Comment below!

5 Tips to Keep You Happy at Work

| posted by Leah Ortiz

We all have those moments at work where we are on the fine line losing it and jumping on the crazy train.  Regardless if you have an office job or a more hands on type of position, here are 5 tips that could help keep you happy even at your most stressful moments.

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1. Nadi Shodhana or “Alternate Nostril Breathing”.

You might look a little crazy doing this breathing exercise known as Nadi Shodhana or “Alternate Nostril Breathing”.  This breathing technique is primarily used in yoga but would be great for you to use when you need to focus or energize.

Just simply hold the right thumb over the right nostril and inhale deeply through the left nostril. At the peak of inhalation, close off the left nostril with the ring finger, then exhale through the right nostril. Continue the pattern, inhaling through the right nostril, closing it off with the right thumb, and exhaling through the left nostril.

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2. Organize your work space

When’s the last time you went through your drawers or your mound of pens? The majority of them are probably dried out or don’t work. (You’re a pen hoarder and you know it!) Take some time out of your day and go organize and clean your work space. The act of cleaning your desk or work area can help create a sense of purpose and can increase your productivity and quality of your work.

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3. Step away from that daunting task

If you have been staring at a computer screen all day or working on a tedious task, step away! Go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, or make small talk with a co-worker. Stepping away from the task can clear your mind and might even give you a new perspective on the problem. “Stanford researchers found that walking boosts creative inspiration. They examined creativity levels of people while they walked versus while they sat. A person’s creative output increased by an average of 60 percent when walking.” -http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/april/walking-vs-sitting-042414.html

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4. The early bird gets the worm

Getting to work with time to spare is refreshing. You aren’t rushing around trying to get things started for the day. You can enjoy that cup of coffee, slowly ease in to your work and start the day with a head start. You’ll also score points with your boss.

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5. Create a task list

Before you start checking your email, write down your tasks and projects for the day. Writing them down will keep it fresh on your mind, organized, and as you complete a task, mark it off.  At the end of the day, review your list. Not only will you see all the tasks you completed, but you will also feel a sense of purpose. Even if you only complete one major task for the day, that’s still better than feeling unorganized and chaotic.

Have you tried any of these tips? How do you keep happy at work?