Tag Archives: job search

First Impressions: Do’s and Dont’s While Waiting to be Interviewed

Uncategorized May 15, 2013 Leave a comment

dos and dontsApplying for any job is a long process. You must update your resume, search for positions, tailor your cover letter to a specific position, and you still might not even hear back! So you pass all the initial screening and you put on your best suit and head to the interview. From the second you walk in the door, you are creating an impression on those around you. According to a quote from CEO Andy Ory on Careerrealism.com, first impressions are generally formed while the applicant is waiting in the lobby, and they become relevant to the hiring decision between 5 and 10% of the time.

That means, it’s time to check yourself before you enter the building. What do you in the next few minutes can be the deciding factor before you even step foot into your interviewers office. Most employers ask their receptionist how they were treated by applicants, and if they divulge that you were a few minutes late or exasperated this could be the end of the road for you. NO employer wants a rude and inconsiderate employee regardless of your credentials. Here are some dos, don’ts and tips to help you be perceived as a polite and well-prepared individual ready to be interviewed.

DO Sit Calmly and Quietly

We understand these first few minutes can be nerve-wracking. If this is a position you’ve been hoping for you’ve most likely spent a good amount of time preparing yourself and you’re worried you won’t make a good impression. The bad part is, when we’re nervous we tend to fidget and start to look for things to do with our hands i.e. biting our nails, rummaging through our purse etc. This makes you look less prepared and overall disheveled. Try crossing your hands and going over what you’ve practiced in your head. Take in what’s around you, maybe the office has photos of charities they support, all good things to bring up and get the conversation started during an interview.

DO Ask for Company Materials to Read

If you have been sitting for a longer time, or have been told it might be a few minutes it’s A-OK for you to ask the receptionist if she has a company newsletter for you to read. This shows that you are genuinely interested in the company itself and not just making sure that your paycheck comes each week. Not only will this make you look good, but the newsletter could give you some great talking points in your interview. As an interviewer myself a question I always ask is “what do you know about us?” It shows me just how interested they really are and if they’ve done the proper research.

DO Look Over Your Notes/Portfolio

Coming to an interview prepared is important. You should know the points that you want to stress, like the fact that you helped your old company earn an awesome client and became the POC for them. Know what cards you want to play! This is also a great idea if you can’t keep still. This will show your interviewer you have a great attention to detail.

DON’T Begin Reading Unrelated Material

I once had an applicant pull out a gossip magazine in the waiting room. This made me feel like I was interrupting her private free time to call her into my office. An interviewer also expects a degree of nervousness, and sometimes we find it can be endearing that they care so much about getting the job. However, if you have your feet up on the coffee table laughing at a photo of Brad Pitt in a speedo you seem like you could care less if you didn’t get the job.

DON’T Get on Your Phone

I CANNOT stress this enough. I have been asked several times if I could wait a few minutes to interview a candidate because they needed to call their wife/brother/sister/friend etc. I’m on a schedule and I allotted time for you to fit into that, do not make me wait. Regardless what you are doing on it, even if it is checking out our profile with your LinkedIn app we’re always going to assume you’re texting.

DON’T Start Listening To Your Music

Basically, don’t do anything that might be disrespectful to your interviewer. We understand that music can be calming, but it Is not the proper setting. Once during an interview with a candidate and I could hear music from someone’s headphones in the waiting room! That is a true disregard for those around you, and someone I would never want to hire.

5 Ways to Overcome Distractions

Uncategorized May 8, 2013 Leave a comment

distractionsThink about it, there are distractions all around you. When you’re driving, your friends are calling you and there’s a really cute girl in the car next to you at the red light. When you’re at home, you’re cooking while watching TV, while trying to job search all at the same time. When you’re at work, your boss sends you an email, your co-worker is going through a break up and you keep getting memos about inter office dating. No matter where you are, your attention is always being drawn in 100 different ways. A lot of times with distractions comes procrastination and limits your ability to complete the easiest of tasks.

Listed below are 5 ways to help you overcome all the distractions that we call life. Take them with a grain of salt though, and understand that sometimes life is a distraction and you should just work on calming yourself down. Handling too many things at once can cause real stress and certainly is not good for your health.

1. Focus, focus, focus.

Even though you can’t help it, try to get rid of some of the things that distract you. Turn off your cell phone or put it in a place where you will not see it blinking. Put up a “busy” away message on your work IM. Let your co-workers know that you are working on an important project and you need your space for at least an hour. Making a to-do list is actually helpful. Accomplishing and crossing off things on the list can be empowering and motivate you to further avoid annoyances throughout the day.

2. Avoid procrastinating.

Most definitely easier than it sounds. When making your to-do list make sure to prioritize the items. However, if you start to feel yourself getting bored and looking for other things to do, focus on something else you need to accomplish for a little while. This can still help you get what you need to done while resting your brain at the same time.

3. Take a break!

We prefer this break to be a kit-kat break, but that’s just us. There’s no way our brains can function well without taking a rest every once in a while. Sometimes a break can help put your head back on straight, and make for better productivity. The more small breaks you have, ultimately the happier you will be in your job.

4. Be realistic.

This is huge. It is so important to understand that you can’t complete everything in one day, and that distractions are bound to happen and it’s OK. Remember the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

5. Schedule.

Last but not least, plan out your time! Not only will you have a better understanding of what you can actually accomplish but it also helps you look forward to different times throughout the day. Maybe you brought a great lunch and all you have to do is finish filing applications. A schedule can help you avoid distractions because you are excited to move ahead on the list. However, make sure you schedule in some time to allow for distractions, otherwise you’ll be stressed when you don’t stick to the schedule!

Let us in on your secrets to overcoming distractions.

Job Searching With a Criminal Background

Uncategorized April 17, 2013 1 Comment

criminal job searchingAs an employer, no matter what position you’re hiring for you are going to hear from an array of different people good and bad. Whether you’re hiring for a skilled position or an administrative position, if the job doesn’t require too much education or experience and the majority of the population could handle it with the right set of personality traits, all will apply. It is your job as an employer or HR manager to screen employees and protect your company, as well as find an employee who will fill the missing puzzle piece your place of business needs. Doing a simple background check is just about second nature these days, especially with access to the internet.

Job seekers are most aware that their life is on display with social media, and a simple Google search. Whether you made a stupid mistake when you were 18, or you’re a repeat offender if you have served your time and returned to regular society it can be hard to move forward and find a great job. All employers need is your name and birthdate and in most states will be able to find anything they want to about your criminal past. Point is, be smart about it and be prepared.

What you need to know

Crime can even affect you if you’re the victim! Technically, in some states an employer can pass over you if they are worried that your past will affect their other employees.

Some companies also do yearly background checks to make sure their current employees are keeping up to their standards. If something turns up? You can be terminated.

What can they check?

This usually depends on the state you live in and where the crime was committed. In some cases a state may say an employer can only look back 5 years into your past. Be aware of what employers can and can’t check. They might not even be aware of it, especially if they are not a senior HR manager with years of experience! Some states even seal juvenile records so they cannot be accessed at all.

In most cases, your crime must be related to the job in some way, or pose a kind of threat in order for it to affect your future employment there. For example, if you stole parts and cars at your last job at Bob’s Mechanic Shop, another shop will definitely be wary of hiring you and rightly so!

Another thing to keep in mind is that some states are not allowed to take into account a recent arrest that has yet to be tried. Although, if your interviewer asks your best bet is to tell the truth about what happened without all the gritty details.

Should you disclose an arrest or conviction?

It is always a good idea to give full disclosure, you definitely don’t want to risk them finding out later, then you are just a liar. If you were arrested for underage drinking in Florida during your freshman year and begin your search after graduation in your hometown in New York, chances are they won’t find out, and if you were not convicted and haven’t had an issue with the law since, you are OK.

Tell potential employers what they definitely need to know, and what could affect them, but there’s no need to give them every detail of your past.

Another option is to call your states Department of Labor, they can tell you about local pre-employment screening laws. You should be informed if they will be giving you a background check, and if your past doesn’t match up with the job description you can bow out gracefully at this point.

Mitigating Factors

Some employers, depending on the position will take into account the details of your crime. Did it only happen once? How long ago did it happen and how old were you? The person that you are today will also come into play. What have you accomplished since your conviction?

The lesson you should take from this post is to always be honest! Try your best to rehabilitate yourself and let your employers know that!

In Simple Terms – What Employers and Recruiters Want and Don’t Want to See on Your Resume

Uncategorized April 10, 2013 Leave a comment

resume cartoon

There are so many questions to ask yourself when updating or creating your resume. What kind of paper should it be printed on? What kind of font do I use? How long should it be? What should it include? There are some great online resources to reference how you want the layout of your resume to be.

Once you have figured out how you want it to look, it’s time to focus on the content. Make sure you have the basics included, and the rest is up to you whether or not you want to include other odd jobs, include an objective, etc. Here are the basics of what employers are and aren’t looking for on your resume.

 

Recruiters welcome a resume that shows;

1. You have the skills and work experience to complete the job well. If you are applying for a nursing position but only have experience as a dishwasher, even if you have the best looking resume, and are the nicest person they’ve met you aren’t going to get the job.

2. You will contribute something other than just the completion of your tasks to the team. Will you fit into the company culture and get along with others on the team? Maybe you were awarded ”employee of the month” and it shows that you are hard-working.

3. You take pride in your work. If your resume has a stain from your morning coffee, is wrinkled from being in your pocket and doesn’t even have your most recent work history on it, your interviewer will wonder if your work pieces will look the same. Chances are they won’t be able to get past it to listen to all of your awesome qualities.

 

What recruiters do not want in your resume;

1. Your life history. The point of a resume is for an employer to get a quick glimpse into your work history and personality. Employers don’t have the time to read a 3 page paper about how you became who you are today. Focus on the requirements of the specific job you are applying for. Tailor your resume for each position you apply for.

2. Excuses. This pertains more to the interview. Recruiters want to hear about your strengths. If you don’t have great work experience, stress the classes you learned from during your education. Discuss with them your ability to learn quickly and efficiently.

3. Inconsistencies. This is the most important, and the biggest turn-off to recruiters. Don’t put something in your resume that isn’t true. Most times, if an applicants resume hasn’t been updated in a while, they forget that they hadn’t told the full truth and end up outing themselves. Another good point to make is that your social media and online presence match your resume. When listing your work history on your Facebook page, make sure it coincides with everything you say, and what’s on your resume, and oh yeah, what’s the truth!  

 

IMMEDIATE OPENING FOR AN OFFICE ASSISTANT

Uncategorized April 4, 2013 Leave a comment

now hiring

We have a new position we are hiring for! We all need to get paid to survive, right? Here’s the details.

 

Office Assistant

Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

Responsible for general administrative office support to the management team, weekly payroll and reception/ lobby functions.

Located in Rochester, NY

 

If you would like to apply, we only operate by appointment so call us and ask for Kathy Medlin or Stephanie Nasso at (585) 360-4670. We only go by appointment because we try to get everything you need to complete in order to be our actual employee in one visit. We don’t want you to have to worry about making 100 trips here to see us if we place you somewhere!

 

I also wanted to remind our faithful followers that once you apply with Staff-Smart, you are eligible for all the positions we have open!

IMMEDIATE OPENING FOR A MATERIAL HANDLER/JANITOR

Uncategorized March 13, 2013 Leave a comment

now hiring

We have a new position we are hiring for! We all need to get paid to survive, right? Here’s the details.

 

Material Handler/Janitor

2nd shift

Making sure all the floors and the warehouse are clean as well as helping out with production and material handling.

Located in Rochester, NY

 

If you would like to apply, we only operate by appointment so call us and ask for Kathy Medlin or Stephanie Nasso at (585) 360-4670. We only go by appointment because we try to get everything you need to complete in order to be our actual employee in one visit. We don’t want you to have to worry about making 100 trips here to see us if we place you somewhere!

 

I also wanted to remind our faithful followers that once you apply with Staff-Smart, you are eligible for all the positions we have open!

How Blogging and Social Networking Can Impact Your Job Search

Uncategorized March 6, 2013 Comments: 2

SocialMediaJobsLanded

With the rise of social media and new internet technologies, it’s been a whirlwind trying to keep up with the trends. From Facebook and Twitter to blogging and iPhone apps, the job searching world has changed dramatically. The internet has proved to be innovative and helpful, but has also been known to burn those who have not censored themselves. Within the blogging world, topics can range from what you eat everyday to how to find the perfect woman. So, of course there are blogs about job searching and some bloggers personal journeys to finding their path to a great career. One personal blog I recently read actually told readers that they lie on their resume and during interviews! Even if this isn’t completely true, I would recommend following the idea that nothing on the internet goes away or gets deleted. It just might be in your best interest!

 

Privacy Issues.

If nothing gets deleted on the internet, or maybe just gets buried underneath new content anyone who is seasoned with computers can use their own tactics to find basically anything they want to find. Around 90% of employers check a candidates online presence and background before hiring them. We get that the internet is a place for you to truly express yourself, show off your new tattoo of that lyric that got you through your high school years or adding photos on Facebook of that drunken college night where you shot gunned a beer in the library. However, do you really want your future employer seeing you in that light? Most people want to be respected and to be seen as professional in the workplace. We all know you have a life outside of work, and those worlds will most likely collide in certain ways, but there are things we as recruiters just don’t want to know! Getting to the point, Your employer will most likely search for you, so make sure they still have that great impression of you after they check out your blog and/or Twitter.

 

Facebook/ Website/ Blog Do’s and Dont’s.

Be careful what you put online. I cannot stress this enough! I once heard of an employee who was sending photos back and forth with her boyfriend through work email, it didn’t end well. Use the internet properly, especially on company time.

Consider creating a personal website if you’re unemployed. This is becoming more and more popular. It is a great idea to create a site that possible employers can find that shows your more professional side. Put a link in to your professional blog and your LinkedIn profile. Add a place where visitors can check out your updated resume. If you have writing samples or pieces of your portfolio, feature them here.

Don’t list your blog if it is NOT relevant. If you have a blog that’s just for fun, don’t advertise it. You shouldn’t be putting incriminating photos over the Internet anyways, but you are allowed to express yourself in your own way just be aware that anyone can find that information about you easily.

 

Read Job Search Blogs.

This is huge. Blogs are great because they are constantly being updated with new ideas and trends. There could be blogs out there with new sites that have positions you wouldn’t have otherwise found out there. They might give you tips on something you struggle with during interviews. That’s the other great thing about blogs, there are so many different topics you can almost find anything you’re looking for. The Internet is a database of awesome helpful information, use it to your advantage!

5 Ways to Deal with Annoying People at Work

Uncategorized January 30, 2013 Leave a comment

annoying coworker

Whether you work at a big company or a small one, there’s always going to be someone you don’t click with. Maybe this person just has mannerisms you can’t stand, or maybe they send you 100 emails a day. Regardless, when you see them upwards of 40 hours per week, you have to find a way to work together. Depending on your personality, there are several different ways to handle this situation.

 

1. Ignore them.

Ignoring them could go badly, if you are not a person who can let things go easily. If you get an email four times in a row with different information, so frustrating! Just be glad that you aren’t like that, and do something that will distract you from the annoyance. If you are someone who gets worked up easily, this could be an immediate answer to your problem, but not the solution. You need to calm down before you address the situation, otherwise you’ll get yourself into trouble and into an argument.

2. Talk to a friend

Make sure this person DOES NOT work with you. This will allow you to get all your frustrations out, and still won’t affect your work life. It is also nice to hear the opinion of someone who is unbiased and a third party. They could offer you some insight, and help validate your feelings or give you a view into your annoying co-workers mind, maybe they just had a bad day. This friend knows you much better than your co-worker and can help you figure out the best way to handle him/her.

3. Be kind.

My mother always says ”Kill them with kindness.” It’s nice to go through life knowing that you did not stoop to their level. A lot of people act the way they do because they want to get a reaction. Show them a different reaction then they are expecting and they likely will stop trying. Being kind to someone who you dislike is hard, and takes strong mental control. Down the road when you get a great promotion, and move to the department you’ve always wanted to you will look back and be glad you were nice to them in the grand scheme of things.

4. Do an amazing job.

There is nothing like putting a person in their place by being, well, awesome! No one in the workplace should ever keep you from doing the best job you possibly can, if they do it might be time to tell your manager. If you are known for doing great work, and this annoying co-worker is accusing you of not completing a task you were supposed to, most likely (with a little proof of course) they will believe that you had the best of intentions and dismiss their comments until asking you directly.

5. Tell them your problem.

This is the riskiest of the five options. Realistically, you should be able to talk to the people around you about your issues. Sometimes people are just simply unaware of how their actions are coming off to others. When you know that you have exhausted every option, you can at least know that you tried your best to resolve the situation and you’ll be a happier person for it!

 

Any other suggestions? We would love to hear them!   

5 Things You Should Never Write On Your LinkedIn Profile

Applicants December 14, 2012 Leave a comment

lol omgWith all the social networking these days, it’s hard to keep track of what to put where! Where can i put funny pictures up? Is it ok to say LOL or FML on Twitter? Social media faux pas can definitely be more embarrassing than real life ones. I mean, how many people saw me trip over my own shoelace in the hall of my apartment vs. my 500 Facebook friends seeing me passed out on the couch with marker all over my face? Facebook wins, courtesy of that one friend you probably won’t speak to for a while. Uploading things to social networks is as easy as 1,2,3 and you’re bound to mistakenly send that naked picture to Facebook instead of your boyfriend.

With LinkedIn, this is where you should be showing off your professional, career driven side. But, it can get to be confusing when certain things that are acceptable on Facebook and Twitter, aren’t on LinkedIn. If a potential employer were to see that naked picture, you most definitely could lose out on a great job opportunity. Please remember to keep these examples OUT of your LinkedIn profile;

1. “LOL, OMG”

These are definitely OK for Facebook and especially Twitter, with limited character count but definitely not for LinkedIn. You don’t want your potential employer to be worried about whether or not you’ll include LOL in that huge client proposal. These types of words are classified as “netspeak” and it can get hard to differentiate. Pay attention to what you are typing. What am i typing about? Who is this message going to?

2. “I love my puppy Mindy, going out with my friends, and staying up late!”

LinkedIn is NOT the place to describe what you like to do in your spare time. The summary section gives you 2000 characters to describe yourself. While adding a personal flare is definitely recommended to help yourself stand out, don’t go too far. Write about what motivates you!

3. “It’s my employer’s fault i swear, they made a mistake and I got blamed.”

Making excuses is never a good thing to do. Even if what you’re saying is true, it didn’t change the outcome of what happened. Be honest without putting others down. You don’t have to give every detail about what happened at your last job but be positive. Stick to the awesome things you did while you were there, that will help you be the best at the current job you’re applying for.

4. Nothing.

Yes you have your past employers listed, but nothing about the specific tasks you completed. It is a hard job when employers are coming up with a list of responsibilities for the position they would like to hire someone for, so they pay attention and watch for those qualities to show up when they are searching through resumes on LinkedIn. If you had a long list of accomplishments, list them! You should be proud of what you have done, and employers love to see that!

5. “I’m not only the best employee there ever was, but the best person too and I am the only reason that company made any money.”

While this could be true (though not likely) I’m sure your potential employers will figure that out for themselves. When you tell someone you’re the greatest, they tend to doubt it, studies show. Honestly is always, always, always appreciated and to be honest, expected so don’t tell shades of the truth, we can tell.

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