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Three Tips to Improve Your Job Search in Any Industry!

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Many professionals launched job searches at the beginning of the year in hopes of furthering their careers. While seeking out new opportunities can be daunting, there are ways to streamline the process and poise yourself for reasonably quick success. If you want to make sure yours goes off without a hitch, here are three tips to improve your job search that work in any industry.

1. Honestly Assess Your Career

When many professionals begin looking for a new position, they jump right into the search. While being enthusiastic is certainly a positive, making your way to job boards or launching social media searches shouldn’t necessarily be your first step.

Instead, spend a little time assessing your career. Be honest with yourself about what’s gone right and where you’ve stumbled. Look at your skillset with a discerning eye and determine if you need to spend time augmenting it to get the job you have in mind. Consider what your references will say about you, both positive and negative. Envision your ideal role in a detailed manner, ensuring you can clearly see your target and remain focused.

An honest career assessment can be a powerful tool. Not only will it help you make sure that you’re headed in the right direction, but it also empowers you to identify any obstacles you may face. That way, you can address those points before applying to open positions, giving you a chance to position yourself as a stronger candidate.

2. Be Prepared for – But Not Afraid of – the Post-COVID Landscape

COVID-19 had a major impact on the world. Millions of people found themselves suddenly unemployed, while many others saw their hours reduced. Many had to adjust to working from home with little notice or training for professionals who kept their jobs. Additionally, companies that continued to hire had to alter their recruitment and hiring practices quickly.

While it may seem like the pandemic means that now isn’t a good time for a job search, that isn’t necessarily the case. Companies are still hiring, and there are opportunities worth pursuing.

However, it is wise to be prepared for what you may encounter due to COVID-19. Make sure you’re prepared to participate in video interviews, as those are incredibly common today. Additionally, consider highlighting your remote work skills – like familiarity with collaboration software, VPN, or video conferencing tools – on your resume and during your interview if you’re going after a work-from-home position.

3. Partner with a Staffing Firm

Managing a job search is always a big task, even when a pandemic isn’t in play. By partnering with a staffing firm, you gain access to allies who can identify suitable opportunities, provide you with guidance, and otherwise help you get your career moving in the right direction.

When you work with a recruitment agency, you may also get access to unadvertised positions. Plus, staffing firms are frequently the sole hiring source for leading companies, meaning you can’t access those opportunities unless you connect with the agency.

If you’re looking for a new job, the team at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today to learn more about our open positions and see how our services can benefit you.

 

 

Happy 13th Anniversary, Brenda Frank!

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

 

To celebrate Brenda Frank’s 13th year with The Advance Group, we sat down with her for a Q & A session.  Here are a few highlights to enjoy:

 

Q: What quote do you live by?
A: It is what it is

 

Q: What’s your favorite song?
A: Unforgettable

 

Q: What’s your favorite holiday?
A: Halloween

 

Brenda is a Staffing Coordinator and works in our Sylvania branch, though she has been referred to as our Director of First Impressions.  Happy Anniversary, Brenda!

What Is a Performance Bonus? (And How Can You Get One?)

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Many employees want to seize every opportunity to boost their income. While some professionals assume the only ways to bolster their pay are overtime hours or seeking out a higher paying position, that isn’t actually the case. Performance bonuses can be a great way to bump up earnings.

If you wonder what a performance bonus is and how you can get one, here’s what you need to know.

What Is a Performance Bonus?

In the simplest sense, a performance bonus is a financial reward for exceeding expectations. When an employee goes above and beyond, their employee may provide them with a bonus to showcase their appreciation for the extra effort.

The size of a performance bonus can vary depending on the nature of the work and the accomplishment itself. Additionally, a performance bonus might be a set dollar amount for exceeding a performance target, a percentage of sales, a percentage of captured savings, or something else that aligns with the achievement’s nature.

A performance bonus isn’t guaranteed. Instead, it’s additional compensation that has to be earned in a particular fashion. This gives employees the option of expanding their income through increased effort, ensuring that top performers are rewarded for exceeding expectations.

In some cases, what it takes to earn a performance bonus is spelled out. This gives employees the exact target, giving them a finish line that results in additional compensation.

However, performance bonuses may also be awarded for exceeding expectations in a manner that isn’t necessarily outlined. Employers can choose to offer this form of compensation whenever they see fit, which is why always striving to be a top performer can be worthwhile, as you may see an unexpected bump in your earnings as a reward.

How to Get Performance Bonuses and Other Benefits

As mentioned above, a performance bonus is potentially available to employees who strive to exceed expectations, performance targets, or otherwise do more than the bare minimum required in their position. However, having a great on-the-job performance can give employees access to more than a little extra compensation.

At The Advance Group, employees who have great on-the-job performances and solid attendance consistently can gain access to additional programs. Other benefits that may be available include:

  • Advance All-Star Program
  • Steel-Toed Work Boot Reimbursement
  • COVID-19 Bonuses for Qualifying Essential Workers
  • Holiday Bonuses
  • Paid Time Off
  • Attendance Bonuses
  • Stay Bonuses
  • SMART Awards
  • And More

The Advance Group values each and every employee. That’s why we work diligently to ensure that top performers are regularly recognized and rewarded for their efforts.

If you’d like to find out more about the amazing benefits available through The Advance Group or are seeking out new job opportunities that can boost your earnings and your career, the team at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us to speak with a member of our recruitment team today and see how our programs can make work more rewarding.

 

 

Why Does Hiring Take SO LONG?

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

When you need a new employee, dawdling isn’t typically on the table. However, even if you’re incredibly motivated, that doesn’t mean your hiring process will go quickly.

It can often seem like finding the ideal candidate is closer to a marathon than a sprint, regardless of whether you’re acting with a sense of urgency. But by figuring out what’s causing the delay, you can speed it up.

If you’re wondering why hiring takes so long and what you can do to speed up the process, here’s a look at what can cause slowdowns and what you can do about them.

Looking for a Unicorn

While you certainly want to find the right candidate for the job, seeking perfection isn’t always a smart move. If you have a laundry list of requirements and won’t end your search until you find someone who has it all, your hiring process may lag on for months or even years.

Instead of searching for a unicorn candidate, focus on finding someone with potential. Begin by cutting down your must-haves list, leaving only skills that are genuinely needed on day one. Next, consider candidates who have most of what you want but are also enthusiastic and willing to learn.

In many cases, that type of job seeker has the ability to thrive if you give them a little guidance. You can mold them into the ideal employee instead of simply waiting for a candidate to show up who may not exist.

Too Many Applicants

Getting a lot of applicants can be a good thing, as it broadens your talent pool. However, it also means you have to screen each candidate, determining which ones are a reasonable match, something that can take time and energy.

Now, it is possible to streamline this part of your process. Using an applicant tracking system (ATS) with resume parsing capabilities, you can automate the initial screening. The ATS can skim resumes for critical keywords and rank the applicants, allowing you to immediately remove poorer fits from contention and focus on those who seem like the best match.

Poorly Structured and Scheduled Processes

For hiring to be efficient, it needs to be properly structured and scheduled. For example, by planning your interview questions, you can ensure that critical topics are covered with every applicant. Plus, you can use it to create a scoring mechanism, allowing you to compare candidates fairly.

Additionally, scheduling certain parts of the process to co-occur can expedite hiring. You may want to conduct reference checks while background checks are running, for instance, to speed up the entire process.

Ineffective Recruiting

Not finding any strong candidates can cause hiring processes to get stalled right at the beginning. At times, your recruitment methods might be to blame, particularly if you’re relying on techniques that were established years ago.

If you want to speed up hiring, you need to diversify your recruitment. Along with using your company’s careers page and major job boards, advertise positions on social media. You may also want to try niche job boards or connect with local colleges, universities, and professional groups.

Partnering with a recruitment agency is also an excellent choice. You’ll get access to recruitment experts, an established and pre-screened talent pool, and a reliable process that can speed up hiring.

If you need to quickly find a high-quality new hire, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us today.

 

 

Brighter Days Are Coming – Use These Tips to Recover From “Work at Home” Burnout

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

While working from home can provide professionals with many benefits, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Often, it may feel as if you never leave the house, which can be frustrating. Plus, separating your personal and professional life may seem impossible as your office is never more than a few steps away. That can lead to an “always-on” mentality, and that can quickly become draining.

Additionally, working remotely can leave you feeling isolated and lonely. After all, you cannot communicate face-to-face with colleagues, which creates a sense of separation. And, if you aren’t going to be heading back to the office anytime soon, it may all feel inescapable.

Luckily, it is possible to overcome work at home burnout. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some tips.

Set Boundaries

If your work-life is bleeding into your personal time, setting boundaries may be necessary if you want to overcome work from home burnout. Create a set schedule with your manager that outlines when you are on the clock. Then, when your off-hours arrive, completely disconnect by turning off notifications and shutting down your work devices.

With that approach, you create some much-needed separation. Your personal time will begin to feel like yours again, and that can make a big difference.

Schedule Time for Yourself

A bit of “me time” can be rejuvenating. However, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be hard to envision squeezing some into your day.

One potential solution is to put your “me time” on your calendar. For example, you may want to schedule two 15-minute breaks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, that you can use for an enjoyable activity. You could also block out one hour two evenings a week for a hobby.

By scheduling it formally, you’re ensuring you carve out time for yourself. Plus, you can set up notifications to alert you when those times arrive, decreasing the odds that you’ll accidentally miss those appointments.

Focus on Connection

When burnout is tied to feelings of isolation, actively working to connect with people may make a difference. Whether it’s scheduling a weekly video call with a loved one or getting on the phone when you need insight from a colleague instead of emailing, anything that can help you foster your relationships could lift you up.

Speak with Your Manager

Sometimes, burnout is more about your daily activities than where you work. If you’re struggling because your engagement is slipping or you are overtasked, speak with your manager about your workload.

Along with presenting any challenges you’re facing, also discuss potential answers to the issues. That way, you’re solutions-oriented, and you open up opportunities for a dialog that can lead to a mutually acceptable resolution.

Ultimately, all of the tips above can make it easier to overcome work from home burnout. If you’d like to find out more, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us for help finding a job that better fits your future.

 

 

Here’s How to Calculate Your Employee Turnover

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Understanding your employer turnover rate is critical for every business. It allows organizations to gauge the effectiveness of retention efforts, determine whether their salary schedules are competitive, and otherwise monitor employee sentiment about the company.

By calculating your employee turnover, you’re empowering your business to make meaningful changes that boost engagement, morale, and, ultimately, longevity. If you are wondering how you can calculate your turnover rate and how you can use that information to your benefit, here’s what you need to know.

How to Calculate Your Employee Turnover Rate

  1. Gather the Right Figures

Generally speaking, you’ll need three metrics to calculate your employee turnover rate. First, you need to determine the number of workers who left your organization – both voluntarily and involuntarily – during a specific time period.

Second, you need to figure out how many employees were part of the organization at the start of that period. Finally, you’ll want to check your staffing levels at the end of that time window.

  1. Get the Average

Before you can assess turnover rates, you need to calculate the average number of employees you had in place during that period. Add together the number of present workers at the start of the time window and the number who were there at the end. Then, divide that figure by two. That’s your average.

  1. Get the Turnover Rate

With your average in-hand, divide the number of employees who left by that average. Then, multiple that number by 100. That is your turnover rate expressed as a percentage.

For example, if you have six employees leave and the average number of workers was 200, this is the calculation:

(6 / 200) x 100 = 3 percent

Making Use of Your Turnover Rate Data

Often, retention is a major concern of companies. By monitoring your turnover rate, you can gauge the effectiveness of various retention efforts, salary schedules, and other factors that impact worker longevity.

With the turnover rate information, you can analyze how adjustments within your company influence retention. For example, you can see whether salary increases lead to longevity or if a shift in your culture has a positive or negative impact.

That means you shouldn’t look at your turnover rate in isolation. Turnover is a symptom of other aspects of the organization. As a result, you have to look at it in the context of various decisions and situations that impact employees, particularly those that influence engagement, morale, and loyalty.

Ultimately, like many performance metrics, your turnover rate is simply a starting point for something greater. Rising rates may signal that an issue needs addressing while declining turnover rates show positive change. By reviewing the data in the right light, you create an opportunity for improvement.

If you’d like to learn more about how to boost retention and reduce turnover, the skilled team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our knowledgeable team today.

 

 

How Does Your Candidate Experience Stack Up to the Competition?

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

When it comes to recruitment, your candidate experience can make a world of difference. If you fail to measure up to the competition or meet job seeker expectations, you may struggle to secure the talent your company needs to thrive.

Luckily, you can assess and enhance your candidate experience by understanding what you bring to the table. By doing so, you can increase your odds of being viewed as an employer of choice, making it easier to tap the top performers your team needs to excel.

If you aren’t sure if your candidate experience stacks up to the competition or what you can do to improve, here’s what you need to know.

Why the Candidate Experience Matters

Often, your recruitment process serves as a basis for a candidate’s first impressions of your company. If it’s negative, it can actually cause top talent to exit your recruitment funnel and pursue opportunities elsewhere. At times, a disenchanted job seeker may even discuss your candidate experience, harming your employer brand.

When the candidate experience is positive, it sets a beneficial tone. It may generate positive word of mouth and also keeps the job seeker in your recruitment funnel. Even if they don’t get this position, they may be open to remaining in your talent pool, which can boost your recruitment efforts.

Assessing Your Candidate Experience

If you want to assess your candidate experience, getting feedback from job seekers is an obvious route. You can ask for their input about what went well and what didn’t, using their insights to make future improvements.

However, you can also examine certain key metrics. The time between application submission and contact with a hiring manager is one point to explore. Similarly, the amount of time it takes to apply, length of the screening process, total number of steps, and similar metrics are valuable.

Making a note of any points where candidates abandon your hiring process is also a great option. With that approach, you can pinpoint issues that are actively driving job seekers away.

Ultimately, you want to explore the numbers and data to identify delays, bottlenecks, and other opportunities for meaningful efficiency improvements. That way, you can streamline your hiring process to meet candidate needs and expectations better.

How to Create an Exceptional Candidate Experience

In most cases, candidates look for an efficient hiring process. For example, allowing them to complete an application or submit a resume, but not requiring both, is preferred. Limiting the number of essay questions is also crucial, as too many may drive candidates away.

Additionally, communication is a big factor. Candidates don’t want to feel like their resume disappeared into a black hole. Ensure that job seeker know their application was received, get a timeline for the rest of the hiring process, and receive regular check-in communications or process updates. This makes them feel informed and valued, and that works in your favor.

Ultimately, any improvement that makes your hiring process simpler or more enjoyable is worth considering. That way, job seekers will view applying as a positive experience overall.

If you’d like to learn more, the staff at The Advance Group can help. Contact us today.

 

 

How to Start Job Searching While You’re Still Employed

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

One of the trickiest activities most professionals have to handle during their career is launching a job search while still employed. It can be difficult to juggle the demands of your current position and the tasks you need to manage to find new opportunities. Plus, there can be discretion, particularly when it comes time for interviews that occur during the workday.

However, even with those challenges, that doesn’t mean you can’t launch a successful job search while still employed. If you’d like to know how to begin, here are some tips.

Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile

Your resume and LinkedIn profile are assets during a job search. Before you even start looking for opportunities, it’s wise to spend some time sprucing them up.

If you want to update your resume efficiently, use the master resume approach. With that strategy, you don’t worry about the length. Instead, you capture every achievement that could be relevant to a new employer in your work history.

When you need to target your resume to a role, begin by removing the extraneous details and reordering the remaining bullet points based on the requirements. After that, a little keyword brush-up and a quick adjustment to your professional summary could leave you in good shape.

When it comes to your LinkedIn profile, length typically isn’t an issue. However, discretion may be something you need to consider. If you want to keep your activities private, adjust your privacy settings so that your profile changes aren’t broadcast to your network. That way, your colleagues or manager won’t know that you’re revamping your profile, something that could clue them into your impending job search.

Identify Your Target Role

When you’re starting a job search while still employed, efficiency is a must. Spend some time identifying your target role before you begin seeking out new opportunities. Consider your preferred job duties, salary, location, and anything else that defines what you’re hoping to land.

By identifying your ideal position in advance, you can use that information to focus your search activities. It allows you to launch a targeted strike, ensuring you’re focused on roles that genuinely meet your needs.

Sign Up for Job Notifications

Job alerts are an asset when you need to keep your search efficiency. Many job boards allow you to request notifications that inform you when new positions that meet your parameters are listed. Additionally, you may create similar alerts for social media or even on a search engine.

With notifications, opportunities can come to you. Plus, you’ll learn about new listings quickly, giving you a chance to become one of the first applicants.

Partner with a Staffing Firm

Partnering with a recruitment agency can be an ideal way to find a new position while you’re working. You’ll gain a job search ally who can identify protentional job matches for you. Plus, they can assist with other aspects of your search, including resume targeting and interview prep.

If you’re currently working but want to launch a job search, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us today.

 

 

Keeping Your Off-Site Team on Track

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Overseeing an off-site team means dealing with a variety of challenges. It cannot be easy to keep everyone on target when they are not working in the same office. Plus, communication, collaboration, and motivation can be tricky to manage.

Luckily, by using the right strategy, you can keep your remote team on track. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some tips that can help.

Embrace Public Task Tracking

While each worker may have a unique set of responsibilities, using public task tracking options can be beneficial. Sharing activity details with everyone creates a sense of accountability, as each person’s workload becomes highly visible.

Additionally, this simplifies progress monitoring for joint projects. Every team member can see where the others are when it comes to their project-related responsibilities. This limits the need for active check-ins, as simply reviewing the lists provides the needed amount of insight.

At times, something as simple as a task list can do the trick. However, you can also use more robust collaboration or project management software. With the latter approach, you’ll also gain additional functionality that may boost productivity, such as built-in messaging and file-sharing.

Schedule Regular Check-ins

Touching base with every team member regularly can improve your visibility into their activities. A simple weekly video call can be incredibly effective. It serves as a platform for progress updates, creates opportunities for asking questions, and invites a level of dialog missing from other communication methods.

Additionally, with regular video calls, you get a chance to address each team member’s morale and motivation needs. You can learn about their individual struggles, allowing you to work with them to improve the situation.

Establish Your Own Routine

Maintaining your own routine can influence your team. A degree of predictability allows them to anticipate when you may be available for questions or insights, enabling them to time when they reach out effectively.

Further, a routine helps you develop beneficial patterns that boost your productivity. You can ensure that you have enough time to handle your own responsibilities, decreasing the odds that you’ll fall behind or get rushed during the day.

Use Recognition and Incentives

Both recognition and incentives are powerful tools for keeping your team on track. By acknowledging their efforts and offering praise when it’s due, you can bolster morale. When employees feel appreciated, productivity also tends to be higher.

With incentives, you are creating a reward for meeting milestones or exceeding expectations. It’s a great option for boosting motivation, acting as a source of encouragement for going the extra mile.

By using group rewards, you can also boost collaboration and teamwork. It creates a sense of comradery and can improve accountability, ensuring everyone works together to achieve the desired goal.

Ultimately, while keeping an off-site team on track can be challenging, the tips above can simplify it. If you’d like to learn more about how to motivate and guide your remote workforce, the staff at The Advance Group can help. Contact us today.

 

 

Know Someone Looking for Work? Refer Them (And Get a Reward!)

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

Everyone knows that securing a new job can be challenging. Watching a friend or family member struggle to find an opportunity isn’t easy. Luckily, you don’t have to sit back and do nothing. Instead, you can refer them to The Advance Group.

By referring friends and family members to The Advance Group, you not only help them find a new position, but you can also earn rewards. If you know someone looking for a job, here’s what you need to know about The Advance Group’s referral program.

How to Submit a Referral

If you want to refer a friend or family member to The Advance Group, the process is incredibly straightforward. Often, it takes a little as two minutes to complete the process.

Head to the Refer a Friend page on The Advance Group website, and scroll down to find the simple form. Begin by providing your first and last name, as well as your contact phone number. That way, our team knows who is submitting the referral.

After that, you’ll provide your friend or family member’s information. Along with their first and last name, also include a contact phone number, including their area code.

You’ll also need to choose a preferred branch from the dropdown menu. Typically, you’ll want to select the office location that’s closest to where your friend or family member lives.

Next, choose a job type from the dropdown. There are three options available – general labor or production, skilled trades, and office – administrative. Simply select the one that seems like the best fit based on the kind of work your friend or family member is trying to land and their existing skillset.

Finally, you can list any questions or comments that you’d like to share. This can include insights about the referred person’s skills, their job search preferences, times when they are available to speak with our team, or anything else you may find helpful.

Once all of the information is complete, click Submit Referral, and you’re done.

Refer a Friend Rewards

While helping a friend or a family member find an exciting work opportunity is its own kind of reward, The Advance Group also offers you more. After the person you refer works 80 hours with The Advance Group, you’ll both receive a $50 gift card. That’s a $50 bonus for each of you.

And it isn’t a one-time reward. You can score a $50 gift card for every person you refer. As long as they work at least 80 hours through The Advance Group, every referral is eligible for the bonus.

Plus, by referring a friend or family member, you can get an entry into our drawing for free rent (up to $750). As long as the referred person is on an assignment when the drawing occurs, you may be eligible to win.

Every referral gets you an additional entry into the drawing. If you refer five friends or family members and they are all on assignment when the drawing happens, you’ll have five chances to win the prize.

Ultimately, our referral program is a win-win. Not only will you make it easier for friends and family to find work, but you’ll earn rewards, too. If you’d like to learn more, the team at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us or submit a referral today to get started.

 

 

Did You Nail That Interview? Here Are Four Ways to Tell!

HMG Success on October 7, 2026

When you leave a job interview, it’s normal to feel a mix of emotions. You may be both excited about the possibility of snagging the role, as well as fearful that you didn’t perform as well during the interview as it may seem on the surface. This can lead to some anxiety, particularly if more doubts creep in or you begin overanalyzing how you did.

Luckily, you may be able to put your mind at ease. Certain signs often indicate that you did, in fact, nail your interview. If you want to know how you can figure out if you genuinely did well, here are four ways to tell.

1. Your Interview Ran Long

In most cases, if a hiring manager isn’t interested in a candidate, they aren’t going to keep the person in their office beyond the scheduled interview time. As a result, when the conversation lasts notably longer, that’s a solid indication that the hiring manager is seriously considering you for the position.

When a hiring manager thinks they have a great candidate in front of them, they are more inclined to dig deeper and learn all they can. They are essentially engaged in the conversation, so they aren’t in a rush to end it.

Now, this doesn’t mean that an interview that ends on time is a bad sign. That could indicate that the hiring manager has a tight schedule or a meeting scheduled right after yours, so they legitimately can’t afford to go over. Ending on time isn’t a negative sign; it’s just that going long tends to be positive.

2. There Were Follow-Up Questions

Suppose you answered an interview question thoroughly, and the hiring manager still asks follow-up questions that build upon your responses. In that case, that could mean they are very interested in you as a candidate. Any deviation from the standard question set could be a positive, suggesting that your other answers were solid.

However, if the hiring manager is rephrasing questions they already asked, that could indicate that your original answer wasn’t thorough enough or was off-target. If that was happening, you might want to reflect on your interview strategy, as improvements may be necessary.

3. You Were Introduced to Other Employees

Generally speaking, a hiring manager isn’t going to introduce a candidate to the rest of the team or other managers unless they are a top contender. Usually, that’s a sign that the hiring manager is excited about you, and they want to share that feeling with others.

It is important to note that this is a bit rare. Not getting introductions isn’t usually a bad sign, so don’t assume that you did poorly simply because you didn’t get to meet anyone else.

4. The Hiring Manager Replied to Your Thank You Email

If you got a quick reply from the hiring manager after sending out your thank you email, that is usually an indication you nailed an interview. That fast response means they want to keep you engaged, even if the content of their reply is fairly general. For example, even if they only let you know that they’ll be in touch in the coming days, that is a positive sign. It’s an attempt to stay connected with you, and that’s good stuff.

Ultimately, all four of the situation above could suggest that you nailed the interview. If you’d like to learn more about how to manage a job search effectively, the staff at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.

 

 

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