Job Seekers

Massive Mistakes to Avoid While Job Seeking

HMG Success on June 2, 2015

No matter how much of a “veteran” you are of the job market, a job search can still be filled with worries. Not only are you fighting possibly hundreds of people for the same job, but you could also be fighting against yourself. Those who make mistakes while searching for a job will find it difficult to land an offer. Today, we will discuss massive mistakes you should avoid while job seeking so you can be successful.

Providing Too Much Information Too Soon

One of the biggest mistakes you can make during a job search is to provide too much information. No matter how long you have been in the professional world, you do not need to provide every single detail to potential employers. This goes for writing your resume, your cover letter and answering questions on job applications. Employers want to know what you can do to help their company, so focus on how you helped previous employers when providing information. You need to make sure each piece of information on your resume tells employers why you are the right person for the job.

Failing to Have a Digital Footprint

Even though it has been discussed in the past that a digital footprint can be detrimental to your job search, because of what is included in it, it is still important to have one. You need to have a digital footprint, which includes Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You should also search for your name online to find out what is posted about you on the Internet. You might come across content posted by you that is unsavory or content posted by others that is unsavory. Failing to clean up your social media profiles is also a massive mistake that can hurt your job search.

Treating a Job Search as a Battle

Another major mistake you need to avoid during a job search is treating it like a battle. How do people do this? They turn a job search into a battle by trying to outsmart recruiters or hiring managers during interviews or other discussions. Even though it might be a fight to find a job, you do not want to battle with a recruiter. A recruiter is someone who is looking out for you and trying to get you placed in a job that matches your skills and experience. This means you need an open mind to accept part-time and temporary assignments, if needed to get your foot in the door with a great company.

Failing to Request Help from Networks

Professional networking is very important today, so why would you fail to request help from your network when searching for a job? This is a massive mistake that must be avoided at all costs. Your network is there for a reason; to expand your professional knowledge and help you with career moves. Remember, your network also includes the temporary staffing agency that you choose to work with. Select one that is geared for your industry and ask for a recruiter who knows about the companies you are targeting in your job search.

If you avoid making at least some of the massive mistakes outlined above, you should have fewer troubles with your next job search.

Overqualified for a Job? Here’s Why You Should Apply, Anyway!

HMG Success on May 27, 2015

Even though many companies tend to stay away from hiring overqualified candidates, it still doesn’t mean you should not throw your name into the hat. Being overqualified for a job does not rule you out entirely, which is why you should still apply for the jobs you find. Below, we will discuss why you should apply for jobs for which you think you are overqualified.

Find a Personal Referral

If at all possible, find a personal referral within the company if you are overqualified for a job. The personal referral should be someone you worked with or for in the past who can vouch for your track record and work ethic. A personal referral can go a long way in any job search, but it can be very important when trying to land a job for which you are overqualified. The referral will be able to speak to how dedicated you will be to the company despite working a job you have done in the past.

Apply Because You Need a Job

One reason why you should still apply for a job for which you are overqualified is because you need a job. Maybe you have been unemployed for six months and desperately need to find work. Even if you have come across a job that you hold too many qualifications for, send in your resume anyway. You never know what direction the company wants to go in, so you really have nothing to lose.

Apply Because You Aren’t Worried about Promotions

Are you at the point in your career where climbing the corporate ladder has become an afterthought? Are you a veteran of the workforce? If so, working a job for which you are overqualified might be the right step to take in your career right now. Maybe you want to work your final year or two prior to retirement in a job that makes you feel comfortable because you have done it in the past. If so, send in your resume the next chance you get.

Apply Because You Thrive in These Situations

If you are the type of worker who thrives in situations such as these, send in your resume for the job. You might have to take a cut in pay, and answer to people whom you normally would be in charge of, but you are the type of person who can handle all of this. It’s possible that this job will lead to bigger and better things in the future too.

Apply to Gain Valuable Career Experience

You might not be a veteran of the workforce, but you could still be overqualified for a job. Because of this, you should apply simply to gain interview experience. There is nothing wrong with going on a ton of job interviews because the more you go on, the more experienced you will become in answering tough questions and explaining your career history. You will also learn a few new things on the job, which can be leveraged for something better.
Being overqualified for a job does not have to hinder your search for employment. Based on the reasons outlined here, you should submit your resume for jobs and take a chance even if you are overqualified.

Is Following Your Heart Actually Rotten Career Advice?

HMG Success on May 19, 2015

Nearly everyone has heard someone say to them in the past,”Oh, just follow your heart”, when it comes to choosing a vocation. But, is this really rotten career advice? Maybe this was great advice when you were in Kindergarten and could imagine yourself being anything you wanted – like a fireman or a doctor or a teacher. In the real world of adulthood, it can be a good thing to know where your passions are and how they can tie into a solid career path.

Learn when to follow your heart and when to think with your head in a career.

Career Issue: Your company has not offered you any real career advancement in years and you feel “stuck”.

In this case, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking with your heart that tells you to run screaming out of the building. But, wait! Stop and think about how you can turn your career around and start asking for what you want. Schedule a meeting with your manager to talk about how you can grow in your career through advanced learning, opportunities to take on new responsibilities, and new projects that will honor your skills and interests.

Career Issue: Your co-workers are a bunch of backstabbers and the job is causing you stress most of the time.

You could follow your heart and “go off” on your co-workers concerning their behaviors. This would bring temporary satisfaction, but it would not solve the problem. Instead, you could face even more problems with getting along with peers and you could even lose your job. Think with your head and find a way to bridge any communication gaps with your peers, but be careful to keep things professional while protecting yourself.

Career Issue: You dread going to work on most days and you feel “lost”.

This is typical of someone who either isn’t in the right career or is not honoring his or her true talents. If the very thought of heading to work makes you cringe, then it’s time to try something new. In this case, you will be combining your heart-thoughts with reasonable career options. Take the time to work with a career coach or a staffing agent to help you identify your strengths and skills that match up with certain types of careers. Try taking on a new career as a temporary employee before you commit to a career path.

Career Issue: You are not earning as much as other coworkers and new hires.

Salary can be a real issue for many who have been in a job for a long time, or who may not have a degree or experience in an area where earnings can be better. If you are not earning what you’d like or if you find out you are being underpaid as compared to co-workers, it could be time to move on. Follow your heart, but use your head and look for careers that pay better. Get the training and experience through local programs and temp job assignments.

For help and support with your career direction, head over to Advance Staffing Solutions at one of our greater Detroit area locations in Monroe, MI; Sylvania,OH; or Southgate, MI today!

3 Good Reasons to Turn Down a Job Offer

HMG Success on May 12, 2015

As a job seeker, it can be easy to jump at a job offer as soon as possible. After all, you’ve been applying and interviewing everywhere and it’s taking a long time to get one. However, not every job offer is lined in gold. Some may lead to disaster for your personal life and for your career.

It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of every job offer before you accept it. Why is this important? There are several reasons, and today we will talk about the three valid reasons you may want to turn down a job offer that you’ve received.

#1 – The company has a history of failing

A job offer may seem wonderful at first, until you dig a little deeper into the company itself. A huge red flag would be a company that has a history of failing in many ways. This could be a high turnover rate among employees due to no work life balance, or it could be a company that has a shoddy financial history of layoffs and being bought out by other companies. If the company has posted financial earnings and stock reports in the last quarter or two, you can review this to see how the company is performing. Take the time to review company ratings online and you may see a pattern of problems.

#2 – The money isn’t even close to being enough

If the job offer has come with a very disappointing salary attached to it, take the time to negotiate for a higher compensation now before you accept it. Failure to do so could lock you into a job that pays a lot less than you need to support yourself and your family. This will lead to resentment and financial stress. It’s possible to go online and research salaries before walking into an interview so that you can discuss this before the job offer comes. Follow your gut on this and do not accept a job offer that pays far below what you deserve. A better job that pays more is out there.

#3 – The job is another dead end road

When people get desperate for any job they often accept a job offer that does not offer much room for advancement. Don’t get caught in this trap. Find out from the recruiter what the career path looks like for this job. Get the job description in writing during an interview or when the offer is made. Let the recruiter know that you are looking for long-term career success and the opportunity to learn more in the industry. Find out how this job will enable you to grow in your career. If it looks like it will be a dead-end job, run in the other direction.

Perhaps one of the best ways to get a great job offer is to work through a staffing agency with caring representatives who will be focused on helping you land a job that is well matched to your skills and aspirations. Often times, a staffing agency can negotiate a much better job offer then if you tried to do this on your own. You can even work temporary assignments until a better job offer comes. So, never settle for a bad job offer – instead connect with Advance Staffing Solutions for career support.

A Short Work Experience Doesn’t Keep You Out of the Race!

HMG Success on May 5, 2015

Are you a new college grad with limited career experience? Have you been working a series of short term jobs with no real direction? Do not let a short work experience keep you from landing a new job. Short work experience should not prevent you from landing the job of your dreams in your industry, but it can hurt if you do not know how to sell that experience to potential employers.

Here, we will discuss how you can sell your skills and take the focus off the short work experience to employers so you can land a job.

Explain Your Skills Learned

One of the first things you need to do when interviewing for a job with a short work experience is to explain the skills learned in that short period. After explaining the skills learned, talk about how they will be useful to the company if you are hired. You should also talk about any training received while at previous companies or if you are planning to return to school for an advanced degree. You can also share other experience like volunteer work, special projects completed, and freelance work performed. All of this information will only help your case when interviewing for a job.

Discuss Your Responsibilities

Another good idea when trying to land a job with short work experience is to talk about the responsibilities you held at prior companies. Maybe you worked for one year or more as a department manager. Maybe you were put in charge of payroll at a smaller company. Both of these items will help you land a new job even if you have short work experience during your career. The more responsibilities you have to discuss, the better chance you have at the job.

Stress Your Educational Background

For most people with a short work background, many of them are just out of college or returning to the workforce after raising a family. Because of these two reasons, you must stress your education background. Be prepared to inform the company about the degree you earned, which classes were most important to your major, any internships you worked and any clubs you were involved in that would help you learn about your profession. By talking about your education, you show the employer how dedicated you were while in school to land a job such as the one you are interviewing for right now.

Explain the Short-Term Jobs

If your short work experience includes temporary jobs or a lot of job hopping, you need to disclose these positions to the employer. Instead of trying to hide these jobs, you must talk to the employer about them and explain why you worked temporary jobs or moved around a lot. Reasons could include you wanted to gain as much experience in a short period of time as possible or that you were laid off from your permanent job and wanted something to hold you over until a new full-time job came along.
The bottom line here is that having a short work experience should not hold you back from landing a new job so long as you take advantage of the tips outlined above. You can fast-track your way to career success by taking on temporary assignments through Advance Staffing and earning more career experience at the same time as getting paid.

Are You Facing an Internal Job Interview?

HMG Success on April 27, 2015

Interviewing for a job can be very stressful. Combine that with the fact that you might already know the interviewer, and the stress level can be extreme. An internal job interview with someone you have worked alongside – or for – over the past handful of years can be daunting. The interviewer already knows your work ethic, your experience and how you fit into the company’s culture. These items can either work for or against you. Below, we will provide you with the tips on how to handle an internal job interview.

Never Take the Interview Too Casually

An important piece of advice for those taking part in an internal interview is that it should never be taken lightly. Just because you know the interviewer, or have worked alongside them in your position, it does not mean you should joke around or be unprofessional. If the interviewer seems relaxed, you can relax too, but only to a point.

Do not slouch in the chair, fail to shave that morning or come unprepared to discuss the job. Make sure you perform your research into the job, have a copy of your resume, and come prepared to provide examples of success from your career with the company.

Avoid Negatives and Complaining

It is an important tip to avoid complaining during a job interview, but this is especially important when interviewing for an internal position with your current employer. Even though you might be interviewed by a co-worker or a supervisor from another department, you should never complain about the company, your current supervisor or any co-workers. This will only come back to bite you, and could lead to you not being promoted. If you feel the need to complain, spin it into a positive by making sure you name something you and your co-workers could do better in order to be more productive while on the job.

Prepare for Difficult Questions

As with any job interview, there will be difficult questions. But, some of the most difficult questions can be asked during an internal job interview. When you first interviewed to work at the company, your resume and career goals were much different. Make sure you update your resume and be able to explain what your career goals are now. Prepare to answer questions about shifting job responsibilities and objectives, especially if they will be a major change from what you are doing right now.

Check Your Skills

Prior to the internal job interview, make sure you check your skills. Perform a skills retrospective to determine which skills you already have and which ones you will need for the new job, if hired. Try to acquire some of those new skills prior to the interview, or even during the hiring process, to show the company how dedicated you are. Back up your claims with actual projects you’ve worked on, certifications you’ve earned, and a good word from your current supervisor.

When you follow the above tips, you will be able to confidently handle the internal interview and land a new career to climb the corporate ladder.

5 Tips for Successfully Re-Entering the Workforce

HMG Success on April 20, 2015

Beginning a job hunt after a long period of time can be intimidating and full of trepidation for anyone, particularly if you were unemployed during this gap. Gaps in employment can occur because of company layoffs, returning to school, raising a family, extended illness, or simply wanting to take time off from work. No matter the reason for the gap, you need to be ready to re-enter in order to be successful in any new career. Read this post to find five tips to make your re-entry into the working world successful.

Assess Yourself Prior to a Job SearchThe first tip to successfully re-entering the workforce is to assess yourself – before you ever begin your job search. Figure out how big the gap in your employment is on your resume, and be prepared to explain that gap to interviewers. Also, take a look at the skills you have related to your profession and figure out if any of them need to be refreshed or if you need to add any new ones before you begin looking for a new job. Learn new skills by taking temp assignments in your area of expertise.

Learn the Industry AgainThe second tip for successfully re-entering the workforce after a gap in employment is to learn the industry again. Even though you might have known some of the major players in the industry when working, it is likely that many of those players are no longer around. They could have retired, relocated or left the industry for another profession. You should take the time to learn who the players are within the industry by browsing around LinkedIn and joining groups associated with your industry.

Familiarize Yourself with Job RequirementsFamiliarize yourself with the specific job requirements of any company you apply to. If you have been out of the workforce for a prolonged period, you might not know what companies are looking for these days. The only way you can find out prior to applying for jobs is by reading as many job listings as possible, and taking note of the requirements of those jobs. Ask your temporary staffing representative to fill you in about any special requirements or skills needed for an upcoming assignment.

Accept Feedback and Use ItOnce you begin the job search, following a prolonged absence from the workforce, make sure you accept any and all feedback provided – and use it to your advantage. If you are not selected for a job, ask the interviewer what items from your job history or experience caused you to miss this opportunity. If the interviewer gives you a candid answer, be sure to take what they say and use it to better yourself.

Consider a Need for ChangeThe fifth and final tip for successfully re-entering the workforce is to consider change. If you are hitting a brick wall or find yourself at a dead-end, consider making a change in your career. Whether you need to go back to school to do so, or take a couple of training classes, a change is likely to help you get back to work much quicker than if you toil around unsuccessfully in your former industry. You may also want to take on some temporary work in order to get your feet wet in a career.

Re-entering the workforce does not come easy for everyone, which is why you need to have a plan in place to make sure it is as successful as possible. If you follow the five tips outlined above, your foray back into the workforce should be a seamless one.

Gap in Your Resume? How to Make it No Big Deal!

HMG Success on April 3, 2015

Trying to find a new job can be difficult, but it can be even more stressful if you have a glaring gap in employment appearing on your resume. This gap could have occurred due to a period of unemployment, the choice of returning to school, taking time off to raise a family, dealing with an illness, or any number of other reasons.

In the recruitment world, a large gap on a resume is defined as anything that is six months to one year or longer. So, how do you turn the gap in your resume into a nonissue? Read this post to find out what to do about it.

Explain the Gap Briefly

Instead of putting a sentence or two at the top or bottom of your resume, put them right where the gap actually occurs. This will ensure that the employer sees it. You do not have to go into too much detail, but make sure you tell the employer the reason why there is a gap.

Utilize a Powerful Cover Letter

Avoid going into too much detail, but make sure there is some sort of understandable explanation provided for why you have the gap in employment. Then, if the employer calls you to schedule an interview, or ask questions, you can tell them more if it warrants.

Edit the Dates on Your Resume

You can edit all of the dates of employment on your resume so that they do not show the months employed, only the years. For example, change all of your jobs listed so they look like the following:

Customer Service Attendant: 2010-2012
Sales Rep: 2012-2015

There might have been a large gap of unemployment between the two jobs, but potential employers won’t notice it because everything flows. When being interviewed, you can explain that there was a tiny gap and then give the reason for it.

Include Temporary Employment

Even if you work in communications, but have to work in retail to pay the bills between career jobs, make sure you put temporary employment on your resume. It shows the employer that you worked hard to make ends meet while searching for a new job within your field of expertise.

Gaps in a resume do not have to hinder your job search. Use one or more of the tips outlined above and you can downplay those gaps easily.

Using a Career Mentor to Get Ahead at Work

HMG Success on March 27, 2015

An excellent way to get ahead at work is by identifying a career mentor early on in your career development. A career mentor is someone who works in the same or similar profession as you and who has years of experience in the industry. This person either works at your company or within your industry. They can be a co-worker, a former supervisor, a former professor, a hired career coach, or even a family friend who works the same type of career as you. In this week’s focus, we will discuss how to effectively use a career mentor to get ahead at work.

Create Your Definition of Success

One of the first steps in using a career mentor to get ahead at work is to create your definition of success. You will only succeed at work when you have your own definition of success and do not follow someone else’s definition. Your definition will include ideas about money, work-life balance, company culture, recognition for work performed and control over your creative juices. You need to decide which of these areas are most important to you because not everyone will succeed in all of them.

Identify the Mentor’s Problems

The second step after choosing a mentor and creating a definition of success is to identify the mentor’s problems. No one is perfect and this goes for your mentor too. You need to figure out what your mentor’s shortfalls are by befriending their critics. When you befriend their critics, you will be able to learn what it is they need to work on in order to be more successful in their careers. If you can learn their shortfalls early in your career, you can do your best to avoid them at all costs.

Strive to Be as Good as Your Mentor

Another important tip to using a career mentor to get ahead at work is to strive to be as good as they are, but not identical to them. Do not try to become this person in all aspects of life. Only work your hardest to be as good as the mentor while on the job. This will help you perform well and impress your employer so your career can catapult to a new level.

Switch Activities You and Your Mentor Perform

Make sure the activities you and your mentor take part in vary as much as possible. You do not want to get into a set routine with a mentor because this will not benefit your career at all. Consider having discussions with your mentor about past experiences, issues at work, how to impress clients and much more. You can also review resumes, cover letters and articles written about the job.

Do your best to find a mentor who is truly dedicated to helping you succeed in your career. When you do so, be sure to express your gratitude towards them and never take advantage of their time.

Your Total Resume Overhaul Made Simple!

HMG Success on February 24, 2015

It is a good idea to perform a total resume overhaul every couple of years whether or not you are looking for a new job. The reason for overhauling your resume is to improve it and make it more attractive to potential employers. Another reason is the fact that the items that should be included on a resume can change quite often. Here’s how to give your resume a do-over without being too complicated.

Examine Resume Above the Fold

Even though most job applications are completed online, you should still perform the resume fold test. Print out a copy of your resume, fold it in half and then examine the resume prior to the fold. The area above the fold, or the top third of the resume, will be what the employer sees first when opening the document you send them digitally. You need to make sure that this portion of the resume sells you as an employee.

Submit Resume to an Unknown

An excellent way to perform a total overhaul is to give your resume to a qualified career coach or a career counselor at your university. This means that they do not know your personal work history or anything else about your life. Have them look at the resume for only 30 seconds. Once the 30 seconds are up, ask the person three things they remember from the resume and what type of story it tells readers. Take their feedback and use it to update the document.

Edit the Header Section

The header of your resume can make the document stand out from the rest of the pack when put in front of employers. If you are not a design expert, you can still make this happen. Simply change the font, size and color of the print of your name at the top. If you do this on your resume, make sure you match it on your cover letter in an effort to have your personal brand match.

Add All Types of Experience

If you feel your resume is lacking in substance, there is nothing wrong with adding all types of experience to it. This includes any part-time work, volunteer work, or even blogging you have done on the side. Any experience is an important one, so make sure you include it if your resume is lacking in substance.

Quantify Your Accomplishments

Make it a point to quantify as many of your accomplishments as possible when overhauling your resume. You need to tell employers how many people were impacted by your success or by how much of a percentage you exceeded your sales goals last quarter.

The next time you sit down to overhaul your resume, follow the tips outlined in this post to help make the process as simple as possible.

How to Address Resume Gaps in an Interview

HMG Success on February 20, 2015

Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for candidates to walk in for an interview presenting several resume gaps in their employment history. The recession took a toll on many good people, who lost their jobs and then spent months or even years trying to find gainful employment. Some headed back to college and lived at home with parents or other family members while trying to get back on their feet. It’s also possible that candidate resume gaps come from brief periods of being stay-at-home parents or when caring for family members.

Whatever the case may be, if you are a candidate facing an interview and need to explain resume gaps, this article will guide you in this process.

Focus on a Functional Resume Format

Instead of creating a resume that shows the chronological order of all your jobs by month and date (calls out your resume gaps more), try a functional resume format that highlights your skills and talents instead. Use your resume to develop a smart-looking career history that’s focused on career achievements and how you’ve used your amazing array of skills, education, and knowledge to progress. If the resume gap is brought up in the interview by the interviewer, you can talk about it then.

Be Honest and Upfront About Resume Gaps

Believe it or not, human resource and recruitment professionals are people too. They appreciate honesty from candidates. Don’t try to cover up lags between jobs, fake employment dates or lie about resume gaps. They will be discovered sooner or later. Instead, just simply include a reason for these gaps on your resume and on applications. If you were laid off or if a company closed down, let the recruiter know.

Indicate What You Were Doing During Resume Gaps

Make sure you provide some indication of what career efforts you were engaged in during resume gaps. For example, if you were attending classes through your local workforce development office, state this so that the recruiter knows you were actively working towards employment. Talk about any volunteer, educational, and other worthy pursuits you were participating in during these gaps in employment.

Get Your Reference Letters in Order

While you are preparing for your interview, be sure to reach out to all your previous employers and get those reference letters written up. Even if you have to write them yourself, take them there, and get a former supervisor or colleague to sign them. This will help you to demonstrate your value to the interviewer and remove the emphasis off your resume gaps.

Once you have done these things, you should be more confident about sitting in front of a potential employer. Work with a staffing agency to find ways to work on temporary assignments while you are looking for a long-term career. Who knows? You may even land a great job sooner than you can imagine and not have to talk a lot about resume gaps in the future if you go this route.

Want to Be Successful in Your Career? Here’s How!

HMG Success on February 13, 2015

It’s a given; everyone wants to find their way to success in a career. Yet, the pathways to success often takes its own twists and turns along the way. It seems that some people get luckier in their careers than others. Some just happen to be in the right place at the right time. Some work harder to achieve success, while others seem to have it handed to them.

The truth is that anyone can achieve a successful career if they are smart, hard working, and strategic. Here, you will find sound advice on how to experience career success of your own.

#1 – Understand your true talents as soon as possible.

Take the time to get to know your unique talents and gifts early in life. To do this, take advantage of personality and career assessments, often offered by staffing agencies, college career advisors, and career coaches. You can also take one for free online at Career Test. Uncover what strengths and weaknesses you have, then design a career around these factors so you will achieve more success in any job you take on.

#2 – Grow a strong professional network around you.

As the old saying goes, “It’s not what you know, but who you know that matters.” Get busy and start developing a foundation for career success by connecting with the right people in your field of interest. Join professional industry groups and attend local chapter meetings. Get online and participate in social networking and online industry forums to find mentors in your industry.

#3 – Register with a solid staffing agency now.

As soon as possible, head to the best staffing agency in your area and get registered as a candidate. You will give yourself two distinct advantages. First, you will eligible for assignments that frequently come only through staffing agencies. Second, you will be able to take advantage of all the benefits of working with the capable recruiters at the staffing agency, such as interview prep and resume reviews.

#4 – Be a lifelong learner.

The most successful people in the world never stop learning. From job skills to education and industry certifications, make sure you always keep learning something new that you can put to use in your career. Employers often support this effort, so be sure to ask about educational assistance.

#5 – Stay healthy in your lifestyle.

The quickest way to burn out in a career is to endure ongoing stress and have not outlet, which can cause health issues that can prevent you from achieving success. Instead, find ways to reduce stress and stay healthy. Make clean eating and exercise a part of your daily life at work and at home.

By following the above tips, you can be successful in your career, and your life in general. Focus on the things that matter the most, and leverage your skills and knowledge to land a rewarding career.