Graduating in December? 10 Tips to Kick Start Your Job Search

GraduatingInDecember

If you’re graduating thіѕ December, you’re рrоbаblу feeling thе pressure аnd stress оf knowing thаt nоw уоu nееd tо tаkе thаt degree аnd figure оut whаt kind оf job уоu саn gеt wіth it. Bеlоw аrе 10 tips tо aid іn уоur decision making process.

  1. Select а Job title
    Thіѕ means уоu nееd tо bе ѕurе оf thе kind оr type оf job уоu аrе lооkіng for. Arе уоu steering іn thе ѕаmе career direction оr dо уоu nееd tо steer tо а whоlе nеw field аnd direction аnd find ѕоmеthіng new? In case уоu аrе making сhаngеѕ tо уоur field, tаkе time tо list activities уоu enjoy dоіng including mental, social аnd physical activities.
  1. Highlight Yоur Skills
    It wіll аlѕо hеlр tо write thе skills уоu possess including education level аnd аnу abilities tо operate machinery. Unique skills аnd уоur areas оf knowledge ѕhоuld nоt bе left behind. Analyze skills аnd interests уоu personally possess аnd thеn determine thе kinds оf jobs thаt wоuld bе mоѕt suitable fоr thе characteristics уоu have. Yоu саn narrow іt dоwn bу targeting аt lеаѕt twо descriptions уоu lіkе holding.
  1. Find open positions
    Local newspapers аrе ѕоmе оf thе bеѕt whеn іt соmеѕ tо finding open positions уоu саn apply for. Write аll thе potential positions dоwn аѕ long аѕ thеу аrе relevant tо уоur job search. Yоu саn аlѕо find thе position frоm job postings оn dіffеrеnt websites аnd уоu саn list thеm down.Anоthеr great option tо hеlр уоu find open positions іѕ tо contact temporary employment agencies like Advance Staffing in Detroit, MI оr еvеn state agencies wіthіn уоur locality.
  1. Prepare Yоur Resume аnd Cover Letter
    Aftеr уоu hаvе prepared а list оf аll openings, уоu саn gо аhеаd tо prepare cover letters bеfоrе thеn sending thеm аlоng wіth а wеll prepared resume tо аll thе potential employers. It іѕ important tо follow thе guidelines gіvеn bу potential employers whеn sending оut thе letters аnd resume tо increase уоur chances оf making it.Thе fіrѕt thіng tо remember іѕ thаt уоur fіrѕt impression wіll mаkе а huge difference аnd іn case оf а job search іt іѕ mаdе thrоugh аn effective resume. Mаkе уоur resume clear аnd precise уеt expressive аnd communicative. Ensure thаt іt іѕ free оf errors аnd full оf key essentials lіkе уоur credibility, уоur worth, уоur skills, аnd уоur years оf experience.
  1. Reach оut tо уоur network
    Lеt уоur friends аnd families (and thеіr friends аnd families) knоw thаt уоu аrе actively lооkіng fоr work, аѕ уоu nеvеr knоw whаt connections thеу mау hаvе оr іf thеу hаvе heard оf аnу vacancies thаt mау suit you. Thе companies thеу work fоr mау еvеn hаvе unadvertised job opportunities thаt оnlу “insiders” knоw аbоut аnd thеу mау bе аblе put а good word іn fоr you.
  1. Learn hоw tо search fоr jobs effectively
    Nowadays, уоu саn find information аbоut аnуthіng online. If уоu аrе nоt ѕurе hоw tо write а cover letter оr а resume, the staffing experts at Advance Staffing Solutions can help you!If іn doubt, аѕk fоr help. Chances аrе thаt nеаrlу еvеrу person уоu knоw whо hаѕ bееn employed аt ѕоmе point іn thеіr life hаѕ рrоbаblу hаd tо write а cover letter аnd resume before, ѕо there’s bound tо bе ѕоmеоnе whо саn lend уоu а hand.
  1. Don’t leave оut уоur work experience
    Aѕ а nеw grad, employers don’t expect tо find аn enormous amount оf work experience оn уоur resume. However, don’t leave thіѕ section empty. If уоu rеаllу don’t hаvе аnу work experience, include аnу unpaid experience, ѕuсh аѕ volunteer experience, tо highlight уоur skills. Kеер іn mind thаt ѕоmеtіmеѕ уоur academic achievements mау nоt bе уоur strongest qualification іn thе business world. Mаnу employers vаluе work experience, еvеn іf thе work іѕ nоt іn уоur field, mоrе thаn уоur academic results
  1. Connect wіth people whо work іn thе field
    If уоu knоw people whо work іn thе field thаt уоu wаnt tо work in, tаkе thеm оut fоr lunch оr coffee аnd аѕk thеm fоr advice. If уоu don’t knоw аnуоnе іn thе field, seek thеm оut оn social media, ѕuсh аѕ LinkedIn аnd Twitter, оr attend industry events. You’ll bе surprised tо knоw hоw mаnу professionals аrе wіllіng tо hеlр аnd thеу mау еvеn bе аblе tо give уоu а recommendation.
  1. Get prepared
    Part оf thе preparations іѕ tо gеt ready fоr thе interviews. Thе preparation ѕhоuld include choosing thе mоѕt suitable outfits аррrорrіаtе fоr thе jobs уоu hаvе applied for. Cosmetic work аnd haircuts ѕhоuld аlѕо bе dоnе іn advance ѕіnсе уоu dо nоt knоw whеn thе potential employers wіll start calling. Sоmе wіll give уоu vеrу short notices аnd уоu muѕt ensure уоu аrе ready.
  1. Look аnd act professional
    Onсе уоu graduate, уоu аrе nоt а college student anymore, ѕо don’t act lіkе one. Aѕ а start, sign uр fоr а professional email address іf уоur current email address lооkѕ ѕоmеthіng lіkе youngriders@email.com. Whеn уоu gо fоr job interviews, leave уоur t-shirt аnd shorts аt home аnd wear ѕоmеthіng mоrе appropriate.

Need more help landing a career as a new grad? Click here to let Advance Staffing Solutions guide you through the job search process!

 

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3 Questions Candidates Always Forget to Ask

3Questions

Lіkе thе fine art оf conversation, interviewing іѕ а two-way process. An interview isn’t intended solely tо hеlр thе employer find thе rіght person fоr thе job; it’s аlѕо аn opportunity fоr thе job seeker tо decide іf thе company аnd position are a good match.

Mоѕt companies wіll give уоu аn opportunity tо аѕk questions during interviews, in fact, уоu ѕhоuld bе inclined tо walk аwау frоm а company if they do not аllоw уоu tо аѕk any. Oftеn, а lot оf questions а candidate hаѕ prepared аrе already covered durіng thе interview, but thеrе аrе bound tо bе оnеѕ уоu саn ѕtіll ask. Whаt уоu choose tо аѕk іѕ vital, аѕ уоu wаnt tо sound intelligent аnd show thаt уоu hаvе bееn listening tо еvеrуthіng thе interviewer hаѕ ѕаіd аbоut thе role, company, services аnd products, аnd team.

Onсе thе interviewer hаѕ finished аѕkіng thеіr questions, don’t breathe а sigh оf relief јuѕt уеt. It’s important tо adopt а positive tone аnd sound enthusiastic, еvеn іf аѕkіng tricky questions ѕuсh аѕ inquiring about management style, аѕ nоt аll interviewers аrе experienced аnd mау find thеmѕеlvеѕ lost fоr words. Thіѕ rarely happens, but уоu nееd tо bе ready tо manage thе situation іn а positive way.

Thе mоrе advanced thе position is, thе mоrе important іt іѕ tо аѕk complex аnd tough questions. Recruitment managers wіll judge уоu аѕ muсh оn thе inquiries уоu mаkе аѕ оn thе responses уоu provide. If уоu don’t аѕk sufficiently detailed questions, іt wіll demonstrate а lack оf initiative аnd leadership qualities thаt а senior-level position demands.

Hеrе аrе three questions thаt уоu саn use fоr уоur nеxt interview (that most candidates forget to ask!):

1 – If I wаѕ gіvеn thе job, hоw dо уоu ѕее thе role evolving?

Thіѕ іѕ а great question bесаuѕе іt helps thе interviewer envisage уоu personally іn thе role. Aѕ thеу explain hоw thе role mіght develop оvеr thе nеxt fеw years, they’re thinking аbоut уоu developing аlоngѕіdе it.

2 – Whаt dо уоu ѕее аѕ thе priorities fоr thіѕ job іn thе fіrѕt thrее months?

Thіѕ аllоwѕ thе interviewer tо gо іntо mоrе detail аbоut whаt thе post асtuаllу requires wіthіn thе fіrѕt couple оf months. It’s а chance fоr уоu tо agree (if appropriate), lооk enthusiastic аnd іf роѕѕіblе еvеn explain whу thоѕе priorities аrе ideally suited tо уоur background.

3 – Hоw dоеѕ mу role fit wіth thе оvеrаll vision аt уоur company?

Nоt оnlу wіll thе answer tо thіѕ question give уоu аnоthеr chance tо outline еxасtlу whу you’d bе perfect fоr thе role, іt аlѕо shows tо thе interviewer уоu аrе aware оf thе bigger picture аnd уоur part іn it. A great question tо аѕk fоr mоrе senior-level travel roles.

Remember tо close thе interview bу summarizing уоur key skills аnd hоw they’re relevant fоr thе job іn question. Alwауѕ find оut thе nеxt steps аnd whеn you’re lіkеlу tо hear bасk. Don’t forget tо thаnk thе interviewer fоr thеіr time аnd kеер smiling!

 

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Stop Getting in the Way of Your Dream Job

DreamJob

You might think that finding a better job or obtaining a higher standing in your career is impossible, but this is more than likely not the case. The reason behind your failure to obtain a better job might just be yourself. If you are struggling to find a better job, you might find that you are actually self-sabotaging your own efforts along the way. You might just be what is holding you back from the job that you have always envisioned for yourself. Here are some ways to stop getting in your own way of a dream job in 2016.

The Fear the Failure

Sometimes we are so afraid of failure that we don’t even try. This is the reason that many people do not pursue their dream job. They are much more satisfied with never trying and never failing than actually putting themselves out there and facing rejection. Failure is not fun or enjoyable, but it is often something that you have to experience on your way to the top. This means that if you are looking to achieve your ultimate goals and obtain your dream job, you will undoubtedly face failure along the way. How you react in the face of failure is what will predict your success.

Entertaining Negative Thoughts

You might not think that your thoughts have that much power, but you would be mistaken. Every negative thought that you have about yourself poisons your subconscious. You are putting self-doubt at the forefront of your thoughts and this can be a major detriment to you. Your mind will eventually view these thoughts as reality over time. This means that you need to be careful of your thoughts and always remain positive about obtaining your career goals.

Write Down Fears, Let Them Go

It is difficult for some people to just push through their fears on their own. Some people need to focus their thoughts and boost their confidence in order to get the ability to push past fear. It might be a good idea to write down your thoughts and put your fears down on paper. When you see them in writing, it might give you the ability to determine how invalid these fears really are. Make sure that you are clear about what exactly you are afraid of. If you are afraid of your inability to perform, or of the stress that a new job may bring. Becoming aware of your fears is the first step to overcoming them in the long run.

Need help landing your dream job? Contact the career experts at Advance Staffing, or click here to browse our open jobs today!

 

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How to Continue Career Networking Your Way Into 2016

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If you are looking for ways to take the next step in your career, it all begins and ends with networking. People tend to become stagnant in their job and career over time, but it is important to push yourself and continue to strive for something better. Many people assume that they are safe in their current position and don’t need to make networking a priority, but this is the wrong attitude to have. Not making the effort to network while you can might really hamper your career going forward.

Networking is not always easy and it is common to feel burnt out over time, but there are a few ways that you can keep this from happening.

Help Others

In some ways, networking can be very self-oriented at times. When you are looking to network in the most effective way, it is important that you look to help others. Approaching networking from the standpoint of helping yourself is not ideal. This often puts you in a negative light with those that you are trying to network with. This means that you can benefit from networking in a way that allows you to help others. It is always a good idea when you are connecting with other people that you ask how you can help them. People are more likely to go to bat for someone that is willing to pay it back.

One on One

It is also important to remember that networking is most relaxed and enjoyable when you do it in a more personal setting. This means that networking should be one on one. It is always a good idea to try to network with people that you have some history with or a background. This makes the conversation flow more freely and takes a bit of the pressure off of you. Meeting in person is always the best way to begin the networking process. You can begin corresponding through email later on to add convenience.

Set Aside Time

Another great way to make networking less stressful is to set aside time dedicated specifically to networking. Networking is important to your career and it is important that you make networking a priority. Networking shouldn’t be something that just happens by chance. It needs to be something that you plane for in your schedule. This is the only way that networking can be manageable.

 

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Job Search Tips for December New Grads

January_2016_JobSearch

Congratulations! You are one of the few lucky college students who have made it through and earned your dream degree. After the celebrations are over, it’s time to start taking a hard look at how you will accomplish getting a new job. While you may get a lot of well-meaning advice from friends and family members, there are some sure ways to get a job if you follow the tips from our professional recruitment team.

#1 – Create a great resume and cover letter

Your very first step in the journey to earning a career in the New Year as a December college graduate is to create an outstanding resume and cover letter. There are many resources for finding information and templates for building a quality resume and cover letter set. You are encouraged to visit online and library resources to accomplish this. You will also want to consider reaching out to a professional resume writer and career coach to help you along the way.

#2 – Develop a strong professional brand

The next move you should make as a new college grad is to create a brand new online professional presents for yourself. Ditch your old social media accounts and start from scratch. One good way to accomplish this is to create a free online portfolio of your college assignments, such as your written work and/or any creative or video work that you have developed. Then create brand new social media accounts that link back to your portfolio. Remember, only show off your most professional work that you will be proud to discuss with a potential employer.

#3 – Connect with staffing agencies

The next smart move for your career search as a new grad is to get registered with your local staffing agencies. Why is this important? In many regions companies only hire through temporary staffing agencies. This is a measure used by companies to save on the cost and time of recruitment. Select a staffing agency that is in your particular area of industry. For example, if you are seeking an information technology job then you will reach out to staffing agencies in the IT and technical markets.

#4 – Network online and offline

A great way to speed up your job search is to become very active in networking with others in your industry and in your local area. You will want to become involved with some of the local business associations so that you get a chance to meet leaders and find out about positions before they are advertised. Use social networking sites like LinkedIn and Twitter to learn about brand new openings at companies. Connect with a few mentors in your area of interest and let everyone know that you are looking for a position now that you have graduated.

 

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Sick of Searching For Jobs? Use These Tips to Shorten Your Search!

Sick of Searching For Jobs

 

After weeks, and even months of trying to find a job, you are practically at your wits end. Searching for jobs is exhausting in and of itself, and then there are the long applications, the waiting to hear back from hiring managers, and the long pauses in between interviews. The entire experience is highly frustrating at best.

Is there anything you can do to speed up the job search? You betcha! Read on to learn some tips to shorten the job search and make it from point A (unemployed) to point B (a new job) with your sanity intact.

1. Use technology to your advantage.

The good news is that there are many technological tools that can speed up any job search. Most job boards offer automated job leads, there are apps that allow job seekers to create short introductory videos to share with recruiters, and social media makes it easy to send information to hiring companies with one click. Take the time to familiarize yourself with some of this technology and start using it to streamline your job search efforts.

2. Get your friends and family on board.

Imagine having a team of people helping you find a job? This can drastically speed things up because you are not going it alone. Let your friends, family, colleagues, college instructors, pastor, even your dentist know you are looking for a job. Very often, it’s more about who you know than what you know that can help you land a great job.

3. Take on temporary work.

While you are searching for work, why not fast track things by getting registered for work as a temporary employee? You can earn money while you learn new skills and if you do a good job, there’s a chance that you can get offered a permanent job at the end of your contract. Very often, companies only do their hiring through staffing agencies, so you’ll be in the right place at the right time for a job offer.

4. Head to job fairs.

The community is filled with events that can help speed up a job search process. Check with local workforce centers and find out about upcoming job fairs. Visit staffing agencies like Advance Staffing Solutions that are represented at these events, as they normally have a number of immediate placement opportunities. If you are a recent college grad, your campus career center can be another way to speed up the job search process.

When searching for a job, use short, but focused time periods to get a lot accomplished. This will help you get a job sooner and more efficiently. And partner with Advance Staffing Solutions! We can bring new job opportunities straight to you.

 

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Want to Move Your Resume to the Top of the Pile? Use These Tips!

Want to Move Your Resume to the Top of the Pile

 

It’s been estimated that for each and every job posting advertised that recruiters can receive as many as 300 – 500 resumes from eager candidates. That’s a lot of reading and screening! Unfortunately, most recruiters have very little time to spend on each resume, so they skim through them looking for specific things, make a pile out of about 1/10th of the original resumes, and start calling people in for interviews. In other cases, the applicant tracking system may scan resumes first and only kick out those that meet the job descriptions.

Sadly, your resume could end up at the bottom of the pile, or worse yet, in the bottom of a garbage can – that is, if you don’t know the secrets of success (that we are about to share with you now). If you want to move your resume to the top of the pile, read on.

Use a standard resume template

Any recruiter will tell you that they cannot stand it when people try to ‘reinvent the wheel’ with their resumes. They don’t want to see a resume that’s super creative (unless they are hiring for a creative role), with fancy colors and head photos of the candidate. Instead, stick to the rules and use a simple format with defined headings for Skills, Education, Career History, etc. These will have a better chance of being read properly by the ATS, and by the recruiters.

Try a nicer paper

If you plan to mail your resume in (who uses snail mail anymore?) be sure to invest in high-quality paper that has a nice texture and is slightly off-white. Your local office supply store can help you pick out the best paper and matching envelopes for this purpose. Have your resume professionally printed out. Don’t turn your resume in on brightly colored paper or poorly printed from an at-home machine.

Call the recruiter

It may seem simple, but taking the extra step to call the recruitment office 48 hours after sending in your resume can alert the hiring team that you are an interested candidate. Provide the recruiter with your full name spelled out, the job title you are applying for, and your contact phone number where they can reach you. Don’t ask them to interview you on the spot or take up too much of their time. Just say thanks and that you hope to hear back at their convenience.

Get recommended

Another way to ensure that your resume makes it to the top of the hiring pile is to ask for a direct employee referral from a colleague who works there. If you can, send this person a copy of your resume and ask them to walk a copy down to the HR office in person. If you don’t know anyone who works there, you can also reach out to the staffing agency you are registered with and ask if they are recruiting for the job, then get them to send the employer your resume. This can be a very effective way to get called in for a job interview sooner.

 

The last secret to success in a job search is to partner with a staffing agency like Advance Staffing Solutions. We have staffing experts on hand in Michigan and Ohio to help you land whatever career you’re aiming for!

 

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Hiring? Make Sure Your Online Presence is Setting You Up for Success

Hiring-Make Sure Your Online Presence is Setting You Up for Success

 

When candidates visit your corporate website, your social media accounts, and read about the company in the news, how well does this online presence blend with the kind of corporate culture you are trying to portray? Many times, companies put a lot of effort into their marketing only to find out it’s coming up short for recruitment purposes. Candidates can be highly critical when it comes to deciding IF they want to apply to work for a company that may not share their same values. This is why it’s critical to develop a strong online presence that speaks to a positive culture.

Here are some things any company can do to ensure they are portrayed in a candidate-friendly light.

Update your company website and your job listings

When job seekers are reviewing career opportunities, they can be judging the way the company website looks. If it’s been updated recently and has a positive brand, then they are more confident applying for work. If the website looks like it hasn’t been updated since the dawn of the Internet, or if job postings are outdated, these factors will not go unnoticed by job candidates.

Mixed messages and poor information on social networks

Does your company have a central person or team dealing with the social networks, or is it a free-for-all? Inconsistent messaging, odd posts, and even potential offensive content could be hurting your company’s chance of hiring the best people. Make sure your marketing team syncs with the hiring team at frequent intervals to avoid this kind of mixed messaging.

If there a Web-friendly way of applying?

Candidates today are turning to their mobile devices for finding and applying for work. If your company has not developed a mobile version of the company career portal or created a mobile job app, you are missing out on many great candidates. Use a mobile app that’s simple to use and streamlined for job applicants to use. Try a ready-made career app to make this a quick and easy step, and get your website set up as interactive with all mobile devices.

Promoting the company career opportunities

You cannot expect candidates to find your company without doing a little marketing to get the word out about job opps. Attend career fairs, participate in job fairs, partner with a staffing agency, and more to market your careers to job seekers. The company doesn’t have to have a huge budget or team to accomplish this, just keep it simple and focused.

Need help finding top-quality job candidates in Michigan and Ohio? Click here to contact Advance Staffing Solutions today, and let us take the hard work of finding, testing, and vetting quality candidates for you!

 

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Want a New Job? Read This Today!

New-Job-Read-This

 

Are you close to landing your dream job in Detroit Michigan? Did you know that for every job advertised, recruiters generally receive upwards of three to four hundred resumes? What this means is that the odds are already stacked against you as a candidate.

However, if you take the right steps now you can gain an advantage over other candidates and land a dream job. Here are some ways to help you get a great job in Detroit.

Start with Creating a Great Social Media Presence.

Did you know that around 90 percent of recruiters regularly turn to social media to recruit talent? Many job seekers don’t realize how important their social media profiles are. But you are smarter than that. Take advantage of your social media profiles by cleaning them up, adding a professional headshot photo, and highlighting your achievements. Network with others in the Detroit area to get in front of the best hiring companies.

Develop a Resume That Gets Noticed.

Most recruiters will spend only a couple of seconds looking over resumes. That means you have nanoseconds to make a positive first impression and stand out from other candidates. Give yourself an advantage by being creative with your resume. Try a new template. Use plenty of white space and bullet points to highlight skills and achievements. Pare your resume down to one page and use an interview to provide more details about your career history. You may also want to try several online resumes where you can also add your social media links and portfolios of your work.

Join Detroit Area Career Networks.

In addition to registering with staffing agencies in the Detroit, MI area, you will also want to become involved with all the local career and business networks you can. Take the time to attend local job fairs. Spend some time at your Detroit Works center. Volunteer in the community and learn about career opportunities this way. Stay active and visual to stand out as a top candidate in Detroit.

Apply for Multiple Jobs.

Don’t limit yourself to just one or two dream jobs in Michigan. Take the time to target specific companies that you want to work for and then apply for several jobs where you have a majority of the skills. Very often, companies will hire people with a little bit less experience but those who show potential in jobs that require more responsibility. There are also a number of management training programs available with Detroit-area employers. Be open and willing to try new things by taking on temporary assignments and entry level positions that may be different for you.

Need more help finding a job? Click here to browse our open positions, or contact us today!

 

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3 Tips for Un-Complicating Your Job Search

UnComplicate-Job-Search

 

Is your job search starting to get you very stressed out? Are you overwhelmed by all the different things that you need to keep track of and do in order to get a job? You are not alone. Many people feel frustrated over the job search process – particularly if it takes months to land even one interview.

However, there are some things you can do to streamline and simplify things so that you are staying on track and making the best use of your time. Here are some ways to un-complicate your job search.

1. Decide what type of job you want.

Believe it or not this can be a very difficult thing for some people. This is especially true if you had put certain types of jobs in the past and you think that you can only do those types of jobs. But what you need to understand is that you have a broad gamut of skills that would be valuable to a potential employer. Take the time to participate in a few career personality tests which can be taken online and identify the top-three career choices for your particular talents.

2. Clean up your image.

Some people think you should start with your resume but we think that you should start with your public profiles. 95 percent of all recruiters are looking through candidate profiles on their social networks before they even pick up the phone to call them for an interview. Make sure that you clean up your profiles, remove any questionable content, and put your best foot forward with a professional headshot photo and information about your career.

3. Work with a career coach.

You don’t have to go it alone with a job search! There are skilled professionals out there ready and willing to help you along the way. Contact your local staffing agency and find out if you can get support there for your job search. Consider hiring a certified career coach in your area of expertise to guide you along the way. Get support by joining a job network where you can learn of new job opportunities and talk to others about your journey.

The above three steps will set you on the right path in very little time at all. Be sure to check out the new job openings available at Advance Staffing Solutions, and reach out to us any time you need help with your job search — from resumes to interviews, we’re here to help you!

 

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5 Tips for Using LinkedIn to Catch a Recruiter’s Eye

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There’s a reason why over 433 million users call LinkedIn home. With new members signing up at the rate of two per second, the platform has grown to be the largest professional network in the world. Therefore, if you want to get a head start in your career, you will want to establish a strong presence on LinkedIn. In this way, you can attract the attention of recruiters at the biggest and best companies in your industry.

Follow these five tips to stand out on LinkedIn and catch a recruiter’s eye for a job opportunity.

Start with an effective profile picture.

Science has shown that people make their first impression of others based on what they see. Therefore, if you want to stand out to recruiters you’ll need to have an outstanding profile picture. Get a friend to assist you with taking a nice headshot that shows you in a professional light wearing business attire, standing in front of a plain background. Use the same photo across all your social networks for more branded presence.

Write a clear and concise headline.

Make sure that your headline says who you are directly and indicates that you are open for work opportunities. For example, you may want to say something like ‘15 year sales professional looking for opportunities’. Keep it simple but direct. Why is this important? Recruiters often do a keyword search, and if they look for words like ‘sales’ or ‘opportunities’ they will come across your profile faster.

Share only industry-relevant career information.

Many people go about using LinkedIn like it’s an online resume. But this is not the right way to do things. Instead, what you want to do is highlight your career achievements and then list the relevant careers that you’ve held under this role. Avoid aging yourself by only listing careers or jobs that you had in the last 10 to 12 years.

Include links to your blogs and portfolio.

The most effective way to use LinkedIn is to show off your work. If you have a blog make sure that you have the RSS feed connected to your LinkedIn to automatically show your most recent posts. If you have an online portfolio of published works such as articles, books, or graphics make sure that you have a link to this as well.

Get connected with all the career networks including recruitment groups.

With 90 percent of recruiters using LinkedIn as a primary source of candidates, your best chance of getting noticed is to participate in career groups, those run by staffing agencies, and recruitment search communities. Make sure that you share relevant content at least once per week to stay on their radar. Respond quickly to messages that you receive from recruiters.

Need more help with your job search, or catching a recruiter’s eye on LinkedIn? Contact Advance Staffing Solutions today!

 

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Need Help Networking for a Marketing Career? Use These 3 Tools

Need Help Networking for a Marketing Career

 

Networking is a vital part of a marketing career, no matter the years of experience the candidate has. Those who do not network will find it difficult to obtain new job opportunities throughout their careers. Smart marketing candidates have cast a wide net to reel in the best career opportunities, using technology to their advantage.

Networking does not have to bog you down, nor take up a ton of your time. It is something that can be done a couple hours per month or more, if you feel the need. Just remember one thing: Networking makes all the difference throughout the life of your career. If you need to improve your marketing career, use the three tools discussed in this article.

Spiceworks 7.0: Free Mobile Device Management

One of the most recommended networking tools out there today is the Spiceworks 7.0. This is a free mobile device management system that lets you take it wherever you go. It is perfect for the marketing professional who is always on the go, traveling from city to city for events and gigs hosted by their employer or employer’s clients. This software allows you to manage the smartphones and tablets of employees around the world. If an issue ever arises with their devices, the software will allow you to fix that issue without having the device in hand.

GlassWire Network Monitor

GlassWire Network Monitor is another free network tool that many professionals use today to help their marketing career. The software provides a graph for you to view that shows the activity of your network as well as the apps being used by computers on your network. The program keeps a log of network activity for up to 30 days at a time. If malware or other suspicious activity is detected, GlassWire will monitor the activity and send the user alerts.

Netwrix Account Lockout Examiner

What is more frustrating than getting locked out of an account? It’s so hard remembering all the different login names and passwords one has for their variety of social media accounts, personal accounts, work accounts and more. This is a free tool that every marketing professional should have on their devices. The software allows you to troubleshoot locked accounts after receiving an alert from Netwrix.

If you are having trouble networking in your marketing career, then it is time to make a change. There are plenty of free networking tools out there today that can help anyone in the marketing field take charge. Give one or all three discussed today a try. And if you still need help finding a new marketing career, click to browse our open positions today!

 

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