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

Raza Rauf on March 3, 2016

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.

Job Search Tips for December New Grads

Raza Rauf on January 25, 2016

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.

How to Continue Career Networking Your Way Into 2016

Raza Rauf on December 29, 2015

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.

Stop Getting in the Way of Your Dream Job

Raza Rauf on December 17, 2015

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!

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

Raza Rauf on December 10, 2015

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

3 Questions Candidates Always Forget to Ask

Raza Rauf on December 3, 2015

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!

What Will Employers Find When They Compare Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile?

Raza Rauf on November 12, 2015

It’s easy to apply for a job using LinkedIn tools, which sends your profile and career data zipping over to employers in a matter of seconds. But, before you do – when is the last time you checked to make sure your resume information matches the information on your LinkedIn profile? What could confuse employers or what do you not want them to see about you?

It’s time to clean up your LinkedIn profile so it says the same thing as your resume.

Your Career History for the Last 10 Years

First, go through all your career information on your LinkedIn account, going back 10 years. Do the job titles, descriptions, and employment dates coordinate? Fix any errors. Remove your career history going back more than 10 years from your LinkedIn profile, to avoid “dating” yourself. Include temp jobs under one agency name.

Your Skills and Product Knowledge

Chances are, you have gotten plenty of LinkedIn endorsements from peers on your profile. Are these skills appearing on your resume too? If not, evaluate the skills and if they are relevant to the types of careers you are going after. Remove them off LinkedIn if they don’t serve you. Or add them to your resume if they add value to your expertise.

The People You Know

Very often, recruitment pros will search through the LinkedIn (and other) social media profiles of candidates to see if they are connected in any way. This can be a positive thing, such as when you are connected d with a few people who work for your target company, or the person you list as a reference is a connection of the hiring manager. Be sure to go through your LinkedIn profile and get connected to people you know at the companies you want to work for.

Education and Training

Maintain consistency between your resume and LinkedIn profile where it pertains to any education and specialized training you have completed. Ensure dates and descriptions of your educational history are correct. If you earned a high GPA, just include this on your LinkedIn profile. If you are currently working on a degree or certificate, make sure you state your estimated graduation date in both places.

How to Stay Off a Recruiter’s Blacklist

Raza Rauf on September 28, 2015

Trying to find a job today is not easy. Even with the help of the Internet and social media, landing a job you want can take months because hundreds of people apply for the same jobs as you. Turning your job search into a success can be done by working with a recruiter. One thing you must know when working with a recruiter is that you need to stay off of their blacklist. Being on a recruiter’s blacklist can ruin your job search, so follow these tips to stay off this list!

Exaggerating Skills or Claims

One of the biggest reasons why a recruiter will put you on their blacklist is because you have been caught exaggerating your skills or claims on your resume. It is understandable that people exaggerate a little bit on their resumes, but it can be very detrimental their job search. Recruiters will be able to see through lies on your resume because they read thousands of resumes per year. Avoid exaggerating about your skills or claims on your resume to stay off a recruiter’s blacklist.

Self-Employed Viewed as Unemployed

Even though this seems a little harsh, many recruiters view self-employed job seekers as unemployed job seekers, even if the job seeker has been running a successful business independently. It is difficult to change this perception in front of recruiters, but it can be done. Make sure you include some stats about your independently owned business that proves you have been working for the past five-to-ten years, and not just sitting around the house.

Aggression Does Not Work

Even though being an aggressive job seeker can be better than being a passive one, it can get you blacklisted by a recruiter if you work with one. Contacting a recruiter multiple times per week via phone or email will get you blacklisted for sure. There is no need to constantly bother a recruiter about an open job or an interview you had with a company. If the company liked you, the recruiter will reach out to you when necessary.

Failure to Fit the Culture

Job seekers could have an incredible resume and all the references in the world, but not fitting in with a company’s culture could cause you to hit the blacklist. This can be determined through screening processes, an interview with the company and much more. If this happens more than once, a recruiter might have to blacklist you to avoid wasting anyone else’s time.

Stay off of a recruiter’s blacklist by keeping aggression to a minimum, avoiding exaggeration on your resume and by fitting into a company’s culture.

Are You Missing Out on LinkedIn Endorsements?

Raza Rauf on September 10, 2015

LinkedIn has so much to offer its users, especially when it comes to finding jobs. One feature of the social networking site that has become very popular is the ability to endorse connections. Endorsements are something that almost everyone does nowadays on LinkedIn. The point being to “endorse” — or vouch for — a connection’s skill or trait they have listed on their profile, and often, to have them endorse you for yours as well.

Issues with LinkedIn Endorsements

As with every social network, there are some issues with LinkedIn endorsements. For example, many users of the site are encouraged to endorse some lesser skills of their connections instead of skills those connections are actually known for. For instance, let’s say that you are known for your sound editing skills. LinkedIn will likely encourage your connections to endorse you for something along the lines of Microsoft Word or Communication. Because of this, you are not being endorsed for your best skills.

Being able to endorse connections you truly know makes it easier for users to expand their profile, because it gets posted to the profile page when a user offers an endorsement. Many users reciprocate when their receive an endorsement from a connection, which also shows up on their profile.

An issue with this is that many users simply endorse anyone they want if they are connected to them on LinkedIn. This means that the person who filed the endorsement does not really know if the recipient has those skills, or is even somewhat decent when performing those skills.

Use LinkedIn Endorsements

Despite the issues with LinkedIn endorsements, it is still a good idea for you to use them, but at your discretion. Whenever you log into LinkedIn and endorsement suggestions are presented, only approve the ones that are well known to you. Do not endorse connections who you have never met in person or whom you have never worked. This does not help you and you truly cannot speak to their skills.

The great thing about LinkedIn is that you can circumvent the issue with endorsement suggestions appearing on your login screen. If you truly want to endorse someone you know, go to their profile page. Here you will be able to choose the skill you want to endorse instead of endorsing the skill suggested by LinkedIn.

The next time you log into LinkedIn and are greeted with endorsement suggestions, visit the profile pages of those people and endorse the skills you know that person is truly great at performing.

Get Your Resume Ready for Autumn — But Avoid these Pitfalls!

Raza Rauf on August 11, 2015

The cooler months of autumn can be the perfect time to launch a new job search, starting with whipping a resume into shape. A well-designed resume can help you get in front of the best hiring companies. But, before you go through all this effort, make sure your resume doesn’t include any of these common resume pitfalls that can turn off recruiters before they’ve had a chance to meet you.

Pitfall #1 – Your resume is boring

If you fall into the trap of writing your resume on a dull over-used resume template, you can be sure that the recruiters will pass it by. This is because they read through so many resumes daily, so the boring ones get ignored. Take the time to develop your resume on an updated resume template that includes nice use of text, white space, and call-out sections for maximum reader appeal.

Pitfall #2 – Your forgot to include achievements

If your resume reads like a long list of job requirements and responsibilities, without any real accomplishments, it’s missing the mark big time. Make sure you explain briefly what you did in each role and then add a list of at least 2-3 achievements or recognition you had in each job. Even if they were temp assignments, find something. Use financials and percentages whenever you can.

Pitfall #3 – Where is the cover letter?

A good resume includes a cover letter that acts as a quick introduction of your value to hiring managers. Use a similar template to build your cover letter, include a strong opening statement, a list of your top 5 skills you bring to the table, and wrap it up by inviting the recruiter to read your resume and contact you for a job interview.

Pitfall #4 – Your spelling and grammar leave much to be desired

Always take the time to do a spelling and grammar check of your resume, and any written materials you send out to recruiters. If you have issues in this area you can get a friend to proof-read your resume before it goes out for all to see. Poor grammar and spelling tell a company that you are not concerned with the with the quality of your work, and you don’t want to develop this relationship.

Pitfall #5 – Overuse of keywords

In an effort to sound amazing to hiring managers, it’s easy to include a bunch of industry power words in a resume. However, most recruiters are wise to this and they find it annoying. Avoid using too many keywords that make you look like an amateur, instead focus on marketable job skills and knowledge you have.

Follow the above tips to avoid making these common resume pitfalls, and you should look a lot better to hiring companies out there looking for great people this fall.

It’s Easy to Land a Job — Just Do Something Different!

Raza Rauf on August 5, 2015

In any career, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. Performing the same tasks and taking on the same types of projects can be a safe place. But, if you are searching for a new job, you will quickly find out that what counts is your ability to stand out from other candidates. How do you do this? By being different!

Ways to Be Different and Stand out as a Candidate

You don’t have to do anything crazy to stand out as a candidate. Instead, you want to find something that you feel comfortable with and can use to shine. Use these tips to get started.

Create some buzz around YOU

Before you even apply for the job you want, you need to develop a buzz around yourself, essentially creating a brand presence for your career. Make it a point to develop a blog and share your best creative and written works. Develop a group online and stand out as a thought leader in your industry. Get involved with a cause you care about.

Network with the right people

Getting in front of the best hiring companies is all about meeting with and networking with influencers. You can do much for your career by using social networks and local networking groups to meet new people in your areas of interest. LinkedIn can be a powerful place for joining groups for your industry and connecting with people. Be sure to connect with the hiring managers at the companies you want to target.

Use an outstanding cover letter and resume

Most job seekers send a very bland resume and many others forget to use a written cover letter. Worse yet, they may send a form letter. Instead, do something different and create an interesting and attention-grabbing cover letter and resume that hiring managers will enjoy getting. Start with a great template, and then create your opening statement. Use a fun fact about yourself, list your best skills, and wrap up the cover letter with a call to action including your phone number where you can be called. Match your resume to your cover letter in the template, tone and style.

Follow up the smart way

Do you know how to effectively follow up with hiring managers, in a different way? Instead of sending a boring email or picking up the phone, why not send a nice thank you card to the hiring manager? This is more personal and it’s amazing how many candidates forget to do this simple thing. It will help you to stand out as a professional and your card may trigger a call to come back in for a second interview, or better yet – a job offer.

Do something different today – pick up the phone and apply as a temporary employee with Advance Staffing Services for part time and full time jobs.

Don’t Assume You Got the Job!

Raza Rauf on July 29, 2015

It’s one thing to look forward to hearing back from an employer following an interview; it’s another to expect a job offer right away. These things take time. Therefore, it’s important not to get too wrapped up in a particular company until you have an offer of employment solidified. This is known as having a “job crush” and it can be detrimental to your career. Even if you had a fantastic interview where everything went perfect, you don’t want to sit back and do nothing.

The hard-fast rule in any job search is to never assume you got the job. Instead, here are some ways to make your job search count, and to check on the status of things after an interview.

Keep applying for jobs you are qualified for

Just because you just experienced an outstanding job interview or applied for a job that you are perfect for means you got the job yet. Keep up the effort of applying for new jobs and companies that you are qualified for and interested in. Remember that every job gets hundreds of applicants so you must do your best to stand out with a great cover letter, resume, and work history that highlights achievements.

Keep learning while you are looking

It’s always a good idea to continue to enhance your marketable skills while you are waiting for a job offer. You can do this a variety of ways, from taking community education courses and night classes at local colleges to free and low cost online classes. Focus on courses that add to your current skills or cater to the software and processes that you are finding employers are looking for.

Keep networking in your career search

Just because you think you may have a job offer soon doesn’t mean you should stop networking activities. In fact, now is the time to step things up in this effort. Keep connecting with people at your target companies, recruitment firms, and industry leaders. Use social networking, business events, and industry associations to seek other like-minded professionals.

Keep following up on all job applications

It’s a good idea to check back in with the recruiters and hiring companies you have contacted recently. Once you have applied for a job its ok to send an email or drop a note in the mail once. If you have interviewed for the job, check back in by phone and drop a note in the mail once per week until you know the outcome.

Keep active in your career

You don’t have to sit around waiting for the phone to ring. Instead, keep working and earning by taking temporary assignments in the meantime. There are multiple part time, full time, and contract jobs out there that have good hourly wages and help get your foot in the door with great companies. At the very least, you will look good to recruiters as you stay employed and active in your career. You may even land a great job with your dream company this way.

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